Chapter Text
“Hermione, please, you’re turning seventeen while you’re at school! We want to do something special for you while you are home for the summer,” Mrs. Granger chided as she handed her daughter another clean dish to dry. “Wouldn’t it be fun to make a day of it before the gala? We’ll go to London for some shopping, hit the salon, and take time some time for us!”
Hermione bit her lip, wiping the flannel over the plate even though it was already dry. She hated to disappoint her mum, but she’d never been comfortable with the fuss of pampering. And that was the last thing she wanted to do to celebrate her birthday.
“I don’t know, Mum. It seems like a lot. I wouldn’t want you to go through all the trouble.”
“Trouble? Don’t be ridiculous! We haven’t done anything special for your birthday since you turned eleven. Let me do this for you, Hermione. Seventeen is important in the magical world, isn’t it?”
Hermione nodded, unable to deny it. She had a sinking feeling she wasn’t going to weasel her way out of this. Jean beamed at the admission and continued on with her logic.
“We must do something special for your coming of age! Why don’t you invite Ginny to come with us? She could spend the night, so Dad and I can get to know her. You’re always spending your summers with the Weasleys. It would be nice to return the favor for a change.”
Hermione thought for a moment, weighing her options. Having Ginny tag along might be nice. And like Hermione, Ginny wasn’t as into clothes and make-up and all that stuff either—at least not like Padma or Lavender. But would Mrs. Weasley let Ginny come along? With everything going on, she wasn’t sure. She guessed it couldn’t hurt to extend the invitation.
“Well, I suppose it would be fun to spend the day in London with Ginny if her parents are okay with it. And I guess I could use some newer clothes…” Hermione trailed off.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to invest in something a little more ‘girly.’ Not that she needed any of it, but there was nothing wrong with wanting to look good every now and then. Plus, it might help catch a certain redhead’s eye—she shook her head. No, that’s not what this should be about.
“Really? Oh, that’s wonderful!” Her mother’s excitement snapped her back to the present as she dove into planning mode. “Is the owl still here? You could write to her straight away. How about next weekend? The 25th?”
“Isn’t that the weekend of the Gala?” Hermione frowned.
Jean checked the calendar to confer, though Hermione doesn’t think she bothered to look. “Oh, yes, it is!”
What is she up to?
The timing seemed suspicious. Why would her mum want to schedule a day trip to London the day before the English Dental Association’s Annual Gala? Especially when Hermione wasn’t going? She hadn’t attended the evening in years and had no intention of going now.
But Jean must have forgotten that tiny detail as she clapped her hands together. “We can pick out a dress for you to wear!”
“No, Mum, I’m not going. Remember?”
“Nonsense! There’s no excuse this year, dear. You’re home, and it’s important to your father and me. It’s not every year we’re recognized for 20 years of service in the dental industry. Besides, I already sent the RSVP back and I checked the plus one box for you, too. If you wanted to bring Ginny, I’m sure that’d be fine. Unless…”
Jean taps her chin and pretends to think.
“Unless?” Hermione can’t help the skepticism in her tone.
“Unless you wanted to bring Ron or Harry instead.”
There it was. Hermione knew her mum had an ulterior motive. Jean Granger was trying to pry into Hermione’s love life, knowing her daughter had always been tight-lipped about her feelings. Mum wanted to know if someone had stolen her daughter’s heart. Guilt trickled into Hermione’s veins at the realization.
Even though she wasn’t ready to disclose the feelings she held close to her chest, maybe it was time to let her parents get to know Ron. She couldn’t deny she wanted them to see she saw in her best friend—how kind, brave, talented, and clever he was. Of course, she still needed to invite him and he had to say yes, and the thought alone was enough to make her forget the idea.
“I don’t know, Mum, you know how boys are. Why would they want to go to the Gala? They already didn’t want to go to the Yule Ball in their fourth year. Plus, Ron doesn’t know much about the muggle world, and I doubt Harry’s aunt and uncle would even let him out of the house,” Hermione added.
“That didn’t seem to be an issue when you agreed to invite Ginny. I’m sure Ron will catch on quick, and he’ll have you to guide him through it,” Jean replied while waving off Hermione’s excuse.
“Just think about it. We’ve already confirmed four attendees, and who knows, maybe Ron would like a little taste of our lifestyle. See how the ‘muggle’ half lives.” Mrs. Granger laughed at her attempt of a joke. “I won’t pester you anymore about it, darling. You let me know what Ginny says, and we can start planning out the day when you’re ready.”
“Thanks, Mum.”
Mrs. Granger made her way into the sitting room, and Hermione hung back in the kitchen. When she closed her eyes, images of her dancing Ron at the Gala flooded her mind. The words she spoke to him after the Yule Ball rang in her ears.
