Harry ate dinner, looking over at Slytherin table where Daphne still looked annoyed.
She really didn't like having her picture taken, apparently. And could…. Put him, Ron and Hermione in Azkaban.
"Dennis" said Harry awkwardly. Dennis looked over. "Harry" he said, and smiled, not looking that happy.
"Dennis… Daphne really doesn't like having her picture taken. She doesn't want to be a public figure." said Harry.
Dennis frowned "But… Harry, the Prophet has said they'll pay eight galleons for a photo of you two".
"Eight?" asked Harry. 'Shame really, because she's really pretty' thought Harry. "Dennis… I'll give you eight, you give me the picture. Daphne's still cross." Harry jerked his head towards the Slytherin table. Dennis looked over.
Dennis nodded. Harry got up and walked over to the Slytherin table. Nobody was getting up and walking around. Daphne stared at Harry intently. Harry came close and bent down "I've talked to Dennis, the photographer. He'll give me the picture, it won't be in the Daily Prophet. Daphne blinked and smiled. "Thanks Harry" she said. Harry smiled, turned around and walked back to his table. She hadn't seemed like she'd been contemplating Azkaban for him.
-==0==-
Harry opened his trunk and immediately got out his money bag, counted out a pile of galleons, and went down a floor and paid Dennis off.
"What was that about" asked Ron. Harry explained.
"Eight galleons?" asked Ron. "But… that's a lot of money." said Ron.
"Uh… She was really upset" said Harry.
"She did look quite grumpy" admitted Ron "Still, witches. And she is a snotty cow."
Harry took a deep breath, held it and exhaled "Ron" said Harry "I'm really quite fond of Daphne. We um… have an understanding. We dated till the end of fifth year."
Ron's brows lowered. "End of fifth year… when did you start?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"Um… fourth year…. But we really um… last week of summer, I had a room in the Leaky Cauldron… and … we had a summer romance" said Harry hoping Ron would understand.
Ron looked up at Harry, stared him in the face "Harry" said Ron slowly "You're mental" he said.
Harry gave up trying to explain.
Daphne sat next to Harry at breakfast "Harry" she said, "Thank you."
Then Daphne started eating breakfast with Harry.
Charlie Weasley came along and said "Daphne isn't it?" he asked "Could you please go sit at the Slytherin table, so Aurora can give you your timetable." Daphne stood, nodded and went to the other table. Harry banished her plate into place, having it arrive just as she sat down. Daphne lifted fresh silverware and continued eating.
With that, Charlie handed Harry his timetable.
The morning was a triple free period, Care of Magical Creatures in the afternoon then free periods.
Daphne received her timetable and made a come-here gesture to Harry.
Harry crossed the hall and bent down.
"History of magic first. Are you taking it ?"
"I got a Troll in OWL history, so no," said Harry.
"Well I don't think Binns is any use at all. I can study in the library," said Daphne "Unless you've got a better suggestion?" she said quietly.
"The alcove on the way to History," said Harry, and set off for that very alcove, where he waited, pulling out his invisibility cloak
Quite a bit later, Daphne arrived, and Harry pulled her under the cloak. She gave a squeak.
"Shh" whispered Harry "Our feet show."
"Your fault, for being so tall." said Daphne.
Harry drew his wand, disillusioned himself and slipped out from under the cloak "Follow me" whispered Harry, and after the students had passed, cancelled his disillusionment and headed up the grand staircase, along the hall and to the painting of the fat lady.
"Caput Draconis" said Harry, with a wry smile. The portrait swing open and Harry stepped in and along, and waited, till someone poked his back, then Harry went on, down the passage, into the Gryffindor common room, up the stairs to the eighth year floor, and into his dorm room, and the door closed behind him. Harry went to his bed and got into it, and pulled one side of the curtains, and the ones at the foot of the bed. The mattress slumped, and Harry closed the curtains, and cast a silencing charm, then a few protective charms. He put his wand on the tiny shelf on the headboard and lay back. With a rustle of silk, Daphne appeared.
"My my" she said "A riot of red and gold. And here I am in your bed."
