Posted on: 05/07/2015 at 03:24 GMT/UTC/Zulu.
AN: Please don't kill me. I have plenty of valid excuses. I will tell you if you put the torches and pitchforks down. Please?! No...okay. *Runs away calling over shoulder "Enjoy the chapter."*
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In all seriousness I am really sorry about the sudden, unexpected, and absurdly long hiatus. I had writer's block then my depression got much worse, then it got the stage where it felt like never mind the brown stuff, life has hit the fan, and I forgot all about writing. Life is getting back to normal now that my depression is more under control again. Anyway I'm writing again and I'm going back to my previous posting schedule. This fic is once again entered in The Long Haul Competition. This time it's Long Haul V. (I had an extension for this chapter). Thanks for coming back if you're an old fan of this story and welcome aboard if you're new. :)
Next chapter will be up on or by 10/07/2014.
The Marriage Curse
'Til Death Do Us Part
Part I
They left Dumbledore's office feeling subdued and quietly made their way back to Gryffindor tower. Ginny and the rest of Dumbledore's Army were there waiting for them.
"What happened?" Dean asked.
"We were sold out by Marietta Edgecombe." Harry said.
There were some angry mutters.
"Then what?" Ginny asked.
"Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that it was his idea based on our name." Harry said. "He hexed the Aurors and got away."
A clamour of voices all broke out at once demanding to know what was going on and why there had been Aurors.
"Let him explain." Ron shouted over the noise.
They all shut up and looked expectantly at Harry.
"Fudge was paranoid that Dumbledore was building an army to overthrow the Ministry so when Marietta sold us out to Umbridge she must have told Fudge so he came to question us and then arrest Dumbledore. Dumbledore said that he could have escaped Azkaban but that he had better things to do with his time so he wasn't going to go with them. He blew up half the office with a hex and then Fawkes took him away." Harry explained.
There was an awed silence before somebody laughed and then everyone was laughing.
Hermione felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Things were going to work out alright although she wasn't looking forward to an Umbridge controlled school.
When the laughter stopped Fred stood up.
"Well then. Time to party. Shame it couldn't be in the room but we'll make do." He said.
"I'll get the butterbeer." George said.
"I'll get the food. Good thing I got it ready earlier I wouldn't want to be caught out of the tower right now." Fred said.
The twins disappeared upstairs.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked.
"We're getting married on Saturday." Ginny said. "Don't muggles have pre-wedding parties with their friends to celebrate the end of being single?"
"Yes but men and women tend to have separate parties." Hermione said; not mentioning that most muggles saw it as mourning their single days.
"Weird." Luna said. "Why celebrate separately?"
Hermione was spared trying to explain by Ron.
"When did you get here?" Ron asked perplexed.
"I came back with Ginny because I didn't want to get caught on my own. We're going to top and tail tonight." Luna said.
"Top and tail?" Ron asked.
"I'm going to sleep one end of the bed Luna will sleep the other end." Ginny said.
"Oh that makes more sense." Ron said.
"What did you think I meant?" Luna asked.
"It sounded like something you'd do to a fish before cooking it." Ron said.
Hermione laughed. "Honestly Ron!"
The party involved most of Gryffindor tower once they had been told what Fred and George were planning, been invited, and the purebloods and half-bloods had explained it to the muggleborns. Fred and George had to use transfiguration to increase the amount of food and butterbeer but neither minded. People helped each other transfigured their clothing into dress robes and do their hair, others transfigured and charmed decorations and within half an hour Gryffindor house looked like they were going to the Yule ball again.
There was a lot of dancing involved, meaning the sofa's and chairs had to be banished to the edges of the room, and the tower obligingly expanded so there was room. According to tradition nobody danced with the same partner twice and Hermione felt like she had danced with half the male population of Gryffindor before Professor McGonagall arrived. She and Neville halted mid-song as Professor McGonagall's magically enhanced voice sounded over the noise.
"What on earth is going on?"
The dancing stopped and the tower fell silent as everyone turned to face her. She too was wearing dress robes and had a beverage in one hand. She looked slightly annoyed at having had her evening interrupted.
"We're getting married on Saturday; a party is traditional." Fred said.
"And since we couldn't hold it in the venue we'd originally planned to hold it in we decided to have it here and invite the whole house." George finished.
"Care to join us?" Fred asked tentatively.
To their surprise Professor McGonagall laughed.
