"Mione, come on," I hollered as I paced back and forth, wearing another layer of finish off the wood flooring in front of the staircase.

     I was getting tired of swallowing the slimy ooze in my throat and how my stomach slithered around, reminding me of when I'd been throwing up slugs. I was happy that I hadn't eaten anything all day, not that I could - I was too nervous.

     "On my way, Ronald," her singsong voice chimed.

     I wiped my sweaty palms down my shirt before realizing I should have used my dark pant's like a napkin instead and quickly inspected the white short-sleeve button-up for dirt or leftover food.

     Moments later, red high-heeled shoes appeared at the top of the stairs. Thin crimson leather straps wrapped up around Mione's toned calf, drawing my eyes up to the matching dress that hugged her everywhere and I couldn't believe how food didn't appeal to me at all suddenly - that never happens.

      When I'd finally made my way to her face, she was looking at me like I'd lost my marbles, "What are you doing?"

     "Nothing," I let go of my dirt free shirt and felt like an idiot.

     "You told me we were going somewhere very nice for dinner and to dress up. I hope this is what you meant." She scrunched her face and looked down at her dress and then back at what I was wearing.

     "You look...," I had to swallow hard at the tremendous amount of saliva flooding my mouth, "...beautiful."

     "Thanks. You look..." Her scrutinizing brown eyes ran over me, "...nice."

     I smiled nervously while thinking that I deserved to eat whenever and how much I wanted to because I'd been starved, running from crazy, mad wizards and witches for months on end and had helped save the wizarding world in the process. But the look on Mione's face was making me think I might have gone a little overboard.

     She'd descended the stairs as I'd worried over my weight and hadn't realized she was standing next to me until she nudged me with her elbow.

     "Where are we off to?"

     "It's a surprise, Mione," I answered while helping her into a light jacket.

     "So long as it's not the place a few blocks down that you always want to go to."

     "You mean, Glenda's Inn?"

     "Yes."

     "Why do you and Malfoy hate it so much?"

     "It's crowded, filthy, the food's not always edible, and that's if they manage to give you the right order."

     "They always give me the right one." I smiled.

     "No, Ronald, you get the wrong thing all the time, but you eat it anyway." She huffed, "I'll go eat with Draco and Harry if that's where you intend on going."  

     "No, we aren't going there."

     "Better not be," She warned. "I had a long day at work, and I'm looking forward to some good food like you promised me."

     Smiling, I wrapped an arm around her, "Ready?"

     She gave the all clear, and we walked to the corner where I apparated us outside a top rated restaurant. I'd reserved a table overlooking the waterfront and had requested her favorite meal for tonight.

     After sitting and getting our dinner salads, I realized I might not be able to eat with my usual gusto until I get everything off my chest. The conversation with Chiara Lobosca had my head spinning, and I was scared that I already lost her to Snape. 

     "How was work?" I tried to sound interested, but I couldn't care less about her work right now as my stomach clenched uncomfortably.

     She sighed heavily, "Madam Boyd and Mr. Tucker, were fighting again."

     "Didn't you just deal with those two over trespassing or something, the other day?"

     "Yes, but this time, things got out of hand, and Mr. Tucker was tied up in a tree for a whole night before his wife finally woke up and heard him yelling. He swore that the Pixies did it because Madam Boyd told them too."

     "Everyone knows that you can't tame or command those little blue pests." I thought of Gilderoy Lockheart and how daft he'd been in believing that he could handle a batch of those in class - or anything for that matter.

     "This is the third time that he's been attacked by the Pixies after fighting with Madam Boyd. Harry had to place her under arrest and brought her down to the Ministry to give her statement since Mr. Tucker is pressing charges against her this time."

     "How can she be in trouble for what the Pixies did?"

     "Turns out she's been housing and feeding them. Harry also watched her command the Pixies, and they responded accordingly, so it's believed she's trained them somehow."

     "Wow! Harry's arresting people now, good on him." I chuckled.

     "Yes. I bet he didn't expect that Auror training would consist of chasing down pixies and breaking up fights between cranky neighbors."

     "I bet he hated dealing with an angry old lady."

     "Oh yeah. Harry looked like he'd been through a duel just to get Boyd to calm down and talk," she shrugged just as our main course arrived.

     I looked over my plate of food, wanting to dig in, but my stomach kept rolling uncomfortably.

     "How's the newest version of the zap ball going?" She asked before taking a bite of her chicken primavera.

     I couldn't quite make sense of what she'd just asked me as I nervously tapped my fingers against the box in my jacket pocket.

     "What?"

     "The zap ball that you and George are working on?"

     "What about it?"

     "Is it working as you'd hoped?"

     "Oh yeah. It works, but it's not selling as well as the original design. I guess people aren't interested in a ball that will electrocute everyone playing if they're not careful."

