Please note the world of Harry Potter belongs to JKR. I'm only playing with her creation. Also the story image was a free download I found. Thank you to whomever it belongs. I will remove it immediately if asked.

Chapter 1: Meet Cute

Helloooo,Was the first thing Ginny Weasley thought on actually getting a look at the tall, messy raven haired, man with emerald green eyes standing just behind her as she searched the posting board of the coffee house where she worked as a barista. Aloud she meekly said, "Sorry," and stepped to the side to make room for him.

He smiled apologetically. "Not at all." He turned his attention to the posting board himself. "What're you looking for?" he asked after a moment or two.

Ginny hesitated before answering. She didn't need to be told that even the good looking blokes could be dangerous. Her first year at Hogwarts, and Tom Riddle's diary, had taught her that. It had also taught her they usually started out as the nicest bloke you'd ever met. The devil inside came out later; slowly, insidiously. Still, it didn't hurt to be friendly; just as long as you were properly wary.

"A place to live," she answered.

He nodded slowly. "How about this one?" He pointed out a posting.

"Can't afford it," Ginny answered. She'd seen it yesterday and not bothered.

"Say's rent is negotiable," he countered.

"It's Notting Hill. Rent negotiable really means, I know it's going to be outrageous but I'm hoping by not actually posting it someone might call."

"Maybe you should take a chance," he said earnestly.

Ginny studied him. Those eyes are bloody amazing. What is he playing at? It's his flat!This inner dialogue all occurred in the instant before she demanded, "It's your flat, isn't it?"

He shrugged noncommittally. But the roguish grin on his face and the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. "Maybe… Would you share a flat with a bloke?"

Damn, those things should really be registered as lethal weapons. Ginny forced her focus from his eyes to the tip of his nose. "I suppose that would depend on the bloke," she said. She had roomed with Neville Longbottom for a short time when they'd first left school. About near caused my mother heart failure too. But then I'm getting good at that it seems.

"So it's not out of the question?" he pressed.

Ginny put her hands on her hips. "Are you trying to pick me up?"

He grinned. "Depends."

"On what?"

He winked. "Whether or not it's working."

Ginny pretended to think about it for a second. It doesn't hurt to play along. Besides, he's dishy."Nope, I'm not into tall, dark and handsome. Or potential flatmates."

"That's alright," he countered. "The whole complication of falling for your flatmate is why I always try to let the room to a statuesque redhead; keeps things simple that way.

Well he's fairly quick anyway,she thought. She laughed and countered, "If only some bloke I might actually find interesting knew how to flirt like you I might actually be able to tell my mum yes next time she asked if I had a boyfriend."

He shook his head sadly. "Sorry, luv. Like I said, you've got that whole statuesque redhead thing going for you; not gonna be able to help you on that one."

Ginny pursed her lips into an amused smile shifted to lean with one hip on the counter and her arms crossed over her chest. "Alright, handsome, I'll bite. How much for the room?"

He casually leaned against the queue rail, mirroring her pose. "Name your price, beautiful."

Ginny blinked. "Sorry?"

"I'm not looking for a flatmate cause I need a few quid, luv. Name your price. I'll decide if I'll take it."

"You're serious?"

"Completely."

"Alright, how about a hundred quid?"

"Is that your final offer?"

He's not happy, Ginny thought. And his eyes just seriously changed. She turned the exchange over in her mind, wondering why exactly he suddenly seemed cold. It's some kind of test! He's trying to see if you'll be fair with him. But what was fair? Even if she offered her absolute max, it wasn't going to be enough to cover even a third of what she guessed the lowest his rent could possibly be. The worst he can do is tell me no.

"No," she hedged. "But even my max is going to be too low."

"Try me," he said intently.

Ginny considered him again. He didn't seem as cold now as he'd been just a second before.He's trying to decide if he can trust me!she exclaimed silently. She took a breath and ventured, "If I wanted to live on nothing but tuna, toast and tea, 400. What I'd like is somewhere between 2 and 3. Preferably closer to 2."

