Morning Coffee

by Oh Prudence

What his wife knew was the short and sweet version of his sorrowful love life back at Hogwarts. He admitted himself with a full heart to something his gran once said about himself when he was a child—he was simply not good enough. One-shot.

MORNING COFFEE
by Oh Prudence

[Revised December 2011.
Originally published in July 2011,
under my previous account name]

I'll take it Black, Iced, and Sweetened please.

:{O}:{O}:{O}:

Working at the Leaky Cauldron was never her first choice, it wasn't anyone's first choice. But it was all the best for eighteen year old Hannah Abbott. Following the days after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hannah was one of the ones who cheered for the victory of the war. Yet, she was also one of the ones who lost a loved one during the war… she was engaged to him, you know.

But that didn't matter anymore. Years later found her as the owner of the popular wizarding pub whether she liked it or not, the job suited her however. Every day and every night, she'd meet people with stories and life lessons willing to be shared, different perspectives of the war—the before and afters.

One of those stories belonged to an exquisite woman Hannah recognized. She couldn't put a name to the familiar face, but she could've sworn they went to school together. This woman would come in only during the morning, much to her surprise, as she was the only one who came in that early. Said she needed 'a good morning coffee to kick the day into gear, as her job required quick perceptiveness. She was one of those adventurers who studied magical creatures in all parts of the world. A culturist, Hannah presumed.

Her first adventure fascinated Hannah. The woman recounted of the first time she was sent to the Swiss Alps for research on a mythical creature infecting pine trees. Something called nargles.

Throughout the weeks, it became a daily routine; the woman would come in for her morning drink and Hannah would prepare to hear these stories. Every morning, her husband would be amused as to why his wife would excitedly get out of bed just to attend to work. Hannah insisted she'd be meeting with her favorite guest of the pub—her name was Porpentina, she said, named after her husband's late grandmother.

"Oh? And what does this Porpentina do?" inquired Hannah's husband with a smile as they readied themselves for work one morning.

"She prefers 'Tina', but she's a wizarding naturalist, you know, those types that study magical creatures?"

She failed to notice the quick frown disappearing on his face before he smiled widely again. "That's great, dear."

The Longbottoms had a happy marriage. Every day, they'd wake up, go to work, and spend bits and pieces together relaxing by the couch watching daily Muggle soap operas Hannah had so fondly introduced him to. Nothing out of the ordinary, you see. The one thing she loved about her husband was that they could relate. Neville lost someone too during the war. And although, Hannah had opened up to him of everything with her previous engagement to Ernie Macmillan, it was Neville who yet hadn't shared the details of his lost loved one from the Battle of Hogwarts.

Whether he would share this bit of information with her, she never knew. All she knew was that they had a happy marriage.

But nothing more.

:{O}:

"Hello there, Tina!"

Hannah called out one morning at the sight of her beloved customer. Hannah couldn't help but admire her. Tina possessed quiet poise—one of uniqueness, the kind who it was imaginatively hard to be angry with, and yet a whimsical kind which explained her eye-catching appearance.

The guest smiled. "Hello, Hannah," she replied, in her usual soft voice.

As Hannah passed the young woman her regular dark, too-sweetened iced coffee, she couldn't help but ask. "So, what is the story of the day?"

She leaned across the counter, folding her hands along the top waiting like a young girl. Tina took a sip of her coffee.

"Hannah," Tina began, as she set the cup of coffee gently aside. "I was wondering… if I was being a bother to you with all these stories?"

Hannah was taken aback as Tina looked at her, for the first time looking nervously. "Of course not, dear!" she exclaimed, placing a hand gently across. "Your tales about these wrackspurts, and the snorkacks, all these just simply fascinate me!"

"Why do you ask, Tina?"

With her unfaltering smile, the woman in front of her replied again, "I was just wondering."

Before Hannah could ask for another story, Tina spoke again. "And, I was wondering if this morning, you could tell me a story as well? I have not heard a good one ever, and it's only polite to nod when one tells their story—boring or not."

Hannah chuckled as she poured more coffee into her customer's drink. "What kind of story would you like? I'm afraid I don't have anything near as interesting as your stories."

"Any story would do. I love hearing stories… when I was little, mummy and dad would tell me fascinating fairy tales of Muggles falling in love, and getting married…" Her voice trailed off into a most dream-like state resembling a childlike aura.

