Let's Outrun These Problems

Franki typically wouldn't lower herself enough to come to such a dingy bar as the Hog's Head, but she had wanted a place to escape the prying questions and looks of the other purebloods. The poor girl had slowly but surely begun to become a laughingstock. Their home had been taken from them, their family name besmirched, Alistair d'Eath had already humiliated her in front of the entire Potions class, she had made a fool of herself and her family the day she was matched with Daedalus, and she had not been able to prove herself worthy of the Dark Follower or their parent faction, the Death Eaters.

What was worse- she was fairly sure Draco was ashamed of her. Though she felt her father cared more for her feelings than the family name, but she still felt he hoped he could be proud of her as well as his family at the same time. Franki, however, just didn't have what it took to make her family proud, or to live up to the family expectations of what it meant to be a Malfoy.

She had ordered a butterbeeer to accompany her pity party- it wasn't a party without drinks, right? There were a few other patrons, but only she sat at the bar. She had her elbow on the bar, and her cheek was nestled and resting on the palm of her hand. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. Weren't these supposed to be the best years of her young life?

Joseph walked into The Hog's Head. He'd just been at the abandoned Quidditch Pitch with some friends. He'd normally go somewhere nicer, but he was close by and he didn't find a good reason to walk any farther. He walked to the bar and order himself a firewhiskey and placed some galleons on the counter. "Thank you, sir." He said to the bartender. He smiled and turned to find himself a place to sit. He noticed a pretty blonde girl sitting at the bar all alone. She looked quite sad. He was alone, she was alone and sad, so he decided to approach her.

"Hi. You look sad. Can I sit with you?" He asked politely.

Franki was content to sit alone in her misery- no, that was a lie. Misery didn't suit the sixteen year old. She hated that she was young and full of energy but had no real outlets of enjoyment, only ones of responsibility and shame. She had all of these obligations, none of which she was any good at. She tried her best and never seemed to impress. She wasn't Malfoy enough for those who still respected the family; she was too Malfoy for those who hated them. No matter how hard the girl tried, she simply pleased no one. And she was a people pleaser- apparently, a bad one.

She wanted to do something. She wanted to prove to herself that she was worth it, that she could do it, that she mattered and was useful, maybe enjoyable. Thus far, she had only been given opportunities to deepen her humiliation.

So she was relieved when someone joined her, desperate for someone to pull her out of her sadness. "Oh, sorry, I'm just... tired." She did have her pride, after all. "Yes, I don't mind." She caught a whiff of him- he smelled good.

She had allowed him to sit with her. He was glad she did, though he didn't believe her when she said she was just tired. Joseph was good at telling when people were lying. So, he sat next to her and smiled. "You should cheer up. I bet you look very beautiful when smiling." He knew he didn't know much about the girl, including her age, but that's the way Joey was. He'd compliment people, not trying to flirt, although that's what some would call it. He took a sip of his firewhiskey, the set his glass down.

He held out his hand towards the girl. "I'm Joseph." He announced. He didn't know whether she'd accept his handshake. He had met someone who completely didn't like touching people. So, he was very cautious.

He sat next to her and there was that poignant silence that often accompanied the meeting of two strangers. Franki eyes the man out of the corner of her eye, trying to figure out what she should do next. She paused, before hesitantly reaching out for her mug again, catching the handle between her hands and lifting it up to her lips, drinking some of the Butterbeer from it with relief for sparing the moment of any possible awkwardness.

He spoke, causing Franki's head to turn mechanically to meet the eyes of the man who had paid her a compliment. Franki was a sixteen year old girl- flattery went a long way. And she had never been one to consider age; the compliments of a man meant just the same as a young boy. Trying to hold it back, she smiled, before rolling her lips over it to hide her teeth, tough still radiant from her pleasure of the compliment. He reached a hand out and she looked down at it before meeting his eyes. She set down her mug and reached out, shaking his hand and saying, "Francesca- you can, you can call me Franki though," she stumbled through her speech, a little flustered.

