Disclaimer: None of this story is mine and I'm making no profit from it.

A/N: It's me again! So I did half of this chapter, then the document decided to mess up and I lost it all. But, anyway. I redid it and here you go.

Chapter 8:

Monday morning was the first time in a fair while that I woke up happy.

The day before had gone surprisingly well, me and Malfoy had played a lot of chess. And for once, he hadn't been a /complete/ dickhead.

I know, shocker, right?

Dom had spread the news about her wedding throughout the room, subsequently reminding everyone of the deadline. It seemed that, like me, most of my family had forgotten.

By the end of the night, wedding plans were being made left, right, and centre. Most of my cousins had decided on register office weddings like me- much to Nana Molly's poorly concealed disappointment.

I was sure some of them would have ceremonies eventually, when they were ready. But for the time being, only Al and Alice had decided on a ceremony, besides Dom and Byron. But even that would be very small- only close friends and family.

So there was a skip in my step as I made my way down to breakfast and slid into my usual place at the Gryffindor table and began piling food onto my plate.

It wasn't long before McGonagall stepped up to the front of the hall. She cleared her throat and the whole room fell silent within seconds. She let her gaze roll over the room for a few moments before she spoke.

"Seventh years," she began. A groan went up around the room and I felt my heart sink- my previous good mood cut unfairly short. Any announcement beginning with those two words was bound to be about the marriage law.

She waited a few minutes, casting a stern look around at the students who had complained loudest until the groaning and mumbling had died down. Then she started again. "Seventh years, as you are hopefully already aware of, you have only a week left to become legally married to your partners." She paused as a few panicked glanced were thrown around the room. It seemed a lot of people had forgotten.

"In light of this, we have decided to give all seventh years this week off classes to squeeze in any last-minute arrangements." A cheer was the response from the room this time. "Classes will be still running, for those who wish to attend. But it is not compulsory. "

"However, before you all go running off to Hogsmeade- there is something happening today for seventh years that I'm sure will be of interest to many of you. Today will be the first of three apparition lessons that any willing students are able to participate in." An excited buzz of chatter went up around the room.

Finally, I thought to myself. Soon I wouldn't ever have to floo anywhere again.

Although- from what I'd heard apparition could be just as uncomfortable.

"The session will take place after breakfast, however, if you could exit the Great Hall along with the other students that will give us time to prepare the room." She smiled down at the excited faces. "That is all, other years will have lessons as usual."

Then she retook her seat at the staff table.

Breakfast was over quickly- and the buzz of voices followed us out as the whole school spilt into the entrance hall. I waited with Alice and Dom and I could tell that I wasn't the only one excited by the prospect of finally learning how to apparate.

"Three sessions and then we'll never have to floo anywhere again." Dom told us, "no more sooty clothes, no more ashy hair, no more clumsy entrances. Thank Merlin."

"I'm mostly just excited about not feeling like I'm going to catch fire every time I have to go somewhere." Alice chimed in. I was inclined to agree.

Eventually, the huge oak doors re-opened and we were allowed back inside.

The hall we walked into was almost unrecognisable. The tables and chairs had been shoved unceremoniously to the side and all of the floating candles were gone. I supposed they were a safety hazard. Besides, they were hardly needed during the day.

The floor was covered in rings in neat rows. Some blue- some red. And at the front of the room, there was a man, standing where the staff table would usually be. He was a... round man. And the buttons at the front of his petticoat were clearly having a hard time staying attached.

But the man seemed unconcerned about the buttons that could go flying from his person at any moment. Instead, he stood at the front of the room, smiling widely and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as he watched us all fill the room.

"Yes, yes, welcome ladies and gentlemen. Please, find yourself a blue ring to stand in. Yes, very good, very good. No. Young man, I said a /blue/ ring. Yes, that one will do perfectly." He told us, already giving me the impression that he was a man of many words. Eventually, we all seemed to find a spot in the hall and the excited whispering and sound of movement died down.

"Yes, very good ladies and gentlemen." He spoke to the room at large and clapped his hands together. "I'm Mr Porter and welcome to the art of apparition." He spoke as if we didn't already know why we were there. "I'm sure you have all heard of apparition before. Some of you may even have performed side-long apparition with an older witch or wizard." He spoke slowly, as if trying to build the tension. I could feel my classmates getting restless as their impatience grew.

"But today, I will begin to teach you how apparate by your self." He beamed as if he had just told us the best news we could have ever been blessed with. "But first, a few safety measures folks." An audible groan went up around the room in response to his words. But it didn't dissuade him.