     "You could sell it to couples therapists." She joked.

     "Right." I smiled nervously before eating a bit of my very hot meatloaf and regretted it as my stomach rolled uncontrollably.

     Mione was stunning, and I loved her more than I thought possible. My eyes worked over her face, and then I noticed that she was playing with the necklace that she'd been wearing for the last few weeks. 

     "Did you know that George is going to ask Angelina to marry him?" I asked, thinking this might be an excellent way to see how she felt about getting married.

     She laughed, "Of course I knew. I was the one who helped George find out what her ring size is."

     "Right," I nodded and wondered when she'd helped my brother and why I didn't know about it. "Can you imagine how that's going to turn out?"

     "Yes. If Angelina says yes, which she will, they'll get married this winter and have children after a year or two."

     I scrunched my face up at her, "How do you know that?"

     "Ron, do you not listen to them every day going on and on about how much they love each other and plan on getting married. They even know they want to have at least two kids." She smiled, "They are perfect together. Just like Harry and Draco."

     I was still confused as to how that could be anywhere near as good as being with a woman, but there was no doubt in my mind that my best mate was in love. "Harry's happy, and that's good enough for me."

     We ate in silence for a little bit before she asked, "What about you, do you want children?"

     "Loads of them. I loved having a big family even though I complained. With the money you make at the Ministry and what I bring home from the shop, I figure we could afford to have five or six of our own, don't you think?"

     "How much I make," She mumbled and shook her head. "I only want a boy and a girl. On top of that, I'd want to be living in a place of my own, not 12 Grimmauld when I have my children."

     "Sure Mione, we could start with a boy and a girl and then have a few more kids later. But why are we fixing the old place up if we aren't staying there?"

     "We are helping as a way of paying rent. Harry says we can live there indefinitely, but personally, I want a place of my own that isn't so..." She shivered, "Harry and Draco's."

     "Harry and Draco's?" I asked, feeling confused about what she meant.

     "Haven't you noticed that every room you walk into there's a brief moment when you have a memory of ongoing's in the room."

     I was a bit surprised, "I thought it was just me, but yeah, and they're all good memories."

     She sighed, "Unfortunately, all the ones I seem to have are of those two making-out or them being adorable together. It's possible they've christened every room in the place - if you know what I mean."

     "Oh," I hadn't even thought about it. Great, now I would. "We can get a place of our own before we have children if you want, but I'd like to start a family within the next few years and be a young father." 

     "Well, um," She cleared her throat. "What do you think about traveling? I want to do a lot of that with my children, to help educate them and because it would be a lot of fun."

     "Mione, you know I get sick every time we travel to a new climate so you can do that with them if you want to. I might like going to Quidditch matches, especially if Ginny's playing, but that's about it."

     "I would want to have their father there as well. Like a family. And what about school? What if one or both of them aren't magical?"

     "What!? Don't be daft Mione, of course; they'll be magical and go to Hogwarts." I couldn't believe she even worried about this sort of thing. I knew my Weasley genes were strong enough that all my offspring would be part of the Wizarding World.

     She was fiddling with that stupid necklace again, and  I thought about the second picture that Lobosca had given to me and my stomach twisted in fear. "You said McGonagall gave you that necklace?"

     She smiled and looked at the crystal charm, "No, I told you that she delivered it."

     "Who's it from Mione?" My stomach twisted.

     "It was a graduation gift from Severus Snape. I told everyone this the day I received it - including you."

     I couldn't believe that I'd somehow missed the fact that Snivilus had given it to her. I was feeling sick at the idea that he'd made something like that for my girlfriend and that he'd been touching her, my blood was boiling.

     "Why did he give you a gift?"

     A small smile pulled at her lips, "I saved his life; he's grateful and wanted to be kind." Her eye's snapped to mine, "Why are you suddenly asking this, Ronald?"

     "I forgot who it was from and just realized that you've never taken it off, that I know of at least."

     "I miss my parents Ron, and I'm scared for them. At least in this..." She shook the charm, "...they look safe and sound. Not to mention, it's gorgeous."

     "Snape still hasn't given you any news about them?"

     She shook her head, looking forlorn, "No. I've seen him in passing at work twice since he told me everything, but there was still no news."

     I was happy that crooked nose hadn't played hero for her, then I felt terrible for feeling that way since this was her parents. I hated that Lobosca had come into my life and delivered such crappy news, but at least now I knew I could do something to help, possibly before Snape could. I liked the sound of that.

     "You'd think with all the things the Prophet says about him that he and his team would've figured this out already."

     "Ron!" She said in an angry tone.

     "I didn't mean it that way, Mione. I want them found because I know how upset you are about it."

     "Thanks, Ron," she took another bite of her food, and I attempted to do the same, but my stomach rolled and clenched nervously.

     We quietly ate as I worked up the courage to do what I'd brought her here to do.

