"Hermione, let's go! We're already late!" Ron called from the living room, stowing his wand into his suit pocket and flattening his hair. A muffled answer came from inside, making Ron sigh with exasperation and amusement.
It had been about a year since Hermione had moved into Ron's home. As it happened, their five-year anniversary was actually that day itself. The plan was to pop by Harry and Ginny's to say happy birthday to Teddy, before heading to dinner in London. Though, if all went well, Ron had a feeling it was going to take a little bit of time to leave Godric's Hollow. Ron couldn't believe how happy he was at that point. He had just finished in the top of the class in Auror training with Harry, securing his dream job alongside his best friend, all while dating the love of his life.
His greatest fear during the first few months of their relationship had been that Hermione would realize what a horrible boyfriend he was and break up with him. Of course, they fought as much as any couple, but Hermione had never actually suggested leaving him. "Ms. Granger, I will remind you that my sister generally blames me whenever we're late!" he yelled at the closed bedroom door.
"Alright, don't laugh, okay? I just bought this yesterday with Ginny," she answered from behind the door. Ron shook his head again, but agreed. When Hermione opened the door, Ron's eyes widened.
She was wearing a pale blue, sleeveless, knee-length cocktail dress with an asymmetrical hemline. Her hair was straight and shiny, and hung in a long ponytail. Ron could do little other than stare, having never seen his girlfriend look so radiant. Hermione looked at him nervously, waiting for his approval. Apparently, she had not been with him long enough to realize that, in his eyes, anything thing she wore made her look like the most beautiful girl on the planet.
"You look…" Ron shook his head, and simply smiled. There were no words to describe her. Hermione's eyes lit up, and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Ron put his hands on her waist and kissed her back, before Hermione leaned into him as he lifted her up off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and soon they were kissing on the sofa, forgetting that they were supposed to arrive at Godric's Hollow five minutes ago.
"Ron…" Hermione gasped as he started to kiss her neck. More level-headed than Ron, she remembered that they had to be somewhere. "Ron, we need to go…" While she didn't want him to stop, she knew they didn't have the time.
Ron made a noise of acknowledgement, but made no move to stop. Hermione gave into a few minutes of self-indulgence, kissing Ron's lips again. She then shook herself, and reminded Ron of Ginny's temper. Nothing short of his little sister's wrath could have made him stop. Sighing, Ron got up and helped Hermione to her feet. "Oh God, my hair!" she complained, observing herself in the mirror.
"Nitidus." Ron said, pointing his wand at Hermione's hair. At once, it became as neat as it had been when Hermione came out of the bedroom. She turned to him in surprise. Ron shrugged his shoulders and grinned at her.
"This is why I'm dating you," she said happily, taking Ron's hand as they Apparated to Harry and Ginny's house.
As the unpleasant, squeezing feeling that accompanied Apparition wore off, they found themselves looking at the front door of Harry and Ginny's home. Ron knocked on it, hearing a few people already inside. Harry opened the door, smiling at Ron and Hermione.
"Hey there. Hermione, looking amazing as ever," Harry commented, hugging Hermione and shaking Ron's hand. "Cutting it fine, aren't we? If you get in quick, she might not notice-" Harry was interrupted by a shout from inside the house.
"Is that them, Harry?" Ron cringed at Ginny's irate tone and made a move to leave. However, Hermione shoved him through the front door as Harry mysteriously disappeared.
Ron entered and saw his parents, Hagrid, and even Kingsley Shacklebolt, now head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He and Hermione greeted everyone, all of them complimenting Hermione's dress. They continued smiling, until they saw Ginny.
She glared at them, folding her arms and saying nothing. Ron had never noticed how much Ginny resembled his mother until then, reminded forcibly of when he, Fred, and George rescued Harry from the Dursleys, and found Molly Weasley waiting for them in the garden, 10 years ago. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, Ginny held up a hand to shut him up and then held it out expectantly. Ron stared for a second, before realizing what she meant.
