Summary: Time to prepare for Hermione and Sirius' wedding, but an unexpected surprised has Sirius getting his wish of marrying Hermione sooner rather than later.
A/N: I sincerely hope you like this one. It was written in a bit of a rush to get HMS Sirimione over the finish line for the Funfair prompts, and while I was trying to balance work and renovating a house. Apologies for any errors. Happy reading, everyone!
Leaving You Breathless
Hermione stood in the middle of a bridal shop, her mother, Ginny, Luna, and Mrs Weasley already peering through the dresses hung up. She needed all the help she could get owing to the fact that she literally couldn't think of dress style she wanted.
'Do you at least know what colour scheme you would like?' Ginny asked, gently pulling out the skirt of a dress that seemed to have a lot of silk material to it.
'No,' Hermione said, sighing. She let her eyes keep moving over the dresses, nothing seemed to be catching her attention.
'What about flowers?' Luna asked, holding out a black mermaid style dress to her. Hermione shook her head to both the flower question and the dress.
'Hermione wasn't the kind of girl that planned her wedding growing up,' Mrs Granger said affectionately, moving to Hermione with a floaty grecian dress. She held it against Hermione and they both agreed it was a no.
'Ginny was the same,' Mrs Weasley added like neither daughter was present.
'Can't I just…' Hermione started, not sure she was in the right company to let this particular secret out. All the women, including the dress shop owner, who had been hovering until needed, turned to listen. Hermione pulled a pained expression as she said, 'Have it all picked for me and I turn up on the day and say my vows?'
The owner gasped, clutching her hand to her chest. Ginny sniggered. Mrs Weasley shared a look with Mrs Granger.
'It was bad enough at the Yule Ball…this is bigger,' Hermione said with another heavy sigh.
'Don't you worry,' the owner said quickly, moving to Hermione, 'I meet all kinds of brides. You're not the first to be overwhelmed. We'll get you through this.'
The women she'd brought dress shopping with her all agreed.
They started with colours, which may not have been the right place to start as Hermione admitted she wasn't tied to the idea of a white dress, or any shade of white, ivory, or cream.
'What about coral?' Mrs Weasley asked.
'Is that a pink?' Hermione asked.
The shop owner, Mary, swiftly held a lipstick before Hermione. 'Coral,' she said, pulling the lid off. Hermione must have unwittingly pulled a face. She snapped the lid back on. 'Not coral, ladies.'
Luna pulled out a bridesmaid dress, the silk a vibrant cyan colour. Hermione immediately shook her head, almost squinting at the brightness.
Mrs Granger was sat with a chart of colours and a pen, crossing off colours as Hermione shook her head at each one.
Ginny put a square patch of silk in indigo on her forearm, gazing at the colour against her skin. 'What about this one?' she asked.
Hermione stared hard at it, slapping Luna's hands away as she tried to hold a black lace ball gown against her. 'It's not a no, maybe something closer to that colour.'
'The baby will be here before you decide on a colour,' Ginny snapped.
A heavy silence descended on the shop. Even Mary stared at Ginny like she knew this news wasn't meant to be shared yet.
Ginny's face started to go red as she realised what she'd done, looking shiftily around at the women.
'Ginny?' Mrs Weasley said her name like she was putting all her questions into it.
'If this is a joke, I'll kill you,' Hermione said, a grin on her face.
'No,' she said quietly, fiddling with the indigo patch, 'it's really early days-'
There was an excited shriek from Mrs Weasley. 'A grandchild! Trust you to give me a grandchild before the boys!' she said, pulling her daughter into a tight hug.
'I can't breathe, Mum!' Ginny tapped on her back. Finally she let go of Ginny, who turned to Hermione. 'Look, I wasn't meant to tell you this way, but Harry and I were talking, and we'd like to get married before the baby comes.'
'Okay,' Hermione said in confusion, 'are you wanting to share the wedding day?'
'Merlin, no! Nothing that cheesy,' Ginny laughed, 'but we'd love it if you could get married sooner rather than later. Then we can get married before I start showing. We really don't want to take away from your day by racing to the altar before you.'
Mrs Weasley kept touching Ginny liked she was a piece of treasure she never wanted to lose. 'You're bothered about the gossipers?'
