Hermiones POV
I followed Ginny as she huffed in anger. The seamstress had just put a huge damper on her parade. Harry and Ginny were getting married in two months and it just seemed like everything was going wrong. First it was the venue debacle. They had given their deposit, and the place was raided by Harry's Auror team. Turns out it was a hidden operation for powdered dragons tail. It was a new drug to hit the streets soon after the war and had already caused several deaths. Ginny was distraught for a while, but then I offered my childhood home for the venue. My parents wouldn't be coming back and the back garden was exactly what Ginny had wished for. My mother had worked on the garden since before I was born. It had a grand arch covered in rose vines. I had always dreamed my wedding would be there...but I didn't see that happening anytime soon. Plus it helped I was doing renovations and opening up the floor plan so it would accommodate many guests.
The next issue had been the caterer. She had been a nightmare to work with so far. We could barely get ahold of her and had too many issues already. Molly fired her and started planning the menu herself. The third issue was the cake. We had to go to a muggle baker because there was no baker in wizarding London who could make their cake. Everyone was booked up at this point. The muggle baker was sweet...but she didn't listen very well to her clients. She had already gone against Ginny and Harry's wishes because "she knew them better than they knew themselves". Instead of two cakes, she said they only needed one. Instead of chocolate, she said they needed vanilla. It was terrible. So, she was fired as well and now I'm baking and decorating their two cakes. Fourth issue...Lavender Brown. She and Ron had broken up. So, naturally, Ginny gleefully kicked her from the wedding party. Now we were one bridesmaid short.
Now to today...the seamstress had ordered the wrong dresses. Ginny's wedding colors were lavender, beige, and white. Bridesmaids dresses were, you guessed it, lavender! The seamstress accidentally ordered and made emerald dresses. How do you manage that? So now we were running around muggle London trying to find some last minute dresses. I assured Ginny we had time to order the dresses again, but she was fed up. She refused to ever order from that woman again.
"I just can't believe she could be so daft as to mix up lavender and emerald green! Who is that stupid?!" She pushed open the glass door to the small bridal shop we had just reached. It was the third one today. Ginny immediately went to the racks of dresses while I found an employee.
"Good afternoon, how can we help you today?" The young girl asked from behind the counter. I smiled in return before placing my purse on the counter.
"Hello, I need your help...majorly." She nodded for me to continue. "My friend over there is getting married in two months we have an issue. We ordered bridesmaid dresses, but somehow they were ordered in the wrong color. Please tell me you have lavender dresses in stock?" The lady named Diane, according to her name tag, looked over to Ginny who was vigorously searching and muttering. She's looked back at me and smiled.
"Yes we do. Let me take you two back...hopefully we can give you guys some good news today. It looks like you need it...and a drink." I laughed waving Ginny over.
"You have no idea," I muttered causing Diane to chuckle. She led us to an area in the back with fitting rooms along the walls. Once we reached the small couch in the center, she motioned for us to sit.
"Let me go grab the rack and we can see what we can do." She moved through the door and I pulled out my phone. I clicked call on the small icon of Luna Lovegoods face. After the war, I let muggle tech invade my life. Soon it was like a virus and majority of the wizarding world had phones.
"Hello Hermione!" Luna's always chipper voice rang out on the other end.
"Luna, can you come to Allure Bridal? We may have found something." Luna replied yes and hung up. We had split up to search for these damn gowns. They were on the other side of the square so it wouldn't take them long. Diane returned rolling a rack full of lavender dresses into the room.
"Oh thank Merlin," Ginny groaned standing to her feet.
"Merlin?" Diane asked with the cart coming to a stop. Ginny coughed as I smacked my hand against my forehead.
"It's just something she has said for years...the girl was a little obsessed with King Arthur and Camelot." Diane simply nodded before turning back to walk through the door. She stopped before she reached the door. She turned to us grinning.
"I've always been partial to 'dear Godric' myself." She walked out the room leaving Ginny and I to gape at where she had just stood.
"What are the odds we stumble into a muggle dress shop with a witch as an employee?" Ginny asked still staring at the door.
"Very fucking slim," came Pansy Parkinson's voice as she walked through the same door we were staring at. Luna and Diane followed through. Diane had a smug look on her face. Pansy plopped onto the couch with a huff. Once the smoke had cleared, and Pansy was finally able to leave her home, we got to know her a lot better than anyone would have thought. She became one of our best friends.
"I'm just surprised witches are coming into a muggle shop for this kind of stuff." Diane grinned standing next to Ginny. "Champagne?" She asked waving her hand. A bottle and glasses appeared in front of us.
"Yes please," we all said grabbing the glasses.
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By the end of our second hour, Diane had joined us for more champagne. Turns out she was the owner of this shop. She had graduated Hogwarts after the war. She was a few years behind us. She just graduated last year and took over her mother's shop. When we asked her to join us, she closed the front and brought another bottle. We had only found two dresses so far. Mine was the one we were struggling with. In all honesty, I wasn't struggling with anything. Apparently I couldn't pick my dress...
"Nope that's not it either," Diane said sipping from her glass. I groaned going back into the fitting room. Pansy had chosen a strapless lavender gown that laid perfectly on her body. It hugged her in all the right places and had a slit up to her thigh. Luna had chosen a dress with cap sleeves. It was fitted until the waist where it flowed out at her hips. Both of their dresses were silk...and I was running out of options. Removing the seventh dress I had tried on, I moved to number eight. Once on, I admired the soft fabric. It had thin spaghetti straps holding the fabric over my shoulders. The neckline was low and definitely brought attention to my boobs. I did love the corset feature of this one, but the slit was not something I would normally go for.
