Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; they are property of JK Rowling.
A/N: So this is the last chapter. Hope you've enjoyed the ride, because I definitely did. All of you who have reviewed have my special thanks, as every comment you left meant a lot to me.
Chapter Seventeen
"Until death will part us"
Harry helped her to exit from the station, then they Apparated to the "Fortress of the Shadows." He lifted her, and brought her in their room, to not make her tire herself, even if she was just at the start of her pregnancy then he owled Madame Pomfrey to come there as soon as possible.
Next morning, the Hogwarts healer arrived, and she examined Hermione. She stood up, and looked to Harry, beaming.
"Harry, I'm glad to tell you she is pregnant," she said, and Harry's face suddenly was all filled again by a huge grin.
He was really going to be a father!
He went to Hermione, still in bed, and took her hand. She smiled to him.
"I said you we could have made it up," she whispered, the twinkle in her eyes never so bright. He nodded, then he kissed her softly, as he was at a loss for words.
Suddenly, a loud "pop" was heard in the room, and Dobby appeared with Winky.
"Hello, Harry Potter, sir. Dumbledore has sent we us to you. He has said we can be more useful for you, now that you have freed the Ringwraiths, than at Hogwarts. If you want us to serve you, obviously…"
"Dobby, you and Winky can remain if you wish so. But you are not here to serve us, you are here to help us and that's different" Harry said, then he called the other House Elves, to give them the chance to meet the new arrived. Hermione beamed at her husband-to-be.
Next morning, Harry and Hermione started to write the invites for their marriage, which they have planned to be for the first of August, just after his birthday. This activity filled their morning, and in the afternoon, they took a walk in their new possession.
Harry had already visited a lot of it, but not completely. They discovered a quiet small pinewood behind the castle, and they rested there a little, enjoying the soft breeze blowing through the trees.
The guests received a white envelope, with the invitation and some of them with the request of being the groomsmen and the bridesmaids.
"Harry James Potter
and
Hermione Eleanor Granger
Request your presence to their wedding
The ceremony will take place
on Saturday 1st August
At the "Fortress of the Shadows",
Godric's Hollow, at 4 p.m."
The requested groomsmen and bridesmaids received, attached to the invitation, a letter.
"We ask you to be one of the groomsmen/ bridesmaids; the planned couples are:
Best Man/ Maid of Honour: Draco Malfoy / Luna Lovegood
First Couple: Neville Longbottom / Hanna Abbott
Second Couple: Ernie Macmillan / Parvati Patil
Third Couple: Dean Thomas / Lavender Brown
Fourth Couple: Terry Boot / Susan Bones
Please reply as soon as you can
Harry and Hermione"
In the meanwhile, Dumbledore was, still unconsciously, preparing a surprise for both of them. McGonagall had decided to retire that year and he was thinking about the right people to take her place and the DADA Professor position. He was examining many curriculums, but nobody seemed very adept for the jobs.
The marriage was planned to be in the chapel of the "Fortress of the Shadows," and the reception in the Great Hall of it. So, Harry and Hermione were thinking about how they should prepare the castle for the occasion, when the replies of the groomsmen and bridesmaids arrived. All of them were enthusiastic to join the wedding staff.
One week before the ceremony, the staff was reunited in the castle to prepare themselves and it for the event. Harry had lifted the charms, which were making the castle invisible, for the occasion so the wedding staff could find it.
First thing, they went to choose the robes for the ceremony, and Harry was sworn by Draco and Neville that Hermione was breathtaking with her bride dress. Then, for some days, they trained the groomsmen and the bridesmaids for what they had to do, choruses, bringing the rings, and such stuff. Hermione was the usual bossy witch they had all grown to love in the years, directing them. She wanted her marriage to be perfect.
Then, the last two days, they prepared the chapel and the castle, filling it with flowers, especially white, pink, and red roses. It could seem a bit in contrast with the darkness of the castle, but in the end, the visual effect was amazing.
Finally, the day arrived.
The morning was occupied doing photographs with the wedding staff, so it passed quickly, and finally Harry entered the chapel, waiting for his bride to be.
Slowly, the guests started to arrive, so he saw Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and even Trewlaney, for once mixed with the other humans, hoping her Inner Eye wouldn't be too affected.
Then he saw Hagrid, with tears on his eyes, and Lupin, who gave him a thumb up, mouthing, "Your parents would be proud of you"
After some excruciating minutes, the bridesmaids started to enter, pairing themselves with their own groomsman, and then…
The Wedding March started, and Hermione entered the chapel, in her stunning beauty.
