An owl, one Harry did not recognize, flew through the open window and landed on the kitchen table of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Upon moving into the house, Harry had some serious renovating to do. And more importantly, some cleaning. Once most of the dust, mold, grime, and any remnants of bugs or rodents had been removed, there was the issue of the paintings. Most importantly, his godfather's mother had to leave, though no one was really quite sure how to bring that about. Finally, it was Ron who came up with the most logical solution: just remove that part of the wall. It seemed that the Blacks had realized that Sirius would attempt to rid the house of his mother's portrait, but it never occurred to them that someone might try to remove the wall itself so the task was done relatively with ease, aside from Mrs. Black's screams, of course.
Of course, the house needed to be rid of its dark, vile demeanor before anyone could actually live in it. Ginny was more than up for the task. Had she not become an internationally famous Quidditch player and had her tastes not been a tad brighter than that of those around her, she could have gone into interior design. Once she'd painted the house in far less gloomy colors and added several new windows, light fixtures (what's a fine dining room without a chandelier?), and, of course, a sky light, the house was proved to be much roomier, friendlier, and simply more beautiful than anyone (especially Harry) could have imagined.
The mostly white owl presented her foot and Harry removed the letter tied to it. Before Harry could get her some water for the road, she flapped her wings, displaying the almost artistically placed golden brown feathers on her wings and back, and she was off.
Ginny Potter sat next to Harry, sipping her morning coffee. "What's that?" she asked, attempting to look over Harry's shoulder.
While Ginny had almost complete control when remodeling the house, Harry did have one request: the dining room table ought to be smaller. While it was a nice size for dinner parties and other large celebrations (of which the two Potters had very few) for a young couple, even one considering having children in the future, it was much too large and not nearly homey enough for Harry.
Harry considered chopping it up and using it for firewood, but the two of them decided it would to give it two Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as their old dinner table was getting rather shabby. But even they had less of a use for it anymore as all of their children had moved out and all but two of them were married. (Now to set on Ron and Hermione and find Charlie somebody, Mrs. Weasley often thought.)
Harry's eyes nearly popped from his head. "A wedding invitation."
"Oooh! From who? Who's getting married?" Ginny asked excitedly. She had always loved weddings.
"Cho."
XXX
Ron Weasley sighed as he read the morning paper, munching on his toast. He glanced at his jacket unceremoniously draped over the back of the couch. He could almost feel the weight of the small box in the jacket's pocket as though he were still wearing it. But no, the ring he'd purchased six months ago (four months after its full refund date) sat across the room from him, vulnerable to discovery should Hermione get annoyed with the jacket's location when she finally woke up. Though, in all honesty, she hadn't seemed too worried about that last night (or was it morning) when the two of them had arrived at Hermione's apartment as they so usually did.
When would he get the courage to propose? Ron was sure, but his frustration with himself only grew as each day went by. Damn it, Ron! Gryffindors are supposed to be brave, Ron thought to himself as he scanned the Daily Prophet for news. Mostly more on that sex scandal between one of Kingsley's head Aurors and that one Russian ambassador. Ron was never sure why anyone actually cared about those things, but it was these things were big until some new scandal came along. And, it was much better to ignore petty scandals such as these rather than reading about Muggle families dying or friends disappearing or Imperioused children killing their grandparents.
Hermione yawned and sleepily walked into the kitchen. She smiled upon seeing Ron. "Since when do you get up before I do?" she asked.
"Since when do you wake up after eight A.M.?" he asked her in reply.
She grinned at him, but her smiled quickly faded into a frown when she saw his jacket on the back of the couch though she said nothing and made no more to hang it properly on the coat hanger which relieved Ron greatly. Though, if she discovered the ring accidentally, thought Ron, he'd never have to get up the nerve to actually have to propose...
"Mmm, that smells good," Hermione smiled as she served herself some of the eggs and bacon Ron and left sizzling on the stove.
Just at that moment a golden owl flew the window and handed in front of Hermione. He stuck out his foot, allowed her to remove the letter attached to his leg, and flew off before anything else could be said.
"What's that?" Ron asked casually.
Hermione's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "A wedding invitation."
Ron sat up straight, though, his heart seemed to slump. Another one of their friends were getting married. Sooner or later Hermione was going to start getting impatient. "Who's getting married?"
"Viktor."
"Krum?"
"Do you know any other Viktors?"
XXX
"Cho," Ginny replied, her face expressionless and her voice devoid of emotion. "And who's she getting married to?"
"Here," Harry handed her the invitation.
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Cho Chang
Viktor Krum
on
June 18th, 2003
The rest of the invitation was such fancy, flowering, wedding invitation garb that disinterested Ginny. "She likes her Seekers, doesn't she?"
"Er-what?" Harry asked, surprised that she wasn't taking unnaturally deep breaths and pursing her lips (which she always did when jealous).
"Well, look. Diggory, you, and now Krum. I wouldn't say anything if you were just Quidditch players, but since you're all Seekers..."
"When you say that, I'm surprised she didn't date Malfoy," Harry said. There was a moment when the two of them just stared at one another, and the next moment they'd both burst into laughter. "So," Harry asked, once he'd collected himself, "do you want to go?"
"Why not?" Ginny shrugged.
XXX
"As in Harry's old girlfriend?"
"The very same," Hermione replied. "What do you think? Should we go?"
"Well, if he's getting married, I don't see a reason not to," Ron grinned and even Hermione couldn't help but smile at that one.
XXX
"Congratulations," Ginny said warmly to the happy couple. It was odd, Harry remarked. He'd never in his entire life see Ginny beam in such a way to Cho Chang, though, he supposed that she still never would. She was now beaming at Cho Krum. A name that he had to admit had a strange ring to it.
And while Hermione was still secretly fuming that everyone was getting married before her, she remarked that Ron was returning to his old...old, old, old, old, very old self-the one that was completely awestruck in Viktor Krum's presence. As they congratulated the happy couple, Ron nearly tripped over his own feet at least three times and he was almost incapable of forming a complete sentence.
Late into the reception, the four sat at a table watching the newlyweds (and various guests) dancing to a slow Weird Sister's song.
"I never would have thought of it," Hermione remarked, "but they actually do make a cute couple."
"Yeah, I always imagined her with someone...prettier," Ginny agreed. "You know, a rich pretty boy who wears a lot of cardigans maybe."
"Well, he is rich," Harry agreed. "Though I wouldn't call him pretty..."
"And I doubt that he wears cardigans," Hermione agreed. The three of them burst out laughing. "What'd'you think, Ron? Ron?"
But Ron was still in his Viktor-Krum-trance.
Hermione rolled her eyes and tugged on his sleeve.
"What?" he asked startled.
"Come on," Hermione sighed. "You've gawked at Krum enough as it is. Let's go dance." And the two of them disappeared in the large crowd.
"Since when does Hermione refer to him as Krum?" Harry asked.
"I guess ever since Ron realized he was off the market," Ginny shrugged. She sighed. "If only they were."
"Please don't turn into your mother and start meddling."
Ginny scowled. "I'll have you know that Hermione wanted us to meddle, but I told her it was none of my business...even though they are my brother and my best friend. And another thing, if it weren't for my mother's meddling, I doubt that George and Angelina would be anything other than friends right now. They certainly wouldn't be married. And if I don't meddle, Ron and Hermione may never be!"
Harry just laughed.