"I wouldn't want to spoil the atmosphere. I will come back at midnight to make sure you all go to bed. Carry on." She said.
The party resumed before the portrait had swung back into place behind her. Hermione danced for three more songs and then sat down with a butterbeer and pumpkin pasty. She felt flushed and hot and her feet were aching but she was happy.
She watched Luna dance with Seamus and Ginny came to sit beside her.
"Good party isn't it." She said as she sat down.
"Yes it is." Hermione smiled.
"Will you dance with me next? I've already danced with all the boys." Ginny said.
"Already!?" Hermione said.
"Yep." Ginny said. "I've been dancing most of the time rather than talking."
She stuck her tongue out at Hermione.
"Alright. Just let me finish my food and catch my breath first." Hermione said grinning back.
They sat quietly for a while as Hermione ate and finished her butterbeer.
Then they danced. Dancing with Ginny was good fun because she made up all her own moves, making it a challenge to keep up with her and she noticed others incorporation Ginny's new moves into their dancing as well.
Fred cut in at the end of the song and Hermione spent the rest of the evening dancing until Professor McGonagall came back and ordered them all to bed. They went with good natured grumbling. Hermione was exhausted.
Friday flew by as though time had grown wings and Hermione woke up on Saturday morning feeling content. It was the first day of the Easter holidays. She almost turned over and went back to sleep until a thought struck her and woke her up completely.
I'm getting married today. Hermione thought. Nerves made her stomach clench as she got out of bed. What if I stumble over my vows? Or trip walking down the aisle? She wondered.
Stop it Hermione. She told herself. There's no point worrying now. She decided to get dressed and go and wake Ginny.
Ginny sprang out of bed like Hermione had jabbed her with a cattle prod. She rushed to get dressed and then insisted that they went to get Luna.
Luna was already up and coming to meet them. They met on the fourth floor and went down to breakfast together. At breakfast they all received a note with their meal telling them to go to Professor McGonagall's office after eating.
It was early and very few of the people staying for the holidays were up. Those going home were leaving the hall and walking down to the carriages. Hermione and Ginny could hardly eat but Luna ate normally. When they'd eaten they went to Professor McGonagall's office, she had left a jar of floo powder on her desk and a note telling them to floo to the Manor.
When they got to the manor Narcissa and Professor McGonagall were waiting for them already in their dress robes. They both looked perfectly calm which was more than Hermione could say for herself. Her stomach was turning over and she had bats rather than butterflies trying to escape it.
"Good morning." Luna said serenely. "I think these two need a calming draught."
Narcissa chuckled. "We have a bottle waiting for them. Are you alright Luna?" She asked.
"Yes. I thought I'd be nervous but I'm not." She smiled.
Lucky Luna I'm glad she's going first. Hermione thought as they walked up to Narcissa's room.
Once she'd been given a calming draught and was sitting on the end of the bed, watching them do Luna's make up at the vanity, while Ginny did her hair, she felt better.
"Done. My turn." Ginny said.
Doing Ginny's hair was easier than doing hers. It didn't require any charms for a start.
Just as she was finishing she heard a knock on the door. She hurried over to open it.
Ron was standing there in his silver dress robes looking at his feet and holding a bouquet of ever blooming ice blue roses.
"Is it safe to look?" He asked.
"Yes we're all dressed. Come in." Hermione said amused.
Ron looked up and his jaw dropped.
"Wow Hermione. You look...Wow." He said.
"Thanks Ron. You look good too." Hermione smiled. "Are those for Luna?" She asked.
"Wha- oh! Yes. Sirius couldn't bring them because he can't see Luna till the ceremony." Ron said handing her the flowers.
Then he saw Ginny.
"You look amazing too." He said.
"Looking dapper yourself little brother." Ginny said.
"Thanks I should go. George is really nervous despite the calming draught." Ron said.
"It'll kick in; give it time. I was so nervous I thought I was going to be sick earlier." Hermione said.
"Yeah." Ron said.
He left and Hermione did Ginny's make up and while Ginny was finishing hers Minerva and Narcissa pronounced Luna done.
Luna looked amazing and the flowers were the final touch going perfectly with her dress.
"Let's go get you married." Ginny smiled.
Since no-one wanted to give the Manor's secret away to a lot of people, Professor Dumbledore had booked the Ministry's ballroom and had it converted for the wedding with hundreds of seats on the ballroom floor. They took a portkey to the Ministry Atrium and were escorted to one of the ballroom's antechambers by Aurors. There were more standing guard outside. Hermione felt relieved.
