Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, though I wish I did. They are all property of J.K. Rowling and her business associates.

The Days After

4 - Ministry

Harry didn't want to stay in Diagon Alley any longer. Even the short time it took them to walk from the bank back to The Leaky Cauldron was enough for several people to stare blankly at him, while others approached and asked for an autograph. Harry complied, but Hermione could tell he felt extremely uncomfortable with that kind of attention.

They ate quite silently at a nearby restaurant in muggle London, and then Hermione's parents left the youngsters alone.

Hermione led Harry to a deserted alley, from which they apparated directly to the Ministry of Magic entrance hall.

A month after the war it still looked in disarray. Hermione approached a window with the word "Information" written above. "I need to check something with the marriage register. Can you direct me?" she asked the mid-aged clerk.

"Let me see if it is functional at all. We miss almost half the staff. Some fled away, others are still mourning and those remaining just can't cope with everything at once." The clerk looked through some parchments on her desk. "You're lucky; there still is somebody there. Third floor on the right, near the end of the corridor." She raised her head and noticed Harry for the first time. "Are… you… Ha…" she started stammering.

"Yes, I'm Harry Potter," he said.

"Oh… It's… an honor to meet you, sir." She blushed like a young girl and could say no more.

They followed the directions and soon found themselves in the marriage registration office. A tired looking witch looked at them. "What may I do for you?" she asked in a less than amiable tone.

"I'm Hermione Granger and I've just found out this morning that I'm registered as a married woman, although I went through no wedding ceremony, magical or otherwise."

"That's weird" commented the witch. "Do you know who is supposedly your husband?"

"Yes. It is Harry Potter"

"And how long has it been? Do you have any idea?"

"Just about a month."

"Well, let me see…" The witch leafed through a very thick folder. It took her a few minutes to find the right record. "Ah, here it is. Miss Hermione Jane Granger and Mr. Harry James Potter. Spontaneous magical binding. There you are!"

"What do you mean by Spontaneous magical binding? I've never heard of it!" exclaimed Hermione.

The older witch's face softened. "Well, dear, it is a very rare phenomenon indeed. It only happens once or twice in each generation. It means that the love between you two is so deep and the magic in you two is so strong that a magical bond is created the first time you consummate your love. You should be extremely happy for that, as well as the young man. Who is he?" She looked at the record again. "Ah, Harry Potte…" she suddenly recognized the name. "Is it THE Harry Potter?" she blurted.

"It's me" said Harry, leaving the darker corner where he was waiting.

"Oh, dear me! No wonder you were spontaneously bound! Such a great wizard! You should be very proud of your binding, really." The witch seemed over excited with her revelation.

"Do you happen to know other couples who were bound the same way?" asked Hermione, trying to calm the witch by letting her do what she was keen at.

"Well, I can only remember one couple really. Any others would have been long before I started working here. Let me see… It was also a young couple, just a little older than you… About twenty five years ago… Oh, my memory is not as good as it used to be. Well… It was L… Lily… Lily and James, I believe. They got married a few months later and never realized they were already bound. Yes… definitely. Lily Evans and James Potter. You may even know them – they are also Potter."

"They were my parents" said Harry in a whisper.

They didn't wait for the witch to calm down again. They just thanked her and hurried back to Hermione's home.

"How can I ever tell them that we have consummated our love?" asked Harry.

"Harry, please! They know I'm probably pregnant, and they know what I must have done to become pregnant. Besides, we are formally bound, which is as legally binding as marriage. Why should they object?"

"Oh, I don't know! I only know that if I had a daughter…"

"When you have a daughter and she comes to you with her love you will bless her. You will never stand in her way, I'm sure, just like my parents."

Harry sat down at her side. "Are you sure about them? I don't care if they shout at me. I just don't want them to be angry with you. I love you so much."

They started kissing each other tenderly. Their kisses became hotter and more passionate. They didn't even hear when the front door opened and her parents came in.

"Aren't they lovely?" whispered her mother.

"They really are, but they should also learn some restraints, especially if they are going to be parents quite soon" said her father. He approached the couple and coughed a few times, each time louder than before.

Eventually they noticed and separated bruskly. Harry turned red from hair to toes, while Hermione only said "Hi, Dad!"

Her father smiled. "I would advise you not to act this way where someone may surprise you. It would be much better to only do it in your room."

Harry couldn't find his tongue, but Hermione said "Sure, but we didn't do anything to be ashamed of."

"Not yet, but it looks like you were at least thinking of such acts" replied her father. Hermione only blushed a little.

"Wouldn't it be wise to check the folders you've got from the bank and learn all the details?" intervened her mother.

"Actually, I was thinking more along planning a wedding, really" replied Hermione. "We shall have more than enough time to study these later."

"Which reminds me – what have you found out at the ministry?" asked her mother.

"We found out we were really magically bound" answered Hermione.

"What does that mean exactly?"

"It means we are practically married. We have all the rights and duties of married couples, except we cannot divorce."

"I didn't hear that" said Harry.

"I read about it in a book, some time ago, but I never thought it could have anything to do with me."

"But how did it happen without your consent?" asked her mother.

"They told us it is very rare. Both parties must be very much in love with each other and must also be very powerful magically."

"Something is still missing here" commented her mother.

"Well… they must also consummate their love…" Hermione's face burned bright red, and she reached for Harry's hand.

"Oh…" said her father, reddening as well.

"It's rather romantic, I'd say" commented her mother. "Well, let's have dinner and then we shall talk about the future. Hermione, please help me with the preparations."

Hermione went to the kitchen while Harry followed Hermione's father to the living room, not really knowing what to expect.

"So, it is Harry, isn't it?" asked Hermione's mother once they were alone.

"There could be nobody else" said her daughter.

"Did you know he was so rich?"

"I only knew what kind of man he is and I found out I love him. Isn't that enough?"

"It is more than enough, but now it looks like you have chosen well even considering other aspects."

"Probably, but I don't really care. I only want him."

"Did you tell him about…?"

"I did. I told him I was not absolutely sure, though."

"And how did he react?"

"He said it was wonderful and that he always wanted family. He then wanted to carry me on the stairs so that I wouldn't tire."

"He is really sweet" said her mother.

"I know" answered Hermione with an uncharacteristic dreamy look in her eyes.

They didn't talk much that evening. The day proved emotionally exhausting for both couples and they retired to their beds soon after dinner. Hermione didn't even pretend to sleep in her room – she went with Harry into the guestroom, with its double bed.