There was enough pink scattered around the room to satisfy the frilliest of seven-year-old girls.  Subtly was, quite clearly, not the name of the game here and as Leonard glanced around the room, he found himself wondering if wearing some fancy get up would have been more appropriate attire.  While he had chosen one of his nicer shirts and a dress hat, he'd decided against anything more polished.  Fancy just wasn't his thing and, in the end, he'd decided an honest presentation was preferable to an artificially stylized one. 

Given the other occupant of the table the peppy little cupid thing had led him to, Migs was starting to question his decision.  The young woman seated at their table was attractive and polished.  By all appearances, not the type to be waiting for a cowboy hat. 

But, that was the joy of speed dating.  You never knew what you were going to get.  Surprises were to be expected.  In fact, wasn't it part of the fun?  "Hello there," Migs offered as he extended a hand to the woman and took a seat.  "Seems like you're stuck with me, I'm afraid.  Name's Migs." 

"Are you a Hogsmeade Speed Dating regular?  Or, is this a new experience for you as well?"  Migs offered the woman a broad grin as he settled back in his seat. 

outfit

Charlotte St. James was dressed appropriately in soft hues for the pinkest holiday on the calendar. Unlike the decor, however, she wasn’t obvious. Newly single? Yes. Charitable? Always. But tasteful. A pearl-colored dress, nude heels, and lightweight, barely pink trench, which she had slipped out of at the coat check near the door.

Who could say no to Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley? If there had been whispers about Charlotte and indiscretion, her presence here would help replace the suggestive murmurs. And unlike the flowers of a boring suitor, presently littered across her penthouse on whatever surface she could spare room for a vase, a blind date was sure to be entertaining.

Or not. But even if her date turned out to be some middle-aged crisis with no hair and fewer wits, at least she was out doing something. For a cause.

Besides, there was always the delicious humor of other people’s dates. Watching was only a part of being charitable, after all.

As she was led to her table, she passed a familiar face. A perfectly scruffy, often intensely dissatisfied face that doubled as a work of art. She smiled gleamingly, but there was an edge of a smirk there, as if she were well-informed. She had ironically met him on one such philanthropic venture, which definitely said something about her luck. Charlotte would be sure to congratulate him with a drink later on his ability to turn heads (again, charity).

Now, she had a date to meet.

She arrived at the table to find that she was the first one there. It was just as well. It would give her a chance to size him up as he approached. She ignored the chorus of hearts as if it were a gift she’d been born with, and gave the room a lingering sweep.

When finally she saw the young man approaching her table, her first thought was just that: young. He was fairly tall, casually dressed, with long hair that gave his relaxed appearance a slight edge. In fact, though she knew he was younger than she, she couldn’t decipher how young, and would probably not have guessed barely lost his trace at first glance. She smiled, standing to accept his hand. “Charlotte,” she returned the introduction before sitting again.

His immediately decipherable American accent did little to suggest he might still be in school.

“We’ve hardly met, Migs, let’s have a drink before we decide if we’re stuck.” Hogsmeade Speed Dating regular. Charlotte raised her brows and blinked twice in rapid succession.

“I’m very involved in charity,” she said, recovering with a smile. “But this is the first time I’ve tried speed dating. I have bid at dating auctions once or twice,” she elaborated. That had helped make the decision to do this much easier. “What about you?” He wasn’t from Hogsmeade, but perhaps he lived here. “Where in the states are you from?”