Some mostly plotless Harmony fluff. The trope is overdone, but -- oh, well, I can't help it.

Edit 20/06/20: This was originally in first person, but I decided it was looking rather ridiculous that way. It's in third person now!

THE BLIND DATE

~Part One~

When he opened the door, she was sitting at her desk like always, her reading glasses perched on her nose, eyes fixed intently upon the parchment she was writing on and her lips pursed. Her hair, which had been untameable for years, had changed significantly. It was still a chocolate-brown but looked almost golden on certain days, it had become a less-bushy, more-wavy with the lower ends still curling around her neck in a very appealing manner. It was now tied in a sloppy bun, a few tendrils escaping now and then, and she had to tuck them behind her ear whenever they fell on her face. He wished he could keep watching her until the end of time, but decided otherwise.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, effectively catching her attention. She lifted her head and beamed at him, her eyes gleaming brightly. "Harry!" she cried enthusiastically, "What brings you here?"

He smiled at her and approached her desk. "I just had this sudden urge to surprise my favourite person on the planet. So here I am. May I sit down?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "No, you may not. Keep standing."

He gasped in mock hurt and said, touching his heart, "Wow, Hermione, that was rude."

"Sit down, you prat," she laughed, putting her quill down. "How was your date with Janet?"

He shrugged and said in a deadpan voice, "It ended before it properly began. Janet was just another one of those stupid fangirls."

"What did she do?" she asked, taking her glasses off and leaning towards him.

"Why are you so interested?" he asked, smirking.

"Harry, I do want to keep myself up-to-date about my best friend's love life."

"Why don't you ask Ron?"

"He's married, that's why. I know that his wife is Amelie and that their baby is due in June."

"Why do you always have to be correct?"

He'd like to think he didn't imagine the slight blush that appeared on her cheeks following this question. She smiled and said, "Thank you, but I'm not always correct. Anyway, tell me about Janet"

He groaned, "Damn, I thought I could get you off that subject. Well, Janet appeared on my doorstep last evening, wearing this skimpy little dress. Then she kept hinting at how she was fully prepared to stay the night with me; she even tried to get me to ask she was wearing under that dress. And when I told her flatly that we wouldn't be doing anything together that night, she just blew up. She began to talk about how hundreds of boys wanted exactly what I'd refused, and that I was an obnoxious, arrogant man."

Hermione giggled and said, "You've never been very good with girls, Harry, honestly."

"I know," I muttered. That's because I'm in bloody love with you!

"D'you want to eat dinner at the new restaurant near The Leaky Cauldron tonight? We could watch a movie, too."

She bit her lip and said, "Oh, Harry, I'd love to, but I'm sorry. I can't. I' ve—I've got a date with Anthony tonight."

"What?" he almost shouted.

She flinched slightly and replied, "I'm sorry. I've got a date with Anthony."

"Anthony?"

"Yes. Anthony Goldstein – he was in our year, in Ravenclaw, remember? He works in International Magical Cooperation. He asked me out last Friday."

He tried to control his temper but it was getting really difficult. "I remember him. So you accepted?"

"Yes, Harry."

"Why?"

Her eyes, which were fixed on the ground, shot back up to meet his. "What do you mean?"

"Why did you accept a date request from that prat?"

"He's not a prat, he was very sweet."

"Oh, so you decided to say yes without giving a second thought that your best friend might have made other plans?"

"How was I to know you'd made plans?" she glared at me.

"You should have asked me before you said yes to him. I ask you every time I have a new date."

"You're clueless about girls, and besides, I never told you that you're compelled to ask me for opinion. And I can date anyone I like without asking you. You're being completely stupid."

"That's right, call me stupid. When you're going to date that—that moron."

Hermione looked almost on the verge of tears. "Why are you being like this?"

"Oh, I don't know. You're so clever, you should have figured out the reason by now," I said coldly.

