Harry and the Grangers took their time making their plans for a return to Britain. That is to say: the Grangers planned, and Harry occasionally added a thought. The near military attitude that the family took to the trip made Harry all the more aware of where Hermione had learnt it all. The timing was set up so that their visit would culminate in the wedding with the Grangers and the Potters leaving England's shores immediately after.
The Grangers would be returning to Australia for the time being. Neither family had come to a definite decision yet about whether they would be making a permanent return to England. They had decided that the Grangers would let their friends and family know that they had been kept under the auspices of the Protected Persons Service for the past several years. Both dentists felt that this would cover most of the gaps in their abrupt absence from so many lives. It would also allow them to claim that something was 'classified' if questions wandered to close to the magical world. After all the criminal they had been hidden from did still have followers at large and precautions must be taken.
Harry and Hermione would be departing on their honeymoon. The organisation for that trip was reluctantly released into Harry's hands under Richard's supervision and only after a pair of snickering parents had managed to convince Hermione that taking on too much at once would turn what was supposed to be an enjoyable day into a chore.
Given how little Harry was really given to do in the run up to the return to their homeland he was given time to think and time to plan. There were a few things that he wanted to make sure fell into place for the wedding. Things he knew Hermione would want but might overlook in the sheer press of what she seemed to want to organise. So, Harry plotted and worked out exactly what he was going to do at the first opportunity granted to him.
Eventually the Grangers and the Potters ended up flying back to Britain on a muggle airline, much the way Harry and Hermione had arrived on Australia's shores. They arrived a few days after Harry's twenty-fourth birthday. Harry had questioned if they really needed to be in England that far in advance and had been informed in no uncertain terms that it was in fact very necessary. Apparently, there were many appointments that needed to be made between the date of the wedding and the date of their arrival.
At hearing that barrage of reasons why they had to be in England, even if he wasn't exactly convinced, Harry decided that he'd just leave well enough alone. All this harried preparing seemed to be as much a part of Hermione's dream wedding as any of the rest of it.
:-:-:-:-:
The flight back to England had ended up causing Hermione no small amount of embarrassment that she was not going to be explaining in public. The flight attendants had turned out to be the same crew from the flight that had taken them to Australia two years earlier; and they had remembered her.
When Hermione had quietly admitted that the woman Harry was happily talking to was her mother the flight attendants'' eyes had gone wide. The service from then on had been impeccable once again, peppered with comments about how lucky she was that only confused Harry and her parents.
None of this stopped her from falling asleep on Harry's chest on purpose this time.
Back in England the family moved into Grimmauld Place which had been immaculately kept up by Kreacher. The wizened old elf had immediately insisted that he would do the catering for his Master and Mistress's wedding. Hermione had surprised herself by not raising even a token objection. It was abundantly clear that this task would make Kreacher ecstatically happy and she couldn't deny him that. The little voice in her head that murmured that having the reception taken care of like this would save a lot of effort was a little harder to justify.
There really was still enough organising to go around and Hermione and her mother waded into it eagerly. By contrast Harry and her father were content to let them get on with it, far less concerned with the minutiae of the whole thing. Hermione found herself simultaneously wishing that Harry would participate and knowing that this reluctance to work on the visual aspect of their wedding was an extension of a trait that she loved about him. Harry would never claim the limelight if he could help it, not even on his own wedding day.
For some things she had simply resorted to begging, cajoling and bribing him into participating. Visiting the church to make their reservations for example. Harry had been reluctant to go with her and had even offered that he would go alone. He hadn't relented on that point until he saw that it was hurting Hermione to think that he wouldn't want her there with him. Even so, he still insisted that it would then only be the two of them, solidifying Hermione's suspicions that something was amiss here.
In the end she agreed, reasoning to herself that she could always take her parents along for a visit later. Having reached this compromise with her fiancé she wanted to ring ahead only to be stopped by Harry.
"The church is open on Saturdays for anyone who feels a need to stop by and talk with the vicar. We can go then." he told her. Hermione hadn't realised that Harry knew the church's schedule like that. A part of her still wanted to get on the phone, convinced that it was only polite. A far stronger part was drawn into the mystery of it all. Damned if it didn't feel like she was back in school, following a messy-haired boy off the beaten path simply to find out where it might lead.
