Looking for a way

James was hearing things from the ministry about muggles being able to see the wizarding world and he had to make sure that everything was secure with his dragons. He had left the ministry earlier after checking in on Sonya who was improving with her wing much better now. He hadn't changed out of his usual garb for himself but right then he was more concerned about getting his errands done first. He was on his way to Diagon Alley but first he wanted to grab a bite to eat. He was about to duck into a small diner when he of course slipped on ice again. He groaned feeling all of the air leaving his lungs as he thought about the seventh time today that he slipped on ice. Getting up from the ground and wiping all the snow off his clothes, he sighed shaking his head.

James was about to walk in when he bumped into someone catching her with one hand on her upper arm and the other around her shoulders. He prevented her falling then made sure that she was upright and not about to fall on her rear end. "Sorry Miss, I didn't mean to bump into you." He said moving his hands to her upper arms softly making sure that she had her footing. "I wasn't expecting to bump into anyone after the fall I already had. Again I am terribly sorry for almost knocking you over." He straightened up to his full height after he let go knowing she was fine on her feet. He shoved his hands in the front pocket of his jeans as he waited for her to yell at him for nearly landing her on her butt.

Hadley was incredibly confused. She had seen the strangest things that morning. Someone had disappeared, and now she was being called in to talk to the Prime Minister, and the last thing she needed was another strange happening. So when she ran into the bloke on the sidewalk as she was headed towards number ten Downing Street, Hadley didn't expect to feel him stopping her near fall, and didn't expect to look up and just stare.

Realizing how absurd she was being, Hadley got settled on her feet, somehow mourning the loss of his help once he had released her. "You- You already fell?" she asked, glancing around and realizing that she was just lucky her shoes had rubber on the bottoms so she would be rather unlikely to fall. Well, unless you got knocked into, she thought to herself sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, too," she added quickly, a blush tinging her cheeks. "I've had a... strange day," Hadley admitted with a laugh, lifting her hand to push her curls behind her ear. "You're alright though, yeah?" she asked, referring both to her running into him as well as his earlier stumbles. "I mean, I think I've got a bandaid in here somewhere, if you've got a scratch," Hadley offered, reaching towards her bag where it was hung over her shoulder.

When he saw her just staring at him which caused his cheeks to pink slightly. He never had anyone just stare at him before, "Are you alright miss?" He asked softly looking at her curiously. He knew that she had to feel short compared to his height which was close to reaching seven feet.

Blushing at her question, "Y-Yeah I tend to be uncoordinated when it comes to ice in the winter. Even though I'm really tall it just means I have further to fall." He said laughing softly at those words.

"You shouldn't be sorry I was the one who was in the way. Also the one who nearly ran you over," James said smiling wryly at that comment. "I'm fine it's nothing, I've been through much worse." He said grinning at her. "No I don't need one, I don't have a scratch on me. It's sometimes a good thing when I'm still wearing my work clothes." He said gesturing to his leather garb that marked him as a dragon keeper.

Hadley nearly had to laugh when he blushed, and the urge was strong, but she bit her lip instead, keeping it in. At least she wasn't the only one having an off day. "Oh, I'm fine! Might have a bruise or something, but I'm pretty tough," she replied, her tone a little bit teasing as she leaned towards him. Even if she was hurting, it wasn't like she would have said anything about it. Hadley had never been one to be comfortable with asking for help. It always felt like her job to be fine and prepared and on top of things, after all.

"Perhaps," she added after his explanation, "you should work a bit on your balance." This time, the laugh did escape, and she felt a bit guilty for it. It was meant to seem good-natured, though, and Hadley hoped the man took it that way.

She shrugged at his attempt to assure her that it wasn't her fault, offering a smile. The smile faltered, though, when he made a comment about his clothing. Who wore clothing like that for work? Hadley had never seen anything like it. "Um, yeah," she nodded slowly, unsure as to what his point really was. "That stuff looks like it would help, I guess." Hadley added with a shrug. "Strange choice in clothing for your job, though."

She, for one, was just wearing her typical work clothes - after all, one did not go meet with the Prime Minister in casual attire, did they? It didn't seem proper. So it was a blouse and a pencil skirt, covered over by her jacket. Her legs, thankfully, had been covered by thick tights to help her brave the cold. But still, she had been outside longer than she had intended, given that she was now stopped and chatting with this complete stranger. Not that he wasn't... interesting. That was a word she would allow herself. Anything beyond that was a bit too much for a first impression, she felt. Even if she wanted to accept the fact that he was, indeed, rather good-looking. And the height certainly helped, she supposed. She was tall, especially in her heels, but it was almost nothing compared to him.

