A Marriage Decreed

Chapter Three: The Wedding

Saturday morning came much faster than she'd expected and Minerva found herself more nervous than she'd been since she took the post of Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts so many years prior to her current situation. She'd come to the conclusion that if she ran away and simply could not be found, the Ministry could not punish Harry. But even as the thought came to her, she knew she'd never act on it and shoved it aside. She was Minerva McGonagall. She did not run away. And even if she did run, the Ministry would just pair Harry off with a different witch eventually and for some reason she could not fathom, Harry seemed to enjoy the prospect of marrying her.
There was a knock on the door of her private quarters, drawing Minerva out of her last minute attempt to find a way around the wedding.
She was relieved when she opened the door and found herself face to face with Albus Dumbledore. She was already dreading the rest of the day; she did not want to see Harry before she absolutely had to do so. Minerva was almost certain if she did, what little comfort Harry had offered her would disappear and she'd have no problem talking herself out of this wedding and disappearing to somewhere she could not be found. Merlin, if she ever found herself in a room alone with the Minister For Magic, she'd hex Cornelius Fudge within an inch of his life.
"Minerva, you've missed breakfast. Harry knows you'd probably rather not see him before the ceremony so he's asked me to make sure you eat something." Albus explained.
"I'm not hungry." Minerva muttered but stepped aside to let him in anyway.
"I don't think that excuse is going to work with Harry."
"Probably not." Minerva sighed.
"Dobby!" Albus called and the house elf appeared almost instantly.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, sir?"
"Would you please bring Professor McGonagall some breakfast please?"
"Right away, sir!"
When Dobby came back, it was with a towering plate of food that Minerva knew she wouldn't be able to eat on a good day.
"Eat." Albus ordered when Dobby had once again disappeared.
Minerva glared at him but eventually sat down with a sigh and picked at the food she'd been brought.
After eating a piece of toast and a few bites of egg in silence, Minerva pushed the plate away from her with a pointed look at the headmaster.
"Well, that's good enough for me!" He exclaimed cheerfully with a clap of his hands.
"Why don't you run along and tell Harry I've eaten?"
Albus could tell she was anxious to get rid of him and decided to indulge her wishes just this once.
"I think I will. I believe Harry is expecting you in the Room of Requirement at eleven o'clock. That gives you two more hours to wallow in self-pity and get ready."
"I am not wallowing in self-pity!" Minerva exclaimed indignantly.
Albus merely raised an eyebrow and left Minerva alone in her quarters.
Okay, so she was wallowing in self-pity. But he didn't have to point it out.

Harry was sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Hermione and Ron even though they didn't stay there anymore. Spouses were required to stay together and so there were a number of apartments on the third floor for students affected by the marriage law. Harry, however, would be moving into Minerva's quarters.
Everyone was oblivious to what the members of the trio were talking about. Harry knew Minerva wanted to get married with as little fuss and attention as possible, which meant the less people that knew, the better. No one was paying them any attention and no one was close enough to hear their conversation.
"How do you feel?" Ron asked for the umpteenth time in the last hour.
"I'm fine, Ron. Honestly. How's life going with Luna?"
"Alright, I think. She's still bloody mental but I guess she's growing on me. Say Hermione, what's it like being a Malfoy?"
"Draco is honestly not that bad. He's very sweet when he wants to be."
Harry and Ron just looked at each other and shook their heads.
"As long as he isn't hurting you." Harry said.
"He isn't. I promise."
"Harry, don't you think you should get ready? You said you want to be in the Room of Requirement by 10:30 and it's already 9:30."
"It doesn't take that long to put on a suit and walk down to the fifth floor."
"It's going to take a while to make your hair presentable." Hermione put in.
"What's wrong with my hair?" Harry asked.
"It's sticking out all over the place! I'm at least going to make it look a little better! You can't get married looking like you just rolled out of bed."
"I don't see why not." Harry muttered but headed up to the dormitory with Hermione and Ron on his heels anyway.
Hermione waited outside while Harry changed and then Ron let her in.
Hermione spent a while on Harry's hair, finally managing to make it look only tousled and not like he'd stuck his finger in a Muggle electrical socket.
"Thanks, Hermione." Harry told her.
"Don't mention it. Now, get going. You've got just enough time to make it to the Room of Requirement by 10:30."
"Where are you going?" Ron asked, confused.
"I'll meet you there in a bit. I have to pay a short visit to someone first."
"Okay. I'll see you at my wedding then, I guess." Harry said.
"Yes. You'll see me at your wedding."

