**The characters and some places do not belong to me. They belong to J.K. Rowling. I am simply borrowing them but the ideas are purely mine. Read, comment and voted. Enjoy. ES <3 **

7. Untrustworthy and Late Employees

Seven thirty in the morning was there before Ginny knew it; her alarm clock screaming for her to get the hell up already. It sounded a lot like her mother; she must have spelled it to mimic her voice, Ginny realized as she picked it up and threw it across her bedroom where it shattered into pieces. Honestly, she didn’t give a damn if it couldn’t be fixed. The thing was a bloody nightmare. She fell back down into bed and closed her eyes, sighing happily in her nice, comfy, lush bed.

She began to dream she was in the World Championship quidditch match. She was the star chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. The quaffle was her hands, she dodged a player from the opposing team then another and she was alone with the Keeper; only the two of them. She faked to the outer right ring, the keeper shot to his left and then she shot at the left post and it – BANG! BANG! BANG!

A loud pounding noise yanked her out of her blissfully, exciting dream.

Ginny opened one angry brown eye and cursed whoever was pounding painfully loud on her door.

She closed her eyes, deciding to ignore the knocking, and forced herself to go back to sleep but the pounding only got louder.

“Bugger off!” she growled but the knocking continued. “For the love of Merlin, go away!”

“Open the door already!” A male voice shouted.

Groaning, she rolled out of bed and made her way to the door. She threw open the door, wand in hand, ready to hex the annoying git.

George Weasley was standing at her front door dressed in his magenta colored uniform of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. He frowned at her.

“I hope that’s not what you’re wearing to work.”

Ginny looked down at her nightwear of a pair of one of her brother’s old shorts and her dad’s old t-shirt.

“Work? But I’m not scheduled to work today.” she rubbed her eyes. She was tired.

“Malfoy’s coming late, so I need you to come in.” he explained, pushing her out of the way and making his way to her kitchen.

“And what are you doing?”

“Making sure you don’t go back to bed.” he stood in front of her and pulled out his wand. “Accio Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes uniform!” He called out, pointing his wand at her room.

Her uniform flew from the room, and she groaned as she caught them.

“But…but it’s my day off.” She pouted as he pushed her towards her bedroom to change.

“Change now or I’ll do it for you. Magically,” he demanded.

Ginny cringed.

She shot him a glare and slammed the door behind her. She decided to jump in the shower before getting dressed. As she got into the shower she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about how much George had changed after the Final Battle and the death of his twin, Fred. His personality had changed but he was still mostly the same. He was more serious and he always tried to live more since his other half wasn’t able to.

But to Ginny, George always seemed sad even though he tried to hide it from everyone. She could see it in his eyes; his eyes that were so much like hers and their mother’s. And Ginny especially hated that faraway look he got sometimes as if he was remembering the past when it had been both him and Fred together. It tore at her heart.

It had only been about a year and a half since the Final Battle but without Fred around, it seemed like a lifetime. The months after his death, George was like a hollow, broken man. She cried for herself, for her family but most of all, for George; George, who was now alone without his twin. It was the hardest thing to see him there without Fred. Even now Ginny would sometimes catch herself waiting for Fred to walk into the room right after George. It was so odd, to see George alone but that’s how it was.

Ginny stretched as she got out of the shower and mentally shook herself. It was way too damn early to be sinking into such depressing memories.

“Hurry up!” George called from the living room and Ginny huffed impatiently. She threw on her clothes. The hideous magenta clashed horribly with her bright hair but she simply shrugged and walked out to where her brother was waiting.

George was sitting on her couch skimming through a muggle book she was currently in the process of reading. It had been a gift from Hermione when they had been friends. Ginny liked the book so much that she just couldn’t bring herself to toss it out. This was probably about the third or fourth time she’s read it. It was a cheesy, historical romance with an x-rated picture of a woman and a man together on a bed on the cover.

“How can you read this rubbish?” George asked as Ginny grabbed the book out of his hands and put it back on the side table.

“It isn’t rubbish.” she replied, “Anyways, let’s go. It’s almost eight, right?” She asked and George looked at his watch.

He nodded and they made their way outside where she put up the protection wards; not ever postponing the act again. All she need was to come home and a bunch of Blast-Ended Skrewts in her apartment or maybe just her family. She didn’t know which was worse.

They entered the shop. It was empty since it hadn’t opened for the day, and Ginny sighed. She wished she was still sleeping.

WWW hadn’t changed much since it opened the summer before her fifth year at Hogwarts. She had started working there to help George with the shop after the employees they had before left. The only other person who worked there now besides her was Draco Malfoy. It was strange for a while seeing him working in there because of the hatred that existed between the Malfoys and the Weasleys but since Lucius Malfoy was packed away in Azkaban for the rest of his useless life, the rivalry had almost all-together disappeared. The only ones who pretty much kept to it were Ron, Harry and Hermione but Ginny didn’t think that would ever really go away. Personally, she was okay working with him.

Draco was definitely some good eye-candy, though she’d never tell him that. He’d never leave her alone after that.

Ginny moved some things around, cleaned a bit and before she knew it, the shop was opened and costumers of all ages filled in.

A group of teenagers were buying Extendable Ears, Fever Fudge, Fainting Fancy and Canary Creams. A man who worked for the Ministry bought a dozen Decoy Detonators. A woman bought a Reusable Hangman for her children and two adolescent girls bought, when no one was looking, Guaranteed Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher.

By midday, the Extendable Ears and Fainting Fancy were sold out but luckily a new order was coming in, in about half an hour.

“George, George!” Ginny yelled as the tenth costumer pulled her aside to ask about the Extendable Ears.

