All Bets Are On...

If anyone would have thought the ghosts had fulfilled their meddling ways during breakfast, they would have been far from right. It was only ten o'clock, the first class of the day had ended, and the ghost's bet was nowhere near over.

In fact, floating around the fourth staircase's foyer, Myrtle, Peeves, and Nearly Headless Nick watched the door to the classroom open and the swarm of children crowd the halls with an unprecedented amount of glee. For a whole two hours, all three ghosts had endured the customary boredom that came with being..well..dead.

They could have been having fun going into one of the classes and causing chaos in the name of matchmaking, but Nick and Moaning Myrtle refused to because they didn't want to get in any trouble with the teachers. And though Peeves kept on looming dangerously close to Professor Binn's classroom (the one that it just so happened Hermione, Harry, and Ron were in) Moaning Myrtle and Nick made sure he never so much as went through the doorway either.

But now with class over and an abundance of kids roaming the halls, the ghost's minds were filled with pranks to turn the bet in their favor-all in the twenty minutes the students had between class to allow such mayhem to take place. The ghosts intended to make use of every last second.

Or they would as soon as they discovered exactly which anonymous student chatting with their friends was Hermione, Ron, or Harry.

Nick peered over the wooden railing of at the students below. "Which one is Hermione?"

"Easy! Frizzball always sticks out. Look for Potter the Rotter and Freckles," stated Peeves.

"From up here all I can see are the backs of people's robes. One cannot tell who somebody is just from looking at the back of their robes," said Nearly Headless Nick stiffly.

Peeves glanced down at the seemingly sea of black and nodded. "Your wimpyness is right. They all look the same."

Myrtle joined Peeves and Nick in peering down at the Hogwart's students and her eyes immediately zoomed to focus on the back of one person's robes in less time then it took the other two ghosts to blink. "Oh look..there's Harry!"

Nearly Headless Nick and Peeves both stared at her. "I don't want to know, I don't want to know," muttered Nearly Headless Nick. Peeves grinned. "Pimply wimply has a thing for dimply-"

"I REALLY don't want to know," Nick cut in before Peeve's could finish whatever new rhyme he had thought of. "Errmm, Myrtle? Can you tell which one's Hermione?"

"Oh, of course," said Myrtle with an air of superiority, and Nick was relieved to see that this time she didn't have to do any entensive back of robe watching to find Hermione. "She's the one with books piled up higher than her face."

*********

The target..ahem..person in question, Hermione, did indeed have her face buried behind a massive, dangerously wobbling stack of books. And that was with other half of them buried in her bulging book bag, as well.

The trio had split for their two different classes-Ron had Muggle Studies and Harry and Hermione had Professor Binn's History-so therefor, Ron was nowhere in sight.

Harry and Seamus, however, were each on one side of Hermione, the former of which was insisting on walking sideways with his hands held out. When asked, Harry had explained his peculiar behavior by saying he didn't want to spend a year trying to dig Hermione out from under her pile of books when the "leaning tower" collapsed- which, he and Seamus both swore, it would do any minute.

*********

Peeves may have been way up on the fourth foyer, staircases and staircases away from Hermione, but that didn't mean his wand wasn't just as handy. Waving it in the air, he recited a spell. The only spell he seemed to know, as it was almost the exactly same one he had done to Hermione's chair at breakfast earlier that morning. With a few minor tweaks, of course.

"The leaning tower" did not fall down as Seamus and Harry had predicted. Instead, it turned into a tornado of books, several of them flying out of Hermione's arms to smack unsuspecting students in the noses and chins as she was zoomed against her will once again towards yet another young man.

Both Myrtle and Nick gaped in horror as they saw exactly what Peeve's wand had done, and even Peeve's smirk looked slightly less than usual as he witnessed just to whom exactly he had sent Hermione flying across the hall. Nobody, to be precise. Some first year kid who had was in the process of blowing his nose.

Myrtle looked at Nick. "Maybe it's because his wand is broken," she said, searching for a possible explanation for Peeves screwing up his magical spell again.

