He loved working for George. He really did. But that didn't mean it wasn't hard, as he was brutally reminded of today. Seventeen different mothers came in with raging complaints that their kids all had eyebrows singed off by an explosion caused by two Weasleys' Wild-Fire Whiz-bangs colliding at a birthday party. Of course George had mysteriously disappeared to the back room while Ron was left to sort out the angry witches. And that was just the beginning.
He was also forced to deal with the missing order of doxy venom, which was supposed to have arrived the previous day.
Then seven-year-old Teddy Lupin walked in holding his grandmother's hand. That's when things seriously went wrong. Teddy certainly had inherited his mother's clumsiness. In a single fluid motion, he had knocked over the shelves holding all of the Skiving Snackboxes, as well as the display case for their new product, Bucking Brooms, and before Ron could open his mouth, the glass case of Muggle magic tricks was shattered, and cards were flying everywhere.
It came as no surprise to Ron that he was assigned to clean the mess up. Normally, this wouldn't have been so hard, just a couple flicks of the wand. Unfortunately, a shard of glass from the display case had found its way into Ron's palm, making it incredibly hard to make the slightest movement with a wand. Although everything was eventually put back to normal, Ron couldn't help but mumble a few choice words about Muggle tricks to George as he passed by.
George didn't find this amusing in the slightest, and sent him to clean the toilets right before lunch. Luckily, no matter what Ron was forced to clean, it never stopped his incessant appetite. During his lunch break, Ron made a quick stop to the Leaky Cauldron for a large helping of shepherd's pie before realizing he had promised Harry that they would eat lunch at a Muggle cafe nearby. He rushed into his Muggle clothes before Apparating into an alleyway by the bistro. He found Harry angrily downing his water glass at a nearby table. Ron and Harry had a good chat about how Hermione was acting so strange recently. Harry suggested her new job, but it seemed as if she was just stressed around Ron.
By the time they had finished their talk, Ron realized his lunch break had ended five minutes ago. Ron rushed into his shop robes and stumbled into George who sent him to stock all the items and make sure everything was perfectly in order. The job wasn't hard, just absurdly tedious.
This task took Ron until past closing time, leaving him to lock up himself after George had left.
Ron was currently walking down a deserted street in London, kicking a rock along the pavement. He vaguely wondered how today could get any worse. His question was answered as a Muggle car drove through a large puddle and splashed dirty water up at him. He couldn't very well use magic out in the open and grumbled angrily to himself as he wiped the mucky water off his face. He then toe-kicked a rock with such fury that his foot immediately swelled with pain. He swore quite loudly as he hobbled down the street.
After what seemed like hours, he finally arrived at the door to his flat.
"Bugger" he said after realizing his keys were sitting on the desk back at the shop. Why did Hermione want to live on a Muggle street? Why couldn't they buy a house out in the country like the Burrow? Why the bloody hell did she make it so he couldn't use magic and had to have a ruddy key to enter his own home?
Ron pounded his fist on the door, praying she was home, before slouching against the door holding his head in his hands.
"Just perfect," he muttered as he saw a distant crack of lightening. It was going to rain on him as he sat pathetically on his doorstep unable to get in because he couldn't do magic here and he had left his bloody key on the bloody desk at the bloody shop.
"Ron?" The support on his back disappeared as the door swung open behind him. He turned his head so fast he got a crick in his neck.
There was Hermione holding the door looking down at him. He hastily got up and entered the warmth of his home.
"What happened, you look... wet?" She asked as she used a couple of charms dry him up. Ron mumbled his thanks before walking into the kitchen where a plate of steak and mashed potatoes was waiting for him. He took his seat at the table and stared down at his food. How on earth had she had the time to get home from her job at the Ministry and set everything up before Ron had arrived? He looked up as she sat across from him and smiled.
Ron made an odd face back. He was trying to smile, but his mouth wasn't working properly; he hadn't smiled all day. He picked up his fork and it instantly reminded him of the large cut on his hand that the fork was currently irritating, and he proceeded to drop the utensil and clutch his hand. Hermione was quick to his side and immediately opened his large hand with her small one. She uttered a spell and suddenly his hand was free of all pain.
"What happened?" Hermione asked as she walked back to her seat.
"Glass" he mumbled, before picking up his fork again and stuffing his mouth with as much food as possible. He looked up to see Hermione shakily drinking her drink.
"So. How was your day?" she asked, her voice unusually high.
Ron looked up at her, and opened his mouth to recount each and every awful event that made it the worst day ever. Her brown eyes were staring right back into his bright blue ones.
What was he going to say again?
He looked back down at the table and noticed the detail Hermione had put into setting dinner up. There were four lit candles (nearly burnt out, it seemed Hermione had expected him home sooner) surrounding a small vase of flowers. The napkin he had "forgot" to set on his lap was neatly folded into a triangular pattern next to his plate. His plate. He looked at the other dishes on the table. She had used the bone china that her aunt had given her as a wedding gift. She had sworn she would only use them on special occasions.
Ron looked up at her again, but before he could open his mouth to question-
"Ron... I'm so sorry. I know I've been... detached recently... It's just..." Hermione's eyes started to shine with tears. Ron began the motion of getting out of his seat, but she shook her head.
Hermione inhaled deeply, and to Ron's surprise, smiled.
"Ron... We're pregnant!"
Ron's mouth fell open in shock. He was speechless.
"Ron...? Aren't you happy?"
For the first time all day, Ron beamed.
"It's been the best day of my life."
