Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling. Song
credit: "Crazy for You," performed by Madonna.
Chapter Ten: A Wedding in the Family
Everyone was excited the morning of Percy and Penelope's wedding. Ginny and Ron woke up and headed out early, as the rehearsal was being held. Harry and Hermione promised to meet them later, but the two took the chance to catch up on some work. In reality, Hermione wanted to catch up on some work and she convinced Harry to do the same. "Maybe when he gets back, Ron can use YOUR homework instead of mine to do his own," she said to Harry.
"Speaking of Ron," Harry said, venturing into an area he never had with Hermione.
"What about him?" Hermione asked, and even though Harry had said nothing about it, she felt a blush come to her cheeks.
"You like him, don't you?" Harry asked.
Hermione blushed further, giving Harry the only answer he needed. "Yes," she finally said. She watched Harry's face for a reaction, but he remained stoic. "Aren't you going to say anything?"
"Well," Harry said. "I don't know what to say. I mean, this is something I've suspected for quite a while."
Hermione looked surprised. "You have?"!
"Ever since fourth year," Harry explained. "When you got so made at Fleur Delacoeur whenever Ron would mention her."
"I guess I was being a little crazy," she said.
"You're not the only one," Harry said, without meaning to.
Hermione's head shot up again. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing," said Harry. "Nothing."
"Harry, you can't make a comment like that and not explain yourself. Come on," Hermione said.
"Okay," said Harry. "I think he'd be mad at me for telling you this, but after the Yule Ball, I found Ron's Viktor Krum action figure on the floor with the arms ripped off of it."
Hermione's eyes widened. 'Could this mean he likes me?' she asked herself. But to Harry, she said, "Really?" Harry nodded in response. "That's weird," she said, not letting herself admit that Ron might actually return her feelings. She looked down at her watch. "Oh my god! We've got to get ready!" she exclaimed.
Harry looked down at his own watch and cursed under his breath. He and Hermione headed to their respective dormitories. Just as Hermione was about to go up the stairs, she heard Harry.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
"He'll figure it out."
* * *
Harry and Hermione were escorted into Hogsmeade by Albus Dumbledore himself, who was going to perform the wedding ceremony (he returned after the rehearsal to make sure they arrived safely at the site). It was going to be held in a nice restaurant called 'Eye of Newt,' which was where Percy took Penelope on their first date. The two were in their dress robes, and Hermione had once again smoothed her hair down and put it up. Harry was sure Ron was going to go bananas when he saw her, and he was glad there was no Viktor Krum in the way this time.
Sure enough, when they saw Ron, Harry was sure his eyes were going to bug out of his head. He came over to them immediately and started to complain how boring the rehearsal had been and how he was so glad that they were both there now. Harry noticed that as he said this he was looking straight at Hermione.
Just then, Mrs. Weasley rushed over to them. "What are you doing! We're about to start. Come on Harry, Hermione, you'll sit with us. Ron, Ginny, line up with your brothers. Let's go!"
Harry and Hermione said goodbye to Ron and Ginny and followed Mrs. Weasley. They were both anxious to see what a wedding in the wizarding world was going to be like, as they had never witnessed one. It turned out to be very much like a muggle wedding, with just the words differing. Mrs. Weasley whispered to Hermione as it went on. "You see, we just promise that we'll always be there, just like the muggle weddings, I'm told. It's just the words are a little different."
As the ceremony went on, Hermione felt her mind wander, and she began to picture herself and Ron standing in front of Albus Dumbledore, promising to love each other forever. She pictured the wedding on Hogwarts grounds, perhaps where they could see the castle, the lake, and maybe even the Quidditch field, even though it wouldn't do to have the field in the wedding photos. She smiled as Percy and Penelope were pronounced husband and wife, picturing herself kissing Ron and being announced to the crowd as Mrs. And Mrs. Ron and Hermione Weasley (or perhaps she's keep her name, or make it Granger-Weasley, or..)
"Hermione?" she heard Harry's voice and felt his hand tapping her arm.
"What?" she asked, hoping it wasn't in a dreamy, far off tone.
"The ceremony's over. They're moving the chairs for the reception."
"Oh!" Hermione said, suddenly embarrassed. She got up and walked down the aisle to the room where they were serving cocktails. Ron spotted her immediately and walked over the her.
"You look nice," he said.
Hermione blushed. She wasn't used to compliments from Ron, even though they seemed to be more frequent these days. "Thank you."
