BET ME!

Dinner and A Snow Globe

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AN: In the book, the snow globe story is different but I don't have the book and I can't call my friend right now so I have to make up one.

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"Remind me one more time why this was a beautiful day for shopping. Just once more." Hermione pleaded with her sister. Avery rolled her eyes and grinned.

"Because mother was not here, ruining the trip." Avery replied. Hermione beamed and walked along the rows of houses with a bounce in her step. The items she bought with Avery that day almost fell out of their respective bags. Avery noticed and raised her brows in amusement. "You know, mother isn't that bad."

"Yeah, when she shuts up, she's not that bad." Hermione said bitterly. "If I received a penny every time she has ever insulted me I'd be a very rich woman. Believe me." Avery smiled. She could never get tired of Hermione's attitude toward her mother's…uh…brutal honesty. Hermione was just…different. When will her mother just accept it and leave it alone?

They reached the boarding house and Hermione fished for her house keys in her bag. "Do you think that Greg will like my wedding dress?" Avery asked out of the blue. She looked downwards not wanting to meet Hermione's eyes. "In fact do you think I should get married to him?"

Hermione had found her keys and had opened the door by the time Avery had asked those questions. She turned to her sister in silent amazement. She was immediately tempted to scream out No! at her sister. To tell her that he's no good and he wasn't right for her in the first place. But, she resisted it. "Um…well, it is a lovely dress. If father loved mother in that dress then he'll love it too."

"I…suppose so." Avery said. She looked up and gave Hermione a careless smile. "I don't even know why I'm harping on that right now. I have many other things to worry about." Hermione grinned and they climbed the stairs to Hermione's apartment. The temptation was gone. All was at peace. Never mind the second question. Avery hadn't prolonged it and that was fine by Hermione. Besides, the question would answer itself in due time, right? Hermione could only hope.

They entered the apartment and the first thing Avery did was throw all the bags on the couch. "Look at the amount of stuff we bought Hermione….."

Why did Avery ask all those questions? Hermione thought Avery would be excited to be marrying Greg. That at every waking moment she thought about being Mrs. Greg Ivy. At least that's what Emma told her.

"……we would have never gotten any shopping down if mother was there. You two would be arguing over something so minute…."

"Avery why did you ask all those questions earlier?" Hermione said turning around to face her sister. She folded her arms. Her and her mother's arguments could wait. Hermione wanted to know if Avery was really unsure about the wedding.

The question caught Avery off guard. Her smile slowly turned into a frown. Once again, her eyes cast downwards. "I'm sorry that I questioned you Hermione. I was just having…." She trailed off. Hermione inched closer.

Doubts?

"Cold feet?" Hermione asked instead. Avery averted her eyes and nodded.

"Something like that." She whispered.

Something like that?? "Avery…is something wrong?" Hermione implored. Avery wildly shook her head. "Are you sure?"

"For God sakes, Hermione, stop badgering me!" Avery snapped.

"I'm just trying to help." Hermione said gently. She ignored Avery's retort. "I'm you sister. You can tell me anything. Anything that is bothering you." She persisted. Avery shook her head wildly once more.

"Not with this." Her voice was starting to crack. "I need to use the bathroom…." She said in a whisper. Before Hermione could respond she rushed to the bathroom. The door slammed behind her. Hermione rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. When Avery doesn't want to tell you something, its hell to let her confide in you.

She made her way to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Avery, I'm sorry. You're right; I shouldn't have badgered you into confiding in me. The way I see it, you'll tell me in your own time, right?" The response was silence. "Avery?"

The door immediately opened and Avery grinned at her big sister. "Yes. In my own time." Hermione drew a sigh of relief and rushed to hug her sister. "One more question Hermione: do you believe in true love?"

"Uh…I'm afraid of answering this one." Hermione said. Avery laughed.

"This is completely off record. C'mon, tell me." Avery bounced up and down like a schoolgirl and Hermione couldn't help but laugh at her antics.

