Disclaimer: Harry Potter plus his world equals J. K. Rowling's.
A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I've decided to write lists at the end of the story from now on, addressing my reviewers personally, because, aside from one person, all of you have been very kind. I appreciate it!
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The Final Quest
Chapter Four: A Unique Celebration
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Harry awoke the morning of the wedding to a loud explosion. He snatched his glasses off of the nightstand beside his cot, and looked around the room, expecting to see Ron up and about.
He heard a few snores coming from something beneath the Chudley Cannon's covers of Ron's bed.
Of course… he thought. Harry pulled the bedclothes off of his friend and nudged him a few times. Ron only snorted and rolled over.
Harry sighed. He walked to the window to find the source of the explosion that had jolted him out of a peaceful, dreamless sleep. He looked down to see Fred and George waving their wands about in the backyard, creating fireworks.
Harry laughed. This could be one of the last days of fun we have, he thought. Why not make it count?
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Harry and Ron were dressed and pocketing their wands when a harassed-looking Mrs. Weasley opened the door.
"Boys, can you please come downstairs and help set everything up?" she asked quickly, and without waiting for an answer, she walked back downstairs.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been staying at the Burrow since they bought their dress robes. After much insistence by Mrs. Weasley, they decided to stay for a couple of days after the wedding, as well, so a small going away party could be held on Harry's birthday. Then, they would be back at The Leaky Cauldron.
The Weasleys were worried about what the three of them were doing, but were supportive, nonetheless. Ron and Hermione were already of age, and Harry would be in a matter of days. Nothing could be done to change their minds.
"Shall we?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, let's go."
Harry opened the door to find Hermione standing there, barefoot, already in her dress robes, and her hair half-done.
"Mr. Weasley just arrived," she informed them.
"You know, I still don't understand why you girls don't have to help set up at all. You don't need the entire day to dress!" Ron exclaimed.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "The entire day?"
"The wedding is in the evening," said Hermione. "You two should get downstairs!" And with that, she ran off, holding down the straight side of her hair. The other side was still bushy, flailing behind her.
"Senile," Ron breathed.
Harry rolled his eyes and followed Hermione down to the girls' landing, where he heard Fleur saying, "Zis is not acceptable…"
He and Ron looked at each other, and mentally decided to get down to the kitchen as fast as possible.
The scent of an abundance of different foods jumbled together reached their noses as they entered the room.
"Mum," Ron started. "What the-"
Mrs. Weasley turned around, her hands covered in what appeared to be cake batter. "Outside!" she snapped.
Fred and George were still shooting fireworks when Harry and Ron joined them.
"Finally," said George.
"Took you long enough." Fred pointed to about a dozen round tables scattered about the lawn. "See those? We've got to put six on each side, make an aisle between them, and put four place settings on each."
Harry, who had never been to a wedding before, much less the union between a witch and a wizard, said, "Well, that doesn't sound too bad."
George smirked. "Oh, and he forgot to mention we can't use magic."
Ron's jaw dropped. "What?"
"Let me guess," said Harry. "Fleur wants everything to be perfect."
"You bet," said the twins, and they all got to work, Ron muttering angrily under his breath.
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It was early afternoon when they finished, and Harry and Ron were both starved. Since they had both skipped breakfast, they went inside to eat.
Bill and Charlie were already sitting at the kitchen table, munching on sandwiches. A plate in the middle of the table was full of them. Harry and Ron sat down, grabbing their own.
As Bill was conjuring glasses of pumpkin juice for the two of them, Harry asked him, "Are you nervous at all?"
"Not really," Bill replied. "Well…I'm just nervous about meeting the rest of Fleur's family. I'm not sure that I'm quite what they'll be expecting…" Bill trailed off.
Harry was rather confident that Bill was not what the rest of Fleur's relatives would be expecting. However, he decided not to voice this particular opinion.
Bill grinned at them, and continued. "Anyway, Fleur and Gabrielle have been staying with us, but the others are flying in later on."
"On brooms, you mean?"
Ron gave Harry an odd look. "Yeah, what else?"
