Disclaimer: I own nothing involving Harry Potter except for a few gross tasting Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans that I just couldn't bring myself to eat.

CHAPTER 3: Bill & Fleur's Wedding Day

Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred and George all apparated to the Burrow two days later. Fred and George were wearing matching, shocking pink robes. Harry wondered if they'd finally gone off the deep end, or if it was another wizard tradition he just didn't know. He decided not to ask, although the small snigger Ron emitted when Hermione complimented their robes seemed to answer his question.

Hermione had once again used liberal amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and seemed to be dressed in new robes, although Harry truthfully couldn't be sure. He didn't think he'd ever seen them before and, judging by the way he was staring, Ron hadn't either. Hermione looked rather pleased, although when she caught Harry looking at her, she quickly rearranged her face back to normal. Harry wondered if they'd finally kissed yet, but didn't dare ask.

They had apparated a short walk from the Burrow.

Harry was torn between being interested in the wedding and dreading it. Although he'd never been to a wedding before, muggle or not, he'd seen enough on the telly to know that men weren't supposed to enjoy weddings. Yet it was nice to look forward to something happy for a change. He mused over this as they walked. Finally, he concluded that Dumbledore would have been overjoyed to be at the wedding, and that was good enough for him. Glad he'd decided to enjoy it, he quickened his pace and Harry allowed his mind to imagine his parent's wedding. Maybe he'd ask Lupin what it had been like. Harry suspected, although he'd never, EVER tell Ron, that he was suddenly more interested in weddings when he looked at those pictures of a beautiful redhead marrying a man that looked so much like himself.

As they reached the front of the Burrow, Harry suddenly was knocked to the ground- by? What was it? He stuck his hand out. He couldn't see anything. Harry looked around, confused. Was it an invisible wall? He realized that Ron and Hermione were on the other side, looking slightly bewildered. Harry remembered the last time he'd been stopped by a barrier, but somehow, he didn't think Dobby had a hand in this. Why, though, could Ron and Hermione get through?

Harry stood back up, and walked cautiously to the barrier, but again could not pass through it. He began feeling his way around it, by touch since he still couldn't see it. It seemed to extend in every direction. He shook his head, confused.

He suddenly caught a glimpse of Fred and George who were, standing far away from Harry, doubled over with laughter.

Hermione looked as though she was thinking hard, and suddenly laughed, too. "Um, Harry? Did you remember to bring your invitation with you?"

Harry privately thought, who'd do a stupid thing like that? Out loud, he said, in what he hoped was a dignified voice, "Of course not. I can remember the time and location."

Everyone cracked up. "But, Harry, you can't get in without an invitation!" George managed, before falling to the ground in tears of laughter. Fred walked through the barrier (show-off, Harry thought) and pounded Ron's back. "Remember when we did that to you, Ron?"

Ron looked indignant. "How could I forget? Mum yelled at me so much! We had to miss the wedding going back to look for that stupid invitation that you hid!"

Hermione looked worried, "Harry, do you remember where you put the invitation?"

"Yes," he sighed. "Accio Invitation". It soared from his trunk, where it had been nestled near the wedding pages of his photo album, and Harry could suddenly walk forward. Hermione shot him a dirty look. Probably for the underage magic, he mused as they finally made it into the house.

Against his will, he scanned the room for Ginny, but she was no where to be seen. He sighed, but when Hermione looked at him knowingly, he turned his head and found a new subject to focus on. "Mrs. Weasley, you look wonderful," he said, truthfully.

"Oh, thank you, Harry," She blushed right to the tip of her ears, just the way Ron did. Her face turned serious. "Now, where have you children been?"

"MUM! We aren't "children" anymore," Ron whined.

"Of course not, dears. Well, you young men should be out in the backyard, helping finish up." They all turned toward the back door. "Not you two, you are guests, why don't you relax?"

