DISCLAIMER: None of the characters (besides Christian and the slight mention of Andi) belong to me.
Parfait
Harry and Ron sat outside the ice cream parlour on Diagon Alley. They were out of school, licking their treats on a sunny day and didn't have a care in the world. Even their speech was relaxed, coming out slow and languid.
"So…" Harry said about nothing in particular.
"So…" Ron replied in a more serious tone.
"When's Hermione supposed to get here?" Harry asked.
"I don't know. She said we'd meet here for lunch. All she said in her owl was that she had some girl she wanted us to meet. She met her on her trip to France a few years ago, and they've been pen pals. The other girl is on a trip to London, so they decided to get together." Ron seemed exhausted from his long speech. "Hey, maybe she's trying to set you up, Harry. You know, get your mind off Cho…"
"Please, no!" Harry said. "I can handle my own love life, just fine, thanks."
"Don't get angry at me!" Ron said, licking the drips off the side of his cone. "I was just suggesting…"
Harry looked down the street, trying to ignore Ron's innuendos. "Hey, I think that's her right now. You could spot that hair a mile away."
They both stared at the two people who were holding hands coming towards them. For a moment there was silence. They were confused.
"Ron…" said Harry. "Are you sure that's a girl?"
"No." said Ron stiffly. "The person she's holding hands with looks suspiciously masculine…" He began to get red in the ears.
"Don't look too jealous now, Ron." Suddenly a thought dawned upon him…
"Wait! She's not trying to fix me up with a boy, is she?! I mean, I never…ahem…" The ice cream cone fell out of Harry's hand and onto the pavement.
They stared dumbstruck as Hermione and the handsome boy came to their table and sat down.
"Hi, guys!" Hermione said cheerfully.
Ron and Harry just sat with their mouths partly open. Hermione gave them a sarcastic look.
"Don't both say hello at once." She said dryly.
"Hi." Harry said mechanically. Ron kept staring. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Guys, this is Christian. I met him when I was in Paris. He took my picture in front of the Moulin Rouge. Christian, this is Ron Weasley and this is Harry Potter." She nodded to each one respectively.
The dark haired boy grinned at both of them with a winning smile. Harry and Ron liked him less every moment.
"Hi mates." He said in a sexy Scottish burr. "Ron, Hermione talks about you so much in her letters, I feel as if I already know you. And who doesn't know about Harry Potter?"
Hermione giggled like the schoolgirl she was, and then glanced eagerly at Harry and Ron to snap out of their trance and say something.
"Ha." said Ron. He faced Hermione. "I thought you said you were bringing a girl."
"Ron, don't be rude." Hermione said blushing. "Besides, I never said such a thing. I just didn't tell you I was bringing Christian because I knew you'd overreact to me bringing a male friend."
"I wonder why?" Ron said sarcastically. Hermione frowned.
"Ow!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. "Why'd you kick me, Hermione?! I didn't do any - ow! You did it again!" Hermione gave him an evil glare.
"So, Christian," Harry said, getting over his initial shock and gathering enough sense to try and save the situation. "Are you originally from Paris? Because, no offence, you don't sound very French to me."
"Oh, no, none taken." said Christian easily. "Actually I'm from Scotland originally, but I moved to France when I started school."
"He goes to Beauxbatons," said Hermione, appraisingly. "He's just been made Head Boy!" Hermione looked at him adoringly.
"Well bully for him…" Ron muttered as Hermione gave him another withering glare.
"Maybe we should get going…" said Harry "Where were you planning to go, Hermione?"
"Well, Christian had this brilliant idea of rowing down the Thames and then stopping for a picnic lunch. Christian's a wonderful cook…"
"That sounds dandy." said Ron, standing up. "Let's go, shall we?"
As Harry stood up he heard Ron mutter, "The sooner we do this, the sooner it's over with" loud enough so that Hermione couldn't hear.
Ron grabbed Hermione's arm possessively and lead the way.
On their way, Hermione, Christian and Harry talked happily about schoolteachers they were happy to be away from, the newest Nimbus model (it turned out Christian was his house's Quidditch team captain as well…remarkably similar to Oliver Wood in Harry's mind…though not as fanatic) and pointless things in general. Ron sulked along, clearly not enjoying this new addition's company.
