12A/N: Wow, guys, I am so sorry it has been so long since I have updated. With starting school again and taking 19 hours, I was just too busy or could not figure out what I wanted to write. But I finally got chapter 5 written. It's pretty cute. Enjoy!
Chapter 5: The Proposal
Ginny woke up Saturday morning before anyone else. She sneaked down to the common room and through the portrait hole. She grabbed some biscuits from the kitchen (she was very much like George and Fred, always doing things she shouldn't and always getting away with it), and then she went outside and sat down by the lake. The sun was just coming up. Today was great. She was graduating and would soon start training to be a healer, just like Hermione. But even with the exciting future ahead, she was always going to remember Hogwarts as some of the best years of her life. This place by the lake would be her best memory, though. This was where the love of her life kissed her for the first time; on Halloween. She thought of Harry and knew she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. She didn't know if he felt the same way, but maybe someday he would. She loved him and she always would. She realized now that the sun was farther in the sky and that she had better go and get ready for her big day.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron arrived at Hogwarts before everyone else and saved seats. As the family arrived, including Charlie, Bill, and Percy (who, of course, reconciled with the family after Voldamort's defeat), Hermione noticed that Harry was looking a little nervous.
"Harry, what's wrong?" she whispered.
"What, nothing," Harry replied and tried to look interested in the program.
Hermione knew him better than that, and was about to protest when the ceremony started. As the names were being called, Harry knew Hermione's suspicions were right. He was starting to get a little nervous about asking Ginny to marry him. "This is such a big step," he thought. Just then Ginny's name was finally called. Harry looked up as she walked up to receive her plague. She looked so beautiful, and when she spotted Harry she winked at him. It seemed all his fears melted away. He knew he could do it. He smiled up at her and winked back.
After the ceremony, there was a small ball where everyone could dance, eat lunch, and talk to the graduates. Everyone was keeping Ginny busy and Harry was desperately trying to find a way to get her alone. Just when he thought she would be free, Hermione ran up to her.
"Come on Gin, let's get something to eat and then let's dance."
"Ok," Ginny said, and the two girls walked off laughing.
"Man, what am I going to do," Harry thought. Then he had an idea.
"Ron, I need a favor." Ron, who was sitting next to Harry at one of the tables, looked up from stuffing his face.
"Sure mate, what."
"Ron, I need you to distract Hermione so I can get Ginny alone."
"What, well, ok but how?"
"You can ask her to dance," Harry said with a smirk.
Ron about choked on his food, "What, no way."
"Ron you have to. Please, for me."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine," he huffed. "I'll try." Ron got up and headed towards Ginny and Hermione
"And don't take "no" for an answer," Harry yelled after him.
Ron felt his stomach flip-flop as he walked up to a laughing Ginny and Hermione.
"Uh, Hermione," he mumbled.
She turned around to face him wearing a bright smile, "Yes, Ron, what do you want?"
"Well, I was wondering," he started, his face getting very red, "If you would dance with me."
The smile faded from her face and she and Ginny gave him a surprised stare. "Really?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded, scared of her answer. He might be helping Harry out, but he wanted to dance with her more than anything.
"Sure, I guess. I mean, I'd love to."
Ron was shocked at her answer, but very pleased. "Really, well then, um, shall we dance," he said as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.
Quickly Harry walked up to Ginny, grabbed her hand, and pulled her outside of the Great Hall, down the hallways, and onto the dark grounds. She was in such shock at the abrupt way he led her outside, she couldn't say anything until they reached the lake. She stopped and put her hands on her hips; her eyes narrowed.
"Harry Potter, why did you drag me out of there like that? What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, Ginny. I just needed to talk to you in private and I couldn't do that in there."
Her eyes softened and she grabbed his hands, "Oh, um, well what is it.?"
Before Harry would say anything he pulled out his wand and flicked his wrist. About a hundred lit candles appeared above the lake, illuminating the sky. Then a stone bench popped up behind them and Harry motioned for her to sit. Ginny's mouth dropped open as she looked at the glittering lights and she sat down slowly.
She turned her head and looked into Harry's eyes. "Oh, Harry, this is beautiful. What is this all for?"
"Well, Ginny, I wanted to show you how much I love you," Harry said as he took her hand.
"Oh, Harry, I love you so much. The fact you would do something like this just for graduation is so wonderful," exclaimed Ginny as she jumped up and flung her arms around Harry.
"Well, Ginny," Harry stammered, "I didn't just do this for your graduation. Um, sit down a sec." Ginny sat back down on the bench and looked up at Harry with a puzzled look.
"Well, ya see, Ginny, um… why is this so hard," he mumbled.
"Harry, whatever it is, just say it," Ginny said softly with her amazing smile he loved to see. That smile gave him enough courage for a lifetime. Without saying a word Harry bent down on one knee and took Ginny's left hand.
"Ginny, I love you more than I can express. I know you just graduated, and I know I am still in training, and I know we might need to wait a short while, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Ginny brought her free hand to her mouth.
"Ginny Weasley," Harry continued, as he pulled out a small box opening it to reveal a silver band with a beautiful diamond sparkling bright in the candle light.
"Will you marry me?"
