In the Morning Paper

Chapter 10

by Cherokee Girl

Disclaimer

I no own JKR no sue pretty please! No seriously I don't own the characters from the Harry Potter books I just like to borrow them since I'm to lazy to make up characters of own.

Note

Well here is chapter ten hope you like

When I woke up that morning Harry had his arms wrapped around me and was still sleeping peacefully he had made it the entire night without a single nightmare and at the moment must have been having a pleasant dream since he was smiling in his sleep. I snuggled closer just enjoying the warmth of his body since the morning was damp and chilly with a steady rain beating against the window beside our bed. I was just starting to drift back off to sleep when I felt gentle kisses on my shoulder I looked up into two smiling emerald green pools.

Mornin Luv he said before giving me a kiss.

Good Morning to you too it seems you slept well last night I don't believe I heard a peep out of you.

Nope not a single nightmare he said before giving me a seductive grin and adding a lot of good dreams though.

Oh really I said raising and eyebrow.

Yes really he said but not all of them were that kind of dream some of them were just about us in the future all old and happy with a bunch of grandkids sappy stuff really I guess he said trying to hide the fact that he was a hopeless romantic at heart.

What time is it anyways he asked

I don't know I answered we forgot to bring an alarm clock and there isn't one in here and I belive the silincing charm you cast works both ways since I haven't heard a peep out of anyone this morning and I figured someone must be up by now.

Well we had better get dressed then Harry said remembering he had his watch on and checking the time it's after ten and the Weasleys are all usually up around eight thirty or nine.

I hope they don't think we're late cause we've been you know I said gesturing at the bed we were still sharing.

God I hope not said Harry Mrs. Weasley would kill me.

Just in case and to keep her from getting suspicious let me rumple up the sheets on the other bed so it looks like it been slept in.

Yeah good idea I said. Blushing as Harry got up to mess up the sheets on the other bed he had a really well built body lean and muscular I had to mentally chastise myself for thinking hm nice bum when he bent over to retrieve his clothes from were he had slung them before crawling into bed.

I was tring to decide wither or not to get out of bed when I realized Harry had already seen most everything so really what was I trying to hide so while he was busy with the bed and gathering up his clothes from the day before and getting out a clean outfit for today I crawled out of bed and found my overnight bag and pulled on the large terry cloth bath robe out of it put it on and made my way to the bathroom I left the door unlocked without thinking and before I knew it Harry had joined me in the bathroom.

Um Sayward are you um decent he said.

Yeah I said pulling my shirt over my head and and digging through my overnight bag for my comb and toothbrush. Just give me a minute and I'll be done I said before I noticed that Harry was already standing beside me

You look beautiful in the morning you know that he whispered in my ear before kissing me passionately. Harry's hands were everywhere and it became obvious that he had something in mind when I noticed that he was undressing the both of us as fast as he could.

Harry wait no I um not here Harry I whispered.

Harry stopped and gently whispered no but I thought you might like to have a little more fun I dreamed about doing this last night.

Doing what I choked out feeling somewhere between on fire and scarred to death.

Take a shower together he said you were so curious last night and I thought this way you could see everything without having to worry about it leading to anything more.

Harry um I don't know what about the time I mean what if we get caught.

Crap your right he said with a sigh before giving me and impish grin and adding oh well gives us something to do later.

Ten minutes later Harry and I were both decent and headed down the stairs we were hoping no one had noticed but it appeared that they had from the looks on their faces.

Harry a word please son said Mr. Weasley

Harry had a very strange look on his face as he squeezed my hand and told me to go ahead and sit down.

Harry walked into the den with Mr. Weasley while Hermione and Mrs. Weasley both lead me into the kitchen.

Is everything ok I asked as the two lead me into the pantry and closed the door behind us.

Well said Mrs. Weasley I would ask what you and Harry did last night and why your an hour and a half late for breakfast and why there were silencing and locking charms on your bedroom door but that can wait something has come up.

Ok I thought must be pretty bad if she's not even going to ask me if we had sex or not.

Sayward Hermione began you know Harry is famous right

Yeah so? I asked

Well you remember sometimes the newspapers like to right stories about him and well their not always true

Yes I said

Well there was an article in the Daily Prophet this morning and it doesn't say very nice things about you or Harry but it says some well very hateful things about you in particular.

