Blindsided

Author's Note: Originally published on March 8, 2022

Hermione stopped and glanced at her reflection in the window, satisfied enough with her appearance. She'd changed into nicer robes at the Ministry, prior to departing her empty office. She fixed her bushy brown hair and took a deep breath before pulling open the heavy wooden door to the bustling eatery in Diagon Alley.

It had taken a significant amount of convincing for her to even come, but her workmates had finally overwhelmed her and got her to agree, if only to shut them up. A blind date wasn't exactly at the top of her to-do list for a Friday night, but even she had to admit, she did get lonely sometimes. She never dated, not even in school, as her studies had been her only focus. She used to roll her eyes at her gossipy roommates; all they ever talked about were clothes, boys, which classmates were dating, and who had broken up. Like it even mattered!

Now that she was trying to establish herself at the Ministry, things were even worse. She threw herself into her work, putting in far longer hours than her colleagues. As a Muggle-born witch, she felt like she was at a disadvantage, not having the family name or connections that others did to get ahead. She'd have to rely on brains and ambition, like always.

It was why she was on this ridiculous date. It would be nice to come home to someone after those long days, instead of her ginger cat and empty flat. Someone who would take care of her and support her. Someone who'd make her have fun and laugh. Someone she could love. It was asking a lot out of a blind date, but she had to try.

All this flew through her head as she was greeted at the door and seated at her table.

She checked her watch, a gift from her parents on her seventeenth birthday after she'd told them about the coming of age for witches and wizards, and noted that she was early, just as she'd planned. She wanted to be settled and comfortable before spending the evening making awkward small talk with a stranger.

She didn't know what to expect from the guy she'd been set up with, hence the "blind" in "blind date". All of the girls in her department gushed over him, saying he was tall and handsome, his family was well-known, and that he'd recently begun training with the Aurors. Quite the catch, apparently, but the name didn't ring any bells. Who knows, maybe they'd hit it off.

"Hi!"

A friendly voice broke her out of her musings. She looked up to see a very tall, rather attractive man, just as advertised. He had beautiful, intensely blue eyes, his face was dotted with freckles, and his red hair shone brightly, illuminated by the lanterns hanging from the ceiling of the restaurant. She was instantly mesmerized.

She stood up, eager to start the date, and stuck out her hand. "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger."

He looked at her and chuckled, enveloping her small hand with his larger, warm one. A shudder ran through her body from the contact. "Nice to meet you, Hermione Granger. I'm Ron Weasley. Can I get you started with a drink?"

She was confused for a moment until she noticed the parchment and quill in his other hand, as well as his uniform, and realized her mistake. She could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as he dropped her hand. She gave a squeaky laugh and cleared her throat, before sitting back down.

"I'll just have a pumpkin juice for now." She was still dazed from the mix-up, but managed to sputter. "I'm sorry, Ron Weasley, was it? I thought you were my blind date for a moment, but his name isn't Ron."

He laughed, and winked at her, causing her to flush again. "Blind date, eh? Lucky bloke. One pumpkin juice, coming right up."

Despite her mortification, she had to admit that Ron was quite handsome and cut a dashing figure as he skirted around the tables to retrieve her drink from the bar.

Hermione, you're here to meet someone else. Stop ogling the server, no matter how cute he is!

She shook her head and glanced at the entrance, as if the mystery man would suddenly appear. She frowned and checked her watch. Just a few minutes to go, and she was already regretting her decision to come, let alone so early.

"Your friend running late?" Ron asked, placing the drink down in front of her.

"No, I'm just early. He won't be here for a few minutes."

"Well in that case, I'll bring you some bread."

"That's not really—" But her protests fell on deaf ears as he'd already walked away. She straightened her hair again, pushing a wayward curl behind her ear in an automatic gesture. Something was bothering her about this Ron Weasley person, and she was curious.

After a few minutes, he returned with a basket of rolls, as well as a small dish of whipped butter. "Here you go, hopefully this will tide you over."

