Silence continued to fill the air. Harry and Hermione's gaze unfaltering on each other while Ron's mouth gaped open as he read the contents of his letter. Harry's heartbeat paced faster, thoughts of his brown-eyed best friend clouding his mind.
'Hermione? Hermione's on my list?' Harry asked himself over and over, unsure how he should feel. There had been a time when his feelings for Hermione had grown into a crush when he was fourteen, to something more during their time they had spent together those couple of months without Ron while they continued to search for horcruxes. Then when the war ended, Ron and Hermione had started dating briefly. He pushed his feelings aside, wanting his friends to find happiness. But their relationship hadn't lasted for more than a month before they called it off, agreeing they were better off as friends than a couple. A few months later, they moved in with Harry, who was still unable to come to terms with his true feelings for Hermione.
"They're mad, bonkers, the lot of them." Ron spoke, causing Harry and Hermione to break their gaze. "Who'd they pair you off with?
Hermione tried her best to hide the blush creeping on her cheeks, while Harry spoke up first. "Pansy! Pansy fucking Parkinson."
"You've got to be joking. They paired you with her?! She wanted everyone to toss you off to Voldemort!"
"No kidding. I sure as hell won't be making any contact with her."
"What about you, Herms? What bloke did they pick for you?" Ron asked, turning his attention to Hermione. She looked down at the ground, trying her hardest to avert her gaze from Harry.
"Dean Thomas and Ernie Macmillan." Hermione said quietly as she lifted her head. She didn't want to admit that she was a bit nervous, after all the man she had been in love with since she was fourteen was on the top of her list. "And you?"
"Padma Patil, Lavender Brown, and Luna Lovegood." Ron said, rolling his eyes as Hermione and Harry burst out into a fit of laughter.
"Someone is out to get you, Mate." Harry chortled. "You best hope Lav-Lav doesn't start sending you jewelry again." Ron glared at him, chucking a pillow in his direction.
"Piss off."
"Oh, come on, Mate. Out of the three of them, Luna would be the obvious choice for you."
"I agree. Luna is one of the nicest girls I've ever met. Not to mention she's been on our side since the day we met her." Hermione said as she quickly folded her letter, tucking it into her jean pocket.
Ron stared at his friends in disbelief, his jaw dropping slightly. He had to admit, out of the three, Luna was the most promising match for him. Padma had hardly spoken to him since the Yule Ball incident and Lavender was mental. "I'll think about it." He told them, rubbing the nape of his neck. "I'm going to get ready to turn in, tomorrow is my day to open up the shop for George while he and Angelina go to their first Healer appointment."
"Night Mate." Harry told him, waving to his friend as he ascended the staircase.
"Good Night, Ronald." Hermione told him. The pair stood there in silence as Ron closed his bedroom door behind him, neither one knowing what to say. Harry and Hermione's gaze flickered to each other once more, as Harry shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"Do you want to talk about it, Harry?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence between them.
"Talk about what?" he asked her, shrugging his shoulders.
"You know very well what, you git." Hermione replied, rolling her eyes playfully. A lump formed in Harry's throat, butterflies filling his stomach.
"Why not?" Harry told her, leading the way to the couch. Hermione sat next to him, placing her hands underneath her legs.
"So, tell me, when are you planning on asking Pansy to marry you?" Hermione teased, a playful grin smirk sitting on the corner of her mouth.
"Oh, I don't know. Probably when I have myself admitted to the psych ward at St. Mungos." He retorted, laughing lightly.
"It's absurd for the Ministry to think you and Pany would make it as a married couple. She'd rather murder you before agreeing to carry your spawn."
"I honestly don't think that's their intention. They seem to be concerned with us procreating more than us marrying for love."
"What are we going to do, Harry?" Hermione asked him, placing her head on his shoulder. Harry looked at her from the corner of his eye, taking a deep breath as he inhaled her vanilla scent. 'Merlin, she's going to be the death of me.' He thought long and hard on whether to admit his feelings for her. He didn't want to come off too strong, nor did he want to ruin their friendship. But overall, he didn't want her to marry another bloke either.
