[Hogs Head] Could it be?

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

"That's the way it is" she was heard singing down the lane, her muggle headphones in her ears as she power walked her way into Hogsmeade Village. She decided that it was the weekend and a good long work out was in order, lately she'd been neglecting herself and wanted to get back into shape. The song was blaring and she was oblivious to the world as she walked back and forth all over the village. Sometimes walking other times jogging. There wasn't any perspiration yet which was good since it did make a girl look a bit unsightly.

Another round of "That's the way it is" before she felt that she had done enough for the day. Last thing she needed was to over do it and be too sore to get up and teach. Standing at the side of a building she took the time to catch her breath not even realizing where she was. When she was working out she was in the zone which meant she tunes everything else out. Giving her surroundings a proper look she saw that she was leaning against the Hogshead.

A treat, she felt that she deserved one after what she had just done. Why not? So she opened the door and entered. Her mind on firewhiskey. Walking over to the bar she opted to stay a while so she plopped her butt down. Ready for a refreshing sip of alcohol she waited to be served.

[Warren Hubbles]

The pub was very quite this morning, in fact it was so quite Warren had taken to sitting in the backroom, feet up on the coffee table reading about how there had been reposted attacks on muggles. Warren just could not see what the two worlds had against each other and he would but any money on it being a group of power mad ex-Slytherin’s who’s fathers are sop rich that they do not even need to think about working.

It was when he was reading over the latest sports news that he heard the door of the pub swing open and the sound of someone entering.
Folding up his paper and picking up his mug of coffee Warren made his way into the main pub and straight over to the brown haired woman sitting at the bar. Stifling a small yawn Warren took another mouthful of his coffee before placing his items down on the counter and offered his customer a weary smile.

“Good day Miss. What can I get for you? We have wines, spirits, beer, ale, fruit juice…water…”

Warren was only listing off the range of drinks as he could not remember seeing this witch before. This did not mean she had not been in the pub before as she may have turned up on the very rare occasions when Warren is off doing other things and he had left the pub in the very trusted hands of his cousin and brother.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Vicky had been happily sitting there one leg crossed over the other letting herself cool down. Her hair that had just been in a ponytail was now loose and free flowing around her head and shoulders. She ran her hands through it just to take out any kinks. The holder was now around her arm barely visible under the sleeve of her velour jogging jacket. That too she decided she should remove. She was still warm her body heat trapped inside the warm material. Removing it only left her in a snug fitting tank top. Now she felt more comfortable more like herself. She did enjoy working out but sometimes it just made you feel blech.

So busy she was making herself comfortable that she had missed the sound of the barkeep coming to ask her what she wanted. Right away she did a double then a triple take. She hadn't noticed it last time or perhaps she just hadn't been paying attention. Her violet eyes traveled up and down the man in some sort of shock. He looked somewhat like the man Vicky had a huge crush on. A professor she worked with she had instantly thought him handsome.

She was tongue tied looking quite silly staring and mumbling. Snap out of it Victoria she chastised herself shaking her head to clear it the heck out. Opening her mouth she finally had the words. "Wow I'm sorry for spazzing out on you like that it's just you bear a striking resemblance to someone I know. I think I'll just have a firewhiskey please" she finished and started to blush.

[Warren Hubbles]

That was a very interesting first reaction, it may not have been the best but it was going to go down as one of his favourites. She seemed to find it hard to believe that there was someone there at first and then her very beautiful violet eyes seemed to check him out a few times. It was always nice to get attention like that and a small smile spread across the man features and as she apologised Warren gave a small chuckle, especially with the bit that followed.

“A striking resemblance to someone you know…” Warren repeated as he looked at her with a small grin. He gave a small chuckle as he wondered over to the area where he kept the fire whisky and glasses. “I wonder who that could be.”

Of course Warren knew, he had been getting it since he had arrived, heck he had been getting it all his life and the fact that he was two months younger meant that Dan somehow had gained the bragging rights of being ’The Original!’ Rolling his eyes at the mere thought of his cousin, the bar man began to pour the drink watching the liquid fill the glass carefully timing it so that as both the bottle and glass became level the right amount of drink had been poured and there was only the smallest drop of fire whisky rolled down the bottle neck.

With a small satisfied smile Warren wondered over towards the witch, carefully placing the glass down upon the counter and gave her a small smile. “This is the point when I ask for the money and you use your feminine charm to whittle the price down.” He gave her a small wink before picking up his mug of coffee and sipped on it slowly, refusing to remove his gaze off her.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

First impressions are crucial and hers said spastic looser. Sometimes she hoped the whole boy crazy thing would go away the older she got, but it seemed that she was still as boy crazy as ever. Her reaction to this man stemmed from the fact he looked so much like him. Not daring to think the name she refused to let it out but the resemblance...Trying to get it together she did her best to act like a normal human being might.

