Chapter 3:Ron And Hermione

Ron and Ginny were staying at Grimmauld Place until Ginny was to return to school. Because of Ron and Hermione's nocturnal activities, Harry and Ginny had not been getting much sleep. Ron came out of the bathroom one morning wrapped in a towel. He met Harry in the hall, who looked tired and annoyed.

"Ron, listen, you and Hermione are my best mates, but if you two insist on making love like a pair of wild monkeys the least you could do is put a silencing charm on the door."

Ron looked embarrassed as he said, "Sorry Harry." and made his way to the bedroom. Harry followed him.

Once inside the room Harry sat on the bed, "Ron," he said seriously. "I hope the two of you are being, you know, safe."

Ron stiffened, turning red as he said, "You can spare me the lecture Harry. Hermione has taken care of everything."

"Good. I just worry sometimes. I mean I know you love her, but you don't want to do something you'll end up regretting."

Ron didn't know what was more embarrassing. The fact that Harry and his sister had heard them or that he was actually sitting here having this conversation with Harry.

"Harry, have you and Ginny... you know..."

Harry looked thoroughly shocked, and almost blurted out, "RON WEASLEY! Do you think I am insane? Ginny has five older brothers and a father who are perfectly capable of stunning me...or worse, do something that will end up making Ginny a widow before we even get married ! Not to mention I would not want to be anywhere near your mum if she found out that I had that kind of relationship with her under aged daughter. Voldemort is nothing compared to the wrath of Molly Weasley."

Ron's eyes widened at this sudden outburst and tried hastily to calm Harry down.

"Harry, I am sorry...But I thought, you know, you might..."

"Ron, Ginny and I have already sorted things out. We've decided to keep it special." Harry said, blushing.

"Special?"

"We've decided to do nothing more than snogging until our wedding night." Harry said, avoiding his best mate's eyes.

Ron looked about to cry as he hugged Harry.

With the exception of at night, Ron and Hermione had found very little time where they could be alone. As much as he loved Harry like a brother, there were times when he just wanted to be alone with her without him around. He found his chance one Tuesday in mid July when Harry and Ginny had gone to the Burrow to start discussing their plans for their future. Ron and Hermione sat cuddled up on the couch in the sitting room of Number 12.

"You are awfully quiet Ronald." Hermione said to him. "Is something on your mind?"

"Not really." He replied with a satisfied grin on his face. "It's just that I thought there were so many things I wanted to say to you in private, but I realize that I just love being alone with you. I love the feeling of your arms around me. In a way it makes me feel safe." Ron gave a little chuckle. "God that sounded so gay, innit?"

"No it didn't." Hermione told him. "It was sweet. You no longer have an emotional range of a teaspoon, I guess" she joked.

"I can't help it. Hermione I am hopelessly addicted to you."

Hermione's eyes welled up at this confession.

"I love you Hermione." Ron said, kissing her.

"I love you too."

Ron decided he was finally going to ask Hermione to marry him.

Life is too short to waste any time, he thought, and Merlin knows how much time had been lost from their normal lives.

When he explained it to his best mate and his sister, Harry and Ginny helped him plan it all out. Saturday morning, Hermione woke to find a rose on her pillow with a note that said,

Hermione,

Your presence is requested in the main dining room at 6 p.m. this evening. Wear something classy...for me?

Ron.

Hermione found it all strange and asked about it to Ron while they were breakfasting, but Ron seemed deaf to her questions and swiftly changed the subject. While Hermione napped that afternoon Harry, Ron and Ginny prepared a fancy dinner. To keep it private, Harry and Ginny decided to go and have dinner with Molly and Arthur at The Burrow.

Hermione had no clue what to expect when she walked into the dining room, but the last thing she expected was dim lighting, candles, a dozen red roses sitting in a vase on the table and Ron, neatly dressed in a black suit, smiling brightly, holding a chair out for her to sit down.

"Ron, this is beautiful." she said, looking remotely happy.

"Really? I hadn't noticed. I was too busy looking at you. You look gorgeous."

"Thanks." She said sitting down.

Hermione was wearing a black knee length spaghetti strapped dress. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, with a few short strands of hair, which hung about her face.

"Before we eat, I wanted to say something. Hermione, I love you so much. I know I never had a whole lot, but you loved me anyway. You loved me when my robes where two inches too short, you loved me when my stupid wand was broken in half and creating havoc all over the place, you even loved me when I was being a total and complete ass. In return all I want to do is make you happy."

To Hermione's surprise, Ron then took a small box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. Hermione gasped and her eyes filled with tears.

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

"Yes." she said through her tears.

Ron slipped the ring onto Hermione's left ring finger. It was a beautiful half karat princess cut solitaire diamond ring. It looked perfect on her. Hermione looked at the beautifully prepared table. Ginny had prepared minced crockets, spicy fried potatoes, and Chinese chicken manchurian. Ron had even purchased a bottle of wine.

"Everything looks wonderful." she said.

"I can't cook to save my life... Ginny did it."

They ate their dinner, with a few playful pun-liners and did a sort of weird dance. The music was eerily romantic, something that was playing on the muggle cassette player the quartet had found in Sirius' room.

Harry and Ginny came home around 9:30 that evening. They looked in the dining room. It had been tidied up after that evening's dinner. As they made their way past Ron and Hermione's room, they noticed a white towel on the door knob. They didn't hear anything so Harry figured this time Ron had remembered the silencing charm.

"Let's not disturb them." Harry told Ginny. And they made their way to the master bedroom.

Ron and Hermione met Harry and Ginny in the kitchen for breakfast the next morning.

"You two seemed to be a little busy last night." Harry said, giving a small smile. "I take it the dinner went well?"

Hermione held out her finger to show Harry and Ginny her beautiful ring.

"Wow. Hermione, it's absolutely beautiful." said Ginny, giving her best friend a hug. She then turned to her big brother and joked, "Well, Ron you finally did something right for a change."