A/N: I 'd like to thank the following people for R & R- The ever-lovable snuffles, Mimi Chica, Forgetmynme, My Konstantine, JessDracoLover24, Kal Torak, RonLuver2005, artemis girl, goodlittlecatholicschoolgirl, Emma- lee14, and SuPeR FrEaK221314. If I get more reviews that are favorable, I may try to write another one. Thanks again

Disclaimer: I wish this was my idea but unfortunately it's J.K.R.'s

Chapter 3

Ginny looked at her friend and thought, "If you only knew."

Ron and Harry stood with the rest of the Cannons waiting to be announced. Ron looked as though he was going to faint at any minute. It was all he could do not to hop onto his broomstick and fly in the other direction as fast as he could. In his mind he kept rehearsing what he wanted to say. Would it be short and sweet..."I love you. Marry me", or long and flowery..."Hermione, I love you more than anything in this world. You would make me the happiest man on the face of the earth if you would consent to being my wife. Marry me and I will love you forever", or maybe just good old fashioned pleading..."Marry me or I'll turn myself into a slug" or maybe "Please marry me Hermione. I love you more than my Cleansweep 350." He laughed to himself as he thought of that one. "O.K." he thought to himself, "I'm ready to do this. As long as she says yes, I'll be fine"
Another voice in his head spoke up. "She won't say yes Ronald."
"Yes she will."
"No she won't Ronald."
"Yes she will."
What if she doesn't? Oh bloody hell, she's gonna laugh.

"...the number one keeper in the league. Let's hear it for Ron Weasley." "Ron they just announced you." Harry whispered in his ear, "Get moving". Harry gave Ron the thumbs up and whacked him on the butt as he swung his leg over his broomstick and got ready to lift off the ground. "Ron, I'll be right there behind you, so if you fall I'll catch you." "Thanks mate" Ron said sarcastically. Harry couldn't resist throwing one more dig at his best friend. As Ron kicked off, Harry yelled up at him with a wide grin," Remember Ron, no matter what happens today, I'll still love you."

The match started and the crowd soon realized that Ron was playing his best game in years. He dove, twisted and caught everything that came within 20 feet of him. "And Weasley stops another scoring attempt. I'm telling you folks he is on fire. Nothing is going to get by him today." As Ginny watched she noticed that after every scoring attempt Ron felt his pocket. She giggled at her brother's movements. Hermione looked over at Ginny. She couldn't understand why she was giggling. "Ginny, Ron is playing like a man possessed. I have never seen him so serious before. He hasn't cracked a smile once. It looks as though he has something to prove. You saw him before the game," Hermione said, "Is anything wrong?"
"Wrong? Nothing is wrong that I know of. I think he just wanted to play well today."
"You're sure that nothing is bothering him?"
"No, nothing" Ginny said briskly and she turned her attention back to the match.

Hermione turned her attention back to the match as well. She watched as Harry searched the sky for the snitch. He was, she thought, undoubtedly the best all around flyer up there. She wished that she wasn't so deathly afraid of flying. The last time Ron attempted to get her onto her own broomstick it ended with a trip to St. Mungo's to have her elbow and wrist reset. Her only regret about the experience was that Ron rarely took her flying with him on his broomstick anymore. He didn't want her to be nervous, but when she would fly with Ron on his broom she liked the feeling of the wind in her face and hair. She loved the way Ron would hold her tightly in one of his strong arms and guide the broom with the other. It was definitely the most romantic thing they experienced together. She'd have to ask him to take her up soon. She stopped day dreaming and attempted to look for Ron. He was easy to find because his red hair glowed copper in the sun. Hermione watched him with pride and cheered with the crowd as he made another amazing save. They had been through so much together. She knew that had it not been for Ron protecting her during their battles she should have dead many times over. She had also saved his life too man times to count. Because of this, their relationship had a special bond that could not be broken. Hermione always compared her relationship with Ron to a volcano. They could be quiet and then without warning erupt at one another spewing words at each other at the tops of their lungs and then as fast as it started, it would end. Life with Ron was never calm but she wouldn't change a thing because she loved him with all of her heart.

