Cherish

Chapter two: The reactions

A/N: Well here is the second chapter on my latest Honks story, I hope that you all are liking it. I would like to acknowledge Wytel, (I'm sorry if I spelled that wrong) for being my very first reviewer for this story, I hope you find the rest of the story just as good. Please as always read and review. ----Donald

Tonks was really nervous that night when she was sitting in her quarters where she had invited Harry to come see her. He wasn't sure why she had asked him so openly, but wasn't going to argue with her. She had also invited the headmaster and the head of Harry's house to the meeting. She was hoping that everything would turn out ok, but wasn't sure what she was going to do if the reaction from the headmaster and deputy headmistress was going to be bad. She knew that Harry would be ecstatic about it, for he had always told her that he wanted a big family with her one day. She got up nervously and started pacing around the room while waiting for the three of them to show up. She jumped a bit startled when she heard her door open to her quarters, she knew that it was Harry, but she was still nervous. She had invited him there a half hour early so she could tell him in private before the rest of them had to find out. She smiled as she saw him come up to her and wrapped his arms around her kissing her neck.

"Hey love, I hope that I'm not late?" He nuzzled her neck, but pulled back a bit when he noticed that she was really nervous about something. "What's wrong Nymph? Is it something that I did, or forgot?" He was really worried now, and she decided to let him off the hook.

"No it's not anything you have done or forgotten Harry. Come on over here to the couch, I need to tell you something before Albus and Minerva come by." She led him to the couch, and sat him down before kneeling before him with a small smile on his face. "Do you remember when you told me that you wanted a big family with me one of these days?"

Harry looked at her with a look that said that he was trying to figure out what she was trying to say, but couldn't quite put it together yet. "Yes of course Nymph, and I am going to stand by that to the day I die. Is there something that your not telling me, or wanting to tell me?" He took her hands in his, and looked deep into her eyes and it hit him. How could he have not noticed that she was beginning to show signs of early pregnancy. He thought to himself, well there you go Harry, your going to be a father in a few months, what are you going to do about it. "Well I think that I have figured out what your trying to tell me then Nymph, and while I know that we hadn't planned on them this soon, I am happy." He gave her a big hug, and a kiss before sitting there before her with a big smile. "I am guessing that you had invited the headmaster and deputy headmistress here because we need to finally break out secret, and tell them about us."

She nodded, and Harry let out a sigh. He wasn't going to let her go no matter what people might think. "Do you think that it might be a problem with either the law, or your job?" Harry was worried now, for he knew that if he lost her, or she lost her job, he wouldn't know what to do.

Tonks was about to answer when she heard the knock on her door. "Hold that thought Harry, I think that's our other guests." She gave him a quick kiss, and then went to the door to let the other two in, and then went back to sitting by Harry and holding his hand.

When he saw the look that the two others had on their faces when they saw how close Harry and Tonks were, Harry interrupted them before they could get going. "Please let us explain before you yell at us. If you still want either of us to leave the school, or whatever, the other one will follow, I am telling you this now. Now I need to say this first, we have been together since the last summer, and were a couple before she officially started as a teacher. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, we have an announcement, and that is the reason that we are bringing this out before I'm of age next summer. You see, Tonks and I are going to be parents, and I would like to make our being a couple official before the baby is born." Harry looked at the disappointed look of his Transfigurations teacher, and the amused look of his headmaster. He was a bit confused by Dumbledore's look, but figured that he would find out soon enough.

"Well Harry, as much as you two would like to think that you two were discreet about your relationship while you were here at school, you weren't. Don't worry, the only ones who have figured it out are the other professors. Now, as for your unborn child, I think that we can figure out something without having to have either of you leave the school. First off, do you remember what Sirius had said in his will Harry? Of course you don't, for it wasn't supposed to be read for another week. Well I can tell you this, I think that he had made it so that you would become and emancipated minor upon his death, so that makes it so that you're an adult in every way. I only know this because I was a witness to the will. Now once the will is read, and you become emancipated, I think that you two can get married without any worries. That is if you two want to get married." Dumbledore looked at the two young people with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

Harry and Tonks both blushed at this, and looked at each other. "Well Nymph, I was planning on doing this over the Christmas holidays, but this is as good a time as any." He got down on one knee in front of her and took her hand. "I don't have the ring with me because I wasn't prepared to do this in front of so many people, and in such a impersonal way, but Nymphadora Tonks, will you do me the biggest favor that any witch can do for a wizard, and agree to become my wife?" He looked up into her eyes, and wasn't sure of the look that she was giving him.

Tonks for her part was trying to hold back tears of joy, but wasn't succeeding, took Harry's hands into her and pulled him up into a deep kiss. "Yes Harry, I will marry you." She looked up at Albus and Minerva to see them both smiling down at them with understanding. "So all the staff figured it out all ready. When shall we tell the rest of his friends and family?"

