Harry took a breath of the sharp cold air in through his nose. He reminded himself that he had been sorted into the house of the brave, and it wasn't just because of his entanglement with a psychotic wizard. That he was nearly sorted into the house of the ambitious and resourceful, and he did not embrace everything about Slytherin, those were two traits he could use.

He stole a glance at Hermione who walked at his side, arm threaded through his as they meandered through the park. The sunshine on her hair caused golden highlights to flash in the curls escaping from beneath her knitted hat. He loved her. It was the warm feeling in his chest that kept him going when he didn't know how to. He couldn't imagine his life without her and didn't want to.

The park was doing him proud. The trees were a riot of vibrant reds, golds, and greens as they flaunted their autumn colours. The sun wasn't warm but it made everything seem crisper, brighter, and he felt like he could see colours he hadn't ever perceived before.

The duck pond was quiet, the shouts of children playing on the wide grassy areas were softened by the trees, a flock of ducks still swam out on the pond. They stepped up onto the ornate stone bridge spanning the pond and stopped at the peak of it.

He took another deep breath. Romantic location, check. Happy, contented girlfriend that had been taken for a nicer than normal lunch and let loose on a bookshop for an uninterrupted hour, check. He hadn't done anything stupid in the last twenty-four hours that she might suddenly remember, so he was probably ahead on points. Another breath in steadied his nerves, and he turned to face her.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" she replied not taking her eyes from the milling ducks. "We should have brought bread."

"Uh, yeah. We can come back if you like," he agreed. He could feel the bead of sweat from between his shoulders under his layers and tugged her hand gently to get her attention. "Hermione," he said again.

She turned to look at him, and something in his face must have given him away because she turned away from the ducks to face him fully. "What is it Harry?" a small frown of concern crinkling her brow.

He swallowed and held her hand between both of his, locking his gaze on hers, refusing to let either of them look away. "You know I love you? And you know that for me, you're it?"

She nodded at the words, concern and worry starting to show on her face. "Harry?" she questioned, but he shook his head indicating her to be quiet.

"I know that what we have in front of us isn't going to be easy, and I'll admit it is a factor, it's not the reason." He sucked a breath in and wondered where all his saliva had gone. "Would you. Will you marry me?" he hurried on before she could form words, wanting to get everything out. "Not tomorrow, or next month, but will you marry me when you are ready? When you've done everything you want to do? Will you? Would you consent to give me that promise?"

He stopped, and waited, something in his head telling him to shut up before he made a mess of it and he watched her face. The way he could see her think about what he said. The way her eyes got a little moister than they had been from the cold wind, and the way she blinked quickly to stop the moisture escaping as tears.

Her lips started to frame her answer, and then they stopped. He saw her register where they were, the day they had spent together, and the sudden gleam as she understood he'd planned this and it hadn't been a spur of the moment thing. Something in her eyes changed then, and he was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug, her curls smothering him. Without being able to help himself he buried his nose in them, breathing in the scent of her. She pulled away slightly, and the tears had fallen making tracks down her face. She sniffed.

"Yes," she said nodding. A wide smile curving her mouth upwards. Her hands flew up to cover her lips as if it hadn't been what she was going to say. "Yes!" she repeated, the laughter bubbling up, spilling from her delighted and happy. "Oh my God Harry, you planned all of this?" She punched him lightly on the arm. "How?"

He laughed, relief coursing through him knocking the strength from his knees. A smile as wide as hers stretched across his face. "I wanted you to say yes," he answered.

She threaded her arm back through his and turned to look back over the pond, her head tilted to rest against his shoulder. "So, I'm engaged."

"Yes," he said firmly. "You are."

"This is pretty romantic you know. Possibly the most romantic thing you've ever done."

"More romantic than a moonlit flight on the back of a hippogriff?" he teased.

She looked at him uncomprehendingly for a moment then laughed again. "Yes!" she said. "I was terrified, that was not romantic that was, desperate and scary!"

Harry shrugged, releasing his arm from hers and wrapping it around her waist, pulling her into him. "Whenever you're ready, we'll have the ceremony. If you change your mind about being thirty, I won't mind."

She looked up at him. "Do Mum and Dad know?" she asked. "That you were going to ask me, like this?"

"It might have come up," he agreed.

