Never Letting Go (Draft)

Chapter Eight

- Plain and Simple, No-
Part 1

"I had a nice time chatting with you Hermione, I do hope you take me up on my offer." He said as they rose from their seats.

She smiled softly at him, containing her over enthusiasm at how well this turned out. It could have gone south really quick but despite how many times she almost slipped up, it went very well.

"I'll think about it." She joked.

"Another mysterious choice of dialogue, keeping me on edge?" He asked, raising a familiar eyebrow playfully.

"Always." She smiled beginning to fluster up.

He clicked his tongue, thinking deeply.

She watched him closely, wanting to take in every moment with him as much as she can. In the last few years she began worrying that she would never see him again, but here she is standing a few inches in front of him.

Although he looked different, this look suited him well. Even his now hazel eyes seemed to suit him.

"I'm going to give you my number, Hermione, and should you want to take my offer, you ring me and I'll be happy to oblige." He bent over the table and began writing his phone number on a napkin using the pen for the bill.

Holding out the paper in her direction she grasped it, their fingers brushing lightly by the movement.

Their movements paused short by the contact and neither moved or seemed to want to.

She gasped.

Hermione's thoughts were running a mile a minute but Snape- Tobias he softened considerably, the light and humorous air seeming to disparate while this tension filled the new space.

She broke the contact by jerking back with the paper in hand.

"Thank you, T-Tobias, it was really nice meeting you." She said breathlessly, a look of fear and worry in her eyes, reluctant to even leave him.

Her inner voice screamed at her to not let him go, to grab a hold of him and whisper her fears and worries. But she couldn't do that, she can't blow her cover.

He smiled down to her, "It was nice meeting you as well, Hermione."

As he turned to make his way down the side walk she almost- almost grabbed him and through herself in his arms, but with all the will power she had left she didn't and she stood stiffly in her place.

After he jogged off in the opposite direction of the tea shop she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding until now.

She watch him until he turned a corner in the distance, as he ran his feathered light brown hair rose and fell lightly making her snicker a bit. The entire morning she had an urge to just run her fingers through it, to see if it's as soft as it looks.

She had only touched him once, in the shrieking shack but her eyes were so clouded by tears she could barely take him in. His hair had felt stringy and thick with potion oils.

She still didn't know why this ever happened, she should be married to Ronald with three kids by now but instead she was lost and alone with only one person on her mind, but she can't help it. This meeting has been something she longed for, for the longest time.

Authors Note: I know this is super short and I was going to add more but I'm at such a block I couldn't even think of how to prolong their time together for that morning, please forgive me for making this short and for waiting so long to publish it. 🙏