Ginny pulled a face. 'A little bit. It's more for Harry. Think he's had enough people talk about him over the years.'
'It doesn't matter what people think,' Luna said, picking up a patch of silk in a deep wine red from Mrs Granger's lap. She held it to Hermione.
Hermione eyed it up, moving to give Ginny a hug. 'We won't leave here until everything's decided. And you'll be pleased to know, I've found my colour,' she said happily, taking the patch off Luna.
'What about Sirius?' Ginny asked. 'Harry was going to try to talk to both of you, but I made a mess of that.'
'Don't worry about Sirius,' Hermione said, watching Mary start pulling out dresses, 'He literally said yesterday that he would get married on the roof of Hogwarts, naked, on the next full moon, if it meant we were married as soon as possible.'
'Charming,' Mrs Weasley grimaced.
XXXXXX
After the exhausting day of shopping, where Hermione actually came away having picked her dress, her bridesmaid dresses , and the flowers she would have, she went home and hauled Harry before Sirius in the kitchen.
'Tell your godfather, Harry,' Hermione said firmly, a small smirk playing on her lips.
Sirius put down the recipe he was looking at, taking his glasses off, to look at Harry, a look of concern flashing in his eyes.
'I can't believe Ginny told you,' Harry muttered before finally telling Sirius that he was to be a father.
Sirius was loud in his congratulations, and even louder on the agreement to getting married immediately.
'Really?' Harry said, looking to Hermione. She nodded eagerly. 'I know we don't have to be traditional about it, but I'm just not ready to give people another reason to gossip about me. Or Ginny.'
'Don't worry, son. We've got you,' Sirius said, hugging Harry for the eight time.
Which is how Hermione came to find herself sat at the kitchen table the next day with Sirius, going through different types of parchment for the invitations. They'd picked a date that was four weeks away, having had a turn of luck when the church in Godric's Hollow said it was free at the end of October due to a cancellation.
'What about this one?' Hermione held a yellow, flimsy, piece of parchment at him.
He gave her an affectionate look. 'I thought you liked details,' Sirius said with a mischievous look.
She gave him a scowl. 'My daddy told me, I should have better taste. Yet here I am marrying you!' She was up and out of the chair running out of the kitchen, laughing as Sirius chased after her.
XXXXXX
'I'm telling you, darling. I don't need dance lessons,' Sirius said, a hint of cockiness in his voice.
Hermione stared at him with a raised eyebrow. 'I never said they were for you,' she said.
'Got two left feet, have you?' Sirius played with one of her curls. She slapped his hand away.
'I just want to make sure I don't make a mistake on our first dance,' she said, turning to greet the dance instructor coming into the room.
'Merlin forbid you make a mistake, eh?' He gently pulled at her curl again. He got an elbow in the ribs for that.
'Started on the domestics already,' the instructor gave a nasal laugh at his own joke.
'Where's the fun if we don't,' Sirius said jovially, giving Hermione a wink.
'I'm Derek,' he said, holding out a limp hand to be kiss. Sirius grinned and acquiesced. This seemed to be win him favour with the instructor.
'You-' he pointed at Hermione with a sharp look, '-have a terrible slouch,' he said, before she had chance to introduce herself, walking around to stand behind her.
She started to turn, but he grabbed her shoulders, making her face Sirius, and pulled them back sharply. She scowled at Sirius when he pinched his lips between his teeth to stop himself from laughing at the way she was being manhandled.
'You have clearly danced before,' Derek said as a statement to Sirius over Hermione's head, holding her arms up. 'Tension, dear! Tension!'
Again, Sirius suppressed his laughter as he stepped towards Hermione, suddenly standing taller, straighter, and pulled her into the closed position.
'There's something I've never told anyone,' Sirius whispered in her ear while Derek went to put the music on. 'I used to spend summers going to Muggle ballroom lessons to wind my mother up.'
Before she could respond, Sirius started leading her gracefully across the room in a waltz a few beats after the music started. When the music came to an end, he twirled Hermione, making her feel like she'd known how to waltz all her life, and then dipped her, placing a light kiss on her lips before standing her upright again.
'Yeah,' Hermione said slowly, staring at Sirius like she was seeing him for the first time, 'we're not going to need the lesson after all.'
