AN: Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry! I cannot apologize for how long it has taken me to update. I moved a little over a month ago - with that and work and school...well something just had to slide.
To my awesome reviewers:
lakelady8425 - I think one of my favorite things in the last chapter was making up dark spells. If I really could do it - I would! I hope this chapter clears up where Hermione/Honey was.
annaea3077 - I'm glad you enjoyed it a month and half ago! I hope you have returned to read some more!
dekaying - I'm a librarian by day (dramione writer by night) so I pride myself on research! I hate reading fanfictions that don't have all the facts right; I often stop reading them. The other day I read one where Draco's middle name was wrong and it bothered me to the point where it kept me up at night until I unfollowed the story. I may be a tad weird. I obviously understand alternate universe but I still like to have as many facts researched as possible.
Again! Please read and review. It keeps me going when I am bogged down and stressed! The more reviews I get the bigger chance that I will update quicker...It is also my birthday this weekend - So I would consider it a present!
Honey rubbed her eyes, making note of the buildup of crust around her eyes; she'd been asleep for some time, a hard sleep that didn't come plagued with her usual dreams. Stretching like a bear awoken from hibernation, Honey yawned deeply noticing the sweet taste of lavender on her parched tongue.
The old cellar door burst open, causing intense fear to explode within Honey, who now found herself tangled in blanket on the cold cement floor. The single lightbulb in the center of the room flickered as if fear were causing it to shiver like Honey's hands.
"Honey Darlin'! It's 'bout time ya woke up!"
Honey glanced up into the concerned face of her boss; Miss Vivian, the owner of Canterbury Ales, a bookstore and bar walking distance from Honey's apartment, was short, plump, extremely southern, and graying, which was only expected of someone with 77 years of life behind her. As Honey pulled herself back up onto the couch, the old lady reached up and tapped the light with her long nails, causing the pulsing light to stabilize and brighten the room. Then Miss Vivian continued to bustle about the room, grabbing bottles without looking at the labels and placing them in the basket popped on her hip. "I told James that if ya weren't a showin' signs of life within the hour that I'd be a callin' the rescue squad. He says I's a bein' silly but I can tell ya had him just as worried. He keeps a droppin' things an' havin' me restock the bottles 'hind the bar just so I come down heres an' check on ya."
Honey's brow furrowed. She'd been working at Miss Vivian's shop for nearly 5 months; it'd become her home away from home of sorts. Oftentimes when she didn't want to sit in her apartment alone, she'd come down the block and help Miss Vivian, and Mr. James, by stocking the bookshelves, cleaning glasses, waiting on customers; once she had even spent an entire day off helping Miss Vivian rearrange bookshelves to allow a hidden room, accessible to those that wanted to disappear into a small nook and read alone. Never had Honey showed up to the store for any reason other than to work or to spend time with the old couple that had taken her under their wing like family. Showing up to fall sleep on the couch in the cellar made zero sense.
"How long have I been asleep?" Honey questioned, falling back into the corner of the couch and pulling the blanket back around her. Those six words, that one question, it sucked the energy right out of her. Perhaps she needed to get home and sleep a little longer. Perhaps she was getting the flu.
"Sleep? Is that what you youngsters call that? Honey Darlin', I's came down here this mornin' an' there ya was, knocked out cold on the couch. I tried a wakin' ya up but ya just turned over an' mumbled somethin' 'bout runnin'. Ya've been a sleepin' for near 12 hours since then at least. Sweetie Pie, are ya feelin' ok?"
"I guess – " Honey tried to remember what she was doing this morning, what landed her in the basement cellar of Canterbury Ales, but the last thing she could remember was waking up next to gorgeous tattoo guy and then deciding to go for a run. "I guess I was still tired this morning and my run exhausted me. But 12 hours? Miss Vivian surely you are exaggerating."
"I ain't a pullin' ya leg Honey. I was serious as a squirrel collectin' nuts when I said I was a thinkin' a callin' the rescue squad." Miss Vivian patted Honey on her knee, concern etched deeply in the wrinkles around her frown.
"I hope I'm not coming down with anything." Honey quickly made a mental note to question Dr. Albertson on what could be causing memory loss and exhaustion; but then she sighed realizing that she probably wouldn't remember her mental note.
"I got jus' the right thing for that! I cooked up some homemade chicken noodle soup las' night for James; the weather gettin' warmer has his allergies all in a tis. Why don't ya just go upstairs to the bar, make a cup a hot tea, an' I go warm ya up a bowl."
Honey's stomach growled at the thought of food. If she had truly been asleep for over 12 hours that meant she hadn't ate in close to 24. "That sounds delightful. Thank you Miss Vivian." Grabbing the basket from Miss Vivian so that she could concentrate less on its weight and more on getting safely up the stairs, Honey made her way up the stairs with the heavy load, listening to the old lady behind her mumbling about youngsters thinking she wasn't capable of caring for herself.
"You know, Miss V – I only carried this basket so I could do the stocking behind the counter while you warmed up that mouthwatering soup." Honey said, pausing at the top of the stairs to balance the basket on the railing while she fumbled with the doorknob.
"I wasn't complaining Sweetie. I was just reassuring myself that I'm young enough to still do the things nobody will let me do." Miss Vivian protested as Honey finally got the door to swing open. The sound of his wife's voice, prompted Mr. James to glance over his shoulder. Upon seeing Honey bogged down with the heavy basket of wine bottles, he hurried over and with a smile said "Look who decided to grace us with her presence!"
