A/N: This is the updated version of the first chapter...expect slightly different chapter two soon and a brand new chapter three is still in progress but I will get it out...someday, lol. Thanks for the support, guys, you all rock!
Disclaimer: Yes, the usual disclaimer is supported by all my fics, of course. I own nothing, JKR owns all the characters, places, past events, and anything else from the HP books...I'm just writing a cute little fluff...
HOLY MATRIMONY!
Chapter One
Christmas Dinner and Announcements
Twenty-four year old Ginny Weasley drummed her perfectly manicured fingers on her mother's white lace tablecloth. It was Christmas Eve and the entire Weasley clan gathered at the Burrow for Christmas dinner.
The magically extended dining table had been accommodated to fit the overlarge family and their many offspring and relations. It seemed as though the whole world had been showing up at their doorstep, but it had finally been cut down to just family, which had not made much of a difference, now that you think about it.
There was Arthur Weasley, head of the household, and now Britain's new Minister of Magic.
Then there was his oldest son, Bill, and his wife, the French, Fleur Delacour, who were there with their three children: Natalia, Anthony, and Marc.
Charlie, the second oldest, who had ended up marrying Nymphadora Tonks, had three boys: Aaron, Brevan, and Travis.
Percy had predictably married Penelope Clearwater, the Ravenclaw who had helped loosen him up a bit, and now had three kids, as well: Todd, Christopher, and Hallie.
Fred and George had married their girlfriends from Hogwarts, as well: Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. They had, humorously enough, their own set of twins. Both sets of identical girls: Tori and Taylor, who were Fred and Angelina's, and Annie and Elizabeth were George and Alicia's children.
Ron had dated and married Lavender Brown a few years after graduating, though it was obvious that Luna Lovegood had always been in love with him. Unfortunately, Luna had died in the war; Avada Kedavra'd by Voldemort himself after she refused to give him the whereabouts of the Order's Headquarters. Ron and Lavender were very happy, though, and had two kids: Mikaylah and Blake.
Harry and Hermione had dated heavily through their last couple of years at Hogwarts and had gotten married a few months after Ron and Lavender. They had one very adorable daughter, Alexa.
Oh, and don't forget about Molly Weasley, now a grandmother to sixteen grandchildren. She was now scurrying from the kitchen to the table, serving her family, keeping the younger ones away from the hot stove, and trying to check up on her pumpkin pie, which was still in the oven.
Ginny was nervous, which was why she was drumming her fingers instead of enjoying her warm and delicious holiday dinner.
'You can do this', she thought, trying gather enough courage to carry out what she knew she had to do. They won't think you're too young; you're twenty-four, for goodness sakes!' Confronting her family was not an easy task, and she was trying to psyche herself up to do it.
Being as there were thirty-four people at dinner, there had been sixteen seats placed on each side of the wooden dinning table, plus one at each end to accommodate everyone. The hard-backed chair next to Ginny was empty, and she found herself desperately wishing for the person who would come and fill it.
'Where is he?' she asked herself. 'He just has to be here, he promised. Besides, he knows how important this is to me.'
Deciding there was not going to be another right moment; Ginny slowly pushed back her chair and stood up. No one seemed to notice, and she didn't blame them. She could hardly hear herself, let alone anyone else in this chaotic dinner atmosphere. Ginny picked up her glass stemware, which held the clear, sparkling, expensive champagne, which the Weasley adults had grown accustomed to drinking the past few holiday seasons, and gently tapped it with her fork.
This managed to get a few people's attention, so she continued, clearing her throat and then said, "I have an announcement to make."
Her mother had just entered the dinning room once again and, upon hearing how serious Ginny sounded, she quieted the four little girls that were grabbing onto her robes.
Once the whole room was completely silent, Ginny's heart began to beat faster and perspiration started to bead on her forehead. "Uh . . ." she started slowly, not knowing how exactly to break the news. "Mummy, Daddy . . . everyone . . . I-I'm getting married," she finally stammered out. And, as if for proof, she held out her left hand where a huge diamond glittered in the dim candlelight.
There was complete silence and Ginny thought that time had frozen before a buzz started in the room, which led to everyone talking at the same time, causing an incoherent rumble of yells and shouts and exclamations.
