It was a quarter to seven in the evening and London city was its bustling, Saturday self. Vivienne Thorpe sat at the bar in a sleeveless black dress that hugged her hips and ended at her knees- it was a simple, elegant look. She had let her hair down and clipped on a pair of diamante earrings. Compared to her work attire, the Healer felt uncomfortably overdressed. The pub was full of hospital staff: colleagues and canteen staff alike, meeting up after their afternoon shifts. It was relatively crowded.

The bartender set down a glass and Viv turned away from observing one of the first floor healers downing a bottle of vodka. There were some muggles around as well but not many. She glanced to the bartender, thanked him politely and slid the bearded man a bill, declining the change. Demurely, Vivienne leaned forward and took a sip of her sherry. Her day off had been pleasant. A peaceful morning down at the bookstores in Marylebone, the rest of it reading at Regent's park. Just what she needed after a week of being swamped by patients-- one of whom had asked her out on tonight's date. She wasn't sure what they would do but he had come across as personable and fun; what could go wrong? Dinner, drinks, light conversation.

In the distance, the door bell clinked and Vivienne turned around in time to see a mediwitch she knew enter the pub. The two spotted each other, smiled politely and looked away. She wondered how the wards were doing and felt a flutter in the pit of her stomach. Didn't really matter what was going on, Viv's head would still find its way back to St.Mungo's. Another sip of sherry. The first floor Healer was a loud drunk even if it was far too early in the evening for that. Vivienne waited for Sissel, hoping he would be able to find this pub, The Drowned Drop. Her directions had been vague.

The bell above the door clinked once but the door had only opened a few inches. Then it clinked again as the door opened all the way as Sissel Jowd stepped inside, the interior of the bar reflected in his mirrored sunglasses. He pulled on a suit again tonight, even though he had some "time off" he was using up. Another blue tie, but this one free from bloodstains, even though a bit of magical cleaner and several scourgify's had cleaned up the last tie Viv had seen him wear. And speaking of Viv...

He caught sight of her and was glad his glasses were mirrored. Hello legs! His eyes strayed to a thin line running down her right leg. Not ripped pantyhose, so that must have hurt. She was dressed up for the night, making him feel casual in his trainers. He took off the sunglasses and gave a little wave as he walked over, a single snapdragon in his hand.

Reaching the table, Sissel placed it upright in a holder for a cocktail menu. "Evenin', Doctor Thorpe. Might I say you look killer out of uniform."

Vivienne eyed Sissel's sunglasses as he set it down, wondering what she had gotten herself into. Mirrored sunglasses. She looked back to her date and smiled as he greeted her, "Evenin', Doctor Thorpe. Might I say you look killer out of uniform."

The Healer's smile widened at the compliment and she gestured at the seat next to her, turning hers around to face him properly,"Merci. You're looking much better yourself. Must be the lack of all that blood spilling about." Somewhere along the bar, there was a startling crash and several exclamations of apology. She glanced in the direction briefly and then back to Sissel. The sounds went largely unnoticed by the pub crowd.

"So I was thinking perhaps we'd get some drinks before leaving to grab dinner? I know a fabulous italian place in the area," Viv suggested- she consistently proposed italian restaurants on her first dates because it was the sort of food that most people would enjoy: "They make an excellent cannelloni and the wine is decent."

"Merci. You're looking much better yourself. Must be the lack of all that blood spilling about."

"I tend to think I look more lively when my life juice isn't gushing out all over the place," Sissel agreed. As he sat there was that crash from the bar an he couldn't help but think Ouch.

"So I was thinking perhaps we'd get some drinks before leaving to grab dinner?" Viv continued. "I know a fabulous italian place in the area, they make an excellent cannelloni and the wine is decent."

"Excellent!" Sissel said. Seeing as Vivienne already had a refill he hopped off the stool to order a beer from the counter. Some staff behind the counter were attacking a spot on the floor with a mop and towels. "I'm sorry sir, it was as if I had bumped into somebody that cut across my path, I can't explain it."

"Carling, if you have it," Sissel said to the bartender, offering some cash. After receiving the beer he returned to sit by Viv. "So tell me, Doc, how did that scar come to disgrace your leg, if you don't mind me asking?"

Sissel was quick- and energetic, Viv noted amusedly as he returned to the bar with a glass of bear. "So tell me, Doc," the wizard asked as he sat down, "How did that scar come to disgrace your leg, if you don't mind me asking?"

Vivienne looked down at her right leg, slightly surprised- she hardly noticed the damn thing was there anymore. A wry little look grew on her lips; admittedly, the question made for a much better observation of her legs than those made on previous dates. Eyes going back up to meet Sissel's enquiring expression, the witch picked up her drink and conversationally began explaining the incident behind the scar.

"Hiking accident when I was fifteen. They say I fell down a ravine. I don't remember much really, unless you count my trip to St.Mungo's..." Viv trailed off with a reminiscent smile, staring but not really looking at her date, "I was treated by a trainee and he couldn't remove my scar."

