CHAPTER TEN
It was once again too damned early when Mackenzie rolled onto her side, groaning in objection as a knock was heard at the door. She'd been given a room to herself for the night, and managed to stop tossing and turning long enough to get a good hour and a half of sleep into her before being roused from said sleep. But early or not, she pulled herself up out of bed and happily gazed at the dress that hung on the door. It was her wedding dress.. She was getting married today. Nothing could have ruined her day today. She was getting married.
She stood from the bed, pulling on her gray track suit before she could be heard coming downstairs. Her heart leapt and her eyes sparkled when she arrived into the kitchen to see the women all piled into the same room. Breakfast had been placed upon the table, and there were multiple pots of both coffee and tea brewing for Mackenzie.
"I'm getting married today." Mackenzie casually said.
All of the women turned towards her and smiled. Ginny finished the piece of toast she was working on, jumped up from the chair she sat in, and hugged Mackenzie.
"More importantly, you're marrying my brother today."
"I am." Mackenzie excitedly returned. "Has anyone talked to the men this morning."
"Ron's arrived five minutes ago." Hermione mentioned.
"Nine on the dot." Mackenzie noticed. Ginny chuckled.
"He's out back making sure that the security wards and spells are strong enough and still holding.
"Are you hungry dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, giving Mackenzie her cup full of coffee.
Mackenzie shook her head, reaching for the sugar. "I can't eat yet. My stomach is in butterfly heaven." She played with her coffee a bit. "Maybe I'll eat after the ceremony." She stood up and began to walk back out of the room.
"I'm going to get started on my hair."
Mackenzie left the kitchen, locking herself away into the bathroom to set the charms she intended to place on her hair for the day. She also supposed she needed to calm her nerves and be alone for a while to still consider the fact that she was getting married. An hour after her hair was finished, and Ginny had banged on the door three times, Mackenzie emerged, only to be led by her soon to be sister and mother-in-law into the room she'd slept in over night. The door opened and Mackenzie was floored. It had been transformed into a very pretty bridal room for her to stay in and prepare. White and pink flowers were spread throughout the room, a full length triple sided mirror stood mounted on the wall on one side with two couches set to the opposite side of the room.
"This is amazing." She spoke.
"Well, we needed someplace to hide you today. This seemed comfortable enough." Hermione said, entering behind the women.
She was silenced when she saw Mackenzie turn to her. Her normally long dark hair was charmed a shade lighter. The natural straight locks, took on large curls that trailed down her back. She wore a tiara atop her head that made her look even more a princess.
"Are you alright?" Mackenzie asked the quiet women.
"Zat eez a beautiful tiara." A blond woman with a different and fascinating aura said from beside Hermione.
"Kenny, this is Fleur." Hermione introduced.
The two greeted each other just before the bedroom door swung open again to more excitable screaming women. Lilah and Bailey had arrived.
"Your hair looks phenomenal. That tiara…" Bailey said.
"It was mum's." Mackenzie finished. "She handed it off before she died."
"You look positively incredible Ken." Lilah hugged her friend. "I can't believe you're getting married."
The three entered further into the room as they all changed their clothes. Mackenzie stood for a few minutes simply admiring the dress that hung in front of her.
The long, white, form fitting satin gown waited for her to wear it.
She felt a hand touch her shoulder. "He's going to love you in that dress." Ginny told her.
Like a flash of light, Mackenzie's thoughts transferred to George. She thought of him and how he was holding up through the morning. They had a few hours left to go. Her mind was on him and only him.
"Have you seen George yet today?"
"Yes." Ginny said. "The men all arrived while you were finishing your hair. They're down the hall."
After Fleur had pulled on her own dress, she walked up to the softly speaking women. "I must go zee to Bill now." Her eyes met with Mackenzie's. "Bonne Chance." She smiled before leaving the room.
"Let's get you dressed." Mrs. Weasley said, helping to take the dress from where it hung.
Mackenzie really did feel like a princess as she stood in front of a full length mirror, looking herself over for the fifteenth time. She'd been given a few minutes to herself. She needed a few minutes to herself.
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He awoke to the feeling of being watched. A pair of eyes were fixed on him, attempting to stare a hole directly into his brain. The eyes felt questioning.
George had only just fallen asleep, or more half fallen asleep twenty minutes before. He hadn't tossed and turned through the night like his bride to be, but had stared up at the dark ceiling going over each word he wanted to say to Mackenzie the following day.
