Iris stood in front of the muggle live bar and laughed to herself. Of course James would want to meet here. It was a dive bar and it was mostly cover or unknown bands that played. She remembered that much from her muggle days. She walked in and looked for James, hoping to see him through the smoke. She didn't find him so assumed she had gotten there first and walked over to the bar.

"Gin and tonic," she said. The bartender nodded, took her money and then set about to making the drink. Once done he handed it over as Iris turned around and leaned against the bar and settled in to listen to the band while waiting. She closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. She missed this.

"Not bad, are they? As far as muggle bands go," someone said from her right. Iris looked over and saw Oliver. Her eyes were wide.

"What are you doing here?" she said, smiling. Oliver laughed.

"Well, James got tied up at work, so thought I might enjoy seeing what all this muggle concert stuff is about," he said. Iris downed her drink and set the glass on the bar.

"Come on, you need to get closer to appreciate it," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the crowd. They stood towards the back where it wasn't as crowded, but as the venue was quite small, they still had a good view of the stage. People were dancing and moving around to the music. Iris began to sway a bit. Oliver looked over at her. He pulled on her hand, causing her to crash into his chest. Iris laughed.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Dancing," he said. Iris tossed her head back laughing. They began moving with the music, with Oliver twirling her around. The band struck the final note as Oliver dipped her. Pulling her back up Iris laughed.

"How you like muggle music?" she asked.

"It's… magical," he said, laughing. Iris giggled. Just then the frontman spoke into microphone.

"Alright folks, we're going to play a crowd favorite," he stepped back and started strumming the opening to "Wonderwall." Iris laughed. Oliver pulled her to him, facing her towards the band and wrapping his arms around her from behind. He rested his head on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. Iris grinned as they starting swaying with the music.

"This is perfect," she said. Oliver laughed. Iris rested into him, feeling the deep rumble vibrate through his body. This was the moment, he knew it. He had no clue the band would play that song - he had intended on winging the actual proposal from the beginning - but it seemed as though fate was on his side. He briefly thought back to that night in Hogwarts, when Iris sat and softly sang along with the chorus.

"I think I know one thing that could possibly make it more perfect," he said. Iris arched her eyebrows, glancing over at his face. He straightened up and removed one arm from around her and reaching into his pocket. He pulled it back out and reached back around her, holding the small box in his hand. Iris looked down at it, her eyes going wide as she gasped.

"Oliver," she said breathlessly.

"I can't live without you, Iris," he said in her ear. "I want you by my side, forever." Iris smiled as tears filled her eyes. She tried unsuccessfully to blink them back. She gently opened the box and looked down at the ring. It was beautiful. Oliver let go of her and turned her to face him. He pulled the ring out and placed it on her finger. It fit perfectly. "It was my Great-Gran's." Iris looked at the ring on her hand and back up at him, grinning.

"I love you, Oliver," she said.

"I take it that's a 'yes,'" he said, smiling. Iris nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Yes, you idiot. I let you put the ring on, didn't I?" she said before launching herself into his arms, kissing him. Oliver spun her around and then placed her feet firmly on the ground. "So this whole thing was a setup?" Oliver nodded.

"It was James' idea, to be honest," he admitted. Iris laughed.

"It's perfect," she said again.

"It is perfect, isn't it?" another voice said from behind Iris. Oliver froze as he looked up. Iris turned around and came face to face with Marcus Flint.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing up here," she said, her face now stoic. Marcus laughed.

"These muggles don't know who I am," he said. "And I suggest that unless you want to cause a scene, you follow me into the back alley." Iris' gaze flipped down to the pocket of his coat, where she could tell that he was gripping his wand. She then quickly surveyed the club, looking for a way out. Menacing looking figures stood at each exit. "Oh, I brought a few friends, so don't get any bright ideas about trying to escape." Iris locked eyes with him and nodded her head slightly. Marcus turned and she and Oliver followed him through the crowd, silent. Oliver squeezed her hand. She glanced up at him and nodded, hoping to reassure him that she would find a way out of this.

They walked through a backdoor into a deserted alley. As soon as they were through the door, two men stepped out and grabbed Oliver, holding him tightly. One reached into his pocket and took his wand. Oliver immediately began struggling. Iris turned to look at him.

"I wouldn't try anything. It'll just ensure that I kill him faster," Marcus said. Iris turned to look at him, eyes blazing. She tensed slightly, waiting. He was aware of her gifts and would most likely rely on his brute strength to overpower her like the past. She had been working out, hoping to build up some strength. But it had only been a couple weeks and she was forced to go slow with her injury still healing.

