Written for: 24 hour romance challenge set by: Thanatos Angelos Girl

Prompts used for the 24 hour romance challenge: I never understood the meaning of that soulmate idea until now.

And: I'm Ron, Ron Weasley, and refuse to be anyone else but me.

And for The Proposal Challenge set by: AmyRose512

both can be found at:

Harry Potter fan fiction Challenge forum.

Like always, Italics are flashbacks.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

"Ron, do you believe in soul mates?" Hermione asked him as she tilted her head and watched the happy couple dance their first song at their wedding. Harry and Ginny looked lost in their own little world as if they were the only people in the room.

"What do you mean?" he answered honestly. Hermione turned her focus from Harry and Ginny to Ron and shifted in her seat.

"Do you believe that there's one person for everyone, and only one person?"

Ron and Hermione had been dating off and on all year after the war. They were on their 'off time' meaning they took a break from each other so they could figure out what they wanted before settling down for good. Ginny and Harry on the other hand were eager to get married right away.

"I believe we each get a shot at love, if that's what you're asking," Ron answered honestly. He was very confused at her question but didn't want to admit it to her.

"I mean, Ronald, do you believe that there's just one person for everyone? Like, if we were back together, I'd be your one person for life, and that's it. No one else." Hermione looked at him with her hands on the table twiddling her thumbs waiting for an answer.

"Why do you always have to use my full first name when we're having a discussion?" he asked her. Ron felt like every time he tried having a serious talk with Hermione, she used his full name as if she was talking down to him.

"What? I haven't noticed that before." Hermione said honestly.

"You do. You talk down to me in a way that makes me feel like a child." Ron was being one hundred percent honest with Hermione and all she could do was stare at him like he was stupid or something.

"I didn't realize that." She frowned and walked off leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He sighed and clapped his hands as Harry and Ginny finished dancing. Deciding to go find Hermione, Ron got up from the table just as Harry sat down looking worn out.

"If you ever find your soul mate, mate, hold on tight to her." Harry said as he drank a glass of water. Ron looked at him dumbfounded.

"Hermione asked me if I believed in soul mates while you were dancing," Ron said as he stood in front of the table.

"And what did you tell her?"

"I didn't tell her about me believing in them."

"Why not? Isn't that what you believe?" Harry asked drinking a second cup of water.

"I'm not sure. I've had this ring in my pocket all evening. I know we're not boyfriend or girlfriend, but somehow I think she's for me." Ron automatically put his hand in his tux pocket and felt the velvet box.

"When did you find the one you wanted?" Harry asked as Ginny sat down next to Harry also looking tired.

"Find what?" Ginny asked taking Harry's glass of water from his hands and finishing the rest.

"Nothing, never mind, " Ron said glaring at Harry. Harry grinned and turned to his new bride.

"Ron has an engagement ring in his pocket for Hermione."

"Oh, sweet Merlin!" Ginny gasped and almost dropped the cup of water, but thankfully Harry caught it before it landed on Ginny's pretty dress.

"Keep your voice down, Gin. Hermione and I aren't even dating anymore. We're taking a break remember?" Ron's face grew as red as his hair from embarrassment. He turned around hoping Hermione wasn't near him. When he was satisfied, he turned back to his best mate and sister.

"Harry, I found it last night after the rehearsal dinner."

"Where?" Ginny's eyes grew wide with excitement.

"Hermione's father's house. It's her great-great-grandmother's engagement ring. Sapphire center with small tiny diamonds all around. Her father gave it to me after I asked for his daughter's hand in marriage. He was confused at first because he knew we weren't dating. But once I explained to him she's my soul mate, he understood and got all quiet."

"You should totally propose!" Ginny said excitedly.

"I didn't want to do it on your wedding day. It'd take away your thunder." Harry and Ginny glanced at Ron with a confused look.

"Mum used that expression. She caught me staring at the ring and begged for me to wait till after your wedding to ask her," Ron explained as he took his hand out of his pocket.

"Where's Hermione now?" Harry asked glancing around the crowd of wedding guests dancing and having fun.

"She ran away after our disagreement. I was about to go find her when you sat down," Ron felt bad now. It's been at least five or ten minutes since he's talked to Hermione.

"Ron, don't worry about us. We won't mind if you ask her to marry you on our wedding day. Mum's crazy." Ginny grinned as she stood up. Ginny went over to her brother and hugged him tight. "Don't let Hermione go this time," she whispered.

Ron nodded thinking back to why they broke up after the war. Hermione wanted to go off on her own to find her parents, but Ron felt so protective over her that it was his 'duity' almost to go with her. He wanted to be with her every hour of every day to make sure nothing bad happened. He remembered their argument clear as day before Hermione left.

Hermione was in Ginny's room at the Burrow as soon as the war was over. She was frantically packing everything, for she was eager to see her parents again. Ron stood in the threshold of his sister's room she shared when she stayed with his arms crossed and angry at her.

"I don't understand why you have to leave NOW, Hermione. Fred's funeral is next week. Can't you stay for that?" Ron stated confused.

"Ronald, you have your family with you. You don't need me. I need my family. I need to go find mum and dad," she said as she threw together last minute things.

"I need you. You're my girlfriend, or does that not mean anything to you?" he said uncrossing his arms. Hermione slammed her suitcase shut and turned around.

"What do you mean? Of course it means something to me. Don't you know that?"

"It'd be nice if you could show me every once in a while."

