A/N: I wrote this as a form of self-imposed therapy after reading the constantly inane versions of 'What would happen if Harry and Hermione got married?' on Quora. No, Ron would not become the next Dark Lord nor would Ginny become some 2 sickle crack whore in Knockturn Alley. This story is a bit passive aggressive, borderline snarky, but I don't care.

'I wonder why they didn't get the Minister to conduct the ceremony?' George asked with a look of mock innocence on his face.

Sniggering beside him, Ginny responded 'Oh, I'm sure she asked'.

The whole thing was just surreal. No less than four months earlier, the groom was her boyfriend.

Two ladies in the row in front of them turned back, giving them a look of contempt. 'Keep it down and show some respect. They're national heroes you know.' Hissed one of them.

'Yeah Ginny, keep it down. They're national heroes,' said Ron looking as though he was about to burst into something. Tears or laughter, it was anyone's guess at this stage.

'The love shown by this couple to one another, is a sight to behold …' droned on the Official.

'Is this going to go on much longer do you think?' asked Luna. 'I am quite hungry and I thought it would be over by two. I've never been to a wedding that's taken as long as this one.'

Ron's stomach grumbled in agreement. 'If I hadn't promised mum and dad I would stay till the very end, I would have left an hour ago. This is ridiculous.'

'I am still getting over the fact that this is even happening.' Ginny said looking as bewildered as she had three and a half months earlier.

'I still think she's pregnant. No one gets married that fast.' Neville whispered.

'Nah, she wouldn't allow that to happen.' Ron replied darkly, 'Too ambitious. She has plans and a baby would mess that right up.'

'I feel like I contributed to this … whatever this is.' George whispered to the group.

'Don't. George, this has nothing to do with you. We love you and you needed help.' Ron replied. 'You're my brother, and there was something I could do to help you when you needed it. I don't regret it.'

'The wedding vows will further deepen the bond this couple share …' continued the Official.

Ginny looked over to Ron, standing on George's other side. She could feel the beginning of tears welling, but she was not going to let that happen here. No, this was definitely not the place for that, for they would be misinterpreted. Some would say it was due to the ceremony happening at the time. They would be wrong, very wrong. Others would say it was nothing more than the result of spite or jealousy, but these tears were not for the lost love she thought she had but for the brother who stood stiffly beside her.

She remembered the day she got the owl from Ron telling her of his decision to leave the Aurors and join George at the shop. It was a hard choice, literally leaving one brother who was still grieving to join another.

But it was the look on Hermione's face as she read her own letter from Ron that had her perplexed. She watched her friend purse her lips, look at Ginny and declare she was off to the library.

'But we have class in 15 minutes,' Ginny responded.

'I'll be there'. Hermione replied and walked away.

Luna, being Luna, whispered into Ginny's ear. 'This isn't right, you know.'

Ginny felt for Luna's hand and gave it a small squeeze. She didn't need to respond, Luna would just know.

'At least we haven't had to stand the entire time.' Seamus said with a chuckle, looking over his shoulder as wall to wall people stood looking as though they would kill for some sort of cushioning charm for their shoes.

Ginny peered around her and giggled. 'I didn't even consider that.'

'So, with nothing else left to say, I give you Mr and Mrs Harry Potter.' Declared the Official.

'Shall we?' said George.

'You bet,' replied Ron.

'May I?' Luna held her arm out to Ginny, who smiled in answer.

Just over a dozen very loud pops signalled the disapparating of the couple's classmates and the children of the family that took them into their hearts.

Less than five minutes later, the group came wandering into The Leaky Cauldron.

'Hello! I thought you lot would be here an hour ago. Did you decide to stay awhile?' Called out Hannah in welcome.

'Oh Merlin, no,' said Neville harshly. 'Two hours and twenty minutes.'

'What?' said Hannah incredulously. 'The entire ceremony went that long?'

'Yes,' said, a by now, very grumpy Ron, 'where's the food before I pass out?'

