Dear Ms. Skeeter,
I am writing to you because I have information that you will find most interesting. You will not believe what they're doing! Harry Potter and that Hermione Granger, who pretends to be my best friend.... just wait until you find out. I promise you will not be disappointed if you look for me and Hermione at the soda shop outside of Contessa's Formal Wear in Diagon Alley tomorrow at 10:00 in the morning. I know about your secret (Hermione told me). I won't tell anyone. Show up for the scoop of your life! Hermione can't get away with this! I'm sure you'll recognize that bushy-haired know-it-all. I'll be the girl with long red hair who is with her. I'll look for you and make sure you are able to hear the plans. I bet you'll get a raise for breaking this news. They think they can keep it a secret. Well, not if I have anything to say about it!
Ginny Weasley
Ginny read her letter aloud to Harry, Hermione, and Ron who were laughing hysterically.
"Gosh, Gin, what do you really think of me?" Hermione said. She had actually been the one to suggest that Ginny be really harsh toward her since Rita Skeeter despised her. They knew that the chance to get back at Hermione along with a scoop about Harry Potter would be too much for her meddlesome side to ignore.
"This is actually kind of fun," Ginny commented. "I'm good at this woman scorned thing!"
"Ginny, you're brilliant. Evil, but brilliant," Harry hugged her and kissed her forehead.
She turned beet red. "Little sisters have to be evil, especially if they have as many brothers as I do."
Ginny tied the letter to Pigwidgeon's leg. They opted to use him since it would lend further credence to the idea that the letter was simply a plot from a 14 year old girl who was seeking revenge for a row with her best friend over a boy. Pig was tiny, but he was reliable and this short letter would not be difficult for him. They released the minute owl and planned to go to Diagon Alley in the morning.
As they were going upstairs to bed, Dumbledore called to Harry. Harry rolled his eyes before turning around to face the headmaster wishing that the older man would leave him alone for a while.
Dumbledore motioned for Harry to follow him, which Harry did. "I'll be up in a few minutes," he called to his friends.
Dumbledore led him back to the living room where he had been with Molly and Hermione earlier. "I have something for you," he said, pulling a small box out of his pocket. "These were salvaged from your home the night your parents were killed."
Harry opened the box and found three rings. Two were solid gold bands. The other was a diamond cluster. His heart sank, realizing they had been his parents wedding rings.
"I thought you might want to use them for yourself and Hermione," Dumbledore suggested.
Harry stared at the rings. All he could think was that his parents had been wearing those rings when they died, when they were brutally murdered by Voldemort. "I, I can't." he said, handing the box back to Dumbledore. He somehow felt as if he would be sentencing himself and Hermione to the same fate if he took the rings.
Dumbledore looked surprised by this. He had, after all, saved them for fifteen years to give to Harry when he was older and had a safe place for them-not at school or with the Muggles.
"They died. These should have been buried with them." He turned away from the headmaster.
"Oh," he said, looking downtrodden. "We saved them for you, thought that you would like to have them one day." He set the box down on the coffee table. "They are yours now, Harry. Do with them as you see fit." Dumbledore rose and in a moment was gone.
Harry stared at the box. Rings. They were just a cold symbol of what once was, the loving family he could have had if Voldemort hadn't taken it away from him. No, those rings would not be the same symbols used for his and Hermione's love. They would be a symbol of what they were fighting for and what they were fighting against. He knew that his first stop in Diagon Alley would be the bank, then the jeweler. After all, they wanted it to be leaked that he and Hermione were planning a wedding. He did not care if the owner recognized him and then shouted it to the world. He would get Hermione her own, very special ring and she would wear it in perfect health for a very long time.
************
Hermione and Ginny wandered around Contessa's Formal Wear, fingering materials and evaluating the many dresses. From ball gowns to bridal gowns, the selection was overwhelming. Hermione had seen many gowns she loved and Ginny had been partial to a lavender sleeveless dress that had a wide sash embroidered with tiny flowers.
Ginny checked her watch. It was 10:00 exactly. "Let's go over to the shop across the street and get a drink," she suggested. In case Rita Skeeter was in the store, it would appear that she had orchestrated the whole thing. She and Hermione had planned what they would talk about, though they did not have a script, as they did not want it to sound rehearsed.
They ambled across the street, ordered some lime sodas and sat down at a black iron table beside a potted peace lily. Hermione glanced at the plant and, with her eyes, indicated a very distinctive beetle. "Oh good," she said, looking around. "There aren't many people milling about today. That will certainly make things easier... we can shop in peace."
"Yeah," Ginny agreed nonenthusiastically. "I still can't believe you're doing this," she said leadingly.
Hermione sighed. "Neither can I. But it's the right thing to do."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked. She looked around and then made a show of lowering her voice, but barely changed the tone or pitch. "You're not pregnant, are you?"
"Ginny!" Hermione rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You have to have sex in order to get pregnant!"
