A/N: I change PoVs from Jack to Hermione back to Jack again for a short bit. It should be pretty clear where it happens although I'm not going to separate it with any visual aids because it would break up the story. However, I hope it is not too confusing…
Jack stalked into the lush office of Drew Mulley, his publicist. He looked around, a slight sneer on his face as he took in the thick carpets, Chinese vases, oriental coloring. All of this was because of him, he knew. When he'd first found Mulley, he'd been in a small dark, cramped office in a not so posh part of London. He had been the one to give Mulley the reputation as a rich celebrity's agent so, naturally, everyone else wanted him as their agent.
"May I help you, Mr. Davis?" an out of breath voice floated up to him. He glanced to his right. A shorter woman with thick, impossibly curly, brown hair and a heart shaped face was looking up at him, waiting impatiently for his response. He raised an eyebrow, someone like herself was unexpected in his dealings, especially with that confidence in her voice. She was one of those women that just blended into the crowd. But yet, she seemed like she could be a great friend, and he didn't have many of those right now.
"S-sir?" She asked, sounding a bit unsettled for the first time.
"Right, sorry, Ms-?" He paused, waiting for her name.
"Puckle, Ms Puckle," She answered, all business for the first time. He arched a brow. Interesting. So, once the woman found her footing, she was solid.
"As I was saying, Ms Puckle, I need to meet with Mr. Mulley, but, perhaps you could come to lunch with me? You seem just the kind of person I need to talk to." He said, smiling. At her shocked face, he snorted. He hadn't quite expected that.
"But-Mr. Davis-What? I can't!" She sputtered. "You see, I couldn't-couldn't possibly!"
"Whyever not? I am just a bloke wanting to have lunch with a lady to get to know her better." He said, frowning sharply.
"Fine." She said, with a shaky smile. "Fine, why not?"
"Smashing." He grinned. "I'll just go meet with Mulley, now, shall I?" With that, he strolled off, pleased, that for perhaps once in his life, he could have a good friend, besides one he was interested in romantically. He hadn't enough of those in the world. He had, now that he thought about it, none. Besides Susan, whom he thought there was something completely alluring about her. He just wasn't quite sure what it was. There was nothing that made her stand out from anyone else. He strolled over to the door that closed off Mulley's office.
With a cursory knock, he entered. "Mulley!" he said loudly, startling Drew Mulley from his desk. "You need to get a life, man. Seriously. You spend all day and half the night at this desk." He dropped carelessly into one of the richly upholstered seats across from Drew. "Now, what is it that you wanted from me?" he asked, looking directly at Mulley.
"Now, I know you said you didn't want to do anymore movies for a year, but see, there's this really great movie script that someone sent me. It's written for you! It's called Airway. It's about this paramedic, and how he saves this girl's life and it changes his own life, makes himself reevaluate it.
"No. Now that you've wasted my time, I'm going to go now." Jack stood up.
"Wait, the producers told me you can choose anyone you want to be the leading actress." Mulley sounded desperate.
Jack paused. "Anyone?" he asked, a slow smile spreading across his face. Mulley winced at that voice. It meant Jack would accept, yes, but he would choose the person of his liking, no matter if no one else liked her.
"Yes." He said, resigned. "Anyone. I would like to know who this person is, eventually. Before filming starts." Jack merely smiled confidently.
"I'll let you know." Jack waved a hand, walking back out the door. Mulley collapsed back in his chair and mopped the sweat off his brow.
Jack scanned the room, looking for Ms. Puckle. It was funny, the woman had to only be a year or two older then him, but he referred to her as Ms. Puckle in his head because he didn't even know her first name. "There you are!" he boomed. Her head shot up and she studied him from behind her practical glasses. He grinned, ecstatic that he'd found a way to get Susan to be a further part in his life and this was the woman to help him. Not that she knew that. He had to make sure that she knew … he didn't have any sort of romantic inclination towards her. Grinning arrogantly, he sauntered over to Ms. Puckle's desk. "So, how about lunch?" He asked. "I thought you agreed to come to lunch to give me some advice?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. Her head stayed down, although she twitched slightly at the sound of his voice.
"I don't get a lunch break until noon today. It is currently-" she paused and glanced at the simple watch on her wrist "-eleven thirty. Therefore, if you truly wish to have lunch with me, you shall have to wait." At that, she returned to furiously scribbling down whatever it was in utter silence. Jack gaped at her. He knew that most people in this office would have jumped up immediately had he said anything of the like to them. He liked the fact that she didn't. Good quality for a confidante, he thought to himself. Settling himself in a chair near her desk, he tapped his fingers on the arm rest. "Must you tap so?" her irritated voice sounded out all of a sudden, breaking the background hum of people, copy machines, and anything else from an office place.
