Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 3: Harry and Ron's secret trip
Hermione left the Research Centre and apparated back home. Hermione and Ron were living with Harry at Potter Manor. Harry had inherited it when he came of age. He didn't wanna live alone after the war and so Ron and Hermione were more than happy to stay with him.
Hermione entered Potter Manor and went to the living room. Ron was trying very hard to switch on the TV she'd bought them and cursing very loudly. Harry was sitting on the couch beside him and trying very hard to stop laughing. Ron was very apprehensive about the 'strange device' (TV) at first but he eventually got used to it and now he was kind of obsessed with it.
"I can never operate this bloody remote. Harry quit laughing and help me!" Ron grumbled.
Hermione sighed and said "Oh! I hate the word 'help'! From today no one says 'help'.."
Ron finally noticing that Hermione had come said "Hey Hermione! What happened? Didn't figure out the slab thing?"
"We did, but we have to take help from the potions department."
"So?" Ron asked all confused.
"The Potions head is Malfoy!" She said with hatred in her tone.
Harry suddenly stopped laughing and looked like he was gonna punch someone and Ron turned red with anger giving a very tough competition to his hair.
Hermione had expected the exact same reactions from both of them when she decided to tell them.
"You are saying no right? You can't work with Malfoy!" Harry said looking tense.
"Ya.. Harry's right. You have to say no." Ron put in.
"I have to work with him. There is no other option."
At this Ron and Harry both started screaming simultaneously.
"At least let me explain the situation!" Hermione said trying to calm them down.
She explained to them about all that happened during the day and the whole situation with the slab. Both of them finally calmed down and now looked worried for her. She knew they both didn't like it one bit that she would be working with Malfoy. Well, even she didn't like it herself, but it couldn't be helped.
The trio heated some food and sat down to eat discussing about Malfoy. Then Hermione remembered that she had to ask them about their disappearance last night.
"So, where were you'll all of last night?" She asked.
Both Harry and Ron started mumbling again
"What are you'll hiding?" Hermione asked getting even more curious.
"You remembered. I thought you'll forget." Ron answered dumbly.
"Of course I did. I never forget." She replied.
Harry gave Ron a 'I told you so' look.
"Ok fine, don't tell me! Ginny will get it out of you two anyway."
Harry tensed a bit at this and said "But Ginny is still on her Quidditch tour. She's got one more match left."
"I know. But I heard news that there was some kind of fault in the muggle repellant charms on the stadium and many muggles started entering the stadium thinking it to be a cricket stadium. So they had to cancel the match and obliviate thousands of muggles." Hermione explained.
Ron was looking very confused and asked "Cricket as in the insect?"
"No. Cricket as in the game. It's a popular muggle sport in England." Hermione said.
"Oh! Is it like Quidditch?" Ron asked getting a bit curious.
"I'll explain it to you later." Harry said to change the topic back to Ginny. "So she's coming back early then?" He asked Hermione.
"Yes. And I owled her to come directly at Potter Manor."
"Bloody hell!" Ron swore.
"Tell her not to come here. I'll tell you everything right now. Please tell her not to come here." Harry said almost pleading.
Just then Ginny entered. Harry stopped talking abruptly and turned pale, Ron looked tense and Hermione was getting more and more confused with their reactions. Then suddenly Harry got up and hugged Ginny and gave her a peck on her lips.
Ron turned away dramatically and said "Don't do that in front of me!"
Hermione quickly retorted "Don't be stupid Ron. It's sweet."
Ginny sat down and told them about all the mess the Ministry had to clean up because of one gap in the wards. She then went into full interrogation mode and turned to face the boys. "Hermione owled me that you'll were missing the whole of yesterday night. What are you'll up-to?" She asked sternly and looked very much like Mrs. Weasley.
Harry turned to Ron and said "We'll have to tell them mate."
"No, we can't. You know how hard it was for me to book that place for you." Ron said.
"They already know we were missing. We'll have to tell them now." Harry argued.
