A/N - here you go, the last chapter. It's just a bit of fluff - gentle and unassuming. Hope you like it. Sorry it took so long but my mum's in hospital and visits take it out of you so…
Before I leave - I'd like to thank you all, lovely readers and reviewers. I wish I could answer all your comments, but time just won't allow it. I appreciate all your kind words, I really do. I must admit, I got my first real flame a few weeks ago for 'Battle of Light' and it's taken me a lot to remember that I had 649 reviewers loving the story and only one telling me I should re-write it. Nearly gave up but hey, why give him (or her) the satisfaction.
Anyway, it might be a few short stories for a while - I really need to re-decorate the bathroom and my mum will need care for a bit and these multi-chaptered fictions do take a lot of time and effort. But I love Portkey, I love reading the other fictions and I love getting my ideas on the screen so you will see me around. Thank you all once again - you guys are the best.
Chapter 11
"Harry, come on!"
Hermione stopped yet again and waited for her husband of eight months to drag himself away from a small roadside vendor who was selling a multitude of different spices. Ever since their arrival in India a couple of days ago, it had been like this for Hermione - Harry enjoying his first ever overseas experience with the enthusiasm of a child while she patiently stood by and watched. She loved seeing him like this though, carefree and relaxed, a smile never far from his face.
But sometimes her patience ran out.
"Sorry," he apologised as he caught up to her, readjusting the back-pack on his shoulders, "but the smells…did you smell them? Amazing."
"I know," she smiled, taking his hand in hers as she felt the need to keep hold of him so he didn't run off again, "but we're really late and I'd like to get there before vespers…"
"Vespers?"
"Evening prayer," Hermione explained as she continued to briskly walk along the nearly forgotten path that she had trodden so many times what seemed such a long time ago.
"I still can't believe you lived with nuns for two years," Harry admitted, shaking his head with wonder.
"And I still can't believe you can't believe I lived with nuns for two years," she teased before pausing as the road rounded a corner and the convent lay before them, "we're here."
"Blimey," Harry gasped, staring at the little piece of England sitting in the sweltering heat of India. Hermione smiled a small smile before turning to Harry in a slight panic, a little bit unsure how this was all going to work.
"Now Harry," she started, frowning slightly, " these are nuns, so you need to treat them with respect - no swearing, no pretending to swear, no jokes about nuns or religion or…anything…."
"Hermione…"
"Also, the women in here," she carried on, lost in her thoughts, "well, their experiences with men are normally quite negative so they may not be that welcoming to you…"
"I kn…."
"And don't mention magic or do any magic! They are all Muggles…"
"Hermione…."
"Oh, and they know me as Jane…"
"Jane. Right."
"And put your t-shirt on! Honestly Harry, you're going into a convent!"
Hermione finally stopped and looked at Harry, who was smirking back at her as he put a white cotton collared shirt (that he had bought just a few moments ago) over the singlet he had been wearing.
"Better?" he asked, doing up the buttons.
"Yes," she stated as she straightened the collar, frowning once more when he chuckled, "what?"
"Hermione, sweetie," he tried to reassure, "we'll be fine. You'll be fine. And more importantly, I promise I won't embarrass you…"
"Oh Harry," she cried, horrified, "I know you won't! You'll be the perfect gentleman. It's just that…"
"You're nervous," Harry finished for her, still smiling.
"Yes," she admitted with a wry smile of her own, "how did you know?"
"Because you're babbling," he grinned before leaning closer and whispering in her ear, "and you're being a bit bossy."
"I am not being boss…" she exclaimed, leaning away from him slightly so she could slap his arm, full of indignation before smiling and nodding slightly in acknowledgement, "you're right, I was."
"Of course I'm right," Harry joked as he took her hand and started to walk towards the Victorian styled building, "I'm always right."
"Always right," Hermione repeated with a smirk, "I'm afraid not, Mr Potter."
"Well, okay, I admit, maybe not always right," he carried on with a laugh, "but I get the important things right. Like marrying you."
"Granted, that was one of your better decisions," Hermione said thoughtfully as she stopped outside the front door and turned to him, "some may say your best."
"And I would agree," he replied tenderly before kissing her gently on the lips.
She smiled at him then turned back to the door, ringing the bell with the chain that hung next to the door frame. She waited nervously, wondering whose job it was to monitor the front entrance today. When the rectangle-shaped peephole was pulled open, exposing a familiar face, she let out a sigh of relief.
