This story takes place when Harry's 22 and everybody else is their respective ages according to the story line. Consider book 6 and 7 to be totally different then what you remember. Hedwig, Fred, Dobby, Tonks, Lupin, and whoever else died during those books is alive. George has both appendages on the side of his head. And best of all Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny have a completely different agenda when it comes to love. Voldemort's also alive... :D So much more fun when he is.

And Draco is smarter and wittier? If he comes in at all. He's not really needed. Oh come on I want him in though. :P

So enjoy my story. This is how I decided it best to start off because it shows some of the differences. Please review, it's what keeps me going.

Dear Mr. Potter,

You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks on Monday afternoon August 20th at 2 o'clock at the Tonks family garden.

Please R.S.V.P.

He sat at his desk by the fire of his cozy 2 bedroom 1 bath bachelor pad. Gazing into the abyss for a moment he then quickly took out a quill and parchment paper and wrote out his acceptance and congratulations to both Lupin and Tonks. When he was finished he re-read his letter and nodded in approval. Getting up he walked over to one of the windows of his house. He unlatched the lock and called out at the top of his lungs.

"Hedwig!"

He stepped back from the window and after a few moments a flurry of feathers swept into the room and then circled back to his shoulder. Hedwig nipped his ear affectionately and Harry pet her wings in response.

"Hedwig, I need you to take this letter to Lupin and Tonks as soon as possible okay?"

Hopping onto the window sill and stretching her leg out Harry tied the letter securely and with one last gentle nip at his fingers she was off.

"Haha, their finally getting married huh?" he smiled wistfully to himself and looked over at the chimney where pictures of him and his friends stood looking back at him. He walked over and drew his index finger over them one by one. The first held a picture of his parents smiling back up at him. The next was of Lupin, Tonks, Sirius and the rest of the Order waving and joking around. His eyes lingered at Sirius's face for a moment longer and then he dragged his gaze away to the next photo. Hermione, Ron, and him were sitting down in the Gryffindor common room obviously laughing at some joke, not that he could remember what it was for the life of him. Colin Creevey had taken this photo and it was one of his favorites especially because... his eyes wavered over Hermione's laughing face.

She'd be at the wedding and he wasn't sure how he felt about that yet. The last time they were together they hadn't parted on good terms. She'd confessed her attraction for him and he, in a moment of cranial failure, had stood there open mouthed for a second and then running to the high hills the next. He'd not even said goodbye as he ran out the

front door of the Weasely's house with his tails between his legs. Was their ever a Gryffindor more cowardly than him?

She probably hated him now and all because he couldn't cope with the idea of her being into him. It's not like he hadn't considered it before, I mean her and him being in a relationship. It was just that, every time the thought came up he would banish it to the deep corners of his mind and tell himself he only wanted her friendship. And that had always remained true till now and until the moment when Hermione tried to take their relationship to a whole new level he had never thought about it again. So now he sat here with a dilemma, did he feel like that towards Hermione? No, not as of now, he was almost sure of that. Did she still like him after his spectacular display of cowardice the other day?

Now that was the million dollar question.

1 week later…

He apparated at the wedding at a quarter to 2 and looked around at the beautiful decorations hung all around the garden. Lacey white cloths hung from the rafters of their house high above the lawn in long graceful drapes and where held on the other

side by beautiful white winged pixie like creatures he had never seen before. Red and white rose bushes grew on both sides and seemed to glisten with magically enhanced dew drops. White chairs lined both the sides after the bushes and a white carpet covered

in red petals nestled between the two rows. This all led up to the alter which was simple and elegant with blossom designs going up and down the sides but if you looked at it for a couple of seconds you would see the blossoms bloom into elegant flowers and then

when you looked away and looked back you'd assume you'd just imagined it... if you didn't believe in magic of course.

Lupin stood under the altar looking nervous and sweaty but for the very first time since Harry had known him, well put together, in a very expensive looking black set of dress robes.

Most of the guests had already arrived and by the back of the heads he could tell who many of them where. Hagrid stood out the most as he sat in the last row, which consisted of one big bench obviously designed especially for Hagrid himself as he couldn't

exactly sit in any of the other chairs without breaking them.

He noticed most of the Weasley's by their red hair and he instantly saw Ron and well, Hermione, sitting at the edge of a row that was completely full. He knew he wasn't welcome over there right now so he cast his eyes over the remaining rows and came to find that there wasn't a single solitary chair left. He glanced back at Hagrid's bench and saw that Hagrid was already starting to burst into huge sobbing tears that trekked down his beard and dropped like rain into the puddle at his feet. Oh god! His luck just seemed to be piling up because there was just enough space on that bench for Harry to sit. He picked his feet up his feet which now seemed to be heavy weights and slouched over to sit next to Hagrid.

