| Details for An Unexpected Turn |
| Summary: | Phil goes to see Thomas at work; the plan to chew him out for his trip to Berlin. Things take an unexpected turn. |
| Date: | 10 October 1938 |
| Location: | Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Magic, London |
| Related: | Answers and New Questions |
| Characters |
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International Cooperation
This floor of the Ministry of Magic houses only a few plush offices for the wizards and witches that serve as administrators and mediators in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. The rest of the floor is dedicated to many meeting rooms that run from small rooms meant for four to five people at most to one particularly large auditorium who's tiered seating area rivals the United Nations' General Assembly Hall in grandeur and size. Unknown to most a small kitchen is hidden behind the administrative offices and secret passageways run everywhere behind the meeting rooms allowing a staff of house-elves to unobtrusively provide catering for any of the meetings held in the department.
Phil is not an unusual visitor to these parts, with one brother a barrister and a habit of coming to check on investigations as well as visit the courtrooms people know who she is. However, it is not as common for the reporter to venture into Magical Cooperation. She makes it clear she is looking for Thomas and is told to wait for him in a small meeting room. The wizard receptionist goes off to tell Thomas his 'appointment is waiting.'
Thomas has been running around all day trying to catch up after a week off, he has a ton of paperwork to sort through and he has been attacking it all day, despite his minor hangover. When the Receptionist tracks him down and tells him his appointment is waiting, his first response is to pull out his appointment book and check, "I don't have an appointment." he says muttering softly, getting up to see who is waiting. He opens the door to the small meeting room, only to blink, "Ms. Rowle?" he says slowly closing the door behind him.
Phil is seated on a comfortable chair and has been served a cup of tea by a kind elf who has disappeared now. She does not get up when Thomas comes in but stays seated. "Thomas. I hear you have been abroad." She gives him a rather pointed look and gestures to the chair she pulled up close to her own.
Thomas is certainly confused and it shows on his face, he pulls out a chair, unbuttoning his bottom button on his suit jacket, he looks over at Phil for a moment, "Well yes, Ms. Rowle I was in Berlin for a week. Have you ever had Eisbein?" he asks with a soft smile and nod, clearly trying to ignore the fact that Phil doesn't seem happy.
"The ham dish?" Phil nods, perhaps surprising him with her admission. "There was a dinner at the German ambassador's last winter." She looks at Thomas and is quiet for a moment then says, "You were careful I hope? I was angry you know. Very angry when I found out what you were doing. You are handsome and smart, but this…this was madness Thomas." Phil leans forward, setting her cup down as she angles herself towards him. "What if a dark wizard attacked you? What if you got hurt and had no one to turn to? You," she gestures to the opulent space, "work here. Not on the streets. You are not an investigator. What on earth made you go?"
Thomas chuckles, "Yes that one!" he says with a snap of his fingers, "It was greatly prepared." he says slowly before she continues, "Of course I was careful, all I did was uncover the fact that the would be assassin of Ambassador Troy was never caught and is still out there despite what the German Ministry said." he says slowly, "If a Dark Wizard would have attacked me or I would have gotten hurt…" he rubs his chin slowly, "Well first, I suppose I would have thought, thank goodness I tried the Eisbein." he says jokingly with a smirk, "Why are you so upset over this Phil." he says softly, tilting his head a to the right.
Phil throws herself back in her chair, still a little agitated. "I don't know," she says softly, shoulders rolling inwards as they shrug forward. Her gaze drops to the cup and saucer on the table and she turns it slowly rotating both on the surface of the table. "I just felt, still feel…I don't know." Normally a very poised woman she finds herself anxious and gets quickly to her feet, but there is no real space for pacing in here so she half turns to look at a painting of some rare British wizarding flower. "I am exceedingly glad that you came back home safely, Thomas."
Thomas considers Phil for a long moment, his gaze moving across her slowly, he is silent considering. "Were you worried you would never get the chance to help me learn French?" he asks softly, standing up slowly, buttoning the bottom of his suit jacket he makes his way over to Phil. His right hand moves up softly to touch her shoulder, "Phil… I didn't mean to worry you." he says softly, standing behind her, "Though your concern is very touching." he says softly with a small nod.
She turns slowly and looks at Thomas, her blue eyes searching his face for something some answer to an internal question. Phil reaches up and lightly rests her hand on his chest, fingers curling around his tie. A faint smile turns up one corner of her mouth. "I am looking forward to teaching you French," she murmurs quietly as she closes the distance between them. "Thomas…" his name is a soft whisper and then she is tugging, pulling on that tie until she can fit her mouth against his.
Thomas looks at her as she presses her hand on his chest, and she grasps his tie, "I am certainly looking forward…" he starts slowly before she softly says his name, before she pulls him in for a kiss, his lips pressing against hers for a moment, before he breaks it, turning his head slightly, "Phil… " he says slowly, his tone soft. His mind now racing as he tries to clear it with a quick shake of his head. "I didn't know… you…" he says slowly.
Normally confident, now Phil looks embarrassed, her cheeks tinged with pink. She smooths Thomas' tie and steps back, pressing herself against the wall, giving them both that bit of space. "I am sorry," she says softly, her voice barely audible. "No," she then says. "I am not sorry and I would do it again." Her eyes close and she sighs, wondering if the wall might open up and absorb her.
Thomas runs his hand through his hair, "Phil…" he says softly closing his eyes, "I went to Berlin…" he starts shaking his head slightly, "To cure Rhyeline…" he says softly, looking at Phil, trying to find the right words. "I don't know what to do." he says leaning against the wall shaking his head.
