Hermione was just done cleaning up her desk, ready to head out for Diagon Alley, when a letter came flying into her office. It was another note from Fred. They had been corresponding since the morning. Poor Jack, she thought. The owl must be exhausted from all the back and forth flying he had been doing that day. Immediately, she had a brilliant idea. She gathered her things and walked swiftly towards the Ministry's exit. Once outside, she spotted Jack and gave him the rest of her lunch.
"Take your time. I won't be sending a reply. Once your done eating you can head home" she told the owl, who hooted in delight from the news.
She then apparated to a small alley in Muggle London, and began walking towards one of her favourite stores.
"Good day, welcome to The Book Nook" said the clerk at the register as soon as Hermione walked into the bookstore.
"Hi, do you know where I can find the humour or comedy section?" Hermione asked him.
"Straight down that isle and to your left" the clerk pointed.
"Thank you," she said as she headed in the direction she had been told.
After a few minutes of skimming, she found just what she was looking for. She quickly paid for it and had it wrapped in a bundle alike to the one she had received that morning.
"Thank you for shopping at the Book Nook, please come again." Said the clerk as Hermione exited the store.
Hermione had apparated to Diagon Alley. She walked into one store to purchase Ginny's gift for Victorie, and then headed to buy quills for work. She had just finished paying, and was heading for the exit when she heard her name.
"Hermione?"
She turned to the source of the voice.
"Finley, Hi." she greeted him.
Finley was a co-worker from her same department, only he worked in the Ministry Classification of Magical Creatures office.
"How are you? I see you're stocking up on quills there. A lot a work, eh?" he asked her.
Hermione politely smiled. "Sort of. I needed new quills since I'm almost done with the ones I have. As for the work, well when isn't there work?" she laughed, and Finley joined in.
"That's true. I try to get most of it done at the office, but sometimes there's so much I take some home just so I don't fall behind." Finley replied.
"Definitely, I actually just left the Ministry not long ago, and since we're having a family dinner tomorrow, I didn't want to be worried about finishing the work on Monday." Hermione casually stated.
"Oh, dinner with your parents? I heard about the new mind-reversal treatment they underwent. I hear—" Finley was saying before Hermione faked a small cough.
"Uh yeah, they're doing well. But I was actually talking about the Weasley family. I live with them, and I sometimes forget we're not actually family." She laughed awkwardly.
"Oh. Yeah I get it. Anyone would want to be family with the Weasleys. They're a popular lot. I bet you're attending the Wizard Fest the twins, what's their names, I think Frank and George, are hosting?"
"You mean Fred. And yes I'll be attending. Will you?"
"Oh most definitely! I'm dying to see what they'll incorporate from the Muggle world. I just hope they get it right."
"Ah, yes. I forgot you were muggle-born. You and your brother, right?" Hermione said.
"Yes, only two out of five siblings. So you can imagine how excited we were when my niece got accepted to Hogwarts this year. The first one to attend Hogwarts."
"Where did you get schooled?" Hermione asked.
"I'm actually from Ireland, but I went to school in Portugal. Our parents had relocated there for work, and we didn't know much about the Wizarding world back then, so I went to a small wizard school in the country, about 800 pupils at the most."
"Wow, that's small." Hermione said surprised.
"I guess so. I really never noticed. But I hear Hogwarts is enormous, you must know since you attended there."
"Yes. It's pretty large, but as you said, I never really noticed." Hermione replied.
"Speaking of… since you're so knowledgeable with the Hogwarts ground, I was wondering if you'd like to attend the Wizard Fest with me? I mean you know, as a tour guide, or no. I mean, you know as friends. Uh, it's just I haven't gotten accustomed to the English Wizarding world, that's all." Finley finished rambling.
Hermione was speechless. She hadn't planned to attend the festival with a date, but as Finley was wording it, or at least attempting to word it, he didn't want to go alone. And she understood that. He didn't have much family besides his niece at Hogwarts. So why not attend with him? It was not anything romantic; just 'friends' or at least co-workers hanging outside of work. Right? She convinced herself.
"I mean, unless you already had plans to go with a date or something." Finley added after seeing Hermione hadn't responded.
"Oh no. I don't. Uh, that'd be..Sure. We can meet at the festival and I'll show you around." Hermione answered with a friendly smile.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks," Finley replied.
"Yeah no problem, well, uh—"Hermione said, looking at the exit.
"Oh yeah, I'm sorry. You must have lots to do. I'll see you around" Finley said.
"Yes. Thanks. Good day." She said before walking out of the store.
Fred found himself waiting for Hermione's reply instead of actually helping customers. Looking at the time, it had been over an hour since he had sent Jack with another note.
He was leading a customer to the register when he saw the owl fly in. He took a look at it, but there was no note to be found.
"No reply?" he asked the bird.
The bird hooted angrily at him as if trying to say 'I need a break.'
"Oi. All right. Here's a treat." Fred said, "so, nothing at all?" he asked again, and the owl hooted and flew away.
"Fine! Don't expect any more delicious treats from me." Fred yelled after him.
"What are you whining about now?" George asked, entering the shop.
"Nothing. Where have you been?" Fred asked George.
"Out running errands, finishing up some last minute details for the press release. It is on Monday if you've forgotten." George said.
"Of course I know it's on Monday. Who do you think called the media?" Fred rebutted.
