"Annnd there. Perfect," Blaze breathed, stepping down from the stool on which she stood. Her blissful grin soon began to falter, though, as she looked Konata up and down. Something was off, but what…? Coming to a conclusion, she snapped her fingers and narrowed her eyes. "You're not as tall as you should be. Are you wearing your heels?"
Konata, eyes closed tightly as if afraid of the full body mirror before her, flinched ever-so-slightly at these words. "Ah, o-of course I am…!"
Raising an eyebrow, Blaze kneeled down and lifted the bottom of Konata's dress off of the floor about an inch. She groaned, finding that Konata had lied: on her stocking-clad feet were a pair of simple flats. Blaze let out an aggravated sigh. She scolded Konata using the hand on which a ring with a silver band and aquamarine gem could be seen. Blaze and Draco had decided on having a private wedding on a beach, just the two of them and a minister. They did, however, put forth effort into buying Draco's tuxedo and Blaze's wedding dress- a pure white, one shouldered gown with beading down the side, the bottom just reaching the floor and the singular sleeve stretching down past her wrist- because they paid so that nearly every single moment of their wedding day was captured in photos. "You are ruining the image we're trying to create."
"My 'image' will be ruined when I trip and break my face on the way down the aisle!" Konata retorted haughtily. Biting her glossed lips, she sighed. "Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to get snappy…" She slowly opened her green eyes, which were brought out by some silvery-lavender eye shadow. Since this was the first time viewing her reflection after allowing Blaze to makeover her, she couldn't help but gasp.
Her light brown hair had been worked on for nearly an hour, special shampoos, intense combing, and countless curling techniques applied. The results were brilliant: her hair was pulled into a semi-high ponytail, falling past her shoulders in rippling ringlets, and so shiny it was practically glowing. The dress she wore was made out of a thin, soft material that was such a light shade of pink that it appeared white from a distance. The skirt part, trailing a couple inches behind her, was made up entirely of layered ruffles. On her hands were elbow-length gloves, a slightly darker shade of pink than her dress. The band of her translucent veil was decorated with roses sporting the colors of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
"You are a wedding design genius," she insisted in a murmur.
"Eh, I try," Blaze replied with a slight grin, getting to her feet on which were silver heels flecked with gold. Her hair had been combed nearly as thoroughly as Konata's, and pulled into a neat bun. On her body was a sky blue, shiny, relatively simple silky dress.
"But, seriously, is the shoe change necessary…? I mean, you can't even see them under my dress, and you know my balance is awful… It'd suck to get a twisted ankle on my wedding day," Konata argued, sounding relatively whiny. Blaze sighed, putting up her hands in mock surrender.
"Fine, fine. Defy the master."
"Thanks for the permission!" Konata stepped away from the mirror, turning with care toward the door. She was perfectly set on exiting the dressing room and heading off to find her dad… Yet she just couldn't get herself to move.
"What's up? Nerves?" Blaze asked, lightly placing a hand on Konata's shoulder. With a gulp, the brunette nodded. "Come on, you'll be fine. Shiro's waiting for you…" Throat suddenly feeling dry, Konata nodded and turned to face Blaze. She gave her a tight hug, whispered a thank you, and left with Blaze saying "Good luck!" after her.
"Hi, Daddy…" she called feebly, stepping out into the hall that was empty besides Will Verdent. He spun toward the sound of his daughter's voice, the expression on his face making it seem he was expecting something dreadful but set eyes on something wonderful.
"You… You look stunning, darling," he muttered plainly, offering his elbow almost robotically. Konata nodded her timid thanks, linking her arm with Will's. Walking was impossible enough as it was… How did Blaze expect her to wear high heels? Somehow, though, she managed to instruct her feet to move, and she was soon walking out of the door to the small building she had been inside.
