A challenge set by Muirnin
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.
Requirements:
· -H and H are single in the beginning.
· -Harry and Hermione go out, without Ron, to celebrate/forget their shame (your choice) about whatever event you choose.
· -They get drunk. And when I say drunk, I mean, drunk. So drunk they can hardly see straight.
· -While being drunk, H and H think of the bright idea of getting married. Going to a drivethrough wizarding wedding chapel (Do they have those in England? If not, they can use a Portkey and go to Vegas...) they get married.
· -Wizarding wedding are much different. When a couple gets married, they are bound together for life. The only was for them to 'seperate' or 'divorce' is if both of the people want, truly, out of the marriage. Their wedding rings are the symbol--if the ring won't come off, the couple can't divorce.
· -Media has a field day with this...
· -Harry and Hermione are trying all they can to get a divorce, but, alas, it seems their rings just won't come off...
· -Can be either chaptered or one shot.
Irrevocably Yours
"I can't believe this!" Ron screamed as he slammed the Daily Prophet on the coffee table. "You two got married without me! My two best friends!"
"Ron, calm down my head still hurts," Hermione told him. "Besides those pictures could be just a hoax to try to sell the depleting sales of the Prophet. Let me get the potion for hangover first and then we can all read the article together."
Hermione summoned the potion and gave Ron and Harry each a flask. They drank them and their headaches and bloodshot eyes immediately disintegrated.
"Okay, I think I'm back to normal. Let's see the paper." Harry told Ron.
In the front page of the Prophet was the headline "The Truth Comes Out" with a picture of Harry and Hermione looking at each other smiling with their wrist bound with a rope and what looks like a magistrate in the background.
"All the years of denying their relationship as being more than friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger finally showed the whole wizarding world what their relationship really was. In the late hours of the morning the owner of Gretna Green(wizarding side), a well known establishment for quick marriages near the border of Scotland and England, was awaken during his deep slumber by none other than Harry Potter. He was described as being impatient but quite pleasant as he asked for the Magistrate to perform the old traditional handfasting ceremony for him and Hermione Granger, his best friend for more than a decade.
The bride and groom looked amazingly happy as they exchanged vows. The only thing missing from the ceremony were their family and friends, which wasn't necessary since there were many people who'd obliged to be witnesses to the ceremony. It was quite romantic if I do say so myself, but sources say though they looked normal, they seemed to be in a somewhat different state of mind. Or did they get married for a different reason. Could there be a little Potter on the way? Is that the reason for the hasty ceremony? Witnesses however did not think so. They told me that they didn't seem to be nervous or agitated or troubled as is the case for those who were married for other reasons.
"I think they were just drunk on love," said Mrs. Kirkland who was pulled in as one of the witness.
After the ceremony, the couple rushed away to an undisclosed location to begin their honeymoon. So to all of you young ladies out there who'd been hopeful in trying to get Harry Potter's attention, I'm sorry to tell you that he's no longer available. ………."
"I don't believe this!" Harry exclaimed. "How could Rita Skeeter do this to us? Does she hate us that much?"
"If I get my hands on her, I will not be so forgiving this time," Hermione voiced.
"What are you two talking about? You don't remember getting married?" Ron asked incredulously.
"Why would Harry and I do a thing like that, Ron? We haven't even dated let alone have any real interest in one another," Hermione blushed as she let out the last statement. She had been secretly harboring her love for Harry since their fourth year, but she didn't want to tell him because she was afraid she'd lose him as a friend and she didn't want to add any more pressure on him on top of saving the world from Voldemort.
"Hermione's right. She doesn't think of me in that way. We're just best friends."
"Right." Ron answered suspiciously. "So tell me this. Why is it that the people in the picture are wearing the exact same clothes you two were wearing last night when we decided to go out and drink up in memory of Sirius? And tell me where you slept last night? And another thing what the bloody hell do you call those things on your fingers?" He pointed at the wedding bands. They looked like simple platinum bands.
"I don't know Ron," Harry answered perturbed by the questions he couldn't answer himself except for the last one. He had awaken with Hermione in his arms and naked in his bed. They'd immediately kicked themselves in the arse when they got up quickly agitated their pounding headaches immediately.
