CHAPTER EIGHT - MAKING REACQUAINTANCES

Ron never knew that a rehearsal dinner could be so complicated. Nor take so long. All the weddings he had been to for his own family, none of them seemed this intense. If he was being honest, he wasn't sure any of them had even had a proper rehearsal dinner. Not to the scale of the one he was currently attending. 

He had first had to watch them mock perform the altar walk before they had finally moved onto sitting down and starting the dinner. The main issue had been that whilst they had been rehearsing the aisle walk, Ron had been left alone at the table with nobody around him which he knew. Well he didn't think so, he knew the seat left vacant next to his own was Claudia's but he was unsure who else was sat around him. Any small talk would have been manageable no matter how awkward so at least he wasn't sat in silence. There was one thing he often couldn't stand, and that was the silence. Having come from such a large and loud family it was not often that he found any quiet when sat at the table. Even when he was home alone he would leave the radio on so there was something in the background rather than just nothing. But this time, he was stuck alone, and with only the real quiet sounds of the procession practising in front of him. 

Therefore, when a hand lightly touched him on his left arm and a familiar citrus smell came into close vicinity, Ron knew that the silence would be gone. 

"Is everything alright?" Her voice was low as it was clearly directed so only he could hear. Well intended only for him to hear, Ron knew that the others on the slightly cramped table could also hear her words due to the close proximity. 

"I'm fine Claude, don't worry about me."

"I'd be a horrible person to not check in on my special guest." Claudia wiggled her eyebrows with her words and it had its intended effect as Ron let out a huff of laughter. The chair beside him scraped slightly as it was pulled out and soon enough it would scrape slightly as it was pulled in beside him. 

"Have fun?" Ron questioned and the look he got in response was enough to tell him that the answer was no. Claudia seemed to have hated the number of time she had to walk up and down the fake aisle they had created. Something he would have to raise and talk to her about later, wonder just why she disliked it so. From what he had gathered something like that was quite common place in the world of the high wizarding society. They practised and practised and practised before every big formal event. Maybe his post lady wasn't that posh after all. 

The meal was served, and Ron had to admit he had probably never experienced something so nice. It was possibly one of the best meals he had ever eaten, even beating his mums best attempt at Christmas dinner. Everything seemed to just be cooked to perfection, left him incredibly full and never seemed to be poorly seasoned. He would have to honestly ask someone about who was doing the catering for the event, even though he knew deep down he probably would never be able to afford them. He never knew how the Weasley family, nor the Prewett family which his mother came from, had lost all of their accumulated wealth over the years. But he knew that they had lost enough that his generation of the incredibly large family struggled. Well, struggled more than they should have done considering the lineage of the family. That the children should never had to share resources or clothing but they had. And it wasn't by choice that they had. Perhaps he would have to talk to his dad more about that. 

"So you brought a Weasley as your date?" A snarky female voice called from a few chairs right to Ron's own seat. It was a voice he sort of recognised and therefore, when he turned to see who exactly it was that was talking about him he finally came to see that he had indeed been sat around a few people he knew. For Pansy Parkinson was the owner of that voice, and the girl had barely changed appearances since they had left school 6 years prior. 

"I see you have an issue sister with my date. May I ask where yours is?" Claudia hit back at her sister incredibly quickly her hand once again coming back to rest on Ron's left arm as if to remind him that she was still there and that she would deal with it. Something he was not used to in such a subtle way. Hermione had never been subtle when it came to things like this, nor did she seem to be so quick to jump in for him, at least not at the end. 

"He is arriving on the day of the wedding." Pansy huffed before crossing her arms in a way which only made her look more childlike. 

"Now girls this is not a time for you to be arguing we have an audience. It's lovely to see that you brought a date Claudia." An older feminine voice spoke and Ron looked at the new comer to the conversation. The woman looked just like a older version of Claudia, even down to the way she sat, and it was clear that this woman was the two girls mother. 

"Thank you mother, this is Ronald we met through work. Ronald this is my mother Vida." Claudia properly introduced Ron to her mother the woman sat opposite to him at the table.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"A Weasley say?" A male voice chimed into the conversation and Ron felt himself want to shrink into his chair. This man sat beside Vida and it was obvious that he was the head of the Parkinson family. The way of which he stared Ron down was enough to shake him a little. This man meant business that was clear. 

