𝑆𝐴𝑉𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝐷𝑅𝐴𝐶𝑂 𝑀𝐴𝐿𝐹𝑂𝑌

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏 - 𝐦𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭

╭────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────╮

𝐎

August 26th, 1996

Dear Margot,

I spent the better part of my morning helping Mum and at the coffee shop until Linus showed up and I could retrieve back in my corner, while occasionally taking some orders and serving some coffee.

Today is another cloudy day at Leadenhall Market, and the temperatures are slowly dropping as the summer comes to an end, which only makes the lazy students and the few, smart businessmen, who are spending their vacation in London, want to switch from a cold beverage to a hot one. Our small café in Leadenhall Market never fails to please the silent bookworm.

I remember last summer when we were entirely crippled by boredom and forced Linus to teach us how to make every hot, autumnal beverage on the menu. You always liked the apple cinnamon latte and was always concerned with how many calories are in it. I still drink it whenever I'm lonely, even when it's too hot outside. I miss you so much, Margot...

I was bent over the counter, my notebook wide open in front of me, when I saw a paper straw landing on the page before me, stopping me mid-sentence. It was for the best - the day was still young and not much had happened that I wanted to write about yet - but I was still annoyed.

"Ophelia! I am starting to doubt if you're actually here to help! Get to work, lazy pants."

Linus' dark eyes narrowed as he jumped from the paper-cup holder to the coffee machine. A bit of sweat was glistening on his forehead as he was frantically walking to and fro, making the orders.

"Sod off, Linus!" I scoffed and watched him giggle at my rudeness.

"Customer at table 4," he said and nudged to its general direction.

I took the order, made tea for the old ladies and returned to my previous, blue state.

Soon, the busy Monday turned into a slow-moving afternoon. I was waiting at the cash desk, lost in some thoughts, when I heard the bell over the door ring. I had my eyes fixed at a spot on the black and white tiled floor and when I saw the three pairs of legs showing up in my peripheral vision, I mechanically took a paper cup and my pen.

"Welcome to the Coffee Bean. What can I get you?" I said in some admittedly sombre tone.

"Is this how you greet customers? I thought this place was friendly!" said a familiar voice. I threw my eyes up to be met with the freckled face and the wide smile. Right next to him, another head with flaming locks and then in the back, green eyes behind round glasses.

"Ron! Did you grow taller? It's only been two months! How can this be?"

Ron was always the type who hugs you no matter what the occasion. It was his virtue and one that he had learned to exercise only in rare cases when it came to me, aware that I was not a touchy person. This time, however, it was the right chance to embrace me. He towered so much over me compared to our last hug, that I had to get on my toes before Ron unexpectedly lifted me up for a squeezed twirl.

"We missed you at the Burrow!" he said.

Ginny, with whom we didn't spend too much time at Hogwarts, was distantly friendly and gave me a wide, warm smile.

Then came the moment that I most dreaded. Harry Potter approached and gave me one of his rare hugs. Although he was a fairly warm person, not especially afraid of physical contact, he rarely initiated any embrace. We were similar in that particular manner.