For the rest of the week after their discussion Harry avoided any and all mention of Godric's Hollow and its church which meant that on Saturday morning Hermione's curiosity had reached boiling point. She convinced her parents to just stay home that day, something her father was quite pleased with and which had led to her mother demanding promises of a long chat after they returned once Hermione had explained her reasons for the request.
The couple apparated up to Godric's Hollow where Hermione let Harry lead them to the church, so she could keep an eye on his reactions. Just outside of the gate to the church grounds Harry stopped.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, wondering whether she was about to learn what her fiancé was hiding from her or whether he was just stalling for time.
"Yeah... this is just going to be... awkward." The answer was less illuminating than Hermione had hoped for, but at least it gave her somewhere to start digging.
"Because of what we did to the vicar during the war?"
"... sort of." Hermione's next question stalled on her lips as Harry's shoulders squared and he opened the gate. Before he stepped through it his hand found Hermione's and gave it a squeeze. Deciding that getting into the church would be the fastest way to resolve her curiosity with Harry in this kind of mood Hermione gently pulled him through the gate and towards the open door of the church.
Inside they found a quiet atmosphere. The pews were currently empty and even the vicar was nowhere to be seen. Memories of the last time she had been here filled Hermione's mind. To think that we'll be repeating that seven years later; and on purpose this time. Hermione made her way up to the altar, dropping Harry's hand as he hung back. A part of her mind couldn't help but wander towards the future, trying to imagine what it would be like to walk this same path on her wedding day.
A creak of aging hinges drew her attention towards a spot just to the right of the altar. A small door opened and out came a man Hermione easily recognised as the vicar who had married her polyjuiced form to Harry's. Hermione couldn't keep herself from freezing up guiltily as she remembered how she had taken advantage of this man's kindness. A light breath of relief escaped her as his eyes roved over her without any particular reaction only to draw back in tensely when his eyes lit up with recognition for the only other person in the nave.
"Mr. Potter!" What?! How does he know Harry? And by his real name no less.
"Please, Father Gerald, you know you can call me Harry."
"Some respect is certainly in order after all you've done, young man." the clergyman disagreed happily. "What can I do for you today? If you're here to check up on us I can happily assure you that your last donation is far from spent?"
"Donation?" Hermione asked, her ever-present need to know overpowering her nervousness.
"Certainly, miss. Why Mr. Potter has donated generously to this church every year for the past six. Even if he had only come in that first time I would still remember him for the joy he has brought to so many!"
"Harry?" Hermione turned to find her fiancé looking incredibly sheepish. How on Earth did I forget that there's nothing Harry finds more awkward than accepting praise? The vicar spoke up when it became clear that Harry wasn't particularly eager to.
"Mr. Potter has given thousands of pounds to the church, specifying that it should be used for the benefit of couples who wish to get married, but are unable to pay for the necessary accoutrements." Father Gerald told Hermione, eagerly giving Harry the praise he would never take. Hermione knew at once that Harry had been fulfilling the promise that they had made as they left this church on a winter's night when they hadn't known if they would see another Christmas. She walked over to him and slipped her arms around his neck.
"You never cease to amaze me, Harry Potter." she murmured before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. As she drew back she blushed slightly, remembering where she was and how most men of the cloth would react to a display of public affection. When she looked at Father Gerald though, he seemed even happier than he had when he had first recognised Harry.
"Um, Father Gerald? I'd like you to meet Hermione Granger, my fiancée." Harry murmured abashedly.
"It does an old man's heart good to know that you have finally found that blessing you have given to so many others, my son." the vicar responded with a slight bow of his head.
"We were hoping that we could hold the wedding here and that you'd be able to marry us." Hermione asked tentatively.
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see the two of you before my altar. Just let me know when the joyous day is to be." the vicar beamed. Hermione could see that he really did mean what he said. I wonder if he would still be so happy if he knew what we'd done? Something in Hermione whispered that this man just might be able to smile at even someone who had stolen his very memories.
"We would like to get married on the 21st of December." Harry offered. The vicar did some quick maths in his head and nodded.
"A Tuesday. I will write it into the church's agenda. Did you have any particular wishes? Anything at all?"
"Hermione and her mother have been tackling the more practical aspects of this whole thing." Harry admitted with a small smile.
"You've helped." Hermione reminded him.
