-oo0oo-
Chapter 2.- Meeting the New Family and a leech.
-oo0oo-
"When were you going to tell me you're a witch?" Asked Harry, while he curled one eyebrow.
"Oh my God, Harry, you're a wizard?" Asked Hermione as she got up from her bed and, after putting on a baggy t-shirt, followed him to the kitchen." Yes, I'm a wizard," replied Harry after looking through her pantry, and selecting the ingredients for French toast.
He moved with ease around the kitchen summoning ingredients, coating the bread in the mix of beaten eggs and milk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon, all of it in mid-air, just as though an invisible person was doing it. In five minutes he had a beautiful display for breakfast. As the last step, he transfigured a paper towel into a rose. Hermione smiled and looked up to find a smiling Harry winking at her.
"Harry, I need to kiss you right now," said a flushed Hermione.
Only then did an unknown voice reveal itself. "Oh my, is this a bad time?" Asked a beautiful elder woman who looked a lot like Hermione.
"Mom, oh no I forgot. Dad, hi."
Hermione's mother faced the bull by the horns and added. "Oh my Hermione, he's very handsome and he can cook. I say tie him up and don't let go. Hello, I'm Emma Granger, nice to meet you."
Harry smiled, took her hand, and gently kissed her knuckles in old-world charm, which made Emma giggle.
"Hermione, what are you wearing, and why is there a half-naked man in the kitchen making your mother giggle?"
"Dad, that's Harry Potter, my boyfriend, and what's wrong with my shirt?"
"Nothing is wrong with the…"
The shirt shifted to a yellow summer dress, and Harry's pants soon lost their wrinkles. Seconds later, a freshening charm took hold of both Harry and Hermione. Within a minute, both Harry and Hermione were fully clothed, coiffed, and ready for breakfast. A meal that multiplied to feed the four people in the kitchen simply floated towards the table.
Hermione blinked. Harry's smile just added to the mystery of the magical display in front of the newcomers by adding, "You said I was your boyfriend, right?"
"Yes, you are my boyfriend. Did you do this?" Asked Hermione, while pointing at her dress and the meal.
"Nope, Winky did. Winky?"
A small, very well-kept house-elf girl in a housekeeper outfit appeared and blinked while adding, "Winky, is not sorry. The elders were right, you needed to be presentable and Winky helped. Plus, your witch is a lovely woman, and beauty needs to be displayed, so Winky did."
"Of course Winky, you're right."
Harry raised his eyes and smiled at Hermione. She smiled back and accepted that her boyfriend, Harry Potter, was trouble. Hell, looking back, it all started when he stepped into the elevator. Her senses, no, her magic, had hummed.
Flashback.
Her common sense told her, he was fire and no one in their right mind plays with fire. After spotting the gold wedding band on his finger, Hermione breathed with ease and vowed to herself not to touch that man.
Thinking back, she also promised herself to not step into an elevator. Well, she failed at keeping those promises. As the power ran out and her phobia was triggered, her world shifted and she felt his hands reach out to hold her steady.
Left only with his arms around her while in the elevator, it felt as though she stepped into a different universe.
Hermione made a feeble attempt at putting space between them. However, she felt safe, and, as soon as she stepped back, her body began trembling. She hated feeling so vulnerable but could only whimper her apologies at this sudden embrace.
Then she felt his body heat and her glacier libido began thawing as though divine intervention dropped it into the gates of the underworld.
He then began interacting with her under strange circumstances. To her surprise, he was funny, witty, and imaginative. His voice was playful, his body strong, and his scent was just right.
The more Hermione thought about it, the more clueless she became. It was like her common sense had walked out the door as soon as his body heat had enveloped her.
It must have been magic because, no matter how many times she stuck her foot in her mouth, he kept answering and pushing aside her walls.
When Mr. Potter added he was a widower, her excuses ran dry. She never thought she would become such an aggressive cuddler to that witty, funny, sweet smiling hunk, who turned out to be such a gentleman. A gentleman, who confessed to being equally affected by her closeness.
