It was nearing Christmas holiday in Hogwarts and the occupants of the castle were finishing their assignments before the festivities could officially begin. Hermione Granger had been sitting in her office grading rolls of parchment for the assignment she gave her fourth-year students about ancient practices of Transfiguration when she sat back in her chair, closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. Looking at her watch, she discovered that it was eleven o' clock at night. She groaned. She still had so many rolls of parchment to grade before she could be done for the holiday and it was taking her forever to do so.

Hermione looked out the window and saw that, while being cooped up in her office, a heavy snow had started to fall and coat the school grounds. She had always loved the snow and being in a magical castle just made her love it even more. It was like something out of a fairy tale. What was better was that the next day was a Hogsmeade trip day and she had every intention of going to a new coffee shop that had just opened. Maybe she could finish her work while she sat at one of the tables in the café. On a snowy day, she could not think of a better way to spend her time.

Packing up the rolls of parchment, she stashed them into her desk before heading to her chambers to get some sleep before she had to be up to escort the students to Hogsmeade the next day.

However, sleep did not overcome her when she laid down on her bed. Hermione lay awake looking up at the ceiling which she had enchanted like the Great Hall. Snowflakes were floating down towards her before fading into nothing.

This time of year always had her feeling nostalgic and right now all she could think about was the time she had spent at Hogwarts with Ron and Harry. Sadly, she had drifted apart from them after the war had ended, however, not voluntarily. When the battle had ended, Ron had every intention of following through with their relationship, but Hermione turned him down and he had not been happy about it. He had accused her of playing with his emotions and she assured him that it had not been her intention to do so but when they had been in the Chamber of Secrets, she felt no spark in the kiss they had shared. After hearing this, he walked away, and she had not seen him since. Harry had changed after the war understandably. He became withdrawn and spent most of his time by himself but on occasion he would talk to her via owl post. The last she had heard from him was that he wanted to take some time to travel abroad and see the world before settling down. She wished he had asked her to go with him, but she had things to do for herself. She missed Harry and she wondered where he could be right now. She decided that she would send him an owl the next day when she got back from Hogsmeade.

With that thought, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

The wintry scene made Hermione happy as the carriages stopped at the entrance to the all wizarding village. The Charmed Mug was at the end of the lane next to Honeydukes. She was excited to make her way inside to get warm and grade her papers while taking in the snowy wonderland.

As she announced to the students to meet back at the carriages at their appointed time for departure, the students all ran off in different directions. She laughed to herself. She remembered the many trips she and her friends took to the village and her heart ached for their companionship.

Making her way down the road, Hermione finally reached the coffee shop. Upon opening the door, Hermione was hit by the aroma of coffee, cinnamon, and baked goods which all smelled heavenly to her. Taking a seat at a breakfast nook in the back corner of the shop, she set her bag down on the table before taking in her surroundings. The bar had a small collection of manual espresso machines that Hermione had seen once before in the muggle world. The machines seemed to be charmed to work on their own, however, since, as she saw customers order, the levers of the machines pulled down to extract the espresso from the ground beans. There were two baristas behind the counter, one taking orders and the other using their wand to charm the machines and pour the coffee. All the machines were placed on the back wall while the front of the counter was made to be a bar-type seating area where patrons could sit and converse with the staff and each other. The baristas seemed to enjoy the job as they were beaming ear-to-ear even when the line had gone down and were just talking to one another.

The rest of the café was filled with tables meant for four made of what looked like Maplewood and armchairs that resembled the ones in Gryffindor Tower. The windows were large and wrapped around the front half of the shop and from the table she was at she had a picturesque view of the rest of Hogsmeade. There were already quite a few people in the café but since the shop had already been open for a few months, she figured the that the major rushes had happened during the grand opening. Hermione made her way to the counter to place her order.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" asked the cheery barista behind the register. She spoke with a northern Irish accent and the name tag on her apron read Maura.

"Hello, there." responded Hermione. "Could I, please, get a French vanilla cappuccino with a…" her voice trailed off as she looked at the case filled with different types of cakes and pastries, "cranberry orange scone?"

"Excellent choice!" said Maura. "The scone is my favorite. Baked fresh this morning, like everything else." Hermione took out her bag to pay but Maura shook her head. "Professors at the school eat and drink for free, miss."

"Oh, no," protested Hermione kindly. "I couldn't, really."

Again, Maura shook her head. "It's one of the rules here. The owner respects the professors at the school very much."

