CHAPTER SIX: A Wizarding Wedding

The next few days weighed heavily on Harry. He was overjoyed to be among so many friends back at the Burrow. After Ron beat him in several games of wizard's chess, they spent most of the day Sunday playing Quidditch over the field across the street. Charlie, Fred and Ginny played against Harry, George and Ron. They left the snitch locked up and just played with a Chaser, Beater and Keeper on either side. Harry took a couple of good shots from the bludger, sent his way by a grinning Fred. At least he was pretty sure it was Fred. The game was near tied around three in the afternoon when Bill flew up to join them. However, the sudden disappearance of the groom brought the attention of Mrs. Weasley on the game.

"What in the world are you doing!" she bellowed from the ground as every broom froze in place. "You'll break your blooming necks a week before the wedding! Bill Weasley, you get down here and back to your bride, right now."

Dodging another bludger, Bill grimaced and headed towards the ground. Mrs. Weasley then added, "And look at Harry! He's all black-and-blue. That's it for the day. Ron, go clean out the garden gnomes."

While Fred and George rounded up the bludgers, Harry zipped down with Ginny and Ron, who told his mother, "Don't worry, Mum, we fixed the fence so they can't get back in."

Ron's smile grew even wider at his mother's disbelieving expression. Her expression softened and asked, "So how did you figure that out?"

"Draco cast some containment spell on the fence," Harry explained. Mrs. Weasley nodded and started after Bill towards the house. Harry hadn't actually seen Draco all day. When he and Ron woke up at nine, Draco was already sitting up in his bed writing in his Care of Magical Creatures textbook. He hadn't come to breakfast and it seemed they had skipped lunch. Ron punched him lightly on the arm and said, "Let's go. We can get in another game of chess before dinner and the Channons game against the Arrows is on the wireless tonight."

Harry smiled and followed Ron up to the house. They quickly rushed through the bustling kitchen without being seen or, even better, asked to do anything. In the living room, Ron began setting up the chessboard. Harry noticed Hermione was looking up from her tattered old copy of Hogwarts: A History and glancing around the room every couple of minutes. Harry leaned over and asked her, "What's the matter, oh Head Girl?"

"Hmm," she answered, blushing lightly. "Oh, nothing, really. I just haven't seen Crookshanks all day. I was starting to get worried."

"Maybe, Mal—I mean, Ferret kidnapped him," Ron said while quickly finishing his side of the board. "Where is the git hiding?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders and Hermione coughed and then answered, "I think I heard him getting something from the kitchen around 10, but he must be hiding out."

"I suppose, wouldn't you if you were at his house, probably swarming with Death Eaters now," Ron said.

Harry rubbed his eyes and decided to just try and change the subject. Maybe if they just ignored the subject, they would get used to him being around. "So what time is the game tonight?"

The idea of the evil git Draco Malfoy becoming some decent human being wasn't going over that well in the Weasley household yet. Arthur and Molly had been a bit more open to accepting him than Harry had been hoping. Even more since the attack on Hogwarts, Bill and Fleur have kept more to themselves, sharing opinions in quiet whispers to only one another. Charlie kept his opinions to himself, but was wary of the stories he had spent years hearing about the mistreatment and cruelty towards his younger siblings. Fred and George had never cared for him at school and were slow to forgive past insults. Memories of insults of Molly would never really be forgotten.

Ginny at least kept quiet about any possible concerns out of respect for Harry's feelings. Ron avoided the topic with a fiery determination. More than anyone he was torn between his absolute hatred of Malfoy and his utter devotion to Harry. As much as he wanted to complain, he tried to bite his tongue on the worst of it. His greatest fear was sparking another row like the one that nearly tore him and Harry apart in fourth year. It was a bit of a rarity, but Hermione kept her opinions to herself. Insulted worse and more often than the others, she had the most to get past. But she always prided herself on being a fair and forgiving person. And she saw… something different in him. Can a person remake themselves?

Draco had in fact been out in the shed alone all day, reading his schoolbooks. He was the last one to arrive for dinner, marching silently in the door and taking his seat. Hermione visibly bit her lower lip when she saw Crookshanks follow him in the door before walking towards the living room. The silence in the room didn't last long and soon everyone at the table was deep in their normal conversations. Harry tried to involve Draco, but he would offer little more than a grunt or nod or one word answer and the rest of the table became noticeably quieter whenever he was asked to speak. He declined Harry's invitation to listen to the game and instead went directly back outside towards the shed.

The next couple of days followed the same pattern. Draco avoided both breakfast and lunch, but Hermione heard him sneaking in to grab something in-between mealtimes. She had quite a battle pushing down her own curiosity to speak with him. Harry had a great time with the Weasley brothers and even managed to find a few quiet hours to just sit and talk with Ginny. For a time he was able to forget the terrible attack last Saturday morning. After dinner on Monday, Harry went out to the shed to try and spend time with Draco and encourage him to make more of an effort to become friendly with the Weasleys, but he was back in his old habit of ignoring everything around him and losing himself in his books. He did manage to spend some time tutoring Harry in improving his Occlumency skills. Tuesday and Wednesday passed much the same with Draco. Except for the unfortunate incident where a set of Wildfire Whizbangs went off just under his cot and forced him out into the yard. Harry noticed that Fred and George were suspiciously hovering near him and giggling the rest of the day.

