(A/N: The actually wedding dress description will once again be in the wedding scene not here. Though to save you detail overkill the other dresses will be in this chapter. W00t, this one's kinda long. At last, I'm making progress again. I'm terribly sorry about this wait.)
Chapter 7: Getting Serious
Engagement Week
Day 1
Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, trying to keep from showing how uncomfortable she was in this moment. Mrs. Weasley had been true to her word and after the art room experience Hermione had, had an almost wedding free week. Of course she'd spent most of it completing her art room with Lily. If Harry wasn't such a busy man she might not have gotten away with it. For this reason Mrs. Weasley gave him quite the tongue lashing whenever she saw him, claiming he was neglecting his intended. Now it seemed Mrs. Weasley's personal goal was to throw them together whenever she got the chance. In fact, at this moment they were sitting on the love chair in the spotless living room, Harry's arm thrown carelessly around her shoulders. She'd shot him a pointed look when he'd done so and he'd simply pretended as if he didn't notice how much it was bothering her to be this close to him. `It's dangerous being this close to him.' She'd decided that long ago but there wasn't anything she could do about it with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny going over their wedding check list with them letting them know where they stood on preparations.
So far they'd learned that the Creevey brothers had been contacted about the photographer and videographer positions. Hermione and Harry had chosen their music selections earlier in the week and Ginny had secured the most prominent musicians in the wizarding world telling them all she'd get back to them with a date. Ginny had already begun work on Hermione's wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses following the idea Hermione had described to her and had the temps approved. Harry assured them Ron was taking care of the men's dress robes. A blush stained Hermione's cheeks as she had to once again bite her cheek until she was nearly drawing blood when the matter of bachelor and bachelorette parties came up. Ginny assured them, plans were underway by herself and her brother. While they'd been out shopping Ginny and the girls had experimented with different make ups and hair products on Hermione and they'd already decided and ordered make up and planned a hair style for the wedding, so that was one less last minute decision they wouldn't have to worry about. Ginny had presented them with a book to select their ceremony readings out of and told them to get back to her on it. Out of her monster list at least a third of it was over and done with. However, that brought them to the problem at present.
"Well." Ginny demanded tapping her foot. "Have you decided on a date yet, because we honestly can't move even a single step more until we have a date? The first engagement party is tonight and everyone expects to have a date to mark on their calendar. I have newspapers, magazines, musicians, vendors, and hotels calling constantly about the date and I still have nothing to give them."
"Um . . ." Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. They hadn't discussed a date. When they spent time together they were either fighting over something irrelevant or completely ignoring each other. Hermione was constantly berating herself for dropping to his level of this childish game of back and forth.
"Err, how about a spring wedding?" Hermione offered.
"Spring? What about rain, bugs, pollen?" Ginny asked.
"Winter's nice too." Hermione tried again.
"Too cold, the ice sculptures would melt with the heating charms in place to keep the room warm since there's no way it could be held outdoors." Mrs. Weasley put in.
"Summer then." Harry snapped.
"It'll be far too hot, with that many people it'll be terribly uncomfortable." Ginny murmured. Harry smacked a hand to his forehead, why bother asking if no season was good. `They might as well just decide on a date and just let us know when to show up.' Harry thought.
"Fall it is then." Hermione proclaimed. Both Weasley women were silent as they contemplated the season. Finding no real conflict with the season they shrugged and looked expectantly at the seated couple waiting for a date. Hermione felt the intense urge to hit Harry for getting her into all this. "Well as you know we haven't exactly spent that much time on it so um, how about late August, early September. It should be just cooling down but still sunny and warm."
Hermione glanced at Harry for his input but he just looked passive as he always did where the wedding was concerned. This only served to annoy Hermione who wished he would at least pretend to have some interest in their wedding. She quickly chastised herself, his opinion didn't matter. This wasn't a real wedding. It was . . . well she wasn't sure what it was since bogus and all it's similes were no longer at her disposal when referring to what was happening here.
Ginny was silent for a moment, then with a click of her pen she was scribbling in her notebook again and murmuring to her mother before looking up at the confused pair waiting on the love seat for her response. "Right, it'll be on August 23, thank-you. We have precisely three months to set this all up. I'll be seeing you two later; I have so venues to call now."
With that she was gone again; her mother beside her, the two once again chattering about how much there was left to do.
"Did you say August 23?" Harry asked.
"No."
"Then how did she . . ?"
"I have no idea. I like it though."
Harry gazed at her for a moment. There was a slight twinkle to her eye as she grinned up at him. He couldn't resist returning her grin, since it was rare that he received any form of friendly look from her. "Alright then, three months it is."
"Your birthday is going to come before that." She murmured.
"How'd you know that?"
"Your birthday is like an unofficial national holiday back in England, I don't believe there is a magical Brit that doesn't know when your birthday is."
"Interesting."
Hermione laughed shaking her head at him as she rose from her seat. "I need to call my mum and dad. Then I'm supposed to go to Ginny's London studio for fittings with the girls. Where are you going to be?"
"I have a meeting, then fittings as well and I suppose the guys and I are just going to hang around the house the rest of the day."
"I'll take Lily with me then, she needs to be fitted for her dress, anyway."
"Fine by me."
"Right then, bye Harry."
"Ciao."
