A/N At long last, here's the next chapter! I had some unexpected medical issues pop up just after the new year, but I'm all healed up now and ready to continue. Thanks to everyone who has followed the story so far! We're at over 100 now!

Hermione woke the next morning to George's infectious grin.

"C'mon Hermione, it's time to get up. Today is the day!"

She was exhausted from all their prep work yesterday, but she couldn't help but be excited with him.

"Alright alright, I'm up. Go make tea while I get dressed. I'll meet you downstairs." she said waving him off.

He gave her one more excited smile before he practically leapt from the room and bounded down the stairs.

She looked over at Ginny's sleeping form, a little envious that she was able to sleep in. As she started getting dressed in her magenta uniform robes she thought about what the day would hold. It would most likely be chaos, George had put out in the Daily Prophet that the store was having a small reopening today. Based on the popularity of their products though, it was unlikely to be anything near small.

She couldn't help feeling nervous as she brushed and tamed her hair. She'd never worked at any sort of store and she wasn't quite sure how well she'd handle the pace and excitement of it all.

Her worries only grew as she made her way downstairs. She could hear George and Charlie talking excitedly in the kitchen.

Molly had made breakfast and was placing more pancakes on the table as Hermione walked in. Molly gave her a tight squeeze as she left them to eat.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Charlie asked as she sat down next to him.

"Nothing, just a little nervous is all." she said loading up her plate with pancakes and sausages.

Charlie chuckled and put his fork down.

"You mean to tell me that you, Hermione, brightest witch of her age, one of the three responsible for the fall of Voldemort, is scared of a herd of 11 year olds?"

She laughed a bit at herself before replying.

"Terrified." she said with as much mock seriousness as she could muster.

"I've just never done this before. Dealing with tons of people. All asking questions and needing help. It's overwhelming to think about."

"You'll be great Hermione. I could quiz you if you like though, some of the questions I get the most." George offered.

"Would you? Oh that would be so nice."

They went back and forth for a while. Hermione knew most of the answers and George filled in the rest. Hermione took notes on a small note pad and stashed it with her handbag in an inner robe pocket.

Light was just starting to peak over the horizon as they arrived in the floo at the back of the store.

"Ready?" asked George with a contagious grin.

Hermione and Charlie nodded and George waved his wand in a large arc.

Everything seemed to spring to life at once, the lights came up, displays started moving, and noises were coming from every direction. It was like they were in an entirely different place now. And it was bursting with magic.

Hermione was still admiring the store, spinning in place to take it all in when George started talking again.

"We've got about 20 minutes before I open the doors. I'm going to be on the floor, helping as much as I can. We can all take turns at the desk with purchases, Hermione you start okay?"

She nodded and headed over to the counter. Quickly noting where everything is, she then starts tidying the displays nearby. A bit of anxiety started to creep up again and she was fidgeting.

A warm hand graps her shoulder and she turns to see Charlie standing next to her.

"You'll do fine, stop fretting. In a few weeks you'll be laughing at how nervous you were. Just watch from the counter first and you'll see. If I can do it then surely you can." he said before walking over to meet George at the door.

The two talk briefly before looking back at her.

"Ready?" George asks.

Hermione takes a deep breath and gives a nod in return.

With a wave of his wand George unlocks the door. Charlie quickly follows opening the door.

Fireworks erupt above the entrance, raining sparks down over the crowd waiting at the entrance and illuminating George's thin sillouette in a glowing light. He reached his hands in air, then with another flick of his wand his voice came booming through the gasps of the crowd.

"Ladies and gentleman! Wizards and Witches ! Prepare to be enchanted, excited, and overwhelmingly delighted. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is finally open once more."

Cheers erupt from the crowd but quickly die out as George continues.

"Today is dedicated to the best man I've ever had the privilege of knowing, Fred Weasley. Even if he was the uglier of the two of us" he says with a wink.

"All proceeds from this week's sales are to be donated to Hogwarts, to help rebuild the school, help the families of those we have lost, and erect a memorial in their honor."

A hush comes over the crowd with this, it was hard to find a family the war hadn't affected in some way.

"But today is also about keeping Fred's spirit alive. So for that part of it I have a contest! First one to sneak a Puking Pastille to Filtch wins 10 Galleons!"

With that, George steps aside, ushering customers into the store. Kids of all ages piled inside.

The initial rush flustered her for a moment but she quickly found a rhythm to the exchanges. She started to watch more of the interactions George and Charlie had with the customers.