Hannah just laughed, 'On the back table.' Neville went to join Hannah. A small laugh came from him as Hannah leaned up to whisper something quietly in his ear.

Ginny stumbled in through the door. Now that it was over, she felt nothing. Numb. George came over and pulled her gently to the side, away from the noise that was slowly increasing as everyone got started into the food and drinks available.

'C'mon Ginny, take a seat. I'll get you something to eat and drink.' Pushing her towards the table that had been taken hostage by Dean and Seamus. It was a great table too. Close enough to the refreshments and the dancefloor without getting in the way of those heading to either. She couldn't help the ghost of a smile that appeared on her lips thinking of the continued resourcefulness Seamus seemed to have.

'I'm not really …' Ginny started but just couldn't be bothered finishing. She knew George would just ignore her anyway and get her something whether she wanted it or not.

Resigned, she plonked herself down into the closest chair.

'So, that was, um,' Seamus began. He quickly looked at Dean, hoping he could provide the missing adjective to complete his thought. Dean simply shook his head quite vigorously.

Hmm, not so resourceful now are we, Seamus. Ginny thought but just gave a strained smile in reply and waited for George to come back with a drink. A really strong drink is what she was hoping for and felt that this was required about now.

Looking around the room, Ginny was torn. On the one hand, it was great to see all her friends again but the occasion for which they were brought together was making her feel miserable. She did wonder if any of them had actually stayed behind to congratulate the couple but she hadn't noticed anyone missing. She then felt a little bad that none of their friends had stayed behind to wish the couple well but figured they really did bring that on themselves. She had understood the enormity of what Harry was facing, well perhaps not the horcruxes, that he only told her of during one of their shared summer afternoons at the Burrow. If he had been even a tiny bit more open, she could have helped. She was at the school for most of the year, the Room of Requirement was practically their sleeping quarters after Christmas break. However, thinking like this was not going to improve her mood at all, so she scanned the room for Ron.

Having finally had his fill, Ginny noticed Ron quickly look around the room and noted both Ginny and George sitting at one of the tables. She watched him making his way over, stopping to say hello to a few of his fellow class and house mates. The ever-expanding table simply opening another spot for him, directly across the table from Ginny.

'So that was, um,' began Ron.

Ginny laughed, the laughter not quite reaching her eyes however. 'That's exactly what Seamus just said.'

'Great minds and all that.' Ron said raising his Butterbeer to clink against Seamus's.

'I don't even think that greatest of minds would have seen that one,' said Dean, now looking really uncertain and wishing as though he had just kept his mouth shut.

'You'd be surprised.' Replied Ginny, letting out a small derisive laugh, as she remembered a conversation between herself and Harry, where he brought up the fact that Dumbledore had in fact questioned Harry on the very relationship she had witnessed today. She remembered them both laughing at the time, and Harry planting a soft kiss on the end of her nose 'definitely not with you around,' he'd said.

'What?' Questioned Ron, snapping her out of her reverie. She would need to stop these melancholy trips down memory lane before someone commits her to St Mungo's.

'Nothing just remembering something Har - he once told me. It's nothing.' Said Ginny looking down. Now it was starting to hit home what had actually happened today. She let out the breath she didn't realise she was even holding. She looked over at Ron, guessing he was feeling pretty similar to herself.

'You want something stronger?' She asked him. 'My shout.'

'Well I think being the first to accept a shot from the Harpies newest recruit would be an honour. Though I'm fairly sure they'll be more who'll be offered the same after me.' Shooting her a menacing look.

'Oh no, that's the whole point of becoming a famous Quidditch star. People buy you shots.' Ginny shot back and feeling her first real laugh in what felt like months come out.

'Really? You made it,' shouted Angelina. Looking quite giddy at the thought.

'Yeah, got the acceptance letter three days ago.' Ginny replied, 'I'll interchange between Reserve Chaser and Seeker. We start training in about three weeks. I can't wait. Should really be great. First lot of games start in November. So, training really has to start around now to make sure we're ready for the first game.' She knew she was now rambling but couldn't seem to stop the flow of words coming out of her mouth.

