Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise and Archer1eye

Recommended Story: "The Silent World of Cassandra Evans" by DylantheRabbit

Holly Potter and the Heart of Canis

Chapter 4: Mundane Romance

The place Mercy took her to wasn't fancy or themed. Just a simple shop set on the corner of a little shopping center in Kennewick near the Columbia Park and the bridge leading into Pasco with the word TATTOO set above the door in red block letters. Inside is clean and bright with a simple sheet metal counter, the front decorated with examples of artwork done by the artists and a thick binder placed on top next to a register.

There are a few comfortable looking chairs set along the side walls for customers waiting while more artwork decorates the white back wall behind the counter. A pair of nice red curtains hid a hallway behind it that Holly caught a glimpse of when it moved to let a customer leave, his bicep covered by a clean white bandage.

After he left a woman came out pulling off a pair of ink stained gloves and tossing them below the counter. She looks up at the two women in her parlor and smiles warmly, dark brown eyes bright as her hands go up to her hair to remove a small black scrunchie that kept her long red hair in a ponytail so it fell past her shoulders and over the simple black button up with long sleeves that she had rolled back to her elbows and ended mid thigh over jeans that looked like they were intentionally stained with ink after a careless hand marked them.

"Hey Mercy, bit too early for a touch up, who's your friend?" The artist asks setting her hands on the counter and leaning forward over it as they approach. Neither Mercy nor Holly miss the appraising look the red head gives to Holly and the witch finds herself wondering if her friend had an ulterior motive when suggesting this particular tattoo parlor.

"Heya Jerry, this is Holly. She's thinking about getting a tattoo of her own and I figured I would show her where I get mine done." Mercy replied while Holly gave Mercy a skeptical look before eyeing the woman behind the counter for a moment.

"She didn't tell you I take it? Not the name I was born with but it's good enough." Jerry stated with a smile only to look on in confusion as Holly groaned and covered her face with her palm.

"I must be some kind of magnet…" Holly mutters before smiling at the red head. "Don't worry, I understand, my son is the same way." Holly noticed Jerry's eyes lose a little of their previous interest and turn more wistful when Teddy was mentioned but the look never stopped being friendly.

"Oh? So what unfortunate name did you saddle the boy with then?" Jerry asked straightening up behind the counter as one of her nails idly scratched at a corner of the binder where the plastic has worn away with use revealing the thin layer of cardboard beneath.

"His name is Edward and I didn't give it to him his dad did before he and the boy's mum passed away." Holly replied filling her voice with joking lament. Her earlier suspicions though were confirmed at least in part though when she noted the woman's interest return slightly after hearing about Tonks and Remus.

"So he's not really your son then?" She questioned as if seeking confirmation. But the words themselves caused Holly to bristle, a muscle in her eye twitching with irritation.

"He's my son in every way that matters." Holly replied hotly before wincing as she noticed Jerry flinch in response. She took a deep breath and sighed out her frustration with the innocent enough question and adopted an apologetic look. "My apologies, I'm a bit touchy about that subject as you can see. But it's no excuse to take it out on you. To answer the question I think you meant to ask however. No, I didn't give birth to him, his parents were dear friends and named me his godmother. So when they passed he went to his grandmother and when she followed I adopted him myself."

"No, no you don't need to apologize, I could have worded that better." Jerry responded rubbing one of her arms for a moment before glancing at Mercy who at this point had backed up to stand next to the door, a self satisfied smirk on her lips as she watched the two interact. When Holly followed her gaze to notice how Mercy had distanced herself she caught the coyote giving Jerry a knowing look and tried to rapidly cover it as the witch turned around. It was a clearing of Jerry's throat that had Holly looking forward again.

"So, uh, Holly. What were you thinking about getting? This is filled with samples if you want to have a look. It's all my own work so you can get an idea of my style…" Jerry states, trailing off as Holly draws close to the counter and reaches out for the binder her hands brushing along Jerry's for a moment before she opens it and looks inside.

She knew what she wanted but teasing the artist wasn't something beyond her and if she was reading the signs correctly than Mercy wanted to try and play matchmaker by bringing her here and it couldn't hurt to play along at least a little. So she took her time looking through the book at images of dragons, skulls, flames, beautiful women, animals and flowers.

