A/N: I'm done with school for the year! Halfway done with college. What a scary thought. Anyway, now that I no longer have to wrestle with homework and tests, I'll have much more free time to write. Hopefully that means I'll be updating more quickly than I have been. From now on the chapters are going to be much farther spaced apart than they have been. Review, please?

June 1999

Ron and Hermione had decided, after much discussion, not to follow the lead of the rest of the Weasley children and get married at the Burrow. Hermione, unlike the other new members of the large family, had Muggle family members and friends she wanted to invite, and having the wedding in the backyard of a ramshackle building that looked like it was about to topple over any minute was not the best way to maintain the privacy of the wizarding world. They had agreed on a church in Hermione's hometown, with a reception in the large backyard of the house she grew up in. The only magic involved would be a discreet binding ceremony after the traditional wedding with only Harry and Ginny present. Of course, if the weather threatened to turn nasty, other precautions would be taken as well.

After months of planning with help from the mothers and the new Mrs. Potter, Hermione was assured that her wedding would go off without a hitch. She had picked out a beautiful dress, white, strapless and flowing, with beading at the top tapering off as cascaded down the dress. In the back was a row of tiny buttons, reaching her mid-back. As she dressed in a room at the church, she thought back on her years with Ron, from meeting him on the Hogwarts Express and informing him of the spot of dirt on his nose to his proposal 8 months prior.

She thought about him risking his life to save her from that troll first year, the look on his face after she was revived after being petrified their second year. The two of them shielding Harry from Sirius in the Shrieking Shack, Ron's hand gripping her shoulder as he wobbled on his broken leg. All those ridiculous fights they had, about the Firebolt, Crookshanks and Scabbers, and-though this wasn't as pleasant- Lavender. She thought about the look on his face as he left her in the tent with Harry and the look on his face when he came back. She thought about how carefully he had cradled her while escaping from Malfoy Manor and the relieved expression he wore when she opened her eyes. But most of all, she thought about the moment she realized she loved him. It was when he asked her to dance at Bill and Fleur's wedding the day they went into hiding. He was so sincere, and she was so far gone already, that when he offered his hand to help her up and lead her to the dance floor, she was lost. Merlin, she loved him.

In another room at the church, Ron and Harry sat, each lost in his own thoughts. Ron was thinking about Hermione as an eleven year old know-it-all, eagerly stretching her hand in the air, desperate to prove she belonged to this brand new world. His thoughts then strayed to her the night he reappeared in their tent, having saved Harry's life. He had never known how he felt about Hermione, really. Not until that night. He had known he loved her ever since he held her at Dumbledore's funeral. But it wasn't until he knew how badly he missed her and how much he regretted leaving her that he realized just how much he was willing to do for her and how badly he needed her . He was finally going to marry the girl he had loved for what seemed like forever. He couldn't wait.

All too soon, but yet much too late, Arthur Weasley appeared at the door of his son's dressing room. Harry left, after pulling Ron into a brief hug and whispering "see you up there, mate."

"How are you feeling, son?" Arthur asked.

" 'M great." Ron replied, smiling at his father. "But, Dad…"

"Yes?"

"I want to marry Hermione, I really do. Have since I was about fourteen, really. But, what if I'm no good as a husband? It's never been just the two of us, on our own. We'll kill each other."

Arthur laughed. "No, I don't think you will. If you're both willing to compromise and work on your problems, there's no reason for you to be worried about your relationship. You've been through a lot and managed to get this far, I don't think there's much you could do to ruin anything now." He smiled at his son's still anxious face. "You two are young, true. But you were made for each other. It's obvious to everyone who knows you both. You've become a great man, son. You'll be a wonderful husband. And father, when the time comes."

Ron's face turned bright red at the thought of children, but he smiled. "Thanks dad. Is mum out there?"

"And everyone else. Ready to face 'em?"

"Let them in." With that, the door was opened and Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley all piled into the small room. Molly was already crying, and Ginny's eyes were bright. She was wearing the dark blue bridesmaid dress Hermione had picked out for her, one of her cousins and her best Muggle friend. Ginny got the first hug, as she had to go help Hermione put the finishing touches on her ensemble. "Hermione's freaking out." She informed him.

"What? Why?"