Seamus placed a hand lightly on her knee, giving her a look she'd seen too many times in the past when she felt herself begin to get slightly worked up. 'Well in that case, let me be the first to shout you a drink.' Seamus said.

'See Ron,' as she winked at Seamus and simply smiled and mouthed. 'Thank you.'

'I'm in boys.' Seamus said, instantly lightening the tone of the table and started to get up.

'Stop it. Go get my drink and get one for Ron too.' She said playfully smacking his arm. 'He deserves one as much as I do.'

Ron gave her a sad smile and raised his eyebrows to her.

Ginny simply shrugged her shoulders.

A small chuckle erupted from both of the siblings. They may be slightly broken now but it won't last forever.

Hours later, the crowd if possible were even louder. The wireless had been put on and some of the party goers were dancing.

Ginny took in Ron's face, the happy façade he had worn for most of the day was now slipping. 'Do you think either of them even noticed that none of us were at the reception?' She asked now that they were sitting alone. Seamus had gone off to see which of his class mates were up for a bit of fun and Dean was dancing with Luna. Well, Ginny guessed Luna was dancing and Dean was simply moving his hips from side to side. A look of wonderment on his face while he watched the spirited girl twirling in front of him.

'Maybe Harry, Hermione wouldn't. She wasn't really great friends with anyone besides Harry and me.' Ron answered. A look of sadness had now dawned on his face.

'She could have made more of an effort this last year. No war, no you, no Harry. She should have taken the time to get to know the people she'd spent six years not really paying any attention to.' Ginny replied matter of factly.

'She wasn't really going back for that and you know it. She had her mind set on what she wanted to achieve, become Head Girl, get her seven N.E.W.T.s and get a job at the ministry.' Responded Ron.

'Oops' said Ginny, the effects of the alcohol were now kicking in and she was definitely not looking or feeling at all sorry.

'You know she was pretty pissed about not getting that Head Girl badge.' He said, ignoring the look Ginny was giving him.

'Well it's not my fault she wasn't there the year she should have been,' Ginny retorted.

'And you know it wasn't hers either.' He snapped back.

'I know,' Ginny just sighed in defeat. 'I really don't want to get into all this again. It was a shitty year round for all us.'

Ginny hadn't said much to the trio regarding her year at Hogwarts, it would only get back to her mum and dad and she had really tried to avoid that. Most of the knowledge that Ron had learned of what had gone on the year they were away, had come from Neville or Seamus and usually only when they had been plied with more alcohol than they could handle.

Ron had only recently found out what had happened after they had disapparated from Bill and Fleur's wedding over two years ago now and that was only as a result of accidently hearing their parents speak of it one night when their dad had had trouble sleeping. The war had been hard on everyone but he felt his parents had aged far more in the last two years than what they should have. He had told Ginny of these thoughts just after she graduated. Of course, by then, both of their own worlds had started to collapse.

Bill and Fleur's wedding had marked just the beginning of what Ginny would term as the 'year from hell'. She only wished it was because of Fleur joining the family but over the year in which the trio was gone, Fleur had become the older sister Ginny didn't know she was even missing.

Two of the Death Eaters had seen Ginny and had taken her just outside of view from within the tent where the rest of her family remained. She was questioned, well if 'questioned' involved curses she couldn't imagine ever inflicting on others but would soon become quite familiar with.

'She was with him,' one of the Death Eaters said to the other. 'My son told me.'

'Where is he?' The other Death Eater shouted.

'I don't know, I haven't seen him in months,' Ginny shouted.

'She's lying! Maybe this will loosen your tongue.' Said the First Death Eater, 'Crucio!'

She shivered as she remembered the pain that coursed through her. She wasn't aware of anything after that until she found herself being lifted and carried into the house by her dad.

'I'm so sorry,' her dad was saying, over and over.