He repeated her words about his resemblance and somehow it dawned on her by the way he took it that someone or several someones had said that exact same thing to him before. Perhaps the two were related somehow, she could ask but she chose to keep her mouth shut. It didn't matter if he was or he wasn't he was just as cute and maybe unattached.

He left to go and pour her drink --good it gave her time to regain composure no need to act gah gah over a man even though he was cute. Getting her drink she thought he'd just go back to whatever it was he had been doing before but she got an interesting remark instead and just started to laugh. "I don' have any feminine wiles that would will you to knock down the price of my drink. I wish I did though" she gave a wink "that's not good enough is it?" she asked jokingly. Vicky liked to joke around she was so preoccupied lately that he joking stopped but today felt like a good day to be silly. Hopefully, the cutie behind the counter had a sense of humor.

[Warren Hubbles]

As Warren wrapped his fingers around his mug he hugged it closely to his chest letting the warmth spread through him. It had been a long night before and he had drunk a lot too much in fact that when he fell out of bed this morning with a thumping head ache he swore not to drink another drop of alcohol for the rest of the week…she he just moved onto caffeine instead.
His eyes were fixed upon the witch as she started to laugh, it was a very cute little laugh and the bar man could not help but grin back.

“See your better then you know. That wink took a Sickle of the price and the fact you are so beautiful another…so what else can you offer?” Warren placed his Coffee mug back on the counter and leaned a little closer to her almost as if he was telling her a secret. “The other night one witch lifted her top up…free drinks all night.”

Warren gave her a small laugh and moved away from the witch. She did not seem to be the type to do that sort of thing; she seemed to be rather flustered at the moment but just looking at him and all Warren could wonder was what on earth Dan had done to her to get such a reaction. However he was going to try and avoid this point and maybe ask Dan about it later but first he would have to know her name.

“Maybe if you tell me what your name is Miss and a bit about yourself I might drop the price some more.”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

A scandalized look set upon her pretty face as she stared at the man who stood securely on the other side of the bar. He had just told her some other woman lifted her top for a free drink. Eyes blazing Vicky continued to stare that is until she burst out laughing. She liked making him think she was offended but she wasn't and couldn't hold in the laughter any longer. Holding her stomach because it hurt from her laughing she tried to catch her breath in order to say "well if I lift my top up now whatever will you have to look forward to later tonight?" another wink and a giggle. Vicky was boy crazy but not that boy crazy. It would take a bit more so see what secrets she was keeping under that tank top. He was funny certainly not stuffy and uptight he was proving to be good conversation.

Plus her wink enabled her to get a sickle knocked off the price and he said she was beautiful all those things brought him up a few notches in her book. Giving him another once over she tried to remember why it was she hadn't come in there before, had she seen him she most certainly would have been a regular. Still trying to ignore how much he looked like that Professor she worked with Vicky simply focused on him this man she still hadn't caught the name of.

He thought the same and asked for a little introduction. Feeling obliging she lifted her eyes up and looked into his, "I'm Victoria Potter but please feel free to call me Vicky. I teach up at the school History of Magic. I enjoy a good firewhiskey and handsome men. What about you?"

[Warren Hubbles]

It was always nice to hear laughter ringing around the pub, the Hogshead had a reputation of being a dark and dingy pub that people only ever game to gamble and do illegal trades. Warren was willing to admit that was in deed the reason why man y people did come to the pub and he did not stop those kinds of activities from happening, after all why would he turn away paying customers? The witch’s laughter soon became infectious and Warren could not help but let a small laugh escape, but as soon as Victoria managed to catch her breath and talk Warren burst out with a bark of a laugh.

“Now that has earned you another three Sickles off for that.” He managed to get out in between laughing fits. “Although I can not wait for tonight if that is what I have to look forward too.”

Warren felt her eyes travel over him once more and he returned the favour right back giving her the quick one two although his gaze did linger around her chest for a lot longer then other parts of her body. Trying to stop himself from staring at her breasts Warren quickly turned back to his cup of coffee and sipped on the luck warm liquid, waiting for the conversation to start once more, which it did as the woman answered his question and gave herself the little introduction that sounded liked it belonged in a singles ad at the back of the newspaper.