He was glad she had accepted his hand shake. She introduced herself as Francesca. He cocked his head. "Hi, Franki. I've heard the name before. Sounds familiar." He released her hand. Joseph reached for his firewhiskey and took a couple sips before speaking again.

"So, what do you do Franki?" He asked. "I'm assuming you're a student, correct?" He didn't really have to ask, but he wanted to be sure.

"If you are, what do you like to do? Just come here? It's a tad bit run down if you ask me." He had nothing against the Hog's Head, but if he were to be honest it is a bit dirty.

Franki shrugged, finding that her reluctance to speak was ebbing away as he proved himself to be kind. "Well, it's a common name, sort of. Mostly for boys." She smiled. "My mum hates that I go by Franki. She says I sound like a homeless addict roaming the street, and that Francesca is dignified. I think it's stuffy."

He asked what she did and she nodded. "Yes. I suffer the shame of being taught by ruffians for a living." She grinned, always looking for an opportunity to laugh. He continued on and she felt her merriment lessen as she thought it over. She wanted to express her shame and hurt, but she also had much pride and he was a stranger.

She settled on a half answers. "Well, if I'm being honest, my peers can be right prats sometimes," she said, drinking from her Butterbeer. "No one is going to look for me here." Her subconscious chided her Right, as if anyone would seek you out. The shame of the shamed family. She was stirred by Astoria's lessens on propriety and she looked at him, trying to fix an look of interest of her face. "What about you, then? I mean, what do you do? And why are you here, if you think it's run down?"

Joseph smiled lightly. "Well, I think Franki suits you. Nothing like a boys name. You're mum seems a bit rude then." He's being honest, if her mother talks to her that way then.. Well, Joseph can't do anything about that. "Nor does it sound like a homeless person."

Joseph takes some gulps from his firewhiskey. He laughs at her question. It was sort of hypocritical that he would be somewhere he says he doesn't want to be. "Well, you see," He leans a bit closer to Franki. "I was out at the pitch with some of my mates. This was the closest place." He leans closer as if to whisper. "I'm a bit lazy if you know me." He moves away from her. "Anyways, whether people will look for you or not, I don't think a pretty girl like you should be in here." He smiles politely.

"My mum is a bit rude," was Franki's automatic response, before her brain censored her. The Malfoys were already a laughing stock. They had to at least pretend to regard each other to get others to give them some sort of value. She quickly added, "Though she has a lot on her mind. She's a bit overprotective, so I'm sure she doesn't mean it." Yes she does her subconscious chided. "Thank you though."

He spoke and she felt unsure of what to do with herself. She reached out and drank from her Butterbeer. "Ah," she said politely, listening with interest. Part of her wanted to know his surname, to ensure he was someone that would only help her to be seen with. But she was also afraid he's be some mudblood or Order square and she would have to excuse herself. Besides, she doubted anyone would take any interest in anything she was doing.

She smiled again, her vanity flattered by his repetitive assurances of her beauty. "Well... A pretty girl finds herself much safer somewhere her peers wouldn't think to look for her. I doubt anyone here means to cause me any bodily harm."

Joseph nodded. He felt as if he knew what she was going through. At least he didn't think Franki's mother was abusive, much like his father. That was all in the past for Joseph, he didn't want to rekindle memories. "You should appreciate her. You never know if you're going to lose her." Joseph's dad died years ago and when he got the news, he couldn't help but be sad. Sure Joseph's dad was abusive, but that didn't matter to Joseph. It was HIS dad.

Joseph turned a slight bit so he could face Franki rather than look at a wall. "You've not got friends? Or do you hid from 'em all?" As a Hogwarts student, Joseph had a fair few of friends. He kept in touch with some of them now too. He sighed as he thought of Abigail who was unable to pass age sixteen. He still had times where she was the only person he thought about. He cursed himself inwardly for thinking about her once more. "So, no friends?"