"What do you want, Marcus?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Just him," he said, walking up to Oliver. "He killed my girl. It's time I got a little payback." He then punched him in the gut. Oliver doubled over and groaned.

"Stop it!" Iris shouted, sending Marcus flying back into a wall.

"Grab her!" Flint shouted as he pushed himself back up. Two others appeared and grabbed Iris' arms, holding them firmly. Iris immediately began to struggle. "Hold her hands down. I don't want to chance her doing anymore hand magic." She stopped and locked eyes with Oliver. Marcus thought she had to have the use of her hands to use her magic. He really wasn't very bright. Oliver nodded slightly, then covered it with a grimace of pain. Flint spat blood from his mouth and walked over to Iris, grabbing her chin roughly with his hand, forcing him to look up at her.

"Yea, I heard about you… Potter's aunt. Can apparate anywhere. Metamorphmagus, too. The Dark Lord was obsessed with you for a bit. I'll do him proud by destroying you when he couldn't," he said. Iris gave him a steely glare.

"I'd like to see you try," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. Marcus reached back and slapped her, hard. He laughed as Oliver shouted.

"Leave her alone, Flint. This is between you and me!" he shouted. Iris shook her head, trying to clear it. She looked over at Oliver, looking into his mind.

"Call for help. Get Harry and the others here. Can you do that?" he thought. Iris looked to the ground. Usually she needed physical contact or close proximity to project thoughts into someone else. But she would try. She looked back up at him.

"I can try," she sent him. Oliver nodded slightly. She took a deep breath and looked to the ground, closing her eyes. She focused her thoughts on Harry. She didn't know where he was, but she hoped she could reach him.

"HARRY! WE NEED YOU!" she screamed in her mind, squeezing her eyes shut and beginning to breath heavily from the exertion. She sent images - the front of the club with its name and Flint punching Oliver. "HURRY!"

"What's this? Can't stand seeing your boyfriend getting hurt?" Flint said, now looking back at Iris. "Or I guess its fiance now." She gasped as she opened her eyes, focusing on the ground. She needed to do something. She didn't know if Harry would get her message. Still looking at the ground she opened her mind, looking into Flint's in the hopes she would see what he had planned.

"Where is that bugger? We can't stay here long. They'll catch us… Idiot wanting to play the white knight," he thought. Iris saw a small room in a cellar. An abandoned manor. Then Flint torturing Oliver. He was waiting for someone to show up. Then he would leave with Oliver. Iris calmed her racing heart and started breathing more easily. She needed to do something before whoever this other person was got there. Iris straightened up and looked at Flint, meeting his eyes. She smiled slightly.

"You've already messed up," she said calmly. Flint laughed.

"How's that?"

"You underestimated me." She took a deep breath, feeling the power well up in her. It felt good after so long to let it loose. The men holding her shifted, feeling something in the air change. She looked at the men holding Oliver and watched as they flew back. Immediately she surrounded him with a shield. She then met Flint's gaze again as the two men holding her collapsed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Oliver grab his wand. Flint's eyes went wide.

"You shouldn't be able to do that," he said frantically. "No one can do that." Iris grinned, walking towards him.

"I can. Didn't you hear from the Dark Lord? I protect those I love. That's what allows me to be so powerful and you just messed with the wrong one," she said, before she sent him flying back again.

"Iris, look out!" Oliver shouted as more of Flint's friends ran into the alley, sensing something was wrong. She quickly covered herself in a shield as they began firing curses at her. She looked back at Flint. She saw him gripping his wand.

"No you don't," she shouted as she looked at it and flew up and into her hand. She stuck it into her back pocket. He stood and made to run away, but Iris raised her hand and knocked him off his feet again, dragging him back towards her. He struggled against the magic, but couldn't.

"Stupefy," she said quietly and watched as he passed out. She then turned and helped Oliver take out the rest. Just as the last one fell, James appeared in the alley, eyes wide.

"My god, are you alright, Iris?" he said running towards her.

"I'm fine," she said. "Just took care of a little problem." She looked down at Flint. She remembered what he had thought, about someone coming. Something didn't settle quite right about James suddenly showing up. She looked up at him, slightly confused.

"I was inside, hoping to celebrate with you guys, but when you weren't there I got worried," he said, looking around the alley, answering the question in her eyes. "Merlin, did you do all this?"

