The next trip to Hogsmeade was filled with a nervous anticipation. Alex, Pansy and Millicent were dragging Ginny off to the Bridal Shoppe to try out the dresses there. Draco had given her his Gringotts account number, with his signet ring.
"That should get you whatever you want. Any fool will recognize it. Oh," Draco's eyes lit up, "Mother says to kiss you and tell you she's happy for us."
Ginny ducked his lips to demand, "Oh did she now?"
Draco growled and pulled her back, "Yes, it was Lucius's philosophy any way Gin. She's…well she's mum. You'll meet her soon."
Ginny let herself be kissed thoroughly, until she was yanked from Draco's arms and dragged off. Alex trailed behind the three, her hair tied up in a horsetail. Eirian was staying behind for flying lessons with Blaise and Harry.
"Oh we're off to see the Witch, the wonderful witch of the Shoppe…" Alex hummed, skipping in a very 'Ozzy' fashion.
-.-
"Well?" Ginny turned to eye the three girls sprawled out on a couch across from the bank of mirrors.
Two thumbs up, one down. Ginny huffed and glared at Pansy. "This is the fifth one you've disagreed on!"
"Well it's not perfect! The neckline is off on the left, and there aren't enough pearls on the bodice." Pansy replied, idly twirling a strand of hair.
Ginny huffed and spun on her heel to change into the next one. Alex grinned at Pansy, "You're doing this to aggravate her, aren't you?"
Pansy looked at her with large doe eyes, "I would never!"
Millicent snorted into her pina coloda, "Oh yes you would…"
Ginny stepped out of the dressing room in the most perfect dress any of them could have wanted. It had a full skirt, and a sweetheart neck. The bodice was beaded with clear crystal and pearls, forming a "v" where it met the skirt. A shear material attached at the thin straps of the shoulders, the drape achieved from the weight of the pearls lining the edges. On Ginny's feet were (can you guess?) crystal shoes, charmed to be comfortable and unbreakable. There was a spun silver tiara on her head, perched among her auburn curls, and the veil that drifted from it seemed fine enough to catch fairies (though this wasn't recommended, as fairies were nasty things by nature.).
Ginny looked at her friends oddly, Alex was grinning like a child, Pansy was clutching her glass tight enough to break it, and Millicent was nodding approvingly. "Well?"
All three girls gave the thumbs up sign and Ginny smiled, happy to have the dress shopping done….well done for HER anyway. Those three….oh but they would pay!
-.-
Five and a half hours later, Ginny was working her way through an ice crème one of the nice sales ladies had provided for her. "Might as well come out girls, standing in there won't get it over with any faster!"
The three girls stepped out from behind the door, Alex slinking out and trying to make a run for the door. Ginny paralyzed her and floated her back. She unfroze her and glared. "And where were you going young miss!"
"Uh…..to get…ice crème?" She replied lamely, shrugging her bare shoulders.
The dresses were by far the best they had tried on (including a horrid taffeta confection that had caused a riot when presented to the bridesmaids.) and flattered each and every one of their figures. Strapless and made of silk the gowns trailed on the floor with patterns of small crystal beads trailed from the right hip and down into the train. It could be made in any color, and the beaded patterns changed to anything she wanted. Ginny smiled and nodded, waving over the relieved seamstress.
"I'll need these three, fitted and with…mmm…" Ginny got a devious smirk on her face, "The blonde needs a beaded raven, the brunette an…mmmm…badger?" Ginny chuckled at the outraged look on her friend's face, "And a snake on the last. I'll send in my other bridesmaid later in the week, she'll need a lion on hers. Thank you very much for your help. We'll be in later in the week."
The three girls (one of whom was an unbecoming shade of red) sighed in relief and ducked into the dressing rooms to change. Alex was teasing Pansy mercilessly about the status of her relationship, hinting at a marriage.
"I've always wanted a sister Pans! Papa will be so happy!" Alex clasped her hands under her chin in a mock innocent expression, "And Nieces! Nephews even!"
Pansy having reached the highest blush she could, glared at Alex as Millicent magicked the dresses back onto their hangers. "And shall we have a double wedding then? After all we wouldn't want you to feel left out!"
Alex smiled sweetly and led the way out of the dressing room.
-.-
After what was later called the Day-of-Hell, Ginny and the girls all trotted down to Rosemerta's intent on a butterbeer. The biting winds of mid-January cut through the cloak Draco had forced on her, and Ginny silently blessed him for dressing her in his (rather large) sweater too. (who knew that Narcissa loved to knit almost as much as Molly Weasley, though she used a very fine stitch and the richest Alpaca she could find.) Ginny smiled and rubbed her face against the high turtle neck inhaling his scent.
"GINEVRA ELIZABETH-MOLLY-ANNE WEASELY MALFOY! PAY ATTENTION!" Alex screeched, waving a hand in front of her face frantically.
Ginny grimaced at hearing her full (For she counted the 'Malfoy' bit as part of her name.) name. "I need to get that changed to just 'Ginevra E.M.A.W. Malfoy…..actually I'm going to drop all of it except…Elizabeth. And in order to appease Mum and Aunt Anne I'll name the first two girls after them." Ginny's face lit up, thinking about all of the wonderful little ferret children she would whelp in the future.
"Ginny!" Alex screamed, throwing herself in front of the dazed girl. Ginny crashed into her, and fell on her butt.
"Owww! What was that for?" Ginny sat in the middle of a snow bank, a low wall behind Alex, "Oh….erm…Thanks Alex."
"You're welcome you silly chit." Millicent and Pansy swept past them and into the bar, Ginny and Alex following close behind, giggling at the oddity of it all.
-.-
Draco, Blaise, Damien and Greg all sat around a table in the Hogshead, cradling a warm cider. They were chatting about something or another when the girls strode through the doors, knocking snow from their hair, and blowing on their hands to get warmth back into them.
Pansy smiled when she saw Damien rise to meet her, she yelped when he pulled her down to sit in his lap.
"So how was the shopping?" He asked innocently, taking a sip of his drink.
"You don't EVEN want to know…" She put her head on his shoulder and sighed, her breath fanning out across his neck.