<p align= "center"><font size= "8"= "Trebuchet MS"><b>THE OFFICE</b></font></p>
A/N: Wow! Quite a response from only the first chapter! Thanks. It really means a lot to me if you review, even if its only a few words, its just nice to know whether you like it or not. Anyways-this story is so much fun and I have to stop myself from thinking of future ideas with this story. I'll be lying in bed, watching tv or eating dinner and a random scene will just pop in my head for like 3 chapters ahead, and I have to go and write it down really fast! Lol. I'm going to try to update as quickly as I can on this one, but I'll at least have it once a week if not more often.
Thanks!
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"Are you alright Herm-ow-ninny?" Viktor asked, waving a hand in front of her face.
Hermione had been deep in thought when he asked this and his booming voice caused her to jump up in surprise.
"Oh! Yes, yes…I am fine. Just thinking…about work." Hermione admitted. "We just had a big client
cancel…and I haven't told Harry yet."
Viktor nodded, "Well try to forget about work, we're here to have fun."
She smiled and looked around at the noisy, crowded pub in which they were stuffed in a corner table. It was anything but fun. Quite truthfully, all she could think about was work. Harry was going to be so upset when he finds out…well…she was sure Ron would be, too…according to Luna. At least they got that big deal today, or else that would have made this a lot harder.
She studied Viktor's face for a moment and thought about all her friends and co-workers. Ever since attending Beauxbatons and graduating, she had met so many new people. Viktor, for one. He was so sweet, and genuinely cared about her. Most of her other friends had gone to Hogwarts, and she couldn't help but feel a little left out whenever they brought up an old memory. Of course, none of them, save Harry and Ron were much of friends before they had all been grouped together to work at the same place.
"Don't you think we should be getting back? You have a Quidditch match tomorrow night and practice all day…" Hermione started.
Viktor thought this over for a moment and agreed. "I guess you are right. Let's go."
They walked out onto the corner, her hand in his. With a faint POP, they apparated to her front door. He leaned in and softly kissed her goodnight.
"I will see you tomorrow, Herm-ow-ninny? You are coming to the match tomorrow?"
"Of course." She promised, grinning and unlocking the door to her flat and walking in.
--
The next morning was much the same as the morning before. The alarm clock routine, the groan, the shower…plain and simple. Black and white. Only this time, she promised herself, she would not be late.
Hermione apparated to work that day and rode the elevator to the top floor of the office, where she worked. She sighed in anticipation for what she was going to have to do today. Break the truth to Harry.
She walked down the hallway to Neville's office and plopped down in an armchair in front of his desk. He looked up from the papers he had in front of him.
"Something wrong?" Neville asked looking at her quizzically.
"Yes, as a matter of fact." She stated. "You remember that one Asian company?"
"The one Harry and Ron have been talking about for weeks now?" Neville asked.
Hermione groaned, "Don't remind me. They cancelled. And guess who gets to tell them?"
"Umm…let me guess…" Neville looked up at the ceiling in mock consideration. "Perhaps…you?"
"Yes. They're going to go mad." She said, sinking lower in her chair.
"Hey, Hermione. Everything's going to be fine. It's not like you had any control over it. They'll get over it, we just got that huge deal. Honestly, I don't understand why you're beating yourself up about this." Neville said, rising from his chair to sit on the desk in front of her.
"You're right, Nev. Thanks." She said, smiling as she got up to walk out.
"Anytime." He smirked. "Just keep that whole conference room scandal to yourself."
"We'll see…" Hermione winked and chuckled at him as she closed the door and headed towards the lounge.
--
Hermione knocked nervously on Harry's door and poked her head in. "Um…Harry? It's me."
"Hey, yeah, come in." Harry waved her in the door.
She took a deep breath and handed him his favorite coffee and sat down.
Harry wore a curious grin as he said, "Hmm…favorite coffee, huh? Okay, what happened? Who cancelled?"
She rolled her eyes. "Um…well, that Asian company? Thistle Wizards? They…uh, called yesterday, and…cancelled."
He put his head in his hands and sighed. "It's a good thing I had a good day yesterday or else I would have been very angry just about now. Merlin, what happened? Why?" He asked himself.
Harry looked up and asked Hermione, "Is this business a complete failure?"
She raised her eyebrow and put her hand on his. "Hey…of course not. Just one stupid company that isn't worth your time anyway."
Harry smiled at her. "Yeah…I guess you're right. Thanks."
"No problem. And this business better not fail because I need a job." Hermione added with an eye roll.
Harry chuckled and their eyes locked for a moment. He looked down at their hands and she pulled away, smiling nervously. "So…um…" Hermione said breaking eye contact. "What…What do you need me to do today?"
