[Hogshead] The unimaginable [Dan]

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Victoria Potter had suffered last term at Hogwarts. Her mind had been so addled that she threw herself into alcohol. She spent all her time pub hopping after work so that her face was well known around town. Not that she was proud of it but there you had it. She vowed to stop had actually managed to stay away for a month, she quit cold turkey and was very proud of herself. But then she allowed her depression to take over once more and found herself seeking comfort in the bottom of a bottle. There was only one place for her to go a place she wasn't likely to run into any staff members. Her favorite place the Hogs Head. Maybe Warren would be there she loved talking to him, well loved looking at him was more like it...

The second she entered she knew Warren wasn't there. The atmosphere in the place was so different. So she looked around trying to find who was in charge and then she saw the very last person she expected. Daniel Hubbles her boss. Of all the pubs he could be at he had to be here. Vicky's little problem was well known around the school, this didn't bode well for her employer to see her in there prepared to get drunk.

Wise thing to do would have been to leave go to the Leaky in London, but someone she knew spotted her and of course screamed at her name in his drunken state. Even if she left Dan would have known she was there. Rolling her eyes she simply walked in. Standing next to her friend at the bar she kissed his cheek and he immediately tried to turn his head in order to kiss her on the mouth but Vicky knew that old trick so she backed up and gave him a playful pat on his back though she did really want to slap him.

Knowing she would have to do this sooner or later she looked up to see Dan standing there. Taking a deep breath she bolstered up her courage just so she could say "So what is Hogwarts' fine Head Master doing in a place like this on a school night." Hopefully she sounded nonchalant and not nervous.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Had it been any other night, at any other time the chances would have been that Dan Hubbles would have looked his younger cousin (only by two months as Warren liked to remind people) in the eye and say ‘NO!’ But it had not been another night at another time, Dan had been sitting on the bar stool of the broomsticks, a glass of apple juice on the counter in front of him as he stared into the pleading eyes of Warren. With a small groan Dan’s head dropt and hit the bar counter with some force, it sounded more impressive that it truly was, over the years Dan had took many hits to the head and the slight stinging then throbbing pain was easily over come.

So before you could say ‘Blood-Sucking Bugbear’ the Headmaster of Hogwarts was now working behind the bar of the Hogs Head as its owner disappeared off into the night leaving him alone to face the drunken rabble. For a mid-week it was surprisingly busy, the locals sat in their normal corner while the wizards and witches of the magical world who had jobs, families and social lives laughed away to themselves recalling stories of times at Hogwarts. Soon Dan got into the swing of things, pour drinks, cleaning up spillages and glugging back the drinks that people kept buying him.

After a few hours behind the bar, the jacket of his suit was now being worn by a rather weathered old man, his yellow and blue tie was tied around the head of a giggling blond witch and his shirt was untucked and slowly the top few buttons had been flicked open. Dan was in his comfort zone and so it was no surprise that he missed the shout across the bar, in fact the only time he saw one of his Professors was when she was standing in front of him kissing a guy on the check. This stunned Dan more then seeing Vicky in the pub, but then he could not get his slightly tipsy mind around why it should bother him, she was an attractive woman, and she could have a boyfriend.

To forget about this question Dan carried out a few more orders only to hear the sound of Vicky’s voice drift over towards him and he felt compelled to answer his History Magic of Professor. “I am working.” He gave her a cheeky smile as he pulled another pint. “What about you Miss Potter? Had enough of papers on the Goblin Rebellion?”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

He turned to look at her which of course was a bad thing it was always a bad thing. No way he could know it would effect her. Every night she thought she was over him but then there were moments like this moment when dislike wasn't even an option. Smiling across the bar at him, violet eyes practically sparkling she ordered herself a firewhiskey. Seeing Dan already feeling good it didn't seem so bad on her part. "Yes well Goblin Rebellions are all good but reading fifteen papers that repeat the same thing over and over again gets tedious after a while. A nice drink or two might put me in a better mood. Now I'm curious as to what dragged you in here. I don't see Warren anywhere." Not that she was disappointed in the owners replacement.

