A/N: Hey guys! It's so great to be back. I felt so horrible after the last time I didn't update in forever that I wanted to get this one up sooner, but guess what happened? Since I hadn't gotten the pervious chapter up earlier I lost tons of reviewers. I was so sad that I lost my motivation to write. I didn't want to update until they came back. Then I realized that I still needed to write for the few people that still wanted me to continue, so I got to typing. Within moments I was right back to where I wanted to be! :) I'm so happy I am getting this chapter updated now. And thanks to everyone that EVER read my fanfics and I hope you will stick with me even when these writer's block cases strike.

Thanx to: RussellGrl15, Tiffiany-45, michelleywelley, Cheese Diva, Penelope Richmond. I don't want to put messages, because it's been so long that you won't know what I'm talking about, but you all know how much I love you for reviewing the last chapter! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Chapter 5: A Welcome Interruption

At least two weeks had passed since Harry had gone to see Dumbledore, and it seemed as though his life had been a tornado of events. Ginny was continuing to be quite ill every morning and exceedingly crabby when she felt like it. This morning she had barked at Harry to get off to work and didn't even give him a kiss good-bye. Harry tried to be patient with her, but he was beginning to wear thin.

Hermione hadn't even told Sarah about her gift yet, although Dumbledore had informed her that she needed to get to it soon. It seemed she was up to her neck in work overload, and she couldn't find a spare minute to talk to Sarah.

Harry was beginning to get worried. Sarah hadn't had another breakdown like the one in Transfiguration class weeks previous, but she was still feeling slightly dizzy and had occasional lapses of concentration.

Harry looked over the roll of parchment that he had been writing on to discover that he had only two sentences written.

"What kind of Auror can't even fill out a bloody Incident Report?" Harry mumbled to himself, as he threw his quill down on his desk. He then buried his head into his arms and sighed.

"Hey Harry."

Harry raised his eyes from his arms just long enough to look at his office door. He could just make out the top of his visitor's head: a head covered in flaming red hair.

"Ron?" he asked, slightly unsure of himself.

"Is that any way to greet your best mate?" the man asked.

"Ron!" Harry jumped up from his desk and waded through the mountainous piles of paperwork towards the red head. He reached out giving Ron a smack on the back.

"Merlin's beard, Ron," Harry said. "I haven't seen you in a month or so. How've you been?"

"Never mind me," Ron said, waving a hand at the question. "What about you? I've dropped by the house a couple times already this week, but no one was home. I didn't want to bother you at work, but-"

Harry chuckled. "Trust me, Ron. Any interruption from my work is welcome. I've been working on this whole Sarah---Hermione did tell you about Sarah, didn't she?"

Ron nodded. "Heard you're going to be giving her some extra classes, and such. I guess Luna's sort of out of the picture, eh?"

Harry rolled his eyes with a sigh. "We're getting by. Luna seems to understand the issue at hand, but there isn't much I can do. In fact I can't do anything until Hermione tells Sarah about her gift. I have half a mind to just go tell her myself."

"Now don't go doing anything rash," Ron said with a grin. "Trust me, Hermione is stressed beyond belief. I'm sure she'll get around to it as soon as she sees fit."

"She's going to run out of time," Harry said shaking his head.

There was silence for a moment or two, but not an awkward one. The two friends just stood their lost in their own thoughts.

"You said you dropped by the house," Harry said, suddenly breaking the perfect calm. "Did you need something?"

"Er...I wanted to talk to you, actually. Do you think you could take off an hour for lunch?"

Harry's eyes brightened. "You buying?" he asked with a sly grin.

Ron laughed. "Sure why not. It'll be my treat."

"Alright, just let me grab my cloak."

After Harry had put on his cloak he and Ron Disapparated.

"I love it here," Harry said grinning. "Diagon Alley is always the best place to be. Where shall we go?"

"How about Kenny's?" Ron asked, pointing at a large sign that showed the words "Kenny's Kauldron". It hung above the door of a welcoming looking restaurant. "I know the owner. Great food."

