The Phoenix Prophecy

Chapter Ten: The Addition

Monday- July 14th

Gretchen

I suddenly realized that I was awake. The room was still very dark, but some moonlight was shining dimly through the window. I felt Ron’s hand draped over my hips and I could hear him snoring very softly. I rolled over as carefully as I could so as not to wake him. Because my eyes were accustomed to the dark, I could make out Ron’s features even in the dim moonlight.

I laid there just staring at his face, watching him breath. As I watched his bare chest rising and falling, I found myself becoming fascinated with the contours of his chest, shoulder and arm muscles. I started tracing my index finger over his chest, just barely touching his skin. Every once and a while one of his muscles would quiver as my finger passed over it.

At first, I thought I was just imagining it, but when I placed my nose very close to Ron’s chest, I could smell his scent. I took several long slow deep breaths. I was trying to imprint the scent Ron gave off in my mind. I couldn’t describe the scent in words no matter how hard I tried. It was just a very pleasant smell, which I would now associate with Ron.

I suddenly felt very wide-awake and quite restless. It felt as if the temperature in the room had gone up several degrees. I started gently stroking the fine red hairs on Ron’s chest, teasing some of them between my thumb and finger. Ron seemed as if he was breathing deeper. I looked up at his face but his eyes were still closed.

After a few minutes of playing with the hair on Ron’s chest, I had the irresistible urge to rub the palm of my hand over his chest. I placed one hand gently on his chest, feeling it rise and fall as he inhaled and exhaled. Touching his warm body with the palm of my hand sent an instant quiver through my entire body. I could feel my heart beating faster and I was breathing deeper as well.

This is very exciting I thought to myself as I slowly began to move my hand over his chest. By now, I was gently using my fingers as well as the palm of my hand to traverse the contours of Ron’s chest, shoulders and arms.

“Are you going to make a habit of waking me every morning like this?” Ron suddenly asked me, making me jump and let out a short squeal. “Shush, Gretchen or you will wake the others,” he said, taking my hand and kissing the back of it tenderly.

“I’m glad you woke up Ron.”

“I didn’t wake up, you woke me up. What did you want?”

I placed my hand behind his neck, pulled his face to mine, and kissed him. From the moment our lips touched, I felt a fire starting to grow inside me and began kissing him harder and more passionately. After several long seconds Ron pulled his lips away from mine, breathing hard.

“Gretchen, what’s gotten into you?”

“Oh Ron, I just can’t stand waiting any longer. I want you so much,” I said to him, trying to kiss him again.

“Gretchen, slow down. Keep your pants on.”

“I can’t, I’m not wearing any.”

“What!

“Well evidently when Martha and Madelyn put me in bed after you brought me back from the sea wrapped in a blanket, they only slipped this oversized jersey on me.”

“Anyway Gretchen, what happened to this not being the right time or place? Remember that’s what we both agreed to, the day before yesterday.”

“Well that was then and this is now,” I said to Ron, trying to kiss him again, but he just kept fighting me.

“Ron, don’t you want me?” I asked him, suddenly thinking that maybe Ron really didn’t want to make love to me.

“Yes Gretchen I do want you, but not here and now. You are not being yourself. You are all mixed up emotionally from your brush with death.”

“You do, oh Ron,” I said, while trying to start kissing him once again.

“Gretchen, you’re not listening to what I am trying to tell you.”

“Yes I am; you said that you want me too. That’s all I needed to hear,” I told him, my voice choked with emotion, as I threw my arms around his neck and started kissing the side of his neck.

“Gretchen, you are going to listen to me,” he said, unwinding my arms from around his neck.

“Gretchen if we make love right here, right now then some time later when you are not hopped up from what you went through yesterday, you will be very disappointed in me because I gave into you when I knew that I shouldn’t have.”

“Ron, that’s not true. I would never be disappointed in you,” I said looking into his eyes.

“Ok Gretchen, if you’re sure, then take off you shirt and lets get started. But when you end up hating me, remember I tried to warn you.”

“Well come on dear, hurry up and get your shirt off. We had better hurry or the others will be waking soon.”

“Gretchen, you sure are slow in getting that shirt off. Here let me help you.”

“Ron, go to hell, you bastard,” I said collapsing against him, putting my arms around his chest and starting to cry.

“No Gretchen, I won’t and I’m not. But I don’t blame you for being angry. I know that you can’t help what you are going through,” he said to me while stroking my head as he held it against his chest.

I knew in my heart that Ron was right and I both respected and hated him for being right.

“Gretchen?”

“Yes Ron.”

“I want both of us to look back on our first time and remember it as one of the best moments in our lives. We don’t want to have any lingering doubts that we didn’t wait for the right time and place. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes Ron, I agree, but it doesn’t help much just now,” I answered him, still feeling pretty pumped up.

“Gretchen, we are going to have a lifetime to enjoy each other. I promise to make it up to you later, Ok?”

“Ok Ron. I have just one question. When is later?” I asked him, smiling lovingly at him.

“Probably when we least expect it,” he answered me, tilting my head up and kissing me warmly, but not too passionately.

When we broke from the kiss and I started to lean my head back on his chest I noticed that my shirt had worked its way up so that my thigh was bare almost to the waist. Ron noticed this at the same time and just grinned devilishly at me when I looked back up at his face. Ron placed his hand very lightly on my thigh just above the knee and slid it along the length of my thigh very slowly until his hand reached my waist. As had moved up my thigh I shivered involuntarily.

“Ron! What are you trying to do? Get me pumped up all over again?”

“No I’m not Gretchen. But after what you have just put me through, I couldn’t resist. And besides you deserved it,” he said, looking at me lovingly and hugging me tightly to him.

“I suppose you right,” I replied. I hadn’t really thought about the emotional distress that I had just put him through.

“Ron?”

“Yes dear.”

“Thank you for protecting me from myself.”

“You’re most welcome. I’m sure you would do the same for me.”

“I wouldn’t bet too heavily on that if I were you,” I said, laughing softly.

Hermione

I awoke with a start. I was sweating and my heart was racing. I realized that I had been dreaming about the octopus that attacked Sirius yesterday. I had dreamt that the octopus had me caught in its tentacles and was drawing me nearer and nearer to that hideous beak.

It was just starting to get light. The sun wouldn’t be up for another thirty minutes. Everyone else was still peacefully asleep. Harry was lying on his side facing me, snoring softly. I could hear Annie and Katie breathing quietly in Ron and Gretchen’s beds. Remembering the dreamy look on Annie’s face when Harry kissed her brought a smile to my face. Harry had kissed her perfectly, just enough so she would be able to remember the sensation but not more that a girl of ten would be comfortable handling.

Katie on the other hand, hadn’t been fazed in the least by Harry telling her she would have to wait until she was ten. She was going to have ‘Ron’ kiss her. I could still see the look of defiance on her face as she made this announcement. I was sure she would be pestering Ron endlessly until he gave in and kissed her. Since Ron could be very stubborn and was likely to think kissing Katie wasn’t such a good idea, it could be a day of clashing wills.

I wondered how Gretchen was going to react to Sirius and Madelyn’s declaration that it was completely up to us as to whether we engaged in sex. Somehow, Gretchen struck me as the extremely independent type that would listen attentively and then do exactly as she planned to do in the first place. In many ways she and Ron were very much alike, they both had a lot of rebel in them. Maybe that came from having brothers and sisters to deal with, I thought to myself.

Thinking of what Sirius and Madelyn had told Harry and he had related to me, I thought of how understanding Harry had been when I told him that I had planned on making love with him but changed my mind after hearing what Sirius and Madelyn had said. I knew that I over analyzed everything, including the right time and place for Harry and I to commit our love for each other physically. I was just going to have to stop thinking about when the proper time and place for us to make love for the first time would be, or else I was going to drive Harry and me crazy. I knew that was going to be easier said than done.

As I was thinking about the right time and place, I suddenly remembered what Martha had said about Gretchen being ‘sexually aggressive’ when she awoke this morning. I wondered if Ron was going to be able to resist her considerable determination, or would he give into her desires. I wasn’t sure leaving Ron alone with Gretchen last night was fair to either of them. What if Gretchen convinced Ron to make love, and then later resented him, for not preventing her from doing something she wasn’t truly ready to do. I didn’t want Ron, or Gretchen for that matter, to have their first time spoiled by something that wasn’t their fault.

As I was trying to decide if I should get up, go, and check on Ron and Gretchen, Harry opened his eyes and looked at me.

“What’s wrong Hun?” he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and stretching his arms. “You look like you are really frustrated.”

I told Harry why I was concerned for Ron and Gretchen.

“Don’t worry, Ron can be just as stubborn as Gretchen, maybe even more so,” he said to me. ”If there were awards for pig-headedness, Ron and Gretchen would probably tie for first place. I’m sure they will be ok.”

“Well I hope you are right Harry. If not, then there really isn’t much we can do about it.”

“That’s right, but there is something you can do.”

“And what might that be Harry?”

“You can snuggle over here and kiss me good morning, that’s what.”

“You bet. Anything for a steady customer,” I said, with a smile as I rolled up next to him and planted a big kiss on his lips.

By now, the sun was up and I heard the girls stirring in their beds. Harry and I looked over to where they were sleeping to see Annie stretching and then sitting up in bed.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Shortly after sun-up,” I replied, having left my watch in the pocket of my shorts. I noticed Harry wasn’t wearing his watch either, so he was of no help in determining the actual time.

Katie woke up when she heard us talking. She looked startled until she remembered where she was and why.

“Good morning Katie. Did you sleep ok?” I asked her.

“Yes, I slept fine. These beds are quite comfortable,” Katie answered.

Annie and Katie got up and left the tent to go back to the house. I told them we would be there in a few minutes. After they left Harry grabbed me, pulling me to him and kissed me tenderly. After several minutes of kissing and nuzzling, I told Harry that if he didn’t let me up so I could use the bathroom I was going to have a childish accident.

