My eyes slowly opened as the sun shone brightly through the bedroom window. It took me a moment to think about what day it was, and then subsequently, whether or not I really had to get up and go to work. I was an assistant to a fierce and ruthless lawyer who was ironically the same age as me. That could have been me in her position if I had the drive and desire.
I checked the alarm clock on my nightstand, only to realize it somehow got unplugged at some point last night. Checking my watch instead, I realized it was 7:30. Fuck. I was going to be late. Jumping out of bed, I hopped in the shower, quickly got dressed, and grabbed my briefcase as I ran out the door.
London was bustling as always, and I hoped I wouldn't sweat too much as I half jogged to the coffee shop around the corner from the firm. Naturally, the line was out the door when I got there. I didn't have time for this shit. I looked to the counter, where the friendly blonde barista caught my eye.
"Ron!" she called as she held up two coffee cups.
Oh, thank god! I thought as I weaved through the line to grab my order.
"Can I add a muffin today?" I asked as my stomach rumbled.
I didn't have time for breakfast on account of waking up late. The hot barista nodded as I handed her my credit card. I was on my way after a couple of minutes and hoped that I'd still managed to beat my boss to work.
Thankfully, luck was on my side this time. When I walked into the office, everyone was milling about leisurely, which meant I arrived first. I set the coffees down on my desk and booted up my computer while I wolfed down the muffin. As soon as she walked through that door, I'd be pulled in five different directions all day, so I needed to eat now. I swallowed the last bite as the inter-office chat room popped up on my monitor.
The witch is here.
Immediately, the entire office turned into a solemn zone of productivity. I finished verifying the day's schedule as my boss, Hermione Granger, strolled into her posh corner office. As she closed the glass door, she turned around and nodded for me to come along. I grabbed her coffee and slipped into her room.
"Morning, Ron," she said as she sat down behind her desk.
"Morning, Hermione," I said, handing her the coffee. "You know you're supposed to be in McGonagall's office in ten minutes for the meeting on the Lestrange case, right?"
I caught a vague eye roll as she took a sip of her caramel latte with skim milk. "Yes, though I'm not sure she'll be telling me anything I don't already know. I'll just call her now and see if we can hold the briefing via phone conference. Oh, and then after, you'll need to come with me. I need to speak with Zabini."
I raised an eyebrow in her direction. If it was about what I thought it was, it was going to be brutal. I nodded as I left so she could call her superior. She messaged me no more than five minutes later, saying she'd taken care of the briefing and we'd be on our way to Zabini's office soon. I opened up the chat screen and typed the following message:
Taking flight in two.
Hermione was challenging to work with, but she wasn't entirely awful, though most of the office seemed to think so. I kept them in the loop because I wanted to stay on their good side, but I also didn't want to piss Hermione off. I'd been working as her assistant for three years, and I knew a promotion would be in my future soon. I was qualified and more than capable of joining her legal team. I just needed an opening. And if Zabini was getting sacked, this may just be my opportunity.
Her office door opened, and she pointed down the hallway. I grabbed my pen and a legal pad and followed. Hermione didn't bother knocking when we arrived outside his office door.
"Zabini, Zabini, Zabini. Just the person I was looking for," Hermione said with her signature fake smile.
"Good morning, Ms. Granger. To what do I owe this visit?"
I could tell real arse kissing from fake, and this was most definitely the latter.
"I think you know what I'm here for." She waited for him to say something, but his uncompromising stance told them everything they needed to know. "Your paperwork has been slacking over the last few months, and you've lost more cases than you've won. We just can't have that. And don't try to tell me that it's because you're overworked. You've got the lightest caseload on the entire team, and quite frankly, you're making us look bad."
"Surely, you aren't considering firing me?" Zabini questioned. He was a little too comfortable with everything in my opinion.
