Just one more date to go, and I think Hermione is actually starting to feel relieved. Christmas is almost here and of course, this means that Santa Claus is coming and he may have a few surprises for all of them. What do you think Hermione will ask from Santa?
"Are you sure you bought gifts for everyone? It looks like you still need to find some more," Hermione joked, seeing how Ginny was practically drowning in so many shop bags.
Ginny drawled, sending glares at Hermione as she said, "Yeah, you can joke all you like, Miss I-Am-An-Only-Child. It's not my fault that I have to buy things for six annoying brothers, one nice sister-in-law, and the most precious niece in the world."
Hermione laughed at the faces Ginny was making; she knew that no matter how much Ginny complained, she loved her large family. Hermione envied her friend when she was a child, but she always enjoyed quiet Christmases with her parents.
"Victoire is lucky to have so many uncles and an aunt who will spoil her rotten," Hermione said, passing in front of a toy shop. "You already bought her a present, right?"
"Yes, it's at my house. But I forgot to get the twins' presents, and then I remembered I also had to get Draco's parents something, so here we are again." Ginny showed her the bags in her hands. "I still can't believe you bought all your presents before the Christmas madness started."
"What can I say? I like to shop and wrap presents without being rushed." Hermione shrugged, and Ginny glared at her harder. "If you behave today, I'll help you wrap presents."
Ginny chuckled. "You're the best friend anyone could ask for and such a great person, and anyone who claims otherwise is lying." Hermione couldn't help but join in the laughter. "We can go home after I pick up one more present."
"Don't forget to buy gift wrappings, because I know you don't have any at home. I'll be waiting at the bench near Santa's House. Don't get lost in the crowd."
"You think you're so funny, don't you?" Ginny said with a mock glare in her direction. "Don't disappear on me, I'll be back in fifteen minutes... I hope."
With a big grin on her face, Hermione sat on the bench next to where the kids were taking pictures with Santa Claus. Seeing the joy on the children's faces, she smiled, remembering when she was a child and couldn't wait to meet Santa.
Hermione squealed in surprise when a recognisable voice from behind her said, "It looks like Santa is already granting wishes. I didn't mean to scare you, though."
"Theo!" Hermione put her hand over her heart to calm herself. "I hadn't expected to meet you today."
Theo said, sitting on the bench next to Hermione, "I wasn't going to come here today, but my mum asked, so I couldn't say no. She needed to buy some Christmas gifts and wanted someone to take Char to see Santa."
"And you offered, didn't you?" Hermione smiled, not-so-secretly glad that she had bumped into him. "Speaking of Charlotte, where is she?"
"Choosing some presents at the toy shop," Theo said, pointing to the shop that she had just passed. "We always donate toys to the orphanage in our old neighbourhood, and Charlotte loves to help my mom choose the toys."
"That's wonderful, Theo!" Hermione said softly, touching Theo's arm. "It's so thoughtful to share this tradition with Charlotte. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I'm glad you're interested in helping, but there isn't a lot you can do this year... Maybe next year?" Theo laughed softly. "I know I would enjoy the company."
Hermione blushed and smiled at him sweetly. "I would love to," she said. "Count me in."
He smiled at her, but before he could say anything more, Charlotte and Anastasia arrived.
"Hermione! It's so good to see you!" Anastasia said, hugging her. "Charlotte won't stop talking about you, and from what I've heard, Theo hasn't either."
"Mum, please!" Theo cried, blushing, and Hermione smiled at his discomfort. He said, "Don't you have any shopping to do?"
"Are you trying to get rid of me, Theodore? That isn't the kind of upbringing I gave you," Anastasia said with a stern look, a smile playing on the corner of her mouth. "Fine, I know when I have overstayed my welcome. I'll be back in half an hour."
"Bye, Mum." He practically shoved his mom away, and Hermione couldn't stop laughing. "I'm sorry, she's like this every day."
"Don't worry, Theo, it's okay. Hey, Char, ready to meet Santa?" Hermione asked the little girl, who seemed to be staring at Santa's house.
"Yes! It's always fun to talk to Santa here." Charlotte was practically bouncing on her feet. "Can we go now, Theo? Please? Mummy said we could."
Theo took Charlotte's hand. "Fine, we're going, you little Christmas monster. It was great to see you again, Hermione."
"Likewise, Theo." Hermione smiled as the duo walked towards the line of Santa's house before she stood up and approached them. "Do you mind if I join you?"
"Yes! Please come with us!" Charlotte screamed and grabbed Hermione's hand. "We're going to see Santa!"
"Fancy seeing you here," Theo said in a joking tone, winking at her. Hermione smiled back. "Do you have a wish to make for Santa?"
"I don't think Santa will be able to grant my wish this year," Hemione said with a blush, and she felt Theo's gaze on her. "But I'm never one to refuse meeting him."
"Funny, I had the same thought," Theo said, only for Hermione to hear him and a blush spread across her face. "But Char always makes a wish to Santa, right Char?"
"Yes! Santa always grants my wish," Charlotte said with such finality that Hermione could not help but smile.
They stood in line for almost twenty minutes until they reached the front of the line, and Charlotte was already bouncing on her feet, eager to speak with Santa.
"Okay, Char, are you ready? Make sure you behave, okay?" They were waiting for their turn and Theo was lecturing her. "Be polite."
"Okie dokie." Charlotte nodded in agreement and smiled when she saw that the time had come for her turn. "It's my turn!"
Hermione whispered to Theo as they entered Santa's house with Charlotte, "She's always so excited."
