Hermione Granger studies harder than you. (her_my_nee) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-05-30 18:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, hermione granger, james kirk, montgomery scott |
Scotty, sometimes you worry me.
Who: Jim Kirk, NPC Jim’s mother, and Hermione Granger, NPC Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and Montgomery Scott
When: Circa May 16
Where: Their place, the Enterprise
What: Meet the In-Laws!
Rating/Warnings: Low, some swearing?
Status: Complete
He’d thought he’d been done dreaming. Sailing off into the stars on adventures. The first one had come like a rush. The excitement of catching illegal traders, and discovering new species. He was being chased by the new species when he woke up that morning, and rolled out of bed with a groan. He needed to put that out of his mind.
Today, Hermione met his mother.
Hermione was already in the shower when Jim rolled out of bed. She’d woken before her alarm, nerves twisting in her gut. Everything had to be perfect. She wanted to look like the best wife she could be, act like a proper young woman. This was his mother, even though they weren’t that close, she still wanted to make a good impression.
“We’re still trying to impress our parents with the Enterprise?” He asked, brushing his teeth in front of the sink while she was in the shower. It was completely, 100% mundane. And there was a part of him that was upset by that. He only needed to glance into the shower to phaser that part to death.
Hermione could sense that Jim was in the bathroom with her before she turned to look. He started brushing his teeth, she started rinsing her hair. Then, for fun, when she knew he was looking, she started to wash her breasts again. Teasing. Hoping that he might enjoy the show.
“If that’s what you want to do.” She said. “I don’t know if trying is the right word. Anyone not impressed by the Enterprise is absolutely mad.”
“.....” Jim reached in to help her wash. “I mean, if we wanted to just meet her for lunch somewhere. I’d rather show her the moon and the earth. It worked on you, didn’t it.” He flashed a lecherous grin. First his mom. Then her parents. They could do this.
“I have a feeling she’s going to love it.” Hermione said. Her eyes fell closed as she let him take over the washing. Very distracting from the conversation at hand, and made her want more. But no, that’d throw her schedule off for the morning. She still had clothes to choose and hair to (attempt to) tame. “Who wouldn’t love the moon and the Earth?”
“A crazy person. Which my mother is,” Jim laughed and kissed her, then pulled away before he derailed their morning. He’d have to surprise her in the afternoon!
It’d only be a surprise if she didn’t jump him first. She finished rinsing after the kiss, then grabbed her towel to dry off. “I’m sure she’s not that crazy,” she added, already defending the mother-in-law she’d never met.
“She’s still crazy,” he assured her, walking back into the bedroom to pull on the clothing he’d picked out the night before.
“I can’t imagine you with a sane Mum,” Hermione said, following him into the bedroom as she pulled her hair up into a towel. Of course, the clothes she picked out the night before didn’t seem good enough now, so she wandered to the closet to dig.
“I love you too. I’m sure your parents are painfully normal.” He reached over to fuss with her hair, messing it up and otherwise playing with it. Then he smacked her in the ass.
Hermione laughed at the smack to her backside. “Me? My parents are absolutely normal. Boringly so. Dentists.” She shook her head, then pulled some clothes out of the closet and moved over to the bed to get dressed.
He smacked her again, then finished getting dressed, grinning at her. “Well I look forward to finally meeting them.” Was this a bright idea? He didn’t think it was a bright idea.
They were doing it anyway.
It was a little late to be changing plans now. Hermione knew this, and yet she asked, “are you sure this is a good idea? Getting both sets of in-laws together for the first time?”
“It’s not my best plan, but it’s not my worse.” He kissed her on the lips and patted her shoulders. “Wear the blue..thing. That looks good on you. I know red and gold are your colors, but blue does nice things to your eyes.”
Hermione returned the kiss, gently and quickly. But then he suggested the blue thing. It was sweet of him to notice, sweet of him to care. Before she could stop herself, she’d lifted her arms, wrapped them around him, and was kissing him soundly on the mouth.
