Faelan watched Harry saunter out of the line of fire, silently cursing his turned back even as he grew desperate for just the right thing to say to Gabrielle. When he slid his gaze back to her, she was watching him with a raised eyebrow, and he cleared his throat, convinced that she thought him a total fool.
Which he was, in actually believing Harry was inviting him along for a casual boys' night out. He made a mental note to giving Harry a terrific telling off later.
"Um, right. So..."
Or, maybe he owed him about a million Galleons. Gabrielle was breathing perfection, and he felt like his tongue was suddenly twelve sizes too big.
"Are you all right?" Gabrielle asked in her delicate, raspy French accent. "You look quite...pink, if I may say." With a slight cluck of her tongue and a gentle sigh, Gabrielle turned back toward the bar, breaking eye contact. "I suppose 'arry also did not say that I am half-Veela? Most boys react this way, do not worry. My sister tells me to enjoy it, but I find it quite tiresome after every time and every time..."
The girl turned her eyes to Faelan again, tossing her hair over her shoulder and wearing an expression like he was a lost cause. "Do not look so sorry," she told him, opening her tiny handbag to pull out a few coins and place them on the bar. "It is not your fault."
Faelan had gone completely silent, but in truth, it was more because his tongue was tied up in knots than because of enchantment. Harry was a first-class royal prat for getting him into this, and he would make sure the man paid for it later.
"No," he said, reaching out to close his hand over Gabrielle's money. "I...I think it is." He pushed the coins back to her. "I'm kind of...lame sometimes," he explained with a wry, apologetic smile. "Please let me buy your drink at least. And not because you're a Veela --" Bewitcher, his mother used to say. "--but...but because you came all the way down here and you didn't ask for Harry to be a jerk..."
Gabrielle put her money back in her purse and sighed. "I will let you because it seems to make you feel better, but I mean that it is not your fault. I do not think you are...what do you say, lame person? I think 'arry would not bring me someone lame. Perhaps..." she tilted her head to the side, trying to see Faelan's eyes around the hair that was hanging in his down-turned, reddened face. "...I should stay a bit longer? If you want to talk to me some more?"