and to this day, when everything breaks, you are the anchor that holds me

[cleverness]

As the sun began to deep from its early afternoon high, birds chirped as they flew through the woods, lingering around the Nook and watching curiously as people gathered from around the city. Flowers bloomed from the branches, uncharacteristically bright and large for the season, aided by a touch of magic. Not far from the house, a small babbling brook snaked through the fields, giving pets and wildlife alike the chance to run around and splash in a bit of water. The wedding decor had been designed to blend into the countryside, tables held up by tree trunks, and shade overhead provided by the stretch of vines and blossoms. The scent in the air was subtle and sweet, light floral mingling with the smell of baked goods wafting from the buffet table. At the end of the table stood a large cake, with white frosting and decorated with orange blossoms and clementines. If one looked closely enough, they would notice that one of the fruits was different than the rest, painted a subtle gold, and occasionally flying around the cake with a rapid beating of delicate wings.

The wedding was a small and intimate affair, meant to be more of a celebration than a formal occasion, and guests mingled with wine and cheer before the time came for the ceremony to begin.


Ron had felt as if he was going to lose his breakfast for most of the day. The truth was, he'd barely eaten at all that morning, anxious about the late afternoon ceremony. In some ways, it reminded him of ages ago, of his first Quidditch match as Keeper back at Hogwarts, his stomach was in knots, he felt peaky, and without realizing it that morning, he'd been so distracted by his own thoughts that he'd idly managed to cast a spell that left a small raincloud lingering over his head for nearly an hour before he managed to rid himself of it.

He knew that he was mental for it, for being worried about any of this. He and Hermione had been together ages now. They loved each other, and this was the next thing. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with that bloody amazing woman, but there was still the slightest bit of worry that she'd think better of it— of him— and tell him to sod off. He hadn't had thoughts like that, when it came to Hermione, in ages, but somehow it'd all come flooding back in the hours before the wedding.

Even standing there, waiting for her to walk down the aisle, he tried to push those thoughts away, tried not to look too nervous, like his stomach didn't feel like a crumpled bit of parchment. At least, if it all went sour, he only really knew a handful of people who'd turned up today. And Charlie wasn't George or Ginny, so he wouldn't give him too hard a time about it.

But the thing Ron didn't expect, standing there feeling like he might pass out, what he hadn't prepared himself for, was how she looked when he finally saw her. Because once he finally saw Hermione in her dress, walking toward him, this bloody amazing woman who'd chosen him when she could have had anyone, all the worry melted away. The parchment uncrumpled itself, and he was left grinning so hard he couldn't imagine ever being this happy again in his life.


All throughout the morning, Hermione's heart fluttered in her chest. Even as she listened to the guests mingling in the distance, there was something about the day that didn't feel quite real, even as she worked on zipping her dress and arranging her hair just so. While she had asked a guest or two for help on occasion, Hermione spent most of the morning preparing on her own, letting the enormity of everything that had led her and Ron to this point sink in. She had known, practically since their first year at Hogwarts, that Ron was a person whom Hermione would spend the rest of her years standing alongside. But the depth of what they felt for one another, the deepening of those emotions as they bloomed into something deeper and intangible, was something she never could have anticipated all of those years ago.

Now, she couldn't imagine wanting a single day away from him. As Hermione gazed in the mirror, she noticed how it softened her appearance. Her cheeks, dusted pink even without the help of blush. Quietly, she stole a moment to peek through the window, where Ron and Charlie were speaking in the distance. Everything about the day felt right. Everything was coming together, the final missing pieces of the puzzle.

By the time she made her way to the aisle, Hermione was already beaming, fingers trembling as they held onto her bouquet. Petals of light pink and orange lined the path she took, guests turned their heads to rest upon the bride, and sweet woodwind music played in the distance — but in the moment, Hermione only had eyes for Ron. As she came to a stop across from him, she reached a hand out to lace with his own, and silently murmured, I love you.


