Date Night (Bro)

The owl that woke her up in the morning with a soft hoot had not really been too much of a surprise; she recognised at once the writing on the envelope it had placed at the foot of her bed. With a soft chuckle, she reached for the jar she kept in her bedside drawer and tossed the owl a few treats, smiling to herself as she slipped open the envelope and removed the letter inside.

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At 5:50PM, Brooke began pacing, much to the amusement of her parents, and the confusion of her brother. It was a Wednesday evening - not that it mattered, the days all blurred together in summer, anyway.

"Oh for goodness sakes, Brooke, you're acting as though it's your first date," her mum teased from her position on the couch. "You're going to wear out the carpet if you don't stop!"

An embarrassed grin formed on her face as she collapsed onto the seat opposite her mother, her hand subconsciously reaching up and winding her hair around a finger. Joe had invited her for dinner, to a place called 'The Five Fields'. She had never heard of that place before, but when she casually mentioned it to her parents, her mum had gasped and her dad had nodded in approval.

That very day, Aurelia dragged Brooke out to the shops, and had chosen a rather formal dress for her. Although. Brooke didn't exactly know what was going on, but with the way her parents were fussing about it seemed that this restaurant was more than a casual dining place.

Donned in the elegant blue dress and holding onto the same purse she had used for the ball, she waited impatiently for Joe to arrive. He had never been one to be tardy, and as 6PM neared, she grew more and more nervous, despite the fact that she knew she had no reason to actually be like that; Joe was amazing and he would never let her down.

When the doorbell rang, Brooke jumped up, moving straight to the front door and yanking it open, already feeling slightly breathless at being able to see him again. "H-hi," she greeted, blushing slightly as she found his eyes with her own.

Brooke's Dress:

"Damnit, Astrid," the Hufflepuff muttered to himself as he stood before the mirror in his bedroom, re-knotting his tie for what he was sure was the eigth time. "You could've asked her any number of ways, but no, you had to send her a damn owl. Honestly..." He had been talking to himself for the best part of twenty five minutes, sitting down on his bed only to stand back up again and check his appearance in the mirror not five minutes later, repeating the cycle more times than was really necessary.

It was only half past four, and he wasn't meant to be picking the Gryffindor up until just before six. The restaurant he intended on taking her to shouldn't have been easy to get into, but with a mother who knew just about everyone of note in the culinary industry- well, Joe had his ways, and that was all he was going to say.

The prefect had taken to tidying his room, not that there was much to tidy in the first place. His always immaculately made bed was only being straightened and restraightened and then straightened again, and all of the clothes neatly folded in the chest by his bed were being rearranged every so often in an attempt not to think. If he started to think, he would probably start worrying, and he didn't have time for that at all.

After what felt like forever, five fifty five rolled around on his watch, and the Hufflepuff stepped out of his bedroom with a heavy exhale. "I'm going," he called down the stairs to his parents, who responded with a polite, "Have fun, don't be back too late!" and left him to on his way.

That he did, and after taking the steps to the alleyway just a few metres from his house, Joe pulled his wand from his pocket, turning on the spot and apparating to Brooke's house with the familiar loud crack. The breath was sucked out of him, and he nearly fell flat on his face as he arrived just down the street, hoping to high hell that he'd remembered the address right.

Apparating wasn't something he was going to get used to quickly, apparently. He allowed himself a moment to let the lightheadedness subside before pulling his tie up again and starting off down the road, all the while wringing his hands nervously in front of him. Hi, how have you been? he thought about saying, but it didn't feel special enough. Not for her. But what did one even say to a girl who could remind him of nothing less than a princess?

Before he could even register it, the door of Brooke's house was literally in his face, and his knuckles had contacted the wood twice. Oh god he thought, heart leaping out of his chest as he waited the few seconds it took for his-... his- for his whatever-she-was-to-him-that-felt-like-a-girlfriend-but-he-had-no-experience-so-he-had-no-idea to appear in the frame, looking wonderful as ever.

"H-hi," he said softly, looking at her dress and, as if he could ever forget, all of his emotions for her flooding right back. "You-... you look-..." Joe couldn't even get the sentence out properly, partially anxious about possibly meeting her parents for the first time, partially anxious about making a fool of himself.

"You look amazing..."

"You look amazing."

The blush only deepened as she tried to form words herself. Thank him, tell him he looks wonderful, and how glad you are for this date, her mind offered the simple and effective words, instructing her how to proceed. But as she gazed at Joe, her gaze moving down to his suit before traveling back to meet his brown eyes, she found she just couldn't. Already she had said that many times before, meaning it fully each time, but for once it didn't seem appropriate; Joe was really more than amazing. He was... She didn't know how to even begin describing everything he was, both to her, and as a person.

"I-I'm looking forward to tonight," she finally managed to say, after what felt like an eternity of silence - but was in reality only a few seconds.

