33 The Ceremony

Hermione's POV:

"Come on Percy, we're going to be late." Hermione called. She was in the bathroom putting her earing. Today was the day. It was finally Selina and Charles's wedding. I had originally been one of Selina's bridesmaids, but due to the pending disaster couldn't bring myself to ruin an otherwise happy occasion. "You could possibly dance to a few songs, play a few bridle games" Percy suggested hoping to get my mind off of everything that had been going on. Percy was the only good thing about my life here lately, the Weasley's were stand offish and even Harry and Ginny seemed to be keeping me at a distance. Possibly because Ron has been acting so weird around me and Percy but it still hits a soft spot due to the years of not speaking with them.

Despite all of this, Percy still insisted he was fine. Due to their treatment towards him and how he was treated during their stay at the Order's headquarters, his behavior was beginning to worry her.

Percy came walking into the bathroom, he was completely dressed, but he was carrying his shoes. I spun around to face him and smiled. "You look very handsome water boy." Hermione said, putting her hands on his shoulders and giving him a quick kiss. He returned it.

"And you, look stunning." He whispered.

She traced the darkness under his right eye. "You sleep okay last night?"

He nodded and looked confused. "Yeah. Why would you ask?"

Hermione shrugged. "Just curious. Come on, we have to get going to the reception."

He put his shoes on and then reached out for her hand. Taking it she squeezed it slightly. We got to the care and pulled away from the curb. Silence between the two had never really been awkward, but if they stayed quiet too long her mind would return to what might happen tonight. "Percy, please talk to me." I said in a small voice.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Ever since the monster attacked in the order she hadn't talked about what might be inside her, and what that would mean to their relationship. I could see that it bothered him and although I wanted to say something I had my reasoning's.

I shook my head. "Percy..." but was quickly interrupted when he pulled the car to the curb.

"Ahhhh." Thalia screamed shaking me and Percy out of our conversation. She got into the back seat and Nico joined her.

"Wha..Where are they?" Percy said looking for a fight.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Nico over slept. Seriously waking that boy is harder then waking the dead."

I shrugged my shoulders trying to release the mounting stress. The truth was Thalia didn't like me much, I wasn't sure why, but it makes me less inclined to be in the same confined place with her as well.

"Hermione!' Selina exclaimed as she ran over to give her a hug. She stood up and gave a quick hug. "We did it! We're finally getting married!"

I hugged her back. "Thank you Selina. The ceremony looks beautiful and you look amazing." Her dress was strapless and ruffly in the back. The whole top was jeweled and it fit her like a glove.

"Thank you. So do you!" She touched my stomach. "We have to talk!"

I nodded. "Believe me I know." She glanced around the pavilion. "Speaking of which, where is your boyfriend?"

Hermione laughed. "Where he needs to be." She said pointing to the back corner talking with a few of his friends where a large one eyed man was giving him a huge hug lifting him off the ground. Tyson I believe he called him earlier his half brother. It was nice seeing him so happy.

She thanked her, and excused herself walking out of the dining pavilion. I waked around the small pond rubbing my cold shoulders and tried to calm down my nerves a little, the pressure was mounting a little. Suddenly there was a coat being draped around my cold shoulders and the welcome warmth it brought couldn't have been anything but a warming charm placed on it. I spun to see someone I didn't expect to see.

"Ron." His warm smile caught me off guard for a second and then i remembered all the horrible things he said to Percy and shrugged off the coat feeling repulsed.

"Hey Mione, You shouldn't be out here. It's pretty cold." He looked at his suit jacket but didn't take it back.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded

"I wanted to be here for you." He said. He seemed different some how. I looked at him incredulously. "Have you been drinking?"

He chuckled nodding his head. It was the first time he had laughed since I had seen him again. "Only a little, There's a possibility that I'm going to be fighting today. I don't want to put any of you in danger."

Suddenly he hugged Hermione "Hermione I want you to be with me, I know what I did was messed up. But I've learned my lesson and everyone else will come around to the idea as well..."

I pushed at him hard trying to get his hands off of me, but he was like an octopus clinging onto me. I started to panic at the amount of strength he was putting into his arms, why was he being so out of character today? Ron was a lot of things... selfish, childish, self centered... and usually slow on the uptake. But he is also a loyal friend and wouldn't force anyone to do anything.

"You want to be with me, I know it... If I hadn't been so utterly stupid three years ago. We would be happy now..." He said still increasing his hold on to me.

"Ron... I. Am. Happy!" I said my voice muffled by his embrace.

He laughed and was about to answer when suddenly someone knocked him away from her.

Hermione also knocked on the ground by the force sat up and looked around. She shook her head trying to clear it from the dizziness.

"Hermione!" She heard from a distance. It was Percy's voice which caught her by surprise. Who knocked Ron away if it wasn't Percy.

Hermione, looked up to see a Blond girl with grayish blue eyes staring down at me in puzzlement.

"Huh?"

"Hello, Seaweed Brain." The girl said when Percy caught up.

He watched her. "Annabeth. What happened here?"

"Percy, I-I seen this guy struggling with her and lost my tempter... and" She faded off in a whisper looking down.

My heart contracted at her response and I had a feeling of protecting her.

"She rescued me." I said feeling a little offensive.

"Hello, Annabeth. Thank you for the assist." She frowned. It seemed like she missed an ironic situation, but until it was explained to want to she didn't care.

Percy took a deep breath. "Okay. What happened?"

Hermione went into a brief explanation, which both Annabeth and Percy both seemed to get agitated about at the end. Percy stocked forward towards Ron, but I stopped him.

"Percy not now, I don't know what is going on with him. But with the prophecy looming around us we don't need internal fighting."

"Right." He grumbled turning away from the crumbled Ron. He must have passed out, but after a quick check he wasn't injured enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. We sent a message to one of the nearby patrolling wizards and left him in their care.

"Anyone want to explain about the prophecy?" Annabeth said looking lost. "All I have been told is about some snake guy... What is going on." She eyed Percy with a little anger on her face.