Disclaimer: I lack the imagination of J.K. Rowling. If I did, I would have written Harry Potter before she even thought of it.
CHAPTER II
"Would anyone like another helping?" Mrs. Weasley offered, as she got up from the table. Everyone around her politely refused her offer.
"I can't eat another thing," Fred complained, while rubbing his eyes sleepily. Next to him, his twin brother grunted his agreement and wearily loosened his robes' collar.
"I think I'm about to burst any minute," Ron groaned, rubbing his stomach, which was full of delicious food, yet he couldn't eat another bite.
"I can never understand how boys can eat so much," Hermione commented, while she joined the rest of the ladies to clear the table. In the Weasley household, it seemed that it was a common tradition for the women to do household chores while the men lazed around and minded their own business. Hermione never really approved of this and neither was she a member of the family, but as a frequent visitor, she'd learnt to become accustomed to their way of living.
"Hey, we're growing men. We need the energy," Harry replied, as everyone around the table got up to go sit in the garden. Ginny had spent hours making it look better and in the darkness and candlelight, it looked welcoming and comforting.
Hermione rolled her eyes at them, while she flicked out her wand and quickly cleaned the dishes. She was still furious with Ron for making her go out on a date with one of his partners, but she couldn't stay mad at him for long. Once she'd dressed appropriately and was heading for dinner, Ron had met her at the foot of the stairs and had offered her a yellow rose, apparently asking for forgiveness. She'd given him a quick peck on the cheek, causing him to blush. Anyway, the Weasley family would have suspected the tension between them, and she didn't want that to happen. After all, she needed to ask them a favor.
"It's such a beautiful night," Ron observed as he sat down comfortably on the grass. All the Weasley grandchildren were tucked away inside their parents' bedroom, giving the grown-ups a chance to talk.
"Yes, it is," Hermione, agreed, joining him. He gave her a small smile, which was instantly followed by a scowl, upon seeing Ginny seat herself next to Harry. After so many years, Ginny hadn't lost her little crush over the Boy-Who-Lived. Though Harry knew about her feelings for him, he never urged her to express them. Thus, they had a pleasant friendship, which often would consist of awkward moments, followed by Ginny's face turning the color of hair. But, he never let it come to him, just like this night. Harry was totally comfortable around her, and she was with him, even though Ron highly disapproved of him, teasing his sister like that. He was just about to get up and teach Harry a good lesson, when Percy spoke up.
"I'm so glad you all decided to give me such a great feast. It really means a lot to me," he began slowly, as Penelope squeezed his hand gently.
"Percival Weasley, we're proud that you've finally achieved your ultimate goal," Fred declared, raising his goblet of pumpkin juice in his honor.
"Of being the only one stupid enough to remain in the Ministry," George chimed in.
"Here, here," all the family members and friends exclaimed, raising their goblets in a toast, amidst the few chuckles.
Ron was happy to be back with his family. Being an Auror had its disadvantages. He spent away from home, either traveling to the Americas or visiting Asia. He was even happy to listen to another set of Fred and George's jokes. He had just finished raising his goblet of champagne in Percy's honor, when he noticed Hermione hadn't joined in. He stole a glance at her. She seemed to be deep in thought.
"'Mione, is something wrong?" he asked, waving his hand in front of her.
"Huh?" She glanced at him with a confused expression on her face.
"Is everything alright?" he repeated.
"Yes. What makes you think something's wrong with me?" she replied.
"You didn't join in the toast," he pointed out.
"Oh," she mumbled, as she hastily raised her drink, amidst the chuckles of her behavior.
"Hermione dear, is something on your mind?" Mrs. Weasley politely asked her.
"Funny you should ask that because there is something that is bothering me," she answered slowly.
"Well, what is it?" Charlie queried.
"I want to ask you guys something," she began, wringing her hands nervously.
"What is it?" Angelina prompted again, snuggling closer to her husband, Fred.
"Well actually it's a favor I want to ask from Bill, Ron and Harry," she explained, glancing around her.
Ron looked at her, waggling his eyebrows at her. "And do tell us, Ms. Granger, what do you want from us?" he asked.
"Yes Hermione, what is it that involves me as well?" Bill inquired politely, while tying his long hair into a ponytail.
"First I want to know if you all are bachelors right now," she continued. The three of them nodded their heads as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good, that helps me greatly. So do all of you know about the children's orphanage?" she went on slowly.
Alicia snapped her fingers, recalling the event. "Didn't part of the orphanage catch on fire?" she answered.
