"I'm still missing something blue," Hermione said, evaluating her planned outfit for her wedding in a week.
"What?" Ginny asked, carefully painting her toenails.
"Oh—I forgot. It's a Muggle superstition. 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe.' It's supposed to be good luck." She blushed. "It's silly, but…I don't know, it wouldn't feel right if I wasn't doing it."
Ginny looked thoughtful. "Well, your shoes are your mother's and your veil is new. Your necklace is mine…" A mischievous look crossed her face. "Do you happen to have wedding night underwear yet?"
Hermione blushed deeper. "No."
Ginny waved her wand at her toes, casting an instant-dry spell. "Well then, come on. We need to find you some incredibly inappropriate blue underwear."
xXxXxXx
Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. Everything was perfect. Herwild, unmanageable hair had not been tied back, due to Ron's request. It had been somewhat tamed, so it fell over her shoulders in sweet curls rather than a frizzy brown cloud. As Ginny secured the veil in place, the bride caught her mother's eye in the mirror. True to tradition, she was crying silently, trying to stop before it ruined her makeup. Hermione turned, slowly and with difficulty due to the large quantity of satin, and hugged her mother tightly.
"I'm so proud of you, Hermione."
"So you've told me, about a hundred times."
Mrs. Granger sniffed. "A thousand more times, and I still wouldn't convey how proud of you I really am."
"I love you, Mum."
Mrs. Granger pulled out of the hug and held up a small bronze coin. A Knut. "'A sixpence for your shoe.' Or as close as we're going to get."
"Mum…thank you." She carefully stepped out of her left shoe, and her mother dropped the coin inside. When Hermione slipped the shoe back on, the bronze was cold in stark contrast to the cloth. She knew it would warm up in minutes, and she would probably forget about it, but it didn't matter.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a Knut in her shoe. The silly Muggle rhyme fulfilled, Hermione didn't think she could possibly have been more ready to finally marry Ron.