Harry wondered what he agreed to when Daphne came to the bakery the next morning with a list of new treats to offer on their menu. Mostly it was different cookies and a few cupcakes, and a new selection of breads. Harry was intrigued by the list but was hesitant to let her put all of the things on the menu at once.
“Let’s get through the morning sweets and when this afternoon comes you can make the cupcakes.” Harry said as he pushed the headband through his hair and allowed his curls to be removed from his forehead.
“Sounds good,” Daphne said as she tucked the list away before she pulled her hair into a pony tail and slipped her apron on over her head. “What would you like me to start on?” She asked happily.
“Scones, then on the tea cakes.” He said with a smile, watching as her familiar maroon and heart covered fabric draped over her body. “And you can follow the recipe if you want, but please do whatever you think you need to so it’s better.”
Daphne went to her part of the kitchen and pulled out her familiar bowls and spoons before she smiled over at her shoulder at Harry. Her one gaze made him feel elated and he nodded at her.
“Love?” She asked happily.
“As much as you want to put into it.” He replied.
“You know you could try it too,” Daphne said as she went to scoop some flour out of a bag and into her bowl.
“Sure, Daph.” Harry laughed, “I’ll try.”
The pair moved gracefully around the kitchen that morning whipping up that familiar scent of warm yeast, sugar, and milk. It was comforting and the pair seemed to work well together. As Daphne loaded the front of the store with the freshly baked goods she could’ve swore she heard Harry singing. She closed the glass display case quietly and peeked her head around the corner to see Harry singing softly to himself as he folded the croissants and placed them delicately on the baking sheet in front of him.
Daphne couldn’t help but smile to herself as she heard him sing, he had a rasp to his voice that suited the slower tempo song he sang. It was then that Daphne saw some of his stress and worries melt away; maybe he was beginning to believe in himself again.
Just as Daphne was about to chime in on the song a familiar face blew through the front door and shuffled her way up to the counter.
“Daphne!” Mrs. Potts exclaimed, “I just need to have more of those scones! Oh you haven’t sold out have you?” The elderly woman asked hopefully, taking Daphne off guard.
“Good morning Mrs. Potts, what are you doing here? It’s Friday!” Daphne asked with a laugh as she came to rest her forearms on the front counter.
“Oh I know, but you see Mr. Potts and I shared those two scones you gave us yesterday and something wonderful happened,” the woman sighed and clasped her hands together over her heart.
“Mr. Potts has been so romantic, he’s just fawning all over me and it’s like we’re young again. He swears that it’s those scones! The moment our lips touched them I just… we don’t know what came over us!” The older woman was all sparkles and shine, the wrinkles in her face were rejuvenated and she felt young again.
Daphne knew exactly what had come over Mr. and Mrs. Potts but she just smiled brightly and ate the story up. She loved seeing love happen. She loved seeing people happy. It was why she was there.
“Well whatever it was, Mrs. Potts, I can assure you that these scones will be here every morning for you. As long as I’m here you and Mr. Potts will feel that way every day. You just have to let it come over you.” She smiled brightly at the older woman and began to open a bag for her.
“Oh no, Daphne. I need a whole box of them!” Mrs. Potts clarified, “I want to give a few to the neighbors. They just have to try them!”
Daphne nodded and apologized before she pulled out a bright pink box and carefully laid each scone in, making sure to give her a variety of flavors. As she closed up the box and changed Mrs. Potts, Daphne stopped and looked over at the older woman.
“Mrs. Potts,” Daphne started, “Later today I’ll have cupcakes. Do you know of a few people who need a bit more love in their lives? Just a pick me up? I think it would be a good way to get the word out about some of our items.” She asked quietly.
Mrs. Potts paused and thought for a moment as she produced the money to pay for the box of scones. She had to think about some of the younger inhabitants of the town and she nodded.
“I’ll bring you a list!” Mrs. Potts said before she quickly moved to see Harry moving around in the back. He had noticed her and waved excitedly, a boyish grin on his face. She waved back before she looked at Daphne.