Seth, the friend she was sitting next to seemed to be a bit jealous of all the attention being paid to Dan. There was a tug on her jacket, and then another, and another. Getting annoyed would be the easy thing to do but she didn't come here for a fight so she tore her eyes away from Dan in order to give Seth her attention. Seth being rather drunk seemed to have only one thing on his mind. The only thing he wanted to discuss was getting Vicky upstairs for a while.

She had gone down that road once or twice that's what happened when one enjoys the drink. Now Seth seemed to think it was fine and dandy to proposition her anytime she was in the bar. Normally, he didn't do it in front of Warren, Vicky was never sure why but she was relieved by it. As bad luck would have it Warren wasn't here to intervene. Trying to find a tactful way of saying no Vicky smiled her mind working a mile a minute. His hand now on her thigh inching further and further up her leg. Placing her own hand over his she stopped him from reaching his destination. "Now now now, I need a drink dear friend, can't be in a partying mood unless I'm feeling happy."

That had to work, needed to work. Seth could be a mean drunk it was noticed on more than one occasion. He stared at her for a moment or two, her smile never faltered. Nodding his head he removed his hand and went back to his drink. Her heart was racing and she knew that one of these nights she would be sorry in this place. Plus Dan was there to witness this causing her more embarrassment. All she wanted was her drink now looking at Dan again she hoped it was ready.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

It was always good to see your work colleagues and for Dan he always felt that since his promotion they treated him differently so it was a nice change to be talking to Vicky like they used to. He remembered the first time they met, they had been walking through the Forbidden Forest and just kept bumping into one another, at the time he remembered thing she was pretty beautiful, she still was, but he was a married man now he could not think those thoughts.
“Yeah I bet it is. Although I always loved learning about Yardley Platt, I mean the inventive ways he game up to kill goblins.” Dan gave a chuckle as he threw some more money into the old, rusting till. “He was a genius…in that twisted sort of way.”

Dan scooped up a clean glass, filled it with ice and then in a fluid motion the bottle of fire whisky was in his hand and slowly being moved up letting the amber liquid fall out of the bottle like a waterfall into the glass and roll over the ice. Once the glass was half full Dan wondered over to Vicky and gently placed the drink in front of her only to find her being bothered by the guy next to her. Dan watched the interaction between the two of them closely suddenly feeling rather aware of what the man was trying achieve and it was clear that it was not what Vicky wanted.

Turning his back Dan wondered back over towards the shelf where all the spirits were housed and he placed the Fire Whisky bottle back in his place, although the mans mind were elsewhere, in fact it was still lingering on the thought of Vicky and that Seth guy. Clearly the he had zoned out slightly as his name was being called by some more thirsty customers but as he turned around his eyes were fixed only on the man standing next to Vicky. Striding over towards the counter with some vigour, fist clenched and a look of determination filling his face Dan Hubbles reached across the bar, taking hold of the man by his collar and looked him in the eye.

“When a lady says no, she means no.” Dan’s fist met the side of the man’s face which in turn sent the man stumbling off balance and tumbling to the ground. The pub well silent and all eyes were either upon Dan or Seth was lying on the floor clutching his face. This was the most alive Dan had felt in months, his heart was pounding, a small smile was filling his face and there was a dull throbbing pain in his knuckles from when they had made a rather forceful connection with the guys jaw.

(pfffft it is not very good, apologise. Also I thought I would let you RP what Seth does hehe, he is your creation after all hahaha!)

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

((this post is amazing I love it))

You reap what you sow. Vicky had always hated that saying because she thought it was pure bull poop, but today it just seemed to fit. All those times she had come in here and flirted with Seth and other things she should have known he would think he could have it when he wanted it. She didn't care about that when she was having all of her fun. Now he was staring at her, waiting for her to get a buzz. He wasn't going to let this go and her leaving would only make him get up and follow her. All she could hope for was he gets himself so drunk he passes out.

From the corner of her eyes she sees Dan watching, he had seen everything. Of course this was mortifying for her. He was her boss and she was just put into a very bad light, not that she wasn't always under that light. Her drinking habits weren't secret from the staff.

