To Hannah Bombay this career day was as fun as spending a day in the company of an eager child playing with its very first wand. It was excruciatingly frustrating and extremely unpleasant and she didn’t know how long she was going to cope with the idiotic questions and over eagerness. Healer Foley seemed to indulge the pointless enquires with a smile whereas Hannah answered, bluntly and plainly, no doubt crushing a few dreams regarding the glamour of the healing profession. Where these glamorous ideas had surfaced from, Bombay had no idea, but she equally had no time for them.

In one hour the witch had informed a young boy that mediwitches were in fact there to help heal with potions and not sultry looks and sex, crushed a young girl’s hopes that A’s in all of her OWLS would be satisfactory to become a decent healer and denied a young Slytherin of her owling address. A productive morning in reality but this didn’t make Hannah feel any less uncomfortable in this particular situation.

This was why when the booth went quiet, she slipped out of the tent and began to walk away as fast as her expensive shoes would allow. As she walked, Hannah failed to pay attention to her surroundings. Instead she proceeded to pull her messy hair back into ponytail and tug off the long lime green robes that branded her with the invisible sign reading ‘Healer. Ask me any ridiculous question that comes to mind.’

With the robes off, Hannah pointed at them with her wand, muttering a shrinking spell as she walked. Unfortunately her tiny figure came into contact with a much larger one and she instinctively grabbed his arm save she be knocked off balance.
“You might find it constructive to watch where you’re...” The words died on the healer’s lips as her eyes scanned up to the wizard that had just got in her way.

“I did mean to owl you back.”

Azize was wandering the Hogwarts grounds tearing fact sheets into copies, planning on turning them into animated origami animals, for no other reason than that he was bored, and because young female students kept running up to him and asking him for the 'pamphlet' and then running off saying they'd be at his booth later faster than a chortling cockatrice.

Maturing students always amused Azize, they still had a lot to learn and were sometimes going too fast and were too confused to realize how silly they were being--Of course after a bump, a turn to see the familiar  traffic problem, he realized that maturing came in varieties--this one was in the form of Hannah Bombay, a storm of confusion and irrationalities that he had yet to understand, or forgive.

Azize crossed his arms and pressed his lips together disapprovingly at her first remark, and raised his eyebrows at her recovering one, "Uh huh," he nodded his head in deadpan disbelief. After speaking with Johann about Hannah he learned the strange incongruities in her behavior and the bits and pieces of truths she had fed him, "Before or after you ran into me again?"

To say that Azize Mulogo looked pleased to see the young healer was as truthful as saying that Hannah Bombay wasn’t a werewolf. Her alter ego was a monster and his expression was set in the form of disapproval and mild surprise. It made Hannah take a step back, putting a small distance between the couple. Despite anything she may have said, or the ignoring she had done, Hannah did quite like the man in front of her. But he looking at her in such a manner wasn’t exactly pleasant.

Before or after the bumped into him again? Hannah hadn’t expected to bump into him. She’d planned on waiting until she had what she did under control. Until it wasn’t obvious and she could deal with it. Letting anyone close at the present was risky. It wouldn’t take much for a wizard like this one to find out and then he’d come to the conclusion that he didn’t like what she was and ditch her. It was much better to avoid that and learn how to cope with her own little issue first.

“After a few things had calmed down.” The healer frowned and crossed her arms over her stomach. “It’s been a stressful couple of weeks.”

People still filed past the couple stood in the middle of the walkway and Hannah glanced at a few as they walked past, preferring this to meeting the wizard’s eye for a moment. Finally, though, she did look up to him.

“I should have responded to you. I enjoyed the other night.” A small sincere smile was cautiously offered. “The food might have been created in a first year’s play time but the company was exquisite.”

As Hannah began to explain herself Azize realized Mungo's probably had another batch of werewolf problems and knew it might have taken a toll on Hannah, but it didn't really explain anything. Azize waited as he looked at Hannah, then the awkward scenery of the wandering witches and wizards around them, before Hannah spoke up again and the African looked back at the small witch.

• “I should have responded to you. I enjoyed the other night.” A small sincere smile was cautiously offered. “The food might have been created in a first year’s play time but the company was exquisite.”

The tall wizard's posture slumped with sigh, he really couldn't hold anything against her with her admitting that, and he scratched his head with a more thoughtful expression, "Well I--" Azize looked at a few more wizards passing by and then decided to relocate the conversation, "Let's go over here."

He guided her to a small distance away from the bustling foot-traffic and then tried fished for where he left off, "Yeah, I understand that things are a out-of-control--and I'd," he admitted a smile back to her, "like to meet you more."