"Oliver helped," Iris said, meeting Oliver's eyes as he walked over to her. "Death Eaters certainly know how to ruin a perfect moment." Before James could answer, Harry, Jude, Ron and a group of other aurors appeared in the alley.

"Iris!" he shouted. Iris smiled in relief.

"You got my message," she said, thrilled to find that it worked. Harry smiled at her.

"Yea… you were a bit persistent," he said, rubbing his head. "Hurt a bit, to be honest." He took in the bodies filling the alley. "Though looks like you didn't need our help after all." Jude surveyed the scene and then looked at Iris.

"Good work, Evans," he said simply. "Alright, get them in custody." The aurors quickly set to work gathering wands and securing their prisoners.

"Blimey… you took out nearly our entire watch list, Iris," Ron exclaimed. Iris shrugged.

"Thought I'd help you out so Harry could spend more time at home," she said. Oliver wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head. "Flint ambushed us. He somehow figured out Oliver and I would be here tonight."

"He asked, then?" Harry said, grinning. Iris held her hand out, showing off the ring.

"You knew, didn't you?" she asked, grinning. She heard a groan from behind them and turned to look as Dean and Neville dragged Flint up from the ground, securing his hands. He fixed his gaze on Oliver and Iris. Iris' face hardened.

"This isn't over, Wood," he said menacingly.

"I'd say it is, Flint," Oliver responded. "You won't be getting out where you're going." Flint grimaced as Neville poked him in the side with his wand.

"Let's get going, you," he said. Flint looked at Oliver and Iris, then his gaze fell on James, standing next to Iris. He narrowed his eyes. Iris looked into his mind and gasped as her eyes went wide. She stepped away from James and turned to look at him.

"It was you," she said. James looked down at her, confused.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, smoothly deflecting the question.

"You were the one they were waiting for," she said, her expression changing from surprise to understanding as she looked into his mind. She saw the whole plan. James went to reach for his wand, but Iris sent it flying down the alley. "He's a conspirator."

Immediately, two aurors were at his side, restraining him.

"What's going on, Iris?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, what exactly is going on?" James shouted, struggling against the two aurors. "This is ridiculous." It was at that moment she realized that he didn't know she could read minds.

"I can see your thoughts," she said, glad that they had at least kept that gift under wraps.

"What did you see?" Jude asked, stepping up next to Iris.

"He was the one hiding Flint. An abandoned manor. I'll give you the coordinates. They're cousins. They were working together," she said. Jude nodded.

"So I take it we won't need to interrogate him?" he asked.

"You should, but he'll deny everything. Try to throw money at the situation. I'll write up a full report and send it to you tomorrow," she said. Jude nodded and walked away. Iris glanced over at Flint as the two aurors disapparated with him, then back at James.

"I did it for you," he said. He wasn't pleading or begging. Or desperate. Just stating a fact.

"You thought that if you killed Oliver I would go flying into your arms," she said, her disgust evident. "I thought you were my friend."

"I had to try something," he said, smirking slightly. Iris shook her head.

"You disgust me," she said. "Take him away." The two aurors then apparated with him. Iris sighed as she felt Oliver walked up behind her and wrap his arms around her. She leaned back into his chest.

"Should have known something was up when he suggested I propose here," he said.

"Honestly, I don't know how you could," she said. "He had us all fooled."

"So… the future Mrs. Wood, eh?" Harry said, walking up to her grinning. Iris smiled as she walked over and hugged him.

"Yes, it would appear so," she said, her joy now returning as the danger had passed. Harry looked over at Oliver.

"Congratulations," he said. Iris let go of him and looked over at Oliver, grinning. "I'll meet you back at the flat in a bit and you can tell me about it." Oliver nodded.

"Home sounds like a good idea about now," he said. Iris looked at Jude.

"Everything under control here?" she asked. He nodded.

"Go home. Celebrate," he said, a hint of a smile on his face. Iris walked over to Oliver and grabbed his hand.

"Home?" she asked. Oliver nodded. Iris focused her thoughts and they disappeared.

When they appeared in the middle of their living room, Oliver and Iris were surprised not to find themselves alone. In fact, the flat was full of people.

"They're here!" someone shouted.

"No they're not! They didn't sound off any of the alarms I set," George shouted from somewhere. He pushed through the crowd and saw Oliver and Iris standing in front of the fireplace. "Oh… they are here. Well then, surprise!" He lifted his wand and shot off a round of fireworks. Iris looked up, shocked speechless. The fireworks formed a banner that read out, "Congrats Iris & Oliver."

