"Oh, Hermione darling, I'm so excited for you! This is the first time that you have to gotten to dress up in a long time! In fact, I think the last time was your Uncle Stephen's wedding two years ago! And the time before that was that awful ball you went to!"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "It wasn't that bad mum…"
Mrs. Granger clapped her hands together, "Oh right! You had that handsome magicky bally game celebrity on your arm but all you could think about is how he wasn't the right person for you or whatever. I cannot believe you didn't sleep with him."
Hermione had a horrified look on her face, "Bloody hell, mum! I was fifteen years old. And plus, he wasn't the one. I think your first time should be with someone you can imagine having the rest of your life with. That's why I'm waiting for Ro-igght guy."
Mrs. Granger gave her a sly grin, "Ok if you were fifteen then maybe just hands stuff. But darling, your first time should be with someone special, but I don't want you preventing yourself from oppurtunities and fun experiences while you wait for the one. You might not meet him for a very long time. Unless…"
Hermione gulped, "Unless what…"
Mrs. Granger's faced sobered a litte, "Darling, are you in love with Ro-"
"Yes," Hermione interrupted then looked shyly away.
They sat in the car in silence for a while. They were driving to the mall to buy Hermione a pretty new dress for Fleur and Bill's wedding.
"Hermione, darling…"
"Yes, mum?"
"You know you can talk to me about anything anytime, right?"
Hermione sighed, "Yes, mum."
Mrs. Granger rubbed Hermione's knee, "Then why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
Hermione shook her head, "I don't know… I mean for the longest time I just kept telling myself it was a crush and nothing more… but overtime… I don't know I just figured this can't be a crush anymore. It must be…"
"You know my first love was extremely handsome," Mrs. Granger said, changing the subject ever so slightly.
"Mum… I don't really want to hear about-"
"His name was Greg Stevens. Every girl in school wanted him. Like literally, there would be girls flashing him in the hallways to try and get him. I'll admit, I considered doing it too…"
"Mother this really isn't something that is inviting to me…"
"Of course, at the time I was pretty hot. So eventually he noticed me and he took me to the movies for my sixteenth birthday and later that night… Well he was my sweet, sweet sixteenth birthday gift…" Mrs. Granger was almost panting at this point and Hermione had a shocked expression on her face.
"Do I need to remind you that I am your daughter?"
Mrs. Granger scoffed, "Oh pish posh! You're almost an adult now, we can talk a little more freely. And I know that if he offered you'd be fucking Ronald Weasley at any given second!"
Hermione didn't even get a chance to rebuttal for they had just arrived at the mall.
Mrs. Granger turned and smiled at Hermione, "Now let's go get a dress that Ronald won't be able to stop looking at!"
Mrs. Granger dropped the subject of sex, for she was really just using it to make sure that her daughter was still a virgin. She also was able to collect from this conversation that her daughter did want to have it with Ron, which she had assumed but needed to confirm. And, biologically, she knew that Ron, as a boy, wanted to have sex with Hermione. She'd just have to keep this information from Mr. Granger...
They shopped for hours looking for something that would work for the wedding. Mrs. Granger cherished this time with her daughter truly. She seemed to be gone ninety percent of her life, and these few moments when they got special bonding times were so significant.
"Oh my lord! Hermione look at this dress!" It was a gorgeous periwinkle dress that would go so perfectly with Hermione's skin tone, and Ron's for that matter.
Hermione's eyes lit up at the sight of the dress, "Oh Mum that's perfect!" SHe grabbed the dress and squeezed Mrs. Granger tightly in a fond embrace before running off to the dressing room to try it on.
When she came out Mrs. Granger saw the most breathtaking girl she had ever seen. She knew she was prejudice, as this was her daughter, but she was still beautiful. Mrs. Granger had tears in her eyes, "You're a princess, Hermione."
Hermione smiled and did a little twirl. She seemed to have tears in her eyes too, which was a little peculiar, but no matter.
Hermione shyly looked down, "Do you uh… think-"
"Ron will like it? I don't know how he couldn't."
Hermione looked up with a big smile and ran to Mrs. Granger and hugged her, "I love you so much mum, never forget it…"
Mrs. Granger looked down with an unknowing smile, "How could I ever forget it? I love you so much too."
Hermione started balling at her first sentence, but then recovered enough to say, "I-I don't know. Can I buy this one?"
Mrs. Granger laughed, "Of course you can, darling. Now why are you crying? Is this about Ron?"
Hermione shook her head, "No, mum. I-I think the Ron thing is going in a good direction. We started heavily flirting and making moves last year. I think there's something there."
Mrs. Granger smiled, "Well good. I think you two would make a lovely couple. And you can tell me about why you're crying when you're ready. But honestly, i'm rooting for you, darling. I can see your happiness right at the end of the path, and he's running towards you as fast as he can."
After one more hug Hermione went and changed out of her dress so they could pay for it. On the way back home, the radio was on.
"Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere."
Hermione sang quietly,
"Just a city boy
Born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere."
Mrs. Granger began to sing too,
"A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night"
Both of their voices grew louder,
"It goes on and on and on and on."
They were both screaming now,
"Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their Shadows searching in the night
Streetlights, people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hidin' somewhere in the niiiiiiiggggghhhhtttt!"
They both held the high note for as long as they could until they began to laugh hysterically. Neither of them could sing even a little, but they didn't care. It was a moment where mother and daughter could've been best friends, singing their hearts out into the night.
When Hermione regained her breath she exclaimed, "Oh I'm going to miss you mum!"
Mrs. Granger sighed, "Me too, darling. But we can always write."
Hermione mumbled, "Yeah…"
When the two walked into the door they found Ron and Mr. Granger talking in the living room. Hermione went into the kitchen to make tea, and Ron excused himself to go help her.
Mrs. Granger took Ron's seat, "Now what were you two just discussing."
Mr. Granger had a shocked look on his face, "I don't really know darling. He asked for permission to marry Hermione should he ever have the opportunity to be in that situation. I asked why he was asking now and he just said that he couldn't explain. Well, princess, I don't know what I was thinking, but I said yes. I don't know why he's here or why he asked but-"
Mr. Wilkins lost his train of thought. He heard his door close, but his wife was sitting right next to him. That's peculiar, he thought. "What was I saying, princess?"
She looked at him puzzled, "I don't quite remember, darling. Oh! Sounds like the tea is ready. Funny, I don't remember putting it on."