"Is that so?" Hermione thought that was very generous. "Is the owner around? I would love to thank them."

Maura nodded. "Of course, miss. I will go get him and, if you would like to have a seat, I would be happy to bring you your order."

"Thank you, Maura! That's very kind."

Hermione went back to her table and started to spread out her work in front of her. She was beginning to grade her second roll of parchment and was engrossed in her work that when the voice from above her came, she gave a jump.

"Hermione Granger pouring over her work and oblivious to the rest of the world. I see some things never change." Said the voice with a laugh.

Hermione looked up to see…

"Harry?" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

The handsome man standing before her placed her coffee and scone in front of her before saying, "This is my coffee shop."

"What?"

Of all the things Hermione pictured Harry doing after the war, she had never imagined owning a coffee shop had not been one of them.

He laughed again. "Listen, Hermione, I know you are working, but would you mind if I sit so that we can catch up for a few minutes."

Hermione immediately responded "Of course, of course, sit down, Harry." She moved her scrolls back into her bag.

Harry took a seat opposite of her and looked her up and down. "You look great, Hermione."

She blushed. "So do you. What-How-" Hermione stammered. She did not know where to start. "How have you been, Harry?"

He shrugged. "I've, actually, been very well. I traveled around for a while but just came back to Britain around five months ago."

"Oh." Hermione could not help but feel a bit dejected at this. Why had he not visited or told her that he was back. "Where did you travel to?"

"Well," he began, "At first I decided to start in the United States. I was not really sure what to do with myself after the war." Hermione nodded, already knowing this. "It was weird. I was still famous, and I was still recognized no matter where I went. But, for the first time in my life, I did not have this looming dread over me. I felt free and I wanted to find out who I was away from home and away from being 'The Boy Who Lived' or 'The Chosen One'."

"So, coffee is who Harry Potter is now?" Hermione asked, a hint of a smile playing across her lips as she took a bite of her scone. "Oh my, Harry, this scone is incredible!"

Harry nodded and smiled again. "I'll be sure to tell Maura. The recipe is one she created, and the house elves make them every morning." Harry chuckled when she saw the disapproving look on her face and continued. "Don't worry, 'Mione, they get paid wages and they have full benefits just like my other employees. Dobby was my first employee, actually."

Hermione looked around excitedly. "Oh, Dobby works here?" She had always had a soft spot for the house elf, and she was glad that he was getting the things he deserved in his life.

"It's his day off, but I will send your regards to him tomorrow when he is in." said Harry.

"Yes, please." Hermione looked at him over her mug. "Thank you, Harry."

"For what?" he asked.

"For giving them their rights."

Harry nodded. "Well, I couldn't very well hire house elves and not give them equal pay and benefits after all the hard work you put into S.P.E.W when we were kids. Your voice would have eaten my conscience alive if I hadn't." The two shared a laugh. "But, seriously, they work hard, and they deserve it. And, to answer your question, yes, coffee is who I am now."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" asked Hermione.

Harry looked at the woman in front of him. He was right, she had not changed one bit and he loved it. She asked him the question as if they were back in school and she was merely helping him prepare for an exam. While he traveled, the one thing he had regretted was not asking her to accompany him. "When I was 'finding myself'," he used finger quotes and Hermione giggled, "I found that I was spending a lot of time in coffee shops. One day, I started talking to this barista after he made some latte art in my cup. He told me that he held classes on how to make coffee and I learned how from him. After a few months, he told me that he was traveling to Guatemala and all over Asia to learn more in depth on how to brew coffee and asked me to go with him."

"That sounds fascinating." Said Hermione. "What a great opportunity! Did you go around the muggle world or did you stay in the wizarding world?"

"Both since Jeremy is, also, a wizard."

"So, did he go back to his shop in America?" asked Hermione transfixed by everything he was saying.

"Actually," Harry turned around in his seat and waved over the other barista that was behind the counter, talking to Maura. "Hey, Jeremy, can you come over here for a moment?" Jeremy made his way over to the table and smiled. "Hermione, this is Jeremy Rowe, my business partner. Jeremy, this is Hermione Granger, my best friend and Transfiguration professor up at Hogwarts."

Hermione and Jeremy shook hands.

"It's a pleasure." Said Hermione.

"Oh, the pleasure is mine." Replied Jeremy. "I've heard a lot about you from Harry, here." Jeremy winked at Harry and Hermione noticed him blush slightly.

