Hermione Granger looked down from her book to the sleeping form of her boyfriend, whose head was resting on her stomach. There was a broad smirk plastered permanently on her face. For the first time in her life she couldn't concentrate on reading.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and they were lazing around after the hard work of preparing for the wedding. Harry, being Best Man, and Hermione, being one of the bridesmaids, had been very busy: she helping Tonks with her wedding dress and he helping Remus choose a ring.
It had been two weeks since The Day in the Rain, two wonderful, fabulous weeks. Hermione played with a lock of his hair, remembering. She couldn't believe it had taken her so long to work up the courage to tell him, and even then it had been out of necessity.
She wasn't sure when she had started liking him- all she had known was that she hadn't been very happy when he started dating Cho, and, though she felt like a horrible person to admit it, had been rather jealous of Ginny, though she had successfully suppressed that, for both Harry and Ginny's sakes (but she did suspect Ginny was a tiny bit jealous of her, too).
She guessed she had started to realise at the end of her fifth year, just after the incident in the Department of Mysteries- and that was when she had gotten scared. Her and Harry? It didn't seem possible. So, she focussed her attention on Ron. Don't get her wrong- she did like Ron a lot- she just hadn't meant for it to go as far as it did. And then when Ron completely ignored her and started going out with Lavender… well…
She felt Harry stir. She looked down to see him open his eyes and grin lopsidedly at her.
"Hi," he yawned, and looked at the clock. "Was I really asleep that long?"
Hermione blushed and grinned. "I didn't want to wake you."
Harry sat up, grinning too. He felt something small and hard in his pocket, and took out the ring case. "Woops! I forgot those were there."
"Remus and Tonks' rings?"
"Yeah." He opened the lid with a little click, revealing a matching pair of glittering gold wedding bands. Hermione smiled and nodded.
"Oh, I'm sure she'll love them. They're beautiful."
"Yeah?" Harry rummaged around in his pocket, blushing slightly. "I, err… got you something too."
Surprised, Hermione took the little blue box he handed her. She opened it to find a gorgeous ring, embedded with diamonds and miniature silver roses, and inscribed with tiny words at the bottom: Forever yours, H.P to H.G.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione gasped. "Its- it's so beautiful! But why?"
Harry grinned at her, and straightened his glasses. "No reason. I just wanted to buy you something. I, err, kind of stole the idea off my parents…" He had shown Hermione and Ron the ring his Father had given to his Mother.
Hermione kissed him and put it on, examining every detail with the attention she usually showed for a good book. Harry relaxed, but then noticed her lips forming a frown.
"You don't like it?"
"No! No, it's not that, it's just… what are we going to tell Ron?"
Harry sighed. This had been a subject they had both been avoiding for two weeks.
"I know. We'll have to tell him soon… maybe at the Wedding?"
"I just don't know how he'll react. I mean, I don't think he's quite gotten over our break up a few months ago."
Harry felt a pang of guilt in his chest. "Hermione… I have something to tell you…" he hoped Hermione wouldn't be too angry. "It was me," he blurted out. "I took the last turkey sandwich!"
Hermione blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
"Don't you remember? You were angry at him for eating the last sandwich!"
Hermione rolled her eyes and suppressed a sigh. "Harry, we didn't break up over a sandwich!" she half-chuckled. "It was all the arguing and… well… it was a matter of time. But listen, this doesn't solve the problem of telling Ron!"
"It'll be alright. He's our friend, Hermione, he'll understand. We might be overreacting. He might not mind at all. But even if he does, he'll come round. I'm sure of it."
Hermione smiled and leaned in to kiss him. Neither of them were aware of their red-haired friend, who was standing at the door, witnessing this scene with his mouth hanging open.
"That curse must have affected my other eye, too," thought Ron. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
*
The day of the wedding arrived soon, and with it came hot, blue skies.
"Damn tie," Harry hissed, struggling to loosen the strip of material around his neck. They stood in the sizzling sunshine, sweaty and slightly drowsy as they waited for Tonks to arrive.