George was all about wowing the crowd, using as much flourish as he could. It was comical at times and downright incredible at others. He could bring a smile to even the grouchiest teenager's face it seemed. He was definitely in his element.

Charlie seemed more at home helping singular kids or small groups. It shouldn't have surprised her seeing how many younger siblings he had, but for the large and tough guy he was he was incredibly gentle with the young ones. It was a whole different side she'd never seen as he was always off abroad by the time she came around.

Most of the older students grabbed a few essentials, a Skiving Snackbox or two, or some of the Wonder Witch products. They knew what they wanted and were fairly quickly on their way again after thanking George for all his work to reopen.

It was the younger kids, the first and second years that had never been in before that Hermione liked to watch. They were full of wonder, much like she had been her first time in the store. Before the war, before Fred was gone. They'd never know the other half of the founders of this wonderful place.

Customers checking out kept her from dwelling on this too much but the thoughts eventually invaded whenever there was space to breathe. By the time George came to relieve her at the counter she felt like she was suffocating.

His smile faded a bit at her demeanor as he came around the counter. He leaned into her while bending down to whisper.

"Are you okay? Did I leave you too long? You can take a break, it's starting to slow down now."

Hermione shook her head as she finished up with the customer in front of her. When they were gone and she looked around she saw he was right, it was nearly lunch time and the customers had slowly dwindled to a few perusing the aisles.

She sighed, leaned against the counter, and looked up at him.

"It just isn't fair, they'll never get to know Fred." she said, gesturing around the store.

"He should be here. Not me. He should still be here."

George wrapped her up in a hug and let out a small laugh.

"What?" Hermione asked, a little irritated he was laughing at her.

"That's what I was telling myself all these months Hermione. And then I saw it. This is him. All of this," he said, pointing to the various products throughout the store.

"The lights, the displays, the candies, the toys. They're his life's work. His soul. Him. They may never know his name, but they'll have his essence in every purchase they make. Every time they set off fireworks it'll be in his name. Even if they never know it."

Hermione looked up at him again and saw the genuine smile on his face. It was peaceful. She thought about what he said and the smiles and looks of wonder on all the kids faces and realized he was right. Fred was here, in this store, and in every product they'd ever come up with. A small smile of her own finally crept onto her lips as she watched a young girl looking at the pygmy puffs with her mother.

"But Mum, they're so cute!" she said pleading.

"Yes honey, they are, but they're a bit expensive aren't they?" she said, eyeing the price tag warily.

George waited until they stepped up to the counter with a small assortment of treats.

"Congratulations! As our 200th customer today you're entitled to one free item of your choosing!" he announced to them.

The little girl looked excitedly up at her mom who was staring at George in disbelief.

"Us? Won something?" she asked.

George just nodded at her and gestured to the little girl with a wink.

The mothers face broke into a smile and she nodded the girl off to pick out a pygmy puff.

"Wow, thank you sir! You're the best!" the little girl squealed, her new pet in tow.

"Better thank your mother, she's the one that made the winning purchase!" he replied with an expectant look.

"You're the best too Mum!" she said, hugging the woman's waist.

The two left after many thanks a short time later.

Hermione and George exchanged glances after they were gone and she could see the way that helping that little girl had lifted him up. He was practically buoyant for the rest of the afternoon.

The rest of the day went much smoother than the morning, they took turns at the register and eating the packed lunch Molly had sent.

The after lunch rush was challenging but Hermione felt she had performed well all things considered. No one had gone away unhappy and so she was calling it a success.

Around four they started cleaning up, prepping for closing at five. Molly had promised them a special dinner in celebration.

The three of them joined at the floo once the last customer had gone and the tidying was done. Wide grins were on all their faces.

"The Burrow!" Charlie called as he threw his powder into the flames.

Waiting in the living room were all the Weasley's, even Bill and Fleur, along with Harry. They all congratulated George on the reopening and thanked Hermione and Charlie for helping out.

Dinner was full of laughter and stories of various tricks played at Hogwarts, with and without Weasley products. Even Arthur and Molly had a few good ones from their time at the school.

Piles of plates and food and pastries littered the kitchen as they talked. The conversation moved to various points in the house but Hermione was too exhausted to take part in any of them.

She wearily climbed the steps and into Ginny's room. Without even undressing she collapsed onto the bed, into a deep and dreamless sleep.