Family affairs
Chapter 7
"Molly, hurry up or we're going to be late," Arthur shouted up the stairs to his wife.
He paced back and forth in front of the fireplace; slight worried on how the dinner was going to be, with Ron and Molly being the same room for the first time since Ron left. He had sent a floo message to Ron to inform him the Molly would be joining them for dinner, as he didn't want Ron to be caught off guard at his mother's arrival. Arthur had managed to convince Molly to accompany him to dinner at Hermione's, after they finished going through Ginny's wedding pictures. He heard her come down the stairs and turned around. He smiled at her, taking in the image if his wife standing at the bottom of the steps, looking slightly nervous.
"I don't think this is a good idea Arthur. I don't think he would want me there after the last time we saw each other," she said softly as she walked towards him.
"Don't be silly dear. He specifically asked me to invite you as well. Don't worry, everything will be fine."
Arthur wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the fireplace. Throwing a handful of floo powder into it, he shouted out Hermione's address and stepped into the green fire, appearing at the other end at exactly 7.30pm. When Molly followed through the network and stepped out of the fireplace, she found Ron and Hermione already waiting for her. She could see their interlaced fingers and Hermione's thumb was stroking Ron's hand gently, easing some of his nervousness and stress.
"Mrs Weasley, it's wonderful you can make it," Hermione said, brightly, kissing the older woman's cheeks.
"Yes, thank you for the invite," Molly answered, not sure how to react. She looked at Ron who stared back at her, before he broke the contact and going into the kitchen.
Hermione and Arthur, who were looking at the two with anticipation, sighed in disappointment at Ron's reaction and shook their heads. Hermione then led Ron's parents to the dinning room and went into the kitchen to check in on Ron and bring the food out. She found Ron bracing himself on the kitchen counter, looking down at the floor.
"Ron, are you ok?" she asked softly, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Not really, love. I'm not sure if this was a good idea to invite my mother. I don't know how to act or what to say to her. I'm just so confused," he whispered, gathering her in a hug and burying his face in her hair.
"Don't worry Ron. Things will be fine and I know that we'll work this out together. Now help me bring the food out before they start wondering what we're up to in here."
Dinner was a very awkward affair. Arthur and Hermione seem to be the only ones holding a conversation. They talked about everything, from her job at the Ministry to answering Arthur's questions about the different Muggle items in the apartment. Molly, who was sitting beside Arthur, ate her dinner quietly and stared down at her plate, not wanting to see her son's sombre expression. He wasn't eating his dinner at all, even though it was his favourite. Ron was just pushing the vegetables and meat around the plate keeping quiet and not looking up. The conversation that Hermione was having with Arthur ended and an uncomfortable silence settled onto the table.
"Why don't we move the living room for coffee," Hermione said, shattering the silence.
Hermione adamantly refused Molly's offer to help her clean up, saying that Ron was more than enough help. After carrying all the dirty dishes into the kitchen and using a little bit of magic to clean up the mess, Hermione brought out a pot of coffee and a plate of tarts. The four of them sat around the living room, drinking quietly when Arthur placed his cup down gently onto the table and asked, "So, what is the actual reason you invited us over Ron?"
Ron was quiet for a moment and answered, "We actually want to tell you, both of you, that Hermione and I are getting married."
"That's wonderful son. Congratulations!" Arthur said, standing up and giving both of them a big hug. "Isn't this great Molly?" He turned around and looked happily at his wife. Molly put her cup down and stood up. She was smiling tremulously and her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
"Yes Arthur, it is," she said softly. She crossed the room and gave Hermione a hug. She released Hermione and went over to Ron with opened arms. "Oh Ron, I'm so happy for you. I've missed you so much and I'm so sorry about a the things I said." Her tears were streaming down her face and Ron could feel it soaking through his shirt.
"I'm sorry Mum and I've missed you too. Hermione and I were worried that you would still be angry at me and not want to come to the wedding."
"My baby boy is so big now and getting married to fine young woman. I know both of you will take care of each other," she said, looking up and cupping Ron's face in her hands. "I'm just so happy for you." Ron hugged his mother close, letting her tears flow freely.
After another 30 minutes of congratulations and preliminary wedding planning, Molly and Arthur left. Ron drop into a couch and pulled Hermione to sit down beside him. She leaned against him and rested her head on his chest.
"How do you feel now Ron?" Hermione asked.
"Very relieved and happy. I'm just glad that she's not angry with me anymore but I'm not sure how Mum and Ginny going to react, being in he same room."
"Relax Ron. Your mother not being angry with you anymore is the first step. Both of them will settle their differences soon."
"I hope so. I'm so glad that Mum and I settled our problems, because I couldn't eat anything at dinner due to the stress and worry. Now that I've got my appetite back, I'm starving and I really hope there's enough left over for me."
"Don't worry, I cooked a very large serving and it's all for you."
"Well, you know what they say; a way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
"That definitely applies to you."
"Would you like to join me for a second round of dinner?"
"It would be my pleasure."
Both of the stood up and headed for the kitchen, hand-in-hand.
