Author's note; May I say i'm the happiest person to change this story to AU! GO HBP! Not the best update but an update none the less! Enjoy! - Nicole

Chapter 6 / the perfect dress

It had been two weeks since that moment I shared with Harry. I've tried to hold onto the small details but they slowly dripped through my fingers like water.

Since that moment, things had happened in a blur. I was too busy trying to remember how green Harry's eyes were that I hardly noticed Nicole and Neville going out on their first, second, and third date. I was too busy imagining Harry's arms around me that Malfoy's rapid barks of commands sounded distant at work. Even Kate's consistent nagging of how many tiers her wedding cake needed to be or what shade of purple (ew?) the bride's maid's dresses needed to be seemed almost childish compared to how many worried lines were creased into Harry's forehead.

I came back to reality when it was time to pick Kate's wedding dress. With some convincing from Kate's father, Malfoy had allowed me to have the Wednesday off to shop around London with Kate. We had visited 14 wedding shops before five and I was exhausted. We were at a boutique in West Hampshire, Kate was modeling what felt like the millionth dress that afternoon. I sat on a spongy white chair and watched as a woman with large hair sprayed hair and who smelt like stale cigarette fawned over Kate.

"Beyoootiful, absolutely, beyooooootiful. That dress was made for you, dahling." she said, orange lipstick smeared on her teeth.

"This one makes me look fat. I look like a cow." Kate sneered at herself in the mirror.

'Of course you look fat! You're 2 months pregnant, you twit!' I thought to herself with an inward grin.

"Well, my dahling, you've cleaned me out. I have two dresses left." The woman said, her eyes bulging as if she would've mauled Kate for another cigarette. She left us alone to gather the two dresses in a seperate room.

"Damn it! I'm exhausted. Why can't designers design anything flattering for expecting mothers?" She said, pouting her lips and rubbing her small, protruding belly.

I yawned to hide my laughter.

"We'll be closing soon but I have an idea." The woman said, handing one of the dresses to Kate. "Why don't you both try on a dress. You both have similar bodies, of course you're not pregnant deary," she said quickly to me, "and it will save us ten minutes."

Kate crinkled her nose in protest. She obviously didn't like the idea of me participating in the fun of picking out a wedding gown.

"No, I don't think so. I'm not a wedding gown type of person." 'and this wedding alone is too much to handle since i've slept with the groom and I believe I am still in love with him.' was what else I wanted to say but I bite my tongue.

"Why not." Kate said in a overly perky tone in my direction. "You've been sitting around all day, you deserve some fun too." Our eyes connected and I instantly knew.

Kate was jealous of Harry's relationship with me. We've been great friends and have been for several years. She knew all my inner anguish and she wanted to twist the knife as much as she could. I opened my mouth but found no words of protest.

'Buuuuuuuuuuuut, I don't want to!' My inner baby-Ginny said inside of me.

I gingerly took the other gown and stepped inside one of the curtained dressing rooms.

After five minutes of sliding into the dress and buttoning every button, I was shocked at the results I saw. Though there was no mirror in the dressing room, I knew I looked good. The dress fit me like a glove; It hugged my curves and hung off my freckled shoulders gracefully by the bodice that was laced with tiny pearls. The skirt was full and beautiful and for a moment, I felt like Cinderella transformed.

"Ready Gin-gin?" I heard Kate call. "Open the curtain on three. One, two, THREE!"

I obeyed and pulled the curtain open. Kate stood ten feet in front of me. It was obvious she had gotten the uglier one of the dresses.

The collar reached her chin as ruffles and lace framed her pregnant figure. I felt my face begin to turn Weasley red as I bite my tongue once more to stop myself from laughing.

"Oh my god." Kate breathed, her eyes large and glassy.

"Oh my god." The cigarette woman said, a fag dangling from her mouth with a lighter in her hand. I looked at both of them with an odd expression. "Step on the podium, dahling, you look ..."

I took a few steps forward and onto the heavily lit platform. My jaw dropped as I saw my reflection come into view.

My red hair looked aflame as it rested softly on my shoulders. The freckles that covered almost eery inch of my body was somehow softened by the pearl white color of the dress. My awkward figured looked amazing and confident, not to mention my boobs ...

Well, i'll leave that up to your imagination.

I fell in love with the dress instantly. I could jsut see Harry standing next to me, looking as handsome as ever in a formal tuxedo. Grinning proudly at his Ginny, his blushing bride.

"I'll take it."

Oh, how I wish these words escaped my mouth first.

"What?" I asked, before I could stop myself. I turned my body to her and saw her eyes starring hungrily at the dress.

"That's the dress. That's my dress." She said, taking a few steps forward and walking onto the platform. "Of course it will needed to be altered but I don't care. This is my dress, my wedding dress." She said smiling widely fingering the skirt of the dress. I could almost feel her fingers burn as they grazed my stomach lightly. She looked over at the woman who was still starring at us, cigarette dangling in amazement. "I'll take it."

The cigarette dropped as the woman shrilled loudly and did a poor version of the "Macarena". Kate laughed, jumping off the platform and joined the woman in the dance.

I remained on the platform. First she gets the man of my dreams and now my wedding dress?

This wedding could not get any worse.

---

I arrived home later, beaten and exhausted form the war-like day with Kate.

"Dear God, Nic, you would not believe the day i've had," I said as I opened the door and took off my coat, "You would never guess how many different Wedding gown des-Oh, hello Neville."

Nicole and Neville's heads appeared over the couch, looking disheveled and their faces red.

Ginny bowed her head and squeezed her eyes shut. She won't cry, she won't give the world the satisfaction that it had won.

"Well, goodnight." I said hoarsely and escaped into my room, slamming the door short and letting the pressures of the day go with a good cry.

I knew then exactly who I needed to talk to.

Hermione.