The English Rose

Comfort Soup

Trigger Warning: emotional and physical abuse

The two weeks had actually passed rather quickly. Hermione found herself in the company of the dark haired woman almost everyday. Bella would show up at the English Rose around closing time each day, just taking in the quiet and enjoying a book while the owner finished her shift and closed up the shop for the night. After the Rose was closed, the pair would either go through the donation books, read together, watch televisions or just sit and talk. Spending time with the older woman was never a chore and it was an occurrence that Hermione had grown quite fond of. She looked forward to the door chiming and her Red Queen walking through the door. Bella would often slip a piece of paper in her hand before she left each evening with some sort of letter or poem written on it. The simple fact that Bella composed poetry for her, made the brunette swoon like she never had before. Yes, she wanted to explore a relationship with the older woman. It was never really a question, she just didn't let herself get swept up in the emotions. When she had met Bella, she was committed to her long term girlfriend and had every intention of making it work, now sitting by the window watching the snow fall, Hermione knew it was time.

Finally being graced with the number to Bella's direct house phone, she called up the dark haired woman before she made the half hour trip to London. The phone rang twice before she heard a voice on the other line answer, "hello?"

"Hi," Hermione couldn't help smiling at the normalcy of the phone conversation though it just started. "I'm getting ready to leave."

The other woman hummed into the phone, "are you sure this is what you want? Are you sure I'm what you want?" Hermione could hear the trepidation in the tone of the older woman and it both warmed and broke her heart.

"I've never been more sure of anything," she reassured her, "I just don't want to hurt Laura. She doesn't deserve to be hurt."

The older woman sighed into the phone, "you don't have to tell her you are leaving her because you fancy a much more compatible, and much sexier old woman."

Hermione's butterflies activated when she heard the deep chuckle of the other woman, "well no I didn't intend to tell her that. We've grown apart and it was never the most enjoyable relationship. I'm
sure she will be relieved when I tell her she doesn't have to drive out here anymore."

"She's a fool then," Bella said quietly, "I would travel any distance just to be with you."

"Okay you cannot say sweet things like that to me when you aren't here to follow it up with a hug," the sentence came out a little needier than Hermione had hoped.

"Soon enough, love. Now, are you staying the night or coming back?"

"I plan to come straight home. Let her down gently and leave. It's not like London is that far away." She let out a little laugh thinking of how Laura had complained about the distance.

"Can I take you out tomorrow? On a proper date?" Bella asked with the excitement of a small child on Christmas morning.

"What's tomorrow? Friday? I suppose I can go out..." Hermione was teasing the older woman of course she'd be available any day for her.

"Wait. Did you say Friday?" Bella's voice shifted. "I can't tomorrow. Fuck. I forgot. I kind of have this all day thing with my youngest sister. Saturday? Please say yes."

"Saturday it is." Hermione smiled into the phone though she knew the other lady couldn't see her. "I should go now. Okay?."

Neither woman really wanted to hang up and the conversation went on for another 15 minutes before they said their final goodbyes and Hermione hung up the phone. She turned off the shop lights, put her coat on, walked around to her car and started the fateful drive to break up with Laura.