Disclaimer – Don't own the characters, or some of the plot; it all belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. What would we have done without her?

The One Where They Tie the Knot

Four

Hermione was in her room packing her things to move them into 'The Hovel' after the wedding. They had four more days before the ceremony, but Hermione was always one to plan ahead. There was a knock at her door and Harry and Ron made their way into the room. Hermione smiled at them and continued packing, knowing they would start the conversation when they got the courage to ask whatever they came to see her for.

"Hermione we wanted to ask you why you never told us." Harry had apparently decided that asking her straightforwardly was better than beating around the bush.

"It's just, we thought we were closer than that..." Ron went on.

"Boys...it's not that I don't trust you. I've told you everything else that happened that night but I didn't know how to talk about that." Hermione shrugged wearily.

"So the first person you told is a complete stranger?" Ron burst out. Harry quickly put a hand on Ron's shoulder to calm him down as he said this.

"I didn't want to tell him. It was never supposed to come out like it did...at the meeting. No one told me about the marriage law; I had no time to prepare what to say. I'm sorry." Hermione was tearing up now, sitting down on the edge of her bed across from the boys.

"We aren't angry with you 'Mione. We just want to understand." Harry moved to sit next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned her head onto him and sighed.

"I don't really know what to say. I had never really planned on telling anyone. I hoped I could heal on my own, move forward and it would be fine."

"But you shouldn't have to handle it on your own." Ron came to sit on her other side, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I'd rather that then see everyone pitying me," Hermione explained, "but I appreciate you boys are trying to help. If I ever want to talk about it, I will let you know."

"Alright 'Mione. That's all we want." The trio lay back on the bed, cuddling together and talking. After talking for almost an hour, Hermione had a thought about her wedding.

"Hey boys?"

"Yeah?" They replied together.

"Will it offend you if I ask Sirius to walk me down the aisle?"

"I think he would love that. 'Uncle' Sirius seems to be enjoying his new title." Harry smiled happily, squeezing her hand.

"You should have heard him telling my dad when you called him that, it was hilarious." Ron laughed.

"I was just telling him the truth. I would ask one of you but I could never choose...so I hope Sirius agrees." Hermione shrugged, grabbing both the boys in a big hug.

"Coming in!" Tonks announced as she opened the door to Hermione's room. Tonks took in the scene in front of her and raised an eyebrow at Hermione.

"Oh hush Nymphadora. We are merely talking." Though Hermione imagined they did look quite a sight. Hermione was lying with her head on Harry's chest, his hand playing with her hair and her legs were intertwined with Ron's, their hands clasped tightly between them. If one didn't know the trio, it would probably look like a very intimate scene.

"Oh really Hermy?" Tonks pursed her lips, frustrated with Hermione's annoying tendency to call her by her first name.

"Hey, how come she's allowed to call you Hermy?" Ron asked indignantly, glaring playfully at Hermione.

"She's not." Hermione corrected, throwing a glare to Tonks in turn. Harry laughed at their antics, continuing to run his fingers mindlessly through Hermione's hair.

"It's nearly time for dinner. Molly wanted me to let you know." Tonks explained why she was there. The boys both jumped up at this, rushing from the room, hungry as always. Tonks took a seat next to Hermione on the bed; she hadn't bothered to rush out like the boys.

"We're trying to make this wedding as...normal as possible. For Charlie and my sake, even though it's kind of a sham, it's the only wedding we will ever have. Anyway...I was hoping you'd stand up with me." Hermione crinkled her nose, as if expecting a no.

"Do I have to wear a stupid frilly dress?" Tonks asked, making a face.

"I haven't picked the dresses yet. I was hoping you and Gin would go shopping with me tomorrow."

"Alright. Nothing too frilly, or sequined, or poufy!" Tonks declared, standing and making her way to the door, "and I would be honoured to stand with you Hermy." Tonks shot her a cheeky grin before making her away down to dinner as well.

Three

Madame Malkin's was truly the best place to go for wedding attire in the Wizarding world. Hermione hoped they would be able to find nice bridesmaids dresses, or else they would have to venture into muggle London and shopping there could take hours. The plan was to get green bridesmaids dresses, a colour that would go nicely with Ginny's hair.

