-Chapter 23: I Fully Intend To-
Ginny and Hermione were practically glued together at dinner, not once were they not touching. Fred and George jokingly offered to find some way to get the sticking charm removed. After dinner everyone went to the sitting room except for Ginny who went upstairs to shower so she didn't have to get up too early in the morning.
"Hermione, may Arthur and I have a word with you?" Molly asked, gesturing to the kitchen.
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione got up off the sofa with help from Harry and followed Arthur and Molly into the kitchen.
"Hermione, Ginny told us about the discussion you two had Friday night, about the future. You know Molly and I are very approving of your relationship but we want to know if you were serious in your discussion or just indulging Ginny's fantasy. Ginny is our baby and as you know we, her brothers included, are very protective of her."
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I am very much in love with your daughter. For seven months now I have not been sure of very many things, where I was going to sleep at night or if I was going to get to eat that day but the one thing I was always sure of was that I wanted nothing more than to see Ginny. I wasn't simply indulging her fantasy, I was joining it."
"That's all we needed to hear, dear. Arthur and I would be glad if someday you did join our family."
"I fully intend to, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said with a smile.
"Fully intend to what?"Ginny said as she came into the kitchen, her hair up in a towel.
"Marry you," Hermione said bluntly.
"Okay, works for me. Got a date set?" Ginny sat down next to Hermione.
"Well I figured we should be engaged first and I don't see a ring on either of our fingers, Ginevra Weasley."
"Do you have some string?" Ginny said with a laugh. "No, love, I promise that when we get rings they will be beautiful." Ginny picked up Hermione's hand and kissed it.
Hermione and Ginny were up early the next morning. At 9:00 Arthur knocked on the bedroom door and told them it was time for him and Ginny to leave. Ginny and Hermione stood in the middle of the room and embraced.
"I'm going to miss you, love," Hermione said as she swept a tear off of Ginny's cheek.
"I'm going to miss you too. Despite a rocky start I think this has been a fantastic weekend."
"I can't argue with that."
"Hermione, did you mean what you said about getting married and wanting a ring?" Ginny asked.
"I did. I meant every word of it. Why, did you sneak out last night and find a twenty-four hour jewelry shop?"
"No, I just wanted to know." Ginny pulled Hermione in close and they kissed.
"I love you Ginny. Remember to owl me when you get to Hogwarts, I'll be here until Wednesday at least. I will try my best to send you one back but I can't guarantee anything. I know they've been reading as much incoming mail at Hogwarts as they can and I am sure yours is on some kind of special watch list."
"I will, I promise. I love you too Hermione." They kissed once more. Arthur yelled from downstairs that they had to leave. Hermione didn't accompany Ginny downstairs, she didn't want to watch her leave for good, just leave as though she might come back.
As soon as she got to Hogwarts Ginny wrote Hermione a note that she had arrived safely and everything seemed to be normal. Luna had returned, her father convinced the Ministry that he had held up his end of the bargain by informing them of Harry's whereabouts. Two weeks later on a Tuesday it was announced that Snape decided to let the students go to Hogsmeade village on Saturday. Ginny was excited. She immediately owled the Burrow to let them know. She asked if Fred and George could meet her at Hog's Head at three. Ginny received an owl back that Fred and George would meet her there.
The days crawled by but Saturday was finally there. She had a few hours before Fred and George were to meet her so she browsed what was left of the village. Finally at 2:45 she headed into the Hog's Head. She found a booth in the corner and ordered a butterbeer. Fred and George came in through the Floo five minutes before three and joined her.
"I have a business proposition for you," Ginny said as the twins sat down. "I need a loan."
"How much are we talking about?" Fred asked.
"One-hundred fifty Galleons."
"And how do you intend on paying us back?" asked George.
"Assuming Harry, Ron, and Hermione have succeeded and destroyed all of the horcruxes and this bloody war is over I will work in your shop this summer, every day open to close at a payback rate of two Galleons a day. That is more than generous on my part and you know it."
"Deal," the twins said in unison.
"What exactly do you need that much money for?" asked Fred.
"These," Ginny said as she pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. It was a picture and description of a pair of rings from a small jewelry shop in Diagon Alley that was going out of business. "I got this out of a catalog I requested from the shop. I need you to buy them for me and bring them back here. I don't trust having them sent by owl."
"Alright sis, we'll be back in a little while." Fred and George went to one of the fireplaces and Flooed out.
Ginny drank the rest of her butterbeer and waited for Fred and George to return. She drifted off into a daydream and was snapped out of it when the twins returned and plopped down in the booth. George slid the small box across the table and Ginny opened it up. The rings were silver with one small, heart-shaped crystal clear stone attached to each one.
"They dropped the price by ten Galleons so you'll get a few days off," Fred joked.
"I thought you two were going to wait until after you finished school to get married," said George.
"We are but I wanted to get these the first chance I got so I could have them, just in case. How are things at home?"
"Griphook agreed to help the trio break into Gringotts to get the horcrux. It's going to take a lot of planning. They are staying at Shell cottage for now but they might have to move any day. We heard people talking in the shop about how the Death Eaters had leads on where they were," Fred explained.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about this." George pulled an envelope from his pocket. Ginny's eyes lit up. Her name was on the envelope in familiar curly handwriting.
"We need to head back to the shop," Fred said as he and George stood up. They hugged then the twins Flooed away; Ginny ran as fast as her legs would carry her back to Hogwarts. She ran to Gryffindor tower and up to her dormitory. She flopped herself down on her bed and closed the curtains.
"Lumos," she said, holding out her wand. She opened the envelope and took out the letter.
7 April, 1998
Hello love!
I miss you so much, my body feels incomplete without your arms around it. I am 100% better now, absolutely no pain at all. It looks as though we will be staying here for a while, at least until we get a definite report of whether or not the Death Eaters know where we are. We've been listening to the wireless around the clock. I don't know where we'll go if they find us here but I assure you I will try and get word to you if we move.
I think it would be safe if you wished to send me an owl every now and then as long as no one sees you, night would be the best time. Use one of the Hogwarts owls. I won't be able to write you back, the Ministry is still intercepting as many letters as possible that are coming into Hogwarts. I would love so much for you to write to me though. If your trips to Hogsmeade continue just tell me in your letters and I will send letters with Fred and George. I love you Ginny, stay brave like the Gryffindor I know you are. Hopefully this will all be over soon.
Love Always,
Hermione
"Nox," Ginny whispered. She held the letter to her chest. After a few minutes she got up and sat at her desk. She took out a fresh piece of parchment and a quill.
Hello gorgeous!
I miss you too. In my mind I am there with you every moment, holding you in my arms. I am glad to hear you are feeling better. Classes are difficult. I wish you were here to help me. I can't wait to have everything done and over with, school, the war, everything standing in the way of you and me starting our lives together. I love you, stay safe.
-Always Yours
Ginny put the letter in an envelope and wrote "H.J.G." and then put that into another envelope and addressed it "Shell Cottage". As soon as it was dark she headed up to the owlry and sent the letter on its way.
