"Oh, Merlin," moaned Ron as he glances through the pages of the catalogue in his hand. "This is hopeless!"
"What is?" asks Ginny, wandering into his study. He jumps, dropping the book and glaring at her.
"Blimey, Ginny!"
The red-headed girl gives him a comforting smile and bends down, picking up his book. She glances at the cover then has to look again, her jaw going a little slack.
"Ronald Weasley, are you looking at rings?"
His ears go red as he huffs, pulling the catalogue out of her hands.
"It's none of your bloody business, Ginny. Go bother someone else."
Ginny, however, is grinning at him in disbelief.
"Merlin's beard, Ron, you're going to propose to Hermione, aren't you? This is amazing!"
Ron, groans, covering his face with the book. Ginny continues,
"She'll say yes, of course and then she'll finally be my sister!"
"Shut up, Ginny."
Settling down on the desk in front of him, Ginny pulls the book away to see Ron's face and she sobers. Giving him a comforting smile, she looks so much like their mother
"Come on, Ron. What's wrong?"
"I can't find a bloody ring. This…This is Hermione! It has to be perfect."
"A ring?"
"Yes, it's stupid muggle tradition to get engaged with a ring."
"Oh, right. Well, it can't be that hard. Let me look."
Ron is hesitant but hands her the catalogue, which she browses for a few minutes. She gives out a little gasp and her eyes go wide. She pushes the page into his face, pointing at a silver band with a large, glistening rock.
"There! It's beautiful."
Ron nods, taking it in. Not beautiful enough in his opinion but he has to make a decision.
"12,000 pounds. Is that a lot of muggle money?" Ginny's face drops.
"Oh yes… that's," she pauses, thinking, "Over 2,400 galleons."
Ron groans again.
"Merlin, I don't have that much!"
Ginny considers it for a moment and then tentatively says, "Ron, I know it's muggle tradition but Hermione is a witch now. Surely you don't have to-"
He cuts her off, his face a little red.
"Ginny, I have to! Being a muggle-born is important to her. This would mean so much to her and I have to do it right. Just think what she'll have to say when her parents ask to see her ring and I haven't given her one."
Ron pauses as Ginny gives him a sincere, happy smile.
"Ron, what I was saying was you're a wizard. Why do you have to buy a ring?"
Sitting back heavily, Ron thinks about what she is saying and a look of joy passes over his face.
"Ginevra, you are a genius." He jumps up, grabs his sister's head and kisses it. The witch laughes as he bounds out of the room.
It's New Year's Eve and the Burrow is busy with dinner preparations.
"Ginny!"
It had been a week since they had discussed the ring and, sitting on the porch of the Burrow, Ginny glances around to see Ron hissing her name from the shed. She frowns, makes sure no one is looking and dashes over into the shed.
He is grinning, almost bouncing with excitement and she can't help but grin back.
"I've made it!"
"Show me!" Ginny takes hold of the little satin box and opens it. Inside is a glistening ring, the metal sparking silver, the main rock almost opaque, set in the middle of five amber stones. It is stunning and shines despite the shade of the shed.
"Oh, Ron," Ginny gushes, "It's stunning."
"The band is goblin silver," Ron rushes to tell her. She gasps and can't help but scowl at him.
"That's so expensive!"
Ron shrugs and carries on, pointing to the rocks.
"The amber ones are Honeyweed Tears. They form on Honeyweed when the plant is in the perfect environment – the only place in the world they do it is in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The big one," he sighed, looking so pleased, "That's Moon ice."
"Moon ice?"
Ron nods enthusiastically and Ginny frowns, aghast.
"Literal ice from the Moon?"
"Yeah! George knows a guy who can summon it."
"Merlin!"
Ron grins again, "It was enchanted to remain frozen until I got it but I made the charm permanent so it will never melt. I used a Polishing Charm to make it shine and a Moderation Charm so that it will always be the same temperature as the wearer. It's perfect!"
"Ron, you really did those enchantments yourself?"
Ron looks a little insulted as he snaps, "Of course!"
Ginny snaps the box shut and reaches for him, giving him a surprisingly embrace.
"Big brother, it really is perfect. So unique. She'll love it."
Ron gives her a nervous smile, "You really think so."
"Definitely. Now go out there and get me a sister!" Ginny demands as she hands him the box.
Ron nods, suddenly looking a little ashen and leaves the shed. After a moment, his head pops back around.
"Thanks, Ginny."
She smiles at him and then shoos him away.
The whole Weasley clan is in the dining room. Ron is looking rather pale and as Ginny passes, cleaning the plates from the meal, she pats him on the shoulder reassuringly. There is chatter, laughter and couple warnings from Molly to the younger ones as everyone discusses their year.
Ron stands, clears his throat and waits for everyone to quiet down and turn towards him. He's obviously nervous, shaking a little but his voice is strong.
"There is something I need to do and I should have done it sooner but… well, I'm a bloody coward."
He moves to stand beside Hermione, who's looking worried but elated, obviously already knowing what he's going to do. As he kneels down in front of her, all of the women in the room gasp and Molly Weasley lets out a sob of happiness.
"Hermione, you know – well you should know – well it doesn't matter because you are the most amazing, brilliant witch I have ever known. I have loved you for a long time and each day, I love you a little bit more. I may not be much but I hope I can give you the life you deserve and I would like - oh Merlin, I would love more than anything if you would chose to spend the rest of your life with me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I," he swallows, going beat red. "I…"
He'd forgotten what he was going to say so Ginny hisses,
"The box!"
"Oh right, yes," he pulls it out and flips it open. Hermione takes one look at it and puts her hands to her face in a gasp, tearing up. "I made this for you." Ron finishes quietly. "Because I knew how much it would mean to you." He takes a deep breath, "Hermione, will you marry me?"
"Of course, you great fool!"
She falls into his arms from her chair, kissing him hard. He's surprised but embraces her, a huge grin of his face. The room goes up in applause, several people shouting out in joy and congratulations. Hermione and Ron beam at each other as she puts the ring on.
"I enchanted it myself," he says weakly and she kisses him again.
"Would you look at that," says Harry to Ginny, putting his arms around her waist. She smiles, nodding happily, the only girl in the room not crying. "He's raised the bar so high, how am I ever supposed to top it?"
"Yeah," nods Ginny then pauses, turning to look at Harry, "Wait, what?"