Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP characters. Oh yeah and some of the ideas in this chapter, I've taken from Meg Cabot's books and the car incident is also taken from one of Janette Rallision's teenage books. I thought it was hilarious:D So please don't sue me!
A/N: So well here is the next chapter! If you are surprised why I updated so early, you can check the bottom A/N note for my reason. Anyway thanks for all the reviews guys! You all have been great and I'm glad you'll like this. I really do. There IS H/D action in this chapter if you can spot it! Hehe! Anyway that's about it! Please read (AND review!) :D
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FROM THE DESK OF
HERMIONE GRANGER
Hermione Granger
Head-Journalist
The Daily Prophet Newspaper
London
665-3457-9310 (Only on Wizarding phones)
Composed on the 7th of March by: Hermione Granger
To Do:
Clean my apartment
Cook dinner – or order out…
Laundry!
Finish the article for the Daily Prophet
Return my library books
Buy a new handbag before Ron's wedding
Buy new clothes! – preferably, a whole new wardrobe (also before Ron's wedding)
Ditch Zacharias Smith
…And find a new boy friend!
Get married
Oh yeah, and pick up my dry cleaning!
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On Hermione's answering machine in her apartment…
xxx
8th of March
Hello! This is Hermione! I'm out at the moment so please, do leave a message after the tone. Thank you!
(Beep)
Hey Hermione! This is Ron here. Well, I just wanted to tell you…um…about the wedding. You see, Pansy and I are planning on leaving for the U.K on the 13th just so that we can check out the place and get everything ready! We were wondering whether you could join us on the 14th? If you could that'd be great!
Please let me know as soon as possible – call me when you receive this! Thanks!
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Hello! This is Hermione! I'm out at the moment so please, do leave a message after the tone. Thank you!
(Beep)
Hermione? Out again, huh? Well, this is Zach here. Your boyfriend, incase you've forgotten (laughs). I was just wondering whether you'd like to go out some time? You know…for dinner or something? We haven't met for ages! Just asking…that's all…
Well, I hope I see you soon, love! Bye!
XX
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And on Draco's answering machine (the one he has on his wizarding handphone)…
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Draco here. Leave a message if you absolutely have to – I really don't have time to waste.
(Beep)
Hey Draco! This is Pansy. I called to let you know that Ron and I are leaving for England on the 13th. We want to see the bridal garden and all…get everything prepared you know. And so…well…we were wondering whether you'd join us on the 14th? It'd be great if you could!
Please let me know – and anyway I'm sure you can come for you are in the U.K now aren't you? Call me once you receive this please! Later!
XX
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Meanwhile…on Ron's phone at home…
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9th of March
Yo! This is Ron, you've reached. Sorry to have missed your call but do leave a message please after the tone. Thanks
(Beep)
Hey Ron! Harry here. I've been trying to call you for ages but you never answer! Anyway, mate…look…I have some bad news! You see…I…errr…can't come for your wedding – if it's on. Okay now don't kill me! I can explain…
You see, I'm trying out for a promotion this month you know and apparently you have to fill a whole lot of papers and all. It doesn't stop there! You have to take a few tests again or something. SO I don't think March is a very good month for me. Even April isn't that great…I'm sorry! I really am, dude…
Don't get mad and all. Gin, Lily and I will visit you sometime – that's if Ginny doesn't have a heart attack first. Anyway got to go…Lily sends her love too…Later mate!
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On Wizarding Internet…
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To: Hermione Granger
From: Human Resource Division
Date: 11th March
Subject: Departure
--
Dear Miss. Hermione Granger,
This is an automated message from the Human Resource Division of the Daily Prophet. We have just been informed by your supervisor, managing editor, Hannah Abbot that you would like to take 4 weeks off starting on the 13th of March.
This is possible indeed as long as you are aware that you have just used up your 'days off' quota for the next 6 months. Please drop down at our main office and give the reason for your sudden departure.
We hope to see you next month and have a wonderful holiday!
