Double Standard

7 - Three Days to Go

In the end, Harry and Ginny decided to use several songs for the wedding reception since they couldn't decide between them. As for the actual wedding, they would use both the Wedding March and the same song Arthur and Molly used at their own wedding, True Love, from the only Muggle movie he had ever been able to get her to watch, High Society, with singer-actors Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, which had come out in 1956. True Love had been their favourite song from the film; he had taken her to see it to celebrate their getting engaged. They had gone to see it after having had dinner at the Three Broomsticks. Molly had told her daughter and son-in-law-to be that Arthur had saved for six weeks in order to be able to take his love on a very special date. He had especially wanted her to see High Society, even though he usually went to the Leaky Cauldron for food--and the couple had also eventually adopted True Love as "their" song.

Of course, even at her then-young age, Molly was an exemplary cook, having learned from her own mother. The story had so intrigued the younger pair that they had decided to use that very song for their own wedding. As for other details, such as the type of wedding cake they wanted, they had already decided on choco-late with strawberry filling, although they wanted the usual type of frosting and decorations--white with four layers, along with red roses and statuettes of a bride and groom, the one of the man made with glasses and the one of the girl made with red hair. They had arranged for Colin Creevey to be the photographer, his brother Dennis was his assistant. Kingsley Shacklebolt, now Minister of Magic, promised to personally handle publicity as a favour to Harry since he knew how to report fairly and accurately, with no sensationalism. Flowers were white roses and white lilies streaked with blue (to be especially charmed by Hermione), in keeping with the colour scheme of the wedding.

The girls' bridesmaid dresses were pale blue, floor-length with matching shoes, and off-the-shoulder with ruffles around the top and bottom hems. Ginny wore the diamond engagement ring Harry had originally gotten her brand new, but planned to get out his parents' rings from the family vault and use them at the proper time. Also, at least part of the honeymoon would be spent in the same places Harry's own parents had gone. He had even found his mother's wedding veil in the family vault and suggested that Ginny use it. She had already decided to use Molly's wedding dress, so it couldn't be better in regards to showing respect for their mothers. Maybe even use the veil as one of the traditional wedding items--"old, new, borrowed, blue," as the saying went. The dress and veil would be the "borrowed" items, the engagement ring and pearl choker Hermione had bought her the "new", possibly Great-Aunt Muriel's goblin-made tiara the "old"; and finally, the lacy blue teddy and lacy garter the "blue" items which Ginny would wear under her dress.

Harry still wasn't fond of the idea of inviting Draco, but did it to keep the peace--and to surprise Ginny. He had also owled Hogwarts and obtained the current addresses of his former classmates and invited them. If weather permitted, the wedding would be held outdoors in the Burrow's flower garden and the reception at the Three Broomsticks, which Harry insisted on paying for. Otherwise, it would be held at the Three Broomsticks, period.

Harry also hoped McGonagall would be able to officiate, although someone from the Ministry's Department of Marriage and Children would have to be there to make the wedding legal. Ginny's garter was made with blue silk and white lace, gold wedding bells dangling from it over her right knee. Not to mention her favourite scent of honeysuckle rose for the wedding. The other girls would wear their own favourite scents, not to mention hairstyles. Ginny had already decided what kind she wanted, but it wasn't only for herself that she had chosen it. She smiled evilly as she visualised Harry's reaction to it. They had also decided to have Molly do the catering for the reception, since no one knew their favourite foods as she did. The Weasley matriarch had also chosen what kind of wedding outfit and hairstyle she wanted for herself. Arthur had decided to magically increase the size of the dress robes he had worn on his own wedding day, as well as shine up his one pair of dress shoes.

* * * * *

Of course, not everyone's mind was on the upcoming wedding every moment of every day. Particularly not Harry's mind. Even as much as he loved Ginny and wanted to marry her, he was still a young man--and wanted to act accordingly. Specifically, he wanted to be alone with his fiancée, even if only for a short time each day ... but the closer it got to the wedding day, the more difficult it became for the lovers to steal even a moment alone, much less an embrace or kiss. It got so the best they could do was steal longing looks or smiles in each other's directions or blow kisses--if not sign "I love you," but even those moments were becoming increasingly infrequent. And now, just three days before the wedding, with virtually everything either already arranged or in the process thereof, Harry sat on the edge of his bed, head bowed dejectedly, eyes closed in pain and his hands clasped in his lap.

Bloody hell, this is ridiculous, he thought, tears of both anger and pain misting his eyes even as he threw himself backwards onto his bed, one arm covering his eyes upon removing his glasses. I miss Gin so much it hurts--and I can tell she misses me, too--but it seems that the closer we get to our wedding day, the harder it is for us to find a moment alone, even to simply smile at each other or blow a kiss. I don't know how much longer I can stand it. I've not been able to even touch her hand for ten days now, much less hold or kiss her. It's for sure that I've set a record for cold showers, too ...

