Regulus shifted uncomfortably in his shirt. He hated wearing muggle clothes, scrap that he hated being in the muggle world. He felt exposed standing on the corner of a busy street in Manchester, where he had been casually leaning against a wall for the past hour waiting for Rookwood, but he was late.

Regulus looked up at the cloudy sky "Its gonna rain" he mumbled to himself. If what he was doing was not an important task he would have went home already, but even though he had only been in the dark lord's service for two weeks he knew failure in your tasks was not a viable option. So he sighed and closed his eyes, trying to replay last weekend's quidditch match. His mind had not recalled much beyond the starting whistle when he felt a rain drop land on his hair, and then another, and another. He had not thought to bring a jacket, it was August after all and it had been clear sky and sunshine when he left Grimmauld Place just after dawn. As the rain grew heavier he faced the decision to stand outside and get a cold waiting for Rookwood or to run across the street to the bakery and watch from the window until Rookwood arrived. It was a decision that took seconds. He raced across the street and into the door hearing a rumble of thunder as it closed.

The Bakery was modelled after one you might see in a French movie, with vintage posters on the walls and wooden tables and chairs, it smelt like coffee and melted chocolate and not the overwhelming rose smell he had expected from being in Madam Puddifoots on dates. He perused the cakes that sat on the counter and had just about settled his mind on raspberry and white chocolate cheese cake when the waitress he had seen from across the street appeared from out the back. He assumed she was about his age even though she was much shorter and had a baby face, she was pretty he figured, with long dark hair and tanned skin.

"So you gave up then?" she asked

"What?" he furrowed his brow confused.

"Waiting." She answered looking slightly unsure of herself, "On your date."

"What?"

She blushed.

"It's just I've seen you outside the window most of the morning….."

"Oh you think I got stood up!" he chuckled, "Yeah I guess it looks like that."

He ordered coffee and pointed out the cake he wanted, "Hang on. Where you watching me?"

The girl in front of him turned a deeper shade of pink. "No. Not at all." She said quickly.

"Uhhuh."

"Honestly, I just happened to see you standing outside while I was cleaning."

"Right." Regulus was surprised to find he was enjoying himself teasing the pretty muggle girl. He had never had much communication with muggles before and his parents reactions had made him believe them to be an entirely different from wizards. But here he was chatting normally. He pulled out his wallet.

"You can just pay before you leave," she said stopping him, "take a seat and I will bring it right over." It took Regulus a second to move after bring dazzled by her smile, as he sat down at a table in the window he scolded himself "shes a muggle, they can't have magical smiles."

He stared at the corner hoping that Rookwood would just appear so he could go home. It was almost the end of summer and in two weeks he would be back on the Hogwarts express and he didn't like wasting time waiting for deatheaters who weren't doing their job right.

Suddenly a plate and mug were set infront of him, making him jump.

"You look so serious. You must have really liked her." Mused the girl.

"I wasn't a her," he replied curtly

"Oh! You must have really liked him them," she said blushing again.

"No no, he is just a friend. I have to give him a message but he is running late."

"Oh." She went to walk away but before he could help himself he said "I am regulus by the way, what's your name."

She turned around smiling sweetly again, "Hannah."

"Hannah, would you like to sit down and keep me company."

She looked hesitant

"You can leave as soon as other customers or your boss comes. It's just theres no one else and it would be nice to have company while I wait."

She looked down for a second nodded her head and moved back to the table to sit opposite him.

"So Hannah, how long have you worked here?" he asked casually, trying to suppress his feeling of satisfaction that she was so quick to join him.

"I am just working here for the summer. My stepmum owns it and she wanted me out of her hair as much as possible over the summer."

"ahhh. Do you enjoy working here."

"Yeah, it's ok I guess. On quiet days like today she goes off shopping or to get her nails done and leaves me here in charge, which is great because then I can practice decorating the cakes out the back."

"Are you a baker."

"No. But I would love to be. My Dad thinks it's a waste of my talents and education." She looked down seeming to realise how open she was being with a perfect stranger.

"Yeah parents can be the annoying like that. Mine have a lot of expectations." Regulus was amazed at what he said.

"Really? Like what?" she asked looking pleased that he was being as open as she was.

"Er…. They have this big thing about family honour. Two years ago they disowned my older brother as he didn't share their ideals." Screw it, he though. I can be honest with this girl, she doesn't know me and I will never see her after today.

"Wow. That sounds serious. Did he use drugs or get arrested or something?"

"Drugs?"

"Yeah. You know cannabis or ecstasy."

He was unsure what these were but he knew his brother didn't use them so he shook his head. "No, my parents didn't like his friends."

She smiled, "yeah my parents hate my best friend. They think she's a bad influence on me. They stop me seeing her as much as possible when I am home for summer."

