As I am NOT the original author of the Harry Potter series, who as anyone should know is the wonderful JKR who lets us play with her world. I don't own a darn thing here. On with the story.
Chapter 20 Plans form on both sides
The following morning Harry awoke slowly savoring the knowledge that shortly Hermione would be Mrs. Hermione Potter. Suddenly the door to his room opened. Standing there was a fully dressed Hermione Granger carrying a notebook. 'This does not look good.' Harry thought watching her walk to the bed and sit down on the edge.
"I've been waiting for you to wake up and finally decided that if you weren't awake by now you would be. How long have you been hiding out in here?" Hermione asked.
"I haven't been hiding anywhere. I just woke up and was lying here thinking about marrying you," Harry protested as he slowly realized that no matter what he said he would be in the wrong.
"Nice try at a save, Harry. We need to finalize our wedding plans." Hermione said primly opening the notebook she was carrying.
"What's left? We know who's marrying us, where the wedding will be, and who is coming. It is all set." Harry stated confused.
"Harry what type of flowers am I going to carry, what type of food are our guests going to eat, will it be a sit down dinner or buffet, how will everything be arranged in the garden, is there anyone else we should invite, what are we wearing, where are we going afterwards, will there be music, if we have music will it be live or recorded, will we dance at the reception, will we have people only coming to the reception. There is a lot to be decided on and very few days to do it and I'm not doing it alone. You are my fiancé and you are going to help me!" Hermione said firmly as her eyes flashed like they did when he was trying to avoid studying and she was determined studying was called for.
Harry bit his tongue hard stopping the 'Yes Dear' that quickly jumped to his mind choosing instead to say, "Hermione I have never been exposed to weddings before, naturally I'll help you. You just have to tell me what I need to do."
"Good now let's take these questions one at a time. What type of flowers do you think I should carry?" Hermione asked starting down her list of questions while the main part of Harry's mind was busy taking note of just what she was wearing and wondering if he could convince her to put her notebook away and lay down beside him.
The discussion with Harry completed a few hours and snogs later Hermione emerged from Harry's room. Hermione and Jane Granger quickly went into wedding mode. Orders emerged by phone, voice, and Dobby from the spare room they'd commandeered.
Late that day Dobby brought news that everything was set and they made arrangements with Mr. Limbu to take them to the train station the next day.
Griphook met Harry and Hermione in the lobby and escorted them down the same corridor as before but stopped before a different door. Opening it he escorted them in. "I will be staying with them at the request of Ragnok," Griphook said to Fartack as he entered.
"Very well have them each take one of those beds." Fartack said motioning to two beds that were positioned against the walls. Once everyone was set Fartack continued, "The first item is Occlumency at the direction of Ragnok you will learn a goblin variation of the skill. This will make it even harder for a Legilimens to break into your mind. When that is accomplished we will take a break before moving on to the other skills you requested. Harry and Hermione laid back on the beds doing the best to relax as Fartack had instructed. Two goblins entered proceeding directly to the chairs at the head of the beds. Once they were seated the goblins reached over placing a hand on Harry and Hermione's foreheads. What followed was intense pain for both of them finally after what seemed like days of pain it ended. Harry was the first to recover looking up at Fartack saying, "That was not as bad as I was lead to expect."
Fartack's eyebrows rose as he looked at Harry. "You have experienced the Cruciatus Curse?"
"Yes," Harry answered giving no further details. He glanced over at Hermione noting she was glancing around. "Well Miss Granger how was that experience?" Harry asked.
"Use that all you want before school starts I won't be answering to it ever again." Hermione countered then added, "That was not the most pleasant way to learn anything,"
"True but if it worked it was far better than lessons with Snape. How much of a wait until we get the other items?" Harry asked looking at Fartack.
"Normally a break of half an hour is needed to recover."
A glance at Hermione caused Harry to think at least that much time would be needed she looked wiped out by the experience. He looked up at Fartack saying, "That is a very good idea. Would it be possible for us to have a few refreshments brought in for everyone?"
Fartack started to say something then caught a look from Griphook, "Of course Mr. Potter I will arrange it." He said quickly leaving.
Suddenly Hermione turned and moved her head off the side as she became sick all over the floor. Once she'd recovered she looked at everyone saying, "Sorry about…" while motioning towards the floor.
One of the Goblins replied, "Don't worry about it. I will deal with it." and with a finger point and waggle the sick vanished.
