It was raining. Rita stood in Diagon Alley holding a green umbrella over her head and a sour expression on her face. She hated the rain. The clock above Gringotts chimed 3 o'clock in the afternoon and Rita sighed. She had a meeting for an interview at four on the dot in the Hog's Head pub - bloody awful place, but the subject of her interview would agree to nowhere else.

She was always early for appointments as a rule of thumb, but standing in the rain for an hour was not something she wanted to do. Lifting her hand up to make sure her hair was still firmly in place, Rita began to walk down the steps from Gringotts and onto the cobbled street of Diagon Alley.

As one hand clutched desperately to her umbrella, the other was held out to the side trying to keep herself upright on her ridiculously tall heels. She wobbled slightly and teetered over to the right, clearly unable to balance properly in such ferocious weather. She went to take a step forward with her right foot, but it wouldn't move.

Uh-oh.

She stopped still, not daring to move for fear of what she thought. Slowly she turned and looked down at her right foot behind her body. Yes. It was as horrific as she thought. Her heel was stuck fast inbetween two cobbles. Who on earth had decided cobbles were a good idea? Rita felt her shoulders slump. It was times like this she wished she was a registered animagus - then there would be no problem with her turning into a beetle and scurrying off to safety and shelter.

"What a disgusting day to be out," William Pennyapple murmured to himself, his umbrella was absentmindedly lazing on his shoulder and a newspaper was rolled up in his hand. William had a cup of chocolate and caramel covered coffee that he sipped nonchalantly, and he walked lopsidedly, trying to hold his umbrella steady with his forearm. It was an interesting site to see, it was. Mr. William Pennyapple, a famous Quidditch player, struggling to hold an umbrella simply to take a sip of a (sweetened-until-it-doesn't-taste-like) coffee. William made a small grumble and gave up. His coffee would have to wait. He wished he had just stayed home instead of wasted his time with trying to get one of his guilty pleasures. He wasn't aloud to drink caffeine, after all, it made him hyped up only for him to crash later. His Captain definitely wasn't happy to watch this happen.

Then William noticed something peculiar in front of him. A woman was struggling with what seemed like... Nothing. It was as if an invisible dog was gnawing at her leg and she didn't know what to do. But, William wasn't an idiot and didn't actually believe that was the case. But it was a possibility. "You alright?" He called out, tucking his newspaper into his coat and approaching the woman. William, of course, recognized her immediately as Rita Skeeter... Imagine what she would write about if he helped her? A crooked smile spread through his lips as his eyes skimmed down her leg and to the cobble that held her hostage. "Need some help...? A gorgeous lady like you shouldn't be out in such... Nasty weather." He said, smoothly.

Not waiting for permission, William kneeled down to help the woman. What would she write about him? That he's a lovely man and he deserved the best women in the whole wizarding world? William believed that to be true, and hoped that so did Ms. Skeeter. He set down his coffee and umbrella and began to gently pull her heel out of the cobble (Getting completely soaked in the process). Maybe she'd write about how masculine and handsome he was... And how he'd help a lady, even if it meant sacrificing himself. In this case, sacrificing his hair that was now sticking to his forehead from the rain. William thought Rita definitely owed him one after this. But he kept this thought to himself.

Just as Rita was contemplating shouting out for help [which would have been very unladylike] she heard a voice behind her offering help. An eyebrow shot up into her hairline. A male voice? A yong male voice, at that. The corner of her lip curled up into a smile. If only she'd had prior warning, she could have applied some more lip stick and perhaps a safety coat of mascara.

The gentleman didn't even wait for her answer, before stooping down to the cobbles and freeing her foot from its ghastly prison while stating that a gorgeous woman such as herself shouldn't be out in this sort of weather. Rita took a glance at the top of his head to try and decipher who her knight in shining armour was. No such luck. As he stood up Rita decided it was time to address him. "Some people may have considered that rude of you - who knew whether I wanted to be stuck? Or perhaps I was waiting for a certain someone to come and free me."

She glanced over her shoulder as though looking for a particular person. She gave a small gurgle of laughter as she turned back to him. "But you're lucky, I'm not 'some people'." She gave a wink and let her hand fall on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, though others may have perceived it as sexual harassment.

"So...?" Rita twirled her umbrella as it rested on her right shoulder and emitted a small spray of droplets around her. "Who are you?"

"Some people may have considered that rude of you - who knew whether I wanted to be stuck? Or perhaps I was waiting for a certain someone to come and free me."