And with those words, Harry found himself on his back as Ginny squealed, "Get out."(A/N: this really happened to some people I know. Hehe.)
"What?" Harry asked in bewilderment. What just happened, he thought.
Realizing what she had done, Ginny rushed to Harry and helped him up.
"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, I was just so surprised." She took Harry's face in her hands and kissed him. "Of course, Harry Potter, I will marry you," she said. Harry broke out in a smile, slipped the ring on her finger, and brought Ginny back to the stone bench. He sat down and she sat on his lap.
"This has got to be one of the best days of my life," Harry said, holding Ginny around her waist
"Mine too," she replied. "Oh my, we have to tell everyone."
"Well, your parents already know cause I asked permission,"
"Wow, bet they liked that, "Ginny said.
Harry laughed, "That's exactly how Ron put it and, yeah, they did. And yeah, I told Ron cause, well, ya know"
"Oh yeah, his over protectiveness. Well, you're alive so I guess he took it well."
"Yeah, he hugged me." They both laughed.
"Well," said Ginny, "That just leaves the rest of my family, friends, and of course, our best friend, Hermione. Did you not tell her so I could?"
"Yep, thought you should be the one to do it. Let's go inside and find her." Both stood up and Harry made the lights and bench, disappear.
"Sad," Ginny said. "They were so beautiful."
"Don't worry; I had Collin Creevy go up in one of the windows and take a picture. But, my luck, he took it when you pushed me on the ground." They both burst out laughing again and headed inside hand in hand.
When they got inside, they noticed Ron was no longer dancing with Hermione but with a girl neither had seen before. She had long dark hair and was very pretty. Ron seemed to be a bit uncomfortable. Hermione was sitting at a table talking with Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. She looked a bit upset and was hiding it from everyone; except, of course, Harry and Ginny.
Ginny leaned over to Harry, "Uh oh, looks like something happened with those two. You get Ron, and I'll get Hermione. "Ok," Harry said and kissed her on the cheek. Then he went over to where Ron was.
Ginny made her way to the table where her three friends were sitting. "Hey guys, um, Hermione can I talk to you for a second. Excuse us for a moment, guys. Sorry."
"No problem," Neville said, and he and Luna got up to dance.
"What's up, Ginny. Where did you and Harry go."
"Well, I'll tell ya in a sec. Why aren't you dancing with Ron?"
"Oh, well, we were in the middle of a conversation and that girl cut in so I came to sit down."
"I'm sorry, Hermione."
"Why? It's no big deal. So why were you two gone? Tell me," Hermione insisted.
Ginny didn't want to push Hermione too much, and she was dying to tell her about what had just happened. "Well, Hermione, Harry had to give me….," Ginny brought up her left hand and showed the ring, "This."
Hermione let out a squeal, "Oh my gosh." Many heads turned towards the girls. Hermione lowered her voice, "Is that what I think it is?"
Ginny giggled and nodded her head.
"Ginny, I am so happy for you. Tell me everything that happened. Ginny grinned as she began to tell Hermione her exciting news.
Harry squeezed through the crowd to Ron and the dark-haired girl. She was talking excitedly. Ron saw Harry and looked at him with pleading eyes. Harry quickly walked up to them and directed his attention to the girl.
"Excuse me, um…" The girl stopped talking and looked at Harry. "Oh, April," she said, not loosing her excited look.
"Well, April, sorry to bother you, but I need to talk Ron, please.
April's face fell a bit, "Well ok. Ron, I am so glad to of met you. Thanks for the dance, and keep up the good work." Then she walked off.
"Thanks mate. She was starting to scare me." Ron and Harry made their way through the crowd.
"Who was she?" Harry asked when they had gotten to an empty table and sat down.
"She is a cousin to one of the girls who graduated with Ginny. She went here but was a few years ahead of us so we didn't really know her. But she is a BIG Chudly Canons fan. I was flattered at first, but she started shooting off all of the teams stats. She knew our ages, height, and all this personal stuff, by HEART."
"Well, Ron, you are famous. The team is doing great so you had better expect it."
"I know, Harry, but I'm just not used to it yet. Plus Hermione and I had just started talking about her job and how she just got transferred back here. I told April to wait, but Hermione insisted so she left."
"Well you better apologize and show her how you feel."
"I can't do that, Harry. I'll apologize, but that's it."
"Whatever, Ron. You are so daft. Um, not to change the subject, but I did it. Ginny and I are engaged."
Ron gave Harry a slap on the back, "That's great, how did ya do it?" he asked.
"Well, I think Ginny is going to tell that to everyone when we get back to the Burrow. And you're parents seem like they are ready to go" By now Ginny had told the whole family (who were ecstatic) and the ball was coming to an end.
Back at the Burrow everyone gathered around to hear how Harry purposed to Ginny. Afterwards, Mrs. Weasley started dinner and the rest of them were sitting around talking. Ron took this chance to talk to Hermione. He found her on the couch reading a book.
"Hey, Hermione, ya want to go for a quick walk with me." She looked up from her book.
"Well, sure."
Harry and Ginny were sitting on a chair talking to Mr. Weasley. They say the two leave, and smiled.
A/N: Well, hope ya liked it. Hopefully I can get the next chapter up soon. I do apologize that it takes me so long now. Have a great day, guys.