"Any idea what kind of dress you'd like 'Mione?" Ginny asked as they were flipping through catalogues, looking at all the different styles.

"Well I always imagined a big, fancy dress at my wedding but this might not be the occasion for it." Hermione shrugged half heartedly.

"Nonsense!" Ginny exclaimed, "Get whatever kind of dress you want."

"Maybe." Hermione replied absentmindedly, before closing the catalogue in frustration.

"What about this one?" Ginny asked, showing Hermione a picture of a bridesmaid dress. It was rather plain, which Tonks liked, but gorgeous in its own way. They asked Madame Malkin if Tonks and Ginny could each try the dress on and Madame Malkin retreated to the store room. Minutes later she had reappeared with two white dresses in the style they had requested (they were later charmed to whatever colour you chose for your wedding) and both girls hurried into dressing rooms to put them on.

"They're perfect!" Hermione exclaimed when they re-emerged minutes later. It had a sweetheart neckline, showing the perfect amount of cleavage on both of them; it had a wide empire waist, made of the same chiffon as the rest of the dress; it was tea length, landing just below the girls' knees and there were light pleats down the middle of the skirt.

"It is so comfortable too!" Ginny twirled around in front of the mirror, loving the soft lines of the dress.

"Let's pick a colour." Tonks changed her hair from her usual bubblegum pink to a deep auburn, the colour she would wear at the wedding.

"We would like green." Hermione told Madame Malkin, and she was handed a booklet of colour swatches, all made of the same chiffon as the dress. Flipping through to the different greens she choose an emerald green and with a swoosh of the dress maker's wand both dresses were the colour Hermione had chosen. Hermione made a face...that wasn't the right colour. Judging by the looks on the girls' faces they agreed and Hermione flipped through the swatches again coming across a lovely pale green, the colour of a green apple.

"Let's try this one." Hermione decided and another swoosh of the wand and the dresses were perfect. Hermione loved the colour.

"Much better." Ginny ran her hands down the sides of the dress, smoothing it out and smiling appreciatively.

"Not too girly. I like it." Tonks agreed, tugging slightly on the top to make it stay up.

Madame Malkin saw this and moved quickly over to the girls. She made sure the dresses fit properly around the waist and bust, made sure the hemlines fell perfectly on both and then handed them a receipt that appeared when she was done.

"Your turn." Ginny declared, smiling at Hermione.

"No time," Hermione shook her head, "I'm supposed to be meeting Charlie this afternoon and I'm going to be late. I can come back for mine tomorrow."

"You only have two days left before the wedding!" Tonks rolled her eyes at the younger witch.

"I'm well aware, thank you. Tomorrow will be fine." Hermione picked up her purse and cloak,

"Thank you both for agreeing to be my bridesmaids. I really do appreciate it." Hermione smiled at them once more and exited the shop.

Charlie was sitting on his couch reading, glancing up at the clock quite frequently to check the time. Hermione was supposed to be here at 2 o'clock so they could get to know each other some more. He was hoping to gain her trust in less than 10 days so that they could comply with the stupid Ministry's law. Really the Ministry was full of interfering bastards...what did they care if we had sex within a week of being married? Most idiotic thing the Ministry has done yet – aside from the Marriage law itself.

Suddenly, the flames in his fireplace went green, and though he logically knew it would be Hermione, his hand rested on his wand regardless. Constant vigilance, eh Moody?

"Wotcher Charlie." Hermione greeted, stepping out of the fireplace.

"You have been spending way too much time with a certain metamorphmagus." Charlie laughed, noticing Hermione had taken something out of her pocket and was holding it flat on her palm, she placed it carefully on the floor.

"What on earth are you doing?" Charlie stood and moved towards her.

"I brought a few of my things. Figured it would be easier than moving at all in at once. Tonks shrunk it for me earlier...could you fix it?" Hermione explained the object, looking timidly at him.

"Sounds like a good plan. What kind of stuff is it? Clothes? Books?" Charlie inquired so he would know what room to direct her towards. He cast the charm to enlarge the trunk.

