Second Time Around

*Tissue Alert*

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the song “Amazed” by Lonestar and do not any money by putting it here.

Her dress: http://www.priscillaofboston.com/dress_detail.jsp?gid=1&sfid=50435&f= (Hit the ‘X’ on the lower right corner of the image and it will show a still picture of the gown)

Her hair: http://www.hairstyleslibrary.com/images/wedding-hairstyle-long-hair.jpg

Her aisle song (marked by ***): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJyJwbAa1i8

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“Stop fidgeting!”

“I’m sorry, but you are taking so bloody long!”

“Well, you have an unnatural amount of hair!”

“It is not unnatural-,”

“Girls, girls, that’s quite enough!” Molly’s voice rang out from the doorway. Ginny harrumphed and Hermione clamped her mouth shut. She reached back and smacked Ginny’s thigh when the younger girl intentionally stabbed her in the back of the head with a pin.

“Hermione, dear, did you decide on the flowers yet?”

“Yes, and no on the flowers, it’s just too much,” she replied, reaching for the small hand mirror on the table before her. A small freckled hand came out to smack hers before she could grab the handle and she yelped.

“Not until I’m finished!” Ginny protested vehemently.

“Well, then, hurry up! You’ve been at it for an hour now!”

“It has not been an hour.”

“You started at 3:43, it is now 4:54 and we start at 5:30!”

“Stop looking at the clock!” Ginny yelled. “Mum, cover up that clock, will you?”

Molly flicked her wand at the clock on the wall and a sheet fell over it just as it had over the windows and mirrors and the clock on the mantle. Hermione let out a puff of air and a glass of wine was thrust into her hand.

“Thanks,” she said gratefully and smiled up at Rebekkah. The woman had been a lifesaver throughout this entire affair. She’d apologized days after the divorce had gone through and the two had grown close ever since. It was a good thing, too, because it turned out the woman was training to be a wedding planner and with Draco’s insistence on a monstrous wedding, Hermione had been in over her head. Rebekkah had come running in with lists upon lists of things to do and plan and choose and Hermione had fallen in love. Rebbekah was a neat freak, an over-achiever and compulsive when it came to getting things done. Everything had fallen into place smoothly and Hermione was astounded by the ability of the dark haired and soft spoken woman. Her brash side was an unexpected addition along with her love of Quidditch and horrible chess skills. Hermione could see why Ron had fallen in love with the energetic woman.

“Drink up, you’re not getting anymore until the reception or we’ll be dragging you down the aisle,” she said with a grin. Hermione knew she was right. Her fifth glass of wine in three hours but she couldn’t help it. Her hands shook slightly when she brought the liquid to her lips and she had to use two hands to put the darn thing down. Her stomach was a riot of butterflies and she hadn’t been able to get anything other than a bit of toast down since the night before.

“Where’s mum?” she asked.

“Here!” was the answer as her mother hurried into the large bridal room, a small case in her hand. “I found it, it was in your suitcase just as I said.”

Hermione sighed and held out her hand as her mother rushed forward to hand her the black velvet box. “I don’t know how you looked it over, it was right next to your, well, you know.”

Hermione opened the lid and looked down at the solitary chain link inside. She picked up the metal and set the case on the over-crowded vanity. After caressing in she tucked it into her bra under her left breast, right next to her heart. Her mother looked at her with teary eyes.

“You look a wreck.”

“Thanks, mum,” she scoffed.

“I always thought you were too calm last time. But this time,” she sighed. “You look just like me when I married your father. I was shaking like a leaf the whole time and it took my mother three tries to get that mascara on. Nearly poked my eye out, she did.”

Hermione said nothing but took her mother’s hand and brought it to her warm cheek, holding it there, her cool skin calming. It was true; when she’d married Ron, she’d been cool and collected. After all, it was simply the next step. Now, however, she was a mess, more nervous than a school girl on her first date.

“There,” Ginny finally proclaimed. “Are you ready to see it?”

“Yes,” Hermione said. The sheet was lifted from the vanity mirror and Hermione gasped. “Ginny, it’s beautiful! Thank you so much!” She turned and embraced her friend hard, feeling the tears and wishing this emotional roller coaster was over. She turned back to the vanity and used the little hand mirror to look at the back of her hair. She didn’t know how Ginny had accomplished it, but her usually unruly hair was sleek and tucked in a variety of whorls that cascaded past her shoulder blades. Small pearls adorned the chestnut curls which matched perfectly with the single pearl strand her grandmother had worn at her own wedding over sixty years ago. She wished her nana was here to see it. Hermione’s mum came up behind her and looped the necklace around her neck, Ginny holding her hair up so her mother could secure the fastener. Her mum replaced her hair and smoothed it, looking over Hermione’s shoulder into the mirror.