"You asked my Dad for permission to marry me?" she asked, an amused light sparkling in her eyes.

"Not exactly," Harry hedged. "But John did say that I was worthy of you and that if he tried to get in between us, you and Helen might have something to say about it."

"That doesn't exactly sound like permission granted."

Harry shrugged. "One other thing," he said cautiously. "Traditionally there's supposed to be a ring. I would like you to have one." He stopped unsure of how to explain.

"Go on," she said encouragingly.

"Being here with you and Helen and John. It's like having a family, a real one, not like the Dursley's where they were relations but hated me. Or like the Weasley's who accepted me and loved me but only for a couple of weeks a year. Here it's, well it's, what I always thought families were supposed to be. But this is your family." She made a sound of protest, but he held up his hand. "Hang on, let me finish. I've not asked, and it's a conversation for later, but I imagine you've got thoughts about taking your husband's name when you get married, and I imagine that with my name, it's a different ball game altogether. But my name is all I have left of my family. That and a bank vault. So, I would very much like it, if when at all possible, we go and find a ring for you from the Potter vaults. I would like to give you something of my family, the way you have given me yours. If you hate everything then I'll buy you something, but would you mind if we at least looked?"

Her fingers were pressed firmly against her lips, and the tears were filling her eyes to fall onto her cheeks. She nodded, and Harry smiled in relief. "Thank you. I didn't mean to make you cry, though."

Hermione stepped closer and buried her head on his chest, her sniffles loud in the stillness. "I'm not sad, I'm happy, and touched, and moved, and of course I'll wear a Potter ring."

He hugged her again while she got herself back under control. After she'd mopped her face and blown her nose, he released her and turned them towards home.

"Shall we go tell your parents?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Mum is going to want to hear all about it."


After they got home and gathered Helen, John and Dobby in the library Hermione broke the news, the same wide happy smile on her face. Effusive congratulations were offered, and warm hugs were exchanged, a bottle of champagne John had kept in the fridge for the occasion was opened and the happy couple toasted.

A knowing look passed between the two parents and Helen snagged Hermione, leading her off to go over the whole day in more detail. John stood by Harry and watched them go.

Harry placed his glass on the side. "Subtle," he commented.

"Not in the slightest," John said. "I give Hermione the time it takes to tell her the story once more with all the mushy bits thrown in before she notices."

"There weren't that many mushy bits," Harry protested.

"There were enough, she said yes didn't she?"

"She did," Harry said, a grin creeping over his face.

"Well not to totally burst your bubble but we've got one more thing to do."

Harry groaned. "You know I was doing an excellent job of forgetting about it."

"I don't blame you. I won't spring it on her today, don't worry. The solicitors have been through it, we've removed some of the more, ah, archaic points without damaging its binding legality."

Harry looked up at John. "Do I want to know what these archaic parts were?"

"Not really," John replied. "I think I've got my head around what it means for her to be magical, you know? And how backwards something as fantastic as magic has made a society, and then we end up hip deep in betrothal clauses that make the Dark Ages look progressive."

Harry winced. "There's nothing left in it like that is there?"

"No," John said. "We need her to agree to sign it after all. You both could do with writing your wills as well. It's a good idea regardless of the circumstances."

"OK, put it on the list," Harry said casting a quick glance up at John. "Can I have the short version?"

John crossed over to the desk in the library and pulled a rolled up piece of parchment out. He unrolled it reading through it as he spoke. "Simply put, you're agreeing to marry her and supporting her and any resulting children. There's a clause if either of you breaks your vows, separation and division of marital good and property. You'll support any children you may have if you separate. Your rights over your wealth and property you bring into the marriage, same for her. You need to read it and have it looked over by a solicitor of your own. Minerva's solicitor recommended another solicitor, or we can find out who your family solicitor is."

"In your eyes, is it fair for both of us?" Harry asked.

John shrugged "Harry, I'm not a solicitor. She's my daughter, I'm fairly sure I'm biased."

"If you're happy for her to sign it, I'll sign it," Harry said. "I'm not going to quibble over who gets the silver spoons. That isn't what this is about."

"No, but it's still legally binding." John cautioned.

"So's marriage. I need to make a call."

John nodded in understanding. "Do you want me to send her up?"

