Chapter Fifteen: A Love Letter from an Enemy, Planning Gone out of Control

Harry and Hermione stayed in their loving embrace for a minute or so. After they broke their hug, Harry smiled and said, "Thank you, Hermione. That was the best gift you could have given me."

"But Harry, aren't you upset?"

"No. Well, I must admit I got a little emotional, but no. I am happy that you were lucky enough to come across this," he said, giving Hermione a kiss on her forehead.

A few minutes later, Harry and Hermione invited everyone to come back into the parlor, explaining that Harry was not upset. Once everyone was once again comfortable in the living room, a large hawk owl tapped at the window. George fought off Ginny and retrieved the letter from the owl that hooted and flew off once the letter was in George's hands. "Look everyone, Ginny's got a letter," George shouted to everyone.

"Give it here, George!" Ginny screamed.

"Not so fast there, little sister. Is this a letter from your little secret love?"

"I do not have a secret love!"

"Then you won't mind if I read it."

"Give me my letter!"

George cleared his throat and began to read the letter aloud.

"Dearest Red, I know we are not physically together this holiday, but we are still together in sprit. I can't stop thinking about you, no matter how hard I try. I start to do something and then you pop into my head. So, that is why I must send you this now, to make sure you still know how much I care for you. Happy Christmas, Red, hope you are having a blast with your family and friends. Love always."

Ginny, now red with anger and embarrassment, was awaiting the final words of the letter, but they did not come, for George dropped the letter and stared at her like she just killed innocent children.

"Go on, George, who's it from?" Fred asked.

"Ask our darling sister."

"Well, Ginny dear, who is it from?" Molly asked in her motherly tone.

"....D-D..Draco."

"DRACO MALFOY!" everyone screamed in Unisom.

"Virginia Weasley, what the hell are you doing with that, that thing?" Arthur Weasley shouted at his only daughter. "First of all, Daddy, he is a person. He is a loving, honest, kind and so much more. He's just misunderstood."

"Like hell, he is misunderstood!"

"Dad, I know you don't like his family and all, but he's not like them. For God sakes, dad, he helped us win the war!"

This was true. Draco served as a spy for the Ministry during the war, and provided them with very useful information.

"Ginny, Arthur, we will discuss this tomorrow, right now we have guests, if you can notice," Molly said through gritted teeth.

After half an hour of silence, and getting death glares from all of her family Ginny got up, got her coat and went out the front door. Ron was about to go after her, but Hermione stopped him, "Let her have time to herself, Ron."

With the very intrusting predicament that just occurred, Bill, being the 'cool' one, tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but no one went for it. Ten minutes after Ginny left out the front door, Molly decided it was time to forget what had just happened and get her party starting again. "Bill, when are you going to cut your hair? It's almost as long as Hermione's."

This shook everyone out of their dumbstruck like trances and got them laughing.

After an hour of talking about nonrelated things, they somehow came to the topic of Harry and Hermione's wedding. "Do you have any plans yet?" Arthur asked.

"No not really, we haven't even discussed it yet," Hermione said.

"Well, do you have and idea when you are going to have it, or where?" Hermione's mother asked.

"Mom, Harry just got home, less than a week ago, we haven't made any plans."

"Did you have any ideas about it?" Penelope asked.

"I don't have any ideas. I'm not so much into planning," Harry said.

"So, then you would go get married right now in Las Vegas?"

"Of course, wanna go?"

"Yeah, let's," Hermione said laughing.

"Ok," and Harry popped out of the room.

"Did he go to Las Vegas?" Judy asked.

"I don't knowmom, "Hermione said, "But I know he was joking." A few moments later, Harry popped back in with a smile on his face.

They talked late into the evening and were on various topics. The favorite was, of course, the wedding. Around 9 pm, some of the guests left for their own homes. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Lav left The Burrow, but were not ready to call it a night. They walked around the neighborhood for a while and headed back to Hermione's apartment. Lav left around 11 pm claiming she had to get to work in the morning, so the reunited trio decided to have a chat. "So Ron, when are you gonna settle down with Lav?" Hermione asked.

Ron was started at the question and said, "I'm not ready for marriage."

Harry and Hermione laughed and changed the subject.

"So, now that Harry is at home, what are you guys going to do?" Ron asked his two best friends.

"We are going to plan, of course, but there is no rush. I mean, being married is only a piece of paper, but Harry and I have already promised to be together forever," Hermione said with her trademark smile.

"Nicely put, Mione," Harry said as gave her a sweet kiss on her head.

"Oy, get a room," Ron said.

"If you haven't noticed, Ron, this is my apartment," Hermione said.

"I know, but I'm still here." "Well, anyway, up for a game of chess, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Always, Har."

Ron and Harry played their game of chess as Hermione curled up with a good book. It was just like old times.

As the clock chimed two times, Ron decided that it was late and he needed to head home. He bid Harry and Hermione goodbye and apparated at his flat. Harry and Hermione, now alone in the apartment, decided it was time to go to bed [Not together of course]. Hermione gave Harry a pillow and blanket and headed to her room. They shared a good night kiss and disappeared into their respective sleeping quarters.

Awaken from his slumber by a very disgruntled Crookshanks, Harry got up and dressed himself for the day. When he met Hermione in the kitchen for brunch, they decided they were going to start the planning for the wedding. They didn't need to rush, but they both decided they wanted to be married. Hermione was going over to her mother's and Harry was expected at The Burrow at 1, so they said good-bye to each other and went on their separate ways.

Hermione arrived at her old home and walked in. She was surprised to see her mother, Molly, Lavender, and Jennifer sitting at the kitchen table. They immediately pulled her into the conversation of the wedding dress. Suggestions were made right and left, but Hermione didn't agree with them. She had had enough when they decided that her wedding would have over 400 people. "Guys, this wedding is MINE and HARRY's, not yours! I think I should have a say in MY wedding!"

Embarrassed, Molly, Judy, Lav and Jen all apologized for being too invasive and decided that they should start from scratch.

"Mom, I do not want a huge, expensive wedding," Hermione told her mother for the thousandth time that day. "All I want is a nice, simple ceremony!"

"Hermione, dear, I know this is what you think you want, but believe me, you'll love it."

"No, mom, I will not like it. This is my wedding for god sakes!" Hermione said, fuming mad.

"Hermione dear, calm down. There is no reason to get so upset," Judy her mother pleaded.

"Yes there is, mom. You are planning my wedding the way you want it. I don't want the big expensive centerpieces, the 10,000-dollar dress. I don't want any of it. All I want is a ceremony where Harry and I get married. Obviously you don't understand that."

"Hermione, I understand perfectly."

"No you don't. Otherwise, I would agree with what you are planning."

"Obviously you are upset. Let's stop for today and pick up where we left off tomorrow, all right, Herm?" Judy asked.

"Fine," Hermione said, as she got up from the table. "Good bye Jen, Molly, Mum," she said as she walked out the door.

Hermione shut the door to her apartment with such force the floor shook. "Bad day huh?" Harry said, giving her a kiss.

"You have no idea."

"I think I do. You weren't the only one planning a wedding. I spent half the day trying to convince Ron that I didn't want a bachelor party and the other half convincing Sirius that I didn't want to wear a dress robe."

"Well, at least you weren't with my mom, who, by the way, wanted me to have this ridiculous dress that was over 10,000 dollars and massive center- pieces that were like mini gardens. Please, tell me that you don't want that."

"Of course not, love," Harry said, enveloping her in a hug.

She placed her head on his shoulder and murmured, "Why don't we just elope?"

Harry's head shot up and said, "Then, why don't we?"

*****