Author's note: I was incorrect in my note for the last chapter, this is the last chapter before the wedding, as I decided to move some content around. Looks like things are going to get real interesting sooner than intended ;)

Chapter 10 – The Tentative Goodbye

"I think an early morning wedding would be lovely." Kingsley insisted, glaring across the small café table at Hermione and Ginny.

"An evening wedding would be so much better. Imagine the cool of the evening and the stars just coming into view as we say our vows." Hermione said. "It would be perfect."

"But why wait dear, the same stars will just be twinkling out while we say out vows in the morning." The insistent growl in his voice made her wonder if he didn't know about her appeal.

"I am not a morning person." Ginny insisted.

"You don't have to attend."

"She is my Maid of Honor, and you will be polite to her." Hermione snapped. She was done with this. "A late afternoon wedding it will be. I am done arguing with you." Her whole being quivered but she kept her voice steady. She was less afraid while hunting Horcruxes than she was now. What was it about him?

"You will not be insolent."

"I am your equal, and therefore cannot be insolent. You will be polite."

A twisted grin disfigured Kingsley's face. His bald head gleamed in the light. "Darling." He said, reaching out his hands and holding her wrists in a manner that could be seen as affectionate but instead made her feel trapped. She flinched but didn't pull away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. "Dearest, we mustn't fight. If you want an afternoon wedding we shall have one. One pm it is."

Twelve thirty was when her appeal was set to begin, it was cutting it close but she knew if she fought any more she was going to lose. She decided to take what she could get. "Sounds… perfect." She tried to pull her hands away but he held them firm.

"Excellent." He smirked. "Now about your maid here, I was thinking a pink dress for her but that would clash terribly with her disgusting red hair."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ginny just chomping at the bit to hex him. Seeing her weakness, Kingsley went on. "I could never understand why anyone could find red hair attractive."

Hermione thought of Fred and his bright red hair. "It has its aesthetic qualities."

He gave a condescending chuckle. "Right. Now, my dear, I will expect you to be staying at the manor the night before to insure you are ready for the big day?"

"I will be over first thing the morning of. There's no reason to start preparing early."

He tightened his grip on her wrists, his nails digging into her flesh. "Really, I must insist. I have the guest room all prepared for you and your maid."

She could see the tiny beads of blood beginning to escape from her skin. She had dealt with worse than this. She couldn't let him intimidate her. "I will be there first thing in the morning.

He increased the pressure on her wrists. "Please darling, don't be difficult."

Her fingers were going numb, and her vision blurry.

"If you insist."

He smirked and released her hands, which she immediately hid in her lap. Bruises were already beginning to form and blood ran from the half crescent gouges his nails had made.

"If that's all there is to discuss we really must be going." Hermione said, shoving her hands into the safety of her pockets before standing.

"Don't you want to stay and get to know each other better?" He asked, again showing too many teeth in his smile.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of time for that later." She said before leaving with Ginny in tow.

"Mrs. Weasley, can you take a look at my wrists?" Hermione asked as she walked in the door.

"Of course what seems to be the – Hermione, what happened?" She exclaimed upon seeing the bruised, bloody mess.

"My lovely husband to be was quite insistent that Gin and I arrive the night before the wedding to start getting ready."

"How did – dear, sit down and let me get you cleaned up."

Hermione did as instructed, sitting at the table and letting Ginny recount the events of the meeting, not even wincing as Mrs. Weasley cleaned her cuts with the strongest antiseptic potion she had. "Sorry if it stings a bit dear."

"It's fine." Hermione replied through gritted teeth. "Can you do anything for these bruises?"

"I can't, but the boys have concocted a bruise cream that even I trust. Fred!" She called. "Could you come down here?"

There was a crack and a flash as he appeared in the kitchen. "Yes mu- Hermione, what happened to you?"

"Could you get us some of your bruise salve and we'll explain?" Mrs. Weasley asked her son.

"Of course." He was gone and back again in a matter of seconds.

"Can we forget dealing with the ministry and just let me kill him?" Fred asked after they explained what happened.

"No, because then you'll end up in Azkaban." Hermione replied, allowing him to rub the cream on her injuries.

"Only if they catch me." He said, his voice crackling with anger.

"But then who will protect me from the next criminal the ministry partners me with?"

"Maybe the ministry will partner you with me." He managed a joke but she could tell he was out for blood.

Hermione chuckled. The bruises were starting to fade but the pain and anger were still there. "I'd rather outsmart him than kill him."

"Hermione, you outsmart him simply by existing." Ginny said.

"Thanks Gin." Hermione smiled. "Sorry for dragging you into the line of fire."

"It's alright. It's not your fault the ministry partnered you with a creep."

"It'll all be over in a week anyway." Mrs. Weasley said, trying to be reassuring, but Hermione couldn't help but worry.

"It'll be over one way or another." Fred added, his tone more dangerous than reassuring.

