Whistle Whilst You Work (Dax

[FLORENCE AUGUSTA LONGBOTTOM]

The summer holidays were Flo's favourite time of year. Not just because she got to spend time with her parents in her favourite place but it was the longest holiday of the school year meaning she didn't have to worry about the cruel taunts that followed her about the hallways of Hogwarts. That wasn't to say she didn't still get those taunts of course since nearly everyone in the magical world passed through this place to get to Diagon Alley and there were more than enough of her school fellows passing through to give her cause to worry although nowhere near as much as when she was at school.

As was the case today. She had been helping her mother clear away various dishes from tables although unlike her mother she couldn't get away with using magic but that didn't matter so much...she liked being able to work and doing it the muggle way just proving how willing she was to get stuck into it. Even the group of girls sitting at one of the tables, loudly giggling and talking away could do nothing to deter her good mood right now...Not that they didn't try! Every time she went near them the whispers would start, little looks thrown in her direction and then the loud giggles that would follow her back as she walked away was all she needed to know what they were talking about. Her mother had absolutely no idea what was going on! Florence kept her smile firmly on her lips, not being able to hide behind the mane of hair like normal thanks to having it tied back.

It revealed a face many only caught a glimpse of at school. It was pretty, with wide eyes and with the genuine smile firmly on her lips brought about a change from the girl who couldn't bare to be looked at during the school year but how could she tell her parents about that? No. At home she was her proper self and she loved it.

Joking with her mom she reached over the bar to pick up her glass of water, taking a sip of it and turning on the stool she had perched on she looked over the sea of faces, ignoring the girls who were still glancing in her direction. It was really busy today! People were still coming through both sets of doors and despite not all of them stopping long enough to do more than say hello as they walked past it was still incredibly crowded. It was during this look over the people that she noticed someone coming down the stairs and promptly blushed as recognition blazed through her. It was unfortunate that her mom looked at her at the same time and glancing between the two teenagers was nudging her daughter from her seat. "Go and serve him!"

Florence didn't even have a chance to glare at the woman before she was been shooed off to the table Dax has sat at. "Um..." She pulled out a pad and quill from the apron she wore and looked down at him, fighting hard to rid the blush that tinged her cheeks pink. "Can I get you anything?"

[DAXTON ARCHERON MAZARYTH]

The mission impossible theme song was playing through Daxton's head as he made his way down the Leaky Cauldron's staircase. He was on a special mission that his sisters Maggie and Maddie had given to him. It was only a silly game, but his sisters loved to give him little missions to play out. They seemed to think that he was capable of anything and in believing that, Dax was trusted with all of the important tasks that crossed their six-year-old minds. Today was no different. His objectives for the day? Find a table, wait for their arrival, order strawberry ice cream with sprinkles, and wait for further instructions.

Finding a table was going to be tough though. The Leaky Cauldron was packed full of patrons going to and coming from Diagon Alley. Seeing all of the faces bobbing to and fro made Daxton groan. He didn't want to let the girls down, but he didn't see a single table or booth available. Dax scanned the crowd once more, hoping that he'd just missed an open spot by mistake. However, it would seem that he was down on his luck. Then, just when he was about to give up hope, a large group of teenagers pushed through the busy tables and he spotted an vacant booth.

Dax had to get to that table! Maddie and Maggie would be so disappointed if he failed his mission and that was something that he refused to let happen. Without hesitation, Dax wove his way through the crowd, all the while humming, dun, dun, da-da, dun, dun, da-dun, a determined grin on his handsome face. Once he had slipped into the seat, Dax allowed a smug smirk to replaced his grin. He had done it. He had completed the first part of his mission. The twins were going to be pleased with their big brother.

Now that he had a booth, all he had to do was wait. The girls would be arriving in less than fifteen minutes. So, while he waited, Dax was going to order himself a peppermint mocha. It had been quite a while and he was feeling parched. Might as well enjoy himself while he waited in the busy hum of the Leaky Cauldron.

Again, his gaze shifted around the busy room, searching hopefully for a waitress. But, the room was so crowded with bodies he couldn't really see where the waitress even was. He did however see a table full of attractive teenage girls nearby. Though they were pretty, Dax doubted that any of them even knew how to scoop ice cream, and he quickly lost interest in the table of gabbing girls. Instead, Daxton drummed his fingers on the tabletop and glanced down at the silver watch upon his wrist.

"Um...Can I get you anything?" A sweet, feminine voice asked, drew his dark gaze away from the watch and up to a pair of beautiful hazel eyes.

Dax was momentarily stunned by the beauty of her eyes. He felt that he had surely seen them somewhere, but he couldn't place where exactly. Then he took in the rest of her features. She had exquisite auburn hair that was pulled away from her softly rounded face. Beneath beautiful eyes, she had a petite nose and sensual full lips. From her appearance Dax could tell that she could't be more than sixteen. That meant that she was more than likely a student at Hogwarts, and that was probably where he had seen those gorgeous eyes before.

Dax realized that he was staring at her like some besotted fool. Clearing his throat he said, "That all depends sweetness. Can you get me a peppermint mocha?" He lifted a questioning brow and smirked up at her playfully.

[FLORENCE AUGUSTA LONGBOTTOM]

She found that by lowering her eyes and looking at him from beneath her lashes was a lot better than actually looking him full in the face, especially when her greeted her by calling her 'sweetness'. Then again what was he going to call her? She wasn't in the least surprised that he had no idea what her name was since many of her peers had no idea she existed half of the time anyway and why would someone like him remember her? Whilst it would have been a pleasant surprise for him to have known her name she figured it was a lot less embarrassing...

Sorta.

His request for peppermint mocha was an unusual one but not impossible since this was a magical establishment and she was sure they could whip something up quickly and easily, in fact she could probably make it although she had never done so before. Had she even heard of a peppermint mocha? She didn't think so...was it a muggle thing? But surely Dax was a pureblood? Why would he drink a muggle drink? Perhaps she might make a little extra and give it a try? There could be no harm in it and she could easily drink it whilst in the kitchens sorting out any other drinks orders she would inevitably gain walking back to the bar.

"Sure, no problem," She scribbled the order down on her pad, "I won't be long." Inclining her head slightly she quickly turned from him, now allowing the blush to tinge her cheeks once again. She had spoken more than a word to one of the sexiest boys in her year! It had to be a record! People didn't talk to her apart from the vile taunts she was subjected to at practically every given moment. In fact as she walked past the table of giggling girls one of them called her over and thanks to working today she was obligated to head over to the table.

"Come on beach ball we're dieing of thirst over here," The blonde looked at her friends with a grin that wasn't friendly at all, "So be a dear and bounce back to those kitchens and fetch us something."

With a flinch at the jibe -although it was nowhere near as cruel as usual- she wrote down their orders and hurried back to where she belonged. Back in the kitchens where she was away from the prying eyes of her mother, who had she seen what had happened would have lept to her daughter's defence but had gotten distracted by customers at the bar and from the boy she had just been stood by. She knew it was unfair of her but she couldn't help but blame him for the taunt that had been loud enough for him to hear...Those girls were sending him a very loud and clear message. One that clearly said that the popular girls of Hogwarts didn't take kindly to him talking to a lowly Hufflepuff girl like herself, especially one who didn't fit in with girls like them.

Fighting back tears and telling the house elf that came up to her to take the page from her pad so that they could do the orders that she wanted to fulfill the order of the mocha herself and began to gather the things she would need to do such a thing, only asking for help every now and then.