Shipping C3 - Only One Bed
Spring B5 - Umbrella
Stacked With: FPC; BAON; Tos; Star; Fence; Shower; T3; SN; Ship; SpB; IC&F
Challenges: Old Shoes (Y); Small Book (Y); The Real MC (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Zed Era (Y); Hold the Mayo (Y); Saucy Oven (Y); Disabled (Y); Ethnic & Present (Y); Rian-Russo Inversion (Y); Rowl in her Grave; Neurodivergent (Y); Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Ravenclaw MC; Magical MC; Red Lights; Red Wave (Y); Red Bull (x2); Bi Rainbow; Rainbow Rainbow; Missing Rainbow
Primary & Secondary: Spinning Plates; Delicious Lie; Second Verse (Nontraditional; Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still); Chorus (Machismo; Odd Feathers; Wabi Sabi)
Tertiary & Generic: T3 (Thimble); SN (Ameliorate)
Scavenger Hunt: Writing Diversity (Mobility Issues)
Warnings:
Word Count: 5345
~o0o~
Okay, so, she was in love. Again. With someone who wasn't into her as far as she knew and who she had been a complete bitch to. This has happened before and all three times she still got a date in the end.
Maybe she had a problem.
At first she thought it was a superficial attraction and some mistaken feelings after their one night stand, but then she recognized all the signs. She'd been truly in love seven times, she knew what it felt like. That little flutter, hoping it was them every time the door opened, thinking about them every time she saw something they liked or would like. Seeing the house with them just cemented it. The thought that when she walked in the door, they would be there, too.
Unfortunately, she had likely destroyed any chance she might have had. She had been mean, cruel, and absolutely insane. If she admitted it, what reason would Cedric even have to believe her? She wouldn't deserve to have it requited. They were barely friends and things were still a bit tense despite the bonding over a creepy old house and the mutual love for their niece.
If she told them the truth about Halloween perhaps she could build something… but what if that ended in disaster?
No, she would just have to find a way to fall out of love with them. Some distance would be good. She could manage her feelings while she was on holiday.
Three whole weeks away from work. Two of the days she spent packing up her flat and selecting materials for the house renovations. Her lease would end while she was still away, so she had gone ahead and reverted everything back to its bland, white state. All of her things had been packed into boxes with extension charms and would sit in her storage unit with her books and other things that didn't fit in her studio. The cats were at Ron's house already being doted on by Rory.
When she returned, she would start working on her house. Mrs. Cohen was going to be sending in a safety inspector anyway to ensure there was no gas leak or anything like that. She wasn't sure where she would stay if she couldn't stay in her house. Of course, she could always pitch a tent in her backyard. She'd stayed in crummy conditions before, but if there was a gas leak then she didn't exactly want hallucinations.
Mrs. Cohen promised to have the report ready when she returned as well as a list of magical and non-magical renovators. Hermione already approved a plumber and a replacement boiler.
Finally, the day of her holiday came.
With everything she would need for two weeks packed away in her suitcase and her purse, she stopped by the leasing office first thing in the morning to drop off her key before heading to St. Pancras to make her first train to Paris.
"And everything is cleared out?" said Janelle from the leasing office.
"Yes and I documented the state of the apartment as I left it," she said.
"Then you're all set. Have a nice day."
"You too."
She stepped out to see Cedric step out of the lift with a suitcase in hand.
"Oh, hello Hermione," they said. At least they weren't calling her by her last name. "Where are you off to?"
"The train station. St. Pancras."
"What a coincidence, so am I. Would you like to split a taxi?"
"Alright."
Ever since the war, anti-apparition wards had been placed around the train station and even if they hadn't, Hermione really wasn't handling apparition well the past week or so. Every single time she apparated she felt dizzy and nearly vomited.
Hermione buttoned up her coat and stepped outside with Cedric. It had begun to snow lightly, but it wouldn't stick. It rarely did around there. They managed to get a taxi fairly quickly. Hermione folded her hands in her lap and looked out the window while Cedric chatted with the cabbie. She had a train change in Paris and another in Turin before finally reaching Rome. It would take the better part of a day, but then she would have Christmas Eve to shop and then stay in Christmas Day while everything was closed.
The station was absolutely packed.
"Enjoy your holiday," said Hermione.
"Yeah, you too."
