The flower girl smiled down softly at the little boy in her arms. She was explaining to him the many magic tricks she knew. He was a sweet thing with those big green eyes staring up at her and that messy hair.
She couldn't help a giggle at how cute he was when he nuzzled into her like a cat so precious. At the moment though she was looking for a place to stay the night. It was late and she was tired from casting all those spells, and whacking that fat man with her staff.
Luckily for her she spotted a sign that said 'Inn' and she smiled wide. 'Ah inns. A traveler's best friend!' she walked into the cozy establishment and was greeted by a kind woman who looked in her fifties.
"Welcome to my humble Inn. Need a room dear?" she asked.
Aerith nodded and walked up to the front desk. "That would be lovely."
The woman nodded and looked over some rooms that where available she caught the small stirring in the young girl's arms and her smile warmed. "Who is the little man?" she asked.
Aerith smiled. "Just a boy I found alone." She said. "He doesn't have a home. So I decided to bring him with me."
"Oh, how awful! You poor dear..."
"I-It's okay...Miss Aerith is super nice!" Harry replied.
"Aww thanks buddy." Aerith said softly with a heavy blush but had a warm smile.
The woman smiled softly at the two and gave them a key. "The room is free for the night dear." She said.
Aerith looked up with wide eyes. "Huh? No I need to pay."
"Nonsense!" she said with a wave of her hand. "Just seeing your two smiling faces is enough." She sighed softly. "Reminds me of the days with my son." She said softly.
Aerith frowned softly, "What happened?"
The woman sighed. "He died." She said causing Aerith to gasp. "He was a solder, fighting in the war. He loved it, said he felt like a hero every day. He promised me to take me to that new restaurant down the street his next trip home...he never came home."
Aerith began to tear up. "I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have brought it up..."
"Oh, it's quite alright. Really." The woman replied. "I know he wouldn't have wanted me to grieve forever. I've long since recovered." Aerith smiled.
"I'm glad." She replied. She reached into her pocket. "Please, accept a small tip."
"Oh, thank you so much, dear." The woman replied with a small smile. "You're very sweet." Aerith blushed.
"I...I've been told that so much..." She said bashfully.
"And with good reason!"
Aerith gave her a bashful smile.
"Now run along to your room and get some rest. Dinner will be up shortly." She said, sounding much like the mother she once was.
Aerith giggled lightly and nodded. "Yes ma'am!" she saluted and walked up the steps and down the hallway into her room.
It was a small room but it was also very cozy place. She walked over to the chair and placed Harry down on the table. She gave him a small smile.
"How you doing little guy?" she asked concerned. She could understand him being scared about the new location and everything else that had happened that day.
"I...I'm happy." He said softly. "I'm not in my cupboard anymore..." Aerith felt a pull on her heartstrings, but smiled regardless.
"Yes, that's right. No cupboard for you." She replied softly. "Not now, not ever." Harry smiled.
"I...I'm so glad...No cupboard...No...beatings...?"
"That's right. No beatings. Cross my heart." Aerith promised. Harry smiled.
"Thank you, Miss Aerith."
"Aw, you're welcome, dear." She cooed.
Harry smiled up at her and reached his arms out to be held. She was more than happy to do so and lifted him up into her arms for a big hug.
He nuzzled into her arms feeling the intense warmth from her arms. He was glad he met her in that flower field. He did wonder how she made the pretty flowers appeared but he decided not to ask.
Areth smiled down at him contently. She was already becoming attached to this small baby boy and she wanted to see him smile much more. The slight knocking on their door caused her to jump.
She stood with Harry in her arms and walked over and opened the door only to see a older gentlemen wearing a chef's hat and a wide smiles.
"Hello there little lady!" He said cheerfully with a small table in hand filled with mouthwatering food laid atop it. "Dinner is served just pick what you want."
Aerith smiled warmly. "Well, Harry? Why don't you pick first?" She said graciously. Harry smiled.
"Really? You don't mind?" The young woman shook her head.
"Of course not." She replied. "I just want you to fill up your little tummy." As if on cue, Harry's tummy growled.
"Thank you..." He said softly before looking over the food. "Oh...Um...Everything looks yummy, I don't know what to pick..."
"Might I make a recommendation?" The chef asked.
Harry and Aerith looked up at the man with interest.
He smiled at the young child and lifted up a bowl of steaming soup. "The crab soup is one of our best dishes served with salted crackers and cheeses." He said taking a spoon and dipping it into the soup and lifting it to the child.
Harry stared at the hot soup before looking up at Aerith who gave him a small smile and a shrug. He looked back down at the spoon and opened his mouth with a soft. "Aaaaaaa"
'Awwwwww!' Aerith gushed internally as the man placed the spoon in the child's mouth. The child gulped the soup down and the two stared down at him intently to see his reaction.
