One Fine Day
by: MerlinsApprentince
***
NEXT PART!!! WHOOPIE AYE DOODLE!!!!!
Disclaimer. No HP. And no George Clooney *sniff sniff sniff*
Warning: These Parts will all be extremely long and hefty. I mean LONG. So if you don't like long stories, don't read this. Thanx.
***
8:49 AM
Ron sighed starring down at his psycatrist. Ever since he became so busy, Ron found out he liked talking to someone who actually listened and examined him, even though when he mentioned him people started starring at him as if he were crazy.
Dr.Landford sat in those big leather chairs, as he watched Noah play with the Sea Monkey's on his desk. He was a friendly old man, fat and round with one of those twirled mustaches and shiny bald heads. Giving Ron a encouraging grin the hour began.
But Ron couldn't talk about what he really wanted to talk about with Noah's ears pricked up like that. He knew his son well. Too well. He could look like he was doing something else, something that had his undivided attention, but it was a lie. He would listen to every word of your conversation if he had it in his mind. Ron should now. He had that same exact talent.
Giving a weary glance at his son, Ron leaned down on his knees looking at Dr.Landford. "Well see..." he started racking his brain for a way to phrase it. But none of his smart little ideas would pop up. Running his fingers through his thick auburn hair he blew out some air and decidely went with. "Well ... see. ... She just drops off the um... the uh... Cauldron Cakes, and asks me to keep them for a week"
Ron felt like slapping himself. He deserved the pain for such a idiot remark. He prayed that the doctor would at least under stand what he was talking about. Dr.Landford raised one thin confused eyebrow, and Ron knudged his head to where Noah sat swirling his fingers in the Sea Monkey bowl.
"Oooooh, I see Mr.Weasley" Dr.Landford stated suddenly knodding his round pudgy face. " And how do you feel about the cakes???" he asked scarthing down something with his quill on the paper.
"Love the cauldron cakes" Ron empahsized with a small grin. "But I kinda have a problem... with the um.. the uh...."
" Cauldron Cake Maker?" Dr.Landford suggested.
"Yes. The Cake Maker. And all she thinks off is that all I am capable off... is uh.... with respect of the cakes in question... is uh the... um.. lesse..."
"The Frosting?" he suggested once more watching Ron with a amused eye. Ron gave another small smile. "Excatly. Yes, Yes. And just because the frosting is my specialty does not mean that its all I can do. I can do alot 'a stuff. I have just so many layers... And not just vanilla layers too. All kinds"
"Really Mr.Weasley?" Ron knodded cracking his fingers in his grasp. "Yes I have chocolate flavor. Deep Dark Chocolate" Noah looked up hearing the word chocolate. That sparked something in him.
"Dad?" he whispered leaning forward over the fishbowl. "Dad?"
Ron looked over at his son, his blue eyes twinkling. "Yes Noah?"
"Dad I'm still Hungry"
Ron sighed. "When me and Dr.Landford are done talking we'll go out and eat ok?" Noah frowned his own blue eyes squinting in confusion. "But whatta bout the cakes?" Ron tried to hold his laughter shaking his head. "In a minute Noah alright? We're almost done." Turning his attention back to the doctor he leaned forward, his eyes sparkling.
"See well I just... I'm... I'm just so sick of angry resentful... uh--I uhh-- Sea monkeys..." he stated thinking of the ones swimming in the bowl not to far from him on the large magohony desk. " Who think that... that you owe them something for something you did wrong, but won't even trust you for a second!"
Dr.Landford sighed shaking his head.
"Ron, you know there are other Sea Monkey's in the sea" he said giving his customer the eye. Ron sighed shrinking from the gaze. He hated when he was right. "Yeah Yeah I know" he grunted wrinkling his freckled sported nose. "But I just wish... I wish that I could find a Sea Monkey who wasn't afraid... you know afraid of my dark chocolate layer? And of course she'd have to love my cake too... But I think that my ex.cauldron cake maker has turned me off from Sea Monkeys entirely. I met a real piece of work today though..." he sighed shaking his head in confusion.
Dr.Landford shook his head, like a good pyscatrist. "Tell me about her Ron" he encouraged, putting a spell on the quill so it would write down whatever he was thinking .
Ron sighed. "This Sea Monkey was a old friend of mine for school. A fox. She had her own cauldron cake too, taking me by surprise. She disappeared and never contacted me after Hogwarts, she having something against I don't know what but man she has turned into a...." Ron pursed his lips and gave a small look at Noah. "Turned into a female dog" he finished lamely.
Dr.Landford chuckled crossing his legs, best he could. Ron went on feeling he needed some feed back. "And she shoved her Sea Monkeys in my face" he stated looking at the Sea Monkeys dancing in the dirty water. The doctor's face turned toward disgust. "In front of the Cakes? What is she doing with another Sea Monkey anyway?"
Ron frowned his eyebrows creasing in puzzlement. "What?" he muttured biting down his finger. "What are you talking about?" Dr.Landford frowned. "Sea Monkeys. Sea Monkeys with other Sea Monkeys in front of cauldron cakes...."
Noah frowned shaking his red head. They were insane , he concluded.
Ron frowned. "Sea Monkeys Doc" he said pointing to the ones in glass bowl. "Sea Monkeys. Sea Monkeys"
"Oh... I see"
8:50 AM
Hermoine pulled the large model of the large new Ministry building carefully from the back of the carriage. "Need any help Miss?" the driver asked watching as she tried desperately to banace it. "No....I'm ....... fine" Hermoine grunted as she pushed the carriage door shut. Reilly watched this with a weary eye and shot a helpless look at the driver. "Watch out she might be a bit too stubborn there" the driver teased and winked. Reilly smilied following after her mother.
"Don't need to tell me"
Hermoine sighed entering the large glass building. The Ministry building. Her heels clamped loudly on the large echoed main office, Reilly's sneakers making their own pitter patter sound. "You can't make any noise in the office, baby ok? Mommy had a really important meeting today" she said turning down to Reilly over the huge model. Her daughter looked up curiously her backpack bouncing behind her, her curly hair even knottier then it was this morning. "Alright Mommy" she said shurgging as she pulled a small toy car from her mom's purse.
Reilly had loved little racecars ever since her Grandpa had given her a set for Christmas three years ago. Even though they were the only muggle toys she had, she found them more exiticing then her other ones. This one was small and red and Reilly thought it would make a great ambulance.
"Wheee Ohhhh Wheee Ooooh"" she wheeled taking the car in her tiny hands and rolled it along the bulidings orange wall. Hermoine sighed the loud noise echoing through the large building. "Reilly don't do that" she hissed softly. Reilly stopped imatating the noise looking up at her mother.
"Why not?"
Hermoine forced a grin, a few curly locks breaking from the bun she had made in the morning. Everything about her looks tired and hurried and razzled. "Because I want you to practice being really quiet" she said softly with another grin. Silently as they headed down the hallway Hermoine cursed the day Ronald Weasley was born. If it weren't for him this could have been the perfect day.
"Alright stay next to me Reilly" she said knodding her over the huge model taking both her hands. "And be very quiet" Reilly sighed wrinkling her noise as she played with the wheels of the silent ambulance.
"You have to be kidding me" the Secertary said starring instantly at Reilly with wide eyes, her voice strict and shocked. Her name was Ashley, and she was Mr.Winkle, Hermoine's boss, personal secertary. She sat prim in the wheelchair she had her quill standing upright shaking her head in mere shock.
Hermoine sighed shaking her head. She forgot about Ashley. Ashley was one of the most strict figures in the business, and she probably would tell Mr.Winkle the minute a scent of a child came into the building. "Just for five minuntes Ashley five minutes. Please Please don't give me a hard time, I am already 20 minutes late" she pleaded, ready to get on her hands and knees if she had to.
"Actually 15 minutes late. Mr.Winkle, as you must imagine, his very displeased"
Hermoine grunted trying very hard not to scream bloody murder at the woman. She was starting to really get on her nerves. Trying desperatly to change the subject she looked down at the desk. Suddenly she saw a pile of papers and her chocolate brown eyes widened.
"What are those?" she asked suddenly balancing the model on her hip just to get a better look. "The Chek blueprints for the Magical Creature department. Came in 2 weeks early" Ashley said quietly flipping the pages so Hermoine could see them clearly. Hermoine gaped looking down at them. "2 weeks early?" she marveled smiling. But Ashley's attention wasn't so easily divided.
"Why would you bring a kid in here Herm? Remember the time Alice Lawnson brought her kid in with the flu and Mr.Winkle had just a sniff of the cough medicine and had to take the whole day off?" Hermoine looked down at Reilly who was running her car over the edge of Ashley's desk, mutturing little noises so as not to disturb their conversation. "She hasn't got anything Ashley she just missed her field trip thats all"
Ashley sighed shaking her brown tresses. "Herm, I don't know about this"
"Just 5 minutes Ash" Hermoine pleaded. Ashley raised and eyebrow. "And I would be doing this because?" Hermoine sighed scurnching her brain for a bit of knowledge. "Because ....well we're uhh..." Hermoine once more racked her brain for anything the 2 had in common. "We're the same Ash!!!" she insisted.
"We're both witches and this is a touch wizarding world, a tough office and ----"
"5 minutes, Herm. 5 minutes" Ashley stated firmly, sink of hearing Hermoine babble. "Oh Thank You Thank You Thank you!!!" she whispered flooding with relief.
