Wedding Daze
For the next few days, Charlie walked on thin ice. Iris was incredibly moody, mostly sad, and he did not want to be the straw that broke her back. They attended Barnaby's wedding, Iris in his eyes looked the most dashing in her emerald green suit. He hadn't known until the wedding, but she had actually been his “best man”. Her hair had been pulled up into a tight ballerina bun, and she just wore a simple pair of earrings to keep a little femininity.
Charlie didn't know the young woman that he had married, Iris informed him that she was actually a vet tech, soon to be veterinarian, who actually worked for Liz. She and Barnaby had actually known one another before the marriage law went into work, so the pair were quite happy. Barnaby was a extremely good guy, and he and Charlie had remained friends after Hogwarts, often working and bouncing ideas off one another whenever Barnaby had a dragon come into his care at the refuge he had started.
Iris was a bit... Distant during the whole event. He wasn't sure if it was because she was still bothered by the fact she had to put Fuzzclaw to sleep a few days prior or if it was... Something more personal. Charlie was Barnaby's ear for most of school, he knew how much of a crush he had on Iris for most of their years at Hogwarts. Hell, Barnaby and Iris had went on quite a few dates, and attended balls together. He wondered if she was perhaps jealous she wasn't paired with her school-time beau-
“Charlie?” Iris called his name and he finally paid attention, looking up at her. “You've been spacing out, are you feeling ok?” She asked him, putting her hand on his shoulder.
“Yeah, just... feeling a bit puny I suppose.” He admitted honestly.
“If you're feeling ill we can go home.” She offered. We can go home, it was the first time she had acknowledged the farm as his home too, and the closest she had got to admitting they were a couple. “The party is basically over, it's just dancing until the bride and groom decide to go home. Barnaby won't mind.”
“Yeah, I would like that.” He nodded, feeling selfish. She gave him a reassuring smile, and set off to find the happy groom. He watched them chat for a second before Barnaby threw his arms around Iris, giving her what looked to be a bone crushing hug, and then embrace his glowing bride before giving them a simple wave. Charlie and Iris left the venue and walked a little ways towards the main office, where there was a floo. It was to far to apperate.
“It's a beautiful night.” Iris said off handedly.
“It is.” He agreed. “Still hard to believe that this time tomorrow we're going to be in Spain.”
“Tell me about it.” Iris chirped. They would be using a portkey to travel to Madrid the following morning. He was going to spend the day with Corey and Andre, doing some sight seeing, while the girls did wedding things with Diego's soon-to-be wife. He couldn't help but think that he, Andre, and Corey had the best deal out of the situation, recalling the day she had came home in the bridesmaid dress for Diego's wedding.
Iris appeared at the bottom of the stairs, and Charlie couldn't help but laugh, almost chocking on his coffee.
“Don't. Say. A. Word.” Iris warned him.
“Oh my goodness, Andre is going to cry when he sees you and Penny.” Charlie wiped his eyes from the tears that had collected from laughter. “For her being an introvert, she picked the loudest color possible.” Iris stood in the most vivid orange, floor length bridesmaid dress that he had ever seen, complete with large puffy sleeves that fell from her shoulders. “I mean... That... That is a statement.”
“A statement saying kill me!” Iris huffed. “Do I look that bad?” Charlie rubbed his face, covering his smile a little, stifling his laughter.
“I mean... It's flattering in the style? I guess.”
“I look like a traffic cone, don't I?”
“A very cute traffic cone.” Charlie nodded. Iris groaned.
“I knew all the outfits wouldn't be pretty, I just knew it was too good to be true.” Iris huffed.
He had been right, Andre nearly cried when he came over one night and saw Iris's dress hanging from the closet.
“Two of the most beautiful specimen of women I have ever seen, reduced to wearing this! I just- I can't- I just can't!” He had exclaimed. “I just, what do you even pair with these! Wedges? Heels? Combat boots! A string of pearls won't even save this monstrosity!” Andre had been in absolute anguish and it was the most hilarious thing that Charlie had witnessed in a while.
---------------------------------------------------
The next few weeks were a blur, they attended seven weddings, usually one right after the other. Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday night, Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night, and then again Sunday morning. It was absolutely exhausting. Then Iris had been a bridesmaid in five of those weddings.
Then... It was his turn. The Wednesday evening that Charlie and Iris's wedding came up sooner then it felt. Iris put everyone else's wedding to shame when it came to the flowers, they were absolutely everywhere, along with Muggles. Everyone that was part of the Wizarding side had been warned about the muggles that would be helping to set up the wedding, along with the Muggles that would be attending the wedding.
