Ruby strolled through her favourite shop, the smile on her face grown with each book she picked up. This was definitely one of the things she missed whenever she was at school. She tried to come to Flourish at Blotts weekly, and she had the terrible habit of spending hours in the shop, sat at the tables and flicking through books to decide whether or not she wanted to purchase it. She was currently pawing through a book on Dark Creatures and ways to fend them. Her main focus at the moment was on a chapter about boggarts, sure she'd come across one before in person, but it was interesting to read about how other people approach it and what their worst fears and best memories and a variety of similar situations were like, she closed the book and tucked it under her arm, deciding she would purchase it. 


The redhead scanned the large shop, deciding she wanted to go and look at books on magical creatures - the good ones this time. She started in the direction she knew the shelf to be when she stopped in her tracks as she saw a familiar figure pass her, Ruby felt herself grow nervous and stood frozen. Did she really just see him? He did mention something about working here, but she'd forgotten. Ruby began to chew on her bottom lip before a mischievous idea formed in her mind. With a grin she followed in the direction the figure and gone. When she reached @caleb, she cleared her throat and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find the books on magical creatures?" She asked sweetly. 


Ruby felt she'd lucked out this time, surrounded by books and cute staff, she didn't think her little shopping trip could have gotten any better than it had just become.

The boy thanked a customer as he completed their purchase and they left the shop and he headed into the back room to gather a few more books to stack onto the shelves. He enjoyed working at the bookshop. At least he had books to occupy himself with if ever the shop was quiet. But he expected it to pick up soon enough even if it was summer holidays. People still bought books be it textbooks or something to read on their next trip. He supposed that Muggles and magical folk were kind of alike like that. Caleb at least could related to that. Obviously the books that Flourish and Blotts sold were vastly different compared to that of Muggle bookshops.

The blonde boy walked out of the backroom with a stack of books on potion making in his arms. He passed by the table not looking at who was sitting there. Of course he didn’t want to disturb them. He then realised so many hours had passed already today and he hadn’t thought of her. Well that was about to change he smiled to himself and he began to place the books on the shelf. Feeling someone tap his shoulder it broke him out of his trance, hearing the all too familiar voice he smile widened into a grin. About time he told himself. Turning around, grin still in place he looked down at the girl whom he though was dressed in a very pretty fashion today. “Of course miss, right this way, follow me” he said in a very professional voice. Leading her over he stopped in the aisle where the books on magical creatures were kept. “So Ruby, how are you?” he asked slightly blushing. He wasn’t sure if his day could get any better but right now it was a good start.

Ruby smiled and began to look at the shelves, reading the spines of each. She glanced to her side and shot him a coy smile when she noticed the blush giving him away. "I'be been good, what about you? How has the new job been suiting you?" She gestured around the shop as she spoke.

She picked up a book and opened it to the contents, taking her time to read through it whilst she waited for Caleb to reply, a curl from her messy bun fell loose and she moved it slightly out of her sight before looking down at the book as it fell down the side of her face again.

Caleb could have tried to convince himself that he didn’t like Ruby like that but the teenage boy would have only been kidding himself. Honestly, there wasn’t a day that didn’t go by where he didn’t think of her, this had been happening every day since they had first met in the Magical creatures classroom at Hogwarts. Now being on summer holidays means they could spend more time together and he got the impression that she definitely wanted to do that. And for him the feeling was mutual. Damn that smile of hers made his head spin. With a brief gaze around the shop he smiled down at her. “Very well, actually I think today has been the best day yet” he answered her with a wink. Thankfully his blush had now all but gone.


The boy watched closely as the redhead picked up the book and began browsing through it. He chuckled light as the persistent curl of hers kept falling. He reached over and tucked it behind her ear for her so she could look through the book without anything blocking her sight. “So, why a book on magical creatures? Don’t tell me you’re studying?” he asked her sceptically.

Ruby gave Caleb a shy, lopsided grin, "Best day ever? Why is that?" She asked playfully, taking a step closer to him and smiling up at the Hufflepuff sweetly. She reached over and gave him a hug before stepping away from him a little, "I've missed you." She admitted nervously, moving the book she had hold off to look like she was hugging it to her chest.

She flushed a bright red when Caleb brushed her curl away, shivers spread through her - the good kind, she was pleased to acknowledge and she cleared her throat nervously. "I'm not studying, Caleb." She reassured him with a little laugh. "You know how much I loved animals, it's fun to have a book that I can just read and enjoy, y'know? All the books I have on Magical creatures are for Professor Tennebris class." She explained. "I may be a Ravenclaw, but even I enjoy having holidays an dnot having to study." She said playfully.

The boy was feeling so much better since he had seen Ruby and that certainly was a good sign. Not that Caleb had been having a bad, far from it but now it was so, so much better. “Well if you must know, I got a visit from my favourite Ravenclaw” he smirked. Of course she was his favourite Eagle he didn’t know anyone else at the moment in that house. When she hugged he instinctively hugged back, however when she let go he frowned, internally so no disappointment would show on his face from her leaving his side. “I’ve missed you too Ruby, but now you know where to find me” he smiled down at her softly. Exams had taken place right after the ball and then school finished for the year so he hadn’t seen her since that night.

