A/N: I have finally updated! I hope everyone likes this chapter, though really not that much happens, lol. Thanks for the reviews everyone, and, sadly, now I can't reply to them on the actual story. And,I don't have much time to respond to them all individually, so if you don't get a reply, it's not because I don't appreciate the review. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Seventeen: The Reception
"I cannot do thees!" wailed Fleur, crumpling to the floor, her face in her hands. "I cannot marry 'im, I can't, I can't…"
Hermione and Tonks exchanged exasperated looks and crouched down to eye-level with Fleur.
"Look, Fleur, you're being silly. Yes, OK, Charlie has just proclaimed his undying love to you, but it doesn't matter! Because you don't love him!" said Tonks, for about the thirtieth time this afternoon. "And as long as we keep it between us, no one will ever get hurt."
Hermione nodded sadly. "She's right. If you love Bill, and want to marry him, that's all that matters."
Fleur let out a strangled cry and roughly shook her head. "But…but…Charlie! 'E weell be 'urt!"
Hermione gave her a sympathetic glance. "I know…but he'll get over it."
Tonks snorted, and crossed her arms. "And if he doesn't, it's his fault. I mean, pulling you aside from the ceremony, dragging you up here and saying he was head over heels in love with you was just stupid. What if Bill somehow heard? Though, I guess you could say I'm one to talk, but still…" Hermione shot her a devious look, and Fleur let out a wail. "If you love Bill, marry him. He's outside, waiting, worried. So is everyone else."
"Exactly," said Hermione, forced a smile, and helped Fleur to her feet.
"I love Bill…I want to marry him," chanted Fleur absently. "I love him…"
"Do you?" questioned Tonks seriously, ignoring the dangerous glare Hermione sent her. "No, I'm serious, because if you don't, you can't do this. If you have doubts…or any suspicious that you may…love…Charlie…"
Fleur opened her mouth, let out a tiny inaudible gasp, and then closed it again, her lower lip trembling dangerously. "No," she whispered weakly, her hands clasped tightly together. "No, no, no. I love Bill, I know I do." Fleur's voice heightened dramatically, and she rose to her feet. "I feel nothing for Charlie but older-brotherly admiration. I love Bill, and I weell do anything for 'im, even if it means breaking 'is idiot of a brothers' 'eart in ze process!"
Tonks and Hermione exchanged bemused looks, and Tonks couldn't help but smile.
"Well?" said Fleur, her hands on her hips. "Are we going to my wedding, or not?"
Fleur turned elegantly on her heel, and practically floated out the door, quickly drying her wet cheeks with the sleeve on her dress.
Hermione and Tonks hurried along after her.
"I do hope she'll be OK," said Hermione sincerely, hurriedly fixing her already perfect braid. "She was in such a state."
"I am going to kill Charlie Weasley," Tonks growled, her electric blue hair slowly turning a dangerous magenta. "How could he do that to her. He's more of a prat than I thought."
"Especially since she's pregnant," chirped Hermione abruptly.
Tonks stopped walking and stared; Hermione couldn't be that smart.
Hermione absorbed Tonks' dazed expression and suddenly let out a wail, clapping her hand to her head. "Oh, Merlin, I am such an idiot. I can't believe I just said that."
Realization suddenly flooded Tonks, "You overheard us, didn't you?"
Hermione groaned and nodded her head, "Yes, but look, I didn't mean –"
"No, look, Hermione, it's OK," said Tonks with a wicked smile. "You'd figure out soon enough anyhow, you being a genius and all…" Hermione flushed at the compliment, and Tonks' smile grew, "But don't…tell anyone, or I'm dead, 'cause Fleur would kill me if this leaked out so soon. Like, before she's told Bill."
"I totally understand," said Hermione, in a somewhat relieved manner. "But, Bill doesn't know yet? She should really tell him, he has a right to know."
Here we go, Tonks thought, managing to not roll her eyes. This is exactly why Ginny and me get on better.
"She just found out herself," Tonks reassured her, glancing quickly out the window to her left. "And she'll tell him when she's ready."
Tonks paused, and closed her eyes, letting her hair turn back to electric blue. "We better get going," she said, opening her eyes. "Or they'll start without us."
Hermione and Tonks hurried down the many flights of the Burrow, and were almost running by the time they met up with Fleur at the front door. She was shaking and watching Bill sorrowfully, hiccoughing softly every few seconds.
"'E looks so 'andsome," she whispered, and sighed.
Tonks snuck a glance at Bill. He was wearing a moth-devoured grey suit that had large, questionable green spots on it. His long fiery hair was slicked back into a gel-covered ponytail, and his large green eyes were wild with worry. His scars were more prominent then ever, and gave his face a living-dead kind of look. But Fleur hadn't meant the outside. Bill was positively shining with happiness and love, despite all the worry.
