BOOK 1, CHAPTER 12: DOUBLE WEDDING
As soon as Hermione and Ron told Ginny and Harry about their decision, they began to think about their own plans. And considering the relationship among the four of them, it was the most natural thing that they decided to have a double wedding. The four flooed to the Burrow to consult with Molly and Arthur. Of course, they were delighted to have Harry and Hermione in the family. "You're so much like our own kids, this almost seems like incest," Molly kidded them.
A look at the 2003 calendar found them an available spring date, June 14th. Hermione sent her mom and dad a note in Australia to make sure they could save the date and begin making travel plans. Arthur booked one of the Ministry officials to perform the ceremony, and the couples began sending owls to all their friends and family members.
Harry and Ron soon found that watching Molly, Ginny and Hermione plan anything was hilariously entertaining. For one thing, all three talked at once. For another, these were perhaps the three strongest female personalities in England. Each had her own ideas, and a firm conviction in their basic rightness, regardless of what the other two thought.
Over the next few months, Ron, Harry and Arthur were literally driven from the Burrow by the bickering. The girls couldn't even agree on whether to go shopping for their wedding dresses in Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, or London muggle shops. In the end, Molly forced a compromise on them. She hired a private dressmaker, and informed them that, since they would be sisters in law, they both would wear identical dresses.
Of course, as nice as that sounded, it still took 60 days for the two girls to agree on a design that satisfied both of them. In the end, the design was a low cut shoulder-less gown with an empire waist, and a moderate, flowing train, really more of an extended hemline that pooled behind the dresses. Because of their different coloring, the two dresses differed slightly in detailing. Hermione's honey colored eyes and darker hair were set off by some pink accents, while Ginny's red hair and green eyes were better accented with some mint green trim notes. Ron's little athletic sister also took her share of ribbing over the "girlie" lace and sequins.
Late in March, they received news that Draco Malfoy had been reposted back to England. Even more newsworthy was the fact that he was apparently returning with a wife! As soon as they were able to make contact, Harry and Hermione arranged another dinner party at Grimmauld Place, although this time they limited the guests to Ginny and Ron, plus the Malfoys.
It was no surprise to Hermione when Draco's wife turned out to be none other than Lindsay Oliver, his blond muggle friend from Harvard.
"We got together again almost as soon as I got to San Francisco," said Draco. "I needed a place, and she took me in," he said with a grin, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "both literally and figuratively, I guess you could say. We dated a few months, and just decided we were being silly if we didn't get married. So as soon as Lindsay graduated, her parents put on this big shindig, and we tied the knot."
"You really picked up the US accent, didn't you?" Ron asked, noticing how less formal Draco sounded.
"We're all so happy for you, Draco," Hermione said, but she couldn't help but feel a little twinge of remorse over something that might have been, and now was lost.
"Yeah, mate," said Harry. "The funny thing is I guess I never dreamed you would beat Ginny and me to the alter. Life takes funny twists and turns, doesn't it? We often get both the things we don't want, and the things we want the most, thrust on us when we least expect them."
"Will you guys be coming to our weddings?" Ron asked.
"When are they?" Lindsay asked.
"June 14 at Ron's family home in southwest England," Hermione said. "We're having a double wedding. Harry and Ginny are getting married at the same time with us." Draco rolled his eyes. "How's the back, Ron," he asked, obviously changing the subject. "Heard you got hurt," he added.
"Well, it's OK if I don't put too much strain on it," Ron said with a grimace. "I'm afraid my career is over, though. And Hermione's going to have to carry herself over the threshold!" he added with a chuckle. The men veered off into a discussion of the latest Quidditch standings, Harry and Draco rather pleased to be getting the inside scoop from Ron.
"Where are you guys living?" Hermione said, turning to Lindsay. "Oh, Malfoy Manor," she replied. "Been down to the dungeons yet?" Hermione asked. "I don't know if he told you, but I spent a pretty bad couple of days there once."
"Yes, actually Draco has told me all about his dark side career," the blond woman replied. "Personally, I think I'm hoping they don't ever let his parents out. He's a little more conflicted about his mother, I guess. I've never met the woman, so I guess I shouldn't comment."
"Narcissa cares very much about Draco," Hermione said. "She took a very great risk during the war so she could protect him. I don't know how much prison will change her. She was raised in such a strict, cold and uncaring environment, but underneath a hard exterior, I think there is woman who cares very much about family."
"Do you have any witching skills?" Ginny asked Lindsay curiously. "Not that I know of so far," replied the beautiful blond, "other than the apparent ability to bewitch Draco. He tells me that his falling for a 'muggleborn', as he calls me, is something unexpected and totally out of character for him."
"Well, I would say so!" exclaimed Hermione. "The man referred to me as 'Mudblood' for six years because my parents were both muggles."
"So, it is possible for a person born of non-magical parents to become a witch or wizard?" Lindsay asked.
"Yes," Ginny said, "but usually such a person shows some sort of latent magic ability as a child. School is really about learning how to control the talents you are born with. We don't often hear of someone learning to become a witch or wizard, but I suppose if a person had the talent and didn't know they had it, they could be taught to use it. Have you ever caused something to happen around you that you couldn't explain?"
"Oh, all the time," said Lindsay, "but nothing that would ever qualify as magic," she added with a big grin. "I'm a bit of a scatterbrain, and a bit accident prone. You remember, don't you Hermione?"
