A Long, Strange Trip

VIII.

Her daughter was leaving her. Nonsense, of course she's not leaving, Molly Weasley thought to herself as she brought yet another handkerchief to her watering eyes. She's just going to live with her husband a few miles away. Her husband. In a matter of minutes, Ginevra Molly Weasley would be Mrs. Longbottom. Well, Mrs. Weasley-Longbottom. Ginny wasn't about to completely lose her identity. She would always be a Weasley. This made Molly smile through her tears.

Beside her, Arthur Weasley cleared his throat discreetly, and bent his head as if to rub his eyes. "Pollen," he whispered, when he caught his wife looking. Even though Molly knew otherwise, she just smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Look at her, all grown up. Isn't she beautiful?" she said in a low voice, so only Arthur could hear. She kept her eyes trained on Ginny and Neville, watching as they exchanged vows in quiet, nervous voices and gave each other matching gold wedding bands.

The Burrow would be awfully quiet now, with all the children grown up and married. Of course, over the years Molly had watched most of her children move on to their adult lives; the Burrow hadn't been bustling at all like it used to, except on holidays or special occasions when family came from far and wide to be together. Yet somehow Molly hadn't really felt alone - she still felt needed, as long as her little girl was around. But now Ginny was married and she had Neville, she wouldn't need to come over to the Burrow for impromptu visits. She would have her own house to look after and soon - maybe - grandchildren.

Molly's eyes drifted toward Ron. She smiled, and then looked across the aisle at Hermione. She couldn't imagine what was taking them so long; they'd been married nearly a year. By this time in their marriages both Bill and Fleur, and Fred and Angelina had already become pregnant. But Hermione was a career woman. As much as Molly admired her intelligence, her desire for learning and her inquisitive nature, she couldn't help but be impatient with Hermione sometimes. She was virtually itching to have another grandchild. What in heaven's name were they waiting for?

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Neville, you may kiss the bride...."

Molly returned from her reverie, and watched with a sense of detachment as Ginny leaned forward to meet Neville in their first kiss as husband and wife. Their hands were tightly clasped together, their eyes shining with the promise of a long, happy life.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. Neville and Mrs. Ginevra Weasley-Longbottom."

Yes, it was wonderful. It really was.

But something inside her began to hurt.

**

The typically dignified Longbottom estate, with its expensive antiques, works of art, and velvet-upholstered furniture, was transformed into a virtual beehive of noise and activity. Music hand-picked by Neville and Ginny was being piped in through a sound system, and the furniture had been removed to create a dance floor out of the room Gran Longbottom typically used to entertain at her sedate dinner parties. Those who didn't wish to dance mingled in the sitting room, talking and laughing and partaking in the endless array of food assembled on the buffet table. The mood was jovial and at a fever pitch.

Neville and Ginny had finished their first dance, to "More Than This", by Roxy Music and now the dance floor was bursting with mostly young couples dancing to fast paced pop music. Dresses swirled, and confining suit jackets were tossed aside. Women's hair came undone from decorative clips, and hats taken off.

The only one who seemed not to be enjoying herself, Harry noticed, was the mistress of the manor. Demetria "Gran" Longbottom watched the proceedings with an air of skepticism, a snifter of brandy constantly in hand. One of her servants was always nearby to refill the instant it was needed. For the festive occasion Demetria had chosen to wear a stiff, dark gray velvet dress with ruffled cuffs and a fur stole.

You'd think she'd be happy, Harry wondered. Neville had certainly exceeded her expectations. Now she was completely free of the responsibility of guardianship and had the entire estate to herself. Could it be that she was actually sad about losing him, that in some way behind that cold demeanor she was fond of her bumbling grandson?

Harry became aware of something pulling at the leg of his trousers, and when he looked down Phoebe was there with a sour expression on her face.

"I want to go home!" she announced firmly.

"But what for? Aren't you having fun?"

Phoebe pouted, and crossed her arms over her front. Her hair was disheveled, the wreath askew. She looked so adorable it was hard for Harry not to smile at his daughter, despite her obvious displeasure. The wideness of her eyes and her posture at that exact moment reminded him of Luna, who had recently gone off to the buffet table.

"Damien is ruining it!" Phoebe said, and stomped her foot.

Harry scanned the room, but saw no sign of Damien - or any of the Malfoys, for that matter. He saw Ron and Hermione engaged in a spirited exchange; it looked like Ron was trying to take the plate of food from Hermione's hands and she was giving him a dirty look. Harry chuckled; he didn't even want to know what was going on there. Poor Ron would have his hands full for the next nine months. Not too far away, Neville and Ginny were holding court with a group of Hogwarts classmates; with Neville's arm around her waist, Ginny was showing off her engagement and wedding rings to her impressed female friends. She was positively glowing; Harry had never seen her so happy.

