I just wanted to say thankyou to everyone who reviewed it really means a lot to me. I have also a few warnings for you. 1. I'm terrible at writing battles thus the final battle, if it takes place during the timeline of this fic, will be skipped over and not explained/explored at all really. 2. This fic has no point whatsoever aside from a few cute scenes involving H/Hr some awkward situations and a bit of smut, please don't expect anything more cause you'll be disappointed and I hate to disappoint people. 3 No this is not at all what I expect to happen in anything written by JK Rowling I'm just having a little fun.
Disclaimer: Still not mine…
Marriage of (In)convenience ~ Chapter 3
Harry looked at Hermione disbelievingly, `I can't believe you didn't tell me this.' He said still in shock.
`Does it look like I knew Harry? I'm as shocked about this as you are.' She replied scathingly.
As one they turned to stare at Ron who was looking back and forth between the two of them like he was watching a tennis match.
`Did you know about this?' Harry asked angrily indicating his and Hermione's joined hands.
Ron nodded looking frightened.
`Well why in merlins name didn't you say something?' Harry roared.
`I thought Hermione would have told you?' Ron replied in a small voice, `I thought you both knew that's why I was so shocked that you were going through with it.'
`What made you think I knew?!' Hermione demanded her voice a high pitched squeak.
`Well I figured you would've read all about it.'
Harry looked at Hermione, `That's true it's really not like you not to research something before doing it.'
Hermione looked down at her feet and swallowed audibly.
`I guess I was just so excited about finding a solution I didn't think about it. Besides Bill and Fleur's wedding seemed normal, though now that I think about it they did hold hands through the entire reception but I just thought they were being sweet.'
`It's the way it's done,' Ron explained, `like superstition, the more the couple can make it seem as though nothing is wrong the more suited they are said to be. If they make a fuss then people think it's a bad omen, like they won't last or something.'
`Right,' Harry said despondently, `Well that explains that then, so now what do we do?'
`Well you two go on to Grimmauld place and I go back to the Burrow. When your month is up we all get back together and do the ritual that unbounds your hands and then you destroy the damned Horcruxes.'
Harry opened his mouth to protest against this plan but Hermione beat him to it.
`Why are you going back to the Burrow?' she asked sounding slightly panicked as though she was scared of being alone with Harry.
`I might have the emotional range of a teaspoon Hermione but it'd still be awkward as hell for me to be around while you two are…' Ron broke of his sentence a blush spreading up his neck, `well you know.'
Harry felt his own face start to heat up, he couldn't bring himself to look at Hermione.
`Ah, yeah, fair enough.' Harry said bravely trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere that merely alluding to potential future events had created.
`Look I guess I could pop around occasionally just to see how you are and stuff.' Ron offered still looking uncomfortable.
`Yeah alright.' Harry said, `well I guess we'll see you in a bit then.'
`Yeah see you.' Ron said giving them both a little half smile he apparated away with a pop.
Harry looked down at Hermione and tried to smile.
`Shall we go then?' he asked trying to keep his tone light and unconcerned.
Hermione just nodded her eyes downcast.
Harry apparated them both back to a deserted alley way near Grimmauld place and they hurried into the heavily warded and protected house. It was getting late and even though it was summer it was a cold night. They got inside the house and closed the door Hermione still hadn't said anything and Harry was starting to be feel really strange about it. Hermione was opinionated and headstrong, it just wasn't like her to be so quiet for such a long period of time. Harry knew she was upset and being attached to her like this he knew he'd have to talk to her about it. With that in mind he steered them into the living room (another very strange thing that Hermione was being so passive), lit a fire in the grate, sat down on the sofa and turned to face Hermione who was still standing.
`Will you sit down please I think we need to talk.' Harry said quietly.
Hermione sat down her gaze never leaving the floor.
`So talk,' he said trying to prod her to reveal the thoughts that he knew were buzzing in her head like angry bees.
`I'm sorry Harry' was all she said her voice soft and sad as though she were about to start crying.
`It's not your fault. If anything it's my fault for not making sure I knew what we were getting ourselves into.' He said trying to make her feel better, `I'm always doing things without looking at the consequences.'
`It's not your fault Harry, it's my job. I'm supposed to be the responsible one who researches everything. I'm just so angry at myself. The one time I don't research and this is what happens!' she said angrily starting to sound more like herself again.
`Well look how about I blame myself and you blame yourself and we move on figure out what to do now that we're… well, married.'