To Hermione's ears, the revelation gave her a rush of power. Only then did she decide to screw her inhibitions and swottiness and, with unknown courage, reached out and touched him, declaring her intentions. His eyes in an eerie shade of green, turned into emerald fire, as he closed the space between them and kissed her.
The first kiss confirmed fire meets gasoline. His lips, his arms, his body barely keeping her in place, waiting for the world to make sense again. After, as they ripped the doors from the elevator open, Hermione felt like she would die if she didn't continue exploring this male in a more private setting. Pulling him with her, she drew him into a vehicle and gave the order to the executive magical limo driver to take them home.
The driver could not protest as she activated the runes for visual and audio to fade her and her guest from prying eyes and ears.
She perfected her kissing technique as her natural desires surfaced and made her aware that this need was primordial.
Just as she arrived home and drew him to her bedroom, Harry stopped her in her tracks. He slowly undressed and in the process kept her in a trance just like a feline to his prey.
For a second, she forgot how to breathe, as a naked Mr. Potter drew a lopsided smile and said, "I promised, are you ready for that spanking we talked about?"
Hermione blinked and realized that she had agreed to the pain if the pleasure followed. So, instead of backing out, she asked, "I've never done this, so will you be patient and guide me to the other side, please?"
"Of course, come now." He held out his hand, and he undressed her. Hermione felt that any residual self-conscious thoughts of inadequacy flew out the window as his eyes discovered her body just like a map to wonderland.
His callous palms spanking her turned out to feel just like lava flowing all over her body, and his kisses covered her skin. Hermione realized she needed to find a spec of self-control. A hungry beast awoke within her, crying to the world, "More!"
"My, oh my, you're a greedy creature. But that's alright, I, too, have been hungry for far too long. Let's see if we can satisfy the monsters within us, starting tonight."
His hands roamed and traced all of her skin; his lips brushed her lips. Nothing was too much or forbidden. For once in her life, Hermione acted on instinct and her magic filled the void. As the evening turned into morning, something out of her control manifested: for the first time she felt a connection. What surprised her more, was that it was mutual and in this interval, their world turned to gold.
End of Flashback.
Hermione blinked and back to the present as Harry pulled a chair out for her mother, and then one for her.
Dan observed his wife and daughter as they smiled enchanted at the newcomer's gallant gestures. "So." He cleared his throat and asked, "Tell me, Hermione, how did you two meet?"
Hermione turned and said, "Well, we met in an elevator."
"But, aren't you deadly afraid of closed spaces?" asked Mrs. Granger.
"Yes, mom, but sometimes, in order to get to my attorney's office, I have to ride the infernal contraption. Unfortunately, I in a very important call. After I texted Theo letting him know of my change of plans, I walked inside the elevator. Before the doors closed though, Harry walked in."
Hermione's father stopped her speech with a question. "So, let me see if I got this right, you left that wanker's office. What's his name? Nott? And then locked yourself in an elevator with Mr. Suave Pants, here? Oh, I'm liking this outcome already."
"Dad, please, I know you hate my attorney, but he's a good friend," added Hermione.
"Hate him? He's a leech that looks at you as though you're a bank teller and his next trophy wife. Hell yes, Queenie, you know my feelings about that self-entitled arse."
"Well, I'm glad I made a good first impression," added Harry.
"Oh, you made an impression alright," replied Mr. Granger.
That was the moment Dan felt a kick in the shin, while Emma chided with a stern tone of voice and intense gaze, "Behave, this is not your house and she's not a teen. And you know what Dan? If she makes a mistake or wins the lottery with the man next to her, I'm thrilled, because, at last, my daughter will join humanity by forming a romantic relationship."
"What?" Asked Hermione with incredulity.
"I do agree with your father though, Theodore Nott is a self-entitled arse."
"I think I've met the arse, oops sorry, the lawyer, just before the elevator," said Harry as he took a drink of his orange juice.
The Granger's plus their daughter turned to him.
"He promised to take legal action if I used my initials to advertise my work while I'm a tourist in Oz."
"He did what?" Asked Hermione.
