CHAPTER SEVEN - A KICK INTO HIGH SOCIETY

Ron was incredibly anxious from the moment he had awoken. His heart felt as though it was going to burst from how fast it was racing. His hands were clammy and shaky as he attempted to gain control over himself. Today marked the start of the four day wedding weekend he was about to attend. A wedding where he would 'know' people but have bad relationships with them. Where everyone else would be complete strangers to him. Where the only person he knew, the person who had invited him was barely someone he was close to. Everything about this long weekend felt like a mistake. Something he wished he could back out of, but it was too late. He had made a promise, one he did not intend to break. 

Therefore, he touched the glowing invite with his suitcase in hand and allowed the Portkey to whisk him away and to the venue where he would be stuck. Hoping that everything did not end in a disaster. The pushing and pulling feeling of magical travel knocked into Ron hard and as he attempted to not make a fool of himself coming out of it, he could feel his anxiety building higher and higher. Especially upon noticing the large building he had turned up outside of. 

It was clear that this was some sort of castle he was outside of. It had large tall walls detailing multiple levels. There was even a mote around the outside of the building and a little bridge to take you up into the main building itself. A strange looking man stood outside waiting upon those who were arriving. He did not look as though he was dressed like a usual wizard and Ron realised it was highly likely that he was indeed the muggle who owned the property they were currently stood upon. 

"Welcome to Château de Lumeau. I am Lèon, Bride or Groom?" The man spoke with a heavy French accent and Ron had to stop and pause for a moment. 

"Bride?" He questioned waiting to see the man's response.

"Perfect, come with me." Ron was gently lead through the entrance of the castle like building taking in just the extravagance around him, noting how different it was to anything he had ever been in. Not even Hogwarts had been like this castle. That was clearly built to be a School. This however, was clearly meant for the rich and wealthy and he felt very much as if he stuck out as he stood there. He had dressed himself well, but still felt undressed for the location. 

"The bride's family are gathering in this drawing room." Lèon spoke and Ron only nodded in response, hoping that Claudia would be the other side to avoid the awkwardness that it would bring if she was not. The large wooden double door to the drawing room was open and Ron's eyesight though good enough to not need glasses was not well enough that he could clearly pick out the one person in the room he was likely to know. But he managed to brave it, walking through the doorway and into the room.

The reception to his arrival was quiet, as everyone seemed to be judging him, wondering who he was. Though as he got closer he was able to catch sight of the figure he was hoping to see. She had yet to see him, but he had spot Claudia with ease. Even though there was possibly 20 other people around him, his eyes easily found her. She stood slightly above an armchair bent over the person sat in it from behind. The person who was clearly the bride and the place he expected her to be in. The sudden stillness in noise would be enough to bring Claudia out of the private conversation she was clearly in and back to the rest of the room. The younger woman looking up to catch sight of the man who had just entered. 

"Ronald." She exclaimed before quickly making her way towards him. Claudia paused upon standing in front of him, wondering just what kind of welcoming they were at, at this point of companionship. Yet deciding to allow the happy feeling she was overcome with according to the current situation, she pulled the taller man into a hug. "I'm so happy you made it." Ron felt his cheeks warm as the blush overcame him. He had officially cracked Claudia for the first time and it felt good, a little embarrassing but good. 

"Hey Claude." He whispered back to her not trusting his voice at its normal tone. Claudia would step back from the embrace faster than Ron would have maybe liked her to, not that he would admit it. 

"Shall we get rid of those suitcases? Get you a drink then round back?" Claudia was all business it would seem, and Ron could imagine she probably was pretty stressed at this moment in time and would be as the Maid of Honour. And therefore, allowed her to lead him away. 

The pair would go up one of the main spiralled staircases of the castle past the second floor and towards the third and top floor. The corridor was long and minimally decorated with paintings and other wall decorations he did not have time to clearly take in. The room was towards the end of the left side of the top floor. And upon opening it, he came to see a room with two double beds. It was clear he would be sharing with someone else as it looked as though they had done some unpacking prior. He left his belongings at the bed which looked unclaimed before heading towards the balcony he could clearly see from the entrance way. The view from the window might just have been one of the best he had ever seen before. It clearly looked over the entire estate where he could see outside buildings, a small forest and the vast land of which surrounded them. 

"It's really beautiful here." Ron commented as he felt a figure approach him on the balcony. Two pale hands coming to rest on the railing beside him. 

"Isn't it just. The planner did a really good job. Bit over the top but it completely screams wedding of the year." Claudia chuckled at her own words, finding humour in them Ron could not clearly find himself. 

"Bit over the top that statement isn't it."

"Just a little bit." Claudia paused before continuing "I hope you don't mind sharing a room. I didn't think you'd be that appreciative of sharing with someone you don't know." She hoped her words didn't seem too much like a lie, considering they were completely a lie. Astoria had wanted them to share a room regardless of what Claudia wanted, hoping that there would be a spark between the two platonic dates. 

"I hope you don't snore princess. Would ruin the act you've got going on." Ron was sarcastic but kind in a strange mix that totally affected Claudia. She had never liked the nice push over guys and it would seem this one was giving her a run for her money, but in the best way. She gave him a gentle push on his shoulder in response before turning her attention away from him and back to the view they shared. 

