Chapter One: The Interview
George Weasley was sitting behind his desk at the new Hogsmeade office of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes conducting interviews for a new shop assistant. He had just returned from shopping for supplies in Egypt only to find a note from the last girl informing him that she had run off with his twin brother.
So far, none of the applicants had been very impressive. Apparently George’s fame at Hogwarts had grown to the point that thirteen year olds were sneaking out of class to try and see him in a private interview. Of the ones who were actually really looking to get a job, some were just too serious and boring. If George hired one of them the joke shop would soon become about as popular as Snape’s dungeon.
George yanked himself from his thoughts as the bell on the front door rang. There were no Hogsmeade visits until Halloween and the sign on the door announced “Closed for Interviews”, so George knew it was another applicant.
There was a knock at the door, soft but insistent.
“Come in,” called George. The door opened and in walked the last person he would ever have expected: Hermione Granger.
“Hermione! What are you doing here?” It had come out more suspiciously than he would have liked.
“I’m here to apply for a job, George. Isn’t that what everyone is here for today?” She pulled up a chair and sat down, a small smile showing that no offence had been taken.
“Why do you want to work in a joke shop?” A scenario flashed into George’s mind. Hermione was loudly telling all customers to stay away from the Skiving Snackboxes because school-work was the most important part of their life right now. She had posted large signs in front of the love potion aisle, proclaiming that these would not be sold to anyone less than seventeen. She had taken all of his best products off the shelves and filled them instead with boxes full of S.P.E.W. badges and thick, difficult looking textbooks.
Shaking his head slightly to clear his mind of the unpleasant scene George focused on Hermione, who was giving him a rather odd look.
“I need a little more money than last year. S.P.E.W. is really expanding!” she informed him. The reference to her house-elf-rights project enforced the image that had sprung into his mind. “I didn’t want to be employed where I would feel uncomfortable and I wanted to work with people I already knew. I just happened to notice your advertisement in the Daily Prophet.”
“Aren’t you still at Hogwarts even though Harry left? How did you get down here from school, is Professor McGonagall letting students take jobs now? You didn’t come alone, did you?”
“To your first question, yes I’m still at Hogwarts. I just couldn’t bear to run off and abandon my education. I can’t believe you did, regardless of Umbridge. I even managed to convince Ron to remain with me. Second question, I got special permission from Professor McGonagall. She said it’s fine as long as I always have someone else walk with me here and back. Third question, no, Luna and Neville came down with me. Luna’s just gone to Honeydukes to buy some Ice Mice, which apparently attract Blibbering Humdingers.” Hermione shook her head slightly at the antics of her Ravenclaw friend. “Neville‘s with her.”
He paused and looked at her. It had been awhile since he had seen her last, since the seventh year N.E.W.T. students had loads of homework and Hermione would never put pleasure over school work. With Voldemort on the loose and his Death Eater attacks becoming common news, George was glad she hadn’t come here alone. Even Hogsmeade wasn’t entirely safe.
Hermione had grown up a lot from the bossy, bushy-haired, know-it-all who had joined Gryffindor in his third year. Her shell had receded a little each year, and while her closest friends were still Ginny and Luna, Hermione was starting to feel at ease with more people than she used to. Some would still describe her as a control freak but that particular tendency usually only showed up when she was either with her close friends or completely stressed out. Homework was still a top priority to her- often causing her to be described often as a ‘fanatic’. Worry for Harry on his Horcrux hunt had caused her smiles to come less frequently than they used to. Her physical appearance hadn’t changed all that much. The bushy brown hair that piled up on her shoulders was still out of control, and unlike most of the other girls her age, she wasn’t wearing any makeup.
George wasn’t quite sure what it was, but something was different about Hermione. He wouldn’t think of her as a girl anymore-she was a woman.
“So, shall we get down to the interview, Mr Weasley?” Hermione’s voice sounded slightly amused.
