Title: Popping the Question

Author: Emmyjean

Classification: H/G, humor

Rating: PG

Summary: Nothing can ever be easy when it comes to dealing with the Weasleys - particularly not something that most people wouldn’t consider an easy thing to do in the first place. One cold November evening, Harry learns the hard way the true meaning of “close-knit”.

Author’s Notes: This is a little something I half-wrote while I was in France, before OotP came out...and I just found it as I was doing backup files and decided to finish it. Nothing wrong with a little fluff now and again...God knows Harry needs some. :)

~~

Harry stood on the walkway about ten feet from the front door of the Burrow...he was not going to back down now. He’d made a decision, and that was that. It was no use disgracing the name of Gryffindor by turning tail and running, even though half the disgrace was already done owing to the fact that he wanted nothing more at that moment than to do just that. Taking a breath and steeling himself, he reasoned it out once more as he took the last few yards to the house.

Of course she’d say yes...why wouldn’t she? True, they’d only come back together a few weeks ago – after it was finally safe to do so - but what was a few weeks of formalities when they’d been in love for years? Well, he thought contritely, she’d been in love for years. He was new to these feelings...compared to her, that is. He’d only been in love with her for half that time. True, he’d only just definitively admitted as much on Halloween...but had he? Stopping just as he was about to knock, he furrowed his brows and thought hard. Come to think of it, he couldn’t recall ever having told her he loved her...he’d said something along those lines. Hadn’t he? Surely she got the idea...she knew he wasn’t much for expressing himself well.

Didn’t she?

Just as he was about to reconsider and pull out his wand to disapparate, the door flew open and he was confronted with the sight of Ginny herself. She wasn’t looking at him, however...she was yelling back over her shoulder at someone he presumed to be Mrs. Weasley.

“Alright, Mum...I’ll tell her to just have it delivered when it’s ready and have done with it! Honestly,” she went on a bit more quietly as she yanked a green plaid hat down over her head, “I don’t know why it has to be such a...oof!”

She let out a soft grunt as she slammed headfirst into his chest. He caught her arms to keep her from falling, and then she peered up into his face...although she had to lift her chin irregularly due to the fact that the hat was right at her eyeline.

“Harry! What are you doing here?”

“I, um...” he began, and then found he wanted to vomit all of a sudden. Her warm brown eyes had never looked so intimidating to him as they did at that moment, half-hidden and inquisitive. She looked at once frightening and utterly adorable. He couldn’t tell if she was frowning or not - her eyebrows were covered - as she asked,

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work until six?”

He nodded, then cast a quick glance over her head into the kitchen...Mrs. Weasley wasn’t within view, but he could hear her cluttering around in there, and he didn’t want her to see him just yet. If he was distracted or delayed, he’d lose his nerve. Setting his jaw, he reached out and grabbed Ginny’s shoulder, pulling her outside to stand on the front porch with him.

“Listen, Ginny...yes, normally I’m at work until later, but...”

“Did you get off early? Well, dinner’s not for another hour or so, but if you want...”

“Ginny,” he interrupted in a voice meant to shush her, “Hold on. There’s...I left work early so that I could talk to you before everyone else gets here.”

“Who’s everyone?” she asked, and now her tone told him she was frowning. He smiled humorlessly and replied,

“Well...Ron, basically.”

She remained silent, but looked at him as though he might be coming down with something...and he would be any moment if they had to stand for any longer than they already had in the frigid November air. It was already starting to snow a little. He took a breath and admitted quietly, “These last few weeks have been...Ginny, they’ve been the best of my life.”

She smiled then and replied, “Mine too, Harry. But you don’t have to keep saying it, you know.”

“What?”

“Well,” she shrugged, rubbing his arm fondly, “I’m not high-maintenance. We just talked about this the other night, remember, and you said the same thing...well, basically, that is...”

“Ginny,” he interrupted again, recalling with irony the fact that he hadn’t believed Ron when he’d told him quiet little Ginny was a motormouth all those years ago, “Wait a minute...there’s more. I wanted to tell you...er, ask you...I mean, if...”

