Friday nights were always busy, crowds of people anxious to forget the toil of work. Not that Katie blamed them much. If she had to work dreary, stuffy jobs like many of them did, like Cory, she'd want a little rum and fun as soon as possible too.

But Katie loved Friday nights at The Broom Shed. Lots of people to visit and no time to be left too much to her own devices. She flitted around, sometimes delivering drinks, chatting with customers about tactics and occasionally signing an autograph with a smile and pink tinted cheeks. She didn't get approached very much about her being a professional Quidditch player in the pub as most people seemed to recognize and respect the fact that this wasn't the place to do so. But there were always a few, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, that seemed to pop in just to see if she'd be there.

Heading back towards the bar, she caught Aiden's eye and held up two fingers. She leaned against the counter as he filled two mugs full of light ale, pulling at the hem of the small black tee with the pub's logo on the front. "Papa, you do realize that these shirts are entirely too small, yes? I'm not sure if Bonny and Beatrice like the new uniform change," she mused absently as she thought of the buxom older witches who worked as servers.

Aiden chuckled as he slid the mugs across to his daughter, eyes affectionate as she worried over the shirt. "I don't think they mind much Katiegirl," he grinned, nodding his head toward Bonny who was currently using the shirt to it's best advantage to charm a better tip out of the wizards at her table. "You know you don't have to wear them anyways, if you don't want to," he said, reaching across to tap her on the nose.

Batting his hand aways, she grinned at him. "If they can wear it, so can I. But maybe next time let's get colors? I think pink would be nice, yeah?" She ducked when he threw a towel at her, then grabbed the mugs and scampered off, throwing a impish smile over her shoulder at him.

She wove through the people, careful not to spill, and set the drinks down with a smile to a couple of regulars sitting by the front windows, staying to chat a few minutes as they asked about Italy and what she thought of the upcoming season.

Greg pulled up the hood of his hoodie in defense of the chilly night air. Staying in the flat would have lead to drinking and memories assaulting him...awake or asleep. His week had been interesting to say the least, what with the 'inventory' at Gringotts and his new assistant. River was efficient, showing up every morning to organize the files Addams sent over. He was almost used to stumbling out of bed to find his old house mate chatting with Luthien in the kitchen or home office. His day with Pansy had actually been fun but he couldn't face Blaise, not yet. He'd been Pansy's drinking partner at Hogwarts - it had been something he could count on like Maeve always being there to listen or to help him with his lessons. Now...well apparently Blaise had replaced him with Pansy as well as Maeve.

Leaning against the wall, Greg looked around the part of Diagon he'd wandered into after apparating to the flat and changing his clothing. He needed comfort at the moment. He grinned when he saw The Broom Shed and a certain Pixie through the front window. As he watched her charm the older men at one of the front tables, he felt lighter, happier then he had in days. Tuesday afternoon had been the highlight of his week, the one time he had been able to drop his facade and just be himself. In more ways then one. Somewhere deep down he knew that stepping into the pub - into Katie's presence - would be just what he needed. She could light up a moonless night by his way of thinking. All he had to do was remember that his Pixie was too good, too beautiful, too...everything for someone as dark and broken as he was. But, he needed her. Greg wasn't as stupid as he seemed and had realized right off that he wanted Katie Bell in his life. The hard part would be remembering to think of her like he did Maeve and Pansy. She could be a sister, nothing more.

He shoved off the wall, fisting his hands in the pocket of his hoodie; his grin long gone. Walking into a pub and not drinking would take every last bit of his resolve. He stopped dead in his tracks when his hand made contact with the jewelry box. He didn't remember picking it up. Oh well, at least I get the immediate gratification of seeing her face light up rather than waiting on an owl. He looked in the window and smiled at the sight of Katie in a tiny black shirt. No! Don't go down that path. She is a friend, she has to be just a friend. With that in mind, he stepped through the open door.

