He'd even pulled out decent clothing; no rips or tears to be found. He'd also sent a couple of owls sure to raise a ruckus. He hoped she didn't mind walking to Hyde Park as it was one of his favorite places. It calmed him to be surrounded by nature rather than buildings. In fact, the Serpentine brought back good memories from his childhood and swimming in the lake at Stone Walk. He smoothed the front of his button up and stepped inside the small coffee shop. He spotted Mandy waiting off to the side. He smiled and waved as he snaked through the crowd. "Sorry I'm late, I hope you've not been waiting long."

Mandy had arrived a scarce ten minutes earlier, she liked being on early. While waiting she had ordered and sat with a copy of a Muggle newspaper, getting reacquainted with the world she had been born into, but hadn't grown up with. Once she was finished with the paper, she moved on to her next favorite sport, which was crowd watching. It was boring, but it kept her occupied. She had been surprised to get his owl the Friday before, she had thought that night would be the last she would see of him, because, as far as first impressions went, he made a lousy one. When he walked in though, he looked decent enough, so she smiled and stood up. "I haven't been here too long," she replied.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, would you mind walking through the park?"

"A walk would be lovely." Her jacket was hanging off the back of the chair, and she picked it up, but rather than put it on, she held it over one arm. "Lead the way."

"Do you need a refill?" Greg asked as he stepped to the back of the short line. He needed coffee like he needed air, especially with the way everything seemed to be falling apart. First Maeve sobbing and then Pansy's breakdown of sorts. He wanted to push all that aside an concentrate on an enjoyable morning with Mandy. He had been rude and had put her at risk by not offering to walk her to her destination. It was another regret to add to his ever growing pile. The least he could do was provide decent conversation and brill coffee. 

"Yes on the refill. I've had two cups already, but I have to have it or I'm useless before noon." She stood in line beside him and shifted lightly from foot to foot.

Greg placed their order and carried both cups back outside. As they made their way towards Hyde Park, he tried his hand at a non-flirting type of conversation. He wasn't sure, the chat with Mac aside, that he really remembered how. "How did the other evening go? I don't remember exactly where you said you were going," he admitted, blushing lightly.

"I went to dinner at my parents house." She laughed, somewhat bitterly. "Now I know why I only go once a month." She didn't really know him well enough to say exactly why she didn't like going more, and why she always felt like such a failure to them. "I was interrogated thoroughly about why I was late."

Greg gripped the cup, nearly crushing it. He knew it had been very late when she showed up at his door. Had her parents been that concerned about her then they should have met her somewhere or given her a bloody map. He may not know her all that well, but that didn't mean that he felt comfortable knowing he'd sent her off alone in an unfamiliar neighborhood. "I'm sorry that I wasn't in any shape to walk you there. It was unacceptable behavior."

"I understand. You weren't in any shape to walk with me, I've gotten used to it." She sipped at the coffee in her hand, it was growing cold rapidly. She could deal, though.

Greg scowled. "I should never have let you go out there alone. I should have had you stay at my flat and owled to say you couldn't make it."

The last comment made her laugh out loud. "The owl would not have gone over well with my mum and dad. They aren't very accepting of the wizarding world. Besides, I had my wand and I can cast a nasty body binding spell." She cast a sideward glance at him, laughter dancing in her eyes. "You should remember that one from our fifth year."

"Fifth year?"

She laughed again. "Malfoy, and the two of you had me cornered in a hallway near the dungeons. I had just gotten out of potions and the three of you were still harassing the Muggle born students; I hexed the hell out of one of you, I thought it was you, and I ran."

Greg stopped and laughed. "That was you? I always thought it was some unnamed savior of yours that hit Vince."

"That was me. I was terrified for weeks afterward, I was afraid to go to meals, and I would just have my friends steal food for me and then eat in the library." The thought of Hogwarts made her sigh. They had been such good times, and she did occasionally miss them.  

Greg snickered, ignoring the bad feelings and memories that came flooding back. "You were safe. None of us imagined that you would have it in you to do that."

"I didn't know I had it in me at the time." She couldn't suppress the small giggle that bubbled out at the thought of Vincent Crabbe paralyzed.

Greg stepped aside to let her through the park entrance first. "That memory amused me for quite some time."

She tossed her empty coffee cup into a garbage can and walked leisurely past him. "So tell me," she said, pulling on the light jacket she had been carrying and pulling her dark hair out from under it. "What have you been doing these past several years?"

"I finished school in America and decided to stay there," he replied, tossing his cup in as well. "What about you?"

She hugged herself, pulling the jacket tighter against a cold breeze. "I finished school, got married and divorced very quickly and now I work at the Prophet."

Greg winged up an eyebrow. "I won't ask and The Prophet? How is that going for you?"

"Thanks for not asking, and it's great. I love it. It is hard though, and the reason that I have coffee instead of blood moving through my veins." She glanced over again. "What are you doing to keep yourself busy?"

Greg sighed, that subject was still a bit sore. His truly enjoyable pastime wasn't going to come up in conversation if he had anything to say about it. "Basically dealing with investments. River Montgomery is my personal assistant and she actually keeps everything organized for me. Other than that...not much at all." He looked at his watch. "We've been walking for a bit. Do you need to be anywhere?"

She glanced at her watch and groaned. "I need to run into work, and I have to interview some people. Thanks for the coffee, though." She paused for a moment. "I hate to drink and run, but I have to run." With those parting words, she turned and dashed in the other direction, shouting 'thank you' over her shoulder.

 {Summary} Greg and Mandy finally meet for coffee...bitterness surfaces, but not with each other.