TWO: Weddings
Harry Potter had returned to his summer home at number four, Privet Drive, just as Dumbledore had expressed his dying desire for Harry to do, at least until he was seventeen, the age at which a wizard or witch was considered an adult. On the whole, Harry's visit was far from fun. His horrible aunt, uncle and cousin took every advantage of the fact that Harry had come back from the last year at Hogwarts, if anything, more troubled than ever to bully him and keep him as miserable as they could manage. What stuck out in Harry's mind most was the train ride.
Dumbledore's funeral was over, and the train was supposed to come, but by an unusual twist, the train had broken down. As it had broken down in Muggle London, it had to be repaired in the Muggle method, so much to Professor McGonagall's frustration, it had to arrive three days later.
These three days had been a misery for Harry. He knew that he'd acted for the best when he broke up with Ginny Weasley, his best friend's sister, and now ex-girlfriend, but as she had maintained a stony silence for the next few days, he'd had plenty of time to dwell on his feelings. He remembered the monster that had seemed to have come alive in his chest every time he saw her with Dean Thomas, a fellow Gryffindor in Harry's year whom Ginny had been romantically involved with, and the feeling of pure joy that he felt whenever he kissed her, and by the time the train had been repaired and had come to the school to fetch everyone, a sizeable part of Harry was beginning to feel like he had made the wrong choice.
As the train left Hogwarts, for what appeared to be the last time, Harry, Ron and Hermione had found a compartment to themselves, but a few minutes later, apologizing profusely to Ron and Hermione, but not quite meeting Harry's eyes, Ginny joined them. As the train began to gather speed towards London, the four of them began to recount memories of their late Headmaster. Harry kept shooting glances at Ginny. When Hermione, in a fit of overwhelming grief, grabbed Ron's hand and started sobbing into his chest, Harry could bear it no longer.
"Ginny…um, can I speak to you?" Ginny seemed surprised at first, but by the time they were wandering the car looking for an empty compartment, she had become a bit frosty towards him. They finally found a compartment and sat down, facing each other, Harry looking very agitated and unhappy. Upon seeing his face, Ginny's frostiness evaporated instantaneously.
"What's wrong, Harry?" She asked him kindly. At first, it seemed like words had failed Harry. He worked his mouth a couple times, but no sound came out. Ginny looked back at him with an expression of polite confusion. Finally, Harry seemed to find his tongue.
"Ginny…" he croaked. "Oh, Ginny I've been so stupid!!" The dam of what he wanted to say finally bursting through him. He told her everything. What he'd really been studying with Dumbledore up until his dying moment, about the Horcruxes and what he had to do. "But I was wrong!" He said, feeling close to tears. "I was so bloody wrong! Oh, Ginny! You are capable of handling yourself in a situation…any situation…I mean, I did it to protect you…I thought that would make me stronger…oh I am so stupid! I don't want to break up with you Ginny! If we do this together, we will be all the stronger for it! Oh please, forgive me, Ginny! I love you so much, Ginny. I love you!" His last words were said with such force and feeling that Ginny was stunned, which was not changed when a few fat tears leaked out of Harry's eyes. But in a moment she had thrown herself on Harry's side of the compartment.
"I love you, too Harry." She looked up at him, and ran her hand through his untidy hair, and gently pulled him into a kiss. This was not like the kiss they shared after the Quidditch house cup either. This was a passionate, deep kiss, full of pure love, where the whole thing, especially the way they worked their lips and tongues, came from the deepest pit of their hearts. Tears flew thick and fast from both Harry and Ginny's eyes, and there was a pain in Harry's heart that suggested that the moment he let go of Ginny, he might as well die. From that moment on, he knew that Ginny was his only concern. That Ginny was to be the one he'd want to share all his life with, for good and for bad. He also knew that this would have been how Dumbledore would have wanted him to leave after the funeral.
Finally, after what seemed a wonderfully blissful eternity, Ginny gently broke the kiss.
"We should probably be going back. Ron and Hermione are going to be wondering where we got to." Harry smiled at her. He didn't want to stop kissing her, and he felt like he'd rather spend the rest of the trip with her and only her, but he also felt like telling Ron, and he also felt a sudden urge for a nice loud round of Exploding Snap.
"Yeah, let's go." Harry agreed. Ginny took his hand in hers, and led him out of the compartment. It was a tight squeeze for the two of them to walk down the isles of the train together, but Harry liked it that way. There was something calming about feeling Ginny's wonderfully warm body beside his own. They finally found the compartment they had left. Ginny stopped so suddenly that Harry only just managed to keep from walking into her and knocking her over. Ginny began to giggle.
"What's so funny?" he asked her, feeling confused. She pushed him to the spot where she had just been standing, so that he could see into the compartment properly. There, with their arms around each other, and locked in a passionate kiss, not unlike the one Harry and Ginny had just shared, was Hermione and Ron. Harry grinned in spite of himself, and though he knew this was a private moment, he and Ginny just didn't seem like they would be able to avert their eyes. Finally, Harry knocked and entered.
