The next chapter is the last one before the epilogue. Can't wait to see your thoughts! Hehehe

It was weird being alone with Theo after the craziness that had happened—and probably was still going on—inside her shop, but Hermione was glad for the reprieve. Although she was surprised to see Theo, she couldn't say she wasn't happy.

That was until she remembered what Draco had said. 'She isn't good enough for him.' Hermione knew she shouldn't let what Draco Malfoy said get to her, but she often felt like that and hearing her doubts being voiced by her childhood bully hurt.

She felt as if she wasn't good enough to be with someone like Theo; what could she possibly offer him? It was more than obvious that he was going to be ostracised if they got together, and Hermione didn'twant that for him.

"Did you like the flowers? I know you prefer daisies to any other flowers, and they were looking pretty in the flower shop." Theo was rambling and Hermione thought it was adorable, but she didn't dare smile, so she wouldn't encourage him.

"They were lovely, Theo, thank you. And thank you for the book, but you really didn't need to go to the trouble of getting it for me," Hermione said, turning to walk around the back.

Theo was quick to walk beside her. "It wasn't any trouble at all. I remember how you asked if I was liking Alice's world. It helped to show me I wasn't alone in rediscovering myself again. That's why I wanted you to have it. It was the first Muggle book I read and related to."

Hermione's heart stuttered in her chest, wishing this was going to be easier, but of course Theo wasn't helping by being so sweet.

"Thank you for thinking of me, Theo, but I wish you hadn't," Hermione said softly, looking at him. "You left me and didn't even tell me why."

"I wasn't doing it to get your forgiveness, but if we're going to talk about it, should I mention how you never mentioned who I was?" Theo retorted and Hermione flinched, not wanting to relieve that thought.

"We were only going to hurt each other. Malfoy was right though..."

"What? No, he wasn't! He was so out of line for what he said!" Theo was in front of her in an instant; he took her hands in his and made her look at him. "You're so good to me, Hermione, I can't even put it into words. I'm the one who's not good enough for you.

"Why would a war heroine want to be with a Death Eater's son? You're everything that's light and perfect in the world, and I'm not." Theo gazed at her sadly before dropping her hands and cupping her face instead. "But I'm a selfish bastard, and I want you by my side. No matter what other people say."

"But that's the thing, isn't it?" Hermione looked at him. "You'll care about what people will say, and people will ostracise you and you're going to resent me."

"Do you ever do something without thinking what other people will think about it? Just because you want to do it?" Theo asked, looking at Hermione with an intensity in his eyes that both scared and excited her. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

He murmured, "I don't care what other people think. I only care about what you think about us."

Hermione could see what Theo was saying, but she still had a few doubts.

"So I'm asking you, Hermione: do you want me or not?" Theo asked, and Hermione knew that whatever her answer may be, it would define them going forward.

"I want…"