I hope you enjoy the latest installment of Feel Again! I'm contemplating a H/G companion piece for this as well...

"Ron! Ron you're never going to believe what's happened!"

"Did the cafeteria finally install the candy bar I ask for weekly?"

"A candy bar? Really Ron? That's why you think I look like this, right now, in your office?"

"Who knows, Hermione. I reckon someone like you, deprived of candy as a child because your parents clean teeth, would be excited about a candy bar."

"They're called dentists, Ron."

"I know they are, love. I just like seeing you make that face. And I know you aren't excited about candy so tell me - what's got you all wound up?"

"Kingsley - I mean - the Minister - has just offered me a brand new job within the Ministry created especially for me! They don't have a name for it yet, but I'll basically be working out of his office, not only as one of his advisors but I will be pouring through old and archaic Wizarding laws that favor only Purebloods so that all wizards and witches are regarded in the same way - with the same rules! Isn't it wonderful, Ron!"

"Ron? Ron?"

With a quick shake of his head, he looked up and saw Richard standing over him, holding two cups of coffee. "Oh, hey…sorry, I spaced out a bit."

Richard smiled and handed him his coffee. "Hermione says you like pumpkin juice, but we don't have a lot of that here on our side of the world, so I thought a pumpkin spiced coffee would be a sufficient substitute in lieu of the rubbish they try to pass off here."

Ron agreed, taking the coffee and with that, a small sip. He wasn't much of a coffee drinker, but he found rather quickly that he could learn to like this pumpkin spiced concoction in his hand. "How did you get in here?" Ron asked, shifting his chair closer to the bed in the room.

"Your dad gave us special badges that help us locate the hidden doors and allow us to come through," Richard replied. "Your parents have been very helpful since Hermione's accident."

"Yeah," Ron said with a sigh. He thought back to the conversation that had played on loop in his head. Hermione was over the moon about her promotion, but true to her sense of duty, decided to spend two weeks wrapping things up at her position in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. This included a field visit into a forest in northern Ireland, where a new species similar to the Hippogriff that Luna and her husband, Rolf, had discovered. Kingsley offered to put someone else on the task, but Hermione refused. Ron thought she was mental, doing work she didn't have to do, but Hermione wouldn't be Hermione without finishing what she started.

He wished she hadn't gone now. A week ago, she was enthusiastically kissing him goodbye while reminding him that his dirty clothes belonged in the hamper and that dishes do not wash themselves. Now, she was in an induced coma inside St. Mungo's, because according to her healer, crushed bones mend themselves better with high doses of skele-gro while the patient sleeps.

"Why had she gone on this trip again?" Richard asked.

Ron sighed. "When new species are discovered, people in Hermione's department are sent out to decide if those species are safe there, or if they need to be moved somewhere that they will be safe. My brother Charlie, he works on a dragon reserve, and that's where all dragons are sent when discovered because they're safe there. They're a dying breed as it is, and some like to hunt them for their skin. But if they're at the reserve…nothing bad can happen to them."

"And this species Hermione was looking at - clearly a dangerous one - given her injuries?"

"Yes and no," Ron replied with another heavy sigh. "I don't think they would have been violent had Rolf's flash not gone off on his camera. They were just spooked. He usually has it off, and feels really terrible about everything that's happened. He and Luna both." He wasn't upset at either of them, despite the initial rage he had at being told by Harry that Hermione had to be brought back to London via emergency Portkey by Rolf and Luna. "Where's Jean?"

"At your house," Richard replied. "He and your mum are busying themselves with cleaning. Jean's a strong woman, but she'd rather see Hermione in bed at home than here."

Ron nodded. "Same here." He placed his coffee on the floor by his chair and stood up, taking a seat on the edge of Hermione's bed. He picked up her hand and placed it in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. He leaned over and kissed the very tip of her nose. "Good morning, love," he whispered. "The healers say you could start waking up today or tomorrow. Just thought you should know I prefer you to wake up today."

Hermione didn't stir. Instead, she remained as still as she'd ever been in her life, looking peaceful as she slept.

Ron sighed, and continued to hold her hand. "I was going to ask her to marry me when she got back."

"Really?" Richard asked with a smirk.

