Duplicitous | T.N.

LXXII Something blue

Fleur Delacour, like a model of a renaissance portrait, was the ideal picture. With a slender, tall frame, fit for a classic French ballerina, she slid on her gown. Her mother had once worn those very same ribbons, and before her, her grandmother had walked in that very same lace. Altered to her figure eyes sought to capture, Fleur wore her something old.

Clasping her dainty wrist, hung a row of thin jewels. A gift from her mother in law to be, worth too much and spent from savoured wage. The diamonds however, a slight bit too small for the brides taste but this was not discussed as she thanked Molly and Arthur Weasley for their gesture. This would be her something new.

Donated from the Maid of Honour's jewellery box, was a pair of her mothers earrings. The enchanted diamonds kissing down Fleurs jaw with every movement. Something borrowed.

And lastly, embedded within layers of thin platinum locks, she wore a ribbon to match the sapphire gleam of her eyes. Completing tradition with something blue.

Told by mothers to all, Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Fleur intended to uphold the tradition rehearsed to the ears of all young girls, dressed in their pillowcases and mothers jewellery, awaiting the day that would belong to them.

With her eyes set on her fiancés, she eagerly stole every step down that aisle, a bouquet of blooming Molly blossoms sprouted from the stems. The ceremony lasted for half an hour, and sat amongst the crowd of tearful aunties and old school friends was Aurora, quietly present alongside Hermione, Ron, Ginny and a disguised Harry Potter, who for the day went by the name Barney Weasley.

Sat a row behind her, we're two familiar wizards, each tall in frame, and short tempered in attitude. Her brothers, more so bodyguards, refused to allow her from their sight.

Word of her brush with death had spread from mouth to ear like wild fire. As the news reached her brothers, they were quick to drop whatever and make a hasty dispute towards the burrow. Since, they've hardly allowed their sister any second to herself.

Come time the end of the ceremony sealed with an embracing kiss, the crowd applauded. Aurora beaming, as the two were eloped. My oh my, how she dreamed of her own wedding, and had the thought of Theodore not slipped into her mind, maybe just maybe that dream wouldn't have hurt just so badly.

•   •   •

Aurora spend the better part of that evening sulking over a genuine happiness that felt false. She truely applauded come the end of the ceremony, and she felt no need to feign any grins come any conversation but no matter how cheerful the evening came to her, she remained tethered to a familiar melancholy she was not yet ready to let go of. And by the time Rory was able to submit to her own exhaustion and finally take a break, a body sat besides her. She nearly groaned unready to converse any longer.

"Beautiful, huh?" Never-mind, Aurora smiled as Hermione sat beside her, rubbing her own soles. The brightest witch of her respected age wore a deep red dress that fell to her knees. Aurora had seen the girl dressed to this standard only once before. The Yule ball did not end well for Hermione, Aurora had recalled. Ron had been at fault for that. Now was a different time, and as she noticed the very different way the two had approached one another Aurora knew this wedding would not end well, but for a different reason. At least this time Hermione and Ron would leave hand in hand.

"Very." Aurora watched as Miones eyes fell towards the little-est Weasley brother, perhaps he wasn't so little anymore, Aurora sighed. "Would you ever do this? Get married?."