A/N- Before you read this, go to Ch. 24 and read the author's note; it's important to the conclusion of the story.

Weasley's the Name: Post Hogwarts

Celebrations

That Saturday was Emily's birthday, and the small wedding in the backyard of the Burrow. The Diegos had been thrilled about the idea, especially Rosa, who had been corresponding with Hermione every day since they met. She had been a bit put out with her daughter about the secret marriage, but at the prospect of having some sort of ceremony, the Headmistress was more than willing to participate.

On Friday, five women sat in the kitchen of the Burrow, all discussing the plans for the following day. Hermione was checking off the final number of guests, Rosa Diego was drawing a map of the area, Molly Weasley was writing down all of the food, Marisel Diego was writing the list of music, and Taylor Parkinson was fiddling with her freshly painted nails, itching to help.

As the maid of honor, the blonde had been led to believe that she was going to have a major role in the preparation of the wedding. Turns out, her only duty was to write a speech for the reception; a task Taylor was having quite a hard time with.

"Lilies, correcto?" Rosa asked, looking up at Hermione. The bushy haired woman nodded, nibbling on the end of her quill. Taylor leaned over to peek at the list her future mother-in-law was writing, but Hermione pulled it away, giving the blonde her best shouldn't-you-be-doing-something-look.

"Why don't you go see how Soledad is doing? It's taken her ages to try those robes on," Hermione said with a bit of a twinkle in her eyes. Taylor could only imagine how weepy she would be tomorrow. With a sigh, the blonde pushed her chair away from the table and slowly made her way up the stairs.

Soledad was sleeping in Ginny Weasley's old room, because it was the most equipped with feminine things. Taylor knocked softly, hoping that her friend was ready for visitors.

Something like a whisper escaped the room, and Taylor opened it quickly in anticipation, peeking in. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of her best friend, standing like an angel in the middle of the room.

Soledad's hair was tied up at the top of her head in a curly bun, a band of flowers circling it and a veil falling down her back. Around her neck she had a simple jeweled choker necklace, and she was fiddling it with hands covered in white elbow length gloves. Her outfit consisted of a smooth, stain, strapless dress that flared at her waist, hiding her feet. The top was embroidered with tiny jewels in a flowery pattern that made her sparkle and vines trickled down the skirt.

Taylor just stared in awe as Soledad fidgeted nervously.

"Does it look okay?" she asked softly, looking down at herself. The blonde entered, shutting the door behind her self and leaning on it. Her friend looked up at her with an anxious expression, and quickly, Taylor nodded.

"It's gorgeous," she whispered, and then she watched as Soledad blushed deeply, and nodded.

"I love it. It's just…" she broke off, looking upset. Taylor immediately rushed to the bed and sat upon it, looking up at her beautiful friend.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked, tracing a finger down a vine of jewels.

"It's a Muggle dress," Soledad sighed, sitting down next to Taylor. "I found when I was in London with Sarah, she was showing me all these Muggle stores, I had to go back and get it."

"You're worried about the price?" the blonde asked, knowing that Soledad would surely have enough money to pay for such an expensive looking dress. The curly haired girl shook her head, looking down at her gloved fingers, her engagement and wedding band shining brightly in the light of the room.

"No…it's just that…my mama wants me to wear her wedding robes…" She bit her lip, turning to Taylor. "My sister has already fought her about it, and I'm kind of the last hope…but I love my dress."

"Oh, I do too!" Taylor giggled, patting down the large skirt. "You look simply amazing, Jacob will surely love it!" She took her friend's hand, and patted it with the other. "Listen, if you want to wear this, then wear it. It's your day!"

Soledad smiled widely and nodded quickly, throwing her arms around Taylor as the girls laughed happily.

As their laughter subsided, the door was pushed open and a couple of very high-pitched gasps filled the room. Soledad stood up quickly, standing as if she was about to be executed.

The four women from the kitchen stared at the bride with wide, watery eyes. Rosa rushed up to her daughter, taking her face in her hands.

"iMi belleza!"

