Disclaimer: Nothing's changed, Harry and Pansy are still the property of J. K. Rowling. Anthony, Sydney, Audra, Stephanie, Brittany, Holly, James, any other bar or hotel staff are my own creations. All other people, places, or things, are Ms. Rowling's moneymakers.
Harry picked himself up off the gravel drive leading up to the ornate gates of his family estate, muttering that he'd never manage to master arriving properly by portkey. Pansy gave him a hand up. "Of course you don't land on your face," he said, chuckling. She brushed him off and gave him a quick kiss as the others came together around them. "Right then," he said, and turned to the gates. They stretched wide, wide enough to admit three muggle cars at once, and were taller than they had any right to be. Black ironwork made the gates up, bars and scroll-work surrounding the large "P" in the center.
"Duke Potter and family, entering," he said loudly, and held forth his right hand with the signet ring on his middle finger. After a moment, a loud clack sounded, and with a creak the gates slowly swung open, splitting down the middle of the "P". Harry took Pansy's hand in his and led the group, which now included Pansy's parents, up the gentle slope of the drive. Waist-high hedges bordered the drive, and beyond them swept up a perfectly trimmed, beautifully green lawn. To the right was a small hill, atop which sat a small shade structure over a patio and fountain, and to the left a small duck pond nestled amongst weeping willow trees. Further to the right, as the drive curved to the left, everyone could see a large fenced in area where a horse grazed.
They topped a small hillock and the manor appeared before them. The main building appeared to have two stories, and the exterior was a medium brown stucco finish with a dark grey roof and shutters. The drive led to a roundabout with a large fountain in the center. Off to the right side of the main building was a smaller one story building in the same finish and trim. Flowerbeds lined the foundation of the house and very old shade trees sat to either side of the buildings.
"It's gorgeous, Harry," Pansy murmured as she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. "We'll be very happy here, dear heart."
He smiled as he took in the view. If he'd been asked to design his perfect house, this would have been it, although smaller. "Shall we?" he asked the others, and started down the slight hill. As they approached the front door of the main building, it opened, and Kreacher and Winky stood in the doorway.
"Welcome, Master Potter!" Kreacher said kindly. He had lightened up considerably since Harry had first met the surly old elf, and as he looked at Kreacher, he wondered if somehow the elf hadn't gotten younger. He definitely looked more spry than usual.
"Thank you, Kreacher. Good to see you again, Winky," he said to the female elf. "Thank you both so very much for taking the task of cleaning the mansion up. If the inside looks as good as the grounds do, I'm going to have to give you both a bonus."
Winky stared at the floor and said "Thank you, Master Potter," while Kreacher stood up a little straighter.
"Master, the entire house has been cleaned and is ready for you and your family." Kreacher stepped back from the door, letting the group walk in.
Harry and Pansy stopped in the middle of the foyer, trying to look everywhere at once. The room was square, but large, with a very high ceiling and an antique bronze chandelier hanging above the dark wood floors. A mud area was set into the wall to the right, with hooks and a bench, and a place to dry wet shoes. To the left, a large mirror adorned the wall next to a fireplace which also had hooks on the mantle. A large painting of Hogwarts hung on the wall above the fireplace. "If Master and Mistress, and their friends, would remove their shoes, and place them over here, so as not to get dirt and dust on the floors," Winky said quietly. Harry did as asked and the others followed his example. In sock feet, he and Pansy led everyone into the hallway beyond the foyer and then into a great room.
The dark wood floors continued through the hall and into the great room, which had matching wood paneling although not the same shade as the floors. Bookcases lined two walls, packed with books. Another fireplace centered upon a third wall, and the fourth wall was floor to ceiling windows looking out over the back yard. In front of the windows sat a baby grand piano, shining and waiting for a player. A sofa and chairs, framed by a red square rug, sat in the middle of the room. Armchairs were placed in various places around the room, near the bookshelves.
As they explored the house, they found the massive dining room that could easily seat 15 people, the well appointed kitchen where house elves were busy preparing for dinner, a study with a giant oak desk and every wall covered in books, and a greenhouse room waiting for plants. Harry figured that the bedrooms would be upstairs, and so he let the group wander as they wished. Hermione, of course, headed straight for the nearest bookcase, and after quick kiss on Harry's lips, Pansy followed.
Harry, Ron, Remus, and Prentice went into the study and found a well-appointed bar in one corner. Pouring them all a drink, Harry handed the glasses out and sat in an armchair by the fireplace. "I think every room has a fireplace. I wonder if any, or all, of them are connected to the floo network," he said absentmindedly.
"The fireplace in the great room is, Master, as is this one in the study. None of the ones in the bedrooms are permanently connected, although they will connect to send if necessary." Harry started, not realizing Kreacher had followed them.
"Thank you, Kreacher," he said. "Can you check with the kitchen to make sure dinner will be ready?" Kreacher nodded and walked down the hallway.
"Well, cousin, brother, father? What do you think?" Harry asked the three men with him.
"I think it's brilliant," Ron said.
Remus smiled and sank into a leather chair as well. "Very, very nice, Harry. Although I have been here before…" he said with a smile. "Your parents would be so very proud of you today. I know I am."
Prentice Parkinson walked over and dropped a hand on Harry's shoulder. "James and Lily would definitely approve of how you handled things. Kirsten and I certainly do as well." He went and sat next to Remus, shaking the man's hand. "It's been a long time, Remus. Too long, and I am sorry for that."
Lupin shook his head. "It's understandable, Prentice. I'm just glad that everything has worked out. Your daughter and my…" he sighed. "Harry, I know I'm not Sirius, but…"
Harry cut him off. "Remus." He stood, and walked over to the man. "You ARE my family. You have every right to offer me advice. I don't have to take it," he said with a chuckle, "but you need to understand. You're like an uncle to me. Except you're my cousin-in-law. So don't make it weird."
