"Oh, thank Merlin!" Mrs. Weasley's voice brought Hermione out of her trance of despair. She stood abruptly and looked where Molly looked. Arthur had appeared flanked by Harry and Ginny. Charlie and Bettina followed, and brining up the rear was Ron. Hermione only had eyes for him. She blew past everyone and threw herself at him with all her might. He winced. The pain in his stomach radiated to his side.
"Oh goodness, you're hurt." she eased up a little and quickly did a healing charm, one that Ginny hadn't been able to do.
"Thanks," he said. Then she kissed him fiercely, before he could say another word. She was so grateful to have him back, she nearly forgot herself and that there were other people around them. "You're filthy, she added softly, smiling for the first time that day.
"Where eez Bill?" a panicked Fleur said, rushing out of the house where she'd been occupying herself with knitting booties for Victoire.
"He's taking care of the Raiders," Mr. Weasley answered. "But he's safe and they're safely in Azkaban."
"What are Raiders?" asked George.
"The newest threat," said Harry. "Thieves, essentially. They steal our tactics, work to counter new defense mechanisms. They strive to make unbreakable curses, so naturally their adversaries are..."
"The Cursebreakers," Hermione said.
"Exactly. As soon as the Cursebreakers uncover something, the Raiders move against them. Bill's head Cursebreaker, now."
"But why attack his home?" Mrs. Weasley asked in horror.
"They're ruthless. And these days they're desperate. This was sloppy. It's not their normal style. They thought breaking into Gringotts would trap Bill, but it didn't work."
"Are there more of them?" Angelina asked.
"Possibly. It's certainly likely," Harry said. "But they're not like Death Eaters. There's no real leader."
"I thought that big one was the leader," said Ginny.
"He's a leader. There's no one like Voldemort that they all answer to. They work mostly alone and are in it for themselves."
"So they just try to weaken defenses for the hell of it? To wreak havoc on our society?" asked George. "Couldn't they just pass out a nice Mumbling Mint like the rest of us?"
"It's more than that," Harry explained. "They're after Ministry secrets and ancient magic. But there isn't a unifying goal among them. These wanted the secrets of Gringotts, not the treasure inside, necessarily, but this time they were after Goblin magic."
"Well we all know how keen Goblins are at sharing," said Ron. Hermione gave him slightly evil glance.
"The Goblins were really brave during the break-in. They stood their ground and yet so may people blamed them for a breach of security, when it wasn't their fault! They were cursed. We used the same trick, if you'll remember."
"I mostly try to forget."
"Anyway, it's contained now. Happy Birthday, Hermione."
"Now that you're here, it is," she said pulling Ron by the caller. Ron gave her a goofy gin, his ears turning red. "Hey, you're dressed up," Hermione added, noting his slacks and shirt.
"I'm filthy," he said. "I need a bath."
"But you're wearing a tie. Why are you so dressed up?"
"It's your birthday!" answered Ron.
"But you forgot my birthday," said Hermione.
"No, I didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"You look great, by the way."
"Don't change the subject, Ronald. Why were you doing at Shell Cottage?"
"I was going to...I wanted to surprise you."
"Well, I'm certainly surprised, but it still doesn't make much sense."
"It would have if... I had something planned, but...sort of ruined, now. I don't have a backup gift. I'm sorry."
"Oh Ron, I don't care if I missed out on a surprise gift. I only care that you're here, that you're alive."
"And that he didn't really forget your birthday," offered Ginny.
"That too," said Hermione leaning up to kiss Ron's cheek. "You really do need a bath." She tried to wipe some of the the dirt from his face and revealed multiple cuts and bruises. "Let me..." she moved to heal them too, but Ron shook his head.
"It's fine." He kissed her forehead and placed his on her cheek. "I'm going to go wash up. And I mean it, you really do look beautiful. Happy Birthday." He squeezed her hand and she tentatively let him go so he could clean up.