"Considering? Oh, you and I both know we're past that point. You'll have two weeks severance to find another job, and I'll even be nice enough to tell the rest of the floor that you've resigned in order to pursue other interests," Hermione said smugly. "I'll expect you to be moved out of the office by the end of the day tomorrow."
I looked on at the exchange before following Hermione out of the office. Zabini looked like he was going to retaliate, which was not going to end well in his favor.
"Don't do it, Blaise, don't do it," I heard Hermione mutter as Zabini was moving to follow.
I braced myself for the shit storm that was about to unload.
"You selfish bitch," Zabini said, loud enough for the rest of the office to hear.
"Blaise, I told you not to do this."
"You think you can stroll around here and just decide who's worthy of staying or going all because of their performance? Maybe if you gave me cases that stood a chance in the courtroom, I'd be performing better! You're blackballing me on purpose, Granger, and this is not the end!"
"Alright, Zabini. Unfortunately, you've now got until the end of today to pack up your office. If you don't leave peacefully, Ron, here, will call for security, and you'll be escorted out. One more word, and I'll call McGonagall right now and have her cancel the recommendation letter we've got prepared for any of your prospective employers."
"You are certifiably insane. The whole office knows it. No one likes you. They barely respect you, and everyone's terrified of you. Not sure who wronged you along the way, but you'll never make any friends with your attitude."
"I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to do my job, and today, that includes firing you. You dug your own grave, Zabini. Now it's time to lie in it."
I watched as Hermione spun around and walked back to her office with purpose. I followed, fully aware that all eyes were on us.
"That went well," I said slowly after I shut her office door behind me.
"That's a word for it," Hermione scoffed. "I knew he was going to act like that. He thinks he's entitled to the position just because his father holds clout in the inner circles. Well, that's not happening. You don't pull your weight; you don't belong on this team!" She slammed her things down on her desk.
"Speaking of pulling weight…" I started to say, but Hermione's phone rang.
I noticed her cringe as she reluctantly answered.
"Hi, Mum," she said in a strained tone.
I started to walk to the door, but Hermione held up her hand to stop me. Great. I get to sit here and listen to this awkward phone conversation.
"Mum, we've been over this. I'm happy here.— No, I'm not moving back to France.— You have got to be kidding me! That's rubbish!— I will not!— No, Mum, this conversation is over!" She snapped the phone shut.
"Is everything alright?" I asked, knowing full well that it wasn't.
"No. Not at all." Hermione said shortly.
For the most part, our relationship was strictly boss and assistant, but I'd gotten to know Hermione fairly well over the last three years. Rarely did anything rattle her this much, and when it did, we'd get together outside the office for pizza. She really wasn't a terrible person, and honestly, she didn't really have anyone to vent to, so I resolved to take one for the team long ago if it helped my chances of promotion. Of course, it didn't hurt that I was the only one around here who could stand up to her and still live to see another day. I had a feeling tonight was going to be one of those nights. At least it wasn't tomorrow.
"Pizza tonight?" I asked.
She looked up at me, and I saw some relief flood over her face. "You really are the best assistant; you know that?" Her features softened for a rare moment.
"I try." I decided not to bring up the vacancy right now.
"How's 7:00 sound? My place?"
"I'll bring the pizza if you provide the booze."
"Would you have it any other way?"
I caught the smile playing on her lips as I walked out of her office. So much for asking the hot barista out tonight, I thought, noticing her number on my coffee cup when I sat back down at my desk. Oh, well. If it meant I'd be that much closer to that promotion, it'd be worth it.
HermioneI gave one last glance around my apartment, making sure everything was just right before Ron showed up. I didn't have many friends since I worked so often, which meant I rarely entertained at my flat. Once in a blue moon, Ron would come over, so I could vent about whatever was bothering me with work, and we'd eat pizza and drink a little too much. At least someone was able to see me as a normal person.