He looked away for a moment as he pressed his lips together and pushed away his smile, "But when you only give me bits and pieces it's confusing, I can't understand what you do or don't want if you don't communicate." It felt strange explaining his feelings to a woman he wasn't in an official relationship with. He gave gave a doubtful chuckle before he added, "I mean you can kiss me goodbye all we want but it won't make me a legilimens."

He still didn’t seem to be even mildly content with her admission. Instead the tall wizard surveyed the passing members of the crowd with a contemplative appearance. Hannah let her eyes drift to the students mingled past for what felt like the eternity until the wizard finally spoke up and suggested they move to the side away from the pedestrian traffic. She allowed him to guide her a small distance away, the robes she had planned on shrinking folded over her arm, momentarily forgotten about.

Hannah didn’t know why but she liked this wizard. She didn’t normally think much of more witches of wizards. She compared them to herself in the way on intelligence. She had a couple of people she was slightly closer to than mere acquaintances or work colleagues. But she’d never particularly found anyone attractive. She’d never felt guilty about ignoring their contact. But the main reason, excluding the obvious fact that she was a werewolf, that Hannah had ignored his owls was because she had convinced herself that any feelings had been due to the lunar cycle. Due to the strange feelings she’d been experiencing so close to the full moon.

Now it was completely different. Azize had an aura about it. It commanded her attention and she felt relieved when he finally did offer a small smile in return to her previous one. But that vanished after he’d admitted to wanting to meet her again. There was a ‘but’ coming.

And it came.

Hannah’s lips pursed tightly and she folded her arms, looking up at the wizard from her considerably lower position.
“I’ve never been the most efficient at communication, Azize.” The witch started carefully. “And I have a distinct feeling that I never will be. Anyone I have ever come into contact with could confidently tell you that, I’m sure.” Hannah knew she wasn’t socially skilled. She knew people thought she was off kilter and weird. She had spent her life trying to ignore that fact and their opinions but for some reason this wizard’s opinion mattered.

“But you should have received a response. I’m overdue for some properly cooked food?” She cautiously smiled up at him again before shaking her head and looking away as she brushed some messy hair back. “But that completely depends on if you have another socially incompetent witch who’s sorry, trying to get you in an apron?”

Azize could only look down and half-heartedly stifle a snort at the witch's comment, he never really imagined a lot of women trying to get him in an apron, but he supposed that it was not an impossible thought. He rubbed his chin and looked back at Hannah before surveying the crowded grounds again.

"It's less about what you say and more of what you mean," he loosened his shoulders and looked down at Hannah, "If you never open your mouth to even try you'll never be able to be understood properly."

"Although, regardless of social skills, many women have admitted to wanting me in less," he turned his head to nod away a smile, wondering if Hannah would find that comment too inappropriate or teasing, but quickly recovered by looking back at her with a more comforting smile, "I think I can manage an apron and a dinner for you, if you don't suddenly disappear on me this round."

The suggestions for how to allow one to understand what Hannah wanted fell on deaf ears. She believed that she was in fact understood perfectly adequately. If one ignorant soul failed to comprehend her meaning, Hannah supposed that they didn’t have sufficient sensibilities and she was therefore unwilling to make her words more explicable for their sluggish, obtuse minds. Idiots were idiots, that wouldn’t change and therefore allowing them extra aide to identify with things was utterly pointless in the young witch’s mind.

Hannah maintained a level expression as she looked up at the much taller wizard. She didn’t believe in opening her mouth unless necessary. Or intoxicated. The small healer didn’t appreciate wasting words and energy. Besides, she rather appreciated not being understood properly. It made sure that people maintained a sensible distance from her. If witches and wizard didn’t understand Hannah and thought she was weird, they avoided her and she was allowed space. She liked this system.

“That sounds terribly frosty.” The witch stated as the ghostly force of a smirk tugged at the edge of her lips.

The passing crowd missing throughout the grounds momentarily hooked Hannah’s attention. Light eyes followed a couple of girls in Slytherin robes who were whispering no doubt evilly between themselves. Her brow creased slightly into a frown before the ex-Ravenclaw refocused her attention back on the towering wizard.

“I can’t make promises approximating that.” She responded plainly before uncrossing her arms. “But I shall try.” Next the young witch frowned and pursed her lips for a moment. “And I shall endeavour to explain why I failed to respond to your owls.”

"Now that sounds vague," the African said, propping up his downcast expression with a large, but weak smile, "I have a feeling it's not because of your schedule?"  Azize couldn't say he was happy about being stood up again, but he'd had his fair share of chases with women but they usually found some amusing enjoyment in trying to torture him, this small witch took no pleasure in it--her beauty seemed to be plagued with guilt, more than anything else. It wasn't something that was easy to understand.

