Love and War
Ron smiled at her lovingly. The music being played by an invisible band was slow and melodic. Hermione smiled back, loving the feeling of being held in Ron's arms. She loved him so much. This would be their last Yule Ball ever at Hogwarts. Their seventh year had been the first peaceful one yet, so far. Harry hadn't had to fight Voldemort since the year before, and didn't expect to. Dumbledore himself had joined Harry and Sirius in casting the Avada Kedavra curse on Voldemort. It was doubtful even the Dark Lord could survive three Unforgivable Curses at once.
"What are you thinking of?" Ron asked softly. Hermione smiled.
"Just about how wonderful this year has been." She replied, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"It has been wonderful." Ron agreed, tightening his grip around her waist. Harry and Ginny were dancing close by and smiled over at them. Hermione and Ron smiled back, then returned to gazing into eachother's eyes.
"I love you." Hermione whispered.
"And I love you," Ron replied softly, then kissed her gently on the lips.
Suddenly, the music stopped. Dumbledore stood regally on a high platform in the front of the Great Hall.
"May I have your attention, please." He said, his eyes twinkling magically. Everyone crowded around the platform, giving the beloved headmaster their full attention, "Now, I will allow you to go about with the festivities in just a moment. But first, let me crowd your brains with useless mush."
The crowd laughed. Dumbledore smiled his intellegent smile and continued, "As you know, we began a new tradition last year. When Miss Parvati Patil came up with the most brilliant idea to have a Yule Ball King and Queen. This year, there was a wonderful turnout! The votes were almost equally spread! However, I must announce that this year's King and Queen are Mr. Harry Potter and Ms. Ginny Weasley!"
The Great Hall erupted in applause as the two walked up to the platform. Instead of a crown and tiara as they have in muggle dances, Harry and Ginny were given charmed flowers. They were charmed to last forever. They would never wilt or die. But, true to muggle form, the couple danced to a slower song, and others could eventually join in.
"They are so great together." Hermione said to Ron as Ginny and Harry took the dance floor. She and Ron had been named King and Queen the year before.
"Yes. I can imagne that Harry will end up my brother in-law." Ron said.
"I think that would be fitting. You two as brothers." Hermione said. Ron put his arms around her slender waist.
"Hermi, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." He said, suddenly seeming nervous.
"What is it?" She asked, looking into his blue eyes.
"I love you so much. More than life itself. And I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?" Ron said the last part softly, and Hermione almost couldn't hear it. But she did, and she didn't have to think twice.
"Of course I'll marry you." She whispered, before kissing him passionately. They pulled away breathless.
"I almost forgot." Ron said, reaching into the pocket of his new emerald green robes. He pulled out a small velvet black box and handed it to Hermione. She lifted the lid, and gasped. It was what looked like sapphire and diamond ring at a glance. But if you looked closer, the sapphire looked more like a crystal filled with beautiful green-blue water. It was the ocean captured in a jewel. And the diamonds were two tiny stars on either side. It was beautiful.
"Oh Ron..." She breathed, then flung her arms around his neck, "It's gorgeous, I love it."
"I'm glad you do. I love you, Hermi."
"I love you, too." She said, kissing him again.
THe song had awitched to something faster, and Ginny and Harry walked up to the couple. Harry took one look at Hermione's face.
"I'm guessing you asked her?" He said. Ron nodded.
"You knew?" Hermione asked, still admiring the ring on her finger.
"Who do you think helped him pick out the ring?" Harry said, putting an arm around Ginny.
"Did I miss something?" Ginny asked.
"I asked Hermione to marry me." Ron replied.
"Did you say yes?" Ginny asked Hermione excitedly.
"Of course I did!" Hermione said, looking at Ginny strangely. Ginny squealed and hugged Hermione.
"We'll be sisters!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down. Hermione laughed and hugged her friend.
They were interupted by a loud explosion. The four twirled around, and Harry groaned. Voldemort was standing at the other end of the Great Hall, standing there in probably the best shape yet, in all his glory.
"This is getting so old." Harry muttered.
