More Than the Cannons

"Will she say yes?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask her?"

"You don't know? I need to know before I ask her! Can you imagine if she said no? I'd have to live the rest of my life with the fact that first woman I ever loved said no to spending the rest of her life with me!" Ron Weasley exclaimed, tugging at his hair as if it would help him in any sort of way. He was pulling it rather hard.

Harry Potter spun around to face his best friend, his eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. He had been storming away from the deluded redhead for the past six flights, and now that they reached the entrance to the common room, Harry decided to stop it.

"Ronald Jacob WEASLEY! If you don't stop pestering me about this then I will be forced to hex you until your skin remains permanently purple!" the green-eyed boy screamed, his face growing red, his chest heaving.

Ron shut his mouth and pouted, looking extremely put out by his best friend's lack of information. He crossed his arms and brushed past Harry and into the common room. Harry rolled his eyes for the hundredth time today and followed him.

The common room was eerily empty, for it was the last dinner of the year; everyone had gone down to the Great Hall already. The next day, Harry and Ron will take the Hogsmeade Express for the last time, and head out to the world as fully trained legal wizards.

"You're no help," Ron muttered as he started towards the portrait hole. Harry just sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Do you love her?" he asked simply, not looking up at Ron. The red head stopped abruptly, and turned around to look at his companion.

"How could you even question that? Of course I love her!" he shouted, throwing his arms above his head. "I love her more than...more than...the Cannons. I would pass up season tickets, front row seats, for the rest of my life if she would just have me as her husband." By the end of this, Ron was very pink, and all Harry could do was laugh.

"That's all you have to do, tell Hermione that." He joined his friend and put his hands on his shoulders, giving him an encouraging squeeze.

"Tell Hermione what?" a new voice asked. The two boys spun towards the portrait hole to see that Hermione Granger stood there, her arms crossed and a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Ron's face immediately flushed and he pushed Harry away from him.

"N-nothing sweetheart. Just talking about having one last meeting in the common room tonight," he lied, hoping that she wouldn't notice. Hermione rolled her eyes and sent him her 'I-don't-believe-you-but-I'm-going-to-play-dumb' look.

"I came up here to see if you guys were still alive, it was getting quite lonely down there." Hermione walked up to Ron and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling softly. Ron, on the other hand, stared down at her in complete shock, his eyes wide with fear. Hermione noticed immediately and pushed away from him, her hands landing on her hips. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Harry cut in, smiling brightly. "We're both just so happy to see you, you know, all of us together, on our last day!" Both Hermione and Ron stared at him.

Hermione's arm slipped around Ron's waist, giving him a hug, even though she still looked suspicious. Her hand found his pocket, its favorite resting spot. Ron felt her hand's movement, and the redhead fidgeted immediately, jumping away from her and grabbing his side.

"Sure! Nothing's wrong!" Hermione exclaimed, crossing her arms and staring angrily at her boyfriend. "Why are you acting so funny? Did you guys break something of mine?"

Ron threw up his hands, his patented annoyed face forming in seconds. Harry sighed and slid onto the couch, getting ready for another dose of Ron versus Hermione. He thought it was rather appropriate, since it was their last day; the two hadn't fought in about a month.

"You always think we're up to something, just because we're not perfect like you!" he yelled, but he didn't accomplish what he wanted (he didn't really want it, but it was something he was used to).

Instead of screaming back, Hermione actually smiled and stepped towards him, her hands on his chest. Harry raised his eyebrows in amusement, and leaned into the sofa to get comfortable.

"You think I'm perfect?" Hermione asked the redhead, her fingers tracing over the seams of his cloak. Ron watched her fingers move before he looked her in the eyes, they were shining with what looked to Harry like excitement.

"Of course I do," he said softly, taking her hands in his. "Everything about you is absolutely perfect."

"No, not my hair, that's always a mess." she whispered, causing Harry to snort. Hermione stuck out her tongue at Harry in a playful gesture, but Ron just shook his head, squeezing her hands.

"I love your hair. I love everything about it, just like I love everything about you."

Harry watched as Hermione slowly turned her gaze back on her boyfriend, and he wondered if Ron had finally managed to build up enough of his Gryffindor courage.

