Hello again dear readers! It's been sometime since I posted a new story so here it is!

This fic is in response to the prompt from Harmony and Co's Prompt Garage Sale. The prompt goes as follows:

"Is there something I can do for you?..."

-line break-

"Marry me."

Please enjoy! ;)

Dazed

"Get the snitch, Harry!"

The shout from George Weasley made her attention snap back towards her boyfriend who was performing another extremely reckless nosedive in an attempt to catch a useless Quidditch ball.

Hermione sighed, resisting the urge to close her eyes as every single player, including some from the opposing team cheered like they'd just seen him win the worldcup.

At least I've cushioned the whole field twice just in case he really does fall off his broom, she thought in a somewhat futile attempt to console herself.

In the next two minutes, Hermione felt her heart stop at least five more times before Harry finally managed to do it. He touched the ground, proudly displaying the snitch fluttering willy in his fingers. George patted him on the back, grinning widely and Ginny came on to hug him.

"Well done again, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, coming out of the house as the game came to an end.

The mini-Quidditch field behind the Burrow was for the first time in four months, looking very much alive. They'd played once there three months ago and it had been a disaster. Nobody in the family had displayed the energy nor the enthusiasm to enjoy when two of their own had been notably absent.

Hermione looked on, standing at the sidelines as the Weasley family showed the first semblance of happiness in so long. Even Mrs. Weasley had sat beside her for a while cheering for Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ginny and Harry as they engaged in a variation of the sport before dinner.

"Well, come on then! Dinner's almost ready, go and freshen up kids!"

Mrs. Weasley directed everyone inside just as Harry marched up to her and before Hermione could scold him about his irresponsible flying, he had pulled her into an intense kiss.

Hermione tried not to look dazed as they broke apart after what felt like ages. She held her arms around his neck as he looked at her while grinning mischievously.

"Should I even bother?" she asked, sighing in resignation but her eyes projected her mirth.

"Nope," Harry said, leaning down to leave another little peck on her lips.

Hermione felt a small blush rising on her cheek. "Let's go inside."

Harry nodded and they walked hand in hand into the Burrow. Hermione proceeded to go sit at the dining table, taking a conscious effort to go sit beside her friend.

"Ginny? Are you okay?" she asked softly.

The girl in question smiled thinly at her. "As okay as I can be, Hermione. You?"

Hermione gave her a single half nod as Mrs. Weasley levitated her dinner plate in front of her. "I'm alright. Harry gets sad so often. He still misses him, you know?"

Ginny's eyes took on a faraway look as Hermione began to eat. Either of them said nothing while the conversation around the dinner table remained jovial.

"I still feel one day he'll just come back. Some day..." Ginny whispered faintly.

After the final Battle with Voldemort and his army, life had resumed to normal for the whole wizarding world. Hermione knew they had won but at what cost? So many loved ones had been lost. Remus, Tonks, Fred, and then...

"Did you get the job Hermione?"

Hermione looked up from her musings to see Bill looking at her expectantly.

"Oh yes! I have my final interview for the researcher post on Friday, but Kingley said it's just a formality. He says I already have the job."

Bill hummed appreciatively. "That's good. Besides, Croaker won't find a better candidate than you."

Hermione looked down modestly. "I don't know, there seemed to be many other better qualified ones."

Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "Nonsense dear. Arthur tells me you are the best for the job. That department needs someone as diligent as you."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Molly."

"Also, I don't think they'll not have Hermione have the job, not when Harry dropped off the Aurors," Charlie commented.

"Letting two-thirds of the war-heroes go? The Ministry won't be that dumb under Kingsley," George supplied, earning a chuckle from his brothers and a glare from his mother.

Hermione shook her head, smiling at George's comment. She really hoped to get the job in the Time Room in the Department of Mysteries, but she knew it won't be easy convincing some of the remaining bigots in there about awarding such an important post to a Muggleborn, war hero or not.

Just then, Harry came back down the stairs.

"Where've you been?" Hermione asked.

"Just changing my shirt," he replied, taking his seat.

Hermione looked at him for a few seconds and by the way he was avoiding her eyes, she knew something was up.

"How're the tryouts coming along?" Ginny asked him.

Harry almost seemed to relax at the question. "David said I have to beat their reserve in one more round and I will be in the team."

Almost everyone at the table seemed to brighten up at the news. Hermione squeezed his hand under the table, as Harry met her eyes. She looked at him with pride, and Harry could almost feel her praise at her touch.

