Author's Notes: I'm pleased with the responses that I got. I appreciate it more than you know, so, please, keep reviewing! For those of you that love the movie, after this chapter, things may get a little more recognizable; I just had to take a few chapters and set everything up, because Harry and Hermione's situations are so different than those in the movie! And finally, for those of you eager to meet Hannah...she makes her first appearance in this chapter!
Chapter Three--Aftereffects
After Hermione's stunning display of digestive pyrotechnics, everybody agreed it was best to call it a night.
The group settled their bill and then walked to a nearby alley in order to safely Apparate.
Hermione was being supported by Ron and Harry. Draco said good-bye and left with a small 'pop'. Neville looked at Luna, whom he shared a flat with, and she shrugged.
"I'm waiting for Ron," she blushed, and Neville turned red and mumbled, "Bloody well make sure you use silencing charms this time, won't you?" and he too, Disapparated.
"Good-bye, everyone," Ginny said then, looking at Hermione worriedly. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "You'll take care of her, won't you, Ron?"
The gangly wizard nodded. Ginny left, and Luna looked at him expectantly.
"Uh, Harry, do you think..." he trailed off, appearing nervous. "It's just that Fridays, Luna and I usually stay the night with each other, and this week it's at her flat..."
Harry's eyes widened. "You two are together now?'
Both of his friends blushed. Harry smiled weakly. "I'm happy for you. Listen, it's no problem, I'll just tuck Hermione in at her flat, and everything will be fine. I can handle it."
"She's in no condition to Apparate, mate," Ron told Harry. Hermione's flat was just outside of London.
"I'll take her to our place, then," agreed Harry, "It's walking distance."
Ron glared at him. Honestly, when had Harry become so daft?
"Oh," said Harry sheepishly as Hermione nearly fell over and he had to tighten his grip on her waist. "Uh...a cab, then?"
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When Harry managed to finally get Hermione up the stairs, she sank gratefully on the couch. She remained silent, and Harry assumed that she had passed out.
He glanced around his flat--the flat that he hadn't seen for two months. Ron hadn't changed much. There was Cannons memorabilia everywhere, a sink full of dirty dishes, and a pile of socks near the door. Harry squinted...in fact, wasn't that the same pile of socks that had been there when he'd left? He shrugged and sighed contentedly. It was good to be home.
"That wassssupposed to be my wedding," slurred Hermione, her words blending together. "Aurooora Borealissss." Harry jumped, startled.
"I thought you were out," he said softly, sitting on the edge of the cushion, leaning over her.
"Yeah," mumbled Hermione.
Harry frowned. "You must be awfully uncomfortable, doll. C'mon, let's get you to bed." He stood up and scooped the skinny witch into his arms and carried her down the hall and into a door on the right--his bedroom. He didn't dare go in Ron's bedroom, because Merlin only knew what was growing in there. No doubt the smell alone would make Mione sick again.
Harry's room was decorated in dark greens, courtesy of Hermione herself, who'd been disgusted at the mismatching Harry had in there before her interfering one weekend.
Harry settled his best mate on the bed and removed her chunky black shoes.
'I thought she seemed taller tonight," he observed amusedly.
"You should change into some pajamas, Mione," he urged. He rummaged through his wardrobe for a moment, pulling out an old Quidditch jersey of his.
"Hermione," he said impatiently. She waved him away in an annoyed fashion, her eyes closed. He sighed. Drunk Hermione was always a pain in the ass...this scenario had definitely been done before, and since he knew how it ended, he quit trying to talk sense to the stubborn witch.
He flicked his wand and removed her shirt, leaving her clad in just a bra for a moment while he switched it for the jersey.
Harry swallowed hard. He'd taken care of Hermione a bunch of times before. She and Ron had shared a flat with him when they were just out of Hogwarts--he'd seen her in her bra before, and he'd always tried to be a gentleman about it and not look too closely...
But tonight, tonight, his eyes seemed drawn to her, and he couldn't help but notice how delicately smooth the skin on her stomach looked, how soft and perfectly curved her breasts seemed...
