Written for the QLFC Season 6 Round 9 Chaser One - Luna Lovegood. Optional prompts - (foreign word) hostina; (quote) nothing more complicated than learning lines and putting on a costume; evoke
Written for Geeky Sheepy for the August One-shot exchange: Ginny/Luna (platonic); (genre) romance; (genre) miscommunication; "Are you sure you're ok?"; formal;
The day had started off really well. The marquee had been set up in record time, and flowers had been strewn tastefully everywhere you could reasonably expect to find flowers. The first guests had started arriving, and the backyard was a rainbow of bright colours as they circulated amongst themselves. In one corner sat a string quartet, the soft music evoking images of butterflies and sunny days and a whimsical curiosity.
The trouble all started with a certain red-haired young gentleman, joking with his friends about possible emotions of the lucky groom.
"I wonder how Rolf is doing?"
"I spoke with him earlier, when Ginny sent me in on an errand. He's beside himself with joy. It took all my strength to stop him running straight to Luna when she arrived."
"Lucky sod. I was hoping he'd be more like me - so scared that he's about the run away rather than stay and get married."
Unfortunately for Ron, a certain young woman had overheard his last words, and it was a distraught bride who was found by her Matron of Honour half an hour later.
Luna hadn't meant to listen to what the guests were saying. She was just trying to get a drink of water before she had to get dressed. But on her way back she had passed Ron, Harry and Dean, and couldn't help overhearing what Ron had said.
It couldn't be true, surely. She had thought Rolf was excited about their wedding - hadn't he sent word by Harry this morning that he couldn't wait to see her under the flower arch that afternoon? That he was so impatient he just wanted to go and get married now.
Maybe that was all a lie Harry had made up to make sure she didn't know the truth. Maybe Rolf really was considering running away. Maybe her happily ever after was about to finish before it had even begun.
"Luna, what on earth is going on?"
She hadn't even noticed Ginny come into the little tent that had been erected for their use, so deep into her panic as she was.
"I'm fine. Probably just a few last minute nerves."
"Are you sure you're ok? Because when I came in just now you were hyperventilating, and you're even paler than normal. Luna, I thought you were excited about the wedding?"
"I am! But Rolf isn't!" The wail startled Ginny; Luna was usually so calm. What had happened in the last ten minutes to send the sunny, joyful bride into sobbing hysterics?
"Luna, you need to tell me what has happened, and then I will fix it. I promise. I just saw Rolf half an hour ago, and he was almost bouncing off the walls in excitement."
"B-but, R-Ron said Rolf was so s-scared that he was g-going to r-run away!"
It took some coaxing, but Ginny was eventually able to extract the full story out of Luna. And when she did, she saw red.
"I don't know what Ron meant Luna, but I assure you I will get to the bottom of it. He has no idea what is in store for him later on. But for now, what is going to help you?"
"I-I just need to talk to Rolf. I know I'm not meant to see him until the actual wedding, but I need to know how he feels. It's not that I don't trust you Ginny, but -"
"It's ok Luna, I understand. I felt the same way on my own wedding day. Luckily I had an amazing Maid of Honour to calm me down; it's time I returned the favour. Give me five minutes, and I'll figure out a way for you and Rolf to talk to each other."
As Ginny rushed through the ever-growing backyard of her childhood home, she couldn't resist a hasty swipe at the back of her brother's head. He deserved a lot worse, but that would have to do for now. She wouldn't be able to exact her full revenge until after the wedding, at the hostina which was to follow.
Ginny mused on this as she continued into the Burrow's kitchen and started her way up the winding stairs. She had been surprised at first when Luna had insisted they plan a "Wedding Hostina" rather than a "Wedding Feast." But as she learnt more about her best friend's chosen groom, the more she had fallen in love with the idea.
Rolf had been born in England, but had spent much of his life in the Czech Republic due to his parent's work in magizoology. He spoke fluent Czech, and often spoke it to Luna - a habit that Ginny thought was wildly romantic. So Luna had wanted to surprise him by incorporating as much of Czech culture into their wedding day as she could, including a large hostina prepared by Rolf's mother, along with a large group of Czech ladies who had made the journey to see the personable Rolf get married.
But there would be no Wedding Hostina if she couldn't calm the bride down enough to walk down the aisle. And she couldn't do that without the groom.
When Ginny had explained the situation to him, Rolf hadn't known whether to laugh at the absurdity of it all, or find Ron Weasley immediately and punch him in the face. Of course he'd then listen to the full story, but he'd probably end up punching him again after that.
But he couldn't give in to his desire to either laugh or indulge in some light boxing, as he had a bride to reassure. Whilst he had been raised to uphold all traditions strictly, he agreed with Ginny - this was the only way to ensure he actually got married today.
Accordingly, he positioned himself along the side of the bridal tent, making sure that he wasn't too close to the door. He could hear Ginny positioning Luna on the opposite side of the tent wall, and waited until the shuffling stilled to speak.
"Luna, please don't let Ron worry you. You know I love you. Luna, I am so in love with you I feel like I could burst."
"You aren't scared?"
"Only to live without you my dearest."
"You won't run away?"
"Without you, I would never go anywhere. With you I'll run to the ends of the earth."
"Oh Rolf, I'm so sorry I doubted you. I love you so much, you must know that."
"I know Luna, and it is not your fault. I think someone needs to have a word with Ron about appropriate wedding conversation."
"But Rolf, I must confess to feeling nervous. Not about marrying you, never about that. But, well, there are so many people here. I can hear them all. I've never cared what people thought of me, but I find I do today."
"From what I hear, that is a normal thing for a bride. But Luna, what is a wedding ceremony but a play made personal? When you get down to it it is nothing more complicated than learning lines and putting on a costume. I know you know your lines - we practiced them yesterday. And I haven't seen your robes yet, but I know you will be stunning. Luna, we will get through this together, just as we will for the rest of our lives."
After that, Luna had no troubles getting ready for her wedding. Rolf was dispatched back into the house, and Luna and Ginny quickly finished their hair and donned their wedding clothes. Both had chosen robes cut more in the style of a formal Muggle dress, Luna's in white and Ginny's in a pale blue. Little Victoire Weasley had been brought in by her mother and dressed in soft pink, a crown of flowers placed on her silver hair.
At the appointed hour, Luna and her father reached the top of the aisle, with the guests none-the-wiser as to the crisis of only half an hour previous. The ceremony went smoothly, and soon the guests were mingling, enjoying the various delicacies of the hostina. All seemed calm until it came time for the speeches.
"Hi everyone. I'm Ginny if you don't know me, and I've been friends with Luna since our fourth year at Hogwarts. I had a whole speech written about Luna and Rolf, and how perfect they are together, however, I feel it is more appropriate to talk about someone else. My brother Ron. See, earlier today I was worried there would be no wedding. Because Ron opened his big mouth, and scared the bride into thinking Rolf was going to run away, too scared to marry her. Sure, he didn't know she was listening, but really Ron, you should know better. Just because you're a bumbling fool who is punching well above his weight, doesn't mean everyone is. But I have to give you credit, you have kept your wife for almost two years now, and she actually seems happy! So I propose a toast, to Ron."
It was to be a long time before Ron ever made a joke about a wedding again. In fact, it wasn't until his own daughter's wedding. And his niece's speech sounded very familiar.