"Did you go to Hogwarts?" Hermione suddenly blurted out. "I would've remembered seeing you there."

"Me?" Ron asked, as he placed some cutlery down in front of her. "No, my parents home schooled us. I'm the second youngest of seven, so it was just easier for us that way."

As an only child, Hermione was shocked. "You have six siblings?"

"Five older brothers, and one younger sister. My twin brothers just opened a shop down the street. I take some shifts there on the weekends to pay for—"

Ron suddenly looked past her, and she followed his gaze to a table of elderly witches, furiously signaling for their bill. "Oops, I better get that, I think they're in a hurry." The corner of his lip curled up. "Can't spend my whole shift talking to cute girls."

She was flustered again by his exit. It was not doing her any good to flirt with Ron while waiting, and it would just make things awkward later when her actual date showed up. She shook her head at his obvious line about cute girls, but couldn't help be pleased as she pressed her slender hands to her cheeks to cool them down.

She checked her watch again and frowned. He was late, which was not attractive to a punctual witch like Hermione. She'd brought a book to pass the time, but she didn't really feel compelled to pull it out of her bag. She was far more content to observe the activity around her… the conversations, music, and clinking of dishes provided a welcome change from her quiet office and flat. Her much too quiet life.

She sipped her drink and watched as Ron entertained another table, throwing his head back in laughter as he bantered with the two couples sitting there. There was something magnetic about the tall redhead. A small voice inside her told her he was just being friendly to get a good tip, but she didn't want to believe it. He just seemed so genuine and vibrant, despite his shameless attempts at flirting.

She idly stirred the pumpkin juice as the minutes passed by, contemplating if she should order something stronger to get through the date. She decided against it, wanting to keep a clear head. She resumed staring off into space, pondering her decisions in life, and where she wanted to go.

"Sickle for your thoughts?"

She startled, looking up at Ron's eager face. "Oh, just thinking about life."

"That sounds heavy for a Friday night."

"I find it's quite fun imagining all of my ambitions, and how I can make them come true. I'd like to be the Minister of Magic one day." She flinched, unsure of why she was so comfortable spilling the details of her dreams to a total stranger.

Ron's eyes widened. "That's a lofty goal, but you seem like someone who goes for what she wants." He grabbed her now empty glass and spun away. "I'll bring you a refill."

The moments chatting with Ron had been the highlight of her day thus far. She glanced at her watch again, noting that her blind date was now extremely late, bordering on the edge of rudeness. Normally she'd be stressed by this, but she was having fun flirting with her new friend. It made her feel normal for once.

Ron had stopped by briefly to drop off her drink, but he couldn't stop to chat as the dinner rush picked up. She sipped at it slowly, starting to get impatient. More time went by, and it was becoming increasingly obvious what had happened. It looked like no one was coming.

Ron's face was unreadable as he checked in with her. "No sign of him?"

"No," she said glumly, letting out a slow breath and accepting her fate. "I think I've been stood up."

As much as she hadn't been looking forward to the date, the outcome was still a painful reminder of how people saw her. Bookish, studious, and not much else.

"His loss."

Her focus shifted to Ron, and she tried her best to believe him, detecting that he meant what he said. "Thank you, but I doubt he sees it that way."

"Well, he should."

She started gathering up her things, much to Ron's clear dismay.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"You can't leave, you haven't even eaten yet! My mum always says life is better with a full stomach."

"No, it's fine, I'll just reheat something at my flat."

She glanced up, and Ron eyes locked with hers, a pleading look on his face. "C'mon, it's on the house, my treat."

"Oh, that's nice of you, but I really can't."

"I'm offering."

She looked in his blue eyes again, finding them dangerously hard to resist. "I-um, alright, I suppose. But I'm paying for it."

He couldn't hide the smile on his face. "You're a tough negotiator, but I accept."

She couldn't help but chuckle as he brought her a menu. Things seemed to be looking up from what could have been a ruinous evening.

