Chapter 22
Harry and Hermione paced around the Gargoyle opening to the headmaster's office. They went from excited to tell him the news to nervous and afraid. They knew there might be objections because of their age, but they were prepared for it until the moment they actually decided to tell Dumbledore.
"Do you think he'll be angry?" Hermione asked.
"I'm not sure. I won't know until we tell him. Are you having a change of heart?"
"Of course not, Harry. I want to let everyone know, not just your grandfather and my parents. It's just that, I have a feeling they might not approve because we're still in school and all."
"Well, I guess there's just one way to find out, isn't there? Chocolate Lemon Drops." The gargoyle began to open up to the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Harry took Hermione's hand and walked up to Dumbledore's office. Harry put his hand up to knock, but the door opened before he could pound on the door.
"Ah, Harry, Hermione. What a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in."
"Hello, sir. We have important news to tell you." Harry stuttered a bit.
"Really? What is it?" Dumbledore asked with blue eyes twinkling. He wasn't sure what the news was, but he was a bit amused at their edginess.
"Well, HermioneandIareengaged." Harry blurted out.
"Sorry, my boy. I couldn't catch that. It's these old ears you know. Could you slow down a bit?"
"What Harry is trying to say is that we are engaged." Hermione spouted in a matter of fact tone that only Hermione could do. Dumbledore looked down at Hermione's hand and didn't see a ring.
"I gave her the galator for a temporary engagement ring so to speak." Harry was surprised at how quickly his grandfather was able to move when he jumped out of his seat and went over to give them both a huge hug.
"That's great! This calls for a celebration. I'll get the great hall ready for the announcement."
"Er, well we want to keep it quiet if you don't mind?" Harry told him almost sorry to see the excitement die out of his grandfather's face. "We only want our families and close friends to know especially with the things that are going on and all." Dumbledore's face brightened a little.
"You're right. So, when did it happen and who else knows?"
"So, you're all right with it then?"
"I couldn't be more happier for both of you." Dumbledore smiled and the twinkle returned in his eyes. Harry and Hermione looked a little surprised at his acceptance. "What? Did you think I was going to tell you that you were too young and that you're still in school? And you shouldn't make any rash decisions?"
The two nodded and Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh out loud. Harry and Hermione smiled at each other. They'd never really heard him laugh that loud before. A chuckle here and there was the most they'd heard from him.
"Oh, you two remind me of James and Lily. They thought exactly the same thing. You know I can't deny what is meant to be."
"My parents were engaged in their seventh year?"
"Yes, didn't I tell you about that part. Ah, the look on your face when you came in was almost exactly the same. I wish you could have seen yourselves." Still chuckling he held them close. "Oh, how I wish your parents could be here for this."
"Me too."
"I'm sorry Harry. I didn't mean to dampen the happy moment."
"I'm all right. I believe they could see me and that they're happy for me wherever they are. There's one more thing we'd like to do if it's okay with you and Hermione's parents."
Dumbledore did raise his eyebrows up. He couldn't fathom what Harry and Hermione would ask for. "Okay. I suppose you should just tell me."
"We want to be handfasted." That time Harry told him clearly without stuttering. He'd never been sure about many things in his life, but he knew that being with Hermione was something he was very sure of. He held on to Hermione's hand as he hoped his grandfather would not object.
"I think that would be wonderful, Harry. Have you thought of a date?" Harry sensed a little apprehension on his part, but he knew it wasn't because of his and Hermione's decision. It was something else that he felt disappointed with. Then it dawned on him.
"We were thinking of Christmas, but we still need to tell Hermione's parents and hopefully get their blessings. And, grandfather, we were thinking of asking Uncle Arthur to officiate the ceremony because he's Minister of Magic, but we would be truly honored if you would do it instead." Just at the gesture of asking him lifted the disappointment from Dumbldore that Harry had initially felt. He smiled then and the twinkle was back in his blue eyes.
"Nothing would give me great pleasure than to bless your union." He hugged them again. "So, when do you plan to tell Mr. and Mrs. Granger?"
"Well, we're hoping you could help us with that. We can send owls because it may get intercepted. We can't just leap there because then we may scare them. So, we thought you might have an idea." Hermione rambled on.
