Danger Zone
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"Elizabeth, Arthur and I were talking and we'd love for you to come over for Sunday dinner some time, it always at two" My face that was still smiling went blank. Sunday dinner? In my home was only for family and partners to be at, this was serious. Well George's family really couldn't be as bad as my own. Thinking about it he didn't have as many brothers and sisters. "Maybe if this Sunday suited you could come by the burrow" She encouraged smiling brightly.
Thinking about it made my head spin a little; I had a concert planned for Saturday night with Theodore, and dinner wasn't what I had planned to do for Sunday; Sleep, Food and go out with Blaise but was it really a good idea to stay up all night partying and then the day after to go to a important family gathering. I felt my mouth go dry in the thought of it all, But smiling brightly, under the influence of Mike's drinks, I nodded "I'd love to" I lied. And from the shocked look on George face I guess he believe it.
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We were both standing outside the shop, Elizabeth was stepping side to side awkwardly, not being able to stand still since she was tipsy; I had taken her bag of sweets so she could hold onto me for the apparition. I think she wasn't used to it yet, and she hasn't passed the exam because she wasn't even seven yet. I had noticed she always breathed in air like it was her last breath afterwards. I stood there staring at the ground, thinking and wondering, why would she be invited to Dinner at home so soon, why would mum and dad do that so fast? We've hardly known each other for a week.
"So..." Elizabeth sighed "I'll see you Sunday?" she asked reaching out for her bag of sweets. My eyes went straight to her face, I knew I was frowning but I couldn't really change that now. I had only met her on Monday, things were moving way to fast. I half wished that we could be friends, so at least this wouldn't be so hard. But I knew she wouldn't want to be friends with an eighteen year old who she was being forced to marry.
"Yeah about that, I don't think it's a good idea" I explained giving her the bag. "I mean I could make up and excuse for you, you could be spared from the torture for a while" I half joked. She smiled lazily up at me, the drink had taken a real effect on the younger girl she was more relaxed and calm, and nothing seemed to bother her.
"I said I would, besides I don't think there is any excuse that would be believable, I can't pull a sick-y it's in three days and I can't have something pop up out of nowhere because my parents would kill me" she mumbled "really it'll be fine, I mean it's not like the whole family will be there right? Doesn't half of them live in different countries or visit their friends during the summer?" she asked a small smile on her lips.
Looking up at the sky I wished all of them were in other countries but they had come back home for this month, all of them, the burrow was full of Weasleys and friends. Why couldn't she have been invited for Saturday breakfast? No one would be up, everyone would be hung-over or sleeping in, that would have been perfect. "I guess" is what I told her, she was going to have a pretty big shock to find out that there could be twenty people for dinner on Sunday.
"I have a flower arrangement to pick up and you have a job to do Mr Boss man. So I'll see you around?" Glancing back at her, she was smiling and fiddling with the hem of her top, pulling it up slightly showing of her tanned hip. I swallowed I knew there was no way I could help Fred out in the shop I'd have to go up stair and sleep it off all this drunkenness.
"Yeah, Bye Elizabeth" I waved walking sloppily to the shop, and she walked shakily towards the florist down the street. After she walked into the shop I walked into the shop, two six years old ran out of with grins on their faces. Fred was leaning on the counter with a day dreamy expression, there was a few people wondering around the store. I rolled my eyes at him.
"No I love you more... Nooooo I love you more" Fred cooed "Elizabeth Trust me I love you the most" He growled "I swear if I have to see that little girl again before Saturday I will have a heart attack" I chuckled at Fred's temper. He only had it when Elizabeth was around or when Slytherins started to annoy him.
"Calm down, you won't see her again till Sunday" I explained leaning on the counter in front of him.
"Really three days O'Connor free, you got to be joking? I thought Mum and Dad said for you to see her at least once a day" Fred said confused.
"Sorry could you help me with these nose bleed nougats?" a boy called. I glanced at the shop everything seemed to be the same, sure some of the stock need a little more but that was normal.
"George aren't you going to give me a well deserve break?" Fred teased "I'm manning the money here" he joked.
"Sorry, but I'm not able to work. You'd be shock how much drink you have to go through while in the presence of both Elizabeth's and our parents." I explained "I was sure I was going to be caught out by Dad when I nearly dropped all the sweets into his lap" Fred expression went from amused to excited.
"Sweets?" he asked grinning. I nodded and held up the bags at uneven levels. "Dude go to bed, we'll attack those later" He grinned at me. Smiling, I shook my head at myself. Fred laughed and pulled out a lolly pop out of one of the sweet bag. "I'll wake you up for take-away later" he grinned walking down the aisle to help the boy.
