A/N: A big thank you to my beta reader and friend, Kelli, for taking the time each week to look over each chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The air was crisp as a light breeze kissed the top of the trees, leaves gently dancing their way off the trees as they reached the ground. Molly and several of the Weasleys stood outside just passed her garden, setting up the white, wedding arch as Luna conjured up sunflowers to twirl around it. Fleur Weasley pointed her wand at the crabapple trees, the leaves changing from their reddish-brown hue, to gold. Roger and Harry lined up rows of white chairs, along the aisle as Ron and George carefully placed the red aisle runner down the center of the chairs.
The set up took less than two hours to Harry's delight. He wanted this wedding to be perfect for his fiancée and he'd be damned if it was nothing shy of perfection. He walked to the arch where he would be standing in two hours' time, brushing his fingers along the white arch as he inhaled the fall air. He closed his eyes as the breeze swept over him, smiling broadly as if it was his parents congratulating him on his big day.
'This is it.' Harry thought to himself. This was the day he and Hermione were becoming one. He felt his heart soar, his nerves disappearing from his body as thoughts of him and Hermione as a married couple took over him. His thoughts reflected to a month ago when he and Hermione surprised her parents with their engagement. He couldn't help but remember how excited Karen was for her daughter, how welcoming she had been of him joining their family. Not a day had gone by where her words to him hadn't filled his mind.
'She loves you just as much as you love her'
It had taken him two weeks to decipher what his future mother-in-law had meant. Hermione was in love with him. He had felt like an arse for not realizing how Hermione had felt about him before the bloody marriage law was enacted, but he soon came to realize how much his feelings for her had grown. He didn't want to admit his true feelings for her yet, instead he wanted to show her just how much he loved her.
He placed his hand in his jeans pocket, pulling out a small, velvet box he had pulled out from his Gringotts' vault the day before. He ran his thumb over the box, a small smile sitting on the corner of his mouth.
"Luna!" Harry called out, sprinting away from the arch and towards Hermione's best friend and maid of honor.
"Hello Harry." Luna spoke softly, a smile plating at her lips. "What can I do for you?"
"I need you to do me a favor."
"Of course." Luna told him, nodding.
"Seeing as it's my wedding day, I'm not allowed to see Hermione until the ceremony. Do you think you could deliver this to Hermione? It's kind of urgent that she gets it." Harry told her as he held out the velvet box to her along with the note that sat atop it.
Luna accepted the box graciously. "I will see that she gets it, Harry."
"Thank you." Harry replied, pulling her into a hug.
"What are friends for?" Luna asked before turning away from him and walking inside The Burrow, in search of Hermione.
'This is it.' Hermione thought to herself as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her curly, brown locks hung in ringlets, reaching the middle of her back as a tiara sat upon her head, diamonds glistening in the light. She ran her hands over the petite, beaded lace wedding dress she had found with her mother two weeks ago. Karen zipped up the back of her dress before placing the pave, circular stone sash across her midriff.
Hermione held out her right foot to her mother, who slid her satin, peep toe strap heels onto her foot. Hermione had fallen in love with the heels as soon as she saw them. The crystals shimmered elegantly with each step she took.
"You look beautiful darling." Karen sobbed, tears cascading down her face as she placed the corded lace veil atop her daughter's head. "Harry's going to have a hard time keeping his eyes off of you."
"Oh Mum." Hermione said, her cheeks turning from their usual fair color to crimson. A soft knock on the door, broke Hermione's gaze from the mirror. "Who is it?"
"It's Luna." The dreamy voice spoke softly from the other side.
"Luna! Come on in!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly as Karen opened the door slightly to where Luna could walk through before quickly shutting it behind her.
"Wow Hermione, you look stunning!" Luna squealed excitedly as she gazed at her best friend in awe.
"Thank you, Luna." Hermione said warmly as the young, blonde witch strolled into the room. "What brings you up here? You're not due to get ready for another half hour."
"Actually, Harry asked me if I could deliver this to you." Luna told her as she walked closer, holding out the velvet box Harry had given her to pass along.
Hermione's eyebrow raised slightly as she accepted both items from Luna. She opened the note, her eyes lingering on Harry's familiar scroll.
I figured you could use something blue
Something blue? Hermione placed the note on the bedside table, her mother glancing at it curiously as she averted her attention to the velvet box in her left hand. She opened the lid gently, her eyes growing wide with surprise as she looked at the contents inside.