"I have a love story."

"You do?" Tina was pulled out of her pensive thoughts. "Would you like to tell me?"

For once, it was the other way around—it was Hannah this time who had captivated the art of telling stories.

Without a further hesitation, she dived into her tale, with an excitement that for once, she'd be giving the story this time. Hannah didn't take the time to realize the only other person whom she shared this story with was her husband.

Now, for Hannah's tale—you must understand that Neville Longbottom was most certainly notHannah's first love. Before the end of their sixth year, Ernie Macmillan vowed to marry his long time best friend and lover Hannah Abbott. By seventh year, news spread throughout Hufflepuff of the anticipated pureblood marriage of Ernie and Hannah, to say she was excited and overjoyed was purely an understatement. The pair went through their seventh year together, their love never faltering nor lacking. Hannah described their love as something she could never compare anything else to. It was the kind of love that went above and beyond just trust, and friendship, and faith. It was the kind of love that was irreplaceable.

But its said the greatest romances spoil before their time has come- Ernie died the day of the war, the day before they agreed to marry. It was something to look forward to, something to get them by as they fought with wands in their hands, Hannah informed her with a small twinkle in her eye. Ernie Macmillan was a great man in her eyes. Blunt and forthcoming in words, but gentle and would never hurt a fly in all his actions.

One does grow up, and one eventually learns to move on, and in the end, she was happy with Neville. But love wasn't onlybased on happiness and bliss, was it?

Tina nodded solemnly as the barmaid's story came to a close. She didn't notice the trickle of a tear rolling down her cheek. Why? For Hannah's lost, maybe. But for her own loss, quite possibly.

Hannah didn't have the chance to ask Tina if she'd lost anyone during the battle for her husband came protruding through the bar's doors just moments later.

"Hello, dearest!" Neville called out proudly as his wife laid a swift kiss on his cheek.

Mrs. Longbottom stepped from her seat and left Tina by herself as she came into the front to greet her husband. Her fingers led pulled him into the pub quickly. "Oh, you're just in time! Tina's here and she's just about to—"

She stopped as the last seconds of Tina's figure apparating into thin air.

Neville's eyes never left the spot of where she apparated. He swallowed as his brow formed a thin wrinkle across his forehead. "Dear, who was that?" he asked, firmly; his eyes locked with the empty stool.

"That was Tina. I was hoping that you'd finally meet her, but I guess she had to run. Her and her adventures and all," Hannah chuckled, as she went around the bar. "Well, there's always next time, isn't there, love?"

"Yes, there is," Neville replied, solemly. He sat at the bar as he watched his wife collect the tab of her previous guest and place it securely into the register. "Say, darling, would you mind fetching me a Firewhiskey?"

"Of course," Hannah said. "I have a few cold ones in the fridge. I'll be right back."

When she was no longer in sight, Neville hastily stood from his spot at the bar and made his way around to the register. He muttered a quick spell with his wand. The register propped open revealing a few Galleons, sickles, and… tabs. His fingers roamed through each of the tabs. He didn't even know why he was doing this. He was supposed to be over her, wasn't he? Well, he was until he thought he saw a glimpse of his former love life just seconds ago.

Tina Scamander, the tab read. So, it wasn't her after all, huh? Feeling utterly defeated, Neville frowned and restored everything into place before his wife came back.

"Okay, consider yourself lucky dear. It was the last one—"

Before she even had a chance to give her husband the drink, she was met with an abrupt yet fiery kiss. Her husband never kissed her before like that. Hannah pulled back slowly, the drink in her hand long forgotten. She smiled as love ran through veins her once more.

:{O}:

It was safe to say Tina never came back to the Leaky Cauldron.

Hannah was disappointed. For the first few weeks, she understood that Tina probably went off to Merlin-knows-where to discover and study new creatures, but as the months came rolling around, the whimsical woman's face never showed up.

Neville took a notice to this too. Hannah's demeanor became a cheerful one for the past few weeks, and suddenly it took a turn for the worst. She'd wake up dreading to go to work, and often complain of their home and even his job. There were no more stories to entertain her at work, and she felt as if she was seventeen again not know what to do or where to go.

