CHAPTER 10: D-Day
PLEASE READ AUTHORS NOTE: ESPECIALLY BEAUMONT RULZ
"Harry!" Hermione yelled from the kitchen, in a voice simply too perky for the morning.
"Yeah, Mione?" Harry responded, his voice still groggy with sleep. It had been a few days since the Thanksgiving plans had been made, and today was the day. D-Day, as Harry had come to call it by.
"You've got to get up NOW, or else we're going to be late, and my father will dislike you even more, therefore causing you possible physical, and most likely, emotional and mental pain! But that's alright, if you're willing to go through-"
But Hermione's sentence was cut off as she heard Harry dashing to the bathroom and making a mad rush into the shower stall.
Harry was soon ready, and after a quick, light breakfast of some fluffy scrambled eggs, (Hermione cooked them… neither ate much) the two were standing in the living room, preparing to Apparate into the Granger's Scarborough home. Hermione took a deep breath, grasped Harry's arm, and whispered, "You ready?"
"When you are." He replied. "I suppose I'm not a Gryffindor nothing."
Harry began to focus his mind on his destination- but then Hermione let out a quick gasp. "Oh, Harry, before I forget- my parents don't approve of arrangements or situations like ours, so to them, we're just the normal, young, in love couple- okay?"
And then, before he could say a word, Hermione disappeared with a POP!. Groaning, he turned in place to follow her.
"Hermione, darling! Come in, sweetheart, come, come!" Mrs. Granger fussed, with an air quite similar to the likes of Molly Weasley. "Oh, Harry, you come in too," she added, in aonly-slightly cooler tone.
Hermione stepped inside the doorway to her childhood home, reaching blindly behind her for Harry's hand. She grasped his fingers within her own. Hermione shot a nervous, quivering smile at him, and he instantly noticed the worried expression on her face-worry for him, not for herself. He felt his heart melt a little bit, and instantly was a smidge more confident in his abilities to charm his pseudo fiancee's parents.
However, that momentary boost of confidence seemed to fade when Hermione, Harry, and Mrs. Granger were met in the living room by a tall, imposing man. Hermione's father- Robert- was exactly how Harry pictured him to be. He had salt-and-pepper hair, astonishingly good looks for a man of nearly fifty, and was at least six foot one. (Harry didn't really understand how in the world Hermione was so completely tiny when she had such tall parents).
Robert stood silent for a second, until Harry stepped forward, and said, "Harry Potter, sir. Nice to see you again after all these years."
"Well, I suppose the meeting of one's future son-in-law is supposed to be pleasant. So, shall we agree to simply lay aside the formalities here? After all, we trusted you with Hermione's friendship and lovewhen she was eleven, after all, why would we not do so when she is twenty seven? Just be aware, Harry, that if even one speck on Hermione is damaged in any way, I will not hesitate to torture you, slowly and painfully."
Hermione, Eileen, and Harry stood in stunned silence for a second, until Harry got that defiant look in his eyes. "Sir, if I intended to hurt Hermione if any way, I would not be standing here today. I love Hermione, everything about her. I would rather die before I changed Hermione, or hurt her in any way. If I ever do, I willingly give you permission to torture me any way you see fit. Agreed?"
Robert sized up Harry for a moment, then nodded and said, "I like you, boy."
"Thank you, sir."
"But my threat still stands."
"Never doubted it, sir."
"Well!" Hermione said brightly. "Now that the… erm… introductions are out of the way, I smell Mother's delicious food from here… shall we go and sit in the dining room?"
"Let's shall!" Eileen Granger said cheerfully. "By the way, Harry, welcome to our home."
"Uhm," Harry coughed. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger."
Soon, the four were seated at a cozy dark wood table situated in a small room of the kitchen. The middle of the table, was, indeed, laden with Eileen Granger's delicious food, as Hermione had predicted. Mrs. Granger was happily sharing embarrassing memories of Hermione as a child, while Harry secretly relished the feeling of being part of his fiancée's family. He never thought his fiancée would be Hermione, but now that he was seeing this… completely relaxed and comfortable Hermione, he kept noticing new things about her that endeared her to him.
Once, Hermione caught Harry's gaze across the table, and noticing the intense look deep within his green eyes, she blushed, a rosy hue appearing on her cheekbones. She self-consciously tucked a stray curl behind her ear, and her engagement ring sparkled in the low light.
"Oh, darling, is that the ring? Oh, come into the sitting room, the light is so much better in there! My goodness, that's over a full carat there… good cut, good clarity…" Eileen rambled, calling over her shoulder, "Robert, why didn't you get me a ring like this?"
As Hermione was pulled out of her seat by her mother, Robert and Harry trailed behind them, Robert said gruffly, "That was a nice ring. How much?"
"Excuse me?" Harry asked, startled.
"How much? How much did it cost?" Robert repeated.
"Well, I bought it in a muggle store, but then had it charmed so it could never be lost at a wizarding jewelry store, as well as some other charms… so in total, I would say aroundtwelvethousand pounds."
Robert simply raised an eyebrow.
"Mr. Granger, I said I was going to take good care of your daughter, and I meant it." Harry said quietly, as he walked ahead of Mr. Granger to slip his arm around Hermione's slender waist.
Hermione Granger, soon-to-be Hermione Potter, was snuggling in a large easy chair several hours later, her frequent yawns tickling Harry's neck.
"Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger… thank you for the lovely evening, but Hermione is quickly falling asleep, so we should probably be on our way home now."
Mrs. Granger fussed over the pair for a minute, instructing Robert to pack a bag of leftovers for the "children" to bring home. He did so, and soon everyone was saying their goodbyes, except for the soundly-sleeping Hermione, of course. Robert slapped Harry on the back as a way of saying, "Welcome to the family," and Eileen kissed Harry in a motherly fashion on the cheek, insisting that the young couple visit more often.
And then, with a loud POP, Hermione and Harry were safely back in their own cozy home.
Lady B: Alright, I know what ya'll are thinking! Why didn't they update sooner, that's really annoying.. but contrary to popular belief, Jessie and I do have lives outside of fanfiction! Actually, Jessie is away this weekend on a fun-filled, enjoyable weekend... so, yay for Jessie! Anyway, we're sorry it took so long... we're trying to sort out how we want this story to go. Trust me, this time gap will have made the next few chapters better.
Onto more pleasant topics: we love your reviews, guys! I can't tell you how immensely they cheer me up after a hard day, how nice they are to read. Most often, they're helpful, and are fun to read. You know we would review to all of you if we could, but we can't because of the stupid new rule. Anyway. We love all of your reviews, keep them COMING!
So, even though I can't do all personal review responses: I've gotta make one! Beaumont Rulz.. thank you! I didn't even think about it! HEY GUYS: BEAUMONT RULZ HERE WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO PICK UP ON THE FACT THAT THE BRITISH DO NOT CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING... INCLUDING US!Jessie and I never even thought of that... it's such a big holiday in America, that I forget that other countries DON'T celebrate it. So, Beaumont Rulz, thank you, thank you! I officially feel completely feel stupid for writing achapter about a holiday that the British don't celebrate. :rolls eyes: Anyway. GOOD FOR YOU, BEAUMONT RULZ! )
So, again, tell us about what you thought in a REVIEW.. hehe. Seriously, the good, the bad, the just plain ugly. Don't hold back! We can take it, I promise. :) Bye, ya'll!
Lady B. and Jessie