Chapter 11 - Chapter 11

They stepped out of the floo from King's Cross Station into the common room of the Leaky Cauldron and waved to the barman as they made their way to the entrance of Diagon Alley. Hermione slipped her hand into his while they waited for the wall to move out of the way. Harry flashed a smile at her but her return smile was too brief, a press of her lips together while her eyes were elsewhere even though they looked at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked her once they were in the alley and headed for Gringott's.

"Nothing."

Harry looked into her eyes, and she blushed faintly. Her face said she had understood what he'd said without words.

They continued toward the bank, still hand in hand. As they passed Fortescue's, Hermione stopped and pulled on his hand with 'stop and talk to me' pressure.

"I just..." She started, "It's... What if you're actually really rich and important?" She looked up at him with trepidation in her eyes. "I..." She blinked tears away, "I was really looking forward to just us, just our little family alone in the forest... at least for a little while." She finished in a small voice.

He kissed her forehead. "You think any kind of responsibility they dump on me - on us - in there is going to change that?"

"What if it does though? What if your parents were really important people and you have to accept the responsibility because others will abuse it if you don't? Don't give me that look either, we both know what your sense of honour is like."

Harry quirked one corner of his mouth and grimaced to acknowledge that she was right. He smiled back at her and sighed.

"Then I have the most brilliant witch in history to help me choose someone trustworthy to look after things while I'm away with her. Even if the responsibility belongs to me, I don't have the education to accomplish it properly. I'll have to learn to do that, but... if the cost of doing so is you, then it's too high. We'll figure something out. You're right, Hermione, I do suffer from wanting to do the right thing, but what's in that bank - even if it is a boatload of responsibility - it doesn't belong to me. It belonged to my parents. It belonged to the person I was supposed to be. Not to me. If Britain is clamoring for who I was supposed to be, then someone - anyone - should have made bloody sure I didn't get raised by Mother."

Hermione nodded at that and breathed easier. "It just worried me when I thought of it on the train. I don't... I've seen other girls at school get too close to boys. They start to pin all their hopes on the boy and plan out their futures together, only to get dumped because of it. I don't want to be like that. We're still new, you and me - us, but It's wonderful and I don't want it to end. You've reassured me several times and I thank you for that, I genuinely do, but..."

"But you want something you can count on. Something that won't go away. I feel the same, Hermione. It has only been a few months, but I can't imagine a future without you. I don't want to. I'm just as afraid of losing you." He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "No matter what happens in that bank Hermione, you will not stop being fascinating to me. Nothing will change my desire to wrap myself in you. Only you can stop that, and you won't. At least, I hope to Clutch you won't."

Hermione relaxed finally and squeezed him. "Good. Let's get this over with then and we can get back to wrapping." She pecked him on the lips and strode toward the bank. Harry hurried to catch up to her, and slipped his hand into hers.

The tellers recognized him when he entered the queue, and when he - and Hermione, a split second later - bowed to the teller in front of them, there was no trace of snark or disapproval.

"Good afternoon." The teller said. "Please follow Hackgrip, he'll take you to Manager Kneescythe."

"Thank you." Harry said, then pressed his lips together and did his best to raise his ears. The teller repeated the gesture, and then they followed Hackgrip to Kneescythe's office. Only after Hackgrip had gone and the office door closed did Kneescythe greet them.

"Lord and Lady Potter," He bowed, "Welcome, it is my pleasure to receive you."

"It is our pleasure to visit you again." Harry bowed as well, again followed by Hermione a split second later.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable." Kneescythe said, "Lady Potter, it is a particular pleasure to meet you finally. It is not often I meet someone chosen by magic itself. You are most welcome."

"Thank you, manager Kneescythe, it is a pleasure to finally meet you as well." Hermione smiled without showing teeth. "I don't mean to offend, but I am not at all accustomed to formality, so could we dispense with it and get to the good part?"

Kneescythe chuckled. "I would be delighted to, Lady Potter."

"It's Hermione, please. We might be Lord and Lady now, but I don't think it will ever be comfortable for either of us."

Harry smiled at her and nodded. "Too true."

"Very well then." Kneescythe nodded. "Harry and Hermione. Where would you like to start today?"

"Could we start with the rings please?" Harry asked quickly.

Kneescythe gave Harry a knowing smile and took the ring box from his desk drawer to deposit it on the desk in front of them.

"That's lovely." Hermione whispered.

Harry made his Heir ring visible and pressed it to the indentation on the front of the box. There was a sharp click as the box unlocked, and Harry flipped the lid open. The Lord and Lady rings were there just as he'd seen them before, still gold and ruby. He slipped his Heir ring from his finger and placed it back into its spot in the box, then handed the Lord's ring to Hermione while he took the Lady's ring from the box.

"Just so you know, I want to give you a proper wedding when we don't have to hide anymore." He looked into her eyes.

"I don't need it, Harry. This is fine."

"It's fine while we have to hide. That will change." He said firmly.

"We might have more than ten people to invite by then." She smiled at him, and slipped the Lord's ring onto his left ring finger.

"And, you know... somewhere to hold it." He smiled back at her and slipped the Lady's ring onto her left ring finger.

Both rings, once in place, changed from gold to a bright white, reflective metal adorned with tiny scales, and the rubies lightened into Aquamarine.

"It's beautiful." Hermione sighed. She held her left hand up and admired her wedding ring in the light.

"And so appropriate. Fawkes is going to get a kick out of it." Harry smiled.

"Would you like the accounts ledger or assets ledger first?" Kneescythe asked as he put the ring box back where he'd retrieved it from.

"Assets, please." Harry replied. "Properties and homes would be in the assets one, right?"

Kneescythe nodded. "Correct." He handed Harry the Assets ledger.

"I'll look at the accounts then, since I have more experience dealing with accounting." Hermione said, and took the Accounts ledger from Kneescythe.

"More things your parents 'let you discover' on your own?" Harry asked with a sidelong glance at Hermione.

"Yes, but one of the things I didn't really mind, since controlling my own money meant being closer to getting away."

"I guess today's that day then." Harry grinned.

Hermione brightened. "I guess it is." She bent her head to the Accounts ledger. Harry ran his finger down the table of contents in the Assets ledger, and flipped to the properties section.

Potter Glen, West Sussex: Complement 4 (Familial Seat)

Potter Cottage, Lancaster: Complement 1

Unnamed Cottage, Godric's Hollow, Somerset: Complement 0

Plage de Potter, Marseilles, France: Complement 2

Gaunt Residence, Little Hangleton. Complement: 0

Riddle House, Little Hangleton. Complement: 0

"Well, we have a place to live, at any rate." Harry said. "

"And we won't be going hungry... ever." Hermione told him in a small voice.

"How bad is it?" He asked her.

"Millions." She said. "And growing."

Harry just stared at her.

"It will probably take some time to fully come to grips with your diversified holdings, but we have a great many years ahead of us for that. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate." Kneescythe told them.

"Uh." Harry said as he snapped out of his vision of sleeping atop a mountain of gold. "Right. Okay... Immediate concerns - what are the responsibilities that come with this? With the Lord and Lady rings?"

"Until you reach the age of twenty-one, very little. However, I would recommend taking the time between now and then to learn the ins and outs of the Wizengamot, as at twenty-one you will be expected to take up your seats on it." Kneescythe said.

"And if we don't?" Harry asked.

"Then you will forfeit your ability to affect change, unless you appoint a proxy you can trust. Even then, wizards attempt to bypass fair voting on a regular basis. If you don't appoint a proxy, then it's likely the Ministry will simply annex your seats and use them for their own purposes."

"Well, at least we have some time. What do you think? Not too terrible?" Harry looked at Hermione.

She shook her head. "Not too terrible. We'll be finished most of seventh year by the end of this one. With revision for O.W.L.s next year, we could easily study that in our spare time and be ready for it by the time we graduate in addition to studying for our first Mastery. It works out pretty well, actually."

"And gives us something to read and talk about while we're snowed in."

They grinned at each other.

"Uh, sorry Kneescythe." Harry snapped out of his grin. "I meant to ask if it's appropriate to show affection during business meetings? We wouldn't want to offend you."