They decided to get dressed and talk about it in a rational manner when Ron found them in their living room. He spent the night at Luna's after he passed out on the table in the Three Broomsticks.
They each tried to remove the wedding bands after realizing that they each had one on their finger, but the rings wouldn't budge. They decided to take care of their headaches first before tackling the bands.
"Ron, we'd tell you the truth if we could remember what happened last night," Hermione answered matter of factly.
"What? You mean to tell me it could be true? All of those things that that Skeeter wrote could be true?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other they both blushed a brilliant red that put Ron's flaming head to shame.
"Merlin! You two slept together didn't you?"
"Well, yes. We did, Ron. But the sad part is we can't remember getting there in the first place!" Harry immediately put his arms around Hermione instinctively. He'd done it many times to comfort her, but somehow putting his arms around her was different. She felt it too.
"You two don't remember a thing?"
"No. After Luna took you home, the only thing I remember is ordering more drinks and walking home with Hermione. But I don't remember ever getting home, my next memory is waking up with Hermione next to me in the buff."
"Spare me the details will you? I just want to know if you actually got married."
"How would we know? We can't remember ourselves what happened."
"Hang on." Harry interrupted. "I do remember seeing my mum and dad with Sirius. They were smiling at me. There was a bright white light and then they disappeared."
"Okay, Harry. I think you were delusional is all. You did have quite too much to drink."
"No, I remember seeing them too now that you mention it."
"Okay, now that is a little weird. If both of you saw the same mirage, then it has to be something else."
Just then they heard the pounding on the door. Ron got up and opened it and in the doorway was half of the entire Weasley clan headed by Molly and Ginny. Molly pushed Ron aside not waiting for an invitation to enter.
"What is the meaning of this Harry Potter? How dare you and Hermione get married without so much as a word to your families!" The twins were chuckling enjoying the fact that they weren't on the receiving end of their mother's fury for once. Ginny had a smirk on her face almost telling them `now you're going to get it.'
"Now, Molly. Why don't you let the children explain? I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation for what is written in the paper." Arthur tried to calm his wife down.
"Well, we're waiting. What have you to say for yourselves?"
"Er, we can't remember," answered Harry weakly as he stood behind Hermione with both his hands on his shoulder. The twins burst out laughing and were instantaneously silenced by one look from their mother. At 23 they were still young enough to get boxed in the ears by their mother.
"Mum, we were trying to figure it out before you all arrived. I was asking Harry and Hermione the same thing. They can't seem to remember anything from seeing James, Lily and Sirius up to waking up naked in bed." Harry and Hermione glared at Ron for giving out too much information. The twins again burst out laughing and Ginny was starting to feel sorry for the both of them.
"What?!"
"Well, after Ron past out and Luna took him home," Harry started. Ron glared at him for letting that one out. Harry looked back at him as if to say `payback is a b***ch.' "Hermione and I drank a little more but not too much that we couldn't find our way home. We were walking home when we saw my mum, dad and Sirius. They were telling us something or casting a spell because before we knew it there was a bright white light and then the rest is history."
Arthur and Molly looked at each other. They seem to know what had taken place. Harry and Hermione didn't miss the exchange.
"You know what happened to us, don't you?" Hermione asked.
"I think we'd better call Remus and Dumbledore over. They are more equipped in explaining this sort of thing. Besides, Remus knew Sirius and James more."
They decided to use the floo since it was faster than the owl. They were hoping that Remus was near the fireplace at Grimmauld Place. Harry decided to let Remus stay at Grimmauld after Sirius left it for him and the rest of what was in his vault. It was still being used at the headquarter for the Order who still had to find hidden followers of Voldemort even after Harry defeated him three years before.
Harry, Hermione and Ron went through the Auror Training and finished at the top of their class. But Ron wasn't really happy with being an Auror so he'd decided to pursue his first love, Quidditch. He became a second string keeper for Puddlemere until the Chuddley Canons offered him the first string keeper position during the middle of the season.
Harry on the other hand became a part time unspeakable for the department of mysteries. All the other times he spends his time training new recruits for the auror programs. It was important for him remain as an auror but not as a regular field agent. His fame would not allow him to freely work on missions without the media getting in the middle immediately disrupting his work.
