AN:
Rights to JKR. Trans rights are human rights. Black lives matter. Stay safe, stay alive, stay kind.
This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has reviewed and left me something nice, especially Thespianpoet and flyintherightdirection. You all have no idea what reviews mean to me. Every time I post a chapter, I'm worried it's not funny or that it's totally out of character. Seriously - this happens every time I post. So thank you everyone for letting me know how you're enjoying it!
Uh… hi. Sorry for the long absence. I got the Big 2020 Sick and used some time for writing, but I spent most of the time lying in bed hoping for the sweet relief of death. Okay, that was a bit dramatic. I had a very mild case and didn't have to go to the hospital, but it still sucked a lot. I'm very thankful and so so blessed not to have had a worse case. Also the arcade scene took me forever to write. I literally wanted to hit my head against the wall every time I worked on that part. I ended up rewriting several times and then totally scrapping it and writing the bit I have now.
Anywho- we're back! Hopefully I can pick everything back up and post a second chapter later this month or early next month. From now on, the chapters will be a bit longer than the first couple because I have more content in my timeline for these chapters. So leave me a review for some motivation and let me know if you like it. Enjoy!
Chapter 10
One More Hour
Friday, August 31st
"Harry, tell Ginny I'm so sorry to miss it. She knows I wish I could be there, but I'm just so swamped. Half my employees are sick with the flu and then a vendor was late and now-"
"It's okay. I get it. Ginny will get it. You go run your crazy bookstore and fix everything. It'll be fine. We'll see you at the afterparty though, right?" Harry interrupts her and leans back on his heels, away from Hermione's head looking up at him from the flames in his fireplace.
"Yeah, I'll be there, maybe a little bit late, but I'll be there. Cheer her on for me, okay?"
"For sure. We'll see you later."
"Thanks, Harry." Hermione smiles gratefully up at him before sitting back and pulling her head out of the green flames. Sighing, she stands and walks back downstairs to relieve an employee for their lunch.
Despite leaving the bookstore 20 minutes late, she is still the first one to arrive at the pub everyone agreed to meet at to celebrate Ginny's first professional Quidditch game with the Holyhead Harpies.
Watching the door for her friends, Hermione sips her second virgin blackberry mojito and tries not to make eye contact with a tall dark someone that had been eyeing her ever since she had stepped into the place. A waitress arrives with a third drink and sets it on the table before Hermione.
"I didn't order this," Hermione asserts, sliding the drink back to the waitress.
The waitress smiles and wipes moisture from her hands onto her apron, "It's from the gentleman at the bar. He's been trying to get your attention for a while. You haven't noticed?"
"I noticed, but I'm waiting for some friends. Not looking for a date," Hermione mumbles and glancing at the man watching from the bar.
"You might want to tell him that," the waitress murmurs as she and Hermione watch the man stand and start walking over to Hermione's booth.
The waitress leaves to clear away a few glasses from a few tables over just as the man leans against a chair at Hermione's booth.
"Philip Elton. What's your name, love?"
"Sorry, but I'm waiting for a couple friends. Do you mind?"
"Not at all." And instead of leaving, Philip Elton sits in the chair at the end of the booth and smiles in what was obviously supposed to be a charming display of dazzling white teeth, but only served to remind Hermione of a certain professor still housed in Saint Mungo's. "I didn't catch your name."
"I didn't say," Hermione frowns and crosses her arms.
Unperturbed, Philip Elton grins easily and takes a drink from the glass he had brought over from the bar. "No worries if you don't want to tell me," He grins, leaning across the table closer to her. "Mind if I call you Mary?"
"I'd rather be alone, thanks."
"Aw, don't be like that, Mary. How could I let such a beautiful woman deal with the kind of riffraff in this joint all alone?"
"I'd really prefer to wait for my friends alone."
"And I'm saying you don't have to. Consider yourself lucky, Mary. I'll take the time to wait for your friends with you." With that, he leans even closer to Hermione and settles a rather clammy hand on Hermione's bare knee.
