Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hermione Granger and the Weasley Wedding ❯ Wonderful Weasley Wedding ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10: Wonderful Weasley Wedding

 

The next morning was rushed and hassled. Hermione didn't even bother to Apparate out of Ron's room the next morning, as his mother already knew the gravity of the situation. Besides, they were getting married today anyway. Ron wasn't allowed to see Hermione once she was ready until the wedding ceremony, so they were getting ready in separate rooms. She had kissed him goodbye when they got up and told him she would see him on the Hogwarts grounds later. He was a little tense and said as much. “Oh, quit worrying,” Hermione told him, although she too was nervous. When she walked into Ginny's old room, Mrs. Weasley was already standing there.

“Come on, dear; let's get your dress robes on. Where are the special ones Ron bought you in Diagon Alley?”

“Hang on. I'll get them.” Hermione walked over to her trunk and pulled out the parcel they were contained in. It was still tied up from the day she had picked them up from Madame Malkins.

“You'll need that ribbon Hagrid sent you as well. Oh, and I got you something.” Mrs. Weasley produced the most beautiful tiara Hermione had ever seen in her life. It was intricate, and in the top center, one jewel dangled, the exact color of the ribbon and her dress. Hermione's breath caught in her throat at the sight of it. She was going to be the most beautiful bride ever. “You go and get in the bath while I straighten out all your dress robes. Here, put this on when you get out.” She handed Hermione a regular bathrobe that looked exactly like the one Mrs. Granger wore in the mornings before she got dressed.

When Hermione had bathed and come back into the bedroom, Mrs. Weasley had laid out her dress on the bed with all the wrinkles smoothed out of it. The dress Hermione had chosen to go under the blue silk and velvet robe was as white as snow and made of the finest satin. It looked very regal with an empire waist and a sash that tied round the back. At the foot of the bed sat what looked like a shoebox with a small piece of paper attached to it. Hermione walked over to it and looked at the paper. It was from her mother with best wishes and a promise to see her at Hogwarts later that day. She opened it up and a pair of sparkling blue slippers shone up at her. Mrs. Weasley came back into the room.

“Oh, you're finished bathing,” she commented distractedly. “Let's get you dressed then.” Hermione finished putting on her under things and pulled the white satin dress over her head. She felt the smooth material glide over her skin. The straps that went on her shoulders were thin, but that wouldn't matter as she was going to put the blue robe over it anyway. She slid her feet into the shoes. The next matter was her hair. Hermione allowed Mrs. Weasley to fix it after she had sufficiently dried it and put a smoothing charm on it. Mrs. Weasley finally got it into a haphazard bun. “That won't do!” she exclaimed in frustration, examining her work.

“Why don't I do it like I did the night when Ron proposed? Then you can put the ribbon in and place the tiara just right,” Hermione suggested.

“All right,” Mrs. Weasley sighed. “I just wanted to be of some help.”

“Trust me, you were. I'd still be struggling to get the wrinkles out of my dress!” She pinned her hair up into the bun, leaving the remaining tendrils. When Mrs. Weasley was finally satisfied with the way the ribbon and tiara looked, she stepped back.

“You look stunning,” she breathed.

“I still need makeup, and then I'll put on my blue robe.” Hermione felt only half done because of these things. When she had carefully applied her makeup and donned the blue robe, Mrs. Weasley was hopping from one foot to the other in her excitement.

 

Meanwhile, Ron was upstairs with his dad trying to pull on his suit and blue dress robe that matched Hermione. His father was sitting on the bed nodding his approval. Unfortunately for Ron, Fred and George had come to get a pre-wedding look, too.

“Ronniekins is getting married,” they were chanting.

“Enough!” Arthur finally yelled from the bed. “If you boys want to make fun, go back to your joke shop and do so.” He was ill from the lack of sleep the night before, what with going to St. Mungo's, and everyone was to be at Hogwarts by ten. The wedding started at exactly eleven. It was fifteen to ten now, and Arthur was hurrying Ron along. He finished, finally, at ten to ten, and they Disapparated from his room to Hogsmeade and would go to Hogwarts from there.