* * *
The reception started soon after. Penelope had a love of muggle music, so she insisted that some of it be played at the wedding. Not that Percy cared. All he wanted was to be near her, to have her as his wife. As they danced, it didn't matter what song was playing. They were finally joined.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at a table with the rest of the Weasley family, who had all turned out for the event. Fred had brought Angelina Johnson, who was now engaging Harry in a deep conversation about how he could manage the Quidditch team this year. George was dateless, but only because Katie Bell, former Hogwarts student and Gryffindor Quidditch team chaser he was dating, was visiting some relatives in Holland. Charlie and Bill were there, each with a date the family had never met before.
"Oh, when will my older sons settle down," Mrs. Weasley lamented. Mrs. Weasley laughed and pulled his wife to the dance floor.
With Harry in deep conversation, and the twins trying to make as much trouble as they possibly could, Ron and Hermione found themselves alone again. "It was a really nice wedding," Hermione said.
"Yeah," said Ron, but if truth be told he hadn't been paying attention during the wedding. He had been watching her, seeing her get that dreamy look on her face that made him want to go into her daydream with her. She had looked so peaceful. She wasn't stressing about school or anything else, and it made her look beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and had to be nudged by Fred when it was his turn to walk down the aisle behind the newly married Percy and Penelope.
The tone of the music changed, and a rather old muggle tune started to play. All around them, people started to get up and dance. Bill left his date at the table to dance with Ginny. Even Harry got up to dance when a shy girl, one of Penelope's bridesmaids, asked him. Ron and Hermione watched as people came together.
Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one
Ron looked over at Hermione, to see if she might still hold a little bit of the dreamy expression she had earlier. It was somewhat similar, for she still looked every bit as beautiful as she did before, but she seemed to be thinking more seriously about something. Ron remembered the dream he had about her in the beginning of the summer. He felt as though he was in another world, somewhere apart from Hermione, and that he was watching her through a window, or perhaps intruding on someone's memory in a pensieve, like Harry had done a few times.
I see you through the smoky air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
You're so close but still a world away
What I'm dying to say is that
I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
Crazy for you
Hermione could feel Ron's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look at him. She was afraid of what she would see in them. So she stared at the dancers in front of her, trying to concentrate on the movements of their feet. Suddenly, she felt Ron's hand on her arm.
"Hermione?" he asked.
"Y-yes?"
"Would you like to dance?" he asked.
Hermione felt her heart lift. She hadn't expected this, but it was just what she wanted. She nodded, and Ron held out his hand to her, and they moved to the dance floor. Much like in his dream, Ron put his arms around Hermione's waist and she put her arms around his shoulders, and they danced, surrounded by the other wedding guests. From across the floor, Mrs. Weasley caught sight of them, and nudged Mr. Weasley to bring his attention to his son. They both smiled knowingly.
Trying hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are
Eye to eye we need no words at all
Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deeper into you
Soon we too are standing still in time
If you read my mind you'll see I'm
Crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
You'll feel it in my kiss
Because I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
When the song ended, a faster one came on, but Ron and Hermione still held each as if to continue. The dancers around them seemed to disappear and they felt lifted up, as if in their own little world. They didn't say anything, but looked at each other, trying to speak with their eyes. Ron felt as though he should say something, but when he was about to open his mouth to speak, an announcement shook the pair out of their reverie.
"Okay! Are all you single girls ready?! Mrs. Penelope Weasley is going to throw her bouquet!"
"Come on Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed, and she grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her to where Penelope was going to toss the flowers. Hermione wasn't pleased by this. She had never really enjoyed this part of the wedding reception, even at muggle weddings, and she wanted to go back to where Ron was, to see if they could capture whatever it was they were just sharing.
Meanwhile, Harry made his way over to Ron. "What WAS that?" he asked him.
"What?" Ron asked.
"You and Hermione."
"We were dancing," Ron said matter-of-factly.
"Looked like more than that to me," Harry commented.
"Harry, how many times do I have to say it: I DON'T fancy Hermione that way." Harry noticed that Ron said this under his breath, to make sure that Hermione didn't hear the comment.
"Ready!?" Penelope called out as she looked over her shoulder. She turned her head back to face Percy and let the bouquet go into the hair. Though it wasn't her intention, Hermione saw the bouquet coming her way, and though she tried to avoid being in it's path, it seemed about to hit her in the head, so she reached her hands out to stop it and was surprised when the bouquet landed neatly in her hands. There was cheering all around the hall.
