Right, Archie is back, and I know I haven't posted for Potter Vs. Granger Rivalry for a while, but bear with me, I'm still trying to come up with a chapter I could be proud of! But I wrote this a while back, it's AU, and I think I'm going to make it a 2 shot, I'm not sure. It's suppose to be funny, but I dunno if I was successful in that or not….lol. REVIEW!
Chapter 1: The Interview
Eighteen-year-old Hermione sighed loudly as her agitated gaze swept through the room once more before glancing down at her silver wristwatch for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past ten minutes. She did not appreciate being brushed off like this. The interview was suppose to start a little over forty-five minutes ago, but he still wasn't here. By he, she mean The Harry Potter. Hermione was a junior reporter for Witch Weekly magazine, and her supervisor promised their readers an interview with the Wizarding world's youngest hero in their next issue. A full article about him with a few pictures was suppose to make this week issue's centerfold. But it was kinda hard to hear what he had to say when he wasn't here! Hermione paced around the small room again, her eyes dancing from the clock on the wall, to her wristwatch, then back. 'Who did he think he was? Just because he was the Savior of the Wizarding world does not excuse him from being on time for his interview. People do NOT have all day to wait on him.'
Hermione didn't even want to write this article in the first place. Instead of writing about some stuck-up Mr. Full-Of-Himself, she would rather write about something important! ! But, the witches that read their magazine wasn't interested in the duo bandits that have been raiding Diagon Alley and other Wizarding areas almost nightly; not when they could read about what sort of hair gel Harry Potter used and if he liked his eggs sunny-side up or hard-boiled!
Hermione was getting extremely impatient. I mean, you could only wait for someone for so long before giving up and throwing in the towel. Another five minutes and she was gone. She did not appreciate this at all. It was as if he didn't care what sort of commitment he had made and he expected her to wait for his sorry ass.
Three and a half more minutes.
Her supervisor would kill her for walking out on this interview.
Maybe she would wait until the minute hand was on the seven.
Still nothing.
Hermione looked at the door, hoping for it to open.
The nine, yes, she would wait until the minute hand was on the nine. It was a "quarter til" mark, so it would be a more reasonable time than the seven.
Tick…tock…tick…tock…tick…tock…tick…tock…tick…tock…tick…tock……..
Hermione heard the soft pelting of the rain on the windows facing the city.
Split-splat…Split-splat…Split-splat…Split-splat…Split-splat…Split-splat……
The ceiling fan made a soft swishing sound as it cut through the air.
Swish…swish…swish…Swish…swish…swish…Swish…swish…swish…….
Hermione swallowed and looked back up at the clock, five minutes until it was on the nine, thank God.
The combined background noises were starting to get on her last nerve.
Tick-tock…
Split-splat…
Swish,,,
Split-sp-
-Tock
Ish…Swish
Tick-
-splat
Finally Hermione let out a loud frustrated growl and starting picking up her things. This was annoying! That's it, she was gone. Less than thirty seconds later, she was in the elevator on her way to the ground floor.
As soon as the metal doors opened, Hermione rushed out of the elevator and bumped into someone, knocking herself down and her things went flying.
Hermione let out a strangled whine as she got to her knees and started cleaning up the mess.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm running a litt-" But another male voice cut him off.
"Would you watch where you're going? No, Harry, we don't have time to help, we need to get up there and get your interview underway!"
Hermione finished picking up her things and stood up at the second man's words. Hermione recognized the first man instantly as Mr. I-think-I'll-be-as-late-as-possible-for-an-interview-Potter. She felt her anger start to bubble over, and in a cold voice, she tried to say nonchalantly, "That won't be necessary. The interview has been canceled." Both men looked at her.
A slightly balding man's eyes widened and then narrowed. "And what would you know about Mr. Potter's interview? Witch Weekly did not inform us of this cancellation."
His voice was stiff and businesslike, and gave Hermione the impression that he felt superior to her.
She drew her self up to her full height and said just as stiffly, "I know because I am the reporter for this article, but I've been waiting for over an hour for Mr. I'm-too-good-to-show-up-on-time, and I am leaving!" Her eyes wondered over to Harry Potter who looked slightly taken aback and amused at the same time. The other man, however, turned slightly purple.
"Well then, I guess we'll just have to make a little call to your supervisor then, now won't we? And I hope you don't like your job, because by the time I'm done, your ass will be FIRED!"
Hermione just shrugged and then turned on her heel to walk out.
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Hermione walked angrily into the office as she played the morning over once more in her head. 'How dare that man threaten to fire her?!?! Who in the Hell did he think he was? Just because he was Harry Potter's agent, did NOT mean he was God!' But truth be told, Hermione was slightly frightened of the power he would have. Witch Weekly had been advertising this interview in their last few issues, and from the comments they were receiving, this interview had definitely caught quite a few witches' attention.
