Lies and Illusions chp. 7
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and her publishers. The song
"Angel" belongs to Sarah McLachlan. Doing a little research, I found that the album it first appeared on was
released shortly after this chapter is set.
Author's note: Hello, everyone; I'm sorry it's taken so long to post this. I got this chapter back from Anne some time ago, but I kept finding certain details I didn't like. Now that they're fixed, I can move on to the final editing of chapters 8 & 9. Hopefully, they won't give me the trouble this chapter did.
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Chapter 7
Wedding Dance
Harry swore his heart stopped at Hermione's revelation.
"Say that again?" he asked in a breathless whisper.
Hermione had pulled back some, but was still close enough to hear him. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I can sense other people's feelings. Not all the time mind you. It mostly happens with particularly strong emotions, people I'm around a lot, or some combination thereof."
"Does anyone else know about this?" Harry asked.
Hermione shook her head. "You're the first person I've ever told. I try very hard not to let it show, but it gets the better of me sometimes -- as some people have noticed." A shy grin appeared on her face.
"Like Luna," Harry muttered.
"Yes, like Luna. She's a very observant girl when she wants to be -- a little too observant, if you know what I mean. My parents are the same way." Hermione gave a small laugh and hastily added, "Not weird, mind you; just very, very good at noticing certain things. Reminding me of that fact has become one of Mum's favorite games these past few years, much to my discomfort. Dad does the same thing, but is usually a bit more discreet about it."
Thinking about what Hermione was saying, Harry began to piece together the personality quirks these others had seen in his friend. Especially the insight she had into other people's emotions, even though she hid her own behind what she had once called 'books and cleverness'. But sometimes, usually when she was under a lot of stress, those feelings would explode -- leading her to do anything from giving him a desperate hug, to slapping Malfoy across the face, to sending a flock of irate canaries after Ron.
"How long have you been doing this?" Harry asked her.
"Since I was a little girl, not that I could ever explain it. Do you want to...." Her eyes met his.
Harry nodded without hesitation.
"We, my parents and I, first noticed it when I started primary school. I would...sense things from the other children, or feel a certain way for no reason. It was frightening, mostly because I didn't know what was happening, or why it was happening to me. Eventually, I had to figure out ways to control it just to stay sane.
"I've always enjoyed reading, Mum and Dad taught me when I was four. Burying myself in books and schoolwork helped to suppress the worst of my problems...along with making me the top student in my class." Hermione sat up a little straighter and flashed a proud grin as she said this, only to take on a somber expression when she started talking again. "But it came at a price. None of my old classmates wanted much to do with the bossy, over-achieving bookworm I'd become. My parents were always there to comfort me, but none of us had any idea what was causing my problem...until my first Hogwarts letter arrived, that is."
Closely watching her expressions as Hermione spoke, Harry found himself sympathizing with her plight. "So that's why you act the way you do," he said without thinking. Giving her hands a gentle squeeze he quickly added, "Not that I'm complaining. You've helped me more than you'll ever know, and I...." His voice faltered as he tried to express his feelings to her.
"Better late than never," she said quietly, "and your welcome."
With a bittersweet smile, Hermione returned to her story. "When I found out I was a witch, I thought that was the answer at first. Whatever was going on, it just simply one of the things people like us do. But when we got to Hogwarts, it soon became clear that it wasn't -- a fact which made the whole thing even more mysterious . However, I did manage to find some guys who were willing to be my friends...when they weren't being a couple of self-centered prats, that is." She tried to glare at him, but Harry sensed that her heart wasn't quite in it.
Still, a sheepish blush crept across Harry's face as he said, "Sorry, I never meant -"
A soft knock on the door was followed by Arthur Weasley poking his head in. Both Harry and Hermione started stammering explanations as they scrambled to opposite ends of the bed.
Acting like he hadn't seen a thing, Arthur brightly said,"There you are. Molly wants to start early tomorrow so you might want to kip out soon." The balding wizard checked the hallway behind him. "Look Harry; I know you're not dating my daughter anymore, but you two might want to be a little more careful in the future. Ginny isn't the only witch in this house who'd get upset if she saw you like this, and we all know what their tempers are like." With that, he disappeared out the door.
Once he'd gone, Harry and Hermione started breathing again. Out of the entire Weasley family, Arthur was the least likely to say anything about finding them together. Deciding they'd pressed their luck enough for one night, Hermione got up to leave.