"Oh, what the…who the…bloody hell!" Ron spluttered. "What in the world do you think…I mean…"
"Sorry, mate," Harry said over Ron's continued spluttering. "Ginny and I just got back, and well, you know the rest. Anyway, may I offer my congratulations and say I am most proud of you." Ron seemed most taken aback by this compliment, and wore an expression suggesting of having been hit over the head with something heavy.
"Congratulations? What are you on about anyway Harry? Why did you and Ginny leave?" Harry looked at Ron's expression and burst out laughing. Unable to answer, Ginny took over.
"We made up." She said simply. "We're back together." Hermione, who had blushed so red when Harry and Ginny had entered that she made Ron's hair look pink, now looked at Harry and Ginny, who had sat down opposite them, beaming.
"Yeah, I was wrong." Harry said, having finally recovered from his laughing fit. "Do you remember what Dumbledore always said? About love being one of the most powerful forms of magic? Well, this is what he meant, isn't it? While Ginny and I, and you two can feel affection for one another like this, we'll be all the stronger for it, and Voldemort, the weaker." Ron grinned. Harry looked at him, and smiled back. "I am proud of you, mate. You two make a perfect couple." Ron and Hermione beamed at him.
"And you!" Ron shot back gleefully, messing with Harry's hair in a brotherly fashion.
After that, the train ride was smooth feeling, but because the four were having so much fun, especially when Ron had unloaded some Weasley's Wizard Wheezes fireworks while they played Exploding Snap, all too soon the train was slowing up as it approached platform 9 ¾ . Upon disembarking, Harry felt incredibly sad, enough so that he was a complete yang from the Harry of less than half an hour ago. He knew that he was condemning himself to a month of misery at the Dursleys, but Ron cheered him up by saying that they would remove him to the Burrow the very next day, as they felt he would be safer there than in Surrey. Heartened, he said his hellos to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who were beyond thrilled to know he and Ginny were back to dating. He and the Weasleys and Hermione had a good chat until Uncle Vernon arrived. Harry bade them all goodbye, giving Ginny as tender and prolonged hug as he could, kissing her and feeling very sorry he'd have to wait a whole day until he could taste her warm lips again!
So it was these feelings that had purveyed Harry's veins for the rest of the day, and, most unfortunately, the next day, too, as no one had come to collect him, as Ron had promised. Instead, he'd had to deal with the Dursleys and their rants, mostly from Uncle Vernon, as to how they had hoped that Harry would not return, and that his reappearance was all the more unwelcome.
"That old fool, that crackpot who came to fetch you last year, he said you'd be able to leave this house, didn't he?!" Vernon roared at Harry as a means of greeting when Harry first arrived.
"Yes." Harry replied dully.
"So, why aren't you gone?!" Uncle Vernon bellowed.
"Because I'm not seventeen yet!" Harry shot back, his temper rising. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go up to my room!" Though he felt miserable by the very next day, Harry couldn't help but notice that one person seemed somehow much more subdued than usual. Aunt Petunia usually ranted along with Uncle Vernon about how useless and shameful Harry was, and what a disgrace he was to the family, but Harry couldn't help but notice that while she continued to nod her head in agreement with her husband if he questioned her during his rants, she never took any more of a proactive role, and when she and Harry were alone, she kept shooting him looks, as though she wanted to tell him something while Vernon was not there. This was so un-Aunt Petunia, that far from being curious as to this new Aunt Petunia, Harry was completely unnerved, and all the keener to be out of her company. His worst day at number four, however, was to be the following.
It was the third day since Harry had returned, and he had been sitting in his room. There was a picture that was very special to Harry, a picture that Hagrid had given him in the picture book Hagrid had made for Harry as a goodbye present to him at the end of his first year. It showed his parents happily cuddling in each other's arms. Harry had taken this photo out of Hagrid's book and put it in an old frame of Dudley's. Harry had guessed that this picture must have been taken just after the formal celebration of their wedding, as there was a visible bit of decoration every time James Potter swung Lily Potter to his left. The picture was undoubtedly taken by Sirius Black, James Potter's best friend and Harry's late godfather, or perhaps by Remus Lupin, another friend, and Harry's Defense against the Dark Arts teacher during his third year. This year, however, his bedside table held two memorable pictures. The one of his parents and now a new one, taken by Harry's friend Colin Creevey, which showed Harry and Ginny down by the lake at Hogwarts in one of their most passionate times before Harry called off their romance.
On the day in question, Harry had forgotten to shut his bedroom door, and was, at the moment watching his photographic self sneak up behind Ginny, throw his arms around her, and then the couple, laughing fit to burst, kiss passionately and fall to the ground by the lake kissing and cuddling, observed by an amused Hermione and a slightly put off Ron. As the photo continued the replay of this memory, Harry's eyes welled up again with tears, but at that precise moment, Dudley walked in. He took one look at the photo and Harry's tear filled eyes, and burst out laughing. Harry was so shocked that he jumped a mile in the air. When he had landed, ungracefully, back on his bed, his shock had turned to pure anger. He pulled out his wand and advanced on Dudley, who stopped laughing at once, gave a terrified scream and turned tail and ran. Harry, not stupid enough to chase him, watched him run, seething at his cousin.