"May I help you….oh my! Jane!" The peephole was slammed shut and Hermione could hear the heavy locks (that kept out angry family members from forcing their way in) frantically be turned and opened. In moments, the door was flung open and a very flushed Sister Clare stared at her in wonder before shrieking and engulfing Hermione in a hug that easily could've rivalled one of Molly's.
"Oh my! Oh my," the nun kept crying, not letting Hermione go, "you're back! Mother Rose always said you'd come back! And look at you," she held Hermione out at arms length, "you're with child! Oh, that is…wonderful!" she exclaimed before pulling her back into a tight embrace.
"Now, now Sister Clare, let the young woman go before you suffocate her."
Hermione smiled as she heard the soft yet still commanding voice of the head of the convent, making her look over the small courtyard that the front entrance opened up to, to see the tiny, stooped frame of Mother Rose walking towards her, a couple more nuns trotting closely behind.
The old woman stopped a few paces away from Hermione and looked at her, smiling. She then stepped closer, took Hermione's face between her arthritic, wizened hands and pulled her gently downward so the two women were eye to eye. Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable as the old nun studied her, but she stayed silent and waited. After a few moments, Mother Rose's hands moved from Hermione's face, down her arms to clasp her own slightly trembling hands.
"I see you've found your smile Hermione Jane," the nun said with a smile of her own.
"Yes, yes I did."
"Are you happy?"
"More happy than I ever thought possible," Hermione replied, tears coming to her eyes, "you were right, about everything…"
"I just acknowledged what you already knew in your heart, my dear," Mother Rose interrupted softly before smiling broadly and spreading her arms wide, "now, give an old lady a hug."
Hermione chuckled as she embraced the small woman fondly. When they parted, the nun turned to Harry.
"My," she exclaimed with a grin, "and who is this handsome young man?"
"Mother Rose, this is my husband…"
"Husband?" Mother Rose quizzed, looking between Harry and Hermione, "child, you've been gone less than two years and already you're married? And with a little one on the way too, I see."
"Um, yes," Hermione said, blushing slightly.
"Good for you!" the old nun cried, "can't let a fine fellow like this escape. Now, I'm hoping you're Harry."
"Er, yes," Harry replied, already blushing from the earlier comment.
"Hermione Jane never mentioned how striking you are," Mother Rose stated, causing Harry's blush to deepen, "it's a pleasure to meet you."
"The honour is all mine, Mother Rose," Harry replied sincerely, shaking the nun's offered hand, "I think, in fact, I owe you a debt of gratitude. If it wasn't for you, Hermione may have never come home."
"Oh, I think she would have, even without my help," Mother Rose smiled as she looped her arm around Harry's while mirroring the action with Hermione, guiding the couple towards the convent's garden, a small entourage tagging closely behind, "after all, look at what was waiting for her," she winked conspiratorially - Harry blushed once more.
"Mother Rose," Sister Clare called out as she jogged up to the trio, "will Jane and her young man be staying for dinner?"
"Oh, I hope so," Mother Rose replied, pausing and looking first at Harry then Hermione, "it is close to prayers but I do want to hear all that has happened since you left these walls. Will you stay?"
"We don't want to be a bother…"
"Pish posh, it is no bother at all," the nun fussed while indicating that the convent will have guests for dinner, watching as her charges skittered off to get things ready, "as you can see, Sister Clare isn't cooking tonight so it should be fine," she added with a smile.
"Her skills haven't improved then," Hermione laughed, walking once more.
"No, they haven't," Mother Rose said with a shrug, "but she tries hard, the dear. Will you two be alright waiting here in the garden until we have finished vespers?"
"We'll be fine," Hermione assured and watched fondly as the small woman hurried away to the chapel.
"She reminds me of Albus," Harry said wistfully - Hermione turned to him.
"She does, doesn't she," Hermione replied with a sigh, "I thought that too."
"No wonder you stayed here," Harry carried on, draping his arm over her shoulders and bringing her in close, "this is an amazing place. Peaceful."
"I know," she agreed, resting her hand on her protruding belly as the life inside it moved, "I'm glad we came. And so, it seems, does our little guy."
"Yeah?" Harry grinned, placing his hand over hers, his grin growing when he too felt the kicks, "probably the smells," he deducted.