Choose Wedding Date
Decide on Honeymoon
Get Priest
Choose Reception Venue
Make Guest List
Choose Maid of Honor
Choose Best Man
Register for gifts
Arrange for Engagement Parties
Plan Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties
Choose Birds to send invitations
Buy Engagement Rings
Buy Wedding Rings
Choose Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid dresses
Order Wedding Cakes
Decide on Dessert Selection
Hire Caterer
Hire Band for Reception
Order flowers
Buy Shoes
Buy Wedding Dress
Plan Rehearsal Dinner
Order and send Rehearsal Dinner Invitations
Hire Musicians for Ceremony
Choose Theme
Choose Ice Sculptures
Choose Color Scheme
Decide on Dress Code
Get Marriage License
Hire Videographer
Hire Photographer
Order bouquets
Order Boutonnières for Men
Order Nosegays for Women
Order Invitations
Decide on Wine Selection
Choose Hair style and make up
Buy gifts for attendants
Buy Thank You cards
Announce Wedding to the Press
Buy Headpiece
Make Table Seating Charts
Decide on Menu
Decide on hors d' oeuvres
Decide on Dinner service
Decide on staff-guest ratio
Decide seated or buffet
Reserve Vegetarian meals
Reserve staff meals
Make Photo list
Choose Hotel for Wedding Night
Hire a limousine for church-reception transportation
Decide on liquor selection
Hire Bartenders
Verify Wheelchair accessibility
Choose Processional music
Choose Recessional Music
Choose Cocktail Music
Choose Reception Music
Choose Ceremony Readings
Prepare Birdseeds instead of rice
Schedule manicure/ pedicure/ wax/ massage
Schedule a Spa day
"Right, err, Ginny could you be sure to pencil in that Harry, Lily, and I are going to at my mum and dad's tomorrow. We're having a second family get together. They really want to meet Harry." Hermione said as she leaned back in the passenger seat of Ginny's car. They could have used wizarding transportation and arrived in London much sooner but Ginny had so many stops along the way Hermione was glad they hadn't tried apparting to each separate location.
"It's already been penciled in. I promised you'd be free all day and you are. You don't mind if I pop in for a bit and check on those few little tasks I assigned when I met your family." Ginny replied
"Oh, of course not. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see you again. They quite enjoyed your visit." Hermione responded, grinning to herself at the look of delight on Ginny's face. It seemed odd but try as she might not to, Hermione was beginning to see the petite red-head as family. If she'd had a sister she'd decided she'd want her to be like Ginny. The other woman was inspiring with her energy and willingness to lend a helping hand. She'd been so overwhelming in the beginning but now Hermione was trying to think of how she'd of made it this far without her.
Stopping outside Ginny's studio, which was becoming increasingly familiar as the wedding neared, Hermione stepped out of the car and opened the door for Lily to get out of the back seat. Holding her hand, the two made their way into Ginny's "in-progress" room. Inside, the other women had once again already assembled, with the addition of Hermione's close friends who attended Beauxbatons with her, her step-sister, and a friend of her step-sister. In all, Ginny was making a wedding dress, two maid of honor dresses, fourteen bridesmaid dresses, four junior bridesmaid dresses, five flower girl dresses, and something special for Hedwig and Crookshanks who were the ring bearers. The men of course had to order Harry's dress robes, two official best men robes, fourteen groomsmen robes, four junior groomsmen robes, and two bible bearer robes. The clothes alone should have been a good deal of stress for Hermione but Ginny was in complete control of the entire situation despite the fact that the men were supposed to be handling their own robes. Hermione had discovered that Ginny often popped in to check on the tailor creating the men's dress robes and had done most of the designing herself.
Scanning the work room now, she could see Lavender and Pavarti flitting around adjusting and pinning the other women in the room to save Ginny some of the trouble later. In the center of the room stood four adorable little girls, two with the darkest brown hair, Hermione had ever seen, a girl with pale blond hair which she was informed was one of Draco's cousins, and a girl with flaming red hair whom she easily guessed was an extension of the Weasley family. They were dressed in identical pale blue dresses, trimmed in white lace, with dainty little white gloves with a single button and the wrist. The dress was accented with hints of green and an exposed lining of pale green crinoline with a satin trim hem. It hung just long enough to be seen underneath the white lace trim of the outer pale blue skirt. There was delicate green embroidering on the front, telling of time, effort, and concentration Ginny had put into making them. There was also a thick pale green ribbon tied around each little waist, which Hermione considered to be the most adorable part of the dresses. There was a fifth little dress of a similar make only it was the reverse of the other girls. It was a pale green with white lace, a pale blue crinoline underskirt, a pale blue ribbon, and blue embroidering. All of them were short sleeved with a simple scoop neck.
"I wanted Lily to stand out." Ginny informed her before Hermione got a chance to ask. "Supposing the aisle is wide enough they could go in a formation of a square with Lily in the center. What do you think? I've played with the placing of the colors a bit so they'd look fuller without being to warm for the girls. If they are of course there are cooling spells but to keep from having to enchant every little aspect of this wedding, I was trying to keep it somewhat simplistic by using tricks of the eye."
"That's . . . that's a lovely idea, Ginny. They're beautiful." Hermione grinned. Ginny thought of everything. Hermione hadn't even considered formations and accents and colors that would draw attention to different things. She flickered her eyes past the little girls, next, she examined the junior bridesmaids, they were teenage girls dressed in pale green whisper chiffon dresses with a pale blue satin ribbon around the waist that tied at the side at a bow with it's ends billowing to ends of the mid calf length gowns. It was strapless and the top was lined with a matching pale blue one and a half inch satin ribbon, they came together at the zip up the back leaving no extra ribbon hanging. Like the flower girl dresses, it had an exposed pale blue crinoline and a satin trim hem. Hermione could see the girls were thoroughly enjoying the swishiness of the skirts as they spun around watching it lift the faster they went.
