Chapter 47

Ron picked up one of the place cards that had been laid out with care. It matched the aesthetic of the whole room — the cream flowers wrapping around the wooden posts holding the ceiling up, kept fresh (unknowingly by the Muggle owners) by a charm Hermione had placed on them, the deep purple tablecloths that covered the eight tables for the guests, and even the glowing fairy lights that hung from the ceiling.

Molly Weasley, it had read.

He had picked it up at random, just to look at it, but it seemed fitting that he had chosen his mother's. He still remembered her reaction when she had learned of his and Hermione's relationship, discovering them in an almost uncomfortable situation. She had been furious at them, not because she had found them together, but because they hadn't told her. That they had felt the need to keep their happiness from her due to her own grief.

That had been so long ago now, back when everything with Hermione was new — back when he thought what he felt for her then was all that he could feel for her. But also back when he had just known that one day he'd be where he was now.

Standing in the place where, in less than twenty-four hours, he'd be marrying her. He'd known from the moment she'd first kissed him that she was all he wanted; the sweet taste of her lips, the desperation of it all — a war, people dying. It had been a short moment, but it had been a good moment. A moment where his maybe had turned into a forever.

He loved her so much.

"Hey."

Ron placed the card back on the table and turned. Hermione stood there, looking radiant under the fairy lights. Even with her hair tied back messily, dressed in the plainest clothes she owned, he considered her incredibly beautiful.

"Hey," he said, smiling at her.

They'd spent the afternoon decorating the room for the next day. It was evening now, everyone else had gone home, but they'd decided to stay. Hermione had some last minute things she wanted to do, and Ron just wanted to see her one last time before they spent the night apart.

"Everything in here all set up?"

Ron nodded, an unexpected wave of nerves washing over him. It was the first time in days he'd actually had Hermione alone. In the week leading up to their wedding, there had been people coming in and out of their place to collect things, Floo calls, phone calls, last minute dashes to one place or another that he'd not seen her much. Even at night, when they went to bed, they'd been too exhausted to say anything more than goodnight to one another before starting the next day all over again.

But now… now it sunk in. He was marrying her tomorrow.

"Feeling nervous?" she asked, coming to stand beside him.

"A little," he said.

"Me too."

He stared at her for a moment, trying to search for her nerves. But she was very good at hiding them.

"You look perfectly calm," he said.

She smiled, but said nothing. Instead, she took his hand and gently pulled him towards her.

"I have one last gift before we get married tomorrow," she said. "Come."

"What?" Ron asked, but he allowed her to pull him from the room, leaving behind the flowers and the decorations and entering a smaller room off to the side.

It looked even better than the actual room, but that may have been because it was just for them.

Hermione let go of his hand and turned to face him, smiling. "I thought one last dinner together as engaged would be nice."

She'd gone to a lot of effort. The little fires in jars that he liked decorated the room. Some rested on the floor, others were under the influence of a hovering charm to light up the ceiling. She had spread the floor with blankets and cushions and wine glasses. The only thing missing was… the food.

He returned her smile.

"Sit," she instructed, pushing lightly against his chest. He collapsed onto the pillows, joining him a moment later. The moment her arm brushed against his, sending a very pleasant sensation around his body, all the nerves about marrying her tomorrow vanished. This was Hermione. The girl who had been one of the two best friends he'd ever had, and now the woman that he loved more than life itself. She made everything so easy, so good.

Tomorrow would be the happiest day of his life.

"What's this about?" he asked after a moment when it was clear she wasn't going to say anything.

"Something to show my appreciation for you," Hermione said, her voice a whisper. "Something to say I love you." She took out her wand, waved it, and suddenly a picnic basket of food appeared in front of them. "Courtesy of Ginny," she added.

"Don't bring my sister into this," Ron murmured, leaning towards her. Hermione closed the gap, and it was such a tender kiss with so much love — nothing like he'd ever felt before.

When they pulled apart, they spent a good minute just staring at each other. Ron reached out to stroke her face, trailing his fingers down her cheek and entwining them into her tied up hair. Gently, he tugged at the hair tie until the strands fell loose against her shoulders.

