Harry was standing outside his front door and for someone who was about to enter their own house, he looked very apprehensive. He had rather a lot of making up to do with his wife, having come home from the final Quidditch match of the season in a not entirely favourable state. In short, Harry had been extremely drunk, even by his and Ron's high standards. He checked his watch, and saw that it was four o'clock. Harry had told Ron that he would be back at about six even though he knew full well that it would be long before then. This was partly to make sure he had some time to make up with Ginny, and partly to make the lazy sod stay at work for a bit longer instead of clocking off at five on the dot like he usually did. Harry grinned to himself; just because Ron was his best mate did not mean that he did not have to do his paperwork.

Harry pulled himself together, and prepared himself for the probable onslaught that Ginny would give him when he entered the house. He now had two hours alone with her, which should be enough time for him to placate her before Ron arrived. Just.

Ginny, however, did not need as much persuading as Harry thought. She was in a surprisingly good mood given the state he had come home in last night. When Harry asked Ginny what she was so pleased about she told him that she had been to see Teddy today. Harry was relieved, as this always cheered her up immensely. She told him all about her visit, from Teddy's constantly changing hair colour to his zooming around on the toy broomstick they had given him for his fifth birthday last month. Harry was just content to sit and listen. He enjoyed hearing about his godson, and as work was so busy at the moment, he had not seen him for a week or so. And besides, it kept Ginny in a good mood. For a while, anyway.

"...but when WE have children, Mr. Potter, I sincerely hope that you will never come home in the state you were in last night!" she said, a quarter of an hour later.

"Oh, yeah, that... I'm really sorry, love," he said, sheepishly as his frowning wife turned her back on him and started to walk away.

"Ginny, wait!" he called after her and watched as she reluctantly turned back to face him.

"I really am sorry," he said, imploring her to forgive him. "And I know you hate it when I come home drunk, but... well, work's been a bit stressful lately, and I suppose I just got a bit... carried away..." his voice tailed off hopelessly.

Ginny sighed and walked back to him, placing a hand on his cheek. "Harry, please, just... don't do it again?"

"Never again," he promised fervently, although she did not seem entirely convinced.

"Listen," Harry said, trying to distract her from the subject, "Ron told me this morning that he wanted to come round and talk to us and that it was really important."

This certainly piqued Ginny's interest, enough so that she even forgot about Harry being drunk."Really? I wonder what that's about."

"Dunno," answered Harry, "but I said that he should come round at about six. He's free this evening anyway, cause Hermione's with her parents."

"Oh yes, I forgot about that," Ginny absently replied. "I wonder what could be so important that Ron has to come and talk to us while Hermione's away?"

Harry and Ginny spent the rest of the afternoon together. By the time the doorbell rang at six o'clock, everything was back to normal between them and Ginny was starting to feel very curious about Ron's plight. She opened the door to find Ron with a rather annoyed expression on his face. Ginny knew that look well; it was the same look that he had often worn when Hermione had forced him to do his homework.

"Hi Ron," she said, embracing her brother, who hugged her tightly back. She stepped back and surveyed him. "How are you?"

"Bored out of my bloody mind," he replied. Ginny laughed, and stood aside to let him in. "Harry!" she called, and a few seconds later, Harry appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Alright, Ron?" he said, coming downstairs with a broad grin on his face. Ron scowled.

"I hate paperwork," he grunted, causing Harry to laugh.

"Come in, Ron, but if you don't mind, I won't be offering you a drink. Not after last night," joked Harry, leading his best friend into the living room.

"Be fair, I wasn't as drunk as you were," complained Ron as Ginny raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Let's sit down," said Harry hurriedly, still keen to stay off that particular topic. They sat, Ginny curled up next to Harry on one sofa, with Ron sitting opposite them.

"Well come on then," said Ginny impatiently, after a few moments of silence. "What's so important?"

Ron seemed to be steeling himself to say something until he hesitantly began to speak.

"Well, the thing is, I'm... I'm... I'm going to... to ask Hermione... to marry me," he stammered, rushing the last few words. Ginny squealed in delight, and Harry cheered. Ron grinned in spite of himself.

"So?" asked Harry. "When are you going to do it?"

"Erm... I don't know," answered Ron causing Ginny to sigh in exasperation.

"What?" Ron asked defensively.

"Oh come on, Ron," she laughed. "You're going to have to do a bit better than that!"

"Yeah, I know," he replied, "but... well, that's what I wanted some advice on. After all, Harry, you've had, well... experience, and..."

"I'm a girl," finished Ginny.

"Well... yeah," said Ron. "So? How do you think I should do it?"

"Well, firstly, you need to choose a ring," said Ginny. "What do you think she'll like? You know her best, after all."

"Erm..." said Ron, clearly thinking hard. Ginny decided to give him a hand.

"What's her favourite colour?" she asked.

Ron thought for a moment before hesitantly answering, "Blue, isn't it?"

"Purple," said Ginny, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder, "but close enough."

"Erm... right," grunted Ron, looking a bit embarrassed and confused.

"Just kidding, it's blue," said Ginny, with a smile that left Ron feeling relieved. "But you have to be a bit surer of yourself than that when you ask her, Ron."

Ron stared at her, and then laughed, relieved. Harry started to laugh too, and then Ginny joined in. It took them a while to subside.

For the rest of the evening, they planned out Ron's proposal in detail. The following morning, which, mercifully, was Saturday, Ron and Harry went to Diagon Alley to buy a ring. It took them a while to decide, not made any easier by the fact that the shop assistant was completely in awe of having Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in his store at the same time. Ron was nearly as well known as Harry these days and it was clear that he enjoyed it, despite not having quite grown accustomed to people recognising him wherever he went within the wizarding world.

"Seriously," Ron said, as they left the shop, "I thought the bloke was going to explode!"

Harry laughed loudly. They returned to Harry's for lunch, and then Ron went back home to prepare for Hermione getting back from her parents' house, nearly forgetting the ring. Ginny giggled as he came back in to retrieve it.

"They're so perfect for each other, aren't they?" she said, when Ron had left and Harry had closed the front door. Harry could not help agreeing with her; the two complimented each other perfectly. He hugged her tightly, and lightly kissed the top of his wife's head.

"Perfect," he said.