Angel3ve- Yes, I know my chapters are sort of tedious at times, but that's because a lot of small things don't really make sense until the end. Frustrating, I know. Sorry! And I also tend to write more scenes involving characters I like simply because I find them amusing (ex. Luna Lovegood and Severus Snape). Rest assured, things will start picking up the pace when you find out about the prophecy.

Tomoyo7- You'll see a little bit of Cho in this chapter. She's not really important until…well, anyway. Ahem. The twins get into a little trouble because they've lost their business due to the Ministry and also more trouble comes for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Read on to find out: )

Music213- Thanks for the encouragement. : )

Quidditch7- You are one of my most loyal readers. I noticed that you've read all of my stories! Thanks so much for reviewing them and I'm glad you enjoy them. I also think you'll be happy at this chapter's ending.

El Permanente- I'm not going to stop writing this story now because I have the entire plot figured out. I think that other people (besides Harry) might hear voices in their heads too (from the Dementors) if they have a rather unpleasant memory buried deep in their minds. I didn't research into that though, sorry. You think Cho is going to be the evil one? Well, I won't say anything more, except the first story and the sequel are linked together by one thing and it's crucially important. : )

ShortySC22- You don't really need to concentrate on the first story to read the second one. The only thing that is important from the first story will not be revealed until the very end of this story. Sorry to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Jadephoenix- Thank you!

Chapter 9- A Modest Proposal

Dumbledore knew what was coming. He had just settled himself in the chair behind his desk when the door opened and Severus Snape walked in. Snape's face was incomprehensible. He saw Dumbledore and nodded in greeting.

"Good evening, Headmaster."

"Good evening, Severus."

Snape waited, but Dumbledore did not say anything. On the contrary, he kept waiting patiently for Snape to ask out loud what they both knew.

"I think you know why I am here." Snape said shortly, trying to keep calm.

"Oh?" Dumbledore answered, his face serious, but his eyes twinkling. "What have you come here for?"

Snape's mouth became a thin line. Then he said curtly, "The Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm sorry, Severus, but I cannot---"

"Don't tell me it's been taken again!" Snape interrupted, not able to keep calm any longer.

"Severus, the job has been given to someone else already. I am truly sorry."

There was another silence as Snape looked furious and Dumbledore sat calmly at his desk, his fingertips touching and his eyes looking at Snape, waiting for a response.

Snape exploded. "Over twenty years I have sought for this job and for twenty years I have been turned down! If I can't have the job this year…I'll quit!"

Dumbledore gave no reply. He just continued to survey Snape behind his spectacles.

Finally,

"Who has the job this year?" Snape asked dully.

Dumbledore gave a short pause.

"Harry Potter."

"WHAT!"

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Ron Weasley was camping out in Hermione's flat again. He had settled himself on the couch and opened Quiddich Through the Ages.

"Ron." Hermione said, walking into her living room. Her hands were on her hips.

"What?" Ron asked, looking up.

"You can go home."

"You know I can't go home." Ron replied indignantly.

"I do not need protection. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Hermione," Ron said, looking highly annoyed that his girlfriend was being so unreasonable. "I am a highly trained wizard who have been through many----"

"So have I!" Hermione retorted. "You think you were the only one that went with Harry to all those things?"

"Well, I'm staying!" Ron said.

"Ron, you need to go home! I am fine here. I am very safe."

Ron gave a huff. "You would think that I would be better appreciated to offer my assistance."

"I am not in any danger!"

"Your flat is near Diagon Alley. Diagon Alley was attacked last week. I am not going to waste my time worrying."

"Ron, you're making me feel highly guilty having you camp out here in my living room every night. That couch is not nearly as comfortable as your bed in your flat."

"Well, there are two solutions for that problem." Ron said, putting down his book. "One, you move into my flat. Two, I camp out at your flat."

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "You are just tiring yourself out, Ron."

"I am not tired!" Ron protested.

Hermione looked at Ron for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"What?" Ron scowled.

"Nothing." Hermione answered. She got out some blankets and put them on the couch next to where Ron was sitting. She then kissed him on the cheek and went to take a shower.

