3 Driving it in

Hermione woke up. The room was dark, except for some reddish light coming from the fireplace. She felt hot and sticky and a bit sore between her thighs. She also felt an arm hugging her tightly to a young man who was as naked as she was. She couldn't see his face, but she could smell his familiar scent, the one she loved so much since they first became friends.

Harry was also stirring slowly awake. He seemed alarmed, at first, and then relaxed, as he noticed who he was with. She loved the way his arm tightened her to him, the way he whispered, "Good morning, Love," in her ear, and the way he caressed her body, making her willing and ready to continue the activity they had both enjoyed so much before falling asleep.

It was short and sweet, this time, as both knew they needed to come out and get some breakfast. That would also mean confronting their friends with their newly found togetherness.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

She grabbed her wand from the night table and cast 'Tempus'. "We still have time for a shower together, before we need to get dressed."

It was the first time any of them showered with someone of a different gender. Both enjoyed it, making the shower into another session of lovemaking. They helped each other get dry and then Hermione used her wand again, to cloth them both, not trusting any of them to do it the normal way for fear of turning it into some more sex.

They were already putting their robes on when Harry noticed a gold ring on his finger. "Where has this come from?" he wondered.

Hermione took a glance at his ring and then looked at her own ring finger, where a similar gold ring was resting. "These look like wedding bands. What were you thinking when… you took my virginity?"

Harry blushed. "I thought you were the only one for me, that I love you dearly and I want you to be mine for as long as I live."

"I thought the same. It looks like Magic accepted this as marriage vows. I think we are now married to each other." She smiled widely at the idea and then frowned. "I like being your wife, but how can we tell Ron and Ginny about this? Maybe it's better if we keep it a secret for a while."

"How can we? Everybody can see our wedding rings."

She gave it another thought. "I've read that some magical rings respond to thought commands given by their owners. Let's try this."

She concentrated a moment and the ring faded, leaving her finger seemingly unadorned. She still felt it on that finger, and groping with her other hand, she could also feel it.

Harry took her hand in his and caressed her fingers. She could feel his finger bumping into that ring. He seemed to feel reassurance at that. A moment later, his ring faded as well. They left the room of requirements holding hands.

–..–

Despite letting go of each other before walking into the great hall, they didn't escape Weasley's wrath. "Where have you been all night?" Ginny asked as soon as they sat at the table, not bothering with greetings.

"It took me a bit longer than expected," Hermione said. She just didn't feel like apologizing.

"You didn't come back at all. You've not slept in your bed," Ron said, addressing Harry.

"It took us well after curfew time to finish what we had in mind. We couldn't just come back," Hermione explained.

"You stayed together all night?" Ginny was looking like she was going to erupt.

"Well, yes. I'm already of age, you know. Why should it bother you, though?"

"It's improper for a girl to stay alone with a boy at night," Ginny said, trying to explain without getting too personal.

"You know quite well that a girl and a boy don't need the night for doing whatever they may have in mind. They can do it during the day wherever they find appropriate," Hermione answered, just as impersonally.

Ginny blushed. Hermione knew that although Ginny was still a virgin, she had let some of the boys fondle her tits, hiding in broom closets or unused classrooms. Many girls acted that way, and it was no secret. "Well, sure… But it's still improper."

Hermione glanced at Harry. He seemed amused at the exchange. She pointed at her ring finger questioningly. He nodded. A moment later she could see his ring reappearing on his finger, which he quickly covered with his other hand. She smiled and let her ring show.

"Well, I don't mind that. Besides, you seem more concerned about Harry. Is that also improper for boys?" Hermione teased her.

"It should be!" Ginny was not one to easily succumb to gender prejudices. "As my boyfriend…"

"I'm not your boyfriend," Harry said with emphasis. "I'm a boy and I'm your friend, maybe even a close friend, but that's about it." He glanced at Hermione. She was content with his words.

Hermione shoved her hand forward, making her new ring clearly visible. "I don't think that my husband can be your boyfriend."

Ginny looked at her ring. She then turned her eyes to Harry, noticing his ring too. She paled all at once and her lips started trembling. Hermione didn't want the redhead to run away and cry miserably alone, the way Hermione would have acted in her place. She moved closer and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but you and Harry wouldn't have worked, that was very evident. You're still too much of a fan-girl, probably always will be, and he hates his fame. You'd be much better as friends only. There's another man out there who's perfect for you. I'm sure you'll eventually find him."

She could see that Ginny was trying to hold back her tears. "Everybody knew that you two were very close. I thought I had a chance when you started showing some interest in Ron. He blew it completely when he began to snog Lavender. I should have known better…" Ginny stayed silent for a moment. "When did you two get wed?"

Hermione seemed uncomfortable for a moment. "We didn't have a wedding, really. Last night, after I demonstrated the spell I wanted him to learn, he said he loved me and I confessed my love to him. It looks like Magic took over, as we woke up this morning, wearing the wedding bands."

A small smile crept onto Ginny's face. "Aren't you skipping a few interesting details?"

Hermione waved her hand dismissively. "Nothing of importance, yet Harry had not exercised the spell, due to that, so he'll probably have to do it today."

Ron, who seemed oblivious to most of the talking, suddenly talked. "Are you two leaving me alone again?"

"Not quite alone. I'm sure that Lavender would gladly keep you company. She may even agree to go to that abandoned classroom, where I conjured the birds, so you can show her your own birdie," Hermione said sweetly. Although content with Harry, she was still a bit angry at how Ron had abandoned her for Lavender. He deserved some teasing, at least.

Ron's face turned as red as his hair, indicating that he understood her innuendo. This made Hermione laugh happily. She moved closer to Harry, who immediately hugged her shoulders, making her feel even happier. She was also content that neither Lavender nor Parvati were present. They would have pestered her and Harry to no end, had they heard the news. They would probably still do it, only later.