Tina's affect on his wife was greater than he ever imagined. At his wife's request, he went around town asking about a Tina Scamander. A Tina who? No one had ever heard of her, and his lack of information upset his wife greatly. Neville tried telling her stories of the adventures he had in Hogwarts, but in her exact wording, it simply wasn't the same. The poor man did everything he could to make her happy, but in the end it was simply not what she wanted- his gentle character and patience gone to a complete waste.

First it was the stories, but in time it grew to be other things. Their fights grew to the extent of which he would come back home late. His excuse for his tardiness? He fancied himself a walk around the park just to think. What did he think of? His wife would wonder, but she would never know…

He found it odd that this Tina character had mysteriously disappeared the same day he arrived work early. His mind entertained the idea that, this indeed, had been herall along...

There wasn't a day that passed by when he didn't think of her. Everything he sacrificed, everything he gave up and accomplished was only for her. And it was a shame that it gone to waste for he couldn't give her what she wanted, he wasn't capable of the things she needed. In the end, he gave up. He gave up her and every memory he shared with her, of her, and about her. And for once, he admitted himself with a full heart to something his gran once said about himself when he was a child—he was simply not good enough.

What his wife knew was the short and sweet version of his sorrowful love life back at Hogwarts. He fell in love with Luna Lovegood, later realizing she wasn't the one for him, both parting on amicable terms.

But after a drunken night at the Leaky Cauldron when his wife was tucked away in their bed, he seriously contemplated just packing a backpack and leaving London to find Luna again, to see how she was. He hadn't heard from her since The days following, he sobered and scolded himself for thinking such foolish thoughts when he had a loving wife right there in front of him. Little by little, he began to let go the memory of Luna Lovegood.

All until that one day which changed everything. He didn't know what caused him to do it, but the next thing he knew was that he became desperate on any information about her.

His wife was out that night, so the pub was closed leaving Neville to himself.

His mind tempting him to do so, Neville pulled out his wand and once again did the simple spell to unlock the register he had done just months ago. His fingers found the familiar growing number of tabs. He rested on the one near to the back. Quickly, he copied the information down on a piece of parchment and tucked it into his pockets. Hannah came just moments later to everything neatly in place, as if nothing had been touched.

To say that their marriage was getting better would have been a lie. If anything, the landlady would've said it was on the rocks. A year ago, her hope of more than just a 'happy' marriage with Neville would have been possible, but during the months, it had taken a series of twists and turns unexpectedly. She still loved him, but she gave up on hope, especially these past few weeks. She wasn't a fool to see her husband was changing, with his occasional drunken stupors and long walks, something triggered inside of Neville, but she didn't know what. She would soon.

:{O}:

In a field near Traverns Village, there stood a house four stories high yet built with a smaller perimeter than most houses. Instead of flowers around the sidewalk, hedges filled with mythical creatures swirling all around them. A small swamp aligned the lawn and if one looked carefully, there seemed to be something growing in the bushes along the swamp.

Neville smiled to himself. It would be exactly like her to have something like that there. A newfound confidence overtook his body as he made the last steps to the door. He knocked swiftly, yet with purpose. Small, heavy footsteps were heard from inside. The door opened.

"Hello there, may I help you?" A small voice called out. The boy looked no older than four.

Neville had to look down as his greeter was only a smidgen over four feet tall. His gray innocent eyes looked at Neville as his blonde, almost silvery hair was captivated in the sunlight.

The boy's very face stooped Neville down to an ultimate low. He felt shattered. "My name's Lysander Scamander! May I help you?" the boy politely informed when he didn't speak. The four year old unknowing what force had hit this stranger on his doorstep. When the stranger failed to speak, the small boy bore a look of confusion. "Sir?"

Breathing hitched and feeling suddenly weak, Neville took a few steps back. "S-sorry, I-I think I've found the wrong house," he stuttered, breath staggering. With empty eyes, the boy shrugged and shut the door. His steps exited the small driveway and just as Neville turned ready to apparate, he heard a voice calling his name.

"Neville?"

He gulped. He dared not turn around. He shut his eyes wishing suddenly he wasn't there. He shouldn't have come. He knew his fate would come back to haunt him eventually. All that time he spent trying to forget about her would become worthless. But then again, he was never truly was over her to begin with, was he?