The next day, however, Dudley, no doubt jealous of Harry having a girlfriend, had found the whole incident an excellent vehicle for teasing Harry. Though Harry was getting better by the day in controlling his emotions, certain people, like Dudley, could easily test his resolve. Therefore, as Dudley had irked him to the point of loosing it, he was very pleased when someone rapped on the front door smartly.
"Get the door, Dudley." Uncle Vernon said, not taking his eyes off his newspaper. Dudley did as he was told, and opened the door, only to come running back terrified. Harry, curious as to Dudley's change in emotion, walked out to the front door to see who had arrived. He couldn't have been more pleased to see Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Mr. Weasley and Remus Lupin silhouetted against the door.
"Hello, Harry," Mr. Weasley said. "May we come in?"
"But of course." Harry responded easily. "Make yourselves at home."
"Excuse me?!" Everyone jumped. "They most ruddy well cannot make themselves at home!" Uncle Vernon roared, having just entered the entrance hall. "You'll grab Harry and go, assuming that's why you are here in the first place. There'll be no lingering around…"
"Quite right, Vernon, don't you have to go to work?" Harry scanned to find the speaker, and his jaw dropped. Aunt Petunia.
"Er, yes, dear, work." Uncle Vernon said, clearly shocked at his wife's new demeanor, even more than at the oddballs standing on his doorstep. He hurried out the door the Weasleys and Lupin had left open.
"Thanks for that, Petunia." Lupin said. She nodded curtly. Harry's head was reeling. Suddenly, for no reason at all, Aunt Petunia was talking to wizards. Something she had not been able to do for all the years Harry had lived with her.
"Shall we get your stuff then, mate?" Ron asked.
"Yes, indeed!" Harry responded. He had no desire to remain with the Dursleys. He, Ron and Hermione went up to his room to pack. The three began to stow everything, but Harry couldn't help noticing that the packing was very slow going, as Hermione and Ron seemed more interested in each other, than helping him pack. They would continuously steal glances of one another as they attempted to pack, and if they made eye contact both were likely to drop anything that they were holding at the time.
"My broom, Hermione!" Harry groaned as she and Ron made eye contact and she nearly stepped on its immaculate tail twigs. Hermione blushed deeply, and returned to packing, avoiding Ron's gaze. Harry, however, scrutinized her for a moment and then turned to Ron, remembering something.
"Ron, where's Ginny?" Harry asked. Both Ron and Hermione, who had been finishing up on Harry's clothes while he started on his old schoolbooks, looked up, at each other, and then exchanged darkly significant looks.
"She wanted to come, mate, she really did," Ron said, "but Fleur's working her spare, preparing for the wedding." Hermione nodded.
"I don't think Ron's mom was even as stressed as Ginny. It's been a nightmare for her." Hermione agreed.
Finally everything was packed, just as Lupin stuck his head in the door to check on them.
"We're all set to go" he said.
"As are we!" Harry said triumphantly, latching his trunk shut.
"Good." Lupin said, and made back down the stairs, followed by the trio. Reunited with Mr. Weasley, who had been examining the refrigerator delightedly, Fred and George, the band prepared to leave.
"You are all set?" Mr. Weasley asked, removing his head from behind the fridge. "All right, let's all get outside. I have set up a Portkey for us, as there aren't really a whole lot of good apparition points in such a busy suburb." The gang followed Mr. Weasley out of the house of number four and settled down, getting in a good position around the Portkey.
"One…two…three!" Mr. Weasley tapped the watering can with his wand, and Harry felt the familiar sensation of a hook just behind his navel, and as Privet Drive became a blur of color, he thought happily of where he would land.
The Burrow was a flurry of noise when Harry landed. It seemed like an argument was going on inside.
"…I thought you had decided! I've already had to go into Diagon Alley three times with Ginny already today!" Roared a voice Harry recognized as Mrs. Weasley's. His heart did a back flip when he heard the next voice.
"Well, gee, I suppose we will just have to go, won't we, mum?" Ginny's voice sounded nearly as angry as her mother's and laced with sarcasm. Harry could hear Mrs. Weasley trying to suppress a laugh. Then a voice came out of the open window that seemed to take all the air out of Harry's lungs.
"Well, eet must be done! The wedding cannot go on wizout ze robes changed to a lighter shade of gold!" Fleur Delacour's voice, though as beautiful as always, was as laced with anger as Ginny's had been with sarcasm. Harry grinned at Ron and Hermione, indicating the argument, and they grinned back at him. They followed Mr. Weasley and the twins into the Burrow, tailed by Lupin.
Harry's first impression upon entering was that he had never seen the house so full. All the Weasley family was there, plus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, plus a smattering of other guests, by the look of it, relatives and friends of Fleur's from France. It appeared that Mr. Weasley had even charmed a few spare bedrooms into existence.
"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks said, enthusiastically, upon seeing Harry. "Man oh man have we got things to tell you!"
"Yes, but not now," Mrs. Weasley said, exhausted. She turned on Fleur. "Look, I promise we'll go to Diagon Alley first thing tomorrow, but right now we must concentrate on other things." Harry made his way over to Ginny, who looked angry and exhausted, and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Harry!" she squealed, jumping into his embrace. The two kissed passionately. Fleur gave a tinkling laugh which seemed to annoy Ginny who broke apart from Harry, her eyes narrowing at Fleur.