"What are your initials?" Asked Emma, while Dan rubbed his shin in silence.
"Oh, H J P, the same old ones I've had all my life, you know, my name is Harry James Potter."
"I knew you looked familiar; you're that chef that has all the housewives experiencing hot flashes, aren't you?" Said Dan. Harry failed at hiding his grin, while Emma's smile grew a mile.
"I don't believe this, you're the cook that Theo was planning to take to court?" Asked Hermione with skepticism.
"Oh, can I take a picture with you? I just didn't recognize you without your shirt on. I'm a big fan. Where are the children and that huge black dog, Paddy?" Asked Emma in a rush, while preparing her smartphone camera.
Harry nodded his acceptance, and Emma took a selfie.
"Children, a dog, and house-elves. Did I miss something?" Asked Hermione.
"There's the filming crew, my familiar Hedwig — she's a snowy owl — and my van, yeah," said Harry as he recounted with his fingers. He then answered Emma's previous question. "Oh, they're at the beach. I promised them a day out."
"You own a house-elves, Harry?" Asked Hermione.
Winky appeared again, and in a sweet, patient manner, replied,
"No beautiful girl. Harry has a big magical family, a stray Grim dog, a lovely snowy female Owl, and a beautiful home that moves around the world. My mate Tim and I are part of that family and of course Lily, John, Orion, Selene, and Celeste, his children with the late beautiful Luna Potter."
"Would you like to meet them?" Asked a blushing Harry.
"What if they don't like me?" Replied Hermione fidgeting.
"Let's find out," said Emma encouragingly.
"Harry, Miss Daphne Greengrass will arrive today," said Winky.
"That's today?" Questioned Harry.
"Who's Daphne Greengrass?" Asked Hermione.
"Oh, my PR person, and she's bringing that crazy magical reporter Rita Skeeter for an interview."
Winky huffed and snapped her fingers, producing an agenda that started a projection of a calendar in 3D, and mumbled to herself, "Oh, Harry, why don't you lose a button, oh Harry why don't you get a human crew and let the elves care for the children, oh Harry, ugh."
Harry cleared his throat and added, "That's enough Winky,"
Hermione had never experienced jealousy in a romantic relationship because she never had one. However, there was always the first time, "Let's go to the bitch," she cleared her throat, "I mean beach."
To say Hermione's verbal mishap surprised Harry was an understatement. For some unknown reason, Hermione's obvious bout of jealousy had the caveman in him dancing and singing. His woman wanted to mark her territory, that was sexy. Instead, he blinked and added, "Um, okay, I'll get the car."
He brought his keys out. A mini-range rover got dislodged and floated to the driveway. Once there, Harry walked to it, moved his wrist and his wand materialized. He crouched, tapped the tiny vehicle, and stepped back. The car grew into a family-sized vehicle.
"Ready everyone?" He asked, before being hit by a tackle hug and a kiss on his cheek.
"You're so sexy performing magic," growled Hermione to his ear.
Harry kissed her forehead in return and added to her in a whisper, "You have seen nothing yet."
-oo0oo-
Lily the eldest daughter of Harry and the late Luna Potter woke up and, like every morning, she went to look into her father's room to say good morning and ask for breakfast. Unlike other times, she noticed her daddy was absent and his bed was empty.
She called out, "Winky, where's daddy?"
A pop later, Winky appeared and said, "He's making breakfast for a family, but he'll be back afterward, I know it."
"Oh, okay Winky, thank you," replied Lily.
John and Orion came in and asked Lily, "Lily, where's daddy?"
"He's making breakfast for a family, but Winky said he would be back soon." She turned around and noticed Paddy sniffing and whining. Lily hugged her big, silly, black dog and added, "I know Paddy, daddy works too hard. Let's get you some breakfast too."
John and Orion shrugged at Lily's initiative and asked in stereo, "We are still going to the beach, right?"
Lily rolled her eyes as she added, "Well, of course, daddy promised."