"Okay…yes I do believe it. I think everyone should experience it in their lifetime." Hermione replied. Avery grinned.

"Even you, right?" Avery said, a twinkle in her eyes.

"If it happens…it happens." Hermione replied slowly. That twinkle in her sister's eyes looked very suspicious. "What are you going on about, Avery?"

"Well, I got to thinking one day…maybe Harry…really does like you?" Avery said timidly. Hermione's expressive face immediately turned stony.

"I don't know what you're talking about Avery." Hermione said in a hollow tone. "Harry's only dating me because of the bet. Nothing else."

"Do you see the intense looks you two give each other? He must like you by now." Hermione walked away from Avery. "You know I'm telling the truth." Avery continued following behind her.

"Would you stop! I don't want to hear another word about this! Harry is only interested in me to obtain ten thousand pounds. That's it. Story's over." She sat down on the couch, her back to her sister.

"One of these days," her sister whispered. "he's going to find something that was lost inside of you and then we'll see if he likes you or not." She grabbed her bags and left the apartment. Hermione furrowed her brows wondering what the hell she meant by that.

xxx

"So…we have a problem." Hermione said once they sat down to their table. Harry had asked her out to dinner and, without consulting Luna, she readily agreed. She looked forward to dinners with Harry. They were fun, even though it was an act. Harry nodded in agreement. They indeed have a problem. Hermione had been invited by his sister to dinner with the parents and Harry had been invited to dinner with Hermione's parents. Dinner with parents! Harry just kept on surprising himself. "What are we going to do?"

Harry was about to reply when the waiter showed up. He took the Harry's orders and then he waited for Hermione to scan the menu a second time. Hermione searched the entire menu, trying to find something that wasn't fattening. That narrowed the choices to three: chicken salad, Caesar salad and regular salad. She bit her lip trying to decide. "Hermione." Harry said. She looked up. "Do you want me to order for you?"

The last thing she wanted was for Harry to order for her.

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm fine." She closed the menu and smiled at the surprisingly patient waiter. "Um…can I have the regular salad, please?" The waiter took it down. "Anything else?" He asked. Hermione shook her head and the waiter left. She turned to Harry and waited for him to protest. But, he didn't.

"We are going to figure out which parent to visit first." Harry replied. Hermione raised her eyebrows at his response. What? "I know. It's crazy but do we have a choice? If our parents are the same, they'll find out that we don't want to visit and all hell will break loose if that happens." He explained. "Trust me, Hermione." He assured her. "It's for the best."

Hermione couldn't protest to that plan. All of what Harry said was true. Mama Granger would call up a manhunt for them if they don't show up for dinner in the next two weeks. Hermione could guarantee that. She, instead, drank the cold glass of water sitting before her. The waiter came with their food and set it down on the table for them. As soon as he left, Harry stood up, carried his plate over to Hermione's side and took her plate and carried it over to his side.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked. Harry sat down and smiled.

"Enjoy your meal." Was all he said. Hermione couldn't fight him. Not in public anyway. She looked down at the meal that Harry had ordered and grimaced when she saw the amount of oil surrounding the fish. "Hermione." Harry said softly. She looked at him. "Eat." She slowly shook her head and pushed the food away.

"Suddenly, I'm not hungry." She folded her arms and held a small smile when she noticed Harry's annoyed face. He then pushed his own plate away. "You're a stubborn woman. Has anyone told you that?"

"Oh, you have to hear my mother when she's arguing with me." Hermione laughed. She re-exchanged their meals. "And for once." She stuck her fork in the lettuce. "I win." Harry rolled his eyes and began eating his oily fish.

xxx

Hermione opened her apartment door and entered. Harry entered also and closed the door behind him. Hermione offered him drinks and he accepted, sitting on the couch once she went inside the kitchen. The date had been great…except for Hermione eating the salad. This bet wasn't so bad after all. He could win it. Who cares about feelings? Why should they come around when she's around? All he has to do is try and suppress them.

