A first date (Anna and Michael)

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle walked into the three broomsticks and looked around. Not seeing Michael yet, she picked a small table near the back. Sitting so she faced the door, Annabelle tapped her fingers on the table nervously. She was a bit early and couldn't wait for him to get there and the anticipation to be over with.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael subconsciously glanced at his reflection in the window before he opened the door. After a quick glance around the place, he saw Anna in the back corner. He walked over and sat down across from her, "Hello there," he said, smiling.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Hi Michael." Annabelle said, her eyes brightening at the sight of him. "Should we order?"

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Yeah," he said, waving a waitress over. "A butterbeer please, and you?" he asked, looking to Anna.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Make that two." She said, dismissing the waitress and turning back to Michael. "So how's your day gone so far? Did your classes get hammered with homework too?" She asked, not sure what they should talk about now that they were out in public together on an actual date. She hoped her nerves would go away soon so she could relax and enjoy herself like she had yesterday.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Yeah, whether or not I'll do it...." Michael shrugged, smiling. "Don't be so tense," he said, laughter in his eyes, though at the same time he tugged the cuffs of his shirt down tighter. He had always worn long sleeves, to hide his mark, but in the last few months he had become even more paranoid about it.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle forced herself to sit back in her chair and relax her shoulders a bit. "I told you I'm no good at these things." She smiled at him, letting her hands rest on the table in front of her.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Don't worry about it," Michael said as the waitress came back with their butterbeers. She left and he looked back at Anna. "What do you like to do? Besides introducing us unknowing wizards to muggle games, that is."

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle took her mug with both hands, running her thumbs over the condensation forming on the cool glass. She let out a small laugh at his jab. "I must have saved all my muggle games just for you. Usually I'm reading or studying on some topic that has fixated my attention."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael smiled and took a drink of his butterbeer. "What kind of things do you normally study? Or is it really just a hodgepodge?"

[Annabelle Hennessy]

She gave a light shrug. "Usually it's loosely related to a topic I've unearthed for one of my classes, or something someone has said to me. But it does vary a lot, and sometimes it'll be some random thought or question that will pop into my head for no reason. What do you like to do? Besides visiting forbidden places at night of course?" She took a sip of her butterbeer, letting the coolness of the familiar drink calm her nerves more.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Drawing, of course, I play the piano sometimes." He watched her, studying how she moved and how her hair framed her face. "Visiting forbidden places at night though is definitely one of my top things to do," he said, smiling.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

She already knew that he played the piano, but figured it was a safer topic then forbidden places in the dark. She hadn't realized the connotation in her remark until hearing it from his lips. She quickly banished the inappropriate thoughts that threatened to take over her brain function. "I always wanted to play an instrument when I was little. My mum and dad bought me violin lessons once. After about a month of screeching strings they'd had enough though."

Annabelle shook her head slightly and let out a snicker at the memory. "The tutor said to give it time and that not everyone picked it up right away, but I don't think I ever got even a single note right."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael laughed, but his smile faltered. He wanted to talk to her, but he was reluctant to bring it up. After a few seconds, he spoke, "Do you understand what you're getting into?" he asked, making a point to stare into his drink as he spoke, "By seeing me?" In the time between them talking in the forest and meeting in the Three Broomsticks, he had been thinking, he wanted to tell her, to make sure she knew. He faintly wondered if she had spoken to Dru since they had talked.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Michael, I don't care about you're past. No one is perfect. If you've truthfully changed, then it's a non-issue. You might be a target for You-Know-Who, but so is everyone that doesn't support him." She paused, remembering what Dru had said about them first getting together. "Is there something else that I should worry about?"