Catching Up

[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta hadn't been out for anything not work related in quite a bit of time. It was nice, she thought, to have sent out a letter and actually take a day to relax. She had of course scheduled other things around meeting an old friend, but those were secondary. Starting her morning out getting a very much needed hair trim and facial, by the time Mel was supposed to meet Jaime she felt relaxed.

The blonde took a seat at the small cafe in the French city of Nice where she'd agreed to meet Jaime, and ordered a latte with extra whip. Now a business woman, she kept herself open in case of emergencies, pager at the ready - and only secluding herself to magic areas when necessary. For that reason the muggle seating area was best, after all what if she suddenly needed to be at work? All that was left was to wait for the puppy-like boy that Mel had been so close to in school.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie had already spent most of his break trying out for different french regional teams, but he’d just tried out for the national team, he was waiting to hear back from places, knowing it would only be a matter of time before he did. However, today, he was taking time out from all of that to spend time with Mel. It had been a little nit of time since he’d last seen her. The fact he’d been a year below her, had meant that their lives had split in the last year but he was very excited to see her. As he walked through the warm sunny streets of Nice, he spotted her immediately in the cafe. He called out to her with an excited wave before bounding happily over. ”Mel!” he exclaimed again when he was close enough. She didn’t appear to have changed much, she hadn’t really changed in the last year really, but he smiled at her. Jamie leaned in to greet her in the proper french fashion and ordered an espresso before taking a seat with her. ”You look good, how’ve you been?”​

 

[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta didn't know what she thought over a year would bring, but it definitely wasn't a taller Jaime who looked more grown up than ever. The blonde was surprised to say the least, and did not hide the fact very well. She leaned in and gave hesitant kisses on each of his cheeks and stepped back for a second to really look him over. He had grown much more than she expected and now towered over her petite frame. "Thank you, I've been good. Very busy but good." She said, seated now with her cup. "You look, like an adult." She said before laughing. She'd always teased Jaime - he had often been the only person she smiled around, which she was known for in the school. "What have you been up to? Your grades turn out well?" She asked, excited to hear what graduation had brought to someone who was more passionate about magic than she.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie didn’t know how much he had really changed in the last year, really he didn’t feel like he had, he felt like the exact same person as he had been when he was eleven, granted he was far taller than he had been then, but he still felt the same. The teen smiled happily at her when she said that she’d been good and said he looked like an adult. Jamie couldn’t help the little giggle that followed, ”I barely feel like it,” he joked with a wide grin on his features, ”I’ve been trying out for some teams, had a try-out for the french national team today, which I’m hoping to get on to,” the man said, he might’ve been brought up for the first few years in New Zealand but he was definitely more french now. He shrugged at the latter question, ”I’m a quidditch boy, I didn’t need good grades,” he told her, in fairness he hadn’t done horribly, he just hadn’t done as well as if he’d put more work into it. ”What have you been doing since you graduated?” Jamie asked as the coffee he’d ordered arrive. He took the little cup in his hands and raised it to his lips to lightly blow on the hot espresso. ​

 

[Meloetta Kovalenko]

It was increasingly obvious to the Russian native that really, he hadn’t changed. The Puppy eyed boy with a heart of gold was much the same, barely grown up. “You know you won’t be able to play Quidditch when you’re eighty, so I hope you didn’t fail everything.” She teased, knowing he was smart enough to earn A’s at the very least. Adjusting her sleek ponytail she continued. “But I hope you get on your dream team. Give me an excuse to watch a quidditch game again.”

Mel sipped at her coffee before answering Jamie, still taking in his more chiseled jaw, embarrassed to think she thought he was quite attractive. Perhaps her lack of thinking so was just her ambition which clouded her social life. “I actually have a position training for CEO of a muggle research center. I help to research the effect of muggle medicine on human subjects, the things that have already passed their toxicology on animals. I’m mostly in the business aspect though, less in the actual patient are.” She spoke. “I will have to show you my office. It has a lovely view. And maybe you can visit me in Russia and see my house some day when you are not busy being a quidditch Star.”

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie nodded in agreement, ”If you didn’t come to my games, I’d be offended,” he joked with a little smirk before he listened to her explained what she was doing. He was taking little sips of his coffee as he went along. It sounded like she was doing something pretty incredible. ”Wow, look at you! Do you wear power suits and yell at people?” he asked, admittedly, he hadn’t understood all the parts of what she was saying. ”Why didn’t you do anything magical related?” he couldn’t help but ask, ”I’d love to see your office and your house too,” He replied with a wide smile, ”I’m based in Paris now, but I think quidditch will probably take me all over the place and almost certainly russia. So, every time I’m in Russia, I expect you to roll out the red carpet for me,” he put down the coffee as he laughed lightly. His wide smile not fading. He liked Jamie and had to admit that he had missed her a lot during the time she’d been away from Beauxbatons. She was older now, she was and had always been pretty to him, but now out of school it felt a little different. They weren’t kids any more really. ​

 

[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta gave a playful roll of her eyes and laughed. "Absolutely not, have you seen me in pants suits, I look forty. Skirts make me look much better." She said, a slightly vain admittance. "I have yelled at people before though, mostly in Russian which is much scarier than in English." The confidence in her statements faded slightly though when Jamie asked her about why she wasn't working in magic, and Mel bit her lip. "I didn't really get the grade in Potions that I needed for where I needed to be in the ministry. Everywhere else was fine but..." It was embarrassing to admit that Meloetta hadn't done a good enough job, but she knew it was the truth and owning up to it was better than lying. "Guess i should have studied Potions as hard as i made you study french." She said with a grin.

