Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Really appreciative of them, that's for sure!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the settings. This magical world is property of J.K. Rowling, with her incredible mind. I just own the plot!

Chapter Two - A New Assignment

"You see that there are a bunch of flat tires before us, but why not hitting the accelerate pedal to move forward?
Aren't you contradicting yourself?
Oh baby, wait and see; Of course, the pain is always there but that's not too bad
And the risks that you are scared of gives us a meaning in believing, you know?"
- Translated lyrics of "Wait and See" by Utada Hikaru

Hermione felt like she was entering The Leaky Cauldron all over again, except this time there was no clanking of a bell as she entered through the doorway, and this time, all the witches and wizards were looking professional and alert; Hermione noticed that most of them looked confused about the current situation. Smiling briefly at Shirley, she sat down at the eighth and last chair, turning to Shirley to hopefully find some explanation for all of this.

"I have assembled you all here this morning," Shirley began, putting a delicate piece of black hair behind her ear, "because I feel that you journalists are the best of the best on this floor. You've proved your remarkable writing talents throughout the past few months, and I really feel that you need some reward for it." Hermione fidgeted in her seat. What was this all about?

"And because of your excellency in journalism," Shirley continued, her eyes drifting towards every writer seated, "I feel that it's necessary that you try out something new, and see if your journalism can soar above the heavens. An opportunity like this is rare, and I feel that you all deserve being included in it."

Twiddling her thumbs underneath the desk, Hermione secretly wished that Shirley would get to the point -- Shirley was an excellent journalist herself, but chose to express herself verbally rather than on parchment. "This is why I feel that for the next two months, you all should be given a new position. A position quite different from the one you hold now. This is both a challenge and a change to expand your horizons, and your writing capabilities. You will all ... be working on a different floor."

The professionalism that was contained in every one of the journalists vanished. They all gasped softly, then looked around at each other, shrugging with confusion. Hermione, too, released a gasp, since the third floor in the building was practically where she lived. Shirley eyed them all in silence, a small smile placed on her lips, before she rose her head and the whole room was in silence once more.

"You will all be writing several reports based on what your position will be," Shirley explained. "I suspect that most of you will enjoy this, while some will be most willing to return to their current position. However, I feel you should all be ready for what's heading your way, and that none of you will misbehave, considering all the thoughts I have for you." She gave each one of them a small glance, finally resting her eyes on Hermione. Hermione gulped silently, wishing that Shirley would fix her gaze upon another unsuspecting journalist who had no idea what she meant, but Shirley's gaze was fixed on Hermione as she continued.

"Now ... judging by the looks on some of your faces, you're probably rather confused by this sudden announcement," she continued, her eyes still fixed upon Hermione. "And I don't really see how I can thoroughly explain this even more. So, in order to fully make sure that you understand what's going on, does anybody have any questions?"

Hands immediately rose up in the air. Hermione was a little hesitant, but seeing as though everybody else had their hands up, she also stuck her arm upwards. Shirley smiled softly, an amused look on her face. "All right, all right," Shirley said, putting her hands up in the air as though a sign she was defeated. "Lauren Smith, what's your question?"

A woman who looked the age of twenty-five with curly red hair and spectacles that made her eyes look three times their original size lowered her arm as she was being addressed. Hermione recognized the name immediately - Lauren had written the scandalous article about the love affairs that Cornelius Fudge supposedly had. "Can the new position you give us be permanent if we choose?" Lauren asked, playing with a piece of her curly hair.

Shirley nodded. "If you feel that you perform exceedingly well in the new position given to you and you want to try it out for a longer period of time, or permanently, of course you may do so," she answered. "Jared Carter, what's on your mind?"

A quite handsome man who looked about his early twenties also lowered his arm once he was addressed. He had short blonde hair and green eyes hidden under square-shaped rims. "I ... I was just wondering if these two months would go without pay?" he inquired, with a small chuckle. The rest of the people assembled at the table laughed, and although Hermione also released a giggle or two, she also wondered the same thing.

Laughing, Shirley shook her head. "You will be paid your regular salary ... with a slight raise as well for doing this," she answered. Hermione released a small sigh of content; a raise meant that she would be able to pay her rent for her London apartment and spend money on some other things as well. "Christian Crusoe, what would you like to ask?"

