A/N: A few housekeeping notes: If you recognize this, it's probably because I expanded on a drabble I wrote for 31 Days of Writing back in October. I've been in a writing slump and decided to try something I haven't done in a while, which is start a new story with no outline or even notes on where I want the story to go. There is no update schedule, hell, right now, there's like 4 words written in chapter 2, lol.

Do expect this to be smutty, fun, and carefree. I'm going for hopefully low angst (lol, do you even know me? it's probably going to turn out angsty as hell). This is a modern, muggle AU. Which is also something completely new that I haven't done before. Here's hoping it goes well, haha.

If you liked this (or hated it) let me know about it in a review! You can find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff or on Facebook at Shan Crochetaway.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Thorfinn Rowle stared at the pretty woman sitting in the locker room uncomprehendingly. She had bushy, brown hair that hung half-way down her back and was dressed in a form-fitting black dress. A warm-looking coat was on the bench next to her. His eyes stilled on the curve of her waist and he shook his head as thoughts of what she looked like out of the dress started to invade his mind.

"She asked for me?" he asked his defensive coach, Oliver Wood. The woman was sitting with her back to him, on the bench directly in front of his locker. She seemingly ignored everything else going on around her, including the other men in the locker room, who were acting as if there wasn't a gorgeous woman in their midst. Not that he knew she was gorgeous, he hadn't seen her face, after all, but he had a feeling. With a banging body like that, he was sure she had a face to match.

Thorfinn was sore and tired, it had been a long match and all he wanted was a hot shower and his couch. Rugby groupies weren't unheard of, but the front office was usually pretty good about keeping them out of the locker room. If she got through them, then she must not be a groupie. A reporter maybe? But why speak to him? He was probably one of the most boring players on the team. He didn't have a scandalous home life, rarely dated, lived alone. He was a homebody and completely fine with it.

"Yep, said you had an appointment with her," Oliver said, slapping him on the shoulder and stepping away to speak with the head coach.

His brows furrowed in confusion. He didn't recall making any appointments with anyone. And surely, he would have remembered making an appointment with a woman as beautiful as this. Wouldn't he have? He had been knocked around in their game, but he didn't get hit in the head that hard.

"If you don't go talk to her, I will," Antonin Dolohov said, he was the other prop forward on their rugby team and gave a lewd jerk of his hips along with his comment. Thorfinn scowled at him and strode forward, giving Dolohov the two-fingered salute.

"'Fraid you have me at a disadvantage, love," Thorfinn said as he straddled the bench next to her. "I don't even know your name."

The woman turned to him with a smile. "I may have snuck in here under false pretenses," she said, offering him a wink. "My name is Hermione and Ginny told me to ask for you."

Thorfinn was struck for a moment by how gorgeous she really was. Her skin was dark and luminous and she had the prettiest warm, brown eyes he'd ever seen.

"Ginny? Ginny Weasley?" Thorfinn rubbed a hand against his scruffy jaw. Why on earth would his best friend's kid sister send him a piece of trim?

Hermione nodded. "She said you were usually up for a lark, and well I have a proposition for you."

Thorfinn's eyebrows lifted even higher. Did she mean what she said? He fought a grin as her eyes widened in surprised embarrassment.

"Oh, God, that sounded awful didn't it? I'm sorry," she laughed. "It's not that kind of proposition. Bugger. I'm messing this all up." She shook her head with another self-deprecating chuckle. Thorfinn liked how easily she laughed at herself and found he was grinning right along with her. He tilted his head to the side as she went on.

"Ron, Ginny and Charlie's brother is getting married next week. And well, he's my ex," she cringed here, "Ginny suggested that I ask you to be my date at his wedding."

"You snuck into a premiership rugby locker room to ask me to be your fake date to a wedding?" Thorfinn asked, incredulously.

"Er, yes? Is that a no then? I told Ginny it wouldn't work, but then she dared me, and well… I am terrible with dares. I can never turn them down." Hermione stood and gathered her coat. "Sorry to have bothered you." She offered him another bright smile and gingerly stepped over the bench, her skirt rising indecently high as she did so, and headed out of the locker room.

"I'll be your date," Dolohov called after her. He turned his head to watch her arse as she hurried toward the door.

Thorfinn scowled at him and slapped him on the back of the head.