He laughed softly. "We were both finally in places we wanted to be…so yeah. I reckon now's as good of time as any. Bill and Fleur are pregnant again, did you know? Victoire is really excited about getting a new brother or sister, and when they told us about it last week, we both kind of talked about how nice it would be if all of us had children that grew up together."

"So they can get into all sorts of trouble at school?" Hermione asked with a playful grin. "We'd be horrible people to do that to those professors."

"Nah," Ron replied with a laugh. "If that castle survived the three of us, surely our children can't take it down."

"Let's wait and see what happens when George's children get there," she replied. "Because I have a feeling Fred and Roxanne will demolish the place."

"Ron?"

The heads of both Ron and Richard turned to see Hermione's lips faintly mumble her boyfriend's name.

Richard walked over to the other side of her bed, brushing a hand over his daughter's forehead as Ron gave her hand a squeeze. "Hermione, darling? Can you hear Daddy?"

Hermione hummed a small groan, her eyelids fluttering before staying shut. She rolled her head to the side and continued to sleep some more.

Molly and Jean had taken a break from cleaning and tidying up Ron and Hermione's house, the two of them sharing a pot of tea at the kitchen table. The table sat in front of a large bay window, showing off the backyard that Ron had taken much pride in landscaping over the years. Also in the backyard was a large tire swing hanging from a strong, perfectly straight oak tree branch.

"Hermione had a swing like that growing up," Jean mused with a small smile. "Richard would push her on it for hours…standing out there, reading a book while she swayed back and forth."

Molly smiled. "Ron and Harry take turns pushing James and Teddy on it quite frequently when they're over to visit. Funny how something so simple can amuse little ones."

"Indeed," Jean agreed, adding a lump of sugar to her tea. "Hermione tells me Fleur is expecting again."

"She is - and of course we're all just thrilled."

"I can imagine."

"I think they're hoping for a boy this time, but Victoire desperately wants another sister. Teddy of course wants another boy cousin to play with him and Fred. James doesn't really care much, being a baby and all. He's starting to crawl though…a very curious one, that James."

Jean chuckled. "Hermione is always talking about James and Teddy. How's Teddy's grandmother doing?"

"She's very well," Molly replied. "I think it was a good decision not to let Harry and Ginny take Teddy on full time. He's good for her, and keeps her going." She stirred the spoon in her teacup and sighed. "I do hope Hermione wakes up today. My Ronnie is just a mess without her."

Taking a sip of her tea, Jean placed the teacup back down on the saucer and nodded. "My Hermione isn't much better without him either. They're rather well suited for each other."

Molly agreed. She knew the moment she heard Ron going on and on about Hermione Granger - more so than Harry Potter - that first summer back from Hogwarts that she was more than just a girl in his house. The first summer she spent at the Burrow, before fourth year, was nearly comical. She and Arthur watched the two of them bicker back and forth like an old married couple, and when they weren't watching the two of them they were keeping the twins from teasing Ron about Hermione. "Hermione's the reason why my twins, well now, George, were so successful."

"Is that right?"

"The two of them never cared much about school - always getting into trouble," Molly said in a wistful reminisce, "and Hermione looked at them one summer and said if they put half as much effort into school as they did with their jokes, they'd be surprised at what they could do." She took a sip of her tea and sighed. "Of course, they didn't take it the way Hermione meant it, but they both focused on what they could do, and that's how their joke shop became so successful." She looked over at Jean and smiled. "My twins were a force to be reckoned with. Always joking, never serious. Fred was the more thoughtful of the two though - he had a soft spot for Hermione. George still does, of course."

Jean leaned back in the kitchen chair and stared out the window. She worried when Hermione was told that she was a witch, and that there was a special school for her to go to. She knew Hermione had a horrible time in her current school making friends, and Jean was terrified that this new school wouldn't be much better. But the look on Hermione's face when she learned that there was a reason for why peculiar things always seemed to be happening in her presence - Jean could hardly deny her daughter the opportunity. If it's horrible, we can always put her back in private school, her husband told her - much more enthusiastic about the revelations regarding their daughter than she was. Of course, he was always the cheerleader, while she was always the realist. She saw a lot of the relationship she had with her husband when she watched Ron and Hermione.

