Dwindling Stress :open:

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

The night before, Bridgette was up all night making sure a student didn't drowned in their own vomit. She had to admit, she really loved her job to death, to be a healer at her old school, being able to see her old teachers and such. She had lost connections with most of her friends she had back then. Besides her best friend but that was on rare occasion that she sees her. They normally communicated through letter which wasn't all bad. It could always be worse, They could not be talking at all.

Bridgette sprung out of bed the next morning. It was her day off and she was going to make the best of it. After showering and drying her hair, She pulled on a some nylons, which on the back of her legs there looked like ribbons were going up them. She then pulled a dress over her head, It was a fairly conservative dress, It didn't show any cleavage and came up to her neck. The sleeves reached down just past her elbows and the skirt reached down to her mid-thigh. She decided to curl her hair a little like she normally did each day for work. That took about 15 minutes which to her wasn't very long. Once that was done she place a plain black headband on, a black waist belt. on her feet, she pulled on her black boots continuing to lace and buckle them. They only reached to just above her ankles but they kept her feet nice and warm. She stood up and grabbed her peacoat, scarf, hat, and purse then finally heading out the door.

She made her way through the castle, staircases are endless. She would get lost or confused while using them. Finally getting off one staircase, she walked down the hallway. She turned the corner to see a rather large group of first years. They seemed to be in a circular shape, she decided to check out what was going on. There was a fight going on between two girls, Apparently one girl confessed to a boy that the other girl liked and was going to confess to him as well. They both were petite, and Bridgette certainly didn't want to fix either of them up in the future. She walked right through the crowd of first years, more like they saw the adult and parted for her.

She felt like she was parting the sea and snickered softly to herself. She gave one stern look at the girls before they both immediately stopped fighting an disappeared in to the crowd probably to start fighting again in the near future. Bridgette probably should have done more to stop the fighting, possibly take away point from their house. They ran before she could really do anything which didn't really bother her. She felt bad if she had to take points away, she felt like it wasn't her right to do that.

Bridgette made her way through the different hallways, before finally making her way to the large door, before stepping outside, she pulled her cute hat over her head and wrapped her scarf around her neck before finally pulling her black peacoat on and buttoning up. She placed her hands in her peacoat pockets to feel her wallet in the left pocket. "Thank goodness I never take it out of my pocket... I would have forgotten it if I did." she was talked to herself, she normally did this when she walked to hogsmeade. Sure, she could have ridden her broom but she wanted to get exercise which is why she walked.

The walk wasn't as long as it should have felt. Perhaps it was because she was day dreaming the entire time about when she gets married, how she wants her wedding to be, girly things like that. She walked towards the Three Broomsticks, ready for the well deserved butterbeer she wanted. Walking down the streets brought back memories from when she was a student at Hogwarts... This instantly made her feel really old.

Bridgette frowned lightly before approaching the Three Broomsticks. She entered the pub and took a look around for a seat. She moved towards a booth next to the front window and took a seat. She ordered a butterbeer but it wasn't long before it arrived. She took a sip of the sweet smooth drink. It was warm and tasty just like she remembered from when she was younger. She placed the mug back on the table before she started to tap her fingers nervously on the table. Why was she nervous? she didn't have a clue.. It was like she was waiting for something to happen but didn't know what.

words: 810
Outfit: Wooties
Notes: open

[Iain Murray]

Iain had slept a little easier last night than his first night here. Oh, his first night had been particularly rotten - he hadn't slept for a second! Not last night, though. No, Iain guessed he might even have gotten four or five hours last night, that was good. Five hours was more than he usually got, being half an insomniac with his brother not there. To be honest, he felt a little silly, unable to sleep without Cailean there - but then what was to be expected? He had shared a bed with his twin ever since they were born and even when in Hogwarts they'd snuck out to end up in each other's dorms. That was just how close the boys had been - and now Iain was here, at Hogwarts, and Cailean worked for the Ministry in London. It felt like they were lightyears apart.
But either way, he'd slept a little better. Maybe things were going to work out without sleeping potions after all, Iain thought to himself, cheerfully. Plus he had the whole day ahead of him, that was also a comforting thought.

He'd gotten up early, assuming Poppy would've done the night shift and all that, but she surprised him by telling him to have the morning off and come back in the afternoon. Either madame Pomfrey was just brimming with energy, or he was going to check if she didn't have a pepper up addiction. (The idea of there being another medic around to help had not crossed his mind, perhaps because he hadn't seen Bridgette yet - she'd probably been catching up on sleep when he'd arrived.) Iain didn't mind having the morning off and as the day looked fine (no rain today!) he decided to walk back to Hogsmeade. He'd wandered around a little yesterday, but hadn't taken the time to just sit and enjoy the feeling of being back.
Now, he had all morning to do so.

