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The bell dings as someone walks through the door and oh, it's Severus. Arthur wonders if Perkins put in the biscuits yet. Severus's hunched over and he slowly clomps his way to the register. Arthur watches the steadily growing trail of snow behind him and tries to remember where he last saw the mop.
"Hello!" he finally greets and Severus, panting, puts an arm on the counter. "Bit windy out, is it?"
"Something like that." Severus finally looks up at Arthur, snow falling off his hood. Severus' face is absolutely red and Arthur can see some ice already. Yeah, Severus needed to be warmed up.
Arthur takes a step back and begins making Severus's usual order. Coffee, two lumps of sugar, and it's a simple order. He hands it over to Severus who takes it with ungloved hands. Severus’s fingers are stuck together and Arthur hopes that'll go away. Severus takes a sip.
"The biscuits will be out... Eventually." Actually, Arthur should probably check on Perkins, he hasn't seen Perkins in a while. There's some noise from the kitchen and Arthur looks back. Perkins peers around the doorway.
"Ah, Severus, you're here!" Perkins checks his watch. He looks slightly panicked.
"Biscuits?" Severus asks hopefully. Perkins looks more panicked.
"Yeah." Perkins disappears back into the kitchen and Arthur hears some swearing. Arthur sighs. Perkins needs some refreshers on customer service and more reminders on actually doing what he’s supposed to do. There's clanging which Arthur identifies as the trays and then the refrigerator. He looks back to Severus who's looking at him expectantly.
"Biscuits haven't been made yet," Arthur says.
"No?" Severus takes another sip and stares down at the counter. His face looks less red but more blotchy. His fingers don't look much better. Arthur taps the counter.
"My fault, didn't tell him to make more biscuits," Arthur lies smoothly. Severus slumps. "Sorry."
"I can wait, it's fine," Severus says. "Class was cancelled so I have some time before I have anywhere to be." With his free hand, he unzips his coat. He's wearing a sweater that Arthur identifies as something Molly used to sell at the shop before leaving.
"How come you came at all? I know it's on the way but if there isn't class..."
"Don't have a coffeemaker."
There's more, judging by the way Severus ducks his head and the way he grips his coffee a bit. Arthur doesn't push.
"Live about ten minutes away, right?"
Severus looks up with wide eyes. "Yeah, how did you remember that?"
"You're a regular, I'm supposed to remember that sort of stuff." Arthur glances up at the clock. About thirty minutes until the biscuits would be ready. That is, assuming Perkins put them in.
"You live nearby?" Severus asks. Arthur laughs.
"Upstairs, yeah." Arthur jerks his head back at the kitchen. "Perkins lives next door."
"What about Molly?"
It isn't a sensitive topic, honest. Divorces happen every day and sometimes, sometimes the kids choose to go with their mother instead. It's fine that Arthur's left behind, running a shop he hadn't even wanted in the first place, the one Molly started and named. The shop called Molly's.
"Hm, around an hour," Arthur says finally. "I'm not entirely sure on the commute."
"Sounds bad." Severus sighs. "Wouldn't want to work here if I lived that far away."
"Yeah, that's why she quit." It isn't the entire truth but customers don't need to know that sort of stuff.
"Ah, so that's why I haven't seen her lately."
It's been two years. He's had to put up with regulars asking after Molly, Bill, Charlie, everybody, for two years.
Arthur nods.
"She had nice sweaters."
"Made excellent scones," Arthur says wistfully. The shop used to have lines that'd go for ages just for the scones. All that profit, gone.
"Was the shop named after her?"
"She was the owner."
"Oh."
There's silence then Severus puts down his cup. It's empty. Should Arthur offer a refill?
"Who's the new owner then?"
"Me, I suppose." Arthur had filled out the paperwork, he's done everything to ensure he's the rightful owner of the shop. He isn't about to risk the chances of Molly coming back and deciding she wants the shop again. Just because he didn't want the shop doesn't mean he doesn't mind working there now. He's fond of the regulars.
