Such a fine story -- a veritable treasure-chest of fabulous lines and believable, full characterizations. I agree with tetleythesecond about how well you upend the usual librarian / pub owner cliches. (And the effective way you re-write the paint-drying line, too -- loved that.)

Appropriately, it's Saturday Night now as I'm reading this, and since I don't have any cinnamon-nutella cake to indulge in, I'm instead going to treat myself to the fun of quoting my favorite lines:

The few students who knew Irma didn’t live and sleep in the library, as most seemed to think, could come in pairs and seek another kind of knowledge in a quiet place behind the shelves. And they were welcome to it, as far as she was concerned. Book learning is important, Irma thought; I’m wasting my life if it isn’t. But for some things practical experience is all.

Has he considered the … the technical aspect of … I mean, there is more than one situation in which size matters.” Hahaha!

Somewhere in the hazy area between that first walk and spending every free moment together …

And the tall redhead who'll be a witch at 70 -- no idea who that could be. And Minerva...really, this story has everything I love.