Title: Next Break
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Hermione/Bill
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 822
Summary: Hermione is a waitress and Bill is a customer.
Notes:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Speed Drabble: Funeral, crowded, disinterested

The OTP AU Competition III: Round 2 - Waiter! AU

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Chocolate Frog - Flobberworm – Bronze – Write about someone who is perceived as boring.

Hermione did her best to smile warmly at a couple. They were two of her most regular customers, but they gave her a disinterested look. Hermione didn't let it get to her. Based on their outfits and the gloomy air surrounding them, it was obvious that had come from a funeral.

She took their orders and tried not to offer her condolences no matter how hard she had to stomp the desire down. When her own parents died in a car accident, she had hated when people told her they were sorry for her loss. She would have preferred to simply be left alone to grieve instead of feeling like she was forced to put on a show and pretend everything was fine.

Hermione wondered why they came to the cafe when it was so crowded. Right now was the peak time for the lunch. Maybe they wanted to be here so they didn't dwell on where they had been. It didn't matter; it wasn't any of her business.

She forced a smile when some of the other customers were a bit rude to her. She knew she was perceived as boring. There was nothing special about her so she wasn't surprised when some new customers wrote her off as unimportant and literally stuck their noses up at her when she appeared at their tables. It wasn't the first time it happened to her, but it didn't stop her from wishing they were a little bit more polite about it. She didn't think that was too much to ask.

When the door opened once again, she looked up from her notepad and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of who walked in. Bill Weasley. He was an older, absolutely gorgeous man. He had come here on dates with the same girl, and Hermione had never been so jealous in her life.

She knew she didn't stand a chance with Bill, especially not when he had a slim, blonde girlfriend who looked like she could be a model.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione mentally prepared herself for another encounter with Bill. She put on her best smile and approached his table. "Hey, Bill. Can I take your order now or do you want to wait for your girlfriend to arrive?"

Bill smiled, and Hermione's heart sped up. "Actually, Fleur is now my ex-girlfriend."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She hoped she sounded sincere despite the fact that she was jumping for joy on the inside.

He shrugged. "I'm actually very okay with it. Our breakup was very mutual. Fleur found herself falling for one of my brothers, and I found myself drawn to another girl."

"Oh, that's great."

She knew he caught the disappointment in her voice by the way he raised an eyebrow at her, but she couldn't help it. He was finally single, but he already had his sights set on someone else.

Maybe it was for the best. What could a plain girl like Hermione offer to someone like Bill?

"So, you're order?"

He grinned. "By now, I'm pretty sure you know my usual."

Hermione nodded and jotted it down. "I'll bring you your drink as soon as possible." She quickly walked away from the table.

The crowd didn't disperse until Bill was almost done with his lunch so unfortunately, she didn't get to spend much time at his table.

When she brought him his check, he complimented her. "You know, you're a natural. It was crowded, but you made sure everyone was taken care of quickly."

"Thanks. I don't want to do this the rest of my life, but this job is going to help me pay for law school, and the better I am, the better my tips will be. I had to get good fast."

"You a lawyer?" He tilted his head, carefully looking her up and down. "I can see it. You probably win all of your arguments with your friends."

She laughed. "Pretty much." She noticed a customer waving her over, and she shrugged apologetically at Bill. "Pay whenever you're ready."

She hoped to talk to him one last time before he took off, but as she took a customer's order, she watched in dismay out of the corner of her eye as he left the money on the table and left without even a goodbye.

She did her best to not let the disappointment suffocate her. What did she expect? He was interested in another girl.

She walked back to his table, one that was now empty, and picked up the money. She noticed there was a piece of paper on top of the check, and she curiously picked it up and examined it.

Go out to dinner with me? Call me with your answer.

And underneath his neat scrawl was a phone number.

Hermione grinned. She didn't care if it seemed too eager; she had a call to make her very next break.