The day has arrived!

Harry and Ginny are finally tying the knot :)

Expect lots of romance and tears.

Enjoy!

He walked down the steps as he reached out for the door. The door glowed a bit, as the locket had. He grew closer and closer, and he stopped.

He had reached the door.

He placed his hand on the knob and turned it, knowing what he would find inside.

As the door opened, his fears were confirmed. Hermione stood there, looking prettier than ever before. Her hair was pulled into a graceful knot, and she wore a ball gown that was very flattering. The neckline was low-cut and as he tried not to stare there, he noticed that she wore a playful but malicious smile on her face.

"Ron, how could you be so stupid?" she asked. "I could never say yes to you. You're too... common."

As he felt his face grow red, she pulled a companion into the doorway beside her.

"Viktor is the one I love. And there's nothing you can do about it."

He tried to stop the vision. It was too terrible to be real. He watched Hermione pull Viktor into an embrace and reach up to kiss him in approval of his proposal.

"No," he whispered. He moved to walk away, but a great mist was forming and he couldn't see anything but their intertwined figures.

"No," he called.

"Ron!"

"You son of a-"

"Merlin's pants, Ron," Harry laughed. "What did I ever do to you?"

Ron blinked. "Harry?"

"Come on, Ron," Harry said, "The wedding's starting in three hours. Get up so we can get everything ready." He looked at Ron's sweaty and pink face. "Were you having the dream again?"

Ron looked away. "Uh, no," he said. "What dream?"

Harry shook his head as Ron grabbed a towel and went into the bathroom to shower. He glanced in the mirror at his own messy bedhead.

"We have some work to do, my friend," the mirror said.

"Hermione, I need help!" Ginny combed through her wet and tangled mane of red hair. This was the most important day of her life. She could hardly wait until tonight, when she could finally call Harry her husband. It would feel great to finally say it.

Hermione entered the hotel bathroom. "What's wrong?"

"Everything!" Ginny cried. "I have a huge knot in my hair, and it's that time of the month."

Hermione smiled knowingly. "Well, first thing's first," she mused, "Let me get you some 'supplies' out of my suitcase. If you're wearing a white bridal gown, you're going to need lots of protection. I'll be right back."

As Hermione left the bathroom, Ginny got back to work on the knot. She thought about what life would be like from the perspective of a married woman. She wondered if she and Harry would have any children throughout the rest of their lives.

"Here you go," Hermione said as she reentered. "Now, about that knot..." She whipped out her wand and muttered a spell. Ginny's hair was instantly dry and combed.

"Thanks," Ginny said, out of breath.

Hermione peeked out of the bathroom door. "Your mum's here," she announced. "Do you want her in here?"

Ginny nodded. "That's fine."

Mrs. Weasley entered. "Ginny, you look beautiful!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Mum, all I'm wearing is a bathrobe."

Mrs. Weasley grew teary. "I know, dear," she said, "but you'll always look beautiful to me."

Feeling awkward, Hermione left the room.

"Now," Mrs. Weasley began, "Where is your dress?"

Bill, Charlie, and George waved their wands outside the Burrow and helped to put up the tent.

"A little more!" Mr. Weasley called.

Within minutes, it was done. Ron came outside to examine their work.

"Very nice," he said. "Harry's getting dressed. I figure the caterer will be here in about two minutes."

George winked at his brother. "I bet she'll be single, Ron," he teased his younger brother.

"Hey," Ron defended himself, "I-"

He stopped talking when Hermione appeared in the backyard with a pop.

"Good morning, everyone!" she sang cheerfully. Then she noticed Ron. "Hello, Ronald," she said quietly.

Ron dropped his wand and brushed his hair back. "You look nice, Hermione," he said, trying to make up for the tension between them.

In spite of herself, Hermione blushed. "Thank you," she mumbled.

They looked at each other in that moment, and something clicked.

"Ron, I-"

Mr. Weasley interrupted them. "Ron, would you mind running inside to grab another steak?"

Ron tore his eyes from Hermione and answered his father reluctantly. "Yeah."

