Modern No-Magic AU Drarry

Chapter Twelve

Going on his tiptoes, Harry's voice strained as placed a large box of paper cups up on a shelf. "I could have sworn I had this shift with Malfoy."

"Apparently not," Luna said airily, wiping down a bench. "Hey, it's a caterpillar."

"It's not like him to pull out from shifts," Harry continued.

"I wonder when it will turn into a butterfly?"

"McGonagall doesn't ever change shifts with such short notice." He frowned. "I even checked this morning."

Her skirt falling down below her knees, Luna began taking off her apron. "I'm sure she had a reason."

"He didn't even turn up for his shift yesterday," Harry folded up the stool he refused to use. "I'm telling you, Luna, this isn't like him."

She shrugged. "It isn't like for caterpillars to be inside cafes, either. But maybe they just want to live for once, to find out what they've been missing out on. You know?"

"So you're saying... that Malfoy felt trapped here and wanted to experience life and not be surrounded by the same thing every day?"

"I'm more saying that there is a caterpillar in our cafe when it should be in the garden."

"Oh."

With Harry following her into the back room, Luna tied up her hair in a loose ponytail. "Have you asked Miss McGonagall? I think perhaps she might be the best person to answer, considering she's the one who changed Draco's shift."

Harry crossed his arms. "I can't just text her. We don't have... whatever type of relationship you need to do that."

"You could ask her."

Trying not to lose his patience, Harry slid his hands underneath his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "How am I meant to ask McGonagall if she never comes to the shop, Luna?"

"Suppose you could try using your eyes which you were generously gifted with since birth, Mr Potter."

Trying not to look like he was just caught with his hand in the metaphorical cookie jar, Harry grimaced and slowly turned around. "Miss McGonagall, er, fancy seeing you... at your shop. Um."

"I can only assume you have a perfectly reasonable explanation for standing idly by when in the middle of your shift."

Unable to fumble for a response, Harry just stared up at the older lady sheepishly. 

McGonagall, standing firmly upright, her dark yet greying hair tied back in a tight bun, perked an eyebrow expectantly. "Well? Get back to work, then. Even considering your circumstance, that is no excuse to slack when it comes to work."

"My... circumstance?" Harry asked quizzically.

For a moment, McGonagall's expression froze. He hasn't told him? But then it quickly faded back into her stern, tight-lipped face. "No matter. I will be completing paperwork over on the corner table, don't let me distract you."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Harry politely nodded, not daring to question why the cafe's manager out of the blue decided to complete her work in the actual restaurant. "Have fun, Miss."

The bell on the front door tinkling, Ginny made her way into the cafe, hugging her bag to her chest. "Hey Harry, we have Nev getting here in about five minutes and the poor man needs a coffee, can you get that started?"

"Of course." Grinning, Harry walked over to the coffee machine, grabbing a cup.  "I'm assuming he doesn't want the plastic lids that ruin the environment he keeps telling us about?"