Ginny took Hermione aside. "You don't know about this, do you?" she asked. "In the wizarding world, catching the bouquet is like a prophecy. If you catch it, you WILL be the next one to get married. It always goes to the one it knows will be next."
"But I don't even have a boyfriend," Hermione protested. "How can I be the next one to get married."
"You never know," said Ginny. "Maybe we'll all be surprised."
* * * Hermione was still reeling from her bouquet catch that night. She had to hear about it from all the sixth years girls as well, for Ginny had told them right away that Hermione was the lucky one. They oohed and ahhed and asked to see it. "You should keep it, Hermione," Lavender Brown said. "It's good luck."
"Put it under your bed," said Parvati Patil, "and you'll dream of the person you're going to marry. Be sure to tell us who it is in the morning!"
Hermione scoffed at the girls as she got ready for bed. Everyone else was already asleep, and as she changed she thought of the bouquet. 'They're just being silly,' she thought. 'The bouquet is just silly, just like for muggles.' Still, just as she got into the bed, she stuck the bouquet underneath, where she could be sure the other girls wouldn't see it and ask her questions about it, and who she had dreamt about.
* * *
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed the next morning as she was about to enter the Great Hall. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"
"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked. Seeing him made her remember the night before, and she smiled dreamily.
"Come here," Ron said, and he took her aside. Hermione complied. They were standing on one side of the marble staircase. Ron looked nervous, as though he were going to say something important.
"What's going on Ron?" Hermione asked.
"Well, the thing is, I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now."
"Yes?" said Hermione, hoping for what was to come.
"You see, I've been thinking about you and me, and I realized that.. Well, I realized that we're friends, and then I realized that's not enough for me. I want more, Hermione. I want us. I want you to be my girlfriend."
Hermione's smile grew wider and wider as he spoke, and when he was finished, she hugged him tight. "I would love to!" she exclaimed, and Ron sighed in relief and smiled at her. His face turned serious, and he started to move closer to her. She prepared herself for what she knew he was about to do, and their faces were just centimeters apart when -
Hermione sat bolt upright in bed when she heard a loud shriek, and then Ginny bounded into the room and jumped on her bed, jolting Hermione from her lovely dream.
Chapter Ten: A Wedding in the Family
Everyone was excited the morning of Percy and Penelope's wedding. Ginny and Ron woke up and headed out early, as the rehearsal was being held. Harry and Hermione promised to meet them later, but the two took the chance to catch up on some work. In reality, Hermione wanted to catch up on some work and she convinced Harry to do the same. "Maybe when he gets back, Ron can use YOUR homework instead of mine to do his own," she said to Harry.
"Speaking of Ron," Harry said, venturing into an area he never had with Hermione.
"What about him?" Hermione asked, and even though Harry had said nothing about it, she felt a blush come to her cheeks.
"You like him, don't you?" Harry asked.
Hermione blushed further, giving Harry the only answer he needed. "Yes," she finally said. She watched Harry's face for a reaction, but he remained stoic. "Aren't you going to say anything?"
"Well," Harry said. "I don't know what to say. I mean, this is something I've suspected for quite a while."
Hermione looked surprised. "You have?"!
"Ever since fourth year," Harry explained. "When you got so made at Fleur Delacoeur whenever Ron would mention her."
"I guess I was being a little crazy," she said.
"You're not the only one," Harry said, without meaning to.
Hermione's head shot up again. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing," said Harry. "Nothing."
"Harry, you can't make a comment like that and not explain yourself. Come on," Hermione said.
"Okay," said Harry. "I think he'd be mad at me for telling you this, but after the Yule Ball, I found Ron's Viktor Krum action figure on the floor with the arms ripped off of it."
Hermione's eyes widened. 'Could this mean he likes me?' she asked herself. But to Harry, she said, "Really?" Harry nodded in response. "That's weird," she said, not letting herself admit that Ron might actually return her feelings. She looked down at her watch. "Oh my god! We've got to get ready!" she exclaimed.
Harry looked down at his own watch and cursed under his breath. He and Hermione headed to their respective dormitories. Just as Hermione was about to go up the stairs, she heard Harry.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
"He'll figure it out."
