A/N
This idea popped into my head the other day and I hurriedly wrote it down before I could forget. This was inspired by "Pick", which I urge everyone to check out.
As Hermione Granger walked down the brightly lit main street, she squinted down at the bright display light of her phone. Sighing, she quickly scrolled until she found the contact listing of Ginny Weasley, using her thumb to work the touchscreen before bringing it up to her ear. While she waited for Ginny to pick up, she scanned the crowds in front of the venue hoping to catch a glimpse of her distinctive red head.
"Hermione! Where are you?" Ginny's voice blasted into her ear. "Christ Ron! Turn the music down, would you?"
"Hi Gin. I'm out front, where are you guys at? I don't see you."
"Sorry Mione, we're still on the way, we just picked up Harry, but we should be there soon." Ginny answered, an apologetic note to her tone. "Ronald set us back, he couldn't decide on which shirt to wear, the one with holes or the one with stains."
Hermione heard a noise of indignation, with a quieter muttering of "it doesn't have stains", before Ginny continued. "There should be an alley to the left of the building, we'll meet you in there by the back door. I got you a change of clothes, I'm so happy you finally agreed to come out with us."
"Considering that I skipped out on my study group for this, you owe me big time. What's so special about this show anyway? You were relentless," Hermione asked as she made her way through the gathering crowd to the alley Ginny had directed her to. The light was dimmer, and the noise of the fans waiting out front became slightly muffled.
"It's Harry's brother's band, you know that. It's their big break, we have to help Harry support them," Ginny exclaimed. "Ronald! You made a wrong turn! You should have just let Harry drive! I gotta go Hermione! We'll see you soon, just wait there for us. Harry has your ticket." With that, Ginny ended the call just as the back door opened and a man came out, fumbling in his pockets for a crumpled pack of cigarettes.
Hermione gave him a quick glance, and decided to busy herself checking her emails on her phone, vowing that she'd make her friends pay for leaving her waiting in this sketchy alley. After a few moments of listening to him trying to light his cigarette, she gave him another quick look, but unfortunately he noticed.
"Hey kitten, got a light?" He asked hopefully, gesturing to his unlit cigarette dangling from his fingers.
"Smoking will kill you, you know," she admonished as she rifled through her messenger bag. Finally snagging out a pack of matches, she flung them to him, and watched the flame light up his face. Chiseled face hidden under dark stubble, with his bright grey eyes and shaggy black hair, he looked like a model. She caught sight of a few tattoos on his hands and arms, and noticed the ripped up t-shirt and jeans he was wearing, along with the scuffed up black combat boots. 'Great,' she thought, 'another punk rocker who thinks ruining clothes is fashionable.'
"What doesn't kill you, and all that nonsense," he replied, stretching his arm out to hand her back the matches. Giving her a once over, he exhaled his lungful of smoke, and asked, "Going for the jail bait look, then?"
She felt her face flame, and mentally cursed Ginny for being late with her change of clothes. Her conservative school uniform clashed horribly with their surroundings. Pulling on the sleeves of her light blue blazer, she looked him in the eyes and willed her flushed cheeks to calm. "I was at school, my friends are bringing me a change of clothes. They should be here any minute."
He nodded thoughtfully while he puffed. "Beauxbaton? Your parents must be loaded."
"Scholarship, actually," was her clipped response.
"Oh, so scary smart then, huh? What do you want to do with your life then?" he inquired.
"I'm going to be a dentist." Her normal response, it was her parents dream anyway, for their only daughter to follow in their footsteps.
He looked at her through his smoke, and chuckled. "I didn't ask what you were going to do kitten, just what you wanted to do."
She glared at him. Fine, it's not like she going to see him ever again anyway. "I wanted to study literary science, or environmental studies."
He looked at him quizzically. "So how did you go from wanting to be a librarian or some kind of activist, to a dentist of all things? Let me guess, family business?"
"How'd you know it was a family business?" She questioned.
"I'll tell you a secret, my parents planned for me to be in politics," he whispered like a conspirator.
"And what happened to that?"
"I decided that I preferred doing what made me happy instead." He answered with a shrug.
"What was that then?"
"Talking to pretty girls like you, in a charming environment such as this," he replied with a wink and an opened armed gesture to the overflowing dumpster off to the side.
She snorted, "Such a gentleman. My name's Hermione by the way, you are?"
He answered quickly. "Let me take you out Hermione, show you the wonders of London."
"Aren't you a little old for me? I'm only 18." She replied, with a bit less confidence than before.
"Yeah? I'm 23, not much of a difference there. Granted, mentally, you're the older one, seems more like you'd be robbing the cradle, not me." He jokingly responded.
"So sorry, I don't think so. I have a boyfriend."
"Well, when you don't have one, come find me, yeah?"
"Hermione?" Ginny's voice echoed down the alley.
"Back here Gin!"
"I'll see you around kitten," and with one last wink, he disappeared back in the door.
The four friends pushed their way to the front of the stage just as the show was beginning. The band walked into the stage, and James Potter leaned into the mic.
"I'm James Potter and I play lead guitar. Behind me, Remus Lupin on drums! Over there, Peter Pettigrew is on bass! And finally, our back up guitar and lead singer, Sirius Black! Together, we're the Marauders!"
As they launched into their first song, Hermione's eyes stayed on Sirius. Her back alley mystery man. He was right, she could never see him as a politician. Suddenly, Ron's sweaty palm grabbed her hand and she felt instantly guilty for looking at another guy when her boyfriend was right next to her.
After a multitude of songs, James stepped back up to the mic. "We have one more song for you guys tonight, but first, we all want to give out a few shoutouts. Mine is to the lovely Lily Evans, who finally agreed to marry me!" Cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Shout out to my mum, she makes the best cookies!" was Peter's, causing the crowd to break out in laughter.
"Shout out to the wolves, nature's badasses!" Remus shouted, causing the crowd to go wild and growl.
"So tonight, I met this girl," Sirius started, and the crowd whooped. "I know you're in here tonight kitten, and I just wanted to let you know my offer still stands. Hey, Hermione."
'Bloody hell,' Hermione thought as she felt Ron wrench his hand out of hers and began stalking off. She chased out after him, trying to shout explanations over the music. Harry and Ginny watched them go, and both turned and narrowed their eyes at one Sirius Black.