Ron spent Tuesday morning nervously buzzing about the joke shop. Moving things unnecessarily, straightening and unstraightening items on the shelves, over feeding the pygmy puffs. Fred and George watched him with bemused expressions, exchanging quirked eyebrows and silent sniggers. He tried his best to ignore them but the shop wasn't big enough or busy enough to do so effectively.
What the hell was wrong with him, he thought. Why was this such a big deal? He could pull any witch in the Broomsticks, any night of the week, without even trying. Ok maybe because he hangs around with the most famous wizard in the country but what the fuck does that matter. The point is he doesn't need to be getting himself all uptight about meeting some bookworm from down the street. As far as he could see there wasn't anything special about this girl. Why the bloody fuck was she on his mind? Why did he even care?
There's just something about her, his brain answered back.
"I'm off to grab a coffee." He mumbled as he grabbed his jacket.
"I'll stick the kettle on, Ron." George announced, smirking.
"No thanks, I'm going out." Ron sighed. He knew they weren't going to make this easy on him.
"Nonsense Ronnie, I'll even wash your favourite mug!" Fred chimed in.
"I'll bust out the good biscuits." George shouted.
"Fuck off." Ron shouted over his shoulder as he opened the shop door and the bell tingled.
The door slammed behind him, cutting off their laughter. It was a relief to be outside, the chill in the air cooling his flushed face. Glad to have escaped the twins he set off towards Bewitched Brews. He wasn't really one for spending his hard earned cash on posh coffee but it now seemed like the best opportunity to bump into the mystery girl. If he could just work out how he knew her, he was convinced he'd be able to get her off his mind. He had visited the bookstore over the summer but she was always busy or missing when he'd popped in. The one time he'd found her there and available he couldn't think of a single thing to say and just backed out of the store quietly. He rubbed his face and groaned at the memory.
What a prat.
He knew she'd be at the coffee shop this morning and dammit he was going to speak to her.
Fuck maybe the lads were right, he certainly sounded like a stalker.
Shaking the thought off, he approached the cafe. It stuck out like a sore thumb in the aged street. A couple of the newer shops and cafes seemed to have been inspired by Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. The joke shop single handedly brightening up Diagon Alley with its borderline offensive orange, when they first moved in.
The Bewitched Brews facade was painted completely black, except for the door, window frames and huge sign which were a garish vibrant purple. The cafe's name was written in elaborate black glittery cursive alongside a giant pink patterned tea cup and saucer which emitted a constant flow of shimmery steam, spiralling and disappearing into thin air.
Ron rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door. The interior was just as quirky. Black walls, dark wood floors, mismatched tables and chairs in all sorts of colours and patterns. A loveseat sofa and a few more comfortable padded chairs were fitted snugly around a low coffee table in the corner. Purple chandeliers holding candles floated around the ceiling lazily and there seemed to be hundreds of pictures lining the walls to the counter. All in black or purple frames mounted higgelty piggelty from the floor to the ceiling. Many of the frames housed magical pictures with inhabitants smiling and waving, mostly black and white while others were vivid colour. Other frames had moving comic strips or cartoons and a few had static images obviously taken by muggle cameras. There were a few large green leafy plants dotted around the seating area which, quite frankly, looked suspicious, one leaning heavily towards toast crumbs on an abandoned plate.
It was completely empty which meant he'd no excuse to hang around. He went straight to the counter and was greeted by an enthusiastic witch, Clara, her name badge read. She very much reminded Ron of an overly eccentric version of his Mum. Except for her hair, which despite her age, was coloured peacock blue and pulled into a twisty thing at the back of her head. His heart clenched as an unexpected memory of Tonks with her wild hair colours flooded his mind and he briefly wondered how wee Teddy was doing.
"Alright, ma Love. What can I do you for?" She asked.
"Ummmm, coffee, please."
"Not a problem, ma love, what kind? We've got latte, cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, frape whatever you fancy…then there's all the different types of milk. Cow, oat, soy. And flavours, we've got them all. Caramel, vanilla, gingerbread." She boasted happily and looked at him expectantly.
Ron groaned. "Ugh, I've no idea. Just a normal coffee." He really hadn't thought this through.
"Ahhh, another one from old wizarding, ready to indulge in the muggle coffee lifestyle! I gotcha! Once you taste one of my creations you'll never be able to go back to boring old normal coffee!" Clara smiled.
"Huh. Why do muggles have to make everything so complicated? Can't you just surprise me?" He suggested.
"Right you are ma love. Just tell me one thing, do you have a sweet tooth?"
"Yeah, definitely." He smiled nodding.