When she came back out, she noticed Ron was fast asleep on the couch, his wand held in his hand.

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Cho Chang looked up when the door knocked.

"Come in." she said.

Mr. Abides walked in, handing a stack of papers to Cho.

"This is for the Weasleys vs. Umbridge case tomorrow. You need to separate the evidence pieces for the Defendant and the Opponent and make five copies."

Cho nodded. "I will have them finished before five."

"Good." Mr. Abides smiled. He leaned closer. "Perhaps I could take you out to dinner if you finish early."

"I don't think so." Cho replied coldly. "I'm meeting someone already."

"That's too bad." Mr. Abides said, straightening his robes. His smile left his face. He walked out the room and slammed the door.

Cho sighed. Of all the bosses she could have gotten, she got stuck with a perverted man who spent far too much time looking in the mirror and combing his mustache than reviewing his cases.

The door knocked again.

"Yes?" Cho asked hesitantly.

Draco Malfoy strutted in, holding a large box full of files. He placed them on Cho's desk and grinned at her, giving a slight impression of Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Hey, Chang." Malfoy said, studying his reflection on a wall mirror. "You wouldn't mind putting these files back would you? I have to leave early today."

"Why?" Cho asked suspiciously.

"I have a date." Malfoy grinned arrogantly.

"I am not going to put your files back. You do that yourself."

"Oh, come on." Malfoy pleaded. "It'll take ten minutes."

"No."

"I'll pay you."

"Keep your Galleons."

"Look, Chang. This date is really important to me. You don't know how important." Draco's gave a small sigh of happiness. "I think I may have met the love of my life."

Cho rolled her eyes. "Oh really? And how long is the love of your life going to last this time? Three weeks instead of two?"

Malfoy scowled. "Look, remember that time I covered for you when Abides was messing around, trying to hit on you?"

"Yes." she answered grudgingly.

"Thanks to me, Abides still thinks that you have a boyfriend!"

"Fine. Fine." Cho said angrily, snatching up the box of files. "I will put your files back, alright?"

"Thanks." Malfoy said, smiling at Cho in a very annoying sort of way.

"Who's your important date?" Cho asked curiously.

"Ginny Weasley." Malfoy answered before exiting her office. "Too bad you turned me down, Chang. I can do things that Potter could never imagine."

Cho pointed her wand toward Malfoy but he closed the door quickly before she could hex him.

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"They are absolutely capable of destruction; they do not care for rules at all, nor for consequences as I have previously described." Umbridge spoke, shuffling her notes.

"Thank you, Ms. Umbridge. You may be seated. Mr. Abides? Do you have anything more to add?"

"No, your honor." Mr. Abides shook his head. "I think I'm finished."

"Alright then, court will resume with the final decision after a ten minute recess."

The hammer slammed and a murmur arose amongst the crowd. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley rushed over to their sons.

"Oh, George!" Mrs. Weasley swelled. "They must let you go, they must! Fred, you did magnificently. They have to listen to your statements!"

Mr. Weasley however, was looking shrewdly over to Umbridge. Umbridge was whispering to the judge and Mr. Weasley was sure, unless his eyes almost missed it, that a swift exchange of something passed through their hands.

"Dad, you think they'll let us go?" Fred asked anxiously, watching his father's face for a reaction.

"Er…excuse me boys, Molly." Arthur said distractedly and walked over to Umbridge.

"Ms. Umbridge? May I have a word?" Arthur asked as politely as he could.

"Yes, yes, but make it quick."

Umbridge trotted outside the court room. Arthur looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard.

Umbridge looked at him expectantly.

"Yes?" she asked in a sugary voice.

"Alright, you can take it." Arthur said briskly. He looked at Umbridge in contempt.

"I'm not sure I understand, Mr. Weasley." Umbridge's smile became even wider.

"The Burrow." Arthur raised his voice a little. "You wanted it, so take it! Let my sons go!"

Umbridge got out a quill and notepad from her purse and scribbled something down.

"Are you quite sure of that, Mr. Weasley?" she simpered.

"Yes," Arthur replied, his ears reddening. "But understand for loan only. Only until the World Cup is over."

"Very well." Umbridge nodded eagerly, her smile growing.