The sight that greeted her eyes brought her very close to coming to another halt. There were neatly lined rows of golden chairs, each of them seating a guest: Hermione; Ron; Harry, who had brought along Ginny; Catherin; Caitlyn, whose pregnancy with Fred's child was clearly showing; all of Konata's roommates, plus all of Shiro's; Luna; Satoshi, who was accompanied by Lee and George; Jillian, with Raito and Raye on her lap; Blaze (of course), holding Scorpius; an already teary Hagrid; Cho Chang; Sakura with Colin; a few people from Konata and Shiro's neighborhoods. Still, those people were vaguely interesting to Konata: her attention was on Shiro, waiting just down the aisle.
Even though Konata looked truly lovely, Shiro was quite a sight as well. His face was freshly shaven, his hair combed through for a good 10 minutes with the back kicking out as it always did. He wore a dark gray cashmere tuxedo with a white undershirt and navy blue tie. In the background was a dazzling view of Mt. Fuji. How strange it had been, Disapparating from the Verdent household in England all the way to Japan, and how odd it would be to Apparate to their new home on the outskirts of London after their honeymoon.
Will gave Konata a little nudge, signalizing that she needed to move. She blushed- when did the piano start to play, and how long had she been standing there? Well, that didn't matter now: flowers were beginning to be scattered down the aisle before her (who needed a flower girl when Hagrid provided them with fairies willing to take up the job? Or, for that matter, a ring bearer when Opey the house-elf was eager to do it?), and her lover was waiting. Blaze and Satoshi were the original candidates for Maid of Honor and, Best Man but since they had the honor of having the twins' middle names dubbed after their first ones, the positions were given to Hannah Abbott and Draco.
It felt like years later when Konata slipped her arm away from Will's and stepped up to join Shiro. "You look beautiful, Konata. So beautiful I barely even notice how fat that dress makes you look," Shiro whispered with a wink.
"Thanks. And you look so handsome it distracts me from that razor burn on your cheek," Konata responded casually in a tone as quiet as Shiro's had been. In fact, they were both speaking so unnoticeably that the minister had begun his speech. Shiro's blue eyes widened, and he almost slipped his hand away from Konata's to touch his face. Instead, he just blushed.
"I-I could've sworn it was a clean shave…!" he gasped under his breath. Konata chuckled almost silently.
"Kidding. You look amazing, Shiro."
The minister continued to speak as Shiro murmured, "You too, love."
What seemed to be mere seconds later, it was time for vows to be said. The couple stared into each other's eyes, the words coming as naturally as answering the question of what their names were. "I, Shiro Ueda, take you, Konata Verdent, to be my wife…" Shiro began.
"And I, Konata Verdent, take you, Shiro Ueda, to be my husband…" From that point on, they spoke in unison.
"…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." With that, they closed their eyes lightly and then reopened them creating, a form of passionate feeling. How could they be hearing the voice of a man they barely knew when it was just the two of them…?
"-only unto her for as long as you both shall live?
"I do," Shiro answered certainly.
"Konata, do you take Shiro for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." The simple two words seemed to make something click into place inside of Konata- as if a door had been opened, leading her into a beautiful scenery, somewhere she would never want to leave and was positive she would be able to remain in forever…
From a pillow supported by Opey, Shiro gradually plucked a gorgeous ring and slid it carefully onto Konata's finger. He took a silent deep breath before speaking: "With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."
"May this ring be blessed so that she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end," the minister spoke. Konata selected the remaining ring, missing the first time she reached since Opey had began shaking with the effort of holding back his joyful tears.
"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment," Konata crooned.
The minister declared another paragraph's worth of ceremonial words, but the couple wasn't listening. Their heartbeats had increased remarkably, both of them now even more strongly aware of what was occurring… What moment was to come… "-and having declared same by the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Feeling as if they'd been preparing for this moment their entire lives, Konata gripped Shiro's shoulders, he slid his hands onto her waist, and they shared the single best kiss they ever had in their lifetimes. They were sprinkled with confetti, rice, and flower petals, their ears met with the sounds of chairs being pushed backward, an eruption of cheers and applause, Hagrid's noisy bawling, and Jillian's sniffling muffled by a handkerchief.
