Tie Your Napkin Round Your Neck, Cherie! (closed)

[Verity Bromley]

Verity had closed the Three Broomsticks early. The sign that she posted on the door said that it was closed for a private event, which was true but not in the sense people would think it is. She had sent an owl to Leo, telling him to meet her there that evening, but she hadn’t said what for. She spent the late afternoon in the kitchen standing over pots and pans of simmering sauces and other wonderful-smelling things with her hair pulled back into a low bun and an apron tied around her waist. She was making dinner for him. Well, she was attempting to make dinner for him. Her cooking skills still weren’t up to par so she had asked one of the cooks, Alice, that usually worked the night shift to help her out. Verity was frantic. She wanted everything to be perfect. She was running around the kitchen, banging pots and pans, and slamming the cupboard doors. Her cheeks were rosy from standing over a hot stove and her hair was a frizzy mess. She looked like a hot mess, a far contrast to what she always presented herself to be.

Verity gave herself a couple of hours to get ready while Alice put the finishing touches on the food. Verity had already set the table for two, complete with a table cloth and long-stemmed candles. In those two hours that Verity gave herself to get ready, she was running around possibly even more than when she was doing the cooking in the kitchen. She was nervous, though she didn’t know why. She hadn’t really seen Leo since the night of the Festival when those two vulgar twins had intruded on them. Sure she had talked to him, but she hadn’t spent any real time with him since that night and she missed him.

When Verity came down the stairs, she had gone from that grungy hot mess in the kitchen to her usual collected self. She had on a simple white dress, heels, and a single strand necklace to polish it off. Her hair that earlier looked like a ball of frizz held together with a tie now flowed down her back in perfectly bouncy curls with her side bangs sweeping across her face. Her cheeks were no longer rosy from working in the kitchen and her purple eyes seemed to pop.

Verity headed back into the kitchen and brought out the two plates that were beautifully decorated, thanks to Alice, and set them on the table. Leo would be there any minute and she wanted everything to be ready for when he got there. Verity went back into the kitchen a second time, this time to thank Alice for all of her help and to give a little something extra for her extra work. She knew Alice had a family to get home to and she let her go with a final hug of gratitude. Verity was still in the back when she heard the bells on the front door clang. A smile spread across her lips as she turned to go and see who it was, even though she was only expecting it to be one person.

[Leo Ignatius]

Leo was fully aware that he and Verity hadn't been able to spend much time together lately, but any little bit was nice and when he had gotten the owl from her he had made a point of deciding what to wear and making sure that his meeting with Brindle wasn't going to happen on the same day. It certainly wouldn't do to be expected in one place while with the other. When he walked in, his lips spread in a large smile as his eyes found Verity. He straightened his shirt and came up to her, sliding his hands lightly against her hips before leaning in for a kiss. "You look amazing," he said when he pulled away.

[Verity Bromley]

Even though Verity wasn't expecting anyone to stop by except for Leo, a warm smile still spread across her lips and she got that tingly feeling from excitement building up inside of her. She threw her arms around his neck and tilted her chin up slightly, leaning in for the kiss. When she pulled away, her heart's pace had quickened and her smile turned into a wide grin. "Thank you." She said, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. She pulled away, but not my much. Her arms still hung loosely around his neck as she took that moment to get a proper look at him. "You're looking gorgeous, as always, darling." Verity said as her eyes met his. It was far too easy to get lost in those gorgeous green eyes. "I missed you." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

[Leo Ignatius]

"And I missed you," Leo murmured, lips curving in a softer smile. "We should really just set aside time each week, especially since classes will be starting soon." It would be nice to know when to expect to see her, when he would be able to do other things or focus on homework instead of thinking about when they would be able to get together. Schedules were definitely good things.

[Verity Bromley]

Verity blinked as her smile began to fade. She took a step back, slipping away from his grasp and folding her arms over her chest. “Err…I guess.” She said, dropping her eyes. A sigh escaped from her lips, but she couldn’t help it. They shouldn’t have to do this. To schedule time to be with each other. She agreed that it seemed like a logical answer, it just wasn’t something she wanted to have to resort to. The summer had been busy enough and she knew that once school started, things would only get even more hectic, but she hoped that maybe they would have some classes together this term or something. “Come on, the food’s going to get cold.” She said, shifting the topic, taking his hand and leading him to the table where their dinner was spread out in front of their place settings. A small smile returned to her lips as her eyes scanned over her hard work.

