Disclaimer: I own nothing!
A/N: Well, unless I decide to write an epilogue, which is entirely possible, this is it. I'm a tad nostalgic; I've really enjoyed writing this story. I guess I've connected to Maria in a way that I didn't think possible initially. I just want to thank Hpnut1, Penny is wise, and AsphodelRose87 for their continuous comments and support on each chapter, especially AsphodelRose87…Thanks for all of the suggestions! For the rest of you, I hope you continue to follow me and read any of my future endeavors!
Like I said, there will probably be an epilogue, but this is the last official chapter of Ten More Minutes…
Preparations for the wedding came together much faster than Maria had planned. Once Molly Weasley, the Thomases, the Grangers, the Lupins, and Rachel found out the wedding date, all of the women went into "wedding mode."
Harry laughed at Maria and bridesmaids (Amy, Hermione, and Ginny), who were quickly frustrated by all the "mother hens," especially Molly. The teens had seen how…intense…Molly had become while in wedding mode when Bill and Fleur got married; however, none were prepared for all the other women involved to be just that crazy.
Molly wanted the wedding at the Burrow, of course, but Maria and Harry nipped that idea in the bud immediately.
"Molly, it's not that we don't love the Burrow…" Harry began.
"But," Maria finished, "I have a lot of relatives coming in, not to mention my friend and bridesmaid Leah, and they have no clue about magic. It's easier to have a muggle wedding for now."
At the Weasley matriarch's fallen expression, Harry looked at Maria, who nodded. "But we do plan on having a bonding ceremony too, and we'd be ecstatic if you'd host that one, you know, on behalf of my family." After shedding a good number of tears at Harry proclaiming the Weasleys "family," this seemed to put a new fire under Molly, and she proclaimed that she would work on nothing else but the bonding ceremony while the others planned the muggle wedding. Ron and Ginny complained later that the two had created a monster.
The month of May flew by. Harry spent every moment possible between the Burrow and the Howards' house. Maria loved Harry's constant presence, and she especially loved the Saturdays spent at the Lupins' home. Teddy had become important to the two very quickly, and Harry took his role of godfather as a personal challenge.
"Harry James Potter, I know you didn't bring Teddy another stuffed animal! I'm running out of space in his room!"
Harry grinned as he set the bag down in front of Tonks. "Nope, no stuffed animal. I promise this time!"
Tonks shook her head and left the room, muttering something about "making room for some more of Harry's ridiculous gifts," and Remus laughed and followed his wife as Harry pulled out a stuffed snitch and went to two-month old Teddy, bending down to talk to the sleeping baby in Maria's arms. "You're going to be a seeker, just like your Uncle Harry, aren't you, Teddy? We'll practice with this one until you're ready to be up on a broom and catch a real one!"
Maria laughed. "Harry, love, I think it'll be a few years before the poor thing's big enough to even ride a broom, much less catch a snitch."
Harry's eyes widened. "You doubt my godson's seeker abilities already?"
"Well, what if he doesn't want to be a seeker?"
The man beside Maria bent and kissed the soft, brown hair on Teddy's head. "Well, then, I guess we'll make him the best damn beater Hogwarts has ever seen." Harry put his arm around his fiancée and kissed her cheek. "I can't wait until we have our own."
Maria blushed and nodded, looking down at Teddy instead of at Harry. "I know. Do you think our kids will be…you know? Magical?"
"Why wouldn't they be?"
"You know…with me being their mother…"
"Maria, I guess there's always a possibility of us having non-magical children, but know this: I'll love them no less. Plus, they'll be more like their mum, who, in her own right, has enough magic to go around."
Remus and Tonks peeked in the doorway and stared at the two teens. Tonks laughed softly. "I'm so glad to see him happy. I was afraid this whole war would break him, especially after finding out he was a horcrux. He needs a family, and I think Maria's happy to be one for him."
Remus nodded. "Look at them. They look too good at this."
"At what?"
