Day By Day

2

Three days later Hermione found herself at 12 Grimmauld Place for dinner with her...oh gods...her fiancé.

She arrived a little early wanting to make sure to beat Snape there. Ginny had set a charming table in the garden. Complete with a periwinkle linen table cloth that had a scalloped edge. There were matching napkins encircled with a wreath of tiny white daisies serving as napkin holders. Running down the center of the table, little bouquets of pink, white and lime green zinnias. Fresh herbs of sage, rosemary, and basil in small glass vases were also sprinkled about. It was a very cozy picnic table. Beautiful small etched glasses held white votive candles that alternated between the bouquets. Ginny pulled out all the stops. She even used muggle fairy lights strung through the trees over the table that gave everything an ethereal feeling. It was in a word, romantic.

Hermione had spent the day overthinking her outfit for that evening. There was the rebellious part of her that wanted to wear her jean shorts and favorite worn out t-shirt strictly to protest this ridiculous meeting. Alas, Harrys words had echoed in her head, that this was going to happen. Then Ginny's words telling her how Snape was a catch, and not the dungeon bat of their childhood also played on repeat in her brain. Could Snape really be that different? Is he actually a sex god? Did women want him? Stranger things had happened. Neville Longbottom was a testament to that. Too bad he was already married to Luna. Neville would be so easy to get on with. Hermione could have him eating out of her hand. Although, the more she thought about that the more she thought it would become terribly boring. Neville was so sweet and kind. She'd probably end up walking all over him and miserable in the end.

Thinking better of her original plan to dress like she was going to clean her apartment, Hermione wore her favorite summer dress. It was soft pink with tiny roses, and showed off her tan from her recent vacation to the south of France. The hem hit just above her knees and had an empire waist. There was a v-neck with short fluttery sleeves. She felt her most feminine when she wore it and not knowing what to expect, other than a scowl from her betrothed, she wanted to make sure he would at least see that she was no longer that little malnourished girl he last saw right after the war. She was a striking woman who knew how to accentuate what she had. Hermione had charmed her curls to lay perfectly to one side over her shoulder. It would show off her long neck, her delicate collarbones, and the pretty little gold necklace she wore. It was the one thing she kept of her mothers. It had a small diamond pendant. Hermione also spent a ridiculous amount of time moisturizing to make sure her skin was glowing. As she got ready her brain waffled between wanting to be her best and berating herself for spending so much time on trying to look attractive for Severus Snape. He certainly wouldn't be giving her a second thought. Probably wearing that same damned frock coat in the middle of summer.

Ginny passed Hermione a basket full of dried fruits, fresh fruits, cheeses, and an assortment of crackers. The redhead looked absolutely radiant in her white eyelet sundress.

"Will you take this out to the table, Harry is out there opening the wine and making sure Al doesnt shove his fingers up Kreachers nose again."

Hermione snorted and took the basket from her friend.

Harry looked up as Hermione placed the basket on the end of the table. He gave her a soft smile.

"You look lovely Mione."

The witch blushed.

"I feel ridiculous."

"Don't, Severus is a very lucky man."

"Oh Harry." She walked over and put her arms around his neck.

He gave her a squeeze. "You know I love you Mione. All I ask is that you give him a chance. If this doesn't work out, we'll think of something. Maybe you can be assigned to someone else."