"I think he's just eager to get out," Hermione laughed, "though he still has three months to go, the little tyke. Impatient, just like his…"
"Mum," Harry cut in, smiling as his wife playfully slapped his arm.
"You better be careful, Mr Potter," she warned before once more looking out at the very same view that she had been looking at when she had made the decision to return to England. Again, the sun was setting, filling the sky with an orange-red glow.
"This is beautiful," Harry breathed.
"Isn't it?" Hermione replied, falling into his embrace, her head resting on his chest as his arms wrapped around her expanded waist. They stood there silently, watching the sun continue its journey downward, only moving when Sister Clare came and told them dinner was ready.
The meal was slightly awkward as the women in the convent were unsure of Harry's presence and although the nuns treated both Harry and Hermione warmly, it wasn't until only Mother Rose, Sister Clare and the three other nuns, Mary, Louise and Frances - all who knew Hermione as Jane - remained. Talk soon turned to Hermione and Harry's story, which they told from the moment Hermione landed back on English soil.
It was quite late when the subject of the wedding was broached, but no-one seemed to want to move as they waited to hear the details.
"We got married in December…" Harry started.
"…during the school holidays, since we wanted to have the ceremony at our old school…" Hermione continued.
"…and even though Hogwarts wasn't empty, it was close enough…"
"…because everything was such a huge secret, no-one knew the wedding was taking place except our friends…"
"…who are very good at keeping secrets…"
"…anyway, I stayed at the school with Ginny and Luna, who were my bridesmaids…"
"…while I stayed at home with Ron and Neville…"
"…it was amazing, we had the best time. Minerva, that's the headmistress, she let us stay in my old dorm room…"
"…while we mucked around, had a few bu…beers and just laid back…"
"…then all the woman came to help me get ready. I felt so special. It was perfect…"
"…and the Great Hall, I couldn't believe it when I first got there. Everyone had done such a brilliant job, it looked beautiful. But nothing compared to Hermione, when she walked through those doors…"
"…Harry was so handsome, with his hair sticking up every which way making him look even more gorgeous…"
"…my heart stopped. When I saw her, this vision in white, coming towards me. I had never seen anything so beautiful in all my life…"
"…oh Harry!"
Hermione leaned towards her husband and hugged him tightly, blinking back the tears that had begun to gently fall. They had started telling their story to the nuns, ping ponging between each other like they did so often. But when he had described her, they had looked at each other and she could see his love deep within his eyes. Her heart had nearly burst.
"It's true," he continued tenderly, momentarily forgetting they had an audience, "you were dressed up and a, well, bride. But you were still Hermione, my Hermione, in your eyes and your smile - the most beautiful woman in the world."
"Thank you Harry," Hermione breathed as she leaned forward, giving him a chaste kiss, "I love you so much."
"I love you too," he said back, wiping away a few of her tears. Suddenly, a loud sound of someone blowing their nose shattered the relative quietness of the dinning area causing both Harry and Hermione to turn to the nuns, startled.
"Sister Louise!" Sister Clare admonished, "could you disturb the moment any worse with your noise!"
"I'm sorry," the young nun wailed, "it's just that, Harry and Jane, I mean Hermione…oh dear, that was just so lovely!"
Hermione smiled shyly as she looked around the faces of the women she had shared a part of her life with, a part that had seen her sad and half a person. They were all looking back at her with watery eyes and expressions of delight - none more so than Mother Rose. Hermione held the old nun's gaze as those around them said their goodnights, obtaining promises that the couple will return and say goodbye before leaving.
Mother Rose stayed sitting, however, her eyes never leaving Hermione. After a few moments, she took Hermione and Harry's hands in her own.
"I am nearly eighty four," she began, her tone sombre, "and in all my years I have never seen a couple so connected as you two young people. You may well still be in your honeymoon phase but I feel that what you have, this thing you have, will be with you forever. You are both incredibly lucky."
"Thank you Mother Rose," Hermione replied softly.
"You know something," Harry said as both women turned their attention to him, "if I look back on my life, it hasn't been that great, you know? An orphan raised by a family who didn't want me, bullied, picked on, nearly killed more times that I care to think about, watching people I love die. Yet, I see myself as one of the luckiest people alive. I have married my best friend, literally. I'm surrounded by those I consider my family and I'm soon to have a family of my own. Life is good."
"Life is good," Hermione repeated, looking at her husband.
