Disclaimer: not mine!

A/N--PLEASE READ! This is set post-HBP, and contains some spoilers. Please read at your risk!

I thought this ship was cute before, and now I like it even better. This is what I imagine happens between the end of HBP and the wedding-to-be in Book 7...

Beauties and Beasts

"It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me! … What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for the both of us, I theenk!" --US version Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 623

Tuesday evenings had always been slow at Tad Greening's Bar and Grill, for whatever reason. He had always enjoyed this slowing down, before; it was his time to unwind, to actually pause and think, and maybe even watch the TV set that was always on in the far corner. Lately, however, the quiet of Tuesday evenings was devoted to catching up with the news. This had been both a blessing and a curse, with so many natural and unnatural disasters occurring lately. He was able to track them much easier this way, but the details were depressing to say the very least. The newest development had been a tremor through Cardiff. Here, a neighborhood of houses were rocked from their foundations, killing and injuring many. Too many. The TV and news seemed a constant stream of pain, never ceasing. He could sense the change in himself; he was more jumpy, more tense, more confused. He felt as if even he was in trouble, though nothing seemed likely to happen.

And so it was, on this Tuesday night, that Tad was waiting for the five remaining customers to leave so that he could lock up and see off his waitress Lissy, then go home himself, away from the bustle of frightening and agitated news.

Tad glanced around at those left, now. He loved watching people; it had always been a hobby of his, and it combined quite well with business. Owning a busy bar-and-grill of a growing town, well-connected with other cities and situated by a picturesque view, Tad often had many people pass through, both those he knew and those he did not. He took mental snapshots of them all as he waited on them, noting their habits and looks and wishing them a merry way as they left. They always left satisfied; this was his dream job, working surrounded by people, and he made sure that they were repaid for the entertainment their looks and mores gave him.

There were two tables occupied. Two old ladies, out well past their bedtime, giggled and gossiped over their long island teas, occasionally shooting glances at him and Lissy, then breaking into raucous laughter. They had started off the evening rather prim and proper, but he watched with an inward smile as they turned more tipsy, as the night dragged on. One was rather big; she was tall and big-boned. The other was thin, her nose pointing downward so that her face looked rather like a bird's beak. She had drunk the most, and seemed most capable of holding her liquor.

The other three were young men from the nearby town, regulars who enjoyed coming to the Bar and Grill mostly so they could accost Lissy. She was so used to putting up with their guff, as she called it, that she hardly noticed it anymore when they stared at her every move.

"Let them look," she had scoffed. "It's not as if they have anything better to do. And if they lay one hand on me…"

Lissy was also quite skilled in karate. Tad suspected that if anyone knew the petite girl with the greenish doe-eyes could ju-jitsu with the best of them, she might have a few less admirers, and a few more worried about upsetting her. He himself had learned it was best not to surprise or sneak up on Lissy…

The men had not been so bad, lately. In fact, they seemed to appear at the bar and grill nursing a new bruise every day. None of them knew where the bruises came from; Tad suspected they were too sodden to remember.

Lissy was over with the three hopeful men when Tad noticed that another couple had seated themselves down at a third table. He nodded at Lissy, so she'd know she wouldn't have to worry about them, and trundled over to the table, glancing at his watch along the way. It was eleven-thirty-three, and he was tired; he had planned on closing up early.

The couple had chosen a table in the shadows, mostly out of sight. Tad rubbed his eyes; he didn't know how they had gotten there so suddenly.

"Evening, folks," he said as cheerfully as he could muster. "Drink carks are on the table…what can I get for you?"

"Don't you 'ave anytheeng besides drinks? Iz thiz not a bar and grill as well?" It was the woman talking, and Tad watched her, not totally sure he was understanding his words. She was beautiful, shining in the darkness. She brushed hair out of her eyes, and he realized suddenly she was waiting for his answer. He shook himself.

"Err, sorry," he said.

"That's okay, happens all the time," the man said. He did not look up; he was reading the list of drinks.

