Not Your Ordinary Love Story

by LondonWitch

A/N: If you've been reading the author's notes, you will have already been aware that none of this is mine, except for the plot. You should also be aware that Skiving Snackboxes aren't selling very well in Hogsmeade, Ron's tongue is now light blue, Draco liked to stare at Ginny's butt and that this is the gang's 6th year at Hogwarts. Have you been paying attention? Thanks for all of the loyal and not-so-loyal reviewers! I really appreciate it!

Chapter Ten: "Hand Over The Galleons And Nobody Gets Hurt"

Hermione's eyes went out of focus for a minute, and her book slid out of her grasp and down to the floor. All of a sudden, her tongue tingled for a moment, and then grew very warm. This lasted for about three seconds. Hermione gained focus again, and ran over to the mirror above the fireplace. Spitting the gum into her hand, she could see that her tongue was – was it? – light, periwinkle blue.

"Ron, something was wrong with that gum and – oh...you're...you're...very cute today," Hermione said, as the truth-telling effects started to work their magic upon her senses. Her eyes went very wide as she said this, and she considered running for the door, but then remembered that it was locked.

"Um – er – right, okay...and, er...Hermione...you're very pretty yourself," Ron replied, getting red around his ears as he spoke. He had no clue why they were saying these things, or what was happening, but there was no way out of the room.

"Ron, what's going on? I thought I was studying my book about how hippogriffs have all sorts of magical properties, and how...I like you, Ron," Hermione faltered out, as her entire face began to redden. She could feel the heat creeping up to the tips of ears as she stared at her feet.

Ron just sputtered under his breath for a minute and then sighed and said, "Yes. No. Okay. I – like you, too, if me breaking a miniature Krum into pieces is any indication. It's your call," he finished with a smile, remembering when Harry had confronted him about the miniature arm he found under his bed on Boxing Day in their 4th year.

"Yeah, that would make it a bit obvious. But why wasn't I informed of this miniature, broken Krum? Wouldn't Harry have told Ginny, and Ginny would have told me? Or someone that would have told me? So how long have you liked me for?" Hermione grinned, and sat on the edge of one of the couches in front of the flickering fire.

It was beginning to get a bit dark outside, and Ginny had to fly a bit closer to the window to see. Hearing was no trouble, as she had grabbed one of her pairs of Extendable Ears before leaving for the walk with Hermione. Inside, Harry was watching, basically captivated, while Seamus and Neville were stifling back their laughter. They found this very amusing, but were restraining themselves from too much noise in the sake of the extremely profitable bet.

Ron considered his answer for a few moments, and then said thoughtfully, "I guess since the troll thing in our first year, definitely since you were obsessed with Lockhart in our second. Harry didn't figure it out until third year, after our fight about Crookshanks and Scabbers. Wait – why aren't you answering any questions? Why are you asking all of the questions?"

"Because I'm a good listener, and it was pretty obvious that I liked you ever since – well, forever, I guess. I think I really knew it after the Yule Ball, though. That stupid fight – 'Next time ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort,'" Hermione mimicked herself from two years before. Somewhere, very faintly, she thought she heard a giggle.

"Ron? Did you hear that?" Hermione asked, looking around her but seeing only empty chairs, tables and sofas. Ron looked at her, puzzled, and shook his head no. Hermione sighed, assumed she was imagining things, and pulled out a half-knitted elf hat from her schoolbag.

"Hermione! Are you still trying to free those elves? You know, Dobby took – er..." Ron started, and then caught himself as he remembered that Hermione didn't know Dobby kept all of the hats.

"Dobby what?" Hermione asked, jumping up to face him, the elf hat clutched in her hand. She stalked over to where Ron had been standing in front of the fire and glared at him menacingly. "Dobby took my hats, is that what you were going to say? I bet you've been keeping this from me for goodness-knows-how-long and –" Hermione was cut off, as Ron had unexpectedly kissed her.

"Awww," came two dozen or so female voices from around them as they broke apart. Someone, sounding suspiciously like Harry, yelled, "What a Kodak moment!" Hermione finally understood, grinned, and then threw her hands up and called, "Okay, you guys can come out now!"

Slowly, the Gryffindors began to emerge from the stairwells. Parvati and Lavender were crying happily, Harry was beaming, Neville and Seamus and Dean were making disgusted faces, and Ginny was pounding on the window to be let in.

As several students ran over to unlock the window for Ginny (who was still hovering outside), Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were standing in front of the fireplace.

"You guys just won us about two hundred galleons. Good work," Harry congratulated them with a chuckle. Ron just stared at him with a confused expression, and so Harry had to tell them the basis of the whole plan to get them together. And then about the bet – that really ticked Hermione off.

"You were betting on us, Harry James Potter?" Hermione seethed, with her I'm-Going-To-Kill-You-So-You'd-Better-Start-Running expression plastered on. "This was all about the money?! Harry, you little –"

Harry stopped her by putting a hand up, and replying, "If it makes it any better, Hermione, I'll buy you a replacement for that ink that Ron lost. We'll special-order it from France."

Hermione grinned, and Ron yelled at the top of his lungs, "I DID NOT LOSE IT! SHE DIDN'T HAND IT TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE!" So, of course, Hermione had to argue back. Soon, they were bickering once again about the ink that had gotten misplaced. Then Hermione gave up and just kissed Ron instead. It was easier than fighting.

Ginny snuck up behind Harry, who was clearing his throat every few seconds and trying not to stare at his friends as they kissed. Harry jumped and spun around as Ginny poked him in the spine.

"What was that for -" Harry began, but Ginny followed Ron and Hermione's example and just kissed him. Then she looked him straight in the eye and said, "I love you, Harry. And I shouldn't have needed a dare to tell me that."

"I love you too, Ginny. So – are we dating for real?" Harry said, and finished it with a laugh. Hermione grinned at them and Ron said in a joking tone, "Well, Gin, I don't know if he's good enough for you, I mean, come on! We're talking Harry, here!"

They all laughed, and around them, everyone began to clap quite loudly. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny weren't really a group of four anymore – they were more like two couples that just happened to be best friends.

Seamus waved his hands and the crowd began to quiet down. "We'd like to thank our sponsors, Fred and George Weasley, for making the candies. Since they seemed to work very well, the Weasley twins will be putting them on the market very soon." He paused and pulled the betting list from his pocket. "Okay, now, just hand over the galleons and nobody gets hurt."

Dean, Seamus, Neville and Harry just beamed as the rest of the crowd groaned, and soon the boys with the bet were very rich indeed.

A/N: Aw, I love fluff. Especially the marshmallow kind :-). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it because this story IS NOT OVER. Oh, no. This is just the beginning – well, actually, the first chapter was the beginning. The next chapter will also be the last chapter, but I promise it'll be good - and EXTREMELY fluffy. Reviews are appreciated very, very much.