Note from Nikki

Argh! Sorry to those of you who are reading this. I am having a lot of difficulty with this story. I have a sort of block for it right now and I'm finding it hard to make myself write it. Plus my stupid floppy disk won't let me open my outline and I have no idea why! So now I don't even know what I am supposed to be writing about. I remembered this chapter and that's all *sigh* This chapter might suck and I apologize if it does. Please review anyway!

Nikki

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Dorcas woke the next morning to bright sunlight streaming through her windows. She yawned and stretched, sliding off the edge of her bed and walking slowly to her kitchen. As she left her room, she began hearing soft voices coming from her kitchen. She grabbed her wand and began making her way silently forward.

She rounded a bend and nearly tripped in shock. James, Lily, Alice, Frank, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were all sitting around her kitchen table talking animatedly.

"Finally you woke up!" Lily chastised, stuffing a steaming cup of coffee under her nose.

"We weren't sure if you'd wake up in time for the ceremony."

Dorcas felt a sudden wave of fear tie up her stomach and she had to set her coffee cup down to calm herself. She was getting married today. She was nervous and excited at the same time and that caused a horrible churning in her stomach that she wasn't at all comfortable feeling.

"Should I be this scared?" Dorcas asked, taking a seat.

Lily smiled. "I nearly called of James' and my wedding."

"Huh?" James asked indignantly.

"I was so nervous that I didn't think I could make myself walk down that aisle. One man for the rest of your life? Who wouldn't be scared!"

"I'll take that as an insult," James muttered grumpily.

"Let me finish," Lily said lightly. "James is the only man I've ever loved and the only man that I ever will. You love Gideon. He loves you. No matter how nervous you are, this is right."

Dorcas smiled wanly. "Thanks Lily."

Lily gave her a tight hug and then stood straight and clapped her hands. "Everyone out! We've got a wedding to prepare for!"

James frowned. "But we're comfortable here Lily. You can get things ready with us, can't you?"

Lily's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

James cleared his throat. "Um. Nothing."

Sirius shook his head. "Come on James, show a little backbone. No Lily, we want to see Dorcas get ready."

Lily turned on him and Sirius swallowed, suddenly looking very scared. "Sirius Black. If you do not stand up and leave this house I swear it on everything that I love I will put a curse on you that will embarrass you for the rest of your life."

Sirius snorted. "Like what?"

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Let's just say no woman will ever be able to sleep with you enjoyably again."

That was all the pushing Sirius needed. He leaped up dashed outside with a single movement. Dorcas assumed he would be running for quite a long time before he was far enough from Lily.

The other men stood up and walked single file out of the house, grumbling about pregnant women and brides.

Alice turned to Dorcas, smiling. "Let's go get your dress."

--

Dorcas couldn't believe that the day of her wedding was finally here. She had never thought that she could be so happy, always certain that her life would be one of darkness. But Gideon made her happy and nothing could change the feeling that he invoked in her. Nothing could compete with it.

And now here she was, laughing with her two best friends while they curled her long black hair and put on her makeup.

"I don't see why I need all this," Dorcas groaned.

Alice shook her head. "Dorcas! This is your wedding day, the most important day of your life. You're beautiful without makeup but we want to make you jaw dropping."

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "Alright. Can I at least see what you're doing to me?"

Lily laughed. "It's a surprise."

"Oh," Dorcas muttered.

"So tell us," Alice began, tugging rather painfully on her hair. "When did you begin to fall in love with Gideon?"

Dorcas managed to smile, even after Lily poked her head with a sharp pin. "I guess I always have been in love with him. I certainly always got nervous when he was around, even when I first joined the Order. I was just lucky that he noticed me too."

Lily and Alice smiled and then stepped back. "Now for the dress. Then you can see yourself."

Alice disappeared and she reemerged with the beautiful white wedding dress Dorcas had picked out with Alice. Dorcas stripped off her robes and stepped into it, feeling the softness of the fabric against her skin. She slipped her feet into small heels that weren't even visible underneath the bell bottom of the gown.

Lily whistled. "You look beautiful honey," she said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Dorcas took a deep breath and turned to look at herself in the full length mirror. The transformation was unbelievable. Her plain robes were replaced with the flowing gown that made her feel like a princess. Her hair, which she usually wore straight down her back, was done up with elegant curls that surrounded her pale face and bright green eyes. The veil was pinned through the curls and cascaded down her back to the floor behind her. Her usually plain face was glowing from small amounts of makeup and her eyes appeared greener than ever.

