For the Light it up like it's the 4th of July Event at the amazing The Golden Snitch forum. This drabble is for the Writing Challenge, using the prompt: (task) picnic: write about a proposal.
This participation is for Durmstrang Institute, Pirin House.
Word count: 462 words.
With them, everything is simple.
Neville gets home each day after work. He stays an hour or two after classes are done for the day just in case some student needs homework help or life advice (strangely, many students come for that reason). Then he uses the Floo and goes back to her.
She's always there, waiting.
Hannah spends her mornings in the Leaky Cauldron. Her work there is mostly for fun, but she likes to have something to do besides caring for the house. She likes it, but she always leaves the inn at six o'clock to go back home. Neville arrives a few minutes after her but by then she already has food on the table and candles lighting the living room.
They go to bed at ten, but they don't always go to sleep right away. He likes to read before sleeping and she plays piano in their bedroom. Their lives are easy, simple.
At Sundays, they always visit the Burrow after visiting Neville's parents. Neville cares for Molly's garden and Hannah sings for Neville's parents. They are happy.
One Sunday they don't go to the Burrow.
"Where are we going?" he asks her and shakes her head.
"You'll know when we get there. Grab my hand and I'll Apparate us there."
Instead of that, Neville cups her cheeks and kisses her lips. They arrive at the meadow kissing and Hannah knows that has to mean something good for their lives: all they begin, they do it with love.
"A picnic? That's the surprise?" Neville lifts an eyebrow. "And where are we? I've never seen this place."
"My Aunt lived near. I used to play here as a kid," she says, sitting down on a brown and green blanket. From her robes, she takes out a basket with all the food Neville enjoys, from simple sweets to the fancy food his Gran had the elves cook when he was a child.
They eat in silence, sending each other smiles now and then. There is no need for words but there are some kisses interrupting the silence, accompanied by whispers of I love you.
When they finish and she puts everything away, she turns around and looks back at Neville. He's kneeling and in his hand, there's a ring. Hannah inhales sharply. Her heart flutters. Her mind is void of everything but love.
"Marry me?"
Their relationship is simple, and so is her answer.
"Yes, Neville."
At their small wedding (next week because why wait?) Ron asks Neville:
"You already lived together, mate. What changed?"
Neville looks over at Hannah and smiles.
"Nothing had to change. We just wanted it."
And it's a simple as that.