Severus who always gets black coffee with two lumps of sugar. Mad-Eye who insists on changing up his order every time but always comes back at closing time for a soothing cup of tea. McGonagall who gets a muffin and a cup of Earl Grey tea. Flitwick who gets gingerbread whenever it's available and pumpkin pie and swears he won't get any the next day but always breaks that promise. Every one of his regulars matters to Arthur, he doesn't want to close shop and let them down.
"That's nice," Severus says. "You thinking about renaming?"
"To what?" Arthur looks up at the clock. Twenty minutes. "Molly's is a fine name, short and simple."
"Arthur's?"
"That sounds terrible."
"It's your name!"
Severus laughs and Arthur smiles at the sound. Retail isn't exactly rewarding but it's his regulars who cheer him up every time. Severus barely smiled or laughed so it was always nice when he did. Severus meets his eyes and reddens a little.
"I don't think I'll rename," Arthur says finally. "Want some more coffee?"
"I'm warm enough now." Severus takes off his coat.
"You can sit, if you'd like, there's no danger of losing your place in line."
"No, it's fine."
Arthur really should mop up but he's hesitant to leave Severus standing at the register alone. Severus plays with his hands a little and his fingers look in a much better shape. Arthur might offer Severus his gloves. Unlike Severus, he doesn't have to go out in such terrible weather, thank god.
"Do you like coffee?" Severus blurts out and Arthur blinks.
"Not, not particularly."
"Tea?"
"Sure, yeah." Arthur looks at Severus questioningly. Severus reaches into his pocket and fumbles with his wallet. "You don't have to pay yet, it's fine."
Maybe he should offer everything for free right now. Bad enough Severus walked to the shop, he shouldn't have to pay for it.
"No, no," Severus mutters and pulls out exact change. Arthur puts it in the register and picks up a new cup automatically. Oh, he should pretend he did that on purpose.
"Want a refill?" Arthur asks again and Severus shakes his head. Arthur puts away the cup. He looks up at the clock. Five minutes left.
"Biscuits should be ready soon."
"You could sit with me."
"What?"
"I mean..." Severus gestures around the shop. "I don't think anybody's coming in."
"I suppose." Arthur looks back at the kitchen. He probably should take the biscuits out, he thinks Perkins' napping right now. "I'll go and check on Perkins."
Yes, he's leaving a customer alone but it's Severus. It'll be fine. Arthur steps into the kitchen and Perkins' in the corner furthest away from the heat. He's leaning back, eyes closed.
"Perkins," he says and Perkins jolts awake.
"Oh shit, did it burn?"
"No, go sleep somewhere else."
Perkins stands up slowly and rubs at his eyes. He stretches and Arthur heads for the oven. He opens it and there's only one batch cooking away. Honestly, he should hire another worker, Perkins really isn't in any shape to be doing labour like this.
"I'm sleeping in the guest room," Perkins calls out and Arthur hears him leave the kitchen. He puts on oven mitts and leans into the heat of the oven. There's a short muffled conversation between Severus and Perkins.
Arthur pulls out the tray and closes the oven door with his foot. He hears footsteps headed up the stairs and he stares blankly at the biscuits. Perkins didn't make gingerbread, thank god, Arthur really doesn't have time to decorate the biscuits. Arthur probably should get moving but he closes his eyes and listens. The quiet piano music plays and Arthur wonders if he should change up the background music a bit more often. If he focuses hard, he can hear footsteps from upstairs.
Winter was always bad for him. It's the darkness and the coldness that get to him. During the summer, it wasn't as bad, there was a bit more of the sun. Rain was nice to hear and felt nice. He can't hear snow, there’s no tapping or anything. There's no distraction at all. Arthur sighs. He needs to get moving, he has a customer waiting.
When he shows up in the front with the biscuits, Severus brightens up considerably.
