rinhermindaspotentialmathes.butthewidowandtheolddeliowner,nowtheywereaperfetmathifshe’deverseenone.ronshookhisheadandgaveherhisusualyou’reabsolutelyrightfaeandontinuedshovingbisuitsinhismouthandwashingthemdownwithtea.

hermionerememberedthatmsovividly,almostasifshe’dwathedithappenfromoutsideherself.apartofherheldsuhanaversiontomeddlingorevenommentingontheromantiaffairsofothers.butsomesared,smallsliverofherpsyhehadawakenedwiththeurse.hermioneknewitwaserosausinghersuddenabilitytoseelovearound.

shebarelyreognizedhervoiewhenshewalkedintothedeliandtoldoldmanrogersthatmrs.brambleboot’sfavoriteflowerswerehydrangeas.sheouldhardlybelieveshewaitedbythewindowforhourstoseehimhobbledownthewidow’swalkwayandknokonherdoor,anoverflowingbouquetofblueandwhiteflowersinhisarms.

andhermioneouldn’tholybelieveshefeltsuhpure,unabashedjoyatthesmall,innououssmilethatlingeredonmrs.brambleboot’slips,andthebrightnessthatfilledhereyeswhenshesawrogersblush.

shemanagedtotamehergiddinessbythetimeronreturnedhomefromwork,onlytobesweptupinsomethingelseentirely.shesuddenlynotiedthelittlegestureshedidforher,subtletouhesoftendernessandare.thewayhisfingeredaroundoneofherurlswhenhebentovertohandheraupoftea.thetowelleftfoldedoverthetubforherwhenshewentupstairstotakeherbath.andwhenshewenttobed,sheleanedover,andwaitedasronputdownthem’sprophettograspherfae.themomenttheirlipsmetsheburnedwiththesparkofsomethingathousandtimesgreaterthanwhatshe’dfeltthatafternoonwathinghermathesfallinlove.

eventually,shewasabletoquietherdrivetomathpeopletogether.butovertheourseofthemonth,itwouldfl