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Hermione had always wanted to own a bookshop— so when she had found the Spania Vivlia had posted the for sale sign in the window she had taken her compensation money from the war and purchased it without a second of hesitation.
Now she was sitting in her bookstore waiting for her first customer, glad that she had followed her dream. She had quit her job at the Ministry to do this.
The bell above the door chimed and a man entered the store. He was quite handsome, Hermione thought.
She said hi and welcome and then left him be to look around and showed him the way to wave his wand if he needed assistance.
The man brought a few books up to the counter and she wrung him up. She felt nervous around him and couldn’t get the words out to see whether he wanted to go to coffee sometime. He had been talking to her for over an hour and even waited until other customers were served before continuing their conversation.
Thomas (as he had introduced himself as) seemed to be nervous too and not want to leave her. Instead of working up the courage to ask him to coffee she put her Floo number on a bookmark and put it in his books before he left the store.
Later that night he rang her Floo as she arrived home and they continued discussing why she had bought the rare book store in the first place. He had a love for tracking down the rarest books as well so he admired her for only stocking rare volumes.
“Hermione, I fear I may have misled you when I first walked into your store and introduced myself,” he said.
“How?” She asked.
“My middle name is Thomas. I go by it now so I’m not recognised as easily, my first name is Theodore or Theo. We actually know each other from Hogwarts but I don’t think you remember,” Theo explained.
“What house were you in? When did you start?” Hermione asked, confused. If he was in her year surely she would remember him.
“I was in the same year as you, but in Slytherin,” Theo said.
“Theodore Nott?”
“Yes, I’m sorry I misled you. I didn’t know how you would feel about me,” he said.
“You didn’t do anything to hurt me, and I can understand that feeling. It’s okay. I’m glad you called and I’m glad you told me now,” Hermione said, “Would you like to go to coffee with me on Saturday?”
“I would love to,” Theo said before saying good night. They had been on the Floo call for three hours.