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dominicffs · 6 years

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tea shopping in london | dimone

dominic takes simone shopping in london to find the perfect tea. it’s sort of a date. they’re cute.

Simone had met Dominic at the bar, ready to go out and explore muggle London with him. It seemed a bit crazy to her that she'd been living in the city for months and hadn't really seen much of it at all. He was the perfect person to experience it with, though, and she was glad that she hadn't looked around much. She wanted him to show her everything. "I'm really excited to explore the tea shops," she told him with a smile. "I hope we find some good rose tea. If not, any good tea will do," she smiled.

Dominic was going to get off pretty soon. It was often that he and Nik had time off at the same time, but they had their other bartender coming in tonight. He'd been talking to Simone on and off between work for a while now, waiting to get off so he could go tea shopping with her. And, of course, he was supposed to be meeting Nik's muggle girlfriend, or whatever she was. "I am, too! I haven't actually stopped in to all of them, just passed them by, so it will be a lot of fun," he smiled. "I hope we find good rose tea, too. Maybe even that compares to what you used to drink in France."

Simone rested her chin on her hand, watching him over the bar. He looked so handsome, she couldn't wait to go around London with him. "Really? You haven't?" she asked, surprised. She liked that a lot. She wanted to experience new places with him. She smiled at him and nodded. "Maybe so. That'd be nice. There was one shop that made it the best. I hope we find one that's better here," she smiled. "I have faith that we will."

Dominic nodded a bit, smiling at her. "Not all of them! I pass them by and make a note to stop in, but rarely get around to it," he smiled. He thought finding one that was better was maybe a little too much to hope for, but he would cross his fingers. "I hope you're right," he grinned over at her. He washed the bar in front of him and then put the rag away, washing his hands and getting himself a shot. He walked around the bar, sitting next to her. "We'll leave soon," he promised.

Simone thought that made sense. Even if he'd lived in London his whole life he couldn't possibly have been to every tea shop. He was a busy man. That much was obvious. "Well, today is a lucky day," she smiled. She thought they had a good chance they'd find some tea that was just as good. "I really think I am," she grinned. She watched him walk around the bar and nodded a little bit. "Okay. Sounds good to me."

Nikolai held her close to him for a long moment before pulling away. "Alright. He's just down the bar with our friend Simone. I think they're into each other, so pay attention and tell me if you think the same," he teased. He took her hand, lacing their fingers together as he led her towards his brother. "Hey, Dom. I want you to meet Anastasia," he greeted. He squeezed her hand a bit.

Anastasia pulled away when he did. She laughed quietly and nodded. "I'll be sure to let you know," she promised. She took his hand, holding it tightly as they approached his brother. She squeezed his hand back, letting go only to shake Dominic's hand. She smiled brightly, shaking his hand back. "Anastasia! I've heard quite a bit about you, too. I hear you're rather big brother-y."

Dominic thought today was a lucky day, too. He was so excited to go out with her. He liked her and tea, so it was pretty much as good as it could get. "You are right about that," he smiled. He hoped she was. Chances were good they'd find a solid tea. "Worse case scenario, we can't find something better than the cafe," he smiled. He turned a bit when Nik spoke to him, smiling up at Anastasia. "Hi! Dominic. I've heard so much about you," he said, reaching out to shake her hand. He laughed a bit and nodded. "Yeah, probably. I hope that's not a bad thing."

Nikolai smiled when she let go of his hand to shake Dominic's. He stood close to her and watched them interact. "We might have talked a lot about how big brother-y you are," he told Dom. He looked over at Ana again with a smile. "And I promise I only told Dominic the good things about you," he grinned. "And this is Simone. Simone, this is Anastasia," he grinned.

Simone nodded a bit. He was absolutely right. That would be the worst case scenario. And it wasn't even that terrible of a scenario. She could do without finding something better. "I'm okay with that," she smiled. She turned as she heard Nikolai speaking and smiled a bit. She watched Dominic interact with the girl that had come over and then smiled when her name was mentioned. "Oh, yes. Hello, I'm Simone Monet," she said, offering her hand.

Anastasia smirked back at Nikolai. "That's because there only are good things about me," she teased, winking at him. "Not a bad thing, just a thing," she grinned. She turned, shaking Simone's hand. "Beautiful name. I'm Anastasia Humphreys. Nice to meet you. You must be from France, with an accent like that," she grinned. She had spent quite a bit of time in France throughout her life.

Dominic smiled a little and nodded. "What a strange conversation to have," he teased. He didn't mind it thought. He knew he was big brother-y so to speak. He also knew Nikolai was little brother-y. That was sort of how it went. He watched the girl interact with Simone, smiling a little. He thought they might get along well, which was nice. Simone could use another friend, he thought. The more the merrier.

Simone shook Anastasia's hand delicately. "Oh, thank you," she smiled. She seemed like a sweet girl. She could see why Nikolai seemed to be so fond of her. "It's lovely to meet you as well. I am from France, yes. Paris," she told her. "Have you ever been?" she wondered. "How did you and Nikolai meet?" she asked as well, thinking that was a good place to start.

Nikolai laughed at that. "Maybe so, but she has an older brother as well. We bonded over being the youngest siblings," he told him. "Ah, yes. Of course. Only good things." She was adorable. He watched her and Simone speak and then turned to Dom. "What are your plans for your day off?" he asked him, letting the two girls speak for a moment. He wanted Ana to fit into their group so badly and he had high hopes that she would.

Anastasia smiled and nodded. "Oh, yes, you must be the doctor. Nik told me about you and your brother," she smiled. "I have, quite often actually. My grandfather lives in Paris. He's in fashion," she smiled. She thought back, laughing a little. "We met here, actually, " she said. It wasn't much of a story, but she didn't really care. "How did you meet him?" she asked curiously.

Dominic nodded a bit, thinking that made more sense. "Ah, I see. Is her brother big brother-y too?" he laughed a bit. He was glad Simone and Anastasia seemed to be hitting it off. "Simone and I are going to go buy teas," he laughed a bit. "Nothing particularly, but she hasn't been around mu-," he stopped himself. "Downtown London much," he corrected. "I figured I'd show her around a bit. What about you?"

Simone admittedly was a bit nervous about talking to this muggle girl. She didn't want to accidentally mess this up. "Yes, that's me," she smiled. "Oh, does he really? It's a beautiful city. That must be why you're dressed so impeccably," she smiled, looking over the girl's clothes. She was incredibly beautiful. "We met here as well," she told her. "My brother moved here first and started frequenting this place after his friend Dot told him about it."

Nikolai chuckled a little bit and then nodded. "He is. He's seven years older than her. I can't imagine you being that much older than me," he admitted. "Oh, really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. That sounded like a date to him. "That sounds like fun. I'm sure you're the best person to do that," he admitted. "Have fun." He thought for a moment. "I'm really not sure," he admitted.

Anastasia nodded in response to her question. "He does! It's quite beautiful. Oh, thank you. That does play a part," she laughed a little. "What a popular place Nikolai's bar is, huh?" she said playfully. "Ah, that sounds super cool. I only happened to stop in, and now I mostly come in for Nik," she laughed. "Though it's a lovely bar," she added.

Dominic shook his head. He couldn't imagine being that much older than him, either. Four years already felt like a lot. "Likewise," he laughed. He nodded. "Yeah. I think it sounds like fun, too. Plus, you know, you can never go wrong with tea," he grinned a little. "I am a rather good guide," he said, though he knew that wasn't what either of them meant. "I will. I hope you have fun, too, even if you don't know what you're going to do."

Simone thought Anastasia was incredibly nice. She liked that. She'd be good for Nikolai, she thought. "You're welcome," she smiled. She laughed. "It has become quite the popular place," she agreed. She thought that sounded lucky. She'd just stumbled in and now she had Nikolai. It was a cute story. "I can understand that," she smiled, though her gaze flickered to Dominic for a moment. She mostly came in for him. "I hope you two enjoy your date," she said.

Nikolai had to admit that Dom had a point. Tea was pretty much the one thing everyone could agree on. It was absolutely delicious. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. With or without the tea," he smirked. "You're a fantastic guide for London. Simone's lucky to have you," he teased. They were totally going on a date and neither of them knew it. It was hilarious. "We will. Don't worry." He thought about suggesting they tag along but realized he didn't really care enough to. "You wanna head out, Ana? Or are you having too much fun?" he smiled at her.

Anastasia noticed the way Simone looked at Dominic, even if it was just for a moment. She was a sweet girl. She was a really cute girl. She was lovely, honestly. She liked her. She seemed a bit shy, but that wasn't a bad thing at all. "Oh, yeah, let's go," she smiled up at Nik. "I'm sure I'll get another chance to talk with you. À bientôt," she said, waving at Simone. "Do you want to walk or get a cab?" she asked him curiously.

Dominic rolled his eyes. Nikolai was really pushing it. "Stop it," he said quietly. "Oh, I'm sure you will," he said honestly. He nodded a bit when the two started to go, smiling at both of them. "Have fun. See you later. Be safe," he said, waiting for them to leave to turn back to Simone.

Dominic smiled at her, nodding his head toward the door a bit. "Do you wanna head out?" he asked with a smile. "She seemed nice, by the way. Did you like her?" he asked. He liked her, but he liked even more that the two girls had talked.

Simone nodded a bit. "I do," she smiled. "I liked her. I hope we see more of her," she said, fondness in her voice. "She was very sweet. And I think she really likes Nikolai which I like," she added. She had been a very lovely girl and it would be a shame to see her disappear as quickly as she'd appeared. "Where are we going first?" she wondered.

Dominic nodded in agreement. He liked her, too. "She was really nice. And she does seem to like Nikolai, which you know, as his brother, I'm kind of hoping for that," he laughed. "You two seemed to get on well," he smiled. He stood up and stretched, finishing his drink and setting it down. "There's this place that sells tea and then cute little cookie kind of things you can buy to take home, too."

Simone really hoped she saw Anastasia again soon. "We did. She was very sweet to me. And she knows French, which is nice," she smiled. "But she said she mostly comes in for Nikolai which I think is a very good indicator of how much she likes him." She personally mostly came in for Dominic so she figured it was the same. She stood up after he did and smiled. "That sounds good to me. Is it nearby?"

Dominic chuckled a bit and nodded. "I noticed that. You two could get along quite well, I think," he smiled. He nodded, smiling still. He was glad. He wanted Nikolai to be happy, even if he thought he was a shit. "That's good. He could use a girl like her, I think," he smiled. "It's pretty close. It's a bit of a walk, but we can apparate to a deserted area nearby and walk from there," he offered.

Simone thought they could as well. She'd seemed like a lot of fun. "I hope she comes around again," she smiled. She thought Anastasia and Nikolai could be very good together, honestly. They had the same kind of charisma about them. They'd be cute. "I think so too," she agreed with a smile. "Oh, okay. That sounds good to me!" she smiled. She led the way to the magic section of the bar and shyly reached out for Dominic's hand so he could apparate them near the tea shop.

Dominic liked that Simone had liked Anastasia, too. That seemed like an all around good sign. He was glad she agreed with him. He joined her on the magic side, smiling at the way she hesitantly took his hand. He reached for it, holding her hand tightly in his, and apparated them to a little area outside the shopping strip. "Let's go!" he said, still holding her hand and leading her toward the shop.

Simone instantly noticed that Dominic hadn't let go of her hand after they'd apparated. She couldn't figure out why he was still holding it. Clearly he knew that he was so it was a deliberate action but what did it mean? She was probably overthinking it. "Have you been to this shop many times?" she asked, trying to find something else to focus on other than the feeling of his hand in hers.