She hurried to use the loo before heading to the correct platform. She had thought about taking the magic line, but she didn't want to be recognized. That was the thing she hated about the magic world. No anonymity. People still shook her hand on the street, especially when May 2nd rolled around.
She'd had to wait around for about half an hour before she could board. She found her seat and put her luggage in the compartment above it before sitting down next to the window.
"Oh, hell!"
She looked up to see Cedric double-checking their ticket. They put their suitcase next to hers and sat down next to her. She moved her arm when one of the spikes on their leather jacket poked her.
"Sorry," they muttered. "It's rather cramped, isn't it?"
"Yes." She ran her thumb along the pages of her book. "So… where are you going?"
"Rome, what about you?"
"Er… Rome." She showed them her ticket. "I wanted to be a bit central."
"Ah. Well… it's a big city, it's not like we're staying at the same place!" they said.
"Right. I'm staying at this place," she said, taking out a brochure. "It's called L'Hotel Papavero? It's a condo type suite so there's a living room and a full kitchen. I thought it'd be good to have a kitchen with an oven."
Cedric set their jaw. "Yeah. So did I."
"Oh." They seemed very upset about this situation. Hermione bit her lips and tried not to feel hurt about it. Were she in the wrong mood, she would probably be upset about it, too. "Well… think of it this way. If one of us gets kidnapped then the other will notice and call the police within the crucial time frame."
"That's one way to look at it."
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you disliked me that much," she said.
"I wouldn't say that, but we've seen each other nearly every day for the past seven years," said Cedric. "And it's not you, I just… I've never really gone on holiday before and I thought it'd be good to get away from everyone who knows me."
"I understand, I was feeling the same way," she said. "But we'll have different rooms, so worse case scenario we're next door neighbors."
They didn't say anything else until the train started moving. Hermione reread the same page for about fifteen minutes before snapping her book shut and looking outside.
"So… why are you leaving today and not after the big family Christmas dinner Mr. and Mrs. Weasley host every year?" asked Cedric.
"Well, first off, Mrs. Weasley can't seem to wrap her head around the fact that I don't celebrate Christmas," said Hermione. "And she puts ham juice in, like, half the side-dishes even after I explained I don't eat pork. Even if it was Kosher, pork makes me yak. Second, I just really need to get away. If I have to take another holiday of having my life criticized I think I might scream. Your turn."
"Mm… Luna warned me that my father was invited to the gathering," said Cedric. "Apparently he's living in Ottery again. And same as you, I don't want my life criticized. Plus, I hate Christmas. It was never my favorite holiday and I tolerated it for my mum, but since she died…"
"I understand."
"Yeah? When I say I hate Christmas, most people act like I announced I enjoy kicking puppies. The whole 'how can you hate Christmas' thing just makes me hate it more out of spite. 'You have to be nice because it's Christmas!' and 'You have to be generous because it's Christmas!' Like, why should a specific holiday affect how you treat other people? Shouldn't you be kind and generous year round? And how am I a Grinch for thinking it's ridiculous to go in debt over presents? Or that I was under constant surveillance by a reclusive wizard who clearly hates poor children since they never get any decent presents." They finally looked at her and blushed. "Er, sorry."
"Kids used to bully me for not celebrating Christmas," she said. "Which was the least horrible thing they did to me, but I digress. I pretended for a bit when I started at Hogwarts and then I realized how ridiculous that was."
"You don't see anybody going this crazy over, like, Arbor Day," said Cedric.
"It's called Tu B'Shevat," said Hermione.
They smiled slightly.
"I still intend to celebrate Hanukkah," she continued. "I packed my menorah and everything. I was going to go food shopping, cook a meal for the 25th. I have a feeling any place that is open is going to be way too busy. You're welcome to join me. I'll be making brisket. Watch a couple holiday movies."
"Er, sure. It's hard to beat my mum's brisket, but I'll eat it if served. What movies?"
"Last Holiday and the Holiday," she said.
"Those certainly are holiday movies."
She smiled slightly. "Yeah. The list of fluffy feel-good movies I like is short, but there is a list. I packed a variety."
"How many movies did you pack?"
"About a hundred," she admitted. "I wanted to be prepared for when there was nothing on the telly and I never know what I'll want to watch until I'm sitting down, so options are a must. First two days are going to be rest days, really, save for a food shopping trip."
"Good point." Cedric settled back in their seat and finally opened the book they brought.
When they were almost to Paris, they looked at her. "Are you reading Twilight?"