Really I said

Yes said Mrs. Weasley

How bad I asked

Pretty bad said Hermione and before she could say anything else we heard Harry screaming at the top of his lungs WHY THAT EVIL LYING BITCH THIS IS IT I"M GOING TO PUT AN END TO HER AND THAT RUMOR RAG SHE WORKS FOR MEDDLING NO GOOD GOSSIP JOURNALIST MY ASS SHE DOESN'T RESEARCH A DAMN THING SHE JUST MAKES IT ALL UP. We next heard a loud CRACK and Mr. Weasley yell for Ron to go try and find his best mate before Harry did something rash at the Daily Prophet and landed himself in Azkaban.

Ron apparated to the Daily Prophet but was back in no time saying Harry wasn't there.

Well try Dumbledore and Grimmauld Place and the Quibbler and if you can find out where she lives Rita Skeeters house.

Ron was gone in a flash again as soon as Mr. Weasley had given him a few places to try.

Finally I decided I had to know what had been said that made Harry so furious. So seeing a copy of the Daily Prophet laying on the table with a large picture of Harry and I in Madam Malkins the day before on the front page with a headline that read Harry Potter's Child Bride as Innocent as She Looks or Not? And so I read the following article

The Daily Prphet

Sunday Morning Edition

Harry Potter's Child Bride as Innocent as She Looks or Not

After running into Harry and his bride to be yesterday at Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions The Daily Prophet's star reporter Rita Skeeter left with more questions than answers. While Harry seems to be besotted with his rather plain looking child bride who we learned through sources at the Ministry is twelve year old Sayward Mac Neill the daughter of former owners of Honeydukes Shop in Hogsmeade although rumor has it that she is the product of an affair Mrs.Anna Mac Niell had with an as of yet un-named Deatheater To shed further light on this story we went to Hogwarts to see what Professors and fellow students had to say about her several male students indicated that they knew her very intimately going so far as to say that she was anything but inexperienced and that she had a reputation.Several of her professors were noted as saying that she had been caught in the halls after curfew on many occasions. Her head of House Professor McGonagall has gone on record as saying and I quote "She has received several detentions over the course of her first year here at Hogwarts." We next went to the headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself who had this to say "I'm very worried about Harry this match is a very disturbing one and I can only hope that Harry will be able to make the best of an unfortunate situation." It seems that maybe Harry doesn't know his future wife as well as he may think.

But then again Harry is no angel himself this paper has done many articles in the past highlighting Harry's playboy nature and excessive lifestyle it is well documented that Harry is popular with the ladies and there have been rumors for years that he is a bit mentally unstable and more recently it has come to light that he is rumored to have a problem with alcoholism and a possible drug addiction. The only thing that is clear is that we can all sympathize with any child who happens to have the misfortune of being a product of this union.

Article by MS. Rita Skeeters

Photograph by Rick Slater

I was in shock as I laid down the newspaper how could anyone be so viscously cruel to someone that they didn't even know and why were boys at my school saying such horrible things about me and what if Harry and the Weasley's thought that it was true and why had Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore turned on me sure I had been given detentions but they where for silly little things like being late for class, passing notes or forgeting to do a homework assignment but nothing as serious as being caught out after curfew with some guy I had never even held hands with a boy until I had met Harry and we were bethroathed already at the time. But then I thought about what she had said about my mother having an affair with a Deatheater of all people and I was flaming mad the air around me seemed to crackle with energy I knew I was about to do one thing all magical people are capable of but try to control I was about to preform accidental magic you see magic is tied to emotion and when someone who can do magic gets very emotional things tend to happen that they can't control It was only when I felt Mrs. Weasley's hand one my shoulder that I calmed down.

"Are you alright Dear?" She asked the concern evident in her voice.

Please don't be angry with me I didn't I never my mum would never have I mean I know he was my dad. Everything just came tumbling out all at one time Mrs. Weasley just sat down on one side of me and Hermione on the other and they did their best to try and sooth me and get me calmed down before Harry got back Ginny Fleur and Tonks had joined in trying to cheer me up when Harry finally apparated into the dinning room almost three hours after he had left.

Harry I said running to him nearly knocking him down Please tell me you didn't do anything you'll regret.

Well it's good to see you to Sayward he said trying to regain his balance. And no I didn't do anything stupid I just had some legal business to attend to and well I had to stop by Gringotts and do a little business then I had to call on an old friend for a favor which I am happy to say she was more than willing to do.

What on earth are you going on about asked Ginny while Hermione just smiled

You didn't Hermione finaly said

Oh but I did said Harry

Did what the rest of us asked

I am now the sole owner of the daily prophet

HUH we all but Hermione wondered outloud

Well it has been losing money for awhile now and it's owner owed the goblins at Gringotts money that he was unable to pay back so The Daily Prophet was put up for sale since it was one of it's previous owner's few remaining assets and well I bought it I am now Rita Skeeter's boss well that is until you graduate this June said Harry looking at Ginny then you may be best friends with the new chief editor of The Daily Prophet

Luna? Ginny asked

Yep said Harry I've hired Luna she starts as soon as the summer is over until then I think I will have a little fun being Rita's new boss.

