Part Eight:

Angelina, having nothing better to do, threw herself into helping with Hermione and Ron's wedding. If it had been anyone eles, Hermione would have told them that it was HER business, not theirs, what flowers she got for her wedding. But Hermione knew that Angelina needed something to keep her mind off her grief, so she let her help.

Angelina turned out to be a big help. She actually found the blue-flame candles that Hermione had fallen in love with, and for the bargain-basement price of a dozen for two sickles. After that, Hermione was very grateful for Angelina, and gave her a very important job, one that she was too busy to do herself: find the perfect place for them to get married.

It took Angelina three days to find it, but on that third day, when Hermione Apparated home from work (the wedding preparations and long days at St. Mungo's made her too tired to walk), she found Angelina sitting in the living room, talking to Ron and looking very excited. They both looked up when Hermione came in.

"Oh, Hermione!" Angelina cried, springing to her feet. Hermione couldn't but notice, with a sad heart, how flat Angelina's stomach had become again. But Angelina was all smiles. "I did it!"

"You found a place?" Hermione became excited, too, and they hugged and squealed. Ron rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Okay, ladies, enough of this huggie-fest. Angelina wants to take us to it."

Angelina pulled a small Muggle soda can from her pocket. "I've made this into a Portkey. It'll take us there in about half an hour: that's when it'll look great."

Hermione was confused, but she nodded. They had a quick dinner of takeout (it was Ron's night to "cook") before pulling the soda can out again. Angelina checked her watch. "Alright, grab it!" They all did, and Hermione shut her eyes as they traveled. She hated Portkeys, with a passion. But they couldn't Apparate: she and Ron didn't know where they were going.

They arrived on they foot of a grassy hill. The sun was setting behind it. "Come on, it's up here," Angelina said, leading the way. Hermione and Ron followed her up the hill. When they reached it, Hermione gasped. It was gorgeous.

It was a tiny abandoned church, with a little bell tower and everything. Hermione thought it was adorable. The sun was setting behind it, making it all the more beautiful. "Oh, Angelina..." she whispered. "It's perfect." And Ron, for once, had to agree.

The second-best thing that Angelina did for the wedding was help Hermione deal with making plans with her parents. Angelina wasn't uncomfortable around Muggles: in fact, her mother was one. So when Hermione announced that she was going to see her parents that weekend, and Ron backed out, Angelina offered to go.

"That's so sweet of you," Hermione said. "The truth is, I don't really like to go there alone. When I bring someone, they don't ask as many stupid questions."

"No problem," Angelina said carelessly. She took a sip of her tea: they were sitting on the balcony of Angelina and Fred's home. "Fred is going to be at the shop all day, so I might as well get out of the house."

Hermione, once again, felt horrible for Angelina. When she and Fred began trying to get pregnaut, she'd given up her position on the Wales Wallopers Quidditch team (she'd been a starting Chaser), and became a full-time "house wife". But that role didn't suit her very well, and without kids around...

Angelina seemed to be reading Hermione's thoughts. "We're going to try again. After the wedding, that is."

"That's great," Hermione said cheerfully. Angelina nodded and stared down into her teacup.

"I hope it'll work."

"Well, why wouldn't it? If you can do it once, right?"

Angelina nodded again. "Yeah, but you know...pregnancy gets complicated. I hope you have better luck when you and Ron have kids."

Have kids? Hermione, truthfully, hadn't thought about it that much. She was too busy now for a family, but she knew that Ron wanted kids. "Eventually," she said after a pause. "Ron really wants a family, naturally."

"You don't?"

Hermione knew that she did, but not right that very second. That's what she said to Angelina, who nodded. "Wish we'd waited a bit longer," was her responce. Hermione felt very sad for her.

That weekend, Hermione and Angelina went to the Granger's Muggle home, just outside London. Hermione hesitated before knocking. "My parents are lovely, they really are," she'd told Angelina. "But...they're a little...overly friendly, if you know what I mean."

Angelina didn't. But she had nodded. Now, after Hermione knocked, the door burst open. A woman of about forty-something with short, brown hair (beginning to grey a bit) and an expensive-looking twin-set and matching skirt answered the door. She smiled at them. "Hermione! Wonderful to see you, darling!"

"Hello, Mum," Hermione said, embarressed as her mother attacked her check with a kiss. Hermione had to hastily wipe away the red lipstick.

"Oh, and who is your lovely friend?" Mrs. Granger demanded, spotting Angelina.

"This is Angelina Weasley. She's married to Ron's brother Fred."

"Fantastic! Wonderful to meet you!" Mrs. Granger gave Angelina's cheek a kiss, which Angelina wiped away when Mrs. Granger's back was turned.

"Nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Granger."

"Oh, poo!" the older woman cried as she let the young women in. "Make me feel like an old bat! Please, call me Helen." She called up the stairs: "DANIEL! THEY'RE HERE!"

A grey-haired man with a slight potbelly came down the stairs. He wore a button-down shirt and slacks. "Ah, Hermione. You look lovely."

"Hi, Dad," Hermione said, hugging her father. Mr. Granger spotted Angelina and turned to her.

"Wonderful to meet you, you must be Hermione's sister-in-law," he said, shaking her hand. It was clear to Angelina which parent Hermione favored and kept more contact with.

"Well, why don't we all go sit and have tea, hmmmm?" Helen led the way into the sitting room, where a tray of tea and four cups were waiting. They all sat down: Angelina and Hermione on the couch, Mr. and Mrs. Granger on chairs opposite each other on either side of the couch. "Well!" Helen said as she poured the tea, handing Angelina the first cup. "Having you here is a pleasant surprise, dear! I was expecting Ron to come."

"Well..." Hermione cleared her throat. "Ron had some business to attend to."

"Ah." It was clear that her mother didn't believe her but didn't press the issue.

Mr. Granger cleared his throat and helped himself to a biscuit. "Well, the wedding plans! How are they coming along?"

"Great!" Hermione said cheerfully. "Angelina found the perfect place for it, a little abandoned church in the country."

Angelina noticed Helen's skeptical look. "We figure that some decorations and magic would make it perfect." Angelina emphasized the word "magic", and Mrs. Granger squirmed a bit. Then she faked a smile.

"Sounds wonderful, dear."

"Well, now all we have to worry about is who will marry you," Mr. Granger piped in.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Um...Dad? Ron is going to marry me."

"Don't be silly, darling!" Helen cried with a tinkling little laugh. "He means who will peform the ceremony!"

"Oh." Hermione looked a bit embarrassed.

"And I think I've found the perfect person!" Helen continued. "I've been doing some research on the, urm, magical people in the area, and you'll never guess what I found!" Without a pause, she continued: "In Liverpool, there's a vicar that's a Squibe! And I know for a fact that he performs wedding ceremonies for the wizard community! What do you think, darling?"

Hermione nodded. "That sounds good. Can you book him?"

Helen laughed. "You don't realize who you're talking to, darling!" Helen winked at Angelina, who smiled.

When Hermione and Angelina left the Granger's house, Hermione sighed. "Sorry about that."

"About what? Your parents aren't that bad."

Hermione nodded. "I guess."

"That was good of your mum, to find a vicar that's a Squibe."

"Yeah, now all the wedding preparations are made," Hermione said with a smile. She hugged Angelina when they made it to the end of the Granger's driveway. "Thank you so much for all your help."

"No problem."

"So, do you want to come over?"

Angelina shook her head. "Fred'll be home soon, I better be there to greet him."

"Oh, alright." They said their goodbyes and Apparated to their homes. And even though Hermione still felt bad for Angelina, she couldn't contain her own excitement: she was getting married in a month!