"Is that really me?" Dorcas attempted to joke. Suddenly the waves of nervousness overwhelmed her again and she turned to her two trusting friends. "I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?"

Alice cupped her chin in her hand and smiled warmly. "You definitely are."

--

Later that day Gideon could be found waiting silently for Dorcas to walk down the aisle. He was dressed in a fancy suit and his hair was pulled back for once. His hands were clasped nervously in front of him as he gazed at the chattering crowd.

It was definitely a small wedding. Every single member of the Order was there, but that wasn't too many because many had died of late. Hagrid sat in the back row having been forced to move because no one could see over him. Dumbledore was talking animatedly to Alastor and Remus. James was pulling on his collar sitting next to a very unhappy looking Sirius. Lily stood across from Gideon, holding a small bouquet of flowers. She gave him a small smile of encouragement which he returned gratefully.

Gideon was feeling a mixture of many things right now. He was nervous to be getting married, to finally settle down with one woman. He was excited because he knew this was the only woman he would ever love and he was more than ready to spend the rest of his life with her. But he was also very sad. Fabian would not come to the wedding. He would not even listen to Gideon or even try to support his brother.

But even as he thought this and the sad thoughts took over his mind, his brother suddenly appeared from behind a tree. Gideon's jaw dropped as Fabian walked uncomfortably toward him.

"I heard there was a wedding," Fabian offered nervously. "I didn't want to miss the festivities."

Gideon wanted to forgive him but he knew he wasn't about to let him off that easy. "Finally grew up, did you?"

Fabian burned crimson and looked at his feet. "Look, I'm sorry Gideon. I was wrong. If you really love this woman, I don't want to stop you. I just haven't given Dorcas a chance and I realize that it is that same prejudice and hatred that started this war in the first place. I'm sorry."

That was all Gideon needed to hear. He gave his brother a gruff, one armed hug and slapped him on the back. Nothing would stop him from being completely elated now. "Don't even think about it anymore. It's over."

And then Dorcas came. She walked down the aisle, Frank holding onto her arm proudly. The image of her coming toward him would remain in his mind forever, Gideon knew. She was absolutely beautiful and he experienced a great surge of love so powerful he thought he might explode with it.

Frank lifted her veil as she reached him and kissed her on the forehead. He winked and sat down next to Alice who was already crying. Dorcas turned to Gideon, her eyes bright and her face flushed with excitement. "You ready?" she whispered.

"I've always been ready," Gideon replied, taking her hand and squeezing it slightly. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she replied. "You don't look so shabby yourself."

The minister began, reciting the familiar vows and talking about the sacred act of marriage. He turned to Gideon. "Will you honor and love her in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, in life and in death for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Gideon answered.

"And you, Dorcas Meadowes, will you honor and love him in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, in life and in death for so long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Dorcas replied quickly, grinning from ear to ear.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife, in this mortal world for as long as you live together in love. May I present Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Prewett."

Dorcas laughed out loud and flung her arms around her husband, kissing him through her tears. "You hear that? I'm Mrs. Prewett!"

Gideon swung her in his arms and led her to the dance floor and the happy couple were immediately followed by crowds of laughing people. Dorcas and Gideon danced their first dance as husband and wife before the floor filled up with people.

Perhaps the best part of this was when Fabian came over to the couple with a grin. "May I dance with this beautiful lady?"

Gideon handed her over to him and Fabian and Dorcas took up the waltz, smiling at one another and laughing together.

--

"Congratulations," Sirius offered as he pulled her away from dancing with a drunken man later that night.

"Thank you," Dorcas said happily.

Sirius kissed her forehead and turned around. "Have a pleasant night."

Dorcas frowned. "Your leaving?"

"I'm tired," Sirius muttered.

"You're not even going to have anything to drink?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Remus left awhile ago," Sirius said. "You didn't complain about him leaving."

"Because he's not my best friend!"

Sirius sighed. "Goodnight Dorcas," and he left without another word.

Under normal circumstances, Dorcas would have been angry or sad. But tonight she could feel nothing but happiness. She grabbed onto Gideon's hand and they danced another dance. Dorcas knew without a doubt, today was the happiest day of her life. Nothing could possibly change that.