A hand lands on his shoulder. "Sorry mate, but her friends just arrived. Kindly remove your hand from her knee before she breaks it or I do."
Philip Elton turns in his chair to see Ginny, Harry, Ron, Angelina, George, Neville, and Hannah with Fred's hand on his shoulder.
Seeing he's far outnumbered, Philip Elton stands and raises a hand to Hermione in farewell before heading back to the bar to pay off his tab. "See you around, Mary."
"Mary?" Fred raises an eyebrow at Hermione and slides into the booth by Neville and Hannah.
Hermione waves it away. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Gits like that say they're good blokes and nice to women, but they only treat women well if there's something in it for them. Absolute wankers and not worth the effort it takes to pound real respect into their puny heads."
"But we're always so thankful and amused when you take the time to bash it in anyway," Angelina laughs, joining the others in the booth.
Ron squeezes by Hermione to get into the booth when he notices the empty glasses in front of her. "Woah, 'Mione, wait for the rest of us to show up before you start getting plastered."
"Oh, shut it. Those were all virgin. Ginny! How did the game go? I'm so sad to have missed it!" Hermione pinches Ron on the side as she moves past him to hug Ginny.
Ginny squeezes Hermione to her in a crushing embrace. "We won!"
"Can't. Breathe-" Hermione manages to grasp out while turning slightly red in the face.
"Right, sorry sorry." Ginny immediately let's go but pulls Hermione back into a much gentler hug before finally releasing her.
"We're all terribly proud of her. She made the first shot of the game, and it was absolutely brilliant." George throws his arm around her shoulder and ruffles her hair.
"What happened?"
"The keeper made some comment about her arse and how being Harry Potter's girlfriend is the only reason she made the team. So-"
"-I threw the quaffle so hard he fell backwards off the broom and through the goal." Ginny's face splits into a broad grin and Harry kisses her cheek while the others hoot in laughter at the memory.
Looking around, Hermione notices a couple people missing. "Where are Dean and Seamus? And Luna? I thought they were coming."
Harry hands her a fresh mojito. "Made it to the game, but couldn't make the party. Dean and Seamus had an anniversary dinner and Luna couldn't miss her portkey back to the Congo. Apparently she and that Scamander bloke she's been dating have discovered a new subspecies in the Crumple-Horned Snorkack family."
Hermione shakes her head, smiling. "I can't believe she found an actual Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Too bad I missed her at the game though. I find myself missing her dreamy proclamations every once in a while."
"She really brightens the room, doesn't she?" Harry grins and sits next to Ginny and Ron, gesturing for Hermione to follow her into the booth.
It takes three rounds for everyone to fill Hermione in with excruciating detail on everything that happened during the game. Which player did what ploy or feint, how the teams worked together and their different strategies, what Ron was eating during which part, and how Luna compares the other team's seeker to a Whirly Hagmort or some other creature of questionable existence.
After a particularly long winded and frankly crude story about Seamus' gastrointestinal problems, Hermione flicks a chip at George's face. "Alright! I think I'm rather pleased I missed that bit."
George simply picks the chip up from his lap and eats it, grinning at Hermione.
"You know, sometimes I question my own taste in men. Maybe I should stick to girls. What do you think, 'Mione? Should I go for the sister?" Angelina asks, winking at Ginny who laughs.
Hermione snorts, "If you think she'd take you over Harry, I think it's definitely an upgrade looks-wise on your end."
"Oi, 'Mione. Lay of my identical twin will you?" Fred grumbles from across the table.
"Thanks, Forge. Knew I could count on you for the support. Besides," George inserts, "You already said yes, Angelina Johnson. I am taking your name and that is final."
Angelina laughs and kisses his cheek. At that moment, the waitress slides a glass in front of Ron who looks up in surprise. She winks at him. "From the tall blond guy in the corner."
The twins look up to check out the guy making eyes at Ron (who has turned a lovely shade of red that clashes horribly with his hair).