"Neville."

The soft voice stated again. This time, it was more of an assurance to herself that he was actually standing right there.

"Neville, please look at me."

Neville turned around to face her, his demeanor of a strong man began crumbling back once more. His morals succumbing, his fear fading, and the loyalty of a Gryffindor vanishing from his blood. And again, he mirrored the emotions of a third year boy who wasn't good enough.

:{O}:

A year had passed since Hannah heard a great story. A story particularly of nargles to be exact, once thought to be a mythical creature was proven true by researchers and naturalists along the Swiss Alps. It was a cold day, that's all she remembered, when one Tina Scamander was once again became a regular on the Leaky Cauldron tabs.

Now with Tina back into her life, Hannah could count on her to relive the adventuresome tales she so envied. The whimsical woman appeared at the Leaky's doorstep one evening saying she moved back to London for good. What caused this decision, Hannah did not know. At first, she was just excited and overfilled with joy to have her friend around once more. Best of yet, Tina had come around enough to finally be introduced to Hannah's husband. But that's when everything began falling apart.

Hannah noticed the moment she introduced Tina and Neville, the two looked crestfallen, and almost guilty. Tina continued to tell the barmaid stories though. Yet the one story that Hannah so longed Tina to tell hadn't come around yet, and in that one fateful morning, she decided to get it out of her.

"What made you come back to London?" Hannah blurted out. "It's been at least a year since you've been in London. I had my husband do a search party for you, you know."

"A-a search party?" Tina felt her cheeks warm up. "Well, because of my pregnancy Rolf and I are staying here for good. We can't have our sons running around with nargles all their lives now, could we?" She laughed delicately.

Hannah stared at the now evident bump on her stomach. She felt jealousy run through her as she wished it was her own body swelling up due to a living being swarming inside of her. "I see," Hannah responded, quietly without looking up.

"You know, I was thinking, Tina. Maybe Rolf and Neville could have a guys' night out sometime. I'm sure my husband would love to hear about your family's travels as well," the landlady continued.

The second she introduced that, Tina's cheeks became a flustered red. Hannah noticed as the blonde across her did her best not to meet the landlady's eyes. "Oh, I don't know if that's such a good idea. Neville didn't seem like the type who'd be interested in nargles," Tina responded, thoughtfully.

She could've sworn Hannah met her with a cold stare before the landlady smiled again. "Nonsense, in fact, I'll ask him tonight."

:{O}:

Hannah wasn't incomprehensible as people assumed she was. She wasn't naïve just because her NEWTS weren't high enough for her to become a healer. She wasn't unstable just because she broke down in the middle of her OWLS during fifth year. It was just another morning after Tina left for work, and her husband came downstairs for breakfast. He kissed her on the cheek and asked the usual question of what story Tina asked her today. It wasn't until after he left that she began piecing the puzzles together.

She did her best to push such thoughts aside. She reassured herself, Tina said she had a husband, and she was obviously pregnant for God's sake. Though it was quite ironic how not even once in the year Tina had brought Rolf around the bar to be introduced.

"Darling, what do you know about magical creatures?"

Hannah lay in bed one night with her back against the mattress. Right next to her, Neville lay peacefully curled in his blankets.

"What kind?" Neville moaned. Sleep was evident in his voice.

"Nargles," a bold firmness in her dreaded voice.

She felt his body shift. His eyes blinked open, as he slowly propped himself up to face her. "What about nargles?"

Hannah only frowned. "I was thinking you and Rolf could have a nice time out together. He has fascinating stories about them, you know."

Neville shifted uncomfortably next to her. He sighed placing his palms on his forehead, "I don't know dear. I'm not particularly close with Lu—, Tina's husband."

In the dark, he didn't see how her eyes protruded at that one, small slip up of her name. In the dark, he didn't notice her hands slightly shaking as if her worst fears had just been confirmed. It didn't hit him until morning that he might have given it away. Everything made sense now..

His throat made a rough noise, "Darling, why don't we just go to bed now and we'll discuss this in the morning?"

Hannah simply nodded as she turned to her side. They'd have a lot to discuss in the morning. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she fell asleep.

