Dec 27th

Dear Rose,

How is the Australian Summer treating you? You can't imagine how I wish I could escape this soggy English winter and sunbath instead!

Sadly, I don't think we can take vacations anytime soon. Ron's job has been pretty hectic lately. It seems Dark Wizards think Aurors get distracted during the holidays, the way the crimes have risen!

Anyway, thank you so much for the Christmas gift you sent me. It's beautiful, and very colorful!

I hope you enjoy the present I'm sending you. It may not be as practical, but I think you will still like it.

Love,

Hermione

Jan 15th

Dear Rose,

I'm so glad you liked the book. I think it's a very good novel; the ending is surprising, which I've come to expect from this author. If you like her style, I strongly recommend you read her other books as well.

About Ron, well... I think I can tell you this. It's been a long time since I met you, when I was looking for my parents after the war ended, and I think I'm right in assuming a strong friendship exists between us now.

You know Ron. He's a very good man, loyal, and stubborn. Of course he's a lot more than that (especially to me), but it's these characteristics I need you to think of right now. You see, he's been acting strange lately. I don't think it's related to his job, which has gotten much better now. Still, when I ask him if he's alright, he changes the subject. Sometimes, I find him staring into space with a look that I can't identify. Sometimes, I've found him reading something he quickly hides from me. I know he's not having an affair; if it weren't him, I would suspect it. I know he has something on his mind, but I also know he's not going to tell me anytime soon.

I don't think I can be patient with him much longer.

I say goodbye trusting you'll take this with a clear, objective, and caring mind.

Much love,

Hermione

Jan 30th

Dear Rose,

Thank you for worrying over my situation. Maybe I made it seem more terrible than it is.

Basically, I suspect Ron is hiding something from me. I have nothing more than my knowing him so well and my intuition (and it's because I know him so well that I'm sure he would joke about me calling anything "intuition", being as rational as I am). Maybe it's just because I know him so well that I know he's hiding something.

This feeling is conflicting with my trust in him. When I ask him what's going on, he tells me it's nothing; that I should stop worrying. His reply is always the same no matter how I ask him. Last time, although, it turned into a little row (nothing to be concerned about, really).

To answer your question, yes, I've asked Harry and Ginny about this. Harry, always loyal to Ron, avoided my questions and left me knowing as little as I knew before. Ginny, on the other hand, thought that if something was happening and Harry knew about it, she could get him to tell her. I'm trusting she'll drill Harry if necessary and get me the information I need.

Still, Ron seems happy. He's never been good at hiding his emotions (he's never really tried, either), so whatever is going on it's lifting his spirits.

Maybe it's true that he's just happy to be living with me (I can't believe it's close to a year now-we moved in together on Valentines last year!). Maybe it's true that I'm just being paranoid.

Love,

Hermione

Feb 8th

Dear Rose,

Sadly, I haven't been able to figure anything out. Sometimes it feels like a riddle I can't understand or a reference I can't find in my favorite library archive.

Ginny wasn't of much help. For some reason she adopted Harry's tactic and avoided my questions. I consider it to be stunning the way she resembles her brother when they're staring at me, though! (That was supposed to be a joke).

At least, now I'm sure Ron is planning something.

At first I thought he was planning something especial for this Valentine's Day. We're celebrating our 1st year living together, after all. Still, when I asked him what we were doing on the 14th next week, he replied saying that Mrs. Weasley had invited everyone for a big lunch at the Burrow. The idea was to have us all together at noon, leaving the evening free for the couples to celebrate more intimately. .

I am sure those weren't the words she used.

He said he wanted a private dinner here, at home, that night, so I'm guessing the option of something surprising for that day is now impossible.

I suppose I should try to be patient and let it be, now that I know I can't get the answers I want.

You know me well enough to know I've never been able to do that.

Love,

Hermione

Feb 16th

Dear Rose,

First of all, I'm sorry I didn't write sooner. You've been a good friend, taking an interest in me and letting me ramble all I want about this situation. I should have written to let you know what happened the very next day!