"You have a very steady hand." Holly stated intentionally overlooking how the woman in front of her looked rather self conscious and more than a touch nervous, things she dealt with too, even if she was better at hiding it.

"Do you think you could do something exact if I brought it in? Just a line of old norse runes in Elder Futhark. I can draw them out so you can have an idea of what I want if you have something I can write with." Holly asked gently closing the binder as Jerry grabbed a sketch pad from under the counter and tore out the last page offering it and a pencil to the witch.

Holly paused as she recalled the sequence of runes she was looking for, ignoring the interest Jerry was taking leaning a little over the counter to watch and the presence of Mercy snooping from just behind Holly on the witch's right.

As Holly drew the runes carefully with a practiced hand silence fell across the room. While that was fine with Holly herself Jerry seemed to grow uncomfortable and eventually just asked one of the questions that seemed to be on her mind. "So, what do the runes even mean?"

Holly pauses for a moment in her drawing of the runes before glancing up with a small smile that screamed mischievous intent. "Like all Runes in Elder Futhark each one has a variety of meanings. It's intention in the use that gives the runes direction. First is Eihwaz. It is the symbol for the yew tree. It is far more innocent than the previous two symbols representing Strength, reliability, dependability, trustworthiness, enlightenment, endurance, defense and protection. The driving force to acquire, providing motivation and a sense of purpose." She added the last bit before glancing up at Jerry, catching the woman's eyes with her own while ignoring the amused snort from Mercy next to her.

With a look of interest Jerry leans in a little closer and tilts her head. "All of that in just that one symbol?" The artist asks before looking at the second one Holly had just finished drawing and pointing to it. "What about that one?"

"That would be Kenaz. It is the symbol of the beacon or torch. It represents Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. An openness to gain new strength, energy, and power. As well as passion and sexual love." She finished letting her voice grow husky and well aware of the stare she was getting from Jerry even as Mercy struggled to contain her chuckling.

"O-oh, and uh. That one?" Jerry asked pointing out the last rune Holly was carefully working on her voice nervous as if uncertain if she really wanted to know. Holly could barely keep herself from revealing her amusement though when she heard Jerry gulp audibly.

"This is the last one, it's called Uruz and is the symbol of the Auroch, a now extinct form of cattle similar to a modern day ox. It symbolizes speed and strength, untamed potential, freedom, energy, action, courage, tenacity, understanding, wisdom, and even sexual desire." Holly finishes with a smirk before turning the paper around fully to face the artist. She smirks at the blush creeping up the woman's cheeks while the artist and Mercy both look over the symbols.

"It's a bit plain isn't it?" Mercy states and Jerry nods her agreement a hand rubbing at her chin as she uses the pencils eraser to rub her chin in thought.

"If Jerry wants to frame it with a design I wouldn't mind so long as it doesn't actually touch the runes themselves. A line connecting with them would destroy the meaning in them." Holly replies not mentioning the fact that if she ever decided to activate the runes the results would likely be very unpleasant. But she can't exactly speak of such things in front of a mundane.

Jerry hums and tilts her head looking at the designs and then back up at Holly with an analytic eye. This time Holly doesn't get the same manner of appraising feeling she did when Jerry first entered the room. instead she felt more like an object. Which she would admit makes a manner of sense given that Jerry was an artist using flesh as a medium.

"Where are you planning on having it placed? And how big?" Jerry asks looking back at the page and the three evenly spaced and carefully proportioned.

"Hmm? Well I was thinking on my upper left arm?" Holly offers thinking for a moment about the scar on her right from the basilisk fang. She hadn't thought this part through well enough, beatings taken a step too far left a few lines in her back from where the buckle slipped out of her enraged uncles' hand. Still, it would be a good indicator as to how a relationship might end up. Holly wasn't ashamed of her scars. They were reminders of a past she had overcome, both at her relatives home and in combat.