They were almost finished eating when the mail owls came. Hermione was not surprised to see an owl landing in front of her. She was surprised when a second landed, though, wondering why two. One was enough to bring the marriage confirmation.

She quickly untied the letters and gave each owl a bit of food, noticing that Harry was also doing the same, taking care of two owls. She then glanced at her letters. One, as expected, was her marriage confirmation. She quickly tucked it into her pocket. The second came from Gringotts, congratulating Lord and Lady Potter and awaiting their instructions. She wasn't too sure about what it meant, but tucked it in her pocket as well, to be contemplated later. She noticed that Harry did the same with his letters.

Ginny, who was sitting at her side, didn't seem to try and read the letters along with her. She only sat gloomily and stared at her empty plate. "It was the ministry's confirmation, wasn't it?"

Hermione turned at her. "How do you know?"

Ginny shrugged. "Whenever a couple gets married in whatever way, it is recorded at the ministry and letters are sent to both parties. You and Harry got these letters, I believe. What was the other?"

"Congratulations from Gringotts. Evidently, they either have some connection at the ministry or a similar detection system."

Hermione didn't like to see Ginny in that mood. Although they had competed for the same young man, she still considered Ginny her friend. "You know, Neville is turning into a very nice young man. I even considered him for myself, when I thought I couldn't get Harry. He's also kind and quite smart, and you could help him gain some more confidence. You may make a nice couple if you try."

Ginny lifted her head. "Do you really think so?"

Hermione smiled. "I really do. Just be aware of his current crush on Hannah Abbott. Act wisely, and he won't even notice her." She was showing more confidence than she really had, but it didn't bother her. Ginny seemed to know her way with boys much better than Hermione, not that it mattered any longer, now that she got Harry.

"Well, maybe you're right. I'll give it a try." Ginny seemed to regain her usual confidence. Hermione thought she was really a nice girl and she could help Neville tremendously, gaining herself a very good mate for life.

Just before leaving the great hall, a house elf popped in front of the group. "The headmaster asks Mr Potter and Ms Granger to come to his office."

Harry seemed confused, and Hermione knew that whenever the headmaster had summoned Harry before, he needed to go there alone. She wondered why she was also invited.

Harry looked apologetically at the rest of the group and then grabbed Hermione's hand and walked to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to that office.

They were soon seated in front of the headmaster. Hermione could see the pensieve that Harry had already told her about. She wondered if it would also be used during this meeting.

Dumbledore looked at them pensively. "I believe congratulations are in order," he finally said. "I've just got this letter, confirming the magical marriage of Lord Harry James Potter with Lady Hermione Jean Potter née Granger. As the letter doesn't say much beyond that fact, and as I wasn't invited to the wedding, care to tell me how and when that happened?"

Hermione didn't like the tone of his question, suggesting that they had an obligation to tell him, although she didn't really mind. She was too proud and happy to be Mrs Potter to keep it a secret. Most of it, that is. "We didn't have a wedding and we had no guests, if that's what you want to know. We just confirmed our love for each other, expressing our wish to be together for the rest of our lives. It looks like Magic did the rest because we woke up with these rings on our fingers."

She could see a twinkle in his eyes. "And you woke up in your dorms, of course," he added with a knowing smile.

"No. Hermione wanted to demonstrate some spells she'd found and we went to the Room of Requirements for that. It took much longer than we thought, so we stayed there for the night," Harry explained.

"I believe she managed to demonstrate all that she had in mind and much more than that," Dumbledore said, making both teens blush. "Well, whatever happened there made you eligible for a married couple's apartment. I've already instructed the house elves to make the best one ready, but it will take them most of the day since that apartment has not been in use for many generations. I hope you don't mind waiting until then."

"We don't mind. We can still spend some time with our friends," Hermione said, thinking mainly of Ginny.

"I thought you'd like to visit Gringotts first," Dumbledore said. "Didn't you get a letter from the bank?"

Harry took the letter out of his pocket. "I'm not sure I understand it, and we didn't yet have time to discuss any of these letters. Can you help us?"

The old man smiled. "I can only try." He took the Gringotts letter and read it over. "Basically, it asks you to take control of your possessions, as the marriage emancipated you, making you legally adult despite not being of age yet." He turned serious. "You should know that since you lost your parents, I became your magical guardian. I believe you may have a few complaints about the way I did that job. I can only say in my defence, that I'm burdened with too many jobs and too much responsibility to handle it all the way I'd like to. I would have been glad to pass most of this burden to others, but nobody was willing to really take it. Back to you, now. As your guardian, I also needed to handle your bank account. I tried to do my best, but I'm not sure it was the best possible. Now, that burden passes to you two. You may just let the Goblins handle most of it, as I did, or be more involved, possibly leading to larger profits or reaching other goals you may have. There's much more that I should have told you, Harry, but as we both had many other pressing concerns, I failed to do it. I believe the Goblins will tell you most of it, leaving only some less known details for me to tell."

Harry looked almost shocked by this, but Hermione held his hand comfortingly. This seemed to help him recuperate. Dumbledore turned to Hermione. "As for you, Lady Potter, I believe that you joining with Harry in marriage is a real blessing. I believe you shall both benefit largely from your union and I wish you a long and happy life together."

"Thank you, Headmaster," she said politely.

"So, I believe you could use the Floo from here to reach Gringotts. When you need to come back, just state 'Hogwarts, headmaster's office' as your destination. Don't you want to go there now?"

The teens were slightly surprised, but they accepted the offer, not wanting to spend much longer on the road or lose some studies. Well, Hermione didn't want to lose her studies.

They thanked the headmaster and left for the bank.