Chapter Twenty-Nine

Till Death Do Us Part

Ginny stared at her reflection in the mirror of her girlhood bedroom at The Burrow. Pale skin. Freckles. Bright brown eyes with a mane of fiery hair. It was the same reflection she'd seen in this same mirror all her life, but something about it looked different today.

It was her wedding day. Today, she would become Harry's wife, Mrs. Potter, a married woman. She had to pinch herself to be certain the day had finally arrived after all the planning and talking about it. She'd spent her final week of being a single witch living here in her childhood home. It had been Molly's idea, but both she and Harry had liked the notion of separating a bit before finally coming together as husband and wife – forever.

She blushed thinking about it, and watched in the mirror as a rosy hue filled her cheeks and chest. She and Harry had only been living apart for a week – and he'd still been here to celebrate Christmas – but she felt emptier for it. Something was missing – and she was randy as hell. Her thoughts kept drifting to the fact she'd never actually made love in the castle before, and she wondered if she and Harry would have any opportunity to sneak away after the ceremony…

She didn't know what was wrong with her. She wondered if Harry was feeling the same way. She hoped he was.

There was something about sleeping here, alone, that reminded her too much of being confined in that sick room at Grimmauld Place with her mind feeling so fuzzy. She never wanted to sleep without Harry by her side again.

She took one last, long look around her room, still decorated for Christmas which had passed only four days before. Her room was a bright, sunny yellow, and although most of her things had already been moved out, some of her childhood still remained. There was an old Holyhead Harpies' poster that had been ripped in the corners and re-taped up after one of her brothers had torn it down, and a stain on the rug in the corner where Ginny had spilled an entire mug of hot chocolate and tried to hide it from her mum since she wasn't supposed to have it up in her room.

"Ginny, dear, are you up?" her mum called before opening the door and barging in anyway. "Oh! You are. Well, come on down and have a spot of breakfast before we Floo to Hogwarts. I daresay you won't have the chance to eat much today."

Professor McGonagall had arranged some guest quarters for the wedding party to prepare – she'd even given Ginny the password to the Prefects' bathroom – and made separate arrival times so there was no chance Harry and Ginny would see one another before the main event. Ginny thought it was a silly superstition, but she allowed it, just in case.

"Coming, Mum. It just seems odd without the need to bring anything along," Ginny said, staring around aimlessly. She was still wearing her pajamas.

"Everything is there and waiting, dear – the dresses, the shoes, everything," Molly said, her eyes brimming.

"Oh, don't start already, Mum," Ginny said, laughing. "You won't have any water left by the time we get through the day."

Molly waved her hands in front of her face, fanning it. "Don't mind me, dear. I'm all a dither. You can have a nice soak once we get there, and Fleur should be arriving to do your hair."

Ginny wrapped her arm around her mother's waist, squeezing it gently. "Let's get something to eat, then. Merlin knows us Weasleys can get into quite a temper if we haven't been fed properly. I don't want to scare my new husband off before the vows are even spoken."

Molly shooed her off, grinning. "Oh, posh. I think Harry's already well aware of your temper, dear, and he loves you anyway."

Arthur was sitting in his familiar spot at the head of the table when they arrived in the kitchen, and Charlie was serving them both some eggs from the steaming platter in the center of the table.

"And there she is, the star of the day," Arthur said, his eyes also rather bright. "Of course, I usually think you're the star of every day."

"Morning, Dad," she said fondly, kissing his head before sitting down across from Charlie. Molly sat down in a chair opposite Arthur, and they all tucked into their breakfast.

"Hey, squirt. So… are you sure you really want to do this? You're still very young, after all. There are loads of blokes out there who you haven't met yet," Charlie said.

Ginny rolled her eyes and slapped his hand away from her toast. "Really, Charlie. Harry's perfect for me, and you know it. Who else do you think would make a better choice?"

"Honestly, I think spinsterhood is highly underrated," Charlie grumbled, causing Arthur to snort into his breakfast.

"Yeah, well, we've got you to fill that role, haven't we?" she asked, smiling sweetly as she took a bite of her toast.

Charlie's face turned a bright red. "I most certainly don't fit that role. Besides, we're not discussing me."

"We're not discussing me, either, because I have a wedding to get to, and this is one thing I plan on arriving on time for," Ginny said, raising her chin in the air.

Before Charlie could fully open his mouth to respond, Arthur interrupted them. "That's enough, Charlie. The days of treating your sister as a little girl you need to shield and protect are in the past. She's a young woman now, who knows her own mind, and has made some very good choices," he said firmly.