"Well, I don't think that you should hold it back any, especially since you two will probably want to have him move into your quarters once he is officially emancipated, and will want to get married rather quickly. I think that it shouldn't be a problem with telling them as soon as you want. I know that Ron and Hermione will be happy for you two, and it will explain to them why Harry wasn't at the Burrow at all this last summer. Now I am giving you permission to move your stuff into her quarters if you like Harry, and once you two are married, you will be given Married Staff Quarters, which will expand when the baby(s) come. Now Harry, would you like me to have your stuff moved down here by one of the elves, and have them send a message to your friends to come down so you can tell them?"

Harry looked up at him with a smile, holding Tonks to his chest. "Yes, please. Woops, I guess I shouldn't talk for Tonks, she hasn't even said whether or not it would be ok for me to move in with her yet." He looked up at her with a smile, and puppy dog eyes.

Tonks laughed at the look that Harry was giving her, and put a finger to her lips, as if she were thinking. "Hmm, well I will have to tell all my other boyfriends that they can't come see me anymore." She laughed at the look of horror that Harry had on his face, then said. "I'm kidding Harry, you're the only one for me. Of course you can move in with me, and go ahead and have your friends come down so we can tell them. They might think it's weird that you are moving out, so we better tell them." She kissed him thoroughly as Albus and Minerva left the room.

Minerva said something to Harry and Tonks as she was leaving. "I would like to talk to you two tomorrow in my office. Congratulations Mr. Potter, Ms. Tonks." She smiled a bit, but it was also a bit strained as she thought about what this was going to mean with what Harry had to do with defeating Voldemort. She looked in and saw that they were totally immersed in each other, and she smiled. She knew that they would help each other. She was happy that Harry finally have found love, and that it was with someone that would be good for him. She said to herself, but even if they had heard her, they didn't acknowledge it. "Be good to him Ms. Tonks, he has a lot on his plate, and I hope that you both will live through it. I am proud of both of you, and wish you both the best in the world." She smiled and closed the door behind her.

Tonks pulled back from the kiss for a minute and said. "We need to hold off for a while Harry, your friends will be here any minute. We have all night to celebrate our engagement, and the opening up of our love." She smiled, and just that minute, Dobby popped in with Harry's trunk and the rest of his stuff.

"Where would the Professor like me to put Mr. Harry Potter sirs stuff at?" Dobby bowed to them, and smiled at the look that they had given them.

"Put them in my bedroom Dobby."

"Hold on one second before you do Dobby. I need to get something out of my trunk before, then you can put it away." Harry walked up to his trunk, and laughed out loud when Dobby handed him the small ring box before putting the trunk and stuff into the bedroom. "Thank you Dobby, you think of everything." He walked back up to Tonks, and got back down on one knee, and opened the box up showing her the beautiful diamond engagement ring. "I know I have already asked you Tonks, but this will make it official. Will you marry me?"

"I have already told you that I will Harry, and I haven't changed my mind. I wouldn't want our baby(s) to go without their father." She kissed him soundly and neither of them noticed that Harry's three best friends had made their way into the room before they had said that.

The first thing that they noticed that they weren't alone was a loud gasp coming from the doorway. They looked up to see Ron, Hermione and Ginny standing there looking at them with wide eyes. Tonks smiled at the three of them, and invited them in farther to sit down. "Dobby, can you bring tea for the five of us, and maybe some sandwiches for while we talk." Dobby bowed and left with a bow, then returned 10 minutes later with the tea and sandwiches.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked at the two of them with wonder. "Is there something that you two want to tell us?" Hermione asked this, and smiled at the happiness on her best friends face. She wasn't sure about what was going on, but if it made him happy, she wasn't going to say anything about it.

"Guys, Tonks and I have a couple of things to say to you. One, we have been a couple since last summer when I went to stay with her so we could both get over Sirius's death, and uhm, slept together when we got drunk one night. We found that we both had feelings for each other the next morning, and were a couple ever since. As you could see when you walked in, we are going to be married as soon as possible, and no it doesn't have to do with the other thing we need to tell you. We love each other, and I just found out that as soon as Sirius's will is read in a few days, I am going to be a emancipated minor, meaning that I have all the rights and responsibilities of an adult. The next thing we want to tell you is, we are going to be parents in around 6 months." He watched the surprised looks on his friends face, then was happy as they congratulated them on all things.

"So that is why your stuff was moved from our dorm mate. You are moving in with Tonks." Ron knew that this was the reason from what he was seeing and was just told, but wanted Harry to tell him for himself.

"Yah mate, ain't it great. While all you guys were talking about how great it would be to be with the hot DADA professor, I was with her all the time. Ron, I want you to be my best man for the wedding, will you do it please?" Harry looked at his friend with a wry smile. "Oh and tell no one, we will be making an announcement tomorrow during breakfast about what is going on. If any of the guys ask tonight, tell them I was moved for some specialized training or something like that."

