On the day of Harry and Ginny's wedding, the sun was shining exceptionally bright in the center of the sky. Hermione found herself squinting after she'd just arrived outside of the Burrow around lunchtime, ready to prepare herself for the big day ahead of her. As she approached the door to the kitchen, she noticed that it was left ajar, and the distinct sound of voices was currently carrying to the outside. She pushed the door forward and was met with Mrs. Weasley's back as she fussed over some tea on the stove top.

"Hello, Molly."

"Oh, Hermione!" Molly said in a startled tone as she turned around from the stove with her wand hastily drawn. "You startled me!"

"I'm sorry," she said before entering. "The door was half open—"

"Oh, it's all right, dear," she said as she put her wand down. "We've been running about all morning trying to get things in order, so I'm sure someone must have just accidentally left it open." She took a deep breath. "It's been quite the morning."

"I can imagine," she said, just as Fleur came bustling into the room with Victoire in tow.

"Iz Ginny ready for me to do her 'air?"

"I'm not sure," Molly said. "I would think so. She said she just had to finish a few last minute things and that she was then going to sit down to finally start getting ready."

"Mummy," Victoire said as she climbed up into a chair next to Hermione. "Can we do my hair yet?"

"Not yet, my love," Fleur said. "We will do yours after we do Ginny's and your grandmuzers," she glanced at Hermione, "and 'ermione's."

"Oh," Hermione said, "you don't have to do mine. I was just going to do it myself before we left."

"I do not mind," Fleur said. "I am quite good with taming curls, you see. My best friend growing up had 'air just as curly as yours."

"Let her do it," said Ginny upon entering the room, her tone chipper. "She won't take no for an answer once she gets going."

"She does a great job!" Victoire said. "It always looks so beautiful when she's finished."

"Sit, Ginny," Fleur said as she pulled out a chair at the table for her.

"Sit?" Ginny laughed. "What does that mean? I felt as if I haven't sat in weeks."

"You can relax tomorrow," Fleur said before she pushed Ginny down in the chair and started fingering through her hair. "Now, what shall we do wiz zis?"

"I'm not wearing it up," Ginny said bluntly.

"Why not?"

"Because I want to wear it down."

"But it would look so pretty up," Molly said as she laid out several cups of tea. Ginny rolled her eyes and glanced up at Fleur, who seemed thinking the same thing as her mother.

"Perhaps we should curl ze ends zen," Fleur said. "It would look very elegant."

"I think so, too!" Victoire said as she watched her mother and her aunt intently. "You'll look so pretty, Aunt Ginny."

Ginny smiled as Fleur grabbed a bottle of hair potion off of the table and began to apply it to Ginny's hair and separate it into pieces.

"So, what time did you leave last night, Hermione?" Ginny asked. "I turned around at one point and you were gone."

"I was home by eleven," she said. "I was just really tired and Martin and I had a fight, so I was in a poor mood. I just left."

"Another one?" Ginny asked as Fleur yanked hard on a piece of her hair and pointed her wand at it. She made a pained face.

"About the same thing," she said wearily, just as Charlie walked into the room.

"Bill's home, right?" he asked Fleur. "Hey, Hermione."

Hermione smiled hello as Fleur nodded absently without looking away from Ginny's head.

"I'm going to their house to get ready," he said to the room before he slung a bag over his shoulder. "It's closer and less hectic at the moment." He glanced specifically at his mother.

"Tell him not to forget ze gift when he leaves," Fleur began, "and to make sure Dominique brushes 'er hair, and zat Louis iz wearing ze new shoes I bought him and not ze old things he insists on wearing everywhere."

"Um, sure," Charlie said doubtfully as he headed straight for the door.

"Charlie," his mother said as she rushed over to him. "Your robes will be a mess of wrinkles if you just throw them into that bag."

"I'll iron them," he said with an amused look before he opened the door. "I learned that somewhere."

