The English Rose

The Best of Intentions

The headlights shining through the window brought the bookshop owner out of her daze and back into a sobering reality. She was about to kiss or rather be kissed by the beautiful woman sitting beside her amongst a pile of books while her girlfriend took the time to drive out to the country to visit her. Hermione had a rush of feelings and emotions and she wasn't sure she had time to sort through all of them appropriately. She desperately wanted to explore whatever was going to happen with the dark haired woman sitting next to her but she was committed to another woman. "Fuck fuck fuck," was currently running through the frazzled woman's mind. She looked over to her letter writing partner and saw a grin spreading across her face as she leaned forward slightly to carefully look out the window.

"So," she spoke with an underlying tone of amusement in her voice, "that's 'The Laura' then?" Bella raised an eyebrow before adding, "cute enough I suppose," and laughing at the afronted look on the brunette. "I mean, no. That's exactly what I meant," another cackle. "Didn't think I'd have the opportunity to meet her so soon."

"Don't. Please." Hermione hurried to stand up, reaching down to pull up the other lady. "Please just help me out here."

Bella scratched her chin pretending to think, "but I haven't decided on which books to take. I can't possibly leave yet. Should I exit out the front door? I can hold it open for Laura. Welcome her properly to the neighborhood and all." Another small laugh, "well what do you suggest love. You clearly want me to leave so am I to crawl out the window? Hide in the closet and wait until you have her preoccupied? Hmm? Which would you prefer? Or maybe you can tell her that you are already hosting another at your house tonight?"

Hermione was frantic. This was not how she expected the night to end. She wasn't sure what the other woman was playing at. Clearly, the moment they shared was over and her companion switched from romantic poet to sarcasm in the span of a minute. "Don't take this the wrong way but there's a fire escape out of the kitchen. Could you maybe..." she grabbed the older woman's hand and started to pull her towards the back door. When she opened the door, she turned and looked at Bella, "please. I'm sorry to have to ask this of you."

Bella looked out the door at the questionable fire escape then turned to look at Hermione. She dragged her finger up and down her own body. "Does this look like a fleeing down a fire escape outfit to you?"

"No, not really." Hermione sheepishly smiled. "I wouldn't ask if I wasn't about to have a panic attack."

"Fine," Bella mumbled. "I'll guess I'll go. Leave the books with my niece and I'll grab them at some point this week." She started to walk out the door and more mumbling could be heard, "in my 41 years I've never been asked to flee a girl's house before..."

"Bella," Hermione called after her, "I'm sorry. I wasn't ready for you to go."

"Well I can't say that I was entirely ready to leave yet but here we are," Bella looked over her shoulder, "so tell me...what do you want?"

She cast her eyes down, "I don't know what I want," she truthfully confessed.

Turning her gaze back down the rickety stairs, Bella quietly responded, "That much is clear, Alice. When you figure it out, let me know."

When the older woman was out of sight, she closed and locked the back door, closed the spare bedroom where the two tea cups were and ran down the stairs to open the door for Laura who just then knocked announcing her arrival. Hermione put on a smile and threw open the front door, "what are you doing here?"

"Surprise?" Laura said as she pulled Hermione into a tight embrace. "I missed you so much and had to come see you. This hug was all I could think about for weeks now."