Hermione took the position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and the new Head of Griffyndor after the training. She knew she wanted to share her knowledge with people and what better way than to teach the younger generation the best way to protect themselves just in case another ambitious person tried to reprise the role of Dark Lord. In her spare time she was also busy editing and adding to the new edition of Hogwarts: A History.
Within ten minutes Remus and Dumbledore were knocking at the door. Remus had a big smile on his face, as did Dumbledore.
"Harry, Hermione. Congratulations!" Remus exclaimed as he walked over to give them both a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"My congratulations to the both of you." Dumbledore told them. "Of course I was a bit surprised that you hadn't informed us, but that's neither here nor there. I want to hear all about it."
"Er, well that's why we called you here. We can't remember anything from the time we saw mum, dad and Sirius and this morning." Harry blushed as he recounted once again what they remembered the vision.
"Hmm! That's sounds familiar. I remember Sirius doing a spell like that on Snape once." All head turned to Remus. "Well, it's almost the same as the memory charm only the spell will give the recipients courage to live out their deepest and darkest secret. Once that happens the spell is supposed to wear out leaving the recipients memories in tact. I don't understand why neither of you remember what happened."
"Ah, is that what you Marauders used on Severus during your last term at Hogwarts. I always wondered what brought on the change in Severus. But Severus was not intoxicated when you performed the spell. That may be what happened in Harry's and Hermione's case."
"Well, since we were drunk and all, couldn't the Minister of Magic annul our marriage?" asked Harry. Hermione looked disappointed and kept her head downcast. "I mean, I don't know if Hermione wants to stay married to me. We have to talk about it."
"Well, I suggest you talk about your future as husband and wife because unless the marriage was not consummated, there may not be a way out of the marriage especially if there were so many witnesses." Molly put in. Harry and Hermione looked at each other with mixed feelings, happiness and anxiety.
"Sir, is there anyway you can help us remember what we said and what we did for the past eight hours?" Harry asked Dumbledore.
"Well, I'm sure I can accommodate. Okay, the rest of you have to leave." There were plenty of rumblings but they walked out of the house.
"We'll be nearby dears," Molly called out.
"Now, I will ask the two of you to face each other and hold each other's hands." They did as they were told. Dumbledore waved his wand and let out an incantation. "Within their hearts and wildest dreams, let each be known in their memories. What has transpired between them and what lies within them, let all be revealed with but one kiss. " "Now kiss each other."
"What?!" the two of them in unison as if appalled at the suggestion.
"Kiss each other so that the spell will work." As if an invisible force were pulling Harry towards Hermione's lips, he leaned down and placed a soft and gentle kiss on her lips. Just as their lips touched they were jolted back as if hit by lightning.
The memory started flowing into their minds starting from their encounter with Sirius, James and Lily.
"Mum, Dad, Sirius? Hermione, I must be really sloshed if I'm seeing the dead." He hadn't realized it but he'd been holding Hermione's hands since they left the three broomsticks.
"Well, if you're sloshed, then I must be too because I see them in front of me."
"Hello my darling baby." Lily smiled.
"He's not a baby anymore my love." James commented.
"He's right Lily. Harry's a man now."
"Oh, hush you two. Sorry Harry. We've just come to help you and Hermione with a bit of a problem you two seem to have."
"Oh, but Harry and I don't have a problem Mrs. Potter," Hermione said.
"Please call me Lily. Oh, but you do." James and Sirius smirked.
Lily, James and Sirius took their wands out and started the incantation.
"As Gryffindors with an abundance of courage,
give them strength and not be discouraged
to show each other their secrets of love
and to share their passions or the lack thereof."
The bright white light hit Harry and Hermione and Lily, James and Sirius disappeared. Harry looked down at their joined hands and then looked into Hermione's eyes. Hermione had never ever seen Harry looked at her that way before and secretly she always hoped he would.
"Hermione, there's been something I've been wanting to tell you for quite a while now, but I'd just been afraid to do so."
"What is it?" she asked. Her heart was thumping and her head cleared instantly except for a mild buzz.
"Hermione," he stopped and instead of talking he cupped Hermione's face in his hands and brought her lips to his. They kissed each other with raw passion they'd stored in their hearts for years. She immediately let Harry's tongue in to explore her mouth as she did the same to his. After a few minutes they stopped, breathless and heated from the kiss.
