"What hurts?" George demanded as I moved ever so slightly.

I started to say that I was fine when he shot me a glare. "My neck," I admitted.

Molly grabbed an extra pillow from one of the chairs and easily slipped it under my head. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you."

Teddy used the bed to hold himself up as he walked over to me. "Phia! Phia!"

Before I could reach to pick him up, Remus had him sitting next to me. He planted a slopping kiss on my cheek and then giggled.

I sucked in a ragged breath when he threw himself against my chest. Instantly hands began to hover around me, but I waved them off. "Easy, Teddy," I warned.

He closed his eyes and within a minute he was sleeping soundly.

"Oh, Teddy," Tonks muttered, stepping towards us.

I shook my head. "He's fine."

George fought against a yawn, but in the end it slipped out.

"George, you're exhausted." I ran my hand through his hair which caused him to close his eyes. "You should go home and get—"

"No, I'm not leaving until you do," he insisted.

"We don't know when I'll be released, love. You've been here for weeks, I'm sure you want to go home and lay down for a few hours."

He simply stared at me. "I'm not leaving until you do," he repeated defiantly.

I glared at him. "Fine. Be difficult, George."

"It was you being difficult that got us into this mess," he muttered.

"It's my job!"

He shook his head, clutching my free hand in his and rested his head on the edge of the bed. "I don't want to fight with you right now."

I scoffed. "Yes. Let's wait until we're at home so we can fight. That just sounds—"

His lips smothered mine as he attempted to keep me quiet. He pulled back slightly and his forehead leaned against mine. "Sophia, please, darling, just drop this for right
now. I really don't want to fight with you."

"I need to talk to Ragmar," I said suddenly.

George groaned. "Sophia, can we not talk about quidditch?" he pleaded.

I pulled back and he got to his feet. "We aren't," I clarified. "I need to talk to Ragmar and the coach."

Charlie gave me a small smile. "I'll see if I can track them down for you."

I was sitting up when George came into the room an hour later. "Did you get enough to eat?" I asked quietly.

He sighed, but nodded his head. He looked around at the empty room covered in everlasting flowers. "You really terrified me, Sophia," he whispered. "They wanted me to
make the decision to stop life support for you. If you hadn't started coughing—" He began crying. It started as just a few tears before turning into sobs.

I held my arms out to him and he gently melted into my hug. "Don't think about the what-if's, love."

Time slipped away from us as we held each other. He frantically kissed me anywhere he could while his hands traced the lines of my body.

"George," I whispered.

He groaned, burying his face in my hair.

"George, I really need to tell you something."

"Hmm?" His lips trailed up and down my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

After pushing him away slightly, I held his face in my hands. "I quit my job," I said quietly. "That's why I wanted Ragmar here. I needed to give him my resignation letter."

His eyes gave way to his shock even though I could tell he was trying to appear neutral. "Really? Sophia, are—is that—"

I covered his mouth with my hand. "Let's get married, and start our family." The familiar warmth of blush began on my cheeks. "You know…if you want to…"

He chuckled. "Of course I want to. When you're released from here we can start looking for a house."

"I suppose you're right. Fred probably wouldn't be too comfortable sharing the flat above the shop with us."

"That, and it's not suitable for a baby. The loud noises, random explosions—"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, I understand."

He slipped from the bed and pulled a box from his pocket.

"Do you carry it with you everywhere?" I joked.

"Shut it."

I laughed at his embarrassment, and then wiped the amusement from my face when he opened the box. "Oh bloody hell, George," I breathed.

His eyes widened. "Do you not like it? Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry, darling! We can take it back and find one you like!"

"No, George." I shook my head, and smiled. "It's absolutely perfect. You must have spent—"

He shot me a look. "No talk of how much I spent, that isn't important. But you really like it? Don't just say it for my benefit."

I grinned at him. "I really love it, George. I couldn't have picked a better one myself."

"Well in that case…" He got down on one knee and held the box out to me. "To be honest I can't remember any of the words I had thought of."

He fell quiet for a few moments before smiling up at me.

"You make me nervous, Sophia. Since the day I've met you, you've made me do things that I didn't even realize I was doing. You were the first girl I ever brought home to
meet my family, and I want you to be the only girl I ever bring home. My brothers and sister accepted you so quickly, too. I know it's not easy being around them, but you actually want to." He chuckled. "I still don't know why you want to. It means a lot to me though."

He took my left hand in his, giving it a squeeze. "Will you marry me, Sophia Ravenclaw?"

"Yes." I nodded frantically as he slipped the ring onto my finger.

It had a thin silver band that was covered in diamonds making it sparkle no matter which angle it was turned. The most extravagant part was the circle-cut stone in the
middle surrounded by more diamonds. It was the brightest emerald I had ever seen.

