Love and a Lakeside
Crimson locks passed easily through his fingers and Harry sighed quietly in simple content. Voldemort was dead, his Death Eaters taken to the grave with him, and he had been happily in love for five years now. A smile stretched across his face as he leaned his head back to rest against smooth bark, worn down by time and schoolchildren heads.
The pale, freckled head in his lap shifted slightly to see as he entangled their free hands. A matching smile appeared on the familiar face and Harry leaned over to steal a chaste kiss, just for the sake of it.
This had always been their spot, even in school. The old willow at the lake's edge, where the Squid sometimes liked to warm his tentacles in the sun or call the merfolk to play. Ron suddenly let out a heavy sigh and Harry stared down at him, confused. The look on his lover's face was one he hadn't seen since the Final Battle, determination and fear and so much love it was overwhelming, drowning them. The redhead pulled himself up, standing before Harry and reaching down to lift him to his feet.
Harry obligingly stood, still confused and a little concerned, but having some inkling that this was why Ron had brought him back here for his birthday. Then his eyes widened and Harry later swore he stopped breathing as Ron got down on one knee.
"Harry, I've loved you since the moment I first set eyes on you, admired you, adored you, and followed you through all of life's challenges. I've made my mistakes but you always forgave me and I will never be so thankful for anything else in my life than that you gave us a chance." Here, Ron's voice, deepened with age and maturity, paused and he shut his eyes with the nerves. Harry wanted to reassure him, but couldn't find his breath, let alone his voice.
Those clear blue eyes opened and Ron continued, husky and heartfelt, "Harry Potter, I love you so much and I want to be with you for the rest of my life." An open velvet-lined box was in his hand as he gripped Harry's and the green-eyed young man wondered dizzily when that got there. Ron smiled up at him.
"Harry James Potter, will you marry me?"
Harry stared a moment, shell-shocked, as he listened to the pulse in his ears. Then, it was like a spell breaking and the next thing he knew, he was collapsed on top of his fiancé, kissing him breathless and whispering, "Yes, yes, yes!" Ron's exultant laughter echoing over the grounds around them as the sun shone upon a love that would always triumph, always hope, always persevere.
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