Hermione nudges Ron with her shoulder. "You should go talk to him."
"Yeah, Ronnie. Go talk to him." George choruses while Fred wolf whistles.
Still a magnificent red, Ron stands and shyly readjusts his shirt before turning to the twins. "My middle finger salutes you." He then sharply turns on his heel (only stumbling the smallest bit from his three previous drinks) and makes his way over to the blond in the corner.
Hermione turns back to Ginny and smiles at the girl. "For the most part, the game sounded wonderful, and I can't wait to be there for your next one."
Ginny smiles at her, winking. "You'd better not miss the next one or I'll pummel you."
Neville tips his pint at Hermione and somewhat gently, though rather on the painful side, nudges her shin with his foot. "She really means it. I'd be there if I were you."
Hermione laughs, "I'll be there!"
Harry grins at his girlfriend. "Brilliant. Now that that's out of the way," he lifts his pint into the air, "To Ginny and the Holyhead Harpies!"
"To knocking sexist keepers off their brooms!" George lifts his own drink in a toast.
Fred lifts his own in agreement with a crooked grin. "Here, here!"
With several splashes and a raucous clink, the rest of the partygoers crash their glasses together over the table before drinking deeply.
Later in the evening, after Neville and Hannah had retired for the evening (Neville claiming he wanted an early start in preparing his office as the new Herbology professor at Hogwarts) and long after Ron had abandoned the party for the blond, two more members of the party prepare to leave.
Angelina pulls free from George's tugging toward the door. "Hermione! Molly wanted me to tell you to come to dinner on Sunday. It's a party for Ginny, so take work off for the night and make sure you can come!"
"I'll figure something out!" Hermione calls back to her friend, laughing at George's rather ridiculous attempts to get Angelina home with him.
Finally giving in, Angie rolls her eyes and waves to the remaining four partygoers as she's pulled out the door.
Neither Harry nor Ginny look up from their involved state at their original booth to bid them farewell.
"Oi, Gin. Hop off the savior of the world before it gets indecent. Go home or find an alley. No one wants to see that," Fred calls from his seat next to Hermione at the bar.
Glaring, Ginny slides off Harry's lap and pulls him up with her. Walking past the two, she smiles and winks at Hermione. "See you Sunday."
Harry stops briefly before the two, flushed and glancing around. "Where's Ron?"
"He left about an hour ago with the guy that sent him a drink. He said not to wait up," Hermione smiles at his sheepish expression.
"Right, well. See you Sunday," Harry grins and backs away, waving as Ginny pulls him through the bar and out into the night.
Fred chuckles and drains his glass, "Guess it's just you and me then. Another round?"
"One more hour couldn't hurt," Hermione smiles as she pops a blackberry from her drink into her mouth.
Fred signals the bartender. "Another virgin? Want any alcohol?"
"Sans the alcohol please. I don't particularly like drinking."
"What about the drinking nights and parties like Harry and Neville's birthday?"
"I usually tap out early and either read in another room or watch you idiots fall all over yourselves."
"Who are you calling- okay, but we don't-" Fred stops his stuttering and takes a drink from his new glass to collect his thoughts. "You drank at the wedding."
"Special circumstances," Hermione grants, sipping at the drink one of the bartenders had just placed before her.
"And Ginny's team winning their game isn't a special circumstance?" Fred grins and tilts his head, leaning on his forearm over the bar.
Hermione rolls her eyes, "I can have fun and enjoy myself without muddling my brain and ruining my liver."
"That's what I'm looking for. You don't have to make excuses with me, 'Mione. I like you best when you're honest." Grinning from ear to ear, Fred bumps Hermione's elbow with his own.
Hermione laughs, pushing him gently away. "Then honestly, you're a prat."
"You wound me."
"Not too deep, I'd imagine. Nothing I say can really pierce your thick hide."
"No, truly. Cut me to the quick you do." At Hermione's laughter, Fred stands and offers his hand to her. "Dance with me?"
