The Chudley Cannons Quidditch team had gathered to celebrate their victory. They had come to Paris for an exhibition game against the Quiberon Quafflepunchers. The team had been walking around wizarding Paris looking for a café. The team, wearing their orange and black casual team robes, stood out against the backdrop of fashionable wizarding Paris. As they walked down the sidewalk, the boisterous group heard the vocals of an amazing female singer waft out an open door. A glance at the woman pictured in the poster assured the team that this was just the place for them to celebrate.
At twenty-five, Ron Weasley was a bit wary of the group. He’d seen his team like this several times in the years he had been on the teams staff. Since taking over as manager at the start of the season, he had accompanied the team on many jaunts. Wins and losses were celebrated with the same zeal but he found that after a win he had to work harder and ensure the witch population was safe from the team who was just interested in finding willing groupies to shag.
The cafe was dark and smoky, just the type of environment one would expect to find a cabaret singer. Juliette Rhe was beautiful. She had long dark hair and smouldering brown eyes. Her voice was just husky enough to sound sexy and leave you longing for more. If her voice wasn’t enough to keep you longing, her burgundy dress was cut to show off her long, shapely legs.
As Ron leaned against the bar listening to Juliette, he couldn’t help thinking that she looked familiar. It was the combination of the dark hair and the cute pug nose that caught his notice. But even if he didn’t know her, Ron was drawn to this mysterious woman.
As she spoke to the audience, Ron could detect the undertone of an English accent. “I’d like to dedicate this song to the Chudley Cannons, who have joined us tonight.”
“Well, gentlemen,” Nathan Jones said as he looked at the group with a lascivious glint in his eyes, “the lady just gave us a gift. Now we just have to stand here and wait for the groupies to come to us.”
Ron rolled his eyes at the group. “Look, we are visitors in this country. Behave!”
After her set was over, Juliette walked over to the team.
“Do you mind if I join you for a drink?” she asked as she approached the group.
As the team shifted to make space for her, Nathan patted his lap. “I have space for you right here.”
Juliette looked at Nathan. “But sir, you wouldn’t want to make the entire café jealous, now would you?”
Juliette took a few minutes to study Ron. She had no problem recognizing him. She hadn’t seen him since their sixth year at Hogwarts, but his red hair was distinctive. In the last few years, Ron had grown a few inches, now over six feet tall. His face had filled out “ as had his chest, which she could not fail to notice was now very muscular. It seemed that working out with the Cannons had really helped.
She had never taken much notice of Ron while they were at Hogwarts. Juliette and her friends had never liked Ron or his friends ‘Boy Wonder’ and ‘The-know-it-all,’ otherwise known as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. But she couldn’t help noticing that he now exuded a confidence that he had lacked while at school. Juliette was always attracted to confident men. When that confidence came with broad shoulders and a six pack of abs, well she couldn’t ignore the combination.
“Weasley,” Juliette nodded her greeting.
“So, I do know you,” he responded.
“Yes, we were at Hogwarts together.”
“What House were you in? I doubt it was Gryffindor as I don’t remember a Juliette in my House.”
Juliette wrinkled her nose. “No, I wasn’t a Gryffindor.”
“Hufflepuff?”
“Weasley, why would that be your first guess?” Juliette exclaimed with hands on her hips.
“Okay, sorry!” Ron said, staring at his feet. “Ravenclaw?”
“Well, my marks were high enough, but no.”
“I guess that would make you Slytherin.”
“You sound a bit disappointed.”
“No, just confused,” Ron covered. After all, even after being out of Hogwarts for more than five years, his first impulse upon hearing someone was a Slytherin was to cringe. “I just don’t remember a Juliette in any of my classes. We always had potions with the Slytherins.”
“Well,” Juliette smiled slyly, “that might be because Juliette is a stage name.”
Ron shook his head, thoroughly disgusted with himself. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of that.
“So, do I get another clue?” Ron finally asked.
“Nope, I think I’ll leave you to think about it while I join the rest of your team for that promised drink.”
Juliette was having fun. She loved watching Ron struggle with this. She glanced over her shoulder and gave Ron a sweet smile as she walked over to the team. It was with great satisfaction that she noticed him watching her hips as she walked. Ron’s face turned as red as his hair as he realized he was caught looking. He gave Juliette a sheepish grin in return.
As Juliette flirted with the team, Ron kept watching her trying to figure out who she was. There was something in the way she said his name. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine himself in double potions with the Slytherins. She said she had had high marks, so that narrowed the list.
He opened his eyes just in time to see Pansy Parkinson slapping Nathan, who was pulling her towards him with one hand on her arse and one on her breast.
“Bugger! Nathan, leave Pansy alone!”
Pansy turned to look at him as he grabbed her arm to pull her away from the team.
“Thank you. I guess you do remember me.”
“I probably would have remembered more quickly if you had called me ‘Weasel.’ Are you all right?”
“Yeah. He’s not the first patron to try that move on me. I just didn’t expect it with my own countrymen.”
Ron looked at his team with disgust. “It’s time to get moving. I think we should head back to the hotel before they cause any real trouble.”
“Thanks for sticking up for me. I know this is going to sound strange, but do you want to meet me for a drink after I finish tonight?”
“I think I need to pass tonight. I should watch out for these thugs,” he indicated the team behind him. “They seem to be in rare form.”
“Oh, okay,” she said quietly. “Well, feel free to stop in the next time you are in Paris.”
“Look, I’m not leaving for a couple of days. Why don’t we meet for lunch tomorrow?”
“Okay, where shall we meet?”
“I don’t know Paris very well. I’m just staying next door.”
“Why don’t I just meet you in the lobby, say 12:30?”
“12:30 it is.”
The Cabaret Singer by timestep
Chapter Notes: They aren't mine - I just borrow them.
Juliette Rhe is a combination of two Cabaret Singers Juliette Greco and Rhe De Ville.
I’d like to thank Sneaky Rhae, muse and beta extraordinaire. I’d also like to thank Poultrygeist99 and SeaIsleWitch for letting me know when my story was on and off track.