They All Love You

part forty-three

"An' com' uh fuhnk- abou' i-" 

"Merlin's sake, George, it's called swallowing your food," Theo laughed.

George grumbled lowly as he began to chew obnoxiously loud in rebut, but Hermione's very late entrance inturrupted his petty behavior.

"Hermione! There you are! I was really worried- we even went to go and look but-" Theo stammered as Hermione exhaustively fell onto her chair.

She quieted him, "Thanks for your concern, Theo- I just got stuck in this outrageously long line at a potions shop- I have a pounding headache now too."

He smiled, "I tried to save your food but-"

"You snooze, you loose," George said proudly as he swallowed a whole mouthful of roast. "As the muggles say."

This somehow managed to put Hermione in a small smile. She took off her coat and hung it on the back of her chair, which was hastily pulled out by Theo as she sat down gratefully as if she didn't want to collapse on the floor and scream her whole vocabulary out. The pub was busy, and the extra crowds and noise didn't help with her overwhelming thoughts.

Hoping nobody would notice, she began fiddling with the ends of her napkin to keep her busy, but instantly knew it was lame. She was so worn out that not even a single note of small talk could escape her brain. She could feel both sets of eyes burning into her face.

George swallowed his food and let out a semi-loud belch before speaking, "'Mione- you seem out of sorts. Alright then?"

Hermione looked up at him and shrugged her shoulders casually, "Just tired. Trust me, it's been a long day. Babysitting you two isn't the easiest task, you know."

George furrowed his brows for a moment or two before nodding and accepting what she had to say. Theo on the other hand, made it very obvious for Hermione to tell that he didn't buy her excuse for one second. She only pleaded he wouldn't push her into further question asking. 

"George, it just popped into my head just now. Who's been running your Wizard Wheezes shop this whole time you've been at Hogwarts?" Theo asked airily, reminding Hermione of a vivid Luna Lovegood.

She looked up immediately to thank Theo for changing the subject, but he was looking at George in wait for an answer.

George cleared his throat, "I mean, I've been doing loads of work at school for it too, y'know.  Lee Jordan's been taking charge for a while. Remember him? Gryffindor, kind of large-"

"Yeah, I know him. That's great, but are you going to-"

Hermione was barely listening anyways, and mainly focused on the laughing and smiling faces in the dark and mature pub. There wasn't a child in sight, and more than enough wizards were singing drunk off their trousers in every tight corner of the bar. But suddenly a particular corner of the pub drew her attention to the loud noises clanking about.

Her shoulders and posture straightened as she tried to look over the high bar counter to see what was so enticing.

A crash of pots and pans, she figured, but the noise was more gruffy and angry- coming from a person. She only had three or four seconds until the shrieks could be heard, and over that- Theo's voice yelling "Duck!"

Inhaling a sharp breath, Hermione slid out of her chair just in time for a light yellow spell to fly over her head and hit the hanging candle light behind her. Her hair was in her face inconveniently, so she couldn't take in her surroundings very well, and instead could only see her feet and the floor beneath her. Fumbling for her wand didn't go very well, since she had forgotten it was tucked tightly in her boots and not in her regular pocket or thigh holster.