Harry just grinned, not even bothering to tell him about the different forms of Muggle transportation.
"How're you, Harry?" asked Charlie concernedly.
"Right now, I'm great. I'm looking forward to the wedding tonight."
Charlie smiled. "Good for you."
Harry had to be happy, just for this one day. He had to put a smile on his face for the only people left who he could call by the most precious name in existence. They were his family.
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There could not have been a more perfect time for the ceremony. The sun had barely set, and the dark blue sky was streaked with pink, purple, and orange hues. The half-moon was already shining down on them, serving as the only source of light aside from the fireflies that were suspended over each table and hidden amongst the scattered flower petals resting on the aisle. The stars were just beginning to twinkle, reminding everyone of the mischievous light that always seemed to be captured within Albus Dumbledore's eye.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all seated at the same table to the right of the aisle. Harry flicked a mosquito off of his dark green dress robes, and glanced at Ron. Every so often, Ron could be seen staring at Hermione. Harry grinned. He could not bring himself to blame Ron; Hermione looked lovely. Her hair had been magically straightened, by Ginny, no doubt, and it fell graciously about her shoulders. She turned to Ron and caught him looking at her. Hermione's cheeks tinted pink, and she went back to watching the back door of the Burrow, waiting for the bridesmaids to emerge.
Just then, shadows could be seen through the window by the door.
"I think it's starting!" Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron excitedly.
Mr. Weasley opened the door, and ushered his wife outside. They were both beaming as they walked down the aisle arm in arm, and sat down at a table close to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Mrs. Weasley flicked her wand at an old piano, which was nestled behind Bill, Fred, and George, who were standing by the alter. It began to lightly play a strange, but beautiful tune.
Charlie Weasley came out next, with a woman who could only be Fleur's mother gripping his arm firmly. The woman's long, silvery-blond hair was tied up in an eloquent French design. She had minimal lines on her porcelain face; a certain sign that she rarely took part in laughter.
Charlie led her to the left side of the aisle, where she sat with the rest of the Delacours, who were looking equally humorless. Charlie then took his place at the center of the alter, for he would be reciting the vows of the bride and groom.
Gasps could be heard from Fleur's relatives as Gabrielle walked down the aisle. She looked very pretty in her robes of dark, glittering gold. Her hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck, and tied with a ribbon. Gabrielle took her place to the left of Charlie.
Many eyes were still on Gabrielle, but Harry's were locked on the figure now walking down the aisle.
Dressed head to toe in shimmering, pale gold dress robes, Ginny looked angelic. Her red hair flowed down her back in natural, subtle waves. The freckles below her turquoise eyes, which were usually prominent no matter what the occasion, appeared to be hiding behind her flushed, rosy cheeks. The corners of her mouth were upturned in an innocent, sheepish smile as she looked around at the many guests. Harry found that he was unable to move. When their eyes met, Ginny's hands began to tremble. She was holding a solitary white lily between them.
It seemed to take a lifetime for Ginny to reach the alter, but as soon as she took her place next to Gabrielle, the music coming from the piano became stronger and louder.
Fleur walked out the door, and slowly down the aisle. She looked stunning in her silver wedding gown, and was smiling more brightly than ever before. When she finally stood beside Bill at the alter, she gave her bouquet of red roses to her sister and took her groom's outstretched hands. The music stopped so that Charlie could be heard.
"Love is something that is truly beautiful," He began, looking fondly at the couple. "When one finds love, it should be cherished, for it is something that is only guaranteed to few."
Harry found his gaze drifting to where Ginny was standing. She appeared to be deep in thought, staring straight back at him They looked at each other for a while, until Fred and George made a big deal of pretending to have forgotten the wedding rings.
When George took the silver bands out of his pocket and handed them to his older brother, Charlie continued. "The two people standing in front of us all have found love, despite the dark times we are all facing." He handed Fleur's ring to Bill, and Bill's to Fleur.
"Do you, Fleur Delacour, take Bill Weasley to be your husband?"
Bill brought her left hand up and slid the diamond ring onto her awaiting finger. "Yes," she said, still beaming.
