Just a quick epilogue for you, sorry it's so short - enjoy!
Chapter 28 – Epilogue
23rd April 1999 dawned sunny and warm. The date had held a special place in Hermione's heart and she knew the day after Charlie had proposed she wanted to get married on the same day her parents had got married 22 years ago. Hermione rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. She was back in Ginny's old room having decided to spend the night before the big day at The Burrow and making Charlie stay with Bill at Shell Cottage. Today was the day. Today was the day Hermione became an official Weasley. You would never have thought that nine months ago she was mentally and physically abused almost to death. The recovery hadn't been smooth and whenever she felt she had made improvements something would happen and she would be back at step one. But she was getting there and it had now been 29 days since her last 'attack'.
Hermione barely had any time to reminisce the better days she had spent with Charlie the past 9 months before Ginny burst into the room levitating a tray topped with two plate of blueberry pancakes and steaming mugs of tea.
"So you finally decided to grace us with consciousness I see," the maid of honour said with a laugh.
"Ha bloody ha," Hermione said sitting up and gratefully accepting the food. Her appetite had only really returned in the past few months and she was only just beginning to put on some more weight and no longer look entirely of skin and bones.
"You know it's 11 o'clock already and the ceremony starts at 4:30. That gives us like five and half hours to get ready," Ginny said sitting down on the end of Hermione's bed and tucking into the other plate of pancakes.
"That's about five hours too long then," Hermione said grumpily. She still hadn't completely forgiven Ginny for how she had treated her on her wedding day and was not about to experience the same on her own wedding day.
"It's going to take longer than half and hour to just tame that mane," Ginny retorted. "I don't even know how I'm going to go about it."
"Surely you can just do what you've done in the past?" Hermione asked innocently. Ginny almost dropped her fork in shock.
"I can't do that, today it needs to be different and special." Hermione rolled her eyes but was finally able to agree to start getting ready in two hours.
Hermione decided to go for a walk to clear her head before the mania began. She was excited to get married. She loved Charlie and couldn't think of anyone else she would rather spend the rest of life with but there was a part of her that wished she wasn't getting married. She knew the sole reason she was getting married at such a young age was because of the ruddy law and not because she wanted to. She let out a sigh as she sat down on the bench in the clearing of the pear and apple trees Charlie had shown her so long ago. At least she was getting married to the man she loved and her only other consolation was that they would have got married sooner or later, it just happened to be a lot sooner than she would have wanted. As the warm breeze rustled the leaves above, Hermione lost herself in thoughts of how much her life had changed in the past 18 months.
"I thought you may have been here," a voice floated from near the trees. Hermione looked over and couldn't help but smile.
"You know me well then," she responded with a smirk as Fred walked over and sat down next to her. Hermione enjoyed having his company and simply sat there in silence.
"So how's the soon to be Mrs. Weasley feeling?" Fred finally asked peering over at Hermione.
"She's not too bad," Hermione responded a fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't even thought about becoming Mrs. Weasley, it was one of the few things that had simply slipped her mind about this entire marriage malarkey.
"Not too bad? Is that all she can say on her wedding day? Charlie will be distraught," Fred exclaimed, clasping his hands to his heart, but Hermione noticed the twinkle in his eye.
"Oh shut up," she said elbowing him in the ribs.
"Ow, no need to be like that missy," Fred said indignantly rubbing at his side. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No need to act like a prat then," she retaliated.
"That's my job though isn't it, to keep the mood light and be a prat," Fred said with a laugh.
"Fred. Shut up," Hermione said forcefully but with a laugh. For one Fred listened and sat there in quiet allowing Hermione drift back into her own thoughts once again appreciating the twin's company.
"Hermione?" Fred finally asked after a while.
"Hmm?" Hermione opened her eyes and looked over at the twin surprised to see an unreadable look on face.
"I know we talked about it right after the battle but I'm just not entirely sure you fully understand just how much you mean to me." Hermione's eyes widened in shock. No. He couldn't possibly be saying this. Not today of all days.
"No, Merlin no, I didn't mean it like that," Fred added hurriedly upon catching sight of Hermione's face. "I meant it was in…for…um…saving my life. I don't think I've been completely able to express my gratitude and now that you're moving on with Charlie I'm afraid I'm going to see you less and you're never going to fully appreciate just how thankful I am of you. You had no need to do what you did and I don't know what I would do without you. I just…I…thank you." Fred faded out his eyes brimming with tears. Hermione sat there speechless. This was the third time Fred had talked about it, the second on a drunken night out, and Hermione was beginning to realise just how much her actions had impacted the Weasley.
"I would do it again, for any of you Weasleys," she whispered and rested her head on his shoulder. Fred wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in tight so very glad that after everything she was still with them.
"I've been looking all over the place for you. It's already 1:15, we've got no time at all." Ginny's voice startled Hermione to sit up; she and Fred had clearly been sitting there for quite a while.
"Calm down, Ginny. We've got ages," Hermione said exasperatedly but nonetheless stood up not wanting to upset the fierce redhead any more.
"See you on the other side, Fred," she said giving him a smile, which he returned, before following her maid of honour back towards the house.
"Right so shower first, make sure you wash your hair and shave your legs. I'm going to get everything ready," Ginny said pushing Hermione into the bathroom a few minutes later and hurrying to her bedroom. Hermione groaned but got into the shower and let the hot water flow down her back, in a complete state of calm. She wasn't really that nervous at all. She didn't think what was happening would truly hit her until it was all over.
Hermione barely made it into Ginny's bedroom wrapped in a fluffy dressing gown before she was shoved, quite literally, onto a stool in the middle of the room and Ginny started attacking her hair with a brush.