Ginny felt her own eyes fill. What was wrong with all of them this morning? She beamed at her father through watery eyes.

"I know," Charlie said, gruffly. "I'm just taking the mickey."

"Save it for another day, then," Arthur said.

"All right, Ginny, we'd best be off. We don't want to risk anyone seeing the bride before she's ready," Molly said, bustling about.

"I'll take care of the dishes, Molly. You two go along," Arthur said.

"Aren't you coming?" Ginny asked, surprised.

"It doesn't take wizards quite as long to get ready, so we can have a bit more leisurely breakfast," Arthur said, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, we don't need to spend hours on our hair and make-up," Charlie said, grinning.

"No, you need the hours for all the burn paste to cover your wounds," Ginny snapped, rolling her eyes.

She dodged the dish towel he tossed at her as she stepped into the Floo. Professor McGonagall was waiting for them, already dressed and wearing a cameo brooch at her throat. She showed Ginny and Molly to the guest quarters where the dresses were waiting, and Ginny made her way to the Prefects' bathroom to enjoy the luxurious tub. She used to love soaking in here after Quidditch practice and when she was training to try out for the Harpies.

It seemed like it took no time at all before Fleur was there and helping her with her hair. Ginny's hair was neither as straight as Fleur's, nor as curly as Hermione's, but she did have a natural wave to it. Fleur used her wand to meticulously curl Ginny's hair into spiral ringlets. It took ages, but when the curls were finished, she put part of her hair up in an elaborate knot, with many loose curls falling around her face and down her back. It was the up-do she'd wanted, but still down the way Harry enjoyed most. She'd never want to spend that amount of time charming it on a normal day, but for today, it was perfect.

Fleur also helped her with her make-up, insisting she needed to wear it a bit heavier than she usually did for the photographs. Molly watched them doing both the hair and make-up, blubbering into her handkerchief the whole time.

Hermione and Luna were the next ones to arrive, followed closely by Padma and Parvati Patil who'd decided to be close at hand in case any of the dresses needed alterations. They'd brought their own party clothes along with them. Ginny had never before had so many people watching her get dressed, and it felt awkward at first, but she quickly grew accustomed to all the poking and prodding and smoothing of the rich fabric. Her dress had long sleeves, as did the attendants' dresses. She couldn't imagine having short sleeves in December, so it was the one thing she'd insisted upon.

Hermione and Luna had dresses of a deep, royal blue with glittering crystals embedded in the trim. Luna was, in fact, sporting a new tattoo of a bright sunflower on her collarbone, which was bared by the cut of the dress.

"Oh, Luna – that looks lovely," Ginny said, admiring the colorful design. "Too bad there isn't time for you to get one, too, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I'd do just about anything for you, Ginny, but I draw the line at permanently marring my skin."

"Yes, it was quite painful, actually," Luna said, dreamily. "But now, it'll always be there in case anyone ever decides to get married at the spur of the moment."

"So, in addition to something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, you want to add a sunflower to that list of wedding necessities?" Padma asked, grinning.

"Well, only if the couple wants luck for their future marriage," Luna said seriously.

"Thank you so much for ensuring that for me, Luna. Harry and I will always appreciate it," Ginny said.

Luna smiled happily. "I do hope the luck will mean lots of babies."

Molly didn't quite know what to do with that statement, but Hermione, Fleur, Padma and Parvati laughed uproariously at the expression on Ginny's face.

When it was time for Ginny to step into her own dress, she felt as if she were magically transported into a storybook. She'd wanted some sort of mixture between traditional robes and an actual dress, and the Patil sisters had come through amazingly. Her dress was off the shoulder and tightly fitted on top with beaded long sleeves that flared out slightly at the wrists. It was long and flowing, with a train that could be bunched up after the ceremony for dancing. The beads and crystals woven into the fabric gave it the illusion of glistening snow wherever the light touched it. Ginny thought it was the best dress she'd ever seen, and was slightly saddened that she'd never get to wear it again.

She slipped on the high-heeled shoes she'd selected, and carefully applied the charm Hermione had shown her to make them feel as if she were wearing slippers. She'd wanted the heels to give her the benefit of some added height to showcase the dress' long train but without the discomfort of wearing them.

Molly came over and carefully placed Auntie Muriel's beautiful tiara upon her head. Parvati had added a thin, gossamer veil that hung down her back.