They took turns rowing the boat Hermione transfigured from a dandelion. A ways down the river, Christian pointed out a small clearing on the bank. They agreed to stop there to eat lunch.
Under the sun, laying on a blanket and eating all of Christian's delectable concoctions, a lot of tension was relieved. Even Ron had seemed to relax a little with the good food.
"This food is really delicious, Christian." Hermione praised. "You've really out done yourself this time."
"I agree." Harry put in, "And you did all this without magic? I'm impressed."
"Yeah." said Ron. But that was all the praise he was willing to give.
"I've been thinking about going to the Cordon Bleu for a while after I finish school." Christian said. "But I'm glad you guys like my cooking. I made the bouillabaisse especially for you, Hermione, I know you like it." He flashed her another dazzling smile.
"Thank you, Chris, that's so sweet of you." said Hermione, smiling adoringly back.
Ron was growing pink in the ears again and Harry could see a crazed look in his eyes.
"Hermione." said Ron loudly. "Do you want some more water?"
"Oh, sure, Ron. That'd be great." Hermione said, looking at him strangely. Ron got up to get some more water and Hermione turned back to Christian.
"Have you enjoyed your trip here so far, Chris?" she asked looking deep into his blue-green eyes.
"Oh yes." He said. "And sitting here, on this riverbank, it's so pretty." He looked at her. "But nothing here's prettier than you, Hermione"
Hermione blushed and looked down at the ground. Ron, who had just returned with Hermione's drink, stopped suddenly at hearing this. The glass fell from his hands and onto Christian's pants.
Christian jumped to his feet, trying to brush the water off his pants. Hermione followed suit, but she was cursing Ron the entire time.
"Ron, how could you be so clumsy! Look what you've done! What's the matter with you?" Hermione shouted. Ron just stared blankly.
"Hermione, it's okay." Christian soothed. "It'll take two seconds to fix, look." He took his wand, freshly polished from the looks of it, from his pocket. He waved it over the wet spot on his pants and the spot immediately vanished. Then he turned to the picnic basket.
"Accio water and glass!" he commanded and a new cup of water came zooming into his hand. He handed it to Hermione. "Now just take a sip and calm yourself down. See? Everything's okay." Hermione accepted the glass from his hand and gratefully took a sip. Ron was fuming by this point.
After the excitement calmed down and everyone was feeling a little more at peace (except for Ron, maybe), the conversation picked up again.
"So Christian," Ron asked, "When are you leaving?"
"Ron!" Hermione said quickly.
Christian chuckled. "Today, actually, Ron. I've got to catch my train in about an hour."
Ron looked startled, but pleasantly surprised. "Oh, so soon? But we've barely even gotten to know you. Such a pity." Hermione glared at him.
"Why are you leaving so early?" Harry asked "Didn't you just get to London?"
"Yes, well I know I didn't spend very long here, but I really don't have any choice. I have to leave to go to Scotland to see my family and take care of a little business. Actually, I wasn't even supposed to come to London," said Christian "But I decided that a chance to see Hermione was just too good to pass up, even if it was only for a day." Hermione and Christian exchanged looks.
Harry thought steam was about to pour out of Ron's ears, so he tried once again to avert disaster.
"Uh, well, it looks like we're finished lunch; why don't we go for a little walk?" he suggested.
"Sure," said Christian, hopping to his feet and dusting off his pants. "There's nothing I like better than a little exercise."
"Me neither." said Ron getting up quickly and dusting his pants off with a little more vigour than Christian. "I live for exercise! Come on, Hermione"
Ron went at a brisk pace down the path, tugging Hermione alongside him. Christian and Harry walked a few paces behind them.
They walked along peacefully for quite a ways. It was only when they got in sight of the train station that Harry felt compelled to tell Christian something.
"Ok, Christian, now I know that this is going to sound a little weird coming from me, but I just have to say it." Harry began, looking a little anxious.
"Sure, Harry, tell me whatever you want." Christian said warmly.