"I can't believe you and Martin fought about the same thing again," Ginny said to Hermione. Fleur released a curl and let it fall to Ginny's shoulder.

"I can't either," said Hermione as Molly suddenly left the room in hurry as if she had forgotten to do something. "He was actually mad at me this morning when I stopped by his place."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to have it out with him in the middle of the pub last night since that's exactly what would have ended up happening if we had discussed things further." She shook her head. "I don't even think he's coming today."

Ginny snapped her head up and Fleur bopped her on the head with her wand to remind her to keep her head down. She gave her sister-in-law an annoyed looked before turning back towards Hermione. "What do you mean you don't know if he's coming?"

"I went by his house this morning to talk to him," she said. "Like I said, he was mad, but we talked things out for the most part. He suggested that I just take the day to myself so that we could clear our heads. I agreed with him."

"From what I 'ave 'eard about him, 'e sounds like an idiot," Fleur mumbled. "I am sorry, but I 'ave no tolerance for idiots."

"I'm starting to agree with you," Hermione mumbled as she watched Fleur make her way to the other side of Ginny's head.

"What does that mean?" Ginny asked as she snapped her head up again to look at Hermione. This time, she ducked in her seat as Fleur made an attempt to bop her.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm not really sure what it means yet."

Ginny attempted to look at Hermione, even though it was awkward given the position Fleur was currently making her place her head. "So, wait are you thinking about ending things?"

"I don't know, I'm just really frustrated with his behavior lately," she said. "If he's going to keep harping on about how he thinks I should quit my job and cook and clean for the imaginary kids—"

"No," Fleur said, waving her wand towards Hermione. "You do not need someone like zat in your life."

"I actually agree with her," Ginny said, sounding surprised. Victoire, too, nodded in agreement, though Hermione was sure she didn't have the slightest idea as to what was really going on.

"One of these days I'll get things right," Hermione said as she glanced around the room and caught Ginny's eye. She was staring at her strangely.

"Do you all want to hear a joke?" Victoire asked as she sat up straight and took advantage of the silence. "Uncle Ron told me this morning before he left."

"If Uncle Ron told you it," Ginny said. "It means it's probably not very funny."

"I thought it was," Victoire said slowly. "It's about a hag and a troll."

"And a bridge?" Ginny asked.

Victoire nodded.

"I've been telling Ron to give that joke up since we were kids," Ginny laughed, "but he insists it's good."

"Wait, Ron was here this morning?" Hermione asked.

Ginny looked at her strangely again. "Where else would he have been?"

"I just thought he was spending the night with his," she glanced at Victoire, "friend."

"Oh," Ginny said as she realized what Hermione was insinuating. "I don't know anything about that. All I know is that I was home by 11:30 and he was home shortly after."

"Was he?" Hermione asked as she absently started drumming her fingers on the table. "So, he didn't…" She smiled ever so slightly. "I guess his plans with her didn't pan out, then."

"Doesn't seem that way," Ginny said slowly. "You seem happy about that."

Hermione's smile fell off of her face. "I don't care either way, really."

"You two have been getting along pretty well lately, haven't you?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged. "Sure, I suppose."

"Did you two talk last night?"

"A little," she said as she thought about the heated conversation she and Ron had had the night before. She still felt guilty about snapping at him like she had when he was just trying to help. She had taken all of her aggression towards Martin out on him, when he didn't deserve it. She'd have to make a point of apologizing to him when she saw him later.

"After you fought with Martin?" Ginny asked.

"Why does it matter?" asked Hermione, wondering where exactly Ginny was going with this.

"Oh, no real reason," she said strangely as Fleur curled another piece of hair.

Hermione arched her eyebrow questioningly, but at that moment, Fleur let the last strand of Ginny's hair fall towards her shoulder with a small bounce.

"All done," she said as she took a step back to admire her work.

"That was quick," Ginny said.