"Parenthood. I hope they don't rush into it too soon."
Tonks turned to her husband. "Rush? We didn't?"
"Look how long we chased each other."
"No, Mr. Lupin. I chased you, and you finally stopped running. But I think Harry will want the stability a family will bring. Who are we to say?" she shot back as she walked into the room.
As they four were eating lunch, Tonks decided to voice some of her husband's concerns unobtrusively. "So, Maria, did you get to graduate?"
The girl nodded. "I did. Amy and I got our letters two days ago."
Remus smiled. "That's great. Any college plans?"
Harry grinned and proudly put his arm around his fiancée. "Maria here is going to law school."
Maria nodded. "I've always been interested in law, and seeing how our government crumbled during the attacks, it just cemented that desire to do something. Hey, one more 'informed' person on the inside couldn't hurt anyone, right?"
Tonks laughed. "Exactly! You could see each case from a different perspective. You'd probably even be even more popular once we spread the word that you know about all of this. Wizards get into muggle messes more than we like to admit. You can't obliviate everyone, you know."
"You mean like that time…?"
"Shut up, Remus. You were the cause of that!"
"Guilty," the werewolf said, looking at his wife. Looking back at his guests, he smiled. "My 'animal' instincts aren't always the best."
"Animal instincts, my ass. That was pure road rage!"
"You can drive, Remus?" Harry was amazed.
Tonks rolled her eyes. "'Drive' is a loose way of saying it. The reason I got into trouble was because Mr. I-Can-Drive-Without-A-License decided to throw me into the driver's seat when the cops showed up."
The four laughed and talked for the rest of the afternoon, alternating playing with Teddy and talking about the future. Harry told of possibly going back to Hogwarts as a teacher, at least as a substitute or just to teach a couple of classes. He wanted to live in the muggle world with Maria, but because he had been 'disconnected' from that world for so long, he felt it better to find a job where he was more comfortable. The Potters would have the best of both worlds, and Maria couldn't be happier.
One month later…
Maria turned on her side and stretched, smiling as she remembered what day it was. My wedding day, she thought. Turning on her other side to work out the muscles there, she almost screamed when a pair of emerald green eyes met hers.
"Harry Potter! You could have given me a heart attack!"
Harry smiled, his emerald orbs illuminated behind the new pair of glasses adorning his face. Maria had convinced Harry that it had been too long since he'd been to an eye doctor, and the boy had to admit he could see much better with his new glasses. "Love, I made this date exactly a year ago. Did you forget?"
As he said this, he pulled out a yellow tulip, a favorite of hers for a year now. "Maria, as true as the words were a year ago, they're even truer today. I'm hopelessly in love with you, and that's not going to change. I'm ecstatic to be marrying you today. I'm even happier that I'm still alive to enjoy this. As I was going to face Voldemort, not being here today was my biggest fear. This tulip is charmed to never die, as was the one I gave you last year, and so will every one from here on out."
"Harry," Maria began, but she was cut off by Harry kissing her, fulfilling his promise to wake her up with a kiss and a flower on her birthday. She, like Harry, was glad that the war was over and that they could begin their lives together. Maria broke away from Harry. "Harry, if you don't stop, Mum may come in to find us in a very compromising position. Does she know you're here?"
"Of course she knows, and I've been warned already. Now, I have a few errands to run before I see you this afternoon, so I'm off. Relax today, love. Our 'mothers' are acting crazy enough for the both of us!" With this, he bent down and gave her another lingering kiss. "See you at four. Love you."
"I love you too." She smiled as he walked out of the room. A minute later, Rachel Howard walked in.
"So, what did Harry bring you?" Rachel asked as she sat by her daughter on the bed. Maria showed her mother the flower and told her the meaning behind it. Rachel hugged her daughter. "You've got a good one there, Ria. Hold on to him."
"Oh, I plan on it."
