Title: The Law
Summary: A law has been passed. Harry and Hermione must marry. What will the outcome be? -Response to a challenge set by lordanhur in the Forum part of PK.
Genre: Romance/None
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Never said I did… you can't sue me! Ha ha! :p
Ship: Harry/Hermione.
Spoilers: Books 1-5.
A/N: Thank you so much for this chapter Aly! You are the best!
Chapter 5
Thursday rolled around and the students were nervous wrecks. The ceremonies would start at nine and the Great Hall had been cut into twenty cubicles with aisles winding around to the entrance, much like a maze. Everyone in the castle had been up since the crack of dawn; the teachers getting the Great Hall set up and readying for the arrival of the Ministry Officials and the kids had been rushing around and waiting on pins and needles to meet their parents at the station at eight o' clock sharp.
Harry and Hermione were sitting on one of the benches at the station at 7:45 that morning. A strong breeze swept through and they hunkered down deeper into their cloaks, scarves wrapped tightly around their necks and burying their faces in the wool to keep their noses warm. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Hermione still shivering and furrowed his brow. [I]'Should I?'[/I] He asked himself, still looking at her. Well, she was going to be his . . . wife . . . he might as well get used to it, right?
Pulling his hand from his pocket Harry reached over and wrapped his arm around Hermione, pulling her close to his side. She glanced up at him, surprised, and a light blush spread over his cheeks as he smiled gently down at her. "I don't want you to be cold."
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione whispered, snuggling deeper into his embrace and sighing softly.
A few minutes later a train whistle blew in the distance and the couples milling around the station stood up and waited for the scarlet steam engine to pull into the station and for their parents to get off. The train pulled to a stop and after a puff of smoke the doors slid open, adults streaming off the train and looking around the station for their children.
Harry stood slowly and gripping Hermione's hand helped her to stand for her parents and Remus. After a few moments of looking, Harry heard his name being called and turned to see Remus waving at him over the heads of the many people and they started towards him.
"Oh Hermione!" Mrs. Granger cried as she rushed towards her daughter, throwing her arms around the young woman and holding her tightly against her chest. Harry's fiancé wrapped her arms around her mother tightly, clutching her almost desperately as she sobbed into her shoulder.
"Harry, how are you?" Remus Lupin asked, stepping forward with his hand outstretched. Harry gripped his hand tightly and shook before being pulled into a brief but tight hug and then being released. Harry smiled briefly and then looked over at Hermione who's father was gripping her tightly, face buried in her bushy, curly locks.
"I'm doing better than Hermione," Harry admitted softly. Remus nodded and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Harry," said Remus. "Everything will turn out alright."
*~~*
Mrs. Granger sighed heavily as she gazed at her daughter. She was dressed in a pale blue dress with black floral embroidery and black piping trim along the top. The satin dress was complimented by black strappy heels and the outfit was completed with princess cut diamond stud earrings.
Her daughter was fiddling with her hair in the mirror, tilting her head one way and then another. Mr. Granger was staring at her, resting on her four - poster bed with an intense look on his face. Mrs. Granger stood slowly and grabbed a pin from the desk as she walked over to her daughter, gathering the curls that had been tamed with sleek - easy's hair serum and quickly twisting the locks around, pushing the pin into her hair so that the lily glinted in the light. A few girls tumbled down and caressed her cheeks softly as she gazed at her mother.
"You look lovely, dear," Mrs. Granger said, resting her hands on her daughter's shoulders.
"Thank you, mum," Hermione said softly. Mrs. Granger nodded, gave her soft shoulders a tight squeeze just as a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," Mr. Granger said. The door opened and Remus stepped in, dressed nicely in robes of emerald green. He smiled warmly as he saw Hermione and she smiled nervously at him.
"Hermione," he said. "You look beautiful." A crimson blushed bloomed over Hermione's cheeks and she smiled wider.
"Thank you, Remus." He nodded and then glanced at her parents.
"We should head down to the Hall; the ceremony is supposed to start soon."
*~~*
Harry smiled tenderly at Hermione as she met him in the common room. He was dressed in black slacks with a perfect crease down the center, a white dress shirt with black robes over them, his cuffs peeking out beneath the soft fabric and his gold cuff links visible. His glasses had slid low on his nose and he annoyingly pushed them back up before running a hand through his impossibly messy hair.
"Hermione, you look . . . erm . . . pretty," he stuttered, smiling sheepishly as a blush graced his cheeks. She smiled happily at him and when she reached him gave him a tight hug.
"Thank you," she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. As she did so Harry tensed; kiss! Was he going to have to kiss Hermione?! What was he going to do?!
"The rings please," the official said, looking nervous that he was officiating the wedding of Harry Potter. Remus stepped forward and placed Hermione's ring in Harry's hand; it was a gold band in a V channel with eleven round diamonds. He smiled and slid it slowly onto her slender finger.
"Repeat after me," the official said. "With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring," Harry said softly. "I thee wed."
"Miss Granger, the ring please." Mr. Granger handed Hermione Harry's ring; it was a gold band with four round diamonds set in a diagonal line. "Repeat after me," the official said again. "With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed," Hermione said as she pushed the ring onto his finger.
"Very good," the official said. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Harry's emerald green eyes shifted nervously towards Remus and then to the Grangers. They smiled slightly at him, as did Remus and then he looked back at Hermione. One corner of her mouth lifted and she shook her head. "Harry, you don't have to -," she was cut off by Harry pressing his lips lightly to hers, giving her hand a tight squeeze and then pulling away just as quickly as it happened.
"Witnesses, please sign these papers and have a nice lunch," the official said. The adults signed the papers, picked up the picnic basket that had appeared by the entrance of the cubicle, and then ushered the couple out onto the grounds.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 5, done.
Chapter 6, next.
Please review!
~Just breathing.