"No, I won't be long." He left the library and went up to the study. He sat on the edge of the desk doing a quick calculation in his head, it would be about eight in the evening in the UK. He flicked his wand at the mirror, and its surface swirled in the familiar pattern. The reflection resolved its self into the image of Remus sat in a chair in what looked to be a comfortable room. Remus and Tonk's house he wondered. "Remus, I'm not interrupting am I?" Harry asked.

"Hello, Harry. No, it's fine, I was hoping you'd call. So? She said yes?"

"She did."

"That's great!"

"Thanks."

"So when's the wedding?"

"Whenever she's ready I guess. I didn't push it."

"Is that wise? I know what you said she said last time we spoke, about her not wanting to get married because of the law but surely now…?"

"I don't think she's going to change her mind, Remus. I mean, she was pretty set against the law forcing her to."

"But she just said yes to marrying you. What difference does it make now?"

Harry raised his hands helplessly. "It makes a difference to her. I'm not going to force the issue. When she's ready, she's ready. I don't want for her to look back in five, ten years' time, and wonder if she did the right thing."

"But you said you love each other," Remus protested.

"Yeah, but that doesn't make rushing her OK," Harry tried to explain. "It isn't enough I love her, she loves me. If she marries me because it's the right thing to do, or the necessary thing to do, whatever, in five years' time will she regret it? Will she wish we could have done things differently? Will she then become dissatisfied? And that leads to the breakup of what we might have?"

Remus looked at him. "That seems a rather dramatic conclusion to reach."

"Yeah," Harry said. "But I borrowed some of the magazines from the dental practice and had a flip through. Women are entirely irrational about this stuff. The problem pages!" Harry shook his head. "I thought Tom was my biggest worry."

Remus laughed. "You read problem pages in magazines?"

Harry grumbled quietly. "I'm seventeen, my total knowledge of the opposite sex begins and ends with Hogwarts. Which mostly means the same girl and there are days I can barely keep up with her. So yes, I read the magazines. I wanted some ideas on how to get her to say yes when I asked."

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to laugh, it's just," Remus broke off smiling, his eyes crinkling with mirth.

"Yeah well, it worked," Harry responded. "So I'm not going to knock it."

"What else did you learn?" Remus asked curiously.

Harry sent him a sideways glance. "Quite a bit, some of it was quite interesting. Though I admit to skipping over the fashion and beauty stuff."

Remus laughed again. "They would be proud you know," he said. "I know we agreed to leave the topic alone, but I think that you should be aware that they would be proud."

Harry looked down at his feet. They had agreed to leave the topic of his parents to one side lest they disagree again, but Remus was right, it was comforting to know that they would have been proud. He tried to ignore the little stab in his heart which he knew was bitterness that they weren't here to tell him themselves. It was pointless, they weren't, and he was finally doing OK. He nodded acknowledging Remus' comment but not looking up at the man.

Remus cleared his throat. "Yes, well, there's something else."

"Oh?" Harry said.

"Dora and I have been talking. The baby, we'd like it very much if you'd be willing to be godfather. If you want to, that is."

Harry looked up at Remus his throat suddenly tight. "Me?" he asked his voice catching.

"Yes," Remus said. "It would mean a lot to both of us, and we know that should anything happen to either of us you would, well they would be with someone who would understand."

Harry swallowed, it didn't ease the tightness, but he managed to say. "I'd be honoured. I really would."

Remus nodded taking his own moment to look away and wipe a hand over his face. "Good, I'll tell Dora you accepted. Thank you."

"Well, nothing is going to happen to you both, right?" Harry said. "So I'll just have to be that guy who brings inappropriate gifts around."

"Yeah," Remus said. "That would be great. So, what are you doing for Christmas?"

"Err, I think we might be going skiing, have a bit of a break. We've both got exams before and after so I think Helen and John are looking to get us a bit of down time, so we don't have meltdowns. Exams are hard."

"They're treating you well?" Remus asked.

"They're the best," Harry replied with conviction.

"Are you doing anything wizarding?"

"Wizarding?" Harry asked puzzled.

"You know, in the magical community?"

"I don't know, I don't think so."

"Don't you think you should? I mean you're in a different magical community. Isn't it a good time to explore it?"

"Maybe, but John and Helen might not be able to manage. They are pretty good with most things but some things you still need magic for."

Remus paused before speaking. "Harry, you are a wizard, Hermione is a witch; you belong to the magical world as well."