Then, realizing she was drifting off, she deftly changed the subject: "It's all old news. I'm sure you must have much more interesting tales- magic carpets and the like? Judging from your condition the other day, the Department of Transportation must have far more exciting cases than I previously imagined." Vivienne placed her barely-sipped sherry down and pushed it away. They would be ordering wine at dinner and she couldn't afford to drink much if she was going to be alert for tomorrow's afternoon shift.

"Sounds unfortunate," Sissel said upon hearing the tale of the ravine. "I know minimal on healing, as you well know."

She changed tact. "It's all old news. I'm sure you must have much more interesting tales- magic carpets and the like? Judging from your condition the other day, the Department of Transportation must have far more exciting cases than I previously imagined."

"I never mind hearing old news," Sissel smiled. "Got the History NEWT to prove it. But compared to healing there isn't as much drama in the Transportation Department as you think." He paused, wondering how to edit this. "Illegal brooms as you saw, incorrectly cast portkeys, fireplaces that aren't bricked up to code and explode whenever someone uses the Floo. Not much on Flying Carpets these days." He left out his attempt at trying to sanction a Flying Doormat. "There's been talk on trying to lift the ban, campaigning that brooms are perfectly fine transports with muggle origins, but the law is still held since the, ya know," he gestured to the obvious non-magic types in the bar, "No one really uses a broom anymore, at least the kind that look like ours, but ornamental rugs are still popular enough."

Sissel paused for a sip of beer. "I fear if I continue with that stuff I'll bore you to death."

"I fear if I continue with that stuff I'll bore you to death."

Vivienne looked down, laughing lightly- she shook her head, "Not at all. I should probably learn more about the Departments. Half of my patients are Ministry employees after all." Her tone was dry and a little biting, "Surely not an incidental statistic." It was frightening how so many of the wards were brimming with either criminals, injured criminals, aurors or injured aurors. Almost as frightening as the number of patients who were there as a result of sheer stupidity.

The pub was becoming increasingly crowded and Viv was starting to recognize a few more healers in the room. Glancing back at Sissel, she leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner: "I must admit, it was perhaps a bad idea to meet here?" She bit her bottom lip guiltily, "Too many colleagues and all I can think of is work." Which, of course, was true. Every face reminded her or some task that had to be done on Sunday evening.

"Does that happen to you as well?" Viv asked, leaning back and turning her head slightly to avoid being spotted by a particularly intrusive colleague from across the room. You'd think that more of the staff would understand tact. "I mean, does your job ever get in the way of everything else?"

As more people gathered into the pub, Vivienne leaned in close. "I must admit, it was perhaps a bad idea to meet here? Too many colleagues and all I can think of is work."

"Nothing wrong to me," Sissel shrugged, appreciating the last of his beer. He noticed Viv had minimally touched hers since he arrived, must have reached her limit.

"Does that happen to you as well?" Viv asked, continuing. "I mean, does your job ever get in the way of everything else?"

Sissel's face couldn't help but betray a smirk. His job, when busy, did eat up a lot of time...but there was always a way to stretch out the minutes a bit more. If anything, work and play became a mesh during the 24 hour day, maybe 18 hour day if he was lucky...though honestly, sometimes up to 36 or 48 hours in a "day" followed up by 4 hour days--honestly, who cared any more?

"I find that I take enjoyable interest in everything, so work can feel leisurely. Time flies when you're having fun." Quite literally. He stood and withdrew the snapdragon from the menu stand. "Though if you want, you can show me where this awesome italian place is."

Vivienne took the lead, exiting the Drowned Drop pub into the cool evening air. The weather was pleasant. She unclasped the tiny clutch bag that swung from her shoulder and retrieved a dark, sheer shawl from somewhere inside- enchanted, it held a plethora of useful objects. Anything from cosmetics to the odd healing elixir for motion sickness.

"It's just past the underground," Viv turned around to tell Sissel and then motioned for him to follow her. There was no end to the number of cafes and restaurants in London city- everything a witch or wizard could ever need, just a short stroll or ride away. She loved it here. Undeterred by the height of her heels, she led the way swiftly. "It's really quite a charming place," the witch said after a minute of walking in silence, mostly due to the crowd of rushing muggles leaving the train station- her pace slowed and Viv placed a hand on Sissel's arm, smiling at him pleasantly: "Owned by a very friendly muggle family, I understand."

They were just around the corner from the restaurant; the mouth-watering smell of oozing cheese and sun-dried tomatoes was easy enough to follow.

Upon standing, Sissel realized how high Viv towered over him in her heals. Not that he minded, especially since most of her height was due to her legs! that were so lovely, blemish and all. He followed her out of the bar. He'd tried as much as possible to explore London, he liked the energy of big cities, but there were always discoveries to be made.