10 minutes or so would pass before Claudia noted that she should really return to her maid of honour duties. And perhaps introduce her guest to the people she knew downstairs and those he really aught to meet. Especially to her parents, she couldn't wait to see their faces when she introduces them to a Weasley as her date. She therefore, walked back into the room taking a moment to pause and check she remained presentable in the mirror. Running a hand through her hair a little to toussle it. She could hear footsteps as they followed her back into the room an indicator that Ron had caught onto her silent cue that they would have to leave the room. 

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs it was clear that people were no longer gathered in the drawing room they had been in earlier. Rather voices could be heard outside as the afternoon passed into evening and the first of the events was about to begin. The most casual one of the four day weekend, the welcoming dinner. The only one which didn't require the guests to properly dress up, it was more of an event for people to catch up and talk between themselves. Claudia lead the pair towards the barn outside that people had gathered in though noted that the close presence was gone. Ron had stopped a little behind as he took in the people gathering in the barn. Claudia walked her way back to him. She could understand his nerves, she would have felt them had the roles been reversed, these were only the close guests some of which were not staying overnight at any point. There was possibly 40 plus people in that barn. 

"I'm not leaving you alone tonight I promise. I just want to introduce you to some people I hope you can get along with so you don't feel so alone." Claudia tried to be as gentle as possible, but gentle was not exactly in her repertoire. 

"I... yeah okay. Just need a little moment."

"Take all the time you need. Do you want to take a seat on the bench over there?" Claudia pointed to a bench about 10 foot away. Ron's silent nod in response was enough to bring them over silently. The silence would continue to grow as they sat beside one another on the bench. Claudia gently swung her legs as she sat on the bench, a habit she had never broken from her childhood. 

"Who do you want me to meet?" Ron questioned, feeling as though he could prepare himself a little better if he knew a little more who she expected him to socialise with. 

"Astoria obviously as its her big day we're here for. My other best friend Harper is in there and I think she's brought her boyfriend with her, his name is Eddie and he's very nice. I think my sister might be here and my parents are here as well. You can chose if you want to speak to Draco or any of his friends. You can say no as I know you don't have the best relationship." Claudia didn't want to overwhelm the man but knew she wanted him to meet at least a handful of people so he didn't feel forced to stay with her for the entire time. 

"It's okay its been a couple of years I'm sure we can all get over a petty school rivalry." Ron shrugged. 

"Great shall we head in."

Ron agreed but did not realise just how many people would introduce themselves to him when Claudia had made no attempt to walk them over. It would appear that they wanted to know who he was just because he had come as the girls date. No-one so far seemed overly bothered as to who exactly he was, more intrigued that Claudia had even brought a date. Something which only made him want to play up a little. Give everyone something to talk about. He would have to discuss it a little with Claudia make sure she was comfortable but he had a feeling she wouldn't deny. Not when it could cause a little bit of excitement. As long as they mutually got something out of it he was sure she wouldn't deny. 

He was not expecting to be brought up to a small group of three which had gathered. Ron briefly recognised Astoria, not only from earlier in the day. But also from how similar the younger girl looked to her older sister Daphne who had been in his year at school. The Greengrass sisters where not like the Parkinson sisters who were very different in the way they looked, the Greengrass sisters were almost carbon copies of one another if they had shared the same hair colour they could have been considered twins. She looked radiant in a white dress and a set of flowers decorating her hair. Indicating further that this was the bride to be, Ron being proud that he could still deduce things like that, proving his Auror training was not without cause. The other girl, he had no clue who she was. But he could appreciate quickly how pretty she was and by the way the man in the trio clung to her arm, that she was taken. He had no recollection of this girl from his school years and was hoping that Claudia would quickly tune him in. 

"Ron this is Astoria the bride, Harper the final member to our unbreakable trio and her boyfriend Eddie." Ron had barely taken much look at the other man, but he could recall from the tiny briefing Claudia gave him prior that this was Eddie 'the nice guy' and he would have to wait and see just how accurate that was. 

"Tori, Harps this is Ronald." Claudia didn't bother to introduce the two men, she didn't mind Eddie. Thought he was probably the nicest boyfriend Harper had dated thus far she didn't think he was overly amazing for her best friend. He was average and Harper could definitely do better but he would do for now, until he did something and Claudia would stay supportive of her friend. She liked, so far, having Ron in her life but she didn't really care for Eddie so she was unsure whether there was a point to introducing Ron to someone she didn't think would be around for much longer. The group of four settled into a causal and not as awkward conversation as any of them initially thought it would. Ron seemed to fit into the little group well, they made him feel welcome and if he had been around them for much longer than 20 minutes at most. 

Harper had a cracking sense of humour, Astoria was kind but could also be rather brutal in the one she performed backhanded compliments. And Eddie, Ron wasn't sure what to think of the other man, he had no recollection of the boy from his time at Hogwarts, and he was aware that the boy just seemed very dull. It came to the point where he realised that if he could stick to this group of people for the rest of the weekend things wouldn't be horrible. Even if it was going to be difficult considering one of them was the bride herself. He had also taken note just how Claudia had pulled him over to the group by his jacket sleeve and had yet to fully let go, only stepping closer to him so that none of the others could see what she was doing, that she had remained close by to ensure he felt safe.