Ron was flitting from table to table, collecting orders, filling drinks, and seating customers. He looked like he was in his element as she observed from over top of the menu. He caught her eye as he strode past with a tray of drinks, almost tripping and causing her to giggle.

He stopped by to grab her order and refill her drink, but it seemed like he was quite busy at the moment. She cracked open her book, but she was having difficulty concentrating, her eyes drawn up to the towering redhead.

Her food was eventually brought out, and she dug in, hungrier than she thought she was. As usual, she'd worked through lunch and she was feeling it now.

Ron popped by. "How's everything?"

"This is really good. Thanks for convincing me to stay."

"I'm really happy that you did."

He ran off to attend other tables while she thought about what he said. Was he actually happy that she stayed longer? What did that mean?

She was intrigued by him. She had never met anyone like him, and if she had, they certainly hadn't paid attention to her, the way he had. What were his ambitions and dreams? It couldn't be just working in a restaurant, not that there was anything wrong with that. He just seemed like he could do so much more. Hermione realized that she'd failed to ask him about that when they were talking earlier. She made a note to ask him about it.

Things seemed to be slowing down, and she couldn't believe that she'd already been there for a couple of hours.

"Can I take your plate, Hermione?"

She pushed it toward Ron, before addressing him. "Do you have a minute?"

He glanced around, checking to see if he was needed elsewhere, before leaning on the chair facing her. "Yes, I think so."

"I never had a chance to ask you earlier. What is it that you want to do with your life?"

He looked surprised by the question. "Well, it's no Minister of Magic," he teased, "But I'd like to become an Auror. It's been my dream since I was a kid. I was recently accepted into the program and just started training." He was clearly proud, but looked away, as if embarrassed by something. "That's why I work here, and at my brothers' shop. Auror training isn't cheap, and my family isn't exactly well off. Quite, uh, quite the opposite, actually."

Hermione was struck by his vulnerability. There was more to Ron than she would have initially guessed. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that you got in—that's very impressive. I've heard it's difficult to get accepted."

He nodded, "It was, and I really worked hard to get in. Thanks, Hermione."

She liked the way her name sounded coming from his lips. "I'm at the Ministry as well, in the Department of Magical Creatures. Actually… the guy I was supposed to meet tonight is also in Auror training. Maybe you know him… Cormac something?"

Ron's long nose scrunched up in obvious distaste. "Cormac McLaggen? That lousy git?"

She was taken aback by his sudden change in tone. "The girls I work with couldn't stop raving about him when I agreed to this date."

"Well, he stood you up, so that alone should tell you what he's like. He's the most pompous and arrogant person I've ever met. I think his uncle pulled some strings to get him accepted and he looks down on anyone… Shit!" Ron exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of some nearby patrons and startling Hermione. He leaned down and spoke to her, out of the earshot of anyone else. "I overheard him this morning, telling his mates he was going to skip out on a date he'd been set up on with some ugly…"

Ron suddenly stopped, his face remorseful, and she instantly knew that Cormac must have said other vile things. She frowned and fought hard to keep her tears at bay from such a horrid remark, not for the first time in her life. It was so callous of a total stranger to make her humiliate herself and waste her evening.

Ron must have seen this and offered her a napkin, before continuing softly. "He's an arse, and he couldn't be more wrong about you. I think anyone would be lucky to spend time with you."

She pressed the cloth to her face, drying her eyes. Despite the hurt she felt at having her emotions toyed with, Hermione's heart warmed from the sincerity in his voice. Maybe she'd found something much better, and unexpected, on this blind date.

"As the Muggle saying goes, I think you dodged a bull."

Hermione snorted with amusement, handing the cloth back to him. "I think you meant bullet."

"Really? My dad loves all things Muggle and he taught me that." Ron shrugged. "Then again, he does seem to be confused about a lot of Muggle matters."

