Candelight and Chocolate

Valentine's Day had been in the planning at Sparks for a long time. Lizzie and Khaat had poured over recipes and tried the best of the best. The titles might have been a bit offputting, but there was chocolate--in some variation--in every dish on the special menu. They were allowing patrons to order from the standard menu if they were skittish of the chocolate, but their taste tests had proven these to be not just passible but excellent. She was pleased.

She was offering the following:

Soups--Pumpkin Soup with Cocoa Nibs
Chili with Mole Negro

Appetizers--Chocolate Fondue
Chocolate Pate with Fresh Fruit

Main Entrees--Chicken with Mole Negro
Beef Curry with Chocolate
Choclate Ravioli with White Truffle Sauce
Pork Roast with Coffee and White Chocolate Sauce
Fire Grilled Steaks Encrusted with Cocoa Nibs

Desserts--Sparks Signature Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
Chocolate Chip Monster Cookies with Dark Chocolate Gelato
Chocolate Lava Cake
Chocolate Crepes with White Cheesecake Filling and Caramel Drizzled Topping
Chocolate Truffle Tasting Platter

She had decorated the restaurant with red tablecloths, crystal vases, fresh roses, and their signature sparkling "creatures" were hearts, flowers, and other romantic images that floated gently up near the ceiling.

She had added a stage for live music, and a dance floor, candlelight, and soft lighting. It looked perfect. And they had plenty of wine and champagne chilling. It looked perfect

Steven walked in he wore a suit and carried a single red rose in his hand, looking around he saw it was perfectly set, yet why did he feel so nervous, then he smiled, he was nervous because he was going to ask Delilah to marry him in front of everyone he knew. He felt to prove how much he loved her that he had to.

Walking in he smiled at Khaat "looks perfect Khaat just like you"he said and hugged her lightly "Khaat I have a favour to ask , I have an announcement I have to make if its possible could you have every one once they arrive wait for a minuet Till I'm done I would be grateful" he smiled sheepishly at her taking out a box to show her the ring that lay inside.

Delilahs outfit

Delilah walked into the dance looking around for steven. she was wearing a dress that came down to about her knees. it was red and simple with a little beaded design on the right side. she had on Black strappy heels. her jewelry was red and black and shaped like hearts. she had worn her hair down but had a small headband that held three flowers one was red another white and the third black.
once she found steven she smiled and walked over to him. she could tell he was nervous and she was two but for a different reson. this was the first time she had left dylan with a baby sitter since he was born and this was new for both of them.

Steven saw her walk over his stomach flipped she looked Gorgeous, he took her hand and gently kissed her before hair leading her to a table, pulling out a chair for her " your gorgeous to night Delilah" he said and sat to face her, he handed her the rose he held. His face now holding a loving smile as he placed a silver box on the table on it was engraved her name.

"I would let you open it but there's something inside i want to give to you once everyone is here." he said softly and looked at the menu he ordered a bottle of champagne "This is your night Delilah, I want you to feel like a queen" he smiled

Usually content with understated black, tonight Anglique had set phasers to stunning. Okay, so there was still plenty of black, because why change a good thing? But there was also a disturbing supply hot pink ribbon and lace, mostly in the form of the corset that was currently emphasising what nature had generously provided.

The restaurant, of course, was full of stifling romantic symbolism. Everything was this time of year. Angelique cared not one whit for romance, unless one counted her desire to manipulate others' romantic inclinations for her own ends as caring.

Suddenly, the couple talking nearby caught her notice and then, it was all over. It was not Delilah's night after all.

Of course, the man was not Angelique's type at all. She preferred her men more... attractive was really the only way to put it. That wasn't going to stop her though, because the woman he was talking to was the sort of woman Angelique felt obliged to irritate at every available opportunity and there was one sure-fire way to irritate any woman.

She strolled over to the two of them and casually slipped her hand into the man's back pocket. If he felt her touch, he would just assume she was feeling him up, and if not, all the better.

"Darling," she sighed, making sure she got right inside his personal space, "you didn't tell me you were going to be here tonight, or I'd have worn that dress you liked so much last time."

She smiled conspiratorialy.

"You know, the one with the split right up to," she pulled back just enough to indicate the top of her fishnet-clad thigh, "here?"

Steven felt someone touch him spining around he faced a girl , stepping back he move d to Delilah "Maam you chose the wrong man" he showed his auror badge and shook his head. " besides I have only one woman in my heart and she knows i have no other , go home to your daddy little girl" he said Turning his back to the girl to face Delilah Hoping she would see the girls deception. His looking into Delilah's "come with me delilah I want you to meet some one" He took her hand kissing her as he did.

with His arm around her waist he lead her to the hostess "Delilah I'd like to introduce you to Khaat Lupin, daughter of Robert Lupin minister of magic and my employer, the only reason I have been away from you." he smiled as he wrapped his hand around hers. "Khaat this is Deliah Knight, the one I told you about and the one I will marry if she will have me" he said smiling down at her.

Delilah had silently watched the exchange between Steven and the girl who had to have still been in Hogwarts. She smiled to her self hearing his words about having only one girl in his heart. "Okay," she said smiling at him when he said he had some one for her to meet. from that moment no she would be ignoring any thing his girl had to say to her unless it was something bad about steven, because if it was he'd have to hold her back from knocking the girl on her back.
steven introduced her to Khaat and Delilah said ," Hello Khaat," She said smiling at the minsters daughter. "and you already know what i say to that," she said to steven.

Khaat was glad that Sparks was full and bustling with a lot of happy people. She had seen Steven come in with a young woman, and she presumed this was his wife to be. Even if she hadn't seen her with Steven, by the looks of Steven's level of anxiety, the more that he was nervous the more convinced she was of it. This was Delilah. She hadn't met Delilah before, but it wasn't hard to pick it out.

She was amused by the young student who was clearly trying to start a bit of mischief, ia bit of manipulation. Well, it seemed like harmless fun, at least so far, and in Khaat's book, there was room for mischief too. It sort of all went together in a weird, playful way. She watched Steven and Delilah try to shut down the young woman, and really didn't believe for one moment that a student would be put off so easily. She expected a come back sooner or later.

And then Steven came over to her with the young woman and introduced her. "Hello, Delilah," Khaat smiled. "Nice to finally meet you. I"m glad you could join us tonight."

"I'm glad to meet you too, Khaat," Delilah said silently wondering how much Steven had told his boss and co workers about her and Dylan. she didn't know what else to say exactly. it have been a long time since she had ever talked to some one whose father was as powerful as the minister of magic, all she remembered Wat to treat them like normal people because the ones who didn't have big heads didn't like being treated as if they where gods or goddesses or what ever. she just smiled and stayed close to steven.

"You'll have to get a bit adventurous with the menu," Khaat said. "Try something new. The special menu has items that are all made with some form or another of chocolate. I know it sounds odd to have chocolate in something that isnt' sweet, but believe me, its all really good. Steven, have you found your way alright ot you table?"

Khaat figured that Steven and Delilah had better things on their minds tonight than making small talk with her. Khaat didnt' want to interfere in that. She knew that this was not an evening for a third wheel to be involved. And since Brian wasn't here yet, she was without a date as well. It didn't matter so much at the moment because she was working, but she was hoping Brian would show up sooner or later.