With that, she began to cry, Soledad looking a little flustered, but then growing weepy as well. She hugged her mother as the other women scurried over to examine the dress all-speaking in high, happy voices.

Taylor smiled at the commotion the dress was bringing, and she couldn't help but wonder what her wedding day would be like. She hoped, it would be just as marvelous as Soledad's.

Anthony had been banging on his brother's door for fifteen minutes. He had recruited Brian and Rigel to help, but it seemed that the loud voices and spells shot towards the door were useless. It wouldn't budge, and it seemed that this wedding was not going to have a groom.

"How're we going to have a wedding without him?" Brian asked, stopping himself from brushing his hand through his neatly combed hair. "We're supposed to be there in twenty minutes, and you know he's not ready!"

Rigel leaned against the wall, and softly tapped again,

"Jake, if you don't come out, Soledad's going to be miserable, and since you're already married, there's going to be hell to pay when she gets a hold of you."

The other boys in the hallway snickered as the door clicked open. Anthony pushed the door open and walked in, Brian and Rigel peering in and not sure if they should enter.

Jacob was sitting on his bed, his head in his hands, and his dress robes on and getting wrinkled. He didn't look up as Anthony took a seat in the chair next to his desk, or when Rigel entered and levitated a pillow over his head and let it drop. Jacob didn't even move when Brian kicked his leg and said,

"Oy, Jake! You sick or something?"

The three watched as Jacob's shoulders shook with his heavy breaths, and curious, Anthony bent down to peer between his brother's fingers.

"You all right?" he asked, grabbing his twin's wrists and pulling them away. Jacob looked up with wide eyes as if a Basilisk had just petrified him.

He wore a set of golden robes with clasps at his chest and waist. His pants and shirt were the same color, and his brown shoes shone. His hair was slicked back and he would look handsome, if it wasn't for the hysterical look on his face.

"Take me to St. Mungo's," he said hoarsely, his mouth dry. Brian and Rigel moved forward to help him up, but Anthony put out his arms to stop them. He watched his brother with a raised eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because my stomach is ready to explode and I'm dizzy enough kiss Professor Snape."

The boys standing eyed him with interrogating eyes and then burst out in laughter. Jacob looked on in shock, his hand pressed to his rapidly beating heart.

"What's so funny? I'm dying!"

This caused Anthony and Brian to laugh harder, and Rigel, wiping a tear away, shook his head.

"No you're not, you stupid berk, you're nervous!"

Jacob stared at him as if he had three heads.

"Nervous? I never get nervous! Why would I get nervous? It's not like I'm about to go off and get married again in front of all my friends and family, having some guy tell me how this is going to change the rest of my life and I'll never be able to hang out with you guys again and I'll have to devote all my time to my wife and my family and then looking for work to support all of them…" He hung his head, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'm nervous."

"But you're already married!" Brian said, crossing his arms in frustration. The three wore similar robes, except they were a deep blue color. They were in the wedding party and were supposed to arrive at The Burrow with Jacob.

"But that was just a little thing! Just the priest and us, a short five minute thing, just to make it official!" Jacob yelled, grabbing his cheeks in fear. "I've heard wedding vows before, I never thought about being so dedicated, what if I can't do it? I have to cancel it, I'm not mature enough, oy, we're so stupid!"

"Yes, you are stupid," Anthony began, grinning at his brother. "But this ceremony isn't going to change the way you and Soledad are together! It's just…to make everything official, sort of."

"So you guys are officially married, but didn't say any vows and stuff?" Rigel asked, looking intrigued. Jacob nodded, sighing.

"Wasn't the most romantic thing." He looked up at his friends. "I'm only going through with this cause I know Solely would've wanted a big wedding."

"Just think of it as a party!" Brian said happily. "And at least you're getting a honeymoon this time!" he said with a wink. Jacob flushed deeply and stared at his cousin for a few moments before he shook his head fiercely. 

"Nope. I'm not going. Can't do it. She's going to curse me in Spanish until I'm permanently purple, but I don't care. I've never felt like this before…" Jacob moaned, covering his mouth as if he was going to vomit. "Solely will kill me if I barf on her dress, another reason why I can't go!"

