My friends were sharing scary stories, so I'm on edge and you had the misfortune of approaching me from behind and I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to give you a bloody nose
Hermione wanted to strangle Marlene's neck. Why the blonde thought it would be a good idea to make everyone share scary stories on Halloween's Eve was beyond her.
"I swear I can hear her screams when it's quiet outside my bedroom," Marlene said, bringing her flashlight to her face. "It's almost like she wants me to know she's there."
Hermione whimpered, and tried to come closer to Lily, but she was holding Sirius' arm like her life depended on it; around her, Remus and Peter seemed to be entranced by Marlene's story, while Regulus just looked bored. The only one missing was James.
"But this isn't the only thing…on Halloween's Eve, her fiancé comes back, to try to take with him a new fiancée," Marlene continued her story, making Hermione close her eyes. "And he always loved the brunettes."
She could feel eyes on her, and before she could say something, Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder. Before she could think about what she was doing, she punched someone on the face.
"What the fuck? 'Mione, what have I ever done to you?" James' voice sounded wounded, and when she turned, she saw his nose was bleeding. "Jesus, woman, I was only going to ask if you wanted a soda."
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Hermione's lower lip started trembling, seeing the blood. "Is just…Marlene was telling about the dead fiancé coming back to life and how he likes brunettes and you touched me and I'm just on the edge, okay?"
Hermione couldn't believe she was crying in front of her friends, but seeing the blood on James' face—her crush for the last two years—because of her, made something snap inside her.
"Hey, it's alright, 'Mione. Is not the first time that I got a bloody nose," James said, coming near her and putting a hand on her shoulders. "Peter has a mean right hook too."
She found herself smiling through her tears, but she was still worried.
"Can I take a look and maybe help you clean up?" Hermione asked in a small voice, coming near him and trying to ignore their friends looking at them. "I feel responsible."
James beamed at her, and Hermione felt her heart fluttering. "Yeah, I would love it. Come on, I'm feeling a little dizzy."
"Don't do anything in my bathroom, please!" Marlene shouted at their retreating forms. "If you want to get all lovey dovey with each other, there are better places!"
Hermione tried not to let Marlene's words get into her, but she was a little worried. James never looked at her like that, and after she punched him in the face, she doubted he ever would.
"I never thought you would be able to punch me like that, good thing to know," James said, when they entered the bathroom. "Guess I'll have to keep it in mind, huh?"
"Why would you have to keep it in mind?" Hermione asked, looking for something to clean James' nose.
"To not screw things up when I ask you out," James blurted and Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. "I mean…if you want to go out with me."
Hermione stared at him, blinking slowly, until she threw herself into James, knocking him into the wall, before kissing him square in the lips.
"I would have let you punch me sooner if it meant you kissing me," James said between kisses, making Hermione smile. "But I would do it without the blood."
She would later have to remember to thank Marlene for her stories.
