Chapter 27

-the wedding-

Cassie was sitting outside the door to the therapists office, waiting for Harry.

They had finally found a therapist who actually had a theory as how to cure Harry of his mental illness.

Cassie had also been talking to the therapist, Dr. Tara Wood (a cousin of Oliver Wood), about the several traumatic experiences she had had in her young life.

Harry had been having sessions with Tara for two months now, and would continue through the school year.

The sound of the door opening broke through her thoughts and she looked up. Taras smiling face looked down at her.

Cassie stood up and smiled. "Hello Tara!"

Tara waved. "Hi!" She turned to Harry. "Now, remember to take the potion every morning and please don't forget to journal, it's important!"

Harry rolled his eyes and nodded. Cassie felt a wave of relief. Harry seemed to be getting better everyday.

Tara turned back to Cassie. "Hey, could I talk to you alone for a second?"

Cassie nodded and they went back into the office.

"Harry is making great progress, and I think we'll only have to have sessions for the rest of the year." Tara said cheerfully.

Cassie nodded. She could feel a 'however' coming.

She was right.

"However, your situation is quite different."

Cassie blinked. She hadn't been expecting the 'however' to be about herself.

Tara continued. "From what you've told me during our sessions, I can tell you're repressing emotions about your traumatic childhood."

Cassie almost laughed. "What? I know what happened in my childhood, Tara. I was disowned at ten years old and thrown into the streets."

"You have to come to terms with what happened. And also what happened last year."

Cassie rolled her eyes.

Tara pretended not to notice. "I've arranged for you to have sessions with me after Harry."

Cassie sighed and nodded.

Tara grinned. "It's for the best. Hey, how are wedding plans going?"

Cassie smiled. "Pretty well. Lily had so far avoided freaking out, but as the wedding isn't for a couple of years I'm not sure how she'll handle it."

Tara laughed. "Well, I better be invited. Has Cedric formally proposed yet?"

"Not yet. He wanted to surprise me."

They talked for a bit longer until Harry stuck his head in the door and told Cassie he would leave without her if she didn't hurry up.

The next day Cedric and Cassie went to Hogsmeade on a date.

They were greeted by teachers and fellow graduates, and were constantly pestered about the wedding.

Cassie dragged Cedric into the bookstore, and was searching the shelves when he tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned around and found him on one knee. She looked at him and tears filled her eyes.

"Cassandra Potter, I love you more then anything. We've been through a lot together, and I've loved you for every second of it." He paused and pulled a small box out of his pocket. "Will you-will you marry me?"

Cassie nodded and smiled. "Yes."

Cedric jumped up and hugged her. Cassie laughed and kissed him as hard as she possibly could.

They pulled away and Cedric slid the ring on to her finger. The diamonds glittered in the sunlight. Cassie looked up at him. "It's beautiful."

Cedric smiled. "You're even more beautiful."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "That was very cliche."

Cedric grinned. "I know."

She kissed him again and three minutes later the owner of the store spotted them and almost scolded them, but then saw the ring on Cassie's finger and decided to let it go.

Cassie and Cedric weren't going to teach until next year, but they still wanted jobs.

Cassie was hired at The Three Broomsticks by an elated Madam Rosmerta, who smiled every time she saw the diamond ring on Cassie's finger.

Cedric was taken on as an assistant manager at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley. He moved in with the twins and saw Cassie often.

Cassie lived in a small, cozy cottage in Hogsmeade, and studied advanced charms and transfiguration, as well as reading everything she could on magical history.

The year passed and Cassie grew closer to Madam Rosmerta, who had always liked Cassie, and who would definitely be invited to the wedding.

Harry was almost completely back to normal, besides the occasional twitch or nightmare.

Cassie and Harry talked for hours on the weekends.

"I feel like I lost an entire year of my life while I was sick." Harry stared at the wall. "I felt trapped. I wanted to end it all, Cassie. Ginny was the only thing that kept me going."

Cassie choked back tears. She had felt the exact same way once. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I felt the exact same way after.." her voice trailed away, unable to say her brothers name without crying.