And you knew he was going to do this Ginny asked Hermione

Well I had suggested it to him once before I just never thought that he had actually considered it.

Oh and Ginny said Harry I know you had planned on training to become a healer but since things are a little well unsettled right now how would you like to come work at The Daily Prophet you could be an assistant to Luna or hey we could use a new advice columnist the old one well to put it bluntly sucks at it so what do you say wanna help me make Rita miserable.

Do I detect a little of your Marauders blood coming out in you asked Ginny

Yep I guess you do said Harry

Well then count me in said Ginny.

Oh and Tonks I'll need you too that and a bit of help from Fred and George.

What kind of help asked Tonks

Well I got the idea from my detentions with Umbridge of all people but could you make me a quill like the one Umbridge used on me my fifth year only I need it to have something of mind of it's own whenever she tries to use her quick quates quill it will work like the one I had to use during my detentions only it will write the truth on her somewhere or just write insulting things about her like I'm a big fat liar and the like I don't want it to cause any perminant scars but let it last a few days huh oh and I will need you to use all you auror skills to slip it to her in place of her quick quotes quill do you think you guys can do that

Oh don't worry Fred and George can pull that one off and as far a slipping her your um new and improved quill that will be only to easy.

Good said Harry then let the fun begin

Oh and by the way Sayward and I need to get home I told Luna's father to meet me there at six so we had better get our stuff together and get home I told him we would give him an exclusive interview for the Quibbler.

Oh Yeah Mum said Ginny Stan has to have me back at school by seven so I guess we should be going too

Us too said George Sybill has a class to teach tomorrow so I had better get her back too.

Harry are'nt you taking Sayward back to school asked Mrs. Weasley.

No actually she only has a week of classes left and since she has already taken her exams Dumbledore has excused her from the rest of classes for the year she will return with me in the fall though when I start teaching

Well thats good Harry said Mrs. Weasley before giving both of us a hug goodbye and telling us to make sure we came over for dinner next week.

When we stepped out of the flames and back into the study at Grimmauld place Harry pulled me over to the couch

So I guess you know that a lot of unkind things were said about the both of us I'm really sorry that you got drug into it but welcome to my life.

Harry you don't believe the stuff she said do you I asked a little afraid of the answer.

Of course not Sayward he answered do you belive that I'm a womanizing drunk with a drug habit.

No I said I haven't even seen you drink anything stronger than coffee and the only drugs you've taken were prescribed to you by a Healer and you've not taken anything over the recommended dosage in fact you've actually taken less than your supposed to.

Yes and I know that you've never been with a guy before and I know your parents were both your real parents and as for the things that Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall said they were taken out of context and made to sound as if you were a bad student even though that is not at all what they actually said. The worst part of that is that they took that part of the article from a small press release that Albus and Minerva gave to try to get the reporters to leave the school grounds.

Just then an older man appeared in the study with us he was holding a tin can

Hello Mr. Lovegood said Harry it's so nice to see you again. Harry said shaking the older mans hand

And it's so nice to see you again Harry and I was thrilled to here you bought the Daily Prophet and gave Luna a job there

Well yes said Harry I figured that being your daughter she would know plenty about the newspaper business.

So Harry is this your wife to be said Mr. Lovegood

Yes this is Sayward said Harry making the introductions

Well I don't know whats wrong with Rita's eyes but she's a lovely girl Harry

I know said Harry I think that she's beautiful not to mention sweet as they come I'm actually so glad that I was paired with her

Well you two do make a cute couple said Mr. Lovegood

So who did Luna end up with said Harry

Well you should know him I believe you were in the same house together in school Seamus Finnigan.

Yeah I knew Seamus said Harry he's a nice guy they should be happy together.

Well I guess we should get down to business said Mr. Lovegood

Oh of course said Harry

Just then Winky came in carrying a tray of tea and biscuts.

Harry smiled thank you Winky he said before the house elf left setting the tray down on the coffee table.

Please help yourself said Harry to Mr. Lovegood while pouring a cup of tea for each of us.

So Sayward said Mr. Lovegood you are only twelve right.

Yes I answered.

And you have just finished your first year at Hogwarts.

Yes I said

Passed all your exams he asked

Yes I did I answered

So what did you think when you found out you were going to have to marry Harry he asked.

Shocked and a little scarred I said

And how do you feel about it now that you have got to spend some time with him he asked.

