The marriage law

The first of many

Despite the cool, winter air, Sunday dawned bright and sunny. It was the 20th of February, and the first of many weddings in the Weasley Family.

George and Angelina were next to wed, on the 27th. Ron and Luna were after that on Ron's 20th birthday. March 7 would be the date for herself and Fred. Finally, Ginny and Harry had claimed the 12th of March as their own.

There were a lot of things that had needed to be achieved in the days between dress shopping and this morning. Hermione, along with several other family members, had considerably lightened their workload at work, so that they could be around to help in any way that they could. The women had been busy baking and storing as much food as the little house could hold. The men, on the other hand, were kept very busy, de-gnoming, de-weeding and de-cluttering the garden.

"Just because they're a bit sooner than what we would have liked, it does not mean that you all can't have beautiful weddings," Mrs Weasley had taken to saying at a rather annoying frequency.

In the preceding days, a tent, not too dissimilar from the one at Bill and Fleur's wedding, had been erected in the yard of the Burrow. Ginny had taken great pride in decorating it in such as way that would be easy to manipulate and change to suit the themes of each of the weddings.

At the present it was decorated entirely in white and pale blue, so that it matched the sky outside perfectly.

Whilst various family members were running around like headless chickens, making sure that everything was in place, Hermione and Ginny were in the house, upstairs, getting themselves and Dee ready.

They pulled her long, golden waves into spiralling ringlets. They piled some of it onto the top of her head, and let some cascade down her slender shoulders.

Ginny moved her hands with great dexterity around Dee's face; gently applying the required make up (not that she needed much, in Hermione's opinion).

The look was complete when Dee put on her dress. The satin skimmed over her body beautifully, and caused her mother to burst into tears when she entered the room to share a quiet moment with her beloved daughter.

Hermione and Ginny left the room, giving mother and daughter some privacy. Ginny swiftly moved down the stairs to her own room, leaving Hermione alone at the top of the stairs. Careful not to slip in her brand-new, pale blue bridesmaid's shoes, she descended the stairs and moved into the kitchen, deciding that a drink of water would perhaps calm her nerves.

Still focused on her feet, she walked into the room without paying attention to anyone else who might have been in there. Therefore she was a little shocked to find Fred, who had also been going to get himself a glass of water.

His back had been towards her, so he did not know that she was approaching until she took one steadying breath and spoke.

"Hi, Fred."

He turned around with swiftness, almost choking on the water that he has holding in his mouth.

"Hey, Hermione," he spluttered out, when he made sure that it was who he thought it was.

Hermione waited before she spoke again, allowing Fred the time to finish coughing up the water from his lungs.

"That jacket looks nice. Is it new?"

Hermione remembered the dress robes he had worn at Bill and Fleur's. They had done very little to impress the Veela cousins, but these (if it were even possible) were even more gaudy than the first.

"Thanks," said Fred, as he felt the tips of his ears redden in what was, no doubt, a very obvious blush, "You're looking rather nice yourself. Audrey really knows how to style others."

It was Hermione's turn to redden.

"Thank you," she said quietly, "fortunately your mum was able to heal the lump on my head. I can't believe that I fainted. You must think me to be such a wimp!"

Fred hastily re-arranged his features into a kind smile.

"I don't actually," he said to her, "you're certainly brave enough to be married to me and put up with my antics."

The blush did not leave Hermione's cheeks, and Fred did not stop talking either.

"This law is absolute bollocks, but I would rather marry you, someone that I know, a friend, rather than a complete stranger who would only want me for my money and my fame."

Despite the heat in her cheeks, Hermione gave Fred a small smile.

"Me too," she said, "I have to help Dee now, but I'll see you later?"

Fred nodded and left the house out the back door, joining his brothers, and helping guests to their seats.