Dear freaking Merlin.

She had basically propsed to him. Suddenly his palms began to sweat and he could feel his ears growing hot as he sat up. His heart began to pound. He wanted to ask her, he really did. He honestly couldn't wait for the day when they would have mini versions of themselves running around and wreaking havoc. He could even imagine them now: him, Mione, and their two kids, sitting on this very same brown sofa and watching a movie. Teaching his kids how to play Quidditch. Seeing them off to the Hogwarts Express... Yes, he could see it all unfolding in his mind's eye.

But now just wasn't the time. Not here, on this dingy sofa in his small flat, in the middle of the afternoon. It had to be just right. He had to say something. He had been silent for way too long. But it seemed as if his tongue was just glued to the roof of his mouth. He was about to say something like, "I'm not ready," when his body acted of its own accord. While his mind was vehemently shaking his head, he got down on one knee in front of her, and she drew a hand to her mouth, gasping, her chocolate brown eyes widening. He took her small hand in his sweaty ones, and then remembered he didn't know what the hell he was doing. He closed his eyes. Speak from your heart, he told himself. And so he did.

"Hermione Granger, I think I have loved you from the first time I laid eyes on you on the Hogwarts Express. Oh yes, back then I misinterpreted my feelings for jealousy and dislike, but I think deep down you had already struck me. You told me I had dirt on my nose. I felt so insignificant to you."

He drew a breath.

"But after we became friends, I realized my feelings for you were so much deeper than friendship, but I never did anything about it because I was just so scared of rejection. And then I was such an idiot. I made the one of the three biggest mistakes of my life. Not asking you to the Yule Ball. The second mistake was dating that cow in sixth year. And then the third mistake was leaving you and Harry when you needed me the most, and when I needed you.

"I am so glad we have been able to move past that. I love you so much, more than words can say. And I'm sorry about our current circumstances," he gestured to the couch, "but will you marry me?" He finished in a rush. He withdrew the hand that was covering hers, and fished around in his pocket. She looked slightly bemused as he took out his wallet, some loose Knuts and Sickles, a key, his wand, and finally, a dazzling diamond ring.

At this point, Hermione made a sound, although it was incomprehensible, as she threw her arms around Ron's neck and joined him on the floor.

"I thought you would never ask," she said.

"So, I'll take that as a yes?" he smirked, his blue eyes twinkling.

She swatted him playfully as he slipped the ring on her finger. She examined it and smiled in delight.

Holy Cricket. That phrase brought back memories. She smiled, as she thought of the time she first met two of the most important people in her life.

But, seriously, Holy Cricket. He had finally, finally proposed, and she couldn't keep a goofy smile from being plastered on her face. She was at home now, getting ready for James' first birthday party. She hummed as she puttered about and smiled whenever she saw her reflection. She was the happiest she had been in years.

She remembered that his diary that was sitting in her purse. Well, he was her future husband, what was the harm in reading it? There were no secrets between them.

Hermione grabbed the diary out of her purse. She settled down into her favourite rocking chair, and began to read.

Ronald Weasley, read the same horrible handwriting, July 7th, 1991

Thank Merlin mum reduced the stupid diary checking to once a week. So that's how often I'll write, but just because I have to okay?

Stupid Harry Potter. Is he all anyone can talk about? Just because he's entering Hogwarts the same year as me, everyone compares him to me. When we were buying my school stuff (mum wanted to go early this year, as there were a lot of sales going on), everyone EVERYWHERE was talking about him. And the twins took the mickey out of me, teasing me every opportunity they got. I mean, what's so great about him? He'll be in Slytherin, for sure.

Okay, the truth is I am so nervous about going to Hogwarts! Everyone will be so great! Harry Potter'll be a genius, and won't even look my way once.

What if I'm not in Gryffindor? Fred told me mum and did will disown me! I'll be in Hufflepuff for sure, I'm such a good for nothing! Almost everything I have are hand me downs, from my robes to my equipment. Malfoy'll make fun of me, I just know it. And the sorting, the sorting! George told me it'll be some really complicated magic! How am I supposed to do that? I didn't do magic until I was 9, everyone thought I was a squib!

I can just hope I make some great friends.

It broke Hermione's heart to read these words. She could totally understand his worries and fears, because she had similar ones… well, about the magic part, anyways. She knew that Ron always felt overshadowed, but she didn't know it was that bad. And poor Ron – being compared to Harry! She felt so bad for him.

Little did he know, she thought, how great of friends they would become, looking at a picture of the three of them at Harry's wedding. They were all laughing and beaming, arms around each other's shoulders. After all they had been through together, every moment they shared was precious.