"Well" said Harry holding out an arm "Kisses?"
Daphne lay down and pecked Harry on the lips "Missed you" she said.
Harry kissed her back "Missed you too"
"I missed you more" said Daphne "Why, I just forgot to wear most of my underwear" she said, and unbuttoned her robe, and pulled it off, revealing slinky black knickers and a skimpy bra, full of bulging white breasts.
Harry started to kiss and feel Daphne up "Oh … and you're all over dressed" said Daphne.
Harry struggled energetically and stripped off, to have a half naked Daphne lie on his chest, and stroke his manhood "I wonder?" she said, "How many times before lunch?"
Harry reached over and undid Daphne's bra, and she wriggled out of it, and Harry started to suck and lick.
"Mmmm" she purred, and wriggled her knickers down.
Harry held her "What ever will you do?" he asked.
"Probably just sit on your lap" said Daphne, and she got astride Harry and lowered herself on, Harry holding her breasts. "Mmmm" said Harry. "Missed you" he said.
The answer was five. It was hard, sweaty work for both of them to find out.
Daphne cast some cleaning charms, slipped her underwear back on, dressed and knelt on the bed, Harry lay spent. "Get dressed" she said "It's nearly lunchtime."
Harry struggled into clothes and dragged his robes on.
"You're such a scruff" said Daphne, putting on the invisibility cloak. Harry opened the curtains and stepped out of the bed, heading to the bathroom.
He shut and locked the door and Daphne's head reappeared, tousled and flushed, and her hands appeared, and she cleaned her face, and applied foundation to cover her blushing cheeks, and a little lipstick, then combed her hair back to an orderly mane. She pinned back her hair, frowning "Lost some pins" she said. Harry reached for the invisible girl, and she shook her head "time for lunch. I've got a huge appetite."
"I noticed" said Harry drily.
Harry sauntered casually into the Great hall and sat at the Gryffindor table, starting to make a sandwich.
A discreet interval later, Daphne Greengrass walked into the Great hall and walked to the group of senior Slytherin girls, with a slight smile, and rather a swagger.
"Daphne" asked Tracey "Where have you been?"
"Oh, around" said Daphne, smiling, and starting to pick out some lunch.
Lily moon looked at Daphne's mellow appearance "Daphne's had her ashes raked" she observed.
"Thoroughly" said Daphne quietly with a smug smile.
By Saturday morning, even the thickest Slytherin males had worked out that Daphne Greengrass was seeing her boyfriend in free periods, or maybe evenings.
And on Sunday morning she sat next to him at the Gryffindor table.
"Granger, Weasley" said Daphne as she sat. "Neville" she said to Neville, who nodded.
What are you doing here?" asked Ron.
"I just like spending time with Harry" said Daphne. "We're marrying at Easter."
"Marrying at Easter?" asked Ron, looking a bit shocked.
"I did mention that Ron, Yeah. Married by the anniversary of the battle. Easters a convenient holiday" said Harry, arm around Daphne's waist, which was a sufficiently gratuitous bit of PDA to cause glares from witches and stares from the boys.
"Guys… knock it off" asked Harry "No staring at my witch."
"It's not like I'm naked" said Daphne, stretching gratuitously.
"I'd have noticed" quipped Harry.
"Are they going to be like this all year?" asked Ron.
"I expect they'll be worse once they're married" said Hermione grimly.
"I'm fond of Harry" said Daphne. "Have been since ninety-four, when I found out Harry Potter was a really great kisser."
"Ninety-four?" asked Hermione with a squeak.
"I lived in Diagon alley for a week before term" said Harry "It's not arithmancy."
Neville cleared his threat "Cousin" he said.
Daphne turned her head "Neville?"
"Please don't drop out of N.E.W.T.s pregnant. Great-Grandmother would go on so." said Neville.
"Neville!" said Daphne and blushed "Given the number of people who'd expressed similar sentiments then dosed us with the appropriate potions… You can rest assured that won't happen."
"Forge taught me a charm too" offered Harry.
"Harry are you implying you two had… under-age sex?" asked Hermione.