“He needs it most of all,” the old woman whispered before she took her scones and winked at Daphne before she made her exit, standing in front of the store for a moment. Daphne watched her curiously before she saw another older man walk up to Mrs. Potts, she assumed it was her husband and watched as the two pulled scones out and began to nibble on them in the brisk autumn morning. The moment their lips touched the scones she saw their bodies relax and Mr. Potts laid a soft kiss to Mrs. Potts gray hair. His arm wrapped around her body and he took the pink box from her hands and began walking with her happily down the street.
Daphne smiled brightly, her head moving to rest on her hand as she leaned against the counter. She closed her eyes and thought about how much she loved that warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. There was something so beautiful about seeing love happen right before your eyes. It was like watching some real life fairy tale.
“Daphne!” Harry called her daydream paused as she heard her name being called by a deep voice. “The cakes won’t frost themselves!”
Daphne couldn’t help but laugh as she moved away from the front of the bakery and into the kitchen where she found Harry filling one of the piping bags.
“Was that Mrs. Potts?” Harry asked as Daphne washed her hands, “It’s Friday.” He knew something was different. Her schedule was Monday, Thursday, Saturday for as long as she came there.
“I know!” She said happily, “She loved my scones yesterday; she just bought a whole box!”
“Scones?” Harry asked suspiciously, “She orders danishes.” He began to grow interested in Daphne’s scones. He had one the previous day and it was good, but good enough to buy a whole box? Where did the scone come from anyway?
“Yes, I gave her two yesterday with her regular order.” Daphne said calmly before she rolled her eyes, “I put money in the till for it. I didn’t give away your goods for free, especially when I found out about the bakery.”
Harry didn’t quite like the idea that Daphne had given away goods but calmed when she said she put money in the till for it at the end of the day. It must’ve paid off because one of his best customers not only came on an off day but also bought a large order of the sweet breakfast treats.
“So, she liked the scones?” Harry asked, trying to figure out why someone who had always eaten danishes had now switched to scones.
“Of course she did,” Daphne cooed as she moved to hold the piping bag while Harry filled it with frosting. “She said something magical came over her and her husband.” She sighed dreamily and looked up at Harry with a twinkle in her eye.
“Magical?” Harry mused.
“Yes Harry,” Daphne sighed, saddened by his lack of belief. “Did you feel anything when you ate yours yesterday?”
She looked up at him with her big gray eyes and Harry drifted off, his mind trying to think back to how he felt after eating one of her treats.
“Should I have?” Harry mumbled as he felt Daphne moved away from him and twisted the piping bag expertly in her hands and she began to dollop each individual cake with the soft white frosting.
He continued to think and watched as Daphne moved over each cake, a smile on her face as she gave each cake the kind of care it deserved. She looked at each one as if it had a name, had a personality. He wouldn’t be too shocked if she started talking to them. She had an interesting way of going about things; she was so… he couldn’t describe it.
“I guess I felt relief,” Harry mumbled as he watched her, “That you didn’t muss them up too badly.” He then grinned, watching as her bright gray eyes sparkled at him like diamonds.
“Very funny, Harry.” Daphne commented before she stood up straight and brushed the bangs from her eyes. “They must be doing something good if your best customer thinks they’re making her husband fall in love with her all over again.”
“What?” Harry asked his interest piqued at the mention of Mr. Potts being lovey-dovey. Sure he had heard that something magical came over Mr. Potts but to fall in love all over again? Mr. Potts was a cool man who barely showed his emotions on his sleeve. Harry was lucky to get the man to crack a smile on some days. The thought that the older male was being cheerful and romantic with his wife was a new idea to him.
“You heard me,” Daphne cooed as she leaned over the table again so she could continue piping the frosting on to the small confections. “I can’t help it if my scones rekindled their love. There’s something about sugar that makes everyone’s life a little sweeter.”
“Daph, I don’t think you know this place very well. Mr. Potts is one of the meanest people in Chapel Holmes.” Harry said as he pointed his arm outwards, trying to take her attention away from the little cakes that he was becoming so jealous of. Wait… was he becoming jealous of a spongy cake? Maybe… No… no…
“And old dogs can learn new tricks, or maybe they’re not new at all. He knows how to be sweet; he married Mrs. Potts after all, right?” She smiled as she delicately spun the baking sheet to get the cakes on the other side. She let her eyes flash up at Harry for a moment and his arm dropped down immediately. “Love is a very powerful thing, Harry. So is baking and by the smell in the air your croissants are done.”
