you will see your beauty every moment that you rise

[cleverness]

Hermione feels her chest tighten from the moment she steps into the dress shop. There are soft colors surrounding her on all sides, a mixture of white and faint pastels, in such quantities that Hermione can't even imagine how she'll ever be able to find the right dress in time. For years, she's dreamed about what her wedding day might look like, and even if Hermione doesn't have the extensive notes that others her age might, there's an excitement that thrums just under her skin as she hurries into the shop.

She's invited some of her friends to join her — anyone who has a couple hours and the patience to spare. Even though Hermione knows that the wedding will be perfect simply because of the man who will be standing at the end of the aisle, she wants all of the other details to fall in place. Having more eyes and opinions will only make her feel more secure in her skin.

"Do you know what style of dress you're looking for, dear?" the shopkeeper asks her, a sweet woman with a heart-shaped face and delicate brunette curls.

Hermione parts her lips, on the cusp of deferring to her judgment entirely, but a moment later, she nods. "I think I'd like a long dress," she admits, feeling her cheeks flush. "White, perhaps with a hint of lace."

Half an hour later, Hermione stands back up on the stool in front of the tri-panel mirror, turning around slowly and feeling the weight of the skirt.

"What about this dress?" she asks, brushing errant curls of hair out of the way as she spreads the skirt, feeling the fabric against her palm.


[ help hermione pick between dress one, two, three, four. ]

Comments

[the_realsavior]

Elena loves to shop and there is certainly no way she is going to pass up the chance to shop for a wedding dress. Especially when it's a wedding dress for Hermione, one of her first friends in Darrow.

So she is there, waiting excitedly for Hermione to come out in the dress she is trying on. Moving along another row of dresses, she brushes her fingers over the skirt as she imagines wearing one herself but she is pretty sure that mentioning getting married might freak Damon out. An actual relationship is a new thing for him after all.

Distracted from her thoughts, she turns as she hears the rustle of fabric behind her and immediately brightens at the sight of the dress on Hermione. "Oh, it's stunning!" She coos a bit, moving closer. "You look amazing, Hermione."

[cleverness]

Hermione can't help but blush at Elena's compliment, sheepish as she steps around to get a glimpse of all angles of the dress in the mirrors. There's a part of her that wonders if it's a bit much, if she should be picking a simpler dress for the occasion, but there's been so much leading up to this day that Hermione can't help but want to splurge on every detail. The right flowers, the right cake, the right dress.

"It isn't too much?" Hermione asks, just to make sure as she lifts the skirt to feel for the weight of it. Since their wedding is hosted in the countryside, Hermione knows that there may be times she needs to pick up the train to lift above the grass. "I know it may seem silly, but I've always wanted the beautiful white dress and train for my wedding. All of the gentle touches to make the day perfect. Thank you for coming to help me pick a dress, by the way. I wanted to make sure I didn't pick something too ostentatious."

[dragonsandquidditch]

Charlie...doesn't know how much help he can provide with looking for a bridal dress, but Hermione is family, and he gets the advantage of sneaking a glimpse at the dress before his brother, so he easily accepts when he receives her text.

He meets her at the shop with a grin and a wave, just as she's trying on a dress.

"Ron will faint at the altar, guaranteed," he tells her, his grin widening into a smirk.

[cleverness]

Charlie's reaction is exactly what Hermione is hoping for, and she can't help but laugh as she offers another gratuitous twirl on the step stool. She's worn heels for the occasion, wanting to know how the full ensemble might start to feel after a few hours — the weight of the dress is significant, but Hermione's confident that she'll be able to figure out a proper charm to lighten the load if need be.

"Well, I'm not sure I want him fainting before he says 'I do,'" Hermione jokes, cheeks faintly flushed as she sways from side to side, the fabric of the dress making a pleasant sound as it moves. "You really think he'll like it, then? I'm counting on you to have a good sense of your brother's tastes, having grown up with him."

[dragonsandquidditch]

She looks radiant, like one of Ginny's dolls but with a vibrancy that emphasizes her beauty as being grounded in life itself. He looks on at her in admiration, truly happy for her in that moment, especially, knowing his brother, how stunned Ron will be to see her in such a state.