"Clothes mostly."

"Come on then, I can set you up in the spare room."

"Spare room?" Hermione raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I figured you'd be more comfortable with that." Charlie explained. If she could barely stand to be touched, she probably wouldn't be able to handle sleeping in the same bed with him.

"Actually...this is so embarrassing. I haven't slept alone in a room since it happened. If you don't mind terribly..." Hermione trailed off biting her bottom lip worriedly and trying to look anywhere but at Charlie.

Charlie crossed the room to her, and brought his thumb up to her mouth slowly releasing her bottom lip from her teeth and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"We're going to be married. I don't mind sharing a bed with you 'Mione. In fact, I'd quite prefer it."

Hermione blushed and nodded. Charlie levitated her trunk down the hall and into his room, turning around to make sure Hermione was following him.

They spent the next hour moving things around in Charlie's room and getting to know each other better. They'd had to expand his wardrobe to make room for all their clothes but they had managed to make it work. While they worked, they spoke more of their years at Hogwarts and their childhoods. Hermione was quite embarrassed to tell him that she had very few friends as a child, being more into reading then playing with kids her own age. This honestly hadn't surprised Charlie, but he was glad she told him because he got to see more of that enticing blush.

"I guess that's it for now. I have a little more stuff but not much, mainly books and a few pictures." Hermione told him.

"That's not very much stuff." Charlie frowned, clothes, books and a couple pictures were all the material goods she owned?

"A lot of stuff from my childhood was at my parent's house. The past year, I've learned to travel light, haven't accumulated much." There was a time when Hermione hadn't been able to speak altering her parent's memories without bursting into tears. Now that seemed so far away, even though it had been less than a year – new tragedy replacing the old already.

Charlie didn't quite know what to say to this. He couldn't imagine having lost his parents the way she did – and with everything else she had been through too, it was amazing she was still standing.

"Come here; let's see what this is like." Charlie said, not knowing where his idea came from but figuring it would be a good place to start helping her trust him.

"What what's like?" Hermione asked, watching as he climbed into bed, and then laughing as he invitingly rubbed the spot next to him.

"You know you want to." Charlie raised his eyebrows goofily. Hermione realized that the twins may be known as the jokesters of the family but each of the Weasleys had a sense of humour that was very alike. She kicked off her shoes and lay down as far away from him on the bed as possible.

Charlie reached out and pulled her closer to him, all trace of humour gone from his eyes. When she was right next to him, and clearly very uncomfortable with the sudden proximity he leaned down and kissed her, one hand propping him up and the other resting lightly on her shoulder.

Hermione leaned into the kiss briefly but pulled away needing either a bit more personal space or a bit more control. She tried to move away but he held firm to her shoulder and spoke softly.

"I'm not going to hurt you 'Mione." He let go of her shoulder, relieved when she moved only an inch or two away. He lifted her left hand, and slowly slid the ring of her finger,

"Did you see the engraving on this?"

"I hadn't actually taken it off since you put it on my finger. I quite like it." Hermione said.

"Read it." He pressed it into her hand.

Per Omne Tempus

"Through all time..." She whispered as she read. Charlie was not at all surprised about her knowledge of Latin, most people in the Wizarding world had at least a basic knowledge and she was far more intelligent than most people.

"I know that engraving is supposed to be about love, and maybe someday it will mean that for us. But I want you to know, I will protect you through all time Hermione Granger. I will be here for you, healing you, helping you. In whatever you need. Through all time." Charlie said this in a proud voice.

Hermione started crying then, pressing her face into a pillow. Charlie rubbed his hand up and down her arm, watching as she cried herself to sleep. Hoping that at least some of them were happy tears.

Two

Hermione slowly starting to come out of a deep sleep, trying to roll over and stretch when she realized she couldn't move. Eyes wide in terror, Hermione took a deep breath and tried to figure out what was holding her in place – a man's arm. Giving a small squeak of fright, she threw his arm off, hopped out of the bed and backed slowly to the nearest wall. She was shaking, her wand wasn't in her pocket – she had no idea where her wand was. Nearly in a full out panic at this point she was hyperventilating and shaking her head slowly back and forth.

