January 13th, 1978
Who: Graciela Cervantes e Alexandrakis Smith
What: Their date goes well :D
Where: Diagon Alley
When: Saturday night



“I think---I think you should have warned me how hot that food was,” Graciela said with a laugh as she and Alex left the Indian restaurant. The food had been delicious, like she had remembered, but there had been one thing on her plate that had felt like she’d taken a bite out of coal. Her face went quaffle red and it took a refill of her water to finally extinguish the flames in her mouth. She couldn’t even recall what she’d eaten as their conversation literally hadn’t stopped until her tongue lit on fire.

Graciela couldn’t exactly recall the last time she’d have such a nice, full conversation with someone, which she realized was sad, but true. Maybe it had been all the years of keeping quiet and never starting her own conversations, but Graciela realized that she had a lot to say about many things, and hoped Alex didn’t find her rude for talking so much. It was just---she often felt nervous about speaking too loudly or for too long of a time because she knew her English wasn’t perfect even after all her school years. She couldn’t have toned it by sitting silently in the common room and in class, so there were still errors made and a language barrier that need to be broken.

Alex, however, had not made her feel bad about her stumbling, or at least, he hadn’t mentioned any corrections that needed to be made. And Graciela knew there must have been, but she was so very happy that he hadn’t said a thing. This made her very happy she’d accepted his offer.

“I have not had a birthday dinner in….many years! Before Hogwarts, I did, but not since.” Was it awfully bad that she hadn’t remembered tonight was her birthday until…just then? Ay, ah---she’d just been so busy with work and writing, the date had completely slipped her mind.

Alex laughed - a genuine laugh, as opposed to the normal odd and forced chuckles he gave around the office when someone cracked a joke of some sort. He hadn't met someone who could actually cause him to do so in some time, the feeling of having such good company exhilarating and… well, almost freeing in a way.

"I guess I didn't realize," he said as they walked, his hands shoved in his pockets and his eyes on the ground. "It's all a matter of taste buds." He hadn't honestly thought the meal was all that hot; he in fact finished the one piece that had caused her to act as though her entire mouth were alight. It had been awfully amusing to watch, especially given that she managed to slip out what he assumed was a long string of foreign curses - words that he'd have to get her to teach him at some point or another. The meal, both conversationally and food wise, had been absolutely perfect.

He had enjoyed her rambles, really. Alex wasn't entirely fond of talking at great lengths, so to have someone who was willing to do it themselves was a great relief. He had watched her talk, listened to her slipups and stammers with a slight humor, but was never rude enough as to start pinpointing every single mistake. He of course chimed in if she was having issues thinking of an analogy or a certain word, merely wanting to help and see if he was getting the same wavelength as her. He hadn't enjoyed someone's company like so in ages; he had never enjoyed listening to someone for so long as far as he could recall. So few people were able to spark his interest enough to be able to make him listen for hours on end (and, given the service, he wouldn't be surprised if that were not an exaggeration). He couldn't help but wonder how he had missed her through all those years of Hogwarts; he almost felt a slight regret for it.

"It's your birthday?" he said with surprise, his eyebrows rising slightly as he looked from the ground to her. He hadn't been aware at all, for had he known he probably would have brought something for her. He let out a sigh, tsking a bit as he grabbed her hand. "Well having you leave this occasion empty handed just won't do," he said with a tone of disappointment, pulling her into a flower shop that was quite clearly getting ready to close within the next few minutes. "Pick something."

Oooh, he was taking her hand---oh, but it wasn’t really in that nice kind of way (not that it was in a mean way, but). Graciela looked awfully confused for a second while he pulled her into the shop; she hadn’t had a chance to look through its front windows before she was overwhelmed by the many smells of the wide variety of flowers. Oh…oh! He wanted her to pick something out? Anything?

“Ay, Alex, no, no, it’s okay! You do not have to get me anything,” she said, all the while her face growing a deeper red. This was highly unexpected, she wouldn’t have mentioned her birthday if she’d known he’d feel the need to get her something, she didn’t want him to think that she was using him, or anything.

There was a sort of elation that built up in him when he saw her blushing. Some sort of triumph that he'd gotten to make her feel all out of sorts merely by trying to purchase something for her birthday. He took his hand away from hers, placing it back into his pockets and standing still. "I suggest you pick something out quickly, I'm sure these lovely people would like to get home soon enough." He spoke as though he hadn't heard her objections to his buying her flowers, beginning to walk around the shop and look at the variety of bouquets that had yet to be placed into whatever it was that they placed flowers into. He didn't really know.

He looked back to her when she had yet to move, wrinkling his forehead and letting out a sigh. "Don't make me have to guess your favorite flower. Knowing my luck as of late, I'll only end up picking something you're allergic to, making you break into hives and sneezes, and a near perfect night will be absolutely ruined." He took a step forward, his head tilting lightly. "And we just couldn't have that, now could we?"

