The morning I was starting my new job had me very apprehensive. What if I stuck out in muggle society? What if I exposed myself? What if Death Eaters showed up?
Mrs. Flynn, the old lady whose basement I rented, helped put my worries at ease slightly by feeding me up, as if she was my own doting mother, if my mother had ever doted on me. Narcissa Malfoy never 'dotes' so it was a nice and welcome change from the distance everyone usually kept from me.
I walked off to the café, noting the slight mist that lingered around the streets of the town. I waved to Mrs. Flynn as I went, the kind lady seemed absurdly bored and lonely, evidenced by the fact she had convinced me to take the lunch she had packed for me, complete with juice box and snacks.
I was inordinately glad that so far, everything had been going well. I was keeping an eye on the news, hoping that no calamities were reported, nor that any blond unnamed persons were found dead. My parents were playing a perilous game, one they were daft if they thought they were going to win.
I was still at a loss about what to do about school. I had told Mrs. Flynn that I went to boarding school, and that I needed a bit of time away from home. All of that was true, if not seeped in lies by omission. There was no way I could go back home now, if ever. It was true, though that there was no place safer than Hogwarts. And there was no way the Dark Lord would be able to get at me while I was there, even if someone reported to him that I was there. If he couldn't get Potter while the scar-headed idiot was there, than he certainly wouldn't be able to get me.
I arrived at work at the café before it opened, at the request of Meena, the manager. She wanted to get my training for the job started as soon as she could, so I'd get started helping her, Joe, and Theresa with the work. She was very happy to have me, or Drake MacNeil, as I'd convinced her I was. Meena was a tiny girl, a few years older than myself, and very enthusiastic. She was easily likeable, but ran the café with an iron fist. Her dyed jet black hair and multiple tattoos made her one of the most interesting people I'd ever met. She was studying History at the local university.
Joe was her burlier and equally as friendly boyfriend, though he had much more of a calm presence than Meena did. Theresa was around my age, perhaps a year or two older than me. She had large black rimmed glasses that seemed to follow the nerdy chic trend that was popular nowadays. She was a determined student who always had a chemistry or physics textbook on hand for the lulls between customers.
They had all seemed friendly and beyond welcoming, which buoyed my spirits quite a bit. As I became more familiar with the cappuccino machine and the requirements of each drink offered by the café, I looked out over the café's many scattered couches and the small stage set up against the far wall and admired the hominess and cosiness that the earth tone colours and small tables seemed to create, without everything looking stuffy. You would never find such a business in the wizarding world, and I wished there were. This chic coffee shop looked like a place I would love to spend my time, though I almost rescinded that statement when the morning before-work coffee rush started. Theresa, who I was working with at the time, assured me cheerily that this rush was nothing compared to what the café was like when the local high school and university were in session, at least now, all the caffeine addicted students were snoozing their mornings away.
Soon enough, I was filling coffee orders with minimal problems, though I was far from a pro at it like the other three were. I realized abruptly that I was actually enjoying myself. The work was menial, yes, but there was no need to pretend, or present a front like there was at school. I didn't have to worry that if I let my façade slip there'd be consequences from my father, or that any one of my 'friends' could be ratting me out for any reason. The others I worked with seemed genuinely interested by me and good people in general. I enjoyed Meena and Joe's joking manners, and liked to boo with Theresa when they started to make out behind the coffee grinder.
The genuine atmosphere helped distract me from the dark past I'd just run from, though worry still lingered in the back of my mind. Everyone was probably wondering what was keeping me, and I hoped that the family I had been instructed to target had had the good sense to leave their home by now.
Soon enough, my shift was over for the day, Joe arriving to take over from me, keeping with the code that there were always at least two people working behind the counter, sometimes three, if it was a particularly busy hour.
I stretched my arms above my head as I walked towards Mrs. Flynn's. The day was warm and the sun was just setting, turning the dusky sky shades of pink and red. I admired the sunset as I walked, my satchel bag bumping my leg with every step.
My week continued in much the same way. I became more comfortable both at work and at what was now home. I had bought myself a cell phone, and has opened a bank account as well, helping make me feel less shifty because I no longer had to pay in cash for everything.
The weekend arrived, and I decided to explore the town further. There was a convenient bus service that ran throughout the small downtown, so I had no problem getting around. I bought a few more articles of muggle clothing while I was there. I was ambling down the street when I spotted a book store tucked beside a grocer's. It was small, private, and stuffed with all sorts of books. I spent the rest of my day exploring the books there, and finding quite a few that seemed interesting. The friendly and quiet staff quickly helped me check out and sent me on my way with bright smiles.
I spent the rest of the weekend curled up in my room reading. The weather had turned to light rain, and as I read with the background sounds of the gentle rain, I had to wonder why I hadn't done this years ago. Granted, I probably wouldn't have been able to get away with this any younger than I was, but I was having such a blissful time. The muggle world, was, as I already knew, not as bad as it seemed.
The next few days passed in much the same way. I spent my time working, reading and generally having a surprisingly good time. The amount of time I spent scanning faces for any traces of Death Eaters or looking over my shoulder was even lessening.
I was reading one of my novels at the front till one quiet evening, about two weeks since I started working. There were a few customers in the shop, some typing on laptops, others conversing quietly. Theresa was absorbed in one of her textbooks in the back as she restocked the cups.
Someone entered the shop so I marked my page and set my novel aside, and looked up, straight into the surprised eyes of the one and only Hermione Granger.
