Chapter Two: The Wedding
Harry sat in the row next to Hermione. He, like everyone else, was waiting for the march to begin. Ron was going to have to lead Ginny down the row, since he was the best man and that left Harry and Hermione alone in the audience. Of course, Harry preferred it that way. He really didn't want to have to spend any more time around Ginny than at all possible. Ever since the argument, they had avoided one another. Harry couldn't help but feel guilty, but no one gets to say those kinds of things, or act that way. Not to his friends anyways.
As expected, the Wedding was gorgeous. Fleur was stunning as she walked down the way. Bill looked just as nervous as ever standing there; Harry imagined that his father looked quite the same before he married Lilly. His scars weren't totally healed, and they still marred his face very seriously, but they looked better. They surely didn't look like they did when he was in the Hogwarts infirmary. Fortunately, Bill had not become a Werewolf. He was only half of one. Once a year, on the day he was bit, he would transform. But that was all. No one cared, they were all happy to just have Bill alive.
The music started and the doors opened at the end of the isle. The front lawn of the Burrow had been transformed within a couple of days to an amazing sight. The chairs were lined perfectly, and flower petals from the garden were scattered all through them. The pinks, yellows, and reds shined wonderfully in the morning light. The `doors' at the end of the isle were actually just a cascade of flowers draped over a lattice archway. With a small flick of his wrist, Mr. Weasley pointed his wand at the arch, and the flowers spread apart elegantly, and Fleur stepped out. The music continued and everyone with in range gasped at Fleur's beauty. Harry even had to admit that she was.
Harry watched as she walked down the row, and said her vows along side Bill. The ceremony was wonderful, and Harry couldn't help but hope that he would live to see his own wedding day. Of course, that wish seemed to get smaller and smaller everyday. At the end of the ceremony the twins and a few others transfigured everything into a more party setting. Loud dancing music started and the cake appeared on a table out to the side. Before everyone started to spread out, Ron tapped on a glass and caught everyone's attention.
"Well my brother. The time has come for me to make me spectacular speech. As your best man, I am required to say something nice. As hard as that may be." He winked and everyone laughed. "Bill, I have always looked up to you, and as strange as it may seem, I've always wanted to be like you. I hope you and Fleur have a wonderful time tonight, and I hope it won't take you too long to make me an Uncle!" Ron ended it with a bow, and everyone laughed as Bill and Fleur blushed crimson.
The rest of the reception was fairly standard. Cake, dancing, loud jokes, and much laughter. Of course, with the presence of Fred and George, some things were about as unusual as you could get. When Bill took the first piece of cake out (which in Harry's opinion was a mistake from the start), it bounced off of the plate, and proceeded to gather its `companions' (from the rest of the cake) and smash EVERYONE in the face. It was quite funny, but of course, the twins had on their shield hats, and were spared from the cake. It was a good laugh, and after they managed to wipe their faces off, the pieces of cake exploded, sending icing everywhere. Harry couldn't help but laugh. Even in light of all that was happening around him, Harry found himself having quite a wonderful time. It was so relaxing to just be around people who would laugh and giggle, rather than the people at school who were always stressed and worried. It was such a different lifestyle. Then of course, there was Harry's lifestyle. Totally different from all of them. He was constantly worried about other things. He had such a burden on his shoulders.
Yet while he was at the part, that burden seemed to lessen.
"Penney for your thoughts?" A voice came from behind him. He knew it was Hermione. She was the only one at the Burrow who knew what a penny was, much less know how to use the saying….
"That's an American saying…and you know it Hermione." Harry said, thinking back to the movie that he saw it in.
"Yes I know…but it sounded right! And I surly wouldn't pay a pound for your thoughts. That's much too high a price. Penney is just right." She said smiling.
"Very true," Harry mused. "Want to dance?" He asked on spur of the moment.
Taken a back for a moment, Hermione nodded. "Sure Harry, that would be fun." He lent her a hand, and they stepped out onto the floor. The slow song settled in, and Harry lost himself in the swaying and the stepping. Hermione looked very nice today, clad in her nicest dress robes. They were a pale green color, and Harry had to admit that she looked stunning in them. They spun and danced three songs through before either of them realized it. When the song ended, Harry let go of her, and they both smiled.
What a great friend she is. Harry thought to himself. It hadn't been hard to dance with her. With Ginny he would have gotten nervous, and fumbled, but with Hermione…he didn't. It was so easy to fall into the steps with her, and just be who he was. She knew him so well, and he never had to worry about being someone else for her. It was just so easy to be Harry Potter with her. Not the Chosen One. Or the Boy who lived. He was just Harry.
A thought smashed into Harry that made him stop in his tracks. All day his burden had seemed lighter. With all the laughing and carrying going on, it was so easy to forget. But in a split second, the weight of it came crashing back down.