"How is he ruining it?"

"He just is, that's all!"

"Just go be with your cousins. You don't even have to see Damien."

"No, we have to go. I want to go!"

The crowd then parted and Harry saw Cho Chang-Malfoy approaching, dressed in a burgundy gown that seemed to Harry to be a bit fancy for a wedding, even for a Malfoy. She was leading a very unhappy Damien firmly by the arm. They were headed straight for Harry and Phoebe. Harry braced himself, but Draco did not materialize.

Upon spotting Harry, Cho's face seemed to soften and she allowed a smile to play across her lips. It was an almost flirtatious smile, the kind that most certainly would have roused Draco's ire had he witnessed it. Harry smiled back politely, and put a protective hand on Phoebe's arm as Cho and Damien drew closer, and finally stopped right in front of them. It was at that moment that he noticed Damien's tailored suit jacket was wet.

"I'm not going to apologize!" Damien shouted, his voice loud even over the music. "Nutty Phoebe!"

"You stop that now, Damien. You know you're not allowed to call people names. It's not nice." Cho admonished him.

"But she started it!"

"I did not!" Phoebe retorted hotly, and made a lunge toward the boy. Harry had a hard time holding her back, even with both hands firmly around her arms. Several guests turned to look; even Ron and Hermione paused in their exchange. Ron's eyes flared and his jaw set tightly. Hermione put a hand gently on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"She said I look stupid!" Damien said. "And she spilled her drink on me!"

"Well you deserved it!" Phoebe replied.

"I did not! This suit is just like my dad's! It cost lots of money, and it's much better than your dad's suit."

"You take that back!"

"I will not, because it's true!"

"TAKE IT BACK!" Phoebe broke free of Harry's grip and took a flying leap at Damien. The two of them went tumbling to the floor in a heap, resisting all efforts by Cho and Harry to pry them apart. Soon Ron joined in the fray, along with Neville, and the two of them attempted to break up the quarreling children along with Harry and Cho. By now most of the guests had abandoned all pretense of ignoring the scene and were watching it unfold; some with amusement, some with surprise, and others - like Gran Longbottom - with utter dismay. Some had even come in from the sitting room, including, unfortunately, Draco, who rushed through the crowd in a heated rage.

"Potter! Get your misfit daughter away from my son!" He drew his wand from an inside pocket of his suit jacket and aimed it directly at Harry. Several guests gasped and took a step back.

Cho looked positively mortified. "Draco, please," she implored him, shooting a glance back at Harry as if to say 'I'm sorry'.

But Harry paid no attention. His face was burning, and his hand moved to the front of his jacket, behind which he too had stashed his wand. "Get back, Malfoy," he said thickly. Ron came to his side, his wand drawn.

"I dare you, Malfoy. Just try making trouble at my sister's wedding. I dare you!"

"Ron, don't!" Hermione called.

"Stay out of this, Hermione. He's really asked for it this time."

"Ron, come on, it's not worth it," Ginny came up beside Hermione.

"Well, I wouldn't have to make trouble if Potter and his loony wife would bother to teach their child some manners! Of course, having nothing to compare to, they probably wouldn't know where to start!" Draco snarled with a glint in his eyes.

The room fell silent. Even the music stopped, and Phoebe and Damien disentangled themselves of their own accord, and took refuge behind their parents. Everyone seemed to be waiting for Harry's reaction.

Harry went rigid, his entire body pulsing with anger. His mind was filled with all sorts of images depicting just what he'd like to do to Draco, and none of it was humane.

"Take that back, Malfoy," he said threateningly.

"I won't because it's true," Draco mocked, with a glance at Phoebe. "Truth hurts, doesn't it, Potter?"

"Knock it off, Malfoy, or I'll curse you into oblivion!" Ron was on the warpath, holding the tip of his wand level with Draco's chin.

"Sod off, Weasley. You couldn't hit water if you fell out of a bloody boat. What makes you think you'd be able to curse me?"

Ron lunged. Ginny, Hermione, Molly and several other female guests screamed. Phoebe ran into the crowd, calling for Luna. Harry went after Ron, and pulled him back by the collar of his suit jacket. Ron was still yelling and kicking. Malfoy was chuckling with a self-satisfied look on his face.

"It's not worth it, Ron," Harry said, yet his eyes shot daggers at Draco.