"What? She's fit." Dolohov shrugged and turned back to his locker. "You're single," he said, stating the obvious. "You'd be an idiot to let a girl that hot walk out of here."

Thorfinn wasn't sure what to think. Women usually only wanted him for one thing, so he wasn't completely surprised that she wanted him to be her fake date. He knew what he looked like, and while there were loads of women who might be intimidated by his size, there were plenty who found it a turn on.

As pretty as he found Hermione, she wanted him to be her fake date and only asked him on a dare. It wasn't entirely flattering, but, well Dolohov was right. He wasn't just single, he was painfully single. Rugby groupies just didn't do it for him and it's not like he had the time or energy into dating. "Shite," he muttered, levering himself off the bench.

"Hermione! Wait up!" he jogged after her and caught up to her just before she left the locker room. "Alright, I'll do it," he said to her back. Her hand was on the door, about to yank it open when she slowly turned around to face him. He got a good glimpse of her whole outfit then, a black dress paired with red heels. As he towered over her, he realized, despite the height of her heels, she still barely only came up to his shoulders. She was a tiny, little thing.

Hermione's eyebrows were so high that he couldn't help laughing at her expression.

"Really? You aren't pulling my leg? You'll really do it?" she asked, biting her lip. It made her look younger than he suspected she was, though Ginny was almost a decade younger than Charlie, he knew.

"Yeah, why not? It's a wedding. Free drinks are always a good thing," Thorfinn shrugged, acting much more casual than he felt.

Hermione shook her head, laughing. "I was sure you'd say no. Now I owe Ginny ten quid."

Thorfinn smirked at her. "Here, give me your phone." He held out his hand and when she placed it in his palm, their fingers brushed, and a frisson of energy shot up his arm.

He put his number in and handed it back to her. "Text me the details."

"Alright," she agreed. "Thanks."

Thorfinn watched her leave the locker room with a goofy smile on his face. He hoped she texted him. But if she didn't, he might have to feel out the waters with Charlie and see if he could get her number that way.

Hermione

It's Hermione, realized I never told you my last name, ha

Hermione Granger

Wedding is next week Saturday in Devonshire. I've booked a room at the hotel block, not sure I can get another on short notice, but mine should have two beds if that's alright?

Thorfinn

Nice to meet you, Hermione Granger

I'm familiar with Devonshire, having grown up near where the Weasleys live

Whatever you've booked for the hotel is fine

How fancy is this wedding? Weasley fancy? Or?

Hermione

Fancier than Weasley, unfortunately. Ron's marrying into some money

Thorfinn

I'm unsurprised, Charlie always told me he was a bit of a twat

Hermione

HA!

A bit

Thorfinn

So black tie?

Hermione

Yes, hope that's ok?

Have you got something?

Thorfinn

This ok?

*picture message sent*

"Holy, is that your date for the wedding?" Harry asked, snatching Hermione's phone out of her hand. "He's hot."

"Harry!" Hermione hissed and made a grab for the phone, but Harry held it out of her reach as he eyed the picture Thorfinn had sent of him in his tux.

"Oh, says this was taken last year sometime, still. He looks good. Ron'll be apoplectic. I'm assuming that's what you're going for?"

"Ron will not be apoplectic at my date," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Ron is over me. Has been for years or he wouldn't be marrying Pansy."

"Ron will never be over you," Harry told her, finally handing her phone back. Hermione shoved it in her bag, unwilling to look at it in front of Harry.

"I hope you didn't reply to him," she muttered under her breath and took a sip of her water. They were waiting on the rest of their usual crew at the pub and as desperately as she needed a glass of wine, Hermione wasn't getting blathered tonight. She had work to do in the morning.

"Tempting, but no," Harry said with a grin. "I didn't have time to go through your camera roll and find a good nudie."

"Harry!" Hermione said with half a laugh. "You may be into sending nudes, but I don't. And if I did, I certainly wouldn't keep them on my camera roll for the world to see."

"Ah, got one of those hidden apps, do you?" Harry asked with a slight leer.

"Leave off, Potter," Theo Nott said, slipping an arm around Harry's waist and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "She's blushing."

Hermione's face did feel warm, though she wasn't sure how Theo knew. She could barely see in the mirror when she was blushing. "Oh hush up, Nott."

Harry let out a mock gasp. "Don't tell me you do want to send nudes to your date? Hermione Granger!"

She laughed. "What? I'm not allowed to be attracted to him?"

