Chapter Five
A "GET WELL SOON" party

It was Saturday night, two days before Hermione was going to start treatment. They were at their house, laying on top of the bed cuddling when there was a knock at the door. Ron kissed Hermione on the head and went to answer it. Looking through the eye hole, he saw Ginny and Harry.
"Hey," he said, opening the door and letting them in. "What's going on?" he asked, knowing he had no plans for visitors.
"Mum's told us to come here and get you and Hermione. Better get ready," Ginny said. Leaning in to his ear she whispered "It's a surprise for Hermione."
"Oh, look, she's not really up for a-"
"Pfft," said Ginny, waving her arm at Ron and running up the stairs.
Harry smiled at Ron, "Molly's gone to a lot of trouble. We tried to tell her she probably just wanted a quiet weekend, but she wouldn't hear it. You better come," he said kindly.
"Yeah, I don't want to be on the receiving end of another Howler..." he replied, getting Harry a cold butterbeer from the fridge.

Upstairs, Ginny barged into the bedroom and jumped on the bed.
"Oh! Oh, hi Ginny," Hermione said, sitting up. "Is that Harry downstairs?" she asked.
"Yes, we came to get you both! Mum's invited you over for dinner and she really wants to see you. No, you have to come!" she demanded, not taking no for an answer.
Hermione, knowing how persuasive Molly could be, rolled her eyes with a smile and pushed herself off the bed. "What should I wear?" she said, doing to the wardrobe to search through her dresses. "It might be the last time in a few months that I can actually dress up," she said.
"Well then, let's make you perfect," said Ginny.

Harry and Ron, downstairs, were sitting at the breakfast bar drinking their butterbeer. Ron was just telling Harry how worried he was about the future, when he heard the stairs creek. They both came out of the kitchen and looked up as their two beautiful women were descending the stairs. Hermione was wearing her 'famous' red dress, an ivory cropped cardigan, and white ballet slippers. For comfort. Ron looked up at her like it was the first time he had ever seen her. She was just stunning, radiating beauty. He picked her up from the last step, and spun her around. The four of them had a nice laugh, like 'old-times', and they walked hand in hand to the burrow.
"I thought you said it was dinner? Where is everyone?" asked Hermione, approaching the pitch black house.
"Oh, she just wanted to have a candle lit dinner," she said.
Hermione reluctantly twisted the door handle, trying to think of what might actually be in the house. She opened the door and looked inside, but there was nobody there. "Where is-AHHHHHHH" she said, jumping, throwing her bag in the air and hiding in Ron's arms.
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!" Yelled a lot of people. Ginny and Harry burst out laughing, and Hermione looked up at everyone, her heart pounding in her chest. Oh no, she thought, starting to get very light headed. She breathed a sigh of relief, a small smile on her face, and began laughing. She saw so many people here! Molly and Arthur, George, Percy, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Luna and Xenophilius, Seamus, Dean, Hannah, Neville, some of her favourite Hogwarts Professors and her parents. They were the first people she went to hug. She hadn't seen them since a week before she went to the doctors the first time. They had just left on a holiday to Australia - having purchased a property there. She had called them on the phone to let them know. They had began to tear, trying so hard not to ruin her party. The three of them plastered together in a hug, whilst the Weasley's ushered everyone outside where the party was! Ron held back, and the four of them had a long chat about what was going on.

