Ch. 8: The Weasley's
Harry was nervous. How would Ron's parent's respond to what he was about to ask? Would they turn away in disgust? Perhaps even doing everything in their power to keep him and Ron apart? He didn't think he could bear being parted from Ron ever. He loved Ron with all his heart, and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. There were all sorts of reasons that their relationship couldn't possibly work, the most apparent one being that both he and Ron were male, but that didn't matter to him. All he had to do was to look into Ron's deep blue eyes and he turned into a pile of mush. He wanted nothing more than to make the love of his life happy.
He gazed over at the other boy who lay dozing in his seat. It had been quite a stressful year for both of them and so rather than apperating they had chosen to take the train to King's Cross.
Ron's parents were supposed to meet them there and they would then journey to the burrow where a private graduation party would no doubt take place. Harry had to smile. With Ron finally out of school the only Weasley child still at Hogwarts was Ginny and she would be done in just another year. He just hoped that his request wouldn't spoil the fun. He had more than enough money from his vault at Gringott's to rent a place to live if need be, but he didn't want to spoil things for Ron. It wasn't every day that you graduated after all.
* *
*
"Now then Harry, what did you want to talk about," asked Arthur Weasley. Harry had asked to talk to him alone shortly after they had arrived at the Burrow, and he'd never seen the young wizard so nervous.
"Well sir you see, it's like this, I, I'm in love with a certain member of your family, and I ......"
Arthur found himself smiling remembering how scared he'd felt when he'd asked Molly's father for his permission to marry her. It pleased him that Harry wanted to join his family. Two minor things bothered him though. Ginny hadn't mentioned anything in her letters home about having such a relationship with Harry and there was the fact that she was still in school.
"Harry I would be honored to have you for a son-in-law." Some of the tension in the air seemed to ease. "But I'm sure you realize that Ginny is still too young yet. Perhaps in a couple..." He stopped. What was wrong with the boy? Harry looked to be nervous again. No, not nervous. Frightened. What was going on here?
"Harry please tell me what's troubling you?"
The younger wizard seemed to have discovered something very interesting about the floor. He mumbled something that Arthur didn't quite catch.
"I beg pardon?"
The boy repeated himself, and this time Arthur caught it. "It's not Ginny I want to marry."
For a moment Arthur was non-plussed. He had only one daughter after all. Well, last time he'd checked anyway, and the only other female in the family was Molly whom Harry saw as a mother figure, so that wasn't a concern. Harry barely knew Bill, Charlie or Percy, all of whom to Arthur's knowledge had girlfriends. That left Fred, George and Ron. He cleared his throat, and asked the question to which he could guess the answer. "So Harry, which one is it? Fred, George, or Ron?"
"Ron sir."
He poured them each a firewhiskey and then sat down opposite the young man who wished to marry his youngest son. While some thought him an idiot for his facination with muggles Arthur Weasley was not a stupid man. He fully realized how difficult it must have been for Harry to come to him for his blessing.
"Have you asked him yet?"
"No sir. I wanted to do things right by asking your permission first."
Arthur was pleased. So few young people bothered asking for permission anymore. They just went ahead without a thought for the proper way of doing things. "Harry I won't waste time asking if you can provide for a family and such, as I'm sure you can, but I must ask do you love him or do you just want him?"
Harry felt himself tense for a minute, but then reconsidered. It was a fair question under the circumstances. "I love him sir. I would die for him if it were necessary."
They sat there for the space of what seemed hours but couldn't have been more than five minutes at best. "Harry you have my permission to marry my son."
"Thank you sir."
"No need Harry, no need. I have but one more thing to say to you."
"Y-yes sir?"
Arthur smiled, "welcome to the family."
Ch. 9: Questions & Answers
Harry paced round the garden. Asking Mr. Weasley (who had insisted Harry call him Arthur from now on) for permission to marry Ron had been the hardest thing he could ever remember doing. Picking out an engagement ring worthy of his love without being recognized had been a close second. Somehow though he'd done it. Arthur had directed him to a jewelry store known to be discreet but not being spotted coming or going had been a bit of a problem all the same.
Now all he had to do was ask Ron who was sitting on the bench watching him pace.
"Harry, what is it? What's wrong?"
Harry sighed. "Nothing's wrong Ron, it's just, well, that is."
"Harry Potter sit down and tell me what's wrong." Harry sat.
Harry was nervous. Where was Voldemort when you needed him?
"Harry?"
He looked into the eyes of his lover, and felt the warmth of their gentle glow. Perhaps it would be alright. He knealt in front of ron, took the tiny box out of his pocket and opened it.
"Ron Weasley will you make me the happiest wizard in the world. Will you marry me?"
He couldn't believe it. Ron wasn't one for showing his emotions, except for when he lost his temper of course, but there were tears in his love's eyes.
"R-Ron? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Harry you just caught me by surprise." "Yes, yes I will marry you Harry Potter." He reached out, took the other boy's head in his hands, and drew him into a kiss. Ron grinned. He knew how Harry was after a good snog. It would be some time before he'd be able to think clearly again, but when he was.....