"There's a woman I'm kinda into at the monthly book club I attend at my second favorite café who adores the books and has been trying to get everyone to read them," said Hermione. "She's got long legs, she's very attractive, but I'm starting to think we're different subsets of goth."
"That bad, huh?"
"Vampires are supposed to be sexy," she said. "Khaki isn't sexy."
Cedric gagged. "Oh God, if I ever have to touch khaki again, I might burst into flames."
She closed it and tossed it onto the empty seat across from her. "Go. Be free."
Cedric chuckled.
Hermione took out a different book, but didn't open it. Instead, she looked out the window. She was going to be herself on this trip no matter what.
Their seats weren't near each other on the transfer train to Turin or the transfer to Rome, which Hermione was disappointed about. Part of her wondered if they decided to change their mind or were perhaps just avoiding her. It was late, she was exhausted and hungry, but she didn't want to deal with finding a hotel in Turin and then have to make a morning train.
As she was leaving the platform, she heard her name called and turned around. Cedric jogged to catch up. Her heart beat heavily.
"Er, hi," they said. "I thought perhaps we could split a taxi again?"
"Alright," she said. "We should see if we can get takeaway as well. Those sandwiches and cups of coffee seem like forever ago."
Thankfully, the taxi driver was able to drop them off at a restaurant within walking distance of their hotel that did takeaway. While they waited for it, Hermione brought out the new journal she bought for the trip and made notes. She didn't want to forget a single moment. She wished she had a camera, but she honestly hadn't thought about it. She wasn't much of a photographer anyway. Postcards would be just fine.
"So… what are you planning on doing?" asked Cedric. "While you're here, I mean."
It was hard being in a new place by yourself. Hermione had taken a few solo trips before and even when she had fun there was occasionally that wish to share her experiences with another person.
"Well, I booked it all with a travel agent," she said. "You know, the agency on the way home from work?"
"Funny, I booked there too," said Cedric, taking out the envelope containing everything. "The day I found out we'd have three weeks off. I was going to stay in tomorrow and the 25th, I'm not really sure what there will be to do except walk around anyway and it's hard to say what's going to be open."
Hermione nodded in agreement. "I was going to go grocery shopping tomorrow. She seemed surprised that I didn't want to book hotels, but I have a permit. I figure after the initial train ride I'll be able to pop around no problem."
"My thoughts exactly," they agreed.
"I'm going to a spa in Saturnia on the 26th," she continued. "Get my spine cracked like a glow stick, soak in the hot springs."
"That was recommended to me, but I decided against it," said Cedric. "I was going to check out the Sistine Chapel. Did you want to see it?"
"No, it's a disgusting display of stolen wealth," she said. "They hoard several Jewish artifacts there that they won't even let Jewish scholars study, much less give us what's ours. The sickness I feel from that alone outweighs any desire to see Michelangelo's works. Er, sorry, I probably shouldn't influence your opinion of it before you have a chance to see it for yourself."
"No, no. It's fine, I understand," they said. "What else are you going to do?"
As it turned out, their schedules were nearly identical. They both agreed that just because they were going to be in the same areas at the same time did not mean they had to hang out. Their tickets to the opera were right next to each other, but that was alright, too.
Hermione's food was ready before Cedric's.
"If you want to go on ahead, you can," said Cedric.
"No, I'll wait," she said.
A few minutes later, they got their food and it had begun to rain. Hermione brought out her umbrella and frowned. They were a bit taller than she was, it might be awkward to walk.
"Here, trade you," they said, handing her their takeout bag. "Now just walk slightly in front of me."
Thankfully, the rain fell straight down. Hermione smiled. Was there anything more wonderful than a thunderstorm? Once it cleared up all the city smells would be washed away for a little while leaving everything clean. She loved how it muffled the sounds that normally disturbed her. And she liked stepping in puddles and coming home to change into warm clothes and have a warm cup of tea. The only thing that detracted from the experience was juggling dinner and her suitcase.
The hotel was fairly easy to find. At least, Cedric had a good sense of direction and got them there quickly. They took their food back after tucking the umbrella under their arm.
"After you," they said.
"Thank you." She approached the front desk and tapped the bell.
The concierge came in from the back.
"Si?"
Hermione wasn't sure how well they'd take to her speaking Spanish, but decided to give it a try anyway in hopes it was similar enough to Italian to get by.
