Part 2 of the chapter. I hope it makes you happy. I have a feeling that it might. ;) Bg.97 xx
Within minutes of the ceremony finishing, the marquee transformed into a ballroom; the dance floor in the middle surrounded by beautifully decorated round tables. At the top of tent, the head table sat on a pedestal.
Lizzie found herself stood next to Ruby, whose face was a picture of awe as she watched the family rearrange the room with their wands.
"This magic stuff truly is incredible." she commented.
"You look like you're not used to it?"
"I'm not! I'm not one of you. I only found out about Hugo's magic 4 months ago."
"I found out that I had magic when I was 11. My family are all non-magical. I'm 23 now, and I still don't think I'm used to it," she laughed.
"I don't blame you. I don't think that I'll ever get used to seeing any of it."
"Ruby, Lizzie, we're sitting over here!" Hugo called from a table near the top of the tent. The two girls shared a smile as they went to join him.
As she sat, Elizabeth looked around for James when she noticed him approaching with a beautiful red-headed girl. She was petite, a light splattering of freckles covered her face, and her eyes matched the shade of James' exactly.
"Elizabeth, I'd like to introduce you to my baby sister Lily."
Lily rolled her eyes at the introduction, reaching out a hand to shake Lizzie's. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too," she smiled warmly. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Oh Merlin; not all bad I hope."
"None bad at all!"
"Well that makes a change," Lily muttered under her breath. Before Lizzie could ask what she meant by that, James had interrupted.
"Lily designed Rose's wedding dress. It looked great, didn't it?"
"It was absolutely remarkable. You did a beautiful job."
"Thank you," she said, blushing slightly. "We should probably sit down. I think the speeches are about to start."
On cue, Ron stood up, tapping the side of the champagne glass with his wand. "If I could have your attention everybody?"
The tent of people sat expectantly waiting. "Today we witnessed the marriage of Rose Weasley- my daughter- and Scorpius Malfoy- my new son-in-law. Admittedly, I never ever thought that I would be witnessing the day when a Malfoy and Weasley got hitched, but to be honest, it's nowhere near as horrible as I thought it would be."
This gained a loud stream of laughter. "Rose has a lot of her mother in her; she always has done. She's as smart as her, and approaches her problems from a certain angle. She is fearless in pursuit of what is right. Unfortunately, she's also got a lot of my traits. She's headstrong, and stubborn; she has a loudmouth and a temper… It's quite the combination. Scorpius, by becoming her husband today, you have said that you are taking on the challenge of being able to handle all that, and I don't think that there's anyone better suited to the task. When Rose first told me that she had befriended a Malfoy, I was furious. I was determined to hate you, and believe me- I tried very hard to do so. However, after only a few meetings, I knew that it was going to be almost impossible to hate a kid with as good a heart as yours."
Scorpius smiled up at Ron, the appreciation clear in his eyes. "He is patient, and smart, and so passionate, and that's why I know that he is the perfect match for our Rosie. He has been a supportive best friend to my nephew Albus all these years, a loyal assistant to the minister, and incredible help to my wife and I, and our parents; and more importantly than any of that- he has been everything to Rose. I'm excited to welcome you into our family Scor, and I feel proud to say that you will one day be the father of my grandchildren. Rose: you have, from the day you were born, been the most beautiful girl in the world. You and Hugh are both lights in my life, and I find it hard to believe that somehow you're all grown up with your own life now. I am so bloody proud of the woman you've become. You two are going to do great things together. I love you. So… can we all raise a glass to the new Mr and Mrs Malfoy- Weasley."
Lizzie chinked her glass to James, trying to hold back tears as she watched Ron embrace both his daughter and Scorpius, the latter of which rose to give his speech.
"Thank you Ron, or Dad- as you will now be called I guess. You were too kind with your words. Now, I have to try and compete with them, so thanks for making that difficult! First of all, I want to say on behalf of my wife and I,"
Scorpius paused with a little chuckle as everyone cheered, and the occasional spark was sent from wands.
"I want to say thank you to all of you for being here, and for making this day awesome. You all mean so much to Rose and I, so it means the world to us that you are here to share these memories with us. To my darling wife, Rose: I love you more than anything. You're my best friend. (Sorry not sorry, Al). You always know the right thing to say and you have the ability to make me laugh harder than anyone else. Thank you for agreeing to marry me. You always look beautiful, but today I can't even put it into words. Lily, thank you for designing such an amazing dress. I kinda wish that Rose could wear it every day."