"Hermione, Let's not dwell on the past." said Harry.
"Haaary" asked Hermione "That… accident we had during the war…. Where Daphne was around… was that even an accident?"
Harry shrugged "I don't know what you mean. I thought… we could just move on."
Hermione dragged Harry into an unused classroom on the way out of Charms.
She cast several spells, then asked Harry "Harry, what the fuck is going on?"
"Daphne and I did snog before third year." said Harry.
"You never told me" said Hermione, folding up her arms.
"Didn't seem like something to tell a female friend. Do you want details of my sex life?" asked Harry, "I don't think I want to tell you!"
"Harry!" said Hermione "You never met Greengrass before, I'm sure of it. Why are you … just for sex?"
"We did actually date for years, She is even-tempered, pretty and rich. And a great kisser" said Harry.
"But you and she..." spluttered Hermione.
"Hermione, I am… a young man. She is a young woman. She's pretty enough, and could put us all in Azkaban if she got offside. And I'm lot less grumpy these days," said Harry.
"Oh my god. You're snogging her in a broom cupboard" exclaimed Hermione.
"In bed, using an invisibility cloak, actually. I suspect dad loaned it to mum in seventh year too" said Harry. "The family tradition of giving it to children makes more sense for teenagers who are dating."
Hermione went red in the face and waved her finger at Harry "Harry!" she said.
"Oh come on, you're shagging Ron." said Harry. "We just… like using a bed. It's comfy. The hard part is not just having her sleep over. It's great to just lie in bed… together."
"She's just using you" said Hermione.
"Oh I'm getting a fair trade for the using she wants" said Harry "If I'd known how great shagging was, I'd have cut classes from fifth year with her."
"You'd have been shagging Ginny, she would have been fifteen" said Hermione.
"If I'd been shagging Daphne in fifth year, we wouldn't have broken up." said Harry "She would have got me to just move to America or something. Shagging is brilliant."
Hermione blushed and turned her face away "Harry don't be crass" she said.
"Look you can disillusion and cast a silencing charm, you can use Ron's bed." said Harry "After we're married, obviously this will all be so much easier. I'm dying to wake up in the morning with her there, you know that."
"You really fancy her?" asked Hermione.
"She's less prickly than she looks" said Harry "It's mostly nerves. I don't get that roaring feeling in my chest if I see her with another bloke like I did with Ginny, but… she wouldn't ever do anything with another bloke."
"She loves you?" asked Hermione.
"I dunno" said Harry "She doesn't say, but she's quite shy about stuff."
"Apart from shagging you" snapped Hermione.
"Oh come on Hermione, we're engaged. And apparently every sixth year girl fancied me. Or almost every one."
"I certainly wouldn't have" said Hermione stiffly.
"Of course, big sister" said Harry. "That would have been more revolting than Pansy. Who apparently protested a bit much, according to Daphne."
"Bluik," Hermione said miming vomiting, "you manage to top my comments."
"Daphne says the oddest things" said Harry.
Ron's bed smelt of sex two days later.
Daphne cast an air-freshening charm on Ron's bed while still invisible.
Harry closed all the bed-curtains but one, and a dip formed on the mattress, and Harry went to bed again, closing the curtain, and starting to cast privacy charms.
Daphne took off Harry's silvery invisibility cloak.
"Cuddles" said Daphne.
"Cuddles?" asked Harry.
"My monthly has come." explained Daphne.
Harry looked a bit blank at that so Daphne explained, which had Harry overreacting and asking if she needed medical help.
"All I need is a cuddle and a good book," said Daphne.
Harry got 'Magics by A Lady,' out from under his pillow "Well, there's this?" Harry said.
Harry was put on cuddling duty while Daphne flicked through the book.
"Oh" said Daphne "That's interesting."
"Is it going to be fun?" asked Harry "The first page I read nearly put me off."
"It's not fun at all, but it could be very useful" said Daphne.
A minute later she'd transfigured one of Harry's socks into a goblet and started casting a spell… no doing a ritual. At the end, Daphne gasped, and the goblet was suddenly full of … blood and stuff.
