Tango * dramione

Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Little Black Dress

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"Nothing is impossible.The word itself is 'I'm possible.'" ~Audrey Hepburn

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Stage Right: Hermione and Harry
Setting: Diagon Alley, outside the same shop for what seems like forever.

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Hermione gave an impatient sigh, tapping Harry on the shoulder. "You've been looking at the same shop window for over an hour now. Maybe you just want to head in, or...?"

"Uh, um, no. That's okay." Harry shook his head, rubbing the back of his onyx tresses while his eyes stayed transfixed on the same white-gold wedding ring adorned with a simple, princess-cut diamond. His eyes asked it all, 'Would Ginny like it? Was it too soon?'

Hermione rolled her eyes, ushering Harry by the arm toward the shop door. "Come on, Mister Potter. You've waited long enough."

"No - Hermione - I can't-" But the unassuming Harry was dragged into the shop, the bell tinkering above their heads to announce their arrival. The shopkeeper immediately raised his pudgy head, grinning ear-to-ear to see potential customers.

"Ah! Hello! Welcome!" He stalked around the counter; immediately, his eyes fell on Harry's lightning bolt scar, and the old man's face grew even more impressed. "Bless my stars. Harry Potter in my shop. You're a very lucky young woman." He caught eyes with Hermione.

"Oh, n-no," Hermione's ears turned the color of a tomato. "Not me. I'm not - we're not..."

"Oh. My apologies." The shopkeeper offered his hand out for Harry to shake. "Bernard Cobblestone, at your service. Well, whomever the young lady is, she's bound to be a catch to have caught your eye."

"You don't know who he's with?" Hermione blurted out.

Bernard pushed his specs up his nose. "I try not to listen to the gossip threads. Most of the time, they're incorrect."

Harry took his hand immediately, appreciative. "Ginny. Her name is Ginny."

"Ginny. Lovely name." Bernard paused. "Ginny Weasley, by chance?"

"Er...yeah."

"Lovely girl."

"You know her?"

"Admittedly, no. But I heard she just got signed on to the Harpies, and they're my team of choice."

Hermione smirked, thoroughly pleased with herself. Harry seemed much more at ease upon Bernard's admission, and the two men fell into an easy cadence with each other, talking about Ginny's likes and dislikes to provide her with just the right engagement ring. When she was sure he wasn't going to bolt, Hermione tapped him on the shoulder once more to say, "I'm going to pop over to another shop for a moment. I'll be back in two shakes."

"Sure," Harry grinned. Just as Hermione turned around to take her leave, the doorbell dinged to life once more, and another customer walked through the door - a familiar one, by Hermione's standards.

Zabini.

"Merlin, Granger. You move fast, don't you?" Zabini smirked in delight. He carried a small bag in his left hand, seemingly at ease within the shop, as if he'd been here many times before.

Hermione was confused. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I mean, you only got asked out by Greg a week ago, weren't you? And now, here you are, looking at engagement rings?" Amused, he sauntered past the fiery brunette and set his bag down on the counter. "The usual cleaning, Bernard. There are two more of Daphne's newest trinkets in the bag."