|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 14:06:32 GMT -5
Stepping out to the street through the front door of the shop, Gwendelynn put a hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the brightness of the sun. After having spent over an hour inside chatting with the witch who runs the store, it was quite a surprise to see the sun so high up in the sky.
Clutching the small sack with the vial of medicine for her cat, she came down the few steps leading up to the door, careful not to trip, and entered the busy street. With summer vacation in full swing parents and children of all ages filled the streets, enjoying the nice cool London day when for once the sun chose to shine.
Going with the crowd, she didn't end up very far when she was pushed to the edges and out of the flow. Looking around, she realized she hadn't made it very far from the shop where she had just exited, and she huffed a sigh. Being tiny didn't have many good aspects to it, and crowds just were not her thing. She grabbed a spot on a bench and decided to enjoy a little people watching while she waited for the crowd to disperse.
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 17:11:04 GMT -5
Oliver had finally gotten a day off from Quidditch, lucky for him seeing as how his children were due to go back to Hogwarts soon. After a few hours of shopping with his youngest, he handed her off to her mother and allowed the two women to go clothes shopping. His other children had run off, he was guessing to the Quidditch shop, but he knew they were older and would be fine. With a sigh he seen an upcoming bench and smiled towards it with pleasure.
Moving easily through the crowd, he made his way towards the wooden dwelling his eyes now realizing there was another currently occupying it. With a warm smile and a nod of his handsome tanned face, he took a seat with a relaxing sigh before turning to clear his throat.
"Nice day isn't it!" he stated rather simply hoping not to intimidate the young girl beside him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 17:29:51 GMT -5
Gwen looked up at the male who made his way to the bench she was seated on. He was older than her, that she could easily tell, but he was still a very attractive man. "Nice day isn't it!" his Scottish accent was only slightly different from her own Irish one. She smiled over at him and scooted towards the end of the bench, both to make more room for the filled out male, and to keep an acceptable distance between the two of them.
"Aye, tis nice to see the sun once in a while," she smiled back at him, speaking as she scooted. Prone to accidents though, she misjudged the distance and slid right off the bench, landing on her butt in the soft dirt
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 17:40:06 GMT -5
Oliver glanced at the young women as he seated himself on the bench. She was young that was obvious and she had blonde hair which made him smile a bit but he just shrugged it off. He watched as she scooted over to make room for him and he couldn't help but note the Irish tone in her voice.
He had been about to comment on her words when quick as lightning the woman had landed in the dirt. Up he jumped and hurried around to the side of the bench, offering her his hand with a smug grin on his face in amusement.
"Are you alright?" he asked through his grin, pulling her upwards to her feet. He was slightly amused by the look on her face now but held back his chuckle as to not embarrass her. "You didn't hurt yourself did yee'" he asked his Scottish accent thick on his tongue.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 17:59:42 GMT -5
Blinking, Gwen accepted the hand in front of her and was easily pulled to her feet. Ducking her head, she patted off her backside and hid her blush at the same time. Of all the times to be a clutz, it had to be around an older, attractive man. "Aye, I am fine," she mumbled, before seating herself again, making sure that there was enough space between her and the end that there could be no possible way for her to fall.
Gwen then checked to make sure that her vial of medicine was still intact, and when it was, she heaved a sigh of relief. At least that was injured, only her pride. She finally looked up at his face with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. But thats the story of my life," she explained.
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 19:12:50 GMT -5
Oli watched her as she dusted herself off, double checking that she was alright, like the father he was. He waited for her to sit and get situated before sitting back down himself. He glanced around the square that was filled with chattering kids and screaming parents before returning his attention back to her with a smile.
As she told him she was a klutz he only shook his head. "It's no worries! Try having a bunch of kids to care for and you'd be used to falls, bumps and broken objects" he chuckled, running a hand through his blonde hair. He had just realized he had been rude and forgot to mention his name so he mentally kicked himself.
"Sorry I almost forgot to introduce myself. I'm Oliver." he smiled and offered her his masculine hand.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 20:28:49 GMT -5
Gwen smiled and shifted the pouch from one hand to the other, then grasped his hand. It was neither too soft nor too hard of a handshake, just right. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Gwendelynn, but I also go by Gwen," she smiled, her eyes shifting to the crowd once more as it surged by.
Realizing he spoke of children, she glanced back at him. He didn't look old enough to have a bunch of kids, but what did she know. She was barely out of the kid stage. "Is that what you are here for today? You're children?" she then realized that he was without his children, and although there isn't the threat of the Dark Lord anymore, it still wasn't a great idea to let kids wander around alone. Especially on a day so crowded.
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 20:36:11 GMT -5
Oliver smiled as she accepted his out stretched hand and shook hers firmly. He released it as she introduced herself and nodded. "Great, Gwen it is!" he confirmed, following her gaze to the crowd.
As she mentioned children he could only smile and nod. "Yes this was one of the few days I actually have off for work so I brought them here to do some shopping." he explained clearing his throat. "Though the crowds are a lot fuller than I had anticipated." he rubbed the back of his neck and then turned back to her.
"What about you? Shopping as well" he was curious if perhaps she had children or was here with a boyfriend or something but thought it would be rather rude of him to ask.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 20:49:25 GMT -5
Gwen laughed softly. "Much fuller than an hour ago. I started out at Magical Menagerie, and here is where I ended up. Being so short, I don't do very good with crowds..." she sighed, and crossed her legs, the longest feature on her, although they weren't very long at all.