Suddenly Mr.Winkle's thick southern accent came from the small little figure of him at the side of Ashley's desk. It served like a little muggle intercom every little secertary as a figure of their boss on the side of her desk, and if the boss needed something thats what would happen.
"Ashley is Ms.Granger come in yet?" The figure asked crossing his arms with a angry glance. Hermoine sighed looking down at it. "Here Sir" she said clearing her throat. The little figure gave her a angry glare. "Your late Ms.Granger"
"Yes I know sir, I'm sorry sir"
"Your late" Mr.Winkle repeated. "Yes I know" Hermoine stated her patience withering away quickly. Reilly watched with her amused brown eyes. "Just let me sign in, Mr.Winkle, Ok? I'll be right in" Ashley shook her head her brown tresses flying. Mr.Winkle's little figureine didn't talk back so Hermoine rolled her eyes, hurrying out of the office, leaving Reilly to take the cars out and play with them, with Ashley's weary eye on her. Silently she turned toward the sign-in book.
Hermoine cursed under her breath and turned toward the quill. "WalliWaddi" she whispered to the quill trying desperately to pull out her thick oat wand. The purple quill rose from the desk a few inches from the page. "Abliveo, Hermoine Granger" she stated clearly next, with a tap and flick with the stick. The quill quivered and silently in clean cursive followed what it's master stated. There in black ink it stated her name. "Thank You!!!" Hermoine grinned as the quill dropped from his spell incased daze onto the page.
Hermoine's mood at slightly risen since her dreadful encounter with her past. She had not owled Ron or Harry for a reason, which she didn't want to talk about now. Reilly sat on the ground legs sprawled driving the big remote control car humming a unknown tune she heard on the radio her mom owned in her office. Hermoine held the model in front of her opening the office door.
Stepping forward she hardly acknowledged Reilly and her little cars all over the office floor. Suddenly Hermoine heard the little motorized wheels and suddenly jumped into the air.
"Reilly! Watch where your driving!!!" Hermoine whispered roughly as the new car rolled out from under Hermoine's high heels. "Sorry Mommy" Reilly shurgged circling the car. Hermoine sighed shaking her head and took a step forward.
Quite suddenly her heel caught onto then school pack laying on the ground. And in the next minute Hermoine was laying right next to it, the model crushed beneath her. "Oh.....Oh...." Hermoine whimpered looking wide eyed at the crushed and crashed of what was suppose to be the new Ministry Building. "Oh my god" she muttured turning it around to see it snapped in half , a few of the fake trees and people in the same state. "Oh no, Oh no, Oh no"
Suddenly Mr.Winkle's voice rang out from his little intercom figure. Oh no he has to come now. Hermoine cursed the day her boss was born. "Ashley will you ask Ms.Granger to come in please?" Hermoine closed her eyes willing everything to go away.Opening one eye she turned to Ashley. "Shhhhh no no no"
Frantically she shook her head releasing more curly locks from the loose bun. Ashley sighed giving her a look that said it was out of her hands. "I'll send her right in Sir" she said slowly looking at the demolished model. "Please, Ash put this in the back room, or somewhere" Hermoine whimpered edging forward what was left of the model on her knees. "Don't worry about it! Go Go Go!" Ashley hissed as she wheeled forward in her wheelchair to take the model. Hermoine knodded and got up wiping her lavender skirt. Before she left to into Mr.Winkle's office she gave a sharp glare toward Reilly who watched the whole scene innocently and guilty.
"You. Behind her desk. Now"
Reilly dropped her remote control and scurried behind the large oak desk. Hermoine plastered a smile once she confirmed her daughter was hidden from view and fixed her hair. She headed in slowly. "I'm sorry sir" Hermoine stated slowly wiping something invisible from her jacket. Mr.Winkle , a short skinny man with a bush under his nose, his hair balding in old age , glared at her under his spectacles.
"I-I.... I am.... I um.. forgot the model is still, still in the... the um model shop place, d-down town. I'm heading there right now. You see... I um went down their earlier but it was... locked. Yes, locked" Hermoine stuttured quickly forcing a grin on her pale lips. Hermoine was never good at lieing.
Mr.Winkle frowned trying to understand through the stuttering. "Oh" he said after a moment.
"Yea" she said quickly playing with the end of her sleeve. "But I promise that you're going to love the model though Mr.Winkle and today 2 o clock the people from Mischief's Building Co. will love it too" she stated with a sure tone. Mr.Winkle gave her a quick look. "I assume your ready for our meeting?" he questioned slowly taking off his glasses.
"Of course" Hermoine stated hoping to god she sounded sure enough. Mr.Winkle grinned and turned toweard the miniture figure of Ashley at his desk top. "Ash can you bring in the Chek blueprints? I want to show you something Ms.Granger"
Suddenly Mr.Winkle's brown eyes widened and Hermoine turned around to see Reilly looking up at her mom with tiny blue eyes, decked in her school unniform, jacket and messy hair. "Oh" Hermoine squeaked quickly putting on another smile. "Oh, Ha ha what an adorable little girl" she said patting Reilly's head with a tiny grin. Reilly frowned extremely confused. Mr.Winkle gulped and turned back to the Mini Ashley. "And Ashley? Check and see if I still have a subscription to those flu pills?" Reilly looked at Mr.Winkle with a weird look wrinkling her tiny nose. "Mommy?" Reilly asked looking back at Hermoine who instantly panicked.
Like she said she was never a good liar.
"You know" Hermoine giggled softly giving Mr.Winkle one of her many forced smiles. "Thats a good idea, lets fo find your mum" But before Hermoine could drag her daughter out by the collar, Ashley came in giving Hermoine a look. "I'm very sorry sir but someone spilled coffee on the Chek Blue prints" Ashley flashed her flaming blue eyes at Reilly. 'No' Hermoine mouthed closing her eyes wishing desperately she was somewhere else.
Mr.Winkle sighed keeping a weary eye on Reily.
"You know every Thanksgiving I get strep throat? Children who think they are healthy are hiding some weird foriegn disease sometimes and---"
Hermoine cleared her throat nervously wanting above all not to have this conversation. "Sir we're going to find her mother now" Reilly looked at Hermoine and then looked back at her boss. "She must work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts across the hall" Hermoine grinned knodding. "I'm sure she does" she encouraged pushing the 6 year old through the door. Suddenly from her purse her cellphone rang and without looking at it she quickly opened it giving a apologetic smile to her boss.
Was the whole world planning to keep her in Mr.Winkle's office forever?!??!!
"Hello?"
"You asshole"
"What?" Hermoine gasped a bit shocked. "You'd better get over here right now, The Minister of Magic is holding a press conference at five at City Hall. And you talking about freakin pink panties and shit" Hermoine quickly closed the cellphone case giving it a quizzcal looked. Suddenly looking down at it she saw that it had one of those little ear plug things in the center. And the Panties. Oh no.
"Ron" she grumbled sticking the phone back in her purse. "You, Know Ms.Granger I don't need to remind you how important this Mischief and Chek account would be to the Ministry, and by extension to you" Mr.Winkle stated breaking the silence. "Yes Sir" Hermoine started turning around to flash him a smile, her hands on Reilly's shoulders.
"I totally understand how this account works"
But Mr.Winkle's attention was diverted once again by her daughter. "You know what she reminds me of?" he said with a disgusted tone. "No Sir" Hermoine sighed. "Carrier Monkey" he said spitting the word out. Hermoine frowned turning to her child - who gave Mr.Winkle a angry defensive look- with a silent curse. "She's not a carrier Monkey" she said defending her baby. "She's a perfect healthy little---"
At that moment Reilly decided to sneeze making Mr.Winkle jump back in surprise shock and disgust.
Hermoine sighed hiding her face. "I'll go find her mother now" she said hurriedly pushing her out the glass doors. Finally as soon as Hermoine was sure Mr.Winkle couldn't hear a thing she said she collasped atop the desk and put her head into her hands , cursing every bad word she knew. "Oh god what I'm I going to do?"
Reilly watched quietly looking at the ground sheepishly her face masked with guilt. "I'm sorry Mommy" she mumbled. Hermoine looked down at her. "Oh baby don't be. Its not your fault. It's Noahs Daddy's fault"
9:20 AM
"Ow, Ow, Ow , Ow!!!" Ron cringed as Noah grabbed the french fry that was laying atop his eye. Chomping down on the fried potato Noah grinned matching his dad's playful face. "Dad this isn't a very good breakfast" he chuckled. Ron leaned forward taking a few fries for breakfast. "Well see Sport and advantage of being a grown up, you get to act like a kid whenever you want" he said giving his son a wink a mouth full of greasy fries.
"Mummy never lets me have a hamburger and french fries for breakfast though and she's a grown up" Noah giggled as he tried to feed the Sea Monkey's a piece of a fry. "See what I mean?" Ron emphasized shaking his red locks rolling his sleeves ip as he was about to dig into the food, his cellphone ringing in his coat pocket.
Ron frowned pulling it out, putting it to his ear the easy way. "Hello?" Suddenly an old woman's curious voice replied.
"Who's this?" she intoned.
Ron frowned confused. "Well who's this?"
"Who's this?"
"Who's this?!"
"Who's this and what are you doing with my daughter's cellphone?" Ron frowned pulling away the phone from his ear and starred at it. It was certainly not his phone, for it was a muggle cellphone.
