Snapshots of a Wedding

SNAPSHOTS OF A WEDDING

"The formula of the argument is simple and familiar: to dispose of a problem all that is necessary is to deny that it exists."

-- Henry Louis Mencken

[...One Word: Cho...]

"What time is it?"

Harry gazed down at his watch and then answered, "11:47 A.M."

"Great. That means we have about an hour to get ready," Ginny said, turning back to face Hermione.

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Exactly how many people are coming?" she asked, summoning a box of plates, forks and cups to her.

"Last time I checked it was about six people," Ginny replied, trying to recall who all were coming to the lunch.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, reaching for a parchment that was on the table.

"Well excluding us, there's the priest and his assistant, Sirius of course, Aunt Muriel and her grand-daughter Andrea and grandfather Septimus was coming as well."

"This list says Aunt Muriel was bringing Andrea's daughter too," Harry said, pointing at the name.

"Oh, Mirinda's only a toddler so she doesn't really count." Once Hermione had set the table, Ginny examined it. "It needs some flowers. Orchideous!" A bouquet of flowers appeared in Ginny's arm and she placed them in a vase in the middle of the table. "Perfect."

"The tent look's beautiful," Luna said serenely, appearing next to Ginny.

Ginny smiled and nodded, looking around the tent. It was indeed beautiful. The tent itself was glistening white and had silk, baby-blue material layered around the top, giving an icicle affect. The chairs were covered with blue cloth and tied with a white bow around the back. White petals were strewn strategically along the table and contrasted beautifully with the sparkling blue table cloth. The plates were silver with blue diamonds laden around the rim and the cutlery was silver as well, with clear diamonds sparkling along the handle. Although it was still light out, Ginny had constructed five floating lights that gave warmth to the tent and casted a rainbow reflection of the sunlight along the top of the tent.

"Great work guys," Neville said, appearing shortly after Luna. "Here you go Hermione." He handed her a cup that was filled with a pale brown liquid that had a bitter smell to it. "It isn't a cure but it should ease your nausea long enough to make it through lunch."

Hermione looked skeptically into the cup. "It's homeopathic right?"

"Homowhat...?" Neville asked, raising his eyebrows at Hermione.

Hermione, realizing that she and Harry were probably the only ones who understood the Muggle term quickly explained, "Homeopathic means like natural remedies. Meaning it doesn't contain anything chemically altered and that's harmful to the body in anyway."

"Oh, well no. It's just plain surasee boiled to obtain the liquid," Neville replied. "Just drink up."

Hermione took a large gulp but the look on her face proved that the bitter smell was true to the taste of it.

"Ugh, that's so nasty."

"I know but it works."

Hermione, after building up enough courage, managed to swallow the last bit of surasee before handing Neville back the cup. Almost immediately, the remedy started to take action. Not only did she start to feel better but she looked better as well; she was no longer as pale anymore and her entire demeanor seemed to soften.

"You're right. I do feel a whole lot better."

"Good because I'm going to need you fit and ready for this lunch party," Ginny said, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "We should start getting ready for it anyway."

Ginny, Luna and Hermione made their way towards the house, with Neville and Harry following closely behind. They walked into the kitchen and just as the girls were about to go upstairs, Harry took hold of Hermione's arm, deciding that now would be the best time to try to talk to her.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked, watching Luna and Ginny disappear up the stairs before actually facing him.

"Er," he said, not entirely sure where to start. "What's up with you and Ron?"

Hermione just looked at Harry for a quiet moment and then said, "Nothing."

"Hermione, you've always been a horrible liar."

Hermione yanked her arm out of Harry's grip and furrowed her eyebrows. "I said that nothing is up with me and Ron. If he chooses to act like a great big git then that's his problem!"

Hermione stormed up the stairs, leaving Harry and Neville to stare after her, utterly confused at her outburst.

She stalked into the room where Ginny and Luna were and slammed the door so hard it threatened to fall of the hinges. She pushed past Luna and plunked herself on the bed, folded her arms and heaved an aggravated sigh.

"Er, everything alright?" Ginny asked, staring inquisitively at Hermione.

"Yes, I'm fine." Hermione said, sighing again and standing up. "He's just so insufferable! Acting like - and then has the nerve to - yet he expects me to just - can't believe he'd think - ugh!"

"Hermione," Luna started, "who are you talking about?"

"No one; at least no one important anyway." Hermione grabbed her bag and stalked back out of the room.

"I think I prefer the sick Hermione," Luna said, looking at the door that Hermione had just slammed shut again.

Ginny nodded, highly confused about what had just happened. It wasn't like Hermione to babble incoherently, even when she got angry. She normally kept composed and in control no matter how she was feeling. Yet, here she was, gabbering away like she had lost her mind. Whatever was bothering her was something big.

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Harry and Neville walked into Ron's room just as Ron had fastened the top of his dark blue robe.

"How's the tent look?"

"Brilliant," Harry replied. "Ginny and Hermione did an excellent job."

"Hermione was able to handle herself then? Didn't try to bite off anyone else's head did she?" Ron asked bitterly, tugging at his rob a little too forcefully.

"What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," Ron answered simply.

"But there has to be something wrong. The way she snapped at you this morning -"

"I said nothing's wrong Harry. Like I told you this morning," Ron said, walking past him towards the door, "she's just being her usual argumentative self."

Harry shook his head at Ron as he exited the room. "Unbelievable. Neither of them can ever admit when something's wrong."

"Think something happened between them that none of us know about?" Neville asked, grabbing his robe out of his trunk.