People in the stands whispered excitedly and impatiently, but of course the most
impatient of all was Remus. Harry had never seen him so fidgety, biting his lip
and dabbing at his brow. The heat was probably made ten times worse by the thick, heavy leather Wizard's Marriage Robes he wore, which were similar to the ones Bill had worn on his wedding day. Harry smirked at him, and then peered into the crowd.
Predictably, Tonks' mother and Remus' parents were there, as were many members of the Order. The Weasleys sat in a line. Harry's eyes lingered on Ron. Unlike the rest of his family, he looked slightly surly and unhappy about something. He was slumped back in his seat, arms folded and trying to look as though he were enjoying himself.
Harry frowned. Ron had been strangely distant towards him and Hermione the past week. Harry put it down to getting ready for the wedding, but even when he had not been busy he hadn't spoken a word to either of them.
Harry started as the wedding march began playing. Tonks had arrived, and was walking down the isle, looking terrific in her baby blue wedding dress. She had brilliant blue eyes to match, and had turned blonde. She smiled shyly and walked down the isle, followed by her bridesmaids, which included Hermione.
Harry grinned at her as they sat in their seats, and turned to watch the couple as the vicar began the vows:
"Do you, Remus John Lupin, take Nymphadora Athena Tonks…"
Harry chuckled quietly as he saw Tonks wince at her name. He turned to see Hermione was already tearing up, though wasn't surprised to find she wasn't the only one; Mrs. Tonks, Mrs. Lupin and Mrs. Weasley were all dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs.
"…Then I pronounce you man and wife."
Once again, every person in the marquee stood up and raised their wand to the centre. As Remus and Tonks kissed, those beams of soft golden light poured from the wands and surrounded them, just like at Bill and Fleur's wedding. Harry glanced sideways at Hermione, wandering how long it would be before he was wearing those heavy leather robes.
The ceremony soon ended. As Harry and Hermione made their way over to congratulate Tonks and Remus, slow, romantic music started playing, and couples started crowding onto the dance floor.
"So, up for a dance, Harry?" Hermione smirked and wiggled her eyebrows, but Harry held her back.
"If people see us dancing, they'll know we're a couple."
"Oh, come on! Don't you think it's time we let them?"
"I think the first person we tell should be Ron."
"Then let's tell him now!"
Harry looked around the crowd apprehensively. "Ok," he sighed. Grinning, Hermione took his hand and led him through the crowd, scanning the heads for a mop of red hair.
*
Muttering, Ron trudged away from the wedding party, glad to escape the noise, the couples, them. He hadn't spoken to Harry or Hermione ever since he saw them, together. Even now he could hardly believe what he saw; frankly he didn't want to believe. He just wanted to be alone to brood.
He found a seat underneath a tree, and sat down in it, glad of the leafy branches above him that provided a relieving shade. So, he had been right to suspect Hermione's feelings for Harry were more than friendly. How could they do this to him? Harry was supposed to be his best friend. Best friends didn't go out with your ex- girlfriend.
"Why are you sulking, Ronald?"
"I'm not sulking, I'm brooding," said Ron waspishly, before realising he didn't know who he was talking to. He turned round to see Luna Lovegood sitting besides him on the bench. He hadn't notice her tip-toe through the trees to be with him.
"Oh, yes, there's a very big difference, pardon me," she said in her laid-back, dreamy voice. "So, why don't you want to be at the celebrations?"
Ron sighed. He didn't rally want to talk about it to anyone. But… he trusted Luna. He didn't know why, but he felt quite comfortable talking to her about stuff he wouldn't usually say to Harry or Hermione. They had spent quite a lot of time chatting when Luna had come to visit them at the camp.
"Harry and Hermione are going out," he muttered gloomily.
She seemed to read his thoughts. "And you think they've betrayed you."
"Well- well- yeeaah!" Ron whined. "I mean- he can't- she- isn't there some rule about going out with your best mate's ex? How could they do this, it's only been a few months since I broke up with her."
