I meant this chapter to get out in 2005, but a book report and partying kind of got in the way. So, here is the last chapter! Thanks for sticking with me, I hope you enjoyed reading this, and, as always, review!

Disclaimer: GUESS WHAT! I finally got J.K. Rowling to give me all rights to the Harry Potter characters, etc. GUESS WHAT ELSE! That last part was not true.

Chapter 8: Price of Love

Ron waited until Hermione left the room before pulling out the coins in his pocket. Four Galleons, 5 Sickles, and a Knut. The same amount as he had an hour ago. And he had been able to save up another twenty Galleons in the bank over the past year. He had now counted up his money twenty times in the past two days. Hopefully it would be enough.

He vaguely remembered telling Hermione he was going into work early before Apparating over to the Leaky Cauldron. He couldn't remember her response, but he figured she wouldn't be too upset at him leaving early…even if it was three hours earlier than usual.

She walked through Diagon Alley, not really seeing where he was going; only knowing his destination. Cassandra's Jewelry Store-The Best Place in the Wizarding World for Jewelry, to be exact. Tonight was going to be the night he proposed to Hermione. After about a year of going out during seventh year, and another half a year recently, he figured it was time to become man and wife. He just hoped Hermione agreed.

He walked inside the store, and quickly realized how out of place he felt inside. Almost everything in the showcases was diamond necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. These were things Ron was worried he would never be able to buy for Hermione.

Ron walked up to the nearest empty counter space, looking around to see if he could find the rings. A witch walked over to him, asking, "What are you looking for today, sir?"

"Well, I was hoping for a diamond ring for my girlfriend," Ron started to rush, "to propose to her, but I don't know if I have enough money for it…"

"That is not a problem here at Cassandra's. If you find a ring you like, we'll make sure that you can pay for it. Now, why don't I take you into our back room so you can look at all the rings we have to offer?" Ron smiled and looked down at the nametag the lady was wearing. Andrea.

"Umm…Sure, Andrea," he stuttered as she led him behind the counter.

Ron could not believe what he saw there. There were diamond rings, ruby rings, topaz rings, sapphire rings (four different colors), and gold and silver bands with no gem. The bands ranged from simple gold or silver with no engravings or designs, to bands that had intricate designs that seemed to be hand-woven. They were all shined and buffed, making them gleam behind the protective glass. Andrea calmly stood next to the door, a smile stuck to her face, as Ron walked around, browsing the selection.

I don't want something too fancy, Ron considered, looking at a design that looked like a butterfly. But nothing too simple, either. Ron continued looking, and found one about twenty minutes later. A simple design, but Ron decided it worked well for their relationship. The band was gold, and it looked like two ropes were wound together on the bottom, separated on both of the sides, and join for one flat piece at the top. On the flat part was a small diamond, finishing off the ring, a ring that now seemed to glow.

"I'll take that one."

Andrea walked over from her post at the door. Ron pointed on the glass at the ring to show her. She pulled it out, asking, "Would you like me to put this in a jewelry box for you?"

"Sure. So, how much is this particular ring?" Ron asked, a little hesitantly.

"This one is thirty Galleons. But we can set up a payment plan, if you would prefer that method," she replied, still with a smile on her face.

They talked about payment options, and worked out a plan that would work with him. Grabbing his package, he thanked Andrea and left the store. Yes, he was going to be a little early for work, but it would help him get the extra money to help pay for the ring.

Heading to the shop, Ron started whistling. The pitch quickly dropped as he entered the store to find Hermione glaring at him,

"I thought you said you were coming in to work early." Her cold voice didn't sound at all like her own. It had no warmth in it, and her eyes mirrored the coldness.

"I…did…I mean…I…am…" he stuttered, looking for some way out of her gaze.

"Where you with another girl?"

"No…well, yes…but not in that way…"

"Tell me. Where you with another girl?" The ice in her eyes turned to fire.

"Yes. But she was helping me, she meant nothing to me…"

Hermione walked forward, so that she and Ron were face to face. "Helping you? With what?"

Ron slowly backed up, trying to relieve the tension between the two of them. "It would really be better to tell you someplace that we're alone."

"Oh no. Don't try to get out of this. Whatever you have to say, whatever you are going to say, you are going to say right here, in front of everyone else in the store. So, spit it out."

Ron took a deep breath, not letting the instinct to just say it because the curse told him to. He was going to do this on his own. He kneeled down and opened the bag, but he didn't take out the package.

"Hermione," he began, "When you died, I was devastated. Now that you are alive, you are my life and my joy. Even though I didn't know what was going to happen to me when I said the spell, if I had the chance to change my mind, I wouldn't. So now-" Ron pulled out the ring and box before continuing, "I have to ask this." The box slowly opened to reveal the ring to Hermione. "Hermione, will you marry me?"

Hermione took a few steps back in surprise. Everyone in the store (including Fred and George, embarrassingly enough) stopped what he or she was doing, and were waiting for Hermione to answer.

"Oh my gosh, Ron. Yes, I will!" Hermione pulled her now-fiancé up and into a hug, while almost everybody clapped for the happy couple.

Ron thought he saw a figure moving in the shadows of the store towards the back exit. But he wasn't going to worry about it, or them. Hermione had just said yes to his marriage proposal. What did he care about other people right now?

A year later, the wedding was set. All the details were planned out, the guests were invited, and Ron was getting ready for the rehearsal dinner. Of course, Hermione wanted to have some Muggle traditions upheld, so he was now trying to get into a nice suit for the dinner.

The door to Ron's dressing room creaked open, and Harry stuck his head in. "It's time, Ron."

"Okay," Ron replied. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, and then followed Harry out the door.

The run-through of the wedding passed without incident, and before Ron knew it, it was time to have dinner. Everything was going great, until a couple of Aurors came up to Ron and Hermione.

"Sir, Ma'am, we have found an uninvited guest. I think you two should come with us," one of the Aurors said, one with a bushy mustache. The other one, with a clean-shaven face, nodded. Hermione and Ron quickly glanced at each other before following them. A third Auror was waiting for them, holding none other than Lucius Malfoy.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here?" Ron was stunned. Why would Lucius be crashing their rehearsal dinner?

"Why else would I be here? I've been following you almost everywhere since that night at the Karaoke bar! I've been trying to figure out how you brought the Mudblood back to life! Because, one day, the Dark Lord will rise AGAIN!" Malfoy responded, a little insanely.

"You want to know how to bring back Voldemort? He had to love somebody. You have to love somebody, and they need to sacrifice themselves for him. So, he isn't coming back," Hermione responded, even though Malfoy's comment wasn't directed towards her. She grabbed Ron's arm and led him back to the dinner, while the Aurors pulled Malfoy outside to send him to Azkaban.

Staring at the altar, Ron was starting to feel a little nervous. He didn't have cold feet, but it was going to be a big change in his life. The guests were here, ready for the wedding. Dumbledore was to conduct the wedding, and Fred and Georges' two daughters (Sandy and Mandy, who could pass as twins if they had the same parents) were the flower girls. Even though they were married, Ginny was Hermione's Maid of Honor, and Harry was Ron's best man. The three men were up on the altar, as the wedding was to start in only a couple of minutes.

The choir started to sing, and the procession down the aisle began. And as Hermione started to walk down that aisle, only one thing was going through Ron's mind:

Welcome to our new life, Hermione.

Fin.

Yay! The story is complete! Yay for Ron and Hermione! Thanks to everyone that has read, and especially those that reviewed, and to FFF for staying on my back to get this story finished. And, as I said before, please review! Tell me what you thought of the entire story, or of specific chapters.

And, for now, the curtain is closed.