A/N: Thanks for all your wonderful reviews. Due to popular demand, I am continuing with this story as of now. I have to warn you that the characters are out of character! This chapter is slightly longer. Please remember to review!
Chapter Two: The Wedding
The wedding took place outside the Burrow that following weekend. Almost all of Hogwarts' former students were there to witness Headmaster Dumbledore perform the ceremony between Ron and Lavender.
Mrs. Granger was sitting next to Harry in the audience, her hand gripped tightly onto Harry's arm. Extremely ill at ease, she kept a careful eye on her daughter throughout the ceremony, as if she were about to explode any minute.
"Harry," Mrs. Granger whispered to him as the couple said their vows and exchanged rings, "Look at Hermione."
With her chin held high, Hermione stood alongside her fellow bridesmaids, Ginny and Parvati, as Dumbledore made his closing speech to the newlywed couple. She succeeded in keeping her expression neutral, most likely due to the fact she avoided looking at the couples' faces. Mrs. Granger could see Hermione flinched slightly at the words, "Man and wife."
The audience cheered as Ron kissed his bride. Everyone stood up, talking amongst themselves about the event that unfolded in their front of their very eyes. Lavender was busy being congratulated by her parents when Hermione tapped her on the shoulder.
"Lavender," said Hermione with a forced smile, "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Hermione," she replied. The two women looked at each other uncomfortably until Seamus, the best man, swooped in to give Lavender a friendly kiss on the cheek.
Hermione took this opportunity to go up to Ron, who was also busy being congratulated by the wedding party.
"Ron," Hermione called to his attention, "Congratulations."
Ron turned to her, with a sincere smile, "Thank you, Mione."
"I hope you two will be very unhappy," she told him, cracking a smile to show she was attempting to be funny. The crowd laughed at her joke.
"What?" Ron asked, a little surprised.
"I mean it," Hermione continued, "because anything I wish for never comes true."
Lavender and Seamus felt a little sorry for her under the circumstances. As Lavender turned away to talk to Parvati, Seamus went over to her.
"Hermione," he said, "Will you marry me?"
"I will for a glass of elderflower wine," she replied in a light-hearted manner.
"We're married," Seamus declared with a grin as he led her away from the group of people.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Hermione looked at him gratefully, "Thanks, Seamus, for the rescue."
"Oh that's alright," he replied, "It's just the prefect in me."
Meanwhile, Harry and Mrs. Granger were standing by their seats, still watching Hermione from a distance.
"She's holding up Harry," Mrs. Granger sighed in relief, "She's alright."
Harry shook his head, "The guy must be crazy to turn her down."
"That's what I say, but I love her," Mrs. Granger told him. "Harry," she turned and looked up at him, "I wish you were in love with her," she said sagely.
Harry chuckled, "If I fell in love with anybody in the Granger family, it wouldn't be Hermione," he said with a smirk, 'It'd be her mother," he gave her a wink and a playful nudge. Mrs. Granger laughed and rolled her eyes.
Most of the audience members were already gathered around the refreshment table when Seamus and Hermione arrived to get something to drink. Hermione was waiting for Seamus to pour themselves a glass of wine when she overheard the conversation behind her.
"It's cruel," Ginny said disapprovingly.
"Cruel?" Padma repeated sternly, a little put off that she wasn't a bridesmaid, "She didn't have to accept did she?"
"Just the same, I feel sorry for her," Luna told them.
Ginny frowned, "But she didn't have to be a bridesmaid."
"She tried hard enough to be the bride!" Padma remarked callously. Suddenly, her two friends fell silent, their eyes widened. She turned around and saw Hermione staring at them. Hermione, expressionless, shrugged her shoulders and turned away. Without haste, the three of them quickly took off.
Seamus also overheard this exchange and raised his eyebrows as he handed Hermione her drink. Hermione giggled as she took her glass, "Now, whom do you suppose she meant?"
Pretending to look oblivious, Seamus remarked casually, "I can't imagine."
Hermione raised her glass, "Well, whoever she is, here's to her."
"Yes, I like to meet her," he said, "Whoever is being talked about like that, must be important," he took a sip of his glass, "I should know her."
Hermione wasn't really listening as she downed her entire drink in one gulp, "Seamus?" she said shaking her head. She held out her glass, "I didn't get any."
Seamus gave her a knowing look before announcing, "Why that's an outrage!" He took her glass and refilled it.
