The English Rose

Scout's Honor

The next few days at the Rose passed by in a blur as Hermione slowly recovered from her altercation with her now ex girlfriend. The cryptic text from Laura apologizing for the past two years didn't sit well with the bookshop owner. This was just part of their endless cycle. Laura would mess up badly, apologize and weasel her way back into Hermione's life. "Not this time," she promised herself as she got out of bed Wednesday morning and headed to the kitchen to start her day with a fresh hot cup of coffee and some toast. Hermione wasn't a stupid girl, she knew that this wasn't the last she would hear from Laura but she was content enough to not let it bring her down. She was done with the depression and abuse. It was time to move onto other things like a certain dark curly haired letter writer that she was absolutely crazy about. She had not seen Bella since Monday morning when the older lady announced that she had worn out her welcome and decided it was time to leave since Hermione was making her way around the apartment better. The brunette had decided that she was going to open up the shop again after her three day hiatus from work. Hermione would have been lying if she said that didn't miss the company that the dark haired woman provided her over the course of the two days. It all seemed a little too familiar and strange at the same time but Hermione was a slave to the butterflies swirling around her stomach any time she stopped to give a thought to her Red Queen.

The Christmas season is in full swing now with only a few days left until the holiday. Hermione was excited to get a fresh start in the new year. She didn't buy into the whole 'New Year, New Me' thing but this year she was feeling the effects of the sentiment. This year she would stop living in the past and focus on her future. She was determined that this year, she would finish her book, grow the English Rose's customer base and make time to enjoy her life. After getting ready for the day, she came down the stairs and into the shop to see that her grandfather had already opened up and he was sitting in the window chairs with his favorite patrons. "How are you feeling today, sunshine?" Henry asked, looking at his granddaughter. He had been worried about her when she asked to leave the shop closed for three days. It wasn't like her to ever be sick enough to not work but he didn't press the issue. He took it at face value and told his granddaughter to take as much time as she needed to feel better.  Henry knew his granddaughter and realized that if she needed to talk to him then she would.

Hermione walked over and kissed him on the cheek, "I'm doing wonderful, papa." She looked out the window seeing the sunshine, a fresh blanket of snow and the myriad of Christmas lights adorning the store lined street. "It's a beautiful day out there. I'm starting to feel the Christmas magic."

"It's about time!" Henry laughed at the scrunched face the brunette was making, "I've been waiting for your holiday cheer to be infused in the shop. The tree is great but the smile you have during the holidays is enough to bring in the extra business."

Hermione blushed at her grandfather's compliment and waved him off, "oh stop." She said hello to the other patrons before walking outside to get the deliveries. She saw Dora outside the salon, smoking a cigarette and she waved. The pink haired girl took this as an invitation to come over for a chat because she pushed off the wall and made her way across the street, "hi Dora," she said when the other woman got into hearing range.

"Hey Alice," the other woman smirked at her, "you are looking better."

Hermione grimaced, "Bella told you?"

Tonks shook her head, "not really. She just said you had an accident and weren't feeling well. I hope everything is okay now?" She looked the girl up and down. "You seem to be in good spirits."

"I'm feeling much better," she turned around when she saw Dora staring into the shop window. Her grandfather had been staring at them. "Have you met my grandfather yet?"