Harry was nervous. How would Ron's parent's respond to what he was about to ask? Would they turn away in disgust? Perhaps even doing everything in their power to keep him and Ron apart? He didn't think he could bear being parted from Ron ever. He loved Ron with all his heart, and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. There were all sorts of reasons that their relationship couldn't possibly work, the most apparent one being that both he and Ron were male, but that didn't matter to him. All he had to do was to look into Ron's deep blue eyes and he turned into a pile of mush. He wanted nothing more than to make the love of his life happy.
He gazed over at the other boy who lay dozing in his seat. It had been quite a stressful year for both of them and so rather than apperating they had chosen to take the train to King's Cross.
Ron's parents were supposed to meet them there and they would then journey to the burrow where a private graduation party would no doubt take place. Harry had to smile. With Ron finally out of school the only Weasley child still at Hogwarts was Ginny and she would be done in just another year. He just hoped that his request wouldn't spoil the fun. He had more than enough money from his vault at Gringott's to rent a place to live if need be, but he didn't want to spoil things for Ron. It wasn't every day that you graduated after all.
* *
*
"Now then Harry, what did you want to talk about," asked Arthur Weasley. Harry had asked to talk to him alone shortly after they had arrived at the Burrow, and he'd never seen the young wizard so nervous.
"Well sir you see, it's like this, I, I'm in love with a certain member of your family, and I ......"
Arthur found himself smiling remembering how scared he'd felt when he'd asked Molly's father for his permission to marry her. It pleased him that Harry wanted to join his family. Two minor things bothered him though. Ginny hadn't mentioned anything in her letters home about having such a relationship with Harry and there was the fact that she was still in school.
"Harry I would be honored to have you for a son-in-law." Some of the tension in the air seemed to ease. "But I'm sure you realize that Ginny is still too young yet. Perhaps in a couple..." He stopped. What was wrong with the boy? Harry looked to be nervous again. No, not nervous. Frightened. What was going on here?
"Harry please tell me what's troubling you?"
The younger wizard seemed to have discovered something very interesting about the floor. He mumbled something that Arthur didn't quite catch.
"I beg pardon?"
The boy repeated himself, and this time Arthur caught it. "It's not Ginny I want to marry."
For a moment Arthur was non-plussed. He had only one daughter after all. Well, last time he'd checked anyway, and the only other female in the family was Molly whom Harry saw as a mother figure, so that wasn't a concern. Harry barely knew Bill, Charlie or Percy, all of whom to Arthur's knowledge had girlfriends. That left Fred, George and Ron. He cleared his throat, and asked the question to which he could guess the answer. "So Harry, which one is it? Fred, George, or Ron?"
"Ron sir."
He poured them each a firewhiskey and then sat down opposite the young man who wished to marry his youngest son. While some thought him an idiot for his facination with muggles Arthur Weasley was not a stupid man. He fully realized how difficult it must have been for Harry to come to him for his blessing.
"Have you asked him yet?"
"No sir. I wanted to do things right by asking your permission first."
Arthur was pleased. So few young people bothered asking for permission anymore. They just went ahead without a thought for the proper way of doing things. "Harry I won't waste time asking if you can provide for a family and such, as I'm sure you can, but I must ask do you love him or do you just want him?"
Harry felt himself tense for a minute, but then reconsidered. It was a fair question under the circumstances. "I love him sir. I would die for him if it were necessary."
They sat there for the space of what seemed hours but couldn't have been more than five minutes at best. "Harry you have my permission to marry my son."
"Thank you sir."
"No need Harry, no need. I have but one more thing to say to you."
"Y-yes sir?"
Arthur smiled, "welcome to the family."
Ch. 9: Questions & Answers
Harry paced round the garden. Asking Mr. Weasley (who had insisted Harry call him Arthur from now on) for permission to marry Ron had been the hardest thing he could ever remember doing. Picking out an engagement ring worthy of his love without being recognized had been a close second. Somehow though he'd done it. Arthur had directed him to a jewelry store known to be discreet but not being spotted coming or going had been a bit of a problem all the same.
Now all he had to do was ask Ron who was sitting on the bench watching him pace.
"Harry, what is it? What's wrong?"
Harry sighed. "Nothing's wrong Ron, it's just, well, that is."
"Harry Potter sit down and tell me what's wrong." Harry sat.
Harry was nervous. Where was Voldemort when you needed him?
"Harry?"
He looked into the eyes of his lover, and felt the warmth of their gentle glow. Perhaps it would be alright. He knealt in front of ron, took the tiny box out of his pocket and opened it.
"Ron Weasley will you make me the happiest wizard in the world. Will you marry me?"
He couldn't believe it. Ron wasn't one for showing his emotions, except for when he lost his temper of course, but there were tears in his love's eyes.
"R-Ron? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Harry you just caught me by surprise." "Yes, yes I will marry you Harry Potter." He reached out, took the other boy's head in his hands, and drew him into a kiss. Ron grinned. He knew how Harry was after a good snog. It would be some time before he'd be able to think clearly again, but when he was.....