CHAPTER 2: THE MOMENT
He walked to the area behind front of the marquee and found that Ron, Neville, and Luna, all waiting for him. Everyone looked around when Harry walked up to them and their smiles were enough to calm him down for the time being. They were going to be right there with him, the entire time. Even Luna, and her Butterbeer-cork necklace and radish earrings, which, thankfully, she had left at home.
"Hey, Harry!" said Neville happily, walking up to him and giving him a quick pat on the shoulder, tripping on the hem of his robes as he did. Luna caught him on the arm and smiled.
"Harry, did you drink your tea that I made for you this morning? It supposed to bring success and good fortune for the marriage," Luna said matter-of-factly.
"What? Oh. Yeah, thanks Luna! It was...lovely," said Harry, forcing a smile. That morning when Luna had come up to him with the tea, he took it without question and immediately tried to pawn the strange, lumpy, purplish-green concoction off on Crookshanks, who was sniffing around the kitchen. The cat took one whiff and bolted, and Harry concluded it was not safe for consumption. He felt a smile creep onto his face as he recalled this morning's incident, and luckily, Luna smiled back. Ron gave a snicker that he managed to turn into a cough.
"Well, you guys should get up there. It's about to start," said Luna. "But, Harry, I wanted you to wear this. I know it's doesn't really match, but Daddy and I believe the sun is an important part to marriage." She reached to her neck and removed a necklace, placing it around Harry's neck. Harry saw that pendant was a beautiful, hand-painted wood carving of a sun that seemed to be smiling at him as he looked at it. Harry knew that she made it by hand, and this time, his smile was one of genuine gratitude.
"It's beautiful, Luna. Thank you," said Harry sincerely. She gave him one last smile, kissed him swiftly on the cheek, and skipped off to the other end of the marquee to where, Harry realized with a jolt, Hermione and Ginny were waiting for her.
"Ready, mate?" said Ron's voice in the distance.
"Huh – oh." Harry gave his head a little shake. "Yeah. Let's go."
Harry, Ron, and Neville pushed aside the tent canopy and walked onto the elevated platform where the ceremony was to take place. As they walked, Harry could not help but wonder if Ginny had made the wedding a "required" event. There were people everywhere; Harry could see his old Hogwarts professors sitting comfortably near the front, along with members of the old Order of the Phoenix. In the front row, Mrs. Weasley was squished between 3 of her sons and Fleur (who was holding baby Dominique), and crying into her faded white handkerchief. There were even a few faces Harry did not recognize, but before he could rack his brain to try to remember, music started playing from what seemed like the air itself, and a hush fell over the crowd. Suddenly, the tent vanished, and the entire crowd was bathed in sunlight. It was starting.
Harry moved his attention to the back of the tent, and there was a collective "Awwww," as two-year old Victoire Weasley toddled down the aisle with her basket of flowers. Her long strawberry-blonde hair was in two long braids tied together at the bottom with an oversized sunflower, which Harry recognized as one from the Weasley's back garden. She was bursting with excitement, and her happiness could which could be seen on the faces of those she passed, as they seemed to loose years of stress and wrinkles. Walking beside Victoire was Teddy Lupin, looking very serious as he guided Victoire and balanced the rings on the small pillow he was carrying. Harry's heart surged with pride.
And then, his heart seemed to stop altogether. A few paces behind the children walked Mr. Weasley, arm in arm with the most beautiful woman Harry had ever laid eyes on. She was wearing a long, simple, strapless dress of shimmering, sapphire blue fabric which seemed to flow like water around her, reflecting the sunlight. Her hair was up in an elegant bun, also complete with a sunflower, accentuating her beauty. There was a resonant creaking sound as the guests all stood up. Ginny Weasley looked simply radiant as she smiled at the guests. Then she turned her gaze down the aisle to Harry, staring at him with that blazing look, and his mind was wiped of all previous thought. The crowd seemed to disappear; she was the only person in the world. Time must have stopped as they gazed into each other's eyes. He could have stared at her forever, her long red hair and beautiful brown eyes, her smile. She was the epitome of perfection, Ginny, and Harry knew he was the luckiest man in the world as Mr. Weasley handed him his daughter's hand.
She was even more beautiful up close. She gave Harry a wide smile and turned to face the rather short and completely bald, elderly wizard who was marrying them. He cleared his throat and stated in a surprisingly low voice which reverberated around the tent, "Ladies and gentlemen, we gather here today to celebrate the union of two souls…"
There was a sudden loud trumpeting noise from the back row, followed by the muffled sound of sniffles; Harry recognized it at once as the sound of Hagrid blowing his nose into his table-cloth sized handkerchief.
