A/N:
Written for the International Wizarding School Championship.
School and Year: Durmstrang, Year 3
Theme: Christmas
Prompt: The Burrow, Fred and George Weasley, "Give me one good reason why I should wear a dress."
Word Count: 1172
A Little Bet
"Give me one good reason why I should wear a dress."
"Other than you losing the bet you made with Fred while you were drunk?" Harry asked, flipping through the Quibbler. "Or the fact that you were drunk enough to make a magical vow so it is binding?"
Ron scowled.
"And you don't have a thousand galleons, this is the only forfeit they accepted. I told you not to make that stupid bet." Hermione exclaimed, eyes on the Daily Prophet.
"Hermione! You are supposed to be my best friend! Don't make me go through this. Can't you make a deal with them? You are dating Fred, for Merlin's sake!"
"I am quite aware of that, thank you. You should not have blessed us with your drunken ramblings. Who do you think gave Fred the idea of a dress?"
Ron looked scandalized while Harry burst out laughing.
"Here, Harry. Switch." Hermione said, giving Harry the Daily Prophet and taking the Quibbler.
"Yes, but its Christmas dinner tonight!" Ron whined, throwing Hermione a dark scowl.
Hermione bit her lip as she tried to hide her smile.
"You can eat without worries, Ron. The dress can take it." she replied instead.
"You should be glad they aren't making you wear it for your wedding next month." Harry teased.
"With friends like you two, who needs enemies?" Ron mumbled, snatching the dress off the bed and stomping towards the loo.
Seventeen minutes later, when Ron descended the stairs, every Weasley and extended family currently at the Burrow gathered at foot of the stairs. When Ron finally came into view, they burst into laughter.
"Hermione, is that your Yule ball dress?" Ginny asked, tears of laughter running down her face.
"I had to make minor adjustments, but yes." Hermione gasped, clutching her stomach as she leaned against Fred.
"How long before he can take it off?" Fred asked, grabbing her hand as he joined the group of people who were trailing after Ron.
"Yes, Granger. Do enlighten us." George questioned, charming the camera to follow Ron around and snap pictures while he yelled and cussed, only to be berated by Mrs. Weasley.
"Only for a few hours. He really should not have made that bet." Hermione smiled and her eyes widened as she spied a figure standing in the garden through the window.
"Who invited Viktor?!" she exclaimed, torn between shock and amusement.
"That'll be me." Harry declared proudly, throwing an arm around her shoulders.
Fred and George regarded him with appreciative looks.
"Who would have thought–"
"–Savior Potter would have it in him!"
"Ickle Ron's own best friend–"
"–his only best friend–"
"–colluding with his only enemy–"
"–one of his many enemies!"
George whistled approvingly.
"I know he pissed these two off, but what did he do to you?" George asked Harry.
Harry smirked.
"You don't think that bet involved me?" Harry smiled mischievously.
Hermione elbowed Harry sharply.
"It was in the third year! It was more friendly than romantic!" Hermione retorted indignantly.
"We know, love." Fred said, winking at her.
"So, Ron bet Fred that Hermione's first kiss was Viktor but it was Harry!" George exclaimed gleefully, putting the pieces together.
"I mean, I get it. We were all drunk at Lee's party." Harry explained, smiling.
"But the git kept saying he knew it was Viktor, even though Hermione kept saying no." Fred continued.
"He made a bet with us. The next day, when he was alive again, I told him it was me." Harry snorted, shaking his head.
"Then, Ron proceeded to kick up a storm about it." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Something about betrayal, stabbing him in the back and what was the rest of it, Harry?"
"More or less of the same. He really should get over himself." Harry responded waspishly. Then, he brightened. "So, we decided to teach him a lesson!"
George chortled.
Ginny made her way towards the four.
"Ron is making such a fuss outside, I thought it was the dress but it is just a little laugh. Ron keeps trying to run away from wherever Krum is and tripping on the helm! I don't think I have ever seen Percy laugh like that."
All of them burst into laughter.
Ginny narrowed her eyes at them.
"The dress isn't the only bet, right?" she asked.
"Nope." Harry answered, grinning. "Krum was playing for the Leagues, and Ron obviously did not expect him to be here or that he would have the chance to complete his bet tonight. But it is Christmas, and Krum is all alone so why can Harry Potter not invite a fellow Triwizard champion to a quaint family dinner?"
"Hermione, Harry is talking about himself in the third person again!" Ginny complained, but her tone was playful.
Hermione laughed.
"I believe we can give him a pass today, Gin." Hermione answered and led them outside.
Ron could be heard grumbling, but the crowd gathered in the garden of the Burrow was loud and merry. As the group sat down, Ginny leaned towards Harry and asked–
"And your bet with Ron?"
Harry smiled and shook his head.
"Let's just say it all depends on how well Ron remembers a little speech."
The dinner was simply sublime. There was a great deal of laughter, drinking and love. As for the entertainment–
After having multiple dessert rounds, Ron finally looked up from his food and stood up.
"See, the dress is holding up nicely." Hermione whispered to Harry.
Harry chuckled loudly and that drew Ron's attention.
Ron glared fiercely at four people.
Harry simply saluted him with his drink.
George charmed his camera again, smirking.
Fred sent him a shark-like grin.
Hermione raised an eyebrow in challenge.
Muttering obscenities under his breath, Ronald Weasley straightened and made his way to the other side of the table. The noise that seemed to be a natural part of the Burrow died down slowly.
Ron's face was redder than his hair, providing an amusing contrast to the periwinkle blue dress he was wearing. He stopped when he reached his destination and cleared his throat loudly–
"I have always admired you from afar. I watched you play and it was all I wanted to be. When you first came to Hogwarts, I had a miniature figurine of you. But it is nothing compared to the beauty and grace of your–"
Ron's passionate speech and Krum's increasingly bewildered expression were drowned out by an explosion of boisterous laughter.
Everyone had really tried controlling themselves, but Kingsley's booming laugh had broken the spell.
Dinner at the Burrow was always a thing to remember.
This Christmas, thanks to a little bet, it was a dinner no one would ever want to forget.
Except, maybe Ron.
But, thanks to Fred and George's latest Patented Memory Catching Charm, he would never be allowed to forget.
Ron vowed to never drink that much or make another bet again.
Krum vowed to never accept any dinner invitation from Harry Potter.
-fin-