Ginny took the toy broomstick from him, gave him a clear "I'll-deal-with-you-later" look, and presented the broomstick to Teddy. Hermione gave a sigh of relief as Teddy began jumping up and down with delight, insisting on riding it at once. As Ron helped him onto the broomstick and showed him how to ride it, he tried to ignore Ginny's glowering look. Soon enough, however, Teddy ran off to play with his new toy, leaving Ron completely unprotected from his little sister.
"Okay, Ginny, we're sorry," Ron said finally. Ginny simply continued to glare at him. Ron threw a glance at Hermione, who was chatting Harry. He frowned when she turned her back to him. Traitor, he thought, irritated. "I'm a horrible, insensitive, unpunctual-"
"Don't forget idiotic," Ginny interrupted, trying to suppress a grin. Ron exhaled, happy she had not jinxed him into a million pieces. "One more time you're late, Ron Weasley, and I swear to God…" she trailed off, poking a finger in his chest.
"I have something that'll make you less mad…" Ron said softly, quickly glancing over his shoulder to make sure Hermione wasn't looking.
"How's George?" Hermione asked Harry, accepting a glass of mead from Kreacher, who disappeared back into the kitchen to cater to dinner. Harry took a sharp intake of breath and choked on his drink.
"Fine," he said quickly. Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Awful," he admitted, sighing. Unfortunately, Hermione, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley were the only people to whom he had never been able to lie convincingly. "He's a complete wreck, refuses to see anyone anymore. I have a feeling he's put an anti-Apparition spell on the shop and his apartment." Harry then told her about Ginny's "conversation" with George.
"Can't imagine how he feels," Hermione said sadly. Harry nodded, staring grimly at his drink. "So, he still won't pick up?" Before Harry could answer, there was a sudden pop in front of the door.
George had Apparated directly into the house.
As most of them had not seen him in a while, he looked particularly badly-off. George's hair was a mess to rival Harry's, he had stains all over his shirt, which was not tucked into his ruffled trousers, and he looked like he had lost even more weight. Mrs. Weasley immediately busied herself with George's health and appearance.
"Hey, how are you?" Harry asked George when the tension in the air had dissipated. George had been able to shake off Mrs. Weasley, who was inspecting the house in search of a comb. He gave Harry a vague grimace, before lifting up Teddy as the boy came hurtling into the room, and presented him with a Pygmy Puff.
"What d'you say?" Harry asked, and Teddy thanked George profusely.
He snuggled the small, yellow-furred creature next to his cheek as George lowered him to the ground. George felt the beginnings of a smile as Teddy knelt down and lightly prodded the Pygmy Puff, which made cute, squeaking noise as it rolled between his little fingers.
"He's so cute! Arnold's getting really old and…ooh!" Teddy cried out as the Pygmy Puff turned a brilliant shade of violet. "It's like me! I'm going to call you Georgie!" Teddy beamed up at George, whose heart lightened the tiniest fraction.
"Go open your other presents, Teddy, there's a good lad." Teddy nodded and hugged George's knees, before rushing off to open the presents.
"Used a couple of surface transmogrification spells on him, and a little bit of Tonks's blood. Got it from her years ago," George explained when Hermione asked how he managed to get Georgie the Pygmy Puff to change colors so rapidly. "It, uh, makes the spell a bit more permanent, but it'll probably wear off when he's going to…" he trailed off and stared determinedly at the wall.
Hermione reached a hand out and put it on his shoulder. George shook it off and disappeared down the corridor, muttering something about going to the bathroom. Harry started to follow him, before Hermione stuck out her hand and indicated Ginny leaving Ron and following George.
Ginny saw her brother stop in front of a mirror in the hallway, glaring into it. It took a few moments for her to realize that George was looking into the mirror and seeing Fred. She started forward as George screwed up his face and pounded his fist onto the glass. Pulling him into Teddy's bedroom, Ginny repaired the mirror with her wand and closed the door behind her.
