Disclaimer: It all belongs to Jo; life's not fair; yada, yada, yada…
Blessings
Hermione reached into the safe to pull out whatever Luna felt was so important that it needed to be hidden in such an elaborate way. She pulled out a book and some notes that were written in a language that she did not recognize.
"Well, what does it say?" inquired Ron.
"I…I don't know," stammered Hermione, not quite believing it herself. Her disbelief was nothing compared to the other three's, especially Ron who said, "But you know everything!"
Hermione huffed, "Don't be ridiculous Ron. I don't know everything. The smartest people in the world know that they don't know everything. They do know, however, how to find information and that is what I intend to do." She looked at Ron, Harry, and Ginny as though daring them to contradict her.
Ron spoke, "Well, I always knew you were one of the smartest people—at least that I know of." Ginny mimed gagging and Harry grinned at Ginny, but Hermione blushed at this sentiment. "I have a book on rare languages, but it's at my parents' house. Ron, do you think you could accompany me there the day after tomorrow to retrieve it?" Her tone suggested that he better say "yes."
Ron's heart jumped a little at the look in her eyes. Then he realized that she probably wanted to do the Fidelius Charm while they were there too. So, he held back the perverted comment he was going to say and simply responded, "Of course."
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Once Mrs. Weasley realized they had gotten there a day early, she went crazy with chores. The trio did not get a chance to talk alone. Fred and George stopped by for dinner and Mr. Weasley got home around the same time. He had no news on the Lovegoods. Hermione told him about the book and notes she had found. He did not recognize the language either. The book was called Potions to Eliminate the Innate. It seemed like Luna was trying to repress something within her.
Even though the wedding was not schedule to begin until 1 o'clock that afternoon, Mrs. Weasley roused everyone at sunrise (including a very disgruntled Ron) to help with last minute details.
"So, what exactly does a wizard wedding entail, Ron? Is it like a Muggle one?" asked Harry as they blundered down the stairs for breakfast and their assignments for the day.
"Well, I don't know if it's like a Muggle one or not, but from what I hear they are pretty cool. Bill and Fleur's wedding is going to be a cross between a wizarding one and a Muggle one. The breaking of glass comes in somewhere. The wizarding part of it is when they create the rings for each other with their wands at the altar. The vows are personally written by the bride and groom and each family member of theirs does a blessing charm over the couple. Then we eat cake. That's my favorite part of the whole idea."
Harry snickered and did not catch Ron's longing glance at the door to Ginny's room, where Hermione was laughing at something Ginny had said. Harry would take the mickey out of me if I told him that although the actual ceremony doesn't thrill me, the actual marriage bit appeals to me a great deal. It also frightens me more than Aragog.
"Ron, you coming or are you going to stare at Ginny's door all morning?"
"Coming."
After eating breakfast, Harry and Ron set to work degnoming the garden. When they finished that, they helped the girls with last minute decorating. While they were doing this, guests began arriving. Mrs. Weasley had gone overboard with Bill's part of the invitations. In addition to all the Weasley siblings—all who showed, except Percy—she had invited every aunt, uncle, and cousin she could think of. She also invited every Hogwarts teacher she could think of. Professors McGonagall, Vector, Trelawney, Flitwick, Sinistra, Sprout, Slughorn, Hagrid, and Madam Hooch all arrived between 11 and 12. Of course, there were also Order members present: Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and Kingsley.
Ron was forced to mingle with his aunts and uncles, one of whom deemed it compulsory to call him Bilius and another who thought he was Percy. Ginny was able to get out of these humiliations rather quickly because she had to get ready. Finally, around noon, Ron's insistence that he needed to get ready seemed plausible. He escaped to the shower immediately. After his short shower, he took the longest time possible getting ready.
He found his tie to be impossible and was eternally grateful when Ginny offered to tie it for him after looking for him around 12:30. "Mom's looking for you. She's completely mad!" she said as she fixed his tie neatly. "Yeah, well, if my cheeks got pinched one more time I was going to hex someone," Ron replied.
Ginny finished his tie. "There. Hermione will swoon. You look smashing." "Really, you think so?" he squeaked. He cleared his throat in a manly way, "I mean, in this poncy suit?" He knew that Ginny pretty much already knew about his feelings for Hermione, but he certainly wasn't about to talk about them. So he teased her instead. "You look good too. Trying to win back Harry with that look," as soon as he said it, he regretted it. "I'm sorry, Ginny," her face had fallen somewhere between sadness and being furious.
"I don't need to 'win him back.' I never lost him. I know that he'll come back to me as soon ass…" and she gestured her hand as if to express he defeats Voldemort.
Ron understood, "I'm still sorry. I didn't mean it. You know how I always seem to say the wrong thing. My foot has a permanent residence in my mouth. Forgive me?"
Yeah, I'll just tell Hermione that you seemed excited that she'd think you looked good." She made to leave, but he grabbed her arm.
"You wouldn't!"
"No, I wouldn't. You should though—among other things." She slipped her arm into his. "Now, dear brother, we must go be there when our eldest brother marries Phlegm, in case he chokes." Ron chuckled all the way to the backyard. Then, his heart stopped. Hermione was talking to Harry; they were sitting on the groom's side. He could see her profile and she was absolutely luminous.
Her hair wasn't as bushy as normal, nor was it as sleek as it had been at the Yule Ball; it was down. She wore a periwinkle dress that fell just below the knee. It was sleeveless with an empire waist and a faux sash with a jeweled brooch at the center of its bow on the side. Ron was struck dumb.
"Ron!" exclaimed Ginny. Ron shook himself out of his stupor. "What?" She replied, "I've only said your name five times. She's lovely, isn't she?"
"She's more than that…she's…she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Ron's eyes bulged when he realized he had said that aloud, but he didn't take it back. Ginny knew.