Dominic felt a little nervous about deliberately holding her hand, but he liked the way it felt, and it seemed like the proper thing to do if he liked her, which he thought he did. "Only twice. And one time I was buying a gift for someone and I was running late, so I didn't get to look much," he laughed. "I'm really excited about going today," he admitted.

Simone knew it was silly to feel flustered about him holding her hand. She was an adult. She'd held hands before. It wasn't a big deal. "Oh? Who was the gift for?" she wondered. She had to admit, knowing he'd only been twice and they'd be looking around together today made her feel special. They'd get to explore the place together. "I'm really excited too. I bet it's lovely. I can't wait."

Dominic thought back on who it had been. "I was working, I suppose, with this muggleborn. And she invited me to her birthday and I knew she had mentioned this place, so I came to find her something," he explained, smiling over at her. He pushed the door open, only letting go of her hand so she could go in ahead of him. "Do you want to see if they have rose tea?"

Simone nodded as he explained. She thought that was rather nice of him to have remembered a specific place that she'd mentioned liking. "That was very sweet of you," she smiled. She let go of his hand reluctantly and walked ahead into the shop. It was a cute place, she thought. "Oh, yes. Let's do that first," she smiled, stepping closer to the counter so she could see the menu.

Dominic shrugged a bit. He didn't think it was that sweet of him, but he liked that she thought so. "Thanks," he said with a smile. He looked around as they walked to the counter, taking in all the brands. "Do you have any rose teas we could try that are in stock?" he asked the lady at the counter. When she nodded, he smiled over at Simone. "I wonder how many they have."

Simone hoped they had some tea that she'd like here. She wouldn't get her hopes up too high for the rose tea but she did have her fingers crossed. When the woman said that they did, she smiled brightly. "I'm happy that they even have one," she smiled. She was rather excited and she was glad that Dominic would try some as well. Even if it wasn't his kind of tea, he would at least sample it with her. She liked that.

Dominic understood that. Liking something that was uncommon was rough, and then finding a place that had said uncommon thing was really nice. "I don't blame you," he smiled. It would be nice if they had more than one, though. Then she could choose. Variety was nice. The woman put two cups on the counter, the different tags hanging over the glass. "Oh, look at that. Two," he smiled. He nodded for her to try, waiting for her to try first.

Simone smiled brightly when two cups were put in front of her. Maybe she'd like both or maybe she'd only like one but at least she had options. "I can't believe it," she grinned. She picked up the first cup and lifted it to her face, inhaling the scent first. "Smells sweet," she smiled. She took a small sip of it and considered it thoughtfully. "I like that. That's lovely. You try it," she said, handing him the first cup.

Dominic was thrilled this place had something to offer Simone. Now, he had to admit, this store had quite the comprehensive tea collection, so he wasn't all too surprised they had it, of all places. He was still very happy that they had it. He let her pick the cup, watching as she tried it. "Is sweet good?" he asked with a small chuckle. He nodded, taking the cup from her and taking a small sip. "Oh, that's nice."

Simone nodded a bit. "It is good. It's not quite the kind I had in Paris but it's rather good. It's mostly rose and some sort of sweet flower," she mused. She couldn't exactly pinpoint it. She watched him try it and picked up the second cup. "I'm glad you like it," she smiled. She sampled the cup she held and let out a pleased hum. "That tastes closer to Paris. There's a bit of raspberry in it." She held it out for him with a smile.

Dominic hadn't tried it yet, but listened to her description. "Honeysuckle, perhaps?" he suggested. He didn't know a ton about flavors of flowers, but he knew that one was particularly sweet. He smiled over at her, waiting for her to try the second one. "Oh yeah? Is the raspberry what makes it?" he asked curiously, taking the cup and taking a small sip. He thought that was even nicer. "I like that one better than the first."

Simone thought about that for a minute. Was it honeysuckle? "It might be," she shrugged. She still wasn't able to pinpoint it exactly but she figured it was probably because of the rose mixed in with it. "It is. It brings a liveliness of it. It tastes a lot like Paris," she smiled. She hadn't thought she'd be able to taste it again unless she went home but he'd found a place for her that had something similar. She was so grateful for it. "Isn't it lovely? I'm definitely going to buy some."

Dominic wasn't sure. It was good though. He didn't really understand how this sort of tea worked, honestly. He figured it was best to not question it and just enjoy it. "I know which one you'll be taking home tonight," he smiled fondly. He thought it tasted balanced, sweet, but also strong. It was lovely. "It truly is. I might get some for myself," he admitted, taking another sip.

Simone really was quite grateful to him for mentioning this place. She liked most rose teas and had, on occasion, simply made her own out of the flower, but she'd been unable to mix up her own variety of it that tasted like Paris. And he had brought her to this place that had the closest one to it that she'd try. She could kiss him, honestly, but she wouldn't. "Really? You should! It's perfect to have before bed," she smiled. "Thank you, by the way, for bringing me to this place."

Dominic thought it was sweet how excited she was about him being excited. She really was something special. He wondered if she had any idea whatsoever. Somehow, he doubted it. "Yes. It's good. I don't know how often I'll drink it, but maybe I'll try to have a cup before bed," he smiled at her. He smiled over at her and nodded. "Of course. I'm happy to be here with you. And thank you for coming with," he smiled at her. He stood up, paying the lady at the counter, and walking with Simone so they could find that rose tea.

Simone thought he'd really enjoy the tea. Well, she hoped. It always helped her sleep. She was incredibly excited to have a cup tonight. "Oh, well, at least you'll have some for when you want it," she smiled. Her smile turned fond as he spoke and she nodded once. "I'm happy too. And of course I came with," she added. She'd be happy to do anything with him. She thanked the woman as Dominic paid and then turned to him. "Thank you for that." She walked with him, looking at all the kinds of teas. "Is there a kind that you wanted to look for?"

Dominic wondered if maybe the tea helped her sleep because it was comforting. That would make sense to him. "I'll think of you when I do," he said honestly, smiling at her. He knew there wasn't really a reason for her to not have come with him, but it still meant a lot to him that she was here. Maybe that was silly, but it was true. "Of course. It wasn't too expensive anyway," he promised. He walked with her, gazing over the shelves for the rose they'd had. "Nothing in particular. Maybe something will jump out at me."

Simone liked the sound of that. She liked him thinking about her. "I'll think of you when I drink it too, since you're the reason I'll have it," she smiled back. She knew it hadn't been expensive but she still appreciated it. She liked that he did things like that for her without much of a thought behind it. He just was a sweet man. "Still, thank you," she insisted. She hoped he found something that he wanted; she wanted to buy one he liked too. "I hope something does," she smiled.

Dominic thought she was just the cutest thing ever. He realized that he had said the same thing to her just a moment ago, but it was different. She was just cute. Plus, he wasn't entirely the reason she had the tea, but he liked that she thought so. He nodded a bit, smiling over at her. He hadn't minded at all. "I'm sure I'll find something," he smiled over at her. "Oh look! I think that's the rose tea we liked," he said, reaching out and grabbing a box.

Simone really was just enjoying being around him. She would have been fine not finding a tea that she'd liked if it meant they spent more time together. As it were, she was happy to have one. "I hope so," she smiled. She looked over when he found the tea and took two boxes after he grabbed one. After a pause, she grabbed one more just to be safe. "I'm really looking forward to having a cup of this later," she laughed. "I'll have to have Rosalind over so she can try it," she added, mostly to herself.

Dominic watched as she grabbed her teas, laughing a bit. "I don't blame you! It would be awful to run out. If you do, and we can't find it here, I'll enlist my mum in helping me order it for you online," he smiled. He nodded. That was a great idea. "She'll love it, I'm sure," he said. He noticed a box that seemed particularly earthy as they walked, and grabbed that, too. "Should we get some biscuits to go with them?"

Simone smiled at the sound of his laugh. Boy, was she gone for him. She didn't think she'd ever liked someone this much in her life, which admittedly was a bit sad. "You're very sweet, Dominic," she told him. "I think she will, too." She watched him grab a box of tea and picked one of the same kind up for herself. "Yes, definitely. I love biscuits," she grinned. "It looks like we're having a tea party."

Dominic didn't really know sweet that made him. He was just doing what anyone would do if they could. Right? "I'm not nearly as sweet as you give me credit for," he insisted, smiling down at her. He chuckled when she called it a tea party. "That would be rather fun, would it not? I don't think I've ever been to a proper tea party. have you?" he asked her, leading her over to the section with biscuits.

Simone shrugged a bit. She definitely disagreed with that. "You are, though. I think you don't give yourself enough credit," she admitted. He was kind and thoughtful and just something special. "It would be fun," she laughed. She could picture it. "Really? You haven't? You're English!" she laughed. "I would have imagined you've been to a few. I actually have. A friend of mine was rather fond of them."

Dominic made a face, but he smiled through it. "That sounds like a lot of shit, Simone," he teased, laughing a bit. "We should throw a tea party sometime," he decided. "I know! But I haven't been. Unless the one my sister had when she was young with toys counts," he said with a grin. "The same friend who introduced you to the rose tea, or a different one?" he asked curiously.

Simone laughed loudly at his words. "It is not!" she insisted, nudging his arm gently. "Can't you just take a compliment? It's only polite," she laughed. "We should. We can serve all sorts of biscuits," she smiled fondly. She thought it'd be a lot of fun. "I think that counts. It's still a tea party," she teased. She shook her head slightly. "No, a different one. The one who introduced me to the tea wasn't really part of that world."

Dominic smiled widely at her laugh, shrugging a bit. "I suppose I could take a compliment, but only because you said it was polite," he teased. "So thank you," he added. He thought that would be fun. "Sounds good. We'll invite our teddies," he said playfully. "Then I suppose I've been to one," he said. He nodded a bit. She sounded less fun than the rose tea friend. "Did you have to dress up real fancy?"

Simone smiled at him. She was glad he'd just accepted it. The words were true, anyway. "Thank you, Dominic," she smiled. "And you're very welcome." He was awfully cute suggesting they invite stuffed animals along. "Oh yes, of course," she teased. "Well, there you go then. You sound more English now that you've been to one," she grinned. "Yes, but honestly, I had to dress up for a lot of things," she admitted.

Dominic laughed when she thanked him for thanking her. "You're welcome, you silly," he grinned. He thought this sounded like fun, though he wasn't sure it would happen. He grabbed a box of biscuits as they walked, his stomach nearly growling as he thought about them. "Glad I meet your expectations of an Englishman now," he teased. "Sounds like a drag, honestly."

Simone realized she hadn't stopped smiling since she'd been with him. He just brought her such joy. It was an incredible feeling. She could picture the two of them having a cute little tea party together. "You certainly do. Finally," she teased. She nodded a bit, looking at a box of biscuits that she'd picked up. "It was. A lot of that world is focused on image. It's not really about having fun," she admitted.

Dominic couldn't help but smile wider. She was so cute. He really liked being around her, and he hoped she could tell. He really hoped she didn't just think this is how he was with everyone, or that he liked everyone nearly as much as he liked her. Maybe he needed to make it more clear. "Thank goodness," he laughed. "I think having fun is a lot more interesting," he said honestly. "What about you?"

Simone didn't really talk about Paris much but she'd found she didn't mind talking about it to Dominic all that much. As it stood, only Fitz and Wren knew about why she'd left and what her life had been like but maybe one day, Dominic knowing wouldn't be that bad. "I think it is too," she smiled. "I don't care too much about image. It always seemed like it was unnecessary," she said.

Dominic hadn't ever really had to worry about his image too much. He did a little at Hogwarts, but he didn't have to, he just wanted to. He didn't want to let his dad down, or give him a bad name. It was different, he suspected. "I don't either. I did try to look good for my dad in school, what with him being a professor, but other than that, it's always just seemed like a lot of baloney to me."