The Weasley house became even more crowded shortly after lunch on Wednesday when Fleur's parents and Gabrielle arrived on the floo. Harry actually didn't feel that bad about being cramped in the shed given the stuffed full condition of the rest of the Burrow.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley slept in their small room on the ground floor. The next level up, Fred and George had a room that Mrs. Weasley insisted always had a third bed in it in case Percy arrived. A fourth bed had been added the other day for their older cousin Reginald, whose red hair was much darker than any Weasley that Harry had previously met. Ginny, Hermione, Gabrielle and Fleur all shared the larger room on the second floor. Bill and a pair of his friends from his Hogwarts days shared Ron's room at the top, just under the attic. Charlie stayed in Percy's old room just off of the bathroom and Tuesday he had to share it with Mr. Weasley's older brother Romanus and his wife Marietta. And now Mr. and Mrs. Delacour were sleeping on a bed in the living room that was transfigured from the old couch.

All this wasn't counting both families extended aunts, uncles, cousins, Fleur's grandfather, friends of both from their school years and even a few employees of Gringott's. A goblin who supervised Bill a couple of years back came all the way from Egypt to attend the ceremony.

The last to arrive the day on Friday and then on the morning of the ceremony would be the wizard performing the ceremony and the members of the Order of the Phoenix. The Weasley and Lovegood homes were both stuffed beyond capacity, while more guests were staying in muggle hotels in the city. Some few were apparating in the morning of the ceremony, but most came early to visit with old friends and family.

With so many people present, many of whom knew nothing about him, even Draco came out of his shell a bit. He had a long discussion, in French, no less, with Mr. Delacour about the international magic community, particularly concerns the war was generating abroad. Harry had never thought before that as great and destructive as it was in England, the remainder of the wizarding world remaining blessedly untouched by it.

As dinner was winding down, Harry grabbed his brother's arm and asked, "Why didn't you tell me you were bilingual?"

"Because I'm not."

"Then how we you just speaking—"

"French? Because I speak it, as well as German, Latin and Greek, but Granger speaks the last two as well."

"She does?" Harry glanced briefly in her direction. She was busy politely listening to Romanus describe his wizarding construction company based in York.

"Almost all the advanced Ancient Runes students understand at least one of the ancient languages."

"Wow, my brother speaks four languages. Don't I feel sophisticated."

"I speak five languages."

"No, you said four."

"No, five."

"You said French, German, Latin and Greek. That's four."

"I dabble in a bit of English from time to time."

"Oh… right."

After dinner Thursday, Harry took the opportunity to take a long walk with Ginny, alone. She seemed very excited about her sixth year at school and was overjoyed that it hadn't closed. Harry went to bed that night in the middle cot happier than he thought he had a right to be.

Several hours later, his eyes came into focus on a pair of hazel ones seen dimly over the light of a nearby wand. Again Harry felt as if a hand far larger than Hagrid's was pushing down on his chest preventing him from taking in any air. Another face came into view and Harry recognized Ron talking to him, but couldn't seem to hear the words for all the ringing in his ears. A few terrifying moments later the hand released his chest and he took in a great gulp of air.

"Harry, are you alright, mate?" Ron asked, sitting on his cot with him.

"It was…"

"What did he see Harry?" This was Draco's voice now, Harry recognized; determination trying to push back… concern or… terror. His brother was still able to glare into someone just as effectively as he could before his eyes changed color. Hazel or grey, there was a great force behind his gaze. Harry lowered his head into his hands. He felt completely exhausted. They must have been fighting for hours before he broke free. Looking over at the clock, Harry noted the time was just after two-thirty in the morning. He would have slipped back into sleep if Draco had not shaken his shoulder and repeated, "What did he see? Stay awake and tell me."

"It was… a memory…" Harry paused another moment and allowed his breath to catch up with him. "From second year, when we saved Ginny from the basilisk. But that was all. I woke up right after."

Ron pushed Draco's hand off of Harry and said, "Well, that isn't so bad Harry. You-Know-Who already knew about all of that, so he got nothing new."

"Yes he did," Draco explained. "You were at it for a long time. It was longer and harder than before right?"

Harry nodded and listened, "He knows you can fight him, maybe hold him off entirely soon. He'll try again the next time you fall asleep before he loses the advantage forever."

"So show him how to do it!" Ron yelled.

"Not that easy anymore, Weasel," Draco spat back. "He knows we've been hiding something from him and working hard at it. He knows that he broke into something important. That memory means either Ginny was the thing you were trying to protect or maybe…"

"I know what the diary really was," Harry finished.

Draco nodded, "As much as you want to protect the little red-head, it would be just as bad, far worse in fact, if he found out you or Dumbledore knew about his Horcruxes. It may force him to do something before we're ready."

"So worst case he comes for Harry while he's still immortal, best case he kills my sister!" Ron exclaimed.

"That won't happen," Harry defiantly stated. "Nothing happens to her. If I have to… to put away all my feelings for her, I can't let her die. What do we do?"

Ron looked around for a moment, by nature waiting for Hermione to offer a solution, instead Draco spoke up, "We refine your technique a little more. We have to play it carefully. Set-up a memory that will lead him away from Ginny and the diary and toward something else, but you can't make it too easy to find or he will know you're tricking him. Let him just get that by the skin of his flat nose and then shut him down completely."

"It could work," Ron said.

"It has to work. I suppose another memory of him, maybe make him think I am afraid of him," Harry suggested. "But it can't be in the graveyard. Nagini was there and he might catch on."

A moment later it came to him, "At the end of first year, I met him while he was possessing Quirrell. It was the first time we met and… I admit I was afraid. I had never faced anything that terrible before. Would that work, do ya think?"

"If you sell it well enough and then shut him down for good, then it might work," Draco answered.

"Remember to control your feelings. What you feel with the memory is just as important as what is seen. It has to be a great fear, tied to the emotion of the other memory, like a marker."