Hermione recovered now looked at Harry asking, "How can you undergo that and not get sick?"
"Probably because I've been subject to pain like that before, not that I'd wish those experiences on anyone… well possible Snape but I'm sure he's had his own experiences with it," Harry replied trying to downplay his control.
Fartack returned at that moment with a second goblin carrying a large pitcher of chilled pumpkin juice and a tray of assorted biscuits. Which Harry and Hermione quickly tucked in to, in Hermione's case more to cleanse her palate than because of hunger.
Before they realized it a half hour passed and it was time undergo the rest of their training. At the end of their four hour visit they emerged from the bank carefully walking through the Leaky Cauldron and out on to Charing Cross Road.
After spending the rest of the day relaxing and recovering Harry got up the next morning joining Hermione for breakfast. Over a plate of Eggs and kippers for him while Hermione devoured cereal and a croissant Harry asked, "Are you going to join me to work through those morning exercises?"
"Alright."
"If you two are going to work through the morning exercise routine I think you might want to do it with my husband around." Anna said looking up from where she was baking with Dobby watching her intently.
Harry looked at Anna with a puzzled expression on his face. "When you came home your folks were talking about the arrangements you had made and he offered to be the source of your fighting knowledge. So if you work out with him he can insure you are doing it right." Anna replied.
Hermione's face lit up the kitchen "Anna that is fantastic. I don't know how we could thank him enough."
"Don't make a big think out of it. Just tell him thanks. He didn't want you to receive inferior knowledge."
"We will," Harry promised.
"He should be out working on the hedges. If you let him know what you're going to do he'll go through it with you."
True to her statement Mr. Limbu was pleased to guide them through their first set of exercises offering advice concerning positions and the advice, "Don't try for a full set until you've been at this for several months. Your body needs to adjust and limber up. I have been doing these exercises for over thirty years and my body is quite flexible."
"So will I be able to drop Professor Dumbledore like you did?" Harry asked.
"Not unless you have a slingshot and a shot filled bag."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"You brought down the greatest wizard in the world with a sling shot and a shot bag?" Harry asked.
Mr. Limbu nodded saying, "Everyone underestimates the effect of simple techniques. The slingshot has the advantage of being silent and the shot bag delivered a blow to the base of your headmaster's skull that knocked him unconscious. By the time he came around I was able to insure he was gagged and his hands were bound and unable to move. Hermione was quite specific that if a wizard was unable to speak or move his hands to his wand he should be incapacitated.
Harry followed Mr. Limbo's directions and didn't try to over do but he wanted to insure he understood what they were trying to achieve so when they returned to Hogwarts they could continue. Three quarters of an hour later Mr. Limbu returned to his chores while Harry and Hermione went to shower and prepare for the day.
Friday the 19th of July Petunia Dursley received a call from Alan Granger's solicitor setting up a meeting that evening with her and her husband, Vernon. A thousand pounds later the solicitor had both their signatures on the emancipation papers for one Harry Potter and Bill Weasley performed a memory charm on both. They could tell any muggle that Harry had been emancipated but they had to keep it a secret from any wizard.
After returning home from a day of visiting various shops where she and her mother got various things for the wedding Hermione knocked on Harry's door entering on his "come in."
"What's up Hermione?"
"We need to have a serious discussion."
"Okay," Harry said sitting down in one of the room's chairs while Hermione took the other one allowing him time to enjoy the view of her wearing a short robe over a pale pink baby doll night dress that was raising more that just his blood pressure.
After watching her for a minute or so and noticing her eyes flitting around the room landing everywhere but on him he asked, "Hermione are you calling off the wedding?"
"Oh no, nothing like that, it is just I've never discussed something like this with anyone but a girl." She said in a rush so he wouldn't think the worst.
Harry relaxed saying, "Take your time. We don't have to talk about whatever this is unless you want to."
"No Harry, we need to discuss this it is something that affects both of us. When I was at Gringotts I picked up the antidote for the pregnancy prevention potion that most of the girls at Hogwarts are taking." Hermione said. She could see his growing nervousness as she talked and stopped to allow him to say something. When he didn't she continued, "If I take the antidote soon given the timing of everything I could conceive on our wedding night or sometime during our honeymoon."
He had watched her closely while she talked and couldn't believe the vibe he was picking up on. Stunned he asked, "Do you want to get pregnant then?"
'That's the million dollar question.' Hermione thought then watching him as carefully as he'd been watching her she said, "Actually I was thinking I would."