Harry reluctantly let me up and I bolted for the bathroom, as I hadn’t been teasing Harry. After a refreshing pause, I returned to get the clothes I was going to wear for the day. Once I was dressed, Harry quickly used the bathroom and returned dressed for the day as well. Sirius and Madelyn were sleeping, I think, they may have been just pretending to be asleep waiting for us to leave so that they could be alone.

When we reached the front porch, Martha and Walt were already sitting there. Each had a twin and they were talking to each other. I could hear their kids talking inside the house as they ate their breakfasts. We went and sat down across from Martha and Walt just as Ron and Gretchen emerged from the house looking positively indecent.

Ron was wearing the shorts I had seen him in yesterday, but Gretchen was wearing an oversized shirt and had wrapped a blanket around her. Both of them looked as if their hair hadn’t been combed or brushed in weeks. They both had expressions on their faces that was somewhere between spacey and dreamy. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that Gretchen had won out over Ron. I looked at Harry, who was looking at me at that very moment. Both of our faces had the same message written on them, ‘oh no.’

“How are you feeling?” I asked Gretchen tentatively, worried that I didn’t want to hear what she was going to say.

“I’m feeling much better,” she replied. “The center of my chest is very tender and while I don’t feel like running and jumping just yet, I think I will be ok.”

“Well you sure sound better than you look,” Harry added.

“Harry! That was a terrible thing to say,” I scolded him; shocked he would say such a thing, even if it was true.

“I’m sorry Gretchen. I just meant that your hair is a mess and you look like something the cat dragged in …. I think I’ll shut up now.”

“Harry, don’t worry about it,” Gretchen said to him, smiling and looking more like her usual self. “I know that I must look frightful. I’m surprised Ron hasn’t gone to look for a new girl. But then again he doesn’t look too handsome this morning either.”

“Ron, did you manage to get any more sleep after you were up in the middle of the night?” Martha asked him.

I felt that my worst fears had just been confirmed. ‘Oh Ron, what had you let Gretchen talk you into,’ I asked myself.

“Yes Martha, Gretchen and I went right back to sleep. I slept like a rock until someone, who shall remain nameless woke me up again about an hour ago,” Ron answered.

Oh my God, they did it twice, and in the same night. Gretchen must have been really pumped up. I must have been just sitting there with my mouth hanging open because Harry nudged me in the ribs when no one was looking. I quickly shut my mouth and took a hold of Harry’s hand.

“Well you both look as if you’re going to survive,” Martha said to them.

“Is anybody else hungry? I’m starved,” Walt said us all.

“So are we,” Sirius answered him, as he and Madelyn walked up the porch steps; both dressed in shorts and shirts.

I made Harry hang back as everyone started into the house for breakfast. As soon as we were alone, I asked Harry if he thought Ron and Gretchen had made love last night.

“I don’t know Hun. Why don’t we just ask them?”

“We can’t ask them that. Are you crazy, Harry?”

“Sure we can,” he replied, and called to Ron and Gretchen just as they were about to enter the house.

When Ron and Gretchen came back over to us, I felt like hiding behind Harry. I still couldn’t believe Harry was just going to ask them if they had sex last night, but he did.

“Ron … Gretchen, I know this is a bit personal, but did anything special happen last night between the two of you?”

“You mean did we make love?” Ron asked.

“Well yes, I guess that’s what I’m asking,” Harry answered.

“No, nothing happened,” Gretchen replied smiling at us. “I really wanted to because I was so emotionally pumped up; but Ron sort of talked me out of it.”

“What do you mean, sort of,” I asked, before I could force myself to keep my mouth shut.

Gretchen just smiled at me and said, “Well like I said, I really felt like I wanted to and I was giving Ron a lot of grief because he kept saying no. Finally, he just said; ok, let’s do it. Once he said that I knew that it wasn’t the right time or place, so I just called him a bastard and cried on his chest.”

“You forgot to tell them that you told me to go to hell too,” Ron added, smiling at Gretchen and hugging her around the shoulder.

“Oh yeah, I did say that didn’t I? Well you know that a woman under extreme stress isn’t responsible for what she says,” Gretchen said to Ron.

“Dear, in your case I only listen to half of what you say and believe only half of that,” Ron replied.

“You had better start listening to everything I say and believing all of it from now on mister,” Gretchen said, trying to sound fierce.

“Yes dear, whatever you say,” Ron replied, grinning at her.

“Let’s go get something to eat before it’s all gone,” Ron added. “I’m starved.”

We all laughed and headed for the door to get some much-needed food.

Gretchen

Martha’s kids had finished eating. The grownups were just sitting down to help themselves to breakfast when we came in and joined them at the table. After everyone had filled their bowls with cereal and fruit, poured themselves something to drink, Walt started talking to all of us.

“As you have probably noticed our house has been shrinking, or should I say our family has been expanding. We are in need of another couple of rooms. It won’t be long before the twins are too old to stay in our room. So what I was wondering was; would you be interested in helping us build an addition onto the house?”

The six of us all tried talking at once. Finally, Sirius spoke for us all when he said ‘that we would be more than happy to help them put an addition on the house.’ Martha’s kids, who were still in the room, became very excited at the prospect of more rooms and immediately began asking if they were going to be bedrooms, and if so who would be sleeping where. Martha quieted them down saying they would figure out who would sleep where once the rooms were actually finished.

After we had finished eating Madelyn asked me how I felt.

“I feel pretty good,” I answered her. “Not that I feel like wrestling a bear or anything like that you understand.”

“It probably would be a good idea if you refrained from doing anything today that might elevate your heart rate significantly,” she replied.

“Hey Ron, did you hear Madelyn?” I asked him. “No more kisses for you today. I’m not supposed to get my heart racing.”

“Gretchen, that’s not what I meant,” Madelyn said. “On second thought that’s not such a bad idea, maybe if you stop thinking about Ron for two seconds we can get some useful work out of you.”

“Who said anything about me stopping to think about Ron? I always think about Ron,” I said, winking at him.

Madelyn just looked at me shaking her head and said to Martha, “were we ever that young?”

“Yes we were, but it does seem like a long time ago,” Martha answered her, with a chuckle.

Just as I was about to get up from the table Katie came over and stood next to Ron.

“What can I do for you young lady,” Ron said to her very sincerely.

“Could I please sit in you lap?” she answered him.

“Sure, I guess,” Ron said, shooting a quick glance at me as if to say, ‘What’s this all about?’, and sliding his chair back from the table to make room for Katie.

Katie quickly climbed into his lap and laid her head against Ron’s chest. She was looking at me with an expression that seemed to say ‘You’re excused. Don’t you have something you should be doing?’ Ron looked a little uncomfortable, but I think he was more worried about what Martha or Walt might be thinking than the thought that I might be upset. I saw him glance across the table at Martha who just smiled affectionately back at him. This seemed to relieve Ron’s worry as he put his hand on Katie’s shoulder.

Katie turned her face up to look at Ron and when he looked at her; she closed her eyes and puckered up her lips. The look on Ron’s face was priceless. I would have been rolling on the floor with laughter if it were not for that fact that I didn’t want to hurt Katie’s feeling. Ron just looked at me as if he was saying ‘Help me, what do I do know?’ I decided I would try to rescue Ron from his acute distress.

“Katie, what’s this all about?” I said, as softly and kindly as I could while smiling warmly at her.

“Well, since Harry gave Annie her first kiss last night, I am waiting for Ron to give me my first kiss,” she said very solemnly.

“Oh, he did, did he?” I said, as Ron and I both looked at Harry, who was looking like he wished he was somewhere else, such as under the table.

“I asked Harry to give Annie a kiss because she is ten years old and has never had a single kiss,” Hermione said, jumping to Harry’s defense. “I just thought she should have a happy memory that she can remember fondly.”

“You see, I was telling the truth. Now it’s my turn,” Katie said to Ron.

Ron glanced at Walt and Martha for some indication of what to do.

“Ron, just give her a little kiss, otherwise we will have another moody female in the house,” Walt told him.

Katie closed her eyes and puckered up he lips again, tilting her face to Ron. Ron kissed her quickly, but not so quick that she didn’t realize she had been kissed, and then he hugged her to his chest. When Katie sat up Ron asked her if that kiss was satisfactory. She replied that it was ‘very nice.’ As she got down from his lap she shot me a look that seemed to say ‘better watch out or I’m going to steal your man.’

After Katie went to help with the breakfast dishes, I leaned over and kissed Ron warmly. ‘You do have a way with women,’ I said to him, smiling very affectionately.

“Well if all you ladies will excuse us, the guys are going to go out and start getting ready to work on the addition,” Walt announced.

“Yes Honey, you wouldn’t want to stay in here with all us ‘moody females,’” Martha said to him, patting his cheek and kissing him affectionately.

“I suppose not,” Walt said to her, patting her fanny and winking at me because I was looking right at him when he patted her.

After all the guys had left with Walt, Martha came over and sat down beside me.

“Gretchen, you seemed to be a little shocked when you saw Walt pat my rump just before he went outside,” she said. “We still enjoy the warmth and familiarity of touching each other affectionately. It’s something that you never outgrow.”

“I guess I was just a little,” I answered her. “But I’m glad to know that Ron and I well have years and years to enjoy each other.”

“Gretchen, you and Ron will have your whole lives to enjoy each other,” Martha said, smiling warmly at me.

Ron

Walt led us around to the back of the house to show us where he planned to attach the addition. The addition would contain two bedrooms and a bathroom, all on one floor. He showed us where the corners to the foundation would be set. The total size of the addition was twelve feet by twenty-four feet. He and the boys had cut and milled enough wood over the last two years to complete the addition.

The first thing we had to do was set the timbers into the ground that would support the floor of the addition. We divided into pairs, Harry was with Alec, and Tom was with me, while Walt and Sirius volunteered to be the bosses.

“Gee that was mighty generous of them,” I told Tom.

“My dad’s favorite job,” he replied smiling. “Just ask mom, although she doesn’t take to being bossed around very well. I think mom has learned to stay in the house when we work on these ‘family projects.’”

