Being Parents

Place Your Bets

 

The summer arrived in England with all its strength. The british didn't see rain for days and days at a time and when it actually came, it was a real storm. Around the Auror Office, Harry had casted powerful refrigerating charms so they could work with no one passing out from the heat. The whole department ended up not leaving the office during their working hours since the rest of the Ministry was hell itself. Hermione enjoyed her breaks and lunch in Harry's office and one day almost cried when leaving back to work. She had accepted Kingsley offer and was supposed to start her new job in September. 

Ginny thanked she wasn't pregnant anymore and pitied Angelina for suffering that much. Harry had also charmed their house so the temperature would be more enjoyable, which helped a lot handling a baby. Ron was working his ass off in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade store so the latter could be ready before the coming school year started. Hannah visited regularly Ginny to take doubts concerning her wedding plans and even begged Ginny and Hermione to be her bridesmaids. Neville had asked Harry and Ron to be his groomsmen and Teddy would be the ring bearer. 

Ron and Harry had started side-bets with George around Susan and Seamus and how long would they take to finally get together. As Head Auror, Harry shouldn't encourage intra-partner relationships, but he couldn't shake the feeling they were just meant to be. George had his hopes on Neville and Hannah's wedding and Harry placed his shots at the Ministry New Years' Party.

"I think it's going to be on Halloween." Ron guessed when they were discussing it one thursday evening they were at Ron and Hermione's flat having dinner. The women were discussing something in the kitchen and taking way too long with the food.

"Why Halloween? What's the occasion?" George asked, confused.

"A bit cliché, don't you think?" Harry teased.

"Not as cliché as New Years, mate!" Ron fought back. "And I'm thinking about doing a little Halloween party. We could go 'trick or treat' with the kids before and at night the adults party." 

"And when you say 'I am thinking' you mean 'Hermione is thinking', right?" Harry made sure. Ron nodded with an embarrassed smile. "Ok, valid. But for the bet to be clean, it's NOT allowed to interfere with the future couple, deal?"

"Deal." Ron and George agreed together and they all exchanged handshakes, each one with a malefic idea forming on how to get the two together on when they bet.

Shortly after, their wives came back, levitating the trays with food. Ron, Harry and George rose from their seats in the couch and proceeded to the dining room, each one sitting next to the respective wife. Teddy, who was painting at the coffee table, also joined them and Ginny placed James in his high chair.

"So, Ron, George? How is the shop going in Hogsmeade?" Ginny started.

"It's underway, but there's a lot of work to be done yet." George enlightened her. Ginny nodded and returned to her peas. Hermione had insisted on feeding James, an offer which Ginny accepted gladly. 

"And what about the new gossip after the last DA reunion?" Angelina turned out to be a very gossipy pregnant person.

"Did you see the tension around Corner/Chang/Weasley?" Harry joked with a laugh.

"Yeah, I saw that. The first reunion they both come, isn't?" George commented. 

"Cho was really embarrassed. I was having internal laughs. You should have seen Michael's face when I told about James and how Cho delivered him!" Ginny stopped to laugh before continuing. "But Harry here became besties with Cho's fiancé, Travis, wasn't it, hon?"