WOW . . . again! I'm really glad that you all like this story! It's the only one where my muse hasn't gone on vacation. In fact just so you all know its January 16th at 10:21 PM (the same day I posted the previous chapter) and I'm starting Chapter 3. This is the big reveal so stay tuned because it will be funny.
Oh and Fred didn't die just because I have the most amazing idea.
I've decided to have them tell Ron before the rest of the Weasley's because I came up with a funny idea. So on to the chapter!
One last note this chapter is dedicated to Heath Ledger. A very good actor who died far too young.
Last time:
"I've made my decision, Harry."
"And…?"
"I'll marry you. I know we can do it."
Chapter 3
"You-You'll marry me?" he asked shocked.
"Yes. I trust you more than anything. I want to do this."
He pulled her into a hug. He was extremely excited but he wasn't quite sure why.
"Alright then . . . . I didn't get you a ring!" he exclaimed, "I should have gotten you a ring!"
"Harry, I don't need a ring. We aren't getting married because we love one another."
"We need to make it look official. We'll go and buy you a ring tomorrow."
Later. . . . . .
Ron started climbing the stairs to his room one he got home from Quidditch practice that night.
"Ron?" called Hermione as he passed by her room.
"What's up Hermione?" he asked poking his head in.
"We're having Thai food for dinner tonight. Anything in particular you'd like?"
"Just some Pad Thai." He said, "I'm gonna hop in the shower. Practice was grueling."
"You can tell Harry and me about it over dinner."
An hour later the trio was sitting in their living room watching Moulin Rouge and eating their Thai food. Harry was telling the two about the patient that came in and had somehow managed to grow eyes all over their body.
"So the guys looking at me, which as you can guess is quite creepy because he's got eyes all over him, and he finally goes "Hey! I know you! You're Harry Potter!" and of course every witch under the age of 60 in a 5 block radius knew where I was and came stampeding in to the hospital. Thankfully it was close to the end of my shift so I headed over to the greenhouses and helped Neville out for a while. He says hello to both of you." said Harry.
"What did you do today Hermione?" asked Ron
"Not much. Maria keeps track of the store today so I woke up late, had breakfast, took a shower accepted Harry's proposal, read over what Harry's written for his biography so far, and that's been about it. What about you Ron? How was practice?" she said just generalizing her day.
Ron choked on his Pad Thai. A piece of bok choy hung out of his mouth as he coughed up rice noodles.
"You what?" he asked getting up and going to get a glass of Firewhisky.
"I accepted Harry's proposal." stated Hermione.
Ron slammed back a shot of Firewhisky and as it burned its way down his throat poured himself another.
"Explain your thoughts to me. You realize what our world will think right?" he asked after his second shot.
"Ron, you haven't met Jackie. She's a money-grubbing little whore. She can contest the will. And she will. She wants that money more than I need it. Sirius left me enough to live on and the bookstore is doing amazingly well. But I don't want her to get her hands on that money. Jackie grew up rich, getting everything she ever wanted. That's why she parties now. Mummy and Daddy pay for everything. I'd rather have money I can put into finding new books for the store than see Jackie spend it all on fancy clothes and booze." explained Hermione, "Yes I know what the wizarding world will think. Harry and I have prepared for that. We're ready to accept the consequences whatever they may be. We'll tell your family at dinner on Tuesday."
"Hey Ron. I have a question for you." Said Harry, "Will you be my best man?"
"Of course Harry. I wouldn't miss this wedding for the world."
After dinner and lying in bed that night Ron thought about what Hermione had told him. He and Hermione had been over for a long time. They tried to make it work after the war but three months after Voldemort's defeat they split up on good terms. Part of it was that Ron knew (even if Hermione didn't) that the most important person in her life was Harry. Of course that was part of the reason that Harry and Ginny had broken up. Ginny had figured out that Hermione was most important to him. For the last three months of their relationship (which lasted for 11 months after Voldemort's defeat) Harry spent more time helping Hermione set up her bookstore than he did with Ginny doing anything. It had taken a few months but now Harry and Ginny were friends. Both Harry and Hermione had gone on dates since the break up but neither had had a long term relationship. Ron decided to let it rest. He had Luna and that was all that mattered. Besides maybe getting married would finally make the two realize that they were perfect for one another.