"Oh my gosh." Hermione spoke softly, her breathe hitching in her throat. She gazed upon the three stone engagement ring sitting in the middle of the box. A princess cut diamond sat between two sapphire side stones on a platinum band. Hermione carefully plucked the ring from its resting place as she gently slid the ring onto her fourth finger on her left hand. 'A perfect fit.'
She held up her hand, watching it glisten as the sapphires and diamond met the light. "That's absolutely beautiful." Karen told her daughter as she stepped towards her, taking her hand in her own.
"Harry has always been full of surprises, hasn't he?" Luna asked, watching as the brunette smile with joy.
"That he has." Hermione agreed, as she looked out the window anxiously awaiting to meet her fiancé down the aisle.
Two hours later, the white seats were now filled with the small group of people Harry and Hermione had invited to their wedding. At the center of the wedding arch stood Arthur Weasley with Harry standing left of him dressed in his green dress robes he had picked up the day before.
Harry looked out into the crowd of people, looking at the many faces of those who wanted to celebrate this day with them. Amongst the wedding guests were members of Dumbledore's Army, such as Neville Longbottom, Seamus, Dean, Michael Corner, Padma and Pavarti Patil. Hagrid sat in the front row with his boarhound, Fang, at his side. Professor McGonagall sat next to Hagrid, and to her right sat Andromeda Tonks who was already through half a box of tissues.
At the back of the ceremony stood Dennis Creevy, who worked as a photographer for The Daily Prophet and the only person who Harry trusted to take the photographs on his special day.
"You ready, son?" Arthur asked Harry as he placed his hand on his shoulder.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Harry told him, Arthur nodding at his wife to start the music. With a flick of her wrist, Molly enchanted the instruments to play All of Me, signaling for the ceremony to begin.
All eyes turned to Ron and Luna as they graciously walked down the aisle, Luna's arm looped through her fiancé's as she held a single sunflower in her hand. Her periwinkle blue dress flowing gracefully with each step she and Ron took.
Once they reached the alter, Ron kissed Luna on her cheek before taking his place next to Harry as his best man while Luna took her place on Arthur's left side, smiling happily. She nodded to Harry, telling him she had given his fiancée the engagement ring.
Harry mouthed 'Thank you' to her before turning his attention Teddy, who was walking hurriedly down the aisle, a small, white pillow holding the two wedding bands in place. The crowd laughed at Teddy's anticipation to reach his uncle. Ron took hold of Hermione's wedding band, placing it in the pocket of his dress robes until it was time to hand it over to Harry, just as Luna did with Harry's wedding band. Harry ruffled Teddy's now black hair, laughing slightly before his grandmother picked him up and placed the giggling toddler on her lap.
Next, came little Victorie Weasley and her mother Fleur, tossing out sunflower petals along the aisle runner until they reached the end, taking a seat next to her husband.
Molly flicked her wand once more as the instrumental for A Thousand Years began to play, signaling for the crowd to rise and turn their heads towards the back. Roger and Karen stood on both sides of their daughter; their arms looped through their little girl's arms. Tears trickled down Karen's cheeks as she happily walked her daughter to Harry, who was staring at Hermione with such love.
Hermione met Harry's gaze; their eyes unfaltering as Hermione continued to take one step closer to her soon-to-be husband. All the nerves from that morning were gone, replaced by sheer happiness for the life that awaits her with her best friend.
Harry gawked at Hermione, taking in her beauty. 'She's always been beautiful you git.' He chastised himself. He looked at her with such awe, as if she was the only one in the world with him. Hermione and her parents reached the alter, Roger kissed his daughter on the cheek before taking her right hand, handing her to Harry.
"Take care of her, Son." Roger said softly, before he and Karen took their seats next to George and Angelina, in the front row of the left side.
Hermione stood in front of Harry, her brown orbs looking straight into his. She handed her bouquet of sunflowers to Luna, before placing both her hands in Harry's.
"You look handsome." She whispered to him.
"You're gorgeous." He replied, causing a blush to appear on her cheeks once more.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union between Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have watched these two grow up and become the remarkable young adults they have shaped into today. I know we all wish this marriage wasn't being pushed by the ministry, but I can assure you I have not one doubt in my mind why these two couldn't be more compatible. They have become my children, and I'm honored that you've chosen me to officiate your wedding."
"Harry and Hermione have agreed to recite their own vows before us today. Harry, you ready?"
