Cappuccino After Eleven
It took a little time to regain the energy to write again after all that's happened the last two weeks, but I hope you still enjoy it. Now, no more time for author notes or introductions – please enjoy, here comes chapter five!
Chapter Five
Name
His name was Ron.
Ron.
She tested it on her lips.
Ron. Ron. Ron.
It rolled so easily over her tongue. Almost like it belonged there.
Even later in the evening, hours after the daylight had dimmed and he had disappeared from the windowsill, her thoughts kept returning to that one name.
Ron.
When she went to bed, her brain buzzing with small little thoughts like flies inside her head, the same name sent shivers down her back. Almost like he was there with her, giving the little flying bird in her enough room to softly flap its wings against the inside of her chest.
That night, she had dreamt of meeting him again.
Then, a day passed without seeing him.
And another.
A whole week flew by after their little exchange of names, and the buzzing in her chest had turned annoying with worry.
What if something had happened?
Luckily for Hermione, particularly as the over-thinker that she were, she had a huge load of studying for the week, and hardly had time to think about anything else.
However, one day, with eyes blurry from hours in front of the computer, she wandered out on the balcony. Her mouth had tasted sour with coffee, and the breeze was cold and uninviting, yet she craved its crispness from the stuffy air she had been breathing from inside.
In the hopes of seeing him again, she passed a fleeting glance towards the other side of the backyard.
The windowsill was empty, just like she had anticipated.
Drowsily, she looked away, then suddenly realized that something was not right.
The redhead – Ron – wasn't sitting on his windowsill, but there was something else plastered onto the glass of the window in his usual spot.
She squinted, trying to make out what it could be.
Paper sheets, she realized, eyes wide.
Paper sheets with bold letters on them.
PARTY SATURDAY, it said.
Then below the first part, in smaller writing.
WANNA COME?
A buzz of warm energy settled restlessly in her chest.
She staggered backwards, almost tripping over her own feet. Hurriedly, she went straight back into her room. She took a couple short breaths, then started searching for a blank paper amongst all her notes. She sifted through her notebook to find a blank page and ripped it out.
With a thick black marker she found in her drawer, she wrote back in big letters:
YES. WHEN?
She balanced the marker, paper, and a roll of tape in her hands for a moment. She ripped off a piece of tape, then plastered the white sheet onto the glass of her balcony door.
Hermione glanced over at the windowsill one more time – still empty, except for the message he had left for her – and headed back in.
Back to her work and her computer.
Somehow, though, she felt giddier about studying now, now that she'd seen Ron's little, but sweet, invitation.
Hours passed in a blink, with Hermione sending sporadic longing glances out the window to see if he had answered yet. Each time, she got a little more disappointed.
Then, in the middle of solving an equation, Hermione sighed and looked out the window again.
She returned to her paper, then jolted out of her daze.
She scurried to the window. Hastily, Hermione swung the balcony door open and stepped out.
He had finally answered.
AT 22. SEE YOU THERE.
Hermione couldn't help the little smile on her face.
The curtains rustled behind the paper sheets.
The redhead peeked out, hair dull and unruly. He noticed her and looked embarrassed. Then he smiled and gave her a small wave, his other hand pointing towards his message.
She beamed and waved back.
Then, in another rustle of curtains, he was gone again.
A/N: I hope it was worth the wait! A short chapter, but it's only the warm-up for what's to come. A cookie for anyone that leaves a comment;)