Hermione's Unexpected Valentine
Pairing: Hermione/Cormac
Word Count: 676
Written For:
- February Event: (restriction) Must take place on Valentine's Day, (plot/action) Femme: having a necklace put around your neck/ Masculine: having tie tied/cuffs fastened
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/Scenarios: It's pouring with rain and there's space under your umbrella,
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/True Blood: "I shouldn't be taking walks with handsome strangers. It never ends well."
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/Crayola Colours: Cornflower
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/All Colours: Navy, Mint
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/Said Synonyms: Mumbled, Confirmed, Chuckled, Laughed
As the bus sailed past her, splashing through a large puddle on the road and showering her with dirty water, Hermione groaned loudly. It hadn't been a good day.
Not only was it her first Valentine's Day spent single, she had been spending it in the worst way possible. Trying to channel her inner independent woman, she had made the decision to take herself shopping into central Muggle London, with the intention of spoiling herself and making herself feel better amidst the abundance of couples. However, she had soon discovered that she had no Muggle money on her whilst she was in the middle of London, and had to make her way home. By this point, she was right in the middle of a heavily Muggle-populated area, so it was too dangerous to consider apparating home.
It had started pouring with rain shortly after, and that only made her Valentine's Day even worse. Even in the horrible weather, couples were milling around her, giggling in their matching raincoats or hopping through puddles in their Wellington boots. She was soaked through to the skin long before the bus decided to drive through puddle when she was stood so close.
She was just about to throw out her wand hand and summon the Knight Bus, with complete disregard to the amount of Muggles around her, when she heard her name called. "Granger—I thought it was you." She spun around on her heel, and was met with the cornflower blue eyes of Cormac McLaggen. He was wearing a navy blue suit with brown brogues, and was holding a striped umbrella over his head. "Come over here—Merlin, you're drenched."
Hermione hurried over to Cormac, but the heel of her shoe got stuck in a crack in the pavement as she hopped up the curb, and she suddenly found herself falling, arms outstretched, ready to hit the floor. However, Cormac was quick to react—he lunged forward and caught Hermione by the arm with one hand, hoisting her back into a dignified standing position. "Thanks," she mumbled breathlessly, hurrying beneath his umbrella. He held it over her head, and smiled down at her.
She noticed, in that small smile, that Cormac McLaggen had changed over the years. He didn't have the smarmy look in his eye. It was replaced with a kind, friendlier glimmer. "Are you..." he lowered his voice, so that the Muggles around them couldn't overhead. "Are you trying to get somewhere to apparate home?"
Hermione nodded.
"I'll walk you," he confirmed. "There's an alleyway not too far from here that you should be able to use."
They set off walking briskly, with Hermione having to hurry a little to keep up with his long strides. "I shouldn't be taking walks with handsome strangers," she chuckled. "It never ends well."
"I'm hardly a stranger," Cormac laughed. They chatted as they walked, and by the time that they reached the alleyway that Cormac had suggested, Hermione already felt a lot better about her dismal day.
"Thanks, Cormac," she told him. "I hope I haven't taken time out of your day."
Cormac shrugged. "I'm headed to a meeting in Trafalgar Square, but I still have..." he checked his watch. "About an hour. It gives me time to learn how to tie my tie, anyway," he gestured to his collar, and Hermione noticed that he had a long, mint green tie hanging loosely around his neck. She smiled.
"I think I can help you out." She stepped forwards and reached around his neck, taking the two ends of the tie between her hands. Slowly and carefully, she tied it into a neat, small knot, pushing it up to his neck and tucking it into the front of his blazer. "There. Much better." She stepped back, and took her wand out of her pocket. "Well, thanks for your help. I really appreciate it."
Cormac nodded. "Anytime, Granger," he turned to leave, but paused, risking a second look at her. "Hey, Granger?"
Hermione looked at him questioningly, and his smile widened. "Write to me sometime."