"200 quid," he asked.

Honest,Ginny reminded herself. "I'm going to school. Money's tight."

"What are you studying?"

"Business."

His head bobbed thoughtfully. "Good luck with that."

Her stomach fell. It's not enough. Wait a second. When, exactly, did I decide I wanted the room?"Thanks."

"So loans, work, and school?"

Ginny sighed. How she ended up spilling her financial guts this afternoon to a complete stranger she had no idea, but at this point she might just as well. "I work here 30 hours a week and pick up another 20 at a flower shop. I'm going to school part time. I'm about half done, so somewhere between three and four years left."

He nodded slowly as he considered her. "175's good." Her jaw dropped and after a second he reached out and closed it for her. "Sorry, wasn't a good look on you.

Ginny shook herself. "You can't be serious."

He pulled his posting down and held it out. "175, it's yours if you want it."

Knowing her eyes had to at least be as big as a house elf's she cautiously took it from him. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Thought it might be nice to have someone there once in a while. You seem nice enough that we could maybe get along as friends. And, you were honest with me."

I don't believe this,Ginny thought. You're really going to rent me a room in your Notting Hill flat for 175 quid a month?"

He smirked. "How many times are you going to make me repeat that before you believe me?"

Ginny just stared at him for a second before shaking her head slightly. Not quite able to form an intelligent response she turned her attention to his posting. "Two bedroom, 3 ½ baths, living room, kitchen, private roof top garden," she read out loud. "What do you need 3 ½ baths for if there's only 2 bedrooms?"

He shrugged. "I'm using the space for bedrooms 3 and 4 for my workout room now. Haven't built the walls yet so I can't claim the space as rooms."

"You have a workout room?"

"Did I forget to mention the room I'm letting has a walk in closet, and private bath with separate soaking tub and shower?"

Ginny's eyes widened. She glanced at the posting again. "Um, yes."

"How about the private washer and dryer and cleaning service twice a week?"

"You have cleaning service?" she said in awe.

"Damn, I knew I was forgetting important things." He said it in a manner that told her he'd known exactly what he was doing. "So have I convinced you to move in yet?"

Ginny's mind raced furiously. The rent he was offering was a 100 quid less than what she currently paid for a bedroom barely bigger than her twin bed, a kitchen smaller than her bedroom, a living area barely big enough for two love seats and Stephanie's entertainment center and a single bathroom she had to share with two other girls. Frankly, the place was a dive. And her flat mates, Amy was agreeable enough. But her boyfriend kept hitting on her every time she left him alone in the room with her. And Stephanie, Ginny was quite tired of the girl paying her share of the rent late. The hell with it, she thought. It's not like I don't have Ron's stun wand spell on me. If he tries anything he'll end up knocked out for a week only to wake up and have my brothers kill him. Still, she hedged, I really should see it first.

"As gorgeous as this all sounds, I think I'd like to at least see it before I say yes."

"You can see it now if you want."

Ginny considered. She really had a ton of revision to get through. But she did only have a half shift at the flower shop tomorrow. And she could usually get a chapter or two read if there weren't a lot of orders to get out. "Let me just use the loo and grab my things from the back."

"Sure," he agreed. He stuck his hand out. "I'm James by the way; James Black."

Ginny shook his hand. "Natalya Gordeveya."

He quirked an eye. "Russian?"

Ginny laughed. "A ways back, yes. But I'm afraid my name is the only thing exotic about me. Really, I'm as English as they come; grew up in Devon."

James shrugged. "It's a small world. You do have a Russian look about you though."

"I do?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"What's a Russian look?"

"Why don't you grab your stuff and we can chat on the way to the flat?"

"Sure," Ginny agreed. "Back in a tic."

"And I'll be in that chair right there," James said pointing at it.