Disclaimer:
I do not now, nor at any time own any of the Harry Potter characters. Whether this is an Original Plot or in answer to a Portkey Challenge ALL is based on characters brilliantly created by J K Rowling with possible additional characters created by Muirnin Cocan.
In no way is any money being made, nor copyright or trademark infringement intended. I own nothing… Not even my car.
J K Rowling owns all rights as well as various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, with additional motion picture rights belonging to Warner Bros., Inc. For a complete list of all the various publishers around the world, go to http://www.jkrowling.com/. Now I realize that Jo's new web site is much changed and can be a bit confusing, but if you go into it and look under links you will find a book on the shelf that is called Publishers… in that book you will find the complete list.
Some parts may be of an adult nature that may not be suitable for all readers.
Reader discretion is strongly advised.
It Happened One Night
An H/Hr Wedding Challenge!
Chapter Seven
Memorable Wedding - Part 2
"So… have you made a decision?" Rita asked in a brisk tone.
Smiling Harry and Hermione looked at Rita Skeeter and said together, "You may want to get Colin and meet us at the Ministry for Magic offices."
The look on Rita's face was priceless. Her eyes lit up as if she had been given the best gift ever, yet she was visually trying to cover up her excitement. She pulled out a small mirror about the size of a compact from her leopard skin handbag.
Opening up the mirror she said, "Colin meet me at Ministry of Magic… bring EXTRA film… oh and put on your dress robes." Snapping the mirror shut quickly she turned and smiled at Hermione. "Now, what can I do to help you get ready?"
Hermione coughed at the unexpected offer of help. "Um, I'm not sure to tell the truth." She turned and looked at Harry.
"This box is for Hermione… This one is mine… When we get over to the Ministry for Magic we will get dressed and then get married." Harry said with that charming smile that had always been his trademark.
"I don't even get to see the dress before we get there?" Hermione said. "Are you sure you have all the items I need?"
"If you would like, you can go over to Madame Malkin's and check out the box. The dress was designed to automatically fit whomever put it on, but it was also charmed so that the only one that could put the dress on would be one Hermione Jane Granger." Harry said with a grin as he watched Hermione head over to the dressmakers store by herself.
"That's very cute Harry… You were that sure you were going to marry Hermione?" Rita asked.
"I knew in my heart that the only one I would spend the rest of my life with would be Hermione… but I also hadn't deluded myself to the fact that she would feel the same about me… and so if she did not feel the same way about me, when it came time for her to be married… well let's just say she would have gotten a very expensive wedding present."
"Do you mind my asking how much the dress cost to make?" interviewed Rita.
"Normally, I would have said no comment… and I do not want Hermione to know how much that dress is worth until after we are married. However, I do know that the world will wish to know all the details of this wedding… hence the reason you are here." Harry said very carefully. "Just say you have it on good authority that her wedding gown while made in the muggle way was also charmed in Wizarding traditions and cost about 23,000 galleons."
Rita's eyes bugged out at the cost of the dress. "That must be some dress… Merlin that's an awful lot of money."
"She's worth every penny of it… and more if truth be told. I would pay any amount of gold I have to make sure she is happy for the rest of her life." Harry said with a gleam that amounted to nothing less then pure love. "Listen Rita, one favor if I might… I have no concerns about the way you will report our wedding… but I will ask if you will not include whatever vows we speak… I just want one thing to be private from the rest of the world… one thing that is just us…"
"I always knew there was more to the two of you… Of course I will grant this request… if I do my job right the readers won't even care that I do not report your exact vows…" Rita said and then glanced up and saw Hermione rushing forward with the box in her hands.
She threw her arms around Harry's neck and squealed with delight. "Oh Harry it's perfect…"
"Oh I can't wait to see this dress if it caused me to manifest that kind of reaction." Hermione said as she watched herself hugging Harry like she had when they first saw each other after 4th year.
"You do know you could have gone and seen it." Harry said as he watched himself, Hermione and Rita disapparate and they reappeared within the walls of the Ministry for Magic.
"Really? Well then," she said placing a quick kiss on Harry's lips "I'll see YOU when WE are exchanging vows then."
"Don't get lost now…" Harry said teasingly as he watched her wander off after her pensieve self. Turning he began to watch his pensieve self. "You'd think I would be more nervous then this…" he muttered to himself.
