A/N : This is Heather, by the way, if ya haven't already spotted the pattern....Hope you like the chappie, cuz I know it's gonna be fun to write, Hope you all are enjoying the story thus far!!!!

Disclaimer: How many times do we have to say it?....we don't, never will, never have owned Harry Potter, as much as we all wish we did ^_^ but those *are* the sad facts , my friend, and facts always outweigh flights of fantasy...unfortunately...

~~Together at Last~~

Chapter 4 : Enlightening Engagements

Ron kept the thought of the ring in his head all day, as the hours passed, he felt those butterflies in his stomach becoming ferocious. Even though he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Hermione, he just couldn't help, but think if it was to early to propose ... she said she would if the time came, but what did she mean by that? She seemed to get mad at him mentioning her as a housewife, Ron shrugged these thoughts off. He *was* going to ask her tonight, better to do it sooner than later.

The sun was getting low in the sky and they had fun having water fights, and Ron was marveled as he saw Hermione in a bathing suit, he had never saw her wear such tight cloths that showed off every curve, which was a shame to Ron because he thought she had a nice body.

Hermione giggled as she began to splash Ron repeatedly, until she fell back and came back up ..her hair completely drenched, she started to splash him again, but Ron had made his way over to her and grabbed both of her hands before she could start in.

"You are a seriously evil witch, Hermione ....just splashing innocent bystanders.." teased Ron, as he took both of her struggling hands in one and splashed her with the other.

"you are very far from innocent.." she giggled, struggling against his grip

"I beg to differ, you wouldn't be trying to escape my hold now would you, Miss Granger?" asked Ron, with a smirk.

"what do you think?" asked Hermione and stuck out her tongue at him

" I think you are losing a pointless battle, you can't escape me" he gave her an mischievous, lopsided grin

"who said it was a battle?" asked Hermione

She kissed his lips.

"I know what you're doing, it isn't working missy...I will not give into your entrancing kisses...." said Ron, playfully

"oh really?....then I guess I have no hope " she sighed, playing along

"there is hope.....maybe a bigger kiss is able to change my mind?" he suggested, arching an eyebrow

"I dunno...." sighed Hermione

Ron then kissed her, and this time it was more passionate, as he let go of her hands and they wrapped around his neck and his around her waist, with the setting sun and the surrounding water, it was perfect Ron thought to himself.

Meanwhile Harry and Ginny sat on the bank, under a blossoming apple tree. They where cuddled and watching the sunset together, they both spotted Ron and Hermione taking a break from their water fight to share a passionate kiss.

Harry and Ginny then looked at each other and decided to do the same.

Harry gave a slight shiver as the night air hit his wet flesh.... He went over to the pile of cloths and grabbed his pants.

"um, Harry...those aren't your pants" giggled Ginny

"oh, right...its dark, I didn't see..." he replied

He was about to drop them and get his own, when he felt the lump in the front pocket, his curiousity getting the better of him, he pulled it out and opened it and saw the ring....he let out a silent gasp of surprise, realizing that Ron was going to propose to Hermione.

Ginny had walked over and looked at him curiously.

"what is it?" she asked

"um, well, I think that Ron is going to, well, propose to Hermione tonight" answered Harry

Ginny looked at him with wide eyes, and began excitedly.

"Really?!... how do you know?!.. oh, that is just the sweetest thing!"

"well, I don't know for sure...but look at this, I found it in his pocket" he then showed the ring o Ginny, and she gave almost the same gasp of surprise as Harry did the moment before.

"well, do you think we should like leave early or something so he can have a chance?" asked Ginny

"I think so, but lets not tell him about seeing the ring" said Harry

Ginny nodded and grinned.

Harry then grabbed his pants and put them on, and went to sit back down next to Ginny.

After a few minutes, Hermione and Ron came back to shore and sat down by Harry and Ginny.

Ron put on his pants.

"you two looked like you had fun" said Harry

"ugh...I hate it when my hair gets wet. .it gets ten times as frizzy" said Hemione, trying to comb through her hair with her fingers.

Ron rubbed a hand over her back in a comforting way.

"Don't worry, love, I think it makes your look sexy" said Ron

Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Then you have really bad eyesight" she replied

"nope, its perfectly normal" he gave her another famous Ron Weasley grin..(a/n the best kind, if I say so myself..hehe..)

Ginny and Harry exchanged glances.

"well, Harry, I think I am going to walk back.. do you want to come with me?" asked Ginny suddenly

"yeah, sure, lets go" said Harry and they both got up and began to make their way back to the burrow,

Hermione and Ron watched them as they left.

"maybe we should get going also" said Hermione

" not yet, I want to spend some time with you, away from the burrow and my intrusive family" laughed Ron

"okay then" smiled Hermione and wrapped herself in the blanket they brought and cuddled up to Ron.

"you know I love you, right?...." asked Ron

"well, I certainly hope you love me, because I love you." answered Hermione

"well, do you ever think of us maybe having a future with this relationship?" asked Ron, nervously

"If I didn't think this relationship was worthwhile I wouldn't be in it, would I?" answered Hermione

"well, it's just that...you got so upset over what I said earlier with the whole housewife thing...I just thought..."began Ron

"oh, Ron...I was only joking, I was teasing you, actually, I hope that in the future I will...well, I will actually be your..." her voice trailed off

"I hope that, too" said Ron

she kissed his lips and pulled herself closer to him...laying her head on his chest ,as they sat up against the huge apple tree.

Ron reached inside his pocket, pulling the small box out and sitting it beside him....He was feeling nervous, This was a serious step in their relationship and he wanted the moment to be perfect.

"I am so glad we got together, I wish we could have sooner.." said Ron, after a moment of silence..

"me too, I think it's funny that we both liked each other and never knew it, I can't believe that Ginny and Harry dated before us" laughed Hemione

"yeah, that's kinda sad" admitted Ron

"well, It's kind of late, maybe we should be getting back..." said Hermione, looking up at him.

"not yet....I-I got to ask you something..." He started, his throat going very dry

"okay, what is it?" asked Hermione

Ron then picked up the small box and opened it, he took the ring out and held Hermione's hand in his.

Hermione let out a gasp of surprise when she saw the ring, she realized what Ron was about to do...she looked up at him,her eyes wide with anticipation.

"um, Hermione, I guess the time has come, and I hope you'll say yes, because I really want to spend the rest of my life with you, I love you so much, I always have..... Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" He asked

at this, Hermione's eyes swelled with tears...

she then smiled and nodded..

"yes, yes!!! of course, I love you too, Ronald Weasley!" she said and giggled through her happy tears..

Ron looked relieved and happy...he let out a laugh of relief and slipped the ring onto her finger..

she then hugged him tightly and began kissing his face excitedly, before he gave her one long passionate kiss in return..

"we should get back...." he said after a while..

" I suppose so..." answered Hermione, touching and admiring the ring on her finger...

"you know what this means,right?" asked Ron

"that my name will be Hermione Weasley and I'll be eternally yours?" answered Hermione

"besides that..." said Ron, he liked the sound of that...Hermione Weasley

"what?"

"we will have to tell our parents and family" said Ron

"what fun" said Hermione,sarcastically

Ron put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as they walked back to the burrow...

a/n: that's the end my friend, hoped you enjoyed that.....well, now you know what you have to do!!! Review!!!!...hehe.. that rhymed, kewl....