First story. Please be kind. I'm obviously not JK Rowling. Though I find her wonderful. Not sure if I'll contunine or not. Though I wouold like to, and hopefully get better!
Autumn Rose stood in her shop, remembering. Remembering her school days. Her family. The war. The two boys she couldn't quite forget no matter how hard she tried.
A smile graced her face. A small smile, but a smile none the less. A smile of hope, of things passed and of memory.
She could still remember the first time she saw those two boys, well men now. But boys in her mind's eye.
They were standing in front of the doors to the great hall. The first day of school. The first day of Hogwarts. They had been instructed to "Smarten themselves up" by the strict transfiguration teacher.
The blonde one, Draco her mind supplied in the memory. Approached the brunet, Harry. And she watched as they quickly became enemies.
They were quickly ushered into the hall. Where floating candles and Magic waited for them. She watched as the hat briefly sat on the blondes head before declaring "Slytherin" and she watched again as the hall became hushed as Harry Potter- The-Boy-Who-Lived name was called as well. Though his sorting took longer, it felt like a flash and he was sorted into Gryffindor. Though she could've sworn she saw him chanting "Not Slytherin".
Then her name was called, and it seemed that no one was paying attention. Like she was in the background. She was sorted in to Slytherin. She walked quickly over. No one paying any mind to her, too busy glaring at the boy who lived and listening to Draco Malfoy speak.
And thus began her life as a background Slytherin.
Her school days weren't all bad. She spent a lot of time alone. Studying. Learning and watching the two boys, who were so different…yet so similar to her. She always daydreamed that Harry had gotten sorted in to Slytherin with her and became her friend. That Draco would defrost towards the boy and the three of them becoming the silver trio. Because really gold was an awful color on Slytherins.
But they were day dreams. And the years passed and the war came. And though she stood and fought with everyone else. No one noticed. No one remembered. That was fine with her really. She didn't fight for glory, she fought because it was right. Because Harry was right.
Autumn couldn't remember when she realized that she loved both of them. She just knew. It was a hopeless love. Harry had Ginny and Draco had Pansy, then later she found out really Astoria had Draco due to a marriage contract between their families.
That was ok with her too. She knew her hopes were, well, hopeless. She was a background character in their lives. She was just scared that maybe she was a background character in her life too.
Two years had passed since the war, since she saw those two boys last. And according to the Prophet they were doing well. She was happy for them. Though she didn't have anyone, she at least had her shop.
How she loved her shop. Just outside of Wizard London. Small and perfect. She didn't see too much business, but she had a mail order service that was doing well. She was known for finding rare ingredients and being quick to deliver. Not bad for a 20 year old witch.
Just then the bell on her door chimed, signalling a customer. Autumn shook her head of old memories and depressing thoughts. She washed her hands and dried them on the apron show wore as she moved to the front of her shop.
"Hello, Welcome to-". Shit. Was that Draco Malfoy standing in her shop looking around curiously? No. Her mind must be playing tricks on her since she was thinking of him. Oh crap was she staring? Why was he looking at her suddenly? Oh right she had been speaking. Shit.
"Ahem, pardon me, Welcome to Season's apothecary, how can I help you, Lord Malfoy?"
That's right Draco was now Lord Malfoy. After his father was sentenced to Azkaban he had taken over the Lordship. Man, he looked good.
Blonde hair longer and pulled back with a silver ribbon. Grey pants just this side of tight and a black cloak over top with the Malfoy coat of arms. She couldn't quite see his shirt. And his face, well it was like he aged and hadn't aged all at the same time. His skin still looked baby soft but his eyes, those silver blue eyes that she dreamed of. His eyes spoke of a man who had seen and done too much in his young life. Her shop suddenly seemed smaller. Less grand with him standing in it.
"Are you quite done staring Miss. Rose? You know for a former snake you are far from subtle." His blonde eye brow raising over sliver eyes.
"I? Pardon? I wasn't staring Lord Malfoy. Though I was wondering what I did to deserve you gracing my humble shop." There, suck it Malfoy. Staring my ass.
Speaking of ass, his did look quite-no bad Autumn focus.
"Quite. Well you see Miss. Rose, I have been ordering from this shop for quite a while it seems, and I decided since I was in the area I would meet the owner of said shop. Is he around?" Draco replied with a smug smirk on his face.
Oh. No. He. Did. Not. Thought Autumn as she saw red.
"SHE is around Lord Malfoy, in fact you are speaking to HER right now." Oh that stunned him alright, if his mask slipping slightly and the shock she saw in his eyes briefly was any indication.
His mask was quickly back up, smirk firmly in place when he spoke next.
"Well, Well Miss. Rose it seems you've done well for yourself. I've been quite happy with your service."