From the barn, we retrieved several shovels and a pickaxe and returned to start digging the holes for the foundation. The support timbers were set six feet apart which meant we had to dig twelve holes each about four feet deep. Luckily, the ground was a combination of clay and sand, with very little rock.

While we were digging, Tom and I started talking about what it was like to come from big families. When I mentioned that Gretchen came from a big family Tom replied, “You and Harry sure are lucky. You both have very pretty girlfriends.”

“Thanks Tom. I’m sure the girls would be pleased to know that you think they are pretty,” I told him.

“I have always liked brown haired girls the best,” he said, quickly adding, “of course Gretchen is very pretty too. It’s just that I have never seen anyone as beautiful as Hermione.”

“Yes, I think Hermione is very beautiful too, but let’s not tell Gretchen that I said that, ok?” I asked Tom. “Hermione is pretty enough to be on the cover of one of those fashion magazines, but Gretchen is so sweet and I love her so much that it doesn’t matter that she may not be as beautiful as Hermione to some. To me she is the most beautiful creature on earth, or the Realm for that matter.”

“Is that what people mean when they say ‘Love is blind?’” Tom asked me.

“No, it means more that just thinking the person you love is better looking that everyone else,” I replied. “It also means that you overlook the faults and imperfections in those that you love.”

“Ron, do you think Harry would mind if I talked to Hermione?” he asked hesitantly.

“No, I don’t see why Harry would mind. It’s not like you’re going to steal her away from him or anything like that,” I answered.

Tom didn’t say anything more about Hermione as we kept digging. We started talking about how older brothers could sometimes be a pain in the rear. I could go on and on for days and days about that subject.

We had been working on the foundation for a couple of hours. The sun was climbing high enough in the sky to start shining directly on us as we worked. Just as I was thinking how thirsty I was, the gals came around the corner of the house with several pitchers of cold water.

“Oh that is exactly what I have been dreaming of,” I said to Gretchen as she walked up to me.

“Why thank you Ron, but maybe we should wait till later,” she said grinning devilishly at me.

“No not you, the water,” I said.

“Would you like it over your head or down your shorts,” she quickly shot back, her smile instantly wiped from her face.

“Better pour it in my shorts, I guess I’m not going to be getting any more kisses for some time to come,” I answered her. “Would it be too late to apologize, Gretchen?”

“Ron, it’s never too late …, might not do you any good though,” she said, with a smile returning to her face. “But in your case an apology will always be accepted,” she added, kissing me quickly.

“Have I told you that you are the most beautiful girl in the world today?” I asked.

“No, you haven’t, and I’m not, but I’m awfully glad you think so Ron.”

“May I have some of that water to drink?”

Gretchen filled a large glass from the pitcher and handed the glass to me and the pitcher to Annie.

I drank the water slowly. It tasted great, as I was really thirsty. After Harry and I finished drinking our water, we handed the glasses back to the girls and they started back to the house.

“I don’t know about you Harry, but I’m roasting,” I said to him. “Let’s chuck these shirts.”

“Great idea, Ron,” Harry replied.

Just as I got ready to pull my shirt off over my head, I noticed Gretchen and Hermione staring at Harry and me with hungry looks on their faces.

“What?” I said to them.

“Oh nothing, Hermione and I are just going to stand here and stare at you two while you take off your shirts,” Gretchen said to me.

“What are you taking about?” I asked her, totally lost.

“We are going to stand here and watch you take off your shirts just like you did when we took off our shirts and shorts at the lake day before yesterday,” Gretchen replied.

“Oh, ok suit yourselves,” I said, taking off my shirt and intentionally flexing my arm and shoulder muscles by placing my hands behind my head and standing up straight and pushing my chest out.

“Show off,” Gretchen said to me. “We’re leaving. It’s no fun staring at you if you’re not going to be embarrassed.”

“Get you butts over here,” I said rather forcefully, as they turned to leave.

Gretchen turned around and looked at me. For a couple of seconds she just stared, and then she and Hermione walked over and stood in front of us without saying a word.

“Gretchen, I think I speak for Harry as well when I say we didn’t realize it embarrassed you when we watched you taking off the clothes you were wearing over your bathing suits. I like to look at you. You’re so pretty and sexy; I just really enjoy watching you no matter what you’re doing.”

“Ron, I guess I shouldn’t be so touchy about you watching me. It’s just that I’m so used to guys that I don’t even know looking at me as if I was a juicy steak they were going to eat for dinner. That’s what really bothers me.”

“Well if it will make you feel better I won’t look at you any more. I’ll just stare at Hermione instead,” I said, trying to sound very sincere and innocent.

“Ron Weasley, if I catch your eyeballs on anyone but me I’m going to clean you clock like it’s never been cleaned before. Is that clear?”

“Yes dear, I will have eyes only for you. I will never take them off you again,” I said very meekly, looking like a little puppy that had just been scolded.

“That’s right,” Gretchen said, placing her arms around my neck and kissing me tenderly while Hermione was doing the same to Harry.

“Hey, wait a minute. Hermione we have been outflanked, the guys have agreed to do just what they did before. How can this be,” Gretchen asked her, letting go of me and pushing me away. “We are going to have to think about this,” she said to Hermione as they started back towards the house.

“Well just don’t sprain anything while you are thinking about it,” I called after her.

“Oh don’t worry about us, I’m sure we won’t need your help,” Gretchen shot back.

“If you do sprain something just yell, I’m always ready to rescue the love of my life,” I answered back.

“Don’t hold your breath. Just wait and see if I ever ask you to rescue me again,” Gretchen replied. As soon as the words were out of her mouth Gretchen stopped dead in her tracks, when she turned around to look at me her face was twisted in anguish, and tears were streaming down her face. I knew instantly that I had let our bantering get out of hand and ran to her as she ran to me.

When we met, we threw our arms around each other. Gretchen was crying and telling me, that she didn’t mean to sound ungrateful and I was trying to tell her how sorry I was for upsetting her.

“Madelyn told me I was going to be more emotional than usual for the next couple of days,” Gretchen said to me, while hugging me tightly with her head against my chest.

“In that case dear, I will just have to especially nice to you. Please forgive me for upsetting you?” I said to her, as I held her and stroked her hair.

“Ron, I upset myself when I blurted out that totally ungrateful remark about you rescuing me. There is no one in the world that I would rather rescue me than you,” she said looking up at me.

“If you two are done apologizing to each other, do you gals think you could go back in the house so we can get some useful work out Harry and Ron,” Sirius interjected, with a smile on his face.

“We were just leaving,” Gretchen answered him, kissing me warmly and then heading for the house with Hermione.

Harry

We continued to work in the hot sun for the next hour. After digging the last hole, and planting and leveling vertical timbers, Walt showed us how to build a lattice with two by eights on top of the vertical timbers. Once we had the first layer set in place, we started nailing them to the tops of the timbers with six-inch spikes.

The two by eights were cut from hard wood, so it was very difficult to get the nails started into the wood in order to be able to drive them through the board and into the timber. Everything went ok on my first board. On the third nail in the second board I swung too hard while trying to start the nail and missed the nail head completely. Unfortunately, I didn’t miss my thumbnail. The hammer hit so hard that the nail split and blood started oozing out from under and around the nail. A split second later, intense pain reached my brain and I began to yell at the top of my lungs. It felt as if I had just shoved my thumb in the flame of a candle and held it there for several seconds. The burning and throbbing were more that I could stand. I felt like I was going to throw up, but I just held my smashed thumb while I continued to yell.

Immediately Sirius and Walt were on me trying to get a look at what I had done to my hand. I’m sure they thought I had chopped my thumb clean off because of all the yelling I was doing. Before Sirius could tell someone to fetch Madelyn, I saw her come running around the corner of the house, followed closely by Hermione and Gretchen. When Hermione took one look at the pain in my face, she tried to run to me but she didn’t look where she was going and tripped over a stack of two by eights and fell flat on her face.

Before I could see what had happened to Hermione, Madelyn came up in front of me to try to get a look at my thumb.

“Harry, let me have a look at your thumb,” Madelyn said forcefully to me.

“I can’t,” I said. “If I let the pressure off I will pass out, throw up or both,” I managed to spit out without screaming it.

Madelyn took out her wand, pointed it at my hand and said ‘numbicus’. Instantly the pain was gone, but I could not feel anything below my elbow. Madelyn made me sit down on the lattice boards and told me to look the other way while she examined and repaired my thumb.

When I looked over to see what had become of Hermione I saw her lying down on the ground with tears in her eyes. Tom was at her side in a split second. As I watched, I could see and hear Hermione telling Tom that she was afraid she had sprained her ankle. The tears were flowing down her cheeks from the pain and she sounded terrible. I wanted to go to her, put my arms around her and try to comfort her to ease the suffering she was going through.

Tom very carefully felt Hermione’s ankle and asked her if she thought it might be broken. She said she didn’t think so and wanted to try to stand if Tom would help her. Tom took both of her hands in his and very gently helped Hermione to her feet. As soon as Hermione was standing, she started wobbling and placed her hands on Tom’s shoulders to steady herself. When Tom asked her if she was going to be able to walk on her ankle, she looked up at Tom as if to say something. Instead of saying anything, she looked at Tom and smiled. For a second neither of them moved or said anything and then Tom did something I wouldn’t have expected in a thousand years. He kissed her on the mouth and said something that sounded like ‘I love you’. Hermione just stood there with her hands on his shoulder as if she was petrified. Suddenly Tom turned and ran around the side of the house. Hermione just stood there with most of her weight on one foot with a very strange look on her face.

When Hermione turned her head and saw me looking at her, a look of puzzlement crossed her face. I just shrugged my shoulders, as I had no idea of what she should do. While Tom had been helping Hermione to her feet, Madelyn finished fixing my thumb and removed the numbing charm. My thumb looked and felt good as new. I told Madelyn that Hermione also needed some help because she appeared to have a sprained ankle. Madelyn just shook her head as we hurried over to help Hermione. I supported Hermione while she hopped one footed to sit on the lattice board. After Madelyn fixed her ankle, she told all of us to be more careful and went back into the house.

