A Little Goes a Long Way

Ok, again with the pleasantries... Not my characters, mostly.
I make no promises with raunch, but at some point it WILL be here. Next chapter, I think...
This chapter is rather slow... Just a builder, really. It will set the stage for what\'s to come next.
Other than this... I think that\'s it.

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Outside, the sunshine was bright in Tyler’s eyes as she scanned the throng of wizards and witches. There was still not a single sign of Ronald. With his fiery hair, he would be easily spotted. She stepped off the sidewalk and walked across the street to the small Betty Botts shop.
Once inside, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the change in light before beginning to poke about the shop. Starting at the end of the nearest isle, Tyler began scanning the different flavors offered in this particular shop. She was almost to the end of the inside of the first isle when she heard the small bell above the door tinkle. She stopped and peered through the opening between ‘ear wax’ and ‘éclairs’ when she heard a familiar voice.
Standing just inside the door was none other than Harry Potter. He had a young lady with him that Tyler did not recognize. She assumed the girl must be someone else related to the enigmatic Mr. Weasley as she had the same fiery mane of hair that Ronald had. Tyler didn’t want them to know she was in the shop, so she made sure she went in the opposite direction the couple were coming from.
Once she had the opportunity, Tyler slipped out of the shop, again purchasing nothing. Once again, she scanned the pavement for any sign of the young Weasley man, and again nothing. Where could he be? She wasn’t going to wait all day for the young git.
Stepping off the curb, Tyler was almost run down by none other than one mister Draco Malfoy. She deftly stepped just out of his way, glowering at the pale blonde man. He sneered at her, openly raking his eyes along her figure, appraising her. She felt unclean just from that simple eye gesture he made while passing. Once he disappeared into the crowd again, she shook herself almost like a dog shaking off water. What a horrible feeling, being visually inspected as if you were a piece of meat sold at market! Tyler decided then and there that she liked Draco Malfoy less than she had originally thought.
As Tyler stood there, staring off into nothingness, she was not aware of the tall flame-haired man cautiously approaching her from behind. She started, jumping a bit and whirling around on the intruder to her thoughts. She was fully prepared to give a verbal berating until she saw who it was.

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Ron knew he was going to be keeping Tyler waiting. He felt bad about it, but at the same time, he wanted this meeting, this actual face-to-face meeting, to be special. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself. However, he was sure he’d end up doing that anyway. He walked around the Alley, a hood pulled up securely over his hair to hide it from view.
He stopped outside a seemingly perfectly normal flower shop. Peering in the window, he could see beautiful bouquets of roses and carnations. Daisies and moonflowers also blossomed within the displays. He entered the shop, intent on greeting the girl of his dreams with a beautiful set of flowers. Question was… What kind of flowers would be appropriate?
Walking rather uncertainly up to the counter, Ron cleared his throat a little to get the clerk’s attention. A young witch looked up from her magazine. Upon realizing who he was looking at, Ron gasped. Luna Lovegood. Better known as Loony Luna.
Luna smiled sweetly behind her stylish, wire-framed glasses. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant half-pony with tendrils of curls hanging down around her ears and at her temples. Last time Ron had seen Luna was at graduation. Her hair was still the same shade of pale yellow that he remembered, except the tendrils, which happened to be a brilliant shade of sky blue.
The only thing that was completely the same was the magazine atop the table. Once more, she had been reading it upside-down.
Smiling nervously back, Ron glanced about at all the flowers in the shop. Luna waited patiently for his attention to return to her before asking, “What can I help you with today, Mr. Weasley?”
Ron shrugged once, his shoulders coming almost to his reddening ears as he replied, “I’m not entirely sure, Luna. I just recently met this girl and I want to give her flowers. Do you recommend any in particular?”
To this, Luna gave a knowing smile as she came from behind the counter, leading the red-head toward the back of the shop. She stopped in front of a particularly lovely display of multi-colored flowers of every shape and size. “These,” she began, “are the most favored for first dates, Ron.” Not allowing him to stop and gaze long, she grabbed his arm and led him farther into the shop, nearer the wall. “However, these are some of my most favorites and I don’t offer them to just anybody.”
The new flowers were far superior to the ones Ron had just seen. He ogled them and knew Tyler deserved a bouquet made of these flowers. “How much,” he asked tentatively.
To this, Luna smiled brightly. “For you, since you were always so nice to me in school, a discount. I’ll give you a lovely bouquet of these select flowers for half of what I would normally charge.”
She told him the price and his jaw dropped almost to the floor. “You must be bloody starkers to expect someone to pay that, woman! That’s crazy!”
To this, Luna just blinked mildly at him. “On the contrary, Ronald. I’ve seen the price of these flowers in other shops. What I’m offering you for price is highway robbery anywhere else. You won’t find a better deal anywhere. I promise you that.”
Ron sighed, fishing the money out of his pocket. “Fine. But I still think you’re ripping me off.”
After accepting the money and placing it in her apron, Luna set about making him a lovely bouquet while he watched her. “You know,” she remarked after a few moments, “you didn’t have to pay me. You could have just taken some cheaper flowers.”
He nodded, watching her work deftly. “I know. But these ones just seem right for her, I guess.”
Once she had finished the bouquet, Luna placed a very feminine, very lacey bow around the elegant vase she had placed the flowers into. She handed the whole thing over to Ron with a wide smile. “She’s lucky, you know. Not all guys would be willing to carry something like these around.” Grumbling a soft ‘thank you‘, Ron left the store, bouquet in hand.
As he stepped from the shop, Ron pulled his hood off, shaking his hair a bit to get rid of the terrible ‘hood hair’ look. He began walking down the street when he noticed his fair maiden being visually assaulted by none other than Draco Malfoy. That set his blood to boiling! He stalked forward, intent on berating the blonde haired insult to the male gender when the other man promptly turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Using this as his chance to make a good impression, Ron approached Tyler, timidly touching her on the shoulder with his free hand. She jumped and whirled on him, a terribly angry look on her face until she got a good look at his. Her expression instantly went from feral anger to a soft, welcoming smile.
Ron was at a loss for words as he looked down into Tyler’s amazing green eyes. Suddenly, everything was unimportant, save the woman before him. Nothing else in the world mattered more at that moment than her. …And the flowers in his other hand, which he promptly handed to her with a chagrined smile.

