Chapter 4 - The Date
Before Harry turned around, he expected to see something big, massive, and unusual. He got exactly what he asked for.
He and Hermione stared at what looked to be a very large castle made out of dark red bricks. The profile of the castle was lit with plenty of torches, making look a bit mysterious yet cheerful. It had about a hundred windows in random places and looked about a hundred years old. It was so eye-popping that there was no way that the two of them (or any student attending Hogwarts for that matter) had been going to Hogsmeade all these years and not notice it.
"What…is it Harry?" squealed Hermione from behind him, still holding firmly onto his arm as if the building would suddenly grow teeth and gobble them up.
Harry didn't answer. He just shook his head slowly from side to side, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. They both stood there for what seemed like hours, until a lady wearing a collared shirt with a black tie and a matching dress skirt approached them.
"Excuse me?" she said in a polite manner. "Are you two interested in going in?" She was motioning toward the gigantic castle. It took a moment for Harry to answer before she repeated herself.
"I'm sorry, what?" replied Harry as he broke out of the gazing trance, turning a bit pink for not noticing her sooner.
"Are you two interested in it?" the lady asked again with a friendly smile.
"What is… IT?" asked Hermione from behind Harry, her eyes still locked on the mammoth building.
"It's Merlin & Merlina's Wiztaurant," she said with formality. Harry and Hermione's head shot directly at her when her answer came.
"What!?" they both replied incredulously at the same time.
"We're a traveling restaurant," the lady explained. "A magical restaurant. We're just like any ordinary one… only we're not." She said this as if she made total sense.
"I'm sorry…" started Harry, then quickly seeing her nametag, "…Ami. But I'm afraid we haven't heard of this restaurant before."
"Well, I don't blame you," said Ami sadly. "We've never traveled to this part of the world before. I wonder why no ones ever invited us sooner?" Harry didn't say anything. He was busy trying to see what it would be like for a castle about the size of a very large sky scraper to travel around the world.
"It looks kind of nice Harry," said Hermione with a little more interest. "Why don't we check it out?"
"See! ! I guarantee you two will enjoy yourselves here. Your girlfriend knows what she's talking about!" Amy exclaimed. As much as he wanted Hermione to be, Ami's assumption wasn't true. Harry turned a shade of scarlet. Luckily Hermione was behind him, otherwise she would've seen for sure.
"But she's not my girl…"
"Nonsense!" Ami interrupted, as she grabbed Harry by the arm and started to drag him through the grand doors. "Come on."
Harry gave a quick "help me" glance to Hermione before he was literally dragged into the dark doorway. He was still holding on to Hermione, so she was dragged along as well.
***
Although Harry and Hermione were being dragged against their will through the narrow walkways by a lady they had only met moments ago, Harry did get a chance to notice the surprising atmosphere. As dark, gloomy, old, and mysterious it looked on the outside, it was bright, cheerful, and brand-new looking in the inside. It represented a very fine and expensive ballroom. The carpet was a fine red and felt sort of springy under his feet. As he was being led through the walkways in one direction, then suddenly in another, Harry glanced back at Hermione to check up on her. Though she looked breathless and a bit flustered, she smiled, the way that made Harry lose his breath, to him. He couldn't help but smile back, but it was quickly removed from his face as he felt Ami jerk on his arm in again another direction.
Harry noticed that it got a bit darker the more they continued to walk. At the beginning, certain areas were lit my an unknown light source, then it was starting to be lit my a dim candlelight. A romantic candlelight .
"Come on, this way," said Ami, as if Harry and Hermione had a choice of whether or not to follow her. She glanced back at Harry for a moment. "Don't worry," she said, in a comforting sort of way with another friendly smile, "I know just what it feels like to be on a first date. You don't have to be afraid." Harry once again turned a shade of red, once again lucky enough not to have Hermione see him. It was no use answering to Ami, she wouldn't listen to him anyway.
***
Finally, Harry and Hermione had gotten seated in the "deepest part" of the restaurant as Ami had called it. It was lit by two dim candles on the table that Ami had them seated at. Their table was quite small, but Harry was amazed at how much delicious food, which Hogwarts had never served, started to appear on the table.
The two of them ate to their hearts desire as they talked about various subjects, ranging from school assignments to Quidditch teams. No sooner when they were seated and served, their half empty plates were wiped clean and dessert started to appear on the table (the table somehow knew when they were done).
Has Harry ate his hot fudge sundae and Hermione her banana split, the conversation went from Potions classes to Ron's enigmatic infatuation with his girlfriend, Rachel.
"How long have they been going out?" asked Hermione, before putting a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. That sight alone made Harry swallow and catch his breath.
"I… uh… since last year," stuttered Harry, unable to speak clearly. Hermione somehow took notice.
"What's the matter?" she asked, licking her top lip to get a bit of whipped cream. "You're not choking over there I hope." Harry closed his eyes and shook his head subtly.
"Oh no," said Harry, trying really hard to lock the image of Hermione licking her lip into his brain.
"Good," answered Hermione with a grin, "I don't want to have to do the Heimlich maneuver."
I wouldn't mind though, thought Harry.
"I guess Rachel has been the longest right?" asked Hermione, going back to eating her banana split.
"Yep," said Harry, taking a sip of his water to hopefully clear his mind. Watching Hermione eat dessert never affected him like this before.
