Work Text:
Hermione Granger-Lupin stretched. Or she stretched as much as she could in the pastel purple gown. The fact that she was nearly five months pregnant didn't help, either. Sighing, she slouched deeper in the cushioned armchair and waited for Ginny to take pity on her, and help her to her feet. Unfortunately, the redhead was too busy helping Rebecca with her hair.
Knock, knock
"Who is it?" Ginny yelled.
"Harry!"
"You can't come in here!" she shouted, rolling her eyes at Rebecca and Hermione.
"But we're having troubles with our ties. I don't think Ron can breathe!"
Honestly. The amount of weddings they've attended the past few years, you'd think Harry and Ron, two accomplished aurors, would have learned how to tie a bowtie.
"Would you?" Ginny asked, gesturing to Rebecca, who wasn't quite ready.
Hermione held a hand out expectantly, nodded, barely grunting as Ginny helped her to her feet. "Back up, Harry, and close your eyes. I'm coming through."
She eased open the door, grinning at her best friend who obediently had a hand over his eyes. Shutting the door to the room quickly, she took Harry's hand. He gave her a grateful smile and led her to the room where he and Ron were getting ready.
"You do realize that someday I won't be around to do this for you?" Hermione asked as they walked up the stairs, her a bit slower than usual.
"You honestly think having wives means we won't need you?" Harry opened the door so she could get her first glimpse at Ron. He was wearing a Muggle tuxedo and looked quite dashing; the black contrasted nicely with his red hair. He was tall, strong and, judging by the limp bowtie hanging on one hand, utterly frustrated with formal wear.
"Oh Ron." Hermione rushed in to rescue the rented material from her friend.
"Why do we have to wear Muggle clothing?" he grumbled.
"Because the bride is a Muggle," Harry replied.
Ron sighed, flinching slightly as Hermione's rounded belly brushed against his own flat stomach while she worked on the tie. He knew he should be used to it by now, but it was difficult. This was Hermione. Hermione. His first love. His best friend. Remus' wife. How could she be all that and a mum?
He watched her work, smiling at her narrowed look of concentration while she fixed his tie. A few twists of her wrists and it was done. He could even breathe. "You're brilliant," he told her.
"So you've said.” She turned to Harry to do the same. Harry wasn't as uncomfortable with Hermione's pregnancy, resting one hand on her stomach to see if he could catch the little one kicking. He was determined to teach the newest Lupin everything he knew about Quidditch. Hermione was just as determined to keep her offspring away from brooms until their first year at Hogwarts.
"Thank you, Hermione." Harry told her once his bow tie was set. Stepping back, Hermione studied her boys.
"You're quite handsome," she announced, laughing when both blushed. "Are you all ready?"
Harry nodded, as did Ron, though he did look a bit pale.
"Ron?" Hermione asked. "Are you OK?"
He nodded and then sat on the small couch set against the wall, resting his hands on his knees. He took one deep breath, then another. Harry gave Hermione a questioning look.
"You knew this was coming, mate," Harry said. "Why are you nervous?"
Ron shrugged. "I don't know. It's just so … I mean, it's been awhile, sure, and I'm happy. I am, but I'm nervous. Why am I nervous?"
Hermione sat next to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. She didn't have any words to make him feel better, to help calm his nerves, but she could be there for her friend. "Love you, Ron."
"Love you, too, Hermione."
Remus Lupin stretched his long legs and sighed, grateful for the cup of tea Molly placed in his hands. He never realized how wonderful a warm cup of tea could be, especially when it was accompanied by complete and utter silence.
"Remus!"
Well, it was nice while it lasted.
"Out here," he called, smiling as Sirius stomped out of the house, the white shirt of his tuxedo unbuttoned with the tie, cummerbund and jacket in his hand. His friend looked beyond frustrated. That was until he caught sight of Remus in his own tuxedo, everything where it should be except the jacket, which he had draped on the back of the chair in the small courtyard.
"I don't want to know." Sirius threw everything the werewolf. "Help me."
Knowing better than to say anything when Sirius was in a mood, he gestured for his friend to finish buttoning his shirt before he showed him how to do the cummerbund. The tie was next. It was a breeze, thanks to the lesson Hermione gave him that morning. It wasn't nearly as enjoyable as the other way she showed him how to use the tie last night, but some things weren't appropriate for a wedding. "There." He helped Sirius into his jacket and gave him a critical look. "You're sure to break numerous hearts."
Sirius grinned. He didn't have anything against Muggle clothing, but it did feel odd not to be wearing dress robes. He tried to explain that to Emmaline, Rebecca's aunt and her closest relative, but the woman had just smiled and made him watch a James Bond movie. After seeing everything that man could do in a tuxedo, Sirius wondered how he could incorporate the formal wear into his daily life. "How much time do we have?"
"Not long," Remus replied, his ears catching the high-pitched squeal of the women inside the house. Seconds later, an higher squeal sounded before a small girl dashed out of the house, running towards Remus.
"Daddy!"
Remus swept up three-year-old Celia Jane, smiling as she giggled, her sandy brown curls bouncing.
"Higher!" she cried, screaming with laughter as he complied.
"Remus Lupin!"
Remus caught his daughter and turned to the doorway to see Molly standing there, with what appeared to be a stern look on her face, though the twitch of her lips gave her away. In her arms was John Orion, his 10-month-old son. The babe was swaddled in his favorite blanket, dead to the world. Hermione loved to joke that their children were both of Remus' personalities – Celia was the energetic and aggressive werewolf; John was the mild-mannered professor.
"Sorry, Molly." Remus passed his daughter to Sirius, who resumed tossing her in the air, her pale pink dress billowing around her like a cloud. She adored her uncle.