[Leo Ignatius]

"Of course we can meet up in the common room, but classes are going to be taking up so much time this term," Leo explained as they headed over, then he smiled when he saw what all was laid out. "Well, well, you've been working hard." He definitely hadn't expected something so...extravagant. Not that he was going to complain.

[Verity Bromley]

Verity shrugged as if it were nothing. As if cooking was something she did often, as well as prepare big meals like this one. "It was nothing." She said nonchalantly. She was fortunate to have some help, a guide to help her through the wonders of cooking. To help her know the difference between a pinch and a dash. She sighed again, this time it sounded more like she was admitting defeat. "I know classes are going to take up most of our time..." She said. "...I just don't want them to." Of course, what she wanted and what would actually happen were two very different things, but it didn't change how she felt.

[Leo Ignatius]

"I know," Leo said, moving around to pull out a chair for Verity. "But setting aside time will guarantee that classes don't interfere." It would be nice to know when he had to have time for her instead of constantly wondering when they would get together next. He saw nothing wrong with having a scheduled time.

[Verity Bromley]

Verity turned and faced him. "Leo, I'm not disagreeing with you. I just wish it could be different." She said, her face relaxing into a small smile. "You're right." She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Of course he was right, he was always right. It was annoyingly cute. Verity took her seat as she gave him a quick "Thank you." She didn't want to think about classes or the new term or the fact the even if they scheduled time to be together, she would still miss him terribly. Why was it that she spent most of her summer thinking about when she would get to see him again, and when she finally did they were trying to figure out when and if they could see each other next? She just wanted to enjoy being with him now, while she could.

[Leo Ignatius]

Leo nodded and bent to give Verity a soft kiss on the cheek before taking his own seat. "So how have you been?" he asked, moving away from the previous conversation. "It feels like it's been forever." It had been forever in a way. Talking and actually being together were two different things, brief greetings simply weren't enough.

[Verity Bromley]

"I've been..." Verity began. There really wasn't much to complain about. The summer had proved to be a busy one, but it was a good kind of busy and not the crazy, hectic, stressful business school seemed to always bring. "...busy" She finished. It seemed like the most obvious, nondescript answer she could give but it was all she could think of at the moment. Summer sped by in a blur. "But at least business has been picking up." She said smiling. When she took on the Three Broomsticks, she had no experience in running a business of her own. It had been an amateur purchase, but somehow it seemed to be working itself out. "I've barely seen anyone besides customers this summer." She said, her eyes dropping. It was almost over, she wanted to use the rest of it to catch up with all the people she missed. "I ran into my friend, Jory, the other day. We, um, hung out and went to this place in London. It was pretty cool." She said smiling. "It really has been forever." She agreed with a nod. "What have you been up to?"

[Leo Ignatius]

"Not much of anything, really," Leo answered. "Hopefully once school starts things will pick up a little." At least there would be something to do rather than sit and wish there was something to do. The school would fill up again aside from the students who stayed the summer and it would be busy again. It would only take him a couple of weeks to get sick and tired of people again. "So who's Jory?"

[Verity Bromley]

"He's a good friend." Verity said again, maybe a little more defensively than she needed to. She lifted her eyes to meet his and raised an eyebrow, questioning what it was that he was really asking. It was quite possible that she was over exaggerating. Still, it seemed laughable to think Jory could be mistaken as someone who was more of a friend. "It was so weird. I just ran into him in Diagon Alley for the first time in months, really! Then we made a trip to London and we..." Verity paused, glancing at Leo again. "Oh, I'm boring you, aren't i?" She asked with a small smile. Sometimes when she opened her mouth she got carried away and ended up talking nonstop. It took her a long time to learn enough self control to stop herself from talking so much. Verity scrunched up her face. "I'm so not ready for school to start again. It feels like it just ended!"

[Leo Ignatius]

"You aren't boring me," Leo insisted. The more he knew about her friends, the better, especially her male friends, no matter how much she said that he was just a good friend. "What did you do in London?" The start of school could only be talked about for so long before it became an old subject. Getting her talking seemed like a much better option.

[Verity Bromley]

"Umm..." Verity began slowly. "Well, we ran into each other at this adorable ice cream shop in Diagon Alley.” She said. Might as well start from the very beginning. It was a very good place to to start. “Then when we went to London he took me to this place where he got his tongue pierced.” Her eyes dropped briefly. “And I…er…got a tattoo.” It was fully healed now, finally, and it was perfect. The summer heat has given her enough of an excuse to show it off.