The dinner continued without anything unusual.
The conversation stayed simple, moving between school, small stories, and things Hermione could safely share. Her parents listened, occasionally asked questions, and Victor answered when needed without adding more than necessary.
By the time they finished, the table had cleared, plates and dishes vanishing one by one, and the evening had come to a quiet, natural end.
Victor stood to leave.
Hermione followed him to the door, opening it slightly as the cold air slipped inside.
"You're leaving already?" she asked, looking at him.
"I can't stay long," he said. "This is enough."
She nodded, though she didn't move away.
Victor paused, then reached into his coat.
"Oh, and Hermione… this is for you."
He placed something in her hand.
A delicate gold necklace, simple but carefully made, with a small red gem set neatly at its center. It wasn't flashy, but the magic in it was steady, contained.
Hermione looked down at it, turning it slightly between her fingers.
"Um… what is this?" she asked, her curiosity immediate, her tone softer now.
"It's a charmed gem," Victor said. "It stores a bit of magic. Nothing dramatic, but useful when you need it."
Hermione examined it more closely, her expression shifting as she recognized the kind of work that went into something like that.
"That's not something you just make casually," she said, glancing up at him. "It's actually… quite advanced."
Victor didn't respond to that directly.
Hermione closed her hand around it, still clearly thinking about it, then hesitated before stepping back inside for a moment.
Victor waited.
She returned quickly, holding something in her hands.
"Um… I was going to give you this," she said, a little unsure now. "I just didn't know when it would feel right."
She handed him a scarf.
It was simple, clearly handmade, not perfect, but carefully done.
Victor took it without hesitation.
"Gifts don't need timing," he said. "If you have one, you give it."
He wrapped the scarf around his neck, adjusting it once before letting it settle properly against the cold.
Hermione watched him, the hesitation from earlier gone now, replaced with something lighter.
"It suits you," she said, a small smile forming.
Victor glanced at her, fingers brushing the edge of the scarf once as if checking it.
"Well… you're the one who gave it to me," he said. "So it should."
Hermione's smile widened just slightly at that.
"And… thank you," she added, lifting the necklace a little before letting it rest again. "For this. I'll keep it with me."
Victor gave a small nod.
"Good."
For a moment, neither of them moved. The cold air slipped in through the open door, but neither seemed in a hurry to close it.
"Take care," Hermione said finally.
"You too," Victor replied.
She stepped back, though her gaze stayed on him as he turned and walked away, the scarf catching lightly in the wind as he moved down the path.
The door closed slowly behind him.
Hermione remained there for a moment after the door closed, her hand resting lightly over the necklace, her thoughts still on him as the cold air faded from the doorway.
She turned back inside.
Mrs. Granger was already watching her.
There was a knowing smile there.
"So," she said casually, though her tone made it clear it wasn't casual at all, "is there something going on between you two?"
Hermione froze for half a second, then immediately shook her head.
"There is nothing," she said, a little too quickly. "He's my best friend. That's all."
Mrs. Granger didn't look convinced.
"Your best friend, who you invited for Christmas dinner, who brings you a carefully made gift, and who you walk to the door like that," she said, her smile widening slightly. "Yes, I can see how that's completely ordinary."
Hermione's cheeks flushed.
"That's not what it is," she said, trying to sound firm. "We just… understand each other. That's it."
Mr. Granger, who had been listening quietly, gave a small amused look.
"Mm," he said, not arguing, which somehow made it worse.
Hermione crossed her arms slightly.
"You're both overthinking it," she said. "He just came because I asked him to."
"And gave you a gift," Mrs. Granger added.
Hermione hesitated.
"And I gave him one back," she said, quieter now, like she realized she wasn't helping her own argument.
Mrs. Granger's smile didn't change.
"I see."
Hermione let out a small huff, turning away as if ending the conversation.
"It's not like that," she muttered.
But Mr. and Mrs. Granger could see it clearly—Hermione definitely felt something for that boy, and it was definitely not just friendly.
*****
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