A/N: This chapter is going to be a little fluffy too. Sorry! Don't worry, the fluff will soon be over. My next update is going to be a bit more serious. This chapter is kind of a filler, but the next one is really going to get the story going in a nifty direction! Oh, and I've also set up a time line (again) for all of you, that will be posted at the end of the chapter! It has things like the wedding date, Hermione's due date, etc.
A/N(again)- Harry and Ginny are not together in this story. They are, however, really good friends.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Potterverse. Not even a little bit… Yet.
Time: The reception.
Chapter Seven
Hermione and Ron twirled around the dance floor, oblivious to the people surrounding them. They had eyes for only each other. Hermione looked as though she was in the middle of a very lovely dream, while Ron kept blinking and staring at his new wife as though he was afraid she was going to disappear.
"I'm married," he said as a big smile took over his face.
"Yes you are. I was there, remember?" she responded with a laugh, "I'm married too!"
"To me. For real."
"Uh- huh. To you. For real."
"I'm never letting you go again Hermione. I'm going to love you forever and I-"
Ron found himself cut off by a kiss from Hermione. It wasn't long and passionate, like the ones they had shared only hours before, it was simple and quick and held the promise of many more to come.
"I love you too," she whispered into his ear.
They continued dancing until a hand tapped Ron's shoulder.
"May I cut in?" Mr. Weasley asked with a jovial smile, "I'd like to dance with my new daughter if you don't mind."
"If you must," Ron said as he pulled away from his bride.
Mr. Weasley was a fair dancer, and from the look on his face, Hermione could tell he'd heard that she and Ron were planning on staying married, long after the law was repealed. They made small talk about baby clothes and spark plugs until Arthur quickly changed the subject.
"I'm just so glad you both decided to invite Percy. I know you didn't have to. It's been so hard for him, trying to reconnect with the family since-"
"I know. He made a lot of mistakes, but everyone deserves a second chance."
About six months before Ron and Hermione announced their engagement, Percy's fiancé Penny was killed in an accident at the ministry. Nobody knew the full details of what had truly happened that day, just that Percy's heart was broken beyond repair. She had always pressured him to fix things with his family, so after months of grieving, he had shown up at the Burrow, sobbing and begging for forgiveness.
Not everyone had accepted his apologies, but Percy's remorse seemed so genuine that after a while, even Fred and George were looking at him with less disgust and a little more sympathy.
Arthur interrupted Hermione's thoughts, saying, "He's really changed, hasn't he? He seems to have found a dose of humility at last! He actually offered to help me figure out how a micron- waver works!"
"Yes. I really think he has changed," she mused. It was then that she saw the very subject of their conversation walking over to them. Mr. Weasley took the silent cue to leave, and then, it was just Hermione and her new brother in law.
"Congratulations Hermione. The wedding was beautiful, really lovely. My brother is a lucky man," he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Hermione could tell he was imagining how his own wedding would have been. She wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to Penny.
"Thank you! I'm so glad you came," Hermione said with a hint of concern in her voice.
Ron saw the pair talking, and joined them, thanking Percy for coming, and so on and so forth. When Percy went to say hello to Auntie Muriel, Ron and Hermione left the dance floor, opting to rest at their table for a bit. Harry was already sitting there with a brooding look on his face.
"Well what crawled up your bum and died?" Ron said with a laugh.
"Bloody Dean did. Why'd you even invite him? He's obviously just here to prey upon all the young unsuspecting girls…"
"By 'young unsuspecting girls,' I assume you mean Ginny?" Hermione inquired as she saw the pair dancing.
"I haven't got the slightest idea what you're talking about," Harry said, sounding extremely perturbed, "but now that you mention it, he needs to stay away from Gin."
"Gin? She's Gin now?" Ron probed, a protective edge to his voice, "When did you get so interested in who Ginny spends her time with anyway?"
"I'm not. It's just that.. Dean is getting a reputation you know, for being less than careful with girls' hearts."
"Really?" Ron and Hermione said in unison, with an identical trace of sarcasm.
