What I Always Wanted Chapter 8: We're Family Now
Harry arrived at the Granger's front gate with a pop. He glanced about briefly to make sure no one had seen him. Normally he apparated right into the house when he visited Hermione's parents but on those occasions he was with Hermione and they more than likely were expected. As the Grangers were not expecting him, he thought it best to arrive in as normal a fashion as possible. Seeing no one watching Harry ambled up the walk and upon arriving at the door rang the bell. While he stood waiting for one of Hermione's parents to answer Harry glimpsed the platinum band encircling his finger and realized that at present Hermione's parents were quite uniformed about his status as their new son-in-law. Just as Harry's newfound revelation sunk in the door swung open and Harry found himself face to face with Robert Granger.
"Harry m'boy what a pleasant surprise!"
Harry quickly jammed his left hand into his front pocket and muttered.
"Um…ahh…hello Mr. Granger."
Robert Granger smiled.
"Now Harry I think after all this time you would know to dispense with such formality."
Harry nodded and stuttered in reply.
"Ahh…ahh…ye…ye…yes sir…Mr. Granger…dispense with formality."
Robert let out a hearty chuckle.
"Ha Ha Ha… very amusing Harry, very amusing indeed!"
Harry smiled weakly. Suddenly Helen Granger's voice drifted into the room.
"Robert, who's at the door?"
As Robert turned to answer his wife Harry muttered a quick spell under his breath that concealed his wedding band from view.
"Its Harry love."
"Harry?"
Helen strode into the room drying her hands on a kitchen towel. She looked from her husband to Harry with a quizzical expression marring her face.
"For heaven's sake Robert are you going to make the poor boy stand in the doorway or are you going to let him in!"
Robert Granger grinned sheepishly as he stepped aside and gestured for Harry to step into the foyer. Helen stepped forward and clasped Harry's hand and patted it affectionately as she steered him into the living room.
"How good to see you Harry, can I get you anything, a bite to eat or perhaps a spot of tea …"
Helen paused and waited for a reply. Harry shook his head no. Helen inclined her head slightly before continuing.
"I suppose you're looking for Hermione then, as you know we usually have brunch on Sundays but we haven't seen hide nor hair of that girl of ours today, we thought the pair of you were off enjoying the day with each other but as you're here that certainly can't be the case. You're sure I can't get you anything?"
Harry shook his head as he said.
"No, no thank you. I'm actually not here looking for Hermione; I left her back at the Weasleys. I'm here to invite you both to a…a…ahh…bit of a reception that Molly's putting on at the Burrow."
Helen turned and looked up at Harry.
"How nice of Molly to think of us…what's the reception for?"
Harry blanched as he fumbled for the appropriate way to answer. Robert mused out loud.
"Hmmm…a reception at the Weasleys…I don't expect too many of the other guests will be er…ahh…what's that term you lot use for non-magical persons?"
Grateful for the change in subject Harry replied.
"Muggles and no sir I don't expect they'll be any other non-magic persons there besides yourselves."
Robert nodded. Helen again asked.
"Harry you never said, what is the reception for?"
Again Harry was saved by the maddeningly inquisitive Granger disposition that Hermione had inherited from her father.
"And exactly how would we get there? Ottery St. Catchpole is quite a ways away I don't suppose we'd be able to drive there in enough time to make the do."
"You could drive it sir but you'd have had to have left several hours ago so we'll have to rely on magic."
Robert Granger smiled enthusiastically.
"Magic eh…exactly what type of magic?"
Happy to expound on the topic Harry launched into an explanation.
"Well wizards travel by several means…there's broomsticks of course, the floo, apparation and portkeys."
Harry paused a second before going on to give more detail.
"Traveling by broomstick is a bit like driving a car with the exception of you being several hundred feet in the air and completely exposed to the elements especially the cold damp air of the clouds. But the views are far more interesting."
Robert broke in with a chuckle at Harry's characterization of flying. Harry gave a small smile before moving on.
"Traveling by floo or portkey is much quicker but also more complicated. When you floo you have to speak very clearly when you toss the floo powder in the fireplace otherwise you could end up somewhere you certainly don't want to be. And there is always the added worry of getting out at the wrong grate. Portkeys are much easier, though the landings are a bit hard on the body, but you need a permit from the Ministry of Magic and that can take ages to acquire. So most wizards find apparating much easier…"
Robert interjected excitedly.
"Apparating, that's that popping in and out that you do isn't it?"
Harry nodded. Robert turned to his wife and said.
"Did you hear that love we're going to apparate!"
It was now Helen's turn to blanche slightly.
"Apparate…but we're not magical in the least…"
Harry cut in.
