First date is finally here! Who's anxious to read it? This was fun to write, and I hope that you enjoy it. Hermione may think differently, but hey, I have a story to write! lol
Hermione took a deep breath, tugging invisible threads from her skirt. She was standing in front of the coffee shop Terry Boot had agreed to meet her at, trying hard not to faint. Hermione was a logical person, but whenever it came to matters of the heart, her logic would disappear and leave her a mess of emotions.
"Come on, Hermione, you're an adult! You're twenty-four years old, for God's sake! Stop being such a weirdo and walk into this coffee shop and meet someone new. It's not that hard!" Hermione was giving herself a pep talk, trying to convince herself to take the last few steps. "It's just coffee; it's not like you're marrying the guy. And if everything goes well, remember that you'll have a date for your family Christmas party."
Just thinking about the Christmas party that was coming up in just a couple of weeks made Hermione shiver. She wanted the dating service to help her, but for this to work, she would have to stop wasting time and face this with her head held high.
With a last look at her outfit, Hermione entered the coffee shop and was pleased to find her date was already there. Terry was looking a little bit impatient, with his hands shoved in his pockets. She wasn't late, but she did like a man who arrived early on dates. She smiled at him, hoping that the date wouldn't blow up in her face later.
"Hermione?" Terry called out, standing up and coming up to her. "I wasn't sure if it was you, but I was certainly hoping for it."
Even though the compliment was a little cliché, Hermione's face warmed at it. She was already more relaxed and felt that this was going to be a good date after all.
"Terry, it's nice to meet you. I hope you didn't have to wait too long for me," Hermione said, knowing that she was right on time.
"No, I didn't wait at all. I only arrived five minutes ago." Terry smiled and Hermione smiled back at him, having a good feeling about the date. "Do you want to order before we go sit?"
"Yeah, sure."
Terry seemed to be so attentive and a good person altogether.
Hermione thought for a moment before she decided. "I'll have a caramel macchiato and a blueberry muffin, please."
"Do you think that's a good combination?" Terry asked, making a face that Hermione couldn't decipher. "That sounds awful."
Hermione blinked, trying to wrap her mind over what he had said. "I'm sorry? Are you trying to imply that something's wrong with what I ordered?"
"Not implying. Saying," Terry corrected her with a shrug. Hermione took a deep breath, not wanting to say anything yet. "If you want to eat that, be my guest."
Hermione decided not to say anything about his unsolicited comment on her order. She smiled at the barista while giving her order. The girl smiled back at her before turning to Terry and asking for his order.
"I'll have a nonfat vanilla latte with 2% milk and a vanilla scone, warm but not hot," Terry said without sparing a glance at the barista. "Hurry up, will you?"
Hermione was trying her hardest not to say anything, but it was hard when all she wanted to do was scream at him to be nicer to the barista, who was only doing her job. She wanted to walk away without looking back, but she took a deep breath and gave him another chance.
"I'll go and choose a table, all right?" Hermione said, trying to have a moment to gather her thoughts and not murder him—although it was taking all her willpower. "Could you grab my order for me, please?"
"Sure, choose wherever you want." Terry didn't even realise that Hermione had stressed the word 'please', but she knew she couldn't change someone after only one date. "How about near the window? That's a good table."
Hermione tried not to show her annoyance at him choosing where they should sit even after she had said she would choose, but she didn't think she did a great job. She begrudgingly walked towards the table that Terry had pointed out, thinking how she could have such bad luck to go on a date with someone like him. She was lost in her thoughts and didn't see him coming until he was standing behind her.
"Told you this was the best table here. Not that this means anything in a place like this," Terry said, putting their orders on the table and sitting down. "I still think you should have ordered something different, but to each their own."
Hermione wondered if it would be rude if she left now, but she knew that if she did, she would regret it. So, she plastered a smile on her face and sat down on the other chair.
"My preferences aside, what do you like to do in your free time?" Hermione asked, trying to regain some footing.
"Being a corporate lawyer, I don't have a lot of free time, but I like to read," Terry said while taking a sip of his nonfat latte. "Ugh, I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a good latte. I hate it when I'm right."
'Or maybe it isn't good because you choose to drink a nonfat vanilla latte,' Hermione thought, drinking her own beverage.
"Oh, do you like to read? Me too! What do you like to read?" Hermione asked, delighted to discover something in common.
"I doubt you read the same books that I do. I like to read some old law books so that I can find some interesting facts I can use in my work." Terry was becoming less and less attractive with each word that came out of his mouth. "Also, I like to read about the greatest philosophers, and about historical figures."
"Who are your favourite philosophers? I think Machiavelli is one of the most interesting people I've read about," Hermione said, figuring that somehow she could still save the date. "His ideas were something else, especially what he had to say about the evil of the human being."
"Of course you would think that of Machiavelli," Terry said with a scoff. Hermione stared at him, blinking slowly. He went on, "You wouldn't know about any of the philosophers I like to read about. They aren't ones that are trending, like Machiavelli."
