Chapter Text
The first time Narcissa buys candy floss, she tells herself it's only because she deserves the treat after a long week.
The second time Narcissa buys candy floss, it's because she didn't get to properly see the Christmas market, and since she's already there….
The third time Narcissa buys candy floss, she wants to give some to her niece when she goes to her sister's for dinner.
By the fourth consecutive day, she has run out of excuses.
Today was a cold day, nothing out of the ordinary for a December evening in London. Narcissa wore a long cream-colored coat and earmuffs that doubled as a headband, leaving a few loose strands to frame her face. Rubbing her gloved hands together, she approached the booth.
"Good evening,"
"Looks who's back again," the seller said, with her bright smile, ever present on her face.
"Yeah," Narcissa returned the smile, "It's me again."
Somehow, her smile grew even bigger as she said, "Okay, let me guess, the pink one again?"
Narcissa furrowed her eyebrows for a bit but chucked lightly, "Am I that predictable?"
"I like that," the blonde answered, preparing a cone to spun the cotton candy around, "Predictability. It means that you are coming back."
Narcissa was rendered speechless, and before she could even think of a reply, the seller continued talking.
"How is that that you are my most loyal client and yet, i don't even know your name." she shock her head "It's terrible. Oh, mine is Pandora by the way."
"Pandora," Narcissa repeated, testing how it felt on her lips.
And in a blink of an eye, the candy floss was ready. As Pandora handed it to her. When Narcissa reached for it, she said "Narcissa."
Pandora smiled warmly again, "See you Narcissa, today's is on the house."
She could feel the blush spreading on her cheeks, and wished it was because of the cold.
"Thank you, see you Pandora."
Narcissa turned and started her way home.
Pandora.
It was really fitting, she looked like the type of curious person that would have looked inside the box.
Narcissa smiled to herself and silently eat her cotton candy.
Was it the eighth time? The ninth time? that she went to her favourite booth of the Christmas market. She had lost count. Ever since she found out that Pandora had memorized the type of candy floss she always ordered, Narcissa had made an effort to try a new flavor. Failed efforts, really. The original was her favorite, and if that worked for her, why change it? So she had begun to ordered the plain pink one again.
It was always like this: Narcissa would arrive, they would talk for a bit while Pandora prepared her candy floss, and then Narcissa would leave. If it were up to her, she would stay there longer, but she didn’t want to bother her while she was working. But today was different.
"You are early today," Pandora noted, tilting her head to the side when she saw Narcissa approaching.
"I could leave work early," Narcissa said with a smile, nodding.
"That's good!" She returned the smile, as always, and began preparing the candy floss without even asking.
"It really is. I'll use this unexpected free time to buy a present for my niece, that's the only one i have left to buy".
"I can go with you, if you want," Pandora suggested, without adverting her gaze from the candy floss forming around the cone.
"Huh?" Narcissa let out, very eloquently of her.
"My brother is covering up for me the rest of the afternoon," Pandora explained, "He'll do that for the next couple of days actually".
"That’s, hum, that's nice of him," Narcissa finished, then hesitated again, fingers tightening inside her gloves. "And… that would be nice." She nodded, reassuring herself, "To go together, I mean."
When Narcissa mustered up enough courage to look at Pandora, she had already lifted her gaze from the cotton candy machine. Her eyes were bright, smile softer than before.
"Yeah?" Pandora asked.
Narcissa nodded again. "Yes, I'd like that," and, unable to stop herself of control her own mouth, she added "We can go have a coffee after, my treat."
A faint pink crept into her cheeks, she chose to believe it was from the cold, and not the sudden thrill of saying it out loud.
Pandora blinked, looking at Narcissa, as if weighing options. Oh, Narcissa thought, I've screwed it up. Before she could start apologizing, Pandora's soft smile turned into a full grin. Now it was Narcissa's turn to simply blink at her.
"Coffee? That sounds dangerous, Narcissa."
Narcissa laughed despite herself, "How so?"
"Well, you see," Pandora began, carefully lifting the finished cloud of pink sweetness that Narcissa loved, "It might turn into hot chocolate. Or pastries. Or sitting somewhere warm and comfortable for far too long."
She handed the candy floss to Narcissa, their fingers brushing and making the shade of pink in Narcissa's cheeks to grow even darker.
"I suppose I can live with that risk," Narcissa replied, their hands still touching.
Pandora's brother chose that exact moment to appear behind the stall, tying on his apron.
"Go," he said, mirth in his eyes, the same colour as Pandora's, "I've got this."
Pandora took a step back and turned to face his brother, "Thank you, Evan."
She shot him a grateful look, and he waved her off. Pandora turned to look at Narcissa again, "Give me a minute?"
"Sure," Narcissa answered, "I'll be right here."
True to her word, Pandora was next to Narcissa in less than five minutes. Standing so close, Narcissa could smell the vanilla and candy clinging onto her. She was wrapped in a scarf and a deep red coat, hair falling like a waterfall to the middle of her back. Pandora looked like a winter fairy, it was mesmerizing.
She snapped Narcissa out of her thoughts by asking, "Ready to go?"
"Oh, of course. This way?" Narcissa tilted her head to the nearest aisle. When Pandora nodded, they started to walk. "Do you want some?"
"Now that you offer, yes!" She cupped her hands, waiting for Narcissa to drop some candy floss into them, "I'm surrounded by it all day, every day, but i never eat it."
"That should be against the law," Narcissa replied, "to spend so much time next to candy floss and not eat it. Take as much as you want, we can share it."
And so they did.
It felt different to walk side by side instead of standing across the counter, it felt… nice. They drifted past stalls, searching for a fitting gift for Nnymphadora, and Narcissa noticed how passionate Pandora was about the lights and decorations, if the way she pointed out her favourites and commented on almost every one was any indication. It was endearing.
Once they found the gift, they began looking for a café near the market, eventually spotting one a couple of streets back, windows all fogged and inviting.
"This is nice," Pandora said once they were seated in a small round table. "I don't usually get to see the market from this side."
Narcissa smiled, wrapping her fingers around her cup, "I'm glad to hear that, Pandora."
After a couple of pastries with coffees turned to hot chocolates, and plans for the next two afternoons made, they said their goodbyes outside the café.
It had been a lovely evening, and during the walk home, Narcissa couldn't stop thinking about how, at one point, Pandora had reached for her sleeve to stop her from walking into a group of children while they were looking for a place to have a café. She specially couldn't get over how Pandora had kept her hand on Narcissa's arm for the entire walk, neither of them commented on it.