As much as he had mixed feelings about being away from Cailean (he was going to have to floo him tonight or something), it felt strangely good to be back. It felt good to be back in Scotland to begin with. Sharing a flat with Cailean in London had been fun, but London was just not his city. It was busy and drowning and noisy. Now, of course, Iain was also noisy and busy, but he wasn't always, and he wasn't really. Sometimes, he just needed the hills that rolled along the borders of the highlands with mist creeping up over them - where he could choose to be either silent or the loudest thing around.
Although it wasn't rainy, it was chilly and a little foggy. Iain didn't mind fog so much (even though it could potentially get him as wet as the average shower), it cleared the fog in his mind and when he finally arrived in Hogsmeade (after taking two detours because he was being a little sentimental - he'd run through these fields and patches of trees with Cailean so often), he felt all the better for it.
Now - where to start?

His eye fell on the Three Broomsticks almost immediately. Sure, fog wasn't quite rain, but Iain was skinny and easily chilled. Plus he hadn't had his morning coffee yet! Coffee was exactly what he needed right now. Strong, black coffee with obscene amounts of sugar.
Perhaps walking through Hogwarts and Hogsmeade made Bridgette feel old, but to Iain, walking back into his past and leaving the smoggy streets of London behind him brought a spring back in his step. Not paying attention to anything or anyone but the bartender, he walked through the door, strode over to the bar, and smiled jovially at the man. "Coffee, please," he asked, Scottish brogue falling back to its default setting with the surroundings. "Oh - and lots of sugar." He felt like a child in a candy shop. It felt so good to be back.

(Oh, and he was going to have to remember to pop by Honeydukes later!)

As the bartender tended to his customer's coffee (a little less cheerfully awake than Iain was), said customer turned around, leaning against the bar with his elbows resting on it. He looked as though he owned the place. To be honest - he felt as though he did. He felt amazing. Today was a good day.
And wait - didn't he know that face?

"Bridgette?!"

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

The girl with the nervous habits continued to tap her fingers. Trying to keep her mind off things, mainly trying to get the image of a student vomiting everywhere. The thought drove her to shake her head to remove the thought from her mind. Her fingers continued to tap as her mind wondered to how Madam Pomfrey was doing today. She had heard there was another healer but of course she hadn't met them yet. She was rather surprised at the fact that She didn't work this morning, Normally she worked mornings, but she could only assume that since she worked a night shift, Madame Pomfrey felt bad for taking Bridgette off her normal schedule and gave her the day off... Or maybe it was because Madame Pomfrey was showing the other healer around... who knows exactly.

Bridgette looked around the pub, examine things, just trying to think of things to think about. There was a boy in the corner with blue hair... Why would he want to dye his hair blue? that was the point of ruining ones normal hair color? It just didn't add up to her but maybe that was because she never thought of that.

out of the blue, Someone called her name... Of course, she ignored it at first. There must be another girl names Bridgette in this pub, It was a common name, well at least in America it was, She couldn't remember the last time she had met someone here with the same first name as her.

Panic started to take over as she thought of how someone followed her to get her alone to murder her! She slowly started to hyperventilate before she realized, she hadn't done anything wrong which calmed her down quite a bit but it didn't stop her from freaking out. She finally decided to look around.

Bridgette slowly turned her head, nervously and trying her best not to look like an idiot. Her eyes landed on a familiar face but she couldn't put her finger one it... She thought and thought before finally figuring it out. "Iain is that you?" she asked.

Bridgette had gone to school with him of course, she didn't know anything about him except the fact he yelled at her bullies maybe once or twice and the rumors of his close relationship with his brother... a small smile grew on her face as she waved him over to come sit with her. It was always good to catch up with an old acquaintance every once in a while. Bridgette didn't have many close friends but perhaps she could get closer to this old acquaintance and maybe make a new friend!

She brought the yummy butter-beer up to her mouth as she took a sip. the warm liquid slid down her through almost sending tingles down with it. do to cause and affect, the tingles send shivers down her back which made her twitch ever so slightly. As she placed the mug back on the table and licked her lips, she took the napkin she had been given and wiped off any foam that possibly may have stuck to her upper lip. Certainly didn't want to make a fool of herself just yet.

[Iain Murray]

Iain hadn't been in touch with anyone from school since he'd left Hogwarts. Well, apart from Cailean, obviously. He'd just been studying and making new part-time friends and acquaintances, too fast for life to stop and wait, always moving.
It was a pleasant surprise to see a familiar face his age and a smile found away to his face. Oh, today was definitely a good day, for sure.