With a huge roll of their eyes, Anthony and Brian each grabbed one of the groom's arms, and Rigel pushed him from behind. Jacob's heels were digging into his rug as he struggled to stay in his room.

"Please, please don't make me do it, we're married, I don't need everyone in the universe to hear how I feel about her!" he yelled, grabbing the frame of the door.

Anthony and Brian were now pulling his legs out into the hallway, and Rigel was prying Jacob's fingers off the door.

"Mr. I-love-being-the-center-of-attention has stage fright!" Anthony said in a singsong voice as they finally got Jacob into the hallway. He made a dash for his room, but Rigel had already locked and charmed the door.

He looked ready to faint, but when Ron called up from downstairs, "Time to go! C'mon, can't be late or your mother will kill me!" Jacob was the first one to make his way to the first floor.

The three shared an amused look, and with a deep breath, they followed the groom.

Emily Weasley was running around frantically in her light green robes, looking for her little sister and cousin. She had been in charge of watching Delaney and Ben before the wedding took place, and the second she had turned her back the two had disappeared.

Pushing a loose curl behind her ear, Emily raced to the side of The Burrow, hoping that the toddlers had found the old sandbox the children used to play in. She would have to ask her mother or aunt to remove the sand from their tiny dress robes.

"Watch it, Laney," a soft voice said, and when the redhead was close enough, she realized that Ewan Finnegan was standing beside the sandbox, smiling brightly as he lifted Delaney up into his arms. "You don't want to get dirty for your brother's wedding, do you?"

The little girl patted his head with a shovel, making him squint his eyes. Ben found this hysterical, and fell onto his bottom as he continued to laugh, surely messing up his robes.

"Oy, Benny!" Emily hissed, rushing over and sweeping him up. The redhead was still laughing, and he clung to her neck with a tight grip. The girl sighed softly and looked over to Ewan, who looked a bit embarrassed to have a two-year old smacking a shovel on his head. "Delaney, you stop that right now!"

Her little sister dropped the shovel, pulling an angry face. Delaney buried her head in Ewan's shoulder, and he shrugged.

"It wasn't bothering me that much," he said, bouncing the baby in his arms. "I bumped into them when my mum told me to go out here and look for you…" His face flushed, and he smiled softly.

"I'm so glad you found them, my mother would've killed me if I had lost these two!" she said, rubbing her nose with Benjamin's. The boy giggled again, his green eyes shining.  

"Oh!" Ewan exclaimed, his blush deepening. He put Delaney down (she immediately went for the shovel), and pulled something from his robe pocket (he was wearing a very stylish set of scarlet robes). In his hand was a rectangular box wrapped in shining blue paper. "Happy Birthday, Emmy."

Emily felt her face heat up as she put Benjamin down on the ground. She stepped towards Ewan and her heart raced with anticipation.

"But…I thought the necklace was my present…"

Ewan laughed, shaking his head.

"No, no! The key on the chain is part of the real present!"

The redhead blushed in embarrassment, and pulled the chain out from under her robes; she had been wondering why he had chosen a key for the charm.

He gave her the gift, watching carefully as she unwrapped it. She tried not to rip the paper and she managed to slip of the present without a single tear. The paper dropped to the floor, however, and Emily released an amazed gasp.

It was a small, dark wooden box. Engraved on top and painted bright colors was a garden of wild flowers. A golden lock held the box closed, and the redhead looked up from the gorgeous box to stare into Ewan's light blue eyes.

He seemed to be holding his breath, for his face was turning slightly purple. When he saw her excited eyes, he opened his mouth to explain,

"It's a jewelry box, and…erm…the flowers…they really smell, so it makes your room smell nice…not that it doesn't smell nice…" Ewan said, looking down at his feet. Emily put the box down on the edge of the sandbox, and the second she stood up she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

With a soft squeak, Ewan slunk his arms around her waist.

"I love it!" she squealed, pulling away and smiling brightly. "It's beautiful, it's perfect!"