"Oh, you look so lovely, Ginny," Molly said, once again bursting into tears. "The tiara is your something old."

"And the something new is the dress," Parvati said, beaming.

"So, here's something borrowed," Hermione said, placing a delicate strand of pearls around Ginny's neck. "These belonged to my mum, but she gave them to me when I finished Hogwarts."

"And I've got the something blue," Padma said, flinging a lacy, blue garter around her finger. "Put your foot here so I can slip this on."

"I can do that myself," Ginny said, feeling her face go scarlet as she grabbed the meager piece of fabric.

"Oh, no, Ginny, don't get all flustered now. You'll smudge your make up," Fleur said, re-applying some blush. As if she needed any more of that.

A knock at the door startled them all. Molly hurried over, blocking Ginny from view. "Who is it?" she demanded.

"It's the father of the bride," Arthur said, chuckling.

Molly whipped open the door and pulled him inside. "Oh, is it time already?" she asked, looking at her watch. Molly was dressed in traditional dress robes made of a silvery color, with a speck of blue peeking out from inside the sleeves.

"Don't you look fetching," Arthur said, leaning over to kiss his wife on the cheek. This time, it was Molly's turn to flush.

"Charlie, Percy and Audrey have already taken their seats. Angelina went and fetched Harry's cousin from the village, and they're here as well. George and Ron are seating all the guests, so it's just about time for our entrance. Fleur, Bill is waiting for you before taking a seat."

"Oh, we'd better go," Padma said, looking at her sister. "We don't want to miss anything."

Fleur and the Patil twins left, adjusting their own hair and dresses as they walked out the door.

"Is Harry here?" Ginny asked.

"He's here, and looking rather pale, to be honest. I'm certain he'll feel better once he sees you. You look beautiful, Ginny," Arthur said, taking Ginny's hands in his own and raising her arms. "Absolutely lovely."

"Thanks, Dad," Ginny said, her stomach suddenly feeling as if it were filled with over-excited butterflies.

"We'd best get down there, too," Arthur said, offering Ginny his arm. Molly, Luna and Hermione led the way down the staircase, followed by Arthur and Ginny. A charm set on the train of Ginny's dress made it flare out and fall perfectly as she descended the stairs. She couldn't stop herself repeatedly turning to look.

She and Arthur waited behind the wall of the Great Hall while Ron and George escorted Molly to her seat. Hermione and Luna each turned to beam at Ginny before making their own way down the aisle. At last, the music changed, and Ginny heard the sounds of guests getting to their feet as the wedding march began to play. Snow was falling softly on the enchanted ceiling, and Ginny had no idea if that was merely for effect or if it was really snowing outside.

"I'm so proud of you, daughter, and I heartily approve of the match you've chosen. You may be becoming his wife, but you'll always be my little girl," Arthur said, his voice choked as he smiled down at his only daughter. "Are you ready to make this final walk?"

"I am – and I can be both Harry's wife and your daughter," she said, winking at her dad fondly. "As long as neither of you tries to tell me what to do."

"I think we're both smarter than that," Arthur said, laughing. They were both still smiling as they began their walk into the Great Hall.

Ginny vaguely heard gasps and sighs from the guests, but truthfully, she didn't register anyone but the man standing at the very end of the aisle. He looked handsome in his black tuxedo with long tails, giving it the appearance that he was also wearing half-robes, half Muggle attire. The collar was turned up, and the fit was perfect, highlighting his slim, athletic frame. His hair was combed yet still stood up in the back, and the light from the candles glinted off his glasses. His smiled blossomed when he saw her, eventually lighting his whole face. He squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath, as if the sight of her soothed all his nerves. Something about this gesture, and knowing he was nervous, too, settled the butterflies in her own stomach.

When she was close enough, she could see the green of his eyes sparkling brighter than any gem could hope to do. His eyes really were his most exquisite feature. From the look she saw shining in them, she could tell he was hungrily taking in every aspect of her appearance, and she could tell that he was pleased.

When they'd reached the end of the long aisle, Arthur leaned down and kissed Ginny on the cheek, nodded at Harry and clapped him on the back before taking his seat next to Molly, who was sobbing into her lacy handkerchief. Arthur deftly pulled another one from his pocket and handed it to Molly, who smiled tearfully.

Harry leaned down and kissed Ginny's other check. "You look brilliant," he whispered, squeezing her hand as he assisted her up the step onto the dais that had been placed there. He took his spot next to Ron and George, who were both smiling widely. George, she noticed, also had glistening eyes.