A man in about his late thirties smiled as Shirley addressed him. His brown hair was graying slightly, but his face looked fresh and youthful. Hermione recognized his name to be the reporter who had written the controversial article about the issue of wizards and half-giants. It was an article that finally made Hagrid have some respect, Hermione remembered.

"Will we have to engage in this opportunity?" he asked. "It's just that I feel more comfortable writing -"

"Ah, Christian," Shirley interrupted, although she laughed softly with amusement. "Please do not feel hesitant. I know that some of you may not want to do this at all, which is why I have established certain things. You will have to be in this new position for at least two weeks. During those two weeks, you will be sending me an owl at the end of each day, reporting how you like the new position, and what new things you have learned. After two weeks, you may choose whether or not you want to continue onto the two months, and afterwards, for the rest of the time your writing at the Daily Prophet. The first two weeks will give a basic idea of what the job is like, and it should clearly show how you're able to handle it. Is that all right, Christian? Two weeks of suffering?"

Christian chuckled weakly in response, but nodded quite confidently.

"Good," Shirley said, winking playfully at him to try and give him confidence. Twisting her head, she eyed another person with their arm up. "Melody Stringham, what's on your mind?"

A dark-tanned woman of about thirty smiled politely as she lowered her arm. Her hair was in braids, that slightly covered her face. "Will this new position mean that we will be doing something else rather than just writing articles?" At this question, everyone else that had their arm up dropped their arms to their side, except for Hermione. She had one question on her mind, although she wasn't quite sure if Shirley would be able to answer it.

Shirley smiled thoughtfully and nodded. "Some of the new positions you will be receiving will mean that you will also have to take on the role of an interviewer before you are able to write your article. You will all be having new bosses for these next two months, unless, of course, you decide to come back after two weeks -" she smiled softly at Christian at this comment, " - and they will be giving you further instructions." She paused, giving one last brief glance at everyone in the room, before settling her two blue eyes on Hermione. "Yes, Hermione Granger?"

Lowering her arm at being addressed, she gulped softly. "I ... I was just wondering, why we were selected for this?" she asked, her voice rather raspy and quiet compared to the other journalists', who had seemed quite confident.

"No ... Hermione, you're wondering why you were selected for this task, weren't you?" Shirley asked kindly. When Hermione nodded, Shirley smiled and continued. "Each one of you has an amazing talent. Almost every single witch or wizard can pick up a piece of parchment and write with a quill - but each of you assembled here has a talent with that. You are able to write down words with enthusiasm and thought, able to grasp the reader's imagination, giving them full detail about a topic, but writing it with such determination that it it's able to be of interest to everyone. Hermione, I've seen your work. You write so well about such a boring subject now that You-Know-Who is gone, and I personally feel that your mind would be much better suited with a different topic, to see how far your excellency in journalism can go."

"I, uh ... see," Hermione said shortly.

Shirley gave one last, encouraging smile before turning towards the others. "No other questions?" she asked, with a final look around to see if there were any arms up in the air. "Good. Now, if you'll all kindly stand towards the back of the room, I'll call each one of you up to assign your new positions." Shifting back so she could stand up fully, Hermione gulped at the prospect of being called up and being 'assigned'. She almost felt as though she was back at Hogwarts, even though she had no memory of standing at the back of a classroom and waiting for a professor to assign something. Once she was settled at the back of the room and felt Christian's shaking arms next to hers, she had one last thought of how terrified and nervous Christian might be when she looked towards the front of the room.

Hermione suddenly noticed that Shirley had taken out some portfolios, and started stacking them up in a pile. Hermione shifted nervously, not sure whether to put her arms to her side as a professional, or whether to cross them. Eventually she just decided to have them to her sides as a professional, since if she crossed them she'd probably knock Christian out with one of her elbows. Keeping her gaze on Shirley and her stack of portfolios, she hoped that she wasn't the last or first person called, since that was usually embarrassing. If you were first, you wouldn't be sure how to behave, and if you were last, it almost felt like you were left out.

Raising her head, Shirley reached for the first portfolio and took a few seconds glance at it before calling out, "Jared Carter." Hermione sighed with relief, noticing that several others also did the same as Jared stumbled forwards, smiling nervously. Shirley smiled encouragingly at him, as though beckoning him to come forward, and when he stood in front of her, she beckoned for him to take a seat. Hermione made sure to keep that in mind. Watching with interest, she noticed that she opened the portfolio in front of them both and she addressed certain points in whispers. Hermione noticed Jared's eyes widen with shock, apparently not expecting this sort of new position, but after a while, he looked delighted. He took the portfolio, gave a thankful nod, then stood up after a minute and a half of conversation.