“Hermione, do you have any idea why Tom went running off?” I asked her.

“I’m not sure Harry. My guess is that he was too embarrassed because he kissed me or else he was afraid you might be angry with him.”

“I hope it was because he was embarrassed. I would hate to think that he was afraid of me. He is only 12 years old and has a very bad case of puppy love over you. You realize that of course.”

“Yes Harry, I would have to be blind not to have noticed. I just never expected Tom to be brave enough to kiss me or tell me that he loved me.”

“Do you think we should go and talk to him together?” I asked.

“No Harry. Why don’t you let me talk to him alone? If that doesn’t work then we can talk to him together.”

“Ok Hun,” I said, kissing her and returning to work with the guys as Hermione went to find Tom.

“Harry, you and power tools are a wicked combination,” Sirius said to me.

“Power tools, what power tools are you talking about? I was only using a hammer,” I replied.

“Well you sure did a powerful bang up job on your thumb,” Sirius shot back, laughing at his own joke.

“Very funny Sirius. It could happen to anybody, even you.”

“Well just be more careful, Madelyn won’t be pleased if she has to come out here and fix you up again.”

At that instant, Ron let out a blood-curdling scream and began jumping around holding his thumb.

“Damn, not you too,” Sirius said to Ron, completely exasperated.

“No I’m fine,” Ron said, holding up his hand, which was perfectly ok, and grinning from ear to ear.

“Ron, you won’t be once I nail your damn hide to the house,” Sirius said to him, advancing on him menacingly with his hammer raised over his head.

Hermione

I walked around the front of the house looking for Tom. At first, I didn’t see him. After looking in every direction, I finally noticed that the rope on the tree swing was swinging back and forth. I knew it must be Tom because Annie and Katie were in the house. I walked down to the tree swing where Tom had his back to me and was swinging back and forth with his feet dragging on the ground.

“Tom, can I talk to you?” I said to him.

Tom jumped off the swing as if it had suddenly caught fire. He turned to look at me and then he just stared at the ground without saying anything. I walked up to him, took his hand in mine, and led him back to the table under the oak tree. I sat down and asked him to sit down beside me.

“Tom, I am not mad or upset with you for kissing me,” I said as gently as I could.

He looked up at me; I could see that his eyes were on the verge of tears.

“Iii..mmm sorry,” he stammered out. “I know I shouldn’t have done that. I just couldn’t help it. I have wanted to do that since the day you arrived. You are the prettiest girl I have ever seen.”

“Tom, I am very flattered that you think I’m pretty. A girl loves to hear that, especially from someone she thinks is special, and you are special to me Tom. You and your brother and sisters are special to all of us and me in particular. Would you like to know why?”

Tom just shook his head yes, but he kept his eyes on my face, listening to what I was telling him.

“Tom, I have no brothers or sisters. I have never known the love that you share with Alec, Annie and Katie. Since we have arrived here, you and your family have made me feel that I am a part of your family. You have no idea how much that means to me. I can’t thank you enough for the privilege of sharing your love with me. I will remember and love all of you for the rest of my life.”

“Is Harry mad at me?” Tom asked apprehensively.

“Tom, Harry is not mad at you. Harry loves all of you just as much as I do and for pretty much the same reasons. Do you like Harry?” I asked.

“Yes I think Harry’s really nice,” Tom replied, sounding a little more comfortable than when we first started to talk.

“I’m glad you like Harry because I love Harry very much. Someday Harry will be my husband and the father of my children. In addition, you will always be one of my brothers that I love as family. Tom, do you understand what I am trying to tell you?”

“I guess so,” he answered me. “Will you promise to always remember me, no matter what happens?”

“Yes Tom, I promise to always love and remember you no matter what happens, ‘cross my heart and hope to die,’” I added. “Now I would like a brotherly hug if that’s alright with you?”

Tom wrapped his arms around me and I wrapped my arms around him and kissed the top of his head. After a few seconds Tom straighten up and said thanks.

“Tom, I always keep my promises, I will never forget you.”

We got up from the table and I told Tom that the guys were waiting for him as I headed back into the house to see what the rest of the gals were up to.

When I entered the house, Martha was unrolling a bolt of cloth on the table. Annie was standing on a stool with what looked like a dress made out of tissue paper pinned to her jersey.

“Annie, what are you wearing? You look like a big Barbie doll,” I said to her.

“Hermione, what’s a Barbie doll?”

“Oh, that’s right you wouldn’t have the slightest idea what I am talking about. Annie, a Barbie doll is a toy doll about ten inches tall that you can dress up in different outfits. Where I come from, little girls—and some big ones for that matter—like to play with Barbie dolls. You just reminded me of one that’s all.”

“I much preferred to play with Ken,” Gretchen said teasingly to Annie.

“Who is this Ken?” she asked us.

“Ken was a boy doll, Barbie’s boyfriend. And don’t listen to Gretchen, she is just teasing you,” I told her.

“Want to bet?” Gretchen asked, smiling mischievously.

“With you, never.” I answered her. “Anyway back to my original question. Annie, what are you wearing”?

“Annie has a pattern for a new dress pinned to her,” Martha answered for her. “I am going to make the girls new dresses for fall and winter. Gretchen has volunteered to help. Would you like to learn how to make a dress from scratch?”

“Sure, this sounds like fun. Where do we start?”

For the next couple of hours we pinned, cut and sewed the flannel cloth into a new dress for Annie. I never knew that making a simple little girl’s dress could be so complicated. By the time we had finished I felt as if my thumb was a pincushion. I certainly had poked it enough times to qualify. I also knew that this was probably going to be the one and only dress that I was every going to make. Thanks, but I would continue to buy my clothes at the store and save my thumbs.

Gretchen seemed to take to sewing like a duck takes to water. She was really into this whole pioneer wife and mother thing. I was no longer jealous of her close relationship with Martha. She and Martha were very much alike. When the dress was finished, Annie proudly paraded it for us to all see.

“You look very pretty in that dress,” Gretchen said to Annie, who just smiled and smiled.

“You would make a good prairie wife and mother,” Martha said to Gretchen. “You are very good at making things with your hands.”

“Thanks Martha, I really enjoyed helping you make the dress for Annie. Maybe I should apply for the position of prairie wife. How old do you have to be to get married here in the Realm?”

“By law, you must be sixteen, but most girls are married by the time they are eighteen or nineteen,” Martha answered.

“Would someone please help me out of this,” Annie asked, trying to pull the new dress over her head.

Gretchen went to Annie’s rescue and helped her get the new dress off without damage to the dress or Annie’s hair.

Ron

Tom came back and started helping me finish nailing the lattice boards in place. He didn’t say anything about why he had been gone and I didn’t bring it up. I knew he would tell me if and when he was ready.

Once I finished nailing all the lattice boards in place, we carried the floor joists from the barn and set them on top of the lattice boards. We nailed a couple of floorboards to hold them in place while I squared and leveled the joists. After two hours, we had completely set all of the joists and end caps. Tom and I worked well together. It seemed as if we could read each other’s mind as we set the joists and tacked them into place.

A few minutes before we finished with the floor joists, Annie came around to where we were working and said the lunch would be served on the table under the oak tree in fifteen minutes.

“Well that’s a terrific accomplishment for one morning,” Walt said to us all, admiring our handiwork. “Let’s go and get some lunch and take a break. The next couple of hours are going to be too hot to work in the direct sun.”

“You know Walt, I really do like building things,” I said to him, looking over what I had helped make. “Maybe I should become a carpenter after I get out of school. I never realized that making something with your hands could give you such a sense of accomplishment.”

“Ron, you can help me with my building projects any time,” He said, clapping me on the back. “Come on, I don’t know about you but working outside gives me a real appetite.”

“Ron doesn’t need any reason for an appetite. He’s always hungry,” Harry chimed in, laughing and smiling.

After we washed up, we went around the front of the house to see if there was anything we should help carry to the table.

“You’re too late, we already have everything on the table,” Gretchen said smiling at me, taking my hand as we walked to the table and sat down between Katie and Alec. Harry and Hermione were across from us with Annie beside Harry and Tom next to Hermione.

Everyone was very hungry, so we didn’t talk much until we were mostly finished eating.

“That was delicious,” I said to Gretchen. As I was kissing her cheek, I felt Katie tugging on my shirtsleeve. When I turned to look at her, she was pointing at her cheek. “Ok Kitten,” I said as I pecked her on the cheek. “Now you don’t have to feel left out.”

“Ron, would you go for a walk with me?” Gretchen asked me, smiling warmly and pulling me to my feet.

“It doesn’t look like I have a choice,” I said smiling back at her.

As she steered my towards the small group of maple trees, she placed her arm around my waist and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

“Ron, I really feel very much at home here. I have never felt like I belonged anywhere as much as I feel that I belong here.”

“I know exactly how you feel Gretchen. When I am helping Walt and the boys build something I feel as though I am putting my own personal mark upon the land. It really does feel good.”

“Ron, what do you want to do when you graduate from Hogwarts?”

“I have never really thought about that very much. Up until we came here I didn’t have a clue as to what I was going to do after I was finished with school.”

“Do you see your older brothers very often any more?”

“No Gretchen, now that they are grown and gone I rarely see them any more. I haven’t seen Charlie in over two years.”

We had reached the trees while we were walking and talking to each other. Once we were under the shade of the largest maple tree Gretchen turned to face me and stared into my eyes for several seconds.

“Ron, I would very much like for us to stay here. This is where I want to live my life and raise our family. I know that I will miss my family, but for the last six years, I have lived away from them for ten months of the year. In addition, as you have just said, once you grow up and leave the house you don’t see that much of your brothers and sisters. As long as I have you I know that I will be happy for the rest of my life.”