Dan, Dan, Dan she was always so worried about what he saw or what he thought. Vicky had no idea why his opinion mattered at all. His heart along with everything else belonged to Dia. He was tied to her by the bonds of marriage. Perhaps if she had tried to pursue him things would have been different. Ah, but he is and you did not her brain reminded her. It was right of course Vicky had been too shy to take a chance and there was nothing she could do to change that now so she should stop caring about Dan's opinion. Of course that was easier said than done since he was just so handsome and so funny and so right...STOP her mind yelled in warning.

Taking her first swig of fire whiskey Vicky felt that warming sensation in the pit of her belly. Shivering slightly she realized just how much she had missed it. Setting the glass down she again caught sight of Dan who was heading straight for her and Seth. There was an odd look about him and Vicky suddenly got a bad feeling. Her instincts were right on the money because prim and proper Daniel Hubbles had just punched Seth Garret in the face. Seth's face registered shock right before he was knocked on to the floor. Vicky had jumped out of her chair hearing one leg scraped across the wooden floor, then a thud as Seth fell. After that there was nothing but silence. Vicky looked over at Dan wondering what had come over him.

Turning to the man of the hour Vick uttered and shocked and confused "thank you." Then seeing his knuckles all read she went back behind the bar. "You're hurt, maybe we should put some ice on that before it swells." Finding a dish cloth and filling it with ice from the bar. Wrapping it up and walking it over it was placed it over the reddened hand. "What made you do that?" she just had to ask.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

It was almost as if when his clenched fist made contact with the jaw of Seth it released a slight side of the old Dan Hubbles or maybe it was just the alcohol…but for the first time in a very long time he felt alive. It was as if all the frustration that had been built up in the man had broken free in that one punch, the punch which he had defended a woman’s honour, that was not his wife’s. At Vicky’s muttering of thank you Dan simply gave her a nod of the head before he turned his attention to the staring crowds and it seemed that at that very moment everyone turned to look at him, expecting him to say something. The only problem was he did not know what to say, so instead he just looked at them all, the slight goofy smile still on his face as Vicky started to fuss about him.

“It will be alright.” Dan muttered as he finally looked down at his knuckles, normally he would have just let them be and for them to bruise but Vicky seemed determined to help and was already making an improvised icepack. “No really Vic you do not need to it will be…” He never got to finish his sentence as he knew it was pointless, the coolness of the ice was being pressed against his knuckles and finally the sound level of the pub around them increased as the drunks got board now the fighting had finished.

It was then she asked the question that Dan really did not want to answer, he did not want to because he feared the answer he would give. “I…well he…he insulted your honour. He needed to be told to back down.” That was about as politically correct as he could get without admitting that he felt the tiniest twinge of jealousy as the drunken man tugged on Vicky but he was unsure if it was the fact Dan missed doing that himself, or the fact he was hitting on Vicky. And it was as he stood here, staring into those sparkling violet eyes that Dan realised that it might have been the second reason more then the first.

“I…er…best get back to the bar.” With a sheepish smile at Vicky he removed the ice pack from his hand, letting his own hand lightly graze that of Vicky’s as he went. There was something about being this close to another woman that was not Dia that was almost thrilling, and a thought passed through the mans mind that truly should not pass though the mind of a married man.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Rounding the bar had been a mistake and she knew that. Distance is what aided her in getting over Dan she kept to that and it helped out a lot. Now standing this close caused her breath to catch in her throat. He was a big boy, could easily have healed himself there was no need to be back here. It was so sad that, after what her mind had reminded her of here she was nursing a crush that needed to die once and for all. Plus he didn't seem all that comfortable with her back there.

All she had to do was pull the hand holding the dish towel off but that did not happen. No standing there seemed the better plan. Foolish was her middle name apparently. Ever now and then she stared up at him wondering how he managed to enthrall her the way he did. He tried to tell her that he didn't need her aid but she didn't listen just kept on helping. Legs not ready to walk away from this just yet.

As he explained his reasons for doing what he did they sounded plausible, sounded reasonable, were very chivalrous, too bad there wasn't more. Couldn't there have been just a little bit of jealousy in his actions. That's what she wanted him to be jealous hating Seth for having his hands on something Dan wanted. Oh yeah because Dan didn't want her, he wanted his wife and she would do so well to remember that.

