Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my ideas. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Are you ready?"

Draco nodded, trying to stop himself from shaking. He looked in the mirror once more, smoothing down his ink black dress robes. Harry's hand clapped on his shoulder as Draco turned to him.

"Yes." Draco said, the nerves evident in his voice.

It was finally Draco and Hermione's wedding day. He was unbelievably nervous, even though he knew that he shouldn't be. It was Hermione: the one who truly knew him, loved him and respected him for who he was. She was the love of his life, and he couldn't wait to be her husband.

But, that didn't stop him from being nervous apparently.

He noticed that Harry was even nervous as he stared at him. Draco had - much to everyone's surprise - asked Harry to be his best man. The two had begun to get on quite well, everything evolving when Hermione had been in the hospital. Plus, he knew that Hermione wanted him to be in the wedding. Ginny was her maid of honour, so it was only fitting.

Harry and Ginny had gotten engaged a month ago, and Draco had noticed a smile on both of their faces every single time he saw them.

"Okay, good. But you need to calm down." Harry sighed, shaking his head.

Draco nodded absentmindedly as the two made their way to the head of the aisle, where he would wait for Hermione. The two were marrying at a small church in Hermione's home town. It had turned out that Hermione's father had taken a bad turn in his illness, and therefore Hermione wanted the wedding to be close to home so he could rest after.

"I am calm." Draco lied, even though he was practically jumping out of his skin.

Harry barked a sarcastic laugh and Draco glared at him. Harry nudged him forward and the two walked up the aisle to stand at the altar with Kingsley Shacklebolt - the new Minister for Magic who would be marrying them.

Only Hermione's closest relatives - the ones who knew she was a witch - were coming to the ceremony. That way they could have aspects of both a magical and Muggle ceremony.

Draco caught eyes with his Mother who sat in the front row next to two empty seats for Hermione's parents who were still with her. She beamed at him wholeheartedly and he smiled back at her, trying to stop the insane beating of his heart.

"Relax, seriously. It's just Hermione." Harry sighed.

"Exactly. It's Hermione." Draco whispered back.

. . .

"Are you ready?" Ginny asked, excitedly.

Hermione felt herself tremble with nerves as she nodded her head. She looked in the full-length mirror in front of her, taking in her astounding appearance. Her hair was smooth and curled, an intricate French braid holding back the front bits of her hair.

Her wedding dress was a bright, shimmering white: strapless with lace covering the bodice and a brown, thick band tied around the waist.

"Hermione, you look beautiful." her mother whispered.

Hermione smiled at her mother in the mirror. She was sitting behind Hermione on a rocking chair, holding seven month old baby Violet in her arms. Violet was gurgling happily in her grandmother's arms, and Hermione almost had tears in her eyes at the sight.

"You really do, darling." her dad whispered, placing a frail hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Thank you." Hermione answered softly, turning around to look at her dad.

His health was an ongoing battle, one that Hermione prayed everyday he wouldn't lose. He had insisted on walking Hermione down the aisle, or else Hermione knew he would be sitting down. He had to hold onto his energy while he still could.

"I think we're ready to start." Sophie said, poking her head into the room.

Hermione nodded shakily. Sophie walked in, Ella by her side clutching the hand of Ron.

"Ella, you are by far the prettiest girl in the room." Hermione said with a smile at her flower girl.

"No, not today Auntie Hermione." Ella giggled.

"I don't know, Hermione. I think Ella might have you beat." Ron joked, stepping into the room.

"Daddy, Auntie Hermione looks the prettiest!" Ella yelled happily.

Hermione watched as beams of joy radiated off of Ron's face. Not long after the first kiss between Sophie and Ron, Ron had come clean with Sophie about his feelings for her: about how in love he was with him, how he wanted to be with her and how he wanted to be Ella's father. Not too long after that, Sophie and Ron had sat Ella down, telling her that she would call Ron 'Dad' if she wanted to.

And she did.

Ron came over and pulled Hermione into a hug, kissing her cheek lightly as he did so. Hermione felt herself growing overwhelmingly happy as he did. She thought back to the beginning of her and Draco when he had called her a Mudblood.

How far they'd come since then.

"I can't believe my baby girl is getting married." her Mom said.

Hermione let go of Ron and beamed at her mother who was now standing. She reached forward, wanting to embrace her own daughter before she had to head down the aisle.

"Yes, well, we need to get a move on so she can actually get married on time." Mrs. Weasley said after smoothing down Ginny's dress.

"I know, I know." Hermione said, cradling Violet closely.

She bent down, kissing her daughter's forehead and letting Violet clutch her finger for a moment before passing her back into the arms of her Mother.

"Mummy loves you, baby girl." Hermione called out to Violet.

After a few quick goodbyes, Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Violet and Mrs. Granger headed out of the room, ready to take their seats.

"Right, well, let's get this show on the road. Are you ready, Hermione?" Ginny asked happily.

Hermione nodded, even though she was trembling. She was ready. She was more than ready to be Draco's wife.