Just as he was about to get to the point, a loud bang sounded that caused Ginny to jump and Harry to instinctively pull out his wand. He was frowning deeply, his eyes alertly darting around, until they finally rested inquisitively on Ginny...who was rolling her eyes under her hat and sighing. Before he could ask any of the questions that leapt to his mind, they heard some muttering about ‘that bloody car’, and then Mr. Weasley came trudging around the corner. Harry relaxed and put his wand away as Mr. Weasley looked up and caught sight of them. Smiling, he walked over and said,

“Well, Harry! You’re here early tonight! Where’s Ron? Or...that’s right, maybe you’re not here for Ron?”

Harry felt his face getting hot and glanced at Ginny...who was no help. She looked as though she wanted the answer as much as her father did. Clearing his throat, he replied, “Er...he’s...still at work. He should be coming ‘round soon.”

Mr. Weasley nodded, thankfully choosing not to question him any further as he pulled off his hat and shook out what hair he had left. “Right...well, if you see him before I do, will you tell him I have some things to talk to him about? Work-related, of course.”

Harry nodded, feeling sure that if his plan went the way he wanted from this moment on, no one would see him or Ginny for the remainder of the evening. Watching as Mr. Weasley walked away, Harry thought about how odd it was that the idea of Ginny being with him was a relatively new one to a lot of people. They hadn’t been very public about the fact that they’d been together at the tail end of his sixth year...Harry had been worried about the wrong people finding out, and so no one had talked about it much. The people who did know about it didn’t really take it seriously...why would they? They’d been so young at the time that no one would think it anything more than any other teenaged relationship. Turning back to Ginny and feeling slightly queasy, he asked,

“What was I saying?”

She thought for a moment and replied, “Um...you had something to say to me or ask me or something like that.”

Harry nodded. “Right...well, I do.”

She stared for a moment, and then said slowly, “Okay...go ahead then.”

Harry felt like he was drowning. Alright, he thought testily, how hard could this be? He just had to tell her what he was feeling, that was all. Taking a breath, he stepped a bit closer to her, and relished the sight of her cheeks turning rosier than they already were from the cold. Feeling warmed slightly, he said in a low voice, “Ginny...when I told you that I...still care about you...”

He trailed off, unsure of how to go on. He’d never done this before. She looked up at him and prompted mildly, “Yes?”

He went on, “You know...in that way...I meant it.”

She smiled slightly. “I would hope so.”

He shook his head slightly. “Right...well, yeah, I do. This...what I mean to say is...”

“Hallo ‘allo ‘allo! Wha’ do we ‘ave ‘ere?” resounded a very obnoxious, fake Cockney voice. He saw Ginny cringe even as she smiled, and then turned to behold Fred striding up the path. Harry knew that if he’d ever come close to cursing someone for no good reason, it was nothing compared to how he felt right now. With half his mind trying to come up with something good into which he could transfigure Fred for just a few minutes so that he could finish what he wanted to do, he unconsciously stepped back a bit from Ginny.

“La clandestine rendezvous, pair’aps?” Fred teased...unfortunately having dropped the cockney accent in favor of a French one. Ginny poked his chest, hard.

“Go away, monsieur,” she retorted, “We’re in the middle of something!”

“Oooh!” Fred cooed, his eyes widening, “Wait until I tell Mum what Harry’s plotting to do with her ickle Ginny! Naughty, naughty!”

“Fred, grow up!” Ginny raised her voice, and finally he backed down.

“Alright, alright,” he muttered as he walked away, winking, “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

As the door slammed again, Ginny turned back to Harry and said, “Sorry...you know how he is.”

“Where’s George?” Harry asked, glancing around as though expecting him to drop from the sky, and Ginny shrugged.

“I don’t know, actually. Must still be closing up shop.”

At the idea that they would have to go through a similar episode with George in a moment, Harry grabbed Ginny’s hand and pulled her behind him across the yard.

“Where are we going?” she asked, trying her best to keep up. He replied over his shoulder,

“Just...somewhere more quiet.”

He pulled her right to the tool shed, which thankfully had a door he could close behind them. After he had, he realized it was nearly pitch black in the shed...he could just make out Ginny’s face by the light of a single small window on one side. He felt frustrated...this wasn’t exactly what he’d always imagined this would be like. Nevertheless, she stood waiting patiently, and he wasn’t about to give up now.

“Ginny...listen. When I told you I cared about you, I wasn’t being very honest.”

