Hello,
Well, this is my second HP story, my first chapter one. There are definite HBP spoilers, so consider yourself warned. I know that since the publication of HBP there have been plenty of fanfics written that take place around the wedding, but I couldn't help myself.
I listed this story under Harry/Ginny, but there will also be some Ron/Hermione, Tonks/Lupin, and, of course, Bill/Fleur.
I hope you enjoy it!
Failte
Ginny sat on a chair in the corner of the cramped room once occupied by the twins. She crossed her ankles and smoothed her hands over the shiny, golden material of her dress. It was a very lovely dress, even though she was loathe to admit that Fleur had such beautiful taste. It was a fitted, strapless gown the color of antiqued gold with a long full skirt and a matching robe of gold with silver thread shimmering through it. When she preceded Fleur down the aisle, she would be carrying a bouquet of silver and gold flowers.
Fleur's mother had done her hair, pulling the curtain of titian hair back into a loose French braid woven with strands of gold and silver beads, allowing a few tendrils to fall and frame her face in soft curls. And the color of the dress brought golden highlights out in her hair that she never knew were there. Fleur and Gabrielle had helped her with a makeup spell that left her with softened and enlarged eyes and lips stained a spiced color. All in all, Ginny had to admit she felt pretty good about how she looked. And somewhere, deep inside of her, she hoped someone else would notice.
She knew it was petty and selfish, but Ginny hoped Harry would notice. Well, of course he would notice. The time they had spent together in the last term had been amazing, it had been everything she hoped it would. And she understood, completely, why he had ended it as well. It wasn't because he didn't care for her, it wasn't because she had upset him. He had done it to protect her, not that that took the sting out of it. When he had explained that they couldn't be together, she nodded and told him she understood. Ginny knew that the last thing he needed was a girl clinging to him, begging him to stay. That was something Lavender or Pavarti would do, not her. No, she had understood what happened and, as hard as it had been, she let him go. No matter what happened, Ginny wanted the last image he had of her to be one of a strong, caring woman, not a crying, clinging one. Hopefully, that would be enough to bring him back to her.
"Oh, Ginny, really, get up, get up, you're going to wrinkle your beautiful dress," Molly chided, hurrying into the room to help.
The twins' old room had been relegated to dressing room for Fleur and her bridesmaids. The two beds had been shrunken and stowed in the closet while a dresser was turned into a vanity and their small mirror enlarged and hung on the far wall. At the moment, Fleur was standing in the middle of the room in her elaborately beautiful gown of shimmering white. She was trying to stay composed, but as the moment of her wedding drew nearer, the girl's hands shook and more than one tear escaped the corner of her eye. Her mother, her sister Gabrielle, her cousin Adrienne, and her best friend, Odette, were surrounding her, fussing with her hair and makeup.
"So I'm not allowed to sit all day?" Ginny grumbled as she stood.
Molly glared at her, "Don't get sassy, young lady. Fleur, here is the tiara I had told you about."
"Oh! Oh, Mrs. Weasely eet ees lovely," Fleur gasped, tears spilling from her eyes.
"Oui, eet certainly ees," Fleur's mother agreed. "We can attach de veil here and here. Oh, Fleur, you will look like a princess!"
"Ginny, Charlie just arrived a moment ago, why don't you go see…"
Ginny didn't hear the rest of her mother's request as she hurried from the room. It had been ages since she had seen Charlie and this was the perfect excuse to get out of the estrogen palace before she started blubbering like the others.
"Whoa, watch it, will ya."
Ginny braced herself as she ran full force into someone at the bottom of the stairs. She looked up and saw George grinning down at her, "Er, yeah, well, sorry, didn't see you."
"Is this our little Ginny?" George held her at arms length. "Oi, Fred, come 'ere."
"Wha'?" Fred mumbled around a mouthful of food.
The twins wore brand new dress robes in dark blue that brought out their eyes. It never failed to amaze Ginny when she saw them now how they had grown, matured. Their business was flourishing and they had plans to open another store in Hogsmeade. Underneath their quick witted, downright silly personas were the sharp minds of two talented businessmen. But, despite that, they were still the twins.
Fred swallowed whatever he was eating and clasped his hands to his cheek and fluttered his eyelashes, "Oh, Ginny, da-harling you have truly grown into a beautiful young woman."
"Who's your date for the evening?"
"Do we know him?"
"I don't…" she began, but was interrupted as they continued.
"You don't what? You don't want to tell us?"
"But Ginny, we have to know any boy our little sister has her eye on. Is it Harry?"
"Yeah, we like Harry, we were glad to hear you guys were dating."