Alright now Harry and I get along really well he's very patient and kind and he can be really funny sometimes too I said.

And what about you Harry how did you feel about the Marriage Decree?

Well although I understand why they did it I still don't think they went about it in the right way and at the time I found out well I was stunned really and just worried about becoming a husband to someone so young it's still a little scarry you know I don't want to do anything to hurt her and I want to be a good husband it's a lot of responsibility.

So Harry how do you feel about Sayward now that you've gotten a chance to get to know her ? Asked Mr. Lovegood

I really like her a lot she's everything I was looking for in a wife she so sweet and kind very honest pretty she's very smart very mature for here age she's just more than I could have hoped for.

Well it sounds as if you two have really hit it off would either of you like to address some of the things said about you earlier in The Daily Prophet.

Well yes of course said Harry for one I would like to know what proof they have of my being an alcoholic and a drug addict since I rarely ever drink anything stronger than a butterbeer and the only drugs I take are prescribed to me by a Healer for a condition I developed during the war against Voldemort aside from that I don't take any kind of drugs.

What about the rumors that you are mentally unstable ?

I may not be the picture of mental health after all that happened to me thanks to Voldemort but I'm by no means crazy if anyone wants to check that fact I can release my medical records from the evaluation I had at St. Mungo's shortly after the final battle they will prove that I'm perfectly sane.

What about accusations that your are something of a playboy?

Thats almost funny said Harry I've dated in the past sure but I was by no means a ladies man really nobody would believe me if I told them how boring my love life has been up until now I mean it been pretty much average certainly not anything worth printing in the newspaper.

Well said Mr. Lovegood what about you Sayward what do you have to say about the things that were said about you in this mornings edition of The Daily Prophet

Well I don't really care about what they said about me I mean I know that it's not true and the only person that it should really matter too is Harry and he believes me so I'm not worried about it I mean sure it's embarrassing to have people think you've done those sort of things especially when you haven't but as long as Harry and I know the truth I don't really care what anyone else thinks but as far as what was said about my Mum that was a complete lie and really low considering the fact that she died trying to defend Hogsmeade. I know who my biological father was and it was the man that I called dad my parents had a happy marriage there is no question in my mind that Matthias and Anna Mac Neill were both my biological parents.

Well that about covers it said Mr. Lovegood is there anything else you and Harry would like to say

Well nothing about us said Harry although Hermione may be making an announcement that should be of some interest to you very soon .

About what said Mr. Lovegood

Well I can't say just yet but you should be hearing from her by Tuesday evening and you will be the first newspaper to here about it.

Aren't you going to print it in The Daily Prophet Harry yes but you get first dibs at it for doing me this favor I mean it would'nt do me much good to print a retraction to the story about me and Sayward in The daily Prophet the day after I bought the paper it would look like I was telling them what to write this way it looks as though another credible paper interviewed us and got the real story.

Well congratulations and good luck with the paper and thanks for the interview and the tip oh yeah just one last thing do you think I could get a picture of you and Sayward for the article said Mr. Lovegood

Yeah sure said Harry

Soon Mr. Lovegood had taken a picture of me sitting in a comfortable armchair that sat next to the fireplace with Harry standing behind me leaning over with his arms wrapped around me we actually ended up using that picture as our engagement photo.

After we had said our goodbyes to Mr. Lovegood Harry and I told Dobby and Winky to take the night off and made supper for ourselves I was surprised to find that Harry was a wonderful cook both of us were starving seeing how we had missed both breakfast and lunch and it was now well past supper time and the only thing either of us had eaten all day was a few biscuts and a cup of tea we kinda went a little overboard and fixed enough food for several days I cut up a salad while Harry made lasagna while he was making baked potatoes and garlic bread I was mixing up the batter for a chocolate cake when it was all done we were both laughing madly since while I had been decorating the cake Harry had decided to decorate me and now the both of us were covered in chocolate iceing.

Um it kinda looks like we made a mess said Harry.

Well the kitchen is still relatively clean but were both a mess.

It's all your fault he teased

who me I was innocently decorating the cake when you had to go and rub iceing on my nose.

Yeah well you did'nt have to rub it in my hair he said smirking

Well you didn't have to rub it on my shirt I said

Well I'll tell you what why don't I put a few cleaning charms on the kitchen and a warming spell on the food and we could go take that shower we were talking about this morning.

Um ok I said starting to feel a little nervous.

Harry took me by the hand and lead me to the bathroom down the hall.

Harry um I don't know about this I whispered .