He removed her hand from his but their skin touched. The spark that went through her was like nothing she had ever felt before. It started from the tips of her fingers, spread up to her arms, then further up to her head, while some spread down to the tips of her toes. Life was so unfair. Vicky didn't put up a fight though instead she walked away back to her seat. Seth disappeared from the floor not that it bothered her at all. Taking her drink in hand Vicky figured tonight she'd just loose herself to the whiskey.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

He really had not expected himself to act like that; well not now, maybe a few years ago he would have punched someone in the face to look impressive and try to win the favour of the fair maiden and move to a more private location such as the bed chamber. But now, he really did not need that, his wife would be waiting back at the castle for him, he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts for Merlin’s sake so it was not as if he to prove to anyone he was powerful. This was something he truly could not get his head around and he guessed he never would, it was just one of those things that happen.

Everyone else in the bar however was more then happy to give their opinion on what had happened and the story itself was already changing only minutes after the event. Dan dreaded how they would have evolved by the morning, no doubt that the two men ended up smashing bottles on each others heads…oh lord what would the Minister think. The good thing was that Dan did not have time to linger on these thoughts as the constant stream of customers kept him running from one side of the bar to the other, glugging back the odd drink that people would buy for him. Quite some time passed in this same routine and every time Dan wondered past Vicky he would try and catch her gaze and offer her a wide grin.

After what seemed like he had refilled the glasses of every customer in the pub Dan finally wondered back towards Vicky, and without asking, filled her glass with more Fire Whisky. “It’s on the house.” He grinned as he filled the glass almost to the brim. “Thank you by the way Vicky, trying to look after me. You’re a good friend.” Looking up from the whisky Dan looked straight into her violet eyes as if trying to read her mind, he could not help but wonder what had cause Vicky to come such a drinker. For him it was years of a bad habit but for her, it seemed to have only just started and although he was not really one to take the moral high ground, he wanted to help her. ’Says the man who just filled her glass up, great thinking there Hubbles’

“So…” he said trying to move the conversation on, more to stop his mind lingering on certain thoughts, but his mouth ran away from him and he asked a question that would only lead back to that same topic. “That Seth jerk, he is not the normal type of guy you go for is it Vic?”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

The bar was a buzz with what had happened moments before. People were pointing, speculating, and whispering about why Dan had done what he did. The story started to spread, and vary with each telling. A few people stopped by the bar to ask Vicky's take since she had been sitting right there. Not wanting anyone to get the wrong idea she simply shrugged her shoulders and said "no idea you know old Seth can't keep his mouth shut sometimes, probably said something he shouldn't have." Some people laughed at that walking away satisfied, others digested the information but thought there might be more, but some didn't believe a word some said they thought it was over her. Vicky scoffed at that, because what else could she do. She just wanted to forget anything had happened at all. Dan was already way past it, Seth slunk off somewhere to save face, why was she being harangued.

Feeling utterly miserable now she downed the rest of her fire whiskey the way she normally did. The faster you finished one the quicker you could have another. Problem was it wasn't Warren who was serving her it was Dan. No matter what the situation or where they were he was still her boss and this would not look good. He kept passing by her, she tried not to notice but he seemed to be trying to catch her eye so she couldn't be rude. He smiled so she smiled back that's what ladies do when in polite company well at least Dan was polite anyway. Part of her wished he would stop, having him there was hard enough without him looking a her with those beautiful eyes. All she wanted to do now was drown her sorrows in another drink.

Then as luck should have it Dan wonderful, clairvoyant Dan did her the biggest favor of all. Her glass had been refilled on the house and she never had to ask. Saved her from feeling like a lush that's what he did. Vicky smiled brightly like a little girl would on Christmas morning, sad she didn't realize how pathetic she was being just then.

Her sudden gaiety turned into a look of wonder when Daniel thanked her. In baseball terms that one came out of left field. Before she thought she was annoying him when she tried to help. Now she was being thanked, but she was also being called a friend the two words every woman dreads hearing from the man she likes or once liked. Vicky simply smiled sweetly and took a sip of alcohol. "Sure no problem Dan anytime" boy she wanted to roll her eyes after that fat lie. What she really wanted to say was I wasn't trying to be a friend I did it to be closer to you you dolt." Of course she wouldn't be that bold not unless she had another four or five drinks in her. Running a hand through her dark long hair Vicky's head turned ever so slightly and she found him looking at her again, right into her eyes. She swallowed hard wondering why he was looking at all. Damn him to hell and back why must he torture me...Men had all the breaks having women pine over them. Another sip of the good stuff ought to cheer her up so she took one, it didn't but her head felt lighter which was a good thing because it meant soon she wouldn't be feeling anything at all.

