"Okay, just calm down," Hermione told herself. "I am not going to trip." She smoothed her skirt as she surveyed herself in a full length mirror.
"Every bride is nervous on her wedding day," Jane told her as she straightened her daughter's veil. "I, however, did trip walking up the aisle, as you know. And, that, my dear brilliant child, is why you had the foresight to buy flats."
Hermione giggled picturing her parents' wedding photographs in her mind. Her mother, already taller than her father, had towered over him thanks to her (at the time) stylish high heels. She had heard the tripping story many times and always feared landing flat on her face at her groom's feet. Her mother had not made a fool of herself, but she had nearly tumbled. They figured averting such disasters was the reason brides were supposed to be escorted down the isle.
"You look beautiful," Jane told her. Hermione's hair was smoothed with Sleekeasy's and elegantly upswept in a loose bun while ringlets framed her face. She had on just enough makeup to highlight her natural beauty and keep shine down for photographs. "Just like a princess."
Hermione did look like a princess. Her sleeveless gown was made of snowy white organza with a floor length tiered ball gown skirt, a fitted bodice, and sweetheart neckline. Elegant Manila lace accented with tiny pearls adorned the bodice. A delicate floral band around her hair held her sheer elbow length veil in place. The veil gave an enchanting finish to her look.
"Breathtaking," McGonagall added, her eyes twinkling. She had helped the girls get ready with Jane while Molly flitted back and forth between the bride and groom and maid of honor and best man.
Ginny's long straight hair cascaded over her bare shoulders and she looked very pretty in her lavender dress. Juliette was wearing a smaller version of the same dress and, with much effort, her hair had been curled and also fell in thick rings over her shoulders.
"So, do we have everything?" McGonagall asked? "Have you got that traditional old, new, borrowed, blue that Muggles like?"
Hermione felt the necklace she was wearing, a strand of pearls with a diamond pendant that belonged to her mother. "This is old and borrowed. My ring and dress are both new. I don't have anything blue."
"Yes you do," Ginny told her. "I almost forgot." Ginny retrieved a small box from the dresser. Inside was a blue garter belt. "This was my mom's and she wants you to wear it, so something of hers can be part of the wedding."
"Awww, that's so sweet," Hermione gushed as tears came to her eyes.
Seeing that Hermione was about to cry and smear her mascara Ginny quickly added, "She's only letting you wear it because Harry wouldn't."
That did the trick. Hermione's tears stopped before they could be shed and she began laughing at the image Ginny had created in her mind.
McGonagall reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a silver sixpence. "Put this in your shoe, dear." Hermione took the coin and slipped it into her right shoe, remembering that it was a lucky omen for health and wealth.
Suddenly Hermione's face turned ashen, "I don't have a bouquet!" she squealed. "How could I have forgotten it?! What am I going to do?"
"It's okay," Ginny soothed. "We were bound to forget something putting this thing together in 3 days while hoodwinking Rita Skeeter.
"I'll run into the garden and see if anything is blooming," Jane offered, chiding herself for not thinking of the flowers earlier.
"Don't bother!" McGonagall said, waving it off. She muttered "Florasencia" and a bouquet sprung from her wand. It was a beautiful arrangement of bluebells, lilies, and greenery tied together with a white bow.
"Thank you so much!" Hermione sighed with relief. "This is perfect. She knew Harry would appreciate the lilies and bluebells had always been her favorite flower. She wondered if McGonagall knew that, if it was a lucky guess, or if the spell somehow fit the flowers to the occasion.
"How do you feel?" Jane asked.
"Like I'm walking in a very weird, very happy dream and I don't want to wake up."
"Like a bride," McGonagall interpreted.
"No doubts?" Jane quizzed. "You can still change your mind."
Hermione thought a moment. "The only thing I'm worried about is that I'm not more worried," she answered. "I ought to be making a mental list of all the reasons not to do this, but all I can think about, all I can feel right now, is how much I love Harry; how much I've always loved him; how much I want to be with him for the rest of my life; what our six kids are going to be like; how proud I am to be his bride; and how proud I will be to be his wife. I love him and my heart feels like it could explode because I love him so much and so deeply and so... so... just... I love him," she gushed, putting a fist to her chest over her heart. "It's the strongest, most basic feeling. I can't describe it. I think we could face anything together," she said with passion in her eyes. "And win," she added.
"You're worried that you're not more worried?" Julie asked. "You're weird."
