Chapter 9
Ginny waltzed into her brother's store and maneuvered past a few customers to the front desk.
"Why are you sitting out here, Fred?" She asked jumping up on the counter.
"Hermione and Oliver have been sent to QQS to acquire a Puddlemere shirt for Hermione to wear next month."
"Why next month?" The question seemed so obvious when she asked, but then Ginny realized what the answer was. "Never mind, Puddlemere home game. I suppose you lot are going without me?"
Fred looked up at his sister. "Gin, it's a work outing and you don't work here. If you did we would be taking you."
George appeared from the back room shuffling papers around. "Besides it's all part of our master plan."
"What 'master plan'? You never said anything about this!" Ginny ranted, she was as nosey as they got and she was good at getting the information.
"Hermione and Oliver obviously have feelings for each other or at least some weird sexual tension, they just need to realize it."
"So Fred and I are going to make that happen." George began to clarify as Ginny opened her mouth. "It's starting off with some simple and harmless words, phrases, and tasks. Eventually it will get better and grow."
Fred laced his finger, resting his elbows on the counter. "Did Mia stop by this morning to see you?"
"Yeah, she stopped to get her clothes and grab some toast from mum." The girl shrugged.
"So she was only there for a bit?"
"Well it wasn't like grabbing clothes and toast took an hour."
The twins nodded in silence, knowing that it frustrated their sister.
"Neither of you are going to tell me why you just asked that?" As soon as she finished the sentence she realized why they weren't going to elaborate. Hermione and Oliver had just walked into the shop. Ginny gave the twins a look that said 'you'll tell me later' and greeted her friends. "Let's see the shirt!"
The purchase gave everyone a laugh and after talking for a few more minutes the twins retreated to the back room.
"I'm going to stock some shelves," Oliver said grabbing boxes of merchandise and getting to work.
Hermione settled in her chair and pulled out a magazine to read while Ginny kept her position on the counter.
"So, why were you in such a hurry this morning?" The red-head tried to be subtle, a trait she had taught herself after years of living with her brothers. Sometimes it didn't work though, especially on Hermione.
"Just ask me Ginny." Hermione hadn't even taken her eyes off the magazine.
"Where did you go last night?" Leaning in so no one else could eavesdrop her point has been made. Hermione wouldn't lie to her best friend and she knew that, so asking direct questions was the only way to get actual information out of her.
The brunette sighed and tossed the magazine aside. "After we left the club Wood and I apparated back to the Leaky Cauldron and walked through Diagon Alley. My intention was to go to my flat but we ended up talking and didn't separate, so I just went to his place."
"But Wood said he didn't own a couch."
Hermione nodded. "Indeed he does not." Ginny's eyebrow rose, silently asking for more details. "He made a frozen pizza and since we obviously had nowhere else to sit we went to his room. We were drunk and he dropped a slice on my lap getting sauce all over my clothes, which reminds me I need to ask you mom about a cleaning spell. So he let me borrow his old quidditch jersey to change into, I left the room as he changed and when I came back I laid on top of the bed and covers and the next thing I know he's waking me up this morning telling me our employee picture would be in a few hours."
"So if you left the room while he changed, what did he do while you changed?" The impish grin on Ginny's face made Hermione blush.
"I went to the bathroom which is why I left the room, he brought me the jersey, I changed, when I went back to the room he was finished changing." Ginny took a few seconds to think and when she finally came up with something she was cut off by Oliver.
"Hey guys, I want you to meet Liam." The man next to Oliver was just about as tall with jet black hair and blue eyes. "We played on Puddlemere together for a few years. Liam this is Ginny Weasley and this is Hermione Granger." Oliver motioned to each girl as he introduced them.
"It's an honor meeting the both of you," Liam smiled at the girls. "I mean meeting Harry Potter's girlfriend and part of the famous trio. That's something that any wizard from our era would want to accomplish." Smiling politely the girls both wanted to change the subject badly.
After the war all they got was fame and glory, part of the reason Hermione chose a job other than one in the ministry. She had gotten more than enough stories in the Prophet and didn't need any more publicity of any kind. Ginny didn't obviously blend in very well with her hair and still got pointed out every once in awhile, but this was something all the Weasley's had gotten accustomed to and everyone involved was used to be stared at and asked for autographs and pictures.
"Who's this Wood?" Fred asked emerging from the back room, George behind him.
