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Prompt: Marriage

Chapter 17: Forward

The sun setting over the sea at Shell Cottage was its own kind of magic. Harry stood on the beach watching the colors merge and expand along the horizon. This place, it was safety and sadness. Fear and hope. Love and loss. That was magic too. It was a place of contradictions. When Hermione suggested they get married there, he had been skeptical. He didn't want her reminded of the terrible memories. She insisted it was a place that reminded her that their love could withstand the worst heartache.

They'd been staying at the cottage for a week and it appeared her assessment was true. It had honestly been one of the best weeks of his life. It wasn't filled with the stress and chaos he remembered from Bill and Fleur's wedding. It helped they were having a small ceremony. Only their closest friends and family. Still, there was never a moment of doubt or anxiety. Never a moment of panic over the preparations for the big day. Just laughter and bonding with the people they loved the most.

But not all of them.

Given the nature of the wedding, Hermione had made the decision to not invite her parents. It would be too hard to hide the magic and she didn't want that for them. She didn't want to pretend they were something they weren't as they said their vows. The compromise was to spend a part of their honeymoon in Australia. And of course, his parents wouldn't be there. It was hard not to think about what that day might look like if Voldemort had never been.

"Harry?" Hermione called out behind him.

He turned and smiled. She was wearing a v-neck cotton dress that draped around her in a way that took Harry's breath from him. The summer breeze brought the dress to life, twirling and flowing around her legs. He wondered how he had gotten so lucky. "Hey you," he said happily, holding out a hand for her.

"I was looking for you," she said, taking his outstretched hand.

"You found me." Her presence carried a contentment for him that forced out all thoughts of Voldemort and the war. "Are we ready for the rehearsal?"

"Almost. Remus is making sure he has everything he needs for the vows. I think he's nervous about officiating and needs a minute to compose himself. I wanted to talk to you about something." An underlying nervousness shown in her face.

A surge of concern for her rushed through him. Was she second guessing the spot? They could move it. Harry didn't care. They could find a reception hall somewhere in Plymouth. He was already thinking about how they'd make it work.

She dropped his hand and dug in her pocket. Whatever she had was small. His brain stopped trying to solve a problem that might not exist. He looked from her clasped hand to her face questioningly. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Hermione bit her lip. Something was warring within in her. An uncertainty. "Harry. I did something last year. I wasn't sure if I should tell you."

He swallowed. There wasn't much they didn't tell each other. Admittedly, he was more open then she was, but he knew that was more due to their different natures. Hermione needed time to think about something. Internalize it before talking about it. He preferred to process out loud with her.

Her hand came up and she opened it. Resting on her palm was a small bundle that looked to be wrapped with dried leaves and tied neatly with some twine. Harry was at a complete loss.

"In the forbidden forest, right after you left to find Voldemort, I picked up the resurrection stone."

As she spoke he tried to anticipate what she was about to say. Last year.. the forbidden forest… she had questions about what happened after he left her? Voldemort… he'd done something to her and hadn't told him. The stone. His eyes went big. She had the stone? She had the stone for more than a year and hadn't said anything to him. She was still talking and he needed to listen.

"I didn't touch it. I didn't want to disrupt the spell that was letting you see your parents, Shiloh, and Sirius. I wrapped it up in leaves and kept it. I thought…" her voice cracked. "I thought you were about to die and the stone would be the only way I'd see you again."

Harry felt guilt over making her worry about such a future. He'd never want her to waste her life living with wraith of himself. She deserved to live and find a new happiness. Especially after the story of the three brothers, he thought she'd understand the stone was dangerous to her mental health. "Hermione. I'm sorry you were in that position. You know the stone wouldn't bring me back."

"I know. I was afraid to lose you," she admitted, shook her head at the thoughts and emotions from that moment. "I wanted to tell you I have it. In case… in case you want to see your parents. In case you want them with you. If not the ceremony tomorrow, maybe the rehearsal tonight." She held her hand higher, offering the stone.

Harry reached out, picked it up. Did he want that? Not the ceremony. That was for the living. But maybe the rehearsal. A time to be surrounded by family. Supported and loved. Then it felt selfish. "I can't do that to you. It's not possible to have your parents here. I don't know that it's fair to see mine."

She stepped closer to him. "They've been there for both of us in possibly the hardest moments of our lives. I think they deserve to see the happy times. You don't have to. I wasn't sure if I should even mention it. I just didn't want to regret not giving you the option."

"There you are!" Tonks yelled from the back of the cottage. "Now's not really the time for snogging, is it? We've got a schedule to keep." Her admonishment was laced with constrained laughter.

"We're not snogging!" Harry called back. "We'll be right down." Once they were alone, he rolled his eyes. "Honestly. What schedule?"

"I saw some cases of firewhiskey. Fred and George promised me they have a new hangover cure and not to worry," Hermione explained.

Harry was skeptical. He didn't plan on testing the effectiveness of such a potion. Not the night before the most important day of his life. Carefully unwrapping the stone, he considered it. "You won't be able to see them."

She shrugged. "They'll be able to see me. And I'll know they're there. Only if this is what you want."

It was. Harry hadn't known how important it was to see his mum and dad that weekend until he had the option. He turned the black stone over three times and looked up. The love that resulted from the act surrounded them. It was such a force, he saw Hermione react. Harry was suddenly grateful for magic. Gripping the stone in one hand, he took Hermione's hand in his other and led his family forward.