"And do you, Bill Weasley, take Fleur Delacour to be your wife?"
Fleur, in turn, slid Bill's wedding band onto his finger. "I do," Bill replied.
"I now announce you to be husband and wife. Go ahead and kiss her, Bill," Charlie finished, smirking.
And he did.
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Sometime between Bill and Fleur taking their seats at their own table, Charlie, Fred, and George joining their parents, Gabrielle joining her family, and Ginny choosing to sit with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, full dinner plates had appeared at each place setting.
"Ginny," Hermione was saying. "You look beautiful!"
Ginny simply smiled.
"Yes, you do," Harry commented.
She turned to him. "Thank you, Harry."
"You're welcome."
Ron sighed. "Let's eat, shall we? Oh, look, bouillabaisse…"
Harry could have sworn he heard Hermione growl.
An hour and a half later, after everyone had eaten and offered their congratulations to Bill and Fleur, the alter vanished. In its place was what looked to Harry like a dance floor, with the old piano resting on top. Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at the piano again, which now began to play a soft, slow song. Bill and Fleur stood up to have their first dance as a married couple.
After a few moments, several other pairs made their way to the dance floor, one of those being Ron and Hermione, after much prodding from Fred and George. Harry and Ginny were left alone at the table.
Harry was deep in thought. So much was racing around in his mind. Thoughts of Ron, Hermione, and the quest that lay ahead of them started to take over, even when he tried to have fun and resist them.He rested his head in his hands.
After some time, he looked up and took a deep breath. "Ginny-"
At the same time, Ginny had started to say, "Harry-"
They both laughed nervously. Why, they did not know. They had been alone together many times. Why should this have been any different?
"A sickle for your thoughts?" Ginny asked him, trying to smile.
Harry shook his head.
"Well, honor me with a dance, then."
Harry glanced at her and grinned. He stood up and held his hand out. Ginny took it, and they walked to where the many other couples were dancing, and Harry saw Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. They looked very happy, and he waved to them before wrapping an arm around Ginny's waist. Harry still clasped her hand in his, and held it up as she placed her other hand on his shoulder.
They danced and danced, staring into each other's eyes, seeing nothing but the feelings they both held for each other. That was the way it was supposed to be. Harry and Ginny, together forever. But it could not be. It had to end, or Ginny could get hurt. And that scared Harry more than anything else.
Harry held Ginny close to him, and kissed her cheek gently, hoping that she would feel safe one last time.
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A/N: I hope you liked it! And now, for my reviewers.
Rosie5: Hello! Thank you so much for what you said in your review, it means a lot! And I've read your story, it's great! I've actually been a fan of yours for a while, since the beginning of The Good New Days. I'd be glad to compare notes, if you'd like. My e-mail address should be in my profile somewhere, but it's just in case.
Luvguurl: Thank you! I tend to update on a weekly-biweekly basis.
Master Slytherin: Well, I must say that I've been debating on what to write in response to your reviews, and I came up with this. 1) I had a lot of fun writing my first chapter, and do not appreciate it being called 'dull.' You could have said, 'you could possibly have added a bit more description,' or, 'grab the reader's attention,' instead of being negative. 2) I do not think that my second chapter was at all unrealistic. When put under the pressure of magic, Aunt Petunia is the type of person who would do anything to make things be normal again. She's also the type of person who could get carried away with what she says. 3) My characters don't keep changing. I never said that Ginny was in any way 'an old granny.' And I don't see her being bubbly; she's much more the fiery type, like her mother, and she's growing up. Also, I'm thinking that Ron probably knows his sister's real name by now, and may even use it to tease her. If my writing is jumpy, I'll try to change that. But please, please, PLEASE don't say that my chapters are too short. They are as long as they need to be, and say what needs to be said. In conclusion, thank you for the few kind words you said.
gryffindor-girl12: Thanks! What list am I on, may I ask?
That's all, folks! Feel free to e-mail me at any time, and please review! All I ask is that you remember that I write these stories for fun. Thank you!
By: SammyLynn