Walking to the back of the shop so I could get to the stairs up to the flat, three girls walked over to me and giggling they asked if I could talk them threw the wonder witch collection. I smiled and said that my brother would love to but I was busy in the back for the day. Luckily the three of them didn't notice the sweet in my bag and I thanked Merlin the workshop door was charmed to only let people we allowed to be able to get in, when I heard the door handle giggle I knew one of them had tried to follow me in. Chuckling my way up the stairs I went straight to the couch and watched some of the muggle T.V program George and I liked; Takeshi castle.
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Friday Evening.
I had pulled on a pair of comfy Grey sweat pant and a tight black hoody, eating some of the McCann sweets listening to music from the band Theo and I were going to see tomorrow when I heard a bell ring. Sighing I walked up to the door, there was a muggle monitor beside it on the wall, showing off Theodore and Blaise trying to open the gate. Laughing at their attempts I waited for them to hit the button again. When the bell rang again, I clicked a random button on the key pad beside the screen the gate opened and the two boys waltzed to the front door, knocking I opened it for them.
"Well if it isn't my bed buddies" I grinned at them. They both gave me a once over and I knew Blaise knew I was hoping for a lazy day; from the laid back clothes and the beers on the coffee table in front of the T.V it was obvious.
"How were the Parents?" Blaise asked smirking "I see you've been drinking away the memories from yesterday" He teased.
Theodore chuckled and messed up my hair quickly before walking passed me into the kitchen with Blaise and me following. "Can I take one of these?" he asked pointing to the muggle beers in the fridge. I nodded.
"The Parents were grand until I was bombed with some bad news" I explained sitting on one of the Islands stools. "I've got Sunday dinner to go to at the burrow this weekend"
The boys laughed loudly at me, Blaise hugged me quickly before walking around shaking his head with a smile on his face grabbing a bottle of the muggle beer 'Budweiser'. Theodore leaned on his elbows across from me "Sunday dinner in the burrow?" He grinned "That'll be an interesting story to hear wont it Blaise?"
"Oh defiantly, even more interesting than the one were going to hear today, oh and Ivy sweetie you've got a sweet stuck to your top" he grinned pointing to my side. Looking down I guess one of the sweet I unwrapped went missing. Smirking I pulled it off my top and threw it square in the sink.
"So come on spill the beans on the dinner yesterday, you think we came here for the good of our health?" Theodore chuckled. Grinning at the two of them I told them the whole story, Being late, the waiters all flirting with me, having the best chocolate desert ever, dancing with George because of his mum, sneaking off to have some of Mikes shots(Which they both winced at, I had brought them to do that once before and they still to this day don't know what happened that night all they now is that they woke up with only boxers on in some random girls shared flat)the Sweet shop, Mrs McCann and hiding being tipsy from my parents.
We were sitting in the adjoining T.V room to the kitchen watching a re-run of the Muggle TV show that Theo liked called Takeshi castle. I started to like it myself when I found out the show was all about humiliation, falling off rocks, barging threw fake doors and falling into water. Laughing our faces off, I heard the gate opening. Blaise flicked his wand and the several bottles of beers flew into the recycling bin.
Jasmine pushed the door open with Johnny close behind her. "I swear it's like she expects her to fall on her ass" She grumbled walking to the muggle fridge and grabbing two bottles of beer and handing Johnny one, he kissed her quickly before he walked passed her and grabbed the bottle opener.
"Calm down, she's just worried for her baby" he soothed. Theodore laughed loudly making me look at the TV again, giggling at the small girl that fell face-first into the mucky water. Johnny and Jasmine meet at an apparition point, just down the alley from the house, after work every day but I noticed they didn't really start to talk about important stuff until they were in the house. I guess they were afraid of noisy neighbours.
They walked into the TV room handing us all another opened beer. "Thanks" Theodore said before laughing loudly again. Johnny noticed why and started to laugh as well obviously a fan of the show also.
"Thanks Jazz" Blaise smiled "Johnny" He nodded. Johnny sat down on the arm chair and jasmine sat on his knee.
"I got a letter from mother dearest just before I was finished work Ivy" Jasmine said in her pissed voice. "She wanted to congratulate you on a job well done at Lunch yesterday. Dancing, and then flirting in the sweet shop, she said she'd be shocked if you two didn't wanted to get married early" She growled "My arse is what I think, George is a nice lad, and handsome" she teased "But I don't think you're ready for marriage, my baby sister is not ready for marriage couldn't be" she stated seriously they judge from work coming out in her, Johnny rubbed her shoulders gently and she sighed "Just tell me the truth Ivy" she said pleadingly "Tell me she was lying."