"You look brilliant," she whispered back, feeling joyous as she stood beside Hermione and Luna.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the witch who stood in the center of the dais said in welcome. She was a tall, grey-haired witch with incredibly warm blue eyes. Something about her radiated welcome, and Ginny couldn't help returning the woman's smile. Harry took both her hands in his own as if he couldn't bear the idea of not touching her in some way. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two of our dearest loved ones, Harry and Ginevra, who prefers to be known as Ginny."

Chuckles filled the hall, and Harry squeezed her hands. She'd agreed to sign the wedding documents as Ginevra Potter, but wanted Ginny to be used for the ceremony.

"Yes, my tiara looks splendid on Ginevra. I knew it would. It's meant to be worn by a Prewett, after all," Auntie Muriel said loudly from her chair beside Molly.

"Shh," Molly hissed, causing Ginny to raise her eyes. Molly rarely reprimanded Muriel. Apparently, Muriel was taken aback as well, for she fell silent.

"Everyone knows the icons of these two individuals – the Quidditch star and our savior – but you, the people invited here today, are the ones who know the people behind those personas. You are the ones Harry and Ginny chose to spend this special day with. You are the ones whom they love," the officiant said, smiling fondly at both of them.

Ginny thought that was a bit rich after Auntie Muriel's outburst. The hall was filled with all her Weasley and Prewett cousins, but also friends, teammates, coworkers, and the those who they'd fought with side-by-side during the war. Her entire life story was represented in this room.

"Do you, Harry James Potter, take Ginevra Molly to be your wife, your partner in life, to become magically bonded to her?" the officiant asked solemnly.

"I do," Harry said clearly, his deep voice ringing across the silence of the Great Hall.

"And do you, Ginevra Molly Weasley, Ginny, take Harry James to be your husband, your partner in life, to become magically bonded to him?" the witch asked.

"I do," Ginny said, and her voice sounded shaky to her own ears. She could feel herself trembling, not with fear or trepidation, but with joy and happiness.

"I promise not to ever leave you behind again, and to tell you what's on my mind, and to say more than fine if something is troubling me," Harry said, and now his voice shook, too. "I promise to listen, to ask your advice, and to fill our home with laughter until the very end."

Ginny's throat felt constricted. She blinked repeatedly and forced herself to speak, "And I promise not to sulk if you beat me in a race, to try and understand your protective instincts, and to openly share what's troubling me rather than insisting I can cope alone. I promise to always fight to come back to you, and to never leave you alone. And, I promise that I'll always be the whisky to your fire."

She knew he'd understand that she was giving him permission to use that silly nickname, but truth be told, she liked it.

"I love you, Ginny, and I always will," he said clearly, slipping a sparkling platinum band upon her finger. "And as someone who took a long time to understand what love truly was, I say that unequivocally."

"And I'll love you even more," Ginny said, winking as she slid his larger band onto his finger. He stared at it, mesmerized. "You always knew what love was, because it's the essence of who you are."

"And with that, I declare you bonded for life," the officiant said, raising her wand in the air and giving it a slight wave. A shower of sparks hovered above them, gently framing them and spiraling around their linked hands and up their arms. "You may kiss your wife, Mr. Potter."

As Harry did just that, they were surrounded by a spray of brilliant red and gold sparks that fell over them, and a sweet, ethereal song filled the Great Hall, surrounding them, filling them. Ginny had heard music like this only twice before in her memory, and when she and Harry broke apart, they looked up to see Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix, perched lightly on the table where they were to sign their marriage certificate. His beautiful, serene eyes blinked at them peacefully, and he appeared to nod his head at Harry.

"Hello, Fawkes," Harry said gruffly. "It's good to see you again, my old friend. I hope this means you approve of my choice."

Once again, Fawkes released a sound of beauty, of peace and tranquility. He continued his beautiful song as Harry and Ginny turned to face their guests and applause joined his song throughout the Great Hall.

/* /* /* /*

After the ceremony was complete, Harry and Ginny were swept into a small chamber off the Great Hall, the one where Harry had learned that he was, in fact, a Triwizard Champion. This time, it was where wedding photographs were being taken. Fawkes had followed the newlyweds into the room, settling himself on Harry's shoulder. The photographer, a paunchy man with a goatee, was taken aback by the impressive bird, and, slightly panicky, directed Harry to perch him on the back of a chair without approaching the magnificent phoenix.