Jim laughed into the kiss. He wrapped his arms about her, and swung her around, kissing happily. “God, you’re amazing.”
Hermione’s towels fell down as he spun her around in his arms, and suddenly she was naked again. Not that she really cared. The kissing was fun, the arms around her was even better. “I’m only a reflection of your love for me.” She said. Then laughed, going pink. “God, that sounded like a terrible cliche.”
"Mmm...and right now I'm reflecting the love you hold for me." He poked her with his pointy end and grinned. "We should do something about it."
“Do we have time before we have to go?” Hermione asked, but her hand was already snaking down between them to do something about it.
“We have about thirty minutes,” Jim replied, his eyes fluttering shut at the touch of her hand. She could turn him into begging, whimpering shell of a man with just a brush.
Hermione grinned. “...well, I’m naked. That should save us some time.” Her hand brushed over the front of his trousers in a teasing way, then in a less teasing way. And then she was opening his pants and slipping said hand inside.
Twenty minutes later, Jim had them beamed up to the Enterprise, a pleased look on his face and a swagger in his step.
“Ready?”
It was a wonder Hermione wasn’t walking bow-legged. But she looked rather pleased with herself as well. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” she responded, then stepped over and took hold of his hand. Surely he only needed one hand for the controls.
Jim exhaled shakily, and then activated the controls. Three patterns of light appeared on the transporter pad.
Hermione couldn’t help but break into a grin when two of the three patterns of light became more and more familiar. Once Mr. and Mrs. Granger were fully transported, Hermione rushed forward to wrap her arms around them.
Jim nodded his head towards his mother, who was looking around in astonishment. He gave her a slightly worried smile, and stepped around to greet her. “Welcome aboard. We....ah we have a lot to talk about.”
Mr and Mrs Granger had similar expressions, though they were distracted by a glomp!hug from their daughter. “What in the world?” Her father’s voice came out from behind the bushy, brown hair.
“C’mon, Dad. Mum. We’ve got some things to show you, and lots to tell.” Hermione said, then looped her arm through her mother’s and turned to follow Jim and his Mum to the Observation deck, where they had lunch set up.
Mrs. Kirk walked in a daze, looking around. She could scarcely believe what was going on. It was bad enough her son had gotten married and never told her (though she’d be the first to admit that she’d never expected him to marry). Now this?
Mrs. Granger seemed to be taking it better than her husband. He lagged behind, staring, open-mouthed, up and around the corridors. He’d seen this before. He knew it all so well. This was so very familiar to him.
Hermione had to stop and grab hold of him, too, to make sure he didn’t take a wrong turn and end up in engineering. Scotty might frown upon some random muggle wandering near his warp drive.
They made it to the Observation Deck, and Hermione ushered her parents into their chairs around the table. The whole wall was displaying the outside; blackness with white spots, and the Earth taking up a good portion of the screen. The moon, too. It was an absolutely fantastic view.
“What..what is all this?” Winona said, eyes widening as she realized what she was looking at.
“This is a starship, and we’re in orbit above the Moon,” Jim said, smiling nervously.
“You would use a starship to impress a girl.”
“Oh, Mione,” Mrs. Weasley said, moving closer to Observation window. “...you really married up, didn’t you?” She teased.
“Hey!” Hermione said with a laugh. Her cheeks went pink at the tease. Hermione was certain that her parents were going to love Jim almost as much as she did. She was still nervous about Jim’s mother, though.
Mr. Weasley was staring at Jim, as if slowly putting all of the pieces together. His mouth was hanging slightly open.
Winona would have disagreed with that marrying up comment. She’d been bitterly disappointed in how she’d seen her son ruin his potential, but this...this..
“This isn’t military, is it?” She turned to look at Jim.
He shook his head. “Exploration, science.” The ship had weapons of course but he didn’t need to go into that.