"I love you, Hermione." Harry confessed.
"Oh, Harry. You don't know how long I have been waiting for you to say that."
"You mean. You…." She nodded.
"Yes, Harry. I love you too and I have for a while now."
"I feel stupid."
"Why?"
"Because here I was thinking you didn't like me in that way and I couldn't bring myself to tell you and risk the chance of losing you as a friend or not being in my life. I'd rather have had you in my life and be your friend than to not have you in my life at all."
"Okay, then I feel just as stupid because I feel the same way. Every time you took a girl out on a date and not come home, I felt like bashing their heads in."
"I'm sorry Hermione. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way. I was trying to get you out of my system and failing miserably. Every time I went out with someone I compared her to you. When I kissed her, I'd pretend I was kissing you. What a pair we are?"
"Idiots are what we are. Oh how I wish I'd told you sooner."
"Will you marry me?" He told her suddenly. She smiled up at him.
"Yes. It would be my pleasure to marry you."
"Right now?"
"Harry, it's almost two in the morning. Who would marry us at this time of night?"
"I know a place. Trust me."
"I trust you and I love you." She kissed him on his lips and they apparated to Gretna Green.
"Harry, you're sure this place is okay."
"Yeah, I've heard loads of stories about it. It's a famous place where people usually get married fast without questions especially when there were scandals involved.
They had been busy preparing themselves and waking up the magistrate to notice the beetle who'd followed them discreetly when she saw them kissing in the middle of the road of Hogsmeade.
The magistrate was a bit grumpy, but the galleons soon changed his mind. He asked if they had their rings and they stuttered and told the magistrate they haven't thought about that. He grumbled some more telling them that they had some rings for sale if they were interested.
"I have an idea. Let's transfigure the locket you gave me last Christmas and put a spell on the rings," Hermione said.
Harry removed the locket from Hermione's neck and laid it on the podium before them.
"ANULUS!" they exclaimed simultaneously. The locket changed into two beautiful platinum rings with the date inscribed along with Harry * Hermione in the inside of the band.
"Okay, then. Shall we begin?" The magistrate started a little miffed that he didn't make more money off of them. Then again he felt that after performing the Harry Potter's wedding he would have gained some free press and a bit of fame himself. He smiled then and continued the ceremony.
Harry and Hermione decided to include a spell in their vows. Somehow they had a feeling that if they became sober, they would try to get out of the marriage and continue loving each other in secret.
"Hermione, my life, my love and my soul. With my heart I give you my love, with my mind I give you my love, with my body I give you my love and with my soul I give you my love. I love you, cherish you and bound to you for eternity. There will be no magic strong enough to break this marriage because I am irrevocably yours."
He placed the ring on Hermione's finger. "Take this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion."
"Harry. You are my life, my love and my soul. I give you my heart full of love. I give you my mind, body and soul for all eternity. This rope that binds us let no man or magic break because I promise to be irrevocably yours as you are irrevocably mine."
She placed the ring on Harry's finger. "Take this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion."
As soon as both rings were on their finger, a brilliant white light erupted from the rings as if to seal their vows to one another.
The magistrate was a bit stunned as well. Never in his life had he witnessed what took place in front of his eyes. He'd married many couples, but he'd told them that nothing that spectacular ever happened after they exchanged rings. After a few seconds, he'd recovered and told Harry to kiss his bride. As soon as he kissed Hermione, they disapparated from the altar and were in front of their home.
They rushed into the house. Harry even carried Hermione over the threshold and up into his bedroom. They became like two insatiable passionate people.
"Hermione," Harry asked trying to remove the clasp to her brassiere.
"In the front, honey," she answered as they kept devouring each other's mouths. They were both in the buff when he decided to enter and just then Hermione decided to tell him that it was her first time.
He tensed and entered her slowly. He kissed her just before he plunged to break her most preciously guarded innocence. He waited until the pain abated until they both started moving toward their own magical ecstasy.
They lay sated afterwards and cuddled. They fell asleep. Harry's arm around and Hermione had her arm across his well-muscled abdomen. That was how they woke up the next day.