"I don't know what delusion you're in, but this place doesn't quite seem to be the dancing environment, Fred," Hermione states, looking around.
Fred grins again and gestures with his extended hand. "I know a place two streets down. You'll have fun. Besides, we didn't get the chance to finish dancing at the wedding."
Hermione takes his hand and they duck out the door all their friends had disappeared through earlier in the night.
Before Fred and Hermione even enter the dancing club, they can hear Latin music emanating from the inside. And just after they walk in to see a throng of people dancing the tango, Hermione stops Fred before he can pull her onto the dance floor.
"Fred, wait," She takes a worried glance back to the dancing couples and begins to chew her lip. "I don't know how to dance to this. This is nothing like the dancing Mcgonagall taught us."
Fred squeezes her hand, smiling reassuringly down at her. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing, and these dances are pretty simple. There are a few set steps and then you improv a bit. You're a quick study, 'Mione. You can do this, and I won't let you fall."
Hermione gives him a small smile and nods before he grins and pulls her onto the corner of the dance floor to show her the steps.
Hermione is thoroughly impressed in Fred's ability to lead. She has only stepped on his toes twice, and even then it merely caused her to briefly stumble before Fred successfully coaxes her back into the correct steps.
After a particularly fast salsa, Hermione sighs in relief when the slower rumba is played.
"Do you need a break?" Fred asks, twirling her under his arm.
"After this dance, yes. So many steps I'm beginning to get them jumbled," Hermione admits rather sheepishly.
Fred smiles as she successfully completes a cucaracha set. "You're doing brilliantly, 'Mione. I'm impressed with your ability to pick it up so quickly."
The song ends, and Fred escorts Hermione around the other couples toward several standing tables on the edge of the room.
Fred leaves Hermione at a table while he goes to the bathroom. Almost immediately as she's left alone, another man walks up to her table.
"Care to dance?"
"Sorry, I'm taking a bit of a break," Hermione smiles apologetically at him.
The man makes a rather attractive pouting face and leans against her table opposite her. "Just one? I promise you'll have fun."
"Thanks, mate, but she's having plenty of fun with me. Why don't you run along and find another partner?" Fred takes that moment to reappear and put his arm around Hermione's waist.
Huffing, the stranger stalks off in search of some other poor girl. Fred drops his arm from Hermione's waist and moves around the table to occupy the space the other man had just left.
"Seems like every time I leave you alone, you've got another guy begging for attention," Fred nudges her with his elbow in a tease.
Hermione simply rolls her eyes. "What can I say; I have a lot to offer."
"That you do."
Blushing, Hermione gives him a soft push when he looks her up and down.
"How did you get into Latin dancing?" Hermione finally asks after a moment of silence between them while they watch the dancing.
Fred smiles but doesn't take his eyes off the couples. "Angelina had George take a couple classes to learn with her. Problem is, George is a terrible dancer and had me practice the girl part with him every night. I really enjoyed the dancing, and I occasionally bring- brought- girls here on dates."
Hermione nudges him with a grin. "Brought? Past tense?"
"Yeah, I don't date all that much anymore... Too busy with the shop and our new projects," Fred admits, grinning at her.
"So where else did you take these girls?"
He laughs and leans against the table. "Have you ever been to the late night arcade down the street? They have the best chips. Why are you laughing? Chips are important. No seriously, I think I've made an incredible discovery for the chip fans of the world," Fred informs her in a mock serious voice, clearly enjoying her laughter.
"How can something as arbitrary as chips be an 'incredible discovery?'" Hermione questions, folding .
Fred wags his finger at her, grinning slyly. "One day I'll get you to try the chips, and you'll see."
Hermione rolls her eyes and he continues. "Ready to dance again?"
They join hands again and take up the steps to a mamba.
After several dances, Hermione begins to feel confident in the steps and rhythm, slowly relaxing her body into the music and allowing Fred to lead her into improvised steps rather than the set steps he showed her when they first arrived at the dance club.
