Harry awoke on the morning of Christmas Eve and looked outside. It was snowing thickly with big white flakes falling fast outside his window. Harry smiled and took a deep breath. Today would be the day he had to talk to the Weasleys about his surprise for Ginny.
He went downstairs and saw that everyone was at the breakfast table already except Ginny and Hermione, who apparently had gone out to do some last minute shopping for Mrs. Weasley already. The Grangers had arrived, and they had bewildered expressions on their faces as the eggs served themselves. They seemed to be very nice people, and once they got over their initial shock of seeing the Burrow for the first time, they fit right in. Mr. Weasley was very interested in talking to them all about what it’s like to be a muggle. He also made them promise to teach him how to use a television during their stay.
He realized that now was probably the best time to talk to everyone, but he wanted to make sure he talked to Ron first. Ron had already had three helpings of breakfast, so Harry figured that he wouldn’t begrudge him a few minutes of talking.
“Umm… Ron? Can I talk to you a minute in the living room?”
“Mmm-hmm,” he answered, wiped his mouth and got up.
“Excuse us,” Harry said.
“Of course, Harry,” said Mr. Weasley, looking confused.
Once in the other room, Harry sighed and looked down, wondering how to best put this.
“Ron… you obviously know about me and Ginny…” Alright, that was a really stupid sentence. Of course he knew about them.
“Yes…” Ron said skeptically. “And?”
“Well… I love her. You know that.”
Ron shrugged, but then looked into Harry’s eyes and saw how serious his expression was. “Yes, I guess I do.”
“Well, after everything that happened last year, and how for the longest time I couldn’t be with her, I don’t take anything for granted and… Well, Ron, I want to ask her to marry me. Tonight.” Ron didn’t respond. How to continue? Harry did not want to ask permission- Ginny would hate him for it, and it just wasn't something he wanted to do. “And… well, I was wondering what you thought about that.”
Ron took a deep breath in and then let it out.
“Harry… I… she’s my baby sister!”
“I know Ron, but she’s only a year younger than you, she isn’t a baby anymore. And you should know by now that you can trust me. It isn’t like I would be taking her away from you or your family.”
Ron hesitated for a moment, then looked at the ground. “Harry… I guess…. You’re right. You’re my best mate. And I trust you. I suppose you would be the best person for her to marry… better than Dean Thomas, anyway.”
Harry smiled and couldn’t help hugging Ron and patting him on the back. It was the best he was going to get.
“Whoa… mate. I was about to say that you’d be a way better in-law than Phlegm, but now I’m not sure. We don’t need to hug.”
Harry only laughed, utterly giddy with excitement.
“You better talk to my parents first… and Bill… you think I’m protective…” Ron muttered, as though he knew this was a lost cause.
They walked together back to the kitchen, Harry with a stupidly happy look on his face, and even Ron was smiling.
“So, Harry, you finally pop the question? When are you too getting married?” George asked, to Harry’s shock. How did he guess?
“What?!” Harry asked.
“You and Ron… the happy couple… I always knew you’d end up together…” George winked at Harry, who just laughed nervously.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to all of you about that.” Harry didn’t sit down.
“What?” Ron exclaimed.
“Not you, idiot…” Harry said, rolling his eyes. Ron just coughed to hide his embarrassment. “You see, everyone,” Harry looked at the faces of everyone at the table. They all loved him now, but how would they feel about him in a few minutes? “You know that Ginny and I have been together for almost six months now, and I’ve known her for so many years…” Harry felt it hard to continue now, as Bill seemed to have instantly understood what Harry was talking about. He had battled horrific dark wizards numerous times, almost died, had his bones removed, really died, been possessed, witnessed the reincarnation of Voldemort, and yet this was so hard. Falling in love with a girl with five living brothers was truly the most dangerous thing he’d ever done. “I love her so much. And you are all family to me. I was actually… I was planning on asking Ginny to marry me tonight.” Again, no one replied. “And I was wondering what you thought about that.” There was a long silence. And then…
“Oh, Harry!” He heard a tearful Mrs. Weasley get out of her chair. She pulled him into a motherly embrace and said some unintelligible things about how happy she was that he would finally be a real member of her family. “Not that you weren’t always of course.” She patted his head, and then went back to sit down.
“Well, Harry,” Mr. Weasley said, “I must admit I think you are both too young to marry-“
“Arthur-“
“Let me finish, Molly! But Harry, you really are a member of our family, and I love you like you are my own son. There is no young man I would trust more with my daughter than you, Harry Potter.”
Harry smiled, and ran forward to shake his hand. But Bill had something to say.
“Harry- nothing against you- but you are so much younger than I am! And mum, you wouldn’t top telling me and Fleur how we were too young to marry. Look at Ginny! She’s still a kid!”
“Bill-“ Fleur tried to but in, but Mrs. Weasley interrupted.
“Too be honest, Bill, I didn't think you and Fleur knew each other very well. I know I'm wrong about that, but that's what I thought then. And Harry and Ginny have known each other for years. And it’s not as though Harry and Ginny would even be able to marry for awhile anyway- she’s still in school-“
“Exactly!” said Bill.
“And, Bill, I really didn’t think you were too young. You were just my first child to marry and it was hard to let go. Also… well, everyone here knows that Fleur and I did not exactly get along until recently…”
Bill frowned.
“And the fact is,” Mr. Weasley said, “Ginny is not a child anymore. And if Harry wants to marry Ginny, he should be able to ask. They are both adults. We trust them.”
Harry smiled: it seemed he had succeeded!
George made a few jokes about Harry being a secret romantic, but then gave Harry a look showing that he actually approved.
So Bill was a bit skepitcal; did that really matter? Everyone else seemed glad to hear the news! This was a much better reception than Harry had planned on.
A few minutes later Ginny and Hermione returned home and the discussion had to stop, but not before he made everyone promise not to breathe a word of this to Ginny.
He couldn’t believe how well everything had worked out. But then he remembered that the hardest part came next- actually asking her to marry him.