He was going to do it. He had to do it. He'd waited long enough. Two years. Two damn years. Harry was going to ask Ginny to marry him.
He'd thought about it, even talked to her parents. Mrs. Weasley had wholeheartedly (and very enthusiastically) given immediate consent, and Mr. Weasley just thumped him on the back and smiled his approval.
Ron and Hermione couldn't haven been happier when Harry told them he was going to propose to Ginny. They had practically shouted their glee with Ginny in the next room. Luckily, Harry was quick with a silencing charm.
Now, it came down to just asking Ginny. "Just ask her. What's the worst she can say?" Harry was alone, pacing in Ron's room. In his mind, he immediately answered his own question. Shaking the thought out of his mind, he sat down on his cot and put his head in his hands. Suddenly, he heard a voice calling up the stairs at him.
"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley was saying, "dinner's ready!" Harry got off the cot to head to the door, but stopped midway. He shook his head again and said, "She'll say yes. I know she will." And with that, he braced himself and started down the stairs.
As Harry walked into the kitchen, he immediately was met with Ginny's call. "Harry, here, sit next to me!" Nodding and smiling vaguely, Harry sat down next to her. Mrs. Weasley scooped a large heap of mashed potatoes onto his plate and Ginny piled on the chicken. He looked at the flash of red whipping past his eyes and Ginny smiled at him as he did. She had such a beautiful smile. Harry didn't think it was possible for Ginny to realize exactly how much he loved her.
About halfway through dinner, Harry leaned over and muttered out the side his mouth to Ginny: "I need to talk to you after dinner." He must have sounded a little grave, because Ginny gave him a concerned look.
"It's nothing bad, is it? Nothing serious?"
"No," he shook his head, "not serious. Well… not too serious, anyway."
Before Harry was completely ready the meal finished and Ginny turned to him. Everyone was still chatting animatedly at the table, so Harry suggested taking a walk in the garden. Ginny responded with a smile and tugged at Harry's sleeve.
The garden was quite spectacular; the azaleas were bright lilac. Some were hard rouge, and others were soft white. He plucked one and smelled it. Harry suddenly understood what it was exactly that he smelled whenever Ginny was around. He put the flower in her hair.
"So, Harry, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
Harry sucked in his breath and looked sideways at Ginny. "Actually, more or less, I wanted to ask you something." He felt his cheeks rouge slightly.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Uh… I'm not quite sure you'll be okay with it, and I understand completely; we're both still very young."
"Harry," she said, looking him squarely in the eyes, "what are you talking about?"
Harry sighed and pulled Ginny over to the bench. He fumbled around with something in his pocket for a bit before pulling out a little box. He held the box up. Ginny seemed to immediately know what it was. "Harry, is that-?"
"An engagement ring?" He chuckled. "Yeah." He slid off the bench and got on one knee before Ginny. "I know we're both still very young, but, here goes…" He took a deep breath. "Ginevra Weasley, will you marry me?"
Before he could finish letting his breath out, Ginny threw herself at him and answered with a kiss.
Harry raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Can I take that as a yes?"
"You can take that, most definitely, as a yes."
Harry smiled, extremely relieved. He took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger. A perfect fit.
"Do you know how much I love you, Harry?" Ginny asked, while at the same time hugging him.
"Enough to suffocate me?"
"Sorry." Ginny relinquished her grip.
"Do you know how much I love you, Ginny?"
She smiled. "I can only imagine."
Harry smiled back and gave her a tight squeeze. He noticed the azalea that was in her hair on the ground and but back behind her ear. It complemented her beautifully.