"We usually don't cook anything at this time of night…"

"Mmmm, but maybe zis time you can," the woman said.

"I'm hungry," the man said.

"I could maybe find something…" Tad trailed off.

"Steak," the woman said decisively. "For ze both of us, I theenk. Bill?"

"Definitely," the man, Bill, replied, a ripple of hard laughter in his voice. "Make mine rare."

"Medium-rare, for me." She had a purr in the back of her voice, silken and smooth as her shining blond hair…

"Err…right…"

"And do you 'ave butterbeer?"

"I don't think I've heard of that brand," Tad said. "I've got beer, though."

"Ugh, no," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I should 'ave remembered. Water, for me."

"Mead," Bill said shortly.

Tad nodded, and went back behind the bar, where he started preparing their meals.

"What's going on?"

He looked up into the greenish eyes of Lissy. "I thought that much was obvious. I'm getting ready to cook."

"This late?"

"It doesn't make sense to me, either, yet I am doing it," he said. "Don't know why."

He prepared their drinks, and took them back over himself. The woman was as pale and shining as the moon in the sky; her hair was bluish and glowing.

"Ah, here are our dreenks," she smiled. Tad was ready to be hypnotized by her again, when Bill looked up abruptly.

His twisted lips were grinning. That was almost all Tad could recognize as human. His nose was a scarred and scratched blob in the middle of his face, his skin was a mass of scar upon scar. Tad saw several ovular scars along his throat that looked almost as if he had been bitten by a person…

The man's smile hardened as Tad put down the drinks, his eyes--more yellowish than brown, and bestial despite their intelligence--suspicious.

They were both as enticing to look at as the other, impossible to tear away from, one as scarred and twisted as the other was lovely and fair.

Tad nodded, as if he hadn't noticed anything, and the Bill's smile grew a bit more relaxed.

"Thanks, Tad."

He wondered vaguely, as he walked away, how the man had known he was Tad of Tad's Bar and Grill, but instead grew to wondering at the very human- and even cheerful-sounding voice that escaped that scarred throat.

By now, the two ladies had seen his face, and they were muttering loudly between themselves, shooting furtive looks over at the couple. As he passed by them, they hailed him over.

"Young man," the older one said breathlessly, "That couple over there--we were wondering--"

"I don't know them, ma'am," Tad said, sliding past.

"But we were wondering," the other said, "If the young lady is there by force." They looked at him with concern. "A pretty little thing…"

"…But a cruel-looking man."

"Yes…a Beauty and a Beast," the first one said in a hushed voice.

"He's not…cruel-looking," Tad said. "And I'd thank you ladies not to talk poorly about my customers."

But they continued talking, louder and louder, till Tad could hear their sentences and curiosities from behind the bar.

Lissy came over once more, pulling her hair back out of her face and into a thick brown knot. "Who're the couple?"

"I've never seen them before," he muttered. "Did your boyfriends leave?" He turned to look for the men she had been waiting on.

"No, they found more attractive meat," she sighed. "I'm truly heart-broken over it." She turned toward the couple in the far corner.

Tad glanced at her, smiling as she watched them.

"They're beautiful together."

"Have--have you seen them?"

"Well, no, but you can tell…I mean, look at how he watches her, so steadily." Tad glanced over, and saw the man's profile, his rapt attention. The scars were visible, but for a moment, unnoticeable.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"And her…well, she's gorgeous, of course. But…" she smiled. "She could have wasted it on someone else."

"What?"

"Never mind," Lissy said. She stiffened suddenly. "Look, Hank's heading over to them…I made them all swear they'd stay away…"

"I'll go over, so they don't cause trouble."

"No, he'll flatten you in a minute. No offense."

"Well then, you go over."

"He hasn't done anything yet…"

"But if he's going to…"

"Wait." She put out her hand, and they stared as Hank approached the blond. She looked up at him as she might look at a fly, then said something. He responded.

