A/N: Well…what is there to say? I like this, and it's probably been done before, but oh well. Oh yeah, and a big thank you to everyone who reviewed "I Always Will Be". I was amazed at how many people enjoyed that. You guys made my day. I hope you like this just as much.
Disclaimer: Am I making any profit off this story? Noooooooo.
"So what are your intentions with my daughter anyway?" Mr. Weasley asked the black-haired, green-eyed boy sitting at his dinner table.
"Dad!" A teenage girl with a shock of fiery red hair whined. "Stop it."
"No. I think it's a good question." The girl's brother said, cracking his knuckles.
"A very good question." Another brother piped up, fingering his wand.
"Boys, stop it." Mrs. Weasley butted in, giving severe looks to her sons.
"Thank you Mum." The girl said appreciatively. "Now if there are no more embarrassing questions or stories we were going to go to the village—"
"I think not!" Mr. Weasley said in a strangled voice.
"What now?" The girl complained.
"This young man has yet to answer my question." Mr. Weasley said firmly, turning to the only occupant of the table with green eyes. "So I'll repeat it. What are your intentions with my daughter?"
"Well Mr. Weasley." The boy began hesitantly. "As you know I care about your daughter…a lot. And um, well. I've known her for a while, and I've known your whole family for a while…I mean, you practically raised me." He paused and his face paled when he saw the menacing glares being shot at him from all the males seated around the table. "I just, I truly think your daughter's amazing and I-I-I-"
"Yes?" One of the brothers said, his voice caked with false sweetness.
"AndIthinkImightloveher." The boy mumbled, turning an impressive shade of crimson.
This pronouncement was met with a sharp intake of breath from Mrs. Weasley, a loud clang from Mr. Weasley dropping his fork onto his plate, a shocked look from the girl, and snarls from the girl's brothers.
"I'm sorry." The black-haired boy told the girl apologetically. "It was supposed to be a better delivery than that."
He couldn't see his girlfriend's reaction to his words because the next thing he knew, all the air was being squeezed out of his lungs by one of Mrs. Weasley's bone-crushing hugs.
"Oh I'm ever so happy for the two of you." Mrs. Weasley released him and beamed at the couple. "Dear, aren't you happy for them as well?" She asked, turning to her husband expectantly.
Mr. Weasley, who was quite blue in the face, was being pounded on the back by one of his sons.
"He's choking Mum!"
Mrs. Weasley sniffed and muttered a quick charm to dislodge the stubborn piece of chicken.
Mr. Weasley took a few deep breaths and then grunted at the boy, "You, me, other room, now."
"Dad!" The girl groaned. "Leave him alone!"
Mr. Weasley shot his daughter a look that clearly meant, "I'll deal with you later".
"Oh honestly." Mrs. Weasley said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "You." She said, pointing to her husband. "Trust your daughter's judgment for once. You." She turned to her sons. "Your sister is allowed to be in a romantic relationship without you disemboweling the poor boy." In response to her oldest son's mouth opening she said quickly, "I don't care if you only 'almost did it', that's not the point!" After that the oldest son sat with his mouth hanging open rather unattractively. "And you." She finished, pointing at the couple, one of which had turned quite pale in response to the disemboweling comment. "You had best be off to the cinema now so you aren't late. Darling, your grandfather is expecting a full report, he's been going on about nothing else for weeks. Now shoo!"
With a soft squeak the girl grabbed her boyfriend's hand and dragged him out of the house, towards the village. Mrs. Weasley watched them go, and then began glaring at the males assembled in front of her. Eventually she rolled her eyes and retreated to the kitchen where she began haphazardly summoning the dishes from the table.
"Well Dad." One of the boys said, casting a meaningful look around at the rest. "I think we might fancy a walk…perhaps down to the village."
"Yes." Another picked up. "And we had better bring some money in case we want to see a show at the cinema."
"So can we go?" A third asked his father while simultaneously ducking a plate of mashed potatoes.
"Well you've been good this week." Mr. Weasley said in mock thought. "I suppose if you wanted to see a show you should be able to…" He chanced a quick glance at his wife in the kitchen. When he was assured she wasn't listening to the conversation he added in an undertone, "Make sure she doesn't see you."
His sons saluted him and raced out of the house and down the path towards the village. He watched them out of the dining room window, smiling faintly.
"They went to spy on her didn't they?" His wife's voice hissed in his ear.
"What gave you that preposterous idea?" Mr. Weasley sputtered.
Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes at him. "Honestly Ron, when are you going to stop being an overprotective prat?"
"I am not an overprotective prat." Ron said, affronted. "The boys simply asked if they could go to the kinema. Now if they happen to run into our daughter and her suitor there—"
"Suitor?" His wife snorted. "What, are we in the Middle Ages or something?"
"I thought you'd like that addition to my vocabulary." Ron said, flashing a grin at her.
"Ron." She said, shaking her head and sinking into the chair next to him. "Garret and his family have been very good friends since we moved here. I would have thought you'd be overjoyed when he began dating Grace."
"I am!" Ron insisted. "Really Hermione, I am." He said again, in response to her raised eyebrows. "It's just…she's my baby girl. I feel like I need to keep her safe."
"You have to let go sometime." Hermione said softly.
"True. But I don't have to do it with dignity." Ron quipped, earning him a playful slap from his wife.
"Don't they remind you of Harry and Ginny?" Hermione asked wistfully, gazing at a photograph of their two friends.
"It's uncanny." Ron admitted. "It's almost like I'm looking back in time…well minus the whole evil wizard attempting to take over the world bit." He checked his watch distractedly. "Shouldn't they be back by now?"
"They've been gone ten minutes Ron. Relax. The show should last about an hour and a half or so. Then your little girl will be back at home, safe and sound." Hermione said, smiling fondly at her husband.
"Too right she will." He said firmly.
"You overprotective git."
"What? At least I'm not at the kinema spying along with the boys."
"So they are spying. And admit it Ron, if you had any choice in the matter you would be with them. But someone had to stay and make sure I didn't march down to cinema and pull the lot of you out, embarrassing you and Grace, and traumatizing poor Garret even further.
"They're her older brothers. It's their job." Ron said shrugging and ignoring the fact he wanted to be with his sons at the moment. "It's no worse than what we did to Ginny."
Hermione laughed at the memories of Harry and Ginny trying to get a private moment with the entire Weasley clan tailing them. "You're just lucky I don't have any brothers." She told her husband, running her hand through his hair.
"I bloody am! Your father was bad enough!" Ron said with gusto. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded." He said quickly turning to Hermione warily.
But Hermione was laughing too hard to hear him.
"Besides." He continued. "This is a like a test, an initiation if you will. If he still wants to see Grace after unending torture at the hands of her brothers he's worthy of my approval."
Hermione continued laughing. "And did Harry pass that test?"
"With flying colors." Ron said proudly. "Of course, even if he hadn't Ginny would have Bat-Bogey Hexed us around the block until we approved of him." He added as an afterthought.
Hermione chuckled. "And what about Garret? Do you think he'll pass?"
Ron's face became deadly serious. "What I'm about to divulge is top-secret information. Under no circumstances can you tell anyone what I am about to reveal to you until the time is right. Understood?"
Hermione nodded, trying to hide her amusement.
"Now ask me the question again."
"Do you think Garret will pass this 'test' you and the boys are inflicting upon him and gain your trust and approval?" Hermione asked pompously.
Ron leaned in to whisper his answer in her ear. "He already has."
A/N: Haha! Did I trick anyone? Probably not. Oh well. Was it too confusing? Was it too predictable? Tell me what you think. But, above all, thanks for reading!