Just a Drink (Norman)

Okay, so maybe this was more than "just a drink". Ella walked into the Tramshed, being seated at a nice table almost immediately. The table had a candle in the middle and it was covered in a white tablecloth. There was a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses on the table, alongside a menu. Maybe this was a lot fancier than he'd had in mind, Ella thought smiling to herself. She wanted to impress him.

The young woman wore a black bandeau dress that hugged her body, showing off all her curves. She wore high heels and the only jewelry she sported, was a golden watch. Her long, dark hair fell in natural curls down her back and her bright blue eyes contrasted beautifully among the darkness. The young girl that was once so dark, now shone brightly, like a night star. From looking at her, you'd never know that she'd once been a dark wizard. From looking at her, you'd never know she'd been abused.

Ella had been relieved when Norman replied yes to her question. However, she didn't mean just a drink. She meant a nice night out, with no children. She loved her Emma, but she was glad to get out for just one night. Elita had stayed home with Lucas and Emma, whom were both watching an episode of Clifford when she left. She thanked Elita again as she ran out the door, not wanting to be late. Her sister understood she needed the night out, and she knew that if she ever needed it, she'd watch Lucas, which was why she didn't mind.

Now, sitting here, she began to miss little Emma. She hadn't been sitting there too long when Norman appeared, almost causing Ella's breath to disappear. He cleaned up well, and she figured he could say the same about her. All thoughts of Emma suddenly drained away and her mind was focused on this handsome man right in front of her. Her words got caught in her throat as she went to greet him, so instead of speaking, she smiled.

Norman entered the restaurant with a nod to the host. He spotted Ella almost immediately and stopped to admire the view from the back. Her hair was down, loose waves cascading down her back, and she wore a little black dress that hugged her curves in the best way. Simple, elegant. It showcased her best features without being flashy or whorish. Wonderful. Grinning, he strode towards the table.

He wore his favorite bespoke suit. A white button down with silver cuff-links and a black and grey, double-breasted, pinstripe jacket paired with a thin, black tie. He carried his umbrella, as always. It might have been a tad bit too much for the setting, but he wanted to impress her. Then again, the venue was a bit more than he'd expected. Not that he was complaining.

He bent over and kissed the knuckles of Ella's hand when he arrived at the table before hanging his umbrella on the back of his seat. "A lovely choice of venue, Miss Vega. Though I have to admit, I hadn't expected something quite this fancy when you said a 'drink'." Her face was even more enchanting in the flickering light of the candle, and he took his time in admiring her eyes once again. The wine was a good vintage, an excellent choice for a first date. He gestured to the bottle, "May I?" It would be good to let it breathe for a bit before actually drinking it. They could savor it while they waited for their food.

He kissed her on the hand before he took the seat across from her. It caused this funny feeling, almost like butterflies in her stomach, that she'd never felt before, except for when she first met Wade. She loved Wade, but he didn't return the feelings so she had to move on. She had Emma now, she couldn't drag Emma into the mess Wade had drug himself into. She had to admit, as she looked across to Norman, he was pretty good looking. He looked incredible tonight. He still carried the umbrella, which interested Ella, but she didn't care, at least he'd always be prepared.

"The pubs around here aren't all that great." she admitted. She also didn't feel comfortable walking into a pub in the attire she was in. She watched as the flames caused shadows to dance across his face. His eyes were mesmerizing, they looked like pools of enchanted water. In her book, eyes were the windows to the soul, you can tell anything about a person just by taking a glimpse into their eyes. She smile as he explained the shock of the venue she'd chosen.

After gazing into her eyes for a bit, he looked down to the bottle of wine and asked if he could open it. "You may." she replied lightly. What do you ask on a first date? Ella began to hesitate, she'd never done this properly before, how does it work? "Well, I have a couple more events planned for this evening as well." She thought about her other plans and smiled a little.