He popped his head from behind the curtain that hid the expensive items and the back room, “What?”

“Someone asked for the Extendable Ears, again.” Ginny was seriously losing her patience. She was mad. Where was Draco? She wondered.

“They just arrived. Come back here and go through the boxes. I’ll work up front.”

They switched and Ginny froze when she saw the amount of boxes she had to go through. “What the hell are these?” She hissed.

George looked back. “The boxes,” as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Yes, I got that but why are there so many bloody boxes?”

“We’re restocking before the holidays.” he shrugged.

“I didn’t approve this.” her eyes narrowed as she looked at her brother.

“But I did,” a deep, husky voice whispered in her ear.

She jumped and turned quickly to see Draco grinning down at her.

“Where have you been? It’s my day off, you tosser!” she growled.

“Dinner with some old acquaintances,” he said and Ginny couldn’t help but wonder if he was actually with some woman from the night before, “then I went to pick up this order.”

Her anger deflated as she continued to look at him. He was dressed in a pair of blank trousers and gray buttoned shirt. No tie. Draco was the only one who got away with not wearing the uniform when Ginny was the owner’s sister. She still had to wear that nasty, hideous uniform that wasn’t flattering in the least.

“What’s wrong?” Draco asked.

“I hate you. I could be sleeping right now. I had a rotten day yesterday.” she complained as she saw George head to the front of the shop. She turned her back to Draco and magically opened the boxes then sorted them into different piles for the different merchandise.

“You told him?” he sounded shocked.

Ginny didn’t understand why since he was the one who suggested she tell him in the first place.

“Yes I told him and Hermione showed up. Then he ran off and I banished her from my apartment. I was this close,” she held up an inch between her fingers, “to hexing her into next week. Blimey, I even came close to performing an Unforgivable and then you’d have to take me away, you big bad Auror.” She teased.

“I wouldn’t take you in for that,” he snorted, “not for hexing that mud – eh, woman.” he corrected himself.

Even though Ginny hated Hermione greatly, she still didn’t like when Draco used the word Mudblood. They’d had some pretty huge fights over him using it. But she understood that old habits were hard to drop and he really did try.

She sighed and let it go.

Suddenly Draco’s hands were around her waist, pulling her against him. The second they touched, she felt as if she’d been electrocuted and she shivered. His chest was hard against her back. She sucked in her breath, shocked by how much she liked be against him.

When she realized what she was thinking, she threw back her elbow but he caught it and chuckled as he pushed her away from him. She turned around, her body trembling with anger.

“What the hell was that for?” she growled.

He grinned widely at her. “You sighed so sadly. I just thought you needed a hug.”

Ginny pushed him roughly except the damn bloody git didn’t even move.

“Er – what was that?” He asked. His laughter barely concealed.

“Go to Hell.” Ginny made her way around him and checked the time. It was barely one in the afternoon. She looked at Draco who was moving around some of the merchandise.

Now that Draco was there, she could leave. She was free. She wanted to run away. Maybe she could plan a quick vacation because Merlin only knew what was waiting for her back in her apartment.

She looked at Draco again and she decided that she would go to Hogwarts and see Madame Hooch about that teaching position for the flying class. She’d quit this job, runaway from her family and life would be beautiful.

“That look is dangerous, Gin.” Draco’s voice pulled her out of her plan to escape.

“What do you mean?” she watched him then took a step back as he approached her. She felt like his prey. She didn’t like that feeling one bit. She backed up until she felt the curtain separating the store and the backroom.

“That look is dangerous. Were you plotting something?” he asked, his silvery-gray eyes glittering mysteriously.

“No – no way.” she replied too quickly.

He smirked. “Were you plotting ways to get me into your bed? All you’d have to do is ask, Ginny.” He whispered seductively.

She eyes widened and she flushed bright red.

And Draco Malfoy burst into laughter.

“Your expression was priceless.” He cracked up.

He’d been teasing her again.

“Who is Ginny plotting to get in bed with her?” A male voice asked from behind the curtain.

“Nobody, Neville.” she replied, recognizing his voice.

Neville Longbottom had been Ginny’s best friend for a while along with Luna Lovegood. And when she pulled back the curtain, she found both of her best friends standing there looking at her. Well, Neville’s brown eyes were watching her. Luna like always was looking off, her protuberant silvery-gray eyes giving her a dreamy look. Today her dirty-blonde waist-length, straggly hair was pulled halfway up and her wand was sticking out in the semi-bun. Merlin only knew how many times people had warned her not to put it there.

“Wrackspurts were probably flying in his brain so he muttered something mad.” Luna explained as she stared at a green blob on a table.

Ginny, Draco and Neville all looked at Luna oddly. They knew Draco was just teasing her but they didn’t disagree with Luna. It was pointless to disagree with her, honestly.

“Whatever you say, Luna,” Neville chuckled as he brushed back his blondish-brown hair out of his eyes.

Draco looked at Ginny strangely and then shook his head, laughing to himself.

“Anyway, we went by your apartment. We thought you didn’t work today.” Neville added.

“I wasn’t supposed to but it seems that WWW lacks trustworthy and prompt employees.” Ginny explained.

Draco snorted behind her as George called him over to the front of the shop.

“I thought he’d never leave.” Ginny sighed.

“Is that right?” Neville watched her with a small smile on his face.

“Stop it. Let’s go. I’m so hungry I could eat a hippogriff.” she complained, rubbing her empty stomach.

“Hippogriffs aren’t good food.” Luna added absent-minded.

“Thank you, Merlin, we’re not eating that!” Neville exclaimed.