"It's not going to work," Hermione almost sang to her best friend. "I can't remember the last time I brushed my hair when it hasn't had an entire bottle of Sleekeazy poured though it." Ginny gave up with a huff and promptly poured the potion into Hermione's hair. Within a few minutes it had calmed down and Ginny started fiddling around to fix her hair before moving on to painting her nails and finally doing her makeup.
Two and a half hours later Hermione found herself slipping on her wedding dress two and a half hours later, everything complete and ready to go with 40 minutes to spare before the ceremony.
"See Ginny, no need to rush. We could have started a good half and hour later," Hermione said as Ginny did up the many buttons on the back.
"But then we would have been rushing and no doubt something would have gone wrong," Ginny said exasperatedly. Hermione decided to ignore her and turned around to look at herself in the mirror. She let out a gasp of surprise upon catching sight of her reflection for the first time. Ginny had done a miraculous job with her hair. It was no longer bushy and unmanageable but sleek and let down in curls, an elegant and very complicated looking braid holding the top half off her face. Her makeup with simple and effective, not taking away from the dress. It was a relatively simple strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline with a beaded design on the bodice before flowing elegantly to the floor. Hermione smiled when she saw that the few remaining scars weren't noticeable thanks to Ginny and Mrs. Weasley.
"Not too shabby I guess," she muttered to herself. Ginny almost fainted at the comment.
"Not too shabby? Hermione shut up, you're drop dead gorgeous right now. I wouldn't be surprised if Charlie fainted right there and then when he first catches sight of you," Ginny said her voice loud and startled.
"I agree," a voice came from the doorway. Hermione turned around to see her other two bridesmaids, Luna and Angelina. They were both wearing their dresses, a deep purple in a similar design to hers but without the beading.
'You guys look pretty great too," Hermione said blushing a little bit. Angelina and Luna beamed at her. Hermione was beginning to feel the butterflies as she looked back to examine herself in the dress. It was all getting very real. There was just one thing missing. Ginny had been amazing, as had everything that Mrs. Weasley had done but a mother just couldn't be replaced on your wedding day. Hermione felt a lone tear trickle down her cheek.
"Here." Hermione looked round and saw Luna handing her a handkerchief.
"Thanks," she muttered, dabbing at her eyes.
"They would be so so proud of you right now," Luna whispered.
"I know, but it doesn't take away from the fact they're not here because of me," Hermione said sadly.
"Today's not the day to dwell on it. You've done everything you could have done to get them back but for now just know that they would be bursting with pride at how amazing their daughter had grown up to be." Hermione was shocked at so much sense being said by Luna but after remembering she had lost her mother at a young age it was something that only Luna would be able to understand.
"Thank you," Hermione said wrapped the girl in a hug. There was a knock on the door and Harry popped his head in.
"Wow, Hermione you look amazing. Molly's looking for you lot, something about flowers," he said with a shrug looking at Ginny, Angelina and Luna. With a slight groan each they all headed out of the room and downstairs.
"Can I come in?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded.
"Charlie's pretty darn lucky if you ask me," Harry said looking Hermione up and down causing her to blush. His face then turned serious and he beckoned for Hermione to sit next to him on the bed.
"Hermione, I don't want you to freak out or anything. I want you stay as calm as you can and…well…enjoy Charlie's early wedding present."
"I was meant to get him a wedding present?" Hermione asked shocked.
"Shush. You're missing the point. I'm going to give you some privacy. And just remember, try and stay calm," Harry said pressing a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room. Hermione sat there confused, what in Merlin's bead was going on? Fortunately, her question was answered a few moments later when the door opened and the two people she never thought she would see again were stood in the doorway. But she could only see them for a second before her eyes with filled with tears and everything was a blur.
"It's OK, love. No need to cry," a female voice said. Hermione felt the bed sink on either side of her and arms being wrapped around her. Hermione couldn't control her sobs as her whole body shook.
"What are you both doing here?" she finally asked after controlling herself.
"A certain fiancée came and got us and explained everything. Hermione we are so proud of you and everything you've done both for us and for everyone around you. You truly are the most spectacular woman I've had the pleasure of knowing," the woman said from Hermione's right.
"You're not angry with me?"
"How could we possibly be angry with you? You did what you had to do to protect us and we couldn't thank you enough," the man said astonished at how Hermione could possibly have thought they were angry. "But I do believe some people may be angry if we don't get you to the aisle…5 minutes ago." Hermione let out a shaky laugh.
"I've missed you," she said standing up. She pulled out her wand and waved it to sort out her makeup.
"We figured and we want to talk but we can't keep a certain man waiting for much longer," the woman said standing up and wrapping her arms around Hermione in a tight hug.
"He's quite the gentleman, we couldn't be happier," she whispered into Hermione's ear.
"I love you, mum. And I love you, dad," Hermione said turning to accept a hug from her father as well.
"We love you too, poppet," Mr. Granger said planting a kiss on top of his daughter's head. "Now let's go get you married so we can catch up with the past 20 months and get to know this charming husband of yours." Hermione let her father lead her out of the room and towards the marquee, where everyone was waiting for her. Her life was now complete, she couldn't be happier. She was about to marry the love of her life and her parents were back and a part of her life once more. Hermione's smile was the biggest of them all as she walked down the aisle holding onto her father's arm, ready to start the next chapter of her life.
(A/N thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who's stuck by me and read the entire story - it means so much how much attention this has got, especially being my first ever fan fiction! I hope you enjoyed it 3)