"Hermione will be all right, you know," Molly said, reaching a hand over to give Jean's a squeeze.

Jean smiled and gave Molly a nod. "That's what Arthur said. Along with her doctors - or healers, I guess you call them."

Molly nodded. "We should visit them today, once we're done here."

"Once Hermione wakes, I'll go see her," Jean replied. "I'm not much for seeing her in that state. Besides, as long as Ron is there, I know she's being taken care of. He's truly a blessing to our family, Molly. I cannot tell you much we have enjoyed getting to know your son, and how much we genuinely adore him as if he were our own. Hermione…she is lucky to have him."

Molly's heart swelled with pride at the praise Jean was giving her son. All too often she worried about Ron - mostly for no other reason from the fact that he was her youngest son. He was always picked on, always the ones with the hand-me downs, always the one who never was able to do anything first. She tried to make him feel special, she and Arthur both did, but being the youngest boy in their house wasn't easy. Then Ginny came along and she knew Ron often felt lost in the shuffle of it all. But Hermione…Hermione always had a way of making Ron feel important, needed, and most of all, preferred over everyone else.

"I'm sure Ron's spoken with you and Richard both about marrying Hermione."

Jean smiled. "He certainly has. Even showed us the ring - it's a beautiful family heirloom, Molly. Hermione will certainly be honored to wear it."

"I know she will," Molly replied. "I never told anyone this - other than Arthur - but I was so pleased to know that my ring…that the magic duplicated for Hermione. Ron was so confused when we explained it to him and gave him the ring. He was certain after we told him the story that it belonged to a different brother. He didn't understand why the ring chose him and Hermione but I was so glad that it did. To be able to give Ron something that I hadn't had to give any of his brothers…it meant quite a lot to both myself and Arthur." She stood up to take her now empty teacup to the sink, quickly washing it out and setting it on a clean towel to dry. "Hopefully, with her Ministry promotion, Hermione and Ron will start thinking about an engagement."

"I'm sure it will be here soon," Jean replied with a knowing smile. She and Ron talked often when he was at their house with Hermione, and she was well versed in picking up what Ron was saying but actually meaning.

"Any change?"

Richard looked over at Arthur as he removed his hat while entering the room. "She's mumbling a bit…has been for most of the day. The healers' say she should be coming out of this coma they've had her in for a while. If she wakes soon and can eat, they'll let her continue resting at home."

Arthur nodded, tucking his hat and his briefcase over in the corner of the room. His son was perched right at Hermione's bedside, brushing his fingers through the same swatch of hair. "How's he doing?"

Richard smiled. "He'd be better if she'd wake up completely."

"We'd all be better if she'd wake up completely."

"Too true."

Arthur walked over to his son, and gave his shoulder a firm squeeze. "How are you today, my boy?"

"Fine," Ron said, his eyes fixed on Hermione.

"Gotten any sleep?"

"I sleep when I need to," Ron replied, just like he had been since her accident.

Richard walked over to the foot of Hermione's bed. "I was thinking about popping out and grabbing some dinner. Interested in anything in particular, Ron?"

Ron shrugged. "I'll eat whatever."

"I reckon I'll go with you, Richard," Arthur said, giving Ron's shoulder another squeeze. He could tell that Ron wanted to be left alone for a bit, and this was the perfect opportunity to give it to him.

As the fathers left the room, Ron moved his chair closer - surprised that it was even possible - to the bed and gently placed his head against what the healers called 'her good side,' as it was the side that had no cracked ribs. Her stirs of life today were the biggest sorts of teases he'd ever experienced. He just wanted her to wake up so that he could take her home and put her in a bed big enough for both of them, Chudley included.

He sighed as he felt her shallow breathing with the rise and fall of her midsection. "Just wait until you hear that you can't go back to work for three months," Ron mumbled. "Of course, Kingsley is going to keep your job for you - he'd be mental to give it to anyone else, but you're going to have to be completely better before you return. Thank Merlin this job is a strict desk job."