"Hermione. Hermione. It's me, Charlie." Charlie made his way carefully across the room. He had been woken when Hermione jumped suddenly out of the bed and saw her now hunched against a wall.

Hermione couldn't hear anything. Her ears were ringing, her vision was swimming and she hated not having her wand. Her wand would help her.

"Hermione please. It's just me." Charlie wasn't getting through to her, and he was extremely worried at this point. He grabbed his wand of the night table and fired his patronus off with a message to Ginny.

Charlie was quite sure Hermione would pass out at any minute. She wasn't breathing at all and seemed to be having a hard time staying on her feet. Moments later he heard the fireplace roar and heard his sister calling out their names.

"In the bedroom!" Charlie replied, and he heard Ginny running in the direction of his voice.

She came into the room, saw the state Hermione was in and ordered Charlie to floo headquarters and get Tonks. Ginny asked him to please not come back into the room until she had calmed Hermione down.

Ginny looked Hermione right in the eyes, holding her gaze and slapped her across the face. Hermione took in a sudden deep breath and sat down heavily.

"Breathe slowly. It's just me Ginny. You're perfectly safe. You're at the Hovel with Charlie. You're safe. No one here wants to hurt you. Keep breathing." Ginny continued murmuring to Hermione wrapping her arms around her and holding her tight. At that moment Tonks came running into the room and sighed in relief when she saw the other two girls. She sat on Hermione's other side and asked,

"How are you feeling?"

"Terrible." Hermione admitted, shaking her head. She was still deathly pale, and didn't think she could get up anytime soon.

"What happened?" Tonks asked slowly.

"I don't know. I cried myself to sleep here yesterday afternoon and I guess I slept through the night. I woke up this morning...and I...just panicked. There was a guy's arm around me...I lost it." Hermione started to cry burying her head in her hands,

"This is so stupid...how on earth am I going to have sex with the man if he can't even sleep next to me without me throwing a fit?" Hermione spoke loudly, frustrated with herself. The girls just sat with her as she cried and ranted. Letting her get it all out.

It was almost an hour later before Hermione felt ready to do anything. She still needed to get a wedding dress. She had to finish packing her stuff at Grimmauld Place. She obviously needed to spend more time with Charlie – and hope they fix her. She needed to heal...and she didn't have much time to do it in. It was ridiculous.

Charlie needed a plan. Something to help Hermione know she was safe here so that next time she woke up in his room, she wouldn't panic. An idea formed slowly in his mind and he knew he would need help to get it done before she came back from wedding dress shopping. His mind made up, he flooed to Grimmauld Place to find Harry and Ron and enlist their help in his little project.

"Harry? Ron?" Charlie called when he stepped out of the fireplace at Number 12.

"Charlie! Oh it's so good to see you!" His mother came into the room and wrapped him up in one of her suffocating but much appreciated hugs.

"Hello mum. Do you know the charms to paint a room?" Charlie asked, he didn't know what colour he was painting it yet but the charm would be a start.

"What room are you painting? And how's Hermione? Ginny got your patronus and left so quickly we never found out what happened." Molly fretted concernedly over the young women she had come to love as a daughter.

"She had a sort of...panic attack this morning. She's doing better, went out with the girls to get a wedding dress." Charlie explained, "And I want to paint the bedroom at the Hovel the colour of her room at her parent's house. I need to ask Harry and Ron if they know what it is."

"Oh isn't that sweet. Make her feel more at ease. Very kind dear." Molly patted her son on the arm gently, "And her room was red. Said so when she saw Ginny's – it reminded her of home."

"Thanks mum! How about that charm?"

"Oh yes of course. It's pingere colorum rubrum to paint a room red dearest."

"Fantastic." Kissing his mom on the cheek, he flooed from Grimmauld Place to Diagon Alley to finish his plan.

Hermione arrived home after hours of shopping to find the living room empty. Wondering if Charlie had done out somewhere, Hermione sighed. She had been hoping to speak to him, and reassure him that what happened this morning wasn't his fault but apparently that would have to wait. Making her way to the bedroom to drop off her things, Hermione stopped abruptly in the doorway. It was beautiful.