"Why don't you go tell her that before the ceremony? I'll distract Harry for you."
Ron looked at Ginny as if she had just told him to juggle spiders while playing Quidditch, for it was equally as terrifying.
"Now, Ron!" Ginny whispered forcibly. She approached Harry, "Harry, I was wondering if you could help me seat the rest of the guests?" Harry looked perplexed, "It looks like everyone already--" Ginny interrupted him and drug him off by the arm. Ron heard him say, "Oh, I get it."
"Hi, Ron," "Hi, Hermione," they said at the same time with matching blushes.
"You look very handsome. Fanciful, even," she said, smirking.
"You too. I mean, you're not handsome. I mean, you look beautiful. You are beautiful…and fanciful." They grinned stupidly at each other, then Ron blurted, "Can I have the first dance with you today? In fact, all the dances with you?"
"Yes, of course, Ron," Hermione grinned even wider. The music—a string quartet—started up and the ceremony began. They both sat and watched, but all Ron was really aware of was Hermione's hand in her lap. He wanted to hold it, but could he just grab it? What was the proper way to do this?
Suddenly, the decision was taken out of his hands. She placed her hand on his, "Ron, shouldn't you be up there too?" He looked at her like she was mad. Then he looked at the altar and realized his family was up there to bless the marriage. "Oh, yeah." He reluctantly removed his hand from beneath hers and joined his family. They all gave their blessing and a glowing globe briefly surrounded the happy couple.
Mrs. Weasley made him stay up there for the rest of the ceremony, so he no longer had the pleasant problem of trying to hold Hermione's hand. They met up again at the reception, once he finally freed himself from his mum. She was very clingy. Hermione was talking to Harry and had her back to Ron. He snuck up behind her and whispered, "May I have this dance?" in her ear. A slow song had just begun. He took her smile as a yes, and led her onto the dance floor. In the corner of his eyes, Ron saw Harry lead Ginny onto the floor as well. It had been the best day of Ron Weasley's life.
Harry awoke on the day of Fleur and Bill's wedding determined to enjoy this last day of fun to the fullest. He degnomed and helped decorate without complaint. He got ready early and decided to go ahead and get Hermione, Ron, and himself seats. Hermione met him a few minutes later.
"Hi, Harry. How are you?" Hermione inquired as she sat down.
"I'm great, actually. I figured brooding would ruin the mood of the day," he joked. "You look very nice, Hermione. Ron will be speechless."
"Really, you think so?" Hermione asked hopefully. Harry said, "Oh, I know so. He's mad about you and you know it."
"Yeah, last year we both kinda made it obvious, hmm?" Harry laughed, "That's an understatement."
"Well, I really made it obvious, anyway. I don't know what he was thinking with Lavender."
"Well, Ginny sorta let it slip that you had kissed Victor Drum and Ron lost it. She also teased him about never kissing a girl. I guess he just wanted to catch up," Harry explained.
"Victor was sweet and all, but it just never seemed right. Besides, I certainly did not kiss Victor the way Ron kissed Lavender, that's for certain. He not only caught up, he surpassed us both," she giggled. Harry was happy she could laugh about it.
"Harry, I was wondering if you could help me seat the rest of the guests." Harry looked around—everyone seemed to be seated. "It looks like everyone already-"He was cut off by Ginny grabbing his arm. She gave him a meaningful look. "Oh, I get it."
Now that the confusion was over, Harry could truly appreciate how lovely Ginny looked. Her hair cascaded down her back in ringlets and it shimmered in the sun. She wore a strapless, light gold dress made of satin. It fell just below her knees and a satin belt, which appeared to have no function, with a rhinestone-studded buckle at her waist. Her dress sandals were gold and made her as tall as Harry.
"You look amazing, Ginny," Harry said. "Isn't it wrong to upstage the bride?" he said with a wink.
"Don't, Harry. Don't flirt, it's too painful. Thank you, but don't. Save it up for later, okay?"
"Oh, okay. Sorry," Harry said sheepishly.
"It's alright. I know you can't resist me," she winked. "Well, I need to go—bridesmaid and all. Sit back here so they can have some privacy."
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. It looked like they were flirting. About time, he thought. The music started and once Ginny was walking down the aisle, she was all that Harry looked at. His heart swelled—this was what he was fighting for. He would win and be with Ginny again. Ron and Hermione will be together and we'll all be happy. The glow from the blessing distracted him for a second, but soon his gave found Ginny again. He was going to miss her, but she'd always be with him.
At the reception, Harry talked to Hermione while Molly henpecked her children. "Ron told me that he wanted to dance with me. I don't know if he actually will, though."
Harry saw Ron sneak up behind Hermione, but didn't let on. Her look of surprise convinced Harry that Ron had asked her to dance. He smiled as he watched Ron lead her onto the dance floor. Then his eyes searched for Ginny. They found her at the refreshment table. Harry took a deep breath and approached Ginny. "May I have this dance, Ginny?" She grinned and held out her arm. Harry glanced over at Ron and Hermione as he took Ginny into his arms. Ron held her close. He looked over Hermione's head and his eyes asked Harry a question. Harry nodded his approval.
Then, the refreshment table flew across the dance floor, pinning a few people under it where it landed. Curses began flying everywhere. Harry threw Ginny and himself to the ground as one came right at them. He reached for his wand and looked up. Standing where the table had been moments before were Death Eaters.
I read this idea in another fan fiction story (title and author escape me now) and I thought it was great. I do not take credit for it.
A/N: I know. I'm evil. I have the sixth and seventh chapters outlined and a little of chapter eight too. Hopefully, I'll have chapter six up in a couple of weeks. I can't guarantee this. I have a huge, career related exam on June 10th and start my summer class the Tuesday after that. Please R & R!