Hagrid blew into a hanker shift making a trumpet like sound and then after wiping his nose glanced down at Harry.

"Oh 'Arry! Didn't see you there. Aren't weddings beautiful?" he then sobbed into his hanker shift and Harry just pat him on back, more like his lower back as he couldn't reach up high enough. Then a hush came over the crowd as a tune started up from the self playing piano beside the altar he had not recognized before because it was covered beneath hundreds of the same dew dropped roses that were on the bushes. He recognized the music as being Canon in D and then he glanced back to see Tonks walking down the white carpet. She looked stunning in a tight fitting white dress with a sweet heart neckline that was simple except for the cloth that wrapped around her waist to tie in a bow in the back which glittered and shown with an other worldly light. Her hair had been tamed of all its bright colors into a more natural honey brown that was tied back into a sea of curls that seemed to be held only by a single red dew dropped rose. The whole ceremony was fairly quick and by the time the I do's were said Hagrid was sobbing onto Harry's shoulder soaking him to the bone.

Everybody started getting up and Hagrid finally pulled himself together to look down at Harry and see how wet he was. "Oh 'Arry! I'm sorry, didn't mean to get you all wet like that I just get so emotional during weddings I could fix that in a jiff!"

"No, no it's okay Hagrid I'll go fix this up quick you just go and enjoy the reception."

And after a few more assurances on his part he was able to get Hagrid to leave to the after party. Sighing he took off his glasses and wiped them clean with his one dry sleeve. Now if only he could remember that drying spell. He then heard Hermione perform the very drought charm he'd been trying to remember and all water seemed to vanish from his suit.

Putting his glasses back on Harry stood up and flinched when he met Hermione's expression of distaste.

"Not going to run away again are you?"

"About that, Hermione I'm-"

"Save it, I don't need any apologies, It's just that I never thought you were someone who'd run away from anything. If you don't like me then just tell me to my face."

"I know it's just that you caught me off guard and I couldn't deal at the time."

"Save it, I don't need your excuses right now."

Her face turned a very bright shade of pink and tears started to brim at the edge of her eyes threatening to spill over. Hermione quickly spun around and walked off leaving him feel like he was still covered in Hagrid's tears.

Harry eventually found his way inside the house for the reception and just as he was passing the bar he was pulled to the side by Fred and George.

"Now Harry how can you just walk into a party and pass right by the liquor bar? Doesn't seem right does it George?"

"Nope, doesn't seem right at all, now I insist he try some of this!" and with a wicked grin George pulled out a ready made glass of some red liquid that didn't look exactly Kosher.

"Wait a minute I really have to go find someone," Harry tried to rush away but Fred quickly put his arm around his shoulder trapping him.

"No really we insist," and George pushed the glass into his hands and stared at Harry expectantly looking so excited he might poo in his pants.

Harry sighed knowing there wasn't anyway out of this so he held the glass to his lips and took a tentative sip which he quickly regretted as he felt an intense fire start from deep inside his throat. Gagging George hit him roughly on the back. "First taste of Fire whisky my boy?" Coughing Harry nodded and placed the glass of liquid fire back on the bar table. Didn't think he was likely to try that stuff ever again.

Fred and George where having nothing of it though and didn't let him go till he finished the first glass and managed to gulp down two more glasses of the infernal stuff.

When he finally got away his mind felt a little hazy and all he could remember was walking over to a certain red head and pecking them on the lips and then tripping over himself and landing on something soft and totally kissable.

Wow, so this is how a hangover feels.

The pounding in his head was a constant drum beat and his eyes felt glued shut. He worked them open slowly and was rewarded by a light that was all too bright in his face. He quickly closed them and worked them open again. Harry quickly realized he wasn't in his own bed but own of the Tonks family's guest rooms. He was still wearing the dress robes he'd had on yesterday and his mouth still tasted of that weird drink George and Fred had given him. Oh no! He'd been dead drunk yesterday; he'd never even had alcohol before up till now.

Harry held his throbbing head between his knees and tried to remember exactly what had happened yesterday. He could only remember vague blobs and moments, he'd kissed a red head. Ginny? He'd definitely danced on a table, what a fool he'd made of himself. Then he'd tripped and that's all he could conjure up.

He could hear a faint murmuring outside his door so he got up and walked over and opened his door partially so he could lean on it.

"-so unexpected!"