"Quiet!" came a shout louder than the rest. Ginny looked in the direction of her father. "Quiet everybody! Let's take this one at a time," said Arthur. "Now, Ginny, that's wonderful!" he said.
Her mother enveloped her in an overbearing hug until she thought she was going to suffocate. "Mum . . . Mum, I can't . . . breathe!"
Molly stepped back and Ginny saw tears in her eyes. "Oh, honey! I'm so happy for you. With everyone else already married with kids, we were all starting to wonder about you."
Then her brothers and their wives and Harry and Hermione congratulated her while the children, who had no clue what was going on, wandered off to different parts of the house in small groups, up no good, that is for sure.
"Ooh, when's the wedding, Gin?" asked Angelina.
"Can we help plan it?" asked Alicia.
"Do you want it inside or outside?" asked Lavender.
"We have got to go shopping for the dresses together!" exclaimed Penelope.
Ginny was overwhelmed by all the questions and her giggling sisters-in-law until Ron inquired the most serious question of all, which shut everyone else up.
"Who's the lucky guy marrying my baby sister?" he asked.
Ginny gaped at him. "Ron, you do know that I've been dating the same man for eight years, don't you?"
Ron groaned, "No, Gin! You cannot marry that overgrown bastard! I was hoping you'd found someone else!"
"Ron! Watch your mouth! The kids are in here!" scolded Lavender.
Ginny glared at her youngest brother. "Well, I'm sorry you don't approve of him, Ron. But I'm not going to dump him just to make you happy!"
Ron shook his head and sat down again. "Why, Gin? Why? There are so many other guys out there that would love to marry you, and you pick that no good, lying, little son of a--" he was cut off by a slap on his arm from his wife.
"I love him, Ron! That is why! We are IN LOVE! Can't you understand that? Moreover, we have had this argument a thousand times. I figured you would finally be happy for me. Can we not fight, just this once? It's Christmas, after all."
Her brother sighed and looked up at her. "Okay, Gin. I will not fight with you. But just so you know, I still do not approve of him or this wedding."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "We'll talk about it later. By the way, when he shows up, will you please at least try to act somewhat civil towards him?"
"Oh yes, dear. Where is he? Shouldn't he have been here an hour ago?" asked Molly.
Harry was the one who answered. "There was some unexpected . . . business that came up at the office, Molly. He should he here soon."
"I still can't believe you're marrying him," mumbled Ron. "I mean, he's--"
"DRACO!" exclaimed Ginny as the blonde-haired person walked into the room.
Draco Malfoy – twenty-five, blonde-haired, gray-eyed, six-foot, and well built – had just entered The Burrow. Seeing how everyone was silently staring at him, he stood next to his girlfriend, and now fiancée, and whispered in her ear. "If your brother's glare means anything, I'm assuming you told them?"
"Ron's always glaring at you, but yes, I did tell them," Ginny whispered back.
"Well," said Molly, breaking the awkward pause that followed. "It's Christmas dinner, why don't we sit down before all the food gets cold?" She grabbed Draco by the sleeve in a motherly way and led him to the chair next to Ginny.
Five minutes later, everything was back to normal pandemonium. Bill, Charlie, and Harry were all deep in discussion about Quidditch, one that Ron would have usually taken part in if he hadn't been busy giving Draco the evil eye. Percy, Arthur, and Hermione were talking about the situation with the Department of International Magical Cooperation at the Ministry. Fleur and Penelope were trading shopping secrets of Paris. Lavender, Angelina, and Alicia were discussing the hassles of being a mother. Molly was still running back and forth while trying to juggle dinner, dessert, and the kids. Draco and Ginny were quietly talking about their day and how the family had taken the news.
"I should've been here, I know it couldn't have been easy telling them by yourself, but--" started Draco.
"Something came up, I know," finished Ginny. "Harry told us."
After dinner, everyone gathered in smaller groups throughout the house. Draco and Ginny were sitting on an old, worn, but comfortable loveseat in front of the fireplace. Ron still hadn't given up glaring at Draco, and was sitting ten yards away.
Suddenly, a high-pitched squeal, followed by a rush of jet-black hair jumped into Ginny's lap.
"Auntie Gin-gin! Auntie Gin-gin!" shouted the little girl happily.
Ginny smiled and stroked the girl's hair. "Yes, Lexi?" she asked.
"Pwesents! Pwesents! When we open pwesents?" she asked excitedly.