Hermione shook her head. Julie was too young to understand. She wasn't sure anyone in the room could really understand. Had anyone ever felt this way about about another person? She could not imagine her mother or her head of house feeling this intensity even though she knew her mother loved her father and had learned that the professor had had a much loved husband as well. "Mom, how are you holding up?" she asked.
"Better than your father. I think he drank an entire bottle of Pepto this morning. Kept muttering somethng about his baby."
"He'll be fine. Fathers always are." McGonagall told them. Hermione had learned much about her teacher today. Her husband, an auror, had been murdered by Voldemort or his supporters. She wasn't even sure who had killed him. She had been especially happy to have Harry in her house because of this.
Hermione glanced at her fingernails, now a soft almost transparent pink. "Good thing you painted them, otherwise I'd be chewing them. Julie, give me your hand," she joked, pretending to bite her sister's nails. "What time is it?"
"Quarter to six," her mother answered, glancing at her dainty gold watch. She was also wearing lavender as it as the theme for the bridal party.
Hermione's stomach gave a lurch. Fifteen minutes! Fifteen minutes until she would walk down the aisle, or across the room, as the case was. That meant it was approximately twenty-five minutes until she would be Mrs. Harry Potter. "Hermione Jane Potter," she whispered.
"That's you," Ginny told her, smiling.
"Amost," she nodded. "Almost."
********************************************************************
Harry swallowed, trying to force the incredibly large dry lump in his throat to go back down. He really could use a glass of water, or a gallon. But then, he thought he might wet himself during the ceremony and that would surely be embarrassing.
"I felt the same way the day I married Molly," Arthur told him, patting him on the back. "Wide eyes, dry mouth, sweaty palms, butterflies in my stomach," he laughed. "But that all worked out just fine, didn't it?"
"Er, thanks," Harry said, though he was not certain he should be grateful. Prior to this, his hands had not been sweating, but they seemed to give into the powers of suggestion quite easily. Now he might drop the ring somewhere between throwing up and passing out.
He had had a stressful day. Between chess games which he sorely lost to Ron, he had revealed his embarrassment over the whole situation. He told Ron that he hated that everyone who had access to a Daily Prophet knew his history, but worse than that, he hated that everyone in that house knew exactly what he and Hermione would be doing that night. "It's awful!" Harry told him.
"Oh, it's not so bad," Ron said. "It's what every couple does on their wedding night. Hell, that's probably the best reason there is to get married."
"But most couples have already done it before they get married," Harry argued.
"Are you bloody mad?" Ron gasp.
"Huh?"
"No one does it before they're married!" Ron told him. "We don't even talk about it!"
Harry was silent, thinking over his friend's words. Now that Ron said it, it actually made some sense. He was certain that if he went to a Muggle boarding school and had four male roommates they would talk about sex all the time like Dudley and his friends. Maybe the wizarding stance was reflected in the peculiar absence of sexual discussion by his dorm mates. He wondered if he would ever stop learning new things about this culture.
"You mean Muggles do?" Ron asked sheepishly.
"Uh, yeah," Harry answered. "At least that's the impression I get from Dudley and what television I get to see while I'm with the Dursleys."
"That's messed up," Ron commented as he put away the chess board.
"So, I shouldn't be as embarrassed as I am?" Harry questioned. "I mean, can you imagine discussing your virginity with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape?"
Ron thought about it. "That would be embarrassing no matter what," he answered truthfully. "But, other than that, no. No reason to be all uptight over it," he shrugged. "You should be ashamed if weren't a virgin on your wedding night."
"I'm so glad you know what you're talking about when it comes to being a wizard," Harry told him. "I'm a complete dunderhead."
"Nah," Ron objected, turning slightly pink. "You were just raised by dunderheads."
Molly had interrupted their third game of exploding snap and told them, thoroughly exasperated, that they should be getting ready by now. "You both have to shower and get dressed and..."
They looked at her expectantly. Other than showering and getting dressed, just what were they supposed to do?
"Oh," she said, frowning slightly. There really was not much for them to have to do. "Well, get on with it anyway," she ordered. "Your hair has to have time to dry," she added weakly, ignoring the fact that they would both likely use simple drying spells.
So, they had both showered and dressed and were playing cards again when she came back and got onto them for lounging around in their dress robes and getting them wrinkled. She put an anti-wrinkling charm on their robes and told them to stand as much as possible before flitting out of the room again saying something about a cake.
"Nutters," Ron commented. "If she charmed them to not wrinkle, why does she want us to stand?"
"She's stressed, getting the house fixed up by herself. Not that that stupid house elf was any help," Harry commented. Dumbledore had removed Kreacher from the Black house after his betrayal of Sirius. Harry didn't know or care what had become of him.
