Bridging Generations
Summary: Ron and Hermione find the venue for their wedding. This follows "Home Sweet Home" in the "Nightmare" series, and precedes the finale, "Generations". Easily a standalone, though.
Note: This is another chapter that doesn't quite fit into the multi-chapter fic, Generations, coming up that concludes the Nightmare Series, but I didn't want it to be lost to the "dustbin of history"…err fanfic.
To those who have been waiting a long time for me to get my muse back…thank you for reading—sincerely. It's been a really tough two years personally, medically for my family. We seem to be emerging out of the fog.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all characters, etc. I just like to play with her toys for no profit whatsoever except to make myself feel better that her characters get more exposition, and development, and a clear ending.
oOo
George and Ron's apartment in Diagon Alley
The steam from the cup of tea sitting on the side table to Hermione's right had long since stopped rising above the remaining lukewarm liquid. Hermione slowly flipped through the pages of the wedding magazine, dog earing some that held her interest more than others, ones she thought she might mention to Ron. He wasn't as keen as she on selecting the venue for their wedding. He knew it was going to be expensive—something which he wasn't looking forward to, and it had to be muggle oriented. So he had left the main search for Hermione and her mother to do. Hermione decided she would show him her top 5 selections after checking off on her list what they needed—accommodating Muggles as well as the wizarding community and mixing the traditions of each. Convincing magical people not to use their magic may pose an interesting conundrum, especially after imbibing. Hermione hoped she had that taken care of. They would hire magicians to entertain throughout the day, so that if anyone did have too many drops in to remember they were in front of Muggles, they had a ready, believable excuse. She hoped that would work anyway.
She sighed and took another sip of her tea and gnawed on her lower lip. The squeak from the door connecting the upstairs flat to the store on Diagon Alley intruded on her research, but not unwelcomingly. Her eyebrows rose as she recognized the slow, heavy gate of the footsteps that caused the floorboards to creak their protest against the weight of the walker. Ron.
"Before you come over, get yourself a cup of tea. I've got a few spots to check out with what's left of the afternoon," she said looking at her watch with a mild degree of disappointment. "And we had better look soon or all the places will be booked for this summer."
A heavy, exasperated sigh erupted from the doorway as she heard him pivot on his heel and remain in the small kitchen. He rummaged through the cupboard a little more forcefully than need be, she thought, and scowled her displeasure at his obvious annoyance. A moment later, he joined her in the sitting room and put his sock feet up on the coffee table on top of two her magazines.
"Point taken, Ronald. You don't want to do this right now," she said flatly.
"Not especially, no. I offered George to help in the store this morning when Sam didn't show up for work, but I didn't expect it to be most of the whole damn day," he grumbled rubbing his eyes. "Sorry," he acknowledged. "You don't deserve my mood," he sighed and opened his eyes barely a moment later. "What have you found?" he attempted in a conciliatory tone.
Hermione smiled her appreciation of his effort to turn his mood around. "Well, there are a couple that I'd like to check out, just you and me before we involve my parents. I know they said they'd pay for it since we have to have it in a Muggle venue, but I'd still like it to be our decision, not theirs."
"Agreed, but I don't want to get on your mother's bad side over this." He opened his eyes more fully and studied her a moment, cocking his head to the side.
"What?"
"You're enjoying this more than you'd like to admit, aren't you?" he said with mild amusement and teasing in his voice.
"Sadly, yes," she said, with a sheepish look.
Ron chuckled lightly, his hand coming up to rub her back lightly. "You don't have to be embarrassed that your wedding day is as important to you personally as an equal rights movement is, you know. You don't need everyone's permission to sink into something of your own."
"Hmm. Since when did you begin to truly understand me, Ronald Weasley?"