"Yes, well, while we were in Asia, I decided it was time to come home and I asked Jeremy if he would be interested in helping me open a shop here." Harry grinned.

"Thank God I did!" exclaimed Jeremy. "Wouldn't have met the misses if I hadn't."

"So, what does your wife do for a living, Jeremy?" asked Hermione.

The two men's smiles grew wider. Jeremy said, "I think you've met Maura already."

Hermione smiled as she looked over at the woman. "Aw, that's wonderful."

Jeremy nodded. "We met when I moved here. Harry and I were scouting out a few locations for this place when we met her at another coffee shop in Diagon Alley. We got married three months later."

"Wow, that was quick." Hermione laughed. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Jeremy said, "We just knew when we met, I guess, that we were perfect for one another." Jeremy held out his hand again to Hermione. "But, hey, I'll leave you two be to catch up. It was nice meeting you, Hermione.

"The same to you, Jeremy, and please tell Maura that the scone and the coffee are delicious." Hermione smiled.

He let go of her hand and smiled again. "Thank you she will be delighted."

Hermione turned her attention back to Harry. "He seems sweet."

Harry nodded. "He's a good guy." He leaned over and took Hermione's hand in his. "God, it's so good to see you, Hermione. I've missed you a lot."

Hermione's stomach twisted. She squeezed his hand in return. "I've missed you, too, Harry but why didn't you tell me you were back in the country?"

"I'll be honest, Hermione. I don't have an answer. I wanted to. I've thought about you a lot these last few years." There was something in his eyes that reflected sadness despite the smile on his face. "But I figured that you and Ron would have wanted to start your relationship and have your space. So, I backed off."

Hermione shook her head. "We never dated." She explained the situation with how things had ended between the two of them and for a split second she could have sworn she felt him squeeze her hand a little harder. "So, yeah, it was a wreck. But that's okay because I think if we had dated, he would have just held me back from going to school and graduating, to be honest. He would have told me it was pointless to go back. That I was one of 'the Golden Trio' and that I would have people throwing jobs at me left and right." She shrugged. "Maybe he would have been right, but that was never what I wanted. I wanted to earn a future for myself. I went back to Hogwarts, then, soon after, I applied for the job of Transfiguration professor, which you knew about already."

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry that Ron treated you that way. He was, clearly, being a child about the situation. Of course, back then, we still were kids, I guess." He looked at Hermione with a straight face for the first time since he sat down. "Hermione, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Harry, what is it?"

"Can I take you out to dinner tonight?" he asked. "I'd love to catch up more, but I have to get back to work. I've been putting off some paperwork that I need to get done."

Hermione laughed and pointed to her own bag of scrolls. "I know the feeling." She looked at Harry and gave his hand another squeeze. "I'd love to, Harry. Where should I meet you?"

Harry beamed. "How about we meet here at seven?"

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you then!"

Hermione smiled as he walked away, consulted with Maura for a moment and then went behind the bar, presumably to make himself a cup of coffee before he went back into the office. She pulled the scrolls back out of her bag and had just unfolded the first one when Maura came over to her.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked up again. "Hello, Maura." Before she could say another word, Maura had placed another cup in front of her. "What's this?"

"A token of gratitude from Harry." She winked at Hermione and walked away.

Hermione looked over at Harry who was leaning in the archway that separated the back room from the café. He rose his mug to her in cheers before going to the back room. Hermione looked down and saw that he had made a heart in her coffee.

Hermione had arrived in Hogsmeade at quarter to seven o' clock. The Charmed Mug was still open but only had a few customers in it since they would be closing at seven-thirty. Two different baristas were behind the counter this time, their name tags read Jason and Trent and when she came into the café, she told Trent that she was here to meet Harry. Trent smiled at her and went to fetch Harry.

"Please, have a seat. He will be just a moment." Said Jason. "Could I get you something while you wait?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you."

She sat down at the spot she had inhabited earlier that day. She was wearing a thick, red sweater with a gray cowl neck and padded black leggings with black knee-high boots. Over her outfit she wore a gray peacoat, a red Gryffindor scarf and gloves. She had thought it was fitting since the cold weather was getting worse. Her hair hung in loose curls on her shoulders and she had a touch of makeup on her face. Now that she was here, she could not help but feel a bit nervous, but she did not understand why. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that, even after all these years, the mere sight of him made her insides melt. Maybe it was the way he could not stop smiling when he saw her today. It made her feel special. Maybe she was just imagining things and this evening meant nothing. But she certainly wanted it to mean something.