"I know what I am doing," Fleur said as she tapped her wand on her shoulder and inspected Ginny's head. "It would 'ave been faster had you not fidgeted so often." She looked at Hermione. "It iz your turn."

"All right," she said begrudgingly. Fleur switched sides of the table and started to sort through Hermione mess of curls.

"I'll wear it up. Whatever's easiest."

"I can make it look very pretty up," she said as she reached for the same bottle of potion that she had used on Ginny.

"Well, I hope it wouldn't be ugly," teased Ginny.

Hours later, in a clearing in the north of the town of Avesbury, Ron stood on a hillside staring over a vast lake and a forest of trees. The sky was cloudy as the sun sank lower in the sky, but it didn't look as if it would rain. It was quite picturesque if one really stood back to appreciate it all. Ron, however, wasn't doing much appreciating at the moment. His thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

He had slept maybe two hours the night before upon arriving home far earlier than he had anticipated. He had planned to have a much longer night. A much more exciting and eventful night as it were, but when it came down to it he had just ended up taking Lydia home, wishing her good night, and heading back to the Burrow to lay in his bed staring at the ceiling for hours on end.

"You just took her home?" Harry had asked him that morning as they sat in his living room attempting to avoid all the things they had to do before the ceremony. "You didn't even try—?"

Ron shrugged. "I just wasn't in the mood."

Harry stared at him curiously. "Well, better luck tonight then, I guess. I'm sure things will pan out for you."

"Yeah, maybe," he said in a disinterested tone. The truth was, the actual reason he hadn't gone through with his original plans was because he now couldn't stop thinking about what Hermione had said to him the night before. It was as if someone had flipped a switch in his brain. She had said she missed the way things were; the way things used to be. She was getting fed up with what-his-name and maybe, just maybe, she missed him.

He would have never guessed hearing those words come out of her mouth would have had such an impact on him. He had thought he may have missed her, but he was under the impression that he was kidding himself or just dealing with old feelings that were hard to shake after over a decade of having them. He'd never considered that they might still be real. Even on the off chance that he had, he was content pushing them away and just being friends again…or so he thought until he heard her say she missed things.

Now he wasn't sure what he wanted. He wanted her to break up with that moron; that was certain. However, did he want her to do that because it was what was best for her, or because he wanted her? Why did he even think he had a chance? Sure, she said she missed the way things used to be, but she didn't say she wanted them back. She didn't say she wanted him back. Why should she after the way he handled things when they broke up? He'd been surprised she still wanted to talk to him at all, let alone salvage any sort of friendship.

It was different now, though. He wasn't that guy anymore and he didn't want to let himself be that guy again because no one deserved to deal with that. He realized how stupid he'd been. Not stupid for feeling like he had, but for shutting out everyone who had cared enough to want to help him; for all but telling them to piss off. He hadn't realized the irony of it all until he and Hermione had split up, but he had done it all for her. Worked the shitty hours at the job he hated just so that he wouldn't be a failure to her, yet, in the end, it had cost him the entire relationship he'd been trying so hard to secure a future for.

Ron turned for staring off the cliffside and started to walk back towards the large white tent where the reception was to be held. As he entered, a group of waiters were wandering around and chatting amongst themselves as they waited for the festivities to begin. He glanced around and noticed no noticeable press or reporters, and no suspicious looking faces. Had they actually pulled this off?

He pulled back a curtain that led to a small partition in the tent where Harry was sitting with Teddy and Andromeda.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked.

"Walking around," Ron said.

"Anything going on out there?"

"The waiters are here," he said. "And none of them look clever enough to be doing anything covert. I'm pretty sure they're actual waiters."

Harry grinned. "Good to hear. Give it time, though."

"Oh, I know," he said as Teddy jumped up and down in his dress robes, his hair black like Harry's today. Andromeda put her hand on his shoulder.

"You can jump around all you like as soon as the ceremony is over," she said. "Until then, you need to behave and keep your robes tidy."

Teddy made a disgruntled face. "How long until the ceremony?"

