Disclaimer:Don't own them

Author's note: I apologise for having been absent for so long... But some really importantthings happened between the last time I updated, and now. First and foremost, Christmas needed to be celebrated. And then the New Year. And besides, I really didn't have enough ideas for this chapter.

But now it's ready and waiting for you to read it (and review it!)

Chapter 8: Hermione and Ron

Ron was sitting on the edge of a chair in the kitchen of the Burrow, fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of his robes, and carefully watching Hermione who was clutching a hot cup of tea and reading an ancient-looking leather-bound book.

"Erm… What would you say if Fleur and my Mum came running in here right now and started congratulating you?" he asked, his ears as red as they get.

"What?" Hermione looked up. "Sorry, what did you say? I didn't catch it, I was reading… I mean, this might really be what I've been looking for this whole time!" she said, giving the book a caressing touch.

"Oh… I just—"

But at that moment the door banged open and a mass of silvery hair flew in, shrieking. Ron slipped quickly under the table.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you, for the both of you!" Fleur chirped, hugging Hermione from behind.

"Oh, I can't say I haven't been expecting it for years and years now, since the two of you met…" Molly had tears in her eyes as she wrapped her hands around the frazzled Hermione.

"What—?" she started, but Fleur was quicker.

"If you need any help with organizing, don't fear to ask! It would be a pleasure and an honour," she smiled.

"If only Ginny were here, she'd be so happy," Molly said, tightening her hold around her.

"What—?" Hermione tried again, but was cut off.

"You could use the Burrow, certainly, but I suppose we don't have enough room here," Molly said, releasing her grip on Hermione a little.

"I'm sure Harry would let you do it in Godric's Hollow," Fleur supplied, "because you'll surely need a lot of room."

Oh, they're talking about the potion, Hermione caught on. She blushed slightly, happy that the results of her research mattered so much to those she considered her family. "I need to browse through some other books before I can start thinking about anything further," she said modestly.

"Sure, I can give you those I bought when I needed them," Fleur said, and turned to the door, starting off towards her room.

"Oh, my dear daughter!" Molly fell on her again, still in tears.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Fleur appeared back into the kitchen, beaming. "You didn't even show us…" She had run over to Hermione and lifted her hand up from where she had let it drop onto the book.

"See? Second paragraph, page 874," Hermione said, smiling.

"Erm…Mum?" Fleur said in a horrified voice, still holding up Hermione's hand.

"What?" Molly let go of her. "Oh… ooh…" She brushed away her tears and coughed awkwardly.

"And I think it's a good idea to start with a large batch for I know the beginning of brewing it, and then I can just separate it into different cauldrons and try different things with it, so that there wouldn't be any question whether the beginning was exactly the same in all cases. And it's a great idea to ask Harry whether he'd lend me his lab. I doubt he uses it much, anyway…"

"Erm… What are you talking about, dear?" Molly asked after some time of motionless staring.

"The potion, of course," Hermione said, and then heard the uncomfortable silence behind her and the nervous breathing from under the table. "What are you taking about?" she asked carefully.

"Oh," the two older women exchanged a quick nervous look. "Nothing, nothing. We'll just leave you be, now," Molly said, ushering Fleur silently out.

"By the way, where's Ron?" Fleur asked before leaving.

"Under the ta—" Hermione halted in her answer, almost feeling the thoughts rallying through her mind, "—ble. Explain!" she finished as the click of the door made sure they were alone.

A beet red Ron clambered out, retreating into the far corner of the room.

"Well, you see…" he said, and then bit his lip.

"Yes?" prompted Hermione when nothing more came out of him.

"Oh well… I might have said something to Harry in the strictest confidence… and then he might have let it slip to his secretary at work. And she's good friends with Alicia, so she told her. And Alicia told Katie, and then to Fred and George. And Lee. And Lee told Angelina, and I think she let it slip at St. Mungo's. And Fred and George got too loud, so that Bill and Charlie heard them. And dad, too. And then…"

"Ron!" Hermione shouted, cutting him off. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Erm…Well, you see," he said, staring at his fingers that had turned just as red as his hair and cheeks. "I had it planned for last night, but I think I put it somewhere safe, only now I can't remember where this safe place might have been, so that's why I was late last night. And so I couldn't… But Mum and Fleur didn't know that and… you see."

"Ron, you still haven't answered my question!" Hermione demanded, now standing just in front of him with a frown on her face.

"Oh," Ron said, and stared down at her. Then he seemed to come to a decision, for suddenly his ears turned even redder than they had been before, and he fell down on one knee.

"Hermione, I love you, and I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me, though I haven't got a ring right now to give to you? I promise you'll get it once I find it again…" he looked up hopefully.

Hermione studied him for some time, as if her brain hadn't yet managed to understand what he had said. Ron stood up slowly, disappointment evident in his eyes. Then Hermione shook her shoulders, blinked, and smiled.

"Yes, of course!" she said, and hugged him with all her might, and then let go again.

They stood face to face, both beaming now. Suddenly Hermione shrieked in joy, and without letting her voice drop flung herself into his arms again.

-----

Fleur and Molly stood in silence on the second landing of the Burrow, both pretending to be busy with dusting. Suddenly a shriek of happiness ringed through the house. They looked at each other, and sighed.

"I was afraid," Fleur confessed.

Molly nodded. "I was almost ready to take revenge on Ron by turning all of his clothes maroon."

The shriek faded for a moment, only to start again in renewed force a second later.

"Should we… could we?" Fleur asked.

"It wouldn't hurt," Molly conceded. And they took off running towards the kitchen. In less than a moment they were at the door, and flinging it open.

"Congratulations!" Fleur chirped, smiling all over and joining the hugging couple in the kitchen. "I'm so happy for you, for the both of you!"

Molly was just behind her, tears in her eyes again. "Oh, I can't say I haven't been expecting it for years and years now, since the two of you met…"

Another autor's note: I love reviews. And you know you love to review, don't you?

And next chapter will be on Rowena and Salazar.