sniffle I can't believe the reviews I've gotten! I love you guys! huggles
I hope this extra-long chappie makes up for the verrrry long time between updates...school and all..ya know. They're not married yet. Not yet...but perhaps in the next chapter? I don't know. I'll try, though! As far as the favor that Scrimgeour owed Harry, well, all shall be revealed in due course. Well, other than that, R&R!
This is post-HBP.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, nope. I own only Lily Andrews.
--
"What do you think of November?" Hermione asked. They sat in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, planning their wedding date.
"Too cold." Hermione sighed.
"The only month you haven't said no to is October." Harry grinned.
"Perfect." Hermione sighed exasperatedly.
"I'll let you suggest dates this time." She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms.
"The tenth." Hermione shook her head.
"Too soon."
"The nineteenth."
"Still too soon. I've got too much to do still."
"Fine then, the thirty-first." Hermione shivered.
"No, too late. It'll be cold." It was Harry's turn to be exasperated now.
"The twenty-fourth." Hermione imitated his grin.
"Perfect," she said, deepening her voice. Harry threw a pillow at her. She grabbed her pillow and hit him with it, causing him to give her an annoyed look. The resulting pillow fight was vigorous, sending feathers flying and parchments to the floor. Ginny opened the door just as they both had collapsed, exhausted and panting. She raised an eyebrow.
"Not interrupting anything, am I?" She eyed the feathers on the floor and the disheveled Harry and Hermione.
"No," Hermione said, laughing. Ginny came in and cleared the feathers off of a seat before sitting down.
"Three, two, one..." Ginny said, looking at the door. As she said the latter, Fred, George, and Ginny came walking into the compartment.
"Come on, Ginny," Fred said, "just tell us who he is!"
"No! Go away!" Ginny said frustratedly.
"Tell them whom who is?" Hermione asked.
"Apparently, Ginny has a boyfriend, and she won't tell us who."
"Well, can you blame me? After what happened with Michael..." Ginny trailed off.
"Fine, don't tell us. But we'll find out anyway," George said, and the twins left.
"So, who is he?" Hermione asked, turning to Ginny.
"Well..." Ginny said reluctantly, "it's Dean. Dean Thomas." Ginny blushed scarlet.
"What?" Harry said, shocked.
"Yeah," Ginny blushed further. "Well, he asked me to a soccer game over the summer and...things just kind of went from there."
"I think that's great, Gin, I really do," Hermione said, giving Ginny a hug. The compartment door slid open again and Ron walked in.
"Oh, hello Ginny," Ron said, with a false cheer in his voice.
"Hello to you too, Ron," Hermione said. Ron looked around.
"Oh, sorry, Hermione. Didn't notice you there." Hermione looked skeptically at him.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Wrong?" Ron acted surprised. "Nothing, nothing at all." Hermione got up and looked at Harry.
"I'm going to find the lunch trolley. Want to come?" she said, looking pointedly at him.
"Sure." Harry stood up, purposely grabbed her hand, then walked out into the corridor. After they had gone down a couple of compartments, Hermione walked more slowly.
"What was that all about?" she asked him, astounded.
"Ron and I had a bit of a fight."
"How big is 'a bit'?"
"You came up."
"Oh? And what exactly was said?"
"Well, it was pretty complicated, but I can tell you that we won't be on speaking terms for a very long time."
--
Hermione and Harry headed back to the compartment, each with armsful of pumpkin pasties. When Harry had asked why they needed to buy the food, Hermione responded with a simple,
"If we don't, it'll look suspicious. That is where we said we were going, after all."
"Sometimes I think you're just too smart, you know that?" Hermione flushed scarlet.
"Is that a compliment?"
"Maybe." Hermione was just about to say something when Harry leaned in and kissed her gently. She blushed even more, then hurried back into the compartment. As she walked, she couldn't stop the smile that gradually blossomed on her face.
--
"Oh come on, Hermione! Tell me!" Ginny hadn't let up on her ever since she had walked into the compartment blushing. "Tell me what happened!" Hermione shook her head.
"No! You're pestering me now, stop!"
"Okay, fine, but I will find out sooner or later," Ginny said grudgingly. Hermione looked out the window at the passing countryside, thinking. Why had she run? She supposed it was because he had shocked her, but now that she thought about it, running was a really irrational solution. If truth be told, she thought, it was kind of...nice. She smiled and bit her lip. She knew that she would tell Ginny, but not just yet. Hermione smoothed her Hogwarts robes as the train shuddered to a halt. She got up and filed out of the compartment with the others, joining the queue to get off of the train.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid's familiar voice boomed from across the platform. She saw several frightened looking first years head towards him. She waved to him over the crowd.
"Hi, Hagrid!"