Harry softly spoke to her at the door, "I promise I won't tell anyone Hermione. Do you-"
"We don't know anything for certain yet," she said briskly. "Even if you really do share this...gift of mine, I'm not sure what we can do about it. In any case, I swear that I'll try to help you anyway I can." She rose up on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. "Goodnight Harry."
In return, Harry gently placed his own brief kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight, Hermione."
**********
Three more days of bustling activity preceded the wedding. Wednesday was spent repainting the Burrow inside and out. Enchanted paint brushes took care of most of it, but Molly still had a seemingly endless list of chores for them to do along the way.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent an enjoyable Thursday morning helping Bill set up his security measures. Arthur had argued with him to follow the Ministry of Magic's recommendations, and Bill had conceded after growling some very rude phrases about the people who set those guidelines. In the afternoon, the Weasleys all had to meet in Diagon Alley to pick up their clothes for the wedding. Harry and Hermione remained behind secretly practicing some detection spells Bill had taught them: something they both agreed would be useful in their search for the Horcruxes.
That Friday was spent actually setting up the Weasley's property to host the wedding and reception. Magic should have made this a fairly quick and easy undertaking, but the constant stream of nit-picking from Molly turned it into an all-day affair. She was, by far, the most nervous when Bill, Fleur, and her family paid them a visit late that afternoon. An audible sigh of relief was heard from the entire construction gang when Fleur nodded her approval.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear. People started arriving around ten o'clock, starting with the bundle of nerves otherwise known as the bride. The groom showed up a little while later flanked by the twins, and with Charlie and a woman he introduced as his girlfriend close behind. Upon seeing them, Fred and George drafted Ron and Harry into helping prevent their eldest brother from wearing a hole in the floor with his pacing.
Now, with less than an hour to go before the wedding, Harry made his way downstairs while tugging at the collar of his shirt. The green turtleneck and dark trousers Hermione had picked out during their Muggle shopping spree seemed like a good choice at the time. However, the addition of a long wizard's robe made the outfit a bit warm in the July heat.
Oh well, Harry thought, at least it isn't as uncomfortable as Ron makes his dress robes out to be. Having just come from the room where the Weasleys were making their final preparations for the ceremony, Harry was glad that he didn't have anything to do with the ritual besides watching it. These thoughts were interrupted as he turned to go out the back door by a feminine voice calling his name.
Looking up, he saw Hermione carefully walking down the stairs behind him. The sky blue witches' robes she wore showed off the curves of her body with all the demure elegance he'd come to expect from her. She must have used that hair potion again, as her honey brown locks now fell in graceful curls over her bare shoulder. Close up, he could see she was wearing the slightest hint of makeup on her face, and a pair of small diamond earrings to complete her look.
Slowly turning around she asked, "Well, how do I look?"
"Beautiful" was Harry's breathless reply.
Pulling himself together, he held up his hand. Hermione accepted with a gracious smile and looped her arm around his. Together they made their way up to the paddock.
Ten-foot high trellises covered with thick vines enclosed most of the normally empty field. A wide, carpeted aisle went down the center; separated from the dozens of chairs on either side by thick garlands of multicolored flowers. At the far end was a raised platform large enough to hold all the Weasleys and Delacours together. Naturally, this was where the ceremony would actually be performed.
As could be expected: most of the guests were friends, relatives, or coworkers Bill and Fleur; and complete strangers to Harry and Hermione. However, the two of them were swamped by well-wishers the moment they entered . It was a good thing there were a couple of people there to help them. To be specific: a certain former Hogwarts professor and his girlfriend.
Remus Lupin looked older than he actually was -- thanks to his condition, and the life he'd been forced to live due to the prejudice that existed against werewolves. Him and his girlfriend made a rather odd looking pair. Not only was Tonks some fifteen years younger than him, but she also preferred to maintain a more...colorful appearance, from her bubblegum-pink hair to the short violet skirt she was wearing. They made an odd-looking couple, but few could deny how happy they made each other.
The four of them moved off away from the crowd, exchanging small talk. Tonks was particularly interested in hearing about their run-in with Horace Slughorn at Hogsmeade station. She'd seen it from a distance, but wanted to hear the full story.
"So that's why you gave him those tusks!" Tonks cried when they were done. She was laughing so hard, Remus had to catch her to prevent the clumsy witch from knocking everything over.