As Jared left the room, Shirley reached for a second portfolio, and with another few seconds glance at it, she then called out, "Lorelai Sucha." An Asian woman in her early twenties who had not asked a question stepped forward, straightening her robes slightly as she walked, her hands trembling ever so slightly. Lorelai positioned herself in the same chair, and when a minute went by and Lorelai had her portfolio firmly grasped in her left hand, she too left the room.

Picking up the third portfolio and looking at it, the next name called out made Hermione gulp, "Hermione Granger." She gave an encouraging nod to Christian, who looked as though he was about to faint, and approached the desk where Shirley sat, making sure to sit down in the chair casually. Shirley opened the portfolio in front of them, and Hermione caught the glance of the word 'interview' before Shirley covered the page with her hand.

"Hermione, I just need you to know that you have my full confidence," Shirley told her. "I know you've only worked here a short time, but you've shown outstanding effort, and you haven't been absent once, which shows me you're both determined to do well and you also love your job." Hermione nodded softly, wishing Shirley would get to the point.

"Now, this new position may call for some extra effort from you, which I hope you're willing to give," Shirley continued. "You won't just be writing and having the basic ideas of reports given to you in portfolios - you will have to be the interviewer -" at this, Hermione remembered the word she glanced at, " - and sometimes take on the role of being a friend."

"A friend?" Hermione interrupted. "What do you-?"

"Please, let me explain," Shirley said, her hand held out to stop her from continuing. She finally uncovered her hand from the page and as Hermione looked down at the portfolio she let out a gasp. "You will be working on the entertainment floor, in the Quidditch department. In a month and a half they will be running a full section on the best of the best in each Quidditch position, and you and another already experienced reporter will be taking this into hand. I do not know everything, but I do know that you will have to interview at least two Quidditch players, and basically hang around them for a month or so, in the last month before the finals in the European Quidditch Cup. The interview will be shown, as well as a biography, which is why you need to befriend these Quidditch players. Your new 'boss', Eric, will have more information for you. You will meet with him after your lunch break."

Hermione didn't know what to say. She struggled to say either a 'thank you' or ask a question or something, but it only came out in squeaks. Hermione was no Quidditch fanatic. Sure, she watched Harry and Ron play on the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts, and she would always watch whenever the Weasleys and Harry would play in the backyard of the Burrow, but as to all the tactics and everything that revolved around Quidditch, she knew nothing. Before she could manage to speak, Shirley had already pressed the now closed portfolio into Hermione's hand, with a small whisper of, 'Good luck', which meant that their little conversation was over.

Somehow managing to stand up despite her extreme shock, Hermione crossed over to the door, twisting the doorknob and slowly walking out. She could see the other employees that had just gotten the promotion having a few Butterbeers and carefully inspecting their portfolios, although doubting what was written in it. The sound of the door clicking shut behind her alarmed her a bit, and she clutched onto her chest in surprise. She would no longer be in Agnes' and Clara's department anymore. She would be working for the Quidditch department, something she barely knew anything about since Harry and Ron hadn't decided to play Quidditch professionally. She would be in a department with barely anyone she knew, and they would all be counting on her to write articles about something she didn't have expertise on. The Ministry of Magic articles were no hassle. But this ... interviewing players ... asking them professional Quidditch questions - was just bizarre!

Hearing another click of the door as it was about to open, Hermione moved herself out of the way to see Christian walking through, his face awfully white. "S-s-s-she wants m-m-m-me to work o-o-on the editing staff, working in looking o-o-over the articles," he stuttered out, looking astonishingly at his portfolio. Hermione's jaw dropped. It was an excellent opportunity, and although Christian's social skills were quite poor, he had a knack for writing.

"Congratulations," Hermione said to him with a great smile. He didn't smile in return, not even weakly; more colour just flushed out of his face and his eyes widened in shock. He seemed to be the only one who wasn't a little pleased or interested in their promotion; he seemed to be frightened, unwilling to take a risk and try something new. Hermione almost felt sorry for him if it wasn't for the fact that she was somewhat jealous of his promotion. Editor-in-chief. Hermione knew that after eleven years of working at The Daily Prophet as Christian had, it was unlikely that he would see himself in any other position besides the one that he had held for the past decade.