Hermione looked around the happy family and realised that this dinner had been in the works ever since the day Voldemort had been defeated. The day after the victory had made all of them realise the staggering losses they'd suffered; one half of the joker twins whom almost everyone loved despite their antics had been the most devastating one. Molly couldn't console herself even after he'd been lowered six inches deep into the ground. The first time she'd shown any indication of coming to terms with Fred's death, she'd lost another son. Ron had upped and left one month after, out of nowhere.

Nobody knew why he'd done that, even Harry was both equal parts bewildered and angry at his best friend who'd just decided to go somewhere without even telling his family-his still very much grieving family. Hermione had found it suspicious that he'd left just after the day she and Harry told him that they'd gotten together, but she didn't say anything. Thinking rationally, she knew that Ron had once abandoned them both in the middle of their Horcrux hunt for the luxury of comfort and home-cooked food. It wasn't as if he'd want to go anywhere away from home after all the dangers had passed; as much as his mother and Harry liked to point out his bravery, she felt Ron was still-at least most of the time- more lazy than brave. But she'd kept these opinions to herself, she didn't want to burden the family anymore.

The answer to all of their questions had come in the form of a letter she'd found hidden away in the room he and Harry used to sleep in, fourteen days after his disappearance.

She was pulled out her thoughts as a piece of treacle tart appeared on her plate. She looked curiously at Harry and he grinned.

She shook her head, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she began to enjoy the dessert she'd come to enjoy ever since that day in the tent.

It was raining heavily outside and she'd been crying again. Out of the corner of her eyes, she'd known Harry had tried to find the courage-more than once-to come, comfort her but he'd hesitated. It was in those moments of utter loneliness and betrayal she felt that she'd realised her love for the emerald-eyed, messy-haired boy who seemingly had the worst luck in the whole wizarding world.

For a few days, she'd struggled with the intensity of her feelings for her best friend. She'd always known she'd loved him in a way, but this was a wholly different set of emotions she'd been submerged in, ever since Ron had left.

He sometimes sat looking at her while she read for hours on end; he always had the perfect excuse ready when she'd turn and meet his eyes.

He'd tried to assign himself longer watch shifts at night, and some days she'd resisted but he somehow managed to convince her that she needed to rest more than him, given the circumstances.

And then one day, she'd been sitting on the small loveseat in their tent, reading when that song on the radio had come.

"Come on," he'd urged, softly.

She'd looked into his eyes and felt her heart breaking at seeing the loneliness in them. But there was also pain.

And as she'd danced in his arms and felt her tension draining away, she'd instantly known what was hurting him so much.

So when the song had ended, she'd kissed him.

She'd poured every ounce of love she'd felt for him for the longest time into that kiss and had felt overjoyed when he'd kissed her back almost as fervently and passionately.

She'd seen the question in his eyes when they'd separated for air but she'd just shrugged.

"I love you, Harry," she'd said, mustering up all her courage and laying her heart bare in front of him. And he'd responded in kind.

They'd somehow ended up on her cot; one by one, their items of clothing vanishing with every other second they'd spent intoxicated in each other. When they'd joined for the first time, it was a pleasure she'd felt she couldn't ever compare with anything else. Ever.

After the throes of passion had somewhat subsided, she'd lain there with him, his arms surrounding her naked body and she'd realised she'd never felt so happy and… free.

Still dazed from the night before, she'd laughed when Harry had said there was nothing for breakfast other than a single serving of treacle tart.

That was the morning when she'd really enjoyed the dessert for the first time. That dessert had quickly become something of a memento of their first time together, even months after, Harry never laid an opportunity to waste when helping her to a piece of the sweet dish, whenever they'd had the chance.

"...and Ginny still looks so forlorn," Harry was saying.

Hermione was busy enjoying the last bit of her treacle tart as she heard the end of what Harry had said. She glanced in the direction of the said girl and sighed.

Half an hour later, they were walking to the apparition point outside the Burrow when Ginny joined them.

"Do you know if he'll ever come back?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.

Hermione wrapped her arm around her shoulders in support. "I don't know, Ginny. I'm so sorry, but you need to move on like the rest of your family."

Harry spoke up too, his voice sad. "Hermione's right, Gin. If he wanted to come back, he would've by now."

