Walking Away
Ginny wrinkled her nose at Hermione when she walked out of the dressing room. "It's not…"
"Right," Hermione finished for her. She immediately went back to the room and closed the door. She pulled the fluffy white dress robes off and put them back on the hanger. The brown haired witch replaced her clothes before going back out to her friend. "This is another shop we can mark off the list. Unless you want to look?"
The redhead shook her head. "I think we should find your dress first."
Hermione frowned, but didn't say anything. Why wasn't Ginny more excited about her upcoming wedding? Of the two of them, Ginny was far more romantic, but so far she'd exhibited a definite lack of enthusiasm concerning her engagement. Hermione had hardly passed a day without thinking of her wedding since Viktor slipped the ring on her finger last fall. "Gin, is there something wrong?"
The other woman looked up. "No. Why?"
Her friend sat down beside her on the settee. A shop attendant immediately appeared with a tray of tea and biscuits. Hermione smiled and reached for one. "You've been engaged for almost three months, and you rarely even talk about it. You don't seem to care."
"I care," Ginny told her. "Harry and I are getting married after you and Viktor, though. I think the two of you should be the focus right now."
"We could share, you know. It isn't as if only one couple can be engaged at a time."
Ginny nodded. "I know. But you deserve all the attention right now. I know the fuss that will be made about my wedding. You got engaged first, and you're getting married first. It's only right."
"I guess." Hermione still wasn't convinced, though. There was something wrong with the other witch, and she didn't seem to want to share. "How are things at Hogwarts?"
"The same as always. Time seems to stand still there. Even though Dumbledore has been gone for years, it's like it never changed."
"And working with Malfoy? Is he still…"
"Malfoy?" Ginny finished with a smile. "He's the same, too. Not completely insufferable, but he definitely has his moments."
"Ah." Hermione found it curious that talking about Draco Malfoy made Ginny smile. She made a mental note, but decided not to press the issue. It was likely just stress and nothing more. "Should we try again?"
Ginny replaced her teacup and stood. "Yes."
As the exited the shop, the older witch attempted to turn the conversation back to Harry. "What're your plans for Valentine's Day?"
"Harry won't tell me. He wants it to be a surprise."
Hermione smiled. That sounded more like the Ginny she knew. "Do you have the whole weekend off, or will you go back tonight and leave again tomorrow?"
"The whole weekend. Mum had some wedding stuff she wants my approval for, so after I leave you, I'm going to the Burrow. I'll stay there tonight, and then Harry and I are meeting up tomorrow evening." Ginny eyed the other witch suspiciously. "Did he tell you anything?"
"No. He knows I'm a terrible liar and couldn't keep it from you."
The redhead wasn't convinced, but she didn't press. "It's nice to have a day off. That is one thing different from when Dumbledore was headmaster – McGonagall acknowledges that we have families outside of Hogwarts and encourages us to see them. Teaching is my job, not my life."
"I can see both sides, I guess. Professor Dumbledore was in charge of the school during a time of crisis. In those days, we were always on the brink of war. He needed all of the professors there to protect us. McGonagall is extremely fortunate to run a school during peaceful times. She can allow the professors to leave on the weekend and enjoy a life outside of Hogwarts."
Ginny nodded. "I see your point. But I'm grateful to have the time off. And to not be involved in the war any longer."
The two witches walked towards the last dressmaker in Diagon Alley. If they didn't find something there, they would have to go into Muggle London. Hermione crossed her fingers that they would find the dress. She knew Viktor was at their flat, waiting for her, and she was more than ready to join him.
The redhead reclaimed her spot outside of Hermione's dressing room, flipping through pictures of various wedding robes. The problem was that none of the robes looked like her – they were all too… pretty. She wanted to look like a real person on her wedding day, not a doll.
At the back of the magazine, she found one she could see herself wearing. It was a strapless A-line dress robe with a dark green satin band around the waist. The edges of the dress were also trimmed with the green. Even though she knew it wasn't appropriate for her wedding, she found herself tearing the picture from the magazine. After checking that no one was watching, she folded it into a square and tucked it inside of her cloak pocket.
"Ginny?" Hermione called.
The redhead put the magazine aside and went to the door. "Yes?" She could hear the other witch sniffling. "Hermione, is something wrong?"
"No," she sniffled. "It's absolutely perfect."
Ginny smiled at her friends' voice. "You found it?"
"Yes." Hermione looked herself over in the mirror. This was it. "I'm coming out, okay?"
