Well, this is my first fanfic, and it came out of nowhere, so please be nice.

It's set after DH, everything is the same as the books, except that Fred, Remus and Tonks are alive.

Disclaimer: I guess everyone would love to be the brilliant mind who came up with the idea of Harry Potter, and I'm not the exception, but I don't own any of the characters. The one who does is the awesome J.K.Rowling

Of love and bets

Chapter 1

The bet

-"I don't know what to do"- Ron said suddenly –"What do you reckon?"

-"Mmmm, well, if you tell me what are we talking about, it would be lots easier to answer your question"- said Harry staring at Ron, totally surprised and confused by his suddenly question.

-"I'm talking about Hermione"- Ron sighed with his gazed fixed at the check board.

-"Well, I s'pposed she wants to be with you"- answer Harry moving his castle to save it from Ron's knight –"Otherwise she would have never kiss you. It's obvious she likes you."- As Harry noticed his friend didn't say anything he asked as he stared at Ron again –"Why do you ask?"

Ron finally looked up at Harry and answered –"Because I'm not sure about it. I mean, she's smart, brave, clever, loyal and soooo pretty. Why would she want to be with someone like me?"

Harry looked bewildered at his friend. He knew Ron had never been confident about himself, but he never expected that he would think he wasn't good enough to be with Hermione. –"I don't see anything wrong with you. You're just as brave and loyal as her, and a really good friend, not to mention an awesome person. What else do you need?"

-"I'm not half as good as she is. She needs someone as smart as her. Besides, you're my best friend; you'll always tell me I'm good enough."- said Ron sadly.

-"So are you saying my opinion doesn't count just because I'm your best friend? She's my best friend too, if I thought you weren't good enough, I would tell you. Look Ron, you're just as good as any guy can be for her. Actually, you're better. And she likes you. She'd known you for seven years, don't you think she would know if you're good enough for her or not?"- Harry started to get a little annoyed by Ron's attitude. At moments like this, he hated how immature he could be.-"She can decide by herself, she's a big girl, you know? And you know what? She chose you. So deal with it. Just go and asked her out."

Ron's ears got a bit red, and said a little embarrassed-"I think you're right, I should just go and…

Harry that had just get his gaze back at the game looked back at Ron to find out why he had stopped talking. Ron was looking intensive at the door with a frown in his face, as if trying to see through it. Harry scanned the door from top to bottom just in time to see a pair of tinny pink strips vanished under the door and could have swear that he had heard a couple of whispers; but his thoughts were interrupted by Ron's yelled.

-"Knock it off, we know you're there"- he yelled at the door.

Harry immediately understood what was going on, and who was behind the door.

A couple of laughs were hear, there was a loud PUM!!, and a moment later two identical red-haired people appeared laughing so hard that almost fall to the ground.

-"Don't you know is rude to listen to other people conversations?"- asked Ron looking mad at the Weasley twins.

-"Yeah, I thought you guys had dropped the habit"- said Harry at what the twins started to laugh even harder –"now that you have your own shop to take care of I didn't think you would have time for things like these"

-"Oh, you know what they said; old habits are hard to forget. And as you probably know, right now we don't have a shop to look after."- said Fred, trying hard not to laugh again.

-"Kingsley asked us to leave it closed while all this mess is cleaned up remember?"- George reminded.

-"So we decided to mess around, you know, like the old times?"-said Fred smiling.–"And besides, even if we had the shop open, there's always time for fun."

-"Yeah, we're the Weasley twins. We ALWAYS have time for fun. Especially if that means listening to your little brother love confessions. That's something you don't hear every day."- George added winking which draw a smirk on Fred's face.

-"'she's smart, brave, clever, loyal and soooo pretty. Why would she want to be with someone like me?'"- Fred mocked imitating Ron's voice.

-"'she needs someone as smart as her.'"- George went on.

-"Hey guys, cut it out."-said Harry looking serious. Ron was insecure enough without all the mocking, the last thing he needed was the twins making fun of him. –"That's enough". He turned around to look at Ron, who was turning red.

-"Oh, c'mon, don't be such a spoilsport"-said George.

-"Yeah, where's your sense of humor"-agreed Fred grinning.

-"There's nothing funny about making fun of other people's feelings"-Harry shocked his head getting a little bit mad by the twins lack of tact toward their younger brother's feelings-"Especially if that person is confused and insecure"

-"Confused and insecure?! Are you kidding me? What's so complicated about asking a girl out? You just have to ask her, period. Even Ron can do that"-snapped Fred.

But this was too much for Ron, who had been quiet all the time, but at this, he exploded.

-"Oh yeah? Well, for your information, I'm not worried about asking a girl our. Because if you didn't noticed, I dated Lavender for almost a whole year. The problem is that Hermione is different. She doesn't go out with anyone."-Ron snapped back.

-"Ja! C'mon, don't make me laugh. ALL the girls are the same. They may seem difficult, but at the end, it all comes to be the same. A couple of compliments, a flower, and is all yours. Even Hermione has a melting point. Or what, you've already forgot Viktor Krum?"-said Fred matter-of-factly.

At this point, all the color in Ron's face drained, going from red to pale, and seem to be wordless.

-"See, that's what I mean. Krum was a moron, and even though, Hermione went with him to the Yule Ball"-Fred continued as Ron didn't respond.-"Anyone could date her after that"

-"You're wrong. She went out with Krum because of the whole international magical cooperation thing. Not because she like him"-Ron shocked his head as he said this, as if he was trying not only to convince Fred, but himself too. Fred sure noticed this, because he responded sharply to Ron.

-"Sure, make up an excuse, I don't care. But that doesn't takes off the fact that she dated him. It actually proves my point. Even if you're right, and she didn't like him, she did go out with him."

-"That's not the point. If you're going out with someone, is because you're in love, or at least, you like each other. I don't want a pity date."-snapped Ron turning red again.

-"I'm still right. Hermione can fall in love with ANYONE."- said Fred putting emphasis in the last word.

-"Oh yeah? You think so?"- asked Ron.

-"Gee, let me think about, I'm not so sure…. Of course I do!! What do you think I've been trying to tell you all evening long?! I know so!!"-said Fred getting a little annoyed by Ron's stupidity.

-"Ok, well, if that's what you think, then why don't you make her fall in love with you?"- said Ron.

-"Is that a challenge?"- asked Fred.

-"No, is more like impossible. There's no way you could make it"- said Ron with a smirk. He was sure he has cornered Fred. If he didn't accept the challenge, he would be proving Ron's point, and he had chickened out. If he did accept the challenge, when he couldn't make it, he would prove Ron was right, and would make a complete fool of himself. He had nothing to lose.

-"I could make it. One thing is that you can't, but I'm sure I would do it"- Fred snapped.

-"Well, if you are so sure about yourself, let's make a little bet. I bet you can't make Hermione fall in love with you in three months"- said Ron with a grin in his face.

-"Three months?! Are you serious? You had seven years to do it, and you give three months?"- asked Fred incredously –"But then again, I'm better that you so I accept. I love challenges. Besides, I and George will have to go back to the shop in about that time."

-"Doesn't matter how much time you got, you won't make it"- said Ron.

-"Whatever. So, what are my winnings going to be, once I win the heart of the girl?"-inquired Fred.

-"You choose. You can get ANYTHING you want"- said Ron waving his hand carelessly.

-"So anything I want, eh? Well, that makes the bet even more interesting. Not only I will see you completely humiliated, but also I will get anything I want"- said Fred with a renew interest.

-"Yeah, sure, whatever you say. But there are conditions about the bet"- said Ron.

-"Like what?"- asked Fred frowning.

-"First of all, you cannot tell anyone, is better is no one knows. But especially under any circumstances tell Hermione, Ginny or mom. Any of them would totally freak out, not to mentioned kill all of us"- explained Ron.

-"Are crazy? Of course I won't tell any of them. I like my head in the place it is. But that one counts for you too."- Fred pointed out and turned to look at George and Harry, who were totally bewildered by the whole situation.

-"Don't worry, we won't said a word."- said George in a soft voice almost inaudible, and Harry just nodded.

-"And no tricks or funny business. Any kind of weird tricks and the bet is off"- Ron kept going.

-"Can I get help from George?"- asked Fred.

-"Yeah, some help, but not a lot. And as I said, no tricks"- agreed Ron.

-"Sounds pretty fair to me. Oh, I just got one condition for you. You cannot interfere with me and Hermione. That means no dates, no kisses, nothing."- said Fred smirking.

-"Ok"- Ron agreed after a moment-"but remember, just three months. After that I can be with her"

-"If she still wants to"- Fred whisper softly.

-"Excuse me?"- asked Ron.

-"Ah, no nothing. So, what do you want if a miracle occurs, and I don't get her?"- asked Fred quickly.

-"Mmmm, well, as you will probably lose, I'll go easy on you. How about I'll get free all I want from Weasleys' Wizards Wheezes always?"- proposed Ron.

-"You call that going easy? But ok, anyways, you won't get it. And as you want to involve WWW in this, then I will too. If I win, you are gonna be one of our testers for two years."- said Fred thoughtfully.

-"Fair enough for me"- agreed Ron -"So we got a deal?"

-"Yep"- nodded Fred

They shook hands, as Harry and George exchange a look full of surprise; at the scene they had just witness.

So, what do you think so far?? Leave a review in your way out, so I can know how I am doing.

I promess to update soon.

See you

Samy