Hermione nodded her head. "Apparently, the cook forgot to turn off the stove and the entire kitchen caught on fire. The fire spread throughout the children's ward, but it managed to only burn half of it." Everyone around her took in a deep breath of shock. She managed a grim smile. "I know. It's terrible. The orphanage doesn't have enough money to rebuild it. So Gloria, a friend of mine who works at the Daily Prophet, said that we should do something to help the kids. So she gave me a great idea."
"And what would that great idea be?" Harry questioned, his emerald eyes glowing behind his glasses.
"She suggested that we should hold a wizard's bachelor auction," she announced breathlessly. "And I need you three to participate as well."
"Well count me in. I could use for a bit of fun," Bill agreed, which earned him a warm smile from Hermione.
"Uh-uh. I refuse to do this," Ron decided firmly, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Oh please Ron, won't you do it for me?" Hermione leaning towards him and clasping his hands tightly. "I'll really really appreciate it, if you'd do it." She gave him a small pout, while Ginny stifled a snort.
"You know this is really really unfair of you," he reminded her, completely bewildered at her determination to make him participate in the auction.
"It's for a really really good cause," she informed him, her lower lip trembling. She really needed all the participants she could get, if they could raise enough money to rebuild the building.
"I'm really really going to regret doing this," he remarked sadly.
"So you'll do it?" she asked.
He nodded his head glumly as she gave a happy shriek.
"Well, in that case, you can count me out. I've got loads of Quidditch practice to do," Harry stated, leaning against the oak tree in their garden.
"Oh Harry, won't you do it for me?" Hermione remarked, moving towards him and giving him a warm smile. "It'll make me really really happy," she repeated.
"Well, I certainly feel special," Ron grumbled to himself. He couldn't believe her. Winning him with what he thought was specially reserved for him, while she was doing the same to Harry. The nerve of her.
"Well, in that case, I might as well come and see if anyone will buy me," Harry consented cheekily. Ginny gave him a slight punch. "And in that case, Hermione, I might tag along as well. Who knows I could find the man of my dreams?" she murmured dreamily.
Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you guys agreed to do it. We need all the men we can get."
"This is only for a good cause. I mean, you auction the men, get the money and save the orphanage. Nothing else will happen. Right?" Charlie inquired closely.
"Nothing more, and nothing less," she answered firmly and contendly leaned against the tree trunk, crossing her arms across her chest.
***
CHAPTER II
"Would anyone like another helping?" Mrs. Weasley offered, as she got up from the table. Everyone around her politely refused her offer.
"I can't eat another thing," Fred complained, while rubbing his eyes sleepily. Next to him, his twin brother grunted his agreement and wearily loosened his robes' collar.
"I think I'm about to burst any minute," Ron groaned, rubbing his stomach, which was full of delicious food, yet he couldn't eat another bite.
"I can never understand how boys can eat so much," Hermione commented, while she joined the rest of the ladies to clear the table. In the Weasley household, it seemed that it was a common tradition for the women to do household chores while the men lazed around and minded their own business. Hermione never really approved of this and neither was she a member of the family, but as a frequent visitor, she'd learnt to become accustomed to their way of living.
"Hey, we're growing men. We need the energy," Harry replied, as everyone around the table got up to go sit in the garden. Ginny had spent hours making it look better and in the darkness and candlelight, it looked welcoming and comforting.
Hermione rolled her eyes at them, while she flicked out her wand and quickly cleaned the dishes. She was still furious with Ron for making her go out on a date with one of his partners, but she couldn't stay mad at him for long. Once she'd dressed appropriately and was heading for dinner, Ron had met her at the foot of the stairs and had offered her a yellow rose, apparently asking for forgiveness. She'd given him a quick peck on the cheek, causing him to blush. Anyway, the Weasley family would have suspected the tension between them, and she didn't want that to happen. After all, she needed to ask them a favor.
"It's such a beautiful night," Ron observed as he sat down comfortably on the grass. All the Weasley grandchildren were tucked away inside their parents' bedroom, giving the grown-ups a chance to talk.
"Yes, it is," Hermione, agreed, joining him. He gave her a small smile, which was instantly followed by a scowl, upon seeing Ginny seat herself next to Harry. After so many years, Ginny hadn't lost her little crush over the Boy-Who-Lived. Though Harry knew about her feelings for him, he never urged her to express them. Thus, they had a pleasant friendship, which often would consist of awkward moments, followed by Ginny's face turning the color of hair. But, he never let it come to him, just like this night. Harry was totally comfortable around her, and she was with him, even though Ron highly disapproved of him, teasing his sister like that. He was just about to get up and teach Harry a good lesson, when Percy spoke up.