Harry cleared his throat and followed suit. "Oh, err…just take care of the paper work Gin gave you yesterday. Type it and file them correctly. Today's kind of an off day. I do need you to get me Richard Henderson on the phone, though, as soon as you get back to your desk."
She nodded. "Yeah no problem. I'll go now…see ya."
When she reached the door he called out. "Hey, Hermione, wait!" She turned back to face him. "Are you going to the match tonight?"
Hermione looked at him curiously. "Yes…yes, of course."
Harry thought. "Oh, right. Viktor's your…boyfriend right?" The word `boyfriend' came out a little colder than he intended.
Hermione was taken aback. "Yes…he is…that's actually why I'm going. I know nothing about Quidditch anyway."
He smiled and laughed. "Right. Well…someone dropped out of going tonight, so we have an extra spot at the office's box…you want to come?"
Hermione thought this over for a moment. "Um…sure. Yeah, I'd like that. At least I'll know the people I'm sitting by."
He smiled. "Okay, well…I'll see you later, gotta break the news to Ron. Bye."
"Bye." She said walking out the door. Harry followed only seconds later to go to Ron's office.
Once she got back to her desk she found Luna waiting for her at her own desk and grinned. "How'd he take it?"
"Well." Hermione sighed. "Watch out for the fireworks though, he's about to tell Ron."
"THEY WHAT?!!!" Ron screamed so loud that everyone in the office turned and looked at Ron's office door. "THEY CANCELLED! HOW COULD THEY DO THAT?! HOW COULD YOU BE SO CALM!! THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US!!! DO YOU EVEN CARE??!! MERLIN! I CANT BELIEVE THEY CANCELLED! I'VE GOT HALF A MIND TO-"
"He's right. He does have half a mind." Ginny said approaching the two with an eye roll.
They screaming stopped only seconds later and Luna grinned. "I think I'll go cheer him up." She said with a wink.
"Good luck." Ginny said as Luna bounded off.
Hermione smiled. "So…I'm going to sit with you guys in the box tonight at the match. Someone dropped out."
"Really…? Harry must like you a lot…" Ginny commented.
"Why?" Hermione asked confused.
"Oh, nothing. Never mind." She brushed it off. "Cool. You can sit next to me. That Sara Fairchild normally does and she drives me crazy!"
Hermione laughed. "Yeah. Did you need something?" She said
"More paperwork." Ginny said, slamming down a folder on Hermione's desk. "Yay for you."
"Just what I always wanted." Hermione mumbled as Ginny walked off and she picked up the receiver.
She dialed a phone number and got Richard on the phone and buzzed Harry. "Richard Henderson on line 2."
"Thanks, Mione." He said, pressing the number two and she hung up.
Did he just call me `Mione? When did that start? Oh, well. No time to think, I've got work to do.
Hermione started in on typing up forms, organizing papers and then made her way to the filing cabinet, where she made another marvelous run-in with Cho Chang.
"Hello, Cho." Hermione said sweetly as she passed her.
"I believe that's Miss Chang to you, Granger." Cho said coldly, walking backwards to look at her. "Soon to be Mrs. Potter."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Look at her, not even engaged. Can't wait till that day comes; she already thinks she has some kind of power over me; just wait until she marries the boss!
Hermione walked into the room and pulled out her wand. "Thank Merlin for magic." She mumbled. With a wave of
her wand, she put all the files into their rightful places and walked out to return back to her desk.
Cho appeared around the doorway and into the file room. "Perfect…" She said with an evil grin.
She snuck in; making sure no one was watching and rearranged the files. With one last file to mess up, she smirked and walked out without anyone noticing and made her way to Harry's office.
About 10 minutes later, Neville walked in Harry's office, which Harry was in with Cho and sighed. "Harry, the files in the storeroom are all out of order. I mean, I could find the file with a summoning charm, but still…"
Cho scowled. "I bet it was that Hermione Granger, secretary girl. I saw her with a ton of files this morning."
Harry thought a moment. "Naw…I'm sure it was someone else who just was messing around trying to find a file the hard way. Hermione knows what she's doing."
Cho scowled again and turned to him. "She's not perfect, ya know? I'm sure she makes some mistakes."
Neville said, "Okayy…I'll just go, um…go rearrange the files…" He slipped out of the office before he had to deal with the brut of the fight.
"Cho, luv, please. Calm down, okay? Where are we going for lunch?"
Cho smiled in satisfaction. Well, Hermione certainly wasn't going to lunch with him. She was. That's one thing that the secretary couldn't take away form her.
--
"Hey Gin, you ready to go?" Hermione asked from Ginny's office door.
"Yeah…just one more…second…Ah ha! There!" Ginny said as she hit enter. "I'm ready."