"I guess I'm lucky mine like my friends. But then my friends are all part of the family."

She shrugged indicating she didn't understand

"They are distant relatives, cousins and the like."

"Oh, I see."

"So the friend your waiting on is a cousin?"

"No no. He isn't related at all. At least I don't think so. We work for the same guy."

"What do you work as?"

He hesitated, "Mainly as a messenger for this one guy."

"That sounds like it could be fun."

"Yeah, I guess. It can be."

She nodded

"you still think I was stood up and making a story up about a friend, don't you."

She laughed "a little, although I am inclined to believe your story."

"Why is that?"

She looked down and hit behind her dark hair.

"Hmmm?" he prodded her arm.

"Its just…. I mean…. I don't understand….." she stuttered, "I don't get why any girl would stand you up."

Now it was Regulus's turn to blush. He was relieved she was still looking down in embarrassment so hadn't noticed. "And why is that? you barely know me."

"you seem really nice." She whispered, and in a barely audible mumbled added "and your really cute."

Regulus couldn't help himself from grinning widely. His mother's voice in his head scolded that he should not be entertaining the compliments of silly muggle girls but a bigger part of his mind focused on the fact a pretty girl just called him cute.

"Thanks" he mumbled back lamely. "This cake is really good…." He couldn't think of anything else to say but wanted to keep talking to her. "Want some?" he slide the spare spoon she had given him across the table.

She looked up smiling, took the spoon and ate a bite of his cake. After that conversation flowed easily as they talked about their favourite desserts,(His was sticky toffee pudding, hers was chocolate brownie), the weather and their schools (he of course did not mention that it was a magical school, just a boarding school, and agreed with most of her descriptions of her boarding schools habits and traditions). All the while Regulus kept glancing outside, but he was at risk of forgetting about his task altogether. After more than an hour Rookwood finally appeared. Regulus jumped out of his seat, alarming Hannah.

He jerked his head out the window. "My friend just arrived. Just hold that thought, I really want to hear what your brother did with the eggs, and I will be right back."

He raced out the door and across the road, to where Rookwood stood, it was still raining heavily and within second they both were soaked with water dripping down their faces. "Rookwood, what took ya so long?" he asked as a greeting.

"Was being trailed by an auror, didn't wanna lead them to one of our new recruits." He answered curtly. "Say what are you doing over there with the muggle girl."

"Err. It started to rain so I took shelter."

"Right. She is pretty. You could have a lot of fun with her." Rookwood smirked, "Maybe I will come join you"

"No." Regulus said a little too quickly and a much too forcefully. He knew Rookwood's reputation for being cruel towards muggles, he wasn't the worst deatheater but he had killed several muggle families. His mother's voice appeared in his head questioning Regulus as to why he cared about the some silly muggle girl, he looked up nervously at Rookwood, who much to Regulus's relief, instead of being angry just laughed.

"Oh I see. You want her all to yourself, well that's ok. I will leave you too it as soon as you give me the dark Lord's message."

Regulus reached into his pocket and pulled out a bit of parchment and passed it over quickly to stop it getting wet. "Cheers Black. Thanks for waiting as well, if you had went back and told the Dark Lord I hadn't came I would be in trouble. I would say I owe you one, but….." he glanced over at the bakery window where Hannah was looking out at them, "I'm leaving you alone with a pretty girl."

With that Rookwood clapped him on the back and sped off round down a nearby alleyway to disapparate. Regulus watched him go and then sprinted back to the bakery, after he closed the door he glanced round to see that Hannah was no longer sitting at their table, he instinctively called her name and was rewarded when she reappeared behind the counter.

"Hey! I got you a towel to dry off with."

"Thanks" he said trying to remember the last time he met anyone so sweet and concluding quickly that there was no one. They chatted cheerfully as he towel dried his dark hair, but his teeth started to chatter before long so she led him behind the corner into a warm kitchen.

"Stand against the oven, it will warm you up quickly. And how about I make you some tea to help."

"Thanks."

She leaned over him to reach the kettle and her arm brushed against his and he felt a tingling that he was pretty certain had nothing to do with how warm her skin was, she blushed, making him think she felt it too. He tried to talk sense to himself "She is a muggle. It's not like you can date her so stop being an idiot reg" but against his better judgment and before he could stop himself he mumble "wouldyouliketohavedinnerwith metomorrownight?"

"erm, what?"

"I…. eh….. was just…erm, wondering… if maybe… you are free… and would like to… eh…. Go.. and erm… have dinner… with me…. tomorrow… if you…. Eh… want to…. And …. Are… free…." Great Regulus thought to himself, I sound like an idiot, but when he looked up he stopped scolding himself because her had on her magical smile again.

"Sure, why not." She replied.