Preparing for one more hearty sip Vicky picked up the glass containing the fine amber liquid and began to move it to her mouth but it never made it. Dan just asked her the most curious question and she couldn't for the life of her remember what she had been doing just seconds before. Seth the kind of guy she likes "No he's not my dream man if that's what you're asking, but seeing as I can't have my dream man I'm fine dealing with Mr. Right now which is the role Seth plays in my life." More candid than she intended Vicky quickly looked away from Dan hoping he didn't pick up on what she said.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

“Oh, you’re another one waiting for Mr Right.” Dan gave a small chuckle as he leaned on the bar counter, leaning that ever bit so closer to Vicky. “I remember having this same conversation with Dia a few years back. There is no such thing as Mr. Right as you will not be able to find a man who is perfect, if I recall correctly Dia gave me a rather forceful slap after saying that.”

Dan could not help but smile as he thought back to that moment in the kitchens and how since that one meeting the course of his life changed dramatically. He was convinced that in some parallel universe there would be a Dan Hubbles who did not venture to the kitchens that night and so as a result him and Dia would never have kissed and that fire would not have started to burn inside of him. Luckily for him, possibly unlucky for others it had happened and here they were, Dan Hubbles a married man, Vicky Potter a single good looking woman and all he could think about was he wanted to taste her lips and run his hands through her long hair.

Pushing himself off the bar Dan quickly went to serve a customer who, apparently, had been trying to get his attention for some time and in all honesty the man was happy to get away. He could not believe that the mere thought of cheating on Dia with another woman, let alone a work colleague, was passing through his mind. He loved his wife, she would never do that sort of thing to him, she would…she would never have to know, if he had kept quiet about the whole thing about Quinn the chances where she would not have found out about that one either. A small glint filled his eyes as he glanced over his should back towards the lovely Vicky…one last one night stand would not hurt would it?

With a glance at his watch and seeing that there was another hour till supposed closing time Dan thought he could break a few more promise while he was at it. Before he knew what he was going he was ringing the small bell that was at the corner of the bar counter and he started to shout at everyone. “Last orders! I am kicking you out in half an hour!”

Well kicking out all but one that was.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Of course Vicky couldn't expect someone especially a man to understand the concept of Mr. Right, especially when the man you were looking at was your idea of Mr. Right. Vicky couldn't stop her ridiculous thoughts, she couldn't stop herself from wanting a man she knew was taken. As if trying to remind her of that fact he brought up his wife. Telling Vicky how the two had the same conversation with each other. Little did he know luck Dia got her Mr. Right even ended up marrying him. Vicky was coveting Dia's Mr. Right which she knew was so very wrong but he wasn't helping matters much leaning on the bar his face mere inches from her own. How easy it would be to simply lean forward and taste those lips, the lips she fantasized about nightly, well usually when she wasn't so drunk.

Good thing there were other patrons who wanted to be drunk tonight too. They got Dan to move away from her finally so she could breathe normally again. Just his mere presence made her crazy. That was why she started to drink, once he ended up with Dia she simply wanted to forget her feelings and drinking seemed the only real good way. There draw backs of course headaches, vomiting, ending up in bed next to someone who looks like his face was bashed in by a baseball bat and not realizing how she ended up there. But she didn't remember Dan and that was good. Soon she started get over her feelings little by little.

Too bad tonight had to happen. As soon as she saw him here she should have turn tail and run. That was the smart thing to have done but Vicky didn't do smart since it conflicted with all he stupid things she does. She thought that she could handle it and now she saw she couldn't. At school she could manage to avoid him for days but in the bar he was right there and she couldn't bring herself to just go.

