July 31, 1998 – Late evening, around 10 p.m.

Now that he was both of age for the wizarding and Muggle world, not to mention a Hogwarts graduate and studying to be an Auror as his father was (James had always said that there could never be too many Aurors in the world, especially not with Voldemort still on the loose), there was something else Harry wanted to do to mark his 18th year, besides have a birthday party. Not that he didn't enjoy it, especially his birthday kiss with Ginny, but there was still something more far more memorable he had in mind.

A marriage proposal, perhaps … but how to go about it was the question. He knew he loved Ginny and wanted to spend his life with her, but was at a loss as to just how to propose to her. Perhaps it was time for another session with his parents and Sirius. After answering his latest owl post from Liz (she was now a fifth-year at Hogwarts and had recently turned fifteen, writing both him and their parents for advice, encouragement and comfort in the bad times and sharing the good times), he entered the living room of the home he still shared with them and Liz … but only until he got his Auror's licence and had saved enough to get his own place—a house, if possible, so he could have Ginny live with him once they got married. Meanwhile, it was necessary for him to figure how best to propose to her—and for that, Harry needed advice from the three elders closest to him.

"You said you needed to have another talk with us," James reminded him as Harry seated himself across from them.

"Yes. I'm thinking of asking Ginny to marry me and I need advice as to how to go about it."

There was a silence almost thick enough to cut for several minutes before anyone responded to Harry's revelation … and when they did, it was Sirius who spoke. "Just what kind of advice do you expect us to give, mate?"

"The best way to propose marriage," came the reply.

"Well, most women like it to be as romantic as possible, with dinner, dancing, soft music, things like that …" Sirius's voice trailed off, only able to speak from his experience with his own long-time lover, Rose Shacklebolt, whom he was also seriously thinking of marrying—but wanted to see Harry safely married before making any definite plans for himself.

"On the other hand, some simply prefer the man they love to sit them down in a private spot and propose. Just how it's done, they aren't generally particular about, as long as it's done." This was Lily.

"Of course, you should also do it in a manner comfortable for you, in keeping with your personality," James put in.

"Which reminds me—how did you do it, Dad? How did you propose to Mum?" Harry inquired.

James and Lily exchanged apprehensive looks, unable to help blushing at the recollection of the day James had proposed roughly a month before their marriage, after a particularly romantic, albeit erotic, evening. But how could they possibly tell Harry that, especially if he asked for details? They only looked up when Harry spoke again.

"I'm waiting, Dad. How did you do it?"

James swallowed hard, but made himself speak. "It was after we'd spent a … particularly romantic evening together. I'd already gotten the rings for her the previous day."

"Romantic? By that, do you mean … erotic?"

James nodded and made himself continue. "We then sat up in bed, then I grabbed the ring box from the nightstand on my side and said, 'I love you, Lil. Please marry me.' She was too stunned for a while to answer, then smiled at me and got tears in her eyes.

'Yes, James. Yes. I would be honoured!'

"Then she held out her hand and let me slip the ring onto it. I raised her hand to my lips and kissed it, then shortly after that, pulled her close and kissed her—then we … made love again to seal the deal."

This time Harry was the one stunned into silence. He and Ginny had been lovers for close on to a year and had shared many both passionate and tender (if not both at once) interludes during that time. All the same, after the advice he had been given, he was thinking along the lines of possibly combining the different means of proposing suggested for a truly unique and unforgettable experience.

Her birthday was coming up in a little over ten days and she had just recently graduated from Hogwarts, having just signed up for Healers' training at St. Mungo's. He was thinking of beginning by getting her off alone at some point after her party, taking her for a walk around the pond near the Burrow—then sitting down with her on the grass next to it and pulling out the ring before proposing. Then maybe after putting it on her finger, he could suggest that they make love … spend the night by the pond.

Of course, he would have to tell at least one of the elder Weasleys in order to ensure their privacy. Most likely Molly, since she was the most adept at controlling her mostly male brood. She would warn them not to disturb him and Ginny once they realized they had gone off together, since Harry intended to propose to her … among other things. They could break the news of their engagement upon their return. He naturally had to figure out the precise details, but with luck, that shouldn't take long. He could get the rings in the next week to ten days, already intending to make the engagement ring and proposal his birthday gift to her.

Harry was quiet and thoughtful for so long that Lily finally asked, "Harry, love, have you figured out how you're going to propose yet?"

"Yes, Mum, I think I have. Just need to work out a few details. Thanks for all your help and advice." With that, he politely excused himself and went up to his room to think in private.

"What do you think he's got in mind?" Sirius wondered.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he ended up deciding to combine all the means of proposing we suggested in his own way," Lily speculated, able to recall (as she was certain James was), just how many times Harry and Liz had found their parents' bedroom door locked. One of them—Liz, Lily believed—had even asked point-blank why they did that.

They said, "We do that because we want to share private time together in order to ensure that we remain lovers as well as parents."

Liz had told Harry this, and after some thought, he had to agree with it. In fact, he had every intention of following that same philosophy once he and Gin had children. Meanwhile, his time was best spent planning how both her birthday and the day of his proposal to her would go.