I knew I was a notorious hard-ass at work, but when you're a female lawyer in a prominent firm, you have to be cut-throat to achieve something and stand out among your colleagues. Sure, it was rubbish being an outsider in London, with no family and friends, but I operated better alone. I learned long ago that no matter what I did, it'd never be the 'right' choice, according to my mother, but I wasn't about to let all my dreams slip away because she wanted me to settle down and be a housewife to some well-to-do gentleman.
Ron was the closest person I had to a friend, even though he was my assistant. I never understood why he settled for that position. I always assumed it was because he was lazy. Not that that added up, either, since he ended up putting in just as much overtime as I did daily.
Come to think of it, I barely knew anything about his personal life, let alone his aspirations. He was always more focused on making sure his work was completed or that I was happy. Not that we didn't argue. He wasn't afraid to tell me when he thought I was wrong, or if he disagreed with a certain angle I was planning to take on a case. No one else in the office ever dared to speak out against me. I wondered how much the office staff paid him to keep me happy. Sighing, I leaned against the kitchen counter. How did McGonagall do it? She was held in such high regard among her colleagues; everyone respected her and seemed to like her. What was I doing wrong?
I quickly shook the thoughts from my head as I checked my watch. It didn't matter. I wasn't there to make friends; I was there to make a name for myself. I'd continue to deal with the loneliness the way I always had before.
There was a knock on the door. Seven o'clock, right on time. He knew I always appreciated punctuality. I opened the door to greet him, but instead, a stranger was leaning against the door jamb.
"Can I help you?" He must have the wrong flat.
I waited for him to answer, but he stood there eyeing me up and down like I was a piece of meat. He was tall with a stocky build. His hair was dirty blonde and his facial features were pointed, which intensified the look of his cold gray eyes. Any normal woman would be swooning over him, but I could see right through his cocky attitude.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he crooned.
"Absolutely not," I laughed derisively. "I don't invite people into my home that I don't know."
"Well, I reckon we'll be getting to know each other much better soon, so you best open up." I wasn't sure, but his statement sounded like he was alluding to a double entendre.
"Excuse me?" What was he trying to insinuate?
"Your mum didn't tell you I was coming? I'm Cormac McLaggen. Your soon-to-be husband."
I felt all the blood drain from my face. This could not be happening. There was no way. Mum was insistent I find a husband or she'd arrange something; she never said she already did arrange it!
"That's not possible," I said defiantly.
"Ah, but it is. I'm not sure what would make you think it couldn't be."
I had no idea what to say to make him leave. All of my lawyerly skills had vanished entirely from my brain as my stomach churned, and I was trying to control the onset of anxiousness that was making me begin to sweat. There was no way I would ever marry him. Both he and my mum were out of their minds if they thought that was the case.
The elevator dinged, and I looked past him to see Ron exiting onto my floor. Ron! That's it. He'd help me get out of this. But how? And that's when it hit me.
"Ah, but I can," I said smugly, as Cormac peered at me, waiting for me to go on. "You see, I'm sorry my mother failed to tell you, but I can't marry you on account of already being married. And here he comes now."
"What's going on, Hermione? Who's this?" Ron asked, eyeing Cormac carefully.
"He's no one, and he was just leaving. I've been waiting for you," I said, flashing him what I hoped was a seductive smile.
Ron gave me a weird look as Cormac said, "Him? Please. I'm not giving up that easily, especially since I don't see a ring. We'll get this sorted out soon, Granger. I'll be back."
Cormac purposely bumped into Ron's shoulder as he walked away. Ron looked ready to drop the pizza to go after him, but I pulled Ron into the flat and shut the door before he had the chance.
He set the box down before turning to look at me. "Mind telling me what that was about?"
"As long as you promise not to be a prat about it."
"Hermione…"
"I'm serious, Ron."
"What did you tell him?"
"Well, it's not in your job description, but—" I paused, thinking of the right way to phrase it. "I'm going to need you to pretend to be my husband for a few weeks, maybe months."