"A facilitator as you've ever been when it comes to weddings, I see." the vicar chortled. Hermione smiled as she realised that the man felt comfortable enough to risk teasing her friend. That Harry also managed a rueful smile told her more about how Harry felt about this church in the town of his birth. "Is there urgent wedding business to pull you away from here or can you perhaps spare a moment for a cup of tea with an old man?"
"That seems like excellent and important part of our preparations." Hermione agreed, eager to keep seeing Harry smiling and eager to know more about what he had done in reparation for their first visit to this place. The vicar briefly excused himself, inviting them to inspect the church at their leisure while made them all a pot of tea.
The conversation when Father Gerald returned focused almost exclusively on the wedding. When he asked the couple if there was a particular verse or sermon they were interested in hearing, Hermione was struck by a memory of the last ceremony she had attended here. She saw that same memory reflected in Harry's eyes and, with his blessing, conveyed their decision to the man who would preside over their ceremony.
:-:-:-:-:
Harry swallowed nervously as he made his way through the familiar warren of offices in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He didn't know what to think of the fact that Ron had apparently been moved to his old office, but it made him easy to find at least. Harry knocked on the office door, feeling more nervous than he ever had before speaking to his best mate.
"Come in." came Ron's slightly muffled voice from the other side of the door. Harry took his chance and stepped inside before his nerves had a chance to waver. He closed the door behind him and subtly cast Silencing and Repelling Charms on it so that they wouldn't be interrupted before he could say his piece to Ron. The redhead looked up from his paperwork and Harry saw Ron's face morph into a scowl. "Oh. It's you."
"How've you been, Ron?" Harry asked as he sat down across from the man he had once been closer to than any other.
"Nobody's run off and married my fiancé behind my back recently, so I suppose not so bad." Ron snipped.
"Good to hear." Harry said with a roll of his eyes. "Are you going bang that drum the whole time or are you willing to listen?" Ron was quiet for a while and Harry wasn't sure what the redhead might decide on.
"Fine. What is it you want?"
"I want us to work through this thing between us." Harry replied steadily.
"Yeah?" Ron's tone of voice was anything but encouraging.
"Yeah. You know that we didn't do it on purpose."
"I know" Ron grunted. "I still don't get how Hermione could have missed something like that when she usually knows everything about anything, but I know that this was an accident." Harry felt slightly wrong-footed by that statement.
"If you know all that then why are you still acting like we just got the Cannons banned from the league?" he asked in confusion.
"Because it still hurts, damn it! Whether you meant to or not, you took the woman I loved from me. That you weren't even trying only makes it worse." Ron's sentiment left Harry a little unsure of where to go from here. He had been expecting his best mate to either still be harbouring a grudge or to have calmed down. This mess of feelings that were apparently still swirling around Ron's head just confused Harry to no end.
"Look, I get that you were hurt that day, but so was Hermione. Her wedding was ruined just as much as yours was. Worse than that, her choice of who she would married was permanently taken away. You still have options at least."
"You two finally admitting that you're married then?" Ron asked rather than deal with the points Harry had raised. Harry decided that if Ron was going to react like this to everything he said anyway that a little bluntness might be in order.
"Sort of... that's kind of what led to me being here today. Hermione and I want to get married; while we actually know what's going on and it's our choice I mean. You've been our best friend for years and as far as I'm concerned you still are. It wouldn't feel right if you weren't there." Ron's scowl deepened as Harry spoke and he opened his mouth to say something, but Harry just barrelled on. He didn't want to give Ron a chance to blow up until after everything that needed to be said had been. "I get that it might be uncomfortable for you and your family, but I at least wanted you to find out from me before you heard whatever rumour this will eventually get turned into. I'm also willing to do whatever it takes to get you to come to the wedding."
"You think there's something you can do?" Ron snarled out.
"More like hoping. I was thinking that if we can somehow reconcile that it would be a nice wedding gift for Hermione." Ron blinked at that for a moment.
"She has no idea that you're here, does she?"
"No. She's out looking for a dress with Helen."
"Helen?" Ron's bitterness melted of his face for a moment as confusion took its place.
"Her mum, Ron."
"Wasn't she stuck in Australia without her memories?"
"We found a way to restore her memories." Harry explained. "She and Richard will be at the wedding too. They're not sure about moving back to Britain yet though."
"Richard's the dad?" Ron asked as if he was just making sure. Harry nodded. "Merlin, the two of you just can't stop doing the impossible, huh?"
