The End

Epilogue 4: Wander My Friends

Hermione yelped and lunged for her wand as she was shaken roughly awake. Only the fact that Ginny had already been awake for an hour saved her from the first spell Hermione's sleepy mind could concoct.

"Take it easy, it's me," Ginny said, unfreezing the witch, summoning her wand from where it had fallen behind the bookcase, and handing it back.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," Hermione admonished her, stretching and running a hand through her gnarled hair. "What are you doing here?" Hermione was beginning to wonder what she was doing there as well. She hadn't spent the night in her parents' house in years.

"You promised you wouldn't get drunk last night," Ginny said sincerely, but when Hermione shot her a look she changed tracks and said, "You've got one guess."

Ginny could almost see the gears in Hermione's head clicking into place.

"Merlin! The wedding!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up. "What time is it?"

However, before Hermione could locate the clock, Ginny whipped a blindfold over her eyes and tied it securely behind her head.

Hermione's expression, although obscured by the blindfold, was obviously exacerbated, but she didn't argue. "I asked for that, didn't I."

"All part of the traditions you wanted to invoke," Ginny confirmed.

"Are you at least going to tell me what time it is?" Hermione pressed, as Ginny helped her change blindly into her clothes.

"Time for you to let me stress out about the details while you concentrate on marrying my brother," Ginny replied smartly, then both girls paused as a wave of nervous energy coursed through them.

Similar revelations had been hitting Hermione at random intervals for months, like a befuddlement charm to the back of the head, but never so potently as it did just then. She was getting married, she was actually getting married.

"I guess it is," Hermione said breathlessly.

"Come on," Ginny replied, taking Hermione's elbow. "I don't know what your parents made for you, but it smells delicious downstairs."

"What time is it, Ginny?" Hermione pestered as she allowed herself to be guided out her bedroom door.

"Time for breakfast," Ginny maintained, helping Hermione to the stairs.

"I never would have guessed," Hermione muttered. "Anything else?"

"Seven thirty," Ginny relented.

"Six and a half hours," Hermione breathed and another wave of excitement passed through the pair.

***************

"George?" Ron called desperately, blindly feeling the air around him.

"Blimey, Ron, that took you long enough," George gasped.

"You try to visualize yourself appearing somewhere when you can't actually see," Ron muttered. "Can I take this off now please?"

"Not until you're inside, mate," George replied.

"Aren't I," Ron asked, a little nervous.

"You missed a little," George said. "We're standing in a flower bed across the street from the inn."

"Well I'm supposed to apparate all the way inside, aren't I?" Ron asked dejectedly.

"Yeah," George admitted, helping Ron out of the flowers, "but I figure its close enough, we wouldn't want you to get lost again."

"I was never lost," Ron pouted. "I just didn't know where I was all of the time."

"How many tries did it take you?" George pressed.

"Three," Ron admitted.

"I can see it now," George said dreamily. "Front page of the Daily Prophet: Disappearing blindfolded boy surprises Muggles, when located later, the perpetrator claims he was simply trying to make it to his wedding. Ministry officials have decided that he will be spending his honeymoon in Azkaban."

"Don't start," Ron muttered, brushing past George and hoping he was heading toward the inn.

"I think I'm starting to see why they did away with these traditional weddings," George said thoughtfully, grabbing Ron's arm and redirecting him in the true direction of his destination.

"Just starting, are you?"

When George finally removed his blindfold, Ron found himself in the middle of a room with a large mirror standing against one corner and three sets of dress robes and a tuxedo hanging on a rack. Ron sat down in the nearest chair and glanced at his watch.

"It's only eleven o'clock, what are we supposed to do for the next three hours?"

"Get ready, presumably," George said with a shrug. "Dunno what you're complaining about, Hermione's been here since nine."

"Well, that's because she has to do girly stuff," Ron replied. "Like get her hair done."

"Careful Ron," Ginny said from the doorway behind them, causing both Ron and George to spin around in surprise. "You'll have to check that attitude once you're married, I doubt Hermione would approve."

"Why do you keep sneaking up on us like that?" Ron asked. "This is the fifth time in the last three days."

"Because I can," Ginny replied with a shrug. "And because it's fun to watch your reactions. Hermione nearly cursed me this morning. The two of you have been fighting Death Eaters for far too long."

"We've noticed that, thanks," Ron muttered. "Why else do you think we would get married so soon?"

