AN: It has been an absolute age since I have posted (I'm sure it's been more than a year)! I hope you enjoy - more surprises to come!

Harry sat, waiting for his wife to come out of the bathroom, when he received an owl from Aunt Petunia.

"Harry,

I can't wait to see you at the ball. Hope this owl makes it on time.

Love,

Your aunt,

Petunia Slughorn"

Harry smiled. He was very fond of his aunt, now that she had really embraced the wizarding world and become a totally new person. He thought about his wedding, when his aunt had first met Slughorn.

FLASHBACK

Twenty or so photographers and journalists lined the church car park. Rita Skeeter stood amongst them, her quick notes quill scribbling away.

"Father Stephen," Harry called to the tall, thin, gangly priest, as he headed towards the presbytery, "Will you join us at the reception?"

"Ah, Harry, it's only too kind of you, but there's an elderly witch in Mappleton who urgently needs my assistance. I'm going to floo there now." Fr Stephen said, pleasantly.

"You're a wizard?" Harry stuttered, his eyes wide with amusement and disbelief. He was met with a chuckle.

"No, I'm a squib. Squibs can use the Floo network, Harry, so can muggles."

"So, that's why you were not worried about all of the, er, strange behaviour on Mr Weasley's part."

"Quite."

Harry laughed.

"Anyway, I had better be off." The kindly old priest said.

"Yes. I'll see you soon."

"Oh, Harry." Fr Stephen said, turning back to look at the young man.

"Yes?"

"Congratulations."

"Thank you, Father." Harry said, smiling, before turning away once more and rejoining his new wife.

"Harry!" Ginny said, excitedly. "Guess who has come! You won't believe it! You simply will not believe it!"

"Who is it?" Harry asked, his tone slightly curious.

"Ta da!" she said triumphantly, pulling a sour-looking blonde man from the crowd of people around her.

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah."

Harry grinned at his old arch enemy, "Excellent. It's great to see you."

Harry could tell that Draco was chuffed with the warm welcome he was given.

"Sorry I'm late." he said; he could think of nothing better to say - it was an awkward situation.

"Well, it's not really acceptable. You're not just 'late'; you've missed the entire wedding." Hermione said, indignantly, hitting his arm with a bunch of calla lilies. As Harry watched, pain seared through his heart, like an arrow through that of a stag. The lilies reminded him of his mother.

"It's okay, Hermione." Ginny laughed.

"Still, I'm in time for the reception, right?" Draco grinned.

"Yeah." said Harry.

"And the cake?"

"Ugh, Draco!" Ginny exclaimed, before turning around and flinging her bouquet of white roses into the crowd of witches, setting off a dozen shrieks, as Luna caught the bouquet.

Turning around and catching a glimpse of Oliver Wood, Luna said, "Oliver, now you'll have to marry me!"

Oliver went bright pink and became tense, stopping dead in his tracks.

"I'm only joking, Wood! That's a muggle tradition." Luna laughed.

Oliver smiled, wiped his forehead in mock relief and continued making his way towards his broomstick.

"Harry! M' boy! Congratulations." Hagrid boomed in his familiar voice. "'Ginny, you too. 'M so proud o' yer both."

Harry grinned at him, his arm slipped neatly around Ginny's waist.

"Hagrid, thank you!" Ginny beamed at him.

Hagrid took his ridiculously large handkerchief from somewhere about his person and blew his enormous nose. "'M so happy ter see yer so happy." he said. "You'd best be off now or yer guests'll be waiting fer yer."

"We'll see you at the reception, Hagrid." Ginny smiled.

Harry gently lifted Ginny onto a thestral-drawn carriage, which would take them to the Hogwarts' great hall, where the wedding reception was to take place.

Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley stood on either side of the carriage, shooting petals from wands - Teddy from Bill's and Victoire from her mother's. They were quickly taken from the little church, just outside Hogsmeade, to Hogwarts.

Their friends and families cheered as they entered the Great Hall. It has been transformed. Circular tables of eight had replaced the long rectangular tables. Elegant white ribbons and white roses had replaced the old house banners and the ceiling looked like falling red rose petals.

Molly Weasley planted a kiss on Harry's forehead, tears sparkled in her eyes. She then kissed Ginny once on each cheek, smiling, as she led them to the head table, where Mr Weasley, Aunt Petunia (much to Harry's surprise), Professor McGonagall and Hagrid were seated.

Harry pulled out the chair for his new wife and then sat down next to her.

Quickly, Aunt Petunia stood up and tapped her champagne glass with her spoon. The cheers and claps died down instantly - this was not a wizarding tradition, but they understood that they ought to pay attention to the strange, thin woman.

