The phone rang downstairs. Hermione listened to it ring for a few seconds. "Mum? Dad? Are you getting that?" she called out her bedroom door. She heard her mum bustle down the hall and pick up the phone.
"Granger residence?" she heard her say into the phone. "Who is this please?"
Hermione turned back to her desk, with her half finished essay on it and various textbooks scattered over the desk. She bit her lip. How would she phrase this next sentence? She referred back to her essay plan.
"Hermione! It's for you!" her mum called up the stairs. Hermione looked up, confused. She couldn't remember the last time someone had phoned her up. Since joining Hogwarts the only time someone had called her up it had been a wrong number. Not that she didn't have any friends- they just preferred to not use a telephone, and anyway, after what Harry had told her about the disastrous call from Ron he'd received at the Dursleys, she'd prefer it if they didn't try, either.
"Coming!" she replied, running down the stairs. She snatched the phone from her mum. "Hello?"
"Um… Hermione?" came the voice down the phone.
"Yes?" she gasped breathlessly, making a mental note: get more exercise.
"It's me, um, I mean it's James." came the hesitant reply.
"James?" she asked. Who the hell? He obviously knew her, but did she know him? Who was this guy?
"Um, yeah. James Beckett." he said uncomfortably, registering the question.
"Oh. Oh." she exclaimed, as she finally remembered him. "James, yeah, hi!"
"Hi." he answered, clearly relieved at the recognition.
Hermione racked her brains for something to say. He had been her best friend for ten years, for goodness' sake! She should be able to find something to say to him! She shook her head. What could she say? Sorry I haven't been able to talk to you for the last five years? Sorry, but I had to go to Wizarding School? "Wow, this is awkward," he joked. He sounded disappointed and she felt guilty.
"Sorry, James. I'm just a bit spaced lately… you know, summer and all that," she replied. What was she saying? She wasn't even making sense!
"Know the feeling well, Mione." he replied.
"Yeah. Um, so, why are you calling?" she cringed. It sounded like an accusation.
"Um… well, actually, I don't know." he said, a note of embarrassment in his voice.
"Oh, right." she laughed, and the self-conscious spell ended with a snap. They both laughed with relief for a few seconds.
"I can be a real idiot sometimes, can't I?" he laughed down the phone. His laughter made her grin. It was good to hear the sound of his voice again, that was for sure.
"Sometimes? From what I can remember it was ALL of the time." she teased.
"Hey! Unfair!" he cried indignantly. "I'll accept most of the time, but ALL of it?"
"Yep, all the time." she told him, laughing.
"Point taken, point taken." he sighed. "Hey, do you want to meet up?"
"Um, sure." she said, slightly wrong footed. "When? Where?" Why? she added silently.
"Er, the park? You know, Walsh's?" he suggested. "You pick a time."
"Um, seven? Is that good for you?" she asked. Why the hell am I agreeing to this? she wondered frantically.
"Seven's cool." he said. "Normal place?"
She smiled fondly at the memories. "OK, sure.". She twirled the phone cord round her finger.
"Well. That's sorted, then." he said at last.
"OK, see you then, I guess." she told him.
"Yeah, see you, Mione." he said finally.
"Bye James." she replied. She waited until she heard the dial tone ringing in her ear, and then slowly replaced the phone on the cradle. What just happened? She wondered.