"Oh damn... we must have switched. Hi, um, I'm Ron Weasley. Our kids go to school together" The voice on the other line gaped. " 'Talk Alot' Ron Weasley?" Ron chuckled quietly shaking his head. "Thats me" he admitted with a sheepish smile. "Oh my god your so adorable. I love your column"
Ron smilied. "Well thanks"
"You married?" her voice sounded somewhat hopeful and desperate. "Uh no, I'm divorced. What's your name?" he asked hoping to change the subject. "Kelly" the gleeful voice replied. "Kelly" Ron repeated taking a bite of Noah's burger watching his son fed the monkeys. "Oh dear, listen, Ron I have to get my hair heated. Now Hermoine has your phone? Right?" Ron knodded to Hermoine's mom. "That's right"
"And your number please?"
"Oh, Hogwarts-3312" She chuckled. "Oh Hogwarts--- cute-- 3312" Ron smilied again. She was a very pleasent woman. So unlike her daughter. "Yeah, my brother use to tell the story" Ron said to the phone number swallowing the food. She laughed on the other end. "Alright, darling, ,listen if you see her before I do, tell Hermoine her sister can't watch Reilly she has a Spring Day Spa appointment and she can't cancel" Ron knodded. "Alright then"
"Oh and tell her otherwise she would have been happy to babysit her niece despite the fact Reilly stuck her wedding ring up her nose" Ron laughed at the thought. "Alright Ms.Granger"
"Your so adorable"
"Bye" Ron farewelled shutting the off button and dialed a new number taking another huge bite. "Hello?" Ron asked hoping to hear Hermoine on the other line. "Hello?" Hermoine started puzzled. "How'd you get this number?" she sounded more annoyed then usual. "Well see Moine that's my phone your holding"
He could almost see her roll her eyes on the other line. "Thats so typical of you" she grunted. Ron sighed biting his lip. "Can we just by pass the fight that I see coming and do messages?" Hermoine shurgged. "Fine" Ron sighed. "Your sister is in a Spring Spa and can't babysit and its not because Reilly stuck her wedding ring up her nose"
Hermoine hid her face even though Ron couldn't see her. Top 10 embrassing moments. "Thanks. Thank you. You have a press conference at 5" Ron knodded taking a sip of his butterbeer. "HmmHmm"
"Goodbye" she said sharply but Ron piped up before she could hang up "Think maybe we should outta arrange to switch back phones soon?" Hermoine blew out hot air sending her hair flying. "Tommrrow morning. When we drop our kids of at school. On time" Ron rolled his own blue eyes.
"Fine"
"Fine"
Closing the cellphone , Ron starred at it shaking his head. "Noah?" he said turning to his son who was sneaking fries from Ron's plate. "When you grow up and become handsome, rich, and successful and possess a wonderful swave sense of intelligence thats like a distant promise to the brave and worthy can you please not pulp any miserable girl just because.... you can?"
Noah frowned and shurgged. " K Dad" he said sipping his chocolate milk.
9:30 AM
Hermoine grinned at the carriage. God , she was doing that alot today. She was really sick of grinning. She was really sick of grinning.
"Here lemme help you" a young foreign man stated only in hopes to catch the carriage before someone else did. Reilly stepped out giving a sheepish grin at the man. Hermoine shook her head pulling out the model carefully. "Stupid British woman" he insulted shaking his head as Hermoine starred at the robed man.
Reilly looked up at her mother. "Mommy, that man called you stupid" she said as she opened the door to the model shop for her mom. "Yeah well I am stupid sometimes, Honey, but I'd rather be stupid then sorry. Come on" she sighed trying to squeeze through the door. Reilly knodded quietly wrinkling her nose.
Vincent, a young man, with glasses looked up at Hermoine from his work. "Herm what are you doing here?" he asked innocently and then his eyes roamed to the broken down model. "Help?" Hermoine squeaked. "I've tried every spell but it just won't stay" He chuckled pulling it over. "God, woman what did you do to it?"
"I tripped" she grunted pulling her jacket off and pulled out her bun leaving her chestnut hair down for awhile.
"So how bad is it?"
Reilly looked up at Hermoine, and sat herself down on the steps of the room, as she took out her coloring book from her backpack. Vincent sighed putting it on his desk and took out his wand. After 5 minutes of examining, he sighed. "Well it's fixable. I could get it to stay and look brand new without starting from scarth, but it's going to take some time" Hermoine clapped her hands together. "Vince, your brilliant!"
Reilly, sick of coloring, took out her two new dolls she bought down at Zonko's awhile back, and danced them around Vince's feet, who tried desperately not to trip. "Reilly! Reilly stop it!" Hermoine scolded quietly pulling her daughter away from the model. It wouldn't surprise her if the model got more wrecked because of her.
"It won't be perfect" Vince sighed still starring at the model. He tapped his wand here and there. "I'm thristy Mommy" Reilly complained as Hermoine took her toys and put them back away. Hermoine sighed taking out the juice box from her bottomless purse. "It's ok" Hermoine insisted pulling her hair behind her. Vince sighed shaking his head. "I know you Herm. Your not happy unless it's perfect"
"Today I'll just be happy if that model isn't broken anymore" Hermoine said handing Reilly the juice box. Reilly starred at it for a moment and frowned. "I can't get the straw part Mommy" she whined handing the straw back to her mother. Hermoine sighed sitting on the steps next to Reilly. "I don't want to think of what will happen if I don't have that model by 2 oclock" she stated easily taking the straw and sticking it into the box.
Vince grinned. "Well, I'll try Herm" he said quietly. Reilly watched the juice box impatiently and suddenly lurched forward grabbing the box of sweet juice quickly. Quite as fast as Reilly had grabbed it, she found she had squeezed to hard because the apple juice that was suppose to end up in her thirsty mouth was all over Hemoine's clean white blouse.
"Thanks..." Hermoine muttured looking striaght up at the cieling instead of her juice stained blouse.
9:45 AM
Ron looked up back at his son who was back on his perch, atop of Ron's lean tall shoulders. "Alright now while I'm doing my column I want you to think of 6 huundred fun things to do because the rest of the day is yours" Noah grinned looking over Ron's red head. "I've already know my list of stuff, I want to go to Zonko's first, then Honeydukes, then back to the 3 Broomsticks, and then the Post Office, then to the Shrieking Shack and then---"
Ron chuckled as his son rattled on , as they came to the Daily Prophet building. He drove himself through the crowd and entered through the thin glass doors, a small chime singing as he and Noah entered. He climbed the stairs, and he greeted his secertary right at the opening door. "Hey Serena" he grinned.
"Hi Ron" she smilied crossing her thin legs, Walking past the desks, Ron grinned to his friends. "Hi Ron" a young woman called out waving her fingers. "Hiya Jackie" he smilied down at the woman. Turning the corner Ron ran into Stacy another faithful reporter to the Daily Prophet. "Ron!" sh exclaimed laughing. "I never knew you had a son!" she smilied looking up at Noah who watched curiously.
"Yeah" Ron said proudly grinning up at him. "This is Noah"
Stacey grinned. "He's so cute! Just like you, Ron" Ron chuckled. He heard that so often these days. "Yeah, well he'll grow out of it" he teased flirtatiously. Waving goodbye to Stace, Ron dropped Noah heading toward his own personal desk.
"Why do all those girls talk to you like that?" Noah asked slowly watching the woman wearily. Ron laughed looking down at Noah. "What? How?"
Noah scurnched up his face and made his voice high and whiny. "Hiiiiiiii Ron" he imitated the young woman's leering voices. Suddenly breaking off Ron's loud laughing at his son's quite good imitation, a young woman in a short skirt and long pink robe and flowing blonde hair, shimmering down her back. "Hi Ron" she cooed alot like what Noah copied earlier.
Ron and Noah snorted trying to hold their laughter. Ron coughed trying to compose himself. "Hi there Halley" he grinned up at her. Noah smilied. "See dad?"
"You know, Ron I'm doing a story about men like you" she whispered sitting down atop his desk crossing her long lean legs. Ron raised a eyebrow, and threw on his charming smile. "Oh yeah? What's the hook?" he questioned as Noah started playing with the post its.
"Just a little thing my mum use to tell me. 'Love your man like a little boy and they'll grow into a man'. " Ron had a really cocky flirtatious comment to that, when Gerald came up giving him a scolding eye. "Ron. My office. Now" he ordered quietly. Ron gave a sheepish grin to Halley and taking Noah's hand led them through to Gerald's large spacious office.
"Sea Monkeys. You won't believe the morning I've had. You ok? You look cranky. Don't telll me your on that diet again..." Ron sighed droppping his large trenchcoat on a desk chair and ran his fingers through his wild red hair. "Sport you remember Gerald right?" he asked turning to Noah he put the Sea Monkeys on his dads boss's desk grinning.
"Yes. We haven't seen each other in a long time. I am cranky Ron. And I've had a good breakfast too. Trouble on the garbage story Ron" Ron looked at Gerald and sighed collasping on the chair. "Oh god"
"Wait a minute. Son you want to see something?" Gerald asking turning toward Noah with a friendly grin. Noah turned toward his father who had his face in his hands. Ron grinned. "It's ok, go ahead"
Gerald grinned and cooed. Suddenly from the window, a big round puffball appeared atop the desk with a regal look, ruffling his chestnut feathers. It was a owl. "This is Alexa. She lives in the Prophet newsroom" Gerald explained. Noah grinned at the bird. "Wow" he whispered. Gerald chuuckled. "Want to pet her son? Go ahead she won't bite. You got a ranging scope disease my friend" Noah inched toward the owl quietly petting its silky feathers.
