DISCLAIMER:
I do not own Harry Potter or its characters. J.K. Rowling does. I just use them to write stories for my own enjoyment.

"RON!" Mrs. Weasley screamed up the stairs. "Ronald Weasley, Hermione's just arrived dear!"

"Thanks mum," He yelled back, "be down in a minute!"

"Make yourself comfortable dear; you know your welcome here." Mrs. Weasley said in a motherly voice.

"Thanks." Hermione said as she sat down at the kitchen table.

She looked around The Burrow. It had been a while since she had last been there. She wondered what took Ron so long to come down. After all, he's the one who wanted her to come there on such short notice.

"Coming!" Ron yelled down the stairs. She could hear him sprinting down the stairway and right at the last step he tripped over his own feet and fell flat on his face.

"DAMMIT!" He bellowed loudly.

"RON WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SWEARING IN THE HOUSE!" Mrs. Weasley screeched.

"Oh, uh, sorry mum." He said as he recovered himself from the fall.

Hermione tried to stifle a laugh.

"Uh, Hermione, hi, um, wanna step outside with me?" he said softly.

"Oh, yes, sure." She said following him out the door.

She had no idea what was in store or why he had asked her to come so early in the summer. Of course it couldn't be to ask for help on homework because he would have just sent for the answers, but she couldn't figure it out. Maybe it was for Bill and Fleur's wedding, but no, it couldn't be, that wasn't till the end of August.

She followed him for five minutes until he stopped right under a huge oak tree on a hill overlooking a valley with a river below. The sun was setting and the tree shaded out the beating rays. He sat down and looked out past the hills for a moment, transfixed on the setting. Hermione wondered why until she took a glimpse at where his eyes were looking.

She suddenly understood why he was so captivated with the scenery. It was the most mesmerizing sight she had ever seen in her life.

"Ron……it's….it's beautiful." She said in awe.

"Not as beautiful as you…." He said in reply.

She looked over at him quickly to see that now his eyes were on her. She looked away in embarrassment.

"Now Ron, why did you ask me here, was it just to see this." She asked him while looking away.

"Hermione I asked you here because…..this area here……I used to come here in the summer before I started Hogwarts. I love this place, because it's so secluded and away from the rest of my family. And well, my mum brought me here when I was really young and told me that this is the place that dad asked her to marry him. And since then it's been really special to me. And now I wanna….I wanna do the same thing….."

Hermione sat there in shock. "Ron was gonna do what?" she thought to herself.

"I wanted to tell you this now before it happens and you freak out, but I'm going with Harry. I'm leaving Hogwarts and helping him, but before I leave I wanted to ask you…….will you marry me?"

Tears began to swell in Hermione's eyes. She looked away.

"What? Is there something wrong? I'm sorry….I shouldn't have." He said softly.

"No it's just that….oh Ron!" She said as she grabbed him and kissed him affectionately.

"I…I…I love you…..I always have….I was so jealous last year….I….Yes!" She said as she buried her head onto his chest.

"So….You're saying yes? He's said dumbstruck.

"Yes you idiot! Of course I am!" She said in a shrieky voice.

"Then I guess I should give you this." And he took out of his pocket a silver ring.

"Oh Ron, its so pretty." She said as she slipped it over her finger. "But, we're so young….and you're leaving…..and." he put up a finger to silence her.

"I know, I had already thought about that. We'll wait until after the war is over and then I'll come back for you. Now don't give me that face." He said when he saw the sad expression on her appearance. "I'll come and visit you at Hogwarts as much as possible, so it's not like I'll never see you." He said as he gave her another soft kiss on the lips.

They sat there in a soft embrace until the sun had gone down and then they walked home in the dark, hand in hand.

Days passed, weeks, then a month and it seemed like it had passed them by so fast. Hermione and Ron spent every moment together. No one knew about their engagement even though it wasn't necessarily a secret.

When Harry finally arrived at the Burrow to talk over plans with Ron, he wondered why they kept on leaving every evening at dusk to go do "things" that they needed to do. Little did Harry know that it was just their way of sneaking off to go snog at their special spot.

It was September 1st and it was off to Platform 9¾ to catch the Hogwarts Express. At the train, as Hermione was taking her seat, she and Ron decided to let Harry on in their little secret. Harry was not entirely surprised and whole heartedly congratulated them and then left them alone to say goodbye as he went off to give Ginny a special farewell.

Ron stared into Hermione's eyes and then kissed her one last time before getting up and saying goodbye. She watched him get off the train and then hurried to find a compartment. She was glad she gave up her role as a prefect because she was going to have a lot under her belt this year as it was.

She went along the train and found a compartment with Ginny, Luna, Neville, and to her shock, Lupin. They welcomed her in and she took a seat between Lupin and Ginny.

"Hello guys." She said to them all.

Murmurs of a hello went around the room awkwardly. Hermione knew why. It was because of what happened last year and the fact that she and Ron were the only two people, besides Harry, who knew what really took place. She knew that they would all want to know the answer, but she wouldn't say. She swore Harry she'd never tell a soul.

"I've just said goodbye to Harry." Ginny said with a mysterious air to her voice, and then ended her remark with a wink only Hermione could see.

"Oh….you don't have to hide it you know….we all know you snogged him before he left, so don't act all innocent." Luna said in her dreamy voice.

Ginny's cheeks went the same shade of scarlet that Ron's face went to when he was embarrassed. She looked over at Lupin who didn't look back and went back to being quiet.

"So…uh…" Hermione said to break the silence. "What are you doing coming back to Hogwarts, Professor Lupin?"

"I was just about to answer that question when you came in." He said looking her straight in the eye. "Professor McGonnagal asked me to come back here for a meeting for the Order. And I was happy to come."

"That's cor." Neville said, speaking for the first time. "I'm really excited about lessons this year, well, Herbology at least. Professor Sprout took me on as her teaching assistant. That means I get to skip certain classes to help her."

"That's great Neville." Ginny said in an uplifting voice.

"Wonder who the new DADA teacher is this year." Luna muttered quietly to herself, but not quiet enough for everyone to hear.

"It's a surprise. I'm not allowed to tell though." Lupin said attentively.

"What? You know? Please tell us!" rang throughout the compartment making Lupin cover his ears.

"Stop! Be quiet you lot! I'm not gonna tell you, and that's final." He said stubbornly.

"Pretty please." Hermione said as she moved closer to him. "I really want to know." She said as she put her head on his shoulder and fluttered her eyelashes at him while giggling.

"Um…erm…" he said as he stared into her big blue eyes. "Er….oh, for you, fine."

"Thanks." She said as she moved back, closer to Ginny.

"Promise you won't tell anyone that I told?" they nodded their heads in unison.

"Ok…it's…Tonks."

"Tonks!" they all said in harmony. "Brilliant choice, old McGonnagal's got her head on strait, smart pick, great." Were all reactions to the idea of having Tonks teach at Hogwarts.

"Are you and her still getting on fine?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Yeah, we're friends, but we broke up because we both agreed it was for the best." He answered.

"But you guys were so wonderful together, I saw you guys together!" she respond back.

"Yeah, but….it wouldn't have worked out anyways." He said with his voice trailing off at the end.

Everyone went uncomfortably silent again for a moment until Luna spoke up again.

"Wanna see an article in the Quibbler about Father Christmas being 10 days late this year due to a shortage in elves."

Please R&R...it will make me very happy. Next chapter is done. I will upload it asap!