Character Appreciation: Leaky Cauldron

Showtime, Who Am I?: making a difficult choice

Word Count: 562


"Working late, love," Susan notes when she enters the Leaky Cauldron just after midnight.

Hannah offers her a tired smile from behind the bar. "You're one to talk."

Susan grins and takes a seat. "Yes, well, my job does that sometimes. You, on the other hand, usually have someone else working this late."

Ordinarily, Susan will come in from work to find Mark or Nadine beaming at her. They'll always prepare her hot chocolate without waiting for her to order. She'll accept it before heading up to the room she and Hannah share over the little pub.

So it's most unusual to see Hannah down so late. Even if she still prepares Susan's drink, it still feels wrong.

"I've been thinking," Hannah says, setting the hot chocolate in front of Susan.

"Three words every girl wants to hear." Though Susan says it as a joke, her voice still cracks. She and Hannah have been dating for nearly a decade. Everything is fine. At least, she thinks it is, hopes it is.

Hannah doesn't seem to notice her nervousness. With a wave of her wand, she summons a bottle of wine and quickly pours herself a glass. Susan waits, growing impatient but too worried to press for details.

After a stretch of silence that feels like an eternity, Hannah finally breaks the silence. "I sort of want to study to become a Healer."

The relief is so strong that Susan almost laughs. She visibly relaxes, lifting her mug and taking a sip of the warm, sweet liquid. "I think it's brilliant. You're perfect for it."

"But I'd have to give this place up."

"Ah."

Susan can see why she'd be torn. This pub has always meant so much to Hannah. She can still remember how ecstatic her girlfriend had been when Tom had passed it on to her. Giving it up is hard to imagine; the Leaky Cauldron has become such a permanent fixture in her life.

"Ah?" Hannah echoes with a laugh. "Very sage advice."

"Hush." Susan sets her mug down, playfully glaring at Hannah. "It's late, and I'm exhausted."

Hannah leans across the bar, pressing a gentle kiss to Susan's forehead. "Excuses, excuses."

Susan's lips twitch, threatening to form a smile. Somehow, she keeps her expression neutral. "You don't have to make a choice yet, right?" she asks. "You have time to figure things out."

Hannah groans. It's clearly not the suggestion she had been hoping for. "I don't have to," she confirms, "but I want to."

Susan finishes the last sip of her drink before climbing to her feet. "Come on. Bed. A good night's sleep will help clear your head."

Her girlfriend shakes her head. "I'm working."

Susan shrugs and gestures around the empty pub. By now, she knows that few people venture into the Leaky Cauldron this late. Most likely, there won't be any new faces around until a little after six, when Ernie will be there for his regular shift. "Call it a night," she insists, leaning over the counter and kissing the top of her girlfriend's head.

"Fine." Hannah sounds almost grudging, but the relieved smile on her lips tells Susan that she doesn't really mind. With a quick flick of her wand, she casts a spell that causes everything to tidy up and arrange itself as it's meant to be. "You're right. Sleeping might help."