One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

25. Cardigan

A/N: I really like this chapter! Hope you guys do too :) I've written 54 chapters now, holy crap! I'm halfway through ch55 and we're into November 1979! Getting closer and closer to the end!

4th October 1975

Hermione met Frank in the entrance hall, anticipation and nerves bubbling through her. It was still surprisingly balmy today for the beginning of October in the Highlands, so Hermione had worn only light robes over a mauve jumper Dorcas had insisted she wear, and tight fitting Muggle jeans. Frank had beamed upon seeing her approach, and now they were walking arm in arm down towards Hogsmeade, taking their time and chatting as they went.

"Should I be getting permission from your overprotective big brothers to date you?" Frank teased as they walked, laughing loudly when she sent him a glare. He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Not on your life, Frank Longbottom." She threatened, though her grin belied her words. "They're both bloody hypocrites! If I was a guy taking a girl I fancied on a date you can bet they'd be high-fiving me and giving me tips on snogging."

Frank laughed, a loud happy sound that drew a few looks as they entered Hogsmeade proper. "You fancy me, hey?" He asked with a little grin.

"Oh, of course that's the only thing you pick up." She bemoaned, though she knew it wasn't actually the only thing he'd paid attention to.

"It is hypocritical," He said quietly a moment later as they headed into Scrivenshafts by unspoken agreement, "The whole of our culture is, though, unfortunately."

Hermione sighed in disappointed agreement, and followed Frank as they wandered around the shop, picking up a few quills and new rolls of parchment as they went. When they were done in Scrivenshafts they made their way slowly down the street towards the Three Broomsticks for a drink and lunch.

They found a secluded table in a back corner so that their friends wouldn't disturb them when they inevitably came into the pub later. Frank pulled out her chair for her, still as chivalrous as he'd been since he'd helped her out of the boat that first night at Hogwarts.

"Butterbeer?" He asked, heading towards the bar to order when she nodded.

She sighed happily, vaguely unused to the feeling after her previous life. She watched him walk away, not even trying to hide that she was checking out the way his Muggle jeans hugged his arse and surprisingly muscled thighs beautifully. Though their trip so far hadn't felt too different from their normal excursions to Hogsmeade there had been an underlying current of something enhancing their day so far. Butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach and they fluttered madly every time she looked at Frank. She'd not had such a good time on a date before - not that she had much experience to compare it to - and she could only be infinitely glad they'd not run into any hurdles yet. She was having too much fun to let it end.

She glanced away from Frank and found herself suddenly very glad Frank was at the bar and she was hidden from view at their table. Her brothers had just walked into the pub, and she didn't want to deal with their overprotectiveness right now. She blinked in surprise when she noticed the beautiful girl walking into the pub in between them. She suddenly recognised her as Marlene McKinnon - a Ravenclaw in the year above her and a name she knew from Sirius and Remus' tales about the Order in her previous life.

Were they on a date? They'd kept that quiet, cheeky buggers! She laughed as she watched them fumble as they showed her to a table, awkward about how to sit. Hermione knew they'd casually dated in their younger years, but never the same girl before. They both looked rather serious about this, observing all the proper pure-blood customs as they sat. She'd known they'd almost certainly want a triad at some point in their future, but thought they'd given up on trying while at school.