Walking over as Bridgette waved, he grinned wider. "Are you okay, you looked a little nervous there," he gently teased. "I don't bite, you know? Not dangerous." He plonked down into a chair opposite her, folded his hands, unfolded them again, drummed on the table and sat back, trying to find a comfortable position. What was it with being tall and then pretty much every 'one size fits most' chair being just.. uncomfortable. Not even a lot, just a little, just enough to jar his back or make him bump his knee into the table and things,
"What are the odds of this then?" he asked, curious and cocking his head. (And very much ignoring the uncomfortable chair.) "What brings you here? Do you live here?"
He'd never been exceptionally close with her. Iain had never been exceptionally close with anyone, really (he'd had Cailean, after all) and much less with girls. They'd ask him out on occasion and he'd oblige, but he always lost interest quickly. He wasn't sure why, nor had it bothered him too much. But he knew Bridgette. She was a nice girl, a bit too nice, needed to stick up for herself a little. But she seemed to be doing alright. He'd never doubted she would be, to be honest. Either way, despite never having been that close with her, it was deceptively easy to fall into conversation. They had a common background of sorts, after all. If their conversation fell silent, they could always go for the 'do you remember'-scenic-route.

The bartender brought Iain's coffee and Iain smiled and paid him, tipping him handsomely just because he was in a good mood. That was Iain for you - changable as the wind.
Just as the bartender was about to turn away, Iain made him pause and turned to Bridgette. "Can I order you another one of those? Or, uhm, anything?"

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

Bridgette laughed softly as he teased her. "I highly doubt you bite, I'm just a naturally nervous person, well lately anyways." there wasn't an exact answer to why she had become so nervous in the past few days.

When he asked what brought her here she laughed lightly, "Well, I'm a healer at Hogwarts, of course. You know how I basically lived there during our times at that school. " she smiled lightly before finishing her butterbeer. Bridgette wasn't particularly popular during the years at Hogwarts, but that's what she liked. She barely liked boys at that time, too much on her mind at the time... but now, she regrets it. She felt like she's wasted her life up to this point. "What about you? What brings you to the neighborhood?" she was curious. Out of all the times she has come to this pub on a weekend, not once as she ever ran into someone she had gone to school with so this was quite an odd day...

Her nervous habit stopped dead in their tracks as he offered to order her another one. Her face froze for a split moment before she smiled. "Sure I'll have another butterbeer, If that's alright" she smiled lightly. He was just doing a friendly gesture, she refused to think of anything more of it. "how long have you been around here? I've been here for a four or five months now, It hasn't changed much, minus the fact that you have the authority now" she laughed lightly at her lame attempt at a joke.

It had been a few minutes since her nervous habit had started but it didn't seem like it was going to start up again, which wasn't a bad thing. Her had reached up to brush her hair out of her face. She hadn't realized how tall Iain had gotten, Of course, every one was tall to her back then. but during her sixth year she had stopped growing. 5'5 was her max height and will always will be. She wasn't excepted to grow any taller but it wasn't like she wanted to. "No offence, but I cant say that remember you being so...tall" she examined his upper body, by examining his upper half she could tell he had to be at least six foot. "It makes me feel short" she laughed lightly.

[Iain Murray]

Iain was about to come up with some witty remark about him being bitey or something about being nervous - but then Bridgette said how she'd ended up at Hogwarts and why she was here and he let out a high-pitched, delightly surprised 'hah!'. Although he didn't elaborate, he looked highly amused, sparkling eyes and a roguish grin around his lips.
"What brings me here?" he echoed, laughing a little - and Bridgette would be able to see that he was trying to hold back. Deep inside his chest an insatiable amount of hysterical laughter was brewing and Iain did rather want to keep that at bay. It would be no good if his new colleague thought he had gone totally deranged after he'd graduated. But it was so funny, it was hysterical. "How about- Oh, you should guess - just guess!"

He signalled to the bartender to get her another butterbeer in the mean time, plonking four cubes of sugar in his coffee and stirring while he tried not to burst into giggles. If this wasn't a joke, it was one hell of an elaborate twist of fate.
"I arrived- I arrived the day before yesterday, I eh-" Iain sighed and ran a hand through his hair, trying to just calm down. It was just too much in one go. Here he was, he'd slept rotten the first night when he'd just arrived because he'd felt alone and knew no one (not really) - and now he was going to be working with a former classmate! This was the best news Iain had heard all morning.
"I accepted a job, right?" he started, his intonation sounded like the beginning of a joke. 'An Irishman, a Scotsman, and a Welshman walk into a bar, right?' That sort of thing. But it wasn't a joke. "I accepted a job at Hogwarts-" tapping his fingers on the table top, Iain took another mouthfull of coffee so he could pause for dramatic effect "-to help out in the Hospital Wing." He laughed again, brightly and briefly, like a flash of lightning. "Is that a coincidence or what?!"