"I'm actually happy that this one turned out as well as it did." Harry admitted. "Usually when we do the impossible it blows up in our face somehow." Ron let out an actual snort of amusement. "So, will you consider coming?"
"I-... I don't think so." Ron sounded a little uncomfortable. Harry felt the disappointment of that answer hit him pretty hard.
"And there's nothing I can do?"
"Is there any way you can make my best mate marrying my fiancé not awkward?" Harry opened his mouth, intending to respond, only to realise that he had no idea what he could say.
"I don't know." he reluctantly admitted.
"Yeah, didn't think so." Ron sighed. "Look, maybe we can put this to rest with some more time, but I don't think I'm ready to be all chummy with the two of you again; especially not at your wedding."
"That's better than you still being in a blind rage at us." Harry sighed. Progress might have been made here today, but it wasn't as much as he had hoped. He got up from Ron's desk and made his way over to the door. "If you change your mind: the wedding'll be on the winter solstice at the church in Godric's Hollow." Ron just grunted in response. "Well, whatever you decide, I hope we'll see you sometime soon. Maybe write us an owl or something. We can grab a beer." Another grunt. With another sigh, Harry pulled the door open and stepped out of the office. As it shut behind him he removed the spells he had applied upon entering and made his way back out of the Ministry. Popping into Grimmauld Place he flopped down on the couch. At least I won't have to feel guilty if I send the Weasleys invitations now. There's no way they won't know about the wedding by tonight.
:-:-:-:-:
Several months filled with the small and large headaches that were part and parcel of planning a wedding Harry stood in front of an altar and stared out over the gathered crowd. It was a considerable deal smaller than it had been for Hermione's last wedding. Neither of them had felt like inviting half the wizarding world, especially after how the majority had reacted to the news of their accidental marriage. The only ones present could be considered friends and family. As far as Harry was concerned Shack and Minerva couldn't help being Minister for Magic and Headmistress of Hogwarts and those titles had nothing to do with their invitations.
"Nervous?" Neville asked in a low voice. Harry shook his head absently.
"Not really." he admitted. "This feels... I don't know, right somehow."
"Which is pretty much what everyone's been telling the two of you for twelve years or more now." Neville chortled in response.
"Oh, get stuffed." Harry muttered without heat. He had lost track of how often someone had said something like that to him over the past year. He couldn't really claim that these people didn't have a point though. He and Hermione really had spent far too long denying what they meant to each other. As Harry's eyes roved over the assembled guests he noticed a large group coming in through the church's main doors. Most of the group had instantly recognisable red hair. Harry felt his breath catch as he realised that the Weasley clan really had shown up for his wedding. Without spending a lot of time thinking it over he made his way over to the newly arrived guests.
"You came." he breathed as he came close enough. The expressions on a few of the faces he saw were still a bit frosty, but at least most of them looked honestly happy.
"We couldn't bloody well stay away when our little brother is getting married to the woman he already married." George grinned.
"Language, George." Mrs. Weasley said stiffly. While she wasn't exhibiting any of the warmth Harry had seen from her up until Ron's failed wedding, she didn't correct George way of addressing him. At this point Harry was willing to take what he could.
"Sorry, Mum." George said, sounding anything but. "So, Harry, what made you finally come around? Another accident perhaps?" Bill swatted his brother upside the head.
"Ignore him, Harry." the eldest Weasley brother remarked easily. "I think he's trying to find a way to accidentally marry Angelina."
"If he is you just gave the game away." the former chaser said as she shook her head.
"It's just an extra challenge." George decided dismissively.
"That's enough, you lot." Mr. Weasley interrupted the comedy act before it could get too far out of hand. "We can talk to Harry after the ceremony. We should get to our seats, so we don't keep everybody waiting." The Weasleys and their various partners waved to Harry as they made their way towards some pews that were about halfway up the church. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny very carefully didn't look at him and Harry repressed a sigh at the thought that they still weren't ready to go back to the way things had been. He was surprised when Ron didn't immediately follow the rest of the family.
"This doesn't mean that everything's okay between us." the redhead said stubbornly as he looked at Harry. Harry just nodded carefully in response. He didn't want to cause a scene at his own wedding day after all.
"I'm just glad you came." he told his best mate.