Harry couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to get married. The last few weeks had been like heaven to him: no Voldemort, rogue Death Eaters being rounded up left and right, and him having the chance to plan a wedding with the girl he'd fallen in love with over a year ago.
"Keep smiling like that, and people might think you're in love, mate."
Harry turned quickly to come face-to-face with Dean Thomas. He smiled and shook Dean's hand. "Dean, you ready for this afternoon?"
Dean grinned. "I am, but are you? You're the one signing your life away to one woman…"
"Don't give me that. I know you're just waiting on the right time to propose to Hermione. Speaking of…when will that happen?"
"Soon. I have the ring, but I'm waiting on her to take her NEWTS first. I want her to be relaxed somewhat when I propose, not wanting to run off and study."
Harry laughed. "That's Hermione alright. I'm heading to Gringott's to convert some money for the honeymoon. I've already taken care of all of the arrangements, but I'm opening up a muggle checking account today. Figure I'll need it once I'm officially living in the muggle world again."
"Are you upset about that?"
"Not at all. Maria was completely open to living around Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, but I want her to be comfortable, and with her in college, living close to the university will help her out. I can apparate or take the Floo to work. She can't."
"Did you close on that house you two were looking at?"
Harry grinned. "Yesterday. It's ours, and it's paid for. I made sure of it. Maria was a tad intimidated when I took her to get the wedding rings, and she saw my…our…vault at Gringott's, but I assured her we didn't have to touch the money if we didn't want to. She liked that. We only took enough out for the house, and I'm getting enough to open a substantial account in the muggle world."
Dean shook his head. "You never change. Well, I'm off to pick up Amy. She's due at Maria's in an hour, and I'm going to bum breakfast off of my aunt and uncle before leaving. See you this afternoon, mate."
"See you, Dean.
Maria was nervous. She sat in the room she was taken to at the back of the church, tapping her feet.
"Love, you're going to tap a hole in the floor with that nervous habit of yours. I thought this Harry guy was 'the one,' and that 'I'll never meet anyone who is more perfect for me.'" Maria looked up to see Ethan Howard smiling down at her. Her dad, a tall, handsome man with messy brown hair, had flown in the day before and was staying with her mom and her until the wedding. Rachel admitted it was a tad weird, but she also said that Ethan was still a friend; they just couldn't live together permanently.
"He is, Dad, but I'm about to take on a load of responsibilities. Being a wife, going to school, one day having kids…" Maria's hazel eyes met eyes of the same exact color.
"Oh, Mary," Ethan grabbed his daughter and kissed her forehead. "You're just like your mum, always worrying. You won't be alone; you'll have me and your mum, your friends, and even this 'adopted' family I met at the rehearsal last night. You know…the redheaded crew. You'll also have Harry, who is just as new at this as you are. I don't think you'll make the same mistakes as your mum and I did; I knew I could never hold a candle to that Sirius bloke she wrote to every day. You and Harry, though…You're a match. I don't see you two ever splitting up."
"Thanks. I needed that." Looking around him, she asked, "Where are my bridesmaids and Mum?"
"Your bridesmaids are in the next room letting you breathe."
"They have Mum?"
"And Molly Weasley. They're trying to find that Tonks woman to come get Molly. Not the younger one, but her mother."
Maria nodded. "I'll have to thank them and Andromeda. Have you seen Teddy yet?"
"He's something else in that tux you found. Are you sure it was wise to let your little cousin be the flower girl? Holly is…precocious on a good day."
"Everything will go perfectly. I can feel it."
Harry was becoming impatient. Since when does a girl need four bridesmaids? He would have been happy with a short ceremony with just their small(ish) group of friends. However, he couldn't deny his fiancée anything, and she'd wanted her family at the wedding, especially since they were having a bonding ceremony for just close friends and family later on that night at the Burrow.
Finally, Amy and Ron reached the front of the church, and Ron took his place beside Harry, patting him on the shoulder. As the music changed, Harry looked to the back of the church, at last meeting the eyes of the woman he was marrying. Walking slowly (too slowly) down the aisle on the arm of her father, Maria was already grinning, never taking her eyes from Harry's emerald ones.
