A/N: Chapters four, five, and six are in the making. They should be up reasonably soon. So... what do you all think of Casey Anthony being decalred not guilty?

Chapter Three

Pippin was feeling strangely annoyed, an atypical feeling on a night at the Green Dragon.

The reason for his feeling of annoyance was that he could not remember the names of two of the ladies he had effortlessly charmed that night. He couldn't even remember what color hair they had.

'Is it the ale, or was there nothing special about the lasses?' he silently wondered. 'Can't be the ale. I've only had half a pint...'

His musing was interrupted when Lavender Brown sat on his lap.

"Hello there, Pippin!" She batted her eyes and giggled when he grinned at her.

"And hello to you, Miss Brown. How have you been since we last met?" Truly, he wasn't interested, but, if he kept her talking for long enough, he could go back to trying to remember the names of those two pesky lasses. He knew that he had danced with one of them before, because she had told him the same story tonight as she had at the dance. The other one had a high pitched laugh that was enough to drive any lad away.

Pippin closed his eyes and casually put an arm around Lavender's waist and tried to listen to her talking. After another moment thought, he gave a barely audible sigh and looked up.

His eye caught a glimpse of a red headed lass. He followed her with his gaze, wondering if he knew her and hoping she would turn around so he could see her face. She did at last turn around, and she did look vaguely familiar, and altogether very Tookish.

'She must be a distant relative. A pretty distant relative. Perhaps I should go and better acquaint myself with her.'

"And it was ever so funny and the three of us did laugh so..."

"Excuse me, Lavender, but a member of the Took clan has arrived, and I must go welcome her."

Poor Lavender gave him up gallantly enough. "Very well then. I suppose I shall see you some other time".

Pippin smiled apologetically at her. At least she understood. "I suppose you shall." He turned to go chase the new lass he had his sights set on, but before he left, he turned to Lavender. "You know, Merry has been a bit lonely since he ended his courtship with Rosamond. Maybe you could keep him company for me?"

She gave a noncommittal nod. "I'll think about it."

"Thank you." With that, Pippin began the task of finding the Tookish redhead. It was not a difficult task. Even in the dim light of the Green Dragon, her hair was visible. It was so different from anyone else's in the crowd of hobbits. Before he knew it, he was behind her.

He tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped.

"Oh!" she exclaimed angrily, but when she turned around and saw Peregrin Took, her face turned a shade of red to rival her hair.

"Hello, Miss. I couldn't help but notice that you have quite a few features that resemble those of my family in the Northfarthing. You wouldn't happen to be a North-Took, would you?"

She looked down at her feet. "I am."

"And what would your name be, miss?"

"Diamond," she nearly whispered.

Wondering why she wouldn't look at him suddenly made him even more annoyed than he had been before. "Well, it is very nice to meet you. I am Peregrin Took, the future Thain."

"I know," she quietly said.

"Do you?" He feigned surprise.

Diamond still would not look at him. He only had a view of the top of her head. "Yes," she answered.

"Diamond, I got the... Peregrin? Peregrin Took?"

Pippin turned and his eyes lit up. "Isengrim!"

The two lads both grinned and shook hands.

"Why, Pippin! I haven't seen you since before you disappeared! Why it was…it was at Old Bilbo's birthday party that I saw you last! I see you've reacquainted yourself with Diamond," he commented.

"Oh, um, reacquainted?" Pippin asked.

"I'm sure you've met her before. She's my youngest sister, but as you can see, she is shy, aren't you, Di?"

Diamond blushed and looked at the floor.

"There's no need to be shy," Pippin told her. "I promise I don't bite!"

Normally, a lass would look up at him now, smile, and perhaps even begin to flirt. Diamond didn't. She continued to stare at the ground. This frustrated Pippin. Why wouldn't she look at him? That was all he wanted! He just wanted to look at her face instead of her hair.

"Well, we had better be going. We are here visiting our sister Opal. She's just had her first child, you know, and her husband asked if we could go and buy him some ale. He won't leave her side, but he's desperate for a drink. I've got the finest brew in the house, and we ought to be getting back now. We will have to see you again before we head back to Long Cleeve."

"Certainly," Pippin said as the two siblings walked away. Diamond looked back at him, and he was finally able to get a good look at her face. She was quite beautiful, he decided, but her shyness was irritating. She was one lass he had no desire to see again!

A/N: Ta-da, I guess. Feel like reviewing? I think you should. The review button thinks so too.