Next, her eyes came into immediate contact with the bridesmaid dresses as her step-sister Gabrielle came rushing up to greet her. After a quick air hug as not to snag the dress she stepped back and did a slow turn to allow Hermione to take in the dress. The pale blue dress had a single one and a half inch shoulder which swooped down to a fitted top that clung to her figure until it reached the hips where several different layers of whisper chiffon overlapped at different angles giving the dress a fun dancing feel. It laced up the back with green strings and elbow length pale blue gloves covered her hands and arms and fastened at a single green button.
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment imagining the actual day. They'd decided the flower girls would wear their hair down in spiraling Shirley Temple curls and everyone else would wear a high pony tail with Shirley Temple curls spilling down. Ginny was still playing with different flowers to put at the base of the pony tails. They'd wear matching dangling diamond earrings or clip-ons for those who didn't have their ears pierced. They'd all have their make-up done professionally and a single white gold chain bracelet around their right wrist. As Hermione had always hated the idea of corsages and had decided on the bracelets instead.
"Right, now this will take just a moment, you sit right here, Hermione. We'll put on a nice little show for you to preview your bridal party and we'll both take notes on what we'd like to see improved." Ginny told her before disappearing into the mesh of females to get everyone organized. Hermione waved to Lily as she was scooped up but Gabrielle to get dressed.
Sitting where she'd been instructed to stay, she picked up a notepad sitting on the end table beside her. Her name was written across the front of the pad assuring her that this was where she was supposed to take her notes. She wrote dress observations neatly at the top of the page with the quill that had been beside the notepad. Looking up expectantly she found that the room was suddenly empty besides at catwalk which she hadn't noticed when she first came in. Glancing around confused she saw Ginny appear at the head of the catwalk and make her way to the end before hopping off the stage and taking a seat beside Hermione grinning.
"Just keep in mind, they're not all finished yet, so there is tons of wiggle room left if you want anything added or taken away, `kay?" Ginny grinned.
Hermione simply nodded in reply and Ginny clapped her hands twice murmuring `let the fashion show commence.'
* * *
Harry leaned back in his chair at his office in the Ministry. His meeting had been relatively short as it was an update on the non-magical/magical relations campaign that had been going since Voldemort's end. He'd spent the entire meeting thinking about Hermione, crazy as it sounded. He hadn't been able to shake the thought of her all day. His mind had covered a wide range of topics each relating back to her and he surprisingly found himself missing her. It seemed odd to miss someone that irritated him so but he was beginning to question his irritation. Was he really irritated at her or their situation? Knowing he could have her body but never her heart. She was only doing this for Lily after all and all their arguments pointed to the same thing, she wouldn't change for him, she wouldn't be happy with him, she wouldn't love him. It irritated him that he couldn't make her fall head over heels for him and it irritated him more that he actually cared whether or not she was happy with him, whether or not she loved him.
He wasn't being fair, how could he demand her love and not return it. He'd outright told her when they first met he wouldn't and as far as he could tell he wasn't . . . he was just concerned about her happiness. After all who wants a grudging wife, right? He shook his head, that wasn't it. Perhaps he was in love with her. He snorted at the idea but turned it into a violent cough as he realized he was attracting the attention of the other men in the meeting with his internal battle that was rapidly coming out. He couldn't love her. He loved no one, except his daughter. Love caused pain and he was tired of pain, he was invulnerable to the heartache called love for any but his daughter. Lily was safe. Lily was his child and loved him seemingly as much as he loved her. It had only been a short while since they'd found each other but unconditional love for one another came as naturally as breathing.
Why couldn't she have been like Fleur? Why couldn't she have been undesirable? Why couldn't she have at least been a little ugly? Damn that woman. They said no one was perfect but Harry had decided Hermione was a close as any woman could hope to get. This would seem a contrast to his statements earlier when he'd decided she wasn't glamorous but who needed glamour? She was a natural beauty she didn't have to try to be impressive, she just was! Harry frowned. Why was he thinking this? Why was she plaguing him? Why couldn't he have just left her alone?
* * *
Hermione grinned as she sipped her tea, laughing with the women around her. The little girls and junior bridesmaids, other than Lily, had all gone home. Now it was just all her new friends and all her old friends. They'd spent the last couple of hours working on the dresses, making adjustments where necessary, changing little details, adding embroidered designs to all the ribbons, discussing other wedding details. They now sat on the floor looking through a bridal magazine for any ideas or details they might like to add to their dresses. Lily was having the time of her life being baby by the women who just couldn't get enough of her. She got to play dress up modeling several different ideas for touch up on the flower girl dresses because the others had gone home. Their ribbons had been extended to trail to the end of the dress like the junior bridesmaids dresses.
By now the women were discussing past weddings they had been too and the horrors of bridesmaids' dresses they'd worn before. They'd been repeatedly thankful to Ginny and Hermione for choosing something that wasn't hideous.
"Where's your dress mummy?" Lily suddenly asked. It finally occurred to Hermione that in all this time they hadn't even looked at her dress. Ginny let out a gasp as that very same thing occurred to her.
"How in the world could I have forgotten that? I suppose we got so wrapped up in the other dresses that we simply didn't even think about the most important one of all." Ginny exclaimed hopping up and disappearing through a side door. The others giggled at their folly and gave Lily little compliments for remembering. Lily beamed under all the attention and looked up to Hermione with a grin. Ginny reappeared momentarily with a mannequin. Setting it in the center of the group of women she gave a flick of her wand and the dress began to materialize.
