She Said What?

Chapter 70: I Come to a Resolution of Sorts

A/N: So...last chapter. Oh my word. Even I can't believe we're really here. There's really not much to say. Here's the chapter, end-of-story speech is at the bottom there. I really hope you enjoy this last one. Sorry for the age and a half I took to write it – I just really wanted it to be perfect. I had to rewrite the middle about ten thousand times before I was pleased with it; but it was worth it because I think you'll like it.

This chapter, you should listen to...

First few paragraphs: Come On, Come Out, A Fine Frenzy
Getting ready/pre-ceremony: Lisztomania, Fences, 1901, Rome, all by Phoenix
Ceremony: Falling Slowly, Once movie soundtrack
During Dance: Reasons to Love You, Meiko
Afterward: Bookends, 500 Days of Summer soundtrack

Cheers!

June 21

8:30 PM
Status: Brooding

The summer sun is setting now, high in the sky like some golden orb smoldering in some glorious fire from the heavens, spewing remnants of its light in the space around it like messy, bleeding water colors. I'm sitting in the backyard, on the patio swing I sat in so many times as a child, and I'm watching it happen, watching these vivid colors mixing and swirling and inspiring something beautiful in me, something that I can't exactly put my finger on.

Today's been a long, strange sort of day and; as I've done on many other long days this year, I think I ought to write about it.

Petunia's wedding was this afternoon. All the preparation, all the melt-downs and tantrums and tears and hours planning – it all came down to this afternoon. It took place in Vernon's stately garden – he and his family live in the nicer, exclusive side of London and have this ridiculously huge plot of land that looks like it was planted in the middle of the British scene from a fairytale, all greenery and shrubs and flowers spilling out of every orifice.

The wedding was set for twelve thirty, but we were there by eight in the morning. Vernon's parents decided they wanted everyone here in the morning so that there were no commute worries and offered us their spare bedrooms to get ready. Obviously, we took immediate use of them.

Being eight o'clock in the morning, I was barely awake, stumbling around half-dead through the halls, my voice echoing through the marble tunnel as I wondered aloud where my pantyhose was. Voices and bodies clashed as we attempted to find everything. Mum went hysterical several times, because she'd look for something, not find it, scream, and then have it turn up in some bizarre place minutes later. She spent most of her time screaming at someone or crying – she was in such a state and I wished I was more alive/coherent/honorable so I could help her out a little. She looked like she needed it – Dad had been hailed by the Dursleys to help the decorators set up and Petunia was shrieking for something or another every few seconds.

I was about to slip into my pink bridesmaid dress, but it felt odd, getting so dressed up without my best friends, primping and being silly beside me. They were obviously coming to the wedding later, but I found I didn't want to face all the preparation alone. Besides, I'm sure Mum wouldn't mind a couple of extra hands running around, getting things done. So I slipped out to borrow the telephone and I asked Alice and Livvy to come over to Vernon's place and get ready with me. Both of them said yes; and after I gave them the address, they were over within a few minutes, armed with dresses and in Alice's case, make-up.

"Hey, darling," said Alice, giving me an affectionate hug. "You okay? You looked slightly...harangued."

"That's putting it lightly," I complained, though I returned her hug and gave Livvy one too. "My mum's going mad, so all of us have to."

"It's all right," said Livvy soothingly. "We're here now. Let's get dressed – we can worry about everything else afterwards."

"Sounds good," I said gratefully. Even just hearing her tell me to calm down made me feel better, saner, more myself. "Now if only I could get into this dress..."