CHAPTER TEN: Fairy-tale and Confetti

Four days after Christmas, there were hurried wedding plans for our wedding. I don't think I'd ever been so happy, but it was the happiest and saddest day of life.

'Hermione - you look beautiful!'

'Draco!' Hermione exclaimed, 'you're not supposed to see the bride yet!'

'It's only a few minutes away till you're mine, anyway!'

She laughed, so sweet and pure - it rang out with such happiness.

I grinned devilishly, 'May I kiss you?'

'No!' Hermione laughed, trying to push me out the door.

She was weak, very weak. I was surprised she still had so much energy sometimes.

'Fine!' I said, 'I know when I'm not wanted!'

'Right, you are Mr. Malfoy!' Hermione said.

She turned to the mirror on her dressing table, as I looked at her from the doorway. She use to be my enemy, someone whom I would have never associated with, my worst enemy's best friend and one of the 'Golden Trio'. I would have never predicted that this day would happen, the day when muggle-born Hermione Granger would become my wife.

I glanced back at her, I winced when I saw her looking so fragile, delicate and ghostly pale because of the illness that was taking her body away, destroying it every minute, every second of the day; making her grow weaker and weaker.

It was only two weeks before it would be a month since Hermione received the news that she had cancer. She probably wouldn't live longer than a month and I wanted to make her happy, I wanted her to enjoy the last weeks of her life. I wanted to show how much I loved her. I deeply, honestly, truly loved her.

I closed the door behind me as I turned to my dressing room - trying to shake away the nasty thoughts that had formed.

Snow, pink and red rose petals and confetti fell from the white, misty bewitched sky, from the Great Hall, within the Hogwarts castle.

Hermione and I had chosen to hold our wedding in the place where we had grown up together.

The Great Hall had been transformed to a fairy-tale scene. There were no tables or chairs but boxes attached to the castle's walls for seating, like, the boxes they have in muggle theatres. There was a long rug leading from the grand door to where the teacher's table was usually put and it ended with a blossoming white rose archway, where the couple to be wed - were to stand - underneath it. There were fluffy white clouds floating around the Hall adding to the gentle, misty atmosphere. And, crystals hung in mid-air casting rainbows around the room. The sight was truly - magical!

'Hey, Malfoy!' came a voice.

I turned to the owner of the voice.

'Congratulations!' Blaise greeted.

'Thanks, it has been ages since I've seen you!' I said, delighted to see my childhood best friend again.

'I know, how are you?'

'I'm fine, and you?'

'Doing well.'

The wedding tune rang out throughout the room, as the service was about to begin.

'See you in a moment, Blaise. I've got to go!' I said grinning.

I quickly walked up to the rose archway, and as I arrived the large entrance doors to the Great Hall opened. In, with her arm linked to her father's, stepped Hermione. She was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. She looked like an angel; there were no other words to describe her. As, she was dressed head to toe in flowing white.

Hermione caught my eye and grinned, I winked back at her.

Each step seemed to take her eternity to walk and there was a slight expression of pain each time she put her foot down. I was worried, very worried.

When she had reached my side, I took her hand, as Albus Dumbledore stood before us.

'Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to join together this man and this woman in wizarding matrimony which is an honorable estate. If anyone should show just cause, why they may not be joined together in wizarding matrimony, speak now, or forever hold your peace.

'Draco, will you take Hermione to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her in sickness and in health until death do you part?'

'I do.'

'And Hermione, will you take Draco to be your lawful wedded husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him in sickness and in health until death do you part?'

'I do.'

'May you, Draco, please give Hermione the ring?'

I took another diamond ring out of my pocket, this was the wedding ring, and the other ring was an engagement ring. I took Hermione's hand and put it on her wedding finger - a precious symbol of our marriage.

'I, Draco Rollins Malfoy, take you, Hermione Elizabeth Granger, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.'

'I, Hermione Elizabeth Granger, take you, Draco Rollins Malfoy, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.'

'By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you wizard husband and witch wife. And, now, as the muggle saying, "you may now kiss the bride"!' Dumbledore finished.

I bent down and kissed Hermione as the whole Hall erupted in deafening clapping.

I looked at Hermione and to my surprise, she was crying, tears were streaming down her face.

'Hermione, what's the matter? You're supposed to be happy!' I whispered to her.

'I'm sorry, it's just that I am so happy!' She said softly as she threw her arms around me holding me tight.

I hugged her back tightly, and, then slowly, Hermione's grip loosened and her body went sort of - limp.

'Hermione?' I whispered fearfully.

There was no response.

'Hermione?' I said urgently.

And Hermione Granger never woke up - again...