It smelled like cinnamon and sugar cookies. Just as she expected it would. The Burrow was a home that always had a certain welcoming scent to it. Hermione had always loved it there and could hardly wait to partake in the Christmas festivities the Weasley's surely had planned.

The living room was decorated with holly and ivy along the walls, a large Christmas tree in the corner and a wreath above the fireplace. Silver icicle looking things were hanging from the ceiling, giving the entire room a wintry feel. Candles sat, flickering, on every level surface in the room.

She looked around, surprised she hadn't seen anyone else in the house. Usually Mrs. Weasley was running around, making sure everyone was happy and accounted for. As if reading her mind (which Hermione was almost certain she could) the plump, red haired woman flew into the room. "Where have you two been?" She asked quickly waving her wand, clearing the soot off of them. "Your parents said you'd be here twenty minutes ago!"

Ron laughed. "We would have been if Hermione didn't take so long getting ready."

Hermione shook her hair away as Faith made a grab for it and glared at Ron. "Well I'm sorry I wanted to look nice."

Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly. "And you do, my dear. Very lovely indeed," she turned her attention to Faith as Hermione stuck her tongue out at Ron. "And you must be Faith! Aren't you adorable. You're going to be as beautiful as your sister."

Hermione felt a blush creep into her cheeks. "She'll be much prettier I'm sure."

"Nonsense. May I hold her?"

"Oh, of course," she handed her sister off as Ron unhooked his cloak and hung it on a nearby chair. Hermione smiled when she noticed he was wearing the maroon Weasley sweater he hated so much.

She once read that a girl could judge the way a man would treat his wife by the way he treated his mother. He would make an excellent husband. She blushed again at the very thought. She was sixteen. Much too young to be thinking these things.

"The family started dinner already. You two find your seats," Mrs. Weasley said, walking into the dinning room with Faith in her arms.

Hermione removed her cloak and laid it on the chair that Ron had put his on. He smiled at her sheepishly as she looked around the room. "It's a bit of a mess. We just throw decorations wherever we can."

She grinned. "I like it."

"Really?"

"Yes, it reminds me of all the Christmas stories I've read. It feels like home every time I walk in here."

Ron gave her a lopsided smile. "Get used to it, because I plan on taking you home for Christmas every year."

Hermione's heart leapt as Ron took her hand and led her into the noisy dinning room. All of the Weasley's sat around the long, decorated, dinning room table, laughing and chatting.

She took a seat next to Faiths high chair and Ron sad beside her, wasting no time to reach across the table for some turkey. "C'mon, Hermione, don't be shy. Dig in!"

The room was noisy with conversation and laughter, food was being thrown and plates were clinking. Hermione feared for a moment that her parents would feel out of place as seeing her family dinners were always quiet and organized, but she noticed they were laughing right along with Molly and Arthur. A warm feeling wrapped around her heart, consuming her, everything felt right.

She glanced at Harry who was sitting across the table from Ron. He caught her eye and smiled before returning to whatever conversation he was having with Ron. Ginny kicked her softly under the table and grinned. "Head in the clouds?"

Hermione blushed. "A bit," she looked at all the food on the table then looked back at Ginny. "What's good?"

"Everything, but the turkey is the best," Ginny said as she spooned some potatoes onto her own plate. "Hold your plate up, Mum should be famous for these."

Hermione did as she was told and added some turkey to her plate as well. "Will you tell Harry to pass me a roll, please?"

Ginny nodded and poked Harry. "Hermione would like a roll."

Harry reached over Angelina's plate and grabbed a roll, throwing it to Hermione who gasped as she made a grab for it. Ron laughed as she dropped it onto her plate. Katie Bell grinned from her seat next to George. "You're a regular seeker, Hermione."

"Ha, only when it comes to food," Ron said.

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs before reaching for her glass of pumpkin juice. "Thank you." She said before taking a sip. She glanced across the table at Bill and Fleur, then back at Ron. "How long have they been together?" She whispered.

Ron shrugged. "A year? Why?"

"Well… that ring she's wearing looks an awful lot like an engagement ring so I was-"

Ron pushed himself away from the table, calmly walking to stand behind Bill and Fleur. Hermione put her face in her hands, what had she done? "Bill?"

"Ron?"

"What is that?"

Bill frowned and looked at everyone at the table, clearly he was silently asking his family what had driven Ron mad. Mr. Weasley shrugged.

"That!" Ron said, leaning forward and grabbing Fleurs hand. "This! On her finger."

Fleur blushed before pulling her hand away. Mrs. Weasley squealed. "Bill! Why didn't you tell us?"

Bill glared at Ron. "We were going to after dinner, but someone seems to have ruined our surprise."

"I'm sorry, but she was wearing the bloody ring! Even I saw it!" Bill stood up and started walking towards Ron.

Angelina giggled. "Cause we all know that Ron is as oblivious as it comes."

Ron ran his hand through his hair as he backed away from Bill. "Right! Exactly!"