"I am Harry's aunt." Aunt Petunia began, in her prim, proper voice, "I know that it may come as a shock to a lot of you, my being here, that is," she added, "as I have not treated Harry with the respect and love that he has deserved." This was met with many mutters of agreement. "Blinded by love and pride for my own son," she continued, ignoring the unrest in the room, "in addition to my being jealous of my sister, who, as you know, was a witch, I treated Harry as though I did not want him. As though he were a burden. Really, though, Harry is an amazing, strong and selfless person. Harry, I am sorry."

Harry felt compelled to hug his aunt, so he rose and hugged her. When he pulled away, he noticed the tears sparkling in her eyes. Ginny handed Petunia a handkerchief that she had seemingly conjured from thin air.

Wiping her eyes, Petunia continued, "Harry, Ginny, I have heard how you saved everyone, ordinary people and magic people alike. I thank you for what you have done and I pray that you will be very happy together. God knows you deserve your happiness."

She sat down. Everyone was silent for a second or two, before the wizarding community broke out into roars, cheers and claps of. Petunia beamed at them.

After a few words from Ginny's father and Professor McGonagall, they had dinner.

Sitting on one of the tables was Cho Chang. She looked slightly glum, as she played mindlessly with the glazed salmon on the end of her fork.

"Out of place?" Asked a portly gentleman, who sat next to her.

"Oh," she said, as though being woken from her sleep by a stranger, "slightly."

"Welcome to the club, then." he grinned, "I'm a 'muggle', as you would say. I'm Harry's cousin, Dudley."

"I'm Cho. Harry and I dated briefly, in fourth year. I knew he didn't really love me." Cho said, bitterly.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Dudley sympathised, wiping the grin from his face.

"I'm over it now." she said, wiping a little tear from her eye, dramatically.

"This drink is very nice." he said, changing the subject.

"It's butterbeer,"." Cho said, "A classic."

"It's alcoholic?" Dudley asked.

"No." Cho laughed.

Dudley raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes, in mock disappointment. Cho chuckled.

"They're starting up the music." Dudley said. He hesitated and then winked seductively.

Cho giggled.

"You're funny, but I'm not really in the mood for dancing."

Dudley was disappointed, but he smiled anyway and said, "It's just as well; I have two left feet."

Cho looked shocked; this was not a wizarding expression.

"Do you want us to help you? St Mungo's is better than any muggle hospital!"

Dudley laughed, "It's an expression - it means that I'm an awful dancer!"

"Oh." Cho said. She thought for a second and then looked at Dudley. "Muggles are funny." she said, softly. Then, changing her mind, "Show me your two left feet." She said, standing up.

"I told you that it's only an expression... Oh!" Dudley laughed. He stood up and took Cho's hand.

"The ceiling is so clever." Dudley said, as he and Cho waltzed.

"It's the magic that's clever!" Cho said.

"What's it like to be magic? Is it exciting?"

"Starting Hogwarts is exciting, but like anything, you get used to it. It's nothing special to me; I grew up with magic."

"I never realised how beautiful magic could be. I was told that magic was a bad thing."

"It can be bad. That's why we had a war."

"That's grim. I reckon if I was magic, I would have been bad." Dudley thought aloud, "Being non-magic has given me a chance to change."

"I think you've just grown up." Cho finished.

Dudley smiled at her and they danced in silence for a while.

Across the room, Harry and his new wife were still eating.

"Thank you, Aunt Petunia for, coming." Harry said, a little awkwardly.

"Thank you for inviting me. You know, of course, about your Uncle Vernon?"

"Yes, I know. Are you okay?" Harry asked. Uncle Vernon had died just after the war. It had been a heart attack, due to his being so unhealthy. It suited Uncle Vernon, Harry thought, to die of a heart attack; nothing extraordinary, nothing magical, just a normal, muggle heart attack - the most ordinary cause of death thinkable.

"Yes, I am okay. With all of this change, becoming accustomed to magic and moving out of Privet Drive, I believe it's easier to move on than it would have been before you left."

Though Petunia's words were naturally quite rude, Harry was not offended. He knew what his aunt meant; she was just unintentionally ignorant of other people's feelings - it was simply part of who she was.

"Your speech was lovely, Mrs Dursley." Ginny said, politely, across Harry.

"Oh," Petunia blushed, "I hadn't meant it to be a speech, but thank you, dear."

Harry looked puzzled; he had never heard Aunt Petunia call anybody (save Dudley and Uncle Vernon) 'dear'.

He saw Hermione and Ron dancing together and talking. He was so happy for them. He noticed Cho dancing with Dudley, which surprised him, but pleasantly. He saw Draco chatting amicably with Susan Bones and felt a little sorry for him.

He led Ginny to the dance floor and they began to dance slowly. They talked happily, as they danced, about the guests around them.

"Hermione and Ron look happy." Ginny noted.

"Yeah." Harry agreed.

"Hey, Harry, Ginny, congratulations!" Dudley called, as he danced past them.

