I know we haven’t got the Yule Ball chapter yet, but this is what I imagine Hermione would look like that night. After reading about that gorgeous dress, I just had to sketch it.
For Let The Dark In by @senlinyu
A/N: hi peeps! so i may or may not have started writing a “princess diaries but make it norway” kristanna fic. here it is, i have it all planned but finals are coming up so i’m not sure how regular updates will be. nonethless, i hope you guys all like it!
A/N 2: the italics outside of quotation marks are anna/kristoff’s thoughts
rating: T for langauge
pairing: kristanna
wc: 2.2k
part: 1 of 9(ish?)
“Princess Anna!” An overly sophisticated voice called with a round of knocks on Anna’s bedroom door on a bright Saturday morning.
A groan escaped Anna's lips as the late morning light blinded her, “Five more minutes.”
“You’re going to be late. Again.” The voice reminded her sternly.
With a loud whine, Anna sat up and stretched, “You can come in you know.”
“I know,” the door creaked and her best friend walked in. “But personally, I’m too afraid of sleepy Anna after the first time.”
“It wasn’t that bad, it barely grazed your arm!”
“It was a heel Anna. I got 3 stitches. You should know, you paid for them.”
Anna rolled her eyes and fell back into bed. Before she knew it, Olaf was giving her the look. In fact, she didn’t even have to look at him to know it was happening because she felt it burning into her.
“Don’t say it,” Anna warned, still staring at her popcorn ceiling.
“Being this boujee in Brooklyn doesn’t pay for itself!” Olaf said, staring at her with a smirk.
“Okay there are several reasons that doesn’t make any sense,” Anna stated, finally crawling herself out of bed, making her way towards the bathroom. Olaf trailed behind, ready for her rambling explanation.
“One, we are not boujee,” she said with exaggerated air quotes, “I don’t think boujee apartments have slanted floors and broken faucets.” Anna turned the left knob of the sink, no water coming out.
“Two, it does pay for itself if you sit around looking pretty long enough in the right spot,” Anna laughed as she began to hastily brush her hair. Olaf scoffed at her, rolling his eyes.
“And finally, stop calling me princess. It’s weird.” Anna splashed her face with water once the faucet finally decided to start working.
“It’s not weird. If anything it’s a compliment,” Olaf stepped behind her in the mirror as he fixed his already overly-greased brown hair.
“I’m sure that’s what the old men at the restaurant thought when they called me over for their dinner drinks last night,” she rolled her eyes heavily as she slapped on some moisturizer. “But, they did leave a good tip. See, living in Brooklyn does pay for itself!”
Olaf scoffed and ran his hands through his hair again, “Yeah, if you are a misogynist.”
“Don’t huff! In that case, misogyny is unfortunately paying for half our rent,” Anna yanked out her makeup bag. “Now scooch because I have to get ready.”
Olaf put his hands up in defense, backing away, “I’ll see you after work tonight?”
“Duh. It’s Bachelor night.”
*************************************************
The midday sun blared on Anna’s pale skin as she climbed up the stairs from the subway station. She took a few deep breaths as she knew what had to do. Her phone read 12:25 and her shift started at 1. Without a moment to spare, she dashed down the busy street. Two more blocks. 12:26. One more block. 12:28. Just when she went to check her phone again, Anna slammed into someone.
With an oof noise, followed by a slight laugh, a familiar voice spoke, “Anna when will you learn that ten minutes early is on time in the food business?”
Anna felt her cheeks turn hot, and it wasn’t from the sprinting. Strong arms steadied her and she caught her breath. It was Kristoff, one of the senior chefs at their restaurant. Anna tried not to crush too much, keep her eyes on the hustle and whatever other millenal mumbo jumbo. But Kristoff was most definitely an exception. Not only could he cook, he was so sweet and funny. It also didn’t help that he was one of the most handsome guys she had ever seen in real life.
“Anna? You there?” Kristoff hesitantly asked as inspected her spaced out eyes that were lost on his face.
