Disclaimer:I own only the magical wedding ceremony and all things pertaining thereto. Everyone and everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Having seen the list of first-rate authors featured here, I can't help but wonder if I made a mistake signing up. But Heaven and galtxtr encouraged me (as well as an excellent writer pen-named sbys, who SHOULD be on this site instead of me!), so I decided to have a bash.
This story is a departure from my usual fare, which tends to rely on plot over fluff, even in my so-called romances. But this story simply begged to be told. It is my way of nailing down the Harry/Hermione ship once and for all. I wanted to join our favorite couple in such a way that no other wizard could POSSIBLY stand in Harry's place and win through. It's not a work of literary art, merely my own personal beliefs imbued with corporeal substance. I readily concede that it is a scenario that J.K. would never consider. All the more reason, I believed, for me to pour it out onto the "written page," so to speak. Genius she may be, but she's a bloody frustrating one for all that.
As I stated on FanFiction.Net, I have read relatively little in the way of HP fanfiction. With more than a hundred thousand stories floating around on hundreds of sites, it is possible that some part of my story may be an imitation of others' work. If this proves to be the case, it is coincidence and nothing more, and hope the writer or writers in question will forgive my trespass.
This story is 25 chapters long, and was written more than a year ago. It is my policy not to post any story before it is complete, so that I may not inflict my writer's block on any kind enough to read my work. In addition, as I tend to let much of any story write itself, many take unexpected turns, compelling me to go back and change earlier chapters to conform with new developments. Thus, I will never post the first chapter of any story for which the concluding chapter is not already written and the ending nailed down.
Why, then, do I not post stories in their entirety, but space the chapters out, week by week? Simply because I am never fully satisfied with anything I write. By spacing the chapters, I can proofread them one final time so that each may be polished up as may seem appropriate. The block of chapters posted here originally appeared one at a time on FanFiction.Net. My work schedule permitting, and barring the unforeseen, I can tentatively promise weekly updates from here on.
I think that's it. Again, thanks to all who made my presence here possible. I hope I never give you cause to regret your actions. As we all learned in the cemetery in Little Hangleton, portkeys DO work BOTH ways! I hope mine remains a one-way journey.
And now, without further ado: The Joining.
The Muggles saw it only as a bleak hill, topped by gnarled scrub, surrounded by swamps and bogs and DANGER KEEP OUT signs.
The wizarding world saw it as something completely different.
Four individuals approached from opposite sides: pairs consisting of two male and two female.
They walked through a broad, flat expanse of meadow, treading a cobbled path of unguessed age which was worn smooth from the gentle pad of countless thousands of feet.
Each pair was marked by the fact that one was garbed in simple black robes, while the other was clad in robes of purest white, surmounted by a hood of like material which hid the face of the wearer. Also notable, though not significant, was the fact that both of the black-robed Attendants bore a head of flaming red hair.
With slow, unhurried tread the marchers approached a low, smooth dome of brilliant white, gleaming like a flattened moon against the lush, waving grass.
A short distance from the dome, the path declined. Shallow steps appeared, terminating at an archway in which was set a door of pure silver. Devoid of handle or hinge, its pale surface was chased with fine gold in the pattern of runes and symbols that were old when the world was young. These markings orbited a hemispherical depression just above the center, and into this niche was set a single white candle.
Both sets of walkers stopped and stared.
The two males turned to face each other, the one peering out from under his white hood with clear emerald eyes.
The red-head spoke:
"This is it, mate. Last chance."
The other made no reply. He drew his wand from his snowy robes and touched the tip to the candle wick. Without benefit of incantation, a flame appeared. As the two watched, the silver door shimmered like mist on a moor; it became translucent; it was gone.
Only the candle remained, hovering magically in mid-air.
On the other side of the dome, a girl with long, flowing red hair was observing a similar phenomenon with another white-robed figure. She turned to this one with apprehension on her freckle-dusted face.
The face just visible under the white hood was impassive, but the deep brown eyes were resolute. The two exchanged a brief hug before the red-haired girl stepped back and folded her hands, her knuckles showing white. The other strode forward, passing through the arched doorway. The candle moved with her, floating ahead to light her path. No sooner had she stepped across the threshold than the doorway shimmered as with waves of Summer heat. The silver door reappeared, a fresh candle in its concave niche.
The red-haired girl stared at the barrier for a moment, then mounted the low steps to the level surface above.
The red-haired young man was waiting for her. She ran to him, fell into his arms. They hugged briefly, then parted, the girl's eyes moist.
"I didn't think it would be so hard, Ron. I thought I could let go, but..."
The young man nodded.
"I know," he said softly. "I'd give anything to be in his place right now.
"You okay, Gin?"
Ginny Weasley wiped her eyes.
"No. But I will be. If not today...then someday..."
"There's always a chance," Ron said with a forlorn hope. "They may not...you know..."
"They will," Ginny said with painful certainty. "They were meant to be. I wish it wasn't so. I wish it with all my heart -- for both of us. But -- "
She sobbed softly, and her brother hugged her gently.
"Only for you, mate," he whispered, his eyes on the luminous dome, which blurred slightly from the beginnings of tears. "Only for you.
"Be good to her."