"I could do with a wash as well," said Ginny. "You too, Harry, you smell. But me first." Harry just smiled at his girlfriend as she went inside. Hermione hadn't moved from her spot. She looked dreamily at the ground. She felt at peace.
"Ron was brilliant," said Harry, approaching her. "He saved us."
"I don't know how Ginny does it," Hermione said. "Watching you go off on dangerous tasks day after day."
"That's not every day, Hermione, you know that better than anyone."
"But George pointed out to me that this will be my life when Ron becomes an Auror. He's been through rigorous training, but they should have training for those of us who get left behind."
"We'll look after each other, Hermione. Tonight was dangerous and it won't be the last scary night, but we've all been through much worse and you know how we got through it. Together." Hermione hugged Harry, not caring that between embracing him and Ron, her lovely dress was now covered in dirt.
"I suppose I'll change," she said looking down at herself.
"Let's start over," said George. "With the party. Now that everyone is here. If you'd like."
"I would like that. Mum, Dad, I understand if you can't stay..."
"Oh, we will," said Dr. Granger putting an arm around his wife. "The night is just beginning now." Her mother hit him playfully, shushing him not to give too much away. They were, after all, still expecting to see a proposal.
Ron emerged from the bath feeling like a new man. He was clean and refreshed and reunited with Hermione. He put on a Chudley Cannons tee, brown corduroy pants, and his best trainers. For the first time in hours he felt comfortable and like himself. A knock came at his door and he nearly turned to fire a spell with his wand.
"Can I come in?" asked Ginny.
"Yes."
"You're still going to do it, right?" she asked in a whisper, closing the door.
"How can I? This was a terrible night."
"So make it the perfect night."
"I don't know. It would seem out of place."
"Do you love her?"
"Of course I do, with all my heart!"
"And you want to marry her?"
"Yes, obviously."
"Then nothing else matters! Sure, we had fun planning and plotting the perfect proposal, but you didn't need to go to any trouble at all. Don't you see? Hermione loves you and wants to marry you too. You wanted to do it on her birthday and it's still her birthday, so do it! You've been waiting for this for months, years probably. You prepared for this, you're ready and it's time."
"It will seem out of the blue, now."
"Then it's exactly how you wanted it. There's no way she'll expect it."
"I don't even have the ring," Ron sighed. "It's still in my jacket pocket and my jacket's at Shell Cottage."
"Leave that to me," said Ginny. "Now go downstairs, have a butterbeer and be with Hermione. But maybe not dressed like that..."
"Hey, you said nothing else matters. After what we've been though tonight, I'm dressing only for comfort, proposal or not." Ginny smiled at her brother.
"I was only joking. Hermione's already changed into something similar. I think I will too."
Ron came downstairs to find George and Harry sipping Firewhiskey with his dad. They poured him some and he drank it down quickly. They refilled it without asking. Mrs. Weasley had spread out leftovers from the disastrous feast of earlier. The battle had made everyone extremely hungry.
"How are you feeling?" asked Hermione, who was indeed dressed down now too, in faded jeans, a Gryffindor Lion's shirt and an oversized button-down sweater that Mrs. Weasley had made her.
"Much better now," said Ron. "Though I just realized I'm extremely hungry. I haven't eaten all day."
"That's not like you," she said, putting her arms around his waist.
"I was too nervous to eat," he responded.
"About what?" she asked. George cleared his throat and attempted to slide over that last bit.
"It's getting late. It won't be your birthday before long. You should open your presents," he said.
"And don't forget the cake," said Fleur.
"Oh, but Bill isn't here."
"Yes, I am," Bill said popping in next to Fleur, who squealed with delight and hugged him tight. He looked neat and clean already. He'd washed up at Shell Cottage after repairing the roof and placing wards about the property.
"Here's something of yours, Ron." Bill threw his sit jacket to him and Ron caught it deftly, the way he'd catch a Quaffle.
"Don't need that now," he said, gesturing to his current state of dress. But discreetly, he'd taken the ring from the pocket of the jacket and placed it in the pocket of his corduroys.