"Blimey, you lot look a bit worse for the wear. Just how rough are muggle concerts?" George asked as he walked up and hugged Oliver and then Iris. They looked at each other and then back at George. "You didn't really think I was going to let you propose without fireworks, did you?" Iris grinned and laughed.

"We had a bit of a run-in with Flint," she said.

"And we will tell you all about it, but let us clean up a bit first?" Oliver said. He grabbed Iris' hand and started pulling her towards their bedroom.

"Don't take too long! We'll know what's going on!" George shouted behind them. Iris rolled her eyes.

Once they were alone in the room, Iris turned her focus to Oliver.

"Let me heal you," she said, pushing him down on the bed. She studied his face deeming the cuts and bruises superficial. She then felt down his chest to his gut. Oliver winced.

"I think he broke a rib or two," he said. Iris nodded.

"Three," she said, placing her hand over it. After a moment, Oliver breathed a bit easier. He was still a bit sore but the pain was lessened.

"Let me look at you," he said, gingerly taking her chin in his hand and turning it to inspect her cheek. A bruise was already forming from Flint's slap. "He got you good." Iris tenderly touched it and flinched.

"Yea, but I got him better. Nothing's broken. It should heal itself in time," she said. "I get the shower first." She walked over to the bathroom.

"Or we could share it? Save some time. There are a whole lot of people out there waiting on us," he said, grinning. Iris looked back at him and laughed.

"Right," she said.

About 30 minutes later, they both reemerged into the living room, clean and in fresh clothes. The party was raring. Immediately, the people descended on them. First was Oliver's parents.

"Finally he got around to asking you!" Martha, his mother exclaimed as she hugged Iris. She then lifted her hand and looked at the ring. "It's perfect." She grinned at Iris.

"Thank you so much for giving it to him," she said. Martha looked at her and placed her hand on Iris' good cheek.

"We're just happy to welcome you to the family," she said. Next, Molly and Arthur Weasley pushed up to them.

"Gracious me, what on earth happened to you?" she exclaimed as she saw Iris' bruise and the cuts on Oliver's face.

"Well, turns out even we can't seem to have a normal proposal," he said. George walked up with two champagne flutes and handed them to Oliver and Iris.

"Before anything else happens, why don't you two tell us the story," he said. Iris looked up at Oliver and smiled.

"Very well, then," he said.

The next morning, Iris, Oliver and Harry sat in the kitchen eating breakfast.

"So, I was thinking," Harry started. Oliver and Iris looked at him expectantly. "Ron and I were talking last night and I think we're going to look for a flat together." Iris looked over at Oliver, her eyebrows raised as if to say "I told you so."

"Harry, we're not getting married for a few months yet and children… well, we've both agreed that's something we want to wait a few years more for," Oliver said. "You don't need to worry about that." Iris nodded. Harry thought a moment before answering.

"I know," he said. "But, I think it's something we both need to do. We're not students anymore. And we'd like a bit of… independence." Iris nodded. She reached across the table and placed her hand on Harry's, squeezing.

"I understand. But just know, you'll always have a place in our home," she said, smiling. Harry grinned.

"Thanks for understanding," he said. "And… since it's just us, Iris… I'd like to help pay for the wedding." Iris took a sharp breath.

"Harry, you don't have to do that," she said.

"Of course not," Oliver chimed in. "We'll cover it. I make a fair amount with Puddlemere. And the joke shop is doing well. Iris and I can manage. Plus I'm sure Mum and Da will want to pitch in some, me being an only child and all."

"Please, let me. I feel like as Iris' only family, and since Mum and Dad left me so much… it's… I want to do this. I want to help," he said, sitting up straighter in his chair. "Besides, if anyone deserves the wedding of their dreams, it's you two." Iris nodded and looked at Oliver, giving him a watery smile.

"I think we can figure something out," she said before she looked back at Harry. She squeezed his hand again.

"Good. I suppose I should owl Mrs. Weasley and your mum for the details," he joked. Iris laughed and shook her head.

"I think those two probably had the entire thing planned before they left last night," Oliver said.

"As long as they let me pick the dress," she said, half joking. She actually did want to have more say in the wedding than just her dress, contrary to the jokes about letting them completely plan it. Harry brightened.

"That's it. I'll buy your dress," he said, seeming pleased with himself. Iris looked at him, astonished. "Really. I am. You have no say in this, Iris." She shrugged and shook her head.

"I guess not."