Iris had chosen white, blush, and champagne colored flowers to cover the arches, the chairs, decorating the tables. It was an insane amount of flowers, and in addition, bees and butterflies flittered around in the air.
The other thing flittering around, was Arthur. Charlie more then once had to remind his father that he had to act natural, but his constant questions that he bombarded some of Iris's farm hands with was almost comical.
“Iris really knows how to put flowers together.” Ginny commented when she walked around the tables, looking at the center pieces.
“Well, it is her job.” George laughed. “She's the flower lady.”
Charlie simply nodded, agreeing with his brother. His palms were sweaty, and he felt like at any moment he was going to throw up. The entire process had honestly been simple, they had set the date early in the beginning, Iris had single handedly tended to the flowers and arrangements, then they had let Molly do the food preparation, and Fleur had offered to provide the cake. Weather that meant she and Bill would buy it, or she would make it, they didn't know. Judging by the look of the wedding cake, it was professionally made.
“Charlie, you alright? You look like you may be faint.” Bill asked, smiling broadly at his brother.
“Shut up. You got to marry on your own terms.” Charlie shoved his shoulder.
“I've seen the two of you at the weddings, and at dinners, you really think if you had a choice you wouldn't be marrying Iris?” Bill asked him. Charlie's shoulder's slumped.
“It's not... Me who wouldn't marry Iris... I'm not sure she would still marry me.” He admitted, “she's... So difficult to read, one moment she's flirty and warm, smiling like she actually may like me, the next moment she's cold and it's like she's staring straight through me.”
“Ok, well work with the flirty side of her, flirt back.”
“I don't know how!” Charlie shouted, “I've never dated anyone! Now I'm shoved into a corner and expected to have a marriage in six fucking weeks! You knew Fleur years before you were married-”
“And you've known Iris for years-”
“Not intimately! I've not spent those years learning about her like that, just as a friend! Now I'm trying to not only navigate a relationship and hope it works because we don't have a choice in the matter and-”
“Have some whiskey.” George appeared and forced a flask of whiskey into Charlie's hand. To their shock, Charlie tipped his head back and guzzled the flask. “Oh, woah, I meant like a shot, not the whole thing.”
Charlie felt like he could breathe fire and let out a loud growl-cough at the feeling of liquid flames crawling down his neck.
“You people like this shit?”
“He's swearing and drinking, who is this guy?” Bill laughed.
“Charlie? Bill?” Molly called coming around the corner of the house. “Oh good, there you are. We have to take photos and then get ready! It's only an hour until the ceremony!”
“Oh God, an hour?!” Charlie heeved, and Molly's eyes doubled, along with Bill and George's.
“Excuse me?” Molly asked him, daring him to say it again.
“He's just so excited! He can't believe he still has to wait an hour!” George quickly yelled, grabbing Charlie and shoving him in the direction he needed to go while Molly narrowed her eyes at her sons.
“Give it to me.” She held out her hand to George. He slumped his shoulders and pulled the flask out of his pocket and gave it to him Mother. Bill laughed and she looked at him, saying without words don't laugh, I know you had a part in this and I'll make sure you pay. Bill sobered up immediately and followed his two brothers quickly.
Charlie could not hide his liquor well, his face, cheeks, chin, ears, and neck were all as red as his hair as they took family photos. George's plan to help him loosen up had done just that... But a little too well.
Bill was honestly half terrified that Charlie was going to fall flat on his face in front of everyone that came to the wedding when he swayed a little by the official. Penny was the only Bridesmaid, and then Teddy and Victoire came down with the flowers and rings. All in all it was a very simple, quick thing, but with his heart pounding in his ears, it seemed that Iris took forever to arrive.
The music changed, and while Charlie had assured her that Arthur would be more then happy to walk her down the isle, she had decided to walk alone. Time seemed to stand still for a brief second in Charlie's mind, it was just a simple square neck satin dress, but with her hair down and the flowers intwined in her hair, Iris looked ethereal.
He hadn't attended Iris and Ben's wedding, so he had no idea what she looked like the first time she was married, but he was sure she didn't look as pretty as she did now. She held a off white champagne colored bouquet, and approached him quicker then he expected, and for a moment he saw double.
“Are you ok?” She whispered to him once she got close enough. Charlie, unbeknownst to him, was still pretty much beet red from head to toe.
“Fine.” He squeaked out. Even in his foggy brain, he could see that Iris didn't believe him.
“We are gathered here today-” The Official began, and Charlie could hardly make out what he was saying, he was just trying desperately to stay up on his feet and hoped Iris wouldn't have to play dive for the drunk in front of everyone.