"Of course you are," Theo said. "Of course she is," he said to Harry. "Who is it again?"

"Oh, show him," Harry said, practically bouncing in his seat. "He's a fucking gorg rugby player," he said to Theo.

"Fine, but don't make me show everyone," Hermione said with a grumble and dug her phone back out of her purse. She unlocked the screen, smiled at what Thorfinn had sent, and clicked the picture so Theo could see it.

"Hot damn, girl," Theo said, waving his hand at his face as if to cool off. "Well, if he was interested in blokes, I'd be sending him my nudies."

Hermione felt her face warming again and tucked her phone away. "Doesn't matter. I was quite clear that it's a fake date to my ex's wedding."

"Haven't you ever read a book?" Harry eyed her meaningfully.

"Or watched a movie?" Theo suggested.

"Fake dating always ends up in real dating," Harry said authoritatively. "It's a proven formula."

"Fiction is not real life," Hermione replied, rolling her eyes at the pair of them. "You two are too dramatic for your own good. Now leave off," she said just as the rest of the group joined them.

Harry rolled his eyes right back before standing and greeting everyone. Ginny had come with Blaise, Ron and Pansy were hand-in-hand and George was in deep discussion with Draco. Hellos were said all around and a pitcher of lager ordered as they settled in for their weekly catch up. There was much talk of Ron and Pansy's upcoming wedding, only a week away and the following night was the separate stag and hen do's. Something Hermione was not looking forward to. At least she hadn't been asked to be a bridesmaid. Embarrassing enough to have her ex of three years marry the girl he met directly after breaking up with Hermione.

It wasn't that she was jealous, it was just strange to be one of the last of her friends to not be in a serious relationship. Ginny and Blaise were set to marry next year. Harry and Theo had slipped away six months ago to tie the knot at the local magistrate's office. George had been on and off with Angelina since their school days. Even if they never got married, Hermione couldn't imagine them ever being done with the other for good. Neville was barely around anymore, having signed on to teach at their old school. Even he was pretty serious with Hannah Abbott. Draco was the only other one of their set who seemed as chronically single as she was.

For a laugh, they had attempted dating and giggled through a fancy dinner. The end of the night kiss felt more brotherly than loverly and they had never done it again.

"Got a date for this shindig?" Draco asked halfway through the night, nodding at Ron and Pansy canoodling.

Hermione nodded. "Ginny bet me to ask out a pro-rugby player her brother knows. Color me shocked when he agreed. I only did it for a lark."

Draco laughed. "Well, at least you'll have someone to dance with. And if he turns into a dud, I'll happily get sauced with you."

"Cheers!" Hermione laughed as they clinked their glasses together.

Thorfinn

Well… I've shown you mine?

Show me what you're planning to wear?

Hermione

Oh, It's sufficiently black tie

I won't embarrass you

Thorfinn

Wasn't asking because I thought you'd embarrass me ;-)

Hermione slapped down her phone and paced her living room. She felt unsure about the flirting. Thorfinn was just supposed to be her pretend date, but the closer they got to the wedding, the flirtier he became.

Was there something wrong with that? She scrunched her nose. Her subconscious, which sounded an awful lot like Harry, wasn't wrong. There wasn't anything wrong with her having a teeny, tiny crush on Thorfinn, but then she wasn't sure how she felt about fake dating, suddenly becoming real dating.

She had her career to focus on, she really wasn't looking for a boyfriend, despite her string of terrible Tinder and Bumble dates that may have hinted at otherwise. When was the last time a guy flirted with her over text?

Decision made, she hurried to her bedroom and slipped on the dress she planned to wear. It was black, long, and slinky. She decided to forgo any foundation garments in the interest of saving time. Her hair was a mess and she didn't have any makeup on, so she held her phone above her head and took a body only selfie, and sent it before she could second guess herself.

Once the picture was actually sent, she looked at the selfie and gasped. The dress gaped at the neckline to the point that she was practically flashing her nipple. The rest of her looked alright, but her eyes kept drifting to that dark shadow that was just barely hidden by her dress. Christ, she should have looked at the picture before sending it.

There were three dots next to Thorfinn's name, indicating he was typing something. They flashed, then went grey, then flashed again, and then went grey once more. She groaned and tossed her phone onto the bed before shimmying out of the dress. She had wanted to be flirty, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be 'flash your nipple' flirty.