"No, we'd really like to help," Hermione said eagerly. Ron looked at her and rolled his eyes. "Mom, Hermione can be as weird as dad when it comes to learning about wizards." Shaking his head he mocked her in a high voice, "Oh, Ron, what's a muggle wedding like? OH, really? How fascinating!" Before they could start a fight, Mrs. Weasley sent Hermione upstairs to help Ginny and Gabrielle, and Harry was ushered into the backyard.

The backyard had been completely transformed, although it still looked like a standard muggle wedding by Harry's opinion, with the exception that the seats seemed to be placed in a circle surrounded by live fairy decorations and the flowers appeared to be floating in mid-air.

Harry was unsure how he could help, but spotting a lone gnome hiding underneath a fluffy white chair, he seized it and tossed it over fence.

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Shortly later, guests and the "spell-binder" arrived. Mr. Weasley explained that the spell-binder was the person who made sure the marriage was, well, binding. In the midst of explaining the differences he'd seen thus far between the wizarding and muggle weddings, a large bell (which was apparently floating mid-air as well) chimed. "Oh, goodness, Harry, I've got to get us seated!" Mr. Weasley rushed off, and Harry slid into a fluffy white chair next to Hermione.

The bells chimed again, and everyone stood up, so Harry and Hermione did as well. They both turned to look back at the house, as was standard in muggle weddings, but to their surprise, Bill and Fleur suddenly appeared in the center of the circle, and it was the Weasley brothers, Ginny, and Gabrielle that stood in the aisles.

Ginny was standing mere feet from Harry. She looked determined not to catch his eye. Harry sighed, unsure if he was relieved or angry. Ron, who was standing a few aisles away from Harry, kept his eyes closed. Harry smiled, apparently Fleur was still turning on that Veela charm.

After some rather long and boring vows (Harry began to wonder if muggle men were right about weddings after all), the spell-binder produced a shining gold ribbon out of his wand which circled around Bill and Fleur, then traced around Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fleur's parents, and then around all of the attendents in the aisles. They were pulled into the circle and after a bit more complicated wiggling by the ribbon, it began to shrink until it was just circling Bill and Fleur's ring fingers. A moment later, the ribbon disappeared and they were both wearing shining gold rings. And then, they kissed, just like in muggle weddings.

And, just like in muggle weddings, many of the guests cried. Of course, most muggle weddings don't have a crying half-giant or howling dog, but as Hagrid wouldn't let Fang out of his sight since the attack on Hogwarts, this wedding was complete with both. Bill grinned as he listened to Fang's surprisingly musical howl. Even Fleur offered a smile.

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Harry and Ron wandered around the backyard of the Burrow. He forced a smile at Percy, who'd showed up, rather reluctantly. They learned that Percy was no longer dating Penelope Clearwater. Ron had snorted gleefully when he'd learned that, and Percy turned and left before they could learn any of the details. Mrs. Weasley shot them a dirty look as Percy turned to leave, and ran to stop him.

Harry knew many of the faces present- many members of the Order, including Professor McGonagall. But there were many people he didn't recognize, presumable Fleur's friends and family. One group of rough looking men most certainly appeared to be Bill's co-cursebreakers. Harry noticed one of them looking at Ginny with appraising eyes and Harry decided to not meet that particular group of people.

He wandered past the table full of gifts- in this aspect, fairly similar to muggle weddings in that he and Hermione had bought them a set of dishes, although these dishes had images of seductive Veelas on them. They caused quite a commotion in the the store, as the display case was surrounded by men. But they thought Bill would be able to handle them.

Harry walked up to the newly married couple to wish them a happy life, and noticed, up close, that Bill was still covered in scars, although they had healed and were no longer gushing blood. And of course, Fleur kissed him on each cheek and thanked him for coming. Harry chanced a glance at Ron. Yep, he still was jealous of those kisses. Harry grinned, but when he caught Ginny glancing at him, clearly not approving of the kisses, the smile was gone.

Sighing, Harry and Ron found Hermione and they walked to the tables of food. Ron pointed this out proudly to Hermione, "See Hermione, no house elves! We have to feed ourselves." Hermione rolled her eyes and helped herself to some bouillabaisse, which Ron still avoided.