Caleb looked down at her smiling softly to himself, he saw how she reacted to his touch and he thought it was amazing that anyone could react like that from such a simple gesture. As she cleared her throat he wanted to laugh as he found it adorable but stopped himself. When Ruby admitted she was getting to book simply to read an idea weaved itself into his mind. Cross his hands behind his back. “I do know how much you love animals, probably as much as I do” he nodded before speaking further. “And perhaps if you’re not studying you’d like to join me for a picnic? I’m not working the day after tomorrow. Shall we make it a date?” he asked hopefully trying to hide his nerves as the words left his mouth.

Ruby grinned when he called her his favourite eagle, "I guess you're my favourite badger then - male badger that is." She said shyly, biting on her lip and looking up at him with bright blue eyes. When Caleb went on to say that she knew where to find him, she nodded her agreement. "I'm surprised I haven't seen you yet though. I come here everyday. You know what I'm like when it comes to my books." She giggled.


Ruby's smile grew when he said about knowing how much she loved animals and their shared love for them, for that matter. She was about to look through the book again when Caleb asked a question that caught her off guard. She blinked a few times, not quite believing what she'd heard before a smile crept onto her lips. "I would love to." She told him, "It's a date." She confirmed, giving him a coy smile. She nibbled her lip again and reached up to place a small kiss on his cheek.

He narrowed his eyes playfully at the girl. “Not your favourite one of all? Wait…. Don’t tell me your favourite female badger is Kiki? I have to contend with my best friend?” he joked with the girl, trying to sound defeated. He looked around store seeing a new customer enter, he smiled at them politely before looking down at the redhead again. Caleb arched his brow “You have? Well either I wasn’t working or I’m just great at playing hide and seek. Perhaps I should owl you my schedule so you know when I’m working here…..” he trailed off pondering that thought but then realised that her brother could intercept the letter and he would be showing up here instead.

Seeing her smile made his heart swell and knowing that he caused it just surged on his ego. Which was of course was very un-hufflepuff like. Caleb watched as she mulled over his question, clearly she wasn’t expecting that. “Perfect! I’ll organise some food and drinks for us” he nodded smiling back. And this was not a smile that would disappear any time soon. However when she kissed him his eyes widened and that damn blush of his resurfaced creeping up the back of his neck. Sure it wasn’t the first time a girl had kissed him (not that he would admit that to Ruby) but coming from her it was some different, something special.

Caleb looked over at the counter and saw someone waiting to pay for their books. He excused himself from the girl’s side and went over to serve them. Soon enough he was back next to Ruby. “Will you be able to get away from home without your brother knowing?”

Ruby rolled her eyes in a good natured manner when Caleb feigned offense at her comment, "I'm only interested in you, but Kiki would kill me if I didn't say she was one of my favourites too." She pointed out, chuckling a little. When Caleb went on to say he must be good at hide and seek, causing her to nod in agreement, still wearing her playful smirk.


"You look cute when you blush." Ruby observed, looking at him with a warm expression of fondness, "Sounds good. I can see if mum will help me make cookies or something." She told him thoughtfully, Ruby wasn't really one for domestic stuff but she and her mum were still yet to spend time together and her mother did enjoy baking more than anything.


"Zeke is too caught up with Kiki, and he isn't yet bothered that I keep going out, he knows I hate being cooped up. We'll be fine." Ruby told him in what she hoped was a reassuring tone, in all honesty she didn't fully know herself whether he would pick up on her frequent disappearing or not.

Caleb had to fight the urge to laugh at the girl beside him but he figured that what she was saying made perfect sense. “You better be only interested in me because the feeling is mutual. And as for Kiki being your favourite female Hufflepuff that’s a good idea especially if your brother and her start dating” he concluded looking down at Ruby smiling. “Oh Miss Fehu is that smirk because you don’t believe my hide and seek skills?” he asked her as his eyebrows rose. Even if he was Hufflepuff and kept to himself majority of the time he was always striving to prove himself to others.


The boy coughed awkwardly at her words. “Yes and you look cute all the time, that just makes us even doesn’t it?” he joked affably. He tried to smile as she spoke of asking her mum for help with baking cookies, sure he liked them but that’s not what upset him. It was the fact that he would never ever get the chance to do that again his own mother but still he put on a brave face with Ruby. He may be in a house known for its dedicated and patient students but that mean he possessed a small trace of bravery. “Sounds good” he smiled back. Well at least now the food for their picnic now he just had hope their first date went well.


“He is yet bothered? Hmm, I swear when I saw him he sounded a little bothered but I was never good at reading that kind of thing” Caleb admitted having run into his friend in Gryffindor the day before. “Good to hear, because I think you’ll be getting out of the house a lot more” he summed up letting her work out what he meant by that.