While the witch fussed about producing steam and whizzing bottles about he turned and leaned against the counter.
Hmm, it's 10.35am, wasn't she usually here by now?
This is getting beyond ridiculous, he chastised himself. He needed to catch a grip. In fact, that's exactly what he was going to do.
"Sit in ma love?" Clara asked.
"No" He shook his head. He was getting out of here. "Take out, please." He grumbled.
"Right you are then. My signature caramel latte especially for youuuuuu…"
"Ron." He inserted for her.
"Especially for Ron! Just you grab yourself a wee take out lid at the end station there ma love. And make sure to let me know if you like it." She beamed at him.
Ron gave her a half smile as he paid, all the while thinking, this lady is way too excited about coffee! He lifted the cup to his mouth and took a gulp. He was just reconsidering his last thought, because, in all honesty this was hot, sweet, creamy deliciousness, when he turned around and bumped straight into the mystery girl.
"Fuck!' He jumped backwards, spilling the whole cup of coffee down himself.
Smooth Ron…really bloody smooth!
The girl yelped and dashed to grab handfuls of napkins. Merlin, he was glad he'd worn his black leather jacket otherwise that could have been a nasty burn. The girl then proceeded to dab at him and mop coffee off him.
"Oh my Gods! I'm so sorry! Here let me…just." The girl was patting his front awkwardly, coffee dripping off him while steam rose. He smirked, there was something extremely endearing about how this witch had jumped to his rescue.
"No worries, I'm fine. Honestly, don't worry about it!" He assured her, turning to drop the cardboard cup back on the counter and grabbing his wand from his back pocket. One swish and he was clean and dry again. The girl was flushed watching him, holding sopping wet napkins in one hand. He watched as her eyes roamed from the puddle of coffee he was still standing in, up the entire length of his body, over his chest and wide shoulders.
Probably checking if I've missed any coffee stains.
"Well, yes, that is a much more effective way of doing it." She laughed, seemingly embarrassed to have forgotten her magical abilities. Her eyes finally met his, he couldn't help but notice how beautifully hazelnut brown they were, and how they seemed to twinkle as she laughed. It was the first time he'd seen her up close and he had to admit she was incredibly pretty. He didn't know a lot about these things but he'd bet she wasn't wearing a ton of makeup. Instead her skin looked fresh and clear, slightly pinked cheeked. Her warm brown eyes were framed by long dark lashes and her lower lip red and plump where she'd been worrying it.
The moment was interrupted by Clara who emerged from behind the counter, barging in between them. "Oh dears, are you both alright? No burns? I've a great potion in the back, brewed it meself." She offered.
"No, no we're fine thanks." Ron confirmed.
"OK. Right let me fill you back up. Hermione dear, your usual I presume?" Clara asked.
"Huh? Oh yes, thank you." The girl replied to Clara, seemingly surprised to have been spoken to. Still busy staring at his face.
"Here, why don't you two move out of the way while I get this all sorted. Here, have a waffle, on the house, all the bits are over there." Clara flapped her hands at them and ushered them out of her way. With a flick of her wand a mop loped out from behind the counter and started to clean up the puddle. In the next instance a plate and a treat sailed over their heads and landed at the high counter against the wall where all the lids and stirrers were set out.
Ron gave a nervous laugh. "Care for some waffle?" He shrugged in question.
"Sure." She giggled and his stomach did an involuntary inexplicable flip. "Wait though, you've got something right here." She reached up and lightly touched her own nose.
Kill me now, how completely mortifying.
He blindly swiped at his face but obviously didn't get it as she hesitantly reached up with a dry napkin that was still in her left hand and wiped foam from the tip of his nose. A shiver ran down his spine. "Thanks." He breathed and she smiled up at him again.
She's really quiet, short and it's a bit adorable.
"Anytime." She said and turned her attention to the waffle. "Shall I cut?"
Ron nodded and suddenly felt nervous, unsure how to even start a conversation. "So…err…Hermione, that's an unusual name." He offered by way of opener. He realised now he'd accomplished his mission, he knew her name. It wasn't ringing any bells but she really did look so familiar.
"Yes, it is rather." She smiled again and it lit up her face.
"I'm Ron by the way. Ron Weasley." He watched her face carefully for the knut to drop but it never happened. Huh, she doesn't know who I am. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. He'd kind of come to rely on the war hero/accomplice persona to pull. But actually this unusual anonymity was maybe a good thing. He reached over for maple syrup and wordlessly asked if she wanted it added to their waffle.
"Lovely to meet you Ron." She nodded at the bottle.
"And you, Hermione. You're not from around here are you?"