"Okay." Ginny stepped back, waiting for her friend. When the door opened, she couldn't stop her gasp. It was a Chiffon sheath – with very little frills. Delicate spaghetti straps held the dress on her shoulders and the empire waist was covered in tiny pearls. From there, it fell straight to the floor. As Hermione turned, Ginny could see the simple ruffle and sweeping train down her back. The robe was stunning. "It's amazing, Hermione."
The older witch nodded and smiled through her tears. "I don't think I've ever loved something so much."
"I'm glad we came here, then. Should I get the attendant?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes. This is the dress."
Ginny smiled at her one more time before leaving to find an attendant. She felt slightly jealous of how amazing Hermione looked in that dress. Ginny also knew it had a lot to do with her inner glow as well – something she hadn't quite mastered yet. She was marrying the man of her dreams, and yet… The redhead stopped that train of thought. She and Harry were very happy, and they would be very happily married in August.
When she returned, Hermione was admiring herself in the mirror. She stopped to watch as the dressmaker went to assist her oldest friend. The woman started poking and prodding the bride-to-be and making notes on a parchment about adjustments that needed to be made. Through it all, Hermione continued to smile. Other than the night Viktor proposed, she couldn't remember a happier moment.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The next day, Ginny found herself slowly going out of her mind. Since the moment she had walked through the door the previous night, Molly Weasley hadn't stopped with the wedding plans. Privately, she was beginning to think she and Harry should elope.
"Mum, can we stop?"
"Ginny—" her mother started. The older woman stopped herself, though. Her daughter looked exhausted. "Yes, love. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just tired. I didn't sleep well last night."
Molly nodded. "Why don't you go take a warm bath and have a nap before Harry arrives? You have hours yet."
"What about all of this?" Ginny asked with a sweep of her arm. "I'm not sure when I'll be home again before the end of the school year."
Her mother pressed her hand to her cheek. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
The young witch knew she shouldn't, but she allowed herself to be persuaded by her mother. "Alright, then I'm going to go up and have that nap. Harry's supposed to be here at seven, so could you make sure I'm up by five, and I'll take the bath then."
Ginny climbed the backstairs and immediately went to her childhood bedroom. It looked exactly the same. Instead of going to the bed, she went to her chair and the cloak she wore the day before. She retrieved the picture she'd torn from the magazine from the pocket and studied it. The dress robes were beautiful, but completely inappropriate for her wedding. Yet, she'd taken the picture from the magazine for some reason. Ginny replaced the picture and went to her bed. She pulled off her boots and slid between the blankets. When she closed her eyes, she could picture herself in those robes.
She'd secretly worried the ivory would wash her out, but she looked radiant. Her skin was glowing like Hermione's had the day before. The green sash around her waist emphasized how slim she was – and the trim was beautiful. Ginny couldn't remember herself ever looking so happy.
When she opened her eyes, Ginny knew she would never wear those dress robes. She would never look like the woman in her mind. It just wasn't… her. Or, rather, it wasn't her and Harry. The robes would have been too Slytherin for his liking.
The redhead closed her eyes again, pushing aside that last thought. She didn't want to think about Slytherin, or anyone associated with it right now. It was Valentine's Day and Draco should be the last thing on her mind. Instead, she'd been haunted the last two days by him.
Ginny could feel tears begin to leak from the sides of her eyes. She had to stop thinking about him. She had to.
Several hours the young redhead stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She didn't look any better after a three-hour nap and a bath. Ginny straightened her skirt one last time before going downstairs. She could already hear Harry talking to her family.
As soon as she entered the room, Harry went to greet her. He kissed her cheek and hugged her close to him. "Hello, love. Happy Valentine's Day."
"Harry," she sighed and closed her eyes. She felt balanced when she was with him. "You're early."
"I wanted to catch up with your parents," he explained. "But we can leave if you're ready."
"Let me get my cloak."
"I'll get it," her fiancé offered. He went to the closet in the hall and retrieved her black wool cloak. Harry held it for her while she slipped her arms in. Once it was on, he helped her button up the front.
Ginny waited a few more minutes, while Harry chatted with her father, before saying, "Harry, our reservation."
He nodded. "Right. Mr. Weasley, it was good to see you again."
Arthur Weasley patted his future son-in-law on the back. "It was good to see you again, son. You should come by more often."
"I'll try," he promised. Harry reached into his cloak and pulled out a Portkey. "Are you ready?"
Ginny nodded. Reaching forward, she touched her hand to the oversized button as Harry wrapped his arm around her waist. He whispered the spell and they were immediately being pulled inward.
Once they were gone, Molly went to her husband's side. "Did Ginny seem alright to you, love?"
Arthur frowned. "I suppose. Why, did she say something?'
"No," she answered. "It was just…" Molly stopped herself, not sure of what she wanted to say. "It is probably just nerves, that's all. Forget I said anything."
