Chapter Two: The Beginning of a Happy Ending
Hermione Potter had gotten quite used to being woken each morning by gentle kisses from her husband - and quite frankly, she enjoyed waking up that way. Today, however, she woke up and found him still sleeping. Both of them had slept longer than usual, and there was no hurry to get out of bed yet. The NEWTs were done with, the End of the Year Feast had been last night, and the train home would be leaving later that day. Today was her last day as a student of Hogwarts, and as she snuggled closer to Harry, she realised that she was a bit sad. The castle had been her home for seven years, and it was here she had gotten her first friends, broken her first rules, helped to save the word, and fallen in love. But as she studied Harry's sleeping face, she knew that it would be okay - he would be there every step of the way.
Contently, she rested her head on Harry's chest and waited for him to wake up. It had been a strange few weeks, when the world found out about their marriage. The initial reaction had been loud and intense, but everything seemed to have settled now. Several of their friends who had already graduated had sent letters to congratulate. In fact, Hermione had even gotten one from Cho Chang. The girl had seemingly gotten over her and Harry's slightly disastrous attempt at dating and was happy for them both.
Fred and George sent a rather unusual Howler, congratulating them both on the grand 'prank'. They had also included several fertility-increasing potions, and requests for a new generation of Potters to corrupt. Hermione had calmly returned the potions, and assured them that Harry had no need for such items, and even if he did, she herself had a father that wasn't quite ready for grandchildren.
The school had also accepted their relationship. Mostly. A few well-placed jinxes had been needed to discourage a couple of tarts that'd been flirting a bit too much with her husband for her liking.
Hermione felt Harry's breathing change, and realised that he was waking up. As he teetered between asleep and awake, she met him with a lingering good-morning kiss. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and blinked sleepily.
"Now that's what I call a good incentive for waking up," he said groggily, not entirely awake yet.
She smiled slightly and kissed him again. During the school year these lazy mornings when they could cuddle and kiss as much as they wanted were few and far between. She intended to make the most of this one. Fortunately, Harry quickly cottoned on to what she wanted, and had no particular objection.
Of course, some moronic, petty, idiotic Neanderthal of 1st class just had to knock on their door just when things started to get interesting! The nerve of some people! With a grumble, Hermione got out of bed and wrapped a robe around herself as she went to answer the door. With no intention at all to welcome their interrupter very kindly, she yanked the door open. And blinked.
And blinked again.
And found herself hauled out of her (and Harry's) bedchamber by an enormous group of twittering girls.
Harry's reaction to being hauled out of his bed and dumped unceremoniously on the floor was to lash out with a wave of magic that sent all the occupants of his room to the floor.
"Bloody hell, Harry!" came a well-known voice form the other side of the room. Harry was already on his feet, looking fit to kill. As he looked around the room, he realised that most of the school's male population from third year and up was there.
"What's going on?" he asked, confused. "And where's Hermione?" A few moments ago he'd been enjoying a very pleasant morning snog that could easily have turned into something very enjoyable indeed. He was a bit put out with Ron and all the other guys right now.
Ron, who had gotten to his feet as well, clapped him on the shoulder. "We're here," he announced, "to help you get ready for your wedding."
Harry raised an eyebrow, and then another. "My wedding? And here I thought I was already married…" he said, slowly.
Ron ignored him. "I'm your Best Man, of course."
Harry grabbed Ron by the shoulders. "Earth to Ron! Hello! What are you talking about? I got married last November!" Had the entire world always been this crazy and he'd just been to wrapped up in Hermione to notice?
"Well, yes, about that. Since you neglected to tell the rest of the world about all that, and forgot to invite me to the bloody thing, thus forfeiting the entire bet, leaving us with a large pot of money and nothing to do with it, we decided that we'd give you the wedding ceremony you never had," Ron explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Harry gaped at him. "Why on earth would you do that?"
Ron shrugged. "Mum said such things are important to girls. It'll make Hermione happy."
Harry sputtered for a moment. As if he didn't make Hermione happy!
"Let's get started," Ron said happily. "You've got to get ready. Mum'll kill me if you're not on time to your own wedding. The ceremony starts at 2pm sharp."
Harry looked at his watch. "Ron, that's four hours from now," he said slowly. Surely it didn't take that much time to throw on some dress robes?
"Great!" Ron said, and turned to the other boys who'd remained silent till now. "Where did that Firewhiskey go?" To Harry he explained, "You never got to have a Stag Party."