"You would know great food when you taste it wouldn't you Ron?" Harry asked chuckling.

"You can say that again," Ron said, grinning widely.

They walked into the building and were immediately greeted with a smell so tantalizing that Harry almost started drooling on the spot. (A/N: Now isn't that appealing?) He and Ron walked over to a booth and picked up menus.

"What can I get for you and you friend, Ron?" said the waitress. Her straight blond hair was pulled back in a clip. She set down two glasses of water in front of them.

"Hello, Marta," Ron said smiling. "I'll have my usual."

"Alright," Marta said tucking a piece of her golden locks behind her ear and scribbling on a piece of parchment. "And for you?" she asked. Her eyes flicked up to Harry's scar and became wide.

Harry found it hard not to chuckle. Now that the war was over he found it more amusing to be noticed in public. "Yes, I'll have the kidney pie. Thank you."

Marta took their menus from them, all the while glancing back at Harry. When she had left Harry chuckled.

"Funny that one is," he said smiling.

"Well how often do you get the famous Harry Potter in your little restaurant?" Ron said, nudging Harry across the table.

"But you can't forget that I am also accompanied by the famous Quidditch player, Ron Weasley." Harry held up his glass in mock respect and took a drink.

Ron waved a hand dismissing the matter. "I'm in here all the time. It's nothing new to them. Marta is a friend of mine. She knows exactly what I like."

"Hey now, don't get too interested or I'll have to tell Hermione," Harry said, winking.

Ron cleared his throat. "Actually...er...I needed to talk to you about that."

Harry's eyes became wide as Galleons. "Are you serious? You shouldn't be talking to me! Talk to Hermione, before this gets out of hand."

Ron looked confused. "What?"

"You heard me," Harry said. He was starting to get angry. "If you've got a thing for another woman, that's your business, but don't come crying to me. Tell Hermione before anyone gets hurt!"

Ron threw back his head and laughed. "Oh Harry you are funny. I don't have any 'thing' for Marta! She's just a friend. She serves me lunch everyday, what can I say?"

Harry felt a wave a relief wash over him. "Oh well thank God. What is it then?"

Ron fiddled with his glass for a moment and then looked back up at Harry. "I need to ask your opinion on something."

He reached into the pocket of his orange Chuddley Cannons robes and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it up and placed it on the table so that Harry could see it.

At first Harry thought it was just an ordinary diamond, but as he looked closer he could see that it was not. Inside the sparkling white stone were flames. They danced and seemed to hypnotize Harry. He pulled his eyes away from the ring long enough to look at Ron.

"Wow, Ron," he said. "That's really something. Where did you get it?"

"It's a Fairy Stone," Ron explained. "I bought it in one of the shops here, actually. You think it's good?"

"It's beautiful, Ron," Harry said again. "Who's it for?"

Ron stared at Harry in disbelief. "How thick are you, Harry? It's for Hermione you prat. Whom else would I buy this ring for?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe your mum or something." He took a sip of his water.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh sure like I'm going to purpose to my mum," he said, sarcasm dripping from his every syllable.

Harry choked. He coughed and spluttered, spewing water all over the table. Ron snatched the ring off the table and placed it into the safety of his pocket.

"Purpose?!" Harry gasped. "You're going to purpose?"

"Ssh!" Ron hissed. "Not so loud! Do you think I want the whole world to hear?"

Harry took another sip of water to calm himself down.

"You're going to purpose? Finally? After all these years?" Harry said in a low voice.

"Yes, I figured it was about time," Ron said. His face was smiling, but there was something in his eyes that Harry had never seen before: a look of uncertainty, a look bordering on dread.

"Ron? What's the matter?" Harry asked his voice laced with concern.

"Nothing," Ron said a little too quickly.

Harry leaned back in the booth and sighed. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his friend dead in the eye. "Mate," he said, "we've been friends for 11 years, and I can tell when something's not right. Now either you tell me what's going on, or I just might have to hex you." He reached for his wand menacingly.

