The two friends walk slowly down the street and enter a small shoe store. Minerva walks around the store, tapping her finger against her mouth, and picking shoes for Xiomara. Xiomara keeps rejecting shoes until Minerva pulls a pair of emerald green velvet pumps off the shelf. In her infinite wisdom Minerva has picked out a pair of shoes with a lower heel that Xiomara can actually walk in.
"Where to now?" Xiomara asks as she pays for her shoes and watches the salesperson put them in a bag.
"One more stop at the accessories shop three doors down. Unless you have some jewellery you can wear, we should get that next." Minerva says as she holds the door open for her friend.
"I have a necklace that is very special to me that Severus gave me for Christmas, but I don't have really nice earrings or a really nice bracelet." Xiomara says thinking carefully.
"This is a great place to go, then. Julie has a great eye for finishing off an outfit with the perfect piece of jewellery." Minerva says as the two women walk down the street. Minerva's heels click loudly on the cobblestone on the almost deserted street.
"I know Julie. I went into that shop when I was trying to pick out a Christmas present for you." Xiomara smiles at the memory.
"Was that the year you got me that beautiful pin? I didn't know that Julie picked that out. I wear that pin on my cloak all the time!" Minerva says with a gentle smile.
"Yes, Julie and I picked out that pin for you. I trust her opinion immensely." Xiomara says as Minerva opens the door to Julie's shop.
"Hello ladies," Julie says to the two professors. "How can I help you?"
"I need your help, Julie. Severus is taking me out for a nice dinner here in Hogsmeade, at that nice Italian restaurant, but I don't have nice accessories to go with the dress and necklace I've got." Xiomara explains to Julie.
"What colour is your dress? What accessories did you have in mind?" Julie asks trying to formulate a plan in her mind.
"My dress is emerald green and the necklace Severus gave me has an emerald in it. I'd like some fabulous earrings and a bracelet for my outfit." Xiomara says calmly.
"I have the perfect earrings and bracelet combination to go with your dress." Julie says pulling out a couple of options for Xiomara.
Xiomara looks carefully at her options. "I don't know that I want anymore emerald jewellery with a green dress, but this diamond jewellery is beautiful. Which earrings do you like, Minerva?"
"I like the drop earrings. Then you'll be able to see them better with your short hair." Minerva says looking at the two options.
"I think so, too." Xiomara says picking up the pair of earrings and the diamond tennis bracelet. "These will be perfect. Severus won't know what hit him when I see him on Saturday night."
"Isn't that the truth? Look, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's head to The Three Broomsticks for dinner." Minerva says tiredly.
"I know. I'm tired of shopping and I'm starving. Let's go have a nice meal." Xiomara says picking up all her bags.
"That sounds wonderful!" Minerva smiles gently.
The two walk into Madam Rosmerta's pub and find a table. "Good evening, ladies. How can I help you?" Madam Rosmerta asks as she approaches the table.
"We're just here for dinner, Rosmerta. If we can just get some menus that would be great." Minerva says quietly.
"Of course, I'll be serving you personally. I'll go get menus and come back and take your drink order." Rosmerta says kindly. Rosmerta walks across the floor of the pub with her hips swaying. She picks up two menus and walks back to the two professors. "Can I get you two ladies your usual drinks?" Rosmerta asks as she sets the menus down. She's known the two professors since they started teaching at Hogwarts.
"I'm going to have a large Gillywater rather than my usual small." Minerva says rubbing her temples. It was a very long day at the school.
"I'll have a honeyed mead. I need a warming drink tonight. It's cold outside." Xiomara says. It's not her usual drink, but she wants something different tonight.
"Absolutely, I'll get right on those drinks. Take your time with the menu." Rosmerta says with a smile.
Minerva watches Rosmerta walk away from the table. She is terribly beautiful woman and Minerva can see why the men in the pub all fall for when they've been drinking. Rosmerta is also a very kind woman who makes the people at the pub trust her and talk to her about their innermost secrets. She is an impeccable barkeep. Minerva slowly peruses the menu and her square glasses slip down her nose. She knows all the items on the menu at The Three Broomsticks by heart, but she likes to look over the menu anyway. Rosmerta likes to change dishes at the pub with the seasons and currently the dishes are getting heartier as the weather gets colder. She loves the heartier meals Rosmerta has set up for the winter.
"Alright, ladies, what can I get for you tonight?" Rosmerta asks pulling out her notepad.
"I'll have the beef stew, please." Xiomara requests. Stew is such a great winter meal.
"I'll have the bangers and mash with the veggies, please." Minerva says rubbing her nose under her glasses. She's getting a headache after having a very long day with her students. She had to reverse four very badly done transfigurations and she had a row with Albus before her work day even got started. It's nice to have some quiet time away from the school.