Mr. Granger turned to stare at Jim. “To boldly go where no man has gone before.” He said, the pieces finally clicking into place. (Mrs. Granger and Hermione both turned to look at him. Hermione looked slightly nervous, Mrs. Granger a little confused.) “Holy cow, you’re James T. Kirk.” He added, sounding both impressed and astonished.
He flashed the man a grin. “The one and only.” He ignored the baffled look on his own mother’s face. “I’ve prepared a pretty good meal so I hope you’re all hungry.”
Maybe he should have worn a dress uniform.
Hermione’s father woul dhave been impressed if James T Kirk had worn a cardboard box. They were on the Enterprise... Mr. Granger was absolutely fascinated. He wanted a tour. Forget about eating!
Mrs. Granger looked really confused. Hermione led her over to the table and sat down, after ushering her mother into her seat. “I’ll explain later,’ she said, while Mr. Granger took his seat next to his wife. Then Jim’s chair, and Winona’s. Hermione was sandwiched between the two moms, and gave Jim a confident smile. Though, of course, Jim knew Hermione well enough by now to see the tiny hints of insecurity behind that smile.
“I’m starving, Jim,” Hermione said, still trying to smile as confidently as she could. “What did you prepare for us tonight?”
Mr. Granger looked thrilled. “Did you use a replicator??”
“I’m afraid I did for most of it. Except I grilled the vegetables on one of the engine coils. Don’t tell Mr. Scott.” Kirk winked.
Mr. Granger looked like he might have fainted. “Scotty? He’s here??” He asked, nearly jumping out of his chair. (Mrs. Granger put a hand on his arm to calm him down.)
“Well, it smells amazing, Jim,” Hermione said, now a little embarrassed about how excitable her dad seemed tonight. “Thank you for cooking.”
It was obvious around the table that everyone had a wine glass except for Hermione. She was drinking water.
“Bones might even be on board,” Jim said, unable to help himself. This was too much fun. “The replicator did do most of the work.” He sipped at his wine, oblivious.
“Bones?” Mrs. Granger glanced over at Mrs. Kirk, wondering about this Bones thing. Unfortuately, while Mr. Granger raised his daughter right, and they watched every. single. episode of that show (and all the movies, and all of the later series...es) he hadn’t quite roped his wife into the science-fiction lovers club.
“Leonard McCoy,” Mr. Granger informed his wife. “He’s the ship’s Medic.”
“Oh, I see.” Mrs. Granger was now wondering if she’d missed some major conversations between Hermione and her husband lately.
“So, Mrs. Kirk,” Hermione said, turning her attention to her Mother-In-Law. “I hope we weren’t interrupting anything important today,” she said, giving a shy smile.
Scotty's nose was attuned to the smell of burning in all it's forms. That included electrical fire, radiation burns, good old fashioned infernos, and the smell of burning food. The first three were because they were a catastrophe when onboard a starship. The last one was because that is a damned travesty.
Now, truth be told, he didn't smell the food burning, precisely, but a starship wasn't anyplace to have a BBQ either, James T. Kirk. Your chief engineer is now sniffing his way like a hungover bloodhound toward the source of....
"...WHO THE BLOODY HELL'S COOKED FOOD ON ME ENGINE COILS?!"
And so it seems Scotty found the source of that smell. Someone’s gonna has some ‘splaining to do.
"No," she shook her head. "I had an off day today. I've been doing a lot of charity work. I'm getting ready to fly out of the country. Working with Doctors without Borders."
Jim looked up from the banquet table he'd set up in the observation lounge - dinner with a view. He gave his old friend a grin. "Scotty! We were finally meeting each others' respective in-laws, and I thought they deserved a treat for our eloping on them."
"...yew...yeeeeeew..." Scotty stomped over and pointed at...well at all of it, and then at Kirk. "Dew ye realize how unacceptable this is? Who grills vegetables on a coil? This isnae a restaurant, it's a starship an' yer gonnae gum up everything an' get 'er sooty!"
That's right. Be more respectful of Scotty's big metal and matter-antimatter wife, would you?
