On the Edge of a Cliff

Chapter two

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"Will you marry me?"

Hermione just stared. Harry reached in to his pocket and pulled out a dark red velvet box. He stuck up his hand and gave it to her. Hermione was too stunned to even use this moment to grab Harry and pull him to safety. She opened the box. Inside was a delicate silver ring with a large diamond on it. Hermione's hand went to her cheek in shock.

"Oh Harry," she breathed, "It's amazing. It's so beautiful."

Harry smiled, "I knew you'd like it."

"Oah you were right. It's so- Oah!"

"That's because I know you, Hermione. I know you better than anyone. I know you better than I know myself. So... will you?"

Hermione was still staring at the ring, stroking it gently. "Will I what?" she asked, distantly

"Marry me?!"

"Oh! Oh. Harry, I'm so flattered. I really am. But I-"

"If you say no I'll just die," Harry pleaded, "Honestly. I will."

"Harry, this isn't fair! You're hanging off the edge of a cliff for flip's sake! You can't guilt anyone into marrying you! We have to love each other."

"But I love you."

"Harry, I - I -"

She looked down at the ring that held carefully between her fingers. It was exquisite; it must have cost Harry a fortune. Draco was always buying her expensive presents. The antique broach, the sapphire necklace, that silk scarf. But the broach reminded her of her grandmother and she'd never liked sapphires. She liked Rubies. Red was her favourite colour. Draco had bought her a white silk scarf. Harry had given her an engagement ring in a box of her favourite colour. It was true. He did know her. But the question was, did she know him.

"Harry?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Cut that out."

Harry seemed to sense something in her voice that told him it would be a good idea to stop. Now. "OK."

"If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you'd save?"

Harry didn't even consider it. "My Photo album. You know that."

It was true, she did know. "Not Hedwig?"

"Hedwig would find her own way out. I'd unlock her cage if I needed to."

But that was an easy one. Even Neville knew how much Harry's Photo Album meant to him.

"What's your favourite geometric shape?"

"What?"

"Your favourite geometric shape," Hermione repeated, "Square? Rectangle? Octagon? Dodecahedron?"

Triangle she thought he's going to say triangle. Come on Harry. Triangle, triangle, triangle-

"Triangle."

Hermione gasped. Not just at her correct guess but at her reaction. Was she... cheering him on? Now she had confused herself. Why did she have to test him? Why couldn't she have just said no, gone out with Draco and be done with it?

Because I love him. I've always loved him. Since the second year when he saved my life. I loved him.

She looked at the ring again, noticing how it shone in the light.

"So?"

"I'm thinking," she said vaguely.

"Hermione!"

"I'm- Oh my god!"

The back of Harry's pullover was ripping. He was rapidly falling further and further away from her. She seized the side of the cliff and leaned over, reaching as far as she could manage. Harry reached up. They grabbed each other's hands. For a second Hermione thought she felt a kind of fuzzy feeling under her fingertips, like electricity. She tried to pull him up. Once he'd put his own hands firmly on the side of the cliff Hermione held out her other hand to help him fully on to the surface. As she did so, the ring slipped from her fingers and quickly sped towards the sea below.

"Oh no! Harry, the ring."

"I'll get you another one," Harry told her, "That is, if you want it."

Hermione didn't even need to think about it.

"Yes!"

THE END