Hermione had work the next morning so she was out of the house by 8AM. Ron and Harry had a late breakfast and Ron showed the engagement ring he had bought for Luna. It was from the 1920's and had a .9 carat diamond with engravings of flowers all down the sides.
"What about you and Hermione? Are you gonna get her a ring?" he asked
"Yeah. I'm stealing her from the store just after lunchtime to get her a ring." said Harry.
The time until lunchtime passed swiftly. Harry spent it in the parlor working on his autobiography and Ron spent it in the attic, which they had converted to a gym during the war to train, working out. At lunchtime Harry changed his clothes and after a quick goodbye to Ron he Apparated to Diagon Alley. Hermione's store was in a little building next to Fred and George's shop.
He walked in and Hermione looked up from behind the counter.
"Harry!" she said, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm stealing you away for a bit. We're gonna go buy your ring."
"Now?" she asked clearly distressed, "Harry it's the middle of the day! Half the Wizarding World will know about it 10 minutes after we leave the store with it and the rest will read about it in The Prophet tomorrow! We can go tonight!"
"I wasn't saying we get one here in the Alley. There's this nice muggle jewelry store I know of a few streets away. I was thinking about getting some lunch in the restaurant across the street and then buying you a ring in the store I spoke of. I'm not stupid enough to think about buying you a ring here in Diagon Alley." laughed Harry.
"Oh….alright then. I'll grab my coat and we can head out." She said, "Maria! I'm going out to lunch I'll be back in about an hour and a half."
A head with dark brown hair poked out from behind one of the shelves.
"Have fun. And Congratulations Hermione. You too Mister Potter." She said giggling.
"It's Harry, Maria. I've told you that before. Come along Hermione." He said opening the door for his best friend.
The two walked out of the store and down towards The Leaky Cauldron. Since it was nice out (it was the start of August) they walked the few blocks to the restaurant Harry had spoken of. After a quick lunch of a chicken Caesar salad (for Hermione) and two cheeseburgers (for Harry) the duo walked across the street into a small jewelry store. The two never noticed the woman with long blonde hair taking a picture of them entering the store. In the store Hermione found her dream ring. It was a replica of an Art Deco period ring. The diamond in the center weighed 1.47 carats and had four half-moon sapphires all set in platinum. After paying for it they left the store and headed back to Hermione's bookstore. They didn't notice the same woman snap a picture of them leaving or enter the store and ask what they had bought.
Later that day the same woman walked into the offices of The Daily Prophet. Many were shocked to see her there but she ignored them and went straight to the Editor-in-Chief, Andrew Chang's, office. In there she threw down three pictures onto his desk. He turned around in his chair and looked at her.
"Another crackpot story about Potter and Granger?" he asked not looking at the pictures.
"Not so crackpot this time." She said. "Take a look. The top picture is Potter entering a muggle jewelry store with her. Next is them leaving the store, notice however the Miss Granger is looking at something on her left hand. And the third picture is the engagement ring that Potter bought Granger at said store."
Andrew looked up at the woman in front of him.
"I assume you talked to the salesperson?" he asked
"Of course. She told me all how about in love they were and gave me that picture of the ring."
"Fine. Write up the story. I'll up it in Tuesday's edition of The Prophet."
The woman started to walk out of the office.
"Oh, and Rita nice work on finally getting a plausible Potter and Granger story."
"Thanks. I've been following them for long enough. I was bound to get one sooner or later."
(A/N: Yes! It's the return of Rita Skeeter! I thought of this and I couldn't let it go. It's perfect.)
Tuesday Morning . . . . . The Burrow. . . .
Molly Weasley sat in her empty home. Bill was due to drop by with Little Albus so that Molly could take care of them during the day while Bill and Fleur were at work. She was planning out the dinner for that night. It was to be a big family reunion with Bill, Fleur, Albus, Percy, Penelope, Fred & George, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione.
"Mum?" called out Bill from the entranceway.
"Bill, dear!" she said getting up from the kitchen table and going to see her son and one of his children.
"Grandmama!" said Little Albus, who was 6 years old. He had learned Molly's name from his sister and it had stuck.
