FOURTY-TWO:
I Hate Love Songs — Kelsea Ballerini
( 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝟏𝟕 )
Harry's seventeenth came and went. It was a small, intimate event, with just the inhabitants of the Burrow and Remus; Molly's feast of a meal spread out on the table as they ate in the front under the floating lanterns that Meredith had magicked up (being cooped up at home for over a month had given her a lot of opportunity for reading) It was rather uneventful day, save for the Minister of Magic making a guest appearance and whisking the three of them away.
From what she heard, as the four of them sat huddled in the boy's room on the top floor, their faces basked in the warm glow of the candlelight and the one small lamp as to not wake anyone else, Rufus Scrimgeour had come to execute Dumbledore's will. Meredith then realised that it had been a whole month since the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. Since the first time that she had kissed Draco Malfoy.
(It felt like an eternity ago)
He had left Hermione his copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard ("So I guess that he figured out that you like books." Meredith had deadpanned) Ron, a Deluminator (he clicked it twice to demonstrate how it worked, the ball of light from the lamp dancing around), and Harry the first Snitch that he had ever caught ("That is quite disgusting." "I'm sure that he washed it, Meredith!"). He had also tried to convince Harry to join the Ministry's side and be the poster-boy in their fight of good versus evil but Harry, being the ever principled boy that he was, shut him down immediately, and probably with a lot of sass.
It was in that moment that Meredith realised the divide between them; the fact that although she'd spent a lot of time with them, and that she was here for his birthday and the wedding, she was never going to be one of them, one of the truly good guys who were going to go head on with Voldemort fearlessly while she returned to Hogwarts. She was always going to be the outsider, the observer; They had a bond that could not be broken and she just...wasn't a part of that.
Her heart twinged; the people that she had found that connection with...Draco, Daphne, Blaise, and even Pansy ..to the trio, they were the bad guys. The bullies. The enemies.
But they weren't the bad guys. They were all complex people who grew up in the wrong circumstances, who were shoved into the wrong roles. They were all human. Or wizards, if you were going to get technical.
They always ignored that fact when Meredith spent time with the trio; the fact that on the other side of the wall, Meredith's best friends were their enemies. But recently, with everything happening with her father, with Draco, the two worlds were beginning to collapse into one another and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep them apart.
It was such a small blessing that her father was so cunning—no one in the Order had picked up on the fact that he was a Death Eater yet. She wondered what they'd do if they did—would they throw her out? Would they lock her up? She was the daughter of the enemy. She was in love with the enemy. She was everything that they vowed not to be.
"So," she cleared her throat, shaking herself out of her thoughts before they noticed, "I suppose that you guys won't be coming back to Hogwarts with me this semester?"
Harry shook his head, giving a short laugh, "Now that Dumbledore's gone...none of us are safe in Hogwarts."
"Where will you go, then?" Meredith asked, settling down into the beanbag in Ron's room, "I don't suppose Mrs Weasley would like you lot hanging around here day in and day out. You lot are kind of rubbish at chores."
There was a pause. Harry's eyes shifted to Ron and Hermione who looked back furtively. They were hiding something from her. Something big.
Tension hung in the air as they waited with bated breath for someone to make the first move.
Meredith pretended that that fact didn't hurt her as she cleared her throat and continued, "Anyways, without Dumbledore, the Ministry will probably stick us with some goof who's basically under..." she hesitated, "his thumb. And then we'll continue learning how to transfigure toads into teacups when there's a war going on outside the castle walls. This will make for an excellent chapter in my autobiography."
"Never could get that perfect." Ron mused aloud and the tension in the room dissipated slightly. Ron always had that effect on people—Meredith was going to miss it. Harry was the next to laugh softly, "I don't think we're gonna need that." Hermione chuckled, pushing her hair out of her face. And suddenly the four of them were giggling away (softly) like idiots in the darkness of Ron's room on the top floor.
She was going to miss them. She was going to miss normalcy. She was going to miss attending Hogwarts to learn and not to fight for her life.
This was a goodbye.
But she supposed that she should lighten up sometimes even in these dark times.
They were supposed to attend a wedding tomorrow, after all.
:::
"You look stunning, my dear Meredith."
It was the day of the wedding and Meredith swore that she had never seen the Burrow so spotless in her entire time there with the rusty cauldrons and boots that were usually on the steps were replaced by Flutterby bushes, the chickens shut away, and the garden pruned—she supposed that it was for the benefit of Monsieur and Apolline Delacour and Fleur's younger sister. When they had arrived, Gabrielle had recognised the ex-Beauxbatons student immediately and gave her a quick but warm hug. Meredith internally laughed at the idea of how different her life would be had she stayed at her old school.
And yet, she didn't find herself missing it.
Meredith curtsied jokingly and answered, "As do you, my dear Georgie."