Even in the darkness, he could see her face fall, and he cursed himself for allowing his words to come out so badly.

“No...” he began, reaching for her, but was startled into jumping back again by the door flying open and bathing them in light...George was now standing in the doorway, looking as shocked as Harry felt. Damn!

“Oops!” George exclaimed, quickly recovering from his surprise and grinning, “Didn’t mean to...interrupt. I was just looking for something we need for the shop...I think I left it in here.”

Ginny, who was now looking very upset, scowled and snapped, “Well, hurry up! Can’t anyone get any privacy around here!?”

George’s eyebrows flew up as he scanned the various shelves with his wand illuminated. “Touchy! And you should know that no, no one can get privacy in this house. Haven’t you lived here long enough to know that?”

Ginny tutted, and thankfully George found what he was looking for rather quickly. Turning back to them, he grinned evilly and said, “Oh, and Harry...if she comes back into the house with any of her clothes on inside-out - even a sock - we’ll have to cripple you. See you!”

With that, he slammed the door behind him, and Harry turned quickly back to Ginny, who was looking miserable. “Ginny...hold on, that came out all wrong.”

“Really?” she asked, an edge to her voice, “Well, I have to tell you that I’m not sure anything has come out at all, and I wish you’d get to the point! It’s freezing, and I have errands to run.”

He winced even as he was reminded of why he loved her so much...she never let him get away with anything. “I’m just not very good at all this.”

“All what?”

He looked into her eyes and said, “What I meant to say was that...well, I don’t just care about you. It’s...not enough to say that.”

“It...it isn’t?” she asked, her voice softer as she stepped closer to him. He could now smell her hair, and went to run his fingers through it...only he didn’t get that far before the door flew open again. He sighed and turned, ready to tell George in no polite terms to bloody clear off...when his mouth slammed shut again just in time. It wasn’t George at all...it was Mr. Weasley.

“What’s going on out here, then?” he asked, his voice puzzled and a tad loud. Harry glanced at Ginny, who looked as surprised as he probably did, and replied,

“N...nothing. I was just...I mean, we were just talking.”

Mr. Weasley glanced toward the house, and then leaned in as he said, “Well, I reckon you can finish the conversation in full view of the kitchen windows, can’t you? It’s just...well, it looks dodgy, you two in here in the dark and all. Ginny, your Mum wouldn’t like it.”

Harry frowned, quite sure that if Mrs. Weasley had any idea what he was about to do, she would already be flooing people to break the good news. Assuming there would be good news, that is. He suspected the suggestion had more to do with certain people wanting to spy on them, and although he didn’t appreciate this, there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t exactly tell Ginny’s father to bloody clear off.

“Yes, sir,” he reluctantly replied, and Ginny sighed lightly as she followed the two men out of the shed. Once in the air again, Harry could see that Mr. Weasley looked quite uncomfortable...and he suspected the poor man had been forced to come out there.

“Well,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back and edging away, “I’ll be getting back, then...er, don’t forget your errands, Ginny.”

Ginny shook her head, and then he was gone...and Harry turned back to her once again.

“I’m going to perform a nasty spell on the next person who interrupts me,” he declared angrily to her, and she smiled impatiently.

“Well, if you’d hurry up and spit it out, whatever it is...”

“Alright,” he conceeded, then reached out and determinedly took her hand, “Ginny...as I was saying...”

“Yes?”

“I...don’t think my words were strong enough before.”

“They weren’t?” she asked, her eyes glowing with hope and no little amount of awe. Just then, she reminded him of herself as she’d been for the entire first four years of their association...and he was glad that he could still see it. He shook his head gravely, and lifted his other hand to lightly grasp her chin.

“What I really mean, Ginny, is...I lo-”

They heard a door slam in the distance and then a voice yelling, “What in bloody hell is going on out here?”

Harry felt his blood chill, and then begin to boil as he dropped both hands from where they were touching Ginny and turned to find Ron striding from the house, a mighty scowl on his face. Harry didn’t know whether he wanted to escape through the small window at the back of the shed or tackle him, but he didn’t have much time to decide. In the end, he decided the best course of action would be to simply stand still. Funnily enough, he moved to stand in front of Ginny in what could only be described as a protective stance...and by the looks of it, it was necessary. Ron was ready to kill.