"Maybe on your shoulder blade? It would be much easier to do there if you want to make sure they remain spaced evenly like this." Jerry offers her eyes still locked onto the symbols on the counter. Her pencil moving to make small light markings around the symbols drawn by Holly.

The question was innocently asked but Holly saw an opportunity and like a shark scenting blood she simply had to bite. "My my Jerry, we've only just met and already you are trying to get me out of my clothes so you can have your way with my body. What manner of woman do you take me for? I expect at the very least dinner." Holly jokes turning to Mercy she intends to continue onwards but finds herself interrupted by a sudden question.

"When and where?"

Slowly Holly abandons the joke as she turns back to the source of the question. Jerry still has her eyes on the paper in front of her but it's not as intent as it was. It was clear she was trying to use it as an ineffective distraction while the blush slowly crawled up her cheeks.

"What was that Jerry?" Holly prodded while turning her entire body to face the redhead before leaning over the counter. She could give Jerry an out. A chance to back away and lose her nerve but at the moment it was the last thing Holly wanted her to do. She just needed to be certain. Holly would not be burned again.

There was a long pause and for a moment Holly felt disappointment, the thought that she had misheard Jerry or that the woman in front of her changed her mind crossed her mind before Jerry took a long breathe and looked up deep brown pools meeting Holly's own bright greens. "When are you available for dinner and where can I pick you up?"

Holly could see the nervousness in the question, the tattered bits of courage covering it as Jerry watched her face and waited while the witch broke into a small smile.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"You are a very wicked witch." Mercy stated as they climbed into Holly's car. "You teased that girl mercilessly with those runes."

The only thing really left to do after Jerry asked Holly out was to double check that it would be okay if Holly brought her own ink for the tattoo. At which point Jerry retrieved a waiver for Holly to fill out removing the store of all liability should something in the ink react badly with Holly's skin or cause an infection.

"Actually, everything I said was true. Those runes do in fact hold all of those meanings, I may want them for more practical purposes but magic is all about intent you know." Holly rebutted while shifting the vehicle into drive. "And don't play innocent with me. You were hoping to see something happen there."

"Well… It would help keep you from spending most of your days lingering around my garage while I work." Mercy admitted while Holly snorted her amusement.

"Please if it actually bothered you I would have been kicked out days ago. No, you just like having something or someone to whine about. You should be careful or you'll end up like your friend Zee." Holly replied with a smirk.

"You mean an insanely good mechanic and business owner?" Mercy retorted, batting her eyes innocently. "Well I already own the business and I'm a pretty good mechanic so I'm almost there. Thanks for noticing, I do work hard at it."

There was a fair bit of silence following that before the chuckling started and when the pair got a hold of themselves again Holly could not resist getting in one last jab. "You know, if I do have a girlfriend to distract me I'll probably spend less time baking for your customers." She added knowing full well precisely where the majority of those cookies ended up.

It was with a somber look on her face that Mercy turned to Holly and replied. "On second thought, you should cancel your date. I know another tattoo place on the other side of town."

Mercy was only mostly kidding.

Teddy watched as his mother got ready for her date that evening. His brow raised curiously as Holly set about their home with an eagerness he hadn't seen from her before. She had dates before on occasion back in Britain but she had never been quite this excited for those ones.

What the young boy didn't know was that in Britain, Holly hadn't been able to enjoy any kind of anonymity. Dating a mundane who didn't know about her there would have made the person a target for less savory types who either were involved with the Death Eaters directly and evaded justice or supported the group silently and were displeased to see their precious Dark Lord laid low.

And trying to date a magical always left Holly feeling far too suspicious to really enjoy herself. She had always been left wondering if it was some kind of trap, publicity stunt, or just someone attempting to get at her money. The wealth of two old families was nothing to scoff at, even after the Black and Potter vaults had been left to languish for over a decade. While some might have called her paranoid, and in fact a few did, she simply replied with words Alastor Moody had clearly lived by. 'It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you.'

Still, before anything else she wanted Teddy to meet Jerry. She had considered not introducing them to each other at first but in the end decided to do it first thing. In the end if they didn't get along with each other Holly wasn't willing to invest herself in any form of relationship. Her responsibility to Teddy came first.

