Solitary Worlds
IV.
Fifteen Months
Her dad looked at her, puffed up and proud. “Are you ready?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes.”
He smiled and held out his arm. “You’re beautiful, Ginny. You look absolutely gorgeous.”
She let out a nervous little laugh. “I should hope so. It’s a little late to change anything now if I’m not.”
“You’re stunning. I mean it.” He did. Her white dress was made with heavy silk; the bodice fitted and beaded into a pattern that looked vaguely like a firework explosion, the full skirt blooming out around her, swishing with every step, making her waist look tiny. Her hair was down, cascading in curls around her bare shoulders; her veil was attached to a wreath of flowers in her hair. She looked like a fairy princess. She moved like a queen.
He couldn’t believe it was this day already.
His little girl had grown up so quickly before his eyes. The war had not helped, of course; Ginny’s fifth year had been her last year, and from then she was home-schooled with the closure of Hogwarts. She and Harry had bonded as he taught her hexes and curses for defence, and when she was sixteen she had told him one day to either leave her completely or to accept that they were going to be together.
He’d accepted what they had. He’d faced Voldemort that summer, had proposed the year after –
And now they were here. He, Arthur Weasley, was escorting his only daughter down the aisle to marry Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the boy who saved everyone...but most importantly, the boy who loved his daughter.
As was tradition, he and Ginny had started the procession; the bridesmaids (Hermione and Luna) would follow behind. Again acceding to Wizarding tradition, the ceremony would be very short, followed by a long celebration afterward.
Arthur watched Harry intently as they entered the church. The second Harry saw her, he sucked in a breath and looked away quickly, then back again, his eyes tender and full of love. In that minute, Arthur knew that they were destined -- and desperate -- to be together forever. He smiled, tears in his eyes. They were so right for each other. So complementary. So...perfect. They were perfection in love.
He led her to the altar where the priest was standing, then passed her over to her soul mate.
The priest cleared his throat. “We are gathered here today as friends, relatives and supporters of this union between this woman, Ginevra Molly Weasley, and this man, Harry James Potter. They pledge their love and loyalty to each other in this ceremony.”
The priest nodded at Harry; “The couple, as tradition encourages, has written their own vows. They have also elected, not only to exchange vows in the tradition method, but also to utilise the unbreakable vow to cement their devotion to each other.”
Those present gasped. The unbreakable vow was a binding agreement. Very few marriages had ever utilised it before – there were too many possibilities and ‘what ifs’ involved. There were too many stories of marriages gone wrong in the days that Vow was used.
Harry cleared his throat. He had the slim fingers of Ginny’s right hand in his, and wondered for all the world how he was going to say anything. He had been waiting for this moment for so long, and now he was overcome with love and joy. Ginny was going to be his. Forever. There was no fear in his heart, no apprehension, just a feeling of perfection. It was this knowledge that what he was doing was right that got him through.
“With this ring, I pledge to you: I will go where you go, I will hurt when you hurt, I will care for you and keep you safe. I will never leave you. I am yours forever, Ginny. Your heart is my heart, your wishes are mine. Your life is my honour, your love my only necessity. I promise you that I will always be there, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in joy and sadness, in danger and safety. You are my soul mate; I love you.”
A flame shot out of the priest’s wand and wrapped itself around their hands. Ginny, tears in her eyes, took her turn to speak. “Harry, I could pledge no less than what you have given me. I too, promise to be there, in every situation, in every obstacle, in both good and bad. I promise to be your best friend, to love you with every fibre in my heart. Even when you hurt me and anger me, know that my love is everlasting, enduring and consuming, and that anger and pain are merely moments in time compared to the eternal passion that engulfs me. I promise you now, that I will go where you go, and I will love you, beyond death, beyond forever. You are more than my soul mate – you are my soul and my self, and I love you. Forever.”
Another flame slid out and wound itself around their joined hands. The priest smiled, and ended the spell. “We now exchange rings.” Ginny nodded, a smile on her face, tears in her eyes. Harry slid the slim wedding band onto her finger. She mirrored the movement.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
With a grin of pure happiness, Harry lifted her veil and laughed when he saw that she was crying. He had been planning to kiss her very sedately and politely; seeing her with tears running down her cheeks and a huge smile on her face, he couldn’t help but drawn her close into his arms and kiss her senseless. He drew back and looked at her, his wife, and grinned at her. “You’re mine now. I finally caught you.”
She laughed. “Actually, I finally caught you. I do believe I am the one with the longest-standing attachment.”
He laughed and kissed her again.
He just didn’t care right now. Because Ginevra Molly Weasley was now Ginevra Molly Potter, Mrs Harry Potter, and, his favourite, Harry’s wife.
He was the boy who lived – but more importantly, he was the boy who’d found the love of his life.
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