"Thanks." Harry grinned.

"Yeah, congratulations, Harry." Cho said, smiling at him.

"It's not like her, is it?" Ginny said when Dudley and Cho were out of earshot. "I mean, she normally goes for the handsome, popular, talented ones, like you and Cedric."

"Maybe this is better for her. Dudley might make her feel more special."

"I love you!" she smiled.

"I love you too." Harry grinned. Then, he kissed her. "I love you and I am so glad I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you." he finished, as he pulled away from her lips. She smiled and they danced for a while, without speaking, just enjoying each other's company.

"So, you're a teacher here?"

"That's right." Slughorn smiled wonkily.

"What do you teach? Card tricks?" Aunt Petunia attempted a joke.

"Potions, actually."

"And it's Mr Slughorn?"

"Oh, Horace, please." Slughorn said, brushing away formality.

"Petunia."

"I know."

"Are you Gryffindor too?"

"No, Slytherin, actually."

"Oh, er, are you..."

"Oho," Slughorn said, loudly, so that a few heads turned towards him, "Am I a bad wizard? No, no, no. I am certainly not. Not all Slytherins are bad."

"Sorry, I'm, er..."

"New to this business. I know."

"So, what's magic like? It must be nice to have so much control, to be able to listen to anybody's conversation, to read people's minds..."

"Dear me, no! We don't use magic for such things. Generally speaking, that is. Of course, there are the few, ahm, exceptions."

"Oh."

The pair talked amicably for the duration of the reception (neither of them liked to dance). They had quickly become firm friends and he often visited Petunia. Within a year, they had fallen in love and married. The ceremony was small, with only a few guests. Petunia went to live in Hogwarts with Slughorn and became the new muggle studies teacher there. Dudley was very proud of her.

END FLASHBACK

"What do you think, Harry?"

"You look beautiful, Ginny." Harry gawked. Ginny was wearing a purple dress that was pleated from a high waistband, which hid her baby bump and made her ginger hair seem fiercer than ever. Her hair was curled and clipped off her face. She looked beautiful.

"Mummy looks so pretty." Teddy said.

"Thanks, little one." Ginny stroked Teddy's freckled cheek. "It's time to get you off to the Grangers'!"

"Yay! Lasagne!" Teddy licked his lips. Mrs Granger always cooked lasagne for Teddy.

"Ron, come on."

"What?"

"Please get ready." Blanca said. She stood with long, tanned legs that seemed to go all the way from Earth to Heaven, long black hair and a pastel pink dress that ended mid-thigh.

"Gimme five." Ron said, not opening his eyes.

"Well, we will come late, then."

"We will BE late, Blanca, not 'come late'."

"I am sorry, Ron." Blanca sighed. She wished that she had not agreed to go with him to the ball. He was going to pretend to everyone that they were a couple and then he'd pay her at the end of it. Cheerleading earned Blanca very little money and, though she also waitressed a couple of nights a week at a muggle restaurant in Soho, Blanca was very short on money, no matter how expensive her clothes looked (most of her possessions were gifts from her large family in Spain).

Meanwhile, everyone else was arriving at the War Memorial Ball. Fading Broth, an old seventies' band, played live music, whilst witches and wizards arrived. Everyone had made every effort to look amazing. Draco and Hermione felt relieved that (for once) they were just one couple of the crowd, made up by Cho and Dudley, Harry and Ginny, themselves and Neville and Luna.

"Hermione, you look fantastic." Harry grinned at his friend.

"Oi, Potter, I had better not catch you flirting with Grang- Hermione." Malfoy smirked, infuriatingly.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione playfully whacked his arm. "Ginny, you look absolutely wonderful."

"Thanks, Hermione. I'm starving, though. I wish they'd just open the buffet."

"That sounds delicious. I hear they're having raspbumble trifle." A dreamy voice interrupted.

"Oh, hello, Luna. Do you mean raspberry trifle? That does sound delicious."

"No, it's definitely raspbumble trifle. They're easily confused with raspberries, only when you eat them, it is very difficult to control the laughter they bring – they tickle your whole body from the inside when you eat them. That's why they're commonly put into trifles – the lipids in the cream counteract the tickling sensation… It's rather clever, really." Luna smiled and nodded at Draco, politely, before wandering off to talk to some other witches.

"What just happened?" Draco looked bewildered.

"You'll get used to Luna," Ginny laughed, "If you're planning to spend the rest of your days with our Hermione." She finished, with a wicked grin on her face.

Hermione and Draco mimed vomiting. Harry laughed and then paused,

"I wonder where Ron is." He said.

Hermione looked at the floor for a brief second and then back up at Harry.

