Chapter Eleven

"Where are they!"

Sally sighed as she watched Miss Granger paced back and forth anxiously. This was the eighth time in the past twenty minutes the irate woman had uttered that question. On the one hand she had a completely legitimate reason to be upset at the moment, on the other though the panicking witch was about to wear a hole in the tile. Sally would have told Miss Granger awhile ago to sit down and calm herself but felt it would not be in her own best interest to do so. The blond witch was already on thin ice with her employer as it was and did not wish to provoke her wrath further. Sally sighed again. She really was just going to end up getting herself fired one of these days.

The only reason she told Mr. Potter anything was out of genuine concern for Miss Granger's well being, but he did not go about it properly. Why did he have to go and threaten her with Healer Connors again? He knows she hates Healer Connors. Nothing wound Miss Granger up faster then mentioning Healer Connors. Next time she'd talk to Mrs. Potter instead… now that was a woman with some common sense.

"Merlin's pants, where are those two?" Hermione exclaimed.

'Nine times,' Sally mused.

"One fifteen. Is that not what I said? One. Fifteen. How hard could it possibly be to understand the concept of being on time! Arrhg I could just kick myself for taking this case! I knew they'd do something like this to me. The next time I see either of those two morons I am going to string them up by their-"

"Feisty this afternoon aren't we?"

Hermione angrily whirled around to face a highly amused looking George Weasley. He was leaning against the wall behind them wearing a set of very flattering dress business robes and a smug smile. If she wasn't so furious with him Hermione would be taking a few moments to appreciate how well tailored that suit was on him. As it was she had to mentally slap herself out of admiring how well the robes complimented his eyes. What was it with her and his eyes?

"Where have you been?" Hermione snapped. "And where is Fred."

"Not coming sorry, been a busy day."

"You're trial starts in less than ten minutes and you have the audacity to just now waltz in here, without Fred, and tell me the reason you're late is because 'it's been a busy day'?" she roared.

"Um, yeah pretty much," George shrugged.

Hermione's temper finally snapped. "Do you not realize that if you hadn't shown up you may as well have just kissed that store good bye because the judge would automatically award those people that settlement? I've been busting my backside over the case for a month and this is the way you repay me? By showing up tardy for your own damn trial with a half baked excuse as to why you couldn't be bothered to be on time? You'd better be happy we're in public right now. Weasley, because if we weren't I'd…!"

George calmly waited as Hermione ranted away at him. He had to admit, she was down right attractive when she got worked up like this. The bright red tint of her cheeks and the fire in her toffee brown eyes was quite appealing. George waited for his bushy haired attorney to stop yelling before he spoke.

"Are you finished then?"

Hermione's eyes flashed for a moment but she nodded curtly.

"Good. Now then my frizzy little attorney, there is in fact a perfectly excellent reason for my tardiness, and for why Fred's lack of attendance. If you are willing to calm down long enough for me to tell you that is?" George said. Hermione growled slightly but motioned for him to continue. "Verity had to be rushed to St. Mungo's this morning."

The brunette's eyes went wide with concern. "What? Why?"

"She fell off a step ladder in the back room and broke her arm. Nothing that couldn't be quickly mended itself of course, but with the pregnancy she and her boyfriend were reasonably concerned. Unfortunately that left us two down on staffing today because Verity's boyfriend works for us as well."

Hermione felt a sudden surge of guilt that sat in her stomach like a stone. "Is… is the baby alright?"

"We got word about an hour ago that she and the baby are both fine but the Healer wants her off her feet and on bed rest for at least a week. Obviously Neale is disinclined to leave her side for any reason. Even under threat of being sacked."

"You wouldn't have seriously sacked him for that, would you?" Sally's eyebrows flew up into her hair line.

"Merlin no, we were just testing him," George waved her off. "It's a pseudo older brother thing. Verity's practically family at this point so we just wanted to make sure ickle Nealekins had his priorities in check. If he had automatically chosen to stay at work without Verity's say so, we probably would have sacked him for real and I'd be escorting her home at the moment."

"I… see..." Sally blinked in surprise. That was almost, dare she say it, noble of him.

"So Verity is home with her feet up, Neale is there tending to her, Fred is covering the store…"

"Not alone I hope?"

"That's the reason I am late. We had a sudden rush of customers and I couldn't get away until our other two employees showed up. So whenever you are able to do so, Miss Granger, you can feel free to remove that foot from your mouth for yelling at me."

"I… you… how…"

Sally had to admit she was impressed. She had never seen anyone before this case render Miss Granger speechless. Mr. Weasley on the other hand seemed to be able to do so on a frequent basis. She wasn't sure whether this amused her or worried her. After a few more moment of very tense silence, Hermione sighed in annoyance.

"I'm sorry," she muttered bitterly. "Next time though, send a patronus message or something so I am not worrying myself to my last nerve thinking I am about to loose a case because you couldn't be bothered to show up."

