To celebrate my birthday this year, I decided to do something different. Two Halloween stories! Hope you enjoy the first one ;3
Warnings: Muggle AU
Castin' my spell
"Blaise, forget it! I'm not going to use a devil's costume!" Theodore Nott said, or better saying yelled at his phone.
"Why not Theo? I'm going to be Cupid for the Malfoy's gala, and if you were a Devil, it's going to be totally awesome!" Blaise Zabini tried to convince his friend, but Theo was adamant.
"You aren't going to convince me," Theo said looking at the store that he came across on his way. "I'm already at a costume shop, and I'm going to find a costume that I like. Bye Blaise."
"This isn't the end of this conversation Theodore, I'll call you later," Blaise said and Theo just laughed, finishing the call. Theo laughed, thinking about why Blaise was so adamant about matching costumes with him.
The Malfoy's gala was the party that his best friend's parents throw every year and every year, Theo, Blaise and Draco Malfoy attended and just had a good time. Theo could be a little down to party this year, but this doesn't mean that he isn't going to celebrate Samhain and have a good time altogether. He probably should have chosen a costume earlier than just going to a costume shop 3 days before Halloween, but his college classes were killing him this year. Sighing to himself, he finally gathered the courage and entered the costume shop.
The costume shop actually surprised him, seeing how huge the store was; it was a two-floor with costumes everywhere he looked. He still doesn't have an idea of what he was going to choose for costume, but Theo could see that he would have many options.
"Can I help you?" a voice came from behind him, and Theo turned to see a girl around his age, smiling in his direction. He thought that he would like to see her smiling at him anytime.
"Yes, please! I think I'm lost as to which costume I should wear for a party," Theo said scratching his neck, embarrassed for some reason unknown to him.
"Okay, I think you came to the right place," the girl said laughing a little, making Theo smile. "Do you have something that you absolutely refuse to wear or I can show you everything we have?"
"Well… I would like to be a pirate or maybe a fallen angel?" Theo said with a small smile. "Anything but a devil costume or I may have to kill my friend."
"Don't worry, you won't need to kill anyone today," the girl replied, started walking and Theo didn't have any other option besides following her. "I don't think we have a fallen angel costume, but something tells me that you would prefer to be a pirate."
"Yeah, I always liked to play pirate when I was little," Theo said blushing. He could remember when he, Draco and Blaise played pretend while growing up and they always ended up being pirates. "But nothing like Captain Hook, please."
"No Tinker Bell to help you at this party?" The girl replied so fast, that Theo saw the moment that her brain made the connection with what she said and the moment that she started to blush. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I can't believe I said it."
"It's okay, it's no problem at all," Theo said laughing, glad to have come to this particular store. "I'm going dateless to this party since my two best friends are going with their dates this year."
"And why are you dateless?" the girl asked, browsing the racks of costumes. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Nah, no problem. My life is kinda like an open book," Theo said shrugging. "But before I can start opening my heart for you, can I least know your name beforehand?"
"I'm Hermione," the girl said smiling shy for the first time.
"Nice to meet you, Hermione, I'm Theodore, but only my mum calls me that," Theo said smiling. "Everyone else calls me Theo."
"So Theo, why are you going dateless to this party?" Hermione asked, grabbing some bags that hidden the costumes underneath. "You don't seem like a guy who couldn't find a date."
"Well Hermione, I didn't find anyone that I could actually go to the party with. And all the girls that I thought I could ask, already had other plans," Theo mumbled, following Hermione around. 'I could ask you, couldn't I?' Theo thought to himself.
They didn't talk much while Hermione continued to browse the racks and grab bags seemingly without thinking much about it, while Theo was happy just to look at her in her element. She soon led him to a changing room and put the bags inside, motioning for him to enter; he then chose one bag and started to undress and experiment with the first costume.
"Did you like it? What are your thoughts?" Hermione asked from behind the door, and instead of answering, Theo just opened the door and showed the costume for Hermione. "Not this one, I gather?"
"This one is too tight, and it's not my style," Theo murmured, turning and looking at himself in the mirror. He definitely wanted to be a pirate for Halloween, but this costume isn't the one for him. "I think I'll need to try the other ones, huh?"
"At least now we know what we are looking for," Hermione said with a smile and pushing him inside the changing room to continue trying other costumes.
Theo tried at least four more before he finally found the one costume that he was loving to wear. It was a loose red shirt with long sleeves, and black pants complemented the entire look; a caramel belt with a gun stripped and a sword on the other side — both fake, but that looked so real that left him speechless. Black boots and a scarf to put in his head to hide his hair, and Theo was having flashbacks to when he was a kid.
"I think we have a winner Hermione!" Theo said, before opening the door and showing her the costume. If her intake of breath was any indication, he thought that she also liked the costume. "Yep, this is the one I'm wearing."
"You look incredible on it, Theo," Hermione said smiling a little, which made Theo smile widely. "I'm glad you liked this one, it's one of my favourites."
"You have favourite costumes?" Theo asked, returning to the dressing room and taking back the costume. He couldn't wait for the party, now that he has a costume that he feels so good wearing.
"Of course, everyone who works here has our favourites," Hermione's voice came a little low but Theo still could understand her. "Actually, my favourite one is the female pirate."
"You don't say!" Theo said, opening the door and smiling like a loon. "So you're going to wear a pirate costume for Halloween?"
"I wish," Hermione sighed somehow sad. "I'll be working on Halloween and the costume I adore probably is gone by then. But no more me talking, let's go ring this, shall we?"