When they came apart after the memory was complete, they saw Dumbledore staring down at them.
"Well, how was your trip?" he smiled with his blue eyes twinkling. Harry and Hermione remained speechless. "I guess the ultimate test would be to try to remove the rings that symbolizes your exchange of vows. If they can be easily removed without any magical assistance, then your marriage vows will become null and void allowing you both to become single again. However, if they cannot be removed by simply pulling it off your fingers, then the vows remain and you two shall be married for as long as you both shall live."
Hermione and Harry looked at each other warily. Each did not want to try to remove the ring, yet each not wanting to trap the other into a marriage they did not participate in with the right state of mind.
"Sir, if we could have a moment to discuss something first," Harry asked Dumbledore.
"Sure, Harry. But remember. You have to remove your rings in front of witnesses in order for the action to be valid. Someone has to be able to recount the actions verifying that no magical spells were involved in the removal." He nodded as Dumbledore stepped outside where he was inundated with questions from the others they knew would be waiting right outside the door.
Harry turned to Hermione who had her head down staring at the ring. He put his finger to her chin and brought her face to face to him. "Hermione, I know what happened to us, well, let's just say wasn't normal…."
"Harry…" she interrupted. Her heart was beating fast. She didn't want their marriage to end even if they were under some type of spell. She'd waited for so long to be with Harry. She'd saved herself for him hoping that one day he would notice her and profess his undying love for her.
"Let me finish," he told her and placed a finger on her lips to silence her. He knew that he needed to tell her how he felt. If he rejected her, they would remain friends and nothing would take that away from them. He had to make sure that she knew where he stood on their marriage. "I've never imagined being married to you would turn out the way it had. I had somehow envisioned you in a beautiful white dress, we'd have dated for a while and I'd have asked you on my knees to marry you." Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Harry dreamed of marrying her!
"I'm sorry I've never had enough courage to tell you that I love you without being under a spell of all things. I do love you, Hermione. I have for a while and I would like to stay married with you even if we had to do it over again, this time with you in a white dress and with our families surrounding us." He went down on one knee in front of her. "Will you marry me, again?" Hermione already had tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe her most deepest dream was finally coming true. She was all choked up that all she could do was nod.
Harry took her in his arms. He looked into her eyes and wipe away her tears then kissed her as gently as he could while he repressed all the passion he felt inside him. He knew he'd made a right decision. He loved her and he knew he couldn't live without her.
"Yes," she whispered. "I would love to marry you again."
"I guess we'd better tell those people outside they can come in now even though I know they'd probably been listening to every bloody word we'd said." Just then the front door burst open with Ron heading the group. He ran to give them both a hug.
"It's about bloody time!" he exclaimed.
After all the hugs and congratulations were done, Ginny asked, "Just out of curiosity, could you two try to remove your rings to see if they'd had come off?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "On the count of three?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded and on the count of three they tried to pry the wedding rings out of their finger but to no avail. The rings would not come off.
Everyone let out a hoot as the couple faced each other and smiled knowing that the action had just proven how strong their love for each other really was. They decided for Dumbledore to remarry them the following week. They would only invite their closest friends and families. They decided to owl Hermione's parents immediately after everyone left.
Ron wanted them to have time alone so he left to let Luna know about Harry and Hermione and to tell her that she had the exclusive right to cover the event for the Quibbler.
Harry and Hermione sat on their couch just cuddling when they looked up and saw Lily, James and Sirius looking down at them.
"Thank you," Harry told them.
They smiled and disappeared. He looked at his wife. He still couldn't believe Hermione was actually his wife. He kissed the top of her head.
"You know," he started. "I don't quite remember what happened last night."
Hermione looked up mirroring the twinkle in his green eyes. "Really, then I guess we'd better try again to see if I can jog your poor memory." She smiled as Harry lifted her up from the couch and took her to his bedroom. They didn't his room for the next few days.
The End
A/N: So, how did I meet up with the challenge? Hope it met all the requirements. Anyone in the US watch the TV premiere of the Sorcerer's stone. It included the preview of Azkaban and commentaries from Dan, Emma and Rupert. They've grown a lot. I can't wait for the movie which they said was due out on June 4th? I thought it was June 23rd, but hey who can complain if it's out earlier, right?