Author's Note: This is something that I have honestly planning for quite some time. I have it completely mapped out right now to the bitter end, and I'm quite proud of what I have in my notes. If you find this familiar, then you might be right. It's loosely based off of Elizabeth Noble's "Alphabet Weekends" with my own Harry Potter-world twists. It originally started out as a simple short story, only to blossom into much more.
Updates are likely to be once a week unless something comes up with school or work. I hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!
Prologue
Fifteen minutes left to throw me together
For Mr. Right Now not Mr. Forever
Don't know why I even try
When I know how it ends
Looking like another `maybe we can be friends'
I've been leaving it up to fate
It's my life so it's mine to make
I ain't settlin' just gettin' by
I've had enough so so for the rest of my life
Tired of shootin' too low so raise the bar high.
So, I'm just not waiting up this time
I ain't settlin' for anything less than everything.
Hermione Granger grumbled to herself as she moved around her flat in an effort to get ready. She had less than twenty minutes before her date was scheduled to arrive. She was never one to say no to people, and that certainly didn't change when she found herself agreeing to go to dinner with her former Hogwarts classmate Blaise Zabini.
It was an ongoing joke between her and her two best friends. Hermione laughed to herself as thoughts of her friend's teasing came to mind. The love life of both Hermione and one of her best friends, Harry Potter, was actually more of a joke to Ron. She was sure the next time she was to see Ron, his first question would be "So, who's the current Mr. Right Now?" which would be followed by his wife of two years, Luna, slugging him in the arm.
Hermione felt the smile come across her face as she applied a light layer of makeup to her face. She heard a familiar pop come from the entrance of her flat. Hermione glanced at the desk clock that was in her bedroom.
There were only a select few who had the clearance to apparate into her flat, and she knew Blaise wasn't one of them.
"Hello?" she shouted from her bathroom.
She was surprised to see Harry appear from around the corner. "Well, look at you, Miss Granger! All dressed up, and who's the lucky guy?"
"Oh shut it. You know damn well who I'm going out with tonight which is why you're here, and Ron isn't."
Harry grinned as he held up his arms in defense. "Guilty. Ron wanted to come, but I thought it would be better if I came instead. Word has it that Blaise asked Ron if he could ask you out."
Hermione nodded with a look that Harry couldn't quite define. "Really? He didn't ask you?"
Harry shrugged. "The impression is that Ron is the big overprotective brother I guess. The Boy Who Lived doesn't do much scaring anymore, I s`pose."
She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Really now? Surprising since I'm the oldest of the group. Why aren't you the over protective big brother?"
"Ron's the married responsible one. I'm just the Boy Who Lived," he told her with a boyish grin.
A knock on the door interrupted the duo's banter. Harry brought Hermione into his arms. "Have fun tonight, love. You can owl or floo me if you need anything," he added, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.
Hermione nodded against his chest before pulling away. "Bye Harry."
She didn't wait for him as he apparated out. She stood before her door, taking a deep breath before opening it. "Blaise. Hi," she said with a smile.
"Hi there, Hermione," the dashingly handsome Blaise greeted in return.
If anyone had told her that five years ago, she would be on a date with the former Slytherin student; it was likely that Hermione would laugh. Blaise Zabini along with Draco Malfoy proved to be their most reliable allies during the war. They were the only students from the Slytherin house who chose to fight with Harry instead of against him alongside Voldemort. For that, she was grateful.
To this day, Hermione remained close with Draco Malfoy. She was, after all, the godmother his daughter, Emily. Yes, Draco and Ginny Malfoy were very happy and had two wonderful children. Emily Jane Malfoy was turning two years old in a few months, and Ryan Harrison Malfoy was turning one this weekend.
The big party was planned, and she had no doubt a big interrogation would take place with Ronald Bilius Weasley as the head interrogator.
Several hours later, Hermione sank down onto her couch with a glass of red wine. The date hadn't gone bad. Blaise was nice enough, but he wasn't Mr. Forever.
He wasn't a man that Hermione felt she could love. He was more of a fun night on the town guy.
He was a friend.
Hermione sighed to herself knowingly. This is typically where the teasing persisted because every date ended up the same result.
She knew the root of the problem, but she wouldn't admit it to anyone else. Ginny had cornered her several times, but Hermione always denied the red head's suspicions.
The only problem with every Mr. Right Now was that they didn't have raven colored hair, green eyes, glasses or a lightening bolt scar on their forehead.
They weren't Harry James Potter.
Several weeks passed when Hermione found herself sitting among her group of close friends. It was no longer just the "trio". The trio had extended to Draco and Ginny Malfoy as well as Luna Lovegood Weasley. It was hard to believe how "adult" they had all become. She smiled over her glass of wine at Harry who had his eyes glued to her.
He raised his eyebrow questioningly, mouthing, `Are you okay?' She silently nodded as she listened to Ron tell the group his latest Quidditch story.
