Work Text:
December has been particularly harsh this year. Three years after the war and it feels like the cold is going to get us all next but Sunday dinner at The Burrow is enough to cure a man of hypothermia.
I have a ring in my pocket, a speech, and the love of my life in one Hermione Granger. All I need is the right moment.
Entering through the floo, I felt the green flames licking at my robes as my mum shrieks, "GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY! YOU WILL NOT GIVE TEDDY SWEETS BEFORE DINNER! YOU'LL RUIN HIS APPETITE!" I chuckle, "But mum! If his dinner is sweets, then it won't be ruined." Mum gives me a glare and turns back to the roast she's basting before closing the oven door. I turn and see Harry sitting on the couch making goo goo eyes at Ginny. Poor woman can't even put stockings on the mantle without him staring! "Oi! Boy who lived, let's have a chat before you stare a hole through my sister's arse!" Harry turns a particular shade of pink, one that I've only seen once before... Cherry blossoms:
George and I had been debating on whether to expand to Japan or Brazil next; so we took a trip last March to break the tie. Angelina and I were pro Brazil, whereas George and Hermione were adamant Japan was going to be the more lucrative option. Once I saw the cherry blossoms fall into Hermione's bushy chestnut colored hair, Japan won me over. Unsurprisingly, Hermione was right about how lucrative the Japan branch would become so, that was a win as well.
----
Dragging the Raven-haired boy to the garden was easier than I thought, now I just have to finish this conversation before Hermione gets here. She could get off of her extra hours at the ministry any minute but, knowing her (and the new dragon bill she's working on right now), it'll probably be closer to 30 minutes.
"Blimey! What was that for, Fred?! I didn't even have time to grab my coat," Harry whines as the snow starts collecting in his hair and on his shoulders.
"This shouldn't take long, Harry, as long as you co-operate." I smile as innocently as possible, although the look on Harry's face tells me he is not buying it at all.
"Okay then, get on with it." With a nod of agreement and a sigh from Harry, I take the small box out of my pocket and hand it to him. Once he opens it, Harry gasps and looks up at me with wide eyes. "Why, Fred, I never knew you felt this way... why didn't you ever say anything?! I'm, well, honestly Fred I'm flattered but only one redheaded quidditch star with the last name Weasley has my heart and she's nearly got a hole in the arse of her jeans."
"It's not for you!" I hit him with my glove in jest. "It's for Hermione! And since her parents are... unavailable for comment..." Harry shifts uncomfortably, leaving a deeper imprint in the snow where he'd been standing. We don't talk much about Hermione's parents since they went to Australia without their memories of Hermione. We haven't been able to find a cure yet. "I figured that you're the closest thing to family she's got. You're her brother so, Harry," I drop to one knee, feigning like I was proposing to him, "Will you allow me to ask Hermione for her hand in marriage?"
"... Y'know, if she ever finds out you asked me before you asked her, there's an 80% chance of you waking up with blue hair and a book on women's rights laying in bed where she normally sleeps, right?" I laugh as I stand up again, shaking the clumps of snow off my robes.
"I'm aware, but I'd rather risk her wrath and have your help planning the proposal. So... is that a yes?" His green eyes looked me up and down with determination and mischief.
"I have the best plan, trust me." With that, Harry runs inside leaving me confused and cold.
----
"Ginny, honey, would you please go find your brother? He's been upstairs for a while now," Mum asks earnestly. Ginny groans while she stands up, untangling herself from Harry's limbs on the couch where they were cuddling while Dad asks Harry about something called a... Computer..?
Stood on the first step of the stairs, Ginny calls out, "Ron, when I find you I'm going to kick your tiny arse for making me get up. I'll kick your arse twice if you're just snogging Luna up there for making me uncomfortable twice over!" She then starts running up the stairs two at a time when suddenly all we hear is a door slam open, a not-so-manly shriek, and the floo coming to a roar.
"Oh Merlin, I'm not late. Am I?" Hermione bustles in, red on her cheeks and her hair more bushy than normal. I check my watch: 6:28pm
"You're exactly 2 minutes early, my honey bunches of oats." I embrace her and kiss her forehead in an attempt to ease her mind. It doesn't work this time.
"Oh thank Merlin! I got Percy's note about how he was going to be late, Shacklebolt wants him on some 'special assignment' apparently, and that threw me into a frenzy since I lost track of time. And, Oh Molly, dinner smells absolutely amazing! Where's Bill and Fleur? And Charlie?"
"Bill and Charlie should be here any second, Victoire has the flu so Fleur won't be joining us this week," Mum said soothingly. As Hermione takes more deep breaths, I take in her radiant beauty. How did I get so lucky?
"Dinner is ready!" We hear two cracks from outside and the door opens swiftly to reveal 2 more redheads.
"Guess we have great timing then!" Charlie quips as Ginny slumps down the stairs and into a seat next to Harry.
"Boys are so annoying and gross," Ginny complains. Harry smiles tenderly at her and puts his arm around her dejected shoulders.
"Boys are the absolute worst," he agrees with a chuckle while Angelina nods from across the table.
Ron, Luna, and Percy soon join the crowd at the table with Ron's red face and messy hair, Luna's 1000 yard stare, and Percy apologizing at least three times for being late because, "You know how the minister can be about his *special missions* that are *top secret*. No Ron, I can't even tell you!"
Near the end of dinner, Harry pipes up with a glint in his eye, "Y'know, I was just thinking how weird marriage is? Like if one of you were to marry... oh say, me for example, then I would legally be apart of the Weasley family." Ginny perked up and watched Harry speak with a mixture of fear and hope in her eyes. Mum had a look of barely contained glee as well. "And that would go for ANY defacto member of the Weasley family, right? We'd be a Weasley, by law..." That's all it took for George to gently grab Angelina's left hand and remove her engagement ring.