"Fred, George, this is my friend Liam." The men all shook hands.
"You mean Liam Neely the beater from Puddlemere?" Fred clarified. Liam nodded. "You know what this means?"
The rest of the group looked rather confused, except for Hermione who groaned almost inaudibly.
"WE'RE GOING OUT TO CELEBRATE!" The twins chorused throwing their hands in the air for emphasis. "Ginny, it's your job to tell Harry and Ron and to also get dressed up. But not too dressed up because you're still our little sister. Hermione, you're job is to get dressed up, and you can dress however you want but if you look like a hooker we're not taking you."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
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Oliver got the rest of the day off to hang out with Liam, which finally gave him time to go buy a couch.
"So what's the deal with that chick in the Weasley's shop?" Liam asked casually while they were looking for the right couch.
"You mean Hermione?" Liam nodded. "What do you want to know?"
"Is she single, doesn't date, doesn't like guys in general, what's she like." He shrugged again. "I just want to get to know your friends."
Oliver laughed dryly. "Hermione used to be the biggest bookworm and rule stickler you can imagine, but wait until you see her tonight. The girl has definitely eased up. Single, not sure if she's dating but I do know that she prefers guys cause if she didn't it would be her and Ginny all night long."
The couch search continued in silence for a little while. "She's not dating anyone that you know of, is she available?"
"What do you mean 'available'?" Oliver stopped to look at a navy blue couch and matching recliner.
"You know, some girls are single or casually dating but aren't available because they have some other guy on their mind or that they're emotionally attached to."
"Liam, she doesn't do one-night stands." With that Oliver bought the navy couch and recliner and had them sent to his flat.
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Hermione got ready in her flat, donning dark jeans with a strapless green top. She had straightened her hair and parted it on the side giving her face a different shape. A diamond pendant hung around her neck as well as matching stud earrings, a matching set from her parents after she finished Hogwarts. Slipping on the same flats and grabbing her clutch Hermione locked her front door and flooed over to Oliver's flat.
"Hello?" She called stepping out of the fire and noticing the new addition to the living room. "Is anyone here?"
Suddenly a shirtless Oliver appeared from the bedroom. "Hey, I'm really sorry we can't do dinner tonight. I had no idea Liam was stopping by to see me and I didn't want to invite him to your flat without talking to you about it first."
"It's not a problem Oliver, we'll just have to reschedule." Hermione smiled.
"Do you want something to eat before we leave?" He offered. "Get something in your stomach so you don't get sick." The pair went into the cramped kitchen again and Oliver made her a turkey sandwich while she sat on the counter.
"Hello there, I didn't know you were joining us beforehand." Liam walked into the kitchen as well grabbing shot glasses out of the cabinet. "We're having a few drinks before we leave."
Hermione smiled at the man. "I just figured I would arrive with Oliver and you instead of going by myself." She was handed a shot of firewhiskey which she downed with no problem.
Oliver finished his second shot and grinned. "I have a couch now Mia, you can pass out on it whenever you'd like." The girl smiled as she received another shot. "Liam's taking it tonight but you know what I mean." He chuckled.
"Since when did you start calling me Mia?" She asked hopping off the counter and walking into the living room.
"Since the twins call you that so ever affectionately around the shop." The boys followed and sat on the couch as she took the recliner.
The three remained there for awhile before Oliver stood and went to his room.
"Oliver says you used to be a stickler for the rules, but I don't see it." Liam leaned forward from the couch. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Not many rule mongers I know wear clothes like you do."
Oliver returned into the living room straightening his yellow button down. "Are we ready to go?"
The group left and walked through Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron where they would meet Fred and George. The other three would show up at the club separately.
"You look dashing Mia," George said giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"And you look nothing like a prostitute so I suppose we can take you with us." Fred kissed the other cheek. "Alright gents and Mia let's get going."
One by one the group apparated to the alley outside the club and entered making sure a table big enough for all of them to sit and drink was available. Ron was already sitting at a table and waved them over.
"Wondering where you lot have been," The sour greeting was met when he pointedly looked at the dance floor towards Harry and Ginny dancing. "Been out there since we arrived."
A waitress came around the table for drink orders and the twins started a tab. "The night's on us in honor of Wood's guest." The table toasted and for the second night in a row, everyone was together having fun.
A/N: Whoops, did I throw another guy who wants to go after Hermione in the mix? I hope you'll all forgive me
