Chapter 35

"Can Zorin come out to play?" Harry asked with a silly grin. Rip laughed and welcomed him into the house.

"She's already making you some of Heinkel's coffee. We're running low on that though." Rip said. Harry had apparated out before she finished speaking and then shortly after returned with several pounds of Italian coffee beans.

"Jesus, Harry." Rip said, laughing.

"I don't think you quite understand how much I worship this coffee." Harry said.

"You could always make it yourself." Rip said Harry shook his head

"Zorin and Heinkel make it way better." Harry said, walking into the kitchen and proudly placing the coffee on the counter.

"So that's what it's come to? I'm just some sort of vampire coffee dispenser? "Zorin said with a grin.

"No you're my vampire coffee dispenser." Harry said smiling like an idiot. Zorin laughed and hugged him.

"What are we doing today?" Zorin asked. Harry shrugged.

"I don't really care, I just haven't had a lot of time to sit down and hang out with you guys in a while." Harry said. Zorin smiled fondly at him.

"You say the nicest things to us, Harry." Zorin said. Harry grinned.

"Will Integra be joining us?" Zorin asked. Harry shook his head.

"I put her in a foot-rub coma before I came here. She's so tired all the time, the baby is doing a number on her. I have Alucard on mommysitting duty." Harry said,.

"Mommysitting?" Rip asked. Harry nodded.

"Keeping an eye on the mother to be, making sure she eats, sleeps, and has someone to be there if she has a mood swing." Harry observed. Zorin nodded.

"I'm glad Seras will be in good hands." Rip said. Harry looked at her.

"If you guys think I'm not going to be doing the same for you you're crazy. I mean you two will have each other, but I'll always be there for you guys, pregnant or not." Harry said.

"We don't deserve a friend like you, Harry." Zorin said.

"You deserve far more than that." Harry said. Schrodinger walked through the door and hugged Harry.

"Heya kiddo. You gonna hang out with us old fogies?" Harry asked. Schrodinger grinned.

"Of course! Perhaps we can play some card games?" Schrodinger said.

"Oh no you don't. This kid is a freakin' card shark. I swear I could take him to Las Vegas and make a mint." Harry said. Schrodinger blushed. They heard a knock at the door, and Zorin opened it, and welcomed Hermione in with a dual-pram with Daniel and Gideon.

"Babies!" Rip said rushing over and making funny faces at them, much to their amusement.

"Hi Hermione! Nice to see you! I sure didn't want to make you feel ignored or anything..." Zorin said laughing.

"Hush, Hermione knows I love her." Rip said. Hermione picked up Gideon and handed him to Rip. Harry picked up Daniel and immediately dodged his attempts at stealing Harry's glasses.

"Careful Harry Jr. 2, I need those." Harry said. Hermione playfully glared at him.

"Ron will be by to pick the twins up and bring them to Molly's then he'll meet Sirius, Remus and Dean at the bar. Harry are you sure you'd not rather go with them?" Hermione said.

"Drinking really doesn't hold that much appeal lately, plus I need to be clear headed in case Integra needs me, or some government bullshi- crap needs my attention." Harry said, sipping his coffee.

"Oh my god Zorin seriously this coffee is so good I want you to have my babies." Harry said. Everyone laughed.

"Some day I will be having your babies, you dork." Zorin said. Harry grinned. Ron came for the twins, and after that they eventually did break out the cards and poker chips, and as expected, Schrodinger ended up fleecing all of them. Harry demanded to know his secrets so Schrodinger sat at the table and started going over his strategy with him, while the women retreated to the kitchen to chat.

"So the big day is coming up, Seras." Hermione said. That got everyone's attention. Seras smiled and nodded.

"Would you believe every thing is already planned? Harry found a photographer who can do magical and muggle photography, Ginny and Monica managed to find musicians, Ascott and the rest of the elves are handling catering, obviously. I just need to try on the dress once it's finished and pick out some flowers and we're done." Seras said.

"How is that even possible? I was a basket case up until Harry... ah. That makes sense." Hermione said, grinning. Seras nodded.

"Harry was adamant about not leaving everything up to me. It's amazing what that man can accomplish if you can get him to stand still for a few minutes." Seras said. Zorin laughed.

"We can go to try on our dresses together, mine should be done around the same time." Zorin said.

"I hope you're not going to torture us with ugly bridesmaid dresses." Rip said.

"Oh no, don't worry. Hermione helped me." Seras said. Hermione nodded and started rummaging through her purse, producing a photo album that was considerably larger than it. She opened it and turned a few pages.

"I chose something similar to what my bridesmaids wore." Hermione said, showing them one of her wedding pictures that showed all of the bridesmaids. Zorin and Rip gaped at the photo.

"Hermione? Why is Harry wearing a dress in that one?" Zorin asked, barely able to contain her laughter.

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." Harry said walking into the Kitchen with a grinning Schrodinger.

"You tell it so much better than I do, Harry." Hermione said.

"Well..." Harry said

-Flashback-

"Seriously?" Tonks asked. Harry nodded.

"Hermione won the coin toss." Harry said.

"Why did you just make us flip a coin, harry?" Hermione asked.