Daphne transfigured the goblet into a bottle, of what looked a lot like blood.
"Harry, put that on your trunk." said Daphne "We can use it later to put up blood wards at our house." Harry gulped, and started getting out of bed.
Daphne put the invisibility cloak over herself at that juncture to be quite 'not visible' as Harry opened the curtains to his bed.
Harry climbed out of bed and put away the medicine-bottle sized bottle full of warm blood, getting back into bed, and re-casting the privacy charms
"Now Harry, the interesting thing is," said Daphne, taking off the cloak and unbuttoning her robe collar "I'm now Not on my monthly, so get naked. We're going to have sex, because we just learnt a sex magic ritual that will mean I can put up blood protections that will keep us very safe indeed at home."
"There were blood protections at my relatives house. Professor Dumbledore put them up" volunteered Harry.
Daphne grimaced "Ew. He must have used your mothers blood."
Harry, however took off his trousers, shirt and pants, and Daphne her underwear, and they had far more competent sex. Daphne lay on Harry wiggling.
"Well," said Daphne "This is turning into a great year."
Harry pulled his bed-covers up and lay snug with Daphne in his bed "I'm looking forward to having a room with you, dear," said Harry.
"Oh you," said Daphne, kissing Harry "You're so nice."
Harry's days were okay, and seventh year was interesting… and not terrible. And Daphne time was the best.
Halloween came, and Daphne arranged for Harry to have a quiet little meal in the kitchen, at a table with Harry.
Harry took several hugs and kisses back to bed with him that night.
Not that much later, the Christmas holidays came, and Harry took the train home, with, this time, just for once, Daphne sitting next to him, leaning against him, smelling like Daphne, keeping Harry's side warm. Ron and Hermione were doing something basically similar on the other seat, but with Crookshanks on Ron's lap. Harry wasn't entirely sure Crookshanks wasn't being malicious.
Daphne's sister Astoria came into the compartment and stood, looking at Harry and Daphne.
"Why Harry Potter?" she asked.
"I like Harry Potter" said Daphne "And don't be like that. Father's going to be bad enough at Yule."
"How did Sirius Black come back from the dead?" asked Astoria.
"It's a secret" said Harry. "And I can't tell you, like many things to do with the end of the war" he added.
Sirius was waiting on platform nine and three quarters, and Harry gave Daphne a quick polite hand squeeze and she smiled at him in a smug sort of way and went with her sister off to find her parents.
Harry took the hug from Sirius and was side-along apparated back to Grimmauld place, where Sirius gave Harry another hug, then said "Drop your things, we've got to get to Twilfitt and Tattings for some new clothes for you."
"New clothes? Asked Harry.
"Harry, this is your first dinner with Daphne's parents. You need to create a certain impression." said Sirius.
"Is this another weird pure-blood ceremonial thing? Asked Harry.
"Is'… a hideous historical throwback" admitted Sirius "You have to turn up in a high collared shirt and repeatedly pull at your collar all night. It's a ceremonial show that you give a damn about their opinion."
"But I don't," said Harry honestly.
"You're marrying Daphne, but her parents are part of the deal, and they'll be around for another hundred years at least. There are stories about times this sort of event goes wrong and you end up putting yourself at war with your mother and father-in-law for a century, and they are magical, so best case, childish immature prank wars and malicious practical jokes. Worst case, your mother-in-law turns you onto a newt. Knowing her family, she might pull out some blood magic and do Merlin knows what."
"Her what?" asked Harry, in shock.
"Your girlfriend's mum's family make the Blacks look like nice, law-abiding criminals," said Sirius. "The Bathory's of Hungary, before the statute, blood magic to er, reverse aging. They called her the blood countess. She was using human sacrifices. Funny coincidence, your mother-in-law's named after her."
Harry went pale and wobbled.
"She's not doing that stuff. Nobody's done it in centuries. Not with human sacrifices anyway. For a woman in her forties she certainly has… " said Sirius.
Harry mentally filled in …. nice tits.
"It's genetic, I think," said Harry's libido.
