Slytherin Dinner

Brock walks into the parlor, making sure that he house elves managed to set everything up correctly. He adjusts a few dishes and backs away, satisfied; dinner in the small room seems more appropriate for a new friend than the huge dining room.

Ana comes thru the floo at precisely 6 p.m., dressed in black casual robes. She brushes the stray dust from her shoulders and hips, looking around.

Brock strolls into the other room slowly when he hears the floo. "Good evening, my dear." He smiles at you almost shyly, offering his arm. "I was rather hoping you'd come."

Ana looks up, tensing automatically - but taking his arm. She knows how to play this game, at least... her socialite mother has taught her the empty courtesies well. "Hello, Brock." Offering a small smile. "I said I'd come. Thank you for the invitation."

"I'm glad to have the company." He frowns slightly as he talks. "I've been quite alone up here since school was let out." His arm relaxes slightly after a moment, feeling more at ease as he walks.

Ana walks beside him, falling into step, and looking up at him as he speaks. Then raises an eyebrow. "Your parents are away?

"My father is out of the country on business. I'm not exactly sure when he'll return." Brock looks over at you for a moment, offering a tentative smile. "My mother passed on when I was eight."

Ana's mouth opens and then closes, settling into her small tight smile again, but a bit softer. "Oh. I didn't... know. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"It's quite all right. Not many people are aware." His smile brightens slightly. "I'm a private person and I've not told anyone at school. The only way you could have heard would've been through gossip, so Im rather pleased that you didn't know."

Ana nods quickly at that, and stays silent as you walk into the room set for dinner. "This is lovely."

"I thought you might prefer dining in here as opposed to that monstrosity of a dining room. I never eat in there if I can help it." He guides you to a low chair and takes the seat beside you. "I really am glad that you could come. You've no idea what..." His voice halts quickly as he realizes that he almost said too much. "I've taken the liberty of selecting a lighter dinner for us this evening. It just seemed appropriate."

Ana raises her eyebrow slightly at your backpedaling, but doesn't push. She knows that if she begins - then you might push for information from her and she isn't ready for that. Instead she focuses on the table - eyes sliding across the sitting - and nods again. "I never eat more than a light dinner, anyway." Then she looks up to smile, though almost warily, at you again. "How has your summer been, aside from the reading and boredom? You must be looking forward to your final year. "

"I've been spending a lot of time up in the music room. All of my time, actually." Brock pours out the wine slowly and hands you a glass. "Do you like music?"

Ana considers the wine for a moment before reaching for the glass and taking a small sip. "Yes... very much."

Brock smiles pleasantly, finally in territory that he's comfortable with. "Maybe you'd like to come up and listen to me play some time?" He takes a small sip before continuing. "Do you play anything?"

"Play?" And her voice slips - truly interested now, and still hesitant. "What... what do you play? I.. no. Nothing."

"Mmm..just the violin. Vivaldi is my favorite." Brock smiles again and tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. "Do you really like it?"

Ana looks down into her wine and nods, then back up - passive faced again. "I listed to modern muggle music..." Expecting you to completely detest that.

"I...listen to it as well. Some, anyway." Brock reaches over to put several delicate items onto a plate for her. "I have a more defined taste in that, though." He places a few slices of Brie beside the other items, careful not to miss anything. "I just gave you some of everything, if you don't mind. In time, I'll learn what you like."

Ana is surprised, and tries not to show it, looking down at her plate and smiling softly. "This does really look lovely." Her voice softer and more sincere than before - but not much. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." His smile warms a bit more and he relaxes into his chair. "I hope you don't mind eating like this...it's probably too relaxed for most."

Ana shrugs and relaxes back just a bit, taking up her fork. "I don't mind at all. I've been.. eating in my study the past few nights. In front of the lap top."

"I try to avoid that confounded thing as much as I can." Brock wrinkles his nose in distaste. "I put it in the kitchen pantry."

Ana's smile fades back into the tight line and she nods. "Yes... well.. it's amusing... sometimes. And faster than owls."

"I just..." He sighs softly and sets down his fork. "...those arguments...they bring out the worst in me. I try to refrain from commenting at all, if I can help it. Those people don't know me...not really."

She raises an eyebrow slightly at the sigh and then nods, more sincere, and eats a bit of her food before answering. "Yes... well... would you want them to? I mean.. they don't want to know us."