“Ginny, what are you still doing here?” he snapped as he approached, “Weren’t you supposed to be doing something for Mum?”

“Ron,” Ginny retorted in a dangerously soft tone, “I’ll thank you to keep your overly-long nose out of my business.”

Ron’s eyes flashed, and Harry chose suddenly to be the diplomatic one...and also came to the conclusion that what he wanted to say to Ginny had no hope of coming out the way he wanted anymore, with all these interruptions, and that it might be better in the end if he had a chance to talk to Ron first. Turning to face her, he said, “Ginny...why don’t you just go on and do what you have to do? I’ll be here when you get back.”

Her eyes clouded with incredulousness and she demanded, “What!?”

He shook his head, his eyes pleading with her to understand why he was leaving her hanging like this, and explained, “It’s just...I have a few things I have to...er, discuss with Ron.”

As he said his name, Harry turned to glare at his best friend...who returned the stare with equal vehemence. Ginny, perceptive as she was, missed the glance, proceeded to push roughly past them both and with much grumbling walked swiftly out the gate and down the road which led to town. Harry was glad she’d apparently decided against apparating, as it probably wouldn’t have given him enough time with Ron.

She probably wanted the time to cool down, which was never a bad thing as far as Harry was concerned. As soon as she was out of earshot, Ron snapped, “Alright, what in bloody hell is happening out here?”

Harry narrowed his eyes. “Well, nothing, thanks to you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“First of all...”

“I mean, they told me you were in the toolshed a minute ago! You do know what that looks like?”

“Yeah, I do!” Harry spat, “And although it’s probably not an accurate representation of what was going on, I don’t know why you’re acting so bloody surprised! This is not new, alright?”

“Look, mate,” Ron began, lowering his voice, “When I said, again, that I was alright with you and Ginny carrying on...well, I thought I told you my conditions stood!”

“What conditions?”

“That you take it...somewhere else! Do I have to hear bawdy jokes about it when I get home from work? Does it have to happen right under my nose?”

Harry cast a nervous look at the house and could have sworn he could see shadows in the kitchen window. Impatiently, he interrupted, “Let’s get back inside.”

“You want to have it out in the house?” Ron asked, momentarily confused.

“No...in the shed. Come on,” he clarified as he shoved Ron towards the decrepit little structure and ushered him inside. Harry decided it might be brighter – and safer – to at least leave the door open while they talked. Turning to Ron and shivering, he continued, “Look, I don’t want to argue with you right now. I’m sorry they’re taking the mickey out of you, it...well, it’s blown out of proportion. Um...still, I should...er, let you know what I had planned. That is...so you could get everything out now.”

“Get everything out? What the hell do you mean?”

“Ron...you should know that Ginny and I have been seeing a lot of each other for the past few weeks.”

Ron stared at him for a moment, then to Harry’s amazement blew out a breath and actually looked relieved. “Blimey, Harry, you nearly gave me a heart-attack. Everyone already knows, mate.”

“Everyone...what?”

“Well, everyone knows about you and Ginny. It’s sweet, really.”

Harry frowned, beginning to think the conversation was taking a turn he wasn’t going to like. “Sweet?”

Ron shrugged. “Sure...people have been waiting for you all to get back together...now that all that nasty stuff is cleared up.”

“Yeah,” Harry ran a hand through his hair and, taking a breath, said as gently as he could, “Ron, here’s the thing. I like Ginny. I like her a lot.”

Ron looked at Harry for a few seconds, then shrugged again...only this time, he looked a bit more wary of what Harry was trying to tell him. “Er...right, well...that’s fine, too, I guess. Still...no need to get all serious on me, Harry.”

“Ron...”

“I mean, the way you came at me just now...you’d think you were going to ask her to marry you or something.”

Harry was momentarily stunned...somehow, having it actually said out loud made it sound crazy even to him. He didn’t know how to proceed with this new realization, and ended up simply standing there like an idiot with his mouth open, staring at Ron. Ron, for his part, smiled at Harry...and then his smile faded as Harry didn’t smile back. Watching with no small amount of dread as Ron’s eyes grew wider and began to bug out, Harry cleared his throat and attempted to ease the moment.

“Listen, Ron...”

“Wait a bloody minute,” Ron cut in, his ears turning red, “You can’t really be serious?”