She sighed as her night came to an end. "Thanks for making this disappointing evening a bit more bearable. I guess I should go home. It's what I usually do on Friday nights."

"Look, Hermione, I'm just ending my shift and—"

"Oh no!" She suddenly exclaimed, her back going rigid as she stared at the entrance, where two young women had just entered, dressed for a night of fun.

"Do you know them?"

She looked back up at Ron, who was staring at her with concern. "They're my old roommates from school. They were the biggest gossips at Hogwarts, and now at the Ministry as well. If they find out I was stood up, everyone is going to know by lunch tomorrow."

"Listen, I have a plan. If they come over here, just stall them for a couple of minutes."

Everything happened so quickly. One minute Ron dashed out of sight, and the next minute, she was surrounded by the two giggling witches.

"Hermione! I heard you were going on a date tonight."

"Yes, I was… I-I mean, I am. On a date."

Lavender looked around, noting the empty chair at the table. "So, where is this mystery man?"

"He, uhhh, went to the bathroom." Even she was unconvinced by her tone.

"Oh no," Parvati interjected. "He stood you up!"

Her eyes narrowed. "I was not stood up. I'll have you know that we're having a lovely time."

Hermione spotted Ron over Parvati's shoulder, and her jaw dropped. He'd changed out of his uniform, and was now in a well-fitted coat, a butterbeer in hand.

"Hermione, who are your friends?" he bellowed purposefully, causing them to jump. The two girls spun, seemingly amazed that Hermione was on a date.

"Ron Weasley, meet Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil."

He greeted the two of them, before sliding into the unoccupied chair and grabbing Hermione's hand that had been sitting limply on the table. His freckled hand fit so perfectly with hers as their fingers entwined. He grinned up at the newcomers. "So, how do you know each other?"

Lavender was at a loss for words, so Parvati piped up. "We were dormmates at Hogwarts. Now we're all at the Ministry."

"Oh, very interesting. I was home schooled myself, but I took the NEWTs."

"Did Hermione tell you she received the highest marks in over a hundred years?"

"She did not." He looked at her admiringly. "Wow, congratulations!"

She could feel her face heating up. Ron gave her hand a quick squeeze and continued.

"And I thought I did well, getting into Auror training with my NEWT scores."

"You're in the Aurors?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, just started a few weeks ago." He turned to the bushy haired brunette. "Hermione was just telling me all about her fascinating work with magical creatures. Isn't that right?"

Hermione nodded, drawing her eyes away from their joined hands. "Yes, I-I was doing just that."

Parvati smiled awkwardly. "Well, we shouldn't intrude on your date, we're just going to grab a drink before we go dancing. It was nice to meet you."

"The pleasure was all mine, ladies."

As they were turning to head to the bar, Lavender leaned down to Hermione, a hint of envy in her tone. "Oooh, he's fit, and his eyes are gorgeous. You're so lucky."

They scurried away, leaving Ron and Hermione alone. "I suppose you heard that?"

The cocky look on his face told her everything she needed to know. "No, I didn't hear anything about me being fit and having gorgeous eyes."

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Thank you, for saving me from them, but there is a big flaw with your plan."

"Oh?" He leaned forward with interest. "I've done quite well on my strategy and planning exercises so far."

"You forgot about your exit. If you leave now, they'll know something is up. You can't go until they do."

"Who said anything about leaving now? Maybe it was my plan to be stuck here with you."

"Is that so?"

"It is." He nodded to their hands, still clasped together. "I hope that wasn't too presumptuous of me. I thought it would help sell the story. If you're uncomfortable…"

She smiled but didn't let go. "I think they bought it."

Ron took a quick glance over at the bar. "They're watching us."

Hermione suddenly felt bold and rubbed her thumb across his freckled skin. "Let them."

He flashed a lopsided grin. "How about some dessert then? We make a scrumptious treacle tart."

Her smile faltered. "Oh, I don't know. My parents are both dentists—Muggle tooth healers—and they don't like me eating sweets."

