Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own either of these things….etc….

Hermione and Luna's taxi arrived at an apartment building on 5th avenue and as Luna paid the bill, Hermione stepped out and looked at all the shops in amazement. She wished that wizarding clothes and shops could look this gorgeous. Luna tapped her out of her trance and they walked into the building and took a lift to the 24th floor.

"Now I know it's not much…but I hope you like it." Luna said as she opened the door to room 4C.

Hermione had never seen such a beautiful apartment in her life. She wasn't an author for nothing. Her favorite hobby was reading and there were bookcases already filled with her books, surrounding a set of plush chairs. There was a small sitting room and a staircase which she presumed led to the bedrooms and the master bath. But, the most spectacular thing about this apartment was the balcony. Hermione walked over to the huge window and pressed her face against the glass as she stared at the view. As she fell deeper and deeper into her transfixion with the view, the phone rang.

Hermione turned and walked towards the phone. "My first New York phone call!"

"It must be Know Magazine! No one else has your number!" Luna exclaimed.

Luna gasped, "It must be Harry Potter!"

Now it was Hermione's turn to gasp. She tried to regain her composure as she picked up the phone.

"This is Hermione Granger."

"This is Harry Potter." The other voice replied.

"Harry Potter….Harry Potter…" Hermione replied, knowing this would put the lady's man, man's man, man about town in his place.

"Know Magazine." Harry replied with annoyance and a little disbelief in his voice.

"Oh yes! Of course, what can I do for you Mr. Potter?" Hermione replied, satisfied that her statement had given its intended effect.

"Well, I'd like to meet with you concerning the cover story." Harry replied, still a little miffed at the woman on the other end of the phone.

"Well, I'm going to have to check my schedule." Hermione said, knowing that she was indisputably free for the rest of the week.

"We've already ordered…can you be at The Plaza in ten minutes?"

"Mr. Potter…that is absolutely impossible." Hermione replied with a laugh.

"Well, some other time then." Harry replied, his annoyance with this woman growing by the second.

"Right! I'll see you in fifteen." Hermione said as she hung up the phone.

Flash to Harry and Ron at The Plaza

Harry hung up the phone, amazed at the nerve of the woman he had just hung up with. His nerves were a little shot, considering that Ron had not stopped thanking him since they got out of the taxi fifteen minutes ago.

"Harry, you're the best friend a guy could ever have." Ron said.

"I know, Ron, you said that five minutes ago." Harry replied.

"Right, sorry, I'm going to go to the bathroom before the girls get here. Maybe throw up or something." Ron said as he got up from his seat and walked across the room and into the loo.

Harry rolled his eyes at his nervous and neurotic best friend as a woman in a purple skirt and blazer walked up behind him covering his eyes with her hands.

"Who am I?" She asked with a Southern accent and a cutesy voice.

"Tell me you love me." Harry replied, completely confused as to who this girl was.

"Gosh Harry, you know I love you." The girl replied.

"And I love you to…Hannah!" He said as he pulled her around into his lap and kissed her.

"How long before you have to be back on the Knight Bus?" He asked her in between kisses.

"Never long enough." Hannah replied with a pout.

"There's always time for a matinee." Harry replied with a purr in his voice as they got up and walked out of the restaurant.

About a minute after Harry exited, Hermione entered and walked with Luna over to a nearby table, looking around the restaurant for any sign of Harry Potter or Ron Weasley.

Ron exited the bathroom and passed the two women. He stopped as soon as he saw Luna.

"Hello ladies." Ron said with a nervous smile.

"Hello Ron. Hermione Granger," she said as she acknowledged Hermione, "Ron Weasley."

Hermione extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Weasley."

"Likewise." Ron replied.

"Where is Mr. Potter?" Luna asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes Mr. Weasley, where is Mr. Potter?"

Ron glanced at his table. His heart sunk as he saw the empty chair where Harry should have been. "I don't know."

He signaled the host. "Pierre, where is Mr. Potter?"

"I do not know." Pierre replied as a waiter approached them with a telephone on a platter.

"Mr. Weasley, a Mr. Potter is on the phone for you." The waiter said, holding out the phone.

"Ah, here he is now!" said Ron as he picked up the receiver. "Harry!" he said nervously.

"Ron, let me talk to the spinster." Harry replied.