Harry nodded. He knew what she was talking about. "Cassie, I know you still feel guilty about what happened to me, but I just want you to know that it's not your fault. I don't blame you at all."

Tears welled in Cassies eyes. Maybe Tara was right, maybe I am holding back emotions.

Harry's voice sounded tighter now, and his eyes glistened with tears. "You're like my sister Cassie. You've always been there. I love you."

Cassie couldn't keep the tears inside. Wet droplets rolled down her face and she looked up and realized that Harry was crying too.

He hugged her tightly and she wiped the tears away.

"Thank you Harry." She whispered in his ear.

"Thank you."

A year and a half later in March, Cassie moved back to the cottage in Godrics Hollow. Lily was taking some much needed time off to help plan the wedding.

Cassie and Cedric had talked about the basic things like where to hold the wedding, the wedding party, etc., but obviously they didn't have the entire thing planned.

They were holding the wedding in Hogsmeade, there was a beautiful park with a garden that would be in full bloom come the end of May.

The wedding party was easily decided, at least for Cassie. Hannah Abbott was the maid of honor, Minnie, Ginny, and Hermione were the other bridesmaids.

Cedric, however, had had a difficult decision as to which Weasley twin would be his best man.

Fred had made the argument that since he had been Cedrics 'most treasured' (after Cassie of course) for the second task in the Tri-Wizard Tournament he should obviously be the best man.

George used this same event in his argument, but said that since Fred had already been Cedrics 'most treasured' that it was his turn.

Cedric finally just asked Harry to be his best man, which resulted in Harry smugly accepting and holding it over the twins' heads for months.

Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were his other groomsman, and Lee teased them as much as he could about Harry being Cedrics best friend and not one of them.

The weeks passed and Cassie steadily became more and more nervous.

You'll be fine, you're almost twenty years old, for Merlins sake. She told herself. But that didn't help.

The week before the wedding, Cedric came to stay at the cottage, which stressed Cassie out even more.

My future husband is here and we're getting married in a week. Calm down, you've known each other for years. Hell, you've already slept together multiple times. At this thought she looked around guiltily as if someone might read her mind.

The day before the wedding, tension was high in the cottage. And surprisingly, it mostly came from Cassie.

Lily was doing her best to stay calm, for Cassie's (and everyone else's) sake.

Minnie was almost always chill, and Harry didn't necessarily care that much if there was something wrong with the decorations.

Cassie didn't sleep very well that night. She awoke early and crept to Cedrics room. He was also awake.

"Hey." She sat down next to him on the bed.

He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

Cassie laughed softly. "More nervous then before the first task, which included facing a dragon."

Cedric grinned. "I love you."

Cassie grinned back. "I love you too."

The wedding went very well, despite the fact that the twins spiked the punch so almost every one was at least a little drunk.

After dinner, Harry stood up and cleared his throat.

"Cedric, you've been a great friend. You've been my older brother. The first time I saw you and Cassie together, I knew you guys would fall in love. And being nine, I teased you guys for all it was worth. And I wanted to thank you for making me your best man." He looked pointedly at the twins, who scowled. Harry turned to Cassie. "When I first met Cassie, I was only eight years old. I didn't really know much about this strange girl that looked a lot like my mother. She was my cousin back then. Now, she's my sister. I know you and Cedric will be incredibly happy together. I love you guys."

Cassie and Cedric hugged Harry and the speeches continued.

Everyone else, even Lee, gave very heartfelt speeches, but the twins just couldn't bring themselves to not blow something up.

They both said some words of love, then set off a hundred fireworks, which Cassie and Cedric loved, but it also set every dog in Hogsmeade barking for five hours.

At three in the morning, Cedric and Cassie collapsed into the bed of the vacation home in Italy.

Cassie was so tired all she could do was kiss Cedric and go to sleep. She fell asleep in his arms.

Cedric watched her breath and kissed her hair, which smelled of flowers.

He fell asleep with his wife's hand in his, and her head on his shoulder.