Simone thought that was a bit different but also equally as stressful. It wasn't fun to worry about how you appeared to other people. It started to consume your entire life. Bit by bit, it became the only thing you focused on. "That was kind of you," she smiled. "It is a bit ridiculous. It's exhausting. At the end of the day, everyone's so busy worrying about how they look that they aren't even enjoying themselves," she admitted. "I'm glad I don't have to worry about that anymore."

Dominic walked with her to the counter, putting their things down so the cashier could scan them. "I wanted to do it, really. He meant a lot to me. Still does, really," he said nonchalantly, shrugging a shoulder. He couldn't imagine that kind of life. It sounded simply exhausting. He didn't know how she had managed it for as long as she did. "I don't blame you. It sounds exhausting and beyond boring," he said. He paid the cashier, taking their bags. "Want to check the other store?"

Simone wondered what that was like. She still cared for her parents but they'd never meant the world to her and she was certain she'd never meant that to them. All they cared about was their image. And she'd damaged that when she left. She'd probably never speak to them again. "You're a good person, Dominic," she smiled. She hadn't expected him to pay for everything and found herself surprised that he had. "Oh, thank you. I could have paid," she told him. "Yes, let's. How far is it?"

Dominic laughed a little, frowning a bit. "I don't think my dad meaning a lot to me makes me a good person. If nothing else, he's a really good person, which makes it easy to want to make him proud," he said wit ha shrug. He didn't do anything special, though. "I know you could have. I wanted to pay for you. You're very welcome," he smiled. He held the door for her, letting her walk out first. "Not terribly far. There's a closer one around, I suspect as competition for this one, but it's not as good, from my experience."

Simone shrugged. She didn't think it made a difference. He was still a good person who cared. It was lovely. "If you say so," she said simply with a smile. She liked that he wanted to pay for her, it made this feel like a date. She knew that it wasn't one but she could pretend. "Still, thank you," she smiled. She walked out ahead of him and glanced around before giving him another smile. "Oh, well, let's just go to the other good one then. Which way?"

Dominic was glad she didn't make him say thank you for that one, too. She was cute with the way she cared about him and wanted him to feel appreciated, but he didn't want her to make him into something too wonderful that he couldn't live up to. "You're welcome, love," he smiled. He nodded a bit, taking her hand again once they were outside. "This away," he said, smiling as they walked. "Do you mind simply walking this time?"

Simone hadn't expected him to take her hand again. She didn't really know what any of this meant. It still wasn't a date, right? She was confused but she wasn't going to question it. Instead she just linked her fingers with his. "No, I don't mind walking. It's a nice day and you said it wasn't terribly far. I like to get some sun every day anyway," she smiled.

Dominic wasn't sure this was a date, but he sort of didn't mind if it was. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. Nik had gotten to him a bit. But he was pretty damn sure he liked her, and if she was willing to hold his hand, then maybe they could just roll with it for now. "Oh, good. I'm enjoying walking with you," he smiled. "Sunshine is good for you, though. I don't blame you," he smiled.

Simone walked with him, just kind of enjoying the feeling of his hand in hers. She liked everything about this, even if she didn't know what it meant. He was holding her hand and that was enough for her. It was something. "I'm enjoying it too," she promised. "It is! And it's just nice. Granted, there's a fair bit of rain here which makes it hard sometimes but," she shrugged. "When it's nice out, I like to walk."

Dominic laughed a bit and nodded. He reckoned there was more rain here than in Paris. It was a bit dreary sometimes, but a person got used to it. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst. "The rain can be nice, too, actually. Not as warm and soft as the sun, but nice," he smiled. "Walking is nice. It's good to get in touch with nature, I think," he said honestly.

Simone thought that was true. Rain could be nice. It washed things away, after all. And she could always use an umbrella to stay dry. "I like the way it smells when it rains," she smiled at him. "I don't mind it much. I know some people hate the rain, but not me," she shrugged. "It is. Plus it means we get to spend more time together which is nice, too," she said with a soft smile.

Dominic smiled a bit and nodded. "I like the smell when it rains, too. I also like how nature seems to flourish when it rains more. Of course, nature needs the sun, too. But it really loves rain," he said, letting out a small laugh. He felt a bit rambly. "I'm glad you don't. It'd make living in London sort of miserable," he said with a soft smile. He nearly nudged her, but it wasn't easy to do while holding her hand. "I agree. It's much more enjoyable to walk and chat than it is to just apparate everywhere all the time."

Simone couldn't believe he was still holding her hand. Should she tell Rosalind? She had to. Dominic was holding her hand. "I think there's a sense of cleansing when it rains. Like all the bad washes away, even for a little bit. It's refreshing. It's like starting over, even for a minute," she smiled. "It would, but. Somethings would make up for it. Or someone." She nodded her agreement. Walking with him was the highlight of her day. "Does it bother you I call you Dominic?"

Dominic nodded along. He felt like that, too. Rain was very refreshing. It made everything feel new again. "Yes, exactly. It's like a really nice shower," he said with a small chuckle. "I suppose that's why they can be called showers, hm?" he added. He wondered what exactly she meant by that, but didn't know what to say, so he didn't. "What? No. Why would it bother me?" he asked with a slight frown.

Simone thought sometimes she preferred rain over sunshine. Sure, the sun was warm and joyful but there was a happiness about rain. About starting new and fresh. It was clean. "I suppose you're right. It's a shower for the earth and for the soul, really," she mused. She shrugged a bit and looked over at her. "Everyone calls you Dom." Even saying the word sounded weird out loud. "I could, if you prefer it.:

Dominic had to agree with her. "It can also bring a nice chill when it's warm out, which I always appreciate. Maybe I'm just so accustomed to rain that it doesn't even bother me anymore," he said with a smile. Of course, plenty of London natives still hated the rain. "My mum calls me Dom and Dominic. So does Rosie. I don't have a preference. It's really whatever you're comfortable with, or whatever Wren's comfortable with, or whatever."

Simone smiled. He understood her. She had never met anyone that got her in Paris but her new friends here did. He understood her. She held his hand tighter, looking over at him with a fond kind of adoration. She was smiling too much to even say much else about it. "You're right." She listened, thinking about it as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. "But you'd tell me if you liked Dom better? I could give it a try. Dom," she said again, testing the word.

Dominic nodded, offering her a small, sort of disbelief smile. "Why wouldn't I? I trust you, I'm comfortable with you. I would let you know if I wanted to be called Dom. I like Dominic. I don't even know when they started calling me Dom, but it wasn't on my request," he promised. Plenty of people called him Dominic. "I like when you call me Dominic."

Simone shrugged, feeling a little uncomfortable. She'd overstepped and pushed and knew she should have kept quiet. He would have stopped her by now if he hated it. "I don't know," she admitted. "Sometimes I just like to make sure. I don't really like nicknames. Fitz gets a pass because it was our own private joke since our parents' hated it," she admitted. "I like saying Dominic. It's a pretty name to say. Dominic."

Dominic gave her a curious and concerned look. "Why don't you like nicknames?" he asked curiously. "Well, Fitzgerald is quite a mouthful. And he hardly feels like a Fitzgerald," he added with a smile. He wasn't surprised it bothered their parents. They seemed like not the best. "It sounds pretty when you say it. It's not as pretty when I say it," he said honestly, smiling at her.

Simone frowned slightly at the look. "Oh, I just. I don't know. My parents didn't like us using them so I have a hard time still getting used to the idea. I spent a long time fitting into this box they put me in and being perfect but I'm trying not to be stuck anymore. I think it's why Fitz likes to call me Sim sometimes. I think he thinks it helps. He tries, you know, but he's pretty obvious even when he's trying to be subtle," she smiled. She flushed a little bit and ducked her head. "Oh, it's just the accent. I like the way it feels to say it."

Dominic thought her parents really did a number on her, and he didn't even know all the details. "Does he help? Or is he just sort of making it worse?" he asked curiously. He understood how that sort of thing went, honestly. "For the record, I think you can be your own kind of perfect, without it being connected to them," he said honestly. He nodded with a smile. "It's definitely the accent. But it sounds really nice. I like it a lot."

Simone thought for a moment, staying quiet. "It's nice. I know they send him howlers about me and he tries to destroy them but I've seen them. Things like that don't phase him, though. He tries to make everything feel safe and happy but he's Fitz. He's not the most subtle," she laughed. "It's sweet, though. If he hadn't let me move in with him, I don't know where I'd be." She did, though. She'd be married and miserable. It surprised her when she suddenly realized just how much information she'd shared with him and she looked away, hoping he didn't judge her too much. "I'm far from perfect." She smiled when he said he liked it and let out a quiet, breathy laugh. "Dominic it is. I'll say it more if you'd like."

Dominic didn't really understand the dynamic the two of them had with their parents. "Why do you look at them if you know they're negative? You're an adult. Your parents have no room scolding you and trying to humiliate you like you're a child," he said honestly. He didn't like the idea of someone trying to make her upset. "I think he sounds really sweet doing all those things for you. It's really, really sweet he does all of that for you. You two are quite close. I think it's nice," he smiled. "Perfect is subjective. I think you're the most perfect Simone you could be," he said with a smile and a shrug. "I wouldn't mind that, but you don't have to like say my name with every sentence you speak to me," he said playfully. "That might get a bit odd."

Simone made a face. "I don't seek them out. They're on the counter, waiting for Fitz. It's not a pretty story, my life before London. Sometimes I think I'll end up back in Paris. I don't want to. I'm not really welcome there," she admitted. "It's not a pretty story," she said again. "He's a sweet guy. He's a good person. I'm lucky to have him," she smiled. "Well, thank you. I'm doing my best. I think we all are," she admitted. "But thank you," she said again. "I won't say it in every sentence," she laughed, shaking her head as they walked.

Dominic still didn't think he'd open a howler if he ultimately knew what it was. "I don't know why you'd end up there again," he said with a shrug. "We all have stories that aren't pretty. It's okay," he said reassuringly. "He's lucky to have you, too. You're a good match for each other," he said with a smile. "Yeah, you're right, but you're the only one who is you, and I think you're perfect," he said with a smile. "Oh, we're coming up on it. See that sign?" he said, pointing.

Simone felt a little uncomfortable and wished she hadn't brought it up. "You don't know what it was like and I don't think I can explain it," she told him. Hers was an ugly story, though. She didn't even want him to ever know what she'd done or why she'd left. "He's a good brother. A little whimsical, but he has the best heart," she said. She squeezed his hand when he said she was perfect, feeling a bit soft and emotional about it. "You're the nicest person I've ever met," she said honestly, turning to very softly kiss his cheek. "Oh, I see it."

Dominic shrugged a bit. "I can't really know because I'm not you, and you don't have to explain it, but you're an adult. You live here. You work here. You shouldn't have to go back if you don't want to," he said honestly. "Whimsical is fun. He does have an incredible heart," he said with a smile. He liked Fitz. "You're sweet. Thank you," he smiled, smiling wider at the kiss, even though he didn't agree. "You're gonna like this place."

Simone thought about that for a moment. She had too much in her mind to really process what he was saying so she simply smiled at him. Maybe he was right but that didn't ease her worry. She had come a long way but there was a long road ahead of her still. "You're a good friend to him," she smiled. "You're welcome." She laughed a bit and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I trust you. I don't think you'd take me anywhere I didn't like."

Dominic shrugged a bit. He didn't think he was a particularly good friend, but he was glad she thought so. He was just his friend. "Well, thank you," he said with a smile. He squeezed her hand back, swinging them a bit as they walked. "I may on accident, but I would never on purpose. I think you will like it, though," he said with a smile.