"It's my most secret creation. Unless I'm working on it, it's completely invisible. No one will be able to replicate or create anything like it until after its wedding day debut." Ginny grinned. Everyone had drawn in a sharp breath staring at its magnificence no one able to think of anything they could possibly say about it. It took several moments and several attempts by silent mouths before anyone was able to break the silence.
"That is by far the most beautiful dress I've ever seen." Lavender grinned.
"I can't really think of anything that needs to be done." Pavarti murmured.
"All is well as far as my inner eye can see." Luna's whimsical voice proclaimed.
"We're here for a fitting and to add any extra glamorous touches." Ginny announced giving them a `you will find something to add to this dress' look. As a designer, Ginny didn't believe in perfection. There was always room for improvement and they were going to find some.
"Oooooo hurry and put it on I want to see it on you." Cho urged.
"Can I?" Hermione asked enchanted by the dress. It was quite elegant in her opinion and she wanted to touch it, just to feel its silky smoothness.
"Of course you can. It's your wedding dress and to get it fitted and designed perfectly to your person you have to wear it." Ginny laughed.
Hermione blushed as Angelina and Katie got the dress off the mannequin and passed it to her. Alicia showed her to the bathroom and she put it on quickly. She starred into the mirror at her reflection. She didn't believe she would ever been in a gown so beautiful. Of course currently it was falling down a bit without someone to tie it up in the back but it still looked splendid. Hermione was a bit confused by the zipper and numerous buttons on the dress but over looked it as she took in the rest of the dress. When she finally came out of her thoughts she made her way back to the living room where the other girl's grins turned to 100 watt smiles when she entered, even Lily was grinning from ear to ear proclaiming her mummy looked like a pretty princess.
Angelina quickly tied the dress up and did up all the buttons. Lavender on the other hand was pulling up a stool for her to stand on so they could check out the dress properly since Ginny had receded the cat walk after the earlier dress showings.
"Can you breathe?" Ginny asked, coming up beside her.
"Kind of!" Hermione breathed trying to properly catch her breath now that Angelina had tied the dress up.
"Perfect. You're probably wondering why put strings, a zipper, buttons, and a few snaps on the dress, aren't you." Ginny grinned.
"It did come to my attention, but I figured you had a good reason." Hermione answered.
"They were all applied strictly to annoy and completely frustrate Harry. He'll probably die when he gets the buttons undo and realizes he has to undo the snaps too. And after he finally undoes the snaps he's got to untie it and finally unzip it. He could always do it all by magic but he never refuses a challenge." Ginny laughed.
Hermione blushed, thinking of Harry trying to get her out of the dress.
"What do you think about the dress?" Alicia asked.
"It's lovely. I love it!" Hermione responded.
"Did you have anything certainly in mind about what you definitely wanted?" Ginny pressed. "So far I've managed to get in everything we discussed on the first round but I love feedback."
"No, I just knew I had always wanted one of those amazing sparkly white dresses you see in the movies. This is above and beyond what I had ever imagined." Hermione murmured.
"Sparkly!" Ginny squealed. "That is so perfect. The embroidery gives a bit but we could totally make this like a . . . explode the moment, especially if we can talk to the lights guy. Brilliant! Someone get me some glittery fabric on the double."
"Exactly! It'll be amazing." Pavarti cried.
Everything was a blur as the other girls began rushing around finding glittery fabric and needles and silvery white thread.
"Do you want me to take it off so you can do this?" Hermione questioned.
"Oh no, of course not, we can get this done in a sec don't even worry about it." Ginny said flippantly. "That was such a great idea."
Hermione inwardly grinned. Maybe this wedding wouldn't be so bad after all. Everything was beautiful and Lily was happy. That's all she needed to know.
* * *
Harry glanced around his office; his nearest friends had been assembled there to help him come to terms with what was going on. The trouble was, there was he didn't know where to start, what to say, or how to say it without sounding pathetic. So far they'd only managed to discuss the fact that all they ever did was fight. They were in the process of coming up with ways to make peace.
"Maybe she'd open up to you and give you a chance if you guys found common ground. Some thing that interests you both, you know?" Dean suggested.
"Yeah, have you ever tried talking about anything, non-wedding related?" Seamus put in.
"I can't remember, and as I've said before it usually turns into an argument." Harry sighed.
"Perhaps you should start by paying more attention to what you're talking about." Colin interjected. "Women like men who listen; clearly you don't listen if you can't remember what you've been arguing about."
"But we argument about everything, it's like she's looking to pick a fight." Harry groaned.
"Perhaps she is, ever considered she'd resisting conforming to your idea of the world?" Colin interjected again.
"What could we possibly talk about, beyond wedding plans we really have no reason to talk?" Harry demanded.
"Well, what does she like? You could just start up a casual conversation when neither of you are busy." George shot back.
"Pranks, really good ones maybe?" Fred asked hopefully.
"Highly doubt it." Harry grumbled.
"Dragons maybe?" Charlie suggested.
"I dunno. Ferocious animals don't seem her thing." Harry replied thoughtfully.
"She's muggle-born and probably enjoys the study of magical things. So maybe she might like them." Colin supplied.
"I'll look into it." Harry nodded.
"Books, clearly she is a smart girl and would enjoy an intelligent discussion about something worthwhile." Percy commented.
The others nodded but looked off in all different directions knowing they'd never stoop so low as to actually read for a woman. What kind of bachelor read books that lead to intelligent discussion? Ron's eyes darted to Percy, nerds! Then to Colin, gay guys! Harry was neither.
"Er . . . I'll have to think about that one. We probably have totally different book interests." Harry mumbled. Ron's mouth dropped open at the found that Harry actually sounded like he'd consider it.
