* * *

Hattie spent the rest of the day in the shop with Dallin. It was a quiet day meaning they had plenty of time to get to know each other once more. The changed people they were not who they used to be. In his eyes, Hattie hadn't changed much she just seemed much happier and like she wasn't as innocent. Of course, he loved her innocence. It made her who she was and all the while she still kept a lot of it she was not as closeted as she was two years prior. And in Harris's eyes, Dallin was who he was when she first met him in this very shop. He was funny and made her grin from ear-to-ear. When nobody was in the shop he was steal soft kisses from her, where his lips would be gentle on hers and his hands would either hold her waist or her face as if she was a china doll ready to break if he held her too tightly. But he still held her tight. Not very. But right enough so that he wouldn't lose her.

Hattie giggle after every kiss as if she had never felt as on cloud nine as she did with him. She didn't even remember the fact that she already had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who was waiting for her at home whilst she was with Dallin Winter. It only dawned on her when Dallin was closing the shop up.

"I have to go," she said, worry lacing her words.

"Hattie, what's wrong?"

Hattie shook her head unable to believe that she had done such a thing. Especially to Seamus. The boy who saved her and treated her good right from day one. Who sat with her day-in-day-out in the hospital wing. "I'm so sorry." Hattie said not daring to look him in the eye.

"Hattie, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

"I can't do this."

"Do what? Us? Because I understand, I never expected to ever get you back, you're too good for me."

"No I'm really not," she said sadly, "because you didn't cheat on me."

"Cheat? Oh, Hattie, you're with Finnigan, aren't you?" Dallin asked her, his eyebrows raising disappointed at what had came about.

Hattie nodded.

"I understand. He's a lucky guy and you both are meant for each other. But, Hattie, please remember I love you. And if you ever think about wanting me back? I'll be waiting for you. You know where I'll be." Softly, he pressed a kiss to her cheek and left her stood outside of the shop as he walked away sluggishly.

Hattie sighed ashamed, she needed to tell him. Cheating is wrong and he deserved to know what she had done. By the time she got home, using the flop network in the pub, everyone was doing their own thing. She headed up to her room where he was sat waiting on her bed, reading one of her books to pass the time.

Upon hearing the door open and shut, he looked up and put the book back on her bedside table. "Hey," he said quietly, "I've been waiting for you."

"I'm so sorry, I went out and totally forgot you were coming." Said Hattie, taking her coat off.

"I needed to talk to you."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, Hattie, it should be me apologising."

"What? Why?"

"I care about you. I really do. But I did something and I know it was wrong but I couldn't help it. Not seeing you was hard and then she came to me a lot and it just sorta happened and kept happening-"

"You cheated?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Okay? You're not angry?"

"Honestly, Seamus, I understand. Sometimes you can't help how you feel and it is true. We barley see each other and well, I kissed someone else too."

"What? When?"

"Today."

"Oh," Seamus frowned, "I would be annoyed but, I didn't just kiss her. I did more and well, I'm sorry Hattie. I do care about you. I really do but I don't think I care about you in the way a boyfriend should. Not when I do like someone else."

"Then let's end it. No hard feelings. We tried it. It didn't succeed. I hope whoever you are with makes you happy, Seamus because you are one in a million. You cared for me when I didn't want to be cared for. You saved my life and you made me happy. We were good together at the start but distance and time strained that. I hope we can still be friends?"

"Of course, yi eejit. You're not getting rid of me that easily," Seamus laughed and brought her into a hug. Hattie smiled and embraced the man tightly. "I just thought you should know, it's Katie Bell. She feels bad about it too. We both didn't plan for it to happen."

"It's okay. Tell her we're good. And that I don't hate her. Katie is too nice to hate."

"Hattie you're too pure for this world and the guy who you like really doesn't deserve you. I just pray that you're happy with him and if he ever hurts you I'll punch him so hard he'll bleed internally."

"He won't hurt me. I'm sure of it."

The next day Hattie returned to the shop. Instead of Dallin working, she found a beautiful woman with deep auburn hair, which was curled, tinkering around with some of the fireplaces, giving them a dust and making sure they could be seen.

The bell above the door rang as Hattie pushed it open and stepped over the threshold. The woman turned to greet her joyfully and as soon as she laid eyes on Hattie she gasped. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were related to Sirius Black." She said placing her hands on her hips.

"Yeah," Hattie laughed, "he's my dad."

"Dad? Oh my! You must be Harriet! I'm so sorry for my Dallin's behaviour I certainly did not raise him to be like that-"

"Please, ma'am, it's okay. Me and Dallin and spoken and I forgive him. We were young and he made a mistake. I can't hold a mistake over someone when everyone makes a million of them in their life time."

Mrs Winter shook her head in disbelief, "you're a kind soul, dear. There is not many like you around."

Hattie dipped her head in gratitude and glanced around, "is Dallin around? I'd very much like to speak to him."

"He's upstairs in the store room checking over the delivery we got this morning from a fellow bric and brac shop in Surrey that has shut down. He's seeing if anything is of use to sell or not, you're more than welcome to go on up and see him."

"Thank you very much, ma'am."

"Please, Harriet, call me Anna."

"Then please call me, Hattie, Harriet sounds as if you're telling me off," she chuckled.

"Duly noted, dear."

Hattie followed through the door and up the stairs like Anna had instructed her to and then went through the second door on the right. In the room is was stocked high with shelves and boxes and if it wasn't for his height, she wouldn't have been able to find Dallin for quite some time.

"Hello," she said and ultimately made him jump.

"Merlin, Hattie! You scared me. What are you doing here?" Dallin exclaimed and clutched his chest breathing heavily.

"I came to see you, your mum said I could come up."

"Right. I didn't expect you."

"I know," she said approaching him. "Is your offer still open?"

"Offer?" Hattie reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "What about Finnigan?"

"We broke up."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Dallin, I wouldn't be here otherwise. So is that a yes? Or should I leave?"

Hattie stepped away from him when Dallin didn't respond. His throat had dried as he tried to process everything. When he didn't say anything she turned away from him nodding her head understandingly. Dallin grasped her wrist and pulled her back. "Don't leave," whispered Dallin.

Hattie stared up at his eyes and then flickered her gaze down to his lips. They were a little chapped from where he had been gnawing at them in concentration as he rifled through many boxes on behalf of his mother. "Dallin?"

"Hmm."

"Kiss me."