Note: Same universe as "Beginnings" and "Blooming Most Recklessly". Remus/Hermione, slight AU.
oOo
"I don't really like public proposals. Not that I don't like surprises – I'd just much rather it only be the two of us," Hermione said. "Like you and Harry, you know."
Ginny nodded, looking thoughtful. "Mm. Yeah, ours was pretty good."
Hermione eyed her. Ginny usually had a far dreamier expression on her face whenever she recalled Harry's proposal. It seemed her mind was on something else tonight.
"Knut for your thoughts?"
Ginny snapped back to attention. "What? Oh, no...yeah. Harry's proposal." A dreamy smile spread across her face.
"There you go," Hermione said, sipping her wine.
oOo
"Is your weekend still clear, darling?"
She went to Remus and hugged him around the waist from behind, pressing her cheek to his back. He felt warm and reassuringly solid in her arms, the shift of his muscles familiar as he cut up ingredients. "Yes, it is." She peered around him into the cauldron on the counter. "What are you making? Pepper-Up?"
"Yeah, Teddy used up our supply last time. I suspect he rather enjoys the side effect." Remus added bicorn horn to the solution, stirring a few times with his wand. He put his wand down, then, and turned slowly in her arms, warm hands finding her waist and pulling her in close. "Let's go someplace this weekend, just the two of us. Teddy's been clamouring for another stay at Shell Cottage."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you've a plan already."
Remus grinned. "I have." He kissed the tip of her nose and she couldn't help but smile. "If you'll agree to it."
"Of course," she said, smiling.
"I've packed you a bag."
"Very presumptuous, Remus Lupin. Did you pick my more conservative undergarments?"
He gave her another grin, more wolfish than the last, his hands slipping onto her hips. "Should I have?"
"Definitely not."
oOo
"This is beautiful, Remus."
They were ambling through the forest, sated from a satisfying dinner. As they walked Remus reached for her hand, laced his fingers slowly through hers. They shared a quiet smile. The late afternoon sun lit a path through the trees; she could see a patch of golden sunlight falling into a glade ahead, skinny trees rising tall and green round the edges of the clearing.
When they reached the glade, Remus conjured a picnic blanket and basket. "Sit, please."
Hermione laughed, impressed as he revealed the contents of the wicker basket: fruit, champagne, and a box of what appeared to be Honeydukes Chocolate Cauldrons. "Thank you so much for this."
As he lowered himself beside her, he met her eyes with a soft gaze, eyes more green than blue. "I love you."
She kissed him, a tender kiss that parted slowly, before whispering, "I love you too." She combed her fingers through Remus' hair, watching it shine gold in the sunlight, threaded with the occasional silver. And she felt so lucky to have him, to want him and be wanted by him.
Remus said, "This past year has been–"
But Remus broke off with a yelp. Startled, Hermione found a small, furry, long-snouted creature emerging from a burrow beside their picnic blanket. It scampered over Remus' stomach, and then dove for Hermione.
"Niffler!" Hermione managed, trying not to burst out laughing. Remus grabbed the creature and lifted it away before it had a chance to do any damage to her necklace. They were both laughing now, almost giggling like schoolchildren, the mood somehow both utterly spoilt and utterly lifted at once.
"I was saying," Remus said, attempting a straight face even as he stroked the small struggling animal in his hands, "This past year has really been...it's been the best of my life, Hermione. And you..."
The way he was looking at her made her want to kiss him until he was out of words, to put to rest that last flicker of self-doubt she could still see sometimes.
"Remus," she said. "You...having you in my life...it's been the best, for me, too. I love you so much."
He smiled. The flicker was gone.
They didn't say anything for a long moment; they didn't need to.
Eventually, Remus said, gesturing at the box, "Have some chocolate." The lid lifted itself off, the box presenting itself before her.
The Niffler lunged forward, but Remus still held it firmly. It was all very amusing. Grinning again, Hermione chose a cauldron and bit into one edge.
"There's no Firewhiskey in this one," she commented. "It's all –"
She stopped. There was a glint of silver inside the cauldron, but it wasn't from any liquid.
For a moment, she could hear nothing but the thumping of her heart and the struggling of the Niffler. Then the movement beside her roused her, and she looked up to find Remus on one knee, Niffler nowhere to be seen.
"Remus," she said.
"Take it out," he urged.
She tipped the ring out of the cauldron. Remus vanished the remaining chocolate from her hands. She swallowed, looking up to find his eyes.
"Hermione," he said, "Will you marry me?"
She'd never thought she would cry, though she hadn't really thought about this moment at all. As it was, the tears sprang to her eyes at once, and she could feel her smile trembling. "Yes," she breathed. "Yes. Yes, Remus."
Remus cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, hard. There was nothing she could think of to say, nothing that needed to be said. When they broke apart he brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs and kissed her forehead and her eyelids, and he slipped the ring onto her finger, and pressed his lips to her palm. She could only smile, trying not to cry again, and leaned their foreheads together.
oOo
"Remus," she whispered, eventually. "Where's the Niffler?"