~ * ~
As Hermione and Ron agreed on having a summer wedding, they only had three months to plan everything. Once they heard that Molly and Ron had settled their problems, the older Weasley children and their wives went over to Hermione's, to offer their congratulations and help with the wedding planning. They had even gone to visit Ginny without Molly's knowledge, not wanting her to blow up if she found out. The sisters-in-law started a weekly wedding planning meeting at Hermione's place. It was during one of these meetings that Molly and Ginny met up for the first time since the Molly's birthday.
Ginny was sitting at the couch in front of the fireplace with Angelina and Katie, flipping through the bridal gown magazine while the rest of her brothers' wives were at the dining table, going through the different cake and flower designs. The fire suddenly flared green and Molly stepped out of the fireplace, carrying a large box. She shook the soot out of her hair before looking up, and found herself face to face with her daughter. The Ginny and Molly stared at each other warily, not knowing what to say to the other. The tension of the room was so thick; you could almost slice it with a knife.
"Mrs Weasley, when did you arrive?" Hermione said from the doorway between the dining room and the living room, disrupting the tension.
"I just arrived dear and please call me mum," Molly said, smiling at her future daughter-in-law. She gave one last look at her daughter before moving into the dining room. Ginny felt sad and guilty for not being able to talk to her mother the way the used to when she was younger. She sat back down onto the couch, resting her forehead in her hands. The tears she had been holding since her mother went into the dining room trickled down her cheeks and onto her hands.
"Ginny. Ginny are you ok?" Angelina asked softly. Katie, who was sitting on Ginny's other side, rubber her shoulder gently, trying to calm her.
Ginny wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and took a deep breath. "I'm alright. I think I'm just going to go home now. Draco should be coming home any minute and I haven't prepared anything for dinner." Ginny stood up and collected her bag form the chair. She stood in front of the fireplace and hollered, "Hermione! I'm going home now because Draco's going to arrive home in a few minutes and I haven't gotten anything prepared for dinner yet. I'll call you soon alright?" Before Hermione or any of her other sisters-in-law could respond, she had apparated.
Back in the kitchen, the dining table was quiet and all eyes had focused on Molly, who was standing by the kitchen window, looking at the darkening sky. As the sun set, no one could see the tears pooling in her eyes.
That was the last time both Molly and Ginny were at the meetings at the same time. From that day on, Hermione would make sure that either one had left before the other arrived so as not to cause more heartache and tension.
~ * ~
The weeks changed to months and before anyone knew it, the day of the wedding arrived. The wedding was held at a chapel where Hermione had attended as a child. The chapel was packed with friends and family, with three pews taken up by the Weasleys alone. Hermione looked radiant as her father escorted her down the aisle. Parvati Patil, who had become a famous designer in both wizarding and Muggle fashion, designed her wedding dress. It was simple yet stunning. The puffy sleeves of the dress fell just off the shoulders, with the bodice of the dress hugging her figure tightly. The skirt of the dress had layers upon layers of silk, embroidered with beads. Around her neck, Hermione ore a white ribbon with a sapphire pendant that belonged to her mother. Her hair was curled and piled onto her head, with tendrils framing her face.
Hermione looked so happy and she couldn't stop smiling. Ron had been very fidgety while waiting at the altar but he stopped instantly when the door opened and Hermione stepped in. The ceremony went smoothly and the guests cheered when the new Mr and Mrs Ronald Weasley were introduced. Ginny sighed with happiness as her brother and his new wife were showered with rice when they went out of the chapel. Ginny leaned back against Draco's chest and felt his arms wrap around her, and sighed once more. She was feeling very contented. She turned around to say something to her husband when a sudden wave of dizziness struck her.
"Draco, catch me," she said and promptly passed out.
"Ginny! Ginny, wake up!" Draco exclaimed at his wife's limp form in his arms.
There was instant panic among the Weasley clan and everyone gathered around Draco. Ginny was quickly admitted to St. Mungo's and Mr and Mrs Weasley took turns with their children and their wives, to stay with Ron and Hermione at the reception while the rest of them stayed with Draco. When the reception ended, Ron and Hermione joined the rest of the family and Harry at the hospital, still in their wedding clothes. Funnily enough, Dean Thomas was also there. Draco saw Dean place a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder but didn't pay any mind to it, as he was too worried about Ginny.
It seemed like eternity before the doctor came out from the room. He looked up from the charts and asked, "Mr Malfoy?"
Draco immediately stood up from his chair and hurried over to the doctor. "What's wrong with her doctor? Is she going to be ok?"
"Relax Mr Malfoy. She's going to be fine."
"So what's wrong with her?" George piped in.
"Congratulations Mr Malfoy. Your wife's pregnant."
Draco stared at the doctor with his mouth gaping, letting the doctor's words sink into his brain. He slowly turned around and looked at his in-laws. "I'm going to be a father," he said hoarsely. His eyes then rolled back and he passed out, falling to the floor very hard.
A/N: Another Update. I'm not really happy with it but I don't how to make it better. Please tell me what you think. Thanks J