“Er, yes. Well, obviously you’re the smartest witch at Hogwarts, so I won’t have to worry about asking you half the questions. You know, about safety and stuff.”
“George, there’s no need to give me special treatment just because I know you! That’s unfair to the other applicants!” George could hear her foot start to tap against the tile floor.
“Trust me, none of the other applicants have even tempted me to hire them. I’m desperate When can you come in?”
After giving him a disapproving look she recited her schedule to him.
“Well, actually not all that often. With N.E.W.T.s coming up in just eight months I have to study! There’s no way I could put off my knitting for the house elves, I’m still keeping in touch with the Order, and being Head Girl takes up a lot of time. But I can come in for an hour and a half every day after classes are over. On weekends I can be here from eight till noon.”
George didn’t seem to care about the low hours she would be working. “Well, that’s it. You’re hired.” He noticed that the tapping increased in speed.
Hermione shot him a critical glare, one that George remembered very well from his days of posting notices in the Gryffindor common room. She had sometimes managed to make even him feel guilty.
“George, you don’t hire someone after only asking one question. I object!” Her brows furrowed, her eyes flashed angrily, and her foot was going so fast that it sounded as if she were running a marathon.
George smiled brightly at Hermione, which didn’t seem to calm her down any. After a minute or two he reached for the brightly colored ‘Help Wanted’ sign and picked it up. He turned back to the desk and handed the sign to Hermione.
“Congratulations, Hermione Granger. You are now an employee of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.”
Hermione slowly let go of her anger as the tap-tap-tap of her foot faded away.
“When should I start?”
“Be here on Monday after classes end. I’ll tell you your duties then.”
Hermione rose from her seat. “I’ll see you then, Mr. Weasley. I look forward to it. Thank you for the job.”
George escorted her to the door and saw her out.
“I look forward to it, Hermione. Anyway, it’s really me who should be thanking you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t showed up.”
Hermione bade him goodbye and exited the front door of the shop. The bell tinkled behind her, leaving George alone.
As soon as she had left, he dashed to the back room to retrieve the bouquet of roses that he had stashed there earlier. Angelina Johnson, his girlfriend, would be here for their date any minute and George wanted to be ready. Angelina hadn’t seen him for a long time, so George wanted her first sight of him to put him in a positive light.
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Hermione stood outside Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes and gave a happy sigh. She had a job, and it was with a person that she was comfortable with. At Hogwarts she was making good marks and had good friends. The only bad thing on her horizon right now was a huge black cloud that represented Harry out looking for Horcruxes. But that was an extremely emotional issue that had a nasty tendency to be haunt almost all of her waking thoughts.
Hermione had accepted that Harry was out of her control. Though she knew that he could take care of himself, it still made her so afraid to think of him fighting alone against Voldemort. Right now the only thing Hermione wanted was someone to talk to, who would listen and understand her concerns. She allowed a small smile to come to her face as she thought about Ron, George’s younger brother. Hopefully, Ron could fill this place in her life.
Ronald Weasley had been on Hermione’s mind for around three years now. True, he could be annoying and an insufferable git, but sometimes that git was kind of cute. Ever since Harry had left on his journey last summer, Ron and Hermione had been growing closer together every day. They were forced to rely on each other to stay strong and their friendship had deepened accordingly. However if Hermione had been forced to say, she would have admitted that she was probably looking for more than friendship with the tall Gryffindor.
Looking up to the castle ahead Hermione smiled. Maybe one of these days Ron would actually get up the nerve to ask her out. Of course she would be more than happy to accept.
Hermione set off at a brisk walk up the street towards Honeydukes to fetch Luna and Neville. It had been a good day.
Hermione's Part Time Job by Midnight_Unicorn
Story Notes:
My first romance fic! I hope you like it!
Chapter Notes: Wow! This is the fifth time I've submitted this story! After many edits and corrections, I present to you my first romance fic, which I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Endnotes: Like it? Hate it? Leave a review and tell me what you think of it! Thanks for reading.