Sincerely,
Human Resource Division
Daily Prophet
--
Please note that this e-mail is intended and should only be read by Hermione Granger. If another individual other than the one just mentioned above has received this please do notify the administration. If such an action is not taken, the immediate dismissal of the said employee will take place. Thank you.
xxx
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12th of March
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DRACO MALFOY'S PERSONAL ORGANIZER
--
Call Pansy before going home
Charge my phone
Call on mum at the manor before five in the evening. I have important businesses to attend to afterwards
Oh yeah, and rent a new muggle car - a stupid muggle bitch sat on my silver Volvo today, accusing me of carjacking my own car! And I can't have muggle germs around me when operating this stupid vehicle. But then if I do rent a muggle car there will be muggle germs – shit! God! I wish I had another case to solve instead of catching (in muggle attire, nonetheless) this wizarding criminal at Harrods. Is that what aurors do? I was hoping for darker things…but no…I get stuck with running around muggle shopping malls, searching for a psychopathic maniac with muggle appliances. I, honestly, wish I could use my wand – but the ministry specifically told me not to use magic. What has this world come to? God…Once I find this wizard who's causing all this havoc, I will personally torture him myself for inflicting such unbearable pain on me. I'm sitting in an enclosed space where a muggle sat, no more than three hours ago, for heaven's sake! – though she did look familiar. I'm sure I've seen somewhere…but where? God! Do I bloody care?
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14th of March
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THE TRAVEL DIARY
of Ron Weasley and Pansy Parkinson
On their elopement
Compiled and Written by: Hermione Granger, witness
AND Maid of Honor (well…okay…bride's maid then)
AND Ron's best friend, advisor and 'homework diary' since our first year
at Hogwarts, the best-known school of witchcraft and wizardry
--
Dear Ron and Pansy
Surprise!
When I saw this beautiful note book – a leather one - in one of the duty free shops by the portkey station, I just had to buy it to record your elopement and all its happiness because I do know for a fact that neither of you'll will take the time to write about this memorable event.
Okay…so what if I got this idea from one of the muggle books I've read? I think it's a great way to remember such happy moments…
…and as the good friend I am, I'm taking the liberty to do so (write your travel diary on your elopement) for when you do get angry at each other or your eldest kid fails his DADA exam OR your youngest just snapped the new broom you got him into two, the both of you can just open this book and say 'So THAT'S why we married!' instead of brooding over the hardships of married life.
…Because you two make one of the greatest and funniest couples, ever. I mean, I honestly, would have never thought that you would have married Pansy, Ron. And Pansy, I would have never thought that you'd be content with having Ron as your husband (I mean I've always thought of you as a cow. Joking! Okay maybe I'm not…). But now when I think of this whole set up, it's actually awfully great that you both decided to elope and marry. It's sort of like…Romeo and Juliet (ignoring the end where the both of them kill themselves).
To put it simply, you two make a sweet couple – very forbidden. AND as I've said before, I think eloping is a wonderful idea (except for when your parents find out what has happened)! It just makes the experience more memorable!
And so I plan on jotting and explaining everything in here – from your happiest to saddest moments! Believe me, you will thank me later for doing this. And just so that I get the hang of this, I've decided to start writing even before we reach our destination. Even before we've touched the portkey and –
Where the hell are you two? Ron, you told me to come today, didn't you? Today's the 14th. You told me to come here, last night. So. Where are you two?
And okay, seriously, what's with that blonde haired guy by the fence? He is royally pissing me off. For Merlin's sake! He's shouting at every little kid who passes him. The conversation he's having on that hand phone of his, seriously, seems to be a matter between life and death. Why else would he be so crabby about it? And -
DAMN! Why the hell am I even writing about that stupid jerk in here! It's supposed to be your travel diary – everything in here is supposed to be about you two!
Except that you two aren't here! Where are you guys! Seriously! Aren't we supposed to be here two hours before the time of departure? – that's what these little tickets say! And the portkey officials are already setting up the portkey now, you know and you guys still aren't here!