Before she said anything, she noticed that George's hand was bleeding badly. Clicking her tongue impatiently, she summoned some bandages from the drawer and set about binding up George's cuts. He didn't look at her, but also didn't pull away as she applied a smoking, purple liquid onto the gashes on his hand.
After she finished, she held George's injured hand and looked up at his face. However, he was staring broodingly at the door. Ginny shook her head and sat next to him while keeping her hand closed over his. George squeezed it. Ginny could see he was doing his best to stop tears from streaming down his face. He had the same face she always wore when something upset her terribly.
"I don't know what to do anymore, Ginny," he said finally, as the tears began to flow. "I'm just supposed to go on with life when I feel like nothing even matters and I want to just die in my sleep." He got to his feet, wanting to scream and curl up into a ball at the same time.
"George, I know you don't want to hear this," Ginny started. George let out a snort of annoyance but didn't say anything. "But you need find a way to move past this. I know it feels impossible, but we're all here for you. Please, can't you let us help you?" When George didn't respond, Ginny went on. She had to try. "You have to know that what you're doing isn't healthy. This isn't you, George. You used to be-"
"Fun?" he snapped, glaring at Ginny. "Well-groomed? Better dressed? Better looking? Do you not get that I don't care anymore?" he said, slowly and clearly. Ginny listened to hear if voices faltered outside. "I'm sorry…" he mumbled, heading for the door. "I shouldn't have come."
Ginny stepped in front of him, blocking his way. George stared at her knees, making Ginny soften her gaze. She hated seeing her brother this way, and it killed her that there was nothing she could do to help, despite what she had said. And so, saying nothing more, she hugged him and placed her head on his shoulder. George remained motionless for a few seconds, before he returned the hug.
"I'm glad you came," she said, smiling up at him. George's face split into the most genuine smile Ginny had seen for a long time, and, for a second, he looked like the mischievous boy she once knew. "Come on, you'll want to be outside when Ron and Hermione leave." He raised his eyebrows as Ginny lead him back into the living room.
"Hermione, leaving so soon?" Ginny asked, before Hermione hugged her and thanked her for inviting her. "Don't thank me. Teddy especially asked for his Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione." Teddy nodded happily, skidding around on the toy broomstick, while Georgie the Pygmy Puff followed him and squeaked at his feet.
"Well then, thank you, Teddy," Hermione said, kissing him on the forehead when he came to a stop in front of her. Teddy giggled, and Hermione was reminded strongly of Harry during a Quidditch game as the boy's hair turned black and his eyes went green. "Ron, we're going to miss our reservations," Hermione called. Ron nodded and approached her, looking nervous.
"Hermione, dear, you can't be leaving already!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Hermione shook her head, having hoped to escape before Mrs. Weasley found out. As Hermione attempted to calm her down, she didn't notice Ron's ears going red as he stood beside them.
After appeasing Mrs. Weasley with the promise of Sunday dinner at the Burrow next week, Ron and Hermione were released. Slipping her hand into his, Hermione led him towards the door. Systematically saying goodbye to the other guests, she also did not see Ginny catch Ron's eye and give him a nod.
"Hermione, wait," Ron said finally, removing his hand from Hermione's. She turned impatiently, before seeing the serious look in his eyes. "Look, I wanted to do this in front of everyone," he said as the living room went silent. "For a while now I've been thinking about…well, I've wanted to…I mean, this past year has…oh, bugger it…" Ron gave up and started to sink down on one knee.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Hermione asked quickly, feeling her throat close up.
She had had a shrewd suspicion since he started speaking, but never actually expected it to be true. She tried to speak as Ron drew out a small, red box, but could not make a sound. Everyone else in room disappeared, and her vision blurred except for the gorgeous, shining diamond that was set into the ring.
"Hermione, will you marry me?"