After about 10 seconds, Konata and Shiro pulled away, absolute serenity etched onto their expressions. Holding hands tightly, never wanting to release each other, the newlyweds turned to the crowd.
Konata's smile faltered and she felt herself stumble. For a few moments, she had been positive she and Shiro were the only people in the world… To realize that so many people had their eyes on the both of them the entire time made her gulp as well as tighten her grip on Shiro's arm. The ground seemed abruptly steep. "If I fall, you're coming down with me," she muttered.
"Every time," Shiro assured her gently.
That brief moment of uncertainty evaporated shortly afterward. It proved to be a mild August afternoon, resulting in the perfect weather for an outdoor wedding. Music began spontaneously- the first song was slow and romantic, so everyone cleared the dance floor in order for Konata and Shiro to share their first dance as husband and wife. Once the song ended, another heartfelt one came on, this one meant for Konata and Will to dance. Mr. Verdent kept glancing away from his adopted daughter; not in embarrassment, Konata realized with a laugh, but because he didn't want her to see him shed tears. When the music came to a close, Will hastily kissed Konata on the forehead before shuffling away while wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his tuxedo.
Under normal circumstances, the next dance would have been designated to Shiro and his mother. Obviously, though, Sandra could not be present, so Shiro instead dragged Sakura to her feet and shared a dorky yet sweet dance with her. When she retreated red-faced to Colin, the music got peppier and everyone else piled onto the dance floor. Konata picked up Raito, Shiro Raye, and they partied around joyously, Blaze and Draco slow dancing with surprising animation and Scorpius held carefully between them. Everyone was soon having the time of their lives… Well, almost everyone.
"Hey, Caitlyn, how're you- Oh, I'm Michael Corner, by the way," Michael was saying, taking a seat beside Caitlyn Lumbach. Catherin had offered that she come dance with her and Satoshi, but her sister denied and remained seated. This was a decision she didn't regret: the way her twin was dancing with her boyfriend would have only been seen in movies rated PG-13. Anyway, Michael's presence made her jump slightly, for she had been having bitter-sweet images of this being her and Fred's wedding. Perhaps it was for the best she was snapped out of said daydream, though… Fred was gone, and even if she was expecting his baby, it would be for the better to move on and allow her heart to mend. She offered an uncharacteristically timid smile.
"I know who you are, you were a Ravenclaw too… Shiro's old roommate, right?"
Michael returned her smile, although his was quite a deal brighter. "Yes, that would be me. You uh… look kinda bored." He motioned around them with his hand. "This is a party, you should, y'know, party!" The dark haired boy stood up, extending his hand and nodding at the dance floor. "Come on, you deserve to enjoy yourself."
"I- er, I can't… Don't wanna give the baby brain damage or anything…" Caitlyn briefly reflected back on a time when she would have eagerly accepted a proposal of partying- heck, she would have been the one offering it. Then again, that was also during a time when her biggest worry was whether or not Snape would catch her and Fred dropping dung bombs in his classroom.
"Don't worry, you don't have to jump around or anything… You can just twirl your finger if it humors you, as long as you-"
"Alright, alright, why not," Caitlyn chuckled, getting to her feet. With a poorly hidden look of success, Michael took both of the blonde's hands and backed toward the other guests. They gently revolved in a circle, lifting each other's arms up and down. Caitlyn let out a giggle that quickly transitioned into a laugh. "We look like such idiots… This is great."
Michael also chuckled happily. "Oh, definitely."