"Oh, hello there, Hermione! See you at the feast!" Hermione waved to him again before moving forward to get into one of the horseless carriages waiting to carry them to the castle. She stepped up into the carriage, closely followed by Harry, Ron, and Ginny. She sat next to Harry, forcing Ginny to sit next to Ron. Harry grasped her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. She had a feeling that he was doing it just to make Ron mad, but that was just fine with her. She didn't know what exactly Ron had said about her, but she had a feeling that it wasn't pretty. She rested her head on Harry's shoulder for good measure. She faught a laugh as she saw Ron's ears turning red. Just then, the carriage came to a stop in front of the castle steps. They got out of the carriage and walked up the steps. Her stomach grumbled, and Harry, hearing it, laughed.
"A little hungry, are you?" Hermione nodded and smiled. They took their seats at the Gryffindor table, watching the other houses file in and take their seats as well. Professor McGonagoll came in and placed a three-legged stool with the Sorting Hat in front of the High Table, then walked back out of the Great Hall, presumably to collect the first years. A few minutes later, she walked back in, followed by a line of very frightened looking first years, in various shades of green.
"When I call your name, please come to the front and place the Sorting Hat on your head. Andrews, Brian!" Brian Andrews walked forward, placed the hat on his head, and sat on the stool. The hat took a few moments, then shouted,
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hufflepuff table erupted with screams and cheers.
"Andrews, Lily!" A girl, presumably Brian Andrews's twin, came forward and tried on the hat too.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Hermione clapped and cheered with the rest of the Gryffindor table. Hermione offered Lily the seat next to her, which she accepted.
"Thanks," Lily said, sitting. "What year are you in?" She immediately clapped her hand over her mouth as though horrified. Hermione gave her a reassuring sort of smile.
"Seventh."
"Wow." Lily looked at her, awestruck. She looked around the table, observing all of the Gryffindors. Her eyes fell on Harry. "Are you," she began, "I mean, are you Harry Potter?" Harry looked amused. Hermione could tell that he was deciding whether or not he liked Lily or not.
"Yes," he said.
"Wow," Lily said for a second time. Hermione began to wonder if that was the only expression of surprise she knew. Lily's eyes wandered up and down Harry's face, then to Hermione's and Harry's intertwined hands. She looked at Hermione and squealed softly. "Is he your boyfriend?" she asked, awestruck.
"My fiancee," Hermione corrected her, almost laughing as Lily nearly passed out.
"You're so lucky! I mean, to be marrying Harry Potter...you must be the luckiest girl in the world!"
"Yes," Hermione said, looking at Harry, "I know."
--
After the feast, Hermione and Harry went back to the common room, grabbed a sofa near the fire, and sat down. Hermione had grabbed her Ancient Runes textbook. She was in the middle of studying her translations when Harry put his arm around her shoulders. She snuggled closer into him, then went back to studying. He smiled a bit at this. She did love him.
--
"You know what we've got to do, don't you, Harry?" Hermione had said the day after that. He had replied with a vague "no". She sighed and said, "We've got to go see Professor Dumbledore." He looked up from his Potions notes.
"Why?" he looked shocked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Harry thought for a moment.
"No."
"Well, it would seem a little odd if, even though we're engaged, we didn't stay together, would it not?"
"I suppose..."
"And," she gestured at the list of wedding plans in front of her, "besides, I need to plan the wedding. I still don't have the flowers, the band, or the caterer." She and Ginny had gone to Hogsmeade and picked out the tuxedos, DJ, place settings, and favors. Harry groaned a bit.
"Allright, when do you want to go?"
"Today." He sighed.
"Fine, this afternoon, allright?" Hermione shook her head.
"No, Professor Dumbledore's leaving after lunch, remember?"
"Oh, right."
"How about now? We know he's there now." Harry stood up and walked over to her.
"Good. That'll give me a break from Potions." Hermione gave him her best "but-you-know-you-still-have-to-study-later" look. Harry, reading her expression, said, "Yes, I realize I have to study more later. Can't I have a break?" She smiled and just dragged him on.
--
They arrived in front of the Headmaster's office five minutes later, and Hermione confidently walked forward.
"Fizzing Whizbees." The gargoyle leapt aside to reveal a revolving staircase, which the pair stepped onto. They stepped in front of the oak doors, Hermione knocking twice.
"Enter." Came a soft voice. Hermione and Harry walked over to Professor McGonagall, who was sitting behind the Headmistress's desk.
"May we please speak to you and Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall nodded and motioned to the portrait behind her.
"Of course." Hermione and Harry walked up to the portrait, and were greeted by Dumbledore.
"Harry, Hermione. How nice to see you."
"Hello, Professor," Hermione said politely. Dumbledore looked between the two of them.
"What is it you wanted to talk to us about?" Professor McGonagall's voice came from behind them.