Ron looked up to see if that remark had stirred anything from Hermione, but she still seemed still. "I really wish you'd wake up," he pleaded. "Please. I can't…I don't want you to be asleep anymore. I just want you to be awake, nagging me to death about my inability to hit a hamper with laundry or how I can't seem to make a quarter turn to put dirty dishes in the dishwasher because you think they get cleaner with soap than they do with a charm. I can't go home without you anymore because all Chudley does is cry and quite frankly - I'm a little jealous of that because that's all I want to do. I just want to crawl into a corner and cry until you wake up because I don't feel like anything is going to bloody get better until you do."

"Ron?"

He bolted upright at the sound of his name. Her eyes were fluttering again, but her voice was much stronger than it had been in recent murmurings. "Hermione? Hermione can you hear me?"

Her eyes still fluttered, as if she were trying to get them to focus. "Ron?"

Ron moved closer so that he was in her line of sight without her making any effort. "I'm here, Hermione," he whispered as he smoothed a hand over her forehead. "Can you look at me?"

Hermione's opened as wide as they could, her right side more closed than her left, but he assumed that was due to the swelling from the bones they repaired in her face. "Hurts," she mumbled. "Everything."

He kissed her lips gently and exhaled a heavy sigh of relief. "I know, love. Let me go find a healer to get you some pain potions, ok?"

"No," she said quietly. "Don't leave. Stay."

"I'm not even going to leave the room," Ron reassured her. "I'm just going to shout loudly from the doorway."

Hermione made a noise. "Tacky."

"The nurses station isn't far. It's only going to take a second."

Hermione sighed, her eyes closing. Exhausted and sore, she knew a losing battle when she saw one. She barely flinched when she heard Ron, true to his word, bellowing down the hallway that she was awake. His enthusiasm with the announcement made her wonder just how long he'd been waiting. He was right back at her side though, and while she couldn't physically do it - as she tried and was immediately shocked at how much pain her face was in, she gave his rough hand a squeeze.

Healer Andrews, the man who had been in charge of Hermione's care from the moment she arrived, walked into the room with a bright grin on his face. He was an older, portly gentleman with a white mustache to match the remainder of white hair he had on his head. "I heard you were awake," he said with a chuckle, giving her toe a squeeze.

"Ron's…loud…everyone…probably knows…" she managed to speak, cracking her eyes open again.

"Well I'd certainly be excited if I were Mr. Weasley," Healer Andrews replied. "He's been exceptionally patient in the waiting department." With a flick of his wand, her bed began to slowly shift, moving from a flat state to an elevated state so that Hermione was propped up a bit without having to actually do it herself. He had a glass of water in hand with a straw, and gently held it to her lips so that she could wet her throat. "Just small sips," he said before allowing her to drink. Pleased with her ability to swallow, he put the cup down on a nearby tray and nodded. "Your throat will hurt a bit from the spell work and potions. Do you remember what happened?"

She had to think about it, feeling the squeeze of Ron's hand as she racked her brain for a moment before speaking. "Luna…Rolf…hippo…hippogriff…did I…was I hurt there?"

"From what your colleagues -"

"Friends," she corrected him as she opened her eyes. "My friends."

"Of course," Healer Andrews replied. "Your friends said that the flash from the man's camera startled the beast, and right as you turned around it unfortunately trampled you. Your sustained very serious injuries to the right side of your body. Luckily, your friends got you here as quick as they could."

She looked down at her right arm, her eyes blinking into focus as she noticed the splint on her right arm and leg. "Broken?"

"Nearly fixed," Healer Andrews chirped. Your ribs have mended but the bruising will be there for a bit. You'll have breathing exercises to do to help exercise your lungs once you're discharged, and you'll be off work for a bit until your arm and leg fully heals. The swelling will go down in your face over the next few days as well."

Hermione looked over at Ron, both of his hands holding her good hand as he pressed a kiss to her fingers. "My job…"

"Will be waiting when you're better…and I've already taken a leave of absence from work," he told her. What he hadn't told her, or had the chance really, was that he was contemplating taking George's always standing offer to be his partner at the shop, instead of just part time help during busy seasons. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy working as an Auror, because he did - he genuinely did. But he rather liked the idea of working with George, and the more he thought about it - especially with Hermione's new job waiting for her - it seemed to make more sense. The two of them would have excellent careers with regular hours and no more nonsense adventures or missions, and it would be an ideal situation to hopefully raise a family.