Simone smiled to herself when Dominic started to swing their hands. He was so cute and so, so sweet. He was the kind of guy she'd always dreamed about having some day but she never thought she'd actually have. She'd never expected a life like this or a man like this. "I think you have pretty good taste. I've liked everything we've done together so far," she promised him.

Dominic thought he had decent taste himself, but it was more a matter of whether or not she liked it, too. He thought she had a good point though. She had enjoyed everything he'd brought her, shown her, or taken her to so far. It was only a tea store. What was there to dislike? "You're right about that. I hope they have something like your tea in Paris here, too," he smiled.

Simone squeezed his hand and let out the quietest of laughs. "We found one already at the last shop, that's enough for me. I'll be alright if we don't find another. But I really do appreciate all the effort you're going through, Dominic. I told you I missed the tea and you've made it your mission to find me some. It means a great deal to me," she promised softly. He was so soft and lovely and she was gone for him.

Dominic nodded, but he hoped they found another or one that was even better maybe. "As long as you're happy with the one you found, then I suppose there can't be too much of a disappointment here," he smiled. He let go of her hand to open the door for her, smiling as she walked in. He followed her in. "Did you want to look for more rose tea, or do you want to find something different all together?"

Simone honestly was just happy to spend the day with him. Finding a tea similar to her favorite blend back home had only been a bonus. "I'm very happy with it. There's no disappointment at all," she promised him. She felt a weird sense of loss when he let go of her hand but she brushed it aside as she walked into the shop. "Why not do both?" she suggested with a smile. "We can both pick something new to try."

Dominic thought that was a good idea. He liked that they were trying new things together. He'd gotten new things with her before, too. It was a nice experience they got to share. He really enjoyed it. "I love that idea," he smiled. "We can get some biscuits here, as well. I love biscuits with tea," he said with a light chuckle. He obviously knew it was a stereotypical thing, but it was incredible.

Simone laughed quietly when he said he wanted to get biscuits too. He was so incredibly English that it made her heart ache a little. Everything about him made her heart ache. "We can definitely get the biscuits," she agreed. She started down one of the rows, scanning over every box that she saw. "We could each pick something out for the other person that we think they'd like?" she suggested.

Dominic hoped she didn't mind that he wanted to get biscuits. He just thought they were so good. "Oh, good. I was worried you wouldn't want them," he laughed. "They're good, though, aren't they?" he grinned. He smiled at her suggestion, nodding in agreement. "Oh, yes. That's a wonderful idea. I really like that idea," he said honestly. "Should we pick out biscuits and tea for the other?"

Simone nudged his arm with her elbow. "Why wouldn't I want biscuits?" she smiled. "I like them as well. I just think it's cute how English you are sometimes," she admitted. "They're very good." She looked as she walked, hoping something jumped out at her as the perfect tea for Dominic. "Oh, thank you." She'd thought it had been kind of a silly idea but she was glad he liked it. "Yes! We definitely should do that. Good thinking," she grinned.

Dominic wasn't really sure, but he would have felt silly if she thought they were childish or something. "I don't know. I'm glad you do want some, though," he smiled. He laughed quietly. "Thank you, I think," he said with a smile. He looked over every item he saw, looking for something that was just right for her. "This is a great plan."

Simone smiled over at him again. He just always made her smile so much. She liked him a ridiculous amount. "I do. I promise," she told him. "It was definitely a compliment so you're welcome," she grinned. She picked up a box and inspected it before putting it back down. "How did you find this place?" she wondered as she continued to look over the shelves. "Do you try out tea shops often?"

Dominic thought back on when he'd first stumbled in here. "I was looking for a tea I drank at Hogwarts, I think. I normally just have a regular tea at the shops I go to, and so when I go I grab a box or two. I don't tend to try out the different teas, just the shops," he said with a small shrug. "I think I frequent about three of them, so not too many."

Simone listened to him as she looked around. She thought it made sense he'd come in looking for something specific. And he definitely seemed the type to stick to what he liked instead of branching out too much. "Oh, that's interesting," she said honestly. "And you found the tea, yes?" She picked up another box, frowning thoughtfully at it. "It's hard to pick something for you when I don't even know what really you like." She turned to him with a smile.

Dominic nodded a bit. "Yes, I did. It's a good one. I'll have to make you a cup sometime," he smiled. He realized they hadn't hung out in private really, and decided they should sometime. "Well, I honestly like most anything," he said with a grin. "Don't worry about me not liking it. Just pick something interesting you want me to try," he reassured her.

Simone thought that sounded nice. She'd like it if she could go visit him for tea sometime. "That'd be nice," she smiled. She laughed a bit when he said he liked everything, finding that to be both helpful and unhelpful all at once. "What if I pick something you've already tried?" she asked with another laugh. "I'll just find one with a pretty box and an interesting name," she decided. That would work.

Dominic laughed a bit, smiling at her as they walked. "I'll pretend I haven't tried it," he teased, winking at her. "If I've already tried it, I'll let you know before we buy it," he said. "How's that sound?" he added. He grinned and nodded along, looking at the shelves still. "That sounds like a plan to me, honestly. I like pretty and interesting."

Simone gave him a look before laughing. "That's no fun if you do that!" she grinned. "You have to tell me," she insisted, though she knew he'd been teasing her. "That sounds good to me." She picked up another box and held onto it as she continued to look. "Sure. Everyone likes pretty things," she said absentmindedly. "I've never met anyone who didn't."

Dominic let out a laugh when she did, liking the expression on her face. "I will tell you! I promise," he laughed. "I was only messing with you," he promised, nudging her softly. He hummed quietly, taking her in as she looked over things before looking at another box himself. "Except those people who think they're too good to enjoy pretty things," he said with a small laugh. "I'm not one of those people."

Simone shook her head fondly, a small smile on her lips. "You'd better. I might not have Rosalind's skills but I can figure out if you're lying to me, I'm sure of it," she teased. She liked it when he nudged her a lot. She liked the easy banter. She just really liked him. "Oh, I suppose you're right. What a sad life that must be, pretending not to like something simply because it's pretty," she mused. "I'm glad that you're not. I'm glad you're... you," she admitted.

Dominic laughed again, smiling brightly at her. "I am entirely positive you could figure out if I were lying to you, and I most definitely have no intentions to ever lie to you," he promised. He liked that she thought it seemed sad to not enjoy things, too. "I agree. Enjoying the simple, small, pretty things in life is one of those things that makes life enjoyable," he said honestly. "I'm glad you're you, as well," he smiled at her.

Simone smiled over at him. She liked that he didn't want to lie to her. She knew that was a pretty standard thing for friends to not do to each other but it meant more hearing him say the words. "Good," she smiled. She nodded a bit, pleased that he felt the same way. "It really is. It's sad that people look down on those things and by extension, sometimes, the people who do enjoy them." She turned to smile at him again and a box caught her eye. Stepping in front of him, she grabbed it. "Oh, this brand is from Paris."

Dominic agreed with that easily. "Yes. As if enjoying something makes you lesser. Life is just too short to pretend not to like something that you rather enjoy," he said with a bright smile. He stopped when she did, letting her grab something. "Do you want to get that for yourself or for me or both?" he asked with a small, sweet laugh. He looked around a bit while they were stopped, grabbing a box for her and tucking it under his arm so she couldn't see it.

Simone had to agree with him. She'd become much happier since she'd stopped pretending so much. "I like your outlook on things, Dominic," she told him with a smile. "You're a very positive person. It's like being around sunshine." She examined the box she was holding before turning to him. "I'm getting one for me and one for you but I'm still getting you a surprise box," she told him with a smile. His laugh was like music. "There's just so many varieties."

Dominic smiled fondly when she said she liked his outlook. He felt like a positive person. He thought it was good to put positive things into the world. He didn't know why it mattered to him so much, but it was important. He felt like being positive made you feel positive, and maybe that was why it felt important. "That's quite the compliment. Thank you," he smiled. "Oh, that's not the surprise box?" he laughed a bit. "Damn, I need to find more for you then."

Simone nudged him with her elbow lightly, giving him a smile. "It's true. You're different. You give off this positive energy. I don't know how you do it," she admitted. "But it's beautiful." She said the words without thinking and felt herself blushing a bit so she tipped her head down to read a box. "Oh, no, you can just get me one. I don't need two. I just wanted to get you a little something of Paris since you've shown me so much of London," she explained.

Dominic smiled when she did, nodding a bit. "Thank you. You're different, too. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel wonderful around you. Maybe it's positive energy, too," he said with a small laugh. "I just know I like being around you," he added. He thought about it for a moment. He wanted to get her two, too, but he had bought her one at the other store. "Hm, okay, but only because your reasoning is solid," he smiled.

Simone thought that was sweet even if he didn't know how to describe it. She just liked that he felt good around her because he made her happier than anyone ever had. It was insane how that worked out, really. "Maybe," she agreed with a smile. "I'm glad you feel good around me," she added, reaching out to brush her fingers against his. "I like being around you too." She picked up another box that looked interesting and smiled at him. "Let's go find the biscuits," she suggested.

Dominic really couldn't believe how he felt this sort of spark with her. He hoped she felt it, too, but he couldn't be sure. "I'm glad you feel good around me, too," he smiled. He brushed his fingers against hers, linking them loosely for a moment. "Biscuits, yes. We could probably spend the entire day in here if we don't finish our shopping and leave," he said with a light, playful laugh.

Simone felt the way his fingers brushed hers and how he held them and smiled to herself. Maybe she wasn't imagining things and he did like her too. She really hoped so. All signs were pointing to it but she knew better than to get her hopes up. She just needed to talk to Rosalind. "I always do," she promised shyly. She nodded a bit and walked towards the biscuits with him, standing closer than she needed to. "Are we still surprising each other?"

Dominic always felt good around her, so he was glad to know the feeling was mutual. He really thought the fact that they both felt that way had to mean something. Coupled with their practical constant hand holding, he thought they really had something going for them. "Oh, yes, of course. Surprise biscuits to go with surprise tea," he grinned at her. He picked a box off the shelf, looking it over before tucking it gently under his arm so she couldn't see it.

Simone didn't miss how he was so careful to keep his choices hidden from her. It was the cutest thing she'd ever seen, honestly. "Hopefully the biscuits at least pair well with the choices. You realize we might have to have a tea party now," she teased as she examined the boxes. She found a box with a pretty packaging and chose that one for him. She liked the idea of trying the treats and tea with him. It seemed only fitting since they'd shopped for them together.

Dominic laughed playfully, smiling over at her. "You think I'm not picking your biscuits to match your tea? What kind of surprise would it be if they didn't complement one another?" he teased lightly. "I would love to have a tea party," he said honestly. He walked with her over to the counter. "You go first, and then I can go, and we can trade bags so it's still a surprise," he grinned.

Simone grinned at him. "You never know! Maybe you haven't tried the tea that you picked for me," she teased. "It'd be an interesting surprise for sure." She felt like she hadn't smiled this much in ages and it was a beautiful feeling. "Yeah? You could come to the cottage. I'll get rid of Fitz for the day," she teased. A tea party sounded an awful lot like a date to her. She nodded a bit and paid for her tea and biscuits and stood off to the side while he did the same. "I can't wait to see what you picked."

Dominic frowned a bit. He hoped not. "Well, they sound like they match," he said with a small laugh. "I guess you'll just have to wait and find out for yourself," he added with a grin. He nodded a bit. "I'd love to. Or if you can't get rid of Fitz, you can come to mine. But I'd love to go to your cottage," he added with a smile. He waited for her to pay, then did the same himself, holding the bag tight in his hand. "Should we exchange when we get outside, or wait until we're about to part our separate ways?"