Ron had spent hours the day before trying to put the right words together, even though he knew that he was rubbish at that sort of thing. Reports, papers… mostly he just tried to get out of doing them, but this wasn't something Ron wanted to skive off. It was more important than almost anything.

In the end, he'd come up with something, and he'd written it out on a bit of parchment that he'd folded up and put in the pocket of his jacket, but he'd begun to think he wouldn't need it after all.

"Hermione, you've been my best friend, my teacher, my soul mate. You've managed to put up with me for over a decade now, and if you were going to think better of it, I s'pose you would've done it by now. Sometimes— right now, especially— I can't believe I've gotten this lucky. I love you, Hermione. You've been making me a better person since we first met, all those years ago as kids. And I promise that— that I'll keep working at it for as long as we're together, which is the rest of our lives, I hope. I promise we'll keep learning from each other, and that I'll always be there.

"A long time ago, I got lost, and it took a little ball of light to bring me back to you, to bring me home again. But I promise to never leave again. You're my home now, and you always will be."


As Hermione listened to Ron speak, she felt her chest grow tight and her eyes mist over, but she did her best to take the whole moment in, committing every detail to memory. The bright blue of Ron's eyes, as clear as the sky above. The way his hair caught the sunlight. The gentle brush of the wind as he spoke, grass waving merrily in the distance. She ducked her head for only a moment, smiling to herself, knowing that she could never forget the way that her heart felt right then, full to burst.

"As a child, I had always been somewhat of a precocious little thing. I knew how to consume books as though I was breathing air, and I kept my nose buried in them, day after day, like they were my entire world. But from the moment that you entered my life, Ron, you showed me that there was so much more to the world than what I could learn in the shelves of a library. You taught me the value of friendship, you showed me what true bravery meant. And what you taught me, above all else, is about love. What it's like to grow together, and what it's like to feel as though there's another person in the world who completes you. Who makes your world whole. Who shows you, every day, how life can be lived to its fullest.

"You say that you feel like you're lucky, but I feel like I've been the fortunate one to have found my soulmate so early in life. And I can't wait to spend the rest of that life with you."

Trembling hands relaxed as Hermione watched Ron slide the ring onto her finger, and she glanced up with a soft laugh. His warm arms wrapped around her, and Hermione pushed herself onto her toes, hand curling against his chest as she pressed her lips to his.


[ gathering for ronmione wedding! let us know if you're requesting ron, hermione, or both! tag in and be merry. ♥ ]

Comments

[ghost_holder]

In Blithe Hollow, Aggie had attended a few weddings but they had been rather somber affairs compared to the joyful one she's watched today. She can see now why modern weddings are such celebrated occasions, even without the trappings. The way that Hermione looks at her new husband makes Aggie truly wonder what it might be like to fall in love. If it's anything like those two, she thinks she'd be lucky.

It's rather lucky too, Aggie thinks, that she seems to have brought a nice wedding gift in escorting the mother of the groom.

Sitting primly in her dress for a moment, Aggie just smiles bashfully.

[exitthewallflower]

"I am totally proud of you, you know." I slide into the seat next to Aggie, handing her a small plate of goodies and a drink. I'd been running late, but I made it just in time for the beginning of the ceremony and just in time to realize that Aggie had somehow stumbled across the mother of the groom. Go figure. Only here, right?

[ghost_holder]

She smiles, glad that Barbara made it. She's not sure if Barbara actually knows the wedding party, but she knows her guardian does like to meet the people in her life. With Hermione as one of her teachers, it seems doubly important.

"It does solve the problem of not knowing what to give as a wedding gift."

[exitthewallflower]

"That it does. So. tell me who everyone is, because aside from the bride I don't really recognize anyone." And to be honest, I don't know the bride either except for the usual slightly-creepy recon I do on all Aggie's teachers. But she seemed perfectly capable when I looked in on her and she's a beautiful bride, plus Aggie seems to really like her and I'm almost to the point where I can trust Aggie's instincts. Not all the way, but she hasn't really been wrong yet.