Beside Lizzie, Lily gave Scorpius a nod of approval at his words and a wink to her cousin. Lizzie's heart fluttered, and in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but fantasize a different scenario, in which James was saying these words about her.
"Although it's impossible for anyone to look as beautiful as my wife today, the bridesmaids have given it a damn good shot, haven't they? Thanks girls- Annie, Victoire, Molly- you have all been such a great help in planning today and have supported Rose through thick and thin, and we are both so grateful for that. My groomsmen- Charlie and Hugo: you guys aren't always necessarily the most sensible, but you have buckled down and done everything I've needed in the prep for this wedding. My best man, Al. You're the best guy I know, man. I love you so much and I wish you the best in life, because you deserve that and so much more. You took me in when your whole family was against me and you have always, and I mean always, from the day we met, been willing to take an unforgivable for me. That is what I call a best friend. I'll regret being this nice to you once you give your speech I'm sure, but until then- enjoy it."
Lizzie couldn't help as smile as the speech was interrupted by Albus running over and hugging Scorpius from behind, and it seemed that everyone around felt the same about it.
"Next, to my parents. Mum, Dad, the two of you have given so much to make my life amazing. It wasn't easy, and there are still things from your past that you are struggling to overcome, but I can say with completely sincerity that you gave everything to raise me without the prejudices your parents passed to you. Thank you Dad for putting your rivalry with Rose's parents aside and for the most part, always being kind and respectful to them, even though for someone as stubborn as you that's a challenge. Thank you Mum for being the most encouraging, supportive mother in the entire world. You have always wanted me to shine, and you have made sure that I know that. I love both of you so much, and my wish every single day is that others would see the people you have grown to be and how far you have come from the reckless children you were."
A sobering silence fell upon the tent for a moment, before applause began to ring out, and a clearly touched Draco and Astoria Malfoy blushed.
"Now to my new family: you have been the most welcoming, and accommodating in-laws that I ever could have asked for. Ron and Hermione, Mum and Dad, although I was scared of you for a long time; I now know that you are dedicated to protecting and loving me in the same way you love your own children. You have been the most wonderful parents to Rose, and you should both be proud of the woman she is, because I know that I'm proud of her. To the senior Weasleys and Grangers, thank you for fitting every single stereotype of a grandparent there is! Thank you for feeding me too much, and hugging me too tight, and watching sports with me and giving me life advice. Rose is so blessed to have you guys. Hugo, my new brother in law; you are such an inherently good and genuine person, and I look forward to getting to spend more time with you in the years to come. Over the years I have become accustomed to your warning glare, and I promise that I will try my best in my marriage so that you never have to give me that glare again. Rose's many cousins… Where do I begin? Thanks for letting me be a part of your gang, and a member of the team. All of you have given me such great memories over the years, and when I have got stuck in sticky situations, you have said exactly what I needed to hear. One memory that comes to mind from the top of my head, is something that James said to me, very early on in mine and Rosie's relationship."
Lizzie's ears perked up at the mention of James, eager to know what advice he could have given Scorpius.
"He said this: 'The one thing, and the only thing you can do in life to feel accepted, is to focus on the things that really matter; the people that really matter. You are defined by the people you love, and the people who love you back. You're a part of this family already, Scorpius, because you constantly act out of love for us, and we're going to do the same for you. We're your cousins now too and we have your back.' Thank you, James, and all of you, for having my back. You're the craziest, wisest most wonderful family, and I hope you know that I have all of your backs too."
Now, nothing was able to stop Lizzie's tears from falling. The rest of Scorpius' speech became background noise, and all she could focus on was the fact that James was amazing. He continually amazed her and the way in which he loved his family inspired her. In that moment, she was completely convicted that she wanted to be with James, and she was going to tell him that at the next opportune moment.
Her attention was regained as everyone stood up to raise their glasses to Rose, and that was when James noticed the tears on her face. "Are you okay, Elizabeth?" he said, concern clear in his tone.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm great actually. This is a really great day," she smiled, even though her cheeks were still wet.
"Crying and calling it a great day… I never will understand you women." James laughed as he chinked his glass against hers once more and drank his champagne.