'But you've already…' he trailed off as they disappeared out of the door, giggling like a pair of teenagers. 'They'll definitely make it,' he said to himself with a small smile.
XXXXXX
Standing in the small entrance of the church, Hermione stood staring out into the village of Godric's Hollow, one hand holding her small bouquet of white and crimson anemone, the other fiddling with her wand in the pocket of her a-line dress. She'd gotten out of the car with her father and suddenly couldn't breathe for the nerves. It seemed to come out of nowhere. After the chaotic morning of getting ready, the calm in the car had given her time to think.
She swiftly sent her father in to let Sirius know she needed a minute and not to worry. Glancing at the closed doors over her shoulder, Hermione stepped out into the autumn breeze, the sun shining brightly, keeping her laced covered arms warm, and found herself walking around the building.
'Oh well! Don't you look like a true beauty?' an elderly voice said behind her.
Hermione turned in shock, the silk skirt of her dress swinging around her legs with the momentum. 'I didn't see you there!'
'No,' she said sadly, 'not many do. But I do love to come out for a good wedding.'
It was then Hermione noted the transparent look to her appearance, as well as the Victorian dress she was wearing. 'I'm sorry,' she said gently, 'I didn't mean to be rude.'
'No matter,' she waved her hand. She looked to the church. 'Not running away are you?'
Hermione shook her head quickly, even her racing heart hadn't slowed down in ten minutes. 'I wanted a chat with his best friend.' Hermione pointed to the grave she was on her way to.
'Oh, I remember them. Lovely couple. Had a baby, didn't they?'
'Yes,' Hermione smiled, 'he's my best friend.'
The woman's eyes widened with a knowing grin. 'Marrying an older gentleman, are you?'
Hermione laughed, feeling a little calmer as she did. 'I bet you didn't miss a thing when you were alive.'
She shrugged nonchalantly. 'It certainly kept my older husband on his toes,' she said.
'Hermione?' Sirius voice called from around the building.
'Over here,' she called back to him. Sirius appeared immediately, a deep frown in his features. 'Come meet…' She looked to the woman but she was gone. 'Oh!'
Sirius walked over to her and she took in his whole appearance, in his wine red, velvet jacket that stopped mid-thigh, the fastening off to the right. She wasn't sure she'd ever want to him to wear anything else. He'd even put on proper black, slim-fit, trousers after they'd argued the past week about him threatening to wear his jeans. He'd also made good on the shoe front by wearing polished boots with a neat gold buckle at the side.
Sirius stopped a foot away from her as he slowly took her in. Her dress was a simple silk number, floor-length, with the hint of a train on the skirt, and a lace overlay on the bodice with long sleeves and a deep v cut into the back of it. Her hair was in a loose French plait, allowing her curls to not be pulled back severely, and a couple of the same flowers as her bouquet pinned into the it.
A smile slowly appeared on Sirius' features. 'You look divine,' he said breathlessly. Then he looked to where he hand was still pointing to. 'Been talking to ghosts?'
'I have, actually,' Hermione said with a small laugh, dropping her hand. 'Didn't catch her name though.'
'Everything okay?'
She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. 'Got a bit nervous.'
'Me too,' he admitted, rubbing at his cheek, which was clean-shaven. It made him look so young.
'Don't laugh, but I was going to have a chat with James. Want to join me?'
Sirius looked to the grave, a moment of sadness in his eyes. 'Okay.'
Taking her hand, Sirius lead the way. Hermione felt a pressure in her chest when she read their names. She'd been here a few times over the last few years, but never had she become overwhelmed at the loss of them. It was almost like she could feel the loss Sirius must be feeling at not having his best friend by his side today.
'So James,' Hermione started quietly, feeling a bit self-conscious, 'I was wondering, if it's alright with you, that I married Sirius today?'
Sirius' hand tightened painfully around Hermione's. 'I miss them.'
'I know. They should be here.'
Turning to face her, tearing his eyes away from the grave. 'But you make me feel like you've rid me of my problems. Every last one of them. You fill that void they've left.'