"What, if you don't mind my asking, do you need the, um, leather for?" Hadley asked a bit hesitantly. A part of her wasn't sure she was ready to know, but Hadley didn't fully understand why that feeling was settled there in her gut.

James smiled at her words, "Well that's a good thing that your tough I suppose. At least the worse that you'll get out of this is a bruise." He said as looked around at people. "Since I nearly knocked you to the ground can I buy you lunch?" He didn't know where that came from but he wasn't the kind of person to back out of anything. "It would make up for any damage I may have caused."

"Yeah I suppose I should work on my balance but I've been really good at the though." James said laughing softly looking at her.

"It works well in my line of work cause it can get kinda dangerous." James said smiling softly as he looked down at the clothes he was wearing. "I deal with some temperamental animals who tend to think I'm a snack." He rubbed his hand on the back of his head then as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

James had taken in the woman's clothes and was curious if she was a secretary to someone at the ministry. Her heels didn't make her much taller but it had brought her a little taller compared to him. He couldn't help himself in wondering what she was like. "My name's James Faulkner, may I ask yours?" He said grinning fully at her.

Looking down at his clothing then back up, "Oh yeah, My official title is Dragon Keeper." He said smiling at her. "I take care of sick, injured, or any dragon that the Ministry gives me to look after."

The blonde's lips parted slightly in surprise, her breath making a little cloud of fog in front of her, as winter often caused. A tinge of blush colored her cheeks, but after a moment, she nodded and smiled up at him. "That would actually be brilliant. I was going to stop off on the way to my meeting anyway! I'll just need to keep an eye on the time," she explained. It sounded strange to go on about meeting the Prime Minister, and she supposed it could sound like bragging, so she didn't want to mention him until she knew this man better.

His laugh made her smile widen, and Hadley found herself glad that he had a sense of humor. Unbidden, a question of whether or not his hair was a soft as it looked jumped into her mind when he pushed his fingers through the back of it, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. She knew it was mad; it took only a moment, sometimes, for her to be curious about someone, and apparently this man was no exception. There was just something... intriguing about him, and she couldn't figure what, exactly, that was. Not just yet.

"It's lovely to, well, run into you, James," she teased, offering a hand for him to shake. "Mine's Hadley Swan. A bit odd, but I rather like it. My mom always jokes that it matches my hair, considering it's a bit odd, too. Never calms down," she attempted to explain, realizing belatedly that she had started off on a strange topic. That, and she had made her American roots pretty obvious, by forgetting to use the "mum" pronunciation of the word. At least she had hidden - more or less - her southern accent. "But anyway-!" she backtracked, nodding firmly as she added, "Yes. Lovely to meet you."

It wasn't until he told her his occupation that she pulled her hand back, having felt strangely content to shake James's for however long felt right. It wasn't a jerky movement, but a slow, deliberate one that came along with her furrowing her brow at him. "I'm sorry, you do what, now? The Prime Minister does not have those, I can assure you." Oh well. So much for keeping that bit quiet. After all, this man was talking utter nonsense. "I'm not sure if you're joking or not. Do you... I mean, training animals I understand, but I've really only heard of something like what you're describing for filming movies or shows on the telly," she attempted to make sense of it.

James smiled more seeing her cheeks redden slightly. "Well we can stop in here for a bite, it's the best place I've found that fills you up. They are also best for their quick staff." He said nodded towards the restaurant next to them. "Well I'll make sure you make it to your meeting on time so your not late to it." He grinned more as he waited for her to accept that the restaurant was fine.

"The pleasure is all mine Miss. Swan," James said taking her hand and then realizing too late his rough hands. "I think it suits you very well, even your hair. Most of the time people with the untamed hair are the most fun." He grinned at that statement knowing that it sounded like he was flirting. He was extremely intrigued by the woman standing in front of him. He tried to not laugh at her stumble of words but it made him smile at it.

