A Realisation

They slept until late, separately in their respective dormitories. Which felt odd, given the agreement they had come to, but Harry felt too embarrassed to voice it. When he woke up, the sun was up and shining brightly through the windows of Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione was already downstairs in the common room, reading something.

"Hey, you."

"Hey."

She put down her book, went up to him, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Harry. Slept well?"

Christmas it was. He'd nearly forgotten.

"Yeah. I haven't slept that soundly in ages."

He noticed she'd done her hair and was wearing perfume, a floral scent of jasmine and roses. She looked fresh and spirited. Harry liked that, he hadn't seen Hermione look this cheerful in a long time.

"What are you reading?"

"Oh, it's on Charms. It's a good one, some very useful spells in there. I wish I'd read it before."

"Couldn't resist the library already?"

"Shut up." But she was smiling. "It feels good to be back here."

"This time, no more surprises. No basilisks, no Death Eaters, no mass-murderers."

"No more risking your life, Harry. This time," she took his hand, "we're going to enjoy ourselves."


They were sitting in McGonagall's office, getting updated on outside events. There was a whirlwind of activity about, the coup had been a huge success and the Ministry fell easily to the Order. Once word spread that Voldemort was dead, even the employees took up arms against the Death Eaters who knew that the game was up. They were swiftly rounded up and Dolores Umbridge narrowly escaped getting lynched. At Malfoy Manor, they put up some resistance but the rebellion had snowballed into a juggernaut. The Death Eaters were overpowered. Antonin Dolohov and Lucius Malfoy soon found themselves in padded cells along with a bunch of their pals. Bellatrix Lestrange suffered the same fate as her beloved master, unable to process the news of his death, she had fanatically attacked the Aurors and was killed on the spot. Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named the temporary Minister of Magic and the innocent were being released from Azkaban. It was all over very quickly.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, today I feel very proud that the two of you are in Gryffindor House, in my House."

"Thank you, Professor."

"I have to ask you though, where is Mr. Weasley? You three are usually together."

"Er… we had a disagreement. He left."

"I see."

"Professor?"

"Mr. Potter."

"Where's Professor Snape?"

"He's at the Ministry, Potter. I understand, he has a lot of explaining to do." She sighed. "We were all wrong about Severus. We should have trusted Dumbledore."

"Yes." Harry said, quietly.

"He is going to need your help, Potter, to clear his name."

"Of… of course, Professor."

"Well, it is going to be a busy day for you two. Quite a few people want to meet you. Go on, have your fun. We will talk business next term." She gave them a rare smile.

They were dismissed.

It was indeed a busy day. They had barely walked fifty yards when they ran into the Heads of the other three Houses and Hagrid, talking excitedly. A lot of greeting, congratulating and well-wishing followed. Even the portraits and house-elves of Hogwarts knew what had happened.

"Now, there's James Potter's son and the brightest witch of her age." A familiar voice sounded from behind them.

"Lupin!"

There he was, Remus Lupin, all smiles and hugs, looking tired but delighted.

"What happened to you, Remus? You look absolutely wasted!"

"I'm all right, Hermione. Tell me, you guys, I want to know everything. But not here, let's find a good place to talk."

They were under a tree by the Great Lake. It had been one of the favourite spots of the Marauders to hang out. Lupin was in awe when they finished their tale.

"Whoa."

They watched the waves gently lapping at the edge of the Lake. Harry felt guilty about how he had called Lupin a coward, back at Grimmauld Place.

"Remus, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I…"

But Lupin waved him off. "Don't, Harry. I was being an arse, leaving a pregnant Tonks like that. You did well, you made me see where I was wrong."

"Where's Tonks?"

"She's with Andromeda. Don't worry, she's safe and healthy. Just started showing."

"That's wonderful, Remus."

"Thank you, Hermione."

Lupin was silent for a few minutes. He looked at them, an odd expression on his face.

"May I ask why are both of you wearing wedding rings?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, they were taken by surprise at this unexpected question. They were thinking the same thing. The rings. Our wedding rings. Of course he's going to notice.

Harry knew he couldn't lie to Lupin. "Remus, we… er," his eyes silently told Hermione, we have to tell him. She nodded, giving him her confirmation.

"There's something we left out in our story."

"That you two got married? While on the run?"

"Er… actually, yes. It's complicated."

"Tell me about it."

They told him, how it happened and how they felt, the entire thing. Lupin was the closest friend Harry had after Hermione, now that Ron wasn't. Harry decided he wasn't going to hold back anything from him.

"Harry, Hermione, you had a magical wedding, right? Your rings were created by magic. Do you know anything about magical bonds? Because if you did, then you'd have realized how stupid you two are being."

"They require intent."

"Correct, Hermione. They require intent. Powerful intent. A magical wedding materializes in the form of rings only if the partners really mean their promises. I too had a magical wedding with Tonks. So did your parents, Harry."

"But Remus, wizards and witches get married all the time through contracts. Take Zabini's mother, for instance."

"Those are not magical weddings in the strictest sense. Like you said Hermione, through contracts. These are more of a contractual nature, a kind of agreement, not a promise. There are no feelings involved, unlike yours, as clearly proven by the rings you wear on your fingers."

He shook his head. "I'll leave you guys alone to sort things out. Merlin, I knew James was thick in these matters, but his son too…"

And with that, Lupin turned and left towards the castle.

"Harry, is it true? Do you have feelings for me?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

"I care about you, Hermione. Like I told you before."

"Our wedding vows, did you mean them?"

He couldn't deny it now. There had been something more than desperation in his mind. It hadn't entirely been a blind shot. True, it was still an injudicious, inconsiderate and hasty proposal. But he registered that it there hadn't been even an ounce of romantic sentiment for Hermione in his heart, he would have never asked her that question.

"Every word. I promised to love you and honour you, and be truthful to you at all times, did I not? So here's the truth. Yes, Hermione, I do feel strongly about you. In a… romantic way. You are the only person who I want to really care about. Who I want to be with all the time. That is why I asked you to marry me in that church, though I did not realise it then. And that is why I don't want us to get separated. I… I want to give us a chance."

"Harry…"

He had finally been able to properly articulate his feelings for Hermione and it had taken a monumental effort. Now, it all came down to her.

She gazed down at her ring and spoke slowly, carefully choosing her words.

"Harry… you know, you are the only person I would have agreed to make those vows to, last night, without thinking twice. Because… I trust you, Harry. To not willingly hurt me in any way. And after so many years, I've… I've started to see you more than my best friend, more like a partner, like… a companion. Someone who I can share everything with. And it feels wonderful to hear that you feel it too."

Yes. She feels the same about me.

She looked at him, now smiling. "We've been such dunderheads."

"We have."

Harry couldn't believe his luck, couldn't believe how much his life had changed in a single day. For a moment, it felt dizzying, as if his Firebolt had suddenly acquired a mind of its own and he was merely hanging on, with his eyes closed, amidst the sharp twists and turns.

But now, he was on firm ground. He was there, so was Hermione and they had just admitted their feelings for each other. He saw how tenderly she looked at him, and he recognised it, for it was the same look she had on the previous night when they took their vows.

It was liberating, intoxicating, exhilarating.

His eyes moved to her slightly-parted lips.

"Hermione, I… I need to kiss you."

She was very close to him now, their noses almost touching.

"Then kiss me, Harry. Kiss your wife." She whispered.

That did it.

The kiss was quite unlike their first one. It was passionate and yet not too aggressive. It had a gentleness to it, like waves ebbing on a beach. And it felt just right.

"Merry Christmas, Hermione."