Harry said nothing, merely swallowed, and his silence was as good a confirmation as he could muster. Ron’s eyes grew wider still.

“Are you some kind of raving lunatic!?”

“Well...”

“You’ve only been with her for a few weeks!”

Harry raised an eyebrow along with his voice as he replied, “Maybe you’re the one who’s a lunatic! We’ve been dating for years!”

Ron waved his hand in front of his face as though he was trying to deflect that idea. “Oh, come off it...that’s not true. You broke up in sixth year...”

“Because we had to...it was never final!”

“Well, however you want to say it! You two only just decided to pick it up again!”

Harry crossed his arms. “Yeah...because it’s alright now. Nothing bad’s going to happen if we do.”

Ron looked momentarily flustered, and then he charged ahead, “Well, that’s...it’s beside the point.”

“Is it?”

“Yes! You know what I’m getting at, Harry...you’ve been seeing her for three weeks...and three weeks of an adult relationship isn’t nearly enough time for anything serious to happen.”

“Oh, you don’t think so?” Harry yelled now, angry at the entire situation and at the injustice of having nothing in his life be easy, “Frankly, I thought you had more respect for me – and for her – than to say something like that.”

“Say something like what?”

“Stop playing mind games, Ron. I’m not in the mood.”

“Oh, really? Well...”

“What on earth is going on out here?”

They both spun around and found Hermione standing in the doorway to the shed, her bushy hair flying everywhere now as the wind picked up and was blowing leaves all over the garden behind her. She was frowning at both of them, and her eyes darted back and forth from Ron to Harry, waiting for an answer. When she didn’t get any, she tutted and came all the way in, shutting the door behind her.

“Hermione, open that back up,” Ron said testily as they were all plunged into darkness once again.

“No...I don’t want any witnesses if someone gets killed in here. Plus, it’s freezing out there. Now...what is going on? I could hear you all the way from the house!”

“Well, then you should already know what’s going on!” Ron snapped, and even in the dark Harry could feel Hermione’s patience strain.

“I heard shouting, Ron, I didn’t hear words. Now, are you going to tell me or do I have to lock this door?”

“Fine...I’ll tell you,” Ron said angrily, “Harry wants to elope with Ginny.”

Hermione gasped, and Harry protested irritably, “No, I don’t. Don’t be a prat.”

“You don’t?” Ron asked a tad hopefully, and Harry replied quickly,

“No...not if I don’t have to do it that way.”

Ron muttered something under his breath, and Hermione asked, “So...you want to...oh, Harry, that’s wonderful!”

“What!?” Ron barked, and Hermione asked crossly,

“Well, what’s so horrible about it? Yes, I think it’s wonderful...it was meant to be from the beginning, after all.”

Ron groaned. “Hermione...don’t start...”

“It was, Ron, and even you said that you wouldn’t mind if...”

“Hermione!”

“...if Ginny ended up with your best mate! Why don’t you just admit it and concede that this is what you wanted to happen all along! Anyway, you were fine with it before...what’s changed?”

Ron sighed. “I didn’t...I mean, I suppose it isn’t the worst thing in the world, but...bloody hell, Harry! Three measly weeks!”

Harry shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly becoming aware of how cold he was, and replied, “Yeah, well...I know, it’s odd.”

“No, it isn’t!” Hermione interrupted overenthusiastically, “Not at all! It’s perfectly normal...in fact, it was kind of predictable...”

“Hermione, shut it, will you?” Ron shushed her, “I’m just saying it’s rushed no matter how you look at it.”

Hermione was silent for a moment, then turned to Harry in the dark and said, “Well...he has a point, Harry. Do you...are you sure you know what you’re doing? It would be really terrible if...”

“Look,” Harry cut them both off, wanting to pull his hair out but afraid it would make him less attractive when he finally got around to discussing this with the only person he’d meant to discuss it with in the first place as soon as she got back from shopping, “It’s not like I’m making this decision on a whim, alright? I’ve thought about it...alot. I know you two don’t think so, but...I was serious back in sixth year, I was just too young to know what it meant. I just...this feels like the right thing to do, and I know it’s what I want. I...I really...”