"How does he do that, Ferret?" "By taking what he's already learned to the next degree. You had some success at blocking him out and some success at compartmentalizing and hiding your emotions and feelings. You're still a long way from stopping someone right in front of you, but when he tries to do something over the connection between you, it sets him at a disadvantage from the start. Make him fight for it and find only what you want him to and then…"

"I put up my best shields, try not to care about anyone or thing and hope—"

Draco shook his head and interrupted, "Don't doubt yourself. If I can do it than so can you."

As tired as he was, Harry couldn't get to sleep. Instead he sat up talking about the Quidditch season with the others. Draco had no idea how anyone could support a team as completely awful as the Channons. Harry reminded them that their Dad did. He finally fell back asleep after six in the morning. Ron had already passed out at the foot of his bed and Draco was lying back on his, fading quickly. Closing his eyes, Harry hoped he was ready for what came next.

"POTTER, OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!"

Harry jumped up in bed just over an hour later. He was even more tired than before, but the walls of the shed were pounding and something told him it wouldn't stop until he opened the door. He somehow managed a smile at his accomplishment. Beside him, a voice growled, "Did you do it?"

"Yes, I fought him, gave him the memory I wanted and shut down," Harry said. "And it worked too. Everything you said worked and I can't believe we dodged that—"

"I've slept for three hours in the last 25, just say, 'yes' and answer the bloody door," Draco muttered throwing his arm over his eyes. Ron mumbled something and rolled over on Harry's bed so that his bum now pointed straight upwards. Harry noticed Draco was lying on his back and curled up on his, well actually Harry's, shirt was a purring ginger-haired cat.

That explains the pounding on the door, Harry thought as he opened it to a disheveled and furious Hermione, "I knew it! Damn it, Potter!"

"What did I do?" Harry muttered as he rubbed his eyes and turned to look for his glasses at the other end of the bed.

"I'm sorry, not you Harry," Hermione said and calmed down a bit. "Besides your toad of a brother, you're perfect."

"Well, can you stop calling him that?" Harry asked. "He calls me 'Potter' and it's just bloody confusing. As if I don't have enough problems in my life, I just want to know when you're mad at me."

"Stop stealing my cat!" she yelled, causing Ron to crawl off of Harry's cot and onto his own where he stretched for the first time in a few hours and said, "Didn't steal any stupid cat."

"Not you, Ronald," Hermione walked over and stood over Draco. She asked, "What did you do to him?"

Draco leaned up slightly and Crookshanks turned himself around slightly for the new position. Staring up at her, he retorted, "I've been here all night, Granger. Harry and Weasel can both vouch for me—"

"No, I won't," Ron responded, bolting upwards and wide awake.

Harry sat on his trunk and asked, "Why not, we were all here talking to each other last night."

"It's the principle of the thing, Harry, I mean, me defending him?" Ron argued then rolled over assuming this had won the conversation.

Hermione picked up her cat and petted Crookshanks, who purred loudly, "See, he loves me because I've always treated him sweetly. He barely even likes Harry and Ron, but only because they just made up their Divination homework, which you can't really hold against them, so why did he decide you were his new favorite? Trust me, back at school with the people who know you, you're still the villain to Harry's hero and that won't change. So stop hanging around with my cat and… and doing whatever vile things you do with him."

Sitting up, Draco smiled and answered, "Well, I call him a 'smashed-faced monster,' and often discuss the ways I can't stand you or Weasley and generally taunt everything and everyone you value, you bushy-haired little bookworm. But I also give him lots of milk so we know where his loyalties lie; don't we."

Ron reacted first, burying his head deeper in his pillow. Harry cautiously turned his back on the rapidly escalating fight. After the night he just had, there wasn't strength to stand between another Draco and Hermione row.

"I don't know how you convinced anyone you're any better than before. You admit all the vile things you've ever done and clean up your mouth a little and you aren't the same foul little git that you've always been you sad, pathetic little boy."

As Hermione turned and started to walk out, Draco called after her, "I didn't do anything to you, lately. You're just determined to hate me for who I was."

Just inside the doorway, Draco caught up to her and matched her pace. He had really been trying not to accept them. For HER of all people to come after him for no reason tore at him. So, he proceeded to do a very stupid thing. Draco, as was his old habit in these situations of being cornered and hurt, went for blood. Then he walked closer and whispered in her ear, "And I haven't cleaned my mouth out that much you cheap slag."

As Hermione's eyes watered and she left, Draco went outside and followed her, leaving a sleeping Ron and a drowsy Harry behind. Draco realized what enormous steps in the old direction, the wrong direction, he was taking. Here he was acting like Lucius and Narcissa's son again. No matter what Granger said, she didn't deserve that, he thought. His parents deserved better.

Outside, he caught up with her and asked in a too-violent whisper, "What is your problem, Granger? Even Weasel is being nicer than you and that's a first."

Hermione stopped a few steps ahead of Draco and continued to look ahead as if she was actually considering the answer before retorting, "Harry is a better person than me."

Draco smiled and added, "Well, that might be true, but it doesn't exactly put you in an exclusive club, Granger. We all tend to fall short there."

"Damn you," Hermione turned and Draco saw the tears in her eyes. He silently wished he could take back his earlier comment, but she continued, "Harry is better than me because you've done worse things to him than anyone else. You maliciously tortured him for half-a-dozen years and in the course of a month; he forgives and starts to love you as much as he does any of us. And you start to love him back and treat him far better than ever before. How does someone do that? I don't forgive you. I won't because after six years you still can leave me in tears with one heartless phrase. Why can almost no one but you do that to me! I hate you. I learned to hate you so much. I can't change that without even an—"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted. They both stood in place as Hermione dried her eyes. He waited for her and continued, "I apologize for every single time I called you… that word. For every comment about your buck-teeth, which aren't even there anymore, or your bushy hair, which is actually quite nice—"

"Stop lying."

