They apparated into Bill's office at Gringotts the following morning, two memos already awaiting him at the desk. One accepting his week-long leave, the other from Gizzinkle, the goblin presiding over his and Charlie's accounts. "Well, looks like we're expected," he said as he requested for the goblin to join them while Hermione and Charlie settled on the small love seat below the window. They stopped by at Starbucks on their way, the morning bright and beautiful enough to make it worth the extra effort for a large cup of tea.
"Does he already know?" Hermione asked, wondering if Argrund, the keeper of her accounts, has already been informed.
"It appears that way. Our bonding must have registered legally as well if he does, which means the Ministry has it in public records. We really should address this sooner rather than later," he mused, just as a sharp knock interrupted them.
Hermione attempted to sit up a bit more properly, but Charlie held her close to his side, so she relented and leaned into him as an aged goblin came in and secured the door. "Messers Weasley, Madam, may I offer congratulations on your bonding," he said cordially, acknowledging the mutual respect between himself and the war heroes he represented.
"Thank you, Gizzinkle. And do forgive the irregular summons, I hope I did not jeopardise your schedule," Bill offered as he motioned for him to join them by taking a seat.
"I must admit to great surprise when the record appeared on my desk this morning. I have already spoken to Argrund, and he lent me your files to deal with this transition as smoothly as possible, if Madam so wishes," the goblin offered, pushing the half-moon glasses higher up his pointed nose. Goblins were generally unpleasant folk, but Gizzinkle was well-aged, and respective of those who respected him. It was one of the reasons why Charlie listened to his brother several years ago when choosing a new account manager.
"Thank you, Gizzinkle, and please do send my regards to Argrund as well, for allowing you to deal with this matter," Hermione offered before taking another sip of her tea.
The goblin acknowledged her with a respectful nod before opening one of the three thick files he was carrying. "This is the official Ministry record we received, recognising your bond as a magical trial. The bonding magic manifested itself late last Saturday night," he said and handed over the document to Bill. The curse breaker looked at it briefly before handing it over to Charlie who held it out for himself and Hermione to read.
There it was, their names in the middle of a public bond and marriage record, section 1259A, interminable magical bonding. She felt Charlie's fingers lightly skim her arm as if in question and smiled at him, handing the record back. "Could we possibly have a copy for our personal records?" she asked the goblin.
"Absolutely. I will have it with you before you leave today," Grizzinkle nodded and pulled out three different account summary lists, handing each to their representative owner. "According to the laws associated with interminable bonds, you have the right to merge your accounts, all that you own, or keep them separate. If you wish to file an official statement of separated accounts in case you decide to separate households in the future, I am obliged to preside over it. Any changes to the last wills as well. For the moment however I need to know whether the Madam will be accepting your family name," he looked questioningly at Hermione.
She froze momentarily in panic, completely forgetting about this little detail. Was she ready to give up her name, the only thing she had left of her muggle roots? And how would the rest of the family react to this news? Her taking on the family name and officially becoming a Weasley like this.
"Perhaps if we could have a moment to discuss, the decisions will be easier to make," Bill hinted and Grizzinkle took the cue, leaving them momentarily to discuss it in private.
"You don't have to be a Weasley if you don't want to be, love," Charlie said gently, sensing her confusion and trepidation.
"It's not that I don't want to be one. It's the whole situation with your mother and family, the fact that we bonded unofficially, me being the last Granger…" Hermione sighed and ran a hand through the curls spilling over her shoulders and down the swell of her chest. "Don't *you* think it's too soon?" she looked between the two of them.
Bill shook his head. "I meant what I said, and I'm sure you did as well. We are yours, you are ours. Whether we progress with the legalities as well is up to you. We can't accept your name according to our laws since we are from a pureblood lineage, so you would have to accept ours."
"Or you could do the whole hyphenated thing, and be a Granger-Weasley," Charlie suggested as another option to contemplate.
Hermione thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "Too long, it would be impractical. I would probably lose patience for it," she sighed. "Would you prefer if I was officially a Weasley as well?" she asked.
Bill and Charlie exchanged a long look and Hermione felt the silent communication as well as the contemplative mood shifting between the two men. "It's your decision, but I would like my bonded to share their life with me completely, including taking my name and making it ours instead. Us as family," Charlie finally said, looking away from Bill and back at the woman still curled into his side.
Bill was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Fleur went back to her maiden name. Who knows, maybe she will marry again soon. But that's irrelevant. As pack, I would prefer it if you acknowledged the legal union as well. But the choice still remains yours," he agreed.