"About an hour or so," Ron said as he checked his watch. "People should be arriving soon."

"Hey," Harry said with a nod towards Ron. "Why don't you do me a favor and show Teddy what he's supposed to do out there. I think I'm going to get dressed."

"Okay," Ron said with a glance towards Teddy. "Come on, Ted. Let's go rehearse."

"What do I need to rehearse?" he asked as he and Andromeda left Harry on his own to change.

"Walking."

"I can already do that," Teddy said as they made their way outside of the tent and back towards an area by the hill where several chairs had been set up in front of a small alter.

"Ah, but can you?" Ron asked playfully. "You can't walk too fast you see, or too slow."

"How fast is fast?" Teddy asked once they stopped at the beginning of the aisle.

"Okay," Ron said standing on the spot. "Here's how you have to do it. It's going to be you and Victoire, and you'll both have to walk together at the same speed."

He groaned. "The entire way?"

"You make it sound like an eternity." He threw Andromeda an amused look. "Now, what you want to do is take and step and pause," he took and step and paused, "and then do it again." He repeated the steps. "And then you just do it until you get to the very end of the aisle where Harry and I'll be standing."

Teddy edged his way towards the aisle and did exactly as Ron had just done. He made his way all the way down and all the way back again.

"I think he's got it," Ron said as he took a seat in an empty aisle.

"What do I do when I get to the end?" Teddy asked.

"You come and stand next to me. You and I get to stand there until Harry and Ginny are done, and when they kiss, you'll know its over."

"That sounds really easy. Is that it?"

"Yep," Ron said with a nod. "And after that, you get to drink pumpkin juice and eat sweets and have fun."

"Yes!" Teddy said with an excited smile. "I like that part!"

"I do, too," Ron said as the noise of several people Apparting around him suddenly made him turn his head. It was his parents, Ginny, Fleur, and Victoire.

"There's Ginny!" Teddy said as he started running towards them.

"We'll be lucky to keep those robes clean for the next hour," Andromeda said as she and Ron stood and followed Teddy towards the group.

"Is Harry here?" Ginny asked as Ron approached.

"Nah, he got called into work," he said with a shrug. Ginny knew better than to fall for it; the look of horror on his mother's face alone was worth saying it.

"As if I'm not wound up enough, Ronald," his mother said as she swatted him.

"He's over there," he said, gesturing towards the other side of the tent. "You ladies can all go and hide over on that end." He paused and inspected his sister. "You know, you look very pretty, Ginny."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"It will be better once she is dressed," Fleur said as she let go of Victoire's hand. "I need to get dressed properly as well."

"Hey Ted," Ron said, nudging him. "Why don't you go and show Victoire what I just taught you?"

"Oh, yeah," he said as he rounded on Victoire. "I have to teach you how to walk."

"I already know how to walk," she said.

"This is different," he said as he grabbed her hand and tugged her. "Come on, I have to show you."

"Don't mess your dress up," Fleur called after her, but the two of them were already running off towards the aisle.

"You look very handsome," Molly said to Ron as she straightened out the front of his robes. "So, very grown up."

"It only took me twenty-four years," he said with a smirk. "And you look lovely, Mum." He glanced at his father. "You too, dad. Don't want to leave you out."

"Aw, thanks," Arthur joked as he cleaned his glasses on his dress robes, though, a popping noise right beside him made him suddenly jump. Hermione had just appeared.

"Oh!" she said, having been startled upon seeing how close she had landed to everyone. "Hi, everybody."

"Is he definitely not coming, dear?" Molly asked her.

"It doesn't seem so," she said as she caught Ron's eye and gave him a friendly smile. She juggled her garment bag in her hand. "It's better this way, though."

"Who's not coming?" Arthur asked.

"Martin," said Hermione.

"Really?" Ron asked almost too quickly. Hermione nodded.

"Well, no matter," Molly said as she pointed towards the tent that Ginny and Fleur had disappeared inside of. "Come, let's get you dressed, Hermione."