Scotty stopped and stared at the guests, realizing that his mum would've slapped him upside his head and then told him to drink his pint of scotch and shut up.
"Och. Right. Guests." He lowered his voice even more and awkwardly folded both arms over himself, like he was trying to look like he wasn't budging on the BBQ issue. "....'ellooooo."
Mr. Granger was staring up at Scotty with his lower jaw hanging limp. Hermione turned around in her chair to give him a bright smile. Mrs. Granger looked a little confused as to where Scotty came.
“Hello, Scotty!” Hermione said, lifting her hand to wave at him.
"I put the vegetables on foil, Scotty. I replicated the meat. I'm not going to get grease and oil all over the Enterprise." He flashed the man a charming grin, walking over and clapping his hand on his back. "Why don't you sit and have a bite. Come meet my mom, and my in-laws. Our in-laws. You're like a brother to me." He pinched Scotty's cheek playfully.
Scotty coughed the moment that hand met his back and then gave Kirk a looking at, as though he liked the guy, but sometimes he wouldn't put it past him to slap some food down on the insides of his ship. The minute it sunk in that this was Kirk and Mrs. Kirk's parents, his eyes just about popped out.
"Oh, well, that's nice tae say, but if ye dinnae get yer fingers aff me cheek, I'm gonnae have tae cut them aff with a plasma cutter." It was said good naturedly, in such a way that he made it known it was a joke that he'd never ever do, especially not to Kirk. "Thanks, Captain. I do believe I'm starving tae death."
"...'ello, I'm really not an arse. Fine, I am, but I promise tae mind me manners an' tone doon the yelling and foul language. As best as possible." He had eaten about an hour ago, but this looked even more appetizing than that particular sandwich was. He gave them all a surprisingly sheepish smile. "Pass the tatties, please? If there's any."
“Enjoy! Now where were we?” Jim laughed, and let go of Scotty. He clapped his hand on his back again, and took a seat. Winona Kirk smiled at Scotty, and patted her hair down.
Scotty coughed after that last backpat and shot Kirk a fleeting glare, but then he found himself staring at...wait, was that Kirk's mother? She was rather pretty! He smiled much more brightly back at her and took a seat, himself, clearing his throat and making sure his red shirt wasn't covered in crumbs or spicy mustard globs. He was in luck, thanks to having a hangover from the Romulan ale incident and eating much slower than usual. Go him and alcohol! A winning combination.
“So how was the shakedown cruise,” Jim asked casually, specifically waiting for Scotty to have a gob of food in his mouth.
The gob of food went flying right onto the middle of the table, as Scotty repeatedly pounded a clenched fist against his chest.
"...och...och...OUCH." He recovered quickly, by scooting whatever he could find over on top of that glob, as soon as possible. So much for staring at Kirk's sexy mom. Kirk, you bastard. "Uhhh...it was...ye know...take the ship oot so she dinnae get...space rust...sitting 'ere, parked for so long. Ha ha! No one wants that. She's got tae be ready tae go in case of...why am I talkin' about this an'...oh, wait! Ye cannae give me grief for that when you’ve gone an’ invited yer in-laws an' yer mother onboard, Captain!"
Winona laughed, and bent down over her food.
Jim just smiled, and took a bite of stake while Scotty talked, before he responded. "I may have invited the family, but I don't have any photon torpedos unaccounted for. I trust it was for a good cause?"
He might be enjoying this too much.
"Yes, intergalactic...pirates, and they were set on invading this solar system and nicking things. Had tae be dealt with. Promptly. With extreme force." It would have helped Scotty's case more if he hadn't been a little wild-eyed while scraping that excuse off the top of his melted brain. At least Mr. Spock wasn't there, because he'd be in deeper shit than he would be if Kirk wasn't the Captain. "I should receive a recommendation, for doing that all by lonesome. Because...pirates. Peacekeeping. Reasons. Aye, those things."
Scotty hunched over his plate and started shoveling food into his mouth, so he couldn't answer for a few seconds. Because that was all it would take for him to inhale everything and ask for more.
