(AN: Welcome to Chapter Seven of Confessions, after the scandal of the previous chapter, I'm pleased to announce that SEVERUS SNAPE has made an appearance, finally. Thank-you everyone who has stuck by so far! I look forward to your reviews every day, and have checked my email more times this last week then all of 2011. Since this is my main project until a later time I will not be posting anymore stories other than chapters to this for at least another two weeks, but after that we shall see, until then, please continue reading and enjoy the seventh installment of Confessions)
Confessions
Chapter Seven
It was a beautiful warm summery day, contrary to the previous week of nonstop rain. The Burrow's garden had been transformed into a magical wonderland of whites and violets. The decorating had begun quite early in the morning, barely allowing Hermione to lay down before Tracie flew into the room practically bursting with anxiety.
After a brief breakfast everyone went off in opposite directions, Molly, Hermione, Fleur, Tracie and Ginny were quarried upstairs by a group of stylist wizards hired by Tracie's father. The men were taken outside and put to work, all but Severus who had indeed vanished since his arrival by Floo at five thirty that morning.
"I could hardly sleep at all last night," Tracie moaned while one of the women applied a lightening charm to her dark eye circles, "I was so worried about what was going to happen today."
Ginny tried to smile, but had a thick green mud-mask drying over her skin and found it difficult without getting the goo in her teeth, "There isn't anything to be scared of, you love Ron and he loves you. The rest is just semantics."
Hermione's stomach sank at that statement as she remembered Ron's drunken words, proclaiming his love for Hermione over that of his future wife. Her forehead tensed and she received an angry 'tut tut' from her stylist, who proceeded to smooth the lines in her makeup with her purple nailed thumbs.
"It makes me feel bad, zat ze men are out doing all ze work, while we are pampered." Fleur began to fret as her long hair was being twisted into delicate looking French bun.
"Don't you get your knickers in a knot," Molly sighed contentedly, as two stylists worked on painting and pumicing her feet. "The boys will be fine, they spent all last night on at the bar for Ron's bachelor party, they can afford to be up, working their hangovers off anyways."
The women were pampered and preened to perfection, before Tracie was whisked off into another room for final touches and her dress to be slipped on.
When all four of the women returned downstairs discover the house cleaned, dusted, swept and mopped, as house elves were bustling about in the tiny kitchen preparing finger sandwiches, cheese cubes on the ends of toothpicks, and vegetable plates. Hermione offered to help, but one of the elves shooed her away before she could be of any use.
As they made their way outside, the celebration tent had already been set up, and was being held up by marble pillars covered in ivy. There were jars filled with fireflies floating above the numerous pews facing the alter. The white carpet had been sprinkled with petals that let out an intoxicating aroma. The pews were white, with white sashes hanging facing the long aisle. At the end of the aisle was a white, two tiered stage with a lattice archway what was shrouded with a white cloth that shimmered in the dim lighting.
The secondary tent was set up with equally as stunning décor; the banquet area had food popping up on a long table extending down one end of the tent side, and covered with a white tablecloth. The wedding cake was sitting on the far end of the table, a tall six tiered monster with white buttercream icing and plain sugar butterflies that flapped their wings gently due to magic charm.
Various colored lights shined on the dance floor, and not far from that was a large stocked bar, complete with bar maid and large selection of exotic drinks. Molly walked from the Burrow looking out of the beautifully set up wedding reception as she asked one of the workers where her husband had disappeared too Hermione noticed that a few of the guests had arrived and were starting conversations with one another.
Molly found Arthur a few moments later, and began herding the guests into the tent to prepare for the ceremony; it was surprising how many guests Hermione recognized, that had coupled together since their nineteenth birthday. Reproducing another magical child had been the last thing on her mind, while she noticed that the Longbottom's were pulling two young toddlers along with them into the tent.
Hermione made her way to the bar, and was greeted by a familiar silver haired man, who had grown broad in his time away from school. His hair was slicked back into a tight ponytail, similar to his fathers, but he carried a large scar that went past his eyebrow to him lower lip. As Hermione ordered a drink, Draco Malfoy turned to look at her with a sneaky smile.
"Well if it isn't Granger." Malfoy grinned like a Cheshire cat at her, obviously admiring her slender curves in the periwinkle gown she wore. He placed a firm hand on her waist, bringing her hip to his and holding her tightly in place. "You look lovely today."
She rolled her eyes and ignored him, as the bartender handed her the drink she ordered, reaching into the small purse she carried she went to take out the change needed, when Draco lifted his hand, "This one is on me, my dear."
"Thank you very much." She smiled stiffly, taking a sip of the strong brandy. The ice-cubes clinked against her teeth as Draco's eyes lingered on the space between her breasts and gown. His hand moved from her hip to caressing her bum over the soft fabric of her dress. As she went to move away he grasped the wrist holding her drink and brought her close again.