"Sorry." He mumbled meekly. There were people walking around him, all giving him second glances, eyes asking "Why are you sitting in front of her desk?" He leaned back, resting an ankle on his opposite knee. He spent several minutes staring at his thumbs and pondering how they interlocked with his fingers. Why am I letting her boss me around? He asked himself. Steeling himself for the inevitable rebuke, he looked up. Fixing Ms. Puckle with a stare to make the most stolid person jumpy, he settled in impatiently.
Why is he staring at me? Hermione asked herself. He should know by now that I am NOT interested! Her mind was going warpspeed now. Ron would surely kill him if he saw the way the man was looking at her. Then, of course, he would ream her out. She sighed loudly and looked up, putting down her pen. "Well, I suppose if you insist on staring at me like that, we can go to lunch now rather than later." She snapped.
"As you wish." Jack said with a grin. "By the way, what's your first name? I never caught it."
"Hermione" she said simply, glancing at him as she shuffled papers around and finally stood, showing that she was ready.
"Hermione?" He asked, arching a brow. "Curious name." He smiled at her.
"Yes, well, the only eccentricity my parents gave in to was naming me after a greek goddess. They were dentists, after all." She said so matter of factly that Jack was left with the feeling that he should have known her parents were dentists, that she was named after a greek goddess and that he was terribly behind the times if he didn't.
"Alright then," was all Jack could say. "Well, where shall we go for lunch?" he asked, desperately trying to change the topic.
"I don't know, I'm rather new to the area, myself." Hermione said, picking up her handbag. "Why don't you choose somewhere?" she asked.
"There's a pub nearby, not too much of a walk." Jack said hopefully. It was the one where he'd met that girl, not that she would be there in the middle of the day.
"Alright, let's go" Hermione said, hitching up her purse. She walked purposefully out of the office, glancing back, a slightly worried, perusing glance around the office. It's probably nerves, Jack thought to himself as he sloped after her. As they exited the office building, Jack gestured to the right. "It's a few blocks this way. I found it a few days ago after meeting with Mulley." Again, he found himself following this woman. He didn't bother trying to make conversation. It seemed this lady was not the type to make conversation as she walked. Not unless she had to. Shaking his hair out of his eyes, he set off after her. Catching up, he silently directed them into the pub and slid into his so far favorite booth, the one in the back.
"You know, if you're trying to avoid attention, it'll never work. Someone will almost always recognize you, it's better to be upfront about your presence and take it in stride." Hermione commented. Jack quirked an eyebrow, curious about how she would know that. Unblushingly, she looked him straight in the eye and said "I have a friend who's famous where we came from. Not as universally famous as you, but enough that he's hero-worshipped and many people know him. It's been like that for quite a while, so we've discovered the best way to handle it."
"Really?" Jack asked. "Where do you come from?"
"Near Scotland." She said. Just then, the server appeared.
"Jack Davis, nice to see you here again." She smiled down at him, the same woman from before. "Have you given up on our Susan?" she said smiling.
"Susan's her name?" he asked, brightening. "She didn't tell me a four nights ago." He smiled at her. "Could I just have fish and chips?" he asked, not wanting anything else to eat.
"I'll just have some salad, please." Hermione said, folding the menu she had borrowed and handing it back to the server. As the lady bustled away, Jack became uncomfortable. Shifting in his seat, he folded his hands together on his lap. Hermione only sipped at the tea that the server had placed in front of them. "How's your career going, Mr. Davis?" she asked after she placed her tea cup carefully back down.
"I-it's going alright." He said, startled at the abrupt question. "I tried to not make a film for a year but an opportunity came up and Mulley bribed me, saying I could choose the lead actress. He thinks I'll choose someone famous already, established. Truthfully, I'm pretty dead set on convincing this Susan woman to give it a try." He looked down at the tea cup. "I thought I'd give myself a year to figure out what I really want to do in life." He shrugged.
"Well, you didn't have to say yes to the deal." Hermione pointed out as she sat back to allow her salad to be placed in front of her. Jack leaned back and managed to glare at her at the same time. "How did I know you'd respond like this?" she asked pointedly.
"Because you know someone else like me." Jack said, pointing out the obvious.
"Oh..that's true." She smiled, blushing. "My fiancé. He's a bit thick like you."
"Hey!" Jack protested then her words penetrated his mind. "Your fiancé?" he asked. "If you have a fiancé, then why'd you accept my invitation?" He asked, a small grin crossing his features.
