The Proposal

‘I need to go to Scrivenshaft’s before we go back to the Burrow’ Hermione said ‘I’m running low on ink and need some new quills. Want to come with me Harry? Ron and Ginny can see about Mr and Mrs Weasley’s holiday at the travel agents’

‘Okay then’ Harry said aimiably ‘Meet you at the Three Broomsticks in say an hour?’

‘Sounds good’

Ron and Ginny headed off to the travel agents and Harry and Hermione headed down High Street to Scrivenshaft’s the wizarding supplies shop. Harry couldn’t help but smile a fact not lost on Hermione.

‘Harry what is it with you?’ She said bemusedly ‘You’re different today. More peppy less uptight as it were’

‘Am I?’ Harry said grinning ‘I don’t feel any different’

‘Oh that’s bullshit you’re grinning like a Cheshire cat!’ Hermione said ‘What happened?’

‘Who said anything happened?’ Harry said grinning stupidly.

‘Oh come on Harry I’ve known you long enough to know when something’s up with you. Something happened last night and whatever it was has made a change in you’

‘Well I played a game of Quidditch at half past twelve this morning’ Harry said mysteriously.

‘By yourself?’ Hermione said dubiously ‘Bit hard to do that on your own’

‘Well Gin was with me’

‘And?’

‘If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone and that includes Ron!’ Harry said ‘Especially Ron’

‘Okay I promise. Tell the truth hope to die stick a needle in my eye’ Hermione recited solemnly crossing her heart.

‘Well Ginny and I went out for a bit of Quidditch this morning then we…uhm well afterward we..erm’ Harry stammered glowing scarlet.

A look of dawning comprehension spread across Hermione's face
‘Oh Harry you did?’ She exclaimed ‘Oh that’s wonderful!’

‘RightinthemiddleoftheQuidditchpitch’ Harry stammered ‘Oh my God I can’t believe I’m telling you this!’

‘Harry I promise I won’t say anything!’ Hermione said giving him a quick hug ‘Ginny’ll probably tell me anyway’

‘And then again on the High Table’ Harry continued.

‘WHAT?’ Hermione exclaimed loudly.

‘Hermione shut up!’ Harry hissed loudly ‘I don’t want the world to know about my love life!’

‘Sorry’ Hermione said giving him another hug ‘I’m glad you and Ginny are together in that way. I wasn't sure if you were '

‘Well we have been since the end of the war it's just we've never told anyone’ Harry said as they entered Scrivenshaft’s.

‘You're very discreet about it' Hermione said 'Ron and I don't give a sod when or where we do it'

'So I've noticed' Harry said 'We've not done it at the Burrow'

'Where then? I have noticed you two disappearing on occasions' Hermione asked them immediately blushing 'No sorry that was rude you don't have to answer that'

'I don't mind telling you because you're a good friend and I know you won't spread it 'round' Harry said 'Usually Grimmauld Place a few times at the Leaky Cauldron and more than once at the Three Broomsticks'

'I thought so' Hermione said 'Ron and I have wondered quite often since the end of the war wether you and Ginny were together in that way you're very discreet'

‘Unlike you and Ron?’ Harry said with a grin.

Hermione went pink.

‘I suppose so’ She said busying herself with a display of goose feather quills ‘I suppose the next step is to ask her to marry you then’

‘Yeah I suppose but as I said to you in Diagon Alley yesterday I want to ask for Mr and Mrs Weasley’s blessing first. I’m definitely want to ask her to be my wife but I want her to be out of the house when I ask for her parent’s blessing and that means waiting till she goes back to work in a week. I don’t want her to get suss if I try and get her out of the house while she’s still at home. Plus I want to design the ring myself and I need time to do that’

‘Got any ideas for a ring design?’

Yeah well I’d like it to have Ruby the birthstone for July my birth month and Emerald the birthstone for May Gin’s birth month’ Harry said ‘And maybe diamond because it’s traditional’

‘I’m sure you could design something beautiful’ Hermione said selecting two goose feather quills ‘Mind you I think Ginny would wear an onion ring if you gave her one’

‘Ha ha’ Harry said moving over to a display of eagle feather quills ‘I was thinking of popping the question to her at my birthday party in two weeks what do you reckon?’

‘I think that would be very romantic Harry’ Hermione said picking up a basket ‘Decided who you’ll invite yet?’

‘Yeah Minerva, Professor Slughorn, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, Hagrid, Poppy Pomfrey, Neville and Hannah, Luna and Rolf, Seamus and Lavender, Dean and Padma, Lee and Pavarti, Oliver, Alicia, Katie Bell, all the Weasleys, Dennis Creevey, Cho, Andromeda and of course you Ron and Gin’

‘The old Gryffindor Quidditch team there you’ll be able to have a game during the festivities’ Hermione said with a grin.

Harry laughed.
‘Yeah I was hoping we’d be able to fit in a game’ He said picking out three quills and scooping up some parchment from a stack on a nearby shelf ‘You could join in an be in a team’

‘Harry I’m crap at Quidditch you know that’ Hermione said examining a leather covered journal ‘Gee that’s nice..last time I played Quidditch on one of your birthdays I fell off my broom and broke my arm’

‘So? You can break your arm again this year’ Harry said snorting in laughter ‘We can turn it into a birthday tradition’

‘Oh sod off. I am not going to break my arm on your birthday just to amuse you’ Hermione said poking her tongue out at him.