Ron sighed and fiddled with his drink. "Well, I'm just nervous. I've had that ring for a while now, but I haven't had the nerve to tell anyone, much less ask her. What if she says no? What if it's too soon? Do you think she might think we're leaping into things before we're ready or something?"

Harry fought back the bubbling laughter inside his chest and settled for a smirk.

"Ron," he said. "You and Hermione have been seriously dating ever since we left Hogwarts. That's 4 years. If things were not ready for you to get married now, they never will be."

Ron gave Harry a weak smile. "I suppose so."

"I know so, Ron," Harry continued. "Hermione loves you, mate, although I don't really know why."

Ron kicked Harry in the shins under the table. "Yeah I can't imagine for the life of me why Ginny loves you."

Harry laughed.

Just then Marta came back with their orders.

"Here you are, Ron. You're Shepard's pie." She then turned to Harry and placed his plate very carefully in front of him. "And your kidney pie, Mr. Potter."

"Thank you very much," Harry said giving her a smile. She beamed back at him and left with an extra bounce in her step.

"Hey Harry," Ron asked after taking a bite of his Shepard's pie. "How did you purpose to Ginny?"

Harry thoughts traveled back a year prior. He remembered vividly the way he had asked Ginny to marry him. It had been so perfect, so right.

"Well," Harry said, chewing his kidney pie thoughtfully. "I had asked her to marry me shortly after graduating from the Auror academy, if you remember. She was only 18 at the time, and still working on her schooling for designing robes. We were planning on getting married after she finished her schooling, so that would have been in June. She was going to be 19 by then, so things all worked out."

Ron nodded and took another bite of his pie. "But how did you do it, mate?"

"I'm getting there," Harry said smirking slightly. "Well see it's different for everybody. You always need to propose the way that's unique. I mean with Ginny I guess I just wanted to be sweet or something." He blushed. "So I just took her out to dinner and asked her to marry me."

Ron stared at Harry for a long time. "That's it?"

"Yeah," Harry said, taking a bite of his kidney pie.

"Merlin, Harry you're more boring than I thought!"

"Hey!" Harry said tossing a piece of his pie at him. "If you're so clever why did you ask me for help? Just do it by yourself, why don't you?"

Ron paled. "Sorry, mate. It's just...I don't know. I want it to be special. Something memorable, you know?"

Harry grinned. "Trust me, mate. Hermione is going to love it no matter what you do."

Ron shrugged. "Yeah, I guess, but I still want to do something clever. I just think we have such a...er...different relationship and I sort of wanted the proposal to reflect some of it."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah your relationship is different all right."

Ron grinned. "You can say that again." He took a bite of his meal. "I think I have an idea. It may be a little rusty, but it just might work."

Harry took a gulp of his drink and nodded. "Shoot."

"Well..." Ron looked around. "I was thinking about asking her on Christmas Day. You know?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Maybe you could wrap the ring up. Like a present?"

Ron wrinkled his nose. "Too obvious. If we were to do that then we would have to wrap up a box inside of a box inside of a box, so it didn't look too suspicious."

"We?" Harry asked raising a curious eyebrow.

"Well, yes. I'd need your help to make it as clever as possible...although with the way you purposed to Gin I'm not sure I want it..."

Harry punched Ron in the arm. "I'll help you, mate."

"Alright." Ron took a deep breath. "First thing is first. You cannot tell anyone! Not Mum, not Dad, not the twins, not Ginny-especially not Ginny."

"Especially not Ginny?" Harry asked smirking a little.

"Well of course not. Ginny is Hermione's best friend after you and me. She's bound to drop hints all over the place, and I don't want her to know. I want it to be a surprise."

"Understood, Mr. Weasley," Harry said, shaking Ron's hand vigorously.

Just then Marta came back with their bill.

"Here you are Ron," she said handing it to him. "Did you find the food alright, Mr. Potter?"

"Superb," Harry said, flashing her a grin. "Send my compliments to the chef."

Marta blushed. "I most certainly will," she said. She cleared the dishes from the table, and was gone in a swish of periwinkle robes.

