Angie was humming as she wiped down a table at Happy Hearth. The place was slow, only a few customers, but it was still the middle of the day. Most normal people were at work at this time, so the slowness made perfect sense.

She didn't mind the quiet, most of the time. She could sing and dance without anyone being annoyed, which had happened once or twice. Some people didn't like entertainment with their meals, apparently.

Angelina looked up when the bell on the door rang, signaling someone entering the bakery. She smiled widely. "Hi! Welcome to Happy Hearth!"

Hera patted her hair nervously. The pink was charmed to look blonde. She had found people tended to think she looked familiar, but did not truly recognize her unless that pink was there. She'd even worn clothes more suited to her sister Athena today. No jeans or trainers. No tees. Absolutely no tees today, but she had just come from viewing a cottage for rent on the outskirts of the village and wanted to look a bit professional. It was likely the only pantsuit she owned.

She studied the display cases and ordered a fruit tart. She was not very hungry today. Hera had an odd relationship with food that annoyed her sister Demi and brother Don. They felt Hera didn't eat enough to sustain a small rodent let alone a grown woman.

Hera took her tart and took a seat. The wireless was on. She liked a place that played the wireless. She looked up sharply when she heard her own voice coming from it. That would always be surreal for her. She didn't even realize she was silently singing along and picking at her tart crust.

"I'm standing on a bridge. I'm waiting in the dark. I thought that you'd be here by now. There's nothing but the rain, no footsteps on the ground. I'm listening but there's no sound..."

Angelina's arm froze in its swipe across the table, looking up sharply when she heard another voice in the bakery. A voice she recognized. A voice in stereo. She looked around the bakery with furrowed brows, eyes stopping on the blond who was sitting towards the back, picking at one of Hannah's tarts.

Taking a breath, she tried to discreetly move towards that table, absently wiping her rag across the tabletops as she moved, trying to at least appear like she was doing her job.

"Isn't anyone tryin to find me? Won't somebody come take me home? It's a damn cold night, trying to figure out this life. Won't you take me by the hand? Take me somewhere new. I don't know who you are, but I... I'm with you. I'm with you..."

Hera looked up and noticed the waitress had stopped wiping tables and was openly staring. She immediately stopped singing. She hunched down and began nibbling her tart. One long tendril of blonde hair fell and covered her face when she directed it to with her wand.

It isn't. It can't be. No. Not here. What the bloody hell would she be doing in Hogsmeade? It's not.

"It totally is!" Angelina didn't mean to scream, clutching the rag in both hands as she jumped in the air. She didn't feel too bad, as there was only one other person in the bakery, and he was mostly deaf anyway. "What are you doing here?"

When she realized she'd virtually screamed at Hera Warbeck, Angelina immediately blushed, taking the seat across from the singer without being invited. "I thought you were still on tour! What are you going in Hogsmeade?"

Hera was staring. She was uncertain as to what to do. Nigel usually kept her from direct contact with fans. If this person even was a fan. She didn't know what she should and should not say. Having to come up with something on the spot like this was scary.

"Hiding."

Brilliant, Cricket. You wanted to be one of the people, and you give crap answers when they ask things.

"Sorry, um. Thinking of renting a cottage? Having a bite?" She was not really sure what the other woman was looking for. She did not know what the right answer would be.

"But, I mean, you could be anywhere! Paris! New Zealand! Japan!" Angelina was talking to Hera like they'd been friends forever. She was sure it was off-putting to the star, but how often did a worldwide known person stumble into a tiny bakery in Hogsmeade? "So you're done with the tour, then? Thinking about finding a place to plant roots?"

Angelina slapped a hand to her forehead. "I'm sorry. Gods, I'm so rude!" She held out a hand. "My name's Angelina. Johnson. Angelina Johnson. I'm a big fan. A big one. Not a stalker or anything, it's not like I'm going to jump across the table and attack you or anything," she said with a bit of a crazed laugh, "I just never thought you'd be here, you know?"

Hera didn't know. She had no clue. She did shake the offered hand. She thought about introducing herself, but it seemed Miss Angelina Johnson already knew who she was.

"Actually, I grew up not too far from here in one of the family homes," Hera finally managed. "I think I wanted the Hogsmeade weekends I should have had at Hogwarts. It's nice to meet you, Angelina. I actually might stay. The realtor told me the village was worth living near for the township alone. Bakery, pub, and clinic... I don't need much else. She also said the village is launching a paper. I feel good about that. Witch Weekly often makes me look like a bubble-head and I won't even get into the Prophet."

Hera stared at her awkwardly. She didn't know what to do now. Conversation tended to not be her strongest trait. She was good at answering set questions for interviews like a trained crup, but as for making actual conversation on her own?

"Well, Hogsmeade is amazing. There's a real... group quality in here. Lots of friends. People recognize you on the streets." Angelina laughed. "Not that you'd have a problem with that. I'm sure people recognize you all the time." She frowned. Maybe she wasn't doing the town justice. "Though, you don't have to worry about crazy fans. Once you're accepted, they'll protect you like a tiger. It's actually sort of scary, how they protect people they see as theirs."