She opens her eyes and tilts her head back against the wall. "I know," she says, her voice as soft as his. "I didn't know it until about twenty minutes ago, but I know." Phil turns her head towards Thomas and her body follows, leaving her leaning her shoulder against the wall. "I have been carrying Sartre with me since that day, hoping I would see you." Her hand slides up the wall, coming to rest between them. "I don't know what to do either. But I know I want to…" her mouth lifts in a grin that stays there as she forms the words, "kiss you until that smooth facade falls away. I want you to sit me on that table and feel your hands on my body." Her eyes briefly close. "I am seeing someone, though not exclusively but…I what should we do Thomas?"
Thomas chuckles softly, "You are too cute Phil." he says softly, looking at her with a smile, "Tell me about it…" he says softly with a sigh, deciding it would be best to just explain everything, "I went to Berlin to find a cure for Rhyeline because I asked for her courtship." he says slowly nodding, "Though after failing miserably at my little heroic quest, I have been thinking. I honestly don't know if Rhyeline even has feelings like that for me." he says shaking his head a bit, "I don't know Phil, you tell me what should do." he says slowly, running his hand through his hair.
Hearing him say that gives her pause. "Are you attracted to me?" Because Phil was the one who kissed him. "I am very different to Rhyeline. She is like a child still, pure and innocent and naively sweet. I am older and much bolder and," she laughs huskily, "I really want to kiss you properly." She doesn't move however, letting that small space stay between them as she watches Thomas.
Thomas reaches over and with the back of his hand softly brushes Phil's cheek slowly, "Yes, Phil I am attracted to you." he says slowly, offering a small smile, "That is what makes it so complicated." he says slowly with a small nod, his fingers move softly from her cheek to her lips, "Not sure what we are going to do." he says slowly, looking at Phil, with a soft smile.
She opens her mouth, tilting her head she nips one of Thomas' fingers as she watches him from beneath her lashes. Flicking the tip of her tongue to soothe the painless bite she raises her head again. "My relationship is easy enough. Your friendship and my friendship with Rhyeline is the issue." A soft sigh escapes her and the hand that rests on the wall begins to slide towards him. "We could do nothing until you sort things out with her, or we could be quiet about it until you know for certain either way and then decide what to do."
Thomas smirks slightly, "How can I be sure I am not just the answer to people bothering you about about marrying?" he says playfully. "Yes, the situation with Rhyeline is complicated, the issue is, I am not even sure if she is interested or not." he says slowly, "Though, to expand on your question, as to if I am attracted to you." he says slowly with a small nod, "I am attracted to a women who thinks and is independent with her thinking." he says slowly looking at Phil with his blue eyes, "Someone who I can have an intelligent conversation with and is not so focused on appearances that they let them dictate who they are." he says softly, "What is it exactly you want to do?" he asks slowly, tilting his head.
Phil follows her sliding hand, moving closer and closer to Thomas until she is just a few inches away from him again, close enough for her whispers to be heard. "I want you. I don't know where this will end up and I didn't expect it. Yet here it is between us." Phil lets her hand drift slowly down the front of Thomas' chest until it comes to his waist, her hand curls around the buckle of his belt and tugs him towards her. "This is me making it perfectly clear that I am interested." She grins and teases, "Just in case you weren't sure."
Thomas reaches up and softly brushes away a strand of hair, before leaning in and kissing Phil softly on her lips, "Crystal Clear." he says softly, his hand moving and softly wrapping around her side, "But I can't hurt Rhyeline." he says softly, "Even though I don't think she is interested in me, I can't hurt her." he says slowly with a small nod, "She deserves better then that." he says with a small nod, "I am not little Tommy at Hogwarts any more, I don't play with women's emotions." he says softly with a nod, "So for this to happen, I need to make sure she won't get hurt." he says softly.
"I understand," Phil's hand moves around to rest lightly against his hip. "Find out what you need to know. I am a big girl, I can wait." She flashes Thomas a smile. "If you decide you would rather not take things further I will still teach you French, just not while in bed."
Thomas chuckles softly, looking at Phil for a long moment, "Phil you truly are an amazing creature." he says softly with a smirk, "I look forward to learn French from you in bed or not." he says with a playful wink, "Though I will admit, one of them certainly sounds a lot more fun then the other." he says slowly, reaching up and brushing his fingers against her cheek slowly, "You know you have already started to rub off on me, last night I got drunk, drinking gin." he says shaking his head.
She tilts her head, nuzzling the hand on her cheek. "Next time you want to get drunk send me an owl. I'll make sure you have good gin." Phil leans in and presses a light kiss against the corner of Thomas' mouth, teasing him ever so slightly with the tip of her tongue before pulling back. "I should go, I am sure you have a lot of work to do and if we stay alone in here we will end up doing things you aren't ready for."
Thomas looks like a bag of bricks hit him, "That's right I am catching up on a weeks worth of paperwork…" he says with a small sigh, "I was enjoying your company so much, I actually forgot I had responsibilities." he says offering her a small wink, "Also I will be sure to send you an owl next time." he says softly with a smile, "Though I would be open to maybe catching you later at the Cauldron to tell you about my Berlin adventure." he says giving her a small smile.
Phil looks Thomas over with a critical eye and fixes his hair and then the front of his suit so he doesn't look like he has spent the last half hour kissing a woman in a departmental meeting room. "Sounds like a plan." She slips her hands into her pockets to keep from touching him again. "Goodbye Thomas."
Thomas smiles softly, "Always a pleasure Mr. Rowe." he says teasingly giving her a small wink as he opens the door for her, "I am truly sorry I can't help the you or the Prophet more." he says slowly with a small nod, "However if anything comes to mind I will certainly send you an owl." he says after she exits and he starts to head back towards his paperwork.