Hello everyone,

I'm Nici and I started writing this fanfiction in 2020. I have been writing for a few years now, exclusively about Ron and Hermione, but only in German.

Recently, there have been more and more requests to translate this fanfiction into English, which I did with the help of my best friend. So please be considerate of any spelling and grammar mistakes. We are from Germany and our mother tongue is German.

We would be very happy about comments and likes.

Thank you and have fun reading.

Yours, NicEGrintson

Chapter 1:

MISS KNOW-IT-ALL

The shop door bell rang for what felt like the thousandth time today and Ron's limbs ached badly. Christmas business was booming and Ron had been working overtime for days, always helping his brother George out in difficult times in the small shop in Diagon Alley.

What did he have to lose? Absolutely nothing, he thought to himself, slightly frustrated, while he was stocking another shelf with Skiving Snackboxes. At first he hadn't noticed a young woman about his age entering the shop, but this quickly changed. George once again wanted to draw his attention to a woman who had come in, to set him up on a date with her, as he did with almost every woman. Ron huffed out in annoyance as his brother tapped him on the shoulder, "Ronnikins, have you seen? A young witch just walked in..."

"So?! Let me get on with putting this crap away..." uttered Ron, completely annoyed, as he moved another packet of Puking Pastilles onto the shelf.

Ron didn't notice the young witch approaching him, as he had his back turned to her to get to the top of the shelf. George quickly vanished into the back of the shop without another word to Ron, who was still ranting to himself and rearranging shelf after shelf.

"Temporary help…" Ron snorted, a few strands of his red hair hanging down his face, "Tz... are you kidding?! More like guinea pig for matchmaking experiments… But sure, Ronnikins is good enough for that... fuckin' idiot..."

"Good afternoon," said the most beautiful voice Ron had ever heard in his life, "I'm looking for a certain Ronald Billius Weasley, Sir... Could you possibly help me?"

Ron turned on the ladder he was standing on so he could catch a glimpse of her and then he saw her. The most wonderful woman he couldn't have dreamed of even in his deepest dreams... She had wonderful brown curls falling over her delicate shoulders, doe-like eyes and a delicate slender figure with the most beautiful legs he had ever seen. Ron was so engrossed in the sight of her that at one point he slid completely down the ladder he was standing on and landed with a thud on the shop floor. George watched the spectacle from a safe distance and could only shake his head...

'Look at him… the first time he really thinks a woman is great and then he immediately blows it... No wonder he's the eternal bachelor of England' George thought meanwhile, inwardly already waving a white flag of peace for surrender. But suddenly the young woman, already smirking slightly and somewhat charmed by Ron's clumsy manner, knelt down to Ron to check if everything was alright with him.

"Oh, I'm sorry... Did I scare you?" the pretty stranger asked as Ron tried to react nonchalantly and stood up in pain. He gritted his teeth and heaved himself upwards, then patted his clothes clean of dust and dirt before another embarrassing situation could arise.

"Scared me? No... No. I was... Am... You...," Ron stammered out.

'Merlin's rotten pants, get a grip, Weasley...'Ron thought in frustration, still searching for words.

The young woman, however, seized the moment to introduce herself:" I'm Hermione Jean Granger, by the way..."

Ron looked at her and was mesmerised by her. He literally stared at her, but Hermione paid no attention to his stares, instead she saw that he had a name tag on his shirt, but before she could read it properly, George interrupted them to somehow get Ron out of the situation.

"Gosh Ron, have a drink...",George pressed a bottle of water into his brother's hand and then smiled at Hermione, "He's a bit hypoglycaemic sometimes, you know? That's when he just falls over like that sometimes, poor guy."

Ron gave George a nasty glare, "You can go now, George... I'll be fine!"

"Oh you're George Weasley, am I right?" said Hermione excitedly, "The shopkeeper of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes ."

"Exactly," George grinned as Ron took a hearty swig from the bottle and casually rolled his eyes at his brother.

"How wonderful. Nice to meet you... And you must be Ronald Billius Weasley then." Hermione said with conviction as she watched Ron, who was still taking a hearty sip and nodding briefly.

"Wonderful... I'm the new apprentice to the Ministry of Magic's Auror team. Kingsley said I'd find you here," Hermione told him, barely making a point.

Ron was irritated and let go of the bottle, "So, what have I got to do with it?"

He took another sip as Hermione explained, "You're in your second year and you train first year students… We are now partners, Mr. Weasley."

Ron spat out water in a spray as he couldn't believe what the young witch had just said, "I'm sorry, what?"

Hermione screwed up her face a little in disgust, but politely answered anyway, "I'm your Trainee... Order of Mr Kingsley Shacklebolt."

George couldn't help but laugh hard. He felt it was fate or satisfaction, but Ron didn't feel like laughing at all.

"Shut up, George... What are you laughing at?"

George laughed even harder, shrugging his shoulders and walked over to the sales counter as some customers were there to pay.

Ron was still staring at Hermione in bewilderment as she pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill from a funny looking bag, "Well... What's the first thing on the agenda? According to regulation 3 paragraph 35, you have to explain some safety aspects to me, although I already know most of them by heart... I've already read through the legal texts several times... You're welcome to test me."

Ron stared open-mouthed at Hermione, simply unable to believe that he had a know-it-all, above-standard witch to work alongside him as a trainee, and then she looked so perfect that he thought he was dreaming. However, he had by no means expected that this would be one of the most difficult challenges in his young life...

