A/N:

Enjoy some more meetcutes for Theomione :3 I'm on a roll!

(Also if anyone has any ideas for a better title, let me know. It's super late and I wrote this on my phone again, so all mistakes are mine XD )

Summary: Hermione is in her own world when she walks on the track at her local gym. Theo wants to introduce himself to her; Muggle!AU

Words: 1021

Prompts:

Ministry of Magic Discord Group: Who Dunnit?

Crime Scene: Gym

"Trackwalker"

Humming to herself, Hermione popped her earbuds in, making sure they were secure. Checking that her iPod had the right playlist, she pressed play and let the downloaded audiobook play in her ears. She stretched for a moment before checking her hoodie pocket. The ball of yarn and her knitting needles she had stuffed in there earlier were still there. Standing to the side, Hermione went through her standard stretches before her usual stint on the gym track. Double checking her water bottle in the knitted bag slung over her shoulder, she finally pulled her knitting needles out and casted on her starting row for a doubly thick scarf. With that finished, she approached the track, looked for foot traffic to make sure she wouldn't be cutting in front of someone, and then stepped on the track.

Hermione zoned out to the world. She had an alarm set on her watch to stop her after an hour and a half, but otherwise, she just walked the track, keeping pace or slightly faster than other walkers. She knitted as she did so, letting the audiobook and the evenness of the loops on her knitting needles lull her into a daze. Oblivious to the world around her, she walked to her heart's content, wholly engrossed in the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

Theo felt his breath leave his body as he watched his local gym crush alight the walking track. The track itself was a quarter kilometer long, and while he hopped on the treadmill most days he was here, his crush often walked the track nearly three times a week. Most days she had a book in hand, but occasionally she knitted as she walked. Today was one of those days. Her curly brown hair was swept up in a high ponytail, and she kept her head bent, to focus on her hands.

How her neck didn't hurt after her walk, he'd never know.

For weeks now he's watched her walk the track, and never had the courage to introduce himself.

Until now.

The gym was mostly empty, a fortuitous change of circumstances due to the looming Easter holiday. Truthfully, Theo should also be preparing to host his family, however his need to see her again outweighed his anxiety of hosting his first formal event in his new house. Steeling himself, he clenched and unclenched his hands before leaning against the wall on a corner she was about to take. He cleared his throat–why were his palms so sweaty–and opened his mouth to speak as the click-clack of her knitting needles became louder.

"Come here often?" he asked as she finally walked by. He internally celebrated his moment of bravery but his expression fell short as she walked right by him, not even looking up at him as she passed. She continued along the track, unbothered. "What the…"

Narrowing his eyes, Theo retreated back to the treadmill he frequently used to brainstorm some more. If he wanted to talk to her sometime today, he needed to somehow get her attention without being rude or creepy.

Theo shuddered at the thought. He had seen some other guys at the gym being rude and creepy. He never wanted to be like them.

On her eighth revolution around the track–not that he was counting–Theo tried to approach her from another corner, hoping to catch her eye. He didn't even get a chance to say anything before she breezed right past him, still consumed in her knitting. Her scarf looked nearly finished, and Theo panicked. He knew some days she ended early if she finished her knitting project quickly, so he knew he had to act fast.

Joining her on the track, Theo kept pace with her for a bit before trying to lap her. Getting her attention seemed particularly difficult, and it was only when he was next to her that he finally noticed she had earbuds in, and he could faintly hear sound leaking through. She must have had the volume up so loud, she couldn't hear anything else.

With a dejected sigh, Theo let her pass him by and he hugged the inside corner as he continued to walk the track. Should he try again next time and attempt to talk to her before she started on the track? Would it just be easier to give her his name and email address and let her make the first move?

Sighing again, Theo moved to leave the track and just head home, ready to brainstorm more ways to possibly catch the cute girl's attention. What he failed to remember, however, was to watch his back while on the track before moving lanes. He suddenly felt a presence at his shoulder too late to move away, and suddenly someone was bumping into him. Both of them tumble to the ground, Theo twisting and reaching out so he would land first.

Theo idly heard the sound of knitting needles clattering to the ground as he stared up into the gorgeous brown eyes of the girl he'd been trying so hard to catch the attention of.

"I'm so sorry, are you okay?" she asked frantically, pulling her earbuds out of her ears. Theo couldn't help but smile.

"I am, thanks. It was my fault, really. Didn't look where I was going," he added. She pinkened before giving him a shy smile.

"I wasn't looking either. I was on my last lap and kind of got carried away," she added. She stood, before holding a hand out to him. Theo took it appreciatively, and let her help him up. She released his hand, but he held it out again.

"I'm Theo," he said. She crouched down and picked up her fallen needles and project and clutched them tightly to her chest. She reached out and shook his hand.

"I'm Hermione," she responded in kind.

"Can I take you out for a coffee? In apology for running into you?" Theo suddenly blurted out. The smile Hermione shot at him in return was so beautiful, he almost missed her answer.

"I'd like that." Theo grinned widely at her.