"Ron," Hermione called, "When are Harry and Ginny coming?"
Ron Weasley had been hiding all morning in the bathroom of the house he and Hermione Granger shared. Hermione didn't know what was wrong with him, but she let him be.
"I, uh… I dunno, um…later," Ron stammered.
Hermione shook her head. Something definitely wasn't quite normal. She and Ron had been together for two years, and to this day he had never acted so strange. Ron liked to sleep in, but when Hermione woke up at 5 am that morning, Ron was already up, in the shower. After taking a shower that was at least three times as long as usual, he stayed in the bathroom. It baffled Hermione, but she went back to preparing lunch, and before long, Harry and Ginny arrived.
"Hey, Hermione!" Harry called out from the front door. Hermione greeted him and Ginny with a smile and a hug. Apart from Ron, they were her favourite two people in the world.
Just then, Ron finally emerged from the bathroom. His face was pale and his hair stuck up in all directions. Hermione frowned.
"Oh, hi, H-Harry…Ginny…" he said, forcing a smile. "How…how are you?"
Ginny gave him an odd look. "We're fine…but you don't look too good."
Ron's fake smile grew even bigger. "Oh, I'm fine. Just terrifi – ic. Terrific. Brilliant."
Ginny gave Harry a knowing look, and they smiled. "Ah, you'll be right," Harry said with a laugh.
Hermione was confused. Did Ginny and Harry know something she didn't? She invited them inside, and they all sat in the lounge room.
"So," Ginny began. "Colin's getting married soon, have you heard?" She threw a significant glance at Ron. Ron looked at her and tried to smile.
"Oh, how…nice," he managed, still looking a complete mess.
"What about – " Harry started, before Ginny elbowed him in the ribs. "Oh. Right," he said, grinning.
By now Hermione was utterly perplexed. Just what was going on, and why did Harry and Ginny know about it? What was wrong with Ron? "Ron?" she asked. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Ron burst into nervous laughter. "Of course, Hermy! I'm wonderful!"
Hermione blinked. Hermy? Ron had never called her anything but Hermione. She was beginning to get frustrated. Harry and Ginny exchanged those annoying looks once again. Hermione tried to calm herself down. She was imagining things, everything was normal, Ron was fine, and Harry and Ginny didn't just look at each other for the third time as if they knew something no one else did.
Harry smirked at Ron. "How are things going with Fred and Angelina? Has he – proposed – yet?"
Ron looked horrified. "No he – he…hasn't," he choked.
Hermione wasn't concentrating on the conversation. She was glaring at the wall, her arms crossed. Hermione, being Hermione, couldn't stand other people knowing something she didn't. Impatiently, she started kicking the coffee table in front of her.
"Well," she said crossly. "Let's go and have lunch, shall we?"
Ginny blinked. "Is everything all right, Hermione?"
"Perfect," grumped Hermione.
Ginny shrugged and got up. "Okay, guys, we'll go and eat lunch."
Ron jumped at the chance to get away from talking, and practically ran to the dining room. Harry stared after him, before following.
"Boys," Ginny grinned, shaking her head.
"Yes. Boys," Hermione muttered, an annoyed expression on her face.
When she and Ginny reached the dining room, Harry and Ron sat at the table with expectant looks. Hermione hadn't set the food out just yet.
"Ron, I would like it if you came and helped me in the kitchen," Hermione huffed.
Ron shakily got up. "Okay..." he said, in a high-pitched voice.
Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him into the kitchen.
"Hermione?" Ron said weakly. "Something wrong?"
"Yes, Ronald, something is wrong, and I was expecting you'd tell me what it is," Hermione tapped her foot on the ground while waiting for an answer.
Ron gulped. "Hermione…"
"Give me a straight answer, Ronald Bilius Weasley! You, Harry, and Ginny are all hiding something from me and I demand to know what it is! I thought you loved me? Why are you keeping secrets from me? I thought we agreed to tell each other everything! This is our home, and you should share whatever's happening with me, your girlfriend!"
There was an awkward silence, before Ron blurted out something that made Hermione's heart stop.
"Hermionewillyoumarryme?"
Hermione gaped. "Will I…will I what?"
"Marry me," Ron swallowed. He pulled a small box out of his pocket, and handed it to Hermione. "I've been wanting to ask you this for weeks. I told Harry and Ginny, and they've been pushing me to do it, and I was trying to find the right moment, but any moment is right. I love you; you mean the world to me. Will you marry me, Hermione?"
Hermione tried to hold back her tears, before throwing her arms around Ron. "Oh, Ron! I'm so sorry! Of course I'll marry you!"
Ron grinned. "Brilliant!" he said. "Now, can we go have lunch?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, but was still smiling. Today had turned from one of the most confusing days of her life, to the very best ever. She laughed, before taking Ron's hand. "Sure, Ron. Let's go and have lunch."