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Author: Bellendora Story: Cor Leonis Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-DH Status: WIP Warning: None Reviews: 11 Words: 12,146
Same disclaimer applies. Please see Chapter Three for more details.
Wedding guests began to arrive at the Burrow at just after seven that evening. Hermione had done a splendid job on the gardens, creating a large and beautiful scene for the wedding, full of roses of yellow, pink, white and red. When Harry had first seen what his friend had done, he thought immediately of the rose gardens outside the Yule Ball in their fourth year. He told Hermione this and she blushed and admitted that had been her inspiration. Harry and Ron were entrusted the job of ushering guests to their seats, taking any gifts to the gift table, and making sure everyone was comfortable. Fred and George were initially slated to perform said task, but the decision was made by Bill and Mrs. Weasley to have Ron and Harry do it; much safer that way. Harry had been a bit uneasy at first about conversing with the extended Weasley family, but after Ron's Great-Aunt Muriel told him he looked like Harry Potter, but older, he got over it. Hermione had done a decent job of covering up his scar with his hair, even using hair spray, which made Ron gag, cough and swear about Muggle poisons. Harry was wearing a new set of dress robes in black, with fine gold-stitched details along the edges; with his scar mostly hidden, he decided he didn't look much like himself. Ron was wearing dress robes as well; the same ones Fred and George had bought for him two years prior, and between them, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had been able to fit them to his ever-growing limbs. Ron's robes were a modest black, lined with scarlet, and had scarlet satin accenting the edges. The chairs that were lined up facing the altar were soon filled with family members and guests, and Harry realized that the Delacours were the French equivalent of the Weasleys: there was an equal number of silvery blond heads on the left of the aisle as there were red ones on the right. Harry and Ron took their seats on either side of Hermione, who Harry had to escort to her seat because Ron had been too awestruck to move. Hermione, in Harry's opinion, looked absolutely beautiful, and it was one of those rare moments when Harry fully realized that Hermione was indeed a girl. Having rarely seen Hermione in anything other than her school robes, or the occasional Muggle outfit, it was always a treat to see her get excited about dressing up. Her hair was done up, with a fountain of curls falling down her back, and there was gold specks in her hair. Harry suspected it was some sort of glitter. Her dress robes were sleeveless, and strapless, and were black with large gold flowers embroidered across the fabric. They clung to Hermione in places Harry hadn't exactly been aware that Hermione had possessed, and wasn't sure he needed to know about them. The fabric stopped gracefully at her ankles, ending with some ruffled fabric that Harry didn't know the name of. Though, for Harry, it was a bit absurd to think of Hermione in ruffles. A soft music was playing from the string quartet as everyone settled down in their seats, and a warm breeze gently danced around the wedding guests. It was a comfortable evening in early August, and Harry was grateful for a moment with nothing to worry or think about. That moment ended as soon as Ginny Weasley stepped out of the house and onto the soft fabric runner leading from the doorway of the Burrow to the altar. The moment she appeared, Harry's breath caught in his throat and for a moment he thought his heart stopped. He had never seen Ginny look more beautiful, or stunning, than she did now. If he thought that Hermione had been transformed from the way he normally saw her, it was nothing compared to Ginny. And if Harry had thought that Hermione had parts that he didn't need to know about, it was even more important now that Harry not know about the parts that Ginny possessed. In fact he was finding it difficult to think about anything else. Ginny looked gorgeous in her bridesmaid’s dress of pale yellow, a color Ginny had described as "butter”, though she had said it with disgust. At first glance, Harry had thought her gown was strapless as well, but as she came closer to him, he could see tiny straps holding the glorious garment up. It fitted Ginny's frame perfectly, and the hem was gathered up on each side with a bow, revealing a layer of puffy, scratchy-looking fabric beneath. Harry had never seen Ginny look so unlike herself and yet look exactly like he remembered her looking all at the same time. He was confused, he was bewildered, he was entranced: he was hooked. Ginny smiled and winked at him as she passed, and he did nothing, realizing moments later that he had been staring