She came out with the drinks and handed one to Harry before sitting down beside him. There was a minute of thoughtful silence until Hermione broke it. She played with the bracelet Avery got her last year. "Harry," she began, focusing on the bracelet and not on Harry. "It's been three months." She whispered.

Harry drank down the last remains of his drink. "What?" He asked. He was genuinely confused. What was she talking about three months?

Hermione cleared her throat. If she repeated, and he heard properly, he might think she's a nerd for counting the weeks. But it isn't her fault. Luna told her to do so. Maybe she should forget about telling him. What's the point? It's not like he's going to get excited because of their anniversary. Harry gently turned her head towards his concerned face. "Are you alright?" Hermione nodded. "So, what's with this whole…three months thing?"

Hermione inhaled a large breath before explaining. "It's our three month anniversary." She said. "I know, I know. Why am I keeping track of something so little and unimportant. It's not like you remembered anyway." She quickly added. "So, let's forget about it…" She was cut off by Harry's lips on hers. That shut her up quickly.

"We've made it to three months." Harry whispered. "That's a huge achievement for us, isn't it? I'm sorry but the kiss was the only thing I could give you right now." Hermione smiled and hugged Harry. "So, you like it?" He added. Hermione didn't reply. Instead she grabbed his hand and got him to his feet.

"I want to show you something." She said. She led him into her bedroom. There was a huge box on her bed and Harry could the heads of snow globes peeking out of the box. She turned on the light and sat down on the bed. "C'mon." She prompted him to sit. She took out the first snow globe. "My grandmother died when I was fourteen. Before, I used to love to play with her many snow globes that sat on her mantelpiece. So, in her will, she gave them to me." The snow globe contained a small cabin house with small hills behind it. Harry watched as Hermione turned the globe upside down. When she turned it back to its normal position, the flakes slowly fell to the bottom once more.

Harry looked into the box. "You have an entire collection here." Harry said, his tone was one of awe. He took out one that contained a polar bear. He had on a scarf like the coca-cola commercials seen on TV. "These are some great snow globes Hermione." Hermione grinned.

"Thanks. But there's one that I can't find. It's my favourite one. It was so unique. It contained a brown bear leaning against a tree. It was smiling and it was holding a heart shaped rock with the words "I love you" written on it." She smiled as she imagined the lost snow globe. Harry watched in mere fascination as Hermione's eyes twinkled. "Instead of snow, this one had autumn leaves falling to ground. I loved it so much. But…when grandma died and I went to her home to collect the snow globes, that one was missing. I spent the entire day looking for that snow globe. I once visited the house annually for five years straight, looking for the wretched thing." She chuckled. "I couldn't believe it was gone."

She looked up at Harry who had said nothing at during her entire speech. His expression was unreadable. She smiled ruefully. "You must think me a freak for going back to look for a stupid snow globe."

"No." Harry said immediately. "If I lost something as precious as that, I would never stop searching." He took her hands in his. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Hermione whispered. They gave each other comforting smiles. "We should get back to the living room." Harry nodded and they got up from the bed. It was then that Harry noticed Hermione very old chest of drawers. It was an antique.

"Hermione?" Hermione looked at him. "How did you obtain this?" She followed his gaze to her chest of drawers and smiled sadly. "It was my grandmother's."

"The snow globes weren't the only things she gave you." Harry stated. He went over to the piece of furniture and examined it.

"Actually, nobody else wanted it. I thought it duty to my grandmother to take it." Hermione replied. Harry nodded, still observing it. "It's pretty good, except for the last drawer. I couldn't, for years, open it. It is too hard."

Harry stooped down to the last drawer and rolled up both of his sleeves. "Well, can I have a go at it, then?"

"Harry I'm serious. It's really too hard." Hermione tried to discourage him.

"Well, I'm doing it as a duty to your grandmother." He replied. Hermione couldn't help but smile. He grabbed both sides and started pulling. It wouldn't budge. Hermione had a smug look on her face.

'I told you." She stated.