"I know, I know. Tedious, but necessary ladies and gentlemen. There are some conditions under which people can not be permitted to apparate. Now, if any of the following apply to you, please step outside and we will arrange a make-up session later in the week." he paused, letting his little eyes scanned the room as the air around the hall became tense. No one wanted to miss this.

"Firstly, if you have taken any of the following potions in the last 24 hours:' he rattled off a list of potions and one boy in the back of the hall swore loudly- which received a pointed look from Mr Porter, before he left the room.

"Also, it is very risky to apparate- or at least learn to apparate- whilst pregnant. And if any of you ladies think there might be even a slight chance then I recommend you double check before taking part in this class." The room fell silent and no one moved for a moment.

Then eventually, a Ravenclaw girl turned and walked purposefully out of the room with her chin up, avoiding the stares of her classmates as she marched by. I looked to the front of the room, where her Slytherin fiance was watching her go with wide eyes as his mates elbowed him and sniggered.

Oh Merlin. I thought, they could have told us this earlier. It felt cruel that they would say this as the whole year was there, watching.

No one else made any sign of leaving though, so Mr Porter restarted his speech. "Alrighty, now, can everyone see the red circle directly in front of them? Yes? Good, now-" But I had stopped hearing him. Because at that moment Dom had turned and made a bee-line for the back of the hall. I watched her go, my stomach sinking. Did that mean... was she..?

I locked eyes with Alice, who looked just as dumb-struck as me. I wondered for a moment if I should go after my cousin, but something kept my feet frozen to the spot.

I would find Dom afterwards, I told myself. I would go straight to her room as soon as this lesson was over.

An hour later, I found Dom in her room, curled up under the covers of her bed. She opened her eyes when I came in, but didn't say anything. So neither did I.

Instead, I just crossed the room and lay down next to her. Letting the silence stretch on until, eventually, she spoke. "I'm not- well- I don't know if I am, I just-" she took a deep breath. "Me and Byron do a lot of stuff and sometimes we're not as careful as we should be." She sighed. Before flicking her strawberry-blonde hair behind her and sitting up in her bed.

"Can you do the spell?" She asked me, pointing to her stomach, "I don't know it very well and if I do it wrong then it won't be accurate."

I smiled, "of course." I tried to mask my nerves, but I had never done a pregnancy test before. It's not exactly taught in school very extensively. Perhaps most wizard households grew up just knowing the spell. But my mum had told me she'd always opted for the muggle version of a pregnancy test and I'd planned on doing the same.

Eventually.

Nevertheless, I knew the words and I knew the movement. So I rested the tip of my wand gently on Dom's stomach, drew a little circle, and whispered the incantation under my breath. Then, we waited.

Waited for the silvery glow at the end of my wand that would tell us that Dom was pregnant. But it never came.

After thirty seconds, I looked up at my cousin to find her already grinning down at me. I let myself grin too.

"Thank fuck!" she exclaimed, flopping back onto her bed, and I allowed myself a quick laugh of relief as I lay down beside her. For a few minutes, the only thing we could hear was the sound of our own breathing.

"We should probably go tell the others." I told her eventually, "they saw you leave the hall too." She turned to face me and then screwed her face up, as if talking to our family right now was the last thing she wanted to do. When I raised my eyebrows for a response, she crawled under the covers to hide.

"Can't you do it?" She asked me, her voice muffled. "I've had quite an ordeal this morning Rosie Posie."

I smiled reassuringly at her, despite the fact she couldn't see me. "Of course I will," I agreed, then stood up, pulled on my shoes, and walked softly out of the room.

I shouldn't have been surprised to find Al and Alice waiting outside in the common room that Dom's dorm led off of. Of course they would be there.

They were sitting side by side on one of the sofas and looked up as the door clicked shut behind me. They didn't say anything, but they were asking a question all the same.

"False alarm," I told them, grinning as they sighed in relief and visibly relaxed into the sofa.

"Merlin's beard Rose, my heart has been beating so fast," Al said, clutching his chest. "I just kept imagining what Uncle Bill would say."

I winced at the thought and sat down next to my cousin. "He wouldn't be happy."

"No," Al agreed. "I mean, did you see Byron and Uncle Bill last night after lunch."

I frowned in response, "No? What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Alice chimed in from where she sat on the other side of Al. "But it was so tense, Bill kept sending Byron death glares. And believe me, they're a lot scarier coming from an almost werewolf."

I sat there for a moment, wondering how I had missed all of this, then letting myself imagine the death glare Alice was talking about. I shivered, suddenly very glad that I wasn't on the wrong side of William Weasley.

