I do not own anything except for the plot and OCs.
"I can't believe they're getting married!" exclaimed Ginny.
"I can't believe they only told us yesterday," grumbled Ron.
"I knew before you lot," said Harry, flashing them a satisfied smile.
"I knew the moment it happened," said Jake flashing them an even more satisfied smile.
"You don't count!" they all exclaimed in unison. The four of them had become fast friends after Hermione had introduced them, directly preceding the demonstration of their elemental powers.
"You all do know that they're looking for us, don't you?"
"Why? It's not time yet, is it?"
"Perhaps it's because we make up nearly the entire wedding party?" suggested Harry.
"We do not!" protested Ron. "We wouldn't want to belittle our guests, would we?"
"What guests?" asked Ginny skeptically. "There's us, her mum, our family and about five of her closest friends. I wouldn't exactly call that a lengthy guest list."
"There you are!" It was the unmistakable voice of a rather upset Hermione. "I've been looking for you! And you!" she turned to Jake."You knew I was looking for them!"
"I did. I also told them so."
"Mione!" exclaimed Harry, no doubt to save his own skin. "You look positivelystunning!"
"I'm not even wearing my dress yet. Flattery won't get you anywhere."
"But it's true! Maybe you changed you hair? Or is it the day?" Hermione's face reddened the slightest bit before she shrugged nonchalantly as though she couldn't care less that her maid of honour, best man, and best friends had disappeared while they were supposed to be getting ready for her wedding.
"Oh well, what can we do?" she said. "I'm sure Mrs. Weasley won't mind the wedding going over the scheduled time. I mean, it is a celebration after all."
This comment did wonders, for suddenly, they all jumped up and began moving as quickly as possible. In fact, when Jake wasn't moving fast enough for them, Harry and Ron each grabbed one of his arms and began dragging him off to Draco's room, muttering that, elemental or not, he did not want to see an angry Mrs. Weasley.
"Are you excited Mi?" asked Ginny once the guys had gone.
"I'm nervous," she replied.
"Bah, marriage day jitters. You love him, and that's all that matters."
"I do love him," said Hermione pensively. "But do you think we're rushing things? I mean, we've only been dating for eight months."
"I think what you two have is something really special and you'd be a fool not to marry him."
"How do I look?"
"You look fine, Draco."
"Are you sure? I don't have anything on my suit, do I?"
"No Draco. You look fine."
"My tie! Where's my tie!?"
"Draco, relax!" exclaimed Ron. "Everything is fine!"
"Are you sure? Because I want to make sure everything is perfect for her. How is she, by the way? Is she nervous? Does she still want to marry my?"
"She's doing better than you," said Jake with a smirk. "And yes, she does still want to marry you. Everything will be fine, Draco."
"Now Malfoy," said Harry, his tone suddenly serious. "We know that we've given you the whole 'date our Mione' speech, but this is entirely different."
"That's right," continued Ron. "Marriage is another step altogether. You treat her like a goddess, you understand?"
"Yes, of course."
"And don't get tricked into another love potion."
"Of course not. I would never."
"And for Merlin's sake Malfoy, don't die and leave her a widow."
"I-I'll try?"
"Now let's get out there. It's our Mione's wedding day," said Ron in a sing-song voice. They began to lead Draco out of the room, but he suddenly turned back as though he'd forgotten something. Jake held him hand up, stopping Draco's progress back into the room.
"I assure you Draco," he said through a grin, "I have the rings."
"The Malfoy beach house!" exclaimed Hermione as Draco carried her inside. "How did you manage to get Dumbledore to let us come here?"
"Tests," replied Draco shortly. "Lots and lots of tests for jinxes and curses. About six thousand wards, and don't forget about the ever active, should I say the word, portkey!"
"Well either way," she sighed, "it's a wonderful honeymoon. I love it."
"I love you."
"Oh, that's wonderful foreplay Draco dear."
"It's a skill," he replied, leaning in for a kiss. The kiss quickly deepened and became more urgent as he carried her to the bedroom, setting her down on the bed. Slowly, he undid the fastenings at the back of her elegant white gown.