So there stood Holly, dressed in the most daring pair of lacy black unmentionables she owned under an unbuttoned white blouse her hands holding a pair of black slacks in one hand and a long black skirt in the other. Both matched her hair and the heels she had sitting on the bed and for the life of her she could not decide between them.

A glance at the clock told her that she was running out of time and Jerry would be there any moment. And as if reading her mind, the universe decided that was the perfect moment for the redhead in question to ring the doorbell.

Holly turned her head to the door as she listened to Teddy's feet scampering down the hall and look outside through one of the windows before moving to the stairs and shouting up them.

"Mum! There's a lady with red hair at the door!"

Holly took a deep breath and decided on the slacks, the pants performing a double function of being easier to move in and showing off her curves. As she put one foot into the pants she made an awkward hop towards her door in a hurry to respond.

"Go ahead and let her in Teddy! Tell her I'll be down in just a minute!" She shouted back after cracking open her door. From there it became a race to finish getting dressed, checking her hair, then her makeup, and finally her heels. She stopped in front of her mirror on the way out and gave herself a long look turning her body one way and then the other. Normally Holly didn't think too much about her appearance, considering just how much effort she went through to avoid public scrutiny.

Now was one of those few exceptions.

As Holly gazed into the mirror she took in the long black hair cascading down between her shoulder blades that she inherited from her parents. The color from her father and the blessed fact that it hung straight and flat down her back from her mother. If not for the color of her eyes and her hair though she would have a hard time seeing her mother in her own face. It was Sirius that pointed out how much she looked more like her grandmother, her higher cheekbones giving her a more aristocratic look than the welcome warmth that poured from her mother's own visage.

With a nod she did a final check of her person making sure her wand was in its usual place up her sleeve while the stone sat in its setting on her left index finger. She didn't even bother gathering the cloak, feeling the fabric appear folded in her pocket as she left the room.

As she made her way downstairs she rolled her eyes spotting a bemused redhead standing just inside the front door looking down the hall in the direction Holly assumed Teddy ran off in after letting her inside.

Holly didn't know what she expected but when she looked at Jerry she would admit that the artist cleaned up very well. A dark green dress that ended just above her knees and attached to her shoulders by thin spaghetti straps, small silver earrings with little topaz decorating them that match the silver necklace adorned with a larger one that settled just above her breasts.

She was beautiful and Holly looked down second guessing herself for a moment before shaking her head, it was too late now. If she went back to her room to change it would take far too long. So instead she took a deep breath to sooth over her nerves before clearing her throat. Smiling as Jerry looked up at her with wide eyes.

Holly had been about to say something but when she caught the redhead's eyes combing over her she fell silent, preening for a moment before getting on with it. "Well, that was Teddy. I hope you don't mind that he just left you standing here. Do we have some time so can I introduce you to him or do we need to get going?"

"We can spare a few minutes."

If Holly had to later describe the meeting between her oddly perceptive nine year old and her date, that night it would be interesting.

Teddy had been in the kitchen working on homework when Holly brought Jerry in and upon being introduced to Holly's date paused his work to give her a long look without saying a word. Cautious was the word Holly would put to his appearance as he glanced between the two women watching him before he slowly waved to the redhead who immediately waved back looking a little nervous herself.

The conversation between them following that left Holly both amused and exasperated but also hopeful. Teddy seemed to know it was important to her that he talk to Jerry but didn't really understand why and she could tell Jerry had been trying harder to make a good impression on the nine year old than she had with Holly herself.

It was the nervous tension that seemed to take over her date afterward that Holly found cute and frustrating. On one side her nerves were a good indicator that she was worried about making a good impression. On the other, it was really hard to enjoy the date when the silence between them on the way to the restaurant felt rather awkward.

"So… Blue hair huh?" Jerry finally asked and thank god she did because Holly had no idea how to break the ice on her own.

With a grateful smile Holly looked over at her date from the passenger seat of the old lime green beater. "Yeah, he's a bit different that's for certain." Holly answers honestly.

"I"m surprised you let him dye it so young. Most parents wouldn't support something like that in someone under ten." Jerry offers and it's only the lack of judgement in her voice that keeps Holly from bristling.

