The End Of The Beginning

CHAPTER-12

A/N: I'm very sorry I've been MIA for so long. I've been trying to answer some reviews to let you know I was still alive. Haha. Since I know you guys and gals understand, I won't go into details. Suffice it to say life has just gotten hectic here lately. But here is the next update that I know some of you have really been waiting for. Let me go ahead and say that we ARE going to get Hermione's perspective on the date as well. Until then, I'll let your imaginations do some guesswork as to what happens during the parts we don't get to see.

~

Harry felt the knot in his stomach tighten while he waited on Hermione and Luke to come down the stairs. Ginny was non-chalantly checking her reflection in a mirror.

"Why so tense Harry?"

"I'm not tense."

"Harry, I can very well see that you're tense. Relax. Why are you so worked up over Hermione and Luke?"

Ginny was feigning an air of light curiosity, but Harry could hear the warning in her tone.

"I can't worry about my best friend? I don't even know this bloke."

"He's sweet. He'll be good to Hermione. Don't worry about it alright?"

Harry nodded and checked his watch again. Hermione and Luke were running late, which was uncharacteristic of Hermione. Finally, after ten more minutes of twiddling his thumbs and checking his watch, Hermione and Luke descended the stairs.

"Sorry we're late. My hair just wasn't cooperating today." Hermione grumbled. Her hair had been straightened into loose curls and framed her face nicely.

"What's wrong with how it normally looks?" Harry replied.

"Oh please Harry, that's a nice sentiment but it's normally a mess." Hermione smiled.

"It looks great, where we off to?" Luke asked.

"Let's get some Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Then we can go browse around the new W.W.W. premises before heading to Tomes and Scrolls." Hermione rattled off what was to her a clearly designed schedule.

"Oh come on, no Madame Puddifoot's? It'd be fun!" Ginny winked devilishly at Hermione who blushed.

"Er....not today. Maybe some other time." Hermione responded.

"Yeah I'd rather steer clear of that place." Harry chimed in.

"Oh come on Harry....one bad date there and now it's off limits?" Ginny whined.

"Pretty much."

"It sounds great, let's get going before we sit around and it gets dark." Luke grabbed a freshly blushing Hermione's hand and set off, Harry and Ginny on their heels.

Ginny was trying to talk to Harry about ideas for the next quidditch match, but he kept his answers short as he was trying to catch whatever it was that Hermione found so interesting in what Luke was saying.

"Uh huh." Harry nodded.

"Harry, that wasn't a question. Are you even listening to me?"

"Uh.." he could see the daggers forming in Ginny's eyes, "Sorry Ginny, just got a little distracted is all."

"Harry, for the last time, relax. How are we supposed to enjoy our date when all you care about is catching every little thing between those two? Leave them alone. Hermione is a grown woman, she can handle herself just fine."

Harry sighed, "Alright Ginny. Now what is it you were saying?"

Harry indulged Ginny all the way to a corner booth at the Three Broomsticks that Hermione and Luke had found for them.