Tenderly slipping the silky cloth from her shoulders, he kissed along her neck as she tangled her fingers in his soft hair.
"Draco," she whispered.
"Mione, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his voice husky with barely controlled passion. "Because I don't want to rush you into anything you don't feel ready for."
Her answer was a soft, tender kiss as she drew him to her, and that was all that he needed.
Hermione woke, her limbs entwined with Draco's, sunshine filling her senses. She snuggled closer to Draco, resting her head on his chest so that she could gaze lovingly at his angelic face.
He was adorable, with his sleep tousled hair and porcelain complexion. But most importantly, he was hers, in body and spirit. Nothing could separate them.
Gently, as to not wake him, she traced her finger along his bare chest, resting her head more comfortable on him. She felt his arm tighten around her and she released a sigh of contentment.
"Good morning Mr. Malfoy," she whispered.
"Good morning Mrs. Malfoy," he replied with a smile. "How do you feel?"
"I'm okay. A bit tired."
"I do wonder why," he said. She could hear the smile in his voice. "Didn't you sleep well last night? Or was the bed too firm?"
"I'm not entirely certain. Maybe it was our nightly activities."
"Nightly activities? Oh my, I'm not certain I remember well enough. I might need a refresher course."
"Oh, did you mean like this?" she asked innocently, running her finger down his chest. "Or maybe this?" She kissed him lightly in the lips. "I don't know Draco; you haven't been the least bit charming."
"Hermione? Are your legs tired?" he asked, suddenly serious. "Because you've been running through my mind all day." A very short pause followed as Hermione's mind processed that Draco had just used the single worst pick up line in history, and then both Hermione and Draco simultaneously burst out laughing.
They were abruptly silenced, though, by jakes voice in their minds. Instantly, they were alert, knowing that Jake wouldn't disturb them directly after their wedding unless it was very serious.
They were given instructions to return to Hogwarts as soon as possible and meet him at Dumbledore's office. He had bad news.
When they arrived, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Jake and Professor McGonagall were waiting for them.
"What's wrong?" asked Hermione frantically. "What's happened?"
"Albus," replied Professor McGonagall quietly, a sense of dread passing over Hermione. "He was killed last night."
A shocked silence followed her words, for nobody could believe that the greatest wizard that had ever lived had been murdered. It was just not something that they thought was possible.
"But how?" Hermione managed to say.
"That's why we're here," replied Jake. "Albus once told me that everyone gathered here, Minerva excluded, has the ability to really do something-to change the course of this war. Each of us has a certain…duty to do."
"So?"
"I think, maybe, that it just might be possible to get a glimpse of his killer." They all agreed to do what was necessary and Professor McGonagall led them to Dumbledore's cluttered office.
When Harry saw Dumbledore's body, still on the ground, he turned on them, demanding to know why he was being treated so disrespectfully.
"Mister Potter," said McGonagall, "please, calm yourself. We have not moved him because what we are going to try might not work if he were to be moved."
"No," whispered Hermione in horror, as though she had just discovered a dark secret.
"I want you all to understand;" continued the new headmistress, "that this may not work at all, and it may have disastrous affects on you. You do not have to do this."
"You can't be thinking of that method!" exclaimed Hermione. "This is madness!"
"That is exactly the method that we plan to use, Hermione," replied Jake calmly.
"What method?" asked Ron cautiously.
"It's a taboo," replied Hermione. "Communicating with the spirits. People die like this, Jake! You can't be serious."
"Deadly serious Hermione, we need to know who killed him."
"What do we have to do?" asked Harry.
"This is an extremely dangerous thing to do," said Jake. "Only some are qualified and even fewer are able."
"What are the qualifications?"
"It's all about one's spirit," replied Hermione after a short while. "Only someone whose spirit has left them almost completely, but then come back can even hope to do it. It's the main qualification. However, only someone that has some of the oldest blood can actually achieve communicating with the spirits. And I mean really old blood-traceable to ancient times."
Silence came across the room as they thought who could fit the qualifications. The blood, they had. Both the Malfoy and the Weasley families dated back hundreds of centuries. But someone who's spirit had nearly left them?