"It's harmless and he enjoys it. I ended up having to buy all kinds of dyes because he likes to change it fairly often." Holly responds already beginning to build up the cover she has for Teddy's metamorphing. "Honestly, I'd rather support something small like this now and have him listen to me later when I have to start warning him about things like drugs."

Jerry hums in acceptance as they come to a stop at a red light. "He seems like a good kid. A bit too mature for his age though, if you hadn't mentioned how old he was beforehand I would have thought he was older and just small."

"Teddy's been through a lot. Lost his parents when he was too young to remember them, lost his gran not too long ago too. He's had to come to grips that the adults in his life aren't immortal much too young." Holly comments and a somber mood picks up in the car as the light turns green.

"So, what are your parents like. Do they know you're out of the closet?" Jerry asks trying to change the subject and Holly can't help but find a kind of perverse humor in how her date seems to unintentionally take her foot out of one hole and step in another that's even deeper than the last. Still, there's no reason Holly can't be as honest as possible.

"Well, I like to think they do. In the same way anyone wants to believe that their departed loved ones are watching over them." Holly replies without mentioning that unlike just anyone she is actually aware of the fact her parents keep an eye on her. Her finger toying with the band on the ring holding the resurrection stone.

Jerry winces visibly and sighs frowning at the road in front of her. "I'm just… I'm just going to shut up now before I make this any worse."

Holly couldn't help but chuckle at that earning her the strangest look from her date. "It's alright, I've had my whole life to get over their deaths. Just like Teddy I was too young to really remember anything about them when they died. They were in a car crash coming home from a date when I was one."

Holly smiled as Jerry reached over and set a hand on her leg in a gesture she knew to be sympathy. It really wasn't needed but it was appreciated and after a moment Holly continued. "I think that's one of the reasons I'm glad I can take care of Teddy now. Not that I ever wanted his Gran to pass away but when I was placed with my relatives they were very… unpleasant people. There was no love in that house for me and I will make sure Teddy will never have to experience that."

"Just make sure you take care of yourself too, everyone needs a break now and then right?" Jerry asked and when she spared a glance over she found herself blushing at the look Holly was giving her. "W-what?"

"Why else do you think I'm here going on a date instead of at home with my son unpacking?" The witch replied letting the smirk on her lips remain for a moment while she eyed her date with a complete lack of subtlety while inwardly cheering for herself at the fact she could provoke such a reaction from the red head.

It was while Holly was patting herself mentally on the back that they arrived at a nice restaurant that looked like, or at the very least a passable imitation of, an up scale italian place complete with a waiter in a pressed and clean suit. Holly took a small amount of pleasure entering the place with Jerry on her arm. The waiter behind the podium straightening up lazily before looking between the two women with a disinterested eye as his finger tapped on the outline of a cigarette box in his pocket, his eyes flicking towards the door behind them.

"May I help you?" He asked with a bored voice as he looked down at a log book in front of him.

"Tillman, reservation for two." She says and he slides his finger down the names before tapping it.

"Got it, follow me please." He replied rubbing at the stubble on his chin before covering a yawn with his hand as he lead the pair around the tables and towards a small booth in a corner of the restaurant. After they sat down he took the order for their drinks on a small pad before nodding and heading towards the kitchen.

It was at this point that Holly decided to ask a few questions of her own. "So did you grow up around here?"

"No, not really. A small town in Delaware called Felton actually." She replied with a smile and while the follow up question is obvious she simply continued smiling and waited.

Holly took a moment before realizing she was being baited into asking the obvious and chuckling. "Okay, I'll bite. How did you end up in the Tri-Cities?"

"Well, my parents saved up for me to go to college. When I made it in on my grades alone they used the money to buy me my car and a computer. The rest they used to sell their house and retire to Florida." Jerry related with a shrug. "So after college I came out this way and got a loan to start my business. Less crazy here than in somewhere like L.A. but still more exciting than my old town. Especially with the Walla Walla Reservation nearby."