Ron grinned at Gerald's comment. "Which is why you love me" he insisted with a sharp knod in the leather chair. Gerald sighed turning toward Noah. "Stay here and play with Alexa while me and your Pop have a talk alright?" Noah shurgged with a knod. "Ok sir" he said. "Thats my boy" Gerald grinned as he pulled himself from his chair with a grunt. "Lets go Ron"
Ron sighed turning to his boss once he was out of reach of his son's ears. "Now would you rather I wasn't first?"
Gerald sighed pointing a fat pudgy finger. "I'd rather you be right" Ron frowned crossing his arm. "I am right" he said confused. Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Okay who told ou the Minister's re-election campian were taking illegal contribuations from the mob?" Ron bit his lop with a easy shurg. "Simple. Rick Sanchez"
Gerald sighed. "He told you that?" Ron knodded. "On the reconrd" Gerald looked up at Ron. "In the exchange for the cities sanitation contract?"
"On the record"
"Which was rewarded without bidding?" Ron raised an eyebrow wandering where excatly his boss was going with this. "Through Mcfraught and Launder. That's right and also on the record" Gerald suddenly gave a serious look. "Your Ricky Sanchez is going to deny everything Weasley" Ron dropped his arms in shock.
"What?!?!?!?!"
Gerald knodded. "During the conference. Rick's going to say you made something up. You didn't make it up did you?" Ron gaped. "Of course not Gerald" he snapped broken that his boss was suspicious of him like that. "Rick showed me this campaign accounts and they were nowhere near to fakes, I had a cop check"
Gerald bit his lip. "Wheres Damian?" Ron kept on talking. "Desposited un unnumbered accounts..." Gerald blew out some hot air then called for Fred instead of Damian. "Unnumbered Gerald" Ron empahsized. Fred came up nervously next to his agitated boss. "The whole page may need to print a retraction"
Fred frowned and Ron shook his head. "Of what?" Fred asked. Ron made an edge toward the door just wanting above all else to get out. Gerald grabbed his shoulder sharply. "Get back in here." he roared. "You know your giving me a ulcer the size of a pienseve?! Why couldn't you have gotten 2 sources?" Ron sighed once more. That seemed to be his favorite thing to do today. Sighing.
"Remember the Connor Jackson story?" he said coming to his own defense. Gerald sighed his eyes widening. "How could I forget? You almost got us fired because of that. Almost had a heart attack" Ron raised a eyebrow. "And I almost go a W.W.A Prize!"
Noah looked down as Alexa observed the Sea Monkeys. "Dad?"
"One second" Ron said his anger building greatly. "They won't fire me. You can't fire me. I have pictures on carriages with my face on them!!" Gerald sighed messing with his robe and tie. "Thats what I said" he admitted. "Then they said that I should have lunch with Neal Foster"
Noah watched carefully as Alexa nipped down into the water and glomped down a poor unsuspecting Sea Monkey. "Uh... Dad..."
Ron wrinkled his nose. "Neal Foster?" Gerald knodded in respect. " 'Neal's Thoughts; is another popular column Ron, in Transfiguration Today"
Noah winced as he looked at the empty glass bowl and the full owl. "Dad..."
Ron shook his head in fustration. "Neal's a humourless stupid arrogant asshole" Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Who has won the W.W.A Prize" Ron sighed stomping his feet childishly. "You know what Gerald? I will not lose my job! I got shrink bills to pay, I got college loans to repay... I have a plumping situation okay? Now Rick has been my main man all year--"
"Dad!"
"One more second Sport. I played bridge with his mom. I took his niece to the freakin circus. I had to sit through him singing karokee in a muggle bar. Mugge bar Gerald!!!" Gerald sighed shaking his head. "I gave you a column and love you like a son, but I can't cover for you anymore. Now you have less then 6 hours til the press conference and no other leads, you gotta get Sanchez back on the record or find another reliable source for this goddamn thing. Otherwise we print a retraction. And I gurantee you Ron it will be your last"
Ron sighed running his fingers through his hair. That was a worser habit then sighing. "Ok. Fine. Alright, if you need me I'll be at a different number today" he turned back to the office taking his coat onto his arm. "Where are you heading now?" Gerald asked slowly. Ron gave his boss a odd look.
"6 hours, Gerald. I'm going to find Rick"
Gerald gave a proud grin as Ron slipped on the long thick coat. "Take care of yourself, Ron, we do need you" Ron gave a small grin as he hurried out the office. "I will" he promised, as he came to his messy desk pulling a Write-as-you-Think Quill and a few scrolls of parchment. He stuffed them quickly into one of his vacant pockets, and hurried down the Daily Prophet hallway.
Suddenly Halley came around the corner cutting off the red head from escape. "Hey Ron... I wanted to say something before you left on your job" she said huskily, eyeing him up and done. Ron looked up from searching for Hermoine's cell phone in one of his pockets. "Right " he said with a soft smile at her.
Hally grinned quietly buttoning the top of his coat. "I noticed" she said quietly looking up at him from his jacket. " that you haven't been dating for quite some time" Ron felt himself pale and pulled out of her grasp with a forced grin heading toward the elevator quickly. "Right" he agreed his steps hurrying as he talked. Hally followed quietly right behind his heels.
"Actually all of us, witches, in the newsroom have been noticing"
"Oh really?" Ron managed to speak quietly tapping his wand to call the transporter/ elevator. The wooden doors parted to allow Ron into the box that would take him down the 5 floors, and he was ready to head in but she grabbed his arm roughly. "Ron" she said in a soft whisper, but yet rough. "I know.... your sensitive but frightened." she softly trailed her finger down his muscular chest. "I'm gentle but... brutal" she grinned softly noticing Ron's hyponotized gaze on her face. "Think about it"
With that she disappeared around the corner.
Ron watched her go, a regretful look on his face, as he entered the elevator. "Brutal" he muttured shaking his head with thought and grinned as he pushed the button down. But as soon as the doors closed, Ron was furiously pushing back the up butto. "Serena?!" he called loudly as he jumped out of the elevator, his voice frantic all of a sudden. "Serena? Hey! Have you seen my son?!"
Ron sighed. Great, a half hour with his son and he freakin loses him. "Noah? Noah?!!! Have you seen Noah?" he asked hurriedly to everyone he passed. "Aweeee dammit!"
Stacey grinned at her desk. "Hey Ron" she called pointing him over to the Weasley's desk. Noah was sitting under it contently eating a box of chocolate frogs, gulping down each chocolately amphibian with a delightful chocolate grin. "Hi Dad" he said to his reliefed father who walked over with a hard look. " 'Hi Dad'? Do you do this with you mother?" Ron asked quickly scooping the boy from under the desk with a strong arm.
"You know this wandering off stuff?"
Noah shurgged as if it wasn't much of a deal. "Yup" he said bitting into the wiggling leg of his last frog. Ron shook his head, and once more headed back to the elevator. "Well its not a good thing to do" he scolded tapping the side wall again. "Now , listen, I got to go tal to a guy downtown. It's kinda a tricky thing and I have one shot at it which means..." Ron started uncomfortably stepping inside.
Noah wrinkled his nose. "That I can't go?" he replied sadly. Ron sighed. He truly was a sucker for kids. And a sucky father.
"Right" he finished with a equally sad tone as his sons. "You can't come. Now... what am I going to do with you?"
10:34 AM
Hermoine sighed starring at Ron's odd cell phone. It worked like a regular cellphone, but she swore he had put one of those earplug things in his ear. Suddenly the voice she was waiting for reappeared and Hermoine shook her head over the washing machine that she was surprised Vince would even own. What a day to suddenly decide to wear a muggle shirt to work today.
"Listen" she said to the phone. "This is difficult for me Viktor. But your the last person I could think of asking, I'm really in a bind. I could lose my job at the ministry. I know your practicing--"
Suddenly the timer on the washing machine went off. "Hold on" she grumbled to her ex husband as she pulled out the damp messy blouse. "Damn" Hermoine cursed. She couldn't wear that to a meeting. Searching through her burse, in her bra, she pulled out a small Magic Mandy shirt. Starring at it Hermoine sighed and quickly squeezed it on.
Silently she went back to her conversation.
"I know your practicin" she said repeating what she stated earlier. "But it would be just for a hour. 2 o clock to 3. Come on Vik your her dad" Listening to the agitaited complain reply and quickly she stopped it. The one thing she hated was that everything Viktor said was almost a complaint, or was. "Fine" she said hautily her own anger building greatly. "Nevermind. I'll think of something. Are you at least coming to her qudditch game?" Hermoine hated talking to him. She was serenly desperate.
"It's at 6. It would mean alot her" Suddenly Vince cried out in pain. "Ahh! Herm!" he cried bending down to hold his shin. Reilly was ditting on a little wheely thing and surely accidently ran into him. "Oh I'll talk to you later" Hermoine hissed to Viktor and closing the cellphone, she raced after her daughter, who was still happily wheeling around the model shop.
"Reilly!" she scolded sharply. "Reilly get off that! Get off! Time out! Get---!" finally Hermoine got up with Reilly yanking her off the wheels and giving her such a sharp look. "What is the matter with you?!" she scolded shaking the poor child gently. "You almost broke it again! Why can't you just play quietly and not get into any trouble for 5 minutes!" Hermoine felt her voice get thick and her eyes glaze. Today was such a horrid day. "Don't you realize how important this is?. Thats it. I'm taking you to the 16th Court Dropout Center"
***
Review, please.
Thank you and Have a Nice Day.