Harry was so caught up in Daphne’s stare that he realized she was right and he rushed over to the oven to pull out the hot pans with a pair of oven mitts but in his rush he managed to burn his exposed forearm on the oven’s door. Cursing loudly, Harry left the croissants half in the oven and half on the floor before he rushed over to a sink and began to run water over the affected area.
Harry’s sudden yelp caused Daphne to squirt a large dollop of frosting onto one cake before she heard the commotion of falling pastries and Harry’s running water. She quickly dropped the piping bag on the counter and went to find the oven mitts Harry had discarded before she pulled the surviving croissants out of the oven and onto the cooling rack. She whipped around quickly and looked at Harry who was biting his lip and groaning as he held the soft white skin of his arm under the faucet.
“Harry, are you okay?” Daphne asked as she came up beside him and gently took his arm in her hands and brushed away the crumbs from the croissants that were left on his skin.
“I just burned my arm on that oven door, done it loads of times.” Harry said as he let Daphne take his arm.
“The croissants wouldn’t have burned if you took two extra seconds to open the oven door fully.” Daphne scolded quietly as she found a dish cloth and wet it under the water before she gently laid it on the burn. She could hear Harry sighed and rolled his eyes which caused Daphne to smile.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me,” she whispered. She looked at his arm and then up to his face. His cheeks were red after being caught in the act of rolling his eyes.
“You weren’t even looking at me,” he defended. “You couldn’t possibly know that I rolled my eyes.”
“Off it,” She hissed gently, her eyes showing signs of worry as she stopped the running water and lifted Harry’s arm to her lips where the blew softly against the hot burned flesh. Her breath rolled easy over his skin and sent a shiver down Harry’s spine. Goosebumps erupted over his body and down his arms. Daphne noticed and gently rubbed her hand along his arm to soothe them as well before she laid the cool cloth over his wound.
“Better?” She asked quietly, her eyes looking up to find Harry’s eyes squarely on her. She had never felt someone’s gaze hit her so deeply. She had known of many eyes on her, wanting her in some of the best and worst of ways, but there was something about the way Harry looked at her, something different.
“Much,” He crooned, “Thank you.” He smiled and Daphne gently smiled in return, her fingers rubbing the unharmed part of his forearm before she slowly stepped back from him and moved to pick up the warm croissants that fell from the oven off the floor.
She stooped over, reaching down to pick up each of the baked goods. After the third croissant she noticed that Harry was being quiet, and of course that familiar feeling of being stared at hit her.
“If you’re staring at my ass, I’ll give you 3 more seconds. Any longer and I’ll throw a croissant at you.” She warned from her bent position, croissants in hands before Harry was stammering for an answer and his body turned around to face the sink again.
He had been caught staring at her bottom. He couldn’t help himself; it was just there perked up in the air as if it wanted to be looked at. He knew that was a terrible way to think and he never meant to objectify his new partner. She was just so sweet, and helpful, and beautiful. He decided to hide from her but he felt a warm croissant hit him in the back of his head and land on the floor again. Daphne’s musical laugh filled the room right after his stunned form turned around and gave her a humorous face.
“What was that for? I looked away!” Harry asked loudly.
“It’s because you looked in the first place!” She stuck her tongue out and moved quickly to pick up the croissant she tossed at his head into the trash.
Harry let out a throaty chuckle before he moved to tend to his wound again. The welt was long across the soft inside of his arm. The one thing about being a baker was that you often got a lot of battle wounds but they never had good stories behind them. Mostly just cuts and burns from being careless.
He smiled faintly as a small tea cake came into his eye line and a small auburn haired beauty holding it out with both hands.
“Eat it,” she told him in a small voice. She stuck the cake out further, “Eat it.”
Harry laughed and shook his head before he gently picked up the cake and put it into his mouth. It was only a small bite but as he chewed he felt the sting from his arm melt away and a warm feeling sweep over his body. He looked down at her with wide eyes and it was all a haze, he could see Daphne and her heart shaped face, her eyes sparking happily.
“Better?” She asked softly.
Harry nodded slowly, a smile pulling on his lips. It was some kind of magic in that cake; he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Maybe it was the bit of love she put into each lick of frosting that was on top. Maybe it was the adrenaline from burning his arm. Whatever it was, he liked it and he wanted more.