"You needn't worry about that…all you'd have to do is hold on to me."
Peering at him skeptically Helen Paraphrased Harry's last four words.
"Hold on to you?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes you see we'll do what's called side along apparation…that's where someone holds on to the person doing the actual apparating."
Helen quizzed.
"And there's no danger in our doing this?"
Harry thought it best not to tell his new mother-in-law about the possibility of being splinched. Shaking his head and pasting on what he hoped was a reassuring smile he answered back.
"No danger at all."
Robert Granger beamed.
"Of course there's no danger to it love Hermione and Harry do it all the time!"
Helen frowned as she stared back at her husband and replied.
"Of course Hermione and Harry do it all the time, they are wizards, unlike us."
Robert smiled adoringly at his wife and said.
"Precisely."
Shaking her head in exasperation Helen turned her attention back to Harry and asked.
"What is Molly serving?"
Harry shrugged as he answered.
"Umm…I've no idea really…usually when she does these things there's a little bit of everything."
Helen tapped her lips with her forefinger.
"I see, Robert I suppose we should go with two bottles of chardonnay and two of merlot."
Robert nodded in agreement.
"Excellent suggestion, I'll fetch the wine while you change dear."
With that said Robert Granger headed off towards the kitchen. Helen headed for the stairs and calling over her shoulder said.
"Do make yourself comfortable and have a seat Harry, we'll just be a few minutes."
Harry nodded to the empty room and dropped down in a heap on the couch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione stood in front of the mirrored wardrobe that stood in the corner of Fred and George's old bedroom. She was alternately holding two dresses up to her front; one of which was a simple pale green affair that stopped mid-calf and had a very demure rounded neckline, while the other an equally simple black mid-calf number had a deep plunging neckline that looked as though it went on to her navel. As she stood trying to suss out which dress was most suitable to the occasion Ron's voice drifted in from the doorway.
"Definitely the black one."
Hermione looked up and caught sight of Ron in the mirror. She turned and inquired.
"Why the black one?"
Ron replied.
"Why, out of consideration for your new husband of course."
Hermione frowned quizzically as she asked.
"How would my wearing this black dress be considerate of Harry?"
Grinning impishly Ron answered.
"Considering that in a few months time you'll be twice the size you are now the least you can do is leave the bloke with a lovely memory of the way you and your bits were once upon a time."
Hermione tossed the green dress at Ron's head as he bent over double clutching his stomach laughing hysterically. The dress floated down onto his shoulder as Hermione replied.
"Thank you Ron for reminding me that soon I'll be roughly the size of a hippogriff!"
Ron stood up partially shrouded in Hermione's discarded dress and said.
"Hippogriff…dragon…seventeen-foot tall overweight giant…none of it'll matter to Harry in the slightest; he'll still think you're the most gorgeous thing to ever walk the planet…"
Ron paused for a beat then added.
"And I reckon he'd be just about right."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat as tears simultaneously collected in her eyes.
"Oh Ron, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!"
With a snap of his fingers Ron conjured up a handkerchief and covered the distance separating him from Hermione in a two long strides.
"Bloody hell Hermione I didn't say that for you to turn into a sodding hose pipe!"
"I can't help it Ron, it's my hormones they're jumping all over the ruddy place…an…an…and that was such a lovely thing for you to say…"
Words failed Hermione as a hiccupping sob caught in her throat. Ron rolled his eyes as he handed her the handkerchief he was holding and awkwardly patted her back. Much to his chagrin Ron's attentive ministrations only increased the vehemence of Hermione's tears. Finally after what felt like five hours to Ron but was much closer to five minutes Hermione was again composed. In a rather clogged voice she offered her thanks.
"Thank you Ron."
Ron shrugged then asked.
"You're alright then?"
Hermione nodded.
"I'm fine Ron…this pregnancy just has me a bit more emotional than usual. I didn't mean to blubber all over you."
Ron smiled.
"Considering my past experiences with your emotional outbursts I'll take your blubbering all over me to your blasting birds of death and destruction at me any day."
Hermione plopped down on the bed and muttered.
"You're never going to let me forget that are you?"
Ron stroked his cheek thoughtfully for a moment before answering.
"No…it's my only real proof that you're not perfect. So I imagine I'll be holding that one over your head until we're both a thousand or so years old."
Hermione smiled as she scooted over on the bed and patted the space next to her. She waited for Ron to sit before she spoke.
"All of that seems so long ago."
Ron bobbed his head in agreement.
"It does seem a bit like another lifetime doesn't it. I reckon if someone'd told us then that in ten years time you and Harry would be expecting and I'd be married to Loony Lovegood we'd have thought they were taking the mickey."