In what seemed like no time at all, the strike of twelve on the large clock near the elevator signaled that it was time for everyone's lunch break. Hermione, still grasping the portfolio firmly in her hands, was soon greeted by Clara and Agnes, with excited looks on their faces. How was Hermione supposed to break it to them that she would rarely see them anymore? It's not that they could see each other that much while on duty writing articles anyways, but that grim satisfaction of sending each other Owls every ten minutes, as well as the group projects that they were assigned at least twice a month meant something to Hermione, and she knew that it meant something to Clara and Agnes as well. And now, Hermione was supposed to tell them, somehow, that she was no longer going to be on this floor for at least the next two months. "At least two months," Hermione thought, wondering why she stated at least. "Then again, I could actually like this Quidditch position," she reminded herself. But with no more time for thought, Agnes smiled widely and was standing in front of Hermione.

"Little Miss Granger!" Agnes teased jokingly. "How did things go in there? Did you get a little promotion? Maybe a little raise, huh? If so, you know you have to treat us tonight, since you can afford it!"

Although Hermione managed a little giggle, she gulped rather uneasily at the prospect of trying to reveal the truth. How was she supposed to 'treat' them, while meanwhile telling them how she would no longer be working with them. In the same, building yes, but it would be different. Most likely they would have the usual jealous spats that they had whenever Hermione received something (from as minor as a 'job well done' from Shirley to a fabulous quill from her parents). Eventually, feeling there was a long enough pause, she managed a feeble, "Yes, of course. I'll ... reveal everything tonight, I promise, as a little surprise."

Agnes eyed her suspiciously. "You haven't been sacked, have you? I mean, usually when people do get fired, they like to wait 'til later in the night so they don't have a nervous breakdown or anything like that, but man, firing you and Christian Crusoe?! That man is a genius!" she exclaimed. Hermione merely laughed in response, shaking her head and giving an absentminded wave, disregarding her comment of her ability.

"No sacking done at all," Hermione answered. She quickly put the portfolio behind her back, so that their suspicious eyes wouldn't find their way on the contents of the portfolio; she wasn't ready to reveal what was inside, at least not until that night. "But I have to go somewhere after the lunch break, Shirley's request, so if we can hurry up and go to The Leaky Cauldron to eat, I'd be most delighted!"

The two eventually agreed and stopped pestering her, and Hermione quickly ran over to her cubicle, hiding the portfolio from view and quickly grabbing a jacket as the light spring weather called for it with the gusting winds. As they walked towards The Leaky Cauldron after a trip down the elevator and exiting the building of The Daily Prophet, Agnes and Clara chatted animatedly, while Hermione remained silent, constantly in thought. She knew that Harry and Ron would simply be delighted, and would request autographs from all their favourite players, but she was sure that Agnes and Clara would be less than pleased. Happy at first, as the initial announcement and shock would be revealed, but soon it would sink in that it meant less time for conversation, as Hermione wouldn't be in the building of The Daily Prophet as much.

"Hermione?" Clara asked, calling her to attention. "Sickle for your thoughts?"

"Oh my thoughts are much more worth than a sickle," Hermione answered, a small smile on her face, although it felt like a mask rather than an actual action. "Don't worry -- with time, I'll tell you how I'm truly feeling."

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Author's Note: A little bit of a poor ending, but I extended it so I hope it's quite better than my original copy of it. Thanks so much for the reviews - I never expected it to be 'great' and 'perfect', and I hope that the second chapter gives you some satisfaction as well, although I'm afraid that I will have to reread the Harry Potter series for the ... counts ... fourteenth time now so I can remember spells and rules and regulations of Quidditch and whatnot. lol Anyhoo, sorry for the lack of updates, and I will update soon.!

Great thanks to AShErsOfeD, Lid'l Rogue, Amy, Alazne, Befuzzled, Princess of Darkness6, jods-luvs-draco, ouchie for reviewing! It took me over err ... .... a lot of months to update it, but I have every intention of continuing this as well as some other fics, so you can expect updates in this one, that's for sure!

Stay tuned for chapter three, and PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!