The vampires are dicey, but then... vampires.

[ghost_holder]

"Well, Flavia's here. I go to school with her," Aggie says, pointing her out. "I've not met the groom, but I met his brother Charlie. I guess the hair runs in the family."

[exitthewallflower]

"Sure does. Got mine from my Mom." Who is someone I have very complicated feelings about these days. Sure she came back and that was nice, but she also bailed right after JJ and that just made everything with Dad that much worse. I miss her and I think I'll always be angry at her. Just... all kinds of complicated.

"You know, if you have school friends you could have them over sometime. Sleep-over style. Has someone explained those to you yet?"

[ghost_holder]

"What if they're boys?" Aggie teases, smiling up at Barbara. "Like my friend Henry?"

Personally, she thinks thirteen is much too young for people to worry about those things, but they do anyway.

[exitthewallflower]

Oh, crap. Boys. Have we had that conversation? I probably need to have that conversation. Oh, God, how do I have that conversation?

Breathe, Gordon. You don't need to do it now.

"I think maybe that would depend on me knowing Henry a bit first. And talking to his guardian, of course."

[ghost_holder]

"We go to school together. Maybe he can come over some time." She leans a little on Barbara, half hugging from her seat.

"He's a friend."

[cleverness]

Words escape Hermione when she finally spots Agatha in the wedding party, having heard the story of how Molly managed to find her way to the ceremony. She's cried enough today that there shouldn't be any tears left, and yet Hermione's cheeks are wet when she makes her way over to Agatha, quickly reaching out and not minding the potential of staining her dress as she crouches down to give the girl a tight hug.

"Agatha," she finally manages after a moment. "Agatha, thank you so much. I don't know how the two of you managed such a fortuitous meeting, but thank you for guiding Ron's mother here to the wedding. I can't begin to explain how much it means to the both of us."

[ghost_holder]

The strength of Hermione's embrace and emotion are so startling that Aggie doesn't know what to say for a moment besides, "Aggie. Please call me Aggie."

It's been a strange, wonderfully lucky day. If Barbara hadn't been running late or Aggie hadn't decided to walk or a hundred other tiny things. She's just lucky that Mrs. Weasley had given her name so quickly, making the decision quick and easy to make.

"It was just, you know..." If Yuuko were here, Aggie thinks she'd have used that word she likes so much. Hitsuuzen. "Everything lined up."

[cleverness]

"Aggie," Hermione repeats with a quick nod, laughing breathlessly and brushing away the couple of tears lingering on her cheeks. While Hermione is far from a suspicious person, there's something about the way that Aggie describes the occasion, something about the idea that everything has lined up just for them and this moment, that makes Hermione want to believe.

Her heart aches, feeling full enough to burst.

"Yes, everything lined up, indeed. That Mrs. Weasley would show up on the day of our wedding... and happen to run into one of our beloved guests. I don't know how any day can live up to this. And this day wouldn't be half of what it is now without your help."

[ghost_holder]

Aggie smiles, reaching out for yet another hug. It's not something she's often seen, the full emotion that plays across Hermione's face and that makes it all the more significant she thinks.

"I'm just glad someone brought her and I'm glad you're happy."

[cleverness]

"She's like a mother to me," Hermione confesses, and although there will always be something of an ache lodged in her chest, missing her parents and other friends, she already feels incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by the people she is. She pulls Aggie warmly to her, closing her eyes for an extended moment.

Hermione can't even begin to think of what she can do to return the favor. Perhaps charm a few items for Aggie to keep with her, or perhaps try her hand at brewing Felix Felicis. It's been a while since she's really exercised her brewing skills.

"I know that times can be difficult here in Darrow, but it's days like these that remind me that sometimes, things can be good. No matter where we are, love can be found." Hermione smiles softly. "I hope you had the opportunity to speak with Mrs. Weasley? She's... everything that a mother should be. I think she'd love getting to know a talented young woman such as yourself."

