Submitted for The Houses Competition Forum - Round 7

House: Ravenclaw

Subject: Transfiguration

Category: Drabble

Prompt: 4. (Event) Family Dinner

Word count: 971


Guess who's coming to dinner?

"Please, Theo! I don't have anyone else to ask; don't make me go alone!" Hermione begged her best friend, batting her eyes for effect. "You said that you loved me and would do anything to make me happy."

"I did say that, but it wasn't so you could throw it back at my face when you wanted," Theo said to her, his voice stern. "You can bat your eyes all you want, but I'm not doing it."

Hermione groaned and dropped her head on the table. She had invited Theo for dinner before trying to gain some sympathy from her best friend, but he was being as stubborn as always and wasn't really helping her.

"Why can't you go alone? What's so important that you need me there?" Theo asked, taking a sip of his wine. "You're obviously dreading going to this dinner when I know you love spending time with your family."

Hermione groaned before she raised her head and looked straight into Theo's eyes. "You remember my cousin Eloise, right?"

"The one that tried to grope me at your parents' anniversary party?" Theo asked with an amused smile on his face. "Hard to forget."

"Exactly. And you remember Cormac?" Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, seeing the way Theo's hand was gripping his knife. "All right, moving on. Eloise is dating Cormac and she's bringing him to the family dinner tomorrow."

Theo took a deep breath, closing his eyes and letting go of the knife he was holding. After a few seconds, he opened them, and Hermione's breath hitched at the way he was looking at her.

After he had calmed down enough, Theo said, "Why are you going if you know they'll be there? It's just… Don't go."

"It isn't that easy, Theo, and you know it." Hermione sighed, if Theo refused to budge she would have to pull out her trump-card. "And I know for a fact my mum is making your favourite dish."

Theo glared at Hermione, and she had to fight the giggle that was threatening to escape her. "Are you trying to bribe me with food?"

"Pretty much," Hermione replied with a smile. "Is it working?"

"Yes, you little minx, it's working." Theo growled and Hermione smiled and clapped excitedly. "You know I would kill for your mum's shepherd pie… and if it's necessary, I can always kill your cousin or your douche ex."

Hermione giggled at his offer and shook her head. "Thank you, but I don't think that will be needed. Thank you for agreeing to go with me, by the way."

"You know I would do anything for your mum's shepherd's pie, Mi." Theo grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'll be there. So, there's no need to worry."

And suddenly, Hermione wasn't worried about the dinner; she was worried about what going to an extended family dinner with Theo by her side meant.


Hermione sighed for the tenth time. She was tired of watching Eloise and Cormac kissing over their plates of beef Wellington, trying to make her jealous; she was actually going to be sick, if she saw another tongue in the next minute.

Theo was trailing after her mum, asking for the recipe of her shepherd's pie. Hermione's mum laughed and patted his cheek, laughing at his downcast expression. Hermione felt a surge of affection running through her body when she saw Theo and her mum interacting.

She tried not to think about how Theo looked like he belonged right there with her family. It wasn't the first time Theo was a guest at one of her family dinners, but there was something different about today.

"I don't know how she does it, but your mum's shepherd pie is the best," Theo said, coming over to her with a plate in hand. "I need to know her secret."

Hermione smiled but didn't say anything. It was obvious Theo wasn't going to let it slide, so, putting his plate down, he wrapped an arm over her shoulders.

"What happened, Mi? Is something wrong? Did Eloise or Cormac say something to you? I wasn't kidding when I said that I would kill them for you." Theo was looking at her with such warmth in his eyes that Hermione didn't know how to answer.

"Nothing happened, Theo. I'm just seeing things more clearly now," Hermione replied softly, squeezing his hand on her shoulders before moving towards one of the tables, trying to move away from her relatives.

"Did I do something wrong? Was it because I was staring at Cormac like I wanted to punch him in the face? If it was, I'm sorry." Theo followed her like she should have known he would. "Talk to me, Mi. Please."

Hermione sighed, not knowing how to explain her feelings.

"Seeing you here tonight, interacting with my family over dinner... Something inside me has changed," Hermione started slowly, looking up at Theo with a small smile on her face. "I don't know… How would you feel about seeing if things could work between us? You might even become a part of the family for real. Maybe one day, Mum will even hand down her secret recipe to you..."

Theo blinked at her before smiling wider. "Is this your way of asking me out?"

Hermione thought it over before turning to face Theo. Her heartbeat thumped in her ears as she readied herself to ask him. "That's exactly what I'm doing. What do you say, Theo?"

"It's a shame we took so long to come to this decision," Theo said before giving her lips a soft peck that had her beaming. "Want to get out of here and go on this date right now?"

"I thought you would never ask," Hermione replied before taking his hand and leaving her parents' house.