"You probably should let them cool off a bit before eating," Arthur warns. Severus nods slowly and holds out a hand. "I've got to put these away first."
Finally Severus gets his biscuit and Arthur's starting to go for the mop but then Severus clears his throat.
"You want something to drink?" Arthur asks but Severus shakes his head.
"You should sit with me."
"I'm not exactly fun to be around." Arthur shrugs and grabs the mop from the cupboard. He turns back to Severus.
"It's fine." Severus shifts the coat to his other arm. "I'm not either."
"Okay," Arthur says slowly. "Okay, just let me clean up real quick then I'll join you."
It's a bit unnerving to have someone watch his every move but he manages to mop up quickly and grab two cups of tea. Arthur makes sure the second cup is Severus' usual order of tea. Severus rarely orders tea but Arthur memorized the order anyway. Arthur heads to the table Severus picked and sits down. He pushes the second cup towards Severus.
Severus takes the cup, takes a sip then blinks. "You remember this?" Arthur just shrugs.
"How's the biscuit?"
"It's good as always."
It isn't as good as it was when Molly was around. Arthur isn't as good of a baker as she was. The dough just isn't the same, Arthur supposes, or he's doing something wrong. Nobody seems to have complained, he's only gotten compliments.
"So, what do you do for fun?" Severus drinks a bit more from his cup. Arthur takes a sip. He doesn't like this brand of tea, he isn't sure why he would make himself this.
"Oh." Arthur looks down at his cup. "I've been a bit busy with the shop lately..."
He doesn't remember the last time he's really done anything for fun. He tries to make what he has to do fun. Chores were set up on a wheel so he could decide on a reward before randomly selecting a chore. He sings whenever cleaning the kitchen after closing time, he does everything he can to make his job entertaining. But, just for pure fun? Just for his own entertainment and with no purpose? No.
"Yeah, that's understandable." Severus taps his fingers. "There's a mini golf place, it's pretty nice. Should go when the weather isn't as bad."
"Maybe I will." Arthur leans back.
"There's a film playing tomorrow." Severus takes a longer sip. "Some of my students made it."
"Planning to see it?"
"Yeah, they gave me two tickets."
"Oh, who are you taking?"
"Haven't asked anybody yet."
Arthur takes another sip and sighs. He wonders if Mad-Eye's coming in at closing time. Probably not, he remembers Mad-Eye lives a bit further away. He only comes in twice a week. Whatever he came for is probably cancelled because of the snow.
"Snow should be cleared away tomorrow, I think they'll play the film no matter what."
"You know what it's about?"
"Er, mad scientist sort of thing. Not horror though, I think it's comedy."
"Fun."
Severus teaches chemistry, Arthur recalls. Organic chemistry. Arthur never liked chemistry or science. He never really liked school.
"You could come." Severus shrugs. "I've got a ticket."
"No, no, I wouldn't want to impose."
"It's fine." Severus leans forward. "Honest."
Arthur hasn't seen a film in ages. He had thought about majoring in film studies but never went to uni since the timing was all wrong. Films used to be his favorite thing.
"Well." Arthur did miss seeing films. Severus is looking at him hopefully and Arthur's never been very good at saying no. "Shop is closed tomorrow."
"Yes! It all works out well, doesn't it?" Severus pats Arthur's hand then leans back far from him, face slightly red.
"You can walk me down to wherever it is, you know where I live."
"Yes, yes, I can," Severus says quickly. "It's a date."
Oh.
Well, that explains a lot.
Severus winces.
"I mean, you know what I meant."
Severus isn't usually like this. It's nice, seeing Severus like this. He looks flustered and so hopeful. Arthur smiles a little.
He hasn't been on a date since Molly left. It's been two years, he probably should try something new.
"I don't mind."
"What?"
"I don't mind if it's a date."
Severus relaxes instantly and manages a smile at Arthur.
"You'll like the movie, I swear."
If Arthur doesn't, he'll just go on another date with Severus. That could be his fun activity.