"I'm sure it won't hurt this one time."

He gave her his best impression of a sad puppy, and she capitulated. "Fine, let's give it a try and see if it's as good as you say."

"You won't be disappointed." With his free hand, he signaled to the server who had taken his place.

The young man wandered over with a curious look on his face. "Why are you sitting here, Ron? I thought your shift was done."

Ron gestured for the server to lean down, so he could whisper rather loudly. "I'm trying to impress this girl." He switched to his normal speaking voice. "Hermione, this is Dave."

"Hello, Dave."

"Oh, uh, hello." Dave turned to Ron with a grin. "Can I get you something, sir?"

"Find us the biggest slice of treacle tart you can—Hannah keeps the biggest pieces near the back of the cooling shelf—and a side of vanilla ice cream." He looked at Hermione, and she nodded in approval. "Thanks, mate."

As Dave turned to get their dessert, Ron said loudly. "Don't keep my lady waiting."

Hermione shook her head, unable to hide her delight. "Honestly, Ron. Could you be any more obvious?"

"Look at the bar," he whispered under his breath.

Hermione shot a look over to the other side of the restaurant and caught the girls staring in disbelief. She waved at them as they turned away, having been caught, before returning her attention back to Ron.

"They need to mind their own business."

"Admit it, Hermione, you're having fun torturing them with such juicy gossip."

"I don't hate it, but you're at the Ministry too, Ron. I'm sure the news of our date will make the rounds in the Auror department."

"Good, I have nothing to hide. If anyone asks, I'll tell them I was lucky enough to go out on a date with the beautiful and brilliant Hermione Granger."

She scoffed. "Hardly."

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "I meant it. Have you seen yourself?"

"Ron, it's alright. I know I'm a nerdy bookworm. It's what I've always been."

"Well, I don't see you that way. I'd really like to—"

He was interrupted as Dave approached, with their dessert on a tray. "Here you go, sir."

"Thanks, young man."

"Git," Dave joked under his breath as he placed the dessert in the middle of the table and provided them with two spoons. "Enjoy."

"I have an idea." Ron checked the bar, then grabbed a spoon and dug into the tart. He made a show of offering it to Hermione.

Hermione closed her eyes and accepted the bite, letting out a moan as she sampled the sweet. "Oh, that's exquisite."

She opened her eyes to see Ron giving her a funny look, his ears bright red as he shifted in his seat.

"What? Do I have some on my face?"

He cleared his throat. "Uh, no, nothing. It's really good, right?"

"It's the best I've ever tried."

They continued eating the dessert, sharing a few laughs as Ron told her about his brothers' shop and some of the tricks they played on the family over the years. Hermione was captivated by how animated he was, and how nice his smile was.

She spotted some movement from the corner of her eye. "They're finally leaving."

Lavender and Parvati passed by, waving goodbye to the two of them. Hermione watched closely until they'd made their exit from the restaurant.

"What was it you were going to say, before those two showed up?"

He sat back in his chair, staring at her for a second. The words rushed out from his mouth so quickly that she barely caught them all, his brash confidence from earlier had seemingly evaporated.

"I wanted to tell you that you're beautiful, and I would love to take you out on a proper date… right now. I know we just met, but there's something between us. You can't deny it."

She was stunned that this gorgeous, sweet guy was so interested in her. He bore a crestfallen expression, and she realized she'd just been staring at him in silence and hadn't answered. "Yes, I-I would love that."

His eyebrows raised in delight and beamed at her. "Yeah? Let's get out of here, find somewhere a bit quieter to talk. Besides, I'd hate to get shot down in front of my co-workers."

She returned his smile and nodded, realizing that the prospect of spending more time with Ron Weasley made her happier than she'd been in a long time. "I don't think you need to worry about that."

They stood up, left a generous number of coins on the table, and made their way into the beautiful evening. As they joined the bustle in Diagon Alley, neither noticed that their hands entwined once again.