She was wearing a simple white dress, not too revealing but still leaving her shoulders almost bare, with spaghetti straps and a V-neck showing some of her cleavage. It was justified by the terrible warmth of the period, and the need for her to be comfortable, being pregnant. She had small white roses pinned in her hair, and a classic veil.
She walked down the aisle, a white roses bouquet in her hand, and was accompanied by Albus Dumbledore, since her father was dead.
The priest started the ceremony.
"We are here to celebrate the joining of Harry James Potter and Hermione Eleanor Granger in marriage" he said.
"Who gives this woman in marriage?" he asked then.
"I do" Dumbledore replied, looking at her proudly. She smiled at Hogwarts' Headmaster.
Then, the ceremony went on, until they had to say their vows. Hermione started.
"From the moment I saw you, I knew you were one special person, but not for what you were famous for. You were special for what you really were. I got this feeling from all the little things you did in our first days at Hogwarts, even if we did not be so close back then. And after every adventure we shared together, my feeling of that grew up even more. I really don't know if I could have found another man like you, in my life. Every time we were together, I felt myself melting on every look from you. You always cared for me, in every situation, even putting your own life in danger to save me. That's why I love you with all my heart, Harry"
Then, he spoke.
"You have always been the rock on which I could count in the hardest moments of my life. You were always near me, supporting me, even when every other people avoided me or misjudged me, and were the only one capable to read my feelings as an open book. I knew you were always thinking for my good, even when we fought on something, and usually you were right. From the moment I met you, you started to be my conscience, telling me what was right to do and what was not. I always cared for you, putting my same life in danger for you, because I could have lost my life, but I couldn't suffer to have lost you. I love you more than my own life, Hermione"
"Harry James Potter, do you take Hermione Eleanor Granger, to be your wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, and keep her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?" the priest said.
"Yes, I do" he replied, looking at her.
"Hermione Eleanor Granger, do you take Harry James Potter, to be your husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him, so long as you both shall live?"
"Yes, I do" she answered.
"Have we the rings?" the priest asked.
Draco went to him, giving the rings, and the priest passed them to Harry and Hermione.
"These rings are a symbol of your love and promise to each other. Hermione, please take Harry's ring and place it on his finger"
Hermione took the ring, and she placed it on Harry's finger, her hand shaking a little.
Then it was Harry's turn. He placed the ring on Hermione's finger.
"For Harry and Hermione have consented together in matrimony, and have witnessed the same before this company and have pledged their love and loyalty to each other, and have declared the same by the joining and the giving of rings, I, therefore, pronounce that they are husband and wife. Harry Potter, you may kiss your wife."
Harry lifted her veil and kissed her without doubts, deeply, and then they walked hand in hand out of the chapel, a deafening sound of clapping of hands accompanying them.
At the reception, after having eaten some of the more complex and expensive dishes in the world, the guests enjoyed the dances. Harry and Hermione had to open them, dancing in the middle of the room, then the others joined them. Then, there was the ceremony of the throwing of the bouquet.
Hermione turned, and then she threw it in the crowd.
Hanna caught it, and Harry winked to Neville, who blushed deeply.
Then the garter was thrown by Harry, and this time Draco was the fastest, his past as a Seeker being handy at the moment.
"Well, I reckon we may have two incoming marriages, then" Harry joked, while Hanna and Luna were snuggling close to their boyfriends. Many of them laughed.
When all the guests went away, they went to share their first night as a married couple.
Some days later, they received a letter from Hogwarts. Dumbledore had taken his decision and was asking them to become the Transfiguration teacher, to Hermione, and to Harry he asked to take the DADA position.
Both of them accepted without doubts, even if in the beginning they did not believe their eyes, reading the letters. So, the last week of August they were again at Hogwarts to start the staff meetings, preparing for the new school year.
They shared a room in the Staff wing of the castle, and here, one night, some months later, Hermione felt very sick.
Her belly was aching terribly, so Harry took her to the Hospital Wing, suspecting what was happening. He passed some time out of the door, waiting for news. Then, Madame Pomfrey went to call him.
"She's ready" the witch said, smiling.
So Harry held her hand trough the long hours of labour, risking to have his own broken by her vicious grip, till their child came to the world.
He grinned at his wife, who smiled tiredly at him. She was a very beautiful girl, and from what they could see, she had her mother's brown hairs, and her father's emerald green eyes.
Harry took her in his arms. "Kate Lily Potter, welcome to the world" he said proudly, looking at the tiny baby in his hands.
"I can only hope she won't become as bossy as her mother" he couldn't help to comment teasingly then.
"Or lazy as her father" Hermione replied, while Harry was seating on her bed, just before passing their daughter to her and kissing her passionately.
Once again, there was a Potter family in the Wizarding World, and this time nobody would trouble their happiness.
THE END
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