"Check in for Granger, please," she said.
The man nodded and typed on his computer replying in perfect Spanish. "Right here. One suite for Granger-Diggory."
Hermione furrowed her brow. "No, no. I'm Granger, that's Diggory." She gestured back to Cedric.
The man looked at her as if she were an idiot. "Here are your keys, we have a wine and bread tasting at three o'clock every day."
"No, you misunderstand," said Cedric, in slightly clumsy Spanish. "We have separate rooms."
"Then why did you show up together?"
"Er…" Hermione tapped her nails on the counter. "Don't you have another room?"
"No, half are being renovated and the other half are full. You are free to seek accommodations elsewhere."
Hermione huffed and rubbed her temple. Brilliant. Just brilliant.
"We'll take it for now," said Cedric. "Thank you. But we got double-charged for the, what do you say, deposit?"
"Apologies, we will refund the second card on file," said the man, typing the correction out. "If you require a cleaning service, please submit a request to the front desk."
Hermione took the envelope with their keys and checked the room number. She strode to the lift with Cedric close behind her.
"You know, I don't believe in fate," they said. "But this is definitely something more than a coincidence."
"You're telling me!" she scoffed.
The room was on one of the upper floors which she was happy about. It'd be quieter than they would be closer to the street. She would just have to hope the lift wouldn't be out of service during the trip. She unlocked the door and found the light switch before walking in. It was a really nice space, similar to the studio she had just moved out of. There was a full kitchen and a living room with a flat screen tv. The bedroom was separate with a king-sized bed.
"I doubt either of us will be able to find a halfway decent hotel until new years," Cedric muttered. "We can, er, take turns between the bed and the couch."
"I'd rather build a pillow wall," said Hermione. "My back can't handle a couch."
"Er…"
"I promise, I'm not going to flip out on you like I did last week," she said. "Or get drunk and come onto you. It just doesn't seem fair to make you sleep on the couch."
"I guess… if you're going to be alright with it," they said.
"Since we've got this situation, erm…" Hermione thought of her words carefully, then decided to be direct. "I have no intentions of doing this, but if you decide you want to bring a sexual partner back to the room, I'm fine with it."
She really wouldn't be, but crushing the person she liked with her feelings never worked out well for her.
Cedric's cheeks flushed.
"I mean, at least put a tie on the door so I know to make myself scarce," she continued and started poking around the kitchen to see what all it was equipped with. "I don't want to put a cramp in your style."
They mouthed her last four words, then said aloud. "Er, I hadn't really planned on that. I doubt anything will lead to that anyway."
"What makes you say that?" She frowned. "Where'd they get this pan, World War I?"
She strode over to her suitcase and placed it on top of the small kitchen table. She flicked the latch and opened it up, summoning the box containing her cookware.
"Well, women only seem to want to sleep with me when they're drunk," said Cedric, sounding slightly bitter. "So there must be something about me that's repulsive."
She was two of those women. She hadn't meant to shake their self-esteem.
"That can't be it," she said. "You're the Heart Throb. Back in school everyone had a crush on you. Boys and girls."
"Then perhaps they don't think a man who wears heels and makeup would have any real interest in a woman," Cedric huffed. "I'm probably looking in the wrong place for those that do."
"Did something happen?" she asked, taking out her dutch oven shaped like a pumpkin. "I mean… besides when I felt you up last week. I really am sorry about that."
"Ah, you didn't get far," they dismissed. "Just a few kisses and a lot of hugs. You're very clingy when you're drunk."
"I know." She set the pot on the stove top.
"Anyway, Halloween. In all fairness, I was drunk, too," they continued, setting the bag on the counter so they could unload their food. "I barely even remember the woman, much less the evening. It didn't mean anything, but she could have at least rejected me to my face."
It didn't mean anything. Why did that hurt so much? She was the one who left. Why were emotions so complicated?
"Mm," she hummed. "No one special though?"
"You think I'd be here if there were?" They looked through the drawers and huffed. "No cutlery?"
"Guess not." She summoned a wooden chest and brought it over, opening it up. "Here."
They raised an eyebrow and scoffed in disbelief, taking out a fork and knife.
"You really come prepared, don't you?" they asked. "Did you bring your entire flat with you?"
"Well, yes, mostly because I ended my lease," she said. "But I went on a year-long camping trip with Harry and Ron and learned just how hopelessly underprepared I was."
