Hermione needed to process everything. She made a pot of tea with some toast and took it all into the sitting room where she curled up in her reading chair. Immediately, she realised that the chair was a mistake. It smelled like Fred and she wanted to sink down and daydream about how it felt to be held in his arms, but she needed to think.
Sitting up straight, she turned her attention to her breakfast and forced herself to focus. Fred first, she decided. Today, she would try to come up with a present for him. She had plans to shop with Angie, Lavender, and Ginny the following day, but she didn't want to shop for Fred with them. They would notice if she was paying particular attention to selecting his gift. She also still needed presents for the three of them, and she wanted to get something for Angie and George's baby for the couple to unwrap at Christmas. Those items all needed to be purchased without prying eyes, so she would certainly hit the shops on her own later.
That would also solve the problem of wanting to stop by and see Fred at WWW. She didn't want to seem overly eager, but she also didn't want to wait for Christmas to see him again. As soon as she finished eating, she would send him an owl letting him know that she would be out shopping with the girls tomorrow and promise to stop in with or without the group after.
Now she just needed a brilliant gift idea for the man in question. It needed to be special enough to convey how she was feeling about him, nice enough that it would make her feel good to give it to him if he did turn out to be her secret admirer, and safe enough that no one present at the Weasely's house on Christmas would wonder why Hermione gave it to Fred. No problem, she thought sarcastically; that should be a fucking piece of cake.
Think, she ordered herself. There had to be something that she shared with Fred that only the two of them would really understand. Yes, that was it! The memory was special enough to him that he'd named his owl from one of the stories after all. During Fred's recovery, she'd spent hours at his bedside, first reading to him, then reading with him, and finally leaving stacks of books to entertain him when she couldn't be there. He'd especially enjoyed the muggle books with magical themes, but his absolute favorites were Matilda, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He'd always said that was because Matilda reminded him of Hermione and he fancied himself to be Willy Wonka.
A plan slowly began to take shape. Smiling to herself, she quickly finished her simple breakfast before sending off a quick note to Fred and dressing for the day.
Leaving her house a short while later, she headed out in the direction of a nearby shopping centre that she hadn't yet explored, but she knew that it had a book shop, a baby boutique, and a jewellery shop.
When she arrived at the shopping centre, she paused for a moment, looking around and taking in the festive atmosphere. In addition to the normal shops, there were also stalls set up outdoors selling seasonal items. She was close enough to read the signs that boasted mulled wine, and handmade ornaments. Hopeful now that she'd come to the right place, she excitedly began to wander in and out of the shops.
After nearly half an hour of exploring, Hermione came to a boutique that had all sorts of accessories. There were handbags, scarves, and costume jewellery in every colour. Deciding that this would be the place to find items for all of the ladies still on her list, she began to decide on a shade that would compliment each one. In the end, she found a pair of chandelier earrings, and a handbag for each of the girls: a deep forest green for Ginny, aubergine for Lavender, red for Angelina, and royal blue for Fleur. She also found a tiny, pale pink handbag for Victoire, and she couldn't resist a pair of gorgeous silver and black earrings for herself. As she waited in the queue to pay for the pile of gifts, she spotted a lovely scarf that she knew Molly would adore. Although she'd already gotten something for the Weasley matriarch, she added it to her stack without hesitation.
