Friday morning had become a cataclysm of meetings. Johann had been shunted from one to the next unexpectedly as one of his colleagues hadn't turned up for work. Worse still, she'd handed in her notice, immediate effect. Apparently she'd had a better offer from the French Ministry - her own office, working with the legal team exclusively. Johann had nearly taken his wand to incinerate the note before he remembered he'd have to send it off to stop her getting paid any more than necessary. It put him a pair of hands down on an already stretched languages team. The team leader, Augustus Bellingham had retired last month - finally taken his ear trumpet with him, and his inaccurate aural recall. For the time being, Johann had assumed the role, only because he couldn't abide disorganisation in his working life and more than the Department provided naturally.

"You're covering her four o'clock with Transport. There is no negotiation into this. They just argue with other Ministries about why we send back people with dodgy paperwork. Use a verbatis quill if you have to and translate it on paper later." He exchanged terse words with his junior staff member, Pinn, who had been hoping for an easy Friday afternoon. The meeting would almost certainly slip past five. Johann had no interest in going because it risked him meeting Higgins, a ginger floo employee who wore glasses and believed Johann really liked him. In truth, Johann tolerated him, Higgins just thought his stories of the floo were interesting, and they weren't.

"I will take your eight o'clock on Monday morning? Does that make it easier to swallow?" Johann asked, wincing and putting a hand to his forehead, raking back his black curls. That seemed to be a deal. "Then it's definitely your turn to make coffee, catch." He forced his mug into the hands of his colleague, and turned back to his desk which was cluttered with more paperwork and books than a Hogwarts seventh year in exam week.

In amongst his difficult morning, he'd completely forgotten about his intended lunch with Adelia. In retrospect it was rather lucky he'd agreed she came by to fetch him.
"Merlin!" He exclaimed, his tone much the same force as he'd spoken in a second before, his other hand going to his head, pulling a quill out of his hair, "How long have you been stood there?" His shoulders dropped and his face found a smile.

How long had been standing there?

Pulling the pocket watch from her purse, Addie read the time, nodding twice before looking back to Johann. "It's been precisely ten minutes and considering you looked rather "peaceful" at your mad scribbling as well as avoiding the ginger in the department, I couldn't possibly interrupt your train of thoughts, could I?" she remarked rather snarkily with an amused smirk plastered on her lips. "Aren't you glad then I showed up, hm?" The smirk delved into then a genuine smile, warm and inviting. "And lookit - - I dressed up properly for here and for the lunch hour. Maybe I can become a respectable witch in society after all, hm?"

Flopping ungracefully right after that statement into the empty chair (surprise there, really, Addie thought to herself) next to his desk, Addie kept an eye out for Higgins and once it seemed the coast was clear, she returned the focus right back to Johann. "The department sounds like a hive of bees. What happened this time? More people displeased with Britain and so, they boot scooted out of here?" It was a guess, really, on her part. "I don't see how we look so uppity and stiff lipped. Then again, Portsmouth is relaxing and London's exciting. Especially when it comes to the Muggle side of things. You've got Who, Python, musical theatre, and so much more. What's not to love? We also have Hogwarts, which I miss and--"

Addie blinked. "I'm hammering away and not even letting you talk, am I?"

"i'm hammering away and not even letting you talk, am I?"

"A little…" Johann replied quietly, a lot calmer than he'd been a minute or two earlier. Pinn laughed from behind him, her hands full of mugs from their desks.
"Hey Storm, you having a brew, or you and Addie got ' date?" Johann had forgotten that Bobbie and Adelia had both been in the same year at Hogwarts, though different houses. Addie was dressed rather nicely - at least he thought - but he wasn't really an expert in these things. She always looked very pretty, if he was honest.

"No, but don't let it stop you making one for me later." Johann retorted, fixing his sharp blue eyes on his colleague, not correcting her use of the word 'date'. Pinn gave a cheeky smile, and Johann gestured for the junior translator to leave them alone with both hands before flopping down in his desk chair opposite Adelia, only jumping up slightly to remove a crumpled pink memo which he tossed aside with a cursory glance.

"You know, we should just skip the letters part." He said quietly, leaning over, his elbows navigating the battleground of his desktop, "Just resolve to find a pub or lunch every fortnight at least." He gave his usual boyish grin and got to his feet, seizing his navy suit jacket from the back of his chair as he did.

"Right, Amélie, I'll be back in an hour or so, and we will talk about Padmore's statement for the Confed, I promise." His Northern Irish colleague shook her head and tutted, well aware he'd promised to do that over an hour ago.

"Come on," he spoke warmly to Adelia, jacket now in place and beside her, crook of his arm out in offer for her to take it, "Let's escape before someone like Hamilton finds me and we have to reschedule."

It was so busy and cramped, being lunchtime, in the Ministry, that the two of them were rather sandwiched in the lift together, Johann instinctively putting an arm around her shoulders as the lift lurched, so she didn't get squished by the portly gobstones commentator who was visiting Games and Sports.