**

This wasn't good. This was not how their wedding was supposed to go. Neville glanced anxiously around the room. No one was moving, or speaking; everyone was watching Harry, who had yet to respond to Malfoy's taunting. Part of him was anxious; things were deteriorating rapidly, no one was having a good time. Gran's face had gone white as a sheet, her lips pursed in a thin line. Ginny was upset; she looked like she was about to cry. This was not how he wanted her to remember their wedding day.

Then he felt a sense of anger and frustration rising within him. He loved his friends, he would do just about anything for them; but how could they let this happen, today of all days? That twit Malfoy, thought he was better than everyone else. He wasn't going to get away with this.

Well, it was now or never.

"RON AND HERMIONE ARE HAVING A BABY!" Neville stepped forward with an anxious look on his face. He'd had to say something to distract everyone, and this was the only thing that came to mind.

"What?!" Molly cried, and somewhere a glass shattered. "Oh my goodness! Ron! Hermione!"

Hermione looked confused, like she didn't know where to go. Dozens of eyes were focused on her. She looked at Ron, as if to ask for his help, but Ron was also at a loss.

"What the bloody hell did you say that for?" Ron asked Neville, but he was more confused than upset. Neville caught a hint of a smile tug at Ron's lips.

Molly came flying through the crowd, arms outstretched, with a look of complete and utter joy on her face. In fact, she looked a bit frightening. Neville stepped back in time for Molly to corral Ron into her arms and shower him with kisses. Then Molly released Ron, who looked positively relieved to be free of her grasp, and she went for Hermione to perform the same ritual.

"Finally! Oh, I can't believe it!" she crooned.

Meanwhile former Hogwarts classmates - including Ginny and Neville - now converged on Ron and Hermione. Squeals of delight (for Hermione) and slaps on the back (for Ron) followed in abundance. Neville squared his shoulders as he felt Ginny's arm snake gently around his waist, and she leaned her head on his shoulder while her former classmates peppered Ron and Hermione with questions and congratulations. Soon Arthur Weasley joined the group, and gave Ron a firm handshake followed by a bear hug that made Ron's cheeks flush red, and Hermione's eyes tear up. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about the earlier incident.

Neville was pleased with himself. Now this is how it's supposed to be, he thought, and smiled.

**

"Boy, you're certainly lucky that Neville is such a moron, Potter. He saved you from what certainly would have been an embarrassing scene. Imagine, being knocked onto that swelled head of yours in front of your loony wife?" Draco leaned close to Harry, his voice low and his breath hot against Harry's face.

"Step off, Malfoy," Harry said thickly. Over Draco's shoulder, he he saw Arthur Weasley ensnare Ron in a hug while Molly Weasley coddled Hermione. Yet he felt nothing; he was completely detached from the joy and love emanating from that side of the room. It was a very lonely feeling.

"See, mommy! They're fighting." Phoebe's voice wafted into Harry's consciousness. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Phoebe standing with Luna a short distance away. Phoebe was pointing at him with a worried look in her eyes.

"Draco, please stop." Cho urged her husband, although Harry noticed she didn't make any effort to touch him or pull him away. She looked horrified, and somewhat embarrassed. Yet she managed to maintain a steady grip on the shoulder of Damien, who squirmed to break free but ultimately gave up.

"Harry." Luna said his name calmly, without expression. She approached him with Phoebe hanging onto her hand. The little girl was exchanging mean facial expressions with Damien behind Luna's back.

"Please stay out of this, Luna." Harry's voice was firm. He barely glanced at his wife. "Malfoy, if you or your family come anywhere near me or my family again, I promise you, you'll regret it."

"Empty words, Potter. Empty words," Draco sneered.

Luna put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Don't do this, Harry. Not in front of the children."

"Luna's right, Draco. Don't do this in front of the children," Cho echoed.

Harry was expecting some sort of snide comment from Draco in response to this, but nothing came. Instead Draco put his wand down to his side and leaned so close to Harry's face that he could see the pores in his skin. "I dare you," he said under his breath, just loud enough for Harry to hear over the music, "I dare you to come after me, Potter. Anytime, anywhere."

Harry was livid. His face was on fire, and his breath came in ragged gasps. "Get the hell out of here," he choked out, finally. The words seemed to stick in his throat.

"Just you wait," Draco said. Then he turned abruptly on his heel, took Cho's arm and promptly led her and Damien through the crowd and out of the house. Harry was shaking so hard he could barely hold his wand, which was still clenched in his hand, although now held down at his side.

"No, Malfoy," he said quietly. "Just you wait."