"Alright, well," I pushed myself up from the sofa. "I'm off to class."

Al looked at me dumbstruck, "Rose..." he began, as if talking to a wounded animal.

"Al..." I responded, raising my eyebrows in impatience. I had already missed half of second lesson.

"You know... we don't have to go to lessons this week." He replied.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Al, I heard McGonagall. But we have NEWTs coming up and if you think I am not going to every single lesson I can, then you are very mistaken."

My cousin looked at me, incredulous, while Alice giggled at his expression. But I didn't want to miss another second of potions, so I offered them a laugh and a wave and then I was on my way.

The week went by in a blur of classes and studying and my family getting married to people they'd met only about a month before and then it was Friday. And I was sitting in a cold white room in the ministry. And Alice was beside me.

And it was my turn.

How long had I dreaded this moment? It felt like my whole life. But I don't think I was as nervous as I should have been. I had this horrible twisting sensation in my stomach, sure, but it wasn't even as bad as the feeling I'd gotten before my first OWL examination.

The ministry waiting room didn't help much though. There was a small vase of dying flowers in the corner, but other than that there was nothing to try and set a 'mood'. I thought about all the people who had been in this room before.

They had probably been ecstatic, giddy with excitement. They were about to make a lifetime commitment to their one true love. Sure, they might have been nervous. But happy, mostly just happy.

I was not happy.

I felt like I was about to go in for some major life-changing operation. I felt like I was in a vets, sitting there waiting to find out if Snuffles would pull through. Now, I haven't asked a lot of people, but I'm pretty sure those aren't the feelings you're supposed to have when you're about to get married.

I looked down at myself, in my white blouse and black skirt. It was something I would wear to a job interview. For the umpteenth time I wondered if it was appropriate, then for the umpteenth time I remembered I didn't care.

I checked the big clock on the wall again, perhaps for the fourth time that minute. Come on. I thought, glancing towards the door. I swear to God if they're late.

At that moment, as if it had somehow heard my aggressive internal monologue, the door opened and Malfoy and Al stepped through.

Alice rushed over to Al, tutting and attempting to fix his mess of a tie as I let out a sigh of relief and stood up. "Nice of you to show up," I told them, sarcasm lacing my tone.

"We're on time aren't we?" Malfoy replied, his tone lacking amusement. He sat down in a chair on the other side of the room, looking entirely unbothered by the whole situation.

Perhaps I would have retaliated, but then a door to our left opened and an official-looking woman stepped through and looked at us over her glasses. "Rose Weasley, Scorpius Malfoy and witnesses, please come through."

My heart rate sped up and I looked back for Alice, only to find her right beside me. She smiled at me like 'you can do this Rose'.

I smiled back like 'I would rather die. But- thanks'.

Nevertheless, I followed the official woman into the room, feeling the other three file in behind me.

At the end of the room there was a man, standing with a straight back and watching me down his nose as I made my way to stand in front of him. I felt Malfoy come up to stand beside me, and a quick glance over my shoulder told me Al and Alice had taken their seats amongst the handful of chairs in the room.

"Alright Ladies and Gentleman," the man said, laying some documents onto the high desk in front of me and Malfoy so that we could read them.

"This shouldn't be a very long process. If you could just sign a few papers and then we can get on with the bonding ceremony." He said, pausing to rock back on his heels and carefully clasp his hand in front of him. "Please write your current full names on the first empty box on the parchments before." He told us, pointing to the specified area. "Be sure to include any middle names you may have."

We bent over the desk and the room fell silent for a few moments, the only sound was our quills scratching the parchment. I had written my name a thousand times. On homework, essays, letters, birthday cards- but the letters felt foreign to me today. My hand was shaky and the butterflies in my stomach weren't just fluttering- they were kicking.

"Alright," he said, after we had both placed our quills back in the inkpots we found them. "Now in the box below that, please write your married names. This is that part where you become Mrs Malfoy, Miss Weasley." He told me, as if it were the most exciting news I could ever hear. Behind me, Alice must have raised her eyebrows at him, or something, because the smile dropped from his face as he cleared his throat. "I-if you so choose- of course," he corrected.

I returned my focus to the document, internally rolling my eyes and making sure to spell 'Weasley' in big loopy letters.

Malfoy snorted behind me, and I looked up to see him watching me write. I scowled at him in response. "What?"

He raised an eyebrow and- quietly enough so that only I could hear him- said. "Nice name." The low volume did nothing to lessen his obvious sarcasm.