"I think you know when," he said softly recalling their time apart while on the run with Harry. That time of plenty of soul searching, regrets and wishes that seemed they would never be fulfilled as he sat alone looking at the sea at Shell Cottage, thinking. Hell, if he were honest, she was never out of his thoughts the whole time. He felt consumed be her then, by his betrayal of her, by his unfounded accusations. He swore to himself if he ever got a second chance, things would change. It may have been miserable in the tent, but they had been facing the misery, the isolation and the unknown together. When he was with them, he knew their whereabouts, their status of wellbeing, and what was happening. It was a hard lesson learned as he threw countless rocks into the waves that crashed at his feet. He swore then that if he ever reunited with them, he would make a difference, contribute, and stop being so damned irritable. HeHHhjkkkdkdkdk He was not proud of his behaviour. He was not proud of his time away from them, but he was proud of his decision to change and make a difference even if it wasn't immediately welcomed by Hermione when he returned.
As he looked at his fiancée now, he could honestly say he was now proud of the man he had become. It always surprised him how maturity, understanding, and love for another could come out of an earlier state of immaturity, ignorance, and self-involvement. It wasn't that he didn't love his family and friends, but back then, it had so often come back to his own feelings of insecurity within his family and their social status wizarding world, despite being purebloods. "Well, I'd hope I know the girl I'm going to marry. Sort of a good starting place don't you think?" he said a little more upbeat.
"Yes," she said, and kissed him quickly on the cheek and snuggled in under his arm. She knew where his mind had gone by the brief look of shame that crossed his features. It was still there, after all these years; he still beat himself up over leaving her. It was not her intent to resurrect those feelings. She was simply increasingly amazed at the man he had become, how much he had matured, and how much her love for him had grown when she naively thought love didn't change once you realized you reached that state.
Yes, love did change. Love matures with history, respect, laughter, friendship, and sorrow. It deepens if you turn to each other in those moments. She also saw that it could become hollow when people turned away from each other in grief. Molly Weasley had almost lost herself to her grief over Fred, but mild mannered Arthur would not take no for an answer, and grabbed her hand every night and they walked for an hour no matter what the weather, "Until," he said, "We feel the sunlight on our faces again." And when little Victoire was born to Bill and Fleur, they took her for walks, giving the young couple a welcomed break while the child rejuvenated her grandparents' hearts.
Taking her cue from Arthur, she saw that Ron still needed something to get him through Fred's loss too. Working with George helped, but George looked almost exactly like his lost twin—a constant reminder, and a fact that was not lost on George whenever he looked in the mirror. That terrible year, she bought Ron a bicycle for Christmas. Something they had enjoyed together in Sydney, she hoped the exercise and the hobby might help them both overcome the loss and devastation they had seen and experienced during Voldemort's return to power.
They began riding on the weekends and small tours began to develop with picnic lunches or suppers even. Apparating helped quite a bit. They could go as long as they wanted and Apparate back home to extend their trips overnight without worry of having to incorporate return travel time whenever Ron was free from the shop on weekends. These had become her favourite trips with Ron, and they even planned on bringing other couples like Harry and Ginny with them to see certain sites. Once the Muggle government announced plans to re-connect the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal, they began making excursions to Scotland to follow the construction of the Falkirk Wheel boat lift. Ron was so excited and enthralled with this Muggle technology that Hermione could see how Arthur's enthusiasm for Muggle gadgets had rubbed off on Ron. She had teased him a little, to which he replied indignantly, "This is a few steps up from plugs, honey. But on their anniversary, we gotta bring them here when it opens—even take a boat ride up and down the lift if we can." Hermione agreed, it was a wonderful idea and something that would bring a genuine light to Arthur's eyes. The man was so strong and steady for his wife, but he needed support too. They all did. There had been a lot more family dinners since the war as everyone appreciated being able to be together on a new level.
"Alright, what have you found?" he said, bringing Hermione's attention back to the present as he snatched a magazine from the pile of three on her lap.
"Well, as much as we'd like this," she smiled pointing to one page with a park setting, "I think we need something with rooms on sight for my relatives so they don't drink and drive. I like the countryside thing A LOT, but I also like London. I mean, look! That's just beautiful, magical almost," she said looking at a London hotel wedding reception depicted on another page she had marked.
"So, what you're saying is you haven't got a clue yet," he said reading her correctly.
"No, not really," she relented. "I'm almost tempted to elope to Gretna Green like the old days," she harrumphed.