"I'm not. Your hair is… special. I even… and I will murder you if you ever mention this… always though Harry was an excellent flyer and Ron was… a… a… well I haven't grown up that much. But knowing full well you won't accept it, I offer it. Because… well I made a list of people I wouldn't apologize to under any circumstances short of death and… well you were never on it."

As Harry walked up towards them, Hermione turned and wiped the last of the tears from her eyes and went into the kitchen. Harry stopped beside Draco and asked, "Is everything all right?"

"Obviously not if I'm still here among enemies, Potter," he responded. "But some things we work our way through."

"I'm serious though. You can't keep calling me 'Potter' if she's going to call you by the same name. It's too damn confusing."

"Does that count as permission to go back to Scarhead?"

With that Harry punched him in the shoulder and went in for breakfast. Draco stood there a moment before a very familiar cat came up to him after hopping out the living room window. He looked down and it and said, "You won't stop until I surrender and come in for breakfast will you?"

Crookshanks looked up at him and if Draco knew that the animal was part Kneazle, he might have picked up on the small nod it offered back to him. Instead he walked back to the shed and closed the door. A few seconds later, Ron came out still wrapped in his bed sheet muttering curses under his breath mixed with words like "git" and "Ferret," then picked up the cat and went in for breakfast.

The first members of the Order arrived just after ten on Friday night after most of the house had retired in preparation for the big day tomorrow. Arm-in-arm, the former-professor Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks popped into being just outside the back door. Harry was the one who opened the door for them and noticing their joined arms, smiled and moved in to a quick hug with Remus. For a moment he didn't see the weathered-down professor with his tattered robes. He saw the memories. He saw the young boy with friends and his whole life ahead of him. Tonks smiled and wrapped her arms around them, "Wotcher, Harry."

Harry broke apart from them and a moment later Tonks found herself wiping tears from the young man's eyes. Remus grabbed his shoulder and asked, "Whatever's the matter, Harry?"

"It's just… it's been a long, long summer, Remus," Harry answered in a defeated tone. "I've missed you both. How have you been?"

Harry led them into the kitchen. Most of the guests had either left for town or the Lovegood house for the night. Sitting at the kitchen table, Remus and Tonks looked on while Harry poured them all a cup of hot tea. Remus was blushing and Tonks started explaining, "Well, I've actually convinced the genius here to go out on the town a few times. It's hard balancing duties with the Order—"

"And my monthly predicament," Remus added with a sad smile.

Tonks slapped him on the arm and added, "Well, I can be a regular wolf every now and then myself so that's no excuse. Besides, I love my little 'Werewolf of London.' But anyway Harry, we only got out into muggle London a couple of nights. Awfully sorry we didn't visit."

"Oh, I've kept busy."

"That seems to be the great mystery," Remus said and seeing Harry's confused expression added, "Well Hagrid, Diggle and Shaklebolt have been the only ones Dumbledore's had watching you all summer. Seems something Dumbledore didn't want interrupted was going on."

"Yeah, so spill, Harry," Tonks said with a smile.

"Well…" Harry was interrupted when Hermione walked into the kitchen and saw them.

"Professor! Tonks!" Hermione ran over and hugged Tonks as they exchanged some quick greetings before she turned to Harry and said, "Would you tell Potter to bring my cat in for the night, so it can escape in an hour and go snuggle with the git?"

Remus and Tonks exchanged a look, thinking she might have been talking to them and after Hermione went over to a cupboard and grabbed a bowl, whispered, "Is she mad at you, Harry?"

"Tonks, Rem—er… Professor, can I ask… what do you think of Draco Malfoy?" Harry summoned some courage; well, enough to look them in the eyes when he asked this.

"Well," Tonks began a bit slower than usual, "all I ever heard about him was that he was no better than my Aunt Narcissa or that vile husband of hers. His parents would never stand for us meeting while he was growing up. He changed to our side, I suppose, that last night at Hogwarts and wasn't with his mother or Be—Le… his aunt when we fought them the next day. Have you seen him, Harry?"

Harry nodded and looked to Lupin. Hermione sat across from Harry at the kitchen table and listened in quietly. Overcoming her own discomfort on the matter, she reached over and grasped Harry's hand in support. The older man saw a bit of doubt and maybe even some… was it hope for a different answer in Harry's eyes?

He coughed and explained, "Well, it has been a few years since I saw him when I taught at Hogwarts. He was well… not as smart as Hermione, but still quite intelligent. I always… well I don't think he liked me from the start because I got along so well with you. I don't suppose it would have gotten any better after he learned I was a werewolf. I had heard that he tended to look down on what were considered by some to be… lower breeds."

Hermione shook her head when she saw her dear friend swallow a lump and ask, "But he… did you like him at all?"

"Well, he was for the most part an attentive student. Grasped the material easily enough. He had as much trouble with his boggart as you both did. The strange thing is I don't think even he could account for why he was so terrified. It was—"

"Darkness.

All heads turned towards the doorway, where Draco had entered holding the white photo album under his left arm and Crookshanks held to his chest with his right. Remus and Tonks were both silent as the needed a moment to recognize who it was. Draco set the cat on top of the table and explained, "I supposed you'd be looking for him. Bovis."

The small bowl in front of Hermione filled with milk and she exclaimed, "That's it! You've just been conjuring him fresh milk? I never thought you were so easy to please, Crookshanks."