However, Draco had noticed this uncomfortable movement and he slipped his left arm around Hermione's waist, brought his right hand up to her chin and gently directed her face towards him. Then, he kissed her. It was a short, gentle kiss; just a sign of support and affection, but it was just what Hermione needed. It was exactly the sort of thing that Ron would never have thought of doing. She blushed and turned away from him, hiding the irrepressible smile on her lips. Draco laughed and squeezed her shoulder.

"I'll get you a drink." He grinned at her.

"Thank you." Hermione smiled at him, but the blush had not yet left her cheeks completely. Draco smirked triumphantly.

"I'll go with you." Harry said, "Ginny, what do you fancy?"

"Surprise me, darling."

Harry nodded and departed, along with Draco.

"Hermione, you are so lucky, you know. He's gorgeous, rich and gentlemanly. He was always going to be rich and he was always the Slytherin sex god (according to popular belief anyway), but what happened to make him so well-mannered?"

Hermione chuckled, but Ginny went on, "That kiss he just gave you was honestly so beautiful. He's like an angel. If I weren't married-"

"Ginny, for my sanity, please don't finish that ridiculous sentence." Hermione said, sternly.

"How's it all going though? Seriously." Ginny asked, raising her eyebrow a little.

"Honestly, it couldn't be better."

"Any 'sideways jogging' going on? For want of a better, more polite expression…."

"Don't be absurd. We're not even engaged."

Ginny shrieked with laughter, "Oh, Hermione, I love you. You're wonderful. I knew you'd say that."

"Why did you ask the question then?" Hermione mumbled.

"Draco, it's not all fun and games, with Hermione, you know. She needs protecting. She needs actual love. Not some odd, sexual–"

"Stop right there, Potter. Don't be such a Gryffindor preaching, protective snot. You have no need for concern anyway. I've been in love with Hermione forever. She's the one who should be careful with me."

"Oh God, stop. You're not some slimy sensitive Slytherin git after all, are you?"

"I can't abide you." Draco smirked.

"Well, cheers to that." Harry grinned, raising his glass and rolling his eyes. Draco followed suit.

"Darling, is butterbeer alright?"

"I suppose it'll have to be." Ginny said, looking enviously at Hermione's large glass of wine.

"Ahm, ahm, excuse me, hello, hello," a dull, stuttering voice came from somewhere beneath average shoulder height.

"Oh, hello, Steve!" Hermione said, smirking at Draco, who turned instantly pink. Harry didn't notice this non-verbal exchange, but Ginny marked it well.

Steve hopped about, in an odd manner, his drink almost spilling over the sides of his tumbler.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, concerned.

"Need the loo?" Draco smirked. Hermione jabbed his arm with her elbow and glared at him. Ginny chuckled.

"No, no, nothing like that. Just waiting to see Anne. You know Anne, Draco?"

Draco's pale face reddened slightly, "Of course," he said, straightening his posture and trying to ignore the slightly turned up right corner of Hermione's mouth, but finding it impossible, so he hissed, "please stop smirking, it's incredibly sexy."

This set Hermione giggling, and she knocked Steve, so that he stumbled, spilling his drink all over Hermione's dress.

"Well done, Granger. Look what you've done to my mother's beautiful dress." Draco said, sarcastically.

Still giggling, Hermione took the handkerchief from his dress robes and started patting her dress down, attempting to dry it, but her attempt was pitiful; she was shaking with laughter.

"Hermione, what's the matter with you?" laughed Ginny.

Harry had barely noticed the spillage and was looking around to see if he could spot Ron, when all of a sudden Hermione's dress burst into flames. They were not ordinary flames either – shaped like animals they danced over her body, scorching her skin. She howled in pain and Draco and Harry, equally quick to action, whipped out their wands and sprayed her with water. Thankful for the release, but covered in burns, Hermione stood, in her underwear, shivering. All eyes were fixed on her.

Draco grabbed her and dispapparated.

Hermione couldn't see anything – her eyes were filled with hot tears. She could hear Draco rummaging around with glass bottles. She was in agony, but she could tell he was panicked and kept silent.

She felt his hands on her body, rubbing a cold liquid on her hot sores. The pain dulled, as her skin healed over.

"Sorry," Draco said. Her vision became less blurry and she saw that he was blushing. "I did try not to enjoy that." He smirked.

"Thank you," she said, as she wrapped herself in the dressing gown he was offering her.

"Anytime," he winked at her.

"Okay, you can stop that now." She wacked his arm, but smiled at him.

"Hey! Stop what?" He rubbed his arm in mock pain.

"That smug, dirty façade. I know you're a perfect gentleman."

"I love you." He blurted.

Hermione stared, and then smiled.

"And you look sexy in my dressing gown."

"Ugh, you had to ruin it, didn't you, Malfoy?" She said, as she pulled him close to her, so that her lips were less than an inch from his chest. She looked up into his eyes and smiled as he smirked at her.

"I love you," she whispered, glancing briefly at her bare feet, before looking up again, as he kissed her.