"Now, I'm going to go get a nurse to get your pain potions, but we'll hold off on the drowsy ones for just a little bit. I'm sure Mr. Weasley would not like to see you go back to sleep so soon."

"Thanks," Ron replied as Hermione rolled her head to the side that wasn't swollen, her cheek resting against the pillow." He reached up and gently brushed her tender cheek with his hand. "I never thought you'd ever scare me like that again."

Hermione sighed, reaching for his hand on her face, moving it so she was holding it to her chest with her good hand. "I'm sorry," she said, her drowsiness slowly subsiding as she was beginning to speak a bit more fluidly. "It was a freak…accident. Are Luna and Rolf ok?"

Ron nodded. "Rolf was beside himself over it at first, but Luna was able to calm him down. He feels terrible. When I first saw him, I reckon he thought I was going to hit him or something."

Hermione shook her head as best as she could. "You do have…a bit of a temper."

"Well, lucky for him, I was a bit more worried about you," Ron replied, his voice a bit quieter. He stood up and leaned forward enough to kiss her lips, knowing full well he'd finally be kissed back.

It took another two weeks for Hermione to be released from St. Mungo's, and both Hermione and Ron were incredibly glad to be home. Her arm was still in a cast like splint and she could walk with the use of a cane, but her face was back to normal and for the most part, breathing didn't hurt unless she coughed, sneezed, or laughed. Upon walking inside their home, they found Harry and Ginny, and George - who had the unfortunate task of keeping Chudley from mauling Hermione.

George had a good hold on Chudley's collar, but the dog was just short of his waist in height, big, and judging by his whines and unsuccessful jerks forward, was about one or two good lunges away from breaking George's grasp. "Granger - feel free to sit down now so I can unleash this beast. He's been a dreadful pain in the ass while you were away."

"Don't listen to George," Ginny said. "When we had him, he was wonderful. The boys loved him and he slept in James' room every night."

"Well you didn't have to watch him in this house, now did you?" George asked. "A bit different, all things considered. All he did was roam about, caterwauling because he couldn't find either one of you, and with this gangly git came home, he just cried some more because you weren't with him."

Hermione made a sad face at the dog and carefully, with Ron's help, made her way over to the sofa and sat down. "Chudley," she said sternly. "Sit."

Whimpering, Chudley did as he was told, though by the bouncing of his hind legs, he was ready to not be sitting anymore.

"Chudley," Hermione said in her same stern voice. "Walk here. No - don't run - walk."

"Only Hermione could command a dog to walk," Harry teased, as they all watched the overly excited dog walk with a little gallop towards Hermione.

She looked over her shoulder at Harry. "Of course I can - I taught him very well." Looking back at Chudley, she gave the cushion on the couch next to her one pat, and suddenly the giant dog was on the couch and curling up next to it's mummy. He leaned against her and nuzzled his nose up under her chin with a lick to boot. "Mummy missed her furry baby. She really did!" she quietly exclaimed, scratching behind his ears and kissing the top of his head.

Chudley crawled a bit more so that a third of his body was trapping Hermione onto the couch, his head now happily resting in her lap as he gave Ron a look - almost daring him to move her. "I know," Ron said, giving Chudley's head a good scratch. "You missed her too." He looked over at George and nodded towards the bags by the door. "Help me lug those upstairs, will ya?"

"Sure - but then I got to get back to the shop to help Lee close up," George replied. He walked behind the couch and kissed the top of Hermione's head as he passed. "Glad you're better, Hermione," he said.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Thanks, George." He wasn't ever one for outward affection for anyone. Sure, he hugged his children and doted on his wife, but George had always been fond of Hermione. Harry told her once it was probably because any bet ever won between him and Fred involved her and Ron in some way.

"I'm going to go get dinner started," Ginny replied, giving her husband a kiss. "Mum's keeping the boys tonight, so naturally, I brought wine."

Hermione smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Harry took a seat on the couch next to Hermione, earning a low growl from Chudley. "Hey now," Hermione gently reprimanded. "Be nice to Harry."

Chudley snorted, but kept his head in her lap all the same.

