She was so irritated with her father, but at least he'd left her alone for this. She didn't think she could sit with some strange person painting her and her father watching. Natalie hoped this did not take too long. She had classes this afternoon. Natalie smoothed her clothes down and waited. She was too old for this. Also, this old pervert would not talk her into doing a nude like the last one had tried to. So ridiculous. Pervy old men wanting to paint young girls naked. Not this girl. No way. The clothes were staying on. Besides, her father would not hang a naked picture of her above the fireplace mantle no matter how proud he was of her. That definitely was not the message her da wanted to send about his baby girl.

"Miss Nat," her house-elf Clem said. "The painting man is being here."

"Thanks, Clem. You can show him in here."

Dean followed the elf towards the den. God, please let this not be another old granny, or a cranky old man who reeked of onions. Or a baby... please Lord, not another toddler. Ever since his ad had started running in the Prophet he'd been hip deep in old people and babies, and he was a bit tired of it. For all that it payed the bills, he was desperate for something to sink his teeth into. Ah. Looks like we're here, he thought as he walked through the open door. "Good afternoon, Mr. M..."

"Nat?"

Natalie looked up and smiled a real smile. Dean Thomas? What was he doing here? He couldn't be... "Dean? You're the... you? Wow."

Okay, so maybe she wouldn't mind the naked at all. Natalie tilted her head to side and just studied.

"Is Miss Nat requiring any tea? Or anything else that Clem might bring to stop her staring?"

Natalie closed her eyes in embarrassment. This was what came of having a mouthy house-elf that was treated like the family pet that did chores rather than a house-elf. Not that Natalie would ever treat her any other way. Until attending Hogwarts, Clem had been her best friend and playmate. They de-gnomed the garden together. Still did.

"Not thirsty, thank you. Dean, do you need anything?"

"Not at the moment, thanks. I take it that you're the one I'm to be doing? " Dean winced internally. "Painting. The one I'm to be painting." Damnit. Well, it looked as if he was going to get his wish. Natalie had gotten a bit gorgeous. She was definitely a subject someone could sink their teeth into. "So, do you have any ideas about what sort of portrait I'm to be doing?"

Natalie grinned at him. Was she the one he'd be doing? That was way cute how he did that.

"Something my father can hang above the fireplace." She gestured to what was currently hanging there.

It was her the year she entered Hogwarts. It was large and scary. Grayson McDonald had never found one he liked as well as that one. Natalie was hoping to finally have an adult portrait hanging. Her father kept the others hanging in his study, but this one hung largely in the main living room where all the guests sat.

"He has one done of me every year. If you'd like to see them, I can show you. I'd really like something different though, and by different I do not mean naked. Though that might be up for negotiation at a later date."

Pushing the image of a naked Nat firmly to the back of his mind, he asked, "Something different, eh? What did you have in mind, then?"

"Well, you're supposed to be the creative one, yeah? What do you think? Come and look at how unoriginal my past is."

Natalie grabbed his arm and dragged him into her father's study. The walls were lined with smiling portraits of Natalie at various ages, looking undeniably girlish. To be honest, it sort of creeped her out sometimes.

She gave him a look. "Well?"

Jeez, I can see what she means. "Daddy's little girl", every one - and not done all that well, at that. "Nice," Dean said diplomatically, "Very... cheery," He winced at Natalie's flat stare. "Fine. They're all a bit juvenile, I suppose. Let me guess - you're tired of being 'Daddy's Little Girl', right? Looking for something a bit more adult?"

"Exactly. I mean, I'm training to be a soddin' Auror. I don't think flounces of pink taffeta exactly scream dignity." Natalie put a hand on her hip. "So what do you reckon? I'd go for naked, but that doesn't scream hanging over the fire for company to see, you know?"

"Good point, I suppose," he replied with a chuckle. "Perhaps a profile, without that girlish grin?" Dean paused a moment, thinking. "I've got a few ideas that might work - and don't worry, you'll be fully clothed the whole time."

"Excellent. Where do you want me?" Natalie turned away for a moment hoping he wouldn't notice her wide eyes.

