author: Lucinda
rating: pg/pg 13
pairing: Faith/Bill Weasley
disclaimer: I hold no legal rights to any characters from Buffy/Angel or to any characters from the Harry Potter books.
distribution: TNL, Twisting the Hellmouth, Paula, anyone else just ask.
notes: probably AU-ish for Faith, set roughly season 3 A:tS/s7 BtVS, post book 4 HP, not in England.
Bill walked into the office of Rutslak, the goblin that was in charge of the Curse-Breaking division of Gringotts. He wasn't quite certain why he was supposed to be here. It wasn't time for his annual review, he hadn't been breaking any rules... Bill Weasley felt rather baffled.
"Sir? You wanted to see me?" He tried to keep his questions implied, to remain respectful. Goblins could take offense more easily than wizards.
Rutslak turned, peering at Bill through tiny bloodshot eyes, one finger rubbing the side of a long, narrow nose. "Yes. There is... a small annoyance. We have arranged for an exchange with an American wizarding exchange, but... They wish us to use a human intermediary to collect the packages. After some debate, we've decided that you would be well qualified."
That hadn't been what Bill had been expecting at all. "Sir? Where in America is this exchange? How will I find the right establishment?"
"You will be going to a city called Los Angeles, and dealing with the wizarding bank Henlan's. We've arranged a packet of information." Rutslak looked most displeased, perhaps feeling that the refusal to deal directly with a goblin was an insult.
He accepted the thick envelope, murmuring something that he barely remembered as he left the office. He was going to America, to get some packages from people that didn't want to deal with goblins. He was dreading hours and days of horrible boredom.
By the next day, after a series of Floo jumps and apparations, he'd made it to Los Angeles. The trip had been miserable, leaving him feeling weak and faintly nauseous. All he had to do now... with a groan, he realized that he still had to find a place to stay, find Henlan's, probably change his money for American wizarding coin, maybe even some to American Muggle money. A short pause to consider his stomach made Bill decide that instead of dinner, he'd just wait for breakfast.
Things looked better in the morning. He'd found Henlan's, a small building with a front like something from the Italian Renaissance, the walls humming with spells. There had been only a minor hassle to verify his identity, and in the end, while they'd changed his money, he'd been told he would have to return tomorrow to speak with a 'Mr. Boswell' about the transaction with Gringott's. Feh. And Henlan's had hours that felt restricted and unwelcoming after Gringott's, more like normal stores and Muggle banks hours. So, he'd decided to go get breakfast first.
Bill was looking once more at the cup on the table, filled with some brown colored water that was supposed to be coffee. It sort of smelled coffee-like, but... He didn't quite trust it. He looked up and had his first glimpse of her. The woman fairly radiated confidence, and a feeling of power that wasn't magic, but... he had no idea what it was. She wore these chocolate colored leather pants and matching boots, with a shimmering bronze top that was barely held up by tiny straps over her shoulders. She had long dark hair, and a tattoo of barbed wire around her upper arm. She was beautiful, and clearly dangerous.
He saw her again that evening, as he was trying to take a walk to loose some of the frustration dealing with Mr. Boswell had inspired. She was walking in the park, her movements comfortable, somehow reminding him of a leopard or some other dangerous wild animal. She looked... fantastically bad for him. He wondered if he'd get the chance to find out if he was right.
His courage faltered, and he couldn't quite bring himself to say more than an awkward feeling "Nice evening, isn't it?"
Flashing him this incredible smile, she looked at him, her eyes sparkling with this vibrant intensity that told him she didn't drift through life, she seized it and wrung every last bit of feeling and experience from everything. "Yeah, it's pretty good."
They'd stood there, looking into each other's eyes for what had felt like a moment of timeless eternity. Something inside of him just wanted to reach out, to grab her while he had the chance, to experience life with her. Another part of him had the suspicion that if he tried to seize her, she would hurt him for it.