"Maybe it's because Peeves is holding it upside down," said Nick.

"Peeves isn't holding the wand upside down! Peeves IS upside down," stated Peeves, whose feet were, true to his word, even with Nearly Headless Nick's and Moaning Myrtle's heads. His own head was busy sticking its tongue out from between the rung of the wooden railing at every last student that actually bothered to look up towards the fourth foyer.

Nick groaned. At least he of all the ghosts knew how to use his wand-at least, he thought he did. He hoped he did......

"Don't worry. I'll fix the spell," Moaning Myrtle said before Nick had a chance to get out his own wand and send Hermione towards Harry. Yanking out her wand, she muttered a spell similiar to Peeves and waved her wand in the student's direction.

"There. Hermione will run into Ron in approximately ten seconds."

Hermione now didn't have to have a spell on her to send her flying down the hall-she did it all of her own accord. It was hard not to when you had a disembodied head chasing you the length of the hall. Even if it was the disembodied head of a certain jolly old man in red.

"What?" asked Myrtle indignantly upon seeing Nick and Peeves questioning looks. "Would you rather it was the easter bunny? Besides, you have to admit, the whole white beard is very scary."

Hermione ran as hard as she could..until the force of running into somebody stopped her. She turned to look up at who she had bumped into and saw..Ron?

Myrtle gave a satisfied smile. A satisfied smile that vanished the minute the spell wore off and the disembodied head dissapeared into thin air, leaving Hermione standing next to Ron. Hermione next to Ron was a good thing. A good thing when two certain red haired twins weren't just walking towards the two of them with their own best friend in tow-which, they unfortunately were.

"Freckles isn't alone!" hissed Peeves, distracted at last from sticking his tongue out at random students as he saw the twins were not that far away from Ron and Hermione.

"Well, it looked like he was," Myrtle defended herself.

Nick shook his head. "You don't know the meaning of alone. You're always surrounded by teenage boys!"

"I beg your pardon?," Myrtle asked haughtily. "I'll have you know I used to haunt the girl's bathroom too."

This seemed to be all the cue Peeves needed to begin singing his song again. "Pimply wimply is ick! She has an obsession with prefect's broomsti-"

"Put a lid on it," snapped Nick and Myrtle.

**************

George and Fred Weasley, along with Lee Jordan, were walking to their next classes via the usual route when they saw both Hermione and Ron up ahead. Or actually more like Hermione running into Ron up ahead. Running from..the head of Santa Clause? All three cracked up laughing.

It had to be, George figured, some stupid first years idea of a prank. Too bad he hadn't thought it up first. To use on Draco, not Hermione, of course. He would get Hermione into his arms on his own account..no pranks involved..not too many, anyway.

"Whooa. The Weasley Animal Magnetism is working overtime today," said George to Fred and Lee as he pointed out Hermione running into Ron.

Lee ran his hand over his nose. "You mean your cologne..ackk."

George grinned. "That's not my cologne, that's me and Fred's new invention, isn't it Fred?"

Fred nodded. "Yup. Stinking Serenading Dungbombs."

"What would you want them to sing for?" asked Jordan.

"More annoying," said George.

"Just imagine George singing an opera while trying to brush his teeth and viola! You have the Stinking Serenading Dungbomb," put in Fred helpfully. "Except George doesn't explode," he said almost sorrowfully, glancing at his twin.

"Yet," added George.

Lee snickered. "No wonder you two haven't got girlfriends."

"Neither have you," pointed out George and Fred.

"Yeah, but I still have more experience than either of you when it comes to dating," Lee said defensively.

"With what? A pillow?" snorted George.

Lee decided the conversation was taking a too personal turn and changed the topic as he and the twins jostled their way between the many other students to get near Ron and Hermione.

"I still can't believe you like her, George." Lee looked slyly towards Hermione.