Holly nodded at that, with the Fae outing themselves to the world at large during a high profile murder trial, they put their best foot forward while giving into the inevitable way the world was shrinking with the number of humans in it and Holly was of the belief that it was only a matter of time before other magical groups would have to step into the light as well.

"Walla Walla is the Fae Reservation right? Does it make you nervous living so close to them?" Holly asked trying to keep her own feelings from showing.

"Well, when they revealed themselves I had to tear out half the fantasy drawings from my art book since the last thing I wanted was one of them getting upset seeing my drawings of pixies and fairies. Even had a few depicting Titania. But nervous?" Jerry paused then and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I never really thought about it I guess, yeah it makes a lot of people twitchy having these beings from old stories suddenly all around us. I mean, if Fae are real and have been able to hide for so long who can say they're the only ones? Some of those old stories have some real monsters in them you know. At the end of the day though, they're people too, right?"

"That's true, the ones I've met have been a little different but not too bad so long as you remember not to thank them for anything." Holly replied with a smile, pleased that Jerry was at least open minded about the supernatural part of the world that was slowly becoming more prevalent.

"Why not thank them?" Jerry asked tilting her head curiously.

"Well, some of those old stories are true, and thanking a Fae is the same as acknowledging a debt to them. And once a debt is established you can bet you'll be repaying it in some capacity. Just get in the habit of saying 'I appreciate it' and you should be fine." Holly responded and there was a pause in the conversation as their waiter stopped by with their drinks and took their food orders before vanishing again.

The conversation wandered from there with Holly sharing edited stories about her school life and Jerry telling tales of some of her strangest customers, names excluded of course. The food was good, the company better and when they were ready to leave Jerry grabbed the check before Holly could even reach for it.

Pulling into Holly's driveway Jerry paused and looked at the house for a long moment. "You know, I didn't notice how nice this place is when I came by to pick you up. Is the whole place just for the two of you?" Jerry asked getting out of her car to lean against it after turning the engine off.

"Yup, for now it's just me and him. I have some friends who might stay a night or two but mostly it's just us." Holly commented.

"Huh, what do you do to make enough to afford this place?" Jerry asked next sparing a glance around at some of the other houses around.

"My parents left me enough to live quite comfortably, all I need to do now is just to manage my investments." Holly answered honestly, though the day to day management of those investments was handled by goblins, she was still required to make big decisions.

"So you're old money then? What do you do with all your free time?"

"Well I'm still unpacking but I have my own little projects to keep me busy when I'm not cooking or spending time with my son. Well, that and bothering Mercy while she's working, who knows, maybe when Tad heads off to college I'll take over for him at her garage to give myself something to do." Holly replied walking slowly around the car to stand in front of Jerry.

The red head seemed to freeze up a little while Holly drew closer. There's a moment where Holly pretended to pick something off of the artists dress before her eyes moved to the dark brown pools of Jerry's eyes. Slowly the witch drew closer and she watched as the artist's eyes slowly closed with anticipation. Holly stopped just short of making contact, teasing the woman in front of her for a moment before being pleasantly surprised when Jerry closed the small distance herself.

The kiss was shallow but long, the two testing each other to see if the other was planning on deepening the thus far chaste experience.

Eventually Jerry pulled back first with a blush creeping up her cheeks. The two sharing small goodbyes before the redhead pulled away and climbed back into her car and Holly watched the lime green junker make its way down the road with a small smile before nearly skipping to her front door missing the pair of dead grey eyes watching from the side of the house across the street that flash a bright ruby red for a moment before disappearing entirely.

AN: I'm back with a new update! Yes it's taken me a few months but Not nearly as long as last time. I'll try to get even faster going forward As I swap between this and my other two stories currently running. Also, to DylantheRabbit, lots of love to you friend.

I appreciate everyone who takes the time to even read my work let alone favorite or follow it. But people who leave a review, even just to tell me they liked the story, always have a special place with me so I would like to take the time to thank marlastiano, Dreiundzwanzig, Noble Korhedron, SarahTaylorTam, whitetigerwolf, Guest #1, chaosrin, Ser Vince, Guest #2 (mel), Guest #3 (Maryna), and Balrog1788 Your support is always appreciated.