Harry sat back looking at his bride to be as the thought, 'How do I really feel about that?' worked its way through his mind. 'Pretty cuffed actually, the most beautiful girl I know wants to have our baby and soon!' he realized but reality quickly intruded causing him to ask, "What about your schooling?"
"If I conceive between August and November I can get through sixth year being pregnant without too much trouble. That will leave just seventh year. I can take the pregnancy prevention potion that year. That way I won't be worried about having another baby and I can concentrate on classes. That just leaves the baby to take care of. I had quite a long talk with Dobby one afternoon while you were out golfing with dad and he said that all house elves can take care of babies including newborns so he or possibly Winky will take care of little Potter while we are in school or studying at night."
"You've changed your position on House elves?" Harry asked casually.
"Only slightly, that conversation allowed me to see Dobby as a magical being not a house elf. He is quite happy taking care of us and would like to do more if he was allowed. I see him more as a gentleman's gentleman than a slave now to be honest. I still believe keeping them enslaved is wrong but if they are free and paid wages like Dobby I can accept that."
Harry sat there thinking about the plan Hermione laid out. It was workable. He was a little concerned about the house elves taking care of a baby but then he couldn't picture several of the adult witches he'd met taking care of them either. Mrs. Malfoy with a baby just did not seem feasible but Draco did exist as did Sirius now that he thought of him and the painting of his mother. That thought caused his face to fall. He'd managed to spend most of his time around others avoiding thinking of his godfather. Those thoughts were restricted for when the door was shut and his head buried in a pillow to muffle the sounds he made. 'Now is not the time,' he thought forcing himself to fight the urge to collapse in tears. Unfortunately for Harry Hermione noticed his sudden personality change and deduced the cause getting up she quickly knelt at Harry's feet wrapping her arms around him and holding him. Her presence broke through the wall he was erecting and with a loud wail Harry cried out, "Oh Merlin I miss him, Hermione," falling forward. Hermione did her best to control Harry's decent to the floor ending up sprawled out her nightgown rising around her as she held him close and rocked him like one would a baby whispering soothing words while encoring him to let it all out.
The thumps of their landing had brought both Mr. and Mrs. Granger running but when they opened the door Hermione waived them away. "Looks like she's got what ever caused it under control," Jane said.
"Should I be worried about them on the floor like that?"
"Alan they are engaged, I'd worry if they weren't holding each other for dear life given the state one of them is in." Jane countered wondering if her daughter would ever tell her what caused Harry to have that type of a breakdown.
It felt like hours later when Harry final relaxed becoming aware of just how few items were between his face and some very nice parts of Hermione. He tried to pull his head away but her hands held him tight to her as she said, "Relax Harry you've been through a rough moment."
"Ah Hermione," Harry muttered realizing he was actually talking to her chest. Something she'd accused Ron of doing on occasion over the years.
Hermione being the smart girl realized she was making him slightly uncomfortable so she said, "Harry we are engaged. For most muggles that means you would be well acquainted with what you are lying against. Don't worry about it. I am not."
That same night Voldemort was receiving the report from Crabbe and Goyle senior concerning their surveillance of # 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey. "Master we have observed the house, while the muggles that live there have come and gone repeatedly there has been no sighting of Potter. Our source at the ministry determined that the lady of the house is Potter's aunt."
"Blood protection, very good just what I would expect from Dumbledore, dismissed." Voldemort said his face impassive as he thought, 'If Harry is not around this summer it is possible that the wards driven by this protection have not fully recharged. I really don't want anyone of my death eaters able to determine if blood protection spells are weak. They guard a few of my Horcruxes.' Seeing both Crabbe and Goyle still standing before him he raised a hand in the universal speak gesture.
"Master what of my son?" Crabbe asked.
"Both sons provided important information to our side. Yours was not strong enough to withstand the questioning. His remains have been disposed of. Do try for a stronger son next time." Voldemort said waiving them away.
Crabbe made the mistake of turning a little too quickly and striding a little too forcefully towards the door. "Curio." Voldemort called out casting the Cruciatus Curse on Crabbe. Goyle continued out of the room knowing that if Voldemort wanted him to stay he would have felt the curse too.
"I am disappointed in you, I thought you understood that I controlled everything of yours when you pledged yourself to me." Voldemort said conversationally as Crabbe withered on the floor. After he released the spell and allowed Crabbe a moment to recover he added, "Go, and remember your place from now on."