It was almost as though he had regressed into the days when he was once again popular and rich. While the latter may still have been true, it had been some time since he had any reason to play himself off as smooth and collected - something he was far from. He smiled lightly, motioning to one of the displays once more. "Now get to it."

Graciela’s mouth had dropped open to protest again, to repeat what she’d said because she had to do that a lot; sometimes she slipped into spanish and didn’t realize it, making conversations rather difficult. But, no, she had been very clear about what she said and Alex was still insisting she pick out some flowers. Oh…she couldn’t, really, but he…ah….Graciela couldn’t think of the word, but Alex was convincing her to do something without actually asking her, which was odd, no? He was basically telling her that she must pick a bouquet, and wasn’t telling someone to do something…rude? Alex certainly didn’t seem rude right now, he actually…

…oh…he called it a near perfect night…

How…how did he do that? Act like…like um bobo and fluster her in that good way all at once? She wasn’t even bothered by it, really (actually, not at all), just a bit confused, and turned toward the nearest display of flowers. They were all so very beautiful, and Graciela’s eyes immediately fell on a small bouquet of pink roses, but there was something different about them, and before she could think of what Alex would say when she showed interest in them (roses were expensive, weren’t they? She didn’t want him to spend much), she turned toward the florist that had begun to follow her around.

“Are these from Valencia? From---Spain?” Graciela recognized them from her abuela’s garden, they were distinct, not the typical petal construction of roses, and when the florist nodded, Graciela touched the vase lightly and moved on. Those were the prettiest, but she simply couldn’t pick them.

Alex rubbed his neck lightly as he watched her walk around and look at the flowers. He noted that she had seen the roses with a particular interest, unable to help but wonder why she didn't just choose those then. He smiled gently, standing still and leaning against the counter, his arms crossing over his torso as he simply waited for a decision to be made. He wanted t note that she didn't have to worry about price, but to see her doing so was almost…endearing. He'd never taken a girl out who wasn't somehow connected to wanting a bit of his fortune. His family had always been on the wealthy side, of course, and most people were quite aware of this fact. It was natural for them to want a bit of it - especially if he was just offering to buy them things.

To be out with someone who was so different was almost a shock to his system. He'd been expecting one of those normal dates - the kind where they talked endlessly about things he didn't care for and he sat there, pretending to listen, and wishing he'd just stayed home and heated up a dinner and watched the telly (the muggle machine was bloody amazing in his opinion, and there was something about The Gong Show that just managed to make him laugh every time he watched it…). This time was different; Graciela had things to say that he actually cared about. The way she phrased them was fucking adorable and he listened to her every word, if only because the mistakes she made were something that just made him smile. He couldn't correct her because it felt rude, or like he'd be taking away a piece of her that made her so unique. And now - when he had offered up to spend as much as her heart desired on a bouquet of flowers - she seemed to be unwilling to buy something just because it might cost a bit more then she was comfortable making him spend.

"See anything you like?" He managed to speak up finally, able to choose words that didn't make it sound like he was trying to hurry her along or push her towards something pricey just because she cared for it. If she pointed to something, he would grab it, and that would be the end of the discussion.

Graciela spun around with a small bouquet of daffodils in her hands, holding them out to Alex with a very bright and happy smile. She’d always loved daffodils (particularly because of their name), and well, these just kind of stood out from the rest. Everything else was so exotic and bright and…extravagante, that they just didn’t feel right for to carry around for the rest of their date. The daffodils, though, they were cheerful and sweet, and that’s how she felt at this very moment, feliz e contente.

Ooh, she hadn’t been on a date that had gone so well. ¡Ay deus mio! ¡Que suerte tiene! He was nothing like she’d imagined him to be in Hogwarts, and Graciela was surprised and slightly disappointed in herself. She was usually very good at figuring people out and guessing their personalities correctly, but Alex had completely fooled her. And, because of this, she felt guilty for assuming that he might be rude e malvado, only asking her on a date because he thought he’d get something out of it.

“Do you like?” she asked, holding back a smirk because she was quite sure he’d been expecting her to pick out a larger bouquet. Ay, Graciela was a very humble person, she’d never really asked for nicer things or more expensive things; she was usually quite happy with what she received, as the sheer fact that someone was giving her something was amazing to her. Her father and brother tended to spoil her with nice things, but nothing ever too extravagant as, well, they couldn’t afford to. Graciela liked knowing that they would if they could, and that she’d do the same for them (and will, if her book ever went falling off the---falling of the shelves? No---what was it…ay, no importa.)