Chuckling himself, Remus said: "Can't say I'm surprised. Slughorn spent years pulling those kinds of stunts on your parents, Harry. He only gave up on your father after James and Sirius filled the git's office with dragon dung they nicked from the Herbology stores." A tiny smile crossed Lupin's face as he remembered his lost friends' antics. "Lily was part of his club for a little while, but told Slughorn what to do with himself after she caught on to his little game. At least that's what she told us. It's hard to tell for sure anymore, since that's about the time the first war with Voldemort started really heating up."
"Speaking of Voldemort, has there been any news lately?" Harry inquired in a low voice.
Glancing around, Lupin answered quietly, "Not much, I'm afraid. It was quiet after the funeral, but a couple of weeks ago we started getting reports of Death Eater sightings around the country."
"Whenever those of us Aurors who aren't wasting our time on guard duty go to investigate, they're gone before we get there. The Ministry's been trying to downplay it, of course. They claim that folks are just jumping at shadows now that Dumbledore's gone," Tonks said, though it was clear that she didn't believe this story for a second.
"What about the Order?" Hermione broke in. "Aren't they - ?"
Remus raised his hands to stop her. "I don't think this is the time or place to be discussing these matters. If you'd like, I can come by sometime this week and tell you everything I know. Hopefully we'll have some word about Hogwarts as well."
Harry felt a dull ache in his stomach when school was mentioned. Last month he resolved to devote himself to hunting Voldemort's Horcruxes instead of returning for his final year of classes in the enchanted castle. A look at the pretty brunette next to him told Harry that she'd almost forgotten that decision as well. He began to wonder if he'd made the right choice, only to have the thought pushed out of his mind a second later.
Charlie's strong hand shook his shoulder. "Hey, guys! If you'll take your seats, we're about ready to start."
**********
This was the first time Harry had been to a wedding, and he wasn't sure exactly what was going to happen. Considering the effort they put into the preparations, and the little he knew of Muggle weddings, he was half-expecting some spectacular display of wizardry. But what happened instead was more like the subtle form of magic he saw Albus Dumbledore perform on their disastrous trip to the cave.
Once the guests were seated, the Weasleys made their way to the platform in two neat columns. Bill and Charlie led the procession with Arthur and Molly, Fred and George, Ron and Ginny, and (to Harry's great surprise) Percy following behind. The males were all dressed in formal robes that could almost pass for Muggle tuxedos. Pure white for Bill and Charlie, but with bright ties and waistcoats for their father and brothers (Fred and George's kept switching colors). Molly looked every inch the matriarch in her frilly robes, while Ginny's dress showed off a bit more skin than her mother would have liked -- as Harry had heard all too well before coming outside.
By contrast to Bill's family, the Delacours made their way down the aisle in a tight group. Fleur's parents walked on either side of her, with her little sister Gabrielle and a woman he didn't recognize following a few steps behind. All of them wore attractive, very expensive-looking clothes -- almost as if they wanted to draw attention away from the young woman in their midst.
As if that were possible.
Fleur had always been beautiful, but there were no words to describe the vision walking past them. The pure white silk and lace of her wedding gown seemed to glow under the bright summer sun. A light breeze made her gossamer-like veil and silvery hair floated gently in the breeze behind her shapely -
A warm hand touching his own was enough to snap Harry out of his musings. Feeling her fingers entwining themselves with his, he gave Hermione a questioning look.
"Just checking," she whispered in his ear. "Normally Fleur doesn't affect you very much, but the same can't be said for some of the other men here. With the emotions rolling off these people, I wanted to make sure you weren't being affected by them."
Quickly scanning the crowd, he saw many of the male onlookers positively drooling at Fleur -- only to be nudged, kicked, or sprayed with icy water in one case, by their female companions. Up on the platform, they could see the four Weasley brothers in the back elbow each other every few seconds. Percy was getting nudged particularly hard, perhaps because he had somehow landed up between the twins. Ginny, on the other hand, looked bored.
Examining the arrangement of Fleur's escorts again; it occurred to Harry that someone in the Delacour family must have known the affect the part veela bride would have on the male audience, and taken steps to prevent any problems. For not only were they walking protectively around her; but her parents and maid of honor each appeared to be holding their wands as the walked down th aisle. Not that it mattered, since Fleur's eyes and sunny smile were reserved solely for the waiting groom.
With everything that was going on, neither Harry or Hermione noticed the odd look Remus Lupin was giving them.