"So, we're getting the high collar, the tight shoes and the trousers that button up both sides." said Sirius "It might have stared out as some sort of joke, but it's a traditional thing these days."
Harry suffered through his fitting, and got changed back into comfortable clothes, and went back to Grimmauld place for a light tea, then dressed in the official 'visiting the prospective inlaws-for-the- first-time clothes' and went with Sirius to the fireplace, in the kitchen where Sirius gave Harry a last minute pep talk.
And to nick out to Diagon Alley to buy a box of Droobles gum "Trust me, you're gonna need it" said Sirius mysteriously.
"Cyrus likes to talk about his family. Erzabet will just want to see you're being kind to Daphne as she still thinks this is an arranged marriage" said Sirius.
"It is," protested Harry.
"An arranged marriage where you marry your first girlfriend hardly counts, Harry," said Sirius "Some people, in theory at least marry people they don't like."
"But, hexing, potions?" said Harry.
"And peoples' dad's saving face and pretending to be in charge of what their daughters do," said Sirius. "Courtship can be a bit drawn-out normally."
"Mum and dad got married straight out of Hogwarts though" said Harry.
"Well, yeah but that was just Lily and James in a love match. And Monty and Effie just wanted James to be happy, and Lily had decided, for some reason to fall in love with James." said Sirius "Sixth year, he asked her out, and she was all "Piss off Potter you toe-rag. Half way though seventh year, the new improved James, Head boy and enforcer of rules was asked to Hogsmeade by Lily to discuss prefect schedules. He came back dazed and groggy. I thought she'd just hit him around the head with a beaters bat, to start with. Then the snogging in the common room started, and well, barf barf, vomit vomit. Turned out she'd kissed him."
"Were they that bad?" asked Harry.
"Oh Lily Flower, how are you today?" simpered Sirus "Oh james, you are so deer to me." Sirius added in a falsetto. "Enough to make you sick."
"But you didn't have a girlfriend at the time?" asked Harry.
"Well, yeah, Marls." said Sirius sadly "Her whole family were wiped out first day back after NEWTs. Remus says I was drunk for a week. I don't remember."
"What was Marls's actual name?"
"Marlene McKinnon" said Sirius "Order of the Phoenix, of course, and tall and chestnut haired and this gorgeous Scottish accent, like McGonagall had somehow accidentally swallowed a whole packet of throat soothers."
"I'm sorry" said Harry. "I can't help with that."
"One of those funny things" said Sirius "I haven't ever mentioned her to you, but, I get this feeling that… maybe while I was dead… I snogged her rotten."
"Lets hope so," said Harry sniffing. "Come on, Let's go meet Daphne's parents properly."
"I can't say, Harry, how proud I am right now" said Sirius. His eyes glinted.
They flooed over to the Greengrasses, and Harry did not fall over. He stood up properly in a severely decorated hallway with wood panelling and windows. In a couch, facing the fire, Astoria sat up in a dress "Oh you're here. Dinner's not till eight, everyone's in the parlour."
She padded off in carpet slippers.
After Dinner, during which Harry needed little encouragement to pull at his too tight collar, Sirius stood up and said "I would like to say now, Prongs, I win. I bet you that I could get your first-born to turn up to his in-laws in a too-tight collar, tight shoes and stupid trousers with front buttons. As you're dead, I'll take the bet, one box of Droobles, from Harry here".
Red-faced with embarrassment Harry handed over the box of Droobles.
"Sirius, you are a monster" said Cyrus, not laughing, which Harry thought was quite nice of him.
"I need to go outside," said Harry tightly. Cyrus nodded and Harry left the room, and Daphne followed him out and led him out the back door, and Harry stood on the gravel under the back porch for a bit.
"He pranked me," said Harry. "Visiting your parents for the first time, and he pranked me."
"It's actually sweet," said Daphne, wrapping and arm around Harry "You're so eager to make a good impression, you'd do anything, and Sirius is honouring the life he had with your father by taking the Droobles. Do you have any left?"
"Only the one box" said Harry.
"That' s a shame," said Daphne "I could do with a good blow." she said huskily.
