A/N: Hi everyone. It's been awhile. But hey, at least I'm updating. I had a beta for this story but I kind of lost connection with them because I'm a bum. I'm sorry to whomever you are. Well I hope you all this chapter.

Chapter Six: Time to Pretend

Once all the awkwardness of first getting there had settled Lisa began to contemplate her revelation. Upon walking in to Ginny and Hermione's dinner party, Lee had known them from being 'old school friends'. Lisa had thought it was merely coincidence that she happened to be neighbors with Ginny, someone she recognized from her old life. But neither Ginny nor Hermione recognized Lisa Turpin a Ravenclaw from Hermione's year. But now that Lisa saw Lee with them, he clearly snapped in to place in her memory. Lee Jordan, Gryffindor, Quidditch announcer. How could she have forgotten? That's why he seemed so familiar.

It was only this passed weekend that they had really gotten to know one another.

"Where do you hurt?" He asked quietly, sincerely as if asking a dear friend if they would be alright. "Pardon?" She what he meant, but here, at work, she could put on a fake smile, pretend that she was just another waitress in just another city.

He's a regular. His black neat and tidy dreads, his softly glowing mac book often graced the corner of the cafe&bakery. He presence and routine often soothed her, late afternoon Sunday, mid-day Wednesday, Friday wee hours of the morning, he was always there.

As was she, constantly slaving away. It's not often that one inherits someone's baby. That what the cafe&bakery was. It had been her Aunt's baby, born with great hopes and sheer force of will enthusiasm. In the peak of her life Linda Tuurpin died, tragically. With her death she left her favorite niece Lisa, her pride and joy. The cafe&bakery. With practiced ease she carried forth her Aunts dream, and dream that quickly became her own. Run, live, breathe for the cafe&bakery.

It became a successful and thriving business, which is what usually happens when Lisa puts her mind to something. Yet, she was so utterly alone.

And here he is peering into her eyes. His face vaguely reminding her of her old life. Of her old world. A world of magic. Looking back on it Lisa realized that she should have done more. Taken more risks, stood up for what she believed. Then, perhaps, should could have made a difference.

It was her greatest strength and her greatest weakness. Her ability to watch. Though she could watch was happening, sometimes predict what was going to happen, she never did anything about it.

Here she was again. Watching, thinking, not doing anything.

"I can tell by that fake smile you wear, that you hurt, that there's some lingering pain you're trying to forget."

He wasn't even looking her in the eye it was as if he wasn't even talking to her at all. Lisa looked around check to see that all the other customers were preoccupied. Then she sank into the chair opposite dark inquisitive stranger.

"I'm Lisa." She said twisting the rings on her finger.

"Lee." His eyes were momentarily riveted on the computer screen and then he looked up meeting Lisa's curious stare with a smile.

"You seem familiar to me." He said eyes going back to the screen.

"I feel like we've met before." Lisa wondered, could he know? Is he a-?

"What do you do?" She asked hoping for something that required no identity, no high school dipolma.

"I'm a computer programmer. I help design software."

Lisa's bubble of hope burst.

"Have you always worked in a bakery?" He asked smiling, wondering why she seemed so disappointed...Was computer programming really that bad?

"I inherited it from my Aunt, it's a family business."

"Ah." There was an awkward moment of silence. At which point neither of them knew where this was going or what they were going to do.

"Do you get off work soon?" He asked making up his mind.

"In about twenty minuets, why?" Was he going to ask her out? Lisa hadn't been on a date in...ages.

"People from my work are having a party, do you want to come?" He asked awkwardly unsure if that was the proper way to ask or not.

"What kind of party?" She was hesitant, imaging stuffy computer people in frilly dresses, suits and ties.

"Casual, just a get together really."

Lisa was nervous. What did casual mean? She looked down at her clothes. Combat boots.

"What you're wearing now is fine." He said, watching her look at her shoes.

She had forgot momentarily what she had pulled out of the closet that morning. She looked down at her combat boots and even with the three inch heel she was still only 5' 5", her striped black and white socks came above the knee and her brown corduroy skirt was just at her finger tips. Her green work apron covered her white shirt that had a purple elephant of no real significance.

Lisa raised an eyebrow, it had better be really super casual.

"Well, what do ya say?" He asked charmingly.

"Why the hell not?" She replied with a smirk, she then jumped up from her seat and returned to the counter. A slight swagger in her step.

Within the hour they stepped out of the cafe&bakery and into the night. The sky was already a deep dark black, clouds obscuring the stars, the air had a cold seeping chill that caused Lisa to pull her gray pea coat tighter and walk a little closer to Lee.

"Where are we going?" She asked as they turned down the street to a more industrial area.

"There." Lee pointed to a small ware house with multicolored lights pouring from it.

"Is this party, like, a rave?" Lisa asked, concerned and excited.

Lee nodded his head. "Yes, like a rave." He agreed.

After pushing through groups of people who were crowding outside the door trying breath smoke or fresh air, depending on what circle they were standing in, Lisa was finally able to see in side.

Lee was greeted enthusiastically by many people. By some people a little too enthusiastically. like this guy named Joe, who, after giving Lee a hug, Lee had to demand for his wallet back.

On the other hand Lisa was a different matter entirely, once she was able to take off her jacket she started dancing with with massive crowd of people, many of whom complimented her on the numerous tattoos she had decorating her arms.

One tattoo interested Lee greatly, and before he was dragged off to DJ, asked about the meaning blue and bronze raven sitting in a tree of knowledge on her left inner forearm.

"Does it have to mean anything?" She replied cheekily over the pounding base.

Lee as it turns out, was an excellent DJ, not only did he choose great music but had a great voice for a microphone, it sounded...oddly familiar.

Lisa moved with the rhythm of the music and got lost among the crowds of people, and coming out of her of usually sad mood, she looked up to see Lee watching her dance, a genuine smile on his face.

And then, finally, she felt joy.

When Lee had finished DJ-ing, Lisa had danced herself out, so they left.

Hand in hand, they walked down the street, in a quiet comfortable silence.

"Lee?" Lisa asked as the crossed an empty street.

"Yes?" He responded, his hand enclosing her tiny with warmth.

"You're not a computer programmer are you?" She asked.

"Not exactly. I'm more of a...hacker, one would say." He said sheepishly.

"That makes more sense. And don't feel bad, I would have gone out with you if you would have said hacker anyways." She replied, lightly punching his sholder.

"You're a feisty one!" He laughed, sling his arm over her.

"That's what my neighbors always say. Speaking of which, my neighbors are having a party next weekend, and they invited me and said I could bring a guest...I mean it won't be like this kind of party, it going be a more like a dinner-" But he cut her off.

"Sure, of course I'll go. It means I get to spend more time with you right?" He said with a wink.

"Indeed." She smirked.

And that's what led her where she is now. To, her sitting a table with four other people from her former magical community, and none them had any idea that she knew them, and she was also one of them.

Review? Please? Pretty please?

Review? Please? Eh?