"I will roll out a towel of red as that's the closest I can get. I have a spare room, but be warned that sometimes Celebi does stay over while she's traveling." She said with a smile. "So other than Quidditch how is the family, and the personal life. Enough about careers." Mel would be lying if she said she wasn't fishing to find out whether or not Jamie had someone special, but she wasn't going to openly say it - that was too forward.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie gave her a little grin, ”You do look great in skirts,” he complimented in a light and playful tone. He was also sure that she had both yelled at people and found it easier in Russian. Jamie knew he wouldn’t enjoy if she yelled at him, thankfully though that had never actually happened. Instead they had always gotten along pretty well. He frowned a little when she had said that she hadn’t gotten the grade in potions which would’ve given her a ministry job. He felt somewhat sorry for bringing it up, but it appeared that she was doing fine anyway, she would do fine. He gave her a little laugh, ”Well, you have landed on your feet, so the no potions seemed to have not affected you too badly,” the teen gave her a reassuring expression. ”My family are just fine. They keep themselves busy, I think they’re more excited about me possibly playing for France than I am.” Jamie laughed lightly, taking the little coffee cup with the last few sips of his coffee in his hand. ”I’m not really with anyone, I was too busy in school for it, and now I’ve been a little busy to date. One of the girls I was trying out with, asked me out like six times. It was weird,” he still largely saw himself as the young somewhat awkward teen. ”What about you?”​

 

[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Mel felt a slight heat in her face at his compliment, and wanted to think of something witty to say back, but honestly she enjoyed hearing that she looked good in skirts. Many people didn't even try to compliment Meloetta except her sister - after all her resting witch face and position of power scared any suitors away. She nodded in response. "Well thank you for noticing. I'm sure you do look great in them too." She teased. Actively listening, Mel sipped on the frothy drink before her, the caffeine putting her tired soul at ease. Caffeine was a staple in her diet now after all. "Well that sounds like family to me." She said with a laugh, though if she was honest her father wasn't quite the 'excitable' man.

It was obvious though that either Jamie was eager to reveal he was single, or he knew that Mel was hinting at his status. "Me? Goodness no, everyone things I'm the wicked witch of Russia." She replied. "Of course she would as you out, you're talented and kind of cute. You know, in a puppy way." She again hinted and teased. It was nice to relax around Jamie if she were honest. Deciding there was no point beating around the bush, the very forward woman spoke again, "But if you decide you aren't to busy for me, I could always take you out to a nice dinner." She offered nonchalantly.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie smiled at her and laughed lightly, ”I’ve done enough quidditch to look great in them,” the teen replied with a little smirk. He listened as she spoke. He was a little surprised by what she said, he couldn’t understand why people didn’t just like her. She was a nice person, she had a kind personality and she was beautiful, at least to him. ”In a puppy kind of way? What kind of puppy do you think I am?” Jamie asked her with a wide smile. He was a little surprised when Mel asked him if he wanted to go out to dinner. And he couldn’t help the little smirk which appeared on his features. ”Mel, are you asking me out on a date?” Jamie joked with her, a light tone and happy expression. He reached out to her and then placed his hand upon her wrist, ”I’d love to go out to dinner with you,” Jamie spoke with a sincere tone. He was pretty pleased that she’d asked him and not the other way around. He liked Mel a whole lot, so much more than he’d ever liked anyone else, and he was pretty open with his feelings but Mel was less open and Jamie wouldn’t want to over step if she hadn’t felt the same way. He had so few friends, that he would take whatever he was given in whatever form it came in. So, her asking him out was the clearest indication that she liked him. ​

 

[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Mel laughed as well, the thought of Jamie in a skirt quite the eyesore if she were honest. His most likely hair legs peeking out from a knee length amalgamation of silk or denim. It was a funny thought to say the least. At his question of what kind of puppy he would be, there was no hesitation. "You are a golden retriever. Hyper, goofy, and a little clumsy." She said, teasing him in the nicest way possible. However her teasing nature turned to a slight embarrassed indignation as he called her out on what she was implying. "Don't make me regret the invite." She said laughing. When he agreed, Mel chewed the inside of her cheek to bite back a smile, which became prominent anyways. She turned her enchanted watch over, and looked at the time. "How about this, next time you're in Russia for a game, you look me up yeah?" She asked, passing on some contact information for owl and cellular devices. "I have to get back to the office. Thank you for coming to meet me, keep me updated okay?" She said, before setting down enough money for the both of them and giving a wink before apparating away.