Hey, you know that blonde haired guy looks so much like that man I bumped into in Harrods when I was buying some stuff for this trip. Oh god, I can't believe I brought this up. Let me tell you two that it was one of the most – no let's make it the most embarrassing moment of my life. It really was.
And I blame it all on the stupid Daily Prophet Company I work for! They were the ones who got me that cheap Volvo car (mainly to drive on muggle roads – it's the only way we can get some of the best articles as no one really knows who we are) which only starts half the time for some bizarre reason. And I've honestly not had the time fix the piece of junk.
And oh yeah, I also blame my mum for the stupid robbing/kidnapping stories she's always thrown at me. Once it was about a 13-year-old girl who got mugged in one of the shopping malls here in London. And then the next day, she told me about how this 18-year-old guy's car got robbed, right under his nose!
This city is, apparently, a criminal haven. But I, honestly, should not have really paid attention to such crap. I mean WHO in their right minds would mug a 24-year-old young lady like myself under the bright sun? And anyway I had an advantage: my wand!
But none of those valid points crossed my head when I walked towards my gray Volvo (which, let me add, there were hundreds of, all over the parking lot. It has absolutely no originality!) and I heard someone behind me. I turned around shakily and saw a young, fair-haired man messing with his hand phone. He looked totally normal – in a tight black sweater and light colored pair of jeans. Calm down…I told myself He is just a normal guy. But calming down was, alas, impossible for always, the normal guys are the people who end up being the real psychopathic maniacs. And from what I could see, this guy certainly had 'lurker' potential.
Nevertheless I continued to walk, minding my own business, jangling my keys and trying hard to stop myself from shivering. He wouldn't dare hurt me – not here! But even when I was near my car, he was still there talking animatedly into his phone. He's probably calling another one his lurker pals, I told myself and that's when it hit me hard that my fears were indeed true – this guy was a definite criminal! Why else would he follow me like this – all the way form Harrods to my car?
When realization, finally, dawned on me, I ran (…faster than I've ever had, let me tell you'll) towards my Volvo, opened the door (I never lock my doors, for the car really is a piece of crap, like I've mentioned before!) and jumped into the car, shutting the door hard behind me.
I locked the car and held on to my steering wheel for dear life. But of course this did not improve the situation one bit! The front window was rolled down halfway and since the stupid car was electronic, I could not roll it up until I reared up the engine –a feat, more easily said than done!
Look honestly, I am a very calm person. You two know that. I really am. But during this specific instant I just lost all rational thought – I was only jumpy because of mum! Gee…thanks mum! Thanks a whole bunch!
I slammed my key to indignation and turned it. Nothing happened. At all.
I pulled it back out and tried again – nothing! And so I started patting the steering wheel, lovingly. "Come on, car! Don't fail me now!" I usually talk to it gently when it decides not to move – call me stupid and crazy but it does work at times.
But not this time, apparently. It didn't even make that grinding noise it usually makes when it's being difficult. "If you start" I continued, trying to ignore my fluttering heart and the figure looming just behind the vehicle "I will stop calling you a horse buggy with delusions. I promise" When I turned the key again, nothing happened. Absolutely nothing! The car obviously knew I was lying.
And then suddenly the blonde haired guy was by my rolled down window, his hand phone still in his hand. I was so scared and surprised. I let out a scream. Only it came out as a little squeak.
"Ahhhhhhhhh" I jumped so high, my keys fell into the depths of darkness and onto the floor. I stared back at the lurker guy who was now leaning down so he could look into the car. I was terrified. My hands were shaking as much as my teeth and legs were. He's just lost I kept telling myself He needs directions or something… He had a perfectly legitimate reason for leaning on my car. That was what I was trying to make myself think anyway…
The guy's steel-eyed gaze bore into me as he asked, impatiently "What are you doing in there?"
"Do you need anything?" I asked, trying to calm myself down. He's lost…just lost… While keeping my gaze on him; I reached down and started feeling the carpets for my keys. I just had to find them – and fast! And I did, after a few minutes. I jammed it into the key hole again. Need I say that nothing happened?