Harry kept rubbing his fingers together, feeling the weight of the thick, platinum band there and getting used to it. He kept trying to surreptitiously stare at it, or at the one on Ginny's finger, but he kept getting caught by Ron and George. Not wanting to get laughed at any further, he attempted to restrain himself from following this particular impulse. He was married. He had a wife. A family.

The Potter line had doubled in size that day. He and Ginny kept grinning at one another giddily, and he wished all these other people would leave them alone and give them a chance to talk. That wasn't to be, however, because apparently, it was imperative that all these photographs be taken immediately. The photographer kept arranging them in groups to snap various shots. He even took one of the unlikely grouping of Harry, Andromeda, Teddy, Dudley and Hagrid – Dudley keeping a wary eye on Hagrid the entire time.

It was very strange for Harry to have Dudley there. He remembered once being called to this very room where they were now taking the photographs on the morning of the Third Task for family visits. It was Molly and Bill who'd showed up for Harry that day, but for one brief, panicked moment, Harry had wondered if the Dursleys had come. Of course, they hadn't then, but Dudley had come this time, and Harry was oddly touched by it.

"Yeh did it, Harry. Yeh did it. Beautiful wedding, just beautiful," Hagrid said, clapping Harry on the back so hard that Harry stumbled. Ginny grasped him by the arm to keep him steady.

"And you both look so good standing there together. I always knew you'd get together one day," Hagrid said.

"Oh, you did, did you? Why didn't you clue me in earlier, then?" Harry asked, amused.

"That's something you need ter work out on your own. Ginny had it right before you did, though," Hagrid said, grinning at Ginny.

"She does most things," Harry replied easily.

"Professor Dumbledore would've been so chuffed you chose ter marry at Hogwarts. Perfect choice, I think," Hagrid said, his eyes growing misty.

"And Fawkes came," Harry said quickly, hoping to distract him. "It's so good to see him again. Where d'you think he's been?"

"Dunno. Phoenixes do what they do. He's chosen you now, so you'll be aware of his whereabouts," Hagrid said.

"What d'you mean? Harry asked, nonplussed.

Hagrid stared at him. "Don't be daft, Harry. Phoenixes aren't chosen. They do the choosin'. Fawkes has chosen you."

"Yeah, don't be daft, Harry," Ginny said, giggling.

Harry stared at the magnificent bird, perplexed. Fawkes blinked at him serenely. "What do I do with him? What do Phoenixes eat?" he asked.

"Insects and berries mostly, but they take care of themselves. As I recall, Fawkes was rather partial ter owl treats, though. I'm sure his old perch is in storage around here somewhere. I'll get Filch to send it to yeh."

"That'd be great, Hagrid. Thanks," Harry said absently, staring at Fawkes. He hadn't worked in getting a new…pet?...companion?... just now. He was leaving on a week long holiday after the Ministry gala.

"Fawkes found us here. I'm certain he'll find us anywhere if he needs to," Ginny said quietly, somehow knowing where his thoughts had gone.

When the photographs were finished, and the guests filed out of the room, Harry and Ginny were finally left alone, waiting to be called back inside to open the dance floor.

"Are you ready for this?" Ginny asked, grinning.

Harry leaned over and kissed her properly, something he'd been dying to do the entire time the camera had been clicking. "I'm ready," he said, rather breathless. He'd been practicing his dance steps for weeks now. He wasn't going to let her down.

"We're married now," Ginny whispered, even though they were the only two left in the room. "I'm Ginny Potter."

Harry couldn't suppress the shudder when she said her new name. "I really like the sound of that," he said, smiling.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter," the band singer announced.

Both took a deep breath as the music began to swell. They'd agreed to share their first dance and open the dance floor immediately. That way, people could have the dance floor available in between courses, and no one would have to wait. Harry tried to calm his nerves. He knew the steps to this tango, but he'd never done it before with a crowd watching. He needn't have worried, however. Ginny fit in his arms perfectly, and the other eyes quickly disappeared as his focus was solely on her.

The crowd applauded as the music finished, and Harry leaned down and kissed his wife, who was beaming. "Very sexy, Harry," she said, nodding.

Neither of them barely had a moment to sit down and enjoy themselves. Every time either of them tried to take a bite of their dinner, someone would approach them to offer their congratulations. At one point, after Harry had snuck away to use the loo, Dudley approached him on his way back to the head table. Harry had noticed both Angelina Johnson and Hestia Jones keeping him company all evening. Oddly enough, Dudley had had a surprising number of dance partners.

