"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." -- Friedrich Nietzsche (color: green)

A/N: For Adam—thank you for the frequent encouragement and muse-nudging! : )

"I really need the money, mate."

"Ron, if you need help, you know that I have—"

"No. Absolutely not."

There was a pause. The sound of weight being shifted from foot to foot as the kitchen floor creaked.

"Look Harry, I appreciate the offer. I really do, but this is something I've gotta do on my own."

Another pause.

"And, er, don't mention it to Hermione, all right?"

"But she knows—"

"She knows I'm working for George, yeah. But I told her it was because he needed the help and didn't trust anyone outside the family to work so closely on the new product line."

Dead silence.

"Don't look at me like that, Harry. I haven't lied to her. Lee's already up to his dreadlocks in business at the Hogsmeade shop, Verity's out on maternity leave for the next six months, and Clive's too green in the gills to do more than run the till. Aside from them, I'm the only one he trusts."

An exhale of resignation.

"Okay, Ron. I won't say anything. But if I can help—"

"Nope. I've got it all worked out."

If someone would have walked in on Hermione at the present moment, they would swear she'd been Confunded. She was staring off into space looking thoroughly perplexed with her hand splayed open on her chest. What on earth had she just overheard? It's not like Ron to keep secrets. If he's having trouble making ends meet, why can't he tell me?

She bit her lip. Well, they had been going out to dinner rather a lot lately. And of course he refused to let her pay, which she thought was absolutely ridiculous. She certainly had the means to pay for a meal. This was her third year at the Ministry, after all.

Then there was the fact that Christmas was only two weeks away, and he'd insisted on contributing towards gifts for her mum and dad. In addition to that (and to her secret self-reproachful annoyance) he'd spent what she considered to be way too much on his niece, Victoire. Yes, she's a breathtaking little girl, but did she really need a real silver tea set? She's only three, after all.

Ron had only just qualified as a full Auror a year ago, so his salary hadn't had the chance to grow, quite yet. But she felt awful that things were truly this bad. He'd sounded so desperate. I really need the money, mate. And now he was hiding it from her.

Hermione couldn't quite decide whether to feel hurt or angry by this news. Sure, she could march up to him and demand to know what was going on, but she knew all too well that it would get her nowhere. Not when he'd sounded so adamant with Harry. Also, she hadn't got to spend any time with him this week, what with his moonlighting at Wheezes. The last thing she wanted tonight was a row.

She sank back into the sofa, frowning. There must be a way for me to help him without letting on that I overheard.

Ron and Harry bounded forcefully through the kitchen door at that moment, and she silently said a prayer of thanks that she hadn't been caught eavesdropping. She rose to meet them as they approached, trying her best to clear her thoughts.

Ron threw the knapsack of laundry he'd come to pick up over his shoulder and pulled her close for a moment, kissing her lightly on the mouth. "Thanks for meeting me here." She nodded and smiled a little too largely, but it went unnoticed.

Harry hugged her in greeting and reached for his wand, hoisting his own bag of laundry onto his shoulder. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm meeting up with Ginny. Her road trip ended today, so we've got some, er…" He grinned and glanced at the floor, a bit embarrassed. "Ahem. See ya at Sunday dinner." With a wink and a slight pop, he had vanished.

"Wish he'd tell me how he manages to be that quiet," said Ron, green with envy. "Claims he doesn't know how he's doing it."

Hermione laughed and wrapped her arms around him, breathing him in. She'd really missed him this week, and it felt incredible to finally be able to sink into his warm embrace, and surround herself with his scent.

Ron kissed her temple gently and massaged her scalp with his fingertips. "How was work?"

"Mm…that's nice. I didn't get anywhere with Hodgkins this week. I still can't convince him that there's a need for a House-elf bill of rights. If I can't get his support, I'm afraid I'm hexed into a corner."

He ran a soothing hand down her back. "You'll win him over, love. You just have to put it to him in a way that will make it important to him."

She smiled against his chest and squeezed him more tightly. What a lovely thing to say. Rising onto tiptoe, she kissed his cheek. "What about you? Anything new at the shop?" She winced inwardly and hoped he wouldn't get suspicious.