"I don't know how simpler it can be to explain to me the longer you wait," he hooked his hand around the back of his head and rubbed his fingers on his neck as his gaze averting towards the scenery of the Hogwarts grounds before returning to Hannah, "I can't know how I'll react."

Then he dropped his arm to his side and re-animated with a small spark, "But I don't have the imagination to figure out why you wouldn't send owls," he pressed back a smile wit a jesting sigh, "--besides you just don't want to talk to me," his lips parted to give a glint of a smirk, "but you've ruled that out--clearly," then he shrugged, mixing his playful nature with a dash of humility and honesty, "so I am at your whim."

In response to the final statement from Azize, the young healer didn’t manage to contain her smile. It was an eager, innocent smile as she looked up at him. This wizard who had just very simply stated that he was at her whim.

“How refreshing.” The bushy haired witch commented, her eyes analysing him in a new light as if she was seeing him for the first time. “Most wizards at my whim are already dead, the majority having been murdered. What a smashing birthday present.” Most wizards that had been at this witch’s whim has been laid out on a table, stripped and covered in a large sheet. Or they were seriously injured and requesting her attention.

This wizard was tall, strong, and requesting her attention but in a completely unprofessional manner. Hannah couldn’t quite contain her contented bewilderment at such a situation. Of course, she would have to tell him the truth later, but this was a wizard with a pulse at her whim. It was a moment to savour and not ruin with horrible admittances.

After brown eyes once more swept down Azize’s body, Hannah dipped her hand into her trouser pocket and produced a small piece of parchment along with a quill, two items no witch should travel without.
“I will be at yours at 7pm.” The quill top was lifted to her lips and Hannah dabbed it on her tongue to coax the ink to flow in the old and temperamental quill before she looked down at the parchment. “Your address?”

All in a swift momentum Hannah Bombay seemed to confirm all that Johann had alluded to during their talk of her, and Azize couldn't hold back squinting his eyes in scrutiny and pressing his lips together in a playful pout. Then she made a rather quick and startling proclamation, "Wh--your birthday?"

He felt like he signed one of those clever contracts that had a few extra layers of pages stuck behind it with a rather clever sticking charm. Azize couldn't help but admire and fret the move all at once, but it didn't deter him from denying her, especially not after all they had just conversed.
 
"I will have to be careful next time, you're quick about this," he  smiled and then genially surrendered his address, "Kesho Cottage,  Glencoe Lochan, Scotland." He was already thinking about hopping on down to his home to get everything ready before he went back to the DoIMC booth later that afternoon.

"And I'll be rather sore if I'm left celebrate your birthday on my own," He then cupped his chin in contemplation, "Possibly, do I need to kidnap you to make your attendance affirmed?" It was a silly way of asking if she wanted him to pick her up, but after being told he was the first living or  non-homicidal victim at the healer's whim he didn't see the need to put it so simply.

Bombay wasted no time in writing the address down in her neat scripture and folding the parchment in half. Azize oh so chivalrously offered to kidnap her and bring her to his home and she couldn’t help but smile even more. Brown eyes, however, remained focused on the parchment as she folded in once more, making sure the corners matched perfectly. A thin finger swept along this second crease quickly before she placed the parchment in her pocket and finally looked up to meet the tall wizard’s eyes.

“Now that would make for an exciting evening.” Bright white teeth bit her lip in thought as her eyes squinted suspiciously up at him. As tempting as the offer of being kidnapped and taken to this handsome wizard’s house sounded, Hannah didn’t much fancy the questions from either him or the lodger that as far as she knew, didn’t know about one another’s relation to her.

“I’m sure I can floo perfectly adequately to your address.” The witch offered a small smile of reassurance. She wasn’t planning on backing out of this one. “If I don’t show up, it would be because I’ve been kidnapped by another individual.”

And with that, the witch walked away.

Azize smiled suspiciously when she Hannah bit her lip and responded, he couldn't help but think that she wasn't uncomfortable with the whole 'kidnapping' thing, until she made her comeback. "Ooh," the African man laughed with admiration and intimidation, "I will make a bout out of that!"

The tall man then rubbed his palms against each other before clasping them behind his back with gleeful pride, at having such an eventful evening, (especially after such a dull day.) Even before he made a quick trip back home his mind was reeling with preparations and ideas at what to do, as he constantly reminded himself that it was her birthday too. Forgetting such a deliberately delivered detail was inexcusable, and he could hardly imagine Hannah (or nay other pureblood woman) accepting such a mistake with anything less of disdain.