(no subject)

[luna_moonlight]

Who: Luna and Open
When: 21 Aug 2002
Where: Diagon Alley
What: Shopping
Rating: Low

It had been a long day at the office, but it was a good one overall. She'd gotten a lot done, and actually gotten caught up on her work before doing a few odd jobs and errands for her boss. He'd been unusually forward tonight, even inviting her out for drinks. Truthfully, he was a nice guy, but she couldn't exactly tell him about her...condition. How could she tell her boss (whom any other woman in her situation would have melted to in a second) that her thoughts and feelings were consumed by a certain angel with red hair.

She wondered for a moment if he wanted to shag her, then blushed brightly as she decided the answer was undoubtedly yes. Luna knew she was pretty, especially after being complimented so many times by him and other men in recent months. Still, she doubted she would let him. She was a virgin, and intended on keeping it that way until Ginny wanted to take her.

So, with a full head and a full wallet, Luna headed to a clothing shop to buy a new dress for the night. She wanted to look sexy, but not like a slag, so it was all about finding the balance. Hopefully whatever she picked wouldn't lead him on too much as to her intentions. But...

Merlin's Beard!, she thought to herself as the realization that she was taking the first step toward a relationship not only with a man, but with her boss and landlord. As the thought hit her in the middle of that dress shop, her jaw fell open slightly and she gasped. In her introvesion, Luna failed to notice someone in front of her. She felt the other body before she registered anything in her mind. Slowly, things fell into place.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that!" She said softly as she blushed.

Comments

[mandy_brocklehurst]

Mandy looked through the dresses on the rack. She wanted to go out for her birthday and was looking for a dress that would earn her a free drink or two. Examining the selection, she let out a gasp as a body tumbled into hers and the owner quickly apologised.
"It's OK, I promise!" She asserted as she turned to see who it was. Genuine surprise hit her when she recognised Luna's wide eyes and luminescent locks.

"Hey Luna. Long time no see." She could say that for everyone who'd gone to school with her. She hadn't kept in touch during her year away in Ipswich pretending that she was a regular muggle girl. But for Luna, one of those she'd shared a common room with, this was a much harder truth. Houses stick together after all. "How's it going?"

[luna_moonlight]

Luna smiled as she saw her former classmate. It was surprisingly easy to recall her name.

"Mandy? It's been so long! How have you been?"

An excited look crossed Luna's beautiful features as she looked at her former classmate and fellow Ravenclaw. This was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. How often had Luna gazed at Mandy over the years, wondering what was going through her head? Of course, she'd done that to everyone at least once, but still.

"How are things?" She asked again after a moment in spacey contemplation.

[mandy_brocklehurst]

"Things are going well." She said brightly. "I'm working as a Junior Healer at St. Mungo's now. What bout you, what are you up to?"

Mandy had often felt a small measure of jealousy for Luna in her final three years at Hogwarts. As someone who had fit in worse that she had, the fact that Luna had found a group of people to be so close to had made her envious and yearn for the same.

"I've decided that I need a new outfit." Her face was cheerful at the prospect.

[luna_moonlight]

"That's so good to hear!" She replied happily. She'd always suspected Mandy would do good things, but a healer, really? That was impressive. It was certainly more than Luna had ever wanted out of life for herself. She wondered for a moment how many lives Mandy had saved.

"I'm good! I work for my landlord, and I've got a nice little flat not far from here." She said as she grinned. "It's decent money, and he's a great guy. Actually," she blushed, "That's kind of why I'm here."

[mandy_brocklehurst]

Mandy looked around at the dress shop, and then at Luna. "Office function?" She asked. She wondered a moment if the hospital ever held nice functions for the benefactors or the staff. She'd have to look into that.

"It's probably been a long time since any of our set has been to or had reason for a fancy dress affair. It's nice, isn't it? That feeling that we can open up and enjoy life again." She stepped aside so that she wasn't blocking the dresses as much.

"What sort of outfit are you looking for?"

[luna_moonlight]

Luna dropped her gaze to the ground as she felt a soft blush grace her cheeks. "Not exactly..."

Trying to distract from that long enough for Mandy to get the message, she picked up a red dress off the rack and examined it closely. This was almost perfect, she thought. It had a low neckline, low enough to show off just the right amount of skin to keep him happy, and it would fit her nicely. She only hoped he would agree with her opinion of it.

"It is! I always feel so pretty when I can do this."