"Yeah, well, I figured there wouldn't be a third time." Ron shrugged. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two men before Ron simply moved past Harry to join the rest of the family. It was far from a complete reconciliation, but if Ron was at least thinking that he'd regret not having been at their wedding then Harry didn't think that the day when the youngest Weasley son finally came to terms with everything that had happened was too far off; even if Ron wasn't willing to admit to it yet. Harry couldn't help but smile as he made his way back over to the altar.
"Should I be glad that no one got hexed?" Neville asked when Harry once again took up his position."
"I doubt it would have come to that." Harry disagreed. "They might not have been happy with what happened two and a half years ago, but they wouldn't have shown up today just to start a fight."
"I suppose not." Neville allowed. "Looked pretty awkward though."
"Only with a few of them."
"The ones who thought they were going to marry the two of you?"
"And Molly."
"Yeah, I could see that." The two friends fell silent for a moment. The sound of the door to the vestibule opening and shutting drew their attention to the vicar coming to stand at the altar with them.
"Are we all ready to go?" the old man asked with a smile.
"Just waiting on the bride." Harry confirmed. The vicar nodded.
"May I just say before we begin: it is an honour to have such a friend of the church stand here to speak his vows before God; especially one who has given that gift to so many others."
"There's nowhere we'd rather have had the ceremony." Harry assured the man while Neville was shooting him a questioning look. Before the conversation could continue the first strains of music floated through the church and the three men turned to look towards the doors. The first one to come in was a happily beaming Luna in a powder blue dress that made her hair shine like the moon for which she was named. As she took her position across from Harry and Neville the music swelled, and Hermione entered on her father's arm.
When they reached the altar, Richard leaned over and gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek before passing her hand to Harry's with a wink. Harry never noticed him sitting down next to Helen, too caught up in Hermione's eyes and the love he could see there to pay attention to anything else. He barely even remembered to turn to the vicar who was smiling broadly at the pair of them. Clearing his throat, the clergyman began his service.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger in holy matrimony. When I spoke with this couple of remarkable young people in preparation for today I asked them if there was a particular verse that they wished me to read. They humbled this man of God by stating unequivocally that they trusted me to find the words. Over the course of that conversation I became convinced that there is only one passage in the good book that does their love justice and I would read it to you now.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
As the vicar continued to speak Harry reflected that they really had made the right choice in letting him choose what to say. As surely as he had all those years ago during their hunt for the horcruxes the vicar had somehow found words that struck at the heart of who and what they were deeper than he could have possibly known.
Harry felt like the mentions of prophecy applied to him more specifically than most and Hermione's love had certainly been the most important thing in helping him overcome the one that had pitted him against Voldemort.
It would also be true to say that despite everything they had gone through leading up to the war they had still been children in a sense and that they had talked, thought and reasoned as children. In fact, Harry thought that he could make a convincing case for anything before he had finally realised that he loved Hermione as being part of his childhood. Certainly, if he could miss something so obvious then he was not qualified to be an adult yet.
The most poignant part though was how the vicar described love itself. If that was what love was then Harry was unsure how he and Hermione had ever thought their relationships with Ginny and Ron could have been love; especially when he compared them to what he now had with Hermione. Remembering the fights they had had with their partners before finding out that they were technically married, Harry was struck with the notion that those relationships had missed on every other count.
Both Ron and Ginny had always pushed for more in the relationship. Harry was sure that their mother was a major part of that, but the younger Weasleys had gone along with it. Both were kind at heart, but they had certainly boasted about their relationships to their friends and about themselves to their partners. Their pride had been wounded when Harry and Hermione's accidental marriage had come out and both siblings were easily given to fits of jealousy and anger, especially when they felt they were being overshadowed by their partner in some way.
There were also parts that Harry could in no way find himself in. He didn't think that either Weasley had 'dishonoured others'. As far as he was concerned the entire family were among the most honourable people he knew. Ron and Ginny could certainly hold a grudge though and he had sometimes felt that they were somehow keeping score in their relationships in a way that he simply didn't understand. Never in a million years would he say that his friends rejoiced in evil. They had stood against it firmly when the time came.
The last cadence of that summation had simply reminded him that 'always' didn't necessarily apply to his or Hermione's relationships with the Weasleys. He could admit to himself that his perspective might be coloured by the events of the last two or three years, but that didn't change that when he thought about how he and Hermione approached their relationship he felt like they could run down the checklist the vicar had laid out with ease. While some people might disagree, I'm starting to think that accidentally marrying Hermione may have been the greatest stroke of luck I've ever had.