Breathing heavily after the dance, Fred guides her to the back of the dance floor, holding her close to avoid being in the way of the other dancers. "Do you want to try a lift?"
"Do you think you can lift me?" Hermione questions, biting her lip nervously.
Fred gives her an incredulous look before grinning crookedly. "Hermione. Didn't we have this conversation before? You're tiny. Besides," he grins wickedly and flexes his biceps. "Do you really think I would drop you?"
She smiles timidly, looking from his biceps up to his face. "Okay then."
He begins positioning her as he speaks. "First step, stand in front of me with your back to me. Lift your right leg up and I'm going to hold your thigh to support you. Is this okay?"
She nods, blushing from the intimate contact, thankful her back is to him.
"Right. So next, put your right arm behind my neck and hold on tightly. I wrap my arm around your waist. And when I lift you off the floor, jump with me and bend your left leg up into the air. Ready to try?"
Hermione nods again.
"Okay, this time we're going to start with you spinning into the position then go with the lift like… this." Fred turns Hermione into his chest and lifts her effortlessly before letting her down gently. "How do you feel?"
Hermione beams, the thrill of moving together rushing in her veins. "Well, you didn't drop me, so I think it'll be fine."
"Brilliant. Let's try it," Fred grins and takes her hand to pull her back into the crowd.
"Last dance!" An announcement blares through the speaker as the first notes of a salsa start up.
Fred grins at Hermione, "Think you can do one more?"
"One more," Hermione smiles and takes Fred's hand.
He pulls her back onto the dance floor, expertly leading her in a sultry salsa.
As the song escalates Hermione can feel the beat vibrating through the floor and up into her body. She lets the sensuous music guide her movements. She follows Fred through a series of complicated steps leading to the turn and up into the lift he had taught her earlier.
The end of the song finds them in a dip, out of breath, and close, noses just barely not touching. Exhilarated by the heat of the dance, they're frozen for a moment before the lights come up. Fred lifts Hermione from her dip, and they pull away from their close embrace, both blushing profusely.
Fred clears his throat and takes her hand, guiding her out of the way of the throng making toward the door. "Are you tired?"
"Not particularly," Hermione shakes her head, chewing her lip and glancing around.
Fred's face splits in a grin. "Are you up for the best chips of your life?"
"I could eat. What's one more hour anyway?" Hermione smiles in return, her cheeks still a pretty pink.
"Follow me." Fred tightens his grip on her hand and pulls her back out into the night.
The two take their small trays of chips from the food counter to an eating area where they sit at a low circular table.
Fred waits for Hermione to try a chip first, expectantly awaiting her reaction.
"What?" She asks, confused by his staring.
He motions excitedly to the chips. "Try one."
Rolling her eyes but still grinning, Hermione takes one of the chips and pops it into her mouth, chewing and nodding her.
"Aren't they just fantastic? I could eat them everyday."
Hermione grins and wipes her mouth with a paper napkin. "I seem to recall someone saying that my diet was unhealthy."
"Chips are made from potatoes. Potatoes are healthy," Fred quips, grinning wolfishly.
"It's the oil and salt-"
"You don't seem to mind the oil and salt when it's your takeout food."
"Touché... They are quite good," she smiles, eating another as Fred tucks into his.
A half hour later finds them sitting at the same table and Fred telling a story about how a cousin insulted his mother's cooking. "-And you know how my mum is about her bridie."
Hermione shakes her head. "I haven't had your mum's bridie. I've actually never had bridie before.
"Never had- You've never had a bridie before?"
Hermione simply shakes her head again, slightly amused at his astonishment.
"I was almost positive we had them at some point together during holiday at the Burrow."
"No, never."
"Well it just so happens that I know how to make an absolutely smashing bridie. I'll have to make it for dinner sometime."
Hermione laughs and pops the last of Fred's chips into her mouth. "I look forward to it."
Suddenly the lights come up in the arcade and the staff begin calling for people to pay their tabs.