Kneescythe chuckled. "In Goblin society, yes I would say it is somewhat inappropriate, but only insofar as it could be construed as weakness. After your previous display in this very office, I daresay that's not anything you should be worried about."

"And in Wizard society, I'd laugh at anyone calling my Harry weak. Right before I hexed them back to the stone age." Hermione affirmed.

"You could probably just slap them that far too. She's... like me." Harry explained to Kneescythe.

Kneescythe's eyes widened. "There are two of you?!"

"I speak. I breathe. I fly." Hermione said with a smile at Harry.

"It is a great honour to make your acquaintance, Lady Potter. Forgive my lack of understanding." Kneescythe bowed to her.

"Still just Hermione, if you please." She said amicably.

"Thank you, Lady Hermione." Kneescythe re-seated himself.

"Which of these properties do you recommend?" Harry asked. "I mean, I'd choose this Potter Glen if there's nothing wrong with any of them."

"I would recommend Potter Glen. Potter Glen, Potter Cottage, and Plage de Potter are all viable properties. Your property at Godric's Hollow is both unlivable and somewhat appropriated by the Ministry of Magic. I would very much recommend against the Gaunt Residence and Riddle House." Kneescythe explained.

"Appropriated by the Ministry how?" Hermione frowned.

"It was turned into some sort of monument, I believe. It has been exposed to the elements for thirteen years, and as a result is quite unlivable."

"One more thing we'll have to research. I'm almost positive they can't just take your property like that." Hermione said.

"As long as we have one place to live, we can look into that later." He replied, then turned to Kneescythe. "What about these other two? Why not them?"

"The Gaunt Residence is nothing more than a tiny shack, and Riddle House is the subject of several liens. They were both already in disrepair when you won them."

"When I won them? I don't remember winning any contest for two disrepaired properties." Harry frowned. 

Kneescythe pressed his lips and raised his ears. "They belonged to the wizard who called himself Lord Voldemort. They ceded to you when you destroyed him in nineteen eighty-one."

Harry looked at Hermione, both eyebrows raised.

"So because he killed Voldemort, Harry keeps all his properties?" She asked.

Kneescythe nodded. "Wages of Battle is one of Magical Britain's oldest laws. It is hardly ever invoked, as it is only valid when the vanquished is left without a viable male heir. It is also why no sane wizard would engage in a life and death duel without at least one heir. All Voldemort's assets transferred to you in nineteen eighty-one."

"We... are going to have to seriously brush up on these laws." Harry sighed. "I suppose we'll look at that while we're researching the legality of the Godric's Hollow property."

"We'll have time while we're at the Ministry. I'd be interested to have a look at the laws concerning Hogwarts as well." Hermione gave him an encouraging smile. Harry held her hand and smiled back in thanks.

"I guess the next concern is how do we get to Potter Glen? Is it on a map? Do you have a picture or something we could see?" Harry asked.

"No need." Kneescythe waved a hand. "Your rings, in addition to other functions, are permanent Portkeys to the Familial Seat. You can always go home."

"So we just click our heels together and say there's no place like home?" Harry raised his eyebrows.

Hermione bit back a giggle.

"I believe the specific phrase is 'Portkey Home Now.'" Kneescythe corrected.

"Thanks for that." Harry grinned.

"Are there copies of these ledgers we could take with us to study?' Hermione asked Kneescythe.

"There are functional duplicates at Potter Glen already. I believe your father kept them in the study."

"Brilliant, thank you Kneescythe. No doubt we'll have more questions after we familiarize ourselves with things. Was there anything else important for today?"

"Would you like to visit your vaults?" Kneescythe asked.

"Actually, that's probably a good idea. It wouldn't hurt to top up the coinpouch you gave me, since there are several shopping days before Christmas and Yule Ball."

"The coinpouch is not really relevant anymore," Kneescythe said, "Your Lord and Lady's rings will be sufficient to transfer funds for any purchases you make in Magical areas. If you visit again tomorrow or thereafter I'll have muggle credit and debit cards for you as well."

"Brilliant." Hermione smiled. "Thank you for everything, Kneescythe."

They returned the Accounts and Assets ledgers to the desk, then stood and bowed to Kneescythe.

"May your gold flow in mighty rivers," Harry said,

"Like the blood of your enemies." Hermione finished.

Kneescythe smiled at them, pressed lips and raised ears. "Dominion and Long Life." He said.

They waited until they were out of the bank and out of view of the goblins on guard to wrap their arms around each other.

"I'm so relieved." Hermione said with her face buried in his neck.

"Me too." Harry kissed her cheek.

"We'll have to study laws and politics starting next year, but we can handle that. We could switch our study group to that. I could see Neville joining, but not many others."

"As long as we get enough fly and cuddle time, I'm all for it."

"I keep wanting to pinch myself to see if I'm dreaming, but this is real. This is my actual life. Thank you so much, Harry." She whispered.

Harry pulled away to look into her now-wet eyes. "I want you to make me a promise." He said with a steely look in his eye and a sense of gravity in his voice.

She looked up at him, and suddenly she was back at the banquet table in the Great Hall being addressed by a larger-than-life hero who forced her bully to apologize. Her heart thumped hard against her ribs and her stomach did flip-flops. "Anything."

"It's going to seem frivolous, but I'm serious. This is the only Yule Ball we are ever going to have, so when you two go shopping for dresses and such, no holding back because you think something is too expensive. Go nuts and don't worry about the money. We didn't earn it, it doesn't seem real, but it apparently belongs to us regardless. If we don't use it to make brilliant memories, then it's no use at all. Buy Luna's outfit too. Call it a Christmas gift from us if you have to. I want you to have the best time, without worrying about anything."

How many boys would think about her enjoyment at all, let alone first? She knew she could answer her own question on one finger.

"Alright, but on one condition." She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him softly, a kiss rife with feeling and promise. "You do the same. I want you to get something that will make you feel as good as you look in it."

Harry grinned at her. "That was my plan."

She kissed him again. "Good plan." She smiled.

He bent and kissed her with purpose then. There was no other way to describe it. She had felt his ardent kiss, his hungry sexual kiss. She had felt his tender, caring kiss. She had even felt his fun, exuberant kiss, but this - this kiss claimed her. This kiss told her in no uncertain terms that he desired the rest of her life and meant for it to be spent with him. It told her so that she knew down to her bones that he wanted her. Not for fun, not to do his homework, not for a little while. It touched the abandoned, neglected little girl inside her and told her everything was going to be okay. Her heart clenched as she kissed him and unbidden tears rolled from her cheeks.

He noticed, and cupped her face in his hands. "I'm sorry Hermione, did I hurt you?" He smoothed her tears away with his thumbs while his brow furrowed.

She smiled through the tears, but they wouldn't stop coming. "Just the opposite."

"That's good?" His eyebrows reversed direction toward his hairline.

She smiled and kissed him again. "That's good. Kiss me like that again. A lot."

He grinned at her. "That would be my absolute pleasure."

"Not now though, I'd rather not keep crying in public." She kissed him tenderly and then wiped her face with her sleeve. She interlaced her left hand fingers with his left hand fingers, and held on tightly. "I think we should Portkey Home Now."

Magic yanked at them, and the world around them spun into a multicolored blur. Seconds later, they felt the ground under them become solid and the spinning stopped.

They were in a garden, next to a circular stone fountain. All around them flowers bloomed and tiny trees bore fruit. The sun shone down on them warmly enough to make their jackets seem excessive. Beyond the garden rose a manor house, stately and imposing. It was stone, but the ivy growing up parts of it gave it a cozy, welcoming feel.

"This can't be real." Hermione breathed.

Around them, four CRACKs happened almost simultaneously. Four house elves appeared, and one of them stepped forward.

"Master and Mistress are home at last!" He said with a huge grin, "Brolly bes so happy to finally meet you! How wes can serve?"

"Sorry, I don't let anyone serve me." Harry said with a frown, "But I would love some new friends."

"Brolly not bes understanding the difference?" The Elf looked suddenly nervous.

"Well... why don't we all take a walk then? You can show us around the place, and we can talk about how being a friend is different than being a servant. Sound good?" Harry asked, then looked to Hermione, who smiled and nodded back to him.