"You've known each other for eight years," Ginny pointed out. "That hardly seems like too short a time."

"You know what I mean," Ron muttered.

"What are you doing here anyway?" George asked.

"Hermione sent me to make sure you're still alive," Ginny replied, looking at Ron. "She's been in a state ever since she found out that you didn't show up with George."

"You realize you didn't have to tell her," Ron said.

"She asked," Ginny explained. "What was I supposed to do, lie to her?"

"It's a start," Ron sighed.

"Check that attitude, too," Ginny said. "The way Hermione tells it, you, her, and Harry have been doing enough of that."

"Yes, well, Harry's not here, is he?" George exclaimed angrily continuing a frequent argument. "You know that he should be here with you instead of me. Even after everything you lot've been though. I think he could learn a thing or two from-"

George continued mouthing silently for a few seconds before he realized that Ron had hit him with a silencing charm. After that he took to fumbling through his robes for his wand so he could make an attempt at the countercharm.

Ginny looked liable to continue her brother's argument, so Ron turned his wand on her but restrained himself from using it. Instead, he said, "If Harry felt like he needed to leave then he needed to leave, and he doesn't owe us an explanation. If he doesn't show up then it's his loss and not ours. Isn't that right?"

"Sure," Ginny muttered. George could only prove he had relented by nodding his head.

"Good," Ron said, wishing he could convince himself as easily. "Now if you don't mind, I have a wedding to prepare for."

Ginny slipped out and closed the door just as Ron stepped grimly in front of the mirror. She felt deflated somehow. She hadn't meant the things she had almost said about Harry, she just wished he would come back already, almost as much as she wished Ron and Hermione hadn't made her promise she wouldn't go and try to find him. Carefully, Ginny hitched a look of excitement on her face and crossed the hallway to the room where Hermione was getting ready. When she entered her Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger were making a valiant attempt at Hermione's hair.

"I don't see how you manage it everyday," Mrs. Weasley said as she smeared a large dollop of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion into Hermione's hair.

"I don't, mostly," Hermione admitted.

"It's been this wild for as long as I can remember," Mrs. Granger sighed nostalgically. "It used to give me such trouble when she was young."

"Well, not to worry, dear," Mrs. Weasley replied. "We'll get it sorted- now that's not helping!"

As soon as Hermione spotted Ginny she'd jumped up and raced over to her, looking quite deranged with scattered sections of smooth hair while the rest of it was just as frizzy as ever.

"Is he here?" she demanded. "Did he make it?"

"Yeah," Ginny replied.

"Oh thank you!" Hermione exclaimed, pulling Ginny into a hug before returning unsteadily to her chair.

"That boy!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, looking every bit as relieved as Hermione, even a bit tearful, as she resumed working on the witch's hair. "One might think he'd have the decency not to scare us like that."

"You know Ron," Ginny said with a shrug, scooping up a handful of the potion and adding it to Hermione's hair. "I doubt he could help it."

"He passed his Apparation test almost two years ago," Mrs. Weasley pointed out. "That's plenty of time to sort out how to do it with your eyes closed."

"It's harder when you're nervous," Hermione pointed out quietly. Ginny nodded.

Mrs. Weasley looked thoughtfully skeptical then said, "You may be right. I suppose when you've been Apparating for as long as I have you tend to forget these things."

They worked in silence for a few minutes, then Mrs. Weasley said, "I suppose that's done it, then. Pass me those flowers, Ginny, and we'll see what we can do with them."

***************

"Was one of the places you accidentally Apparated to a garbage dump?" George asked as he passed by Ron, who had gotten it in his head to try vanishing his freckles. George had been liberally exercising his reclaimed ability to talk ever since he finally remembered how to counteract the silencing charm a few minutes earlier.

"No, why? Does it smell like I did?" Ron asked, turning his nose to his robes to investigate.

"No," George replied. "I was just curious."

"Prat," Ron muttered, returning to his freckles.

George Disapparated somewhere and when he came back Ron had been just about to vanish the first freckle, but the loud crack reduced his concentration to rubble.

"I suggest you don't do that mate," George said. "Fred and I tried in our third year, it was disgusting."

"You tell me this now," Ron replied.

"I have exactly what you are looking for in my possession," George continued, holding out a small canister labeled Vanishing Cream. "Just nipped back to the shop for it."