"I know, who knew he'd do all that?!"

"It was magnificent!"

"Spectacular!"

"You made the mugs?"

"You got the t-shirts?"

"To think he kissed both Ron and Hermione!"

Harry fell down on his face at that. Both voices hushed up and turned around to see Harry groaning as he got onto his knees.

"If it isn't the man of the hour!" two impish voices chorused as they both made their way down the hallway to hall up Harry onto his feet.

"What a performance on that table yesterday Harry, I think you made me blush." Fred said he nudged him hard in the side.

"But our favorite part was the twin lip locks wasn't it George?"

"Well, I wouldn't call them the same considering he practically ate Hermione's mouth right off her face." George's grins seemed to only get wider as he said this.

"We didn't know you had it in you Harry."

"We'll be sure to give you fire whisky at all future events, it sure livens up a party doesn't it Fred."

But before Fred could reply Hermione walked into the hallway and as soon as her eyes landed on Harry she stopped in her tracks and ran the other way.

"Sorry guys I got to go." He pulled away from Fred and George hastily and ran after Hermione ignoring Fred and George's taunts of Lover Boy and Kissy Lips from behind.

He saw the tail end of Hermione's skirt round and corner and he followed her right into the backyard.

She looked back and when she saw him following and seemed to gain a renewed surge of energy and ran faster out the gate of the property slamming it behind her.

Harry jumped the fence and followed her around the large lake behind the Tonk's property. He started gaining speed on her but just as he was about to grab her hand she came to hill and fell which quickly made her snowball all the way down. He quickly fell down after her and as they reach the bottom he rolled over her and to the side.

They both gasped for much needed breathe and for a second just lay there but as soon as she gained back her breathe and started to get up Harry grappled her to the ground.

"Who's running now." He said breathlessly.

Hermione ignored this and beat her hands against his chest with so much power he flinched and was sure there'd be some sort of bruise there. He held her hands to the sides and then she switched to trying to kick and knee him. Harry quickly fearing for more sensitive parts held her legs down with his and all the power and weight he could manage.

"Let me go! You'll get off of me this instant!" she cried and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I won't because then you'll never listen to me." Harry started feeling uneasy at her tears and couldn't believe he chased her this far to tackle her onto the ground. What was he thinking? He didn't seem to do anything rational since she confessed to him.

"Serves you right, after what you've done." She looked him right in the eyes with a ferocity that he just couldn't get used to seeing on her face.

"What did I do Hermione? I was drunk and can't remember anything so you can't blame me for something I wasn't in the right mind for."

"But you…. You did that. After giving me no hope and even now when you have me pinned to the ground like this. Do my feelings mean nothing to you?"

Her tears seemed to be falling like waterfalls down the sides of her cheeks and because he had her arms pinned she could make no move to wipe them.

Was he really this much of a monster.

Harry quickly released her arms and slid off her.

"You know I care about you Hermione," Harry looked at her sadly as she sat up and wiped her eyes roughly leaving red marks.

"Really Harry, how so? I don't know what you feel about me anymore, you ran out of the Weasely's house like a bat out of hell after I told you I have loved you ever since you rescued me from the troll in first year. Did you really never see it? Then you sing lewd songs about all your conquests on the table of Tonk's living room during the reception. Then you kissed poor Ron on the lips and when he pushed you off him you pushed me to the ground and snog my brains out! Honestly Harry what am I supposed to think?"

Harry was flabbergasted, "I really did all that?"

"Yes Harry, you did." Hermione looked weary at this point and she sniffed and looked away.

"I think we should head back to the house before Mrs. Weasely sends out a search party."

She made to get up and Harry held her hand.

"What now?"

"I'd like to give us a try?" Harry looked at her beseechingly.

"Give what a try?" she said this but her eyes looked hopeful.

Harry quickly stood up and pulled Hermione to her feet grabbing both of her hands.

"Hermione, I know I haven't been acting myself for a while now and it all seems to have started when you confessed to me and though I'm not completely sure how I feel about all this I know I feel something."

He took a quick intake of breath and Hermione waited patiently.

"So what I'm trying to say is, will you be my girlfriend?"

She smiled brightly and her red tear stained face seemed exceptionately beautiful to him at that moment.

"Only if you kiss me again and remember it this time." She said cheekily.

"Gladly."

Harry placed his hand on her chin and guided her lips to his in a soul searing kiss.

Their lips moved together and he licked her lips tentatively and when she allowed him entry he kissed her deeply.

She pulled away first and whispered against his lips, "Exactly how I remembered it except without the whisky."

He chuckled and then kissed her once more.