"Yes sir." Ron responded noting that this was probably what was expected of him.

"Well done Claudia, a respectable name for you to marry into." The man continued and Ron looked over to Claudia, her face had turned the slightest shade of pink at her father's words. She had paused slightly before moving the hand on his left arm just so it rubbed Ron's arm in comfort. Considering this was not something she had ever expected to have been brought up when they first met the man. 

"Father please, it is way to early to be speaking such things. Ronald needs to accumulate to everything here first before we even considering such fast steps. It's still very early days." Claudia's words were enough to convince people they were real but also gave Ron an exit out.

"Yes, how could I forget. It's been many years since a Weasley last showed themselves around here. I do believe it is time for that to change." Claudia was happy at her father's words. That he was so open to the possibilities and not shunning Ron just because of his surname. And not because of his involvement in the war. That was until she had forgotten that she had yet to properly introduce the pair. 

"Ron this is my father Adrian Parkinson and of course you've had the pleasure of meeting my charming older sister Pansy." Claudia was still teasing her sister as she spoke and Ron could hear the sound of Vida laughing at the exchange. Consdierng the Parkinson family were supposedly dark wizards he was finding that the public perception and the personal one was very much different. Just like it had been for many of the people he had met thus far this weekend. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sir." Ron continued to address the man properly not wanting to get on the wrong side of the man he knew had a lot more power than he appeared to at first. 

"And you too. I believe you will be sitting with us for the wedding?" Adrian asked into the open and Ron remained quiet considering he actually didn't know the answer to the question. Claudia hadn't really informed him of that, he knew for the events after the wedding itself that they would be together, that he would be sat at the table with the rest of the wedding party other than the Bride and Groom themselves.

"Only if that's alright with you all. I wanted to make sure you all got on before I broached the subject." Claudia answered her father before turning to try and make eye contact with Ron. 

"Only if that's alright with you Ronald." She changed her words as she waited for his response. Knowing if he said no that she would change her tone with her parents. 

"I suppose it would be nice to be sat next to people I'm aquatinted with." Ron responded aware that she probably did want him sat with her family. The conversation moved forwards as the planning for the upcoming wedding seating was dropped and Ron was pulled into conversation with Adrian about the ongoing sporting season. 

The night quickly drew as the event continued for hours more. Ron noted that it was more of another large mingling event rather than just a meal and people practising a few things. People would turn to one another at the very large singular table to catch up, meet new and see what was going on in the world outside of their own little bubble. He was unsure how many new people he had met over the last 24 hours but he knew he could not recall most of their names. He wasn't sure he ever would be able to recall all of their names. There had to be at least 50 people at this dinner alone and he didn't want to guess how many were going to be present for the wedding itself. He didn't think he could imagine just how many people were going to be in attendance. 

"Ginger hair, hand me down suit. You must be a Weasley." Familiar yet not quite the same words were spoken in a tone he knew ever so well. Ron would turn his head to look behind him and come to face a lot less smug looking Draco Malfoy. The man of the hour stood just behind his seat. With what appeared to be a peace offering in front of him offered as a hand to shake. Knowing that this sentence had drawn the attention of many sat around him Ron quickly excused himself from the table to stand and meet the man half way. Draco's grip was strong but Ron's was the tiniest bit stronger as they shook. 

"Nice to see you mate." Ron took the friendly approach knowing that there was no point in continuing a silly childhood rivalry not now. Not at the other persons wedding. 

"Thanks a lot for coming, you've made my fiancé incredibly happy. She was convinced her best friend would end up a spinster until you showed up." Draco sent a playful little jab towards Claudia the girl only letting out a little 'hey' but obviously not taking overall offence to the words spoken about her. 

"Couldn't have the bride upset now could we." Ron jested back turning back to check that Claudia really was okay and he wasn't taking things too far. 

"No that's the last thing I would want. I'm assuming I'll see you at the golfing match in the morning?" Draco was obviously attempting to patch things over and start a new and Ron knew it was best to also continue to do so.

"I'll be there. I'll be the one in front showing you all how its played." Ron challenged. 

"Not if you allow your sweet Claudia to play." Draco mused before excusing himself from the conversation and heading somewhere else down the table. Ron took his seat once again next to Claudia at the table an overwhelming feeling of relief taking over when that noted hand returned to his left arm.