‘Well if Poppy comes there will be someone to heal you if you hurt yourself’ Harry joked.

‘Sod off’

Hermione went to the counter to ask the proprietor a question and Harry investigated at an elegant black dragon hide satchel with silver fastenings in a glass display cabinet. He caught the attention of a sales person and waved them over.

‘Can I help you?’ The young wizard who’s name tag identified him as 'Lewis' asked

‘Yeah can I have a closer look at this satchel?’ Harry asked pointing to the satchel ‘I’m looking for something like that for a possible new job’

‘Ah very good very good’ Lewis said unlocking the cabinet with a complicated series of taps with his wand ‘This bag will suit any purpose. We sold one last week to the Minister Of Magic himself’

‘Really?’

‘Uh huh. It’s made with Norweigan Ridgeback dragon hide imported from Norway itself. It’s perfect for all document storage and for an extra four galleons a permanent security charm can be put on it. And if you really fancy it the fastenings can be changed to gold, platinum or encrusted with rubies or emeralds. But that’s only if you want to show off. We’ve sold thirty seven of these bags since we brought them in, in May. We’ve sold them mainly overseas’

‘It’s very nice’ Harry said admiringly fingering the material ‘How much?’

‘One hundred galleons ten sickles and five knuts and obviously another four galleons for the permanent security charm’

‘Hmm..’

‘What’s up Harry?’ Hermione said brightly coming over to the counter ‘Buying some…whoa that is gorgeous!’

‘It is nice isn’t it?’ Harry said ‘I need a new satchel. The one I used at school died ages ago. I may as well get one that’ll last me the rest of my days’

‘How much?’

One hundred galleons, ten sickles and five knuts’ Harry said ‘And for another four galleons a permanent security charm can be put on it’

‘Not bad dragon hide?’

‘Yes ma’am the finest Norweigan Ridgeback hide imported from Norway’ Lewis said.

‘Hagrid would shit a brick if you turned up to Hogwarts with that’ Hermione said with a giggle ‘Can you imagine?’

‘Oh don’t remind me!’ Harry said groaning at the thought of the Norbert situation in his first year at Hogwarts ‘Norbert is the reason I got my first ever detention at school. This is a bag not Norbert. Hagrid will have to get over the fact it’s made of Norweigan Ridgeback hide. Every other part of a dragon is used in magical education. George has a dragon hide jacket which looks like Ridgeback hide to me and he’s never said anything about that’

‘So you’re interested sir?’ Lewis said.

‘Yes very’ Harry said ‘I’ll take it plus the security charm. Leave the fastenings as silver though’

‘And how will you pay for it sir cash or account transfer?’

‘Account transfer’ Harry said ‘I haven’t got a hundred and twenty galleons cash. And please wrap it’

‘Yessir’

‘So I take it you’re going to accept the stand in D.A.D.A job?’ Hermione said to Harry leaning against the counter as Lewis took the bag out to the back of the shop.

‘Hermione please don’t badger me!’ Harry said peevishly ‘Geez McGonagall only asked me about taking over last night. As I told then last night I do not want to be rushed. I will make the decision when I’m good and bloody ready!’

Hermione looked guilty.
‘I’m sorry Harry’ She said apologetically ‘I shouldn’t have said anything’

‘That’s okay’ Harry said ‘If you weren’t my best mate I would’ve hexed you into a pile of dragon shit’

‘Is that all?’ Hermione joked in an attempt to lighten the mood ‘No Bat Bogeys no Jelly Legs no building blasting Reductor?’

No the Bat Bogey is Gin’s domain the building vapourising Reductor is Seamus’s specialty and Jelly Legs is so first year’ Harry said with a laugh. ‘Hexing people with dragon shit is my thing. I’m going to hex Neville with it on his bucks night’

‘Oh Harry James Potter you wouldn’t!’ Hermione said in a mix of amusement and horror ‘That is just cruel!’

Harry let out a great snort of laughter that caused all the customers in the shop to stare at him.

‘Don’t you dare tell Hannah!’ He said ‘Or I will hex you with worse than the Dragon Dung hex!’

‘Like what palley?’ Hermione countered drawing her wand in a mock threatening manner.

‘I’ll sever Ron’s block and tackle off when he’s asleep!’ Harry said ‘That’ll make shag-a-thon’s a bit difficult’

‘Prat’

Laughing Harry paid for his new dragon hide satchel, quills and parchment ad followed Hermione from the shop.

‘I want to call in at Honeydukes’ He said ‘I need to eat something sweet’

‘Ginny’s going to be in the Three Broomsticks not Honeydukes’ Hermione said with a giggle dodging away from Harry’s attempted swatting ‘Ha ha’

Harry loaded up on Toothflossing Stringmints, Jelly Slugs, Chocolate Frogs, Choco Balls, Choc Mint fudge and Peppermint Toads at Honeydukes then followed Hermione up to the Three Broomsticks.

The warm smell of tobacco and butterbeer enveloped them as they walked into the front bar. Ginny and Ron were already in a booth and had started on a jug of butterbeer when they arrived.

‘Did you buy out Honeydukes or something? Ron said looking at Harry’s bulging bags.

‘Near enough’ Hermione said

‘Want a toad?’ Harry asked Ginny and Ron holding out a box ‘My treat’

‘Cheers Ta’ Ron said taking out a toad

‘Gin?’

Nah thanks I may have one after dinner though’ Ginny said pouring him a glass of butterbeer.