Ch. 10: The Ritual
Harry was nervous. Heck why not admit it. He was terrified. In just under an hour he was getting married and his stomach felt like he'd swallowed at least a dozen snitch's at once. What had he been thinking? True Ron was everything he'd ever wanted, but how could he be so selfish as to ask him to do this of all things. Ron could still have a normal life, but the minute that the ritual of bonding was complete that life would be over. In it's place would be a life of invaded privacy and public speculation. The thought of what the rest of the wizarding world would make of their marriage almost made him cringe. There was no way he wanted his love to go through that. No. He would just have to call it all off. Ron would be hurt, and for that Harry was sorry, but it would be better this way. It would.....
"Harry?"
He looked toward the voice, and gasped. Hermione! It couldn't be, but it was. He'd sent her a letter along with an invitation, not expecting that she would come, but he was glad that she had. She could help Ron pick up the pieces of his heart and move on.
"Hermione. I'm so glad you're here. I..." He broke down in tears, not even aware of when she took him into her arms in an attempt to comfort him.
"Harry, Harry, what's wrong?"
He tried to tell her, but he just couldn't get it out. Of course she got the general gist of things anyway, but instead of telling him she'd help him she surprised him by getting angry.
"Harry James Potter do you mean to tell me that you intend on breaking the heart of someone who loves you more than life itself because you have butterflies in the stomach? What's wrong with you? Did professor Dumbledore defeat Voldemort and let you take the credit for it? Is that it? Because what I'm hearing isn't the words of a brave and powerful wizard, but the words of a self pitying coward whose likely to jump at their own shadow. I was hurt at first when I found out about you and Ron, but he loves you Harry, and if you can honestly stand there and tell me that it's better for him to have his heart broken than to be with the one he loves then you aren't the wizard I thought you were."
Harry was shocked. He'd never seen her so upset. Not even when Malfoy had called her a mudblood in second year. "B-but Hermione..."
"But nothing. Ron isn't a child Harry. He knows that life isn't all roses, and he wants to be with you. Now pull yourself together and get out there. The ceremony starts in a few minutes and it wouldn't do for the groom to be late to his own wedding." She turned and stomped out of the room, leaving a very abashed Harry Potter in her wake.
* * * *
The ceremony had been very simple. Harry had waited at the alter with his best man Seamus Finnigan at his side. On cue the music had started and he'd looked back to see his beloved Ron being escorted down the aisle by his father. Merlin but Ron had looked good. The sky blue dress robe with its silver trim had suited his mate to be perfectly. In fact one look and his body had voiced its approval. Not for the first time he had been grateful for how well robes hid certain things from public view. There had been an exchange of vows followed by rings and then Dumbledore (who it seemed was qualified to perform weddings, christenings, and other such ceremonies) had told them to hold one another's left hand. He had then tied them together with a golden cord upon which he'd then placed a spell. The cord had disolved into two balls of golden light which had then entered the rings. He'd barely even heard Dumbledore telling him that he could kiss his new husband. It had been a truly magical day. It had taken some time but they had managed to sneak away to be alone despite a very tearful Molly Weasley who still seemed not quite able to comprehend that her baby boy was now a married man. After a quiet dinner in their hotel room they had spent hours making tender love to one another. Both had been virgins wishing to give themselves to the other on this special night. Moving closer to his already sleeping spouse Harry slipped into a deep, contented sleep that was blissfully free of nightmares.
Ch. 11: New Home
Harry couldn't believe it. How hard could it be to find the perfect house anyway? Still they had been back from their honeymoon for almost a month now and still living at the burrow with Ron's family. It wasn't that Harry had anything against his in laws or anything, it was just that he'd expected they would have found their own place by now and would be working on furnishing it. The problem was that things weren't that easy. They had agreed that they didn't want to be too far away from family but that they didn't want to be too close either. Besides they'd agreed that they wanted kids someday, either by adoption or by the help of fertility potion and it had been decided that they would settle somewhere that had not only other wizards but muggles as well. Few towns offered that, and even fewer had citizens who wouldn't mob the famous Harry Potter if given half the chance. He blamed the Daily Prophet. They always made so much of anything he did and his recent marriage was no exception. He was so absorbed in the thoughts of what he'd like to do to a certain reporter for said paper that he didn't realize his husband was talking to him.
"Huh, sorry Ron what did you say?"
"Harry James Potter don't you ever pay attention to anything I say? Sometimes I wonder about you."
Harry felt guilty. Though his mate wasn't one to let his emotions show easily he could see the mixture of excitement and hurt that was clouding the other man's features.
"I'm sorry love, really. I didn't mean to tune you out. Guess I've had a lot on my mind of late. What were you saying again?"
Ron sighed. He knew what was bothering the love of his life and it distressed him that he couldn't do more to give him peace. At least the daily number of howlers had dropped to a trickle now. The first few weeks had been nothing short of frantic as they tried to keep the burrow from exploding from the sheer number of them.
"I said I think this house is perfect for us love, and I want your opinion on it."
Harry looked round the room they were currently in. It was the front parlor of the house which for some odd reason bore the unusual name of Merlin's Glade. He had to admit it was rather cozy looking even if it was currently devoid of furniture. There were an abundance of windows throughout the house and so the rooms were filled with golden sunshine at all times. Not only that but the agent had told them that there were no less than half a dozen bedrooms. In short there was plenty of room to stretch out in. Ron was right, it was perfect for them. He looked at his love and made his decision.
"O.k. if we're going to live here I guess I'd better see about buying the deed from the agent."
The house wasn't cheap but the smile his mate gave him made every galleon worth it.
