The morning was filled with busying round running in an out of the storeroom and up and down ladders as Tilly and Tanwen satisfied their customers' requests. During lulls in the rush the two of them would chat and Tanwen would make up more lies about the fake family she had at home. It was hard to feel bad about your own life when you were busy living someone else's.
And that was how it seemed to her for the next few days she came and went as if she was someone completely different. She avoided any people she recognised from school and thankfully none of them came into the shop when she was serving. Once, when she was unloading a new delivery she heard Leo's voice out back and made sure that he was definitely gone before she came back out.
It was Christmas Eve before she spoke to anyone from her house. It was an hour before closing and she had just finished serving a customer. Tilly was out on a brief errand and so she was the only one in the shop. The bronze bell tinkled as Clem Drew, Blair Amidza and Rakern Valimo entered the shop. Tanwen looked at them apprehensively. She'd never really got on with Clem and from what she knew of Rak he wasn't the friendliest of people, but Blair was quite a nice guy really. His sister had been in a few days ago.
"Hi," he said, "how are you doing?"
"Fine thanks," she replied, "you?"
"Oh not bad," he answered, "pestered by a small child every second of the day when I'm home, but other than that I'm good."
Tanwen smiled at the recollection of his sister.
"Hello Tanwen," Clem said, smiling friendlily.
"Hi," she responded, a little taken aback.
"How are you're holidays going?" Clem continued.
"Oh, you know, the same as always," Tanwen replied noncommittally.
Clem laughed, "you normally break up with your boyfriend over the holidays?- Sorry, I'm just kidding- I'm sorry about you and Cedric, you know,"
Tanwen smiled, unsure of how to reply.
Clem glanced meaningfully at the two boys and they moved away to look around the shop, "Look, I'm not very good at apologies, so I'll come straight out with it- Tanwen, I think I haven't been as nice to you as I should and I'd like us to start over. To see if we can be friends, after all, we're going to be sharing dorms for the next three years!"
Tanwen broke into a sunny smile, "I'd like that. I've always regretted how things were between us- I couldn't work out what I'd done wrong."
Clem grinned, "probably a case of the green eyed monster on my account."
Tanwen grinned back.
"Look, when do you finish? I thought we could go and have dinner together or something," Clem said.
"Well, I finish at five-"
"Great, shall I come back then?" Clem asked.
"Ok," Tanwen replied.
"Do you mind if I bring these two along? I was supposed to be eating with them, but if that's a problem I can send them away," Clem offered, leaning towards Tanwen and speaking in a low voice conspiratorially.
"No, that's fine," Tanwen said with a laugh, "it'll be nice to have some company for a change."
"Oh?" Clem said casually, "haven't you seen the others recently?"
Tanwen grimaced, "To be honest, I've been avoiding them since Cedric and I broke up." She paused and looked away, "that gave me a lot to think about."
"Really?" Clem looked thoughtful, "well, it's good to have a break from being with the same people all the time."
"I guess."
"And I'm sure they'll survive without you. I, on the other hand, am very much in need of female companionship. Alicia's on holiday in Greece and you should see the faces these two make whenever I mention clothes or shopping!"
Tanwen laughed; what had she been thinking before? Clem was perfectly lovely. Not like the others said at all. Maybe they just hadn't had the chance to get to know her.
"Tanwen, did you notice anything in particular that caught my sister's eye when she was in here a few before?" Blair asked, coming over to speak to her.
"Ummm," Tanwen walked back over to the shelf that his sister had spent a long time in front of, Blair followed her, "I think she liked that one," she said at last, pointing to a brightly coloured necklace with clear beads tinted blue and silver.
Blair picked it up and after he had paid the three of them left the shop. Rak, who hadn't said a word the whole time immediately turned to speak to Clem, who replied laughing all the time. Tanwen watched them leave, but her attention was soon called away to deal with the next customer who came through the door.
"Well?" Rak demanded, "did she buy it?"
"Hook, line and sinker!" Clem laughed, "honestly, some people are so gullible!"
Blair frowned heavily.
"So she doesn't suspect anything?" Rak continued.
"Why should she? I put on my best 'cheery, friendly' face," Clem smirked.
"What are you going to do?" Blair asked, his arms crossed across his chest.
