Disclaimer: If this was mine, I'd be awfully rich, and we would be happy for HHr happening.
A/N: My reply to the "You can't take my child" challenge by Natsky, you can find it here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26363&st=0 . I hope you'll like the story, and I feel I need to alert you, Ginny won't be particularly likable here. I don't think that's a problem, but anyhow, I told you beforehand, ok? lol. Now, on with the story…
Credit for the original plot of the story goes to AnasellaEmm, who wrote the story A Wonderful Caricature of Intimacy on fanfiction.net.
Again, I'd like to thank my great beta Gingercat, she's helping me lots. I'd also like to tell you that I'm going to be out of two for the next few days, so I won't probably be able to update the fic before Monday afternoon, if not later. Sorry about that, and happy Easter to all of you who celebrate it.
Fight for Custody
Chapter Seven: The Wedding. Fake, of course!
Organizing a wedding in such short time was hectic, to say the least. Molly had volunteered to take care of the reception, although she kept muttering that having it so soon was crazy. She didn't know the real reason for it being so sudden, only Ron knew and Harry had sworn him to secrecy.
Harry had spent a whole day finding some good enough robes for himself and his best man, and Hermione had spent the same amount of time for her bridesmaids, which were going to be Luna, Fleur and Tonks.
Her mother insisted on helping her find a dress and she knew the perfect person for that, so she almost kidnapped her daughter for a whole day, and when Hermione Apparated home, she was downright exhausted by all the dresses her mother had her trying on that day. However, they managed to find one which was perfect, she told Harry, and he chuckled at the sparkle in her eyes as she told him.
"Prat" she said, playfully swatting his arm. Even if not everything was ok between them yet, they had fallen back into a comfortable relationship with each other. She would now and then catch him staring at her like he was searching the answers to some life-altering question, but apart for that, they were just like they had been in school. Which from Hermione's point of view wasn't really good.
Sighing, even if she was really tired, she decided that would be the night she would explain him everything to him, once Bea was in bed. Fake or not, she would not step into marriage withholding such a big secret, thank you.
Through dinner, Harry had prepared a wonderful lasagne and roasted chicken, they chatted, including Bea who told them what Hermione's assistant had had them do in her absence.
It was evident that the little girl liked Natalie lots, but nowhere near as much as she liked Hermione, her new mummy as she kept calling her.
Harry was more and more amazed at how good the relationship between the two women in his life was, and he surprised himself thinking that maybe it hadn't been such a good idea. Bea wouldn't really like Hermione leaving their flat after the six months of probation were done. And if he was honest with himself, he wouldn't like it either.
But, he couldn't force his best friend to live a lie for the rest of her life. She had the right to find someone she truly loved and start a family with that person, he thought while he washed the dishes the Muggle way.
"You're quiet" Hermione said, looking at him, and he nodded. "Sorry, got lost in thought" he grinned sheepishly. There was no way he would tell her what he was thinking about though.
"Harry, I think we should talk" she said then, growing serious. They had finished there in the kitchen, so he nodded and the two of them went to the living room. Bea was watching a movie there, and Harry picked her up and settled her in his lap. It wasn't long before the little witch fell asleep on him.
"I'll put her in bed and then I'll be back" he whispered to Hermione, who nodded and lovingly ran her hand through Bea's black locks and kissed her on the forehead before letting Harry go.
The raven haired wizard tucked his daughter in, and since she had woken up during the trip to her room, he stood there reading her a story. A few minutes later he heard footsteps in the hallway, and turned to see Hermione peeking into the room. She went to sit on the bed near him, and Bea grinned at her, her eyelids falling down as sleep engulfed the little girl.
--
"So, Harry" Hermione started, taking a long breath. "Even if it is a fake marriage, I think I owe you an explanation before we step into it"
Harry said nothing, waiting for her to continue.
"There was a reason why I left, six years ago. You see, Ginny had just written me saying she was pregnant with your child…"
Hermione quickly opened the letter. She had recognized Ginny's handwriting, and was curious to see what her female friend would write her about.
When she was finished reading, she was shocked. But maybe not even so much. This was just happening sooner than she had expected, but she had known it would happen sooner or later.
Ginny was pregnant with Harry's child. And Hermione knew what she would have to do.