Hermione looked at them both before curling closer in the Charlie. Screw what anyone thinks. They were a triad, forming a family of their own, and taking on the Weasley name would in no way erase her roots. "Okay, I'll be Mrs. Weasley," She cringed a little. "Urgh, sounds like someone referring to Molly," she groaned, making them both crack up.
Grizzinkle returned shortly with some more tea and they tackled the bureaucracy with a renewed gusto. Their savings accounts were joint into one vault for them to share, but for practical reasons they decided to keep their regular accounts and vaults separate, in their own names. They would be sharing a household anyway, costs can always be figured out when necessary. They added each other into their last wills, as the war had taught them to always be prepared for any eventuality. When Grizzinkle asked whether they wanted to prepare paperwork in case separation occurred at some point despite the interminable nature of their bond, they didn't even want to hear of it. A few hours later, they each had their new keys, copies of all the changed documentations and headed out into the warm afternoon. Another step towards their joint future…
"It actually bonded you? Like…bonded bonded?" Ginny gaped at Hermione over her iced coffee.
Hermione nodded. "It even manifested officially. We are registered with the Ministry as a bonded magical triad under interminable bonds."
"So this is actually for life. Merlin, Hermione! What will you do?" she asked, still somewhat shocked. Yes, she saw the magic was very happy with them acknowledging each other but a bonding by the ancient Lughnasadh powers? Practically unheard of!
"We've already started settling into it. It's difficult at moments, our magic is still not quite settled in and we can sort of feel each other's emotions and moods shifting. But the paperwork is official, and we're being practical. They are both currently viewing a house," Hermione smiled fondly.
It has been only four days since the night of their bonding and they were still better than ever. After the practicalities and bureaucracy were dealt with, they rested in their current home and just enjoyed the way their skin prickled pleasantly every time the most simple of touches passed between them. They started looking at properties just yesterday, and had three already lined up for viewing. Hermione was supposed to go with them today but she couldn't refuse Ginny's call when the redhead looked utterly confused about Molly's raging. It appeared her new mother-in-law was not keeping her dissatisfaction with their bond quiet. They've already received a letter from George, congratulating them on their bond and wishing them all the best with their lives. Hermione had to laugh at the cheeky envelope that opened to release a few obnoxious kissing sounds and the many pink hearts that kept rising out of it until they finished reading his note. And since Ginny was here now, Arthur was the only one they haven't heard from yet.
"Hermione?" Ginny's voice shook her out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Sorry, was away with the fairies," she took another sip of her tea before setting it down.
"Did you hear what I asked?" Ginny was already grinning, seeing right through her.
"You know I didn't," Hermione reprimanded her for the cheek.
Ginny sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine, I'll repeat it. Just don't tell me what kind of naughty fantasy involving my brothers you were thinking about," she grinned.
"Ginny!" Hermione gasped and slapped her arm lightly in outrage.
The redhead just laughed at her blush and shook her head. "Okay, I'll stop. I was asking whether you've considered children yet."
Hermione raised a brow. "Do I look like I want to settle down and have babies right now?"
"No offense but I always thought you'd never be bonded in the first place. You always spoke about dedication to work and maybe companionship but never marriage," Ginny pointed out.
"It's not that I'm opposed to it. I'm married or bonded or whatever you want to call it, and I'm happy. I just, I don't know. Children are a step too far for me right now, so we're being careful, as we were with Charlie."
"And what about a wedding?" Ginny prodded further.
Hermione looked at her a bit confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you were bonded so suddenly, by ancient powers, just the three of you. And that's all nice, but you do know there will be a lot of talk and press about the fact that you haven't had a wedding, or at least some kind of a ceremony," Ginny's tone might have been gentle but Hermione didn't feel soothed.
She was right. They have been practical and doing everything that would help them start their lives together as smoothly as possible, without thinking of actually having bonded without letting anyone properly know outside the family. The Ministry having a record of it was one thing, but hardly anyone paid attention to those. Hermione was quite frankly surprised the press hasn't caught wind of this yet. Maybe they should get ahead of the wave.
A loud *crack* interrupted them as Bill and Charlie apparated straight into the living room, both smiling widely.
"Ladies," Bill greeted and leaned down to kiss Ginny's cheek before leaning over Hermione to give her a proper kiss.
She chuckled and accepted one from Charlie as well before she was once again sandwiched between their warm bodies. Their auras were happy and light, the viewing must have gone well. "Thanks for your advice Ginny, I'll discuss it with these two," she promised, laughing a little when Charlie tickled her side for referring to them so casually.
"No worries, I know when to take my leave," Ginny grinned cheekily before they said their goodbyes and she flooed back to her home in Hogsmeade.
"How was the house?" Hermione asked as she leaned back against Charlie's chest and smiled when Bill picked up her feet and rubbed her ankles gently.
