IWSC - Summer camp:
Cabin: Evans
Task: Week 8: write about a late night beach party
Title: Family Fun: The Fake Proposal
WC: 1830
Hogwarts - auction: "Move in with me?"
Beta'd by B. Weasley
Hermione let out a sigh, as she looked around the small apartment that she shared with her boyfriend, Fred. The apartment was small, but it had everything the couple needed. Hermione had only moved in last week, and it had taken both her and Fred a week to sort all of Hermione's stuff; but finally Hermione's books had a place on her bookshelves next to the door. The cupboards in the bedroom had been filled with all of Hermione's clothes, and despite not being someone who loved to buy new clothes, the couple had struggled to find space for all of her items. In the end they had decided to get rid of the wardrobe that was present and replace it with a new and slightly bigger one.
Despite Hermione staying over for multiple nights a week before she moved in, the apartment only just started to feel like home.
Hermione looked at the clock, she still had an hour before Fred got home from his work, and Fred's siblings would arrive not long after that. Grabbing her uni books, she made her way to the sofa, she would study for another hour, but once Fred arrived home, she would start on the nibbles for the game night.
Before Hermione realised, an hour had passed and the phone in the flat started ringing:
"Hermione Granger speaking."
"Hi, Hermione. It's me. I'm going to be slightly later, something came up at the shop." Hermione heard Fred's voice from the other side of the line.
"That's fine. I've just got to prepare the nibbles, but I'll do that just before everyone else arrives." she replied.
"Oh, euhm, George is signing to me to tell you that he and Angelina will be coming with me."
"That's great, Angelina will make sure you three get here on time in that case. Love you." Hermione answered, smiling. She wasn't surprised the least that Fred had something come up at work, and she wasn't surprised either that George and Angelina would be grabbing a lift from Fred.
Hermione could hear George laughing in the background, before Fred managed to answer: "Love you to. See you in a bit."
After putting the phone back on the receiver, Hermione looked at the clock. She still had enough time to finish the chapter she had started, but would need to start on the nibbles afterwards.
Before Hermione realised it, she was back engrossed in her studies. The chapter that she was going to finish, quickie became a second chapter and before she knew it, the doorbell went.
"Oh, shit." Hermione cursed as she got up from the sofa. She quickly looked at the clock, whoever had just arrived was five minutes early, and Hermione had totally lost track of time and had forgotten to start the nibbles.
Hermione quickly made her way to the front door.
"Harry, Ginny! Come in." she said, opening the door fully to let them enter. "Fred isn't here yet, but Angelina and Goerge are coming with him, so he should arrive any minute," Hermione said, leading the way to the living room.
"Please sit down, ignore my books. I was just catching up on some uni work, I'll put them away in a second," she continued closing a couple of her books. "Can I grab you anything to drink?"
After a quick, "Coke, please." Hermione made her way to the kitchen with a couple of her books, placing them on the kitchen table out of the way.
"Hey Hermione, where do you want me to place these notes?" Ginny asked, entering the kitchen as Hermione grabbed the bottle of coke out of the kitchen.
"Just on the table over there is fine, thanks." Hermione said, looking up. "Can you take this glass to Harry please? I'll be out with some nibbles in a bit." Hermione continued, pushing two glasses towards Ginny, and turning towards the fridge to grab the first of the nibbles.
As Hermione was putting the carrots and broccoli on the counter, she heard Ginny mumble something, but couldn't quite work out what it was. She did notice Ginny's glass still on the counter as she turned back towards the fridge to grab the cheese, tomatoes and salami.
"So, what can I do to help?" Ginny asked, coming back in the kitchen.
Hermione pointed towards a cupboard behind Ginny with the knife she had just grabbed and said, "You'll find some serving trays and bowls in there, if you could grab those."
Pointing her knife at a different cupboard, she continued, "You'll find some biscuits and crisps in that one. If you could start on those that would be great."
Ginny quickly made her way over to the cupboards and grabbed what she needed.
"So you finally officially moved in. It took you long enough." Ginny said, as she opened the first pack of crisps.
Hermione nodded, "It took Fred long enough to ask. Did you know that he made everyone think that he proposed?"
Ginny shook her head. "No, what did he do?"
"Well, you know the holiday we went on last month?" Hermione asked.
Hermione waited just long enough for Ginny to nod, before she started the story.
