With Ron, nothing else seemed to matter, so it wasn't a surprise that when the door to his apartment suspiciously creaked open, neither Hermione nor Ron seemed to notice as they continued to kiss on the couch.

They didn't even notice as that person who opened the door sat on the same couch as a lonely third party. They didn't notice, that is, until the person said in a raspy, sinister voice, "Having fun, are we?"

Ron and Hermione jumped apart immediately, and Ron jumped so far that he was practically on the lap of their unexpected guest, George.

"George! Bloody hell, I nearly had a heart attack! My God, when I get my hands on you…" Ron yelled, and turned over to tackle his brother.

"Ron," Hermione said weakly, who although couldn't say her heart didn't beat faster when George surprised them, thought that Ron was being out of line with the headlock he had put his older brother in. But, George was laughing, and somehow effortlessly made it so Ron was the one in the headlock, and George triumphantly gave him a nuggie.

"Honestly, twenty-two and twenty-four and still behaving like animals!" Hermione sighed, breaking the two up.

"Buzz kill." George mumbled, dropping on the couch and extending his legs across it and his arms behind his hand in a relaxed position.

"So," Ron grumbled, "What in the bloody name of Merlin could you possibly be doing here? You knew I was going out with Hermione tonight, I told you!"

"Alright, alright," George said, getting up and buttoning his jacket, "Then I guess you don't want me to tell you…"

"Tell us what?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I mean, Ron, I was thinking you'd be my best man…"

"George, what are you playing at?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"I mean, I guess you don't want me to tell you that….SHE SAID YES!"

"What?" Ron and Hermione screamed in unison.

"George, are you telling me that…" Ron began, but George interrupted him.

"Angelina and I are getting married!" George roared triumphantly, jumping up and down on the couch, and like young children, Ron and Hermione joined in.

"George, I didn't even know you were proposing! Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Hermione said between bounces as she hugged him.

"Yeah, you'd think you'd tell your own brother!" Ron said happily.

"Well, I didn't even know myself!" George explained excitedly, and the three of them stopped jumping. "Well, I mean, I knew I was going to propose soon, I had been thinking about that for while, and I knew that Angelina is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, but I didn't know tonight was going to be the night I was going to propose. I had kept the ring in my pocket for a while just in case I found the perfect opportunity, and tonight, well, it just felt right, you know?"

"George, that's amazing," Ron commented. "And five weeks before Harry and Ginny's wedding!"

"Yeah, I never thought about that." George said, "They'll have a summer wedding, and Angelina and I are thinking about a winter wedding, maybe spring."

Hermione hadn't thought about that either. Harry and Ginny were getting married in five weeks. George and Angelina were engaged. Last weekend Ron and Hermione attended Seamus Finnegan's wedding. And Ron and Hermione had been together for five years, yet Hermione was still ring less, and she could see no end in sight.

"Now all we need is for you two to tie the knot." George said as Hermione handed him a glass of Firewhiskey to celebrate. Ron chocked a little on own drink. "Oh, don't act so surprised Ron, you're such a baby. You and Hermione have been together for five years. It's time to get a move on or this little cutie will find another man." George said, slapping Hermione on the butt.

"George!" Ron and Hermione both screamed.

"Hey, get your hands off my girlfriend!" Ron laughed as he put his arm around Hermione.

"C'mon, I'm engaged, I have to live out my last moments of freedom! But seriously, Ron, cut to the chase. I mean, if Hermione's stayed with you for five years and hasn't realized what a pathetic loser you are, then you've got a good thing going. It'll only take about one year more before she realizes that the guy she's spent half her life with is, well…you. But, if you put a ring on her finger, then it makes it harder for her to leave." George winked.

"I love Ron, you know that George. And it would take more than the lack of ring to keep me from him." Hermione said, but deep down she craved for one of her own.

"Yeah, and c'mon, Hermione and I aren't ready for that! It's too fast! We're too young!" Ron retorted. Ron could be romantic when he wanted to be, but in reality, he was afraid of commitment.

"Five years, Ron! Angelina and I have only been dating for three! And Harry and Ginny got engaged last year, Harry being the same age as you and Ginny a year younger! But, I can see what your saying, I mean, you guys are practically on the same level as you were when you were seventeen." George coaxed.

"What?" Hermione said.

"No, I didn't mean it like that…" George said, learning that was an insult. "I mean, it's just when I see you two together, it's still like your seventeen, okay, that came out wrong, I mean, it's just…oh, forget it."

Hermione gave Ron a loathing look. So that's what people thought of their relationship? Simple and juvenile?

Ron noticed Hermione didn't like the words she was hearing. And maybe, just maybe, she was jealous she didn't have a ring of her own. Too soon, too soon. He thought. But was it, really?

"Er, better seventeen than seventy-seven!" Ron laughed nervously, and George laughed, overdoing it. "Who wants more firewhiskey?"

"Ear Ear!" George yelled, and oh how outplayed that joke was.

"Hermione?" Ron asked nervously.

"Not thirsty, but that you." Hermione said, twisting her hands and especially her ring-less finger.

It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it before, Hermione was certain Ron was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but she never felt the need to rush it. But now, it seemed everybody was getting married. Hermione's closet was full of dresses that she had worn to weddings the past year, and it was a wonder she and Ron had any weekends to themselves between going to all these weddings. And now, with George getting married and Hermione practically planning Harry and Ginny's as she was the maid of honor, the reality set in. Hermione wanted a ring. NOW.