"What's with all the compliments?" she asked, but she didn't as if she minded them.

Harry watched as Ron closed his eyes and took a deep breath; the bloody idiot was going to do it. His green eyes widened with anticipation as Ron dropped to one knee, Hermione's left hand still in both of his.

Hermione's expression was one of excitement and absolute confusion. Her smile was twisted and her eyes were as big as Quaffles, watching every movement her boyfriend made. Ron gulped, looking very pink and very green at the same time.

"The reason I didn't let you into my pocket...well, I have something in there for you...er...well, if you'll accept it," he stuttered, his smile growing wider. Hermione laughed slightly, as if she was short of breath.

"Ron, you know I love anything and everything you give me!" her voice was slightly strained, as if she was holding in a scream. Ron released one of her hand and reached into his pocket. Harry watched as Hermione began to shake slightly, and he actually felt a tugging at his heart. He wondered for a second if he should let the two share this moment privately, but in the end, he decided that this could not be missed.

"Hermione...from that first day on the Hogwarts Express, I knew that I'd end up having to deal with you for the rest of my time at school." The two shared a laugh and Ron pulled a small object out of his pocket. It was a gray box. Hermione released a very soft squeak. "And we did...and now I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Hermione, my soul mate, will you--"

He attempted to open the box with his thumb, but it slipped from his hand and went soaring past her. Harry roared with laughter as Ron dived to catch it, which he did, landing on his stomach with a thud. Hermione gasped and was quickly at his side to roll him onto his back.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice full of concern. The redhead nodded as she brushed some of his hair out of his face. Ron sat up with his legs straight out in front of him, and Hermione next to him, legs under her.

"I'll be absolutely perfect if...if you'll marry me?" he asked, rather than answering her question. With both of his hands, Ron opened the small gray box, and revealed a very simple sparkling engagement ring.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock and she covered her mouth with her clasped hands. Harry grinned widely, leaning towards them and trying to see the ring. It was a simple gold band with a single diamond, but the really amazing part about it was the inscription inside (that Hermione hadn't seen yet). It simply read, "September 1^st, 1991- Eternity," and Harry was very proud of his stubborn best friend for it.

There was dead silence for a few moments, and Ron's face grew red with anticipation.

"Hermione?" he asked softly, pushing the ring closer to her. Her eyes left the ring and she looked up at him. She put her hands away from her face and on her lap, and Ron was relieved to see that she was smiling.

"Can we have lots of red-headed bushy haired children?" Hermione whispered, leaning towards him. Ron nodded excitedly, taking the ring out of its box and slipping it on her finger. A very 'un-Hermione like' giggle escaped her lips.

"With big front teeth and horrible tempers," he responded, kissing her softly. Hermione laughed in the middle of their kiss and threw her arms around his shoulders.

"And Uncle Harry will tell them stories of our adventures!" She kissed him again, toppling him down to the ground.

Harry rolled his eyes and got up to sit on the ground near them, waiting to give his congratulations. The two lovers were so enthralled with each other that it took a shove in Ron's shoulder to knock them out of it. Hermione immediately threw her arms around Harry, laughing more happily than she ever had in her life.

"Oh Harry! You knew didn't you?" she exclaimed, pulling away from him and falling into Ron's arms. Harry nodded happily, rolling his eyes.

"He's only been pestering me since last week. 'Will she say yes? Oh, I'd give up life tickets for the Cannons if she did!'" Ron reached around Hermione to swat Harry in the head, but he dodged his friend and the trio laughed.

"Really Ron? You'd give up the Cannons for me?" Hermione asked, looking back and smiling brightly. Ron nodded, and he kissed her forehead.

"Of course!" Ron answered immediately. "There isn't anything I want more in the world than to be your wife-er-I mean, for you to be my wife." But it was too late. Hermione and Harry were doubling over on the floor laughing, and Ron couldn't help but join in.

After the laughter had died down, the three stood, and Harry conjured up three goblets of pumpkin juice (they were still in Hogwarts, after all). He lifted his towards the two, and they followed his actions.

"Let this be just the first of many more memorable events in your lives," he said, smiling softly. The clanged their cups and each took a drink, completing their journey through Hogwarts, and starting that new trek called life.