When Souls Collide

Chapter 2: Henry Miles Atwood

The next week went by in a blur, she only had 2 members of staff in her bookshop, one was off sick and the other she allowed time off to study for their university exams. Luna offered to help – she ran a magical creatures sanctuary called the Hagrid's Hairy Homes; she had closed it in preparation for the wedding. But Luna's "help" consisted of sitting lazily on the counter, not assisting any customers or organising any of the new deliveries of books. There was a constant stream of wedding talk coming from her mouth that was really getting on Hermione's nerves.

As if that wasn't enough, Hermione was spending all of the time she wasn't working doing wedding preparations. Although she loved Luna, spending that much time with her was really making Hermione lose a grip on reality. She was forced to close the shop that Sunday because of a terrible migraine.

Hermione was worried she would never get the chance to meet Henry before the wedding day at this rate. She was already planning what she would say when somebody outed her for having a fake boyfriend on the day. She would tell them all that she had gone to New York to become a journalist, when really she would be hiding away in Wales, working for a sheep farmer with a new identity.

But the next week was a little better. Her sick assistant had recovered, meaning Hermione finally got rid of Luna, and on Wednesday when the student came back post exams, Hermione finally had time to email her date to the wedding.

Hello Henry,

Sorry that I haven't contacted you sooner, I've been really busy with work, I hope we'll be able to meet up soon to discuss plans for the wedding. Please get back to me with a time and place convenient for you.

Sincerely,

Hermione

Hermione didn't get a reply until Thursday Morning.

Dear Hermione,

That's ok, I'm sure we can make something work, I am a professional at this after all. Meet me at the Ebony Pearl Café on Kensington High Street at 4:00 tomorrow, I'm paying. Tell the server you're meeting me, they'll tell you where to go.

Ciao,

Henry Atwood

And with that there was no turning back. Harry offered the services of her father, Xenophilius Lovegood, to help with the shop in Hermione's absence.

"Please, anything to stop him from encouraging Luna with her more outlandish wedding plans" Harry had said over the phone.

This was a decision that Hermione would later regret as he reorganised an entire bookshelf in order of how much he liked the back cover.

So Hermione set off on her bike to the café. When she arrived she was hot and sweaty, her cheeks were flushed and she panted heavily. After locking her bike to a gate, she walked over to the café. She saw that outside a shiny black limousine was parked on the yellow lines, people walked and drove past, giving it disapproving stares, but in true non-confrontational British fashion, no one did anything.

A bell tinkled as she walked into the café, it was old fashioned with dark oak wood tables and a squishy red carpet. A server approached her.

"Good Afternoon Madam, Table for one?"

"Actually I'm meeting someone, uh... Henry?"

"Oh of course, right this way"

The server gestured for Hermione to follow him behind the counter and up a wooden staircase. He led her all the way up to a heavy wooden door with a golden doorknob.

"Henry will be through there; I will come back in a little bit to take your order"

Hermione thanked him and waited until he had gone down the stairs. She nervously stood outside the door, shifting from foot to foot and smoothing down her hair. Before she could even pluck up the courage to open the door a voice came from the other side.