"Really," replied an agitated Harry.
Something told Hermione that Harry had yet to hear the news about her and Ron, and she decided this would be a good time to tell him. He wouldn't have a chance with Ginny if he looked like he was miserable on a day like today.
"Harry," she started, "We have some news for you."
"Oh gods, don't tell me your having twins."
"Shut up. No. Um, it's bigger than that. Considerably bigger."
"Triplets?"
"No! Ron and I are married!"
"Hermione, I was the best man. I kind of know that already."
"No. I mean, we're really married. As in forever. Because we want to be."
Harry let out a whoop of joy as he wrapped Hermione and Ron in a hug. He had a very satisfied smirk on his face as he pulled away from them.
"I knew you two would end up together in the end! I've got to find Fred and George… They owe me five galleons!"
"You made a bet on Ron and I?" Hermione asked indignantly, swatting his head with her bouquet. She continued to do so until someone noticed the abuse and called for the bouquet to be tossed.
Hermione waited for all the eligible young witches to gather onto the dance floor, then turned around. She decided to ignore the fact that she hated this part of weddings, (they brought out the inner animal in women, even little girls!) and just throw the flowers. She closed her eyes and threw the white roses behind her. She turned around, and saw Ginny holding the bouquet with a sheepish smile on her face. Mrs. Weasley made a point of mentioning that none of her children were to get married before graduating.
Next, of course, came the throwing of the garter. Ron took his time removing it from Hermione's leg (he would later get a scolding for it) and tossed it into a crowd of men, forced into the game of 'catch' by wedding crazed girlfriends. Neville caught the garter, which relieved Harry to no end. Better to have Neville catch it than Dean…
The reception continued to go smoothly. Harry asked Ginny for a dance, and ended up receiving seven instead. Ron and Hermione cut and ate their cake, danced some more, and thanked all their guests for coming. With all their "receptional duties," (as Fred called them) finished, it was time to leave.
Holding hands, the couple apparated to The Three Broomsticks. They'd decided that since they had very little money left over from their wedding, a night in one of the pub's rooms would serve well enough as a honeymoon suite. The pair planned on spending the next day shopping, and enjoying the sights in Hogsmeade. It wasn't exactly like a romance novel honeymoon, but it fit Ron and Hermione just right.
They greeted Madam Rosmerta, took their key, and then ran to their room. As they shut the door behind them, a silence took over them. It seemed that the couple had spent quite a bit of time in silence recently. Ron look at his wife a bit embarrassed, mumbling something she couldn't hear.
"What?" Hermione asked, a little bit taken aback by Ron's sudden shyness.
"I said," Ron started, his ears turning a lovely shade of tomato red, "Do we go to sleep, or… Not?"
"Do you want to go to sleep?" Hermione inquired.
"Not really," Ron answered, his ears turning even more red, "What about you?"
"Well actually. No. I'm not even a little bit tired."
That was all it took for the two to begin kissing. There was an aggression that hadn't been there before, that was new and exciting. Ron pulled Hermione close, locking her in his arms. Hermione was clinging to Ron with all that she had in her.
'This must be heaven,' she thought t herself as her and Ron made their way toward the bed, 'Or a beautiful dream. If it is a dream , I don't plan on waking up tomorrow…'
AN- Sorry for ending on a fluffy-esque note once again! Like I said, the next one won't be quite so fluffy. Now here's that timeline I promised you!
Conception: Friday, May 29th, 1998
End of first trimester: Friday, August 7th, 1998
End of second trimester: Friday, November 20th 1998
Due date: Friday, February 19th, 1999
Breakup: Tuesday, June 16th- 1½ weeks pregnant
School ends: Saturday, June 27th - 4 weeks pregnant
Train Scene/Engagement: Sunday, June 28th - 4 weeks pregnant
Telling the order: Sunday, July 5th - 5 weeks pregnant
The ministry/pregnancy revealed: Monday, July 6th- 5 1/2 weeks pregnant
WeddingSaturday, August 8th - Ten weeks pregnant