"Life is good," Mother Rose copied, accentuating the statement with a nod while patting Harry's hand fondly, "you're a good man, Harry and I think well worthy of our Hermione Jane."
"That's high praise Mother Rose," Harry smiled, "thank you."
"You're more than welcome," the nun acknowledged warmly before standing up stiffly, "now, I'm afraid I have to escort you off the premises so I can catch up on my beauty sleep. I'd offer you a bed here, but, well, the rules can't be broken I'm afraid."
"That's fine," Hermione assured hastily, also standing, "we've booked a room in the town…"
"We're so sorry," Harry added, following Hermione, "we didn't mean to keep you up so late!"
"When one of our girls comes back successful, it's never too late to hear her story," Mother Rose stated, once more drawing Hermione into a hug, "and your success, Hermione Jane, is heart warming. I always had faith that your path would be a happy one. Now, you will come by before you leave, won't you."
"I will Mother Rose," Hermione promised, and with a wave goodbye, she and Harry left the confines of the convent and made their way back down the still bustling street.
Hermione was lost in her thoughts, remembering what Harry had said and the way that he had said it. His love for her is never in doubt - as is hers for him - but the way he spoke of their wedding had been so…reverent. Yet there was something that was bothering her...
"Did you really mean that?" she blurted out.
"Mean what?" Harry asked with a frown.
"When Mother Rose said you were worthy of having me," Hermione continued, her pace slowing down then stopping altogether, "and you said it was high praise - did you mean that?"
"Yep."
"Why?"
Harry stopped, looked at her and smiled his crooked, disarming smile that makes her weak-kneed every time. The fact he was holding both her hands in his was the only reason she remained standing.
"Growing up, I didn't deserve you," he began earnestly, thinking hard, "all throughout Hogwarts, I took you for granted. I just expected you to always be there to help me with my homework, to find out all the answers and to keep me out of trouble. I didn't even acknowledge the fact you were a girl until the Yule Ball, where you showed me quite spectacularly that you were beautiful. Yet you continued to look out for me, continued to help me, continued to love me even though I really gave you no reason to…"
"Harry…" she interrupted but he stopped her with a finger gently placed across her lips.
"You sat by my bed for three years when everyone else had given up. You put your life on hold for me for a love that you didn't even know was going to be returned. You are the most intelligent person I know, you are kind, you are caring and you are beautiful. You continue to give without expecting to get anything back - how can you not see that you deserve the very best that love can offer? And that I am so honoured to be chosen as being worthy of giving you that love?"
"But it's me that's honoured Harry," Hermione interjected with a frown, "you are an amazing man for so many reasons! You're incredibly good looking, what with that hair and those eyes, not to mention you body. And you saved the wizarding world! You're famous! You could've chosen anyone, any woman, anywhere…"
"And I chose you."
"Yes."
"Hadn't we already agreed that was one of my better decisions?"
"Well, yes. But…"
"There aren't any 'but's'. And you're wrong, I couldn't have chosen any woman, anywhere because my heart had already been given to you. No-one else ever came anywhere close to how I felt about you. How I feel about you. And no-one ever will."
She looked up at him in wonder, remembering the little boy she once knew that had found it so difficult to express how he felt, who now was able to make her feel so incredibly loved with his words. She grinned
"You'll need to remember this day Mr Potter," she said cheekily.
"Why?"
"Because I'm accepting the fact that I was wrong about something."
"You're kidding!" he exclaimed in mock shock, "that must be a first!"
"Don't push it," she laughed, starting to walk once more, "now, let's get to bed…"
"Why, Mrs Potter, that's a bit forward, isn't it? Oh well, a husband's got to do what a husband's got to do…"
"Get your mind out of the gutter, you," she growled playfully, "I'm the size of a small hippopotamus, been on some form of public transport for what feels like days, I'm hot and dirty therefore the idea of letting you have your way with me is the furthest thing from my mind."
"Really?" Harry questioned as they entered the foyer of the small hotel they had booked into, "oh well, I'd hate to make you wrong twice in one day so I guess I'll…"
"…help me take a bath," she interrupted nonchalantly as Harry opened the door to their modest but comfortable room. Harry paused at the door jam as Hermione manoeuvred past.
"Really?" Harry repeated, obviously shocked.
"Close the door Harry," Hermione instructed, taking off her top and kicking off her shoes, "we don't need to shock the other guests."
"But…" he stuttered as he quickly did what he was told.
"Come and prove me wrong."