chapter 4
Something was up with Harry.
Ginny wasn’t sure what it was, but he had been acting strangely cautious around her lately. He wasn’t spending as much time with Teddy as usual, and he seemed... distracted. It was odd, but she decided not to press him about it.
Besides, tomorrow was her birthday, and she knew Harry was planning something. His ability to lie was terrible, and she could see right through his attempts to act normal. Whatever it was, she couldn’t wait to find out.
The next morning, Ginny woke up to find a small red box tied with a shimmering golden bow resting beside her on the bed. A tag hanging from the ribbon read Ginny in Harry’s handwriting.
Her heart skipped a beat. Evidently, Harry had woken up earlier than she had and left this for her.
She sat up, pulling the box onto her lap. With a light tug, the bow slipped off, and she lifted the lid. Inside, instead of a gift, there was a folded note. She picked it up, her fingers trembling slightly as she unfolded the parchment.
Ginny,
I love you, more than I ever thought I could love anyone, and here’s just a few reasons why:
I love the fire in your spirit, the way you never let the world tell you who to be.
I love your brilliant brown eyes, warm and fierce all at once, like a safe place and an adventure rolled into one.
I love that you chased your dream and are becoming the best Chaser the Harpies have ever seen.
I love how you stand up for what’s right—whether it's against a Death Eater or a pushy reporter in Diagon Alley.
I love the way you make our house feel like a home.
I love the way you can make me laugh even when I don’t want to.
I love how you take care of Teddy like he’s already yours.
I love that you see me as just Harry—not the Chosen One, not the Boy Who Lived, just the idiot who’s madly in love with you.
And because I love you, I only have one question left to ask...
Marry me?
Ginny gasped, her breath catching in her throat. Her hands tightened around the note as she scrambled out of bed and ran to the kitchen, where she was sure Harry would be.
She wasn’t disappointed.
Harry was standing by the stove, flipping a pancake when he turned and saw her. Without saying a word, he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket, then knelt—right there in front of the stove, the pancake still sizzling in the pan.
His green eyes locked onto hers, soft but steady. "Marry me, Ginny?" he asked quietly, his voice full of love.
Slowly, he opened the box, revealing a simple but beautiful ring—a gold band with small diamonds encircling a deep red ruby, giving the illusion of a sparkling eye.
Tears welled in Ginny’s eyes, and she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes."
Harry beamed, slipping the ring onto her finger, his smile the biggest she had ever seen. He opened his mouth to say something—
"I lo—"
But Ginny didn’t let him finish. She threw herself at him, kissing him with everything she had.
They only pulled apart when a cry sounded from upstairs. Ginny, still breathless, laughed and ran to check on Teddy, leaving Harry grinning after her.
Later that day, they headed to The Burrow, as Ginny’s family wouldn’t dream of missing her birthday. And Ron, despite being engaged himself, especially wouldn’t miss a chance to get a blow-by-blow account of Harry’s proposal.
Harry had kept the proposal a complete secret, telling only Ron—mostly out of fear that someone else might spill and ruin the surprise.
The moment they arrived at The Burrow, the entire Weasley clan was waiting for them. Ginny was instantly engulfed in warm hugs and cheerful birthday wishes. Meanwhile, Harry set Teddy down with the other kids, who immediately climbed all over him.
Inside, all the adults were gathered in the living room, except for Harry, who had been dragged into the guest room by a small army of children.
Ginny barely had time to sit before Hermione suddenly gasped, her eyes widening. "Ginny! Is that an engagement ring?!"
Ginny turned bright red. "Oh—um—yes. Harry proposed this morning," she admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Oh, dear," Fred drawled, smirking. "You are going to tell us every single detail, right?"
Lilian grinned, eyes glinting. "Harry’s in the guest room with the kids—so we have time. Start talking."
Ginny sighed, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she recounted the morning’s events. Of course, she conveniently skipped over the kiss—her brothers didn’t need to hear that part.
Lunch was a lively affair, filled with laughter and the occasional interruption from one of the many toddlers at the table.
As they ate, Ginny turned to Harry. "Have you thought about a wedding date?"
Harry blinked. "Uh—what?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Ron and Hermione’s wedding is on September 3rd. I was thinking we could have ours right after—maybe the 6th or 7th?"
Harry hesitated. "That’s barely a month away, Gin. That’s not a lot of time to plan."
Ginny grinned. "I love a challenge."
Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, if you’re sure."
She leaned in, kissing his cheek. "I am."
And from the look in her eyes, Harry had no doubt.