"Yeah yeah. Oi, do you reckon we close up early? It seems slow and it's almost 5." George asked Fred.
"Sure. Only If no one comes by in the next 10 minutes." Fred replied..
"All right, I'll tell Verity to head home. I'll be in the back if you need me," said George.
Fred was cleaning and organizing some of the shelves when he heard the door open.
"We'll be closing up soon. Is there anything specific you're looking for?" he said, before turning around to face the visitor.
"Not purchasing today. Just a delivery" said a female voice.
Fred almost dropped the last boxes of Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs he had been restocking, when he heard her. He wasn't expecting it to be her.
"Welcome to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes! What brings you here today Ms. Granger?" Fred happily greeted her.
"Just delivering a package…for a Mr. Fred Weasley." She smiled at him.
"Oh. A package for me? Well how thoughtful, but you shouldn't have!" He said dramatically.
"Well it's not just for you. I expect you to share it with George." She teased him.
"Sharing? I've never heard of such a concept."
"Oh I think you have. I mean you shared a womb with your twin, so I'm pretty sure you understand the concept of sharing pretty well." She replied.
He laughed, "Good one. So do I get to open it or not?" Fred asked excitedly.
She placed the package on the counter, and Fred opened it hastily like a child on Christmas morning. It was a book. A pretty large book.
"Is this …?" He asked.
"Yes, from the muggle world" Hermione answered.
The title read: The Giant Book of Jokes, Tricks, and Pranks.
"Wicked!" He shouted, as he began to flip through the book.
"Really? I was afraid you already had this book, since the store has a muggle magic section." Said Hermione.
"We do have a few muggle trick books, but not like this. This book has pranks and jokes as well. Pretty wicked. Thanks."
"You're welcome,"
"But you'll have to help me with some of these jokes. Like this one," he said beginning to read off a page, "why wasn't Cinderella any good at football? ... She didn't have a coach. Who's Cinderella? And what's a football?" He asked.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "I'll have to explain it another day. Cinderella's story is pretty long, and today's my night to cook dinner, so I should get going."
"What? But it's only half past four. How about you tell me more about Cinderella while I close up the store?" Fred tried to convince her. And he did.
45 minutes later…
Fred had finally understood the joke and had found it hilarious even if it wasn't so. Time had passed by, and Hermione and Fred found themselves in the workroom, looking at the promotional products for the Wizard Fest, while George had once again disappeared.
"They are ingenious, Fred." Hermione complimented him.
"Why the tone of surprise?" He asked her.
"Not surprised, fascinated."
"Well, wait until the Wizard Fest." He confidently responded.
"Oh I am. I can only imagine what you two have planned for the festival." She said.
"Good. That's what we like to hear. And since you're so excited to experience the event, how about you come with me to the Wizard Fest, that way you have the best wicked guide possible! Who better suited to show you around than the handsome host himself?" he asked her.
"In case you've forgotten, there are two hosts. And you're right, George is handsome." She teased him, "but, I, uh, I'm meeting a co-worker there. You wouldn't mind, if they tag along would you?" she asked
"No, of course not. The more the merrier. What's her name? Do I know her?" He asked a bit disappointed that it wouldn't be just the two of them.
"Um, his name is Finley Connors." She said timidly.
"Oh. It's a He." Fred stated in a monotonous tone attempting to hide his surprise.
"Uh, yeah. He's kind of still new to the Ministry and England. He's from Ireland, but was raised in Portugal….. He didn't want to attend the event alone. I just thought…I just agreed to show him around, that's all." Hermione rambled.
"Oh yeah. Sure. That's nice of you."
"Yes….. Well I should get going. It's getting late and I don't think the boys or Ginny would approve of leftovers." She tried to joke, sensing the tension between them
"Yeah, of course. Uh, did you want to use the floo?" He asked.
"Oh no. I was going to apparate, but thanks. Uh, see you tomorrow for dinner. I mean, that's if you're coming ..." she added hastily.
"Yeah, George and I will definitely be there. Or mum would have a fit if we miss her dinner and the chance of meeting her first grandchild." He said thinking of his mum's anger, before laughing loudly.
"Ok. See you —See you guys tomorrow." Hermione corrected herself before apparating on the spot.
Fred was in the sitting room, skimming the book Hermione had just bought him, when George walked into the kitchen.
"What ya reading Gred?" George asked.
"Hermione got us this huge book on Muggle tricks, pranks, and jokes. The pranks are funny, but I don't get some of these jokes. I can try some of the pranks and tricks out and see if they work. Maybe we can add a few to the muggle line."
"Wicked. Sounds good. When did she bring it over?" George asked.
"She stopped by earlier today, before I closed the store. She had been doing some shopping I think. Hey, do you know a Filp Canwater? No, Fin…. Yeah…. a Finley Connors?" Fred attempted to ask nonchalantly.
"No. can't say that I do. Why? Should I know him? He's not a Daily Prophet reporter, is he? I thought I called them today…" George said more to himself than to Fred.
"No. no. I just read his name…somewhere. I thought maybe it rung a bell, that's all." he smiled innocently.
"Okay." George said suspiciously, "Well, I'm headed to bed, we've got much to do tomorrow before the press release on Monday. So you better wake up early." George told him sternly.
"Yeah, and don't forget about Sunday dinner tomorrow at the Burrow, Georgie"
"Oh yeah, Mum comes home tomorrow... OK, well Night Gred."
"Night Forge."