Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter… 'sobbing'…

Chapter Six: Good News

Ginny found herself filled with excitement as she rose from her bed the next day. She had slept pleasantly after the events of the previous night, and was very anxious to spread the news of her recent engagement.

The previous night, she and Harry had been too exhausted after their excursions to stay up too late. Plus, Ginny thought that Harry felt bad for what they had done on her parents couch. That and the blush he got when he looked at it afterwards sort of betrayed him.

She had to laugh inwardly, though, because she could just imagine what her parents would say if they found out. They each loved Harry, sure, but not enough to let him deflower their only daughter on the family sofa.

Ginny decided that she really needed a shower. She slowly rolled out of her bed and headed for the bathroom with sweet thoughts of her fiancée playing through her head.

Hermione hurried out of her house and quickly floo'd to the Weasley's. She needed to speak to Ginny. She was so excited about last night with Oliver, and he had asked her on a date for the next Friday!

As she walked into the kitchen, she saw Ginny seated at the table with both of her parents. Mrs. Weasley was in tears and had a goofy smile on her face. Mr. Weasley looked sort of shell shocked about something. They all looked up when they saw her enter the room. Hermione blushed at the sudden attention, but quickly shrugged it off. Her curiosity got the better of her and caused her to forget her news.

"What's up guys?" she asked, praying that it wasn't anything bad.

Ginny smiled up at her. "You'll just have to wait until I tell everyone else, Ms. Granger." she said, then turned back to her parents. "So, we have your approval then?" she asked. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both nodded.

"Of course dear." Mrs. Weasley said, getting up from her seat and smiling broadly. "Well, I've got things to prepare, don't I!"

By now, Hermione was utterly confused. She looked at Ginny, who looked like the happiest witch in the world, then shrugged and sat down in a chair, defeated.

After everyone had left the room but the two of them, Hermione rounded on Ginny once more. "Why won't you tell me what's going on?" she asked, rather put out that her best friend would keep something from her.

Ginny patted Hermione on the arm. "Awww. It sucks not knowing everything, doesn't it, dear?" She said teasingly. Hermione laughed.

"Fine then. Keep your secret if you like. I have something to tell you anyway." She said, now causing the red head to look at her curiously.

"Well?" She asked, rather impatiently.

Hermione smiled at her mischievously, a trait that she had learned from Ron and Harry throughout the years. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she said, pretending to get up.

Ginny groaned. "Fine. You tell me your secret, and I'll tell you mine." She said, tugging on Hermione's sleeve and making her sit back down on the chair.

Hermione beamed. "You first." She said, receiving a glare from Ginny, who then promptly broke in to a wide grin.

"Well…last night, Harry and I had dinner here. It was wonderful…." She said, staring off into space for a minute before Hermione's hand on here arm brought her back to earth. "Sorry. Where was I? Oh yes, dinner. Well, we had dinner, and then did the dishes, of course. After that we went into the living room and curled up on the sofa. We got to talking. He told me how great it was to be back, and how great it felt for him to have me to come home to and then…" She paused, causing Hermione's angst to grow.

"And then?" Hermione pressed.

Ginny smiled. "And then, well, look." She said, showing Hermione her left ring finger.

Hermione gasped and put her hand to her mouth. On Ginny's finger was the most beautiful emerald ring offset by rubies. Ginny wiggled her fingers and caused the light to dance on the stones. It was breathtaking.

"Oh, Gin! That's great! Really, it is. So, how did he do it? Propose, I mean." Hermione asked. She honestly couldn't envision a situation where Harry would get intimate enough to propose to somebody. But, that could be because he was like a brother to her, so she tended not to imagine him in any situations, let alone the intimate ones.

Ginny nearly squealed with excitement. "Oh, 'Mione! It was so sweet. He was telling me that he hoped that he would never have to come home to a house without me in it, and well, just sort of asked me to be his wife." She said, sighing and getting a dreamy look in her eye; the look of someone who was very much in love.

"That's wonderful." Hermione said, hugging her friend. "Where is Harry, speaking of him?" She asked. It was sort of odd that he wasn't here to share in the joy of this announcement.

Ginny looked at her seriously. "He went to see Remus and tell him, and then he wanted to go visit Sirius' and his mum and dad's graves. He didn't even ask me to go with him." Ginny said. She looked rather hurt at this.