She was usually pretty good at not saying things that could be taken the wrong way. She blamed it on the fact that the idea of her doing a nude was intriguing, but could she really let an old schoolmate, one who probably recalled her in knee socks with pigtails, paint her without her clothes on? Her mother had had one done though. Natalie couldn't be sure what age her mother had been, but she'd found it in the back of her father's closet once. It had been moved since then, and Natalie had never found it again, but it had been there once. Her father had never mentioned it, nor had he ever asked what she had been doing in his closet.

"Let's set up over there, by the fireplace." Dean led Natalie to a comfy-looking chair and motioned for her to sit. "Have a seat while I set up. I ought to be ready in just a moment," he said, busying himself with setting up his easel. "So, auror academy, eh? How's that working out for you?"

"Until recently, it's been all books and class. No field work. Got a little experience with crowd control on Halloween, but I'd have rather my first experience been another. That was mad. I'm lucky though. Because I'm not a silly little twit, I get to be mentored by Harry. It's like being in the DA all over again." Only without Dennis.

Natalie closed her eyes and stopped smiling for a moment. Thinking those thoughts would not do today.

"Really? You pulled Harry as your mentor? That's good - at least it's someone you know and respect." Finished with the easel, he pulled out his pencils. "Though I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised, seeing as Harry only graduated recently himself."

"Well, they didn't have a lot of choices really. Only four out of fifteen passed. They wouldn't put me with Shacklebolt. He's standing in as the trainee supervisor, and he's friends with my da. I think they're scared of the destruction if I were shadowing Tonks. Harry seems like a logical choice. I'm not complaining. He's the best this year has to offer."

"Makes sense," he said, still feeling that something didn't seem quite kosher. Shaking himself, he moved over to Natalie. "All right. Could you turn a bit to your left? Yeah, that's it." Taking her hair into is hands, he pulled it over her left shoulder. He picked at her bangs for a moment. "There! Perfect," he declared, and sat back down at his easel and began to sketch.

"Am I supposed to sit still or something? How long will this take? What if my nose itches? Or something? Oh my gods, what if I have to use the loo? Then what? What have you been doing since graduation?"

"Whoa!" Dean said, laughing. He'd almost forgotten her boundless energy. It was cute. "Let's see... you sit still until I finish the preliminary sketch, not long, scratch it, let me know then go, then you can move a bit while I paint, and not much." Grinning, he added, "Just living and working as a muggle for the most part, aside from my apprenticeship. Once I got my mastery, I decided to try and make a go of it as a professional artist."

Admirable. Not enough job security for her. There would always be something unlawful to fight. She pretty much had job security, provided she could pass her exams. That he was making it on his talent said plenty to her though. Perhaps when you had talent, job security in his field was a given. Natalie tried not to fidget, but it was very difficult for her. As it was, one of her legs was bouncing. Then she started tapping her fingers on her thigh. After that, she started studying the ceiling. He was probably going to hex her still soon.

Dean couldn't stop grinning. This was obviously torture for her. "You do realize that if I weren't focusing on your face, I'd be forced to put you in a body bind, don't you?" At her embarrassed look, he chuckled. "Don't worry. Feel free to fidget as much as you like, as long as its at or below the waist - it won't be in the picture." After a few minutes of sketching, Dean asked, "So, how are things working out with you and Harry? Everything good so far?"

"I don't know yet. We've just gotten all mentor-y and charge-y. It's too soon to tell, and you just try to bind me, Dean Thomas, and just see what happens. I didn't sign up to be an Auror because I thought I looked especially cute holding my wand."

Natalie giggled. Perhaps she'd have to rethink this not being around people thing. Maybe she would not be so antsy all the time if she socialized more. This was not so bad. She'd thought it was going to be dreadful, like most of her other sittings. No, this was comfortable. Maybe she wouldn't mind catering to Daddy's whims if Dean did the portraits from now on.

"Of course not, Nat... it's just a bonus," he said with a smirk. Turning back to his sketch, he gave it a once over. The shadows aren't quite... he thought as he made some final adjustments. Ahh... there we go. "I think we're about done with this part, so feel free to scratch your nose or whatnot."

Her father would be horrified, but she'd never been a shy one. Between her nose and whatnot, Natalie chose whatnot. She scratched the underside of her left breast with an amused look on her face.

Though he might have payed a bit too much attention to how her breast shifted in her blouse, Dean still managed to smile wryly. "You get what you ask for, I suppose." Loading his palette, he murmured amusedly, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind for later."

"What are you doing now?"

"It's called painting."

