BUBBLEGUM VIPER

The Leaky Cauldron had been dead for the last hour now. Only Charlie and handful of other people remained seated around the different tables in the small pub. The tea he had ordered sat forgotten at the far end of the table from when he had ordered it hours ago. Papers, parchment and a few reference books were strewn across the table he sat at, lines of writing and illustrations scribbled out on the sheet closest to him. Charlie had been working since the early morning on the chapter of his book. Since then, he had managed an astounding two illustrations and a page of writing.

Running his ink smudged hands through his hair, Charlie sighed and closed his eyes, regretting his decision to leave the constant travel and field research he was accustomed to in order to write his reference book. He was dragged from his thoughts by the scrape of the chair to his right. “Sorry, that seat is taken.” He said, his eyes still closed.

Pansy really needed to stop being so nice, apparently. She never, ever lent out her office supplies - ever. She spent far, far too much money on getting the perfect shade of ink or the quill that quivered just so to let someone else muck up her organizational and carefully styled system. However, gracious as she was, she allowed a new correspondent at the Prophet - a year below her at Hogwarts, a Hufflepuff, recently moved in with her girlfriend and their two dogs - to borrow one of her quills. Granted, it was one of her least favorites - but it was hers, goddammit, and that should have been respected. 

All of this is to say, the girl lost Pansy’s quill during her interview at the Leaky Cauldron. Pansy was beyond pissed, though her rage was simmering lower now after she made the girl cry and promise to buy her a new quill that was up to her standards. The other girl had told her where she had been sitting when she misplaced the quill and Pansy headed straight towards the table, paying no mind to the man already sitting there. He seemed to be engulfed in his own work so she assumed he wouldn’t notice if she glanced around the floor beside him. At the sound of his voice, she turned, arching a brow. “Right,” she offered a tight smile, though she highly doubted that this man was expecting company. He was good looking - obviously, Pansy wasn’t blind - but the obviously cooled tea, the pile of books, scattered parchment, and ink stained arms gave Pansy the impression that he wasn’t waiting on a date. “I’m not sitting or anything, I’m just trying to find something.” She finished, glancing down after a beat to see what he was working on. Her eyebrows shot into her hairline, curiosity and excitement overtaking her as she spotted a familiar sketch. “Is that an Ukrainian Ironbelly?”

“Coming right up,” Hannah replied, using her best customer-service smile. During school, she’d mostly managed to pass beneath the notice of Pansy and her friends, but the interactions they did have… well, they weren’t precisely pleasant. Still, they’d been kids, so she tried not to hold it against the other witch. Hannah had survived worse than her, after all.

Once she returned with the drink, she paused to add, “I like your earrings. They suit you.” It was a poor excuse for an olive branch, but everyone needed a compliment every now and then.

Pansy offered Hannah a tight smile before turning her attention back to her work. Hannah wasn’t really on Pansy’s radar throughout school - she tended to gravitate more towards Gryffindors with sky high egos and self-righteousness that could be poked at with ease. Hufflepuffs were more fodder than anything else; she saw picking them apart to be far too easy, something only to do when one was bored out of their mind. Nevertheless, she remembered her. But then again, she remembered everyone. 

Upon hearing footsteps, Pansy glanced up to meet Hannah’s gaze. Her eyes roved over the other woman’s form - assessing, judging, praising all at once. At the compliment, however, Pansy smiled. “Thank you,” she said, lifting her hand to touch the dangling emeralds and diamonds. “They were a gift. Well,” she paused, shrugging her shoulders. “I bought them for myself, but it was in celebration, so,” she flicked a piece of her hair behind her ear, “I consider them to be a gift.”

Harry had picked little Teddy Lupin up especially early that morning; he had the morning free of any obligations and apparated over to Mrs. Tonks’ place at six that morning to give her the day to herself without a rambunctious toddler to take care of. After hours of pushing the little boy on the swing and cramming himself into the swirly slide because Teddy was too afraid to go down alone, he was exhausted, having fallen asleep in his godson’s toddler bed while reading his bedtime story. 

With his hair even messier than usual and a drawing of the two of them clutched in his hand, Harry headed out, deciding to stop for a dinner that didn’t have the crusts cut off and walked in the Leaky Cauldron, jumping back slightly when he nearly knocked into a familiar face with the door. “Sorry, I didn’t see you at first.”

Okay. So. Pansy knew that she spoiled her pets; she knew it and she didn’t need any reminding by her friends or the chef at the nearby diner telling her so, thank you very much. Maybe it was a bit much to give Teacup and Cordelia cooked meat such as filet and burgers rather than cat food and raw meat respectively, but her babies deserved it. Teacup was growing pickier by the minute and she recently decided that she only wanted fish and chips from this little 24-hour diner across the street from Pansy’s flat. Well, she specifically wanted said fish and chips right when Pansy was deciding to have her bath. After she flung her third dish into the wall, Pansy knew there was no getting around it. 

Getting dressed - because there was no way in actual hell that Pansy would leave her flat without makeup, artfully tossled hair, and at least four inch heels - she headed to said diner. After ordering Teacup’s favorite and a treat for Cordelia, Pansy leaned against the panel beside the door. Hearing her order called, she headed to the counter, right as someone slammed the door open. “Merlin’s fucking beard,” she hissed, rubbing her elbow where the door hit her. “Would you please watch where you’re-” she cut herself off as she took in the sight of Harry fucking Potter. She pursed her lips, stepping back ever so slightly, ready to reach for her wand should he decide to curse her. Clearing her throat after a beat, she squared her shoulders. “Right then, watch where you’re going then, Potter.”