Grinning at Bridgette, he added: "Seems you have the authority then, hm? You'd be my senior." For a moment, he looked painfully serious, until his mask broke and he giggled. "My senior, even though you're a midget height-wise," he teased good-naturedly.
Nature had been 'kind' to Iain and his brother, granting them height rather than muscle tones. Not that they looked as bad as they had been when they were teenagers (all willowy freckly being), but there were moments in the mornings that Iain just looked in the mirror and thought he could give the grim reaper a run for his money.
"Well, yeah, Cailean and I had the unfortunate luck of getting our growth spurts a little late." He shrugged a little, then grinned. "Cailean ended up just a little taller than me. Of course." Iain rolled his eyes dramatically and shrugged again. "At least you can sit in the cinema with your legs outstretched, nothing to complain about, right?" Smiling still, he reached for his coffee again.

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

When Iain suggested her to guess. There were many reason why he could have come to this place... Her blue eyes were drawn to the ceiling as her lips moved to one side to begin her thought process. "Well, You could be opening a shop to sell what ever you can..." she said but shook her head indicating that couldn't be it. "perhaps you're on the run from the Muggle government and decided to hid out here so hopefully the trail goes cold and they soon stop looking for you... but then you would be put on the 'Most Wanted' list and the minute you go back in to the Muggle world you're put in jail... But I'm sure if the Muggles were too close to your trail for it to suddenly get cold, the Ministry of Magic would hunt you down and basically give you to the Muggles so the secret of magic is kept a secret" she explained before laughing. It was absurd to think that. "Honestly, I think you missed Hogwarts that much you decided to come here" she shrugged lightly before smiled at him.

Bridgette's smile grew into a grin. "That is quite a coincidence! I mean, I heard there was going to be another healer but I never expected it to be a former classmate! none the less you. I figured I wouldn't see anyone from around my years of Hogwarts ever again... This is just kinda weird." she laughed lightly. This is the most she's ever actually talked to someone other than a sick student or Madame Pomfrey. She kinda like it. " How have the last few nights been?" she asked, it was only polite, he had just gotten here. She figured it must be hard. From what she remembered well heard, That him and his brother were so close they actually slept together.. which was weird to her.. but she had to admit to herself, sometimes she even wished she had someone sleeping next to her. Sleeping alone was something she didn't like at all.

Bridgette gave him a stern look before smiling a little. Indicating she was just going to ignore that midget comment. "I'm 5'5, That is average height for a woman. It would be weird if I was 5'10." she said "I enjoy being short for your information!" she added proudly.

Bridgette nodded, understanding what he was trying to say. "True, I normally have leg room anywhere I sit... I do enjoy that. but, anyways. how have you been lately? I think the last time we actually talked was like fifth year... and what about your brother, how's he doing?" she was curious about him. She was trying to make a new friend, of course, she forced herself out of her shell this time, she'll probably retreat back to it, if this become a friendship.

[Iain Murray]

He did enjoy the ideas she came up with, to be honest. Then again, was it a bad sign that she went from him opening a shop to being on the Ministry's wanted list? Surely he couldn't be that bad? Iain had been a bit of a trouble maker, but mostly only caused himself (and by extension his brother) problems, hardly ever other people. Most of Iain's schemes had ended up hurting himself.
"Oy, I know I was trouble, but never that bad!" he laughed as he finished his coffee. Oh, coffee. Coffee was good, excellent.
"Interesting ideas, though, but nope."

His smile moved to match Bridgette's and he chuckled again, toying with his empty cup. "Best coincidence ever, I'd say." Iain was certainly very glad to find that she was as pleasantly surprised as he was. Only now that he could see her enthusiasm, he realised that deep down he'd sort of feared the other end of the emotional spectrum in her reaction. "No, me neither. I haven't seen anyone from school in ages. Not since I graduated," he agreed, nodding and smiling a bit. "Don't know why, it sort of just didn't happen, you know?"
Iain pulled a bit of a face when she asked how the past few nights had been. "Oh, fine," he half-lied, because he'd definitely hardly slept (which was the reason why he was signalling the bartender for another coffee). "Definitely weird. Being here, but not sleeping in a dorm, you know?" The day had started so well and then had gotten better, he wasn't in the mood to spoil it now, not at all. "I can get used to it, though, it's fine. I just need a rug." He paused a moment, then added: "Cold floor, tiles, feet, you know."