"Smart arse," Natalie murmured to herself. She should have recalled that about him. Then again, that was true of a lot of Gryffindors. They were mostly mouthy.

She quit being annoying and just watched. He had this look of concentration about him, and every so often he'd look up at her. Natalie's leg was still bouncing like it was a pogo, but she tried to keep her upper half still for him. His studying look was interesting to her. Natalie did not think anyone had ever looked at her so closely. It was slightly unnerving.

Seeing her nervousness, Dean decided to lighten the mood. "Don't worry, Nat. I'm not picturing you naked," He said with a smirk. "Unless you want me to, that is." He waggled his eyebrows in a mock leer.

Natalie swallowed and plastered a smile on her face. Did she want an attractive man picturing her naked? Natalie didn't know. That she knew of, it had never happened before. Not that a bloke would go to telling her such a thing. Yes, Natalie, I think about you sky-clad all the time.

"If that's what gets you through the day," she found herself saying somehow.

Dean grinned. "I can think of worse ways to spend my time, love." His expression grew more serious. "You're lovely, Nat. Honestly. I'd love to do a nude of you someday, but I'm kidding for the most part - I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You're not," she lied. Lovely? Nude? "Maybe one day I'll let you."

Natalie was pleased at how confident she sounded. It would not do for him to be aware that the mere thought of taking her clothes off in front of another person made her quake a bit. What Gryffindor was afraid of being naked? Yeah, just because no one would have ever seen all of it before.

Dean sighed internally. He could see the uneasiness beneath her oh-so-Gryffindor bravado. Bugger. "Nat, let me say something and I'll not mention it again. As an artist, I can tell you fairly objectively that you're gorgeous. You've got a wonderful figure and a beautiful face, and I'd be willing to bet that a nude of you would turn out beautifully." Sighing, he added, "I'd also never ask you to do one. It's not for everyone, and I'd never want you to think that I expect something like that from you. I wouldn't disrespect you that way."

Which is exactly why you will be getting it, she thought to herself. Once I get over my issues of being naked in anyone's company save my own.

"You're a little too gentlemanly, Dean Thomas. It makes me wonder about you. Maybe I could work up to it. Start out with my bare feet, and you could sketch those. Slowly work my way to fewer articles of clothing."

"I don't know, Nat," Dean laughingly replied, "All those naked tootsies? I'm not sure that I'd be able to restrain myself." He adopted an offended expression. "Gentlemanly? Me? Perish the thought! They'd make me turn in my 'man card' if that got around, so let's just keep that little observation to ourselves, yeah?" Snorting, he murmured loudly enough to be heard, "Gentlemanly, indeed. Now I feel the need to ravish someone or something..."

Ravish? Natalie blinked. She was the only one in the house besides Clem, and she certainly hoped his or something did not include the house-elves.

"Well, I'd offer myself up, but I wouldn't want to distract you from your work." Though never having been ravished before, I might have all the appeal of making out with a stick of firewood. Natalie smiled.

Dean smiled a bit wolfishly. "There's work, and then there's work," he said teasingly, going back to his painting. This is coming along nicely - just the clothes left to do. "And I appreciate your willingness to sacrifice - very Gryff of you."

"Yes, because having you ravish me would be such a chore," she said sarcastically before she could stop her runaway mouth.

Natalie's eyes went like dinner plates for a moment. She hoped she hid it well with the joking smile she put up. She was doing that more often than not lately. She usually had not said such things unless around Dennis. She was sure, until now, her sense of humor and blunt nature had died with her best friend.

"A chore? Not the word I'd use to describe it," he said as he added in the greys and blacks of her top. "As if I had that kind of luck. I'd tell you to stop teasing me with your delectable self, if I didn't enjoy it so much."

That got a real smile out of her. He enjoyed her teasing. Natalie liked that, and she was recalling why she had always liked Dean Thomas in school. Not that she had been around him overly, him being three years her senior, but from what she remembered, Dean Thomas had always had an easy way about him. You just got along with him. He was comfortable. That's probably why he was popular as a portrait artist. Her father had mentioned that the painter coming to do her sitting was currently in demand. It made perfect sense to her now.

"Well, if you enjoy it so much, I can't very well deny you. I must warn you, however, that I am not much for teasing without a bit of follow-through though."