"So, Miss Granger, who is the flavor of the week this week?" the red headed wizard asked with a smirk.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she took a sip from the wine glass. "There is no flavor of the week, Ron. Last date I had was with Blaise, and now he won't leave me alone. He wants to go out on a second date soon."
"So, does that mean we need to change it to flavor of the month?"
Hermione scowled. "Shut up. Why am I the one that gets the worst of this? Harry dates too!"
"Not like you. We never hear about the girls he takes out. Bloody hell, you've both date enough wizards and witches, I'm surprised you haven't tried going out with each other."
Harry's eyes widened. "Ron-" he began to protest only to stop when he felt Ron kick him underneath the table.
Hermione stifled a laugh. "Harry and I are best friends, Ron. Best friends don't date. They listen to each other's dating horror stories instead," she finished the last of her wine with a smile. "Next round is on me. Same thing for everyone else?"
Once getting everyone's order, Hermione left the table with Ginny and Luna in tow to help.
Ron rolled his eyes at Harry. "You're a git, you know that right?"
"How the hell am I a git when you're the prat who's kicking me under the table. Damn Ron, that hurt," he told his friend as he reached on the table to rub his now throbbing shin.
Malfoy laughed loudly. "I think what Ron was non-discreetly trying to tell you was that you should take Granger out. Everyone has been watching this little song and dance going on between you since our Hogwarts days."
"Yeah, sure Malfoy. This is Hermione we're talking about. She doesn't care for me in that way."
"But she could," Ginny said quietly.
Harry quickly turned his eyes to hers. "What do you mean?" he questioned her.
Ginny stole a glance at Hermione who was still waiting in queue for their drinks. "You care for her, don't you? I mean more as friends, that is."
Harry shrugged nonchalantly, but he knew she was right. He had always cared deeply for Hermione. He had always wanted to opportunity to prove to her that her Mr. Forever was right under her nose.
"I have an idea if you're up to it."
He narrowed his eyes. "What is it?" he asked, apprehension evident in his voice.
"Prove to her that you're the right one. That you're the one who is perfect for her and she is perfect for you."
Draco nodded his head. "Ginny is right, Harry. We know how Hermione is. We know how you are. You're both stubborn as bloody hell. I say you give her twenty-six weekends. Each weekend has to be spent together."
"Why twenty-six?" he asked as the others looked to Draco for an explanation.
"There are twenty-six letters in the alphabet. Pick something to do each weekend that takes after a letter in the alphabet."
Ginny smirked at her husband. "Draco, you're a genius!" she said as she placed an enthusiastic kiss on her lips.
"Yeah, nice idea Malfoy but how do you expect for Hermione to agree to this?" Ron asked.
"Hermione agree to what?" a voice said from behind.
Harry turned to see Hermione carrying a tray with their drinks. He quickly got up from his chair to help her pass the drinks around.
"What am I supposed to be agreeing to, Harry?"
"Potter, here, is going to take you out on a date. Actually, he is going to take you on twenty-six of them," Draco told her with a smug smile as he took a drink of the pint Harry sat in front of him.
Hermione stared at the blonde blankly. "He-what-excuse me?"
Harry shot a glare at Draco before turning his attention to Hermione. "Look. I know we have had our share of bad luck lately, but I have an idea." Draco coughed leading Harry to roll his eyes. "Okay. Draco had an idea. It seems that everyone else thinks we need to give each other a try. I say why not? For the next twenty-six weekends, let's spend them together. Each weekend we'll fix an activity to do together that coincides with the alphabet."
Hermione looked at her best friend skeptically. "I don't know Harry. This is a big thing."
He nodded. "It is. I couldn't agree more. Give me a shot, `Mione and I'll blow all of those other dates out of the water. I'll show you that we're perfect for one another. No one knows you like I do. If all else fails, it will just be two best friends who had a fun twenty-six weekends together." He could feels his hands begin to shake in anticipation. He wanted her to agree to this. He needed her to agree to this.
"Do you promise that no matter what it won't ruin our friendship?"
Harry nodded. "I would never want that to happen. We might even be better friends after this."
Minutes seemed to pass rapidly as the group waited for Hermione's decision, Harry most of all. Suddenly, she nodded. "Alright. I'll give it a shot. I have a few rules first."
He gestured with his hand for her to proceed.
"No seeing anyone else during this. If we're going to give this a shot, then we're going to make it real. Second, we'll switch off on picking the dates. You take one week and I take the next. No matter the activity, we do what the other picked out."
Harry nodded. "I can agree to those terms."
Hermione smiled. "Good. A is mine, by the way so you get B."
He laughed with the rest of the group. "Wait a damn minute here."
"Nope. A is mine. Be ready to go Friday night, Mr. Potter. Our first date is then."
The group of friends continued to laugh at Harry's shocked face, and Hermione's smug grin. The new couple failed to notice the satisfied smiles on Ginny Malfoy and Luna Weasley's face.
Their female counterpart was finally going to get her Mr. Forever.
-->