Ron's face, which up until that moment had been covered in growing delight, now melted into suspicion.

"You try it first," Ron said.

"Oh come now," George laughed. "You know I don't have freckles."

"I'm not using anything that will make my head invisible or take off all my skin," Ron replied. "I know how you and Fred work...used to work..."

George pulled on a bored expression and checked his watch, but Ron had witnessed this method of defense too many times to believe it was genuine for a second. One only had to look at George to see how much he had been affected by his twin's death. His hair, which had always been relatively long as far back as Ron could remember, had now been cut short, as though George wanted the long haired look to always remain associated with Fred, and there was something in the way he spoke, like he expected someone to come along and finish his sentences but they never did.

"Sorry."

"So I've looked into this traditional wedding idea a little," George said. He started out slowly but gained speed when it became clear that Ron wasn't going to object to the change of subject.

"Have you?" Ron replied, cursing his lack of tact. Not only had he never meant to bring up Fred in such a way, but he'd been hoping that George's Vanishing Cream would be genuinely helpful, now it looked as though he'd never find out.

"Oh yeah," George breathed. "It's full of mystery and intrigue. The book I read said that a full traditional ceremony hadn't been performed in over a hundred years before it was published, and that was fifty years ago."

"You know Hermione," Ron said. "She probably figured this was the only way she'd ever get to see one."

"So this was Hermione's idea?" George asked, suddenly sounding a bit mystical.

"Well it wasn't mine," Ron muttered.

"I didn't think it was," George continued, "although I am a bit surprised that you let her go through with it. I read about this part they call the Union of Body..."

"What?" Ron demanded. He'd suspected all along that he should have done some research into the details of a traditional wedding, now he wished he'd listened to himself.

"Right up there, in front of everybody," George added, nodding. "And that's only the first part, there's two more."

Ron took off in the direction of the bathroom, his hand over his mouth. George followed close behind him, brandishing a toothbrush and yelling. "Wait up! You're gonna need this!"

Ron reached the bathroom with enough time to lock the door before George could barge in. He leaned over the toilet and spit out a glob of a bitter green substance but nothing else. His Mum had prepared an extravagant breakfast for him that morning, but he hadn't been able to stomach any of if at the time, which worked out to be very fortunate: he had nothing to throw up.

When he returned to the door, Ron discovered that the toothbrush had been poked through the gap underneath it. He picked it up and wrinkled his nose at the mass of dust, hair, and lint that came up with it, but he pulled that off, cleaned the toothbrush twice, and used it anyway.

Not feeling at all equal to stepping outside to face whatever new torments George had invented in his absence, Ron sighed and leaned up against the sink. He was being stupid, surely Hermione wouldn't invoke a ceremony that would require them to do anything...undiginified, or at least she would have mentioned it so that he would have a chance to object. Of course, it seemed entirely likely that George was joking, or at least exaggerating, as some sort of punishment for bringing up Fred.

It occurred to Ron that he had exactly the tool to solve this dilemma and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small mirror.

"Hermione," he said into it, fogging over the glass.

When the mirror cleared, it showed the interior of a dark pocket. A moment later a manicured hand closed around it but did not lift it into the light.

"How much longer do you think, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked.

"We're almost there, dear," she replied. "About another five minutes, I'd say. My word, I suppose you won't be able to call me Mrs. Weasley much longer."

"Much too confusing," Ginny agreed.

Ron sighed and settled in to wait, eavesdropping uncomfortably on their giddy banter. Ten minutes later, Mrs. Weasley pronounced Hermione finished and the bride excused herself to the bathroom.

"What's going on, Ron?" Hermione demanded finally. "You know we're not supposed to see each other right now."

"I'm not actually looking at the mirror, are you?" Ron replied.

"Well, no," Hermione admitted.

"Are you done getting ready then?" Ron asked. There was, after all, at least an hour and a half before the ceremony was supposed to begin.

"Not nearly," Hermione replied, sounding excited. "Our Mums and Ginny only just finished my hair. How are you coming along?"

"Fine," Ron said, fidgeting slightly. He hadn't wanted to lie to her, but he supposed it would be best not to admit that he hadn't even started getting ready yet.

"Is there any reason in particular that you called?" Hermione prompted.

