Hermione arrived home a few hours later, completely exhausted and in no
mood for any company, especially the company that she was expecting. Her
boss, Edmund Eversing and Tom Haldinton were coming over to discuss her
assignment, and future work in a similar field. Hermione was going to do
everything she could to stay away from working with Quiddich stories, as it
meant less chance of bumping into Harry.
Seeing Harry again had shaken her up more than she was willing to admit, especially due to the fact that he still remembered what they had once had...
She set her car keys down and raced upstairs and into the shower. She covered her body in rose scented oil, meant to clam her shattered nerves, before jumping out, drying herself and running to her room. They would be here in a matter of minutes, and she needed to make a good impression if she was going to get the stories that she wanted. She put on her lucky underwear and brushed her hair out, before using a quick drying spell to make sure that it was looking its best.
Searching through her wardrobe, she found a blue summer dress that reached just above her knee. It was classy and casual at the same time, making it one of her favourite outfits in her wardrobe.
20 minutes later, the doorbell rang, startling Hermione and causing her to smudge the lipstick she had been reapplying at that very moment. Cursing silently, she quickly fixed herself up before running to the door.
"Sorry about that!" She called through the door as she cast the charm to unlocking it, opening it up.
"Don't worry about leaving your dear friend stranded on the other side of the door." Tom said, grinning as he held up a bottle of wine. Hermione relaxed visibly, obviously fearing it had been her boss, who she had more need to impress.
"Relax, Eversing isn't here yet." He said, guessing the mood she was in correctly.
"I know I know, it's just I've had a tough day."
"How was the interview with Mr. Potter?"
"Think of your worst nightmare. Multiply it by 15, add 9 and then square it and I think you might just about come remotely close to the terror I suffered. Now come in quick, I have to magic something up for dinner otherwise we'll be eating nothing".
Tom sat himself down at the table that had been neatly set for three and watched Hermione fiddle around trying to magic up some lamb and rosemary potato's.
"Herm...what exactly happened?" Tom questioned, eager to know exactly what had gone on during Hermione's meeting with the infamous Harry Potter. Just then the doorbell rang.
"Tell you later Tom, stay after Eversing has left and I'll let you know" Hermione said whilst walking to open the door. "Mr. Eversing, how are you" She greeted her boss and invited him in.
"Great thanks and you Granger?"
"Very good thanks Sir. Please, sit down, can I get you something to drink?" Hermione offered playing the perfect hostess. The night continued smoothly, eating Hermione's delicious meal amongst talk of hers and Tom's future. It was some time during a desert of fruit salad and ice cream that Eversing mentioned his ulterior motive for coming for dinner.
"Hermione, there is something that we need to discuss. I want Tom here as well, because he will be very involved" Eversing set his spoon down and turned to Tom and Hermione. "I have two positions as partners going for the newspaper, and I want to give them to you two". Hermione almost choked on a piece of pineapple when she heard the news.
"Partners Sir?" She questioned settling down a little.
"Yes Granger. I will retire sometime in the next two years, and I want the two of you to take over the newspaper. But in order for that to happen, company policy dictates that you both must be partners in the firm in order for that to happen. So I want to make you to partners."
"That wasn't what I was expecting at all" Tom cut it. "I didn't hope for as much...thank you so much Sir!" Tom was smiling so hard his face hurt!
"However..." Eversing said slowly, obviously suggesting there was more to this arrangement. "I have recently been talking to the manager of Puddlemere United. I told him that the stories based on their progress and their players were the most popular, and he offered a position for two of our reporters to travel around with them for a couple of months, conducting interviews, photo shoots." Hermione clutched the sides of her chair in fear, knowing where this was going...
"So you want us to go, is that it?" Tom said, filling in the gaps.
"The reporters have to be someone high up in the magazine, someone trustworthy, because this is an important job. I would go, but I think I'm getting a bit old for this. That leaves the two of you."
"Please Sir...I can't do it" Hermione said, knowing that her promotion rested on spending months on end with Harry Potter.
"Your promotion depends on this job Hermione. You do this and it'll prove to me, and the rest of the firm, that you are capable of running a company."
"But...but..."
"Hermione...." Tom warned her quietly, before turning to his boss. "She'll do it." He said firmly. Eversing nodded, rising from his table.
"Very well, I'm happy to hear that. I will discuss the details of this tomorrow in the office. As for now, I had better be leaving." He said, picking up his coat from the lounge before making his way to the door.
"Thank you Sir, for this wonderful opportunity." Hermione said, trying to keep a calm composure as she ushered her boss out the door. "Sir, before you leave, when will this job begin?" She questioned.
"You and Tom will leave on Saturday morning"
"Thank you Sir" As soon as she had closed the door behind him, she turned on Tom.
"I CAN"T DO IT!" She yelled.
"You are going to do it Hermione" Tom said walking over to her couch and seating himself on it. Hermione collapsed next to him.
"I can't Tom. I am not spending another moment with that asshole! Absolutely not. I can't do it!" Hermione exploded. Tom put a comforting arm around her.
"Listen Herm, I will be there and I will make sure that nothing weird happens ok. I know that you don't like him, and I know what he did to you..."
