Chapter 8

Saturday was a beautiful day. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, it was perfectly warm with a sweet breeze to keep it from getting sweltering. It was in essence the perfect day for a wedding.

Nymphadora Tonks was not a girly girl, she never really dreamed of her wedding day when she was little, there were no grand visions of poofy white dresses or expensive black dress robes. She never played with dolls making them kiss at the altar.

Remus Lupin had had a very difficult life, he had been ostracized and excluded most of his life. He'd never felt worthy of having another person love him, let alone want to spend the rest of their life with him. He knew what he was, he was a monster, repulsive. Suffice to say, there would be no large crowds, no fanfare, not even an announcement in the Daily Profit. There were only five people who even knew a wedding was going to take place. And yet it was perfect in every aspect.

The ceremony was to take place at the home of Kingsley Shacklebolt. He was ordained to perform the ceremony and the couple wanted someone they trusted to officiate.

Charlie knocked on the bedroom door softly.

"If that's you Remus Lupin, get the hell back downstairs! You can't see me yet!" Came Tonks' answer.

"It's me, you lunatic," Charlie said as he pushed the door open. "Wow Dor, you're beautiful. Quite a stunner! Hermione, you look lovely also."

"Thank you Charlie, you're quite dashing as well. I'll give you two a few minutes, I supposed we'll be starting soon? Oh and have you talked to your mum?" Hermione said as she made her way to the door.

"Yes, she's ready for an army I'm sure, hopefully she's too happy for these two she won't throttle me," Charlie said with a wink. He had owled Mrs. Weasley a few days ago that he would be home for a couple days and told her he had an announcement to make. He knew his mum would think he was engaged to some Romanian witch or something but they needed an excuse for a party. They were planning on telling everyone about the wedding then, the less people who knew beforehand the better.

"Remus is down in the sitting room walking circles into the carpet," Charlie whispered to Hermione as she passed. She smiled and winked at him, telling him she'd take care of it.

"You gonna say anything or you just gonna vomit here all over the floor?" Charlie asked as he sat down on the armchair and crossed his legs casually.

"Sod off, you git," Tonks said taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Her hair was flashing a rainbow of colors at the moment.

"Come here and sit down, I haven't seen you this worked up since fifth year, when your mum sent that howler for getting caught in the broom cupboard with Bobby Denver," Charlie said with a smile.

"I don't want him to regret marrying me. I don't want him to think it's a mistake. I love him so much, but what if it's just the war that's making him say yes?" Tonks said lightning fast, looking with big eyes at her best friend.

"Alright, I'm going to say this one time and one time only, so listen close. You are an incredible woman, you're smart and brave, and the funniest fucking bird I've ever met. You are beautiful and so strong. You deserve to be happy, Remus makes you happy. It's really just that simple. Dor, he's not going to regret getting married to you. I've watched the way he looks at you. He's mad for you. You two belong together. Now stand up, decide what bloody color your hair is gonna be and get ready to marry that great big werewolf of a man."

"Thank you so much for being here, I don't know that I could make it without you. You really are my best friend, you bloody woman," Tonks said and took one final deep calming breath, set her shoulders and turned her hair pink. She was ready to go.

…..

"You know, if you don't stop running your hands through your hair, it all going to fall out," Hermione said from the doorway as she watched Remus make a few laps around the room.

"Hermione, dear, I need you to do me a favor," Remus said stopping short.

"Anything Professor," She said as she sat on the sofa.

"Make that two, I'd like very much for you to call me Remus. I feel we have always connected on much more equal ground. Since the day we've met you've impressed me with your maturity and intellect. Thank you for standing with me today. I feel we have quite a lot between us," Remus said as he sat facing her on the couch.

"Thank you very much Remus, and I quite agree. You've been there for me in some very difficult times, and I you as well, I think. Now what was the second favor?"

"Tell me it's alright to be so selfish. I'm putting her in danger by marrying her you know. But I just love her so much," He said sadly.

"You know, this reminds me a lot of the situation that Harry is in. Please tell me if I'm mistaken, but Harry has been in love with Ginny for quite a while now, they both finally wised up and started seeing each other. Then Harry, being Harry felt he was putting Ginny in danger by being with him. He broke up with her. Now, they are both miserable, no matter how hard they think they hide it.

My point, Remus, is that you can not let anything but your feelings dictate your actions. It's dangerous for everyone right now. But you need to show them; the bigots, the ignorant, that love beats everything. You're lucky to have found love, to have found someone to love you back, don't fight it."