Ron smiled his amusement. He understood her Muggle reference to elopement to the first town in Scotland in the old days from having watched Pride and Prejudice with her. He had staunchly refused to read the book.
Ron thought he knew the girl he had fallen in love with. Then he met her parents in Australia and discovered there was a whole other side to Hermione that he hadn't bothered about—the Muggle world—and it bothered him. Table talk was moderately comfortable, but there were so many cultural jokes or references that he often felt out of place. The Grangers didn't even realize it, at first. Then one Sunday night supper he noticed Monica assessing him quietly the way she seemed to in Australia.
oOo
Flashback
Shit, I've done something wrong and I didn't know it. He looked at his table setting in front of him. Hmm, no more elaborate than usual, I don't think I picked up the wrong fork…
"Ron," Monica began one night, "When Hermione first got her letter to join Hogwarts, she was immediately consumed with knowing all she could about what she was getting into. We thought this was a healthy attitude and we wanted to know more too. Once we knew of the magical world, we were taken to Diagon Alley, and to the bookshop there. We focused on the history, but I think the culture might have been just as wise a choice—that came later."
Ron sat quietly; not knowing where this was going exactly, but somewhat concerned just the same.
"Sometimes, I get the feeling that we overwhelm you with… Muggle talk. We have not been as respectful to you and the giant learning curve you are getting yourself into by joining our family. Colloquialisms that we take for granted as being part of everyday conversation are very foreign to you. Aren't they?"
Ron nodded. Had he been that obvious? He wasn't sure how to feel. Was he being condemned for not learning the way Hermione had, or sympathized with? He decided to say nothing and wait for Monica to finish.
"What if we put together a brief "how to" about our world? The most important or perhaps relevant aspects of the last 100 years…?"
Ron's eyes grew wide as he considered the proposal. Unconsciously, his head began to nod his approval of the idea.
"Further back than that, Mum. I want Pride and Prejudice in there. I read it every Christmas."
At this Ron interjected, "Pick your Top Ten Muggle things for me to learn that I can watch on the telly. I'm not going to read all those books and you bloody well know it. So if you want me to get you and your parents' little side jokes, we'll reserve whatever night for my "Muggle Studies course a la Hermione Granger."
"Deal," Hermione replied with a sly look on her face.
And suddenly, Ron was left out of the conversation and Hermione quickly retrieved pen and paper and began jotting down their ideas.
"I said ten!"
"We know, but we have to figure out which are the most important."
"World War documentary…one that combines both so we can get a two for one deal on that one," said Del.
"Oh, good idea. Pride and Prejudice, naturally, the latest one with Colin Firth," Hermione supplied.
"Hermione! Does that count? It's in six parts," said Monica, concerned her daughter would overwhelm the young man even more than he already was.
"Of course it counts! It's ONE thing,"
Ron rolled his eyes and got up from the table. "I think I'll just help myself to another glass of Del's Irish cream." He was already missing playing cards after supper.
Hermione waved him off and continued jotting down the ideas to choose from: The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Back to the Future, Star Trek, the Cold War, Monty Python, Dr. Who, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones…
"Elvis Presley," Del supplied.
"I know that one," Ron said. At Del and Monica's shocked glance, he supplied, "Dad had a car with some Muggle music in it. I got to listen to him a lot one summer."
"Alright, then. Strike Elvis off the list," said Monica.
"Oh, speaking of Strike…Star Wars!" Del said.
They then turned every other Sunday night visit to her parents' house into a Muggle tutorial for Ron with obvious collusion from Del and Monica. True to Hermione's character, she did not choose anything lightly, nor was it overnight. Most of whatever she chose had spinoff effects. Her choices were done to ensure he would want to see more of whatever core selection was made, though she "innocently" gave him her list that only included 10 items.
The first Sunday "class" began with some inspiring music as The Empire Strikes Back began with the customary written prologue in bright yellow over a sea of stars.
"Hermione, it says Episode V," Ron complained suspiciously.
"So it does."
"How many are there?"
"Um, well, right now there are four, consisting of Episodes 4, 5, 6 and…1 . But they are making more."
"Hermione!"