When they got down there they found Astoria and Daphne and their bridesmaids walking nervously up and down outside the rear entrance. They all looked amazing too with Astoria in a deep green and Daphne in royal blue with her bridesmaids in gold. Astoria's bridesmaids also wore silver causing her to glare at Luna who remained unperturbed. Hermione didn't recognise any of Astoria's bridesmaids but she supposed they must be younger Slytherins. She recognised Tracy Davis and Susan Bones as Daphne's bridesmaids though. She was surprised to see the Hufflepuff but didn't say anything as they smiled at each other.
Hermione heard doors open and the shuffling of feet and the babbling of the crowd as people entered the ballroom through the side doors. They were joined a couple of minutes later by the page boys, Daphne and Astoria's father and Xenophilius Lovegood. Harry went straight over to Ginny and Ron joined her. Two Slytherins joined Astoria's bridesmaids and Terry Boot and another Ravenclaw whose name Hermione couldn't remember joined Tracy and Susan respectively. The pages robes matched the bridesmaid's. Daphne and Astoria's father wore turquoise. Xenophilius wore bright yellow.
Xenophilius burst into tears at seeing Luna. He hugged her gently so as not to crush her dress.
"You look so beautiful; your mother would be so proud." He sniffled.
Luna teared up at that.
"Hey no crying, you'll spoil your make-up." Ginny scolded with a smile.
Luna blinked her tears back. Xenophilius pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his tears away.
"Quite right. No crying at my daughter's wedding." He said.
Minerva came out at that moment and told them to get ready. Everyone fell quite as she moved them all into position.
Luna took Xenophilius' arm and moved over to the right. Daphne's father stood between his girls, with one on each arm, Daphne in the middle of the group. The bridesmaids picked up the bride's trains and took the arm of their respective page boys.
Minerva looked them all and smiled.
"Everyone ready?" She asked.
They all nodded.
"Good. When the doors open that's your cue." Minerva said and went back inside.
A moment later the doors opened wide as the wedding march began to play. The ballroom was packed with people who had all turned to face them. Hermione smiled at George, Fred, Sirius and Remus as they walked down aisle. People were whispering to each other about the beauty of the brides. The grooms looked a bit nervous while their best men grinned.
When they reached the front they stopped, the best men handed over the rings and sat down and they all waited for the Ministry official to speak.
"Welcome friends and family of the brides and bridegrooms. We are gathered together here today to witness the marriages of these men and women." He said to the room at large.
Then he turned to the brides and their entourages.
"Who gives these women to be married to these men?" He asked.
Xenophilius stepped forward with Luna first. "I, Xenophilius, Luna's father, give my daughter to be married to this man." He said as he placed Luna's hand in Sirius' and went to sit sit down.
"I, Arcturus, Daphne and Astoria's father, give my daughter Daphne to be married to this man and my daughter Astoria to be married to this man." He gave Daphne's hand to George and Astoria's hand to Draco before going to sit with his wife.
The bridesmaids put their brides trains down, gave them the rings to hold in their free hand and took their bouquets before sitting in the first row.
The ministry official turned to the couples and spoke.
"Do you Draco, take Astoria, and you George, take Daphne, and you Sirius take Luna, to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forwards, for better, for worse, in sickness, and in health, for richer, for poorer, 'til death do you part?"
"I do." The three men proclaimed in unison.
"You may give your rings." The ministry official said.
"With this ring I thee wed." Each of them said together as they placed their rings on the brides left hands.
Then the ministry official spoke again.
"Do you Astoria, take Draco, and you Daphne, take George, and you Luna take Sirius, to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forwards, for better, for worse, in sickness, and in health, for richer, for poorer, 'til death do you part?"
"I do." The three brides said together.
Then they slid their rings onto their grooms hands. "With this ring I thee wed."
"I proclaim Draco and Astoria, George and Daphne and Sirius and Luna to be man and wife. You may kiss your bride." The ministry official announced.
The couples kissed and everyone cheered. Confetti was thrown and people came forward to congratulate the newly weds.
Please review. Constructive crit is welcomed. Flames will be used in Potions lessons to heat cauldrons.
I was going to include the other weddings in this chapter but that seemed a natural place to end it. Please don't kill me! The other six weddings will be next chapter. They're marrying their betrothed about six weeks apart so they have time to get used to being married to the first person first.