Harry took Mrs. Weasley's advice to stand to heart and began pacing around the room. It was a good excuse to exercise out some of his nervous energy.
"Would you be still?" Ron asked eventually, "You're making me dizzy."
Arthur joined them a little while later. He had also changed into his dress robes. "Well, boys, are you ready?" he asked, glancing at his watch. "It's almost show time." He had escorted the boys to the largest room in Grimmauld place. It was now brightly lit, decorated with flowers, a few folding chairs were lined up for family and friends and an arbor stood near the front of the room, covered with ivy and roses. A buffet table was set up along one wall with little sandwiches, raw vegetables, cookies, cheesepuffs, crisps, dips, mints, and a bowl full of a pink punch with strawberries and pineapple rings floating on the top. On a small, round table adjacent to the larger one, was a three tiered white cake decorated with roses made of frosting. Harry noticed that the little bride and groom on the top looked exactly like Hermione and himself.
Arthur led Harry and Ron to their places at the front of the room and asked if they had the ring. Ron reached into his pocket and found the wedding band. "Yep, got it."
Soon, Dumbledore walked into the room, escorting Hermione's grandmother on his arm. He led her to a seat and then joined Harry, Ron, and Mr. Weasley who was standing beside Harry.
"Are you doing the ceremony?" Ron asked.
Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "Yes. By Order of Merlin, First Class I am able to oversee such magical ceremonies, which is lucky as we can avoid bringing in a minister this way."
Harry took a deep breath. "What time is it?" he asked. Hermione's mother, Mrs. Weasley, Professors McGonagall, Lupin and Hagrid had all walked in and taken their seats. Molly was dabbing at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. She gave a broad smile to Harry after she sat next to Remus.
"It looks like it's time to start the music," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling more than Harry had ever seen them do previously. Instantly, music began and within seconds, Julie was walking toward him, tossing flower petals on the floor from a small basket in her hand. After she finished, Julie took a seat next to her mother. Ginny followed, holding a bouquet of lilies. Ginny smiled at the boys before taking her place. Harry saw her check her own hand for his wedding band, which she had placed on her thumb to keep up with it.
The music changed and the traditional bridal march filled the air. Everyone got to their feet and turned to watch Hermione, on the arm of her father, walk gracefully up the isle.
Harry was floored by the sight before him. He had never seen Hermione look more beautiful than she did at that moment. She looked radiant behind her veil. Her dress was stunning. Her diamond pendant and ring caught the light. The flowers she carried were perfect and he had a fleeting thought of his mother as he noticed the lilies, but he could think of little else than the vision of loveliness approaching him. His bride. His destiny.
Hermione and her father stopped just before the arbor. She handed her bouquet to Ginny who held it with her own.
"Who gives this witch in the honorable tradition of matrimony?" Dumbledore asked.
"John and Jane Granger present our daughter to her groom," John Granger answered. One could tell that he had been told how to respond prior to the ceremony.
"And who gives this wizard in the honorable tradition of matrimony?"
"On behalf of his parents James and Lily Potter, and his godfather Sirius Black, Arthur and Molly Weasley present our son to his bride."
John and Arthur guided Harry and Hermione's hands to each other, then both sat down beside their wives.
Harry and Hermione both looked at their joined hands first, and then into one another's eyes. They both smiled. Harry wanted to tell Hermione how beautiful she looked, but was unsure if he was allowed to speak freely, so he thought it best to keep quiet rather than mess up the ceremony.
Hermione could tell from the look in his eyes that Harry thought she was beautiful. She smiled brightly, ecstatic to be standing beside him, her hand in his, on the virge of being his wife.
Dumbledore placed his own hand on top of Harry and Hermione's joined hands. "Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger have come today to pledge their love and lifelong devotion and fidelity to one another in the company of these witnesses. Let no one attempt to come between them, for it is written that the union of marriage is a holy, pure, and everlasting bond."
Harry swallowed. Wizard marriages were to last forever. Forever was a word sometimes thrown loosely about with the promise of young love, yet he could not imagine anything but forever with Hermione.
They maintained eye contact as Dumbledore continued to speak.
"Do you both come freely without coercion and willingly agree to the everlasting bond about to be created?"
"We do," they answered in union, their eyes never wavering from one another.
"Do you vow to hold one another in highest honor above all others from this day forward?"
"We do."
"Do you vow to be faithful one to another, forsaking all others, from this day forward?"
"We do."
"Do you vow to face together all things which life may bring you?"