They walked back into the court room.

"Where did you go, dear?" Molly asked Arthur as she sat down next to him.

"Molly, love…I…I have something to tell you later." Arthur said nervously.

Molly recognized his tone right away. It was the same tone he used when he announced to her that he had taken their savings and bought a Muggle car.

"What is it Arthur?" Molly asked sharply, her eyebrows furrowed and her hands on her hips.

"Well…well, you see…" Arthur began, faltering under her glare.

"Court is back in session." The judge announced.

Arthur cleared his throat and turned to the judge while Molly continued to look at him suspiciously.

"The decision has been made." The judge turned to Fred and George. "Misters Fred and George Weasley are free to go under bail."

"Bail?" Arthur exclaimed out loud. "What bail?"

Umbridge gave a giggle. "Surely you did not think they would go with being fined?"

"The bail is set at two thousand five hundred galleons." The judge announced crisply.

"Two thousand---?" Molly asked incredulously.

"Two thousand five hundred each." The judge emphasized.

"Don't worry, mum!" Fred called from the stands. "Just take the galleons from my vault at Gringotts!"

Umbridge gave a shriek of laughter. "Don't be silly, Mr. Weasley. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes's vault in Gringotts has been seized. Your 6,200 Galleons, 98 Sickles and 3 Knuts have been cleared. We couldn't allow any money made from possible selling of Dark Arts products, should we?"

George leapt out of his seat. "We made that money clean and honest!"

"Oh, watch your temper Mr. Weasley." Umbridge ordered. "There is a very simple solution to all of this. The Ministry is ready to pay Mr. and Mrs. Weasley five thousand galleons for rental of the Burrow grounds this Quiddich season. What we could do is simply transfer the payment for your bail."

"Rental of the Burrow?" Mrs. Weasley repeated. "What's that all about?"

"Your husband has consented to it already." Umbridge giggled, enjoying the scene very much.

"Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley cried to her husband. "Our home?"

"When you have paid the fine, your sons are free to go. Meanwhile, they must be escorted back into Azkaban." The judge banged the hammer down.

"Wait! Wait!" Arthur said. "Take the payment! Take it now!"

"NO! DAD!" Fred called as a guard grabbed him by the arms and roughly pulled him away. "Don't do that! Don't let go of the Burrow! They'll trick you, you'll never get it back! Don't worry about George and I!"

"Well, Mr. Weasley?" Umbridge asked again.

"TAKE IT!" Arthur roared. "NOW!"

"Right, just sign here." Umbridge pushed a paper toward Arthur with a quill. He signed it quickly.

"You too, Mrs. Weasley." Umbridge pushed the paper over to Mrs. Weasley.

Molly's face was very white. She looked down at the paper and then over to her twin sons who were yelling at her to stop. She picked up the quill and quickly signed Molly Weasley.

"Right. That's finished." Umbridge looked up to the judge.

"Fred and George Weasley, you're free to go." The judge announced.

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Ron Weasley had just picked up an old copy of Marvin the Mad Muggle when Hermione came in carrying an armful of freshly laundered robes.

"Thanks, Hermy." Ron said affectionately. Hermione blushed pink and smiled, but she turned away and continued to sort out the clothes.

"Ron, you cannot expect me to do your dirty laundry just because you have made yourself a permanent house guest."

"I didn't, you did it yourself." Ron answered, knowing full well he had made her blush. He pretended not to notice and continued to read his comic book.

"That's because the hamper was over flowing with your robes."

"Well, next time it is, you just give me a heads up and I'll go do it myself." Ron replied casually, laughing at his comic.

"What are you reading?" Hermione asked curiously.

Ron held up his comic book. "I've had this for ages."

Ron beamed at Hermione and she sat down next to him, looking at the colorful picture strips. He put an arm around her.

"That's very interesting…how wizards perceive Muggles, I mean." Hermione said earnestly.

Ron looked at Hermione and grinned. "I like staying here every night. It's more fun than returning back to my flat."

"I liked having you here too, Ron." Hermione admitted. "I know I've been harsh on you, but I just don't want you to overwork yourself."