"Eet looks as though we will 'av a double wedding." She said, though Harry noticed she didn't seem pleased at the idea.
"There's already a double wedding." Mr. Weasley said, mirroring his wife's exhausted voice.
"Double…?" Harry said, uncomprehending. For some reason, Lupin beckoned him over to a quiet corner. He showed Harry, with some hesitation, a ring on his hand. Harry's mind was racing.
"So you and…and…" Harry started.
"Tonks," replied Lupin. "Harry, I wonder if it would be asking too much…I mean it was just a thought…but I'd really like you to be my best man. I mean I would have ordinarily asked James or Sirius, but they're…you know…" Harry nodded, his throat suddenly very dry with a definite lump.
"Absolutely, I'll do it." Harry said softly. "Absolutely, Professor Lupin." Lupin grinned.
"Harry, I am no longer your teacher. Just an old friend of the family's. I'd much rather you called me Remus, or better yet, Moony."
"Sure thing, Moony." Harry said, grinning back.
"Oi! You two!" Ron was striding over to Harry and Lupin. "We've decided we'll play a game of Quidditch! Relax, you know. Adults against…well…Semi-Adults." Harry and Lupin roared with laughter. Soon, everyone who had decided to play were clutching broomsticks. Harry wondered where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gotten the spares.
"Wait a minute!" Ron called as everyone made to go to the orchards that the Weasleys used as a Quidditch pitch, "We've got to choose captains!"
"And you're our captain, Ron!" Harry called. "I need a break from Captaining for awhile." So it was. Ron, looking embarrassedly happy became the Semi-Adults team captain, whilst Lupin was the captain of the Adults. Mrs. Weasley looked like she might be rethinking her decision.
"I haven't flown a broom in years." Mrs. Weasley said anxiously, "and I've never as much as set foot on a Quidditch pitch!" Ginny looked at her.
"Don't worry, mum. You'll be fine. Play as your team's chaser, and I can give you some pointers." Mrs. Weasley seemed heartened by her daughter's praise.
A few moments later, the game was in full swing, though play was a little lopsided. As there weren't enough players to make two complete teams, Ginny and Hermione were the Semi-Adults' Chasers, which meant that they were one Chaser short. Fred and George took up their usual places as Beaters; Ron was keeper for the Semi-Adults, and Harry Seeker. At Ginny's suggestion, Mrs. Weasley was the Adults' chaser, alongside Mr. Weasley and Tonks. Lupin and a man Harry assumed to be Fleur's father gave it their best as Beaters, Bill was Keeper, and Charlie Weasley was the Adults' Seeker.
Five minutes in, the Adults led by forty to ten, most of their goals having been scored by Mrs. Weasley. Harry had noticed that Ron, who was not a fantastic Keeper to begin with, was making no effort whatsoever to block his mother's goals. Like Ginny, he seemed more concerned that his mother have a good time, than actually play Quidditch. Bill, however, wasn't showing as much heart, and he pulled off spectacular save after spectacular save, when Ginny was throwing, but whether he wasn't paying attention, or her inability to play caught him off guard, Hermione went, a little more slowly, up to the Adults' end of the pitch and scored. When Harry, Ginny, Fred, George and Ron proceeded to do a victory lap around her, she was so shocked she only just managed to hold on to her broom. Harry and Charlie, meanwhile, both accomplished seekers, were flying the length of the stadium looking for the "snitch", a Muggle golf ball Harry and Charlie had bewitched to appear gold and fly very fast.
"You know, Harry, I've always wanted to play you." Charlie said, coming up and marking Harry as he searched.
"And you!" For a moment, however, they were distracted. Ginny had shot ahead and finally broken Bill's defenses, scoring two magnificent goals, bringing the score to a tie. Harry abandoned his search for the Snitch and flew up to Ginny to kiss her.
"Oi! Potter!" Ron bellowed in a mock Captain's voice, "While your gesture towards our Chaser appears very heartfelt, we cannot afford our Seeker distracting the Chaser!" The whole stadium roared with laughter. In fact, Ron's speech was more distracting than Harry's kiss, and a few minutes, Tonks, Mr. Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley had each pulled off a spectacular goal, because Ron had slumped upon his broom completely consumed by laughter. Suddenly, his old Quidditch reflexes taking place, Harry saw that Charlie had seen the Snitch, and was diving after it. Harry tore himself away from Ginny, and followed Charlie, having seen the Snitch himself. Giving his Firebolt its all, Harry managed to pass Charlie with relative ease, and catch the Snitch, winning the game for the Semi-Adults. The air was filled with the cheers of the Semi-Adults team, and the mock boos of the Adults team, though both Mrs. Weasley and Tonks were beaming widely.
Lupin, the ad hoc officio as well as Captain, called the teams to go to bed. Everyone, though, was much too excited. Most of this, oddly, seemed to be emanating from Mrs. Weasley. She was acting at least forty years younger than she was, and was joyfully giving Ron and Ginny an earful for making it too easy for her.