~MerlinsApprentince
by: MerlinsApprentince
***
NEXT PART!!! WHOOPIE AYE DOODLE!!!!!
Disclaimer. No HP. And no George Clooney *sniff sniff sniff*
Warning: These Parts will all be extremely long and hefty. I mean LONG. So if you don't like long stories, don't read this. Thanx.
***
8:49 AM
Ron sighed starring down at his psycatrist. Ever since he became so busy, Ron found out he liked talking to someone who actually listened and examined him, even though when he mentioned him people started starring at him as if he were crazy.
Dr.Landford sat in those big leather chairs, as he watched Noah play with the Sea Monkey's on his desk. He was a friendly old man, fat and round with one of those twirled mustaches and shiny bald heads. Giving Ron a encouraging grin the hour began.
But Ron couldn't talk about what he really wanted to talk about with Noah's ears pricked up like that. He knew his son well. Too well. He could look like he was doing something else, something that had his undivided attention, but it was a lie. He would listen to every word of your conversation if he had it in his mind. Ron should now. He had that same exact talent.
Giving a weary glance at his son, Ron leaned down on his knees looking at Dr.Landford. "Well see..." he started racking his brain for a way to phrase it. But none of his smart little ideas would pop up. Running his fingers through his thick auburn hair he blew out some air and decidely went with. "Well ... see. ... She just drops off the um... the uh... Cauldron Cakes, and asks me to keep them for a week"
Ron felt like slapping himself. He deserved the pain for such a idiot remark. He prayed that the doctor would at least under stand what he was talking about. Dr.Landford raised one thin confused eyebrow, and Ron knudged his head to where Noah sat swirling his fingers in the Sea Monkey bowl.
"Oooooh, I see Mr.Weasley" Dr.Landford stated suddenly knodding his round pudgy face. " And how do you feel about the cakes???" he asked scarthing down something with his quill on the paper.
"Love the cauldron cakes" Ron empahsized with a small grin. "But I kinda have a problem... with the um.. the uh...."
" Cauldron Cake Maker?" Dr.Landford suggested.
"Yes. The Cake Maker. And all she thinks off is that all I am capable off... is uh.... with respect of the cakes in question... is uh the... um.. lesse..."
"The Frosting?" he suggested once more watching Ron with a amused eye. Ron gave another small smile. "Excatly. Yes, Yes. And just because the frosting is my specialty does not mean that its all I can do. I can do alot 'a stuff. I have just so many layers... And not just vanilla layers too. All kinds"
"Really Mr.Weasley?" Ron knodded cracking his fingers in his grasp. "Yes I have chocolate flavor. Deep Dark Chocolate" Noah looked up hearing the word chocolate. That sparked something in him.
"Dad?" he whispered leaning forward over the fishbowl. "Dad?"
Ron looked over at his son, his blue eyes twinkling. "Yes Noah?"
"Dad I'm still Hungry"
Ron sighed. "When me and Dr.Landford are done talking we'll go out and eat ok?" Noah frowned his own blue eyes squinting in confusion. "But whatta bout the cakes?" Ron tried to hold his laughter shaking his head. "In a minute Noah alright? We're almost done." Turning his attention back to the doctor he leaned forward, his eyes sparkling.
"See well I just... I'm... I'm just so sick of angry resentful... uh--I uhh-- Sea monkeys..." he stated thinking of the ones swimming in the bowl not to far from him on the large magohony desk. " Who think that... that you owe them something for something you did wrong, but won't even trust you for a second!"
Dr.Landford sighed shaking his head.
"Ron, you know there are other Sea Monkey's in the sea" he said giving his customer the eye. Ron sighed shrinking from the gaze. He hated when he was right. "Yeah Yeah I know" he grunted wrinkling his freckled sported nose. "But I just wish... I wish that I could find a Sea Monkey who wasn't afraid... you know afraid of my dark chocolate layer? And of course she'd have to love my cake too... But I think that my ex.cauldron cake maker has turned me off from Sea Monkeys entirely. I met a real piece of work today though..." he sighed shaking his head in confusion.
Dr.Landford shook his head, like a good pyscatrist. "Tell me about her Ron" he encouraged, putting a spell on the quill so it would write down whatever he was thinking .
Ron sighed. "This Sea Monkey was a old friend of mine for school. A fox. She had her own cauldron cake too, taking me by surprise. She disappeared and never contacted me after Hogwarts, she having something against I don't know what but man she has turned into a...." Ron pursed his lips and gave a small look at Noah. "Turned into a female dog" he finished lamely.
Dr.Landford chuckled crossing his legs, best he could. Ron went on feeling he needed some feed back. "And she shoved her Sea Monkeys in my face" he stated looking at the Sea Monkeys dancing in the dirty water. The doctor's face turned toward disgust. "In front of the Cakes? What is she doing with another Sea Monkey anyway?"
Ron frowned his eyebrows creasing in puzzlement. "What?" he muttured biting down his finger. "What are you talking about?" Dr.Landford frowned. "Sea Monkeys. Sea Monkeys with other Sea Monkeys in front of cauldron cakes...."
Noah frowned shaking his red head. They were insane , he concluded.
Ron frowned. "Sea Monkeys Doc" he said pointing to the ones in glass bowl. "Sea Monkeys. Sea Monkeys"
"Oh... I see"
8:50 AM
Hermoine pulled the large model of the large new Ministry building carefully from the back of the carriage. "Need any help Miss?" the driver asked watching as she tried desperately to banace it. "No....I'm ....... fine" Hermoine grunted as she pushed the carriage door shut. Reilly watched this with a weary eye and shot a helpless look at the driver. "Watch out she might be a bit too stubborn there" the driver teased and winked. Reilly smilied following after her mother.
"Don't need to tell me"
Hermoine sighed entering the large glass building. The Ministry building. Her heels clamped loudly on the large echoed main office, Reilly's sneakers making their own pitter patter sound. "You can't make any noise in the office, baby ok? Mommy had a really important meeting today" she said turning down to Reilly over the huge model. Her daughter looked up curiously her backpack bouncing behind her, her curly hair even knottier then it was this morning. "Alright Mommy" she said shurgging as she pulled a small toy car from her mom's purse.
Reilly had loved little racecars ever since her Grandpa had given her a set for Christmas three years ago. Even though they were the only muggle toys she had, she found them more exiticing then her other ones. This one was small and red and Reilly thought it would make a great ambulance.
"Wheee Ohhhh Wheee Ooooh"" she wheeled taking the car in her tiny hands and rolled it along the bulidings orange wall. Hermoine sighed the loud noise echoing through the large building. "Reilly don't do that" she hissed softly. Reilly stopped imatating the noise looking up at her mother.
"Why not?"
Hermoine forced a grin, a few curly locks breaking from the bun she had made in the morning. Everything about her looks tired and hurried and razzled. "Because I want you to practice being really quiet" she said softly with another grin. Silently as they headed down the hallway Hermoine cursed the day Ronald Weasley was born. If it weren't for him this could have been the perfect day.
"Alright stay next to me Reilly" she said knodding her over the huge model taking both her hands. "And be very quiet" Reilly sighed wrinkling her noise as she played with the wheels of the silent ambulance.
"You have to be kidding me" the Secertary said starring instantly at Reilly with wide eyes, her voice strict and shocked. Her name was Ashley, and she was Mr.Winkle, Hermoine's boss, personal secertary. She sat prim in the wheelchair she had her quill standing upright shaking her head in mere shock.
Hermoine sighed shaking her head. She forgot about Ashley. Ashley was one of the most strict figures in the business, and she probably would tell Mr.Winkle the minute a scent of a child came into the building. "Just for five minuntes Ashley five minutes. Please Please don't give me a hard time, I am already 20 minutes late" she pleaded, ready to get on her hands and knees if she had to.
"Actually 15 minutes late. Mr.Winkle, as you must imagine, his very displeased"
Hermoine grunted trying very hard not to scream bloody murder at the woman. She was starting to really get on her nerves. Trying desperatly to change the subject she looked down at the desk. Suddenly she saw a pile of papers and her chocolate brown eyes widened.
"What are those?" she asked suddenly balancing the model on her hip just to get a better look. "The Chek blueprints for the Magical Creature department. Came in 2 weeks early" Ashley said quietly flipping the pages so Hermoine could see them clearly. Hermoine gaped looking down at them. "2 weeks early?" she marveled smiling. But Ashley's attention wasn't so easily divided.
"Why would you bring a kid in here Herm? Remember the time Alice Lawnson brought her kid in with the flu and Mr.Winkle had just a sniff of the cough medicine and had to take the whole day off?" Hermoine looked down at Reilly who was running her car over the edge of Ashley's desk, mutturing little noises so as not to disturb their conversation. "She hasn't got anything Ashley she just missed her field trip thats all"
Ashley sighed shaking her brown tresses. "Herm, I don't know about this"
"Just 5 minutes Ash" Hermoine pleaded. Ashley raised and eyebrow. "And I would be doing this because?" Hermoine sighed scurnching her brain for a bit of knowledge. "Because ....well we're uhh..." Hermoine once more racked her brain for anything the 2 had in common. "We're the same Ash!!!" she insisted.
"We're both witches and this is a touch wizarding world, a tough office and ----"
"5 minutes, Herm. 5 minutes" Ashley stated firmly, sink of hearing Hermoine babble. "Oh Thank You Thank You Thank you!!!" she whispered flooding with relief.