"Don't be ridiculous, Hermione. I want to be here." Ron sniffed the air. "Something smells good, what's for dinner?"

"I made a quiche." Hermione said, looking rather pleased with herself.

"Cheese? That's interesting. What kind?"

"A quiche." Hermione repeated. "I had it in France, it's very nice."

"I see…" Ron said rather hesitantly.

"Will you set the table, Ron? I'll go get dinner."

"Oh, wait!" Ron exclaimed, blocking Hermione's entrance to the kitchen. "You sit here, I'll go get everything and call you when I'm done."

"Oh…wow. Thanks Ron." Hermione settled on the couch and opened Witch Weekly. Ron went to the kitchen.

Several articles later, Ron still had not emerged from the kitchen. Hermione closed the magazine and looked over at the closed kitchen door. She felt very uneasy. What if Ron had done damage such as setting the kitchen on fire?

Hermione peeked into the kitchen and to her dismay, found Ron standing over her now blackened quiche, waving his wand and looking frantic.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, making Ron drop his wand in surprise.

"Hermione!" Ron looked miserable.

"What happened?"

"Spell damage." Ron answered with a sigh. "Don't worry about dinner though, I'll take you out. My treat."

"Okay," Hermione answered, still looking at the blackened quiche. She felt a bit disappointed that it was ruined since she spent quite some time on it, but when she looked back up at Ron, who was standing tentatively watching her face for a reaction, she smiled.

"Sorry about dinner…I…well I wanted to surprise you with something, but I guess I hadn't practiced the spell enough----"

"Oh Ron…I don't care if you blackened my quiche."

To show him, she flung her arms around him and kissed him fervently. This was what she really wanted to do. He put his arms around her and kissed her back, quite surprised at her sudden action. With Hermione, it was always a surprise to when she decided to kiss him. Some days, she became a no-nonsense, sensible sort of person, reminding him a bit of his mother. Other days, she was giggly and spontaneous.

Ron smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Suddenly, Ron decided to act on impulse before he lost his nerve. It was something he wanted to do for a long time, ever since they entered the Ministry together.

"Hermione, will you marry me?" Ron asked, holding her hands and getting down on his knees.

"What?" Hermione whispered, her eyes widened in surprise.

"I mean, you don't have to or anything." Ron said immediately, seeing Hermione's shocked face. "I know I'm not brave and heroic. I get nervous just because of a Quiddich game. I'm not famous. I don't have a lot of money, but I want to make you happy. And I remember that during our fourth year, you said that I should have asked you to the Yule Ball and not have waited until I was down to my last resort…and well, you're my first choice, Hermione. I have never loved anyone else and I don't feel this way about anyone else! Will you be my wife? Will you let me be your husband and care for you and love you?" Ron said all of this very fast.

Hermione's mouth opened but nothing came out. She stood shocked and frozen, unable to move. Ron continued kneeling, waiting for her to answer, his heart full of hope.

"Ronald Weasley, you do surpass all! This is really unexpected!" Hermione answered once she regained use of her voice. Her throat tightened and she found it hard to swallow.

"You mean you don't want to marry me?" Ron asked, his smile fading.

"Oh, of course I'll marry you, Ron." Hermione said right away, her face rather pink and tears were now running down her cheeks. She picked Ron up off the ground and hugged him tightly. "I've always wanted to marry you."

"You did?" Ron asked. He felt his pockets and realized he forgot the ring.

"Yes…ever since we were in Hogwarts. I mean, I didn't realize it then, but I realized it later that…I was going to marry you." Hermione's eyes were wet and her heart was full of emotion.

"Don't cry, Hermione." Ron muttered, kissing her softly, holding her chin.

"I'm not." Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyes.

Ron looked a bit embarrassed. "I never wanted to make you cry. I just wanted to…well, decorate the quiche a bit. I thought it would look more interesting."

Hermione laughed. "Oh Ron, I'm so glad I have you in this world."

They kissed again, lost within their own heaven. A blur of red and brown together, passionately embracing each other, sharing smiles. Across from Hermione's flat in Diagon Alley, Ginny and Draco were on their first date.

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A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! It gave me fresh encouragement. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It should give you new things to ponder about.