1 YEAR LATER

Neville quickly became a regular fixture in our family events. Merlin, I almost felt a little sorry for him because he was being continually dragged to dozens of these events after receiving, usually multiple, invitations. But really, I wasn't going to feel sorry for the man when he said that was glad to be seen as part of my family. One of these days – and it would be soon – he was going to regret saying that. Maybe it would even be today?

Neville had personally received an invitation to my grandmother's birthday party from the leading lady herself. And well, how could he possibly say no to her? If you asked me, he could have said no but he didn't say it because he was too polite. Or maybe he really did actually want to come along?

Either way, I had walked into my grandparent's home with Neville at my side. Ducking in through the back door, I pulled Neville in after me as I headed to the sound of my grandmother's voice. From the sound of things, the guest of honour was busy shouting at my eldest cousin because he was being an arse. But what else was new?

The moment my grandmother spied Neville, her shouts abruptly died down and she was all smiles. Giving up her berating, she chose to instead shower my boyfriend with her attention and I easily relinquished him to her care. There was no way I was going to get any time with my boyfriend until she had selfishly hogged his attention for a good while.

Popping a quick kiss to Neville's cheek, I walked away from him and headed to my sister-in-law who was jugging plates of burger buns and chicken wings in her hands. Hurrying to help her, I took some off her hands and carried them to one of the garden tables that were being filled for the barbecue. Beside me, my cousin grumbled from about how his mother shot down his recipe for the burgers in favour of her tried and tested one. I just rolled my eyes, knowing better than to humour him as I looked towards Neville where he was still sitting with my grandmother, talking quietly with her.

That was until he was dragged up to help man one of the grills. And, as I continued to watch him interact with various members of my family, I remembered the number of times he'd told me about how envious he was about just how many people I had grown up around.

It was no secret that Neville only had his grandmother in his life. And Merlin, I couldn't even imagine not having this hustle and bustle around as part of my life. My aunts and uncles, my grandparents, my cousins and their children – my soon to be niece or nephew, I couldn't imagine ever being without them. They were just as big a part of my life as my immediate family was. So maybe it really wasn't so shocking that he loved being around my family so much.

"You do realise that he's a keeper, don't you?" my grandmother piped up suddenly and I briefly wondered just when she had hobbled to my side.

"Actually, he doesn't play Quidditch," I evaded as I turned my eyes away from Neville and continued to set up the tables.

"You're asking to be told off again," she warned as she settled into one of the chairs and watched as I worked. "You know, they say that women can propose during the leap year."

"Women can propose whenever," I corrected, looking to her for a moment and quickly looking away when she raised an eyebrow. My mouth was quickly going to get me in trouble. Clearing my throat, I grumbled, "Besides, isn't it actually that women are supposedly allowed to propose on every leap day and February 29th has long since passed. It's summer now."

"That's what the muggles say."

"And you are a muggle."

"But you're not."

I sighed, giving up when I realised that I wouldn't be able to just get away from this. Turning towards my grandmother, I reluctantly sat down in the chair beside her own. Reaching out to take her hand in mine and held it tight.

"I'm still young," I tried to placate, lowering my voice before one of my cousins overheard and laid into Neville about marrying me – regardless of how liked he was.

"Well no one said you need to marry now," she shot back insistently and I tried not to sigh. "You can drag out the engagement for years if you have to. I just want one of my grandchildren to be married to a good man."

"You used to like Daniel!"

"Well, he supports the wrong quidditch team!"

"Rowena's sake," I grumbled. I swear, she got more childish as she aged. "You don't like their husbands because they support the wrong quidditch team?!"

"Speaking of Quidditch teams," she said suddenly, looking in Neville's direction. She hummed contemplatively before calling out to him. Somehow, over all of the shouting of my grandmother's grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Neville heard and relinquished his tongs to my father before jogging directly towards us. Once he stopped in front of us, he looked to me for an explanation and I just shrugged helplessly. "Longbottom, what quidditch team do you support?"

Merlin's bloody beard! She was unbelievable.

"The Harpies," he said instantly.

My grandmother continued to watch him for a moment longer before she gestured towards me. "You can have her."

"Grandma!" I called out aghast as Neville just chuckled and headed back to the grill when it looked like my father was going to set the entire grill aflame. Only when Neville was out of earshot, did I turn towards her. "What on earth are you doing?"

"You need to lock him down!" she insisted and I refused to listen to her.

Even if I did end up proposing to him the next leap year. And I did, as a throwaway question really, that I'd asked over breakfast. Only to be even more surprised when Neville had began to search through his coat and stumbled to his feet before crashing to his knees before me. He'd winced just a little. When Neville did present me with the box, I stared at it in wide-eyed silence before nodding my enthusiastic consent.