I looked back down at the parchment and narrowed my eyes as they came to rest on my middle name and realisation dawned. Nymphadora. It was a rather strange name, I let myself grin before scowling in mock offence and looking over at where he had signed his own name.

"Oh," I retaliated under my breath, my voice already heavy with irony, "as if Hyperion's any better!" I rolled my eyes at his own middle name. To my surprise, he let out a short laugh- so quick I could have missed it.

The man in front of us cleared his throat and silenced us with a disapproving look. "Alright, now, please grasp each other's right arm with your own right hand- yes, just like that." He told us, nodding as we did what he asked.

Then he pulled his wand from the pocket of his ministry robes and pointed it at where our arms met. He started reciting an incantation under his breath and- as he spoke- a glowing golden thread appeared from the tip of his wand and began to wind itself around our arms.

I watched it closely, more out of my own educational curiosity than anything else. It reminded me of the unbreakable vow ritual that I had read about. Somehow, that was not a comforting thought.

Then, the golden thread seemed to melt into our skin, leaving my fingers tingling with something that felt like electricity. The man stopped muttering and returned his wand to his pocket and me and Malfoy detached ourselves from each other. I flexed my hand, staring at it as I felt the magic root its way into my very bones.

I let out a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding, before looking up at Malfoy to see him watching me with his eyebrows slightly raised. He didn't look expectant, but I still felt like perhaps there was something I should say.

What do you say after you get married to a boy you've hated for years? I don't think even the whole Hogwarts library could have helped me find an answer to that question.

Luckily, I didn't have to, because Al came over and clapped his friend on the back. Alice came up to me too and was dragging me away. "Alright Rose, business time, my own wedding is in 2 hours and I haven't even begun getting ready."

I was glad as she dragged me to the nearest fireplace and pushed me in, throwing some floo powder in after me. Helping my best friend with her own wedding would be the perfect distraction from the life-changing event I had just endured.

Of course, I thought drily as I stepped out into Malfoy Manor, it might have been better if Al and Alice hadn't chosen to have their wedding in my new husband's house.

Wait... did that mean it was my house too?

Oh, Merlin, no Rose, stop thinking like that, you'll freak yourself out. It's his house.

I shook my head free of those thoughts and... stopped short. Merlin's beard, this house was- well- huge. I'd never been to the manor before. Of course- people had told me it was big and grand but... I'd never expected this. I caught sight of a bust on a nearby oak table and peered at it curiously.

It looked as if it was worth more than my whole house. Which, now that I mention it, it could well be.

"I know," Alice said as she came up beside me and snapped me out of my thoughts. "It's so bloody massive. When Malfoy first offered us this place as a wedding venue, I came to look around and I swear to Merlin I couldn't speak the whole time."

"This is..." I trailed off, at a complete loss for words.

"Crazy?" She supplied.

"Yeah, and it's-"

"yours."

I felt a blush creep up my necks. "It is not mine," I challenged, feeling a bit queasy as I looked up and down the ornate corridors.

"Well, it's partly yours," Alice grinned as she walked past me, "do me a favour and nick a vase or two when no ones looking will you?" She laughed and I rolled my eyes playfully as I fell into step beside her.

"So... where are we going?" I asked her, peering through open doors and windows as we made our way through the mansion. "To the garden, that's where the ceremony is being held and that's where- I'm hoping- Astoria and my mum will be. Astoria said she'd show me a room where I can get ready, and of course my mum wants to help me too."

Alice's voice had gone all business-like and focused. Well, I suppose that's what happens when you have under two hours to get ready for your own wedding. I was even struggling to keep up with her as she strode purposefully through the manor and eventually into a courtyard.

The space was absolutely filled with flowers and blossom trees, it was barely even spring, yet everything was in full bloom, no doubt thanks to some kind of magic.

There were a handful of house elves in the garden, too. Levitating in chairs and placing them in rows as Astoria Malfoy (a.k.a: my new mother in law) instructed them. As we came through the trees and into the centre of the clearing, Hannah, Alice's mum, left the wedding arch she was constructing and rushed over to her daughter.

"Alice! I knew you said you were busy today, but honestly! How will we ever have enough time to do your hair and makeup," she fussed, looking worriedly at the watch on her wrist. "Oh well, we'll have to make it work, won't we?"

Alice cast me an exasperated glance as her mother turned to Astoria. "Mrs Malfoy, Alice and Rose are here," Hannah said, causing the woman to turn and face them.

"Ah yes, of course," she said, her face lighting up as she saw us. "Follow me, girls, I have a room Alice can get ready in."

