I got scared and instinctively reached out for the nearest thing, which turned out to be your hand

Hermione hated horror movies. She didn't know why she had decided to go watch one by herself, but she could blame it on her Halloween obsession. It seemed like a good idea until she was alone in a dark room.

"Nice job, Granger, now you aren't going to sleep by yourself or with the lights off for the next month," Hermione whispered to herself. "Who comes to watch 'The Conjuring' alone?"

She was trying to put on a brave face, but Hermione was a wimp. She was so focused on the movie that she didn't realise someone was sitting beside her.

When the characters started the exorcism, Hermione reached towards the nearest thing, which in turn, made her scream even louder.

"No! Get off me!" Hermione screamed, throwing away whatever she had grabbed.. A grunt followed her action. Maybe she had thrown it too hard.

"Jesus, woman, you do know how to scream. And how to throw my own arm against myself," a male voice said, and Hermione screamed again. "Are you alright?"

Hermione's mind finally caught what was happening around her; a redheaded man sat beside her with a concerned look on his face.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I don't really like horror movies, but I wanted to try it because Halloween is coming, and I was trying to overcome my fears or something, and I'm rambling and you don't even want to know what I'm saying or—" Hermione rambled before the same hand she had grabbed placed a finger on her mouth.

"I know what it is like to be afraid of something. I think you're very brave to try to overcome it," the man said, smiling at Hermione. "I'm Fred, by the way."

"I'm Hermione," she replied, lowering his hand. "I'm sorry for ruining the movie."

Fred shrugged. "Nah, I already watched this movie sometimes, it's fine. Do you want to get out of here?"

"Yes, please," Hermione said, standing up quickly and hurrying away. She felt—more than saw—Fred walking behind her, and she had to fight a little smile.

"I don't know about you, but I always get hungry after a horror movie, so what do you say? Want to go to the pub right around the corner and grab a burger?"

Hermione looked at him, trying to understand what he was trying to do. Fred seemed to be a nice guy, and he was very sweet with her with her fears; as she didn't have anything to lose, she nodded.

"Thank you," Hermione said, walking alongside Fred. He smiled at her and she instantly felt at ease.

Who knew watching a horror movie alone could allow her to meet someone like fred? And even if he was a serial killer pretending to be sweet, what did Hermione have to lose?