She wrote Ginny back, with her advice to tell him as soon as possible, but in person, not by letter. She had reasoned that Harry was a good man and would never leave Ginny alone with a baby, so he would surely marry her and they would live happily together. She knew Ginny's dream was to marry Harry, so she wrote her that she should be overjoyed because her dream was coming true. She also told her that feeling confused about having a baby at that age was normal, but she would soon get over it and love her and Harry's child with all her heart.
Then, once the owl had flown away, Hermione let the tears come. Rationally, she had known such a moment would come, eventually. But knowing that it was the end of her feeble, well hidden hopes that Harry might love her back and end marrying her and not Ginny was too much, so she cried herself to sleep.
Harry looked at her transfixed. He suddenly understood.
"You were in love with me and left because you couldn't stand seeing me marry Ginny, isn't it?" he said, his voice strangely calm.
Hermione looked at him, tears filling her eyes even now when thinking back to that fateful night, and nodded.
The next morning, Hermione woke up with a new determination. She knew Harry would ask her to be part of the wedding. She was one of his best friends after all, and it was just normal for him to do so.
But she couldn't bring herself to do that. She loved him too much, and seeing him actually marry someone else would hurt her enormously. For once in her life, Hermione Granger chose to be an egoist, and spending half the day packing her things, she left without a word. She went to stay for a month with her parents, till she found a new flat and made it unplottable. Owls wouldn't find her there.
The day she left her parents' house, she asked them to never tell anyone she had been there, and if anyone searched for her there, to tell them she hadn't been in contact in months.
Harry chuckled bitterly. "I should have known you'd guess our moves one by one" he said, almost spitefully. "For two whole years Ron and I along with the Weasleys searched for you. Being an Auror can be handy in cases like this one, but we never managed to find you. But after all, you're Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age, we couldn't compete with you" he said, coldly.
Hermione cringed. She knew she deserved it.
"Harry, I'm sorry to have worried you all so much…" she started, but he cut her off.
"No, Hermione. Don't. I may understand your reasons, but it will take some time for me to forgive you. Can't you see it? We thought something horrible had happened to you, that some remaining Death Eater had kidnapped you and tortured you for God knows how long before finally killing you, or even making you his/her slave" he said, now pacing the room.
Suddenly, he stopped and looked at her. "Do you still love me?" he bluntly asked.
Hermione was taken aback, but that was something she still didn't want to admit. "No" she said, hoping beyond hope that he would believe her. It seemed the six years apart had hindered his ability to spot her lies, because he nodded.
Then he left the room, and locked himself into the guest room. Whatever unlocking charm she tried wouldn't get her in, so she finally gave up, and resigned herself to a night of loneliness. She would never confess it to him, but she had gotten quite used to waking up in his arms, as far away from each other as they started the night it seemed they would always find their way to each other through their sleep and wake up cuddling the next morning.
That night it would be different, and Hermione could already feel the chill wrapping itself around her.
--
The day of the wedding was finally upon them, and their spat was still going on. Harry had barely talked to her since that night, which was almost two days ago, and Hermione was extremely nervous while getting ready for the ceremony.
"Pumpkin, you're going to be gorgeous" her mother reassured her and she gave a weak smile. Fleur was working on her hair, and Luna on her make up, both already in their pale pink gowns. Tonks was preparing her dress for her to wear it.
They wanted the ceremony to take place at Hogwarts, but Professor McGonagall had sadly told them it would probably cause too much of a ruckus between the students, and it would also get them much more publicity, which was something both had wanted to avoid the most.
So they had settled for the Burrow, just like Bill and Fleur's wedding.
Harry was nervously pacing in front of the altar. He had already gotten ready with Ron and Neville's help, and Remus' too.
"Wotcher, Harry" the Metamorphmagus said, entering the marquee and seeing him so tense. "You're even more nervous than on your first one!"
Harry chuckled, realizing it was true, and he guessed it might be because he was afraid someone would realize it was all fake, the love between him and Hermione, them getting married, everything.
But deep down he knew it was because they still hadn't made up after that fight, and it was mostly his fault. He'd been a jerk to her since then, and he regretted it.
"Don't worry, mate. She's going to be here, and look gorgeous, and she will be your wife in no time" Ron said, clapping him on the back, and Harry nodded.
Finally, the wedding march was heard, and from the entrance of the marquee Fleur, then Luna and finally Tonks, who had left moments before to go join the bride party again, arrived. Then, there she was, on her father's arm.