Ron stood up and wrapped his cloak around his shoulders. Harry did the same and the two of them paid the bill and left the restaurant.

"So Christmas Day, eh Ron?" Harry asked, the cold wind biting at his face.

"Yeah I suppose so," Ron said tugging at his cloak for more protection from the bitter cold.

"Well you had better get a move on thinking about it," Harry said. "Christmas is only a month away!"

"I know, I know. Don't remind me."

"Ron asking the woman of your dreams to marry you should not be something to dread. It should be something you're looking forward to, right?"

"It's easy for you to say. You've been married to Ginny for a year now and have a kid on the way."

"Only a month into her pregnancy, mind you," Harry protested.

"That's not the point."

Harry and Ron walked along the streets of Diagon Alley in silence. All the shops were open and lit brightly. Harry saw Ginny in the shop window of Madame Malkin's and waved at her. She grinned and waved back.

"Speak of the devil..."Ron mumbled.

Harry laughed and they continued to walk down the streets.

"Do you have time to stop at Fred and George's place?" Ron asked. "Or do you have to get back to the Ministry?"

"Oh I have time. I didn't have any other appointments today."

"Sounds good," Ron said, grinning.

The shop was swarming with customers. It seemed as though the twins had done a superb job at keeping things up and running. Harry almost knocked a child over as he wiggled his way through the enormous crowd.

"Stand back, please!"

"Our newest creation is still in the works, and we cannot risk it having some rather bad effects. Please step back from the counter!"

Harry grinned at the familiar sound of the twins' voices. He and Ron stepped a bit closer in order to see what they were doing.

"Now as you can see, this particular creation is one of a kind," George was explaining.

"Quite certainly so," Fred continued. "It is none other than the Smoldering Spectacles!"

The glasses looked very much like a pair you would find in a muggle joke shop. They were round and thick with a bulbous nose and large mustache.

"As you can see," George said picking up the pair of glasses, "They look very much like a pair of normal joke shop glasses, but if you put them on..." George placed the glasses on his face. At first nothing happened, but then an explosion went off and the glasses went up in a large ball of flames that made everybody in the vicinity jump. The glasses remained on fire for about 5 seconds before abruptly stopping and disintegrating into a pile of ash. Even after the amazing display two thick black rings of ash remained on George's face.

"The glasses are irresistible to put on," Fred said, grinning. "Anybody would do it. The flames, in fact, cause no bodily harm. They're just designed to give you a bit of a fright."

"The circles of ash last on the victim for 3 days, so the fun can continue!" George said, grinning. He rubbed at the ash circles to demonstrate, then continued. "The spectacles then reform from the ashes." He nodded towards the ashes and the glasses began to shape back to what they were originally.

"The Smoldering Spectacles we'll be on the shelves for official sale sometime next week. So be sure to stop and buy a pair!" Fred said, exuberantly.

The audience roared their appreciation for the new product, and the twins began to bow wildly. They then backed into the back of their shop taking the pair of Smoldering Spectacles with them.

Ron turned to Harry. "They're still as mad as ever," he said shaking his head sadly.

Harry grinned. "But those things are positively genius! I would have loved to use a pair of those on Malfoy back in the day."

Ron laughed. "Mutual feeling mate. Or can you imagine 'Mione walking around with those horrible rings on her face?"

Harry clutched his stomach in laughter. "I doubt she'd be stupid enough to put them on."

Ron shrugged. "Probably not. Oh! Here comes the dynamic duo now."

The twins had come out from the back of the shop, and Harry and Ron made their way towards them.

"Hey guys!" Ron said over the din of the shop.

"Ronnie! It's so good to see you, ol' chum!" Fred said tousling Ron's hair.

"How's Quidditch?" George asked, as if he cared.

"Well it's-" Ron began, but was cut off by Fred.

"HARRY!" he said jumping over to Harry and shaking his hand vigorously. "So great to see you out of the office!"

"Always a pleasure to have you in our little shop, Mr. Potter," George said giving him a low bow.

