Parallel

CHAPTER 6: ROMANTIC INTERLUDE/RON'S PROPOSAL

It only took them a short time to reach the Gryffindor common room; fortunately the Fat Lady, whose portrait served as the doorway and usually required a password which seemed to change at her whim, was awake and seemed to be in fairly good humour. Her eyebrows rose at the sight of Harry and Ginny with their arms around each other and stealing looks of love at one another, but simply said, "Password."

"Valentine's Day," Harry said. Which reminded him, he had to get Ginny something--and he was sure that she had something in mind for him. For the time being, however, all that mattered was that they would soon be alone together.

The portrait hole opened up and he carried Ginny through, as if carrying her over the threshold, then they headed for the cushy chair nearest the fire, which was always kept going--if only for those who needed to use it for quick transportation via the Floo Network. In this case, however, it would simply serve as a romantic backdrop to the young lovers' private rendezvous.

Harry seated himself in the chair, then pulled Ginny into his lap and manoeuvred her so that her lower legs hung over the chair arm, but her head was on his shoulder and his arms gently but securely around her. Her silky red-gold hair tickled the bare skin of his cheek as it rested there; she sighed happily as he laced his fingers and rested them on the indented curve of her slender waist.

"Comfortable?" he asked tenderly, moving to plant a warm kiss on the top of her head.

She simply gave a soft murmur of assent, then laid her cheek on his shoulder again, resting one small hand over his heart. Again, it was Heaven to feel Ginny close to him and smell the honeysuckle scent which seemed to emanate from every part of her.

"You know something?" he finally ventured to say.

"What?" she prompted.

"I wasn't sure how you were going to react after you ran toward me that day of the Quidditch Cup match and I simply pulled you close and kissed you. I didn't even ask your permission," Harry recalled, still unsure of how Ginny had seen that day and his most unexpected actions in response to her throwing herself into his arms. "What's more, I snogged you in front of at least fifty people, including Ron and Hermione!"

Ginny didn't reply, simply manoeuvred so that their faces were close, then kissed him deeply. Harry had always thought the claim that seeing pinwheels, stars and flashing lights when a romantic partner kissed you was a lot of codswallop--but now he knew it was true, because he was experiencing it right now. For a long time, they simply continued to kiss long and tenderly; surely he could not have felt happier in his entire life. It seemed as though it wasn't really his own life he was living at all; it seemed such a drastic change from what he was used to ... but he certainly wasn't complaining! Especially not if he could love and be loved by the sweetest girl he had ever known--or would ever know.

It was several blissful moments later before she reluctantly released his lips. He couldn't help thinking that it had seemed to last just as long as the public kiss they had shared the day of the Quidditch Cup. In fact, if it lasted much longer, Harry was sure his mind would go completely blank and he would be unable to think at all, just feel. But Ginny seemed to know just when and where to stop, for it was at this point she looked up at him, her whole heart in her soft brown eyes.

"If I minded, do you really think I would be here now? It was pure Heaven. In fact, for a time, I couldn't think of anything but your arms around me and your lips on mine. By the time you released me, I scarcely knew my own name. I was stunned and surprised at what you'd done, certainly, but most happily so. You may be certain of that, beloved ... for now and always!"

This time it was Harry's turn to be happily stunned. He couldn't speak for a while, he felt so much, so deeply, for the girl in his arms, that he knew that he was unlikely to ever feel like this again--for anyone else. Only Ginny. "I love you, Ginevra Molly Weasley."

"And I love you, Harry James Potter." Those were the last words exchanged between the loving pair for the remainder of the evening. It was late when Ron and Hermione returned from their own rendezvous, and it was the latter who gently nudged Ron upon noting Harry and Ginny curled up together in the armchair nearest the fire, arms wrapped around each other and both sound asleep ... but with blissfully happy looks on their faces.

"Would you care to speculate on what those two have been up to this evening?" Hermione asked with a knowing smile.

"Not necessary," Ron replied. "It's pretty bloody obvious."

"You don't mind any more?" Hermione tossed back. "Once you got over the shock of Harry's kissing Ginny in front of us and all of Gryffindor House, you were ready to take him apart piece by piece."

"That was before it registered as to how happy Ginny was after he'd done it. Shocked and stunned, yes, but at the same time, happier than I've ever seen her. Besides, he knows he'd better treat her right. Especially since if he doesn't, he'll have six extremely ticked-off elder brothers to contend with ... and I'd be at the head of the pack. He'd have to be totally mental to knowingly risk that!"

Naturally they made sure to keep their voices down in order not to disturb the sleeping lovers and decided not to bother them, simply making their own goodnights after a long kiss as well as a mental note to bring it up to at least one of them at the first opportunity. Ron had already vowed to be the one to track down Harry and tell him what he and Hermione had seen, but even as he prepared for bed in the boys' dormitory, his bed not far from the one Harry normally occupied, Ron was almost dead certain that Hermione would manage to do it first, despite his best efforts.

