Hermione doesn't lower her hand just yet. Faintly, she's aware of Kate crouching down to fix the hem, she knows that she should tell Kate not to trouble herself, that Kate's here to give her opinion rather than be on the clock. But she can't bring herself to just yet, because she's still staring at her reflection in the mirror, and it feels right. There are other dresses that have looked beautiful, and there are more still on the rack that Hermione could try for the sake of covering her bases, but she looks in the mirror and sees herself, and she can't help but think that this is it. This is what she wants.

"Oh, wow," she says instead, finally dropping her hand to her chest, where she can feel her heartbeat pounding. "Kate, thank you, I — I can't even explain it. This one just feels like the one. I can see myself walking down the aisle in this, feeling like myself." Laughing, she fans her face, willing herself not to cry all over the dress. "This is happening. By the end of the month, I'll be married."