Meanwhile, the twins needed feeding, so while Konata swept off to tend to that, Shiro accepted congratulations and compliments, as well as chatted with the guests. That is, until a fleck of movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He almost choked on air as he took note of a silver wolf standing perfectly in sight off to the side. Apparently, though, nobody else had caught sight of the huge creature… "Ah excuse me for just a moment," he murmured to Luna, who was discussing a "friend" who claimed they spotted nargles at their wedding. He strode after the Patronus, hoping to get it alone before anyone noticed his absence.
Once they were far enough off, the wolf transformed into the apparition of Shotaro Ueda. Certainly in his life, he had only looked as proud as he currently did when his kids were born… "They're beautiful," he murmured. Shiro chuckled somewhat nervously.
"Pretty vague, don't you think?"
Shotaro made to ruffle Shiro's hair, but instead supplied his son with a chilly sort of headache. "I mean Konata and your kids, dummy. I bet you're so happy- well of course you are." He stared around, floating casually backwards. "I admire your choice of location, really honors your daddy's heritage…" A sad smile appeared on his face, and he turned toward Shiro. "Your mother would be so proud… I'll bet she'd be sobbing her heart out right now, the wimp. …I'll be able to confirm that soon…"
"What do you, mean?" Shiro asked slowly. Shotaro's stare faced skyward.
"You wouldn't fully understand this until your time comes, but… A light started showing itself to me. Guess they gave me a second chance… I came to say good-bye," the ghost explained. "I already spoke to Sakura and Satoshi," he added.
Shiro felt a strange combination of relieved and agonized. "So I won't ever see you again…?" he verified childishly.
"Right… But it's for the best, buddy. Besides, now you've got a whole bunch of people watching over you…" A grin warmer than one would expect a ghost could muster appeared on Shotaro's translucent face, and his form gradually vanished into thin air. Shiro's mouth fell partially open, and he felt a tear roll down his cheek, yet he found himself smiling softly.
Quickly drying his eyes, he returned to everyone to see a sight he never imagined he'd behold. Will had Raye hoisted shortly above him, grinning and crooning the words "That's my lovely little granddaughter." He had given Konata and Shiro his blessing much less grudgingly than expected… If that wasn't surprising enough, he had even given Shiro a hug before the wedding, and smiled at him. How could he be the same man that never wanted to be a father, and desired to drive a bullet through Shiro's head the first time he laid eyes on him?
Shiro's gaze drifted to Konata: his new wife. Would he even bother to get into all the changes she had gone through? No; so he turned instead to Draco, who was getting drinks for himself and Blaze. All their lives, Draco and Shiro had the most confusing, uncertain friendship you could think of. Yet deep, deep down, Draco had a conscience, and a side of him that would do anything for the ones he knew he cared about. Now, that side wasn't so deep. Anyone could see that by the way he held Scorpius and kissed Blaze…
Blaze hadn't remained the same either. She had once been a frail little girl with a strong fear of her father; a strong fear of life itself, which she covered up with a mask of bravery. Apparently she had worn that mask long enough that its courage actually became one of her traits… She was perhaps the most worthy Gryffindor Shiro knew. How appropriate it was for her to be holding Scorpius, for rather she knew it or not she had been the motherly type of person for a long time.
Analyzing Blaze led Shiro to be reminded of her first love: Satoshi. He had altered as much on the inside as he had on the outside. Yes, he was still the loud "cool" kid he had always been, yet there was a great level of maturity he had taken on. The boy who previously concerned himself with nothing but pranking, flirting, being popular, and snogging had become a man who practically took up raising his younger siblings whom he would give his life for, found a woman that he loved more than life itself, and had transferred his passion for Quidditch into a career he could pursue to help support his loved ones.
As he thought all this over, Shiro came across an inevitable question: yes, so many people he held dear underwent transformation, but had he himself changed at all? He reflected back on his 11 year old self giving Satoshi lip in Diagon Alley and cursing his parents for designating his elder brother as his chaperone; once Konata caught his eye, and they exchanged loving smiles that held much more meaning than any words ever could, Shiro couldn't believe he even needed to ask.