Same Old Lang Syne
Author's Note: I'm back from Florida, all! And I now give you the first extra little goodie I have for you. This was a chapter I had originally written for the story, but when I finished it, I realized it was taking the story in a slightly different direction than I really wanted to go. So I didn't post it, but I kept it, because, well, I liked it. It's possible that if I ever write a story in which it will fit, I'll put it in, or maybe I'll write a story around it. Who knows? But at any rate, you get to enjoy it now.
December 31st
Everybody returned to the Burrow for New Year's Eve. Harry, Ron, and Hermione volunteered to cook dinner, although it took some doing to convince Molly to let them. Harry had to promise her that Ron wouldn't have to do anything that involved heating anything. In the end, it came out very well, although once or twice they had to call Sara in to help them.
After dinner, Harry pulled Hermione aside, and they went outside. Harry was wearing the cloak Hermione gave him, and Hermione was wearing her cloak, but they still huddled together, sitting on a bench outside.
"Hermione," said Harry solemnly. "I know we haven't been together all that long, but the time I've spent with you has been the best time I've ever had."
"Is something wrong, Harry?" Hermione looked concerned.
"No, nothing's wrong." He smiled at her. "I hope this isn't too sudden, but I've been thinking about this a lot."
"Oh, Harry," said Hermione, gasping. "Are you…?"
"Yes." He nodded. "Hermione, will you marry me?" He pulled a small box out of his cloak, opened it, and took a ring out.
"Oh, Harry, of course I'll marry you!" Hermione threw her arms around Harry.
After a few minutes, they went back inside, where everybody else was sitting around the fireplace in the sitting room, a roaring fire in the fireplace. Harry and Hermione sat down together, between Lupin and Ginny. Ginny was the first to notice the ring on Hermione's finger.
"Hermione, Harry, are you…?" She gasped as they both nodded, and she hugged both of them. "Congratulations!" Soon, everybody was congratulating them again.
Finally, as the countdown reached midnight, Harry kissed Hermione, Ron kissed Sara, and Arthur kissed Molly. Lupin began to sing Auld Lang Syne, and soon everybody joined in. By the end, Hermione was leaning on Harry, tears in her eyes.
"Is something wrong, Hermione," asked Harry.
"No," sniffed Hermione. "It's just that this song always gets me emotional." She hugged Harry, and he held her close.
"I love you," he said, smiling at this new little eccentricity of hers.
"Love you too, Harry," said Hermione, the tears disappearing from her eyes.
Author's Second Note: So yeah, you see what I mean? I thought that a week of being together was not enough to justify a proposal, even if it is Harry and Hermione. I know, I know, in the story, it's only a little more than a month, instead of a week here, but it is, after all, Harry and Hermione. They're perfect for each other, and they both know it. So that was the difference for me. I hope you enjoyed it, and the final extra bit will follow in a couple of days, as soon as I have time to fix it up and post it. You can more or less rely on it being posted by Thursday night. But don't kill me if it's not up by then please.