They seated themselves next to Lupin and Tonks (whose hair, clearly for the occasion, was blonde and long and put up in a fancy bun). "Wotcher, Harry!" She smiled. Harry, Ron, and Hermione grinned back.

"Professor?" Harry asked tentatively. "Would you tell us a bit more about my parent's wedding?" Lupin looked at him, surprised. Harry usually didn't like to ask questions that would inevitably lead to Pettigrew, and thus his parents' deaths, but today he was curious.

Lupin cleared his throat. "Well, it was a bright, sunny day, like today. It was at James' parents' house. I remember it was difficult, because Lily so wanted all of her family to come."

"They didn't?" Harry growled.

"Well, not her sister." He continued hastily, "But her parents came, they were so proud of her! And they loved James…Well, who wouldn't? He was the best friend any of us had." Lupin paused, reminiscing.

"So," Harry asked casually, "if I go back to Godric's Hollow, how much of it is left?"

Lupin sat thoughtfully. "Well, I don't really know. You see, Pettigrew was their secret-keeper. And he didn't even reveal to me where they were."

"Huh? But you've been there before, right?"

"Yes, but the Fidelius Charm means that their location couldn't be revealed. So I couldn't, for example, apparate there."

"But," Hermione interrupted, "Since Harry's parents are gone, doesn't that mean the spell is broken? She concluded, "And so…you should be able to go there again."

Lupin looked at her. "You're probably right. I just haven't been able to bring myself back. I don't know if any one has gone back since it happened." A shadow seemed to fall over them. "Not too many people know that spell. I think Dumbledore is the only person I've met who has actually performed it, so not much is know about it." They fell silent at the thought of Dumbledore.

"Well," Tonks said, a bit too cheerfully, "who wants dessert?" She summoned several slices of cake (only one of which she dropped); each bewitched such that the frosted flowers changed their shapes every few seconds. She paused, and took a big bite as it switched to a rose.

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Harry, Ron, and Hermione had decided to stay at Number 12, Grimmauld Place after the wedding. They didn't want to bring the Weasley family into any more danger by staying at the Burrow. And so, as Harry was walking back to the dessert table for one more piece of cake, he decided he'd have to see Ginny once more before leaving for good. Fortunately, she was already standing by the cake, looking beautiful in the golden robes that Fleur had picked out. Of course, Harry thought she was just as beautiful in the second-hand robes she usually wore. Harry walked up to her and without thinking, placed his hand on her back. She jumped.

"Oh, hi Harry," she said- her voice was…strained. What was it? Harry couldn't tell. Anger? Sadness?

Harry took a deep breath. "Want to sit down together?" She looked into his eyes.

He willed her to say yes, to say anything. Oh, no, Harry thought. Is she going to cry? Harry didn't have a good track record with crying girls. But Ginny didn't cry, and simply nodded her head and said softly, "Of course."

They sat a bit away from the other people at the reception, eating their cake. The flower on the cake turned to a white lily. It looked beautiful next to Ginny's red hair. Harry was strongly regretting breaking up with her. "Selfish, I'm selfish," he whispered to himself.

Ginny looked over at him. She sighed. "Harry, you are not selfish. You are…noble and… just trying to protect me…. I wish you wouldn't. But I won't ask to join you. I'll be here. Though I'll join you the second you ask. I love you." She continued to look into his eyes, leaned over, and kissed him. "I don't want to be another burden you have to deal with, or worry about."

Harry kissed her back with feeling. "I love you, too, Ginny." He put his arm around her and smiled. Ginny was perfect. And he was selfish, he thought.

He looked across the backyard and saw Ron and Hermione in a similar position. He smiled, happy they had found each other. Which is exactly what Dumbledore would have wanted.

A/N: Thanks for encouraging me, jinxedpotterfan13- I got this one out fast for you :)

And starting with the next chapter, we're going to hit some action. I hope you like it!