Harry rolled his eyes. The way Ron said it seemed like not getting drunk on a strip bar the night before your wedding was the end of the world. Well, no matter what Ron said, he was obviously going to get married to Hermione for the second time - and he was not going to be drunk when he did.
"Wait a second," he said as something Ron had mentioned hit him. "What's this bet are you talking about?"
Hermione tried to follow orders, she really did. But it was kind of hard to glare at Ginny and at the same time remain still. "You mean to say that the entire school, teachers included, had a bet going on when Harry and I was going to notice each other? And no one won because we were already married? And that you decided to use the money to arrange a proper wedding for us?!"
"Don't shriek, Hermione," her aunt said as she adjusted the wedding gown. "It's very unwomanly."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Her mother's sister had always frowned upon Hermione's 'unwomanly' attitude. A proper wedding indeed. She snorted. She'd had a proper wedding already.
"Yes," answered Ginny, and then asked pointedly, "Wasn't that nice of us?"
Hermione glared again. "Of course it was. I'd just liked to be informed first." Truth to be told, she was looking rather good in the dress she was currently being fitted into. It wasn't that she minded having a second wedding - it was just a shock, that's all.
"What worries me," her mother broke into her thoughts, "is that you've got no jewellery to wear." All the women around the room frowned.
"I'm sure we can find something for her to wear," Molly said. "I have a few Prewett heirlooms she could borrow."
Hermione pouted at being referred to as 'she'. "I'm sure 'she' can fix her own jewellery," she said, before drawing her wand and muttering a soft 'accio'.
Eyebrows disappeared into hairlines all around the room as an intricately carved box came zooming towards Hermione after a few seconds. Everyone leaned in to get a glance of what was in the box, and 'oh'es and 'ah'es spread around when she opened it.
As soon as jewellery was mentioned, Hermione had known what she wanted to wear. Soon after they'd been married, Harry and herself had gone through the Potter vaults, which not only held money, but also all kinds of artefacts, heirlooms and jewellery. Some of it was several hundred years old, and very out of date. Hermione had been amazed at what was considered pretty and fashionable three hundred years ago. With Harry's permission, she had gotten many of the valuable pieces picked apart and re-set into something more modern.
This box contained several of these pieces, as well as the Potter family jewels. They were, fortunately, very tasteful. They would have been perfect for her gown as well, with emeralds and diamonds in white gold. A bride, however, could never wear family jewels. It was a serious breach of conduct. The amazing platinum set however, that held more than a 100 diamonds altogether, would be perfect.
He wasn't nervous this time, Harry decided. No, really, the fluttering feeling he felt was more anticipation. He could still remember how utterly stunning Hermione had been the first time, and he had no doubt she would be just as beautiful now. Ignoring Ron and Sirius' attempts at distracting him, he kept his eyes trained at the door Hermione would enter.
Sirius had not been very pleased when he found out that Harry had been married in secret. He had shown up together with Remus, two days after the news reached the papers and promptly turned Harry into a frog. While Harry could easily counter the spell, Sirius kept following him around and turning him into one at the most inconvenient of times - such as when he needed to go to the toilet… suffice to say, Harry had not been pleased with the unexpected bath, and Sirius had gotten a few nasty jinxes his way.
In the end Hermione got fed up with her husband being a frog half the time (he turned into a frog while he was kissing her) and turned Sirius into a poodle. She then proceeded to attach collar and chain. Unfortunately for Sirius, he was not able to counter the spell, as Harry had done.
Snape awarded Gryffindor 20 points.
Remus, being of a much calmer nature, had pulled Harry aside and cast a silence ward. He still hadn't told Hermione what Remus had said that caused him to blush so hard.
The Great Hall was packed with people, all eagerly awaiting the wedding of the century. Harry had almost backed out of the whole thing when he saw them, only relenting when he was informed that only a select few were allowed at the reception.
His heartbeat speed up as the bridesmaids entered. Ginny had handpicked herself, Padma Patil and Susan Bones to that duty. Harry paid little attention to that though, but kept his eyes fixed upon the door.
You could hear a pin drop as Hermione entered the Hall. Of course Harry always thought she looked wonderful, but he had to admit that wedding dresses suited her very well. The dress was simple, with next to no decoration. Held in place by straps, and flared at her hips, leaving a trail of white in her wake.
She had also, he noted, refused to wear a veil. How very typical of her.
As her father placed her hand in his for the second time, he smiled at her and squeezed her hand lightly. "You look lovely," he whispered.
She blushed faintly. "You look handsome as well," she whispered back. "And you know all about my fetish for bow-ties."
