A Night Out

By Elfflame

Written for Foodie, Christmas 05

Her request was for Ron and Hermione's first dinner out as a married couple, at a Chinese restaurant. I used the menu from Dragon Dragon. No idea if it's just takeaway or not, though. But I figured it'd have a fairly good selection of what you'd find at an English Chinese restaurant.

And, as always, not mine.

"Hermione, what's a Won Ton?"

"It's like a crisp, Ron. They have these things, a kind of large noodle, which they fry and serve up like crisps with different sauces to dip in."

"Right…" Shuffling of pages. "And Sweet and Sour?"

"It's a kind of sauce, Ron. It's a sweet sauce with vinegar in it to make it tangy."

"Ew. Sounds gross."

"Ron… You promised. You said for our first-month anniversary, I could pick out the restaurant, and that you wouldn't complain. You're not going to go back on that now, are you?"

"No, but this food—it all sounds so strange…"

"It's good to broaden your horizons, Ron."

Sigh. "I know." More shuffling of pages. "I wouldn't mind a curry…"

"Ron, curry is Indian."

"So?"

"So, we're at a Chinese restaurant."

"It's on the menu…"

"Choose something else."

Huff. "Fine." Shuffle. "Well, we could get the barbeque chicken wings, I suppose…"

"Ron, that's an appetizer. We'll just get the sampler. It'll give us a bunch of stuff."

"Oh." Shuffle. "Do these people really eat duck?"

"Yes, Ron. Though that takes longer to cook."

"Huh. Well—why don't I just get the sirloin and chips, and you can have whatever you want?"

The slap of a menu closing abruptly. "Ron, the idea of coming to a Chinese restaurant is so that you can each order several dishes, and share them all. If you order English food, how's that different from any other restaurant?"

"But Hermione…"

"Ron, you promised."

Huff. "Fine. How about this Roast Pork Fried Rice? That doesn't sound too bad, I suppose…"

"That's more like it, Ron. Thank you." Shuffling of pages. "Oh, they have my favorite! Chicken in Plum Sauce. We have to get that."

"All right. Can we order now?"

"Ron, just another dish or two, okay?"

Sigh. "All right."

"Good, one for you, and one for me."

"Hermione… I had enough trouble choosing one!"

"Just keep looking, Ron…"

"Fine." Grumbling. "I guess I'll get this Chop Swee…"

"The Chop Suey?"

"Yeah. That. With beef."

"All right. And I'll get Vegetables in Black Bean Sauce… Ron, stop making that face. It's good. Just give it a try, okay?"

Sigh. "For you, Hermione? Anything."

"I love you too, Ron. Now, flag the waiter so we can order."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley."

Giggle.