A Christmas Wish Ch. 28

The sun shone impossibly bright on that day. Not a cloud haunted the sky, a slight breeze lifted the spirits of everyone in the yard. The scent of spring was in the air – blooming flowers, full green grass, and limitless unending hope. It was hard to think that, less than a year ago, this place had been ravaged by death eaters, filled with despair, shrouded in doubt and fear. It was almost like none of that had ever touched this place, nothing evil had ever crossed its doorsteps. It was exactly the way it was always supposed to be, it was exactly what they had been fighting for for so long.

Hermione tore her gaze and her thoughts away from the people outside, drawing her gaze back to the golden full-length mirror in front of her. She tilted her head to the side, taking in her appearance one last time. She tucked an unruly curl behind her ear, somehow the rebellious lock had sprung loose from her elaborate hairdo. Despite watching herself transform over the last hour from her regular self into a beautiful bride, it still seemed like she was staring at another person. A different Hermione, living in a place where people wore beautiful gowns and did their makeup every day. It was so different for her, an experience she'd never had before.

She supposed that feeling was fitting, though. After all, everything would change after today.

An abrupt knock brought her out of her reverie. She jumped a little bit, then regained herself. "Come in," She said to the doorway.

She heard the doorknob click as it turned, and the old door creak as her mother entered the room. Her mother looked years older than the last time Hermione had seen her, although it had only been a few months. Still, she cleaned up nicely for the event, wearing her best outfit and using makeup to hide the wrinkles and scars.

Her mother absorbed her daughter's appearance in one quick glance, and her face lit up with a genuine smile. "You look so beautiful, darling."

Hermione smiled in return, twirling a lock of brown curled hair around her finger. "Thank you, mom. It's good to see you, I'm glad you came."

Her mother smiled. "How could I miss my own daughter's wedding? You've grown up into such a strong, elegant young lady. You are far braver than I ever was, sweetie."

Hermione looked up and met her brown eyes, eyes that mirrored her own in every way. She tilted her head to the side, another brown curl springing loose yet again.

Her mother chuckled and tucked the wayward curl back behind her ear. "You sure got his hair. Impossible to fix, it is."

Hermione glanced away a little at the mention of her father. She had avoided the topic with her mother ever since her abrupt departure from their house several months ago. She didn't know how to breach that subject, didn't know how to conquer the conflict. She realized over the years that, no matter how many things she learned from books and school, there were some pieces of knowledge that would never be hers to understand.

"I left him, you know." Her mother said conversationally while she straightened Hermione's necklace, needing something to do with her hands. "I was making the coffee one morning, and I made an extra cup out of habit just for you. It made me think of you, and miss you. It made me remember your strength, and your bravery. It made me remember how fearless you are. How you chase down your fears and conquer them, instead of waiting for them to overwhelm you. That same day, I packed my things and left, and I've never looked back."

Hermione smiled, "Mom, that's great! You can finally live your life again, you can finally be free."

Hermione's mom smiled, but a tinge of sadness clung to her expression. What a sad world it was, when a daughter championed her mother for leaving her own father. Hermione deserved more than what they had given her, she deserved a family that was unbroken and untarnished. Hopefully, today would be the first step towards that dream.

"Yes, but that's not what's important today. Today is your day, sweetie. Your entire world will change today. Are you nervous at all?"

Hermione smiled confidently. "No, mom. I have no doubts at all. This is exactly what I've always wanted."

Her mother beamed with pride. She was so happy for her daughter, so happy that she was such a strong young woman despite what the world had thrown at her.

"I can't tell you that everything will be perfect once you get married. There will be hard times, and you will have to work through them. However, your love has already survived so much. I am confident that nothing will tear you two apart, no matter how rough life gets. You've turned into such a strong woman, Hermione. Despite all the pain and suffering you've endured, you still have so much unconditional love for the world. Together, you will both survive anything."

Hermione felt her eyes welling up with tears. She tried to hold them back as best as she could.

"He does not control you anymore. He can't touch you anymore. He can't ever hurt you again. This is your chance to truly be happy."

Hermione nodded, her hairsprayed curls bouncing up and down. She smiled, her mother's words warming her like a relaxing steamed bath. Today, her entire life course would collide with another's. Today, their paths would become one, mingling together like the meeting of two rivers. Never apart, never separated, no matter how rough the journey was. Together, forever, until the end of time.

"Now," her mother declared confidently, "Don't you have a wedding to attend?"

XXXXXXXX

He hoped beyond hope that somehow she would be there. During the ceremony, he scanned the crowd for any sign of her electric green eyes and midnight black hair. He knew that it was a long shot that she would just appear after being away for so long. He knew that it was a small chance, a very dim hope to cling to. However, he also knew that it wasn't impossible. And so he hoped.