"Case and point," Fred said.

Bill grabbed Ron in a headlock and began rubbing his head with his knuckles viciously. "Bloody hell, Bill! This is a family meal! We have guests! Stop!"

Hermione smiled. "I don't mind."

"Agh!"

Next to Hermione, Faith dropped her spoon. "Damn!"

Hermiones eyes widened. Ron stopped fighting against Bill and paled. "Oh shit…"

~*~

"Well I'm glad to hear Faith knew that word before she heard it from me," Ron said, rubbing his neck.

Hermione kicked a chuck of ice out of her path. "I can't believe my Dad didn't tell me about that. I was upset at you for nothing."

"What was that? Mad at me for nothing?"

"You heard me," she grumbled. "Why are we out here anyway?"

"I'm scared of Bill."

Hermione smiled. She was glad Ron hadn't mentioned that she was the one that noticed the ring first. Plus if fear was what got Ron out of the house to be alone with her, fear was a good thing.

Even outside the Burrow was magical. Powdery snow blanketed the ground and trees in a peaceful quiet. Ron stepped out onto the ice of the pond, holding his hand out to Hermione. She bit her lip. "Is it safe?"

Ron grinned. "It's charmed."

"Oh."

Before she could protest he pulled her onto the ice and into his arms. She blushed. "I've never walked on ice before."

"Really? Why not?"

She shrugged. He wouldn't understand if she told him she'd seen too many films where people fell through. Why didn't he take Muggle Studies? Things could be so much easier. "I guess I wasn't brave enough to risk it," she said staring at their feet. Goodness his feet were large.

Ron tipped her chin up to look at him. "You wouldn't be in Gryffindor if you weren't brave."

She shrugged. "Maybe about some things."

"Well be brave for just a second longer. I'll be right back."

He let her go and ran to the other side of the pond. Hermione stiffened and looked down again. My did that ice look thin…

Moments later Ron skated back over to her, holding another pair of ice skates in his hands. "These are for you, Happy Christmas!"

Hermione stared at them. "You want me to put those on?"

"Of course!"

"No… no, no, no, no, no… I can't… I've never-"

"I'll teach you. Please? I got them for you."

His blue eyes pierced her own. Why did he do this to her. He knew she couldn't resist those eyes. "Okay…. I'll try, but I'm going to be dreadful."

"You can't be perfect at everything, Miss Granger," he said, kneeling down and pulling off her shoe.

She put her hands on his shoulders, bracing herself. He slid on ice skate on her foot and started on the other. She laughed nervously as he balance shifted. "I feel like Cinderella."

"You could be," Ron said standing up. "But you're much more beautiful."

Hermione bit her lip. "Thanks… but I'm not really."

"Well think what you'd like, but now it's time to skate." With those words he shot away from her.

She nearly toppled over at the loss of him as her support. She wind-milled before she regained her balance. Ron laughed from across the pond. "If you can get yourself over here, I have something for you."

"I can't, Ron!" She huffed. "I'm athletically challenged."

Ron skated back to her. "This coming from the woman who taught me how to play basketball."

"Well…"

"Nope! I got you. No more saying 'I can't' got it?"

Hermione frowned before Ron grabbed her hands and began pulling her along. "Ah! Ron! No!" She stumbled forward crashing into him.

He fell backwards with an 'oomph' as she landed on top of him. She propped herself up on him. "I told you so."

"I knew I was going to hear that sometime tonight."

She sat up and folded her arms. "Now my arse is frozen and I've made an idiot of myself."

"Damn, woman, I'm starting to wear off on you." Ron said sitting up and wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Pick a hand."

"Oh what are you doing to me now?" Hermione sighed.

"Please pick, I promise it's not something stupid like skating."

"Oh, Ron, skating isn't stupid. You just need to teach me, not laugh at me."

"Okay, but seriously, pick a hand."

Hermione put a finger to her lips and looked at both hands. What was he up to? "I pick right."

She felt him chuckle into her hair. "Good guess. You know me all too well."

"Well are you just a tease or do you have something to show me?" She asked impatiently.

"Why don't you pry open my hand and find out."

Hermione laughed as he pulled her into him more. "Okay, okay." She took his hand and opened his it with her thumbs. A small silver shine caught her eye before she had his palm open all the way. "Ron…"

He opened his hand and she gasped. "I saw it and thought of you," he explained. "Do you like it?"

She pulled the ring out of his hand and stared at it intently. "It's amazing…" She breathed, slipping it onto her finger.

"Oh, good… I was-"

Hermione spun around in his arms and kissed him. "I love you."

"Well... I love you, too… I take it that means you like it?"

"Of course!"

"In that case let's do that kissing thing again, that was nice."

She smiled as he pulled her back into him. Maybe ice wasn't so scary after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I hoped to have this up by Christmas but my schedule wouldn't allow it I'm afraid. I'm really sorry. Thanks for reading! Please review!

Best wishes,

~Lenny