~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Seems like yesterday but years have passed us by
Precious memories are clear before my eyes
I can hear your voice calling out my name
But I don't know you now, nothing stays the same
All along I have wanted you
I pray tonight that you want me, too
All along there was no one else
I've been waiting here all by myself
~"All Along" by Blessid Union of Souls~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She was a vision of ethereal snowy satin and misty chiffon, her eyes bright and limpid like a little girl's behind the delicate lace veil, even after all this time. But then, it was only to be expected. She was a bride. At long last, she was marrying the love of her life.
All brides were beautiful, and she was no exception. She had always been lovely, but never had she looked quite so radiant. But then... she had her whole life ahead of her, just about to start.
It was Kate Le Fay's wedding day.
Fallon carefully fastened up the final hook on Kate's wedding robes and smiled at her friend's reflection. The mirror sang out its approval, and Kate giggled slightly.
"Can you believe it? Finally... after all these years, Kevin and I are finally marrying. The war did take its toll... "
"I believe it," Fallon replied with a small smile, "You two WERE always meant to be together. And although the war might have delayed it, it was inevitable. This was meant to be." Meant to be... unlike...
"It's odd, you know," Kate carefully turned to face her friend, picking up the delicate but lavish bouquet of white Blanchefleur roses that lay close by. "You're the only one of us who had never thought of marrying."
Fallon's mind flashed for a moment to... the guest list... and then, to a face from the past, with a cocky, roguish smile and dark eyes, brown hair falling carelessly over his forehead. But only for an instant. She turned to Kate with a small, bittersweet smile, and shrugged, "Oh... I suppose that I'm just not cut out for that sort of thing."
"Oh... don't say that, Fallon! You're still young, only twenty-four, which is not old by any means."
"Physically, perhaps. I'm really twenty-four going on fifty," Fallon half-joked, "But we must get going... Kevin must be having kittens out there by now, waiting to see you." She gave her friend a genuine smile. After years... it was easier. "I made sure to give Montague a vial of strengthening potion in case Kevin decides to feel weak in the knees," she said lightly, "And I daresay that it will be used."
Kate laughed, the laugh of fulfillment and anticipation, and leaned over to give her friend a quick hug, "Always the one in control of everything, aren't you?"
"Just about," Fallon said softly. In control of... almost everything. Except love. And pain. And loneliness. But she would not think of these things. "Now, let's go."
Kate was the last of the happy couples of her school days to marry. Kevin Bole, his family lost during the war, had been hospitalized for a long time, slowly recovering from the ravages of hordes of Death Eaters. But Kate had been there for him all the time, and finally, the two would be united as man and wife.
Fallon had been asked to be Kate's bridesmaid, as "the only one of my old friends who still hasn't married". And... when she had seen the guest list...
"Cassius Warrington is going to be at the wedding?!"
"Why, yes," Kate had said matter-of-factly, "He'd been in hiding since he left Hogwarts, you know. He had refused to become a Death Eater... and they wanted him. But he's finally back... Kevin has heard from him, although I've yet to see him. It would be wonderful for him to be there, though! Imagine... all the old Quidditch team, back in one place!"
"Yes... wonderful," Fallon had said quietly. HIM... he would be back.
She would not cry when she saw him, knowing that it was never meant to be.
She would not.
Perhaps she should have taken some strengthening potion herself.
The music began, and after a dainty little Montague girl who scattered rose petals down the aisle, a blushing but beaming Kate Le Fay walked out on the arm of her father. Kevin Bole, standing at the end of the aisle, gulped, and just as Fallon had predicted, hastily brought a small vial to his lips for a brief moment as his bride walked towards him.
And walking a few paces behind Kate, clad in a simple but elegant dress robe of royal blue, came Fallon Anderson, her head slightly bowed, holding a single cream-colored rose in her hands. Her face was pensive as she followed Kate down the aisle, and then, when she had reached the end, she looked up... and her eyes, blank for so long, flared to life like flame in winter.
And two pairs of brown eyes met, held and locked, both reflecting a million fleeting but matching emotions. Surprise, sorrow, then incredulous joy. And warmth. Fire. And passion. Love. Pain. And understanding.
And finally, they knew. Even though they did not say it. And it was real.
Both of them barely heard a word of the ceremony.