"Yes, Sir." Harry told him as Ron pulled out the vows from his pocket and handed them to him, along with sapphire and diamond wedding band.
"My dearest Hermione, I know this marriage law wasn't the exact ideal we had for a wedding, but I can't think of a better person to spend the rest of my life with. You're beautiful, smart, funny, and the most important person in my life. Not only have you been to hell and back with me, but not once have you given up on me. I vow to be there for you, no matter the cause.
To cherish you, love you, and take care of you when you are feeling your absolute worst. I will continue to show you how much I love you with each passing day, and to always be the man you can count on. I love you, Hermione Jean Granger, more than you will ever know." Harry carefully slid the wedding band onto her finger, watching as Hermione's eyes fixed their gaze onto the shimmering band.
Hermione felt his words tug at her heart, her eyes welling with tears. Something in his voice told her that he meant every word he spoke, especially the part when he told her he loved her. A single tear trickled down her face, happiness overcoming her. Harry placed a gentle hand on her cheek, carefully wiping the tears away without smudging her makeup.
"Damn you, Potter. Look what you made me do." Hermione laughed, taking her vows and wedding band from Luna.
"My dear Harry, where do I begin to tell you how much you mean to me? You're the single most important person in my life and I'm so overjoyed to be standing with you today, awaiting the next great adventure life has in store for us. Not many people would have risked their life to come back and save an eleven-year-old know-it-all from a mountain troll, but I was incredibly lucky when it was you and Ron. You've shown me what it feels like to love someone more than books. You've given me the ultimate gift by becoming the person I get to spend the rest of my life with.
Yes, this marriage law is a total farce, but it's brought the two of us closer together. I can't wait for me to officially call you my husband and start our lives together. Thank you for not only letting me be a part of your life, but a part of Teddy's as well.
He's an amazing little boy and I couldn't imagine my life without him in it. I vow to always be there for you, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. I promise to never walk away from you when the times get tough, and to always work out our problems together, just as we always have. You're a wonderful man Harry James Potter, and I love you with every part of me."
She placed the platinum band on his fourth finger, sliding it carefully onto his finger. Harry looked at Hermione with longing, staring at her slightly parted lips. He yearned to touch her, to feel her lips on his once more. He forced himself to break of those thoughts, for tonight he would show her just how much he loved her, wanted her, needed her.
"What such beautiful words from you both. If you will please pull out your wands so we can perform the marriage charm on your wands, your magic becoming one with another." Arthur instructed the pair, both pulling out their wands and holding it out in front of them. Arthur pulled out his wand, waving it in a figure eight as he said aloud the charm that would bind the magic between Harry and Hermione forever. "Semper iuncti, una semper, simul seorsum, simul unum. Together forever, together always, together apart, together as one."
The crowd watched as white light emerged from the pair's wand, intertwining with one another as the light became golden before retreating into the tips of the wand. The pair looked at one another in amazement as they witnessed their magic binding together, becoming one.
"Harry, do you take Hermione to be your wife? To cherish her always and forever? To love her even when you don't agree with her?"
Harry looked deeply into Hermione's eyes, knowing damn well he could never find a better match for him than the woman before him. "I do."
"Hermione, do you take Harry to be your husband? To cherish him always and forever? To love him even when you don't agree with him?"
"I do." She said, her eyes filling with so much love and affection for Harry.
"It is my greatest pleasure to announce you both husband and wife. Harry, you may now kiss your bride."
Harry didn't have to be told twice as he pulled Hermione into his arms, his lips brushing gently across hers as he kissed her slowly, tenderly. Hermione moaned softly as her eyes closed shut, taking in the taste of his kiss that she had longed for since the time in the elevator. It took Harry everything in him to from her, knowing he'd give the audience a show if he snogged her any longer. He winked at Hermione, taking her hand in his as they faced the crowd.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Harry James Potter!"
The crowd stood up, clapping happily as they watched Harry and Hermione walked down the aisle as they laced their fingers together, their newfound happiness radiating from them as they made their way to the reception dinner Molly had waiting for them inside the house.
Harry pulled Hermione back into his arms, kissing her once more as he wrapped his arms around her waist as she looped her arms around his neck. "Just you wait. I plan on showing just how much I love you tonight." Harry told her, causing her to flush at his words as they entered the Burrow. Hermione could feel her nerves protruding from the pit of her stomach once more, thoughts of Harry's hands touching her body sent shivers down her spine.
' Can't wait.'