Ginny wrinkled her nose at Hermione when she walked out of the dressing room. "It's not…"
"Right," Hermione finished for her. She immediately went back to the room and closed the door. She pulled the fluffy white dress robes off and put them back on the hanger. The brown haired witch replaced her clothes before going back out to her friend. "This is another shop we can mark off the list. Unless you want to look?"
The redhead shook her head. "I think we should find your dress first."
Hermione frowned, but didn't say anything. Why wasn't Ginny more excited about her upcoming wedding? Of the two of them, Ginny was far more romantic, but so far she'd exhibited a definite lack of enthusiasm concerning her engagement. Hermione had hardly passed a day without thinking of her wedding since Viktor slipped the ring on her finger last fall. "Gin, is there something wrong?"
The other woman looked up. "No. Why?"
Her friend sat down beside her on the settee. A shop attendant immediately appeared with a tray of tea and biscuits. Hermione smiled and reached for one. "You've been engaged for almost three months, and you rarely even talk about it. You don't seem to care."
"I care," Ginny told her. "Harry and I are getting married after you and Viktor, though. I think the two of you should be the focus right now."
"We could share, you know. It isn't as if only one couple can be engaged at a time."
Ginny nodded. "I know. But you deserve all the attention right now. I know the fuss that will be made about my wedding. You got engaged first, and you're getting married first. It's only right."
"I guess." Hermione still wasn't convinced, though. There was something wrong with the other witch, and she didn't seem to want to share. "How are things at Hogwarts?"
"The same as always. Time seems to stand still there. Even though Dumbledore has been gone for years, it's like it never changed."
"And working with Malfoy? Is he still…"
"Malfoy?" Ginny finished with a smile. "He's the same, too. Not completely insufferable, but he definitely has his moments."
"Ah." Hermione found it curious that talking about Draco Malfoy made Ginny smile. She made a mental note, but decided not to press the issue. It was likely just stress and nothing more. "Should we try again?"
Ginny replaced her teacup and stood. "Yes."
As the exited the shop, the older witch attempted to turn the conversation back to Harry. "What're your plans for Valentine's Day?"
"Harry won't tell me. He wants it to be a surprise."
Hermione smiled. That sounded more like the Ginny she knew. "Do you have the whole weekend off, or will you go back tonight and leave again tomorrow?"
"The whole weekend. Mum had some wedding stuff she wants my approval for, so after I leave you, I'm going to the Burrow. I'll stay there tonight, and then Harry and I are meeting up tomorrow evening." Ginny eyed the other witch suspiciously. "Did he tell you anything?"
"No. He knows I'm a terrible liar and couldn't keep it from you."
The redhead wasn't convinced, but she didn't press. "It's nice to have a day off. That is one thing different from when Dumbledore was headmaster – McGonagall acknowledges that we have families outside of Hogwarts and encourages us to see them. Teaching is my job, not my life."
"I can see both sides, I guess. Professor Dumbledore was in charge of the school during a time of crisis. In those days, we were always on the brink of war. He needed all of the professors there to protect us. McGonagall is extremely fortunate to run a school during peaceful times. She can allow the professors to leave on the weekend and enjoy a life outside of Hogwarts."
Ginny nodded. "I see your point. But I'm grateful to have the time off. And to not be involved in the war any longer."
The two witches walked towards the last dressmaker in Diagon Alley. If they didn't find something there, they would have to go into Muggle London. Hermione crossed her fingers that they would find the dress. She knew Viktor was at their flat, waiting for her, and she was more than ready to join him.
The redhead reclaimed her spot outside of Hermione's dressing room, flipping through pictures of various wedding robes. The problem was that none of the robes looked like her – they were all too… pretty. She wanted to look like a real person on her wedding day, not a doll.
At the back of the magazine, she found one she could see herself wearing. It was a strapless A-line dress robe with a dark green satin band around the waist. The edges of the dress were also trimmed with the green. Even though she knew it wasn't appropriate for her wedding, she found herself tearing the picture from the magazine. After checking that no one was watching, she folded it into a square and tucked it inside of her cloak pocket.
"Ginny?" Hermione called.
The redhead put the magazine aside and went to the door. "Yes?" She could hear the other witch sniffling. "Hermione, is something wrong?"
"No," she sniffled. "It's absolutely perfect."
Ginny smiled at her friends' voice. "You found it?"
"Yes." Hermione looked herself over in the mirror. This was it. "I'm coming out, okay?"
"Okay." Ginny stepped back, waiting for her friend. When the door opened, she couldn't stop her gasp. It was a Chiffon sheath – with very little frills. Delicate spaghetti straps held the dress on her shoulders and the empire waist was covered in tiny pearls. From there, it fell straight to the floor. As Hermione turned, Ginny could see the simple ruffle and sweeping train down her back. The robe was stunning. "It's amazing, Hermione."