I looked into her beautiful eyes and saw only love. I still was having trouble believing that this warm and vibrant young woman was as much in love with me as I was with her. I couldn’t even conceive of a future in which she was not standing by my side. I knew that wherever she would be happy I would be happy as long as I was with her. I knew this was the time. I took both of her hands in mine, looked deeply into her eyes, and said.

“Gretchen, I love you more than life itself. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to share all the joys and sorrows that life will bring to us. I will love, cherish and care for you as long as there is life in my body.”

“Gretchen, will you marry me and be my wife, now and forever?”

For two seconds Gretchen just stood there looking into my eyes. Just as a single tear formed and spilled down her cheek, she threw her arms around my neck and jumped on me wrapping her legs around my waist.

“Oh, yes … kiss … Yes … kiss … Yes … Ron, I will marry you and take you as my husband, now and forever.”

Gretchen was kissing me so enthusiastically that I was barely able to keep my balance.

“Gretchen, I have something to give you, but in order to do that I am going to have to put you down,” I said to her, between the kisses she was plastering all over my face.

She stopped kissing me and looked into my eyes for a second with a quizzical look on her face. She let me lower her to the ground and standing in front of me said, “And what might that be, my future husband?”

“This,” I said reaching into my pocket and placing a delicately carved ring of wood on her finger.

“Oh, Ron … it’s beautiful,” she said looking at the ring, and then reaching up and pulling my face to hers in the warmest most enjoyable kiss we had ever shared.

“Wherever did you get this ring?” Gretchen asked me.

“Alec carved it for us. He thought we might be in need of it before long.”

“Ron, I am going to have to thank him for this. Alec sure is talented.”

“I’m sure Alec will appreciate knowing just how much you like his work.”

“Ron, where are we going to make our home?”

“I thought that decision was already made. Right here, if that’s what you truly want. I too could live here and be happy.”

“Oh Ron, I’m so happy.”

“Dear, while I think we should tell the others of our engagement, I don’t think we should mention that we want to stay here, just yet. I’m certain that Sirius and Madelyn would feel it is their duty to return us to our world.”

“Yippee, we agree on our first decision. We will have to wait for the right moment to spring the fact that we are staying here on them. Ron, I just know being married to you is going to be incredible.”

“Shall we head back and give them the news?” I asked her.

“You bet, I can hardly wait to see the looks on their faces,” Gretchen said smiling up at me.

Gretchen

I walked back to the farmhouse with my new ‘husband to be.’ Oh God, how I loved the sound of that word. Every time I thought ‘husband’ I would get a shiver down my back and goose bumps on my arms. When I would look at Ron or he would look at me, I would feel incredibly happy.

Ron and I had been gone about twenty minutes, by the time we returned. We walked up to the end of the table where they were all still sitting, enjoying the cool shade provided by the oak tree.

“We have an announcement I would like to make,” I said, as everybody looked up at us.

“Ron has asked me to marry him and I said YES,” I announced to … thundering silence.

“Well, isn’t anybody going to congratulate us,” I asked questioningly.

Everyone tried to talk at the same instant. Martha and Walt said they were very happy for us; Alec, Tom and Annie were smiling and very happy with the news. Katie was looking a little disturbed but she said ‘that’s nice’. Sirius was smiling warmly, but Madelyn looked slightly skeptical but both said congratulations.

When I looked at Harry and Hermione, I could tell that they were both in a state of shock. Harry recovered very quickly, jumped up, and started hugging Ron and then me, telling both of us how excited he was for us. Hermione hugged us both and said congratulations, but with much less enthusiasm.

“This calls for a celebration,” Walt said to everyone. “Tonight we will honor the commitment Ron and Gretchen have made to each other with a small ceremony that we perform when a young couple announces their engagement.

We spent the next several minutes talking with Martha’s kids. They were very excited and happy for us, even Katie was warming up to the idea by the time we finished talking with them.

Walt suggested that since there was going to be a celebration this evening that the guys should get back to work so they could quit early. After all the men folk headed back to work on the floor of the new addition, Martha and her girls, with Hermione’s help started carrying the leftovers from lunch back to the house. Madelyn had been scowling since I had announced that Ron and I were going to be married. I decided that we might as well get what was bothering her out in the open. I walked over to where she was standing, looking out over the field in front of the house.

“Madelyn, I would like to ask you something?” I said to her.

“I suppose you will need some on the birth control potion that I brewed,” Madelyn said, rather sarcastically to me.

Madelyn, what are you talking about?” I asked, totally puzzled by her statement.

“Now that you and Ron are engaged I assume that you will have need of the potion I brewed to prevent an unwanted pregnancy,” she answered me.

“Madelyn, I had no idea that you had made such a potion,” I said to her. “But the existence or non existence of such a potion would not have any bearing on whether Ron and I choose to make love or not. The prospect of getting pregnant has never entered into my decision as to when Ron and I would be ready for sex. When the time is right, it will be right and it won’t matter if I am protected from becoming pregnant or not. The only thing that will matter is that Ron and I are both ready to handle the significant emotional consequences that comes from making love to each other.”

Madelyn studied me for several very long seconds, without any expression on her face.

“Gretchen, I have misjudged you and your motives for getting engaged to Ron,” she said to me, with a look of friendship and warmth filling her face. “I apologize for that. You are much more mature than I have give you credit for. I see now that you truly are grownup enough to be engaged and for that matter married. I will no longer treat you as a young girl, but a fellow woman, that just happens to be younger that myself.”

“Thank you Madelyn, I appreciate your honesty and accept your apology,” I said, smiling warmly at her. “I suppose that if I were in your shoes I would have thought the same thing.”

“Once again, congratulations Gretchen, and this time I mean it from the bottom of my heart, from one prospective bride to another,” she said, as she gave me a warm hug which I whole-heartedly returned. “If you do change your mind about the potion, just let me know. I would not have any misgivings in providing it to you now.”

Madelyn and I picked up the some more of the lunch dishes and headed for the house. There was just enough left on the table for two more trips and then everything would be back in the house. I asked Hermione if she would help me fetch in the last of the lunch dishes and leftover food. Once we were back at the table, stacking the leftovers and dishes I decided to try to get Hermione to talk to me. She hadn’t said a thing since she had congratulated Ron and me when we first announced that we were going to be married.

“Hermione, I would like to talk to you. Would you come and sit beside me,” I asked her, sitting down at the table. She came and sat down next to me but didn’t say anything.

“Are you upset that Ron and I are engaged?” I asked.

“”No, I’m not upset. Why should I be upset?” she answered me, rather shrilly.

“Hermione, you are my best friend. I hope that you think of me as your friend. Friends can share their problems with each other. I have this feeling that you are very upset over our engagement. If we talked about what was bothering you, it might help.”

Hermione was ringing her hands together as she looked down at them. I could see tears welling from her eyes and running down her cheeks. As I placed my hand gently on her shoulder, she looked up at me for a few seconds before wrapping her arms around my neck and cried softly. I wrapped my arms about her and held her until she stopped crying and sat up to look at me.

“Gretchen, I feel terrible because I am envious and jealous of you, when I know that I should be nothing but extremely happy for both you and Ron. I have told myself over and over that I have nothing to be jealous about. You and Ron have committed yourselves to each other, both privately and publicly. It’s the natural result of loving someone totally and wanting to spend the rest of your life with that person. I know that the real reason I am upset is that I want the same commitment from Harry that you and Ron have. You and Ron have known each other such a short time, while Harry and I have known each other for almost six years. I can’t help wondering if there is something missing between us.”

“Hermione, we are four totally different people, each with our own personalities. While it is true that Ron and I have only known each other for a short time, the same can be said for you and Harry if you consider time to have started when you shared your first kiss. Also Ron and I are a little older than you and Harry, but the real difference is the Realm and especially the Blyth’s farm.”

“I don’t follow you Gretchen, what does this farm have to do with getting engaged?”

“This farm has a great deal to do with our engagement. Ron and I have both discovered that here on this farm we have a true sense of purpose and belonging. That purpose being the sharing of our lives and raising a family. We both feel that we would be very happy and content to live our lives as Martha and Walt are doing.”

“Oh my God Gretchen, you and Ron want to stay and live here don’t you?” she said to me, the realization of what I had just been telling her written on her face.

“Yes we do,” I answered her, a genuine smile on my face.

“But … but that would mean you would never see your families or friends ever again. Gretchen how could you or Ron possibly do that?”

“Hermione, I know it would be very hard, especially on holidays and the special times when you do things as a family. However, consider for a moment that ever since I turned eleven I have lived away from home except for the two and half months of summer break. When we graduate from school, we may live somewhere that will only allow us to visit our parents very seldom. Brothers and sisters we will see even less. From now on, the center of my life is Ron. Wherever Ron is, I will be happy. If we are both happy and enjoying our lives then where we live will not be important.”

“If you and Ron stay here you will not finish your schooling. Surely you have thought of that, haven’t you Gretchen?”

“Yes we have thought about our schooling. The seventh year at Hogwarts or Beauxbatons is primarily focused on advanced magical skills. To live here, as Martha and Walt do, we need instruction in practical skills such as cooking, dressmaking, home nursing, farming, building, hunting and the like. We will not learn any of these things in our last year of Wizarding School. The only way to really learn these skills is to do them under the guidance of a person who knows how to do them.”

“Harry and I would never see you and Ron again,” Hermione said to me, with tears starting to flow freely down her cheeks.

“I know, that would be the hardest thing for us to deal with, Especially for Ron and Harry since they have been best friends for the past six years,” I said, suddenly realizing what that loss would mean to me and to Ron in particular. The sudden realization of the loss of a true friend brought a flood of tears to my eyes. As we sat there looking at each other, tears streaming down our faces, we both reached out at the same instant and wrapped our arms around each other and hugged the other as though we would never see each other again.

While we were hugging each other, Martha came up to the table, catching us completely unaware.

“What are all the tears about, did someone die? She asked us, smiling warmly at the both of us.

Hermione and I just looked at each other for a long second. I decided I might as well bite the bullet and see what Martha was going to say about Ron and me wanting to stay in the Realm.