Simone giggled a bit when he frowned. He seemed to be really thinking it over and it was quite adorable. "We'll hope for the best," she decided. "I'm excited to find out." She thought for a moment, realizing she'd never been to his place. "Maybe we could have one at both," she suggested. "Try my tea at my place, and yours at yours?" She hoped the suggestion made sense. After he paid she smiled at him and started walking out with him. "Maybe when we say goodbye. That way we'll still be smiling when we say goodbye."

Dominic nodded. That made sense. And it meant they'd get to spend time together at least two more times without having to think up a new reason to see her. It sounded like a really good idea, too. "Oh, I quite like that. Two tea parties. And we get to enjoy the experience twice," he smiled. He nodded in agreement. He liked that better. Then he could be excited when he opened it at home, like a present. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Simone was glad that he agreed. Maybe calling it a tea party was a bit juvenile since they were really just two adults sampling tea but she found it all rather sweet. She found him to be sweetest. "And we both get to enjoy the tea and biscuits. And we get to spend more time together," she added a bit shyly. She walked out of the shop with him and glanced around a bit. "Where to next?" she wondered.

Dominic thought that sounded real nice. He liked tea and biscuits. This way, they got to try their own choices, and the one the other chose for them, and maybe whatever else they had lying around. Plus, he was always happy to spend more time with her. "I don't think I could ask for much more," he said with a smile. "Honestly," he admitted reluctantly. "I don't have any more plans for right now. I'd be happy to walk with you, though."

Simone liked the way he'd said that. He couldn't ask for much more. He really was a sweet man. Her hand reached out to find his and she linked their fingers together gently. "Neither could I." She laughed a bit when he said he had no more plans before nodding. "I'd love to just walk around," she smiled. "I can't think of a better way to spend my afternoon," she added on, squeezing his hand lightly.

Dominic linked his fingers with hers easily. It was starting to feel rather comfortable, and he didn't need to think about it much. It just sort of happened. It felt natural. It was strange, all the feelings he had toward Simone. Maybe they weren't really weird feelings, but it was weird how they'd just happened, but felt so right. He gave her hand a small squeeze as they walked. "Should we wander around London, or head back toward home?" he asked, trying to keep discreet.

Simone thought about how nice it felt to just hold his hand. Their fingers just seemed to fit perfectly together. It was the most comfortable feeling in the world. And she felt safe. It was lovely. She thought about how nice it would be to just be able to hold his hand all the time. She hummed a bit at the question, thinking it over. "Let's just wander around. We don't have to have a destination in mind," she decided. "If that's alright."

Dominic thought about that. Walking around the city, without going anywhere, just seeing where their feet led them. He liked that. He didn't often just walk without having an idea about where he was heading, but he would do it. it would be fun. "You know, I rather like the sound of that," he said with a smile. "I have time. Do you?" he asked, making sure he wouldn't end up making her late.

Simone smiled when he said he liked the idea. She thought it sounded wonderful to just not have a plan. They could just walk and talk and hold hands and just be together. It was the perfect way to spend the day. She smiled at him and nodded at the question. "I have time, yes," she promised. She walked quietly for a few moments before turning to him. "Tell me something about growing up with Rosalind and Nikolai."

Dominic turned and smiled at her as they walked. "Good. There's no rush then," he smiled. He was a bit surprised by her request, but smiled a bit as he thought of something to tell her. "Hmm. Well, the two were always close. They're quite similar, you know, in ways they don't quite see. They were always playing their own little version of quidditch, trying to get me to join in. Rosie in particular was really sad when I left for school. It was incredible difficult when she came, too. Nik was all alone all year. He didn't like that much. Bust Rosie was so thrilled to be there with me. Is there anything you want to know? I feel I'm rubbish at coming up with details."

Simone watched his face when he processed her question with a smile. As he began to talk about his family, she would admit, she felt a pang of jealousy. How nice it must have been to grow up in a loving environment. She stayed quiet while he spoke, nodding here and there. "They do have a lot of similarities but I see similarities between you and them as well." The idea of them trying to convince Dominic to play quidditch made her laugh. "That sounds nice. It's sad that you have that age difference and you had to leave them both behind. I bet coming home for holidays was always really exciting," she smiled wistfully. "Oh, I don't know. I just like the idea of your family," she admitted. "You all seem so close."

Dominic nodded a little. He could see the similarities, too, but he thought they were more similar. Not in a bad way, not in a he was left out way, just in a different way. "Yeah, we do. I guess growing up together can do that. You and Fitz have similarities, too," he said with a smile. He laughed a bit when she did. "Coming home for holidays was really exciting. It was so nice to see them again. And they'd have stories, and I'd have stories. It was nice," he said with a fond smile. "We are pretty close. I think Nik and Rosie do a better job keeping in touch with our parents, to be honest. Not that I don't want to, I just am not as good at it."

Simone tried to imagine growing up in that home. She could picture the three of them as kids, running around and playing and just enjoying each other. It gave her a bit of a pang in her chest and she felt her hand tightening around his just the smallest bit. "Do we?" she wondered. "I don't know, maybe." She smiled as he went on, watching the way he lit up as he spoke about it. "It sounds like Christmas was a magical time for you. And summers," she added. She let out a quiet laugh and gave him a nudge. "You should visit them more. I bet they miss you something terrible."

Dominic nodded as they walked. "Oh yes. I think so. You both have the sweetest, softest hearts. Fitz can be a bit mischievous, but he has a good heart. You have that in common. You both care about people. You have that in common. You're both a bit mysterious. You both are curious, want to learn more. I think you're more similar than you realize," he said honestly. "Oh, it was. Christmas still can be, but it's sort of different now, what with us all being adults," he said with a small laugh. "I should. I'm sure they do. I miss them an awful lot."

Simone looked over him, a bit surprised. What a sweet thing to say. She could feel her fondness growing for him more and more. "He does have a good heart. He's a sweet boy," she said. She nearly protested that she wasn't mysterious but she realized that having a secret life she'd left behind that only two people in their friend group knew about made her mysterious. "I suppose we are more alike than I thought. I like that. I always thought people liked him better than me," she admitted. "It's nice to know we're similar." She thought their Christmas still sounded pretty wonderful, even if they were adults. "Still. I bet it's warm. All happiness and fresh cookies and such. Everything Christmas should be," she smiled. "Then you should visit more! Isn't your mother's bakery near the bar?"

Dominic thought they were rather sweet siblings. They were both so kind. It seemed like they had really come out on top of whatever had happened in their past lives. He was happy for them. "I like you far better than him. No offense, of course. He's wonderful, you're just more wonderful," he said honestly. "Quite similar," he smiled. He loved holidays with his family. They still held all that magic of his childhood. It was the closest thing to going home that he could think of. "Oh yes, very warm. Lots of fresh everything. Maybe you and Fitz can come this year?" he suggested tentatively. "It is. I should visit more. I'm a horrible child," he laughed.

Simone was a bit surprised but not by too much when Dominic said he liked her better than Fitz. Mostly it made her a little fluttery as she thought the two of them were best friends. "I think you just like holding my hand better than his," she teased lightly. "You're sweet, Dominic." She liked him so much it was ridiculous. She hummed a bit when he spoke of the holidays, wondering what that was like. His next words surprised her. "Oh? Really? Would that be alright?" she asked. "I've never had a holiday like that," she admitted, "so I'd love to go if I'm not intruding. I know family is important to you." She laughed when he said he was a horrible child. "You're just busy. You'll go visit her tomorrow," she decided for him. "Or I won't talk to you for the whole day."

Dominic laughed, but shook his head. "I mean, I do like holding your hand better, yes, but that's not why I like you better," he said honestly. "Thank you, Simone. You're very sweet, too." He really wanted her to go with, and he didn't think anyone would have any complaints about him inviting her. They all liked her, too. Plus their family wasn't like that. "Yes, of course. All the more reason for you to come, then," he smiled. "Family is important, but it isn't like you'd be intruding or interrupting. The more the merrier. We'd all be happy to have you," he smiled, his words honest. He laughed. "Oh really?" he said with a grin. "I guess I'll go visit her tomorrow."

Simone smiled at him. She really couldn't wait to tell Rosalind about this. She really thought something might come of her feelings for Dominic now. "It's a little bit why," she teased. "Well, thank you, but I'm not doing anything sweet," she laughed. She smiled to herself as he told her she was allowed to come to Christmas with his family. She really thought it'd be a lot of fun, even if she was a bit out of place. "Oh, well, I'd love to come. You should clear it with your parents first, in case," she added. "But I'd love to come." She laughed. "Yes, really. You have to go visit."

Dominic thought it over, but shrugged a shoulder. "I don't think so. I like you better because you're quite lovely. Really nice to be around. I just like you," he said with a shy smile. "You just are," he said honestly. "Your sweetness is like sugar. It just is sweet by nature, without doing anything," he said, hoping that made sense. "I'll ask when I go see them this week," he said with a wink. "We'd love to have you. Mum will be thrilled to have more mouths to feed. She loves cooking for people."

Simone thought he was being awfully sweet. His words were so kind, they wrapped around her like a warm blanket. She could feel her heart pounding even as she smiled up at him. "Dominic," she said softly, unsure of what else to say. She wanted to kiss him so badly but didn't know if she could. She lifted their joined hands and kissed his fingers before leaning close to kiss the corner of his mouth. "You're far sweeter than sugar," she told him as she moved back. "I'd be happy to come to Christmas," she told him.

Dominic turned a bit to look at her when she said his name. He stopped for a moment, watching her kiss his fingers. When she kissed his mouth, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in and kissing her just a hair harder. "If that's your way of saying I'm sweeter than you, I'm sorry to inform you that you're terribly wrong," he said, smiling at her. He let go of her, holding her hand again as they walked. "I can't wait. Even more than usual."

Simone couldn't believe this was happening. He actually kissed her. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. She was smiling when he pulled away, cheeks turning the softest shade of pink. "If you say so," she managed, giving him a shy smile. He'd really kissed her. She couldn't wait to tell Rosalind. "Christmas feels like it's so far away but it always creeps up quickly," she mused. "I'm really excited. I'm certain I've never had a Christmas like yours."

Dominic liked the smile on her face, the way she looked so warm and soft. "I say so," he said with a smile. He felt the same way about Christmas. It always felt like it wasn't nearly here yet until it was just the next week. "Time, I guess. It really does trick the mind," he said with a small smile. "Well I hope it lives up to all your hopes and dreams and you aren't disappointed."

Simone did her best to push thoughts of kissing him again away. She wanted to be able to focus on the conversation without being too distracted by his lips. "It does. I feel like it was different when we were in school because of exams but as an adult it just kind of creeps up on you," she smiled. "I can't imagine I could possibly be disappointed if I'm spending time with you," she told him.

Dominic nodded in agreement. She was exactly right. "Yes! You always knew it was coming. You were counting down the days. But now it just suddenly is days away, and I realize I'm entirely underprepared," he said with a small laugh. He smiled softly at her, squeezing her hand softly. "So long as that sentiment holds true on Christmas Day and I don't ruin the holiday for you," he said playfully.

Simone thought it was kind of crazy how that worked. Then again, maybe the anticipation for Christmas was stronger for children. "That happens to me too," she smiled. She'd ended up unprepared on plenty of occasions and it had never ended well. She smiled when he squeezed her hand. "You won't ruin it. Trust me. I can already tell this is going to be the best Christmas ever," she smiled. Besides, he couldn't ruin any more than her family had in the past.

Dominic liked how similar they were. Maybe they were even more similar than he had initially thought they were. They were somehow both incredible similar, and very different. Maybe they were the perfect balance of alike and opposite. He liked that. He felt like they were just right for each other. “Then I can’t wait. I’m very excited,” he said with a smile. “Do you have any plans for your day after this?”