Harry groaned. "Please, don't torture me," he said.
"Oh, are you all tense?" asked Daphne "Your trouser buttons are really suggestive. Does the whole front come off?"
"Er yes" said Harry.
"Convenient," said Daphne "There's a small study under the stairs in the main hall, and the door locks from the inside."
"Er, I don't like rooms under the stairs. Thanks for the offer," said Harry. Daphne hugged Harry harder "Well, I would like a good hard snog too? Think you can manage that?"
Harry turned and wrapped both arms around her waist, and Daphne laced her hands around his neck, and kissed him with increasing force. Harry kissed back, and his hands sought out fasteners, and tickly bits of Daphne.
Some time later, Daphne patted Harry on the shoulder "Don't. I need to look less … " and she buttoned up her robe-front and did up Harry's shirt and too-tight jacket. And his trouser buttons.
"You should wear those trousers around home," said Daphne "I like how they open."
Harry used his handkerchief to tidy up Daphne's neck and face.
"Stop" said Daphne "What are you doing?"
"Smearing out the snog-marks in your makeup" said Harry. "Good thing it tastes okay."
"It's partly almond icing, it should," said Daphne.
"Definitely for your wedding, Miss Greengrass. I can lick it off Mrs Potter-Black." said Harry cheerfully.
"Ew, maybe I don't want my whole face licked."
"Kissed off then," said Harry.
"That could work for me." said Daphne. "I may insist on you kissing every inch of my skin, on the day, you know."
"As long as it's clean" said Harry.
"Ew!" said Daphne "You pervert. I didn't mean that."
"It's in the book" said Harry "Lots of cleaning spells and stuff."
"We've got all of the rest of our lives to do that, Harry Potter" said Daphne. "Don't rush me into things."
"Rush you into things?" asked Harry "Like what?"
"The filthy rituals in the back, for example" said Daphne.
"Well obviously not" said Harry, nodding.
"Why obviously?" asked Daphne "You think I couldn't do some of those things? I'm a witch, you get me in the mood and I can use you up. Tonight, for example, I'm going to have to go to bed and find my own happiness, using a silencing charm."
"You really love teasing me, don't you?" asked Harry.
"I won't tease you after we're married Harry. Well, not for long anyway." said Daphne "I will be able to go back to our rooms and sleep with my Harry. I am dying to wake up with you, you know that."
"Me too," said Harry, and he kissed her nose "Come on, my utter humiliation by Sirius has worn off."
"Harry. Rearrange your trouser snake" said Daphne "As you aren't interested in a quick, groaning furtive shag in the study under the stairs, you need to rearrange."
"I am going to die of embarrassment," grumbled Harry, rearranging his pants
-==0==-
Easter came, and Harry and Daphne took the portkey from the gates of Hogwarts to her parents house.
Sirius, dressed all in black and silver embroidery, came to the gate with Cyrus Greengrass, and led them to the house, and Harry to a room with formal robes laid out. Sirius's outfit made Cyrus's dress robes look quite… ordinary.
Harry got changed into ceremonial weird wedding robes. The underwear was covered in embroidered runes.
Sirius helped Harry slather his hair with Sleekeazey's till it behaved, and opened a box, and handed over new glasses, with faintly blue lenses and no frames.
Harry put them on and looked at himself in the mirror. The glasses looked incredibly expensive and exposed his eyebrows and cheekbones. He looked, Harry thought, like a bit of a toff.
"Check your teeth," said Sirius. "Photos afterwards, last thing you want is something on your teeth.
Harry went to the bathroom of the bedroom he was in and brushed his teeth, thinking about being married in a few hours. It seemed… a bit drastic, but, he thought, compared to the last battle, the very bad idea with the demon… it was a walk to the quidditch pitch. Harry tried smiling in the mirror. It looked dreadfully fake, and Harry was struck by the panicky thought that he'd forgotten how to smile.
He wiped his lips and went back to the room where Sirius had got out some jewellery boxes.
"Got some stuff you can wear if you want," said Sirius offhandedly, opening a ring box. In the box sat a golden signet ring with three black gems in the shape or ravens across the face.
