Chapter 1
“She’s…Well she’s…”
Hermione couldn't help the genuine smile lighting up her face as she watched Neville trying to describe his new girlfriend—well, hopefully, his new girlfriend. It wasn’t official yet. He’d reminded Hermione of that multiple times this week.
Hermione leaned towards the counter and poured them some more tea. She loved spending her lunch breaks visiting her friends, having tea, and catching up. It brought her such a sense of contentment to share small moments like this with those close to her.
“Well, she sounds lovely Nev.” Hermione joked. Neville took his teacup, thanking her with a nod. A goofy smile lingered on his face as he took a sip. “Truly though, I’m very happy for you.” Hermione smiled as took her own sip. “You deserve someone that leaves you speechless, even if she is a Slytherin.” She smirked.
Neville rolled his eyes. “Har har, that joke only gets funnier the more you tell it.” She shrugged as they both laughed then heard Hermione's watch beep signifying the end of her lunch break.
As she got up from her chair to locate her purse, Neville walked to the front of the shop and turned the sign on the door from ‘closed’ back to ‘open’.
Of all her friends she regularly met during her lunch break, visiting Neville in his plant shop was her favourite. He always had the best tea, the cafe next to his shop had great sandwiches, and Neville was a great conversationalist. Always willing to answer her botany-related questions and sometimes she would bring him muggle plants he’d never heard of. Lately, their hangouts had been more focused on Neville’s romantic life, and seeing as how Neville was the one to arrange this particular lunch get-together, she was sure he had news he wanted to share.
Neville, who’d been dancing around a question this whole lunch hour realized his time was almost up as he heard Hermione hurriedly put her teacups away. The muggle way. He shook his head, she always put her dishes away the muggle way after being a witch for so long. Seeing his opening, he went to the counter to help clear away the dishes from lunch.. the muggle way as well.
“So..” He began as he made his way to the sink where Hermione finished washing her hands.
“So?”
She turned around drying her hands as Neville took an audible fortifying breath. “I’m going to ask her to make it official. Tonight.”
“That’s lovely Nev!” She smiled, “I can’t imagine she’ll say no, you’re such a catch!” She looked down at her watch as it beeped again. “Shoot, I’ve got to go.”
“Can you come tonight?” Neville blurted out. Hermione paused her rush across the shop and turned around confused.
“What?”
“Please” He pleaded, rushing to get the rest out. “Eventually she’ll be meeting all my friends and she needs to feel comfortable and I really want tonight to go well. I like her so so much and I don’t want to scare her off by introducing her to a large group all at once and, and, and you’re a woman and she’s a woman too-” Hermione laughed at that and he stopped as well realizing how that sounded. “I just mean you’ll have things in common-” she cackled at that and he had the good grace to grimace. “Please Hermione, I will owe you the biggest favour known to man!”
Hermione took in her dear friend with hands still full of dishes, her laughter dying down.
“I know what you mean Nev, it’s alright.” She started making her way back to the door, “It’s not a big ask at all, I don’t know why you thought I’d mind. I’ll try to be a good buffer, best Gryffindor behaviour, promise!” She was at the door now reaching for the handle. “Just send me the address.” She turned the handle, “Although you might want to let her know a third person will be joining you, don’t want to ambush the poor woman, it’s not very sporting” she joked, opening the door.
“Four..” he said looking down.
“For what?” Hermione asked turning around to bid her friend farewell.
“There will be four of us at dinner.” He felt the chill come through the open doorway.
“Oh! Who else?” She asked focusing on tightening her scarf around herself.
If Hermione had paid closer attention she would have noticed that Neville had been nervous for the entirety of their lunch. If Hermione had paid attention she would have noticed Neville had been hinting at this particular event for the last few hangouts they’d had. If Hermione had paid attention she would know exactly why Neville had made it seem like he was asking her for her firstborn when he asked her to come tonight. But she hadn't been paying attention, she didn’t feel the need to be hyper-observant around her friends. So it was all the more devastating when she connected the dots too late. Her eyes found Neville’s as he saw the moment it clicked.
They both knew but neither said anything, the wind behind her blowing her curls around her head as she stared.
“Who Neville?” she asked.
He had the good grace to grimace again.
“Draco. Draco Malfoy.”