`Well ok,' she looked up at him for the first time since the ceremony and tried to smile. `I know it seems a bit late for this but I think what we really need to do is re-search wedding laws for wizards thoroughly, I don't think I could handle any more surprises like this one.'
Harry smiled back at her relieved that she was at least somewhat back to normal.
`THAT is a great idea. The library here has got plenty of law books so we should be fine with that. Did you want to get a snack first?' he asked realising that he hadn't really had much to eat that day.
`Sure.' She said getting up.
They went into the kitchen together and started preparing some sandwiches. Harry had never fully appreciated how many small tasks required two hands to complete. With their hands bound as they were Harry was forced to be the left hand to Hermione's right hand. In the back of his mind Harry recalled what Ron had said about the wizzarding superstition about couples who had trouble managing with their hands bound. He found himself putting an extra effort into making everything as easy as possible. It was hard work and by the time they had finished making their sandwiches and pouring two glasses of pumpkin juice Harry was relieved to just get out his wand and levitate them all to the library.
Twenty minutes later and they were happily ensconced in the library pouring over thick volumes of wizzarding laws looking for anything relating to marriage. After several hours of reading the tiny print and not finding out anything remotely out of the ordinary that he wasn't already now painfully aware of Hermione spoke.
`Well I think there's only one other difference between muggle and wizard weddings.'
`Oh what's that?' Harry asked, `I didn't find anything in here.'
`Well it relates to the honeymoon too,' Hermione began hesitation evident in her voice.
`What is it?' Harry asked dread settling into his stomach, what else could there possibly be?
`Well it says here that any witch and wizard who dissolve the marriage within the honeymoon period are unable to ever re-marry that same witch or wizard.'
`I don't get it.' Harry said feeling a bit stupid. After her build up that didn't seem life threatening at all.
`It means that if we change our minds now and decide to divorce, we would never be able to get married to each other in the future.' She said quietly. `I guess it's to prevent people from marrying hastily.'
`Oh' Harry replied, `And the honeymoon isn't valid unless you consummate the marriage right.'
`Right.' Hermione replied.
They just sat there in silence for a moment absorbing what that meant for a minute. After everything that had happened that day Harry felt like his head was swimming. He didn't know what was to think. Did he want to consummate the marriage destroy the Horcruxes and keep open the option of potentially marrying Hermione properly some day? There were probably other ways to destroy Horcruxes he reasoned but would they be able to find them? For everyday they searched for a way to destroy them more people died, even a month was too long to wait. How important was it to be able to keep open the option of being able to marry Hermione properly one day? Harry was so confused about what to do his head hurt. He looked at Hermione and she seemed utterly confused as well. It was a rare sight to see Hermione looking confused he thought grinning.
`What are you grinning about Harry this is hardly funny.' Hermione said sharply cutting across his thoughts.
`I was just thinking that I don't think I've ever seen you confused before.'
Hermione's frown faded.
`Yeah well enjoy it while it lasts.' She said smiling at him, `Honestly though I think we'd best just sleep on it for the night maybe and decide what we want to do in the morning.'
`Yeah that sounds like a good idea. Your room or mine?' Harry asked not realising until the words were out of his mouth how bad that sounded. `Um I mean to sleep in.' he added awkwardly.
Hermione giggled, a rare event under any circumstances.
`My room I think,' she said her cheeks pink. `No offence Harry but your room smells.'
They headed up the stairs and entered Hermione's room. Harry closed the door behind them and started to take off his robe. He got his free arm out of it and then stopped.
`How on earth am I supposed to get my bloody shirts off?' he asked frustrated as he realised that there was literally no way to get his tops off without tearing the fabric.
`I suppose usually wizards and witches would be tearing each others clothes off on their wedding night.' Hermione pointed out.
`Well what am I supposed to do?' Harry asked tugging helplessly at the robe now dangling from their joined hands.
`Here,' Hermione said getting out her wand `Diffindo' she said waving her wand over his sleeve.
The seem split allowing Harry to remove the robe completely.
`I suppose you'll have to do that to my t-shirt as well.' He said glumly thinking of the ruined t-shirt.
`we can always cast Reparo to fix it and besides you'll have to do my shirt too.' Hermione responded.
Harry felt heat rising in his face again and panicking he blurted.
`How bout we just sleep in our clothes tonight?'
Hermione who had gone just as red as Harry quickly nodded and turned out the lights.
-->