"Perfect fit," he said, grinning.

"Easy," George warned.

I looked over at Fred and Charlie who were trying to hold back their smirks. "Does he not see that I'm still sitting down?"

George's worried eyes suddenly held a spark of annoyance. "I'm worried that you'll fall. Just ignore them and focus on standing up." His hands slipped from mine to rest on
my hips.

I tried standing, but my legs gave out from under me.

He didn't let me fall down an inch. "I have you," George promised. "Try again."

I did as he said and by the time the tenth try came around my legs were still shaking too much for me to stand. "I can't stand up," I mumbled, shaking my head.

"You can," Charlie insisted. "Your legs are just weak from not moving for so long."

"I want to try again."

George shared at look with his two brothers. "Maybe you should just stick to the wheelchair for now, darling. You only need to get as far as the floo network entrance down
the hall anyway."

I shook my head, keeping my hands on his shoulders. Slowly I pushed up with my legs until I was standing up.

He grinned at me, but it was too soon because the moment he did my knees buckled. He scooped me up in his arms bridal style. "Alright. That's all the practice for today.
Grab the bag, will ya, Fred?"

"Arthur, they're here!" Molly exclaimed upon seeing us step out of the fireplace. She looked around, but before she could ask Fred and George had stepped through behind us.

"Put me down, George," I mumbled when the rest of the family came into the living room.

He grinned. "Whatever you say…fiancée." He carefully sat me down on the sofa.

My eyes widened at his words. "You said we'd wait until after dinner!"

It was too late though. The two of us were bombarded with hugs and pats on the backs as congratulations were shouted.

Teddy pushed his way past people with his tiny arms as he stumbled about, using people's pants to hold himself up. "Phia!" he exclaimed.

"Teddy!" I reached down and picked him up.

"Phia, Phia, Phia!" He hugged me as tightly as he could. His face was covered in spaghetti sauce and, when his face pressed against my chest, my white shirt was suddenly
white and red.

I chuckled, wiping away some leftover sauce with my thumb. He sat himself on my lap. "You look like you've been having a good time with your dinner," I teased.

He giggled and nodded his head.

"Have you decided on the date? Or where you're having it? Or—"

George grinned before coming back to my side and squeezing my shoulders. "Mum, we just got engaged two days ago."

"Uhmm, actually…I was hoping you all would be alright with us getting married in the church my parents did. It's just that they raised me as a Christian and they won't be
here and they're still very important to me and—"

George's hand slipped down and covered my mouth, effectively stopping my rant. "Sophia, whatever you want is fine by me, darling. We'll make sure your parents are a part
of the wedding."

Molly nodded in agreement. "And a church wedding will be beautiful, dear."

"I only have one condition," I said later that night as I sat around with the women after dinner.

George was with the men in the living room, talking about who-knows what.

"And that is…?" Angelina prodded.

"Whenever we have the wedding, I'm able to walk down the aisle."

Molly nodded her head. "We can plan the details without having a date set."

"Excuse me, ladies, but it's time we are getting home," George announced.

"So soon?"

"Mum, it's already nine o'clock. Sophia needs her rest, and I haven't slept in a bed in weeks."

I glared at him, but stayed quiet on the matter.

Molly busied herself with getting together a mountain of leftovers for us. Her excuse was that neither of us was up to cooking with the months we had just suffered through. George rolled his eyes at her and helped me put on my shoes.

He went to pick me up until I shook my head. "Can I try? Just once more for today?"

"Just once, darling."

I clutched his hands in mine, Angelina wavering close by. With the strength I had left in my legs I stood up. It lasted for a five seconds before I couldn't hold it anymore.

He sighed at my disappointment, kissing my lips. "You'll be walking before you know it," he promised. He scooped me up effortlessly in his arms.

Molly handed him the bag filled with leftovers. "You both be careful," she said when we went to the living room.

Angelina patted Molly's shoulder and glanced at Fred. "We should be leaving too."

**George's Point of View**

I looked down in my arms when I saw Mum's attention solely on Sophia. Her eyes had closed and she was breathing softly. Her hands had turned into tiny fists, loosely
clutching my shirt. "She's tired."

"And you?" Dad's words caught me off guard. He had been sitting on the sofa, talking with Bill and Charlie. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm…fine. Things get worse before they get better, right?"

He attempted to hide his smile. "Do they?"

"Things are how they should be now," I said confidently.

"Mm, George, where—"

My hand came down and covered Sophia's mouth. "She talks in her sleep," I admitted.

"We should leave before she says something she'll regret," Angelina said quickly. She grabbed her coat along with Fred's.