"Diane I need help!" I said trying to tie the laces of the corset myself. Diane came in and gasped.
"Oh this is it!" She squealed grabbing the laces from my hands. She pulled tightening the corset. "Girl you look snatched!" We were all a little tipsy at this point so I giggled in response. "I'm loving the tattoos!" Stepping out of the room, the other three girls gasped so loudly.
"Oh my gods Hermione!" Ginny said standing to her feet.
"Perfect maid of honor dress!" Luna exclaimed clapping her hands.
"Girl you look hot as fuck," Pansy said winking my way. I blushed turning to look at the mirror. Now out on the brighter light, I did notice how beautiful it made me look.
"Yeah that's the dress!" Dianne whooped clapping her hands. "I think we need another bottle." She walked out of the room once again. Taking that as my queue, I went back into the fitting room to change back into my comfy leggings and sweater. Once I had come back out, Diane waved her wand and put the dress into a bag. She popped the third bottle of champagne open and giggled.
"Diane do you want to be in a wedding?" Ginny asked as she gladly took her glass. Diane froze staring at her.
"Wait what?"
"I'm down a bridesmaid, want to be my stand in?" Ginny asked looking at her over the rim of the flute.
"You barely even know me," Diane said laughing but not declining.
"But I like you, that's enough for me. I don't exactly like a lot of people." I nodded in agreement taking my glass of champagne from Diane. She chewed her lip in thought before smiling.
"Ah what the hell? Let's do it!" The rest of the afternoon was spent getting more and more drunk on champagne and finding Diane a dress for the wedding she was being thrown into.
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Our landing was rough when we apparated. Ginny knocked over the vase on the side table of the den. She started to giggle causing me to giggle as well.
"Shhhhh," I said dramatically covering my mouth with my finger. Ginny just continued to giggle. Her giggles made me giggle and soon we were falling to the floor in a fit of giggles. A snort left my body causing Ginny to howl with laughter.
"What the hell?" The lights flickered on as Fred and George stood in the doorway with their wands drawn. For some reason, it sent Ginny and I into another fit of laughter. Ginny fell over holding onto her stomach. George sighed looking to his twin. "You grab Hermione, I'll grab Ginny."
"Hermione! They are trying to take us!" Ginny giggled out trying to get to her feet. She swayed and tumbled back to the ground.
"Alright you two," George said pulling Ginny to her feet. "Time for bed." Fred grabbed my hand pulling me to my feet as well. I quickly stumbled and fell into his arms.
"Whoops!" I said trying to stand back up. I stumbled again causing Fred to chuckle.
"Don't you two know it's dangerous to apparate drunk?" He asked picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. I hiccuped and covered my mouth. Ginny fought against George as if he was an attacker.
"Damnit Gin." He grabbed her and held her just like Fred was holding me. They began their march up the stairs listening to Ginny and I giggle the whole way. "Where are we going to put Hermione? Harry's in Ginny's room."
"We can put her in Charlie's old room," Fred said leading his brother upstairs.
"Bill and Fleur are in there with Victorie,"George said causing Fred to stop.
"Shit, I didn't think about that."
"Ginny!" I whisper hollered staring at her butt from where she was slung over George's shoulder. She lifted her head trying to look at me. "Fred has a nice ass!" I said looking down at his posterior. It was in fact true. Fred had a really nice ass. George couldn't stop his laughter then. Fred chuckled but continued with his conversation.
"What about Bills room?"
"I'm in there for the night. Angelina is already asleep."
"Well...fuck we don't have a lot of options huh?"
"Hermione wasn't exactly on the list of 'who's staying at mums for Sunday dinner' so we didn't plan for her."
"Oh no! Mollys dinner! I have to go!" I gasped trying to wiggle out of Fred's hold. His arm tightened around me keeping me in place. "Fred?"
"Yes Mione?" He asked continuing up the stairs.
"Why are you so strong?" I asked poking at his back. Even through his tshirt I could see the muscles there. I liked muscles.
"Because," he said. George snorted from behind us. "I'll put her in my room. I can sleep on the floor."
"Mione help!" Gin whisper yelled from George's grip. We came to a stop before George knocked on a door. When the door open, I giggled with excitement.
"Harry!" The sleepy face of my best friend ever came into view. I held my arms out as if asking for a hug.
"What is going on?" He asked staring at us.
"We are being kidnapped!" Ginny said wiggling in George's hold. Harry sighed before opening the door for George.
"Harry you're my best friend," I said with my words slightly slurring. He chuckled before coming closer.
"I take it you guys had a fun trip?" He asked placing his glasses on his face. I gasped looking at him using my hands to push on Fred's back.
"We took a trip?! Where did we go?!" I wanted to go on a trip.
"Goodnight Hermione," he laughed once George had come back out. The door closed and George moved up the stairs. Fred followed before stopping at another door. He walked into the room and I was carefully placed on a bed. Fred closed the door before turning back to me.
"Are you trying to have sex with me Fredrick?" I asked looking around the room. I don't think I've ever been in Fred's room.
"No Mione, now let me see your feet." I lifted my legs in response. He pulled my shoes off my feet and turned me to where I was laying on the bed.
"Are you sure?" I asked squinting at him. He laughed before covering me with a soft blanket that smelled of honey and mahogany. I like that smell.
"Go to sleep Mione," he said before laying down on the floor with a pillow and blanket. I sighed, but felt sleep coming faster than I thought it would.