When she reached the front, her hand was given to Harry at the question, "Who gives this woman to be married?" At her father's answer of, "Her mother and I do," Maria turned and kissed her dad on the cheek, almost crying at his, "Love you, Mary." Ethan went to take his seat beside Rachel, who was already in tears. Maria smiled at her before turning her attention to the man she had been waiting to see since that morning when he'd left her with a yellow tulip. She chose to carry this flower and the one from a year ago plus some in her bouquet, but she knew which two were hers.
The minister began the service, speaking of love and how the two should be partners in everything. Harry seemed to get more nervous as the service continued, and it wasn't until their vows came up that she remembered Harry's discomfort in front of crowds.
"The couple has chosen to write their own vows for today. Harry, would you go first?"
Harry gulped and nodded. Without any notes or reminders, he looked into her eyes. "Ria, I'm not good with words. I've never been a speaker, and I've never been as sorry as I am right now for this. I regret that I can't form the words you deserve to allow you to see just how much I truly love you, that despite what's happened in the past, and whatever happens in the future, I'll always come back to you. We've been through a lot together these last two years, and you've stuck with me, despite not knowing what was happening most of the time. You're an amazing woman, Ria, and I'm both humbled and proud to call you my wife."
"Maria?"
"Harry, when you walked in my café two years ago, I had no idea that I'd be here today. I flirted with you, hoping for those green eyes to turn my way just once. I never thought I'd find someone with as much courage and…good… in him. You've never disappointed me, Harry Potter, and despite your so-called ineloquence with words, just hearing you say, 'I love you,' every day for the rest of my life is good enough for me. I love you, Harry, and you've helped me grow these last two years. I would still be a giggling teenager, oblivious to the world around her, had it not been for you. Thank you for that, and thank you for asking me to marry you. I can't think of anything else I'd rather do."
Both Harry and Maria were almost in tears as the minister finished the ceremony, although Harry tried to hide his from the attendees. At the minister's prompt, the two kissed and sealed their new identities as Mr. and Mrs. Harry James Potter before turning to the crowd and heading out the door to go to the reception at a local restaurant that Harry had convinced (for a fee) to rent out to the wedding party for a couple of hours. The bonding ceremony was set for seven, so they had a little over two hours to enjoy their friends and family that could not attend the other event.
The reception went off without a hitch, unless you count Ron getting slightly drunk before his speech. However, Hermione slipped him a sobering potion just before he stood to speak, and the speech was only mildly embarrassing for Harry, who had begged Ron to leave out everything about magic until the next ceremony.
After the couple had danced for an hour and mingled with the guests, Harry meeting many of Maria's relatives for the first time, the two announced that they had to go prepare for their trip. People began leaving immediately after the bride and groom, and soon, a slightly smaller group was gathered at the Burrow.
"Did you ever feel guilty, lying to me about magic? I feel terrible about telling my family that, like I was making them miss out on something." Maria held her husband's hand at Rachel's apartment, where they'd gone to put on something more comfortable and breathe for a moment, loving the way it felt.
Harry nodded. "Every time I wrote or talked to you. But honestly, I never lied, except for the time I told you my parents were killed in a car crash."
"But you withheld information."
"Not a lie, love. And I'm sure you realize why I did that."
She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. When the two finally made it to the Burrow, the group was ready to begin the ceremony.
The bonding ceremony was very simple, but Maria still felt the large amounts of magic flowing from the attendants up to where she and Harry were standing. However, this time it didn't seem as oppressing as it had the first time. At the end of the ceremony, their bond burned brightly, signifying that their union was strong, as they knew it would be.
After eating (and drinking) much too much, Harry and Maria went to the room Harry usually occupied while at the Weasleys' and turned in for the night. They would leave for their honeymoon the next morning, but tonight, they just wanted be together.