Suddenly Mr.Winkle's thick southern accent came from the small little figure of him at the side of Ashley's desk. It served like a little muggle intercom every little secertary as a figure of their boss on the side of her desk, and if the boss needed something thats what would happen.
"Ashley is Ms.Granger come in yet?" The figure asked crossing his arms with a angry glance. Hermoine sighed looking down at it. "Here Sir" she said clearing her throat. The little figure gave her a angry glare. "Your late Ms.Granger"
"Yes I know sir, I'm sorry sir"
"Your late" Mr.Winkle repeated. "Yes I know" Hermoine stated her patience withering away quickly. Reilly watched with her amused brown eyes. "Just let me sign in, Mr.Winkle, Ok? I'll be right in" Ashley shook her head her brown tresses flying. Mr.Winkle's little figureine didn't talk back so Hermoine rolled her eyes, hurrying out of the office, leaving Reilly to take the cars out and play with them, with Ashley's weary eye on her. Silently she turned toward the sign-in book.
Hermoine cursed under her breath and turned toward the quill. "WalliWaddi" she whispered to the quill trying desperately to pull out her thick oat wand. The purple quill rose from the desk a few inches from the page. "Abliveo, Hermoine Granger" she stated clearly next, with a tap and flick with the stick. The quill quivered and silently in clean cursive followed what it's master stated. There in black ink it stated her name. "Thank You!!!" Hermoine grinned as the quill dropped from his spell incased daze onto the page.
Hermoine's mood at slightly risen since her dreadful encounter with her past. She had not owled Ron or Harry for a reason, which she didn't want to talk about now. Reilly sat on the ground legs sprawled driving the big remote control car humming a unknown tune she heard on the radio her mom owned in her office. Hermoine held the model in front of her opening the office door.
Stepping forward she hardly acknowledged Reilly and her little cars all over the office floor. Suddenly Hermoine heard the little motorized wheels and suddenly jumped into the air.
"Reilly! Watch where your driving!!!" Hermoine whispered roughly as the new car rolled out from under Hermoine's high heels. "Sorry Mommy" Reilly shurgged circling the car. Hermoine sighed shaking her head and took a step forward.
Quite suddenly her heel caught onto then school pack laying on the ground. And in the next minute Hermoine was laying right next to it, the model crushed beneath her. "Oh.....Oh...." Hermoine whimpered looking wide eyed at the crushed and crashed of what was suppose to be the new Ministry Building. "Oh my god" she muttured turning it around to see it snapped in half , a few of the fake trees and people in the same state. "Oh no, Oh no, Oh no"
Suddenly Mr.Winkle's voice rang out from his little intercom figure. Oh no he has to come now. Hermoine cursed the day her boss was born. "Ashley will you ask Ms.Granger to come in please?" Hermoine closed her eyes willing everything to go away.Opening one eye she turned to Ashley. "Shhhhh no no no"
Frantically she shook her head releasing more curly locks from the loose bun. Ashley sighed giving her a look that said it was out of her hands. "I'll send her right in Sir" she said slowly looking at the demolished model. "Please, Ash put this in the back room, or somewhere" Hermoine whimpered edging forward what was left of the model on her knees. "Don't worry about it! Go Go Go!" Ashley hissed as she wheeled forward in her wheelchair to take the model. Hermoine knodded and got up wiping her lavender skirt. Before she left to into Mr.Winkle's office she gave a sharp glare toward Reilly who watched the whole scene innocently and guilty.
"You. Behind her desk. Now"
Reilly dropped her remote control and scurried behind the large oak desk. Hermoine plastered a smile once she confirmed her daughter was hidden from view and fixed her hair. She headed in slowly. "I'm sorry sir" Hermoine stated slowly wiping something invisible from her jacket. Mr.Winkle , a short skinny man with a bush under his nose, his hair balding in old age , glared at her under his spectacles.
"I-I.... I am.... I um.. forgot the model is still, still in the... the um model shop place, d-down town. I'm heading there right now. You see... I um went down their earlier but it was... locked. Yes, locked" Hermoine stuttured quickly forcing a grin on her pale lips. Hermoine was never good at lieing.
Mr.Winkle frowned trying to understand through the stuttering. "Oh" he said after a moment.
"Yea" she said quickly playing with the end of her sleeve. "But I promise that you're going to love the model though Mr.Winkle and today 2 o clock the people from Mischief's Building Co. will love it too" she stated with a sure tone. Mr.Winkle gave her a quick look. "I assume your ready for our meeting?" he questioned slowly taking off his glasses.
"Of course" Hermoine stated hoping to god she sounded sure enough. Mr.Winkle grinned and turned toweard the miniture figure of Ashley at his desk top. "Ash can you bring in the Chek blueprints? I want to show you something Ms.Granger"
Suddenly Mr.Winkle's brown eyes widened and Hermoine turned around to see Reilly looking up at her mom with tiny blue eyes, decked in her school unniform, jacket and messy hair. "Oh" Hermoine squeaked quickly putting on another smile. "Oh, Ha ha what an adorable little girl" she said patting Reilly's head with a tiny grin. Reilly frowned extremely confused. Mr.Winkle gulped and turned back to the Mini Ashley. "And Ashley? Check and see if I still have a subscription to those flu pills?" Reilly looked at Mr.Winkle with a weird look wrinkling her tiny nose. "Mommy?" Reilly asked looking back at Hermoine who instantly panicked.
Like she said she was never a good liar.
"You know" Hermoine giggled softly giving Mr.Winkle one of her many forced smiles. "Thats a good idea, lets fo find your mum" But before Hermoine could drag her daughter out by the collar, Ashley came in giving Hermoine a look. "I'm very sorry sir but someone spilled coffee on the Chek Blue prints" Ashley flashed her flaming blue eyes at Reilly. 'No' Hermoine mouthed closing her eyes wishing desperately she was somewhere else.
Mr.Winkle sighed keeping a weary eye on Reily.
"You know every Thanksgiving I get strep throat? Children who think they are healthy are hiding some weird foriegn disease sometimes and---"
Hermoine cleared her throat nervously wanting above all not to have this conversation. "Sir we're going to find her mother now" Reilly looked at Hermoine and then looked back at her boss. "She must work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts across the hall" Hermoine grinned knodding. "I'm sure she does" she encouraged pushing the 6 year old through the door. Suddenly from her purse her cellphone rang and without looking at it she quickly opened it giving a apologetic smile to her boss.
Was the whole world planning to keep her in Mr.Winkle's office forever?!??!!
"Hello?"
"You asshole"
"What?" Hermoine gasped a bit shocked. "You'd better get over here right now, The Minister of Magic is holding a press conference at five at City Hall. And you talking about freakin pink panties and shit" Hermoine quickly closed the cellphone case giving it a quizzcal looked. Suddenly looking down at it she saw that it had one of those little ear plug things in the center. And the Panties. Oh no.
"Ron" she grumbled sticking the phone back in her purse. "You, Know Ms.Granger I don't need to remind you how important this Mischief and Chek account would be to the Ministry, and by extension to you" Mr.Winkle stated breaking the silence. "Yes Sir" Hermoine started turning around to flash him a smile, her hands on Reilly's shoulders.
"I totally understand how this account works"
But Mr.Winkle's attention was diverted once again by her daughter. "You know what she reminds me of?" he said with a disgusted tone. "No Sir" Hermoine sighed. "Carrier Monkey" he said spitting the word out. Hermoine frowned turning to her child - who gave Mr.Winkle a angry defensive look- with a silent curse. "She's not a carrier Monkey" she said defending her baby. "She's a perfect healthy little---"
At that moment Reilly decided to sneeze making Mr.Winkle jump back in surprise shock and disgust.
Hermoine sighed hiding her face. "I'll go find her mother now" she said hurriedly pushing her out the glass doors. Finally as soon as Hermoine was sure Mr.Winkle couldn't hear a thing she said she collasped atop the desk and put her head into her hands , cursing every bad word she knew. "Oh god what I'm I going to do?"
Reilly watched quietly looking at the ground sheepishly her face masked with guilt. "I'm sorry Mommy" she mumbled. Hermoine looked down at her. "Oh baby don't be. Its not your fault. It's Noahs Daddy's fault"
9:20 AM
"Ow, Ow, Ow , Ow!!!" Ron cringed as Noah grabbed the french fry that was laying atop his eye. Chomping down on the fried potato Noah grinned matching his dad's playful face. "Dad this isn't a very good breakfast" he chuckled. Ron leaned forward taking a few fries for breakfast. "Well see Sport and advantage of being a grown up, you get to act like a kid whenever you want" he said giving his son a wink a mouth full of greasy fries.
"Mummy never lets me have a hamburger and french fries for breakfast though and she's a grown up" Noah giggled as he tried to feed the Sea Monkey's a piece of a fry. "See what I mean?" Ron emphasized shaking his red locks rolling his sleeves ip as he was about to dig into the food, his cellphone ringing in his coat pocket.
Ron frowned pulling it out, putting it to his ear the easy way. "Hello?" Suddenly an old woman's curious voice replied.
"Who's this?" she intoned.
Ron frowned confused. "Well who's this?"
"Who's this?"
"Who's this?!"
"Who's this and what are you doing with my daughter's cellphone?" Ron frowned pulling away the phone from his ear and starred at it. It was certainly not his phone, for it was a muggle cellphone.
