Ginny

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Uuuuugh." I rolled over in bed and stretched my arm into the direction of the noise. After aimlessly waving my arm around, I gave in and opened my eyes to find my fingers only millimetres from the button.

"Can someone please turn off that racket?" The tired voice of Alicia groaned, just as I pressed the "off" button. "Thank you."

I rolled over again, as to get comfy, but being the host and all, Angelina - although evidently still tired - quite literally sprung out of bed and shook us all.

"Oh no you don't!" She told us, "We have until three o'clock, and that alarm means that it's already nine - I gave you a bit of a lie in. Oh, and just remember that as this is my house, if you don't obey, I can quite easily quick you out!" That got us all moving. I always knew she had an evil side... I always knew...

After we had all took it in turns to use the bathroom, then got dressed, we trooped downstairs. Awaiting us were two plates of pancakes, waffles, boxes of cereal, and all sorts.

"Just help yourself to whatever. We've got cereal, freshly made pancakes, fruit, yoghurt, waffles, and whatever else you can find really." Angelina informed us when we got to the kitchen. At each thing, she pointed to it, as though we didn't know what it was.

"Alright, thanks!" I said. Sitting down, I noticed that everyone had their eye on one thing, and were waiting for the first person to make the move. I decided to have some cereal, albeit not much, and when I had finished, none of the others seemed to have moved.

"You're a Gryffindor for a reason." I thought to myself (not that you can think something to someone else). I decided to just go for it, or they'd all be cold. I reached my arm out as if to grab some more "Pixie Puffs", but at the last second, I moved it and snatched up a pancake. Completely aware of all eyes on me, I put a bit of lemon and sugar onto it, rolled it up, and took a bite. It was one of the best pancakes I had ever tried.

"Mmmm, these are great! Seriously, Ange, you need to give me the recipe, mine always turn out pretty much inedible!"

"Sure they do." She replied sarcastically over the noise as the others all reached to be one. They seemed to have taken my words as a cue to take one. "But I'd be happy to give you the recipe! Maybe after the wedding, though... hang on, have you got the dresses sorted yet?!" That sentence seemed to stop time itself. Luna, Alicia, Katie, and Hermin all turned slowly to stare at me.

"Um not yet, no. I was actually gonna ask you guys when you're all free? I mean, I need to see the bridesmaids' dresses, don't I?" I had decided that I wanted them to be my bridesmaids before and now seemed the perfect opportunity to do so. The information sunk in, and they all gasped as one.

"Merlin Ginny, really?" Ange gushed.

"Yep. And after deliberation, Hermione do you wanna be my Maid of honour?" No reply. "Hermione?"

A bushy mane of brown hair was launched at me, and I could slowly feel myself suffocating as she hugged me.

"Oh Gin, thank you! Thanks so much!"

"No problem. Anyway, so when's everyone free?"

"Well, I sorta left this afternoon free, so that we could make plans... if you're up to it?" Angelina asked sneakily.

"You were planning this!" I exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"Yeah... sorry? I just thought that if we get them now, before it's too close, we won't be as panicked."

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank yooou! What would I do without you, Ange?"

"Not have dresses sorted?" She suggested cheekily.

With that, we all finished eating, got dressed, got money, and apperated to Diagon Alley. Restored to its bright and welcoming state, that seemed only natural to the old cobbled streets, it was no wonder as to why it was packed with witches, and wizards of all ages, with a muggle parent here or there. We headed straight to the dress shop. Dresses flourished from wherever you looked; there was everything from formal, to informal, causal-formal and -

"Bridesmaid dresses over here!" I called to the others and pointed out the isle that was decorated with mannequins that held the most wonderful bridesmaid dresses I had ever laid eyes on. The mannequins, of course, were charmed to perform different poses and turn around, so that customers could see the dresses from all angles.

"Come on, I'm sure we can find something. Harry and I decided that you guys are gonna have deep red dresses. Obviously we can always-" I looked around and lowered my voice, "-alter the colours, but it'll be less of a hassle and easier to try and find one the right colour."