"You should've tried harder to block my goals, Ronald! I think I'll…well, I'll do something" she said, falling to the floor laughing. "Honestly, I think I can now see why you boys like Quidditch so much." Even Hermione was enjoying herself, showing, mainly to Ron, upon whose lap she rested, a boastful side that she had never shown before.
"Did you see me score, Ron? Did you see me SCORE?!?" Harry and Ron both burst out laughing. Hermione had played two on two Quidditch two years previously, but she had not come back excited like this night.
"Oh, I saw you score all right." Ron said, holding Hermione closer, who was starting to squirm like a little girl again (in part because Ron was tickling her). Ron's smile widened, and he kissed the crown of her head. Taken aback, Hermione stopped squirming, and enveloped herself into a deep, passionate kiss with Ron. Mrs. Weasley, Harry noticed, had tears forming in her eyes, though she was still beaming. Suddenly, Ron broke apart from their kiss.
"Hermione and I are going to bed." He announced, picking up Hermione, and standing, then carrying Hermione up the stairs while she protested in a very flirtatious way. Ginny, who had been curled up catlike on Harry's lap, looked up at him.
"We'd probably better get to bed ourselves." She said.
"Yes, you really should." Mrs. Weasley said, suddenly returning to the sweet disciplinarian Mrs. Weasley that Harry was so familiar with. "We have a very long day tomorrow."
"Night, Mr. Weasley." Harry said.
"G'night, Harry." Mr. Weasley answered. "Hey Harry," he added, perking up, "did I tell you? Hermione's parents are coming to Bill and Fleur's wedding! Honestly! Muggles in my house! Oh I'm so excited." Harry grinned.
"Did they say they'd bring you any plugs?" Harry asked.
"Not just plugs! They told me they'd bring me some of those tools they use to fix Muggles' teeth!" Harry could not help laughing. Hermione's parents were both Muggles and were dentists by profession. Harry had always been amused by Mr. Weasley's fondness for Muggles, and to see him bouncing up and down like a boy, knowing that he was going to have Muggle guests, only one word described it: Priceless. Harry took Ginny's hand and made towards the staircase.
"Night, Moony." Harry said, passing by Lupin who was seated beside Tonks in front of the fire.
"Night, Harry." Lupin replied, putting his arm around Tonks and staring dreamily into the fire. Ginny and Harry arrived at the door that led to Ginny's room. Harry pulled her very close, feeling the amazingly beautiful contours of her body, and breathed deeply, Ginny's flowery scent filling his lungs.
"Goodnight, Ginny. I love you so much." Harry said softly.
"Sleep tight, Harry, and sweet dreams. I love you so much too." They kissed, long, deep and passionately. Ginny went into her room, closing the door gently in Harry's face, who heaved a contented sigh, and continued to climb the stairs to the room he shared with Ron. Upon arriving in the room, Harry could tell that something was out of place. Upon approaching Ron's bed, he could tell what. Normally, Ron would not bring the covers much higher than his torso, but tonight, he was almost completely covered up, except for a little patch of red hair, beside which was a much larger patch of bushy brown hair. Contented breathing sounds came from both ends of the bed. Grinning, and holding back a chuckle, Harry left the room, and descended the stairs, and entered Ginny's room.
"Ginny." Harry whispered in her ear. Ginny sat up, looking as though she'd been electrified.
"Harry! Oh, you gave me such a start! I thought you were going to bed!" She said in a terrified whisper.
"Sorry, love, but there is a slight problem. Hermione and Ron are sharing a bed tonight." Harry said. Ginny grinned wickedly, and extended her arms.
"Come here, sweetheart." She whispered, allowing the covers to fall back to expose Ginny's rather small nightdress. His mind reeling with doubts, Harry allowed himself to be embraced by those arms, slowly lowering himself onto her bed, and climbing under the covers, his feet grazing Ginny's legs. The two began kissing each other and cuddling passionately. Ginny reached up and began pulling off Harry's shirt, and Harry fumbled with Ginny's blouse. Ginny started to unzip Harry's pants, but he stopped her.
"What?" she asked, surprised.
"Well," Harry began, unsure of what to say, "let's put it this way: something down south is beginning to move." Ginny stuck a fist in her mouth to stop from giggling.
"You know, there is a charm to cure that." Ginny said, and she proceeded to lean over to whisper it in his ear. Harry grinned, got out of bed, faced away from Ginny, pointed his wand at himself, whispered the incantation, and then got back into bed, and let Ginny strip him completely naked, while he did the same to her. Once their clothes had all been removed, he snuggled up with Ginny, kissing her over and over again, and as fatigue enveloped him, drifted off to sleep in the embrace of one of his favorite people in the whole wizarding world.
As Mrs. Weasley had predicted, the next day was extremely busy. Ginny had arisen long before Harry, and it wasn't until he tried to cuddle her that he realized she wasn't there. Slightly irritated, he decided to get up, not wanting to be discovered in Ginny's bed by Mrs. or Mr. Weasley. He dressed hurriedly, and went down to breakfast. Ron and Hermione were already having coffee and toast, Ron looking extremely shaken, as though he still couldn't believe what had happened last night, a feeling Harry himself was having. He scanned the table.
