next chapter and they're having a date! hope you like it; and heads up: there's little changes on the last chapter (thanks Ash for the betaing!)
Hermione's eyes scanned the coffee shop, trying to find Fred's bright red hair but she came up empty every time. She tried not to worry, knowing that people were often late—and it wasn't as if he was late; she had arrived thirty minutes earlier.
"Are you ready to order, miss?" a waitress asked her, startling Hermione from her thoughts.
"I'm waiting for someone," Hermione replied, biting her lip. "Can you come back in a few minutes?"
The waitress nodded and walked 's heart beat faster. Fred had said that he was going to meet her here, so why was she so nervous? She tried to distract herself by reading the menu, but she could only manage to read three lines before she was interrupted.
"It looks like we both like to come early to dates, huh?" Fred asked, materialising in front of her as if by magic and smiling at her. "I like what you did with your hair."
Suddenly shy, Hermione patted her hair, blushing a little under Fred's gaze. She had braided her hair, wanting to do something different with it. With the way Fred was looking at her, Hermione felt like she was floating.
"Thank you," Hermione whispered. Clearing her throat, she spoke louder, "After all the wind my hair received last night, a braid seemed like the safest choice."
The sound of Fred's soft chuckles warmed her; something about the man made her feel better by just being in his presence.
"Early arrivals to the win." Fred smiled at her and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "It's good to know someone else that does the same. And you look good with your hair this way."
Hermione blushed and looked down at the menu in her hand, trying to disguise the warmth emanating from her face. Fred's gaze reminded her of the way male leads looked at their love interests in those romances she loved to read when she was alone at night.
Being in Fred's presence evoked the same feelings she had when she was a teenager and had her first crush. But Hermione couldn't have a crush on Fred already; they had just met the day before. It was irrational to even think that way.
"I'm thinking about having the chicken salad sandwich with a glass of pink lemonade," Fred said, looking at his menu. "What are you having?"
"Actually, the same thing," Hermione said, looking at Fred with wide eyes. "Wow, this is weird."
"You think? I think it's just a way that we can get along." Fred shrugged before smirking at Hermione. "Are you afraid I'll steal food from your plate?"
"No, that's not what I meant," Hermione started but the waitress reappeared just then, tapping the menu in her hand.
"Are you ready to order?" the girl asked with a polite smile, looking directly at Hermione.