While all six of Ginny Weasley's older brothers had spent months making jokes about their sister having the wedding of the century, Hermione Granger knew it would easily be the wedding of the millenia. The end of September had arrived before she knew it, and now tomorrow her two best friends would be getting married. Ginny and Hermione were unlikely friends, with very different personalities and interests. But summer after summer the girls had grown up together and shared such a strong bond that no one questioned their friendship anymore. And Harry was the closest thing Hermione had to family. The two had bonded quickly at Hogwarts, and while Harry was emotionally unavailable for most of their teen years, as the two had no family of their own, they understood each other in a way that Ron and Ginny never did. Often the two would step into another room during family gatherings. The two needed some air, as they were never used to all the love that went around in the Weasley family. As the years had gone on, it happened less and less, but the two still often met each other's gaze when especially family oriented things were happening.
Now, the night before Harry and Ginny were to get married, which incidentally was the culmination of one of Hermione's biggest projects ever, the two young witches were spending the night in Ginny's childhood bedroom. Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville were all spending the night at Grimmauld Place, and the various Weasley brothers were at their own homes with their own partners. Hermione had made the groom swear on his life that he and the boys wouldn't trash the house that the two of them along with Ron and Ginny had spent so much time turning into a perfect place for the newlyweds to live.
It had taken months for the four of them to figure out all the magic that had turned the Black house into the epicenter of pureblood society. Walburga Black would be livid at what her home had turned into, and of course Harry was sure that Sirius would be thrilled. It was almost unrecognizable, what with the portrait of Mrs. Black finally being removed from the walls and the tapestry with all the scorch marks finally meeting its end in the firepit out back of The Burrow. The dust and cobwebs had been cleaned, and the seemingly endless rooms had been tidied and remodeled.
"Is Ron excited to get the flat to himself?"
"Hermione, you have no idea. Although I think Hannah is most excited. I know she doesn't mind spending time with all of us but I think she really does want Ron to have his own space so he can maybe think about getting a little more serious."
Hermione had been so caught up in work, weddings, and tending to her relationship with Fred, she hadn't been spending as much time with Ron as she usually did. Aside from the off lunch with her two best friends and Arthur, she hadn't spent enough time with her oldest friends. She silently made a commitment to make more plans with them.
"Are you excited to finally get married?"
"I know nothing really changes, you know? Well, except for my last name. And I can finally stop sneaking around and spending the night with Harry and having to come home at stupidly early hours. We've been together for so long, and this is just reminding everyone of our commitment to each other. It'll be nice to remind everyone that we're actually serious about each other, even though we've been dating for practically an eon."
"I can't really empathize with that, Fred just sort of moved in and your Mum had a conniption about it. I think she's over it now, though."
"She definitely is not over it, Hermione. She wants you two to get married SO BAD but I think Fred told her to leave it alone or he'd never ask you. Which is exactly something he'd do, and you and I both know it. So does Mum."
"He said something similar to me. Are you bringing anything even a little bit warm for this trip, just in case?" All of the preparations for the wedding had been finished days ago, and tomorrow's schedule was ready to go. The girls had to get ready with Luna, and show up to the venue to get Ginny married. In true Ginny fashion, packing for her honeymoon was left until the last possible second. Hermione was folding clothes while Ginny stuffed various pieces of lingerie into her bag. The couple would be spending two weeks in Rome, with no responsibilities. Hermione had convinced them to take two weeks because they would never have this time in their lives again, so it was worth the time off.
"It's Rome in September, how cold can it be?"
"It's not that cold, but I'm throwing in a sweater and some long pants just in case. Worst case scenario, you wear one of those ridiculous pieces of lingerie over a pair of jeans and just make people's eyeballs fall out of their heads."
"I know you were joking but that's actually a good idea."
"Maybe I'll steal my own idea next time Fred and I go out."
"Ew gross, Hermione! I know we're best friends but gross! Your boyfriend also happens to be my brother."
"Ginny, this is why I never wanted to tell you I was dating your brother." The two witches laughed as a light knock tapped on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Just me!" Molly Weasley's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Oh, come in Mum! We're just packing." Molly walked in with a tray, although you couldn't see much of it. The plate was stacked precariously high with biscuits, and three mugs of warm milk were shoved in as best as they could fit.
"I'm not staying long! I'm just bringing a nightcap and a snack for you ladies. We all really should be asleep. Your father, on the other hand, is already snoring the night away. I was always jealous of the way he could just fall asleep anywhere." Molly smiled fondly thinking of one of her husband's least known talents.
"Mum, sit, tell us the story of your wedding day again." Ginny wasn't usually the type to be sentimental, but her mother certainly was. The two young women listened to the elder Weasley tell them all about the simplicity of her wedding day, and how excited she was to marry Arthur Weasley when they had just graduated Hogwarts. She recalled all the details about the flowers and the food and the people like it was yesterday, even though it had been decades ago.
"And we all know that Bill was our souvenir from the honeymoon, but I'm telling you now, you do not need to be in a rush for babies. Hermione, this applies to you too!" Hermione blushed a faint pink, knowing that she'd be getting this advice even if she wasn't dating one of Molly's many sons. "Victoire, Dominique, and Teddy are just wonderful gifts in my life and are the best reward for surviving two Wizarding Wars. I know you two will both be excellent mothers, but have babies when you're ready to have babies. Even if you think I'm pressuring you two to have babies, just do it when you're ready."
"Thank you, Molly. That really means a lot." And it did. Hermione never knew exactly what Molly was thinking in regards to her and her relationship with Fred, but having the maternal support meant so much to her. Especially that her parents were still lost in Australia somewhere. "Do you have any last minute advice for the bride?"
"I think she's more than ready to be an excellent wife to the Harry Potter. We've waited so long for this day, and now it's finally here. Just enjoy tomorrow, sweetheart. It's the first day of the rest of your life together."
"Thank you, Mum. I love you."
"I love you too, dear. Now go to bed, both of you! Luna will be here before you know it."
The three exchanged goodnight pleasantries and Molly Weasley left with a much lighter tray as the young women made quick work of Ginny's luggage. The two crawled into their beds, and nearly immediately fell asleep, heads full of excited thoughts about a wedding tomorrow.