'It's fine. I'm fine,' she said as her dad placed her carefully on the couch.

Fleur came in with a cup of tea and a dash of Firewhisky. She nodded towards Fleur her gratitude. Fleur merely waved her hand as if it was nothing more than what would be expected in the circumstances.

'Hey, where did you disappear to?' Ron asked.

'Sorry just getting caught up in some great memories.' Smiling wryly back at Ron. 'I just don't get what happened. I thought she was happy for me, was she lying?'

'No, I think she understood why she wasn't chosen and if we're being honest, I don't think she would have been Head Girl even if we had been there for our seventh year. It takes more than smarts to be Head Boy or Girl. I'm not an idiot, I do know what she's like but I still loved her anyway.' Ron said rather resignedly.

'I know.' Ginny replied with a sad smile that again didn't reach her eyes.

'Well here's to us, Harpy recruit,' Ron said lifting his half-finished Butterbeer.

'And co-manager of one of the world's best wizarding joke shop.' Ginny joined in.

'Not just yet, Head Girl.'

'Chocolate Frog Card, Gold no less.'

'Gryffindor's winning Quidditch Captain.'

'A really, really great brother.' Now the tears came. She just pulled her hands up to face. She really didn't want to bring the mood down but it seemed a bit inevitable really.

'Ginny,' sighed Ron.

'Hey is everything alright?' said Bill squatting between the two. 'Mum was getting worried, she heard you all disapparate three seconds after the ceremony finished.'

'Oh,' coming from both Ginny and Ron, both going a slight pink colour.

'How did you do that by the way?' Bill said looking at them. 'You can only apparate from the apparation points.'

Neither answered, just looked down sheepishly. George was amazing, how the twins managed to do so poorly at Hogwarts astounded Ginny at times, as she fingered the Popping Portkey in her pocket. Quick acting, louder than fireworks, and really, really illegal.

'Yeah, well she wasn't impressed at all. You made quite a bit of a racket,' he said, his mouth twitching as he tried really hard to contain the laugh that was just on the surface.

'Oh well, did she honestly think we would stay? Did you lot stay?' questioned Ron.

'Oh no, we left about a five minutes after you lot did. We just didn't make as much of a spectacle about it. Just went back to the Burrow and had some tea and sandwiches. We were starving. I hope you two have had something to eat,' looking at all the shot glasses that had accumulated on the table.

'Hey, they aren't all ours.' Piped up Ginny.

'Yeah, just the majority,' mumbled Ron under his breath.

Unable to hold in the laughter, the three siblings laughed.

'Will you be coming home at all tonight?' Bill asked.

'Not sure. It's still going strong here and I haven't even had a chance to get up and dance yet.' Replied Ginny. 'What's a reception without dancing, right?'

'Alright I'll tell mum not to worry about you. Just stay together OK?' Bill said giving them both one last look and softly shaking his head sympathetically.

'Sure thing.' Ron said as he watched Bill head off toward the door to apparate back to the Burrow.

'Well it looks like you're about to get your chance to dance. Here comes Seamus.' Ron smirked, downing the last of his Butterbeer, signalling the waitress over for another.

'Alright Ginny, I've let you wallow long enough, come and dance with me.' Seamus said.

'Always with the sweet talk,' Ginny laughed softly but allowing herself to get dragged up to her feet anyway. She swayed slightly, so Seamus placed one hand on her arm and the other around her waist taking her out to the dancefloor just as a slow song began.

Keeping the one hand on her waist, he took her other hand bringing her in closer to him. Bending his head, he whispered into her ear. 'He's an idiot.'

She looked up at him and giggled. 'Who, Ron?'

'No, and you know damn well who, love.' He responded.

'Are you trying to get into my pants?' She questioned cocking her head to the side and trying not to laugh at him.

'You wish. Besides, you know you're too good for me and for that fool that somehow managed to get his arse married in record time today.' Responding just quietly enough for just the both of them to hear. 'I think the engagement was shorter than the bloody ceremony.'