George nearly spit out the combination of three Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans that he was chewing (licorice, peppermint, and orange.) How had Lee figured it out? Ugh. If it was that obvious, he was going to have to work a little harder on hiding his feelings. Otherwise not only would Hermione know-so would Ron and Harry. And that was something he didn't want them knowing..not right then.

"What? Me? No. No way! You've got me all wrong," George protested weakly.

"Riiight." Fred shook his head. "Oh, give it up, George. Me and Lee aren't exactly the three blind mice, you know. It's pretty obvious."

George looked from Fred to Lee. "Umm..actually, it would be two."

"See? You're already correcting the way we talk!," exclaimed Lee. "You like her." They were rapidly closing in on Hermione and Ron-George feverently hoped Hermione hadn't overheard anything, as she was within a distance where she could.

Fred nodded wisely. "Next thing, you'll be noticing grammar errors. Then, it's only a mattter of time before you start snogging Hermione behind Hogwarts, A History."

George was glad they had finally reached Hermione and Ron. Honestly, didn't Lee and Fred ever mind their own business? Not that George did either, come to think of it..he was just invading in on Ron and Ron's crush, after all.

"I can't believe you didn't see it Ron! I swear, it was absolutely disgusting. The disembodied head.."

"Of Santa Claus," finished George, stepping up beside Hermione and Ron, along with Fred (Jordan had departed to go to his own next class-and to catch up with Alicia, George figured.)

Hermione felt sheepish. "Well, still-it was quite frightening! Especially when it just appears behind you from out of nowhere and starts running you down the hall."

Ron sighed. The one time Hermione's afraid of something and she decides to run into me. Why couldn't she have better aim and run into my arms instead of my stomach? It's not my fault I'm tall. Then, when I finally think I'll be able to get to comfort her, my whole sodding family has to show up..the only other Weasley currently at Hogwarts that isn't here is Ginny. He knew it was useless to try and tell the twins to go away. If he did, he would have to have a reason for doing so-and well, his reason wasn't exactly one he was going to admit to.

"Great. Next thing you know, you'll be imagining ghosts like Percy does," said Fred.

"Well, you can't blame him. You gave him quite a scare. Next time you break into a locked house at three in the morning, try to remember that your window is in the back of the house, not the front."

Fred gave George a frosty glare, obviously emberassed. "Oh, shut up."

Of course, George being the kind to all siblings person that he was, that only convinced him to continue. "Though, I really can't see how you sounded likea ghost..I was thinking more along the lines of a pregnant elephant. Just exactly how much did you have to drink at that party anyway?"

Hermione tried to hold back a smile, but didn't succeed. Fred and George's mock arguement was fun to watch. At least for her it was. She stole a glance at Ron, who seemed to be scowling. But then, Ron hadn't been a very good mood this morning either, Hermione reminded herself. It was just the whole Krum thing-and her brief sit by the Weasley twins at breakfast. He was probably sulking.

"Wow, George. For a minute there, you reminded me of good ol' mum..minus the frying pan," retorted Fred, trying to save face.

"Were you guys ever innocent?" asked Hermione. Ron seemed to have gone out of the conversation altogether and was simply watching with a stony expression.

"Yup, " George told her seriously. "When we were asleep."

Ron finally spoke and Hermione detected a note of anger to match the sarcasm in his voice. He was mad at his brothers for something-but what?

"Oh no you weren't. I still remember the time we went camping and you both rolled over in your sleeping bags and banged me into the corner of a kettle."

"Accident, I swear!" said Fred in protest.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, you were aiming for Percy instead?"

George gave her a grin. "You read my mind."

For some reason unbeknowst to her, his smile caused Hermione to blush-and caused Ron to scowl even more.

*********

Myrtle was scowling almost as much as Ron. "This is NOT working!"

Nearly Headless Nick, seeing his chance, used it. One wave of his wand and Hermione was going straight off towards Harry, struggling to keep her books from spilling out of her arms. As soon as he saw that Hermione was with a foot of Harry, Nick waved his wand again and the floor near them both was covered in slippery water.

Hermione slipped and slid-straight into Harry, as Nick had expected.

