Chapter 3: The Party
After the annoucement of their engagement settled the wives and children started to arrive. Bill’s wife Fleur arrived with their two sons. Two year old, Alexander Mikel and three month old Torrance Arthur. Then the rest of the wives showed up all at once. Florence, with her children and Penny, with her daughter Emma.
The family, including all the wives and children, gathered around the tables that were set up outside, because they would not all fit inside, when Harry said, “Mrs. Weasley, there are two extra seats set. Who else is coming?”
“Please you two,” she looked at Hermione and Harry, “call us Mom and Dad.” Molly then looked at her husband and raised her eyebrows.
Arthur jumped up. “I forgot, dear. I will be right back.” And with a pop, Arthur Disapparated.
“Who else is coming, Mum?” questioned George.
“You’ll see. Now sit down and tuck in. He will be right back.”
Moments later, Arthur came walking out of the house with Hermione’s parents following closely behind him. Hermione jumped up to meet them and Ron stood to shake his soon to be parents-in-law’s hands. “Mum, Dad, it is so good to see you,” Hermione said as her parents hugged her. They hugged Ron too and congratulated both couples. As Ron, Hermione, and her parents sat Hermione asked, “How did you get here?”
“By floo power,” said her dad. Hermione’s parents were getting more and more familiar with the ways of the wizarding world. “Arthur apparated to our house and had our fire connected to the floo network so that we could surprise you.” Hermione was very glad they were there to share this special time with her.
They all started to eat and talk and eat some more. After they were all done eating, Charlie put on some music and took his mom’s hand and started to dance with her. Mr. and Mrs. Granger followed. Bill beat Harry when it came to asking Ginny to dance, and Ron quickly asked Hermione. And just to make people laugh, Fred jumped up and dramatically took George’s hand and they started to dance around the lawn like clowns. Ron glided Hermione across the lawn away from prying ears so that he could have her all to himself.
“I wonder how my mum and dad knew that we were engaged?” asked Hermione.
“I saw that owl you bought your mum leave right after we told them. I think that they have been talking to each other about this since I asked your father for your hand in marriage.”
Hermione looked at Ron. “You did?” She kissed him. “I love you.”
After a long night of eating and dancing, the Gangers took their leave. Then Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, and Percy congratulated both couples one last time and left with their families. The couples went back to dancing on the lawn lost in each other eyes. The music was still playing softly and none of them wanted this moment to end.
*
Mr. Weasley walked up behind his wife, who was leaning on the door jam, and put his arms around her. She was lost in thought, looking out at the two dancing couples.
“Knut for your thoughts.”
“Look at them,” she sighed. “Aren’t they perfect together? You always hope that your children will find someone perfect for them and they both have. Ron is marrying his best friend and Ginny is marrying a good man and well… Harry Potter. Every mother’s dream is for her daughter to marry him.”
“Yes, they are both very blessed.” He paused and planted a kiss on his wife’s head. “Just like me.” She smiled and pulled her husband’s arms tighter around her.
*
Harry looked into Ginny’s eyes. “Thank you, for making me the happiest man alive.”
“You have made me that happiest woman alive. I mean, who wouldn’t want to marry me? I am Ginny Weasley, the most famous witch of our time.”
“Oh, really?” he laughed, and started to tickle her. She giggled and playfully ran away. He quickly ran after her and chased her around the yard.
Ron noticed Hermione looking at her ring as they slowly danced around the yard. “Do you like it? If you don’t, you can take it back and get whichever one your little heart desires.”
“I love it. It is perfect. I was just watching the moon light dance around in the diamond and…” She stopped dancing and looked seriously at him. “How did you afford this?”
Ron looked uncomfortable and tried to locate Harry with his eyes. “Um… well see the thing is, Harry and I decided that after this last year with Voldemort and everything… well, we changed our minds about being Aurors.”
“Ok, so what are you going to do now that you are out of school?” Ron looked around to find Harry but Hermione cupped his face in her hands and looked seriously into his eyes. “I want to know what you want to do. Do you plan on staying home and raising the children?”
“Children? Really?” Ron looked at her with surprise.
“Well, yah, some day,” Hermione blushed.
“You… the mother of my children… I think I can get used to that,” he said, giving her a playful hug and they continued dancing.
“So, seriously what are you thinking of doing?”
“Well, I was thinking about becoming a muggle,” Ron said jokingly.
“Ha, ha,” Hermione replied.
“I am being serious. I want to spend as much time with you as possible, and since you are going to be an ambassador between the wizarding world and the muggle world, that is what I want to be. I know that my dad would be thrilled. He could question me all day about the strange things us muggles do.”
Ginny overheard Ron say that he wanted to become a muggle and stopped playing with Harry. “Ron, what are you talking about? You don’t want to be a muggle.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Hermione rolled her eyes as they stopped dancing. “He was just trying unsuccessfully to tell me what he and Harry are going to do if they are not Aurors.”
