Too close

Hermione woke up to knocks on the door. Careful, tentative knocks on her apartment door. She dragged herself out of bed, pulling out her wand to fix her hair and clothes. The door knocked again, more reassuring now. It was strange she pondered the sound of knuckles against wood. Her thoughts were interrupted by Percy, who was smiling slightly at her on the other side of the doorframe.

"Percy!" Hermione exclaimed. "Good morning! What can I do for you?"

Percy ran a hand through his hair, raising his eyebrows at Hermione. "Would you believe me if I have an emergency that requires immediate company of my neighbour?" he asked cheekily. Hermione cocked an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth twiching upwards.

"What if I did, believe you?" Hermione asked. Merlin, she was flirting.

"Then I'd have to get you out of here, because I actually do have an emergency and it really does require a girl's opinion," Percy said nervously. "I need to go... shopping for my mom. It's her birthday coming soon. She's raised me on her own and I just wanted to do something nice, and I don't actually know what to get her, so I was kind of wondering if-"

"I would love to accompany you pick out a present," Hermione interrupted maybe a little too quickly then she intended. "That is, if you don't mind letting me take a shower."

Percy nodded slowly as if he was thinking it over. "Well, this is an emergency... but we don't need you stinking up the place" Percy said in mock seriousness. Pretending to be offended Hermione punched him in the arm. It was a surprise how firm his arm felt when she made contact, blushing she left him on the couch to get ready for the day.

The mall was packed with tourists and families. Percy gripped Hermione's hand, keeping her a lot closer than necessary. "We should go to the candy store first. It's a bit of a tradition for us," Percy told her, before dragging her to the candy store by Rockefeller Center. Hermione watched as Percy picked out all the blue candy, beaming at the joyous look on his face.

"Why blue?" Hermione asked curiously, but Percy just shrugged "kind of a tradition." He replied with his easy smile clouding her vision. Next, they went to the jewelry store, where Percy asked the workers for something suitable for a birthday. The man, who wore glasses and had grey hair, smiled at the pair, before wishing Hermione a happy birthday.

"No, it's actually for my mom," Percy explained, which earned a chuckle and a blush from the worker.

"Well, good sir, come back when it's her birthday, then!" he said, before letting Percy pay for the bracelet. As they left the store, Hermione stared at Percy with admiration in her eyes. Percy caught her staring, smiling back slightly before leading her to a pizzeria to eat.

"I hope you like pizza," he said, pulling the chair back for her to sit in. Hermione nodded enthusiastically, remembering the lack of pizza at Hogwarts.

"I love pizza. We weren't allowed to have any in the boarding school I grew up at," Hermione said wistfully.

"You grew up at a boarding school?" Percy asked, grinning widely. "That's pretty cool. I grew up at a camp for troublemakers, if you believe me."

"It can't be the camp on Long Island, is it?" Hermione said, remembering the camp Silena described.

"Yeah, if actually is," Percy said, raising his eyebrows questioningly. "How'd you-"

"I've actually got a friend who goes there. Maybe you know her, Silena Baueregard?"

"No way," Percy said. Right then, the waiter came, successfully putting their conversation on hold. The two decided to share a pepperoni pizza, before Percy asked for blue soda and Hermione ordered iced tea. They chatted amiably for the next half hour, and Hermione was pleased to finally find someone she could enjoy herself around. Percy was just glad Hermione hadn't pressed him more about Camp Half-Blood. Maybe he needed to have a talk with a certain daughter of Aphrodite.

When Percy dropped Hermione off, he thanked her for helping pick out the bracelet. "It's been a while since I had someone I could depend on," Percy admitted nervously. Hermione hugged him goodbye tightly, happily surprised when he squeezed back just as hard.

"I'll see you around, yeah?" she asked hopefully. Percy nodded.

"Of course. I'm just a floor away," Percy said, before leaving Hermione with a warm feeling in her chest.

Hermione returned home, eager to get back to her dummy. It was a grueling, intensive workout, beating it to pulp, but it was something Hermione enjoyed. She loved magic. She missed magic.

She decided to cook herself some macaroni, feeling a bit hungry. She looked to the land line, sitting quietly on the kitchen counter-top. "Don't call," Harry had warned. Not only that, he told her not to use the phone at all. What was that about? Sighing deeply, she crossed off another day on the calendar. "Almost at the wedding, Mione. You got this," she muttered.