Mr. Granger was turning between the two of them, like he was watching a ping-pong match. The most interesting ping-pong match that had ever existed. His mouth was still hanging open in absolute shock and awe.
Hermione and her mother both started in on their food. Hermione was rare in that she was able to burn water--true story--so she didn’t do much cooking. Her mother was a great cook, though. Both women thought the dinner was delicious. Hermione reached for her water to sip.
“Come on, boys, let’s talk about something other than... work?” Hermione said, breaking into a smirk.
“No no, that’s quite all right,” Mr. Granger corrected his daughter. He was gaping at Scotty. “...intergalactic pirates, you say? Do go on.”
"Yes, go on," Winona said, leaning forward on her elbows, looking fascinated.
For his part, Jim hid a smile behind his drink. He'd already reviewed the logs, but he wasn't about to say anything - Scotty's hole digging was far too fun to watch.
And he'd used the ship to help seduce Hermione so..yeah.
Scotty looked like he might spit out what he was chewing on, all over again. He had to remind himself not to do that, because Kirk's mom was actually cute and it's not the sort of thing one did in front of a Starfleet Captain and his wife and his wife's parents. Or anyone's parents.
"...standard issue intergalactic pirates...nothing spectacular but I told them tae stop their thievery and they wouldnae listen, and that's why they had tae go. Go boom, that is. Uhh...I tried tae be firm about their criminal activities but they laughed it off, ha ha, and...is it hot in here?" Scotty eyedarted. Lots. While trying to reach over for some roasted veggies and shove them into his mouth. It was probably the healthiest thing he'd eaten all week. He nodded appreciatively and then gave Kirk a thumbs up like his cooking skills weren't as bad as he thought they'd be.
Was that a good enough end to that story? He thought it was. Or he was hoping it was.
COMPLIMENT THE COOK AND DRAW ATTENTION AWAY FROM SELF, STAT.
And, boy, had that seduction worked. Hermione moved her foot under the table and tapped her toe against Jim's shoe.
Mr. Granger was oblivious that he was turning into a fanboy at Scotty's story. Okay, maybe not turning into, he already was like a really nerdy kid talking to a famous rocket scientist.
"I bet you were very firm with them." Hermione said, giving Scotty a nod.
"Exceedingly firm," fibbed Scotty, when he was able to talk again. Then his Scottish brain latched onto the solution to 99.99% of life's problems, if someone's Scottish. "Say, have ye ever had any Romulan ale? What's a wee dram between friends?"
Truth be told, Scotty and his little green alien friend had a small stockpile of the stuff, hidden...everywhere they could hide it, where it wouldn't cause anything to go boom. They were incredibly versatile at hiding their alcohol, especially if it was going to be a lengthy amount of time spent out in space.
To make it sound legit, he proudly fibbed, "I beamed it aboard after the pirate ship's hull was breached and their incredibly large cargo crates were floating about. They wept. Openly. And begged for it all back, but I told them...ABSOLUTELY NAE. I was confiscating it. As proof of...their...wrongful...piracy in this sector. The bastards."
Totally sounds legit. Yeah. Right.
"Technically, since there's no Romulan nuetral zone," Kirk said. "That means it's perfectly legal now."
He gave Scotty a fist bump under the table as his mother laughed and said, "That must have been exciting! Where were the pirates from?"
Total fist bump, done discreetly. This is why Scotty might refer to Kirk as Captain all of the time, but he thought of him as a friend also, despite their differences in age and expertise.
"Uhh. Actually? They were Romulan. Fancy that." Scotty smiled like a fiend at Hermione's dad and then gave Kirk's mom a sly little wink. "Now we've got their ale." He drew in a breath and let it out slowly, his voice a thin, high whisper as he said 'yaaaaaaaaaaaay' and raised his hands up in a halfway victory motion.
