AM I TOO LATE
Surprise Invitation
Chapter Eight
The bell on the shop door jingled, and Hermione pulled her eyes away from the mirrors. She swayed on her feet, and Ginny quickly reached up a supportive hand as Harry and Ron wandered into the store.
"Hey guys," Ginny said quickly.
"Morning. Great dress, Hermione. Harry and I've decided it's the one," Ron said as he nodded his head in agreement.
"It is beautiful, isn't it? I was just telling her I think it's the loveliest we've looked at." Ginny smoothed a hand down the silky fabric. "And it feels wonderful, too."
Ron glanced at the rack of dresses near the changing room. "How many dresses have you been trying out? And what the bloody hell are you doing in a dress?"
Ginny laughed. "Oh, Ron. Relax. I'm merely helping out a friend, right, Hermione? Hermione?" Ginny glanced up when she received no answer.
Hermione and Harry had both been strangely silent, and now Ginny saw why. Whether speechless or shocked, she wasn't sure, but both friends were merely staring at each other. There seemed to be a longing in the air.
"Hermione?" Ginny asked once more. Ron shifted his weight on his feet and frowned at Harry.
"Do you really like it?" Hermione asked quickly. She was speaking only to Harry.
He took a cautious step forward, and Ginny almost gasped when he stretched out a hand toward Hermione. She took his hand and stepped off the riser. Harry slowly reached out and touched the tiara. He grinned. "Nice crown."
Hermione gazed at the floor, studied the polish on his shoes. "Yeah, well, Ginny thought we'd…get a bit crazy."
"It isn't crazy. It's perfect," he said quietly.
She looked up at him. "Really?"
"Sure," he replied. He fingered the diamonds around her neck and the heat of his touch on her skin almost unwound her. "It fits. All of it fits you perfectly."
She smiled a sincere, swelling-of-the-heart smile. "Thanks. I think we found the right one then," she answered softly.
Harry shook his head. "No."
"No?" she asked quickly. "But I thought-"
"That dress is perfect for you, and I can't imagine anyone else with it on."
"Oh."
Ginny and Ron looked at each other awkwardly. "Well, mate, I'm starving. Are we going or…?"
"Oh, that's right," Hermione said immediately as she pulled herself away from Harry. "I completely forgot about lunch. I'm sorry, Ron." She rushed over and hugged him quickly, catching him off guard. "I'm glad you're home. I'll just go change, and we can get going."
"I'll help," Ginny said. She rushed into the changing room after Hermione.
When the girls were out of earshot, Ron turned to Harry. "What the bloody hell was that about?"
"What?" Harry asked, looking away from where Hermione had disappeared.
"That…that…" Ron motioned to the space where Hermione had been standing. "What was that?"
"What was what, Ron?" Harry asked. He pushed a nervous hand through his unruly hair.
"Harry, you were…cow-eyed over Hermione!"
Harry laughed loudly. "Cow-eyed? What does that even mean?"
Ron leaned over and whispered darkly. "You were looking at Hermione…like she wasn't your friend."
"What? Ron, I have no idea what you're talking about," Harry admitted.
"Like you'd take her in the back room if the idea weren't so bloody indecent."
Harry paled. He stared at Ron. "I…I…"
"Yeah, I, I nothing. Something's going on here, and I don't like it. I'm not completely blind."
"Nothing is going-"
"Okay, we're both ready," Hermione said in an overly cheerful voice. "I'm starved. Where are we heading off to?"
"Just around the corner. There's a new place I want to check out. My mates on the team said it has amazing food," Ron said. He leaned toward Harry and whispered, "We'll talk about this later."
"And good beer, no doubt?" Ginny asked.
Ron smiled at her and slipped his arm around her shoulder. "But of course. Would I settle for less?"
"Never," she laughed, and the four friends walked out the door.
* * * *
Ron held open the door to The Radner's Pub. Ginny walked in, and Hermione thanked Ron as she followed Ginny. Harry strolled in behind the girls, but he was staring at the floor and shaking his head.
"What's gotten into you, mate?" Ron asked, catching Harry's arm.
"It's…" Harry cursed under his breath. "I don't know."
"So, you're admitting it's something?" Ron asked. He nodded his head at Ginny who stood near the hostess. He held up four fingers.
"I don't know what I'm saying, Ron. I just feel…weird."
"Weird like you've eaten a plate of rotten meat or weird like you were looking at Hermione with cow eyes?" Ron waved at a few of his teammates who were seated at the bar. "We'll be right there," he told Ginny. She gave him the 'what are you doing', look but he shook his head in response.
Harry sighed. "Did you see her?"
"Who?" Ron asked, glancing around the pub.