Ewan couldn't help but smile as widely as Emily was, and quickly, hoping that no one was near, he gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

The redhead was floating on air, and she kissed his nose, breaking away and grabbing Benjamin by the hand (he was about to jump into the sandbox, cannonball style).

"We'll have more time for that after the ceremony!" she called over her shoulder, grinning as she watched Ewan pick up her baby sister (who was surprisingly sand free), his face a deep crimson.

The backyard of The Burrow had been transformed into a ravishing garden, with the help of Jacob's many aunts and uncles, who were all willing to pitch in and help out the quickie wedding.

Two sections of white chairs were placed on both sides of a white carpet, six rows with eight in each. At the head of the carpet was a small white gazebo with flowers climbing up the pillars and making a remarkable canopy. Bubbles and tiny fairies were fluttering around, giving off an enchanted feeling.

The master of ceremonies, the Minister of Magic himself, Arthur Weasley, was standing in the entrance of the gazebo, looking misty as if remembering the many weddings he had attended. He would perform the traditional Wizard wedding ceremony, much to the delight of the bride and groom.

The seats were perfectly full, the Weasleys and friends on the left, and the Diego family and friend on the right. Hermione sat in the front row, her handkerchief already wet from all the crying she had done this morning. Ron sat in the aisle seat his arm around his weeping wife, and with his free hand was giving the 'thumbs up' sign to his son.

Jacob Weasley, seemingly calm, stood on the step below his grandfather, watching the back door of The Burrow as if it had all of life's answers. He looked incredibly handsome now that his face had regained some color. The redhead unconsciously smoothed out his robes as he waited for the music to begin.

He looked over the crowd, recognizing almost everyone on his family's side, but only the first row of Soledad's. Her mother was also crying, and her little brother, a soon to be second year Hufflepuff, Alonso, was patting her awkwardly on the back. Joaquin Diego, looking spiffy in his black robes, winked at Jacob, who was still a bit star-struck.

It was then that a slow, beautiful marching piece rang out throughout the backyard. Jacob was having a heard time figuring out where the music came from, but he stopped worrying when the back door of The Burrow opened.

Delaney Weasley and Benjamin Potter were in the lead, Delaney with a little basket of rose petals and Ben with a pillow that was carefully balancing the couple's wands. Harry and Ginny Potter were grinning madly at their youngest, while Rose videotaped the entire event. When they reached the end, Delaney dropped the basket and rushed to her mother, who enveloped her in a hug. Ben stood by Jacob's side, watching the wands as if his life depended on them.

The first couple out was Anthony and Taylor, both in matching blue robes. Jacob was amazed at how well the two looked together, and he couldn't help but snicker softly; everyone had thought that they'd be the first to get married.

When the two were about halfway through the aisle, the next couple appeared, Brian and Sarah. They two looked very nice, and Jacob was happy that his cousin had found someone shorter than him; Brian was probably the shortest of the Weasley men.

Then came Rigel and Marisel, looking the oddest, but still very nice, out of all the couples. Marisel was five years older than her partner and she didn't seem to paying that much attention to him. Silent tears were leaking out of her eyes, and Rigel looked as if he was trying to find a way of consoling her without stopping their walk.

The music then disappeared and was replaced by a much louder, more familiar march. All the guests stood up, and Jacob felt his knees wobble. Something poked him in the side, and he turned to see Anthony's grinning face. He smiled back, but his face lost all color as the back doors opened again.

Carlos Diego was putting on the toughest face he could, but it was a losing battle. His lips twitched with tears as he began to slowly walk his youngest daughter down her wedding aisle. Jacob felt his face regain the heat it lost, and his heart was now pounding so hard that he looked down at his chest to see if he could see it. When he looked back up, his bride was almost there.

Soledad shimmered in the afternoon light, a smile permanently plastered to her face. Her hazel eyes were hidden behind the long veil, and her dress dragged beautifully on the ground. Jacob had never seen anything quite like her, and when they had reached the gazebo and Carlos had given him Soledad's hand, the redhead still hadn't taken his eyes off of her.

Arthur Weasley straightened up and grinned at his grandson, then looked up at the audience.

