When the grandfather clock chimed five times, Hermione slapped her forehead with her palm.
"I almost forgot about The Weasleys!" she said.
"No worries, love. We can still go, we've got loads of time before the thing tonight," Harry said.
"What thing?" Grace asked.
"I'm basically forced to go to this absurd Christmas gala at the Ministry every year. But this year, it might not be so bad, I've got a smashing party companion," he said and gave Hermione a quick hug.
They thanked Ian and Grace for a wonderful day and braced themselves for the controlled chaos that would be The Burrow. Hermione hooked her arm in Harry's and they disappeared with a pop. Crooks meowed softly at their sudden departure and pawed at Grace's leg. She picked up the cat and cuddled with him.
"Don't worry, she'll come back for you," she assured the cat.
He butted her chin with his head and jumped from her arms, making his way toward the scattered pile of building blocks.
At the Weasleys, everyone was heartily eating when the sound of Apparation was heard outside. Arthur went to the door to greet the visitors.
"It's great to see you two today!" he called out and welcomed them inside.
Everyone paused from their meals wish them a Happy Christmas. Molly gave them a glass of Weasley Christmas Punch, a libation of her own creation, and peered knowingly at them.
"All right, let's see it," she demanded.
"See what?" Hermione asked.
"The ring of course," Molly replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"What ring?" Ginny asked. Ron was smirking into his Butterbeer.
"Hermione's engagement ring, obviously," Molly said and looked at the ring when Hermione held her hand up.
"Engagem...a ring?..."
She saw the ring, squealed, and got to her feet quite fast for someone eight months along in pregnancy.
"Careful love," Wayne said and steadied her.
She cooed over the ring, congratulated them both with a hug, and started talking about wedding gowns.
"Whoa Gin, he just asked a couple of hours ago. I won't have free weekends to do any real wedding planning until the end of January," Hermione said.
"Do you have a new schedule at work?" Molly asked.
Hermione chuckled. "My ten days of community service starts tomorrow. Those who are gainfully employed get to serve their days on the weekends."
"What did you get?" Percy asked, surprised that he didn't know.
"Custodial work at St. Mungo's."
"Okaaaay...so do you have a date that you're thinking about?" Ginny asked calmly, but mentally jumping up and down in absolute joy for her friends.
"Well, we were thinking about Easter weekend," Harry said.
"So soon?" Molly asked.
"Honestly, we've thought of just going and eloping Monday morning, but-" Hermione started.
"What?" Ginny and Molly gasped.
"-but my mum would never forgive me for cheating her out of helping to plan my wedding," she finished dramatically.
"Hey, aren't you certified or something like that to perform magical weddings?" Harry asked Arthur.
"That would be wonderful!" Molly gushed before Arthur could answer. "You two are practically family anyway, so it would be like-"
She stopped when she saw Harry and Hermione having an unspoken conversation.
"We would be honored for Arthur to wed us," Hermione said.
"Really, who else could it be?" Harry stated, hoping no one brought up Kingsley. He was still having a hard time getting over his grudge against him for sentencing Hermione to jail.
Ginny was elated for her friend. They deserve this so much! It's so romantic! They're such a perfect couple; it's almost like a fairy tale! This is going to be the wedding of the year…no wait...the decade! Look at them; they're such an adorable couple!
They scooted their chairs closer together to make it easier to be in constant physical contact with each other in small but significant ways. Hermione's hand rarely left Harry's thigh, he would briefly rub her back, she would lean close to him for a quick hug, he would place quick kiss on her shoulder. They had another drink, a slice of cake, and some biscuits before Harry stood and announced that they had to go.
"It won't be so bad this year, look at my date."
"Infinitely better than your date last year," Arthur said pointedly.
They went back to her flat, and then Harry went to the Grangers to fetch Crooks. He returned to find Hermione in the shower. He closed the bedroom door to keep the cat out and joined her in the shower. His hands replaced hers to lather her body.
"I've wanted you since you put that ring on your finger," he said, embracing her from behind, suckling on her neck. "I want to shout mine-mine-mine to the heavens each time I pound into you."
He felt her shudder. "Pound?" she asked, her voice cracking at the end.
He nodded and pressed his hips against her arse. "Mmm-hmm. Pound."
"Then what are you waiting for?" she whispered.
He turned off the shower and they stepped out, hurrying toward the bed, not caring about their wet bodies and hair or the water dripping a path to the bed. He knelt before her and without hesitation and buried his face between her legs. She squealed and had to hold on to the bedpost when he placed her right leg leg over his shoulder to get better access to relentlessly bring her to a quick, powerful climax.
"Bend over the bed, love," he urged and she happily complied.
On her stomach, resting on her elbows, Harry entered her in a single, powerful thrust that dislodged her from her elbows.
"Yess," she hissed as he pounded into her as promised, chanting "mine!" with each thrust.
He bent over her, suckling on her neck as his hips rolled, his loins slapping steadily against hers. He felt ready to come, but he wanted to watch her as she watched his cock, and he wanted to see her face when she came. She was one of those who liked to watch cocks in action, as she once said. She bit her lip as he slowly stroked himself.