"What, I'm not allowed to just say, 'hi'?" Ron asked. He could almost feel Hermione's annoyed look even though he wasn't looking at the mirror and knew there would be no quarter given. He had no choice but to give up his attempts at broaching the subject on his own terms. "Alright, fine. I was talking to George and he brought up the Union of Body part of the ceremony. He made it sound like we have to...I mean...not that I have a problem with...but there's gonna be all those people there..."

"And I suppose there's no possibility that he could have been joking," Hermione sighed.

"That did occur to me," Ron admitted, "but he sounded so serious and I just wanted to-"

"She's going to tie our hands together," Hermione interrupted. "That's the Union of Body."

"Oh," Ron breathed, much relieved. "Who's 'she'?'"

"Griselda Marchbanks," Hermione replied.

"Oh," Ron said. "Who's she?"

"A senior witch on the Wizengamot and possibly the only person who remembers how to perform a traditional ceremony," Hermione explained. "She supported Dumbledore, in case you're curious. If you paid any attention at all to the planning meetings you would already know this. Do you have your symbol chosen?"

"Yes," Ron replied defensively. She'd only brought that part up about a hundred times since she was so worried that he'd forget.

They stood in silence for a minute, unsure of what to say next but unwilling to call the conversation to a close.

Finally Hermione asked, "Have you heard anything about Harry? Ginny and your Mum won't talk about him."

"No, I haven't," Ron sighed.

"I've just been so worried about him, is all," Hermione replied. "We haven't heard from him in months. He's out there all by himself, there's no telling what may have happened to him."

"I'm sure he's fine," Ron assured her. "He can take care of himself."

"But he just took off on his broom," Hermione cried. "England's an island."

"Hermione, he'll be here," Ron said. "And if he's not then we'll go out and drag him back the first chance we get."

"He's had enough time," Hermione agreed.

"I think I understand why he felt like he had to leave," Ron continued. "But what kind of git misses his friends' wedding?"

"Ron."

"He thinks he's being noble and protecting us by staying away, well maybe he should have asked us first."

"He'll be here," Hermione reminded him.

"I know," Ron sighed. "I just can't help it, I guess."

"I understand."

There was a sudden knocking at the door to Ron's bathroom, followed by George's voice.

"Did a kelpie get you, mate? What are you doing in there?"

"Duty calls," Ron muttered, glaring in the direction of the door.

"I'll see you soon," Hermione replied.

"I can't wait," Ron said. "Have fun getting ready."

***************

Hermione was preceded into the room where the ceremony was to take place by a flurry of flower petals, which swirled into the room on a gust of wind and covered the floor on which she was to walk. A similar phenomenon involving twigs entered before Ron. The pair appeared simultaneously on opposite sides of the room to the applause of the assembled guests and began walking in time to the music to meet at the front. Ron's efforts toward that end were hindered slightly by a twig that took it upon itself to try and trip him up, George's idea, no doubt. After that, Ron paid much more attention to where he was stepping, but there was no repeat performance, perhaps because by that time George had been required to follow the groom out into the open and could no longer perform such a stunt without arousing suspicion in the surrounding witnesses.

Hermione, meanwhile, remained unbothered by such disturbances as she walked gracefully down the aisle, her elegant purple robes sweeping a few of the petals along with it. She reached Ron's parents and paused while Mr. Weasley kissed her hand and Mrs. Weasley pulled her into a hug then carefully checked her woven crown of hair and flowers.

Ron and Hermione then switched places and greeted their own parents. Before Ron had a chance to react, his Mum had showered him in wet kisses. When he was finally released, Ron shook his Dad's hand and Mr. Weasley kindly drew out his wand and cleaned the lipstick from Ron's cheeks.

Finally, Ron and Hermione met Griselda Marchbanks on a raised platform in front of a leafless tree.

"Good afternoon," Griselda said, addressing the room at large. "We have gathered to witness the Union of Body, Mind, and Spirit of Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley and Miss Hermione Jane Granger. Will the two of you please join hands."

Ron flashed a smile at Hermione and held out his left hand for her to take. She smiled back but reached for his right hand instead. Ron hadn't even come close to figuring out why holding right hands specifically was important, much less when he'd missed that fact, before Griselda pulled out a long piece of red ribbon and lashed their hands together. He didn't even have to try to escape to know there was no way unless someone untied the knot.

"Before we proceed I must offer both of you one last chance to back out," Griselda said.

"I won't be taking it," Ron replied promptly. Griselda wrinkled her nose at him.