"I'm not done, darling." Harry said shutting her up. He grabbed the two sides tighter and pulled harder. Hermione could see the slight tension of his muscles.

"It's not going to work. I'm telling you…"

"Hold on! It's budging." He said. With a new wave of motivation, he tried on last huge pull. "Harry, it won't…" Before Hermione could finish her sentence, the draw flew open, knocking Harry down.

Hermione's jaw literally dropped. The draw was opened. She, among many other people, tried to open the blasted drawer. How the hell did he manage to open it? Something in the draw caught Harry's eye. He got up and took out the object. "Is this…?" He held it up for Hermione to look at it. She came out of her stupor just in time to see what Harry had in his hand.

If she was amazed by the drawer opening….

She might as well keel over and die for the next surprising thing.

Hermione's favourite snow globe was in Harry's hand. He found it. Her hands flew to her mouth. She couldn't move from her spot. She just gazed at the snow globe in her boyfriend's hand.

For years she's been looking for the snow globe. For too many years she wondered what had happened to it. Now, at this very minute, Harry had found what had been lost to her for so many years…"he's going to find something that was lost inside of you and then we'll see if he likes you or not." Avery's voice suddenly sprung up in her mind. Could it be that…no. No! Absolutely not!

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry said inching forward. Hermione immediately took a step back. She felt sick. She felt really sick. "Hermione…"

"I think you need to leave, Harry." Her voice sounded scratchy. She hated that.

"Why?" Harry's baffled expression grew worse.

Then they both heard a noise. A sort of…scratching. They turned to where the direction was coming from. It was the window. They moved closer to it and saw a small orange kitten using its claws to scratch the glass surface.

"He must be cold. It's freezing at this time of night." Hermione stated. She made a move to open the window, but Harry's hand blocked her from doing so.

"He could be dangerous." Harry said, imitating macho man. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Why were men so…manly? Its breathtaking sometimes but annoying the most.

"He's a kitten, Harry and he needs warmth." She pushed back his hand and proceeded to open the window.

"Fine." He stepped forward. "But I'll do it. I don't want your mother angry with me for allowing you to be scratched by a cat and not me." Hermione grinned. Knowing Mama Granger, she would probably blame Hermione for Harry's bruises. "Why didn't you tell him to watch out when that mean cat attacked him?"

Harry carefully opened the window and instinctively the kitten moved back. "C'mon," Harry coaxed. "I'm not going to hurt you." He held out his hand and the kitten hesitantly took it. Harry smiled. He brought the cat inside and Hermione took the kitten and wrapped him in some towels.

"He's freezing." She said, feeling the heavy shivers from the kitten's body. "Poor thing." She looked at his neck and smiled slightly. There was no name tag. Harry followed her stare and frowned.

"No." Was all he replied.

"What do you mean by no? I want to keep him." Hermione protested.

"Hermione…"

"I'll try and find his owners." She said, looking down at the trembling kitten. "But, if no one claims him for a month, he's mine."

Harry shook his head and grinned. "You have a too much of a good heart." Hermione simply shrugged at the statement. Of course she was good. She was good enough to allow a man play with her feelings for a stupid bet. She caught his gaze on her, those intense green eyes penetrating through her. It wasn't fair. If only the circumstances were different.

If only…

"I've got to go. I have a huge meeting at work tomorrow morning." Hermione nodded, understanding. "So, you're alright now?" He asked. Hermione looked at her favourite snow globe resting on the top of the chest of drawers.

It wasn't destiny. it wasn't fate. This relationship was certainly not meant to be. Whatever Avery said was a lie. It was out of sheer coincidence that he found it. It has no meaning toward her whatsoever. Right?? Right.

"Yes, I do."

xxx

AN: The chapter is finally done! Yes! I toiled for you people. I'm sorry about all the late updates. But schoolwork in 11th grade in September is not pretty. I have three projects alone due this month. Well, I try and update again. Two in November and two in December, maybe? I'll try something! Please don't give up on me or this story!