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Tyler was mightily impressed with the tall red-head. He was dressed very nicely, even for a Weasley. His cloak was brand new, as well as the soft leather boots he wore. She blushed softly as he handed her the fancy bouquet of flowers that she knew couldn’t have been cheap, either. She hated when people spent money on her, but for some reason, this was completely different.
She used the flowers to hide her face slightly, so he couldn’t see the color creeping into her cheeks, as she said, “I’m glad to see you, Mr. Weasley. I was afraid you weren’t coming.”
She was glad to see the utter shock on his face. He quickly wiped that away as he replied, “I would never pass up such an opportunity, my fine lady. And please, call me Ron. Everyone does.”
To this she nodded, hefting the flowers a bit more comfortably into the crook of her right arm. “Shall we go somewhere less crowded, more comfortable, and with enough available space to put these down without ruining them?”
He smiled and nodded to her. “Sure. Anywhere in particular?”
This time she smiled, nodding. “Yes. Just touch my arm, and I’ll take you there.”
He blinked, but quietly complied, carefully gripping her upper arm so as not to be in the way of her wand.
Quietly, Tyler Apperated them to her very own kitchen, complete with polished wooden table and Nimbus, her tiny owl. She could feel the shock in him by the slight tightening of the grip he had on her arm. She smiled inwardly at the thought of catching him off-guard. Slowly, she pulled herself from his grasp, moving toward the kitchen counter to put the flowers down before she dropped them.
Upon turning around, Tyler noted that Ron had yet to move from where he stood. She offered him a pleasant smile and gestured toward her kitchen table. “Please, sit down, Ron. Don’t just stand there, gaping like a fish with no water. It’s not very flattering.” Again she smiled as she saw the crimson flush his face almost instantly.
She waited for him to pick a chair and sat at the same time, so that he wouldn’t feel awkward about not helping her sit in her own chair. She smiled across the table at him, not quite sure what to say now that she had him in her home. She didn’t have to worry much, though, because he broke the silence for her.
“This is your place, huh? What I’ve seen is really nice.” He smiled at that, since they both knew that the kitchen is all he really could see. “You live here all by yourself?”
Tyler nodded. “Yep. Just me and Nimbus. It’s not much, but it’s mine.” At this she sighed, adding, “Even if I am surrounded by muggles.”
At this comment, Ron blinked at her and she smiled again. “Muggles,” he asked. “Where, exactly, is it that you live?”
Under the table, Tyler crossed her legs. She knew this question was impending. She laced her fingers together on the tabletop, taking a breath as she replied, “Number 6 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.”
Ron just gaped at her, his head instinctually turning for the nearest window. “You… You mean you’re right next door to the Dursley’s?! That’s… insane! How do you do it?”
She smiled softly at him again. “I’ve ‘done it’ for the past four years.”
Again, he gaped. “Since you were sixteen?! Here?! Alone?! By yourself?! How??”
Sighing softly she said, “This really wasn’t meant to be a history session, Ron. But, if you really must know, I’ll tell you. I’ve lived here, by myself, since I was sixteen, yes. I’ve seen some of the things the Dursley’s have put Harry through. I feel bad for him, I do. But, I have my own problems to deal with. Like where my next meal is coming from. Or how I’m going to pay my next mortgage payment. Or how I’m going to keep my neighbors, all of them, from finding out what I really am and running me out of town. So, I sat and I watched what was happening to the famous Harry Potter.
I do, however, have a muggle job. I work at a small grocery store not far from here. It’s not big, but it pays well enough. I do what I need to to get by. I work two jobs, actually. One to make my muggle money, at the grocery, and another in the Wizarding world. I work at one of the shops in Diagon Alley, actually. I help out at the bookshop. They don’t pay me much, but that’s fine. I get by. When I really need help, I owl my grandmother.
I won’t get into why I’m here alone, however, just yet. I feel that’s a bit more personal and not something I bandy around with just anyone. But, Now you know more about me than most people.”
Ron nodded, and she could tell he felt bad for blurting out his questions, but it was too late for second-guessing. She had already shared with him more than she had with almost anyone in quite some time. She still hadn’t been able to tell him about her past or about her parents. She didn’t think he was ready for that, or ever would be, possibly. She was most afraid that he wouldn’t want to even look at her again if he knew the truth, and that she didn’t think she could bare.
She watched the flame-haired man across from her for a few silent moments before standing and smiling once more at him. She didn’t know why she was smiling so much. She usually offered most people the cold shoulder, like she had with Mr. Potter that day in the Alley. Why was Ronald Weasley so much different? What was it about him that made her feel this comfortable around him? It rather worried her that she was so open with him. She didn’t share personal things with anyone. Rarely even the person she was sleeping with, which was usually no one.
She noticed him watching her peculiarly and she realized she had been staring. She blushed softly and moved to the counter. “Coffee? Or would you prefer tea, perhaps?” She reached for the glass pot sitting on her coffee maker as she asked.
From behind her, Ron replied, “Tea, please. Coffee always makes me too hyper.”
Nodding, Tyler opened the cupboard just in front of her face and pulled out a few store-bought tea bags, opening the basket and placing them inside as she ran water in the pot. As she waited for the pot to fill, she took a good look at the flowers sitting on her counter. They truly were beautiful. Some of the flowers she thought were only fictional, like the moon blossoms or the spiraling gentleman’s tuxedos. When the pot started overflowing onto her hand, she brought her attention back to her task and shut the flow of water off, dumping out the excess and adding the water to the coffeemaker, replacing the glass decanter for the hot tea to brew into.