[mandy_brocklehurst]

Mandy gaped at the dress Luna picked off the rack. It was daring; way more so than she'd ever attempt, but it looked beautiful.

"Oh woooow..." She breathed. "Be careful wearing that dress, you're going to get arrested." Her voice was light with a hint of a giggle.

[luna_moonlight]

Luna couldn't help blushing softly as she smiled at Mandy. "You think so?" She asked curiously, "Do you think he'd like it?"

Was she actually doing this? wow. Did she also just ask an old friend if her boss would find her attractive in a dress clearly made for seduction? She couldn't help giggling when Mandy did, but tried to hide her excitement. This was going to be a good night, no matter how it went. Of course, she was dreading having to give him the big let down, or even come out of the closet.

"I bet we could find something great for you too."

[mandy_brocklehurst]

"He?" Mandy asked dumbstruck as she caught on. "Most certainly then." She assured her firmly.

"I'm not sure what I'm looking for... I don't wear a dress often and definitely not like anything found in here." She just wanted to put some real effort into looking pretty.

[luna_moonlight]

"Oh, you really think so?" She squeeled excitedly. "I really hope you're right!"

She smiled as she draped the dress over her left arm daintily, then turned to look at Mandy. "Maybe you'd like some help then? What's the occasion, if you don't mind me asking?"

[mandy_brocklehurst]

Mandy giggled; apparently Luna's excitement was infectious. "I think it'll be quite a hit." She affirmed nodding at the dress in Luna's hands.

She kept looking through the dresses and slowly reached for one that looked like June Cleaver met with Marilyn Monroe. "My birthday's Monday and I'm hoping that I can score a free drink or two for myself." She admitted sheepishly. The last time she'd done something outlandish and deliberately looking for attention, she was 15 and had put the streaks in her hair.

[luna_moonlight]

"Really?" She asked curiously, "I've never actually tried that."

Truthfully, she'd never been clubbing much, and certainly never gotten free drinks out of it.

"What about your boyfriend?" She asked curiously.

[mandy_brocklehurst]

"I haven't tried it either yet, which is why I'm so intent on finding the right dress." Mandy said with a smile.

"Boyfriend? Haven't got one." She said quicker than she'd intended to. Her encounter with Percy Weasley earlier in the week still played at the back of her mind as far as potential company went. She shook her head; she wanted see him having some fun, but figured that going out and potentially getting shitfaced would not be something that he would consider fun.

The dress was pretty, black with a modest sweetheart halter-neck. The fabric was patterned with soft pink polka dots and it landed just below her knees.

[luna_moonlight]

"Well, all I can say is 'good luck', then," Luna replied with a smile. "It sounds like fun."

Even if it was a bit cruel, in Luna's naïve mind. She'd never really thought to use her body to get what she wanted. It just didn't click with her. The thought of going out for drinks with another woman sent a shiver through her, though, and she shrugged it off momentarily as she looked at the dress.

"This will look amazing on you," she said sincerely, "I'd love to see what you look like in it if we go out for drinks sometime."

[mandy_brocklehurst]

Mandy nodded, holding the dress against her chest and twirling a moment, admiring the swing of the full skirt. "Thank you. I've never actually tried to flirt my way into free drinks, but I figured I should look nice for the part." She considered a moment. "Plus it's a special occasion. And you're right; we should go somewhere decent and have drinks sometime. We need to catch up."

She eyed up the dress in Luna's hand, willing the daring number to grant its new owner as much joy as this new dress already gave her. She simply loved it. "You have fun tonight. That dress is perfect."

[luna_moonlight]

"I'd love that," Luna exclaimed happily. She could certainly use a girls' night that didn't involve thinking about Ginny, after all. "I'll be out of town for a week after tonight, but anytime after that I'm free if you are."

She blushed brightly when Mandy said the dress was perfect, and was silent for a moment as she tried to think of a response. She spaced after a moment more, thinking of the trip to see her father back home the following week and what creatures they would meet. When she came back into herself, she decided it would be good for her to owl Mandy.

Writing her address on a piece of paper she conjured with her wand, she handed it to Mandy and smiled. "I'd love to hear from you sometime."

[mandy_brocklehurst]

Mandy took the scrap of paper and fished out her diary and pen to do the same. "Yes. Most definitely." She told her with a smile. "Have a great trip."

It felt nice seeing everyone again. Nice in a way that she hadn't felt in school where everyone defined one another by the crest on their robes first and who they were second. Between that and spending a year away from everything, very little preceded her when stumbling across her old school mates from time to time.