"Ginny's not here, Harry." Mr. Weasley said gently, correctly interpreting Harry's sweep of the table. "Fleur took her and Gabrielle to Diagon Alley at six this morning to make the adjustments to their bridesmaids' dresses. And when they return, Remus would like to accompany you there as well Harry, so that you two may select some best man appropriate dress robes."
"Arthur, dear, Alastor's in the fire." Mrs. Weasley said, approaching Harry and Mr. Weasley.
"Right, Molly, thanks." Mr. Weasley said, and left for the fireplace.
"What's Mad-Eye doing in the fire?" Ron asked who had been lovingly playing with Hermione's hair.
"Alastor's the main man in charge of security for the wedding." Mrs. Weasley explained. "Oh, and he and Kingsley Shacklebolt have been the primary organizers in your parents' arrival, dear." Mrs. Weasley added, looking at Hermione.
"I couldn't be more…" Mr. Weasley started
"Excited." Mrs. Weasley finished, "we know, Arthur, dear." Mr. Weasley went a little red around his ears, looking just like Ron when he was under pressure.
"I just want to get to know them better…" Mr. Weasley muttered.
"My parents can't wait to get to know you better, either." Hermione piped up. "They've always found you to be enjoyable company. No one usually questions dad as to how braces work." She grinned. "Time their escape, more like." The kitchen rang with laughter.
"So…" Mr. Weasley said, gasping for breath, "how do braces work?"
"Ask dad or mum when they come." Hermione said simply.
"Oh, I shall!" Mr. Weasley responded. Just then, the door opened, and Fleur, Gabrielle and Ginny walked in. Ginny looked a bit cross. She gave Harry a kiss.
"Morning, sweetheart." She said, her voice ringing with exhaustion. Harry kissed her back.
"Morning, love. Here, have some coffee." Harry said, pushing his half drunk mug of still steaming coffee at Ginny.
"Thanks," Ginny said accepting the cup with a flourish. "It's been a long morning." Mrs. Weasley looked at her daughter.
"You deserve a good rest sweetheart. Finish that coffee, then you have my permission to go take a nap." Ginny nodded.
"Ah, there you are, Harry." Lupin was strolling into the kitchen, already fastening a traveling cloak around his shoulders. "Are you ready?" Harry was amazed at how nervous Lupin was.
"Give me a second, Moony; I want to see Ginny back to bed." Harry replied.
"Ah, don't worry about me, Harry," Ginny said. "You go on. I'll see you when you get back." She gave him another kiss and departed to go to her bedroom.
"Alright, then, Moony, I'm all set." Harry said. Together, Harry and Lupin exited the Burrow, and Lupin proffered his forearm. Though Harry had successfully apparated he and Dumbledore back to Hogsmeade last year, he had not yet had his apparition test, so he took a gentle hold of Lupin's arm, and the two disapparated together.
The two arrived seconds later in Diagon Alley, and Lupin proceeded to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where Lupin wanted to get a suit for Harry. A few minutes later, they had one Lupin was satisfied with. They were dress robes not too different from the ones he owned for formal school outings, except that they were almost entirely black, except for a white shirt and a beautiful, pale gold bowtie, and gold trim around the collar, cuffs and down the legs.
"James had a suit similar to this one," Lupin said reminiscently, looking over Harry's shoulder at his reflection in the mirror.
"I remember making them for him." Madam Malkin said. Lupin nodded, smiling.
"Well, Harry, I think these'll do. Do you like them?" Harry nodded.
"They are very nice." Both Madam Malkin and Lupin beamed at him.
"We'll take them, then." Lupin said. Madam Malkin took the robes from Harry, wrapped them up and packaged them up. Lupin paid, though Harry, aware that Lupin was almost poorer than the Weasleys, begged Lupin to let him pay.
"No, Harry," Lupin said, handing Madam Malkin twelve Galleons, seven Sickles and two Knuts, "this is a little gift from me to you for the services you are providing Tonks and I." Harry grinned embarrassedly.
"And now, "Lupin said, "I reckon we should return. The festivities will be starting momentarily, and Alastor's bound to be making the Burrow a veritable fortress." So the two, again thanking Madam Malkin most profusely, stepped back out into Diagon Alley and disapparated back to the Burrow. When he and Lupin reappeared there, Harry could see that the preparations for the double wedding later that evening were indeed going full force. Alastor Moody was there, with what seemed to be half the occupants of the Auror office, shouting himself nearly hoarse with instructions to the other Aurors, while a band of wizards, who Harry assumed to be the wizarding world's answer to carpenters, Muggles who built houses and buildings, were erecting a platform for the two brides and grooms, helped by a witch decorator who was rhapsodizing plans of where to put various decorations to her assistant, who had a clipboard out, and looked as though she could scarcely keep up with her superior's instructions.
"Noticed, have you?" Ron was coming up to Lupin and Harry. "See, this is why we weren't able to come and get you earlier from your aunt and uncle's. It's been bedlam here, trying to keep everything organized. I swear, Mum's gone beyond spare." Harry and Lupin chuckled. The three of them began to walk back to the house.