“This is it.”

“I know,” Hermione whispered, feeling the tears sneaking their way back to the corners of her eyes. She leaned back against her mother’s chest and her long arms came around her.

“I love you so much, Hermione. I’m glad to finally see you happy.”

“I love you too, mum.”

“Alright, you two, we need to get make-up on before we bring out the dress. Now, hurry!” Molly ushered. Hermione could hear the distinct nasally tone that Molly took when she was trying not to cry. Hermione threw her arms around the older woman and smiled when she hugged her back. Ginny dragged her away from her emotional mother to a stool and the women descended upon her with powders and eyeliners and Merlin knew what else.

“Let’s not go overboard,” Hermione said nervously as Ginny attacked her with lipstick while Rebekkah took tweezers to her eyebrows.

“Don’t worry, it’s not like we’ve never met you before,” Ginny said while slathering on more of the substance. “You’ll love it. Wait and see.”

Hermione did wait, twisting her hands and trying to quell her quivering muscles. Why was it so hot, all of the sudden?

“Mum, what time is it?”

“We’ve time enough, dear,” she said, pulling out the large white bag Hermione knew held her gown.

Oh, gods, I can’t do this again! her mind screamed. What if it ended up like last time? What if he left her? What if he decided he didn’t want her anymore? What if he decided she wasn’t what he’d thought and cheated on her, just like Ron?”

“Stop!” she cried, pushing Ginny’s hand away and stumbling back. “I can’t do it, I can’t go out there. Go and tell him something, anything, tell him I died of food poisoning or, or, I don’t know!”

“Hermione, stop, calm down,” her mother said, rushing forward to take her ice cold hands. “You’re just a bit jittery, that’s all. It’s normal to have a bit of nerves!

“But I can’t marry him! He’s Draco bloody Malfoy for crying out loud! What if he decides I’m not good enough? I can’t go through that again!”

Her mother just smiled and it incised Hermione. “This is not funny! It’s a very serious matter! Why are you smiling?”

She looked around and realized that they were all smiling.

“Would you look at that?” Ginny said in a mock-serious tone. “Hermione Granger absolutely stuttering with nerves. He is a keeper, isn’t he?”

“I’d say so,” Rebekkah coined in. “Look at how much she’s shaking!”

“This isn’t funny!” she said again, stamping her foot. Ginny burst into laughter and Rebekkah joined, Molly beamed and her mother drew her into a hug. When she pulled away she cupped Hermione’s face and made her look up at her.

“Hermione, who are you marrying today?”

Hermione didn’t speak, but thought about the man she would soon be wed to. The blonde bastard who had forced her to wait an entire year before they tied the knot. The little prick who had moved all of her things into his master bedroom at Weston House the day she’d found him in a drunken stupor in his office. The arrogant prat who had led her onto the beach a week later and gotten down on one knee to present her the ring currently resting on her left hand. The little snot who came to her office every day to make sure she’d eaten lunch and if she hadn’t, either brought it to her or took her out. The wretched git who had shown her every way it was possible to make love and who never seemed to get enough of her.

That wonderful, wonderful man who told her every single day that he loved her, who woke her every morning by kissing her eyelids, who brought her breakfast in bed when she was sick, who pet her cat and bit his tongue when the damnable animal scratched him. She was marrying the man who took her to see her parents and asked her father for her hand. She was marrying the man who had shaken Ron’s hand and sat beside her stiffly when he married Rebekkah. She was marrying the man who had given her back her life, her spirit, her soul. The one man who wasn’t afraid to stand up to her, challenge her and tackle her when she was right and he knew it. When her mother wiped away a tear which trailed down her face Hermione looked up, a smile curving her lips.

“Let’s get me to that alter.”

A whoop went up and damage control was in order from the tears she had shed over her foundation. Hermione let them do as they pleased, knowing it made them happy. Right now, she couldn’t care less what they did. When they stood her and walked her to the small platform so they could don her dress, her hands shook not with nerves, but anticipation.

The dress fell around her in silky waves and she knew she’d made the right decision by the simple, elegant gown. Ginny had pushed for something more extravagant, but this, this was the one Hermione knew she’d had to have. Thin straps held the gathered v-neck where the gown flowed in silk curtains around her, trailing out just a bit in frosty waves down her back. The product was suave, sophisticated, sexy. Everything Draco Malfoy deserved.