"Ready to go Hermione?" Ginny asked, sitting beside her on the bed.

"No." She replied timidly, removing the band Fred had given her and slipping it onto the chain that held her locket with pictures of her parents.

"I don't want to go either."

"You don't have to Gin. I don't want to put you in the line of fire."

"I can't let you go alone. You wouldn't let me if I was facing something like that."

"I'm just afraid he might try and hurt you."

"I'll have you. We'll be okay. Besides, I still owe you one from that Chamber of Secrets business, and I can't exactly pay Ron back."

"Thanks Gin." She said.

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified."

"Well you shouldn't be, because you helped kill Voldemort, and Kingsley is small potatoes compared to him."

Hermione gave a shadow of a smile. "Apples and oranges."

"You. Bloody. Killed. Voldemort. The darkest wizard that ever was."

"Harry killed him. I just helped. I killed a little piece and helped find the others."

"Hermione, I am trying to give you a pep talk and you are shutting me down."

"Oliver Wood couldn't have given a better one, Gin." Fred said, appearing at the door. "Besides, we've got your back at the appeal. All you have to do is stall. Just whatever you do, don't say I do. Unless it's to me." He beamed.

Ginny looked at her. "It's not too late to change who you want your new partner to be. I heard Neville Longbottom's match fled the country."

"I bet she married Draco." Hermione said. "But that's alright. I've kinda got a thing for redheads."

"Oh, so that's it is it?" Fred asked.

"That's exactly it." Hermione winked.

Ginny made a gagging motion and picked up her suitcase. "I'll let you two say goodbye."

"Thanks Gin." Hermione replied, her smile fading. "I won't be long."

"Yeah, yeah. Stay off my bed."

Naturally, Fred sat on Ginny's bed. "There's room for two, three if you play your cards right." He teased, patting the spot beside him.

"You're silly." She said, standing. "But I really need to go. I don't even want to know what will happen if we're late." She started for the door.

"Hermione, wait." He intercepted her, pulling him against him.

"Please don't." She pushed him away. "I can't handle this right now."

"Just please, let me-"

"Don't. Don't start acting like this is some big deal or" She bit her lip, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I really can't do this right now."

"It'll be okay. We'll win this for you. We just have to go in there, explain your match is a creep, remind them of your celebrity, and we can be together. Don't worry, okay?"

"Says you."

"Hermione, love, you'll be back here tomorrow night, and it'll be like this all never happened."

"I wish I could believe you actually feel that way."

"What do you mean?"

"This entire day you've been acting like this is our last day together."

"It's not."

"It might be."

"It's not." He repeated.

"I have to go."

"Please, just let me tell you goodbye."

"Goodbye Fred."

"That's not what I mean."

"What's the point? Like you said, I'm going to back here tomorrow. Except I might not. I might be married to-"

He put his finger to her lips, cutting her off. "Will you please just trust me, please? I know you'd rather go to this appeal and handle everything yourself, but you're going to have to trust me. Trust us. I know I'm not as clever as you, I don't think anyone in this family is, but just please, just trust us. I know things have been out of your control lately, and you're scared, but we're going to get you out of this. Okay? This has to work because I don't want to lose you. I never thought I'd have a chance with you but now I do and I'll be damned if anything is going to get in the way."

Hermione nodded, tears falling down her cheeks. "Okay."

He held her chin in his hands, wiping away her tears with his thumbs before kissing her. "I'll see you tomorrow." He said, looking her right in the eyes. "I'll bring you back here. Then we can be married and you won't ever have to think about him again. We can be together and no one can get in our way."

Hermione nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"This isn't goodbye, okay?"

"Hermione… our escort is here." Ginny called up the stairs.

"I've got to go."

Fred nodded, giving her one last squeeze before letting go. "You be good and don't hex anyone, okay?" He wiped a rogue tear from her cheek.

"Okay." She replied with a small smile before walking down the stairs.

The Enforcer stood quietly beside the fireplace as Hermione and Ginny said quick goodbyes to everyone.

"Don't worry about a thing." Mrs. Weasley whispered in her ear. Then it was time to go.

Ginny went first, grabbing a handful of Floo powder and stepping bravely into the fireplace. She called her destination loudly, and in a green flash, she was gone. Hermione looked up the Enforcer, who held the container of powder out to her. She nodded and took a handful, taking one last look at the people who had become her family after the loss of her own, and with any luck, soon actually would be her family. With quaking knees, she stepped into the fireplace and threw down her handful of powder.

"Kingsley Manor!" She called into the suffocating flames, and with that, said goodbye to the closest thing she had to home.

Next chapter is the wedding! Is Hermione's trust in the Weasleys well placed or will she be marrying Kingsley?

It might take me a while to actually get the next chapter up though, it's more difficult to write than I had previously thought. Until then, I hope you enjoyed and please be sure to review and tell me what you think so far!

-Zen