"Yeah, I need you to get out"
So that was it! He wasn't even going to pretend to be someone else – someone who wasn't criminal. Mum's 13-year old girl story came into mind. God! I was going to die.
Forgetting my keys for a moment, I reached out for my handbag (the one I bought for your wedding!) and grabbed it. I held it unsteadily in front of my chest so that I could then swat his arms with it if tried to touch me. I didn't want to use my wand for this guy was most definitely a muggle and you don't use wands when muggles are around. "Move away from the car or I'll scream!" I yelled
He didn't take my threat seriously at all. He didn't budge at inch. In fact, I'm pretty sure he rolled his eyes. So I let out the scream I promised except of course it came out as a squeak – AGAIN!
The lurker guy looked around. I looked around. No one. No one had heard my little squeak.
"Are you going to get out now?" he asked, looking rather bored.
I immediately dug into my handbag in search of my wizarding hand phone (I can call both muggle and wizarding numbers with it – meaning both the muggle and wizarding police stations). "I'm calling the police" I told him. I decided that calling the muggle police would be the best idea since I didn't want this guy to die of a heart attack when he saw the black cloaked officials of the Wizarding Police Administration coming over in brooms to arrest him.
He folded his arms and said "Yeah, you go ahead and do that"
As I rummaged through my purse, I kept looking back at him, just to make sure that he didn't reach out and try to unlock my door. I memorized his features so I could give the police an accurate description.
The guy looked vaguely familiar – somehow it was like I'd seen him in a dream or something. He was at least my age, maybe even older. It was hard to say in the darkness that enveloped the parking lot. He had longish blonde hair (really blonde hair) and steel gray eyes that stared impatiently back at me. Square jaw. Hollow cheeks. Broad shoulders and more than six feet tall. I would have thought him extremely good looking under other circumstances – which, sitting in my crappy car searching for my phone, was a strange realization.
My fingers sifted through the lipstick tubes, an emergency tampon, and then another tampon (I can never actually remember whether I put one in or not), my wallet, a hair scrunchy, my sunglasses…
He put one arm on top of the car. I could hear his fingers tapping impatiently against the metal. "The number is nine-one-one" he told me
His sarcasm was not lost on me. Great, I told myself. I was going to get mugged by a sarcastic criminal!
"Yeah I know' I snapped, "I'll call it as soon as soon as I find my phone"
I had reached the bottom of my bag and guess what? I did not find my wizarding one (I had forgotten it at home) but only my muggle one which meant that I definitely had to call the muggle police now since there was no way in hell that I could call up the wizarding officials with the appliance I held in my hands. But as destiny had it, I had forgotten to charge the piece of junk. I just couldn't believe it…How could something like this happen at such an awkward time?
"The nine" the lurker guy continued "is the number that looks like an upside down six"
Sarcastic and mocking to boot. I felt like slapping him but that of course wouldn't be a good move when bargaining with a criminal. Instead, I took a deep breath and asked, timidly "How about I just hand over my bag and you go away?"
"No dice. I've seen your bag and there's nothing in it I want"
Okay so he didn't want money – not that I even had any! A salty ball of panic formed in my throat. I screamed again but of course, it came out as a squeak – FOR THE THOUSANTH TIME! Gee…I really need to work on my screaming skills. And since no one but the blonde guy and myself could hear me, nothing happened. Nothing.
I tried to turn the key again, harder than I had even thought possible but nothing happened – at all!
The lurker guy bent over toward me, putting a hand on top of the window on the driver's side. I was so scared, I did not think twice of my actions. With my purse, I smacked at his fingers, spilling all its contents onto the floor. Leaning down to reach for my belongings, I pumped the key with my other hand for the billionth time.
"Ow!" he yelled at me but more with irritation and anger than with pain. Okay so he was pissed. He moved his hand away but tilted his head back toward the window "Look, I don't know what your freaking problem is but will you please just get out of my car?"