He laughed a little when she gave him the stern look. That was definitely not going to work on him. Not at all. Well, maybe if there was a student on the operating table, half in tatters or something, but it was not going to influence him now.
"And I enjoy being tall - I can reach things high up," he told her with a chuckle. "Perfect team, then, you and me. You can pick up low stuff, and I can take care of the tall things." How Iain envisioned such a thing in a world where 'accio' could get you about everything no matter at what height, I have no clue.
Bridgette's questions made Iain shrug a little. Part of him would really rather focus on the here and now, but they were understandable and logical questions and she was trying to be nice. He couldn't ignore nice. "Me? Fine, just fine, really." Iain nodded. "Aye, and eh, Cailean got himself a girlfriend and a flat in London and a job and everything, so that's good." He nodded again, as though confirming it to himself. "And I'm home here, never better."
Resting his elbow on the table, chin in his hand, he turned the tables. "And how are you, then? How did you end up here? Why did you go into medicine in the first place?" He sounded genuinely interested and, to be fair, he was, actually. Iain wondered if Bridgette had been as good to talk to back when they'd still been in school - that would've been a missed opportunity!

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

"the only person I still talk to is Jen, but that's only through letter, I haven't actually seen her since I left Hogwarts." she said. It was actually really sad to think about it, She hasn't seen anyone she basically grew up with since her years ended. She didn't have any siblings to talk to about magic, only her grandmother... well late grandmother. Her grandmother had passed away a few years ago (bless her soul), it left Bridgette all alone on the holidays... It wasn't a real bad thing, she had grown accustom to it by now.

Bridgette nodded, It was really weird to be sleeping again at Hogwarts but not in a dorm. It was almost lonely to be honest. She had felt that way at first, but no longer feels that way. The quietness her room brings lets her fall asleep faster then she ever did while sleeping in the dorm. most of the time she'd wake up refreshed, that was always a good thing when one is a healer. "The floors have always been cold." she pointed out nicely.

"Perfect team indeed. After all I am closer to the ground." she laughed softly at the fact the two were talking about height difference. It'd be rather weird if She was the tall one and he was the short one. Actually, it wouldn't be right at all. In her mind, Bridgette always thought that men should be taller. Women were made to be short most of the time. When one was tall it just didn't feel correct. Like something had gone horribly wrong with the genetics in their body. the same goes for when a man is rather short.

"That's good to hear. It'd be bad if you were sick and outside like this." she laughed lightly at the health joke she made. Of course he wouldn't be outside if he was sick. "oh~ Cailean got a girlfriend? that's too bad... I always thought he was cute" she joked playfully, Bridgette remembered how Cailean and Iain were identical twins so it was obvious that she was teasing Iain on purpose. which only amused her more. "I'm good, before coming back to Hogwarts, I worked at a Muggle hospital... lets just say that wasn't the healthiest place to work.. well mentally for a girl anyways." she paused for a moment as she thought about her old perverted boss before shaking her head to dismiss the thought. "Well, If you don't remember, I spent most of my time helping out in the hospital wing, not only that but after I moved back to the United Kingdom to live with my grandmother, She was a nurse at a local school which peaked my interest in helping the sick" she explained as carefully as she could without being overbearing. A shrug took over her shoulders before she smiled slightly. " I just love helping people I guess, but what about you? I never imagined you coming to this type of job."

[Iain Murray]

Jen, Jen.. Iain felt just a little embarrassed that the name didn't really ring a bell. Or, well, it rang a bell, but he couldn't come up with a face or a voice. Was he that forgetful now? He nodded, though. It seemed the right thing to do. "Ah, I see.." Iain was sure he'd remember when he saw her or a picture of her or something. It really startled him how little he knew about Bridgette, though, as he found himself wondering if she had no siblings or parents or.. Then again, she'd always been a little reserved and he had been always, well, busy for lack of a better word. It was a well-known fact that Iain could not sit still. (Of course it wasn't really a fact, as it wasn't true, but it was what people appeared to believe and he didn't mind so much.)

"It's sort of nice, having the space to yourself," Iain mused. "But it just doesn't have that.. feeling, you know?" He shrugged, struggled for words a little. "Just like it's no fun complaining about the floor when there's no one to listen." And Goodness knew that Iain had half turned around in his room once or twice, while talking to himself, to add an automatic 'don't you think so, Cailean?' - but Cailean, of course, wasn't there.
Iain had never given the male-female height ratio a thought, to be honest. If he were to take the time to do so, he would probably conclude that, yes, usually the male was taller. But then why would he bother himself with useless trivia like that? He certainly didn't expect himself to find a girlfriend, not for a solid relationship like Cailean's, anyway. Cailean's girlfriend (Amanda, her name was) had wanted to move in and buy furniture together and get pets and go on walks on Sundays and asked Cailean not to go out to the pub in the evenings without letting her know and all those things.. Well, Cailean liked such structure, and Iain found it utterly suffocating.

