The day of the wedding arrived. Hermione and Ginny took all morning getting ready, helping each other with their hair, make-up, and dresses. Hermione had to admit to herself when she was done that they looked good.

"Ron won't know what hit him." Ginny exclaimed as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind Hermione's ear. They had used loads of hair straightening potion on it so that it elegantly framed her face.

"Neither will Harry" she responded. Ginny looked gorgeous in her pale gold gown and her shiny tomato red hair hanging straight down her back. She had refused a lot of make-up and Hermione had to agree that she didn't really need it.

Hermione hugged her best friend and whispered "I really did try to stop Ron yesterday Gin, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, maybe Harry and I will be able to sneak off during the reception to pick up where we left off."

"You mean Barney. And it probably wouldn't look to good if you disappear into the dark with someone who's posing as your cousin."

"No, I suppose not. 'Though it would give Auntie Muriel something to gossip about." Ginny laughed.

There was a ton of excitement in the house and Molly Weasley had checked in on them twice to make sure they were getting ready, forgetting that she had been in there already once before.

Hermione would never forget the first time she met the infamous Muriel Weasley. It was no wonder she had never married, she was an awful shrew of a woman. She had looked Hermione over like she was a dog on display at the Kennel show, criticizing her posture and ankles. Imagine, criticizing someone's ankles! She was tempted to give an un-happy bark but her parents would have been mortified if they knew she was rude to an elderly woman. Though they were safely hidden in Australia, Hermione couldn't purposely disappoint them, they had raised her to be a lady. She kept her mouth shut but was revolted that she treated Fleur the same way. How could anyone say anything uncomplimentary to the bride, especially one who was as radiant as Fleur?

Hermione made her way out to the pavilion where the boys were doing usher duty. She paused a moment to take in Ron's appearance so that she wouldn't blabber like an idiot when she got up to him. Simply put, he looked great. His tall lean frame was accentuated well by his dark dress robes. His fiery hair a beacon in the fading light, and his wide easy smile was hard to turn away from. Hermione noticed several French girls eying up Ron and his brothers, she would have to surreptitiously stay close to him to keep them from moving in on him. This was going to be her night.

As she got closer, Ron turned and looked at her. The look on his face was worth the hours of preparation, his mouth was open and he was staring dumbfound at her. "Wow…you look great!"

"Always the tone of surprise" she said and she flashed him a perfect smile. Having parents that were dentists paid off sometimes.

Then a wrench was thrown in the works, as the muggles say, when Viktor Krum showed up. Hermione was overwhelmed by the memory of their last face to face encounter when he had kissed her good-bye before boarding the Durmstrang ship after Cedric's funeral. She had been crying and he held her to his chest, stroking her hair. He had pulled back from her slightly, cupped her chin, and gently kissed her on the lips. He had made her feel so special; she wanted Ron to take charge and kiss her like that.

"You look vunderful" he said to her.

"Viktor… how lovely to see you." She was stuttering and felt like and idiot because she knew Ron was watching them very closely. The last thing she wanted was Ron to think she still had feelings for Viktor, she hadn't known that he'd been invited and he'd taken her by surprise.

"Fleur invited me." He responded to Ron, who looked ready to curse him. Hermione had missed what Ron said to him but no doubt it had been rude.

"I'll show you to your seat" said Harry, disguised as a red-headed Weasley relative. Hermione whispered a quick prayer of thanks that Harry had the sense to keep those two apart.

Fred and George came up behind Ron, whose face was a little flushed, and told them to get to their seats before mum started firing curses at them for still being in the isle.

"Come on," Ron said as he took her elbow and lead her to their seats in the second row behind Fred and George.

The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Several times she wished Ron would hold her hand, she was too nervous to take his. Images of them on the stairs the morning before kept intruding on her thoughts. The closeness of his lips to hers and the built up tension between them, she didn't imagine that, she knew she didn't. All she wanted was for him to take a firm hand in the matter and let her know he wanted her, was that too much to ask? For once she wanted him to make her feel desired, that he felt the same way about her that she felt for him. That she hadn't wasted the last couple years dropping subtle hints that she was interested in him far more than as a friend. She had felt like she was throwing herself at him, surely he knew; everyone else seemed to. Ginny had told her the week before that she had overheard Fred and George placing a bet with each other about when Ron would wise up and ask her out, and that the book should help move him along. Ginny didn't know what book they were talking about because Ron didn't willingly read anything that didn't have Quidditch stats in it.

The ceremony was over and she had missed most of it while lost in her reverie. The neat isles of delicate chairs disappeared and were replaced by tables. Waiters scurried about with drinks and food, while Ron snagged a couple of butterbeers and scanned the tent for and empty table. He led the way to a table far from Muriel, to Hermione's relief.

They sat with Luna, who Hermione liked although she tended to get frustrated when the younger girl started going on about her Ministry conspiracies and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. Ron was beside her and Hermione wasn't paying attention to the conversation because Ron's arm was brushing warmly against her own and he was looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He smelled of that aftershave that she had come to associate with him. Even though Harry used the same kind, it always seemed to smell better on Ron.

The air in the tent was warm and still, Hermione was getting lost in Ron's scent. She found she was leaning more towards Ron than she had been before, and he didn't look displeased. Luna got up and made her way to the dance floor where she turned in slow circles by herself, waving her hands about her head. Ron and Harry were saying something but she wasn't paying attention, she was thinking about how she would like it if Ron would ask her to dance. 'Don't be so stupid, Hermione, he hates dancing.' Then Viktor was there and Ron was telling Viktor that Xenophilius Lovegood was the father of a friend of theirs and Ron was getting red in the ears.

"Come and dance" he said to Hermione, holding out his hand. She took it and followed him out on to the dance floor and tried not to look too pleased with herself.

It was a dream-come-true for her. He was holding her close to him out on the floor in-between the other dancing couples. One hand was on her waist and the other had a firm but gentle grip on her hand. Her free hand was on his shoulder and was being tickled by the longish hairs at the base of his neck. The music was slow and lovely and he moved his hand from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her even closer to him. Song after song played and still he kept dancing with her, no mater what tempo the beat was, he held her close and they swayed gently to the music.

'Kiss me.'

He was so close.

'Kiss me.'

He was whispering in her ear that she was the most beautiful girl there. His warm breath tickled the stray strands of hair near her ear. Her knees would have buckled if his arm hadn't been wrapped so tightly about her.

'Kiss me.'

He was looking at her so intently.

'Kiss me.'

"Hermione," he whispered in her ear, "it's getting crowded in here, do you fancy a walk? I don't think I've ever shown you the pond where we used to swim."

"That sounds lovely." She was trying hard not to let her voice crack in her excitement. "Why don't you get us some drinks to take with us while I let Harry know we're going for stroll."

"Good idea, I don't want him getting worried and coming to look for us." He winked at her and headed for the refreshment table.

She was breathing hard, it was finally going to happen. There was no misinterpretation about the look he had given her.

She saw Harry at side table with a small elderly wizard and Auntie Muriel. She dropped into an adjacent chair and pulled off her shoes. "I simply can't dance any more," she panted. "Ron's gone looking to find more butterbeers. I just saw Viktor storming away from Luna's father, it looked as if they'd been arguing." Harry didn't look like he was paying attention to her. "Harry, are you okay?"

She was about to tell him about her and Ron going for a walk when a silvery lynx patronus fell through the canopy and said in Kingsley's slow deep voice, "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."

Then the screaming started.