(A/N: I am sorry that this was not uploaded properly the last time. There was an error of some sort and well - I tried and tried uploading it to no avail. But now, here it is and so I hope you guys enjoy it. Please do not be disappointed in me. Please?! ;p)
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Chapter 17 - The Bigger Surprise
The following morning Hermione was in for a bigger surprise. As if last night was not enough. When she arrived at the office, a bit late because of - well, last night - she was greeted by almost everyone in their department oddly. Everyone was saying "Congratulations" with big grins, "When is it gonna be?" with wriggles of eyebrows and "Can I see it?" with curious smiles at her. She doesn't know how to react but she said "Thank you" anyhow so as not to be rude.
When she reached her office, Jane was practically jumping and squealing with anticipation.
"What is with everyone? And what is it with you?" she asked her secretary, eyebrows rising before sauntering in her office. She then stepped out of her outer robes, folded them neatly and placed it on top of her corner table.
"Oh, Ms. Granger!" gushed Jane, following Hermione in her office. "I am so very happy for you! Oh, congratulations! I knew you guys will be and now, you are! Finally!" she squealed and ran over to Hermione to hug her.
Hermione stood there stunned at Jane's sudden actions. What the bloody hell?!
"Jane, Jane, wait," said Hermione, prying Jane's arms around her neck. "What is this all about? This - this gushing and - and squealing and hugging. What are all these? Have people gone mad in this office?"
Jane stood there with a peculiar expression on her face. She raised her eyebrows at Hermione and after a while asked incredulously, "You really do not know? You? Of all people?"
Hermione shook her head and knitted her brows. Jane frowned and then a smile lit up her face. "Wait here," she said as she ran outside Hermione's office to her cubicle. She went back after a couple of seconds clutching that morning's Daily Prophet. "Here," she shoved the paper practically at Hermione's face showing her the front page.
Hermione looked over at Jane incredulously. "And…? This is…?" she asked, holding the paper in her hands.
"Go on, Ms. Granger! Read it!" squealed Jane excitedly.
Hermione rolled her eyes and held up the paper in front of her. Normally, she would have read the paper that morning at home but due to several circumstances - well, she wasn't able to. "Harry Potter proposes to the girl of his dreams…" she read aloud. Then her eyes grew suddenly large and she gasped. There on the front page was a picture of Harry and her on Harry's balcony with Harry kneeling down in front of her, proposing. Articles were written about it on pages 3, 7 and 10.
"Don't people get privacy in this world any longer?" she asked aloud to no one in particular. With that, she slammed the paper on her desk and stormed out of her office.
"But Ms. Granger -"
Fuming, Hermione ignored Jane and her pleadings as she walked purposely towards the lifts to go to the Auror Department.
When she got to Harry, he grinned widely at Hermione, apparently happy because of something. "'Mione! What a pleasant surprise! To what do I owe this lovely visit, love?"
Hermione glared at Harry and he knew at that instant that Hermione was not in the mood. "What's wrong, love?" he asked, his brows furrowing.
"Did you read the front page of The Prophet this morning, Harry?" she asked. "Did you?!"
Harry smiled knowingly but quickly replaced it with a baffled look. "No. Why? What's in it, love?"
Hermione threw her arms above her head in a frustrated manner turned around, started to walk around in circles and replied, "Ugh! We can't have any privacy anymore! Do you know what's in the front page this morning? Do you?!" When Harry shook his head, she continued, "WE are on the front page. What happened last night between us was on the front page! Can you believe that?!"
She paced back and forth while ranting, "And we even have articles written about that on pages 3, 7 and 10! If I remember correctly. Someone was spying on us. And if it's that damn Rita Skeeter once more, I'll make sure she never sees the light of the day any longer!"
She stopped just right in front of Harry and continued, "I can't believe people would go to such extent as to do that! We all know that you're The-Wizard-Who-Saved-The-World but come on! They don't have to budge into something as private and special as that! And do you know wha - hmmmppphhh…"
Hermione never got to finish what it was she was saying for Harry kissed her right at that moment. Just as she was starting to melt into jelly, Harry stopped and pulled away gently. "Sshhh…. I know. I know everything that you're saying." Then he grinned, noticing that they are getting several looks from his co-Aurors in the office.
Hermione slowly opened her eyes at what Harry said. Then slowly, it dawned on her what it implied. She pulled away abruptly from him and screeched, "What do you mean, you know?! Harry James Potter! What do you mean by you know everything?! And you just told me a while ago that you don't know a - hmmmppphhh…"
For the second time around, Harry stopped her ramblings by kissing her suddenly. But Hermione was not to be fooled once again. She pulled away abruptly again and bellowed, "HARRY! KEEP
DOING THAT AND I WILL HEX YOU INTO OBLIVION! WHY DO YOU KEEP ON DOING THAT, ANYWAY?! YOU THINK YOU COULD GET AWAY BY DOIN - hmmmmppphhhh…"
And Harry just kissed her again, this time, holding her at the nape of her neck so she wouldn't be able to pull away hastily. People around them were cheering and calling out catcalls but they were unheard by the couple.