"Alright, alright, my turn now!" Albus stated with a massive grin on his face as he held his wand to his throat. "Be prepared my friends, you are about to learn more about Scorpius Malfoy than you probably wanted to know. Witches and Wizards, I present to you: my Best Man speech."
After Albus had managed to bring the house down with what was a hilarious speech, Scorpius and Rose were brought up to have their first dance. As they danced they looked into each other's eyes, and the intimacy of the small gesture almost made Elizabeth want to look elsewhere. It was clear to her, no matter what her own thoughts were on marrying young, these two people were very much in love and ecstatic to be getting married. As other couples were invited to come onto the dance floor, she thought that this could be her opportunity to let James know about her newly recognised feelings for him, but before she could even suggest it, James was apologising profusely as he was whisked away by family members to complete some job or other. Lizzie sighed and planted herself back on her seat. Nearby, at the drinks table she couldn't help but listen in as Lorcan Scamander approached Lily, hesitation in every step as he got closer.
He paused behind her, before taking a deep breath and tapping her shoulder. "Hey you..."
Lily's eyes widened as she turned around to face him. "Lorcan! It's good to see you."
She half smiled as she awkwardly hugged him, if the short embrace could be classed as a hug.
"Yeah, well, you know… haven't heard from you in a while; or at all since you left really." He said, his hands slipping in his pockets in an attempt to be casual.
Lily's demeanour changed instantly and she rolled her eyes, stepping closer to him. "For fuck's sake Lorcan, it's my cousin's wedding, please don't do this here."
"Do what, Lily?" he said, in a tone that could only be described as exasperated. "You were the one who said that you'd be willing to give it a go when you got back from France. You were the one who said you had feelings for me and then moved to a different bloody country."
"Look, Lorcan," she sighed. "I meant what I said, and when I get back- we will try and make things work with us, I promise. But I'm not ready to come back just yet. I'm here for the weekend; that's it."
Out of the corner of her eye, Lizzie noticed as Lorcan reached for Lily's hand and began rubbing circle's on the back of it.
"I still stand by what I said. I would drop everything, I could come live out there with you, get a job at the French ministry."
"Merlin, can we please not do this right now? I'm here for Rose and Scorpius, not to sort out shit between us." Lily's voice pleaded.
"What can I say then, Lily, what do you want me to do?"
She thought for a moment, a sad smile falling on her face, before one of her hands came up to run through his hair and rest on the side of his face. "You can ask me to dance?"
"Are you ready to go dance?" James' voice beside Lizzie made her jump, immediately making her feel guilty for eavesdropping on what was clearly a private and very personal conversation.
She nodded, still recovering from the surprise to say anything more. Lizzie stood up and James held his hand out to her, and as cliché as it sounded, she felt sparks when their hands connected. He led her to the dance floor, and as soon as he pulled her close and they were moving together; she felt calm. She felt perfectly comfortable and ease at the world, and she never wanted this feeling to end. She laughed as James spun her under his arm and drew her back into him. She could feel the glances of friends and family shifting over them, but she could not care less. This was a perfect moment. She took a deep breath, as she prepared to say what was on her heart.
"Hey James, there's something I need to tell you."
His eyes glinted with curiosity, but his usual smug smile remained. "Go on."
"The thing is… crap, I'm not good with the whole spontaneity thing. The thing is, I have loved getting to know you so much these last few months, and I am so glad that I stopped being a stubborn cow and actually let you into my life. You've become literally one of the most incredible friends that I ever could have hoped for."
"You're a great friend too Elizabeth."
"No, that's not my point though. Because I don't think that I want to"-
Elizabeth was never able to finish her point however, because that was when a tipsy Albus appeared and threw his arms around them. "Whey, if it isn't my absolute favourite brother in the whole wide world."
"What do you want Albie?" James said cautiously.
"Right, so…" Albus started, attempting to stand up straight. "So Rose and Scor are married now, and when they get back from their honeymoon, they are going to live in our flat. Problem is, I kinda fucked up and forgot to find somewhere for myself to live, so as of next week, I'm a little bit homeless? So really, my real question, that I really need to ask you really is"
"You want to come live with me." James finished for him.
"Exactly!" Al exclaimed, his arm coming back round James' shoulder. "See, Jamie, I knew that you just got me."