"I stay," Hermione said. Griselda nodded approvingly then continued. Apparently that was the correct response.

"Then do you vow to protect each other?"

"I do."

"I do," Ron repeated, supposing he could have figured that response out even if he hadn't let Hermione go first.

The ribbon binding them together glowed bright orange for a moment then returned to its usual color.

"The Unification of Body is complete," Griselda announced to the applause of the guests. "Now will you kindly perform your symbols."

It worked out to be fortunate that Hermione had taken the time to explain this portion of the ceremony personally to Ron, for if she hadn't he would have been utterly confused by that statement. As it was, he awkwardly extricated his wand from his robes and held it up in his left hand, ready for what was to come next. Hermione, he observed, had a much easier time with her wand, having though ahead and placed it in a pocket where she could get at it easily with her left hand.

When they were ready, Griselda nodded for them to proceed and they raised their wands to each other's foreheads. When Hermione's wand touched Ron's skin he felt a strange wetness seeping out from it, as though someone had spilled paint on him. He was able to observe the effect of his own wand on Hermione: spindly brown lines were creeping across her forehead and forming into a picture of an open book with a tree growing out of it. It was strange, he was fairly certain he'd meant for her symbol to by a stack of books, but he liked this one much better.

Griselda turned to Hermione and asked, "What symbol have you drawn for Ron?"

"The bear of courage," Hermione replied, gazing at Ron's forehead.

"And what symbol have you drawn for Hermione?" Griselda said to Ron.

"The book of wisdom," Ron said.

"Do you each agree with the other's assessment of your character?" Griselda continued.

"I do," Ron and Hermione replied simultaneously.

"Then wear them and remember."

The pair pressed their foreheads together, their free hands behind each other's ears. A strange, tickling sensation covered the places where the symbols had been drawn. When it stopped, they backed away and Ron briefly saw the image of a bear on Hermione's brow before it raced off down the side of her face and under her robes. He could feel the progress of his own symbol for Hermione and was fairly certain that it halted near this chest bone.

"Do you vow to respect and listen to each other."

"I do."

"Then the Unification of Mind is complete."

Ron felt the tattoo burn into his skin where it would stay for evermore and saw Hermione wince at the effects of her own mark.

"Let us proceed then to the Unification of Souls," Griselda continued. "The rings, if you please."

Ginny and George stepped forward and offered over their charges. Hermione pocketed her wand and took Ron's ring from Ginny, and slipped it on his finger, saying, "Take this ring and wear it with pride, for it is a token of my love for you, which will still reign strong beyond the end of the Earth."

Ron took Hermione's ring and copied her movements, adding "I love you, Hermione, and there's nothing else I can say that could possibly mean more than that, so take my ring and wear it, the same way I do with yours."

"Well said," Griselda whispered as she leaned forward to untie the ribbon binding their hands. Even after they had been freed, Ron and Hermione found themselves reluctant to release each other. Griselda separated two lengths of the ribbon and tied them each into circles then handed one to Ron and the other to Hermione, who put them on like sashes.

"We now come to the Crossing of the Wands," Griselda said invitingly as she stepped aside.

Ron and Hermione turned to each other, pulled out their wands, and touched them together so that they formed an X between them. A shower of sparks sprang from the wands. The pair lowered their wands so that they could look at each other over the X, they then leaned together to kiss. As soon as their lips connected the intensity of the sparks increased tenfold. Suddenly, the tree behind them caught fire, but almost as suddenly as it had burst into flame it burst into bloom. The flames had magically disappeared and were replaced by flowers. A short span of time elapsed before Ron and Hermione broke apart to inspect it.

Smiling, Griselda returned to the pair, broke two twigs off the tree, and handed one to each of them. Then she turned them to face the assembled guests and announced, "The Unification of Souls is complete, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley."

Suddenly, everyone assembled sprang to their feet, clapping, cheering, and whistling.

Hand in had and smiling uncontrollably, Ron and Hermione ran up the center aisle, holding their free arms up to block the bulk of the sparks and flower petals the guests were raining on them.

When they had nearly reached the door, Hermione happened to glance over into the rows of seats and saw something that made her stop short, her face melting into an expression of pure awe. Ron, unaware that she had stopped, nearly pulled her over when the slack in their arms disappeared, but it didn't take him long to realize what had happened and come back to investigate. He was soon feeling just as surprised as Hermione.