(A/N: Sorry for another note but I had to put that I just heard that Heath Ledger died T-T)
Bill handed Molly the paper.
"You might want to read it later. When Albus is napping perhaps."
Molly looked down at the headline of the paper. She looked back at Bill confused.
"Look down and to the right."
Molly looked where directed. Wedding Bells for Harry Potter?read the headline.
Meanwhile at the hospital Harry was back in the greenhouses with Neville. He always spent Tuesdays there and they were taking a break when Neville suddenly started choking on his coffee. Harry clapped him on the back a few times before Neville spit the offending drink.
"You alright there, Nev?" he asked.
Neville looked up at Harry for a moment.
"Depends. Are you really engaged to Hermione?"
"What?" asked Harry.
Neville tossed him the paper where he read the article.
Wedding Bells for Harry Potter?
By Rita Skeeter
As I strolled about Diagon Alley on Sunday I spied The Teen-Who-Won, Harry Potter, striding purposefully down the lane. I followed him as he walked into long time suspected love interest and very long time friend, Hermione Granger's bookstore. The two came out moments later looking entirely like two friends just going out for lunch.
I decided to see what they were up to so I, like any good reporter would have, followed them to a little restaurant in Muggle London. After their lunch they headed across the street to a small jewelry store. When they exited the store Ms. Granger was looking at something on her left hand. I went into the store and asked the saleslady Miriam Craig about what had just transpired in the store. "That lovely young couple was buying an engagement ring. Very expensive one to. In American dollars its $6,450.00, In Pounds its £3,294.68." That's 661 Galleons, 9 Sickles, and 26 Knuts. "They're very much in love, I can tell. While she was looking at rings he couldn't keep his eyes off her and had a smile on his face."
Are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger finally admitting after all these years that they're together? I went to talk to Adrianna Hewitt, one of Harry's girlfriends after his relationship with Ginevra Weasley (who was unavailable for comment), and she said this of his relationship with Miss Granger: "Harry's practically inseparable from Hermione. During one of our dates she called him and they made plans for the next afternoon. That next day was Harry's and mine 3 month anniversary. During our date all he talked about was how much fun he had had with Hermione that day. I finally realized that no matter how hard I tried I'd never replace Hermione as number one so I broke up with him." I also spoke with year mate of the two and ex of Miss Granger, Anthony Goldstein: "Hermione and Harry? The two are bloody glued together. Trying to date Hermione was a disaster. We had to plan dates around her time with Harry. Even in school you could rarely find one without the other. Hermione didn't like Quidditch but that didn't stop her from going to all the Gryffindor practices during 6th year."
One has to wonder if Miss Granger is using a Love Potion, as it was suspected fourteen years ago, or if they really have been in love all these years. I know I certainly want to know and I'm sure you the readers do too so look here to The Daily Prophet for all the Potter-Granger wedding action. Also after all these years I have finally come up with a celebrity name for this on again/off again couple. Ladies and Gentlemen first there was Nicelle (Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle), then there was Duwald (Dumbledore and Grindelwald) and now I gave you. . . . .HARMONY!!!!!
Harry looked up at Neville.
"So? Is what Skeeter wrote true or not?" asked Neville.
"It's true." Said Harry
"I knew you two would end up together!" he exclaimed jumping up and down.
"Nev, it's not what you think. I'm doing it to help her."
"What are you on about Harry? Aren't you in love with Hermione?"
"Nev, this is Hermione we're talking about. She's practically one of the guys! Her grandmother left her a bunch of money in her will. The condition to Hermione getting the money is she has to get married for two years. Well, Hermione's afraid that her cousin Jackie will contest the will in order to get the money. When you meet Jackie you'll understand she's a real piece of work. So I proposed to Hermione and now we're getting married."
"Oh." said Neville, "What are you two gonna say?"
"You'll find out with the rest of them. But one thing Nev, you have to keep what I just told you a secret. The only other person who knows about that is Ron."
"Alright Harry. I won't tell a soul. Go home. I have a feeling half your fan club is already in the lobby waiting for you to leave."
"Thanks Nev, you're a true friend. And I have a question for you."
"What?"
"Want to be one of my groomsmen?"
"Sure Harry."
Harry walked out into the hall and headed to the Apparition center. He apparated straight into Grimmauld Place. Ron and Hermione were already waiting there.
