With Love, || N.B.

𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆

The pair hopped down the steps, leaving the shop behind them.

"Alright," Narcissa sighed. "Where is this muggle mall?"

"Just up the street!" Eleonora chirped.

The two continued in silence, walking up the street and dodging rushing crowds. Twenty minutes had passed by and Narcissa had to stop to catch her breath.

"This," she panted, "this is not 'just up the street'."

"Oh I know," Eleonora grinned. "We have to take the underground."

Narcissa paused, looking up at Eleonora. "The what?"

"You'll be okay," Eleonora laughed, dragging Narcissa towards the entrance to the Baker Street Underground Station.

Eleonora took them to the ticket booth, smiling at the man. "Hello! Two tickets please! Zone One and Two!"

"Total is eleven pounds, miss," the man responds.

Eleonora looks over at Narcissa who seems confused. "What-? Oh! Right." She digs through her small purse, pulling out two notes and handing them to Eleonora.

After retrieving the change from the kind man who both complemented their robes ("I've never heard of whatever a Hufflepuff or a Slytherin is, but they're really neat! D'you know where I could get one?") and giggling at his cluelessness, they headed toward the crowd.

The rumbling of the train shook under their feet as they stepped closer to the yellow line. Narcissa placed her hands over her ears, laughing. "It's a bit loud isn't it?" she shouted.

Eleonora laughed back. "Of course it is! That's part of the whole experience! If you aren't deaf by the time we get onto the train, you haven't truly experienced the underground, Cissa!"

The train lighting up her silhouette, growing closer and closer, Narcissa froze, her hands coming down from her ears. "'Cissa'?"

Eleonora turned her head, smiling. "Well if you have a little nickname for me, it's only fair I have one for you."

As the train slowed to a stop, Narcissa smiled back, averting her eyes. Eleonora took her hand, pulling her onto the train after the people cleared from the door, taking her to the back of the car.

"After you," Eleonora chirped.

Making themselves comfortable, they sat beside the window. A sinking feeling made itself present in the pit of Narcissa's stomach. "What time is it?" she asked.

Eleonora glanced out the window where a large clock was hung on the station wall. "A little past two, why?"

"Oh, I dunno," Narcissa rambled. "I just don't want to be caught not at Hogsmeade."

"It's alright," Eleonora chuckled. "We should be back by dinner."

Narcissa nodded her head in response, not completely convinced.

The train lurched forward, speeding up. Eleonora looked at the mapped above them, marking their route. "Alright, looks like we only have a couple stops. Then the mall is right up the street from the station."

"How long will it take to get there?" Narcissa asked, growing tense.

"To the next station? Erm...probably fifteen, maybe twenty minutes? No more than twenty-five."

"Oh," Narcissa flashed a half-smile. "That's not too bad."

After five minutes of staring out the window, Narcissa rummaged through her bag, looking for something to do. She sighed, finding a napkin and an everlasting quill she bought from Zonko's.