"Good afternoon, friends and family, it is my honor to be conducting this miraculous ceremony in the wonderment that is my home. We are all gathered here today to celebrate the union of Jacob Arthur Weasley and Soledad Rosalyn Diego, even though they have already been joined." The audience laughed as Jacob squeezed her hand.

"This ceremony is said to be what officially connects two wizards, but, anyone who has ever gone through it knows that it is just a time to celebrate ones love. I am sure that this young couple already knows how much they truly care for each other, even without the words they are about to recite.

"But, this is always so much fun," he said with a smile. "So let me stop rambling and get on with the good stuff." Arthur looked down at the couple, and then at the roll of parchment he was holding. "The blessed vows are going to appear in midair in front of the couple, the words in pink shall be read by Soledad, and the words in blue by Jacob. Once complete, the wands will be joined and the union will be complete. Are you ready?"

Jacob and Soledad, who were still staring into each other's eyes, nodded, barely hearing what the Minister of Magic had said, but already having memorized the vows. Arthur tapped the parchment, and it dissolved into a small gray cloud. It then began to form a blue sentence.

"I promise my attention and my patience," Jacob said, his throat tight. The words then melded into another sentence, this time pink.

"Prometo mis chistes y mi risa," Soledad said, translating 'I promise my jokes and my laughter' into her native language. At this, her mother began to bawl, making a couple of people chuckle.

"I promise a home and a family."

"Prometo mi alegría y mis lágrimas."

"I promise fun and prosperity."

"Prometo la libertad y la seguridad."

"I promise a love," Jacob choked, his eyes filled with tears. He was determined not to cry, but the tears on her cheeks were making it harder to do so. "That will last as long as my spirit resides on this earth."

"Prometo un corazón," she began to cry, and Jacob took her face in his hands, though it felt awkward through the veil. "Que tendrá para siempre ese amor."

The cloud of words disappeared and the audience clapped softly, making the couple blush deeply.

"Now," Arthur began, wiping at his own eyes. This ceremony still touched him, even after the many he's performed. "For the joining of the wands. Benjamin?"

Ben slowly made his way towards his grandfather, and with a wide grin, he lifted the pillow holding the wands up. Jacob and Soledad took their respective wands, wiping their eyes before Arthur continued.

"This tradition has been occurring in Wizard weddings for centuries, and some say it is the ultimate act between two people in love. When the joining is complete, each wand will now have half of the essence of their partner's, making a complete one out of the two. Please, follow my instructions. Put the tips of the wands together."

The couple did as they were told, both wands shaking softly as they waited for their next direction. Arthur flipped his wand out as well, and pointed it at the connected wands.

"Now, repeat this incantation, Per sempre nell'amore."

"Per sempre nell'amore."

"Per sempre nell'amore."

At the moment both had said the words, a golden light had begun to grow from the tips of the wands, and it shot down to the handle, making the wands glow brightly.

Jacob felt an incredible warmth coming from it, and looked up into Soledad's eyes to see that she was staring directly at him, a soft smile on her face.

The wands' glow died down and a round of applause erupted from the audience. The couple blushed deeply, pulling their wands apart.

"Well," Arthur Weasley said, clapping his hands together. "I now pronounce you husband and wife," he said with a wink towards Jacob. "You may now kiss the bride."

Without hesitation, Jacob lifted her veil up from her face, and caught Soledad in a tender kiss, making the audience clap again, this time louder and lasting longer. The bride had thrown her arms around her husband's neck, and when they parted, they laughed happily at the crowd of family and friends.

Later that night, fireworks shot off every few minutes, compliments of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The chairs had been removed, and now a large white tent hung over the backyard, a dance floor in the center of numerous round tables.


A long table, not unlike the Head Table at Hogwarts, had been set up nearest the house, and the guests of honor were all out of their chairs, dancing.

The recent Hogwarts graduates were mingling, happy to have a reason to see each other so soon after only a few weeks. Cousins ran around, their red, blonde, brown, black hair all over the place. Joaquin Diego was being swarmed by some of the men, all asking questions and Molly Weasley was telling Rosa Diego that all the food was "Nothing, really!"