He felt her tremble beneath his touch ever so slightly, and he grinned. He liked having that effect on her.

"I'm so excited to marry you tomorrow," he whispered, bringing his mouth back to hers.

"And I am so very much in love with you," she breathed against him, and Ron paused briefly. She'd never said it like that before — with so much sincerity.

A moment later, he kissed her deeply, and she threw her arms around his neck, drawing him closer to her. She pulled him down onto the blankets and pillows so that they were lying side by side.

He ran his fingers through her hair, playing with the knots that had accumulated throughout the stress of the day. Every so often he kissed her again, until he said what he knew they were both thinking.

"Here?" he said quietly, letting his fingers trail down to her neck.

She nodded, closing her eyes to his touch. "We're alone."

Despite the vague knowledge that they were also in what was usually a public setting, her affirmation was enough to erase all sense from his mind. He wanted her desperately — he always did — but tonight more than ever. Tonight, their last night before they were married… what else were they supposed to do?

Between kisses, Ron whispered in her ear, "If we get caught, I'm blaming you entirely." He could only imagine what would happen if word got around that two Ministry employees — the two best friends of Harry Potter to boot, two people who'd earned their own reputations — were caught having sex in a Muggle pub just outside of London. Harry would find it hilarious, probably, but the people who employed them, or the owners of the pub, probably not so much.

Hermione didn't seem phased, however, only nodding in a dismissive manner. Her hold on him tightened.

Any conscious thought after that disappeared from Ron. It was all just her. Them. Their world.

After, Hermione sighed into him, her head resting on his bare chest.

"We should get dressed," she said.

Ron only held her tighter. "I'm happy just the way we are," he teased. But he knew she was right. Besides, he was starting to feel a bit peckish and he knew they both needed sleep tonight.

Once dressed, they settled against the cushions, Hermione leaning against Ron, and actually did eat something from the basket. Not that Ron was that hungry. But he felt content and so, so happy to have this last evening with Hermione before they would be bombarded by everyone else.

"You know," Ron began, running his fingers absently through her hair while she nibbled on a pumpkin pastie, "maybe we should have just eloped somewhere rather than going through all of this ridiculousness of a wedding."

Hermione smiled. "Maybe," she said. She sounded as calm as Ron now felt.

He didn't know how long they stayed there, he just knew they were enjoying each other's company, drinking wine and eating the food Hermione had prepared. Not a whole lot of talking happened.

It wasn't until Hermione lit her wand to glance up at the clock on the wall that she said, "Maybe we should get some sleep?"

Ron didn't think that he'd get much sleep that night, but he agreed, and they both stood up. With a wave of her wand, the blankets and the pillows all Vanished. Another wave and the little fires extinguished. She picked up the picnic basket and passed it to Ron. "That's Harry and Ginny's. Can you give it back to them?"

Ron nodded, accepting it, but put it straight back on the ground so that he could grab her face with both hands. He kissed her hard, savouring every single moment that she let him linger.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," she replied, leaning up to kiss him again.

"Next time I see you, we'll basically be married. You'll be my wife."

"And you'll be my husband," she said, grinning.

Ron returned it and then reluctantly dropped his hands from around her face. "Tonight was great, but tomorrow will be even better. I can't wait to tell the world just how much I love you."

Hermione kissed him one last time.

Ron picked up the basket and Disapparated to Harry and Ginny's place in Holyhead.

They'd moved into a conventional wizarding home on the outskirts of town. It reminded Ron slightly of the Burrow, except it only had two stories and wasn't as crooked as his childhood home was. The Burrow was a home his parents had built from scratch. Harry and Ginny's was one they'd found, liked and moved into.

It was completely dark when he knocked on the door — thinking it the polite thing to do — and a moment later, Ginny opened it.

She beamed and beckoned him inside.

"The place all set up?" she asked, following him down a narrow hall and into the back of the house where the kitchen and living space combined.

"It looks amazing," Ron said. "You guys did a really great job decorating it."

"It took far longer than necessary," Ginny said. "The owners kept hovering, meaning we had to do it all by hand."

"It's perfect," Ron said, smiling at her. "Where's Harry?"

