Part Two


"What should I do Harry?"

"How should I know?"

"Well you're the brilliant one who got us together in the first place, think of something!"

"No," Harry said, correcting him. "You two did it all by yourselves. I didn't do anything. All I did was give you both a nudge out of the door, that's all."

Ron was more frustrated than ever. He had tried for days to find a way to propose to her, but it had never seemed like the right time, and knowing Hermione, she would want it to be perfect. After all, she deserved it.

I should have done it that first night, when I had the chance, but no . . . she wanted to seduce me . . . it's not like I was gonna resist that!

After that first night, it had become more and more difficult to even make an attempt, there was so much pressure coming from his family. Ginny was giving him knowing looks left and right, his Mum looked as though she was about to burst from her skin any minute now, and whenever the twins showed up for dinner, which was nearly every night this week, they just teased him whenever Hermione had her back turned.

Most of all, ugly thoughts kept popping into his mind. What if I can't give her what she wants and needs? She always has demanded perfection of herself, and never of me. Would she really want to marry me then?

Finally in desperation, Ron had called on Harry to come down from London for support. He had shown up right before dawn, the day before Hermione was to go back to London herself, on a flying motorcycle, another commencement gift, given to him by his Godfather.

"It blows the Anglia out of the water, that I can assure you." Harry said with pride.

That morning, the girls had decided to go out shopping in Diagon Alley, for Hermione's new work robes. Ron and Harry decided to tag along for the ride in the hopes of coming up with a solution for Ron's predicament.

"Not the most romantic place in the world, is it?" Harry said with a chuckle.

"Very funny Harry." But somehow Ron didn't feel much like laughing.

* * *


Ginny shook her head in bewilderment. "I don't know why, Mione. It's just so unlike him to do something like this."

Hermione tried to hold back the tears as she looked through the rack of robes. She couldn't understand what was taking him so damn long. It's not like they didn't have enough opportunities throughout the week, and she was going to leave tomorrow.

"Are you sure he just didn't change his mind?"

"Well if he did, he would be making the single-most idiotic decision of his life, and he knows it. Ooh! How about this one?" Ginny said, holding up a deep forest green robe.

Hermione held it up to her, giving her friend a weak smile.

"Oh, come on Hermione! He's gonna come around, you'll see."

Ginny stood back a moment, thinking to herself. "Perhaps he needs a hint to put him in the right direction."

"What do you mean?"

A sly grin came over Ginny's face "When we meet up with the boys again, lets take a stroll by Rudesheimer's Jewelry shop. That's where he picked out the ring. Maybe that will give him a good sign that you're interested."

"Ginny, you're a genius!" Hermione smiled excitedly, giving her friend a hug.

"Not a genius, Mione. I just know how to push my brother's buttons."

* * *


Ron held the tiny ring in his hand. It wasn't a big or expensive ring, he had to take it out of his own small inheritance from his father's death, and get a loan from the twins, just to pay for it. But in his hand, it somehow didn't seem like enough for her. She deserves so much more than this. I only wish it would be enough.

Even worse, Ginny had been hounding him all day. Saying things like, "Don't you have something to tell Hermione?" right in front of her, forcing him to say something stupid like, "You look beautiful." Or "I adore you." And watching Hermione's eyes roll from annoyance.

His guilt came full circle today as they passed by Rudesheimer's Jewelry shop that afternoon in Diagon Alley. There, Harry and Ron had witnessed the girls ogle over the window at the more fabulous looking wedding bands. He even overheard her say how she would love to have a ring like those in the window, and he knew he would never be able to afford it.

He placed the ring in the pocket and put it away.

* * *


"Care for some more pumpkin juice?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yes, please." Hermione answered with the same amount of nervousness.

They had to have an intimate dinner alone in the paddock behind the Burrow, where the boys often played Quidditch. It was a perfectly warm summer evening. The sun was just beginning to fade into darkness. She couldn't have imagined a more perfect moment, a more perfect place, a more perfect guy she would want to spend the rest of her life with . . .

...that is, if he would get around to asking.

"Well, this is our last night together for a while." She said with a sigh.

"I guess so. But you know that once I take my apparation test, I will be in London all the time to see you."

"I know. I just wish I could see you every day, that's all."

"That reminds me, I have something for you." Ron said with a nervous grin.

Oh please, please, please let this be it . . . she told herself, holding her breath.

Ron pulled out a leather bound book, with a red ribbon tied around it.

"It's a book."

"Not just a book, but a journal. For your research at the Ministry. I thought it would come in handy."

"A book?"

"Yes," he said, urging her to take it from him. "Open it."

She didn't want to open the book, or anything else from him. She had enough, and she wasn't afraid to tell him so.

"Ronald Weasley, I have never been so humiliated in my entire life!"

"What?"

"I can't believe you! A book! A crummy book!....."

"But–"

"Is this what you think of me? Just a girl who likes books?...."

"I–"

"After all we have been through together? I can't believe this! And all this time, I thought you were going to . . . "

"Herm–"

"I hate you Ron Weasley! I hate you! I never want to see you again!"

And at that, she stormed off sobbing back to the house, leaving Ron completely bewildered about what had just happened.