A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Assignment #9 Care of Magical Creatures - Task #1: Peruvian Vipertooth - Average Size: 15 ft: While the Vipertooth is the smallest dragon, it's easily one of the most deadly. They're remarkably stealthy, and despite a comparatively diminutive size, they have a particular hunger for human flesh. Even worse, they're the fastest of all dragons, and their fangs are venomous. Vipertooths are also responsible for the outbreak of the Dragon Pox disease that killed Harry's paternal grandparents, Fleamont and Euphemia Potter.

Write about someone trying to be sneaky.

Word Count: 1125

Ron glanced at his watch. It had been a gift from his father on his seventeenth birthday. Every one in his family got a watch when they came of age. His was round with a little knob on top, a hinged lid decorated with a lion. He had been told it had belonged to his grandfather. He didn't doubt it.

The little wind up watch had seen years of wear and tear. Ron was surprised it still worked, at least he thought it still worked. He held it up to his ear. Yes, it was ticking, tick tock, tick tock. That meant she was late.

He sighed. He should have known she was going to be late. He tried to remember the last time she had shown up on time. The last time she was supposed to meet him, she'd finally wandered into the shop nearly an hour later having gotten completely distracted by a roving group of gonks. They were apparently little gnome like creatures with large noses, white beards, and small beady eyes that they hid beneath long caps.

Ron smiled thinking about her. She may not be able to keep track of time, but the way her eyes lit up when she talked about the creatures she found, about the creatures she still hadn't found, it made his heart feel like it was lighting up too. He checked the watch again, knowing he was only looking at the time to give himself something to do, something to distract him.

It was Christmas Eve and tonight was going to be the most magical night of his life, well, he hoped it would be. He slid his hand into the pocket of his navy coat. It had been an early Christmas gift from the twins, they apparently still owed him for something. They never did say why they had bought him that amazing set of dress robes after the war ended. He had given up trying to solve that particular mystery.

Ron watched other couples strolling down the street. He could hear the clomping of a horse behind him. He turned expecting to find yet another couple riding in a horse drawn carriage. Supposedly it was really romantic to ride behind a smelly beast. He doubted she would find it romantic and probably start to argue that the horse was really some other strange creature and was being mistreated. He laughed.

She really was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He'd been so stupid when he was younger, he'd been one of the ones who had joined in on mocking her, but once he'd gotten to know her... everything had changed. Maybe it had been that night in the ministry, when everything had gone to hell. Maybe it had been the next year when things had seemed so bleak and she'd been a light, one he hadn't even realized was shining. He'd been to distracted by his own faults.

He smiled thinking about how hard she had fought, how his nonexistent last year they'd ended up face to face again, even staying under the same roof. He wished he could have known then just how amazing she was, he wished he could have realized it then instead of waiting all these years. Maybe that's what made him appreciate her more? It hadn't been easy to pursue her. It hadn't been easy to find a common ground. But they had, they'd persisted and pushed onward. Ron sighed, glancing at the watch again.

"You know, if you keep staring at that thing, eventually the time sprites will claim you as one of their own," a dreamy voice commented. Ron's smile grew large enough to encase his whole face.

"Luna! You came!"

"Of course I did, Ronald. How could I resist a walk on Christmas Eve, especially one through the back streets of town, one never knows what's lurking, waiting for a Christmas gift of their own. I brought scones!" she added, holding up a woven pecan colored basket. Ron laughed.

"Only you, Luna. Have I mentioned I love you lately?"

"Not in the last three hours," Luna answered seriously, giving Ron a quick peck on the lips. "We really should get going, it's going to start snowing you know, and as amazing walking through the snow might be, we do have things to do before we meet up tomorrow for dinner."

"Yes, well, about that," Ron said, taking Luna's hand as they started walking slowly. "I was thinking, that maybe you might want to stay over, we could drink cocoa in front of the fire and you can tell me about some of the traditional creatures we see during the Winter?" he asked, mentally smacking himself. He hadn't asked Luna to meet him here to invite her to talk about creatures.

"That would be lovely, Ronald, but that's not why you asked me here, and by the way, the answer is 'yes'," she laughed. Ron stared at her.

"Luna!"

"What? I know what you were planning to ask, and I agree. Yes, I will marry you Ronald Bilius Weasley," she stated, giving him a passionate kiss. Ron returned it. Of course, Luna had known, of course she knew he'd been too nervous to ask. She always knew things ahead of time, especially where Ron was concerned. He smiled, a huge weight lifted from his heart. Luna loved him, she was going to marry him!

"I got you a ring, it's a bit um, different, but..." he stated, fumbling a little as he pulled the box from his pocket. Luna watched him open it to reveal a golden ring in the shape of branches with little emeralds decorating it as if they were leaves. Her blue eyes looked into Ron's.

"That is... it's... that's... I thought I had lost it," she whispered as Ron slid the ring onto her finger.

"I found it, in a small little shop. It practically called to me, and when I held it, it was like it belonged to you. The shop disappeared when I turned around," Ron said, watching Luna.

"If I hadn't already said yes, I would be the moment I saw this, it's a sign. I can't believe you found it, the universe must want us to be together," she laughed, kissing Ron again. He smiled, holding her hand as they walked, leaving scones for the strange creatures that might be around. He couldn't help but watch the way the dim light made the ring sparkle. He had known she'd lost her mother's ring over a decade ago, when she'd escaped from Malfoy Manor. He'd never expected to find it, but things did have a way of turning up, especially when it involved Luna Lovegood.

"