Fred and Hermione looked just like a dream. They beamed at each other, and Charlie marveled at the pair that they had become. Who would have thought, a few years ago, that things would turn out this way? Who would have thought that love could be found in the darkest of places, in the most dire of situations? They had beaten unimaginable odds, and now would spend the rest of their lives together.

Charlie's heart swelled with pride for both of them. He watched as they said their vows, an air of finality settling around the backyard. He heard his mother sniffle from the front row, and knew that it was only the beginning of a barrage of tears. The golden sun had just touched the horizon, bathing the world in elegant reds and blues and purples. Their vows rang out like a song, poetic, passionate, and eternal.

When they kissed, the audience erupted in cheers. Charlie grinned as Fred drew the kiss out a little longer than was really necessary, and many of the men in the audience cheered louder. He was always a crowd pleaser, that one was.

When they surfaced for air, something was different about them. They were still the same people through and through, that much was true. However, while they had entered separately, they would be leaving together. They had fought the world alone for so long, but now, they had someone to fight with them. Someone to share in the joy and the pain. Someone to hold when the nights were too dark, when the doubts and fears were too strong. Someone to love and be loved in return.

He was immeasurably happy for them. He refused to let them see the small pit of loneliness that had curled up inside him at the sight of them together. He refused to let them be anything but happy.

XXXXXXXX

Fred couldn't have been happier. The love of his life was dancing in his arms, his family and friends surrounded him, and the firewhiskey and butterbeer flowed like a waterfall. He had just promised to spend the rest of his life with the one and only woman he would ever love. What could possibly be better?

Another butterbeer, that's for sure.

Fred left Hermione to dance with Harry while he made a beeline for the bar. Everywhere he turned, people clapped him on the back and smiled in congratulations. It was an environment unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. It was joyful, unassuming, and full of hope for the future.

He hailed the bartender for a butterbeer, noticing another equally vibrant head of red hair parked in one of the seats by the bar. He tried to look like he was enjoying himself, but Fred knew better.

"I'm sorry she didn't come, man." Fred offered.

Charlie shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I just hope that, wherever she ends up, she's with someone who can make her happy. Some closure and an explanation for her running off like that wouldn't hurt, too."

Fred huffed in aggravation. "It is a big deal! Don't think we haven't noticed. You can't hide things like this from your own family, man."

Charlie stood up and walked over to Fred. "I don't want you worrying about me on your wedding day. Drink up, be merry, and go be with your woman. I will be fine. My problems will still be here tomorrow, so we can worry about them then. But nights like this only come along a few times in a lifetime. Enjoy it while it's here."

Fred didn't say anything, he just looked over Charlie's shoulder, seemingly mesmerized by something out of Charlie's view. A smirk slowly grew on his face.

"Fred? Are you okay?" Charlie asked.

Fred chuckled. "I think you're gonna be alright, Charlie." He grabbed his butterbeer and headed back to Hermione without any more explanation.

Charlie chuckled at his brother's antics. He was an odd one, not even marriage could change that. Out of curiosity, he glanced over his shoulder to see what Fred had been staring at.

And his world ground to a screeching halt.

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Pansy felt like an idiot for coming. Everyone kept staring at her, like she was some kind of traitor, some kind of monster. Her insecure side wondered if maybe her pale green low-cut dress was too much, but her bold side confidently declared that all of them could screw themselves. She had a right to be here, just as much as any of them did. No, she had more than a right, she had an undeniable need. She had to fix one of her most grievous wrongs, she had to confront one of her worst demons.

She headed straight for the bar for a little bit of liquid courage. She didn't know if she could face the potential shame and guilt without it.

She hailed the bartender, and he departed shortly in his quest. She plopped down at the nearest barstool to wait.

Suddenly, his presence annihilated and overwhelmed her. Her heart both soared like it hadn't in months, and cringed in the corner of her darkest fears. She had hoped that she'd be able to warm up a bit to the party before having to see him. Yet, he was completely undeniable. There he was, sitting right next to her, as if he knew that she would come this way first.

Did he really know her so well?

He looked up and down her figure appreciatively. "Nice dress." He smirked.

Pansy laughed and felt a blush spread rapidly through her cheeks. Thanks to his lighthearted antics, the tension between them began to dissipate.

Pansy took a deep breath, and took a sip of her drink. It was now or never, she might not get another chance. "I know that you must have questions, after the way I left."

Charlie shrugged. "Not really, to be honest."

Pansy's heart plummeted. Didn't he care? Wasn't he at all bothered by the way she left, the way she cut off all contact?

"What do you mean?" She took a bigger sip of her drink.