"Charlotte has always been a ray of sunshine, and I hope she never loses it." Theo often gushed about Charlotte and made Hermione's heart melt. "It's refreshing to be around her, and it always makes me smile."
Hermione smiled at Theo and watched as Charlotte talked to Santa Claus, trying not to eavesdrop until she heard her name.
"...And I have a new friend named Mione, and she's the best! She taught me how to skate and she always hangs out with me and my brother, Theo," Charlotte said quickly, without pausing for breath. "I think she likes my brother, and my brother likes her, too."
Hermione and Theo blushed and avoided looking at each other after Charlotte finished talking, trying to disappear before they had to acknowledge what Charlotte said.
"I think they just need to talk to each other," Santa replied, winking at the blushing adults. "I don't know how I can help, little one."
"Could you please make them fall in love with each other? Like Rapunzel and Flynn Rider?" Charlotte asked, clasping her hands. "I don't even want anything else, just this would make me happy."
Santa coughed awkwardly. "I can't make two people fall in love, but I may be able to convince them to see the light."
Charlotte beamed at him. "Thank you, Santa! I knew you could help me! I will leave you some peanut butter and oatmeal cookies!"
As Santa hugged Charlotte and let her walk towards Theo and Hermione, he said, "Thank you, Charlotte. I'm looking forward to your cookies."
Charlotte hugged Hermione, who returned the hug. "This was fun. Thank you for coming with me, Hermione. Let's find my mummy now."
Charlotte dragged Hermione away, and Hermione followed happily, avoiding Theo's gaze. It was inevitable that they would need to discuss Charlotte's request, but if she could stall the moment when they would have to discuss it, she would.
Anastasia was waiting for them outside Santa's house. Hermione released a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding.
Hermione smiled at Charlotte as she said, "Mummy, Santa told me he'd see if he could make my wish come true, and he said he'd look forward to the cookies I'll leave out for him."
"That's amazing," Anastasia said with a smile and grabbed Charlotte's hand. "Why don't you come with me to buy your father a present? I'll see you back at the house, Theo."
"Sure thing, Mum," Theo murmured, his gaze still on Hermione. "I'll stay here a while longer."
"It was great to see you again, Hermione. Give your mum my regards. I hope I'll see you around more," Anastasia said with a wink, to which Hermione just blushed.
Hermione smiled tightly at Anastasia and murmured, "It was nice to see you too, Anastasia."
"Try not to be a stranger, dear!" Anastasia waved as she and Charlotte left, leaving Hermione and Theo in an awkward silence.
"Do you want to go grab a coffee?" Theo asked, smiling shyly at her, and Hermione smiled back. "And maybe we can talk?"
"Sure, I'd love to go for a coffee. I just have to tell Ginny," Hermione said and grabbed her phone.
"Tell Ginny what?" the redhead asked from behind them, and when they turned around, Ginny was standing there with her hands full of bags. "Hey, Theo, fancy seeing you here."
"Need some help with the bags?" Theo asked with a smile, to which Ginny replied.
"Nope, no need," Ginny said, shrugging. "I called my brothers and they're coming to help me. I was going to ask Mione if she wanted a ride."
"I can give her a ride," Theo replied, looking expectantly at Hermione. "If that's okay with you."
Hermione nodded and looked up at Ginny, who was smirking at her. "I'll help you wrap your presents tomorrow, Ginny."
Ginny sang, "I'll be waiting. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do, children!" She strolled away, the bags weighing her arms down.
"She seems a little crazy, but she has good intentions," Hermione said, seeing Ginny walk away.
"I bet she is," Theo replied, laughing before holding his arm out for her. "Shall we?"
Hermione took his arm and started walking towards the nearest coffee shop. She felt herself blushing, but she wasn't ready to admit why she was blushing.
"Are we going to talk about the reindeer in the room or are we going to ignore it?" Theo asked, smiling when Hermione blushed. "I didn't have any clue what Charlotte was about to ask. I'm sorry."
"No need to apologise. Children have a way of being perceptive without any of us realising," Hermione said softly, trying to make her blush disappear. "Theo, I need to be honest: I've started to look at you differently... And after the kiss... I think I may have a crush on you.
"I know I probably messed everything up when I ran, but I'm here now. What do you want to do now?" Hermione looked up at Theo, who was beaming at her.
"I thought you were pretty when we went out for coffee the first time," Theo said, grabbing her hand. "I didn't make a move before because I was afraid that you would think that I was strange, but I have a crush on you too. This may seem a little forward, but do you want to go on a date with me? One that isn't in a coffee shop but actually at my favourite restaurant?"
Hermione smiled at how sweet Theo was being, but she remembered that she needed to finish something before she agreed. She bit her lip, seemingly lost in thought, and Theo frowned at her.
"You're going to say no, aren't you?" Theo asked and was starting to drag his hand away when Hermione grabbed it. "I understand, Hermione."
"No, you don't! I want to say yes, Theo. I really want to, but I need to do something before I do." Hermione was pleading with her eyes for Theo to understand her. "Give me a few days, and I'll say yes to going out with you."
"I believe you. I know you have something you need to do before we can go out," Theo said in a soft voice, and Hermione melted. "I'll wait for your call then."
"Thank you, Theo, you're amazing." Hermione stood up and kissed his cheek right near his mouth. "I promise it won't take long."
"I believe you. Are you ready to go home?"
Hermione nodded and waited for him to stand up. He offered her his hand, and she took it as they walked out, both of them blushing and sharing shy smiles and looks. Hermione knew she had one last date to go on before she could go out with Theo. Her next date was fast approaching, so she decided to take action. She couldn't wait to freely kiss Theo as much as she wanted.