He hadn't meant to do it quite yet. There was no planning. No forethought. Many would say that's exactly how Fred ran his entire life, but they would be wrong. There was always a reason, always a lot of thought put into his actions, no matter how they appeared.
Before his proposal, the only exception to this rule was when he started calling Hermione "Mine." He had taken a bludger to the head in a Quidditch game in sixth year, and spent almost a week in the hospital wing, under the watchful gaze of Madame Pomfrey. When he woke up to see Ron and George by his bed, his first word had been asking for Hermione, but he found himself unable to get her full name out. His brothers had teased him about it mercilessly until he decided to embrace it, and Hermione had become "Mine" to Fred, and only Fred.
He started making plans to take her to dinner, him in a suit and her in a beautiful dress. Champagne, maybe caviar, a speech was planned out. He had been sneaking those Muggle romance novels she pretended she didn't enjoy reading, working out the perfect proposal, but he had been carrying the ring with him since he bought it.
Fred had known he loved Hermione since he met her in his third year at Hogwarts. He had known he was in love with her since his fifth year, when he thought she was going to be attacked and murdered by Sirius. He had decided he wanted to marry her in his seventh year, when his rule-loving Hermione had cheered as he and George flew out of the castle. Fred didn't do "spur of the moment," no matter what people thought about the twins.
Hermione had woken him from a nap, laying on his mum's couch after Sunday dinner, with a cup of tea and a soft kiss. She was on her knees above his head, smiling down at him, and suddenly, everything just fell into place. He rolled just enough to set his tea cup on the table, then reached up and wrapped his hand around her neck, gently tugging her down to give her another kiss.
Taking advantage of her distraction, he slid his hand into the pocket of his trousers and pulled the ring out. He knew tradition dictated diamonds, but that was too plain for Hermione. She needed something bolder, something with color. He had chosen a stainless steel band, something that was untraditional but wouldn't interfere with her work as a healer. The pear shaped emerald was set amongst tiny diamonds, which he had chosen as a nod to the conventional.
He rolled the ring between his fingers for a moment, thinking of the speech he had planned, the caviar he had intended to buy, the champagne they wouldn't be having…he thought of them and then he discarded them. This was right. Here, surrounded by their family and loved ones.
Pulling the ring from his pocket, he sighed softly and deepened the kiss just as Hermione started to pull away. He gently slipped the ring on her hand, then pulled away just far enough to speak, their lips still brushing each other. "Hermione Jean - Mine - will you marry me?"
He felt her yes more than he heard it, as she breathed it across his lips. Felt the soft kiss she gave him before she lifted her head and beamed at him.
He sat up, lifted her hand and kissed her ring, then softly pulled her to standing. "Go on, love. Harry's in the kitchen with Draco. I'll tell George, then we'll join you there to tell Mum and Dad.
The celebration continued late into the night. There was no caviar, and Fred saved his pretty speech for when he and Hermione were alone, but it seemed that Molly had suspected that things were headed in this direction. When they told her the news, she promptly burst into tears, then started pulling bottles of champagne from the pantry, directing Harry and Draco to start casting the chilling charms as George and Ginny poured glasses and started to pass them around.
With Hermione tucked under his arm, Fred beamed around at his family, sharing this most special moment with them. He raised his glass as first George, then Draco, offered heartfelt toasts to their proposal. Harry cracked a slightly off-color joke, earning him a jab in the ribs from Draco, and as Hermione's laughter rang out, Fred thanked Merlin for the life he had.