There, standing in front of them, clapping wildly with tears in his eyes, was Harry, looking just as they remembered him. The three of them simply stood there for a moment, regarding each other silently, then Harry sheepishly raised his wand and added his own sparks to the others in the room.

Hermione pulled him out into the aisle and threw her arms around him. Ron soon followed suit. There was a thud and Ginny joined the group and another when George came up shortly behind her. Before long, old school friends, professors, Order members, and Weasleys had all joined in the massive hug and everyone cried and laughed together as the petals and sparks slowly drifted down to land on and around them.

***************

It was some time before the mass of people finally broke apart and started making their way to Hogwarts for the reception. Harry couldn't help but pause to admire the view. He'd forgotten the way that the sun would gleam across the lake and catch on the windows of the castle in late afternoon and how big the surrounding mountains looked. For a moment he found himself wondering why he'd ever left.

Eventually Harry became aware or the stares he was getting from the Weasley clan and, seeking a distraction, he busied himself with making sure Hermione's relatives suffered no ill effects from the Muggle repelling charms on their way into the castle. He couldn't help but smile at the awed expressions on her young cousins when they saw the Entrance Hall.

"Does a king live here?" a girl asked. "Will we get to see him?"

The girl's mother didn't seem at all sure of the answer to that question, so Harry, who had been approaching the group anyway to point them in the direction of the Great Hall, replied, "Not exactly, this is a school."

The three youngsters looked perfectly ecstatic at the possibility of going to school in a castle.

"It's the finest sort of school," Harry continued, kneeling so he could speak with them face to face. "There are adventures to be had here and you can never be quite sure what to expect, except for the unexpected. Isn't that right, Ginny?"

The witch in question had been striding over with a mind to tell Harry that he ought to wait to play tour guide until after the formalities of the reception were over with, but now under the scrutiny of her new family-in-law, she put on a pleasant face and said, "Sure is."

"What kind of adventures?" one of the young boys asked.

"Any kind you can think of," Harry replied as he and Ginny began guiding them to the Great Hall.

"With monsters?"

"Yep, there are plenty of those."

"And damsels in distress?"

"Those too." Ginny shot him a look and he added, "on occasion. Sometimes it's the boys who need rescuing."

"And pirate's treasure?"

"I dunno," Harry admitted with a shrug. "I've never seen any, but it's a pretty big place, there could be some around."

"Do we get to have an adventure?"

"I'm pretty sure you're about to," Harry replied as he pushed open the wide oak doors to the Great Hall.

All of the children's eyes at least doubled in size when they caught sight of the place and they raced inside to explore. Even Harry had to admit he was impressed. The configuration of the room had changed so it was set up in much the same way as it had been during the Yule Ball, but instead of being covered in snowy silver the room was positively brimming with color. Flower petals, candles, and sparks were all floating lazily in the air. It was impossible to step into such a room and not be overcome with a happy excitement.

George came up and told Ginny that Ron and Hermione were just arriving, and together with Harry they busied themselves with forming the guests into a tunnel for the newlyweds.

A few minutes later Ron and Hermione burst inside to a roar of approval from those assembled, then ducked low and raced through the tunnel of raised arms. Harry wasn't sure if he'd ever seen them looking quite so happy before. When they reached the end of the tunnel, Ron lifted Hermione up and spun around with her a few times, then pulled her into a kiss.

When everyone started to take their seats, Harry hung back, knowing that there wouldn't be a place designated for him and hoping that he could find an empty seat after everyone else had sorted themselves, but Ginny would hear none of it and pulled him right up to the head table to sit with the rest of the wedding court.

The house elves, already famed for their feasts, had outdone themselves. There was a marked decrease in the amount of noise in the hall while everyone helped themselves to the food.

As the meal drew to a close, the quiet was interrupted by the repeated clink of metal on glass, which was echoed by one person and then another until the entire room was filled with it.

"What's that for?" Ron asked around a mouthful of potato as the clinks grew steadily louder.

Hermione, brushing crimson, said, "Swallow your food and I'll show you."

Looking surprised, Ron did as he was asked, then Hermione leaned forward and kissed him, prompting the clinks to be replaced by a round of cheers.

"That some Muggle thing?" Ron asked when they broke apart.

"Yeah," Hermione replied. Her cheeks had yet to lose their reddish tint.