I know there's only three more days until we're together forever, but the way things have been--the way things are now--it seems more like three years, if not three centuries. In fact, I'll be lucky not to attack her like an animal in heat on our wedding night. His body ached and burned with desire for his beloved--an ache and burning only Ginny could ease--but she wasn't here ... and could not be here, even as much as she may have wanted to be. In fact, it wouldn't surprise him if Molly was purposely keeping them apart until the wedding.

Gin, I need you so much ... I need you ... Oh, Merlin, how I need you ...

He knew Molly meant well, but at the same time wished she was far away--if not the other side of the world, of London. Gin's brothers, too, for that matter. They might even be in on a conspiracy right along with Molly. One thing was for sure, he intended to have at least a week's (if not two) honeymoon in order to have a chance to be with Gin alone long-term with no well-meaning but meddlesome family or friends to stand in the way of romance. That is, if he could possibly manage it. He never dreamed he would find himself envying Ron and Hermione. Even they had been able to spend more time alone together of late than himself and Ginny!

However, Harry didn't yet know of the plans Ginny had made for the two of them at this very moment. He would have felt a lot better if he had known, of course, and it wouldn't be too much longer until he did--and then they would finally be able to spend many tenderly passionate hours together ... or at least enough to take the edge off until their wedding night. This she vowed with every ounce of her being, whatever she had to do!

* * * * *

It was shortly after midnight that Ginny Apparated into Harry's room and stood there for a time just watching him attempt to sleep, certain parts of his incredible body spotlighted by the moonlight which slanted in through the half-open window. She heard him moan softly, then toss and turn, and if she hadn't known better, she would have suspected he was having another nightmare. However, he had not had one for some time; by this time she knew the signs and what to look for. This was sexual frustration, pure and simple.

She knew all too well what her mother was doing and why, appreciative of Molly's having her daughter's best interests at heart--but at the same time, wasn't about to allow it to go on any longer. She was just as ready to climb the wall as Harry was, and intended to let him know. Which prompted her to then take his nearest hand and Apparate them to a place where they could be alone for several hours and with no interruptions, whatever she had to do to prevent them.

Upon arrival, Harry yawned, moaned softly again and opened somewhat bleary eyes to see a blurry image of his beloved beside him. "Gin, what's going on? Where are we?"

"All you need to know right now is that it's somewhere where no one can bother us," she informed him. "No more talking now, love. We have a lot of time to make up for."

With that, she dropped her nightgown and situated herself beside Harry, then gathered him into her arms and kissed him deeply. All they knew after that was each other's touch, their scent, the feel of their bare skin, their lips ... and that's all they wanted to know, for now and the foreseeable future.

* * * * *

Harry awoke to find himself intricately entwined with his fiancee's warm fragrant body, his face nestled in her sweet-smelling hair, tousled with sleep and passion. Her breath was hot on his bare skin and he loved the feel of it; at the same time, it was no hotter than the flames of passion which had burned inside both of them the entire time they had moved almost frantically together in the age-old rhythm. Truly, he had been certain that he would never be able to get enough of her; he had been deprived for so long. He was never going to allow anyone to stand in his way again where Ginny was concerned; they had waited far too long to be together. They deserved every moment alone they could possibly beg, borrow or steal.

His heart felt so full that he had been certain it would burst with love for the woman in his arms, her beautiful, compact body with its full hips and slender waist, even fuller breasts with deep peach-coloured nipples, breasts which were covered with innumerable freckles--freckles which covered virtually every inch of her sweet body. He loved her breasts, along with her soft and sweet, intoxicating mouth second only to the hot, wet, and almost unbearably sweet tightness between her lovely legs. He intended to spend the rest of his life getting to know it intimately in every way he possibly could--and after the mistakes he had made with her, intended to make sure his own children never made the same mistakes, whatever he had to do.

He smiled as he watched her sleep for a time, then closed his eyes momentarily. However, it turned out to be much more than a moment, for he felt Ginny kiss him awake, becoming lost in her velvety brown eyes with their thick dark lashes (he was sure she used a Cosmetic Charm which simulated mascara and eyeliner with pale pink and gold shadow, but as far as he knew, that was the only makeup she ever wore other than a touch of lip gloss.

"Morning," she crooned. "Sleep well?"

"Great," he replied. "Once you finally finished wearing me out." He gave her a sly wink.

"Now you know what you missed all during the war," she remarked, stroking his lips before kissing his nose. "Bet you wish you'd waited."

She was certainly right about that--and although there was no way to truly and completely make it up to Ginny for the way he had betrayed her, Harry intended to do everything humanly possible to see to it that she was the only woman he ever knew intimately again, whatever he had to do. They would be married in just over three days, and only they would know the passionate shagging which had gone on this night. It was no one else's business but their own, now or ever.