"Oh yeah! No question!" said Hermione. "Truth be told, I always wondered how someone as smart as you are, Harvard, Stanford, and all, could do some of those dumb things we did when we went partying. But then, I think of all the dumb things I did too, and I guess we're two of a kind. Draco spent a year trying to save my life, you know."
"We're all pretty lucky, all right," said Lindsay, looking around the table at the other couples. "It's all going to work out really well for all of us, isn't it?" she asked hopefully. "We're all the same age, all starting out married life and families. Do you think all our kids will grow up to be friends like us?"
June rushed at them. So much to do, and the time simply seemed to fly. Molly Weasley had been a perfectionist when her other children got married, and she certainly wasn't going to allow the last two to cut any corners. Of course, Harry and Hermione still had their jobs taking up some of their time, so the bulk of the work fell to Ron and Ginny. Harry finally sent Kreacher to the Burrow, and Kreacher got Winky and some of the other Hogwarts house elves to come help as soon as school was out.
One of the jobs was to decide on a cake flavor. Kreacher set out several choices. Some, such as boggle mint, didn't taste very good to humans. One or two, like bellybreath, were simply disgusting. Two of the magical flavors, sauternes and wistlepear, were actually surprisingly good. But in the end, they settled on an orange flavored cake and mocha icing. In a moment of inspiration, Ron suggested decorating it with Every Flavor Jellybeans, but fortunately, cooler heads prevailed.
More than a hundred people had come to Bill and Fluer's wedding, and the guest list for the double ceremony was far more extensive. The Weasleys set up a very large tent over the guest area, and enchanted it to expand as necessary, depending on the crowd and the weather. They also created a spell so that each time a person arrived at a place where there should be a seat, a comfortable chair would materialize.
Kreacher and Winky organized the reception banquet so that it could be handled the same way meals were prepared and served at school. At the appropriate time, they would move the tables and chairs around as needed, and then Arthur Weasley could simply fill the plates with a wave of his wand.
"I just love magic so much!" Harry exclaimed for about the ten-thousandth time since the day he turned eleven and learned he was a wizard.
Finally, it was the 14th, and if someone had told the wedding party that the weather had been specially enchanted just for them, it would have been easy to believe. While there was not a cloud in the deep blue sky, the temperature hovered at a most comfortable level from mid-morning to late evening.
Hermione and Ron had picked up her parents at the airport the day before, and her father had stayed the night with Harry and Ron at Grimmauld Place while her mother and she side-apparated to the Burrow. The girls would get ready there, while the men got dressed in London, and then apparated on later so they wouldn't accidentally see the brides before the wedding. When they arrived, the guests were already in their places, and Neville Longbottom and Oliver Wood, who were standing up for Harry and Ron, were already standing at the front. Mr. Granger went off to find Hermione.
"Well, here we go, mate," said Ron with a smile as guitar music started, and they turned to face the music. At the back, Luna and Cho led their best friends, and Mr. Weasley and Mr. Granger brought their daughters down the aisle. With big smiles, both handed their girls off to stand beside Harry and Ron, and they all turned to face Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Ministry official, who began a musical chant:
He is now to be among you
At the calling of your hearts
Rest assured this Troubadour is acting on His part
"I am here, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, to unite in marriage and magic two of the greatest couples in the recent history of our world.
Well, the union of your spirits here has caused Him to remain
For whenever two or more you are gathered in His name
There is love
There is love
"Insomuch as Harry and Ginny love one another, and Ron and Hermione love one another, it is our great pleasure to formalize their unions through ceremonies, chants and spells that are nearly as old as magic itself.
Well, a man shall leave his mother
And a woman leave her home
And they shall travel on to where the two shall be as one
"Who is it that gives these women to their intended husbands?"
"Her mother and I," answered Mr. Weasley and Mr. Granger, almost at the same time.
As it was in the beginning
It is now until the end
Woman draws her life from man
Then gives it back again
"Ever since human beings first walked on the Earth, there has been magic," Kingsley continued. "In the earliest times, men and women evolved who could control the forces of life and the physical world with little or no need for machines. And for as long as there have been men and magic, there as has been one important emotion."
There is love
There is love
"To bring order to society, to sanctify love, to promote the continuation of man as a species, we have formalized the commitment of a man and woman to one another through the sanctity of marriage."
Well then what's to be the reason
For becoming man and wife?
Is it love that brings you here
Or love that brings you life?
"Hermione Jean Granger, Ronald Bilius Weasley, what is the reason you have come together? Do you pledge your love to one another? Do you make the lifetime commitment to sacrifice self for each other? If so, please answer, 'I do'." And they did.
"Ginerva Molly Weasley, Harry James Potter, what is the reason you have come together? Do you pledge your love to one another? Do you make the lifetime commitment to sacrifice self for each other? If so, please answer, 'I do'." And they did.
Oh, if loving is the answer
Then who's the Giving Force?
"Many of us believe in different gods, in different spirits; many others believe it is simply the same life force recognized by many names. What is important, is that you believe in something. We believe that love is the answer, and you have now pledged your love to one another in unbreakable vows."
Do you believe in something
That you've never seen before?
There is love
There is love
"As you have pledged your love to one another, and committed yourselves to a lifetime of sacrifice and family before the Giving Force, under the authority of the Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce you gentlemen and your ladies to be husbands and wives. Ron and Harry, you may kiss your brides!"
Oh, the marriage of your spirits here has caused Him to remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name
There is love
There is love
There was wild applause. Music started. Dancing began. Friends and family celebrated long into the night, and this time the reception was not interrupted by anything. Harry held Ginny. Ron held Hermione. And there was love.
