Hermitcraft Harry Potter AU

Chapter Eighteen: Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.

"Soooo... how was Christmas holiday with Grian?" Stress urged, planting herself down next to Mumbo.

"I... I don't know." He mumbled, refusing to remove his eyes from the book laid out in front of him.

She scrunched her nose in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." he hesitated. "He-he kissed me, and-"

Stress cut him off with a shrill squeal, momentarily redirecting the attention of every Hufflepuff in the common room towards the pair of forth years.

"Stress!" Mumbo hissed, covering his face as his cheeks burned.

"Sorry." She giggled. "Go on then, he kissed you and...?"

"I-I mean, not like that." Mumbo sighed. "There was mistletoe and-and he kissed me on the cheek..." his eyes grew glassy as the memory of a pair of lips brushed against his jaw. Mumbo stifled a smile as he continued. "And then we went to get dinner."

"And?"

"And... that's it."

"That's it??" Stress gaped. "You could have taken that moment to tell him how you feel! He was basically screaming that he feels the same way!"

"No, it was just the mistletoe." Mumbo reasoned, his heart sinking in realization. "If Grian did  feel the same for me, then he would've told me by now."

"Did it ever occur to you that he's just as nervous as you are?" Stress asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Impossible."

"And why is that?"

"No one can be more nervous than me!" Mumbo exclaimed, blushing even harder as the truth of his own words sunk in.

Stress rolled her eyes.

"You're an idiot."

"Gee, thanks."

"No, seriously." Stress pushed, plucking the book from Mumbo's hands and sitting on it so he was forced to look at her. "I know you're anxious, but Grian really put himself out there with that kiss. Did you never even once consider that he doesn't know what to do either?"

"But... he's always so confident."

"Or maybe it's just a show." She snapped, standing up and striding away, shaking her head in annoyance.

Mumbo bit his lip and he looked down at his hands.

There was no way. Was there? No... probably... maybe? Hopefully?

He sighed and rubbed his temples.

"I'm so screwed."

~~~

"Hey Mumbo!"

The tall Hufflepuff turned and gulped as Grian bounced into view, his hands behind his back as he flashed a dazzling smile.

"H-hey! What's... what's up?"

Grian giggled and Mumbo felt his legs wobble at the adorable sound.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go down to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" He asked, silver eyes sparkling with hope.

"I, um, I mean we usually do, don't we?" Mumbo mumbled. "As-as a group?"

"Well, yes..." Grian agreed, rocking back and forth from foot to foot. "But I was hoping that maybe we could go down... alone."