A/N: Big storm overhead right now, I'll answer comments in next chapter.

Chapter 18

Hermione was crouched just outside the Great Hall, against the wall with her face in her hands.

"Mione we won't make them take it off," Harry said in desperation trying to get her to listen to him.

She looked up. Her face was red and her eyes bloodshot, "Have you been listening? Only you can take the ring off!"

He crouched down by her side and took her hands, "Then I won't."

She shook her head and smiled with defeat and uselessness, "Harry, you don't know what you are talking about."

He frowned. "I'm not stupid, Hermione. It's simple, you keep the ring and we can go on like before. I take it off and we hate each other. I think its kind of simple, even for someone as stupid as me. "

She rolled her eyes, "You know I didn't mean that you silly prat."

He took her hand, "Then lets go back in there and let Dumbledore finish his story."

She stood and he took the tissue out of her hand, dabbing at the tear streaks on her face, and pulling aside the lose hairs hanging in her face. She started to turn and he stopped her.

"What?" she asked.

"Just this." He leaned over and lightly place a soft kiss on her burning lips. "I love you, Hermione. I'll do whatever it takes to make you realize that."

She smiled sweetly and cupped his face with her hand, "Oh, you deranged boy." She took his hand in hers and re-entered the Great Hall.

Everyone was quiet until they sat down and Mrs. Granger asked, "Are you all right dear?"

Hermione held her boyfriend's had tightly, "I'll be okay."

Dumbledore smiled calmly as he always does in difficult situations.

"As I was saying. The properties of the ring are indeed more than most people would be able to deal maturely with, much less the young. However since I have come to know your daughter and Harry I think, and rightly so, that they are adult enough to make the proper choice in this matter."

Mr. Granger made to speak, but was cut off by his wife's hand on his.

"Hermione, dear. What is it that you would like to do?"

The youngest Granger inhaled deeply and turned to her boyfriend, "Mum, Dad, I want to be with Harry."

Harry smiled and turned his face from her, "I'm not taking the ring back."

Mrs. Granger nodded, "Harry, do you love our daughter?"

This brought up Mr. Granger's ire, "What? Dear you can't be serious. they are far too young."

"Oh, do shut up, dear. You were younger than both of them when you declared your love to me on the rooftop of my parent's house and Father had to chase you away with the shotgun." she paused and turned back to her daughter's suitor. "Well, Harry?"

He swallowed and looked around at everyone ending with Hermione. "Um ... that is ..."

She saw how nervous her boyfriend was and she squeezed his hand and smiled at him. It was all he needed.

"I really couldn't imagine a day without her. Yes, I love her."

Mrs. Granger sighed, "And you dear, do you love this boy?"

Hermione didn't hesitate and almost bounced in her seat, "Oh, yes, mum!"

Mr. Granger was seething quietly in his seat until this point, "And can you provide a good and stable home for my daughter? You being in school and all for the next two years."

"Harry has a home, Mr. Granger." Dumbledore chuckled under his silver beard. "Did you forget the Black family estate that Harry inherited from his godfather. And as for Harry's ability to provide for your daughter's welfare, the Black family was one of the more prominent member of Wizard society. Money will not be an object for quite some time. "

One of the five people sitting at the table was very confused at the moment.

"Um ... excuse me. It sounds as if we were getting married."

Dumbledore turned to Harry and all eyes were upon him, "Harry, I apologize if I haven't made myself clear, at my age I do tend to forget about the need to explain things at a simpler level. For some reason I always expect everyone to be my age. In terms I think you will appreciate -- by giving the ring to Hermione, you have already married her."

Harry's face dropped, "I ... we ... I mean ... uh ..."

"Oh not by legal means, of course, but by a stronger power of love that you two have nurtured. You will continue to grow closer, and at a much more advanced pace than previously experienced."

"I ... grow ... erm ..."

"The magic that binds the ring intensifies the bond between the two of you and the longer you are apart the stronger the bond becomes. This is why I asked Miss Granger to make a decision, last night."

Mrs. Granger smiled at her daughter, "I will make the arrangements, dear. You don't have to worry about a thing."

Hermione brows furrowed and her father responded with her. "What arrangements?"

Mrs. Granger sighed again, "Hasn't anyone been listening to the Professor?"