"Are you still in love with Hermione?" Luna whispered, a small sad tone to her voice.
Ron blinked. It was strange to see Luna looking sad. One of the things he liked best about Luna was that she was always smiling.
He sighed. "I'm not upset because I'm still in love with Hermione."
As though someone had lit a candle inside her head, her eyes brightened slightly. "No?"
"No," he sighed again. "I guess… I miss that closeness that we used to have. It's going to be strange, seeing Harry and Hermione… you know. Snogging and stuff."
"So that's it? You're lonely?" said Luna softly.
Ron's ears turned red and he shrugged.
"Well, we can't have that!" Ron hadn't noticed how close Luna had been to him, and he opened his mouth to say something, only to find he couldn't easily talk due to Luna Lovegood's lips attacking his.
There were a few more heated moments, before Luna, beaming, pulled him up and led him by the hand back towards the marquee, Ron still trying to figure what the hell just happened.
"Hey Luna," George was approaching them, closely followed by Fred, whose artificial leg clunked loudly as he walked. He was carrying a packet of mints, which Ron knew caused the consumer to breath fire. "Want to try our new extra-minty dragonmints? Guaranteed to-" he noticed Ron's dazed look, and his eyes wandered down to their clasped hands. "Are you two going out, or something?!"
"I- I guess we are," Ron muttered gormlessly, forgetting who he was talking to.
An evil, gleeful Cheshire-cat grin spread across George's face, and Fred's eyes bulged.
"So- so you're in lurrve, are you, Ronnikins?" said Fred, struggling to keep his voice level, while George gave a splutter of laughter.
Ron, snapping back to Earth, snatched Luna's arm and stalked off, his ears burning. Trust Fred and George to make fun of him. There was no use trying to get them to keep a secret, they were more loud-mouthed than Banshees, and probably everyone who had attended the wedding would know that Ronald Weasley and Luna Lovegood were dating by tomorrow.
Of course, there were probably going to be a couple of pathetic jokes he would have to put up with. Not everyone… understood Luna. But, he decided, he didn't care. If immature idiots like his brothers wanted to make jokes, he would simply let them.
Besides, even Fred and George had to admit, Luna had killer legs.
*
"…As I say, awfully pleased to meet you both, great honour…" wheezed the over excited little man, his watery eyes shooting from Harry to Hermione eagerly.
"Yes, same to you, Mr. Gillespie." Harry smiled politely, feeling his hand would drop off it was being wrung so fiercely.
Eventually, they managed to wriggle free of Mr. Gillespie's grip, bumping into Tonks, who looked happy, but was trying to catch her breath. She and Remus had been swinging each other rather wildly around the dance floor two minuets previously, and were now both quite red in the face.
"Wotcher," she grinned at them. "Enjoying yourselves?"
"Other than the fact that my hand's been shaken so many times it's starting to swell, it's great," Harry joked.
"Well, you did save the Wizarding World, Harry," Remus smiled, handing Tonks a drink.
"It's pretty lively," Hermione noted. "I bet there's a least a hundred people here."
"Hey, you only get married once, or so I should hope," Tonks laughed, nudging Remus.
"You haven't seen Ron by any chance, have you?"
"Hmm, not since the dancing started."
"Can't see him anywhere," said Remus, looking round. "But I know who I can see! Xeno, how are you?"
Remus began chatting to an extremely eccentric-looking wizard. He had shoulder-length fluffy white hair, and was slightly cross-eyed. The brilliant yellow robes he adorned made him stand out even more from the crowd of dark dress-robes and tuxedos.
After he finished talking to Remus he turned to Harry and Hermione. His eyes went wide as he saw them, making him seem even more comical. Harry groaned. He should have seen it coming.
"Harry Potter! And Hermione Granger!" he said, wringing Harry's hand enthusiastically. Harry was starting to wish he had took some Polyjuice Potion. "Xenophilius Lovegood. My Luna has talked so much of you, of course. I know she's helped you in your You-Know-Who hunting scheme."