Brolly and the others nodded vigorously, and began with a description of the gardens.

They appeared soundlessly in the very spot Harry had Apparated to as a child. Hermione took in the ravine, the crags on the opposite side, and the beautiful, barren sweep of the valley through the highlands. The scent of wildgrass was everywhere. It smelled like Harry.

Harry just watched her as the wind tugged at her hair and made her squint.

"It's pretty." Hermione said as she took it all in. "Pretty and cold."

Harry pointed at her feet. "Right there."

"Where? What? What is it?" She backed up and spun around trying to see what he was pointing at. "Is it on me? Is it a bug? Get it off!"

Harry laughed and caught her in a hug. "No, no bugs. You can relax." He looked down at the ground. "That's the spot Mother found me." He said as he let her go again.

"Oh! Really, right here? Merlin, Harry, how the hell did you get here by yourself?!"

"Don't know that I did. Could've been brought and left for all I know." He said with a smile.

"Oh Harry, that's horrible..." She shoved his arms out of her way and wrapped herself around him again.

"Ancient history now, though. From what we learned of Mum and Dad from Nan and Grandad's portrait, I can't believe it was anyone they knew. Far as I'm concerned the question is still open." He kissed her forehead. "Somebody out there knows what happened, but honestly I'm not sure I care anymore. It's not like it will actually be relevant to who I am or the life we have in front of us."

"In some small way maybe. It won't change who you are. At least, I hope not."

Harry smiled as he shook his head. "Come on, Mother's just over there."

"Over where?" Hermione looked around at the lonely crags of rock in the direction he looked.

"Come on." He smiled, and began to Resonate. He lifted into the air and held his hand out to her.

She smiled back at him and Resonated as well, then lifted into the air and took his hand. She saw the Nest when they were high enough, and followed him down into it. They landed in the center of the nest and waited.

She knew Mother was a dragon. She'd even seen a model Harry had made of her twice. As she looked upon Mother's recumbent form curled atop her hoard... Hermione felt very small. Icy shivers of fear raced through her, even though she knew she would be safe.

"You have never brought me pinkskin for breakfast before, my Young. It is a curious choice." Mother rumbled as her head lifted from where it lay to point directly at her.

Despite herself, Hermione trembled.

"She's teasing." Harry whispered to her. "She can smell me on you."

"I'll get breakfast in a minute, Mother. I wanted to introduce you to my Mate first. Her name is Hermione, of the Granger. Hermione, this is my Mother, Swims-in-Stars of the Svurtr."

Hermione bowed low, and Mother took the opportunity to breathe Hermione's scent from close up. As was to be expected, the female smelled like a pinkskin. She shot flame from her nostrils to clear the scent before she spoke.

"You are welcome to my Nest, Young. Rise and be at home."

Hermione grinned as she stood again. "Thank you, Mother. It is wonderful to finally meet you. Harry - Hidden Colours - has told me so much about you. Thank you for being his Mother."

"He has been a satisfying Young. Is he a satisfying Mate?"

"That's my cue." Harry interjected, "I will leave you ladies to talk and return with breakfast." He Resonated, and rose out of the Nest to disappear from sight.

Hermione waited until he'd gone before she spoke. "He is brilliant, Mother. I am the luckiest girl in the world to be his Mate."

Mother chuffed quietly. "You are wise beyond your years to keep such knowledge from him."

"He knows how I feel. I hope he feels the same, but... being a Mate, it's very new. I was raised as a pinkskin, and sometimes my real life feels like I'm dreaming. Like it's too wonderful to be real."

Mother raised her head, shook her neck, and let out a stuttering belch of flame. Hermione could have sworn it was laughter.

"All new Mates are so. I remember my own time, when my Mate yet remained."

"Hidden Colours told me, Mother. I'm so sorry." Hermione crossed the Nest and wrapped a hug around Mother's neck before she realized what she was doing. "We go to look for him this summer. With any luck we will bring him back to you."

Hermione let go of Mother's neck and then realized she didn't know if Mother was alright with hugs. Mother snorted a gout of flame and lowered her head to look into Hermione's eyes.

"You would do such a thing for one you had not met?" She hissed incredulously.

Hermione nodded. "Of course. I think how I would feel if Hidden Colours were taken from me. I could never just let you stay that way if there was something I could do about it. Hidden Colours and I can travel hundreds of wingbeats away instantly. We will go search the place where pinkskins take Svurtr and Sarkany and Yulong and others."

"I... did not know there was such a place." Mother said quietly, then bumped Hermione softly with her snout. "You have my thanks, successor. Even if he does not yet live."

"Why do you call me successor, Mother?" She stroked Mother's snout plates.

"You are my successor. I do not have Young of my own, so I must rely on your eggs."

"Oh." Hermione blushed. "May i... ask some strange personal questions?"

"You may."

"I know what to expect from a pinkskin body - I know how it works, what it feels like, and what to expect with regard to... reproduction. The trouble is, I'm not entirely pinkskin anymore. I know nothing about Svurtr bodies - eggs, hormones, fertility cycles, reproduction. What is life like for a fertile female Svurtr?"

"Since Hidden Colours has not brought you to me before now, I can only assume that you met at this "school" he spoke of?" Mother shifted her weight on her hoard to look more directly at Hermione.

"Yes, it's only been a few months."

"You have not yet endured egg season then. When the snow melts and the land renews itself, you will know that your eggs ripen. Near the end of that season - you will know when - your eggs will be ready to take male seed. You will want nothing else. You will not eat, you will not leave the nest, you will mate. You will want to do nothing but mate for several days. How many days you mate will differ from Svurtr to Svurtr, but we are all nestbound until afterward. It may take you days of rest to recover afterward. Just be careful not to break your Mate, you will need him for hundreds and hundreds of seasons."

"So... I'm only going to ovulate once a year?" Hermione's eyes went wide. It was true she hadn't had her period since she had changed, but she also knew she hadn't had sex yet, so she hadn't been worried about a pregnancy.

Mother nodded. "How often to pinkskin eggs ripen?"

"Every twenty-eight days, give or take."

Mother reared back in shock. "It is no wonder their numbers swell so! By the Clutch! How long does it take them to hatch?"

"Pinkskins don't lay, they keep the eggs inside. Only one grows into another pinkskin, and that takes almost a year. Sometimes one pinkskin can carry several Young, but it's very rare."

"That is so strange." Mother shook her head.

"May I return to speak with you about such things in the future? When I am uncertain that I am healthy?" Hermione bit her lip. Her own mother had given her several books on the subject when she was nine and they'd never spoken a word about it.

"That would please me greatly, successor. I am very gratified by Hidden Colours' visits. It is not among Svurtr instincts to remain close to the birthing nest."

"It is very much a pinkskin instinct for parents to want to remain close to their Young even after they have left the nest. Pinkskins only live eighty years or so, and always want to make sure their Young are doing well. The Young likewise want to remain close to their parents... generally speaking."

"I see. Some of the behaviour Hidden Colours has described begins to make more sense."

"Which behaviour?" Harry asked as he descended into the Nest with a goat held by the horn in one hand.

"Schools, and how you said some parents could not teach." Mother replied.

"Ah." Harry said. He dropped the goat and walked over to Mother to hug her around the neck. "Happy Christmas, Mother."

"Happy Christmas?" Mother repeated as she raised a browridge.

"It's a pinkskin celebration of family, it happens at this time each year." Hermione explained.

"Then... I will see you both every year?" Mother asked.

"At least once." Harry affirmed.

Mother thrummed in her chest. "This pleases me. I look forward to meeting your Young as well."

Harry turned bright red.

"I'm afraid that will be a few years yet, Mother. We still have to finish school first." Hermione grinned at Harry's obvious discomfort.

"So embarrassing....Sorry about that." Harry whispered to Hermione.

"We'd best be going Mother, we're expected at the MacFusty's as well." Harry said.

Hermione crossed to hug Mother's neck again as well. "Happy Christmas, Mother. We'll see you next year if not before."

"I look forward to it, Young ones." Mother thrummed again.