Norman nodded his agreement when she commented on the local pubs. Most of them really were rather atrocious. And she would look horribly out of place in one as well, not to mention the men that would no doubt approach her because of the little dress she wore. So, no, he'd rather not go to a pub for a first date. "I'm afraid I'd have looked horribly out of place in a pub," he commented. "Seeing as I possess only suits at the moment." He'd have to invest in more casual-wear if he planned on making this long-term.

He grasped the wine when she gave her assent and pulled the cork with a flick of his wand. He held the cork beneath his nose and breathed deep before letting out a contented sigh. Smelled promising, he had to admit. Not too strong; decadent, really; but heavy enough that they'd both be a little tipsy by the end. More events? He couldn't help wondering what exactly this woman had planned, even while he knew they would likely veer from her planned path. All the best dates did, in his opinion. But, he supposed, it was best to have a baseline to start things off. He cocked a brow, "Really? I can't wait to find out what they are," he replied with sincerity.

Of course he'd look out of place in a pub. He was too handsome, too well dressed and such a gentleman. When she thought of pubs, she thought slimy, greasy, drunk old, men who hit on every young lady who entered. "I seem to have bad luck with old, creepy guys hitting on me at pubs." she recalled her memories of Hogsmeades trips. "That's why I stopped going into The Three Broomsticks when we went to Hogsmeade during term." He only possessed suits? That was interesting, but then again, Ella only really wore black or blues and greens. Black was usually for professional events, such as work and the blues and greens were for social events, such as dances and balls. Usually, on her off days, she lounged around in either pajamas or shorts and camisole tops.

She watched as he opened the wine and seemed almost content with it. Smiling, she replied, "Of course, you can't just expect a drink, or dinner, and not have an eventful evening planned out." She thought of the rest of her ideas. Since Elita was with Emma and Lucas at her home at Hogwarts, she let Elita know she'd be staying the night in her London house. She had the the Living Room set up all nice. There were battery operated candles along the shelves and a nice pallet of cushions and blanket on the floor. She picked out a couples movies they could choose from and she figured she'd allow the night to progress from there.  She hadn't been in that home since the divorce, but she didn't mind being there if she was with someone else. "Oh, I'm sure you'll enjoy it," she replied with a small smirk.

Norman chuckled lightly. She was a very lovely woman, so it was a fair assumption that she'd been an equally lovely teenager. Although, he had the absurd urge to go back in time and cause every single one of those greasy old men grievous bodily harm. "Well, it's hardly surprising," he replied candidly. "You're an attractive woman. And while I can't condone their actions, they do seem to have exceptional taste." That might have been a bit too forward, but that didn't mean it wasn't true. He hadn't gone to Hogsmeade much during his time at school, preferring to stick to his studies while his classmates gallivanted about the snow and wasted their parent's money on frivolous things. Helena had gone, of course, but she'd always been the more social of the pair of them.

He grinned, "Of course not. Where's the fun in that?" he joked. "I'm sure I will anything so long as I'm with you," he stated with a charming smile and a wink. Norman was fully aware that women found him attractive; he wouldn't be himself if he didn't use that knowledge to his advantage. Picking up the menu, he hummed a light melody as he scanned the options, "What will you be having?" he asked after a moment of silence. While he was accustomed to having well made food, he was no stranger to the simple, comforting foods either. Besides, he was a red blooded man. Steak and potatoes would always be a classic.

He chuckled which made her see him as someone who wasn't stiff and uptight, not that she'd ever seen him that way anyways. He thought she was attractive. She gave him a small smirk when he said the men had exceptional tastes. In her opinion, they were more so old, horny bastards as opposed to old men who had an exceptional taste. She thanked him anyways for the compliment, following her commentary with a small sip of wine. "I could say the same about you." He was just as attractive in her eyes.

When he replied to her about the night she had planned, she just assumed he had no clue what she had planned. He didn't understand how much he'd actually enjoy it. Chances are, it'll be a night they both revisit in their dreams. When he asked what she'd be having, she remembered that she'd hadn't actually looked at the menu. "I'm actually not sure. I've been so distracted by you, that I forgot to look." She smiled, while looking down at the menu. She didn't want to over-stuff herself and make herself miserable, but she wanted to be full. "Hm, I'm thinking the steak with a side of potatoes and green beans sounds great. What about you?"