“Martha, I was just telling Hermione that Ron and I want to stay here in the Realm and live our lives as you and Walt are living yours.”

For the first time since I had met Martha, I saw a frown on her face.

“I think I had better sit down and we should talk,” Martha said to me, looking very concerned.

Hermione said that perhaps she should go and see what the other girls were doing. I asked her to stay, and Martha agreed that she would prefer that Hermione stayed so that she could talk to the both of us together. As Martha sat down opposite us, we turned to face her.

“Gretchen, I can’t begin to tell you how honored I am that you and Ron want to stay and live here beside Walt and I and the kids. But I couldn’t have been more shocked if you had told me that you had changed your mind and didn’t want to marry Ron because you really didn’t love him.”

I knew that this news was a real shocker and that Martha was going to have a lot to say, I decided to let her say her piece before I tried to answer her.

“Gretchen, Hermione, these past few days has been the some of the happiest of my life. The thought of having to say goodbye forever when it comes time for you to return home is something I am very much dreading. I am going to miss you all terribly. Having other adults, and I include you in that category, around to talk to and share our home with has made Walt and I very happy, as we rarely get to enjoy the company of other adults.”

“Gretchen, if you and Ron decide to stay here in the Realm you will never be able to see any of your family and friends again. This is a decision that cannot be changed once the portal closes. If you discover that you have made a mistake, there will be no way to rectify it. Even marrying the wrong person can be corrected and you can move on with your life and be happy. If you stay here and live to regret having decided to stay in the Realm you may never be happy again.”

“Although Walt and I are rich with love and happiness, we are poor in the comforts of life. We live with the knowledge and fear that a serious illness could take the life of any of us before we could get medical help. Our kids have no one but themselves to play and grow up with. When it comes time for them to marry, they will have to leave us in order to find mates. The vast knowledge of civilization is not available to them. They will only be equipped to live their lives as we have lived ours. And finally Walt and I sorely miss the company of other adults our own age.”

“If you and Ron stay here then everything I have mentioned will apply to you and your family. Gretchen, I implore you to carefully consider the consequences of choosing to remain here in the Realm to live out the rest of your lives. It will be the single most important decision you would ever make in your life.”

I had been prepared for almost every argument Martha could make against our staying on in the Realm. What I was totally unprepared for was the anguish Martha felt when she told us of all the things that her children were missing out on. Her voice had actually cracked when she mentioned that they would have to live their lives as she and Walt had. Martha’s distress over the fate of her children was so strong that it created a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.

“Martha, are you trying to tell me that you are unhappy living out here on the farm?” I said, just barely managing to get the words past the lump in my throat. As Martha looked back at me, I could see the pain and anguish building inside of her. Tears suddenly flooded from her eyes and she dropped her face into her hands and started to cry.

I was out of my seat and around the table before you could have spit. Hermione was only a half step behind me. We sat on either side of Martha each holding an arm and rubbing her back. Martha lifted her head from her hands and looked at each of us just before putting her arms around our shoulders and pulling us to her. It was a real spectacle, the three of us just sitting there at the table under the oak tree, crying our eyes out. Finally, Martha regained her usual composure and kissed us each on our foreheads.

“Kids, I am sorry to have upset you like this. I truly did not mean to do so. As you now realize, not all is as perfect as it might appear to be. The simple life of living off the land and not being dependant on others is a very seductive enticement. When you are young, you see only the romantic nature of being an independent family. As you grow older you begin to realize that people need other people, beyond the immediate family, to share their achievements and failures with.”

“Gretchen, I am not telling you that you and Ron cannot stay here. I would ask that you keep an open mind while we discuss all the consequences that staying here will mean to you now and in the future. I feel that today is not the best day for that discussion, in light of your engagement. I would suggest that we postpone this matter until tomorrow as I am not quite up to discussing it right now. Tonight should be nothing but happiness and joy. Is this alright with you?”

“Yes Martha, I can wait to discuss our staying here until you are ready,” I answered her, feeling very confused and nowhere as sure of my convictions as I had been before Martha had started crying. I realized that I had only seen the glamorous side of being a frontier wife. The thought of losing Ron or a child to an illness that could be prevented or cured, sent a chill through my entire body.

Martha suggested that we should be getting back to the house to help the others with the preparation of tonight’s supper meal.

Harry

As soon as we returned to the back of the house, Walt showed us how to lay the floorboards on top of the lattice that would support them. The floorboards were nailed down diagonally across the lattice in two layers. Between each layer, we placed a layer of waterproof felt paper that would act as a vapor barrier. The two floorboard layers were laid in opposite directions from each other to increase the strength of the floor and eliminate squeaks that would be heard when walking on it.

Working in teams, we were able to get the first layer cut and nailed down in about two hours. It was very hot work as the sun was still directly overhead. Annie and Katie brought us plenty of cool water to quench our thirsts. At one point I think we poured as much water over our heads as down our throats.

The felt paper was laid just before the second layer of floorboards was nailed in place to prevent tears or rips in the soft paper. The second layer took us almost three hours to complete. Once it was finished we all stood back and admired the new floor. Walt congratulated us on a job well done. He told us as we were putting the tools away that tomorrow he and the boys would start building the walls, laid flat on the floor and then the day after that we could erect them into place.

As soon as we had finished putting the tools away Gretchen came into the barn, walked up to Ron, placed her arm around his waist as he place his arm over her shoulders and kissed him quickly.

“Alec, I have not had the opportunity to thank you for this beautiful ring that you carved for Ron and me,” Gretchen said to Alec. “I would like to give you something to show my gratitude for such a wonderful gift.”

“Oh, you don’t have to give me anything Gretchen. I made it for you and Ron because I like you both very much,” Alec said to her, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Alec, I don’t have anything physical that I can give you, but I would like to give you a kiss as recognition for this beautiful ring,” Gretchen replied, looking directly at Alec with a warm smile on her face.

Alec looked slightly panic stricken at Gretchen’s suggestion. He stuttered as he tried to tell Gretchen that it wasn’t necessary that she thank him. Just the fact the she was happy with the ring was thanks enough.

“I just forgot, it’s time to feed the horses,” Alec said to Gretchen, as he turned to leave the barn.

“Alec Blyth! You come right back here this instant,” Gretchen said very loudly to him.

“Alec, why don’t you just come back here so that Gretchen thank you with a sisterly kiss?” Ron asked Alec, smiling good-naturedly.

“Ron, I’m not Alec’s sister and I have no intention of kissing him as a brother,” Gretchen said to Ron, in a tone of voice that implied that she meant every word of what she had just said.

“If that bothers you, then you should turn around or maybe you and Harry should take a walk,” she said to Ron, with a grin on her face.

“No, this I have got to see, I’ll stay thank you,” Ron replied.

“Alec, I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to kiss you. It’s the only way I can thank you personally,” Gretchen said to Alec. “You’re not afraid of a kiss, are you?”

“Gretchen, it’s not your lips that I’m afraid of. It’s Ron’s fist that is going to break my nose for kissing his girl, that’s what I am afraid of,” Alec answered her, looking just a little anxious.

“Alec, Ron is not going to hit you or even be upset with you, that is if he knows what’s good for him,” she said, punching Ron in the ribs affectionately.

“That’s right Alec. I would not be upset with you any more than I would be upset with Gretchen. So just let her kiss you or she is going to pout. And believe me, that is something I would rather avoid,” Ron said in mock exaggeration.

“Well if you’re sure it’s ok with the both of you, then who am I to complain?” Alec answered, looking relieved, a smile spreading across his face as he walked over to Gretchen.

Gretchen placed her hands on Alec’s face, pulled his lips down to hers, and kissed him warmly. The kiss was just long enough that Alec knew he had been kissed affectionately but not so long that he or Ron would feel uncomfortable.

“Thank you for allowing me to say thanks in my own way,” Gretchen said to Alec, smiling warmly as she removed her hands from his face.

“You’re very welcome Gretchen. I wish the both of you a long and happy life together,” Alec replied.

Gretchen smiled at Ron and gave him another quick kiss. As she started to leave she noticed Tom standing there just looking at her and not saying a word. Gretchen walked over to Tom and kissed him quickly on the forehead. Before Tom even realized what had happened, Gretchen started for the door of the barn where I had been standing watching her hand out kisses like those that Halloween treats.

“You sure are in a generous mood?” I said to her, as she drew near.

“Harry, this is the happiest day of my life and I plan on sharing that happiness with everyone,” Gretchen said to me.

“Well in that case, where is my kiss?” I said, teasing her.

“There you are Harry,” she said, reaching up and kissing me quickly.

“Thanks Gretchen. But it would probably be a good idea if we didn’t tell Hermione,” I said to her.

“And exactly what are we not going to tell Hermione?” said the last voice that I wanted to hear at that very moment.

“Oh … Hi Hun. How long have you been standing there?” I asked, as I turned around to face Hermione.

“Longer that you could possibly hope for,” she answered me, looking quite angry for several seconds before a huge grin broke out on her face. “Scared you, didn’t we?”

“You set me up,” I said, turning around to face Gretchen, who was grinning as much as Hermione.

“Sorry Harry, I couldn’t resist,” Gretchen said, quickly kissing me again before I could protest.

“He’s all yours,” she said to Hermione, chuckling to herself.

As I turned around to explain to Hermione what had just happened,” she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me very warmly.

“That was a very good kiss Harry,” she said to me, gazing into my eyes as she stroked the back of my head with her hand. “Maybe I should let Gretchen warm you up more often.”

“And maybe I should warm up your backsides with my hand for teasing me,” I said to her, trying to sound rough and tough.

“You wouldn’t dare,” she replied.

“Try me and see what happens,” I answered.

“Hermione, it’s time we were leaving,” Gretchen cut in, and grabbed Hermione by the hand pulling her through the barn door.