"What if you and I were to marry one another?" He asked her. He could feel her body stiffen, her head slowly lifting off his shoulder before looking deep into his eyes.
"What did you say?" She asked quietly, her pulse quickening.
"What if you and I married one another? Honestly, out of all the girls suited for me, you're the one I'd marry. The Ministry can go to hell if they think I'm going to marry Pansy, let alone have her bare my first-born child. No offense to Eloise Midgen, but I hardly know her, and I wouldn't want our relationship to be awkward."
"But Harry, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, look at me. I'm not exactly every man's fantasy girl. I'm bookish, work long hours, independent, and a know-it-all. I'm not even be- "Hermione was about to say the word "beautiful" when Harry gently placed his index finger on her lips, stopping her from talking further.
"Hermione, you are beautiful." He told her, taking his finger off her mouth. "Anyone would be mad to not see that." Harry took his hand, pushing back a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Hermione looked at him in surprise, seeing as Harry had never called her beautiful before. Her stomach was in knots as her heartbeat quickening.
'Harry wants to marry me? Me?' She thought to herself. She had always been a bit self-conscious about her appearance. Besides for Ron and Viktor Krum, no other man had ever looked at her other than a bossy, know-it-all. But the way Harry had been staring at her, she couldn't help but feel as if there was something between them, something she had yearned for years.
Harry stood up from the couch, kneeling in front of her as he took her right hand in his. Hermione could feel the saliva building in her mouth, a lump forming in her throat as she realized what her best friend was doing.
"Hermione, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met in my life. I know this isn't exactly the way you envisioned a proposal, but if you'll have me, I promise to never leave you, to support you through everything just as we always have with each other. To treat you as a man should treat his wife, with the utmost respect and love. I know you just think of me as a friend, but I couldn't pick a more suitable match for me and the mother of my children. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears formed in her eyes at Harry's kind words, her heart fluttered with joy as Harry proposed to her. Sure, an impending marriage law wasn't the exact ideal she'd hoped for when it came to getting married, but she was thankful to have such a wonderful man before her. She wished she could tell him how much she loved him, but she didn't want Harry to think she was only saying it because of the law.
Harry stared at her nervously, a hint of panic setting in the pit of his stomach. He knelt there, praying to the heavens above that the love of his live wouldn't turn him away. Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, finding the words she was most eager to tell him.
"Yes, Harry. I'll marry you." She said, a grin spreading across her face from ear to ear. Harry leapt in excitement, pulling Hermione up from the chair, embracing her in his arms as he spun the two of them around, laughter erupting from their lips. He placed her feet on the ground, his arms still wrapped around her waist. They looked longingly at one another; happiness etched on their faces. They could feel gravity pulling the two closer together, their lips mere inches away. Harry leaned his head down, closing the distance between him and Hermione as he brushed his lips lightly against hers.
Hermione's eyes widened as she felt tingling on her lips as Harry's mouth kissed her gently, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she wrapped her arms around his neck; moaning softly. Harry smiled, his lips never leaving hers as he continued to kiss her. They could feel the spark between them bursting as Harry deepened their kiss, his tongue seeking entrance into her mouth. She parted her lips slightly, giving him access.
Merlin, she had never felt a kiss as gentle, yet passionate as this one. Who knew Harry was a great kisser? She had imagined what it would be like to kiss him, to feel the taste of his lips. She could feel her knees weaken as their kiss deepened. Harry pulled back from their kiss slightly, giving them a chance to breathe.
Harry looked at her, watching as her cheeks reddened. He could tell she was just as flushed as he was. After all, they just had one hell of a snog.
"That was... wow." Harry told her sheepishly.
"Wow indeed." Hermione told him, smiling gleefully. He took her hand once more, raising it up to his lips, kissing it lightly. "You have no idea how happy you've made me tonight, 'Mione." Harry said as he let go of her hand, placing a peck on her lips before walking up the staircase, leaving Hermione standing in the living room as she placed her hand on her lips, still feeling the tingling sensation Harry had left as he walked away.