The Bet

"The Bet--Part Sixteen--Pomp and Circumstance"

They exited the castle for the last time and stood upon the grounds. A large stage had been set up on one side of the grounds, and before it were thousands of chairs. The front portion was where the graduates would sit, while the back part was for friends and family. Mrs. Weasley spotted Ron and Harry and ran over to fuss over them.

"I can't believe you're graduating, dears," she gushed as she dragged them over to the entire row of chairs that the Weasley clan was taking up. Charlie and Bill had even managed to come. Percy stood formally and shook Ron's hand by means of congratulations. The twins thumped Ron on the back.

"We didn't think you two would make it!" Fred said.

"Yeah, we figured with all the trouble you two got in, you'd both be dead by now!" George added.

Ron had to laugh. It'd be just like the twins to think like that.

Harry saw that Dumbledore was motioning for all the students to sit down so they rushed towards their seats.

"Not so fast," Seamus said.

Harry and Ron groaned. They'd almost forgot about the bet.

Seamus dragged them off to the side and started casting spells on them to dye their hair pink, put make up on their faces, and to put the horrible "I'm Snape's Bitch," tattoo. They saw that Dean and Neville had already gotten their mini-makeovers.

Seamus smiled to himself, satisfied. "There we go, now let's go graduate!"

Seamus, along with Snape's four bitches, drudged out to his chair and they all took their places. They kept their heads down so they could hide their faces. It wasn't easy to hide their hair, and Harry had never wished for his invisibility cloak more, but the most embarrassing parts of their punishment remained hidden.

Dumbledore gave a long speech, during which Ron had to be prodded awake several times, and then the sorting hat was placed on the stage.

"The hat is present. The hat told you where you belonged when you first arrived, and it is only fitting that it be present when you leave. As I call your name, come forward, receive your diploma, and put the hat on. It has important messages for each of you."

Dumbledore had been standing at a podium, with all of the professors sitting in the background. Dumbledore reached behind the curtain and pulled out a stool. He sat it by the hat, returned to his spot, and began calling names.

Several minutes later, he finally got to "Finnigan, Seamus."

Seamus smiled sadly as he walked up on stage and took his diploma, shaking hands with Dumbledore. He picked up the hat and placed it on his head as he sat down on the stool.

"Ah, I remember you," it said to him.

"Nice to know I've made my impression," he joked.

"I have a message for you. Give in. The proposition will benefit you greatly."

"What are you? Trelawney? Making predictions about my love live?"

"No, but I've sorted them before. I know their minds. And you have nothing to fear. It won't be quite the disaster you feel it will be. In fact, it will be a fun adventure."

"Thanks," Seamus said and took the hat off, placing it back on the stool. He walked back to his seat and watched the rest of his friends graduate.

When it was Neville's turn, and he had securely placed the hat on his head, it began to talk to him.

"Keep it up," it told him.

"Keep what up?"

"You've changed," it said.

"How?"

"You've become the Gryffindor I knew you could be."

"What are you talking about?"

"You thought I had misplaced you, didn't you? You thought you should've been in Hufflepuff. You didn't think you were brave enough to be a Gryffindor. But the hat sees what you will become. And you have become the brave boy I knew you could be. Believe in yourself. Never stop. That's all I can say to you."

Neville started crying, feeling honored, and fled back to his seat.

Snape had not stopped glaring since Neville had looked up when Dumbledore called his name. What was that little git getting at? But he didn't have much time to be angry with Neville, because a minute or so later, Dumbledore called "Potter, Harry."

Upon seeing Harry with those words across his face, Snape jumped up, but was pushed back down by McGonagall, who looked dangerously close to exploding with laughter, her eyes dancing.

Harry took his seat on the stool and began to talk to the hat.

"Still think I should've been in Slytherin?"

"Yes, but you did well in Gryffindor."

"Can't admit you were wrong, can you?"

"No."

"Fine, what's your advice to me?"

"She's almost ready to forgive you. Tell her you love her. And if all else fails, fake crying about your parents and show her your scar."

Harry laughed and pulled the hat off before sitting back down off the stage.

Dean came soon after. With the hat safely on his head, he sat on the stool.

"She doesn't hate you."

"What?"

"The one you love. She doesn't hate you. She just wants an apology."

"Who?"

"You know who. She just wants an apology."

Dean nodded in understanding and took the hat off.

One of the last to be called was "Weasley, Ron."

Upon Dumbledore calling his name, the entire Weasley clan burst out in applause and cheers. Blushing, partly because of their outburst, but mostly because of the make up, hair, and tattoo on his face, Ron made his way to the stage. He heard Fred and George howl with laughter upon seeing his face.

Upon sitting down on the stool, the hat began one of its last talks of the day.

"Tell her."

"Tell who what?"

"How thick could you get!? First Thomas and now you! You know who! And you know what! Tell her that you love her. Tell her you're sorry for the Ball, for not asking her, for the fights, for not supporting her with S.P.E.W., for everything. She wants you to give her a reason. Give her a reason to stay."