But Hermione still had to maintain her dignity. She was not some floozie that was willing to wait for some big shot for 2 hours before he decided to show up. To Hermione, showing up late was a sign of disrespect, which didn't sit with Hermione too well. Replaying it over it her mind, she wished she would've gave Mr. Potter a little more piece of her mind. She should've told him exactly what she felt and then given him a nice kick in the-
"Hermione?"
Hermione was roused from her musings by Rita Skeeter's secretary. Hermione looked up. "Yes?"
"Ms. Skeeter would like to see you, and she doesn't seem too happy either," she said with a smirk. Now most of the staff thought Rita Skeeter's secretary, Nancy, was practically the nice girl next door. But Hermione knew the truth. She couldn't stand the little snob. Nancy knew that she was in second position for Hermione's spot in the magazine, so it would make her day if Hermione was fired. She always acted as if she was better than Hermione. Hermione had to take her down a peg or two more than once by mentioning that she didn't have to run around and get Rita coffee or whatnot to get paid, not to mention she got a better salary. But now, Hermione was gave a tight smile and followed Nancy to her boss's office.
Rita was leaning back in her chair shaking her head. She motioned for Hermione to sit. Hermione was very apprehensive. Rita tried to give a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. "So, Hermione, how was the interview this morning?"
Hermione bit her lip before replying slowly, weighing each word carefully, "Actually, the interview did quite go a planned. I didn't seem to catch him in time. I did wait for over an hour and fifteen minutes. I guess Mr. Potter seemed to have some sort of pre commitment he had forgotten about when scheduling the interview with us." Hermione struggled to say evenly. She decided to leave the elevator incident out.
Rita nodded, "Many readers were counting on that interview with Mr. Potter."
Hermione nodded.
"And I would hate to disappoint them.
"I see."
There was a moment of silence.
Rita gave a loud, false laugh she used when someone would tell her a joke that wasn't funny but she wanted to flatter the person who said it. "You know, the funniest thing happened, Hermione. I just got a call from someone. You would never believe who it was and what wild tale they had told me. It was Harry Potter's agent, and believe it or not, he told me that you had been a right smartass in the presence of Harry Potter. Also, that you were quite rude and walked out on the interview because they were a little late. I know you, Hermione, and I just know that you wouldn't do such a foolish thing that would jeopardize Witch Weekly. Isn't that right, Hermione?" Her voice was coated with sugar and Hermione hated it.
"He was not just a 'little late!' He was over an hour and a half late! I was not going to wait here for him just to ask him a few dumb questions. I have to keep my dignity!" Hermione burst out, looking angry.
Rita stood up now and said angrily, "Well I guess you can take that dignity you salvaged and find work somewhere else! We cannot afford to have reporters that are not willing to wait for a story, Hermione. You have to be dedicated! You're one of the best I got, but if you don't have the devotion, then Witch Weekly just doesn't need you. Consider yourself unemployed; have your office cleared out by three."
Hermione just stood there, stunned, before angrily standing up herself, "No devotion?" she asked incredulously. "I put my heart and soul in my stories and you know it! I have been more dedicated to this magazine than anything thing, or anyone else. And I guess this is my thanks." Hermione scoffed. With a huff, she left the office, slamming the door behind her.
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"…can you believe the nerve of that girl? Where does she think she stands? The only reason she's alive is because of you!"
Harry just tuned him out and focused on playing his PlayStation 2, even though his mind was far from it. No one had treated him like that in a while, especially since his defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort. People acted as if he was God and they worshiped the ground he walked on, though it was clear that this reporter did not think too much of him. And it bothered him, yet he was also slightly impressed. He hated it when people treated him so differently, but he didn't want people to think that he was a stuck up celebrity either. He sighed as he failed a driving test on his racing game for the twelfth time in a row before tossing the controller away from him.
"…indeed, she was being a right smartass and I won't rest until she is fired!…Yes, I understand that, but we do a lot of work with your Magazine, Ms. Skeeter, and if all we are going to get is ungrateful reporters that have such disrespect for the World Savior, I don't think we want to do business with you anymore!…I want her out by this evening!…And yes, we will take another interview with s respectful business reporter that does not let their opinions interfere with their work!…Yes…We will schedule another interview soon."
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She had nothing to do! First, she had taken al her things home, not even bothering to unpack them. Then she went out for something to eat because her refrigerator was empty. On the spur of the moment she stopped at a grocery store on her way home and got some bread to feed to the ducks at the city park, which is where she could be found right now, sitting on a green community bench.