Harry nodded to Rita and headed towards the Muggle Coalition offices and looked for the Justice of the Peace, the Honorable Matthias Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte.
Being after the normal business hours the area was deserted, however Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte was still in his plush office - a perk for being a liaison between the Muggle and Wizarding world. He was sitting at his large carved mahogany desk staring at papers in front of him, along with the remains of a bottle of Ogden's Old World Firewhisky.
Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte's blood shot eyes grew twice their size when he saw the man who had entered his office. "Oh Mr. Potter, this is a great honor sir…" he said quickly stashing the papers out of sight.
Harry stared at this man who was supposedly a respected member of the British Parliament as well as the Wizengamont and yet he almost groveled at Harry's feet.
"Sir, I would like you to perform a wedding for me… right now." Harry informed the balding bureaucrat.
The noticeable flicker of Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte's eyes between the well-known, heroic face of Harry Potter and the woman who stood near him… Rita Skeeter.
"Oh no your honor, it's not me young Harry's marrying… I'm just here to report the event…" Rita interjected quickly, "I think eight marriages has been enough for me… at least for a while…"
Both Harry and Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte looked at Rita and then shook their own heads in disbelief.
"Anyway Sir, my fiancée is getting dressed. I will need whatever paperwork that needs to be signed, a place to change and to have you perform this quickly." Seeing the still confused look on the Justice's face he added, "I will make this worth your while… How many people can say that they performed the marriage of Harry Potter… hmm?"
Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte stammered for a moment, he looked quickly at the drawer he had just stashed the paperwork then looked back at Harry. He thought about it a moment more then with grand gestures of his hands he proclaimed "Who am I to deny the great war hero Harry Potter a wedding…" he said proudly, his face flushed. "Why not use my private quarters to prepare yourself while I gather the necessary paperwork…"
Harry dressed quickly bedecked in the finest of black silk Armani Tuxedo with deep red cummerbund and matching tie. Harry's silk shirt was fastened together with deep ruby studs and matching cufflinks. Within 15 minutes, Harry was back in the office - which had been magically transformed into a romantic gazebo setting… The last time Harry had seen a room transformed this completely had been when Firenze the Centaur had come to teach Divination during their 5th year at Hogwarts. The romantic atmosphere was breathtaking, complete with red roses trailing over the walls, a beautiful waterfall gently moving off to the side and the existence of birds and butterflies flittering overhead.
"Wow…" Harry said dumbstruck at the transformed room. He looked at Rita, now changed into a beautiful set of dove grey and burgundy robes. She was standing talking quietly to Colin who was also dressed formally in similar colored robes.
"Oh well Harry, think of this as my wedding present to you and Hermione… I just didn't think the setting of this drab" this word caught the attention and the distain Justice Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte, "office was the perfect setting for the two of you to be married in after everything I have witnessed today…"
"I honestly don't know how to thank you enough Rita… I'm ah…"
"Oh you can say it… you are shocked that I would do something so selfless and kind… Think about it this way… I've been married eight times" she said this as she quickly counted on her fingers nodding to herself as she confirmed this number, "and I have never had a wedding that had been as romantic and thoroughly thought out as what you are giving to Hermione… I've BEEN married in offices… but you both… you needed something special…"
"Thank you Rita…" his green eyes glistened at the kind and thoughtful gesture.
"Well while you were changing, I took the liberty of getting the paperwork filled out for you… you can check it over…" She said quickly handing Harry the paperwork for him to approve and sign. "Now you have everything… you have your rings???"
Signing the paperwork Harry said, "Yes…" he said handing them to Justice Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte, "so don't worry… can you go check on Hermione?"
"It will be my pleasure." Rita said straightening out her robes. "Colin, would you make sure Harry has everything he needs…"
"Oh certainly Ms. Skeeter…"
Colin watched Rita with rapt adoration as she disappeared into a separate room that Harry knew held his beloved Hermione. Colin's face glowed with an excitement that he had held for as long as Harry had known him. Harry closed his eyes and smiled…
"You need me to get you anything Harry, huh?" Colin said excitedly as he reached up and began to straighten Harry's bow tie, causing Harry to open his eyes and slap Colin's hand out of the way.
"Actually Colin, I would like for you to make sure you get beautiful pictures for us… I have been waiting for this day for years. I do not need anything else but to see my beloved Hermione walking towards me…"
"I just knew you two would get married someday…" Colin squealed excitedly, "I had even told that to Ms. Skeeter. I just knew you loved each other. Everyone could tell…"
Harry was about to comment on this when the lights magically changed around them and Rita came scurrying up the path that she had created as an aisle.