She took another sip of her wine as she listened to him explain what he'd be getting. When he was done, the waitress came back and took their order. Muggles, they always seem to have the perfect timing, even though they were slow and all. Probably because they didn't have magic. "So, do you have any goals or dreams right now?" she hoped it wasn't to weird of a question. She'd seen it in a book once titled "Questions to Ask on a First Date" and she thought it was the least awkward one.

Norman smiled and flushed lightly at the compliment. It was always nice, even if he already knew he looked good. Too distracted by him? Well, it seems he's not the only one who knows how to use a bit of charm. His grin turned cocky, then mildly surprised but pleased when she ordered an actual meal instead of the salad that most women order. His nose wrinkled in disgust when she ordered green beans. One of the few vegetables he disliked with a passion, but he wasn't going to fault her for her difference in vegetable tastes. "That does sound delicious, but I think I'll replace the green beans with asparagus," he told the waitress.

Any dreams or goals? He sipped his wine and savored the taste as he tried to come up with an answer to that question. He'd only recently obtained a rather powerful position within the Ministry, which had been his goal for as long as he could remember, so there wasn't much else he wanted at the moment. He hummed as he thought of a decent answer, then figured he'd be honest. "I've just recently achieved my main goal in life, so I haven't come up with a new one, just yet." He shrugged. Maybe he'd throw something in about reconnecting with his family...but no, best not to lie right after being honest. Reconnecting with Helena might be nice, though, considering he hasn't heard from her almost since they graduated. "And yourself? Any aspirations?"

She smiled as he seemed to grow cocky. It was nice to see someone have confidence in their looks. Her little sister had recently grown more confident and Aislinn had always been pretty confident as did Ella. Ella never thought of herself as average or below average, she was pretty, she was beautiful because her mothers told her she was. She was an extraordinary woman because men constantly complimented her and she was strong from Auror training. She had a big heart and she had an enormous amount of love. She smiled at him as he ordered. She loved the way he spoke, the ways his eyes seemed to gleam. She loved how he was constantly dressed decent to nice and how he had quirks even though he seemed perfect.

She smiled when he mentioned recently achieving his main goal in life. She loved people who could fulfill their goals and dreams. Another reason she chose this question, was because she could actually retaliate the question. "Originally, my only goal was get get out of Hogwarts and into the Ministry." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth. She didn't want to join the Ministry until around year six or seven and one of her main reasons for joining was to take down her grandmother, which she did. "After fulfilling that dream, shortly after I had Emma and decided to set new goals for myself. I'd like to get married to someone who treats me well and who loves Emma and I unconditionally, as well as I'd love at least one more kid." She smiled, Ella really wanted a little boy to name after her father. Sure, he was murdered when she was fairly young, but he was her biggest inspiration. It was because of him that she grew to love taking care of Elita. The reason she left the Dark side to kill Addie, was because it's what he would've wanted. He would've wanted her to protect Elita.

Norman smiled. Marriage and children was a perfectly admirable goal, but he couldn't say he had much aspirations for children at his age. Not that he'd object to it if it happened, but he's a very organized person and prefers to plan those sorts of things so he's adequately prepared. All the same, he couldn't help imagining what a child of himself and Ella could look like. Dark hair, almost certainly, though there was some red in his family as well; blue eyes; and a perfectly proportioned face. A wonderful combination, if he did say so himself.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find that person soon enough," he replied with a warm smile. "Emma's a darling child, I'm sure she'll charm her way into many men's hearts." He could only imagine what the girl would be like when she was older. A teenage Emma was almost impossible to imagine, but she would certainly look a great deal like her mother and Norman could certainly imagine the attention she'd get because of it. Her future step-father would need to be a strong man to intimidate any potential boyfriends she brought home.