"I know," Harry agreed.

"Then isn't spending some time in the magical world a good idea? You've got an opportunity to see how the magical community you have joined compares to the one in England, it might help you to decide what you want to do after."

"We've been shopping for the things we need and such. We've not exactly had a lot of time to really get involved. School is still taking up a lot of our time and with our exams and extra classes." Harry shrugged.

"Then isn't your holiday time a good time to look into it? I'm not saying you have to leave Helen and John behind, but balancing between the magical and muggle world is hard Harry. That's why most muggle born don't."

"That, and the prejudice against them," Harry pointed out.

"That too," Remus agreed. "It's not perfect, but you've got an opportunity to have a good look at which community you'd prefer to live in."

"You wouldn't mind if we didn't return?" Harry asked.

Remus sighed softly. "I have apologised for my behaviour Harry, and the things I said. I am worried about you, but as you said, you are cared for and well. Obviously, I would like you to be happy and if that means not returning to England. Well, international portkeys aren't that hard to come by."

Harry smiled cautiously at Remus. "Well, I guess we could look into it a bit more. Things are different here. There is less prejudice here, it's not a society built on the same foundations as in England. It is better in some respects."

"That's good then. Have you looked into careers and such like?"

"No," Harry admitted. "I mean I wanted to be an Auror, or I think I did, and I should have the right number of NEWTs if I wanted to join up, but we haven't really looked into it yet."

"Maybe you could put it on your To Do List. I'm sure you could fit it in between saving the world and getting married." Remus joked.

Harry smiled in appreciation at the attempt of humour. "Yeah, I guess we could. So, umm being godfather. Do you have christenings and stuff I need to come to?"

"No." Remus shook his head. "You'll be put on the birth registration, and that's it. You only needed to willingly agree to make it official."

"Oh right, OK." Harry heard a noise from downstairs and turned his head in the direction trying to discern what it might be. "I might have to get going," he said turning back to the mirror.

Remus smiled. "That's fine, you go enjoy your day. Would you mind if I told Dora?"

"No. We're not going to make a big deal about it though I don't think."

"Good night Harry," Remus said.

"Yeah, good night Remus, and thanks, you know, for your advice."

"No problem," Remus said, then he was gone, and the mirror's surface returned to reflecting the room.

Harry stood gathering his thoughts. Godfather. He had no idea how to do that, but that was nothing new. He glanced at their reference shelves knowing that there wasn't anything there to help him. He smiled to himself as he made to leave the room, maybe Hermione would consent to a trip to a bookshop and a bit of research.

He found the others in the den, he froze in the doorway as he took in the room. Helen and John were on the sofa, Hermione was on her feet, a piece of parchment in her hand, from her face he had a horrible feeling he knew what the parchment was.

Her head shot up at the noise of him coming into the room. Her expression was distinctly unhappy, and he went over to her cautiously, standing next to her and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Did you know about this?" she asked in a small voice. Harry snatched a look at John and Helen who looked equally guilty and unhappy.

"That depends on what this is," he hedged.

She lifted her head and looked at him her gaze assessing. "This," she waggled the parchment in front of him. "Is our betrothal contract."

"Then yes I knew about it."

She looked shocked then hurt. "You did?"

He guided her to a chair. She went with him reluctantly and sat when he indicated the armchair next to the sofa Helen and John were sitting on. Once she was sat, he crouched in front of her looking up at her face. "Hermione?"

"I'm concentrating on not feeling hurt that you would think that this wasn't something you should have spoken to me about," she said, her voice quiet.

"OK," he nodded. "That's fair." He pulled the parchment from her grasp and put it on the floor, taking her hands in his. "We were going to tell you about it, and we were not going to sign it until you were happy." Her head came up enough to meet his eyes, and he could see the hurt morphing into anger. He swallowed and continued. "For you to return to England with me, you have to comply with the Ministry laws regarding your blood status. We don't know how long we might need to be there, or how public we will need to be once we are there. For you to not get immediately thrown into Azkaban you need to be married or beyond the reach of the law."

"So today was what? Just a way to get me to sign that?" The hurt and anger were making her eyes flash.

"No," he said calmly. "Today was about me asking the woman I love the most important question I could ask her, and hoping like hell she said yes this time. The contract, it's not really anything more than putting that down on paper."