"Hang on a minute, I haven't said yes!"
Lizzie smiled at Albus' face dropping, since she knew there was no way that James would say no.
"Please Jamie, please don't make me go live at home with our parents. It would be too embarrassing to face."
James stood there, his finger tapping his chin as if in deep thought. "Well, in that case… Go on then."
"You are the absolute best!" Albus shouted drunkenly, planting a kiss on both James and Lizzie's cheeks before stumbling away.
"So what was it that you wanted to tell me?" James asked, as they continued to dance.
Lizzie hesitated, the moment having passed and being too nervous to finish what she'd started. "Umm, don't worry about it, it was nothing."
"Well, if you're sure," James replied sceptically.
"I am. Now come on, I haven't actually said hello to the bride and groom yet, so let's go find them."
After a few more hours of dancing, and drinking, and too many amusing moments with the Weasleys, Lizzie figured that it was time to call it a night. She and James said their goodbyes, since he insisted on seeing her get home safely, and they went on their way.
As the breeze blew over them as they walked along her road, Lizzie noticed that James' slightly long hair was blowing in the wind. She smiled fondly at the sight, and found herself wanting to reach out and run her hands through his hair in the same way he always did. He caught her staring at him as they approached her front door, but instead of his usual smug grin, a shy smile and faint blush rose to his face.
"Lizzie, are you okay?"
Being caught off guard by him calling her Lizzie, and because of the atmosphere in the air, and the fact they had just come from a day celebrating two people loving each other, Lizzie found herself unable to stop herself any longer. She stepped forward, put her hand on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him soundly on the lips. After a few seconds, she felt the cold Autumn air on her face again, before being replaced once more by the warmth of James' lips. His mouth parted hers slightly, and the juxtaposition of the cold air and his hot breath made her stomach flip. She lost herself in the kiss, sliding her arms around her neck to bring him closer, as his arms found their way round her waist. She found herself frustrated that she had made herself wait so long for this, when he had literally offered himself to her on a plate as soon as they'd met. Lizzie sighed into the kiss, and this woke up James; suddenly making him wholly aware of the situation, and making him pull away.
"What was that?" he asked, stunned, his breath coming out stunted after their kiss.
"I like you, James. I was trying to tell you earlier, but things got in the way and I got scared and chickened out, because I wasn't sure if you still felt the same about me because you'd dated other people or whatever but"-
Lizzie was cut off by James reattaching his lips to hers, and she felt him smile against her. When he pulled away again, his forehead remained resting against hers and he whispered against her, "I do."
"You do?"
"I still like you, and I still want to be with you. Even more than before actually, considering that I actually know you now," he laughed.
"Well I better get it over with and just say it then," Lizzie said with a sarcastic sigh. "James Sirius Potter, will you go out with me?"
"Well, Elizabeth. Even though that was ridiculously corny, and way too fairytale for my liking; yes, I will happily go out with you." He answered, with a huge smile on his glowing face.
Lizzie beamed a smile to match his before leaning in to kiss him once more. She was already addicted to his lips, after only a few kisses. Merlin, she was pathetic.
"Hey, is it past midnight?" James asked randomly.
"Why, are you late home Cinderella?"
He rolled her eyes and laughed warmly. "No, I just needed to make sure it was after midnight, because I don't know how well Scorpius and Rose would take to us getting together on their wedding day… stealing their thunder and all."
"Well, I don't mind redoing this whole thing tomorrow if you'd prefer," Lizzie commented cheekily, fuelled by the adrenaline of having actually asked him out.
"That is a genius plan, milady."
Lizzie smiled again and she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to stop doing that for a while. "Well I better go in, but I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Oh yeah. You'll definitely be seeing me tomorrow."
Lizzie kissed him on the cheek softly, before leaving him outside as she entered her house. Once she was in bed, all wrapped up in her duvet, she found herself letting out a small, excited squeal. She was looking forward to facing tomorrow.
YAY! THEY'RE FINALLY TOGETHER! :D Sorry if this chapter was way too cheesy/ fluffy for y'all, but I gave you a kiss, so you really can't be mad at me… I hope ;) Please review to let me know how you feel, and I will try to update soon. However, be aware that I start university in 2 weeks, so I don't know how fast that update will be! Bg.97 xx