The smell of coffee had always lifted the mood of one Hermione Granger. Growing up in bustling London she could smell it on every street corner. The coffee houses frequented by the always-suited workers of the financial district her parents dental surgery resided in. On the rare occasions she accompanied them to their place of work Hermione would spend her time perched on a chair in the reception area looking over to a small square frequented by the suits who would, to the young girls eyes flash passed as they headed for their morning fix. Then she would invetably hear her father moaning about the way these people treated their teeth. So the young Hermione was left without knowing what coffee tasted like, the bitterness of the grind as it passes across the tongue.
That however was in the past. It had started just after her eighteenth birthday celebrations. It had been one hell of a celebration she was exhausted and yet found the energy to drag herself the length of a country to start university. Her parents had wanted her to stay in London of course but deep down they all knew it was time for her to spread her wings. So after a rather tiresome journey and rather exhausted the 18 year old had her first ever coffee. And god, did she fall in love.
And so it started a 4 year love affair with the golden honey deliciousness. It was the first thing she had in the morning after some well needed rest and the thing that kept her going through the night as she struggled towards dawn deadlines. It was not the intense flavour of the perfect 15 second espresso, nor was it the energy boost or the all round high. It was the way of living that drew the young woman into fascination. The casual European style of sitting relaxing and watching the world go by as you sip lightly at an espresso, the way the business men would rush in and out the shops she would sit and read in, she discovered you could tell a lot about a person by their coffee habits.
So it was really no surprise to find at the age of 23 Hermione working in a very popular coffee shop. And loving every second of it. It wasn't a taxing job, no it was rather relaxing. It wasn't a well paid job either, but it was a job she loved and really wasn't that all she could ask for?
No, there was something missing in her life. Something that those around her always seemed to have. She wanted love.
"Double shot extra skinny bone dry soya cappuccino, and make it snappy, I need to get to work." The woman standing at the counter had appeared from no where bringing the day dreaming Hermione back to rality, fast. This woman was the most notorious customer that frequented the little coffee shop. She hated having to deal with the new staff, Ron had found that out the hard way. Apparently her cappuccino had not been bone dry three days in a row last week and the tongue-lashing he had received, sent him running into the staff room in tears.
Hermione had managed to avoid her for the first couple of weeks however luck could only go so far… this was it. She was on her own, Ginny was up in the office. No one else was working and even if they were she couldn't see anyone running to her aid.
"No problem ma'am, I'll just get that for you!" Her hands were shaking. Breathing was becoming a problem. This should not be happening to her. Ginny's word resonated in her head as she prepared the coffee. "She's a witch, the woman will never be happy. Bet you'll have to make it 4 or 5 times before she stops cursing you under her breath. Don't think Ron "
Placing the coffee on the counter, Hermione took a good look at the older woman. She had a presence about her, a command of authority. This was apparent by the way she ordered; the same thing in the same way every morning. But her eyes, there was something in them that showed they commanded respect from those who they looked upon.
"Is there anything else I can get for you this morning?"
"This will be all. Thank you." The older woman picked up the take out cup. "For a first attempt at making this coffee I must say, this is the best I have seen in a while. That young red head that was in here the other day had no understanding of the concept of dry. Such a stupid boy." There was a look of sheer disgust on her face as she said the final words. It was as though the making of coffee was the be all and end all of life.
"He is new, I'm sure it wasn't intentional." Hermione tried reasoning with her but knew from the outset it was a lost cause. She took the woman's money and bid her goodbye before the conversation spiralled into places that it really shouldn't go.
The woman left, back straight, head high and nose in the air in the most pretentious manner. Hermione was intrigued.