“Huh? Yeah!” She blinked several times and shrugged his hands off her arms, “Thanks for that! It was like a crazy trust fall or something.”
He chuckled lightly as he opened the wooden door for her, “Ladies first.” The redhead did not notice the pink on his cheeks.
“Thanks!” Anna squeaked, with her voice maybe a little too high pitched. She cleared her throat and headed for the back. Kristoff branched off with her at the kitchen. She turned to him, with finger guns ablazing “Catcha later!”
Kristoff gave her his lopsided smile, “Later Anna.”
Anna immediately face palmed the second she was out of his line of vision. Catcha later? Seriously Anna? That’s the best thing you could think of? She punched in and tied her black apron around her waist. 12:30:55. Great. Not only did you embarrass yourself in front of the hottest guy you know, but you were almost late because of it.
********************************
“Don’t sit around chopping carrots pretending I did not see you catch Anna on her way into work this morning,” Sven smirked to Kristoff while making his nightly rounds, making sure everyone was doing their jobs like the good manager he was.
Kristoff rolled his eyes, “I would hardly call it catching. It was more like a slamming.”
His best friend joked with him, “Ooo, slamming even better.”
“Ew! Gross dude, don’t make me call HR.”
“You’re right. That was slimy. But still, when are you gonna ask her out?”
“Sven, you’re my manager. I don’t think you should be promoting workplace relationships.”
“True. But, I am also your best friend, which comes first,” Sven affirmed. Kristoff cocked an eyebrow, looking up from his diced carrots.
“Okay, maybe paying an arm and a leg for a roof over my head comes first. But you’re definitely 1.5. And as my 1.5 priority all I am saying is that you should ask her out before someone else does,” Sven popped a diced carrot into his mouth and went to go check on the dessert station.
The thing that made Kristoff’s gut twist the most is that Sven was definitely right. And he hated when Sven was right. Maybe even more than overhearing creepy old men call Anna “princess” when the restaurant got empty later in the night. No, Kristoff hated the latter more.
Kristoff was convinced that Anna wouldn’t want to go out with him. After all, they were work buddies, or something like that. Her label, not his. But he was sick of not knowing. He has had a crush on her for months but hasn’t got the nerve to do more than open a door for her or steady her when she does something clumsy. At that moment, he made a decision, he would ask her out soon. No need to push a certain time because Kristoff always hated time limits, but soon.
*****************************
Sooner came sooner than expected. Way sooner, actually.
That night, Anna took over someone else’s shift so she ended up working until the restaurant closed. They were short staffed, so most of the other private chefs and waiters weren’t there once the end of the night neared.
Anna was wiping down tables when everyone was nearly gone, expect a young tipsy couple in the corner. Kristoff wanted to surprise her with something nice, because it’s what she deserved. In the dim lighting of the restaurant he had a small chocolate cake on a fancy floral plate. Kristoff was not a pastry chef, but he damn well did his best. His hands were gripped tight around the plate as he took a deep breath and gulped, “Anna?”
Her fiery red hair flipped as she turned around, “Hi Kristoff,” she smiled warmly up at him.
“This is for you,” he half smiled nervously back at her.
“For me?” Anna beamed so bright you could see her teeth. This made Kristoff’s stomach do backflips and somersaults. I just want to make her smile like that all the time. Jesus, that’s cheesy.
“Uhm, yeah. It’s not a big deal,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck.
“Oh, okay,” Anna’s smile faltered.
“No wait! I mean, it can be if you want it to be but, if not, I get it,” Kristoff stammered, which was pissing him off because it was making himself look ridiculous. This 6 foot, 180 pound man could not make a coherent thought to a woman he was interested in.
“What are you saying?” Anna’s forehead wrinkled in confusion.
“Do you want to go on a date with me, Anna?” Kristoff asked with the warmest smile he could, which, around Anna was not difficult.
Anna’s face went into an ‘o’ shape. Shit, she’s going to say no. It’s fine, I prepared for this all night. Right? I mean if she does say no, that’s cool. We can be friends. Anna set the plate on the bar. She smiled warmly up at him and threw herself around her. If this is a no, it’s a very excited no. He wrapped his strong arms around her in response.
