My New Bestfriend
Hermione Granger – Her Office, Ministry of Magic
On a Friday that followed a very tiresome week, a light tapping noise on her office window caused Hermione Granger to look up from the newest draft of the bill she was presently working on. Sitting up and stretching her back, she looked to the window to see an unfamiliar, but regal looking owl perched on her windowsill with a small note rolled and tied to it’s leg. Hermione stood, stretching a little more to rid herself of the stiffness from sitting hunched over her desk too long, and walked to open her window. She took the bit of parchment from the owl and handed over a treat to send it on it’s way.
Hermione unfurled the parchment and let out a small gasp as she realised the note was from Pansy Parkinson.
It was the time and place of her blind date.
She made her way to the door of her office and opened it. “Lillian,” Hermione called out to her secretary, “Something came up and I have to leave the office for the day. Can you reschedule my 3:30? Thank you!”
After that, Hermione threw Floo powder into the hearth in her office and called out, “12 Grimmauld Place!”
oOo
“Harry! I know you’re not at work today!” Hermione shouted as she stepped forward out of the Floo, dusting off the soot that had remained on her shoulders. She heard scrambling from the floor above her and made her way to the lumpy couch in his sitting room. Damn the company he already had, she needed her friend.
Harry rounded the corner, coming into view with his hair askew and his shirt on backwards.
“Well I suppose that gives me some hope. Who is she?” Hermione asked, wondering exactly just how well his blind date had gone two days ago. As soon as the question left her mouth, a heavy dark pink blush spread over the tops of her friend’s cheeks as he sat on the loveseat. It made her curious.
She hadn’t seen her friend since she talked him down during his miniature freak out before his blind date. After her parting ways with Ron, and Harry parting from Ginny, they both had decided to sign up for a matchmaking service started by a self proclaimed “reformed” pureblooded Pansy Parkinson. They had heard of her business from their friends, Neville and Luna, who had gotten together because of her services.
“Well?” she prodded, after not receiving a quick enough response.
“Harry Potter, I know you’re not about to keep this a secret after everything I did last night!” shouted a distinctly male voice, followed by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.
Harry’s blush only deepened.
“Harry,” Hermione whispered forcefully, “I didn’t even know you were interested in men!”
“Neither did I,” Harry whispered back, and looked to the doorway.
She looked up as well, just in time to see Theodore Nott lean his shoulder on the entryway to the sitting room. His curly brown mop was a mess as well, but all of his clothes were on properly. He wore a wide smirk on his face, his eyes glinting playfully, and Hermione could definitely see the appeal. He had grown up since the last time she had seen him, and even she could admit the Slytherin practically oozed charm.
She stood to offer her hand in greeting, “I’m Hermione Granger, it’s nice to meet you.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her fingers before releasing his hold on her hand and speaking, “I’m positive the entire wizarding world knows who you are, Granger. Regardless, Theo Nott at your service.” He playfully bowed to her and she heard Harry snort ungracefully behind her.
“Seeing as you’re still here, I take it the blind date went well?” Hermione asked, turning to look at each of them.
Theo took a seat next to Harry and pretended to ponder her question. “I’d say it went fairly well,” he said, looking at her distinctly rumpled and still blushing best friend.
Harry took that as his cue to finally speak.
“So ‘Mione, what’s got you barging in through the Floo at a time you’re supposed to be at the Ministry?” he asked, looking at her pointedly.
She handed over the bit of parchment that held the details of her blind date and saw her friend’s eyes go wide behind his circular frames. “I received the details from Pansy this morning. ‘The Light Bar’, same as you, a table reserved under her surname,” Hermione said as Harry stared at the small note. “Harry, what if I don’t like him? Or worse, at the risk of sounding shallow, what if I don’t find him attractive?”
“I don’t think that’ll be the case, Hermione. Pansy’s service matches you with someone she knows is the most compatible with you and your magic, you know this,” said Harry.
Hermione still felt unsettled, not knowing exactly who was going to be sitting and dining across from her later tonight. At least now she could understand Harry’s sheer panic leading up to his date a few days previous. She sighed and realised if she wanted to meet someone new and technically perfect for her, she had to buck up and try.
She looked up at her best friend and his new boyfriend? lover? partner? she didn’t know. There was only one thing left to figure out. “Okay, but what am I going to wear ?”
Theo showed his flawless pearly whites and said, “Maybe I can help with that!”
oOo
Back at Hermione’s flat, she was sitting on the middle of her bed with her legs crossed as Theo (her new best friend, according to him) rummaged through the clothes in her closet, tossing out it’s contents and grumbling.