"Shh! It's a secret!" Harry said, and followed Tonks into an unoccupied room. They closed and locked the door and Harry turned his back to her. Tonks removed her dress and lay it out on the bed, and waved her wand.

"Geminio" Tonks said. Instantly another identical dress appeared beside it. Tonks then put her dress back on.

"Ok, Harry I 'm decent." Tonks said.

"Bullshit." Harry said with a grin, before stripping off his clothes.

"Uh, Harry? Should I leave?" Tonks asked.

"Not unless you're allergic to sexy." Harry said. Tonks took it as a challenge and leaned up against the wall watching him, Harry turned to face her completely unashamed.

"Jesus Christ, Harry." Tonks said staring at him.

"My eyes are up, here, Tonks." Harry said grinning, as he pulled the dress over his head.

"Aren't you going to wear underwear?" Tonks asked, blushing but unable to take her eyes off him.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Harry said. The walked out together and Ron laughed, while Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you guys made me both best man and maid of honor, I had to wear a dress or a tux, and Hermione won the toss." Harry explained. Half an hour later Harry was crying like a baby watching his two best friends get married, completely ignoring the outraged looks of Hermione's parents and Molly. Arthur was hiding behind his hand so they couldn't see him laugh.

They exchanged vows, kissed and were married, afterwards they all sat on the raised stage facing everyone as Harry gave his best man speech, mercilessly humiliating Ron. When he sat, Dan Granger took the stage and gave a heartwarming speech, during which Minerva made eye contact with Harry and averted her gaze downward and then up again, trying to draw his attention to something. He looked at her confused.

She began mouthing words to him but he couldn't read it, possibly due to her accent.

"Chose our pegs?" Harry mouthed back. She shook her head and tried again.

"Rose flour eggs?" Harry mouthed back. Minerva glared at him, clearly getting frustrated, still she tried again.

"Hose the dregs?" Harry mouthed back.

"Close your goddamn legs, Potter!" Minerva shouted, interrupting Dan's speech. That immediately caused everyone to gasp as they realized that Harry was sitting in a very unladylike position, not wearing underwear. Harry looked down and realized the problem.

"Oh! Thanks Professor McGonagall!" Harry said cheerfully, completely unashamed.

"That boy was one of my star pupils..." Minerva said.

-End Flashback-

"It took a solid year for her to be able to look me in the eye again." Harry said to the room of laughing women and Schrodinger.

"Weren't you mortified?" Rip asked Hermione.

"I couldn't stop laughing! Besides he saved my Dad's bacon. He was bombing up there." Hermione said. Harry grimaced and pulled out his mirror.

"Oh hey, Integra." Harry said.

"Hi Harry. I woke up and can't get back to sleep, mind if I take you up on the offer to come and get me?" Integra asked.

"Sure! I'll be right there." Harry said.

"Hurry back. I'll start making something diabetes friendly for Integra." Rip said. Harry nodded and apparated.

"He's looking a little worn out." Rip observed. Seras nodded.

"I've been trying to get him to take a few days to recuperate, but every time I get him to agree something important comes up." Seras said sadly.

"We should talk to Amelia Bones. I think perhaps it's time for the ministers to pick up more of the slack." Hermione said.

"They'll need to eventually, in eight months Harry's reign will end." Zorin said. Seras and Hermione looked at each other.

"I strongly doubt that." Hermione said.

"There's no way he would go back on his word." Zorin said.

"No, he won't. The thing is, Magical Britain has never had competent leadership before. Starting six weeks after his coup, across the board, standards of living have skyrocketed. That's for everyone, not just the poor but also the elites. Even paying increased taxes once the new tax codes were implemented, the elites are no longer paying bribes, nor are they paying blackmailers. Sanctions have been lifted, so business has been booming in all industries. People are more happy than ever. So eight months from now, how do you think they'll vote? Build a new system that might fail, or stick with what has worked better than any other system we've had?" Hermione asked.

"But that's not fair." Seras said. Hermione looked at her sadly.

"No, it really isn't. That's why we need to be there to make sure he does take time for himself." Hermione said.

"When he took power everyone jokingly called him God Emperor, specifically to wind him up, but now? They call him Emperor Potter-Victoria unironically. He's going to need to learn to balance work and his life, not even he can keep this pace up forever." Hermione said.

"The other countries are going to start giving him grief soon too." Seras said.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Harry said that immigration is at an all time high. Veela, Vampires, Werewolves and Muggleborns and purebloods are flocking to the UK. Even pureblood business magnates are expanding into Britain because of the new, fair laws." Seras said.

"Harry is going to need a long vacation." Rip said. They heard Harry and Integra arrive, and Rip opened the door for them. Harry lead Integra into the room and over to a couch where he sat between Integra and Seras.

"Harry?" Seras asked

"Yes, love?" Harry responded.

"You're on vacation now" Seras said.

"Sure thing." Harry said.

"I'm serious." Seras said.

"So am I. God I'm tired, Seras. I have a villa in on an island off the coast of France on the Mediterranean. We'll leave tomorrow." Harry said.

"Ok. Right. Good then." Seras said, surprised she didn't have to fight him on it.