Disclaimer: as if you didn't know what im about to say...I do not own harry potter or any of its characters...wouldn't it be weird if I did though...like if I just disclaimed before my story that I AM jk rowling and that I DO own all of these fine characters. Oh well...save yourself the enthusiasm. I am NOT jk rowling, and once again, I do NOT own harry potter.
Love, Hate, and Easy Mac.
(a/n: I don't own easy Mac either...sadly)
He let out a quick sigh of frustration, as the liquid concoction would not mix. He added a quarter cup more of the strange bean in an attempt to resume the desired liquid-like product. Still no result. He clenched his wrists and drew his shoulders alongside his neck. Why couldn't he figure this out? He was sure he had attempted and successfully accomplished this before! Luckily it was still boiling hot. He still had hope. If only he could cure it a by adding a little more-Oh God! What happened? How did he do that? What had he created? What was that smell? In an act of desperation he put the lid on and turned it in just hoping that no one would notice his error.
"I said no dairy", the yuppie young lady said sipping her coffee.
Harry shrugged. He knew he was off today. His cigarettes called to him with their sweet promises of temporary relief. Replacing thoughts of failure and loss with smoke, his anti-conscience tempted. There had been a time when mixing various ingredients to form a creation, or potion, sparked very different thoughts in his youthful mind, but no more. His tool was once a wand, now a metal spoon and French press. Indeed his life had changed in the years past. He did not look back. Harry refused to assume that he could have survived any lifestyle in his old life. The pain and spotlights nested in the wizard world left scars both physical and emotional on his tired thin body.
"I'm sorry", he whispered to the lady. "I guess I will try it again". Harry wrestled the demon dairy filled coffee out of the snide lady's hand.
"Too late, I'm in a hurry", she paused then with a bothered smile of disgust added, "this will just have to do."
Cold air swept through the bustling city streets of London this mid-fall morning. Outside the Starbucks colorful cars and busses echoed with speed as they chased one another down crowded streets and angular sidewalk. The sky was clear, embracing a mask of warmth. This mask, however, was stripped quickly and quietly as the numbing winds iced skin drawing pink and white out of flesh. The pressed suits were covered with heavy wool and expensive scarves, the casual youth puffed out in fluffy coats, and the loners, like Harry, dressed as normal. Harry liked to feel the cold attacking his body. He would let it wash over his body, creep into his blood. He cherished this feeling of harsh discomfort. It allowed him to feel something real. Discomfort was real, unlike this life.
"Max, I'm taking a break", God he wanted that cigarette.
"Harry, you just took one. Why don't you just work a bit longer then you can take your break. I can't have you showing up for work but only being here for a fraction of the time"
"Please," Harry whined without eye contact.
"Harry, you haven't been sleeping lately have you? Its just that you have these dark circles under your eyes. You never did talk much...but lately...I just-just wanted to make sure everything was alright. You know"
Harry remained still. It was true, days like this happened only after nights like last. Laying on his back with his eyes open, he thought about the things that had prevented him from sleeping all those nights before. Spooky images of past events flashed about. He would have begged himself to fall asleep had he not known that sleep led to nightmares. He didn't want to wake up sweaty and out of breath anymore. All Harry really wanted anymore was to forget.
"Listen," Max said touching his shoulder, "you can take your break after you deal with these customers".
Harry accepted these terms and turned around to greet the next customers with an expressionless face and blank thoughts.
"Go on, order whatever you like" The man half of a couple said with a sort of excitement that was unusual to ordering a cup of coffee from Starbucks.
The girl giggled with overwhelming thought. "I would like a-"
"Oh...my...god! Harry? Is that you?" The man cried.
At this, Harry blinked himself out of distraction and found he was staring at two familiar faces. It was a young couple, about his age. One of the two had thick red hair and another possessed broad shoulders and a friendly smile.
"No, that cant be Harry" The redhead said with a testing look on her face.
"I'm sure it is. Just look at him"
"Harry, is that you?"