Harry managed not to groan. "Tease," he hissed quietly, through closed lips, as they turned to Dumbledore. Hermione smiled serenely. Harry tried not to think about what happened to his last bow-tie.
They continued to tease each other after the ceremony was over, throughout the reception, while eating cake, while dancing, while listening to speeches. By the time of the last speech, both of them were more than ready to leave. Sneaking out of the Great Hall through a side door, they found the corridor empty. The other students had been sent home for the summer shortly after the ceremony ended, and as such no student was out after curfew.
"Harry," Hermione whispered in his ear, in a voice that made him shiver. "Our room is the other way."
"Who said we were going to our rooms?" Harry asked, smirking. Ascending the stairs, he found the hunched witch that guarded the secret exit through Honeydukes.
"What's going on?" Hermione whispered, now curious as to what her husband was up to.
"A little surprise," he replied, as they hurried through the tunnel. "You see, us males don't take as long as you females to get dressed." Hermione scowled. "As such, I had a little time on my hands."
As they met the hatch that led to the cellar of Honeydukes, Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione. "You see, my darling wife," he said, and kissed her, "I realised shortly after our first wedding, that we never had a honeymoon - so I planned for us to have one this summer." He couldn't resist and kissed her again. "Originally, I had the dates set a little later, but this wedding presented me with a perfect excuse to move those dates a little."
Entirely satisfied with himself, and knowing that they were now outside Hogwarts wards, he apparated them both from where they stood, under the cellar of Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
After a long and disorienting trip, Hermione found her feet on the ground again. She also noticed that she was outside, as a mild breeze caught her gown. Looking around, she gasped. She was standing on a beach, its white sand glistening in the sun. Palms and tropical plants covered what appeared to be an island. Inside the coral reef that protected the small beach they had landed on, stood a small house - in the water, on top of poles.
"God, Harry, where are we?" she asked, amazed. Considering that the sun was up, it had to be some distance from England!
Harry coloured a little. "Well, it appears that I have a couple of unplottable islands in Indonesia," he said.
He had dual-apparated them across the world.
"So, do you want to check the house?" he asked, and indicated to the pier that led out to the house.
Hermione shock her head slowly. "Not right now," she replied, as her fingers went for Harry's bow-tie. "I've always wondered what it's like to make love on a beach."
Note: Ok, so it took me two years or so. But while not betaed, it's finally out. I hope you enjoyed it. I may not have stuck entirely to the challenge rules, but at this point I count on you being amused enough to overlook that little fact.
The rules of the Challenge:
Setting:
Harry and Hermione get married during 7th year BUT none had know about it (even Dumbledore!) Only Ministress of Magic (who IMO will be Madam Amelia Susan Bones) know about marriage because she allowed to it. (She had owed them her life after their six year so she fulfilled this request)
I want you to write a scene where H/hr let their little secret slip... And how their families and friends and enemies react to this news.
Rules:
1) It should be funny (use some humorous comments and also some naughty ones)
2) Someone must said it was predictable.
3) There must be some hormonal females crying their loss (I mean Harry's heart)
4) It must be one-shot
5) There must be two bets; one started by teachers other by students; the bet is about when H/Hr get together and of course none has won
6) there must be some teasing about marriage and questions like: "is she/he good in hmmm... you know?"
7) People whose reaction must be included in fic are:(their reaction can be brief but must be in fic):
a) Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna
b ) Mr.Weasley and Mrs.Weasley
c) Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall
d) Lupin, Dobby, Hagrid
e) Fred and George
f) Rita Skeeter
g) Cho and Victor (they should be IMO, but don't have to if you don't feel to write them; the other ones must be used)
8) H/Hr didn't make love before marriage (they are proper wizards!) But one of their enemies may asumed aloud that they got married beacause they thought Hermione has been pregnant.
9) At the end everyone to our couple's suprise decide to make a big wizarding wedding for them. (they are going to use money from their bets)
It's up to you how the secret is revealed
e.g. it can be right after downfall of Voldie in Hospital wing Harry complains to himself about not being able right now to do naughty things to his wife because he is made to rest and someone heard it... and explanation are demanded.
You have two posibilities to write this fic:
1) set in the end of 7th year right after Voldie's downfall
2) several years after graduation (remember: they got married in 7th year!) so they had a secret for some time;
If you had taken second possibility then Hermiones parents are dead (died in six year) This has brought H/Hr even closer and right after their death Harry promised
Hermione he would take care of her which was common knowledge (that's why none was surprised when H/Hr started living together right after graduation)