She still couldn't believe she was fired. The man had been late and she was not about to wait on him like some groupie. She appreciated what he had done, but it's not like he had done everything alone! Other people had died in the War, but they weren't remembered! No one ever wanted to know about their life! Harry Potter would be dead if it wasn't for some of them. They did the dying for him, and now here he was, soaking up all the glory. It wasn't fair to the loved ones that had died to be worshiping someone for killing the Dark Lord, when they had done just as much when it came to laying their life out on the line, but they hadn't been so lucky. So many had died, yet they receive no gratitude. It wasn't fair.
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"…Harry, I was thinking sometime next week for the interview. That way they can't make it in this issue and the tabloid will get some backlash. They deserve it! Hiring such mediocre reporters that don't know how to hold their tongue when talking to superiors. The girl has been fired and a different reporter will take the story." His voice was businesslike and cold.
Harry looked up from his food and shook his head, swallowing a bite of his sandwich. "I don't want another interview with someone else. I will give them their story, but that girl is the only one I'll talk to." Harry answered before taking another bite. He was intrigued by this girl and wanted to talk to her again.
His advisor looked at him as if he was mad. "Are you crazy? What's wrong with a new reporter?"
Harry shrugged, "I want that one."
The older man shook his balding head, "Well, she no longer works there, so you'll just have to settle for someone else, Harry."
"Nope, you'll just have to get her job back for her, now won't you? If you can get her fired, I'm sure you can pull a few strings to get her rehired again." Harry replied pleasantly, but there was a threatening undertone in his voice.
"But-"
"No girl. No interview." Harry said, talking a big drink of his water. His agent grumbled.
Harry grinned, "Good then. We'll meet tomorrow for breakfast at the Muggle Denny's in London at 8:30. I won't be late."
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RRRIINNNNGGGG! RRRIINNNNGGG! RRRIINNN- " 'ello?" Hermione's voice was thick with sleep, for it was 1:30 in the morning. Who could be call her at this hour?
She sat up when she head her ex-supervisor's voice on the other end. "Hermione! Great, I'm glad you're up. The interview is set up for 8:30 tomorrow morning, well this morning I guess, at Denny's in London. You will be having breakfast together." her voice was desperate and fast.
"Er…what are you talking about, Rita?" Hermione asked, extremely confused.
"HARRY POTTER OF COURSE! You have an interview with him tomorrow morning, 8:30 sharp at-"
Hermione cut her off, "Yes, I know, Denny's in London. But I don't work for you anymore, remember? You fired me this afternoon if I remember correctly." Hermione reminded her, a skeptical look crossing her face.
"Yes, I know, but Mr. Potter insists that you take the interview, otherwise he refuses to do it!"
"Why would-"
"I don't know, Hermione! But we need this story! Please say you'll do it. You're the only one that he'll talk to. And we really need this story. Our points are going to skydive if we don't get this in our next issue, you know that! Please, Hermione? I'll give you a raise! And a paid vacation! Just please do this for me!"
Hermione considered her options. She really needed the money, and the raise would definitely help her financial situation. Also, maybe it was just because it was 1 in the morning, but she almost felt sorry for the hysterical voice on the other line. Heaving a big, fake sigh, she said feigning apprehensiveness, "Well, I suppose I could come back, the raise would help after all…I dunno how long I'll be able to stay in the same room with him, but I guess I could give it a shot, but you must apologize for your rudeness earlier."
"I'm sorry! I really am! You're the best that I've got, and I never should've let you go. The biggest mistake of my life. Than you thank you thank you! Remember, 8:30 sharp at Denny's in London!"
Hermione nodded her head while jotting down the information on a yellow legal pad on her nightstand. "Yes, I know, and I'll have the story to you by tomorrow…yes, a new chair in my office sounds great…no a fruit basket won't be necessary…I wouldn't say no to a new car though…joking, Rite, calm down. I'll see you tomorrow…Employee of the Year is quite flattering…Rita, I really need to get to bed if you want to do this story…No I do NOT need any warm milk or anything. I-…Yes, I'll be there on time, but I really-" Hermione sighed as her boss went on about new furniture in her office. Finally she said goodbye before hanging up. The phone rang a second later, but Hermione just turned the ringer off. What had she gotten herself into?
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Harry glanced down at his watch as he pulled into the parking lot, it read 7:45. He was forty-five minutes early, but he didn't' care. He didn't want to blow this so he'd just wait. After about half an hour, he went inside into a lobby so he could watch for the girl when she walked in. He only had to wait about five minutes before she made her presences. He walked up behind her, "Now look who's late this time." He said, slightly teasing.
She turned around to face him, "Oh, I'm glad you decided to grace us with your presence this time. And I am not late, I am in fact ten minutes early."