"Hello, Potter," Moody growled at them, though he still had his back turned to Harry. Harry, who knew all about Moody's magical eye was not surprised. "Security here's been crazy," Moody continued, "but I swear, the Death Eaters all seem half-Dementor these days—anything where there are raging emotions, and they gotta come investigate. Kill if they can, so we've got to have…"
"Could it possibly be 'constant vigilance?'" Harry asked, cutting Moody off and grinning. Moody was not amused, and chose to nod his head by way of reply. Harry continued to the house, where to their surprise, everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Lupin grinned when he saw he queue.
"What's this line for?" Ron asked, looking at the line somewhat incredulously.
"The shower, I think." Lupin responded. Harry and Ron burst into laughter.
"It's not really funny." Said Mrs. Weasley, coming into the room. "Arthur had to put a few charms on the well and kettle so that we could have enough hot water." Ron and Harry laughed even harder at this.
"Well, Harry, I don't think we're the only ones who've procrastinated for once." Ron said, amidst a gale of chuckling.
Finally, everyone had taken their showers and were dressing for the celebrations. Ron, who would normally have been drop dead jealous at the dress robes Lupin had gotten Harry, was sporting a set that were a violent shade of sparkly bronze, with silver lining around the cuffs and neck. Harry thought Fleur seemed to be trying to outdo Lupin and Tonks. He confided his thought to Ron, who groaned.
"That, my friend, is why we've all been having a tough week here since we got back. It certainly explains why Fleur was dragging Ginny and Gabrielle off to Diagon Alley every other day. Remus says that he and Tonks don't care how gorgeously Fleur dresses everyone up, they are going for a more traditional look. I wish Fleur was going traditional. She's got no dress sense." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I either wish Fleur would settle for traditional, or I wish I had Hermione's nerve. She wouldn't let Fleur be her dress consultant." Harry suppressed a giggle. Just then, Hermione walked by. Ron had opened the door after he and Harry had finished dressing, and Harry had chanced a glimpse of her. The only other time Harry had seen her look so beautiful (and there was by no means any comparison) was back in their fourth year, at the Yule Ball. Hermione gave Harry a cheery wave as she descended the stairs to go to the garden, where the ceremonies would take place.
"Who was Hermione's dress consultant?" Harry asked Ron, awed. Ron grinned in a guilty sort of way.
"Her mum. She barricaded herself in Ginny's room ever since she got here, writing all these letters. I figured she was writing to…well…Krum. We…well…had a bit of a row, and it turned out she was just writing to her mother to ask what would be a good dress to wear to a wedding."
"Ah, there you are, Harry. Good, good. Ready?" Lupin was peeking in on him. He looked quite pale.
"Are you all right, Moony?" Harry asked, concerned.
"Oh I'm fine Harry, just…just a bit nervous. Me getting married…honestly! I wish I could hear what James and Lily would say. " Lupin said, grinning. With the slightly twitchy Lupin in tow, Harry and Ron followed Hermione's steps out into the garden. Everything had been set up, and it was gorgeous. The decorator who had made up the platform had truly outdone herself, with amazing bouquets that lined the back of the platform, and a hanging of Holly, laced with white roses, and in a twist of humor, mistletoe planted just about in perfect positioning as to where the two couples' heads would be when they kissed.
Half an hour later, everyone was settled. The audience was seated in chairs, and everyone else was in positions for the ceremonies. A trumpet sounded, and Harry, who had been waiting with Lupin, and beside Charlie, who was Bill's Best Man, who started to walk up the aisle, Harry and Charlie leading their respective grooms. After Harry and Charlie had moved into their respective areas, the same trumpet sounded again, in another slightly more cheery key, and Ginny and Gabrielle were seen leading Fleur in, while Tonks, who had no close female relative, was led in by a wet faced and beaming Mrs. Weasley. Harry's eyes caught Ginny. Her smile was radiant, he noticed, but somewhat plastered. Harry knew immediately why this was. Ginny had never totally approved of Fleur, but finally reconciled with her when she realized that she was just going to have to accept Fleur into the family.
The vows took some time to read, as there were two couples, as opposed to a more traditional one. Afterwards, the dancing began. Mr. Weasley had booked an excellent string octet from Oxfordshire who were to provide waltzes. The band started up, and as he'd agreed to do as Best Man for Lupin, Harry shared the first dance with Tonks, who for a woman famed for her clumsiness, danced with a surprising amount of grace. Harry enjoyed dancing with Tonks, but he really wanted to dance with Ginny. Finally, he got his opportunity, when the second waltz started, as partners began to rearrange. Both Tonks and Fleur moved over to their husbands, and Harry was able to hook up with Ginny. Both were amused to see Mr. Weasley delightedly asking Mrs. Granger to dance.
"She'll be talking about that one for a few years to come." Hermione said, grinning as she took to dancing with Ron. Harry and Ginny took up positions beside Hermione and Ron, Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger just behind them.
"Man, Hermione's dress is pretty. She looks gorgeous." Ginny said, eyeing Hermione with unmistakable jealousy.
