Diagon Alley - Harry Potter One Shots

A Little Thing Called Marriage- Opery

It started off as an unsuspecting proposal, a whisper into the morning as Henry Black asked Hope Weasley to marry him just before the sun came up as he returns home early from a trip for work. She mumbles something along the lines of a sleepy "yes" before the ring is slipped onto her finger and she is pulled into the comfort of Henry's arms to continue sleeping the rest of the morning. However, only a couple of hours later, the early riser stirs, and Henry is awoken by an excited cry as Hope discovers the ring on her finger. The smile on his face can't even come close to matching her excitement as she is both surprise by his presence and the possibility of an engagement. He reassures her that it's all real, he is, in fact, home and the ring on her finger is real.

He wants nothing more than to marry her if she'll have him.

As if that's ever been questioned since they started dating as young teenagers, Hope throws her arms around him, and this time, answers him with a very reassuring "yes" before her lips press against his in a strong kiss. Henry has been gone for the last couple of weeks for work, his career as a Curse Breaker taking him all over the world, while Hope's job as a paediatric Healer leaves her home most of the time. Her kisses aren't just a way of saying yes to the engagement, it's every single "I miss you" that she's been wanting to say over the course of time that he has been gone. It's every "I love you" that they didn't get to say to each other face to face before bed when they were apart. Henry knows that Hope has missed him and maybe she doesn't understand how much he's missed her. But none of that matters now as they are engaged, and they have their families to tell. In the meantime, Henry loves telling the story to Hope of how he had travelled to the same jeweller that most of the men in her family had gone to for the engagement ring. And when it came time for the jewellery to ask, he explained that he had fitted rings for dragons and badgers, so what was the sacred animal of the woman of his dreams?

"A sea cow!" Hope muses with a merry expression. "You told him a sea cow, right?"

Indeed, Henry did.

Sirius is the first to cry at the announcement of the news, not a single tear is spared. He pulls his son into a hug, while Nixie attempts to fight back her own tears. Meri doesn't hesitate to deliver a celebratory splash. Sure, they knew that Henry would grow up eventually, but it all seemed to be overnight. The child they had spent long nights wishing for and dreaming about, was well on his way to eventually starting a family of his own. They couldn't be more thrilled, even if Sirius hides behind the same nickname for Hope by using "Little Lupin Weasley Spawn." And Henry's honorary big brother, Harry, is more than willing to offer any advice, but Henry tells him that he is up for the challenges and surprises of marriage.

Fred is the second to cry, even if he hides it behind the poor excuse that something has fallen into his eye. But Eleanor is there, cheeky as ever, as she wipes his stray tears with a knitted coaster before he gives her a look. However, soon enough, it is Uncle George who joins in with his twin, both sobbing messes as their wives and children look on with disturbed expressions.

Remus is speechless upon finding out, but Tonks makes enough noise about it all as she parades around happily, banging pots and pans in the kitchen. He reminds Nixie of her own father's reaction when it comes to the news of the engagement, but Remus redeems himself rather quickly by offering his own congratulations for the couple.

He tells them just not to have Sirius do their vows, leaving Tonks to offer as a backup.

Arthur is one of the last to find out about the engagement as he comes home from one of his final shifts at the Ministry before his due retirement. Everyone is gathered at the Burrow, his wife, his children and their respective spouses, and all his grandchildren. He wonders what the occasion is as everyone around him is nearly teary-eye or beaming with bright grins. Finally, it's Hope who makes the announcement to her grandfather and watches as he opens his arms and pulls not only her but Henry into a hug before everyone else witnesses him mouthing "called it" to Molly.