Journey Home by Jardyn39
Chapter Six: Arrangements
Harry slammed the passenger door to the car and fumbled for the seat-belt. He had barely clicked the belt into place before Mr Granger reversed expertly off the driveway and then drove them off down the road.
He had no idea where they were going, but when Mr Granger offered him a chance to get out of the house, Harry had jumped at the opportunity.
Although Harry had always enjoyed the company of Hermione's parents, he noticed a definite change in their attitude towards him since they had announced their engagement.
Harry remembered how uncertain he was when he first got to know them. He quickly realised how remarkably tolerant and supportive they were. It couldn't have been easy seeing their only daughter go off into a strange new world, end then associate herself with himself. He'd lost count of the number of times being associated with him had placed Hermione at risk.
When Hermione's parents first became aware of their relationship, Harry found Mr Granger to be a little distant but he always got on well with her mother. Harry accepted that it was never easy for a father to see his only daughter grow up, and made sure they remained on cordial terms.
Since their engagement, or rather, since they actually began to organise the wedding, things had changed slightly.
For himself, Harry was in no hurry to set an actual wedding date. He was perfectly happy as they were and supposed Hermione would pick a day that would suit them. For a while, Hermione didn't seem in too much of a hurry to set a date either.
Harry was sure that changed when Mrs Granger got involved. Suddenly, and Harry could see no reason for it, Harry was seen as obstructive and difficult just because he didn't want to choose the flowers for an event that would occur months ahead.
His attempts to explain that such details weren't that important just got him into hotter water with his future mother in law.
To Harry's surprise, Mr Granger became rather sympathetic towards him from that point on.
"Just agree to anything they want, Harry," he had advised when the two of them had sneaked off when their partners weren't looking. "They go kind of mental. The best advice I can give is go with the flow."
Harry and Hermione had decided that their wedding would be entirely Muggle. They hoped to avoid the mania that surrounded both Harry and Hermione in the magical world these days.
Harry had imagined they would have a small ceremony accompanied by their closest friends and family, a dream which he all but abandoned after the first of Mrs Granger organisational arrangement meetings.
At one point he seriously considered transfiguring Mrs Granger into something less annoying. He was just making up a list of potential animals, when Hermione caught him.
She wasn't pleased.
The car came to a halt in a parking space. Harry realised he had no idea where he was as he struggled to extricate himself from the seatbelt.
They locked the car and Harry followed Mr Granger as he made his way the short distance across the newly laid tarmacadam surface and through the automatic doors.
*
Harry sat in the Granger's living room looking through the glossy brochures they had picked up. There was something very enticing about the luxurious satin feel card and expensive printing.
Hermione came in and immediately eyed the brochures suspiciously.
Harry was certain Hermione wouldn't believe the story Mr Granger had insisted they stick to. Namely, that Mr Granger had dragged Harry out of the house so he could calm down and talked into being reasonable. They had ended up in the car showroom by shear coincidence and had looked around for something to do before returning.
As Mr Granger constantly reminded Harry on the way back, they absolutely had not been for a test drive, they hadn't signed anything and they definitely hadn't paid a deposit.
"You can't even drive, Harry," said Hermione.
"We could learn," he replied, deciding that it perhaps wasn't the time to admit he could now drive, having been sent on a genuine Muggle Advanced Driver Course as part of his Auror training. It was sometimes very handy being able to use alternative transport. Of course, he would need to pass the test and get a proper Driving Licence.
"But, we don't need a car."
"Well, these kinds of cars aren't exactly sold on a need basis."
"They aren't very ecological."
"What car is?"
"Where would you keep it?"
Harry grinned at her, and it was only then that Hermione appeared to realise he wasn't serious.
Hermione sat down next to him and began to look through the brochures as well.
"So what colour do you like?" she asked, "I like this red one."
"That one that happens to be rather quick."
"Really? I just like the colour."
"What about this nice metallic blue one?"
"Depends, how fast does it go?"
*
As Harry stretched out on the living room settee later that evening, having just put out the lights, he realised that he needed to work a lot harder at the whole, "going with the flow," thing, as Mr Granger had put it.
Harry felt he had done well, at the beginning, that is.
Dinner that Saturday evening had been friendly and even enjoyable for the most part. Admittedly, this was in no small part due to Mr Granger hastily changing the subject whenever anything remotely wedding related was mentioned.
Eventually, though, Mrs Granger wouldn't be put off any more.
Out came her brand new, multi-coloured, neatly labelled box files. Harry was sure there had only been four that morning. Now there were two more!
Harry managed to nod and smile at Hermione's prompts.
Yes, that flower arrangement would be perfect.
Yes, we just have to have that photographer.
Yes, we were so lucky to book the church we wanted.
At this point Harry almost failed to give the required answer. Thankfully, Mr Granger pushed a glass of his favourite scotch into his hands and Harry regained his composure.
No, that other church would have been far too small.
Yes, the hall would be perfectly situated for the reception.
Yes, that Rolls Royce would be perfect. Of course we need three!
And so on.