"Flying, since you said she isn't fond of quidditch." Draco suggested.
"Isn't fond of quidditch!" Fred and George cried.
"You heard me." Draco replied.
"I don't know. Perhaps there's a connection between her distaste for quidditch and flying." Harry asked.
"All right, food! Everyone likes food. You could talk about what she likes to eat." Ron threw in.
"She's really into healthy stuff and the occasional sweets. I think I'd end up getting a lecture on my unhealthy diet, which is sure to change after the wedding." Harry muttered.
"I'm running out of ideas." Charlie mumbled.
"Ditto!" Draco agreed.
"You two are pretty much opposites." Bill added.
" Opposites attract, though." Seamus thought out loud.
"Hmmmmmmmmm . . . " they all sat in silence trying to think.
"Perhaps you're just shit out of luck, mate." Draco decided.
Harry shot him a glare along with his sarcastic response. "I'm really loving your support here, really, I am."
* * *
"All finished!" Ginny grinned, stepping back. The girls all looked at the dress on Hermione one last time as she did a slow twirl for them, before taking it off. They put it back on the mannequin and Ginny flicked her wand once again, making the dress slowly vanish. `It's perfect.' Hermione thought as she watched it slowly disappear. She didn't really want to take it off. She ran her fingertips lightly over the barely visible dress once more before it could no longer be seen or felt. Never in a million years would she expect this. If someone had told her she would be marrying Harry Potter in the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen she'd have laughed until she could barely breathe. She was a plane-Jane but lately she didn't feel like one. She felt special, as if something had changed. She realized she didn't feel as stressed and she didn't spend all her time cooped up reading. Everything around her was so full of life and beautiful. Everyday was magical.
"What do you say, Hermione?" Cho grinned.
"I missed that sorry?" Hermione blushed.
"We were planning to go back to Ginny's apartment for a bit before going to the first engagement party tonight." Cho replied.
"That sounds like fun. I'd love to go." Hermione grinned. "I should probably take Lils home first, though."
"We'll apart back, mum'll take care of her and put her to bed. I'll send someone for the car later." Ginny grinned, linking arms with Hermione. "We'll see you girls soon."
Ginny blew a kiss, then she and Hermione apparted out of the room.
* * *
"Maybe you should spend more time together. You know? Just the two of you . . . so you can get to know each other. Lily on the other hand can . . . well, I dunno what you'll do with Lily but somehow we'll make her disappear." Ron suggested. "Mum'll be thrilled to watch her. She keeps banging on about when she's going to get grandkids."
"Where would we go that we could spend more time together?" Harry mused.
"You really don't have to go anywhere!" Colin pointed out.
"He's right you could both spend time at the villa." Bill agreed.
"I could make dinner and surprise her. I suppose." Harry said thoughtfully.
"She's muggle born isn't she? You could go see a movie. I bet she'd like that!" George suggested.
Harry nodded, writing this on a note pad. "What else? She is going to push me away until I break the barrier she clearly put up to keep me away."
"Go for a walk. In the park so you can take Lily. If you run out of conversation start talking about her or what she's doing." Draco told him. Everyone stared at him. That was surprisingly sensitive coming from Draco Malfoy. "Shut up."
"I suppose there's a bit of a romantic in us all." Colin laughed.
* * *
Hermione was sitting on the floor curled up in a warm blanket, her back leaning against the sofa. She sipped lightly at a glass of wine she'd been handed at the beginning of the night. She was studying each of the women and how they sipped their wine and handled their wineglasses. She found herself trying to mimic these elegant actions in hopes that by her wedding day she'd be able to look as posh sipping her champagne.
They'd been flipping through magazines giggling over gossip and shrieking over pictures of themselves. They mentioned the wedding here and there but mostly kept to a lively upbeat conversation about life in general. Hermione found each one so interesting, their careers, their upbringing, the event that caused such misshapen stories to appear in gossip columns of magazine. Flipping through a business magazine, Hermione came across a picture of all of the girls hugging and grinning together dressed as if coming out of a black tie event.
"You know, it seems so odd that I've never asked this but I'm sure with your age differences and interests you all couldn't have always been the best of friends. How is it you lot all came to know each other?" Hermione asked. Her friends Mandy Brocklehurst, Lisa Turpin, Sally-Anne Perks, Hannah Abbot, and Susan Bones, whom she'd grown up with perked up at this question. These were after all women they'd never once in their life expected to meet. Serena, Gabrielle's friend was an avid follower of trends and was rarely seen without the latest magazine, had made a study of these women all her life, she too was quite curious.
"Oh, it's simple really." Cho said with a wave of her hand. "We met through Harry."
"Really?" Susan asked. Cho was quite right, that was surprisingly simple.
"Our only real connection to one another is Harry, either by siblings friends, previous relationships, school, or career. Harry's an absolute genius as a host. He rarely throws soirées but when he does you'll bet you want to be on that list. He definitely knows who to mix and mesh to get a party started." Ginny explained.
"A social butterfly one might say." Angelina laughed. Alicia snorted at the idea of anyone describing Harry as anything as delicate as a butterfly.
"So then, next question: how did you all meet Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Well, as for me," Cho started, "Harry and I went to Hogwarts together as you very well know. We dated all of his 6th year, my 7th year. We decided we were better off as friends and split up when I graduated. We kept contact and often made appearances together to stir up a story. As you know he's known as quite the playboy in part to some of the more risqué parties we attended and came out of all smashed up."