"Right here, mate." Harry appeared from the hall. "How are you feeling?"

"Better after spending tonight with her," Ron said. He looked down at the basket still in his hand. "Thanks for this, by the way."

"Our pleasure," Ginny said. "Our last gift to you guys. How was it?" She opened the basket and peered inside. "Really good, I can see. You barely touched it."

"We got distracted," Ron said. He looked to Harry, who shook his head. It was hard to tell whether he was amused or disgusted. "But it was the thought that counted, right?"

"Well, I should head over to yours and see if Hermione is all right." She turned to Ron, smiling. "See you tomorrow. Good luck."

"Thanks!" Ron said. His nerves still hadn't returned, his evening with Hermione still fresh in his mind and keeping them at bay.

He was marrying her tomorrow.

Ron couldn't remember the last time he and Harry had had some time with just the two of them outside of work, and Ron momentarily felt like a really bad friend. Since the new year, everything had gone into wedding mode — every conversation, every moment spent with someone. And if it wasn't wedding talk, it was talk about work with Harry.

What had happened to the days where just the two of them would sit by the Gryffindor common room fireplace after Hermione had turned in for the night, and they'd discuss things like Quidditch? Or complain about the amount of homework they had?

"You really feeling okay?" Harry asked.

"I am," Ron said with a nod. "I wasn't, but then I was with her, and I feel pretty calm. I mean, how much different is tomorrow going to be than every other day? It's just… official."

Harry smiled and chuckled softly. "It's different," he said. "Well, maybe not as much to you. You already act like an old married couple most of the time." He grinned.

"Thanks for being there for us tomorrow," Ron said.

"Where else would I be on the day my two best friends get married?" Harry asked. "It's a joyous occasion. I may not show my appreciation all the time — especially when you seem incapable of keeping your hands off each other in public spaces — but I'm thrilled for both of you. Truly, I am."

Ron nodded and smiled, suddenly feeling incredibly grateful to have Harry in his life. The fact that Ron had grown up knowing who Harry was his whole life, somewhat as a legend, it still sometimes felt a little strange to know that that boy he'd heard stories about not only wanted to be friends with him but was also now officially part of his family.

Harry seemed to be thinking along the same lines, for he added, "After tomorrow, the three of us will officially all be family. I mean, it's always felt like that, but… for real."

"I never thought of that," Ron said. But Harry was right. They would all be part of the same family — his family.

"Our children will be cousins. Hopefully the best of friends, too."

At that, Ron smiled. "Let's just get through tomorrow first. Sorry, mate, if you wanted to stay up… I'm just feeling…"

"Nervous?" Harry suggested.

"No… excited."

"No nerves?" Harry asked. "I won't have to yell at you to stay calm?"

"Not tonight," Ron assured Harry. "But things might change tomorrow."

Harry laughed. "All right. Well let me know if you need anything. You know where everything is."

"Thanks, Harry." Ron made his way back down the hall and to the stairs that would lead up to the next level. Harry and Ginny's house was a little larger than his and Hermione's. It had four bedrooms instead of three, and they'd turned the one at the end into a guest room.

Ron would be spending the night in that one… alone. Until he opened the door and saw the large bed, it never really hit him. He'd not slept in a bed on his own since the time Hermione had completed her seventh year at Hogwarts. They'd been together every night apart from a few since and that had been years ago now.

Ron didn't know if it was romantic or pathetic, but he liked to think that it was the former.

It would be strange being in a bed so big without her beside him.

And as that thought entered his mind, he chuckled to himself. No, it was definitely pathetic, but he didn't care. He'd rather be pathetic and spend every night for the rest of his life with her than any alternative.

He already had his stuff in the room, having dropped it over earlier that day, both his pyjamas for the night and his suit for tomorrow. He'd picked it out in Muggle London two months ago with the help of Harry. They'd gone from shop to shop, searching, until they'd settled on a plain black one.

He'd always seen himself in robes for his wedding, but as they had chosen a Muggle location, he couldn't really wear wizard attire. He'd likely look weird in them.

Not that it really mattered to Ron anyway.

After changing, but before getting into bed, he unzipped the bag that contained the suit and looked at it.