Though his face was practically eaten by bruises and cuts, his smile was still visible. He was handsome, Tonks agreed silently.
Beside her, Hermione burst into a fit of tears, and rapped her arms around Fleur. "You're so lucky," she wailed.
Hermione's outburst turned the crowd's attention to them. Tonks could see a relieved expression set in on both Molly and Arthur's face.
"Oh, thank Merlin," Molly whispered.
Bill immediately came rushing down the aisle, nearly knocking over Ron, who was leaning over on his chair and looking carefully at a piece of gold paper.
"Are you all right?" he asked as Tonks and him pried Hermione off. "What did Charlie want?"
Fleur opened her mouth, but Tonks quickly cut across her, "Oh, he just proved he was a total idiot. I don't think he'll be going the wedding party. Now, c'mon, let's get this ceremony started!" She hurriedly pushed Bill away. "Go down the aisle and pretend this never happened!"
She turned next to Fleur and Hermione, "OK. I guess you know what to do, Fleur. Me and Hermione'll just go -"
"Wait! Ginny she ez…she ez not 'ere!" cried Fleur, looking around wildly. "You!" She pointed at Tonks, "You 'ave to be my other bridesmaid! You 'ave 'elped me so much."
"Er – OK," stuttered Tonks.
"I'll see you after the wedding," said Hermione hastily, and quickly went to take her seat beside Ron.
Fleur poked Tonks hard in the back. "Go up there and wait for me!" she demanded. "Beside Gabrielle!"
Tonks started quickly up the aisle, receiving a suspicious glance from Molly. Her eyes suddenly locked with Remus' for a split second, and she promptly tripped over a large stone. She straightened up hastily and shot a nasty glare at a hysterically laughing Ron.
She squeezed herself in between Gabrielle and the surprisingly chubby little flower-girl, who could not be more then five, but was a tall and as large as a ten-year-old.
"Where is Ginny?" hissed Gabrielle, obviously angry that Tonks was here instead.
"You tell me," Tonks retorted quietly, her eyes once more searching the crowd.
Her eyes locked once again with Remus' and she felt her insides flutter as Gabrielle spoke.
"She went over to talk to zat 'Arry boy when you all took off. Next thing I saw, she was dragging 'im into the 'ouse. She didn't look very 'appy."
"What?" Tonks' head snapped over to Gabrielle. "Really?"
"Uhmm-hmmm," murmured Gabrielle, carefully inspecting her nails.
Tonks scanned the crowd and noticed for the first time that there was an empty seat beside Hermione. "I hope she knocks some sense into him," Tonks muttered to herself.
"Shut up!" said Gabrielle, elbowing Tonks hard. "My seester ez coming!"
Tonks' eyes traveled to Fleur, who was walking slowly down the aisle, her silvery hair floating along behind her.
"She's so beautiful," whispered Bill hoarsely.
Tonks suddenly felt jealously somehow find it's way back into her system. This time, not really of Bill and Fleur, but of their wedding. She had never really known before how much she wanted to get married. And start a family. She looked over at Remus, whose attention was totally on Fleur, who had now started to cry again.
He'd never marry me, she thought. I can't see Remus proposing, or even talking about it, for that matter. He barely even wanted to start a relationship with me. Marriage is out of the question.
Tonks' heart sank, and she felt tears threaten to spill. Stop being so silly, she told herself sternly. Why would I want to get married anyways? Especially in a time like this. Nothing good would ever come of it. Just more people to lose.
Still, her sad mood wouldn't lift. Fleur had finally reached Bill, and he was currently giving her a very passionate welcoming kiss.
"That's disgusting," said the gigantic flower girl beside her.
"Shut up," Tonks hissed. At least he isn't afraid to show he loves her.
She looked again at Remus, and found that he was now smiling knowingly back at her.
"What?" she mouthed silently, excitement suddenly filling her.
He shook his head, and diverted his attention to Fleur and Bill, still kissing loudly.
Finally, with a small 'ahem', from Molly, the two broke apart.
"I love you so much," Bill whispered, looking as though he'd won the lottery.
"I love you too," replied Fleur, and gave him the happiest of smiles.
Tonks looked out into the distance, suddenly feeling suffocated. Unexpectedly, she saw a mass of red hair and freckles move out of the shadows and into sight. It was Charlie, and he looked positively miserable. He was looking at Fleur in the same manner as Bill, though definitely more desperately. He glanced over suddenly and caught Tonks' eye. She didn't frown, or smile. She didn't really know what to feel. He nodded, and turned on his heel, Disapparting quickly. A feeling in her stomach told her that would be the last she saw of Charlie Weasley for quite some time.
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