"All you had to do was *ASK*, Harry! The shop is doing well enough to afford your dream wedding and honeymoon twice over!" George exclaimed with confidence as Angelina gave him a look of mock anger and pity.
"As if he would want to marry you, George! You're an entrepreneur, not to mention a CO-owner of your business. I can't *EVEN* imagine what your taxes look like!" Percy went on in disgust, "Marry me instead Harry, not only would we have amazing tax benefits but with my job at the ministry, under tax code 157.3276 paragraph 8 subsection D-"
"Come on, Perce! We all know you'd bore him to death! And who's to say if you'll even come home at the end of the day. For all he knows, your stack of paperwork and books could fall on you and he won't know what will have happened to you until they find the body weeks later!" Charlie protested reaching out to Harry to hand him a tiny dragon on a keychain, "I, on the other hand, have dragons. You have a bad day and the dark wizard escapes? Ride a dragon-"
"Plus the benefits that come with being a Ministry employee! You get 3 weeks vacation, but being married to someone so high up on the ladder? Gets you 4 weeks vacation... A year!"
"Charlie, you can't dragon away his problems and Perce, you want to talk benefits? Try looking at the benefits in the *private sector*. Harry, if you're going to marry any of these gits, you're best option is me." Bill insisted with a sly smile on his face and humor in his eyes. "I've been married the longest of any of them! Plus I can balance a marriage and kids."
"Oi! You can't be in the running, mate! You're already married, it wouldn't be fair!" Percy protested.
"Oh, you're just mad that 4 weeks vacation a year is nothing compared to what I can offer. Harry, I am talking basically free trips to Egypt, Greece, Italy, Argentina, you name it! And if you get cursed while on a mission? No worries, cursebreaker here!"
"Oi, Bill. Maybe I want to marry you then," George joked. Harry seems to have realized his error, eyes the size of saucers he starts looking panicked. I look at Hermione, amusement on her face, and I question if I should do it now. I mean, everyone else is proposing. Just because they're proposing to Harry doesn't make it any less true!
"George, you can't marry Bill. It's against the law!" Hermione states while claiming the last scone. Ron appears too angry to notice. Merlin, she's perfect.
"If anyone is marrying my best mate, it'll be me! And since that's NOT HAPPENING, guess you'll be single forever. Sorry, mate!" Ron looks satisfied, like he won the argument, little does he know Ginny is glaring daggers at him.
"Why don't you marry him, Ronald?" Luna asks mystically, "If he needs to be apart of the Weasley family, then it's really the least you could do." Hermione almost chokes on her scone trying to stifle a laugh. I may actually do it...
"Well, I..." Ron stammers, red as a tomato. Ginny starts rolling up her sleeves. Oh, this is going to be good!
"I'll fight you for him, Ronald," Ginny has this determined look in her eyes like just before a quidditch game. Hermione and I share a glance and pick up our beverages at the same time. Last thing we want is our favorite soda, Pep-her PHD, to become collateral damage in a fight between the youngest two Weasleys.
"I really don't mind, Ronald. You can give Harry your marital duties and we can see each other on the weekends. Don't put him out, Ronald. He needs this," Luna rambled on while Ron and Ginny bickered back and forth about who got Harry. Harry had his head in his hands with a face that said, "Defeating Voldemort wasn't this painful."
"Alright children, that's enough. If Harry wants to marry any of you, he'll take your pitches into consideration. Harry, dear, we'd be happy to have you apart of the family if you so choose but please don't feel obligated to pick one of my sons. They'll understand," Mum comforted.
"MUM!" Came the cry from all but two Weasley children. Ginny smirked knowing she had won. I played with the box in my pocket.
"You know what! New rule, no one at this table is allowed to marry anyone else at this table! It's forbidden!" Ron exclaimed without any actual thinking. I decide to stand. What was that speech again?
"Sorry, Ronnikins. Gonna have to say no to that rule. You got George and Ang already engaged. Harry and Ginny might as well be engaged," This caused Ginny and Harry to turn red and look in opposite directions as I continue, "And you're telling me you won't even consider marrying Luna one day, low blow bro."
"Well, I just meant..." Ron flushs even more, I didn't know that was possible, and looks down ashamedly while avoiding Luna's gaze.
"As for Me and Hermione-" I look down at the love of my life. She really is radiant and I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I grab her left hand delicately.
"Hermione and me," she says softly while smiling. It's now or never, Fred.
"As for *Hermione and me*, I think it's time to say my peace." I help Hermione stand and she gives me a confused look with a smile.
"'Mione, I have loved you since I was 16 years old. The way you care so intensely, you're so passionate about everything you do. From SPEW to your exams, from your NEWTS to your dragon bill, that *WILL* pass by the way, you always show the world your best efforts. Most people wouldn't put the swotty bookworm with the charming and, may I say, devilishly handsome prankster but we work together. Some of my best sellers are your ideas or involve you in some way. You make me strive to be a better person. So, Hermione Jean Granger, my lobster, my love..." I get down on one knee and Mum gasps. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Harry smirking but I'm focused on her. The perfect prefect who has scolded me a million times now is biting her bottom lip with tears (hopefully happy tears) in her eyes. I pull the box out of my pocket and open it.
"Will you marry me?"
Hermione's tears start streaking down her face, as she starts nodding.
"Yes, of course! Who else is going to keep you in line? We can't have all of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes line interrupt the educational environment," Hermione joked. I stand and hug her, peppering her face with kisses.
"All I'm saying, 'Mione," Charlie starts opening his hand to show the dragon keychain he had given Harry earlier, "is dragons."
The Weasley family all laughed and congratulated the newly engaged couple. Molly immediately started planning the wedding, suggesting maybe even a double wedding for the twins?