Hermione went to take Harry's hand, and he began to Resonate, so she did as well. Harry's other hand raised, and the goat floated from the floor a few feet into the air. It split down the center, and a pile of organs and intestines larger than the actual goat poured out of it before the goat lay back down on the stone.

"See you soon, Mother." Harry waved as he and Hermione rose into the air and flew toward the MacFusty farm.

Hermione flew close to him and wrapped her arms around him as they slowly spiraled through the air. "Mother's great." She smiled at him. "Thank you for that." She kissed him.

"On to mother number three." Harry smiled and kissed her again.

"Honestly I'm almost more afraid of her and your sisters than I was of Mother, just... in a different way."

Harry smiled and rested his forehead against hers. "Nonsense. If they weren't kind, smart people, they wouldn't have taken me in at all. Just be yourself."

"I suppose." She looked into his deep green eyes and saw warmth, support, and pride. He was proud of her. It was more than she could say for her parents. "I'll try to relax, but this is essentially your family, Harry. I... I want them to like me."

"That's why I said be yourself. Do that and they'll like you as much as I do." He kissed her nose quickly. "You're still mine though."

She smiled and hugged his neck tightly, then spun away from him and soared lazily through the air. All too soon, their flight ended and they set down inside the front gate of the MacFusty farm.

She could feel when they passed through the wards, so it was no surprise that a man and three women came out of the front door. Fergus - she could only assume it was him, since he was the only MacFusty male apart from Harry - was average height and build, but clearly accustomed to hard work. He had short-cropped hair and a thick beard, both of auburn with copper highlights. Maisie - the oldest woman - was still vibrant, and like Fergus no stranger to work. Her wheat-coloured locks were tied up in a neat bun on the back of her head.

The other two women were too close in age and both strawberry blonde, so there was no way for her to tell which was Argonna and which was Darcy. All three women stood there for a moment and then nearly ran back inside. It was cold out.

"Wat yer standin' oo' there far?" Fergus asked with a grin, "Git inside, ye dairty wee dragonspawn!"

Harry held her hand as he walked up to Fergus and gave him a hug. "Fergus, may I introduce Hermione, Queen of my heart. Hermione, Fergus MacFusty. Passable farmer and first-rate surrogate dad."

"Oi, passable!?" Fergus frowned and gave Harry a swat on the shoulder. Harry grinned back. Fergus turned to Hermione and smiled charmingly. "'Tis a smashin' great pleasure t'welcome ye t'air 'umble abide, Queen Hairmione." He bowed at the waist. "Please, coom make yersailf t'home. The gairls are fair t'screamin t'hear aboot yer fairst tairm."

Harry led her up the porch stairs to the house and inside to where the women waited. Harry hugged her from behind as he spoke to the MacFusty women.

"Maisie, Argie, Darcy, allow me to introduce Hermione, yes the same Hermione I wrote about. Hermione, Maisie third mother on the left, then Argie and Darcy, the evil stepsisters."

Argie grinned. "We're only evil te ye, cheeky bugger."

Hermione held her hand out to Maisie, who ignored it and swept her into a bone-crunching hug. "Yai're soo wailcome here, lass. I want t'hear aivrythin' about ye, and espaicially ye an' my wee Duncles."

Hermione giggled and looked at Harry. "Wee Duncles." She whispered at him as her eyes sparkled.

"Aye, an' aboot time I had a proper sister too." Darcy hugged Hermione next, and stuck her tongue out at Argie.

Argie hugged Hermione when Darcy let her go, and then smiled at her warmly. "Ignore her, she's jaist upset she cannae try an' steal yair baifriend."

"You're welcome to try, but I warn you there's a very long line ahead of you." Hermione smiled, since she knew none of them had a chance in any case.

"Ooo, brilliant saigue!" Darcy grinned. "Come get a cuppa an taill us who's in the lineup." She motioned Hermione into the kitchen, so Hermione followed. Suddenly Fergus and Harry were alone in the living room.

"An' tha's the lot o'them gone til dainner." Fergus sighed. "Come on, set doon an' give us the story, lad."

"That's a long tell - and ties into having to go meet with Arthur Weasley on the twenty-eighth."

Fergus frowned. "Tha's a tale in itsailf."

Harry nodded and sat next to Fergus on the sofa. "That it is." He started with meeting Hermione on the train, just after he'd left them. He included his thoughts when he saw her the first time, because he knew that Maisie and the girls were likely dragging Hermione's perspective from her. Harry knew Maisie and Fergus would share both with each other later.

He continued through meeting and talking with Luna on the train after that. He told of meeting his new friends in the first year lineup, and how strange it had all been, and how Maisie's advice had helped. He went through the events at dinner bit by bit, and Fergus agreed he'd done the right thing. Not the easy thing, like the others had done, but the right thing. Fergus was also surprised he showed such restraint in dealing with Ronald.

"Any bai pickin' on a wee lass isnae wairth wastin' sympathy on. Wanted a sound thrashin', 'e did." Fergus growled.

"He got it. I told him what would happen if he insulted her again. He did, but that's later in the story."

Harry went through his worries that he'd offended Hermione, and then the weeks she'd stalked him, her invisible warnings, and the trap he set for her. Fergus was astounded that she'd figured out his identity just from a few clues.

"Hermione is quite possibly the smartest witch alive, Dad." Harry told him. "Part of why I feel so unbelievably lucky that she likes me the same."

"Dinnae lose tha' feelin'. Naiver take a woman fer granted. I know ye'll nae, but remaimber anyway."

Harry nodded and made a mental note. He was about to continue the story, but Maisie called them to the table. He held Hermione's chair for her before he seated himself, as was proper. Hermione wore a relaxed, happy smile, but also showed just a little redness around her eyes. It was easy to miss, but Harry knew it meant she'd been crying.

"Everything alright?" He whispered in her ear.

"Everything's brilliant. Tell you about it when we get home." She whispered back, then kissed his neck just below his ear.

"Soo thain," Fergus began when they were all seated and had dinner well started, "On to the tough quaistion - how are yer grades?" He aimed a pointed look at Harry, who smiled back at him with a mouth full of roast beef and gravy. Hermione answered for him.

"Harry's number two in the entire school. We do tons of extracurricular work and private study projects, so he regularly gets over a hundred percent on assignments."

"Gait oot!" Argie said and waved her knife at Harry, "this slacker?" She smiled, which broke her mock-shocked expression.

"I'd have had the top spot, except I had to rush one Transfigurations essay because someone wanted to go flying." Harry said with a sidelong glance at Hermione.

"If you'd finished it earlier instead of gabbing with your gaggle of girls, you wouldn't have had to rush." Hermione said primly.

"Yer gaggle o'gairls?" Fergus raised an eyebrow.

"After his display in the Great Hall, and with him being so kind and approachable, it's not exactly his fault," Hermione explained, "but it does get annoying sometimes. I can't really complain though, most of them are friends from Study Group."

"And you know you're the only one for me." Harry reminded her.

Hermione paused to look him in the eyes and smile. "And we're already married."

"Married?!" Fergus's eyebrows shot toward his hairline. "Tha - bu - Ye cannae, ye're fourteen!" Maisie, Argie, and Darcy looked unsurprised. Harry supposed Hermione had already told them.

Harry swallowed his mouthful before speaking. "Magic decided we were married, so we're married. We didn't even know about it until I got a letter from Gringott's congratulating us. No worries though, you'll be the first to know when we decide to have the ceremony."

"Besides, he's legally of age now anyway, thanks to the Tournament nonsense." Hermione added.

"You wot?" Fergus asked.

"I hadn't gotten to that part of the story yet." Harry said after a mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy. "There's supposed to be three Champions chosen for the Tournament, to compete in tasks, et cetera. Because the Triwizard was deadly previously, the Ministry decided that only wizards and witches who are of age could be chosen by the Goblet of Fire to be Champions." He took a sip of water. "After the Goblet had chosen all three Champions, my name came out of it. We still don't yet know how it got in there or who did it, but there was a Death Eater posing as our Defense teacher, so that's a solid guess."

Tension flared at the table like an invisible bonfire.

"I thought that if only 'of age' people are allowed to compete," Harry continued, "And I'm being forced to, that's pretty much the same thing as the Ministry saying I'm of age. So I wrote to my accounts manager and he prepared the paperwork, then my Godfather filed it for me, so now we're both legally adults."