As they left the barn I heard, Hermione say to Gretchen ‘He wouldn’t really spank me, would he?’ ‘Probably not, but I don’t think you want to push the situation to the point where he might feel he has no choice in order to save face in front of the other guys. Besides I can think of many other ways I would rather have Ron’s hands on me than warming my butt,’ Gretchen answered her. ‘Yeah, you sure got that right,’ Hermione answered her, as the two girls laughed and headed for the house.

Ron

After the gals left the barn, Alec asked Harry and me if we would mind helping them feed the animals. We both said that we would be more than happy to help. We spent the next thirty minutes feeding and watering the chickens and other small livestock. The chickens seemed to be especially skittish as we feed them.

“Alec, is there something wrong with these chickens? They seem very jumpy tonight,” I said.

“They are acting rather peculiarly, now that you mention it Ron. The pigs seemed to be agitated too. I wonder what’s gotten into them.”

We went out to the corral where Harry and Tom were feeding the horses. The horses just kept trotting around and around in their corral. They didn’t pay the slightest bit of attention to the hay and oats Harry and Tom had put out for them. Just then, Walt came up to the corral and noticed the horse’s unusual behavior.

“Dad, what’s wrong with the horses?” Tom asked his father.

“I’m not sure. How long have they been acting like this?” Walt asked his son.

“Ever since we brought out their food they have done nothing but trot around the corral. A couple of times they have kicked out with their rear legs,” Tom answered, sounding a little frightened from the horses strange behavior.

“Alec, go to the house and get my rifle and some shells,” Walt told his son, looking out over the land from the corral to the woods across the open field.

Alec headed for the house and quickly returned with his father’s rifle.

“Dad, do you think it might be a big cat or maybe a wolf?” Alec asked.

“I don’t know son. But something has spooked the horses. Are any of the other animals acting strange?” Walt asked, still surveying the open field.

“The chickens are acting very skittish and the pigs seem more agitated than normal,” Alec answered.

“If it wasn’t for the horses, I would say that there is probably a fox nearby. But foxes don’t upset horses, so I don’t know what to think,” Walt said to Alec, looking very puzzled and slightly concerned.

As we all surveyed the field, the horses finally stopped pacing and started to settle down. Then walked over to their hay and oats and began to eat normally.

“Well what ever it was must be gone,” Walt said to us, shouldering his rifle. “We should be getting cleaned up. Supper will be ready shortly.”

“Ron, you and Harry may want to dress up, as I know the girls are all planning on wearing dresses or skirts for the engagement ceremony that we will celebrate before supper.”

“Thanks for the warning Walt,” I said to him. “Harry, you and I had better go find Madelyn and see if she can transfigure us something to wear for tonight.”

We all washed at the well as quickly as possible and then Harry and I went in search of Madelyn. We found her and Sirius in the tent. Madelyn was massaging Sirius’s back.

“What’s wrong Sirius? Getting too old to keep up with us young folks?” I asked him, with a chuckle.

“That will be the day,” he growled, as Madelyn continued to try to massage his sore muscles.

“Madelyn, when you are finished with Sirius, could you transfigure something for Harry and me to wear tonight?” I asked her. We don’t know what the girls are wearing. So if you could come up with something to match what they will be wearing, we would appreciate it.”

“Yes, I should be able to come up with something,” she replied. “Why don’t you both fetch clean shorts and shirts? I will transfigure them into pants and dress shirts. The girls are wearing simple dresses. We won’t have to get to fancy.”

After we had found the shorts and shirts as Madelyn had requested we sat on the bed waiting for Madelyn to finish with Sirius.

“Ron, were you nervous when you proposed to Gretchen?” Harry asked me.

“No I wasn’t. The though of proposing always made me break out into a cold sweat. But when it actually came time to propose I wasn’t nervous at all. I just stood in front of Gretchen, holding her hands, looking into her beautiful eyes and asked her to marry me. It seemed as natural as the sun coming up each morning.”

“Did you have a little speech planned out? Did Gretchen accept with some special words of her own?”

“Harry, Gretchen and I aren’t that formal. I asked her to marry me and be my wife. In response, she jumped on me and started kissing me and saying ‘Yes’ over and over. We will leave the formal proposal to you and Hermione. I’m sure she would be disappointed if you did not have a little speech that you said while down on one knee.”

“Ron, as usual you are right. I’m sure that when I propose to Hermione it will be with just the right words and setting. We do seem to go in for the more formal aspects of the courtship ritual.”

“Well as long as you get in plenty of kissing and hugging I don’t think it really makes a difference how you court your girl. We will all end up the same, happily married with a bunch of little ones running around the place.”

As we were talking, Tom came into the tent.

“Harry, I have a bracelet that I made from some wood and stone beads that Alec carved. The beads are braided together with several strands of silk thread. I thought that perhaps you might wish to have something to give to Hermione as a remembrance of the time you have spent with us.”

“Thank you very much Tom,” Harry said to him. “I know just what to do with this bracelet. I’m positive Hermione will appreciate your kindness and will remember all of you every time she wears or looks at the bracelet.”

Madelyn had just finished with Sirius, told us go, and put on the clothes we had fetched. Tom left the tent as Harry and I went into a bedroom to change. When we emerged, dressed in shorts and shirts, Madelyn used a transfiguration spell to change our shorts into black pants and our shirts into white long sleeve shirts with a stiff collar that stood erect by itself.

“Now if you two gentlemen will excuse me I need to make myself presentable for supper,” Madelyn said to us, when she was finished transfiguring our clothes.

Both Harry and I thanked her as we left the tent headed for the house. Just outside the tent, we ran into Walt. He still had his rifle over his shoulder and had not yet changed for supper.

“Are you still worried about a predator?” I asked him.

“Yes I am. I can’t help feel as if there is something out there just waiting to strike when we least expect it,” he replied, a look of concern on his face. “Whatever it is, it just doesn’t make sense. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just getting jumpy in my old age,” he answered me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

We walked the rest of the way to the house with Walt. Once we reached the house Harry and I went to sit on the front porch as we were informed that we could not enter the house before supper was served. Walt went inside to change for supper. While we were waiting, Madelyn and Sirius joined us on the porch. Sirius was dressed the same as Harry and I. Madelyn was wearing a dark blue, floor length skirt and a light pink, long sleeve blouse. She had a gold chain around her neck that glittered in the afternoon sunlight.

About five minutes after Sirius and Madelyn arrived; Annie came out onto the porch and said for everyone but me to come into the house to get ready for the ceremony. As soon as everything was ready Gretchen, who was being kept in Martha’s bedroom, and I would be led into the main room to begin the ceremony. As I waited patiently on the porch and looked out over the peaceful surroundings, I felt happier and more peaceful than at any other time in my entire life. I had the undying love of a good woman. What more could any man ask?

Gretchen

After Hermione and I finished helping the girls get supper ready, we went to the tent to clean up and change for supper. The guys were still out by the corral. We washed and changed quickly as we wanted to get back to the house before they came back to the tent to change. Madelyn transfigured our shorts and jerseys into simple floor length dresses. Mine was a very light shade of lavender with a dark lavender belt; Hermione’s dress was pale yellow. Both dresses were short sleeved with square cut necklines.

We decided to do our hair back at the house rather than run the risk of still being in the tent when Ron and Harry returned. We gathered our things, thanked Madelyn who was now trying to rub the knots out of Sirius’s back and headed for the house. Once we got back to the house Annie and Katie helped us with our hair, and we helped them with theirs. Just as I finished Annie’s hair, I heard Martha telling Ron and Harry to go and sit on the porch until supper was ready.

“As you have never been to an engagement ceremony there are a couple of things you need to know,” Martha said to me. “Walter will ask you and Ron if you wish to name a maid of honor and best man. He will also ask if you want to name adult sponsors, whose duties are to help you prepare for the wedding and married life. If you don’t want to name anyone then just say so. It isn’t required that you name anyone at the ceremony.”

“Thanks for warning me Martha. Would you have someone tell Ron as well,” I asked her.

“I will have Annie tell Ron. Gretchen, would you like to wear this necklace for the evening?” Martha asked me, showing me the most beautiful white pearl necklace I had ever seen.

“Oh Martha, I would love to,” I said.

“I wore this very same necklace at my engagement ceremony,” she said to me, as she fastened the necklace around my neck. “It was my mothers, given to her by her mother. Some day this will be Annie’s.”

Martha had her hands on my shoulders, looking at us in the mirror we were standing in front of. I placed my hand on top of hers.

“Martha, I can’t thank you enough for the privilege of wearing this necklace,” I told her. Suddenly overcome by emotion I turned around and hugged her. For several seconds we just stood there hugging each other without saying anything. When at last I let go of her and looked up at her face, Martha kissed me gently on the forehead and told me to wait here until Katie came for me.

As I waited patiently for the ceremony to begin, I looked around the room that held so much love. The twins were sleeping in their beds like a couple of sweet angels. As I looked down at them, I just sighed and thought about the day that I would have my own. I felt happier and more peaceful than at any other time in my entire life. I had the undying love of a good man. What more could any woman ask?

Ron

Annie came out onto the porch and said she needed to tell me a couple of things before she took me in for the ceremony. After she finished telling me about naming a best man and sponsors, she led me into the house.

Everyone, except Gretchen was gathered around a small table that was covered with a white cloth. In the center of the table was a single red candle about four inches high. Walt was standing directly behind the table as Annie led me to stand in front of him. As soon as I reached the table, Katie led Gretchen into the room to stand beside me. I smiled at her and she returned my smile as we turned to face Walt.

“Friends and family, we are gathered here tonight to celebrate the public engagement of these two fine young people; who have declared their intent to be married at some future date,” Walt said to all of us. “As is customary in the Realm, notice of an engagement will be posted in a public place so that all may know that this man and this woman have chosen to become husband and wife. Has the proclamation of engagement been prepared?” Walt asked.

“Yes, the proclamation is ready,” Annie answered, holding up a piece of parchment with some fancy writing on it.

“Before we begin the pledges I would ask this woman if she would like to name her Maid-of-Honor,” Walt said, looking at Gretchen.