Tim the house-elf was awake, preparing the morning meal for the kids and dog, and noticed his little masters Orion and John wrestled a big bag of dog food. Tim smiled. The Grimm dog was a big softie and while he knew Winky had charmed the bag of dog kibble not to open, he still found it funny when his little masters and mistress tried to help their father with the house chores.
With a snap of his fingers, they filled the dog bowls with dog kibble and water. Another snap and the children were clean. One more snap and the elder three were sitting while the younger tots Celeste and Selene wobbled into the kitchen.
Winky appeared, kissed Tim, and added to the kids, "Good morning my sweet ones. Your daddy is on his way here. He's bringing friends and you will go to the beach afterward."
"Is daddy going to work today, Winky?" Asked Lily. Winky turned to her and added, "He's going to do a special program. A reporter will be with us for a bit and so will Ms. Daphne."
"Why are you calling her Miss Daphne? You always call her Miss gold dig…" Winky raised a magical finger and dabbed Lily's mouth with a napkin, effectively silencing her, while adding, "Now, now, it isn't good manners repeating those words. When you are older, maybe, but not today."
"You'll tell me when right?" Asked Lily. Winky nodded. Tim sniggered and helped clean the kitchen while Winky marched the merry five to the bathroom to have them all go through their morning bath.
As the children were ready and stepped out of the van, Winky and Tim activated their human glamours, a big black dog barked crazily as the sound of a range rover approached and ran out of the van.
The car stopped in front of their moving home. Lily noticed the people inside the vehicle. Her dad was at the driver's seat and next to him was a beautiful light fairy.
Lily could hardly believe it. Her daddy was amazing. He had done it; he found a human-sized fairy queen, and now, she made time to visit them.
Paddy noticed the strange woman too and started sniffing her. Then, he began jumping, trying to bid her into a scratch. To Lily's eyes, the fairy queen raised her hands and touched Paddy's ears, softly greeting him, as the gigantic dog licked her face.
Lily smiled at the greeting Paddy gave the fairy queen, because magical beings recognize kindred spirits.
Looking back, Lily could still remember long conversations with her mother. Her favorite topic was fairy tales.
As a toddler, learning all about the fairies from her mother, she'd been told that one of the first characteristics to observe in a fairy was that these beings emitted a distinctive glow.
To Lily, it was easy to believe this because, before departing, her mommy had revealed the reason for her leaving.
Luna had confessed that she was a fairy or an ethereal spirit, a spirit that had taken human form for a while. However, like all good fairies, she had to depart and return to her homeland after being immensely happy with her daddy.
To Lily's indelible memory, her late mother's ethereal radiance had been ever present. Rarely had Lily seen another person glow as Luna had.
Enter the golden lady next to her daddy, or the Fairy Queen.
At first sight, Lily deduced this was a magical creature, just like the ones in Mommy's drawings. Still, she needed to test the fairy Queen, just to be sure.
Lily spoke to her siblings, "John, Ori, the lady in the yellow dress looks like a fairy queen."
Her brothers nodded and Lily added, "You know, if she's a fairy Queen, she must show us her wings, like strawberries, love flowers, and dancing."
"Dancing?" asked Orion, "Wings?" Asked John.
"Yes, mommy's drawings show fairies dancing, eating red berries, and wings," said Lily as though it was knowledge engraved in stone. She rolled her eyes and mumbled to herself, "Boys,"
Selene and Celeste opened their little arms, and waved, asking in the universal baby language to be picked up by their father, who promptly complied.
The triplets then noticed an elder couple following the fairy Queen, smiling at them and their daddy. The couple was holding hands while beaming at their family.
Lily knew it was up to her to welcome the newcomers to her home. She kissed her dad's cheek and advanced like an ambassador welcoming the honored guests. "Good morning, my name is Lily Maia Potter, my brothers John Sirius, Orion James, and my baby sisters, Selene Amatiste and Celeste Marie Potter welcome to our home."
The elder lady bowed, enchanted by Lily's speech that, oddly, reminded her of Hermione's demeanor as a child. She replied, "Why thank you, sweet Lily. My name is Emma, and this is my husband, Daniel Granger. Now Daniel, close your mouth dear and say hello,"
Daniel snapped, blinked, and smiled brightly. "Oh, of course, dear, I was just reminded of my Queenie at her age. Hello Lily." Dan kneeled and shook her hand. Lily blinked and asked, "Queenie?"