She leaned forward. "You should have heard what happened when someone tried to kill the Healer. People were tripping that person in the streets, at the pub..." Angelina sat back with a small frown on her face. Thinking about Daphne had her thinking about Astoria, and that led down a road of semi-maudlin-ism. "In summary, Hogsmeade is a great village to live in. If I could afford a place in the area, I'd live here, too."

Hera smiled. "You should sell property here. You do a better job than Mrs. Lipshin."

Then she looked at the other woman. "What do you do? I mean, besides work here? Or is this it? It must be terribly nice to be able to listen to the wireless all day. I think I'd like that even if I had to clean up after people."

"Oh! Well, I work here because I love it. I actually... sing... at a club." Saying it aloud, to Hera Warbeck, made it sound so stupid. "I haven't really done it professionally or anything. Well, I suppose it's professional because I get paid for it, but it's not really... it's not like I have a tour or a song on the radio. Besides that one time, but that was a fluke and only because Alicia talked them into it." She tried not to let her eyes fill with sadness when she spoke of Alicia, and the amazing gift she'd gotten from her best friend, but it was hard.

"I only do it on the weekends. Friday and Saturday. I also dance with a company in London, but mostly I work here. This is my day job. The one that pays the bills, anyway."

Hera perked up. Music always interested her. "Where? Where do you sing? Will you... sing something now? I'd like to hear your voice. Can I go there to listen? What sort of music is it?"

Angelina's eyes widened. "Sing for you? I don't know if I can..." Hera Warbeck is asking me to sing for her. Am I dreaming? "You've kind of put me on the spot. I dunno..."

"You can sing for her, Angie! You do it all the time when you're in here!"

Angelina spun around and looked at Mr. Rooney with wide eyes. She thought the man was deaf!

"I mean... the club's name is Avalon and it's pretty easy to find. I sing a little of everything. I like a lot of different kinds of music." I've sang one of your songs before, but I don't think I want to tell you that.

"Maybe I'll look into it then. You sing all the time in here, huh? Like what sort of things? What do you like? I tend to lean towards anything with guitar or piano. Not that I am restricted to that. If the sound its right... it just has to work for me, you know?"

Angelina nodded, knowing exactly what Hera was saying. "I tend to sing anything. Everything. Oldies. R&B. Soul. Pop. Duets. Acapella. Classics. If it's able to be sung, I'll sing it. I see here to keep myself from going crazy, I suppose. It's hard to be away from the music. I sing some of your Mum's music. Yours. You write good lyrics, good melodies."

Hera blushed. People said stuff like that to her all the time, but Hera felt Angelina really meant it. Or maybe Hera wanted to think she really meant it since she seemed so friendly. She didn't make Hera feel like a an oddity or a freak. Angelina was making her feel like an 'everyone else' person. Hera had a lot to learn about the real world though. Since her perfect bubble had had a hole punched in it, she was uncertain how to deal with reality. One thing she did know what that when someone complimented you, you said thank you.

"Thank you."

"What inspires you, your music? It's been a while since I've written anything myself. Busy, yeah, but I just haven't felt... I mean, there was a time when I hear words drifting in my head when I looked at someone, but it doesn't matter now. How do you find inspiration?" She was prying, she knew this, but Angelina wasn't sure if this opportunity would ever present itself again. She'd kick herself if she didn't pounce on it.

"Honestly," Hera said, "Pete used to. I haven't been inspired since I got over him. Sort of scary, actually. I'm hoping to gain some life experience to have something to write about. Love and hate are always strong creative motivators."

"What about people that you never got a chance to get the know as much as you would have because they're already knowing someone else?" Angelina laughed, sitting back in her chair. "I try not to read the gossip rags, or the Prophet, though I suppose that's just a glorified gossip rag, but I did read about Pete. Bloody bastard. I can't stand someone who walks out on you like that."

Hera shrugged. "I'm beginning to wonder if it was love or comfort. Like he was easy to be with, you know? Like neither one of us had time for really look for the right person, and we had nothing better to do. I was the same way for him, and when it got complicated, he bailed instead of trying to figure it out."

She finished her tart and plunked way too much on the table. Not that Hera was aware of what a proper tip was.

"Thanks for the talk. I'm sure I'll see you around. I've decided I'm renting the cottage. Like the scenery," Hera said smiling as she made for the door.

"Oh. Ok! Yeah! You're welcome here anytime!" Angelina was sad to see the fellow singer go. Not only was she still a bit star-struck, but Hera actually seemed like a normal person behind all that fame. Maybe someone who hadn't had too many friends. Angelina never had a problem making friends. "Happy Hearth would love to service you!" She stopped bouncing on the balls of her feet. Ohmygod. I did not just say that aloud!

Hera titled her head to the side and started giggling. "I'll keep that in mind."

She ducked out of the bakery laughing. She would definitely be back. She was liking the town. She felt normal here. Hera thought it would be nice to have a real friend, and Angelina seemed a good candidate.


{SUMMARY} Hera meets Angelina. They talk about music.