"About what?" I snapped "Mrs Weasley forced George to ask me to dance!"
"You can always say no" Johnny soothed, that's what Theodore said. I gave him a look. He shook his head knowing my mother would have made me anyway.
"What about the flirting" Jasmines whispered, "Are you starting to like George? You can tell us anything you know that"
"No I don't like George! I'm being forced to marry him! My whole life is being taken from me, How could I like him?" I asked growling. The four of them seemed understood. Theodore and Blaise were watching TV but not really paying attention to the man falling into the grass. "We left early from lunch but I knew that our parents would follow so I introduced him to Mike." I grinned, Jasmine winced just like Theo and Blaise had earlier "Then we went to McCann's sweet shop I guess we were a little too relaxed from the double whiskeys he was downing and the strong cocktail the bartender gave me at lunch and then with Mike's drink on top of that, I guess we were smiling a little more than usual so Mum thought we were flirting" I snapped glaring at the T.V taking a huge gulp of my beer.
"Oh right" Jasmine said, glancing over at her she had a soft smile on her face "So?"
"There in my room" I sighed smiling back at her. It took her two second to be in my room screaming "She got me Haribo!" The four of us were left in the TV room laughed at her childishness. Both Jasmine and Johnny had plans with friends last night so neither of them got time to talk to me yesterday evening after work.
"Jazz and I were planning to head down to the Mellow cafe to meet up with Jamie and Jason, if you three are up for it, Mike's sister takes over the food for the evenings so it's eatable" He joked.
Theodore stood up "Well I cin't I've git ta hid ova tee teh Malfoy's fir Dinner, tha dickhead meade mee promise" He said grumbling. I stood up with him and hugged him goodbye "See yoo Sunday fir the details" He grinned before he walked to the door and opened it "See ya Blaise! And nice ta see you again Jasmine, Johnny" He shouted before walking out of the house.
"Well I'm in, Malfoy can kiss my ass if he thinks I'd rather have dinner with Lucius than see what the Mellow cafe looks like completely sober"
"She brought you there too?" Jasmine laughed "Johnny's friends with Mike but he stopped going to the bar after he had a blackout weekend" She giggled leaning back on Johnny "But Ivy brought me one night last summer when we were doing a pub crawl in diagonal Alley. Now it's were we meet up with Jason and Jamie during the week"
"Yeah since that place is a danger Zone during a night out, seriously" Johnny shivered "I don't know how Mike's able to work through that drunkenness" He joked.
"If you don't take his cocktails you should be grand" I teased "Unless you're a light weight drinker" I raised an eye brow at him.
"You know rightly if you go to the Mellow Cafe it's a risk to your own dignity, no matter what your personal level of drinking is you're going to be wasted by midnight" Johnny said "Mike's got a good set up though, there's a little Bed and Breakfast in the little town where he lives and he has the cafe then for the coffee in the morning"
"Ha!" I laughed "I think I've slept on Mike's couch in the bar more time than I went home after a night in there" Jazz laughed
searching for sweets in the bag "And it is the worst place to go last on a pub crawl" I admitted.
"Yeah I'd say Mellow Cafe a place to start and work your way through the drunkenness from there" Blaise chuckled
"Ouch" he groaned with Johnny when a man did the splits accidentally on the t.v show, I laughed loudly.
"Well come on go get ready we're heading out in half an hour, Blaise you heading home later or do you want to send an owl telling your parents you're staying the night ?" Jasmine asked smiling, she liked Blaise and Theodore a lot more than Paddy, it seemed.
"You sure it's O.K if I stay, I can only guess that this get-together is an early night?" He asked standing up. I chuckled loudly "or not?" he asked confused.
"We all have Saturday mornings off but the triplets have to go in twelve till five to work on a Friday, cause there at the head of their jobs while I get home at the lovely hour of three" Johnny groaned when Jazz hit him for reminding her of the late afternoon works ahead of her tomorrow, The triplets all hated Saturday's despite the morning off.
"Blaise, trust me after a night with the real family, you going to want to sleep in the closest bed you can find." I chuckled standing up and giving him a hand getting off the couch. Grinning we walked toward my room.
"Theo's is going to regret leaving now" Blaise chuckled walking into my room with Jazz's owl and some parchment.
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Saturday.
Jasmine and Johnny were both happy that they had a late start on Saturday and Blaise and I were passed out till 5pm only getting up because Theodore came over to get my ass out of bed for the concert.