"Did you just say Machiavelli is trending?" Hermione asked, trying to wrap her mind around what he was saying. "Can you hear how presumptuous you sound?"
"I know what I'm talking about, instead of choosing the first philosopher that came to mind," Terry replied, taking a sip of his latte. He was sitting in his chair like he was on some sort of throne, looking all high and mighty. "It seems like you're trying to impress me."
Hermione didn't know how to act with all that Terry was saying, nor if she wanted to act with what he was saying, but before she could even try to say something, Terry continued.
"You seem like the type of person who would read something to try and impress others. Have you ever tried to read anything just because you wanted to read something? It's an explicable pleasure: to read for the pleasure of reading."
Terry finally stopped talking to bite his scone. By the look on his face, Hermione knew trouble was brewing. He snapped, "I told that incompetent waitress I wanted my scone warm and not hot, and she does the exact opposite."
"I thought the scone was the perfect temperature you asked for?" Hermione asked with a small smile, eating her scone. "And for your information, I know some things about corporate law too. Not that it should be surprising since I'm a lawyer as well."
Hermione watched in great delight the way that Terry seemed to have choked on his scone. Seeing how big of a jerk he was, she was very happy with how the tables had turned.
"And the way you treated the barista wasn't a way that you should treat any employee," Hermione said. She stood up and looked down at him. "I hope this is the first and last time we ever see each other, but if we ever meet in court, do me a favour and pretend you don't know me."
Hermione was so glad to leave that coffee shop and the damned date; standing up and walking outside with her head lost in thoughts, wasn't the best idea she had, but Hermione just wanted to leave. She was walking on the sidewalk, when she felt her body colliding with another body.
Hermione's head crashed into someone's chest and she backed down a little, cursing inside her head the unknown someone for having such a hard chest. She heard a male voice and looked it up to see someone looking at her with a frown in his face.
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" Hermione was trying to make a quick exit, but of course, the universe wasn't going to help her when she needed to. "I didn't spill anything on you, did I?"
"No, you didn't spill anything, don't worry," a deep male voice replied, and Hermione's body tingled at the sound. "Are you alright, miss? You don't seem like it."
Hermione looked up and found herself locked in the warmth of chocolate-brown eyes that shone with worry for her. Hermione never found men with stubble handsome, but something in the stranger made her legs weak; the way that his hair fell on his eyes made her heart skip a beat. She shook her head, but she couldn't stop the warmth from coursing through her body.
Taking a look behind her, Hermione could see that Terry realised that she was out of there. He was still in the coffee shop and was preparing to stand up. She didn't want to deal with him again, not so soon. Hermione said, "I'll be better as soon as I get out of here. Excuse me."
Hermione didn't think she could walk that fast, but desperation made people do strange things. She was a little disappointed that the first date hadn't gone so well, but she was glad that she was out of there. Walking on the sidewalk and trying to avoid other people was hard, especially when she was thinking about what just happened. Lost in her thoughts, she collided with someone again.
"We need to stop meeting like this," the same deep voice from earlier said. "Or else I would think that we were stalking each other."
Hermione snorted at that and looked up into the same gentle eyes that she had seen before. "And how could I be stalking you when I don't even know your name or where you live?"
"Well, I can solve one of your problems right now," the man said, with a small smile on his face, coming near Hermione as if he was going to tell her a secret. "I live right across the street if you want to stalk my window any day."
Hermione couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of her throat. She was glad that the stranger seemed to be laughing with her.
"I'm glad you thought that was funny, but I don't live across the street," the stranger said with a smile. He held a hand out towards Hermione. "I'm Theodore Nott, but my friends call me Theo."
"Hermione Granger, nice to meet you." Hermione shook Theo's hand and was pleasantly surprised by his firm handshake. "So we're friends now? Not a stalker anymore?"
"I figured you would prefer for us to be friends than stalkers, but I'm cool with both," Theo replied, making Hermione chuckle.
"I hope I didn't interrupt your coffee or something like that," she said, seeing how he was empty-handed. Her eyes locked on a watch that he wore on his left hand; it seemed old but masculine at the same time.
"Didn't interrupt anything. I was looking for some good coffee, but I didn't find it here," Theo replied. His smile made Hermione feel the damn butterflies again. "I'll need to go search for another coffee shop."
Theo started to walk away, but Hermione didn't want him to leave just yet. She didn't know what was about this man, but she wanted to know more about him.
"Hey, Theo?" she called and waited for him to turn back before walking up to him. "I didn't finish my coffee and I happen to know a great coffee shop nearby. Do you want to go there with me?"
Theo smiled, making a dimple appear in his face and Hermione's lips automatically turned up, too. "I would love to. Lead the way!"
Hermione smiled brighter and walked towards the next block, a spring in her step. Her first date might have been a disaster, but she had a feeling her day was going to get better.