“Were you now? Well, I’ll just go inside and see if I can help Mrs. Weasley, I mean Mum,” Harry said, pretending to turn and run.
“Stop right there, mister.” Ginny turned and looked at Harry. “I thought that you and Ron were going to train together. I was hoping that you two would work together. Then when I go back to school, I would not worry about you so much.”
Harry could see the worry in her eyes. “Ron, I think that it is time that we told them our little secret.”
“Well,” Ron started, “at the end of last year, a scout for the European Eagles gave Harry and I a chance to try out for his team. We went and tried out, and well, we were offered jobs. We said that we needed time to think about it and when we decided that we did not want to be Aurors anymore we told them yes.”
“And when were you going to tell us?” Ginny demanded.
“We just decided yesterday and this morning we Apparated over there and signed the papers and everything.” Harry calmly brushed a stray hair out of her eyes while Ginny smiled.
“Can I tell my mum? She will be so happy for you, knowing that she does not have to worry so much about you two now.”
Harry put his arm around Ginny and they both walked up the house. Hermione stood there quietly looking at Ron as he said, “And that is were I got the money for your ring.” Hermione did not say a word. “I love you,” he said desperately. Hermione let a tear slip down her check. “Hey, come here.” Ron walked her over to the nearby table. “What, can I do to put a smile on that beautiful face?”
“You did it,” Hermione replied, and buried her face in Ron’s chest.
Ron was confused. He comforted Hermione. He loved having her in his arms, even if she was crying. Hermione sat up straight, wiped her eyes, and planted a kiss on Ron’s check. “Lets go inside and join the others.”
“First tell me if you are ok. What was this?” He gently wiped one of the stray tears off her check.
“I am just so happy.”
“Hermione,” he looked lovingly at her, “I really don’t want secrets between us. I was wrong to keep the whole Quidditch job from you and I am sorry, but please tell me why this tear was shed. What did I do? What ever I did, I am sorry and I will work to make it right.” Hermione smiled and kissed Ron passionately. “Does that mean I didn’t do anything wrong, or that I am forgiven?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. I am just so relieved, after this last year, that you are not going off to be an Auror. I almost lost you. I don’t know if I could go through every day knowing that that was what you did for a living. Quidditch is much safer,” she grinned.
“So you do care about me.” He grinned back, and he pulled her in for a long, sensual kiss.
Arthur snuck up on his wife and whispered in her ear, “That is called eavesdropping.”
“I know,” Molly smiled, “but I just love a good love story. And here,” she pointed out the window, “we have two.” She sighed, and Arthur grinned and shook his head but then noticed his children watching them.
“Ginny, Harry.” Molly spun around.
“I am so glad that we amuse you, Mum,” Ginny giggled. Molly blushed and hugged them both.
Ron and Hermione came walking in just as Molly was done hugging Harry and Ginny. “Oh, Mum, get off,” Ron said playfully.
“I am so proud of you and Harry. Hermione you must be thrilled.”
“Oh, I am, Mrs. Weasley.”
“Please, dear, call me Mum now.”
“And Dad,” Mr. Weasley chimed in. “And as your parents, we need some rest so that your mum can get up bright and early tomorrow and start making plans.”
“But the wedding is at least a year away,” Ron said.
“I know that and you know that, but girls, they like to make plans up to the very moment of the event.”
Molly, Ginny, and Hermione smiled. “Well goodnight everyone, don’t stay up too late. Hermione, dear, I told your mother that you could spend as much time here as you wanted and your mother said that was wonderful because they want to go on a second honeymoon. They are leaving tomorrow for a cruise. I told them that you would go by in the morning to say goodbye. They are leaving at 11a.m.” Molly gave everyone one last hug and Hermione thanked Molly for the message and for inviting her parents over. “It was my pleasure, dear,” Molly replied. With that, the parents went upstairs.
“I thought that they would never leave,” Ron said. “How about a fire?” He pointed his wand at the dead fire and it roared back to life. Ron went over and sat on the couch, and Hermione followed.
Ginny went over to the other couch and Harry sat next to her. She put out her hand and he interlocked his fingers with hers. “I am sorry that I did not tell…”
She cut him off. “I love you,” she said as she laid her head on his chest.
“I love you too and I promise no more secrets.” Ginny gave a weak smile before her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Harry loved to watch her sleep. Then he looked over at his friends and saw that Hermione was sound asleep. Ron was looking at her and gently stroking her hair. Harry was happy to see his friends in love. He could not be happier; he laid his head back and closed his eyes.
Ron looked up at his sister and saw that she was sound asleep on Harry and poor Harry did not look very comfortable. Ron conjured a pillow and levitated it over to Harry’s head. Harry woke briefly when he felt something touch his face. He opened his eyes and saw a pillow next to his face. He looked up just in time to see Ron conjure up a pillow just like it for himself. “Thanks,” said Harry. Ron mumbled something like, “You’re welcome,” before he fell asleep. The pillow was very soft and made it very easy to fall back to sleep.