at her in shock, his mouth slightly ajar. He quickly stood as everyone else got to their feet. The string quartet in the corner began playing a song Harry recognized and associated with weddings, and Fleur appeared at the doorway. Fleur looked fantastic, but, Harry decided, that was how she always looked. She wore a strapless white bridal gown, with large intricate embroidery in pinks, blues and yellows across the front of the gown, and along the hem. She had a very long train; Harry was sure that part of her dress was going to be in the aisle while she stood at the altar. But Ginny and Gabrielle (who Harry hadn't even noticed was present until now) came to the rescue and moved the bride's train to lie delicately alongside Fleur's feet. Since this was Harry's first wedding, Muggle or Wizard, ever, he didn't really know what to expect. Whoever was leading the ceremony (the priest maybe? Harry wasn't sure, as the wizard didn't look very religious) talked on and on about love and dedication and commitment and other powerful magic, and Harry felt his attention start to drift from what the old wizard was saying and onto Ginny. Eventually, the bride and groom cast a spell while they said their vows, the golden sparks flowing from their wands encircling them before settling on their skin. The old wizard did something with his wand and three small white doves appeared out of thin air and flew away. Everyone clapped at that; Harry was a bit late in applauding because he had been Ginny-watching. Hermione nudged him and shot him an urgent look. He smiled apologetically and clapped his hands together with everyone else. Then Fleur and Bill kissed each other, and as they made their way down the aisle, everyone raised their wands and soft golden sparks rained down upon the newlyweds. "Harry, did you pay attention at all?" Hermione asked as the wedding party made its way down the aisle behind Fleur and Bill. "Yes, of course I did, Hermione," Harry said. "To the wedding?" she asked. "I..." But Harry stopped talking, because again Ginny was passing them, her arm linked over the arm of a tall blond-haired boy who must have stood by the groom's side, as he was wearing similar robes to Bill’s. The long dormant beast roared to life in Harry's chest and his eyes narrowed in dislike. He glared at the back of the young man’s head, not liking the confident way he carried himself, or the way his eyes danced up and down Ginny’s body, or how close he was walking next to her. "That's Donovan," Hermione said, seeing what had changed Harry's demeanor. “He’s Fleur's younger brother. He's between Fleur and Gabrielle. He's in his last year at Beauxbatons this year." “Was he Bill’s groomsman?" Harry asked as they waited for their turn to leave their seats. "Its wizarding tradition," Ron piped in. "The bride has her own sister and her groom's sister as bridesmaids, and the groom has his own brother and his bride's brother as best man and groomsman." "So what if someone doesn't have any siblings?" Harry asked. "Like Hermione and me, for instance." "You find someone you feel is close enough to be a sister or a brother," Ron replied. "It can be a friend or something, I suppose." "How do you know about wizarding weddings?" Hermione asked, careful not to trip as they followed the progression of people towards the tables at the other end of the garden. "Uh, Hermione, I was raised as a wizard," Ron replied, chuckling. "Do you know stuff about Muggle weddings?" "Well, of course, but --" "Well then, there you go." Harry snickered at their banter and Hermione looked like she was trying to find something to say to that, but instead she gave up and linked her arm around Ron's and they walked towards their table. They sat down, but before long Ron was pulled away to the receiving line. Mrs. Weasley wanted all of Bill's brothers present. "Well, except for Percy," Hermione said as Ron walked away. "What?" Harry asked, tearing his eyes away from Ginny and looking back at Hermione. "Percy didn't come," Hermione replied. "You're kidding!" "Nope." "That git." "Mrs. Weasley was quite upset about it earlier," Hermione continued. "She said that you and I were more like family than he was." This warmed Harry's heart and a thought occurred to him. "Hermione, you know how Ron said that a person's sister is supposed to be bridesmaid at his wedding” "Yeah." "Well," Harry began. "since you are one of my best friends, and I do think of you as a sister, I wanted you to know that whenever I marry, I'd want you to be bridesmaid." "Oh, Harry, do you mean it?" Hermione asked, her eyes filling with tears. "Of course I do," Harry replied. