Never Letting Go (Draft)

Chapter Sixteen

-Inappropriate-

Three days. It's been three days since her first night staying with Tobias. Three days of peace and heart stopping moments that leave her completely breathless and unable to think straight.

He was not subtle either.

The first couple of days she really didn't leave her side of the house, mainly reading, but she really didn't know what to do with herself. Now that she found him, she realized she didn't have very many hobbies anymore. Finding him has always been her number one priority. She never had time for hobbies other than her reading. A part of her wanted to go and see what he was doing so that's exactly what she did on her first night.

She crept out of the guest rooms and searched around his sitting room for any sign of him, but there was none. He must be in the kitchen.

Closing the door silently behind her she made her way through the sitting room full of book shelves towards the kitchen. It was also empty.

It wasn't to late so he couldn't be in bed, not this early. Deciding to be more thorough she left the comfort of his home down the steep stairs towards the book store. It had long been closed hours ago but he must be down here, the door upstairs wasn't even locked.

Making her way through the dark store she scanned the lobby where rows of book shelves lined the walk way. Then her eyes caught the sight of a beam of light stretching across the carpet floor.

She approached it slowly and followed it to a door that was cracked open at the back of the store, hidden by book shelves.

In big black letters across the top of the door it said STAFF ONLY, which she guesses only consists of him and his friends niece Jenny.

Pushing the door open, it creaked softly. Her eyes connected to a very tired looking Tobias at a round table in the middle of the employee lounge. In front of him were small stacks of printer paper and file folders scattered across the table.

His head was in his palm and a pen was between his teeth.

He looked up at the sound of the door creaking open and pulled he pen from between his teeth smiling softly. His exhaustion was clear in the way his shoulders were sagging along with the heaviness in his eyes.

"Hey," He said, his voice dripping with tiredness.

"Hey," She smiled approaching his table, "I didn't mean to disturb you."

He huffed a breath and pulled himself upright away from the table, running his hand through his already tousled and disheveled hair.

"No, you're fine, I probably need to take a break anyway, I've been at it for hours." He said with a sigh, gathering up different papers that were scattered.

"What exactly have you been at?" Hermione asked, eyeing the papers curiously.

"Counts," He let out a breath, "Inventory."

"Oh," She said, "Well after you have a break I could help, I do work at a book store even if it is a reality book store." She chuckled.

He snorted.

"I guess I could use the help, but I want to show you something." He said, now wide awake. He goes to stand quickly but stops himself groaning and putting a hand on his back. "I'm getting old."