"I make no promises for my brother," he tells her with a wink. "But have no fear! If he does faint, I'll tell him that he's surrounded by spiders and that should rouse him again."

"Hermione, he'll love whatever dress you choose," he tells her with a knowing look. "Because you're in the dress."

[cleverness]

Hermione laughs at the joke, reaching forward to smack Charlie lightly on the shoulder. As much as she appreciates the thought, the last thing that she wants to do is send Ron into a state of panic on his wedding day — especially considering the fact that he may already be headed for it. Hermione knows how he usually responds to pressure.

"If you cause Ron to have a heart attack in addition to the fainting, I'll never forgive you," she warns, stepping back up to the stool to glance at all angles of the dress again. She still wants to try more in the store, wanting to make sure the dress that she chooses is absolutely perfect. The best dress she can find for the occasion. "But, I know the dress doesn't really matter. He'll love me no matter what I choose, even if it's a garish pink. You know me, though. Ever the perfectionist."

[dragonsandquidditch]

Charlie would never actually do that to Ron, knowing how prone his brother is to panics in general, especially around spiders. Charlie can't say he's overly fond of those creatures, himself. Still, it's a delight to be able to tease Hermione like this.

"Duly noted," he says with a mock-solemn tone, pretending to take notes on parchment as though they were still at Hogwarts. "And being the perfectionist that you are, whichever dress you choose will, in fact, be so by virtue of having been chosen by yourself."

[cleverness]

Dissolving into soft laughter, Hermione steps forward to swat Charlie lightly on the arm. There's a certain sense of humor that's shared between all of the Weasley siblings, and she's learned to love the slight ribbing she gets from every one of them. It lends a certain lightness and perspective that Hermione never quite finds on her own.

"Well, I appreciate the vote of good faith," she says, offering a cheeky smile. "Meanwhile, I must ask — what have you been up to in the city? Discovered any new species of dragons yet?"

[everyonetakes]

It's actually kind of weird, Kate realizes, walking into a wedding dress store and knowing she isn't going to be looking at any of the gowns for herself. She's already got a couple of dresses picked out, not a single one of them white, and she's waiting for the right time to drag Mindy and Carla Jean with her to the store so she can get their opinions.

So it's weird being surrounded by wedding dresses, knowing most people would expect her to be buying one, too, and not having any intention of doing so. It's weirder still to be here because Hermione texted her, but she'd totally meant what she'd said about being friends again. Things change, that's just life, and Kate can totally roll with the punches.

"Wow," she says when she finally spots Hermione. She looks seriously beautiful and that wow is all Kate can think to say.

[cleverness]

"I assume that's a good wow?" Hermione asks, smiling shyly once she turns around and sees Kate. Even though the two of them haven't gotten to know each other that well yet in Darrow, Hermione wants to pay tribute to the fact that they were close friends in another world, and work towards rebuilding that strong connection. Besides, she thinks that the happier parts of wedding planning are a good thing to share with new friends — the excitement over dresses, over cakes, without any of the pain of scheduling or worrying about the weather.

Sometimes, cheating a bit with magic comes in handy.

"It's hard for me to explain, but I've dreamed of marrying Ron for so long that it's quite surreal, seeing myself in these dresses," Hermione adds with a soft laugh, stepping down from the step stool in order to walk around the shop with her heels, testing for the feel and flow of the dress.

[everyonetakes]

"Please," Kate says with a laugh. "Of course it's a good wow." Hermione is seriously gorgeous and maybe she's one of those girls who doesn't realize just how beautiful she is, but that's why it's good for her to have a friend like Kate, who is super generous with the compliments. She likes building people up. Sometimes she likes tearing them down, too, but that's really only reserved for assholes who deserve it, not the people she cares about.

"So this is pretty much the dream, then, huh?" she asks, smiling. She supposes it'd probably be better for them both if Harry was in Darrow, but Kate's kind of selfishly glad he's not. She's over him, she doesn't miss their relationship, she's sure if he showed up here, he wouldn't remember her anyway, but it's still just not something she wants to deal with.