"What?! You said you wanted to understand cultural references, well, this is one of the best in the series, I'm only choosing ONE movie."
"So, I'm not going to understand this unless I watch earlier episodes? And, that is really bollocks!" he said gesturing to the telly. "I don't get this Episode system."
"Oh, the maker made the story of one character, and is now going back and is telling the backstory of the antagonist and how he got that way. You don't have to see the first one; in fact I don't actually recommend it anyway."
"Fine," he said, not entirely convinced he wasn't being manipulated. He looked at Del, and noted that he and Monica seemed to be enjoying this entirely too much. What have I got myself into, he thought.
oOo
"We're not underage, love. And our mothers would kill us if we eloped." Ron took a sip of his tea and set it down, supremely unsatisfied with it. He'd been indoors most of the day on a Saturday and it was driving him mental. "Why don't we go for a bike ride and just get out. We could Apparate over near the house and start to know our future neighbourhood. Maybe even find a pub for beer and supper and figure out what we really want."
"Now THAT sounds like a plan," she said and got up to fetch some warm clothes and gloves for cool ride.
They Apparated in front of the little cottage they had just purchased and stood and stared at it a moment. "I can't wait to move in. June ….it feels like forever, "she commented wistfully.
"It's three months, but yeah, I know what you mean. At least this part is settled and we know where we are going to be living."
"I love it, Ron. I truly do."
He smiled and held her hand, "Me too. Now, shall we get to know the countryside a bit better? We went right last time and found Henley easily, how about left this time? And if we don't find anything within an hour, we'll Apparate to a Muggle pub. I'll be famished by then."
"Great. Actually, let's Apparate to Henley Road and turn east and then watch for Pound Lane. That will take us to Marlow.
"So much for discovery," he said flatly.
"I looked at a map. So sue me for being prepared. I thought you knew who I was, anyway," Hermione retorted.
"Truth be told, I never doubted it," he said shaking his head and gave her a quick peck.
Hermione smiled her pleasure at his statement. They Apparated down to the corner of the main road and then Ron took off quickly ahead of her. A look of surprise appeared on her face as she realized he really did need the ride. It rejuvenated him immensely, and it would make him much more amenable to talk wedding stuff later. It was a pastime they developed together, beginning in Australia when they went to restore her parents' memory. And this was something Hermione guarded fiercely with him. It was their own thing, not something they shared with Harry. Touring the countryside together had become a spring to fall favourite hobby they did as a couple. Sometimes they packed a picnic lunch, others they found a pub or restaurant in whatever area. They always brought a camera if they chose a new area to tour.
The March day was cool, but one in which the sun shone brightly and had heated up the day to a comfortable walking temperature, giving a lovely hint of the spring to come ahead of them. From time to time they each pointed out something to each other. Most of the time they rode single file, once in a while side by side to chat.
They took the turn off toward Marlow and found Zizzi's on High Street and went in for a slice of pizza after consuming large quantities of water. They ordered fruit to end their meal and then walked their bikes through town, now feeling the briskness of the season. They came upon a muscular looking suspension bridge that took their breath away just as the sun was beginning to set.
"Wow!" Ron exclaimed. "Muggles have some really interesting bridges. If Dad thinks cars are neat, he should see this. Hmm…1832," he said, reading the plaque.
"Ron, this is lovely. Look at the view. Absolutely charming."
"So, that's Berkshire on the other side, right?"
"Yes, I think so. Buckinghamshire here," she said with her hand gesturing behind them from where they just came from.
"Hmph," he grunted as he took in the view, spying the hotel on one side of the Thames River, a church and graveyard on the other. "Seems this area's got you covered. Birth, death, and everything in between," he joked looking back towards the restaurant.
"The Compleat Angler," Hermione read the name of the hotel out loud. She repeated the name quietly with an odd look on her face. "I think that's the name of a book; an old one about fishing. Yes, my Dad has a copy, it belonged to my grandfather." A wave of comfort suddenly washed over her. She smiled wistfully at the memory of her grandfather reading to her when she was little. He loved books of all sorts and would take Hermione to the library every Saturday morning until illness took him and he passed away.