George chuckled, "You think there is going to be a next time?"

Hermione snorted, "Call it a hunch. Let's go."

"As you wish."

As Hermione and George began making their way towards the courtroom Sally flicked her wand towards the box sitting at her feet. The box rose off the ground a bit and, with another flick, followed Sally into the courtroom as well. Usually Sally did not care for court days. As an assistant, Sally was very limited by what she was able to participate in during the actual trial. Usually she just ended up sitting around a chilly room for several hours bored out of her mind. Today however Sally practically skipped into the courtroom. If the last few weeks had taught her anything it was that when Mr. Weasley was involved, nothing was ever boring.

…~…~…

Hermione was quite sure she was in her own personal little hell. She had never met anyone who faced loosing everything with such a devil may care attitude before. How George could sit there next to her with his feet propped up on a conjured ottoman and chattering away about borderline nonsense was beyond her. Even though Hermione felt confident that she had put together a fool proof defense, she dearly wished the little prat would take this whole thing a bit more seriously. As the judge and the attending Wizengamot members took their seats to began the proceedings, Hermione prayed to whatever deity may be listening that this whole ordeal would be over with as soon as humanly possible.

"Disciplinary Hearing of the 27th of November for Misters Fredrick and George Weasley, co-owners of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, due to complaints of being coerced into purchasing dangerous products. Proceedings will be presided over by Edgar Gaufrid" the judge began. "Complaint was filed by Mr. and Mrs. Stoneworth on the 2nd of November with the Department of Magical Misuse after their son, Philip Stoneworth, was injured during his birthday party while handling a box of Weasleys Wildfire Whiz-bangs. Mr. Weasley, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty, your Honorableness," George grinned. "Furthermore, excellent to see you again, Sir. Those mutton chops are really coming in nicely."

"Hello, George," the judge groaned and ran a hand down his face. "Is you representation actually in attendance today or shall we be treated to another one of your delightfully thrown together self defenses?"

"I am here, your honor," Hermione stood from her seat from the area off to the side and made her way to the ground floor of the courtroom. "Ms. Hermione Granger, Sir. I will be representing Mr. Weasley and his brother from now on."

The squat wizard at the podium arched a caterpillar like eye brow and after a moment snorted in amusement. "Finally drove old Franklin mad, did you Weasley?"

George shrugged and gave a sheepish grin. "Just as well I guess," the old wizard shrugged. "Wasn't doing you any favors that one."

"Oh I completely agree," George said. "And not nearly as easy on the eyes as the lovely Granger here, wouldn't you say, Sir?"

Judge Guafrid's sighed, "Weasley, do try and be a bit more professional won't you? I promise it will only hurt for a moment."

"Doubtful, Sir. Maturity is to Weasley Twin as Unforgivables are to everyone else…"

"Excuse me!" shrieked a shrill voice from the public seating. A pompous looking blonde woman with exspensive bright green dress robes jumped to her feet in outrage. "Is this a picnic gathering or a hearing?"

Judge Guafrid turned a raised bushy eyebrow towards the irate woman. He was used to this. Sixty years of presiding over cases and there was always someone in the stands that thought they should have a say in his courtroom before being asked. Especially when he over saw a Weasley case. He knew people claimed that he was too lenient with the Weasley Twins, seeing as how they usually won their case in his court, but it wasn't true. He was amused by them certainly, and Merlin knew they kept their trials were always interesting, but people often mistook amusement for biasness. In truth about ninety percent of the cases brought against them were either false or just a plain stupid attempt to swindle money. Edgar had been at this game for a long time. He could smell a galleon chaser a mile away and the stench the pair in the corner was putting was nauseating.

"Mrs. Stoneworth, I presume?" he asked in a disinterested tone.

"Yes, your honor," she replied with a sniff of importance.

The old man glared darkly at her, "If I wanted you to speak out in my courtroom I would have asked you to do so. Sit down, Madam."

"I beg your pardon!" the man next to her stood up. He was clearly her husband and clearly shared the same ideas of importance that his wife did.

"Mr. Stoneworth, you may either join your wife back on that bench or you may both wait outside. I do not tolerate out of turn speaking in my courtroom."

A dark red crept up the woman's face, clashing horribly with her green robes, and she slowly sat back down in her seat. The same dark angry red was creeping up her husband's neck and face as well. It would seem neither were use to being told what to do.

Turning back to the pair on the questioning floor the old judge gestured to Hermione, "You may proceed when you're ready, Miss Granger."

Hermione nodded and launched into her introduction argument. Maybe this wouldn't be a complete disaster after all.

From his seat George grinned as he watched his little lioness go. This should be interesting.

TBC

A/N: I apologize for the long wait. It's been a bad few months for me. But hopefully you like the new chapter and I promise it won't be as long of a wait for the next one this time. R&R. Luvs and Hugs.

~Chupip