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"I didn't know marrying you could be so much work!" Ron exclaimed as he and his new bride snuck upstairs to his old bedroom, "Might as well have been elected something!" He looked at her adoringly and kissed her gently.
Their kiss was interrupted as Dean, Ginny and Parvati barged nosily into the room.
"Stop fooling," Parvati scolded them.
"Who said we're fooling?" Lavender replied with a grin.
"Hurry up, or you'll miss getting to the portkey in time!" Ginny rushed as she and Parvati led her new sister-in-law into her bedroom to change out of her gown. "And Ron, finish up packing would you?" Ginny called out.
"Yes," Parvati agreed, "They've got all sorts of crazy things planned out for you! No one must see the two of you leave!"
As the girls went off to change and get ready, Ron and Dean were left alone in the bedroom, to prepare for tonight. "When was the last time you climbed down a ladder?" Dean asked amusingly.
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"It was nice seeing you again, Hermione," Hannah told her before leaving the party.
Hermione nodded graciously and plastered a smile, "Thank you for coming." By now she must have emptied eight or nine glasses of wine. Seamus could notice her slightly swaying as he stood beside her.
As Hannah left, Hermione wiped the smile off her face, "How am I doing?" she asked Seamus, "Putting on a good show?"
She went towards the table and traded her empty glass for a full one. Seamus, concerned, grabbed her arm gently before she raised the glass to her lips, "But I would take a little easy, Hermione," he suggested.
"Oh, I'm alright," She told him defensively, "Got to laugh, Seamus, haven't we?" She sipped her drink, "Haven't we Seamus?"
"Oh sure," he replied offhandedly, "But not in their faces." Suddenly, he felt someone tapping his shoulder. He turned and found Susan Bones standing by him, a little plastered herself.
"And how is the best man this evening?" she asked.
"Positively exhausted and there is still work to be done," he told her. Looking at his watch, he turned back to Hermione, "Excuse me, Mione, I have to go inside for a bit. I've got the directions to the portkey and—" Noticing that drunk Hermione wasn't really listening, he dropped his explanation and said, "Well, I'll see you later then." With that, he dashed inside.
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Ron finished changing his clothes just as Seamus ran into the room.
"Here are the directions to the portkey," he said as he stuffed the paper into Ron's back pocket.
"I'm almost ready," Ron said as he examined himself in the mirror.
"Well, I'd try to get away without seeing Hermione again, if that's possible," Seamus warned.
Ron spun around with a worried look, "Why? What's the matter?"
"She is gloriously lit," he told him with trepidation, "When Mione gets lit, she glows."
"You mean, she might pull a scene?" Dean asked as he packed Ron's suitcase on the bed.
"No, I don't think she would at all," Seamus made his way over to him, "I'm just saying, it's been a beautiful wedding, so lets make it right," he explained.
"That's alright," Dean replied, "Nobody will see them. They're going down a ladder."
Seamus observed Dean's progress with the suitcase, "Say, that's no way to pack a suitcase."
"Alright," he said, frustrated, "You do it." Dean picked up the suitcase and turned it over, emptying its contents.
"Hey, easy with my stuff there guys," Ron told them, as he walked over to the door, "I'm going to check on Lavender." He made his way down the hall and tried to open Ginny's door but found it locked.
"Hey! What are you doing in there?" he yelled out as he knocked on the door.
"Nothing," the girls replied.
"Well, hurry up, would you?" Leaning against the wall, Ron waited eagerly in the hall. Moments later, Ginny and Parvati stepped out. "How is she doing, girls?" he asked them.
"She'll be ready in a minute," Ginny answered as she and Parvati walked back downstairs.
A few minutes later, Ron was growing more impatient. He knocked on the door again, "Lavender!"
"What is it now?" Lavender yelled back from inside the bedroom.
Ron glanced at his watch, "It is now 20 minutes to 6. I'm going to have to go in there and help you!"
"Ron, I swear," she started to threaten him, "I'm going to have to---- "
"I'll give you 10 seconds!" Ron said with a grin. He began to count, "1-2-3-4-5-6-"
"Count slow!" Lavender cried.
"678910," He finished counting. With a wave of his wand, Ron unlocked the door and pushed his way inside. "Hello, darling," he greeted cheerfully as he made his way over to her waiting arms.
"Are we going to be doing this all the time?" said Lavender.
Ron kissed her, "Oh, wouldn't that just be too bad?" he teased.
She lets go of him, "Now, really, you have to go so I can finish getting ready!"