The only problem was the small voice in the back of her mind, the one that reminded her what she'd miss here: Percy.

"No," she said firmly. "I don't need another guy to ruin me."

And that night, Hermione Granger convinced herself she wouldn't need a guy again, maybe for the rest of her life.

The football game was a crowded one. An English team was visiting America! Hermione didn't actually enjoy watching football so much, but Percy seemed willing to go. He had picked her up that morning with a shy smile and dark, messy hair. Hermione had a hard time looking away from him.

"You all ready to go?" Percy asked. Hermione nodded, trying to remember what she kept telling herself. He's just going to hurt you. Would he, though? He'd been a true gentleman the entire time they knew each other, and had never hinted at a relationship at all. Would he hurt her?

"So which teams are playing?" Hermione asked, looking around at the fans wearing different jerseys. Even growing up as a muggleborn child, she'd never taken an interest in sports.

"Manchester United and LA Galaxy," Percy explained. "The red jerseys are Manchesters', and the whites are LA's. Say, aren't you from Manchester?"

Hermione felt a warm brush creep up her neck, secretly pleased he remembered. Not to mention the sideways glance he shot her made him look endearing. She nodded, glad she was wearing red that day. Hermione was surprised to find their seats were near the front, where the more important looking people were. "How'd you get these seats?" Hermione asked curiously. It just occurred to her she didn't actually know much about Percy after all.

"Well," Percy said, wincing. "I've got some friends with tricks up their sleeve. You might actually know them, they usually hang out near where you work."

"Do your friends have names?" Hermione asked lightly, gripping Percy's arm as they wove through the crowd.

"Connor. And Travis," Percy said. "They're twins, actually. Hard to tell apart, besides their height."

Hermione frowned, something itching the back of her mind. She pushed it away, instead turning to the game. It would be starting soon. With a sad start, Hermione realized she hadn't brought nor bought any snacks. When they sat down, Percy protruded some jelly beans from the inside of his coat, offering them to her with a grin.

"I thought you could be hungry. They don't allow food near this section but I could always sneak some in for you when the game starts and security eases up."

"We could always eat later," Hermione said shyly.

Percy grinned even wider, shoving his cold hands in his pocket. "I like the way you think."

Hermione got the fundamentals of the game down by the fifteen minute mark. It surprised her how quickly time had passed. Manchester was leading 1-0 already. The crowd had started chanting, their words barely discernible under the applause. It was a wonder they could run so quickly in the cold weather, though she suspected adrenaline would be a lot of help. She shivered slightly, but kept her eyes on the game.

"You cold?" Percy asked. Hermione shook her head, but she knew her nose and cheeks were probably pink with cold. Percy took his coat off, ignoring her protests insistently. He put it around her warmly, also putting her hand in his. It was cold in his warmed hands, but it felt good. Hermione was grateful her blush wouldn't be identifiable at the moment.

The game ended 5-1, but Hermione thought LA Galaxy's keeper played really well. It gave her an odd sense of nostalgia. She used to watch all of Harry and Ron's Quidditch games back at Hogwarts, and used to cheer along with the Gryffindors at each win. Percy led them both out, suggesting a sushi place for dinner. Hermione politely declined. "Why don't we just get some pizza and head back to my flat?" she asked, feeling exhaustion set in. "I'm a bit tired."

Percy didn't seem to mind.

_

"I had a great time," Hermione said, thanking Percy at the door. The pizza box lay empty on the table, coke cans littering the area.

"Me too," Percy said. They said nothing for a bit, and Hermione felt the sudden need to get away from him. Before she could say anything else, however, he was leaning towards her, his eyes on hers questioningly. Hermione felt her lips part, tilting her head to meet his. Only when his lips came an inch from hers did she turn away, planting a firm kiss on his cheek instead.

"Goodnight, Percy," Hermione said, hoping her eyes looked apologetic. He had a red tinge to his neck, but he smiled at her all the same. Her heart squeezed itself in her chest.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he bid, before giving her one last smile and leaving. Hermione closed the door behind her, crawling up into a ball on the couch. Did she want to kiss him? Yes. Definitely. Undoubtedly. But she couldn't, of course. She didn't want to make excuses, but she really couldn't.

She needed to go back to England, where she'd feel safer. Fine. Before that, she needed to do one thing... She needed a drink.