Hermione chuckled as Ron continued on with his thought process.
"But that just goes to show how little we know about these things. I mean I wouldn't trade one second of my life with Luna for all the galleons in the world and I've never seen Harry this happy before…come to think of it this may be the first time I've ever seen him actually happy!"
Hermione placed her hand on her stomach and added in.
"He is really excited about the baby."
Ron took Hermione's left hand in his own and said.
"It's not just the baby Hermione. Before there ever was a baby Harry was happy, you having his sprog just added to that happiness."
Hermione smiled and said.
"Well I'm glad that someone thinks he didn't just marry me for propriety's sake."
Ron frowned.
"Has someone said something? Did Ginny start in on you again?"
Hermione shook her head.
"No one's said anything but you know as well as I do that once the press gets wind of this that's the first thing they're going to say…"
Ron interjected.
"Oh who gives a sod what those wankers think! Anyone who knows Harry can see how he feels about you."
"Oh really and what is it that they see."
"That he's in love…"
Ron paused to spare a glance at Hermione. She was staring at him with a quizzical sort of half frown obscuring her face. Before she could interrupt him Ron went on.
"Do you remember the night Harry got back from Transylvania; you and Ginny'd had another one of your spats earlier in the evening and Harry'd done his hero bit and saved the day by getting you smiling again. Right before you two shoved off I asked him how things were going between you and he said something I'd never heard him say before…"
Ron paused again to make sure that he had Hermione's full attention, seeing that he did he went on.
"He said that he was happy…and he truly meant it. I'd never heard him say that before and know that he truly meant it, not even when he was with Ginny. So don't you worry yourself one bit about what the rest of the world thinks. Harry loves you…I'm certain of it."
As Ron ended his little speech tears welled up in Hermione's eyes for the second time. Seeing that she was near tears again Ron shook his head and magicking a dry handkerchief said.
"Make yourself presentable before your husband gets back."
Before he could stand to leave Hermione threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Leaning away she planted a teary kiss to his cheek and smiling through a veil of tears said.
"You Ronald Bilius Weasley are an absolute dear, no one could ask for a better friend and I love you tremendously!"
Ron's entire face reddened as he shrugged and kissed Hermione softly on the cheek and answered in reply.
"Yeah…well…I'm rather fond of you as well."
Hermione smiled at Ron's blushing awkwardness. Straightening to his full height, Ron strode to the door and stepped across the threshold and admonished.
"Remember…the black one…nice view of your top bits and all that."
With a wink of his eye and a naughty grin Ron closed the door and tromped off down the hall. Hermione shook her head and laughed to herself before laying the black dress across the bed and heading off to the bath for a quick shower.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry arrived back at the Burrow with Robert and Helen Granger holding on to either side of him. Keeping in mind that neither Robert nor Helen had any idea that he was now their son-in-law Harry elected to apparate to the Weasley's front gate. Upon making sure that he hadn't inadvertently spliched either of his wife's parents and prying his mother-in-law's finger nails out of his forearm Harry sent out a plea to Ron for help via Legilimency. Harry hastily informed Ron of his predicament with his in-laws as they ambled up to the front gate. Just as the gate swung open Ron rushed out the front door with Luna in tow.
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, good to see you again, mum'll be so pleased you made it…you remember my wife Luna don't you."
"Ahh…Ron so good to see…it's been ages since you last paid us a visit!"
Robert Granger vigorously pumped Ron's proffered hand. Helen smiled at her husband's words and added.
"Robert's quite right you are long overdue for a visit. And it was ever so kind of your mother to think of inviting us."
Ron was about to respond when Luna chuckled merrily and interjected by saying.
"Kind indeed…it would have been the height of rudeness for Molly to throw Harry and Hermione a wedding reception and not to invite the bride's parents!"
Luna descended into giggles as her words touched the ears of Robert and Helen Granger. Harry winced visibly and lowered his head while Ron threw him a helplessly apologetic glance. Harry stood with his head bowed waiting for what was to come next. The only sound was that of Luna's merry giggles which stopped abruptly when she caught sight of Ron's pained expression and the Grangers' bewildered ones. Luna turned to Harry and said.
"Merlin, they had no idea you and Hermione have wed…"
Luna shook her head reproving and tsked before adding.
"Honestly Harry you've got to start being more sensible…you're to be a father soon…"
Harry's head snapped up as he glared disbelievingly at Luna. Ron slapped a hand to his forehead and groaned.
"Luna darling would you shut it please!"
Robert Granger who had been quite dumbfounded before suddenly found his voice.
"Married…to be a father…young lady are you saying that my daughter…that my little girl…my poppet is going to…that she's having…that she's pre…pre…pre…"
"Daddy the word is pregnant and the answer is yes."
