"Hi sweetheart, here already?" Randy the morning receptionist greeted her as she walked in eyes still half closed "I heard you went home four hours ago!"

She nodded grimly "I still have those accounts to settle Ran, they need to be sent to the bank today" she slumped on the reception desk and looked up at him "coffee" she mumbled "as dark as you can get it"

Randy laughed and hit his bell "coming right up sweetheart"

Two and a half coffees and a huge stack of pancakes later her eyes finally opened. Taking a deep sigh she sat on the floor behind the bar counter where no one could see her and pulled a huge stack of files towards herself. Thanking all her stars she had taken Arithmancy back in school, she began waving her wand on the papers.

"Excuse me? Can I have a croissant and a hot chocolate to go?"

Her head snapped up as she heard the ever so familiar voice. She checked the clock, it had been precisely 4 and a half hours since she last left that man. She got up to make sure it was really him. He hadn't even looked ready to hit the sack at 3 Am, what the hell was he doing back so early?

It was him, he looked so different than he had in the night. He was dressed to the nines in pressed black robes and he was holding a file-case. He had changed a lot since school, since the war. His hair was longer and he had become taller. He looked a lot more stressed too and his baby fat seemed to have completely disappeared. One thing she recognized about him at night remained the same though, he was bloody gorgeous. For some reason this pissed her off to no end.

She scowled and turned to sit back down. As she swirled her head banged into the low roof and she cursed. A bit loudly. The man turned to look at her, eyes widening in recognition "you!"

She hissed under her breath and sat down hoping he would just leave. No such luck. He peered over her counter and waved "hi!"

She scowled and didn't reply so he continued talking "nice morning huh? Not too cold at all…will you tell me who you are now?"

She looked up at him once, raising her eyebrows and went back to her work.

"c'mon don't make me go to work wondering!" he leaned further trying to get a better look at her.

"You will fall over" she said calmly not even looking up. She brushed her curls out of her face and tried to get a better look at her papers. Having someone staring at her work was not helping her concentration.

"Tell me who you are and I can stop leaning, it is causing some discomfort" he smiled

"Your food would have come by now, you should leave" she replied patiently forcing herself to remember he was a customer and she couldn't be too rude to him.

"I have time" he replied "you know you could just tell me who you are and be done with it"

"I do not see why it matters so much" she said looking directly at him, blue eyes sparkling with anger "I'm working and I have a lot to do and you lived quite happily not knowing me so please continue doing so!"

He blinked owlishly a few times before grinning "snappy huh? Well I'll meet you tonight I guess, seeing you seemed to hate living as much as my job hates letting me live" with that he strolled off leaving her puzzled over his comment.

It was safe to say not much work happened that morning. Stupid Gryffindor.

...

"Go home Blondie" Randy tapped on the counter.

She looked up from the last of the papers eyes blurry. Sighing as she rubbed her eyes she replied "don't call me Blondie Ran"

"But you're blonde" Randy swung himself onto the countertop ignoring the cussing of the bartender in charge.

"Your point being?"

Randy shrugged "so you're Blondie"

She sighed again stacking all the documents and getting up "Whatever Ran"

"You look exhausted" he commented studying her face closely

"Really?" she asked sarcastically "What was your first clue?"

"Well you are quite irritable and you have dark circles like a raccoon" Randy replied seriously. She glared at him and he smiled at her. He was the most irritating employee at Tom's but he was her closest friend in and outside of work. He loved going out and tried pulling her with him whenever he could. It wasn't something she fancied too much, he always picked up some random girl within an hour and ran. He kept saying it wasn't his fault, that he was too adorable for his own good and girls just flocked over to him. That she had to admit was true. He was a tall good looking man in his mid-twenties. With his brown shaggy hair and hazel eyes, he had the most charming personality she knew. Charming with everyone else that is. With her, he was just pissing off.

"So if you aren't going to go home and relax do you at least want to get some lunch?" he asked abruptly, she had been tying the statements for the bank onto the bar's owl.

She looked at him distracted "What? Oh yea sure, I guess"

"Great! Sushi it is!" he jumped up clapping his hands gleefully.

She groaned "Raw fish, you're kidding me right?"

He pouted "I like sushi"

"And I like diamonds, doesn't mean I'm going to get them" she answered immediately

He swung his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the bar "Marry rich and you can"

She felt the gush of the cold London air hit her face appreciatively "That's the reason to settle"

"It is" he agreed "but it will be a shame to see such a pretty face committed"

"You are such a relationship phobic" she muttered "Scaredy-cat"

"Ouch" he laughed then looked at her carefully "but seriously Blondie, when are you going to get serious about someone?"

She raised her eyebrow "what's the rush, I mean look at you! I don't think you've had a relationship longer than two weeks since you were fifteen!"

He shook his head "that's me, you're different, you're the type"

"Type?"

"You know, the one who wants a steady guy, the steady relationship, the works. Goodness knows you deserve it"

She laughed "I'm way too busy Ran. Maybe later" she silently directed him towards her favorite café hoping he wouldn't remember his insane sushi request.

"You are a workaholic Blondie" he replied tugging her hair "have fun and relax a bit. Actually just get some sleep"

"I will, I'll go home early tonight" she promised. It was a lie though and they both knew it. Before Randy could retort however she quickly pointed out some new pasta the café had in its menu. Distracted by the thought of food Randy dropped the topic at hand completely.

...

It's moving a little slow but it's getting there! Let me know what you think :)

~Reliyc