"It's just past the underground. It's really quite a charming place." She took his arm. "Owned by a very friendly muggle family, I understand."

The smell was intoxicating, better then the Port Asbestos Italian joint next to the town where he grew up. He held the door open for her. "Now this smells authentic."

A short, skinny italian woman with extremely dark hair showed the pair to a table at the right end of the restaurant- right next to a rather abstract painting of another tiny italian lady. Vivienne gave the portrait a considering glance as she dropped onto the seat across from Sissel's and thanked the waitress.

The restaurant, Carluccio's, was popular with the young London crowd but they were constantly changing their decor; her last visit hadn't been quite so... red. Much like Viv, who painted her kitchen at monthly intervals, the owners appeared to be avid fans of change. The walls were a bright, intense kind of burgundy.

Looking back to Sissel, she half-smiled: "I assure you the food is much better than the art," Vivienne told him as a waiter efficiently brought them a set of menus and left. The rest of the restaurant was slowly filling up with people and it was a pleasant change from the crowded pub by St.Mungo's. Viv set aside her drinks menu without hesitation- she already knew it quite well: "Red or white?"

"Red, if I'm going with this," Sissel said, folding back the menu to a spicy sausage ravioli and antipasto mix. "Unless it's a prime white all I taste is vinegar laden grape juice." He stretched out his legs, a quick glance to their table's artwork. Funny, given how the proportions worked out.

After ordering, Sissel gazed at Viv's face intently. "I thought there might be something familiar about you. Did you school up here?" In the vague recesses of school day memories he imagined catching the odd face that might be the future healer Vivienne Thorpe but he wasn't sure.

"I thought there might be something familiar about you. Did you school up here?"

Vivienne raised her eyebrows slightly at the question- she could almost smell the chalk dust and damp dungeons. Hogwarts was such a long time ago but it felt like only yesterday that she graduated from its halls and the house of Ravenclaw. She smiled at Sissel, "I was at Hogwarts, yes. Took my NEWTs the year before the second war."

A waiter appeared at their side and Viv handed him back her drinks menu before asking him to bring them a bottle of her usual red. When he left she turned back to her date: "Ravenclaw. My mother is English so I suppose I wasn't destined for Beauxbatons," the Healer informed him: "My step brothers are alumni there, however. They're both aurors-in-training with the French ministry now."

Viv supposed that she had mentioned enough for Sissel to get a vague idea of her background. It pained her to discuss personal history- not for any particular reason other than her belief that the past should simply remain where it was. She picked up her menu and flipped it open, "You must have attended Hogwarts as well? The best years of many lives, I think."

With the knowledge of when Viv graduated, Sissel could figure out a window of when they would have intersected at Hogwarts. "You bet. You might've caught a fleeting glimpse of me on the Gryffindor quidditch team until we had Wood and Potter. Had a pretty mean scoring streak too. I had this one move where I would jump off my broom and while falling swing the broom to smack the quaffle into one of the hoops. Got them every time until it became predictable."

"Fun times," Sissel mused. "Course when Wood got the captaincy he wouldn't have me on the team, said I was too showboat-y."

Upon further contemplation of Viv's French background he said "I'm sure Beauxbatons would have a warmer climate then the chilly mist we get here. Always wanted to go to France but never managed to fit in a vacation." If by "vacation" you meant down time where he was reliving the same days on end, holed up in his flat watching the telly so as to not mess with the space time continuum as past version(s) of himself went about dealing with rouge time travelers. Being in two places at once tended to look suspicious even for wizards.

"Though I graduated just before we had that TriWizard Tournament fiasco. Really though Delacour might have done better than Krum, had things gone differently."

The showboat comment, Vivienne Thorpe thought as she listened to her date, rather summed up Sissel Jowd. He did seem like quite the crowd pleaser. Their wine arrived as he went on reminiscing about Hogwarts and the Triwizard Tournament- an exciting event that she had been fortunate enough to witness herself back then. It all felt very nostalgic, although Viv admitted that she could not quite place Sissel- her Quidditch fan days were a blur of schoolgirl squeals and spirited cheering.

"Really though Delacour might have done better than Krum, had things gone differently," Sissel speculated and the Healer took a small sip of her wine. It was sweet, with just the right fruity undertone. Her father often disapproved of Viv's childish taste in drink but he had a far more experienced palate than she did.

Putting her glass down, Viv replied with practiced pleasantness: "I quite lost myself cheering for Potter and Diggory in the tournament. School spirit and all that. " In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of their waiter curiously glancing over at their table.

"Perhaps we should order now? I probably shouldn't have too much to drink on an empty stomach if I'm working tomorrow. The pasta dishes are great- the pizzas smell wonderful but they aren't very substantial," Vivienne advised Sissel as she gestured at pages of her own menu with a wry kind of seriousness. The last date she brought here had ordered the pizza, which hadn't been quite enough to keep the wine from going straight to his head. Disastrous.