Katie could feel eyes on her. It wasn't a completely uncommon experience as she played in front thousands of fans every weekend, had eyes follow her down Diagon Alley wondering if she was who they thought. But this felt different, familiar. Almost as if someone had called her name, Katie's head turned, looking around until she caught sight of Greg standing just inside the entrance. Her face lit with a smile when she met his eyes, more than a little happy that he had decided to drop in, had decided she wasn't just a silly pixie girl that had ruined his night by stumbling into his table. He had made her feel like a little drop of sunshine, like she could maybe be a friend to him.

Saying her 'excuse me's' to the table she'd been visiting with, Katie made her way to the front entrance of the pub, ducking and stepping around the swaying crowds of people much more easily than the last time she'd seen Greg.

Greg kept his hands in the pocket of his hoodie. He had to keep his hands off of his Pixie. He had to find a way to put her in the same category as Maeve, Pans, and Mac. She wasn't to be trifled with casually, even he knew that. He couldn't stop smiling as she wound through the room. It was almost like she had known the moment he'd stepped into the pub as fanciful as the thought was. She lit up the room, no doubt about that. Everything that had been weighing heavily on him seemed lighter and all she'd done was smile at him. As she approached, the urge to pull her close and cradle her against his chest was hard to deny. "Hi, Pixie," he murmured feeling all sorts of foolish for his very unbrother-like thoughts.

She could feel his eyes on her as she wound across the room, the feeling pleasantly unsettling, a tickle of butterflies. When she finally found herself in front of him, Katie was torn between wanting to throw her arms around him in a hug, the normal greeting she gave most everyone, and feeling suddenly shy about it. Ignoring the confused emotions for now, she reached up and lightly tugged on the strings of his hoodie, hand resting lightly against his chest. "Hi you," she answered, grinning up at him. "I'm glad you decided to come by. I wasn't sure..." She glanced down, eyes dropping, cheeks pinkening. "...well, it's nice ... that you're here, that is," she finally got out. Something about Greg made her words stumble. A lot. Shaking her head a bit as if to clear out the muddle, she looked up at him, a shy little grin pulling at her lips. "Do you want to come in, sit down?"

Greg nearly groaned aloud. She was leaning very close to him...and touching! Yes, it was just her tiny little hands on his chest, but still, it was enough to have his good intentions disappearing rapidly. She is just a friend. Big bad wolves can't go making time with little pixies. He smiled though, unwilling to let her see how off he was. "Sure, Pixie, lead the way."

His smiles really did light up his face. Katie grinned up at him, thinking that he was kind of like a big puppy, sweet under all those growls, big brown eyes and shaggy hair that she had been itching to touch since she'd met him. Giving a little nod, Katie grabbed his hand, pulling him through the crowds of people to a couple of seats she had seen open at the end of the bar. They were tucked near the wall, a perfect place to observe, but the people that frequented the Shed were a more social bunch and they generally went unused. As Greg sprawled into the chair facing the room, she hitched her hip up and hopped onto the stool right next to him. "Do you want something to drink? Maybe what you had last time?" she asked, face screwing up into a small frown as she thought before her eyes lit with a spark of small discoveries. "Vodka on the rocks, yeah?"

Greg grinned and shoved down the urge to take her hand. Her stool was all but between his knees and with a tiny, careful tug she could be in his lap. No, no. no...must not think those sorts of thoughts! "Just one, and only if you sit and talk with me for a bit."

"I think I can do that," Katie grinned up at him, eyes unconsciously brushing across his lips, the one soft part of him, before leaning over the bar, all stretched out, and calling out drink orders to Beatrice. Sitting back in her seat, she tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear. "What kind of talk things did you have in mind puppy?" Then, brows furrowing in concern, she laid a hand on his knee, an unconscious gesture of comfort, and leaned forward. "It's not bad talk things, is it?"

Greg's brain went haywire. Coherent thought fled at the feel of her hand on his knee. Pixie is not that sort of woman. Part of him wanted to tug her into his lap and kiss her. But, he knew he couldn't. The look on her face banished all thoughts of a nefarious nature. He rushed to assure her. "No, no, no. Just talk to me, yeah?" he said almost desperately.