[cleverness]

"I guess so," Hermione muses, doing her best to keep her head held high and maintaining her balance. The heels aren't too difficult to maneuver in, for which she's grateful, but Hermione wonders if shortening the heels by another inch or so might be the better choice. "Honestly, everything right now feels like it's simply icing on the cake. What matters most is that I know who I want to spend the rest of my life with, and now I have that reassurance that he wants to do the same. Not that I ever doubted it, really, but I think being able to admit that — whether it be with a ring or not — it's different. It's an important step."

Hermione smiles, nodding towards Kate's hand. "I imagine that you probably understand how I feel."

[everyonetakes]

It's still a bit of a weird thing, thinking of herself as engaged, as getting married. She and Newt have, maybe predictably, decided to go for it on Halloween. It's the anniversary of the first time he'd loudly declared her his girlfriend, bugging a poor woman dressed as a vampire just so he could better announce it. It's just weird because it's not the sort of thing she ever imagined for her.

Which isn't to say she's not happy, because she is. Maybe she'd never imagined it, but now that it's happening, she's so happy.

"It kind of feels like this huge adult thing that I should still be too young for," she admits. "Except I'm not and it doesn't feel like I am."

[cleverness]

"I think I had the benefit of watching... well," Hermione offers a bit of an apologetic look. While Kate seems perfectly happy with her fiance and has clearly moved on from Harry, the mention of him might still be a little awkward. "Watching one of my best friends get married first. Harry and Ginny were pretty eager to get to the altar. I think the war was sobering for all of us."

Hermione's lips quirk at the corner. In a way, Hermione's glad that she and Ron have a bit of distance between those tumultuous times and their wedding now. What's transpired doesn't have to be what colors their ceremony the most.

"And it's been wonderful for the two of them, so it makes it a little easier to imagine myself in that same position. I guess. It's still definitely strange, being the one in the dress, but that doesn't change the fact that we know it's the right step."

[beyondtheblonde]

Elle strides into the shop, prepared to burst into bright greetings when she finds her friend. Instead the sight of Hermione leaves her lifting a hand to her mouth, surprisingly moved. "Oh, my god," she sighs, fanning herself. "Oh, Hermione..." It's just so pretty and she's so pretty, all in white lace. Before the hair and makeup, she still looks radiant in front of that mirror, and Elle finds herself overcome.

She used to think about all this for herself, so sure that her own wedding day wasn't far away. Now, well, she and Emmett haven't talked about it, but she thinks they both know she wants to finish law school first. She's in no hurry now, knowing he's right for her. Maybe she was only ever trying to keep Warner tied to herself, rushing along like that, and that should have been a warning. It wasn't like this, like Hermione and her Ron, loving each other so long, finally walking the aisle to make official a bond that seems to have existed for years already. That's how love should be, she thinks. That's what she wants.

"You look so beautiful. Oh, everything is so pretty."

[cleverness]

Elle's reaction is quick to bring tears to Hermione's own eyes, and the laughs, the sound just slightly broken as she twirls around on the step stool to get a better look. The fabric is just heavy enough that Hermione feels like she'll be kept from floating away from sheer joy. "Oh, you're not allowed to make me cry yet," she complains, though the smile never dims on her face as she steps down from the stool to stand in front of Elle, shoulders raised sheepishly.

It's strange, how much of a difference putting on the dress lends to the occasion. Hermione's wanted the white dress and wedding for so long, but it always felt like something she had to wait far longer for, something so far away that it was more of a distant concept than a reality.

Now, everything's coming together.

"It's really happening, isn't it?" Hermione asks, cheeks flushed. "I'm really getting married."

[beyondtheblonde]

"You're really getting married," Elle says, briefly touching Hermione's cheek before she takes her hands. She's already expressed how happy she is for her friend before, but it's hard to keep from saying it again, at the risk of repeating herself. There's just nothing like knowing someone's found love to make the world seem so much more beautiful than it already is. Lovely, clever, tenacious Hermione deserves every bit of it.