"Girls," Ron shook his head, "Okay, I'll go, but very reluctantly." He kissed her again before turning around to leave.
"Hey Ron," Lavender said as she went back towards Ginny's vanity table, "Did you hear about Hermione?"
Ron stopped and spun back around, "Yes, I heard a little."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she replied, "Is someone looking after her?"
"She's alright," Ron assured her.
Lavender picked up her hairbrush, "Funny thing," she said, "I thought I'd be gloating over her today." She stared at her reflection in the mirror, "I'm not doing any gloating," she said regretfully, "Not with those eyes looking at me."
"She'll get over it darling," he told her.
Lavender placed the hairbrush back on the table, "Now I'm glad she's the one doing the getting," she sighed, turning to Ron, "Now that goes the same for you," she shoved him towards the door, "You get out of here, we have to hurry!"
"Okay," Ron said grudgingly, "But don't say anything that will entice me to come back in," he warned her playfully. He stepped out into the hall and found Hermione looking at him hazily just a few meters away with a goofy grin across her face.
"Hello Hermione," he said tentatively, a little startled at her sudden appearance.
She stumbled over to him, "Been looking for you," she slurred.
"Have you?"
Hermione tried to focus on his face, "I'm sorry about that crack I made downstairs. Trying to be smart," she shook her head, "Wasn't so hot."
"Oh, that's alright," Ron told her.
She swayed slightly, "No it isn't," Hermione took a deep breath, "The losing lover must be a lovely loser."
"Well," Ron smiled sincerely, "You're lovely enough Mione."
"Sure," A dizzy Hermione leaned back against the way to hold her balance, "That's why you married me," she chuckled. Ron joined in, amused.
"Where are you going on your honeymoon?" she asked.
Ron shrugged his shoulders, "We don't know yet. We're going to decide once we get to the special portkey."
"Good place!" said Hermione gleefully.
"Say, it isn't bad is it?" Ron replied, humoring her.
"Maybe a boat?"" she suggested.
He nodded his head, "I don't know, maybe."
"You know how we would have gone on our honeymoon Ron?" she asked, maintaining her balance by grabbing a hold of the wall behind her.
"How?"
Hermione squinted her eyes and answered, "Rowboat!"
"A rowboat?" Ron chortled, "Say, that would've been fun wouldn't it?"
"Yes," she straightened herself, "Wouldn't it?"
"But then, you would've had to do all the rowing," he pointed out.
"Yeah," she said, "but then we wouldn't have any oars." Hermione began to stumble her way towards Ginny's door.
"No oars," Ron repeated.
"We just sit on the sea and then a yacht would come along and run into us," she slurred even more now, "and-the-yacht-would-sink-and-then-they-would-try-to-get-on-to-our boat-but-we-would-just-leave!"
"Well how would we leave without any oars?" Ron asked, slightly curious.
"Oh," Hermione produced a proud beam; "We had an engine all the time!" She laughed hysterically. Drawing in a deep breath, she finally realized, "Say, I must be a little----"
"Listen, don't you think you better go home and get some rest Mione?" he suggested.
Hermione stared into his face, "Sure," she nodded, swaying back and forth, "I get you. Congratulations."
"Thanks Mione," said Ron.
"And I do hope you will be very happy," she added.
"I know you do, honey," he replied.
"And you will," Hermione continued, "She's worth marrying," She started stumbling her way towards the stairs, "That job her father is going to give you is worth millions."
"Wine is a funny fellow, isn't it?" Ron remarked, "Imagine you saying a thing like that."
Hermione gave weak laugh and turned back around to face him, "Oh, I'm not a nice girl Ron." She sighed, "I tried every trick in the book to be the bride," she continued, her expression now quite serious, "But I'm this nice. I'm perfectly willing to warn you. When you come back, I wouldn't have anything to do with a girl like me. If I were you, I'd keep the seven seas between us. And wished there were eight!" She was about to step down the stairs when she remembered something. Hermione marched down the hall and pushed open Ginny's door.
"Oh, it's you, Hermione," Lavender cried out, a little startled.
"It's only me," she told her, "Wishing you, goodbye and good luck."
"Thanks, Mione," Lavender replied, "That's very sweet of you."
"Gee, you're pretty," Hermione complimented her friend. With that, she closed the door, and made her way to the stairs again. "Then again, so am I," she said as she passed Ron in the hall.
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember to review. There will be more H/HR interaction in the next chapter.