"Thanks Mrs Malfoy," Alice offered as we followed Mrs Malfoy out of the sunny courtyard and back into the manor. "And thanks again for letting me and Al have the ceremony here, I hope it hasn't been too much hassle."

"Nonsense dear, it's been a pleasure," Malfoy's mum replied as she opened the door into a spacious dressing room ornate mirrors hung along every wall. She looked like she really meant it, and for a moment I felt a wave of guilt that she would never be a part of her own son's wedding like this. "Anything for Albus Potter and his fiance, that boy has been such a good friend to my Scor all these years." She beamed, standing aside and letting Alice and her mum enter the room.

I lingered outside though. Feeling, overwhelmingly, that I needed to say something to my new mother-in-law, but not knowing exactly what. Once again, I was saved by my own awkwardness as Mrs Malfoy stepped forward and engulfed me in a vanilla-scented hug.

"Welcome to the family dear," she spoke as she pulled back. And for a second there was something so homely in her eyes I was immediately reminded of my own Nana Molly. "I know that you and Scorpius have never quite seen eye-to-eye," oh... so she knew how we really felt about one another. I felt a blush creep up my neck. "But he is a good man at heart, my Scorp. Just like his father."

Good man and Draco Malfoy were not terms I would have previously associated together. But, after all, all I had to go off of were my own father's incessant rantings. And Ronald Weasley could be biased at the best of times.

So I just smiled, and replied, "thank you Mrs Malfoy."

"Astoria, dear, call me Astoria," she smiled fondly and I couldn't help but feel like I didn't deserve her fondness. If she knew all of the things I had said and thought about her son over the years...

"Well, we don't have time for this dilly-dallying. Go help Alice get ready, we can talk more after the ceremony." She smiled, before hurrying back down the corridor to carry on with the wedding preparations, leaving me to follow my best friend into the dressing room.

Around two hours later, I was sitting- surrounded by my family- watching my best friend walk down the aisle. Originally, they had meant for a small gathering, but nothing that all the Weasleys are invited to is ever going to be small.

Alice was in a white dress, apparently, her mum had persuaded her, because only two days before she had been adamantly against it. It only reached her knees though. And she wore no veil, Neville wasn't walking with her. There were no bridesmaids or flower girls.

It wasn't a traditional wedding, that much was clear.

And, though I knew Al and Alice were a good match, I couldn't be happy for them as Alice joined my cousin and the magical official pulled out his wand. Because, well, they hadn't wanted this. It wasn't their choice.

My mum nudged me with her shoulder and smiled reassuringly from where she sat next to me. Not for the first time, I got the eery feeling that she could read my very thoughts.

The official began muttering in dulcet tones as a golden thread snaked out of his wand and began to wind its way around my friends' arms. I closed my eyes, tilting my head back and zoning out from the wedding, letting my mind wander.

The sun was surprisingly warm for early March and the flower-filled garden had a gorgeous aroma. There were even distant birds tweeting, in the perfect wedding cliche. I wondered if they sounded like this all year round.

I wondered if perhaps living here wouldn't be so bad after all.

No. I sat up straight, snapping out of my thoughts and scowling at myself. Just because there's one pretty garden here Rose.

I cast a glance at my mum, whose gaze was fixed intently on the soon-to-be-married couple. I looked at her forearm. The place where- though it was covered by her sleeve- I knew there to be a scar from her time at war.

I knew what it said and I knew who had given it to her. And I knew where.

A shiver went down my spine and I glanced around at the house surrounding us. The grandeur and beauty of it seemed no longer there. Instead, only dark looming stone.

Who knows what sort of horrors had happened within those walls. I shuddered to think.

"You may kiss the bride!"

Al leaned in a kissed Alice on the cheek, sending a cheer up around the not-so-small gathering. Hannah jumped up to hug her daughter and new son-in-law as the rest of us sparked idle chatter.

There was no reception per say, but after the wedding most of the attendees went back to the Burrow where we played exploding snap and drank hot chocolate. Of course, Malfoy didn't join us. And I can't say I was too disappointed.

It was 1 o Clock before I finally collapsed in my bed back at a Hogwarts. Well, I say my bed. It was Dom's really.

I couldn't face Malfoy on the best of days, certainly not sleep in the same bed as him. But now... now we were actually married. For some reason, it made the situation a hundred times worse.

A/N: Alright, so I used the word 'nick' in this chapter and I'm not sure if it's used in America and other places, so I just wanted to say, in case you didn't know, in Britain 'nick' is slang for 'steal'. :) Next update will be Tuesday. Thanks for reading and please leave a review!