"Hah, oh, no, I'm most certainly not ill," he confirmed. It was sweet of Bridgette to joke, lightening the mood - but then again Iain was a man of extremes and I can think of a lot of circumstances for him to go out even if he was ill. No matter now, though. He was okay now. And if there was one thing that Iain was absolutely not, it was shy, so he grinned widely at Bridgette's remark about Cailean's girlfriend and chuckled. "Good thing you get a double shot at it with us then, huh?" he quipped back, thanking the bartender for bringing over his second coffee for the day, again adding copious amounts of sugar.
When she started telling him about life between graduating and now he frowned a bit. "A muggle hospital?" he echoed, wondering what could possibly have possessed her to go and work there. There had been ample places at St. Mungo's when he'd been applying - they calculated Hogwarts graduations into their anticipated staff accounts. His moment of surprise and confusion was soon forgotten, though. "Oh, and if I remember." He chuckled. "I was in the hospital wing about once a week. No, no, I hadn't forgotten."
Sipping his coffee, he shifted in his seat to a (hopefully) more comfortable position. "Me? Oh, it just feels useful." He took a deep breath and shrugged. "I was on the Mungo's maternity ward for a bit, but.." He shook his head. "Not my kind of thing." Oh, delivering babies was amazing. Until one of them died. "So I transferred to immediate trauma and intensive care, which was.. exciting." Still too many deaths, though. He had liked the excitement and the challenge it offered, but all too often they had been too slow in their diagnoses etcetera, and that was not something Iain could cope with. "I wasn't really in the mood to go specialising in some horrid disease where you have to tell people bad news half the time, so I applied here. Working with kids, you can bet your life on it that they'll come up with challenging mishaps often enough, but the chance of death is pretty minimal." He smiled lopsidedly and shrugged. "Sounded like the perfect job."

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

Bridgette nodded in agreement. She too has enough having a room all to herself at Hogwarts. It was a little weird at first but of course she got used to it soon. It was her guilty pleasure, "What I really love is the fact that when I don't have a shift, I can just stay in bed all nice an warm and be all cozy and I don't have to worry about a thing!" she stated happily and smiled, just thinking about it gave her a warm cozy feeling on the inside.

Alls she could do was laugh at his joke about how she got a double shot at them. It was true though, if she really wanted a relationship, that would be true but at this moment in time, that wasn't what she particularly wanted. She's generally wasn't good with relationships at all to begin with. The moment she starts to feel something more then just like, she tries to end it or starts pulling away. Damn her defense mechanism against the opposite gender.

"yes, a Muggle hospital, reasons for that were at the time I was trying to live as a Muggle, you know... for experience, you cant hate on it until you've at least tried it." she tried to explain herself. It wasn't all bad, working at a Muggle hospital but that of course only lasted ever so long before she stuck up for herself and left that horrible place. She started to nibble on her bottom lip for a moment before dismissing that memory and bring up the one that she had actually ran into Iain while she was helping in the hospital wing. "Yeah... you were in so often, you could have had your very own bed." teasing him was sure getting fun.

Bridgette nodded her head, understanding how someone could be uncomfortable delivering babies or doing intensive care. She, herself would never do that, She's to way to concerned with doing something wrong. "Better then what I did, I was a receptionist at the Muggle hospital... Not very exciting at all" she spoke before shrugging, she wasn't really complaining but it was a boring job at times that she could go on and on about. She went back to tapping her fingers lightly on the table. "I prefer working here by far. I love helping the kids, but Madam Pomfrey constantly tells me I'm too nurturing towards them sometimes. It isn't like I can help it though!" she laughed lightly. Honestly, she had no idea what Madam Pomfrey was talking about... How can someone be TOO nurturing? that wasn't possible... was it? Certainly didn't seem like it to her anyways.

Finally, after waiting for what felt like forever her butterbeer arrived. It had taken forever to arrive, of course. Bridgette didn't say anything about it, she was much too kind and forgive to do so. She pulled the Butterbeer up to her lips to take a drink. Still trying to get over the fact of how tasty they still were to her.

[Iain Murray]

Oh, sleeping in - that was a possibility he hadn't considered! "Now you mention it, that does make matters a lot more appealing," he admitted, laughing softly to himself. "A bed and a book - can't say no to that." Cailean had been the bookworm of the two of them, but Iain did enjoy reading. Just not very big and difficult books, just short and amusing stuff to pass his time. (In fact, don't tell him I told you, but he's read a fair amount of chick flicks.) "The only thing missing would be breakfast in bed," Iain added, laughing at the notion. Cailean and him had often had breakfasts in bed. Or, rather, breakfast in one bed and then having a lie-in and sleeping in the other, because breadcrumbs in your pyjamas was just no fun.

"Oh, I'm not saying I hate it," Iain said, a little defensive. "It was just a bit of an unorthodox choice, so I wondered." He smiled and sipped his coffee, glancing through the window at the world outside. Spring was coming, days were lengthening. Definitely good. It would be summer before they knew it.
Iain took her teasing easily. He liked having playful conversations like that. It was so much easier to joke about things than it was to really tackle them and face them. It created a happy distance between him and the conversation and deep down he knew it wasn't particularly brave of him, but it was so easy and he couldn't just unlearn it like that - he'd been doing it for years. "That would've been good - my own bed with a plaque above it saying 'propert of Iain Murray,'" he laughed. "Poppy would've had my head if I'd suggested it."