He knew he loved Mackenzie. He knew that she loved him. He knew that she knew he loved her. So why, he thought during the night, why hadn't they said those words to each other yet. Why hadn't he told her ? Why hadn't he said the actual words to her? His brain couldn't process an answer at any point during the long night of not sleeping. Today he would tell her. He would say the words to her over and over again. He would let her know that she meant the world to him. There was nothing he would not do for her. There was nothing he would not grant her. Impatiently, he would wait to say all of this to her.
The eyes still stayed on him. George did not open his eyes. He did not move from the position he lay in, on his back, head still positioned to stare at the now brighter ceiling.
"Why are you staring at me?" George questioned his brother aloud, his eyes still remaining closed.
Fred hesitated before responding. He was lying on the bed across from George.
"I was just wondering if you feel the same today."
"What do you mean?" George finally opened his eyes. He turned onto his side, leaning up on his elbow.
"Well, " Fred went on. "The day you were going to marry Angelina, you were practically bouncing off the walls. You couldn't wait. You made it so we all wanted to tranquilize you until the point of saying I do came. And now, with Mackenzie, you are taking everything in stride. You're both so calm. You are getting married today, and I was just trying to consider if you feel the same. Because you love her, and…"
"It does feel different." George interrupted his concerned brother. "Don't get me wrong. I know I'm unpredictably calm, even to my own disbelief, but I can't wait. I do love her so much. I can't wait to marry her."
"So how is it any different?"
George took in a deep breath. "Because, I know that when I turn around to see her walk down the aisle, she'll be there, wanting to marry me. By this time tomorrow, I will be married to the woman I love. I'm getting married today."
"Yes you are." Fred stated, getting up from the bed. He threw on a shirt and walked to the door. "And you only have a little wile longer before we have to get going. I'm sure the rest are up, so Come on." He insisted. "Get up, shower, and throw on a suit. You have a wedding to go to today." He threw a pillow at his brother's head.
George tossed the pillow off to the side. "I'm up. I'm up."
"Meet you downstairs." Fred said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.
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After he had showered, dressed, and calmed his nerves by standing in front of a mirror, staring at himself, telling himself that this was to be the best day of his life, George emerged from the bedroom, still calm, and slightly exhausted from a lack of sleep. He moved down the stair case to see Percy, Charlie, and Bill, all waiting to see him. They were in conversation with Harry when George cleared his throat. Seeing all of the men in his family, dressed for his wedding, smiling in greeting was not as much of a deja-vu feeling as one would expect.
His brothers all turned to see him standing behind them. Most of the conversations were surrounding with questions of 'Why didn't you tell me you were getting married?', 'Why didn't you tell me you'd met someone new?', and of course, ' How long have you two been together? And Why haven't I met her yet?'
All questions George prepared for and answered very easily.
"We have to go." Mr. Weasley stated into all of the ongoing conversations.
The men all took the order and immediately gathered around a large shoe. Grabbing hold, they were all transported to the backyard of the Burrow.
Everyone scattered only a few feet.
"Where is she?" Was the first question from George's mouth when they arrived.
Ron nearly jumped from his skin when he heard the men from behind him as he counted the exact number of arranged flowers on the arch.
"She's upstairs." Ron told George, who now looked around ready to pass out. He looked nervous as he saw it all had come together. His true wedding day jitters had not been experienced until now.
"You alright George?" Ron asked him, his hand placed on his brother's shoulder.
George nodded. "Fine, but… I'm getting married today." He sounded uneasy, beginning to feel the full power of actually getting married.
"Upstairs now." Mr. Weasley insisted of the men.
Ron and Fred both guided a stunned George into the house and up the staircase to an empty room just down the hall from the women.
George paced through the room. He paced back and forth long enough, before Fred had to stand. The pacing was starting to make him dizzy.
"I just want to know that she's alright. I need to know that she'll be standing there beside me. I want to know that she is…"
"You can't start to doubt Kenny now. She fully intends on marrying you today. You said so yourself." Fred told him.
"But how can we be so sure?"
"I think you need a drink George." Harry stated, standing from his own chair. He knew if there was ever a time to be nervous, it was your own wedding day. Even if George hadn't shown any sign of nerves during the preparation of his wedding, Harry knew it would come some time. It was inevitable. He remembered how nervous he was on his own wedding day. He hadn't been too sure he'd make it through without passing out a few times himself.
"I will go and peek in on Mackenzie." Fred offered, going to leave the room.
Fred walked down the hall, on his way to see Mackenzie. He hid off to the side when he spotted Ginny and Bailey coming from the room, making their way to the stairs. He waited for them to disappear before going to the door that held his soon to be sister-in-law behind it.