“I would be honored if Hermione would consent to be my Maid-of-Honor,” Gretchen said, looking directly at Hermione.

“I accept your request,” Hermione answered Gretchen, smiling warmly while she was holding Harry’s hand.

“I would ask this man if he would like to name his Best-Man,” Walt said looking at me.

“I would be honored if Harry, my best and oldest friend, would consent to be my Best-Man,” I said, looking at Harry.

“Ron, I too accept your request to be your Best-Man,” Harry answered me.

“Let the proclamation show that Hermione Granger and Harry Potter have consented to be Maid-of-Honor and Best-Man,” Walt said to Annie.

“At this time would the engaged couple like to name sponsors to guide them during the period of engagement, helping to prepare them for life as a married couple,” Walt asked Gretchen and I.

We looked at each other for a couple of seconds. Gretchen whispered in my ear and I nodded in agreement.

“We would like to name co-sponsors if that is acceptable,” Gretchen said to Walt.

“Yes that is often done,” Walt answered her.

“We would like to name Madelyn and Sirius, plus Martha and you,” Gretchen said, as we looked at each of them.

They all accepted our invitation to be sponsors and Walt instructed Annie to record their names on the proclamation.

“We are now ready to make our pledges,” Walt said to us. “Ron, Gretchen please face each other and hold hands,” Walt instructed us.

“Ron, do you pledge to love, honor and be faithful to this woman during the period of your engagement?” Walt asked me.

“I do,” I answered.

“Gretchen, do you pledge to love, honor and be faithful to this man during the period of your engagement?” Walt asked her.

“I do,” she answered.

“Hermione, do you pledge to faithfully carry out the responsibilities of Maid-of-Honor for this woman?” Walt asked her.

“I will,” she answered.

“Harry, do you pledge to faithfully carry out the responsibilities of Best-Man for this man?” Walt asked him.

“I will,” he answered.

“Sponsors, do you pledge to faithfully provide guidance to this man and this woman?” Walt asked.

Madelyn, Sirius, Martha and Walt all said ‘I will.’

“In so much as each party to this engagement has pledged their commitment, Ron and Gretchen you will repeat after me in unison,” Walt said to us.

Always and Forever in my heart you will stay
My love for you grows with each passing day
Always and Forever I will remain faithful and true
For there is no other to make me feel the way that you do
Always and Forever till I take my last breath
Like Romeo and Juliet, only to be parted by death
Always and Forever till the sun touches the earth
A million bars of gold couldn’t measure what your love is worth
Always and Forever my love for you will never end
You are my soul mate, my love and my very best friend
Always and Forever a promise to never part
You, my love , will always be my heart
Always and Forever thanks for all that you do
Remember these words
"I will Always and Forever Love you"

“Now that you have pledged your love to each other for ‘Always and forever’, you will light the unity candle together to signify the beginning of your journey on the path towards a life as one,” Walt said to us.

Gretchen and I each lit a separate match and together we held our matches to the unity candle to light a single flame.

“Let the proclamation show that on this day, Ron and Gretchen have pledged themselves to each other with the lighting of their unity candle,” Walt said to Annie. “And that friends and family, ends the ceremony.”

“What, no kiss,” Gretchen said to Walt, looking quite disappointed.

“By all means, kiss away,” he answered her, nodding in my direction.

Gretchen pulled my lips to hers and kissed me very tenderly. She didn’t stop kissing me until Alec said ‘Get a room’ quite loudly. When she finally stopped kissing me, everyone clapped. I wasn’t sure if they were clapping because the ceremony was over or that Gretchen had stopped kissing me.

“I’m starved. Let’s eat,” Walt announced, loudly to us all.

Harry

After the ceremony was finished, we all sat down to eat. Throughout the meal, we all talked and laughed with each other. Ron and Gretchen were taking turns feeding each other with their fingers. They both had food smeared on their mouths, but didn’t seem to mind in the least. As soon as everyone was finished, the gals started to clean the table and do the dishes.

Walt said that he and the boys were going to go and check on the horses and that Sirius, Ron and I were welcome to come along. He retrieved his rifle as he headed out the door on the way to the corral. It would be dark in another hour. The wind had died down, it was a beautiful summers evening. When we reached the corral, the horses were standing quietly by the water trough. They seemed quite undisturbed.

“Boys, I think it would be a good idea to put the horses in the barn tonight,” Walt said to them, as he looked around at the surrounding fields.

“Walt are you expecting some trouble?” Sirius asked him.

“I don’t know Sirius, the animals have never acted this skittish before,” Walt answered him. “Something spooked them. I am just being cautious. Out here in the wilderness, not paying attention to warning signs is a surefire way to end up dead.”

“Harry, Ron, I don’t want you and the girls wandering away from the house tonight,” Sirius said to us.

Ron and I helped Alec and Tom move the horses into the barn. We made sure they had water and fresh hay. When the horses were safely in their stalls, we shut the barn doors and went back to the house. All the gals were sitting on the porch talking to each other. After Walt and Sirius came back, I asked them if it would be ok if Hermione and I went and sat at the table under the oak tree.

“You should be fine, as long as you stay close to the house,” Walt said to me. “I am probably being overcautious. If there is a predator in the vicinity, it would most likely only be after the livestock. Just stay on the lookout for anything suspicious.”

“Harry, I would feel a lot better if Ron and Gretchen went with you, “Sirius said to me, looking much more concerned than Walt. “Take your wands with you in case anything attacks.”

Ron and Gretchen agreed to go with us. Ron and I went to the tent to fetch our wands as Sirius had requested.

“Ron, after we get to the table I am going to give Hermione the bracelet Tom made,” I said to him. “I would like you and Gretchen to be there with us as I have a small poem that goes with the bracelet. I think of this bracelet as a pre-engagement present and the poem as a promise to her that my love will always be there for her.”

“Sure Harry, Gretchen and I would be very happy to be there when you give Hermione the bracelet,” Ron answered me. “I think this is the perfect thing for you to do today because I’m sure Hermione can’t help being a little envious of Gretchen.”

“Yes Ron, that’s what I thought too. I know that I love Herm enough to want to marry her. It’s just not the right time for me to ask her yet. I was thinking that next Christmas might be the right time.”

“Wow, that sure would be some Christmas present,” Ron said to me, as we rounded the corner of the house and climbed the porch steps.

We collected Hermione and Gretchen and headed for the table under the oak tree. It was just starting to get dark, but there was enough light to see where we were walking. Sirius asked us to be back within an hour as tomorrow was going to be another trying day and he wanted us all to get a good night’s sleep.

We all had our wands within easy reach. I didn’t feel especially nervous, but I did notice the others were looking at the shadows more that usual. When we reached the table, Hermione and I sat on one side while Ron and Gretchen sat across the table from us. As soon as we sat down, I reached into my pocket for the bracelet and poem I had written with some help from Annie.

“Hermione, I have asked Ron and Gretchen to be with us while I present you with a gift and read to you a poem I have written, with Annie’s help of course, to mark the occasion.”

Hermione looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes and the warmest smile I could possible ever hope to see. I felt myself melting; all I wanted to do was throw my arms around her and kiss her forever.

“Hermione, I am presenting you with this bracelet as a promise of my everlasting and undying love for you.

Hermione held out her arm and I fastened the bracelet around her wrist. Then I began to read the poem.

I promise to love you,
with all my heart.
To make you happy,
content and complete.
To share my soul with you everyday,
And to give you,
The best of me .. always.

I promise to love you
just as you gave me yours unreservedly.
To give you that chance,
that you so deserve.
To love you unconditionally,
To share with you,
all of me completely.
And to be for you,
The best that I can be.

I promise to love you
with sweet devotion.
To honor, cherish and
hold you in such adoration.
To share with you,
all my secrets,
hopes and dreams,
And to trust you, for
the best part of my life.

I promise to love you
in ways that I have never had.
To make you laugh,
in good times and bad.
To share adventures with you everyday,
And to build for you,
The best life that I can.

I promise to love you
whether we're together or apart,
To be true, loyal and faithful,
In thought, deed and in my heart.
To share with you,
my past and my present.
And to make you,
The best part of my future.

These promises
I so pledge to Thee,
On this summer's eve,
And for as long as I shall live.

When I had finished reciting the poem, Hermione had tears in her eyes as expected. I also noticed that both Ron and Gretchen were wiping tears from their eyes as well.

Hermione

“Harry that was the best promise any girl could ever hope to receive,” I said to him, as I leaned forward, placed my arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. “I will cherish this bracelet and the promise that it signifies. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Harry, you sure know how to write,” Gretchen said to him. “That poem was very sweet. Thank you for asking Ron and I to be here while you read it to Hermione. I know we enjoyed the sentiment as much as Hermione did.”

“Do you realize how lucky we all are to be sitting here on a beautiful summer’s evening, in another land, with the person we love most in the world,” I said to them.

“It’s Magic,” Ron answered me, with his usual lopsided grin on his face.

For the next half hour, we talked about the events of the day. Harry filled Ron in on what Sirius and Madelyn had told him this morning. Ron didn’t seem particularly surprised or concerned. All of us had come to pretty much the same conclusion, when the time was right it would happen.

We headed back to the house where Sirius and Madelyn were just saying good night to Walt and Martha and the kids. After bidding them a good night as well, we headed for the tent. Gretchen and I got ready for bed first, followed quickly by Ron and Harry. When Harry climbed into his bed and rolled over next to me, I placed my arm over his chest and kissed him.

“Harry, I want to thank you again for the bracelet and the poem. They are just what I needed right now. I know that some day, when you know the moment is perfect, that you will ask me to be your wife. Until that day comes I will be happy just knowing that you love me as you love no other.”

“Hun, I’m very happy you liked the bracelet. Now could I interest you in a kiss or two, perhaps?”

We kissed and caressed each other for many wonderful minutes until we finally just lay there looking into each other’s eyes. I felt my eyes growing heavy and the last thing I remembered was Harry softly saying ‘I love you.’