Closed Celebrating a Union

Harley pulled a face, trying to imagine someone marrying Tristan Collins. "Ewww, you're right. Gross." She snorted, picking up a fork and taking a mouthful of cake. "Mmm!" She nodded in agreement, hurrying to swallow so she could talk again. "I saw that too! What a sleazebag, I hope the new minister's not listening to him. You know he'll be trying his hand next time."
 
Odette laughed, taking a bite of cake and sighing. "I mean, she seemed smarter than all that." She said, glancing at the rest of the party again. "I voted for her, she seemed alright." She said, though Odette didn't have a huge interest in politics. "But if he does run we at least called it."
 
Harley wrinkled her nose in distaste, fighting back the deluge of political opinions threatening to erupt. "She definitely... wasn't the worst option..." She said slowly, the strain of holding back a rant clear in her voice. "I mean, Mrs. Rowan-Cullen had all the right ideas about things, start to finish, and we're so overdue a government run by a magical minority, someone who knows what it's like to exist on the fringes of our society and can connect with those communities and advocate for them. It's so f*cked that the person our society needed most never had a real chance because of the bigotry she would have helped to fight against. Like, at least Cresswell is in there too and he had some decent ideas, but having a magical minority in a position of power to speak for others would have made real change." Harley paused, expression mortified as she realised she had completely failed to hold the rant in after all. "But, I mean... Fontaine is.... fine." She added quickly, hoping she hadn't put Odette off. "She didn't advocate for child death games so, like..." She shrugged with a small laugh, trying to veer away from her outburst quickly. "And hopefully when Tristan does run and we can totally tell people we called it his policies won't be quite that terrible."
 
Odette's eyebrows raised slightly and she sat back in her chair as Harley went off, amused by how clearly she was holding back. "I only listened to one debate." She admitted with a small shrug. "I didn't realize you were this passionate about it." She said with a smile. "It's nice."
 
Harley wasn't embarrassed by her politics by any means, but she knew when it was and wasn't the time, and this.... wasn't. It was a relief that Odette didn't seem put off, and she chuckled slightly at the compliment, taking a sip of her wine. "Thanks. I've always been into this stuff..." She sighed, looking out at her brother on the dancefloor, not a care in the world. "Like... there's just no place for people like Jason in our world. Or in the muggle world. And the people in power never care about people like him. So it's always felt kind of important to me, being involved and advocating and stuff. Nobody ever listens to Jason because he's a Squib, so I just... do what I can to speak for him. You know?"
 
Odette nodded as Harley explained, sitting up a bit as she listened. She had known Jason was a squib, of course, but she had never put much thought into what that really meant. "That's really awesome of you." She said softly. "I never knew you were that deep." She added, teasing a bit more. "Maybe you should be running for minister next time."
 
Harley couldn't help a snort of laughter, covering her mouth with one hand. "I've always been deep." She teased, still grinning broadly. "It's just more fun to be a menace than talk about it." She raised both eyebrows at the suggestion that she should run for Minister, laughing more. "You think I could make it through a single debate without jumping across the podium to fistfight someone?" She teased. "I haven't changed that much."
 
Odette grinned a bit, imagining what Harley was saying. "I mean, it'd be entertaining." She said, taking a long sip from her champagne. "Besides, I'd vote for you even if you fought someone." She paused. "Especially if you fought someone."
 
Harley laughed lightly, raising her glass in agreement. "Then my campaign thanks you for the support." She smiled, making a small 'cheers' movement before taking a sip. "So what will you be up to while I'm taking over the government?" She teased. "Are you still playing for the Macaws?"
 
Odette nodded as Harley asked her a question about her work, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, I am. It's great." She said sincerely. "Won a practice match against the Kea the other day, thought Lizzie Taylor might explode." She said with a grin. "It's like being back at Hogwarts, honestly."
 
Harley couldn't help a laugh at the mention of Lizzie Taylor. "Oh wow, that is like Hogwarts." She laughed, trying to imagine the two of them on the pitch like the old days. "Glad you beat her though, I know it's not "house solidarity" or whatever but I never liked her." She said, thinking back to their stupid arguments at school.
 