"Er-" said Harry guiltily.
"Don't worry, I know my Luna loves to be helpful, and she's not one to turn down an adventure," he winked. "Do you know where she is, by any chance?"
"Here I am, Daddy." A strangely flushed Luna appeared behind him, who was, to Harry's surprise, holding hands with Ron, who was grinning dopily. She gave Ron a meaningful look, squeezed his hand and led her Father over to the buffet table.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other nervously, Hermione moistening her lips. She turned to Ron: "Ron, we have something to tell you…"
"Wait, I know what you're going to say." Beaming, he grabbed Hermione's and Harry's wrists and joined their hands. "Go ahead. You deserve each other."
Astonished, they gawped at him. "But- how did you-?"
"I saw you two snogging," he shrugged.
Hermione turned beetroot red. "Erm- err… oh." Ron sniggered.
"Come on, Hermione," Harry laughed, "let's go and do some of that dancing you were so keen on."
*
Happy and tired after two hours dancing, Harry and Hermione staggered half-drunkenly away from the Wedding, laughing over a privet joke. They had once again lost Ron in the crowd, but had been too busy dancing to notice. Of course, Harry had heard some exited muttering amongst the nosier guests when they saw Harry and Hermione together, but fortunately they had been left relatively in peace, aside from a few wolf- whistles from Fred and George.
Harry led a slightly tipsy Hermione (he had convinced her to try her first ever Firewhiskey, and, surprisingly, she had liked it) over to the old beech tree by the lake, which had been one of their favourite studying places. It was the perfect spot to view the lake, the Quidditch pitch, the castle in the distance and the huge, red sun that was now setting against a saffron sky.
Giggling, Hermione flopped down under the tree, pulling Harry down with her, and pressed her lips against his.
"Hey, that's enough of that," a voice above them said, and they looked up to see their red- haired freckle- faced friend smirking down at them. Ron slumped down the other side of Harry, yawning.
"Mate," Harry greeted. "Where's Luna?"
"Oh, she's off searching for Wrackspurts," Ron chuckled. Again, he yawned. "Blimey, it's been a long day."
"It was a beautiful wedding," Hermione sighed dreamily. There was a short pause, where they watched the Giant Squid raise a tentacle lazily up out of the water, disturbing the reflection of the fading sun that was cast across the lake, and then Hermione spoke again. "Ron?" she said, slightly meekly. "Are you sure you're alright with- you know- us?"
Ron smiled and rolled his eyes. "Only if I get to take my black- haired, brown-eyed, know-it-all seeker godchild to his first Quidditch match," he teased.
"Aww," Harry smirked, "I guess I'll have to settle for buying his first broom."
"And I get to show him how to catch his first snitch."
"Well, I'll show him how to do the Wronski Feint."
"Honestly," said Hermione, sounding quite flustered. She had reddened considerably at Ron's mention of godchildren. "You're both getting a bit carried away, aren't you? I mean, let's not be so hasty, for all you know there might not even be any godchildren, it's way, way too early to even mention that, that's far into the future, I don't know where you get these ideas, Harry, don't encourage him…" She said all this very quickly, eyes fastened to her shoes, her voice gradually fading. There was a short pause. "No child of mine is ever going within ten feet of a Quidditch pitch, let alone a broomstick, Harry James," she muttered hotly.
Harry laughed, while Ron shook his head and whispered, "Mental…"
"We'll be alright, won't we?" Hermione whispered. "In the future, I mean? Once all the celebrations are over, and we get jobs and families and stuff. We won't drift apart, will we?"
"'Course not," said Ron. "We're the Golden Trio, aren't we?"
"Not even Voldemort could stop that," said Harry softly. The east sky was dark now, the first star of the evening glinting faintly, and they sat in peaceful silence, watching the sun disappear beyond the horizon. And at that moment, it didn't matter that two of them were going out, or that two of them were rebuilding after a break-up, they were three eleven year olds again, best friends, even if only for that frozen, golden moment in time.
*
-->