"Look," she said, her voice escalating in volume. The two old ladies stopped and stared, the larger one's mouth hanging open. "I 'ave told you, leave me, you irritating peeg."

"Jus' thought you might want to hang with a whole man, instead'a half a one."

"I do. Zat is why I am remaining here, while you are returning to your table."

"Oooh, a pretty mouth with a pretty face."

The blond was getting angrier. "I do not want you to bozzer us. I am getting angry…"

"Come with me, sweetheart--"

"She said no."

"Stay outta it, scarface," Hank said. Bill stood up.

"Say that again."

"Stay outta--"

Lissy glided across the floor toward the approaching fight, as Bill raised his fists…

The blond threw back her chair and stood swiftly, a stick visible in her hand and pointed at Hank, as he was swept off his feet and onto his back. He slid fifteen feet across the floor, knocking over chairs and bumping tables as he went. The two ladies, scandalized, gaped at her, as the man lowered his hands.

"Fleur, there wasn't any call for that…"

"I 'ate seeing you bloody yourself on zeir account," she grumbled. "Eet ees tiring."

"They haven't hurt me yet."

"And zey won't! Because my Bill is ze bravest and ze strongest and ze--"

"Most foolish," Bill sighed. He turned, and addressed Tad, who was watching dumbstruck from the middle of the room. "Sorry about all this…I'll clean it all up."

"For ze last month, zis is what happens, again and again and again…"

"Yeah, well…we probably shouldn't even be here, what with Dumbledore…" Bill trailed off.

"He was a great man. He'd have stopped you from 'urting ze men."

"Ah, well."

Bill pulled out a stick of his own, and with a quick swish and a few muttered words, cleaned up. "Let's go."

"We did not eat yet."

"I'm not that hungry anymore." And with that, he raised his stick. "Bar's closed, folks," he said, pointing his stick at the two ladies. "Obliviate." He said it again, pointing at the three men, and the five tumbled out of the doors together, staring at each other confusedly.

"Wha--" Lissy stood in the middle of the room, staring at the two. Tad left the protection of his bar, and walked across the room toward her.

"Well, Tad, I just want to let you know, I'm sorry about this," Bill said.

"Err…that's okay."

"We keep 'oping that zey will stop it…we would not 'ave to continue all zis, then."

"I understand," he said bewilderedly.

Lissy came over again, and stood by Tad. "I don't--"

"Zat is okay, he does not, either," Fleur said cheerfully.

"What do we owe? We've got to run."

"It's on the house," Tad said weakly.

"Thanks," Bill said, smiling. He raised his wand. "See you tomorrow, probably."

"Don't--" Tad began.

"Oh, and Tad--you might want to ask her out," Bill said, nodding toward Lissy. "I think she's waiting on you. Now then. Obliviate!"

Tad and Lissy looked at each other as Bill spoke these words, and Tad felt his stomach take off toward his feet, when suddenly, he found himself struggling to remember where the five had gone, not to mention that couple--

What couple?

He shook his head, trying to remember something…

He heard a popping noise, and then everything was silent, except the low buzz of destruction being listed on TV.

"Well, I guess we're done for the day," Lissy said, shaking her head. "I didn't even see them leave…"

"I didn't either." He stared at her back, as she went to get her jacket. She returned to him, staring at her.

"What?"

"Want to…err…get something to eat?"

"At…" she glanced down at her watch. "A quarter to twelve?"

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"We work tomorrow," she said.

"Well…we can step out for a bit. I do own the place, you know."

She turned a bit pink, but coolly replied, "Alright, then."

He wondered what it would be like to have a face full of scars for a split second, unsure why he was even thinking of it, but he swiftly forgot about it as he swung the door closed and escorted Lissy out to her car.

At home, he wondered if Lissy's "boyfriends" would turn up with more bruising tomorrow; they had been showing up lately with bruises and scrapes they didn't remember having. He suspected they were too drunk to remember.

And when he dreamt, he imagined Lissy into a world of kind Beauties and golden Beasts.