Hermione put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. She knew how Harry could be. "Oh, sweets, it's alright. Harry's just used to being alone…It probably didn't occur to him that you would even want to go. It's taken him years to get used to the fact that Ron and I are here for him. Actually, he still isn't used to that. Don't worry though, he'll get used to it. He'll have to, won't he?"

Ginny smiled again. "He most certainly will." She said, then her eyes got wide. "Oh! Did you have fun at the dinner, then?" she asked.

Hermione blushed.

"I see. And, does Mr. Wood know of this crush you have on him?" Ginny asked coyly.

Hermione jerked her head up. "What? What crush? There is no crush." She lied. Yeah, no crush. Just an overwhelming attraction…

Ginny put her hand on her hip in a very Mrs. Weasley like fashion. "I'm not daft, Hermione. Now, how did it go?"

Hermione smiled. "It was great. I got there and I didn't expect to see him. I was talking to Healer Patterson, and he come over and tapped me on the shoulder. He told me I looked beautiful and asked me to dance. Ginny, I told him he didn't look too shabby himself! What kind of a line is that?" She asked, looking horrified.

Ginny couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, what exactly did he look like?" She asked.

Hermione got a faraway look in her eye very similar to the one Ginny had previously worn. "It was a black suite, and it looked marvelous on him, let me say. He had a tie that matched my dress exactly! And he smelled wonderful…" She said.

"See, it's fate then. A tie that matched your dress. You two are definitely destined to marry and reproduce."

Hermione nearly choked on the tea she had been drinking. "Hardly. I barely know that guy. Well, so I know him from school, but that hardly qualifies as grounds to marry someone."

"So how did the dance go? You know what they say. If a guy can dance, he most likely can…"

"Ginny!" Hermione interrupted before the red head could finish her statement.

"What? I'm serious. How was the dancing?" She asked innocently.

Hermione blushed yet again. "To be honest, the dancing was great. We didn't miss a step. Hell, we were so into it that we continued to dance even when the music stopped and everyone else had left the dance floor."

"So, you do like him then? And he likes you?" Ginny pressed.

"What makes you say that? We danced and talked." She said.

"Sure, and I'm a muggle. Come on! People don't just get lost in each other in a normal conversation."

"Fine!" Hermione said, finally admitting the inevitable. "I like him. However, I don't know that he likes me. I mean, just because we danced and he asked me on a date Friday, doesn't mean anything."

"What! Your nutters. The boy obviously likes you or he wouldn't waste his time with asking you out."

"You think so?" Hermione asked.

"Definitely." Ginny said, receiving a smile from Hermione.

"I certainly hope so."

Harry arrived at the cemetery in a somber mood. He hated visiting this place, but he felt he had to tell his parents and Sirius of the good news. He knew they would want to know.

As he approached the stones, he dropped to his knees in front of them.

"Hey mum, dad. Hello, Sirius. Um, I know it's been a while since I've come here, but you know how it makes me feel." He said, pausing to take a breath.

He absently brushed the dirt off of the faces of the three stones and picked the weeds that were threatening to over come them.

"I came today to tell you some good news. I'm getting married! To Ginny Weasley. You remember her, Sirius? Well, I finally realized that I love her with all my heart. Mum, Dad, you would have loved her. She's great. She's smart, funny, and beautiful. She's got red hair, like mums. I guess Potter men have a thing for red heads. Either that or you red heads have a thing for Potter men." He said, causing himself to chuckle weakly. He knew that if he had been able to hear Sirius, he would be laughing that bark like laugh of his. His dad would most likely be gloating, and his mother would probably rolling her eyes at their presumptions.

"I gave her your ring, mum. Remus told me that you wanted my wife to have it. I know you guys would approve of her. I'm going to ask Ron to be my best mate at the wedding. I think that Ginny will ask Hermione to be her matron of honor. We haven't really set a date, but I think Gin will want the fall. She loves the fall."

He paused. He was practically choking up now, and with the next statement, the tears were falling freely.

"I really wish you guys were here."

As Ginny and Hermione finished up their conversation, they heard a pop come from the next room, announcing Harry's return.

Ginny hopped up from her chair and ran to him. She noticed that his face was very sad when she first approached him, but then it was quickly changed into happiness upon sight of her.

She flung her arms around his neck and the two stood there in silence, each holding the other.

"Are you alright?" She asked him, looking up into his eyes.

He smiled at her, placing his hands in her hair and bringing her lips closer to his.

"I'm fine now."