Disclaimer: Notminenotmine

A/N: I know it's been forever since I've updated this, but it's more for my soft romantic heart than any of you. Sorry.

Susan walked out of Flourish and Blotts the next Wednesday, literally bouncing. Darn Little kids she thought to herself, and then had to bite back a grin. They weren't that bad. Anyways, it was only 4:30. Her boss had felt sorry for her, being forced to bounce around. She had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't want her knocking old tomes off the shelves. Either way, she was out early. She was free! She grinned to herself. Turning in the direction of The Leaky Cauldron, she decided it couldn't hurt to visit the muggle pub. Quickly, she realized she still looked like a witch. Apparating back to her apartment, she quickly changed her clothes. Walking out of her apartment, she apparated into he alley behind the Leaky Cauldron and next to the muggle bar. Walking in, the first thing she noticed was Jack Davis, sitting in his normal spot, looking as if he wanted to kill anyone who came near him. Naturally, she grabbed a drink and sat as far away as possible from him. Maybe tonight, she'd meet some eligible guy.

All of a sudden, that deep rough voice was next to her again. "Mind if I join you?" Without ceremony or waiting for an answer, he sat down across from her. Everyone was staring at her. She felt her face heat up, knowing it was now red.

"S-sure." She stumbled over the word slightly, cursing herself immediately.

"I've been hoping you would come again, ever since last Friday night." He said, suddenly, out of the silence. "It's not like you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met or dated, but there's an innocence, shall we say, that just draws me to your company. Not that I couldn't find someone else in an instant of course." All through this, Susan just stared dumbly at him.

"So what you're saying is that none of the people you chat with in your social spectrum is a real friend, all the women you know are vapid airheads and that I'm a refreshing change from the jaded people you've known for half your life." She grinned at him. Thinking sadly to herself, it's too bad that I am rather used to the blood and guts of fighting. Shaking it off quickly, she grinned broadly.

"That's about it, actually" he said, looking rather astounded. "You could say that." He maintained eye contact with her and she found she couldn't look away.

"Would you two like something to eat tonight?" Karen's familiar voice interrupted them. Thanking god for her timely interruption, Susan looked up and ordered "Pumpkin juice and your salmon dish, please." It took her a minute for her words to start ringing in her ears. Pumpkin Juice is only served in the wizarding world, silly, she scolded herself mentally.

"Honey, you're aware that we don't serve Pumpkin juice here? In fact, I don't think I've ever heard of it before." Karen was giving her an odd look. Her graying hair and motherly face had always reminded her of her Aunt Amelia, who had sadly perished in the war.

"Hm..oh, right Karen. I guess I was thinking of a drink my aunt used to make for me all the time." Well, that wasn't a lie. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was as close as she could get. Suddenly, the bubbles in her stomach started up again. Quickly, she shoved her hands from resting under her chin, with her elbows balanced on the table to under the table, pushing her downwards. Both Karen and Jack looked at her, clearly wondering why she had shifted her hands. She avoided their eyes and said, "I'll just have some tonic to go with that, please Karen." Tonic? She thought, what was I thinking? "Umm Nevermind Karen! I'll just have a glass of red wine."

That was a close one, she thought, mentally wiping her brow. She looked up at Jack as Karen left, walking in a clip to the bar. "You know what? I still don't know your name!" he exclaimed quietly, all of a sudden.

"Well, maybe it's for me to know and you to…not know." She smiled devilishly, feeling more confident in herself. All he could do was sputter at her, his face turning a little red. Apparently Mr. Famous isn't used to being teased like this she thought to herself.

"But you have to tell me!" he cried, once he regained use of his voice. At this she arched an eyebrow. No matter how attractive he is, I must not give in right away, she thought to herself.

"And why is it that I must tell you?" she asked, allowing a small smile to cross her lips.

"Because-Because you just have to!" he said, growling fiercely, his face red with frustration. She pursed her lips and sighed. Pretending to cough, she grinned behind the cover of her hand. It was so flattering that he wanted to know her name so badly. Then again, he was probably just curious.

"Is that really a reason?" she asked, coyly.

"YES!" he cried. After a pause, his voice became more subdued. "Well, I've been fascinated with you and have stayed in this pub every evening since Saturday." He admitted, glowering at her for forcing him to reveal that information.

"Well!" she said, feeling a little stunned by that revelation "My name's Susan, Susan Bones. Don't bother trying to look it up in the phone book. I'm unlisted. And no, I won't give you a number." She said, making sure that she wouldn't forget to mention anything by saying it all in one go.

He arched an eyebrow. "Why should I put the energy into trying to find you? All you are to me is a friendly face within a bar." He said, trying to hide what had been his first thought when he heard unlisted. She could read him too well, he thought to himself. And Why? He asked. Not like he had told her much…which would seem like the way to be able to read someone, right? Susan stared at him as his emotions clearly crossed his face. It was very clear to anyone how conflicted he was. She allowed her gaze to wander, not wanting to be caught staring once he came out of his daze. Emmett was sitting over there, eyeing the young woman sitting at the bar. Susan silently saluted the girl. She would need her wits about her when Emmett made his move because he was overwhelming. Sweet, but very determined. Karen was attending to Charles, who was half drunk and crying in his corner over his dead wife again. She shook her head regretfully. He would never know that his wife had simply been the way of Lord Voldemort. He had been told that she had been the victim of a subway bombing, and that the attacker was a suicide bomber. In fact, it had been a relatively small battle with Voldemort, but one that later that night resulted in her Aunt's death, which brought a tear to her eye. She wiped at it angrily. It had been years. She was not like Charles.

Of course, Jack took this moment to shake himself out of his mental fight. "What's wrong?" he asked, staring at her, concernedly.

Deciding a half truth would work best she said "My aunt died a few years back, seeing Charles over there reminded me of it." She offered no other explanation.

"But why does Charles remind you?" he asked. An uncomfortable silence settled over the pair. Finally, Jack lost the battle of wills that had occurred between the two. Just then, Karen brought their drinks over.

"Here you are, a gin and tonic for you, sir and a glass of red wine for you Susan." She said, a kindly, but yet questioning look on her face. Susan flushed slightly and looked down, ignoring the question. She couldn't handle it at the moment. Her nerves were stretched as it was.

"What do you think about a round of billiards?" Jack asked suddenly, a spark in his eyes when she looked up. Latching onto it, she stood up, grinning

"You'll not know what hit you, mark my words." She said. Sashaying over to the free pool table proved more of a difficulty because of her self awareness, knowing he was following. Sure enough, she stumbled slightly, going forward slightly. He was apparently close enough behind her to catch her by her waist. She felt a few tingles where his hands touched her waist. His fingers lingered there slightly too long and then when they were gone, she could feel a residual tingling. Flushing, she carefully kept her face away from Jack. Taking up a pool cue, she marveled again at how quickly she had picked up the muggle way of life, when she wanted.

Lining up the first shot, she hit with a powerful precision. The pool balls scattered around, and she put a striped ball into the pocket. Straightening, she gave a smile to Jack, confident that this game would be a wonderful challenge.