He smiled widely. "Yum!" He said enthusiastically. Aerith giggled.
"It looks like Harry's made his choice." She said, amused. "Perhaps I'll try the same thing." The chef nodded.
"Anything you like, ma'am." He replied cheerfully. "I will go prepare another batch." Aerith smiled.
"Thank you very much!" She said gratefully, calling after him.
Aerith smiled down at the still smiling child as he held his cheeks adorably. She giggled lightly at him. "You enjoyed that didn't you?"
Harry looked up at her his emerald eyes sparkling with happiness. "It was the best thing I ever had!" he cheered.
Aerith felt her heart ache at that but she held her smile as she walked back into her room closing the door behind her. "I'm glad." She said.
"Is…is that all I get to have…?" he asked softly.
"Oh goodness no. You can have as much as you want." She replied back.
"I-I can?" he asked surprised.
The young woman closed her eyes and smiled, nodding her head. "Of course, dear. You ARE a growing boy, after all. You'll need plenty of food to grow up big and strong." She gave his arm a playful squeeze as she said this, causing him to giggle.
"I can be big and strong?" Harry asked, imagining being bigger and stronger. Aerith nodded.
"Of course. We all can if we eat healthy and excercise." Harry smiled.
"I'm gonna eat VERY healthy! ...If that's okay..."
She giggled lightly at him. "Of course, but," she poked his nose. "Don't overdo it okay." She said with a soft smile remembering one of her friends who was more muscle then brain.
Harry gave her a nod. "Okay Ms. Aerith!" he said cheerfully. He then noticed her faraway look and grew concerned "Are you okay?"
Aerith blinked as she was pulled from memory lane and turned to see the concerned green eyes. She gave him a soft smile and ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm okay, just thinking about my friends."
"F-Friends?"
"Yeah…the ones I…left behind." She said softly.
"I'm sorry…" he said sad that he made her sad.
She shook her head. "You got nothing to be sorry for. I know their okay. They are a strong bunch of misfits." She said before giggling lightly.
Harry tilted his head. "What's a misfit?" He asked curiously.
"Well, Harry, a misfit is someone that doesn't fit in with others." She explained. Harry looked down.
"Like me...?" He asked. Aerith frowned.
"Now, now, haven't we been over this?" She chided gently. "You're special. Very, VERY special. And besides..." She winked. "I'm a misfit too, remember?" Harry smiled.
"Y-Yeah, you did that cool stuff to get me away from Uncle Vernon..." He recalled.
"That's right." Aerith nodded. "And you have the same gift."
"Really?! I can do what you can?!"
"Maybe!" she said. Honestly she did not know how magic worked in this world but she would try and teach him as much as she can. "My magic is different than yours no doubt, but not the least bit special."
"Different?" he asked.
Aerith smiled softly at that. "Right. Now…what did Cloud say… oh right!" she pulled out her staff and reaching at the end where a green sphere was resting. She pulled it out and held it out to him. "This is the source of magic from where I come from Harry."
"So pretty." He said mesmerized. It looked like it had an inferno inside the sphere.
She smiled tenderly down at him. "Yes it is." She said. "My favorite is this one though. She said as she reached over to another slot where a second green gem was resting, unlike the first gem having an inferno inside this seemed to have a flower inside of it with green leaves floating around it.
"Cure Materia " She said softly.
He looked up at her amazed. "It made the oweies go away?" he asked amazed.
Aerith giggled and nodded. "Yes, dear." She replied. "This can cure all kinds of injuries to an extent." Harry smiled in awe.
"I wanna make people not hurt anymore!" He said eagerly. "Can you show me how to do it?!"
"Well, perhaps someday I can try." Aerith replied. "But for now, let's just enjoy our dinner." Harry smiled in content and picked up his spoon. He scooped up some of the meal and ate it himself.
"Look! I did it all by myself!" He said proudly. Aerith smiled.
"You're such a big boy, Harry." She said, ruffling his hair. He giggled.
"Than you..." Aerith nodded. Every second, Harry found a new way to delight her...
"Now, go ahead and finish up."
He nodded as he scooped up another spoon full of soup and took another bite. He looked up at the smiling girl in front of him and he scooped another bit and lifted it to her to try. "You eat too!" he said.
Her heart melted as she smiled warmly at him. "Why thank you." She spoke sweetly and leaned down and slurped up the soup from the spoon.
Her eyes widened at the taste. Her smile growing wide. "Mmmmmm!" she said. "That is yummy." She said.
He beamed up at her and she smiled tenderly down at him. "Finish up sweetie." She said softly.
He nodded and continued to eat happily as this was becoming the best day of his life.
3h agoHe was safe from the Dursleys.
He met a nice lady to take care of him.
He got hugged.
He got to sit on a bed.
And now he gets to eat the best food ever! He didn't think the day could get any better.