Draco set down next to Harry on the side farther away from the new visitors and continued his story. "The room was completely dark. I couldn't stop myself from screaming at the top of my lungs. Crying, harder than I had in years… Maybe it was just me, but the room started to shake with explosions. I have no idea where my fear came from; it was as unexplainable as it was utterly terrifying – like something tearing my soul apart. I felt a… let's just say that I was terrified. And then there was a flash of white light and Moony… I mean Professor Lupin came in. It was a week ago today I finally figured out what it really was."

"Harry?" Remus said. Harry instead of saying anything picked up the book and turned to the page after the first one he had ever seen. In the upper left-hand corner was a picture of Remus holding Harry and Sirius holding Draco. Lily's caption read, 'Oh, no! Not More Mauraders!'

Harry passed the book over towards Remus and Tonks, whose eyes quickly flashed white. Remus' face paled as he looked from the two boys to the book. Tonks put her arm around him and leaned into his shoulder.

Thinking they needed a moment, Hermione asked, "So what was the boggart?"

"It was the night Voldemort came for me… well both of us actually," Harry explained. "Draco could have been the Chosen One except I was sleepy and he wanted to stand up and impress Mum. Dad hid him in the broom closet to save him."

"I think the muggles call that cosmic irony," Draco deadpanned.

"So…" Tonks began, "I guess we aren't cousins."

"See, Potter, some people will take it all right. She didn't get off all that bad," Draco said, as his brother put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's just… you… I can't believe," Remus seemed lost for words. After a few moments silent at the table except for Crookshanks finishing licking up his milk, he stared at Draco and said, "You know you look a good deal like her with… You have James' eyes."

Draco nodded solemnly. Before anyone else could say anything, Ron entered the room and saw one of his favorite teachers, "Remus! Great to see you! Oi, Tonks, what's the matter? Never seen you so…"

Ron trailed off when he saw the book in front of them. Grimacing he walked around the table and sat next to Hermione and spoke up, "Well, Fred and George transfigured Percy's bed into a bunk for you to sleep in tonight, just don't let Mum find out. So… Remus, you taught Defense, what do you reckon of this famous hero-making spell?"

"Ron… I thought you said—" Harry started, but was interrupted by the taller red-head.

"No, Harry one glance and hated enemies become brothers, valuable allies and best friends in a blink of an eye."

"I think its time to pack in Harry, big day tomorrow," Draco stood up and walked past Lupin and towards the front door.

He stopped abruptly when he heard Ron throw in, "Yeah, big day. I just hope they take the pictures of Bill from his good side."

Harry's face turned an awful shade of purple and he noticed Draco's hand flick towards his wand like in the old days, but he held himself back.

"That's enough, Ron," Hermione said as she picked up Crookshanks. Walking out of the room, she said, "Goodnight, Remus, Tonks, Harry, Ronald. 'Night Potter, take care of Crookshanks. I'm sure he'll escape out there within the hour."

Draco nodded curtly and said, "Feel free to tell them everything Weasel. I know I've heard it enough. I'm going to try to fall asleep before you come out."

Harry resolved to swallow his anger at Ron. He tried balancing it by remembering every horrible thing Draco had ever said about Ron and his family, including Ginny. He sat there for nearly an hour recounting the by now familiar tale of Draco's sins and his recent attempt at redemption, including helping Harry learn and master Occlumency enough to stop his dreams. Ron was quiet for the most part, listening to the same story he had already heard. He didn't make any more comments and Harry hoped after the wedding tomorrow, Ron would be able to move toward accepting Draco as an ally.

Remus took it all silently listening. He was smiling a bit at the end, particularly the part where they worked together to stop Voldemort from invading his mind. When the four last people awake in the house (except for Bill, who nervously sat up in bed counting down the minutes until the ceremony), went to bed, Harry was thankful that Draco at least appeared to be asleep. Harry fell face down into his normal spot in the middle cot and Ron was soon snoring lightly off to his left.

Soon Harry found sleep as well and unlike the previous night it was blissfully devoid of attempts to invade his mind.

The enchanted wind-up alarm clocked blared at six in the morning, Ron jolted up and quickly threw on some shoes before running out the front door and across to the field. Harry reached up and shut off the alarm clock before sitting up and putting on his glasses. He looked over at Draco as he reached backwards and pulled a pair of fresh socks from his trunk. His brother hadn't moved, but Harry had spent enough time near him to know he was awake.

"You know you're such a bad liar," he said to no response. He then added, "Yes, as bad a liar as you are a light sleeper. Breakfast will be ready by eight. Want to help up set up the chairs for the ceremony?"

Without moving, Draco drawled, "Want isn't the phrase I'd use, Harry."

"Well how about, 'will help us in another desperate attempt to repay the wrongs you've done to the Weasleys and get along with Ron for the sake of your dear brother's sanity?' How's that sound?"

Harry threw his leg over the bed and started tying his shoelaces. He took Draco starting to do the same as confirmation of what he had said.

By the time they marched over towards the field, Ron had already magically set down the first row of chairs on the groom's side and was now going from one to the next and adjusting them by hand into the perfect position. Harry walked onto the field and noted what a warm day it was already. He figured it would be stifling by mid-day.

"Think he's excited about being in the wedding?" Harry asked. Draco nodded and waved his wand pulling out the first row of chairs on the bride's side. He moved a couple slightly, but was far less specific about it than Ron.

In about a half-hour, Harry was looking over the final row of chairs as Ron kept fidgeting with a couple. Draco was walking around the reception area a couple hundred meters down the field and hardening some spots on the ground that the twins had missed the other day. Without warning, Harry saw a large table and chairs for a dozen slam down just in front of Draco. He staggered back a step and was almost hit with another set. Looking up, they saw Fred and George flying on their brooms with a dozen such tables floating around them.

