Working With Weasleys
By: The Samurai Queen
Disclaimer: I don't own it, sniffle
Chapter 1: I forgot!?
Not wanting to be a sudden housing burden to her parents, who where used to her being away for the better part of the year, Hermione had rented a small apartment above Diagon Alley. She figured that upon finding a part time job she would be more than capable of paying the rent. The job was the problem. Hermione had just realized that she would be hard pressed to hold a job while having aurora training a good part of the week, not including study and homework. It was with this slightly depressed mindset that she stepped out into the streets of Diagon ally to start her search for a job she was beginning to think couldn't be found.
Two hours later Hermione was to be found sitting in front of the ice cream parlor with a rather large double chocolate brownie hot fudge sunday. Needless to say her job search hadn't gone very well. After the degrading experience of asking in Quality Quidditch supply for a job, ("You don't know what a triangular formation is?!"), she had called it quits for the day. It seemed nobody wanted to hire a fresh out of school witch with absurd hours. So busy was she trying to find condolence in the chocolate extravagance on the table that she didn't notice the two identical red heads sit down in the chairs across from her. Which is why when Fred asked,
"What brings you all the way out here to our part of town Hermione?" That she jumped about a foot in the air causing her knees to jumble the table which in turn shot her sunday into the air where it managed to dump all three of them with chocolate goo.
"Note to self, never talk to girl who appears to be engrossed in chocolate," George said while pretending to jot down notes in an invisible note pad. Uttering a charm to clean up the chocolate Hermione sat back down muttering an apology, and looking slightly embarrassed. "No need to look so embarrassed their Hermione. It's quite usual for Fred and I to receive a welcome by having something thrown at us," George said, grinning at Hermione, which only made her blush more. Embarrass her some more why don't they?
"Hermione," Fred chuckled, "I think you've been hanging around us Weaslys to long, your face is coming close to resembling mine and George's, if I do say so myself, gorgeously red hair."
"Rightly so Fred," George continued where his brother left off, "but to get back to the first question asked Hermione, What's a girl like you doing in Diagon Alley, alone, with a rather large chocolate Sunday?"
"It's a rather dull and slightly depressing story if you must know," Hermione said letting out a sigh," You're sure you would like to hear it?" She replied.
"We're all ears," the twins said in unison giving their full attention to Hermione. Slightly off set by having both the attentions of two highly sporadic people fixed on herself Hermione gave an animated retelling of her day.
"And as if not finding a job wasn't enough I wasn't even allowed to finish my ice cream!" She finished looking pointedly at the two sitting across from her. Pausing for a second, seeming to digest Hermione's story George turned to his twin with a questioning look in his eyes. To which Fred raised an eyebrow then grinned, causing George to smile as well. Hermione sat bewildered and slightly on edge, she would NOT become an unwilling specimen for a new product! That aside, was she even a little bit selfish to expect some sympathy from the two?
"Hermione, when did you say the hours you could work are?" George questioned.
"Well I suppose from around three thirty to seven during the work week, Saturday afternoons and Sunday. Even then I'm not positive, I don't know what the work loads going to be, and study comes before a job," she paused to breathe, "and I don't know how soon I'll be sent out on assignment what with the war getting worse every day." The two Weasleys nodded in agreement.
"So what your saying, just to be crystal clear, is that your working hours will be, sporadic at best?" George asked.
"Yes George," Hermione snapped," Which is why no one will hire me!"
"Well Forge, what do you think?" George asked turning to his twin.
"I think it's a marvelous idea brother 'o mine, one that I think, however, must be left to you to explain as I must be off, business engagement. You two enjoy your little date," Fred winked at the two and then dissaperated with a 'pop' Rolling her eyes Hermione turned back to George.
"I obviously missed something in that exchange, care to clue me in?" She asked moving her arms to cross them over her chest and giving George her best 'I know 100 ways to curse you on the spot so tell me NOW ' look.
"Of course Hermione dear," George said hurriedly," Fred and I here have decided we need someone to, sporadically, look after out store for us." He said while absent-mindedly stirring what was left of the sunday in its bowl. Looking up he noticed that tears where starting to form in Hermione's eyes. 'Blimy! I just offered her a job,' George thought. He was interrupted in his musings as Hermione had gotten out of her chair and ran around the table to envelop him in large hug.