“Well then Vicky I am Warren Hubbles. I am the current landlord of this fair pub and I enjoy every type of alcohol you want to throw at me and making casual conversation with beautiful History of Magic Professors from the near by school.”

With a small smile Warren went for another swig of his coffee only to realise that he had in fact already finished it. As he started into the empty mug his forehead creased into a frown simply out of the fact of pure annoyance that he was not quite awake enough for his liking. Glancing up at Vicky Warren gave her a small look almost asking her not to go anywhere before disappearing out into the back room. There was a small amount of coffee left sitting in the percolator and he poured the dark liquid into his mug letting the bitter smell of the coffee fill his lungs. Heather always joked that he was either drunk, stoned or on a caffeine high but Warren merely saw it that what ever one of the three he was life would be entertaining.

Entering the main area once again Warren grinning over at Vicky, the new mug of coffee clasped in between his hands and the question at the tip of his tongue that he had been dying to ask as soon as he found out she worked up at the castle.

“So I guess then you know my cousin Dan then?”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

He was without question the kind of man that her mother always warned her about which, was probably why she found him so intriguing already. She always enjoyed the things he mother told her were no good for her men included. He laughed along with her and the sound was nice. She didn't see much laughter in the place from the rumors she heard there was probably more fighting taking place.

"Ooh more sickles off keep that up and you might just get a nice little lamp dance from me" normally this wasn't something she would say out loud to a man but he was fun and it was just a joke. "For me I'm sure you could wait all night it would be thoroughly worth your while" another wink and a tremendous giggle. "My dear sir I have no idea what you've brought out in me but this is the most fun I've had in quite some time."

He stared her down she caught those eyes linger on her breasts and she found it didn't bother her much. They were real and they were by most accounts spectacular if she were a man she'd probably stare at them herself. She simply shrugged it off if he enjoyed looking he was free to behold.

He introduced himself and at first she didn't make the connection she had been so busy picking up on the fact that he sounded like a textbook which, she realized was just how she sounded when she gave her answer. So formal an introduction to someone she'd offered a lap dance to. Ah well the moment had passed and she had plenty of time to redeem herself.

He turned to leave the room but not before looking at her. Oddly she felt as if he was asking her to stay. He needn't because she had no intentions of leaving finding herself too interested in the cute guy from the bad bar. Watching as he walked back out of the room with some more coffee Vicky grinned. "Yeah I normally have to have about three or four cups of those before I feel right."

She'd had three before leaving the castle that morning. She needed it if she wanted to have a decent work out. She could go for another cup now then the thought left her head when Warren asked if she knew Dan. Vicky's eyes shot up and a blush crept up her cheeks she could feel the heat on her cheeks and knew they would be hot to the touch. Dan Hubbles had been Vicky's crush ever since the first time she had ever seen him at Hogwarts. He was taken but Vicky always held out hope. She didn't have to answer Warren her face betrayed her answering in her stead. So she gave an honest answer "Yeah I've been crushing on him for ages no luck though." Her fingers circled the rim of her glass her eyes were now focused on a burn mark in the wood of the bar. She hadn't wanted to admit that truth, had never told anyone though people probably knew. Biting her lip she felt too embarrassed to look Warren in the eye. What was it about the Hubble men. They were too damn hot for their own good.

[Warren Hubbles]

Warren could not help but feel a slight twinge of pity as he saw Vicky’s cheeks flush red and the cheerful woman who had offered to give him a lap dance seemed to vanish. She seemed to be one of those women who had clearly fallen for Dan, everywhere he went he always seemed to have a small following but Warren could imagine working and living in the same castle as him could have been bad, heck after all his fiancé was also a fellow teacher at the school.

“Well I think Dan was a fool to overlook you.” He was unsure if that would actually make her feel any better so he thought he best elaborate a bit more. “If I had been in his place I would have been trying to get with you for months.”

Warren offered Vicky a small smile unsure if what he had said was actually reassuring. The only thing he could not work out is if this was the true Victoria Potter then she was…would have been Dan’s type, but then when you crush on someone you are not always yourself., although after what he had seen today he found it hard to believe this Professor would be shy. But then again the woman in front of him now seemed to have changed, she would not even look at him and her body language said it all.

Placing his mug of coffee down Warren rested his elbows on the counter, clasping his hands together so that he could rest his chin on them. He refused to move his gaze off Vicky and he made sure that he kept that same reassuring smile that he gave to most drunks who spilled there heart to him, however this time it was not an act, this was real. Warren almost felt it his responsibility to help Vicky seeing as it was his cousin who made her feel like this, and he had sort of made Dan the way he was.

