Written for:

Hogwarts: Valentines Vs Single Awareness challenge:
(setting) Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, (object) Love letter

Hogwarts: 365 Prompts
Prompt - Appalling

Hogwarts: Insane House Challenge
Setting - Hogsmeade

Hogwarts: Ultimate Battle Competition
Dead Stilettos - Price: 700 words, a Death Eater main character

Going Blank

xXx

Eighteen-year-old Hermione walked through Hogsmeade and stopped in front of a horrendous place, a place she had never set foot in before. She clutched the love letter from her secret admirer in her hand and stared at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Whoever her secret admirer was sure did buy into the normal girly stereotype, and she wasn't impressed.

She wondered which student who came back to Hogwarts for an eighth year would have the gall to ask her to come to this frilly and appalling pink atrocity. She shuddered and looked around, but there was no single person there yet.

She thought about sitting at one of the tables with pink sheer lace tablecloths but wrinkled her nose at the very notion. Hermione sighed and shook her head. She turned and walked outside.

She'd wait for her mystery admirer to show up. She wouldn't just ditch him because that wasn't her style, but she'd set him straight about what she liked. And Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop certainly wasn't it.

She leaned against the wall and waited. People passed by, but no one spared her a glance. For the first time, she wondered if this was some kind of twisted joke. After all, no one had sent her a love letter before. Maybe it was a prank. It was something she could expect Malfoy to do. He was probably having a good laugh right about now.

As if her thoughts conjured him up, she spotted light blond hair, but it wasn't the Malfoy she had been thinking about. It was the elder one, the one that was an adult and a father and too old to be at Hogsmeade when it was mostly students who were there this weekend.

'Maybe he's coming to see Draco,' Hermione thought, even as her heart picked up speed as the tall figure grew closer to where she stood.

She expected his eyes to pass right over her as if she wasn't there, beneath him, but to her surprise, his gaze landed on her, and it stayed there.

She swallowed nervously and straightened her spine.

He walked closer. "Miss Granger."

"Sir," Hermione acknowledged, tilting her head slightly up to stare into his piercing gaze.

His eyes drifted down to the letter that she still held. "I'm glad you got my letter. Even more glad that you showed up."

"It was you?" Hermione arched her eyebrow. "Aren't you a bit old for the whole secret admirer there?"

"If I had signed my name, would you have come?"

She tilted her head. "I admit that I came mostly because I was curious about the mystery, but if you had signed your name, I think I would still have come.

Lucius walked closer. "You surprise me, Miss Granger."

"Why? I'm not afraid to admit there is heat between us. I've never been afraid to admit what I want. It's the Gryffindor in me."

Lucius smirked. "Good to know."

Hermione held up her hand, stopping him from moving any closer. "I'm also not too afraid to tell you when something is distasteful."

Lucius silently waited.

"Never invite me to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop again. It's an abomination of a tea shop."

"Should have known it wouldn't be your type of place."

"Yes, you should have," Hermione agreed.

"Duly noted." He moved closer when her hand fell down to her side. He stopped right in front of her, and it became nearly impossible for Hermione to breathe.

"So, are you just going to stare at me all day?" she quipped even as she fought the urge to encourage him or run. It was a toss-up which way she was leaning towards.

Lucius cupped Hermione's cheek, his thumb caressing the soft skin beneath her eye.

Her breath hitched, and she closed her eyes, unable to fight the urge to lean into the strong, but surprisingly, gentle hand as she waited in anticipation for what was to come.

And before she knew it, his lips were on hers, and for the first time in her life, Hermione's mind went completely blank as she lived in the moment and enjoyed the most absolutely, wonderful kiss in her life.

It was delicious.

And to think. It all started with a secret admirer letter and a trip to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop.

(word count: 716)