* * *
Harry and Hermione were escorted into Hogsmeade by Albus Dumbledore himself, who was going to perform the wedding ceremony (he returned after the rehearsal to make sure they arrived safely at the site). It was going to be held in a nice restaurant called 'Eye of Newt,' which was where Percy took Penelope on their first date. The two were in their dress robes, and Hermione had once again smoothed her hair down and put it up. Harry was sure Ron was going to go bananas when he saw her, and he was glad there was no Viktor Krum in the way this time.
Sure enough, when they saw Ron, Harry was sure his eyes were going to bug out of his head. He came over to them immediately and started to complain how boring the rehearsal had been and how he was so glad that they were both there now. Harry noticed that as he said this he was looking straight at Hermione.
Just then, Mrs. Weasley rushed over to them. "What are you doing! We're about to start. Come on Harry, Hermione, you'll sit with us. Ron, Ginny, line up with your brothers. Let's go!"
Harry and Hermione said goodbye to Ron and Ginny and followed Mrs. Weasley. They were both anxious to see what a wedding in the wizarding world was going to be like, as they had never witnessed one. It turned out to be very much like a muggle wedding, with just the words differing. Mrs. Weasley whispered to Hermione as it went on. "You see, we just promise that we'll always be there, just like the muggle weddings, I'm told. It's just the words are a little different."
As the ceremony went on, Hermione felt her mind wander, and she began to picture herself and Ron standing in front of Albus Dumbledore, promising to love each other forever. She pictured the wedding on Hogwarts grounds, perhaps where they could see the castle, the lake, and maybe even the Quidditch field, even though it wouldn't do to have the field in the wedding photos. She smiled as Percy and Penelope were pronounced husband and wife, picturing herself kissing Ron and being announced to the crowd as Mrs. And Mrs. Ron and Hermione Weasley (or perhaps she's keep her name, or make it Granger-Weasley, or..)
"Hermione?" she heard Harry's voice and felt his hand tapping her arm.
"What?" she asked, hoping it wasn't in a dreamy, far off tone.
"The ceremony's over. They're moving the chairs for the reception."
"Oh!" Hermione said, suddenly embarrassed. She got up and walked down the aisle to the room where they were serving cocktails. Ron spotted her immediately and walked over the her.
"You look nice," he said.
Hermione blushed. She wasn't used to compliments from Ron, even though they seemed to be more frequent these days. "Thank you."
* * *
The reception started soon after. Penelope had a love of muggle music, so she insisted that some of it be played at the wedding. Not that Percy cared. All he wanted was to be near her, to have her as his wife. As they danced, it didn't matter what song was playing. They were finally joined.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at a table with the rest of the Weasley family, who had all turned out for the event. Fred had brought Angelina Johnson, who was now engaging Harry in a deep conversation about how he could manage the Quidditch team this year. George was dateless, but only because Katie Bell, former Hogwarts student and Gryffindor Quidditch team chaser he was dating, was visiting some relatives in Holland. Charlie and Bill were there, each with a date the family had never met before.
"Oh, when will my older sons settle down," Mrs. Weasley lamented. Mrs. Weasley laughed and pulled his wife to the dance floor.
With Harry in deep conversation, and the twins trying to make as much trouble as they possibly could, Ron and Hermione found themselves alone again. "It was a really nice wedding," Hermione said.
"Yeah," said Ron, but if truth be told he hadn't been paying attention during the wedding. He had been watching her, seeing her get that dreamy look on her face that made him want to go into her daydream with her. She had looked so peaceful. She wasn't stressing about school or anything else, and it made her look beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and had to be nudged by Fred when it was his turn to walk down the aisle behind the newly married Percy and Penelope.
The tone of the music changed, and a rather old muggle tune started to play. All around them, people started to get up and dance. Bill left his date at the table to dance with Ginny. Even Harry got up to dance when a shy girl, one of Penelope's bridesmaids, asked him. Ron and Hermione watched as people came together.
Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one
Ron looked over at Hermione, to see if she might still hold a little bit of the dreamy expression she had earlier. It was somewhat similar, for she still looked every bit as beautiful as she did before, but she seemed to be thinking more seriously about something. Ron remembered the dream he had about her in the beginning of the summer. He felt as though he was in another world, somewhere apart from Hermione, and that he was watching her through a window, or perhaps intruding on someone's memory in a pensieve, like Harry had done a few times.
I see you through the smoky air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
You're so close but still a world away
What I'm dying to say is that
I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
Crazy for you
Hermione could feel Ron's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look at him. She was afraid of what she would see in them. So she stared at the dancers in front of her, trying to concentrate on the movements of their feet. Suddenly, she felt Ron's hand on her arm.
