I'm a Loser

Epilogue

Four Years Later

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione squealed. "I can't believe you're already 22!"

"Neither can I!" Harry admitted. "And Hermione, that's about the fifteenth time today that you've said that."

"So?" Hermione said, smiling.

They were at the Burrow--Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie had just Apparated back to their homes after wishing Harry a happy birthday and given him their presents.

The trio was in the living room--it was almost the same scene as it had been, four years ago, the day Hermione and Ron had made up, and kissed for the first time--Harry and Ginny were playing chess on the floor, while Hermione and Ron laid on the couch, cuddling despite the warm summer weather.

Ron stroked Hermione's hair, remembering that day vividly. He smiled to himself and kissed Hermione lightly on the cheek. She murmured something vaguely like, "I love you, too," and laid her head on his chest.

"Er..." Harry said, apparently thinking of his next move. Ginny giggled and suggested, "How about Queen to F-3?"

"Sure," Harry said. "Queen to F-3." Ron watched as the Queen moved and Ginny giggled again--she had led him into a trap!

"Knight to F-3," she snorted.

Harry stared at her incredulously. "What? Why'd you do that?"

"I tricked you," Ginny admitted fiendishly.

"Should've known," Harry muttered disgustedly.

Ron shifted a bit and sat up on the couch; Hermione gave a sleepy moan of protest but quieted as Ron sat up straight and she laid her head on Ron's shoulder, caressing his hand as she watched the other two play chess.

Nervously, Ron reached inside his pocket and fingered the small black box in which a fifty Galleon diamond ring was resting. It was his proposal ring, which he had saved up for four years. His hands began to sweat when he thought of proposing to Hermione...what if she rejected him? What would he do? Who would he marry? Would she like the idea of him proposing on Harry's birthday? Would Harry like the idea of his best mate proposing to his other best friend on his own birthday? What would Ginny think? What would his mum think? What would his dad think? What would Mr. and Mrs. Granger think? There were too many questions, but Ron didn't want to dwell on any of them just know, because only one question in particular was bugging him: Would she say yes?

He wondered when the best time would be to propose to her. In private, or in front of Harry and Ginny? Maybe if he did it in front of them, he wouldn't have to tell his mum and dad...Harry and Ginny could do it for him...or at least they would be with them when he told them...

"Check-mate!" Ginny cried happily a few minutes later.

"Wha...?" Harry said stupidly. He looked at Ginny's pieces, then at his own, and moaned. "Crap. Ginny, you're too good a chess player for your own good, you do know that, don't you?"

"Whatever." Ginny rolled her eyes and exchanged a look with Hermione, who sat up straight and stretched. Ron couldn't help noticing her curves...he had a tendency to look at them a lot....Nearly every summer night since their seventh year, he had slipped his arms around Hermione's waist and kissed her. Sex, of course, was out of the question until they were married--if they were ever married, he reminded himself countless times.

"Hmmm," Hermione yawned, leaning back on the couch. Now's my chance, Ron thought suddenly, his palms beginning to sweat.

He stood up so quickly that he nearly knocked over the chess board; Hermione laughed and smiled at him. He hastily turned around to face her, one hand in his pocket; carefully, he got down on one knee and fumbled around in his robes, trying to grip the small, velvety black box with his sweaty fingers. Ron took a quick look at Hermione's face--she looked puzzled but was almost beaming.

Finally, he managed to get a grip on the box and took it out of his pocket; Harry and Ginny were watching him with fascination. You guys aren't helping! Ron thought furiously. He made sure that the hinges were facing him as he fumbled with to open the box.

"Hermione," Ron said solemnly, as he opened the box, revealing the sparkling diamond ring; he heard Hermione and Ginny gasp in unison, "will you marry me?"

Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she opened her mouth to answer, merely producing a squeak.

Ron waited, holding his breath and crossing his toes inside his shoes. He could barely breathe, and that second seemed to last an hour.

"Yes," she finally choked, and flung her arms around Ron's neck and sobbed. Ron felt his shoulders sag in relief and felt almost shaky. "Yes, Ron, yes...if I would spend the rest of my life with anyone, it would be you...oh Ron..."

Gently, Ron took her arm and slipped the ring on her finger; she broke away from him and looked at it, sniffling; her eyes filled with tears again.

"Oh Ron, it's beautiful...where did you get the money for it?" she said, drying her eyes on her sleeve.

"I saved it. When I told Fred and George...that I wanted to marry you...well, they let me work for them and gave me twice the pay than a normal worker...and...well...that's pretty much it," Ron finished lamely. He grinned apologetically. "Well...I hope it's not bragging but...do you want to know the price?"

"Yes," Hermione said, looking at him with more tears of love in her eyes.

"50 Galleons," he said quietly.

"Wow," Ginny said softly. "Well, she's definitely worth it! She's my sister-in-law now!"

She didn't notice that Harry was tugging at the hem of her robes, where he, like Ron, was on bended knee. "What?" she said impatiently; then her eyes widened.

"Ginny, will you marry me?" Harry asked quickly, pulling a dark red box out of his pocket.

Ginny stared at him for a minute, then exclaimed, "Of course I will, you idiot!" and hugged him tightly.

Hermione stared at Ron, and then at Harry. "Did you two plan this?"

Ron shook his head. "No, I had no idea that this was going to happen..."

Ginny giggled as Harry slipped the ring on her finger. "We'd better not be getting married on the same day..." she muttered.

"We've got to tell your mum," Harry said. "We're all related now!"

"Not yet, Harry! We're not married yet!" Hermione pointed out.

"Well...anyways...let's go tell your mum, Ginny," Harry said, standing up and leading Ginny out of the room by her hand.

"'Bye, you two!" Ginny said, and disappeared with Harry.

"'Bye," Hermione called back, waving; the diamond on her finger caught the light and she gasped.

"What is it?" Ron asked quickly.

"Nothing...it's just that...oh Ron...it's beautiful. And...and I love you. I love you so much." She pulled him into a hug and sobbed into his shoulder.

"I love you too, Hermione." Ron returned the hug and lightly kissed her ear.

All was right with the world.

A/N: Unfortunately, this is the end of the 'I'm a Loser' series. I had a lot of fun writing it (I got stuck a few times) and reading the reviews. Perhaps if you reviewers can convince me, I will write a sequel...until then...

~*~Hermione_Ginny~*~