This is what I am fighting for. He thought with a shock. This was what the fight was for. This was why he had to do it. This is why it was so important. This was why he had to win the battle. This was what he was fighting for. His friends. And, his family. These people were his family. That's why he was fighting this war. To keep them safe. To keep them happy. The world was becoming a place that was without safe havens, and without happiness. Harry was the only one who could stop that from becoming a final reality. He had to stop Voldemort now, before it was too late. He had to do this. These people all around him were why.
His party mood was killed swiftly, and he slowly withdrew himself from the gaiety. After he felt that he was no longer noticed, he slipped back into the house and up to his room. With a wave of his wand, his things packed themselves into his open trunk. His broom shrunk to the size of a toothpick, and he placed that in his pocket of his trousers. He then changed into his normal clothes. It was time to leave. The trunk shrunk, and he placed that in his other pocket. He left a hastily scrawled note for the Weasley's to take care of Hedwig, and he turned on his heel with full intention of leaving. Of course, he should have known better. With Hermione around, he couldn't get away with anything.
"Where do you think your going?" She asked, twirling her wand between her fingers. The sight of her leaning against the doorframe with her wand like that was very threatening.
"I…uh…er…well you see…" Harry stumbled through the words.
"You're not leaving without us." She said simply.
"Yeah, and we mean us." Ron said stepping around the corner.
Tears sprang to Harry's eyes when he fully realized the devotion his friends were giving him. He nodded, and looked away hastily.
Hermione held up a note. "I already wrote our goodbye. I think it will be better that way." She said somberly.
"My parents don't know yet of course…" she trailed off.
"We will go there first, and tell them. Then we are off to Godrics Hollow." Harry said looking between them. It seemed that they liked the idea.
"Thanks guys." They placed the note on the desk, and they all apparated with a crack.
No sooner had they been gone, did Mrs. Weasley step in the room with tears on her face. She understood of course what had happened. She just hoped that her children would be safe.
"Good luck my dears." Was all she could say.
The front yard of Hermione's house echoed with three loud `pops' as the trio apparated in the yard. They walked up to the front door of the two story house and knocked on the door. The house was nice. It wasn't extravagant, but it was elegant. Of course, the outside didn't speak of much. But when Hermione's mother opened the door that said much more. The furnishing was nice, but as before, not overly done. It was a very beautiful and clean house.
"Hermione!" Her mother said as she threw her arms around her daughter. Harry felt a pang of sadness knowing that he would never be a recipient of that.
"Mum! I brought along my friends. This is Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley." Hermione said excitedly. Her mother invited them in, and was very kind to them. She was a woman of normal height and weight. She had the trademark brown bushy hair, and brown eyes. Harry could easily see where Hermione got most of her looks from.
Harry could tell that all of a sudden, Hermione had remembered why they were here. They weren't here just for nothing. They were here because they had to explain to Mrs. Granger why she wouldn't be seeing her daughter again for some time. They had to explain to her that there was a chance that she would never see her daughter again. That wasn't something that Harry looked forward to doing, nor was it something that Hermione looked forward to doing either.
"Mum, could you get Dad for a minute; there is something we need to tell you." Hermione said solemnly. Her mother seemed to pick up on the fact that it was important, so she briskly strode from the room.
On impulse, Harry grabbed her hand, and squeezed.
"We're here for you Hermione." He said quietly.
She squeezed back. "I know."
Her mother returned now with Mr. Granger in tow. He was of average stature, but he did have a shock of blond hair on him. It made for a funny mental picture. Hermione with blond hair. No.
"Mum, Dad. We stopped by to tell you that…that we are going away for a while." Hermione bit back for a moment and tried again. "There is something that we have to do. Well, something that Harry has to do, and I want to be there with him. Ron too." She said aptly.
"Does this have to do with that Voldemort fellow?" Mr. Granger asked quickly.
"Dad…how do you know about him?" Hermione said taken aback.
"Well, after you left for school last year, with that nasty scar on your side. I decided to do some investigating. I subscribed to a newspaper of your kind." His hand shot out from behind his back and showed a new copy of the Daily Prophet.
"So you know all about me, and what I have to do then?" Harry stepped into the conversation before Hermione could say anything.
"Yes Harry, I do. I figured that Hermione would be going along with you. Your all she talks about when she is home you know." His words seemed to make Hermione blush for some reason, and Harry smiled.
"I promise that I will take care of Hermione to the best of my ability. I need her though sir. I wouldn't be able to do this without both of them." Harry said, gesturing to his friends.
"I understand that. And if she trusts you the way that I believe she does, then there would be no stopping her anyways. But do be careful." He cautioned.
Their understanding struck Harry hard. Again he realized that these were the people he was fighting for. This was why he had to do this. And he would.
The family embraced and they stepped back. With tears in their eyes they simply said. "Good luck." And with that, the teens apparated away with a crack.
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