Nodding her head slowly, she reached up running a finger over his worried brow, smoothing the lines there. "I can do talk things," she said absently, thinking that the little broken she'd sensed was definitely there, right under the surface. It felt like that ghost that haunted her, haunted Fred too. Ghosts and memories. Bringing her eyes back to his and the present, she gave him a little grin before leaning back, hands in her lap. "Let's see. I like finding shells on the beach, loving all over my puppies, being here, in Papa's pub, and most of all, spending time with people I care about. Now you. Talk things," she grinned.

Greg took a deep breath. He wasn't certain what to talk about. Katie was all bright and cheerful and he was...not...he was...dark...just dark. "When I was away..." he paused not knowing quite how to word it. "I learned to play a water drum. The sounds it makes..." he trailed off a bit embarrassed. Taking a deep breath, he tried again not having felt this tongue tied since his first year in America. "Its a beautiful sound, like the waves crashing on the beach."

He blushed, he just knew he did. No one, save for Raven and his family knew about that. He hadn't even told Maeve. Ducking his head, Greg gripped his highball glass feeling all sorts of exposed. But, deep down he knew that Katie wouldn't laugh at him. If anything she'd smile that sweet smile she had and ask for more information. Surprisingly, Greg knew he wouldn't mind all that much. I am so confused...

Katie caught the high spots of color before Greg ducked his head and for some reason found that heat was blooming on her face as well. She couldn't think of anyone who blushed because of her, and the fact that he did seemed to bring it out in her too. Her eyes dropped to her hands in her lap a moment before she took a small breath and looked back at him. His head still ducked, she reached out, tapping a few fingers against the hand holding his glass so tightly. When he looked up, Katie gave a shy smile. "That is one of the most beautiful sounds, the waves on the beach, and I'd really love to hear you play sometime. I bet it would sound really pretty with the waves, yeah?"

"Yes," he agreed softly. He wasn't sure how to explain to her the sense of peace that settled over him when he lost himself in the music. How did someone explain what the sound of a drumbeat could do to someone as broken as he was? "I used to sit on the beach looking out at the Puget Sound, no matter the weather, playing my drum."

"That sounds really nice, peaceful," Katie answered, thoughts flitting to her own beach, her home, with her puppies. She loved it there, the crash of the waves her lullaby, but if she didn't have Kaiya or Pea, it would be too lonely, too isolated. Concerned again, she found his eyes, brown and dark in the weak light of the pub. "It sounds kind of lonesome too, puppy." Then, a thought occurred to her. "You know though," she ducked her head, suddenly shy a moment, before raising her eyes back to his, "if you ever want to play your drums on a beach, you're always welcome at Rose Cottage. And maybe it wouldn't be so lonesome, yeah? I wouldn't bother you if you didn't want me to, but I think you'd like Kaiya. She's one of my monster puppies."

Greg's heart melted right then and there. He pulled the box out of his pocket and laid it on the table. He wasn't sure what to say or even if he was doing the right thing by ignoring the voice in his head that reminded him that he was the last person his pixie needed in her life. He pushed the box towards her and stared into his drink. "I'd love to see Rose Cottage sometime," he admitted quietly. "Go ahead and open it. I saw it and thought of you."

Katie's eyes widened with surprise as Greg set a box in front of her, looking from him, to the box and back again. At his urging to open it, her cheeks tinted with pink, but she gave him a small smile, reached for the box and pulled off the lid. Katie's eyes lit to find a little charm bracelet nestled inside. Pulling the bracelet out, she held it up, sliver and blue stones catching the light, charms tinkling together. Glancing back at Greg to see him watching her, she gave him a big smile before leaning forward to throw her arms around his neck in a tight hug. The ends of his shaggy hair tickled her nose as she said, "Thanks, puppy. You didn't have to do that."