Her mother dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, Molly blew her nose, Rebekkah hurried for the camera and Ginny covered her mouth, her blue eyes filling with tears.

“You were so right, ’Mione. This dress is absolutely perfect. Draco is going to die when he sees you,” Ginny proclaimed.

“Well, I certainly hope not because I don’t think I want to go searching for another man to marry for I’m definitely not putting this gown to waste,” Hermione replied with a smile. She got through the pictures, slid into the satin shoes, clasped on the thin bracelet with a small heart charm borrowed from Ginny onto her wrist and evaluated in the full length mirror.

Something old: Her grandmother’s necklace. Check.

Something new: Her dress. Check.

Something borrowed: Ginny’s bracelet. Check.

Something blue: She grinned. The blue garter was resting on her right thigh where her mother had slid it on earlier that afternoon. Check.

“Are you sure you don’t want to carry flowers?” Molly’s voice broke Hermione’s reverie about her wedding night. She had forced Draco from her bed a month ago to make this night “more special” and couldn’t wait to get him back in it. It had been an extremely long and lonely month.

“Yes, Molly, I’m sure,” she replied, taking one last look at her single self. She sighed and smiled. Perfect.

“Ginny?” she called to the curtain behind which she was dressing. “How does the dress fit?”

“Great!” she cried, hurrying out from behind the curtain. Hermione gasped as Ginny twirled in her bridesmaid’s gown, the knee length silk aquamarine dress flowed around her just right, making her milky skin glow and her blue eyes shine. Her red hair was drawn up in an elegant French twist, pearls matching Hermione’s dotting up one side of it.

“Oh, Ginny, you look gorgeous!” Hermione gushed. The strappy heels which matched the dress perfectly (thanks to Molly’s wand) made her long legs stand out as the girl struck pose after pose making them both break out into peals of laughter.

“Bek!” Hermione called to the other curtain. “How’s your dress? Does it fit alright?”

“Er, well…”

Hermione scrunched her eyebrows. They’d done alterations not three weeks ago. “What’s wrong? It fit at the last alteration.”

“Yes, well, I seem to have grown since then,” she said, her voice wavering.

“Come on out, dear,” Molly said. “We’ll put it to straights.”

Rebekkah walked out slowly from behind her curtain and Hermione gasped, covering her mouth. She could see why the dress no longer fit.

“Bek, why didn’t you tell us?” she breathed, looking up at the taller girl who was blushing like mad.

“I didn’t want to say anything and ruin your wedding!” she cried, wiping away the tears of frustration that had gathered in her eyes. “I didn’t think I’d grow this fast!”

“How far are you along?”

“Erm, I think about three months now…”

Molly burst into tears and hugged Rebekkah who looked wildly over the plump woman’s shoulder. Hermione felt lightheaded suddenly. Rebekkah was going to have Ron’s child, something he refused to let happen with them. She was happy for them, really, but it was a strange feeling…

“Oh, Hermione, I’m sorry! I wanted to tell you after you got back from your honeymoon, I didn’t want it to ruin your day!” Rebekkah sobbed.

“Oh, Bek, don’t be silly! You didn’t ruin my day!” she said honestly. “This is great news! Does Ron know?”

“Er, well…”

They all looked at each other and laughed.

“Now, let’s fix the dress so we don’t have any awkward questions when you walk down the aisle,” Molly said, wiping at her eyes and pulling out her wand. They spent the next few frantic minutes altering the front so Rebekkah’s small bump wasn’t noticeable then changing Ginny’s to match it. By the time they’d finished they had minutes before the music would start and they all hurried through the halls of the mansion to the back doors where they would exit down the marble stairs to the satin covered aisle leading to the dais and alter sitting at the edge of the water. The chairs were spread out across the sand and Hermione knew the sun would be setting a little to the left of where they were to say their vows. It was perfect.

Hermione grinned at the expression on her father’s face when she rushed up to place a kiss on his cheek. Her mother laid a comforting hand on his arm before kissing Hermione and escorting Molly outside to take their seats.

“How are you holding up, Kerry?” Harry asked, clapping a hand on her father’s shoulder and smiling at Hermione.

“Doing this once was hard enough. I don’t know if I can handle doing it again,” he said, his eyes never leaving his daughter. Harry chuckled and came around him to hug Hermione.