As Hermione watched him go into the house, she smiled wistfully. "You goon," she thought out loud, "You just can't let him worm his way back into your heart." But she knew that she was very, very wrong there. Deep down, she did love Ron. And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"Places, everyone," a very pregnant Fleur called. She rubbed her big belly and arranged each person in the wedding procession. "Victoire, chérie," she whispered, "Go stand with Gabrielle."

"Fleur!" Harry cried breathlessly as he ran to her.

"Non, non!" Fleur shrieked. "Harry, you can't see Ginny until afterwards! C'est la malchance!"

Harry covered his eyes so he wouldn't see Ginny. "I just wanted to make sure that you had the rings for Ron."

Fleur rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, everything's fine." She kissed Harry on both cheeks. "Good luck, Harry."

As Harry ran away, Fleur chuckled.

A little "oh" went through the procession as Ginny Apparated into the backyard. She wore a simple but beautiful white wedding gown, strapless and accented with a little sparkle. Best of all, she had a radiant smile stretched across her face that went on for miles. Hermione stood at her side, in a soft lavender sleeveless dress that brought out the color of her chocolate brown eyes.

Fleur smiled as she reached into her purse and pulled out the wedding rings. She handed them to Ron and took her own place by Bill.

"Remember our wedding?" Bill asked as they linked arms.

Fleur nodded. "The best day of my life," she replied.

"Do you, Ginevra Molly," the minister said, "take Harry James..."

The words faded around Ginny and Harry as they grinned at each other. This was it. The day that they had both anticipated for so long was finally here. And they were happier than they had ever been before.

"I do," Ginny replied.

"And do you, Harry James," the minister went on, "take Ginevra Molly..."

They grasped hands as Harry said, "I do."

"May I have the rings, please?"

Harry and Ginny turned to Ron, who felt around in his pockets for the rings. They weren't there.

"Uh, just a minute," he muttered.

Oh, for heaven's sake, Hermione thought. That's just like him. You trust him to be responsible and he ruins it. But maybe, she mused, Maybe that's why I love him. He's so relaxed and carefree. I'm the responsible one. And maybe... Maybe that's why we're meant to be.

"Here they are," Ron announced. He handed them to the minister and half grinned at Hermione. To his surprise, she smiled back.

Harry slid the ring onto Ginny's finger. "With this ring, as a token of my love and affection," He looked into her eyes. "I thee wed."

Ginny did the same. "With this ring, as a token of my love and affection, I thee wed."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, sitting side by side, gripped their hands tighter.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister said. He smiled at the happy couple. "You may kiss the bride."

Harry looked into Ginny's eyes, and he knew that she was ready. He kissed her tenderly, and they were both reminded of their very first kiss, after Gryffindor won the Quidditch match in Harry's sixth year. The kiss wasn't short, but it wasn't disgustingly long, either. It was very sweet.

The crowd clapped and expressed their joy for Harry and Ginny as they made their way back down the aisle together, taking their first steps as husband and wife.

"Congratulations," a voice with a thick Bulgarian accent offered.

Harry looked up. "Thanks, Kr-Viktor," he corrected himself hastily. "And thank you for coming. Ginny and I appreciate your being here."

Viktor Krum clapped him on the back. "Anything for a fellow Champion," he answered, "and his lovely bride." He moved on to converse with the other guests at the reception. His eyes fell on Hermione, who was trying very patiently to listen to Luna Lovegood's rant on how wildebeests couldn't possibly be extinct.

"Hello, Hermy-own-ninny," he greeted her.

"Viktor!" She couldn't hide her surprise. "How... um... nice to see you."

"Vould you like to dance?"

"Oh... uh... sure." She glanced guiltily at Ron, who seemed to be busy, and took Viktor's hand to move to the dance floor.

Across the room, Ron's mouth fell open when he saw Hermione dancing with Viktor Krum.

"This cannot be happening," he said through his teeth.

He himself took the liberty to march onto the dance floor and tap Krum on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"

Krum did not look pleased, but he kept his polite composure. "Of course. Hermy-own-ninny," he continued, "Vill you talk vith me later?"

Looking very flustered, Hermione nodded. "Yes. We'll talk later."

Krum walked away.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered to Ron. "I got the feeling he wasn't going to leave my side."