All of them laughed, and Lupin grasped Harry's forearm with his hand. "I am so very, very proud of you, cousin. Although one of these days you WILL have to explain why you thought disappearing for three years was a good idea."
Harry smiled at the older man. "Agreed, but not today. Today is a time of celebration. But I'm glad you both brought up my parents." He looked over at his father-in-law. "Dad, did that real estate venture work out?"
Prentice smiled again at this young man who now called him father, and nodded. "It did indeed. Would you like me to share the news now, or wait until dinner?"
Harry grinned. "Dinner, please, because first, I have some news for you. Pansy, could you come into the study, and bring mum?" he called down the hall, raising his voice. A moment later, his wife came in with Kirsten.
"Did you have something you wanted to tell your parents, love?" Harry said, grinning widely at her.
Pansy smiled back and said, "Maybe you want to sit down for this, Mum." Kirsten walked over to where Prentice was sitting and perched on the arm of his chair. Prentice put an arm around his wife's waist and they both looked at Pansy, waiting.
"You've both got about eight and a half months to figure out how to spoil a child enough for two sets of grandparents," she said, a smile playing on her lips.
It took a moment, but Kirsten understood first and slid off the arm of the chair into her husband's lap. Prentice got it a moment later and let out a yell of joy. "You're pregnant? You're going to have a baby!" her mother said, happily. Harry and Pansy walked over to them to help them disentangle themselves and received hugs from them both.
"How long have you known?" her father demanded, and Pansy chuckled.
"About a week," she said, "but I didn't tell Harry until lunch today. I wish you could have seen his face, he looked like someone hit him with a board." She giggled. Harry reached over and tickled her, earning himself a yelp and a smack on the arm, which he took with a laugh. He put his arm around Pansy and held her close, as her parents heaped them with congratulations.
Harry sat at the head of the dinner table later that evening. Pansy sat to his right, and her parents next to her. Remus and Tonks sat next to them with their son. To his left, Hermione and Ron sat, with their daughter. Harry looked over his family and sighed happily. He took a knife and clinked it against his glass, and stood up. "I'd like to propose a toast," he started, simply.
He looked around. He'd planned on making an elaborate speech, but suddenly he felt like that didn't apply here.
Instead, he lifted his glass and spoke. "To family, and to love." Everyone chorused it back and all drank. He sat back down, and reached for Pansy's hand. The elves brought dinner out and everyone started eating. They all conversed easily as they ate, and when everyone had finished, Prentice cleared his throat and stood.
"I, too, would like to propose a toast. Many months ago, my daughter told me that she had started seriously dating a young man, and she was quickly falling in love with him. I later learned that man was Harry Potter, and I admit I was torn when I found this out. On the one hand, he was the hero that defeated Vold...excuse me...Riddle. On the other hand, he was the man who had disappeared without a trace, leaving the wizarding world to mourn his absence. So I set out to meet this man, and discover what his intentions were for my daughter. I found him to be quite charming, quite intelligent, and a business owner to boot. Then one day, he arrived on my doorstep bearing trade agreements and a desire to to ask my daughter to marry him. I was concerned at first, but he convinced me that not only did he love her dearly, he wanted to join our families in multiple ways. The day he proposed to her and she said yes, they came to tell us that she had said yes, and shared a very, very special moment with us."
He wiped at his eyes and cleared his throat again. "We discussed many business things, Harry Potter and I, and one of those things, it is my great privilege and honor to reveal to you all." He turned and nodded at the house elf in the corner, who walked over with an easel covered in a dark cloth. Prentice walked over and lifted the cloth as he said, "The Gardens Home for Children, in honor of Pansy Potter, and in memory of Lily Evans Potter." He pulled the cloth off, revealing an architectural drawing of an orphanage. He turned back to Harry, and raised his glass. "So that no child, ever, will have to go through what Harry did growing up. My toast is thus: To those children."
Everyone around the table shouted their approval, as Pansy turned to him, tears in her eyes. He nodded back at her unspoken question and she left her chair to hug him around the neck and rain kisses on his lips and cheeks. She sat on his lap and held him close, and he put his arms around her waist. With a choking voice, he spoke up. "The orphanage will hire only the best caregivers, with extensive background checks and interviews. The building itself will be warded in a way no building has been since the Castle at Hogwarts before the Battle. If she is interested," and he grinned at Kirsten, "my mother-in-law will be in charge of the entire orphanage. Any child who loses their parents for any reason will be welcomed there, loved and protected."
At the mention of her name, Pansy's mother turned and beamed at him. "I could not possibly be more honored to accept that, son," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "I will cherish the responsibility you have offered me."
Harry smiled back at her. "I can't think of anyone better suited to the task, mum."
After dinner, everyone found seats in the great room. Pansy sat at the piano, softly playing. Harry was almost, but not quite surprised that she could play the piano. As he thought about it, it actually made sense. He touched her shoulder and then walked over to where Hermione had her nose in a book. "Find anything interesting, Hermione?" he said, and sat down next to her on the sofa.
Hermione looked up at him, and he was surprised to see her eyes wet with tears. "H-h-harry…" she stuttered. Harry blinked. Hermione never stuttered.
"What's wrong, 'Mione?" he said, and Ron moved from the other side of the room to kneel next to her on her other side, his face full of concern.
Hermione shook her head vigorously. "Nothing wrong at all. Harry...Ron…"
She lowered the book and pointed at a passage. "This book has a counterspell for obliviate. It fully restores memories. FULLY," she said the last firmly. She looked at Ron and kissed him, then looked at Harry. "I can bring my parents back to me!"