"I don't know," Harry replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "But whatever's wrong, it was something big because I've never seen Hermione that riled up before."

"I'm sure they'll both get over it in due time," Neville said. He too sat on the bed and picked up his shoe, idly cleaning it off.

"So, um, what were you and Luna talking about when you two were in the kitchen?" Harry asked slyly.

Neville shrugged. "Nothing really. Just a little bit of this, a little bit of that."

"Nothing interesting?"

Neville shook his head but Harry spotted the slight grin on his face.

"So, then why the smile?" Harry asked, a mischievous grin appearing on his face.

Neville looked at Harry, still grinning widely. "What smile?"

Harry laughed. "That one that you can't seem to wipe off your face."

Neville shrugged again and stood up, throwing his robe on and fastening it tightly. "Can't a guy smile?"

"You like Luna don't you?" Harry asked.

"You always answer a question with a question?" Neville asked, stalling in answering Harry's query.

"I could ask you the same thing," Harry replied. "But I'll ask this instead: Do you like Luna?"

Neville looked at Harry and for a minute, it looked as though he was going to answer him. However, instead of saying yes or no, Neville just smiled and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Harry stared at the door and shook his head again, laughing to himself. Was anyone going to give him a straight answer today?

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Ginny emerged from the room, dressed in a brilliant white and blue robe designed specifically for the lunch party. Luna followed her, dressed in a pale blue robe and her infamous radish earrings that clashed dangerously with the dress, but she wore them nonetheless. They both walked into the kitchen to spot Hermione dressed in the same robe as Luna but with a pair of regular silver earrings that matched perfectly. However, she didn't look too good.

Although Neville's concoction had eased her nausea, she still looked as though something was wrong. Her hair was fixed into a perfectly tight bun at the nape of her neck and she was dressed and fixed, but her skin had gone back to the paleness it had been that morning and her face was furrowed and hung low, as though she was both angry and depressed at the same time.

"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" Ginny asked, sitting in a chair next to her.

"Feeling sick again?" Luna asked, sitting on the other side.

Hermione shook her head and looked up, revealing a tear-stained face. "It's just that -" She paused, not exactly sure what to say.

"It's ok," Ginny said, rubbing her back. "You can tell us. Go on."

"Well, you see -"

Just then, Ron and Neville appeared at the foot of the stairs and Hermione, upon seeing Ron, went quiet again and stood up to walk over to the kitchen window, wiping her eyes quickly so that the boys wouldn't see.

"What time is it?" Ron asked, staring at Hermione's back.

"12:55," Luna replied, glancing at the clock.

"Which means everyone should be arriving soon."

And, almost as if her words were like a summoning charm, there was a knock at the kitchen door and Hermione, being closest to it, opened the door to reveal Aunt Muriel, Andrea, Mirinda and grandfather Septimus.

"Aunt Muriel," Ginny said, standing up to hug her. "It's so good to see you again."

"Good to see you too deary," Muriel said, pulling away from the hug and turning to Ron as Ginny hugged Septimus.

Just as she pulled away, the priest and his assistant showed up with Sirius right behind them.

"Wonderful," Ginny said, turning to hug Sirius. "Everyone's here so why don't we go outside and get ready for lunch?"

Everyone followed Ginny out into the garden and just as they stepped outside, Dobby arrived, with a table of food appearing right after him.

"Dobby," Ginny said happily, "you're here. Great."

Dobby bowed low. "Dobby promised he would help and he has."

Dobby gestured towards the table that was layered with food. There were about five pans of ham and lamb chops, mashed potatoes, kidney and bean pies and an assortment of desserts. Dobby had truly outdone himself.

Everyone - so happy that the food had finally arrived - gathered around the table and sat down, ready to eat. Just as Ginny was about to sit down, Hermione grabbed her roughly by the arm and tried to pull her away from the table.

"Hermione what is it?" Ginny asked, trying to keep up with her. "Why are you so frantic?" Hermione, however, didn't answer or stop walking. Getting frustrated at Hermione's behaviour, Ginny cried impatiently, "Hermione would you slow down and tell me what's wrong?!"

Hermione finally came to a halt as she reached the kitchen door. She looked worried about something and kept looking back at the table, towards the front gate and then back at Ginny. What she didn't do was answer Ginny's question.

"Well," Ginny started, "are you going to tell me what the problem is or stand here like some kind of mute grindylow?"

Just then, Harry emerged from the kitchen dressed in a dark green robe and his usually messy hair brushed as neatly as possible.

"Why are you two over here?" he asked, putting his hands in the pockets of his robe.

Ginny shrugged and then pointed at Hermione. "She dragged me over here but won't tell me why."

Both Harry and Ginny looked at Hermione who was picking at her fingers and still looking between the gate, the table and Ginny.

"Out with it, Hermione," Harry said. "What is it?"

Hermione heaved a heavy sigh and stared mournfully at the two of them. Almost as if she was ordering a death sentence, Hermione closed her eyes and said gravely, "Cho's here."

Ginny's eyes opened wide in disbelief and she spun around to face the gate. Sure enough, Cho Chang was standing there dressed in a Muggle-type dress and heels instead of robes like everyone else. She was talking to the priest's assistant who had walked over to meet her at the gate. She looked over at Ginny and formed a slight smirk, seemingly enjoying Ginny's shock at her presence. She walked through the gate and headed towards the table, acting as though she had been invited.

No food, wrong dresses, and an irritating mother she could handle. But the last thing Ginny expected to have to deal with on her wedding day was Harry's insufferable ex-girlfriend, Cho.

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Coming up... [...Something Old...]