Harry steps aside so that we can leave the room, and we walk back to the kitchen. I turn and notice Harry and Hermione walking side by side, Harry's hand subconsciously resting in the small of Hermione's back. Neither seems aware of the gesture. They are completely comfortable with one another, a fact that is reiterated as Harry begins to cook, Hermione weaves past him to get to the fridge to get us drinks, instinctively ducking under his arm as he reaches into a cupboard above her. They share a quick smile. A few moments later Harry opens his mouth to ask something, but Hermione passes him the knife from the counter behind her without him needing to ask. I am distracted from our friendly discussion of the upcoming Ministerial election by a nagging feeling that I'm missing something vital in my observation of Harry's life. It is only a few minutes later when I begin to suspect just what that thing is. Harry is just serving a delicious looking Chicken Alfredo onto plates, he passes a plate to Hermione and though it's only a millisecond, their hands touch and they share a look which speaks volumes. I'm stunned for a moment, then I think back to their easy conversation throughout the day, Harry's comments regarding dating and family, and most telling, the photograph of the two of them in Hermione's office. I wait a few moments, considering how to ask them about it as we eat. But Hermione, always one step ahead has picked up on my thoughtfulness.
HG: Have you guessed yet? I bet Harry you'd figure it out before the end of the day.
HP: How do you know she's guessed? (Hermione raises an eyebrow in reply and he laughs)
LB: So how long have you two been dating?
HG: Told you so. (She grins and sticks her tongue out teasingly at Harry)
HP: (Smiling) Two and a half years.
LB: You've managed to keep it a secret for that long?
HG: Well not really. Ron guessed after a day, and apparated off to tell all our friends and family in great excitement! (She giggles) But we didn't feel like being the centre of attention.
LB: So why tell people now? (They share a glance and Hermione nods at Harry apparently in answer to a silent question)
HP: Well, it seemed easier at first not to tell anyone about us, and we loved being able to be together without being hassled. But it just seemed like the right time to come out in the open, as I'm sure quite a lot of people have guesses anyway, the amount of time we spend together. Also, it wont be long before some enterprising Wizard with connections to the Muggle world breaks the news, and we wanted to be in control of that.
LB: What news exactly? (Harry takes Hermione's hand and smiles at her)
HP: We got married two weeks ago. (I look back down at their entwined fingers as Harry speaks and as he does so a white gold wedding band and a dazzling emerald engagement ring suddenly appear on Hermione's ring finger. Hermione sees my surprise and grins, holding out her left hand for me to take a look)
HG: Only people we've told can see the rings.
LB: You're married? (They both laugh at my look of shock, having only discovered they were dating moments before.)
LB: Congratulations! Do you know, Parvati always said you two would end up together.
HP: Maybe she wasn't so bad at Divination after all. (Laughs)
LB: So tell me all about it. Hermione, you can't simply announce a marriage, show me some stunning rings and leave it at that! I need details hunny…
(Harry stands and begins collecting the plates together; placing them in the sink, and with a flick of his wand the dishes are cleaning themselves. He moves to stand behind his wife and kisses the top of her head.)
HP: Why don't we go through to the living room?
Now that I'm aware of the relationship between the pair it is glaringly obvious that they are madly in love. I take a seat in a large armchair as they curl up next to one another on the sofa.
LB: I take it that it was a small wedding?
HP: There were 30 guests. Our closest friends, surrogate family, and Hermione's family and some Muggle friends and the restaurant staff. Though we only invited them all a week before the wedding.
LB: Why such short notice?
HP: Well we'd only been engaged for three days and only Hermione's parents actually knew about that. They helped us out with the arrangements.
HG: We just thought that we were engaged and we wanted to get married, so why wait? It seemed easy to just organise everything, as we didn't want any fuss. Originally we thought of telling people the day before, but we wanted everyone to be able to make it. It wouldn't have been right if a single one of them had been missing.
LB: So where did the ceremony take place?
HG: Well it seems a bit odd to some people, but we were married in London Zoo.
LB: The Zoo?
HG: Yes, well we both love wandering around there on days off, and we found out you can be married in a beautiful small private garden. They strung lights everywhere, and some friends of mine from home have a band and they played…it was perfect.
HP: I know everyone would expect us to have some big blow out wedding, but that's just not us. We'd be horribly uncomfortable in circumstances like that. The Zoo was just right, and I got to stop by and visit some old friends in the reptile house.
LB: Well it certainly doesn't sound conventional, but I'll admit it sounds quite lovely, the ideal wedding for you two.
Hermione draws her wand and mutters an incantation and a moment later a photograph album comes zooming through the doorway having been summoned. The three of us crowd around the album and the photographs enchant me as they show perhaps the happiest group of people I've ever seen. The happy couple are positively glowing with happiness, they appear relaxed and are never more than a foot away from one another in the images.
We spend the rest of the evening looking through not only their wedding album but other photograph albums charting their years at Hogwarts and beyond, Harry even showing me a much treasured possession, a photograph album compiled by Rubeus Hagrid of photographs of his parents and their friends, laughing over images, and telling stories of both The Trios adventures, and some rather similar adventures of The Marauders.
Looking at the new Mr and Mrs. Potter, their happiness is clearly visible, and they really are truly perfect for one another. Both incredibly intelligent and magically talented, yet both are down-to-earth and have no interest in fame of it's trappings. They have everything they need in their London home, with their menagerie of magical creatures, yet they have definitely not lost their sense of humour or cunning as I ask them one final question.
LB: No honeymoon?
HP: Actually, we're leaving for the honeymoon on Monday.
HG: Once my book is complete, and just in time to be far away from the country when this story is published! (They share mischievous grins and I remember that The Trio always did have a remarkable ability for avoiding trouble after their adventures and secret excursions)
I laugh and after wishing them both well we hug goodbye.
Well after seven years sharing a house with Harry Potter I could have predicted that a day spent with him would certainly be eventful, but I would never had predicted that Harry would be a talented chef, and that he and Hermione would be blissfully happy newlyweds. These are two individuals who have avoided all of the pitfalls, which can befall young individuals forced into the spotlight, and displaying courage and wisdom way beyond their years have found what many of us will be searching for for many years to come