A/n: Snape belongs to JKRowling
Chapter Two: A Gift
His directions were accurate and she was back at her hotel in twenty minutes. Alyssa was already waiting, pacing the dazzling foyer with her hands wringing together in worry. From the looks of the attendants standing nearby, she'd been at it for some time. In fact, she had just lifted her head to ask one of them a question when she saw Madison.
"MADISON! You're here!" she squealed, dropping her frown and running to her friend enthusiastically.
"Hey, Lyss," Madison answered tightly, the air being squeezed out of her by Alyssa's steely hug.
"What happened to you!? You were right behind me, then POOF! You were gone!"
Madison began to explain her plight to Alyssa as the two women walked upstairs to their room, lingering on the dark man who had given her directions.
"Was he English?" Alyssa asked curiously, unlocking the door to their suite.
"Yes, very much so." Madison threw her bag on her bed and flopped down backwards. "And he had the most piercing black eyes…"
"Did you get his name?" her questions were muffled as she fought with the refrigerator in the corner, attempting to get a soda.
"Huh? Oh, yes…" Madison rolled over so that her face was turned to the window and the balcony. "He said it was Potter. Harry Potter."
"Harry Potter?" Alyssa's head popped up from behind the fridge door, eyes wide. "Did you say Harry Potter?"
"Yes---have you heard of him?"
"It does sound vaguely familiar… Where is he from?" she avoided Madison's eyes.
"I don't know." She shrugged. "He did say he was quite famous where he came from, if that's any help at all."
"Not much," Alyssa admitted, taking a seat and tossing Madison a Coke.
"I should like to find him again," Madison said, eyes focused on the horizon. "Just to say thank you again. Take him to dinner, or something."
"You fancy him, don't you?" Alyssa grinned, poking at her friend with her toes.
"NO!" was the defensive reply. "I just feel as if I owe him something in return---a payback, y'know? For helping me out?"
"Oh, come on, Madison! You'll never find him around here again---London is just too large a place! And all he did was give you directions. It's not like he gave you one of his kidneys."
"Perhaps you're right." She sighed, turning onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. "As usual."
"Of course I'm right!" Alyssa agreed. "Just forget about Harry Potter… For all you know, he was just a heat-induced figment of your imagination."
Madison murmured some form of agreement, but knew inside she'd never forgot those blazing eyes and the deep voice that had helped her.
She was in the hotel lobby later that night, picking up her mail, when she felt all the hairs on the back of her neck rise and prickle. Looking over her shoulder at the bustling lobby, she tried desperately to find the source of her sudden discomfort. It came to her at the corner of the square room, next to the elevator, arms crossed over his chest, hair falling into his eyes: Harry.
A grin breaking out over her face, Madison walked over to him quickly, forgetting her mail on the counter. "Harry!"
"Hello."
She blinked, not knowing what to say. "What are you doing here?" she finally asked.
He didn't answer, simply stared at her, unblinking.
"Alright, sounds like a good reason…" she laughed nervously.
"I brought you something," he said suddenly, arms unfolding as he held out a rectangular shaped parcel, tired with twine.
"What is it?" she asked, eyebrow furrowed as she took the package.
"It's a gift."
"But what for? I've done nothing to deserve a gift from you… In fact, I should be giving you something---" She dug around in her pockets, looking for anything worthy enough to be given. All she pulled out was some pocket fuzz, a hair tie, a piece of gum, and half of a subway ticket. She made a face, picking out the stick of gum and offering it to him. "I don't suppose you'd like a piece of gum?"
His stoic look wobbled for an instant before, without warning, a smile erupted over his face. "No, no, thank you." He managed.
Madison's own smile grew bigger in response to the sudden warmth that had spread over his face. "You're laughing at me." She accused.
"Not at all." He covered his mouth and coughed, hiding his smile.
She raised an eyebrow, stuffing her treasures back into her pocket.
"I must be going." He said finally, composing himself.
"Already?" she didn't bother to hide her disappointment. "I was hoping you might join me for dinner?"
"I apologize, but I already have prior arrangements."
"Oh." A thousand reasons for these 'prior arrangements' flooded through her mind, sending a spark of jealousy through her. She pushed it away easily enough, and managed to force a smile across her face. "Well, then… Thank you, for the, eh," she held up the brown package, "and, uh, again, for helping me out this afternoon."
"You're welcome." The second time around, it seemed to be easier for him to say it. He gave her a stiff nod. "Good evening."
"Good bye," she whispered, watching him push through the glass doors and turn down the sidewalk, holding her parcel close to her chest. It took several minutes before she remembered it and, after reclaiming her forgotten mail, she hurried upstairs to her room to open it and find out what it was.
"A book!? How exciting," Alyssa rolled her eyes, looking at the unwrapped package on Madison's bed.
"This is the one he was reading earlier," Madison tried to explain, but it was useless; Alyssa was a nurse, and had no interest in the kind of literature Madison loved so dearly.
"Ancient Ruins? And you tell me he's an exciting person?"
Madison shook her head at Alyssa's back and opened the book, scanning for an author. "Millicent Magweed," she read softly, before her eyes noticed a scrawled message in the corner of the cover. Leaning closer, she was able to make out the cryptic message, "So that you never lose your way."
"What?"
"Nothing," Madison glanced up at Alyssa. "Just reading to myself."
"Oh come on, Mad!" She yanked the book from her hands and tossed it aside, pulling her friend to her feet. "It's out last night in London! Let's go party!"
"I'm too tired to party," Madison complained, reaching for her book.
"Look at yourself!" Alyssa flomped down to the bed and grabbed Madison's hands in hers, eyes beseeching. "You're fawning over a man you'll never see again! Forget about stupid Harry and come and have some fun!"
"Go ahead,
without me," Madison stoutly replied. "I'm not in the mood."
"Gawd, you're so aggravating
sometimes!" She balled her hands into fists. "This time tomorrow we'll be back
in the States, you writing your silly column, me taking blood from screaming
little kids…. Live a little, Maddie! Come on!"
Sighing, Madison reluctantly let herself be dragged out of the room towards a night of, no doubt, boredom and too much drinking. She wasn't the party animal at all----that was all Alyssa. She would have been far happier looking through her new book than anything, but, as Alyssa had said, this was their last night in London---might as well make the most of it. And besides, she reasoned, the book would still be there tomorrow morning, and all the way home on their 11 hour flight.
It could wait.