"Because I knew you weren't interested in me. I'm not your type." Hermione said calmly. "Besides, did you think I didn't see your interest when Susan's name was mentioned?" she asked. "If that isn't who you're interested in, then I'm not a w..woman." She said, grinning teasingly. "Were you looking for advice about her?" Hermione glanced up, over his shoulder. Susan stood there. Her expression was one of confusion and unrealized jealousy, Hermione supposed to herself. Making sure Jack was looking at his food for the moment then motioned towards the bathroom. Susan scurried through the pub and Hermione drew Jacks attention, making sure that he didn't see Susan. If he saw her, Hermione would not be able to explain. "Because I'm rather surprised you would look for advice from me..After all, I'm not the prettiest of girls. In fact, both of my best friends when I was in school were male. We had plenty of adventures together."
"I suppose you've found me out, then." Jack said grinning at her, popping a chip into his mouth. "I've only met her once but she makes me want to spend more time with her, somehow." He frowned at his food, contemplating what he'd just said.
Glancing at the wall that hid the bathroom doors, Hermione said "Would you excuse me? I do think I need some refreshing."
Jack spread his hand out, "I've all the time in the world. I'll wait around the world for you, milady." Hermione flashed a smile at him and hurried towards the bathroom. Closing the girls room door behind her and locking it magically, Hermione faced Susan who was nervously wringing her hands.
"What are you doing here with him?" She asked once the silencing charm had been cast. "I don't even know how you know him."
"Hold it, Susan." Hermione held a hand up. "You know I love Ron. I'm sure you saw it because we were the only two oblivious to it by the time our sixth year rolled around." She turned her hand around, flashing the small diamond in Susan's face. Susan's face showed slight relief.
"It's not like I like him or anything" she said. "I mean I just met him a few days ago. This is the pub I was just telling you about." She wrung her hands.
"Well, he seems pretty interested in you. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason he asked me to lunch, although I'm not quite sure why I tend to get all the guys asking me advice about girls." She let off a rueful laugh. At Susan's confused look, she clarified. "He's asking me advice about how to approach you, ask you on a date or something, I believe. Although he doesn't know why, I swear, he's just like Ron in that aspect, oblivious." Hermione grinned at her with exasperation. "By the way, you might want to make sure you're free for the next few months..you're going to be in a muggle film, but don't mention it, he doesn't know I know you." She added.
"Really? A muggle film?" Susan asked with a small smile on her face. "What is that? Oh nevermind, I'll look it up, maybe ask Justin." She frowned slightly. "But how did you run into him?" She asked, confused.
"You know how I work in the muggle liaison office?" Hermione said.
"Yes.." Susan said, her brow furrowing.
"Well, especially since I'm muggleborn, the Magical Law Enforcement Office has chosen me from the Muggle Liaison Office to keep a watch on Mr. Mulley's office. There's a good chance that some wizard or witch working for Draco Malfoy is working there under disguise. It has something to do with all the activity recently, which you know all about, I hear." At this, Hermione looked rather sympathetic. "I'm there to talk to all of the employees under disguise. I'll catch something a witch or wizard says that no one else would. And don't worry, Justin Finch-Fletchley is protecting me under an invisibility cloak, he's just outside the pub now." Hermione added in a breath.
"Alright.." Susan said, scrutinizing her. "If you're doing that, I shouldn't blow your cover.." She grinned. "And since you silencio'd the room, I'll just apparate out, shall I?" With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared with a crack. Hermione smiled, happy that Susan might be finding happiness, she'd know how to deal with fame, having seen how people acted around Harry. Taking off the locking and silencing charms, she slipped her wand back up her sleeve. It was just short enough not to draw notice if she wore loose sleeves. Opening the door to one woman looking very put out. She smiled a little and brushed past, "Sorry," was all she said.
Jack watched Hermione reappear from the bathroom. That certainly had taken long enough. "Eat some of your salad, then," he said, gesturing at her full bowl of salad. She smiled wanly and ate a bite of it.
"I don't know what it is about Susan." He said. "But I'm not quite sure how to handle it. She treats me as if I'm normal, nothing special." He glanced at Hermione before staring at his food. "Which I'm not, special that is. Just famous. And at the same time, its like I'm the only man in the world when I'm around her." He glanced up, looking confused. Hermione just looked thoughtful, running her hand through her hair, and looking thoughtful.
"She sounds like a lovely young woman." Hermione finally said, looking at him. "I'd suggest treating her like that. Not like glass, for I'm pretty sure that would drive her away, but hang out with her, maybe ask her to dinner at some casual place." She grinned at him. "I'm sure she'd agree."
Jack smiled brilliantly. "Alright," he laughed. "I think I can manage that. Now I just have to figure out a good way to ask her to act with me."
Hermione glanced at the time. "Well, it's about time I got myself back to the office, what about you?" She asked.
"Oh, I think I'll sit here for a bit." Jack said, "Ponder what you've said."
"Alright then, I'll see you in the office in a few days, then?" She asked.
"Yeah, unfortunately." Jack griped.