Minerva was surprised to hear a knock on the door to her quarters for the second time that morning.
She opened the door and was met with Harry Potter's best friend.
"Mrs. Malfoy, what are you doing here?"
"Making sure you aren't getting married in your teaching robes."
"And why on earth is it any of your business what I wear to my own wedding?"
"It became my business when Fudge decreed you marry my best friend. Harry dressed for the occasion and you will too. What color do you want your dress?"
"I don't-red."
Hermione was surprised when her professor seemed close to telling her off but apparently changed her mind halfway through and decided to answer the question instead.
"Very well."
With a wave of her wand, Hermione had transfigured Minerva's teaching robes into a slightly form-fitting red dress with long sleeves and a v-neck that revealed a little more than Minerva would have liked but overall, it was a beautiful dress.
"Thank you, Hermione. And impressive transfiguration."
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall but I'm not finished yet." Hermione said and moved behind her.
With another wave of her wand, Hermione had summoned the pins out of Minerva's long hair, making it cascade down her back.
"I haven't worn my hair down other than to go to bed in thirty years. What on earth-"
"As much as you loathe the idea, today is your wedding day and therefore you can't look like you do on a normal day. Even in these circumstances, your wedding day is supposed to be special."
Minerva turned to look at Hermione.
"Was yours?"
Hermione smiled.
"It was. It certainly wasn't the wedding I dreamed of when I was a little girl but Narcissa Malfoy helping me get ready and letting me wear her emerald hair clips was special in its own way."
"I suppose it would be." Minerva sighed.
"Your wedding will be special too." Hermione assured her.
"You seem to be my Narcissa in any case."
"Harry will be a much better husband than Draco. Draco has his moments but we are forcing ourselves to fall in love with each other. Harry already cares about you and no matter what you say, you care about him and Harry is infinitely more patient than Draco. It will be much easier for the two of you to be married than Draco and I. Now, we should get going or you're going to be late for your own wedding."
Hermione offered her a hand and Minerva took it, realizing something as she did so. The Golden Trio wasn't a trio any longer. They were being joined by Draco and Luna and Hermione seemed intent to include Minerva as well. The whole notion was ridiculous but Minerva appreciated it anyway.

Hermione left her professor in the corridor with Albus Dumbledore when they got to the Room of Requirement.
"Merlin, 'Mione! Where have you been?" Ron asked as she sat down between him and Draco. Harry had surprised them all by inviting Draco, even though Hermione had become a Malfoy. Perhaps the ridiculous name-calling and fighting was finally coming to an end.
"Making sure the bride was ready." Hermione whispered.
"Minerva McGonagall not ready for something? The world would end." Draco snorted.
Their chattering ceased as Albus Dumbledore escorted Minerva McGonagall into the room.
"Nice dress work, Hermione." Draco whispered.
"How'd you know?"
"Minerva McGonagall never would have picked that out herself."

The ceremony was short and to the point, and to Minerva's relief, did not involve any kisses. Unfortunately, Dumbledore gave her the rest of the day off and seeing as how she was now Minerva McGonagall Potter, she couldn't very well send Harry away.
Harry could sense his new wife's inner struggle.
"Come along, Minerva. I have an idea. Don't worry, we aren't going anywhere or doing anything drastic." Harry said, adding the last sentence when she shot him a glare without realizing it.
He offered her his hand and after a moment's hesitation, she took it.
"This is going to take more than a little getting used to." Minerva thought to herself as Harry led her away from the Room of Requirement and towards the beginning of the rest of her life.