Ginny wailed softly. "It's been five months! It was a simple mistake and Ron admitted it. He owned it. I don't know what he's feeling so guilty for after so much time!"

Hermione bit back her retort just as Harry looked at Ginny sharply at her 'simple mistake' comment. It most certainly wasn't a simple mistake.

"Slipping us both love and jealousy potions multiple times is not a simple mistake Gin," Harry said, his tone soft but firm.

Ginny nodded at that, looking ashamed and didn't say anything. Hermione bit her lip at the memories that surfaced within her mind. She said goodbye to them a minute later.

Hermione walked in silence with Harry to outside the Burrow's wards and he silently apparated them both to the Black Manor.

They landed straight inside the master bedroom and Hermione promptly pulled him to bed with her.

Harry saw the look in her eyes as they lay in each other's arms. "What is it, love?"

Hermione closed her eyes to stop the horrible memories from resurfacing but in vain. She knew it was time she told the other half of the story of Ron's disappearance to the love of her life, especially because it would affect him so gravely.

"I've not told you the full story, Harry."

Harry raised his eyebrows at that, pulling her closer to him and she complied. Hermione didn't know if it was the look in her eyes but he seemed to understand. "Is it about Ron?"

She nodded feebly. "Tell me," he requested.

Hermione sighed and began to recount what actually had transpired on the day before Ron had left. "It wasn't just him alone potioning us, it was Ginny too."

Harry instantly seemed to go stiff at that. "What?"

Hermione continued. "I heard Ron and Ginny discussing it. They'd been potioning both of us since our sixth year, Harry. When I confronted them, Ron was very apologetic and begged me not to tell anyone. He also requested me to modify Ginny's memories so she'll not continue doing this."

"You knew Ron was going to leave?"

"I didn't. He left the day after he apologised to me without saying anything. I hid this from the Weasleys because they were already hit so hard at losing two of their loved ones, I didn't want to add more misery to that."

Harry's eyes seemed to harden at her admission. She looked on as his face seemed to crumble although his eyes conveyed his anger. "I'm so sorry, love."

Harry seemed to break out of his thoughts at that and he tightened his grip on her waist. "You never need to apologise for that git, Hermione. What he did, it's on him. I'm just relieved that his sister won't be coming back to put potion in our goblets again."

Hermione felt her heart break at the hurt she knew he was feeling but refused to show. "Is there something I can do for you?..." she trailed off, wishing with all her might to take all his pain away from him.

Harry's face seemed to change at her question. He looked at her with so much intensity that for a moment, Hermione forgot to breathe.

"Marry me."

Hermione was at a loss of words as he bent down to kiss her. "Marry me, Hermione," he repeated, "Make me the happiest man in the world," he said, summoning a small box from inside the pocket of his shirt.

She felt herself slowly melting into him, all her worries draining away from her body as love and lust in equal amounts seemed to take over.

And she enjoyed every minute of it.

Hermione woke early and got up from the bed to go to the bathroom. She was feeling so happy and excited at the events of the previous night that after laying a soft kiss on the forehead of her sleeping soon-to-be-husband, she noiselessly rushed out of the room.

After a quick visit to the bathroom, she quietly made her way to the stairs and into a mostly unused wing of the manor. The lights seemed to take on an eerie darker shade as she walked barefooted, as she called the old elf.

"Kreacher."

The elf appeared wearing a black uniform with the Black crest on it, and began to match her stride. "Mistress called?" he asked, appearing almost giddy to Hermione.

Hermione grinned. "Tell me."

Kreacher seemed to have a bounce in his step as he announced, "He's almost recovered from last time, Mistress. Are we doing it again?" the elf asked eagerly.

Hermione said nothing and only smiled as she held out her hand and pressed it to the wall at the end of the dimly lit hallway. The wall mechanically began to step to the side, revealing a set of stairs that went downwards.

She continued on her way and noticed that the hidden part of the manor looked so much better now that Kreacher was taking care of it like the proud Black elf. She continued down, beyond the iron clad doors and finally entered a dark, rectangular room.

There was a single occupant in there, all four of his limbs bound in iron chains. His clothes were tattered and his hair matted at the back of his head while his body seemed to be twitching every few seconds. Hermione indicated and the loyal elf snapped his fingers and lights came brightly on in the chamber.

The man lying on the floor looked up dazed in the eyes of his captor.

"Hello again, Ronald."

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment!