it started with a storm; closed/complete

[sensibly]

WHO: Harry Potter and Susan Pevensie
WHAT: Some good old fashioned tea time. NOT A DATE.
WHERE: Moonflower teas
WHEN: Day 127, evening.

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[aboywhosliving]

She'd lost a friend, and the seventeen-year-old wizard knew precisely how that felt. He kept his pace steady. He supposed he shouldn't have freaked out when she'd called it a date, but Cho had gone on a date with him to talk about Cedric...

His bright green eyes met her reddened one. He realized he had left so soon after defeating Voldemort, that he'd barely had time to mourn his friends' deaths. He nodded at Susan. "Hello again." Despite trying, his eyes reflected the sort of haunting look that marked one who'd seen death. "I've been trying to find chocolate around here. One place I think carries it. I was told that chocolate makes you feel better." And it really did, at least where he was from. But if she was British, surely it'd have the same calming effect.

Harry passed her and held open the door for her to walk through. "I really am sorry." He whispered.

[sensibly]

She blinked a few times, banishing the tears that suddenly sprung to her eyes when he opened the door for her. It was silly, but- that was exactly the type of old fashioned and ridiculous thing that Caspian would insist on doing, really. She smiled, bit back a sob, turned her face away so he couldn't see it while stepping inside the teashop.

A smiling woman led them to a table by the window and handed them two small menus. She sat, biting her lip somewhat awkwardly. "Thank you." it was partly a whisper, barely audible to even him. She sounded, felt, vulnerable, awkward, stricken. Susan shoved that, all of that to the back of her mind. She'd deal with it later.

Growing up as the 'mother' of her siblings she learned to do that, be the reassuring one rather than the one being reassured. She opened up her menu and smiled softly. "They have crumpets. Oh, that reminds me of home."

This time she smiled for real, the tightness in her shoulders relaxing.

[aboywhosliving]

He walked in past her and slid into the chair, slumping slightly as was the habit of a teenage boy. He picked up the menu and ordered a cup of tea. He gave Susan a half-smile. "It does, doesn't it? I miss Britain, really." It was hotter, stickier, and unpredictable here. All he'd wanted was a little peace and quiet, and he'd been dumped here. With no clue of what to do.

Harry saw her relax and did so himself. She'd lost a friend. Even a small comfort of home would help ease it. Maybe what she needed was a friend. Someone else who could relate. He'd always pushed people away, but felt driven to help her. If she'd never lost someone close... well... she shouldn't feel so alone.

"It's a little backwards here, but stuff like this makes it a little better." Small talk. At least she hadn't broken down into sobs like Cho.

[sensibly]

"I miss Britain- but not how it is now. I mean, I miss how it used to be before the war." and the bombings, and the fear, and- she shook her head and ordered a cup of tea and a plate of buttered crumpets that were set in front of them moments later. She took a sip and closed her eyes, feeling the warm liquid go down her throat, burning her tongue slightly but that was fine.

"It does! Well, I- wanted to thank you for suggesting this. Tea always made me feel better, regardless." she looked back up at him, blinking reddened eyes and staring back into vivid green ones, so bright they nearly hurt. That hollow look to them- he was someone who had experienced this over and over again.

Who was she to complain, then?

"I was wondering...if I could ask- w-who y-you lost." she lost her confidence in the last three words, staring down at the gray wool of her skirt instead. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that, it's none of my business." the last thing she wanted to do was pry.

[aboywhosliving]

Before the war? Harry couldn't remember if she'd told him when she was from. The disco was a rather fuzzy memory. "Excuse me... before what war?" He took a small sip, blowing on it before letting the water into his mouth. He gave her a small nod. "It's comforting." He agreed and bowed his head when she asked about who he'd lost.

So many people.

He swallowed and looked at her. "When I was a few months old, my parents." He paused, though, not for drama. It wasn't easy, talking like this. "A while later..." His brows furrowed. "A school... rival you might say." No, he couldn't talk about Sirius's death, or Lupin's. Lupin's was still a sore spot, and the young version did nothing to help that. He was more used to his parents' death than that of Sirius, Lupin, or the countless others.