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." Hermione didn't reply, but threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Hermione, I didn't mean to upset you," Harry said, patting her back. "Oh, Harry, you didn't," she replied and pulled away from him, her eyes glistening. "You are just so sweet sometimes. It’d be my honor to be bridesmaid at your wedding, as long as you are best man when I get married." "I will if I'm there," Harry replied. "Harry, don't talk like that," Hermione said, her mood changing instantly. "You are going to win this war and you are going to survive and you are going to live." Harry knew it wasn't the right place or time to have that argument, so he admitted defeat momentarily and simply nodded. "Well, isn't this precious," came a sly voice and Harry looked past Hermione's shoulder to see Mafalda, the Weasleys' cousin. "So nice to see you two cozying up to one another," Mafalda said, wearing strait black dress robes, her hair pulled back behind a headband. "Evening, Mafalda," Hermione said. "How's you summer going?" "Probably better than yours," she replied in a bored voice. "What's got you all upset? Didn’t get that Head Girl badge you've dreamed of?" "It's none of your business, and I assure you I have nothing to worry about regarding the position of Head Girl." "A little full of ourselves, aren't we, Granger?" Mafalda asked. "I heard that they made Pansy Parkinson Head Girl this year. Too bad for you, I suppose." "Well," Harry said, speaking up, "as the Head Boy, I can assure you that ridiculous rumor it just that: ridiculous and a rumor. Is there something that you need, Mafalda? Or did you just want to bring some of your Slytherin cheer our way?" Mafalda sneered in a way that Harry was certain had to be learned as a first year Slytherin. "The end is coming, Potter, and if you're not careful, you'll drown in the tidal wave." "Actually, I'll probably be creating that tidal wave, Mafalda," Harry replied coolly. "And if you want to pass around some gossip, try this: tell your Slytherin chums to stay out of my way this year. I have too much going on, and I really don't have time to deal with their petty problems. And with Snape gone, no one will be able to control your house points. This year is going to be different, whether you Slytherins like it or not." "Enjoying yourself, Malfada?" Ginny asked from the other side of the table. Harry had been so occupied by Mafalda that he hadn't seen Ginny approach. "Having a fine time, cousin dear," Mafalda replied before stalking off towards her table. "Goodness, why did she have to come?" Ginny asked. "Mum says she's family, but if she didn't have red hair, I'd question her parentage." Ginny set her bouquet down on the table and took off her shoes, handing them to Hermione. "Can you reapply that cushioning charm? My wand is in the house." "You should always have your wand with you, Ginny," Harry said. She rolled her eyes as Hermione charmed her satin shoes. "Please, Harry. This wedding has more wards, safeguards and security than the Ministry and Hogwarts combined. Nothing is getting through them, and not even the guests know where they are. They were all given a Portkey that brought them to the outskirts of the wards, where their identity was verified and confirmed, before they were given a slight memory modification so that they would forget being searched. Then they were given a slip of paper from the Burrow's Secret-Keeper, so that they could enter the area. When they leave, their memory will be modified again, removing the whereabouts of the Burrow. And stay clear of all beverages for the night, just stick with the water. The twins spiked all the punch and champagne with something they call Memory Flicker." "Memory Flicker?" Harry asked. "Its one of their Defense products," Hermione said. "It allows the drinker to be fully aware of what is going on around them, but then when they wake up the next morning, they are vaguely aware of what happened, but don’t remember the details. For instance, they will know that they went to Fleur and Bill's wedding, but who else was there, what they ate and what time of day it was will be fuzzy." "Sounds sort of dangerous," Harry replied. "That's why its one of their Defense products," Hermione continued. "Imagine what would happen if this got into the wrong hands. A person could slip it into someone else’s drink and the drinker wouldn't remember what happened after they drank the potion the night before." "Sounds like the date rape drug that Muggles have," Harry said, remembering something he had seen in one of Uncle Vernon's newspapers. "That's where they got the idea," Hermione replied. "Except that this allows you to be fully aware of what you are doing. It doesn't knock you out." "See, Harry, we are all perfectly safe," Ginny said, putting her shoes back on. "Oh, so much better, thank you, Hermione. I don't know what Fleur was thinking when she picked out these shoes. Or this dress." "I think you look nice, Ginny," Hermione said. "Yeah, well," Ginny sighed. "I only have to wear it for dinner, and then dancing and then the cake. The moment Bill and Fleur Apparate out of