Harry found himself admiring the simple beauty of the ceremony. There was no priest or magistrate officiating, instead it was the young couple themselves who conducted the ritual. Monsieur Delacour and Arthur Weasley were the only other people to speak during the ceremony, each of whom recited the ritual blessings on behalf of their families before taking their respective seats.
Standing together with their assistants' wands touching their joined hands, Bill and Fleur took turns swearing vows of love and devotion to each other not unlike those said at Muggle weddings. When those were finished, Charlie and Fleur's friend handed the couple two small rings before taking their seats. Saying a few words that Harry didn't catch, they each slipped their rings on the other's hand and sealed their vows with a passionate kiss.
Receiving a nudge from Hermione, Harry stood up and applauded with her as the newly married couple led their families back up the aisle under a canopy of brilliant fireworks.
**********
Harry tried to enjoy himself at the wedding reception, and would of if certain people would just leave him alone. Some of them had to be from the Ministry, no one else could possibly be that interested in wizard politics. Far more tenacious however, were the young witches who kept hitting on him. The only thing scarier than their blatant come-ons was the mood they were putting Hermione in.
Seeing the most persistent of these girls about to try a fourth go at Harry, Hermione finally had enough. Wrapping a possessive arm around Harry, she snarled, "He's with me. Now go away!"
Harry broke into a wide grin seeing the death glare his best friend directed at the trollop as she ran away. It was even more effective than the Puking Pastille George had slipped that Ministry bloke a hour ago.
"Nicely done, 'Ermione," Fleur said as she appeared out of the crowd, no longer wearing her veil. "You have no idea how often I had to say zat to one woman at work. Per'aps if you two danced together they might leave 'Arry alone?" she said in a light tone they'd never heard her use before.
Glancing at the couples dancing on the flagstone patio Arthur had created for the reception, Harry said, "I'm not much at dancing -"
"- And no offense, but I've never been very fond of most wizard music," Hermione half-lied to her.
Wincing as yet another Celenstra Warbeck song started, Fleur replied; "Tell me about it. Let me get my husband, and we will zee what can done."
"Well, you have to admit she's a lot nicer," Harry brightly told his companion after Fleur left.
"I suppose," Hermione conceded. "It is possible that her haughty disposition was mostly an act to discourage all the unwanted attention she gets." Across the dance floor, they saw Fleur talking into her husband's ear. "That might also explain why she loves Bill so much -- he's willing to see past her exterior, and love Fleur for who she really is."
The two of them shared a comfortable smile as they watched the newlyweds gather up Charlie and his girlfriend before sneaking off to a secluded niche of the garden.
Night had fallen by the time any of them were seen again. The tables set around the darkening garden were now lit by flickering candles that were joined by hundreds of little glowing fairies buzzing about like giant fireflies. Harry and Hermione had found Ron talking with a brightly-dressed Luna in a quiet corner of the garden. Also with them was Fleur's little sister. Gabrielle Delacour didn't speak much English, but seemed content to just stare at Harry in the same lovesick way Ginny used to.
Harry had been avoiding his ex-girlfriend all evening, more out of the sense she was up to something than anything else. Luna confirmed his suspicion by saying she'd seen Ginny talking to several of the girls who had been pestering Harry. When asked what they'd been talking about, she gave Harry a little shrug.
"I'm not sure," Luna said, "but Ginny's been a bit off ever since you arrived. She seems to be having trouble accepting that you're no longer together, and keeps obsessing over what you and Hermione are doing. By the way; when you dance together, watch out for any nargles nesting under the patio. They're often attracted to parties like this."
Harry and Hermione stared at each other in shock, wondering if they should ask how Luna knew about Fleur's plan. One look at Ron told them that he wasn't going to be any help, as he had just whispered something in Luna's ear that made her topple over with laughter.
Bill strode up to them wearing a wicked smirk. Across the garden, Fleur talked to her friend who was handling the old-style phonograph providing the music.
"Everything's set, when Charlie starts talking just go out on the floor." Gesturing towards Luna he told Ron, "You know little brother, it wouldn't hurt you to dance with your friend there. We picked a slow number, so all you have to do is hold her and sway back and forth a little. Try it, you'll like it," he finished with a chuckle.
As the last strains of music died away, Charlie sent bright sparks from his wand and spoke in a magically amplified voice.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! As you may know, we've been playing the favorite songs of the happy couple and their parents. Well, I'm sorry to say that Bill and I never figured out what to play for our father. Sadly, we know him more for his um...interest in Muggles than his tastes in music." Charlie's understatement earned a snicker or two from those who knew Arthur Weasley. "So, with a little magical assistance, my lovey girlfriend Michelle has agreed to to perform a Muggle song she's recently come across."