"Please don't let them get messy," Molly begged, handing John to his father, but not before she pressed a kiss to his head. Watching Remus' face light up as he looked at his son, Molly sniffed; reminding herself now was not the time to be emotional. She needed to finish getting ready and make sure everyone else was ready, too. Thank goodness she didn't have to watch Sirius. Remus drew the short stick with that assignment.
"The kids or Sirius?" Remus grinned.
Molly rolled her eyes and went back inside. Remus cradled John in his arms and went back to his chair. His hope for a peaceful moment had been dashed, but it was difficult to be upset when it meant his daughter was giggling and his son was cooing in his sleep. He watched as Sirius twirled circles with Celia, his eyes bright with laughter and his face flushed with exertion. He had been like that since she arrived, her birth shaking off the last of his vulnerability as he proceeded to be the best uncle in the world.
"Sirius!" Remus called. "You two need to calm down. The ceremony is going to start soon."
"Aw …" Sirius whined. He turned to Celia with puppy-dog eyes. "Your daddy is no fun, love."
She kissed his nose and took his hand, walking back to Remus and her brother. She waited for Sirius to sit before climbing in his lap. She laid her head against his chest, her thumb in her mouth.
"Did you ever think it would happen like this?" Sirius asked, running his hands down Celia's hair, smiling as the little girl yawned widely. She had two speeds: stop and go.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Our lives."
Remus looked over at his daughter sound asleep in Sirius lap, her thumb hanging out of her partially open mouth then down at his son, who squirmed for a moment, his tiny nose crinkling just like his mother's did while she slept, before he stilled. "I could only hope, Padfoot."
Sirius nodded, his gaze unfocused as he looked out over the vast yard. They could hear the five-piece orchestra setting up on the other side of the house. A thump inside the house was the sign that Ron and Harry were ready.
"What about you?" Remus asked as he stood up. "Is this what you pictured?"
"No," Sirius replied. "I mean, I figured we'd all get married, have kids, and grow old, but I also assumed James and Lily would still be here. I didn't picture you marrying someone like Hermione. I never thought I …" he broke off, a faraway look in his eyes as he thought about what he lost and what he gained.
"Hey you two, let's go!" Harry rushed out of the house, Ron on his heels.
The orchestra played Beethoven's Minuet in G as the guests took their seats. Remus stood in front with Sirius, Ron and Harry. His children were sitting with Molly and Arthur, Celia waving to him and saying "Hi, Daddy!" every few minutes while John, awake but still sleepy-eyed, was gently bounced on Arthur's knee.
The music changed, signaling the start of the ceremony. It wasn't the bridal march, which Hermione had both men listen to as she explained the traditions of the Muggle ceremony, but something a little more upbeat. This, Remus knew, marked the entrance of the bridal party.
Ginny walked down the aisle first, a big smile on her face as she locked eyes with Harry. She gave a wave to their two-year-old son sitting with George and Luna. James tried to break free from their grasp to his mom, but the couple distracted him with chocolate; a trick Remus showed them at Fred's wedding to Angelina three months earlier.
Rebecca was next. She watched Ron as she made her way down the pathway, her face filled with concern as she tried to assess how her husband was feeling. He grinned at her, his fears and concerns disappearing as soon as he saw his wife. They did not have children yet, as Rebecca wanted to finish school first. He was OK with waiting. Most of their friends were sleep-deprived these days and Ron really liked sleeping.
Remus felt the familiar tug of recognition and wanting when Hermione turned the corner. Her brown curls were twisted into a bun near the nape of her neck, with several tendrils framing her face. Nearly five years had passed since their wedding day and every day he loved her more. He shifted as she walked closer, her scent and the scent of their child growing inside her made him long to sweep her in his arms. The usual feelings of possessiveness he had when it came to Hermione were tenfold during her pregnancies. All he wanted to do was take care of her, a trait she found annoying but her friends wished was passed on to their own husbands. Emmaline already told Sirius she expected him to be as attentive and considerate to her during the last six months of her pregnancy as Remus was to Hermione.
Winking at Remus and smiling at Sirius, Hermione took her place next to Rebecca, turning as the music changed to signal the arrival of the bride. Emmaline Conner was a Muggle. A literature professor at Oxford, she was perhaps more suited to Remus, but the moment she and Sirius met at Ron and Rebecca's rehearsal dinner, that was it for both of them.
There were obstacles. Ron, for one. It took forever for him to believe that Sirius was, well, serious in his perusal of Rebecca's aunt. Then there was Emmaline, who needed to be informed of Sirius' status as a wizard (and Ron's for that matter, as both Ron and Rebecca decided the fewer people who knew of Ron's heritage, the better; they lived in the Muggle part of London, which made things easier). It took Emmaline time to get used to the idea. She was too set in her ways to live in the wizarding world, so Sirius took the leap and moved, too. Grimmauld Place was empty at the moment, as Remus and Hermione didn't feel right living there without Sirius and bought a cottage in the country. Hermione was glad Remus had the foresight to purchase a home with five bedrooms, though she didn't think they'd be filling them quite so quickly. Grimmauld Place had been completely transformed to suit a family, so there was still a chance Harry and Ginny might move in. They were thinking about it, anyway.
Watching his bride walk down the aisle, Sirius was filled with a sense of peace that he hadn't experienced since James placed an infant Harry in his arms. He wasn't alone. He had his soon-to-be wife. He had his friends. He had his godson. He had all of their children and a child of his own on the way. No, life had not turned out how he expected, but smiling at Emmaline as she took his hands in hers, her blue eyes twinkling in excitement, Sirius knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.