Chocolate & Pumpkin Ice Cream

It seemed that his streak of teenage rebellion had never left George. When he was younger, he had never listened to what his parents had said (well, if it involved praise that was a different matter), and had often done the exact opposite of what his parents (especially his mother) had told him to do.

That was probably why it was so hard for him to come to a final decision.

Pretty much since he and Hermione had started their relationship, he had always considered the possibility of marriage, and that gut feeling had grown stronger and stronger as time had passed and they had grown more secure in their relationship.

Then everything had changed. Their relationship had come out into the open and since then he had been constantly pestered by members of his family to marry Hermione.

But, being George, he never did what people wanted, even if it was what he wanted, too.

George splashed cold water on his face, then stared at himself in the mirror for a moment before grabbing a towel. He took a deep breath as he studied his reflection one more time (he always seemed to become more vain when he was nervous).

Intent on making an impression (even though it was Hermione), he had dressed up slightly, wearing a smart shirt, though no tie, and a pair of designer trousers he had received for his last birthday. The brother he had received them from (he forgot which) assured him they were very expensive.

He was meeting Hermione in Diagon Alley. She was working today at 3W, and when George had talked to her through the fire she had welcomed the idea of a lunch break with him.

She was just finishing up when George arrived. Hermione looked at him curiously. "Are you all right? You don't look well."

Hermione had a point. He looked positively pale beneath his many freckles.

"I'm fine. A little tired, that's all," he lied. In truth he felt awful, but, he reasoned, it was just nerves.

Much to George's protests, he found himself sat at a table in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlour. Of course, Hermione ordered chocolate and pumpkin flavour ice cream. It seemed that the babies were still as partial to that flavour as ever.

Hermione was talking energetically about a new product Fred had created by accident and how she thought it was going to be a huge hit with their customers and that she thought the George and Fred really should open up a shop in Hogsmeade as the Hogwarts students could really do with some competition for Zonko's.

George found himself only half listening to her, gazing lovingly at Hermione and thinking about how much everything had changed since July and Ron's wedding.

His lack of attention didn't go unnoticed by Hermione. She pursed her lips. "George, what did I just say?" He snapped out of his thoughts to see Hermione looking at him, half-glaring and half-amused. "Um... Fred's got a betting pool on about the twins genders?"

"He does?" asked Hermione. "Huh. That's news to me." She looked curious. "What are you thinking about. George looked into his now-empty ice cream bowl. He had had mint chocolate chip, and there were still a few traces of the green ice cream in the bowl. "Nothing much."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but decided not to say anything else.

"Oh my God! Hermione you look great!"

George smirked seeing Hermione wince. He had almost forgotten that Ginny was currently back from the states. The youngest Weasley appeared by Hermione's side. She grinned at her brother, then smothered Hermione in a sort of half-hug. Hermione didn't look to happy.

Ginny didn't make things easy for Hermione. While it wasn't exactly easy to forget she was pregnant, Ginny managed to bring up this fact at every opportunity, annoying Hermione greatly.

"Y'know, I really should pop into 3W and see that new invention Fred's done," said George.

Hermione scowled. He heard her mutter something that sounded like 'lucky sod', and he grinned, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek.

Before he pulled back, he whispered two words that Ginny couldn't hear, but Hermione heard as clear as day: "Marry me."

George straightened himself up and grinned at Hermione. "See you later," he told Ginny before Disapparating, leaving a very flustered Hermione behind.

Ginny eyed Hermione almost suspiciously. "Hermione, is there something wrong?" she asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." She paused slightly. "Ginny, I was just wondering. How did you feel when Peter proposed?"

The youngest Weasley grinned at her. "I was really embarrassed," she admitted. "Well, it was in front of all my friends and my brothers." Hermione had to agree with her there. Peter had asked her to marry him at the same party where her and George's relationship had been made public.

"It was also probably one of the best feelings in my life," Ginny continued. "I felt incredible. I was also a bit relieved - I was starting to wonder if he'd ever ask me."

"But how did you know whether to say yes?"

Ginny didn't even have to think about this. "I just knew. It was like instinct." She looked at Hermione suspiciously. "Has George proposed?" she asked, her eyes narrowed with curiosity.

"No!" Hermione lied quickly, and, strangely enough, Ginny appeared to believe her. Hermione gave an inward sigh of relief. 'I never knew she was so gullible.' Hermione finished off her ice cream, and listened half-heartedly to Ginny who was talking excitedly about the wedding preparations.

Know Hermione understood why George hadn't been paying much attention to her before. He had clearly had his mind in other places. She had some serious thinking to do.

The house was strangely quiet when Hermione arrived home from her shift at 3W. It was now December, a busy time at 3W because of the Christmas rush. It was amazing how popular their special mistletoe was - the plant was specially enchanted so that if two people stood under it they had to kiss, or their feet would stay stuck to the ground.

George had offered to put some up around the house, but Hermione had point blank refused.

After ten minutes of not being able to find George anywhere, Hermione had just given up looking for him and was putting the kettle on for a cup of tea when she heard a noise outside. A noise that sounded suspiciously like a car.

But that was ridiculous. George didn't own a car.

Curious to see who it was, she went outside where she found George sat behind the wheel of a very impressive-looking car.

"Where did you get that?" she asked.

George grinned at her. "I bought it." Hermione's eyes widened.

"You bought it? But it must have cost a fortune!" He shrugged nochantly.

"The merger left me and Fred with quite a bit of extra spending money. I thought I'd treat her." He opened the passenger door and motioned for Hermione to join him. Feeling slightly dazed that he had bought a car without even mentioning it to her (not that she was mad), she sat in the passenger seat.

"Why a car?" Hermione asked.

"Why not?" was his reply.

"Good point." She stared in wonder at the car. It was brand new - definitely not second hand. After a moment, she realised that George was staring expectantly at her.

"So?" he questioned.

"It's really nice," Hermione told him enthusiastically.

He looked slightly disappointed. Hermione was confused before he said, "I was actually referring to this morning and what I asked you."

Hermione bowed her head. "Ah." She chewed on her lip. She hadn't been able to concentrate on her job all day because of those two words he had muttered in her ear that morning at the ice cream parlour. Marry me. Those words were going to be permanently etched on her brain.

She had completely ruined a display a indoor fireworks because she was so busy contemplating her choices, and Fred had almost sent her home three times (he, of course, thought it was her hormones playing up as she had not mentioned it to anyone).

Slowly, the brunette witch looked up, turning her head towards George. "Yes." He grinned.