"George wasn't kidding about the whining," Harry said, giving the dog a good pat on his back. "This dog is ridiculous about you."

"Well, we spend a lot of time together when Daddy's at work," Hermione said, scratching his ears just the way he liked them. "And I bet no one has taken you to the p-a-r-k either." She and Chudley always went to the park on Saturdays. She let him run loose with the other dogs in the dog park area while she sat on a bench, reading a book underneath one of the many trees in the area. Sometimes Ron would come with, bringing a ball or a Frisbee, which always managed to wind up every dog in the dog park as they competed for the attention of the man and his toys. "Did Ron tell you how long I'm off work?"

Frowning, Harry gave his friend a nod. "I figure you aren't too happy about that."

She shrugged. "I'm not happy about not working for that long, but I'm more disappointed that I have to wait that long to start my job." Scratching Chudley's ears some more, she shrugged her shoulders and cautiously sighed. "But it is what it is. Ron doesn't want me pushing myself too hard, and he's been very good with all of this happening and not losing his temper so I feel like I need to -"

"Do what he says for once?" Harry teased.

"Yes," Hermione replied with a smile. "Ron said at the hospital that Rolf thought he was going to kill him."

"Nah," Harry waved off. "He would have throttled a Healer before he throttled Rolf. Everyone knew it was an accident. However, the Healers, when they were working on you, had so much to do that they weren't giving Ron updates as often as he would have liked so he was rather testy with them."

Hermione could only imagine. Once she was awake, she could tell which nurses must have been there when she was first admitted and which ones weren't due to their skittish behavior when Ron asked them questions or for favors. She'd look at him, curious as to what would make the nurses jump at the sound of his voice, but he would shrug it off and go back to reading his magazine. Who knows, Hermione. There are some weird birds in this place. I can't wait to leave it, he would say with a flippant turn of the page. "He's so impossible sometimes."

"If by impossible you mean hopelessly in love with you, then yes," Harry replied. "But it isn't sometime - it's all the time."

Her cheeks blushed. "Well, obviously the feeling is completely mutual."

"Obviously," Harry teased. "And you know…just for the record…you scared the shit out of me as well."

"I wish I would have just listened to Ron and handed my cases over the moment Kingsley offered me the job," Hermione admitted. "Not that I'd ever tell Ron that - he'd never let me hear the end of it."

Harry laughed. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Mum said my face was all swollen and bruised," Hermione said, motioning to the right side of her face with her splinted arm.

"You were almost unrecognizable," Harry quietly replied.

"So…worse than the Manor."

"In a different way," he said. "When we got back to the cottage, Fleur had so many potions in you that when you slept, you looked peaceful. It was painful to look at you with your injuries at the hospital before they were healed."

Hermione nodded. "Did you see though," she said, turning her neck a bit. "The nurses - they put some sort of cream on my scar from the knife, and it's gone now!"

Harry leaned over Chudley to take a closer look, and sure enough, there was no longer a pale, but jagged scar from the cursed knife of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Well…I'll be damned."

"It's something new they've been working I guess," Hermione said with a shrug. "Either way, I'm awfully glad to be rid of it. It didn't work on the others, because they weren't made with dark magic."

"I know how you feel," Harry said. "Once this bloody scar started to finally fade, it was a relief." The scar resembling that of a lightening bolt was still there, but so faint one had to really look in order to find it. "Do you think you'll be rid of that cane before the Remembrance Ball?"

She groaned. "Are we really going to do this?"

"It's the five year anniversary, Hermione. You can't keep avoiding it."

"Watch me."

"You're a newly appointed, high ranking official in the Ministry - you're going to have to go," Harry reasoned. "And it's about time."

She shook her head. "That's easy to say when your scarred body gets to be covered by dress robes. I put on a dress and unless it's an elderly frock, people will see everything." Picking at her fingernails, she bit her lip and sighed. "I don't even know how I'll ever find a wedding dress if and when Ron and I get married."

"Are you forgetting you're a witch? Glamour charms will cover that."