"Get the ale and we'll all pop open a bottle," Jim said, stifling a laugh. "Hermione is legal in England, and we're not even in any country's jurisdiction." He smirked. He wanted his wife to have some of the good stuff, damn it.
Winona shot him a surprised look. In a tight, overly polite voice she said, “And how old is she?”
Scotty eyedarted and it was one of those moments he didn't want to take sides. Especially not when it was a mother and son situation. He was Scottishly brave, but he wasn’t bloody stupid.
"Uhh...I think that sounded like it was an order. I'm getting...ale now," he said, oh so helpfully, and bolted off like the ship was ready to blow up and he was the only person who could stop it from happening. He happened to wave one hand in the air as he ran. Good luck, Captain Kirk!
“I’ll be twenty-one in September.” Hermione answered Mrs. Kirk very politely. The age gap between herself and Jim wasn’t that large, she thought, so it couldn’t be... y’know... something that Mrs. Kirk would hold against her, right? Anyway, Hermione looked confident and strong, head held high.
Mr. Granger jumped up out of his seat. “Let me help you, Mister Scott,” he offered, wanting to follow around one of his all-time heroes like a puppy dog. He also wanted another look at the ship. THE ENTERPRISE. Mr. Granger was in hog heaven.
"Aye then! Catch up, Mr. Granger!" called Scotty, from up some stairs and halfway down a ramp, where he deemed it was safe. "I'll show ye aroond tae one of the best hidey spots on the Enterprise!"
Winona actually looked relieved. She’d been afraid her son had married someone barely old enough to drive. “What is it you do for a living?”
Mr. Granger practically ran to catch up with Scotty. He was the more outgoing of Hermione’s parents. Mrs. Granger was content to sit and listen, and very rarely gave input. But when she did, it was imperative that you pay attention. Hermione got her smarts from her mother--and they were considerable. Whatever Mrs. Granger said was usually incredibly insightful, incredibly witty, or both.
Hermione was a little relieved that the age difference didn’t make Mrs. Kirk flip the table and cuss her out, or anything. She swallowed. “I’m a full-time student at UCLA.”
“What do you study?” She looked over at Hermione, curiosity in her eyes. Hers were darker than Jim’s, but that same intelligence that glinted in his shone in hers. He got his thirst for adventure from his father - Winona had give him her intellect.
“I’ve just switched majors, actually,” Hermione said. She hadn’t even told her parents yet about it. Hermione hoped that it wouldn’t be taken badly. Space Physics was actually quite interesting to her, and though she likely couldn’t do as much good in this world right now with the course of study, she could help to prepare for the future.
“Is that so?” Mrs Granger asked, looking a little surprised. “I thought you were interested in the law.”
“Yes, well,” Hermione went slightly pink. “I’ve found something I’m interested in more than the law,” she said, looking pointedly at Jim. “I’ve switched to Space Physics. I may be the only woman in the whole department.”
Meanwhile, off in a corner of engineering, Scotty was getting Hermione’s dad tanked off Romulan Ale. Oh, sure, Scotty would be able to walk a straight line AND get the warp engines back on line in a catastrophe, but most normal people wouldn’t be able to manage it.
Way to bring that back for everyone, you two. Way. To. Go.
Jim just looked proud, and maybe a little eyedarty. That had been largely his influence, but just look at that view outside. Even his mother wasn't immune to that view.
Winona nodded her head. "Jim can be a good influence. Sometimes."
Scotty finally came back from retrieving what was NOW LEFT of the alcohol in that particular secret stash. He was not only laughing and having a fine time, but was giving Mr. Granger several pats on the back. Not only was it because he liked the guy and he appeared to really appreciate the ship as much as Scotty did, but because it helped steer him before he ended up bumping into components that might fizzle his face off.
How many nips of Romulan ale had they had by then? The world will never know.
"...an' that's how I managed tae reboot the manual control when that shuttle was caught in a planetary gravitational pull," Scotty was saying, before he toasted everyone at the table with a half-empty bottle. "Look! That's brilliant. We've found everyone again!"