The older witch nodded and smiled through her tears. "I don't think I've ever loved something so much."
"I'm glad we came here, then. Should I get the attendant?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes. This is the dress."
Ginny smiled at her one more time before leaving to find an attendant. She felt slightly jealous of how amazing Hermione looked in that dress. Ginny also knew it had a lot to do with her inner glow as well – something she hadn't quite mastered yet. She was marrying the man of her dreams, and yet… The redhead stopped that train of thought. She and Harry were very happy, and they would be very happily married in August.
When she returned, Hermione was admiring herself in the mirror. She stopped to watch as the dressmaker went to assist her oldest friend. The woman started poking and prodding the bride-to-be and making notes on a parchment about adjustments that needed to be made. Through it all, Hermione continued to smile. Other than the night Viktor proposed, she couldn't remember a happier moment.
The next day, Ginny found herself slowly going out of her mind. Since the moment she had walked through the door the previous night, Molly Weasley hadn't stopped with the wedding plans. Privately, she was beginning to think she and Harry should elope.
"Mum, can we stop?"
"Ginny—" her mother started. The older woman stopped herself, though. Her daughter looked exhausted. "Yes, love. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just tired. I didn't sleep well last night."
Molly nodded. "Why don't you go take a warm bath and have a nap before Harry arrives? You have hours yet."
"What about all of this?" Ginny asked with a sweep of her arm. "I'm not sure when I'll be home again before the end of the school year."
Her mother pressed her hand to her cheek. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
The young witch knew she shouldn't, but she allowed herself to be persuaded by her mother. "Alright, then I'm going to go up and have that nap. Harry's supposed to be here at seven, so could you make sure I'm up by five, and I'll take the bath then."
Ginny climbed the backstairs and immediately went to her childhood bedroom. It looked exactly the same. Instead of going to the bed, she went to her chair and the cloak she wore the day before. She retrieved the picture she'd torn from the magazine from the pocket and studied it. The dress robes were beautiful, but completely inappropriate for her wedding. Yet, she'd taken the picture from the magazine for some reason. Ginny replaced the picture and went to her bed. She pulled off her boots and slid between the blankets. When she closed her eyes, she could picture herself in those robes.
She'd secretly worried the ivory would wash her out, but she looked radiant. Her skin was glowing like Hermione's had the day before. The green sash around her waist emphasized how slim she was – and the trim was beautiful. Ginny couldn't remember herself ever looking so happy.
When she opened her eyes, Ginny knew she would never wear those dress robes. She would never look like the woman in her mind. It just wasn't… her. Or, rather, it wasn't her and Harry. The robes would have been too Slytherin for his liking.
The redhead closed her eyes again, pushing aside that last thought. She didn't want to think about Slytherin, or anyone associated with it right now. It was Valentine's Day and Draco should be the last thing on her mind. Instead, she'd been haunted the last two days by him.
Ginny could feel tears begin to leak from the sides of her eyes. She had to stop thinking about him. She had to.
Several hours the young redhead stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She didn't look any better after a three-hour nap and a bath. Ginny straightened her skirt one last time before going downstairs. She could already hear Harry talking to her family.
As soon as she entered the room, Harry went to greet her. He kissed her cheek and hugged her close to him. "Hello, love. Happy Valentine's Day."
"Harry," she sighed and closed her eyes. She felt balanced when she was with him. "You're early."
"I wanted to catch up with your parents," he explained. "But we can leave if you're ready."
"Let me get my cloak."
"I'll get it," her fiancé offered. He went to the closet in the hall and retrieved her black wool cloak. Harry held it for her while she slipped her arms in. Once it was on, he helped her button up the front.
Ginny waited a few more minutes, while Harry chatted with her father, before saying, "Harry, our reservation."
He nodded. "Right. Mr. Weasley, it was good to see you again."
Arthur Weasley patted his future son-in-law on the back. "It was good to see you again, son. You should come by more often."
"I'll try," he promised. Harry reached into his cloak and pulled out a Portkey. "Are you ready?"
Ginny nodded. Reaching forward, she touched her hand to the oversized button as Harry wrapped his arm around her waist. He whispered the spell and they were immediately being pulled inward.
Once they were gone, Molly went to her husband's side. "Did Ginny seem alright to you, love?"
Arthur frowned. "I suppose. Why, did she say something?'
"No," she answered. "It was just…" Molly stopped herself, not sure of what she wanted to say. "It is probably just nerves, that's all. Forget I said anything."
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