She lifted the bouquet up a bit, putting it hear his head. “It is almost the same as your hair, I think they are definitely the ones,” Graciela said with a decisive nod, as if the yellow of the flowers and the light color of his hair were the deciding factor in the choosing of the bouquet.

"Daffodils?" He nodded, a small smile threatening to appear on his face. "Good choice." Alex shook his head slightly at the sight of such simple flowers. They were very… her. He didn't object or try and talk her into something else, waving for the clerk to ring them up so that he could - finally - allow himself to close up his store. "I wasn't aware my hair was that yellow," he said a bit teasingly, before giving the money to the salesman. He took the change, pocketing it and heading for the door, which he of course held open for her as he waited for her to head out onto the street.

He would admit he'd started out on this date with a bit of his typical shallow tendencies; he'd asked her on a date because she was hot, and that was about the only factor he'd really stopped to think of. He had slipped back into his hormonal teenage stage, which he had promptly kicked himself for later, afraid of course that he would end up in the same predicaments he always used to; pushing a perfectly sweet girl to do things that she clearly just wasn't willing to do under normal circumstances. It was awesome how much charm could affect someone's ability to think clearly. Normally, he would have been purchasing her gifts for her birthday in hopes of getting something - anything, really - out of it. Perhaps that's what he'd initially planned on in the beginning. There was something about her innocence though that made him want no more than perhaps a goodnight snog.

If she offered more he would definitely not object though. He just doubted he would get it.

"I hope you've had a decent enough day," he said with a smirk. "I'd hate to have made your birthday a total bore or something of the like." He was attempting that gentleman thing - so he wasn't very used to it. He had just decided to act like a total prick to everyone from the age of sixteen on, it became a rather nasty habit to just be… honest instead of charismatic.

“Are you joking?” Graciela asked, her tone not exactly that of a surprised person, as she was sort of wondering if he really was joking. Not have had a decent enough day? Did he not see the grin on her face? Had he not heard how much she’d laughed during dinner? She’d told him stories that she hadn’t been able to tell anyone in years because no one had ever bothered to just sit and listen! He’d given her something that Graciela had literally been waiting years for, a night where she could actually be friendly toward a person and act naturally without worries. Ay, “I’ve had a wonderful night, Alex, thank you so much.”

And---ay, deus, she didn’t really think about it, but she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, which could absolutely be considered a friendly gesture even if it was quite obvious that it wasn’t. Okay, well. No, no, it could be friendly, pero por que mentira? Ay, the last crush she had…Graciela blushed at the thought, Vinny Gudgeon, madre mia…he’d just been nice to her, that was all, and now Alex…Alex was being nice to her and wanting her birthday to go well and not teasing her and letting her pick out any bouquet of flowers she wanted!

Okay, okay, so he definitely deserved the kiss. But that was it! Graciela was not going to put down her morals because a boy had made her stomach flutter like mad after one dinner and one very nice gesture. She’d grown up in a very Catholic home, it was a huge deal for her to be living all the way out here by herself, there was no way she was going to bow down against her other beliefs too…even if she did want to see if any of that hot sauce remained on his lips.

Ay, she needed to go to church.

Alex couldn't help but smirk lightly when she proclaimed how she'd had a wonderful time. He was almost sure that after the rather… Harsh words he'd been known to say to people, that she probably had at least gotten wind of something - or read his journal before hand, who knew - and seen that he was indeed not a very nice guy. At least, not if he didn't want to be, which 99% of the time was the case. He had been opening his mouth to tell her that he was glad, to point out that he wasn't such a bad guy in the long run, or to simply just thank her for allowing him to spend that sort of special night with her when he was suddenly kissed on the cheek. It was an innocent gesture, nothing that he could've really read in on, yet for some reason he felt the tips of his ears burn a light crimson. It was silly, really, as it wasn't even a kiss kiss, but there was something about the kindness and the rather childlike manner of it all that just caused him to feel… embarrassed. In a good sort of way.

Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck, hoping the blush wasn't spreading any. "I uh… I'm glad. That you had a good time, I mean. I uh… Well, I was worried I'd… intimidate you… Or… something." He'd been told he had that affect before - intimidation. It wasn't something he aimed for, nor did he particularly enjoy when it was on a date with a girl he was actually somewhat interested in, but it always seemed to happen. Given her bubble-y nature at the moment, he assumed that she wasn't really frightened or inching away to get some space. He smiled lightly, shoving his hand back into his pocket and staring fixedly at the ground.

A few years ago, he would've felt like a complete idiot for acting like so. Now? It didn't really matter. He almost liked the feeling even. To get so worked up over one simple gesture wasn't something that happened often - especially when he wasn't exactly what one would call "pure." He smiled lightly, hoping somewhere in him that the kiss would be come an actual one later - it would be a bit disappointing if it didn't.