"Oh," Hermione said, quickly looking at Ron before addressing Molly. "I'll be there in just a minute." She turned back to Ron. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure. Absolutely," he said a little too willingly as they walked several steps away from where Arthur was observing them. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to apologize for last night," she said. "I don't know what got into me."

He stared at her. His stomach suddenly felt like it was doing cartwheels inside of him.

"You were just trying to help and be a good friend and," she smiled, "I was mad at Martin and that shot of firewhiskey probably didn't help things. I ended up taking everything out on you, and you didn't deserve it."

"Oh…" he said slowly. "Yeah, no, I know. I'm not upset or anything."

"I didn't mean anything I said," she said sincerely. "I just wanted to make sure things were okay with us."

His stomach stopped doing cartwheels the second she said that she hadn't meant anything she had said. He suddenly felt as if his voice was caught in his throat and refused to escape. He couldn't muster the words, so he just nodded his head.

"Good," she said with a breath of relief. "I thought maybe you'd be mad."

"Nope," he stammered, forcing a smile. "Not at all."

She smiled. "We can just forget about all of last night and how I acted like a complete idiot, then?"

Ron made an awkward face and started nodding his head quickly. "To be honest, I haven't even given it a second thought," he lied.

Hermione continued smiling as she took a few steps towards the tent in which to change. "All right, well I've got to get ready, but I'll see you a little later."

"Yeah…" he mumbled as he watched her walk away, feeling as if someone had literally just kicked him in the chest. That was it then. He'd got his answer. He was an idiot for even thinking that—

"So, when is your date coming?" Arthur asked as Ron suddenly remembered he was standing nearby.

"Lydia?" he asked, as if just remembering her name. "Oh, right."

"Right..." his father repeated slowly.

"She should be here for the reception," he said, glancing at his dad who was starting at him oddly.

"But if she just so happens to not show up," added Arthur, "you probably wouldn't go out of your way to find her, I'm assuming." His eyes drifted towards the changing tent Hermione had just disappeared into.

"I know what you're playing at," Ron said. "And the answer is no."

"Is it?"

He frowned as he thought of everything Hermione had just said to him. "Yeah, it definitely is."

Arthur continued to stare at him. He didn't seem to believe a word Ron was saying.

"It's not going to happen," Ron said in a frustrated manner as he looked over towards the changing tent. "I—I'll always have a soft spot for her, I guess, but," he shook his head, "I need to move on to other things."

"I see," Arthur said thoughtfully. "Other things like moving to Paris?"

He looked at his father in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"Bill told me."

"I was waiting until after the wedding to tell everyone."

"I assumed so."

"Does Mum know?"

He shook his head. "She'll ask me to ask you if there's anything I can say to you to get you to stay, though. She always does when one of you decides to run off somewhere. I might as well do that now."

Ron smiled a little as the realization of what moving actually meant hit him all of the sudden. He'd almost forgotten he was leaving what with his mind being so preoccupied lately. Suddenly, the idea of starting over sounded better than ever. He almost wished he could leave as soon as possible. "No. I really want to do this," he said.

"I figured that, too," Arthur said as he patted his youngest son on the back. "I think it'll be good for you."

"I think it'll be good for me, too," Ron said as he watched Teddy and Victoire in the distance as they practiced up and down the aisle together.

"I can't believe Ginny's getting married today," Arthur said as he followed Ron's gaze. "You know, it feels like just yesterday she was Victoire's age."

Ron smiled.

"And then to Harry," Arthur laughed. "Twenty something years ago, if you would have told me my daughter was going to marry Harry Potter, I would have thought you were mad."

"Ten years ago," Ron said, "if you would have told me my best friend would end up marrying my sister, I would have thought you were mad."

"It's funny how things have a way of working out, isn't it?"

"It's funny how they don't," Ron mumbled under his breath as he cast one last look towards the changing tent.