The wizard shook his head firmly, trying to clear those thoughts. He was engaged! And besides, he didn't think of Hermione as anything more than a friend. He tried to forget the image of her half naked form as she finally opened her eyes again and stared at him.
Hermione giggled and pulled off her black linen trousers, crawling to the edge of Harry's huge bed and dropping them on the floor. Harry stifled a laugh. Hermione looked like a little child in his oversized shirt. He gentle grabbed her around the middle and eased her under the thick duvet, sitting next to her on the edge of the mattress.
She frowned sleepily. "I am not a child Harry Potter! I am perfectly capable of taking care for me myself!" She paused. "For me myself?" She laughed. "That makes no sense, Harry!"
Harry smiled and shook his head again. 'Why have I missed this again?' he silently wondered.
"Alcohol hits you really quick, Mione, it always had...I don't know why you insist on drinking," mumbled Harry, summoning a cold washcloth and placing it on her head, smoothing back her hair.
"Me?" she squeaked, trying to sit up. Harry pushed her gently back down.
"My Harry..." smiled Hermione, reaching up to touch his face. She gazed at him adoringly, and Harry felt his stomach flip. 'Ah, so that was why I missed this,' he thought. Harry knew that no matter what, Hermione would always love him, would always look at him that way, would always support him...'Ron, too,' he added as an afterthought.
'Stomach flips' he thought as she ran the hand along his cheek. 'I wonder why her eyes always do that to me.'
He grinned and kissed the back of her hand, shrugging off his questions.
"My Hermione," he laughed back. "I've missed you...and Ron and everyone."
"Glad you're home, Harry."
"This is where I belong, Mione."
"Mmhmmm," mumbled Hermione, her eyes fluttering shut.
Harry started to get up, but Hermione reached out and tugged on his hand.
"Stay? Until I fall asleep?"
"Okay," Harry agreed, nestling himself beside her. "Until you fall asleep."
Hermione snuggled against his chest.
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"I dunno, mate, she seemed really upset last night," continued Harry, his green eyes swirling with confusion.
"Merlin's beard, Harry, we were all upset. That was the last thing we ever expected you to announce!" replied Ron, sipping his coffee. He had come home a few minutes before, to find Harry brooding in the kitchen and Hermione asleep in Harry's bed.
"Do you think she'd still be willing to plan my wedding, though? She's the best, Ron. I know it was a surprise, but I love Hannah. I want Hannah to have the best. And Hermione's the best."
"I dunno if she's going--"
"I'll do it," interrupted a voice from the doorway. The boys turned around guiltily to find a bedraggled Hermione.
She had heard every word, and she had felt a small stab of pain when Harry mentioned Hannah.
Hannah. How she hated that name!
But why? What reason did she have? It was silly, absolutely ridiculous. She set her jaw. Harry was her best friend in the whole world, and she was going to make his wedding the most beautiful in a century.
Right after she got rid of this hangover.
Hermione continued on into the kitchen, kissing Ron and Harry on top of the head. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat between the two men.
"How do you feel?"
"Like a female version of Snape," she muttered grumpily, and her friends laughed.
"Perhaps this will help," said Ron, and he reached into his robes and pulled out a vile.
Hermione uncorked it and sniffed it. "Hangover cure, yes!" She downed it in one gulp. The results were immediate and she looked much better.
"Courtesy of Luna," dismissed Ron.
"All right," Hermione clapped her hands. "Now about this wedding..."
"Yes, about the wedding...." replied Harry.
"Now, if we want everything to be ready for the Aurora Borealis, we have a lot of work to do..."
"Actually, Hermione, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"What?"
Harry cast a nervous glance at Ron. "Hannah owled me this morning. She's decided that it would be better for us to be married before next school term, seeing as she's been offered a job at Beauxbatons. They need her to start as soon as possible."
Hermione stared at him and Ron nearly choked.
"FRANCE! Harry, that means you'd have to move to France!"
"Oh, Ron, come off it, so it'll take me ten more seconds to Apparate to your flat, big deal."
"You said this is where you belong," Hermione reminded him quietly. "You said it last night."
Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Come on, mates, we'll still see each other a lot more, it's not like I'll still be an Auror...I'll just be a bit farther away than around the corner. Try to understand, this is a great opportunity for Hannah...I mean, her specialty is Ancient Runes, she's brilliant at it, and she's always wanted to teach..." Harry trailed off, then shook his head. "Anyway, I've agreed to do as she wishes, which means the wedding has been moved up to December twenty-third."
"December twenty-third?" screeched Hermione. "You're joking, right? That's, like, three months, Harry!"
"I'm aware of that, Hermione," replied the man dryly.
"Okay. Okay," breathed Hermione, chewing her lip thoughtfully.
"It'll be tough," she said finally, "But I can do it."
"Great," sighed Harry with relief. "Because a wedding's just not a wedding without you, Hermione."
Ron rolled his eyes as he two best friends smiled at one another. Were they going to get a clue before it was too late?
Hiding behind his coffee cup, Ron smirked.
'Yes', he thought, 'They will get a clue, even if Luna and I have to make them.'
Just then, the doorbell rang. Hermione stood up, startled. "It's probably the bloody paparazzi, wanting to interview Harry again," she grumbled, "I'll get rid of them, they don't forget my hexes too soon."
Picking up her wand from near the front door, Hermione removed the wards with a flick and opened it.
A tiny blonde woman with hazel eyes and a bright smile stood in front of the door, clutching a trunk. She was unmistakably Hannah Abbott.
Hermione hated her at once.
Hannah frowned, eyeing Harry's jersey, but had recovered her irritatingly happy smile in a moment. "Hermione Granger," she said in a sticky sweet voice. "You haven't changed a bit." She extended her hand, which (Hermione noted with disgust) was perfectly manicured. "Hannah Abbott," she said, smiling. Then she giggled. "Oh, what am I doing, you're my maid of honor!" And with that, she launched herself at Hermione.
"Ooof," grunted Hermione, breaking away from the hug quickly. She turned around and shouted for Harry..
"Hey, Potter! You'd better get your lazy self to the door and say hello to your girlfriend!" she yelled.
"Fiancee," corrected Hannah, holding up her left hand. On it sat a large diamond flanked by two sapphires. Hermione grimaced. She'd have bet her wand that Harry hadn't picked that gaudy thing out. It just wasn't his style.
"Let me guess," said Hermione, matching Hannah's saccharine tone as Harry entered the room, "Harry didn't pick that out, did he?"
"Nah, I didn't want to mess up, so I took Anna-Banana here to pick out what she liked," supplied Harry, tickling Hermione's side as he passed by.
The two lovebirds embraced warmly, and Hermione turned back towards the kitchen, where Ron was standing in the doorway, looking amused.
"Anna-Banana?" Hermione mouthed.
Ron shrugged.
Harry broke away from his fiancee. "So what are you doing here! I haven't activated the wards to recognize you or anything, you weren't supposed to be here for another week!"
"I missed my Harry-Bear," she said, pouting her lip.
Harry looked at his best friends. "Didn't I tell you she was the greatest?"
Hermione and Ron both nodded with horribly stiff smiles, and Hermione was pleased to see Ron making gagging motions as soon as Harry's back was turned.
At least she wasn't the only one pretending for Harry's sake.
"Besides," continued Hannah, "Now that we moved up the wedding, I put in a few calls. Hermione and I've got millions of things to do, don't we Hermione?" Hannah turned to Harry before waiting for a response. "She did agree to plan the wedding, didn't she?"
"Yes," interrupted Hermione, "I did."
"Perfect! Tomorrow I have to join my mother and sisters and girlfriends at the bridal shop, and you can come and help me with that, as well as picking out your bridesmaids dresses!" Hannah clapped her hands delightedly.
'Good grief, this witch needs to quit taking the mickey,' thought Hermione. Then she put on her best game face.
"Goody," gushed Hermione, gritting her teeth.
Harry and Hannah beamed at one another.
Hermione stepped past Ron and banged her head on the counter.
It was going to be a long three months.