Simone had a feeling he might be just as excited as she was. She liked that. And she liked knowing that he was so willing to ask if he could bring her along to such an important holiday, even if they were just friends. He was just such a genuinely kind person it was absolutely lovely. "I am too," she smiled back at him. She thought for a moment, trying to remember. "Not much, really. I was probably just going to read or something," she admitted. "What about you?"

Dominic wondered what kind of reading she did. He wanted to ask, but he didn't want to be too much. He was never sure when he was being too much and when he was being politely interested. It was a hard distinction to make sometimes. "That sounds fun. Do you read often?" he asked with a smile. "I was going to write a bit. I'm still taking it easy, since my little incident. Which means more writing, really."

Simone nodded slightly with a smile. "I do. I love to read. Fitz likes to ask questions to learn things but I prefer books. I'm trying to learn more about the muggle world," she said the m word quietly. "Their lives are so interesting. The way they manage to create their own form of magic without actually using it. I'm reading a book right now and I'm just constantly so surprised. They have machines they put their dishes in and it cleans them! They're so resourceful. It's amazing," she babbled. He was probably the only person who wouldn't think she was silly for being fascinated by this so she didn't mind the rambling. "What are you writing?"

Dominic thought it ironic that she was reading about muggles and he was writing about them. They really were similar. "I think books are an excellent way of learning. They're one of my favorite ways, after all," he smiled. She would definitely be a Ravenclaw if she had gone to Hogwarts. "They're rather interesting, aren't they? I find it fascinating how quickly they catch up to us without even realizing where we are. They find their own ways to make things simple that come so easy to us. It's genius, really," he smiled at her. "I'm actually writing about technology's impact on muggle society," he said, keeping his voice hushed when he said the m word, too.

Simone definitely agreed. She'd always kind of used books as an escape in Paris. She had to be sneaky about them, especially after Fitz left and she wasn't allowed to see Camille. She just had always known there was so much more out there than the life she'd been forced into and reading about it gave her hope. "They're my favorite. I've learned so much I wouldn't have any other way. They've always been a kind of haven for me," she smiled. "It is fascinating! They've managed to create so much without the privilege we have from our abilities. And yet, some people look down on them because they can't wave a wand and wash a dish. They invented a machine to do it. What's the difference? The plate is still clean." She smiled at him as he spoke and squeezed his hand. "I'd be interested in reading it, if you ever want to share."

Dominic honestly just thought it was so cute that the both of them loved books so much. Maybe it was silly, but it made him so happy. "Do you read muggle books? Or do you read books about muggles?" he asked curiously, a sweet smile on his lips. He nodded along as she spoke, smiling still. "I agree! I think, even, their way of doing it is is so much more interesting. They had to think up ideas and work for them to work. It's quite cool," he grinned. "I'd be interested in sharing it with you, once I finish it," he smiled over at her.

Simone smiled at the way he was looking at her. "I like muggle books. I started reading them in school. My roommate, the friend I told you about? She'd always bring the best books. After we lost touch it was harder for me to get a hold of them, so I stopped for a while. I've started again since I've been in London. Fitz helped me find a shop," she explained. "But I've read books about them as well." She nodded a bit as he spoke, agreeing wholeheartedly. "They're so resourceful. They have to work twice as hard to come up with things that we can do with a wave of our wand. I don't know how they can do that," she admitted. "I look forward to reading it, then. Also, I was thinking, I could maybe come help out sometimes? When you're working on experimenting? I'd like to see what it is that you do and I could keep an eye on you," she suggested shyly.

Dominic had sort of expected her to read muggle books. She seemed like the type. She was so cute. He was sort of overwhelmed with it. "I remember her, yes. What kind of muggle books? Do you just read any muggle book you can get your hands on, out of curiosity to see what they write about, or do you get the ones about them being ordinary, so you can better see how they live?" he asked curiously. He loved muggle books. "I love muggle books. I read all of them, when I can," he admitted. "They are. They're quite clever. They get the wildest ideas, too. I feel like we don't tend to think outside the box as much as they do," he admitted. He thought about it for a moment. He wasn't sure it was the best idea, but at the same time, her keeping an eye on him did seem like a good idea. "Yeah, I think could. I'll plan something you can help me with and let you know," he smiled. So long as she didn't get hurt.

Simone hummed thoughtfully, smiling at all of his questions. "You're sounding like Fitz," she teased lightly. "Any kind, really. Mostly the romance ones at first. We thought we were so scandalous sneaking around with those. She stole them from her mother," she let out a laugh. "Then it just became getting any book I could. I just found them so interesting. I'd never known anything like that before. It was so interesting to read how they live and what their lives are like and what they worry about. It was fascinating," she smiled. "They really do. We get off quite easily with having magic for such everyday things," she shrugged a bit. "That sounds like fun then. I'll look forward to it," she smiled.

Dominic blushed a bit, laughing quietly. "Well, I'm interested in what you have to say, in getting to know you," he said honestly. He imagined that was what tended to drive Fitz, but he thought this was a touch different. He laughed fondly at that. "That sounds cute," he said honestly. "Did you not know anything about muggles growing up?" he asked curiously. They did sort of worry about different things, and yet they worried about the same things. "That we do," he said honestly, smiling at her. "I'll set something up sooner rather than later, then," he smiled.

Simone smiled at how he seemed to redden slightly. He was cute. "I feel the same way," she admitted. Her smile widened when he called it cute and she let out a quiet laugh. "I suppose it was. We had a lot of fun." She shook her head slightly. "I didn't. My parents... well, they have some old ideals, I suppose is the polite way to put it. Camille was the first person I met that had muggle blood in her," she explained. It was all rather complicated and messy, she was almost a bit afraid to talk about it too much. "I think we take it for granted sometimes," she admitted. "Just let me know when."

Dominic thought it sounded like she and her friend did have a good bit of fun, even if not all of her growing up was fun. "I'm glad that you did," he smiled over at her. He nodded a bit. He understood. Wren's parents had been a bit like that. "I get it. Wren's parents were like that. Well, they still are, from what I gather. I don't know how he separated from all of that so well, honestly. I don't know how you and Fitz did, either," he added. He nodded. He thought they did, too. Especially those wizards who didn't really think about any other way of living. "We definitely do," he agreed. "I forgot where we were going," he said absentmindedly.

Simone missed Camille. She'd been meaning to write her for a while and talking about her made the desire to even stronger. "Yes. His parents are still like that. He did a really good job transitioning away. It seemed so seamless. I was jealous of him," she admitted. "But also I didn't really know what I wanted. Wren and Fitz always did, though. Vastly different from what our families wanted of us. Being a healer was still a respectable choice and I had my life planned out. I always had a plan," she frowned a bit. "I don't have one now, though. It's freeing," she said, smiling again. She looked around a little and realized she had no idea where they even were. "I think we were just walking."

Dominic nodded along. He thought that was what had really freed him. "I think that it was that, the wanting something that wasn't what his family wanted. I think that's what made him break away so easily. You wouldn't know from looking at him that he was a Slytherin, let alone a pureblood," he said with a small laugh. "I understand a bit. I mean, I don't, because I never really had that, but I understand the feeling, not having a plan now. I mean, I empathize with you," he said with a small smile. "My sister is a combination of you and Fitz. She knew what she wanted, and it was respectable. It was easy for her. And then I don't think Fitz ever really knew what his plan was until it all just sort of fell into place. But I, I know what my end goal is, but reaching it has always been sort of here and there. I just go with it, because what else can I do?" he said with a small laugh. "Hm, I think you're right. Do you want to apparate back to Diagon Alley or something?"

Simone definitely agreed. Wren had always had his plan. He knew what he wanted. "He was always different," she admitted. "He was the best of the people that came around. I think he inspired Fitz to be so free with what he wanted," she hummed. "It just took me longer to figure it out." She nodded slightly as he spoke, understanding what he meant. "Look at them now, both so successful. You must be proud of them," she smiled. "You're successful, too, though. And the most interesting person I know. I don't know how you manage to figure you everything that you do about muggles and their... technology but it's incredible," she smiled at him. "Yeah, we can do that. Do you want to do it?" she asked. They were already holding hands.

Dominic hadn't known Wren all that well in school, but he could tell he was different. He was as Slytherin as the rest of them, but he had a softer soul. He took herbology and care of magical creatures, and enjoyed them. And he wasn't afraid to say he enjoyed them. He was everything a Slytherin was supposed to be, and everything a Hufflepuff stereotypically was. "Wren was always an interesting one," he said honestly. "I'm glad you're both here now. It means a lot to me, honest," he said with a smile. "Oh, I am. Rosie's worked so hard ever since she was a little first year. And Nik puts everything in that bar. I'm so proud of them," he said with a smile. "Mm, in a different way, but I make it by. I don't feel I've really made the headway I want, but I'll get there in time. It helps having muggle family members," he said honestly. "Thank you, though," he added. He nodded, pulling her into an alley with him. He apparated them back to Diagon Alley. "It's so much easier here," he said honestly.

Simone smiled a bit. He certainly always had been interesting. She thought that was what she admired most about him. He was so different and not afraid of it. "He was," she agreed. "I'm glad we are too. I'm glad I followed Fitz. I'm glad I can walk around this lovely city with you," she smiled at him. She nodded a bit, thinking it was sweet to picture Rosalind as a first year working hard to become who she was. "They're good people. They deserve it." She looked at him as he spoke, frowning slightly. "Well, as long as you're happy with yourself and what you're doing, you're successful. Right?" she asked. "I bet that does help. It must be so interesting for them." She held onto his hand as they apparated back to Diagon Alley. "It is. It definitely is."

Dominic smiled over at her. He was glad she was here. Not only did he imagine she was happier here, but he liked her and he was so happy to have her in his life. It was a little selfish maybe, but it worked for her too, so he didn't think it was. It was more like a win/win situation. "I'm glad you can, too. I enjoy your company endlessly," he smiled. "They are good. They do deserve it. Even if it's maybe gone to Nik's head," he said playfully. He nodded along. "I am happy with myself and what I'm doing. I think it's right for me, all in all. In that sense, I am successful. That's a good way to look at it," he smiled at her. "I imagine it's quite strange for them," he laughed. He walked with her, a little more free in their conversation. "I can see how some wizards never leave the wizarding world."

Simone thought he was just the sweetest person. She almost couldn't believe he wanted to just walk around and talk to her and hold her hand. It didn't make sense. "I enjoy yours too," she promised. She let out a laugh and shook her head. "He's just young and proud of himself, as he should be," she smiled. "There you go, then. You're successful. You found what you love to do and what you're meant to do. That's definitely a success to me," she told him. "I wonder what that's like. I wish I had more muggle friends, or any at all, really. I just don't know what to talk to them about ever," she admitted. She looked around as they walked, smiling a bit. "It still seems a shame to miss out on a whole world simply because being a wizard is easier."

Dominic was glad to hear that she enjoyed his company the same. It meant a lot to him, really. "You're right. And I'm proud of him, too. And I don't mind his occasional cockiness," he said with a grin. "He's a good kid," he added. He liked her definition of success. He wasn't rich and didn't have a prestigious job, but he felt like he did a good job with what he had. "You're right. I think you are, too, honestly," he said with a smile. "I mean, they don't really treat me all that differently. My mum's mum, though, she just decided she was going to treat us the way she treated her other grandchildren. So she played movies and gave us popcorn from her microwave and all of that. It's nice. It's hard talking to muggles who don't know that you're a wizard, though. It's easier if they already know. Maybe if Nik tells Anastasia, you can be friends with her," he suggested. He nodded in agreement. "I think so, too. But I've practically dedicated everything to the muggle world."