Hermione stepped forward, and just like her father, she kneeled. "It's what my dad calls me, but my name is Hermione, um." She cleared her throat and imitated Lily's formal greeting, "My name is Hermione Jean Puckle."
"Wouldn't that be Granger, I mean, Hermione Jean Granger?" Asked Lily.
"Yes, you're very smart, my last name was Granger for a time, but, when I began working I wanted to honor my nanna. You see her last name was Puckle, so I changed it to Hermione Jean Puckle."
"Do you like strawberries?" Asked John. "Dancing?" Asked Orion. "What about cats?" Asked Lily.
"Um, yes, I love strawberries, I too love dancing and as for cats, well, I have a big old orange half-kneazle cat; his name is Crookshanks," answered Hermione to the odd questions.
"Do you like building sandcastles?" Asked Harry.
"Yes. Would you like to build a castle with me Mr. Potter?"
"I would like that, yes, Miss Puckle, but first let me get you all out of this heat." He pointed at the door. The Grangers looked at each other, shrugged, and walked inside the van, only to encounter a home with all amenities that held the dimensions of a mansion. Harry continued with his speech, "Winky, Tim, don't forget Daphne and Rita are stopping by later. We have to be ready for the interview. Is the kitchen ready?"
Winky, in her human form, looked like a fair, curvy, five-foot-four blond young woman. The small woman tsked and pointed at the kitchen. While Tim, who looked like a dark-skinned guy of over six feet with muscles to spare, just smiled.
"Okay people, I need to get ready to meet Daphne and Rita. You guys know you have your daily chores. Winky, why don't we take the twins to the garden, while the triplets finish their homework in the library?"
"You have a library?" The Grangers asked.
Hermione smiled. "You have a garden?"
The triplets smiled coyly and John asked, "Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, yes, thank you," answered Hermione.
"That's a great idea. John, take Hermione to the garden while I complete prepping for the interview. My smart little man" smiled Harry.
They led Hermione to the garden where the twins had a playpen. Enchanted by the beautiful display of flowers and the vaulted ceiling that portrayed the morning sun. What enchanted her the most was the variety of colors in all the blossoms and the mild temperature inviting her to relax.
After their homework finished, the elder Potter siblings searched for the fairy Queen.
Lily, John, and Orion had no trouble locating the magical female in question; her majesty was in the garden.
Lily smiled and nodded in satisfaction as she looked at their house guest, playing court. Hermione was busy adjusting a flower-made tiara on Celeste, while Selene babbled and played with her own blossom tiara.
John and Orion turned to Lily, and the three nodded in a silent agreement. That was a fairy Queen and if she was visiting their family, good things were on their way.
-oo0oo-
Emma and Daniel Granger noticed the triplets walking out of their impressive library and followed them. To Emma and Dan, it was a real joy to see such well-behaved kids. They could tell these children were unusual. The three were well-spoken, respectful, and very curious about their surroundings. Emma and Dan believed these kids were their own versions of their Hermione, and as with their daughter, the couple was interested in the antics of these minor wonders.
When the children joined their younger siblings inside the garden, the Grangers were glad to keep their distance. As parents, in their experience, Hermione had always faced trouble with human relations. However, at the moment, she looked at ease, holding the lovely girls and keeping up with the triplets who seemed very interested in her.
"Emma, could you pinch me? I've seen nothing like this before. Our girl has found a family and I don't think they have realized how good they are for each other. It's like-"
"I know Dan, it's just like magic."
It was then that an unknown voice asked a question.
"Who are you and who is she; are you trespassers?" Asked a beautiful woman, in a snooty tone of voice.
It was then that Paddy appeared from thin air and growled at the woman invading the garden and its occupants.
"Oh, for crying out loud, I thought the dog had been returned to the shelter back in Scotland." She turned to the male behind her. "Harry dear, who are these people and why do you still have that feral mutt?"