"I'm not sure yet," Clem replied, a sly look in her eyes, "I'll play buddy-buddy and get her to spill about herself and then…" she gestured expressively.
Rak laughed, "you'll do Slytherin proud!"
As Clem grinned Blair said, "you know I have no idea why you were put in Gryffindor at all!"
"You don't think my schemes are brave and daring?" Clem grinned nastily.
Blair snorted and muttered something under his breath.
"What did you say?" Rak demanded angrily.
"Nothing that concerns you," Blair replied coolly.
"Well, we're coming back here at five to pick Tanwen up and take her to dinner with us," Clem said, a sulky expression on her face because Blair wasn't as pleased with her plan as Rak was. She didn't know why she had involved him in the whole thing anyway, well it was too late to change that, she'd just have to hope he didn't muck things up.
At five, the three returned as they had promised to pick up Tanwen, she stepped out of the shop with a wave to Tilly and pulled her cloak round her.
"Brrr, it's chilly out here," Tanwen said, shivering.
"Makes you wish you were wearing more clothes doesn't it?" Clem said.
Tanwen laughed good naturedly, "you're not wrong there."
"Why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit anyway?" Blair asked, motioning for them to move along the street. Tanwen fell in next to him with Clem and Rak close behind.
Tanwen grimaced, "I didn't really have a choice, it came with the job. I did ask for her to lower it but she only made it a tiny bit longer. I rather think she finds it all highly entertaining."
Blair grinned. Tanwen started to grin back but her smiled faded as she caught sight of two familiar figures making their way towards them. Alex and Jon.
Clem noticed this and frowned, thinking. What could have happened to make Tanwen not want to see two of her favourite people? This was definitely getting interesting.
"We have to pass them I'm afraid," Blair said, noticing her reaction as well.
"Err…." Tanwen didn't know what to say and she looked about nervously.
The small restaurant they were headed towards was directly behind the direction the twins were coming in. They had to meet them, as Blair had said. The other two didn't notice Tanwen until they were practically in front of her.
"Tanwen!" Jon exclaimed in surprise, stopping suddenly. "What are you doing here?"
"About to go and have dinner actually," Tanwen replied. She wasn't rude, but anyone who had known the two before could hear strain in her voice and detect the coldness in her reply.
Jon stared at her and the company she was in, Alex tried to cover up his brother's rudeness, "so how are things going? Any plans for the rest of the holidays?"
"Working, I got a job a few days ago, so I'll be working almost every day. When I get home in the evening it's normally quite late and I'm exhausted from being on my feet all day." She made it clear in her words that she didn't want to see them.
Jon ignored this, "surely you can come and see us one evening?"
Tanwen shook her head and while she tried to think of a plausible answer a strong gust of wind blew her cloak open revealing her clothes. Jon's eyes widened and Tanwen flushed grasping at the edges to conceal her dress again, "I have to wear it for work," she explained, an irritable tone creeping into her voice.
"Sorry to interrupt," Clem said smoothly, stepping round to face Jon, who looked incredibly confused, "but we'll have to get going, our table was booked for five and if we don't get there soon they'll give it to someone else."
"Sure, don't let us hold you back," Alex said politely, placing a restraining hand on Jon's arm.
Tanwen avoided both of their eyes, "goodbye then," she said, taking the arm that Blair offered her and was about to walk away when she paused and said softly, "Merry Christmas." Then the two of them walked briskly away.
Clem and Rak were about to follow, when Jon shot out a hand and grabbed Clem's arm. She raised an eyebrow as Rak told him to take his hands off her. "What's going on?" Jon demanded.
"I don't know what you mean," Clem replied calmly, taking her arm out of his hold, "we're just going to eat like we said. Honestly Jon, don't you listen?" She gave a short laugh and headed after Tanwen, Rak following after a nasty glare at Jon.
As he watched them go Jon opened and closed his mouth, trying to put his feelings into words. Alex had a thoughtful look on his face and was waiting for his brother to speak, all too aware of his feelings.
Tanwen was silent as the three of them made their way through the restaurant to their table. Rak was talking in a low voice to Clem and Blair was looking back through the window where he could see Jon talking energetically to his brother.
Once they had seated and ordered, Clem turned to speak to Tanwen, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
Tanwen thought for a moment before answering, "you can, but I might not answer you."
