Hermione stood outside in the backyard of the Burrow. She was lost in thought, gazing up at the moon. Ron sat at the window, looking out at her.
"You should go sit with her," Ginny said walking up behind him.
"Huh?" Ron said, turning to look at his sister.
"Instead of just sitting here, staring at her, go sit with her," Ginny repeated.
"She probably won't want me to," Ron said.
Ginny knew he was just making excuses because, even after two and a half years of dating Hermione, he still got extremely nervous around her. "Alright, then. Just sit here at the window, by yourself, instead of outside with your girlfriend. Just leave her by herself out there. But, think about this: you love her, and for some reason, you are sitting in the kitchen alone," Ginny patted him on the shoulder, "I'm going to bed. Good night, Ron."
"Night, Ginny," he said as he turned his attention back to the window. He was still looking at Hermione, but he was thinking about what Ginny said. She was right: he did love Hermione. He loved her more than he could ever say. Sometimes he didn't even know how to act when he was around her. In those moments, he always thought of their 5th year at Hogwarts when Hermione told him he "had the emotional range of a teaspoon." Sometimes he felt she couldn't have been anymore right about him.
Just then, Hermione sat down in the grass. Ron stood up from his spot at the window and walked out into the cool night air. He sat down next to Hermione and looked up at the stars.
"That constellation," she said pointing at the sky, "is Leo, named after the Nemean Lion. And that one there is Ursa Major, the bear."
Ron looked toward where she was pointing, "All I see is the Plough."
Hermione smiled at him, "That's because the Plough is in Ursa Major. Don't you remember anything about that from Astronomy?"
"Hermione, you did my homework for me in that class," he said, smiling back at her.
"Oh, right. I remember that," she laughed.
Hermione shivered a bit as a cool breeze stirred and Ron put his arm around her. She looked up at him and then laid her head against his shoulder. They sat like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the presence of one another.
"Hermione-"
"Ron-"
"You go first," Ron said, pulling away so he could look at Hermione.
"I love you," she said in a whisper. "There is no other person in this entire world that I could love in the way that I love you."
"I-I l-love you, too," Ron stuttered. He was so surprised at what she had said. It was the first time she had told him she loved him.
Hermione smiled and pulled him closer to her, "What did you want to tell me?"
"That I love you and I have since the very first day that I met you on the train."
Hermione pulled away, and looked into Ron's blue eyes. For the second time that night, she surprised him; she leaned in towards him and kissed him.
They pulled apart and Hermione laid her head on Ron's chest and he held her in silence for hours, until the night air got too cold for them to stay outside any longer. Once inside, Ron walked her to the door of Ginny's room, where she was sleeping.
"Good night. I love you," Ron said.
"Love you, too," she said as Ron leaned down and kissed her forehead.
He stood there until Hermione had closed the door behind her.
In the room, Hermione listened at the door until she couldn't hear Ron's footsteps anymore. Hermione leaned against the door, barely able to contain how excited she was. Despite her excitement, she tried to stay as quiet as possible because Ginny was probably sleeping.
"Well?" Ginny asked, startling Hermione.
"Holy cricket, Ginny! You scared me!"
"Haha, sorry," Ginny said. She patted the spot next to her on her bed, "So, did he come sit with you?"
"Yes, Ron did," Hermione said. She had a stunned look on her face, which made Ginny a little nervous.
"…And?" Ginny coaxed.
"And, I told him I loved him." Hermione still looked stunned.
"And he said?"
"He said he loved me, too!" Hermione said, her stunned expression changing to one of pure excitement.
"Hermione, that's great! Took you guys long enough," Ginny said. She engulfed Hermione in a hug.
"I'm so excited. Everything is absolutely perfect," Hermione said flopping back on Ginny's bed.
"That's love," Ginny said matter-of-factly.
Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself, "I'm going to bed now. See you in the morning."
"It's well after midnight, so it is morning."
"Well then, Ms. Technicality," Hermione laughed. "I'll see you when the sun decides its morning."
"Have a nice rest then," Ginny laughed.
One Year Later
Ron glanced at the calendar, deep in thought. The door opened and Harry walked in.
"Hey," Harry said.
"Hey," Ron answered.
"Your mum wanted me to let you know that dinner's ready. I think she's really excited that we're all here again."
Ron nodded, "Yeah. It's probably pretty quiet without all of us here all the time." His stomach rumbled, "Guess I am hungry."
"Ron, you're always hungry," Harry laughed as they walked out the door.
Downstairs in the kitchen, almost the entire Weasley family, plus a few others, were sitting around the table. It was plain to see that Mrs. Weasley was sad that Fred wasn't there, but her spirits were slightly uplifted at the sight of George, Angelina and their son Fred. He was about 6 months old and seemed to be a very happy baby. And being the youngest Weasley, he was doted upon by his grandparents.
The dinner was full of laughter and happiness. Even Percy was making jokes; lame jokes, as George pointed out, but jokes nonetheless. Harry was watching Teddy, so he was at the dinner, too and had fully captured the attention of Hermione and Ginny. He was three years old and couldn't control his Metamorphagus powers yet, so his hair was constantly changing colors. Whenever he laughed it turned bright yellow, much to the amusement of baby Fred.
Hermione and Ron helped Mrs. Weasley clear the table. The rest of the family crowded into the small living room. As Ron was putting some pans in the cabinet, Hermione walked outside and sat on the grass.
He stood at the window for a second, smiling softly. He grabbed his jacket off of the sofa and went out the door.
"Hey," he said as he sat down next to Hermione.
"Hello," she said smiling at him.
Hermione shivered a bit as the wind blew, and Ron put his jacket around her. She put her arms through the sleeves and leaned against him. He put his arm around her.
"I love you," she said, echoing her words from the year before.
"I love you, too."
She put her hands in the jacket pockets. After a minute, Hermione pulled something out of the pocket, and looked up at Ron.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Open it."
She looked from Ron to the box and hesitantly opened it. She gasped as he eyes took in the contents of the box. Inside the box was a ring. It was a silver band adorned with three small diamonds surrounding an aquamarine stone.
"Ronald?"
He gently took the box from Hermione and turned to fully face her. He held her hand and took a deep breath.
"Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"
"Oh, Ronald," she said. "Yes, of course, I'll marry you!"
Ron beamed at her and put the ring on her finger. The ring was barely in place before Hermione engulfed Ron in a hug.
"That was my mum's engagement ring. She thought it would be perfect for you, so she gave it to me about a month ago. I wanted to wait 'til the perfect day to give it to you," Ron said holding her.
"You picked the absolute perfect day," she said smiling.
They sat just holding one another for a little while longer before Mrs. Weasley called them inside.
They walked inside holding hands so as to hide Hermione's ring until they had everyone's attention.
"Everyone," Ron said as he sat on the floor near Teddy. "I have something I need to tell you."
Hermione sat down next to him, pulling Teddy on her lap, "We have something to tell you."
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley beamed, knowing exactly what they were going to say.
"We're engaged!" they said in unison.
The entire room was bursting with excitement and many choruses of "about time!"
Hermione and Ron sat together and, despite all of the excitement around them, all they could see was each other.