Everyone looked at her like horns were growing out of her head.

"If they stay separated for extended periods of time then eventually they will literally go insane with love. That is what you said Professor?"

He nodded, "A very astute summation of the situation, Mrs. Granger."

Harry was still speechless, "I ... she ... Hagrid ..."

Hermione patted his hand, "Oh, do shut up, Harry. You're rambling."

That snapped him out of the situation and into something more horrible than he could of imagined. He stared down at her and back up at Mr. Granger. The two men had come to an immediate understanding.

"I will not be henpecked," Mr. Granger announced.

"Um ... me neither."

The Granger women sighed at the same time. The elder looked across at the younger. "Do you mind, dear?"

Hermione smiled, "Not at all."

Mr. Granger was out of his seat with fear in his eyes and headed toward the door, "You're right, I'm wrong. Plan the wedding. The last time this happened I was out £ 20,000 for a new bloody car."

The professor smiled knowingly. "If I may send someone to you, Mrs. Granger I believe we can expedite things to your satisfaction."

She nodded, "I think that would be best, thank you professor. Come along Hermione and say goodbye to your father."

Hermione jumped up, and Mrs. Granger walked around the table. "Harry, " He stood and was taken into her embrace. "Welcome to the family. Be proper with my daughter until the wedding."

Harry turned a deep shade of scarlet, "Yes ma'am."

She turned, "Professor Dumbledore, it was a pleasure to meet you. I wish it would have been under better circumstances."

He stood and took her by the hand, "What could be a better circumstance than the love of our young ones."

"I'll be back in a minute," Hermione pecked him on the cheek and ran to catch up with her mother.

Harry sat back down and tried to think things through.

"I am sorry I could not tell you about the ring last night, Harry."

Dumbledore conjured a glass of pumpkin juice for himself and the groom to be.

"I felt it was prudent to inform the Grangers before any decision was to be made that would affect all of your lives."

Harry nodded.

"I also think it a good idea if you and Hermione take the rest of the day off and spend some time together ... for purely medical reasons of course. Your classes will be attended to." He looked at his watch, "I think the changes I had made should be going into effect as we speak."

********************

He spent the next thirty minutes with his head laying on the table replaying the scene over and over when Dumbledore announced he was already married to Hermione when she came back in.

She ran back and jumped into his arms when he stood, "I thought they'd never leave!"

She kissed him all over his face and ended on his lips, "I knew everything was going to come out right, I just knew it!"

Harry laughed, "I guess that's why you were so upset last night and this morning and at lunch and ..."

"Shut up, Harry Potter, or I'll make you carry me around like this all day."

He mocked his mouth shut and hummed lightly to himself. Hermione jumped down and pulled on his hand, "Come on! Professor Dumbledore should have had the changes done by now!"

They raced through the halls toward Gryffindore Tower.

"What changes, Hermione?" Harry tried to get her to answer but she was only giggling the entire way.

**********************

They stood at the entrance to Harry's room looking at the changes. The study had almost tripled in size. In the middle sat a double sided desk with writing materials and blotters on top. On one side of the room sat a wall sized book shelf with all of Hermione's books and quite a few others, as well. And lastly on the opposite wall was attached a large corkboard with Hermione's schedules, projects, and other sundry lists pinned up.

She dashed to the bookshelf and perused the new books exclaiming widely at some of the titles, "Harry these are fantastic! They'll help me so much in determining your teaching curriculum, and lesson plans. I won't have to spend so much time in the library!"

Harry was pleased, "This means we can spend more time together."

Hermione turned around smiling slyly. "Did Professor Dumbledore tell you anything else after we left?"

Harry crooked one of his eyebrows, " Erm ... no."

She walked back over and took his hand, "Harry we have to spend a lot of time together ... a lot."

His eyes shifted, "How much?"

She tugged on his hand and led him to the inner door and opened it. Harry looked inside and noticed an equally dramatic change of his bedroom. the bed, for one, was noticeably larger and was saddled on either side with nightstands. Curtains now hung over the window where there were none before. The Firebolt hung horizontally over the mantelpiece above the floo.

"We're living with each other now, Harry. Like a married couple."

A voice behind them almost yelled, "You're what?"

Harry turned around, "Ron?"

"And the first thing we're doing is changing the password," Hermione grumbled.