Meet Me In The Broom Cupboard

Chapter Thirty Three: 2001, July

'Ginny, will you please stop crying? You're going to set me off.' Pansy snapped at the red head.

'I can't help it.' Ginny sobbed.

'Ginny, have you not stopped yet?' Hermione asked as she walked out of the bathroom.

'Of course I haven't, look how cute they look!' Ginny cried, pointing towards the three small children. Teddy, James and Lyra were perched on the end of the bed wearing their wedding outfits and Ginny hadn't stopped blubbering about how adorable they all were.

'Pansy's right, if you don't stop crying I'll start too.' Luna said as she unzipped the garment bag that was hanging on the wardrobe door.

'Me too. And I don't want to cry before I walk down the aisle.' Hermione piped up as she took off her silk dressing gown.

'Okay, okay.' Ginny grumbled, taking a few steadying breaths before fixing her make up in the mirror. Pansy helped Hermione step into her dress, while Ginny sorted out her tear soaked face, using her wand to do up the buttons in the back.

'Thanks Pans.' Hermione said as she smoothed the skirt and adjusted the sleeves.

'Draco is going to die when he sees you.' Pansy whispered.

'I hope not, I plan on marrying him today.' Hermione replied as she tried to ignore how shaky her hands became at the thought of walking down the aisle. She had no second thoughts, no qualms about being married to Draco, but she was still nervous.

There was a knock at the door. 'Are you girls ready? It's time to go.' Came Harry's voice.

Pansy, Luna and Ginny looked over to Hermione, who nodded in return. Luna opened the door and ushered the three children out into the hall.

'Mione, you look beautiful.' Harry said as he walked over to his best friend, tears shining in his eyes.

'Don't you dare cry.' Hermione said, her voice thick with emotion.

'I make no promises.' Harry said as he took her by the arm and led her out of the bedroom. Ron was waiting in the hallway and placed a quick kiss on Pansy's cheek when she appeared before she hurried off to follow Ginny, Luna, and the children.

'Hermione, you look amazing.' Ron said as he took Hermione's other arm. 'Are you ready for this?'

'I'm ready.' Hermione nodded and she let Harry and Ron guide her down the stairs, through the halls, to the double doors that led to the back garden.

Ginny took Teddy's hand and stood directly in front of the doors, Luna took James' hand to stand behind them, while Pansy took Lyra's hand at the back of the line and the doors opened to reveal the seated guests. Everyone turned in their seats as they watched the bridesmaids walk down the aisle, "oohs" and "aahs" rippling through the crowd when they spotted the children.

Draco tried to get a glimpse of Hermione, who was still waiting inside, but couldn't see her in the shadows.

'Nervous, mate?' Blaise asked over his left shoulder.

'Not at all.' Draco replied.

Hermione gripped the arms of her two best friends as she waited in the shadows, catching sight of Draco stood at the end of the aisle. She was shaking slightly, anticipation and nervousness wracking her body.

'Thank you for doing this.' Hermione said to the two boys at her sides. 'I can't imagine anyone else walking me down the aisle given the circumstances.'

Having not been able to find her parents after the war, she had to find someone else to walk her down the aisle instead of her dad, and it crushed her. But when she'd asked Harry and Ron they were honoured and emotional and she realised she couldn't be in better hands in this moment, they were the right choice in place of her dad.

'What kind of friends would we be if we didn't?' Ron asked as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

Harry nodded, knowing he would cry if he tried to speak, and gently squeezed her arm.

'Let's go.' Hermione whispered.

Draco was sure his heart had stopped. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, he definitely couldn't speak, as Hermione appeared from the shadows. She took his breath away everyday, but seeing her in her wedding dress as she walked down the aisle to marry him, he knew this was a whole new definition of breathtaking.

When she stood by his side he took a deep breath and placed his hands in hers.

'Words can't describe you.' He whispered, causing a blush to rise in her cheeks.

'I love you, Draco.' She whispered back.

'I love you too.' He bent down to whisper in her ear so that no one else could hear him. 'And I can't wait to rip that dress off you later.'

She couldn't even muster the negative energy to glare at him for the inappropriate words as the ceremony began.