"Sirius! Come on!" Harry called up the stairs of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. "I'd like to get this done and be back before she gets home!"
"Alright, I'm coming Pup," Sirius grinned as he walked down the stairs. "We'll be back in plenty of time before Hermione gets home. You know how often she stays late at work."
"Even so. I need as much time as I can get," Harry shook his head. "The ring has to be perfect."
"Well, we can start with the Potter family vaults at Gringotts first," Sirius pointed out. "There's bound to be some family rings stored there."
"Wait, there's more to the Potter vaults?" Harry asked in amazement.
"Of course there is. You didn't think your trust vault was truly all that was left, did you?" Sirius smirked.
"Um. Well…" Harry rubbed his head nervously, "I never exactly claimed Head of House, being that I'm the only one left."
"Come on. We'll get you that Lordship first and that'll open up the access to the main vaults." Sirius stepped through the floo to the Leaky Cauldron.
Harry followed after Sirius, completely speechless and confused.
The two wizards were on a mission. They quickly waved to Tom the barkeep as they walked through the Leaky Cauldron towards Diagon alley. Harry was forced to stay close to Sirius as they walked through the alley due to the enormous crowd that had immediately descended on them, all wanting to get close to Harry.
They only managed to get clear of the crowds when one of the Weasley twins set up a distraction long enough for Harry and Sirius to slip under the invisibility cloak. The two waited until they got into a dark corner inside Gringotts before stepping from under the cloak. They walked up to a teller right away.
"Heir Potter would like to claim his lordship and access the main Potter vaults..." Sirius spoke up, addressing the Goblin.
"Right this way," The goblin responded and led them down a long hallway into a private room. "The goblin that presides over the Potter vaults will be right with you."
Both Sirius and Harry nodded to the Goblin before going in the room and taking their seats to wait on the Goblin over the vaults.
Three hours later, the only thing they left Gringotts with was Harry's newly claimed Lordship and hiss Heir ring for House Black. They had gone through every possible engagement ring inn the Potter Vaults but Harry didn't find any of them to be a perfect match for his hopefully soon to be fiancé.
This led them to have to check a jewelry shop for a ring. It took another two hours before Harry found a ring he deemed to be perfect. One that was both elegant yet simple in design.
He also had multiple protection charms added to it, similar to those he'd discovered were on the Potter head of house ring. Now he just had to keep it hidden until the New Year's Party at their place tomorrow night. Saying goodbye to Sirius, Harry flooed back home in plenty of time to hide the ring and get started on making dinner before Hermione returned home..
The next day, it was a whirlwind as the couple worked together with the help of Kreacher (who Sirius had given to them two years ago) and Winky (who Hermione had bonded with after finally having a better understanding as to how the bonds between house-elves and witches/wizards was supposed to work) to prepare their home for that night's party. Hours later, the two elves were setting out the appetizers and beverages while Hermione and Harry got dressed and prepared to welcome friends and family into their home.
Spoon guests were arriving. First the Weasley's, minus Ron and Ginny, not that Hermione and Harry were surprised about the two youngest Weasley's deciding not to show up. The couple hadn't been on good terms with the two redheads since Harry and Hermione first got together three years ago. Then it was the Lupins and Andromeda, along with Neville and Luna. They were followed by Narcissa and Draco Malfoy and finally Sirius with Hermione's parents. The party went off without a hitch, everyone mingling together over refreshments. After some time, Harry shot off a bang from his wand to get the room's full attention for what he was about to do. Once the room was quiet, Harry walked over to Hermione, stopping just behind her.
"Hermione." Harry called to get her attention.
"Yes, Harry." Hermione turned to face him.
Harry glanced at the clock to see it was only five minutes left in the current year before he looked back to Hermione. "There's so much I want to say and only a little time to say it all." He cleared his throat. "When we first met during first year, I'd hoped we'd eventually become friends. We were going to be spending seven years as classmates and after sorting, housemates after all. Granted, I hadn't expected it to be a troll that eventually cemented that friendship. You've always been so loyal to me and had my best interests at heart, even when I was a right git. You believed in me when I definitely didn't believe in myself. You repeatedly put your own life on the line to help me when I constantly told you that you didn't need to. You've helped keep me grounded. You've been a constant in my life for so long that I'd be totally lost without you. " He knelt down on one knee and pulled out the ring box from his pocket. "Hermione Jean Granger, would you do me the absolute honor of remaining by my side as my wife?" He opened the box, revealing the ring and bit his lip in nervousness.
Hermione listened to his speech and gasped in surprise as she saw the ring he'd picked out. She was touched at just how well he knew her style to have picked a ring that was so much like her. Tears of joy silently streamed down her cheeks as she nodded furiously. "Yes! A thousand times yes!" She responded and held her hand out for him to slide the ring on.
Harry grinned happily as he slid the ring in place on her finger before he stood up and kissed her just as the clock chimed midnight.
"Happy new year love." Hermione murmured as she broke the kiss.
"Happy new year 'Mione." Harry smiled.
"You've done well Lord Potter." Hermione teased. "Starting off a new year with a new fiancé e and soon a new little Potter on the way." She murmured as she guided his hand to rest on her currently flat stomach.
Harry's eyes grew big in understanding before he pulled her into another deep kiss in joy.
Fin