Chapter Four

After the Wedding

It was the music and the dancing that distracted her. Ron began spinning her around shortly after their wedding breakfast following the ceremony. She lost track of time as she danced with one guest after another. She didn't feel tired at all and she was grateful Ron hit her with a sleeping spell last night. She wouldn't want to be missing out on this. She accepted everyone's hearty greetings and had the time of her life feeling like a queen and catching up occasionally to some of her old friends.

What brought her back to earth was when the guests began to depart. She asked Ron for the time and was surprised that it was nearing noon.

"Oh no! I can't be dallying like this!" she exclaimed to Harry and the Weasleys who were left. "We still have to file for the annulment and I have a wedding to prepare for tomorrow." She began fidgetting. "I need to get to London and go through the muggle shops and everything! There's the caterer, the florist, the plane reservations," she ticked off helplessly. "Oh, there's no more time!"

"Hermione, relax!" Ron said. "We'll go apparate there and then I'll drive you around London to the shops you have to stop by that we can't apparate to. Percy, can you help us file that annulment?"

"No problem," said Percy. "I know someone from the Ministry Civil Registry office. I think I can pull some strings and have them deliver the papers you and Ron need to sign by owl tonight so you won't have to go there. I also talked to Dumbledore this morning. He said you won't have much of a problem because annulments only get tedious if one of the parties oppose or if you don't have the approved signatures of all your witnesses."

Hermione's mouth fell open. "You... you need the approval of all the witnesses to get annulled!"

Percy looked surprised. "Of course," he muttered slowly. "Didn't you know? I thought you would have read about it by now."

Hermione shook her head.

"Well... anyway I did and that's why it's so hard to get an annullment. All the witnesses have to sign because they are bound by Wizarding law to protect your marriage."

Hermione felt a surge of panic. "But that could take ages! And what if some of them refused to sign?"

"All of them already signed, Hermione." Percy held up a long piece of parchment. "When I told them what happened, I asked them to sign once they came in."

"Oh Percy thank you!" Hermione cried. She was enormously touched, she gave him a hug. It was the first time she ever did that. She had always thought Percy too stiff for such things, but now she realized he did have a soft spot after all.

"Anything for my sister-in-law," he said with a funny wink. Hermione thought that move was oddly familiar. "You're family."

"Well you and Ron better get going," said Ginny. "Send some of us to do your other errands so you could finish faster."

"Are you sure, you don't mind? I've imposed so much. You've missed work for half the day already."

"It's alright Hermione," said Ginny. "I took a leave from work today, so did everyone in the family. We just want to make sure your wedding goes smoothly."

"Well thank you then," she said. "You don't know how much I appreciate this. It seems so hard planning a wedding on your own."

"It's no trouble, dear." smiled Mrs. Weasley. "We're happy to help out."

Hermione was rather surprised to hear this from Mrs. Weasley, after her not-so-veiled opposition last night to her marrying Nathaniel. But she figured the older woman was trying to make up to her. She gave her a hug as well.

Hermione gave them instructions for the caterer and the florist and gave them the addresses. She also told Harry (the only one there who knew how to use a telephone) to confirm her plane and hotel reservations for her trip to Thailand for her honeymoon. She and Ron apparated back to their flat, changed into muggle clothes and set off to her London dressmaker.

The whole afternoon flew by making errands. It was tiring and for most of the time (for Ron that is) quite boring. But he didn't say anything. He just waited for her to finish and helped with the packages she had to lug around.

By the time they finished and arrived home at their flat, they were both exhausted. There were several messages on the coffee table dropped by owls. Everyone she sent to do errands owled to confirm that they accomplished their tasks. That put Hermione at ease and she finally allowed herself to relax and enjoy a quiet dinner that Ron managed to cook in record time.

"You've been quiet the whole day," Hermione remarked over the chicken casserole—Ron's specialty and Hermione's favorite.

"Just thinking," he said wistfully.

"About what?" she asked.

"This. It's the last night you'll be here, with me."

"Why? You're already missing me? I haven't even moved out yet," she teased.

"Are you kidding?" Ron said. "With you gone, Harry and I can finally have a real bachelor pad! We can eat junk the whole day and no's going to be around to tell us to have those low-fat meals. No more little miss freakishly neat woman that keeps nagging us to pick up our stuff."

"I do not nag."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't!"

"Oh, yes you do!"

"Okay, maybe a little. So I suppose, you can't wait til I'm gone."

"Yeah," he paused. "Except... after you, Harry might want to get married too." He snickered. "You know, this morning Harry told me Ginny's been giving hints. I guess it won't be long before he moves out too then all this will be mine."

