A/N: okay, so this chapter is mostly filler and it is incredibly, ridiculously, embarrassingly short. It is literally all I've gotten written in the past month because of a chaotic schedule, holiday season, and just lack of motivation. I AM SO SORRY, for both the wait and the length of this chapter. I tried to make it longer but nothing was working and I figured you'd appreciate a short chapter in less time than a longer chapter after an even longer wait than you've experienced now. I hope you guys can find it in your hearts to forgive me!
Hermione and Harry are eating dinner when she gets the call. She's sure it's Spencer, the man she met in the park the day prior, as she doesn't know many muggles who are friendly enough with her to call, and none of her wizard friends would phone her up either.
"Sorry, Harry, I have to take this," she says, and gets up to in the other room. Harry nods, and there's a mischievous glint in his eye, as though he knows who it is.
"Hello?" She answers the phone as soon as she enters the living room. "Spencer?"
"Yes," a voice breathes on the other line. "How'd you know it was me?"
"Lucky guess," Hermione says. She doesn't want him to know of her basic lack of a social life, after all."Right, so, uh." There's a pause. She can envision him sitting on a couch at home, eating take-in with a half finished book beside him (or perhaps he's more of a home-cooked-meal type? She can easily picture him standing at a kitchen counter, wearing an apron and browning hamburger meat). "... I'm sorry. I'm not very good at making conversation, especially not small talk."
Hermione laughs. "Nor am I. It's okay!" a nervous laugh comes from the phone and she can't help the smile that forms across her face.
"Actually, um, I just called because I had a short break from work and wanted to see if you wanted to have lunch with me tomorrow?" So he works evenings, huh? She wonders what sort of job he has. Perhaps he's in the medical field - she's had her share of working nights at the clinic. "I don't really know of any good places to eat around here, though..." Doesn't know of any good places to eat? Maybe he's not from New York. Maybe he's a travel nurse. Hermione doesn't know a lot about muggle jobs, but she's almost certain that that's one.
"I would love to," she answers. "and I know of a diner near Central Park if you'd like to just meet me there?"
"That sounds great!" Spencer says. "I actually have to go, now, but I'll see you tomorrow?"
"See you tomorrow," Hermione agrees, and smiles.