The twin grinned widely from where he stood in the doorway. He was dressed smartly in a dark suit with a purple vest and matching purple tie, bandage still wrapped around his head.
"How's the ear doing?" She asked, fixing her hair in the mirror. She had the privilege of being one of Fleur's bridesmaids so she she was dressed in the same grey dress lined with dainty black tulle and lace as the rest of them. It was a gorgeous complement to Fleur's wedding gown without outshining it. Her hair was loosely curled and fell down her back save for the two small braids with glittery pearls braided into them. Ginny had come by earlier to help her with her hair (she was one of Fleur's bridesmaids too). It was nice to dress up for a while.
To play pretend.
"I can't hear mum's nagging from one side now so all is well." George joked and he was soon joined by Fred who added on, "Yeah, he can just turn away and pretend not to hear her now, the clever bastard." Fred was dressed similarly to George but with a yellow vest and tie instead.
"Oi! Are you lot done?" Came a shout from below; The three leaned over to see Ron, joined by the rest of the Weasley family, yelling up at them. Right, the wedding.
The tent, which had been set up by the Weasley's earlier in the day (with much of Ron's complaining), was beautiful. The entrance to the marquee revealed rows and rows of fragile golden chairs set on either side of a long purple carpet. The supporting poles were entwined with white and gold flowers. Fred and George had fastened an enormous bunch of golden balloons over the exact point where Bill and Fleur would shortly become husband and wife. Outside, butterflies and bees were hovering lazily over the grass and hedgerow. It was picture-perfect.
The guests had begun arriving, milling about, chatting with one another. Meredith suspected that for many of them, this was their first chance to get out of the house to celebrate, a respite from the fear and the war.
"Let's get everyone seated, shall we?" Molly shooed the twins and Meredith away to act as ushers.
She eyed the trio hovering in the corner, whispering together, and decided to join them. Well, it was Hermione, Ron, and Harry disguised as one of the Weasley cousins, 'Barny Weasley'. She supposed that the Weasley family was simply so large that no one would bat an eye at a new cousin appearing out of the blue.
"You look great." Hermione beamed, giving her a hug. Harry, or Barny, smiled, "Yeah, you do." Meredith was glad that she and Harry had fallen back into the rhythm of platonic normalcy; he hadn't even made a comment about Draco the whole time that they'd been there. Maybe it meant that he had finally accepted it. Or maybe he hoped that if no one said it aloud, it wasn't true. Either way, they were friends again.
"Mrs Weasley would like everyone to hurry off and take their seats now." She informed them, "She's on a warpath right now, so I think that it's best not to test her." The three obliged and found their way to the front of the marquee. After ushering a few more people to their seats, Meredith was called over to join the wedding party back at the Burrow. Fleur was still in her designated room, getting ready with the help of her sister, but Bill and Charlie, who was Bill's best man, were standing out front.
"Here's the groom-to-be." Meredith grinned widely, giving Bill a hug. The man beamed, unable to contain his joy at the fact that in mere minutes, he would be marrying the love of his life. Meredith didn't exactly know how it happened amidst all the war and fighting but all she knew was that they were firstly, a very attractive couple, and secondly, totally and utterly in love.
Charlie laughed boisterously, "I can't believe the first Weasley brother is getting married!" Molly had insisted that if Bill wanted Charlie as his best man, the dragon wrangler had to cut his hair. He obliged, out of love for his brother.
"I can't wait." Bill smiled warmly, his eyes filled with warmth and love at the mention of his wife to be.
A face poked in through the front door of the Burrow. It's Mr. Weasley, with the widest smile Meredith had ever seen on his face, announcing that it was time for the wedding party to take their place.
The wedding ceremony was beautiful; of course it was.
Their vows were short but gorgeously sweet. The two were are to recite it without any cards because what they're saying is simply the truth. No fanciful pledges of potential. They're promises of love and adoration. They're promises of standing beside one another no matter what happens. They're promises of forevers.
(She wished that he was here. He would probably have jokingly made fun of the decor and Meredith would've given him a punch to the shoulder but she'd smile anyways)
She looked so beautiful, Veela or not. Her silvery pale hair falling down her back like starlight. The gorgeous dress with the two peacocks adorning the bodice. She looked so happy. She was so in love.
(She swore that she was happy for them)
He was still ridiculously handsome despite how Greyback had scarred his face during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. But it was the love in his eyes, that feeling of being so completely enamoured, that truly brought out his charm as a person.
(She wanted to be. She had to be.)
"Do you, William Arthur Weasley,"
(She missed her family)
"take Fleur Isabelle Delacour..."
(She'd keep her last name. Or maybe hyphenate)
"Bonded for life."
(She swears that it doesn't kill her inside)
(But it does)
(Just a little)
Just a little.
this is the fastest i've ever updated anything but i'm on a warpath right now and i'm so determined to finish this book.