     Mione scrunched her face, "What is it, Ronald, I can tell somethings on your mind." Her cold hand checked my forehead to see if I was running a fever and I grabbed at it nervously, holding it for a moment.

     "Mione, I love you."

     Her smile warmed me, "I care about you too, Ronald."

     "I mean," I moved in front of her and got down on one knee, and I heard her breath catch, "You're the perfect woman for me, and I know you could have anyone you wanted since you're incredibly smart, kind and..." I smiled, knowing she'll never believe me about the next bit, but I'd tell her every day anyway, "...beautiful. Hermione Jean Granger."

     I pulled the box from my pocket and opened the lid, revealing a princess cut diamond engagement ring that cost more than all my internal organs combine, "Will you marry me?"

     She gasped as I pulled her hand close and slid the ring on to help convince her.

     "Oh!" Her brown eyes had grown big as she inspected the ring.

     "Well?" I asked hopefully just before a flashing light momentarily blinded me.

     "Young love!" The annoying voice of Rita Skeeter grated on my nerves for the briefest of moments before I realized that I could use this to my advantage.

     When the flash burns left my eyes, I gave the annoying blonde a broad smile. "Skeeter, you're going to make announcing our engagement easy for us, thanks."

     "Sure! Give us one for the camera!" The silky green-clad reporter encouraged.

     I kissed Hermione's newly adorned hand before pulling her to her feet, wrapping my arms around her and giving Skeeter a money shot for the front page.

     Eat that Snivilus Snape! Hermione's mine! 

     When I pulled back, Mione was pale with shock, and her mouth was hanging open.

     "My readers will want to know all about this! When's the wedding date and how long before the baby bump starts to show the real reason that you're marrying Ron Weasley?"

     "Hey!" I hollered at her offensive statement.

     "I'm not pregnant!" Mione fumed.

     "Why else would you be getting married?"

     "Because we love each other!" I stated to the dumb journalist, giving her a look that told her how smart I thought she was.

     "Haven't you got anything better to do with yourself than writing trash and lies about good people?" Hermione asked in a deadly quiet voice.

     "You know what they say." Skeeter sang happily, "One woman's trash is another woman's treasure."

     "You'd think the Prophet would have fired you for getting your facts wrong all the time."

      The reporter smiled widely, "I wonder how Severus Snape will feel about his savior getting married before he does."

     Mione's face reddened, and Skeeter laughed hard.

     For once, I agreed with the loud lecherous blonde and stayed quiet so that I wouldn't get Mione upset with me too.

     "Haven't you harassed Severus enough?" Mione crossed her arms and glared.

     "Still defending your beloved Professor, I see. Well, little girl, Severus Snape is juicy news, and I'll keep writing about him until I've wrung that story dry." She twisted her quill with her tongue trapped between her teeth and a disquieting twinkle in her green eyes.

     "I wouldn't mind you writing about him if you were capable of printing the truth. Or maybe getting spoon fed information and not checking its credibility is how you do your job."

     "What, misinformation?" She gasped, doing her best to look scandalized.

     "Loretta Shrader," Mione lifted her head in challenge.

     "I see." The blonde laughed, "You're wand's in a twist because the man that just proposed isn't the one you truly want." She looked me up and down with a critical eye, "Can't blame you."

     Mione's flushed deepened, and her mouth popped open.

     Rita's spectacle covered eyes looked my way, and she frowned sadly, "I'd say congratulations, but I have a feeling you should just enjoy this while it lasts Weasley." 

     "Pff, whatever," I glared at Skeeter as she turned and walked away. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

     Mione's angry brown eyes were throwing daggers at the retreating blonde, "I hate that woman!"

     A gentleman at a nearby table of diners leaned over, "Congratulations on the engagement."

     Several people clapped, offered more congratulations, and I shook several hands, realizing that I was engaged.

      "Oh, um. Thanks," Mione mumbled and put her hand on her lap while staring at her new ring.

     My stomach growled, and I moved back to my seat, tucking into my meatloaf.

     "You didn't eat all day, did you?" She shook her head in a scolding fashion with a slight smile pulling at her lips.

     "I was too scared you'd say no," I chomped down on my meatloaf and realized I must have been worse off than I'd thought since I hadn't noticed how good the food is. 

     Mione stood, "I'm not feeling well, Ron. I'll see you back at the house."

     "You didn't eat much or even have dessert."

     She touched her stomach and shook her head, "Thanks for dinner." 

     "Wait, I'll have them box it up, and we'll go home."

     She held her hand up, "I'll be fine; you eat." She ran her eyes over me, "It never taste's as good reheated." With that, she grabbed her jacket and walked out.

     Mione, was right, it never tasted as good, and I was starving. I happily tucked into my meal knowing that the news of my engagement would be hitting newsstands soon and Severus Snape would back off my future wife.