A/N: Welcome back lovelies. This is the first chapter of the newly reworked Jokers' Love. Please drop a review and let me know what you think!
Three years after the war saw many changes. One, Hermione was working at a joke shop. Any human worth their pay checks would know that that in itself is odd. They would say it is even odder when they find out she works at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. WWW belongs to the twins Fred and George Weasley, her ex-boyfriend's brothers. Now, most people would think that would be the most awkward thing in the world. Well it wasn't. Hermione loved working there. She had a great time, good pay, good benefits and awesome bosses.
The twins, in turn, loved that Hermione was working for them. She was brilliant and was always smiling, which was good for business. When she wasn't working on the floor she was in the back helping with payments and ordering new ingredients for their jokes. It was only natural they treated her well. She was an absolute Godsend and they let her know that every day, especially Fred.
Fred had been nursing a little crush on the woman since the day she saved him during the Battle of Hogwarts. She had pushed him out of the way of the exploding wall and miraculously saved them both. He would never forget her lying on top of him, looking down to see if he was okay. Her little hands grabbing his face to make sure she could see his eyes. He had been grateful for it ever since.
When he had found out that her blood status was still preventing her from getting a job he had tried talking to the ministry to see if he could pull some strings. But alas he couldn't. So he did as any Weasley would do. He offered her a job without even talking to George. George took it surprisingly well which made Fred happy but also a little nervous. He didn't want his brother to ask questions later. The questions that would be asked wouldn't be able to be answered with words. He would have to show him memories and that was out of the question.
George, on the other hand, was not planning to ask questions. He knew without his brother telling him that Fred liked Hermione in a not so platonic way. It had been obvious since the exploding wall. He was glad that Fred had offered her the job. He knew that she was going to work hard no matter what; it was a part of her. She was also a part of the family despite her break up with Ron. Ron had been a right jack ass to her and the family kicked him out after the break up. As far as the family knew he was back with Lavender and had proceeded to knock her up.
Hermione had been graciously accepted into the fold and well taken care of by the Weasley matriarch, Molly. Molly was everyone's favorite person because of her cooking skills and advice which had never been wrong. It was actually her idea that Hermione, who hadn't been at all happy in the relationship, break up with her youngest son. It was also her that noticed that Fred liked Hermione and had urged him to try and get her the job of her dreams. Of course when that hadn't worked she convinced him to hire her himself, explaining that anything that would keep her mind busy would be better than her sitting at home wallowing in self-pity.
Which brings us back to Hermione standing in the joke shop helping what looked like a 13 year old boy find the joke product he wanted without ripping her hair out. This child was changing his mind faster than she could shout lumos and it was seriously bothering her. Of course, having a headache in this kind of situation never helps, so when he changed his mind she lost it.
"Look, if you want to keep changing your mind go find an owner. I don't know the store as well as they do."
"Oh, okay, I'm sorry for troubling you ma'am."
Hermione relaxed visibly as the boy went looking for one of the twins.
"So", said the amused voice of one of the twins, "you okay?"
"No, Fred I am not okay. What would give you the slightest inkling that I am 'okay'", Hermione said.
"I didn't expect you to be okay. I just heard that sometimes asking after ones welfare was polite in certain societies."
"Well", Hermione began, "I have a headache, Ron is still being an arse about the break up, I'm tired and I just had an annoying customer. Why don't you do the math?"
"Well I would but it seems you are talking to the wrong twin", Fred said with a chuckle, "I'm no good at math."
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Sometimes, Fred, a little maturity wouldn't be amiss from you. It might even be helpful."
Fred sighed. "Hermione, you need to take a break. You are constantly stressed about everything and it isn't good for you."
Hermione looked at Fred incredulously. "Leave you and George on your own in the shop after all the hard work I've done? Are you out of your mind? You would destroy my carefully laid out inventory system!"
"Hermione, we did run this shop without you for a few years."
"Ha! It was a mess in the back room when I first started here!"
Fred just shook his head. "You really need a break, Hermione. You are still hung up on the break up and that is why Ron keeps coming around. As soon as you stop focusing on it he will leave you alone."
Hermione sighed. "I'm not taking time off, Fred. I still need to pay rent and taking time off would hamper that."
"Fine, but work on getting past the break up."
Hermione nodded before walking away. She hated conversations like that and wanted to distract herself with work. Deciding to hide herself in the back room she started working on an inventory list.