"No. They don't want to understand us, that's the problem. They assume they already know what we're like. But some of us..." He wipes his mouth on his napkin slowly. "...well, we don't fit their stereotype."

She blinks at that, and then looks down again, taking a sip of wine and nodding, but tensing too. Realising that if he very well may be getting to close and she knows - just like everything else - that this must be some sort of trick. "Right."

"I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way." He raises the glass to his lips and takes a long swallow, beginning to regret his words already.

She looks up, eyes and expression passive again, and shakes her head. "No. No of course not." Another small tight smile and she takes another bite.

"I'm rather opinionated, and it bothers some." He relaxes again when you don't try to argue with him about it. "I just think this was a horrible idea, that's all. It just gives the other students more freedom to make snide comments about us."

Ana nods, and then shrugs tightly. "I really.. I expect it from them. So.. It doesn't bother me."

"I wish I could say it doesn't, but it does. Just not in the way they think, though." He leans back in his chair and thinks about it for a moment. "On the other hand, it's not just them. Most of the people in our house don't know anything about me either. Perhaps I've been hasty...I just don't want to say anything that I'll regret again."

Ana looks at him curiously before taking another sip of wine, carefully considering what she's going to say. "What did.. what did you apologise for, anyway? I ... I didn't follow that too well."

"I can't remember all of it anymore. I just voiced my opinion about Stebbins' choice of photography and Thomas' choice in...boyfriends." Brock sets his glass down on the table carefully. "I need to learn to control my tongue better."

Ana worries her lip for a moment before she sets her face again and nods, stealing a curious look at you before turning back to her dinner. "Well... yes. Since the professors are watching, now. Do you think you're in the running for Head Boy, at all?"

"I'm fairly sure that I am." Brock smiles again, beginning to feel comfortable. "If nothing else, I'll have my own room."

Ana nods. "That would be nice...I suppose. Not having to deal with your dormmates... Pansy can be so...loud..sometimes." And she relaxes now a bit too - easy now that the conversation is on less controversial topics.

"I really don't know my dorm mates all that well." He shrugs slightly. "You're right, though. A room to myself will be ideal. I can listen to whatever music I like in there...muggle included."

Ana smiles at that - softly - and laughs quietly under her breath. "Yes.. that would be nice." Taking another sip of wine.

"Maybe...you'd come up some time and bring some of your music?" He attempts another smile, looking interested at the idea. "I'd love to hear what you have."

Ana's small smile widens just a slight bit, and she finishes her wine. "Yes... I could do that, I suppose...Some day.." Voice more tentative than before, because her mind is telling her not to agree and she - for some reason - ignos; choice of photography and Thomas' choice in...boyfriends." Brock sets his glass down on the table carefully. "I need to learn to control my tongue better."

"I'm fairly sure that I am." Brock smiles again, beginning to feel comfortable. "If nothing else, I'll have my own room."

"I really don't know my dorm mates all that well." He shrugs slightly. "You're right, though. A room to myself will be ideal. I can listen to whatever music I like in there...muggle included."

Ana smiles at that - softly - and laughs quietly under her breath. "Yes.. that would be nice." Taking another sip of wine.

"Maybe...you'd come up some time and bring some of your music?" He attempts another smile, looking interested at the idea. "I'd love to hear what you have."

"I'd just love it if you did..." Brock breaks off the sentence as a burning pain shoots up his arm. He looks up at you and holds his hand to his stomach as if ill. "Dear...I don't feel well. It just came over me suddenly. I think I should go lie down." He frowns in complete disappointment. "Let me walk you back to the floo."

Ana blinks, her smile fading again - wondering if this is the trick she was meant for - but she shrugs, as if it doesnt matter, and stands. "Alright."

"Please...let me make this up to you another day." Brock looks up at you sincerely, still clutching his arm to his stomach. "A stroll in the gardens, perhaps...or we could listen to some CD's."

Ana softens slightly and nods, seeing a look of pain cross your eyes for just a moment. Maybe he really is hurting... "I'll owl you.. or write you on the muggle box... it's really okay."

"Thank you, Dear...that means a lot to me." He walks you to the floo and kisses the back of your hand gently. "I'll talk to you very soon, then."

"Feel better, Brock." And she offers him a very tentative smile before stepping into the floo and directing herself home.