"I'm so sorry. My mum kept asking you all sorts of questions," Hermione said rather apologetically to Jacob on a bustling shopping street in London.
After discovering her parents' "sinister intentions," Hermione had been so embarrassed that she hurriedly pulled Jacob out with her. She completely missed the fond smiles on her parents' faces as they watched the two of them leave.
Clearly, Mr. and Mrs. Granger were fairly satisfied with Jacob's behavior so far.
"It's nothing. Your parents were just, well, very welcoming." Naturally, Jacob had not been chosen as a Champion solely for his outstanding magic. He was very clever, too.
In fact, because there were many marriage alliances in his family, quite a few of them with Muggles from the New Continent, he had understood what Mr. and Mrs. Granger were thinking even before Hermione did.
"Hmph, those two." Hermione wrinkled her little nose.
That adorable little gesture made Jacob's pupils contract slightly.
Hermione had no idea. She thought she and Jacob had first met at the Hogwarts welcoming feast for the students from the other schools-though she had not noticed Jacob at all then.
He ought to have noticed her only after that, too.
But that was not how it had happened. Jacob had actually seen Hermione much earlier. Hermione simply knew nothing about it.
From their very first meeting, Jacob had been drawn to Hermione quite beyond his control.
It was just that his circumstances then had not been suitable for striking up a conversation-and he did not know how to, either. When he saw Hermione again at Hogwarts afterward, Jacob had been incredibly excited.
In fact, part of the reason Jacob had returned to school to compete for the position of Champion had been his desire to see Hermione again. He had already completed