"Oh, that was all. Well, because of all the things that's been going on, I'd given the Grangers a portrait of one of the headmasters here just in case we need to reach them immediately. I'll just go send Everard to check if you're parents are home. Everard do wake up. Please check on the Grangers and tell them that I'm going over there with Harry and Hermione."
"You woke me up to do that?" Everard replied.
"Please, sir." Hermione pleaded.
"Very well. For a lovely young lady, I will go. Be right back."
They waited a few minutes for Everard. Harry and Hermione stood with hands clasped and very nervously awaiting Everard return. He came back after five minutes.
"That Mrs. Granger is truly an amazing woman. She drilled me to make sure I was actually sent by Dumbledore. They're ready for you."
"Thank you sir," Hermione said.
"Well, let's go Harry." Dumbledore told him. He seemed more excited than the couple. "I'd rather leap in the living room than a mile away in the apparition safe spot." He smiled at Harry. He was enjoying himself more than when Harry didn't know they were related. He loved playing the doting grandfather especially when they were alone. Since the news wasn't public, everyone who didn't know about their relationship viewed their alone time as merely part of his head boy duties.
"Okay, ready Hermione?" All Hermione could do was nod and tightened her grip on Harry's hand.
They leapt to the Granger's living room. They found Mr. & Mrs. Granger sitting on the couch waiting anxiously for their impending company. When they appeared, Mrs. Granger rushed to give her daughter a hug and then exchanged kisses. Greetings were exchanged between the adults as well as Harry and the Grangers. Mrs. Granger gave him a hug as well as a peck on the cheek.
"So, what brings you all here?" Mrs. Granger asked. "Mr. Everard wasn't very specific with the reason for your visit."
"Well, mum, dad. I have some good news that I wanted to share." Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at Dumbledore to see if they could read anything from his expression. All they could see was happiness and peace.
"Oh?" Mr. Granger commented.
"Before, I let Hermione tell you the news. I should tell you that although it's not public knowledge, Harry is my great-grandson and I am very proud of him and your daughter. They've overcome a lot of adversity in their young age. I have been able to witness their growth when they began at Hogwarts almost seven years ago and have seen them mature physically and mentally." The Grangers were becoming uneasy. They were thinking worst-case scenario that their practical and very studious daughter had somehow found herself pregnant or in some kind of academic trouble.
Harry was being quiet but was assessing the Grangers feelings and thoughts. He was quite amused that they'd think their daughter would ever be in academic trouble and he chuckled a bit. They looked at him questioningly. He whispered to Hermione the reason for his chuckling and was reprimanded.
"Really, Harry. Turn it off please. Mum, Dad, I'm doing well in school and I'm not pregnant contrary to what you may think." The Grangers looked shocked and looked at Harry.
"Oh, I guess I should tell you that Harry had grown into some special talents," Dumbledore chuckled. "It seems he has a talent for mind reading and he's an empath."
"What do you mean?" Mr. Granger asked.
"It means I can feel what you feel as well as know what you think if I wanted to. Sorry, I didn't mean to pry into your private thoughts, but if I don't do something to prepare beforehand, your thoughts just jumped into my head."
"Oh, dear." Mrs. Granger sighed. "Well, then what is the good news?"
"Harry and I are engaged." Hermione blurted.
"What?!" Mr. and Mrs. Granger exclaimed simultaneously.
"We're engaged to be married," Harry re-stated.
Mr. Granger looked at Dumbledore, "And you approve of this?" he asked him in an almost condescending tone.
"Yes, I do." Dumbledore answered without batting an eye. "As I told the both of them, I cannot deny what is meant to be." Mrs. Granger sat down on the couch with a sigh and Hermione tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall as well as hide her disappointment in her parents. She hoped they were open-minded and would not give her too much grief with her decision.
"I'm sorry, but although we've accepted our daughter's apparent talent and the whole world in which she now lives, being engaged at such a young age is still somewhat unheard of in either world." Mr. Granger tried to explain as calmly as he could. Mrs. Granger was looking at her daughter and her heart broke at the look on her face.
"I think maybe we should have a word with Hermione privately," Mrs. Granger offered.