"Oh damn... we must have switched. Hi, um, I'm Ron Weasley. Our kids go to school together" The voice on the other line gaped. " 'Talk Alot' Ron Weasley?" Ron chuckled quietly shaking his head. "Thats me" he admitted with a sheepish smile. "Oh my god your so adorable. I love your column"
Ron smilied. "Well thanks"
"You married?" her voice sounded somewhat hopeful and desperate. "Uh no, I'm divorced. What's your name?" he asked hoping to change the subject. "Kelly" the gleeful voice replied. "Kelly" Ron repeated taking a bite of Noah's burger watching his son fed the monkeys. "Oh dear, listen, Ron I have to get my hair heated. Now Hermoine has your phone? Right?" Ron knodded to Hermoine's mom. "That's right"
"And your number please?"
"Oh, Hogwarts-3312" She chuckled. "Oh Hogwarts--- cute-- 3312" Ron smilied again. She was a very pleasent woman. So unlike her daughter. "Yeah, my brother use to tell the story" Ron said to the phone number swallowing the food. She laughed on the other end. "Alright, darling, ,listen if you see her before I do, tell Hermoine her sister can't watch Reilly she has a Spring Day Spa appointment and she can't cancel" Ron knodded. "Alright then"
"Oh and tell her otherwise she would have been happy to babysit her niece despite the fact Reilly stuck her wedding ring up her nose" Ron laughed at the thought. "Alright Ms.Granger"
"Your so adorable"
"Bye" Ron farewelled shutting the off button and dialed a new number taking another huge bite. "Hello?" Ron asked hoping to hear Hermoine on the other line. "Hello?" Hermoine started puzzled. "How'd you get this number?" she sounded more annoyed then usual. "Well see Moine that's my phone your holding"
He could almost see her roll her eyes on the other line. "Thats so typical of you" she grunted. Ron sighed biting his lip. "Can we just by pass the fight that I see coming and do messages?" Hermoine shurgged. "Fine" Ron sighed. "Your sister is in a Spring Spa and can't babysit and its not because Reilly stuck her wedding ring up her nose"
Hermoine hid her face even though Ron couldn't see her. Top 10 embrassing moments. "Thanks. Thank you. You have a press conference at 5" Ron knodded taking a sip of his butterbeer. "HmmHmm"
"Goodbye" she said sharply but Ron piped up before she could hang up "Think maybe we should outta arrange to switch back phones soon?" Hermoine blew out hot air sending her hair flying. "Tommrrow morning. When we drop our kids of at school. On time" Ron rolled his own blue eyes.
"Fine"
"Fine"
Closing the cellphone , Ron starred at it shaking his head. "Noah?" he said turning to his son who was sneaking fries from Ron's plate. "When you grow up and become handsome, rich, and successful and possess a wonderful swave sense of intelligence thats like a distant promise to the brave and worthy can you please not pulp any miserable girl just because.... you can?"
Noah frowned and shurgged. " K Dad" he said sipping his chocolate milk.
9:30 AM
Hermoine grinned at the carriage. God , she was doing that alot today. She was really sick of grinning. She was really sick of grinning.
"Here lemme help you" a young foreign man stated only in hopes to catch the carriage before someone else did. Reilly stepped out giving a sheepish grin at the man. Hermoine shook her head pulling out the model carefully. "Stupid British woman" he insulted shaking his head as Hermoine starred at the robed man.
Reilly looked up at her mother. "Mommy, that man called you stupid" she said as she opened the door to the model shop for her mom. "Yeah well I am stupid sometimes, Honey, but I'd rather be stupid then sorry. Come on" she sighed trying to squeeze through the door. Reilly knodded quietly wrinkling her nose.
Vincent, a young man, with glasses looked up at Hermoine from his work. "Herm what are you doing here?" he asked innocently and then his eyes roamed to the broken down model. "Help?" Hermoine squeaked. "I've tried every spell but it just won't stay" He chuckled pulling it over. "God, woman what did you do to it?"
"I tripped" she grunted pulling her jacket off and pulled out her bun leaving her chestnut hair down for awhile.
"So how bad is it?"
Reilly looked up at Hermoine, and sat herself down on the steps of the room, as she took out her coloring book from her backpack. Vincent sighed putting it on his desk and took out his wand. After 5 minutes of examining, he sighed. "Well it's fixable. I could get it to stay and look brand new without starting from scarth, but it's going to take some time" Hermoine clapped her hands together. "Vince, your brilliant!"
Reilly, sick of coloring, took out her two new dolls she bought down at Zonko's awhile back, and danced them around Vince's feet, who tried desperately not to trip. "Reilly! Reilly stop it!" Hermoine scolded quietly pulling her daughter away from the model. It wouldn't surprise her if the model got more wrecked because of her.
"It won't be perfect" Vince sighed still starring at the model. He tapped his wand here and there. "I'm thristy Mommy" Reilly complained as Hermoine took her toys and put them back away. Hermoine sighed taking out the juice box from her bottomless purse. "It's ok" Hermoine insisted pulling her hair behind her. Vince sighed shaking his head. "I know you Herm. Your not happy unless it's perfect"
"Today I'll just be happy if that model isn't broken anymore" Hermoine said handing Reilly the juice box. Reilly starred at it for a moment and frowned. "I can't get the straw part Mommy" she whined handing the straw back to her mother. Hermoine sighed sitting on the steps next to Reilly. "I don't want to think of what will happen if I don't have that model by 2 oclock" she stated easily taking the straw and sticking it into the box.
Vince grinned. "Well, I'll try Herm" he said quietly. Reilly watched the juice box impatiently and suddenly lurched forward grabbing the box of sweet juice quickly. Quite as fast as Reilly had grabbed it, she found she had squeezed to hard because the apple juice that was suppose to end up in her thirsty mouth was all over Hemoine's clean white blouse.
"Thanks..." Hermoine muttured looking striaght up at the cieling instead of her juice stained blouse.
9:45 AM
Ron looked up back at his son who was back on his perch, atop of Ron's lean tall shoulders. "Alright now while I'm doing my column I want you to think of 6 huundred fun things to do because the rest of the day is yours" Noah grinned looking over Ron's red head. "I've already know my list of stuff, I want to go to Zonko's first, then Honeydukes, then back to the 3 Broomsticks, and then the Post Office, then to the Shrieking Shack and then---"
Ron chuckled as his son rattled on , as they came to the Daily Prophet building. He drove himself through the crowd and entered through the thin glass doors, a small chime singing as he and Noah entered. He climbed the stairs, and he greeted his secertary right at the opening door. "Hey Serena" he grinned.
"Hi Ron" she smilied crossing her thin legs, Walking past the desks, Ron grinned to his friends. "Hi Ron" a young woman called out waving her fingers. "Hiya Jackie" he smilied down at the woman. Turning the corner Ron ran into Stacy another faithful reporter to the Daily Prophet. "Ron!" sh exclaimed laughing. "I never knew you had a son!" she smilied looking up at Noah who watched curiously.
"Yeah" Ron said proudly grinning up at him. "This is Noah"
Stacey grinned. "He's so cute! Just like you, Ron" Ron chuckled. He heard that so often these days. "Yeah, well he'll grow out of it" he teased flirtatiously. Waving goodbye to Stace, Ron dropped Noah heading toward his own personal desk.
"Why do all those girls talk to you like that?" Noah asked slowly watching the woman wearily. Ron laughed looking down at Noah. "What? How?"
Noah scurnched up his face and made his voice high and whiny. "Hiiiiiiii Ron" he imitated the young woman's leering voices. Suddenly breaking off Ron's loud laughing at his son's quite good imitation, a young woman in a short skirt and long pink robe and flowing blonde hair, shimmering down her back. "Hi Ron" she cooed alot like what Noah copied earlier.
Ron and Noah snorted trying to hold their laughter. Ron coughed trying to compose himself. "Hi there Halley" he grinned up at her. Noah smilied. "See dad?"
"You know, Ron I'm doing a story about men like you" she whispered sitting down atop his desk crossing her long lean legs. Ron raised a eyebrow, and threw on his charming smile. "Oh yeah? What's the hook?" he questioned as Noah started playing with the post its.
"Just a little thing my mum use to tell me. 'Love your man like a little boy and they'll grow into a man'. " Ron had a really cocky flirtatious comment to that, when Gerald came up giving him a scolding eye. "Ron. My office. Now" he ordered quietly. Ron gave a sheepish grin to Halley and taking Noah's hand led them through to Gerald's large spacious office.
"Sea Monkeys. You won't believe the morning I've had. You ok? You look cranky. Don't telll me your on that diet again..." Ron sighed droppping his large trenchcoat on a desk chair and ran his fingers through his wild red hair. "Sport you remember Gerald right?" he asked turning to Noah he put the Sea Monkeys on his dads boss's desk grinning.
"Yes. We haven't seen each other in a long time. I am cranky Ron. And I've had a good breakfast too. Trouble on the garbage story Ron" Ron looked at Gerald and sighed collasping on the chair. "Oh god"
"Wait a minute. Son you want to see something?" Gerald asking turning toward Noah with a friendly grin. Noah turned toward his father who had his face in his hands. Ron grinned. "It's ok, go ahead"
Gerald grinned and cooed. Suddenly from the window, a big round puffball appeared atop the desk with a regal look, ruffling his chestnut feathers. It was a owl. "This is Alexa. She lives in the Prophet newsroom" Gerald explained. Noah grinned at the bird. "Wow" he whispered. Gerald chuuckled. "Want to pet her son? Go ahead she won't bite. You got a ranging scope disease my friend" Noah inched toward the owl quietly petting its silky feathers.