Admittedly, Iain was a little surprised to find that she'd only been a receptionist. Muggle hospital or not, Bridgette was capable of much more than just being a receptionist. "No, I can imagine this job's more fun, then," he agreed, nodding and then chuckled at her remarks about being too nurturing. "You always were too nice, Bridgette - these are kids trying to become adults. Not going to work if you keep coddling them," he commented in a light tone. "Then again, I suppose coddling is preferable to being mean!"
Iain glanced at the clock over the bar. He wouldn't have to start until after lunch, at one in the afternoon, so he had a few hours yet. Good, because he was enjoying this chat. Again, he found himself wondering why he'd never bothered to actually talk to Bridgette back in school.
"So have you been working here long or are you as much of a greenhorn as I am?"

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

Bridgette nodded happily when Iain comment on how the only thing that was missing was breakfast in bed. Personally, Bridgette doesn't remember that last time she had breakfast in bed. She concluded that she's never had breakfast in bed before. "I cant really comment on the breakfast in bed part, I've never actually had breakfast in bed before." she shrugged lightly. The thought sounded rather nice but she'd probably feel awkward doing it.

Bridgette laughed as she imagined Iain getting his own bed as well as plaque. The thought of it amused her lightly. Back then, she could have seen that happening, he basically lived there and when he didn't, he wasn't particularly sleeping in his own bed. Bridgette didn't judge, some people just cant stand sleeping alone, such as herself.

Bridgette was a little appalled when he implied she coddled them too much... that is until she realized he was telling the truth... She DID coddle them too much for their own good. Bridgette couldn't help it! It was just how she was, she was too nice for her own good sometimes. "I don't coddle them that much... only the first years, you know, the ones that really home sick... I cant help it! it's my motherly instincts kicking it!" she laughed lightly. She felt that he his comment wasn't suppose to offend her, she always good criticism well after she tried to see it from their point of view. "I could never be mean! I'm really sure I'd explode if I did." she exclaimed lightly.

Bridgette's eyes glazed at her butterbeer for a moment, thinking of how long she had been working there."Technically, I've been around here for about five or four months... I've only really worked there for about three. do to some complications." she explained as her eyes moved from her mug to his face. "transfers from the muggle world can get like that sometimes. " she added. Her normally happy looking face seemed to suddenly be consumed by distress. Her eyes stared out the window to her right. Just the thought of her old job made her cringe slightly. How could anyone want to sexually harass another? it just seemed barbaric.

Her eye's were drawn back to him."When is your first shift? I believe my next one is later tonight. I believe anyways, I'll probably go by later and double check. you can never be too careful." she smiled lightly. "It'll be fun working with someone more around my age..." she added as her a finger lined the rim of her mug.

[Iain Murray]

"You have never had breakfast in bed?" Iain's eyes glinted a little and he grinned. "We'll have to arrange that sometime soon, then! Can't have you going through life without knowing what sleeping with crumbs in you sheets is like," he giggled. "Cailean and I even had a bed-picknick-lunch at some point - don't understand why people won't just buy a bed instead of a dining room table." That memorable picknick had occured when Iain had fractured both legs after a bet that he wouldn't be able to climb the goal posts on the Quidditch pitch. He'd gotten pretty high, too - over fifteen feet. Too bad that he'd lost his grip at that point, he'd gone down legs first. The fall had left him bedridden for two weeks of intensive healing and Cailean had surprised him with a bed picknick somewhere halfway through the process to stop him from sulking.

Iain hadn't meant his remark about coddling to be offensive and he looked a little guilty as he read the initial reaction off her face. "No, yes, well-" He smiled a little and shrugged. "It isn't that bad, I suppose, as long as the students don't mind?" He knew he'd never liked it - and he still didn't.
Then he smiled, though. "Motherly instincts? Plans, have we?" he gently teased - he realised that he hadn't asked her if she was single or not. Maybe she had a steady relationship by now? He didn't, but that didn't mean his old classmate didn't either. Admittedly, although Iain thought children were fun, he didn't really expect to ever be a father - and he was pretty sure even when he did become a dad at some point that he'd be pretty rubbish anyway.
The idea of Bridgette being mean sounded so absurd that it made him chuckle. "You could never be mean, you're too nice. You should try being a little mean, just so people don't walk over you," Iain advised her matter-of-factly and nodded. Again, it wasn't meant as criticism, but it was a little blunt. Then again, that was Iain. He probably hadn't even realised he'd been rude; he meant well.
Iain nodded a little as Bridgette explained the difficulties of transferring from the muggle world to the wizarding world. Or well, she didn't really explain in detail, but Iain didn't need much more to understand. "Oh, paperwork - don't get me started." He pulled a bit of a face and pretended to shrug. "Cailean takes care of such things for me," he muttered, a little confessional. He knew he ought to be able to take care of such things himself, but he just messed up and it took ages.. Plus he sort of liked being dependent on Cailean a bit, if only because his brother always took too little credit and Iain liked boosting his confidence.
There was a slight shift in mood. Iain had nearly missed it, as subconscious and brief it was, but there was a flash in Bridgette's eyes. Had he said something again? Had he been rude? Iain smiled at his former classmate a little apologetically, but did not ask. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know - and his colleague didn't seem keen to tell.

