Written for another five-sentence mini roulette over at Fairest of the Rare on FB because I'm a glutton for punishment apparently. The pairing I received this time was Alice Longbottom and Madame Malkin. When I first saw the pairing, I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do, but my muse decided to go down this route.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one recognisable from the HP world. That privilege belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros.
She nearly jumped out of her skin as the bell jingled overhead when she entered the establishment that before a month ago she didn't know offered this particular service. It took her this long to work up the nerve to even come here, but her need for release outweighed her original reservations of what her husband and even outsiders might say, especially after she learned that Lily had been here only days before she and James went into hiding.
"Hello, dear," Madame Malkin said as she stepped from the back room, "how may I be of service to you this afternoon?"
Any words she wanted to say died on her lips as her mouth opened and closed repeatedly; swallowing hard and knowing that today was her last chance as she was supposed to go into hiding tomorrow, Alice took a deep breath and reached under her swollen belly before lifting the front of her robes just a few inches.
"Of course, my dear, please follow me to the back," Madame Malkin smiled gently before adding as she passed her assistant, "please keep an eye on the store for me."