Ron took the receiver and handed it to Hermione. "Mr. Potter would like to speak with you."

Hermione thanked him and took the receiver. "This is Hermione Granger."

"I'm so sorry Ms. Granger…the strangest thing happened. I was waiting for you to arrive when suddenly, one of those American Owls flew through the window and landed on my shoulder…she wouldn't go with anyone else, so I had to take her home and care for her." Harry replied in the sweetest voice he could muster.

"Mr. Potter, I've heard that the true test of a man's character is how he treats a defenseless creature." Hermione said as she smiled at his act of kindness.

"Can we reschedule until dinner?" Harry asked.

"Of course Mr. Potter. Until dinner." Hermione said as she hung up the receiver.

That night, Hermione and Luna entered The Plaza well dressed and prepared to discuss their cover story with Harry Potter. The two spotted Ron, sitting at the table with his head in his hands. As they approached the table, a telephone was handed to Hermione. She thanked the waiter and picked up the receiver as she noticed an empty chair next to Ron.

"This is Hermione Granger."

"I'm so sorry Ms. Granger, the strangest thing. I'm out walking my Scottish Terrier and all of a sudden she doesn't want to come in." Harry said as Mary, a Scottish attendant on the Knight Bus nibbled his ear. "I'm sorry Ms. Granger, could we rain check until breakfast?"

"Of course Mr. Potter. Let me give you some advice, if you stick a little twig in her bottom, she'll remember why she came out with you in the first place." Hermione said.

"I-I'll keep that in mind." Harry replied, becoming a bit more aroused by the nibbling. "Until breakfast, Ms. Granger."

"Until breakfast." Hermione replied as she hung up the phone.

Harry hung up the phone on the other end. Some Yankee had just gotten a hit, but in Harry's private box, neither Harry nor Mary seemed to notice.

The next morning, Hermione, Luna and Ron were sitting around a table. Hermione checked her watch again. It was 9:23, he was supposed to have arrived three minutes ago.

Luna noticed the impatient look on Hermione's face. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll call—I mean come."

As she was waiting, Hermione couldn't help but overhear the conversation being had at the table directly behind her.

"Mary, Lynsey and I missed you at lunch the other day." A young girl in a purple blazer and skirt said to her companion, who was wearing the same clothes.

The girl smiled. "Yes, well I took in a matinee, with Harry Potter." As she said this Hermione's face went rigid. "Maybe it was a coincidence, she thought." "But Lynsey and I missed you at dinner."

"Yes, well I took in a night game, with Harry Potter." The girl replied with a contradicting smile as the other girl's face fell.

"I told him I'd give up my career for him." Said the first girl.

"I did too."

"Now I wonder if he ever loved me."

"I wonder if he even cared."

"I wonder what's keeping Lynsey." Said both girls, finally realizing that their companion was missing from the table.

Hermione was angry and only became angrier as she saw that familiar waiter approaching their table with that God forsaken telephone-on-a-tray. He placed it on the table and just as Ron was about to pick up the receiver, Hermione grabbed it from him and in an angry tone started the conversation.

"This is Hermione Granger."

"I'm so sorry Miss. Granger, the strangest thing. I was kept up all night by my little English foxhound, and I'm afraid I'm still in bed. Can we raincheck until lunch?" replied Harry Potter.

Hermione scowled on the other end of the phone. "Mr. Potter, you can take your raincheck and as we say back home, put it where the sun does NOT shine."

"Ms. Granger," Harry replied with a laugh. "If you wanted dinner you should've just said so."

"Mr. Potter, I wouldn't meet with you in…A HUNDRED YEARS. Goodbye Mr. Potter, forever." She yelled as she hung up the phone with a murderous look in her eyes. She calmed down for a second and looked at Ron. "Mr. Weasley, thank you for your trouble."

Ron had the look of a sad puppy dog on his face. "Not at all."

Hermione turned to Luna. "Luna, I'll call a taxi."

Hermione turned and walked promptly out of the restaurant as Luna faced Ron.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Ron said.

"Yes, it's sad isn't it. I've never had to eliminate a future with a man without even having the opportunity to have a past with him. Goodbye Mr. Weasley." She shook his hand and followed her friend out of the restaurant, leaving Ron with the most pathetic look on his face.