Charlie had repainted the room a deep, gorgeous red – it reminded her so much of her room at home. Written sporadically on the walls around the room in beautiful cursive were the words: safe, home, Charlie. Hermione had soft, silent tears running down her face as she walked into the center of the room to look around. He had bought a new duvet set; it was the colour of cream and looked deliciously soft. The night table that used to sit on her side of the bed was replaced with the one from Ginny's room at the Burrow.

Hermione lay down on the bed, and saw the words were written on the ceiling right above where she slept. She rolled onto her side and they were also written on the side of her night table so she could see them if she awoke on her side.

He was amazing.

He must have worked on this all day...just for her. To make her feel more at home.

"Do you like it?" A sudden voice came from the door to the bedroom.

"Oh Charlie!" Hermione sprang up from the bed and wrapped him in a hug, crying once more.

"I'll just take that as a yes then?" Charlie chuckled hesitantly putting his arms around her shoulders and squeezing tight.

Hermione nodded into his chest, not yet wanting to let go of the amazing man who had done all of this for her.

One

Hermione fell back onto the bed she used to occupy at Number 12 and looked around her room. It hadn't been her and Ginny's room for too long – but it was still weird to think that it wouldn't be her room anymore the next day. For tonight she would stay here, with both Ginny and Tonks because they refused to allow her and Charlie to break tradition.

Without speaking both Harry and Ron had come into the room and joined her on the bed.

"Hi." Hermione greeted. She wasn't sure why she was so apprehensive about tomorrow – Charlie had been nothing but amazing to her and yet she couldn't help but be scared.

"You ready for tomorrow?" Harry asked, sliding his hand into hers and squeezing tightly.

Hermione shook her head.

"We heard what Charlie did at the Hovel." Ron added. He lay back with his head resting on Hermione's stomach and she thread her fingers through his hair absentmindedly.

"It's marvellous." Hermione admitted smiling, "I'll never be able to forget where I am when I wake now. I hope to paint over it soon...but right now, I appreciate it."

"You don't need to paint until you're ready." Harry said, planting a kiss on her temple.

Hermione nodded. She wasn't sure how the boys would react to hearing the story of what happened to her in full. Perhaps she shouldn't tell them but she wanted to talk about – she needed to talk about it. But where to start?

"When Bellatrix finally left me alone I felt safe for a moment. I was able to stand up, and look at my surroundings...things didn't seem quite as hopeless for a moment."

The boys were both shocked she was telling them this, and sat silently waiting for her to tell her story. Interrupting with questions would only make her nervous.

"Then he came in. He looked...so much like Neville I thought it was him for a moment. He had the same eyes..." Hermione broke off, hiccupping. The boys moved from their positions and curled into her from either side, both holding her hands – trying to offer as much reassurance as they could.

"I didn't know why he was there...thought maybe he would bring me to the dungeons...to where you were. I wanted to see you so bad, to know you were alright. Then he came over towards me and..." Hermione sighed; she leapt from the bed suddenly, pacing around the room,

"I did everything I could. I bit and scratched and kicked. By the time he had gotten my shirt off his cheek was bleeding pretty badly. I almost wished I hadn't made him bleed...it just made him look so much more...vicious." Hermione was crying quite heavily at this.

The boys stood up off the bed but she held out her hands to stop them from approaching her, "I didn't stop fighting the whole time but it didn't matter...it hurt so much and I just...felt empty. I heard someone else coming into the room...and I huddled into a corner waiting for whatever was coming next...my clothes were torn, I had nothing to wear."

The boys were confused at this statement...she had been fully clothed when they had finally rescued her from the death eater's clutches.

"Then He came in. He yelled at the man and told him that Voldemort had wanted me p-p-pure. That he would surely pay for what he'd done. He crucio'd him and then threw him from the room. He walked towards me but didn't come too close, then He repaired my clothes, tossed them towards me and told me to get dressed." Hermione was shuddering, tears still pouring down her face.