He trailed off, unwilling or unable to say what he wanted to say in front of them. Ron seemed to relent, and Hermione patted Harry’s arm and said, “It’s alright. We understand. Don’t we?”

Ron shrugged, but at least he didn’t object. Hermione shook her head and went on, “You just...do what you need to do, Harry. You made your decision, and now she can make hers...and no one else should have anything to say about it because it’s nobody’s business.”

Ron snorted, but didn’t speak. Harry felt better...but not as comfortable with the whole thing as he would have liked. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Er...Hermione? Would you...just give us a minute?”

Hermione nodded, then went out the door. Before she closed it behind her, Harry could have sworn he could see her smiling. Turning to Ron, Harry said, “Look...no matter what Hermione says, I do think it’s your business as well. At least...a little.”

Ron didn’t reply, and so Harry trudged on, “If you really disapprove, I...I’ll wait. I can’t say I won’t do it soon, because I will, but...I’ll give it a bit more time, at least.”

At first, Harry thought Ron was not going to respond at all...but then, to his relief, Ron spoke. “Well...no, that’s alright. I guess it isn’t really up to me. I mean, if you’re acting like a moron, then I trust Ginny to tell you so.”

Harry smiled, even though this didn’t make him feel a whole lot better. As though she’d been waiting for her cue to enter, which he sincerely hoped was not the case, Ginny barged through the door...completely winded and out of breath. Her cheeks were flaming, and her breath disappeared into the frigid air in great clouds.

“Okay,” she panted, “I ran the whole way. Now, Ron...”

“Why didn’t you just apparate?” Ron asked, looking at Ginny incredulously. Ginny pulled her scarf off of her neck and replied,

“Because...I wanted the time to cool off.”

Just as Harry had thought...he smiled at how well he knew her. Ginny glanced at Ron and said, “Ron...get out.”

Ron frowned deeply, but after one last dirty glance at the both of them, he obeyed his sister. Once they were alone, Ginny pulled her hat off, leaving her hair endearingly mussed. “I’m so hot.”

After he’d gotten over his twinge of jealousy at the fact that she was hot and he was almost frostbitten, Harry was about to reach up to stroke her hair, but then she opened her mouth and her tone made him think that perhaps that wasn’t the best idea.

“Alright, then...would you mind telling me what in the world made you think you could come here, tell me you had something urgent to say to me, and then proceed to kick me out so that you could talk to my brother instead?”

“I didn’t kick you out...there was something I had talk to him about first...”

“Then why did you even bother coming here early to see me!?” she asked, rightfully angry but making Harry feel unjustly maligned all the same, “Why didn’t you just wait to talk to Ron? And anyway, what IS this about?”

“Look, if you’d just stop shouting for one bloody minute...!”

“I’m NOT shouting! You want me to shout?”

“NO, I do NOT want you to shout! I’m sick of being shouted at! I just wanted to come over here and ask you a bloody question, for God’s sake!”

“Then ASK!”

“FINE! Do you want to get MARRIED!?”

“FINE!” she yelled back, and then literally seemed to shrink a few inches as her face dissolved into an expression of pure shock. “What?”

Harry imagined his face wore a similar expression. He couldn’t believe that was how he’d ended up saying it...after all the preparation and practice and going over different outcomes and how he would deal with it...this was how it had finally come out.

“What did you just say?” she repeated, and after a moment he found his voice again. Clearing his throat, he stammered,

“I...I know it’s not...I mean, it sounds crazy, I know. I don’t want you to think I’m...barking mad, or anything, I just...look, when I told you I cared about you, I came away thinking that I hadn’t been totally honest with you. The truth is...I...I love you.”

He let out a huge breath as he finished saying it...he couldn’t believe how difficult that had been. He’d never said that to anyone before...ever. He couldn’t even remember wanting to...and he hadn’t even particularly wanted to say it to Ginny, either. He would have much preferred for it to have been an understood thing, something that he wouldn’t have to say...but he knew she deserved to hear it. That, and maybe a small part of him had wanted to say it to her. A very small part.

As it was, she looked as though she was about to burst into tears...only what kind of tears, Harry didn’t know. He didn’t ask...he figured he’d know soon enough. All he could manage to do was stand there, stock-still, with his hands at his sides. Finally, just as he was seriously considering disapparating, she leapt forward and almost knocked him down, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Oh, Harry...never in a million years would I have EVER guessed...not right now, anyway.”