"Official heir of the house of black" said Sirius. "You don't have to if you don't want to – nobody really does this stuff any more."
Sirius opened a small ring-box, and inside was a funny looking tiny golden signet ring with no markings on the face. "James had one like this" said Sirius "I got it remade from my memories."
"There's nothing on it" said Harry.
"James said… it was a family thing. His dad said… said…" Sirius teared up. "Said it was a family thing that they made their own legacy. What a man did, not what his ancestors had done."
"Sounds a bit profound," said Harry, sniffing, wishing his mum and dad hadn't died.
"I thought it sounded a bit simple," said Sirius "So after your dad's wedding I looked up the family wedding portraits at the old Potter house, going back hundred of years. I remembered seeing it in the oldest painting at your grandparents house. Originally it had a dirty great triangle or something on the front, and someone had it filed off."
Harry was reminded for a second of The Stone, with the mark of the Hallows on it. A coincidence. Just a coincidence. And Harry certainly understood that after Grindelwald, people might stop advertising that family tree connection. Or you'd file it off…
"You all right?" asked Sirius "you zoned out a bit there."
"Thinking," said Harry, putting the plain signet ring on.
Sirius opened a bigger box, and a huge wristwatch, .covered in hands sat there glittering.
"It's a traditional seventeenth birthday gift," said Sirius. "I know it's a bit late."
"I've got a watch, Sirius," said Harry.
"This one can tell the time, and also tell people you can afford a Swiss made magical watch." said Sirius. "The bezel-ring of the watch can cut ropes. Might come in handy, or not. I don't know how kinky your Daphne is."
Harry put the watch on, and it looked… bloody pretentious and, Harry admitted to himself, really cool.
Harry looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked… dressed up and a bit… rich.
"I look like a rich prat," said Harry.
"Good," said Sirius. "You actually are rich, and your wife's extended family need to see this. See you at the fountain."
"What?" asked Harry.
"Got to get ready." said Sirius "I'm going to look like the bloody head of the Blacks, and frighten the peasants a bit."
"Frighten the peasants?" asked Harry.
"This is how I'm dressed to the reception," said Sirius "I've got bling to pick up. Head on down to the fountain, try to look heroic."
Harry shot Sirius an annoyed look.
"Oh. New glasses make that really pop," said Sirius "Course, knowing how heroic you are helps. Don't worry if you look nervous, you're a bride-groom at your wedding, it's expected."
Harry walked downstairs slowly, the wedding robes were really heavy.
He was discreetly pointed at the back terrace where the fountain Daphne wanted to get married at was. Someone had silenced the fountain, so the water poured and jetted but only made a faint hiss.
There was, Harry realised, a large area of seating behind the fountain, slowly filling up. Harry recognised the faces on the left side. Ron and Hermione, the rest of the Weasleys… The DA, Neville, even, surprisingly Seamus Finnegan sitting near the back looking awkward, sitting next to an older woman. Seamus's mum had come. Harry tried not to laugh. She'd not been a fan.
The right side filled up slowly. Astoria sat in the front row, with an older couple that had to be some sort of grandparents. The rows behind were slowly filling up.
An elderly witch in robes that made a gradient from purple to red walked out of the house and stood in the middle by the fountain, a pink ribbon wrapped around her arm. She looked vaguely official, thought Harry.
"Hello," said Harry.
"Once your in-laws have arrived, we'll send word for your bride to arrive, Mister Potter," she said.
The right side filled up, and Harry wondered if he was seeing things, as one of the people a couple of rows back looked like a Yaxley; not one that fought, but… from the ministry.
The crowd hushed and Harry resisted the urge to turn to see who'd come out of the house.
Harry felt as much as saw Sirius stop next to him. And smelt that cologne of Sirius's. Harry looked over, and Sirius was standing in the black and silver robes, wearing rather sternly, a silver circlet on his hair, which met in two curls in the front of his head. He was also carrying, or leaning on a black wooden cane, covered in runes.
"A bit of bling," said Harry quietly.
"Eight rings too," said Sirius quietly. "I can hardly close my hands."
