Final Song: Love by Lana del Rey

(there are [3] songs most important to this book, this is one of them)

https://youtu.be/3-NTv0CdFCk

"It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for - and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing. It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool - for love - for your dreams - for the adventure of being alive.

Oriah; Mountain Dreamer

THE EPILOGUE

Growing up, I had never understood the appeal of a June wedding. June was hot, the beginning of summer, the beginning of beaches and tans and dieting. But, it was beginning to all make sense to me.

It was the perfect day, a light breeze in the air, the golden sun parting through the clouds to shine down on the Weasley's garden, where Molly and Arthur had set up pews and a little alter at the far end, flowers littering the entire place like a greenhouse.

It was the perfect wedding, but it wasn't my perfect wedding. It was the ceremony that Molly had always wanted for her son, the one that Fred and I had robbed her of in our own private nuptials. It was beautiful, but it was still nothing compared to the first one.

Even so, it felt amazing to be surrounded by loved ones, celebrating in our union. Everyone who hadn't been able to attend the first, hidden wedding was in attendance, along with those that had been there. While less rushed than the first one, this one was paced and planned. Hours of decisions had been spent on flowers and decorations and dresses.

Fred and I had managed to talk Molly back from an extravagant wedding to a simple one, lavash in its own little ways, but cosy and small with our closest friends and family.

In typical 'me' style, I'd refused to shop for an actual wedding dress, but Molly had refused the one I had worn on my actual wedding day. In the end, I'd ended up laced up in her own dress, with a few tailorings to fit my frame.

I could hear the wedding chimes being played in the back of the garden, and somehow I was still nervous. I was already married, and yet I was nervous about the performance of a wedding ceremony. I was alone in the back, waiting for my cue when it dawned on me that I was alone. I'd be making the walk alone this time. With no father to give me away, or Jenna in the previous case, it felt odd.

" 'ello, Elle," Arthur quipped coming to my side under the shade of the awning that had been set up. He shifted nervously as the music kicked up, my performance starting. "Well, I was wondering, you see, because you're technically my daughter already, would you give me the honour of giving you away?"

The sun shone off his slightly balding scalp as I smiled up at him, heart hammering away in my chest. Shuffling the bouquet of sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and white roses that Molly had made for me to the side, I clung onto Arthur, hugging him tightly for a moment.

"Honestly, that would be freakin' sweet of you, Mr Weasley."

Arthur baulked at my choice of words, but a contagious grin fitted onto his face. "Then, I guess," he extended his arm, taking mine, and patting my hand gently as I adjusted my bouquet for the final time. It was a gaudy thing, big and obnoxious, but beautiful. "Shall we?"

The Bride's March sounded through the garden space. My heart beat along with it, each step that I took was slow and not at all comparable to when Jenna had practically dragged me down the aisle, doging seats as we did.

I could see Fred standing at the alter, his arm tucked over a crutch as he slouched against it. Where his leg used to be, a wooden peg stood. As soon as I saw it, I tried not to laugh. The pirate look was in this year, he'd said to Molly as she talked about our outfits for the ceremony. Molly had refused to allow him to wear a peg leg on his wedding day, and insisted on buying a more 'fashionable' piece for him.

That went over well.

My eyes trailed to the front of the pews, and I could see the quiet rage fanned against Molly's features. However, when she turned to watch me walk down the petal littered aisle, the anger melted away into something much sweeter.

My eyes travelled from side to side, meeting the cheerful gazes of many loved ones. Lana, Jenna, Blake, Fleur, Bill, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and even Harry freaking Potter were in attendance. It warmed my soul, knowing that I was so lucky compared to those that had lost so much over the years. It was unfair, it was bittersweet, but I wouldn't change my fate for the world.

✧

"Good morning, everyone. Elle and I want to thank you for attending our second wedding," Fred hinted on second, causing me to shoot him a sharp eye but a stifled smile, "and in typical Forge fashion, I'll begin the event with a couple jokes."

Rolling my eyes, I slouched my shoulders and shook my head, my curls ruffling. "Oh, don't do it."

Fred winked, shuffling to the center of our makeshift alter so he could peer out at the crowd. I watched as the people in our crowd crossed their arms over their chests, or leaned forward in anticipation, while the older guests frowned, their faces puckering with a firm distaste for his shenanigans.

"You know, I once knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith," Fred said.

Sitting front and center to the act, George leaned back in his seat and smirked, cupping a hand over his mouth to make himself louder as he shouted. "What's the name of his other leg?"

The crowd remained silent, some even blinking slowly up at him as I bit my lip and hid my face in my hand. Only Fred. Only fucking Fred.

"All right, okay. That one was a tough sell. How about this," Fred swung his peg leg out behind him and adjusted his crutch, grinning at his own expense. "How much did the pirate pay for his peg leg and hook?" Pause for dramatic effect. "An arm and a leg."

"Booooo," Jenna called out with a smile.

"Get on with it, then, mate. You're crashing and burning." George laughed, pinching the bridge of his nose as Blake chuckled loudly. I wasn't sure if she was laughing for Fred's sake or if she found it genuinely funny.

Fuming, Molly clenched and unclenched her fists, wanting to say something, but knowing her son was doing what he wanted. I chuckled and stepped forward, laying a hand on Fred's shoulder as I kissed his cheek, leaning in close to his ear.

"Tell another joke and your mum will implode."

"Oh, don't tempt me," he tightly quipped back under his breath, through a wide grin.

✧

The couple's dance was awkward and choppy as Fred and I swung along to the beat, his peg knocking into my leg a few times. After the fourth time, I began to think it wasn't an accident anymore, especially with the smirk Fred was sporting.

"You just had to wear the peg leg, didn't you?"

Fred shrugged, staring into my eyes, his irises glimmering in unspoken humour. "How do you feel about it?"

"The peg was okay," I smirked, looking down at it. It was a nice cherry wood colour that had been polished and it matched his powder blue tuxedo that Molly had Fred wear. "The jokes were just terrible," I shivered with a chuckle, supporting him as he fumbled a little, unused to the wobble of not having his leg.

Fred fixed his posture and straightened himself out, gaining his balance once more. "No, I mean, how do you feel about my missing leg?"

I paused, frowning as I processed his question before faking a shocked gasp. "Fred Weasley, feeling self-conscious?"

"Just a bit."

I stopped dancing, causing Fred to wobble and teeter back and forth. "Hey, one leg, two legs, no legs -- no fucking arms, I don't care." I told him, resting a hand on his chin, making sure he was looking into my eyes as I spoke, so I knew that he understood me.

"We're lucky, Fred. I'm lucky. You're alive, and I'm alive and here we are," I said, motioning at the crowd around us that was cheering and celebrating and drinking and dancing and laughing, "in the best time of our lives. I love you, and I know you love me too. And that's enough for me." Kissing him lightly on the lips, I felt him smile against me and nod. "Alright?"

"Alright."

"Good, now stop screwing around and let's get hammered."

Fred kissed me once more, perking up on his crutch. "I thought I couldn't love you any more than I already do." Snickering, I waved off his comment.

And, in that moment, we were, truly, alive.

oh, i'm sorry...

did you think it was over?

VEELAS AND IRISHMEN

(this one shot was put on the back burner, but i may revisit it some day if enough people are curious haha)

SPECIAL THANK YOU to everyone who has ever submitted a cover or an edit for this series, you guys are amazing. I love you all so very much. Here's all the ones that I didn't have room for in the story, but still love: