The Bet
"He what?"
George Weasley winced, then grinned rakishly at his youngest brother's girlfriend.
"He put you up as collateral," he replied to the irate witch, who was still wearing a rather worn pair of flannel men's pajama bottoms and an almost transparent cotton top.
"I don't believe you." Hermione replied.
"Oh, he did." George replied, leering at the bleary-eyed witch.
"I believe he put me up as collateral as you claim," Hermione retorted, narrowing her eyes at the smug redhead, "I just don't believe you won me."
"Oh, well." George grimaced, then continued, "He didn't tell you?"
"Not a word." Hermione replied. "And without proof, I'm not going anywhere."
"That's reasonable." George agreed, pulling a cocktail napkin out of his pocket and handing it to her, "This good enough?"
Hermione looked down at the cocktail napkin with "Services of girlfriend" written on it in Ron's messy handwriting. A quick charm later, and the I.O.U was verified to be both owed to George and from Ron.
She dropped her head on the table and moaned, "I can't possibly face this without a very large mug of coffee. And then I'm going to kill him."
"That's also reasonable." George laughed. "So you'll do it."
"It would serve him right if I refused, but... I'll do it. You have to back me up when I tell your mother at dinner tomorrow."
"What are you telling my mother?" George replied with a frown.
"That your prat of a brother is neither dating me any longer, not likely ever providing her with grandchildren." Hermione's voice was still muffled by the table.
"Deal." George replied, rubbing his hands together greedily.