Hearing her words but ice in James' blood and he realized that he who he was talking with. Closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose in concentration. Taking a deep breath he looked up at her there was a look of worry in his eyes. "Your minister what's his name? I know it sounds like a silly question but it's also important." He looked at her when she said he had to be joking, "I'm sorry Hadley but I'm not joking. I'm a keeper of dragons, this isn't something that I'm making up. Your talking about filming movies or a telly and I have no clue what those things are. Our worlds are miles apart but they are connected at the same time. I'm not crazy," He looked around and then lowered his voice only to her ears only. "Have you seen anyone just disappear right in front of your eyes? Or maybe even seen something flying?" James asked looking at her.

She agreed without hesitation, regarding the restaurant. After all, it was convenient, wasn't it? She had no reason to say no. But she couldn't help the fact that her cheeks burned at his comments. She didn't know about "fun," but a part of her hoped he thought it was true of her. Still, she couldn't quite believe his words. And the way he had addressed her certainly made the reddened cheeks continue to embarrass her further, even after she had drawn her hand away.

"What d'you mean who is he? Who else would it be? Lawrence!" she replied, shaking her head to show just how astounded she was. Her lips turned down in a pout, trying to understand how things had gone so strange so quickly.

"My god. You don't know what a telly is?" she asked, aghast. "How in the world-? You're missing out, I'm telling you. But-but dragons?" Hadley questioned, her mouth open without any real hopes of finding better words. "That makes absolutely no sense."

But then he asked about strange happenings, and Hadley had no choice but to admit it. "Well, yes... But that doesn't mean that dragons exist, James. It just doesn't." She hadn't realized, but her voice was at a whisper, as if passersby would listen in on their conversation and think the both of them utterly mad. She went so far, in fact, as to glance around, taking her lower lip between her teeth in hesitation. "I-... Look, maybe you should try and explain that to me again. Just, let's go inside and sit somewhere, yeah? Less awkward, fewer people giving us funny looks like they think we're mad. I think you owe me a better explanation that just, 'yes, they exist,' don't you?"

Perhaps she was coming on too strong. Hadley did that at times. But she was tired of feeling confused, and was utterly frustrated that she had to feel so lost when it came to this man that she had somehow been so interested in. It wasn't fair one bit. Why couldn't he just explain things? Sure, she had had a bit of a chat with that blonde - Rivah, was it? But nothing had come up about any bloody dragons. This man was either crazy, or he was one of those wizards, and Hadley just hadn't realized until too late. What the hell was she getting herself into?

"That's not who my minister is, mine's name is Robert Lupin." James said looking at her wondering if she would believe him. Seeing her pout caught him completely off guard to where he was staring at her lips.

"Yes I have no idea what a telly is and I'm sure that the pictures you have don't move on their own." James said looking at her seriously as he looked around at everyone on the street giving them strange looks. "That's first I've been told something like that, but yes dragons. I have a picture of one of them when they were a baby if you want proof. Or I can take you to my house to see them, because i work so closely with them I have some at my home."

"Yes but it makes you wonder what is real and what is make believe." He said looking at her seriously as he saw more and more people giving them strange looks. One person had stopped a few feet from them and was trying to catch their conversation. When the man looked at James, he quickly looked away after James gave him a stern look. "Come with me, I know the perfect place we can sit and talk. No one would think the wiser when they hear us talking. I'll tell you a little more about my world that you should probably know." He held out his hand to her to take hoping that she would trust him just a little bit. "Please Hadley, I won't hurt you and I will answer any questions you ask me. Please come with me."

Hadley found herself shaking her head. Of course. Robert. That sinking feeling in her stomach had been right. He was like Rivah, and he would think her just as much of a freak as everyone she knew from work would think James was one. But she didn't want this man to think of her that way, and it made her feel a bit sick to think that he did.

She wanted to make another comment about how astounding it was for him to be oblivious to television and films, but she was too caught up in the problem at hand. She definitely was afraid of what it might mean for her to just trust him implicitly. But he was right about wondering what was real. "I suppose," she admitted hesitantly, peeking up at James beneath her lashes.

It wasn't the best idea she had ever had - or maybe it was, and she just didn't know it yet - but Hadley decided to take his word for it. So she twined her fingers with his, stepping closer so it didn't look so odd. Holding their hands out between them in the middle of the sidewalk felt bizarre, after all. So she moved to stand beside him, wrapping her fingers around his upper arm, and glanced up at him. "Okay... Show me, then."