Ron grinned at Gerald's comment. "Which is why you love me" he insisted with a sharp knod in the leather chair. Gerald sighed turning toward Noah. "Stay here and play with Alexa while me and your Pop have a talk alright?" Noah shurgged with a knod. "Ok sir" he said. "Thats my boy" Gerald grinned as he pulled himself from his chair with a grunt. "Lets go Ron"
Ron sighed turning to his boss once he was out of reach of his son's ears. "Now would you rather I wasn't first?"
Gerald sighed pointing a fat pudgy finger. "I'd rather you be right" Ron frowned crossing his arm. "I am right" he said confused. Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Okay who told ou the Minister's re-election campian were taking illegal contribuations from the mob?" Ron bit his lop with a easy shurg. "Simple. Rick Sanchez"
Gerald sighed. "He told you that?" Ron knodded. "On the reconrd" Gerald looked up at Ron. "In the exchange for the cities sanitation contract?"
"On the record"
"Which was rewarded without bidding?" Ron raised an eyebrow wandering where excatly his boss was going with this. "Through Mcfraught and Launder. That's right and also on the record" Gerald suddenly gave a serious look. "Your Ricky Sanchez is going to deny everything Weasley" Ron dropped his arms in shock.
"What?!?!?!?!"
Gerald knodded. "During the conference. Rick's going to say you made something up. You didn't make it up did you?" Ron gaped. "Of course not Gerald" he snapped broken that his boss was suspicious of him like that. "Rick showed me this campaign accounts and they were nowhere near to fakes, I had a cop check"
Gerald bit his lip. "Wheres Damian?" Ron kept on talking. "Desposited un unnumbered accounts..." Gerald blew out some hot air then called for Fred instead of Damian. "Unnumbered Gerald" Ron empahsized. Fred came up nervously next to his agitated boss. "The whole page may need to print a retraction"
Fred frowned and Ron shook his head. "Of what?" Fred asked. Ron made an edge toward the door just wanting above all else to get out. Gerald grabbed his shoulder sharply. "Get back in here." he roared. "You know your giving me a ulcer the size of a pienseve?! Why couldn't you have gotten 2 sources?" Ron sighed once more. That seemed to be his favorite thing to do today. Sighing.
"Remember the Connor Jackson story?" he said coming to his own defense. Gerald sighed his eyes widening. "How could I forget? You almost got us fired because of that. Almost had a heart attack" Ron raised a eyebrow. "And I almost go a W.W.A Prize!"
Noah looked down as Alexa observed the Sea Monkeys. "Dad?"
"One second" Ron said his anger building greatly. "They won't fire me. You can't fire me. I have pictures on carriages with my face on them!!" Gerald sighed messing with his robe and tie. "Thats what I said" he admitted. "Then they said that I should have lunch with Neal Foster"
Noah watched carefully as Alexa nipped down into the water and glomped down a poor unsuspecting Sea Monkey. "Uh... Dad..."
Ron wrinkled his nose. "Neal Foster?" Gerald knodded in respect. " 'Neal's Thoughts; is another popular column Ron, in Transfiguration Today"
Noah winced as he looked at the empty glass bowl and the full owl. "Dad..."
Ron shook his head in fustration. "Neal's a humourless stupid arrogant asshole" Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Who has won the W.W.A Prize" Ron sighed stomping his feet childishly. "You know what Gerald? I will not lose my job! I got shrink bills to pay, I got college loans to repay... I have a plumping situation okay? Now Rick has been my main man all year--"
"Dad!"
"One more second Sport. I played bridge with his mom. I took his niece to the freakin circus. I had to sit through him singing karokee in a muggle bar. Mugge bar Gerald!!!" Gerald sighed shaking his head. "I gave you a column and love you like a son, but I can't cover for you anymore. Now you have less then 6 hours til the press conference and no other leads, you gotta get Sanchez back on the record or find another reliable source for this goddamn thing. Otherwise we print a retraction. And I gurantee you Ron it will be your last"
Ron sighed running his fingers through his hair. That was a worser habit then sighing. "Ok. Fine. Alright, if you need me I'll be at a different number today" he turned back to the office taking his coat onto his arm. "Where are you heading now?" Gerald asked slowly. Ron gave his boss a odd look.
"6 hours, Gerald. I'm going to find Rick"
Gerald gave a proud grin as Ron slipped on the long thick coat. "Take care of yourself, Ron, we do need you" Ron gave a small grin as he hurried out the office. "I will" he promised, as he came to his messy desk pulling a Write-as-you-Think Quill and a few scrolls of parchment. He stuffed them quickly into one of his vacant pockets, and hurried down the Daily Prophet hallway.
Suddenly Halley came around the corner cutting off the red head from escape. "Hey Ron... I wanted to say something before you left on your job" she said huskily, eyeing him up and done. Ron looked up from searching for Hermoine's cell phone in one of his pockets. "Right " he said with a soft smile at her.
Hally grinned quietly buttoning the top of his coat. "I noticed" she said quietly looking up at him from his jacket. " that you haven't been dating for quite some time" Ron felt himself pale and pulled out of her grasp with a forced grin heading toward the elevator quickly. "Right" he agreed his steps hurrying as he talked. Hally followed quietly right behind his heels.
"Actually all of us, witches, in the newsroom have been noticing"
"Oh really?" Ron managed to speak quietly tapping his wand to call the transporter/ elevator. The wooden doors parted to allow Ron into the box that would take him down the 5 floors, and he was ready to head in but she grabbed his arm roughly. "Ron" she said in a soft whisper, but yet rough. "I know.... your sensitive but frightened." she softly trailed her finger down his muscular chest. "I'm gentle but... brutal" she grinned softly noticing Ron's hyponotized gaze on her face. "Think about it"
With that she disappeared around the corner.
Ron watched her go, a regretful look on his face, as he entered the elevator. "Brutal" he muttured shaking his head with thought and grinned as he pushed the button down. But as soon as the doors closed, Ron was furiously pushing back the up butto. "Serena?!" he called loudly as he jumped out of the elevator, his voice frantic all of a sudden. "Serena? Hey! Have you seen my son?!"
Ron sighed. Great, a half hour with his son and he freakin loses him. "Noah? Noah?!!! Have you seen Noah?" he asked hurriedly to everyone he passed. "Aweeee dammit!"
Stacey grinned at her desk. "Hey Ron" she called pointing him over to the Weasley's desk. Noah was sitting under it contently eating a box of chocolate frogs, gulping down each chocolately amphibian with a delightful chocolate grin. "Hi Dad" he said to his reliefed father who walked over with a hard look. " 'Hi Dad'? Do you do this with you mother?" Ron asked quickly scooping the boy from under the desk with a strong arm.
"You know this wandering off stuff?"
Noah shurgged as if it wasn't much of a deal. "Yup" he said bitting into the wiggling leg of his last frog. Ron shook his head, and once more headed back to the elevator. "Well its not a good thing to do" he scolded tapping the side wall again. "Now , listen, I got to go tal to a guy downtown. It's kinda a tricky thing and I have one shot at it which means..." Ron started uncomfortably stepping inside.
Noah wrinkled his nose. "That I can't go?" he replied sadly. Ron sighed. He truly was a sucker for kids. And a sucky father.
"Right" he finished with a equally sad tone as his sons. "You can't come. Now... what am I going to do with you?"
10:34 AM
Hermoine sighed starring at Ron's odd cell phone. It worked like a regular cellphone, but she swore he had put one of those earplug things in his ear. Suddenly the voice she was waiting for reappeared and Hermoine shook her head over the washing machine that she was surprised Vince would even own. What a day to suddenly decide to wear a muggle shirt to work today.
"Listen" she said to the phone. "This is difficult for me Viktor. But your the last person I could think of asking, I'm really in a bind. I could lose my job at the ministry. I know your practicing--"
Suddenly the timer on the washing machine went off. "Hold on" she grumbled to her ex husband as she pulled out the damp messy blouse. "Damn" Hermoine cursed. She couldn't wear that to a meeting. Searching through her burse, in her bra, she pulled out a small Magic Mandy shirt. Starring at it Hermoine sighed and quickly squeezed it on.
Silently she went back to her conversation.
"I know your practicin" she said repeating what she stated earlier. "But it would be just for a hour. 2 o clock to 3. Come on Vik your her dad" Listening to the agitaited complain reply and quickly she stopped it. The one thing she hated was that everything Viktor said was almost a complaint, or was. "Fine" she said hautily her own anger building greatly. "Nevermind. I'll think of something. Are you at least coming to her qudditch game?" Hermoine hated talking to him. She was serenly desperate.
"It's at 6. It would mean alot her" Suddenly Vince cried out in pain. "Ahh! Herm!" he cried bending down to hold his shin. Reilly was ditting on a little wheely thing and surely accidently ran into him. "Oh I'll talk to you later" Hermoine hissed to Viktor and closing the cellphone, she raced after her daughter, who was still happily wheeling around the model shop.
"Reilly!" she scolded sharply. "Reilly get off that! Get off! Time out! Get---!" finally Hermoine got up with Reilly yanking her off the wheels and giving her such a sharp look. "What is the matter with you?!" she scolded shaking the poor child gently. "You almost broke it again! Why can't you just play quietly and not get into any trouble for 5 minutes!" Hermoine felt her voice get thick and her eyes glaze. Today was such a horrid day. "Don't you realize how important this is?. Thats it. I'm taking you to the 16th Court Dropout Center"
***
Review, please.
Thank you and Have a Nice Day.
~MerlinsApprentince