Me again with yet another chapter!!! More to come, so keep comin back!!! Thanks to all who reviewed! You know who you are!

Chapter 10: Marry Me

Hermione stared at him. Did he mean what she thought he meant?

Suddenly, there was movement in the Great Hall. Ginny Weasley, sobbing made her way over to them. She stopped, and stood before Harry.

What have I done? He thought miserably.

Ginny raised her hand, and smacked his across the face with all the strength she had. She then turned on her heel and ran out of the room.

Ron, a scowl on his face walked up to Harry. "Way to go," he said angrily, and went running after his sister.

Hermione lowered her head. "See what I mean?" she whispered. "Good bye, Harry." She reached up, kissed his cheek, and then walked out of the Great Hall.

Harry looked at the crowd. They were all starring at him, some with sad eyes. He was about to tell them all to go back to the party, when someone gripped his elbow.

He looked over, and found Lavender Brown next to him.

            "C'mon, Harry, let's get out of here," she said.

He nodded gratefully, and followed her out of the hall.

            "I'm so sorry this happened," she told him, rubbing his back as they walked down to the school's gardens.

Harry had never been close with Lavender; she had just gotten together with Ron a few years before. But now, she was so glad she was here. "So am I," he raked his hands through his hair.

            "How're you feeling?"

            "Like a complete jerk," he said, and plopped down on one of the stone benches. Lavender sat down next to him.

            "That's natural," she said. "Ron… don't listen to Ron, he's mad now, but he'll get over it, leave him to me." She gave a little smile.

            "But what about Ginny?"

            "Well, her heart is broken, but time heals all wounds. Remember that."

Harry got up and started pacing. "God, why did Hermione have to come into my life? Everything was so… perfect… and now--- now…"

            "That's the funny thing about love," she whispered.

            "And Hermione… God," he sank back down onto the stone bench. "Whenever she's around, it feels like…. I don't know… like I'm staring at God's most perfect creature, and she makes me want to be a better person."

Lavender blushed. "Yeah, yeah, Cupid's Arrow sure got you."

            "Oh, thank you for laughing at a time like this," he rambled.

She shrugged. "Too much Ron."

            "And she's leaving me… and it feels like my oxygen is being depleted… Lavender, I can't live without her."

            "So then what's stopping you from running after her?" Lavender demanded. "Girls like that kind of stuff."

            "Ginny," he mumbled.

            "Ah," Lavender nodded. "Guilt."

Harry stared at her.

            "Harry, don't get me wrong, you're a wonderful guy, but Ginny will get over you. It may not seem that way now, but she will. She'll have to. This is about you, and your happiness. If you're going to be miserable with Ginny, don't go back to her. It won't be fair for either of you. Don't be with her because you feel like you have to be. Be with her because you want to be."

            "But then… all these years she's wasted on me… she could have been happy with someone else." Harry said.

Lavender smiled. "Wow, you are the perfect guy, aren't ya? That's the thing with relationships, Harry. Sometimes they don't work out. Now, go to Hermione before you lose her!!"

Harry got to his feet. "You're right. Oh my God, Lavender, you're right!"

Lavender beamed up at him.

            "I never knew you were so wise," he said.

She beamed. "It's from being a girl."

            "Thanks, Lavender."

            "You're welcome,"

He bent down and hugged her. He then flew off in the direction of the Muggle-born kingdom.

The old Muggle-born kingdom had been deserted all except for a lone light in Hermione's house. Harry got off of his Firebolt, and knocked on her door. There was a faint "Coming!" from somewhere inside. Harry was nervous. He fingered the ring he had in his robe pocket.

As Hermione opened the door, and he saw her tear-stained face, he did the only logical thing he could think of. He got down on his knee, and held the ring out to her. He had decided not to ask Ginny for his ring back, so he reached down in his dresser, and found his mother's engagement ring that had been left to him.

            "Harry, what---" she started.

He grinned, and began to speak. "Hermione, since the day I first saw you all those years ago, I have thought about you. Now that I have gotten to know you, and love you, I want to love you for the rest of my life. I'd be honored if you'd let me by becoming my wife."

Hermione didn't know what to say. "Harry…. oh Harry…. I do love you."

            "Then marry me," he said with a grin.

            "But I don't know it's so complicated…"

            "We'll work it out, Ginny, Ron, we'll work it out… all I want… is you."

            "Yes," she said finally. "Yes, I'll marry you, Harry! Of course I will!"

Harry felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

Hermione, grinning broadly looped her arms around his neck, and then Harry slid the ring on her finger. "Oh, it's beautiful," she whispered.

            "You're beautiful," he told her, and kissed her.

Ginny hadn't seen Harry since he declared his love for Hermione. She sat in her room; twirling the ring he had given her. The engagement ring that would never lead to anything else. Furious, she threw it hard against the wall, and gave a satisfied nod as the stone shattered. Like her heart.

Why?

Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't she for once in her life have something good happen to her?

And then there was a knock on her door.

Ginny opened the door, and stared into the pale, grinning face of  Draco Malfoy.

            "I guess you're right," Ron said as Lavender talked to him, explaining a few things. "But, it's just… my sister!"

            "Ron," Lavender started. "Remember when you had your eye on Parvati before you met me? Well, this is kind of what that's like."

            "Harry liked Parvati too?" He asked with a grin.

Lavender giggled. "I love you, Ron."

            "I love you too, Lavatory."

Lavender giggled again and kissed him. "C'mon, let's go find Harry."

Hermione tightened her grip on Harry as they flew down to the Gryffindor kingdom. They saw Ron and Lavender out there, and dismounted the broom.

            "Go on, Ron, hit me." Harry said. "I deserve it."

Ron opened his mouth, "I'm not going to hit you, Harry… I… I've been thinking… and Lav set me straight, like she always does… and I'm happy for you. For both of you."

Harry grinned. "Thanks, Ron."

Hermione beamed at them.

            "So what, you're going to get married now?"

A voice asked behind them.

They turned around, and found Draco and Ginny, arm-n-arm behind them.

Harry felt Hermione tense next to him, and he wrapped his hand around hers.

            "Ginny!" Ron gasped. "What are you doing… with… with him?"

            "Draco understands me," Ginny said pointedly.

            "You can't be serious!" Ron yelled. "*He's* an evil bastard!"

            "You think so, Weasley?" Draco asked, taking a step forward.

            "Stop it," Lavender said, stepping in front of Ron. "Ginny, what's going on?"

            "Nothing," Ginny shrugged. "I just wanted to tell you congratulations."

Harry's blood ran cold. Plastered on her face was a grin identical to Malfoy's. He tightened his grip on Hermione's arm. Yesterday she had been… *upset*.          

            "Let's go," Draco said. "Remember, we have plans,"

Ginny nodded. "Bye bye," she said as she walked off with Draco.

Ron's jaw flopped open. "Bloody hell! What's going on with them?!"

Harry shook his head. He had a bad feeling about this.