Simone liked how well him and his siblings got along. Even if it was a bit of playful banter between the boys, she could always tell how much they cared about each other. "He is a good kid. I'm sure he's proud of you, too." She smiled when he agreed and told her he felt like she was successful too. She felt like it now that she was in London. "Well, thank you. I'd like to think I am. I'm happy," she told him. She listened as he explained, finding it all so fascinating. She had no idea what that would be like. "Oh. Do you have cousins that are muggles?" she asked, having not realized that was likely. She thought about that, remembering how nice Anastasia had been. "I'd like that. She's lovely. She seems good for him," she said. She laughed a little bit, giving him a smile. "I like that about you."

Dominic wasn't sure Nik was proud of him. Maybe, but it was different. "Maybe happy plays a bigger role in success than people give it credit," he said with a smile. "I think you're doing quite well for yourself, really, especially since you're happy," he smiled. He nodded along. He couldn't imagine only knowing other wizards. "Oh, yeah. Our mum has a few siblings, and they have a few kids. It's a weird inclusion for them, I'm sure," he said with a small laugh. "I can't imagine she wouldn't want to be friends with you. You're delightful," he said with a smile. "Do you? Why's that?"

Simone definitely thought that it did. "It does. Happiness is important. Are you really successful if you aren't happy? I don't know. Maybe you have a lot of things but what good is that when they don't bring you joy?" she wondered with a shrug. "I think so too. I think being here in London helps. Being with our friends." Being with you, she thought but she squeezed his hand instead of saying it. "It must be. Do you talk to them often?" she wondered. "We'll see," she smiled. She shrugged a bit, thinking about her words. "Because you care about them. You want everyone to see them the way you do, in a good light. You're passionate about them. I like that about you. I don't know anyone else risking their lives trying to make magic work with their things the way you do. It's scary when you get hurt, of course, but it's brave of you," she smiled.

Dominic really thought she made such a good point, especially the more he thought about it. What was all the money in the world worth if you were miserable anyway? He didn't think it sounded like something he wanted. "I think you're absolutely right. Very wise of you," he said with a smile. "I think you were destined to be here. You fit in so well," he smiled. He squeezed her hand back, smiling to himself. "Not as much as I did when we'd go to Christmas together or something. Not terribly often, but we're on speaking terms, and we get along," he said with a shrug. "I just feel like the way we live so separately from them is so silly."

Simone smiled softly to herself when he called her wise. She hadn't always thought this way. It had happened rather suddenly one day and there was a part of her that wanted to tell him everything right now. Maybe not everything but... it was harder every day to keep her secrets. "I just knew I didn't feel successful in Paris and I realized it was because I wasn't happy," she said instead, giving him a bit of information without being overwhelming. "I'm glad I fit in. I love it here." She nodded a bit, her mind still trying to process what that was like. "I know. You're special, Dominic. There's no one like you. None that I've met. Meeting you... it really solidified to me that this was where I needed to be. Knowing someone like you that wasn't afraid to be vocal about things like this. You're made an impact on me."

Dominic nodding along as she spoke. "I think that's both wise and strong of you. It's not easy to step away from something that makes you unhappy when everything else about it feels like it's smooth," he said with a smile. "I feel like the city loves having you here, honestly," he smiled. "I know I do," he added. He felt a bit flustered, but he smiled at her. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. I'm glad that I could be helpful. You've made an impact on me, too, I hope you know," he said with a soft smile.

Simone liked that he thought of her as both wise and strong. It was a lovely feeling. "It wasn't easy. I very well could have just ended up stuck because it was simple and smooth. I took the risk, though," she smiled. "Thank you, though." She thought that was a sweet thing to say and it only became sweeter when he added to it. "I'm glad," she said, giving his hand a little squeeze. "You're welcome," she told him. She stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about that with a smile. "I'm really happy to hear that."

Dominic smiled at her, squeezing her hand softly. "That's what makes it, and you, strong," he said honestly. He liked being around her a lot. She was bright and sweet and lovely. Every moment with her made him so undeniably happy. It was unbelievable, really. "I'm just happy I could make you smile," he said honestly. "I should probably get going," he said honestly. "Can I apparate with you to your home? Drop you off?" he suggested, not wanting to just leave her here in the middle of the street.

Simone smiled back at him. "Thank you," she said simply. Maybe someday she'd be able to tell him more about her past than she had. She hoped so. She hoped he still thought she was strong. "You always make me smile, Dominic," she said as she looked over at him. She realized they'd been out and about for quite some time and she had her own things to do. "That's alright, I probably should too," she agreed. "If you want to, I wouldn't object to that," she smiled. "Ready?" she asked before apparating them back to the cottage.

Dominic was happy to hear that, too. He liked making her smile. And more than that, he liked her smiling. He wanted her to be happy. He wasn't sure why, other than that he liked her, but he just had such a strong feeling of wanting her to be happy. "Good," he said with a bright smile. "At least I'm not the only one who has to part ways," he admitted, smiling at her. "I do want to," he said, nodding a bit. He smiled and nodded, holding onto her tight. "What a nice little place you and Fitz have," he said once they got there.

Simone nodded a bit. She was glad that they both had things to do. "As much as I'd like to spend the rest of the day walking around with you like this, I do have things to do," she smiled. "I've had such a lovely time, though," she added on. She liked that he wanted to take the extra few minutes to make sure she made it home. "It is a nice place. Fitz did a good job picking it out," she smiled. She walked up to the door with him and then turned. "Thank you. I had a lot of fun today," she smiled at him.

Dominic had to agree with her there. He'd love to just spend the entire day with her, but it wasn't realistic. "Ah, adulthood and responsibility," he said playfully. "I've had a lovely time, as well. I quite like spending time with you," he said with a smile. "He did. It makes for a nice home, doesn't it?" he said with a smile. "You're welcome. And thank you. I had fun today, too. Have a good rest of your day," he smiled, leaning in and kissing her cheek softly.

Simone laughed quietly, shaking her head a bit. He was cute. She couldn't believe the day had gone the way it had. It felt like they'd been on a real date. "I'm glad. I like spending time with you, too," she smiled back at him. "It does. It's a lovely spot to live," she said. She looked up at him as he spoke and smiled when he kissed her cheek. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his gently before pulling away. "You too, Dominic," she smiled. "I'll see you soon, I hope." She unlocked the door and after smiling at him one last time, she walked inside. What a day.

Dominic felt himself flush a bit when she kissed his lips again. He kissed her back softly, smiling when she pulled away. "I'm sure we'll be in touch before long. I'll write you," he smiled. After she went in, he turned around with a smile, and apparated back to his house. He was so enamored with her. And he was relieved she seemed to feel at least a fraction of what he felt.

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nrip · 5 years

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Doctors and nurses on Instagram: influencers like Doctor Mike are everywhere

Sarah’s Instagram feed is pretty typical for a 21-year-old model-slash-influencer living in Florida. Here she is standing dreamily in front of some ferns. Over here she’s clutching Starbucks’s new Cloud Macchiato. She poses on porches, by murals, in bathrooms, often with lengthy captions that reveal what she’s up to this weekend (wedding planning, working), words of inspiration, and her very relatable love of donuts.

There’s one important difference: In all of them, she’s wearing scrubs.

Which is appropriate, considering “shesinscrubs” is her username. Along with modeling, Sarah, who asked not to reveal her last name, is a registered nurse. Over the course of just four months she has amassed an Instagram following of more than 11,000 people.

Being a nursefluencer, a term that I have admittedly made up but that describes a growing population, is similar to being a regular influencer: You get someone to take pictures (for Sarah, it’s her little brother), you post often (once a day or else the algorithm will bury you, Sarah tells me), and promote products (like almost everyone I spoke to for this piece, Sarah receives free scrubs from the brand Figs).

On the other hand, regular influencers don’t usually have to worry about whether promoting, say, CBD oil violates medical ethics. HIPAA, the law that protects patient privacy and medical records, is also presumably not a high-priority consideration.

But for Sarah, and many young health care professionals like her, a sizeable Instagram following is a salve for a litany of problems experienced by those in the field: burnout, odd hours, and a lack of a creative outlet, to start. So it’s not surprising that within the past few months, tons of accounts like hers have popped up, gaining huge followings — largely made up of fellow medical professionals — by posting an insider’s view of the industry.

It’s also raised questions about the ethics of being a health care influencer. After all, isn’t the only person who should be influencing anyone’s health their own doctor?

Where did medical influencers come from?

Instagram is a place where you are supposed to show off how “well” you’re doing, even if you’re not doing very well at all. Scroll through the feed and you’re likely to see signifiers of social wellness (friends), mental wellness (books and bathtubs), and physical wellness (yoga and photogenic health foods) that might bear negligible resemblance to one’s actual life.

Those who have succeeded at performing that wellness the most palatably for the platform have been rewarded with millions of followers, which in turn can bring brand deals and, with that, money. It’s created a new class of microcelebrities who, intentionally or not, wield enormous influence over how others live their lives, or at least how they present their lives on social media.

“I SEE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME ADVERTISE THINGS LIKE, ‘MY SPECIALTY IS COSMETIC DENTISTRY. THERE IS NO SPECIALTY OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY. IT’S NOT A RECOGNIZED DENTAL SUBSPECIALTY.”

While most of the time when we think of wellness influencers, we might think of acro-yoga couples or, on the extreme end, people like Freelee the Banana Girl, the nude vegan vlogger who lives in a South American jungle and eats exclusively fruit, there are some accounts that are actively harmful: Instagram has contended with a serious anti-vaccine conspiracy theory problem, for instance. Its algorithmic recommendation engine can also conflate many types of “health” content, so that following one anti-vaccination account might push you to follow dozens of others, but could also group them alongside accounts promoting innocuous things like plant-based diets.

Health care influencers who have flooded the site within the past few years say they’re fighting back against that kind of social media misinformation. Many nurses and doctors on Instagram combine the cute, aspirational lifestyle aesthetic of regular fashion and beauty influencers with actual medical tips from a vetted professional.

There are now so many medical professionals on Instagram that at least one hospital has created an entire position to govern it. Austin Chiang, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, also holds the position of chief medical social media officer, which he guesses might be the first of its kind in the country. “I always felt strongly that we need a stronger clinician presence on social media in order to really battle misinformation out there,” he says.

It’s why last fall, he and a few peers launched the hashtag campaign #VerifyHealthcare, which encouraged health care professionals on social media to list their qualifications, such as their education, specializations, and board certifications. “A lot of us had started noticing health professionals who were saying that they were some sort of practitioner when they actually were not,” he says. “If they’re talking about health and marketing themselves as doctors, then the public could be misled.”

Many of the top Instagram posts related to plastic surgery, for instance, are from doctors not specially trained in plastic surgery despite the fact that they’ve marketed themselves as “cosmetic surgeons.” Naturopaths, chiropractors, and aestheticians are also typically not medical doctors, but some may present themselves on social media as such.

Concerns like these have been top of mind for people like Arthur L. Caplan, the founding director of NYU’s Division of Medical Ethics. “I see people all the time advertise things like, ‘My specialty is cosmetic dentistry.’” he says. “There is no specialty of cosmetic dentistry. It’s not a recognized dental subspecialty.”

On Instagram, health care isn’t just a day job anymore, it’s a personal brand, and an increasingly lucrative one at that: All the health care influencers I spoke to had seen their followings skyrocket in the past year, which some hope will lead to bigger brand deals.

But wait, why do doctors need side hustles?

Dentist Joyce Kahng has more than 13,000 followers on the account she launched just a year ago, @joycethedentist. When she first started, she posted up-close images of teeth (she used her family members’ due to HIPAA concerns) because that’s what she saw other dentists doing. But, she said, laughing, “those weren’t being received well by normal people.”

