What if Harry wasn't a whitelighter, just an adorable and proper English Lit professor. And what if Sephie wasn't the granddaughter of a Charmed One, just a girl that lost her way?
Chapter 1: Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar
Just then, she laid the book against her stomach and looked up at him, saying with a sigh, “Can I help you with something?”
The moment her silver eyes met his, any snappish response he was about to give became stuck in his throat. She was young, yes. At least in her face. Her eyes told a different story, however. They carried a weight and a grief that, even though he had only just met her, he wished he could erase. Haunted is what they were, but she tried to hide it behind a layer of ennui.
Harry swallowed hard, attempting to dislodge his words. Slowly, he blinked. Her eyes darted away from him in seeming relief, as if they had been somehow held captive up until the moment he set her free by blinking.
“Apologies,” he murmured, touching his chest. “I’m new in town. Just moved in last night, as a matter of fact. I… I wasn’t sure what the protocol is in your… in this shop.”
She looked faintly amused as she watched him struggle with his words, taking absolutely no pity on him by jumping in. In fact, when he was done speaking, she observed him silently for a long moment before putting him out of his misery.
Finally, she tucked one hand behind her head and pulled the book back up to her face with the other. “Protocol? It’s a bookstore. We’ve got books. We’ve got chairs. I don’t really care what you do as long as you leave me alone and you don’t steal anything.” As an afterthought, she added, “Oh, and if I catch you folding a spine or dog earing a page, you’re banned for life.”
Regardless of how rude she was being, Harry couldn’t help but chuckle. She seemed to care for the books more than she cared for talking to people, which went a long way with Harry. “Both capital offenses, in my opinion. No worries there.” He left her to her reading, disappearing into the stacks without noticing how she peered over the top of her book at him as he walked away.