"It was beautiful but I don't think it's quite for us."
"What do you mean?" she looked at Bill questioningly.
"It reminded me too much of Shell Cottage," he admitted.
Hermione reached out and squeezed his hand gently. "Then we'll look at the others. It needs to be comfortable for all of us."
She felt Charlie's lips travel down her neck and hummed in delight. "Are you trying to distract me from important conversation?" she teased.
"Absolutely. I haven't touched you in three hours. I don't know how I've managed to go that long without," he mumbled against her skin before sucking lightly on her pulse.
Hermione groaned softly. "Not yet, we have more to talk about," she tried protesting.
"Later…" Bill growled softly and his insistent fingers started working on her skinny jeans.
"Guys, seriously. Important things," she tried once more though her resolve was weakening, only to crumble a moment later when Charlie tugged at her chin and claimed her lips in a heated kiss. Who was she to protest against that indeed...
She toyed with Charlie's tongue while Bill's hands impatiently tugged her jeans and knickers off in one go, making her shudder in pleasure when her thighs were pushed apart and she felt the first sweep of his tongue over the little button of joy.
"Ungh… right here?...anyone could….come through…the floo…." She tried protesting but couldn't hold back a moan when a thick digit pressed deep inside her and made her hips grind up against the delicious intrusion.
While he still had his wits about him, Charlie pulled out his wand and flicked it at the floo to close it down from any calls before chucking it on the table, the loud clattering noise of wood against wood lost in Hermione's moan of pleasure at having another finger added to her pleasure.
"On your knees witch, hold the edge of the sofa," Bill growled darkly into her ear after making sure she was ready enough for him.
Hermione took one look at them and knew this would be fast and rough. They've taken plenty of time over the past couple of days to just enjoy the feel of each other, and figuring out how each of them liked their pleasure when they were all together. This would be nothing like it. She tossed her t-shirt off and got up on her knees on the soft cushions, her eyes meeting Charlie's open jeans as he stood behind the sofa and quickly shucked his clothes. She couldn't help herself, it was right there, before her, and her tongue lapped out to taste the moisture already gathering at the tip.
Charlie groaned and looked down at her as he finally let the shirt slip from his shoulders and cupped her cheek, guiding her face up for one last deep kiss before pressing between those plush lips. He loved it when Hermione used to sometimes just surprise him with a quick blowjob after a long day of work and suck all the stress right out of him. His fingers slipped further into her hair and a groan of pleasure was torn from him when her throat swallowed around the tip of his length, clenching with the need to moan her pleasure.
Bill slipped deep inside her carefully at that moment, knowing she might be a bit sore after the past few days of their pleasure. They might need to take a break for a day or two to recuperate but the very thought only made him want to drive into her faster and harder to pull every last bit of pleasure from the beautiful body in his arms. Neither of them could get enough of Hermione, her body always welcoming them in, her pleasure their reward. The slick heat that enveloped him compared to nothing in this world, as their magical cores connected and emotions and pleasure flittered between their bodies. Feeling the pleasure of his two bond mates on top of his own was comparable to none.
Charlie would feel embarrassed for how quickly he was nearing his edge, if he didn't know they were all in the same boat. Hermione swallowed around him without reservation, being pressed closer and harder against him with each firm thrust of Bill's hips. He looked at his brother over their bonded shoulder and nodded, letting him know to go for it as he was getting close. Hermione cried out around the firm length between her lips when she felt Bill pinch her pebbled nipples, feeling herself already tightening around him. There was no use fighting it. She could feel them both, teetering on the edge, the emotions and triple pleasure overloading all their sense. And she fell, hard, her body bursting with pleasure just as she felt Charlie's thick come coat her tongue and Bill following them with one last thrust, spilling deep within her.
She panted softly through her nose as she looked up into Charlie's eyes and deliberately swallowed, knowing what it did to him when he saw her like that. The dragon tamer groaned softly and leaned down to kiss her deeply for her efforts, pecking her soft lips after a moment. "Minx. Don't tease now, give us some time to recover."
"I think I might need some time myself, " She grimaced a little when Bill pulled out and she felt his seed start leaking down her thigh. "Okay, 48 hours of 'don't touch Hermione' begins now," she said resolutely and quickly got off the sofa, making her way as best she could to the bathroom to clean up.
"Two days? Can we manage that long without?" Charlie called after her.
"Only one way to find out!" she called and chuckled to herself as she found a flannel and began cleaning up. It would be a miracle if they did. She did finally consult some books yesterday and apparently the bonded often preferred to stay close to each other in the 'adjustment period' after the bonding took place. Knowing the two men and how much they all liked to have their fun and pleasure, their adjustment period would probably last a few decades. Not that she was complaining.