Harry was nervous. Heck why not admit it. He was terrified. In just under an hour he was getting married and his stomach felt like he'd swallowed at least a dozen snitch's at once. What had he been thinking? True Ron was everything he'd ever wanted, but how could he be so selfish as to ask him to do this of all things. Ron could still have a normal life, but the minute that the ritual of bonding was complete that life would be over. In it's place would be a life of invaded privacy and public speculation. The thought of what the rest of the wizarding world would make of their marriage almost made him cringe. There was no way he wanted his love to go through that. No. He would just have to call it all off. Ron would be hurt, and for that Harry was sorry, but it would be better this way. It would.....
"Harry?"
He looked toward the voice, and gasped. Hermione! It couldn't be, but it was. He'd sent her a letter along with an invitation, not expecting that she would come, but he was glad that she had. She could help Ron pick up the pieces of his heart and move on.
"Hermione. I'm so glad you're here. I..." He broke down in tears, not even aware of when she took him into her arms in an attempt to comfort him.
"Harry, Harry, what's wrong?"
He tried to tell her, but he just couldn't get it out. Of course she got the general gist of things anyway, but instead of telling him she'd help him she surprised him by getting angry.
"Harry James Potter do you mean to tell me that you intend on breaking the heart of someone who loves you more than life itself because you have butterflies in the stomach? What's wrong with you? Did professor Dumbledore defeat Voldemort and let you take the credit for it? Is that it? Because what I'm hearing isn't the words of a brave and powerful wizard, but the words of a self pitying coward whose likely to jump at their own shadow. I was hurt at first when I found out about you and Ron, but he loves you Harry, and if you can honestly stand there and tell me that it's better for him to have his heart broken than to be with the one he loves then you aren't the wizard I thought you were."
Harry was shocked. He'd never seen her so upset. Not even when Malfoy had called her a mudblood in second year. "B-but Hermione..."
"But nothing. Ron isn't a child Harry. He knows that life isn't all roses, and he wants to be with you. Now pull yourself together and get out there. The ceremony starts in a few minutes and it wouldn't do for the groom to be late to his own wedding." She turned and stomped out of the room, leaving a very abashed Harry Potter in her wake.
* * * *
The ceremony had been very simple. Harry had waited at the alter with his best man Seamus Finnigan at his side. On cue the music had started and he'd looked back to see his beloved Ron being escorted down the aisle by his father. Merlin but Ron had looked good. The sky blue dress robe with its silver trim had suited his mate to be perfectly. In fact one look and his body had voiced its approval. Not for the first time he had been grateful for how well robes hid certain things from public view. There had been an exchange of vows followed by rings and then Dumbledore (who it seemed was qualified to perform weddings, christenings, and other such ceremonies) had told them to hold one another's left hand. He had then tied them together with a golden cord upon which he'd then placed a spell. The cord had disolved into two balls of golden light which had then entered the rings. He'd barely even heard Dumbledore telling him that he could kiss his new husband. It had been a truly magical day. It had taken some time but they had managed to sneak away to be alone despite a very tearful Molly Weasley who still seemed not quite able to comprehend that her baby boy was now a married man. After a quiet dinner in their hotel room they had spent hours making tender love to one another. Both had been virgins wishing to give themselves to the other on this special night. Moving closer to his already sleeping spouse Harry slipped into a deep, contented sleep that was blissfully free of nightmares.
Ch. 11: New Home
Harry couldn't believe it. How hard could it be to find the perfect house anyway? Still they had been back from their honeymoon for almost a month now and still living at the burrow with Ron's family. It wasn't that Harry had anything against his in laws or anything, it was just that he'd expected they would have found their own place by now and would be working on furnishing it. The problem was that things weren't that easy. They had agreed that they didn't want to be too far away from family but that they didn't want to be too close either. Besides they'd agreed that they wanted kids someday, either by adoption or by the help of fertility potion and it had been decided that they would settle somewhere that had not only other wizards but muggles as well. Few towns offered that, and even fewer had citizens who wouldn't mob the famous Harry Potter if given half the chance. He blamed the Daily Prophet. They always made so much of anything he did and his recent marriage was no exception. He was so absorbed in the thoughts of what he'd like to do to a certain reporter for said paper that he didn't realize his husband was talking to him.
"Huh, sorry Ron what did you say?"
"Harry James Potter don't you ever pay attention to anything I say? Sometimes I wonder about you."
Harry felt guilty. Though his mate wasn't one to let his emotions show easily he could see the mixture of excitement and hurt that was clouding the other man's features.
"I'm sorry love, really. I didn't mean to tune you out. Guess I've had a lot on my mind of late. What were you saying again?"
Ron sighed. He knew what was bothering the love of his life and it distressed him that he couldn't do more to give him peace. At least the daily number of howlers had dropped to a trickle now. The first few weeks had been nothing short of frantic as they tried to keep the burrow from exploding from the sheer number of them.
"I said I think this house is perfect for us love, and I want your opinion on it."
Harry looked round the room they were currently in. It was the front parlor of the house which for some odd reason bore the unusual name of Merlin's Glade. He had to admit it was rather cozy looking even if it was currently devoid of furniture. There were an abundance of windows throughout the house and so the rooms were filled with golden sunshine at all times. Not only that but the agent had told them that there were no less than half a dozen bedrooms. In short there was plenty of room to stretch out in. Ron was right, it was perfect for them. He looked at his love and made his decision.
"O.k. if we're going to live here I guess I'd better see about buying the deed from the agent."
The house wasn't cheap but the smile his mate gave him made every galleon worth it.