Is Love Blind?

Chapter 6 - You Didn't Hear It From Me

Much to her relief, Hermione's final date with Bachelor #11 did not go quite as well as her previous two. 

She recalled Katie's smile as they had discussed the unknown man at the cafe earlier in the week. Hermione had to admit, she had felt deeply ashamed when Avril had read the pairings aloud to the whole group at The Choosing. She hadn't been able to look her friend in the eye, knowing she had chosen to date the same man her friend fancied. Katie had been forgiving, when she later apologised, but Hermione couldn't shake the feeling of regret. Thus, she had gone into the date feeling stoic, knowing full well that she would not be picking Mystery Man #11 at the next Choosing Ceremony, regardless of a connection. 

Luckily enough, Hermione hadn't felt the same spark with this man as she had with her two previous dates. She was immensly glad. Had the date gone well, it would have been much harder for her to let Bachelor #11 down.

"Hi." Hermione greeted the man, through the opaque glass. 

"Hi, how are you?" He said, with a warmth and friendliness that was unrivalled by her previous two dates. 

She couldn't help but smile. "I'm well, thank you. And you?" 

"I'm good, thanks." He said, politley. "How have you been since we last spoke?" 

Hermione shrugged, despite the fact that the Mystery couldn't see her. "I feel as though nothing has happened, and yet everything has changed at the same time." 

"Ooh." He said. "That's a loaded statement. It sounds as though you've met your match already." 

She tried to laugh it off. "Not exactly. I mean, I've met people I like but I wouldn't say they're marriage material just yet."

"Ouch." He gasped. "I'm wounded." 

The cheeriness had vacated the man's voice. He sounded more flat. It was awkward. Hermione squirmed slightly in her seat, stuttering for further conversation starters. 

"So, how are you finding it living back in the UK?" Hermione said, recalling what they had spoken about last time. 

This seemed to distract him. "Well, I've actually been back for over six months now. It was a little strange at first, but I feel as though I've gotten used to the constant rain and cold now."

"Was there anything you particularly missed about the UK, while you were gone?" She asked. 

He laughed. "Not to sound terribly stereotypical, but I did miss a good old cup of tea. My mum used to send me a care package every couple of months with tea bags, and homemade cakes and biscuits. But the customs are different abroad, you know?" 

Hermione understood. "Sometimes you try your best to fit in, but people think you're an ignorant foreigner anyway. I was really worried I would be unintentionally rude or offensive when I first moved to Paris." 

"Totally." The man said. "That's why I prefer animals over humans. It's much more difficult to offend them."

"You clearly never met my half-kneazle." Hermione laughed.

He seemed delighted. "You keep animals?" 

"No." Hermione said. "Crooks passed away. I didn't really have time for a pet at University. Theres no way I could keep one now, I work all the time." 

"Oh." The man deflated once more. "Are you interested in keeping animals?" 

"Not anymore." She sighed. "I've gotten used to living without them, I suppose. I couldn't cope with both children and animals in the same house." 

"I have enough siblings in my family to provide grandkids for my parents. I'm happy just being an uncle for now." Bachelor #11 told Hermione. 

It was a pretty big selling point, finding out whether the man you're dating wants to have children or not. Hermione had long decided that she wanted 2 children. For her, it was non-negotiable. For a brief moment, Hermione thought of Katie. She honestly had no idea whether Katie wanted children or not. She was still in the prime of her career. Would this revelation be a deal breaker for Katie, too?