"You mean, you haven't?" she asked curiously.
"Of course we haven't! Hermione exclaimed. "What kind of people do you think we are?" she asked indignantly. "We're waiting for our wedding night, of course." She glanced over and saw that the beetle had very clumsily fallen off one leaf and landed on another.
"I bet Harry will be amazing in the sack," Ginny commented dreamily. "He's so powerful." She wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis.
"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked, coughing up her soda. The blush on her face was real.
"Getting him into bed would be enough for any witch to marry at 15," Ginny continued.
"As tempting as that aspect is, it's not that simple." She sighed heavily, noticing they had the rapt attention of a certain six-legged eavesdropper. She continued sadly, "I know you love Harry like a brother, but you don't know everything, the whole story."
"Then tell me," Ginny encouraged. "You know you can trust me."
"I know. And I know Harry trusts you too. You'd never do anything to hurt either of us," she paused a moment while Ginny waited patiently. "It's awful, what those people have done to Harry, the way they treated him."
"You mean his Muggle aunt and uncle?" she prodded.
"Yes," Hermione answered. "That beast of an uncle of his... Ginny, you can not mention this to anyone," she emphasized the secrecy of what she was about to say. "That horrible Vernon Dursley nearly killed Harry just a few days ago."
"What?" Ginny gasp, her mouth gaping open.
Hermione nodded and, though they were setting up Rita, the tears in the corners of her eyes were very sincere. "He beat him brutally. He had broken ribs, a concussion, was unconscious for a whole day. He had almost strangled him too. Then," she wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand, "Then, he threw Harry into that cupboard where they kept him locked up before Hagrid told him he was a wizard and brought him to school. He just threw Harry in there to die. When I think that I could have lost him, that our whole world could have lost the greatest threat we have against Voldemort..." she didn't finish her sentence. Instead she was crying freely at the very real, very fresh emotions.
"I, I had no idea," Ginny choked guiltily. She patted Hermione's arm comfortingly. But how does that tie in with you planning this rushed wedding?"
"You see, Remus Lupin and your dad went to check on Harry for me. They found him and were able to save him. I was expecting Harry to visit and when he didn't show up, I asked your dad to help, to check on him because he had been to Harry's house before. I knew Harry's family had mistreated, neglected, starved, and abused him his whole life, so I was scared of what thy could have done to him."
"They did?" Ginny asked. "He never talks about it."
"Oh, yes," Hermione answered. "They worked him like a house elf when he wasn't locked up and they starved him to punish him for being different. But they never told him why he was different. He didn't even know his parents had been murdered until Hagrid told him!"
"That's awful! I mean, I knew Ron had asked Mum to send Harry food over summer holidays, but I thought it was just because his cousin was on a diet."
Hermione shook her head. "No, there was always more to it than that."
"Well, why didn't Dad tell me Harry had been hurt?" Ginny asked.
"Dumbledore wanted to keep this very quiet. See, Harry can't go back there. He can't press charges in the Muggle world. Vernon could defend himself by saying Harry was crazy and thought he was a wizard. It could expose our whole world! Since Dumbledore knows how much Harry and I love each other, he told us he could make allowances for our marriage as it would emancipate Harry from those evil relatives and keep both him and our world safe."
"So, you're getting married so that Harry can be emancipated?" Ginny concluded.
"No," Hermione responded. "We're getting married because we love each other beyond measure. We're getting married now as opposed to when we graduate so that Harry can be safe from his relatives. They'll have no claim on him once he's legally an adult... married."
"Oh," Ginny said.
"We would have gotten married in two years anyway," Hermione told her. "We're just doing it early."
"And you're okay with this?"
"Ginny, do you have any idea how much I love Harry?" she beamed. "He's been my best friend since we were eleven years old. We trust, support, and respect each other. He treats me like I'm a princess. Just plain old me! I never thought anyone would treat me like that." She leaned closer to Ginny, "And he's a great kisser," she added with a giggle.
"So, how long have you felt this way?
"Forever, I think, whether we would admit it or not. You know, I think that Rita Skeeter was right about us when she wrote that article back in fourth year. She knew before we did. Maybe we should have listened to her. She really nailed us. Of course, I'd never tell her that!" she snorted. There. The icing on the cake. Not only did Rita have the story of her career, but she also got a "you were right" to further sweeten the victory and inflate her ego.
"Hermione," Ginny started shyly, "I'm glad Harry has you. I had no idea he was in such danger at home."
She nodded. "Well, my drink is empty. Time to find a wedding dress!" she said brightly. "And a maid of honor dress for you! I think we should go with the lavender one."
"Yeah, um, I'll be there in a minute."
Hermione cocked her head in a silent question, but knew exactly what Ginny had planned.
"Restroom," she explained.
"Okay. See you in a few. Look for me by the changing room. I know what I want to try on first," she said gleefully as she bounded away.