Harry thought he had never seen someone more beautiful. She truly seemed an angel, with the pearl white simple dress hugging her form perfectly, not in a vulgar way but letting everyone know she had truly developed into a woman. Harry was also mesmerized by her chocolate curls, partially hid under the veil and still catching the light of the room, giving her face an almost halo-like glow.
His gaze fell on her pink, soft-looking lips, and he thought he would gladly die just to kiss them once. Which he would soon do, mind you, if everything in the ceremony went like it should.
She felt his gaze on her and looked up, meeting his green eyes, a blush spreading on her cheeks, and she smiled at him.
He smiled back, and felt his heart strangely soar. He couldn't understand why, since it was just a fake wedding, no real feelings involved, right? But he didn't dwell too much on it at the moment. When she finally was on his side, he delicately took her hand, and the officer started the ceremony.
Harry, however, was barely aware of what was going on around him, about what the officer was saying, unable to tear his gaze from her, and she seemed in the same trance.
They were truly aware of the officer saying one thing though.
"Harry James Potter, do you take Hermione Jane Granger as your wife, in health and illness, till death will part you?"
"I do" Harry said, smiling at her, and she felt her own heart melt under his gaze. It was her dream coming true, even if only for six months, and she felt joy overwhelming her.
"Hermione Jane Granger, do you take Harry James Potter as your husband, in health and illness, till death will part you?"
"I do" she said, and Harry thought her smile couldn't have been more beautiful.
"I thus declare you husband and wife" the officer said after they had exchanged their rings. "Harry, you may kiss the bride"
The raven haired wizard didn't need being told twice. He lifted the veil, and slowly leaned in, briefly wondering why he was so eager to kiss her. Hermione, on her part, closed her eyes and tried focusing on the sensations going through her, wanting to treasure them in her heart for the rest of her life, knowing this would only last half an year.
When their lips finally made contact, Harry was amazed at the softness of her own, and something primal almost drove him to snog her right there. But there were kids in the audience, plus it wouldn't have been appropriate. With a huge amount of willpower, he managed to part himself from her, sighing.
Hermione finally opened her eyes, her lips still tingling from the contact. She heard him sigh and assumed he had been happy to finally end what he surely saw as nothing more than a duty.
As the reception began, the newlyweds obviously sat near each other and Diane Granger couldn't stop bawling.
"My little princes got married" she sniffed inside the handkerchief, and Molly patted her on the back. "And she looks so happy" Diane added then, looking at the young couple.
"They both do" her husband said, beaming. He couldn't have asked for a better young man for his darling.
As for the two of them, Harry and Hermione were whispering to each other, oblivious to anything going on around them.
"We will need to dance soon, you know" she told him, in a business-like tone.
"Which you know I hate" he retorted playfully, and she swatted his hand lightly, with a radiant smile.
"But if it's with such a lovely lady that I'll have to dance, then it might even be enjoyable" he continued, and chuckled softly as she looked at him in surprise for having said such a sweet thing.
Ron and Luna noticed the exchange. "They are right for each other, you know" the former Ravenclaw said.
"That they are" Ron agreed, sipping his glass of champagne. "I wish they had realized it sooner though. It would have created much less angst in their lives"
"They have lots of happy years ahead of them, Ronald. It's not too late yet" his wife said, with her usual aerial tone, smiling at Harry who had just turned their way.
--
When the moment of dancing finally arrived, Harry was amazed at how well Hermione fit against him. They were following the slow rhythm of the music, the Symphony n.9 by Mozart, which Harry had decided to surprise her with, knowing it was her favourite composer.
She looked at him, warmth in her brown orbs.
"You remembered" she said, recalling a long chat in front of the fireplace in their last year at Hogwarts, where the two of them had shared many things they still didn't know about each other, and she had revealed to him her love for classical music and Mozart above anyone else.
"I've to spoil my wife a bit, right?" he joked, and even if she knew he was kidding, she felt a thrill going through her at the way he said it.
"Right" she breathlessly said, before standing on her toes and kissing him lightly on the lips. She told herself it was just for show, but she knew it was a lie.
He was surprised, but pleasantly so, when she kissed him. He reckoned it might just be for the audience, and he did notice some flashes at the exact moment their lips were joined, but he found himself hoping it wasn't.
"Now, Potter, where has that come from?" he asked himself, but couldn't, wouldn't find an answer.
Because the only one he could find was downright scary, if that was to be true.
-->