Fred turns to Hermione. "I know another pub around the corner. Tomorrow you're not working, yeah? So maybe one more?"
"One more hour. I'm trusting you here though. If this place is sketchy, you'll be paying for my cab fare home."
"You don't trust me even after the chips and all the fun we had dancing? I'm beginning to question your taste, 'Mione."
She rolls her eyes and stands. "Lead the way."
They finally get their drinks from the overcrowded bar and find a secluded table for two in a back corner where a lone stiletto pump lay discarded.
Hermione takes a drink from her virgin martini. "What are you working on right now?"
"What, now? Like my drink?"
"No, I mean at the shop," Hermione laughs gently. "Haven't you started a new project? George said something earlier about you working late on some big project."
Fred leans back against the bar, grinning mischievously. "There's no way you'll get me to spill, 'Mione. I told you at the wedding it was a secret project you inspired."
"So it's the same thing? My project and the big project?"
"What do you mean?" Fred tilts his head to the side, his eyes questioning.
Hermione ducks her head to take a drink before looking back up to him. "I thought perhaps my project was maybe something you did in your spare time when you're bored."
"Hermione, how could anything you inspire be anything but a grand and intricate endeavor?" He asks, gently tugging on one of her curls.
Her eyes look up to meet his, and her breathing hitches as she unthinkingly leans closer to him. He winds his finger through the curl and leans slowly closer to her, eyes flicking to her mouth.
Just before their lips meet, what looks like a drunk bride at her bachelorette party knocks into their table and the two break apart.
Hermione stands and clears her throat, avoiding eye contact. "We should…"
"Probably head home. Yeah," Fred stands as well, looking at the floor and face flaming.
They walk out of the pub as the sun comes up and they lean against the building, watching as dawn slowly brightens the sky.
"Ready to head home?"
Hermione sighs and looks back at Fred, giving him a slightly rueful smile. "I suppose. Would you mind if we went to see Tilley's flowers first? He's always telling me how beautiful they are in the morning sun."
"You spend all night having fun with me and the first thing you want to do is go see some other bloke's shop? How twisted is that." Fred growls in mock jealousy.
Hermione simply laughs and offers her hand, which he readily takes. "C'mon then. Maybe you can meet him."
They apparate into another alley a few doors down from Tilley's shop. Neither removes their hand from the other's. Neither of them mention it.
Fred uses his hand to block the sun in his eyes but looks back to Hermione when she suddenly starts giggling.
"Godrick, I haven't stayed out all night in a long time.."
"Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Immensely. I really needed a night of ridiculous fun. But I'm pretty excited for my bed at this point."
"Who says the night of fun has to end when you get to bed?" Fred quips, winking at her and bouncing his eyebrows.
"Pretty sure I'd be useless at this point. I'd collapse and start snoring as soon as my head hit the pillow."
"I don't mind doing all the work."
Hermione laughs and releases his hand to push him slightly away from him. "Prat."
Fred just chuckles, shoving his hands in his pockets.
They reach the bookshop and stop, staring up at it for a minute in silence. Fred turns to her, but before he can speak, she sighs. "I suppose we had better go up."
Fred furrows his brow but stays quiet. They walk through the bookshop and up the stairs and through the front door in silence.
Hermione reaches her bedroom door and leans against it, opening it behind her. "Good night, Fred."
"Goodnight, Hermione."
They walk into their respective bedrooms and prepare for bed.
AN: Something came to my attention while I was writing this chapter - what happens at Hogwarts if September 1st is a weekend? Do they start school the following Monday or still go up to school and wait until Monday for the classes to begin? So I did a bit of googling and saw that most school in our muggle world start classes the following Monday if September 1st is on a weekend. And that's what I'm going with here :)
Also! In case you haven't caught on… Ron and Angelina are both bi or pan or queer. Ginny is as well and Charlie is ace, but I'm not exploring those two areas in this fic - maybe in another fic? Not really sure. Would any of you like for more lgbtqai+ representation/fics? I do have a Drarry in the works… Review and let me know!