Laying her head back on his chest, she whispered. 'You're a good man Seamus.'

'Well don't spread that around, I have an image to upkeep,' he sniggered.

'What do you mean they're early,' Ginny questioned.

'They're on patrol now. Fuck it, just go Ginny, I'll take care of this.' As he looked at the paint and posters on the floor.

'I'm not leaving you here, we'll call for back up.' She said rushing over to his side.

'Not enough time, besides you look like shit and wouldn't survive another detention,' he said looking at her.

'Oh, sorry and you look like a damn prince with your face half bruised,' she spat out.

They started to gather and drop their supplies in a spare robe, tying the ends together. Throwing it over his shoulder, he ran halfway down the corridor, stashing the robe behind a suit of armour. Ginny no less than half a step behind him.

He pushed her up against the wall just as the Carrows came around the corner towards them.

'Well look at what we have here.' Amycus snarled.

'And they are only five hours late for curfew,' said Alecto. 'What were youse up to? Cause I ain't falling for whatever you think you're trying to pull here.' Waving their hand in their general direction.

'Just getting in some time with my girl here,' Seamus said, hoping they wouldn't question it any further.

'Lucky for you two, the dungeon is full tonight. So, it's Snape instead.' Growled Alecto.

A brief look of relief came to Ginny's eyes, catching Seamus's, they lowered their eyes to the floor and marched on to the headmaster's office.

'And you're better than all this. In fact, I think you're going to be just fine.' He said walking her back to the table, a small smile on his face.

It was a little after three when the crowd had begun to thin out. George, Angelina, as well as, Neville, Hannah and Susan had now come over to join them.

'I wonder what they got for wedding presents,' asked George to those sitting around the table. 'I mean what could you possibly get a couple like that.'

'Are we really running out of things to talk about?' Laughed Dean, now with Luna on his lap.

'I got them nothing.' Answered Ron. 'I can't imagine they would really expect anything from me, would they?'

Now he looked worried. 'I mean no offense to Lav,' he looked to Parvati, but she just smiled softly back, so he continued, 'but Merlin, even we parted on better terms.'

Everyone else at the table also admitted to not even thinking about getting them a gift. However, there were some quite inventive suggestions being brought up. Ginny's favourite so far was matching monogramed towels, courtesy of Ron, who was barely able to get the words out before nearly falling on the floor from laughter. Only Luna would think of matching 'HJP' towels as a lovely gift. 'Oh Luna,' Dean laughed.

'What? It's both practical and comforting.' She sighed.

'Are we talking about the initials or the towels?' said Dean clearly thinking this topic was beyond absurd.

Hannah and Susan just stifled a giggle, the latter then giving Ginny a small sympathetic smile.

Ginny remained suspiciously quiet but it was soon noted by Neville. 'What did you get them, Ginny?'

'What makes you sure I got them anything, I was just as screwed from this as Ron was.' She answered but her lip twitched, she was caught.

'Yes, but you're also terribly sneaky and I am sure you would have given them something.' Replied Neville.

'What do you think I gave them?' Ginny asked raising an eyebrow.

'Oh, you didn't.' Luna's eyes widened even further. 'Did you really?'

'Not my fault they haven't changed the wards.' Ginny sniggered.

'Sorry, I'm lost, what did you give them Ginny?' asked George.

'Not them, him,' Ginny replied. 'And, I'll never tell'.

'OK, one more for the road, then we're going to have to walk back to mine, there's no way you'll be able to apparate to the Burrow,' said a very drunk Ron. 'They'll be picking up pieces of you all over the Wiltshire countryside.'

'I'd make it further than that,' Ginny grumbled but perked up. 'So, couch or bed?' Squinting her eyes at him as though trying to better her focus.

'You can have the bed, but just this once.' Ron answered.

Looking at the glasses in their hand, they clinked them once. Their eyes met and both uttered the words they never thought they would say.

'To Harry and Hermione.'