"The flowers haven't gotten here yet. They were supposed to arrive two hours ago. Don't worry about it. We've got it under control." She squeezed Ron tight and pecked his cheek before rushing back out. George was next, and grabbed his younger brother in a hug.

"You know we're going to hex you if you bollocks this up."

Ron nodded, warily. "I know. But you'll have to beat her to it."

"Fair point, little bro. I think Hermione's proven she can take care of herself. Better watch out."

After George, Ron's three other brothers hugged him, wishing him the best before passing him off to their mother. She latched onto him and sobbed into his jacket.

"Mum." Ron said, trying to pry her off him. "Mum, it's alright. I'm getting married not leaving the country."

"My baby. Both my babies are married." Mrs. Weasley cried. Ron sent a desperate look at Bill, who put his arm around his mother's shoulders and escorted her out of the room.

"Mum, come on. We don't want to make Ronnie late for his own wedding." Ron scowled at his oldest brother, but Bill just smirked back at him.

Finally, he was free to go. He and Harry met up outside the side door to the sanctuary with Neville and George, the other two groomsmen. They all nodded at each other, opened the door and walked in. The church was nearly full, with his side far more populated then hers. Some of their mutual friends had been told to sit on Hermione's side to make enough room for the Weasley's. He gulped nervously. Harry tapped his arm. "You ok, mate? You want us to distract 'em so you can make your getaway?"

"Not on your world saving life." Ron replied smiling at his best mate.

Just then the music started and Ron watched as Hermione's cousin walked up the aisle, her arms at her sides. Where were the flowers? Ginny said they hadn't come yet, bloody hell, Hermione was going to be upset. Vaguely, he acknowledged Hermione's best muggle friend and Ginny come up the aisle and take their places opposite the boys. Neither of them carried their rather expensive bouquets. All thoughts of flowers or money were pushed out his mind though, when he saw Hermione standing at the back of the church, her arm linked with her father's. He felt his jaw drop and saw her smile at him. Everyone in the church was looking at her, but she only had eyes for him. They stared at each other as she came closer to him until Harry had to push him forward a little to meet her at the front. He took her hand from her fathers and watched as Michael Granger kissed his daughter on the cheek.

"Take care of her, son." He whispered as he squeezed their clasped hands. Ron nodded, still looking at Hermione. She looked like an angel, glowing white, with some of her unruly hair hanging down in her face, having escaped from her updo. She smiled brilliantly up at him and he felt like the most wonderful, and luckiest man on earth.

The ceremony sped by, the only parts he registered were the vows and the "I do's." Until that is, the priest prompted them to exchange rings. Where were the rings?

"Harry! Where, in the name of Merlin's saggy-"

"Ronald!"

"Sorry, Hermione." Ron apologized, then turned to Harry and asked in a deadly voice "where are the rings, Harry?" He could tell Hermione was getting worked up.

"I don't have them Ron."

"Well, you'd bloody well go get them. Hermione's going spare." Harry nodded and sidled out the side door.

"Stall!" Hermione directed the priest, nearly in tears. "We need to give him time to get the rings!" The priest nodded and began some long winded speech about the gift of marriage. Ron didn't hear a word. Hermione was shaking, and he was trying to calm her down.

"It's going to be alright, Hermione. Harry's going to find the rings and everything's going to be just fine."

"But what about them?" She hissed, nodding at the people in the pews.

"Don't worry about them. This is our wedding, remember?"

She nodded and smiled. Just then, Harry smoothly slid back into place.

"Here they are." He said, passing them to Ron and nodding at the priest to continue with the ceremony.

They exchanged rings, and as the priest announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley, he grinned. His grin only grew when the priest said, with the smallest hint of amusement: "you may now kiss the bride."

And kiss her, he did. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor in a repeat of their first kiss. He felt her smile against his lips, then laugh out loud as he set her back down.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too, Mrs. Weasley." He replied, offering his arm to her to sweep her back down the aisle.

After the quick binding ceremony presided over by the Minister of Magic himself, Ron and Hermione found themselves in a limousine on the way to her parent's house for the reception. Then, everything started going wrong. The weather, which had been nice, suddenly turned nasty, not giving the wizards a chance to subtly create a weather bubble, forcing all the guests inside the house. The food was waterlogged and suspicion would have been raised had it magically been dried. The tent they had ordered collapsed under the weight of the water and fell into a pool of mud. Hermione was at her wits end. Her beautiful wedding, ruined. Ron found her in the bathroom off her old bedroom, crying.

