A/N: I definitely wasn't too keen on writing this but that being said its done. I would like to thank my alpha/beta team: MissWink, bondgirltrb and TeTe91 for all of their help with this. All rights to Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling. With that said, enjoy the story.

QLFC Season 11 Round 3

Task: write about someone catching a lucky break.

Prompts: 9. (setting) starry night, 11. (word) notorious

Warning: Post War AU

Word Count: 1088


A cloudless night sky greeted Hermione as she stepped out of The Leaky Cauldron. The chill air hugged her in a welcome embrace. While the stars witnessed her being stood up, they also kept her was as though she'd caught a lucky break, so to speak.

It had been a few months since the spur-of-the moment kiss with Ron in the Chamber of Secrets, and ever since then they'd been tiptoeing around each other. Neither of them was sure how to broach the subject. That was until Hermione had bit the bullet and suggested that they go on a date to see if there was anything between them to warrant moving forward. She had been sick and tired of treading in place. Ron had agreed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. They were supposed to meet at The Leaky Cauldron then see where the evening took them. The fact Ron hadn't turned up gave Hermione her answer and she knew deep down that it would have never worked out between them anyway. Starting this autumn, their paths would have taken them into different directions: him to junior Auror training and her back to Hogwarts. She didn't need the drama of a long-distance relationship (on top of the stress of final exams).

She couldn't help but look up at the clear night sky, the stars twinkling and shimmering like diamonds.

Perhaps the stars have aligned as a sign that it wasn't to be with Ron, she mused to herself.

Whether she received the explanation from him as to why he hadn't turned up would remain to be seen. It would have been nice at the very least to know his thoughts, yet, clearly, he still had some growing up to do. He still had that sense of immaturity about him, unlike his older brothers.

As she walked along the cobblestone street marvelling at the stars above. A collision abruptly put an end to her stargazing. Met with an opposite-direction force, she stumbled, gravity pulling her down.

She would have fallen to the floor and looked a complete fool, had it not been for a pair of strong hands steadying her on her feet.

"You alright, Hermione?" the voice was deep, yet, familiar while the pair of alert sky blue eyes with hints of amber studied her.

It took Hermione a few moments to gather herself, but once she had she couldn't mask her surprise and shock to find none other than Cormac McLaggen standing before her.

And, yet, looking at him, gone was the notorious creep of a boy that had tried to kiss and grope her at the Slug Club's Christmas party. A man stood before her now, one whose eyes hid a tale she didn't know about, yet from the amber flecks she could guess but it wasn't her place. His touch should have repulsed her, but it didn't. Despite his hands being calloused and firm, the way he held her was oh, so gentle.

"Yes, sorry I wasn't looking where I was going. It's been a while, Cormac. You're… looking well…" she managed to say as she took a moment to get a better look at him.

His dark blond hair was slightly longer at the nape of his neck, his left cheek bore a long scar, resembling a slash from a claw. He had filled out, broad shoulders and a strong chest underneath the shirt and trousers that he wore which highlighted his muscled thighs. She couldn't stop the blush from colouring her cheeks.

Of all the people to make me feel like this, why did it have to be Cormac?

Cormac smiled. "As do you, Hermione. So, what brings you to Diagon Alley this evening?"

There was no point in evading. "Well, I was supposed to be on a date but, unfortunately, I've been stood up," she answered.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I don't suppose I could buy you a drink. As friends of course. Could I? It would be nice to catch up," there was a hint of hope in his voice which Hermione couldn't turn down, not right then and there.

"Yes, alright. Why not?" She agreed and walked with him back to The Leaky Cauldron.

As they walked the short distance back to the pub, she noticed he had a slight limp to his gait and wondered what had happened.

As though he had read her mind, he smiled softly. "Injuries from the Battle of Hogwarts, Dolohov gave me the limp and Macnair kindly rewarded me with the scar and something else," he explained.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

Cormac opened the door to the pub for her. After they had ordered their drinks and found a quiet corner to sit at, he unbuttoned his shirt slightly before motioning to her hand. She let him take it and guide it to his shoulder where she felt puncture marks, ones she recognised because of Remus.

"He was… but I thought other than Remus, Greyback was the only… are you like Remus or Bill?"

"Remus," Cormac said when she removed her hand so that he could button his shirt back up.

"I'm so sorry…"

"It's alright, perhaps it's my penance in a way. I'm managing and I have a job lined up at Hogwarts. I'll be taking over from Madam Hooch eventually. She's planning on retiring at the end of the coming school year. My father wanted me to have a desk job at the Ministry, and a seat on the Wizengamot, but it wasn't for me. I'm not the same person I was a few years ago."

"Well, that's good. I'm going back to Hogwarts next month to take my seventh year," she said, before taking a sip of her Butterbeer as she thought on his words. "If by penance you mean sixth year, no, Cormac."

He touched her hand, nodding. "Yes, Hermione, I deserved it, especially after how I was with you. I was a self-entitled, obnoxious dickhead and I'm not proud of that. I'm sorry."

"No one deserves to be turned into a werewolf, Cormac. Not even you," she replied, her hand going over his and squeezing it gently for a moment. "You're forgiven."

They looked at each other then, chestnut brown eyes meeting sky blue with flecks of amber. Maybe, just maybe this could be the start of something new. She wasn't angry with Ron for standing her up, she was glad. She felt as though she was right where she needed to be.


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Until next time,

Grace x