"I well" she stammered quickly. That was unexpected. "Is there something I could help you find Lord Malfoy while you are here?"
"Hmm, I wonder." And that damned eyebrow was up again. "I am in need of some dragon scales for a potion since I'm here. I'm wondering if you have any."
Ha! What kind of apothecary would she be if she didn't have those.
"Of course Lord Malfoy, I just got a shipment in this morning. Allow me to go get some from the back. How many vials would you require?"
"Hmm?" Oh good, she's faded to the background again. This time in her own shop. Bloody main characters.
"Lord Malfoy, how. Many. Vials. Of. Dragon. Scales. Do. You. Require?" she said through clenched teeth. She would not be ignored in her own shop.
"Oh yes, my usual 7 should suffice. Quite the shop you have here, have you ever thought of expanding?"
Well that was a quick topic change Autumn thought in her head.
"Not really my Lord, it's just me running this shop and it's quite enough work for me."
As she looked up after she finished speaking, she could see that Draco had gone red, and sweaty. Oh no. What had she said? She panicked internally. Then she realized she said "My Lord" Oh. Fuck. Quick Autumn say something witty! Or, funny, or smart. Merlin girl say anything! Her mind screamed at her.
"You know Draco, it feels weird calling you Lord Malfoy, especially since I've seen how you look when you first get up in the morning. And though it maybe adorable, you are still rather grouchy in the morning if I remember correctly from our Hogwarts years." As she spoke she looked at his face, she saw him calm down, and then as she finished speaking saw him bristle up like a terrier ready to strike a rat. Well, fuck. What did she say now?
"Malfoy's are not adorable." Draco said through clenched teeth. "We are manly men threw and threw. Handsome? Yes. Dashing? Defiantly. Charismatic? Of Course."
"Don't forget modest" Autumn supplied helpfully. Grin coming out no matter how hard she tried.
"Yes, Yes modest as well." Draco agreed distractedly. "Wait. Was that a joke Miss. Rose?"
"It might've been, if you thought it was funny Lord Malfoy." She grinned mistviously.
Suddenly Draco started laughing. A full belly laugh. Oh Merlin that laugh. She hadn't heard that laugh since fifth year. Somehow it sounded better now since she was the one who caused it.
"I'll take that as a yes" She said as she moved to the back of her shop to retrieve the dragon scales Draco had requested. Also, to give the man time to recover, since she was sure he didn't let too many people see behind his masks this days.
When she came back out front she could see Draco's mask firmly in place again, as if the previous comradery hadn't happen. Why did her stomach clench with that thought? She had long resigned herself to just being in the background. To not knowing or spending time with this man. Though the previous mintues, though small made her feel like she wasn't really in the background. That maybe, just maybe she was a main character in her own story. But that was silly he was Lord Malfoy, and she was just a shop owner. Worlds apart. Not to mention his finance. Yes right. Stop being silly Autumn she scolded herself, he's just a customer. A handsome one, but a customer none the less.
"Here you are Lord Malfoy that will be 3 gallons as usual. If that's all?"
Draco started at her tone. Where did the fun loving girl he was speaking to go? Back now was the shop owner who he met when he first walked in. He was reluctant to say, but he missed the girl from a few moments ago. Maybe that's what drove him to say what he did next.
"Thank you Miss. Rose. Now, do you get a lunch break or something in this place or do you just work all day?"
Autumn blinked slowly, trying to hide her surprise. Was Draco? NO. No He couldn't be. He was just being nice. Though Draco and nice didn't seem right in the same sentence.
"I do Lord Malfoy, but my lunch has already passed. I'll be closing in a couple of hours and then going up to my flat for dinner."
"Well why don't you close now and accompany me to dinner?" He said with smirk firmly in place.
Oh now he was just being rude. As if she could just close up shop at a moment's notice. People relied on her for ingredient's. They knew her hours. She couldn't just 'Close shop'.
"Though I appreciate the offer Lord Malfoy, but I have clients that rely on me, I can't just close shop when I want." There that was as polite as she could be, while still being rude. Some people had to earn an honest living.
Blonde eyebrow raised again at her tone.
"I see. Didn't we agree to call each other by our first name Miss. Rose?"
"I suggested it Lord Malfoy, though you never gave me an answer so I figured for politeness sake I would continue with titles." What the heck was happening here?
"Well I believe you should call me Draco. Now what time do you usually close at then Autumn?"
Autumn shivered when he used her name. She couldn't help it. It sounded so good coming out of his mouth, like a poem more so then a name. Focus Autumn, no need to get all sentimental just because he said your name. Once.
"Usually at six sometimes later if someone has need of an ingredient."
"Well then, I shall be back here at 6:30 then and we shall go dine together, that should give you enough time to change into something more, becoming. He sneered and abruptly left the shop.