"Fine," Harry answered trying to contain his anger at Hermione's parents. He didn't like seeing her so sad and defeated. He knew they had an agreement to first gain her parents' blessings, but it didn't seem as if they were going to get it. "Just touch the galator and call me when you're ready," he told her in a low voice then kissed her gently on the lips. She smiled up at him and nodded. He then whispered, "I love you, no matter what."
"I love you," she whispered back. He and Dumbledore leapt back to the headmaster's office.
Mrs. Granger held her daughter's hand and looked into her tear filled eyes. She motioned for her to sit in front of her. Hermione sat down.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Hermione," her father started. "I thought for sure your studies are more important to you. When I told you to enjoy life a little I never meant for you to go and get engaged with the first boy that showed interest in you."
"Honey, we just want you not to have any regrets. And thinking about marriage at such a young age, well that's just absurd." Mrs. Granger told her.
"I'm actually disappointed in the both of you. I thought you two were the best open-minded people in the world. I never imagined I could be so wrong. I love him. He's my destiny."
"Sweetheart, I was his age once. Boys his age only have one thing on their mind. They'll pretend to want to do everything you want to do to get what they want. After they get it, they drop you like you're yesterday's news."
"Sorry, to disappoint you dad, but if you're talking about sex, you're wrong. Harry's not that way. He's the one who wants to wait until we're ready physically, mentally and emotionally. Let me tell you something about him. He grew up with a family who treated him like he was less than dirt. For the first eleven years of his life his bedroom was a broom closet, all his clothes were hand me down because his parents' were killed by an evil man who has been trying to kill him since he was one. He's famous in the wizarding world and he hates it because he became famous at his parents' expense. He'd rather give all the fame up if only he could get his parents back." Hermione's anger was mounting and she didn't seem to have any control of her emotions. Tears were streaming down her face as she valiantly defended her future husband to her parents.
Since her parents weren't aware of Harry's history they sat with their mouths agape. They were picturing a little one year old who'd been left orphaned and had been given to people who where heartless from what it sounded. Their hearts were saddened by the revelation.
"And even after all that, he still grew up to be the kindest, most selfless person compared to most. He'd rather put himself in danger first instead of seeing someone he cared about get hurt. But that's not all. The whole world's future, even the muggle world that doesn't even know about him, rests on his shoulder. If he succeeds and destroys the evil man who took his parents away from him, we will all be safe. He took on that responsibility because it was his destiny. But he's not doing it for himself, he's doing it so that everyone else will have a future free of any type of evil threat. That's the kind of man he is. And with or without your blessing we will be handfasted on Christmas day!"
"Hermione, he's a wonderful young man and if he does succeed, then maybe you can both have a better life after his destiny is fulfilled," Mr. Granger tried to calm her down.
"You don't get it do you? Defeating the dark lord could also mean his death. I may not have a future with him."
"Then why would you want to put yourself through all that heartache?" asked her mother.
"I'd rather be with Harry and suffer the heartache if I lose him than not having spent any time with him at all."
"Hermione, listen."
"No, mum, dad," she told him calmly. "I had hoped to get your blessings, but I had also promised myself that no matter what you were going to say, I would be handfasted to Harry and be married to Harry the muggle way as soon as it is safe." She touched the galator and called out to Harry. Harry appeared immediately to the Grangers' surprise.
As soon as Harry saw her, he knew that her parents didn't give her their blessings. He went to her and wrapped his arms around her for comfort. He looked at the Grangers who were sitting on the couch quietly staring. Mrs. Granger was also crying, but she was torn. She wanted to give in to her daughter's happiness, but she also thought she was still too young to know what real love was.
"I could use my skills to read your minds and your feelings, but I won't. I don't have to. All I have to do is look at Hermione to know that you don't approve of us being engaged or being handfasted. Let me just tell you that I understand where you're coming from. You hardly know me and I only know you through what I hear from Hermione and what I see in her. What I see in her is a caring, understanding, warm and very brave person. She's also very intelligent and funny at times. I think if I hadn't met her when I did I would be a very different person. I believed that everything I see in her is a reflection of the both of you. I don't have a lot of people I trust and I didn't know the feeling of being loved until I met my friends and they became my family. I love your daughter with all my heart and soul. She has been the only constant in my world of chaos. She has been the only one who truly understood me. If you're wondering whether I can provide and protect her, then you don't have to worry. I can do both. I will not let anything happen to her. I love her, but I will honor whatever Hermione's decision is regarding our future. Thank you for your time, but I guess we should leave and talk."