At the sound of Hermione's voice everyone's attention moved to the Burrow's front door. Harry gasped audibly as he took in the sight of his wife. Hermione stood in the doorway, her hair was done up in an elegant knot. A few tendrils had escaped and hung framing her face which bore the slightest hint of makeup. As was customary for her now her skin held a luminous glow that rendered her absolutely stunning. But it was not any of this that so captivated Harry's attention. What held Harry spellbound was the dress she was wearing. It was an unadorned black frock that stopped about mid-length. There was absolutely nothing special about the dress save for the way it managed to cling to Hermione's shapely curves and the fact that the low-cut neckline did a masterful job of displaying her perfectly rounded breasts to their full advantage. Robert and Helen Granger rushed to their daughter's side and hastily began quizzing her. Her mother asked disbelievingly.
"Hermione you're married!?"
Robert bellowed stridently.
"And pregnant…don't forget pregnant! Merciful heavens! My daughter married and pregnant!!"
Hermione replied serenely.
"Yes Mum I am…Daddy try not to overexcite yourself…"
Robert Granger interjected forcefully.
"Try not to overexcite myself…why in God's name would I be overexcited in the least…that is to say I've only just shown up to a dinner party that turns out to be a wedding reception, a wedding that your mother and I knew nothing about mind, for my apparently pregnant daughter and her new husband…why in blooming hell would I be overexcited about such wonderful as that!!!!"
Helen Granger patted her husband's hand.
"Robert dear let's just take a deep breath and give them a chance to explain."
As her mother attempted to force her father into a more calm state of mind Hermione turned her attention to her own husband. She planned on giving him what for over having left her to answer all her parents' queries alone, but one look at his flushed face and his utterly stupefied expression gave her pause. Hermione covered the distance separating her from Harry in a few scant steps, laying her hand against his cheek she said.
"Merlin Harry are you alright? You're flushed and your breathing is…"
Harry interrupted her query.
"You're gorgeous!"
Hermione ceased her inspection of her husband and asked in confusion.
"What?"
Harry gestured towards her dress and muttered emphatically.
"You look bloody stunning!"
Ron grinned and said.
"Told you he'd like the black one!"
Hermione was about to tell Ron to sod off when suddenly an image of herself still clad in the black dress she was wearing pressed against a wall as Harry alternately caressed and sucked her breasts while repeatedly burying himself inside her silken folds. Blushing furiously Hermione replied to Harry's lascivious invitation with a pointed "Later". She then redirected his attentions to the more immediate matter of her parents. With a nod of his head Harry stepped forward.
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger you mustn't be upset with Hermione, all of this is my doing…"
Robert Granger mumbled.
"You don't say."
Helen arched her eyebrow and cast a familiarly reproving glance at her husband. Hermione cut in.
"It's not just your doing Harry it's our doing."
Helen queried her daughter.
"When did all of this take place?"
Hermione proceeded to tell her parents the abbreviated version of her unexpected pregnancy and the mental dilemma she silently dealt with. Both her mother and father said they wished she'd confided in them but they seemed to understand her desire to speak with Harry first. Hermione then went on to explain Harry's arrival home and the rather fumbling manner in which she told him the news. It was then Harry's turn to explain that the suddenness of the marriage was a result of his impatience. As the proposal story was told again b Helen Granger was in tears. Harry concluded by saying.
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger I know I've done things bang out of order but I couldn't wait another second to make your daughter my wife. I hope you'll both be able to find it in your hearts to forgive me."
Robert Granger cleared his throat and said.
"Forgive you…that's not likely"
Harry frowned in disappointment as Robert continued.
"What would I be forgiving you for loving my daughter? Oh no, we're family now Harry and you'll find that means no apologies are necessary."
Harry smiled and nodded with relief as he mumbled "Thank you, sir".
It was Robert's turn to frown disappointedly. Striding over to where Harry stood he wrapped an arm about his new son-in-law's shoulders and said.
"You're really going to have to stop all this sir business, how about we try something more familial eh…how does Mum and Dad sound?"
Harry grinned as he replied.
"Mum and Dad, I rather like the sound of that."
Hermione beamed as she watched the two most important men in her life bonding. Helen Granger wiped at an errant tear before she rushed over and wrapped Harry in a warm embrace.
"Oh this is just wonderful I couldn't be happier!"
Luna smiled dreamily as Ron spoke.
"I hate to break up this er…ummm…touching moment but we've got a house full of people waiting to congratulate you two."
Robert smiled and said.
"Ron's right we best get inside."
And with that said the group of six entered the Burrow to kick off the festivities.