Harry's face gained a flush as his eyes took in horror the faux pas his PR had made. He breathed and then added. "Daphne, this is Dan and Emma Granger. The parents of my girlfriend Hermione Puckle. And you know very well that Paddy can sense when my children get scared or are in trouble. He can track them and protect them, so could you please stop criticizing my dog?"
"Excuse me, what, what did you say?" Asked Daphne.
Hermione rose and walked over to Harry. She handed one twin to Harry and the other to her father, smiled brightly and held out her hand.
"Hi, I'm Hermione J Puckle. I'm Harry's girlfriend. You must be Daphne, nice to meet you,"
"Daddy, you're the fairy Queen's King?" Asked Lily.
Harry turned to Lily, and after a few seconds, his smile grew, and he nodded.
"Oh, isn't this a lovely picture? Bozo, do you need an invitation, take a picture," said a strange woman with a hard square chin, heavy makeup, a blond wig, big glasses, dressed in a maroon and silver tweed suit with a neon green quill attached to her hair.
Before Bozo could take the picture, the camera disappeared and reappeared in Tim's hand.
"The deal for publicity was only for Harry and his kitchen. This is the garden, so kindly vacate the room," said Tim with finality.
Winky walked in and said to the triplets, "It's time to go to the beach, so go change clothes." She then turned to Hermione and her parents and added, "Miss Puckle, Dr. and Dr. Granger, please come with me, the luncheon is ready." She turned to Daphne and the media people and nodded in a greeting and goodbye. "Good day, if you would excuse us. Oh, I almost forgot, come along Paddy." The dog sneezed. With his head raised and with much pride, he stepped out with his tail held high.
Harry could barely believe it, Paddy, Tim, and Winky had kicked the stuffing out of the nosy unwanted house guests in a heartbeat.
"We need to talk, Daphne," said Harry.
"We certainly do Harry, but first let me say goodbye to the press, they've been here for two hours," added Daphne.
Hermione got close to Harry and pinched his bum, which made Harry jump and yelped, "Hey!"
"Just making sure I didn't dream last night." She winked at him.
As the gorgeous house guest retreated with a playful grin, Harry realized he was going to spank her again, but not before taking care of the tent in his pants.
Daphne came back, and Harry's hard-on deflated as though his nether's came in touch with an iceberg. Non-compatibility was a royal pain in the arse.
He really hated this side of magic. For a while, he considered courting Daphne. She was gorgeous, ambitious; she had the mindset of a skilled tactician, cultured, and had a dry sense of humor that was very appealing. He knew Daphne in a different dimension could have been his perfect mate. Daphne was formidable as a PR, but he just didn't feel for her, opposed to 'her' the recently named Fairy Queen.
Magic was unforgiving, and Harry was aware of what he needed, not just wanted. To Harry, Hermione, was sensuality and desire wrapped in a perfect female, and he knew she wasn't perfect, but his magic, behaved as an independent being, drawing him to her like magnets, still, the opposite too manifested and it happened when Daphne, was around, his body felt alien and cold, it was a weird tragedy.
"Where did you meet her?" Asked Daphne.
"Oh, I've met her outside the offices of that shark lawyer Nott."
"So, she's what? His secretary?" Asked Daphne with distaste.
Harry felt his jaw drop. He cleared his throat and added, while shaking his head, "No, not his secretary, more like his boss."
"What?" Asked Daphne in disbelief.
"Yeah, Hermione is the CEO of HJP; the HJP that is registered as a beauty brand here in Australia. Theodore Nott is the one and the only big-shot lawyer that promised hell if I promote myself as HJP, the rolling Van Chef, while in town."
"That unbelievable arsehole. We are bigger than a local beauty brand and he had the nerve to threaten you with a lawsuit?" asked Daphne.
"Yes, and speaking of the devil, what is that twat doing outside? Oh no, the Grangers, I have to go, Daphne."
"Oh no, you don't. If that twat came to serve a notice, it's time for me to step in. Excuse me, Harry," said Daphne as she advanced in a hurry.
-oo0oo-