Hermione eyed him carefully. She knew underneath his enthusiasm of having the flat to himself, Ron would feel lonely if he was left alone.

"I'll come by occasionally," she assured him. "And whenever I do, I'll make sure to nag you to pick up your stuff and eat healthier meals."

"I'm sure you would," he smiled.

"Wouldn't miss out the opportunity," she smiled back.

There was a tap at the window. Hermione went to open it and a large brown owl swooped in to drop a large envelop addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley."

Hermione pondered over the name, Mrs. Ronald Weasley. It gave her a warm feeling.

"What's that?" Ron asked from the table.

"I think it's from the Ministry's Civil Registry. It's the annulment papers. That was quick. We have to thank Percy again."

They moved to the couch in the living room and Hermione opened the package.

"Everything seems to be in order," she said. "There's a note here from Percy. He says we only need to send these forms back along with the signed parchment of our witnesses and we'll be called for a hearing in a week. That's fine. Nathaniel and I will be back from Thailand by then. I'll just slip off on the appointed date."

"You're not going to tell him?""

"Oh no, you know how he gets jealous at the mention of you and Harry. This thing could really set him off. I don't want to bring any friction between us. Why do you think I had to marry you? I had to get that ring off, or he might have other ideas."

Ron frowned. "Seems to me, he's being a prat. If you told him honestly it was just a mistake..."

Hermione shook her head. "He wouldn't understand."

"What kind of person wouldn't understand that? You're not doing anything wrong. I'm not sure you should be marrying him at all if he's going to give you hell everytime you have male friends."

"Oh and I suppose, you don't get jealous too if you had a girl and she has friends!"

Ron reddened. "Depends on the kind of friends."

"See. Look Ron, I don't want to argue right now. I'm tired. Just sign these forms so we could send them off." She summoned an ink bottle and a quill. "Oh, I almost forgot. I should take off this ring. Where did Harry get this anyway?" She pulled at her wedding band but to her surprise, it wouldn't come off.

"Ron, my wedding ring's stuck!"

"What?" He leaned over her and grabbed her hand. He gently pulled at the ring but it wouldn't move. He pulled harder to no effect. They looked at each other worriedly. Ron tugged at his own ring.

"This won't come out either!"

"Why—where did Harry get these?!" Hermione cried.

"He told me it's from a muggle shop." He pulled something out of his pocket and showed her a box and the receipt from Tiffany's.

"Well this is from a muggle store, no doubt about that," said Hermione. "How did Harry manage to get these last night? The shops were already closed." She noted that the receipt was dated only yesterday.

"Percy's girlfriend. Penelope's sister works as a manager of the jewelry store so she was able to get a pair of rings even after hours. I still owe Harry for these rings. I need to pay him back when Gringotts opens on Monday."

"I'll pay for them," said Hermione. "But do you think this is one of those misused artifacts that somehow got mixed up in a muggle shop?"

Ron shook his head. "We can't be sure. Or maybe... it's silly, but maybe my old Weasley ring leaves some kind of magical residue... I don't know. I'm just making guesses here."

"What do we do now? All that trouble and for nothing!" She looked ready to cry.

Ron patted her back. "Hey, don't worry, it's alright. We'll ask Harry when he gets back and tomorrow we'll go to the store to check if it got tampered.

"There's no more time. My wedding is at nine in the morning!"

"Then tell him the truth. If he loves you, it won't matter to him."

Hermione still wasn't sure if Nathaniel would take this thing lightly, but Ron was right. Honesty was the only way out.

"I suppose I have to tell him. I'll floo him later, after we sign the papers."

"That's my girl," he said. "Or rather, my brilliant wife." He patted her affectionately and turned to the papers. Hermione flushed at his endearment.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" she looked at him. He was sitting on the floor, his elbows on the coffee table. He was staring at the papers but appeared to be thinking intently.

"Do you think I'd be a bad husband?"

"What?"

"You know, that I'm terrible at relationships and that I can never stay with one woman enough to get married."

Hermione knelt next to him on the floor. "Is this about what Fred and George said?" You know well enough not to take them seriously."

"Well you have to admit, they're right," he said sadly. "The longest time I've had with anyone is probably three weeks. I'm not exactly the best person to live with either. I'm too messy—you tell me that often enough."

"So is Harry," she said.

"Okay, so we both like a bit of clutter. But still..." he sighed. "You said it yourself last night, you're tired of living with me so you're getting married to someone you can stand."