She laughs and takes a step back to look her over, lifting her hand to spin Hermione. "And I'll tell you something, Ron is the luckiest man in Darrow. When he sees you, he is gonna faint dead away."

[cleverness]

Hermione giggles as she's twirled around. Something about wearing the dress seems to be going directly to her head, between the way that the embroidery catches the light and the swish of the skirt around her feet. It's been about a decade since Hermione first discovered her personal sense of style, but trendy robes and high heels don't quite compare to this.

It's a little bit like playing dress-up all over again.

"Oh, I don't know," Hermione says, quirking a brow in Elle's direction. "I happened to run into Emmett at Dimera Apartments lately. If you ask me, he's quite the lucky fellow as well. Although I won't argue that Ronald is better off with me present in his life." She lifts her chin with a small smirk.

[beyondtheblonde]

"That's the thing about love," Elle says, soft and fond. Her time with Emmett will come, she's sure of it. It just isn't right for them yet, not for a step like that. They're still getting to know each other, still learning what it takes to make this relationship really work. And this time around, she's going to do it right. No rushing, no planning weddings in her head before there's even been talk of a proposal. No waiting when the time is right for someone else to make the move. For now, though, she's happy where they are.

Brushing back a bit of Hermione's hair, she smiles. "With the right one, you're both better for it. Now, is this the dress or are there others to try?"

[cleverness]

There's a softness in Elle's touch that makes Hermione feel as though she's found a sister. Her heart aches, thinking of how Ginny probably won't arrive in the city in time for the wedding, if indeed she makes it to Darrow at all, but Hermione's grateful for the company that she has, for the people who have extended their friendship so quickly. The loneliness that had permeated all of her initial days has largely died down.

"I'm just glad that he finally came around back in the day," Hermione says with a feigned scoff. "Honestly, with how much I'd helped him over the years, he should have realized the possibility of us years before he did. But, well. Boys can be clueless." Hermione makes her way back to the rack, glancing at a few more dresses that were brought over for her to try. "I still have about half a dozen dresses on this rack to go. Do you think you would be able to help me with the zipper?"

[survivesitall]

"It's beautiful," Elena says softly, meaning her words. She's never really wanted this, at least, she's stopped wanting it. After being bitten by Clay her world had changed entirely. A normal life and a normal family had seemed like something she'd never get to have. She's forgiven him now, but even still she can't imagine a wedding, especially one without Jeremy here. "You look amazing."

[cleverness]

"The dress is, isn't it?" Hermione says, taking a second longer to watch the sway of the fabric in the mirror before turning to face Elena, glad to have friends willing to give her feedback on the dresses she tries on. While Hermione hopes that there will be a dress that simply feels right upon putting it on, her head still feels like it's in the clouds, and all good reason has evaporated in the wake of boundless happiness and anticipation. "Thank you for coming to help me select a dress, I hope this wasn't too out of your way. I just wanted to make sure that I chose something that I could feel good in, and that Ron would like as well. It's so hard to pick, though, with so many beautiful dresses here at the shop."

[survivesitall]

Her own style leans toward jeans and tshirts; simple things, casual things. But she can recognise how beautiful the dress is and how happy Hermione looks in it. What's more surprising to her is that Hermione called her, but she's happy about that too. "Thanks for calling me. It's nice to be a part of this. It's fun."

[cleverness]

"I felt a little self-conscious, inviting people out here to help me pick a dress," Hermione admits, ducking her head sheepishly. She doesn't regret the choice to send more invitations, not now that she's seen how many people were willing and even eager to come out and help. "I was musing over it back in my apartment, wondering if it was too self-absorbed, but... I really am grateful that you came out. It's nice to have more pairs of eyes to make sure I'm not picking something terrible. It's certainly not what I would have picked as a child. I was always the sort of girl who wanted the most ostentatious dress. Like Princess Diana's, I suppose."

[survivesitall]

"When I was a little girl I used to think about white dresses. Big ones." But then she'd thought she would never have the chance for a wedding. Not after she'd changed into what she was now. "Layers of beading and lace. Probably heavy enough to weigh down three women. This is nicer than all of that."