Cassius Warrington stood among the guests to watch friends that he had not seen for so long join in marriage. But his eyes were not on Kate and Kevin. Rather... when SHE had seen him, and he had seen her. And her eyes had widened for a moment, before... at long last, after so many years, they had flared. The calm was shattered, and he found himself looking at what he had been seeking for so, so long.
They had shared a brief smile, and a glance. No words had been exchanged, unlike in the past when everything had been about light-hearted verbal repartee. But they had changed. And yet, what was important was still there. And both of them knew it.
Kate was duly pronounced as Kevin Bole's wife, and the rest of it was a blur.
Fallon sipped her glass of iced pumpkin juice, leaning slightly against a white marble column. It was a warm spring night, and outside in this charmed pavilion, couples were dancing. But Fallon was not dancing, because her heart was already racing. If she moved and spun, she would fall, and perhaps wake up from this dream.
Someone cleared his throat softly behind her, and she turned around. And her eyes widened again for a moment before she felt the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Hello," she said softly. He grinned, and she saw that, after all this time, he was still the same. Even though his features were slightly sharper than she had remembered, and the skin of his cheeks looked rougher, slightly browned by the sun. But his eyes were still bright and alert. Older, perhaps, with a touch of sorrow. But also... with something that she had always wanted but never thought that she would see.
"What's a pretty lady like yourself doing here all alone?"
"Who're you trying to flatter?" she laughed slightly. He smirked.
"You, of course. I don't seem to be talking to any other pretty ladies at the moment now, am I?"
She rolled her eyes. Then, quietly, "It's been a long time."
"Yes."
"It's been years since I last saw you."
"I know."
"We were still kids then."
"But we're all grown up now," he remarked, "At least... I think we are. Can't say anything for maturity levels... but that's not important."
She laughed, and so did he, before he extended a hand to her.
"Dance with me, Fallon."
And she smiled up into his eyes before placing her hand in his, "All right."
His fingers closed around hers, a slightly callused fingertip caressing the place where she worn no ring, as he led her to the dance floor and pulled her gently into his arms. She found herself once again eye to eye with him, and as she placed her other hand softly on his shoulder, both of them knew that things were going to be all right.
She loved weddings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*~Fin~*
Seems like yesterday but years have passed us by
Precious memories are clear before my eyes
I can hear your voice calling out my name
But I don't know you now, nothing stays the same
All along I have wanted you
I pray tonight that you want me, too
All along there was no one else
I've been waiting here all by myself
~"All Along" by Blessid Union of Souls~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She was a vision of ethereal snowy satin and misty chiffon, her eyes bright and limpid like a little girl's behind the delicate lace veil, even after all this time. But then, it was only to be expected. She was a bride. At long last, she was marrying the love of her life.
All brides were beautiful, and she was no exception. She had always been lovely, but never had she looked quite so radiant. But then... she had her whole life ahead of her, just about to start.
It was Kate Le Fay's wedding day.
Fallon carefully fastened up the final hook on Kate's wedding robes and smiled at her friend's reflection. The mirror sang out its approval, and Kate giggled slightly.
"Can you believe it? Finally... after all these years, Kevin and I are finally marrying. The war did take its toll... "
"I believe it," Fallon replied with a small smile, "You two WERE always meant to be together. And although the war might have delayed it, it was inevitable. This was meant to be." Meant to be... unlike...
"It's odd, you know," Kate carefully turned to face her friend, picking up the delicate but lavish bouquet of white Blanchefleur roses that lay close by. "You're the only one of us who had never thought of marrying."
Fallon's mind flashed for a moment to... the guest list... and then, to a face from the past, with a cocky, roguish smile and dark eyes, brown hair falling carelessly over his forehead. But only for an instant. She turned to Kate with a small, bittersweet smile, and shrugged, "Oh... I suppose that I'm just not cut out for that sort of thing."
"Oh... don't say that, Fallon! You're still young, only twenty-four, which is not old by any means."
"Physically, perhaps. I'm really twenty-four going on fifty," Fallon half-joked, "But we must get going... Kevin must be having kittens out there by now, waiting to see you." She gave her friend a genuine smile. After years... it was easier. "I made sure to give Montague a vial of strengthening potion in case Kevin decides to feel weak in the knees," she said lightly, "And I daresay that it will be used."
