It Runs Wild

[Benita Hendrix-London]

Take it from Beni. She wasn't... an intellectual, if you wanted to say that. While it satified other people to strive for peak intelligence and superiority over others (poor chaps), she was happy with what she knew, what she wanted to learn, and how it made her personality. So for someone who's well-being was more like a great!-being, she wasn't going into Flourish and Blotts for a book called The Analysis of Opposing Viewpoints: Galleon Standardizing. No, no, no. She would skip past that beige-and-white section and head on over to the land of colors and frills-- the children's books.

Of course this wasn't exactly what she did everytime she was in a bookstore. If that were the truth, shewould be by the art books, hoping to see if the art of magical hairstyling would break through stiff barriers and land on bookshelves, waiting to be perused by the alum Gryffie. Today came in dedication of a little boy-creature-- a baby wizard to be exact-- who had been born just one week ago to one of Beni's workmates who worked the front desk of DLC. After news broke through that the baby named Bellamy was born, she was rampant in figuring out what he would get from surrogate-Aunt Beni until she figured a book would suit him. Sure, he was still an infant and had no inkling to even what the sounds around him were, but she figured the earlier the better. And with everyone else handing out diapers and cleaning products and "practical stuff" (she always added that part in a huff), she wanted something a bit out of the ordinary.

Ah, and so it came, the book selection incredible and the imagination stretched out wide for all to see. She looked in one or two, but figured they were boring. By the fifth one, though, she was starting to gain interest in the five minute reads. Each book had a surprise wrapped in morality, and each kept her in that bookstore more and more time. By the tenth she was on the floor, her skirt tangled with other "maybes" and holding an extremely large book that was practically the size of a three year old. With that in one's mind, she couldn't have possibly seen what was in front of her, whethere she could recognize it or not.

(completely open and not exclusive to just one-- just remember about the whole Hogwarts "we're always locked up" dig)

[Ben London]

Ben had been in the Alley, picking up some things that he needed. He'd stopped at the bank, cringing at what was in his account and deciding that today wasn't going to be a day where he'd blow all his money. Being an Auror-in-training was difficult and didn't pay nearly enough for what he had to go through. He especially hated the part in which he was to write up reports, for his handwriting had always been awful and it was something he despised with the very fiber of his being. Nevertheless, it would pay off in the long run so Ben stuck with it.

Now just dawdling down the lane, Ben looked at the shops around him, remembering the first time he'd set foot in this place. It had been an amazing day and he remembered it so clearly. In the robe shop, Ben had been trying on different robes for his old school and had been engulfed in almost every set. Then he had a growth spurt and nearly popped out of everything he tried on a few years later. Chuckling at the memory, Ben's eye was caught by the familiar sign reading Flourish and Blotts. Deciding a little trip in there wouldn't hurt, Ben opened the door and entered the shop.

For a while, he browsed around, not looking for anything in particular. Until he came around the shelf of one aisle and an eyebrow raised high on his forehead.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Ben asked the woman in front of him, realizing it was none other than his own Beni.

[Benita Hendrix-London]

"I'm playing the role of the customer," Beni began without looking up from the gi-normous book in front of her that practically covered her like a fort. Here she was in true prime time 'Look, ma, I'm reading!' mode and some bloke is bothering her about it. She only hoped the man wasn't a dad with a younger one who had innocent ears. "Who the hell are you? The wanking pretentious inquis--" With her admiration done with the cauldron bubbling giraffe, she tilted the book, flipped the page and looked up to transfer her tone of annoyance to her face. Except it got there for a moment and then morphed into an 'oh crap' look.

With her mouth open a little in that last expression, she graduated into a little nod of the head. "Oh, hey, Benster." New nickname. Deal with it.

[Ben London]

"A wanking pretentious what, sweetheart?" Ben asked kindly, laughing at her and sticking out his hand to help her up. He didn't know what she was doing or what was on top of her, but it seemed large and rather unnecessary. Only Beni would be able to find such a thing. Realizing what section she was in, Ben raised a curious eyebrow.

"What are you even doing over in this part?" Ben asked her, "Because if you're here because of what I think, you've got some explaining to do." He winked at her and chuckled, despite the tiny part of him that was actually worried.

[Benita Hendrix-London]

"Nevermind," Beni said while politely shaking her head at his hand. As she far as she was concerned, she was just as comfortable in her spot. She was searching, remember? However, when he had that kind of assumption as to who these children's books were for, she couldn't help but play the joker. "Actually, yes," she said as she began to nod her head with a serious face for once. "I'm here because I'm having your child, plus I have to pick up something for little David because he's my four year old child I hid from you. Haha, surpriiise...." She said the last part like it was such a fun secret. Well, really, it was. "You can meet him if you want to. "

[Ben London]

"Good!" Ben exclaimed, trying to sound genuine, "I'm sure little David will hit it off great with my secret love child as well. Creepy how similar we are, sweetie." The Auror-in-training rolled his eyes at his girlfriend, not even wanting to know now what she was actually doing there.

Picking up a book around a little rabbit and his family, Ben flashed it to Beni, speaking in a curious tone.
"Think David would enjoy this?" he asked sarcastically, "Or it is a little to dainty for him?"