When they finally went outside to where everyone was, Hermione saw a banner saying 'Get Well Soon' which had been charmed to flow in mid-air. Get well soon? Yes - she was sick. She told herself she would not break down here, but instead make the most out of her last weekend before treatment. She got a plate and tried one of everything, then walked around uncomfortably full saying hello to everyone. The Professors, McGonagall, Flitwick and Trelawney were there. She went and had a long chat to them, so happy they didn't bring up the treatment. They said "We wish you all the best when you decide to pick your studies back up," and, "There will always be a teaching position for you at Hogwarts for whatever subject you wish," and, "How was Australia?" It was nice to have a discussion with people who were so used to pushing things aside when they needed.
Neville and Hannah were deep in a kiss when Hermione went to the kitchen to take some medication. She laughed, interrupting them. "I'm sorry! I just had no idea you were together," she said, hugging them both. "I'm so happy for you, I know you are both perfect together," she said. They looked into each other's eyes and began kissing again. Hermione went back outside, and Molly gathered everyone around them.
"What's going on Molly?" she asked.
"Dear, we couldn't just let you end your night without the most important thing, could you?" she asked smiling, and holding onto Hermione's shoulders.
Hermione was confused... "What?" she asked, and a cake emerged from the crowd. It was bright red, and three circles high. "Oh Molly," Hermione said in awe.
"Now, I'd like to thank everybody for coming tonight. We all love this young woman, and wanted to spend the last weekend she has at home with a party. As you all know, our Hermione has leukaemia and will be away in America for quite some time getting treated for it. So, this night is just as much for all of you as it is for Hermione," she said, giving her a wink. Molly knew it was all for Hermione. "We just also wanted to tell you, dear, that you're part of our large family, and we all love you so much," she said beginning to cry. Then Hermione had to let go of her inner control and let the tears flow. As she looked around, she saw that not many people's eyes were dry. Ginny started talking next, holding Hermione's hands.
"Hermione, you're my sister. The sister I never had and I know you will come home healthy and free of cancer. We love you," she said, hugging her tightly.
Ron walked out from the crowd, where he was just talking with her parents. "Hermione, I love you. I've.... I've loved you since the moment you pushed yourself into my life and pushed me into trying to follow the rules," he said with a small laugh. Hermione was smiling. "You've been my rock, always helping with my homework at Hogwarts, and then afterwards you... you helped me grieve and accept Fred's death. You know, you saw how hard that was, for me and my family, but you got me through it somehow. I think without you I'd still be living here, overcome by grief. I just can't imagine living without you in my life, and I just know you will get through this treatment, because I need you in my world. The world needs you. Hermione," he said, getting onto his knee and pulling out a ruby ring, "will you do me the honor, the absolute honor, of being my wife?" he asked, dripping tears from his cheeks.
Hermione breathed in a sob and let him put the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. "Yes Ron, yes of course," she said.
All around them people started to clap. She had forgotten there were people there. Ron had that effect, making it seem like they were the only ones there. She looked around, smiling and clasped in Ron's arms. They kissed deeply, and the party continued until midnight, until the early hours of Sunday morning. Even until breakfast Sunday there were still people there. Some had slept over, some had continued partying. George was on the couch with Angelina in his arms. Harry and Ginny were in her old bed. Molly and Arthur were in the kitchen preparing a big breakfast. Ron and Hermione were sleeping in his old, tiny bed.

At breakfast, they both stacked their plates high with food, and had many cups of tea and coffee. As people started waking up, or finishing their breakfast, the conversations from last night picked up. Ron and Hermione were sitting next to each other, across from her parents. She reached across the table for something, and caught the shimmer of red, and smiled looking at her ring. "Ron, it's perfect," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
Within the next few hours, the house emptied. People gave her gifts and a tight hug, an "I'll see you soon," and home addresses. She tried helping Molly clean up but got yelled at. She couldn't have continued anyway. Hermione's parents were the last of the guests to leave, "We've paid the two months at the Leaky Phial for you both to stay. But we expect an invitation."
"Of course mum, you can come up whenever you want. They have phones there so I'll give you a call and give you the details," she said.
Pretty soon it was just Molly, Arthur, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny and George. They had morning tea, then a light lunch.
"Well, I'm afraid we must go, but thank you so much Molly, and Arthur. It was a wonderful party," she said, hugging them both. She said a tearful goodbye to them all, and they walked home and packed their bags. They apparated back to the Leaky Phial and checked back in to their room. She had all her presents with her, but didn't want to open them. She just wanted to sleep, so she did, with Ron right beside her.