He looked away guiltily. "No, not really. Just busy getting the last of the overseas orders out. George really has his hands full, I'm glad I've been able to help him so much this year."

She knew that he was glossing over the issue, but she also knew better than to press him. "So, what's on the agenda tonight, aside from picking up your wash?"

"I thought we could grab a late bite at the Leaky, and then y'know, pop round your flat for a while." He winked at her, and she felt her skin begin to warm at the thought of what they could get up to at her flat. It'd been a very long week, indeed. But she had to try to put him off going out, right? She couldn't in good conscience contribute to the problem.

"Ron, we don't have to eat out. I've got a few things at home; I could whip something up for the both of us."

He muttered something under his breath that sounded remarkably like, "Ruddy mushrooms," and said, "C'mon, I insist. I've a taste for Yorkshire pudding tonight, and you know Tom's is the best." Stretching his arms above his head, he yawned and rotated his neck.

Hermione frowned. "You look absolutely knackered, Ron. Are you sure I can't just pick us up some takeaway?"

"M'fine, really." Tugging her close, he grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her. "Side-along, then?"

She nodded and buried her head in his neck, and with a considerably louder pop than Harry had managed, they were gone.

The following week was proving to be as Ronless as the last, and Hermione was finding it increasingly more difficult to bite her tongue about what she'd overheard. As a way of distraction, and also to finish up the last of her Christmas shopping, she'd arranged to meet Ginny and Luna in Diagon Alley that Thursday evening.

It took all of ten minutes for Ginny to discern that something was wrong, and drag it out of her.

"I mean honestly, it's madness! We're together, and if we can't share a burden like this now, then what will happen when we—" She closed her mouth abruptly, her teeth clacking together painfully. Best not to finish that thought at the moment. Instead, she continued to absentmindedly browse the shelves at Quality Quidditch Supplies, while Ginny purchased a pair of green leather flying gloves for Harry.

Suddenly, Luna turned from the cage full of flying Golden Snitches she'd been admiring to stare at Hermione with those owlish eyes. "Daddy says there is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."

Ginny grinned appreciatively and looked at Hermione. "She's right, you know. I'm sure he's got a good reason for keeping it a secret, whatever it is. He's got enough pride to choke a hippogriff, but I know that he'd never intentionally do anything to hurt you. He's really grown up, Ron has."

Throwing an arm around Hermione's shoulders, she winked and continued. "Besides, he's always been a bit barmy when it comes to you, hasn't he? And with the way you go round the bend when it comes to him, I'd say it's a match made in heaven!"

"Ho ho." Despite herself, Hermione knew that they both were right. Luna might come across as more than a bit outlandish, but her heart was always in the right place, and she seemed to have a knack for stating things ways that Hermione never considered.

And Ginny did have a point. Ron wouldn't keep something from her like this unless he thought it was really important. Hermione just wished that it felt okay to sit back and do nothing while he struggled with whatever the problem was.

Luna steered them toward the door. "I think I'm going to send Neville a pound of those Porlock droppings that were on sale back at the apothecary's. They make excellent plant fertilizer."

Hermione smiled warmly at her friend. "I'm sure he'd love that Luna. I think I'll send him some as well."

The tiny tree they'd bought together for her flat twinkled merrily from the corner as they snuggled on the sofa in front of the fire. Ron was tracing lazy circles on her knee, which felt absolutely delicious. It'd been a wonderful Christmas day at the Burrow, spent both with Ron's parents, as well as Hermione's, and of course the rest of the noisy and ever-growing Weasley clan.

Ron had bought her the lovely set of law books he'd caught her eyeing at Flourish and Blotts, and she'd given him a handsome new forest green traveling cloak, specially designed with all sorts of hidden pockets to conceal his Auror gear, and keep it within easy reach.

She was just about to drift off to sleep when Ron spoke. "Hermione?"

"Mm?" So warm. So happy. Love you, my Ron.

"Hermione, I…well…I've, um, got another present for you."