Her eyes went wide. She had not meant that like it had sounded. Had she? This was Dean. Her social skills were so rusty, but still, he didn't seem particularly offended by anything she had done so far. It was refreshing to not have watch what she said to avoid offense or sexual harassment charges.

This is fun, he thought. It had been a while since he'd flirted just for the fun of it. His 'not-relationship' with Alicia, or whatever the hell it was, tended to center around emotionally draining moments. As much as he cared for Ali - and he did care for her - simple fun didn't often enter the equation. Flirting with Nat was a lot more like spending time with Ginny... without the whole 'sister' thing, of course.

Dean looked up from his canvas. "Another thing to keep in mind for later," he said with a smirk. "Did you have anything particular in mind, or should we just play it by ear?"

"I thought we already were playing it by ear," Natalie said, grinning. "As for anything I have in my mind... I haven't seen you in four years, Dean, and even then, I don't recall us having great, big chats in school. I don't think our first conversation should involve THAT. Besides, a girl has to have a few secrets, doesn't she? I think you need to wonder about that until I get the idea to do more than just think on things. Unless I get inspired, of course."

He grinned back at her for a moment before returning to his work. "Luckily, I'm always praying for inspiration," he said with a chuckle. "Seriously, though. How's life after Hogwarts treated you, aside from auror training?"

"All my life after Hogwarts has been Auror training. I don't really do anything else... until now. My father is starting to worry. He keeps suggesting I go out and stuff, but with who? I don't know anyone anymore, and like I'd really ask any of my fellow trainees out somewhere. Some of them are so silly. I'm pretty boring, actually. I train to be an Auror and fall asleep with my textbooks every night."

"Oh, hell no. You are not allowed to out-Potter Potter!" he said with an expression of amused disgust. "Even Harry managed to get a night out with his friends every so often. As a matter of fact," Dean said with a mischievous grin, "I think we'll have to do something about that."

Natalie's brows went up. "We?" Did he mean we, as in him and a bunch of his friends, because if she was recalling correctly, that would be like Harry, various Weasleys, Seamus Finnegan, and possibly Neville Longbottom. All people Natalie knew, but did not KNOW. Or did he mean we, as in just the two of them? And she didn't think Harry had turned out so bad.

Dean nodded. "We. Me, you, Harry, Gin and Luna - or some combination thereof - are going to hang out," he informed her in a matter-of-fact tone. "And at some point I'm going to drag you away from your books and take you out for dinner." Seeing her indignant look, Dean snorted. "Oh it's gonna happen, little miss. I learned stubborn persistence from Ginny Weasley, so you might as well just accept it."

She wanted to argue with him on principle, but the idea of hanging out with the group he mentioned, of getting away for a night, did not sound unappealing. One night of distraction would not hurt. She needed to learn to behave like a person again anyhow. Dinner though? Well, she supposed she could do that too. Her father wouldn't object. Just the other day, he had mentioned some fellow at the office who had a single son. Perhaps if she went to dinner with Dean, her da would lay off about that sort of thing.

"All right. I won't argue. For now."

"Honestly. Pretty, funny and intelligent?" he said shaking his head, "You just get better and better, don't you?" Returning his attention to his work, Dean came to the surprised realization that he was pretty much finished. "Well, I still need to do the charms work, but I do believe we're done. Come on over and check it out - see if it's 'adult' enough, yeah?"

She actually scrambled.

Natalie's jaw dropped. How did he do that? And so quickly? She could never do anything like that. Plus, she didn't look like a little girl. She looked so serious. She liked it.

"You're brilliant. I see why you're in demand." Natalie was smiling. "Now I have to let you do another of me. Maybe with fewer clothes - because if you can do that with what you had to work with here, I can't possibly look bad."

On impulse she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Dean. This is lovely. Very mature. I like it."

"I'm glad. It does help when you have such a wonderful subject, though," Dean chucked. "And I'd love to have you sit for me again, clothes or no - this has been fun!"

Natalie smiled, something she'd been doing a lot of today with Dean. "I think I would sit for you again. This has not been nearly as painful as any of my other sittings. I wasn't a fan of the portrait. I would only do them to appease my da, but I might have changed my mind today."


{SUMMARY} Natalie has a portrait siting with Dean. There's playful banter and flirting. Amazingly, her clothes stay on.

Since it did not like me putting the image in the middle of the text, here's Natalie's portrait: