The Wedding
Ginny winced as the shop assistant accidently poked her in the back with a needle. She was being tailored for the bridesmaid's dress – a light pink, kneelength dress with a high neckline and a thin gold sash, tied at her side and trailing half way down the skirt. It looked surprisingly good with her hair, especially as she had been convinced she would look awful. The other two bridesmaids, Hermione's cousin Miranda and Victoire, were also being tailored. Victoire was over the moon about being a bridesmaid again, and was smiling happily as her assistant measured her.
'There we go!' she said. 'The sweetest was the quickest!' Victoire hopped off the stool and said thank you politely to the assistant.
'Okay, Victoire, you go and sit down on the sofa next to your Mummy and Uncle Harry,' said Hermione, who was supervising. 'Once we're done with these two we'll move onto shoes.'
Miranda exchanged an exasperated look with Ginny. She looked very like Hermione, except her brown hair was straight instead of curly, and her eyes were a stormy grey. She had a younger brother, Joe, who was thirteen, and a page boy for the wedding. He had thick dark brown hair and grey eyes. At the moment he was perched on the arm of the sofa, engrossed in a Mariocart race.
'Okay, you're all done,' said the assistants finally a few minutes later. The group set off to the shoe section of the bridal floor, Joe trailing behind, still playing on his Nintendo.
It was a couple of months after the engagement, and they were planning the wedding. Ron and Hermione had decided on pink and pale gold as the colours, and were midway through doing the fittings.
'Okay, sit down, we'll do the hardest first!' said yet another shop assistant. Joe grinned and sat on the stool, reluctantly putting away the Nintendo.
'Can I just have plain black shoes?' he asked.
'With gold buckles!' cried Hermione. Joe and Teddy groaned in unison, much to the amusement of everyone else.
Finally the measurements and fittings were over, but then there were invitations and buying decorations and the marquee and food. The list was endless, and by the end Ron looked thoroughly exhausted.
'I just don't get it,' he said hoarsely to Harry as they took a break around the surrounding fields with a six pack of beer. 'What's wrong with a simple wedding?'
'At least you get to see her in her dress,' replied Harry. 'That was the highlight for me.'
'Frankly I'm not sure if it's worth it,' he said, cracking open a can. 'I mean, the preparations, sorting stuff out, Hermione being stressed.'
'You get loads of presents.'
'Now that makes it worth it!'
They laughed and chatted together before heading back inside to save Joe from being murdered by Miranda for messing up his shoes.
Finally the days past, and Hermione woke up with the sun shining into her room. It was a warm spring morning and perfect for the wedding. She sat bolt upright in bed, frantically pulling the covers off herself. She was sharing a room with Ginny in the Burrow, because she didn't want Ron to see her before the altar.
'Ginny, I'm getting married today!' she squealed. Ginny opened her eyes sleepily and smiled up at her.
'What?' she mumbled. 'Oh, yeah, you're getting married today!' she blinked and sat up. 'It's a lovely day!'
'I know, I'm so excited!' Hermione leapt out of bed grinning. There was a knock on the door and Lizzie and Miranda rushed in, giggling.
'Okay, we've got our make-up supplies too, and we can make Ginny's old room into a beauty place, and by the end you'll look like Aphrodite the goddess of beauty and love. Come on,' Miranda conjured one bed into a recliner chair, and the desk into a vanity table.
'Right, sit down Hermione,' said Lizzie. There was a knock on the door and Ginny opened it carefully. It was Molly Weasley, bearing a tray filled with an assortment of foods.
'Breakfast!' she cried, setting it down on the bedside table. 'Do remember to eat, your four.'
They decided that it would be more practical to do the bridesmaids first. They called Victoire in to put some lip-gloss on her, and then sat her down on the bed with her doll and some clothes. Ginny was next, and they put foundation on, mascara, gold eyeliner, some blusher and lipstick.
'Miranda!' giggled Lizzie, waving curling tongs. 'We want to try you out with curly hair!'
After much protesting, they managed to curl her hair, and but then decided it didn't look good, and straightened it again. The bridesmaids were to have their hair down, while Hermione would have it up, with intricate plaits and jewelled pins, and a few locks framing her face. Miranda had the same makeup as Ginny.
Lizzie did Hermione's hair, and Miranda and Ginny her face. Halfway through there was a knock on the door and they heard Ron's voice:
'Hey, you okay? Can I help at all –
'Get out!' cried all four women.
'Okay, okay!' they heard him say and waited until they heard his retreating footsteps.
'Phew, that was close!' said Miranda, applying some bronzing powder. 'Okay, I think you're nearly done, Hermione, we can get you into the dress now.'
Ron was nervously fiddling with his bowtie. He turned as Harry walked in.
'Harry, do you think I can do it? I mean, be a good husband? I was rubbish to her in our Hogwarts years, I – I,' he cried.
'Relax, Ron, you'll be a great husband and father!' said Harry, flicking his wand to make the bowtie tie itself.
'Thanks, but I just don't want to mess it up!'
'Ron, just think of the sunny beach and lingerie waiting for you, as well as all the love and stuff. Come on, you'll do great. Shall we go meet the guests?'
The wedding was beautiful, especially when Luna turned up with a baby girl in her arms.
'Her names Fiona,' said Luna, smiling. Xen grinned and ran off with Victoire and Teddy, once again.
After the reception Ron gathered Hermione up in his arms and carried her to the waiting limo. Ribbons and flowers were attached, as well as a sign reading: Just Married. Everyone watched them disappear into the sunset, before heading home.
Sorry it's so short, but I was feeling rubbish and wanted to get the chapter done by the evening. I promise the next will be longer!