Downstairs in Ginny's room, Molly was hurrying Hermione. “Come along, dear. We mustn't be late! Hagrid does not like to be kept waiting and he needs mine and Arthur's attentions on a few things.” They, too Disapparated to Hogsmeade.

 

Outside Hagrid's hut, there were chairs set up the same way as they had done for Dumbledore's funeral. There was a nice table set up at the front on which one lone candle stood. Ron and Hermione were off receiving instructions as to how the ceremony would go. Unlike Muggles, they had no rehearsal to prepare them. McGonagall was instructing Hermione and, of all people, Mad-Eye Moody was instructing Ron. Hermione had to stifle a giggle every time she thought of how nervous that strange eye of Moody's made the students at Hogwarts. She couldn't imagine how Ron was feeling now.

Pretty soon, it was almost time. The chairs had filled up, and Ron and Hermione finally got to see each other. They stood at the back side by side, ready to walk up the center aisle together. Ron held out his palm face up and Hermione placed her hand face down over it. They had to walk in that fashion up the aisle. Hermione only hoped that she wouldn't mess it up. McGonagall stood behind the table, as she would be saying their vows aloud to them and they would repeat them to one another. They couldn't walk up the aisle until McGonagall magically started the music. When they reached the table, they each had to pull out their wands and light the candle together. When they had replaced their wands in their robes, they would turn to face one another and take each other's hands. They reviewed the process with each other as they stood at the back. Everyone was still chattering, as the music had not started yet. Her parents waved at her from across the way.

“Ron,” Hermione said after they had finished reviewing what they would do, “who is that?” She tilted her head in the direction of the back row to the left of her. There was a hooded and cloaked figure sitting there, and there was no way to see his or her face.

“I dunno. Why?”

“It's making me nervous, what with that cloak covering up his face.” She shivered. “It gives me the creeps.”

Harry, who was Ron's best friend, already stood by the table on his side, and Ginny, respectively stood on her side. The chatter had begun to subside, and Hermione saw that in two more minutes, the clock would chime eleven, and McGonagall would begin the music. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the hooded figure stand up. He threw back his hood, and she screamed, as did many of the people surrounding him. Everyone scrambled to get away from him. It was none other than—

“Severus Snape!” Harry accused. McGonagall had drawn her wand and stepped around the table. Ron had pushed Hermione behind him so as to protect her.

“Yes, Mr. Potter, that's very good of you to remember me,” Snape said in that low sinister voice of his.

“How good of you to join us, Professor Snape, however, I'm afraid your position in Potions has already been filled by Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure he is the student that you would have chosen,” McGonagall said with all manner of calmness in her voice.

“Minerva, you should know I care nothing about my Potions teaching position, or my Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position either. I am here to finish my master's work.” He pointed his wand toward Harry. “Voldemort wanted to kill you, Harry. I promised him that should he not succeed, I would undertake his task. He allowed me to do so, because only I could appreciate the revulsion he felt for Harry Potter!” He spat the name out as if it were venomous. “Avada Kevadra!” he cried, his wand still pointed at Harry as a ghoulish green light shot out the end of it.

Everyone in its path ducked, except Harry, who whipped out his wand at the last second. “Expelliarmus!” he yelled, intending only to disarm Snape so that someone could catch him. Instead, his spell met with Snape's, and rebounded the killing curse onto Snape. Everyone heard Snape's body drop to the ground with a hard thud, and began scrambling over to see. Hagrid came lumbering through the crowd.

“Back off, now, nothin' t'see!” he was saying as he almost physically moved people out of the way. When he reached Snape, he clicked his tongue in disgust. “Well, now, this won't do. Snape's body can't hang round like this for the weddin', can it?” He hefted the body up onto his shoulder and carried it to his hut. When he came back, he announced, “Now don't any of you worry `bout Snape. I'll take care of him later.” He left it at that and sat down.