"She's ready… Oh Merlin… Harry, that is a beautiful dress." Rita said then turning to Colin she added, "You make sure you get plenty of pictures of that dress… it's stunning."
Rita moved to the side and with her trusty Qwik-Quotes Quill and parchment in place she turned to see Justice Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte open the doors, then moving down the path he nodded to Rita who flicked her wand, causing the room to begin emitting gently played harp music that Harry recognized as the Wedding March.
Harry looked up and stared into the face of an angel moving his way. His breath caught, his heartbeat pounded in his ears as he watched in anticipation for Hermione to join him at his side.
Harry had been standing next to where Harry and Colin had been and felt the same sensations repeat themselves as he looked up and saw Hermione enter the room and come towards him… then when Hermione entered amidst the gentle strains of the Wedding March he reached down and took Hermione's hand in his. He could feel Hermione's own excitement at witnessing such an auspicious moment in their joint lives. As if in tandem they both took deep breaths and watched as the events effloresced before them.
Colin's camera had been charmed to make no noise as it clicked its bounty of photographs… not wanting to miss a single moment of this occasion. Rita's quill scampered over the parchment noiselessly recording details (charmed this time) in an accurate manner.
The sides of Harry's mouth lifted into his lopsided grin as he watched his everlasting dream that was finally coming true, moving slowly towards him.
In her hands she held a beautiful bouquet of stunning red roses and white lilies. The dress itself was truly magnificent, but not as beautiful as the creation it enshrouded. White satin flowed in elegant liquid waves along the path as she moved. The train flowing behind her as she moved was edged by more of the intricate Celtic knot work done in tiny pearls and what Harry knew to be Swarovski Austrian crystals. In the center of the long cathedral length train was a delicately yet artistically created Irish Claddagh, which was also trimmed in the same beadwork.
The tulle veil shielded her beautiful face and the bodice of the dress, but from what he could see the same pattern of intricate beadwork was duplicated along the cuffs of her long sleeves and the delicate edging of the veil.
Harry anxiously waited for the moment when he could look again into Hermione's exquisite cinnamon eyes… to finally kiss the succulent lips he had fantasized about for years.
As Hermione finally reached Harry's side his goofy lopsided grin broke into a huge smile, tears glistened in his beautiful emerald eyes. Hermione handed her bouquet over to Rita's hands, then turning back towards Harry he lifted the veil and slid it back over her head revealing an equally emotional woman whose stunning cinnamon eyes sparkled with tears of their own. He drank in the intoxicating beauty of her.
Hermione's trademark bushy, (and at least to Harry) amazing brown hair was pulled up into an elegant cascade of curls that was topped with a diamond tiara that also had more of the Celtic knot work accented by diamonds that had been the running theme of her attire.
Her upper body was encased in a tight fitting bodice that hugged her at the waist, had another beautifully intricate amount of Celtic knot work that when you looked close you could see that the crushed gems and pearls also held the image of a Griffin. What excited Harry though was the sweetheart neckline that emphasized what he could only imagine as flawless breasts. The design of the dress caused her succulent breasts to be swelled to perfection and tantalized Harry to no end.
The wide pleats of the dress hung down straight and then became fuller further down with the use of wide even pleats that came together with a beautiful bouquet of white satin roses that sat at the base of her spine. From there the Cathedral length train followed.
Harry and Hermione's eyes were locked in the joy and passion that they shared only to be broken by the soft clearing of Justice Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte's throat. Turning they looked at the Justice and smiled.
"It is with a gladdened heart that I have the esteem privilege of joining this man and this woman together in matrimony. What constitutes marriage? It is the uniting of a man and a woman, who have willingly and knowingly made a covenant of a life-long commitment… one to another. I give you this time to say what vows you wish."
Hermione looked up into Harry's green eyes, her voice clear and strong. "Before I even met you, I knew all about you... I had learned everything from books... Then I met you and you were just Harry... not a famous wizard who was pompous and flaunting his fame... but just Harry... I wanted... no I needed to know the real you... not what I had read in books or imagined you to be but the real Harry Potter.