"My story is quite simple really. I'm Ron's little sister. Harry and Ron are best friends, so inevitably we met. I had been completely obsessed with him when I was younger. I had heard all these stories and wonderful things about him. I'm was like that crazy stalker chic that security always had to remove. Colin and I started the first official Harry Potter fan club. Colin would pop up everywhere and take pictures. We'd snag a piece of gum he chewed or steal hair from his brush. We were absolutely mental. So he's always thought I'm a bit off but that's ok. During his seventh year we dated for a time, had a bit of an off and on relationship out of school but we eventually just gave it up seeing as to how I was over my childhood fantasy and we were mostly together for the fact that everyone was expecting it." Ginny grinned, laughing at the memories of their Hogwarts days.
"Quidditch, of course." Angelina, Alicia, and Katie jumped in.
"We played together while at Hogwarts, and still do." Angelina told her, Alicia and Katie nodded with the contribution of ditto.
"I used to date Ron. So naturally I met Harry through Ron. Sometimes we went on double dates together." Lavender recited.
"Same as Lavender, however, he always thought I was a bit crazy. I haven't the slightest clue as to why he'd think that." Luna supplied.
"Lavender is my best friend. I met Harry through her and we dated for a while. We just sort of ended and I started going out with Dean and he chose a new flavor of the week." Pavarti shrugged.
"That's very interesting." Hermione nodded, thinking about this for a moment.
"So then you knew him while he was dating Fleur." Gabrielle suddenly asked. They nodded but didn't say anything, knowing it was best to just wait for the question.
"You probably don't know the answer to this question but if you do . . . how . . . how did Harry feel about her?" Hermione asked quietly. There was silence for a long moment after that question. Gabrielle had grown tense waiting for the answer to the question she herself had been too afraid to ask.
"I think he liked her a lot, possibly even loved her at one time. I think the way they ended hurt him though." Cho supplied.
"Yeah, he sort of went into a depression for a while after she left." Alicia added.
"Um hm, he practiced terribly, but every game he cleared his mind and got to business." Katie thought out loud. Everyone was silent once again making their own conclusions about the information. It seemed an eternity before Ginny broke the silence.
"So what about you and Harry? I've noticed he's been oddly distracted lately? Intrigued?" Ginny grinned.
"Yea, how's that going?" Hannah asked.
"Inquiring minds need to know." Luna added.
"I dunno, we fight a lot, I suppose. He gets on well enough with Lily but between us we find any and everything to argue about. There's something there but it's dangerous territory. Even I agree that perhaps it's best unexplored." Hermione sighed.
"Or perhaps it needs to be explored. Passion is not your enemy." Luna told her. Hermione opened her mouth to say she highly doubted it was passion but was cut off by Luna. "Neither is lust."
Hermione snapped her mouth shut giving her a bewildered look. Then a blush crossed her face. I'd be lying if I said there was no lust but lust isn't love.
"Perhaps this is love." Gabrielle supplied. Once again Hermione didn't get a chance to speak. "We part veela are very sensitive to pheromones, you know."
Hermione blushed again. She was caught. She'd toyed with the idea of love but decided lust was all they had between them. However, she knew enough about veela's to know that even a quarter veela could sense emotions and hormones to some degree. She couldn't bring herself to look at Gabrielle after she said this. What if she was right?
"Come on Hermione, we're not experts, as none of us are married, but maybe we can bring you some piece of mind." Ginny smiled.
Hermione was silent considering her next move. What did she have to lose? They wouldn't tell him, they were her friends and maybe they could reassure her that she wasn't going crazy.
"Well, well, he's really sweet when we aren't fight and an amazing father to Lily. They've only just met and he's been so loving towards her, like they'd never been apart. I suppose most of it's my fault, I've been extremely difficult and he still puts up with me. He's a great kisser, too. He makes me feel . . . I've never it felt before. I don't have any words for it. And . . . and maybe, just maybe I might, possibly, be in love with him."
* * *
Harry kissed Lily's forehead lightly, watching her sleep. Mrs. Weasley had put her to bed earlier because she would not be attending tonight's engagement party. It was a black tie affair at the most ritzy building in all of Italy. She'd be dreadfully bored and he'd agreed with Hermione to wait until tomorrow night for the one in England with her family.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Mrs. Weasley whispered, entering the room. "Let the little dear sleep. She's not going anywhere. Dobby'll pop in if she wakes up early."
"I know that. I just wanted to watch her for a bit." Harry said, quietly. Giving Mrs. Weasley a small smile, he got up and stretched before following her out of the room. "Has Hermione returned yet?"
"No, not yet, none of the girls have. I'll let you know when she gets back." She told him. Harry nodded then departed down the hallway to find his dress robes for the evening.
* * *
Hermione sprinted up the stairs to her room, glancing at her watch for what seemed the millionth time. She was running late. For what was possibly the first time in her life, she was not on time, not on schedule. When would the madness end? Mrs. Weasley was waiting for her when she arrived and Hermione rushed through apologies. The elderly woman simply laughed and motioned for her to begin undressing while she worked on her hair. At one time in her life Hermione would have been uncomfortable changing in front of a woman she'd just met but Mrs. Weasley had such a motherly aura it was impossible to be uncomfortable around her.
"Don't worry. The guests of honor are never late, everyone else just arrives too early. I've sent Dobby to Harry to tell him you've arrived so you needn't worry about him." She said as she gave a flick of her wand to straighten Hermione's hair. She had the sides pulled back in minutes and a large emerald hair ornament clipped at the center of the back of her head to hold it out of her face. She gave a few more flicks and her hair twisted into tight spiral curls to bounce against her back when she moved.
