The Objection

How had it come to this? I sat at the back of the chapel with my best friend, watching the man I was hopelessly in love with get married to another woman. I saw as the beautiful dark-haired bride made her way up to the altar, clutching her bouquet of flowers close to her bosom.

I glared at the bride, now standing by the man I loved, soon-to-be husband of this undeserving woman. They were as different as day and night, moon and sun. Why would they get married?

Oh, of course. Because the Wizarding World expected them to.

Since when did they care? Care about what everyone else thought? I had seen time and time that they proved the Wizarding World wrong, but now they couldn't do it again?

Perhaps it was his family that expected them to marry. Would they not accept me if I married him? The man I had loved since I was sixteen?

Unshed tears welled up in my eyes as they prepared to say their vows.

"Do any object?" Minister Shacklebolt asked. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I object!" I cried, shooting to my feet. Ginny, who sat beside me, looked like she was a kid at Christmas.

"As do I!" called out another, deeper voice.

I looked over to the side to see a man standing up.

The bride covered her mouth in shock, tears running down her face.

"Your reasons?" Minister Shacklebolt prodded.

"I'm in love with him!" I said, running out into the aisle. "He only agreed to this because his parents wanted it!"

The groom's mother and father looked scandalized.

"I'm afraid that-" Minister Shacklebolt began, but was cut off.

"She's already married, Minister." the man, the one who objected, said smoothly. "We married a month before our seventh year of Hogwarts began."

"Isn't that illegal?" the bride's mother asked, frowning.

"Wizards come of age at seventeen, not eighteen." Minister Shacklebolt provided. "But where is your proof? I need witnesses, sir."

"I was there," called out a dreamy voice.

Luna Lovegood waved from where she stood with the bridesmaids, clad in a flowy dress of sunset orange.

"Severus Snape was also there, but he died in the war." she added, playing with a flower in her hair. "You could talk to his portrait at Hogwarts, I think."

"It's true," said the bride, throwing her bouquet to Luna and walking purposely back down the aisle to her husband.

"B-but-" the groom's father spluttered.

"I thought you were pregnant!" the mother cried, confused.

"I am," the bride rolled her eyes. "I tried to tell you that it wasn't his," she pointed to the groom, "but you wouldn't listen."

"So who's is it?" the bride's mother asked.

"Oh, I don't know." the bride said sarcastically. "Maybe, hmm… my husband's?"

Her mother flushed and looked down.

"Yay!" squealed Ginny, jumping up from her seat. "Lavender, come on!"

Ginny grabbed my hand and we ran up to the altar. I threw myself into the arms of my love, Ron, and cried in joy. He wrapped his arms around me, clearly relieved he wouldn't have to marry his best friend.

"I love you, Lavender," he whispered breathlessly, kissing me soundly on the lips.

"I love you, Ron." I replied, my eyes now wet with tears of joy instead of sorrow. "Thank you Hermione!"

Hermione laughed from where she stood with her apparent husband, Draco Malfoy, and smiled at me.

"You can have Ron," she said, lacing her fingers with Draco's. "I didn't want him anyway."

(A/N) Did you like it? Love it? Hate it with a passion? Let me know in a review!