"Yes George I'd love to! That's the nicest thing I've herd all day," Hermione sniffed. "There, there," George said awkwardly, he had never been the best at emotional situations. Hermione had stooped sniffling and was removing herself from George when a passerby stopped at their table.
"You know, I proposed to my wife here too, brings back memories," the man said smiling," well best of luck to the two of you," he finished before walking off. Hermione fully let go of George, their faces a matching shad of red, and returned to her seat across the table. The awkward silence was broken when a small giggle escaped Hermione's lips. In record time both where laughing so hard that people seated close to the two where starting to shuffle away from their table.
"Sorry," Hermione managed to gasp out between laughs," I was just so excited and well, you know, girl instincts I guess." She paused to try and retain normal breathing habits, "but really thank you and Fred so very much I'd forgotten you two owned and operated a store."
"And here I thought you graduated top of your class at Hogwarts." George said earning a slight punch in the arm from Hermione. "You know, were going to have to work on that punch of yours if you truly plan on becoming an auror."
"I know," Hermione frowned, "I've started jogging in the morning to work on endurance but I've yet to try and do anything to work on my strength."
George seemed to ponder this for a second before leaping up, "I've got it! Come on, I'll show you the store and the weight room Fred and I have in back, you can use it after you're done working for the day." George said grabbing Hermione by the arm and pulling her down the street. Five minutes later they arrived in front of store that bore the words 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' proudly across the front in bold blue script. George opened the door for Hermione who began earnestly looking around at the store.
'Fred and George did a very nice job with this place' Hermione thought to herself. The store was very orderly with items categorized, "by function and then price," George explained to Hermione as he led her around the store. "And here's the cash register where you'll be working. Quite simple, I'm sure you'll be able to handle it."
"But George," Hermione said suddenly aghast, "how will I remember all the prices?"
"Myself and Fred where worried about that too when we first opened and spent many a week trying to memorize all the prices in the store," George stopped to laugh at the horrified look on Hermione's face, "however we have invented a solution to the problem. Just take the item and hold it over the blue square next to the cash machine. It will recognize the product and ring up the total, watch." George took out a Canary Cream and set it on top of the blue area on the counter, a second later the cash registered emitted a cough followed by 'error zzzzzzzz'. "Er, well I'll fix that but it should say the price, so really all you have to do is sit here and play nice with the customers."
Laughing Hermione nodded her head to show she understood. "You and Fred did a wonderful job with the shop George," she said looking around the color filled room again.
"Why thank you Hermione, come on I'll show you where the weight room is," George said opening a door in the back of the store labeled 'employees only' and heading down a hall that ended in a large window. "We keep this place locked up so people can't just wander in on accident," George explained while reaching up to grab the yellow curtain hanging adjacent to the window, "Just pull on this to get in." George did so moving aside as the window opened to reveal a large room with various machines that could be found in a muggle athletic club.
"How did you and Fred get all of this George?" Hermione asked curious, it looked as if they had purchased a whole club and moved it into their home. The comment caught George by surprise, who turned and stared blankly at Hermione.
"We've made quite a bit of money the past couple years and George and I like to stay in shape, for the ladies you know," Fred said, the window/door (a/n now officially know as a windoor) closing behind him. Walking towards the two Fred gave his brother a look, missed by Hermione, which said 'we need to talk'.
"Hermione dear, my favorite new employee, would you mind running the register for a little while I need to talk to Fred," George said turning to Hermione.
"Of course George, You know where I'll be if you need me," Hermione said opening the windoor to go back out to the shop.
"George my dear brother, what could have possibly possessed you to show Hermione this little area?" Fred asked seriously.
"Well as you know she, Ron, and Harry are all off to start auror training next week, and I'll bet you 100 galleons there all slated to join our division," George replied to his brother, no hint of sarcasm in his voice.
To Be Continued...
What's this 'division' of the aurors that George is talking about? What's the big secret? Will the golden trio survive there first day as apprentice aurors? What will Mrs.Weasley say when she finds out where Hermione is working?Read to find out!
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The Queen Samurai