Closest To Heaven That I'll Ever Be. *Complete*

16. Please Forgive Me

"What happened?" Pansy asked as she stood next to the fireplace cleaning a shelf.

"That boy....that Noah!"

"Noah Matthews? He is a hunk!" Pansy said.

"He is a bloody prick!" I snapped. "Talking about how he needs to be seen by the right people with the right people to help him climb the social ladder."

Pansy shocked me by laughing. "That's what every Pureblood says. It's how they are brought up."

"But I do not need to be with someone just to help my image. I have no interest in helping him climb anything."

Pansy laughed again. "I forgot how different we are."

"My blood is just as 'pure' as his. But you don't see me bragging and asking to be introduced to people just to make me seem better than I am. He was so nice at the beginning... until Draco showed up and -"

"Wait, Draco showed up?"

"Yeah, and then he and Noah played a great game of let's see who Addalie picks to sit with, talk to, smile at, or blink at."

Pansy laughed again. "It sounds like I missed a good tea." 

"One, I will not be in a hurry to go back to," I sighed. "How has it been today?"

"Busy," she answered, turning to me. "We have had a great day. We need to restock the skin elixir and Berry Gloss as we are out. Oh, and the Headache Helper tonic. Shall I message the warehouse?" 

"Na, I can do it. You've been on your own all day. Go and enjoy your afternoon. I can finish up here. We only have an hour left before closing anyway."

"Really? I could go and meet Laurie and Theo in The Leaky Cauldron." She sounded excited. 

"Go enjoy yourself," I smiled. 

She took off her apron and grabbed her coat and bag. "Thanks, Addie. I love you. See you later. Come to the pub when you are finished? Oh, and don't forget we are going out this weekend."

"I remember you've talked about nothing else all week. I will see how I feel when I am done here. But enjoy yourself. I will see you later." I smiled as she ran from the shop practically skipping down the street.

I put her apron on and tied it. The next hour was spent helping customers with their shopping, offering advice on anyone who was unsure and helping a lovely lady with a slight skin issue. Find the right moisturizer and makeup for her skin type. 

I had not even noticed when an owl appeared at my door until a little boy pulled on his mother's dress. "Mama, Mama, look! Birdy!" He giggled. 

I opened the door, and the bird hopped onto my arm. I brought it inside and to the counter where it dropped the envelope.

"Pwetty birdy!" He clapped his hands. 

"It's nice, isn't it?" I asked, smiling. "But be careful in case it accidentally bites. Want to pet it?"

He nodded with his eyes wide. "OK," I smiled. "I will hold him, and you can pet him." I kept one hand on the bird as I bent down, ready to stop the bird should it try to attack. "There, nice and gentle on his back... like that, yeah!"

The little boy gently stroked the bird's feathers. "Mama, look! I pet birdy!"

The woman was watching smiling. "That's nice, baby." She looked up at me. "Thank you very much."

"My pleasure," I smiled. "Now time for this birdy to head home to its family." I carried the bird over to the door, and it took off again.

When they had left and I had flipped the "open" sign to "closed" and went back to the counter. I knew the writing as soon as the bird dropped it.