Ron didn't bother concealing his relief at her dislike to Krum. After weeks of dreaming that she would choose Viktor, he could finally relax.

"So," Ginny said saucily as she wrapped her arms around her husband, "I'm finally a Potter."

Harry grinned. "And we're finally married."

"It feels like it happened so fast," Ginny remarked. "Even though it took all of our days at Hogwarts plus two more years."

Harry nodded. They started to dance. Ginny rested her head on Harry's shoulder, and Harry held her close. They could dance like this for all of eternity. They had nothing to fear. They were together forever, and nothing could stop their love.

Mr. Weasley pointed his wand at his throat. "Sonorus," he muttered. His voice grew louder. "I'd like to say a few words, if that's all right."

He stood at a podium where everyone in the tent could see him. At this point, everyone was seated, and had either a glass of champagne or - in Victoire's case - a cup of pink lemonade.

"It would be wonderful if we all woke up each morning and said, 'It's a great day to be alive.'

Not many people do. But the two people that have been joined together in marriage today live by those words.

Ginny always embraces the best things in life. She has never, ever wished that she weren't here, or wanted to know what would happen if she died one day. She has always appreciated the joys of growing up, and being around the one that she loves. Her fiery ambition to succeed and to try, try again is what keeps her family together throughout each day.

For the entire time that I've known Harry, I've felt the same about him. He never once said, 'I want You-Know-Who to find me right now.' He never asked for death so that he could be with his parents. His will to keep going is one of the strongest elements of character that I have ever known.

It is these traits that has brought my daughter and her husband together. It is these traits that will keep them together until the end of their days.

And I couldn't be happier to welcome Harry into my family. I know when I watch Ginny smile at him that they are truly meant to be together.

I hope that their love will spread throughout the world, and that everyone will be able to know what true love really is.

And one day, if we have grandchildren, we will tell them of their parents' true love, and how they live life to the fullest."

Ron looked at Hermione, who was sitting next to him, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. After Mr. Weasley's speech, almost everyone in the tent had grown teary-eyed. He wasn't quite sure what to say to her. Luckily, she took the first step.

"It was a beautiful wedding, wasn't it, Ron?"

He nodded.

"I hope that my wedding will be just as perfect as theirs."

He looked at Harry and Ginny, sitting side by side, the picture of happiness. George stood up, and pointed his wand toward the roof of the tent. The ceiling spread apart, and the starry night sky opened up for them to admire.

Hermione was looking up, too. "It's a beautiful night," she commented.

"It really is." And Ron meant it. He wasn't being sarcastic, as usual.

They turned to look each other, and Hermione leaned towards him, closing her eyes. Knowing what she was doing, Ron turned away to pull a tiny box from his coat pocket.

When Hermione realized that he was not going to kiss her, she sat back in her seat, her face bright red. Ron turned around with a big grin on his face. That was the last straw.

"Ronald Weasley!" She shrieked. The entire reception grew quiet. Hermione and Ron were the center of attention. Hermione didn't care one bit.

"I am so sick and tired of you embarrassing me at every little chance you get!" Hermione stood up and looked down at him. "Why can't you give me a break? All I try to do is tell you how much I love you, and you always ruin the moment with food, or stupid jokes, or you end up laughing at me."

Ron stood up so that he was level with her face. "I love you, too," he said.

Hermione's face was pale. "Wh-what?"

"I love you, too. I've been trying to tell you that for a really long time. I just wasn't able to say the words properly. I didn't want you to laugh at me."

Hermione began to cry. "Ron," she whispered.

"Yes?"

Hermione took his hand. "You know we're going to be together forever, don't you?"

Ron wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Of course I do."

"Then why won't you ask me to marry you?"

Ron smiled. "Well, actually..."

He knelt down on the ground, not worrying about getting grass stains on his pants.

"Will you marry me?"

Hermione covered her mouth with her hands. She hadn't expected him to be serious. She expected another sarcastic remark. But that wasn't going to ruin the moment.

"Yes," she cried.

That's all, folks! (For now, anyway)

I hope you like this one. I put a lot more work into it than I've done previously.

Thanks to q. thews for giving me an idea on Ron's proposal :)

Review!

~cphfairies