By now, Hermione had pulled on her dress which matched the emerald in her hair. It was a strapless sleek creation, which tied in the back. It clung to her form, only until just below the hips where it released into a full skirt that allowed for movement. She pulled strappy black high heeled shoes onto her feet and sat quickly for Mrs. Weasley to apply her make-up. She loved the glosses Mrs. Weasley used on her. With just the right amount of color and gloss, she always managed to make her lips look more lush and fuller. With several quick thank-yous to Mrs. Weasley, she grabbed her shawl and was out the door.
"You know, you'd make a much more elegant entrance if you weren't running down the stairs." Harry grinned from the bottom of the stairs.
"Harry!" Hermione gasped, not realizing he'd been standing their waiting. She missed the last step in her hurry and was easily caught by him. "Sorry. I'm late I know. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. The guests of honor are never late." He grinned helping her straighten herself back up. "Are you ready?"
"No, I just ran down the stairs like a madwoman because it's always been a fantasy of mine." She quipped brushing by him.
"Strange, you might be the only person in the world who fantasizes about such things." Harry returned.
Hermione threw a scalding look over her should as she entered the garage. Rather than retorting she inquired as to which car they'd be taking.
"Hermione when have we gone anywhere in a car?" Harry asked, catching her elbow and steering her towards the circle driveway, where a limo was waiting.
"What's the point of having so many cars if you never use them?" Hermione asked.
"I've driven them all at least once in my lifetime but if you haven't noticed I collect cars and brooms. So using them isn't really their purpose."
"That's a waste."
"Actually it isn't it. Since I bought them that means someone got paid to make them. I'm helping the economy."
Hermione stared at him for a moment. "Tell me something, were you thinking that when you bought it?"
Harry sighed, honestly, he just couldn't win. "No, I was thinking that's a really great car but looking back on it I see that I was in fact helping the economy so I can't be a bad guy."
Hermione rolled her eyes, stepping into the limo. "You're awful."
"And you look beautiful." Harry smiled.
"What?"
"It's a compliment."
"Shut-up Harry."
* * *
Harry's arm was wrapped lightly around her waist as they entered a beautiful Romanesque building. Hermione was glad for his arm or else she would sure she would have smashed into a wall. Half blind was an understatement, after that brief walk from the limo to the foyer; she'd decided the paparazzi's goal in life was to blind anyone who attempted to enter a building gracefully. Or maybe that was just the goal for people who hadn't been celebrities all their life. Harry seemed completely unfazed by having to walk down the flashing aisle of doom. He just strode through as though he didn't notice a thing.
She shivered as his finger tips brushed her arms, while removing her shawl. She watched him primp and adjust his robes inspiring her to glance in a mirror to make sure still looked alright. Once satisfied she turned to find him watching her.
"I, err, didn't want to look . . ." She stammered. Her eyes went wide as she suddenly leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"You look gorgeous." He confirmed. She just stared at him, mouth slightly open. Harry chuckled, tucking two fingers under her chin and snapping her mouth shut. "Let's go."
He offered her his arm, which she lightly slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. Trying to will away the blush staining her cheeks, Hermione allowed him to lead her to a set of double doors.
"Alright, someone is going to announce us, and then those doors will open. There's a grand staircase leading down to the actual ballroom floor. Don't let all the people overwhelm you. Remember deep breaths and I'll be by your side as much as I can so no worries." Harry told her.
Hermione looked at him once again. He was helping her. He was going to stay with her. She hadn't realized she'd been holding a breath in fear that she might embarrass them both somehow. Oddly enough, he gave her confidence. Nodding, she turned to face the door, holding her head high like his as the first strip of light from the parting doors fell on them. Taking a deep breath like he'd suggested, they proceeded onto the balcony. There, they paused for a moment as several flashes went off at once, before making the slow descent down the grand staircase. Hermione's eyes darted around the room, everything looked so shiny and expensive and there were people everywhere. She decided all of Milan and then some must have found their way into the ballroom. `Oh Merlin.' She did a mental check going through all the names and faces she'd had to memorize for nights like this. No one stood out. What if she forgot a name? Or a title of some sort? What if she forgot which couples were divorced and no longer wished to be associated? Who was having an affair to avoid mentioning in a conversation? Hermione was reeling trying to recall it all. The deep breaths forgotten she felt her breaths become short and shallow, tension sweeping her body.
Harry noticed the sudden panic Hermione seemed to have worked herself into. He was glad that once again, at the bottom of the staircase they had to stop for pictures. Giving him a chance to lean in and remind her to relax. The photographers went crazy when he pressed a soft kiss to her left temple. She glanced up at him, eyes looking like a scared child. He fought the urge to take her home and snog her senseless. Merlin, he loved those eyes, those innocent eyes that in this moment cried out for his help.
"I'll be right here, love." He repeated, taking her hand from the crook of his elbow and into his own.
* * *
He'd been true to his word and right here lasted for at least the first two hours of the party in which Hermione had been introduced to and scrutinized by every soul in the building. He'd only disappeared from her side when he'd realized they'd been through everyone and only Draco, of his groomsmen, was there. He'd gone off to find out what was holding them up because he wanted to introduce them to Hermione.
She'd gone right back into her panic when he said he'd be right back, she'd finally relaxed and become somewhat comfortable with him there holding her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. He'd been thoughtful enough to help her find Ginny before leaving to berate his best mates. Ginny glowered when asked about their whereabouts.
