The week before the wedding went by quickly. Remus was much happier with the fold out bed than he was with the couch. His back has started to get sore from so many nights on the couch although he would never have admitted that to Hermione. She had bought a few new novels that he read in his spare time and then would discuss them with Hermione. Their relationship had gotten much more social. They were no longer keeping such a large and silent distance between them. After dinner they would often read next to each other on the couch in front of the fireplace, which Remus has surprised Hermione with by fixing and pulling off the boards.

Hermione had bought a few muggle word games like Scrabble and Boggle and was teaching Remus to play. Remus is turn was teaching her to play chess better. She had never been much good, it had always been Ron's area of expertise, and Ron never had the patience to teach her.

Sunday morning, Hermione and Remus both woke up early to dress for the wedding. Remus got dressed quickly; Sirius' robes were slightly too big for him, but a simple charm fixed that problem. The robes were dressy, but simply colored in black and white. He started pacing around, looking at the clock.

"I'm coming! You can stop pacing!"

Hermione opened to door of the bedroom and walked out. Lupin was astounded. The bridesmaid dress was a midnight blue. It had spaghetti straps and then around the waist the material twisted and flowed down to her ankles. A matching blue pendant with earrings completed it. Hermione had straightened her hair and twisted it backwards in a French knot.

"You look beautiful," Lupin told her.

She turned blushed furiously. "You look pretty handsome yourself. Where did you get those dress robes?"

"Sirius lent them to me. The last time I needed to wear dress robes was at Lily and James' wedding. Shall we?" He offered her his arm, which she took, and they Apperated to the wedding.

It was the perfect day to hold the wedding. The sun was shinning down, but the weather was not too hot or cold to cause discomfort. The Burrow's backyard had been transformed just as it had for Bill and Fleur's wedding. There were less chairs set out; Harry had no relatives that he wanted to invited, so it was only the Weasley family and friends.

Remus was shown to his seats by Fred and George as Hermione went to find Ginny. Snuffles came bounding up to Remus and started barking. He then padded over to Aunt Muriel and started trying to jump up on her lap. Muriel started screeching and Remus starting laughing. Snuffles wandered back over to Remus and jumped on the empty chair next to him.

The wedding started a few minutes later. Ginny looked amazing in her wedding dress and Harry stared at her in awe. The wedding itself was very short; Mrs. Weasley was crying into Mr. Weasley's shoulder, Xenophillius Lovegood, in his eccentric yellow robes, was sitting near a very unhappy Aunt Muriel. Remus kept finding himself watching Hermione, standing near Luna, more often than Ginny and Harry. She looked absolutely radiant in her gown.

After the wedding, Hermione found her way back to Remus and Snuffles and after they had congratulated Ginny and Harry on their marriage, they found and empty table and sat down. Remus was rubbing his head.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just have a small headache. It must be from staring at the sun too long or something." It was a ridiculous excuse he knew, as did Hermione, but she let it drop. Aunt Muriel had found her way to the table helped by Ron.

"Oh no, Remus, at Bill's wedding Harry told me all about Muriel. We can't sit with her," Hermione whispered frantically.

"We can't just get up and leave," Remus whispered back apologetically.

Ron had helped her into a seat and was turning to leave when Muriel grabbed his arm.

"Ronald! You can't leave your old Aunt alone! Sit down and introduce me to your sister's friends!"

Hermione watched horrified as Ron sat by Muriel. Wonderful, they were her two favorite people.

Ron introduced them very coldly, "This is Hermione Granger and her husband Remus Lupin."

"Ah, this is the mudblood that dumped you. She was at Bill and that French girl's wedding, the one with the skinny ankles and bad posture."

Hermione looked briefly at Ron, but he said nothing to her defense. Lupin was still rubbing his head, but slipped one hand under the table and grabbed Hermione's hand. He knew arguing with the ancient woman would do no good. She insulted almost everyone. Hermione was more upset that Ron didn't defend her.

"I'd prefer you did not call my wife by such offensive terms."

Hermione squeezed his hand in gratitude.

"Well, from what I hear your wife is a piece of filth anyway. Running off with you and leaving Ronald here alone!"

"I wouldn't have run off if Ronald wasn't a selfish, uncaring fool!"

"You didn't want me just because I wasn't exciting enough for you. Don't have that uh, wolfish quality that Lupin here has."

"Oh, this is the famed werewolf! Why you would run off and marry this halfbreed over a man from a respected pureblood family I'll never know. Did he get you pregnant by any chance?"

That was the last rumor Hermione needed floating around the wizarding community. "Perhaps I married him because he respected me and his lycanthropy is no business of yours."

"Of course it is Hermione," Ron remarked innocently, "because when he hurts you I'll be more than willing to take you back."

"Ron just because you're upset that I broke up with you does not mean that you can take it out on Remus! We're here for Harry and Ginny's wedding. Can we please just call a peace treaty for this one night?" She looked imploringly at Muriel and Ron.

Muriel laughed derisively. "Purebloods make peace with filthy creatures? I don't think so."

"Ron is the creature," Hermione said quietly, "I was more than willing to remain friends with him but he refused. He knew the circumstances behind why we got married but still got upset. Everyone else accepted it, why won't you, Ronald? We were never truly happy together anyway. Marriage would have been awful!" Angry tears were welling up and she hurriedly wiped her eyes with her free hand.

"So you're honestly happier with him?"

"Not romantically, but as friends, then yes, I am."

"I don't believe you. This monster must have bewitched you!"

"Ron! He was your teacher! We all trust him! How could you think that?"

"I didn't touch her, Ron. I swear."

Muriel was cackling wickedly. "Of course you did. It's oddly suspicious you know, why would you give up a chance to clean up your status and instead muddy it up more?"

That was the last straw. Hermione rose from her chair and Remus followed suit, still clenching their hands tightly together. They started walking over to where Ginny and Harry were sitting together; laughing at Snuffle's who was now trying to jump unto Percy's lap and oblivious to the argument that had broken out.

"How's your head?" Hermione muttered. "I'm sure that argument didn't help."

"Not so good I'm afraid. It's gotten worse, and I feel slightly feverish and hot. I think I may be coming down with something. An unfortunate side affect of being a werewolf, I have a very weak immune system."

Hermione stopped walking a few feet from Ginny and Harry's table and placed the back of her palm on Lupin's forehead.

"You're right, I think you have a fever. We should get home. I'll go get my purse; I left it at the table."

She walked back to get it, ignoring Muriel and Ron who, it turned out, had been watching Hermione and Lupin closely. Ron seemed angered that they were holding hands and that she had put her hand on his forehead. Ignoring their juvenile behavior, she walked back over to Lupin. They had not taken more than two steps toward Ginny and Harry to tell them goodbye when Ron shouted something suddenly. Lupin froze for a second and then crumpled to the ground.