I sit here, waiting. Hoping. Maybe after all these years, he’ll finally come to realize that I’m in love with him. I did kiss him, after all. But, we’re interrupted. By the constant chatter of those who fought and lost someone or several someones. We’re interrupted by the fact that our best friend will now be known to the entirety of the wizarding world as, ‘The Hero Who Lived’ and ‘The Man Who Lived’ and the best title of them all, ‘The One Who Defeated the Dark Lord’. I am so proud to be Harry Potter’s best friend. But I am even more proud that most of my loved ones are alive and well; those who most unfortunately did not make it through this test of life and death are the ones we all mourn at this hour. But we are all so happy: The Dark Lord, defeated. Finally.
I’m sitting on the stone ledge, rain soaking through to my very bones, my eyes looking straight ahead. My hair is plastered to my face and I feel my fingers fidgeting uncontrollably in my lap. And then, I have a sudden rush of warmth on my left. I turn to look at the man who has captured my heart so effortlessly and I frown. Not because I can’t bare to look at him because he is honestly the most beautiful thing in the world as far as I‘m concerned, but because of the scene of death and destruction so near us, it’s part of us. And it will always be.
He puts his arm around my shoulders and with his other hand, pulls the wet strands of hair out of my face and tucks them behind my ear. He looks at me and says, “It’s over.”
I give a half-smile and say, “Yeah. It is.”
“I know the next few months, hell, years are going to be hell on us all. But, just know that I am always here for you. Always,” Ron said soothingly in my ear. I believe him.
We’re all going to need someone to love and to love us for a very long time after this. We’re all going to need reassurances.
“I know,” I look straight in his eyes. What’s weird about that is just a second ago, mine and Ron’s faces were a foot away from each other and now, I can smell his breath and it’s invading my senses like that oh-so knee-melting kiss just a few hours ago. How I long for the delicious taste of butterbeer and chocolate frogs that are basically permanently imprinted in Ron’s breath.
“’Mione?” he says seductively in my ear.
“Yes?” I breath the word.
Our faces are just an inch from each other.
“I love you.“
Honestly, my heart can not soar any higher.
“I love you, too.”
Then he gives me a look that is so intense, for a split second, his eyes glow neon blue; I’m entranced. His grip tightens around my shoulders and then he releases it and drops his hand down to my waist. He hops off the ledge and kneels on one knee.
I’m speechless. Utterly speechless. I’ve been waiting for this moment since fourth year and it’s finally come.
“Hermione Jean Granger-”
I’m now crying, but smiling.
“I know we’re young and inexperienced in a lot of ways; we haven’t even dated. But, in my opinion, we don’t need to. We’re perfect for each other. I can feel it in every molecule of my being.”
I can see his muscular arms through his soaked shirt and the rain that’s pounding on his face is starting to wash away the dried blood and wreckage and heartache and I can finally see the boy I met on the Hogwart’s Express who has turned into such a handsome man, it’s ridiculous. His wet hair is all over his face, but oh my god, I want to run my hands through it!
He has made me forget about all the bad in the world and made me see that love can exist. If you only looked hard enough. But I didn’t have to look hard at all. He was standing in front of me this whole time, I was just so oblivious. We could’ve saved ourselves years of frustration and fighting and just downright annoyance of each other! But, I guess now is definitely not a time to think about the past. We all must look to the future, even if it is the hardest thing to do at the moment.
Everyone showed their true character tonight: Neville is actually brave, under all that shyness; Luna is actually intelligent, under all that dottiness; Harry and Ginny can actually love each other, under all that protection Harry claimed; Malfoy is actually a coward, under all that, well, cowardice; and Ron and I are actually in love, under all that denial.
I smile at this.
The rain is starting to pour down even harder. Big raindrops crash onto my eyelids and I’m forced to blink; another second I’m not able to see Ron’s face.
He pulls out a velvety black box and opens it. My eyes go wide and my voice catches in my throat. It’s a round, diamond, solitaire ring.
“Ron! How did you-” I start, shaking my head.
“I told Bill about my plan a few months ago. You know, when I-”
“I see,” I say, not wanting to hear about what he did to Harry and I.
“Anyways, I worked hard around his house and he gave me a lot of galleons for it. In the end, I chose this and I have a question to ask you.”
I start laughing and say, “Oh my god.”
“Will you marry me?”
I hop off the ledge, he stands up, and I fling my arms around his shoulders and exclaim for all the world to hear, “Yes!”
He looks down at me and says, “I was right for once.”
I give him a puzzling look.
“In fourth year, right after you freaked out on me at the Yule Ball, I knew that I would make you Mrs. Ronald Bilius Weasley. I was right.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re right.”
And we kiss.
.