Getting tired of the secrecy Ginny asked suspiciously, "You'll aren't having a secret relationship together, are you'll? You better not." Saying the last few words with a finger pointed at Harry threateningly.
" NO... NO... NOOO..." Harry and Ron replied simultaneously.
"Then why are you'll being so bloody secretive?!" Ginny asked clearly irritated now.
Hermione was watching all this patiently. She knew Ginny would break them. Finally they got the answer they were waiting for.
"We'd gone to India." Harry said in a voice that was hardly audible.
Both Ginny and Hermione screamed, "India!"
"We didn't go to work yesterday. We spent the whole day there." Ron explained further.
"What did you'll go to India for?" Hermione asked still recovering from her shock.
At this moment Harry looked at Ginny and said, "I was gonna do this anyway when you came back but I'd imagined it would be at a special place and alone but I'll have to do this now."
"What?" Ginny managed to ask getting tensed about what he was going to say next.
Harry went down on one knee and pulled out a purple velvet box from his cloak and opened it. Inside was a spectacular ring made of white gold and a huge diamond on it with small rubies on each side.
"Ginny, you have supported me through thick and thin. You have been there for me even when i wasn't there for you. You have made me the happiest person in the world. I wanna grow old with you and have many kids. Ginny, Will you marry me?"
Ginny had tears in her eyes and said, "Yes! Yes! Of course in will." And put her hand forward.
As soon as Harry put the ring on her finger, Ginny grabbed Harry and kissed him passionately not caring that Ron and Hermione were sitting right there.
Suddenly something struck Hermione, she turned to Ron and asked, "If Harry went to buy the ring then why were you turning so red whenever I asked you'll about it?"
Ron mumbled something in reply but Hermione couldn't understand him.
"I can't understand what you are saying Ron."
Harry replied for Ron, "We met Parvati there and Ron hit it off with her. That's why we had to stay the night."
At that statement both Hermione and Ginny raised an eyebrow at Ron. Ron hastily clarified the misunderstanding, "Not that way! Parvati invited us to her place for dinner. We couldn't say no. Her family got pretty fond of us and didn't allow us to leave, so we stayed overnight and left after breakfast."
"Oh!" Both Hermione and Ginny said together.
Ginny turned to Harry and asked, "Why did you'll go all the way to India for the ring?"
"India is famous for jewellery and precious stones, and you deserve the best." Harry said smiling at Ginny.
"That is soo sweet of you! I love it! It's perfect! Although we do have to rethink the number of kids you wanna have.." She said, "Mom is gonna go nuts when she here about this."
"Umm.. She already knows about it." Ron said.
"What!?" Ginny asked shocked, "How-come?"
Harry said, "I asked your parents for permission to ask you to marry me."
"You are such a gentleman!" Ginny teased.
"Why didn't you'll tell me?" Hermione asked slapping Ron on the shoulder.
"Ow! I wanted to tell you but Harry told me not to." Ron said rubbing his shoulder.
"You are very close to Ginny. I know you wouldn't have told her. Ok, I don't really know why I didn't tell you. I'm sorry. It's just that I wanted fewer people to know so that Ginny wouldn't find out." Harry tried to explain.
"It's alright! But next time no hiding stuff like this from me, either of you." She said to both Harry and Ron. "By the way, how is Parvati?"
"She's good. She was visiting her family in India. She's coming back to England next month. We've promised to catch up after she comes back." Ron replied.
"Good for you." Hermione said.
After sometime Hermione and Ron left for their respective rooms giving the newly engaged couple some privacy. Hermione was genuinely happy for Ron. After their break up it had been hard for both of them to see each other with someone else. But gradually with time both of them were over it.
After seeing Harry propose to Ginny and hearing about Ron, Hermione completely forgot about her meeting with Malfoy the next day and she went to sleep peacefully.
Author's note: Hope you'll liked this chapter. I know there was hardly any mention of Draco in this one but the next chapter is when they start working together so you'll will have something to look forward to. Please review, I would love to know the reader's point of view.