Hermione grabbed the costume bag and started walking, leaving Theo to follow her; he heard the sadness in her voice and decided right there that he was going to do something to her. Why he had the sudden desire to help someone who he only now had met, he doesn't know why, but he wasn't going to think about it right now.
"Mrs Figg, one more to ring!" Hermione said, putting the costume bag on the counter, smiling at the older woman behind. "There you go Theo, all done! Hope you have a wonderful Halloween!"
Hermione waved and walked away, letting Theo alone with the woman that was currently ringing his purchase. He couldn't help but stare at the woman until she looked at him and smiled as a grandma would do.
"Did you find anything you have come looking for?" Mrs Figg asked Theo, looking at him and giving his costume in a bag.
"I guess you can say that I found more than just my costume," Theo said softly, looking at Hermione talking with other customers.
"You can call a Halloween miracle," Mrs Figg said with a grandma's smile in Theo's direction. "Hope you enjoy your Halloween, my dear."
"Yeah, I hope too," Theo said and was leaving when suddenly a lamp went on his head and he came back to the counter. "I think I need help with something more."
Hermione loves to work at Mad World Fancy Dress Hire, she really does, but she doesn't like to work at Halloween when everyone else is going to parties or trick-or-treating. She sighed and decided that no matter what, she was going to be a good employee and just do her job the way she always does.
"Good morning Mi, how are you this fine Samhain morning?" Luna Lovegood, one of Hermione's best friends and another employee asked her while waiting for Mrs Figg to open the backdoor.
"I'm fine Luna, just happy for all the chocolate I can eat today and not feel guilty — well, too guilty," Hermione laughed. "How about you?"
"I'm loving this crispy air and all the smells that are coming our way," Luna said closing her eyes and just smelling the autumn smell. "Are you up for that movie marathon after we close the store?"
"I'll bring the popcorn and the chocolate," Hermione said with a smile, that turned into a frown when she heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching. "What's happening?"
Hermione and Luna turned around to see someone in a leather jacket stopping the motorcycle near them and turning the engine off. The person didn't take long and soon was in front of them, but since this person was wearing a helmet, they couldn't know who it was.
"Hey Hermione, I'm glad I caught you before you went to work," the person said, with the voice muffled due to the helmet.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Oh, silly me!" the person said laughing and finally taking off the helmet and Hermione realized that it was Theo, the cute guy from the other day. "Happy Halloween!"
"Happy Halloween!" Luna said smiling and pushing Hermione — not so subtle like she thought — in the direction of the guy. "I'll leave you two alone, I'll tell Mrs Figg, don't worry Mi."
"Thanks, Luna," Hermione mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed and looking her friend enter the store. "Happy Halloween Theo."
"Are you enjoying your Halloween so far?" Theo asked, leaning onto his bike, smiling in her direction, making her a little unsure of herself.
"It's good so far, I'm hoping that the day passes quickly, so I can go to Luna's place and watch some Halloween movies and eat all the chocolate that I can get my hands on," Hermione said with a laugh, missing the way that Theo was looking at her.
"And what if I tell you that I talked with Mrs Figg and she gave you the day off so you can go to a Halloween party with me?" Theo asked, smiling seeing Hermione wide her eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, didn't understand where he wanted to go.
"I talked with your boss and she said that you could have the day off and I told you I was dateless for this party, so…" Theo trailed off, feeling a little insecure now. "Oh God, you think I'm a total creep, aren't you? I swear to you that I'm a good guy! I'm a total nerd, the bike is just a way to impress people!"
"It's working," Hermione mumbled, before blushing to the roots of her hair. "You sure you want me to be your date? Me?"
"I don't know why you're so shocked, I even got you a costume!" Theo said enthusiastically.
"You got me a costume? Before knowing if I was going to accept this? Are you sure you're a nerd?" Hermione asked, amused, seeing the way that Theo was blushing now.
"Oh yeah, totally a nerd!" Theo said blushing, scratching his neck uncomfortably. "I just know what I want and I go after."
"And what do you want now, Theodore?" Hermione asked with an eyebrow raised.
"I want a date with you Hermione," Theo said, coming near her and looking at her with puppy dog eyes. "What do you say, are you going to this party with me?"
"You didn't tell me yet which costume you choose for me," Hermione said with a small smile, coming a step closer to him.
"Which costume could I have chosen if not your favourite?" Theo said, coming one step closer to Hermione until they were almost nose to nose. "What do you say?"
"I say that you have a date," Hermione said kissing Theo's cheek and loving the way that he was blushing so nicely.
"Good, this good to know." Theo mumbled embarrassed, not knowing how to behave now, which made Hermione smile. "Can I give you a ride to your place, and pick you up for the party?"
"I would like that very much, thank you." Hermione couldn't stop smiling over how adorable Theo was being. "You really know how to ride this bike, right? You aren't just trying to impress me, or something."
"Don't worry, I know how to ride… and this is going to be the ride of your life," Theo said winking in Hermione's direction and bringing her closer to the bike.
Hermione was pleasant surprised with how Theo drove the bike, and being able to hold him by his waist wasn't something so bad either. Theo also was enjoying the feel of Hermione's arms around him, and he hopes that he can feel it more often. He left her at her place, saying that he would return in a few hours to pick her up; Hermione couldn't help the little squeal of joy that she let when she finally entered her flat: she has a date with a sweet guy and she was going to use her favourite costume! She was feeling like walking in the clouds.