RP: A first date on the first night

[tt_adrian]

Date: 31 December 2001
Characters: Ginny & Adrian
Setting: Her house in Settlement 1 & the 10 Downing Club
Content: TBD
Status: Public - Closed

Adrian arrived at Ginny's duplex and made sure he had the right side of the house, preferring not to have a run in with any of her brothers just yet, if ever, honestly. He had a single hibiscus flower - bright pink and yellow - for her, as a token of what he wasn't quite sure.

Knocking on the door he cursed the heat, having figured that a club - even in this weather - required some sort of jacket, but the t-shirt he'd worn underneath felt as if it weighed thirty pounds even in the evening. He wouldn't have even had a nice jacket with him if his mother hadn't cleaned out his own bedroom on the island before the family came through the portal. He'd only arrived with a duffel bag, after all.

Waiting for Ginny to answer he couldn't help but think of the potential for the night ahead. He hadn't clearly stated it was a date, and he hadn't been untoward in his affections for her, but a bloke could hope she'd like for that, right?

Just then, he heard her inside and straightened up, holding the flower out in front of him with a shy smile.

Comments

[tt_ginny]

Being the oldest trainee in the group had no more benefits than being the youngest, in terms of time until she graduated, so Ginny had spent a very busy Christmas week and now, again, New Years lead up at the medical center. It seemed, besides the full moon, to be the time of year when people tended to act their most irresponsible both with magic and alcohol.
Ginny returned home with just enough time to take a semi-hot shower, and enjoy a cup of tea while get dressed for the evening out with Adrian. She refused to call it a date, even if the girls at the medical center had teased her about it after they'd asked what her plans were for the evening. Several of them knew Adrian from his work in the Potions lab and they were the ones who teased her the most.

She couldn't decide what to wear. Jeans? Well, they were comfy but that didn't exactly say 'New Years Eve'. She pulled on the dress she'd worn at Bill's wedding and wrinkled her nose at her reflection in the mirror. It was a fancy dress. Was this a fancy dress night? She didn't know. Taking it off again, Ginny drew out one of her sundresses from the back of the closet and put it on, feeling more comfortable and safer with this choice.

The knock at the door came just as she was finished brushing her hair, and Ginny grabbed her shoes as she walked to the door, hopping as she slipped one then the other on - the second one leaning on the doorknob as she did. Opening the door, Ginny blinked in surprise when she saw the flower and a light blush flushed her cheeks when her gaze rose to meet Adrian's smile.

"Oh, how beautiful!" she exclaimed happily, taking it from him as she stepped out onto the deck, closing her door behind her. Ginny tucked the flower behind her ear, letting her hair hold it in place then she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you. Do you want to walk or apparate?" she asked, mindful of his jacket and the heat.

[tt_adrian]

When she exclaimed about the flower and kissed his cheek, he laughed ,"I do come across pretty flowers every so often in my work, it's not a potion or a charm, but I'm glad you like it," his tone was cheeky covering his nerves.

"And it looks beautiful on you, as does that dress," he took her hand made a gesture of looking her dress up and down, "I feel like a slob next to you tonight," he commented, meaning it.

Relief flooded him, "I would love apparating, though if it cools off between now and midnight, I would love nothing more than to walk you home." His smile dimmed a bit, wondering about their goodbye.

[tt_ginny]

"I do but it was more the thought that counted," Ginny replied with a warm chuckle as she fixed the flower in her hair, glancing sideways at him as she lowered her hands again. He was dressed casually but she didn't think it was any more casual than she was so she shrugged. "I think you look fine, Adrian."

Ginny laughed at the comment on the heat. She'd already transfigured all her 'winter' clothing into other things. If she needed any of them in the future, she planned to simply end the enchantments. Gin took a step closer to him, glancing down at his waist as she slipped her arm around his back, feeling her heart begin to race slightly.

"Sounds like a good plan," she murmured, trying to concentrate on side-alonging and not the masculine scent that surrounded him. Fixing the location in her mind, Ginny drew on her magic, feeling the tug in her navel as the spell worked. A second later, they were on the path in front of No. 10 Downing Club. She stepped back, holding her hand out to him. "It sounds like they've got a party in there already!" she exclaimed happily.

[tt_adrian]

"Oh it does," He looked at the club, holding Ginny's hand, and smiled. "I hope you don't mind teaching me how to dance," he joked, thinking about the way she'd held her arms around them for the apparation. Granted, it was just side along, but Adrian had felt his heart race at her tiny hands on his waist, and if dancing was the way to get them back around him, and his around hers -- well, he'd dance.

Tugging on her hand and stepping forward, he pulled her playfully in through the front door, surprised by how full it was considering the early hour. "I wonder if they've got a countdown set up for midnight?" He leaned into Ginny and said closely, over the din of the music and the patrons.

Nodding his head toward the bar, he asked, "Can I buy you a drink?" with a wink and cheeky smile.

[tt_ginny]

"I don't think I'll mind, if you spare my toes," she teased in reply, letting him pull her into the club, immersing her in the loud music and flashing colored lights. It was dizzying. After being away from such places for months and never really thinking that she'd see one again, it was momentary sensory overload.

Adrian leaned closer, which she appreciated to hear over the music, and she bent her head, then nodded. "I'm sure they will. It's New Years Eve, after all." Ginny was wondering just then, if he was going to kiss her at the countdown. "Mmm, yes, a rum please, on the rocks. I'll get us a table, all right?"

[tt_adrian]

"Rum on the rocks it is," Adrian trailed his hand along her lower back and made his way to the bar, keeping an eye on where Ginny might head to get a table.