Clem raised an eyebrow but proceeded to ask her question, "What's going on with you and Jon?"
Tanwen sighed, "I might as well tell you, knowing what things are like at Hogwarts you'll find out somehow anyway." She paused a while before continuing, "When Cedric and I broke up, there were a few things we argued about, one of which was Jon. He…he didn't like us having a close relationship."
"A close relationship hey," Rak said grinning insinuatingly.
Tanwen glared at him, "not like that!"
"Shut up Rak," Clem snapped. "I'm sorry, Tanwen, I know you and Jon were just friends."
Tanwen smiled gratefully, then smiled wryly, "But Cedric didn't think so."
Blair snorted, "Diggory's always been rather clingy over his girlfriends. Never could understand it myself, it's normally the girl who's clingy, but there you go." He raised his hands, indicating his resignation of the subject.
Tanwen frowned slightly, but didn't venture a remark.
"But I don't understand why you're being standoffish with the Contays," Clem said, probing for more information.
Tanwen sighed, "some of the things that Cedric said to me…" she broke off and shook her head.
"Yes?" Clem asked eagerly.
Blair looked sharply at her but Tanwen was absorbed in the memory of that night and didn't notice either of them.
"I guess," she continued, "I guess I just didn't like the sound of the things he said-I didn't think that they were true-well not all of them…but- but I wanted to see whether if they were true then they were something I could change, you know?" She paused and pursed her mouth thoughtfully.
Clem also looked thoughtful, digesting all Tanwen had said.
"So, does that mean you want to change the things he didn't like about you in the hope that you can get back together again?" Blair asked shrewdly, taking a sip of his drink.
"I-no-what I mean is…" Tanwen sighed, "I don't know, maybe-"
"You still want to be Diggory's girl?"
"Well, I miss him, and feel bad about the fight we had, but he said some things to me that…well they weren't very nice," Rak snorted and Tanwen looked sharply at him, "what?"
He smirked, "just the thought of Diggory doing anything that wasn't 'nice', he's such a good boy."
"You see, to most people, Diggory is just the personification of the word 'nice'," Blair explained, an amused expression on his face.
"Well, now we know that isn't strictly true," Clem said smoothly, topping up Tanwen's drink. Then she proceeded to direct the conversation in a more neutral direction. She had what she wanted, now all that was left was for her to work out what to do with that.
****
The rest of the holidays passed in a blur of brightly coloured wrapping paper and the sound of coins falling into the till. She sent out her presents and cards anyway, and opened those sent to her with equanimity. It wasn't so bad just going through the motions and she was pleasantly surprised by the friendship developing between her and Clem. That was something she'd never thought she'd see.
Christmas came and went and as usual she studiously avoided remembering all the family gatherings that were going on around the country. Out of sight out of mind. Wasn't that what they said? Well, it almost worked, almost. Working every day possible helped but she couldn't help but notice every now and then when she glanced up out the window a happily chatting child walking between their parents. It had been a long time since she had felt something like how that child must feel. But that didn't make her long for it any less.
Even New Year passed quickly, she refused all the invitations sent to her, choosing instead to spend the evening at home with Loki, her video collection and a large amount of chocolate. It wasn't so bad, after all it was just another day, nothing special.
Before long it was her last day at 'Tilly's Trinkets' and she was unsurprised to find that she'd miss the safety and comfort that particular routine brought her.
"Any time you want some work, come back," Tilly told her with a smile, "you've been really fun to work with. I hope your schooling goes well and if it doesn't," she grinned, "you can always come back and work for me- if your parents allow it that is."
Tanwen smiled, she was going to miss that lie. Oh well.
The end of the holidays was fast approaching and before long she was packing her things into her trunk and then getting into bed for what would be her last night at home for a long time.
As she lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, she wondered what things would be like when she went back. Would she be able to be someone different, someone better, or would things just slide back to the way they used to be. She smiled in the darkness, there were some things that she would very much like to go back to the way they used to be.
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A/N: Hope you people had a better Christmas than Tanwen ^__^! Ping pong5- I didn't mind at all your reviews, it was really nice to hear what you thought about each chapter, I like reviews like that, when people make direct comments about what went on. Thanks for all your kind words!
Well, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter 'The other side of the coin' Tanwen returns to school, strange dreams and the reactions of her friends to her odd behaviour.