"I'm sorry to worry you Mr. James."
"I'm a gonna go upstairs an' warm her up some a that soup I made ya last night. Do ya want anythin' while up there?"
"Nah" Mr. James answered. Carrying the basket away he picked up bottles as he walked, examining each of the labels to see if they would be satisfactory. Honey followed him quietly to the bar, giggling at Miss Vivian who was making her way to the stairs to the flat above the bar, stopping occasionally to comment to a patron how she was unsure how she could have been married to the man behind the bar for so long, 60 years to be exact.
Mr. James, much like Miss Vivian was graying with age, but that was about the only thing they had in common. He was tall, skinny, and tanned even though he rarely went outside Canterbury Ales. The couple had moved from a tiny town in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina after they retired, to be closer to their children. Miss Vivian was the lover of books; she was a retired librarian and was the one with a desire to run a bookstore. Mr. James, he was the lover of alcohol; as a retired police officer and Vietnam Veteran, he bought the bar for Miss Vivian on their 50 wedding anniversary telling her that nothing paired better with books than booze just like nothing paired better with him than her.
Honey was startled from her thoughts on the couple when Mr. James set a bottle of Jack Daniel's in front of her.
"Add that to your tea Honey. It's an ol' military secret – Whiskey will scare off any ol' cold!" With that statement the electric kettle that Honey had plugged in mid-daze started to whistle and Mr. James turned to refill a beverage at the far end of the bar.
An hour later, after devouring a bowl of soup that could feed a family of four, as well as running home to shower and change, Honey was hurrying back in the door of Canterbury Ales just time for the Saturday night crowd to start rolling in. Because she hadn't done laundry in weeks, and because she was in too big a hurry to try and match her clothes, Honey was dressed in a navy sundress with a red sweater and red flats. She had her hair pulled back into a loose messy bun and because she promised Miss Vivian she'd be back before she noticed she was missing, Honey only put a little eye liner, mascara, and lip gloss on. While not at her best, Honey definitely wasn't looking her worst.
"There you are!" Mr. James caught her walking behind the bar. "The ol' lady was lookin' for ya. I told her I had ya waitin' on a group in the other room. Ya best look busy!" With that he handed her a tray full of drinks, kissed her on the cheek and pushed her towards the back room. "I took their order when they walked in the door. Just don't go tellin' on me ya hear! Or I will tell Viv that ya took longer than she 'spected!" Mr. James threw her a quick smile over his shoulder before turning back to the couple at the bar.
Turning to carry the tray of 8 fruity drinks into the other room, Honey was distracted thinking it must be a bachelorette party or a group of cougars starting their night out, which hopefully meant greats tips for her. She did, after all, need to invest in some bookshelves. Before she knew what was happening, someone came around the corner, bumping into her. Or perhaps she bumped into him. Either way, the tray of drinks went tumbling to the door.
"Bloody Hell!" Honey cursed. The sound of glass reverberated around the bar and she was positive that Miss –
"Honey, Sweetheart, what'd ya do? It's them shoes I'm a tellin' ya. Ya can't be a wearin' those or ya'll slip an' fall. Lucky ya didn't break anything, did ya?"
Yep Miss Vivian had heard the commotion and come running. Honey was on her knees trying to grab all the big pieces of glass as well as soak up some of the drinks with the towels that had been sitting at the edge of the bar.
"Sorry Miss. I believe this was my fault." Honey paused her cleaning when a male voice answered Miss Vivian's cries.
"Viv Darlin'. Why don't ya go tell that room of nice ladies that it'll be a few more minutes? I'll get started on makin' the replacements." Miss Vivian hurried away as her husband commanded. When she was out of earshot he leaned a bit closer to Honey and said "Honey don't ya worry! Those ladies won't know the difference in a minute and an hour with the amount of alcohol they've already drank today." He boomed with laughter and walked away to make more drinks before the bar got backed up.
Honey was still frozen to the spot trying to decide if she was embarrassed or not. Her cheeks burned red when the well-dressed gentleman, that she had apparently collided with, bent down to start helping her pick up the pieces. Finally she found her voice.
"Thank you. But I can get this. Miss Vivian would have a cow if a customer cut themselves. Fuck –" No sooner had the words come out of her mouth, had Honey sliced her palm on a piece of glass. The gentleman in front of her picked up a towel and wrapped it tightly around her hand. The alcohol from the drinks caused a burning sensation; Honey tried to pull away but the stranger's grip was strong. She noticed that his knuckles on his hand were newly scarring, as if he had recently punched someone.
When he pulled away and removed the towel the gash was almost completely gone and no blood was seeping out, as if it had been healed by magic.
"That was some strong tequila Mr. James put in those drinks!"
The stranger laughed at Honey's comment, a laugh that caused a tingling in Honey's stomach that quickly flowed through her bloodstream. The gentleman on his knees in front of her held out his hand, as if in the floor over a mess of glass and cocktails was a time to introduce himself.
"I'm Tom!" Honey took his hand with her uninjured one and looked up into Silver eyes, orbs that she felt she knew but couldn't remember from where.
AN: Thoughts? Questions?
Just want to share your love?
REVIEW!
Also, my best friend and I are major dorks. If you have an instagram follow our HP Funko account, stuckinamuggleworld, for some daily images from some of our favorite characters.