"Doesn't kissing you during a war mean anything to you? And then kissing you after, and holding your hand tight so you can sleep at night?" She glared at him and crossed her arms.

"That's not what I meant," he said glumly.

"Then what do you mean?" She stared up at him confused.

"Nevermind, it's complicated."

"Then if it's so damn complicated, next time keep it to yourself," Hermione snapped.

"What's your problem?"

"What's my problem? YOU are my problem. You are with me everywhere I go. I just need a week or two to find my parents, by myself."

"Hermione, let me go with you, to protect you." He glanced at the floor then at her. "I didn't mean that." She unfolded her arms and threw something else into her suit case.

"Excuse me? I don't need protection. I just fought in the war you know." Her words were as cold as ice against Ron's heart.

"What if someone tries to take you?"

"So let them try. I do know how to use the killing curse, I've used it."

"I'm just worried someone would take you from me, that's all, Hermione." Ron gave her the puppy dog eyes she couldn't refuse, but Hermione stood her ground.

"Ronald, no. I need to go by myself. If you can't handle that, then I think we need a break from each other." Hermione stood in front of him.

He couldn't think of anything else to say and stormed out of the room, almost knocking Ginny over on her way in the room.

"What was that about?" Ginny asked as they watched him down the hallway.

"Nothing," he heard Hermione say as he walked out of their sight.

When Harry spoke next, Ron was brought out of his memory and back into the real world.

"Go on, Ron, don't worry about us. You know you want to ask Hermione to marry you. It's okay, really." Harry said as he stood up from the table.

"Even if we're not dating?" Ron asked his best mate nervously.

"That's the prime time to ask her. She'll know you're serious about soul mates and know you really want to be hers." Ginny hugged him again.

"You sure you don't mind?" Ron looked nervously at the newly weds. They looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Go ahead," they said in unison causing them to laugh.

"Scary, you both are. I hope we don't end up like that," Ron said as he smiled.

Ron watched the two of them walk away onto the dance floor for another happy dance. He decided it was time to find Hermione. He made his way through the crowd of family members. He purposely avoided his mother's stares as he went past her. Ron walked down by the lake.

Harry and Ginny had chosen to get married at Hogwarts because that was where they realized they were soul mates and wanted to get married. With Harry defeating Voldermort, their wish was granted as long as it was during the summer. So, a year after the war, they were married after the castle was cleaned up.

He found her standing by the lake throwing a rose petal in the water. Ron came up to her with his hands in his pockets and stared at the second petal as it flowed down the lake.

"What are you doing?" he asked her as he glanced in her direction, squinting because the sun was in his eyes.

"You're going to think it's silly," she replied as she took another petal off the pink rose and threw it in the lake.

"Try me." He smiled at her. She looked up at him, blushed and smiled.

"When I was little, I played a game on crushes I had in grade school."

"And the game had something to do with a rose petal?" Ron looked at her confused, but still with a smile.

"Yes. I picked off a petal of a flower, but I preferred a rose, and said, "He loves me, he loves me not" And tossed the petal on the ground. I would say, 'He loves me' and pull a petal, then 'He loves me not' and pull a petal till there's one left. Like there is now." She held up the last rose petal on the stem.

"And what is that one?" he asked automatically knowing.

"He loves me." She didn't pull it off instead, she threw the whole thing into the lake.

"And who would he be?" Ron asked sweetly.

"You of course." She turned away blushing.

"That's what I love about us, Hermione. We fight and argue, but we always make up." It was there, when he decided to get on his knee. He knew people were watching by now, but he didn't care. He pulled out the ring.

"What do you mean? Oh!" She gasped as she turned around and saw him on the ground. Her face matched his hair for she was happy, but shocked at the same time and full of embarrassment.

"Ron, are you sure?" she asked as she held her hand to her chest.

"You haven't even let me ask the question yet." Ron noted that the music stopped playing. He assumed everyone was staring at the two of them, but didn't care. He had Harry and Ginny's permission. He heard crying coming from somewhere and knew it was his mum's happy tears.

"Hermione, I never understood the meaning of that soulmate idea until now. I'm Ron, Ron Weasley, and refuse to be anyone else but me. We're always going to fight, always going to argue, but one thing I know for sure, you're always going to be my soulmate. I know we're on a break now,but I still love you and always will. I'm also ready for that break to be over. I'm ready to be with you again, only this time as my wife. Will you marry me, Hermione? Don't make me beg, cause I will, " Ron blushed as he opened the box. Hermione gasped and held out her left hand nodding her head shaking and crying at the same time.

"That's not an answer." Ron smiled.

"Yes, you goofball, doesn't shaking my head and crying in front of everyone show that I love you? Of course I'll be your wife," she replied.

He slid the ring gently on her finger and pulled himself up. She pulled him in and gave him a long kiss showing the crowd she truly loved him. Ron heard the cheers and claps as people observed what would have been a private moment.

"Congratulations!" People shouted at them from the dance floor.

Harry and Ginny rushed to Hermione and Ron before anyone else could get to them.

"Oh, Gin, I didn't mean to steal your thunder." Hermione said as she embraced her soon to be sister in a hug.

"You didn't! We told him to ask you!"

"Do we always have to hug?" Ron said after huggnig Harry.

Before Ron could dance, he pulled Hermione close to him and whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to have everyone watching," he whispered.

"Ron, that's what made it so special," Hermione whispered back.

Ron pulled Hermione closer and kissed her long and hard. He was glad Hermione was going to be his forever, and he was just as glad she didn't say no. He knew she was his soulmate.

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