A/N-This is a fanifc that just came to me! I am still working on Project Sabotage, so you fans don't worry. Hopefully, this will be as popular as the PS, and if it's not, then I still have it to fall back on. Anyways, please review for me guys!
Disclaimer:Harry PotterJ.K
Me?
The Price of Friendship
-Chapter One-
"Ron, will you put down that book and come help set the table!"
In Ron Weasley's opinion, Hermione Granger's voice could be heard all across United Kingdom, not to mention the Wealsey household.
"Wow Hermione,"mumbled Harry Potter."The only time you see 'Ron' and 'book' in the same sentence is when it has a 'does not read' between it."
Just for that, Ron enchanted the pile of forks lying on the dinner table to chaotically lash out around him."It was a quidditch book!"
"Ron, we're just of age!"Hermione snapped, whipping out her own wand."That was very childish of you!"
"That was very mature of you!"retorted Ron."Why do you always have to be on my case?"
"Can you tear away from your fight long enough to find the fork down my trouser?"Harry asked desperately.
Ron and Hermione glared at each other, and began to crack up. Hermione leaned on Ron for support, who was in turn leaning on the table.
"I'm not kidding!"Harry cried seriously."Guys-please stop laughing-"
Hermione stopped suddenly, and hit Ron firmly in the ribs. He too followed suit.
They had very serious looks upon their faces, but began to snicker softly. Then louder, until it was another riot.
"Um-Harry?"Ginny questioned."Why is your hand down your trouser leg?"
Harry spun around, to be face to face with Ginny Weasley."I-uh..."
"He lost something,"Hermione said, through chokes of laughter.
"Never mind,"Harry said quickly."I think I'll just go get the broom to sweep myself off the floor."
Ginny bent down, and came back up with a fork in hand."I'm not even gonna ask,"she said simply, handing it to Harry."Fred and George are returning with the groceries. Mum and Dad will never suspect a thing."
"This is a really nice thing we're doing for your parents,"Hermione said, once she could keep down her laughter."They're gonna such a nice anniversary."
Fred and George entered the kitchen, carrying three sacks each. As they unloaded, Ginny checked everything off."Okay, so we the chicken, the salad, shells, with the light mushroom sauce..."
She looked up."What about the wine?"
"Well, there's a good explanation about that..."
Ron, Harry, and Hermione, who were now silently setting the table, began to chuckle at Fred's most horrid excuse.
"And-and I'm sure George can explain it-"
"Oi!"George shouted."Leave my name outta this!"
"Well, you see we saw these very, um-educated-young ladies, and so-"
"Just don't bother telling the rest,"said Ginny weary."Mum and Dad are coming back from the Muggle Artifacts Convention in less than an hour! And we need wine!"
"We have to go back to the store,"Fred said at once."But I'm sure that Ron can do it!"
"I'm not eighteen,"Ron pointed out."Don't I need an I.T.?"
"I.D,"Hermione corrected."I have one, but I'm not of age yet."
"Don't worry about that Hermione,"George said, nibbing on a carrot that Ginny had just tossed in with the salad."We have a great age spell. We used it for ages."
"What is this suppo-"
"Sypflakoi!"
Hermione looked in surprise, as her height withered, and her hair turned gray. Her chest sagged, and her back was hunched.
Everyone exploded in laughter.
"What did you do to me!"Hermione thundered."And where are my-"
"Go lower,"Ginny said, leaning on the counter."They're lower."
"Sorry Hermione,"said George."I overdid it."
"Apparently,"spatted Hermione."Undo it now!"
"Sypflakoi!"
Slowly, Hermione went back to her old self."Thank God,"she muttered."That is a vile spell! Why didn't you just do this?"
She took out her license, and her wand."Redlo!"
Her I.D. now stated that she was eighteen. Fred and George stared at her, dumbfounded."I don't like you anymore Hermione."
"Yeah!"sneered George playfully."No more family discount for you!"
"Like I ever used it,"snapped Hermione.
"Ouch,"Fred muttered, grabbing his heart."That hurt Hermione. That really, really-" He began fake crying on George's shoulder, as they appariated.
"Those two..." muttered Ginny.
"We better go,"Ron said."C'mon Mione..."
"You guys go on,"Harry said."I'll just help Ginny in here..."
Ginny cast him an unusual glance, but said nothing.