"Sorry," Johann apologised as they made it out of the lifts and into the atrium, "like sharing a lift with a bowling ball, that bloke. Fancy that cafe round the corner? There's new owners - they actually know how to make a cup of tea. It's bloody rare in London, what with all the coffee shops." It was one of Johann's lunchtime haunts, but had been going downhill during the last few months. It had recently been fitted out and attracted the odd Muggle with a laptop (instantly fascinating to Johann ever since Colin had introduced him to the internet under strict supervision). However, there were more than a few Ministry types who would crop up there, and the joy of London was that their sometimes unusual take on Muggle fashion passed completely without comment.

"You know, we should just skip the letters part - - just resolve to find a pub or lunch every fortnight at least."

There was that devilishly boy smile that even as they shared a state of mind in regards to siblingship, Addie felt a slight pang of butterflies flitting around in the confines of her stomach. Forbid that ever would be found out by Johann, her brain flashed in neon red lights and bells and the whistles screeching into the night. "Sounds like a plan to me, Joh, but you do know that we'll have to end up going into London London as we'll eventually grow tired of the joints here. Believe you me, I love my cousin's[1] curried shepherd's pie and his Thai fish and chips, but sometimes, the plainness works better for all." With that, she rose at his gentle beckoning, linking her arm into his, pleased to eternity and back that she was getting to be with one of the very few men she felt completely at ease with opposed to stammering around like some bumbling fool.

"Well, if he were to find you and I, you know Mr. H would simply go run his mouth off to Ms. Murray or someone else to start up a rumour that you're dating someone your junior." A grin crept up. "That'd would be amusing initially, but I daresay you'd eventually light his slacks on fire or do something incredibly awesome and likely embarrassing in retaliation, wouldn't you?" Addie affirmed to the whole notion about Hamilton finding Johann as they entered the lift. Where about thirty minutes prior it had been relatively empty and such, the cramping within this particular lift was not well met with the young witch. However, doting and protective Johann had his way and not getting squished was taken notice of.

"Thank you, kind knight. I'll be sure to see if you can gain a few more brownie points for that. Won't go to Durmstrang, but definitely towards another hangout night when you're not running yourself every which direction possible," she began, looking up to him with azure eyes that looked hopeful for that chance. "Cafe works for me. We can nosh and you can take a look over the CV to make sure it doesn't make me sound ignorant nor look completely ridiculous." She moved her hand up to the arm that was still presently against her shoulder, squeezing it. "Sometimes I think you're the only one who doesn't think those things about me."

She paused to smile and then was quick to change the tune, lest that blush forming became more evident.

"SO. Cafe, then?"

1.	Rufus Delacroix and his wonderful Rover's Fancy in Diagon!

The cafe was just busy enough, four or five tables left, and a variety of people spread about the others, a few recognisable from the Ministry in their Muggle attire, some students with headphones jammed into laptops tapping away at essays, and in the back corner a pair of young mums with pushchairs and gurgling babies. Apart from the refit, it was somewhat business as usual inside.

Self-conscious of his tendency to people-watch, and the need to focus on this occasion with reading Adelia's CV and pay her adequate attention, Johann deviated his route to sit facing into the room, and instead stopped to offer Adelia to sit with the view of the rest of the place, throwing his jacket over the back of the chair opposite, putting Adelia, the exposed brick wall and an abstract art print his only visual distractions.

On sitting down, he immediately pushed the menu to his companion without consulting it himself. He could recall it from last time, and they were not freshly reprinted, so nothing had changed.

"I'm sure it won't." He spoke suddenly, finally answering her earlier comment as they'd made their way there. "Sound ignorant or completely ridiculous. Your CV." He qualified, on seeing she wasn't following. "Do you have a copy? I'll read it while you choose what you want to eat."

He extended one long-fingered hand towards her, while his other reached into a pocket and procured a ballpoint pen which he clicked the end of. No good pulling out a quill in here.

He leaned forward slightly as he waited, peering at her face.
"You've done your eyes differently today." There was a frown on his face as if he didn't like it. 

The menu was abruptly tossed, er, shoved her way, causing Addie to briefly jump in a startled motion. What the bloody hell, Joh? were her thoughts as Addie felt utterly ruffled by the spectacle. Clearly, this was an excellent indicator of what she could potentially expect as a rookie in the DIMC, right? Fetching papers, catching papers, doing the post, making the tea... Thank Merlin that Le Masque had given her the opportunity for a head start for the situation presenting itself to her most likely. The extension of his hand made her wish that she could swat it roughly for a moment, but opted out of it. After all, if she swatted him, Johann would likely swat right back. And no telling how harsh given with those fingers. Eugh.

Reaching into her small leather binder, Addie pulled out the CV and placed it into his hand, then followed it up with eyes looking over the menu. Standard London cafe fare, but the Greek salad with halloumi croutons sounded particularly appetizing. She could use a good salad -- it'd keep her attention going and pair it up with a jasmine green tea? Perfect. Folding the menu back up, her eyes were beginning to trail back upward to look at Johann, but it seemed he was keen in looking at her more.

For how long? Addie hoped not too long....