-

Only two days later, Ron and Hermione were called on a mission together with Harry, Ron's best friend and also an Auror colleague. Unlike Ron, Harry had a male trainee at his side who seemed to be much more easy-going than Ron's new colleague. Even during long lunch breaks, she didn't put her books aside and studied one law after another. She didn't seem to be very humorous or gossipy either, because most of the time she sat alone in a corner and hid her actually so beautiful face behind a book or when the men cracked jokes, she wasn't enthusiastic at all.

"Tell us, Ron," Harry spoke, while the four of them were spending their lunch break in the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione was, of course, sitting a few benches away from the boys and studying the next book for the training.

"What is actually going on with your colleague? She seems quite attached to books, or have you scared her off already?"

Harry and his new colleague Alfred smirked to themselves in amusement, while Ron sipped his Butterbeer briefly and seemed anything but amused by it.

"Very funny... Go ahead, keep makin' fun of me!"

Harry laughed briefly and put an arm around Ron's shoulder, "Oh come on, now don't get so frustrated about it... Think of it as a chance!"

"A chance? For what?" asked Ron as Harry grinned mischievously, glanced briefly at Hermione and then looked back at his best friend, "A chance for you... Gee mate, you can't stay a lonely bachelor forever, growing old and grey in a little one-room London flat like this!"

"First of all, I'm not lonely..." countered Ron, taking Harry's arm off his shoulder: "After all, I'm stuck with you all the time and secondly, I'm not getting old and grey! I'll always remain more attractive than you!". Harry now started laughing out loud and Ron and Alfred joined in too, causing Hermione to look up from her book and lookin' briefly at the boys. Even she had to smirk on her lips, although she had no idea what the men were laughing about. One young man in particular caught her eye... Ron. She thought his laugh was so hearty and honest that it only encouraged one to laugh along, but what was she actually thinking about?

'Hermione, pull yourself together, after all he is your trainer!' she thought ashamed of herself and turned back to her book, but she didn't get far, as the handsome redhead called her: "Hey Granger... How long are you going to stare at your book anyway? What are you reading?"

Ron snatched the book out of her hands, to which Hermione was outraged, "Hey!? Give it back!"

"Dark magic and its countercurses... Tz, what do you need something like that for?" , Ron commented on the title of the book. Hermione was furious and snatched it back from him, "Firstly, Mr. I-am-so-important-Weasley, my name is Hermione or Miss Granger and secondly, you need this book for Auror training, you should theoretically know that as my Trainer, SIR!"

Hermione emphasised the 'Sir' with a lot of arrogance and determination, got up from her seat and left the pub with waving hair, causing the scent of Hermione's perfume to waft towards him. Ron stand there transfixed for a moment, not quite knowing what happened to him.

He then heard Harry talking from the background: "Merlin's pants, she sure showed it to you, Ron... Quite arrogant, isn't she?"

"Kingsley did that on purpose... ", Ron now spoke up, having shaken off his actual thoughts about Hermione.

"What do you mean?" , Harry asked in wonder as they were now leaving the pub as well.

"Well, to put such an arrogant, conceited Miss 'I-know-it-all" by my side and now I'm supposed to take care of her learning from me and that she doesn't correct everything I say to her... I think I will hand in the case and ask Kingsley for a transfer…."

"What?" , Harry was indignant "You're going to quit? Because of a woman? Besides, you haven't been so nice to her all this time either."

" Thank you Harry, you are a true friend and so encouraging... Goodness! " Ron said sarcastically, "No wonder she only sticks her nose in books. She doesn't seem to know anyone else in this world to get on her nerves. No wonder with that arrogance... She's such a pain in the arse, I tell you!"

And suddenly Hermione was standing in front of them with watery eyes, folded arms and an angry look: "Go on, Mr. Weasley, what else are you going to tell me about my life? Maybe something I don't know myself yet?"

Ron stared at her, stuttering a few syllables, but that was all he could say. He had blushed and was trying to remain calm.

"Maybe next time you'll ask me how my life has been so far before you just judge me! You may be my trainer, but I'm not just a know-it-all pain in the ass... Can we possibly work like normal adults now?"

Hermione turned and just walked to the door of the Leaky Cauldron. Ron went after her, "Now wait a minute... I'm still your trainer, okay? You're supposed to follow my lead and not correct me all the time... How old are you anyway?"

Hermione turned back to him and replied snappishly, "More mature than YOU'll ever be, I'm sure, Ronald Weasley!"

And with those words, she walked away. Ron stood there with his fists clenched, "Argh... This... She makes me so mad!"

Harry and Alfred had been watching the spectacle from a safe distance and were now standing behind Ron, staring after Hermione as she ran furiously across the street into a dark alley and disappeared with a small bang. Only a small sob could be discerned by the men and Ron was already regretting what he had said to her, but he would not let on his regret.

"And now? You've lost sight of your trainee..." Harry said meekly.

"She provoked me... What was I supposed to do? She'll be back again!"

"Your words in Merlin's ears...", Harry said and the men ran off into the night to find Hermione. Actually, Ron was very worried. Not only because he would get into trouble, but because they were actually on a dangerous mission to find dark wizards. These were former followers of Lord Voldemort and were doing everything they could to get rid of half-bloods, and neither Ron nor anyone else knew that Hermione was one.