The Circumstances of Crossing Paths
a/n: Dear god, it has been a long time, hasn't it? I'm sorry I haven't updated this story in almost a year. I got distracted and lazy. I'm not very good at this, as most of you probably know. Go ahead and hate me, but I promise you I will finish this. I'm not too sure how many chapters I'll have left, but I'll wrap it up nicely. If you haven't seen, I have a new Dramione story out called What Lies Beyond the Garden Fence. Hopefully I won't forget about it like I did this one.
Also, anyone that's reading this for the first time, I apologize profusely for misspellings and grammar errors throughout. I try my best, but I've never had a beta and I despise proofreading. I also apologize for some plot inconsistencies. Again, I don't always proofread, and I never really wrote down a timeline or map for this story. I was pretty much just making it up as I go along.
But, seriously. Thank you everyone for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing this story. Thank you for even clicking on it. I have over 50,000 hits! Even though I haven't updated in a year, people are still reading! I appreciate that more than anything, really.
Enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 21:
Hermione woke to the sound of a bird tapping on her window. Ginny was gone, she had sneaked out in the middle of the night to stay with Harry. She opened the window to let the small bird in. It had a letter tied to its foot. She unrolled it, and recognized the script immediately.
'Mione,
I can't wait to marry you. I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle in your dress. I can't wait to kiss you as my wife, I can't wait to begin our life together.
I'll see you soon.
I love you,
Fred
She smiled, a small tear rolling down her cheek. The only thing that would make the day more perfect was if her parents were there. But they were in Australia with their memories erased and she didn't even know how to begin to search for them.
She sighed, blew her nose, and then walked into the bathroom to get ready for her wedding.
Her wedding.
She was terrified of everything that might go wrong, but she also knew that when she was with Fred, everything felt right. Everything felt the way that it should be. She didn't need a man to complete her, she was complete on her own. But having someone next to you that you genuinely love and will be with for the rest of your life is a nice feeling. More than nice. Everyone deserves to be loved.
She sank into the warm bubble bath, making a conscious note not to fall asleep this time, and closed her eyes. She sighed and opened them again a few minutes later when there was a rap on the door.
Ginny's voice rang out from the other side, "Hermione Granger, today is your wedding day, and I have come to make you more beautiful than a veela. Not that you aren't already that beautiful, I'm just here to accentuate it."
She smiled, getting out of the tub and toweling herself down. She unlocked the door with a wave of her wand, and Ginny stepped in.
"Hi, 'Mione." She tossed her a bottle of Silvia Santerworth's Hair-bee-gone honey-infused hair removing potion. "Get to work."
Hermione wrapped the towel around her torso and turned the bath water back on, wetting her legs before spreading a thin layer of the potion on them. She sat back and waited for the potion to set. Ginny came behind her with a comb and a few other bottles of potion, rings of elastics, and boxes of clips.
"Hey, Hermione, I don't want this to sound weird, but have your breasts gotten bigger?"
Hermione looked down and cupped them in her hands. "I don't think so; they look like the same size. I had to buy a new bra a few weeks ago, though."
"I bet Fred likes that." Ginny added, sarcastically.
"Yes, he does." Hermione replied, a small smirk on her lips.
"Ew."
Hermione waved her wand, clearing the potion from her legs and leaving them as smooth as a baby's bottom.
"Good." Ginny commented, twisting Hermione's hair and pinning it into place. "Hair's done. Now onto make up. Where's your dress?"
"In the wardrobe."
"I'll get it."
Ginny unzipped the garment bag that held Hermione's wedding dress and squealed. "Oh, It's perfect."
She began to cry a little.
"Gin, why are you crying?"
"Because now you're really going to be my sister. And I'm so excited."
"You're a sap." Hermione pulled her dress on and motioned for Ginny to zip it.
"Yeah, but so are you." She giggled, hugging Hermione tightly. "Okay, time for makeup."
Ginny worked on her for a little over a half hour and when she was done Hermione thought that she looked stunning. Her eyes had definition, her lips were plump and red, and her skin looked flawless and airbrushed.
"I'd say you must be a wizard.."
"I'll take that as a "thank you so much, Ginny, I owe you my firstborn.""
"Who said anything about my firstborn? Get your own!"
"Harry and I are trying, okay." Ginny admitted.
"Are you really?" Hermione looked at her best friend in shock.
"Yes. I think I'm ready to be a mother. We decided that if we do have one soon, he'll stay home and take care of her or him. He's had enough excitement for a few years. He wants to relax before he joins the Auror program."
"He's had enough excitement for six lifetimes over."
"He doesn't think so. He thinks he can do more good in the world. Personally, I think he's an idiot. But that's Harry."
Hermione laughed as Ginny put on the final touches to her hair and put on her veil.
"There." She sighed. "Hermione, you're glowing."
Outside the boys had finished setting up for the last wedding. Fred was fidgeting nervously by the altar, and George was rubbing his shoulders like he was getting ready for a boxing match. Mrs. Weasley was fluttering around nervously; making sure everything was in order. Everyone was seated, and the wedding march began to play.
The back door opened and Hermione stepped out, led by Ginny. She stopped short when she got to the bottom of the steps, however, because she saw something out of the corner of her eye that couldn't possibly be there.
A man in a black suit and a red tie was standing at the edge of the aisle, waiting for her. He looked older than when she had seen him last, and a little more grey. He smiled when she looked at him, and tears began to well up in his eyes.
She walked over to him, slowly, and put her hand on his chest. "Are you really here? I'm not hallucinating?"
"No, you're not." The man replied, taking her hand and kissing it before pulling her into a crushing hug. "I've missed you so much, Hermione, dear. And now you're getting married!"
Hermione felt tears stream down her cheeks as she hugged him, her father. He took her hand and asked her "Shall we?" before leading her down the aisle.
They walked together, Hermione feeling like she was in a dream. Fred was waiting for her, and when her father let go of her hand and sat in the front row with Mrs. Weasley, she saw her mother dressed to the nines and beaming, as beautiful as ever.
Fred took Hermione's hands in his and looked into her deep brown eyes. The Ministry Wizard began the ceremony, asked anyone if they had any objections etc. and then asked for the vows to be read. Fred went first.
"Hermione Jean, I thought you were beautiful from the very first second I saw you. Granted, it was a little weird for me because you were 11." The crowd laughed. "I never thought I would have a chance with you, and hell, I never even thought about it too seriously. I always thought you were interested in someone else, and that you were way out of my league. I always reckoned that you thought I wasn't serious about my studies and that I wasn't good for you. But I was so wrong. The only regret I have is that I didn't get to know you sooner. I guess we can almost thank the Ministry, even though this law is ridiculous, for bringing us together. I probably never would have had this chance to tell you how much I love you and to take your hand in marriage if it wasn't for them. So in a sort of way," he nodded at the Ministry Wizard, "thank you, sir."
The crowd laughed and the Wizard nodded to her that it was her turn.
"I'm scared." She began. "I'm scared of this whole thing, because I'm so young and this is not at all what I had planned. But I guess, I have to admit, that not following a plan can be a good thing, sometimes. I probably never would have realized what a perfect match we are I we hadn't been thrown together. I always knew what an intelligent and remarkable wizard you were. I didn't know what a caring and loving person you could be. And now I do, and I would never take anything that has happened over the past few months back. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Fred sniffled a bit, and the Ministry Wizard gave them the rings. They said their "I Dos" and kissed to an uproarious cheer. The entire Weasley clan and Hermione's parents were blubbering.
The sun was high in the sky when they began the celebration for Hermione and Fred, and it didn't stop until very late in the evening. Some time after their first dance, Fred guided Hermione off into the garden and to the pond where they swam together so many months before.
Hermione took off her dress, placing a charm on it so it wouldn't get dirty, and then her undergarments before gliding into the water. She let the mud squish between her toes as the water lapped against her calves.
She heard Fred wade in, and he came behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"You look so beautiful."
She turned her head, kissing his jaw. "So do you."
He laughed, pressing his body flush against hers.
"Hermione, you're my wife." He said, as if it was crazy for it to actually be true.
"Yes," she said, turning around and kissing his cheek. "And you're my husband."
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, pulling her deeper into the water, under the bright winter moon.
A/n: Holy shit! What an update! How do you guys feel? Do you still hate me? If so, feel free to hate me. But I'm trying. Please leave reviews! Like and follow this story, it isn't over, yet! Follow me on tumblr: stiiles— .com or on twitter dracos_snitch. Send me all your input! I look forward to finishing this up. Thank you all so much for making this story happen.