"You've done your eyes differently today."

"Er-- 's called eyeliner, ever hear of it? Emphasizes the eyes slightly, y'know. Why?" A puzzled/slight hurt/faintly irritated look appeared over the bridge of her nose and definitely in the eyes itself. "It. It isn't too much, is it? I was...I am trying to be more impressive than what I was in the past, Joh. I'm not trying to change myself completely (a partial lie, but she wouldn't dare admit it out loud), I promise. I just want to succeed. That's all -- and in this case, it's eyeliner, nothing more."

"Er-- 's called eyeliner, ever hear of it? Emphasizes the eyes slightly, y'know. Why? It. It isn't too much, is it? I was...I am trying to be more impressive than what I was in the past, Joh." He stared at her intently as she spoke, though didn't comment. If anything he looked as if he was studying her a little harder before his gaze suddenly dropped to the copy of her CV before him.

"I'm not trying to change myself completely, I promise. I just want to succeed. That's all -- and in this case, it's eyeliner, nothing more." His hand and the pen was poised over the first paragraph, striking a line through the lot of it and rewriting, frowning.

"It doesn't match." He told her abruptly without looking up. "If you're going to do your eyes all striking like that, this opening statement's got to match." The nib of the pen flew over the paper, and if anything, the lack of quill made his handwriting all the less decipherable, what with his shorthand.

One of the waiting staff passed by with her arms full of plates, Johann caught sight of her  out of the corner of his eye as he sensed a close presence behind him.
"Don't change yourself. Not unless you're self-destructing." He told Addie as he contemplated the next paragraph. His left hand fingers pulled at his bottom lip a moment in consideration and he looked up, gaze less critical this time, and more his usual.
"Because I love-."
"What can I get you?"

Impeccable timing. His eyes pulled themselves away from Addie and up to the girl with her dyed black hair pulled up into a high ponytail, and three earrings in each ear. She had a curled order notebook in one hand and a chewed biro in the other from Kings College.
"Oh, hello again." She smiled and blushed a little at Johann, but on looking Addie, gestured with her pen, "You must be the lucky girlfriend he was telling me about. What will you have? Soup of the day's butternut squash if you fancy it." She glanced back to Johann and winked.

Across the table from Addie, Johann's expression had changed from mild recognition to confusion - he was trying to recall if he'd ever mentioned or implied he had a girlfriend to this waitress.

Talk about wanting to die of absolute embarrassment with more than a heap of Godric's garters, did he just--!!!! all at once. Addie had done well to avoid (for the most part) watching Joh scratch and strike out the CV. However,  the arrival of the waitress made her realise how awkward this still was. No matter how he had endedbeen interrupted,  the word, the mentioning of love set Addie blushing soon enough. The waitress seemed to notice just that as she grinned rather cheekily on the matter. "His girlfriend? Is  that what you were told?" Addie remarked with a raised eyebrow.  "Dear me.... that was supposed to bE our little secret,  darling. Well!-- The jig is up." She smirked to Johann, the smirk clearly stating she was onto him.

"As for my meal, I'll have half and half. I would like the Greek salad, the one with the halloumi, and the squash soup. For the drink, I'll have a pot of the jasmine tea, love."

Eyes focused on Johann.  "That IS all right,  isn't it,  darling? "

Wrong-footed, Johann's mind freewheeled on the comebacks. It had been about the last thing he'd expected the waitress to talk about. Addie leapt upon it with a cheeky grin.

"His girlfriend? Is  that what you were told? Dear me.... that was supposed to be our little secret,  darling. Well!-- The jig is up." She gave a very knowing smirk to Johann across the table, where he closed his mouth properly and stopped gaping as Addie ordered. He realised that despite memorising the menu from previous visits, he hadn't actually settled on what he was going to eat. 

"That IS all right,  isn't it,  darling?" Addie asked, and his blue eyes snapped up to stare from one girl to the other.
"Yes, of course…" he stopped short at attaching something like sweetheart to the end of it, because it sounded awkward from his mouth and accent.

"Just the soup for me,"
"Bigger bowl? Sure, and coffee?" He definitely came in here too often. Damn this observant Muggle. He didn't like having his own game turned on him!
"Thanks." Johann forced a smile, feeling colour creep into his own cheeks like Addie had before at his flippant wording.

As soon as the ponytailed waitress was out of earshot, Johann hissed across the table.
"I don't know where she got that from - she's just put two and two together and made six. Oh I don't know, it wasn't that busy last time I was in here so she tried to make conversation…" He realised that Addie was receiving far more amusement out of this situation than he was.
"And for that I'm revoking my reference." He stuck his tongue out at her briefly, and took his ballpen to the end of Adelia's CV, as if he were going to strike himself off the referees on the bottom, but it was all teasing.

Ponytail reappeared,
"Large coffee, right?"
"Yes please." Johann replied, a little tersely.
"And jasmine tea, "

She left them again, and Johann exhaled.
"First my team and now the bloody waitress." He remarked, gesturing to the back of the girl at the counter with the end of the pen. "People are seeing things..."



End