Ella headed down the aisle first, throwing flower petals as she did so - white rose petals to be exact. Next was Sophie, who's eyes landed on Ron - a surprising groomsmen as he had Draco still had to struggle to get along - as he stood up at the altar with Draco and Harry. Then went Ginny, her engagement ring glittering in the sunlight that beamed through the windows. Hermione knew that her eyes fell upon Harry and only Harry.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" her dad whispered.

"Yeah, I am." Hermione answered, her voice small yet laced with happiness.

"Good."

The two approached the beginning of the aisle, Hermione's arm laced in her father's. At the sight of Draco in his dress robes, Hermione's nerves faded away. He was staring at her with such a love and intensity that Hermione was no longer nervous. A small smile grew upon his face, and Hermione watched as his eyes began to shine.

She had to refrain herself from sprinting up the aisle to him.

. . .

Draco was no longer nervous - at all. One look at Hermione in her astonishing wedding dress, and he had no reason to be nervous. It was Hermione - his Hermione - who was walking towards him. She was beaming radiantly, and Draco was sure that this was the second happiest he had ever seen her - right after when Violet had been born. His happiness level was the exact same.

As Hermione reached him, her father placed her hand in Draco, kissing her cheek.

"I love you, my girl." Mr. Granger whispered.

"I love you, too, Daddy." Hermione answered softly.

He stepped back, sitting down in the first aisle next to Mrs. Granger - who held Violet - and Narcissa. Draco caught eyes with Hermione, who was beaming at him.

"Hi, sweetheart." he whispered to her. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you."

The two stepped forward, clasping both hands together as they stood in front of Kingsley. He was dully aware of everyone in the room, but none of them mattered. The only person that mattered was Hermione and the fact that they were about to become husband and wife.

"Ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here to celebrate the bringing together of the souls of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy..." Kingsley started.

As Kingsley spoke, Draco never wavered eye contact with Hermione, never wanting to.

"And now I believe that the two have written something to say. Draco?" Kingsley announced some minutes later.

Draco nodded, taking in a deep breath. "Hermione, you have changed my life. You saved me in every way a person could be saved. You steered my life in the right direction. And when we first got together two years ago on this night, I knew that it had to be forever. You are my light, Hermione. You are everything I never knew I wanted and everything I absolutely need. You and our daughter have given me everything that I need in my life to be a happy, and good man. You hold yourself with such a grace and beauty that I am constantly in awe of you. I will spend the rest of my lifetime and a thousand after that loving you. Because you deserve it, my darling. You deserve the world. Hermione Granger, I love you so much."

He watched as a few happy tears slipped from Hermione's eyes. His voice had never wavered, as everything he had said was the absolute truth. She squeezed his hand tightly, and he smiled at her.

"Draco, when I first started seeing you in a different light... I was a mess. I had gone through something absolutely traumatic and... and you saved me from it. You saved me from myself. You are the only one who has ever truly known me, and loved me in-spite of everything. If you had told me five years ago that I would have had a child and been marrying you, I would have laughed. But now, I can't imagine my life any other way. You are my world, and I will do everything in my power to show you that I will love you to the end of time, because I do. I love you, Draco Malfoy." Hermione said softly.

It took everything Draco had not to kiss her right then and there.

. . .

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, do you take Hermione Jean Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as you both shall live?" Kingsley said softly.

"I do." Draco answered instantly, squeezing Hermione's hands tightly as he smiled.

"And do you, Hermione Jean Granger, take Draco Lucius Malfoy to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as you both shall live?" Kingsley asked.

"I do." Hermione answered breathlessly.

They dropped hands, both knowing what was coming next. Hermione turned to Ginny who passed her Draco's gold wedding ring. She held it in her right hand as Draco turned back to her, catching sight of her own golden wedding band glittering with diamonds in his fingers.

"With this ring, I thee wed." Draco whispered, slipping the ring onto Hermione's finger.

She stared at it, practically breathless with her happiness. Repeating the same action with Draco, she spoke the words. "With this ring, I thee wed."

The two joined hands once more, and Kingsley pulled out his wand, pointing it at their hands. A golden strand of light wound around their rings before joining their hands. The light wove itself around each of their fingers and their wrists and Hermione smiled excitedly as she felt a sudden warmth fill her up. As the light vanished, the warmth stayed, and she knew it would forever.

"I now declare you two bonded for life in love." Kingsley announced. "You may now kiss the bride."

Hermione felt continual tears of joy rushing down her face. They were married - they were really married. She stepped towards Draco, who's expressions she was sure matched her own.

"Thank God." Draco mumbled, capturing her lips in his.

As they kissed, Hermione felt every ounce of her happiness radiate through it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling a rush of pleasure as he gently placed his own on her waist. Their kiss was one of the sweetest Hermione knew they had ever shared.

They reluctantly pulled away from one another, looking out at their guests who were clapping. The two walked down the aisle hand-in-hand and smiling, just as they should be for the rest of time.

Author's Note: well, a chapter I think we've all been waiting for. I hope I did it justice. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! xx