Post DH #6 . . . . . The pleasure of your company

Chapter 4

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                                                      Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley

                                                     Weasley’s Wizarding Weezes

                                                      Apartment above the store

                                                                  Hogsmeade

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Ron was exhausted; the “first weekend visit to Hogsmeade” Saturday was tomorrow and he’d spent the whole of the week making sure the store was stocked to the rafters with all the latest selections from the vast Weasley Wizarding Weezes inventory.  It amounted to quite a pile, if he did say so himself.  George had warned him that it would be his busiest Saturday until the one just before Christmas break.  That was THE big day for sales, for the entire year.  Ron loved every minute of it. 

It had been hard work, helping George get this shop set up, stocked and in business, especially when George would unconsciously call him Fred.  The whole Weasley family was adjusting to life without George’s twin but George, himself, still had moments when he would just stop and stare off, as if he was listening for his brother to shout something to him from the back room. 

Ron seriously doubted that George would ever get over Fred's death, but he tried; continuing with the Diagon Alley store, marrying Angelina Johnson, and now they were expecting their second child.  Young Fred, their son, was doted on by his Dad, but not spoiled, Ron had observed.  Angelina saw to that, but gently; just reminding George that Percy had been doted on by Molly was usually enough to make him gasp in horror and then hand the toddler back into his mother’s arms.

Glancing at the mantel clock, Ron knew Hermione would be home soon, and then they were due at his folks for dinner.  They went about once a week or so, as the Weasley siblings had made a pact among themselves that one or another would drop in to visit their folks every other day, especially when Ginny was away with her quidditch team.  It was helping Molly cope with the empty nest and now with grandchildren to spoil, her smile appeared more often and there was a sparkle back in Arthur’s eye, too. 

Ron had grabbed the mail on the way up the stairs and tossed it on the kitchen table.  A odd sized envelope skidded across the wood and stopped against the salt shaker.

‘That looks important’ thought Ron, as he paused to look back at the return address. ‘Ah, I bet it’s the invite to Ferretface’s wedding.’  He shook his head, smiling, and then continued into the bedroom to change. ‘Better let ‘mione open it first.’

A green POOF of smoke signaled Hermione's arrival by Floo a few minutes later.  Stepping out of the fireplace, she heard the shower running, so shaking the soot off her traveling robe, she hung it on a hook by the door, on her way to the bedroom. Just as she entered, the shower turned off.

"Ron! I'm home!" she called, placing her purse on the dresser.

"Hi!  Be out in a minute."

Hermione returned to the kitchen and picked up the mail, flipping through the stack, tossing the junk mail into the bin.  Then she noticed the invitation and a smile appeared on her face.  "I wondered when this would arrive," she muttered.