Harry and Hermione's daughter, Alexa, or better known as Lexi, was the spitting image of Harry. She had the black hair (though it was a little bushy) and the emerald green eyes. However, many of her traits came from Hermione. She was exceptionally smart, for one. However, her nose for mischief came from Harry. After all, she was only three.
"Lexi, honey, you have to wait till the morning before you can start ripping through those gifts," Ginny explained sweetly.
Draco watched the whole scene in silence. 'Ginny would make a good mother,' he found himself thinking. Maybe someday that would be their daughter. He shook his head, as if to rid his mind of such thoughts. He had to marry her before thinking about children. Besides, what kind of father would he be, anyway?
Lexi stuck out her full, pink bottom lip in a pout. "Bud I wan pwesents now!" she protested.
Ginny laughed. "Lexi, I bet your parents are already spoiling you rotten. You always get what you want, don't you?"
"My mummy and daddy get me ev-ewy-think!" she exclaimed with a huge grin.
"Not this time, Lex," came a voice from behind Ginny.
"Mummy!" shouted Lexi, immediately holding out her hands, wanting to get picked up. Hermione obeyed and lifted the young girl in her arms.
As she smoothed out her dark hair, Hermione said, "First, you have to go to bed, Lexi. Oh, and don't forget to leave out cookies and milk for Santa or there won't be any presents to open tomorrow morning."
"Ooh, cookies!" yelled Lexi. "I wan some! Sanda gots to get me some pwesents!"
Hermione giggled. "All right, let's go get some from Grandma Molly. I suppose you can take a few for yourself," she told Lexi. "I'll talk to you later, Gin," she added in the young couple's direction. "Congratulations on the engagement, by the way. That is a large diamond, Draco. I'm sure you're going to spoil her in no time if you keep buying her things like that."
Ginny smiled as she looked down at her ring. "Funny, that's the same thing I said about Lexi."
Hermione then carried Lexi to the kitchen, where her shouts could still be heard, "Gwanma Mowy! Gwanma Mowy! I wan cookies!"
Ginny laughed again. "You're really good with kids," commented Draco.
"Yeah, I guess I have to be. I've been babysitting everyone else's children for so long, it's like they've become partly mine," explained Ginny.
"So . . . you want a lot of kids, then?" asked Draco. They hadn't really talked about this before.
Ginny thought about it for a minute. "Hmm, I don't know. After all the ones I've dealt with and not to mention all the brothers I had to grow up with, I'm thinking maybe just two or three."
"That sounds nice. I would probably want more than one, myself. I mean, I grew up as an only child and . . . well, it was not that pleasant. However, of course, my home environment was not that great, either, but still. I'd want my child to have a brother or sister to keep him – or her - company," said Draco.
"Have you got any names picked out? I mean, I know it's still a good bit off in the distance . . . but I've always loved the name 'Anaïse' for a girl. It's an author's name and I've read it a few times before . . . besides, I think it's really pretty," explained Ginny.
"Is that what you want, a girl?" asked Draco.
Ginny snuggled up next to him and laid her head on his chest. "Yeah, I think so. But I wouldn't care, either way."
Draco draped his arm around her and brought her closer. They sat there, enjoying the warmth of the fire for another minute.
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"Isn't this . . . isn't this unbelievable? Me and you . . . sitting here talking about children and having a family of our own someday?"
"Yeah, it is. I never would've thought it would happen, but I'm glad it did."
Ginny tilted her chin up to get a better look at her fiancé.
"What? Is there something on my face?" asked Draco after she had been staring at him for a while.
Ginny shook her head. "It's just that . . . you've been so . . . different today."
"Different? What do you mean?"
"Well, you haven't been picking on me or making any sarcastic remarks about the family or bugging Ron or Harry or Hermione . . . you know, the usual 'I'm-Draco-Malfoy-the-arrogant-bastard-and-I-have-a-gigantic-pole-stuck-up-my-ass' attitude," said Ginny.
Draco raised one eyebrow and looked down at her. "Don't you want me to be the nice soft guy that your family approves of?"
Ginny did not have to think about her answer, "Well . . . no. That's not who you are. I don't want you to change, Draco. That's not the guy I fell in love with."
Draco was surprised by her answer. He took one of her hands in his and placed the other hand under her chin. He lifted her face to his and muttered, "God, I love you," before crashing his lips upon hers.