Kate laughed, the laugh of fulfillment and anticipation, and leaned over to give her friend a quick hug, "Always the one in control of everything, aren't you?"
"Just about," Fallon said softly. In control of... almost everything. Except love. And pain. And loneliness. But she would not think of these things. "Now, let's go."
Kate was the last of the happy couples of her school days to marry. Kevin Bole, his family lost during the war, had been hospitalized for a long time, slowly recovering from the ravages of hordes of Death Eaters. But Kate had been there for him all the time, and finally, the two would be united as man and wife.
Fallon had been asked to be Kate's bridesmaid, as "the only one of my old friends who still hasn't married". And... when she had seen the guest list...
"Cassius Warrington is going to be at the wedding?!"
"Why, yes," Kate had said matter-of-factly, "He'd been in hiding since he left Hogwarts, you know. He had refused to become a Death Eater... and they wanted him. But he's finally back... Kevin has heard from him, although I've yet to see him. It would be wonderful for him to be there, though! Imagine... all the old Quidditch team, back in one place!"
"Yes... wonderful," Fallon had said quietly. HIM... he would be back.
She would not cry when she saw him, knowing that it was never meant to be.
She would not.
Perhaps she should have taken some strengthening potion herself.
The music began, and after a dainty little Montague girl who scattered rose petals down the aisle, a blushing but beaming Kate Le Fay walked out on the arm of her father. Kevin Bole, standing at the end of the aisle, gulped, and just as Fallon had predicted, hastily brought a small vial to his lips for a brief moment as his bride walked towards him.
And walking a few paces behind Kate, clad in a simple but elegant dress robe of royal blue, came Fallon Anderson, her head slightly bowed, holding a single cream-colored rose in her hands. Her face was pensive as she followed Kate down the aisle, and then, when she had reached the end, she looked up... and her eyes, blank for so long, flared to life like flame in winter.
And two pairs of brown eyes met, held and locked, both reflecting a million fleeting but matching emotions. Surprise, sorrow, then incredulous joy. And warmth. Fire. And passion. Love. Pain. And understanding.
And finally, they knew. Even though they did not say it. And it was real.
Both of them barely heard a word of the ceremony.
Cassius Warrington stood among the guests to watch friends that he had not seen for so long join in marriage. But his eyes were not on Kate and Kevin. Rather... when SHE had seen him, and he had seen her. And her eyes had widened for a moment, before... at long last, after so many years, they had flared. The calm was shattered, and he found himself looking at what he had been seeking for so, so long.
They had shared a brief smile, and a glance. No words had been exchanged, unlike in the past when everything had been about light-hearted verbal repartee. But they had changed. And yet, what was important was still there. And both of them knew it.
Kate was duly pronounced as Kevin Bole's wife, and the rest of it was a blur.
Fallon sipped her glass of iced pumpkin juice, leaning slightly against a white marble column. It was a warm spring night, and outside in this charmed pavilion, couples were dancing. But Fallon was not dancing, because her heart was already racing. If she moved and spun, she would fall, and perhaps wake up from this dream.
Someone cleared his throat softly behind her, and she turned around. And her eyes widened again for a moment before she felt the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Hello," she said softly. He grinned, and she saw that, after all this time, he was still the same. Even though his features were slightly sharper than she had remembered, and the skin of his cheeks looked rougher, slightly browned by the sun. But his eyes were still bright and alert. Older, perhaps, with a touch of sorrow. But also... with something that she had always wanted but never thought that she would see.
"What's a pretty lady like yourself doing here all alone?"
"Who're you trying to flatter?" she laughed slightly. He smirked.
"You, of course. I don't seem to be talking to any other pretty ladies at the moment now, am I?"
She rolled her eyes. Then, quietly, "It's been a long time."
"Yes."
"It's been years since I last saw you."
"I know."
"We were still kids then."
"But we're all grown up now," he remarked, "At least... I think we are. Can't say anything for maturity levels... but that's not important."
She laughed, and so did he, before he extended a hand to her.
"Dance with me, Fallon."
And she smiled up into his eyes before placing her hand in his, "All right."
His fingers closed around hers, a slightly callused fingertip caressing the place where she worn no ring, as he led her to the dance floor and pulled her gently into his arms. She found herself once again eye to eye with him, and as she placed her other hand softly on his shoulder, both of them knew that things were going to be all right.
She loved weddings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*~Fin~*