Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition:
Position: Beater 1 for the Holyhead Harpies
Prompts:
Canon Box, Pairing: Harry/Ginny
7. (image) Daisy Chain Bracelet
13. (phrase) under lock and key
Word Count: 1,026

Thanks to Ever for beta'ing!

This is it, Ginny thinks.

It's perfect. A romantic spot by the lake, a picnic, and the sun setting behind them bathing them in an orange glow.

And yet—even when the meal finishes, and they lie back and watch as the sun finally drops below the horizon—there's still no ring.

It's not like marriage has been far from either of their minds. Since the war finished, it's been weddings galore, and Ginny is set to be maid of honour at Ron and Hermione's wedding in just a week. Everyone she knows is getting married—half of them are starting families already—and Harry has yet to even utter a word on the subject.

She's hoping he's leading up to a big romantic moment, and it's not like he's been short of them. In the past month alone, they've been to two fancy restaurants, spent a weekend by the beach, and now, a picnic. They've been on more dates recently than they've been on in their entire relationship, but the topic never seems to arise.

Ginny decides it's time to take matters into her own hands.

"So, who do you think will catch the bouquet next week?" She inwardly curses herself at the quaver in her voice, and she tries to appear casual.

"Well, seeing as their friends now include you, two other Chasers, the Keeper and the Seeker from the Harpies, I'd hazard a guess at one of you. Or Angelina might; she was always good at the difficult catches back at Hogwarts."

Ginny forces a laugh. "But George and Angelina got married six months ago—that would be a bit of a waste."

"Yeah, but it's not like it really means anything. You'd think by now someone would have cast a spell on them so that the person who catches it really does get married next."

"I feel like that makes it a bit more unpopular. Entering a pact like that might put some people off." She considers telling him that it certainly wouldn't put her off, but she thinks that might be a bit too transparent.

"I guess it might." Harry smiles at her, and she wonders why she thinks it's such a big deal.

Ginny knows plenty of people who are perfectly happy without being married. More to the point, she knows lots of people who are married and unhappy—and most of them got married straight out of a war, out of sheer relief that they both somehow made it through alive.

She's happy with Harry, and she knows that should be enough. It's not even like she can justify her feeling by wanting to start a family; with her Quidditch career taking off, she knows she doesn't want kids for a few years at least.

And then there's all the stress. Ginny swears Hermione has aged ten years in the process of planning her wedding to Ron. At one point she was planning two weddings—a wizarding one and a Muggle one. It had driven her insane. Through all of the dress fittings, cake tastings, things-to-go-on-the-table finding, Ginny had wondered if it really is all worth it. Every time she saw Hermione in tears over colours that didn't match or seating plans that didn't work, Ginny decided that marriage definitely wasn't worth the stress.

If it were up to her, she would have a low-key wedding. She has never been one for frills, having grown up with six brothers. She would just invite a few of their closest friends and immediate family, have a short ceremony, and then spend time celebrating with the people who matter.

But she knows their wedding will be overrun with reporters and photographers, and everyone in the wizarding world will be wanting—and expecting—to attend.

Ginny knows this is really a conversation she should have with Harry, but she's scared that the thought of marriage hasn't even crossed his mind. They have no secrets from each other, and she can't even think of a place he could hide a ring without her noticing.

Well, there is one place.

It's where Harry keeps everything of importance—the Snitch Dumbledore left him, his train ticket from his first ride to Hogwarts, and the medal of honour he'd received at the end of the war, amongst other things. But the box is kept under lock and key, and Ginny doesn't think it's worth breaking his trust to go snooping for something that probably isn't there.

She sits up, sighing as she stretches out her back. She plucks a few daisies, which are surrounding her, and begins weaving them into a chain.

"That's pretty," Harry says, nodding at the chain of daisies.

Ginny becomes aware that she probably seems quiet and distant, but she doesn't know what to say to him. She realises there's only one thing she can think of to say.

She bites her lip and bites the bullet.

"Will you marry me?"

Harry sits up in shock. "What?"

Ginny laughs at the look of confusion on his face. She drags them both to their feet and drops to one knee in front of him.

"Harry Potter, will you marry me?"

Harry grins down at her. "Well, I might say yes if I'm getting a ring…"

Ginny looks around for a moment, and her eyes fall on the daisies in her hand. She wraps the half-finished daisy chain around his finger, fixing it in place with a charm. "There." She stretches up to kiss him, but he pulls away.

"I guess you might be wanting this then." Harry produces a ring box from his jacket, opening it to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. "I've had it for weeks, but I could never find the courage to ask you and then—well—you beat me to it."

Ginny holds out her hand, and Harry slips the ring onto it.

"It's beautiful."

Harry grins at his finger. "Not as beautiful as mine."

He lifts Ginny up to kiss her, and she decides that, no matter how stressed she gets, how many people will be there, and how many things will inevitably go wrong, it's definitely worth it.