“Yes!” Anna beamed. Oh thank God. Without another word, he picked her up and spun her around. She squealed in his ear, but he didn’t mind.
After setting her down, they both chuckled exasperatedly at each other. “If I knew I would have gotten a twirl like that and chocolate cake I would have made a move a long time ago,” Anna smirked and Kristoff laughed.
“I think I can do that,” they continued to just smile at each other like they were in a daze for, well, maybe longer than they should have.
“Kristoff!” One of the other private chefs called, breaking them out of their fairytale daze, “We need you on prep duty!”
“Oh, I gotta go,” Kristoff said with downturned lips.
“You have my number though, right? We can work something out over text.”
“Yeah, that sounds great, Anna,” he smiled at her again.
It felt like there was a beginners ballet class in her stomach there was so much flipping.
****************************
As Anna was going home that night, it felt as if she was walking on air. Usually, she hurries home this late at night, but tonight she leisurely walked the quiet streets of Brooklyn. (Pepper spray still in hand, of course.)
During her possibly too slow walk, she noticed a black car start to follow her. This was not unusual, but still concerning nonetheless, so Anna walked faster to the subway. Once she got underground she was still checking over her shoulder, but overall felt more secure.
The subway ride was peaceful since it was so late, the fluorescent lighting illuminating her dreams of what her and Kristoff’s first date might look like. Would it be casual or fancy? Well, Kristoff has always been a more casual guy with me, so maybe just a movie or something. But the fancy floral plate said otherwise. Oh God, what if our schedules don’t line up?!
Once Anna got off the subway and came back to the cool dark streets, she noticed the car was there waiting for her. She also noticed it had a small flag on it that she didn’t recognize at first glance, because once she saw the car again, Anna booked it back to her apartment. Today is not the day I get kidnapped. Cute guy finally wants to go out with me and I am never seen again. That’s just my luck, huh?
Anna fumbled with her keys quickly but once she got into her apartment, she slammed the door and frantically made sure all the locks were on. Out of breath, she slid her back down the door to see Olaf sitting on the couch.
“There’s good news,” she panted, “and bad news.”
“That makes two of us,” Olaf rolled his eyes, “You first.”
Anna groaned, but then smiled at her own reminder of her good news, “Kristoff asked me out tonight. And there was chocolate cake involved.”
“Fucking finally,” Olaf chuckled.
“That’s all you have to say?” Anna asked as she brought herself from the floor.
“Uh, yeah! For the longest time it was always Kristoff this and Kristoff that. It was bound to happen eventually so it just became a waiting game. But anyway I think my thing is bigger so let’s hurry this up.”
“Okay geez. Bad news, some guy followed me all the way home just now in a car with a little flag on it. Including my subway route! He knew my subway route!” Anna ranted frantically. “So if I go missing, you know why.”
Olaf’s eyes widened, “Oh, shit Anna. Uhm... We’ll figure something out.” She sighed and joined him on the couch.
“Please tell me your good news.”
“I don’t know if this qualifies as good news or… weird news. So today, a man came by dressed in all black and asked for you.”
Anna’s eyes widened, “They know where I live!”
“No no no Anna, they asked for you on behalf of the her majesty of Arendelle,” Olaf said seriously, handing her an official note with Anna’s name on it.
She said up to inspect it, “What the flying fuck would a cold European country want to do with me?” Normally, Anna would be freaking out over this because of its randomness, but she was too exhausted to process it all.
Olaf examined the note as well, “Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe you’re a lost princess or something,” he fantasized.
“Yes because I am prime princess material,” Anna stated, gesturing to her slouched position on their couch, “Tomorrow at 9 AM. That’s very early, can yo-”
“Yes I can wake you up,” Olaf rolled his eyes at his best friend’s ridiculousness.
“Now, what’s the bad news,” Anna sighed, ready to brace whatever it is he was about to hit her with.
“You missed Bachelor night, and boy was it a juicy one.”