They were howling with laughter at Draco's expression when Ron called, "Oi, stop fooling around with the tables and start in on the showers. No messing up today."

"Wow, I didn't know Percy showed up," Fred commented as he lowered several tables more gently to the ground while Draco marched back towards Ron and Harry. George set the remainder of the tables down as well a small rectangular one for presents close to the road. The two of them then flew back to the Burrow and straight in their bedroom window from which the boys soon heard a scream that sounded like Tonks, but they were willing to bet came out of Remus' mouth and the echoes of laughter.

"Those two are going to be right impossible today," Ron commented. "We should probably keep their present a good distance from the others."

Harry nodded and took a final look over the set-up, adding, "We might want to go get ready ourselves."

The three of them took turns in the rickety attached shower installed on the back of the shed. Harry went second so Ron would be too busy dressing to have to talk with Draco. However, when he was done and reached outside for his towel, he found it wasn't there. His entire body flushed red and he cautiously stuck out his head to see Ginny sitting on the ground in her pink nightgown several meters away rolling around and scarcely able to breath for all the laughing she was doing. Fortunately, Harry had not left his wand out of reach and summoned the towel back to him. Ginny slowed her laughter as Harry started towards the shed door and called, "Just wait until it's your turn!"

Inside, Ron was sitting on his bed already fully dressed and tapping his feet on the ground. Draco stood his towel and an extra change of clothes. He explained to Harry, "You don't think I'm going in the shower naked with those two still around do you? I'll keep one set on the ground next to me, so I at least have something they can't float away."

Harry tried to hide his own embarrassment as Ron muttered, "Hate to admit it, but he's pretty smart about it. Lucky for me, I must have got done before them. That's the last thing I need today."

"Honestly, Ron, I think it's the bride and groom who are expected to be nervous," Harry said as he began buttoning his short-sleeved dress shirt and trousers. As he fastened his tie, he silently hoped they wouldn't have to keep their robes on during the reception. Ron was already sweating from nerves and the heat.

He responded, "Well, being a groomsman's very important. Charlie and I have to make sure everything goes perfect for them and after the first dance, I have to dance with Ginny. They decided I was too tall for Gabrielle to dance with."

Harry had to nod his silent agreement at that. Gabrielle was still only eleven and very much a child. Ron was now the tallest of all the Weasleys except for Bill and Romanus. Charlie had a good short Quidditch frame. Though he was just about two inches shorter than Harry and Draco, it qualified him as the runt of the Weasley boys.

As Draco returned wearing wet clothes and no towel, to which Ron laughed and said, "Good call, I guess."

Draco nodded and all three finished dressing except for their robes, which Ron had taken off and they carried at their sides. They walked over and entered the Burrow through the kitchen door. In all the time Harry had spent with the Weasleys, he had seen things hectic, but the sheer number of people he now saw crammed in the little house was completely unheard of.

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were in the kitchen finishing breakfast for whoever had time to grab something on their way past the room. Both were already wearing their dresses under heavy aprons. Ginny's valentine red full-length bridesmaid dress nicely matched her hair and hung by two straps near her neck. Molly wore a deep purple dress that matched Mr. Weasley's tie. Arthur and Charlie were running back and forth looking for the younger man's tie and cufflinks. Mr. Delacour was in the living room zipping up the back of his wife's dress. Bill's friends Paul and Ishmael were levitating the food for the reception out the front window, where Fred and George took over and set it down. They were sprinkling it with Everlasting Flavor Savors to keep it fresh for the next couple of hours. Tonks was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, fastening Remus' bowtie for him.

"Morning, boys," Mrs. Weasley said. "You look just lovely."

Despite her comment, she frowned slightly at their hairstyles. Of course Harry's was an unkempt and scraggy as ever, so she could grimace, but not really hold it against him. Ron's hair was at least combed neatly, though now nearly long enough to fall on his shoulders. If Harry said anything about Draco's auburn hair that hung in long bangs and was constantly falling across his eyes, he knew it was a vast improvement over the slicked-back white-blonde hair from his time with the Malfoys. He had to admit that despite the dress clothes, they did appear to be a rather ragged-looking group of young men. As a burning hot skillet of sausage flew past Harry's head, he ducked down and quickly led the other two boys into the living room until breakfast was ready. As the Delacours began jabbering back and forth in French, Harry instead led them towards the stairs, "Let's go find Hermione, then we can check on Bill."

While Ron eagerly followed Harry up the stairs, Draco loosened his tie and waited a bit at the bottom of the steps before heading up. Harry and Ron apparently found Hermione sticking just her head outside of Fleur's room. In a blur she ducked into the room and slammed the door shut, but not before Crookshanks snuck out and started rubbing against their legs. Draco came up to them and heard Ron ask, "What's she mean by 'It's bad luck to see Fleur?'"

"Its an old muggle tradition not to see the bride in the gown before the ceremony," Harry explained. "Hermione looked nice though."

"Hmm… yeah, she did," Ron replied. "I suppose. But how about Ginny? I mean not that you could tell under the apron and all."

Harry hung his head and answered, "Yeah, but I've been thinking about…"

"What?" Ron asked as Harry sat down on the steps to the fourth floor. "You aren't going—"

Harry nodded and wiped away a tear, explaining, "I just… she came seconds away from being a target for Voldemort. I can't let her be in danger. And being close to me has already revealed Draco's secret to him. I can't imagine him hunting— I won't say anything until after the reception though. I want her to have a great day. She's so happy for Bill."

Ron sat and looked at Harry, his expression morphed from unbridled rage to quiet sympathy over the course of a few instants. He sat down next to Harry and threw him arm over his shoulder, pulling him close. Draco sat down on the floor and leaned against a bedroom door. Pushing his hair out of his face, Draco said, "She'll think you a sodding fool for doing this."