She looked around and stared at Ron for a moment, and how at peace he seemed to be as he studied the suspension bridge. She smiled fondly. He's more like his father than he knows. A moment later he reached for her hand to pull her close as they stood against the rail and enjoyed the view. His arm came around her shoulders comfortably.
"This reminds me of Sydney, just standing here. That was the first time I realized how much I really wanted a future with you, up on that bridge."
"Me too," she smiled.
"You were talking about the view as if it was the future, but it was really clear for you," he said.
She looked at him, but did not interrupt. "Hmmm…I also remember wondering if you'd chuck me for quitting school and helping George out at the store. That I shouldn't get my hopes up—well, something like that, anyway."
"Is that what it was? I remember you seemed lost in thought at one point."
"Yeah. You know me, self-confidence issues back then."
"I'd like to call them…growing issues. I had them too." His eyes turned from the view to give her his full attention. "Scared to join the magical world, over-compensating by reading EVERYTHING!" She stopped a moment and then continued. "Every time I looked in the mirror and saw that scar on my neck. I didn't have the faith in myself yet to not be seen as anything more than a Muggle –born in the magical world, and what she did to me seemed to confirm it." Hermione felt Ron's arm tighten around her shoulders. Her voice continued in almost a whisper, "And I was so afraid that would be reflected in your eyes as well if I looked at you."
He turned her to face him completely and kissed her so fully she felt the heat reach down to her toes. Forgetting the chill, she embraced him fully, her hands sliding up his back, her tongue delving into his mouth, meeting and entwining with his.
The kiss ended slowly, as their foreheads came together, continuing the contact. "Never," he breathed and tilted his head back slowly to see her eyes.
When he looked at her like that, she felt every care in the world fade away. She smiled up at him, her heart beating strongly in her chest, her face flushing.
"I know. Even then I knew. It wasn't a comment about your character, Ron. They were my issues that I had to learn to overcome." She began to laugh ever so mildly.
"What?"
"You were thinking about finding some rocks to skip in the water, weren't you?"
He laughed and pulled her close for a boisterous hug, and they both began to laugh a little more forcefully. He had been thinking of the times on the run when they skipped rocks, or when he fed her rocks, one by one to throw in a release of frustration and anger at Shell Cottage after the torture. "It seems we were meant to be, love."
"Yes, we are," she agreed with a smile on her features. The leaned in to each other, foreheads connecting, bridging the gap between them.
Music made its way to their ears, coming out through the slightly open terrace doors of the hotel, the Wedding March. They turned, separating a moment but still holding hands on either side of them, to look at the reception rooms that looked out upon a lovely terrace before the Thames. White lights twinkled in the currently leafless boxed trees that cozied up to the quaint hotel. They looked over the beautiful bridge, and both imagined walking from the church through the beautiful arch together to an outdoor reception by the water with twinkling white lights on a warm summer night. They would take a short boat ride, just the bride and groom, for pictures with the bridge in the background while a DJ played music to entertain their guests, who waited for them there or walked around the small town.
Everything seemed to click for them. Right in that very spot, in an area grounded to their future, they were reminded of the lofty heights where they first dreamed of one together. To one side of them a church, to the other a wedding venue, and here they were standing in between on a bridge. Everything seemed to connect for them. They had hoped on a bridge, now they planned on a bridge. Their very marriage was a bridge between the Muggle and wizarding worlds, between the Weasley and the Granger families, between the counties and even their personal interests.
"This is it," they said together. They both smiled and laughed. "Yes, it is."
Author's Note: The Compleat Angler is part of the Macdonald Hotel chain in England. I fell in love with it after I saw the Marlow Bridge, where I envisioned their wedding photos—after narrowing down a lot of bridge research. It fit right into building some traditions for my favourite couple. It was the reason why their new home is situated where it is, about 15 miles away. The hotel being named after a book? Well, that seemed serendipitous to me. How could Hermione turn down a hotel named after a book? The area is still country for Ron and close to the city for Hermione. And, this is fiction.
Read "Home Sweet Home" for them to find their dream home. If only FFN let us upload pictures.
Skipping stones scene is in "Love on the Rocks"