"Okay,"Hermione absently muttered."See you later..."
The two appariated, leaving Harry and Ginny alone in the kitchen.
"How long are you gonna do this Harry?"Ginny asked softly."I can't be your girlfriend when it's convenient for you."
"I don't want to put you in a vulnerable situa-"
"Stop with the vulnerable situation!"Ginny said."If you want to go out fight Voldemort, I'll be with you. If you don't, I'll still be with you."
"I don't have a choice with Voldemort,"Harry said bitterly."I have to try to live as normally as possible right now, because I'm not going back to Hogwarts."
"Are you telling Ron and Hermione when you leave?"Ginny asked seriously."You can't just leave all the sudden, Harry. Just as you wanted the Ministry to trust you practically every year since you were eleven, trust us that we can handle whatever you go through."
She cut up chicken as she spoke, emphasizing every word.
"All I want is for you to trust me Harry. And if you want to be with me, then you should. That's all I have to say."
"I do want to,"Harry whispered."You know I do, Ginny. Just trust me now that what I'm doing is best for you-best for us."
Ginny' expression was suddenly angry. She turned around, and kissed him full on the lips."That,"she acclaimed."Thatis best for me-and for us. When we're together, Harry."
Harry's expression was simply baffled, as Ginny turned back to the counter, as though nothing had happened."And until you see that, Harry, then this conversation is over."
Ron's POV
"Look Ron, an owl..."
Ron and Hermione were in a local winery, when Hermione noticed an owl flying towards them. They briefly glanced at one another, wondering why an owl would follow them here, and not drop it off at the Weasley's house.
"I'll go fetch it,"Ron said, leaving the store. He untied the message."Hermione Granger."
He unscrolled it, in attempts to read it if it was from Victor Krum.
Hello Witch/Wizard!
What would you say if you could win a beautiful mansion, just by showing us that you have the best 'best friend relationship' in all of Britain? And all of our tasks were easy and painless? People all around the country are saying"YES!" to our wonderful offer. Five pairs of two or three will get to live in an all expenses paid mansion for a whole month, that you'll own if you win the challenges at the end of the adventure.
Write To:
101 Magic Lane
Diagon Alley
The Price of Friendship
And tell us why should be entered!(Must be between the ages of sixteen and twenty.)
Return address essential.
"Ron!"Hermione shouted."How dare you open my mail!"
"Look at this Hermione!"Ron exclaimed."C'mon, we have to go tell Harry!"
Hermione's POV
"What is that?"inquired Ron."That box thing-"
"It's a television, Ron,"Hermione said, rolling her eyes. She handed the wine to Ginny, who served it to her parents in very nice looking wine glasses.
"I got it for a bargain too!"Mr.Weasley exclaimed."I'm gonna do some tests-and then-"
Mrs.Weasley sighed unhappily."Thank you Ginny. This is lovely...now if your father would just stop bringing junk into the house..."
"Guys, Harry's outside,"Ginny said."Our dinner is already out there."
Hermione and Ron nodded, and exited through the back door. Outside, it was very warm, and Hermione felt very content."Hey Harry."
She sat down on one side of him, Ron on the other. She picked up a half of a sandwich on the platter in Harry's lap, Ron taking the other half.
"Did you guys get a Price of Friendship letter?"Harry asked.
"We should enter!"Ron said, excitingly.
"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard!"Hermione exclaimed."Why would we compete for something like that?"
"If we won it, we could all room together,"Harry said."It's brilliant!"
"Ever sense you donated all your gold to the Hippogriff Foundation, you've been going on with all of Ron's get rich quick schemes,"Hermione said."It's absurd!"
"We could beat the others easily Hermione!"Ron fought."C'mon, we can't do it without you!"
Hermione bite her lip."My parents would never allow it."
"They'll still think that you're here!"Harry said."This is a wizard competition, remember? They'll never see it, so-"
"They'll never know,"Ron finished happily.
"I-I guess it can't hurt just to write a paper,"Hermione finally said."Just to see..."
"What they don't know can't hurt them,"Harry said flossy."We better get to work. We only have a week..."
Hermione sighed."I'm surely going to regret this..."
A/N-This was really short for my usual stuff, but it will get longer. I had to open the concept of the pairings, G/H and R/Hr, and explain how they got the letter, with a splash of humor. How was it? Likes, dislikes? Just let me know!
RaCh