"Er, fair point." They sat down on the couch and hesitated. "I'm not being malicious when I tease. You must know that."
"I know."
She finished unpacking the kitchen supplies and set out her menorah and a silver tray on the table. It was late and way past sunset, but she sang the prayer and lit the candles anyway. They'd only burn for an hour. Humming to herself, she set up her DVD player before getting her dinner together and taking a seat next to Cedric.
She turned the TV on and flicked through channels before finding one that was announcing the weather for the week around the country. Cold and rainy.
"It's going to be a beautiful one," she said.
"Are… you being sarcastic?" they asked.
"No. Eleven degree average? Rainy? It's the perfect day for me," she said. "I wear so many layers, so I don't get cold and I hate the sun. Is it really necessary for it to be so bright? I mean, you'd think we would have evolved second eyelids to block it out by now."
Cedric chuckled.
"Well, what's your favorite weather?" she asked.
They hummed. "Well, I don't really have a favorite. I suppose I like dawn and dusk no matter what time of year it is. I used to work long hours in the sun and grew to hate it no matter what time of year it was. I like that in between where it's just warming up or just cooling down. It's getting dark, but you can still see. And the sky never fails to look beautiful."
She nodded. "I can see that."
The meal was excellent.
"Why so tense?" asked Cedric.
"Hm?"
They gestured to her posture. They were slouched back with one foot propped up on the ottoman.
"Oh, I physically can't slouch," she said.
"I thought the stick was metaphorical."
She rolled up the tea towel she was using as a napkin and snapped it at them. "It's a corset. I have three custom ones I cycle through. Feel if you don't believe me."
They touched her back. She couldn't exactly feel their hand, just a bit of pressure along her spine.
"Huh… may I ask why?"
"Sure. There are several reasons for it," she said. "The main reason being I injured my back during the final battle and didn't realize it until the adrenaline left me. It was technically healed and I can go without the corset for a day or two, but it's easier to avoid the pain in the first place."
Not to mention she was cursed with big boobs and scoliosis. It wasn't severe scoliosis, but she grew lax in her stretches during school and kept carrying too much in her book bag. If she hadn't gotten hit with that troll club while fighting for her life, she would probably be alright.
"I'm going to finish unpacking," she said and stood up.
"Did I offend you?" Cedric asked, wincing.
"No," she said. "You asked a question, you got an answer. I just don't think you'd want to hear my medical history."
"Okay, good." They smiled sheepishly. "The little voice in my head that tells me not to say things is usually five minutes late. My dad used to say it was a result of getting kicked in the head by a hippogriff."
"Well that's mean."
"I did get kicked in the head by a hippogriff," they said. "When I was eleven. You know him. Buckbeak?"
"Whoa, really?" she tipped her head. "How'd that happen?"
"He was trafficked," said Cedric. "Him and his herd. While the red tape was dealt with, we kept them on the farm for a couple months. I got too close to a couple eggs and Buckbeak, who wasn't even full-grown then, went crazy. It was my fault, I forgot the ritual. It wasn't that bad, I was only knocked out for an hour. You can imagine how pissed off I was when he was put to death over a little scratch."
"I bet."
"I even submitted a petition to save him," said Cedric. "But then, my dad threw it out and yelled at me for getting involved."
"Mm. Harry and I stole him out from under the Minister's nose and made him Sirius Black's getaway vehicle."
"Luna said you did that. I thought she was having me on."
"Nope. And look, I like when people are direct," she said. "If you're saying what you mean and you're not actively malicious, there's no problem."
She carried her suitcase over to the bedroom and unpacked it, leaving two of the drawers and almost half of the closet open for their things. As she was putting her products away in the bathroom, Cedric entered with their suitcase and started unpacking.
"Are you an early riser or a night owl?" Hermione asked.
"I grew up on a farm, getting up at seven in the morning is sleeping in for me," they said. "What about you?"
"Early bird," she said. "I like getting things done first thing. Then I don't have to worry about it. Would you like to go grocery shopping with me? I need to get stuff for meals tomorrow and Sunday. I also want us to have things for late night snacks or breakfast."
"Of course. What time should we leave?"
"How about eight? Grab breakfast somewhere?"
"It's a date."
She knew they meant platonically, but she still felt happy about that.
"I'm going to take a quick shower," she said. "Do you need to use the bathroom for anything before I do?"