Next time, pluck up the courage to ask me, and not as a last resort!
Well, it’s not like he could ask her this time. He didn’t even know it was happening! If she wanted the scene in her mind to become a reality, then she needed to invite him. Where was all that Gryffindor courage she was supposed to have?
Ron and I would have fun together, right? Even if it was just as friends…
Hermione didn’t need to ask the questions to know the decision was clear. Even though her heart pounded in anticipation, she followed her mum into the living room.
“Mum? Say I were to invite Ron.” She waited for her mum to look up from the open book on her lap, and thought she caught a smirk out the corner of her eye.
“That was fast.”
Hermione rolls her eyes. “This is all hypothetical! But, if I were to invite him, well, he wouldn’t have the appropriate clothing for a gala. Wizards wear dress robes to a formal event, which wouldn’t fit in. I know it’s not black tie, but—”
“Oh, Hermione, that’s an easy fix, honey! Just ask Ginny to snoop for his sizes, and we’ll pick up everything he needs. Or you could simply ask him too. But if we pick something out, he’ll be sure to match your outfit.”
“I don’t know if he’ll like that, Mum.”
Ron had always been more self-conscious about material things. He rarely talked about it, but it was one of those things Hermione knew based on his body language whenever holidays came and went. He could never splurge on expensive gifts as she and Harry could.
“Just say it’s the least we can do for him to accompany you on such short notice!” Mrs. Granger went back to her book, indicating the conversation is over.
Hermione turned and wandered up the stairs, muttering to herself. “It’s almost like she was anticipating that question.”
Shaking her head, she headed to her bedroom where Pig hopped around while Hermione scribbled two invitations on blank parchment.
Dear Ginny,
How have you been? I can’t wait to join you and Ron at the Burrow soon!
Before that, though, my parents want to do something special for my seventeenth birthday, and they said I could invite a friend out for a day of shopping in Muggle London. I was hoping that you’d like to join me? I think you’d really enjoy seeing what Muggle shopping life is like, and, well, I could use some help picking out new clothes.
There’s also this Gala for my parent’s work that weekend, and I really need your help finding an outfit for that. And hopefully not just for me…Can you promise to keep a secret?
I can bring a date with me and I was thinking of inviting Ron (which is the other letter with Pig). Who knows if he’ll say yes. It’s probably stupid to even ask, but I’d rather not go alone. And if he says no, then maybe you can come with instead. Sorry, I’m rambling…
But the reason I’m telling you this is because I need a favor on the off-chance he does say yes. We need to know his clothes sizes so we can also buy him an outfit for the Gala. Dress robes aren’t exactly appropriate for Muggle attire. Can you figure that out for me (without Ron knowing)?
Respond as soon as you can with an answer. Our shopping date would be July 25th. You’d arrive that morning and spend the night. The Gala is on the 26th, so you could floo back when Ron arrives...if he says yes.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Hermione
One down, one to go.
Dear Ron,
It’s so great to hear from you. I’d love to spend August at the Burrow. Mum and Dad said it was okay! Fleur and Bill, huh? I can’t wait to learn more about that...
Have you heard anything from Harry? I’m worried about him, with Sirius’s death. He’s only sent one letter and it was short. I sent his birthday present back with Hedwig already since I wasn’t sure if I’d have another opportunity.
Anyway, I have a favor to ask of you. My parents are being honored at an event on the 26th for twenty years of service in dentistry. They said I could bring someone with me (and sent back the response saying I’d be bringing a date without checking first).
So…I was wondering if you wanted to go? I know it’s a bother of me to ask, but we'll make sure you have something to wear, and there will be good food. I’ll understand if you don’t want to go. Let me know, I guess.
If you are interested in going with us, you’d be more than welcome to spend a few nights in our guest room, and then I could floo back with you for my stay at the Burrow.
I’ve asked Ginny to spend the 25th with me and Mum as part of my seventeenth (early) birthday celebration, so when you send Pig back with your response, make sure I have one from her, too. I would have invited you to that, but I figured you probably wouldn’t be into the whole shopping scene.
So, maybe I’ll see you next weekend? If not, we’ll still plan for the 28th.
Talk soon,
Hermione
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Now that both letters were written, she needed to send them before she chickened out. Pig held out his leg so Hermione could secure the letters for the flight.
“Alright, Pig, bring these straight to Ron and Ginny. I’ll need an answer soon, so I’ll see you back here in a few days, okay?”
She handed him one more owl treat, and Pig hooted as he set off into the night sky with her two letters. Once he was out of view, she collapsed onto her bed, covering her face with her hands. She hoped she was doing the right thing. There was nothing to do now but wait.