He grinned at her, "Well, I was forty-five minutes early, so I beat you!" He said childishly. She just rolled her eyes and followed the waiter to a rather secluded spot in the restaurant, which was good because to the average Muggle, some of the things they would be talking about would be weird. Once they got situated and ordered their food, Hermione pulled a pen and a notebook out of her black bag. Turning to a fresh sheet, she clicked her pen and posed it over the paper, ready to get this interview underway.
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" My name is Hermione Granger. I don't see why you insisted on having me do this interview, but I'm sure you have your reasons. I know I don't want to be here, so Mr. Potter, if you don't mind-" But she was cut off.
"Ah, so it's "Mr. Potter" now? I kinda fancied that name you gave me, what was it again? Something to do with me being too good to show up on time. Which, I just might add again, I was forty-five minutes early today!" Harry raised both his arms over his head in a victorious gesture and bowed his head to an invisible audience. With a dramatic sigh and fake sob, he continued in a choked voice, "Aww, thank you. Thank you, thank you . It was nothing."
Hermione just rolled her eyes before beginning again, "If you are done playing around, can we please start this interview?"
Harry tried, and failed miserably, to look ashamed of himself, before nodding. "Let's get the show on the road."
Hermione started in a businesslike tone, "So, Mr. Potter," Harry was about to say something, but Hermione quickly continued before he could get his two cents in. "You are eighteen years old, correct?"
Harry leaned back in his chair and said, "Well, I mean is the old necessary? Because honestly, I think it would be more logical to say eighteen-years-young. I am young after all. You can call me old when I turn senile, but until then, it's eighteen-years-young. Next question." He gave her a smirk before nodding his head for her to continue.
Hermione gave a huff before asking the next question on her list, "Being a young adult, you must have many dreams and goals. Could you please share some of them with our readers?"
Harry gave her a grin, "Of course. Well, ever since I was a wee lad in me nappies, I always wanted to live in a house made of cheese. Now, I was thinking that each room should have it's own special type. And I got a few names as well."
Hermione sighed. "Let's not be ridiculous-"
"No wait, like I want one room to be all string cheese, and I was thinking about calling it the String Room! Pretty original? I thought so myself. And then the dungeons will be made of stinky cheese, being the Stinky Cheese Dungeons. I was thinking for torture I could hang people up by huge mozzarella sticks of cheese and put smelling cheese in the room. And then the Chunky Cheddar Room would have-"
But Hermione broke him off. "Do you have any real goals?"
Harry looked affronted. "Have you not been listening? I am explaining Cheesy Palace right now. What, is it a bit too cheesy for you, huh? Huh?," He asked, quirking his eyebrows before continuing, "Or should I call it Tower of Cheese? Or how about Cheese-a-rom-a? Kinda catchy don't you think? What do you think of the Cheese-a-rom-a in the town of Cheeseville? Or maybe it should be Harryville, because that's my name, and a portion of it can be Cheese Square, which is where the Cheese-a-roma will be. I am a genius! "
Hermione rubbed her temples and decided to move on to the next question. "Right, next question. If you had to pick one person to be your hero, who would it be, and why?" She had her pen posed, ready to write down anything intelligent he just might let slip.
Harry pulled a pondering face before speaking, "Well, do you ever watch TV? You know that Burger King commercial with Coq Roq? Those evil looking devil chickens singing "Cross the Road" and all the chickens get hit besides the lead singer? Well, he has to be my one and only true hero. Why you may ask? Well, not only is he the only one to get pass the traffic and take the chicken fries from that greedy girl, but he also provided us with an intelligent answer to the world-wide controversial brain buster, "why did the chicken cross the road." Now everyone can proudly say, to get the BK Chicken Fries! Now, yes, I know what you're going to say, and yes, the chicken was all whacked out looking, BUT it was a chicken nevertheless!" He gave her a triumph grin, and crossed his arms over his chest.
Hermione had had enough. She closed her notebook with a snap and through it in her black bag. "Mr. Potter, you have got to be the most immature prat I have had the misfortune of meeting! I did not find your comments funny in the least! Thank you for ruining my morning, AND now, thanks to your stupid comment that have completely driven me over the edge, I will be fired for a second time, and end up getting evicted from my apartment because I can't pay the rent. Thanks to you!" And with that, she tossed some money on the table for her breakfast and stormed out of there. A second later, she came back and dropped her bag, before marching right over to Harry and slapping him hard right across the cheek. Then, for a second time, not even bothering to grab her bag, she stormed out of the restaurant. Harry was left sitting there feeling like a jackass with everyone's eyes on him.
"Er…don't worry, she does this all the time. Needs to be carted off to the loony bin, that one. She mental. She's straightjacket, padded room, and preferably away from sharp instruments material if I've ever seen one. Mental." And with that, he grabbed her black bag and threw down some money as well before going out to find his car.
So, what did you think? PLEASE REVIEW!!!