"Hermione?" Her attention snapped up to Harry who had just approached her table. "Are you alright? You looked deep in thought."

Hermione stood up. "Oh, no, everything is fine." She chuckled slightly. "You know me, always thinking about something or another." She took in his appearance. He was wearing a button down emerald green shirt under his black sport coat along with a pair of black slacks. His hair was trimmed slightly shorter than he had it in school, but still retained some of its messiness which she liked. Something that she had not expected, however, was that he was not wearing his glasses. "Wow, Harry, you look so different without glasses on! Did you get contacts?"

Harry smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I wear them every now and again." He turned towards the office. "I could go put them back on if you would rather?"

She reached for his arm. "No, no! I just wasn't expecting it. You look so handsome." She blushed at her own words. Letting go of his arm, she cleared her throat. "So, where are we going?"

"I was thinking that I could apparate us to a spot I discovered in America, if that's okay?" asked Harry, grabbing his coat, a black peacoat.

"That sounds nice."

Stepping closer to her, he offered her his arm. Hermione gladly took it and she felt the familiar feeling of being transported. Within seconds, the two of them landed in a remote area.

"Where are we?" asked Hermione.

"We are in Salem, Massachusetts."

Hermione's face lit up. "Oh, wow! I've always wanted to come here."

"I know." Said Harry. When she gave him a puzzling look, he continued, "Back in third year, we had to write about the Salem Witch Trials and you told me that you wanted to travel here because it was an important part of the wizarding world's history of persecution."

Hermione was stunned. Many a time she could remember going on a banter about any subject to the boys, but she, honestly, doubted whether that they listened to her half the time. Especially when Ron called her a know-it-all. "You remember that?"

"Of course, I do, Hermione." He looked down at her and smiled. "I remember the emotion in your eyes as you went on to tell us about what happened here all those years ago. That's why I thought this place would be the perfect spot. We could go for a walk after dinner if you would like to see some historical sights."

Hermione's face lit up. "I would love that, Harry. Thank you!"

The night was beautiful as snow blanketed below their feet, crunching with each step that they took. The moon shone brightly, illuminating their way down the street and soon they had reached a restaurant called The Bewitched Wharf. The restaurant was beautiful, mixed with a modern feel but with Victorian accents in the décor and lit around the room with small torches giving the place a cozy and romantic ambiance.

Harry ushered her inside with a "Ladies first" and the two were seated immediately in front of the windows that looked out onto the wharf.

"Wow!" said Hermione, gazing out at the frozen water as the two took off their coats. "Harry, this place is gorgeous."

"It sure is." Harry said, looking only at her as he pulled Hermione's chair out for her. "You look incredible, by the way. I'm sorry I never said anything before, but you really do."

Hermione blushed so deeply she thought she would not need to cast a Warming Charm on herself when they ventured back outside later. "Thank you, Harry."

The waiter came to their table as Harry had taken his seat and asked them for their drink orders.

"I'll have Firewhiskey and…" Harry looked at Hermione, "you still like Chardonnay, right?"

"Yes, please." Said Hermione eagerly. She rarely drank since becoming a teacher but when she did, she loved a glass of the white wine. As the waiter made his way to the bar, Hermione realized something. "Wait, firewhiskey? Harry, is this place a wizarding establishment?"

Harry smiled. "It is. This place has the usual enchantments on it, just like Hogwarts and the Leaky Cauldron." He explained. "From the outside, muggles see an old dilapidated house that is 'so haunted' that it is declared off limits. However, for those who are a little more adventurous, as soon as they get too close, they hear sounds that chill even the bravest person's spine."

Hermione looked at him impressed. "Very interesting."

The waiter came back to give them their drinks and take their orders. When he left again, Harry reached across the table and took Hermione's hand in his.

"I'm really glad you agreed to come out with me tonight, 'Mione." Said Harry and Hermione could feel the sincerity in his voice.

"I am, too, Harry." The two just stared at one another for a few minutes before Hermione's mind snapped back to reality. "So…"

Harry smirked. "So…"

Hermione laughed slightly. "Sorry, I don't exactly know what to talk about. So much for a compelling conversation."

Harry had begun to caress her hand with his thumb. "It's alright. I was just sitting here thinking about how odd it was that so much time has passed for both of us and yet we are sitting here talking like no time has passed at all."