"Miss Skeeter," Ginny whispered, trying to look inconspicuous. "Come with me."
"A beetle flew behind her to the bathroom. Seeing that they were alone, Rita transfigured into herself. "I could kiss you!" she gushed.
"No!" Ginny exclaimed. "You can't print it!"
Rita looked at her as if she were a blast ended skrewt in a pink tutu.
"I didn't know!" she explained desperately. "I didn't know Harry's uncle was abusing him. Please, please don't print that! It will devastate him if anyone finds out. I'm sure of it! He hates all the attention he gets from the press. He'll be so embarrassed," she pleaded earnestly. "I just wanted to ruin the secret to get back at Hermione for stealing Harry when she knew I had a crush on him!"
"Nonsense!" Rita brushed her off. "He's a noble and brave young man, moreso than any of us ever knew. His public deserves to know what that Muggle brute has put him through."
"No!" Ginny begged, tears coming to her eyes. "Hasn't he been through enough?"
"Exactly why the story should be told! People will be amazed at how strong and brave he is," she waved off Ginny's concerns. "And, you, my dear, are to be thanked for the story of a lifetime. Harry Potter-getting married at sixteen to free himself form his abusive Muggle relatives. It's absolutely scandalous that a Muggle could have so badly hurt the boy who overcame You-Know-Who."
"Please, Ms. Skeeter, don't do this to Harry!" Ginny implored.
"Me? You're the one who broke the story." Rita left a crying Ginny behind. As soon as Ginny knew she was alone again she broke into riotous laughter. After she got control of herself, she returned to the dress shop to help Hermione find the perfect gown.
Across the way, Harry and Ron were in Santino's House of Jewels, peering into glass cases to see hundreds of sparkling items. A middle aged witch in magenta robes asked if they needed any help.
"Um, yeah," Harry said. "I need a ring for my girlfriend."
"Oh, how sweet," she said. "Are you looking for a birthstone ring, a friendship ring, a promise ring--"
"An engagement ring," Harry answered.
She raised her eyebrows, obviously judging his age. "I think you may be too young to set up a payment account," she said softly, trying to not embarrass him.
"I'm going to pay today," he told her. "I just got the money out of my inheritance."
Ron coughed to get the woman's attention and conspicuously touched his own forehead, then looked at Harry whose scar could barely be seen through his messy black hair.
"Oh. Oh!" the witch said, gasping with recognition. "What kind of ring were you looking for, Mr. Potter?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Ron," he muttered pretending to be embarrassed. Well, it really wasn't pretend, but it was preplanned that Ron would tell the clerk who Harry was if she did not catch on immediately.
Ron shrugged. "You're bloody freaking Harry Potter. If you want a ring, they should sell you a ring," he said.
"Please don't tell anyone," Harry requested. "I would like to give it to her before she reads about it in the paper."
"Of course," the witch responded. "Now, would you like a traditional diamond or something more unconventional?"
"A solitaire," he answered. He had considered Hermione's personality and decided to go with the tradition of a diamond, but something different than the cluster type his mother had.
"Wonderful! What cut? Princess? Marquise? Emerald? Diamond?"
"Yeah, I want a diamond," he answered again, not realizing she was referring to shapes. "A round one." He looked at the diamonds in the case the clerk had led him to while asking about cuts. "I like that one," he said, pointing to a ¾ carat stone set in gold and shimmering as it caught the light.
"Absolutely beautiful," she said, retrieving the ring for him to inspect it more closely.
He held it and showed it to Ron, "What do you think? Not too big, not too small?"
"Yeah," Ron answered. "She wouldn't want anything gaudy. That looks like something she would like."
"I'll take it," Harry said, handing the ring back. "I want to get the bands today too," he added casually.
"So soon?" she asked skeptically.
"Yeah. I want to pay for them and I don't want her to argue about it," he laughed, giving his most charming smile.
"Very well," she answered. "What kind of band? Solid, Engraved? Jeweled?"
"Solid," he replied, knowing that neither of them would want something very fancy.
He picked matching gold bands that Ron agreed were the right choice and added them to his order.
"I also need two gold chains."
"My! You should come into our store more often, Mr. Potter," she grinned, thinking of her commission.
"What are the chains for?" Ron asked.
"It's a surprise," Harry told him.
"For your future best man?" Ron asked playfully.
"No." Harry answered seriously, though in good fun.
As he was paying, the clerk asked, "Who's the lucky lady?"
"Can I trust you not to tell?" he asked, with a disarming smile. He was glad to give her the information so that she could confirm it if any questions were asked by (a) nosey reporter(s).
"Of course," she beamed excitedly, thrilled to be the first of the general public to know who the famous Harry Potter was going to marry.
Harry looked around, though no one else was in the store, and whispered, "Hermione Granger, my best friend."
"I thought I was your best friend!" Ron sulked.
"You were," Harry answered. "Until I kissed Hermione."