"Not at a Muggle wedding," Hermione replied. "Ron and I…Ron says that when we get married, he wants my family to be able to come, so we're going to have a muggle wedding with a small reception, and then we'll have one at the Burrow with our wizarding family and friends." She scratched underneath Chudley's chin and laughed at his happy whine. "Alright you - go find Daddy," she instructed the dog. "Mummy's lap is getting tired."

With a lick to her arm, Chudley hurled himself off of the couch, barking as he went off in search of Ron. Harry moved closer to Hermione, draping a brotherly arm around her shoulders and hugging her gently. "Hermione, you can't tell me the only reason you don't go to this irritating ball is because of your scars."

"I can, actually," Hermione retorted. "I'm already stared at enough, Harry. I'm famous in this world, I'm that weird girl whose parents sent her away to boarding school in my other world…no one needs another reason to stare." She leaned up against Harry and slowly exhaled. "I hate that ball. I hate everything it reminds me of."

"I know…but just think - if you go this year, you can successfully avoid it for another four years before the ten year comes around."

"Don't make me laugh," Hermione half-heartedly groaned.

"Don't make terrible excuses then," Harry teased back. "We can have anyone make you a dress. For the Ministry balls and galas, your eventual wedding - we can make that happen."

"Oi! Potter! Manhandle your own damn wife!"

"Don't make me laugh!" Hermione repeated with a moan.

Harry kissed her temple and let go. "Actually - that sounds like a good idea. Might delay dinner a bit, but if you're ordering me to do so -" he was up and ducked before Ron could make any sort of swat at him, laughing all the way to the kitchen.

Ron walked over and kneeled down in front of Hermione, placing his hands on the tops of her thighs. "Glad to be home?"

"Immensely," Hermione said with exhale, stronger than she intended as she immediately winced in pain. "Chest still hurts a bit."

"I have your pain potions upstairs if you'd like one."

She shook her head. "They make me sleepy. Maybe one before bed." Hermione looked around and frowned. "Where's Chudley?"

"Outside chasing an enchanted toy squirrel," Ron replied. "This way he'll be too tired to drive us crazy tonight."

Hermione shook her head with a smirk. "I'm not sure what you think we'll be doing tonight that Chudley can't interrupt, considering breathing hurts."

He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the ruby ring flanked with diamond baguettes on each side, holding it between two fingers at her eye level. "Well, I was hoping to curl up with my beautiful fiancée and tell her how much I loved her and missed her, and then tell her that if she's looking for something to do with her time off of work, she could put her energy into planning our wedding."

Her eyes were as wide as galleons, her jaw slightly ajar as she stared at the familiar ring. "Why…why do you have your mother's ring?"

"Well, that's the thing," he said, grabbing her left hand as he slid the bauble down her ring finger. "It's the Weasley ring…been in my family for generations I reckon. Mum and Dad…they gave it to me when you got back from finding your parents and they told me that it's old magic. It duplicates when it wants the current owner to pass it down to the next owner. Mum…she says that it duplicated the night before you came home, and she and Dad knew that it was meant for you."

Hermione didn't notice the tears spilling out of her eyes as her gaze kept shuffling between her left hand and Ron's face. "Ron…"

"And it is meant for you," Ron whispered hoarsely. "You've been a part of our family the moment you came to spend the summer with us before fourth year. I threw up slugs for you in second year, fell in love with you during third year, tormented you for most of sixth year…" his eyes were now watering as well as he blinked fast to put them at bay. "I was going to give you this ring when you came back from your assignment with Luna and Rolf. Of course, I didn't expect it happening like this, but it doesn't matter how it happens or how I ask. All that matters is that you say yes, because I was reminded these past few weeks that I don't have a life that doesn't have you in it."

More tears spilled out of Hermione's eyes as she nodded her head. "Yes," she whispered, sniffling as another round of tears made their way down previously laid tracks. "Yes, Ronald Weasley, of course I'll marry you."

Grinning like a man who'd won everything, his hands found her cheeks as he pulled himself to her, their lips colliding in the most accommodating of ways. Her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers entwining and palms open against the back of his neck as they pulled apart, their foreheads resting against each other. "Can I tell Harry?" he asked with a glint in his eye.

"Tell, or shout?"

"Is there a difference?"

She leaned back against the couch and put her hands over her ears, just as Ron jumped up and bellowed, "She said YES!"