"He's right," Ron said, his eyes widening at the fact that he just agreed with Draco. "She wouldn't let you go to the Ministry alone in fifth year. She wants to be in this fight with you regardless of being dating you. Just like Hermione and me."

"—and me," Draco finished. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment Bill came down the steps in a hurry and nearly tripped over his brother.

"Watch it, Ron," he said. His hands were stuffed deeply in the pockets of his black dress robes and he was sweating profusely. Ron was unable to stifle a giggle at the sight of him and received a sharp punch in the ribs. Rubbing it, Ron apologized.

"No, it's my fault," Bill replied. "I'm just—well…"

"Wow," Ron said with a smile, "I don't think the great curse-breaker Bill Weasley's ever been nervous before."

As Harry broke into a smile, he noticed the door Hermione had gone into a moment ago open. As Bill started to turn towards it, Harry remembered what Hermione said and jumped up and found his hand land on top of Draco's as they covered the groom's face.

"Oh my," Gabrielle said. "Iz you alright, Beell?"

When the door closed behind her, Harry and Draco removed their hands and Bill answered, "Yeah, I think so. What was that for?"

Harry grinned and said, "Hermione reminded us it's bad luck for any men, especially you, to see Fleur in her dress until the wedding."

"It's some silly Muggle tradition," Draco added, quickly stepping back.

"It's not silly!" Hermione yelled from the other side of the door. "Now all of you go downstairs. Girls only on this floor."

With a smile for Harry, Gabrielle waved them off. Bill grabbed her by the back of the head and kissed her forehead and she attempted to squirm away, giggling. He led the way downstairs and slipped around his friends, brother, soon to be in-laws and father to find his way to the kitchen table.

When the four boys sat down, Molly was just setting down enough food to feed an entire House table at Hogwarts. Coincidentally, several loud pops and cracks were heard outside the kitchen door and a knock came to the door. Harry went to open it and found Professor Dumbledore standing there in very fine blue robes that matched his eyes. He stepped forward with his cane hand and the largest smile he had ever offered. He was flanked and followed by members of the Hogwarts staff and a few Order members: Hagrid, Madam Olympe Maxine, Kingsley Shaklebolt, Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Soge, Hestia Jones, Alastor Moody and Professors McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick and Sprout.

"Greetings Harry, how is our fine groom?" Dumbledore asked. Harry glanced back at Bill before responding,

"Well, he wants you all to think he's as cool as ever, but he's actually—" Bill grabbed Harry's shoulder and interrupted, "Just fine, sir. Good to see you again."

Dumbledore nodded and gently grasped Bill's hand, saying, "You do look a bit flush son, perhaps we should head over for the ceremony. I do believe the Burrow is fit to burst."

"Oh, do have something to eat first, Professor," Molly protested. She walked over to Dumbledore and kissed his cheek.

"You do look simply radiant, Molly. Congratulations," Dumbledore said. "But we should head over or I fear Mr. Weasley here will never get himself a wife. Harry, would you and Draco perhaps bring out some food for our companions. I believe those grapefruits and some fruit pudding would be grand."

Dumbledore leaned on Bill and led his congregation, Harry, Draco and Ron over to the chairs for the wedding chairs. Fred and George stood at the bottom of the aisle, waiting to serve as ushers. Behind them, Harry heard Madam Maxine ask, "Dear 'Agrid, voud you set with me for Fleur?"

Hagrid twisting a handkerchief in his hands, hesitantly stated, "Well, I'm sure Bill wouldn't mind none."

Bowing lowly to them, Fred escorted them to the second row on the left. Maxine removed her wand from her long silk robes and enlarged two chairs so they would hold the half-giants and they sat gently while Draco offered them something off of a platter floating ahead of his wand. Meanwhile, George led most of the congregation over to the groom's side and began seating them in the third row.

When Bill sat down to speak with the headmaster, George announced, "Bill, I think you're supposed to be up front. But no worries, either Fred or I will step up if you can't hack it."

He then ducked under a jinx that Bill sent flying his way and ran beside his twin back to the bottom of the aisle. While Bill and Dumbledore talked quietly with McGonagall, Harry found himself floating several trays back and forth among the guests. Ron abandoned him after a few minutes when the Lovegoods arrived with several dozen of Fleur's relations.

Luna as always had a distant look in her eyes, but they focused in on Ron as he came up and started talking to her. Her dirty blonde hair was flowing in a wind that had just started to kick up and she wore a kiwi dress and had apparently forgotten her robes. Looking up at the sun and wiping his forehead, Harry wished he had done the same.

A half hour later, Bill rose and took his place at the front, quickly joined by Charlie and then Ron on his left hand side as he tapped his foot and attempted to stare a hole in the front door. Most of the guests had by now taken their seats. Harry and Draco finished speaking with the tall French wizard that the Delacours had hired to photograph the day and walked towards the back. Dumbledore motioned for them to come and sit with him. Draco scooted past the headmaster and took a seat between him and Alastor Moody. Harry took the seat on the older man's other side.

Dumbledore spoke quietly so only they could hear him.

"Gentlemen, I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of informing the remainder of the Order and Hogwarts staff of your particular situation," he explained. "I assumed you have had to explain yourselves quite enough."