"We do."
"Do you vow to love and cherish one another from this day forward?
"We do."
He turned to those assembled. "Can anyone provide just cause that these two not move forward with the life they wish to create together?"
Of course, no one had any objections.
"Hermione, please place your ring on your groom's finger."
Hermione took the ring from Ginny and slid it onto Harry's left hand. "With this ring, I thee wed," she said, having been told prior to the ceremony to do so at this point.
"Harry, please place your ring on your bride's finger."
Harry got his ring from Ron and slid it onto Hermione's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."
"These rings are a symbol of the eternal promise which Harry and Hermione have made to one another. Like the bands of gold, their love will know no beginning and no end. It is, was, and evermore shall be."
Dumbledore touched his wand to the top of both of their heads and then to their rejoined hands. They were instantly surrounded by a warm golden light which glowed brightly and then disappeared. "By the Order of Merlin, I pronounce you husband and wife. Harry, you may kiss your bride."
Harry's hands shook slightly as he lifted Hermione's veil. Their lips met in a soft, short kiss. They turned to face their family and friends. Dumbledore announced, "I proudly present Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter. As witnesses to this blessed union, each of us is bound to support this couple along the path the follow."
There was a burst of applause as everyone in the room got to their feet. Harry noticed that every female in the room had tears in her eyes and the males were doing their best to pretend not to. In seconds, they were being hugged from all directions.
Ron embraced them both in an uncharacteristic show of emotion. "You two are perfect together," he told them. "I really mean it."
"You're part of us," Harry told him.
"Yeah," Ron agreed as his parents and Ginny joined their hug. "We're all Weasleys now."
"I can't imagine a better thing to be," Harry told his family. He kept one hand joined with Hermione's.
Hermione gave Ron a kiss on his cheek and then one to Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley embraced them both tightly. "I love you both so much!" she cried.
"Let us in on this," Jane said, joining the group hug with her husband. Harry could feel little Julie's head above his waist as she grabbed onto them too. He saw flashes going off and realized that Lupin was acting as photographer. When they all separated from the gigantic hug, Harry asked if he'd taken any during the ceremony.
He nodded and took another of the couple as Hagrid grabbed them both in one giant arm. "I jus' knew you two would be together," he gushed, smiling sloppily. His cheeks were wet with tears and he wiped them with the sleeve of the arm that wasn't holding the couple. "You're jus' perfect for one another. Jus' perfect!"
"We think so too, Hagrid," Hermione told him.
"Welcome to the family," John said, pulling Harry away from Hagrid in a handshake. "You take care of my little girl, you hear?"
"I will," he promised. "Thank you," he said. John knew Harry was thanking him for far more than just allowing him to marry his daughter.
"Let's eat!" Ron suggested boisterously. Harry had to admit he was feeling hungry now that the ceremony was over and had gone so smoothly.
"Good idea," Hermione agreed.
"You have to cut the cake," Molly told them. She led the couple to the smaller table. "Now, first you have to stand on either side of the cake and kiss over it. If you can manage to not knock it down, it's good luck."
"We can manage," Hermione answered. She and Harry got on either side of the cake and kissed. Another flash went off.
"Cut it, then!" McGonagall told them.
"Oh look, it's a little us!" Hermione exclaimed noticing the bride and groom on the cake. She sliced a small piece of cake and held it up for Harry to eat, then he did the same for her. "Smear that on me and I'll hex you into next week," Hermione warned, brandishing the spatula.
"Married five minutes and she's hen-pecking me already!" Harry laughed as he gently fed the cake to his bride.
"Great. Now let us have some cake," Ron told them.
"You are obsessed with food." Hermione snapped playfully. "Come here then." She and Harry exchanged knowing looks as Ron approached. Hermione had sliced a piece of cake and put it on a plate for him. "Here you go," she said.
As Ron reached out to take the plate, Harry and Hermione took the piece together and crammed it into Ron's mouth which was open to say "Thanks."
"Not fair!" he cried, laughing and wiping the white icing from his chin and cheeks with a cloth napkin.
"Someone had to be smeared with cake. It's not a proper wedding otherwise," Harry joked. "So, who else wants cake?" No one spoke up. "What? No takers? You people are no fun!"
"Let me slice the cake," Jane said, taking the spatula from her daughter. "You're a dangerous team."
Harry and Hermione began the line along the buffet table and their guests followed suit. They stood around eating, talking, and drinking the delicious punch. Their guests all wished them well and most commented that they were the perfect couple. Professors Lupin, McGonagall, and Dumbledore had all concurred with Hagrid's opinion that they had known Harry and Hermione would wind up together. "I knew it from the first year," McGonagall told them. "I've never mispredicted a couple within my own house yet!"