Ginny sighed against his mouth and brought her hands together behind his neck. Her fingers got lost in his soft blonde locks, and she pulled him closer. Draco wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her onto his lap. He ran his hands up and down her back as the kiss deepened. Ginny pushed him back on the couch until she was on top of him, and they continued kissing, only stopping to get air every so often.
"Ahem," someone cleared their throat loudly, but the sound was lost to the couple making out on the couch. "Ahem, ahem."
"I said, AHEM!"
The two broke apart, breathless, and looked up to see Ron and Harry standing in front of them.
"Take a cough drop, Weasley. It'll clear that throat of yours right up," said Draco with a smirk once he caught his breath.
Ginny, on the other hand, did not find this amusing. "Ron! You have been watching us all night! You are just going to have to get used to the fact that we are engaged . . . you know, as in getting married. I'm sure you and Lavender kiss all the time. What is your problem? Draco's been over for dozens of dinners in the past couple years and you've never been this bad about it before."
"You weren't marrying him before, Gin! Besides, I don't appreciate this sodding bastard sucking on my baby sister's face on my favorite sofa!" exclaimed Ron. He turned to Harry who was just grinning at the whole scene and asked, "Have you ever seen a sicker sight?"
Harry put his index finger to his chin and said thoughtfully, "Well, there was that one time when I found them in your mum's broom cupboard last year . . . ."
Ron's eyebrows went up past his hairline and his face contorted into one of pure disgust. "I did not need to know that."
"So, Weasley . . . since you're so protective of Ginny, are you planning to come on our honeymoon, too? Because if you think this is gross, just wait until our wedding night . . . ." Draco trailed off, suggestively waggling his eyebrows.
Ron gaped at him, and Harry and Ginny stifled their laughter. "That was . . . the most . . . revolting mental image I've ever thought of," said Ron, and the other two could not help but chuckle.
"C'mon, Ron. Let's go before you think of anything else," said Harry, as he started to drag his best friend away.
Harry had gotten quite used to having Draco around since they both worked as undercover Aurors for the Ministry. Being partners, they had been forced to treat each other civilly, and Harry had not had much of a problem when he found out Draco and Ginny were dating.
Ron was a different story. He still hated Draco with a passion, probably more than ever, actually. However, some things never change, and no one had forced them to be nice. "I just don't want you two at each other's throats all the time," Ginny had said. "So most of the time's all right?" both Ron and Draco had replied.
The rest of the family had taken to Draco quite well after the initial shock. It turned out that Ginny had been secretly dating him since her sixth year at Hogwarts. Finally, when she was just about twenty-two, she had brought him to meet her mother and father, who almost had a heart attack. After calming them both down and giving them a month or two to let it sink in, they had not fully approved, but they had said it was okay for now. Molly had been more concerned about the secrecy than the fact that he was a Malfoy.
Ever since, Draco had visited The Burrow - not often, but on special occasions and holidays. The family had come to like him, or at least accept him. Now that they were getting married, they would have to deal with it, especially Ron.
No sooner had Harry dragged Ron away than Hermione had called everyone into the large and cozy living room.
She stood up in the middle of the room once everyone was settled in and the children hushed, and called for Harry and Lexi to come up with her.
"Well, after receiving Ginny's announcement at dinner this evening," she began; her left hand entwined with Harry's and her other hand in Lexi's grip. "I've decided this was the best time for our news, as well. All of you are such a big part of our family that we figured you had the right to know first." She glanced at Harry, who gave her a nod to encourage her to continue. "Molly, Arthur . . . looks like you're going to have another little one to treat like grandchild. I'm pregnant."
Ginny gasped, "Oh my gosh! Hermione, that's great news!" She rushed up to give her friend a bear hug. Soon everyone else was congratulating the three, as well.
"Lexi, you're getting a new baby brother or sister!" exclaimed Angelina, giving the girl a smile.
"Yeah, Lexi, now you won't be the littlest kid around here anymore!" said Aaron, who was already nine and one of the oldest.
Lexi gave everyone a toothy grin and shouted, "YAY!"
The adults laughed and the children ran off, deciding to play a game of hide-and-seek indoors.
"Looks like it's going to a very merry Christmas, indeed," said Arthur, taking in the lovely glow of the happy couples and laughing children.