"No you don't! I loved him so much! I loved him more than anything, and I was ready to do anything for him...except what he asked" Hermione cried. She was absolutely distraught by this point.
"I know that, listen to me..." Tom enveloped her in a tight hug. "Tell Harry things are different now, tell him you are...with someone else. Tell his that everything has changed"
"Ok. That's a great idea." Hermione pulled away. "I'll tell him that I am with someone else...but who...it has to be believable" Hermione took off her shoes and pulled her feet under her, thinking hard.
"You could always tell him that you and I are...you know...together. That way it would seem very believable." Tom offered. Hermione jumped up and started clapping, causing Tom to roll over laughing.
"That is the best idea, oh my gosh! Thank you so much! Do you think that it'll work?" Tom stood up as well.
"You're pissed Herm. I can tell. Yes it will work, but we have to discuss it tomorrow. Go to bed and sleep ok, you drank too much after Eversing told you about the plan...go and sleep it off ok" Tom said, kissing Hermione on the forehead before showing himself out the door. "Sleep tight!" He called as the door slammed behind him.
"YESSSSSSS" Hermione cried, before walking upstairs and collapsing, fully dressed, on her bed.
****************
"Potter, I called you in here today because I've heard some interesting rumors about you and the reporter that was here today."
"What rumors Rob?" Harry asked his manager, confused.
"Well.... apparently you and this Hermione had a bit of a tussle in Hogwarts, and she's still sore about it."
"We did date briefly, and it didn't end very well. But that's in the past. I'm not going to let it interfere with my game."
"Do you plan on seeing her again?"
"Goodness no! I'd hate to think what would happen if...."
"She's going to be touring with us Potter." Rob interrupted, sitting back in his seat as he watched Harry's reaction.
"W...what?" Harry yelled. "No.... get someone else, anyone. Not her! She hates me, she'll write all these lies about me...."
"Well then you'd better start being a little nicer to her then shouldn't you?" Rob said nastily.
"Rob, why does it have to be her?" Harry whined, calming down.
"I don't know. The strange sadistic workings of fate perhaps." Harry pulled a face as he left his managers office.
"Tell fate it can go jump off a cliff." He muttered. "I can't see her again.... What's it going to do to my game?"
OKIES SO WOT DID YOU GUYZ THINK OF THAT. I THOUGHT THAT WOZ MY BEST CHAPPIE YET. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO R READIN INSPIRATION, THE END IS COMING SOON!!!!
I WANT TO THANK DREAM-SIREN FOR GIVING ME THE IDEA FOR THIS CHAPPY, YOU ROK DUDE! (P.S. READ HER FICS, THEY ARE EXCELLENT)
LUV YA ALL
LOZ AND NATTY
Seeing Harry again had shaken her up more than she was willing to admit, especially due to the fact that he still remembered what they had once had...
She set her car keys down and raced upstairs and into the shower. She covered her body in rose scented oil, meant to clam her shattered nerves, before jumping out, drying herself and running to her room. They would be here in a matter of minutes, and she needed to make a good impression if she was going to get the stories that she wanted. She put on her lucky underwear and brushed her hair out, before using a quick drying spell to make sure that it was looking its best.
Searching through her wardrobe, she found a blue summer dress that reached just above her knee. It was classy and casual at the same time, making it one of her favourite outfits in her wardrobe.
20 minutes later, the doorbell rang, startling Hermione and causing her to smudge the lipstick she had been reapplying at that very moment. Cursing silently, she quickly fixed herself up before running to the door.
"Sorry about that!" She called through the door as she cast the charm to unlocking it, opening it up.
"Don't worry about leaving your dear friend stranded on the other side of the door." Tom said, grinning as he held up a bottle of wine. Hermione relaxed visibly, obviously fearing it had been her boss, who she had more need to impress.
"Relax, Eversing isn't here yet." He said, guessing the mood she was in correctly.
"I know I know, it's just I've had a tough day."
"How was the interview with Mr. Potter?"
"Think of your worst nightmare. Multiply it by 15, add 9 and then square it and I think you might just about come remotely close to the terror I suffered. Now come in quick, I have to magic something up for dinner otherwise we'll be eating nothing".
Tom sat himself down at the table that had been neatly set for three and watched Hermione fiddle around trying to magic up some lamb and rosemary potato's.
"Herm...what exactly happened?" Tom questioned, eager to know exactly what had gone on during Hermione's meeting with the infamous Harry Potter. Just then the doorbell rang.
"Tell you later Tom, stay after Eversing has left and I'll let you know" Hermione said whilst walking to open the door. "Mr. Eversing, how are you" She greeted her boss and invited him in.
"Great thanks and you Granger?"
"Very good thanks Sir. Please, sit down, can I get you something to drink?" Hermione offered playing the perfect hostess. The night continued smoothly, eating Hermione's delicious meal amongst talk of hers and Tom's future. It was some time during a desert of fruit salad and ice cream that Eversing mentioned his ulterior motive for coming for dinner.