"Tell me you love this," he said, slapping his cock against her wet, quivering quim.
Her eyes darkened with desire, she sat up and brought his face closer to mutter in his ear. "I love this, say it's mine, say your cock is mine," she breathed.
He pulled her to the edge of the bed and unceremoniously entered her again with a growl, pounding into her once more. She was looking down where their bodies met, her impassioned cries almost as sobs as he incessantly plunged and drove into her.
"Fuck yes, it's yours!" he called out, reveling in the power and passion he was feeling.
"Harder, I'm coming!" she gasped.
He felt his climax building as well, so he took hold of her arse and pulled her into each thrust, slapping hard and fast against her. She stiffened and shrieked as she came, rolling her hips decadently with his, riding out her climax, her nails digging into his back.
"Fuck!" he shouted, arching his back as his climax hit. "So good!" he gasped, slowly pumping until he fell flaccid, caressing and kissing her body while telling her how incredible a lover she was, how good she made him feel, how special she was to him. "I love you so damn much," he said, lying with her on the bed.
He felt her smile on his chest. She was drawing circles on his chest with her finger tips and running her hands through his hair.
"I love you so damn much too," she replied, placed a light kiss on his chest, and sighed in contentment.
"That's what I like to hear," he said.
The next morning, she was loathe to get out of bed. Absolutely loathe. More loathe than she had ever been in her life. This Christmas had been the best of her life, and it was because of the man who was deep in contented sleep next to her. After their most powerful and passionate love-making to date, they almost talked themselves out of going to the Ministry Christmas party...champagne supper...whatever it was. She ended up drinking more than she intended and they didn't leave until after two a.m. All she wanted was to laze about with him, but no, she had to report to St. Mungo's at eight a.m. On a Saturday, hung over, during the holiday. Shit! It could be worse though, I could have received a longer jail sentence. She shuddered at the thought of Christmas in jail. She sighed and gently shook his shoulder.
"Love?"
He mumbled something and opened his eyes.
"I have to leave, but I'll make some tea for when you wake up," she said.
He sat up. "Give me two minutes. I'll see you to the hospital," he said groggily.
She was to report to the Head Mediwitch and start her work. The kindly older witch was friendly and seemed sorry that Hermione had to be there.
"Do the crime, do the time," Hermione replied with a shrug, thinking of Belinda's words. I wonder how she's doing...
"At least you're in good spirits," the witch said. "Now, I know just where you can start. The patients should be almost finished with breakfast, so you can go about collecting their trays and such."
It took two hours at the least to collect the breakfast trays and rubbish of the entire hospital, then she was entitled a twenty minute break. While she nursed a cup of tea, the kindly Head Mediwitch joined her.
"You do good work," she commented. "I have just the thing for you next, the Little Wizard and Witch Wards."
"The babies?"
"Yes, they can always use an extra hand in there, I assure you. Just tell them that I sent you."
Dirty nappies, soiled blankets and crib sheets, feeding, and organizing paperwork took up the rest of her day in the Little Wizard and Witch Ward. While she was folding the last baby blanket of the wash, she glanced at the clock and saw that her day was almost through.
"Maybe I'll be able to work here again tomorrow," she said to the night shift ward Mediwitch. "Good night."
Harry was waiting for her in the reception foyer. "How was your day, or should I not ask?"
"Not too bad, actually. I did the after-breakfast cleaning and spent the rest of the day in the Little Wizard and Witch ward."
"Nappy duty?"
"Among other things."
"Fancy some supper?"
"Yes, I'm starved."
"Good, there's supper waiting at my house."
"Lead the way then, Mr. Potter."
She accepted another chicken cutlet and sopped the sauce with her bread. Harry seemed to be concentrating on his plate. "You're not tired of this, are you?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No, this is quite good. You do something different with the chicken every time."
He fell silent and once more and absently tore his bread apart.
"Something wrong?" she asked and gestured for the bowl of mashed potatoes.
"There's something I want to ask-" he said but was interrupted by Ron strolling into the dining room.
He put a magazine on the table next to her arm. "Ginny told me to give you this."
She smiled and picked up the Magical Bride magazine. "I'll have to thank her," she said, thumbing through the pages, and stopped when she glanced at Ron.
"You look nice," she said.
"Always the tone of surprise," he teased.
She rolled her eyes.
"I've got a date. I need to look nice for this one," Ron said.
"Do we know this one?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, Katie Bell, from your office."
Hermione put down the magazine. "You look nice, so you need to be nice too. Katie's the best, she deserves the best."
Harry nodded in agreement.
Ron put his hands up. "Take it easy. I know that, all right?"
"Good. Just so you know, I'll be talking to her Monday morning, and there better be nothing but good things said about you," she said.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Yes mother," he said and left.
She saw Harry's amused look. "My only excuse is that I'm tired. I don't mean to nag."
"Don't worry about it, he knows. You're a good friend."
"Now, back to what you were trying to talk to me about?" she asked, sipping her tea, again flipping through the bridal catalogue.
"Right," he said, taking a deep breath.