It's ok he said smiling. While he pulled me close

I was about to say something else when he kissed me and the melting weak in the knees feeling from the night before and this morning was back Harry slowly undressed us both before turning the water on come here he said softly before kissing me again then pulling away he said so beautiful you know that your so beautiful . Harry I said finding it hard to find my voice but he had taken my had and placed it on his chest shh he said it's ok I promise nothing else has to happen before he pulled me into the shower with him. The next thing I remember is feeling dozens of sensations all at once Harry had pulled me close and was kissing me crazy while the steamy hot water washed over both of us all I could think to do was hold onto him for dear life but before long I was kissing him with as much passion as he was kissing me his hands had started to wander all over me and before I realized what I was doing I was doing the same to him I knew what I was doing was dumb if I wanted Harry to be able to stop and I was well aware of the affect it was having on him it was becoming rather obvious actually as close as we were holding each other I'm pretty sure that if I had'nt decided to look down that night if I hadn't been so curious Harry and I would have had our first time that night but I just had to look and well I had the first reaction of any girl my age how they heck is that supossed to fit in well you know I pulled away without thinking Harry at first did'nt understand what the problem was but once he figured it out he decided it was time for the romance to end for the evening Harry I'm sorry I said finding that I once again had tears in my eyes I just got scarred I mean I didn't know it was so um I didn't know how it could Harry I'm sorry I can't I'm sorry I'm just not ready I babbled

Harry just spoke softly while wrapping a towel aroun me it's ok your just not ready yet you can't help it if your afraid I promised nothing would happen until your ready and it won't shh shh he whispered it's alright maybe I shouldn't have even started this it was way to soon.

But Harry I liked it I wanted to until I I couldn't finish I was to embarrassed.

Until you realized what has to happen right he said finishing for me

Um yeah I said blushing

Sayward you don't have to pretend it's no big deal because to you it is a big deal if you want to go slower it's ok you don't have to push yourself to do something that your not ready for I swear I can wait as long as you need as long as we can until we have to .

Harry why do I feel so torn part of me wants to now and another part of me is terrorfied how am I ever going to know when I am ready.

Well he said your so young that your stuck between the end of childhood and the beginning of your teen years your just barely old enough to have found yourself in this perdicament I guess the ministry didn't think that there would be some girls who would be such early bloomers and unfortunately you were one of them so technically your body is ready or almost ready your just not emotionally ready yet your still to young in that respect as far as knowing when your ready it's when the part of you thats terrorfied gets over being terrorfied that doesn't mean you might not get a little scared or nervous the first time but you shouldn't be so scared you have to force yourself to go through with it

Harry did his best to calm me down before telling me to go ahead and go to my room and get some cloths on while he finished washing the chocolate iceing out of his hair and then we'd have dinner I went to my room and found a simple light blue T-shirt and a pair of khacki shorts before heading down to the kitchen Harry joined me a few minutes later and this time we actually ate or supper insteads of having a food fight Harry was rather quiet during or meal it seemed like there was something on his mind of course with all that had happened in the past three days it was no small wonder that he had a lot on his mind After supper was over and we had cleaned up the kithchen Harry took me by the hand and led me upstairs kissing me on the cheek outside my bedroom door and turning to go to his own room

Harry I asked whats wrong.

Sayward I made you a promise and after tonight this is the only way I know how to keep it I just realized when we were in the bathroom earlier that I want you bad and if we were to sleep in the same bed tonight I wouldn't be able to stop it's not that I'm mad at you not at all it's just that I can't trust myself tonight not feeling the way I do right now I just need to get back in control of myself please Sayward just go on to bed I'll be alright he said giving me a reassuring smile.

And so I did pulling the old quilt over my head tears stinging my eye why was I afraid why did I stop him I knew I had already fallen in love with him but I knew why he had'nt said that he loved me he had said he wanted me I wanted him to love me first soon I felt a comforting presence as if someone were giving me a hug and saying don't worry he does even if he doesn't know it yet.

Harry's POV

Why did I do it why did I let her see me like that I said mentally kicking myself before sitting on the bed oh I knew why I did it that was simple enough I was horny and after the events of the past two days I was frustrated very frustrated it had been almost a year since I had last sleep with anyone and it had been a blurry rushed druken one night stand with some quidditch groupie Now I had a beautiful girl that I had feelings for that I was falling in love with and I was acting like a horny prat that could'nt keep his hands to himself I wanted to go to her to apologize to her but I knew I could'nt I had spent twenty minutes in the shower with the cold water running just so I would be able to get through supper without doing something that I would feel guilty about in the morning So putting strong locking and silencing charms on the door I got a vial of Dreamless Sleep Potion and downed it knowing tonight would be a very long night.