"Hey, Harry," he said, ducking his head. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Dudley," Harry said, feeling warmer toward his cousin than he ever had before. "I'm glad you could come. Are you having a good time?"

"Yeah, I am," Dudley said, unable to completely keep the note of surprise from his voice. "The food is amazing, and this castle is something else. I couldn't see it until we walked inside, you know. I kept thinking it was going to collapse."

"Yeah, there are charms and protections to keep Muggles – er, non-magic folk – away," Harry said, nodding.

Dudley nodded, shuffling his feet. He took several deep breaths, as if gearing himself up for something. Harry watched him curiously, wondering what was on his cousin's mind.

"My parents should be here," he said at last, shoving his hands into his pockets and scuffing his feet.

"Er…" Harry said, taken aback. He'd never considered sending his aunt and uncle an invitation, and it never occurred to him that they would come.

"They shouldn't have done what they did to you. I shouldn't have, either. I know that now," Dudley said, his face very red and refusing to meet Harry's eyes. "I know they were wrong."

Harry was speechless, and was left standing there gaping like a fish. Finally pulling himself together, he clapped Dudley on the back. "It's over now, and we turned out all right, yeah?"

Dudley grinned, apparently just as happy to be done with the conversation as Harry was. "Yeah," he said.

"Harry!" Owen said, clapping Harry on the back as he headed toward the gent's room that Harry had just vacated. "Congratulations! Well done."

"Thanks, Owen," Harry said, grinning. "I noticed that Michelle from the Department for Magical Transportation did agree to come with you after all."

"'Course she did. I told you, no one was going to miss this do," Owen replied, his eyes straying to Dudley.

"Owen, this is my cousin, Dudley Dursley. Dudley, my partner on the job, Owen Savage," Harry said.

Dudley and Owen shook hands in greeting, and Harry couldn't help but feel it was more of a melding between two worlds.

"No shit. You're the Muggle, right? You've become quite a sensation here. Most magical folk never get the chance to chat with a Muggle without a need to fear the Statute of Secrecy," Owen said. Harry had noticed Dudley was getting a lot of attention, as well, but he hadn't realized it was because he was a Muggle.

"Er…yeah. A lot of people do seem to want to talk to me," Dudley said awkwardly.

"You're nearly as big a celebrity as your cousin, here. Are you coming to the Ministry shindig tomorrow?" Owen asked, oblivious to Dudley's discomfort, or more likely, ignoring it.

Dudley glanced at Harry questioningly, and Harry took pity on him. "No, that's more than I think he ought to be put through." Attending the marriage of his one and only cousin was one thing. Being thrust into the center of the wizarding world at the Ministry of Magic was something else entirely.

"You should invite him to lunch one day to meet Ethan, then. That ought to be a laugh," Owen said amicably.

"Perhaps, I'll do that," Harry said. "Meanwhile, I've left my wife to attend to all these guests on her own for too long."

When Harry re-entered the Great Hall, he saw Ginny dancing with Charlie. When he'd left to use the toilet, she'd been dancing with Percy, and he wondered if she'd gone through all her brothers yet. As he stood on the edge of the dance floor, admiring his new wife dancing with her brother, the music changed. Harry watched as Ginny smiled at Charlie, then, turning, she wiggled her finger in a come here gesture. Harry watched as Ron, rolling his eyes, shrugged his shoulders in defeat and joined his sister on the dance floor.

Grinning at their antics and avoiding some of the Prewett cousins who were eyeing him avidly, Harry made his way over to Hermione. She still stood where Ron had left her, also watching the siblings dance. He held his hand out to her. "Dance with me?" he asked.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. "Who are you, and what have you done with my awkward best friend Harry?" she asked, smiling but taking his hand all the same.

Harry grinned, sweeping Hermione onto the dance floor. "I think he's done some growing up since the Yule Ball," he replied easily.

"He's grown up quite nicely, I might add. Quite a feat, considering we'd all worried if he'd ever get the chance on several occasions," Hermione said.

Harry shrugged. "Honestly, I think I learned more about what I want out of life from this contagion than anything during the war."

"I did, too," Hermione said, quietly. They were each lost in their own thoughts for a few moments before Hermione broke the silence.