"I used to be" she said somewhat sadly, watching the sticky syrup run into indented squares. "My parents moved to Australia about 10 years ago. I've only just returned."
Well that explains it then, she's been gone during the war, missed the Daily Prophet hype.
"Ah I see. Not a Hogwartian then?" He asked.
What the fuck was that! Hog-war-ti-an…He repeated in his mind. He'd never used or heard that phrase in his LIFE. Why was all his chat coming out so STUPID.
"No, well briefly. I started school there, I was only enrolled for about 2 months." Hermione reached over for a large shaker full of rainbow coloured sugar strands and wiggled it in front of him.
"Yeah go for it, who doesn't love sprinkles?" He answered in relation to their waffle building activity. "I thought you looked familiar. How come you left?"
So he did know her, albeit from a lifetime ago. He must just be one of these people who never forgets a face?!
"My parents pulled me out. There was an incident at half term and they wouldn't let me go back." She confided, returning the sprinkle shaker.
Ron furrowed his brows. "Halloween? Oh Merlin…it wasn't that troll that got loose in the castle? I do remember some kids were removed after that." He lifted his half of the waffle, dripping in syrup with sugar sprinkles stuck in the puddles, and took a large bite.
Amazing.
"Yes, well my muggle parents didn't feel like I was safe there." She lifted her own half and nibbled on a corner.
Ron forgetting he'd a mouth full of waffles nearly spat crumbs everywhere, indignant. "That's crazy, no safer place than Hogwart's!"
"Easy for you to say. I'm guessing you're not a muggle born yourself? It was a lot for my parents to handle, finding out I was a witch, this whole new magical world, boarding school then a troll thrown into the mix." Bloody hell that's twice already this morning he's been accused of being pure blood.
Oh shit was she offended?
"That's fair. I was in 1st year when that happened too. Thought it was a Halloween prank at first." Ron laughed to lighten the mood and then smiled at him. "So what House were you in for your two months?"
"Ravenclaw."
"Of course you were. Should have known, given where you work." A look of confusion flashed across her face.
Shite.
However, if she suspected his stalker behaviour she didn't say anything.
"And you?" She asked politely.
"Gryffindor." He said proudly.
"Of course, given where you work." Now it was Ron's turn to raise an eyebrow. She knew where he worked? "Well, you introduced yourself as Ron Weasley so I'm guessing you're something to do with the bright orange joke shop on Diagon Alley?"
"Oh yeah of course" he chuckled. "In business with two of my brothers." He pulled down the zip on his leather jacket to show off a bit of his bright orange WWW t-shirt.
"Here ma love, I've topped you up, again." Clara interrupted. "And here's your macchiato, Hermione dear."
"Perfect. Thank you so much. I'll come pay." She turned her attention back to Ron. "Well it was lovely to meet you Ron. I'm sure we'll bump into one another again."
"Yes, sure, maybe less of the literal bumping next time." He grinned at her. "Nice to meet you though. Bye." Ron took his coffee in one hand and waffle in the other and headed back to work.
Damn this coffee is amazing.
He stepped back into Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and immediately resumed his vigil at the front window. Keen to get another glimpse of her returning to Diagon Alley. She appeared merely moments later, taking a pause to look over at WWW. She'd caught him staring like a gormless idiot, however she didn't seem perturbed in the slightest and instead tentatively raised her coffee cup in his direction. He returned the cheers gesture with his own and watched her until she disappeared into Flourish and Blotts.
Ron shoved the rest of the waffle in his mouth.
Also bloody fantastic.
Stripping off his leather jacket, he turned to head into the office and hang it up. But instead he jumped a foot in the air in shock, his right hand coming up to cover his heart. Fred and George were right behind him, standing shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed, smirking at him.
Why the fuck was everyone sneaking up on him today!?
"BLOODY 'ELL, oou early gave me a eart ack!" Ron complained incoherently as he sprayed waffle everywhere.
"Ugh little bro, mind your manners." George pulled his wand out to clean up the mess.
"Honestly Ron, don't you even remember we work here too?" Fred added.
"You crept up on me!"
"Well we needed front row seats to watch your helpless puppy routine. Fill us in. Any joy with the mystery lady?" George asked.
"Looks like he's finally made contact." Fred chipped.
"Yes actually. We had a chat in the coffee shop." Ron replied smugly.
"Ohhhhhhhhhh, I'll book the church Georgie! You better owl mum, tell her to buy a new hat!" Fred elbowed George in the ribs as they fell about laughing.
"Wankers!" Ron muttered at them as he made his way up the stairs and into the office. But he couldn't help wipe the grin from his face. He'd finally spoken to her and he found he'd rather like to do that again.
There's just something about her.