Alex wasn't a big fan of disappointment. Though it would most likely just cause him to ask her out once more, as he had the typical personality of longing for what he didn't get.

Intimidate? Graciela’s nose scrunched as the word sounded like a few others she knew and couldn’t place the meaning of. Intimi…oh, did he think she was acovardado? She was glad he had found something interesting on the floor to focus on because she flushed deeply; more out of embarrassment than anything. After reading his very…very blunt and truthful journal entry, Graciela had almost owled him to cancel the date. Not because she thought he was a bad person or someone she didn’t want to get to know (actually, the entry made her more interested in him, Graciela liked ‘characters’), but she was so worried that he wouldn’t like her. She had a very colorful wardrobe, she appreciated little things like the grass swaying in the wind, ay, he pretty much described her (or the person she wanted to be) in his journal as the person he wouldn’t get along with.

It felt like she stood no chance, but had decided at the last second (the very last second, as the letter had already been written) that if Alex had actually taken some interest in her for a reason other than her looks (which she doubted was the case, pero no importa) she needed to take a chance, something she rarely did.

“No worrying,” Graciela said with a smile, though she spotted the Leaky Cauldron and wanted to frown. This was where they met, would it be where they parted? Well, yes, unless he wanted to go someplace else, because he definitely (not because it had been a bad date, of course) was not coming back to her flat. “I was ah…you say…I was nervous, because I ah---I like Simon and Garfunkel.”

Alex had seen the Leaky Cauldron off in the distance and felt his stomach drop a little. It was almost over, wasn't it? That was a pity. He'd never felt as disappointed to have a date actually end. Biting at his lip, he looked at the ground as he walked, glad to hear that he should have had to worry. He wrinkled his forehead when she mentioned her music taste, a little confused by it, before he remembered; God, she had seen his journal. He let out a rather loud laugh at that - and as he hadn't gone beyond chuckling all night, that was saying something really. He covered his mouth in attempt to stop, biting down on his lip again, and letting his amusement slowly subside.

"Well, as long as you don't play it in my presence, we'll get on just fine," he said with a smile, his hands hanging loosely at his sides once more as they started to reach the wizarding tavern. "I'm just more of a… Clash or… Rolling Stones fan myself." He gave a nod at his music taste, as Simon and Garfunkel just made him have the overwhelming urge to go to sleep and possibly drool. Baby like and all that rubbish, which wasn't something he was very fond of.

When they finally reached the doors, he let out a bit of a sigh, turning to look at her and arching a brow some. "I take it that this is our last stop, then." He didn't try to really hide the regret that had slowly seeped into his tone, but it wasn't working very well. He licked his lips lightly, not sure whether or not to really lean in for a kiss - after all, he always liked for the other to make the first move, just to avoid any slapping that could occur at being the initiator. He liked his face completely unbruised, thank you.

“I like them too, if that helps.” Graciela couldn’t help but grin a bit wider at his explanation, feeling awfully relieved that he hadn’t immediately apparated away at the bit of information. He’d actually laughed, and while he’d been smiling and chuckling all evening, it sure was something to hear him laugh. Ele es belo quando ele risada. Her blush deepened at the thought and she looked down at the bouquet in her hands for a moment. It really was something, going on a date and having it turn out so brilliantly, and so unexpectedly.

She looked up at the sign that read ‘The Leaky Cauldron’ and let out a soft sigh. Graciela somewhat wished that they could find somewhere else to talk, because she could really see herself talking to him all night, but she did have an early shift tomorrow (opening, which meant she’d have to set all the decorations…ay). Plus, if she suggested something else, he could take it the wrong way, which may lead to taking other things the wrong way, and Graciela was absolutely not ready to lead a boy on in any sort of way.

“Thank you again, Alex, I had a wonderful night. I…ah…I live in Hogsmeade, if you…ever want to meet again.” Graciela felt her cheeks flush even more and felt embarrassed for it, but this was the first time she’d ever thought she’d get the chance at a second date!!!!!! Leaning forward quickly, she gave Alex another kiss on the cheek and pulled back quickly (he moved a bit oddly, but she blamed it on her moving forward too fast) and with a short wave, she disapparated home.

Alex had perked up at that, making full plans to go and visit Davy on his next Hogsmeade trip in his head, just so he could have an excuse to accidentally be mingling around the area that she just happened to live in. When she'd leaned in, he'd been completely expecting an actual kiss, and when all he got was something on the cheek? He'd opened his mouth to… Well, not object, but make a comment, when suddenly she had disapperated.

"WHAT?" He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but come on! They'd talked, and got on well, and LAUGHED, and he'd gotten her FLOWERS, and… and… "WHAT?!"

Oh that was rich.

He stood there for a long moment before making a mental note; second date. There was no way he was not going to find out what it was like to kiss that girl. With that decided, he apparated back to his own flat.