"I kind of like it," Ron continued with a shrug.

"You'll probably revise your opinion when they start doing that every five minutes or so," Hermione muttered.

"Well we couldn't have that," Ron said with a smirk, standing up and offering Hermione his arm.

Together they walked to the dance floor and began awkwardly waltzing to a slow tune which had struck up from apparently nowhere as they approached. Traditionally, they were supposed to have the entire song to themselves, but about half way through, the pair sent a distressed look in the direction of the head table. Sensing their dilemma, Harry stood up and asked Ginny to dance. She accepted.

Several other couples followed them onto the floor, including Ron and Ginny's parents, who, astoundingly, could dance as though they'd spent their entire lives practicing.

Meanwhile, now that he had Ginny back in his arms, Harry found himself vehemently opposed to ever being without her again, but picking up where they'd left off two years ago wasn't such an easy proposition.

"How did your N.E.W.T.S. go?"

"Alright," Ginny replied. "We haven't gotten our results back yet, but I think I might have done better if I hadn't been worried about whether or not I'd ever see you again."

"Ginny, I'm sorry..."

"You didn't have to leave, you know. Everybody thinks so even if they won't admit it."

"Dark wizards have a way of not leaving me alone," Harry pointed out. "I couldn't take it if someone else got hurt or died because of me."

"You want to protect us, we get that," Ginny continued. "But we can protect you too. Friends have a way of helping each other, but I suppose you forgot that."

"I remember," Harry said. "I guess I just had to leave to realize it."

"I'm through with waiting for you."

"I never asked you to wait," Harry said carefully.

"I did anyway," Ginny replied.

"I'm through with making you wait," Harry said, pulling her closer.

It was at least an hour and a half before Harry and Ginny left the dance floor in search of drinks. They sat enjoying their butterbeers and watching the alternating mirth and disgust of Hermione's cousins. Three of them were watching Nearly Headless Nick as he carried on normal conversations with passersby, pointedly unaware that his head had slipped free of its ruff and was resting precariously on his shoulder. Every once in a while one of the youngsters would work up the courage to reach out and touch his silver robes, squealing with delight when their hand reached straight into him and they felt nothing but cold.

Eventually, they noticed that Harry was watching them and came over to talk to him instead. Nearly Headless Nick promptly righted his head and shot Harry a look of thanks before floating off to pursue his own devices.

"What are your names?" one of them asked as they sat down.

"I'm Harry and she's Ginny," Harry replied, pleasantly surprised by the question. It had been some time since he'd had the opportunity to introduce himself to anyone. "What are your names?"

"I'm Jake, he's Kyle, and my sister's name is Michelle."

"Well it's very nice to meet you," Harry replied. "Are you having fun?"

"This is a big place," Kyle said. "It doesn't have a ceiling."

"Oh, the ceiling's up there," Harry explained. "You just can't see it because someone made it look like the sky is in the way."

"Do you have magic?" Michelle asked.

"I suppose you could say that," Harry replied. He suspected that if he found Luna Lovegood and brought her over here she would have gotten along famously with these three. All of them seemed to enjoy jumping from topic to topic.

"My cousin Hermione has magic too," Jake recited, looking at the ceiling for inspiration. "And we're here so we can see her get married to someone else who has magic. He has the same color hair as you," he added, turning to Ginny.

"Yes he does," Ginny replied. "He's my brother."

"Oh," Jake said, but he looked confused. Apparently he was under the impression that anyone who was old enough to get married was too old to have a sister. "Does that mean you're my aunt?"

"Actually, I'm your cousin now too," Ginny explained. "You just got a bunch more cousins. Weird, huh?"

Jake nodded, looking perplexed.

Kyle turned to Harry and said, "That's a funny scar you've got."

"I suppose it is a little funny," Harry replied. He'd never thought of his scar that way before.

"Did you fall?" Kyle pressed. "I felled off my bike once and cut my elbow and I gotted a scar from it, see? But it doesn't look like yours."

"That's a pretty long story," Harry started.

"Will you tell it to us?" Michelle begged.

"Sure," Harry said, wincing as Ginny elbowed him in the ribs. "I promise I'll tell it to you, but not right now." He turned to Ginny, looking for a reason why he'd just said that.

"Look," Ginny said, pointing to the dance floor, which was slowly beginning to clear. "I think Ron and Hermione are about to catch the horse."