After watching Ron for another minute or two, Hermione decided there was something very wrong. After every scoring attempt Ron would feel his side and grimace. She knew he couldn't be ill because he would have called time. "Maybe he pulled and muscle in his side but if that were the case he wouldn't be able to move the way he has been" Hermione reasoned to herself. She turned to Ginny to ask again if something was wrong when she realized that play on the field had stopped. Her first thought was something was wrong with Ron because of the way he had been holding his side. She started to scan the sky for any sight of Ron. When she didn't see him anywhere near the hoops her heart began to pound heavily in her chest. She knew he was hurt, she just knew it. She started to stand so she could go find a medi-witch. In her nervousness she didn't realize that Ginny was pulling at her arm. Ginny motioned for Hermione to sit back down. "Ginny there is something wrong with Ron. There has to be. He kept grabbing at his side. That's why the match has been stopped. I have to go find him." She started to get up again. "Hermione," Ginny said gently "Sit down."
"If Ron is hurt..."
"He's not hurt Hermione"
"How do you know?"
"Look."
Ginny pointed and Hermione turned her head in the direction Ginny was pointing. Hovering about five feet in front of her was Ron. He was sitting tall and proud on his broomstick. The sun was shinning behind him and it filtered through his hair almost making it glow. The wind was blowing gently and his robe moved like a cape around his body. Hermione noticed there was a grave expression on his face but that his eyes were twinkling brightly. Hermione did the only thing she could think of. "Ronald Weasley, you scared me half to death. I thought you were hurt. What are you doing here?"
He answered as if he hadn't been listening to what she said. "Hello Hermione. I missed you before the match. I like you hair that way. You look beautiful. How are you?"
Hermione looked at Ron as if he grown another head. She thought for a minute and then answered in a very calm voice. "How am I? I think the question should be how are you? You are in the middle of a match and you stop the play to come over here and ask me how I am? I think you've been out in the sun to long. I know your side has been hurting you because you keep feeling it. Maybe you should tell Harry you need a break. Take a rest Ron, come off your broom and I'll take you to the medi-witch." Hermione stood up again and this time both Ron and Ginny said, "SIT DOWN HERMIONE!"

Hermione looked at her best friend and her boyfriend. She started to open her mouth to say something but the looks on their faces told her not to argue. Another voice above her said, "Maybe you ought to answer his question." She gazed up to see Harry who was lounging on his broom with one leg drawn up and his arm leaning on his knee. He was grinning at her. Hermione was beginning to get confused. She turned her attention back to Ron and said, "I'm fine Ron. How are you?"
"I never thought you'd ask."

Ron looked at Harry who nodded and said, "Go for it." Ron took his wand from his robe and pointed it at his throat. His voice echoed through the stadium. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are sorry about the stoppage of play but there is some important business I must take care of before play resumes." Ron moved his broom to hover in front of Hermione. He looked at her, gave her a tender smile and took a deep breath. She didn't smile back. In fact she looked stunned. "Hermione Granger, I love you. I think I've loved you from the moment I met you on the train to Hogwarts. Even though you told me I had dirt on my nose." The crowd laughed but Hermione made no sound or movement. She just continued to stare at Ron in shock. "It took me a long to time to admit to myself how I felt about you and now I want the entire world to know." Taking another deep breath, Ron set down his broom and stepped off. He stood in front of Hermione and then knelt down in front of her on one knee. He cleared his throat and attempted to speak but no sound came out. The crowd laughed again. He coughed slightly and then began to speak again. "You said you noticed that I kept touching my side. This is why" Ron reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black box. The crowd began to cheer. "Hermione marry me." Ron opened the box to reveal a diamond flanked be sapphires on a platinum band. All this time, Hermione had not moved. Ron looked up at her, his blue-gray eyes searching her brown ones. He took her left hand into his right one. "'mione...please?" he whispered gruffly so only she could hear. Hermione blinked and looked down at the ring and then back at Ron. A smile began at the corners of her mouth and then she broke into a grin which became wider until she was
Laughing.

Harry looked over at Ginny who looked as confused as he did. Ginny had expected Hermione to be shocked but she never expected this. They both watched as the smile fell off Ron's face and was replaced by a blank expression. Hermione was laughing so hard there were tears coming from her eyes. Ron stood and started to put the box back in his pocket. He felt Hermione's hand on his arm. "What are you doing?" she asked as she tried to stop laughing.
"I knew this was a dumb idea. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"Embarrass me? Ronald Weasley after 12 years of friendship with 6 of those years being in a close relationship with you, don't you know you could never embarrass me."
"But you're laughing. I'm telling you I love you and I want to marry you and you laugh."
"Ron I am so sorry I laughed" Hermione grabbed both of his hands and looked into the handsome face of the man she loved. "When I get nervous I laugh. It's a Granger habit. I would never laugh at you," she said softly. "I love you so very much. Please ask me again and I'll give you an answer."
"Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?"
"Yes, Ronald Weasley I will marry you."
Ron took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him with all of the love she felt for him. He returned the kiss with just as much love. The crowd went wild. Ron and Hermione both started to laugh and the kiss broke apart. Ron grabbed his broom and grinned at Hermione.
"You up for a ride 'mione?"
"As long as you hold me and not let go"
"Sweetheart, I will never let go."
Ron jumped on his broom and motioned for Hermione to sit in front of him. With one arm wrapped tightly around his wife to be, Ron Weasley kicked off and flew around the stadium to the thundering cheers of the crowd.

Harry and Ginny Potter looked at each other and said simultaneously, "It's about time!"