Chapter 7
A few months later, Ginny rolled over in her bed. She stretched and then sat up. She looked over at her calendar and smiled.
"It's my wedding day," she said with a contented smile.
Ginny slowly sat up and headed downstairs to a very special breakfast. Mrs. Weasley had made all kinds of things and there were delicious smells drifting lazily up the stairs. She followed her nose down the stairs and into the kitchen. There was French Toast, freshly squeezed orange juice, (her favorite breakfast) Cream- of- Wheat, bacon, apple cider, (Hermione's favorite) blueberry waffles, (Ron's favorite) biscuits and gravy, and hot chocolate (Harry's favorite). Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were sitting at the counter drinking apple cider. She came in and fixed herself a glass of orange juice.
"What are we waiting on?"
"The boys. They stayed up pretty late last night. Luckily the weddings not until 9:00 tonight! I don't think they'd make it otherwise!" Mrs. Weasley laughed. "I sent Fleur up to wake them up for breakfast."
"How late did they stay up?" Ginny asked.
"They went to bed an hour ago." Hermione said laughing. "I'm surprised Mrs. Weasley even wants to wake them up! They went to a 'bar' supposedly and came back a little tipsy. They're probably going through the results about now."
"I doubt it. They'll still be.. uh... I'll use your word... tipsy. Remember New Years two years ago?" Ginny reminded her.
"I'd forgotten all about that!" Hermione said.
"Hey, Ginnevra Weeeesleey. That's funny... Weesleey. Why would any one wauunt that name? It soundsss ssilllly," Ron said with a deep slur.
"Ron," Harry said leaning over and clumsily patting Ron on the back, "Don't... be... such... a... git..." he added pulling Ron to eye level.
Hermione was seething. Ginny was forcing down a laugh. And Mrs. Weasley looked very disappointed.
"Are you two hungry?" she asked.
"Oh yeah! What's for eating?" Harry said almost falling over as he said it.
"After breakfast, the two were dragged back upstairs and Ginny went outside to look at the beautiful weather. Harry upset her when he was stupid. She understood that he was a normal guy regardless of how she saw him and that he would make mistakes every once in a while. There was nothing she could do about it. She would express her disappointment when he was able to listen and understand. And more importantly remember it.
"Hey, Ginny."
"Hi, Hermione."
"Can you believe them!"
"Who?"
"Ron and Harry! I mean, how could he do this to me on our wedding day!"
"He's not trying to do anything hurtful to you."
"You must be upset at Harry, too!" Hermione said almost crying.
"Yeah. I am. But-"
"See! How could he be so stupid? He's never done anything this horrible to me! And he's been pretty horrible to me at times!"
"This is how I look at it. They made a mistake. There are consequences. They'll pay. I can't talk to him right now. I will once he's able to understand. I refuse to let some stupid mistake ruin my marriage. Harry is more than worth some boyish stupidity. I mean, come on. They're guys! Do you expect him to be perfect all the time?"
"No. I've learned that with Ron, that's not possible."
They shared a laugh over it and continued talking until 4:00 when Fleur came running outside with her purse.
"You guys need to go get dressed. We've got to go get our hair and makeup done." she said breathlessly.
"Okay! We'll be right out."
They ran in and up to Ginny's room to get dressed. Ginny put on a emerald green corset like tube top with a jean skirt and black flip flops and a black purse. Hermione wore a hot pink button down cami and jean short shorts with hot pink flip flops and a jean purse.
They ran out to where Fleur was standing and they apparated to Diagon Alley. They went into Hair Magestics first. The secretary greeted them without feeling.
"Weasley and Granger. We have appointments with Cassie." Hermione said.
The secretary was a stern looking woman. She was slightly overweight, but she had a beautiful face with blue eyes that were brought to attention by the unnatural partner of Black hair. Ginny couldn't remember ever seeing anyone with this combination. The woman had a little upturned nose and a very set jaw. She looked very muscular. Her black slacks and shirt blended her into the little room in which her desk was. The room had black walls and a white ceiling. The floor was black as well. There was very good lighting over the desk but everywhere else simply glowed. Ginny suspected Shimmering Dust. It was charmed to glow when there was motion near it. It gave the room a very 'famous' look.
The lady led them through the door into another room of the same colors. Except in this room, there was what looked like empty stalls. At the very end there were some lit up. As Ginny got closer she saw that each 'stall' contained a chair and a sink. Each contained different types of bottles of what Ginny assumed to be Hair products. In the very end stalls there were windows bewitched to look out on Diagon Alley.