"Godfather?" Maisie asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Sirius Black." Hermione supplied. "Innocent of what he was put in prison for, and didn't betray Harry's parents after all. Seems like a decent man, if a little wild around the edges."

"Hermione actually met him first, last year. He broke into the Gryffindor dorms to collect the real traitor who had been hiding as a pet rat. Imagine sleeping with your pet rat only to find out the next day it's actually a middle aged Death Eater guy. One thing I almost feel sorry for Weasley about."

"Oh gross!" Darcy made a disgusted face.

Hermione slapped Harry's shoulder. "People are eating." She admonished.

Harry smiled softly. "You're right, sorry everyone. One other good thing to come out of the Tournament business is I got to have a conversation with a Horntail. She turned out to be really nice. The officials wanted us to get a fake egg out of her nest while she was guarding it -"

"What?!" Argie exclaimed, shocked.

Hermione nodded at her. "It's true. They were so disappointed when Harry just walked up and talked to her."

"The other Champions - well, two of them, still not sure about the third - are friends, so Hermione was in the stands to make sure nothing terrible happened to them. I wasn't allowed to watch. Everyone made it through relatively unscathed. The only other good thing to come from the Tournament happens tomorrow night." Harry's eyes sparkled as he smiled at Hermione.

"What's tomorrow night, besides Christmas?" Fergus asked.

"Yule Ball." Harry said, "Apparently it's tradition for the Tournament. Hermione, Luna, Neville, Daphne and I went shopping yesterday for formal wear, but they wouldn't let us see the dresses yet."

"Ye dinnae tell us tha'!" Darcy accused Hermione, "After dainner, all aboot the draiss!" She grinned.

Hermione smiled back. "There wasn't time, and I'll just show you, that'll be faster."

As if spurred on by that, dinner was over ten minutes later. Harry and Fergus cleared the plates and assigned themselves to kitchen clean-up while the ladies retired to the living room by the fire.

Hermione levitated a piece of firewood from the stack beside the fireplace, and transfigured it into a smaller version of the dress she had bought.

"Oh loov, tha's gorgeous!" Maisie whispered.

"Aye, officially jealous noo." Darcy smiled and hugged Hermione. "The bai wil trip on his own jaw. Promise ye'll send paictures."

Hermione nodded with a smile. "I promise."

Darcy smiled. "Wailcome to the family, sis. I'm thrilled our wee bai is in such good hainds."

Hermione smiled in return. "Thank you so much, all of you. I was actually almost more afraid of meeting you than I was of meeting Mother. It was too much to hope for you to be as nice as you are. This is the best family gathering I've ever had." She dried her eyes on her sleeve.

Maisie ran her hand down Hermione's braid. "Tha' isnae right, lass." She said softly, "I dinnae ken wha' yer home life is like, but ye've always a place here. We love our wee bai te bits, an' 'e clearly loves ye the same. Tha' makes ye family, no maitter wha' else 'appens."

Hermione's face twisted as she held back tears. "Love? You think so? Really?"

"Oh dearie." Maisie smiled at her, "Can ye no see it? It shines out 'is face jus' the same it's shinin' out yers now."

"'E braids yer hair." Darcy pointed out.

"An' ye've no doubt been t'a broom closet, 'aven't ye?" Argie asked with a sharklike grin.

Hermione bit both her lips and went red.

"Hah! I knew it!" Argie laughed and clapped Hermione on the back. "Wail bloody doon! Hoo was 'e? Fair te middlin'?"

Hermione shook her head slowly. "Amazing." She whispered.

"Ah, shite. Noo I'm jailous too." Argie pouted.

"I'd say I'll send pictures to you too, but No Chance." Hermione smiled.

Darcy and Argie both laughed.

"Mam, braing oot the book fair ma wee sis, wouldye?" Darcy said with a mischeivous grin.

"If an' only if Duncles agrees." Maisie replied sternly. "Ye know wha's in there, an tha's a mean thaing te do if he dinnae."

"Ye're a pairty pooper, mam. I'll goo ask." Darcy sighed and walked to the kitchen. She could hear Harry's voice over the running water in the sink. He sounded horrified. His head poked out a moment later, red as boiled lobster. His eyes sought hers, and she didn't really understand what was going on, so she blew him a kiss. He caught his lower lip in his teeth as though aggravated, but then sighed and blew her a kiss back before his head retreated.

Darcy literally skipped back into the room. "He said he hates the three of us, but he cannae deny Hermione even the most embarrassin' shite."

"Sounds like aye te me." Maisie smiled. "Goo on thain." Darcy shot up the stairs and returned seconds later carrying a thick wood-bound book. She shooed Argie out of her seat so she could sit next to Hermione, and made herself comfortable.

"I'm almost afraid to ask after all that." Hermione smiled at Darcy. Darcy just put the book in Hermione's lap.

"Ye can thaink me later." She smiled smugly.

Hermione looked at Argie and Maisie as she opened the cover of the book. Argie had a very faint pink in her cheeks and she pointedly didn't look at the book. Maisie merely smiled back at her with a patient and somewhat proud look in her eyes.

Hermione looked down at the book, and her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. The photo on the first page was of Fergus's back as he pointed his wand at a ragged-haired, filthy, feral and completely, utterly naked Harry. He looked to be about a foot shorter than Fergus, and his white teeth shone out of his grimy, mud-smeared face.

She reached out and touched the photo, stroked her fingers down Harry's face. "How old is he here?" She asked Maisie softly.

Maisie smiled down at the photo. "Tha' were the very day he appeared, jus' 'ello, I'm naiked Airy Pottarrh on yer doorstaip'. He were tain years old."

"Ten years old..." Hermione whispered. She turned the page, and there he was again in all his naked glory, freshly scrubbed and standing in a tub filled with dark grey water. He was in the act of reaching out for the camera when the shot was taken.

The next picture was him pulling at the T-shirt he wore, with a very uncomfortable grimace on his face.

"Oh, the poor thing..." Hermione bit her lip as warmth bloomed in her chest.

The picture after that, he was missing the T-shirt and he wore the jeans on his head instead. He had a happy laugh on his face and was in the process of attacking the camera again.

The next page was two pictures, one with Harry - fully clothed - sat between Maisie and Fergus with the girls on either side, then the one below was Harry sat between the girls with Fergus and Maisie on either side.

She flipped through the memories, page after page of Harry's forced civilization. There were pictures of his first drawing, his first written word, his first birthday party, the first book he ever finished. Each and every photo sank through her chest and took up residence in her heart - not simply because it was a record of the unseen part of the life of her husband, but because she was positive no book like that existed in her parents' house. She knew in that moment how to be a parent, and simultaneously that hers weren't.

She continued to flip pages, and the pictures showed Harry as he grew into the man he was, bit by bit. They showed him angry and frustrated, they showed him sad, they showed him happy and laughing. It was like she got to experience him growing up, and that was a treasure without peer. She didn't even realize she was crying until Harry handed her a tissue.

"Sorry for the embarrassing stuff." He whispered, still clearly mortified. He rested on his elbows on the back of the couch as he stood behind her. Fergus took a seat in the chair next to Maisie.

She shook her head after she blew her nose. "It's beautiful." She said softly. "I never thought I'd be able to see..." She turned to Maisie. "May I copy this?"

Maisie smiled. "Aye, o'course. It's yers now as waill. The raist of 'is life will be down to you to record, same as 'e'll do fer ye."

Harry groaned. "Noooo. Just burn it, please."

Hermione turned to him with a smile. "No chance. This is gold."

Harry groaned again, and Maisie and his sisters chuckled at him. Hermione reached up behind her and pulled him into a kiss.

"Aw, bless." Maisie said with a grin.

Hermione let Harry go, then closed the book in her lap and took out her wand. She concentrated through the wand movement as she whispered "Geminus." She added a second flourish of her wand to the end of the spell.

"Oh tha' were lovely wairk!" Maisie exclaimed happily. "Pairmanency rune tacked on th'end, aye?"

Hermione grinned and nodded.