A squeeze from Hermione's hand warned Harry that they were about to have to recite their vows to each other. As he turned to face his bride, Harry's gaze found hers. The understanding in those eyes was enough to convince him that Hermione had more than a vague idea about the thoughts that had just been running through his head. The idea that she might have been thinking along similar lines left an indelible smile on his face as he once again spoke his wedding vows to Hermione. This time he meant every last word of them and this time he wasn't surprised by the words the vicar used to close out the ceremony.
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Harry Potter smiled at Hermione Potter and leant forward to press a soft kiss to her lips. It reminded him of the first time they had kissed on that winter night in this church. Once again, he tried to convey that he would be there for her until the end of whatever came next. That 'what would come next' was the rest of their lives together was more than he could ever have hoped for. The sense of elation he felt at knowing that Hermione was his family and wanted to be made him want to check that he wasn't actually floating on air. When they drew back from each other Harry could only see Hermione's beaming face. She darted forward and pressed another kiss to his lips before whispering to him:
"We're supposed to leave the church now, love." Harry blinked, and the sound of thunderous applause came rushing into his awareness. He turned to see all the guests he had forgotten about on their feet, cheering and clapping for the newlyweds. The feeling of Hermione's hand slipping into his pulled him out of his surprise and spread his lips in an irrepressible smile. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Hermione's matching smile hadn't lessened a bit either. Together they stepped away from the altar and walked down the aisle past their celebrating friends.
Harry couldn't help but notice that even Ron was clapping for them and that his expression wasn't as cold as he had probably planned it to be. He really is coming around. We'll have to have him over for dinner when we get back from our honeymoon. The thought gave Harry a thrill of pleasure as he realised that he was thinking in terms of 'us' and 'we'. He finally, officially had a real family to call his own. That it was Hermione was more than he could have ever hoped for or dreamt of when an undersized, wild-haired little boy stepped onto a magical train and met a bossy, bushy-haired little girl.
As they stepped out into the snow Harry and Hermione found a dark green Ministry limousine waiting for them. A wizard standing next to one of the rear doors hurriedly opened it and saluted the Potters. Harry helped Hermione get in first and nodded at their chauffeur before following her in. The couple enjoyed the quiet and being cocooned for the world for a little bit. The drive didn't take long, certainly not as long as it should have to get them from Wales to London. When they pulled up next to number 12 Grimmauld Place Hermione stopped Harry from jumping out of the car before giving their driver a chance to open the door.
"He's probably nervous enough as it is being the driver at the Great Harry Potter's wedding." she told him with mirth dancing in her eyes.
"How do you know he's not freaking out about it being the Great Hermione Potter's wedding?" Harry asked in faux indignation. Hermione responded by dragging him into a heated kiss that they broke away from like nervous teenagers when they heard the door opening. Harry stepped out first, desperately hoping that his face didn't look like he was just coming out of a Hogwarts broom cupboard. He extended a hand to help Hermione out of consideration for the apparent difficulty of moving in a dress. They both gave courteous nods to the deeply bowing driver as they made their way up the steps to the front door of their home.
"Do you suppose that Neville and Luna got everyone portkeyed over here in time? I feel like that car ride was far too quick for them to have gotten everything organised."
"Don't worry so much. You've had all the actual organising done for months." Harry reassured his wife with a smile. "Relax a little, enjoy the day and let the rest of us worry about the rest of it. In fact,..." Without further warning Harry swept Hermione up into his arms.
"Harry! Put me down! What on earth's gotten into you?!" Hermione scolded as she wriggled in his grip.
"Just making sure we don't omit the details. I heard from your father that the groom is supposed to carry the bride over the threshold the first time they enter their house as a married couple." Hermione stopped struggling in response to that explanation to gape at Harry, making him feel like he had somehow won a victory.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"Don't you dare put me down." Hermione murmured as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. Harry just smiled down at the woman in his arms.
"I'm never letting you go again." he promised as he stepped past the doorway to the rest of their lives together.
The End
AN: Well, that's it for this one. I hope you enjoyed it, even with the hiatus.
The Protected Persons Service translates to Witness Protection Program in American.
As always: thank you for reading and I'll see you in the next one,
LeQuin