Of course he knew who they were. He was all too sure of it. They stood out in the usual London Starbucks regulars with their wizard clothes and vauge smells of Harry's past. How dare they intrude on his precious space! He couldn't handle this. Harry had done everything asked of him in the past, from saving the day countless times to eventually defeating the Dark Lord. Why was it, that after all that he wasn't aloud to be left alone? He had been through so much. Why wouldn't the world just leave him with his horrible memories and disturbed brain? He left that world behind for a reason. Yes he knew who they were. They were people from his past, Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley
Harry allowed himself to release a cautious smile.
"Oh Harry, so this is where you've been?" Ginny Questioned with a kind of disgusted horrified thought of a world surrounded by nothing but muggles.
"Y-yeah" Harry managed to force out.
"You certainly have changed. I guess I haven't seen you since...well...a while"
Harry nodded, repressing the need for nicotine growing more and more as he chatted.
"Everyone's been looking for you for almost 2 and a half years," Dean said "You just disappeared"
He knew this was not entirely true. There were wizards, Dumbledore for example, who could find him if they wished. Perhaps they already had. Harry knew that Dumbledore (aside from the fact of not being able to picture him in a Starbucks) would not come to find him against his wishes.
"I just can't believe you are working here," Ginny said.
Harry was sure that deep down somewhere there was some sort of humiliation in what she had just said, but most of him didn't care. He wanted out of this Hogwarts reunion.
"I just took Ginny out for something special on her birthday. I thought muggle food would be just the thing"
"I'm 20 now" Ginny smiled.
Harry nodded. He wanted to just take their orders, make their coffee and have them leave. They had to leave sometime. He just hoped that they wouldn't tell anyone that they had seen him here. A part of him knew they wouldn't. He didn't know why but he was fairly certain of it.
Eventually, (after what seamed like many hours to Harry) they did leave. Granted, Harry did accidentally destroy Dean's Frapuchinno more than once before they did. Then they walked away together with their fingers laced and muggle coffee at hand. Ginny glanced back one last time attempting to grasp that she just saw the boy who lived (after a two year hiatus) serving coffee. Her eyes locked with his for an instant before they both looked away. Then the two wizards disappeared into the sea of pedestrians outside the coffee shop. Harry really didn't give a shit...he was just glad it was over. He needed that cigarette now more than ever before.
Love, Hate, and Easy Mac.
(a/n: I don't own easy Mac either...sadly)
He let out a quick sigh of frustration, as the liquid concoction would not mix. He added a quarter cup more of the strange bean in an attempt to resume the desired liquid-like product. Still no result. He clenched his wrists and drew his shoulders alongside his neck. Why couldn't he figure this out? He was sure he had attempted and successfully accomplished this before! Luckily it was still boiling hot. He still had hope. If only he could cure it a by adding a little more-Oh God! What happened? How did he do that? What had he created? What was that smell? In an act of desperation he put the lid on and turned it in just hoping that no one would notice his error.
"I said no dairy", the yuppie young lady said sipping her coffee.
Harry shrugged. He knew he was off today. His cigarettes called to him with their sweet promises of temporary relief. Replacing thoughts of failure and loss with smoke, his anti-conscience tempted. There had been a time when mixing various ingredients to form a creation, or potion, sparked very different thoughts in his youthful mind, but no more. His tool was once a wand, now a metal spoon and French press. Indeed his life had changed in the years past. He did not look back. Harry refused to assume that he could have survived any lifestyle in his old life. The pain and spotlights nested in the wizard world left scars both physical and emotional on his tired thin body.
"I'm sorry", he whispered to the lady. "I guess I will try it again". Harry wrestled the demon dairy filled coffee out of the snide lady's hand.
"Too late, I'm in a hurry", she paused then with a bothered smile of disgust added, "this will just have to do."
Cold air swept through the bustling city streets of London this mid-fall morning. Outside the Starbucks colorful cars and busses echoed with speed as they chased one another down crowded streets and angular sidewalk. The sky was clear, embracing a mask of warmth. This mask, however, was stripped quickly and quietly as the numbing winds iced skin drawing pink and white out of flesh. The pressed suits were covered with heavy wool and expensive scarves, the casual youth puffed out in fluffy coats, and the loners, like Harry, dressed as normal. Harry liked to feel the cold attacking his body. He would let it wash over his body, creep into his blood. He cherished this feeling of harsh discomfort. It allowed him to feel something real. Discomfort was real, unlike this life.