"What do you mean who?" Harry asked in annoyance and then lowered his voice. "Hermione. Did you see her? She looked…" He cursed again.
"Yeah, I saw her. Listen, mate, she's your best friend. She's lovely and…well, we love her, but I think you're thinking too much about it. There's no problem in thinking our best friend is lovely. Is that what's wrong?"
Harry sighed again. Then nodded and forced an awkward smile. "Yeah, that's it," he lied. Ron was obviously not going to understand the depth of his uneasiness.
Ron smiled and slapped Harry's back. "Good. I'm glad we got that settled. I'm starved." He walked off in search of Ginny, and Harry followed slowly behind.
Harry knew that wasn't it. He wasn't merely thinking Hermione was lovely. He was thinking of her in other ways-ways that made his stomach uneasy, ways that made his cheeks hot and his hands sweat. And he was involuntarily thinking of the back room.
* * * *
Harry arrived at the table to find Ginny and Ron seated on the same side of the booth, and he inwardly groaned. Hermione, however, wasn't there.
As if sensing his question, Ginny said, "She went to the loo. She'll be right back. But she's going to want the outside."
"I know," Harry mumbled as he slid to the inside of the booth near the opaque windows.
A minute later, Hermione weaved her way through the tables and smiled when she saw the booth with her friends. Before she could slide into the side with Harry, someone stepped up to her.
"Hey, Weasley, how's it going?" the man asked.
Ron smiled. "Ridley, it's good, mate, good. I thought I'd take your advice and check out the place."
The tall man standing beside Hermione smiled at her. She blushed.
"Ridley Todd," he said in a deep voice that vibrated the chest.
Ridley Todd towered over Hermione. He was broad shouldered, sinewy like a Seeker, and had pale blue eyes. His sandy blonde hair fell over his forehead and brow. When he smiled, every tooth was in place and a long dimple formed in his left cheek.
"I see you've brought friends," Ridley said, but he nodded in Hermione's direction.
"Yeah. This is Harry Potter, and this is my sister, Ginny. I think you've met before-"
"-yeah, we have," Ginny said, flashing Ridley a smile.
"And you're standing beside-"
"-Hermione Granger," Ridley finished. He held out his hand for Hermione, and she stared at him.
"How?" she asked, not able to form any more coherent words.
"I've read all your publications. I think you do amazing work. Between your volunteering and your advocating for rights, I don't know how you do it," Ridley said.
"Oh…"
"He really is a fan, Hermione. Been talking about meeting you ever since I told him we were mates since we were kids," Ron said as he took a sip of his beer.
"Well…thank you," Hermione said, and she could feel the pink in her cheeks.
Harry shifted in his seat. His jaw was tight, and he could feel a twitch start in his cheek. "So, you're Ridley Todd? The new Seeker?"
"That's right." He held out his hand for Harry. "It's nice to meet you, Potter. Weasley speaks highly of you." Before Harry could answer, Ridley turned back to Hermione. "I'd love to talk with you sometime about the work you do. Are you working on new publications?"
"Actually, I am."
"Great. Let's do something. Anything. We could meet at the new library," he said and smiled at her. He pushed his hand through his hair, and she felt a flutter in her chest.
"I love the library," she admitted breathlessly.
"I knew you would. What do you say, tomorrow? Are you free?"
"Oh, yes. Yes, I am. I've got a few days vacation thanks to Harry," she said, turning to look at her best friend.
"Thanks to me," Harry mumbled.
"Would you like that?" Ridley asked gently. He touched her upper arm with his hand.
"I would."
"I'm really looking forward to this. I'll meet you there, let's say, two o'clock tomorrow afternoon?"
"Sounds great. It's nice to meet you, Ridley."
"Oh, this is definitely my pleasure. I best be going before the other guys eat my share of the food. Nice to see you again, Ginny. Potter, take it easy. Weasley, I'll see you in a few days."
The others said goodbyes, and Hermione lowered herself onto the cushion beside Harry. She touched her fingertips to her flushed cheeks. "Well," she finally said, "that was unexpected."
"I think he was asking you out, Hermione," Ginny said. She smiled but watched Harry's eyes darken.
"Oh, no. I think he's just interested in my work."
Ron snorted. "Hermione, no man is interested in your work." Before she could protest, he held up a hand. "Besides, he's told me numerous times how gorgeous he thinks you are."
"Oh," she said and looked down, grinning into her lap. "That was really kind of him."
Harry stared into his lap, too, but it wasn't to hide his grin. It was to hide the sharp lines in his cheeks caused by his clenched jaw. It was to hide the thin line created by his lips. And it was to hide his true feelings, but Ginny noticed. She noticed but said nothing-not yet.