"I'm so glad you all decided to give me such a great feast. It really means a lot to me," he began slowly, as Penelope squeezed his hand gently.
"Percival Weasley, we're proud that you've finally achieved your ultimate goal," Fred declared, raising his goblet of pumpkin juice in his honor.
"Of being the only one stupid enough to remain in the Ministry," George chimed in.
"Here, here," all the family members and friends exclaimed, raising their goblets in a toast, amidst the few chuckles.
Ron was happy to be back with his family. Being an Auror had its disadvantages. He spent away from home, either traveling to the Americas or visiting Asia. He was even happy to listen to another set of Fred and George's jokes. He had just finished raising his goblet of champagne in Percy's honor, when he noticed Hermione hadn't joined in. He stole a glance at her. She seemed to be deep in thought.
"'Mione, is something wrong?" he asked, waving his hand in front of her.
"Huh?" She glanced at him with a confused expression on her face.
"Is everything alright?" he repeated.
"Yes. What makes you think something's wrong with me?" she replied.
"You didn't join in the toast," he pointed out.
"Oh," she mumbled, as she hastily raised her drink, amidst the chuckles of her behavior.
"Hermione dear, is something on your mind?" Mrs. Weasley politely asked her.
"Funny you should ask that because there is something that is bothering me," she answered slowly.
"Well, what is it?" Charlie queried.
"I want to ask you guys something," she began, wringing her hands nervously.
"What is it?" Angelina prompted again, snuggling closer to her husband, Fred.
"Well actually it's a favor I want to ask from Bill, Ron and Harry," she explained, glancing around her.
Ron looked at her, waggling his eyebrows at her. "And do tell us, Ms. Granger, what do you want from us?" he asked.
"Yes Hermione, what is it that involves me as well?" Bill inquired politely, while tying his long hair into a ponytail.
"First I want to know if you all are bachelors right now," she continued. The three of them nodded their heads as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good, that helps me greatly. So do all of you know about the children's orphanage?" she went on slowly.
Alicia snapped her fingers, recalling the event. "Didn't part of the orphanage catch on fire?" she answered.
Hermione nodded her head. "Apparently, the cook forgot to turn off the stove and the entire kitchen caught on fire. The fire spread throughout the children's ward, but it managed to only burn half of it." Everyone around her took in a deep breath of shock. She managed a grim smile. "I know. It's terrible. The orphanage doesn't have enough money to rebuild it. So Gloria, a friend of mine who works at the Daily Prophet, said that we should do something to help the kids. So she gave me a great idea."
"And what would that great idea be?" Harry questioned, his emerald eyes glowing behind his glasses.
"She suggested that we should hold a wizard's bachelor auction," she announced breathlessly. "And I need you three to participate as well."
"Well count me in. I could use for a bit of fun," Bill agreed, which earned him a warm smile from Hermione.
"Uh-uh. I refuse to do this," Ron decided firmly, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Oh please Ron, won't you do it for me?" Hermione leaning towards him and clasping his hands tightly. "I'll really really appreciate it, if you'd do it." She gave him a small pout, while Ginny stifled a snort.
"You know this is really really unfair of you," he reminded her, completely bewildered at her determination to make him participate in the auction.
"It's for a really really good cause," she informed him, her lower lip trembling. She really needed all the participants she could get, if they could raise enough money to rebuild the building.
"I'm really really going to regret doing this," he remarked sadly.
"So you'll do it?" she asked.
He nodded his head glumly as she gave a happy shriek.
"Well, in that case, you can count me out. I've got loads of Quidditch practice to do," Harry stated, leaning against the oak tree in their garden.
"Oh Harry, won't you do it for me?" Hermione remarked, moving towards him and giving him a warm smile. "It'll make me really really happy," she repeated.
"Well, I certainly feel special," Ron grumbled to himself. He couldn't believe her. Winning him with what he thought was specially reserved for him, while she was doing the same to Harry. The nerve of her.
"Well, in that case, I might as well come and see if anyone will buy me," Harry consented cheekily. Ginny gave him a slight punch. "And in that case, Hermione, I might tag along as well. Who knows I could find the man of my dreams?" she murmured dreamily.
Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you guys agreed to do it. We need all the men we can get."
"This is only for a good cause. I mean, you auction the men, get the money and save the orphanage. Nothing else will happen. Right?" Charlie inquired closely.
"Nothing more, and nothing less," she answered firmly and contendly leaned against the tree trunk, crossing her arms across her chest.
***