"I bought you this drink, what are you doing to for me?" He bit his lip and looked down at plump reddened mouth. He bent down to claim a kiss from her as she pulled away angrily.
"Draco! You have a wife."
"Astoria won't mind… In fact she'll appreciate my." He pulled her in again and took a long inhale of her slender neck, "Good taste."
"I think we should go and get the bride now!" Ginny's voice interjected suddenly, grabbing Hermione's free hand and dragging her away from the bar quickly. Still clutching her nearly finished drink, Hermione took the last final swig and left the empty glass to sit on an empty chair as she continued to be dragged towards the Burrow.
"Ugh, he is such a playboy. He hasn't changed in the slightest since College." Ginny scoffed, as they made it into to Burrow at last. Fleur was about to finish tying Bill's tie as she beckoned Harry to come close so she could help him as well. The groomsman and bridesmaids were all together fussing about one another when a booming voice called down the stairs.
"Make way for the beautiful bride!" A man with graying blonde hair and a silvery goatee was grinning from ear to ear as Tracie came slowly down the stairs in all her bridal glory.
Her dress gave the illusion of mist as her veil floated around her gracefully. Her makeup was subtle and silvery as she made her way slowly down the stairs, a bright smile brightening her features. Her long platinum blonde hair had been shortened into a pixie cut, a shimmer of sparkles clung to her skin on her right cheek through to the skin on her collar bone. Her lips were a pixie pink, and her eyes were doe-like joyfully at her audience as her father and mother brought her to her crowd.
The gasps of pleasure all around the group caused Tracie's eyes to well up with tears, and she gave a choke of laughter.
"Now don't be crying now." Tracie's mother brought a tissue and dabbed at the tears gathering in her lashes. "We need to get you the items from wizard lore."
Hermione looked confused as Tracie's father slipped a coin in her shoe, and placed it on his daughter foot. "Something old," her mother tied a silken ribbon around her neck "It belonged to your great, great grandmother and has been worn by all the female brides in our family." Tracie's hand went to her throat as she caressed the fabric at her throat.
"And your dress is brand new…" Spouted her father proudly, giving his daughter a hug.
Ginny handed a lacey garter to Tracie with a wink, "This can be your borrowed item, I'm going to want it back though." As she slipped it under her dress and too her thigh, her ears went a deep shade of pink.
Molly came forward with a velvet box, and produced an old sterling silver bracelet with a weasel as its band, its eyes at the top of the wrist were two small sapphires, "This bracelet has been passed from Weasley to Weasley for over twelve generations. It always goes to the youngest son's wife. And she passes it on to the youngest born son in all her family. This is yours, and it can also be your blue." Molly slipped the bracelet on her daughter in law's wrist, and embraced the girl gingerly as to not muss up her outfit.
Fleur and Ginny begin to cry as the women embraced, and turned to continue to the wedding reception tent. As they reached the closed off tent, all four of the bridesmaids continued to wait at the main door for their groomsman to join them. A house elf handed each woman a small bouquet of white carnations to carry, as well as fastened a single carnation to the groomsman lapel.
A small musical note on the harp began to play signaling the entrance of the maids and as woman left arm in arm with their groomsman Hermione felt Tracie shift anxiously behind her, Ginny went first arms linked with Harry, followed by Fleur and Bill, Molly and Arthur and finally Hermione and George. As each of the continued down the aisle all the guest's eyes peered into each of the wedding parties' outfits and partners with soft whispers of appreciation, as the maid took the right side and the groomsman to the left, Hermione caught the eye of an anxious looking Ron, who was trying to see his oncoming bride.
Hermione felt a surge of pity as the Piano began to play signaling the arrival of Tracie, all rose and stared towards the entrance, there was a hush as Tracie took her first few steps into the light and onto the aisle arm in arm with her parents. A few gasps permeated the crowd as she; the blushing bride had her moment. Her eyes were glued upon Ron who mouthed the word, 'Wow' as she came closer to him.
Tracie's parents brought her to Ron and they took her hands in theirs. Hermione felt her stomach tighten as she saw Tracie's father's eyes well up with tears of happiness as he placed his beloved daughters hand into the extended one of Ron's.
As her parents took their seats in the front pew, the High Wizard walked up towards the couple and began by saying the words that had brought couples together for over an eternity.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"
(AN: And that's the seventh chapter. I had officially gotten over 5000 hits on this story in the past four days and I want to thank each and every one of you subscribing and reviewing this story. It warms my heart! I hope you stick around for the many more chapters to come in the future! There will not be an installment/chapter on the 29th of February 2012 because I am anticipating a guest and will be entertaining all day, but I will work hard to bring you two chapters before or after to make up for the time I'm missing. In the meantime, I have a challenge, PLEASE submit some fanart of the story written so far, let me see your visions! All submissions will be featured in this stories tumblr! And favourited by me on deviantart! So get your arts up and let me see your renditions of Ron, Hermione, Tracie, Severus and the rest of the gang! Review and Subscribe please!)