Chapter 29
“Oh, Bill,” Ginny cooed to her brother. “He’s beautiful!” Hermione smiled at the older red-head standing beside them but decidedly didn’t speak her mind. Louis Alexandre Weasley had been born that morning, and in her opinion, he looked like a little potato. She wasn’t sure why everyone always said babies were cute, they never were. At least in the beginning. But she smiled anyway and commended the proud Papa.
“Congratulations, Bill. How’s Fleur doing?” The blonde had gone into labour about halfway through Percy’s reception last night (something he seemed all too happy about given the awkwardness he had around Audrey) and finally given birth around 4 this morning.
“She’s resting. Mum kept her up ogling the baby all morning so she’s quite tired.” Bill chuckled, looking exhausted himself. Mione’s smile dropped a fraction at his mention of Molly. Poor Fleur . Mrs Weasley was a lovely woman but she loved her family. Really loved her family. Hermione could still remember the shouting match the matriarch and her eldest son had gotten into when she’d been kicked out of the birthing suite when Victoire was born. The woman had a big heart but not always the best way of showing it, especially when it came to babies. Mione could only imagine how Fleur had handled the woman’s incessant chattering so soon after pushing a watermelon-sized object out of herself.
“We’ll stop by again tomorrow night after Ron’s wedding. Thanks for letting us see him.” Ginny told Bill as she brought her brother in for a hug.
“Don’t have too much fun tonight,” he chuckled as he hugged Mione after his sister.
“Oh, we won’t.” Ginny winked as she and Hermione waved goodbye. “Say hi to Fleur and the girls for us!” The two women disapparated with a pop, landing themselves in Ginny’s old room at the Burrow. “Ok, Hermione. We have,” the girl looked at her wristwatch, “two hours to get put together for the best fucking bachelorette party the Wizarding World has ever seen. Are you ready?” Hermione grimaced at her friend’s enthusiasm.
“Yeah, totally.” She answered through her teeth. Ginny smirked and grabbed the brunette’s hand before dragging her toward the stairway.
Pansy and Ginny had been planning the bachelorette party since a few days after their shopping escapades when the pairs had been announced. Being the only two with ‘a sense of actual fun’ as they put it, they were in charge of all of the details. All Hermione, Astoria, and Luna had to do was show up on time and dressed the part. Unfortunately for Mione, Ginny wasn’t leaving anything to chance when it came to the older girl's lack of style. Fearing she’d show up in trainers and a jumper, Ginny had also taken it upon herself to get Hermione ready with strict instructions to allow the fiery redhead full creative control.
“We’ll start with hair and makeup. I had Pans give some input since she decided on the outfit, and I have to say I’m really excited for how you’ll turn out.” Gin told her slyly.
“Careful Gin, your Slytherin side is showing.” Mione chuckled good-naturedly as they entered the little bathroom.
“Shut up, you’ll love it,” she snickered. The younger girl produced a hairbrush and her wand before setting to work on her friend’s unruly hair. Hermione did her best to stay still as her head was yanked and prodded for the better part of half an hour before sighing in happiness that her friend was done.
Her moment of calm was brief though, as Ginny moved on to Mione’s face. Plucking a few stray eyebrow hairs, dabbing her face roughly with the foundation brush, and nearly poking her eye out with the mascara spoolie; Gin left no time for her friend to breathe as she expertly applied the girl’s makeup. Merlin, beauty standards are merciless. Hermione thought to herself. What is so wrong with just mascara and chapstick?
“All right, I’m done. Here,” she handed a pale purple-pink lipstick to Mione. “Apply this while I get myself finished.” Hermione raised a newly manicured eyebrow at her friend before doing as she’d instructed. Turning to the mirror for the first time since they’d started, she let out a small gasp. Leaning in closer she took in the work Ginny had done (thankful for the first time that she’d allowed the other girl to do her up). Her hair was messy in a purposeful way, a low twisted bun with curls escaping it and a small braid around the top of her head as a faux headband. Her eyes, which normally looked like a raccoon’s face or a supervillain’s mask when she did her own makeup, were smokey on the outer edge and highlighted on the inner with all of her lashes looking fuller and darker than she thought she’d ever seen them. She let out a wide smile.
“Wow. Gin, just- Wow.”
“I know, I am amazing.” Her friend giggled as she straightened her hair, curling the ends out ever so slightly. Mione fought the smile on her face as she applied the lipstick, trying to be careful and not mess up her friend’s work. Smacking her lips together to make sure it was applied evenly, she grabbed the earrings Ginny’d left out for her earlier and set to work attempting to get them in her ears (it was really a wonder she still had pierced ears, considering she hadn’t worn anything in them in years). Letting out a small sound of triumph she attached the backings and turned her head left and right once more in the mirror. “Ready to get dressed?” Ginny asked, putting in her own earrings.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Mione chuckled softly, nervous about what kind of get-up her friends were going to sucker her into wearing. They walked back to Ginny’s room, closing the door behind them, as the redhead pulled two cocktail dresses out of her closet.
“Wow, um... It’s pretty, Gin, but where’s the rest of it?” Mione asked, examining the sparkly, minty-teal dress.
“Uh, that one’s mine, Mione.” Ginny corrected. “Pansy and I decided the dress code was everyone’s wedding colours. Yours is the purple one.” Hermione turned her head and let out a barking laugh.
“Over my dead body!” She exclaimed.