She nodded in agreement. "Harry, can I ask you something?"

"Anything." He said, letting go of her hand and sitting back in his seat.

"You left so suddenly after the war." She began. "I know that you were eager to get on with your life and find out who you were outside of 'The Boy Who Lived' but it seemed like you were running away from something." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. That's not my business, forget I said anything."

Harry looked at her with a soft expression. "Hermione, I-"

The waiter had come to their table with their food at that moment and the two were forced to extinguish the conversation. The two ate in silence and would, occasionally, steal glances at the other without them noticing.

Great going, Granger! Hermione thought to herself. Now you've made him feel uncomfortable. You just can't keep your nose out of other people's business, can you? Now, he probably wants to leave.

Once they had finished their meals, Hermione noticed that music had begun to play, and Harry stood up and walked over to her. He held his hand out to her, smiling. "Hermione, may I have this dance?"

"Since when do you dance, Harry?" She smirked but took his hand and rose to her feet.

Harry led her to the small dance floor where a few couples had already been dancing. He turned her to face him and placed his hand on her waist as she placed her hand on his arm. "I have changed in quite a few ways over the years, Miss Granger." He led the way while the two began to dance around the floor in time to the music.

Hermione was impressed by his gracefulness, something he certainly did not possess when they were in school. "I can see that."

After a few minutes, the music slowed as did the dancers around them.

"Would you like to keep dancing?" asked Harry.

Hermione nodded. "If you don't mind." The truth was, she was relishing in being this close to him and she was going to take advantage of this time they had together.

Harry pulled her closer to him and placed both of his arms around her waist while she instinctively put her arms around his neck. "Much better." Said Harry with a smirk that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yes, m-much better." She stammered.

Harry's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

Hermione shook her head. "No! It's fine. Just surprised is all."

Harry's expression softened while they danced. "Hermione, I have to confess something." Hermione looked into his eyes as he took a deep breath before speaking. "You were right about me. When I left, I was running away from something. I was running away from feelings that I was having for someone who I thought was already spoken for. I had faced enough heartache in my life, and I could not face any more. If I had stayed in England, I would be forced to watch the woman I love be with someone other than me and it would have driven me mad."

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry," Hermione said, "I wish there was something I could have done to help you through that. You're my best friend and I just want to see you happy." Despite her words, Harry let out a small chuckle. "What's so funny, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "Nothing, 'Mione. You always seem to know how to cheer me up, is all."

Hermione was not convinced by his reaction but did not press the issue. She rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to dance in silence. When the music stopped a few minutes later, the two made their way back to their table.

"Would you like to go site-seeing?" Harry asked. "Unless you have to get back to the school?"

Hermione gave her watch a quick glance to find it was only eight-thirty. "I have plenty of time. I'd like to go see some of the sites if you wouldn't mind showing me."

Harry smiled. "Not at all."

For the next couple of hours, Harry took Hermione all over Salem as he showed her all the historical sites that were associated with the city. First, they stopped at the House of the Seven Gables, a house that was famously named in a book by Nathaniel Hawthrone of the same name. Hermione had, of course, read the book and had explained the premise of the book to Harry. He had found this rather interested since he was quite a fan of materials of that sort. The House was surrounded by bushes and flowers that, during the summer would have been beautiful but now that there was a bite in the air, the flowers had wilted.

The two, then, traveled down Essex Street as they window shopped and talked. Halfway down the street, people dressed in Puritan clothing came walking down shouting that they had found a witch. The "witch" was protesting the accusation as they led her through the square, reading out her supposed crimes.

As they made their way down the street, Hermione shivered. The winter breeze was getting colder by the moment. Harry took out his wand discretely and muttered under his breath. Instantly, Hermione felt as if she were sitting in front of the fireplace in her office. She looked up at Harry.

"Thank you, that is much better."

Harry smiled at her as he put his arm around her, bringing her closer as they walked. "Anytime."

Their next stop was to the Rope's Mansion. A beautiful, white house with black shutters surrounded by white fencing. The house looked even more picturesque as snow covered the roof top and had dusted the shutters.

"I've read about this house!" said Hermione excitedly. "It was the house used in a movie called 'Hocus Pocus'."

"I love that movie." Said Harry.

"Really?"

"Why is that so surprising?" smirked Harry.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just never imagined you as a big movie person."