"Hermione?" he asked.
"Y-yes?"
"Would you like to dance?" he asked.
Hermione felt her heart lift. She hadn't expected this, but it was just what she wanted. She nodded, and Ron held out his hand to her, and they moved to the dance floor. Much like in his dream, Ron put his arms around Hermione's waist and she put her arms around his shoulders, and they danced, surrounded by the other wedding guests. From across the floor, Mrs. Weasley caught sight of them, and nudged Mr. Weasley to bring his attention to his son. They both smiled knowingly.
Trying hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are
Eye to eye we need no words at all
Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deeper into you
Soon we too are standing still in time
If you read my mind you'll see I'm
Crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
You'll feel it in my kiss
Because I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you
When the song ended, a faster one came on, but Ron and Hermione still held each as if to continue. The dancers around them seemed to disappear and they felt lifted up, as if in their own little world. They didn't say anything, but looked at each other, trying to speak with their eyes. Ron felt as though he should say something, but when he was about to open his mouth to speak, an announcement shook the pair out of their reverie.
"Okay! Are all you single girls ready?! Mrs. Penelope Weasley is going to throw her bouquet!"
"Come on Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed, and she grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her to where Penelope was going to toss the flowers. Hermione wasn't pleased by this. She had never really enjoyed this part of the wedding reception, even at muggle weddings, and she wanted to go back to where Ron was, to see if they could capture whatever it was they were just sharing.
Meanwhile, Harry made his way over to Ron. "What WAS that?" he asked him.
"What?" Ron asked.
"You and Hermione."
"We were dancing," Ron said matter-of-factly.
"Looked like more than that to me," Harry commented.
"Harry, how many times do I have to say it: I DON'T fancy Hermione that way." Harry noticed that Ron said this under his breath, to make sure that Hermione didn't hear the comment.
"Ready!?" Penelope called out as she looked over her shoulder. She turned her head back to face Percy and let the bouquet go into the hair. Though it wasn't her intention, Hermione saw the bouquet coming her way, and though she tried to avoid being in it's path, it seemed about to hit her in the head, so she reached her hands out to stop it and was surprised when the bouquet landed neatly in her hands. There was cheering all around the hall.
Ginny took Hermione aside. "You don't know about this, do you?" she asked. "In the wizarding world, catching the bouquet is like a prophecy. If you catch it, you WILL be the next one to get married. It always goes to the one it knows will be next."
"But I don't even have a boyfriend," Hermione protested. "How can I be the next one to get married."
"You never know," said Ginny. "Maybe we'll all be surprised."
* * * Hermione was still reeling from her bouquet catch that night. She had to hear about it from all the sixth years girls as well, for Ginny had told them right away that Hermione was the lucky one. They oohed and ahhed and asked to see it. "You should keep it, Hermione," Lavender Brown said. "It's good luck."
"Put it under your bed," said Parvati Patil, "and you'll dream of the person you're going to marry. Be sure to tell us who it is in the morning!"
Hermione scoffed at the girls as she got ready for bed. Everyone else was already asleep, and as she changed she thought of the bouquet. 'They're just being silly,' she thought. 'The bouquet is just silly, just like for muggles.' Still, just as she got into the bed, she stuck the bouquet underneath, where she could be sure the other girls wouldn't see it and ask her questions about it, and who she had dreamt about.
* * *
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed the next morning as she was about to enter the Great Hall. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"
"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked. Seeing him made her remember the night before, and she smiled dreamily.
"Come here," Ron said, and he took her aside. Hermione complied. They were standing on one side of the marble staircase. Ron looked nervous, as though he were going to say something important.
"What's going on Ron?" Hermione asked.
"Well, the thing is, I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now."
"Yes?" said Hermione, hoping for what was to come.
"You see, I've been thinking about you and me, and I realized that.. Well, I realized that we're friends, and then I realized that's not enough for me. I want more, Hermione. I want us. I want you to be my girlfriend."
Hermione's smile grew wider and wider as he spoke, and when he was finished, she hugged him tight. "I would love to!" she exclaimed, and Ron sighed in relief and smiled at her. His face turned serious, and he started to move closer to her. She prepared herself for what she knew he was about to do, and their faces were just centimeters apart when -
Hermione sat bolt upright in bed when she heard a loud shriek, and then Ginny bounded into the room and jumped on her bed, jolting Hermione from her lovely dream.