She held up the little pouch holding the vial of medicine for her cat. "I just buzzed out here to pick up this medicine for my cat. He's been under the weather as of late. I think he may just be feeling the heat. He's pretty fat," she admitted, laughing. "I think he misses home," she sighed, for she too, missed home. Moving out on her own was scary, but at least she knew she would be safe once she moved into her staff quarters at Hogwarts.
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 21:02:13 GMT -5
Oliver looked at her and shook his head. "I've never really had that problem but then again I'm a lot taller and more built than you are. I can help you if you want..get where your going I mean. The kids will be fine, they can find me easily. Plus my wife is with the youngest so she'll be alright" he offered to her not minding the distraction from life and his problems at the moment.
His blue eyes shifted to the pouch in her hand and shook his head. "Sorry to hear that. My daughter's cat is rather roley poley as well. We had to give it mermaid tears to bring it around. We got it from the apothecary down the way. " he pointed to the small cramped little building at the end of the square. "I take it you came here alone?" he asked from the mention of being too short to push through the crowds.
He heard her voice lower in an almost saddened state as she mentioned missing home. "You moved here recently?" he asked curiously.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 21:20:02 GMT -5
For some unknown reason, her heart dropped at the mention of his wife. But when he had helped her up from the ground, she noticed that he wasn't wearing a ring. Which could mean many different things. It could just mean he didn't wear one, or he could be divorced. It didn't really matter though, because it wasn't as if she was planning on whisking this man away and having her way with him. They were just two people having a moments rest and conversation on the street side. She smiled up at him, "I may take you up on your offer. I had planned on just waiting out the crowd, but who knows how long that will take," she chuckled.
Mermaid tears... she thought to herself. She would have to remember that one. "Ah, yes. I did indeed," she spoke when she realized he had said something. "I'm staying in the Leaky Cauldron right now, until I can make my way out to Hogwarts," she told him, although she didn't really know why she was. Hopefully he wasn't gonna follow her and kill her. That would suck.
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 21:31:55 GMT -5
Oliver nodded with a handsome grin as she mentioned taking him up on his offer. "Really if you decide to I don't mind. If you wait the crowd out you'll probably miss a whole day of shopping!" he said and leaned back against the wooden seat, just watching the dozens of people passing by.
Oliver's head went around at her words of staying at the Leaky Cauldron and he raised a brow. "Really? That place is kind of sketchy for a woman by herself isn't it?" he mentally kicked himself. He didn't know she was alone. "I mean I'm only assuming your alone but I'll just shut it to keep from putting my foot farther in my mouth" he chuckled nervousily and cleared his throat yet again.
After a few moments of pause he glanced back at her and her mention of Hogwarts. "Ah that is a great school! Miss it somedays. I'm kind of glad it's opening back up..." he paused and thought of all the quidditch games, and pitch time he had back then. "..My kids go there actually. They start in about a month." he said once more. It was obvious that he cared for his kids since he constantly talked about them.
"You'll like it there. What job? Teaching?" he asked curiously, thinking for sure she looked like a teacher.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 21:46:31 GMT -5
She laughed, and also leaned back in a relaxed position. "Do not worry Oliver, Tom the barkeep has promised to take good care of me, and has given me the best room in the place, although, between you and me," she glanced around, "the place could use some sprucing up a bit. I'd hate to see what the worst room looks like," she smiled. She nodded when he brought up Hogwarts, for she too missed the place.
Her interest piked when he spoke of his children going there. If he was old enough to have children in school, he must have been older than she would have put him. Funny, she didn't find him old at all, or at least, she didn't find herself thinking him old. He was interesting, funny, made her feel comfortable and was an obvious gentleman.
"Actually, I am the Keys and Grounds keeper. I'm not quite smart enough to teach anything I think," she laughed because it was true. The only thing she felt confident with herself was with animals. At least, working with them. Ailments and whatnot were definitely out of her expertise. "What do you do?" she asked, curious and not ashamed of it
|
|
|
|
Post by Oliver Marcus Wood on Dec 21, 2010 22:19:09 GMT -5
Oliver couldn't help but chuckle at her words and nodded his head in agreement. "Trust me some of those rooms aren't very nice. We need a real place for travellers to stay around here!" he commented and sighed, glancing over at her.
She had been quiet a few moments before she spoke of her job at Hogwarts. "Really? That would be my kind of work being outside all day though teaching would be nice too." he stated simply before thinking about the hut she'd stay in. "Best to get a dog or something for protection that close to the forest. Hagrid the old gameskeeper had a huge drooling boarhound...biggest coward I ever saw." he chuckled light hearted.
As she asked what he did he almost choke in surprise. He wasn't used to going out and not being recognised then again he hadn't been around her in ages so people probably didn't recognise him without the quidditch gear. He cleared his throat, rubbing his neck in embarressment. "I..I'm a Keeper for Puddlemere United Quidditch team" he said almost hushed so no one would hear him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gwendelynn O'Connor on Dec 21, 2010 22:34:23 GMT -5
Gwendelynn blinked. How foolish of her. He was a superstar. He was built like a jock, it would only be appropriate that he was a jock. "I'm s-sorry," she stammered, ducking her head in embarrassment. She wasn't big into sports like that, although perhaps she could get into it if she gave them a chance. She was usually too busy outside doing something with animals or whatnot.
Who's got their foot in their mouth now? she thought glumly to herself.
"A boarhound? Hmm... those are quite large, but I think I'd get myself an Irish wolfhound or maybe an Akita. They're trained to take down bears. Not a lot can scare them." she tried to recover from being such an anti-social person.
|
|