"Where'd you get water?" asked Myrtle incredously.

"You of all people should know." Nick grinned. "I borrowed it from the girl's bathroom."

**********

Hermione glanced up to see who had caught her and found herself staring into a pair of bright green eyes. She was standing upright now-albeit still slipping around, but Harry refused to remove his arms from around her. Not that Hermione minded. The water was still on the floor as slippery as ever. If Harry had let go, she would have gone falling down in a heartbeat. Not that that was the only reason she didn't want him to let go..

Feeling extremely confused as was warranted to a girl who had been flown and pushed into more guys then she needed, Hermione began trying to make her way across the slippery floor, getting out of Harry's grip so she could try to pull him away from the puddle of water in addition to herself.

It was then she noticed two red heads watching. Two red heads she had left minutes ago when she went zooming across the floor. Harry noted them as well.

"How come wherever you go lately, they keep popping up beside you like that? " asked Harry, more to himself than Hermione.

Hermione grinned wryly. "I'd say it was the Weasley Animal Magnetism, but I'm afraid I'm not a Weasley. Maybe they're trying to blackmail me into helping them T.P the library?"

"That sounds like something they'd be up to," said Harry as he tried to manuaver himself to keep both him and Hermione from slipping head over heels into the puddle.

"I give it a ten!" said Fred as he observed them both.

"Nah. Two points off for them not wearing any ice skates," said George.

Hermione glared at him. "If I wasn't slipping, I'd turn you into a toad." George and Fred both gave her infuriating grins and then walked off, presumably to their next class.

At that very moment, absorbed in talking to George, Hermione at last did what she had been fearing she would do, she fell on her derrier. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one that fell down into the puddle. Harry, still holding her arm, went right down with her, causing a bit of a splash in the twin's direction as he got his robes soaked.

Even more unfortunately (and uncomfortably) Harry didn't just fall into the puddle, he fell on top of Hermione.

"Alright. That wasn't my wand. Who just knocked Hermione over?"

Back up on the fourth foyer, Nick glared at Myrtle. "This better not have been part of your plan."

Myrtle's eyes widened. "It wasn't! I swear! Besides, why would I want Harry to fall on top of her? I'm for Ron, remember?"

Nick was convinced. He wouldn't have been nearly as much so if he could have seen Myrtle crossing her fingers behind her back. Hey, what could she say, the view of the back of Harry's robes all swished around him like that was not a bad one from up here.

Nick glared at Peeves next. "Was it you then, Peeves?"

Peeves, now blowing rasberrys, shook his head. "Uhuh. I would have put Potter that Rotter on the bottom. Give him a concussion that way."

"How do you know that?"

"Experience." Peeves gave a rather nasty grin as he remembered all the broken limbs he had caused in his lifetime.

**********

Hermione and Harry stood, soaked through and through and apprehensive, at the door that lead to Snape's dungeon. Harry couldn't help studying Hermione discreetly-her robes, now completely wet, hung about her in a most becoming fashion, showing the curves that their usual spaciousness managed to cover. Don't stare, Don't stare, he had to keep telling himself over and over. Harry focused his eyes on a spot on the wall.

"If I had known we had potions next, I wouldn't have run," said Hermione dismally, shaking one of her textbooks to get the water out of it with one hand and with the other trying to wring out her hair.

"If I had known we had potions next, I would have skipped it altogether in favor of standing next to the fireplace in the common room," said Harry with a shake of his head which sent droplets of water flying everywhere.

"Alright. We have to get this over with sooner or later. What's the worst Snape can do to us for being late, after all?"

Teeth chattering, Hermione put her fingers on the rusty, old fashioned door ring and pulled.

"Oh, I dunno. Probably disembowel us," said Harry as they entered Potions.

There was no way Snape was going to let Harry and Hermione sneak in to sit next to Ron, Hermione realized as she saw Snape's unpleasant leer as he took in both of them and their sopping wet robes. No, Snape would make sure their entrance was about as inconspicious as Professor Flitwick on stilts.