"Hermione, there is something that we need to discuss. I want Tom here as well, because he will be very involved" Eversing set his spoon down and turned to Tom and Hermione. "I have two positions as partners going for the newspaper, and I want to give them to you two". Hermione almost choked on a piece of pineapple when she heard the news.
"Partners Sir?" She questioned settling down a little.
"Yes Granger. I will retire sometime in the next two years, and I want the two of you to take over the newspaper. But in order for that to happen, company policy dictates that you both must be partners in the firm in order for that to happen. So I want to make you to partners."
"That wasn't what I was expecting at all" Tom cut it. "I didn't hope for as much...thank you so much Sir!" Tom was smiling so hard his face hurt!
"However..." Eversing said slowly, obviously suggesting there was more to this arrangement. "I have recently been talking to the manager of Puddlemere United. I told him that the stories based on their progress and their players were the most popular, and he offered a position for two of our reporters to travel around with them for a couple of months, conducting interviews, photo shoots." Hermione clutched the sides of her chair in fear, knowing where this was going...
"So you want us to go, is that it?" Tom said, filling in the gaps.
"The reporters have to be someone high up in the magazine, someone trustworthy, because this is an important job. I would go, but I think I'm getting a bit old for this. That leaves the two of you."
"Please Sir...I can't do it" Hermione said, knowing that her promotion rested on spending months on end with Harry Potter.
"Your promotion depends on this job Hermione. You do this and it'll prove to me, and the rest of the firm, that you are capable of running a company."
"But...but..."
"Hermione...." Tom warned her quietly, before turning to his boss. "She'll do it." He said firmly. Eversing nodded, rising from his table.
"Very well, I'm happy to hear that. I will discuss the details of this tomorrow in the office. As for now, I had better be leaving." He said, picking up his coat from the lounge before making his way to the door.
"Thank you Sir, for this wonderful opportunity." Hermione said, trying to keep a calm composure as she ushered her boss out the door. "Sir, before you leave, when will this job begin?" She questioned.
"You and Tom will leave on Saturday morning"
"Thank you Sir" As soon as she had closed the door behind him, she turned on Tom.
"I CAN"T DO IT!" She yelled.
"You are going to do it Hermione" Tom said walking over to her couch and seating himself on it. Hermione collapsed next to him.
"I can't Tom. I am not spending another moment with that asshole! Absolutely not. I can't do it!" Hermione exploded. Tom put a comforting arm around her.
"Listen Herm, I will be there and I will make sure that nothing weird happens ok. I know that you don't like him, and I know what he did to you..."
"No you don't! I loved him so much! I loved him more than anything, and I was ready to do anything for him...except what he asked" Hermione cried. She was absolutely distraught by this point.
"I know that, listen to me..." Tom enveloped her in a tight hug. "Tell Harry things are different now, tell him you are...with someone else. Tell his that everything has changed"
"Ok. That's a great idea." Hermione pulled away. "I'll tell him that I am with someone else...but who...it has to be believable" Hermione took off her shoes and pulled her feet under her, thinking hard.
"You could always tell him that you and I are...you know...together. That way it would seem very believable." Tom offered. Hermione jumped up and started clapping, causing Tom to roll over laughing.
"That is the best idea, oh my gosh! Thank you so much! Do you think that it'll work?" Tom stood up as well.
"You're pissed Herm. I can tell. Yes it will work, but we have to discuss it tomorrow. Go to bed and sleep ok, you drank too much after Eversing told you about the plan...go and sleep it off ok" Tom said, kissing Hermione on the forehead before showing himself out the door. "Sleep tight!" He called as the door slammed behind him.
"YESSSSSSS" Hermione cried, before walking upstairs and collapsing, fully dressed, on her bed.
****************
"Potter, I called you in here today because I've heard some interesting rumors about you and the reporter that was here today."
"What rumors Rob?" Harry asked his manager, confused.
"Well.... apparently you and this Hermione had a bit of a tussle in Hogwarts, and she's still sore about it."
"We did date briefly, and it didn't end very well. But that's in the past. I'm not going to let it interfere with my game."
"Do you plan on seeing her again?"
"Goodness no! I'd hate to think what would happen if...."
"She's going to be touring with us Potter." Rob interrupted, sitting back in his seat as he watched Harry's reaction.
"W...what?" Harry yelled. "No.... get someone else, anyone. Not her! She hates me, she'll write all these lies about me...."
"Well then you'd better start being a little nicer to her then shouldn't you?" Rob said nastily.
"Rob, why does it have to be her?" Harry whined, calming down.
"I don't know. The strange sadistic workings of fate perhaps." Harry pulled a face as he left his managers office.
"Tell fate it can go jump off a cliff." He muttered. "I can't see her again.... What's it going to do to my game?"
OKIES SO WOT DID YOU GUYZ THINK OF THAT. I THOUGHT THAT WOZ MY BEST CHAPPIE YET. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO R READIN INSPIRATION, THE END IS COMING SOON!!!!
I WANT TO THANK DREAM-SIREN FOR GIVING ME THE IDEA FOR THIS CHAPPY, YOU ROK DUDE! (P.S. READ HER FICS, THEY ARE EXCELLENT)
LUV YA ALL
LOZ AND NATTY