William picked up his drink and his umbrella, placing it back over his head (Though it hardly mattered, he was already dripping wet). He nearly panicked a bit inside when Ms. Skeeter had spoke to him. "Hmph." He eyed the lady up and down, "Well, I could certainly place you right back where you were, if you want." William's crooked smile fell into place as he ran his hand through his wet hair. Why someone would WANT to be stuck in this weather, William had no idea. But the lady was probably senile and needed some checking up. He bit his lip and kept these harsh words from escaping his lips. The last thing he wanted to do was upset the woman, who could easily destroy his reputation and have no remorse once he's gone from the limelight and a new eye-candy Quidditch player takes his place. Though that was a bit overdramatic, William wasn't taking chances.

"But you're lucky, I'm not 'some people'."

Once Rita admitted she wouldn't do such a thing, the young man's stiffness eased away and he smirked at her. "Lucky me..." He took a sip of his coffee, "I was worried I would have to leave you here... This is no place for a woman like yourself." Not the best flattery, but William could try, couldn't he? Rita Skeeter looked very... Young for her age. Almost as if she hadn't aged in thirty years. Though, William had only seen pictures of the lady. Not once has he met her person. One could say this was the chance of a lifetime for William. Fame was important to him... The Pennyapple name deserved to be known. Since Rita was treated so well by her age, William had no problem sweet talking her like he did with many twenty-year-olds who crossed his path. It seemed, basically, the same... Only Rita was definitely more wise than the giggly girls he seemed to chase.

"So...? Who are you?"

Ah. Perfect question, Ms. Skeeter. "I'm William Pennyapple." Cue the crooked smile, "I play for the Montrose Magpies... I'm sort of new, though..." William gave her a wink and took another sip of his coffee. "No need to tell me who you are, pet. I could recognize that pretty face anywhere, Miss Rita Skeeter." William definitely was going out of his way to compliment the lady, which is strange for him. This wasn't a common occurrence for William since he doesn't exactly... Flirt. He just teases people. But William had to keep is act together, else every woman in the whole wizard (And Muggle) world would think he's a perverted jerk who needed to keep his mouth shut. William was too smart to actually even try the same routine with the woman who would basically tear him to shreds with her quill. Well, his reputation at least.

"William Pennyapple?" She repeated almost to herself, as though trying to remember whether she knew him or not. "William Pennyapple..." She repeated tapping her right forefinger on her red, plumped lips. "No," She shook her head. "Never heard of you." Being blunt was something Rita was famous for.

"I play for the Montrose Magpies... I'm sort of new, though..."

The crooked smile he offered her was endearing in a young, cute way. "The Montrose Magpies, eh?" She asked, moving her rhinestone glasses further down her nose to get a better look at him - almost the way a secretary would do when scrutinising a visitor. "I didn't think I'd seen you around." She looked him up and down with an expression that could almost eat him up. "And I certainly would remember you." She trailed her finger from where her hand had been resting on his shoulder, up his neck and along his jawline.

"No need to tell me who you are, pet. I could recognize that pretty face anywhere, Miss Rita Skeeter."

Rita couldn't help but laugh as she pulled her hand away from his person. "My, my. Aren't you astute?" She moved her hand up to her hair and fluffed the curls to make them look fuller. "You wouldn't have seen my photo somewhere by any chance, would you?" She asked with a small smirk as she turned her head away from him slightly showing her slender pale neckline.

"No, never heard of you."

For a split second, William felt his guts twist. Not many people had heard of him, considering he was quite new. But the way she spoke to him... Was as if she thought it was funny she didn't know him. Then again, Rita Skeeter is known for being incredibly cold and definitely needed a smack across the face. William even felt his hand twitch. But the last thing he would want was to see his face plastered around and people knowing that he had no trouble putting a lady in her place. William was treading in dangerous grounds now. His fault for helping the woman to begin with. "I understand..." He cleared his throat, "As I said, I'm new."

"I didn't think I'd seen you around. And I certainly would remember you."

William's grin stayed plastered to his face this time. Of course he knew he was handsome, and the fact that Skeeter did, also, just made everything better. It was clear this woman was falling for his charm, and he most certainly didn't mind her, either. He allowed her to touch his lovely face, and in return gave her a wink. "And one couldn't forget their first time meeting the lovely Rita Skeeter." William had definitely gotten an A+ in brown noising back in school.

"You wouldn't have seen my photo somewhere by any chance, would you?"

"How could I not? Your photos are basically everywhere," His lips curled into a playful grin. They could probably stand there for days in the rain, and all William would be doing is complimenting the woman. But... They were in the rain. And William couldn't say he liked that very much. "Why don't we find somewhere else to go, hm? This weather is awfully nasty." And how could she say no? He was gorgeous. William was willing to take this woman on a date, as long as his name was out there. One wouldn't believe the things he would do for fame. "Perhaps a nice restaurant? My treat." Another playful wink from him and perhaps he finally had her snagged.