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FRANK FRANK PRETTY FRANK I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER I'LL KEEP YOU FOR ALWAYS SO THEY SAY, DON'T RUN AWAY STAY WITH ME FRANK
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The moon shines brighter than it had shone in a long time, and Alice's face holds the same radiant glow as she walks up the aisle, arm in arm with her father. The dress she has chosen for the wedding flutters softly around her knees, glittering timidly under the moonlight and making her look like just the perfect angel that she is – mouth wide with a smile, reflecting the unending happiness that sails through the air right at the moment. Her small heart shaped face is brought into focus by the faint blush that is painted across her cheeks, and framed by the wavy blonde hair falling down to her chin.
Her smile widens even more once she places her feet upon the podium where Frank stands. He reaches a hand out and squeezes her fingers gently, reassuringly. The light momentary pressure of his fingertips brings a wave of various emotions to flood through her – from relief to joy to pure bliss. Her heart soars inside her chest like a hundred butterflies fluttering in a field of flowers, and she lets her eyes fall shut for a second to allow the moment to be carved deep inside her mind.
The crowd is small, consisting of very close people and a handful of those they have met at the Order. Alice flits her eyes around the audience to offer them a smile, showing her gratitude to them for being there, for supporting them through the tough times, for indeed, it hasn't been an easy decision to get married amidst the war looming dangerously over them, and many have dubbed their choice as a reckless one, claiming that it wouldn't last long, that once the war starts, they would come to regret it.
Harsh though the words have been, Alice has learnt to ignore them, to filter out the hollow concerns of those who didn't know her well enough to contribute their opinions, for she knows that she can never, no matter what may come, she can never regret choosing to bond for life with Frank, the man she loves and the man she has given her heart to.
She smiles at Molly Weasley, who sits near the front, a broad smile playing on her lips that reminds Alice of her own mother – and she does believe that Molly has that effect on everyone, young and old. Her two sons, both with bright ginger hair so spectacularly prominent in the Weasley family, run around among the crowd, lighting up the evening with laughter and joy that has nearly been wiped out amidst the war.
Alice's eyes meet Alastor Moody's, who gives her a gruff nod, his magical eye whirring madly in his socket, and she presses her lips into a smile, thinking how he is probably wondering when the ceremony would end and he would go back to his Auror business. But she is utterly grateful that he has arrived at her wedding, for despite having immense respect for the old Auror, she has had doubts that he would manage at all in his busy schedule. But, as it turns out, even men like Mad Eye Moody seem to need recreation once in a while.
Alice cannot stop smiling. And for once, in a long time, she is thinking of only herself, of her life, of her happiness; for once, she doesn't let thoughts of the war poison her mind, pollute her insides with clouds of fear and gloom that only ever seem to grow and clog her throat, rendering her unable to breathe. She stares into the deep brown eyes of Frank, eyes she had looked into countless of times before, eyes that have offered comfort and warmth and joy when everything else has been too bleak, too dreary, draining her of any remaining energy; eyes that she has come to call home.
The wedding vows are spoken. The words flutter through the air and join in with the wind, mixing into the atmosphere and making it legitimately, beautifully, permanent that she is now lawfully wedded to Frank Longbottom. The golden threads stream out of the wand and unite them as they sink into each other's arms, their lips touching in a beautiful harmony.
This, in no way, is their first kiss, but it has all the beauty and happiness of one, as though the ceremony has brought them together all over again, enabling them to enjoy each other's presence with the novelty they have experienced the first time they had begun to grow feelings for each other.
Soft, happy sobs can be heard all over, and with teary eyes, they pull away from the kiss. No one can tell them that they've made a rushed decision anymore, no one can tell them that their union won't last long. Alice knows that she will never come to regret her choice and this is confirmed when she looks over at the audience and finds Augusta – strong, tough, Augusta – crying her eyes out into a fine, silk napkin.
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