Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(147) Another Day

The business was booming in the joke shop. Ever since their opening, sales had only grown bigger and bigger, up to the point where Fred and George could hardly believe their own success. They ended up hiring Verity, the assistant that Nicolai had found for them, due to the fact that they found themselves unable to keep up with the pace of the business. Verity was a medium height brunette who was much too nonchalant. She did her job diligently, though, which Fred and George liked, and even called them 'Mr. Weasley' from time to time.

Nicolai was unable to stop by as frequently as she used to, due to the fact that it was getting busy in the medical ward. Lisa was out of the country as well, given her parents' hectic schedule and their baffling need to bring their children everywhere. George knew Lisa didn't want to admit that she was definitely warming up to the prospects of professional Quidditch, but it was definitely evident that she was.

Fred, on the other hand, had been keeping himself preoccupied as best as he could. He felt that if he even stopped working for a second, the unbearable sadness over Florence that he had so desperately tried to suppress would come creeping back again.

He had not seen her since the breakup, and often wondered whether or not that was a good thing. Maybe it was. He didn't exactly know how he would react if he saw her in the flesh.

But at the same time he had been secretly hoping that she would come wandering in to the shop and tell him that she wanted him back. That it was a mistake. That he was the only one that she could ever truly love.

Knowing Florence, that scenario was almost impossible. She was quite firm on her decisions, especially ones where she thinks that it would be best for his wellbeing, even though their breakup was definitely not.

"You have that look on your face again," George's voice snapped him out of his trance, Fred grumbling before putting a misplaced snackbox back onto it's display case. "What look? I do NOT have a look."

"Sure you don't" George rolled his eyes at him, before going over to a customer who required assistance, "Now help me will you? I think Verity's got her hands full and you're no help when you're just standing there and daydreaming."

"I'm not daydreaming."

"Ofcourse not," he said sarcastically, before leaving to do some work.

"Get it together." Fred muttered, before bounding over to a family of three that was looking through the various toys that they had displayed. The mother looked rather amused with their Umbridge on a Unicycle doll, and wanted to buy one for her house.

"Oh you'll love this one ma'am, I assure you." Fred said, climbing up a step ladder to pick up one that was still in the box.

"I will! That woman ticked the living daylight out of me back in her Ministry days. How much for the doll?"

Before he could even respond, Fred caught a glimpse of familiar brown hair, his eyes growing wide at the sight, "Florence," he breathed out, confusing the woman, "Um...Florence?"

"No, I uh—um," he stammered, to caught up in the moment to even remember how much a product in his very own store costs, "You know what? On the house. Have a great day." he said, before quickly climbing down the stepladder, before barging through the crowd in desperate attempt to get to Florence.

"Florence—!"

"Nope, still me," Verity said with a bored look, turning around to snap reality in to her hallucinating boss, "Honestly, Mr. Weasley? Third time this month. Why don't you just go see the girl?"

He scoffed, "You know I can't do that. Also, you look just like her from behind in a busy store. I can't help it."

"Well help it better," she said, "Seriously, the heart eyes you give is almost creepy." she crossed her arms over her chest before walking away.