'You're going to make me cry,' she said with a watery laugh, 'and you'll ruin all this work!' She pointed to her make-up. 'And in the spirit of being mushy, your capacity to love me and make me feel so wanted will never stop taking my breath away. I love you.'
Sirius grinned, cupping her face for a moment. 'If you're ready, I'd like to marry you now,' Sirius said, gently putting a curl that had come loose from the plait behind her ear, 'but I'll warn you, there might be a vow or two that'll have you sobbing.'
'With laughter?' She stepped back quickly before Sirius could react. 'We all know how you can say the wrong thing at the best of times.' If she wasn't wearing heels, she'd run looking at the dangerous look of mischief in his eyes.
'I'll have you know, Granger, I don't get words wrong.' Sirius caught her hand by taking one long stride towards her. She was expecting a world of trouble for her teasing, but he pulled her in for a kiss instead.
'Oi! That's meant to be done in there, you two!' Ginny called from across the graveyard, her grecian bridesmaid dress, in the same red as Sirius' jacket, was floating behind her with the wind. She looked powerful and ethereal all at once. 'Actually, wait there.' She came back with the photographer a minute later. 'Take a photo of them there, make sure you get that grave in it too.'
Sirius glanced back at James and Lily's grave, smiling. 'She's a bit angry with the hormones, but she has some good ideas that one,' he said, pulling Hermione close to him as they smiled at the camera.
After precisely three photos were taken, Ginny stopped the photographer. 'Come on! People are hungry- and by people, I mean me!'
An hour later Sirius and Hermione came out of the church to confetti being thrown over them, matching thin gold rings on their ring fingers. They were laughing, radiant with joy and love for each other, ready to face the world as a married couple.
Hogwarts Autumn Funfair Prompts
- Pumpkin patch stomp - I2 (object) liptstick
- Monster petting zoo - Pet Wyatt the Wendigo - (colour) Coral
- Halloween Sing-a-long - 15. (Dialogue) 'My daddy told me, I should have better taste.'
- Kiss/Marry/Kill - Marry 8. (Genre) Fluff
- Drive-in Halloween Movie - 11. Halloween - (dialogue) 'If this is a joke, I'll kill you.'
- Pumpkin Carving - Pumpkin design 19. Tombstone - (dialogue) 'I miss them.'
- Hot Air Balloons - 13. (Colour) Indigo
- Halloween Bingo Card - Indigo
- Wine Tasting - Sparkling Wine (titles) 4. Leaving You Breathless
- Horror Hunt - 12. (Object) Camera
- Trick or Treating - House One The Potters - 10. Goodie Bag - (action) Shopping
- Apple Bobbing - Apple 12. (Emotion) Indecisive
- Costume Party - Beauty and the Beast - 1. Beauty - (word) beauty
- Haunted House - 2. (Being) Ghost
- Leaf Picking - Orange/Emotions - 10. Nervous
- Corn Maze - I continue straight - (action) Dancing
- Spooky Playlist - 1. Thriller - Michael Jackson - (action) Dancing
October Writing Club
- Character Appreciation - 27. (Dialogue) 'I don't get words wrong.'
- Era - 18. Movie: Ghostbusters - Write about a ghost, or someone interacting with a ghost.
- Time Machine - 8. (Character) Molly Weasley
- Showtime - 15. Good Old Fashioned Wedding - (action) dancing
- Lizzy's Loft - 11. (Colour) Cyan
- Angel's Archive - 2. A Pirate - (word) Treasure
- Scamander's Case - 23. (Word) Vow
- Film festival - 12. (Colour) Black
- Marvel Appreciation - 3. Black Widow - (colour) Black
- Lyric Alley - 13. 'Rid me of my problems.'
- The Forecast Says…29th Sunny with Clouds - Love
- EnTitled - 4. The One with the Ballroom Dancing - (plot point) Learning to/practicing a dance.
Autumn Seasonal Prompts
- Days of the Year & Religious Events - 9th November: Chaos Never Dies Day - (word) Chaotic
- Chemistry Week (traits) - 11. Sodium - Surprised
- United Nations Day - 26. Bulgaria - (action) Dancing
Pops
- Movies - 12. Bilbo Baggins - (object) Ring
Stickers
- Catalonian Fireball Dragon - (item) Parchment
Word Count: 2729