"So do you." Harry said, holding Ginny closer. In truth, though, Harry thought, the dress Ginny was wearing was very appealing. It conformed to Ginny's body perfectly, but really, Ron had been right. Fleur didn't show much dress sense at all. Pink, Fleur's first choice of color would indeed be complete mismatch with Ginny's hair, but the pale gold she had decided on in the end seemed to overpower Ginny's hair, as Harry reckoned Fleur had done on purpose, but it prevented Ginny from showing off her hair, and Harry loved Ginny's hair. Harry did not hold Ginny in the classic way for a waltz, but held her close, his arms around her waist, allowing her to dance against his chest, and him to rest his head on the top of hers. Discreetly, as the song wound down, Harry kissed the crown of her head. It had been a very wonderful dance, and Harry sat down next to Ron, feeling very content. By the lazy smile he wore, Harry could tell that Ron felt the same. The two contented themselves in watching Ginny dance with Mr. Granger and Hermione with Bill, while Fleur and Lupin danced together, and Tonks with Mr. Weasley.
After a pixie's age, the whole thing was finally over. Ron and Hermione were engaged in a conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Granger. As it turned out, Hermione, in one of her many letters to her mother, had informed them of going out with Ron, and they had wanted to meet him, and though coming to Ron's eldest brother's wedding an excellent vehicle for doing so. Everyone else was pitching in to return the Burrow to its normal state. Ginny came up beside Harry, and slipped her hand around his waist, and rested her head on his shoulder. Harry put his arm around her shoulders, breathing deeply, loving her flowery scent.
"Look how busy everyone is." Ginny said, looking at Harry. "We could have a few minutes to ourselves." Harry looked down at her, and noticed the wicked grin that she had given him the previous night was back on her face. Harry also noticed that her thumb was slightly directed to the wood next to where they had played Quidditch last evening.
"Yeah, that sounds good." Harry had been thinking that a few minutes alone with Ginny would indeed be nice. The most time he'd had alone with her would have been the previous night, and due to his raging emotions, and with all that had happened that day, he had fallen asleep pretty quickly.
"Well, come on, then." Ginny said happily. She led him towards the wood. They walked through the wood for a few minutes, until they finally found a clearing with a pond. Ginny approached the pond and took her shoes off, and dived in. She surfaced a few minutes later, shining from dampness.
"Well, it's a bit cold but quite enjoyable. Are you coming?" Not really sure of what he was doing, Harry took his shoes off and jumped in as well, swimming up to her side. His first thought was how stunning she looked with her dress clinging to her form like that, because it was so wet. She was so attractive. Her body was very well formed for her age and she was tall for a girl and wonderfully graceful. Harry began to kiss her. He started with her cheeks and began to let his lips explore her entire face. She gave an ecstatic groan as he kissed her forehead, and again reached for his shirt. As Harry reached out for the lacings on the back of Ginny's dress, he gently guided them back to the shore. Within minutes, they were back on dry land. Harry made to get his wand as Ginny reached for his pants, but she stopped him, looking exhilarated.
"No resisting charm, Harry." It wasn't a command, and Harry felt more as though she had sung it. He threw his wand aside with the rest of their clothes. Being their first time, Harry was very careful to not hurt Ginny, while they moved around, groaning in absolute bliss. Harry was sure he'd never been this close to heaven. Even though they'd stopped rolling, Harry still clung to Ginny, breathing hard. Words could definitely not express how he felt at that moment.
The sun had set at least another two feet before Harry realized that he had been out so long.
"Ginny, I think we'd better go," Harry said. "Your mum might be starting to worry." Ginny nodded, and the two charmed themselves clean, as the bank of the pond had gotten them muddy, and they proceeded to charm their clothes dry and put them back on.
A few minutes later, they entered the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger seemed to be discussing Hermione's dress, as it was on the table, and both were admiring it. Mr. Granger was showing a delighted Mr. Weasley a collection of dentist's tools, and had given some of them to Mr. Weasley, as well as numerous plugs for Mr. Weasley's collection.
"Hey Harry." Ron said softly. Harry, wondering why he had spoken so softly, wandered over. Hermione, who had changed back into her everyday clothes, was fast asleep on Ron's lap. "She is so adorable when she's asleep." Ron said softly and lovingly, stroking Hermione's hair so that she wouldn't wake. Harry smiled at Ron. He looked at Ginny, who indicated that she would rather like to go to sleep, so Harry bade Ron goodnight, and followed Ginny up to her bedroom. The two, having changed into their night things, climbed into bed together. Ginny looked sleepily at Harry.
"I heard Remus talking a couple days before you arrived," she said. "He was talking about taking you to your parents' house." Harry looked at her.
"What?" He asked, softly disbelieving.
"Yes." Ginny said. "Harry, I want to come with you. I think you are going to need me." Harry nodded. His brain was going numb. This was the place he had always thought of, dreamed of, and yet, terrified of seeing. He knew that there would be memories etched in the very air when he set foot in there, and things he would want to see like noting else, and other things he'd rather not see as long as he lived. The worst part would be that he knew his parents' graves would be there, and that was the most terrifying of all. Another part of Harry, though, really wanted to go there. He knew that he had to see the place at some time of his life, and that to really become an adult, he'd have to confront those fears, and he found it right that he confront them with Ginny beside him. This comforting thought in his head, he rolled over, snuggled up to Ginny, and as he felt her warm breath on his chest, fell asleep.