Greg wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Her breath on his neck was causing all sorts of wicked thoughts that he shouldn't be having. Friend, she's a friend. He ignored the voice and cradled her against his chest. He forcibly kept his hand from wandering anywhere inappropriate. She shifted in his arms and Greg couldn't resist picking her up and setting her on his lap. He didn't want to frighten her away - he just wanted her as close as possible. It wasn't something he could deny. He had to hold her, even if she thought they were just friends. "You like? Want me to help you put it on?" he asked, sounding anxious and unsure even to his own ears. He looked her in the eyes and was lost.

"I love it," Katie answered honestly, holding out the bracelet and her wrist for him. An arm slid around her so he could use both hands, fingers stumbling a little with the small clasp. As he fiddled with the pretties, Katie couldn't help but think of Fred and the night before, how she felt when he held her. It was a bit of a surprise to her that Greg's arms felt much the same, safe and warm and ... just the right fit. Shaking away confusing thoughts, now about two people, she grinned at him as he finally secured it on. Leaning back against his chest, she held her wrist in front of her, turning the bracelet around so she could see all the charms. "It's all sparkly and shiny. My Mummy would have really liked it too, I think," she mused absently as she tinkled the charms together with her fingers.

Greg set his chin on her shoulder and watched with a wide smile as she played with his gift. The note of regret, barely noticeable, concerned him. His arms tightened around her just a bit. "You think?" he questioned.

"I wouldn't know for sure as I never knew her," Katie answered, still fiddling with the charms and watching how they caught the light, grateful when he tightened his arms, that he wanted to comfort her in his own way. "She died because of me, when I was born." It still hurt to think that she was the reason her mum wasn't here anymore, but she'd gotten over the childhood guilt a long time ago, having figured out along the way that even though remembering hurt sometimes, it was also healing in it's own way as well. "Papa always told me that my fixation with shiny things was something we both had in common."

Greg turned her a bit, laying her head on his shoulder. "I don't like to hear you sad, Pixie." He took a moment to be thankful that he'd had time with his Da, Mum, and Abelinda. Katie hadn't had that with her Mum and he wanted to make her smile. She wasn't meant to be sad, ever. Kissing her brow, he held her as close as possible hoping to comfort her a little. "I'd buy you shiny things everyday if it meant you smiled."

Katie glanced up at him, cheek resting against his shoulder and gave him a small little smile. "I'm not sad, not really. It's just a little bit of hurt to remember, but it's worth it. The hurt mixes in with the good, until it fades to the back and sometimes you can have happy memories." Her eyes dropped a moment, thinking. She didn't have memories of her mum except the things she'd left behind and what Aiden had told her. But the days when she could look at her photo of them, in love, and only be happy were worth all the days when it made her heart sting a little bit. Raising her eyes back up to his, humor twinkling there. "And you don't have to buy me shiny things to make me smile, you know. Knowing that you even care whether I smile or not is worth bunches of them."

Greg's jaw nearly dropped. Not buy her things? Why in Merlin's name would he do that? Gifts were a sign that you cared. How else did you do that? Perplexed, he tried to explain. "I like buying things, Pixie. I do care and that is why I buy my friends, the people that matter most, things that will make them smile. For example, I went shopping today with a woman that is like a sister to me. I bought her all sorts of silly trinkets...and shoes, lots of shoes. I did it because I care."

"Well, I don't need lots of shoes anyways," Katie laughed, "but if you want to do something for me, I'll probably like it, especially since I know you like doing things for your friends," she finished with a soft smile. "It just means I'm one of those people, the friend kind that you care about." Then, eyes studying his face, she made a decision. After a few moments, she grinned up at him and said, "And I think I'm going to keep you Greg Goyle, because that is what I do to my friends." He reminded her of Fred a bit, that little bit of broken underneath the surface, but not at the same time. He was very much himself, but she thought he needed adopting too, that maybe she could poke some smile out of him as well.

It was a good thing he was sitting as she'd figuratively floored him. She wanted to keep him? He kissed her brow before he even realized what he was doing. "Friends? I really like the sound of that, Pixie."

His lips brushing against her skin was warm, nice, surprisingly ... comfortable. Raising her eyes to his, a shy smile tugging at her lips, she said, "Yeah, me too."