I once told you a long time ago, that you were a great wizard... you claimed I was better then you. I said at that time... "Books and Cleverness... there are more important things Friendship and Bravery and... I almost told you then... We were only 11 at the time... but I could tell that love was important to you then... and I loved you then with all my heart… but that doesn't even compare to how much I love you now. There is a poem... and for the life of me I can't recall where it is from" Hermione said blushing as she recited,
"I love you. Not just for who you are,
but for who I am when I'm with you. I love you.
Not for what you've done with your life...
...but for what you're doing to mine.
I love you for making me good...and happy. And whole.
Because that is what you do, Harry.
Without a word.
Without a gesture.
Without a doubt.
Just by being yourself. Such a simple thing...
But no one else in the world could do it.
Only you.
Together we will be through all as before
We shall know loneliness no more.
In sickness I will nurse you to regain your health
Whether poverty strikes or we celebrate wealth.
In friendship, loyalty, bravery and love...
By Merlin's good Graces or by God above
I stand at your side for now and forever as proof of my love...
With you as my husband and I your wife...
I will forever be your partner in life
I love you...
I, Hermione Jane Granger take thee Harry James Potter, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, as your partner in live and your one true love. I will cherish this union forsaking all others, respect and trust you, loving you faithfully as your wife through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I am your protector for life, I now give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live"
Tears of joy were now falling down Hermione's cheeks as she finished speaking her vows. Harry gently reached up and brushed them away before he spoke.
"Hermione, it was the love for you I cherished within my heart that helped me to stop the evil that had been Lord Voldemort… It was you my love… your beautiful face, your gentle voice… they all resounded inside of me when Voldemort tried to destroy my life… when he did, it was the destruction of him… You saved me… for that I am eternally grateful… You have stood by my side through every adventure… every task I have had to endure, whether in person or in spirit you have always been by my side." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "There is a poem… it's called The Journey
Now we will feel no rain
For each of us will be shelter to each other.
And now we will feel no cold
For each of us will be warmth to each other.
Now there is no loneliness
We are two bodies, but there is one life before us and one home.
When evening falls, I'll look to you and there you'll be.
And I'll take your hand and you'll take mine
And we'll turn together and we'll look to the road we traveled to reach this-
The hour of our happiness.
It stretched far behind us, and our future lies ahead--
A long and winding road where every turning means discovery
All the hopes, new laughter, shared tears,
The adventure has just begun." He continued to speak as he folded the piece of paper and placed it back in his pocket.
"Together we will be through all as before
We shall know loneliness no more.
In sickness I will nurse you to regain your health
Whether poverty strikes or we celebrate wealth.
In friendship, loyalty, bravery and love...
By Merlin's good Graces or by God above
I stand at your side for now and forever as proof of my love...
As your husband and you my wife...
I will forever be your partner in life
I love you...
I, Harry James Potter take thee Hermione Jane Granger to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in Sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, as your partner in live and your one true love. I will cherish this union forsaking all others, respect and trust you, loving you faithfully as your husband through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I am your protector for life, I now give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live"
Harry wiped the tears from his own eyes and then looked over at Hermione who was equally as emotional after hearing their exchange of vows. He smiled as he wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks. They turned to look back at the action of the memory.
Justice Mauntlow-Kibblewhyte smiled at the young couple, he handed Harry and Hermione the rings.
Slipping the ring on Harry's hand she stated, "Harry, with this ring I thee wed, and pledge thee my troth..."
Slipping the ring on Hermione's hand he stated, "Hermione, with this ring I thee wed, and pledge thee my troth..."
"By the exchange of rings, the recitation of vows before these witnesses I now pronounce you husband and wife… You may now kiss the bride."
"With pleasure." Harry said as he leaned in to kiss Hermione for the first time upon the lips. He wrapped his arms lovingly around her waist and held her bare back with his hand as he pulled her close to him as she wrapped her loving arms around his neck holding him to her.
The sensation of their lips connecting for the first time sent shivers throughout both of them, each second deepening in passion and it wasn't until they heard a loud sniffle from Rita that they broke their kiss, both of them blushing and beginning to laugh.
"Oh that was so beautiful…" sniffed Rita as she dabbed at the tears streaming down her face. Stepping forward Rita kissed Harry on the cheek and then Hermione, "Thank you both for letting me be part of this wonderful experience."
Colin rushed up and began pumping Harry's hand enthusiastically, "Oh yes Harry this has been so exciting… to think you two married."