He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him, struggling to get his wind back. “So you will?”

“No.”

His brows snapped together. “What?”

She pulled away so that she could look at him, but kept her hands on either side of his face. “Are you mad? I’m too young to get married! So are you. Anyway, we’ve only been back together for a few weeks...”

“Ginny!”

“Well, it’s the truth!” she protested, her face still lit up in a huge grin while he didn’t even feel remotely like smiling.

“Ginny...I...can’t believe you just said no.”

She leaned forward and kissed him on his jaw. “I didn’t say no, exactly...I mean, I’m sure I will marry you in a couple of years. After all, I’ve only been planning the wedding my entire life.”

He frowned in utter confusion. “Wait...I don’t understand. Are you accepting or refusing?”

She looked at him, adoration shining in her brown eyes and warming him to his core despite the weather, and replied, “Well...I suppose I am accepting...on the condition that we can have a long engagement.”

Harry felt his face finally break into a smile. “So...what about your family?”

“What about them?”

“Can we...er...tell them, and everything?”

She looked over her shoulder in the direction of the house even though there was a wall in the way of her view, an expression of extreme distaste on her pretty face. “Do we have to?”

Swallowing, he replied, “Yeah...well, I mean, I’d like to.”

“You would?”

“Well...it’s just that...if we go in there and say we’re not...going to, they’ll all think you said no.”

“I did say no.”

“Yes, but...you know, I mean...a proper no. Without, you know, conditions...”

She laughed and hugged him again. “Harry, I’m only joking. We can tell them if you want.”

Harry smiled at her, feeling as though he didn’t need anything else in the world to make him the happiest he’d ever been...except perhaps a coat. Grimacing, he took her hand and said, “Come on, let’s go in and get it over with, then. I’m about frozen.”

“Harry!”

He turned back around. “What?”

She quirked a brow at him. “Aren’t you going to...you know?”

He was lost. “What?”

She rolled her eyes and didn’t wait for him to act before hurling herself at him and covering his mouth with hers. He threw his arms around her and kissed her back, almost unable to stand the intense relief he was feeling right now at the knowledge that it was all over, and that she had said yes.

Well, almost yes, he thought wryly as they broke apart and she rested her face in the crook of his neck, her hot breath warming him slightly as he hugged her closer.

“Well?”

They both jumped...the voice had come from outside the shed. Frowning, Ginny turned and yanked open the door to reveal Mrs. Weasley standing there with her hands on her hips.

“Mum!” she said, accusingly.

“What?”

“You were eavesdropping!”

“I was trying, but unfortunately I couldn’t hear anything over the howl of this bloody cold wind!” Mrs. Weasley snapped back, glaring back at her daughter, “Now are you engaged or not, because this is getting absolutely ridiculous.”

She directed this question at Harry, who couldn’t help smiling as he replied, “Yeah.”

“With conditions,” Ginny added, glancing up at him with a twinkle in her eye.

Mrs. Weasley beamed at them for a moment before shaking herself off and insisting, “Alright then...enough of this nonsense. Get up to the house, both of you, before that blizzard hits. The stew is ready, anyway.”

As Harry led the way out of the shed clutching Ginny’s hand, he could have sworn he saw tears swimming in Mrs. Weasley’s eyes as she glanced fleetingly up at him. Halfway across the yard, Ginny stopped and called back,

“Mum! Aren’t you coming!?”

“In a minute!” came the answer, in a suspiciously choked voice, “I just need to...er...look for something in this blasted shed!”

Ginny turned to Harry and shrugged. He smiled down at her and said, “I guess she’s happy about it.”

All at once, Ginny’s expression turned completely serious as she replied quietly, “That’s because she loves you almost as much as I do.”

This utterance hit him like a ton of bricks, and he abruptly pulled her into his arms and stood there for a moment, holding her tightly to him, knowing that he could express his feelings for her much more clearly through actions than he could through words. She understood...he knew she did. She always did. Pulling back, she smiled up at him and took his hand as she led him the rest of the way into the Burrow.

He knew that he would be happy spending the rest of his life following her wherever she wanted to go.

FINIS

More Fic by Emmyjean at

The Hidden Tower

www.thehiddentower.net