* * * * *

But what ended up happening on the romantic front wasn't at all what Ron expected. As a result of the discreet spiking of his butterbeer by Harry, Ron was even seriously considering proposing to Hermione--and not only that, setting a definite date for their marriage! He thought that Valentine's Day the following year would be perfect. Now all he had to do was propose and suggest that day for their marriage.

As soon as Hermione got home from work (her hours as a trainee teacher were somewhat later than Ron's at the Ministry) Ron greeted her as he normally did, with their usual kiss and hug ... but what happened after that wasn't normal--and anything but routine. "Come sit with me on the couch, Hermione."

Her eyes widened but she didn't question him, simply followed him there, and they sat down together. "What is it, Ron?"

"There's something very important I need to ask you. This isn't going to be easy for me, so don't say anything until I'm finished."

She looked thoroughly mystified by now, but nodded in agreement.

"Well ... you know how long we've been together ..." She nodded again. "... I hope you also know how much I ... love you, even if I can't always say it or show it as I should."

Again, Hermione said nothing, simply reached to take his hands in hers; both blushed as their eyes met, then Ron swallowed hard and started again. "I'm sorry for taking so bloody long to do this, but ... well ... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I--don't want to lose you. Not now, not ever. Would you ..." ... marry me? she finished in her mind, her heart pounding in excited anticipation, sure that the long-awaited proposal was only moments away. It was several tense moments later that Ron finally finished his sentence. "Oh, bloody hell! Why does this have to be ... so ... effing hard? I ... I want to ... marry you!"

There was another tense silence as Hermione let this sink in. Ron had finally proposed! The silence lengthened until it was almost unbearable, but neither seemed able to break it until Ron swallowed hard and made himself say again, clear and true, "Hermione, I ... love you. I've always ... loved you. Please ... marry me."

That was when Hermione smiled back, tears of happiness in her eyes as she reached to cradle Ron's face in her hands. "Yes, Ron. A thousand times yes!" Then she kissed him, long and deeply. This time it was Ron who experienced the stars, pinwheels and flashing lights. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" she continued once they had separated.

"Hard enough," he returned, even as he took her hand and raised it to his lips, then placed it on his nearest cheek.

"Just the same, you had to know that I would accept," she countered. "You have just made me the happiest woman in the whole wizarding world, Ronald Bilius Weasley."

"Just as you have made me ... the happiest man ... Hermione Jane Granger."

"Wait till we tell Harry and Ginny!" she exclaimed happily; her happiness was infectious, so Ron echoed her enthusiasm. "You can have Harry as your best man, and I can have Ginny as my bridesmaid ... or matron of honour, depending on when she and Harry finally get married."

"Hermione ... there's something else," Ron remarked, voice almost too quiet for her to catch.

"Such as?" she prompted.

"When did you ... want to ... get married?"

"Whenever you like," she tossed back. "Seriously, I think Valentine's Day would be a lovely day to get married. The day for lovers and all."

"Not this one, though. Next year," he said.

"Of course not this one, silly," Hermione laughed. "That's far too soon. Next year." A moment later her expression sobered. "I just realized ... that's an entire year away." After another tense silence, she spoke again. "Just the same, knowing your mum, it will likely take that long to get everything organized, your family being so large and all. Me, being an only child, I just have my parents."

"When did you want to ... tell our parents?" Ron asked, happier than he could ever remember being in his life, yet still apprehensive at what lay ahead for his and Hermione's future life together, for obvious reasons.

"How about your birthday next month?" his new fiancée suggested. "We can go see my folks first, then the Burrow to break it to your family. By then, you should be able to get me the proper rings."

"I knew ... I forgot ... something!" Ron exclaimed. "Sorry, luv."

"It's all right," she soothed him, stroking his lips with a finger. "What matters is that you finally managed to propose. We can go together to pick out the rings ... that is, unless you would prefer Harry and Ginny to help us."

"That ... might be ... a good idea," Ron found himself agreeing. "I'm ... getting tired, though. Let's ... go to bed." Even as long as they'd been living and sleeping together, Ron found that difficult to say. But he wasn't too worried; Hermione had enough brass for both of them.

"After I shower. I like to be clean when we go to bed, you know," Hermione reminded him.

In spite of himself, Ron couldn't help recalling how sweet Hermione had always smelled, particularly when she had just come out of the shower. Her rose-musk perfume never failed to send his libido into the stratosphere ... not to mention the times when she would come out of the bathroom in just a towel--then drop it once she knew he was watching, so he could feast his hungry eyes on her nude beauty. He had never seen a woman naked before this, but doubted anyone could look as beautiful as his own. And now she would be his wife ...

"I'll be waiting for you," he directed, getting up and turning in the direction of their bedroom, thankful that he had already showered shortly before her return.

"I'll be there shortly," she promised with a sly wink, already planning to use her rose-musk perfume again ... maybe even wear just a towel again, then call to him and drop it once he looked in her direction.