“You do know that I will always be here if you need to talk. Over the years I have grown quiet good at the how listening thing and when I am not telling people to hex the bloody sod to Hades my advice can normally be rather good if I say so myself.”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

She was expecting laughter, any minute now she kept telling herself. Men weren't really that sensitive in these kinds of situations, and worse the man she had confided in happened to be related to the man in question. Vicky still couldn't believe she had just blurted that out. How would she ever face Dan again if word of this got back to him. Part of her wanted to beg Warren never to utter a word, but that would just make her seem childish. So she kept her head down and waited.

When she heard nothing she chanced a glance up at him. He was wearing an expression she couldn't read very well it seemed like it could be pity but to make herself feel less like a looser she assumed it was something else. Then he told her that if he were Dan he would have tried to get with her. Vicky knew it was a cheap ploy to make her feel better, which in turn should have made her feel worse but it worked. He smiled which seemed to make those mischievous eyes sparkle just a little. She didn't smile back at first still a bit peeved she let that slip.

He was watching her now as if trying to asses her character. Vicky wasn't normally this way. OK well she was man crazy but no man had effected her that way. She wasn't herself when it came to Dan and this was one of those moments she really didn't like it. It was only made worse when he told her he was there to talk. This time she smiled back "thanks for the offer but it's just a crush. I've always known he had someone in his life. I'm OK I just never admitted that to anyone before and well it embarrassed me a little surely, you can understand that. I should just find a man that wants me." Her giggle returned and she felt better suddenly. "Ha who would have thought I'd feel all better after talking. You are a good therapist you should charge." She gave him a wink and an ever silly thumbs up.

[Warren Hubbles]

Warren raised his eyebrows when Victoria mentioned that it was only a crush, Warren always thought that it was only the students that harboured crushes for the Charms Professor and it was merely that the female teachers lusted after him but clearly Warren had underestimated Dan. She was right though he did have someone else in his life and there would be many hearts that broken on the day that he said his vows but it seemed like Vicky was not clinging onto false hope and she just wanted someone to love her.

A small smile crept across the bar man’s face at this point and he found it hard to shake an image from his mind of the advertising for suitable men in a newspaper and auditioning suitable candidates like on a muggle TV talent show.

“I am sure that could be arranged.” Warren smiled at her trying to offer the Professor some hope although he could not help but think that he would be more then willing to look after her and tell her that everything would be alright, hold her though the night…however these thoughts had to be forgotten. Victoria wanted something that had meaning and Warren most defiantly could not offer that to her, he could not let any pity he felt for her get in the way.

He was luckily saved by her changed in mood and could not help laugh along with her little thumbs up and suggestion in career change. With a small thank you Warren gave her a wink and wondered over to the pillar that had a selection of peanuts nailed to it and pulled it off, letting the packet get ripped open in the process and emptying a load into his hand and munching on them slowly.

“So what is this perfect man then? Other then the Charming Professor Hubbles.”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Ah, interesting Vicky could tell he was just as charming as his cousin but he wasn't the type to fall for. No not at all he would break your heart in an instant not meaning to. Vicky usually steered away from that type who in the world wanted to get hurt? She was already reeling from her crush on Daniel she didn't need to fixate on someone else.

Warren figured she wouldn't have trouble finding someone. Little did he know Vicky had a lot of trouble finding anyone. Some men didn't want commitment, and Vicky did so they parted company. Others wanted to commit but expected for her to be less than she was and she wouldn't compromise that for anyone. Then she met the men who just wanted her for her body not her mind or anything else. So no for her it wasn't easy not at all.

Suddenly she felt saddened once more, she wondered where all the good guys had gone. Were they already snatched up by women who had relentlessly sought them out, or were they hiding afraid of letting the world know they were good. Whatever the case Vicky wasn't finding any and she had just about given up hope. The last man she was with well she knew what he was after and she was so relieved to have him interested that she gave him just what he wanted and never heard from him again.

Perhaps she should just be one of those women the type that don't care that don't need to be tied down. Perhaps she should live life instead of trying to make a life. Warren asked her what the perfect man was and she laughed. "Oh I don't think there is such a thing not anymore, Mr. Perfect should be renamed Mr. Right now. Maybe I should just be happy being desired and leave it at that you know. Men don't want commitment not many of them anyway. Perhaps I should roll with the times think small you know." Looking at him she wondered what his thoughts were on the whole thing. He was a Mr. Right now she could see it she could feel it. She needed to know the truth how men thought who better to ask than a man.