[Benita Hendrix-London]

She made sure to give him a playful kick in the ankle. "Merly, you're hard to give a shock to! I'm pretty sure you'll be disappointed to know that there is not and never will be a David. I wouldn't pick that name anyhow," she said as she did somewhat gesture to see that book. It hadn't been on her list of books she reviewed for Bellamy. "I think something Aaron would sound nice on this child--" she pointed to her tummy, "--if he was a boy."

However, it was time to roll her eyes now. "I'm shopping for a coworker's new baby boy. I can't think of what I want, though."

[Ben London]

"Ow you..." but Ben didn't finish his words. Her kick hadn't hurt, but he felt like causing a scene. Turning back to the shelf, Ben placed the book back, ignoring Beni's comment and trying to not just laugh at her. It was funny when she tried to be serious. And remarkably cute.

"Hmm, sounds like fun," Ben replied, his tone clearly sarcastic. Baby shopping didn't exactly appeal to the boy and he didn't want to take part in any of it. Although he knew he would if Beni asked him to.
"Really think a book is the best thing?" Ben asked, "Why not something fun? Something that makes noise and will annoy the crap outta the parents."

[Benita Hendrix-London]

"Ha!" Beni outbursted as if she never thought of that. "I had that in mind, just as I pulled out this brill little 'maybe'--" She picked up a book by her and showed it to him. "The Book of Onomatopoeias! Every single page is filled with the classics and new ones!" She opened up the middle section of the book and soon enough a large 'Kaboom!' erupted from it, gaining yet another stare at the clerk who had been annoyed that Beni had been there for half an hour now. "How are you there?!?" she said over the noise to the clerk, equally annoyed at her. Whatever, she was a customer.

[Ben London]

Ben leaped forward, snapping the book shut as it began making random exploding noises. He closed it, nearly knocking Beni over in the process, but his arm reach up behind her and caught the girl before she toppled over. Standing just inches from her, Ben tried to not laugh and instigate another outburst.
"You.." he chuckled, but couldn't get the rest out before he started laughing, "Merlin, I love you." Ben kissed his girlfriend softly on the lips and chuckled again. What was he going to do with her?

[Benita Hendrix-London]

Sure, she had been about to close it, but Ben beat her to that with a more spectacular method. As she was sure regained herself without falling back into the bookshelf, she tilted her head in a goofy smile. "Me? I love me, too." At last she let out a laugh, however a little restrained under 'indoor voice' barriers because she probably had to stop being rude to the clerk. Grabbing the collar of his shirt lightly, she tugged downward lightly to gesture him to sit with her among the books. "Hon, how's aurorship going?"

[Ben London]

The 6'3" boy awkwardly made his way down to the ground without dropping Beni and plunked onto the floor beside her. Ben groaned slightly, more at what she asked him than under the strain of holding her.
"Ugh," he told her truthfully, "It's strenuous. Nearly died this morning in duel practice." Ben rubbed at the bruise on his arm where he'd been hit by a rather nasty spell. It was really his fault though. The other Aurors-in-training were brilliant; he just wasn't quick enough.

"What about you?" he asked her, leaning against a shelf down, "How goes it in the workplace?"

[Benita Hendrix-London]

Beni failed in hiding her pained expression at the thought that he almost died that day doing what he would have to do as a career. Several times a day, she had to think about Ben in concern, thinking if he was fine now and then. There had to be violence and politics involved with him now, those of which Beni did not like to get near. It was a price to pay for being the girlfriend of an auror-to-be. Especially since she constantly supported him.

"Um, nothing except the upcoming and late baby shower. Ooh! And this posh musician came to DLC the other day and chose me! 'Course, she was going on and on like a diva, but I got her under my spell," she winked at him.

Putting the book of sounds away, she pullled behind her randomly a book and opened it to the middle of the page to be greeted with the smell of onions. "Gah! Ghastly! Why do they think this is beneficial to a child?!?"

[Ben London]

Waving his head in front of his face to get the smell away, Ben held his breath as he tried to speak.
"To keep kids from ever eating them," Ben choked, waving more vigorously now, "They are just disgusting." Ben made a puking noise to show his distaste and his face screwed up, almost as if he were in agony. Ben was not a picky eater, but if something had bits of onion in it, he'd spend an hour picking it out if he had to. He just couldn't stand it.

"What about this?" the boy suggested, pulling a different book out and flipping through the pages. It seemed safe enough, portraying fluffy bunnies and other cute animals. So maybe Ben wasn't the best at picking out baby stuff. It would be a while before he had to anyways, and he figured in that time, he'd learn.

[Benita Hendrix-London]

Beni was a skeptic. "You really think so? For a boy?" She scrunched her face in a 'maybe not' expression and shrugged. "Besides, it's so..." She heaved a dramatic sigh. ".... blah." Soon enough she had some snickers in her, though. Bunnies. Cute but possibly deadly.

"Not this one at least?" She opened up another maybe, displaying a bunch of barn animals having a party. The pig was going underneath a limbo. "It's called FiFi's Fiesta. Not keen on the title, but they sure are having a good time. She grinned as the chicken made a back flip and somehow managed to wink up at them. Pary animals, they were.