Hi! This isn't the last chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially Moe, Sunshine, Anonymous, White Dove, hhfanx2, harrypotter4ever, wicked-women and Grhm Crackergal!!
Chapter 12: Wedding Day
As Hermione slept, one young witch and one young wizard hovered below Harry and Hermione's bedroom window. They had put simple sleeping spells on the guards at the front gate, and hurried around the castle.
They both watched Harry from behind a bush, he was frantically describing the way the arch looked to a drowsy carpenter. Harry had always been sweet, Ginny knew that, and as he was getting married the next day, he wanted everything perfect for his bride.
And soon, that bride would be her.
Draco tapped her on the shoulder. "Let's move."
The two silently climbed the terrace outside of the window, and peered in.
"Any guards?" Draco asked.
"No," Ginny whispered. "Just Hermione. She's asleep."
"You go in first and grab her wand." He cracked his knuckles. "I'll do the rest."
Hermione woke up suddenly when she heard a noise. She reached around on the bedside table for her wand, but grasped nothing but air.
Frantic, she bolted up right in bed, and turned to look at Harry, but his portion of the bed was empty.
But someone was in her room, advancing towards her…
Harry nearly shouted for joy when the carpenter had finished the arch. It was almost identical to the one that had been set on fire. The morning sun had rose, and in a few hours time, he'd make Hermione his wife.
"It's lovely," a familiar voice said behind him.
Harry turned around to find Ron standing there, already in his tux.
He looked good.
"You heard?" Harry asked him.
Ron nodded. "It's disgusting."
"Hermione is going to love this!" Harry shouted.
"I 'spect she will, but she'd be more happy marrying you, and you can't very well stand under them in your slippers, now can you?"
Harry grinned. Ron was his best man.
"Bloody Hell, have you been up all night?"
Harry nodded, and turned to the carpenter who was now fast asleep on the ground. "So has he."
"I'll have your guards take him home and give him a nice bonus," Ron said. "You have to go get ready, and stay away from your bedroom, Lavender has gone to help Hermione, and she said she'd use force if necessary."
Harry grinned, and wound his way to the castle.
Lavender gave a swift knock, and then opened the door to Harry and Hermione's bedroom. "Wake up, soon to be Mrs. Potter!" she called. She carried Hermione's wedding dress in both hands (a beautiful long flowing gown with a halter neckline, with pearls. The bottoms portion was encrusted with diamonds. Hermione would look beautiful.) And she wore her veil on her own head as she had no more hands. She quickly hung the dress on the closet door, and placed the veil on the bedside table. She turned to the bed, and her jaw dropped.
Hermione wasn't there.
"Hermione?" Lavender called. She checked the bathroom, and the balcony. Empty. "Hermione?" She even checked under the bed, and found her wand laying there.
There was a knock on the door.
"Herm?" Lavender asked.
"No, it's Ron."
"One second!" Lavender yelled, and hurried to the door.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked, stepping into the room. "The guests are already arriving."
"Good question," Lavender said. "She's not here!"
"What do you mean 'she's not here'?!"
"She's not here, Ron! I looked everywhere!" Lavender waved her hands hopelessly. "Her wand is here, so she couldn't have gone far."
"Alright," Ron said, rubbing her temples, "we're gonna have the guards search the grounds."
"And Harry?"
"He doesn't need to know… yet."
"Alright, I'll stay here… maybe she went for a walk or something?" Lavender suggested.
Ron nodded. "Let's hope so."
Half an hour later, Harry hated doing up his bow tie. His hands were always too clumsy to accomplish the task. Frustrated, he pointed his wand at it, and it drew up into a perfect bow. He grinned.
"Sir," a voice said behind him.
Harry whirled around and saw a guard standing in back of him.
"It's time, sir."
"Where's Ron?"
"He'll meet you down there, it's time for you to go and get married."
Harry grinned, and followed the guard.
Ron and Lavender were beside themselves with worry. The guards had turned up nothing, and it was drawing closer and closer to the ceremony.
"Alright," Ron said. "I'll… I'll go tell Harry."
"It's too late," Lavender said by the window. "Harry's already at the altar."
Harry looked around at the guests. Nearly all of wizard London, minus the Slytherins, of course, were on hand for the ceremony. A familiar red haired girl was grinning up at him. Ginny Weasley was in the crowd.
Maybe he had had her wrong. She was a great friend, after all that had happened, and he grinned at her.
He saw Lavender and Ron running down from the castle. They stopped at the end of the aisle, Ron about to open his mouth when the wedding march started. They both exchanged glances, and defeated, took their seats.
Harry knew something was wrong by the sight of them. As the march played, no one came down from the castle.
No bride.
No Hermione.
Harry sat with his head in his hands on a chair.
It had been humiliating. He stood there for what seemed like hours; he had them do the march over three times before he realized she wasn't coming.
Ron and Lavender had ushered him away, and the guards sent everyone home.
"I'm really sorry," Lavender told him, sitting next to him. "We tried to tell you before you came down here."
"I don't blame you," Harry said, and raked his hands through his hair. How could Hermione do this to him? Why would she do it? "It doesn't make sense!" he shouted. "Why wouldn't she show up?"
Lavender gave him a hug and Ron put a hand on his shoulder.
"How about we go into Hogsmeade and get some Butterbeer?" Ron suggested.
"Maybe you're right," Harry said miserably.
"It's okay Harry," a third voice said behind them.
They turned around and saw Ginny striding toward them. She sat on Harry's other side and rubbed his back. "It's okay, I'm here." She grinned. Malfoy's plan would work.