A/N: My car needs a new starter, so while I wish I made money off this… Uh, I don't.
While everyone else slept, no one gave it any thought to the conversation in the kitchen any longer except one restless boy and one furry rodent. The rat was a frequent visitor of the Weasley garden, had been for years, it didn't seem to matter that he was no longer wanted by the Weasleys' anymore. He heard quite a bit but didn't volunteer nearly as much information as he used to. Lately he was called upon less and less now that Snape had returned to The Dark Lord's side. He wasn't worried, he was convinced that he would be able to deliver the Potter boy to the Dark Lord. And his reward, well, at this point Wormtail simply wanted to remain living. It had never occurred to him that it wasn't much of a living, spending one's time as a rat. He had already done his job, The Dark Lord knew all about the wedding. The Dark Lord had no intention of crashing the party himself or with a bunch of deatheaters, the wards could be broken but who wanted to expend that much energy? No, he had a much better plan in mind to remind the boy who lived who's in charge.
The morning of the wedding caused massive chaos among the Weasley and Delacour families. People were in and out in every direction. Ron and Harry had simply grabbed some bacon and biscuits then took off back upstairs to get out of the women's way.
Ron and Harry spent most of the day playing wizard chess in their room. The wedding was set to start at 7 that evening, so they felt they had plenty of time to waste. Mid afternoon Mrs. Weasley hustled in to hand off their pressed dress robes and dashed right out again.
"Aren't you two about ready," Bill questioned from the doorway?
"Are you nutters? You think I am going down there any sooner than I have to. Besides I am starving!" Ron replied.
"Well, dad said that most of the guests are here. We have about an hour till time. And dinner is after the wedding, you get something on those dress robes and I will kill you myself." Bill said as he headed down the stairs.
"How do I look?" Ginny asked walking in to the boys room.
"Does mum know you did, did that to your dress?" Ron stuttered.
Ginny had curled and swept up her hair as well as applied make up for the second time in her life, but Harry hadn't looked past the dress. The low cut neck line and slim style in the hips gave Ginny a figure that you don't get in school robes. Harry knew the dress had not looked like that when Fleur had given it to her two days ago at dinner.
"I think you got your answer, Ginny," Hermione replied laughing, as both girls headed outside.
The garden was decorated in silver and gold. Fairies had been stationed in the trees to give the garden a continuous twinkling effect in the early twilight. A huge trellis arch with white roses and lilies adorned with silver and gold ribbons had been set up in front of the chairs and floating candles had been placed all along the chairs.
The wedding was small affair, only special order members and family was allowed to attend. But the garden seemed quite full once the tables were filled. Dinner was a grand affair, Mrs. Weasley and other family members had done all the cooking. Moody had vetoed Fleur's idea of having French food brought in, stating Constant Vigilance was required for a group such as this.
Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, the twins, and Gabrielle all crowded around one table.
"Eees it true, that Ogwarts will not reopen?" Gabrielle asked Harry.
Harry gave a look towards Ron and Hermione, "Well, no one knows for sure. Professor McGonnagal was made head mistress… but that is about all we know." Harry replied.
"It was such a shame to hear that Dumbledore, vell you know. I am zo zorry Arry." she said.
The music started and dessert was served. It was completely dark now and several guests had already left for home. What guests were left, joined Bill and Fleur on the dance floor.
"I almost hate to ask this, but Ron, would you like to dance with me? I don't expect you to ask me, and I don't really want a repeat argument of the Yule Ball…" Hermione went on.
"Um, yeah I guess so. Harry and Ginny had probably better…" Ron answered in a rush, his ears turning red.
"Hey, mate. I got this one. I don't need your help this time." Harry said with a smirk, holding his hand out to Ginny.
"How about fulfilling a bet I made with you a couple days ago?" Harry whispered in Ginny's ear.
"I was wondering how long it would take you," Ginny replied cheekily.
Harry pulled Ginny close, well as close as he felt comfortable with all her brothers surrounding him and her parents dancing just across the floor.
"Have you ever been to a wedding before, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"No, you know this is my first," He replied.
"Yeah, I did. But I have a lot of firsts in mind for you," was her reply.
Harry's head snapped up and his feet stumbled.
"Oi! Keep your mind out of the gutter there Potter." Ginny said.
"Sorry," Harry sheepishly replied.
"It's hard isn't it Harry," Ginny questioned him.
"What's that, Gin?" he replied.
" Trying to figure out where to go from here; with me, and with Voldemort, I mean. I'm not so little Harry, and neither are you. We can't just pretend this will go away. I know you will go after him. But I just want you to come back to me… will you at least try , Harry?" she asked.
To her surprise Harry smiled, "Trust me Gin, I know we aren't little anymore. I have spent summers on end with you and never, well, just never knew you. I want this to be over. I want to track down Snape and Voldemort and just finish this."
The two of them continued to dance well into the night. While Ginny's brothers shot daggers their way, they knew by the look on Ginny's face that she was truly cherishing the moments with Harry and not one of them wanted to ruin that for her.
It wasn't so much the cool evening breeze Hermione noticed dancing with Ron as much as the feeling that suddenly she wasn't happy; with Ron, with anything. The back of her mind started to question that just as she felt the hair on her neck prickle and she instinctively knew what was headed her way…. Dementors.
Ron snapped out of it just about time Hermione started yelling and running.
The cold and the rattling breaths of the dementors were all that would have alerted anyone to their presence in the dark at the edge of the Burrow. The swept down upon the party and started to spread around.
Upon hearing Hermione's scream; Aurthur, Charlie and Remus came running with their wands at the ready. They sent several Patronuses charging off towards the dementors. It was enough time for Molly to grab Ginny and Gabrielle and order them into the house. Harry sent his Patronus Stag out toward one headed toward the house. With the addition of Ron and Hermione's patronuses the order was quickly able to send the dementors back on their way, but the overall mood shift was not missed.
"Molly, take the portkey and get to headquarters." Moody growled. "Everyone needs to get to headquarters, it's not safe here."
It was agreed that only Arthur, Moody, and Remus would stay behind. Bill tried to argue but Charlie took him aside and reminded him that Fleur would need him more. Harry would have rather went with the dementors than go to headquarters but he didn't want to distress Molly further. So he grabbed a hold of the port key with everyone else. He wasn't sure what he hated the most, the fact that the wedding and his time with Ginny was over or coming to terms with something he had put off all year, Sirius's death.