[ghost_holder]

Aggie's happy to settle into the hug again. Aside from her mother, her own family had been terribly distant, bound by Puritan stoicism and later fear of her. It's completely different here, where she's hugged and praised often. It does a lot to ease the cold places of her heart.

"I love it here," she says, sincerely. Giant bees and strange events and everything. None of it matters in comparison to the things she's gained. "We talked a little on the way here and she seems wonderful." The exact kind of warm, gentle person that makes people feel safe and comfortable. Aggie had liked her immediately.

[cleverness]

Hearing Aggie's love of Darrow goes a long way towards making Hermione feel more warmly about the place in turn. It's given her a wonderful wedding already, and friends whom she's grown remarkably close to in such a short amount of time. It might not quite feel like her truest home, but Hermione can see the potential of making a long life in the city.

"You should join us for dinner," Hermione suggests with a smile. "Mrs. Weasley is a phenomenal cook, and dinner's always more fun when there are more people around. We have more than enough seats at the table for yourself and your guardian, if you should like. It would actually help all of us feel more at home as well."

[ghost_holder]

"I'd like that, a lot." And Barbara likes it when she makes friends, even if they're older. Except for Kaine, but that's just a given. Hermione, however, has proven herself a true and good friend and Aggie admires her so much for her kindness and intelligence.

"I like having families."

[deluminate]

His mum had told him how she found the wedding. That Agatha— a girl Hermione had told him about, and said she'd be inviting— had found her and brought her. And there weren't really words for how grateful he was for that. Ron had come to terms with the fact that most of his family wouldn't be there to see he and Hermione get married, but to have his mum there, even just seeing it all from the back of the group, meant more than just about anything.

He's got two slices of cake with him when he finds her sitting: one for him and one for her.

"Heard you're the one who brought the extra guest," Ron said, taking the seat next to her.

[ghost_holder]

Aggie smiles and nods to thank him for the cake as she takes it. "My guardian, Barbara, told me to go on ahead and I ran into her and well..."

She smiles a little wider, bringing light to her own naturally somber features. "It was very lucky wasn't it?"

[deluminate]

"It's just pain vanilla, but I think I can find some chocolate too, if you'd like that instead," Ron said once she'd taken the proffered cake from him. It wasn't enough to thank her for having brought his Mum to the wedding, for making sure that she'd been there to see it when they'd both been convinced that all four of their parents were going to miss it, but it was a start.

"I think it might've been more than just luck in this case," he went on to say, "Thank you."

[ghost_holder]

"No, that sounds good," Aggie promises, glad to properly meet him and to have made it here at just the right time with just the right person. She respects Hermione deeply and, by extension, Ron.

"I'm just glad we got here in time." She can't stop smiling, "This is my first wedding in Darrow."

[deluminate]

"Mine too," Ron replied, looking over at Agatha with a grin, "I guess that means we're in the same boat."

The truth was, of the two of them, Hermione was the one who'd made friends in Darrow. Ron was still trying to come to terms with the fact that Harry might never actually turn up. Mostly, he tried not to think about it much.

[ghost_holder]

"I saw a few weddings in the town where I grew up but..." Aggie's expression fills in the blank. They had been depressingly formal affairs, joyless and uninspiring. This, meanwhile, is a joyous celebration and she thinks she likes it before much.

"This is better."

[deluminate]

"It's alright," Ron replied, though that was a massive understatement. The day had been brilliant, really. Of course, he could have though of a few ways that it might've been better— people who would've made it feel more complete— but given the circumstances, he couldn't ask for anything better.

"I bet those other ones didn't have magic though, did they?"

[ghost_holder]

"No, they spent a lot of time making sure there wasn't any magic," Aggie agrees. They'd thought it was the work of the devil but on a day like today, Aggie can't see how they might ever have believed that. "They were wrong."