"They're going to be fashionably late." Was all she said, Luna took it upon herself to explain that this meant it was a black tie affair and Ginny had thrown a fit at their casual robes demanding they go find some for the party and not to set foot inside that building until they were presentable. This wouldn't have been a problem if every prominent designer and store owner hadn't closed early to be able to get to the party. Hermione had laughed, deciding then that'd she'd like Harry's friends probably as much as she liked these women she'd come to call friends.
* * *
"Harry, we're really sorry we're so late mate. Ginny went absolutely bonkers on us mate. Apparently we weren't posh enough to set foot in her black tie affair." Ron muttered, rolling his eyes. "She's a right cow sometimes, you know that."
"Anyway, we're through the door now so she'll just have to approve. We transfigured our robes, ourselves since no one was open and she told us we couldn't wear anything old or that had been seen before." Dean said.
"I think we look really good, actually." Seamus grinned.
"You look like a mess." Colin interjected coming up beside Harry. He'd just come from chatting with Ginny and Hermione, and he absolutely adored Harry's fiancée. The woman was just too charming. He'd be damned if she had to meet anyone looking like some two-bit designer knock off model. He whipped out his wand and gave two flicks, making their robes more elegant and black. He'd only noticed them entering the room because they wore every color under the sun, navy, brown, deep greens. `Dolts!' With a sniff he declared his work done and disappeared back into the crowds of mingling people.
"What was wrong with our robes?" George inquired.
"This is a black tie event." Harry said rolling his eyes.
"Yea, and?" Fred asked.
"For heavens sakes you lot were dressed in anything but black dress robes." Harry snapped.
"Well if Ginny would have stayed perhaps she could have given us some of her clothing spells but our knowledge in such areas are limited. It's the best we could do." Dean shrugged.
Harry rolled his eyes again, shaking his head.
"So then Harry, where's this fiancée of yours?" Oliver asked.
Seamus suddenly whistled drawing their attention before Harry could answer the question. "We can deal with that introduction late, my question is who is that?"
He pointed to a petite girl in an emerald dress, long brown curse dancing down her back. She was standing with the Creevey brothers and a couple of well known designers including Ginny, laughing at something Colin had just said.
"She is a looker, isn't she?" Fred grinned, peering around George to get a better look. Ginny touched her arm and pointed to them, whispering something to her. She smile and gave them a brief nod of her head, before turning back to Ginny.
"All right mate, I need a name, I saw her first." Seamus said.
Harry found it impossible not to laugh at them. Putting a hand over his mouth he tried to keep to quiet chuckles as they continued to gawk at Hermione.
"Well?" They all demanded. Seeing that Harry wasn't going to answer, Ron took it upon himself to clue everyone else in.
"That my dear friends, is Harry's fiancée, Hermione Granger." Ron grinned.
"What?" They exclaimed.
"That beautiful woman is Harry's future wife!" Dean demanded.
"Indeed." Ron nodded.
"But you said . . . how are you . . . I mean you haven't . . . even though she's . . . ARE YOU MAD?!?!" Seamus nearly shouted. He snapped his mouth shut, ducking his head, noticing that they were drawing attention to themselves.
"No, we haven't. I already told you that." Harry ground out, not wanting to be discussing this here.
"You're an idiot. If my future wife looked like that, there's no way in hell she'd be sleeping by herself." Fred said.
"Ditto." Oliver murmured.
"Well I suppose that's why none of you are engaged. Do you want to go meet her now or not?" Harry snapped.
"Touchy, touchy. Getting a bit possessive there, mate." Ron laughed. Harry growled to himself, walking briskly back to Hermione's side, glaring daggers at any man who so much as gave her an appraising look. She was standing between Draco and Ginny now, who were discussing wine selections for the wedding. Not knowing much on the subject Hermione simply listened and took mental notes on things to know about wine and vineyards.
She was surprised when Harry suddenly came up behind her and pulled her into his arms. She glanced at him confused as his arms came around her waist and she was suddenly locked in his protective embrace. She was tense for but a moment before relaxing into his hold and leaning back against him. `This is nice.' She couldn't help but smile. The smile dropped off her face as she glanced up at the angry look on his face. `Or perhaps I've done something to upset him.' She chewed her bottom lip trying to recall what she could have done to make him so annoyed.
She pasted a smile on her face as his friends came up to introduce themselves. She smiled at Ron recognizing him and went to give him a polite hug but Harry didn't release her for such, so she shook his hand instead. She could have sworn she heard Draco snickering beside them, and glanced at him confused but his face didn't portray anything. Dean and Seamus both shook her hand enthusiastically raving about how pretty she was until a growl from Harry shut them up. His friend Oliver was amusing asking her if she was interested in attending a quidditch match and promising to have the best seats reserved for her and Lily to come see one any time. Percy introduced himself quite eloquently and brushed a light kiss to the back of her hand. Fred and George decided to imitate their brother and made a big show of kissing her hand and talked animatedly with her for a moment about their joke shop. Bill and Charlie were much more simply in their greeting and she smiled at their cool composure despite having such animated company. She met Terry Boot, Blaise Zabini, and Anthony Goldstein who were aurors with Harry and were a bit harder to get a hold of because they were always on top secret cases but they promised they'd be there at the wedding no matter what. Lastly, Ernie MacMillian and Neville Longbottom had just arrived from England gave Hermione a quick update on the latest news in England. Of course, it wasn't the kind of news she usually looked into because a) they lived in completely "different worlds" and b) she had read Herboligist Daily only once or twice in her lifetime, not really that interested in the subject.
`Things are going to be very interesting.' She grinned watching them spread throughout the room. Laughing loudly, greeting friends, and adding an extra flavor to the party that she hadn't realized was missing.
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