"It broke the record of…"
"2 weeks," finished Harry. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Was that the longest one before?" she asked.
"Yeah," nodded Harry, "she must be something really special." There was a long and awkward silence before Hermione spoke.
"I just wanted to thank you Harry," she said, not making eye contact with him.
"For what?" asked Harry, looking up at her expecting to find eyes but instead finding the top of a head.
"For being a great friend," said Hermione, now twirling around her ice cream with her spoon. "For taking me out tonight and all those other nights. For… everything. You've been really sweet to me you know…" She suddenly looked up at him when she trailed her last sentence, instantly locking her eyes with his.
Harry had to blink before he could tell that his brain was still functioning. He found himself getting completely lost in her eyes for the first time. Sure, he had stared into Hermione's eyes before (luckily she really didn't notice) but this time it felt… different.
The dimly lit room caused her eyes to dilate, which made her eyes stand out and her face light up more than ever. Add to the fact the room was lit by candlelight. It surrounded Hermione like an aurora, which made her look even more beautiful than ever. Harry had to fight strong urges in order to prevent himself from losing his composure, taking Hermione and putting her against the wall, and doing things to her that'll definitely make people gasp of shock, get him kicked out of the restaurant, and probably get a life sentence in Azkaban for "excessive public display of affection".
"It's no problem Hermione," said Harry in the most natural voice he could. "I just have fun with being with you that's all. And I love being your friend."
"You're the best Harry," Hermione smiled, making the latter shift in his seat.
"Besides," added Harry, trying to not make such a big deal about his dates with her, even though it made a huge deal, "It's not like you haven't been on a date right?" Hermione made a noise, which sounded like half a sigh of infatuation, with half a sigh of exasperation.
"Viktor Krum…" she said, looking down at her bowl. "He was my first real date…"
"The Yule Ball," commented Harry. "You looked so beautiful that day." And it was true. Fourth year at the Yule Ball was the first time Harry saw Hermione as… well… a girl; and a very pretty one at that.
"I was so happy that day…" said Hermione, but her sentence didn't sound too convincing.
"Why do you sound so… disappointed then?" asked Harry.
"I was happy… and yes, disappointed at the same time…"
"Why?" asked Harry, looking sideways her. Hermione sighed before looking up at him and sitting up straight.
"Well I was indeed flattered that the famous Quidditch Bulgarian Seeker asked me to the ball…" started Hermione.
"But…?" asked Harry before Hermione could say it.
"Well… as great as that may have been," said Hermione, "I was surprised and a bit disappointed that…" she paused. She seemed like she didn't want to finish her sentence.
"What?"
"…that you or Ron hadn't asked me to the Ball instead."
Harry didn't answer, or rather, he couldn't answer. He was so sorry, yet so touched by what Hermione had said. At the time, he was being so selfish and trying so hard to get Cho to go with him that he didn't realize that Hermione, one of his best friends, was waiting there the whole time for either Ron or him to ask her and she would've happily said yes. To make things worse, Harry didn't even get to go with Cho anyway and instead found a last minute date with Parvati Patil . He admitted to himself that he would rather have gone with Hermione instead of Parvati any day. His voice had suddenly malfunctioned.
"I was sort of anticipating it," explained Hermione, "and waiting for it, but it never came. I guess I was just being selfish. I was even planning on not going at all… then Viktor asked me… and I couldn't say no."
Harry continued to stare at Hermione; his mouth agape.
"I might have felt something with Viktor," admitted Hermione. "But, I think it was just the attention I was getting that made it seem that way." She involuntary dropped her head sadly.
"Hermione…" said Harry, reaching over the table and putting his hands on one of her own. "I had no idea…"
"That I thought about such things?" answered Hermione. "I know Harry. Your not the only one to say that."
"I didn't say that," said Harry gently. "What I'm saying is that I had no idea how much that meant to you and I apologize for being such a prat."
"Don't apologize Harry," said Hermione with her head still down. "There's no one who cares about me that way anyway."
"Of course there is," Harry replied. "One of them is holding your hand."
Hermione's hand shot up and immediately their eyes met once again. Those deep brown eyes Hermione had had a tremendous affect on him. Harry couldn't help but gulp when it happened; he hoped that she didn't sense how nervous he was. Hermione's eyes slipped away from Harry's and went to their joined hands on the table. A smile came from Hermione, followed by a struggled laugh.
"See?" said Harry, smiling along with her.
The hand of Hermione's that wasn't being held covered her mouth in a joyful way. Though Harry couldn't see it, he knew she was covering a grin. A single tear of delight fell down Hermione's face.
"I guess I was being selfish too," confessed Harry. "I was so content in getting Cho Chang for my date that I failed to see the more beautiful and better date that was right under my nose: you, Hermione."
"Oh Harry!" exclaimed Hermione, so loudly that other guest started to look. What she did next was surreal and unexpected: she stood up abruptly , walked around the table, and gave Harry a hug when he was still sitting down. Feeling a bit awkward at the unorthodox hug, Harry stood up with Hermione to match the hug.
"Oh Harry, thank you so much," cried Hermione into his shoulder.
"It's ok Hermione," Harry comforted, rubbing his hand up and down her back. He was certain people were looking, but he didn't care. What he cared about was that he had just helped one of his best friends through conversation. What he cared about was that he was holding the girl he loved in his arms. What he cared about was he felt so comfortable and right doing it.