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Ron noticed how out of it Tyler seemed after she had shared with him some of her personal information. She wasn’t really focusing on making the tea, as the water was streaming over her hand and she continued to stare at the flowers he had gotten her. He hoped he hadn’t upset her with his obvious lack of tact toward the situation. He was just going to get up and go to her, to make sure she was ok, when she snapped back, shutting the water off and finishing the preparations for quick-brewed tea.
As she turned back to him, Ron’s breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t help it, she was just that beautiful to him. Even in her simple clothing, she radiated something he had never felt from anyone else before. He watched her watching him and drank in all the details that he could, right down to the simple, yet very sensible, black slipper shoes. He let his eyes wander up, following her long, well-formed legs to where they met the hem of her royal purple dress. Even the dress was simple and practical, falling to just above her knees, the only detailing on it being the black lacing cord that started just below her breasts and ended at the neckline. The addition of short sleeves gave it a very simplistic, very country feel. He thought she looked perfect in it. He noted, also, how her hair flowed about her shoulders and waist like a frothy wave of burgundy. He didn’t think he could picture her any other way.
As if on cue, she turned to the side, opening a cupboard and taking out two tea cups for them, setting them on the counter. This gave him a wonderful side view as well. There was no angle he wouldn’t want to look at her from, he was sure of it. He smiled softly at her when she turned back to the table with a small container of sugar and an equally small pitcher of milk. He instinctually moved his arms so she could set them on the table.
Then, she was gone and back with the coffee pot of fresh-brewed tea and a coaster to put it on, as well as the two cups and a spoon a piece. He smiled up at her warmly as she placed these on the table as well. “Would you like coffee cake or something with it?”
To this he shook his head, thinking to himself, ‘Just looking at you while you were preparing it was quite enough food for me.’ But, of course he didn’t say this out loud. What he did say, however, was, “No thank you. I’m not real big on food with my tea, actually.” He smiled at her again, picking up the teapot and pouring her a cup first, then filling his own. He had to smile inwardly as well when he noticed the look on her face when he did it.