Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to
the next.
Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 14)
Challenge: Harry or Hermione is given a surprise dinner by the other
Title: A Play on Words
Word Count: 1,000
The cacophony of sounds that filled Hermione Granger's flat was enough to deafen anyone. Aside from the noises that floated in from the street below - car horns blowing, bus gears cranking, jackhammers pounding and a chorus of shouting people - the noises inside grew louder by the minute.
The number of chattering women gathered in her sitting room, clinking and clanking their teacups and saucers, was surely bordering on the fire code's limit. Crookshanks was pouncing after a bug, hissing and screeching. In the kitchen, the tea kettle whistled shrilly, while Ginny wrapped crinkling newspaper around dishes and Lavender strapped tape on cardboard boxes.
Thus it was with great surprise that Hermione answered the telephone; not because she wasn't expecting a call, but because she was astonished that she even heard it ring.
"Hello?" she yelled into the phone, putting a hand over her free ear. "I'm sorry, could you speak up? I'm afraid I can't hear you… Oh! Oh, Harry! Sorry! It's a bit noisy in here. Yes…yes my aunt and cousins arrived this morning. Yes, mum's here…and my grandmother as well… Well, Ginny's being a dear and helping out, and Lavender… Mrs. Weasley's busy in the bedroom. Tonight? I'm not sure… Well, yes, I suppose so. Five o'clock? Alright, I'll see you then. You, too. Bye."
She set the phone down and held a hand to her forehead, wishing in vain for a little peace and quiet.
"Hermione, dear! Could you come in here?" Mrs. Weasley called from the bedroom.
"Coming!" she shouted back and hurried off.
It carried on in such a way all afternoon, the commotion only broken with an occasional "Hermione! The florist is on the phone!" or "Where do you want these linens, dear?" or "Did you remember to call the landlord?" Hermione ran from room to room giving directions and taking phone calls. Her head was simply buzzing with the madness of it all.
When five o'clock drew near, she was not the least bit sorry to excuse herself from the raucous company of her friends and relatives. After barking out a few last-minute instructions, she grabbed her sweater and scurried out the door. She walked a couple of the bustling blocks, hoping to release some stress, before she gave up and decided to take the bus to Hyde Park.
Fifteen minutes later she stepped off the bus and cringed as it clunked and grinded down the street. Passing street vendors who bellowed out bargains only sent her closer to insanity. Even as she made her way through the park she tried unsuccessfully to tune out the barking dogs and hundreds of rowdy children.
When she finally saw Harry, smiling and leaning against a tree, she had to take a deep breath and calm her nerves to avoid taking her tension out on him.
"Hello, love," he said, holding her arms and kissing her gently on the forehead.
"Hi," she said, forcing herself to smile. "What's going on?"
"Nothing. I just thought it'd be nice to spend a little time together…alone."
She looked at him curiously, but he just smiled and took her hand, guiding her around to the other side of the tree, where she was pleasantly surprised to find a fluffy white blanket and picnic basket laid out.
"Harry! What's this?" she asked, this time with a sincere smile.
"Dinner."
He led her to the blanket, opened the basket and handed her a glass of wine to sip on while he spread their meal out. The sun was beginning to set, but the golden rays shimmered between the leaves of the trees and danced around her on the blanket. When she heard soft music coming from the picnic basket, Hermione laughed quietly.
"Harry, this is very sweet, but I don't understand. Surely I didn't miss something in all of my research. I thought I knew all of the traditions by now. I don't remember seeing anything about a pre-rehearsal-dinner dinner."
"Well, I think it'll be alright if we start a few of our own traditions," he said, handing her a plate of food.
She smiled and took a bite. It was at that moment that she realized how peaceful and quiet this part of the park was. There wasn't another person in sight, and the soothing music drowned out the distant noises of the city. Her breathing had returned to a normal pace, and she reveled in the tranquility that surrounded her.
"How did you know?" she asked softly a few minutes later.
"Know what?"
"That I needed this."
He smiled. "Well, I spoke with Ginny earlier, and she told me how stressed you were getting, what with all those people at your flat, the packing and all the last minute planning. I thought you could use a break."
"You were right," she said, smiling back.
They enjoyed their quiet dinner, and even more they enjoyed their time away from the world. After they had eaten, Hermione laid her head in Harry's lap and he ran his fingers lazily through her hair. Long before they were ready to leave, the sun was creeping toward the horizon and the moon peeked through the trees.
"I suppose I had better get back," she sighed. "They'll have a million questions I'm sure."
"Alright. I'll take care of this. You go tell those women to calm down and stop stressing you out."
She laughed. "Well if all goes well, and there are no emergencies from the caterers, the seamstress, or the musicians, we might just be married in two days. I can't believe it's here already."
"I'm glad it is. I was beginning to feel like I'd have to wait forever." He gave her a sweet kiss and helped her to her feet.
"Thank you, Harry."
"Anytime, Love."
Twenty minutes later, Hermione paused with her hand on the doorknob. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the mayhem on the other side of the door, then opened it and stepped in, smiling and refreshed.
A/N: An intermezzo (inter-met-so) is a brief entertainment between two acts of a play (an entr'acte), or a short
movement separating the major sections of a lengthy musical composition or work, thus the play on words - Dinnermezzo.
Harry has given Hermione a brief distraction from the insanity of planning a wedding and moving out of her flat by
surprising her with a quiet dinner in the park. I tried to use words that illustrated the noisiness going on before she
meets up with Harry, counterbalanced with words that show the serenity of their dinner together. I hope it worked!