"You are both welcome." Harry said as he retrieved his hand from Colin. After a few more pictures the members of the press hurriedly saw them off, to enjoy their future as Mr. And Mrs. Harry James Potter.
"Oh my God Harry…" Hermione said as they left the pensieve and found themselves in the living room again of Trinity Towers.
"That was everything I had hoped it would be…" Harry said looking back into the top of the pensieve.
"You gave me the wedding of my dreams…" Hermione started to say.
"That is all I needed to know, that you were happy with how our wedding turned out. I'm just sorry that we did not remember it without help."
"Do you think we will ever have those memories back again someday?" Hermione asked watching Harry stare at the pensieve.
"I think with time… whatever it was that caused us to lose those memories will wear off and we will have all the memories and feelings of that special moment." Harry said as Hermione took his hand and looked at the pensieve as well.
"Harry?"
"Yes my love… what is it?"
"Remember how Albus wrote to us that there was another memory for us to witness?"
"Yes, are you wanting to visit those memories now?"
"Why do I see Bill and Fleur there along with Fred and George? I mean, I can understand Fred and George… but why Bill and Fleur… they weren't in our memories."
Harry looked down into the silvery fluid that made up the pensieve and stared. Sure enough, the oldest Weasley son was present with his wife Fleur.
"I wonder what that is all about." Harry pondered. "You know that there is only one way to find out don't you…"
"Yeah I do…" Hermione said pulling him closer to her, "But right now… I think I would really like to celebrate our wedding night again.
Harry's infamous grin creased his face and he said, "Oh you would… would you? Well Mrs. Potter… shall we adjourn to the bedroom?"
"I thought you would never ask." Hermione giggled as she practically dragged him up the stairs.
"I do believe I have been a bad influence on you…" Harry chuckled. "You are becoming incorrigible."
"Well why don't you influence me some more… perhaps I can redeem my value." Hermione said with a wink.
"With pleasure…" Harry said as he closed the door behind them.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This chapter has been had some changes made to the end of it, as I have noticed an error that ironically none of my readers had picked up on…
Here is finally the other half of the most requested chapter I have ever written… As I have mentioned before, the wedding dress that Hermione wears is a design that I had drawn up for my own wedding dress (minus the griffin it had roses instead) - that never got made ;-) as he had DUMPED me and married someone from his office…
Karma within the galactic plane is strange… it is because of my ex that I met my soul mate… When a couple of years later we did finally get married, I didn't go through the expense of having my dress made… to me it wasn't about a fancy wedding or how much we could spend… it was just exchanging vows with my own true beloved
Note written on July 18, 2004, On our way back from Canada, the children and I were in a car accident; totaling our car, however we walked away with no serious injuries. At the time I had my computer (at least the tower that is) in the trunk of the car, having taken it to my husband to work on. I also had in our possession my vast collection of computer discs as well as my entire collection of Harry Potter Books on CD.
When I had retrieved everything I could from the wreckage… I found that I had lost my entire collection of computer discs along with some of my Harry Potter discs. I was devastated… All the Harry and Hermione music videos I had collected, my genealogy, family pictures - now gone…
As I sat down to work on this story as well as others, I was terribly afraid that I had lost what I had written. I knew I had 'It Happened One Night' still on my hard drive, however, because of the fact that it had been in the car during the accident, I wasn't sure what condition it would be in or rather how much I had actually written on my hard drive (I had worked on this story when my hard-drive was also connected to my husbands computer).
Not only did God look out for my children and I keeping us basically uninjured (I do have some back and neck injuries but nothing that can't be taken care of with Physical Therapy), but Merlin kept my story safe… I have lost some of my work… including some of my professional stuff… That I will have to start over with… But, such is life… at least what is truly important - the kids and I are alive and well… everything else I will have to do as I always do… start over again from scratch…
I hope you enjoy… please remember what you have to do so that you are able to receive chapter updates! Who knows when I will update… that is the $1,000,000 question that even surprises me at times. Real life has a way of really messing about with fan fiction!
Peace,
As Always,
(`'.¸(`'o..¤..o'´)¸.'´)
´¨`o.* Muirnin *.o´¨`
(¸.'´(¸.o'´¤`'o.¸)`'.)
"An imaginative mind is a terrible thing to waste..."
@}>---'---,---
Queen Mother - Royal Family of Cliffies
WELCOME TO MY WORLD!!!! You never know what will come next…