He knocked cautiously to be certain none of the women could reprimand him for trying to get inside the room to see her. But he needed to see her so that he could truly reassure George.
"Kenny?" Fred spoke, opening the door an inch or two. He didn't get an answer, so he opened the door further and moved his head inside. He looked inside soon enough to see Mackenzie turn from the mirror she stood in front of. She was the only one in the room and she now faced him. She looked unbelievable. Fred could only imagine what his brother would say and feel when he saw her.
"Oh my…" He stepped in, finally managing to speak. "Kenny, you're breathtaking."
She smiled at him.
"He won't be able to speak when he sees you."
"Thank you Fred." Mackenzie hugged him. "You look quite dashing yourself. If your brother looks as wonderful as you, I may be at a loss for words myself." She admired the suit he wore, straightening his tie for him as the rest of the women piled back into the room.
"You shouldn't be in here. You're not supposed to see the bride until the wedding." Lilah cautioned as she entered.
"That's only true of the groom."
"Fred?" she asked.
He winked at her.
"I still make the same mistake." Macckenzie admitted.
Fred laughed. "I only stopped by to let Ken know that the men are all headed downstairs. Ten more minutes and this beautiful procession of ladies should also move to the back of the house.
"Thank you Fred." Hermione said, moving him back towards the door.
He turned back to Mackenzie. "Can't wait to tell him I've seen how beautiful you look. He'll be so jealous. He won't know what's hit him."
"How is he doing Fred?" Mackenzie asked before he left.
"Anxious I think." Fred replied. "When I left the room, he was pacing. Harry was about to hand him a drink."
Mackenzie laughed. "Well, let him know I am thinking about him and that I'll see him in ten minutes. Just keep him calm."
"Will do." Fred acknowledged before rushing down the staircase.
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Ten minutes later, and once certain the men were down the staircase, and outside, six women all carefully helped Mackenzie walk down the stairs in her dress, being extra careful not to let the bottom touch the floor yet. They arrived at the back door and waited a few more minutes before catching the signal for them to also join everyone outside.
"It's time." Mackenzie heard Lilah say, before walking outside. She blew Mackenzie a kiss before moving out the door.
The two had chosen to get married at the Burrow because not only was it a place Draco and the Ministry could not detect the ceremony under the wards, and a place Draco would not dare come within feet of, but it was the family homestead. All of the married Weasley's had been married here. It was tradition. And Mackenzie and George were not two to defy tradition.
Mackenzie closed her eyes and took a step forward, bravely pulling herself out the back door. Her feet seemed to guide her to where she needed to be without the help of her head. Her heart guided them. Her eyes didn't open again until she was sure she was completely outside. When they opened, she was in the backyard, walking down a path in the garden. She walked on a path of white orchid and rose petals. Music began to play from beside the pathway. The red and silver colors she and George had chosen to use in their small intimate ceremony danced around her. She drew in a breath before settling her eyes onto George who had only just turned his body to see her coming towards him.
He looked unbelievable. Her eyes teared more when she clearly saw him gasp as his eyes met hers. This was the first time they'd seen each other before the previous night and today their ceremony had finally come.
She kept walking, if only to keep from letting her knees get any weaker. She made it to the front to stand beside George, taking his hand with hers, as they both now held back tears of happiness. They stood together under an arch of dark red and silver flowers that each sparkled. Both smiled to keep the other from showing tears, knowing that if one broke, the other would surely follow suit. Neither were helped with all of the happy emotional flood of tears already falling from the women who sat watching the pair become joined.
"You okay?" Mackenzie mouthed to George.
He nodded only slightly.
The muggle minister Mackenzie had suggested they use for the ceremony, to keep this confidential began to speak.
"We can see love, devotion, and commitment everyday if we choose to be witness to it. It surrounds is everywhere. It is in those we come across and the experiences in our own lives. When I look at Mackenzie and George, I along with others can see the love they share. It surrounds them like a light. And today that same love and devotion will bind them into the blissful union of marriage. They will share their lives, their hopes, dreams, and thoughts of the future together as they now walk through life as one."
Mackenzie swallowed hard as she felt her emotions struggling to burst from every part of her. George was no better off as he frequently squeezed her hand in hopes of calming her, in turn calming himself.
"As George and Mackenzie have opted to abandon traditional vows given for the ceremony, they have each over the past week found time to write their own vows to show the true love and commitment they share with one another." The minister went on.
"Mackenzie will go first."
There was silence as Mackenzie felt her throat and voice go dry. Not a sound was heard as she felt tears finally start to slowly fall down her cheeks. She took a breath before speaking.