"Crown?" asked Harry.
"Circlet. Great-to the tenth grandfather wore it for his wedding. There's a suspicion it's actually cursed and great to the eleventh grandfather or mother used it to make him behave on the day."
"And you're promising to," said Harry quietly.
"Symbolically," Sirius agreed.
The last few people arrived on the Greengrass side, and the witch in charge nodded to Harry, and a trumpet rang out, and Harry turned. For the house, strode a couple of Daphne's friends in dress robes with wreaths of flowers in their hair. Behind them, came Cyrus, looking calm, and next to him. Daphne, with a diadem in her hair, and wearing robes of green and white, sort of… a gradient, Harry supposed, and beside her, her mother, wearing flowers in her hair, and a mostly green robe, and a very… proud expression.
"The one without the flowers is yours," said Sirius quietly.
Daphne and her parents stopped beside Harry, and left Daphne, and Sirius sat down on the left side too, leaving Harry and Daphne alone by the official.
There was a speech, and Harry gave up trying to understand, staring into Daphne's eyes, which, by some sorcery were even more Daphne-like than usual.
Finally, the official said "With this band I bind Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass together in love.", and Daphne held out her hand, and after a slight mistake, they laced their fingers together, and the official wound the ribbon around Harry's and Daphne's hands and wrists. The ribbon had gold tassels on the ends.
"What was two is now one" said the elderly witch, and she tapped the ribbon with her wand, and Harry felt the strangest feeling, like his whole body was holding Daphne, but he was definitely still clothed. Harry looked at the… missing ribbon. On his hand, his ring finger was a golden ring.
"Daphne and Harry are married now, under the sky, over the earth, beside the water, together forever." said the official.
"We kiss now," whispered Daphne, and Harry leaned over, and they kissed fairly chastely.
"She didn't say our full names," whispered Harry, as they were turned to face the audience, hands held high.
"I'm not having that said in public," said Daphne quietly.
"Yes, dear," said Harry, and the official snorted.
"Come on, I'm dying to sit down," said the official, and she waved Daphne's maids over, and they pulled a lace cloak from somewhere, and hooked it around Daphne's collar, and Daphne set off. The cloak, Harry realised, was so long, her friends were there to carry the end of it.
As they walked to their wedding feast, Harry asked "Doesn't the groom usually have best men?"
"You don't need help," said Daphne. "Besides, the whole of your side of the seating would help you."
Harry looked back at Tracey and Lily, struggling with the end of the immense cloak. "How long is that anyways?" Harry asked.
"Two feet longer then the Princess of Wales's one," said Daphne. "And mine comes off for dancing and sitting down."
Harry helped his wife sit, and sat. The dining room filled up quickly.
"Everyone's keen for free food," said Daphne quietly.
Sirius sat down beside him, and Daphne's parents did beside her as well.
"Sirius, did you really have to wear a crown?" asked Cyrus.
"Ancient and Noble house of Black, old bean," said Sirius "It's a family tradition to wear it."
Daphne patted Harry's hand.
Harry ate something, he was pretty sure, and danced and ate cake, and went to get changed.
They descended the staircase and met in the front hall of Daphne's parents house, in casual clothes, the hallway was packed with well-wishers.
Tracey handed Daphne a small suitcase, which Daphne pushed into a space-expanded pocket in her dress. Ron got shoved by someone, and walked out and handed Harry an equally small suitcase, which Daphne took and pocketed.
Cyrus very ceremonially handed Harry a silvery baked-bean tin, the lid bent up, on a string.
"The activation is "Just Married" said Cyrus, and Daphne held the string "See you in a week" said Harry, "Just Married!" and Harry felt a dreadful hooking sensation behind his navel again, and they spun off, through a swirling, pinwheeling coloured tube, to land, a lot later, on a gravel courtyard, in front of greyish coloured sort of castle-thingy, with little turrets like upside-down ice-cream cones, all the windows flanked by blue-painted shutters.
The air was warm and the scent of rosemary filled the air, and as Harry got up, and helped Daphne up, he could hear bees and birds in the distance.