Chapter Nine

It was with a very smug smile that Hermione finally closed the folder in her hand. She'd spent the last two week compiling a fool proof defense for Fred and George and if the jury didn't laugh these Stoneworth people out of the courtroom by the time she was done with them, she'd eat her briefcase.

Placing the folder neatly on top of the orderly pile sitting in front of her, Hermione leaned back in her chair with a contented hum just as someone knocked on her door.

"Enter."

Sally poked her blond head in. "Your lunch dates are here, M'am."

"Send them in," she chuckled with a roll of her eyes.

"Right this way, Gentlemen," Sally opened the door all the way to allow the men behind her in. Hermione smiled affectionately at her two best friends as they entered the office.

"Thank you, Sally," Harry smiled at her.

"Always a pleasure, Mr. Potter," the blond smiled back.

"Sally, go on ahead to lunch yourself," Hermione said as she picked up her pile of folders. "But first, please place these in my court box for tomorrow. I want everything prepared for us to just pick it up and walk out the door."

"Of course, M'am. Have a good lunch," Sally said as she took the files from her boss.

"Ready to go?" Harry asked when Sally had left.

"Just let me grab my cloak. And Ron, get out of those chocolates we are about to go eat," Hermione said as she hoisted herself out of the chair and went over to retrieve her cloak.

"One chocolate isn't going to spoil my appetite," Ron grinned cheekily as he popped the sweet into his mouth. "And if you wanted me to stay out of them then you shouldn't have left imported chocolate lying about."

"You're just as bad as the twins," Hermione rolled her eyes and fastened the clasp of her cloak around her neck. "I can't keep those two out of the blasted things. Have to replenish that bowl every time either of them comes in."

"Oh that's right, you're representing Fred and George now aren't you," Ron said ad they exited the office. "They must have finally driven old Franklin loopy."

Hermione laughed, "Well he did seem rather grateful to be relieved of them. In his haste to over turn them as clients to me Mr. Franklin had his house elves dump all of the twins' case files in my living room. Took me all night to sort through all those boxes."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "He did what to your flat?"

"Oh don't be like that, Harry, he's an old man prone to rash behavior. Much like a certain other person I know," Hermione teased, to which Harry grinned sheepishly and blushed. "Anyway, Sally sent him a howler about it and a few days later I received a lovely gift basket with a thank you slash apology note attached to it. Lovely man, really. Just got a bit over excited."

"How is it all going then?" Ron asked as he sneaked another chocolate before they left the office. "The gits aren't driving you too crazy I hope."

"Not at all," Hermione replied. "They've been fine."

"How is the case going? Mum said the trial's tomorrow. Oh, speaking of Mum she wants you over on Saturday for supper."

"Ronald, you know I can't discuss a client's case. It's confidential," Hermione said. She then quickly added, "Don't bother using the excuse that they're family, it doesn't matter to me and you know it." Ron shut his mouth and frowned. "But tell Molly that I will be happy to join you all for supper on Saturday."

Harry chuckled as he held open the door for his two friends, "If you two are done, I'd like to actually eat before our lunch hour is up."

Ron perked up significantly at the reminder of food and the old friends stepped out onto the busy pavement of Diagon Ally. The three adults enjoyed a companionable silence on their short walk to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione smiled warmly at the familiar mad looking entrance of W.W.W as they passed by it. She'd make sure it was still standing there after tomorrow.

…~…~…

"Oi Fred!"

Fred looked up from the cauldron he had been stirring with a start. His twin's head was poked through the curtain that separated their back room from the main part of the store.

"What, George?"

"The front is pretty much dead but do you mind taking over so I can go on my lunch?" George grinned at him.

"Er sure, I suppose not," Fred replied with a shrug. "But would you mind waiting about twenty minutes before you go? I can't stop now or this potion for the new puking pastels will be ruined."

"What about Verity?"

"Verity just ran an errand to Gringotts."

"Oh," George frowned. "Alright no problem. Just let me know when you're done."

"Will do," Fred said and went back to his stirring.

George ducked back out of the room and sulked as he resumed his post behind the cash register. He supposed he could wait another twenty minutes, how fast could she possibly eat? It was just moments ago while George had been restocking a display near the front window that he spotted the golden trio passing by. He could have sworn he even saw Hermione smile at him. Finally some progress!

From past conversations with his baby brother, George knew that that Ron and Harry usually had lunch with Hermione on Wednesdays. As the three friends disappeared into the Leaky Cauldron George was struck with what a magnificent idea having lunch sounded. If he just so happened to end up having lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and he just so happened to accidently bump into his favorite baby brother while there then so be it. Far be it from George to question fate. He just had to wait twenty minutes. Merlin he hated waiting though.

A jingle of the front door bell alerted him to someone entering the store and the red head quickly hopped out from behind the counter to greet the new customers.

"Hi there! And welcome to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!" George smiled from ear to ear. This was exactly what he needed! A couple of customers to occupy him for twenty minutes. And they were even a couple of kids. Brothers from the looks of it. Sweet Merlin, someone up in the sky loved him today! What better way to waste twenty minutes then loading up a pair of brothers with stuff their parents will hate him for later?

George could only think of one or two other things, but Hermione would hex the living day lights out of him for it. Sally might just skip the hexing all together and go straight to beaming him in the face with her office chair.

'It'd totally be worth it though,' George grinned to himself as he steered the children towards a giant shelf of Headless Hats and Aviatomobiles.

TBC

A/N: Another short and sweet one. Sorry, but I have to sleep sometime. The next few chapters will be a bit longer I promise! We're getting closer to the trail and I promise it will not disappoint. R&R!

~Chupip