"But ye're only wha'? Fourth yair?" Maisie frowned.

"There's a reason she's top spot, Mum. We should be finished seventh year by end of June." Harry said.

"Wha'll ye do after ye finish?" Darcy asked, confused. "Are ye no there another three yairs?"

"We're going to pick a mastery each and work on that, and review the year we're supposed to be in, of course." Hermione supplied.

"Tha's... Aimbitious." Maisie raised her eyebrows.

"And mostly thanks to you, teaching me way more than I needed to know to test into my year." Harry grinned and rubbed Maisie's shoulder.

"Isnae my doin, lad. Ye dinnae want tae stop lairnin'." She grinned back at him.

"Still don't." He grinned back. "It's too much fun."

"Are ye remaimbrin' t'ave fun at school? Dinnae grind yersailf doon." Fergus cautioned.

Argie laughed. "Oh they're remaimbrin t'ave fun, Da." She winked at Hermione, who glanced at Harry while she turned slowly red.

"Nae too much fun I hope." Fergus frowned at Harry. Maisie looked at Fergus and tried to hide a smile.

"Dad! Really?" Harry looked pointedly at Fergus while he went the same shade of red as Hermione.

"An' now ye know wha' we've both 'ad te deal with." Darcy smiled. "It were jus' yer turn, 'Airy."

"Tha' is a lovely shade o' red tho." Maise smiled at both the teens.

A flash of light happened then, and Argie smiled out from behind a camera. "Tha' s gontae be pairfect." She grinned at them. "Promise I'll saind a copy when I get it devailoped."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled back at Argie despite her embarrassment.

"Darcy, budge off an' Airy, you sit naixt t'Hermione." Argie commanded as she waved her hand. Darcy saw Argie was about to take pictures, and complied. Harry sat next to Hermione, until Argie waved her hand again. "Closer t'gaither you two, shove in. Darce, you on th'end naixt te th'lovebairds."

The sofa only had room for three adults, so Hermione just sat in Harry's lap with one arm around his neck.

"Come on, Da, git in there wi' Mam." Argie waved at her father. Fergus just sat on Maisie's lap with one arm around her neck.

"Ha ha! Pairfect!" Argie laughed. "Alraight, smile!" Argie snapped a few pictures, then Darcy switched places with Argie and Darcy took a few. Hermione switched out after that and took a few with Darcy sitting on Harry's lap, and then Argie. Harry looked annoyed and long-suffering during both, especially when Argie and Darcy kissed one of his cheeks each at the same time. Hermione bit back a snarl at that, even though it also made her smile. Harry took the camera from her after that, and Hermione was pulled to the sofa between Argie and Darcy, who kissed her cheeks as well. Hermione laughed and wrapped an arm around Argie's neck and one around Darcy's, and hugged them both.

"Best Christmas ever." She grinned as Harry snapped pictures.

Lammy and Brolly appeared the moment they walked through the wards into the garden.

"Welcome home." Brolly smiled. "Good visit?"

"The best, Brolly, thanks for asking. The MacFustys are really nice. How was your evening?" She smiled at Harry and swung their hands between them.

"Lovely, thank you. Lammy and Jolly and I replaced the Potter heraldry with MacFusty, as you requested. It was a grand time." Brolly answered with a wide grin.

"Thanks for that. I hate to ask, but it's very temporary. I'm glad you had fun." Harry smiled. "We're probably just going to go right to bed since it's kind of late, so we'll be fine on our own if you two want to do your own thing."

"We'll call if we need you, of course." Hermione added.

Lammy and Brolly looked a little saddened, but nodded and smiled before they popped away.

Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders as they finished the walk to the house.

"That was the best Christmas Eve I can remember." She told him when they were inside.

"Me too, and since my last four were with them, this one is all down to you." Harry kissed her forehead. She snaked her arms around his ribs and held him close with her head on his chest. Harry's arms automatically wrapped around her, and his right cradled her head against him.

He had practiced so much in the last week, his feet just started a lazy waltz without permission, and Hermione responded in kind. She lifted her head to look into his eyes after a moment, when she realized what they were doing.

She raised an eyebrow at him while they danced.

She was treated to her favourite embarrassed Harry face then. "I've been practicing... A lot." His cheeks went red and his heart practically throbbed in his eyes. "I didn't want to embarrass you."

She smiled as her heart twisted in her chest, and she caught his face in her hands to kiss him thoroughly. "I'm so happy we get to stay together, Harry. You make me feel so... I would not give this up for anything. No matter what comes, no matter what happens in the future, being with you is everything to me. As long as we're together, we'll get through anything. I just know it."

"There is nowhere I would rather be than at your side, Hermione. You make me feel that way too." He looked down at her with a smile and watery eyes.

She stopped dancing and just squeezed him as though trying to pressure weld the two of them together.

"Come to bed." Harry said softly. "I desperately need to cuddle you just now."

Her grip shifted and she bent, shoulder into his stomach and arm behind his knees as she stood up again with him over her shoulder.

He laughed as she carried him up the stairs to the bedroom and flopped him on the bed. Her face shone with laughter as well. She pounced on him and curled up on top of him like a cat. He laughed again and stroked her hair.

"Ferocious kitty cuddles." He said warmly. Hermione chuckled at that as well and started kneading his chest like a cat. She faked a pout and climbed off him then.

"Doesn't work as well while you're still dressed." She sighed. "Hurry and get ready for bed." She kissed him and retreated to her bathroom. Harry rose and went to his own to brush his teeth and change, and when he returned Hermione was already in bed waiting for him, covers pulled up to her chin.

"Could you..." Hermione said and then bit her lip as he stopped moving with one knee on the bed.

"Could I?" He asked.

"Sleep without your top on?" She asked as her cheeks flushed.

Harry thought that was a little odd for her to ask, but it set his heart racing anyway. He shrugged out of his top and folded it, then put it back in his drawer. He wasn't embarrassed at being half naked, but he was self-conscious about his fine dusting of dark chest hair, it was new in the last few months. Hermione set his mind at ease though, as she practically purred when he slipped into bed next to her. She scooched her back into him and hummed as she always did at connecting with his warmth.

That was when he felt bare skin on his chest.

Her soft skin brushed against his. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, and he froze. He desperately wanted to explore every inch of her skin, but touching just her bare stomach made his fingers tingle and he felt his body react embarrassingly.

"Hermione..." He whispered.

She turned inside his embrace, and she slipped her leg between his so that his embarrassment was touching her hip. He could feel her soft chest harden against his, and his mind spun.

He only vaguely registered that his hand, on the small of her back, pulled her tighter to him.

She looked up into his eyes, her warm, rich chocolate irises thin rings around her enlarged pupils. "I don't think we should go all the way yet, but..." She blushed as she put her hand on his behind, "I want more than cuddles."

Harry kissed her and looked into her eyes. "You tell me when to stop then, because I don't think I'll be able to otherwise." He slid his hand downward onto her behind and squeezed. Her eyes closed and she moaned as she ground herself into his thigh.

"I'll try." She said in a low, husky tone and captured his lips with hers. She tried to show him with her lips and tongue how hot he made her feel inside; how badly she wanted him. He replied with his mouth and hands that he wanted her just the same. The brush of his fingers against her hardened tips sent sparks across her skin. Every caress, every pull and roll sent new sensations up and down her spine. It was so different from doing it herself, so much better. His hungry kisses trailed fire down her neck, and she had no hope of containing the groan that leapt from her throat as his mouth found her breast.

"Fuck Harry that feels so good." She whispered hoarsely. Her hands went into his hair, her nails against his scalp and guided his head to her other breast, and the delicious electric shivers doubled. She wouldn't have stopped her hips if she could have as they ground against his thick, hard torso. Memories of his hot stiffness in her hand flooded her mind and she longed for it again, to feel it against her, to take it into the aching hollowness it was meant to fill.

Harry stopped his tongue on her breasts then. She could feel his hand on her stomach, and heard him start to make that ticking purr again, just like outside the infirmary and by Hagrid's hut. He rubbed his face on her stomach as his purr deepened, and she could feel it vibrating her skin. The hand that had been kneading her left breast hooked into her underwear and tore it from her body as though it was made of tissue paper. He let out a growl from deep in his chest, and then his face was between her legs.