Somewhere, a car horn blared, jolting them from their moment. Awkwardly, Bill glanced away, feeling suddenly embarrassed. Hadn't his mum taught him that it was rude to stare? Even at pretty girls? He should offer an apology, right now. But she was gone when he looked up again.
From deep inside of Bill, he could feel the urge to meet her again, to learn her name. To try to get to know her. He'd felt like he could almost touch something shining and wonderful inside of her. Somehow, he would find her again. And maybe this time, he could ask her out. Or at least learn her name.
His chance came two days later, when he was having breakfast at the same little restaurant. He'd gathered the courage to try the coffee, discovering that it was actually weaker than his mum's tea. The place was unusually crowded, with no empty tables or chairs. So, he wasn't expecting a voice to speak from near his elbow.
"Mind if I sit across from you? Everywhere's full."
Looking up, he beheld her. The same woman that he'd been trying to meet again. This time, she was in a close fitting white tee shirt and a pair of low riding red leather pants. Gesturing with one hand, his response was rather lacking in eloquence. "Go ahead. Please."
She sat down, ordering a big breakfast from the frazzled waitress, and a glass of orange juice. She toyed with the silverware a bit, as if she were trying to organize her thoughts. "So... since I'm sitting here and all, might as well find out who you are, you know? And is it just me, or are you British?"
"Actually, I am. Bill Weasley. So... who are you?" He felt himself smiling, hoping that he wasn't grinning like a loon.
"Faith Wilkins." She smiled at him, her eyes taking in the ponytail of dark red hair, the worn comfortable clothing, the lean muscles underneath. "Planning to stay very long?"
Hope flared inside of him, that he might get to spend more time with her. Maybe get to know more about her. "I wasn't supposed to be, but... the people I came to deal with are dragging their feet. Things could take a while."
"Cool. Maybe I can take you out dancing sometime." Her smile did the most interesting things to him, and her eyes held promises of something far older than magic.
For a moment, his mouth felt impossibly dry. Why was this one woman putting him so off balance? "I'd like that a lot."
Maybe he'd enjoy this trip after all.
end Take a Chance.
rating: pg/pg 13
pairing: Faith/Bill Weasley
disclaimer: I hold no legal rights to any characters from Buffy/Angel or to any characters from the Harry Potter books.
distribution: TNL, Twisting the Hellmouth, Paula, anyone else just ask.
notes: probably AU-ish for Faith, set roughly season 3 A:tS/s7 BtVS, post book 4 HP, not in England.
Bill walked into the office of Rutslak, the goblin that was in charge of the Curse-Breaking division of Gringotts. He wasn't quite certain why he was supposed to be here. It wasn't time for his annual review, he hadn't been breaking any rules... Bill Weasley felt rather baffled.
"Sir? You wanted to see me?" He tried to keep his questions implied, to remain respectful. Goblins could take offense more easily than wizards.
Rutslak turned, peering at Bill through tiny bloodshot eyes, one finger rubbing the side of a long, narrow nose. "Yes. There is... a small annoyance. We have arranged for an exchange with an American wizarding exchange, but... They wish us to use a human intermediary to collect the packages. After some debate, we've decided that you would be well qualified."
That hadn't been what Bill had been expecting at all. "Sir? Where in America is this exchange? How will I find the right establishment?"
"You will be going to a city called Los Angeles, and dealing with the wizarding bank Henlan's. We've arranged a packet of information." Rutslak looked most displeased, perhaps feeling that the refusal to deal directly with a goblin was an insult.
He accepted the thick envelope, murmuring something that he barely remembered as he left the office. He was going to America, to get some packages from people that didn't want to deal with goblins. He was dreading hours and days of horrible boredom.
By the next day, after a series of Floo jumps and apparations, he'd made it to Los Angeles. The trip had been miserable, leaving him feeling weak and faintly nauseous. All he had to do now... with a groan, he realized that he still had to find a place to stay, find Henlan's, probably change his money for American wizarding coin, maybe even some to American Muggle money. A short pause to consider his stomach made Bill decide that instead of dinner, he'd just wait for breakfast.