Odette's eyes lit up as Harley said she had never liked Lizzie. Amused, Odette sat back in her chair. "Oh? Why not?" She asked. "I mean, I didn't either, but that was for obvious reasons."
 
Harley shrugged slightly, taking another bite of the cake. "She was weird to one of my friends after a breakup, high school stuff." She chuckled slightly. "Still nice hearing about her losing at Quidditch though, I never said I wasn't petty."
 
Odette nodded and raised her glass. "To disliking people for petty reasons." She said with a grin. "I'll do my best to beat her again next time."
 
Harley laughed, clinking her glass with Odette happily. "I'll drink to that!" She announced, before draining her glass. "You better. Might even manage to convince me to actually watch a game of Quidditch..." She teased. "I only ever bothered going when you were playing, you know?"
 
Odette took a sip of her drink, though she smiled in amusement as she watched Harley draining her glass. She raised her eyebrows a bit at her next words, tilting her head a bit. "I mean, I could get you tickets most fans would fight you for." She said with a slight smile. "If you want to watch me playing again."
 
Harley couldn't hold back a grin at the offer of tickets, wiggling her eyebrows. "Well now I have to say yes." She grinned cheekily. "That way if I change my mind I can just sell 'em and make bank."
 
Odette scoffed, tossing her hair back. "Watching me play is better than the money you'd get." She said, putting on an arrogant expression she hadn't used since her early teens. But then she cracked up and started to laugh. "Seriously though, you could come. My family is sick of watching me at this point, they're the ones I give the tickets to now and they're too polite to say no."
 
Harley couldn't hold back a laugh. "Ooooh, that felt like being back in third year!" She grinned, with a fake shiver. "So cold!" She smiled as Odette made the offer, not even thinking before she nodded. "Sure, that sounds really fun." She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. "My memory of the rules is a bit rusty though.... you're the one that hits the snitch through the hoop with a bat, right?" She teased.
 
Odette grinned a little, it was fun to make Harley laugh. It made her feel like she accomplished something. She laughed in turn as Harley mentioned the rules, nodding immediately. "Exactly, that's the only thing that happens too, the other players are just for decoration." She said.
 
Harley chuckled, leaning back in her seat. "Yeah, that sounds about right. They fly in circles and clap for you when you score a try or whatever." She teased, switching sports entirely.
 
Odette nodded, arrogant expression returning for a moment. "As they should." She said, then grinned again. "Seriously though, I'll owl them to you. You can... bring someone, if you want." She asked, her voice going up at the end of the sentence, almost turning it into a question. Harley hadn't taken a date to the wedding but that didn't necessarily mean she didn't have someone.
 
Harley giggled lightly at Odette's impression of her teenage self, thinking about how worlds apart that struggling, insecure girl was from the woman sitting in front of her. She smiled at the offer, nodding in agreement, though her eyebrows raised at the upturn of Odette's question. "Well, I'll need three extra tickets for my three girlfriends, of course. And yes, they watch Quidditch." She teased, then shook her head. "Nah, I don't have anyone to bring. All of my work friends are muggles, and I don't think Rose would appreciate watching me oggle you." She smirked, throwing Odette a cheeky wink. She didn't know entirely how she felt about the slight show of interest from her ex-girlfriend, but ambiguous flirting was a safe enough place for her to respond from.
 
Odette rolled her eyes at Harley's teasing, but she was smiling a little too. Her eyebrows raised as Harley said she would be ogling her, looking at her in surprise. "Even in those seats, I'll just be a colorful streak to you. Good luck ogling that." She said, rolling her eyes again, but fondly. "But maybe if you bring good binoculars." She added, musing out loud. She wondered if this was actual flirting or Harley being Harley, she couldn't tell.
 
Harley grinned, wiggling her eyebrows again. Whether Odette was taking this seriously or not, she was having fun now. "Actually mine are lesbianoculars." She clarified with a cheeky wink. "I'll keep an eye on you."
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top