This Time Around

Chapter 1

The Wedding

A month after they graduated, Ron and Hermione decided to get married. Voldemort's army was growing and any time soon, the war would break out. They chose to get it done quickly to get it out of the way, and not have to worry about the war ruining their chance.

Ron was in the groom's room, his mum and dad's room, getting ready. Harry, the best man, helped him put on his boutonniere, as Ron kept ruffling his hair, turning his head to get different views.

"Would you stop it mate! I'm going to poke you with the pin if you don't stop playing with your hair!" Ron looked down at Harry. "Seriously Ron."

Ron gave a long, deep sigh as Harry finally got the single pink flower of his boutonniere pinned on to his white, button down shirt.

"You know Harry; I don't think I can do this."

Harry looked up from the flower and stared at Ron intensely. "What? Ron you thought of this! You gave her the ring and your entire Weasley family is out there, or will be out there, waiting for Hermione and you. You even got Percy to come. You can't back out now Ron." Harry turned to the wobbly, old oak dressing table in Ron's mum and dad's room to pick out one of the black, cotton ties.

"I guess you're right Harry, but I'm worried what's going to happen when you and Vo-" Ron paused forcing the word to come out. "Vol-Voldemort, begin the, you know, war." Ron took the tie from Harry's hand, draped it over his neck, and began the task of tying it.

Harry stood behind him in the mirror and made eye contact with him. "Don't you worry about that Ron." He said sternly. Ron froze at what he was doing. "This is between Voldemort and me. No one needs to worry about it. It's not as if it's going to last five years. So get married Ron and don't worry." Harry gave a big smile. It reflected off the mirror onto Ron's face. Ron finished tying his tie when Hermione's mother ran into the room.

"Oh, Hermione! That's beautiful!" Ginny gasped as she helped zip Hermione up into her simple wedding dress, a straight cut, cream dress with a ruffled scoop neck and no sleeves. Hermione turned around to face Ginny as well as to see herself in Ginny's mirror. She didn't say anything but continually flatten her dress on her body. Ginny went to grab the pearl necklace off her dresser to put it on Hermione.

As she got behind her, she said, "You know Hermione –"

Just then, Hermione turned quickly around to stare Ginny in her green eyes with a frantic look plastered on her face. "Ginny, I can't do this!"

"What do you mean, you can't do this?" Ginny's face became flustered with red as bright as her hair. "Why are you doing this?"

"Ginny, I'm terribly sorry. I just can't do this." Hermione tugged at the sides of her dress, and flattened it out again. "I don't think I can handle it."

Ginny dropped the pearls on the wooden floor in distraught. "Hermione, your family and my family will help you." She firmly placed her hands on Hermione's shoulders. "Ron loves you, you love him! - - - Don't you?" She pleaded.

Hermione reached up to her bare shoulders where Ginny's delicate hands laid, picked them up, and gently placed them at Ginny's side. She looked intensely into her eyes, opened her mouth slightly, but no sound came out, when there was a knock on Ginny's bedroom door.

"Hermione?! It's your mother, may I come in?"

Hermione and Ginny both looked at the door.

Outside the old wooden door, her mother grabbed the dull, silver handle. Just as she turned it, she heard a loud CRACK. She flew through the door to see Ginny standing there with a look of awestruck on her face. Mrs. Granger turned around and darted for the Weasley's room. She burst into the room to find Ron just finishing to tie his tie. They both turned to see Hermione's frantic mother.

"Hermione's gone!" She gasped out in despair.

Ron and Harry both looked at each other in stunned shock.

Ron darted out of the room, down the old stairs, out the Burrow. He ran back behind the house where he saw his whole family and Hermione's dad mingling and waiting patiently for the wedding to begin. Ron easily spotted his mother near the punch table and snuck up to the table un-noticed.

"Mum, Hermione's gone."

"Oh, there you are Ron. Are you ready? Your dad can cue the instruments and I'll walk you down, ok?" Mrs. Weasley said with a warming heart.

"No, mum . . ." Ron grabbed her shoulders. "Hermione is gone." Unexpectedly, Ron broke down crying.

Mrs. Weasley's cheery face sunk. "Oh dear."