His car? God! He was a carjacker. Him not taking my purse now made sense. Why would he want my bag when it was my car he was after instead? God…I tried desperately to start the stupid engine. If there ever was a time I needed it to work, it was now.
But of course, it did not move an inch. I jerked the keys out the ignition in disgust. The stupid, stupid car had failed me again. "You want to steal this car?" I asked, angrily "Fine. Go ahead. The joke's on you because it won't run. Good luck trying to get it out of the parking lot'
He, surprisingly, took a key chain from his jean pocket and held it out for me to see "Well, it usually helps if you have the right key" Again, the sarcasm was obvious
I stared at his hand for a moment, not realizing what he was saying. And then I saw it – my car, behind him and off to the right. Another silver Volvo sat in the parking lot – a silver Volvo that inexplicably had my license plate!
I screamed again but not loudly. It was, instead, a yelp of humiliation. I looked around my surroundings and for the first time I noticed that the seats had rich green seat covers on them instead of the dull gray ones I have on mine. I couldn't believe it…I just couldn't believe it. Can you two believe it?
"This isn't my car!" I gasped, my cheeks red
"Not shit! Well, big surprise! Do you want to get out now?"
For another moment, I sat stunned, staring at his irritated gray eyes and then at the car. I then closed my eyes for a moment – allowing the relief and humiliation to wash over me. I wasn't going to be a victim tonight – just a complete dork and dufus! "I'm so sorry" I sputtered, stuffing my things back into my bag "It's just that I have a silver Volvo too. See, that's my car over there and so I thought this was mine" When I finished putting everything in, I zipped my purse. It was when I did so that some of my anger returned "Why didn't you just tell me this wasn't my car?"
He shrugged, impatiently. It seemed like he wanted me to leave as soon as possible – if I was not mistaken, it also seemed like he was, somewhat, disgusted by my appearance. "I came out of a store and some stranger was sitting in my car, talking to it. What was I supposed to think?"
I slipped my handbag over my shoulder and opened the door. "So you thought I was crazy?" I asked getting out
"Well…most people would have suspected that something was wrong when their key didn't work the first time"
I was glad he couldn't he see me blushing in the darkness "Yeah but my key turned in your ignition and besides, my car only works half the time. It hates me for some reason" When he raised his eye-brows skeptically, I added (so he wouldn't think I'm all mad) "I mean the starter motor or something doesn't work all the time"
He nodded as though this made perfect sense but I knew he just wanted to get rid of me and I really couldn't blame him. I mean I had accused the guy of carjacking his own car! "Yeah, well, whatever" he muttered "No harm done" He slipped into his car and inspected the ignition as though I might have broken it with all my key twisting.
"Sorry" I said again and walked away. I have never met the guy since then which is probably a good thing. But then, he is a muggle after all! I suppose it is -
Shit! God! Why the hell have I written all this in here? Stupid, stupid, stupid me! Okay, Ron and Pansy, I promise I'll start all over again. So stupid of me! I just couldn't stop, you know. I'm so sorry. It's just that…suddenly everything came back to me when I saw that man on the phone over – OH MY GOD! OH MY FREAKING GOD! That's him! That's the guy in the car. Shit! The guy must be a wizard then! Why else would he be in a portkey station?
Where are you guys? WHERE ARE YOU? Come here – Shit! He's spotted me and he's smirking! Damn, damn, damn! Where are you two? Where are – Oh! Here you are! I can see you two coming! Thank god! Thank you so much! Thank you Thank you! I will always be in your debt! I really will! I could have never –
OH – MY – GOODNESS! NO! PLEASE…DON'T TELL ME…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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A/N: So well there you go…my fourth chapter! Did you guys like it? I only updated really quickly coz I might go out of town for a holiday so I'm not sure whether I'd me able to update very soon so that's why put this on quite quickly! I hope you guys like it! I really do. So please review! I love you guys :D
A/N2: Oh yeah and AGAIN, spelling and grammar mistakes were unintended :P