Everyone slowly and reluctantly returned to their seats, and Ron and Hermione once again took their positions. Harry helped Ginny to her feet from where she had fallen to the ground in fright. They took their respective positions, and McGonagall started the music. Ron and Hermione slowly began walking down the aisle. Hermione's heart was pounding and Ron's hand was sweaty underneath her own. They looked very majestic, almost like royalty, walking down the aisle with their heads held high, especially since Hermione had the lovely tiara adorning her hair. When they reached the front, they both withdrew their wands from within their robes.

“Incendio,” they muttered together as they both pointed their wands at the candle. McGonagall had told Hermione not to say it too loudly, because a larger fire than what they wanted would start. Apparently, Ron had been told the same. McGonagall had relayed quite a story to Hermione about James and Lily Potter's wedding.

James Potter was always a showoff, especially when it came to Lily. McGonagall had told Lily not to say the spell too loudly, and the person who was instructing James (McGonagall had refused to give a name) had either forgotten to tell him or not stressed it enough. When James and Lily walked up the aisle, in the very spot where Ron and Hermione stood now, and withdrawn their wands to light the candle, James had practically yelled the spell. A giant fireball had flown out the end of his wand, and McGonagall had had to duck under the table to avoid getting burned. She had confided to Hermione that the edge of her hair did get a bit singed. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin had found it comical and entertaining, but Lily had been outraged.

Hermione snapped back to the present. “All right, Ron, repeat after me,” McGonagall was saying. Hermione turned to face Ron, and he took both of her hands in his.

After she had spoken the vow, Ron repeated, “I, Ronald Weasley, having made The Unbreakable Vow of Love, do so take Hermione Granger to be my wife for all eternity. May I lose my life should I break this vow. I do so vow.”

“Do you accept this vow, Hermione Granger?” McGonagall asked.

“I do,” Hermione said solemnly.

“Very well, repeat your vow after me.” McGonagall again repeated the same words, only swapping the names. It didn't matter, because Hermione had memorized it when McGonagall had been instructing her on what would take place.

“I, Hermione Granger, having made The Unbreakable Vow of Love, do so take Ronald Weasley to be my husband for all eternity. May I lose my life should I break this vow. I do so vow.”

“Do you accept this vow, Ronald Weasley?”

“I do,” Ron replied.

“You may kiss your bride,” McGonagall announced. Ron pulled Hermione into a loving kiss as the crowd stood and cheered. After the kiss sealed the marriage, Ron turned to hug Harry, and Hermione was already hugging Ginny.

“You did wonderfully!” Ginny exclaimed. “I don't think any wedding could have been as beautiful. We used green for our colors, but the blue really becomes both of you. Oh, I am so excited! Look at you; you're positively glowing.” Ginny was gushing by now.

Hagrid cleared away the chairs, and the wedding crowd danced and partied until the stars came out. As everyone was departing, McGonagall brought over a piece of paper to Ron and Hermione. It looked to be a legal document of some kind. She pulled out her wand and muttered, “Lumos,” and laid it on the table that had been moved over to the side. “To make it all legal in the Muggle world,” she began, “you must sign this document. I wouldn't even bother, but Hermione, you have so many dealings with Muggles that I only thought it proper. Ron, you'll sign here.” She had reverted to using their first names. She only did this when something good was happening or she felt certain softness for them. She took the quill from Ron and handed it to Hermione. “Hermione, mind that you sign your new last name, or you will remain Hermione Granger.” Hermione signed it:

Hermione Weasley

She thought it looked grand.

That night, back at The Burrow, Ron had enlarged his bed to make it roomier for the both of them. Hermione was lying on her back with her head pillowed on her arms. “Ron, do you really think we'll have anymore adventures?”

“Of course we will. We'll have plenty on our hands once we get back to Hogwarts. We'll probably spend all our time getting onto students for wandering the halls at night.” Hermione giggled at this.

“Be serious, Ron. I don't want to not have fun and just sit around like and old married couple. I still want to have fun!”

“Hermione, I think we're about to embark on our biggest adventure yet,” Ron told her, referring to parenthood. Hermione smiled into the dark, and leaned over to kiss her new husband. He was right. Life was just a big adventure waiting to happen. They drifted to sleep together, husband and wife.