"You saw The Prophet, I take it." said Harry.
"There was a mob at the store when I got there." said Hermione. "I'm probably going to be killed. By rabid members of your fan club who think that I'm not good enough for you."
The trio stayed huddled inside of Grimmauld all day. They were very thankful that they had made it unplottable so that the reporters (and Harry's Fan Club) couldn't find them. At 6 the Trio went to change for dinner. At quarter past 7 they Flooed over to The Burrow. Everyone except for Molly and Arthur met them in the living room.
"Thanks you two." Said Fred when they got there.
"For what?" asked Harry
"Well a few years ago we made a betting pool and chose the year when we each thought you'd finally get your acts together! I won!"
"Fred-" started Harry
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"cried a red faced Mrs. Weasley, "HOW DARE YOU PROPOSE TO HERMIONE AND NOT EVEN BOTHER TO TELL ANYONE YOU WERE DATING! I THOUGHT YOU KNEW THAT YOU COULD TRUST THIS FAMILY! AND YOU HERMIONE JANE GRANGER! HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL US EITHER! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
"It's not what you think Mrs.Weasley." said Harry, "You know about Hermione's Gram's death? Well her Gram made Hermione heir and to get the inheritance Hermione has to marry for two years. Hermione knows that her cousin Jackie is going to try to contest the will so in order to keep the money away from Jackie I proposed to Hermione."
After this Mrs. Weasley calmed down and Fred got depressed because it meant he hadn't won the betting pool. After dinner Harry went outside to talk to Ginny.
"What's up Ginny?" he asked.
"Harry, is that really why you're marrying Hermione?" she asked.
"Yes, of course it is. She's my best friend. I'd do anything for her."
"Exactly Harry. You'd do anything for her. You love her Harry. You can try denying it all you want but you love her more than anyone."
"Why does everyone think that? You, Skeeter, the whole wizarding world? Why? Yes, were close. Yes, were important to each other but it doesn't mean we're in love! Hermione has stuck by me through everything! She chose me over the person she thought was her one great love. I owe her. Are you still jealous Gin? Is that why you're doing this? Are you still angry with the way I handled things between us?"
"No, Harry. I'm not. I forgave you for that a long time ago. I'm trying to get you to see what everyone else sees. I wish you both the best of luck in this marriage even if it is technically fake."
"Thanks Gin. That means a lot. Well I'm gonna say bye now because I have work tomorrow. Bye Ginny."
"Bye Harry."
Harry headed back inside the house.
This is exactly what you two need. You may not know it but you love each other. This will put it in perspective. Make you see what everyone has seen since your 5th year at Hogwarts. thought Ginny.
That's it! I know I said I would do Jackie's reaction but this was more than I had originally planned for this chapter. Jackie's reaction will be coming up in the next chapter I promise. The whole chapter is over 3,000 words. It's a lot.
Okay so I would like to announce that I have a sort of co-writer on this fic. It is my dear friend and fellow author Archerelf. This will be her first time writing in Potterverse but I ask her advice on a lot of things anyways so it won't be that hard of a leap. She loves Harmony just as much as I do and I hope you can all wish her luck on this venture.
I'd also like to show you (for the first time ever) my playlist that I listened to during the writing of the majority of the fic. So Here goes
Paralyzed by Finger Eleven
Itazurana Kiss by Day by Day
One Day, One Dream by Tackey and Tsubasa
Come by Namie Amuro
La Belle et le Bad Boy by MC Solaar
Inch'allah by MC Solaar
CrushCrushCrush by Paramore
Pressure by Paramore
Misery Business by Paramore
What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts
Desperado by The Eagles
Hotel California by The Eagles
Into the Night by Carlos Santana featuring Chad Kroeger
Track Down this Murderer from The Phantom Of The Opera Soundtrack
Californication by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Scar Tissue by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Take me to the place I love by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Dani California by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
I Am by Hitomi
Brown Eyed Girl by The Eagles
Life in The Fast Lane by The Eagles
The Boys of Summer by The Eagles (Don Henley cover)
Speed Over Beethoven from DDR Extreme 2
Cartoon Heroes from DDR Extreme 2
Cell Block Tango from the Chicago movie Soundtrack