"But he hasn't been getting fresh has he?"
"If he has, we have this new item we've been meaning to try out…"
"Enough!" Ginny interrupted, knowing they could go on like this for hours. "If you must know, I don't have a date and Harry and I…we're taking a break."
Fred raised an eyebrow, "Taking a break?"
"Yes and it is none of your business, so you are not to bother him when he gets here. If you do, I won't hesitate to hex you both. Understand?"
"Yes, Ginny," they both mumbled.
"Do I hear the dulcet tones of my sister threatening someone?" Charlie called from the kitchen.
Grinning, Ginny pushed past the twins and into the bright, airy kitchen. Charlie sat at the table with Bill, Arthur, Ron, and Fleur's father. A glass of what she assumed was firewhiskey was clutched in Bill's hand.
Charlie stood and hugged his little sister, dropping a kiss on her head, "You look great, Gin, life appears to be agreeing with you."
"And you," Ginny stepped back and looked at him. "Have you been eating? You're looking thin and pale. Can I get you anything? Is that another burn?"
"Geez, you sound like you're channeling Mum," Ron mumbled.
"I'm fine, Gin," Charlie assured her, slinging an arm around her shoulders.
He was as fine as anyone else these days. There was an unspoken agreement that no one would mention the impending war during this happy occasion. Of course, Dumbledore's absence was going to be glaringly obvious, but he was going to be honored in a way most befitting his memory, with happiness and loving thoughts. The name Voldemort was not going to be uttered and no one was going to mention the numerous deaths or awful destruction in which the Death Eaters were involved.
Just as no one was going to mention the changes in Bill. After he was attacked by Fenrir Greyback, Bill had been hospitalized first in the hospital wing at Hogwarts and then at St. Mungo's for three weeks. And Fleur had stayed by his side the entire time. His handsome face was scarred and once a month, at the full moon, he became tense and moody, short tempered and snapping at everyone. Ginny had also noticed the first time they went swimming in the pond that Bill's chest hair had thickened as well as the hair on his arms and legs. Considering what could have happened, they all thought Bill very lucky to have survived with such minimal damage and even luckier to have Fleur by his side. Although Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had once been skeptical about this union, Fleur showed her devotion to Bill as being complete. Molly had changed in her opinion of Fleur and welcomed her to the family with open arms while Ginny accepted her as a sister, but not exactly a friend.
The wedding was due to start in just over two hours. It was going to be a small, simple ceremony in the backyard of the Burrow. A white tent had been erected with gold and silver flowers everywhere. The garden had been degnomed that morning and the grass trimmed. A slight breeze kept it from being too warm and a handful of white clouds dotted the perfectly blue sky. For just a few hours, on this beautiful, sunny summer day, everything was going to be just fine.
Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody had stopped by the evening before to set up stronger wards around the Burrow. Security was going to be tight. Several members of the Order were going to be guests at the wedding, the others unable to get away from their assignments. The Ministry had also agreed to send a few aurors to the house to patrol the grounds and they were currently outside, walking the perimeter.
Ron glanced at the clock on the wall.
"What's the matter, Ronnikins?" George asked. "Is your ikkle girlfriend late?"
His face flushing bright red, Ron scowled, "Shut it."
"I wonder what is keeping our Hermione," Fred said. "Is she bringing a date to the wedding?"
"No," Ron said, a little too loudly. "Uh, she, uh, she said she was going to meet up with Harry and there were going to come together."
Ginny felt her heart clench at the mention of Harry's name, she busied herself by putting on a kettle of water for tea.
"Ginny, dear, should you really be walking around dressed like that?" Arthur asked. "You don't want to get anything on that lovely dress."
"I'm fine, Dad, really."
Bill smiled at her, "You look nice, Gin, thanks for being in my wedding."
She smiled and gently tugged his ponytail, "I'm very happy for you Bill, I'm glad I can be a part of this."
A quick knock on the front door had Ron jumping to his feet and running down the hall.
"Ronald!" Arthur Weasley quickly stood, wand in his hand and followed his son. "Stop, you can't just open the door to anyone."
Ron paused, his hand on the doorknob, "I know."
"Ask who it is?"
"Who is it?" Ron called through the door.
On the other side, Hermione squared her shoulders and yelled back, "It's me, Hermione. And Harry."
"Ask her a question only she would know." Arthur whispered.
"Dad, with the wards and the aurors out there not just anyone could get through. It's Hermione."
"Ask her, Ron, or don't open the door."
"What am I supposed to ask her?"
"Ask her if she likes you more than as a friend," George teased as he and Fred entered the front hall.
"Or if she ever wanted to go out with you," Fred added.
