A Meaningful Place (Anna/Markise)

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna's eyes widened at his suggestion. "They play that type of music there? Muggle music? And songs with vulgar language and stuff?" She hadn't really paid attention the the music when she had been there with Michael. They had danced a slow song, then moved off the dance floor when the beat picked up. For some reason she was assuming all the music at a wizard club would be, well, from wizards.

[Markise Sterling]

"Well, yeah," Markise said, then went on so it didn't sound like he was implying that Anna should already know. "They play a little bit of everything. They have blocks like on the radio where they'll play a run of Muggle music or a run of just Wizarding music, but it pretty much goes back and forth." Unfortunately, Markise hardly knew any of the names of the Muggle artists. It was the sound of the music that attracted him far more than knowing everything that went into making it.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"I guess that makes sense, seeing how Dru if from a muggle family as well. I suppose she would probably want to select a mixture of music from both worlds to play in her club." She had completely forgot for a while that Dru ran the club, and assumed she was the obvious reason muggle music was played as well. If it had been a purest Slytherin that ran it, there most likely wouldn't be a variety at all. "Have you met her yet?" Anna wasn't sure how often Markise was actually at the club, but from the sound of it, he'd already made it a habitual hangout.

[Markise Sterling]

"No, I haven't," Markise said. "That's Dare's boss, right? Do you know her?" Markise only vaguely recognized the name. Dare must have said it in passing at some time. Markise just went to the club to dance. Anyone he met was just a bonus or a side event, depending on who it was. If he'd met the owner of the club, he knew he'd remember the occasion.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Dare's boss? Anna's eyebrows knitted together in question. "Dare works there?" She completely ignored his question about knowing Dru, sidetracked by this news that Dare was apparently working at the Bloody Mary. She hadn't been there since he'd arrived, and wondered how long ago he'd taken a job there. It wasn't unusual for people to have jobs in Hogsmeade, but usually it was common knowledge who had jobs and who didn't.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise blinked. "You didn't know?" he asked. Crap. Markise knew that it was a secret. It kept Dare and the club from any unnecessary censure, and it gave Dare a chance to playact every night. No one was supposed to know. People who worked at the club knew, Michael and Markise knew, so Markise had assumed that Annabelle would know, too. "Aren't you two friends?" She'd said that she'd rushed to join Dare's drama club as soon as it had opened, hadn't she?

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Not exactly." Anna sucked in her lower lip, running it between her teeth as she tried to best answer that question. She could tell that Markise wouldn't let her skirt the issue of Dare yet again, and gave reluctantly. Still, she didn't want to say any more than she had to. "I really know more of him then I actually know him. We haven't talked much. I'm assuming you know Michael? Well I'm Michael's most recent girlfriend." There. She'd said it all, and without going into one of her blurting out everything that comes to mind episodes.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's brows rose at Annabelle's confession. He certainly hadn't expected that, even if Michael had assured Markise that he'd been straight once. He'd never stopped to consider the likelihood that he have girlfriends walking around Hogwarts. "How recent?" he asked at last. There were still so many things that Markise didn't know about Dare and Michael, and though he wouldn't ask Anna, if she could give him a clue... Markise blinked, catching himself. "You don't have to answer that," he said. It was really none of his business after all, was it?

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle shrugged, realizing it wasn't as painful as it used to be. "It's not really important anymore anyways; it's all just history now." She thought about it though, by now Michael and Dare had to have been together almost as long if not longer than she'd been with Michael. How long had it been? It seemed like such a short time in some aspects, but a lot longer in others. "We broke up right around the Masquerade Ball, however long ago that was." She didn't know how much Markise knew about Michael and Dare, but was glad that at least he didn't seem to know she'd been cast aside for his friend.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise knew nothing about any masquerade ball. It sounded like something that was right up Dare's alley, but it told Markise nothing about how long ago it was. Markise didn't even know if this masquerade had been this year or not. He bit his tongue and forced himself not to ask. He'd already gotten his direct question, and she'd skirted around the answer, so he probably wouldn't get one a second time, either. But the fact that she'd said it was history made it sound like a long time ago. Markise let his question go for once and moved on to another. "Does Hogwarts have things like that a lot?" he asked, then clarified, "Balls, I mean?"

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"About once a year I believe. The Masquerade had to have been...." Anna paused as she counted back the months in her head, realizing it hadn't been as long as she'd thought. "...only four months ago I guess. Wow, I could have sworn it was longer. So you have a while to wait until the next one it looks like. I wonder if it'll be a formal one or a masquerade again." She liked dressing up in character, but hadn't really appreciated the outcome, talking to people without realizing who they really were. She hoped that next time she'd just get to dressed up in fancy clothes, which was always exciting.

[Markise Sterling]

Four months. Markise wasn't sure, but hadn't someone said that was just how long Dare had been with Michael? He tried not to think about it right now. He didn't want to end up having to explain to Annabelle why he was sitting there half jealous hearing about her ex-boyfriend and his boyfriend. Instead, he focused on the idea of a massive schoolwide dance. "I'd go for either one," Markise said. "But oh well, I guess I can wait until next summer." Not like he had a choice, anyway.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Who knows, they don't always have it at the same time each year. Maybe they'll switch it up and have a winter ball, I'd rather get dressed up nice. I love any occasion that lets me wear a long flowing dress and do up my hair. I suppose I could wear that for a costume party too, but practically everyone goes as some sort of princess and it's no fun having a costume that's similar to all the other ones." She used the clothing as her excuse, but knew that it was only a partial truth. She smiled when she glanced down at her tomboyish clothing, realizing she was wearing one of her most casual outfits of jeans and a hoodie. "I really do clean up nice when I feel like it, but a ballgown isn't my choice of attire for a day by the lake."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise gave a low chuckle, heartily agreeing. "That might be a little overboard," he said, keeping himself from expanding on the subject. To help him do so, he pulled a nearly empty pack of gum from his pocket, slipping a piece free, then offering the pack to Annabelle. "Help yourself," he offered. "Droobles Best." He was addicted to the stuff, something Ariel had pointed out to him more than once. Markise hoped the thoughts that followed didn't show in his eyes.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Thanks." Anna took a piece and unwrapped it, putting it in her mouth and softening it. After a minute she blew a big bubble, only to have it pop, covering her nose. She laughed, putting the gum back in her mouth. It had been a while since she'd had bubblegum, and it made her feel like a little kid blowing huge bubbles. "Whoops!"