"Er… yeah, actually. Mind if I shower first? I won't be long."
"Go ahead."
She stepped out, gathered her pajamas together, and made the pillow wall on the bed with her body pillow and a couple extras she packed. When Cedric was done, she showered and readied for bed.
This was fine. She was taking a holiday with a guy she argued with constantly and was now in love with. Oh, God, she should probably call her therapist when she got back home. Not that it did her much good, she had to lie all the time so she wouldn't get locked away in the nuthouse.
Once her hair was dry and in a bonnet, she wrapped up in her bathrobe and stepped out. Cedric was already lying down on the far side of the bed.
"I hope you don't mind," they said. "I like being closer to the fan."
"No, I prefer to be closer to the bathroom," she said and hung her robe on the bedpost before climbing into bed.
She switched off the lamp and settled down. The rain was still going steadily outside. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed through the curtains. Cedric shifted on the other side of the pillow wall. They each had their own blankets, though the comforter moved.
Hermione stared up at the ceiling and contemplated her life choices. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. She just needed some sleep.
"If this is too weird, I can sleep on the couch," said Cedric. "I really don't mind."
She didn't reply. She wanted them there, she wanted them to leave, she wanted solitude, she didn't want to be alone.
Whatever.
She'd deal with it tomorrow. She shifted onto her side and wrapped her arms around the body pillow. It didn't take too long for her to fall asleep.
~o0o~
A loud crack of thunder woke her. Hermione floated in the realm of half-awake and half-asleep wondering if she should be getting up or chance going back to sleep. There was a weight on her. She was too comfortable to get up, but she had to get her shopping in. It was going to be crowded with all the people who left their present shopping until the last minute, wasn't it? She groaned softly at the thought and shifted, freeing a leg from the weight and the blankets.
The weight moved and she realized it was actually Cedric. They nuzzled her and held her tighter.
Fully awake, she looked over at the clock. Only 6:23. Even so, if they waited too long then all the decent cuts of meat would be gone. If Cedric wanted to sleep longer, then that was fine, she could go by herself. She just needed to be able to get up.
She tapped their shoulder.
"Hey."
"Mm…"
She nudged them again. When they didn't budge, she pinched her fingers together and lightly pressed the tip of her nails to a point on their shoulder blade. She spread her fingers wide from the point, dragging her nails across their back.
Cedric made a funny noise and jumped.
"And I'm clingy?" she teased.
"Wuh? Oh. Oh!" Cedric rolled off her and switched on the lamp. "I am so sorry."
Hermione sat up and noticed the pillow wall on the floor. Well, that was a bust.
"It's fine," she said, removing her bonnet and shaking her hair out. "I don't care and it's really cold in here anyway."
"Do that again…"
She furrowed her brow. "What?"
They blinked rapidly and shook their head. "Er, nothing. I like what you did with your hair."
Oh right. She had dyed it a blue ombre, indigo at the roots to electric blue to nearly white at the tips. She had watched Hercules with Lily and thought Hades' hair would look sick in real life.
"Thank you," she said and got up. "I'm going to get ready to go. I want to get to the shops before everything is picked over. Sorry for waking you, but I couldn't move. If you want to go back to sleep, I can go by myself."
"No, it's fine. I'll go."
Hermione had packed her most goth outfits for the trip. Since Cedric knew, she wasn't worried about them seeing her in dress that way. Her exception being her train outfit, which was black jeans and a chunky sweater. She always had to lace up her boots before putting on her corset. With someone else waiting around she felt a little awkward about it. Like when she was a kid and her parents would be impatient with her for taking too long looking for her shoes or picking a book.
Perhaps they were impractical as tourist garb, but she packed walking shoes in the form of Docs and solid black trainers as a compromise and she had some simpler clothes just in case. She decided against her wigs. She just didn't feel like wearing them while she was on holiday.
"Okay, I'm ready," she said. "Er… is this too much?"
"Maybe for people who are boring," they said. "Are you comfortable?"
"Yes."
"Then it doesn't matter if it's too much," they said. "Shall we?"
"Let's go." She made sure to grab the umbrella. "Can we find a butcher first? We can bring it back here real quick and then get breakfast before finishing up our shopping."
"I'll apparate it back," said Cedric. "You mentioned it's been making you dizzy lately when you go to multiple locations."
"Thank you," she said.
They smiled and her heart beat faster. They offered their arm and she accepted it.