3 YEARS LATER

Mrs Weasley was in her element, buzzing around the room to deal with the sheer amount of people crammed into the living room. Every Weasley was here with their significant other, something that had her positively beaming. Well every Weasley apart from Charlie that was.

"Charles Weasley," she admonished, moving around the table to place the final plate of food on the table. She patted him on the shoulder. "It's about time that you settled down don't you think? Look at your siblings – they're all settled."

"I wouldn't say settled," Ginny piped up from her space beside Harry. "There's always a chance that Ron'll find himself single again."

"Oi," Ron shouted from next to me, glaring at his younger sister. Laughing along with Ginny, I patted Ron on the thigh making him calm down instantly.

"Honestly Charlie," Molly continued, sitting down at the table as everyone talked amongst themselves. "Are you not treating women well? I mean no harm sweetheart, you know that, but what's wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with him Molly," I cut in, seeing Charlie roll his eyes. He was sitting on my other side, ignoring every word his mother was saying. I patted Charlie's arm. "It's just taking a while for him to find the one – but when he does then I'm sure they'll be a keeper."

The conversation resumed around the table and I became aware of the weight of a glare on my side. Looking at Ron, I raised an eyebrow when I saw him glaring at my hand.

"Ron?"

"Stop touching him," he hissed under his breath, leaning towards me. I narrowed my eyes at him but removed the hold I had placed on Charlie.

"Will you relax?" I muttered, nudging him with my shoulder to get him to lighten up. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he muttered, turning back to his food.

I made a face at him and turned away from him for the rest of the meal. What was his problem?

His odd behaviour continued for the rest of the day and I watched him closely. He seemed to be more on edge and only eased up when the crowd of Weasleys slowly ebbed away.

I was sitting in Ron's room on his bed, swinging my feet as I watched him pace around the room. He stopped to look at me only to start pacing once again. Honestly.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" I exclaimed making him halt. Rising to my feet and making my way towards him. When I was standing in front of him, he avoided his eyes and I asked him quietly, "What's going on? Why are you being so weird? You're not normally like this."

"Of course I am." He turned his head away from me.

I placed my hands on his face and made him look at me. "Ron, seriously." He muttered something that I didn't quite catch and I furrowed my eyebrows. "What was that?"

"I'mjealousokay?"

"Alright, I need you to repeat that slower for me."

"I'm jealous, okay?" He repeated at a slower pace, moving his head to make me release his face.

"Jealous of what?" I raised an eyebrow, "Or rather, of who?"

"Charlie."

My eyebrows flew into my hairline – I had not been expecting that. "Charlie? You're jealous of Charlie? Why?"

"It's just the way you treat him –"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I treat him like he's a brother and Ron if I treated you like that then, well, we wouldn't be dating right now."

"I suppose," He muttered under his breath only to start his pacing once again. What was going on with him?

Giving an exasperated sigh I went to stand in his way. Ron's pacing stopped when he came face to face with me. He met my eyes for a second before looking away skittishly, only to walk around me again. I made a face, reaching out to physically stop him. He recoiled from me and I stepped away from him in hurt.

Seeing my reaction he started to explain himself "No wait, I didn't mean –"

"It's alright," I assured him quietly. "Just tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

"I just." He gave a heavy sigh and sat down on his bed, his hands in his pockets. "I know it's stupid and I know that the twins were joking but what if you end up getting sick of me?"

"The twins told you that?"

"It was a joke. Besides it's not like they were the only people to say that," he said dismissively, looking up at me. "But it kind of stuck with me – what if you end up getting sick of me and I'm left watching you walk away from me and –"

"Ron, sweetie, take a deep breathe," I said seeing him get worked up.

"It's just that before they said that I was thinking of asking you something."

"Asking me something." I repeated wearily, watching him fiddle with something in his pocket.

"What they said gave me a lot of doubts and I decided not to ask you but –"

"Don't ask," I interrupted seeing the box he pulled out from his pocket. Ron froze, the ring box shaking in his hand. I kneeled on the floor in front of him, taking the box from his hand and putting it on the bed besides him. Taking his hands in mine I made him look at me "Please Ron, don't ask. I know how much courage it's taking you to even think about asking me but please, please don't do this."

"You don't want to marry me." He stated, clearly hurt.

"Not now, not yet. Ron, we're only 20 years old – why are you rushing this so much?"

"I just wanted to." He muttered with a pout.

"Tell you what," I said, pressing a kiss to his lips. "If you still want to marry me in a few years, then ask me again and I promise I'll at least let you finish asking me. Deal?"

"Deal." He leaned forward to press a kiss to my lips. Pulling back he gave me a grin, "But how do you know I'm going to ask you again?"

(He did ask again.)