TO BE CONTINUED
Ron smiled at her lovingly. The music being played by an invisible band was slow and melodic. Hermione smiled back, loving the feeling of being held in Ron's arms. She loved him so much. This would be their last Yule Ball ever at Hogwarts. Their seventh year had been the first peaceful one yet, so far. Harry hadn't had to fight Voldemort since the year before, and didn't expect to. Dumbledore himself had joined Harry and Sirius in casting the Avada Kedavra curse on Voldemort. It was doubtful even the Dark Lord could survive three Unforgivable Curses at once.
"What are you thinking of?" Ron asked softly. Hermione smiled.
"Just about how wonderful this year has been." She replied, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"It has been wonderful." Ron agreed, tightening his grip around her waist. Harry and Ginny were dancing close by and smiled over at them. Hermione and Ron smiled back, then returned to gazing into eachother's eyes.
"I love you." Hermione whispered.
"And I love you," Ron replied softly, then kissed her gently on the lips.
Suddenly, the music stopped. Dumbledore stood regally on a high platform in the front of the Great Hall.
"May I have your attention, please." He said, his eyes twinkling magically. Everyone crowded around the platform, giving the beloved headmaster their full attention, "Now, I will allow you to go about with the festivities in just a moment. But first, let me crowd your brains with useless mush."
The crowd laughed. Dumbledore smiled his intellegent smile and continued, "As you know, we began a new tradition last year. When Miss Parvati Patil came up with the most brilliant idea to have a Yule Ball King and Queen. This year, there was a wonderful turnout! The votes were almost equally spread! However, I must announce that this year's King and Queen are Mr. Harry Potter and Ms. Ginny Weasley!"
The Great Hall erupted in applause as the two walked up to the platform. Instead of a crown and tiara as they have in muggle dances, Harry and Ginny were given charmed flowers. They were charmed to last forever. They would never wilt or die. But, true to muggle form, the couple danced to a slower song, and others could eventually join in.
"They are so great together." Hermione said to Ron as Ginny and Harry took the dance floor. She and Ron had been named King and Queen the year before.
"Yes. I can imagne that Harry will end up my brother in-law." Ron said.
"I think that would be fitting. You two as brothers." Hermione said. Ron put his arms around her slender waist.
"Hermi, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." He said, suddenly seeming nervous.
"What is it?" She asked, looking into his blue eyes.
"I love you so much. More than life itself. And I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?" Ron said the last part softly, and Hermione almost couldn't hear it. But she did, and she didn't have to think twice.
"Of course I'll marry you." She whispered, before kissing him passionately. They pulled away breathless.
"I almost forgot." Ron said, reaching into the pocket of his new emerald green robes. He pulled out a small velvet black box and handed it to Hermione. She lifted the lid, and gasped. It was what looked like sapphire and diamond ring at a glance. But if you looked closer, the sapphire looked more like a crystal filled with beautiful green-blue water. It was the ocean captured in a jewel. And the diamonds were two tiny stars on either side. It was beautiful.
"Oh Ron..." She breathed, then flung her arms around his neck, "It's gorgeous, I love it."
"I'm glad you do. I love you, Hermi."
"I love you, too." She said, kissing him again.
THe song had awitched to something faster, and Ginny and Harry walked up to the couple. Harry took one look at Hermione's face.
"I'm guessing you asked her?" He said. Ron nodded.
"You knew?" Hermione asked, still admiring the ring on her finger.
"Who do you think helped him pick out the ring?" Harry said, putting an arm around Ginny.
"Did I miss something?" Ginny asked.
"I asked Hermione to marry me." Ron replied.
"Did you say yes?" Ginny asked Hermione excitedly.
"Of course I did!" Hermione said, looking at Ginny strangely. Ginny squealed and hugged Hermione.
"We'll be sisters!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down. Hermione laughed and hugged her friend.
They were interupted by a loud explosion. The four twirled around, and Harry groaned. Voldemort was standing at the other end of the Great Hall, standing there in probably the best shape yet, in all his glory.
"This is getting so old." Harry muttered.
TO BE CONTINUED