Her eyes fluttered, stubbornly refusing to open, and she took a deep breath, licking her lips. "Present? Didn't have to…books were lovely…just what I wanted."

He sat more upright and tilted her head upward. "Open your eyes, love."

Hermione did as she was asked, sleep still pulling at her. He kissed her, tenderly at first, but it soon deepened and before long she was fully awake and panting as their lips parted.

She stared into his eyes and the thought that niggled at the back of her mind came to the forefront. Why had he bought her another gift? Another one, when he was already so desperate for money that he'd taken on a second job? The books hadn't been cheap. She knew exactly how much they'd cost.

"You shouldn't have got me anything else, Ron." It was time to come clean. "I overheard you telling Harry that you were working all those hours with George to make extra money. You said you really needed it." A weight lifted off her shoulders as she said it, and though she wasn't sure how upset he would be, she knew it was the right thing to do.

She looked into his eyes, and was surprised to see him looking sheepish, rather than hurt or angry. "I'm sorry you heard that. I wanted to make this as perfect as I could."

Make…what?

He bit his lip and gently slipped from her grasp. Standing, he strode over to the Christmas tree, and reached for something within the evergreen branches. A million thoughts ran through her mind as he walked back over to her. Her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as he dropped down on one knee in front of her.

Oh my God!

He held out his hand, and slowly revealed what was now sitting in his palm. It was a ring. A very beautiful ring. She started trembling, and she noticed that he was, too.

Ron took her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. Instantly, she felt a soothing warmth radiate from it and glide up her arm, saturating her skin as it went. It was gorgeous. The band itself was silver, but it shone like glass, and it was twisted with another metal that was almost pearlescent. The diamond in the middle wasn't overly large, but it sparkled like nothing else she'd ever seen. How on earth…?

"Will you marry me, Hermione?"

For once in her life, Hermione was utterly gobsmacked. Tears sprang to her eyes and trickled down her cheeks as she looked at him. This is what he'd been doing for all these months? He hadn't needed the money for himself. He thought he'd needed it to buy her an expensive ring. A ring that was absolutely gorgeous and suited her perfectly. But surely it had cost his entire Wheezes earnings! And probably more! Finally, she found her voice.

"Ron, it—it's too much."

Again, he grinned at her sheepishly. "I knew you'd say that, but I don't think it is."

"I know you love me, Ron. I don't need an expensive ring to tell me that." She sniffed, staring back down at the wondrous thing on her finger, unable to quite wrap her mind around it all just yet.

"Look at me, Hermione." His voice was soft, and she looked up to see that the corners of his eyes were damp. His heart was completely open to her, she could see it there in his gaze, and it was incredibly humbling. Such an indescribable feeling, to be loved so much.

"I know I didn't have to buy you something expensive, but I wanted to. I wanted to—" He wiped at his cheek and cleared his throat before continuing. "My whole life I've resented being given everyone else's things to use. Toys, clothes, wands. Pets. But passing things down from person to person, in a family," he said, staring back at her, "I realized that it's part of what makes a family strong." He scratched the back of his neck, and his cheeks flushed scarlet. "I reckon it's only right to start our family with something special that can be passed down to our children, and their children, and so on."

Hermione had never been so moved. This was the man whom she'd once called an insensitive wart, whom she'd said had the, "Emotional range of a teaspoon."

"It's goblin-made, y'know," he said.

Hermione fought to form words over the lump in her throat. She reached out and placed a hand on either side of his face, drawing him near. "You beautiful man." She kissed him with all the reverence that she could muster, wanting to convey how much this meant to her, that he'd worked so hard to start their family this way. Our family. Her heart leapt at the thought.

"Um, you haven't given me an answer."

She laughed, hiccoughing through her tears. "Yes! Yes…yes."

She kissed him again, and pulled back to stare at him, still trying to fathom what had just happened.

"You're absolutely mad, you do know that, right?" Her voice shook with giggles now, it was uncontrollable.

Ron giggled, too. "Well, you seem to like my particular brand of madness, love."

Hermione's heart felt as if it would burst. "That I do, Ron."