CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR - THE EMPLOYMENT LAW

It had been about a week since she had returned from the disaster of a trip to France. Well, in one aspect Claudia supposed she had overreacted when she called it a complete disaster considering the fact that she had finally settled on her own emotions. And that in itself was enough to call it a mini success. But that was not relevant, what was, was the fact that she had finally got around to reading the contract of Ron's employment with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. 

Claudia was not exactly an employment law specialist, rather she had gone down the route of family law upon starting her job in the ministry. As she worked and enjoyed trying to keep magical families together, and finding safe functional homes for children, amongst all the divorce proceedings that was. She hadn't been overly bothered with employment law, rather it sounded a bit boring. But she knew her basics, and she had her university course books open to refer to. 

As she read through the terms and conditions and fine print, the stuff she knew he would not have truly read upon signing the agreement, Claudia sighed. It was well written, of course it was considering she knew just the wizard who had written it, but that was not going to stop her trying to find the smallest clause, tiniest loophole. If this could bring Ron some form of closure, even if she found nothing, then she was determined to rake over it with the finest of toothpicks. Anything to help him out, or at least that was what she thought. 

The issue was with the information he had given her it was going to be challenging. They had given him a full 12 week redundancy period despite not having been at the job for 12 years. He had received a bonus payout he would have missed at the end of the year. There was very little she could see which was going to be a potential thing for Ron to look through. He had finished his training or apprenticeship period as that was only three years and he had been there over two years post finishing. Until she saw it, the tiniest of lines. Ones of which noted that Ron was guaranteed employment for the same time as his duration of training. She needed exact dates, ones of which he had not left with her, but she had something. In the very least that was good news. 

Claudia moved to turn her office lights off, having stayed late to read through the old contract. Flicking her eyes around the room to ensure she hadn't left anything behind before her eyes paused momentarily upon the small figurines on her desk. What had only started as the one she had originally purchased just so there was something decorating her desk was starting to spiral out of control. As Ron often left one in her room when he popped in for makeshift lunch or when he came to keep her company in an evening she was overrun with work. The 12 figurines had now started to create a little scene and it brought a smile to her face. That was before she knew she had to take the nasty toilet travel to his studio. 

But Claudia did it, without whining overly much to the other people she was surrounded with. And soon enough she was on the floor of which Ron's apartment was located. There was another figure stood outside the door she thought was his, and Claudia paused wondering if she had accidentally come out on the wrong floor. She had never done so before, but there was a first time for everything. Considering she was delusional, and didn't want to truly believe there was a reason another woman would be stood outside Ron's flat waiting for him. She didn't want to think that this was possible. But as she continued to approach knowing that she did indeed have the correct floor, she had kind of started to recognise the person stood there. 

It was rather had not to if she was being honest. 

For the other figure with their bushy hair, and god horrible sense of footwear was very clearly Hermione Granger. Claudia and Hermione actually worked in the same department, and Hermione was indeed her superior. Hermione worked in the employment law area, how small the world was, and she was quickly rising to the ranks. To the point where rumours had it that she was in contentment for deputy head of the area. Hermione was not exactly a lawyer, she did not hold formal law training, Claudia didn't exactly know what the older woman did in her day job, nor how she got there. Well she kinda had gathered that Hermione had used her war hero connections to get herself into the job. What it did do was make the two woman very much aware of one another. Especially considering it was becoming quite common knowledge of there being something going on between Claudia and Ron. Oh and the fact that Ron visited Claudia in her office when he had never done that for Hermione. The small things. 

Claudia however, decided she was going to use her pureblood etiquette training and her love of pissing other people off to her advantage. Plus she had been wanting to spit at the other woman for a little while now. Hermione Granger ruffled Claudia's feathers in a way which was much more than the 'haha teenaged rivalry' way. Therefore, she was happy she had at least dressed well for work that day, and her clothes screamed old money but doesn't brag. Oh and that her heels were probably worth more than anything Hermione had ever owned. She could suck on that. Therefore, approaching to Hermione's right hand side Claudia made a point to clear her throat to alert the other woman. If the strong click of her heels had not been enough. 

