"George, please, I don't want to socialise with people. Ron's just going to say something stupid to everyone and I'll have wasted my efforts for nothing."
George sighed, placing his hands on her shoulders. Hermione was a hard person to deal with when she was upset. He knew she hated the social parties, but they were good for business.
Once every three months or so Weasley Wizard Wheezes would hold a party where they'd show off all the new products they'd been working on over the past couple of months. It was also a chance for them to see people and have some form of a social life. They could spend weeks and weeks without seeing anyone but each other and every now and then they needed to look upon fresh faces.
"Hermione. You can't spend your life staring at my ugly face. You are owed a life of love, happiness and companionship and you know you won't get them from me. And forget about Ron. He's bitter because you have chosen a better carer and realised that you can do better than him. He'll not say anything bad about you tonight. I promise." She raised an eyebrow, but knew better than to argue or even ask what he had planned. She had lost and had no choice but to go and socialise.
It had been a few months since Oliver Wood had been in Diagon Alley. What with training for the cup final being so intense he'd not had a spare second to go and visit George's shop. At Hogwarts he'd always found the twin's jokes a good source of distraction when times were really stressed, like his exams and the House Cup finals. It was good George was carrying on that tradition and taking it into the wider world.
There were a fair number of people at this product party. A lot of them he recognized and knew, but there were a fair few he didn't. Harry was there, naturally, along with all the Weasley siblings with their various spouses and partners. Some old Gryffindors he recognized but couldn't name and some others from his time at Hogwarts. There were some people wandering around that he had no idea who they were or how George knew them. So he avoided them and headed for those that he did.
Hermione kept herself tucked into a corner away from Ron who was blatantly flirting with any woman that so much as looked his way. Even Luna Lovegood, who was clearly more interested in Neville than him. This was why she hated these parties. People were always with someone or flirting, which brought back odd memories of her first party, just before she'd signed on as the other inventor.
She'd essentially had too much to drink and ended up in bed with George, who hadn't seemed to mind that much. In fact, they had started dating, but it hadn't worked for them. They were dating for the wrong reasons. The breakup had been very mutual and now they were simply colleagues and best friends. It was the next best thing and it worked perfectly for them. But there was one thing she did miss from her relationship with George and that was the dating. She missed the quiet evenings in and homemade suppers before an open fire. That was what she really missed, being with someone who cared about her enough to love her. George had loved her and she'd loved him, but it was more of a familial love than romantic. She wasn't upset about the breakup, it had been a year ago; she just missed what went along with dating.
Ginny sat next to her in the alcove, looking out across the shop floor. People were laughing, enjoying themselves. Hermione was not. She knew why. Ginny was very much aware of Ron's behaviour towards her best friend and it annoyed her to her core. It was more because Ron wasn't mature enough to accept that Hermione had moved on from him, that she was looking for other men.
"You shouldn't be wasting a dress like that on a dark alcove. You should be out there, the centre of all male attention. There are some gorgeous men out there. Terry Boot is doing very well for himself. Fantastic looks, good job, a couple of promotions. Or how about that Ravenclaw that was in the above you… Alan something. He's turned out very well too."
Hermione just rolled her eyes. Despite the fact Ginny was very happily engaged to Harry she still enjoyed telling her about all the good looking, eligible guys that were out there.
"Or how about Oliver Wood? He is a babe magnet at the moment. The hottest date since hot was invented!"
Again, Hermione just rolled her eyes. Yes, Oliver Wood was defiantly good looking but she had not spoken to him since the Last Battle and even then, it had only been a few words. Besdies, what would a Quidditch star see in her? The little voice in the back of her head, which desperately wanted a date, reminded her of Viktor Krum. He'd been a World Cup winning Quidditch star and he'd been very interested in her.
"You need a date Hermione. You are so wasted on back room inventing. Get out there and have some fun." And before she knew what was going on, she was in the middle of the room, in the centre of every male's eye line.
"What happened with that girl you were seeing?" George smiled slightly. He'd been hoping Oliver would ask such a question. Oliver needed a girlfriend, someone that understood long antisocial hours, and a high profile lifestyle. Hermione was just that person. Although she didn't know it yet Oliver Wood was perfect for her. He was intelligent, understanding, caring, a good cook and a lot of things she didn't even realise she needed.
"Yeah, that ended a year ago. Very happily, don't worry. It just wasn't for us."
"Oh, I'm sorry mate. Still impressed a girl managed to convince you to date."
George shrugged.
"At the time we needed it, but anyway, why don't you met her. She should be around here somewhere. Hey Hermione, you remember Oliver Wood don't you?"
Hermione meekly nodded, noting that Oliver was staring at her, his mouth open in disbelief. He could not believe that the woman in front of him was Hermione Granger. The last time he'd seen her she'd had huge bushy hair which was now much shorter and smoother. She was still quite small but she had filled out into a stunning woman. He could not believe the two images in his mind eye went with the same name.
"Hello Oliver, how have you been? George told me your team have been doing really well in the league. I'm sorry I've not seen a match this season." Oliver's heart stopped beating.
"You follow Quidditch?" She nodded.
"Of course. I have to, given I work here. When George and I were dating we used to go quite regularly." His heart skipped a beat again. George had dated Hermione Granger, the bookworm who had told him off so much? He could not believe that. They had been so different at school. But then, people grow up when they leave school. They become very different people. He knew he was a different person to the one he had been at Hogwarts.
"So, you work here then? Don't suppose I could get a bit of a tour? It's been a very long time since I've been here?"
Hermione scowled at George as she led Oliver away. She knew what was going on and she didn't like it. If she was going to be set up, she liked people doing it with her permission. But she was stuck with the tour now, though she did have to admit that there were uglier people who could be showing round the shop.
"I'd never have pegged you as a lass who would work in a joke shop. You were always so proper at Hogwarts."
She smiled lightly, pausing in her tour to look at him properly. Most people in another part of the shop, enjoying George's demonstration of a new product.
"Well, I was taught to lighten up really and George needed someone to join the team, so I took the job. It is so much fun. George is really good and I'm just having a ball."
She was enthusiastic and talkative. She was involved and engaged. It was not Hermione he'd known and he was enjoying the experience. A relaxed Hermione, a Hermione who was talkative. Yes, she'd always been talkative, but this was different. She was different and he found he was enjoying her company.
Hermione stopped mid-sentence to gaze at him with a puzzled expression. He was staring at her again, in amazement this time, as though he was not really seeing her.
"Am I going on too much? I'm so sorry. I always talk too much. Do you want to leave? You aright?"
He nodded, smiling, grinning as he watched her reaction. She look worried, but he found her fascinating. Fantastic company even.
"No, I'm, you're, you." He paused, trying to forma sentence in his head. "You're not the person I thought you'd be, I like this change in you." He paused again, gathering courage.
"Do you fancy going on a date?"
That caught her by surprise. What caught her even more by surprise was her answer.
George smiled to himself as he watched them on the balcony of the shop. Mischief managed.