What. The. Fuck. Just. Happened. Did Draco Malfoy just ask her for dinner then insult her?
Well, we'll see if I'm done with business by then if he wants to play it that way. Autumn thought to herself. As she thought longer about it, she got more angry. How dare he insult her in her own shop! Just because she wasn't a lady didn't mean that she was less then him. How dare he? Just as she was working herself right up into a rage, the bell chimed again signaling another customer. Autumn sighed to herself the world beckons.
"Hello Welcome to Season's- What the fuck?" Harry Potter?! Harry-bloody-Potter. Boy-who-lived-twice Saviour-of-the-bloody-world was in her shop now. Today was not her day. Merlin he looked good though. Dark black hair slightly long to his shoulders. Black rodes with tight black jeans. And those laughing emerald eyes not hidden behind glasses. Wait laughing? Why was Harry Potter laughing at her, in her own shop?
Suddenly she realized, fuck, she spoke out loud didn't she? That was supposed to be internal. Oh fuck. Suddenly Harry sobered.
"Autumn Rose? Is that you? Do you work here?" His head tilting adorably to the side.
Salazar what was with these men and assuming she worked here? Why couldn't she own this shop? Merlin it was frustrating. Wait. Did he just say her name? Harry- Bloody- Potter knows her name. And why did it send a shiver down her spine the same as when Draco had said it? Draco she understood. They were in the same house. But Harry knowing her name. Maybe she wasn't so in the background as she thought.
"I'm afraid it's much worst Mr. Potter. I own this apothecary." She saw his eyes twinkle in amusement.
"Yes I could see how that would be much worst Autumn. Please call me Harry, Mr. Potter reminds me too much of Snape." Green eyes spakling with sadness for a moment. That was an odd recation she thought to herself. Well. Lets see why The-Boy-Who-Lived was in her shop.
"What can I do for you then Harry?"
"Well" he said sheepishly. "Doyoumindifihidehereforabitsincereportsarestalkingmeandimscaredtogohomecauseimsuretherearetheretoo?" Harry said in rush with bangs falling forward to hide his eyes.
"I'm not going to lie Harry, I only caught about half of that and only understood about of third of what I caught. But I think I can put two and two together. Sure you can hide here for as long as you need. I was just cleaning up and getting ready to close up anyway."
Suddenly emerald eyes were staring into her soul. Ok maybe not her soul but that's what it felt like.
"Oh Autumn I wouldn't want to put you out. I really should just face the reporters but ever since word got out that Ginny and I broke up they wont leave me alone."
Wait. What? Ginny and Harry broke up. Well that's wonderful news, maybe now she- Stop. No. She doesn't stand a chance. She's just a background character and Harry is a main character. It would never work out. She'll let him hide here today, and then tomorrow everything will be back to normal. And she won't see Harry for years again, and Harry will fall for another main character and she'll still have her shop. Yes right, that's how the world was supposed to be.
"It's fine Harry. You're no trouble. Hide here or face the music. Really it's up to you." She smiled at him when she finished speaking. That seemed to be the push he needed.
Emerald eyes lit up again and a smile graced his face. Oh Merlin that smile. It was breathtaking. She wanted to see that smile for forever.
"You know, I always regreted not speaking to you in Hogwarts. You always seemed so quite and alone. But, not alone, alone, alone you know?"
WHAT? Harry noticed me in Hogwarts! What? Autumn shook her head. Shut up brain, nows not the time to fan girl over Harry Potter.
Autumn smiled at the emerald eyed man.
"Yes, I think I understand. I wanted to speak to you too. But with everything, and our houses, I never had the courage." Did that sound like a love confession as much as it did in her own head? No. No.
"Ah I understand. Hey!" She saw an idea flash on his face. "Do you want to get lunch with me tomorrow? Or I could come here on your lunch. I could bring lunch!"
What. The. Fuck. Was. Her. Life. Today. Harry just asked her to lunch. He just offered to bring lunch. What? Oh crap was her mouth open in shock? Yup. It was. Ok breath and answer.
"I. Sure. That would be nice. Though you don't have to bring anything. I could make us lunch, if you'd like?" She asked timidly. Oh Merlin she was so not sleeping tonight.
"That sounds perfect! I'll be here around noon if that's ok?" She noded her head in the affirmative too scared to speak and realize this was a dream.
"Perfect! I'll see you tomorrow Autumn. Thanks for letting me hide!" And with that, he was out the shop door.
What? Thought Autumn, is this real life or just fantasy?
Autumn looked up at the clock and realized it was already half past five. Oh Merlin, Draco would be here in an- DRACO! Did she really have a date with Draco today and Harry tomorrow? No. These were not dates. They were just two semi friends eating food together. Right. Ok. Time to finish up and close and go get canged before Draco got to her shop.