"It's a quarter til midnight!" Ginny hissed in Harry's ear.

With an excited look on their faces, the couple separated, with Ginny passing out champagne glasses to everyone and Harry bringing a firewhisky to a very anxious Ron.

"What if she says no! In front of everyone!" Ron whispered, practically shaking.

"Don't be a git Ron, she won't say no… you are having a damn child together! And she loves you. Just be confident! And drink your firewhisky."

Ron looked at Harry like he was the biggest fool he'd ever met, "Confident?! Have you bloody met me?!"

Harry laughed at his friend, him still not realizing how unbelievably right he and Hermione are. "Mate, Hermione is like my sister. She has literally saved my life a dozen times. She's one of two best friends, one of the most important people in my life, literally family to me. If I didn't think she would say yes, or that you would make her happy, I would stop you. We both know I'm as protective of her as you are of Gin. So get out there and make her the happiest she's ever been." Harry finished his hushed speech with a smile, patting his friend on the back.

"We made it out for this bloody stuff, didn't we." Ron said, quickly grasping Harry in a hug.

"Yeah mate, yeah we did."

Ginny came rushing over to the boys, breaking up their emotional moment. "Two minutes! Ron go get some champagne, and I left some sparkling cider for Hermione, go grab her some! Good luck big brother!"

Ron went up to the bar and collected their drinks, going through his speech again in his head. Collecting the drinks, he found Hermione in the middle of the room, waiting for Ron.

"It's cider" Ron whispered as he handed Hermione the drink.

Kissing on the cheek she wrapped an arm around Ron as everyone in the room watched the clock.

"30 seconds…" Ron whispered to himself.

The whole room was coupled up, just watching the seconds drop one by one. Ron's knees buckled as he did everything in his power not to faint.

"10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…. Happy New Year!" the room shouted.

Ron kissed Hermione as wished and prayed on every star that he didn't mess this up.

With a deep breath, Ron dropped to one knee, pulling out the satin box. Hermione's jaw dropped, with her free hand clasped to her mouth. Everyone in the room paused, with all eyes on him.

"Hermione, you are the love of my life, and everyone here knew it before I did." Ron started as he looked into Hermione's watering eyes. "Ever since we met, I don't think I could picture a version of my life that you weren't in. From telling me on the train I had dirt on my nose, teaching me spells, being my voice of reason, and truly keeping us alive last year… You'll always be my know-it-all. I fucking love you. Sorry… I love you, and I want to start this year off by asking the most important question I will probably ever ask… Will you, Hermione Jean Granger, marry me?"

Tears streaming down her face, Hermione just smiled at Ron, nodding her head profusely. "Yes Ronald! Yes…" Ron stood up and picked her up as he hugged her, twirling around as Harry and Ginny's cameras flashed.

Giving her a big kiss while he dipped her, Ron couldn't believe what had just happened. Everyone in the room applauded the couple as two mini fireworks went off above the party.

Hermione's head looked up. "Is that?"

"George?!" Ron asked.

Another red head emerged from the crowd, with a smile across his face. "I may never leave the house and my shop, but I couldn't miss this. Congratulations Ronald, and I'm sorry Mione, you know you can still run?" George joked.

Ron hugged his brother, "You bloody git."

Soon enough everyone was hugging the couple, congratulating them and toasting with more champagne.

"Congratulations Hermione, you must be so happy," Lavender said as she came up to hug her former roommate.

"Um, thank you Lavender. That is truly so kind."

"Of course! I'm heading out soon, but just wanted to congratulate you both… I'm sure I'll see you both soon at another one of these." Lavender said, not giving Hermione enough time to respond before she headed for the door.

Before Hermione had any time to think, Ginny had wrapped her arms around her best friend. "Welcome to the family! Not that you already weren't... well you know what I mean! Wait don't you just love the ring!" Ginny continued to squeal.

"Actually, I think Ronald still has it?" Hermione said with a laugh. "I think we may have gotten a bit caught up in the moment"

Ginny waved Ron over to the girls. "Ronald look at her finger! Do you see a ring on it?"

"Oh shit! Sorry…" Ron said, pulling out the box. He opened it and gently pulled out the ring and placed it on her finger, it immediately conformed to her ring size.

"A perfect fit… Ron it's absolutely stunning…" Hermione gasped, staring down at the stunning ring.

"It's more perfect than you'd think… So the stone is a muggle diamond, with um dragon crystal all around it… and it would vibrate or something if I was in any danger? I thought you'd like that…" Ron trailed off, knowing he was forgetting something.

Ginny chimed in, "Ron, tell her who owned it before!"

"Yeah, um well the ring was initially in the Bagshot family-"

"You don't mean…" Hermine stared at the ring in awe.

"It was in Bathilda Bagshot's family, who wrote your favorite book." Ron finished with a smile.

Hermione pulled Ron in for another kiss, somehow more passionate than when he initially proposed. "You are everything I could have ever dreamed of, Ronald Weasley."

"Well?!" Mrs. Weasley questioned, practically jumping out of her chair as the two couples walked back into the Burrow.

"I wouldn't tell her! I'm her least favorite son now, well maybe not as bad as Percy…" George joked as he walked out of the kitchen with a full glass of firewhisky in his hand.

"Of course I said yes!" Hermione smiled, holding Ron's hand.

"Oh Ronnikins! You're going to have a wife! A brilliant and beautiful wife!" Mrs. Weasley said, hugging her youngest son tight. Realising him, she moved onto Hermione. "And I get a daughter-in-law! I've never been so excited for someone to join the family!"

"Aye mum? You might not want to keep saying that one around the whole family… Fleur?" George laughed hysterically.

Ignoring her son's comment, Mrs. Weasley resumed doting over the couple, examining the ring.

"Isn't it perfect?" Hermione said.

The women all sat down, chatting about the ring and how romantic it was how Ron proposed, while the men escaped off to the kitchen to grab a drink.

"I swear, proposing is the closest to death I've ever been." Ron said, with a stone cold face as he sipped his firewhisky.

"You're bloody kidding me, right?" Harry asked with a laugh.

"Mate… these girls'll kill us!"

"That was worse than Umbridge?" George asked.

Ron nodded his head.

"Worse than when we met Aragog second year?" Harry asked.

He nodded again.

"Damn… Well I'll take that as my sign to never take it that far with a girl." George threw back the rest of his drink.

"Wait, George… is there any girl you're seeing now?" Ron grinned.

George rubbed the back of his neck, looking down. "Well mate, there is somebody… But I'm not really ready for everyone to know just yet."

"Okay, fuck. Well if you're happy, you know we're all happy." Ron said, a bit unsure of how to respond to George being serious.

Fred grinned at Ron before finishing off his firewhisky. "Let's do another round before I'm off to bed?"

Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, refilling their glasses.

"Cheers!," George started, "To ickle Ronnikins marrying the brightest witch of the generation. I don't know if you tricked her into this, but I will never not be impressed by your accomplishment!"

I am so sorry for the delay on this chapter! Honestly, I've had it written for over 6 weeks, but life became a little overwhelming and completely forgot to edit the last several things I wrote.

Fingers crossed the engagement lived up to expectations!

New chapter is coming soon, leave me a review and maybe I'll get it up faster :)

xoxo,

j