"There's a horsie?" Michelle asked, jumping up and down to try and see it.

"Sort of," Harry replied, lifting her on to his lap so she could behold the elegant white steed being pushed forward on a cart. "It's made of cake and they have to catch it so we can eat if for desert." He'd watched a similar endeavor at Bill and Fleur's wedding, although Fleur hadn't actually participated much.

"That doesn't sound hard," Jake interjected, standing up on a chair.

"But someone did a trick on it so the cake thinks it's a real horse," Harry continued, "and it doesn't want to be caught."

"My Mommy said there would be cake, but she said they would just have to cut it," Kyle said, sounding confused. "She said her favorite part is when they smush it in each other's faces."

"There could be plenty of that," Harry admitted. "Depending on how long it takes them we might have to eat our way out of a pretty big mess."

"We have to eat a horsie?" Michelle asked, sounding worried.

"It's not a real horse, remember?" Harry said. "It's just a cake that thinks it's a horse. Look at this."

Harry drew out his wand and pointed it at the nearest teacup. Immediately, it started to dance wildly around the saucer. Jake, Kyle, and Michelle watched it, awestruck. They all looked disappointed when it finished its performance a few seconds later.

"See," Harry said. "I made that teacup think it was a dancer, but it was still just a teacup."

"Oh," Kyle breathed.

The children's questions ceased as the horse sprang to life and Hermione and Ron made their first attempt at capturing it. Hermione tried walking benignly toward it, hand outstretched as though all she desired was to stroke its nose. Simultaneously, Ron came up behind it, carrying a rope with a loop tied in one end. Just as he was about to slip the rope over its neck, the horse saw him and slipped away. Ron and Hermione regrouped for a second attempt, but the horse seemed to have wised up to their intentions by now and was determined to do all it could to deter them. A wild dance ensued with Ron and Hermione darting first one way and then the other, but the horse always managed to elude them. A chorus of laughter ensued every time they missed and Harry was fairly certain he could see George taking bets on how long it would take them. Ron and Hermione seemed to be having the time of their lives but before long they called the escapade to a close and positioned themselves on opposite sides of the horse. They rushed at it simultaneously and pinned it between them. The horse struggled to free itself, but together, Ron and Hermione managed to slip the loop over its head. The horse immediately stiffened then melted into an elaborate, multi tiered cake which was promptly lifted onto a nearby table.

Ron and Hermione bowed to the applause, white frosting smeared all down their fronts, then pulled each other into a tight hug, effectively getting the frosting on any parts of their robes the horse missed. A few seconds later, George bounded forwards and jumped at them, getting frosting all over himself as well.

After a few more people repeated George's performance, the group stepped out momentarily to clean off their robes while the cake was distributed. When they returned, Harry turned to Jake, Kyle, and Michelle and excused himself, saying there was something he needed to do. They were already munching happily on their cake and didn't seem to mind, but Ginny got up and followed him, clearly intending to thwart any attempts he might make to run away again.

However, Ginny's fears proved baseless and, instead of heading for the door, Harry walked up to the head table and located his glass, holding it up for attention. He waited for the chatter to die away then cleared his throat, turned to Ron and Hermione, and began.

"I'm not sure if I really have any business here, after I left for such a long time, but I just wanted to say thanks. The two of you were always there for me even when I didn't want you to be, and if you hadn't been there then things might have turned out a lot differently. You were the heroes, not me. So, to the two greatest friends a wizard could ever have. May the future come easier to you than the past."

Harry lifted his glass again and drank from it, and everyone else did the same. The guests returned to their previous conversations, but Harry saw that many eyes looked a bit wetter than they had before, his own included.

As the party began to come to a close, word circulated the hall that the bride and groom would be leaving soon and the guests assembled in the Entrance Hall to wish them well and see them off.

Harry joined Ginny and George in their positions closest to the carriage and thus was one of the last people Ron and Hermione saw before they left.

"Ginny says you're going to France for a couple weeks," Harry said as the three of them embraced.

"That's right," Hermione replied.

"I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. Be sure to visit the Eiffel Tower, it's beautiful at the top, even during the day."

"Thanks," Ron said.

"Well, good luck you two," Harry continued as they pulled apart.

"Harry," Hermione said, a slight panic rising in her voice. "You will be here when we get back, won't you?"

Harry smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."

THE END