The Potter household was full of people, old friends and new faces, but mostly old friends. Ron and her were sitting on the sofa, talking to Seamus and Dean, and Ron's hand was on the small of her back. She had taken off the engagement ring for now, though her hand felt oddly empty without it. Her and Ron had mutually agreed that they wouldn't take away from their nephew's first birthday party and would announce it at the weekly Weasley Sunday dinner gathering.

After a while, Hermione became tired of all the Quidditch talk (Dean had finally come to love Quidditch). Suddenly, she heard,

"we found so many wrackspurts, and nargles, and even discovered something new!"

Hermione smiled. She knew that voice well. It was dreamy, and felt as if the wind was caressing her cheek. It was the voice of Luna Lovegood. She smoothed out her black dress with gold sequins and smiled at the boys as she got up to leave.

She found Luna absorbed in conversation with Harry, who looked quite uncomfortable, as she talked his ear off.

"Hermione!" He greeted her enthusiastically.

"Here, Luna, I've got to go... er - yeah..." he trailed off awkwardly, and left Luna looking serenely at Hermione.

"Hello, Hermione!"

"Luna! How are you?"

The two old friends hugged.

"Where've you been these days?" Hermione asked her curiously. "I heard you were off in Morocco!"

"Oh, I've been all over! Morocco, Scotland, New Zealand, Singapore..." she drifted off dreamily.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Hermione replied.

They continued talking about their various jobs. Hermione told Luna all about her work at the Ministry of Magic, and Luna in turn described her trips. She had found and discovered all sorts of new things.

Hermione was just talking about the new law she had helped create, when suddenly Luna asked, "you're getting married, aren't you?"

Hermione choked on the glass of wine she was drinking. "What? How did you know?" She sputtered. "I mean... why would you think that?" She lied badly.

"There are a whole lot of murrynins around your whole body. They usually enter your aura when you're getting married, or expecting, or something to that effect." Luna smiled. "But I know you're not expecting, because you're drinking wine," she added knowingly.

Hermione sighed, then said quietly, "Oh all right, Ron proposed, but don't tell anyone, okay?"

Luna hugged Hermione and whispered, "congratulations!"

As the two friends chatted about old times and new, a dark haired man with blue eyes joined them and took Luna's hand.

"Ooh, Luna, who is this?" asked Hermione, despite herself. "I mean.. I'm sorry, that was so rude!" she said quickly trying not to look embarrased to the man, who simply looked amused.

"No worries," he said, as Luna giggled. "Rolf Scamander." He said as he stuck out his hand and smiled.

"Hermione Granger." she replied, shaking it and returning the grin. "Scamander… I feel like I've heard that name before…" Hermione said.

"Newt Scamander, the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, was my grandfather," Rolf said proudly, as Hermione nodded.

"Where did you two meet?"

"Well, we met here in England, and then took our world tour together," Luna said vaguely.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed.

"You have a lot of murrynins buzzing around you," Rolf said to her.

Hermione laughed. "Yes, Luna just told me!"

"And who is the lucky man?"

"Hermione!" Ron called from the distance.

Hermione smiled shyly at Rolf, who grinned knowingly.

"Ahh.. everyone knew you two would end up together someday!" He winked at her, as she blushed and excused herself.

"Lovely seeing you, Luna! And great to meet you Rolf," She smiled.

"Bye, Hermione!" Luna said sweetly, as Rolf saluted.

She smiled as she walked away. Rolf seemed sweet and down-to-earth, perfect for someone as spacy and dreamy as Luna.

"What is it, Ron?" she said as she approached him on the balcony. He was backing her. Suddenly a baby screamed.

"Mione, I… I can't get him to…" Ron whirled around, revealing a very cranky and irritable looking James in his arms.

Hermione couldn't help herself, but she burst out laughing.

"Oh, Ron." She said, as she took James, and began shushing him and rocking him slightly. Instantly, he was quieter.

"Why would you have a party for a tot who can't even tell its his bloody birthday?" Ron muttered darkly.

"He's so cute!" Hermione said, pushing James' nose.

"Blimey, what's gotten into you? You never used to talk about him this way," Ron said.

"But you're really good with kids, you'll make a great mother someday," he told her softly.

Hermione just smiled. Ron was still as clueless as ever, despite having made one of the most romantic proposal speeches of the century a couple of hours ago. But it was one of the things she loved most about him.

Taking his hand in hers, she said, "come on, let's go inside."