"George," she spoke through tear filled words. "We've been together forever. I didn't know until I found you that through my life, it was you I searched for. You have unknowingly shown me things I didn't know existed in and around me. You have helped me to experience emotions that I thought impossible for anyone to reach."
She stopped speaking for a moment to regain a calm demeanor. She found it quite difficult as she listened to Mrs. Weasley still crying while saying to her own husband how perfect the words were and how much the two loved each other. George's hand still held onto hers, broke her from listening, causing her eyes to meet his again.
Bad idea. She saw the tears now gleaming, threatening to fall from his eyes too. She looked off to the side in hopes of seeing someone to restore her composure. No one could help. Even Fred had lowered his head a bit to hide his own emotions. Mackenzie continued to smile.
She went on. "It is you who will always complete me, and now that I have found you, I will love you through time and eternity. I will be proudest to say that you are mine and I am yours. You will always know that my heart belongs to you and only you. Through life and death, until we are parted no more, I promise to love only you." She placed the ring given to her from the minister on George's hand.
And that was it. There were now no dry eyes present. Mackenzie began to cry and quickly stopped herself when the minister asked George to begin.
George took a deep breath and wiped a few falling tears from his cheeks before doing the same to Mackenzie. He had written and memorized everything he felt for Mackenzie in his vows, but now worried that what he felt for her wasn't half of what she felt for him after the words she'd spoken. But that was impossible. And it was also beside the point, he thought. Their feelings were not meant to top the other. Their words were not meant to shame or surpass what the other had said. He loved her. That was it.
"Mackenzie," he spoke, immediately getting choked up again, as his eyes stayed locked with hers.
"You mean the world to me. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. Few people ever find the one true person they are meant to spend forever with." He paused to blink a few more tears away and find his voice again.
"But I found you. You are my soul and my heart. You are everything to me. You are everything that has built me to the partner I need to be. You were the one person able to confront and challenge the despair and emptiness I once thought had overtaken me. You were unable to let me fall and lose faith in love. You bring every part of me to life. You give me strength when I am weak, courage when I hesitate, and love knowing that I will need you every minute of every day for the rest of my life. I am yours forever.
"I love you." He mouthed to her, saying it to her for the very first time, in case she had any doubt of his true feelings for her. He placed the ring given to him for her onto her ring finger as well.
The pair turned back to the minister, still holding hands, daring him to continue before the breakdown of tears finally came.
The minister clasped his hands together and then opened them slightly to place over the couple's joined hands.
"I think you've both said all there is to be said today. You've joined yourselves together into a holy union." His voice rose in volume. "It gives me great pleasure to pronounce you two man and wife."
Cheers and applause were heard around the two as they cried while embracing one another in a passionately chaste, faith-enduring kiss to finalize their bond.
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It was like dream as the two danced together, effortlessly flowing around the room. They were joined by their family members as Ginny danced with Harry, Ron danced with Hermione, Fred danced with Lilah, and Bill led Fleur around the room.
"We're married." Mackenzie said. "We're really married." She looked dreamily at the gold band on her finger. A symbol of all she would ever expect from George. His love.
They were married. She was married to him. He was married to her. Neither could feel any more complete than they did right at this moment, or so Mackenzie thought. She had her ear placed against her husband's chest, listening to the beats of his heart as they moved in slow motion through the living room. She felt at peace. Everything was perfect. Nothing could ruin this perfect moment. Not Malfoy. Not the Ministry. And then George moved, taking the beat of his heart away from her. Now she felt half empty. Until she looked up at him, to see his eyes looking down at her.
"I love you." He told her again.
"I love you too." She returned.
"I thought you should know."
"I already did."
The music stopped playing in the house and the newly married couple was piled into the kitchen with the other family members to sit down together. They'd decided that a dinner together with the family would be the best way to start their life together.
The two sat beside each other, holding hands. They nervously turned their eyes away from each other as Fred stood, ringing the side of his glass to get the attention of the room.
"I'm going to start my speech out by saying, welcome to our family Kenny. You are the perfect puzzle piece to fit my brother, and the next piece to fit this ever growing family. When Ron and Gin got married, I had help to write a speech for their receptions. This time around, I was left on my own, to my own vices. I'm afraid my speech turned somewhat serious."
"Oh, I've got to hear this then." Mackenzie chuckled.
"Me too." George added, allowing his brother to continue.
"We all know that George and Kenny met in complete disagreement during their first introduction. She called him an insufferable git, and he called her a spoiled, overconfident snob."
Laughter filled the room, including from the newlyweds.