"Oh, Ron, you know I wasn't serious about that." She went behind him as she often did when he needed comforting and put her arms around his neck. She let her her chin rest on his left shoulder. "I'm sure you'd be a great husband. I don't think anyone would get tired of you. I've been with you for years and I'm never bored with you."

"That's because we always get into a row," he replied, ignoring her touch.

"Well, yes..."

"So the only way I can keep a woman interested in me is if I fight with her constantly. That really puts it in perspective."

"I didn't mean that. The fights well... I've gotten used to those. But it's more than that Ron. You're thoughtful and warm and responsible." She pulled tighter at him and pressed her cheek against his. "And you make me laugh when I need to and you take care of me."

"I hex you with sleeping spells and force feed you. You don't seem to think much of that as me being helpful."

Hermione scowled but then her expression softened. "Alright, I have to admit, it does help—sometimes, except when I really need to study."

He pulled back a little to peer in her face. "Nothing's more important than your health. Honestly, Hermione what would you do without me to keep track of what you do. You'd kill yourself to death working."

"I will not!"

Ron shook his head but the corners of his lips had the beginnings of a smile. "I doubt it."

He was teasing now which meant he was feeling much better. "Oh go on, stop with the drama and get it done with those papers." She was about to release him from her embrace but he pulled at her arms and held them there.

"Wait, give me a second," he said. He pulled her tighter for a moment then released her.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

But he slowly got up from the floor and turned his back to her.

"Ron?"

He didn't answer, just stared at the papers scattered on the coffee table. He picked up one of the annulment forms and his eyes moved over the parchment. His expression looked pained and he bit his lower lip almost forcefully.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Ron dropped the parchment back into the table and shook his head.

"I can't do this."

Hermione eyed him carefully. "What do you mean?"

He ran a hand through his hair as she had often seen him do when he was troubled. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I can't sign that. I won't!"

"What...?"

He turned to her so fast and grabbed at her elbows, forcing her to look intently at him. "Don't marry him tomorrow. Please don't."

"What are you talking about? Of course, I'm marrying him... Ron?"

He seemed to be fighting something back. He swallowed hard. "I know I'm thick, I'm more than thick. I'm so stupid not to do anything. You're right I have the emotional complexity of a teaspoon—that's what you said some years ago, or something. But I'm telling you now, before it's too late. I care about you. I have for years and I want us to have a chance."

Hermione's heart was caught in her throat. After all the years of waiting, he finally said something. She felt ecstatic. But in the next instant, a wave of anger washed through her. She shook off his hold. "Why now?" she asked him coldly. "Why are you telling me this now, when you could have told me years ago?"

"I'm sorry. I just... I didn't know how to say it. I've been fighting off these feelings forever because I 'm afraid you don't feel the same thing. I know I'm not brilliant. I fight with you a lot and maybe I'm not an ideal husband for you. But I don't care anymore. I think we may have something. This morning, when I married you, I meant it. I want us together. Give me a chance, Hermione."

"Well, it's a little too late for that, isn't it?" she said angrily. "I'm marrying Nathaniel and that's final!"

"I won't let you." he said in an eerily calm voice.

"What are you going to do about it then? You can't stop me!"

"But I can refuse to give you an annulment!" He took his wand and incinerated all the documents from the Ministry. "There! Those were the signatures of the witnesses for our wedding. It will take you forever to get those people to sign again. And even if you do, I'm not signing anything!"

Hermione was speechless. She tried to save the flaming documents but they quickly burned to cinders. She tried reparo charms, but apparently those didn't work. She flashed him an angry glare.

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley, looks like you're stuck with me forever."

"I can still marry Nathaniel tomorrow!" she declared indignantly.

"Sure," he mocked. "And commit bigamy for life unless he divorces you. But I won't let you get to that. I'm going right up to that altar and oppose your marriage to that git. I've got more than fifty witnesses that can attest I'm married to you."

"How dare you! You...you..." She couldn't think of a word insulting enough.

His expression softened. "I'm sorry. But I have to do this. I love you—there I said it. I know you feel something in there. Don't tell me this morning meant nothing to you."

He moved towards her and his face hovered so close to hers. Hermione didn't dare blink as his eyes searched her face.

"Stay with me, you need me in your life. I need you in mine," he whispered. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her. Hermione experienced the bliss she felt this morning trigger again. But this time, he didn't pull away as swiftly. She tried to resist but he pressed deeper until she stopped resisting altogether.

A/N: Another cliffhanger, I know, but I promise it won't be too long. I'll be uploading the final chapter tomorrow. Thank you again for all your wonderful reviews.