Each rumble from his purr vibrated her delicate skin. Each pulsing tick he made with his throat made her gasp in pleasure. His tongue was hot as it parted her slick folds and sent lightning up her spine. She could hear herself moan his name as he lapped at her and his tongue ran laps around her most sensitive skin.

As if his tongue and vibrating face weren't enough, he began speaking into her. The dragon speech caused his tongue to ripple and curl inside her, and she became conscious that her moans had become whines of need as his attention built the pressure inside her like nothing she had ever done to herself before. She held onto his head because her legs moved on their own and threatened to take her away from the heaven of his mouth. His hands went to her hipbones and gripped them tightly enough to keep her where she was whether she wanted it or not, and that in itself heightened her pleasure.

"Going to hold you down." He hissed into her. "Bite the back of your neck. You're mine."

She wanted that. It frightened her just how much she wanted it. The thought of him as he held her down and pumped his hot strength in and out of her was too much. The pressure that had built inside her exploded, and her mind simply stopped, replaced by white fire. She could feel her body twitch and jerk when she came back to it. She floated in a haze as she listened to herself pant and whine and grunt, but Harry hadn't even slowed down.

"I will make you feel my power. Put it inside you and claim your eggs. We will have to rebuild the nest when I am done with you."

A tiny part of her mind thought the things he was saying were cute and kind of embarrassing, but the vast majority of her mind screamed "YES!" She grabbed his wrists, intent on pulling his hands from her hips so she could lower herself onto his manhood, but he did not let go. She realized he was too strong to deny and that she was at his mercy, but that only stoked the pressure inside her. The world exploded again. And again. And again. She rode a thundering wave of pleasure from trough to peak to trough to peak.

She didn't know how much later it was when she hoarsely asked him to stop, but he did. She saw his eyes change from dragon back to human, and immediately filled with concern for her.

"I'm sorry, I... did I hurt you? I couldn't..."

"Shh, Harry." She pulled his face to hers. His face glistened from his eyebrows to his collarbones, but she didn't care. She kissed him soundly and showed him how filled with care and contentment she was. "You were perfect. Unbelievable. I have never felt like that before. Never felt like this before. I'm so happy, Harry. Happy and tired now. That was the best experience of my entire life. The best night of my life. I'm only sorry I'm too tired to do the same for you."

Tears shone in the corners of her eyes as he smiled down at her.

"I'm so glad I could make you happy." He kissed her gently. "And... that I found out what was causing my episodes." He ran his index finger up her slick wetness and caused her stomach to jerk, then put it in his mouth and sucked it clean. "It was you all along." He grinned and kissed her again. "It was you outside the infirmary and by Hagrid's woodpile, wasn't it?"

If it had been possible to push more blood into her face she would have. She nodded slightly as she put her hand in front of her face in embarrassment. Harry took hold of it gently and moved it away from her, then kissed her again tenderly.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Not with me. That was amazing. You're amazing, Hermione. Thank you for always watching out for me, even when I didn't know I needed you to." He stroked her sweaty hair back from her face and smiled down at her.

She reached up, pulled him down to her and snuggled into him with a satisfied sigh. She felt him Resonate briefly as he cleaned the bed, then he wrapped his arms around her and she floated serenely on a cloud of bliss, warmed by the tender closeness of her Harry.

She woke from a dream about being on a ship as it pitched and rolled at sea, to find that she had half-climbed on top of him during the night. She could hear his breath in his chest and the room slowly rose and fell. Birds had just begun to sing, and she could see the sun graced the tips of the trees beyond the garden.

She could also see Harry's stiffness as it poked out from the waistband of his pyjamas.

She'd seen pictures of them before, of course. Studied some of them intently with her door locked, even. This was her first real-life, up-close experience though - the broom closet didn't count, she couldn't see anything then. She knew how it felt through his jeans, she knew it was big, she knew it was hot and smelled wonderful and made a sticky mess. Seeing it though... She hadn't expected it to be so cute, or so soft. The skin covering it was silk against her fingers.

Harry moaned softly and then she felt his fingers in her hair.

"Now that's a Happy Christmas." he sighed.

She turned to look at him, and saw him wince as her curls hit her own knuckles and what she held.

"That's nice, is it?" She asked as she stroked him up and down.

"Very. Nice enough you have to stop now or it's going to get messy."

She smiled at him and slipped her hand further into his pyjamas, without stopping. He looked as though he were about to say something, to implore her to stop, but she poured her lust through her eyes into his, and he understood she was doing exactly what she wanted to do.

"Tell me when." She whispered excitedly. "I want to see it."

He nodded. "Soon. That feels really good."

She could feel his pulse up and down the length of it increase as she slid her fingers over it. She reached out and wrapped her lips around the end of it, and he groaned immediately. His hips bucked as he tried to get more of it in her mouth, and that made her smile. She knew that feeling, he'd introduced her to it last night. She swirled her tongue around it and up and down for just a moment as his breath came in ragged gasps and groans.

"Now!" He grunted. She jerked her face away and watched with rapt fascination as he pulsed in her hand and thick white ropes of fluid squirted out. She hadn't moved far enough away, and some of it landed on her breast. It was warm, as warm as the rest of him was in her hand. Five times his stomach flexed and more liquid squirted out while she watched. She knew it was called semen, she knew where and how it was produced - the books her mother had given her were very detailed - but it was another thing entirely to watch it and feel it happen; To feel it on her skin, and know that she had made it happen.

"That's Brilliant." She said, awed.

The whole thing had excited her just as much as lying half-naked next to him last night had, but in a more immediate and sexual way. It was less intimate, but no less insistent.

Harry pulled her up to him and kissed her, and she smiled with the happiness and contentment she could feel from him.

"You're brilliant." He told her. "Thank you for that."

"Happy Christmas." She grinned at him as she pulled the covers off them both and stood. Then she remembered she was completely naked and moved to cover herself, but stopped. He'd already seen all of her so what was the point?

"Happy Christmas." He stood up as well and made a beeline for the bathroom, so she followed him.

He stopped and looked at her.

"You're going to shower, aren't you?" She asked.

"Umm... yeah." He replied.

"Good, then we can shower together and save time." She smiled, and passed him into the bathroom where she turned the shower on.

They soaped each other up, discovered slippery embraces, and saved no time at all.

It was nearly an hour later when they toweled each other off and coated each other in kisses before they dressed. Lammy and Polly were waiting for them when they got downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning, and Happy Christmas!" They both said in unison.

"What would you like for breakfast, Mister and Missus?" Lammy asked.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and blushed.

"Just some fruit and maybe a croissant?" Harry suggested. They knew they'd be having a huge Hogwarts dinner and didn't want to be full.

"That's good, and a small bowl of oatmeal for me as well please. And orange juice." Hermione smiled. "I'm actually fairly hungry."

"Good!" Lammy smiled. "Missus is very skinny." She and Polly immediately went to work in the kitchen while Hermione frowned.

"Actually, this is my perfect body weight, Lammy. I should never be any skinnier or fatter than I am now." She corrected.

Lammy looked her up and down critically. "As Missus says." She sighed, and fetched some fruit from the stasis cabinet.

"Thanks Lammy." Harry grinned at her. He thought Lammy would make a good mother, but her efforts on Hermione were wasted. Hermione was much too independent and might even resent the mothering after her own mother had all but abandoned her. He was not looking forward to the next day for that reason.

Hermione devoured her breakfast while Harry ate his croissant and picked at the fruit.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked, a grape halfway to her mouth. Her brows had furrowed and concern shadowed her features.

Harry reached out and took her hand. "Nothing." He smiled. "I was just thinking about tomorrow."

She relaxed somewhat, but her frown remained. "We don't have to go."

"Yes we do, we've been over this. Just because it might be unpleasant doesn't mean we should avoid it. It's better to face it and deal with it so we can get back to having fun instead of having it niggle in the backs of our heads. I just shouldn't have been thinking about it right now. There's far too much fun to have between now and then, and I am so looking forward to seeing you in your dress. And we still have to open presents!" He smiled at her, and her frown finally vanished.