Hermione looked at her watch as she finished her meal. It had just gone nine and she and Fred had only just finished their main course. By the time they had dessert it would be close to ten. Looking outside, the sun was still up in the sky, so with a bit of luck, they would be able to catch the sunset on the beach.
By the time the couple had their desserts and paid the bill, it was nearing ten o'clock, and the sun had just begun to set.
"Come on!" Fred said, pulling Hermione onto the sand.
"Wait a second, I just need to take my shoes off," Hermione said, stopping as soon as Fred let go of her hand. It didn't take Hermione long to remove her shoes and rejoin Fred on the sand, her heels, dangling in one hand, as Fred took hold of her other hand.
The sand felt nice and warm as they both walked calmly across the beach towards their hotel.
As the couple neared their hotel, they could hear music coming from a tent, not far away.
"It looks like there is a party going on the beach, want to join?" Fred asked, looking over at Hermione.
Hermione looked a bit pensive, she wasn't much of a party go-er, but did enjoy it occasionally. On one hand, she had looked forward to a romantic walk with Fred, with a romantic evening in the hotel afterwards; on the other hand, she didn't want the evening to end.
As Hermione looked at the water, she could see the sun peaking over the edge of the water, as if it was trying to stay up. As she was staring at the orange colours that took over the sky, she missed Fred getting on one knee next to her.
"Hermione Jean Granger, ever since I got to know you, you have brought sunshine in my life. You are witty and smart, and I can't imagine my future without you. When I wake up next to you, my day can't go wrong; when you sleep at your place, I wake up, feeling incomplete." Fred said, grabbing a small box out of his pocket.
"I know we spoke about marriage and that you want to finish your studies first, but-" Fred opened the box. "Move in with me?"
In the box lay a small key. An extra key to Fred flat."
"Oh, that is so Fred!" Ginny exclaimed.
Hermione nodded. "Literally everyone thought he was proposing, and I just started laughing. You could tell the other people there were so confused."
Fred sat on his one knee, with the box containing the key open, in front of him.
"Hermione?"
Hermione couldn't answer. She was laughing so hard.
After a few minutes Hermione had calmed down enough to say: "You freaked me out so much! I thought you were going to propose!"
Before Hermione could say anymore she realised that the music had quitend down and a glance around told her that most eyes were on them. From the people standing closest she could just about make out enough of their faces, to see how perplexed they were. Hermione couldn't help it, she started laughing again.
After Hermione had finally calmed down enough she gave her answer.
"Yes!"
The cheering from the crowd was almost as loud as the music had been not long before that.
Hermione pulled Fred up, and leant in for a hug, which Fred immediately reciprocated.
"You're mean, you know that?" she whispered laughingly into his ear.
Fred didn't respond, but Hermione could tell that he was grinning.
Coming out of the hug, Fred took Hermione's hand and pulled her towards the party.
"We've got to celebrate now. Let's party!"
Hermione couldn't help laughing, this was so typical Fred, but he was right. They did have something to celebrate, so without much fussing, Hermione followed Fred.
Grabbing both of them a drink, Fred led Hermione onto the dance floor. The music had been turned back up and people were back to dancing, and before they realised it they were absorbed in the crowd.
"The party was really fun, but people kept coming up to us, asking to see the ring." Herrmione said, "It was really annoying."
As Fred and Hermione stopped dancing for a bit to grab another drink, they were approached by yet another girl.
"OMG! That was so romantic, I bet the ring is so big! Can we see?"
Hermione shook her head, "He didn't propose, he asked me to move in with him."
She could see the disappointment in the girls eyes, which she couldn't understand to be honest, but she was pretty sure that she heard one of the friends mutter; "That was so romantic, just think what he'll do when he actually does propose!"
Hermione shook her head, what was it about other people being so excited when someone else got proposed to?
As she turned to Fred, she noticed that he'd started to lose colour a bit.
"What is it?" she asked worriedly.
"Nothing," he replied. "I'm off to get another drink."
"We had people coming up to us until we left!"
Ginny had started laughing by that point. "That is so funny! And something so typical of him!"
During her conversation with Ginny, Hermione had missed the front door opening and therefore, neither Ginny or Hermione had noticed Fred coming into the kitchen.
"What are you two laughing about?" he asked, walking up to Hermione to give her a kiss.
"Nothing much, I was just telling her about how you proposed to me." Hermione replied, leaning into Fred. "How was your day?"
"Okay, I'll tell you later, after the guests leave. I'll get changed and be out in a bit."