"It's been said many times before, but you truly are the brightest witch of your age. Thank you for setting an old man straight," Remus said kissing her hand.

"Well, I'm glad someone got through to you. I was very much worried for the state of my carpet, there was sure to be a hole paced into it. Now if you two would follow me, we can get this started," Kingsley's deep voice startled the pair and they made their way to the backyard.

"Might I ask one last favor?" Remus said as the two were standing up front waiting for Dora and Charlie.

"Okay, now you're getting greedy," Hermione chuckled.

"Indeed, however, I just ask that you learn one last lesson from me. When you find yourself facing love, don't fight it. Embrace it, experience it, live it," Remus said quite seriously.

"I think you just wrote my speech for me," Hermione said with a wink. "I promise, I won't fight it, if it ever happens of course."

"I believe you will find love exactly when you aren't looking. That always seems to be the way of it. Now if I'm not mistaken I believe my wife to be will be stumbling down those stairs momentarily," Remus said with a smile.

As if on cue there was a small thump and curse heard from the small house. Kingsley made his way to the altar, transfiguring a few fallen tree branches into a harp and charming it to play soft music.

It was a picture of simplicity. Kingsley in deep purple robes standing with Remus in his best, least patched brown robes, Hermione was standing just next to Remus is a pretty soft pink sundress. They stood facing the house where in just a moment Charlie would escort Dora down a makeshift path to a makeshift altar.

The door opened and Remus stopped breathing for a moment, until Hermione gently squeezed his arm. Charlie was dressed as simply as everyone else in a white button down shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off some fairly new burns and a pair of dragon hide pants. It was Dora, however, that every eye was on. She was always a pretty witch, but today she was exquisite. Her dress was a light gray sheath dress with a silver lace overlay, it was knee length with cap sleeves. Her hair was longer than usual and her signature bubblegum pink. She had large curls cascading down her back, it was half up with elaborate braids on either side of her head- thanks to Ginny teaching Hermione a few hair charms- there was baby's breath and small white bud roses woven into the braids as well. She carried a small bouquet of white and pink roses. Nymphadora Tonks was quite literally breathtaking.

Charlie and Dora made their way down the aisle to the altar. With a brilliant smile, Dora hugged her best friend, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and turned to her soon to be husband. She took his hand as Kingsley started the ceremony.

"Marriage is an incredible bond. It is all encompassing and unbreakable. When two people wed they become one, emotionally, spiritually and magically," Kingsley said. "Please, Remus take Dora's left hand in yours."

Remus did as instructed as Kingsley tapped his wand on their connected hands, causing a silver ribbon to wrap itself around their connected hands.

"This ribbon signifies the fragility of the bond of trust, you must work hard to never break it." He tapped their hands a second time and a thick white rope surrounded their hands as the ribbon had. "This rope signifies the bond of love, harder to break, but still possible, use your trust of each other to keep it intact." He tapped their hands a third and final time and a rod of pure iron wrapped around the hands with the ribbon and rope, hardening as it settled around the connected hands. "This iron signifies the bond of marriage, with trust and love this bond will be unbreakable and last forever. Now, Dora, do you swear an oath to love, honor and trust Remus from now until eternity?"

"I swear it," Dora said with all the emotion in her.

"Remus, do you swear an oath to love, honor, and trust Dora from now until eternity?" Kingsley asked turning to Remus.

"I swear it," Remus said matching Dora's emotion.

"Very well, then by the power entrusted me by the ancient magics I bind you now as husband and wife." As he said this he tapped the intwined bindings around the newly married couple's hands and a brilliant golden light emanated from it, slowly morphing from one binding to two golden rings on each of their left ring fingers. "You can kiss your bride now," Kingsley said with a deep chuckle.

There was a loud whoop from Charlie and a soft sob from Hermione as Remus Lupin kissed his beautiful wife. It was later said that you could feel the love radiating off of the couple.

….

Molly Weasley had outdone herself, she was told that Charlie wanted to have a small party to make an announcement, just the family and a few Order members that they could trust. This request was met with gusto, there were so few reasons to celebrate any more that Molly jumped at any chance she could get. She absolutely loved entertaining and she was good at it.

So right at one o'clock in the afternoon she had everything ready, enough food to feed a small army, which would be necessary as all of the Weasley children, save Percy, would be in attendance. Also in attendance were Minerva, Hagrid, Luna, Mad-Eye, and Kingsley had just arrived. All they were waiting for was Remus, Tonks and Hermione, and of course Charlie and his big announcement.