"Well," Hermione gulped. Harry squeezed her hand for reassurance.
"I recieved a letter over the summer about a betrothal." Harry cut in for her.
"Yes, I am aware of that," McGonagall said. "Please, go on."
"Hermione and I did some research and found a loophole in the law."
"Did you now?" Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he said this. "And what would that be, pray tell?"
"In order to get out of the betrothal, I needed to elope with someone, or else marry someone else and pay a fine."
"And?" Professor McGonagall prompted him.
"We're engaged." McGonagall sat down.
"Well we can't say that we weren't expecting this, Minerva." Dumbledore said from his frame.
"Yes, I know." She had sat down in her chair. "I'm aware of that, Albus."
"Is there anything else? Anything you wish to ask?" Dumbledore looked at them over his half-moon spectacles.
"We were wondering if you had somewhere that we could live," Hermione said nervously.
"You live in the Gryffindor dormitories."
"Yes, I'm aware of that, Professor, but,"
"There are no private dorms that I'm aware of," Professor McGonagall said, slowly, as if she was thinking.
"Actually, you'll find that there are." Dumbledore pulled out a map from the bookshelves painted behind him. "Here," he pointed to a set of extra rooms.
"Why was I never told of this?" McGonagall rounded on Dumbledore.
"We only built them because we had the same problem during Lord Voldemort's first reign of power. Parents arranging their childrens' marriages, those children coming to Hogwarts, getting engaged...well, suffice it to say that they were in the same situation that you are currently in, Miss Granger. So we built these dormitories for them and their fiancees to live in. The rooms are bewitched. They can sense how many people will be living within their walls and multiply themselves accordingly." Dumbledore finished his speech and looked down at Hermione.
"But why weren't these rooms in Hogwarts: A History? Why weren't they mentioned?" Dumbledore peered down at her.
"They were forgotten, as you can see. Many people, after Voldemort fell, preferred rather to forget the fiasco. That applies to the author of Hogwarts: A History, as well, it would seem."
"Well, can we move in?" Harry asked impatiently.
"What do you think, Minerva?" Dumbledore inquired.
"I have no objection."
"Nor have I."
"However," McGonagall said severely, "if I hear of any...shall I say...premarital misbehavior...I will not fail to take disciplinary action."
"We understand, Professor." Hermione said quickly. Harry nudged her.
"Very well."
"The rooms are located behind a tapestry across the corridor from the Fat Lady. Behind the tapestry will be a painting. The password to that painting, I believe, is sermo cotidianus."
"Thank you, Professors," Hermione said.
"Now that the formalities are out of the way," Professor McGonagall said, walking over to them, "off the record, I'm very happy for you two." Her eyes sparkled as she hugged them both. Hermione smiled widely.
"As am I," Dumbledore said. Hermione walked over to Dumbledore's portrait and said,
"You are welcome to attend, Professor." His eyes sparkled.
"Why thank you, Miss Granger, I would be delighted." She turned to McGonagall.
"You as well, Professor." McGonagall had tears in her eyes.
"It would be an honor."
"I have just one more thing to ask of you."
"What is that?"
"We would like permission to have the wedding here, the reception in the Great Hall."
"Of course!"
"Thank you both so much," Hermione said, walking back to where Harry was standing, practically beaming.
"Now, I believe that you two have some moving to do!" McGonagall ushered them both out.
--
"There, that's the last of it." Hermione wiped a sweat drop from her forehead. She and Harry had spent the last few hours moving into their new dormitories. They had walked in to find a large common room with two mahogany desks, a large fireplace, and two scarlet armchairs. They found two doors branching out from the common room. Hermione chose the door on the right, and Harry the one on the left. Hermione had entered her room to find a large four-poster bed, with red and gold bedding. She had a dresser, closet, endtable, and armoire. The bathroom was behind a door to her right. She opened the door, finding a large marble tub and sink, and a large lit vanity mirror. She had unpacked everything and placed it in its appropriate place.
"Well, you've been quite busy," Harry came in and wrapped his arms around her waist. She placed her hands on his, then leaned back against him and said,
"Now that I'm settled, I think I'll do more studying." Harry groaned. He knew what was coming. "You really should get back to Potions, you know, Harry." He knew it. Instead of arguing, he just walked over to his desk, sat down, and pulled out his Potions notes and a quill. He dipped into the ink, then read over his notes. Hermione walked over to her own desk, pulled out a textbook of her own, and began studying as well.
--
A couple of hours later, Harry had persuaded Hermione to let him stop studying. They went down to dinner, then to the Gryffindor table, hands clasped. A few curious looks followed them, followed by a few jealous looks from the Gryffindor girls. Hermione gave them a cheery smile and a wave, then sat down and started to eat.