"So, read any good books lately?" he asked as he sipped at his wine. He didn't have much time to read with his job, but he enjoyed the occasional historical fiction or biography every once in a while. It was a cliche'd question, but he was unfamiliar with what to ask on a first date and his nerves were starting to get the better of him. All the same, it could spark some interesting conversation.

She was sure she'd find that person soon enough too. Actually, she was sure she'd already found that person. She returned his smile. Emma was beautiful, they both were aware. "I can't even fathom the thought of my daughter charming any men, or boys for that matter. I'll be sure to make sure they understand why they shouldn't hurt her." Ella couldn't imagine her sweet Emma being in love or being heartbroken. It's something she absolutely dreaded. The thought of Emma shutting her out over a breakup, made her feel upset.

Ella took another sip of her wine, the glass nearing empty, as was the bottle. She started to feel a slight buzz coming along, but no one would be able to know just yet. "I haven't had time, unless you count the Dr. Seuss books I read to Emma every night, and the endless amount of 'How to Be A Good Parent' books I read when I should be signing lame-ass papers." she gave a little smile. She had loved Dr. Seuss when she was little, so much, that his death physically hurt her. Despite them being muggle books, they were silly and great for children. Emma owned every single one, as did Lucas. Now, however, she loved to read anything when she had the time to.

When she tried to think of more questions, she couldn't. Drawing blanks over and over again, her nerves began to seep through the barrier she'd pushed them behind. She refrained from tapping her foot or drumming her fingers, as that caused annoyance, so instead, she clasped her hands together under the table. "Any pet peeves?" she'd finally mustered after feeling like she'd broken a vessel in her brain from trying to think so hard. She wished she could just kiss him and drag him off to her house, but it wasn't movie time yet, as the waitress just delivered the food.

He could understand that. His own mother still looked at him and his sister like they were children sometimes, and Norman is often puzzled by the speed at which some of his younger relatives seem to be growing. A light chuckle escaped when she threatened them, and he nodded in agreement. "I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job," he stated with a genuine smile. "Mothers are fearsome beings, I've heard." The few dates he'd been on in his school years had never progressed to the point of meeting their parents, though one came dangerously close in his sixth year when they lasted almost to Christmas break. That had been the first and only one to progress to more than a passing interest, the others had only been mildly entertaining before becoming dull.

Norman glanced at the bottle and noted that it was nearing empty, as was his glass. He blinked and wondered when he'd drank so much. Ella was a distracting presence indeed, it seemed. When she mentioned Dr. Seuss, he cocked his head in curiosity. He'd heard of the children's author, of course, but he'd never actually encountered one of the man's books. His mother wasn't terribly fond of Muggle items, though she was in no way hateful towards Muggles themselves. His parents had preferred to keep their distance from Muggles as much as possible, mostly to lessen the risk of exposing magic, though Norman suspected his father felt mildly superior to them. He chuckled when she mentioned 'How to be a Good Parent' books. "I shouldn't think you'd need such things," he commented. "You seem to be doing a wonderful job as it is, and Emma clearly adores you."

He watched as she appeared to struggle with finding a new topic, then settled on pet peeves. Norman sighed heavily and chuckled darkly. "I have many, to be honest," he replied as the food arrived. "But I think I'll stick to the more basic, and severe ones: those who are smart but don't seem to have a shred of common sense between their ears." Because he'd met a few people who fell into the category of 'Not Idiots' but they appeared to be wholly intolerable otherwise simply because they didn't appear to use any of that genius. "Idiots who think they're smart and attempt to force everyone to believe their idiotic...Actually, that one can be simply lumped into Idiots," he amended with a chuckle. "Everything can be lumped into Idiots, really. Except you," he added quickly, and honestly. "You're not an idiot, Miss Vega. Though I daresay, the majority of the remaining population is. What about you? Any pet peeves?"


(OOC: Holy words, Batman! That's a long post, and it goes to show what a little booze before bed can do, )