"What's wrong, love? Second thoughts already?" He joked, but that only made her cry harder. "Sorry. Bad taste." He apologized. He stroked her hair with one arm and pulled her into his lap with the other. "I can't help unless you tell me what the problem is."

"It's, it's the wed-wedding." She cried. "It's ruined."

"It's not ruined." He said firmly. She looked up at him, eyes watery.

"Of course it is. We're all stuck in this house, the food is all wet, the tent is stained beyond recognition…"

"But we're married, aren't we? You're my wife now?"

"Well, yes."

"That was the point, Hermione. Not all this. We love each other and we wanted to get married. And we did. Today. As I see it, today was the best day of my life. Soggy food and all." He turned her face up to look at his with a finger. "And you know, if I'm comforting you about the loss of food, I must really mean it."

With that, Hermione laughed and flung her arms around his neck. "Thank you for being so wonderful."

Several minutes later they returned to their guests and found Harry and Ginny had organized an effort to remove the furniture from the living room to clear space for dancing and had 'found' more chairs in the attic to set around the rest of the house. Ron pulled Hermione onto the dance floor and danced until he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Harry.

"Mind if I cut in?"

"Not at all." Ron relinquished his new wife's hand to their best friend and was immediately pushed into his sister's arms.

Harry and Hermione giggled before he swept her away in a graceful waltz.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I am now. Thank you for figuring this out."

"Not a problem. I want you to enjoy today. It's meant to be the best day of your life."

"And it is, thanks to you and Ginny." Hermione paused. "And Ron too, I suppose." She added thoughtfully.

Hours later, Ron and Hermione were left alone with their parents to say their final goodbyes before their two-week long honeymoon in Italy. Both newlyweds were hugged within an inch of their life, their mothers openly crying. Finally, it was time for them to go. Their baggage shrunk and stowed in Ron's pockets, they each grabbed hold of the silver spoon that would take them to Rome. With one final wave and the familiar tug behind the navel, they were gone.

They landed in the Italian ministry, Hermione stumbling on her long dress. After a brief check with the customs office, they made their way out into the center of the Eternal City. Losing their way briefly, they found their hotel and checked in. George's threat to Ron to take Hermione expensive had been taken heed of. The hotel was gorgeous, sumptuously decorated with a balcony overlooking a piazza with a fountain. Hermione was standing at the window, looking out, still in her wedding dress when Ron came up behind her, put his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her head.

"Are you happy, Mrs. Weasley?" He asked.

"Just hearing you call me that makes me happy Ron."

"Well, I have news that I hope will make you even happier." Hermione turned around, placed her arms around his neck and tilted her head to the side.

"What is it?"

"I, that is, Harry- I mean, we…"

"Just say it, Ronald."

"I bought us a house."

"A house?"

"Yes. A house. In London. Near Harry and Ginny's flat. It's a proper house though. With a yard and everything. I know you hate living in flats."

"A house! Oh Ron!"

"You're happy then? Not upset that I didn't ask you first?"

"How could I be upset when you just bought me-us- a house?" Hermione nearly shrieked. "But, I didn't get you anything as a wedding present." She continued sadly.

"That's alright." Ron replied. "You gave me you. That's the best gift in the world."

Then she was kissing him and barely registered when he picked her up and carried her back into their room. His lips moved down her neck as he fumbled with the buttons on the back of her dress and her fingers moved to the front of his shirt. Once undressed they stumbled over to the bed and collapsed on top of it.

Later, they lay together, Hermione's head resting on her husband's arm, his other hand tracing circles on her hip.

"That was so worth waiting for." He said sleepily. "Thank you."

"Mhm." She agreed. She turned to face him and kissed him lightly. "I love you, Ron. So much."

"And I love you, Hermione." With that, he flipped her onto her back and moved on top of her. "Ready for another?" He asked cheekily, bending to cover her lips with his. She nodded eagerly and succumbed once again. She was unbelievably happy. She was young, had a job she enjoyed and was married to the man of her dreams. Nothing, she thought, could be better than this.