Harry nodded. "Well, normally, you'd be right. Not much time for movies as you're trying to save the world." He laughed when he received a slap on the arm from Hermione. "I saw it when I was hanging out with Jeremy. It was around Halloween time and they were showing it on television. I can see why so many muggles like it. Very funny and entertaining. Now that I think about it, that might have been my very first movie."

Hermione looked over at Harry. "Are you serious?"

This time it was Harry's turn to shrug. "Well, you know what my childhood was like, Hermione. I wasn't exactly the kid who got to do fun stuff. I was the kid who learned how to cook when I was six so that I could make breakfast for my ungrateful family. I cleaned, did garden work, and did all kinds of odd jobs around the house. I did that pretty much from the time I woke up to the time that I went to bed." Harry snapped out of his reverie and looked back at Hermione and smiled. "But that's all behind me, now. I have people in my life that care about me and that's all I really need." He ran his hand through his hair again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring the mood down with all of that."

"You never told me that before." Her heart broke for the man in front of her. When she was young, she spent so much time worrying about her studies that she never realized that her best friend was a virtual slave. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry looked at her, surprised. "For what?"

Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes. "I should have been there for you. I should have insisted that you come to spend the holidays with me at my house. There's so many things I could have done to help."

"No, Hermione. That would have just put your family in danger." He took a deep breath. "It was bad enough that I was putting their daughter in danger." Harry looked at her again and a moment later, he sighed. "I'm glad you came out with me tonight, Hermione."

Hermione nodded. "So am I."

He took her hands in his. "Come on, let's keep going."

The two continued to tour the city before ending back at the wharf where they had dinner. Hermione and Harry sat on a bench that overlooked the scenery. With the moon shining brightly, she could see the ships clearly against the starry background. She took a deep breath and she felt at peace with the world for the first time in a long time. Harry put his arm around her shoulders again, and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. This had been the perfect evening and she did not want it to end, but she needed to get back to the school.

Keeping her head on his shoulder she said, "Harry, this has been such a wonderful night. Thank you for showing me around."

"I'm so happy that you had a good time." Replied Harry. She felt him take a deep breath before continuing. "Hermione, there's one more thing I need to tell you before we head back." Hermione raised her head to look him in the eyes and for what felt like the hundredth time that night, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her body at the mere sight of them. "Hermione, I did not bring you out tonight because I wanted to just catch up."

"You didn't?"

Harry shook his head. "No, Hermione, I've been in love with you since we were kids, but I left because I thought you and Ron would start your relationship. I did not want to stand in the way of your happiness. My biggest regret was not telling you about my feelings before leaving."

"Harry," started Hermione, taking his hand in hers. "I never thought I'd hear those words." She placed her other hand on the side of his face. "It's always been you that I was in love with, Harry."

"Really?" he asked, almost desperately.

"Always, Harry."

Without any more hesitation, Harry leaned forward and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. He had waited so long for this moment, but he would not have had it any other way.

Hermione felt herself melt into his embrace and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She could not believe that she was kissing Harry, and in such a romantic atmosphere. This had, truly, been a perfect night.

Twenty minutes later, Harry had apparated them outside of the Hogwarts Castle Grounds.

Hermione looked at him, their fingers intertwined. "I had an amazing night, Harry. Thank you."

He kissed the hand that he was holding. "As did I, love."

She felt her hear skip a beat as she moved towards him again. He leaned in and kissed her again. It was innocent, gentle and perfect.

Hermione broke the kiss and turned to the gate. "I will see you this weekend?"

Harry nodded. "I'll be counting the minutes."

They let go of each other and Hermione went inside as Harry apparated back to Hogsmeade.

Okay, another fic in the books so to speak haha. It's incredible how being forced to stay home can stir up all sorts of creativity in my mind. I've wanted to write a coffee shop fic for awhile now, seeing as I work for one, so I figured that there was no time like the present. Salem is my favorite place to visit even though its been a few years since I've gone. The House of the Seven Gables and Ropes Mansion are real places there and if you ever get to go, I encourage you to do so once this quarantine has been lifted. Such a beautiful and historic city! (Not to mention, they have some Harry Potter themed shops there *wink*)

I do have an idea for an epilogue, but I don't know if I'll post it. If you would like me to, I can do so if you let me know! Just message me on here if you would like an epilogue and I can do some thinking and post what I come up with.

I did a few read throughs of this before posting and did change a few details so if something does not quite make sense, that is probably why. If you would message me and let me know, I will go back and fix it.

Thank you all again for your support and for reading my work.