Iain was happy to go back to the world of superficial conversation. It wasn't that he didn't care - quite the opposite even, because he generally cared too much - but they were still testing the water and he didn't want to tackle something he wasn't supposed to. No, maybe later, when they were better acquainted again. They'd never been particularly close before and while he intended to change that now, it would take time. You couldn't force trust or friendship.
"Uhm, this afternoon and then until midnight or so, I think? Poppy said I wouldn't be working on my own just get." He half-grinned. "Perhaps she doesn't trust me, huh?" He nodded a little when she said she'd be working later that day. He guessed they'd be working together sooner rather than later - and like Bridgette, Iain was looking forward to it. "Oh, definitely. I've had it with stuffy surgeons," Iain joked.

[Bridgette C. Hamett]

Bridgette lifted her hand and shook it at him "oh no, no, no need for me to experience it. The first time I want to have breakfast in bed with when someone I love is there to share it with me." she said nervously before moved her hand back to the table. Once she made breakfast for her grandmother, for Mothering Sunday. The thought of her grandmother saddened her to which she shook her head dismissing the thought for now.

Bridgette laughed softly as he seemed to scramble together what he was trying to say. " Of course I don't coddle the ones that don't like it. Only the ones that seem like they really need it. The ones that claim their sick when anyone can clearly see that they are just home sick. I coddle those students, It seems to help them get over being homesick" she explained. Bridgette did like coddling them, It was just how she was as a person. She was a coddler.

She shot him a look that clearly read 'really' before giggling softly. "yes, motherly instincts... Every woman has them... well the ones with emotion have them. No, I don't have any plans. I'm not even in a relationship, why would I plan for far ahead into the unpredictable future?" she explained simply. Although, she did admit to herself she did want children at some point in her life time. She had always imagined her being an excellent mother which is why she was always so motherly towards the homesick students. For unknown reason, she was curious to know if he was in some type of commitment but decided not to ask. Due to the fact it could possibly be awkward.

In her heart, she knew he was right. She should be mean sometimes, but she just couldn't help it! it was not like her. It wasn't in her nature, as much as she wants to stand up for herself she couldn't no matter how hard she tried it never worked out. She'd say some snippy comment towards someone but than apologize right afterwords

Bridgette smiled enough to show her white teeth as she looked down at her drink for a moment before looking up at him. It was true, Bridgette had always thought Iain was cute, even back when they were being schooled in Hogwarts. It wasn't anything big, just a simple crush that died down after everyone seemed to go their separate ways.

Bridgette laughed lightly. that's probably exactly how Poppy felt, But it seemed if she was in-fact working tonight, She'd be working with Iain, which wasn't a bad thing. She enjoyed his company here and now. "It could be worse, you could have not been hired, and if you hadn't been hired, this catching up or getting to know each other better probably would have never even happened." she shrugged lightly before biting her lip a little.

Suddenly, a splash of something hit her. It started at her head, and made it's way down to her shoulders and chest... From the smell of it, it was firewhiskey. Bridgette looked towards the waitress standing next to her, from the look on that girl's face, she wasn't exactly sorry about spilling firewhiskey on Bridgette. If Bridgette had a backbone, that waitress would loose her job so fast but not only that Bridgette would get her revenge.

It wasn't until she noticed the waitress's eyes continuously glancing at Iain, and if people watching hadn't taught her anything, Bridgette could only assume this waitress was interested in Iain and threatened by Bridgette's growing closeness with him. "I know you probably meant to do that, to show your dominance, to try to impress my friend over here" she gestured to Iain before folding her hands on the table. "But, what I do not understand as to why you would need to show dominance over me with that baby bump you have going there and there is simply no possible way for you to blame this on a sudden surge of emotion because you don't look that far along and raging hormones such as that normally don't start slipping in public until about the second or third trimester. " Bridgette has always been able to tell when a woman was pregnant, even in the first trimester. It was a gift as her grandmother would say.
Bridgette stared closely at the waitress. Sure, Bridgette lacked a backbone but she had no problem with telling the truth however mean it was because it was the truth.