Charlie stared into his butterbeer, as if all the answers in the world could be found in its golden bubbles. He thought for a minute, taking time to let his words come together. Pansy's heart pounded in anticipation. Was he angry at her? Was he bitter? Was he about to tear into her, and tell her that he never meant any of it? Finally, he opened his mouth to speak.

"You were afraid, that's all it was. You had never been so close to anyone, had never let yourself become so vulnerable. So, to protect yourself, you ran."

He looked at her for confirmation. Dumbfounded, she nodded her head.

Charlie continued. "But, after you ran, you immediately felt a pang of regret. You'd left the best thing you'd ever known, just because you were afraid to give so much of yourself to another person. You told yourself that if you just kept ignoring the letters, if you just kept pushing yourself farther away, then maybe one day you'd be able to forget. But you haven't, and you don't think you ever will."

Again, Pansy nodded her head.

"So, that's why you're here. You realized that, despite whatever the consequences might be, you had to try to get back what you once had. You couldn't live the rest of your life knowing that there was a possibility for you to be happy, even if it meant you had to face up to your shame and guilt. You hoped that we'd take you back with open arms, no questions asked."

"Will you?" She asked tentatively, her world shaken by his accurate description of every thought she'd had for the last several months.

He stared into his glass again, absently swirling it around with his right hand. He stayed silent for an agonizing amount of time, although only a few minutes passed.

"I told you once that I loved you, and I meant it," Charlie confessed. "I couldn't turn you away. Not now, not ever. But what you did, Pansy… it…." He struggled for the right words to say.

"It hurt you, didn't it?" Pansy finished his thought.

He nodded, not meeting her gaze.

Pansy's heart clenched, her nerves burned with the shame and agony of what she'd done. She had hurt the only person she'd ever really loved. She knew she had to do something to make it right, she had to fix some of the damage that was done.

Abruptly, she took the glass out of his hand and set it down on the counter. She took his hand in her own, demanding his attention and focus.

"I was an idiot. I know that, and, I'm so sorry for what I did to you. I took everything that you had done for me and threw it back in your face. I let you fall in love with me and then hurt you worse than you could have imagined. But, Charlie, I was absolutely miserable without you. Nobody ever has been or will be what you are to me. And if you tell me that you don't want me anymore, then I'll never bother you again. But I have to know for myself. Is there any chance for us?"

Charlie grinned a little bit. "Of course there is, love. It might take some time, but it's certainly there."

Pansy smiled in relief. "You were always so good to me, Charlie. You were always so much more than I deserved. I'll never know how I managed to catch your attention."

Charlie chuckled. "I'm pretty sure you caught everyone's attention tonight, with that dress of yours."

Pansy buried her face in her hands. "I knew it was too much! Augh. I should have gone for something more low key."

Charlie laughed, the sound like music. "I'm just messing with you, Pansy. You look beautiful, just like you always do. And it'd be a shame to waste that beauty sitting at a bar. Why don't we put the serious talks on hold, and just go dance? There are several people who'd like to see you."

Pansy peeked in between her fingers. "They're not mad at me?"

Charlie shrugged. "Of course they are. But they won't stay mad for very long. The only way to find out is to get out there and face the music. So, what do you say?"

He extended his hand to her. So familiar, so welcoming, and exactly what she'd needed for all these months.

"All right," she said. She slipped her hand into his, and he pulled her into the crowd.

XXXXXXXXX

"I love you, you know that?" Fred whispered in her ear as they danced, losing themselves in the crowd.

Hermione giggled. "You'd better, cause now you're stuck with me."

"Good," he replied, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Me either," Hermione smiled.

Fred laughed, "Remember when we all thought you were going to end up with Ron? Ugh. Gross."

Hermione laughed heartily, her mind wandering through their many adventures together. Had it really only been a year ago that she'd been infatuated with Fred's younger brother? So much had happened during that time. She'd learned so much, and grown from a timid young girl into a bold woman.

"I do remember that," she smiled fondly at the memories. "We have so many memories together."

"And now we get to create many more together," Fred pointed out. "For the rest of our lives. I'm all yours, Hermione."

She pulled him close. Finally, finally he was hers forever.

XXXXXXXXX

It was one of those nights that stayed with Hermione forever. She revisited it on rainy days, like pulling out a well-worn book and curling up by the fire. Sometimes when the stress of daily life became too much, she would remember how full of love and hope they had both been. When she felt despaired, tired, exhausted, she would remember the way everything had seemed possible that night. She would remember how it felt to hope for the impossible, how it felt to dream bigger than ever before. She would remember the unending love and warmth that came with giving herself entirely to another person. It had seemed like a dream – a perfect, unending, flawless dream.