:{O}:

It was just like any morning in the pub, and it'd been exactly a year and six months since that one fateful day that Tina Scamander first walked into the Leaky Cauldron. She came in happily ready for her morning coffee and to recite Hannah's story of the day. Except this time when Tina came in, there was no morning coffee. Instead there was a flustered Hannah sitting next to Tina's usual spot up at the bar.

"Oh, hello there, Hannah. Are you okay?"

With red-rimmed eyes, Hannah gazed up at her. Wrinkles that hadn't been there before aligned her face making her seem older. The blond wished she could take back her question, but the answer she received nearly killed her.

"You know, he doesn't look at me the same way he looks at you," Hannah said softly, the rag in her hands twisted against force.

The barmaid took the blonde's silence as confirmation. Pain became apparent in Hannah's face, only a small hint of anger traced her features. "You're Luna Lovegood, aren't you?"

At that moment, Luna felt her world crashing down. The fake identity, the lies… they seemed useless now. The terminated result of Hannah and Neville's marriage weighed heavily on the blonde's shoulders as Luna noticed the lack of a wedding band on Hannah's finger. "We're divorcing. He isn't here anymore." The barmaid caught the blonde eyeing her ring-less finger. Hannah folded her hands together without saying anymore as Luna awkwardly took the seat right next to her.

"I... I know you've told me stories- and frankly, I can't decipher truth from fiction anymore, but, but why the name Tina?" Hannah cried softly. "Why didn't you just say who you were? I would have let you see Neville..."

Luna couldn't answer. Breath caught in her throat. "I'm so sor—"

"Save it, please." An unfamiliar desperation filled Hannah's voice, begging and pleading. "I don't want to hear it."

Luna breathed heavily. For once, all traits of poise left her. What was left, was traces of fear and regret. "How did you find out?"

Hannah's antics surprised Luna. The blonde expected Hannah to be strangling her right now, but the baby adding onto Luna's weight would not be in any favor. Instead, Hannah seemed to be calm to the news.

"About a year ago, I had my suspicions of my husband's unusual behavior. There were days when he'd drink himself into oblivion, and there were nights he wouldn't even come home. The whole time, he couldn't even look at me," Hannah's voice trembled, yet she continued on sadly. "When you came trotting back into our lives out of the blue, pregnant too, like nothing had ever happened and Neville suddenly returns to his normal self again, happier too I may add. You know, I find it funny how you're six months pregnant yet your husband has never once showed his face in London," Hannah answered, fiercely taking a sip of her butterbeer.

"He's dead," Luna replied almost immediately. "Killed by a Hungarian Horntail. It's been three years."

The answer and deceit clicked. Hannah scoffed. "So what… you think it's okay then for you to take someone else's and have his child?"

The tables turned as Luna was the one who began crying. Her carefree demeanor was now long gone and replaced with sadness and betrayal. "I—I, I didn't mean to, Hannah," she begged. "I am so, so sorry—"

Hannah's reaction surprised Luna. She cut her off and sighed. "Don't apologize."

"Pardon me?"

"Don't apologize," Hannah stated again. "You don't need to."

The blonde next to her stared in bewilderment.

"I don't know if you've noticed, Luna," Hannah began with a bold triumph. "But, Neville and I never once had a loving marriage. He never looked at me the way he looked at you. He doesn't touch, or hold me, or kiss me as I'm sure he's done to you. And I," she was beginning to look hopeful by now. "I want someone to love me the way Neville loves you."

Luna took in a few staggered breaths unbelievable to the situation she had just been placed in.

"E-excuse me?"

Hannah exhaled heavily as memories began flooding her mind once more. "My marriage with Neville never compared to my engagement with Ernie. I want a love like that, Luna. And if anything, you've inspired me to go out and search for it."

With a faint smile, Hannah stood up, hastily. "I've sold the Leaky Cauldron back to Tom. It was never mine to begin with. Just like how Neville wasn't mine in the first place."

"Goodbye, Luna." The former barmaid turned on her heel to leave, the right corner of her lip curling with a smile.

"Wait!" Luna called out, as she caught up with the former landlady. "Where are you going?"

"To find my own adventures and nargles, of course."

"The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying;
the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.
I didn't want to destroy anything or anybody.
I just wanted to slip quietly out the back door,
without causing any fuss or consequences,
and then not stop running until I reached Greenland."

-Elizabeth Gilbert