Harry kissed her with much fervor that Hermione forgot what it was she was ranting about. She kissed him back and immediately indulged in the feel of Harry's arms around her and his lips and tongue slowly caressing hers sensually, seductively.
After a little while, Harry pulled away and smiled at Hermione, her eyes still closed. When she opened her eyes, she told him, "If you were not such a good kisser, you're probably dead by now, do you know that? You are such an arse."
Harry grinned at her and kissed the tip of her nose lightly. "I know. But you love me anyway. And I love cutting you off when you're rambling. You look so cute that way."
Hermione smiled in response as well and punched him lightly on the arm but frowned after realizing something, "When you said that you knew everything I was ranting about a while ago about The Prophet, what did you mean by that?"
Harry wrapped his arms around her and explained, "I had a hidden camera by the balcony. It was charmed to take a picture of us once I knelt down in front you. Now don't get mad at me, ok? I did that because I want the whole world to know about you being the most special person in my life." He stroked Hermione's head. "I want people to share my happiness in finding you, loving you." He lifted Hermione's chin towards him and stared into her eyes. "I had that picture owled to The Prophet last night once it was taken with an attached answered interview coming from me. They promised me that it would come out this morning because I wanted to surprise you."
"Oh, you surprised me all right, Mr. Potter," interrupted Hermione.
Harry chuckled and kissed her lightly. "Right you are, Mrs. Potter. Future Mrs. Potter," he corrected himself. "I love you, Hermione."
Hermione wrapped her arms tightly around Harry and whispered, "I love you, too."
Then suddenly, the door of the Auror Department opened, revealing Ron in his Quidditch practice robes. "There you two are!" he cried then strode towards them. "I went to Hermione's office first but your secretary told me you went out. I figured I'd go see Harry instead and congratulate him first before you. And now here you two are!"
Ron walked closer towards his two engaged best friends locked in an embrace and hugged them both. "I'm so glad for both of you." He pulled away and wiped imaginary tears from his eyes.
"Ron! Stop that!" said Hermione, laughing at her other best friend's antics.
Ron grinned and turned to Harry. "So you did this last night?" he said while holding up Hermione's left hand, showing her ring. "Wow, Harry. This is totally smashing. No wonder you guys weren't at the monthly family dinner. Mum was smiling knowingly all night and I was pestering her to tell me what it was. This was it?"
"Yeah, Ron," said Harry, smilingly, his arms still around Hermione. "So, what do you think?"
"What do I think? Merlin, it's about time, you know! The moment I saw the front page this morning, I hurriedly told coach to let me off for a few minutes. I needed to find you guys! At first, I was ticked because why didn't I, of all people, know all of these but heck - you guys are my best friends anyway so why bother?! And I hope to have something out of this, you know," said Ron, grinning widely at his engaged best friends.
Hermione unwrapped herself from Harry, walked towards Ron and held his hands. "Ron, it would mean a lot to me, to us, if you - well, you know…"
"Be the best man at your wedding and not to mention the godfather of your first child? `Mione, do you still need to ask that? I'd say yes even if you haven't asked yet! That's how much I love you guys," replied Ron.
Hermione grinned and threw her arms around Ron, squealing. "We'll still be a trio after this, right?" asked Hermione.
Harry walked towards his fiancée and his best man to-be, clapped Ron on the back and said, "Of course. We always were, we always are and we always will be."
"Right," replied Ron, kissing the top of Hermione's head. Hermione removed her arms around Ron and stepped back to Harry.
"Now, Ron. Since we're into the topic of weddings and engagements, might I ask when are you planning to do the same to Luna?" asked Harry, grinning mischievously.
Ron grinned in response, wriggled his eyebrows and said, "That's for me to know and for you to find out."
"Oh, is that so ickle Ronniekins?" teased Hermione. "You better let me on it because goodness knows what kind of ring you are planning to get her. Anyway, I'll leave you two boys for now. I have a lot of work to do today. I'll see you guys tonight!" With that, she kissed Harry briefly, started to walk out of the department but stopped once at the doorway, remembering something. "Oh, Ron? Would you be coming home tonight? I rarely see you at home nowadays. Seems like you might as well shack up with Luna seeing as you're always there anyway."
Harry slung his arms over Ron's shoulder and replied on his behalf, "Oh, he'll be there all right, Hermione. I'm sure of it."
Hermione just raised an eyebrow at both of them, said goodbye and sashayed out of the room.
"You're sure of it?" asked Ron once Hermione was out of earshot.
"Yep. Since I'm throwing an engagement party tonight with everyone we know and my best man to-be should be there."
"You are?!" said Ron, his eyes widening in surprise and glee.
"Sure. So you better be there and you better keep mum about it when Hermione's around. It's a surprise for her," said Harry.
"As if Hermione hasn't got a lot of surprises lately for the past days."
"I'll see you tonight, Ron," said Harry, winking at his best mate as he walked out of the room.
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(A/N: My lovely thanks to my lovely beta as always - Lady Starlight. Thanks for making me laugh as well with your comments. Hehehe. And to my readers, you guys rock! Sorry for not putting this out sooner than you expected. I'm so so sad to say that there are a couple of chapters left before this story finally reaches its end. Hope you stick with me still for the next stories that I write! Mwah to all of you!)
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