She wiped her eyes angrily. "What's gotten into you?", she asked, coming closer to me and taking my hands in her own soft, warm ones. He looked into her eyes and immediately wanted to kick himself for being a jealous idiot. All he wanted to do at that moment was to kiss her and make her forget about her date. But then, he remembered the face of the stupid Goldstein and said bitterly, "Forget it. I'm going home. You're probably getting late for your date."

His harsh manner made her let go of his hand. "Well then," she said coolly, looking away from him, "I'll see you around, Harry."

He missed her.

So. Damn. Much.

It had been twelve days since their quarrel over that idiot Goldstein and he hadn't seen her since. He supposed she'd told her secretary not to let him into her office, because every time he tried, Sarah would say, "Madam Granger hasn't arrived yet" or "Madam Granger is busy" or "Madam Granger isn't in her office right now" or something of that kind.

He had tried visiting her flat, too, but she'd put up wards against me. Currently, he sat brooding at my desk, fiddling with one of the lilies (her favourite flowers) that he'd bought for her. He still didn't know how to give them to her. The reason he'd been so mean that day was because he'd planned to take her out to her favourite museum that evening. But, of course, someone had to sweep her off her feet before he could. He clenched his teeth – he wanted to hex Anthony Goldstein into a million bits. Every time he saw him lately, he'd have a smug little smile on his face, and walk with a swagger as though he'd just won a thousand Galleons.

Fifteen days. Fifteen days since he'd seen her. He wanted to stay home and sulk, which was very unlikely of himself.

However, he was determined. He'd talk to her today and even Lord bloody Voldemort himself couldn't stop him from doing so.

He picked up the bouquet of fresh tiger lilies he'd bought this morning and Disillusioned it. He went over to Hermione's office, knocked on the door and saw Sarah's smiling face. It turned into a frown the moment she saw me.

"Auror Potter, I must tell you –"

"Sarah," he said sternly, "I have to meet Madam Granger today. It's urgent. I'm going to have to hex you if you don't let me in."

Sarah looked frightened at this. "Uhm," she said, "OK, you may come in, Sir."

He smiled at her, "Thank you, Sarah."

The door to Hermione's main chamber was ajar, but Harry still knocked. "Come in," she said without looking. He quietly removed the Disillusionment Charm from the flowers and approaching her desk, laid it before her.

Hermione looked up. Her eyebrows rose once before she returned to her work.

"Hermione, I'm sorry."

No response.

"Please, Hermione, I'm really sorry. I behaved like a complete twit that night. It's been fifteen days, Hermione, we've never been apart for so long. I regretted fighting with you the moment you left. I can't take it anymore, Hermione. I admit I am the world's biggest git, and I do not deserve to have you as my best friend, but please, I beg you, talk to me."

Hermione looked up at him and put her quill down, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I brought you these flowers. Thought they'd cheer you up," he stated.

"Come here," she ordered, pointing to her side of the desk. He did as he was told.

When he was beside her, she stood up and before he knew it, she had thrown herself at him and was sobbing into his shoulder. He was taken aback, but quite pleased that she was hugging him. He rubbed her back and whispered, "I missed you" into her hair. She sniffed and replied, "I missed you too, Harry, more than you know; and I'm sorry, too."

Smiling to himself, he kissed her forehead. They pulled apart after a while, but their arms were still wrapped around each other.

"So we're all good?" he asked.

"Of course, Harry," she chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"So, how was your date?"

"Oh, that," she said, tugging on her hair, "it was pretty nice until Anthony said he wanted me to stop being friends with you, or he'd not date me anymore."

"I was right about him being a prat, then. What did you say?"

"Honestly, what do you think I said? I chose you, obviously and dumped him then and there, but not before throwing a few choice swear words at him."

Harry's eyes widened. "Hermione Granger swears?"

She rolled her eyes again and smacked him lightly on the chest. "You and Ron have a bad influence on me."

"But you still love us, right?"

"Of course," she replied softly, kissing his cheek, "no matter who I date or marry, you two will always be the most important men in my life."

His heart plummeted at the thought of her marrying or even dating, someone other than him, but he smiled nevertheless.

