Chapter Five: Twenty-Four Years Old

Ron gently tapped on the door to Lily's old bedroom.

"Come in," Rose called from inside. Ron opened the door, and his breath caught in his throat as he saw of Rose. She looked beautiful. Her simple white dress was all she needed. He hair was tied back at the nape of her neck which drew all of the focus to her face.

She had been looking out the window, watching the wedding preparations for the day. Ron had spared no expense. Caterers had been running in and out of the kitchen. Ron had rented a tent, fairy lights, chairs and everything else necessary for a perfect garden wedding.

Rose turned from the window and the morning sun shone behind her as she faced her father. The sun illuminated her veil and she looked like some sort of angel. She looked breathtaking.

"You look magnificent," Ron told her.

Rose laughed easily. "Thanks dad."

Ron closed the door behind him and shoved his hands into the pockets of his dress robes. "How are you feeling?" he asked tentatively.

She moved to the bed and sat down, rubbing her hands up and down her legs. She grinned towards her father. "I feel nervous, excited, but nervous. It seems like every person we've ever set eyes on is here, and the press…" she trailed off.

"I'm sorry we couldn't keep them away. But it's better to give someone exclusive access than to have brooms zooming over you while you say your vows," Ron laughed, remember his own wedding crashers on he and Hermione's day. It had been nearly impossible to explain away flying brooms to Hermione's Muggle relatives, and Ron strongly suspected that Hermione had had to implement some memory charms.

"How did you feel on your wedding day?" Rose asked as she resumed staring out the window.

"Same as you," Ron said. "Nervous, but excited." He looked out the window with her. They were erecting the tent for the evening reception now. Ron had made sure that everything for the ceremony was set up hours ago. "Are you sure about this, Rosie?" Ron asked. "It's not too late to call the whole thing off. Your mother would have a cow, but she'd calm down eventually."

Rose turned to her father, a determined look in her eyes. "I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life," she said sharply.

Ron held up his hands defensively. "Just checking, you know I always have to," he said with a laugh.

Rose sighed. "I know, it's just lately everyone around me has been expressing doubts about everything I do."

"I haven't," Ron said.

"No, you haven't. Nor has Jo. You two have been the only ones that have been supporting every choice I make." She smiled shyly at her father, and her smile faltered for a moment. "It's taken a lot to get me here, hasn't it?"

Ron sighed and tucked a tendril of stray red hair behind her ear. "Every moment spent raising you has been well worth the effort. I am so proud of you, so proud of the woman you've become. You always think about others first, and you try to figure out how you can leave someone better off having met you. You've become an inspiration to me," Ron said with a sad smile.

Rose started to tear up at his words.

"Now, now, none of that. I'm sure Dominique and Lily would tear me a new one if I ruined your makeup," Ron shushed as he handed Rose a handkerchief from his pocket.

"They wouldn't dare! After the hen party they hosted, they promised they wouldn't do anything without asking my permission first," Rose laughed as she wiped her eyes.

Ron laughed along with with her.

"Do you remember when I had dragon pox?" Rose asked suddenly.

"Yes, I do. I thought it was a series of particularly positive parenting moments, on my part. I even wrote to your mum several times telling her so. I think she still has the letters," Ron laughed.

Rose laughed along with him. "My dad, always after the credit," she said. She paused a moment. "Do you remember what you said about love, while we were in the kitchen eating soup?" Rose asked.

"Vaguely, I remember the jist."

Rose turned to look back out the window. "There were times in my life when I didn't understand what you meant, when I thought that loving someone meant being with them no matter what they did. I thought holding on to love for a person was focused externally, on that other person. I didn't understand that you meant embracing your love for someone within yourself. Loving yourself and the way you love that person so that you can truly care for them." She took a breath. "Jo showed me that. He taught me that you must love yourself fully before you care for another person, and that when you do that, when two complete people are coming to one another for support and care, that is when love works," she turned away from the window and smiled again towards her father. "It's a weird journey, isn't it. The one we must go on to find the person with whom it's meant to be," she said.

Ron took a steadying breath as he looked at Rose, in awe at the complete person she had become somewhere along the way. He thought of the long nights after taking her away from Alek. When she cried with Hermione and Ron felt utterly useless. He remembered the moment that a determined Rose came down to breakfast and told her parents that she needed to leave England. She needed to travel and put everything behind her. He remembered the fight that had ensued between he and her. Normally, Rose would have backed down. But she had been so determined, and she had known best. She had come back from her travels with a new sense of purpose and determination. And eventually, Jo had followed her home as well. She had put up walls against him, but Jo had knocked those down and had helped her rediscover the person she had been before Alek. Ron was grateful to his soon-to-be son-in-law for all that he did and his ability to let Rose shine.

"I feel so strongly that Jo is the person I'm supposed to be with. And I know that everything that happened in my life, the good and the bad, had to happen to bring him to me. Having him makes me grateful for everything, even the worst of it." Rose said as she grabbed her father's hand and squeezed tightly. Her smile was magnificent as she looked in Ron's eyes.

Ron took a steadying breath, but it did not help. He could feel tears escaping over his cheeks.

"Oh, daddy," Rose exclaimed taking the handkerchief he had offered and wiping the tears from his face.

"You're truly incredible," Ron told his daughter.

Rose laughed, "If I am, you deserve half the credit."

Ron laughed with her. "Maybe only a quarter. And don't forget mum," he added.

At that moment, Hermione burst through the door. "Rose, I found some. I swear, it was the only living thing in Ginny's garden. If it doesn't scream at her that it needs to be watered, it won't be. Neville would have an absolute cow if he saw what Ginny's done to the dittany he gave her." Her purple robes swirled around her. Her graying hair was tied in a knot at the nape of her neck that matched her daughter's. "Oh there you are, Ron," she smiled towards her husband. "For her hair," she explained to Ron as she held white baby's breath in her hands. "Dora offered to make you a crown out of it, but I told her we'd try this first. She's dying to see you," Hermione explained as Rose stood and turned her back towards her mother. Hermione deftly tucked the flowers into Rose's hair and then rearranged the veil. "There, how does she look, Ron," Hermione moved next to Ron and snaked her arm around his waist as the two looked at their daughter.

"Beautiful," Ron breathed.

Rose looked in the large mirror. She took a steadying breath. "I'm ready," she said confidently.

"Well let me go get everyone," Hermione announced as she turned and hurried out the door. Ron had not missed the tears in her eyes as she had left.

He moved towards Rose. "Here, let me," he said as he reached for her veil.

She kissed him gently on the cheek. "Thank you for everything, Dad," she said with a sweet smile. He covered her with the veil and squeezed her hand.

"No need to thank me, Rosie."