"If the brides will sit down, your hairdressers will show up shortly. Fleur, we've added a window to your station as well. Last time you were here you drew in so much business!" the woman said handing Fleur an envelope. A bell rang and the lady went to the Greeting Hall.
The three of them found their seats and Fleur opened the envelope.
"What's it say?" Hermione asked after Fleur had read the letter inside of the envelope.
"Zey are inviting me to come in once a month to get my hair done. I guess zey are short on business. For some reason, they zink zat I bring in beesness." Fleur said with a shrug.
Hermione gave Ginny her 'She's definitely a blonde' look. Ginny couldn't help but giggle a little.
"Ginny! How are you? I didn't think that this month would be a good month for a wedding since the Avrad Simmel threatened to give us bad weather, but I guess it was bluffing." Ginny heard a dreamy voice say. It had to be Luna Lovegood, who was one of her bridesmaids. What an Avrad Simmel was, Ginny had no clue, and probably with good reason as it most likely didn't exist.
Hermione's Maid of Honor walked in following her.
"This place is amazing! I sooooo wish I were you, Hermione! It must be awesome being a witch! Although maybe I wouldn't want to be you necessarily, I don't think I could live with Ron for more than a day. I'd probably end up killing him!" the long legged brunette lawyer named Emily said.
Ginny laughed. They'd all met before at the bachelorette party about a week before.
All of the six bridesmaids showed up shortly and they sat around talking until 8 people popped out of thin air, scaring Emily half- to- death.
"How'd you... How'd you... huh?" she repeated in shock. Hermione carefully explained apparating and disapparating to her while the hair dressers, did their hair. When they were about half way through, about twenty more people popped in and started working on manicures and pedicures.
Soon their hair and nails were all done. They paid and headed out the curtain covered door and back into the throng of busy shoppers. Ginny followed Fleur and Hermione to a shop of some kind. It was very small and Ginny hadn't noticed it before. The name couldn't be read anymore as the letters had completely peeled off. It looked in disrepair and the roof looked like that of a house, which was not common in Diagon Alley. The windows were impossible to see through due to age and a few were boarded over. Ginny was very nervous about going in here. This place did not look like anyone's idea of a good place to have your makeup done!
Fleur, as she had set up the appointments for the day, led the group in. The girls all got quiet upon going through the door, which swung on only one hinge, and looked very alert. An old woman came out in a towel and walked over to greet them.
"Hi. You guys are the ugly girls that want your faces fixed?" she asked in a very gruff voice and very rudely considering that she was much less blessed in the looks department than any of the girls.
"Excuse me?" asked Emily with a look of contempt.
"Nothing little missy, I was just thinking that you should come to my makeup table so I can try to make you look as good as I do." she said overconfidently.
"Whatever," one of Ginny's old friends from school said, "If I end up looking anything like her, I'm washing it off and refusing to allow you to pay her." she added in a whisper.
"I was just thinking the same thing. What was Fleur thinking?" Ginny whispered back.
They giggled and walked into the room where the old woman had left. She had florescenty blue eye shadow up to the wrinkle half way up her forehead, bright pink blush down to her jaw line, and cracking pink lipstick over her almost nonexistent lips.
"Okay, youngest bride first." she said motioning for Hermione to sit down.
"Oh, no! Ginny here is the youngest." Hermione said.
"Okay, then the youngest looking first." she said guiding Hermione roughly into the chair.
Ginny shot her a dirty look but went on behaving. Fleur deserved at least cooperation. Soon Hermione was done. She looked just like the old woman, the makeup anyways. Ginny was next. She had to keep from laughing hysterically after she was done.
"Well, that was a waste of my time! She still looks ugly!" the old woman said still only wrapped in a towel. Soon everyone was done and they had all had to pretend that they were laughing at a joke that they just couldn't stop thinking about. They went up to a desk in the entry room. Ginny was going to pay her for all the fun they'd had getting horrible makeovers.
"Okay, 8 galleons is the cost." said the old woman.
"WHAT!" said Ginny.
"I said 8 galleons. Hand them over." she said.
"I am not paying you that much for a bad makeover! I mean! Who do you think you are! This look is horrible! Even for an old hag like yourself!" Ginny shouted. She was about to continue her raving when she heard hysterical laughter.
"What is so funny about a horrible makeup job?" she asked irritably.
They all walked up next to her and looked behind her at the woman and smiled. Ginny turned around and a flashing white light went off.
"What did you take our picture for?" she asked.
The old woman smiled and said nothing. She looked as though she were getting younger by the second. Her surroundings changed as well. Ginny let out a gasp.