"You've become quite a good dancer. I was so impressed with that tango. You and Ginny really looked amazing, and everyone was breathless watching you both. I told Ron that I think we ought to take some dance lessons," she said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, great, I'm sure he'll want to talk to me about that," he said, easily imagining what Ron would have to say about dancing lessons.

Hermione smirked as if she could imagine it, too, which she probably could. "Most likely, since Angelina overheard me, and she roped George in, as well."

Harry let out a bark of laughter. "Well, that's just great. I can expect new pranks from both of them, then?"

When the song wound down, he was acutely aware of Ginny releasing Ron and turning towards Bill, crooking her finger at him the same way she'd done to Ron. Harry was amused how they all immediately acquiesced to her demand. Ron ambled across the dance floor to where Harry and Hermione still stood, wrapping his arms around both of them. "I think it's only appropriate that we all share a dance. We've been through a lot together, we have," he said, his eyes slightly unfocused.

Hermione squeezed them both around their waists. "We certainly have. Who could believe it now if they ever saw us as first-years?" she asked.

"Yeah, Ron and I couldn't even find our way around this castle," Harry snorted, remembering his younger self fondly.

"And neither of you even talked to me," Hermione said pointedly.

"Well, you were too busy trying to get the teachers to notice you to bother with us, anyway," Ron said, smirking at her fondly.

Hermione shot her hand up in the air, waving it frantically while bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Oh, I was such a nightmare."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, causing Hermione to elbow him in the gut. "Remember when we had to convince Harry to teach us Defense during our fifth year? Harry, you were such a prat about it."

"Yeah, I was," Harry acknowledged.

"We?" Hermione asked indignantly. "As I recall, you ran for the hills once Harry started shouting, and I had to work on convincing him myself."

"Yeah, but you're so good at that," Ron said, leaning down and kissing her on the top of her head. "We'd have been lost without you."

"We made a fairly decent team, yeah?" Harry asked, so thankful to the god of orphans, or doomed prophesized souls, or whoever it was that was watching out for him back then, for bringing these two people into his life. And of course, that had also led to his meeting Ginny. Funny how life worked out sometimes.

When the song ended, the trio were approached by Viktor Krum, who tapped Hermione on the shoulder. Harry, Viktor and Fleur were linked together in a way perhaps no one else could ever understand. They'd come through the Triwizard Tournament, and Cedric's subsequent death, together, and it had bonded them in some odd way. Even though he didn't see Viktor on any sort of regular basis, it had never occurred to Harry not to invite him to his wedding, despite Ron's grumblings.

"May I cut in?" Victor asked, winking at Ron as he led a blushing Hermione onto the dance floor.

"He's still a git," Ron said without any venom.

"Nah, he's not, and you know it. Come on, we have some Yule Ball mistakes of our own to make up for," Harry said.

"Eh?" Ron asked, perplexed.

Harry nodded his head toward one of several bars that had been strategically located throughout the hall. Padma and Parvati were sitting at one, sharing a very large glass of something bright and smoking.

Ron's eyes widened. "You don't mean–"

"Why not?" Harry asked, grinning. "We were lousy ball dates."

He was aware of Ron following as he approached the Patil twins, who were giggling, of course. They giggled more than anyone Harry knew. Before he could lose his nerve, he held out his arm to Parvati, "May I have this dance?" he asked, in what he hoped was a gallant voice.

Both girls' eyes widened in shock, but Parvati smiled and took his arm. "I'd love to," she said.

"How about you, Padma? Care to give me the dance I should've asked you for ages ago?" Ron asked.

As he and Ron led the Patil twins onto the dance floor, Harry saw Ginny wink at him across the room.

When their dance ended, Harry was just about to ask his wife to dance with him next, except the band's singer asked everyone to take their seats.

"I'd like to ask our new couple and Arthur and Molly Weasley to take the dance floor," she said. "Harry and Ginny have chosen a song for their dance with their parents."

The surrounding crowd sighed, oohed and awwed as the four of them joined one another on the dance floor. As Ginny took her father's hand, and Harry raised his to Molly, her tears began in earnest.

"Mrs… Molly, please don't. We don't have to dance," Harry said, feeling slightly panicked. He'd learned the steps, but he wasn't certain he could do them if he had to support her being hysterical. Her overly emotional displays always made him uncomfortable.

"Don't be silly, dear," Molly sniffed, pulling herself back to some semblance of dignity as the two of them began slowly revolving on the dance floor. "I wouldn't miss this moment for the world. I'm standing in for your mum, here, and she'd never forgive me if I missed it. She'd be so proud of you."

