The English Rose

The Tree Lot

The two days since her phone call with the bookshop owner were the two longest days of her life as far as she could remember. That probably wasn't entirely true but Bellatrix couldn't remember a time when she had been more excited for an event. The pacing started again and she walked back and forth in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear. Frustration had set in about twenty minutes prior, she stormed over to the intercom and pushed the button for Dora's room. "Dora! Get up here. I require your assistance," she said to the speaker.

"Be right up," she heard her niece through the speaker and then heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs. Within seconds, the pink haired girl was in her bedroom looking around at the various clothing options that were lying around the room. "Everything okay Aunt Bella?"

Bella whipped her head around, glaring at her niece, "does it look okay?" She sighed and shook her head. "Stop it, stop it, stop it," she silently scolded herself, trying to remain in control. "I can't decide what to wear." Bella relented after a minute of composing herself. "It seems I need your help," she mumbled the last part.

Dora walked over and started sorting through the various skirts and corsets, "wear to what exactly?"

"Hermione," Bella bit her bottom lip, "she asked me to go pick out a Christmas with her for the bookshop and I don't know what to wear."

Dora laughed slightly, "I don't think any of this is appropriate for a tree lot. It is snowing out there, Aunt Bella." She walked into the walk-in closet and had a look around. "Have you never been to pick out a tree before?" She asked and heard her aunt grumble in response. She found a pair of skinny black jeans and a white knit sweater and exited the closet with a pair of heeled boots. "Definitely these jeans and this sweater. Oh!" She snapped her fingers going back into the closet and coming out with a long black leather coat and black scarf. "And the coat and scarf. I'm not sure these boots are the best but you don't have any other options. Unless you want to borrow a pair of my work boots," she looked at her aunt expecting a response.

"No," she shook her head and grabbed the pile of clothing, "I don't think work boots suit me. I'll make due with this. Thank you," a sheepish blush fell on the older woman's cheeks. Bellatrix had been on many dates in her younger days but a love life had been a scarce occurrence for her during her adult life so far. "She's still with her girlfriend."

"Oh?" Dora was surprised that her Aunt was opening up.

"At least for now. She's on a work trip and won't be back for a few weeks." Bella started pacing again after depositing the clothes on her bed. "I suppose that makes me and Hermione friends of sorts." Bella chanced a glance at her niece, "tell me. Do friends hold hands?"

Dora smiled, "well friends who fancy each other do. Especially when one of the friends is planning on dumping her current girlfriend for the other friend." She walked over and pulled her aunt over to sit on the love seat in the corner of the room. "Just be yourself. The two of you have so much in common. Don't overthink it. Just go help her find a tree and maybe go be nerds together and read books after."

"I do like her Dora." Bella admitted. "Everything stays quiet when I'm around her."

*********

The time on the clock hanging above the cashier's desk read 4:45pm. The English Rose had already been closed for a half hour to the patrons with a sign reading: Closing Early for Holiday Cheer.

"Look, Ginny." Hermione was staring at her best friend, willing her to understand, "you can't just keep showing up here expecting to meet Bella." The red head just laughed. "If anything ever happens between us, trust me that I'll introduce the two of you."