FAN FICTION-HARRY POTTER

4 years after the defeat of Voldemort

It was Valentine's Day. A perfect day; the sun was shining, there was not a cloud in the aqua marine sky, a warm breeze was scudding across the prairie. The prairie was exactly where Harry Potter, Teddy Lupin, Hermione Granger, Fleur Delacour and most of the Weasleys were headed.

Upon arriving, everyone split into their twos; to go and have a romantic picnic. Harry went with Ginny; Hermione with Ron; Bill with fleur; Mr. Weasly with Mrs. Weasly, and since neither George nor Charlie had a girlfriend, and Teddy was four, they went off together.

Funnily enough, there was a small smattering of tightly packed trees some halfway across the prairie. It contained a small but cozy hollow, and that was where Harry and Ginny went for their picnic. The hollow was breathtaking; bathed in sunshine, everything the light touched glittered gold. Delicate and pretty patterns were made in dappled shade and tiny, exquisite crimson flowers that Harry could not name littered the grass.

"Oh," breathed Ginny "Harry, its beautiful" "Turns out, it was my mum's favourite place; my dad used to bring her here." "I can see why, its positively… positively… impossible to put into words, its so beautiful."

Harry swore. Well, that was unexpected. "What?" asked Ginny. "We've forgotten the picnic!" "Harry?"
"What?"
"You are a wizard."
"Oh… yeah… right."
Harry produced a wand from his dove grey robes.
"Accio picnic."
The picnic basket zoomed through the trees, into the hollow, hit Harry squarely in the chest and sent him flying. Ginny was shaking, doubled up in fits of silent laughter and gasping for air.

"Its not funny!" exclaimed Harry indignantly, although he too was soon laughing.
"Right," stated Harry "punishment time."
"Oh?" challenged Ginny, "what're you going to do, tickle me?"
"Exactly." And he lunged forward and started tickling Ginny mercilessly.

"No!" she squealed, trying in vain to slap Harry's hand away. When that didn't work, she tried thrashing about, seeing if she could roll out from under him. Finally, the tickling stopped, both of them grinning.

"Urgh, grass stains on my robes," complained Ginny. "I can't remember the spell to get them off. And they're new as well."

"Well, it doesn't really matter does it?" sniggered Harry "seeing as they're actually emerald green."

"Oh do shut up." Said Ginny, mock exasperatedly and got to her feet. "Shall we open the picnic then?" she said fondly, gazing down at Harry.

"Hang on."

Harry's heart was beating fast. He was still kneeling down and contemplating how life would be if what he was about to do went horribly wrong. But he had to do this; he had to, or regret not doing it for the rest of his life.

Harry pulled a little black velvet box out of his robes, "Ginny," he began, "Ginny Weasly, will you marry me?"

Ginny drew a sharp intake of breath and Harry, curling his other hand round his wand so tightly that it shot gold sparks out one end (causing a gaggle of birds to rise in a squawking mass from the trees) thought that she would refuse but then…

"Oh, Harry," breathed Ginny, beaming. "Yes, yes, of course."

Harry slipped the ring onto Ginny's finger; it fit perfectly. The ring itself was extraordinarily beautiful-a hand crafted, goblin-made, rose gold band, with a large exquisite star ruby set in the centre and a fairly tiny square-cut diamond set on either side.

Harry picked Ginny up and whirled her around, kissing her as he did so. Harry knew he was supposed to want to be able to kiss her all day, but that would mean he wouldn't be able to take Ginny out or talk with her, or make her laugh, and Ginny's laugh was Harry's favourite sound in the world, so he knew he would just have to be content with kissing her most of the time, instead.

Hermione and Ron chose that moment to burst into the hollow; they had heard the birds and seen the sparks and interpreted them as something bad. Ron was looking sheepish.

"Oh…sorry 'bout that," he mumbled, not meeting Harry's eyes. "We'll just-"
Hermione shrieked.
"Oh, wow. Oh, congratulations the both of you!"
She hurried over to give Harry a quick hug before turning to Ginny.
"Oooooh, it's lovely. Harry's got good taste.
Ron on the other hand looked thoroughly bewildered.
("What've I missed?")

Next to enter the hollow were Mr. and Mrs. Weasly. They were quicker on the uptake, and their reactions considerably quieter; Mr. Weasly uttered just two words- (Merlin's beard) and Mrs. Weasly stood and stared, looking thunderstruck.

Then came Bill and Fleur.
"I was waandering when yooo would. Ginny 'eez a lucky girl 'Arry." "To right Fleur, she is lucky. Well done mate." Then he pulled a face. "My little sister; all grown up".

Finally, Teddy, George and Charlie dropped in. Literally (on their broomsticks, of course).
"Aha!" exclaimed Charlie.
Gorge turned his eyes to the heavens. "I owe you a Galleon mate."

Ron could contain himself no longer.
"Will someone please," he shouted "please, tell me what's going on?"
"They're getting married you idiot" replied George.

Ron jumped about six feet in the air and swore. Loudly. Mrs. Weasly didn't even have the heart to tell him off.

"Cool!" squealed Teddy. "Can I be best man daddy? Can I?"
"Sorry, my little Tedster, that's Ron's job. Soon to be uncle Ron." Said Harry laughingly.

"Does this mean she'll be my mummy?"
"I wouldn't go that far exactly-"
"Why not though?" Ginny cut in "I mean, it kind of makes sense doesn't it? And I don't suppose I'd mind it."
"That's settled then." Said Harry, smiling. He was feeling better than ever, and, for lack of a better phrase, as if all was right with the world.