"Okay then! C'mon girls, let's find us some dresses!" Angelina squealed a fangirl-worthy squeal. The others followed suit and whilst they searched the racks for bridesmaids dresses, me and Hermione raided the "Bride's Dress" section.

"Ugh, I can't find anything! As soon as I find one that actually matches the theme and colours, that isn't all meringue-y, I try it on and it just doesn't suit me!"

"Look Gin, I know how desperately you want this to be perfect, and I know how long you've waited for the day to come-"

"Actually you-"

"I didn't mean it literally. I am aware as to the fact that you've been dreaming of it since you were first told of the story of "The Boy Who Lived", but what I'm saying is that if needs be, we can look somewhere else. There're tons of places around here - and the muggles' aren't too bad either!"

"Yeah, I know. It's just that my mum got her dress from here, and apparently they create dresses that can look great on anyone. I just wanted it to be perfect."

"Gin, of course you want it to be perfect, we all do! You both deserve that much. But remember who it so you're marrying here - Mr "I don't go looking for trouble". For Merlin's sake, even in our repeated seventh year, with Voldemort gone, he was sent to the head's office on more than one occasion. Actually... it was usually because the two of you were caught in a broom closet... on several occasions..." She trailed off, a frown on her face. "But that's not the point. The point is that we will make it perfects but that means that you may have to go somewhere else."

"I guess you're right. Let's go check on the others."

I put the big white dress that had pearls embroiled onto it back onto a hanger, then to the rack, and walked over to the others. On my way, something caught my eye - well, two things.

"Hermione, look!"

"What? A guy's just putting a new dress on display. It's not that big a deal Gin."

"But look at the dress. It's more than perfect! If I can try it on..."

"Except how do you ask to try on the dress that's just been out onto a mannequin? I mean..." she trailed off nervously.

"Oh it'll be fine! Besides, I'm Harry Potter's fiancée, I doubt that they'll say no."

"You're gonna use that card? Really?" She sighed exasperatedly.

"If it comes to it, yes."

With that, I strolled over to the desk.

"Hello, and welcome to "Frocks, Smocks, and Shocks". You'll be shocked at the prices and amazing style we have in store for you. How may I help you?" The old lady asked in a droning voice, not unlike that of Professor Binns'.

"Hello, I was wondering if you have any of that style dress in stock at the moment? I was hoping to try it on. Um, it's the one that's just been put onto the mannequin." I told her politely.

"Hang on one minute." She said without looking up. She got out a flyer-note, and scrawled a message onto it. Reading it upside down, I saw that it said:

Rob,

Have we got any dresses in stock of the one just put onto the mannequin? It's the white bride one. Please let me know ASAP - there's a customer wanting to try it on.

-Dory

She sent it off and told us to wait a minute. Not long after, a reply came back.

Dory,

What's the batch number?

"Oi! Janice, what's the batch number of that dress? No, the one to the left, yeah, that one." Dory called out to her colleague.

"Uh... 2493715." Janice yelled back. I watched Dory scribble can number down as she read them out.

"24-93-71-5?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Thanks!"

She wrote a quick reply to Rob containing the batch number, and soon we had a guy with gelled back blonde hair, beside the desk, a box in hand.

"Here you are, Dory. Who's it for?"

"Them people there." She nodded her head in our direction. Angelina, Alicia, Katie, and Luna had now joined us. The man turned to face us, and I saw his stormy grey eyes, and pale, pointed face.

Hermione gasped from my side, and covered her mouth with her hand as she took a few steps back. Instinctively, I pulled out my wand.

"Get away from us Ma-" Hermione paused, and I didn't know why until from beside me she pointed to his arm. "Look at his left forearm. It's not him. He had the Dark Mark." She whispered into my ear. Looking down, I realised it to be true, so hastily put my wand away.