"I thought you didn't believe in divination," Ron said, joining the conversation.
"Divination?" McGonagall gasp, insulted. "My dear, tea leaves and star charts have nothing to do with being able to see the obvious."
"Well, who do you see for me?" Ron asked.
McGonagall smiled slyly. "No one in Gryffindor. Perhaps you should look into Ravenclaw more carefully."
"Luna!" Harry and Hermione said together and Ron's face burned a deep red.
"I do not like Looney Lovegood!" he argued, despite having admitted to Harry that he did fancy her. He turned his attention to a sandwich.
The small party lasted about an hour. It began to thin when Hermione's grandmother came to tell them goodbye and wish them well one more time. Since she was tired, Hermione's family decided it was best for them to return home. She hugged each member of her family and told them she would see them during the holidays.
"You and Harry can come visit any time," John told them. He kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "You're still my baby."
"You're still my Daddy," Hermione told him, as tears crept into her eyes. She kissed her mother on the cheek. Then the Grangers got Dumbledore to send them home after he thanked them for their help in thwarting Voldemort's plans.
Soon, Mrs. Weasley had magically cleared the food and the Weasleys were saying their goodbyes too. Harry hugged his new guardians very tightly and thanked them again for taking him. "We love you like our own," Molly reminded him. "And you too, Hermione," she added.
"Bye," Ginny said, giving them both a kiss on the cheek. "Be happy."
"Yeah, bye," Ron added. The newlyweds embraced him.
"We're still The Trio," Harry said, again reminding Ron that his place in their lives would not be diminished.
"We're more than that," Ron said. "We're family." He left for the burrow with parents and sister.
"Your parents would be very proud," Lupin told Harry, taking his hand in a firm shake. "I know they would have loved you too, Hermione. Harry could not have found a better girl to spend the rest of his life with."
"Are you going to bed?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, uh, no," he replied. "I'll be staying at Hogwarts for a few days to give you two some privacy. It's Harry's house. And yours, Mrs. Potter."
"Oh," she nodded. It was the first time she'd thought about that. "But you're always welcome, you know that. See you soon," she said.
McGonagall hugged them both. "I'm very proud of you and Godric Gryffindor would be too. I'm sure of it."
"I'll be leaving with them," Hagrid said. "Congratulations. I'll see you soon." He enveloped them both in another crushing hug. "I hope you're both always as happy as you look right now." He turned to his companions, "Should we stop by The Three Broomsticks for a while before going back to the castle?"
There was unanimous agreement and three pops later Harry and Hermione were left alone with Professor Dumbledore. "We know how to clear a room," she said.
"Well, I have potions for you both to take before you get to bed," he said, taking two vials from a pocket in his robes. He handed a deep blue one to Harry and a deep red one to Hermione. "Each of you will drink these."
"Birth control, right?" Harry asked and he drank his.
Hermione looked at her vial, "But I thought..." her voice trailed off as she drank it. It would be silly to question Dumbledore. He knew what he was doing.
"How often do we take it?" Harry asked.
"Once a month," he answered. "You won't need any more for a while."
"Thanks," Harry said. "Will you be staying tonight?" He desperately hoped that he and Hermione would be completely alone.
"No. I'm going back to join my staff at the Three Broomsticks, field some questions and plant some rumors about your upcoming wedding, and then head back to Hogwarts. You will have the house to yourselves. It's not exactly St. Bart's, but I'm sure you will have a pleasant honeymoon nonetheless. You will probably want to move into the master bedroom on the first floor," he suggested.
They knew from this that he had probably altered it somehow to make it more appealing than the typical décor of the Black House.
"Should you need anything, just floo my office." Dumbledore told them. He seemed very much like a proud grandfather. "Congratulations, Mr. and Ms. Potter." With a wink he was gone and they were alone in their house.
AN: As always, thanks for the reviews. Bear with me. I'm sure the next part will be the hardest to write as I don't want to venture out of PG-13. I've had several e-mails asking me not to up the rating and I respect the younger readers and don't want to shut them out at this point. I hope everyone is pleased with the wedding. I wrote in some dancing, but it just seemed corny, so I cut it out. I've never attended a wedding that involved dancing at the reception, so I don't think it's all that important anyway. I'll also get to the OWLS later. They're just not that important right now. Yep, even Hermione has her mind on other things right now. ;-)