The parents of the groom sat at their table, watching their children dance and have fun. Hermione's tears had stopped a while ago, after the speeches made by the best man and maid of honor. With the help of magic, her makeup had remained perfect, even throughout all of her crying.  Her hair was pulled up into a tight bun, and she wore a set of purple robes.

Ron sat beside his wife, one hand in hers and the other holding a glass of champagne. Looking dashing in his black robes, he scanned the area for any sign of a ruckus, but the only wild happenings were the dance steps of his brother Fred and his wife Angelina. Those two still had quite a flare for the art of dance.

"Can you imagine doing this three more times?" Hermione asked him, sighing and leaning her head into his shoulder. "I don't think I have enough tears in me."

"Then don't cry anymore," Ron answered simply, laughing at the huff she sent towards him.

"I can't help it, they're my babies and now they're off to have babies of their own…"

"Not yet they're not," he said soothingly, letting go of her hand to wrap it around her shoulders. She had started to sound weepy again, and to stop her tears from falling, Ron kissed her cheek. "They're not going to abandon us, we'll see them almost everyday, and when they do have kids of their own, we'll get to help them along the way."

Hermione sniffled and nodded, watching as Ewan Finnegan tentatively placed a hand on Emily's hip. The two slowly began to waltz to the music, and Hermione was adoring the look of happiness on her daughter's face.

The couple passed Harry and Ginny, who weren't dancing with each other. Instead, The-Boy-Who-Lived was spinning around with Delaney Weasley in his arms, making the little girl laugh ecstatically. Ginny held her Benjamin closely, and his head was lying on her shoulder as the two rocked softly to the music.

A few feet away from them Taylor and Anthony danced, both chatting animatedly. Hermione smiled at the brightness of their eyes as they stared at each other, and she was so happy that the two finally had everyone's blessing. She couldn't wait for their wedding, which, since there was going to be more time, would be even more elaborate than today's.

Finally, Hermione's eyes rested on the bride and groom, who were swaying slowly in each other's arms, Soledad's head on Jacob's chest. The smiles on their faces were ones the older woman could relate to, and unconsciously, she shifted closer to Ron.

Her mind drifted to when the twins were home the winter of their fifth year. It had been the first Christmas with Delaney, who had been born in October. Sitting under the Christmas tree, laughing as Anthony's present burst open as a joke, she and Ron kissing under the mistletoe, and the three children fighting over who got to hold their baby sister.

Hermione realized, though it should have been obvious from their experience at Hogwarts, that her children were well on their way to becoming very successful.

First, Jacob with his Quidditch career. He was set to leave for camp in less than a week, and the Cannons had finally sent a letter; Ron almost fainted when his son told him. The newlywed had also mentioned some interest in the new Quidditch League that was being set up in the States, saying that he'd like to be one of the originals and try to create a large fan base for the foreign sport.

Anthony, who, during his 'dismal' first week of vacation, had received many job offerings was also beginning his career. Unknown to everyone but Hermione, and maybe Taylor, Anthony had been accepted for internship with the Council of Magical Law, which meant that he would be sitting in on actual court cases held by the Wizengamot, preparing himself to actually be the one conducting the cases someday. 

Of course, Emily was too young to truly be thinking about her future, but from the files Professor Flitwick had left her, Hermione was proud to say that her daughter was bound to get an O in Charms next year on her O.W.L.s. Her other grades were quite impressive as well, and Emily's parents were starting to believe that they had a Head Girl in the making.

Delaney, though she could barely speak, was already showing a tremendous amount of magical power. Just the other day while Hermione was sweeping up the kitchen, her youngest had somehow managed to levitate her toy broom and was mimicking her mother's actions without touching the broom.

With a sigh, Hermione resolved that she was very content with her life.

"We've done a good job," she whispered, turning and burying her face into her husband's shoulder. Ron, who had been watching all of his kids as well, nodded and leaned his head on his wife's.

"Yes, a damn good job."

::cries::

Epilogue coming soon, with kiddies for our twins :)