Fred continued on. "Somewhere in that same meeting, they made up and I believe they fell in love that same first day. It's been there since day one." Fred turned to his new sister. "Kenny, if I know one thing about my brother it's that there is no one he would rather fight and love with."
Mackenzie smiled at Fred, squeezing her husband's hand slightly.
"Welcome to our family." He kissed Mackenzie's cheek as she stood to hug him.
Lilah was the next to stand and speak to the married couple.
"I didn't write a speech before this wedding, because I didn't have time, but I'm going to try." She turned to face the couple.
"I can stand up here and tell stories about Kenny and her single life. Stories of our drunken nights of discovering Ken has secret potential to be an Olympic gymnast, as I'm sure George has experienced, but I'd rather talk about what I've seen in her and George over the short time I've witnessed their interactions together. I haven't had a chance to yet share the experience of George and Mackenzie getting to know each other, and build a strong foundation for their relationship, but believe me, I'm going to do my duty as a best friend to drive George mad as I run him through the ringer getting to know him myself."
Her eyes went to George. "I can already assume you are more than good enough for Mackenzie as she has deemed you good enough to marry. And I know whole heartedly that you will do everything to make her happy and treat her right. I wish you both health, happiness, great sex, and a lifetime of endless love with each other."
Mackenzie and George both stood to hug Lilah.
"Who's next?" Fred cheered.
Bailey stood across from her friend.
"As Mackenzie's friend as well, I've been able to watch her gain love, lose love, and sometimes struggle to hold on to love. She has grown from each experience. Over the past couple of hours, I have witnessed more love and devotion in her and George than seen in any relationship she has been in. I don't see you two ever having to struggle to gain or keep love between you. It's already there. To find it, all you need to do is look into each other's eyes, take one another by the hand, or profess it to each other on a daily basis. I wish you both the greatest of happiness and a lifetime of love together."
"Thank you." Mackenzie whispered to her friend, moving around the table to hug her.
Finally, George and Mackenzie stayed standing. They clasped hands again.
"Thank you all for everything you've done for us, everything you have expressed, and helped us to accomplish." Mackenzie said, tears in her eyes again.
"I don't think either one of us expected our wedding day to come so quickly in our relationship, but I do believe that what George said when he proposed was more true than we had known." Their eyes met when Mackenzie looked up at her husband.
"This day would have come upon us down the line of our relationship. Whether sooner or later, I know for sure we would have been standing before all of you recognizing everything we feel. Most of you have seen us to this point from the beginning. It's because of you that we were able to stand here today to become husband and wife. It is thanks to all of you that we are able too keep and build upon the happiness we share. We are forever grateful to each of you."
She looked up at George before he began to speak. His hand let go of hers, allowing him to bring his arm around her waist, pulling her to him.
His voice broke as he started. He cleared his throat and began again.
"Who would have thought I'd actually get to this point? I ask a girl to marry me, we plan a wedding, and the bride actually shows up, and goes through with it." His joking statement was met by silence until he chuckled, gaining laughs then from his family.
"My love for Mackenzie is unconditional, as is hers for me. I have to confess that even though we haven't been together as long as most couples who get engaged and marry, nor have we shared the most conventional of relationship, due to circumstances being what they are. But I am admitting now that I knew exactly what I was doing asking her to marry me. I knew what I was getting myself into, I knew what I was getting her into, and I know that we're in for a hard rocky road ahead. I still wanted to be here today with Mackenzie." He laughed. "I might've asked her to marry that first week we spent together, talking, spending time together, if I thought you all wouldn't have had me committed for madness. I can't put into words how strong my bond for Mackenzie is, just as I don't know how to express how much you have all helped bring me to this point, wanting to be here at this very point again. As Mackenzie said, we are both eternally grateful for your help and support of bringing us further together. Thank you."
The couple sat and smiled, laughing as cheers went up.
"To the happy couple!" Everyone cheered.
The family ate, laughed and joined in tradition together as the evening went on into the night. The next day the couple would leave for their honeymoon for a week of being together without worry, but tonight, they celebrated with family. Happily, as a finally married couple.
A/N: I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LACK OF AN UPDATE IN A FEW DAYS. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS CHAPTER FOR A WHILE, TRYING TO GET IT TO PROPERLY FLOW. I'M NOW HAPPY WITH IT, SO I'LL NOW START ON THE NEXT. GLAD TO SEE THERE ARE THOSE STILL ENJOYING THE STORY AS MY HITS KEEP CLIMBING IN NUMBERS. ANOTHER UPDATE IS ON THE WAY. R&R HAPPY READING!