"Max, I'm taking a break", God he wanted that cigarette.
"Harry, you just took one. Why don't you just work a bit longer then you can take your break. I can't have you showing up for work but only being here for a fraction of the time"
"Please," Harry whined without eye contact.
"Harry, you haven't been sleeping lately have you? Its just that you have these dark circles under your eyes. You never did talk much...but lately...I just-just wanted to make sure everything was alright. You know"
Harry remained still. It was true, days like this happened only after nights like last. Laying on his back with his eyes open, he thought about the things that had prevented him from sleeping all those nights before. Spooky images of past events flashed about. He would have begged himself to fall asleep had he not known that sleep led to nightmares. He didn't want to wake up sweaty and out of breath anymore. All Harry really wanted anymore was to forget.
"Listen," Max said touching his shoulder, "you can take your break after you deal with these customers".
Harry accepted these terms and turned around to greet the next customers with an expressionless face and blank thoughts.
"Go on, order whatever you like" The man half of a couple said with a sort of excitement that was unusual to ordering a cup of coffee from Starbucks.
The girl giggled with overwhelming thought. "I would like a-"
"Oh...my...god! Harry? Is that you?" The man cried.
At this, Harry blinked himself out of distraction and found he was staring at two familiar faces. It was a young couple, about his age. One of the two had thick red hair and another possessed broad shoulders and a friendly smile.
"No, that cant be Harry" The redhead said with a testing look on her face.
"I'm sure it is. Just look at him"
"Harry, is that you?"
Of course he knew who they were. He was all too sure of it. They stood out in the usual London Starbucks regulars with their wizard clothes and vauge smells of Harry's past. How dare they intrude on his precious space! He couldn't handle this. Harry had done everything asked of him in the past, from saving the day countless times to eventually defeating the Dark Lord. Why was it, that after all that he wasn't aloud to be left alone? He had been through so much. Why wouldn't the world just leave him with his horrible memories and disturbed brain? He left that world behind for a reason. Yes he knew who they were. They were people from his past, Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley
Harry allowed himself to release a cautious smile.
"Oh Harry, so this is where you've been?" Ginny Questioned with a kind of disgusted horrified thought of a world surrounded by nothing but muggles.
"Y-yeah" Harry managed to force out.
"You certainly have changed. I guess I haven't seen you since...well...a while"
Harry nodded, repressing the need for nicotine growing more and more as he chatted.
"Everyone's been looking for you for almost 2 and a half years," Dean said "You just disappeared"
He knew this was not entirely true. There were wizards, Dumbledore for example, who could find him if they wished. Perhaps they already had. Harry knew that Dumbledore (aside from the fact of not being able to picture him in a Starbucks) would not come to find him against his wishes.
"I just can't believe you are working here," Ginny said.
Harry was sure that deep down somewhere there was some sort of humiliation in what she had just said, but most of him didn't care. He wanted out of this Hogwarts reunion.
"I just took Ginny out for something special on her birthday. I thought muggle food would be just the thing"
"I'm 20 now" Ginny smiled.
Harry nodded. He wanted to just take their orders, make their coffee and have them leave. They had to leave sometime. He just hoped that they wouldn't tell anyone that they had seen him here. A part of him knew they wouldn't. He didn't know why but he was fairly certain of it.
Eventually, (after what seamed like many hours to Harry) they did leave. Granted, Harry did accidentally destroy Dean's Frapuchinno more than once before they did. Then they walked away together with their fingers laced and muggle coffee at hand. Ginny glanced back one last time attempting to grasp that she just saw the boy who lived (after a two year hiatus) serving coffee. Her eyes locked with his for an instant before they both looked away. Then the two wizards disappeared into the sea of pedestrians outside the coffee shop. Harry really didn't give a shit...he was just glad it was over. He needed that cigarette now more than ever before.