The two nodded and Harry turned to see Molly leading the remainder of the Weasley clan, except for Ginny, into the two rows ahead of him. Before taking their seats, Arthur shook his son's hand and dabbed at his eyes. Molly, already weeping, embraced Bill tightly and kissed him on either cheek. Charlie quickly removed his wand and cleaned off the lipstick smears. After a moment, Arthur pulled his wife back to her seat a few feet away. Andius Margrove was the wizard performing the ceremony. He stood up in the center next to Bill. Harry thought it an amusing sight to see Bill standing tall next to the short and stout wizard who appeared to be several decades older than any other person Harry had ever met. Soon, Harry noticed Diggle conjure a violin and walk over to join a group of four musicians off to the side.

Most of the crowd turned around when Hermione came jogging up. She wasn't wearing any robes and instead a simple tea-length strawberry dress with a small ribboned sash at the waist. Her light brown hair was done up with a few beautiful curls and Harry admitted she seemed even more a vision than she had the night of the Yule Ball, having truly come into her own. After whispering to Margrove, she came back and took a seat next to Harry.

She leaned over and said hello to Dumbledore before turning back towards the Burrow. Harry thought for a moment that he saw her catch Draco's eyes and look away quickly, but dismissed the idea right away.

Ginny and Gabrielle walked slowly to the foot of the aisle. Similar to Ginny, Gabrielle was wearing a matching dress of honey that complimented her own blonde hair. Harry did not notice Fleur's sister for several moments though. He had eyes only for Ginny, who was smiling brightly, her hair flowing down onto her shoulders with little curls at the ends. She smiled at Bill, and then looked quickly around before her eyes caught Harry's. The two smiled contently at each other until the band started up and Gabrielle nudged Ginny in the arm. Side by side they started up the aisle and each kissed Bill on the cheek before moving off to the opposite side.

The band silenced for a moment while the guests all stood and in a flash of yellow light, Fleur appeared next to her father and the foot of the aisle. She had her hair flowing freely though it seemed enchanted to only sway slightly to and fro in the breeze. On her head was the beautiful tiara that Mrs. Weasley had offered her less than two months ago. Her strapless white gown fell around her tightly and trailed nearly half a meter behind her. As she began forward, Harry glanced back and forth to see virtually every man present enamored with her beauty. Even Moody was uncharacteristically smiling. Next to him, however, Draco wore a tight grin and Dumbledore wore his usual adoring smile.

When she reached the front of the aisle, Bill took her hand and Harry could just barely hear him say, "You really are beautiful enough for both of us."

Fleur stroked his scars around his left eye and answered back, "Vell I am very smart too. And lucky."

Hermione realized she was smiling as Margrove began the ceremony and Bill and Fleur stood facing each other with hands intertwined. They just seemed so well fit with each other. She had never really seen it before, but perhaps these things aren't seen until they are ready to be shown.

The ceremony seemed very similar to a muggle ceremony, speaking of undying love and devotion and faith. Not faith in any specific religion, but in each other, in their families and in love. Bill no longer seemed nervous now that he was next to Fleur. On the contrary, it was Ron who looked positively terrified, probably worried about something embarrassing happening and ruining the proceedings. The words of the ceremony were somewhat obscured by Mrs. Weasley and Hagrid, both of whom seemed to be holding a contest to see who could cry the most before completely drying up. When he heard Hermione sniffling next to him, Harry leaned over and she whispered, "They just look so happy."

Both Harry and Dumbledore smiled at this and soon after Margrove announced, "My fine witches and wizards! It is my privilege to present Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Fleur Weasley!"

The two kissed deeply and Bill lifted his wife off of the ground as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. The more than a hundred guests all rose and offered up a thunderous applause as the new Weasley couple raced down the aisle and back into the Burrow. Shortly thereafter, the musicians apparated over to the reception area and began playing a lively jig as the guests began walking over. Harry looked down and noticed Dumbledore had taken his hand and leaned on him slightly while walking across the field. Looking back briefly, he saw Ginny, Luna and Hermione talking amongst themselves and of all people Mrs. Weasley somehow ended up with her husband patting her back while Draco helped her walk along to the family table.

And then the party began.

A/N: Well, got this out sooner than I expected. So, here it is another Chapter. A bit more than a few notes from me, once again I do not own Harry Potter. The bit of dialogue where Harry and Draco are discussing how many languages he can speak is paraphrased from the genius work of Aaron Sorkin on his insanely excellent series Sports Night. This isn't quite as long as the last couple chapters, mostly because I didn't want to go into too much detail on the actual ceremony itself, not wanting to offend any readers beliefs on how it should go. I might have a different idea where as some would blatantly copy a Christian ceremony of some type and others would have a wiccan or some type of a pagan or a jewish or Hindu or whatever they feel should be displayed. I just wanted to outline it briefly and leave you to fill in the blanks. I was always facinated on whether or not muggleborns adopted some type of faith the wizards have that Rowling just never discussed in the books, or if they kept their own. I mean is Seamus a Catholic? Does Hermione still go to CoE services over the summer? Regardless, I wanted to take a moment to thank the TEN reviews I've gotten so far. Although I really, REALLY want more, so next chapter I will start responding to specific individuals in my author notes. Your encouragement has me pushing out chapters far faster than I planned on. So once again I will prostitute myself. Reviews are my food, please feed me so that I might grow tall and strong and produce new chapters faster. Feel free to nitpick my sometimes atrocious grammar and spelling (even after reading and reviewing them a half-dozen times before posting). Or use this incredible forum to tell me what a pain in the arse I am, or even open a discussion with me on any particular storypoint or idea you question or want to discuss. Thanks for the support. Also, the idea of Harry and Draco being brothers was explored by at least one writer before me, look up the story Blood is Thicker Than Tears by atruwriter, its a great read. It even has everyone's favorite pairing, Hermione-Draco, but I hope we can all agree a vastly different writing style and plot than I am attempting here. But still a great idea. Thank you all once again for reading!