The Grangers' watched on during Harry's speech. The words he'd spoken and the love that emanated from him left them speechless. They didn't really know him, but at that moment they seemed to have known him all their lives. If there were doubts in their minds before, they'd been erased instantly with Harry's sincerity.
"Wait, please," Mrs. Granger called out. Harry and Hermione turned to face them. "I'm sorry for the way we acted initially, Hermione. I can only speak for myself, but in truth I was being a little selfish. I didn't want to lose my little girl. You caught me by surprise, but I can see now that I'm not really losing a daughter but I'm getting a wonderful son instead." She opened up her arms and Hermione ran to give her mum a hug. "I'm so sorry, honey. I didn't understand at first. Forgive me?" Hermione nodded. Then Mr. Granger joined them in the hug.
"I'm sorry too, sweetheart. I guess maybe we're just being overprotective, you are after all our little girl." He looked up at Harry who was standing where he was when he arrived just watching them. "Come over here Harry."
Harry walked where they were and Mr. Granger grabbed him and included him in the family group hug. "Welcome to the family, son." Mr. Granger told him.
"Thank you, sir."
"Now, what the bloody hell is handfasting?" Mr. Granger asked and they all erupted in laughter.
"Well, it's way wizards are married." Hermione answered.
"What?!"
"Oh, here we go again," Hermione said. "You're not going to take back what you just said just because we're speeding up the ceremony are you? We're also going to go through the muggle wedding to make it official in both worlds. Don't worry dad, you and mom and still walk me down the aisle."
"But, you just got engaged." Mr. Granger protested. "I thought the handfasting was only to be formally engaged?"
"No, it's quite official. Professor Dumbledore will be officiating for us." Hermione told them. "But I wanted you to be present at both ceremonies. I want you to be share in what is going to be one of my happiest moment." The Grangers looked at Hermione and knew for sure that she was truly in love with Harry. And when they saw that Harry mirrored the same thing they saw in her eyes, they couldn't very well be the only obstacles standing between their happiness.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Mrs. Granger told them.
A/N: Well, now we only have to tell the Weasleys and then the handfasting… Hope you liked it. Below are brief explanation of handfasting. If you would like to read the things in its entirety, please follow the links above each introduction. There are more explanations out there, but I thought these would do for now… Thanks as always for the wonderful reviews.
http://www.handfasting.info/histirish.html
Handfasting: An Ancient Irish Wedding Tradition
by Pat Friend
Handfasting is an ancient Celtic custom, especially common in Ireland and Scotland, in which a man and woman came together at the start of their marriage relationship. Their hands, or more accurately, their wrists, were literally tied together. This practice gave way to the expression "tying the knot" which has come to mean getting married or engaged.
http://www.handfasting.info/histhand.html
Handfasting at one time was the only way that couples could be engaged and/or get married because the church let the civil government of the period take care of these matters. In the British Isles, Handfasting was the old pagan ritual of marriage and it remained legal in Scotland all the way up to 1939, even after Lord Harwicke's Act of 1753 declaring that marriages in England were legal only if performed by a clergyman. After Lord Harwicke's Act, the Scottish border town, Gretna Green became a mecca for eloping couples from England who fled there to perform their own Handfastings. In those times, the couple themselves performed the Handfasting before witnesses. It was also used in Scotland for the engagement period of a year and a day before a wedding was proved.
The very word handfasting got it's origin in the wedding custom of tying the bride and groom's hands (actually, wrists) together. In some versions, this is only done for as long as the ceremony lasts, but in others, the cord is not untied until the marriage is physically consummated.
Handfasting is the marriage rite used toady by many Heathens, neo-Pagans and Wiccans. The term itself comes from the custom of shaking hands over a contract. It is a custom steeped in old tradition.
In most Pagan traditions today it may mean a non-state registered wedding or one in which a marriage license is filed. For some it is a year and a day, renewable "so long as love shall last" and for others a commitment to be together through many lives.
There are probably as many rituals for this as there are people who have joined themselves together.
The hands are generally bound with a cord as part of the ritual.