"I should set you up on a blind date," Hermione suggested one Sunday morning as they sat eating Florean Fortesque's best Deluxe Chocolate Sundae outside his shop.

"Why?" he asked, curious.

"Well, you could do with some dating, I suppose. You've been single ever since Janet. And besides, there's this girl I know who's madly in love with you and she –"

He choked on my sundae. "In love with me?" he asked, his eyes wide. "Do I know her?"

"Most definitely," she said, examining a cherry in her ice-cream. "I know for a fact that she's loved you ever since your last year at Hogwarts."

"She was in our year?" he asked, completely flabbergasted. "Which house was she in?"

Hermione blushed, to his surprise. "She's told me not tell you because you'd figure it out if I did."

"Is it Lavender? Parvati?" he asked eagerly.

"No."

"Then Hannah Abbott?"

"Nope."

"Susan Bones? Padma Patil? Luna? Oh, Luna's a year younger than us."

Hermione giggled and said, "It's neither Susan nor Padma nor Luna."

He looked horrified and said, "Don't tell me it's some Slytherin girl? "

"She's not a Slytherin, I assure you."

"Well, set us up then. Ask her if she's free tomorrow evening." He would have preferred not dating anyone, but Hermione never seemed to show any kind of romantic interest in him, so he really needed to start moving on. What was the harm in trying, anyway?

"She told me she's free any time you are."

"Where are we meeting?"

"I decided The Silver Hippogriff—you know, Padma's new restaurant—would be a great place to meet. I've already asked her if it's OK with her, and she said yes."

"Awesome!" he said, smiling at Hermione, who smiled back.

He checked his reflection in the mirror. He looked rather fine, if he said so himself, in his blue shirt and jeans. I wonder who she is, he thought.

At seven o'clock sharp, he was about to enter The Silver Hippogriff when he saw a familiar-looking person standing at the door. She was looking away from him, so he couldn't see her, but she was wearing a white sleeveless top and black jeans, her brown hair (it looked very familiar to him) tied up in a messy ponytail. Looking more closely, he realised who it was.

"Hermione?!"

He walked over to her. When she saw him, she smiled and said, "Well, you're right on time!"

He was confused. "Where's that girl?" he asked.

"Which girl?"

"The one I was supposed to be meeting today. My date?"

Hermione looked right into his eyes and said, "She's standing right in front of you, Harry. She always has been."

Did she mean…? No, it could never be.

"I don't understand," he said.

She came closer to him and whispered, "Are you really that blind, Harry?"

Their faces were only inches apart from one another. "I still don't understand," he said, though he was starting to comprehend what she was trying to say.

His eyes drifted to her lips, and back to her own brown eyes. She closed them, and so did he, then the next moment her lips were brushing against his. It was a soft, feather-light, barely-there touch, but it left his spine tingling.

"Do you understand now?" she said, still in a whisper. He smiled and shook his head. "No, I don't."

She laughed, smacking his arm and said, "Idiot."

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her to him.

"Hermione, there's something I need to tell you and I think this is the perfect moment," he said huskily, the tips of their noses brushing.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You told me about that girl who's madly in love with me, tell her that I'm madly in love with her, too."

Her eyes filled with tears and she beamed at him, putting her arms around his neck.

"May I kiss her?"

"Just do it already," she whispered, and their lips met in the most wonderful, breathtaking, amazing kiss that sent his heart into a frenzy. They remained standing there in front of the restaurant, arms wrapped tight around each other, kissing for what seemed like aeons. His fingers traced tiny circles on her waist, hers cradled his face.

When they finally pulled apart, she had a giddy grin on her beautiful face, a dazed look in her eyes, her cheeks flushed and her hair even messier. He was sure he didn't look any better, smiling like a bloody fool as he stared at her.

They kissed again, and eventually, they remembered that they did have a date together.

"Come on," Hermione giggled.

Ten minutes later, as the waiter took their order and went away, Hermione squeezed his hand.

"I love you," she whispered, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"And I love you."

I hope you enjoyed the story. There is a Part Two as well, which I'll be posting soon.Thank you for reading!Toodle-o!