"Nobody here fits that, unless Draco has nearly died recently?" Draco merely shook his head.
"Maybe Mum or Dad?" asked Ron. "Or someone back home?"
"No," replied Jake, "they would have to be here."
"But nobody here-"
"I can do it."
Slowly, eyes drifted to the one who spoke and it was silent for just a moment before Harry vehemently objected.
"No, I forbid it. Ginny, you are not going to do it, even if you could."
"I can."
"Did you forget about that whole spirit bit?"
"There's no way you almost lost your spirit," added Ron.
"No way you're even qualified."
"Absolutely no way-"
"Tom Riddle's diary," was all that Ginny said. "And you know it Harry. I almost lost my spirit to Tom Riddle's diary, when I was taken into the chamber of secrets."
Both Ron and Harry's faces drained of all colour as they remembered Hogwarts' dark secret and as they realized that Ginny did in fact fit the qualification.
"My soul returned when Harry stabbed the diary," continued Ginny, in case anyone else still had doubts. "And I am a Weasley, so I have the required blood. I can do this."
"Please Gin, don't," pleaded Harry.
"The chances of getting hurt are very real," warned Jake. "Are you sure you want to do this Ginny?"
"I am." He nodded briefly.
"Then you must go up and place a hand on his forehead. Then, you must let loose everything until all becomes darkness. This is where the danger lies, so you must be careful. Nobody really knows what happens past this point except for those that have been there. When you finish, you have to walk back to the warmth."
"How vague," she murmured.
"Sorry," apologized Jake. "It was all I could get for you." Ginny nodded and went to where Dumbledore lay motionless on the cold stone ground.
Hesitantly, she reached toward him, drawing back slightly when her hand first came into contact with him. Then, biting her lip, she placed her hand firmly on the dead man's brow. Nothing seemed to happen for a long time.
Then, suddenly, her body went rigid and her head shot back. Her eyes were squeezed tightly together, though tears still fell into her fiery locks. A cry of pain escaped her lips and Harry tried to make it to her, but Jake grabbed him before be made it to her.
"Don't touch her," he said urgently. "Whatever you do, you cannot touch her."
"But she's in pain!"
"And she'll be in even more pain if you die because you touched her now. She's talking with spirits. You can't just grab someone while they're doing that and expect to come out totally unscathed.
Harry then jerked free of Jake's grip and began to pace anxiously, casting concerned glances toward Ginny.
After some time, Ginny's hand slowly crept toward her head, as though she were fighting some invisible force for the strength to do it, until it finally came into contact with her forehead. Then, her body slumped in exhaustion and she began to shake uncontrollably. Harry broke through anyone in his way and hesitantly brought his hand to Ginny, though he did not touch her until her received a nod from Jake.
She was cold to the touch, which shocked and scared Harry and he brought him to her so that his body heat could warm her.
"Get me something to warm her, she's freezing!" McGonagall was the first to respond by conjuring a heavy blanket that they quickly wrapped around her as she whispered quietly to Harry.
"It's so c-cold, Harry. And the d-darkness. Harry, it was so dark and c-cold."
When she had finally recovered enough to speak without her teeth chattering, she looked to Draco, Jake and Hermione.
"He told me to tell you that she didn't want to. She had no choice."
"Who?" asked Hermione, though she already had the feeling that she knew the answer. There was only one person that could draw a reaction of pure horror from Jake.
"Melissa," replied Ginny, confirming Hermione's fears.
"Melissa?" asked Ron skeptically. "Fire Melissa? I mean, I know she's a traitor, but weren't you guys friends or something?"
"Maybe she was under the imperius curse?" suggested Ginny hopefully.
"No," replied Jake bitterly. "Our kind isn't affected by that particular curse once we acquire our powers. It's a defense we're gifted with. She did it of her own volition."
Darkness seemed to shadow over the room as they felt the weight of jakes grief. And it was then that Hermione realized it. Melissa could never come back. They could no longer let her return to them because now, by her hand, Albus Dumbledore was dead. There was no going back.
A/N: So they finally got married! Only two chapters and an epilogue left, and then it's done! Don't forget to drop me a review now that the story's almost over =D