Sharing a resigned look, Harry and Hermione stepped into the smooth open space along with one or two other couples. In the now lit corner, the dark haired woman they'd seen Charlie with started playing a piano that hadn't been there earlier. As Harry took Hermione in his arms, her soft alto voice began to sing.
"Spend all your time waiting,
For that second chance,
For a break that will make it okay,
There's always one reason,
To feel not good enough,
And it's hard at the end of the day,
I need some distraction, oh beautiful release,
Memory seeps from my veins,
Let me be weightless,
And maybe I'll find some peace tonight."
The reluctance Harry felt before faded as he slowly danced with his friend. He'd only danced with a girl once before, at the Yule Ball two and a half years ago, and he only went to it because McGonagall made him. If such a Ball occurred now, he didn't think he'd mind going -- as long as Hermione was with him.
"In the arms of an angel,
Fly away from here,
From this dark cold hotel room,
And the endlessness that you fear,
You are pulled from the wreckage,
Of your silent reverie,
You're in the arms of the angel,
May you find some comfort there."
Harry sighed as he felt Hermione slide her hands behind his neck. Looking at her, he smiled and gently wrapped his arms around her slim waist. Everything but the music and the beautiful woman in his arms fell away as he lost himself in her eyes.
"So tired of the straight line,
And everywhere you turn,
There's vultures and thieves at your back,
And the storm keeps on twisting,
You keep on building the lie,
That you make up for all that you lack,
It don't make no difference,
Escaping one last time,
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness,
Oh, this glorious sadness,
That brings me to my knees."
Various onlookers noticed the pair.
Remus Lupin pulled his gaze away from the waxing moon overhead when Tonks tapped his shoulder. Following her eyes, he smiled at the scene playing out before him and the memory it invoked of another couple he'd known so long ago.
Ron watched his friends even as his eldest brother's words milled about in his head. Deciding he had nothing to lose, he took one last gulp of his butterbeer and asked Luna to dance. She blinked at him for a minute, and then yanked Ron out of his seat and onto the dance floor. "I guess this means 'yes'," he laughed.
From her vantage point over by the house, Ginny watched with a stoic expression as her worst fears were realized. Only her mother's veiled threats kept her from saying anything...especially to her new sister-in-law, who she knew had a hand in this.
For his part, Bill knew his little sister would be hurt but understood why his wife thought it was for the best. Having a crush on somebody was a normal part of growing up, but it wasn't the same as loving them. To love someone, you had to know them...and the only girl who could honestly say she knew Harry Potter was the one dancing with him right now.
"In the arms of an angel,
Fly away from here,
From this dark cold hotel room,
And the endlessness that you fear,
You are pulled from the wreckage,
Of your silent reverie,
You're in the arms of the angel,
May you find some comfort there."
So much had changed for Harry since Professor Dumbledore had died. This past year, he'd been content to rely on the old wizard like everyone else. But with his death Harry couldn't do that anymore, and was forced to leave the last bits of his so-called childhood behind. He was on his own now, but Ron was still there to watch his back and Hermione....
Only in the last few weeks had Harry truly come to know what an amazing woman Hermione was. Smart enough to know when he was wrong, brave enough to say so, yet caring enough to stay at his side through everything. She was the friend who he could confide anything in, and who had trusted him with her deepest secret in return. Hermione had her faults, to be sure -- being incredibly stubborn, critical, tactless, bossy....
Harry almost laughed to himself. No matter how annoying some of her traits may be, she just wouldn't be Hermione without them...and he wouldn't want her to be any other way.
"You're in the arms of your angel,
May you find some comfort here."
These last few words hung in his mind as the song ended. Hermione was far from perfect, but there was nowhere he'd rather be than in her arms. Feeling her warm skin through the light fabric of her dress, her nimble fingers stroking the back of his neck, and seeing the light dancing in her warm brown eyes made something click in Harry's mind. Now he understood what the warm, comfortable sensation he'd been feeling these last few weeks was.
It was love. He was falling in love with Hermione Granger.
Tonight, on what may be the last peaceful evening he'd ever know, Harry put aside his concerns. Tomorrow he'd deal with the war and everyone's reactions. All that mattered to him right now was the young woman in his arms, and the surge of love he felt as they shared the most tender of kisses.
**********
end chapter 7