"It's a betrothal contract Harry, they are used to sell women for political or monetary advantage."

"Hermione," Harry said. "Do you think we'd do that to you?"

She visibly swallowed the retort she was going to make and closed her eyes taking a deep breath. "No." Her eyes opened again, and the anger had receded to be replaced by confused hurt that pierced him.

"We," he waved a hand back at Helen and John. "Know that this, it's awful. That it is unfair that this should be part of what getting engaged means, but I promise it's been gone over with a fine- toothed comb. You're not property, you're not being sold by your Dad, and I'm not buying you. It's more like a prenuptial agreement, this is America after all." He smiled weakly at her and picked the parchment up. "Have you read it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Not fully."

He handed it back to her. "Read it," he urged her as she took it. "If you've got any questions or objections then we'll address them."

She looked at him, her eyes searching his face then her gaze moved to her parents who were still saying nothing. Harry got up from his crouch and sat on the sofa.

Hermione unrolled the parchment and bent her head to it trying to ignore her companions. Harry sat watching her, he hadn't read it either, and he was hoping that he hadn't just dropped them all in a heap of trouble.

The contract wasn't long, and he watched her, she read it twice. He said nothing until she raised her head and dropped the parchment onto the coffee table, watching it curl back up.

She looked once at her dad and then at Harry before taking a breath. "It doesn't require my signature."

"No," John said gently. "But to ensure it couldn't be challenged it was recommended that you do sign it, as neither your mother or I are magical."

"Then why haven't you signed it?"

"Because we'd prefer to see it as a prenuptial agreement than a betrothal contract," John answered.

"When, when were you going to tell me?"

"In a couple of days," John replied.

"How long have you-?" Hermione said, not finishing the question.

"It's taken a while to get it straightened out, to make sure it's not onerous on either of you and conforming to what the contract needs to be to pass Ministry inspection," John answered.

"Oh-kay," Hermione said taking in a breath. She looked at the parchment on the table, her parents and Harry, all sat waiting for her to say something. "This isn't quite where I was expecting today to go," she offered as an explanation.

"No," John agreed. "None of us wanted to spoil your day."

"Sign it," she said shortly.

"Are you sure?" Harry said immediately, his eyes searching her face.

"It doesn't change the long engagement does it?"

"No," Harry rushed to assure her.

"Well then, like you said its nothing more than what I said and it needs to be done doesn't it?"

"Are you sure?" Harry asked again.

She gave him a smile; it wasn't the wide happy grin that had been on her face earlier, but it was still a smile. "Yes. It might have knocked the romance a bit, but it's necessary and its better than the alternative."

John picked up a pen from the coffee table and signed the bottom of the contract before pushing it over to Harry. Harry shot one more questioning glance at Hermione who nodded her encouragement, he signed the parchment and pushed it at her. Hermione picked up the pen and signed the bottom under her dad's signature.

"Well now that's dealt with," Helen said breaking the silence that had gathered. "Back to celebrating I think. Dobby!"

Dobby appeared with a pop. "How can Dobby serve?"

"Dobby, how do you feel about cooking up a celebratory meal for the happy couple?"

Dobby nodded enthusiastically. "Dobby would like that very much!" He disappeared with another pop.

Dobby out did himself on dinner, and the celebratory mood returned. By the time they decided enough was enough for the day, Hermione's smile had become warm and soft. It was a smile that reassured Harry that despite the hiccup of her finding out about the contract earlier than they had planned it hadn't ruined the whole day.


Harry found that after that weekend, the end of term and his exams seemed determined to crash down upon him at a breakneck speed. He and Hermione spent all their spare time revising and quizzing each other, eking out as much revision time as they could. When the exams arrived, they spent the week ostensibly locked away in a room with ten others taking the exams. It seemed that there hadn't been enough time to learn everything and yet the day he had proposed seemed so far away.

The end of term arrived, and they wished their friends and classmates happy holidays before flooing home.

Taking Remus' advice he and Hermione explored the magical community they had stayed on the fringe of. Helen and John agreed that they should look into it further and encouraged them to go out. They went skiing as a family and spent time allowing themselves to just be a family on holiday for the season. On New Year's Eve, they all went to Time Square to join in the celebrations there. It was crowded noisy and full of life, it was the perfect end to their holiday.