"Hat, how do you know so much?"

"I've already been mulling around in her head earlier. I have both sides of this story."

"Oh."

"Just do it."

"Fine."

Ron took the hat off and exited the stage. Dumbledore finished and said to the crowd, "I now present to you the class of 1998!"

The crowd cheered and the students sent celebratory sparks into the air with their wands. Ron, Harry, Neville, Dean, and Seamus hugged each other.

"We did it!" they were all shouting. But their celebrations were cut short as Snape stormed off stage and pulled them apart.

"WHAT IS THIS WRITING ABOUT?" he yelled.

Seamus muttered the reversal spell under his breath and they returned to normal.

"What writing?" he asked brightly.

Snape blinked and said, "it was right...here? Potter, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything."

"You're just lucky I can't suspend you," Snape growled and stomped off.

The five boys gave a whoop. Pissing off Snape, especially when he couldn't do a damn thing about it, was always a cause for elation.

They were soon separated as a mass of family and friends surrounded them and began talking jovially.

Ron and Harry were dragged off to the rest of the Weasleys who were all talking excitedly. When they finally laid off Ron for a moment and had turned their attention to Harry, Ron sneaked off to find her.

He spotted her chatting happily with her family. They were congratulating her on receiving highest marks for their class. He approached her.

"Hermione?"

"Oh, Ron. Hi."

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," he said, smiling at her parents.

The Grangers smiled and walked a few feet away to give the two of them some privacy.

"Hermione, I don't know if you'll ever forgive me, but I love you."

"What?"

"I love you."

"Well, I know that, but you can't just blurt it out like that."

"Why not?"

"It should be romantic, sorta."

"Hermione, help me out here, okay? Look, all that matters is the sentiment, right?"

"I guess."

"And what did you mean you knew I loved you?"

"It's been pretty obvious since fourth year..."

"The Ball?"

"Yeah."

"Oh...right...that."

"Yeah."

"So can I like, kiss you or something?"

"Sure," Hermione shrugged. Ron put his arms around her and kissed her fiercely. A few feet away, Mr. Granger balled up a fist, but Mrs. Granger rubbed his shoulder gently.

"Don't do it, dear," she said.

Mr. Granger's fist immediately released. It was pretty obvious to any watching who was the boss in that family!

-Scene Change-

Harry had finally managed to pry himself away from the Weasleys and quickly found Cho. He cornered her so she'd have to talk to him.

"I didn't tell Rita about us."

"I know."

"Then why won't you talk to me?"

"Because I felt horrible for breaking up with you."

"Oh...hey, don't feel bad. I mean..." he was cut off by Cho kissing him.

"Yeah, okay, feel bad, cuz I felt horrible being deprived of that all year."

Cho giggled. "Can we start dating again?"

"Definitely," Harry said and pulled her into another kiss.

-Scene Change-

Harry and Cho went off in search of Ron. When they found him, he had his arm around Hermione and was talking animatedly to Lavender, who was holding hands with Neville. Neville was looking sheepish.

"Uh, Nev?" Harry questioned when they got over.

Neville just shrugged. He hadn't figured this Lavender thing out just yet either.

Harry nodded in acknowledgement. "Hey, where's Dean and Seamus?"

They all looked around for them. Cho spotted Dean fairly quickly. He was standing off in a remote corner of the grounds, alone with Parvati, and they were making out.

"Oh." Ron said stifling a chuckle once he'd seen them.

"He always said she and Padma were the prettiest girls in our grade," Harry said, nodding.

"So where's Seamus?"

They were all looking to their left as Seamus approached them.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, tapping Harry on the shoulder and almost giving him a heart attack.

They all gasped and turned around. Then they gasped again. Because Seamus had his arm around someone. Rather, two someones. On his left was Draco, and on his right was Pansy.

Ron grabbed Seamus and dragged him off away from the group. Harry and Neville followed, leaving Draco, Pansy, Hermione, Cho, and Lavender.

"What the fuck?" was all Ron could get out.

"I told him to quit bugging you!" Neville squeaked.

Harry just stared his mouth agape.

"We uh, had fun that time I told you about," he shrugged. "Draco and Pansy had already gotten a flat to live in after graduation, and a month or so ago, they invited me too. I just agreed to move in with them a few minutes ago."

"Why?" Harry managed to say.

"The three of us have kinda...been a couple all year."

"The three of you have been a couple?"

"Sorta."

Harry laughed. After every other crazy thing that had happened to him this year, this almost made sense.

He congratulated Seamus on finding the love...er, loves of his life and rejoined Cho. Neville just shrugged, gave Seamus a brotherly slap on the shoulder, and returned to Lavender. Ron stood agape for a few moments and then muttered, "well, if you like having ferrets up you ass..."

Seamus burst out laughing and playfully punched Ron before returning to their friends.

Dean and Parvati had come over by then and they all talked excitedly about their plans for the future.

THE END