“Granger, I know we don’t know each other that well yet–don’t worry, we’ll get there–but your closet looks like it belongs to an elderly woman with three sickles to her name,” Theo said after he had tossed Hermione’s last hung shirt onto her floor. “So now you’re going to come with me.”
He walked to the bed where she sat and put a hand on her arm before apparating. Hermione didn’t get a second to react before she landed on her arse, still cross legged, in the floor of a fancy boutique. She stood up and tried to recover quickly, but Theo had already walked off and she had to try to follow the sound of his voice as he spoke loudly to whoever was there.
“Daphne! The light of my life! How are you today?” she could hear him say from somewhere in front of her.
“Theodore,” said the familiar looking pretty woman standing near Theo as he came into her line of sight, his face scrunching slightly at the sound of his full name. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“To whom, you mean! Daphne Greengrass, meet my new friend, Hermione Granger!”
Hermione smiled awkwardly and gave a small wave, wondering why she agreed to let Theo help her. She had several perfectly fine pieces at her flat she could’ve worn to this date tonight, no matter what Theo said. “Hello, I’m sorry to burst in here like this. I didn’t really get any warning,” Hermione said, glaring pointedly at Theo. He had the decency to look at least a little sheepish.
Daphne’s small outburst of delighted laughter as Hermione continued to glare at Theo made her feel a bit better before she heard Daphne speak up again, “So I see you really have met Theo. He had me worried for a moment that he just kidnapped you. What can I do for you two?”
Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Theo cut her off, “This golden Gryffindor needs something to wear for a date tonight. I’ve already gone through her atrocious closet, please help her.” The glare was back on Hermione’s face in full force, but Daphne had already brought out her charmed measuring tape.
“Do you have any preferences for colour? Style?” Daphne asked while a quick-quotes quill floated over her shoulder jotting down measurements, waiting for Hermione’s answer.
“Erm–I like neutrals, mostly. Muted colour is okay. I’ve never been one to wear something super bold. I don’t have a preference for a style though, so I trust your judgement,” said Hermione.
Theo walked over to the fitting area as a few garments floated to hang nearby, and Hermione followed. She continued to look around, taking in the tasteful decor. It looked out of her price range for sure. She could probably splurge on one dress. That wouldn’t be so bad.
Hermione stood on the platform in front of the large set of mirrors when Daphne directed her to and tried on a variety of different outfits and dresses in a myriad of shades; from blacks and charcoals, to nudes and blush pinks, with a few more muted colours here and there. The last dress she tried on though, was gorgeous. It was simple, but made Hermione feel so beautiful that she knew she was going to wear it tonight. A little black dress, perfect for any occasion, form fitting and knee length, with long sleeves and a slit up the side to show the right amount of leg.
Hermione watched in the mirror as Theo stood to pull her hair up into a low bun with a few curls falling out to frame her face. With her hair pulled back, the neckline showed off her small frame and collarbones. She turned to Daphne with a smile, “This is the one I want.”
The blonde smiled, “I couldn’t agree more. Are you sure there isn’t anything else I can do for you?”
“Daph, go ahead and send anything else you liked on her to me, I’ll drop it by her flat. Just send me the bill,” Theo piped up from where he was standing.
Hermione started to protest, but he clamped a hand over her mouth and looked to Daphne, “Thank you, she’ll wear this out!” and he disapparated them both with a pop.
–
As they landed back in Hermione’s flat, she whirled on him and pointed a finger. Theo raised his hands in defence.
“Before you say anything–because I know you have a lot to say–it’s not as if I couldn’t afford it! I need something to spend money on or else it all goes to good food and booze!” he proclaimed. “Besides, you don’t have time to maim me! You have to finish getting ready!”
“You’re a lucky man, Nott.”
Hermione finished getting ready after she shooed Theo through the Floo back to Grimmauld Place. She fixed her hair into a low bun like Theo had done in the shop, leaving out a few strands in the front, and applied some simple makeup. Hermione was never one for beauty charms, opting instead for her muggle beauty products.
She decided to be a little bold today though, even though she kept her eyes minimal, and she applied her dark red lipstick. Taking a look in the mirror at herself, with her beautiful new dress and red lips, she dug in her closet for a pair of shoes she bought forever ago but had never worn. Tonight was the night.
She slipped the dust cover off the box and took off the lid to reveal the patent black, red bottom pumps. Before she and Ron had separated, her and Ginny had gone on a shopping trip. Hermione spent a good deal of money on these Louboutin’s, and now was her chance to finally feel her best.
Hermione slipped them on and looked at herself. She felt sexy for once, for the first time in a really long while. She placed her wand in her purse and apparated to muggle London.