“I think Jim is a good influence most of the time,” Hermione said, incredibly fondly, looking to her husband.
Mrs. Granger nodded, watching the glances that Hermione gave her husband. It made her think about when Hermione was a little girl, and she grew both sentimental and proud of how far her daughter had come.
Mr. Granger, on the other hand, was laughing happily, drunk as a skunk. He came wandering in and plopped back down into his seat. “We found the (*hic*) ale. You know it’s (*hic*) made by Romulats? Romuloids? Romulans?”
“It’s good stuff,” Jim assured him. “I’ve had a bit myself, on a mission or two.” He glanced at Scotty, raising his eyebrows like ‘how many nips did you give him?’
“I see your reputation with alcohol isn’t wrong,” Winona said, smiling.
Scotty shrugged while looking a little sheepish, then held up both hands and started holding up six fingers...or was it seven? No wait, eight. Better downsize that! Back to six. That was right before he stopped looking sheepish and gave Kirk’s mom a conspiratorial winking at.
"We Scots are familiar with our way aroond a bot'le," he confirmed, a little too loudly, as he started to pour everyone a bit of the blue stuff. "After this, I should pop oot an' fetch us some Saurian brandy!"
Mr. Granger nodded and laughed, trying to put up as many fingers as Scotty was showing. But it kept changing! As he tried to mimic one of his heroes, he forgot what the question was he was supposed to be answering.
Mrs. Granger eyed the blue stuff suspiciously, then looked to Hermione. There was a hint of disapproval on her features.
“Thank you, Scotty,” Hermione said, giving a little nod after he poured them all a finger of the stuff.
Jim took his own glass and sipped at it. It burned so good. “Yeah, that’s the real stuff!”
That was okay, because Scotty had already forgotten the original question, too. He made a toasting motion and drank it down, pulling a little face when he swallowed.
"Yer quite welcome, lassie. There's more tucked here an' there...an' maybe everywhere. I'm nae certain. I may have drank doon half of it by now."
And no one would be surprised by that fact.
Mr. Granger probably shouldn't have, but he knocked back the glass like his hero. Mrs. Granger, on the other hand, sniffed at hers. She was obviously disconcerted by the color, but she sipped at it, anyway.
After lifting her glass in a toast, Hermione took a rather large sip from her glass and winced as it went down. If she'd been a cartoon character, steam would have come shooting out of her ears. (Like a Pepper-Up Potion.)
Jim patted Hermione on the back, grinning. “Not so fast. Sip it slower. It’s going to make you a bit tipsy.”
And then there was Scotty who had a flushed face and was smiling like an idiot, pouring and downing another whole one. Like a fish. He could put all of them under the table, and it looked as though poor Mr. Granger was going to end up face down on it and pulling himself by his lips as he tried to keep up.
"Would ye like another, lad? Here, have some more!" And there he went, leaning over to pour Mr. Granger another. Poor guy. "Anyone else need a fill up?"
Oh, God. Poor guy. Poor Mrs. Granger, who was going to have to take care of her husband once he passed out. They really needed McCoy up here with some magical hangover cures in the morning.
Hermione grinned sheepishly at her husband, going a little pink already. “Maybe I should...” She set the glass down momentarily. Before she realised it, though, she was picking it up again for another sip.
Mrs. Granger, thinking along those lines previously mentioned, decided to stay sober. She set her glass down and leaned back in her chair, watching her husband with a shaking head.
Mr. Granger gave a laugh and nodded, reaching for the refilled glass. “Thank you, Mister Scott!”
“Quite welcome, Mr. Granger!” Getting tanked. It is so happening. So so happening. “I’ve more where this came from!” Uh oh.
“Pass some more this way, Scotty,” Jim said, grinning happily. Everyone was getting along. At least Spock wasn’t here.
That would get awkward. Not as awkward as McCoy always walking in on him and Hermione doing it. But awkward.
“I’m not sure more is quite a good idea,” Mrs. Granger said, glancing with slightly narrowed eyes at her husband. “I think you’ve had enough.”
