Be Mine

Another Weasley Christmas

5 years after the war....

Hermiones POV:

I placed my head in my hands. Another Weasley Christmas....last year wasn't the best of times. It had been 5 years since the war. Four years since Ron and I had broken up. My issues aren't with Ron though. We had split amicably, no animosity between us. We just realized our relationship was more of what others wanted instead of ourselves. So yeah, my issues weren't Ron or any of his family. My issue was Ron's pig of a wife, Lavender Brown. You'd think after going through a war, being in the same year at Hogwarts, and knowing each other for five years more, that we would be friends. Nope. Lavender parades around the burrow as if she owns it. She rubs her marriage in my face. I believe she thinks I'm jealous of her. She constantly reminds everyone of how I'm single. She's just all in all...a bitch.

"Mione, delivery is here." I look up to see Connie poking her head into my office.

"Yes, thank you Connie. I'll be right down." I quickly write a reply to Molly's letter, and send off with Erol. How that bird is still alive, I'll never know.

I walk out of my office to see a busy afternoon. In all honesty, Ginny and I believe Lavender is jealous of me. That, that is why she always makes my life hell when I'm around. In Ginnys words, "Lavender is just jealous because you have looks, a brain, and a successful business". You see, three years ago, I opened up my own shop in Diagon Alley. It's a bookstore of course, but we sell more than books. I was able to get the storefront right next to Fred and George. This lead to me and the twins becoming close friends. We had a standing lunch every Wednesday.

"Hiya Miss. Granger!" Albert the delivery man waved. Albert is always delivering for me. I got to know quite a bit about the older man. He moved here from America in the 80's to get a change of scenery. He was 18 at the time. He's now in his 40's and happily married to the sweetest witch. His wife also works here, Connie. Albert opened his own delivery service based on the muggle post. At first he thought it wouldn't go very far because we all use owls. However, he has made himself quite rich with this endeavor. Funnily enough, wizards and witches prefer his delivery service over owls.

Connie and I met while I was setting up the store. She was making floral arrangements for another shop. She stopped by to see what was going on, and we hit it off. Despite the age difference, Connie is a great friend.

"Al, I told you, call me Hermione!" I say giving the old man a hug.

"Ah but where's the fun with that, huh?" He chuckled.

"Albert, don't pester her." Connie said from behind me. "Mione dear, that blasted owl is back." I look to see Erol ramming into one of the windows on the right side of my store.

"Oh Erol..." I sigh walking to the window. "Connie would you mind putting those boxes in the back? I'll go through them in a minute."

"Of course dear!"

I grabbed the letter from Erol, pushing him back out the window. I'll send my own owl if a reply is needed. Erol needs to retire. I open the letter to see it's from Molly expressing how excited she is. I smile at the letter. Molly was practically my mother. My own parents had died before they even made it to Australia. They were in a car accident on the way to the airport. It took some time to get over, but I'm better now.

"Connie, if anyone needs me, I'll be in the back doing inventory," I say smiling at the witch who was bickering with her husband.

"Okay dear!"

I stepped behind the purple curtain leading to the back store room. I always did inventory by hand. The twins always reminded me that I have magic. They are so lazy. As if they could hear my thoughts, one of the twins burst through the curtain.

"Mione!"

"Hey Fred, what are you doing here?" I smile at the man.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George. Honestly woman how hard is it to tell us apart?"

"Honey, that bit doesn't work anymore. Maybe on your mother, but not me. George has a fucked up ear. If there's any ear left." I snicker.

"Damnit," Fred curses. I laugh opening up my first box.

"It doesn't matter how long you two grow your hair out, I can still tell." I laughed. Fred opened up a box and started to take out books, setting them on the table for me.

"So Mione, ready for Christmas?"

"Honestly Fred, no. I'm not ready to deal with Lavender's constant annoyance." I sighed.

"Me either. Say, what do you think about turning it into a drinking game?" I raised my brow at him. "For example, every time she makes a comment about her marriage, we drink."

"No thank you, I do not want to be drunk in front of your family," I said trying to control my giggles. As bad as it seems, no one Weasley likes Lavender. Well, except for Won Won which we don't know why.

"You're staying tonight right?" Fred asked as George joined us in the back.

"Please tell me you are Mione. It'll be so much better watching you shut Lavender up." George said stepping up to the table. By now we each have a box we are unpacking.

"Yes I am. I promised your mother I would. You know how happy it makes her when we are all under the same roof." Every year Molly asks us to stay on Christmas Eve. And we all agree to make her happy. A happy Molly, is a happy Christmas. Luckily she had enough rooms for everyone. Harry and Gin in her room, Ron and Lavender in his room, Bill, Fleur, and Victorie in his room, George and Angelina in Percy's room, since he never really comes home anymore, and Fred and Tatiana in his room. I always get Charlie's room. I've never formally met Charlie, but I know enough about him from his family. Sadly, I am the only single one. Another reason Lavender likes to fuck with me.

"What time are you closing?" Fred asks me as he sets down his empty box.

"In an hour. It's one o'clock now, so one more hour and I'll be off to pack for the night." Everyone was closing their shops early with it being Christmas Eve. Fred and George actually had Lee holding down the fort for a few more hours.

"Sounds good to me!" George yelled from behind a stack of boxes in his arms. I laughed and shook my head.

"Guess we all better prepare for another Weasley Christmas!" Fred shouted pumping his arms holding a book in each hand.