Hermione turned to look at Harry. They couldn't hear what exactly was being said on the other side of the door, but they could hear a murmured discussion. Harry looked back at her, a small smile playing at his lips. It felt so good to be away from the Dursleys and back at the Burrow.
"Are you going to let us in or not?" Harry called through the door.
Some more quiet murmurs.
"Should we come back later?" He asked as Hermione giggled.
Arthur rolled his eyes and muttered, "I can't believe the three of you didn't come up with a security question."
"We didn't think to," Ron admitted.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked, entering the now crowded hallway.
"Dad wants Ron to ask Hermione and Harry questions only they would know the answers to so we can be sure it's them," Charlie explained. "But Ron can't think of a question."
"Oh for Merlin's sake," she muttered, pushing past her brothers and to the door. "Hermione?"
At the sound of her name, Hermione leaned closer to the door, "Ginny?"
"Yeah. Hey, listen, what was it that Viktor Krum called you in his letters?"
Hermione blushed as Harry snickered. "Ginny, I told you that in confidence!"
"Dad won't let us let you in until we've asked a question only you would know the answer to," Ginny replied. She glanced at Ron and saw him standing beside her tense and red-faced. And annoying Ron is just an added benefit, she thought. "I couldn't hear you!" She called out when Hermione mumbled something.
"Ninny," Hermione said louder, embarrassed.
Harry doubled over with laughter.
"Harry."
He jumped a little out the sound of his own name. He had convinced himself that he could detach himself from his feelings, that he could see Ginny and just be friends. But now, when he heard her say his name, he wasn't so sure. "Yeah, Ginny?"
"What do the girls in my dorm think you have tattooed on your chest?"
Smiling, he responded, "A Hungarian Horntail."
Ginny's reply was drowned out by the raucous laughter of her brothers. The door was yanked open and they were welcomed into the warmth of the Burrow. Charlie and Fred grabbed their trunks and hauled them in as Arthur spoke excitedly to Harry.
Hearing the commotion, Molly appeared at the foot of the stairs. "Oh, Harry, Hermione, I'm so glad you're here." She enveloped them both in a tight hug.
Harry stepped out of her embrace and looked over his shoulder. Ginny stood to the side, watching their welcome and her mother directing her brothers where to take the trunks. For a moment, everything and everyone around them disappeared.
She's beautiful, he thought. He had seen her dressed up for the Yule Ball a few years earlier, but he had never seen her like this. Her bare, creamy white shoulders sprinkled liberally with freckles. Her long, graceful neck not hidden by her hair and her innocently pretty face was made up in some way that girls do. The entire picture had changed from a pretty girl to a devastatingly beautiful young woman.
"A Hungarian Horntail, huh?" Charlie asked, clapping Harry on the shoulder and interrupting his thoughts. "And to think, I always thought of you as a Norwegian Ridgeback type."
"The rumor was that he had a hippogriff tattoo," Ron said.
"It's better than everyone thinking I had a Pygmy Puff tattooed on my arse," Harry mumbled.
The twins roared with laughter.
Ron shot Harry an angry look.
"What's all this about tattoos?" Mrs. Weasely asked.
"Nothing, Mum," Ron told her. "It's a joke."
"I love your dress," Hermione told Ginny. "You look great."
"Thanks." Ginny lowered her voice so only her friend could hear her. "I am so glad you're here. Even my mother has turned into babbling airhead today. I really need a regular girl around."
Hermione giggled, "Weddings do that to some people."
"Harry, Hermione, are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "If you want something, eat now, otherwise it'll be hours before the reception."
"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley, but I think I should go change," Hermione replied.
"Oh, Hermione, don't go changing for us," George sighed dramatically.
Fred nodded, "Yeah, we like you just the way you are."
Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes and ushered the girls toward the stairs, "Of course, dear, you're in Ginny's room and Harry you're in with Ron."
"Come on," Ginny lifted her skirt a bit so she wouldn't trip up the stairs. "I'll go with you."
Harry watched as the girls made their way up the stairs, his eyes glued to the thick red gold braid that trailed down Ginny's slender back. He felt his palms moisten and he wiped them on the thighs of his jeans.
"Come on, mate," Ron poked him in the side. "Let's get something to eat. This will be the last time for a while. Dad's brothers and their families will be here soon and then there's Mum's side of the family. It won't be as big a wedding as Mum had hoped for, but we have to be careful now."
Harry let Ron lead him into the kitchen, half listening as he talked about all the people who weren't invited. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his mind. He couldn't allow Ginny to distract him, he had work to do, to concentrate on, and he couldn't drag her into it or put her in danger.