Instead, the content that performs best on the page now is about her life as a dentist in addition to owning her own practice and being a professor at USC. Being likable and accessible, she says, has also translated into business: Around three-quarters of her new patients have found her via Instagram. “It gives you a competitive edge against the already saturated dental market,” she explains.

Despite health care being a relatively stable and high-paying industry, Kahng sees her growing Instagram following as an investment. “In some future, I do want to start to monetize it because at some point I need to have kids,” she says. “I just haven’t figured out the way in which to do it that doesn’t make me feel like a sellout.”

This is when I ask her the very obvious question: If an extremely successful dentist, business owner, and professor is worried about not being able to afford children, what hope do the rest of us have?

“Dentistry does pay well,” she explains. “The thing is, you have to work in order to be paid. It’s not like a corporate job where you can call in sick. If I don’t come in, every single person that I employ cannot work that day. I just imagine being pregnant and having to miss work for a month, [and] the office cannot run. That concerns me.”

It’s not as if health care professionals haven’t always had side hustles. The internet is filled with tips on how to make extra money as a nurse — RNs can make, on average, from $50,000 to nearly $100,000 depending on the state where they live, but when adjusted for cost of living, that number can be lower. It’s also a job that has a high rate of burnout due to the stressful work environment and difficult working conditions, which means that not everyone can or wants to make it a lifelong career.

Many nurses have recently turned to multilevel marketing as a way to supplement their incomes or as a path out of the field. And though none of the influencers I spoke to were making serious (if any) money on Instagram, most acknowledged the possibility of doing so in the future.

“I don’t think it’s fair to be like, ‘You’re a nurse, you care for other people, therefore you’re not allowed to benefit yourself financially,’” says Katy B (who also asked to keep her last name private), a registered nurse in San Francisco with more than 25,000 followers. “Most of us have a lot of student debt and trying to stay afloat. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it as long as you’re being transparent about what you’re doing.”

Spon con, HIPAA, and medical advice: the ethics of being an Instagram doctor

That transparency, of course, comes hand in hand with the question of sponcon, or sponsored content. For the average influencer, it’s pretty simple: A brand pays them a sum of money to endorse a product, like laxative teas or viral YouTube toys, in a way that leverages their large following.

It’s different, though, when you’re also leveraging your expertise and reputation as a doctor, dentist, or nurse. Scroll through most health care influencers’ Instagram feeds and you’re likely to see at least a few #ads. Some are innocuous: Many influencers have deals with the aforementioned scrubs brand Figs, while others promote products like stethoscope charms shaped like Disney characters that can help keep nervous kids calm during checkups.

Though few peddle the kind of questionable medical treatments shilled by celebrities like Dr. Oz (rapid weight-loss pills with harmful side effects, for instance) some toe the very blurry line about what’s appropriate for a health care professional to post. Mike Varshavski, a cartoonishly handsome New York City physician who goes by the name Doctor Mike on Instagram and has more than 3 million followers, regularly posts sponsored content for everything from Clorox bleach to Quaker Oats and American Express, which could create the perception that these corporations are somehow medically approved by this doctor. (Disclosure: Doctor Mike has participated in a Vox Media panel event.)

Even average Instagram influencers now shill drugs and medical devices paid for by Big Pharma, without necessarily any real knowledge of how they work. When products fall under the health umbrella, the ethical questions are even more complicated. The Federal Trade Commission does have specific guidelines for doctor endorsements. For example, doctors should not misrepresent their specific areas of expertise. But it still raises the question: Should a doctor be paid to promote essential oils? What about NyQuil?

“I’m not sure [doctors] have any place [promoting over-the-counter products] other than to say, ‘I’m a regular user.’ I think it still undermines their professional credibility,” Caplan says. “When you start endorsing, say, aromatherapy, you’re saying you had a great time at a spa and you felt it really helped your anxiety or something. You’re getting into pseudo-medicine stuff. Some of those things can make you feel better, but you don’t want to give them scientific endorsement.”

It’s a debate that’s somewhat reminiscent of decades-long concerns about pharmaceutical companies paying or wooing doctors to prescribe their products. But this, Caplan explains, isn’t the way it works anymore. “You don’t have the old, ‘We’re gonna bring you donuts every week and you keep writing prescriptions for our drug.’”

THERE’S NOTHING IN THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH THAT CLAIMS THOU SHALT NOT HASHTAG #AD

“It’s not that everybody suddenly became ethical,” he said, laughing. Rather, now pharmaceutical companies can market directly to the patient. “There’s the ads that are like, ‘Ask your doctor about this cancer medication.’ If you have to ask your doctor about a cancer medication, you need a new cancer doctor.”

Sponcon, however, is not the main ethical concern for most health care influencers — after all, doctors and nurses endorse products all the time; as long as they comply with FTC advertising disclosure guidelines, there’s nothing in the Hippocratic oath that claims thou shalt not hashtag #ad.

Instead, that concern is HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a federal law that provides privacy and security protections for patients’ medical information. Under HIPAA, all patients have the ability to see how and where their medical records are being used and prevent them from being seen by their employer or insurance company. And unlike shilling over-the-counter drugs, violating HIPAA is a fireable offense. The problem, though, is that HIPAA existed a decade and a half before Instagram did.

“It’s not as simple as not mentioning someone’s name,” Chiang explains. “Instagram is visual, so you see a lot of procedural photos. There are certainly risks in that. There’s even risks in geo-tagging or talking about a case that you’re doing.”

Some doctors and surgeons have achieved enormous followings on social media by posting procedural videos from the gross (Sandra Lee, who goes by the nickname “Dr. Pimple Popper”) to the straight-up gory. In 2015, Dr. Michael Salzhauer, or “Dr. Miami” began posting graphic videos of himself performing butt lifts, breast surgery, and liposuction on Snapchat, which regularly garnered more than a million views.

Dr. Miami reportedly secured permission from his patients to do so. Every influencer I spoke to listed HIPAA as one of their top concerns and said they were diligent about not posting anything that might cross a line.

“You can change the date, gender, or demographic, but someone from [their] work or family could recognize the case no matter how much you change about it,” Sarah says. “I would be scared to even think about posting about any of my patients. Maybe one of them saying, ‘You were a nice nurse.’”

Instagram is offering prospective doctors and nurses a look inside their world, and a way to deal with the stress

Though weighing the ethical questions like HIPAA and sponcon can be thorny, health care influencers also provide a genuine service for those interested in joining the field.

Like Kahng, Katy started her Instagram page after seeing similar accounts, and today, the majority of her followers are fellow health care professionals or aspiring ones. Though she originally went to college with the goal of being a physician, she realized it wasn’t for her. Now she’s on track to receive her master’s in June, when she will become a pediatric primary care nurse practitioner.

“I DON’T THINK IT’S FAIR TO BE LIKE, ‘YOU’RE A NURSE, YOU CARE FOR OTHER PEOPLE, THEREFORE YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO BENEFIT YOURSELF FINANCIALLY.’”

“My main goal is to share what my journey looks like, because in health care, especially for folks that aren’t familiar with the professional fields, there’s so many different things that you can do,” she says. “It’s cool when we all share our unique perspective of what it actually looks like on the human side.”

This explains why accounts like hers have been able to grow so quickly in such short amounts of time: There’s a real hunger among prospective medical professionals to get a sense of what the job and the lifestyle really look like.

“We’re so at risk for burnout, because we spend a lot of time taking care of other people, and I think sometimes we forget how to take care of ourselves,” she adds. “We have to brag about the cool things that we do!”

What you don’t see on Katy’s Instagram page — for reasons that are very obvious and very necessary — is her actual job. She’s currently in an emergency pediatric psychiatric care unit, where she works with children up to age 17 who are experiencing immediate psychiatric crises.

It’s difficult to imagine how the stress of such an environment can affect a person, but it does help explain why so many Instagram nurses and doctors fill their feeds with a heavily curated stream of bright and shiny images. For those who work in emergency rooms, it’s impossible to predict what the day will bring. But on Instagram, everything’s perfectly controlled.

Dustin Harris, a resident emergency room physician in Chicago, deals with the stress using humor. He’d done some standup, and started posting the funny things patients would say to Facebook. On his Instagram page, where he has nearly 18,000 followers, he posts jokes, memes, and sometimes even haikus relating to the job.

“My favorite part about it is making people laugh. It keeps me balanced. I’ll be working and I’ll see some disease, and be like, ‘Oh man, I could write a funny rap about this.’ The human body is a funny thing sometimes.”

“TV has portrayed medicine as being very dramatic or sexy,” he adds. “I felt that I could show the more real version of it. Not that those things that happen don’t ever happen, like awesome procedures or people coming back to life, but that’s not every day.”

Making light of the often dark professional realities of health care is how Sarah, the nurse in Florida, built her following in the first place. She’d started the meme account @scrublifenurses last June, which then gave her the skills and platform to launch her own personal page. Memes there range from the silly (a video of a possum carrying her babies captioned with “When you’re the only seasoned nurse on the floor with a bunch of new grads”) to the serious (the phrase “A national effort for safe staffing ratios for nurses” combined with the viral clip of Mo’nique saying “I would like to see it.”).

“A lot of our job is dealing with human emotion, and you can bring that home pretty easily,” Sarah says. “If you just bottle it all up and you already have issues with your own mental health, it can be extremely detrimental and then you lose your love for your passion.”

On both her meme account and her personal page, Sarah often posts about topics like mental health, the importance of nurses’ unions, and other national health care issues. That, of course, in addition to the stylized photos typical of influencers. “I like to post [photos that show] this isn’t what it really is, but at the same time have an aesthetically pleasing feed. It’s kind of like you have control over something, but when you’re at work it’s chaos.”

Nursefluencers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon

The benefits of being a health care professional with a big Instagram following — having a creative outlet, the ability to market oneself, and the sense that you’re combating misinformation on the internet, for instance — mean that the phenomenon isn’t likely going to slow down.

One problem, though, is that medical students aren’t exactly taught how to use Instagram responsibly. Caplan, the medical ethicist, says that at most they’ll get a single lecture on social media, which he attributes to the generation gap. While most current medical students have grown up using social media, their professors didn’t, and may not be prepared to advise them on the peculiarities of the health care internet.

In a piece for Slate in November 2018, medical student Vishal Khetpal wrote about how organizations and companies would approach him and his classmates to appear in white coats while endorsing products or attending events despite the fact that they weren’t actually doctors yet.

“The uncharted ethics of social media are already confusing,” he writes, “and that’s before you add in the influence of outside interests, many of which are ready to take advantage of students’ ability to offer some stamp of medical authority to the general public about a product or idea without asking too many questions.”

“ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY’RE GOING TO STOP THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY PHYSICIANS OR NURSES IS OVER 40.

Confusion over what’s okay to post is a constant struggle. It’s why Chiang has launched the Association for Healthcare Social Media, which is currently in the process of obtaining a 501c3 designation before opening itself up to members.

“I think a lot of physicians are almost scared to get on social media because of the restrictive nature of how things were worded in the past,” he says. “We want people to share their experiences and share their expertise.”

Traditionally, health care professionals were discouraged from revealing anything about their personal lives in the public. But, thanks in part to Instagram, that’s changing.

“[There are] some old fogies who think, ‘Well, doctors shouldn’t be sharing personal information or talking about their lives in places the patients could find it, blah, blah,’” Caplan says. “Anyone who thinks they’re going to stop the use of social media by physicians or nurses is over 40. It’s just not going to stop. We have to adjust.”

Kahng, for her part, says that now, she makes sure to teach her USC students to build up their social media presence. “They invest so much money into their education and at the end of it, who knows?” she says. “They may not like dentistry, and I want them to have a following so that they don’t feel quite as trapped. They have something to lean on.”

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