“You look beautiful, Hermione,” he said, pulling back and looking down at her.

“Thanks,” she said, reaching up to straighten his tie as she’d done so many times before. “You don’t look half bad yourself.”

“Hey, Harry? How do you get this blasted thing to lay flat?” Ron’s voice rang out from the hall. He looked up from his bowtie and caught Hermione’s eye. He gave her a once over and stopped dead in his tracks. Hermione smiled nervously at him. What did one say to the man when the last time you were in a wedding gown it was him at the end of the aisle?

“Hermione,” he croaked. “You look…radiant.”

She blushed. “Thank you, Ron.” It was probably the best compliment she’d ever received from him. She stepped forward and gestured to his tie. He dropped his hands and she folded the blue silk so that it lay flat against his stark white shirt and pulled the collar over the wrap. She smoothed it all out and smiled up at him.

“There.”

He smiled crookedly down at her before taking her in a warm hug. “I’m really happy for you, Hermione.”

“Thank you,” she said with all sincerity. She told herself over and over not to cry as she realized that they were really, truly alright. The two of them were finally able to put their rocky past to rest and be the friends they were meant to be.

“Alright, it’s time to start,” Ginny said. She ushered her big brother forward and Rebekkah looped her arm in his, kissed him on the cheek, and took the daisy’s Ginny handed her. The music started from outside.

***

Ron opened the double doors and led his wife down the aisle, Hermione smiling in utter happiness. At the proper time, Harry caught Ginny’s arm and led her down the steps, grinning proudly as he took his spot as best man for the second time that year. Hermione took a deep breath and looked up into the lined face of her father.

“I’m not doing this again, girl. This is the last time,” he told her.

“Last time, daddy,” she promised, hugging him tight. He held out his arm and she took it, stepping out into the sinking sunlight. She looked down the aisle to her groom who stood stiffly in his dress robes, his hands clasped in front of him, his blond bangs blowing in the soft wind. His grey eyes widened, his jaw dropped a fraction and Hermione beamed. Her heart was so full she didn’t think she’d ever be this happy again. Her father led her down the stairs, her silk gown flowing around her, the crowd watching her as she walked down to meet the man of her dreams. She stopped and kissed her dad one last time before the dais and he took his seat next to her mother as Hermione turned to look up at her husband. She ascended the steps alone to meet him under the ornate canopy of gossamer silk and satin draped columns beaded with pearls and white roses. Draco held out his hand for her and she took it, noting that her belly still quivered when he touched her. He pulled her up the last step and she took her place facing him.

“You’re breathtaking,” he said breathed. She could only smile. Percy Weasley took his place as their official and began the ceremony, starting with the Muggle lighting of the unity candle, moving to the Wizarding ritual of matrimonial binding where they clasped their hands and a blue “rope” snaked around their joined wrists and finishing with the exchanging of the rings, a little Muggle and a little wizard. They said their vows as they placed on the rings and they were secured by Wizarding law so they could not be removed. Hermione smiled throughout the entire ceremony while Draco switched between looked dazed and grinning back at her. And then her former brother-in-law said the magic words.

“You may now kiss the bride!”

Draco pulled her forward by the hand he was still holding until she was inches from him. She looked into the eyes of her husband, seeing the future, seeing everything she’d ever hoped for. He cupped her face with one hand, her waist with the other. When he took her lips in a searing kiss the crowd erupted and Hermione wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him down for more, her body thrumming in delight. Once again, tears sprang to her eyes as she realized that he was hers, for the rest of her life.

“I can’t believe I finally have you,” he murmured, caressing her cheek as the wolf whistles continued in the background.

“Believe it, loverboy. You’re stuck with me,” she grinned.

“Promise?” he growled, nipping at her chin. She sucked in a shaky breath. The night couldn’t come soon enough.

“Well, only for as long as you can perform your matrimonial duties to an extent agreeable to my party,” she goaded, giving him a saucy grin. He sneered right back then picked her up and carried her back down the aisle.

And straight to their bedroom.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed our lover’s ending. Please tell me what you thought of this story! Thank you so much for reading; I really hoped you found all your guilty pleasures in it.

Read my newest story, The Silence, under the Male/Female category. I hope you’ll like it as well. I’m still working on Haunted and a one-shot which should be finished very soon.

I love you all, thank you so much for your reviews and ratings and for reading my story. I’m nothing without you.

XOXO

RynStar15

yourcookiedoughbaby@yahoo.com