"Parkinson." Hermione rolled her eyes clearly as she looked Claudia up and down.

"You look a little bit lost Hermione can I help?" Claudia's fake kind tone was incredibly obvious that she smirked at the second eye roll her words received. 

"I'm here for Ron, if he ever answers the bloody door." Hermione grumbled and Claudia laughed knowing full well the wizard on the other side never answered after the first knock and quite often not after the second. 

"Looks like we are both here for the same reason, though I'm not sure how Ronald will react when he spots us both." Claudia gave a little shrug before reaching out with her own hand to knock upon the door. Unlike others who would do two maybe three knocks at once, Claudia did one strong heavy knock in the middle of the door. Strong enough to clearly resound on the other side. 

"He hates the name Ronald."

"Perhaps when you say it." Claudia paused before getting a kick at her own next words "He's never really minded when I've screamed it before." 

The colour drained from Hermione's face at Claudia's words clearly not expecting the younger witch to say something like that to her. In all honesty Hermione had expected some form of respect from the younger girl, one who had been taught clearly the hierarchy in life, and Hermione was technically her superior at least at work. That was if she hoped that Claudia did not hold the blood prejudice her other peers seemed to do so. And if she did, Hermione pondered just why Ron would still be with her. 

"He would never. There's no way he had moved on from me. I'm the best thing to have happened to him."

"Cute." Claudia's response was dry as she moved to give a second knock knowing the commotion outside of the door was probably the main reason it had not been opened. Ron after all, was a bit of a gossip and this happening in his life was probably the best thing ever. He would also be telling all of his friends about it in the morning. 

"What's even so special about you?" Hermione grumbled and Claudia took it this time to roll her eyes at the older woman, who very clearly was not used to losing. 

"My stellar personality? My tits? I don't know why don't you ask Ronald?" Claudia sighed as she heard the front door finally click open. She made eye contact with Ron almost instantly as he came into view the man having clearly been listening behind the door if his cheeky grin was anything to go by. 

"Hey baby." He directed the pet name at Claudia and her heart skipped a beat at the new term of endearment. 

"Hey sexy." She lifted an eyebrow at him wondering what he was going to do next how he was going to deal with Hermione, and it looked like he was preparing for a show. And who was she to deny him his chance of playing the main character like he so desperately wanted to. 

"Is that what I think it is?" Ron's eyes were suddenly caught upon the little folder peeking out of Claudia's bag. 

"You bet it is, I think I might have found something."

"What are you waiting for get your pretty little butt in here and tell me the good news." Ron reached out to take her hand and pull Claudia inside allowing the dramatics to work just a little bit to piss Hermione off. Even though he was incredibly happy to hear whatever Claudia might have found. He would pull Claudia to the point where she was stood slightly behind him yet still keeping their hands linked, it might have been uncomfortable at first but it was soon marginally better upon Claudia adjusting their linked hands. Before he turned to Hermione. 

"How did you even get this address?" His voice was a little more gruff as he shot out his question. 

"Your sister gave it to me." Hermione shrugged and Claudia could see the anger gather in his shoulders at those words. Of course this had occurred due to Ginevra Weasley.

"Yeah well my sister is a bitch, and clearly so are you if you think you can just turn up here. What did you expect me to open my arms and let you come running back in." Claudia couldn't see what Ron was really doing and so squeezed his hand feeling herself calm down just a little bit when she got two in response. 

"Remember you were the one who ended things with me. You were the one to leave, without looking back. I've moved on so should you." Ron moved to shut the door locking it instantly afterwards not wanting to deal with the woman on the other side. The pair were silent until they heard the sounds of retreating steps down the corridor. Ron turned to look at Claudia now a bright smile upon his face. Having very much enjoyed his little soap opera moment. 

"I've now got girls arguing over me."

"That you do Ronald, but you know I'll win every time."

"Wouldn't want it any other way."