There was something about seeing it that triggered his nerves. It hit him suddenly, forcefully, that he quickly zipped the bag back up and climbed into bed.

He was getting married tomorrow. Tonight had been fun, but now he was here, not in his bed, Hermione not with him, and the clothes he would be wearing tomorrow hanging up and staring down at him, reminding him of what the next twenty-four hours were going to hold.

He heard Harry come to bed a little while later, his footsteps echoing throughout the quiet house. Harry would probably be sound asleep soon, the knowledge of his wedding being over helping him get a good night's rest.

But Ron was wide awake, his mind suddenly filled with so many what ifs.

What if Hermione woke up sick tomorrow? What if the person marrying them could no longer make it? What if the place they were getting married had a fire overnight and everything was ruined? What if he forgot all the things he planned to say to Hermione? What if his mind completely blanked when it was supposed to be telling her how much she meant to him?

Come to think of it, he couldn't remember any of the things he'd rehearsed in his mind every night for the past month. Hermione had encouraged him to write it all down, but to him, that seemed like cheating. He wanted to be able to speak from his heart and mean it, not read it off a piece of parchment.

But now, all the words, all the details he had known last night, weren't coming to him.

He rolled over, kicking off the blankets despite the room being relatively cool.

He was going to say something about how much he loved her, of course. And how much she meant to him, and… well… he couldn't think of anything else.

He rolled over again, pulling the blankets back up.

The whole wedding would be ruined because he'd been too stubborn to write the damn words down. He'd been too confident in himself to ever think that one day he'd just forget every word that came so easily to him every other day.

He got out of bed and padded over to the only other thing in the room — some drawers. He opened them, searching for a quill and parchment. Maybe he'd write down what he could remember, and the rest would come to him.

But Harry and Ginny couldn't even be bothered to place writing material in their stupid guest room.

The door opened, and Harry, also dressed in his pyjamas, stood there watching Ron.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Those nerves come back, huh?"

"I can't remember what I was supposed to say to Hermione. You know… those vow things we were supposed to do," Ron said.

"Well, they're not in the drawer," Harry said.

Ron didn't appreciate his friend's tone and ignored it.

"Did you write them down?" Harry asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I thought I'd…" He collapsed onto the bed, burying his face in his hands. "I'm going to look like the biggest idiot tomorrow when I don't have anything to say to the person I'm supposed to be marrying."

Harry came over to sit next to him. "Firstly, you're not going to look like an idiot. And secondly, you only can't remember it because you're panicking. You need a good night's rest, and I'm sure in the morning your head will be clearer and you'll know what you're saying."

"And if I don't?" Ron asked.

"Then you'll know it the moment you see her."

Ron turned to Harry, his thumping heart slowing ever so slightly. Harry was probably right. He always knew what to say when Hermione was around, because his heart did the talking. Whatever panic he felt now and would feel tomorrow, he knew that the moment he saw her, the moment they were together again, it would feel right.

"You alright?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded. "I think I'm just beginning to feel what you were feeling on your wedding day."

"Terrifying, isn't it?" Harry said.

"Yeah."

"But trust me when I say it's all worth it in the end. Just try to think of the outcome and not all of the what ifs. Those are bad, but the rest is good."

Ron nodded again, his heart slowing even more. He wondered what Hermione and Ginny were doing and whether Hermione was panicking like he was. She was naturally more of a panicker than he was, but she'd seemed so calm throughout all of the wedding stuff.

"Need some company?" Harry asked after a moment.

"No," Ron said. "I'm good now. Thanks. Night."

Harry got off the bed and headed for the door. He turned back to face Ron. "Everything will be fine tomorrow, I swear. It'll be a beautiful wedding, and the two of you will be so happy come the evening."

He left, leaving Ron alone again. Ron got back under the covers and closed his eyes. His heart may have stopped trying to jump out of his throat, but his mind was still working over time.

He sighed and rolled onto his side. This was going to be the longest night of his life.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's one of my favourites. Chapter 48 is their big day :D I also like that one lol.

Thank you everyone for your kind reviews and continued investment in this story! I really appreciate it!