Author's Note: Sorry this took so long! Been a busy bee! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

Chapter 18

June 2000

As the weather grew warmer, Molly and Arthur Weasley decided it would be nice to gather everyone together at the Burrow. Just last month it had been two years since the final war. Two years since they lost so many people they loved and considered family. Two years since they DID lose a major part of their family. They needed a reminder of the happiness in their lives.

Hermione and Ron had enjoyed an easy morning together, Ron having stayed over the night before. As time passed, the questioning lessened, the embraces increased, and the happiness flourished. Hermione had convinced herself that no one, other than Ginny, ever had to know about her little trip to Azkaban. If Ginny had told Harry, he had made an extreme effort not to let Hermione or anyone else know that he knew. Hermione gazed at her two friends now who hadn't left each other's side since their arrival at the Burrow. It warmed her heart that they were so strongly together now. Lately, Hermione's mind had been drifting back to the difficult times in her life, trying to force or will herself to remember what really happened, not the twisted memory that Draco's spell had planted in her brain. Ginny caught her gaze and smiled, breaking away from Harry to come over to her. Hermione immediately noticed the huge smile of Ginny's face. Not that Ginny was a sad person, but she was positively glowing at the moment and it was noticeable.

"We have an announcement," Ginny gushed in a whisper. "Harry's going to tell everyone after supper."

Hermione looked at her friend who sat in giddy happiness beside her. "What, are you pregnant?" Hermione joked as Ginny had joked weeks before.

"What?" Ginny gasped. "No!"

"Relax," Hermione laughed. "Just joking. So what's the news?"

"You have to wait, just like everyone else," Ginny said matter-of-factly.

Hermione gave Ginny a blank look as she was one hundred percent un-amused with the tease of some extremely good news. Ginny grinned brightly, said "it'll be worth the wait!" and hurried back to Harry before Hermione could start with her inquisition.

The day passed nicely. Hermione watched the lot throw together an impromptu game of quidditch, played with Teddy who was visiting for the special occasion, and even chatted with Fleur who had nothing but baby stories to tell about her and Bill's now one-year-old daughter.

Dinner was had outside as the sun set. Molly had set up lanterns around the yard that lit themselves as the natural light dimmed. Hermione hadn't been this content in a long time. She found herself reaching for Ron's hand under the table as they sat beside each other and rest her head on his shoulder as Harry stood from his spot, clearing his throat.

"Well, Ginny and I thought tonight would be as best a time as any to announce that…" He looked at Ginny who was seated beside him, beaming. "Well we're engaged to be married." The smile on both Harry's and Ginny's faces couldn't have been wider as they looked to Ginny's parent's for their reaction.

Arthur's eyebrow was raised while Molly's expression was drooped. It was definitely not what the couple was expecting. "Well?" Ginny asked. "Nothing to say? Mum? Dad?"

"You're just teenagers," Arthur finally said. It was common knowledge that the Weasley's loved Harry like a son already and that they approved very much of his and Ginny's relationship, but it was true, they were quite young.

Harry lowered himself back into his seat, lowering his gaze like a child that had been scolded.

"Is there a particular reason why you'd want to do this now?" Molly asked gently. She was asking seriously what Hermione had joked about a few hours earlier in the day.

Her question threw Ginny off the handle. "You think I'm pregnant?" she shrieked, standing up. "You think we're really that irresponsible?" Harry called her name gently, trying to calm her down before everyone started to explode. Fluer took this cue to remove Teddy and the baby from the table, bringing Bill with her into the house. George sat back in his seat, an amused smile on his face while Hermione and Ron didn't move a muscle.

"You're just so young," Molly quipped. "What's the rush?"

"There's no rush," Harry spoke up. "It's just, we're in love and with the past few years we feel like why wait?"

"If this were Ron and Hermione you wouldn't be acting like this, you'd be instantly happy."

"That's different," Molly answered. Hermione sat up a bit straighter at the uncomfortable mention of her name. She and Ron were nowhere near being engaged, they had only been dating for… Her thoughts trailed off. In actuality they had been together practically since they were eleven. They would have been an unofficial couple for two years now had the accident not happened and what would have been their actual two year anniversary was approaching in just a few months.

"How is it any different? Harry and I've been dating longer than they have! You just hold her so much higher than me," Ginny went off.

"That's not true," Arthur tried to calm her, glancing at Hermione who had blushed considerably. Ron squeezed her hand.

"You do so, especially since the accident," Ginny continued to yell, there was no stopping her now, though Harry was trying by pulling on her hand to get her to sit back down. "You think she's so great, like she could do nothing wrong. If it was them announcing their engagement, you'd send fireworks into the sky! Well she's NOT perfect!" Hermione's eyes widened when she realized what was going to come out of Ginny's mouth next. "She's just a big liar! For months now she's been lying to everyone!"

"Ginny, please," Hermione pleaded, though she couldn't muster her voice much louder than a whisper. She knew it was coming and felt frozen in her spot to keep it from being said.

"She told Ron she had some stupid house elf meeting when she was really going to Azkaban to see Draco Malfoy!"

The words hung thickly in the air. Hermione could see the shock of the confession on Ginny's face the moment the words had left her mouth. Hermione lowered her gaze to her lap, silently confirming that Ginny's outburst was true. She felt Ron's hand slip from her own, felt the eyes on her. She closed her own eyes and reached for the locket around her neck as she felt Ron silently get up from the table and heard his feet pad across the grass. She heard George call his name as he followed his younger brother into the house. Her worst fear was coming true.

An arm around her neck and a struggle. A brilliant flash of light, brighter than she'd ever seen. A scream that was definitely her own. But no darkness this time. Just the smell of fresh parchment and spearmint toothpaste.

Her eyes snapped open as a fuzzy feeling overcame her. Everyone was staring at her, but she didn't care. She swayed slightly before making herself get up and practically staggering inside after Ron, despite the calls from everyone outside.