Ginny closed down the computer, grabbed her briefcase and linked arms with Hermione as they walked out. "C'mon lets go see the boyfriend."
"Yours or mine?" Hermione asked.
"Both." Ginny giggled. "Jason'll be waiting for us there, though." Jason Masters was Ginny's boyfriend. He had been since their seventh year at Hogwarts, according to Ginny. They got together right after her failed relationship with Harry.
Harry walked around the corner and caught sight of the girls when they reached the elevator he was running to catch. Once inside he said, "Hey ladies. Getting ready for the game?"
"Yep." Hermione said.
"I'm going to her flat to get ready." Ginny said pointing to Hermione.
"Cool. I guess I'll see ya there." Harry said as they stepped out of the elevator.
"Bye." Ginny said.
"Bye Harry." Hermione said as they apparated away to Hermione's flat.
"Bye." He called after her even though they were already gone. He shook his head, he had no idea what had gotten into him lately.
--
"So…" Ginny said, lying on Hermione's bed watching Hermione search through her closet for something to wear. "How are you and Viktor doing?"
"Good…he sent me roses the other day." Hermione shrugged.
Ginny squealed. "Aww…!"
"What are you, 15?" Hermione asked.
"Can't you tell, darling?" Ginny said batting her eyelashes. "But seriously. He seems so sweet to you."
"He really is." Hermione sighed. "I dunno, it just seems like there's missing…"
Ginny shrugged. "C'mon now, Hermione. Hurry up already and get ready."
Hermione pulled out tight fitting jeans and a tight black cotton shirt. "I'll just wear normal clothes…"
"Good. Then I'll do your make-up." Ginny said.
Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled. "'Kay…"
--
Hermione and Ginny rounded the corner and came face to face with Harry and Cho. Hmm…She thought, I seem to be doing that a lot lately.
Harry looked at the girls and his gaze fell upon Hermione for a minute. She looked…whoa. He'd never really seen her outside of school. So much for the ordinary typical secretary. Those blokes had no idea what they were talking about. All she was wearing were jeans and a normal shirt…but damn could she pull it off. Whoa, what was he talking about? This was his employee! He's here with his girlfriend.
Hermione looked at Harry as if expecting him to say something; he figured it was because of the look on his face so he quickly recovered. "Uh…hey. H-Hey, Hermione…Ginny…"
"Hey." Hermione said, tucking one of her radiant brown curly strand of hair behind her ear and smiling.
"Hey." Ginny said grinning as she looked at the look on Harry's face. Priceless, she thought.
"Harry, what is she doing here?" Cho asked gesturing toward Hermione with an eye roll.
"This is business seating, Cho…she's my employee. She's allowed to be here." Harry said a bit
annoyed.
Cho huffed and dragged Harry away to their normal seats. "See you guys…" Harry said as he walked away.
Ginny burst out laughing. "Oh my god! Did you see the look on his face?"
"What are you talking about?!" Hermione asked confused.
"Oh, come on. The way Harry looked at you. Nice outfit. At least some one other than Viktor got some joy out of it." Ginny smirked.
Hermione smacked her in the arm. "Shut up, Gin. Let's go find seats."
Throughout the game everyone screamed, cheering the players on as Viktor caught the snitch.
Ginny screamed and threw her arms around Hermione. "AH! He did it! We won!"
Hermione laughed and cheered. "I know!"
Everyone was going wild as Viktor pumped his arm in victory at caught Hermione's eye and winked. Harry saw this exchange and something inside him churned. He didn't know what it was…but it was something.
--
After the match, Viktor met up with Hermione and put an arm around her.
Harry did his best to smile at them and asked through the crowd of people, "Coming to our annual after party?"
"Umm…" Hermione looked to Viktor. "I don't think so. I'll see you tomorrow! Bye!"
"Yeah, Bye. Krum." Harry said.
"Potter." Viktor nodded and led Hermione in the other direction. Hermione looked back at him and smiled with a wave mouthing, "sorry." to him and turning back around.
Harry watched them walk away and Harry felt Cho's presence on his right arm. He wasn't interested in Cho right then, though. He was more interested in the girl walking away with the Bulgarian seeker. His secretary. His employee. That's all, right?
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A/N: Okay, I know that was short and not that good, I'm just…I dunno…trying to find a balance. I really wanted to introduce Viktor in this chapter and Harry's growing interest in his not-so-plain secretary!! I promise that …
--Next Chapter:
More Luna
More Luna flirting with Ron
More Office scenes…
…and so much more! L0l! -
Stick around-it'll get better!
<p align= "center"><font size= "8"= "Trebuchet MS"><b>THE OFFICE</b></font></p>
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