Harry turned on his back, hiding the menacing wound and kissed Melody on the tip of her cheek.
“I’m glad you’re home,” she replied affectionately before adding, “for now.”
Harry found her left hand and held his ring in between them.
“I don’t know when I’ll be going back, but I don’t want to jump up and go the day before our wedding.”
Melody nodded unaware of his direction, but it struck her as he gazed intently upon the ring. Time was precious and the only time they had for certain was the present.
“Before I return to classes,” she replied simply.
The remaining days before the wedding were a sudden blur of excitement and planning for it, so when the day finally came, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion by comparison.
Melody began her day but examining the enchanting atmosphere she had created in the Weasley’s garden under a charmed tent that allowed for a warm outdoor winter wedding. As she stood in the center of the space, she admired all the little things that Harry had worked so hard to get for her.
Most charming was in a little frame on the gift table. It was a picture taken when Harry had joined her, Celeste, and her family in Paris. They stood enthralled with Paris and each other with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Celeste had taken the picture with the intention of keeping herself and Melody’s parents out of it.
Melody took the photo in her hands and watched as a younger version of herself playfully wrapped her arms around Harry’s neck.
“How could you forget that I am pregnant, MELODY?!” Ginny howled, trying to pry her bridesmaid dress on.
“How could any of us?” Hermione whispered to Celeste who had just arrived for the wedding.
Melody crossed to the hectic hormonal mother-to-be and with a tap of her wand, Ginny’s pale pink dress reformed to fit her growing bump.
“Are you nervous, Melly?” Celeste asked, slipping into her own dress.
Melody thought about it for a moment only to realize that she hadn’t even thought of nerves.
“I guess not, Celeste,” she replied, “It’s all happening so fast.”
“Well, you shouldn’t be,” Hermione said crossing the room to stand over Melody’s shoulder, “No matter what you may have thought or even think, Harry is the only one for you.”
Melody nodded and stood from her seat to look at herself in the mirror. Her dress gracefully fell just off her shoulder with small, thin straps. The beaded bodice fit in all the right places and the A-line skirt was just the right length.
She turned to the girls to show them the dress, but they were already lost in emotions. Ginny, of course, was bawling from her imbalanced hormones, but Hermione and Celeste were casually looking away or rubbing their eyes as well.
They were very near a group breakdown when Melody’s father entered the room. The instant his eyes fell on his daughter, it took every muscle in his face to fight off the lurking tears.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” he said in almost a whisper.
Melody delicately maneuvered around her skirt and made her way to her dad. She tenderly wrapped her arms around him and cried into his shoulder.
“It’s time,” Hermione said quietly over the moment.
Behind her veil everything was misty, but as she looked down the aisle, Harry, standing at the front, was clear in her view. Ron was beside him with a huge grin slashed across his face and on the other side, Hermione, Ginny, and Celeste beamed at her.
She felt her father’s arm shake with each step, but the instant he placed her hand in Harry’s, his fears seemed to melt away. Just before he moved to take his seat, Melody grabbed his hand and kissed it.
She returned to Harry and he pulled the veil from her face and draped it over her head. For the first time Melody saw the perfect smile playing on his face. They took their spots and for once, actually did something right.
The ceremony progressed without special occurrence, but as they shared their first kiss as a married pair, a soft snow began to fall outside of the tent windows.
After the garden had been transformed into the reception area, Melody and Harry took their seats at a small table in front. As they were eating, Professor McGonogall made her way to them and kissed Melody on the cheek before hugging Harry.
“He longed for this day “ Dumbledore. Nothing would have brought him more joy than to see Harry at peace,” she said, placing a small package and letter on the table between them.
Harry immediately reached for the letter and read it to himself. Melody watched as the expression on his face turned from joy to pain to contentment before her. He handed her the letter and then she cried her final tears of the day as she read:
Harry,
I am certain that my lifetime will not see the day I planned on giving this to you, so I will attempt to explain it on parchment. On this day that you are finally completely happy, I want you to have this gem. It was my mother’s.
We are stricken with dark times, Harry, but I like to think this jewel will always represent hope. As my time with you, I am sure, is fleeting, I want you to take this and remember me by it. I can’t express how much I hope for you to have a normal life someday, but I’m afraid that day may never come.
You are as dear as a son to me, Harry. I only wish I could have gotten to hold you so dear under different circumstances. I will certainly make myself present to you on the day Minerva sees as the happiest of your life. That, you can be most sure of.
Albus Dumbledore
Within the package was a large heart shaped jewel that was half diamond. The remaining half was a strange gem that was black with the sheen of green just under the surface. Bands of silver shot through the stone, connecting the two sides.
Melody watched as Harry rose from his seat and made his way to a large window in the tent. He gazed out at the fresh fallen snow and reached a hand out for Melody to receive. Together they watched as the snow continued to fall on the happiest moment of their lives.