Tonks, Hermione and Ginny looked at the two boys, and had a laugh. "So the guys were talking about what it would be like to be with me huh. Well good thing that you already had me Harry, I know that some of them are quite hot. No don't worry Harry, I'm all yours." She laughed and kissed Harry fully on the lips. Hermione and Ginny were polite enough to turn their heads at the sight, while Ron was totally clueless and just stared at the couple as they kissed. He finally turned his head when Hermione smacked him across the head letting him know that it was rude. When they finally came up for air, they looked at the other three teenagers and smiled at them. "So what do you guys think about this, I mean it must be quite a surprise to you all. We have been keeping it a secret since the beginning of the school year, but I guess the staff knew about it." She looked at Ron and Hermione and smiled. "Is there something that you two want to tell us about Ron and Hermione? You two seem to be awfully close nowadays." Tonks, Harry and Ginny were laughing at the way they were blushing. It was obvious that they were a couple now, but just didn't want to tell anyone yet.

"Well we are also a couple, have been since this summer. We would have told you about it if you were at the Burrow this summer Harry. Please don't say that you are mad at us Harry. It won't change anything about our friendship, I mean this will mean that the four of us can go out as couples." Ron and Hermione were hoping that Harry wouldn't be mad at them.

"Well you might as well make it the six of us guys." Everyone looked at Ginny now, wondering what she was talking about. They were quite surprised by what she said next. "Neville and I have been a couple in secret since before the school year last year ended."

They all were smiling and talking about what they were going to be doing during the next Hogsmeade weekend, and making plans for the wedding. It was decided that Ron and Neville would be Harry's best man and groomsman, while Hermione and Ginny were going to be Tonks maid of honor and bridesmaid. They had decided that they would have the wedding before Halloween, so that Tonks wouldn't be showing to much, and that they would spend the Christmas Holidays for their honeymoon. They weren't sure where they were going to be spending it, but decided that they would decide after they heard Sirius's will in a couple of days.

They spent the next three hours talking and making plans, at least as much as they could with the little bit of information that they had. They parted ways promising that they would get together again after the reading of the will. They went to bed that night with sweet dreams and happy thoughts.

The next morning found Harry sitting at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall stealing glances up at Tonks every once in a while. After everyone had a good breakfast, Dumbledore tapped his goblet, to call everyone to quiet for he had something to say. "Well good morning everyone, I would like to make a couple of announcements before you go to your classes today. There is going to be a wedding in a couple of weeks between a couple of your fellow residents of this school. This has been brought about since they have wanted to announce their relationship now, instead of next summer. Harry Potter and Professor Nymphadora Tonks have asked me to let you know that they have been a couple since last summer, and that they are now engaged to be married in a couple of weeks. They have also found out that they are going to be parents in six months, and would like to let you know that this isn't the only reason that they are getting married. You are all invited to the wedding, which will be happening here in the great hall in two weeks time. Now you are all dismissed to your classes now, please join me in congratulating them first." The headmaster raised his goblet in toast to the two of them and the rest of the students, except a few of the Slytherins, who just looked on with disgust, raised them also and they toasted the couple. Harry was congratulated by all his friends as he made his way to his first class. "Well Potty, I guess you finally got what you wanted, my cousin pregnant and marrying you. This will never make you anything but a blood traitor to Voldemort. This won't save you from Lord Voldemort killing you." Harry turned to see his nemesis Draco Malfoy and his two goons sneering and laughing at him.

"Shove it Malfoy, not even you can make my mood bad today. I know that Tonks is your cousin, but we won't hold that against her or your family. You are considered the black sheep of the family to us. Good bye Draco, and I hope that I don't see you any time soon." Harry went down to his first class, which happened to be Transfigurations. He turned to Ron and said. "I'm glad that we didn't make it into Potions this year, for I don't think I could stand being in the same class as that Asshole. Come on, we don't want to be late for Professor McGonagall's class." They ran for the Transfigurations class, and sat down next to Hermione who had saved them a seat.

"Why are you two late? You didn't get into any trouble did you?" Hermione was getting a bit worried about what they might have done wrong this time.

"Don't worry Mione, we didn't get into trouble. We just had a run in with Malfoy, but I just told him off, and then Ron and I came here. I'm glad that we don't have Potions with him anymore." He smiled at his friend and they had a good few days of classes and Harry got into living with Tonks.

A/N2: I hope you liked the second chapter of this story. The next chapter will be the wedding, and I figured that this story will be about Harry and Tonks first few years as a married couple. Which will be through Harry's 6th and 7th year, along with maybe a few years after.

Poll time.

Will they be having One, Two, Three, or more kids? What will they be? The poll will be going on for the next four chapters, then I will let you know the results. It will only be going on that long, because if it's more than one or two, she will be showing much more than usual, and it will be relevant in the story. Thank you and please read and review. —Donald