"Well, it's just that you've been…well, you know…flirting with Hermione the whole day and because she and Ron are going out, it's just…"
"Whoa, Harry, whoa." Christian said, cutting him off. "I know you're concerned for your friends, but you really don't have to worry about Hermione and I." He looked a little sheepish and glanced ahead of them at Ron and Hermione before he continued talking.
"You see, this whole trip has been a well-organized plan devised by Hermione. She was beginning to think that Ron was ignoring her and she needed to figure out how to get his attention back. So when I wrote that I was going to Scotland, she asked if there was any possibility of me making a short stop in London. When I said yes, right away she laid out this plan to get Ron's attention again. I would come in, flirt obviously enough with her so that Ron could pick up on it and get jealous and then have to spend a lot of extra time with her to keep me away. That'd remind him that she could be taken away at any time if Ron didn't want to keep her…" Christian trailed off. He smiled as he looked at Ron and Hermione together.
"So this whole afternoon was a plot concocted by Hermione? You haven't been trying to steal her away from Ron?" Harry asked, slightly confused from this surprising turn of events.
"Oh, goodness, no!" said Christian, laughing to himself. "No, why, I've got a girlfriend back home, Harry. Besides, I would never try to separate these two, they're perfect for one another."
"You know," Harry chuckled "I don't know why I'm surprised Hermione did all this. You never know what to expect from her."
"Yup, she's one in a million." Christian agreed. "Hopefully Ron will realize now what a catch he's got."
"So…you've got a girlfriend, eh?" asked Harry. "What's she like?"
"Oh yeah, Andi, she's wonderful. Actually, she's not really my girlfriend. She's my fiancée. She's beautiful and intelligent and everything you could ever wish for in a woman. She's a dream…" Christian said, his voice getting soft and his eyes glazing over.
"Fiancée? Well, congratulations, mate, she sounds fantastic." Harry said, extending his hand.
"Oh, thanks," said Christian, snapping back into reality and grabbing Harry's hand. "Yeah, she is fantastic." They were both surprised to find they had reached the station.
"Come on, Chris, we'll walk you to your platform" Hermione called "Which one is it?"
"Platform 8 and 7/12" he said, pulling his ticket out of his pocket.
"I'm so sad you couldn't stay longer, Chris" Hermione said, drawing closer to him. "It's been so much fun spending the day with you. We'll have to do it again soon."
"Btu not too soon" Ron murmured.
When they reached the wall between platform 8 and 9 they casually leant against it, Ron and Harry first and, after a slight delay that got Ron quite antsy, they were followed by Christian and Hermione.
"We've only got two minutes, Chris, quick." Hermione said, pulling him to the train. They all stopped in front of the door.
"Well, mates," Christian said, turning to face them. "This is goodbye for now." He turned to Ron.
"This has been great fun, chum. I hope we can do it again another time. But hopefully you won't drench me then."
"Sure." Said Ron. "Have a nice trip." They shook hands.
"Harry, mate, it's been wonderful, it really has. I'm so glad to have met you." Christian said, clasping hands.
"Likewise" said Harry, smiling. "Good luck with all your future, uh…engagements."
"Thanks." Christian said grinning, and gave him a wink. He turned to face Hermione.
"Hermione, I don't know what to say. Today has just been so wonderful, I don't want to leave. I just wish I could spend more time here with you." Christian squeezed her hands.
"Yes, well, I think you've…accomplished…everything you came here to do, but it was marvellous having you here. I'll have to go to France soon to visit you." Hermione looked into his eyes.
The train conductor blew his whistle and shouted 'All aboard!'
"I better get inside" Christian said.
He gave Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek, much to Ron's dismay, and hopped on board. The train started pulling out of the station.
"Bye! I'll see you all again soon! I'll miss you all!" Christian waved from the door, moving along the platform.
"Goodbye!" they shouted back. They waved until the train was out of sight.
"Well, that was a fun day, wasn't it?" Hermione said as they left the station.
"Yeah…" said Ron grabbing her arm. "You know, Hermione, I've been thinking…I think we should start spending more time together. I don't like the thought of you left alone, with all that spare time for you to write letters…"
Harry simply smiled.
THE END