“Uhhh... maybe you’re right.” Mr. Granger may have been a little whipped. His wife waggled her finger, and he came running.
Hermione took another small sip, and already the room was spinning slightly. She set the glass down and switched back to water. She didn’t want to get hammered in front of her mother-in-law.
"Aww," said Scotty, like he lost a brother or at least a close family member. And then in case it went unnoticed, "Aww."
....riiiiiiiiiight before Scotty poured himself another.
Jim said nothing, and just held out his glass for Scotty to refill. He decided he needed just oooooonnnnnne more before he was done. The in-laws were nice, but he was a little intimidated of Mrs. Granger.
Kirk? Intimidated? Scotty would never believe that! He did pour Jim another for the road, or for the face to land on the table, whichever happened first.
Mrs. Granger was a bit intimidating. The way she could control her husband with a look and a sentence? Sure. Hermione wasn’t quite like that. She’d gotten more of her father’s people skills, and less of her mother’s ability to control. But still. Hermione was almost as formidable.
Hermione, on the other hand, was having another sip from her blue drink now, as she watched Mrs. Kirk. Did her new Mother-in-law approve of her?
Winona didn’t quite know what to think. She’d wrap her mind around STARSHIP later. This was the girl that managed to tame Jim? She could see the brains, but there had to be more to it than that.
She was too polite to ask out loud if Hermione lacked a gag reflex. So she just smiled flirtily at Scotty.
Jim didn’t want to know.
Awkward silence, much?
Oh there was some awkward silence, because Scotty was openly staring back at Kirk's mom with moony eyes. The smile on his face was sap-tastical. Thanks for having a small part in aiding in this awkward moment, Romulan ale. Thaaaaaanks.
Of course Hermione had a gag reflex. Didn’t everyone? She just knew how to make Jim’s toes curl while doing everything up to (but never) gagging on him. At least, she tried her best. Sometimes Hermione worried that he wanted someone more than she--someone with more experience. Perhaps several someones with more experience. And cat tails.
Hermione gulped the last of it, then set her glass down on the table, upside down. She didn’t want Scotty trying to fill it.
“So, how long has the space ship been up here?” Mrs. Granger was the first person to break the silence.
Mr. Granger was hiccuping.
"Eight, nine months, at least." Jim still remembered that trip fondly. "Came on board to figure how how to gain access, went galloping around the galaxy looking for Dilthium."
Scotty's fawning look at Kirk's mom was gone in an instant. "Ye went galavantin' across the galaxy without me for dilithium? Och! Ye arse!"
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Jim said, laughing. “The ship did it all on her own!”
"...so she...set course and..." Scotty's eyes looked glassed over like he forgot about Kirk's mom for a moment, and had fallen in love with the Enterprise, entirely. "Och! Wily lass. I love you, ship. If ye turned into a lovely lass? I'd marry ye in an instant."
He poured himself a drink, positively starry-eyed.
Mrs. Granger have Hermione a funny look. Hermione shook her head.
"Are you saying she's sentient?" Mr. Granger asked, gaping open mouthed at Scotty and Jim.
"It'd be lovely if she absolutely was," Scotty paused to down his drink, "but I havenae seen that yet, meself. That she did it all on 'er own? That's....well, that's brilliant."
“I don’t think she is,” Jim replied, shaking his head. “I can’t explain it. It’s like she’d been preprogrammed for that course. We theorized that it was some sort of protocol to refuel. She didn’t react until we had three officers enter their command codes.”
“I remember that.” Hermione said, nodding. “I thought you were sick of me. I had no idea you’d flown off on the Enterprise until you got back.”
Scotty was a little oblivious, since he was in a happy, intoxicated daydream-land. That much was evident by the way he said in a high pitched whisper, “...ample nacelles....”
“Scotty, sometimes you worry me.”
The bubble popped. “Hm? Oh...well, I worry meself sometimes as well, Captain.”