"Who?" One of the boys whispered...she couldn't tell which.

"Draco." Hermione began to sob, frighteningly loud sobs that sounded painful. The boys went to her and wrapped her carefully in their arms. The three friends sat on the ground in the middle of the room, supporting each other. None of them had dry eyes.

When they had all recovered slightly from the story-telling, the boys had attempted to apologize for not being fast enough to save her from that. She shook it off, telling them they were being ridiculous and they couldn't have known. Hermione would have loved to have been saved from experiencing that but she would not have wanted the boys to see it happening. That would have been too much. It had been hours since she told them, and she shockingly felt a bit better now. She hadn't told them everything...she'd left out a lot of what she'd felt...and everything he'd said – but it had been enough. She didn't feel like she was walking around with this huge secret anymore.

Ginny and Tonks showed up for dinner and then whisked Hermione away to do girly things until all hours of the night. They did facials, manicures and pedicures – primping for the big day tomorrow. Charlie was spending the evening with all of his brothers and Hermione could only imagine what they would talk about all night.

Upon getting ready for bed and climbing under the covers Hermione felt decidedly less nervous than she had earlier that day. Ginny had assured her that Charlie was not suffering over having to do this for her and both Ginny and Tonks had swooned when Hermione gave them the details of Charlie's redecoration. They had even spoken about Hermione's nervousness to consummate and Tonks had given her an idea for how to break the tension and hopefully get things moving.

The Big Day

Charlie stood nervously on the lawn in the backyard of the Burrow. Both he and Hermione had agreed it was the best place to hold the ceremony, because it had heavy Order wards and lots of space. The guests had been kept to family, and Order members. Molly had cooked up a feast.

Out of nowhere music began to play and Bill whispered in his ear from where he stood as best man, "You ready little brother?"

Charlie nodded. Ginny made her way up the aisle first, looking very pretty in her green dress – but showing a bit too much skin in Charlie's opinion. Tonks was next and she looked beautiful in the dress also, her hair tamed down to a deep auburn for the occasion. Suddenly, Charlie felt as if he couldn't breathe.

Hermione was gorgeous. Her dress fit her wonderfully, showing off her beautiful curves and opening into a flowing white gown with quite a long train. She took his breath away. Charlie remembered very little of the ceremony, he was lost in thoughts about what it was going to be like to be married to Hermione. They had stuck to traditional vows, neither knowing what to say if they would have written their own. Charlie was so caught up in his thoughts he almost missed his cue to say "I do". Hermione giggled at him, taking his hand and sliding a very lovely wedding ring on to his finger. It was silver, and looked like rope winding its way around his finger. Hers was similar, but thinner and more feminine.

"You may kiss the bride." Charlie certainly wasn't going to miss that. Hoping she would feel safe in front of all her friends and family, he took her into his arms, dipped her low and kissed her. When he pulled back, Hermione laughed loudly and pecked him on the cheek. They made their way back down the aisle and away from the crowd.

"So how do you feel Mrs. Weasley?"

"Pretty damn good actually." Hermione laughed at the look on his face, and held up her wrist.

"It came off!" Charlie exclaimed, rubbing his thumb over the spot where the band used to lie.

"The moment you said I do." Hermione nodded, "it just disappeared."

"I'm glad you have your magic back." Charlie hugged her briefly, not wanting to take advantage of the fact she seemed okay with physical contact for the time being.

"Me too."

They made their way over to where everyone was standing and said their goodbyes. They had decided against a reception at the moment, deciding that when the war was over and people felt like partying, they would celebrate then. For now, a wedding was a bitter sweet celebration.

They had just emerged from the fireplace at the Hovel when Charlie heard Hermione say 'defigo' and point her wand at the doors and windows. Charlie was very confused until Hermione looked at him and said,

"Block the floo. We aren't leaving until we've had sex."

A/N

Well? A little blunt of Hermione there at the end but don't worry it will all make sense soon.

No – it will not happen within a day. Keep in mind they have a week.

Next Chapter: The One Where They Build Trust

Chapter Six: The One on the Reserve

Thanks for reading – please review!

A/N