The garden was decorated nicely with small tables set up here and there rather than the usual long single table they usually used. The Quidditch pitch was all ready to go, seeing as how anytime this lot all got together there was bound to be a pick up game.

Molly was just putting out the food with Ginny, Fleur and Luna's help when she saw Charlie and Hermione walk out to the back. Fred also saw them walking together from up in the air, as he, George and Ginny were throwing a quaffle back and forth to each other. Charlie and Hermione were walking arm in arm with big happy smiles and Fred didn't like it at all. Before he knew what he was doing he swooped quickly down to the pair.

"Fred! Perfect, just the one I needed to talk to! Come with me quickly," Hermione said as she let go of Charlie's arm and hugged Fred in greeting.

"Yes, you two take care of that, and I'll stall... you have twenty minutes tops!" Charlie said, making his way to Ginny, knowing she would help him with a distraction.

"Do you have any wild-fire wizbangs here or are they all at your Aunt Muriel's?" Hermione asked as she started steered him towards the house.

"I think we have a few boxes stored up in our old bedroom, lets go look. Care to share why you're in need?" Fred asked with a smile, his temper leaving as quickly as it had come.

"Remus and Tonks just got married. That's what this whole party is for, we want to set off some fireworks when they get here," Hermione whispered to Fred as they rushed up the stairs to the twins old bedroom.

"Merlin's beard, she finally wore him down, yeah? That's bloody fantastic! Here, come with me, we have something better at Aunt Muriel's," Fred said as he rerouted them to the floo instead. He went first, and caught Hermione as she stumbled out nearly falling.

"Alright, be very quiet and follow me," Fred managed to choke out thickly, he rather liked holding Hermione in his arms like this.

As for Hermione, all she could manage was nodding her head. As she followed Fred still holding her hand she thought about what Remus had said to her about not being afraid when love looked you in the face. She wasn't in love with Fred necessarily, but the past couple weeks pretending to be definitely made the prospect inviting. She could certainly see herself in love with Fred, she just needed to figure out how he really felt about her. Fred led them down into the basement to a pile of boxes and started looking through them.

"Here we go, hold this." He handed her a few boxes. "Perfect, okay this will be fantastic, these are new, they are essentially a party at the press of a button, we don't have wedding themed ones but these are pretty generic and will do nicely. We can set them up around the perimeter of the garden. I also grabbed some whizbangs, I'll change the charm to say congratulations instead of all the swear words."

Hermione just rolled her eyes at his silliness.

They were back at the floo and Fred went first again, hoping to be able to catch Hermione again, which he did. They then ran back to the backyard and caught up with Charlie and Ginny, Fred whistled loudly and they were quickly joined by George and Angelina.

"Alright everyone take one and set it out of the way, tap the box three times and say comitatus.

I will be able to set them off when we need them after that. Go!" Fred told them as he started charming the whizbangs. They had just all returned to the center of the garden when a silver wolf ran up to Charlie, that was the signal and he called everyone to attention.

"Alright you lot, simmer down! I have a very important announcement to make. It is my extreme honor to introduce all of you to Mr. and Mrs. Remus Lupin!" Charlie shouted.

As he said this several things happened at once. Remus and Tonks emerged from the back door of the Burrow holding hands, Fred set off the boxes which erupted in a rainbow of colored streamers and confetti along with loud trumpeting and random blasts, he also set off the fireworks which exploded in designs of hearts and wedding bells, colorful wolves ran among the guests and 'Way to go Tonks' 'Atta boy Remus' and 'Congratulations Nymphadora and Remus Lupin' glittered in the sky, without fading. There was a collected gasp, total silence and then loud cheers of congratulations and well wishes, with Molly barreling her way to the couple and engulfing the two of them in a bone crushing hug, sobbing and telling them how happy she was for them.

The party was in full swing with music and a makeshift dance floor, Molly had adapted well and it was now definitely a wedding reception. Fred found Hermione talking to Ginny and Luna, she was so happy and animated that he couldn't help gravitate to her. It was as if he were pulled to her.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked feeling about four years old.

"I'd love to," She said with a brilliant smile.

"I'll be quite happy to watch them dance at their own wedding," Luna said airily.

"Yeah, I will too," Ginny said, wondering when they were going to finally figure it out.

Fred and Hermione ended up dancing the majority of the afternoon, stopping only to catch their breath, even then they stayed close to each other, talking to everyone but always within arms reach.