I know what Ron had been planning, finally!

Should I keep the mystery a bit longer?

To be honest, I can't.

Ron proposed on Valentine's Day!

I know, it surprised me as much as I'm sure it's surprising you.

Well, here it's how it happened:

Things remained pretty much the same until the morning of the 14th when I woke up to find his side of the bed empty, which is highly unusual.

I got up, ready to go find him when with a glance I noticed a ring on my finger.

An engagement ring on my ring finger!

Thoughts started running through my head: how did he do it? Did this mean what I thought it meant? Why now, when Ron and I had decided we would get married next year (as you well know)?

I found him in the tiny balcony our flat has. He was looking down towards the street, but turned to me as soon as he heard me.

I stood in my place, my right hand around my left, as if hiding the ring. Ron came to me, and just stood there looking at me.

I couldn't hold it anymore, so I said, "What does this mean?" and held my left hand in front of him.

At first he ignored my hand and kissed me. Then he got to his knees, and finally acknowledged the ring by taking my left hand between his and saying the following:

"I have a speech planned," he said. "So don't interrupt me, okay?"

I only nodded yes in reply.

"It's been really hard for me to keep this in until today," Ron continued. "I know you've noticed something was going on, which doesn't surprise me knowing how your brain works. Problem is, I couldn't say a thing if I wanted this to happen how I wanted it to. Yes?"

I nodded.

"I also know you must be wondering why I'm doing this now, when we had decided on getting married next year. The answer is simple: waiting until next year is all about being rational, and my love for you has never been something of the brain. Even when I didn't understand what I felt for you, all I did was feel things: the anger, the jealousy, the want. Now we're together and I know that I love you, and that I don't want to wait. I want to be able to say that I'm married to Hermione Granger, that you're my wife. You know me, I've never been able to wait to get what I want... and I want you, I love you, with all that I have."

He then looked up, directly in my eyes.

"There's no one I admire more than I admire you. You should be kissed often, and by someone who knows how. Hermione, will you marry me?"

Of course I said yes!

I must admit he might have not used the exact same words in his speech, but the effect was the same. After I said yes, we did something I will not discuss in a letter. He then surprised me by telling me his mum knew he was going to propose, and that's why she had invited everyone to the Burrow: to let everyone else know. Harry knew, too (Ron used several of his favourite words to describe why he thought Harry had told Ginny, even if Ron had sworn him into secrecy).

I have to admit at least two other things. First, I still don't like being left in the dark, but at least it was for a good reason. Second, I am really happy about this particular plan not working according to my expectations.

So, my dear friend, I am engaged to Ron Weasley, and I couldn't be happier about it.

You have to know you're invited to the wedding, so get everything ready to come to England!

Thanks again for accompanying me through this. It's nice to know I was not alone in this.

Much love,

Hermione

Feb 17th

Rose,

You know letters are not my strong point, but seeing how Hermione and you prefer this way of communication, I thought I should write to say thank you for not telling Hermione about my plans. Ginny, who's sitting right beside me, insists I write how she gave me the idea, but I am writing the letter and I don't see why would she care. I'm glad you didn't tell Hermione because not only would she be upset that everyone kept the secret from her, including her friend in Australia! But also because I really wanted to surprise her and if anyone had told her, it wouldn't have been the same.

You're a really good friend to her, so I knew she would tell you how troubled she was about how she didn't know what was going on (I know how she gets). That's why I sent you that first message. Still, Hermione told me about the long exchange you two had, and I think you were brilliant in not telling her. The least I could do was write again and thank you.

I hope to see you soon, hopefully before than for the wedding!

Ginny sends her love, too.

Love,

Ron

PS: You know, keep being this good, and I wouldn't be surprised if we end up naming our daughter after you!

Thanks forever to Pili, a wonderful friend and beta.
Originally written for a Fest, but I don't remember which one or to whom it was dedicated :(
Prompt: #14 "You should be kissed, and often, and by someone who knows how." – Gone with the Wind