here, it’s coming off." The only part of Ginny’s rant that Harry caught was the part about her dress coming off, and it was unfortunately the wrong part for him to hear. Images flew into his head, and he felt his face heat up. "You okay, Harry?" Ginny asked. Harry nodded and quickly drank the entire glass of water that had been in front of him. "Well, I'd better get back to the line," Ginny said, still eyeing Harry with concern. "Have fun," Hermione said. "Oh yes," Ginny replied sarcastically. Harry stared at the tablecloth for the next few moments, willing himself not to watch Ginny walk away. "You can look up now, Harry," Hermione said. "She's not in sight anymore." "She's driving me nuts, Hermione," Harry immediately said. "Well, you broke up with her," Hermione replied. "I know, I know," Harry said, and absentmindedly ran his hand through his hair, causing it to stick up on end again. Hermione frowned at his hair. "Oh, sorry Hermione." "I can fix it," she said. "Are you starting to rethink your decision to stop seeing her?" "Regret would be more like it," Harry replied. "I was okay when I was at the Dursleys'. I mean, I thought about her, but she wasn't right in front of me, and she wasn't wearing that dress." "You know she hates that dress," Hermione said, rearranging pieces of his hair. "She looks unbelievable in that dress," Harry replied. "I don't care if she likes it or not." "You should tell her," Hermione said. "That I don't think I should have stopped seeing her? Not likely. At least, not yet." "I actually meant you should tell her that she looks nice in that dress," Hermione said. "But the other thing would be a good idea too. Done." Harry felt his hair, and it seemed to be lying flat again. "Thanks, Hermione," Harry said. "What do you think I should do?" "Have a decent talk with her," Hermione replied. "She's being strong for you, because she thinks that's what you need. She's not going to argue with you about you wanting to keep her out of harm’s way; she respects you enough to stand by your decisions. But that doesn't mean she likes it, or agrees with it. She was very excited when she heard you were coming back to Hogwarts this year." "Was she?" Harry asked. "I don't know how much time I’ll spend at Hogwarts though. I have the staff's permission to come and go as I please, and take anyone in sixth year or above with me." "Speaking of coming and going from Hogwarts," Hermione said. "Any more thoughts about when we’ll be going to Godric's Hollow?" "Ron and I talked about it today, and were planning on filling you in later tonight, or tomorrow.” Harry glanced around at the people nearby and cast a Silencing Charm to give them some privacy. “But I'd like to leave within the next couple of days. I bought a journal in Diagon Alley, and there are some things I need to jot down in there, some things I've learned since the end of term. At some point we need to get everything down, and we need to get hold of Dumbledore's Pensieve. We need to narrow down the list of what we’re looking for." "So that we know exactly what we’re looking for," Hermione said. "That will save us time in the long run." "Well, our long run might be a short run," Harry said. "We don't know how long I can put off confronting Tom. I need to be ready to fight him, and I need to feel more confident about myself when I do. But I also don't want to put it off too long because the longer he's alive, the more people die." "And on top of all this, you're going to have to prepare for your N.E.W.T.'s," Hermione said. “As in actually studying.” Harry chuckled. "Yeah, then there’s that, not to mention homework. I'm going to need your help this year, Hermione." Hermione smiled. "And I'd be happy to give it, as long as it is duly earned." "Does trying to find a way to defeat an evil dark wizard count?" "Yes, as long as you don’t spend every other free moment playing Quidditch," Hermione replied. "I know you're Captain of the Gryffindor team again this year, on top of being Head Boy, and so that means you're going to have to learn to prioritize your duties and organize your time." "I was thinking about starting DA meetings again too," Harry said. "Death Eaters have been in the school, and they are likely to get in again. And I'm supposed to have lessons with different teachers, learning stuff I'll need to survive." "And now you've added the DA and extra lessons on top of all that," Hermione sighed. "Do you have time to do all this?" "I’ll have to," Harry said. "I can't just focus on destroying Tom, because then I've lost my reason to live and survive. And I need to focus on him to a degree, because if I don’t then I can't defeat him. I think winning this war is going to be a matter of achieving equilibrium in my schedule this year. The delicate balance of my life is going to determine whether I can defeat him for good."
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