Harry laughed. "You two are mad. By the way nice invention you guys have cooking there. It's going to be a big seller."

"Oh, stop it Harry!" Fred said bringing his hands up to his face in mock embarrassment.

"You're making me blush," George said, mimicking Fred.

They both started howling in laughter.

"It really is great," Ron said. "We were just saying we wished we could have used it on Malfoy back at Hogwarts."

Fred chuckled. "Most definitely. I had the slime bag in mind as well."

"Either him, or that Umbridge character," George said nudging his twin.

"Ah, yes Miss Delores. One of the reasons we have this shop today," said Fred, motioning around the store.

"Most certainly, my dear brother," George said. "We must make something in her honor one day."

Harry and Ron laughed.

"Say Harry? Why are you out of the office?" Fred asked.

"Ron offered to take me out to lunch," Harry replied. "Mind you I'm always up for an interruption."

"Ron took you out for lunch? Sounds like him."

Ron smiled. "I figured he could use a break."

"And very rightfully so," George said nodding to his younger brother. "We were beginning to worry about you, being cooped up in that little office."

Harry smirked. "Nothing to worry about. I've still got my brains about."

"Well that, mate, is a matter of opinion," Ron said socking Harry playfully in the shoulder.

The twins laughed.

"Well we're sorry to have to leave, but we really must get to back to work," Fred said, motioning towards the back of the shop.

"Of course," Ron and Harry said simultaneously.

"We'll see you both later," George said, and followed his twin to the back of the shop.

Ron and Harry shouted a good-bye and then left the shop.

"I should probably be heading back to the Ministry," Harry said. "I don't have anymore appointments, but I'm sure Kingsley will have something for me to do."

"Right he will," Ron said.

When they reached the Ministry Ron turned to Harry. "Nice seeing you, mate. The twins are right, you really don't get out enough."

Harry nodded. "Rightfully so."

"I'll be seeing you later," Ron said. "I've got to get home. I've got practice tomorrow and I haven't written out the game plans."

"Alright, mate. See you around," Harry said pulling Ron into a one armed hug.

"You too, and don't forget what I said, okay?"

Harry's mind went blank for a moment and it must have shown on his face because Ron shoved him.

"Don't tell anyone about, you know, Hermione," Ron said in a whisper.

"Oh! Right. Let me know if you need any help with that," Harry replied.

"Don't worry, I will." Then Ron walked away and within seconds had vanished from the building.

Harry walked up to his office feeling good. He had a great time with Ron, and he couldn't wait until Christmas when Ron purposed. It was finally going to happen after all these years of waiting!

When Harry walked into his office an owl greeted him on top of his desk. It was hooting and from the looks of things looked very annoyed. Harry took the letter off of its leg and offered it some of his left over crumpet from tea.

Harry opened the letter only to see Hermione's neat and precise handwriting:

Harry-

I think it would be a good idea if you came with me to tell Sarah about his gift. Could you put it in your schedule to come to Hogwarts sometime this week? It's no rush, but see if you could make arrangements. Thanks!

Love from,

Hermione

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's no rush." Of course there was a rush. Sarah needed to know about her gift, and the sooner the better.

Harry grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled: "Hermione- I'll be there tomorrow at 12 o'clock sharp. -Harry

He then tied the piece of parchment to the owl's leg and it flew out the window.

Harry sat back down at his desk and finished filling out the incident report from earlier that morning, not thinking about what would happen the next day.

A/N: Well? Is anyone excited? Anyone? I finally put some of that R/H stuff you guys have been waiting for, and there's only a month until Christmas! I think I know what I want to do with the next chapter so hopefully it will be up sooner. I'm not going to make any promises though. All I can do is beg that you keep me on your Author Alerts and stay with me. Ok so the poll until next time is: IF YOU SAW PRISONER OF AZKABAN, WHAT DID YOU THINK? Send your answer with your review! Hugs and kisses y'all!

Your Not-so-Faithful (Sometimes) Writer,

'Mione Weasley