She took a step outside, the heels clacking softly against the tile, her mind taking her back to when she had told her parents about the date. They had already tried to give her the proper warnings (as all parents should), but she stopped them when they got to the 'don't let him try anything you're not comfortable with' speech.

"He's not the kind, mom. I don't think he'd even dream of doing it," she had told them earnestly.

Her dad had asked when they were going to meet him, Brooke answering with a chuckle and a glare. "You'll frighten him, dad," she said, teasingly, but half-serious. "But he wants to; he told me that. Just not tonight, okay?"

Caleb, unwillingly, agreed, after his wife nudged him and whispered what Brooke thought was: "Remember when we dated?"

Flashback over, she closed the door gently behind her, calling out a soft 'goodbye'. Turning back towards Joe, she smiled, awkwardly fiddling with the folds in her dress with her free hand. "Where is the restaurant?"

"I-I'm looking forward to tonight."

For reasons that Joe wasn't sure he would ever figure out, he was relaxed tremendously by what she'd said. He assumed it was likely to be that he knew she wasn't just going because she felt like she had to, or something along those lines, but he honestly didn't know.
"I'm glad," he responded truthfully, not quite sure what to say, as always lost for words where she concerned.

The sound of her heels against the tile was oddly satisfying to the boy. Then again, the little things in life always had, and he couldn't place why. The birds singing in the morning, the leaves crunching in the forest that backed onto his garden, the soft drumming of the raindrops against his window; the things that made him smile even when they shouldn't have.

"Where is the restaurant?"

"Blacklands Terrace, in London," the Hufflepuff said with a small hint of pride in his voice at being able to say that he could take someone there on a date. He was never one to be smug, bur every now and then, he permitted himself just a small ounce of satisfaction. "You'll love it; my parents go there every year on their anniversary-... They say it's really nice!"

He thought for a few moments then, about to extend his arm for the witch to take hold of so that they could go, but soon coming to a rather important realisation. "Oh god, have you apparated before? I should've asked-... It's- well, I won't lie, it's not exactly pleasant but I'm sure you'll-... Oh wow..." Nice one Joe thought to himself, mentally groaning. You had one job.

"I'm glad."

Cheeks practically glowing from the heat of her blush, she grinned at Joe. "I'm glad I'm going with you," she responded in a soft tone, trying to convey a deeper message behind her casual words. Because, despite having said she had fully recovered from what Josh had done to her, to them, there was a part of her that would - and could - never completely heal, and being able to stand outside her house with the boy she loved... It had finally hit Brooke that, as she had claimed so many, many times, they were going to make it.

"Blacklands Terrace, in London,"

It was only then that she realized the reason for her parents' strange behaviour. If 'Five Fields' was located there of all places, then surely it must be a very grand restaurant indeed! She wondered if she should bring it up, but decided against it, although she did let slip a tiny gasp when he mentioned it. In all honestly, it didn't matter to her if they ate in a five-star restaurant or in a crowded coffee shop; as long as they were together, she didn't care where they went. But if Joe wanted to spoil her- Merlin only knowing why; she didn't consider herself spoil worthy - and he had the means, she didn't mind.

"I-I'm sure it will be," she replied to his comment about his parents. "Mine usually just go for a muggle movie or something."

"Oh god, have you apparated before?"

She chuckled as he continued, stopping when he stopped. Reaching over, she slipped her arm through his. It wasn't very lady-like, for most women would wait to be offered a hand, but Brooke had never received such 'training' before, not that any of that mattered to her. "My father apparates me to and from Hogwarts sometimes," she told him, smiling at his concern. "It's not the most pleasant thing, but don't worry, I'm used to it."

"Mine usually just go for a muggle movie or something."

Honestly, Joe missed the days when he had time to go to the movies with his friends. Well, with all brutal truths being told, he missed the days when he had friends to do such things with, but he wasn't going to make himself existential over that. Besides, he didn't need to feel reminiscent, because he just so happened to be blessed with the most incredible thing, happiness, and he wouldn't trade that for the world.

"...don't worry, I'm used to it."

The Hufflepuff swallowed hard, then, relieved that she-... well, to be honest, he knew perfectly well that she wouldn't have made a big deal out of it even if she hadn't apparated before, but Joe had a nasty habit of worrying far too much for his own good. A grin played at the corners of his lips while he let her take his arm. "And you're sure?" he asked, knowing that the confirmation would put his mind truely at rest.

He closed his eyes for a second, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth as he apparated the two of them to a small side-alley in Blacklands Terrace, stumbling his landing a little as he let out the breath he'd held. Still, he hadn't splinched himself, and after turning to Brooke and giving her a quick look over, he couldn't see anything that said he'd splinched her either. It was a small achievement, sure, but it was one nonetheless.

"Sorry, I uh... I don't particularly enjoy it either." The apology felt obligatory, somehow, as if he owed her one purely for having put her through any discomfort.