©Sunrisepainter: Because of Snape

Bets & Beats

Fred was currently sitting with his twin brother and Lee Jordan in the common room when the portrait of the fat lady swung aside and an gloomy looking Hope climbed through the hole. Lie always she carried a book under her arm and a quill right behind her ear. Since first grade it was her specific appearance and somehow it reminded Fred a lot of Luna Lovegood, a fourth grader from Ravenclaw, who was friends with his little sister. Even if their characters were different.

"Hey, Shycates", he yelled and she looked at him like she had much better things to do.

"What's up, Weasley?"
"Come here for a second!"

"I have no reason to do so!", she snorted.

Fred rolled his eyes:

"I just don't wanna shout across the whole common room!"

"Really? You do it all the time anyway!"
Right now he had the urge to cast an evil spell on her but it would've been bad for their cooperation. George and Lee could hardly keep their laughter but Fred tried to stay calm. He leaned back in his seat and just said:
"Alright, if you're not interested in your mark for Potions, I guess I'll have to do it on my own!"

Hope bit her bottom lip. Inwardly Fred smirked. He knew how much she cared about good marks. He could read on her face that she was struggling with herself: Either she had to swallow her proud and walk over to him or she just walked away and put up with a bad mark.

Eventually she squared her shoulders and stepped over to him holding her head high.

"Don't smirk like that!", she hissed as she was standing next to his seat, "so, what's now?"
"That's our potions. I though, you'd like to know which one we had to brew", he gave her the small paper.

Hope raised an eyebrow but took the piece of parchment and unfolded it.

"Oh no!", she moaned and let herself fall down on the next best armchair, "I think we're cursed or something like that!"

"You think I am happy that we of all things had to brew something like that? Isn't it worse enough that we're partners?"

"Do me a favor, Weasley! Don't call us partners! Let's do this and that's enough!"

"I agree, but there's one condition: We'll stay enemies!"

"Of course!"

"First meeting on Monday, nine pm, library!"
"Why is it actually you who make this appointement?"
"Because the meeting can't overlap the Quidditch training, Shycates!"

"Okay, but next time it's my turn to define the meetig!"
Fred just shrugged it off. Hope raised from her seat:

"So, see you on Monday, Weasley! I have to correct my essay about Aphrodilroots!"

"You're already finished?", Lee looked at her in surprise.

"Yeah!"

His eyes started to gleam:

"I've some slight promblems with my essay! May I have a look on yours?"

"Not a chance, Jordan! I won't let you copy it!", by saying so she turned around and paced away.

"This woman makes me so mad!", Fred grumbled when she was gone.

"Man, why couldn't she show me her essay", Lee mumbled. George laughed:

"I wouldn't to it, too! Or you're seriously gonna tell me that it wasn't your intention to copy it?" Lee grinned:

"Right, she figured me out. She's smart!"

"But annoying...", Fred said.

"...and precious!", George added.

"Perhaps, but also pretty as hell!"

"McLaggen", Fred said bored.

Cormac was in the same grade as Lee, George and Fred, but didn't really belong to their group. He was something like the complement of Hope. But with the difference that he didn't exclude himself but just was ignored by others.

"Don't say you still didn't notice. If she wasn't so obsessed with her books, she aready would have a boyfriend!"

"Someone like you?", Lee grinned cheeky. Nonchalantly Cormac leaned back in his chair:

"Maybe!"

"You're not seriously wanna say that you have a thing for this fiend?", Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? She really is ind of pretty", Lee shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you for real?", Fred looked disbelievingly at his friend.

"Hello? We're talking about Hope Shycates! The wallflower per se!"

"And you're never gonna get her, McLaggen. She's out of your league", George commented dryly. A malicious smirk appeared on Cormac's face:

"You bet?"
"Sure", the twins answered simultaneously. They could never resist bets.

"And who's gonna be adjudicator?", George asked.

"Me!"; Lee answered right away. But Cormac disagreed :

"Nah, you're partial! We need someone who has nothing to do with that!"

"Hermione", George proposed.

"What's wrong with you, boy? If we induct her, she'll bother us with one of her never ending sermons!", his brother hissed.

"Not a girl! It had to me a boy!", Cormac said.

"What about Harry?", Lee uttered thoughtfully.

"Harry Potter?", Cormac looked at him doubtfully.

"Naturally!", Fred nodded.

"I'm gonna go catching him!", and so George was already gone.

He looked in all corners of the common room to find the golden trio, but could only see Hermione who was sunken in a book. Determined he walked over to her.

"Er, do you have any idea where I can find Harry?"
She raised her head and looked at him with her amber eyes. Why did he feel so hot all of a sudden?

"I'm sorry, George. But I guess he's attending privet lessons by Snape!"
"And Ron?" She just shrugged her shoulders:

"I have no clue."

George didn't know what else to say. He just was utterly confused. He was never.

"May I help you instead?", she asked and smiled kindly at him.

Couldn't his heart stop beating this fast? This was Hermione Granger, the little friend of his younger brother! No reason for butterflies in his stomach!

"Er...n-no...tha-thanks, Mione. I mean Hermione", he stammered.

"Okay", by saying that she hunkered back over her book. He was about to leave as he remembered something.

"By the way, why did you know that I am George?" She blushed a little:
"No idea, perhaps a good guess...?", it was more an uncertain question instead of a remark. But he just nodded his head and rushed away in a hurry. His heart was still speeding as fast as his pulse. Seamus bumped into him:

"Sorry, Fred...or George!"

"I am...eh..wait a second, Seamus!", he grabbed him at his cape.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have a moment?"

"There you are!", Fed said relieved as his brother and Seamus approached them.

"That's not Harry Potter", Cormac asserted and eyed the fifth grader.

"I couldn't find Harry so I supposed that Seamus could do this job as well!"
"Better then Jordan", Cormac grumbled.

"Alright, where do we put our money on?", asked Fred.

"If I am able to kiss Shycates within a month, you'll do my homework for the rest of the term!"
"Fine, but it should be..."

"...a passionate kiss and..."

"...she has to respond it."
"If you're not able to do it you have to..."

"...volunteer for a test person..."

"...for our new products!"

All parties agreed to the conditions and the handshake was parted by Seamus. Fred was positive that Cormac could never win and so he never thought one second about the negative effects of their bet.

End of Chapter Four