Things looked better in the morning. He'd found Henlan's, a small building with a front like something from the Italian Renaissance, the walls humming with spells. There had been only a minor hassle to verify his identity, and in the end, while they'd changed his money, he'd been told he would have to return tomorrow to speak with a 'Mr. Boswell' about the transaction with Gringott's. Feh. And Henlan's had hours that felt restricted and unwelcoming after Gringott's, more like normal stores and Muggle banks hours. So, he'd decided to go get breakfast first.
Bill was looking once more at the cup on the table, filled with some brown colored water that was supposed to be coffee. It sort of smelled coffee-like, but... He didn't quite trust it. He looked up and had his first glimpse of her. The woman fairly radiated confidence, and a feeling of power that wasn't magic, but... he had no idea what it was. She wore these chocolate colored leather pants and matching boots, with a shimmering bronze top that was barely held up by tiny straps over her shoulders. She had long dark hair, and a tattoo of barbed wire around her upper arm. She was beautiful, and clearly dangerous.
He saw her again that evening, as he was trying to take a walk to loose some of the frustration dealing with Mr. Boswell had inspired. She was walking in the park, her movements comfortable, somehow reminding him of a leopard or some other dangerous wild animal. She looked... fantastically bad for him. He wondered if he'd get the chance to find out if he was right.
His courage faltered, and he couldn't quite bring himself to say more than an awkward feeling "Nice evening, isn't it?"
Flashing him this incredible smile, she looked at him, her eyes sparkling with this vibrant intensity that told him she didn't drift through life, she seized it and wrung every last bit of feeling and experience from everything. "Yeah, it's pretty good."
They'd stood there, looking into each other's eyes for what had felt like a moment of timeless eternity. Something inside of him just wanted to reach out, to grab her while he had the chance, to experience life with her. Another part of him had the suspicion that if he tried to seize her, she would hurt him for it.
Somewhere, a car horn blared, jolting them from their moment. Awkwardly, Bill glanced away, feeling suddenly embarrassed. Hadn't his mum taught him that it was rude to stare? Even at pretty girls? He should offer an apology, right now. But she was gone when he looked up again.
From deep inside of Bill, he could feel the urge to meet her again, to learn her name. To try to get to know her. He'd felt like he could almost touch something shining and wonderful inside of her. Somehow, he would find her again. And maybe this time, he could ask her out. Or at least learn her name.
His chance came two days later, when he was having breakfast at the same little restaurant. He'd gathered the courage to try the coffee, discovering that it was actually weaker than his mum's tea. The place was unusually crowded, with no empty tables or chairs. So, he wasn't expecting a voice to speak from near his elbow.
"Mind if I sit across from you? Everywhere's full."
Looking up, he beheld her. The same woman that he'd been trying to meet again. This time, she was in a close fitting white tee shirt and a pair of low riding red leather pants. Gesturing with one hand, his response was rather lacking in eloquence. "Go ahead. Please."
She sat down, ordering a big breakfast from the frazzled waitress, and a glass of orange juice. She toyed with the silverware a bit, as if she were trying to organize her thoughts. "So... since I'm sitting here and all, might as well find out who you are, you know? And is it just me, or are you British?"
"Actually, I am. Bill Weasley. So... who are you?" He felt himself smiling, hoping that he wasn't grinning like a loon.
"Faith Wilkins." She smiled at him, her eyes taking in the ponytail of dark red hair, the worn comfortable clothing, the lean muscles underneath. "Planning to stay very long?"
Hope flared inside of him, that he might get to spend more time with her. Maybe get to know more about her. "I wasn't supposed to be, but... the people I came to deal with are dragging their feet. Things could take a while."
"Cool. Maybe I can take you out dancing sometime." Her smile did the most interesting things to him, and her eyes held promises of something far older than magic.
For a moment, his mouth felt impossibly dry. Why was this one woman putting him so off balance? "I'd like that a lot."
Maybe he'd enjoy this trip after all.
end Take a Chance.