A/N:

Not my sandbox, just my sand castle. I don't own anything from Harry Potter. Additionally, no one has permission to bind and sell my works, fandom or otherwise. Shame on you for exploiting other people's works!

No beta on here, so all mistakes are mine!

Word Count: 1048

Disclaimers/Warnings:

Summary: Hermione's first date with her online dating match was at a flower farm, and she couldn't have had more fun; Muggle!AU

Prompts:

Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Assignment 6

Charms With Professor Angel Task #2: write a fic set in a garden or field of flowers

"First Date"

The sun beat down on her back as Hermione straightened, thankful she had thought ahead and worn her large brimmed sun hat. She had liberally applied sunscreen when she had gotten out of the car. There was a slight breeze that cooled her tanned skin nicely, giving her a slight reprieve from the heat of the July sun.

Hermione was to meet her date for the day here. She pulled up the dating app on her phone to reference his profile picture. Dark hair and a chiseled jawline stared up back at her, and she couldn't help but reflect on their conversations for the past two weeks.

This weekend was the first that she's had time to herself that wasn't already occupied with family and friends, or unexpected work matters. She had taken her time getting ready for this date, and then had arrived early in order to scope out the place. This was her first time coming to the Hitchin Lavender Farm in Hertfordshire–her first time coming to a flower farm, actually–and she wanted to know what to expect for the day. She had even brought her camera, ready to take pictures of the flowers, so she would at least have a sweet memento if the date was a bust.

"Hermione?" a voice came from behind her. She whirled around, her skirts swishing around her thighs, one hand coming up to the brim of her hat to keep it in place. Brilliant blue eyes blinked back at her as she peeled her sunglasses from her face.

"Theo!" she greeted, smiling. The sun filtered through his brown hair, showing off the slightly blond highlights atop his head.

"I must say, you look prettier than your pictures online," he commented lightly, grinning at the flush on her cheeks. Hermione's own grin widened. "So, shall we?" he then asked, offering his arm, his head dipping towards the entrance where they could get their tickets. Hermione took his offered arm.

"I read up on this place before coming here. Did you know that there's over 25 acres of land, and they have a seventeenth century barn on the property? It will be fascinating to see how they preserved a building like that–"

Theo smiled fondly down at Hermione as she rattled off facts while reading the informational brochure they had been handed with their tickets. He held the hand clippers in one hand, and a small bouquet of lavender in the other. He had a bag in his pocket, but he didn't want to pull it out until Hermione had given an indication she wanted more than the bundle they had already picked.

So far, this date was going well. He had been apprehensive about online dating, but was thankful that his best friend Draco had pushed him to do it. He had had several horrible first dates, and even worse first conversations with potential matches. Hermione was the first one he really clicked with. And, judging from her actions and words today, she felt the same way about him…hopefully.

"Oh, oh!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed, drawing him out of his thoughts. She pointed to a section of the flowers that dipped attractively, the sky an intense blue behind it. "Stand over there! I'll take your picture."

With a soft chuckle, Theo set their cut flowers and the clipper down to go take his place obediently. As Hermione fiddled with her amateur digital camera, Theo watched as a passing couple paused, watching them with a fond smile on their faces. They exchanged a few words, and then the auburn woman stepped forward.

"Did you want us to take your picture so you're both in it?" Hermione whirled around, surprised.

"Yes please!" Theo replied with a wide grin before Hermione could decline. "Hand them your camera and get over here. We have to get at least one first date pictures together. They can't all just be me," he teased.

With a huff, Hermione handed her camera over to the woman and gave her a quick rundown of the settings and how to take the picture. She then headed over to Theo, where he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her into him. Hermione's free hand came up to tilt her hat upward, to show more of her face as she beamed at the camera.

"Okay, now one with both of you looking at the camera!"

Theo looked up, surprised as he realized he had been staring at Hermione, marveling at how pretty she was. He threw a charming smile at the woman taking their picture, immediately missing Hermione's warmth when she moved forward to take her camera back and thank the other woman profusely. Hermione trotted back to him, happily looking through the pictures taken on her camera.

"Oh, good, it looks like she took several–"

Theo noticed the movement first. "Watch out!"

Hermione looked up just in time to trip on the sprinting rabbit as it burst out of one of the bushes. Theo darted forward the last few steps to catch her, his hands lightly resting on her hips as he helped righten her. He drew his hands away as if he had been burned, sure that the motion had been too forward for a first date.

Hermione didn't seem to notice.

"Oh no, poor thing! Do you think it's alright?" Hermione asked, straightening and turning to see where the rabbit had gone. It was long gone by now, and she turned back to Theo disappointedly.

"Thank you for catching me. The last thing I wanted today was a dirt stain on my dress. After all, we still have lunch to go to," she replied with a growing grin. Theo breathed a sigh of relief at the thought that he hadn't completely mucked up the date.

"I don't have many pretty women falling for me on the first date," he teased, relishing the pink that suffused her cheeks. She swatted at his arm with a grin.

"Be nice. You might get this same pretty woman to fall for you again on the second date," she teased back before putting her sunhat to rights and squatting to grab the cut flowers and cutter.

Theo grinned widely at the thought. He had earned a second date, had he?

He couldn't wait.