Harry suddenly found he'd lost his voice, as he stared at her, wide-eyed.

"I never knew your mum and dad personally, but she sent a lovely note after the deaths of my brothers. It's no surprise such a kind, thoughtful woman created such a kind, thoughtful son," Molly said, her voice growing stronger the longer she spoke.

Now, it was Harry who felt as if he were in danger of losing his composure. He swallowed heavily, forcing air into his lungs and concentrating on his steps.

"If I couldn't have them, I don't think I could've found a better substitute. I'll never forget all you and Arthur did for me," he said, his throat extremely tight and constricted.

Molly sniffed. "You take good care of my girl. She can be quite a handful, but she has a good heart, and she's not always nearly as tough as she likes to portray."

"I'm aware," Harry said, grinning. "I do love her, Mrs. Weasley."

"I know you do, dear. And it's Molly," she said, smiling at him fondly.

As the final notes of the song played, Auntie Muriel's cackling voice rang out amongst the still–silent crowd, "So, this is Harry Potter. Well, you're not as tall as I expected you would be, are you?"

Harry didn't know how to respond to that, but Ginny did. "He's the perfect height for me, and I'd like to dance with my new husband. If you'll excuse us."

She didn't give anyone time to answer as she pulled Harry away, fuming. "There ought to be a law against insulting the guest of honor on a wedding day," she fumed as the dance floor filled once again. Auntie Muriel and her parents were lost in the crowd.

"Not really an insult, just a comment about my height, or lack thereof, in her opinion," Harry said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"You're a perfectly lovely height. She just didn't like all the attention being on Mum instead of her, the old cow," Ginny said sourly.

Harry thought she was adorable when she was being protective of him, and he hugged her close as they danced.

As the sky outside darkened fully, Harry pulled his wife to a nearby table, sinking gratefully into a chair. "My feet are killing me. I'm ready to take off these shoes," he said, wincing at the pain in his feet.

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! Hermione showed me a charm that made mine as comfortable as slippers all day," she said.

"Well, she didn't show it to me," Harry said, grumbling. That was one particular spell it would've been nice if Hermione had shared.

Ginny pouted out her lower lip in sympathy, her eyes twinkling as she patted him on the head. "I'll show it to you for tomorrow."

Just then, Professor McGonagall approached them. Her hair wasn't nearly as sleek and tight as it usually was, and several stray wisps had pulled out from her bun as she'd been dancing most of the day. "Your leaving clothes are up in the guest accommodations where you began your day, Miss Wea… Mrs. Potter," she said, catching herself and smiling fondly. "I'm certain you can find it again. Harry, Hagrid mentioned you'd like to take the perch that Professor Dumbledore once kept in his office. I asked Mr. Filch to locate it for you and have a house-elf deliver it, but your own house-elf just appeared and took it himself. You should find it at Grimmauld Place once you return there."

Harry had invited Kreacher to the wedding as a guest, and while the elf was thoroughly touched, he wasn't comfortable spending the entire day consorting with wizards. Instead, he chose to oversee the kitchens and be certain everything being served was up to his own high standards.

"Oh! Thanks," Harry said, eyes widening. It hadn't occurred to him that he hadn't seen Fawkes in quite some time.

"Are you ready to go and get changed, then?" Ginny asked after Professor McGonagall had walked away.

Harry had booked them a room at a posh London hotel for the evening. Their dress robes and everything they'd need for the Ministry gala was awaiting them there.

"Are you certain? It'll be over once we leave," Harry asked, not wanting her to miss a moment of their wedding day.

"I think some of the guests are ready to go, but they won't until we do. Besides, it doesn't mean our wedding day ends just when we leave here. And… we don't have to get changed right away," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"We don't?" Harry asked blankly.

Ginny leaned closer, whispering in his ear and sending a delicious tingle down his spine. "Don't you want to be able to say we've made love in the castle before we leave?"

Harry quickly followed her out of the Great Hall, not caring who noticed they were leaving.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed it! As most of you know, straight fluff is not my strong suit, and I'll admit I considered adding a surprise Death Eater attack for some excitement, lol. Harry and Ginny didn't deserve that, though. The last Weasley wedding was interrupted, so this one needed to go smoothly.

As always, huge thanks to my beta team – Sherylyn, Arnel and Sue for their edits, thoughts and ideas as this story took shape. Talking it out with people always helps to form stronger ideas in my head, so they're very much appreciated.