"Sorry, you just er... you just looked like someone we know. Knew." I corrected myself. "Wait, no. It would be know wouldn't it? He's still alive - as far as we're aware... Oh I don't know!"

"Uh, sorry. We really are terribly sorry."

"It's fine! What were you going to call me anyway?"

"Malfoy. Your look-alike who doesn't really look alike know that I think about it is - was - is called Dr-"

"She rambles a bit. It's Draco Malfoy."

"Hey! I don't ramble!" I said indignantly, hitting her lightly on the arm. "Honestly, 'Mione, how could you say such a thing? I'm hurt-"

"Dress?" Ma- Rob offered, holding out the box. "And don't worry about the whole thing." He smiled slightly. "And I'll forget about it completely if a certain pretty lady went with me for it over a mug of butterbeer." He winked flirtatiously at Katie. We all giggled and nudged her as she blushed.

"Sure... I mean, what's the harm?" She blushed again, as we giggled.

They continued chatting, and I went to the changing room to try on the dress. I slipped into it, and could feel something that was like when I got my wand - it felt right. As if with it, nothing could go wrong. It made me feel like the day was already here, and I felt tears well up in my eyes as I thought about it. Pulling myself together, however, I looked into the mirror, and was stunned at what a dress could do.

It had a sweetheart neckline, and hugged my curves beautifully. Beads lined the bottom, and the back draped behind me like a flow of water. The material was so soft and silky, it moved so freely and as I walked around the cubicle, I saw it glide in tail. In some ways, it was so simple that it was better than any usual wedding dress.

I stepped out, to show my friends - my family - the dress I decided to buy. Whatever I expected their reactions to be, however, was not in any way close to how they acted when I came out.

Each of them in turn saw me, looked shocked, and nudged the one next to them.

"What? Does it look okay? I-I thought it looked alright..."

"G-Ginny, that is just..."

"Is it not right?" I sighed. "I really liked it, but maybe not then..."

"No! No, no, no, I just meant that if you were looking for a perfect dress... you certainly came to the right shop. You're mum was right, they can make a dress perfect for anyone."

"So this is the one? For sure?"

"Yes!" They all chorused.

"Okay then..." I went back into the cubical and changed back into my jeans, t-shirt, and converse. Folding the dress up neatly, I went up to the desk.

"Hi, I'd like to buy this please."

"Okay. That'll be-" she waved her wand over it "-97 galleons, 12 sickles, and 22 knuts please." After we counted out my coins and placed them on the counter, I turned to the others.

"Y'know, they really should use the muggle system - they have dibet-"

"Debit cards-" Hermione corrected,

"Debit cards then, which will you can use to pay, and I don't know how it works exactly, but basically you have a secret PIN code which means that you can buy things, using money from your Gringotts account, with a card. No more counting out a hundred galleons, just swipe it and enter the code."

"Really? Wow! They're so advanced!"

"I know! For magic-less beings, muggles are pretty advanced."

"Yeah, they're pretty amazing. Anyway, do you want to see the bridesmaids dresses? We kinda forgot about them before, and them with you finding your dress, and Katie getting a date-"

"It's not a date!"

"It so is."

"Not."

"Is."

"Not."

"Is."

"Not."

"IS-"

"NO-"

"Merlin's beard Katie, it is! Anyway, so let's see them then." Hermione strode off, into the depths of racks.

A/N: Okay, first things first: I am SO sorry. I haven't updated in like forever. But here's an update! I promise I'll get the next one up super quick. In a week if I can. Basically, I'm back at school, which means I'm gonna be super busy. Also, I had my iPad confiscated, so yeah... Blame my mum...

Joking, don't really.

But anyway, please leave comments, in particular for the following things (but other stuff too that you can think of).

1) What did you like in the chapter?

2) Favourite part of the book so far?

3) What do you want more of?

4) What do you want less of?

5) Scon or Scone?

6) Which POV do you prefer? Harry's, Ginny's, or both (as in it alters between the two of them)?

That's all, and thanks to all of you.

-Alice xoxox