Towards the end, Harry wasn't paying a blind bit of notice. One eye kept drifting towards the football game on the television. Harry had no idea who was playing, and he wasn't likely to find out soon as, in deference to Mrs Granger's wishes, the sound was muted.
Harry felt another piece of paper being thrust into his hands.
He glanced down.
Harry would later wish he had just unfocussed, ignored whatever was on the paper and copy Hermione's, "yes," or, "no."
Had Mr Granger not become engrossed in the game at that point, perhaps he would have come to Harry's aid with another glass of something.
Unfortunately for Harry, he read the paper and then swore. Loudly.
*
Harry heard the living room door open and then close again. By the orange light of the street lamp outside, Harry watched Hermione's outline cross the room silently and join him on the settee.
She curled up next to him and he wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm really sorry, Hermione."
"Me too," she said softly, stretching up to kiss him. "I couldn't sleep and I couldn't bear it if we hadn't made up before the morning."
"I shouldn't have reacted like that."
"The catering quotation was a bit expensive, wasn't it?"
"Yes, but that wasn't it. We can afford it, but what about the number of places? I had no idea there would be so many."
"Well, Mum thought we'd want that many. There's also quite a few distant relatives to invite and a lot of their friends they want to come."
Harry sighed deeply.
"I'll go along with anything you want, Hermione. This is your day, after all."
"Our day, Harry," she corrected him.
"No, it won't be. To be entirely honest, I was really looking forward to a much smaller affair. Just our closest friends and your immediate family. I just feel that we've escaped very little by having a non-magic wedding. We're going to be a spectacle for the entertainment of hundreds of complete strangers."
They were quiet for a few moments.
"Is this really how you imagined you would marry?" Harry asked.
"I never thought I would marry, actually," she admitted. "But, no, this isn't what I imagined. Perhaps I should have a word with Mum."
"No, we should speak to your parents together, if we need to at all."
They were quiet again.
"Um," said Hermione tentatively, "have you given any thought to who you're going to ask to be best man?"
"No, I've spent most of my time trying to work out how we can smuggle Dobby and Winky into the service. I'd really like them to be there."
"That would be nice," she agreed sleepily.
Harry shook her gently.
"You can't sleep down here. I don't want another row with your mother, especially if we have bad news for her about her arrangements. Hermione, are you mucking about? Hermione!"
Hermione was fast asleep.
*
Mr Granger gave the living room door a discrete tap as he passed through the ground floor lobby on the way to the kitchen in the morning.
Hermione crept back upstairs and Harry staggered into the kitchen.
"Thanks," he muttered as Mr Granger placed a steaming mug of tea in front of him at the table, "for the tea too."
Mr Granger smiled and sat down opposite him with his own tea.
"I'm afraid Hermione and I want to change the wedding plans a little."
Mr Granger nodded and said gently, "Don't worry about it. She'll soon come around. I warned her you would want to scale things down a little."
Harry smiled and nodded.
*
To Harry's relief, Mrs Granger appeared to accept their wishes with regard to the wedding arrangements.
Indeed, she actually became quite enthusiastic again when Harry described how they would like the day to go.
The sit down reception was out completely, but a buffet would be far less ostentatious. As far as Hermione's family were concerned, Harry was a junior teacher and Hermione a lowly civil servant.
Harry also agreed that Mrs Granger could invite as many as she wanted for the afternoon reception, which would extend into the evening. However, the actual church service would be limited to close friends and family and there would also be a wedding breakfast that would be attended only by those aware of the wizarding world.
When Harry and Hermione Apparated back to Hogsmeade on Sunday evening, Harry realised he was actually feeling optimistic about the wedding again.
*
"Neville?"
Neville looked around and smiled seeing Harry's head in his kitchen fire.
"Hi, Harry!" he replied. "You must have smelled the coffee. Come over and have a cup?"
"Er, thanks, Neville, I think I will."
A moment later Harry climbed out of the fireplace and put his glasses back on. Even after all these years he still hated travelling by Floo Powder. We took out his wand and cleaned himself off before going over to Neville who was busying himself at the stove making their evening meal.
"Stay for dinner?"
"I'd like to, but no thanks," replied Harry. "I need to get back in a bit."
"So, what is it?"
"This is kind of awkward, Neville. Hermione wants me to choose a best man."
"It's okay, Harry. I understand."
"I'm not sure you should, actually."
"Just go and ask Ron. If he refuses, I'll be honoured to accept should you not want to ask anyone else."
"Thanks, Neville. I really appreciate your being so understanding."
"So, when are you thinking of going over there?"
"Probably sometime next week. Actually, it will have to be the week after. I have a free afternoon and I'm sure Professor McGonagall won't mind if I skip off for a couple of hours."
"How long has it been since you spoke to Ron?"
"I don't know. Couple of years, I suppose. Probably more, actually."
"Well, good luck. You'll need it, unfortunately. Ginny and I saw them a couple of months back. I say them, but you know what I mean."
Harry nodded sadly.
"Ginny said you and Hermione are available for dinner this weekend."
"We are?" asked Harry stupidly.
Neville grinned and said, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets things!"
Harry smiled and nodded.
"Let's hope Hermione reminds me to bring the wine."