All these thoughts could be easily quashed with a bit more drink in her. Picking up the glass she downed the rest of her drink and immediately felt a slight buzz. Oh the buzz was good it meant you were that much closer to forgetting. She was feeling happy and even when she heard Dan ring the bell and say half hour left she was still smiling because she was going to make the most of her half hour. Embarrassment be damned she wanted one more drink she she could be nice and loose.

"Hey Dan do you mind giving me another" she called out to him. What was the fun of being in a bar if you weren't going to leave it piss drunk.

((it sucks, I have been trying to post this since 11 this morning and phone problems kept me from it lol.))

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

The sound of Vicky’s voice reached Dan’s ears even over the drunken rabble of people who were desperately trying to get Dan to give them another drink before the clock ran out and they would be kicked out of the bar. With a rude gesture to one particular drunk man who was starting to get a bit to rowdy Dan wondered over towards Vicky, leaning on the bar opposite her and casually looked down at her empty glass.

“You want another one of them?” He pointed at the whisky glass and gave a small tut while he shook his head. “I am sure I could get you something better then Fire Whisky.”

Dan shot Vicky a rather cheeky smile before doing a rather lavish spin around, acting like he should be on a dance floor more then behind a bar, and he wondered over towards the wine rack. At first his hand automatically hovered over the red wine and the fine Italian wine that him and Dia were so found of, but something stopped him and instead he moved to the white wines. He was not sure why he did this, maybe it was to create a distinction between women. Dia was his red wine girl while Vicky his white.
Sliding out a premium bottle of fine Australian white barman Dan picked up two overly large glasses and walked over towards Vicky, placing the bottle and the glasses down in front of her.

“Now this is what you call classy drinking, and the bottle will be on the house if you promise to pour me a glass and stay a while longer.” He gave Vicky a small wink before wondering back over towards the masses who had a thing or two to say about preferential treatment, and Dan’s reaction to that statement was far to rude to write. The rest of the time passed without much incident, the odd rude comment was said, drinks were spilt and every second Dan had spare he would spend it staring at Vicky. Finally the hour struck and it was time for the drunken locals to leave.

“Come on you miserable lot, don’t you all have homes to go to?” Dan started to walk around the other side of the bar counter ready to usher people out. “Come ON!!! Unlike some of you I want to go to bed tonight!”

Once the last few stragglers stumbled out of the wonky doorframe and out into the night covered streets of Hogsmeade Dan closed the door and locked the door to stop anyone else from trying to walk in. As he did this he let out a small sigh of relief and turned around to face Vicky. “Peace at last.” He grinned and walked over towards the bar.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

She started to wonder if he was going to give her a hard time about asking for another drink. Other barmen did but she'd bat her lashes and lick her lips seductively and the rules would be totally forgotten. All that flirting wouldn't work on Mr. Married man so she simply waited, cause if he didn't give it to her she would go behind the bar and take some herself, she didn't think Warren would mind wherever he was. Trying to see what Dan was doing Vicky giggled, old Roddy was giving him a hard time as he did to every other barkeep in the place. It was comical watching him deal with it Dan handled it like a pro gesturing like gentleman and walking away. He was walking to her so hopefully she'd be getting liquor and not a lecture.

When he pointed at her glass she readied herself for the speech, but it didn't come. Instead he offered her other fair like wine. Vicky didn't much care what she was drinking, vodka, firewhiskey, or wine as long as it contained some form of alcohol she was all good. Vicky stared at Dan from the moment he walked away to the moment he reached the wine rack. Her eyes were fixed on him everything else seemed distant, irrelevant. He took some time before picking something when he made his choice he was back to her in no time with two big glasses. Now he was talking. He plopped the bottle and glasses down right in front of her and Vicky's eyes lit up. They lit up even more so when Dan told her the bottle was on the house if she poured him some...It took her a few minutes longer to register his other words which asked if she would stay a while longer.

Vicky couldn't imagine why he would want her to stay but since it was Dan she didn't see herself denying him. So she watched as he walked over to the other patrons trying to deal with their rude comments and demands. A regular night here at the Hogs Head. Uncorking the wine Vicky could smell its sweet aroma and knew right away she had been given the good stuff. No cheap wine for her no sir Dan picked out the best...This caused her brow to furrow a little as she wondered why. He gave her a good bottle of wine, asked her to stay and while and now she saw he kept looking at her. Was she already three sheets to the wind, because in her experience these were things men did when flirting with a woman, but that can't be.