"…who have journeyed the path of love, to be joined forever," continued the warlock. "Would Master Lupin kindly step forward to present the rings?"
Harry turned around to face Teddy who was climbing off his chair to give Harry the rings. He marched up to Harry, being extra careful not to step on his dress robes, and when he looked up at Harry, he gave a wide toothy smile. Several people gasped and laughed when his hair turned the exact shade of blue as Ginny's robes. He marched back to his chair and there was a brief smattering of applause for the young ring bearer. As he and Ginny exchanged bands, Harry thought his heart would explode with the love he had for her and Teddy. After the exchange, he and Ginny turned back to face the bald warlock.
"Now, would you please put your hands together to be bonded in matrimony with your vows?" Harry and Ginny turned to face each other again, each grasping the opposite hand, forming an X between them. The warlock then pulled out his wand and gently placed it on top of their hands.
"Ladies first, of course," said the warlock, smiling at Ginny.
Calmly, much more calmly than Harry felt, Ginny looked into his eyes and said to him, and only to him, "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be standing up here with you, Harry. You know, I've always fancied you, ever since we were kids. I have to admit, I was a bit starstruck. I am still a bit starstruck, but in a different and exciting way. I look at you and I think of everything that you have shown me about life; everything that we have gone through together. You've shown me that life is not about your accomplishments, but about how you live your life, and how much love you offer. You are my best friend, and have been there for me whenever I needed a shoulder. I want to be there for you for the rest of our lives here on earth, my love. You are my star, Harry Potter. My guiding light. I hereby vow that I will love, trust, and cherish you forever, because you are my other half, my shining star, and my soulmate."
When she finished speaking, a shimmering white ribbon flew out of the old warlock's wand, wrapping itself around their joined hands, connecting again at the wand tip. It reminded Harry of the waves of the ocean as it continued to ripple over their joined hands. It also reminded him of how much he was shaking.
"And now, the gentleman," said the warlock, turning to Harry.
Harry looked into Ginny's eyes, and he immediately stopped trembling. She had that incredible power to calm him down, just by flashing her beautiful, brown eyes at him. As Harry stared at her for what could possibly have been several days, his confidence rose. This was his moment to tell the world how much he loved her. Just as he took a deep breath and searched for the prepared words that had run off to a distant location in his brain, she winked at him. All his nervousness vanished on the spot. He suddenly found that there was a plethora of words, brilliant combinations of them, that he had to choose from. So he took another breath, and spoke the first words on his mind.
"Out of all the things that have happened to me in a lifetime, standing up here with you is the most wonderful of all. I never thought I'd have someone who understood me more than I understand myself, but then I found you. You've been there for me even when you're not physically there. You have put up with me even when I was not an easy person to be around. You light up my every thought, my every breath, my every second. It's impossible for me to think of life without you. You've taught me how to love someone with all my heart and soul. You've been my rock these last few years, and I don't know where I would be without you. You see, when I look at you, I don't only see love - I see support, kindness, and unwavering friendship. You never gave up on me, Ginny. Your strength has literally saved my life, and I vow to be there for you for the rest of your life, to support you, to laugh with you, to be a family with you, and most of all, to love you the way you deserve."
It took all his effort to stop himself from enveloping her in his arms, in an unending embrace, but he contained himself for the time being. He could see that she was beaming. There was nothing more beautiful than her smile. He could feel the second ribbon wrapping itself around their joined hands, but he couldn't tear his eyes off of hers. She was his world.
"Do you, Harry James, take Ginevra Molly to be your lawfully wedded wife from here to eternity?" Harry jumped a little; he forgot that the small, bald warlock was standing so close to him.
"I do," he said.
"And do you, Ginevra Molly, take Harry James to be your lawfully wedded husband from here to eternity?"
"I do." A third white ribbon wrapped itself around their hands at her words.
"Then I declare you bonded for life!" And at these words, the white ribbons joining Harry's and Ginny's hands became warm to the touch and suddenly turned bright gold, before disappearing with a shower of multi-colored sparks. Harry knew this was the moment - pulling her close he put his right hand on her back and his left gently on her face, he kissed her, putting every feeling he could muster into that moment. She responded just as enthusiastically, and time seemed to stop. It was just as wonderful as that first time they had kissed in the Gryffindor common room that night after the match. And just like it had then, a single kiss marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.