Millie was glad that she could count Benedict among the friends who would suffer her nerves with patience. She knew well that she retreated to them all too often, steadying her confidence with a silver necklace that had a dose of it ready for her with every touch. That led the young witch to finally remind herself of its magic, though her mum insisted it had none, when Benedict stepped off the shop floor for a moment.
It was then that she realized he might have offered her something more powerful than a spell.
When he returned, the young witch gave him a curious look, the rosy complexion already starting to fade from her cheeks again. Mr. Hunter knew as much as she did about the roles between them, and still he was becoming so open with her. So familiar. Millie wondered why the gesture wasn't bothering her as much as it should, already her lips had blossomed into a wider smile than usually offered in gratitude when accepting the bottle. "Thank you, Mr. Hunter, this might be just what he need."
Seeing Houstonia back to his own self would be its own reward for the money spent, and Millie did intend to pay him. Her mind was on his instructions while her fingers rummaged around where she kept her coin. The curious look returned again when he refused, the young witch was so focused that she hardly noticed the reappearance of Mrs. Moore, who had somehow shown up at the right time to leave. She wasn't thinking about the housekeeper's keen sense of hearing then, nor the kind of roles that the etiquette professor had them memorize early on at Hogwarts.
"I hope you won't let me be the reason your shop suffers in business," she remarked, as bold of a statement as one she had mentioned when first arriving. Millie couldn't fathom what was wrong with her today, it had to be more than the heat that was loosening her tongue. She would have no easier time with her collar loosened instead, Millie feared, though it certainly would have garnered more attention than Mr. Hunter's bared arms. Stepping across the threshold of the door being held open for her, she waved back at her friend. "You'll let me buy something next time I come, right Benedict?"
The young witch left him with a small wave, and it only dawned on her how familiar she had been as well after the breeze of High Street set on her face. Well, Benedict had just shown how good a friend he was to her, that should at least make their familiarity acceptable. Still, her face grew hot again despite the cool air, and Millie had to set her eyes forward to keep from seeing the questions being posed in her direction. Ignoring the furtive looks of Mrs. Moore the whole way home was going to make it a very long walk, indeed.
It was then that she realized he might have offered her something more powerful than a spell.
When he returned, the young witch gave him a curious look, the rosy complexion already starting to fade from her cheeks again. Mr. Hunter knew as much as she did about the roles between them, and still he was becoming so open with her. So familiar. Millie wondered why the gesture wasn't bothering her as much as it should, already her lips had blossomed into a wider smile than usually offered in gratitude when accepting the bottle. "Thank you, Mr. Hunter, this might be just what he need."
Seeing Houstonia back to his own self would be its own reward for the money spent, and Millie did intend to pay him. Her mind was on his instructions while her fingers rummaged around where she kept her coin. The curious look returned again when he refused, the young witch was so focused that she hardly noticed the reappearance of Mrs. Moore, who had somehow shown up at the right time to leave. She wasn't thinking about the housekeeper's keen sense of hearing then, nor the kind of roles that the etiquette professor had them memorize early on at Hogwarts.
"I hope you won't let me be the reason your shop suffers in business," she remarked, as bold of a statement as one she had mentioned when first arriving. Millie couldn't fathom what was wrong with her today, it had to be more than the heat that was loosening her tongue. She would have no easier time with her collar loosened instead, Millie feared, though it certainly would have garnered more attention than Mr. Hunter's bared arms. Stepping across the threshold of the door being held open for her, she waved back at her friend. "You'll let me buy something next time I come, right Benedict?"
The young witch left him with a small wave, and it only dawned on her how familiar she had been as well after the breeze of High Street set on her face. Well, Benedict had just shown how good a friend he was to her, that should at least make their familiarity acceptable. Still, her face grew hot again despite the cool air, and Millie had to set her eyes forward to keep from seeing the questions being posed in her direction. Ignoring the furtive looks of Mrs. Moore the whole way home was going to make it a very long walk, indeed.
![[Image: Aoane36.png]](https://i.imgur.com/Aoane36.png)