The bar was packed but the staff was spectacular and Adrian soon had two drinks - a rum on the rocks and a scotch neat for himself - and scooted into the seat next to Ginny, moving his chair closer to her so their knees touched under the table.

"So, is it all you dreamed it would be?" He smiled, looking out over the crowd and taking a sip of his drink. "I have to say," he said, moving to speak low, near her, "it's certainly more than I could have envisioned," but he wasn't talking about the bar and the way he tucked a stray hair behind the ear he'd spoken into, making his point clear, he hoped.

[tt_ginny]

There was a table near the back, out of the way of the dance floor but not deep in the shadows which would have been a different message entirely and not at all the impression Ginny wanted to give him. Oh, she liked him, to be sure, but that was a bit faster than she was comfortable with.

She looked around while she waited for Adrian to return, her head moving unconsciously to the beat of the music. It would be an understatement to say she hadn't been to a club like this in over a year, not with the accelerated ratio of work as she approached the end of her training.

Adrian returned and Ginny smiled when he chose to sit beside her, not opposite. There was something about being close to him that was more than nice, comfortable but not in a brotherly way. "It's brilliant, really. I don't know if I could have dreamed this up," Ginny answered, though she glanced up to meet his gaze when his fingers touched her ear and she blushed when she realized what he had actually meant.

[tt_adrian]

Adrian's smile turned shy quickly and he worried his bottom lip with his teeth, concerned he'd been too forward but unable to stop the grin anyway.

Sitting up a little straighter so as not to embarrass himself on what he hoped was a first date - of multiple dates, at least he hoped - "Did you do this sort of thing often back in England? I hate to admit I didn't get out much..." he blushed now, completely unable to hide his embarrassment any longer, but figured maybe the lighting of the club would hide it.

Adrian found himself silently asking Slytherin himself for luck tonight, and while Ginny was a good friend who happened to be the most beautiful witch he'd ever laid eyes on, he wasn't quite sure where the sudden need for luck and success and maybe her feeling the same ways for him had come from.

[tt_ginny]

"This sort of thing? Go out dancing, you mean? No, not often but there was a group of girls over at St. Mungo's - we'd get together about once a fortnight and go out just to blow off some stress," Ginny answered with an easy smile. Some of those girls were here but some had not accepted the lottery, and she missed them, worried about them.

Taking a drink, Ginny hummed at the warm burn as it went down. "We don't have to dance, if you'd rather not. I'm just enjoying the music and the company," she assured him, reaching over to slip her hand in his, giving his hand a squeeze.

[tt_adrian]

"Oh, no," he laughed, "You promised to teach me, and I intend to learn. After all, I've been doing lots of new things since coming here: spending time with my family, actually making friends, and I want to add 'dancing with a gorgeous witch' to the list, if you don't mind?"

Adrian finished his drink and looked toward the dance floor, "Shall we?" He looked at where she held his hand and smiled.

[tt_ginny]

"Fair enough," she answered, flashing a big smile. "Although you don't have to add flattery to the list to get me to teach you, I said I would, after all."

Ginny took another sip and set the glass down, laughing softly as she rose and took his hand. "Let's," she said, leading him to the dance floor not too far from their table. The music shifted, slowing down somewhat, and she began moving slowly with the beat. "Just feel the music. Close your eyes if you need to. Listen and feel."

[tt_adrian]

The way she moved had Adrian thinking he was clearly in over his head but he watched her for a moment and then focused on the music, moving in a way that nearly mirrored her. "At least the gods seemed to have given me a break - a slower beat seems much easier," he joked.

He reached out for her hip, tentatively placing his hand there, feeling the way she moved now and feeling like maybe this was a turning point for him. If dancing with this witch was always this new and this exciting and this terrifying, he wanted to do it again and again.

[tt_ginny]

He was doing better than she expected, and probably better than he thought he would. The music wasn't wildly complex but it did the trick. "You're doing great," Ginny encouraged happily, flashing a big smile.

Ginny covered his hand on her hip with her own and reached out to catch his free hand, bringing it to her hip. "That's it, just relax. No one's paying any attention to us," she said.

[tt_adrian]

"Oh there I think you're wrong," he leaned down to speak into her ear, bringing his body closer to her as he did so, "I think just about everyone in here has eyes on you - the women wish they were even as close as beautiful as you are, and every man here wishes he were the one whispering in your ear right now."

Taking a chance, Adrian leaned down a bit more, feeling as if he were taller than there by great strides even if he knew better, and brushed his lips against her cheek, just near her ear.

[tt_ginny]

Her fingers tightened on his hand when he moved closer, her breath coming a bit faster as her heart fluttered in response to his proximity. Gin knew she was attracted to him but, up till now, his demeanor had been more on the friendly side. But that slightly husky tone in his voice now changed that completely.

Ginny's words caught in her throat when his warm lips touched her cheek, his breath skating across the shell of her ear and she turned her head the smallest bit, pressing her lips to his in a soft but sure kiss. "They can think whatever they want. I don't care. I'm here with you, Adrian, and that's all that matters," she whispered as she drew back from the kiss.

[tt_adrian]

Adrian couldn't help his smile as she pulled away from, surprise and pleasure written all over his face. He moved closer to her in time with the music, gripping her side a bit tighter where her hand held his. "I think I could get used to dancing," he joked, his body coming into contact with hers in a motion he never thought he'd been capable of - Adrian wasn't a blushing virgin by any stretch, but add music and rhythm to the concept of being near a woman's body and he was clueless.

He wrapped his free hand around her back and asked, "You won't mind being my midnight kiss, will you?" his voice low and seductive.