Her mind must be playing tricks on her. She spent several minutes dwelling on this so she never heard Dan kicking the customers out, she snapped out of it when she heard him speaking and heard nothing else. Glancing around she saw they were truly alone. Grabbing the wine bottle she pured both of them a glass, suddenly she felt nervous and her hand started to shake a little some dripped out from the top and onto her hand as she gave Dan an innocent look. "Just the two of us huh" she said as the bottle made its way onto the counter and the dribble on her hand slipped off and slid onto the bar.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

“Aye.” Dan grinned as he slowly walked over towards the bar were Vicky remained sitting with a bottle of wine and two nicely full glasses. “Just you and me.” It had been a while since Dan had dared do anything like this, hitting on an attractive woman in a bar was something that he used to do daily but a lot had changed in his life and picking up women was defiantly something that had ground to halt…almost three years in fact.

Was that the tiniest seed of doubt in Dan Hubbles mind? The fact that he thought that he would be a bit rusty at this whole flirting game. He was a married man after all, in his vows he swore to be loyal to Dia; he promised he would make sure she never suffered any pain at his hand again and here is was tittering on the edge of breaking oh so many promises. ’But Dia does not have to know’ he reminded himself as he sat down on the barstool next to Vicky.

His heart was pounding so quickly that he was unsure if it was lust for the beautiful woman in front of him or nerves for the sin he was planning, and seemingly quite willing to go ahead with. There was no going back past thins point, this was his opportunity to flee, to run out of the pub and back to the castle and to spend the night in the same bed as his wife…but where was the fun in that?

Sliding the wine glass closer to himself Dan began to trace his finger around the rim of the glass, his gaze fixed upon Vicky, who seemingly seemed to look a little nervous, maybe he was coming on a bit to strong? He needed to relax her, he needed to take a few deep breaths himself for that matte, a bit of casual conversation then should do, give them time to glug back the wine and let the alcohol work its magic.

“So Vicky tell me a bit more about yourself, the person behind the History of Magic Professor.”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Victoria sat there wondering why she was still there in the bar. Everyone else was gone now and it was just her and Dan, highly inappropriate especially since he was married. Also it seemed he was flirting with her a bit, but she reserved judgment on that because the alcohol she consumed was working its way through her system and could be making her delusional. Whatever the case was everything about this felt wrong in some ways but more than right in others. She had never stopped pining for this man, wanting this man. Wrong as it may be if he were to make a move on her she was sure she wouldn't turn him down.

The thought didn't bother her as much as it should mainly because she didn't think he would ever do such a thing. For all intents and purposes he seemed to be in love with his wife. Taking a sip of wine wondering what was going on here Vicky heard him say Just you and me. The words caused her to shiver with excitement. There were nights she dreamed of him saying those very words but in a totally different context. Smirking over delicious thoughts Vicky nodded in agreement. "All alone Dan" she uttered softly.

She was already on her second sip the level of liquid in the glass slowly diminishing while her drinking buddy hadn't really even touched a drop yet he was tracing a finger around the glass and again he was staring at her. Odd all this time they've known each other and he never paid her this much attention. She liked it, but it was just strange, why was tonight so different from every other night, why did he seem so keen on her now when he never really batted an eye at her before. Instead of just going with the flow she was busy questioning things that could only mean one thing, she just wasn't tipsy enough yet. Taking a gulp of wine Vicky ignored the bubbles tickling her nose and just swallowed hoping the effect would be instantaneous.

Maybe he sensed her unease because now he wanted to ask about her, small talk as it were. "Ah well there's not that much about me actually. Grew up in a good home, loving parents, half blood but that just makes me special" she laughed. "Came to Hogwarts where I spent seven glorious years especially on the Quidditch pitch and when I left I wanted to come back so I started here as grounds keeper then when a teaching position opened I jumped at the chance. I love teaching kids actually it's probably one of my only redeeming qualities" she said giving him a devilish grin. "So enough about me what about you Dan Mr. Headmaster, tell me what makes you well what makes you you?"