"No, I know we should deal with them now, and I would honestly feel bad if I didn't at least visit them at Christmas."

"Which is what we decided the last time we talked about it." He kissed the back of her hand. "I will just focus on today, now, and you, and leave tomorrow to tomorrow." He plucked the grape from her hand and fed it to her.

She smiled back at him as she chewed and swallowed. "Good plan," She said as her eyes sparkled, "I can't wait to see your face when you open your gift."

"I just hope you like yours." He smiled back at her.

"That's it, I can't wait anymore. Come on, you're getting yours now!" She stood and dragged him to the Great Room and plopped him on the couch in front of their Christmas tree while he laughed. She handed him a gift wrapped in deep green paper and tied with a gold bow. it had some weight to it as well. He set the shoebox-sized gift on his lap and pointed to one under the tree.

"That one first! The one that looks like it's snowing. Yes, that one." He guided Hermione to it and grinned when she picked it up.

She looked thoughtful for a second, then grinned at him. "I have no idea what this could be." She beamed, then settled on the sofa and snuggled her side into his. "You first." She said.

"Alright." He chuckled and kissed the side of her head as he unwrapped his gift. Inside was a beautiful leather-bound book and a flat-topped box with a keyhole on the front. "Advanced Enchanting Techniques! Oh brilliant!" He read the cover of the book and threw his arms around Hermione to squeeze her. "Thank you so much! I can't wait to dive into that."

She grinned and kissed his cheek. "Glad you like it."

He opened the cover of the book and attached to the front cover was a small key. It came off in his hand when he pulled on it, and it fit the lock of the box when he tried it. His eyes went wide as he lifted the lid. Inside the box was a full set of professional-quality engraving tools. He ran his fingers across them and he could feel magic in them.

"Eversharp and Unbreakable, so you can Enchant your heart out, anything and everything." Hermione told him. "Happy Christmas, Harry."

He wrapped her in another hug and kissed her soundly. "Thank you, Hermione. This is completely brilliant." He said. His eyes shone into hers, and she knew she'd made the right choice.

"Good I'm glad you like it." She smiled happily.

"Your turn." He grinned.

She grinned back and unwrapped her gift to reveal a thin black board like a clipboard without the clip. The front cover only went three-quarters of the way up the board, so she could see the parchment beneath. Hermione immediately held it up to her nose and smelled it.

"Mmm. I love the smell of new parchment." She smiled at him.

'It's wrinkle-free and everfull," He grinned, "And ink from one specific quill is the only thing that won't just roll right off. You can also switch between sheet and scroll."

"You mean this is the only parchment I need to carry around now?" She looked shocked. "Wait, only one specific quill? Which quill?"

"Lift up the paper."

She opened the front cover and lifted up the twenty or so sheets of parchment attached to the board, and found a door in the wood of the clipboard. She opened it and saw there was a storage space inside, enough to store a couple of books or a pair of shoes. A jet black quill lay there with golden spine and nib and nibcover.

She looked up at him. "It's beautiful! Just like the ones we saw in -" She stopped as she realized he must have gotten it from Scrivenshaft's either that very day or soon after.

"I got that while you were looking at the parchments. Before you even pouted over it." He grinned smugly. "Self-filling and inking and unbreakable."

She laughed and hugged him tightly. "I love it! Thank you!"

"Happy Christmas, Hermione." He hugged her back just as enthusiastically.

"I can even keep the scented parchments you bought me in here. This is brilliant." She dashed off the sofa and up the stairs, and returned with what was left of her two sheaves of scented parchment. She tucked them into the storage panel of her writing board and lay the quill on top of them, then paused to smell the whole thing again before she closed the hidden door and the front cover. Then she set it aside with a warm, satisfied smile.

Just watching it made his insides warm, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. There was no way he could have resisted. Hermione took it and smiled smugly as she snuggled into his side.

"Best Christmas Day Ever." She whispered from his chest.

"Best Christmas Day Ever." He agreed. He wrapped his arms around her and they just sat like that, smelling the pine of the tree, the scent of burning wood from the fire, and each other. As they held each other, Harry knew. He didn't need any introspection to figure it out, he just knew. Balls to bones, same as the sun would rise in the east tomorrow. It was a fact. He dropped his nose into her hair and breathed her in, and it put a smile in his chest.

"Hermione, I -" Harry stopped as he felt someone enter the wards.

Hermione bolted upright. "That can't be Luna already! What time is it?"

"It's one o'clock so yes, probably Luna." Harry replied.

Hermione looked up at him as they stood. "What were you going to say?" She asked.

"It'll keep, I'll tell you later." He smiled.

She frowned briefly in disappointment but let it go and grinned as they hurried to the foyer to open the front door.

Luna wandered up the walk and saw them in the doorway. "Hello!"

"Luna!" Hermione smiled and swept her into a hug. "Happy Christmas!"

"Hermione! Duncan!" Luna hugged Hermione back. "This is... Where are we?" She half-whispered.

"Welcome to MacFusty Manor." Harry winked at her.

"Oh." Luna beamed. "It's beautiful. I feel like I'm visiting royalty."

"Me too, and it's our house." Harry said with a grimace. Luna chuckled and hugged Harry. The wards registered two more intruders then, and Neville and Daphne came up the walk from the Apparation point holding hands. Daphne had a small satchel slung over one shoulder.

Harry waved as Luna let go of him. "Happy Christmas!"

Neville raised his free hand and waved. "Happy Christmas!" He called back with a grin. He shook Harry's hand when they had covered the distance to the house, and Neville then bowed to Hermione.

"Come on in, make yourselves at home." Harry grinned and bowed slightly to Daphne, who wore a shy smile rather than her habitual stony mask.

"Welcome." Hermione smiled to Daphne. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too." Luna added. "More fun."

"Thank you for inviting me." Daphne nodded back. "It was a pleasant surprise."

"You're welcome, Daphne." Hermione smiled as graciously as she could. She knew that Daphne had been after Harry like all the rest of the girls in school, so that made her a little territorial, despite the fact that she had obviously abandoned her pursuit in favor of Neville. Daphne had been somewhat relaxed with her and Luna when they had gone shopping for their dresses together, and surprisingly warm, but Daphne was still the third girl she'd spoken to at Hogwarts in as many years, so she still wasn't comfortable around her. She still wasn't even totally comfortable around Luna yet.

They trudged into the house, and Daphne immediately took stock of the place in a glance. Hermione watched her intelligent eyes appraise the place on several different criteria.

"You have a beautiful home." Daphne said when her appraisal was complete. It had only taken a second.

"Thanks." Harry smiled. "Welcome to MacFusty Manor. If you need anything just ask." He led them into the Great Room where the fire crackled next to the Christmas tree. "Can I get you some tea? Juice? A snack?"

"Dunc, relax. You're a good host already." Neville grinned. "We had lunch at Daphne's while I was talking to her father."

"Oh." Harry said noncomittally. He knew that Neville had planned to do so, but wasn't going to open that topic of conversation right then. He could see Hermione and Luna wanted to get upstairs to start getting ready. Why they needed so much time to do so he had no earthly clue, but it was what Hermione wanted. "Well then you lot take a quick seat and open your gifts before Luna and Hermione whisk Daphne upstairs."

"Gifts? But I -" Daphne frowned, and Hermione could see her kicking herself. She knew what that felt like.

"And there was no need to." Harry smiled. "Sorry for springing it on you, Heir Greengrass. We just got carried away with the spirit of the season."

Daphne's frown smoothed away some as she sat next to Neville on the sofa. "It's just Daphne please, Heir MacFusty."

"Duncan. Or just Dunc." Harry grinned back at her and handed gifts to her and Neville. "You too, Luna. You didn't think you were going to escape gift-free, did you First Friend?"

Luna's face broke into a smile and she skipped forward to take her gift from Harry before she sat on the sofa next to Daphne.

Neville put his gift on the floor in front of him, pulled a trunk from his pocket and enlarged it. He opened the top and pulled out a gift for Harry, Hermione, and Luna, then closed it and shrunk it again.

"You're not getting away gift free either, mate." Neville smiled as he handed them out.

"Nice trunk." Harry grinned at him. "Thanks, mate."

"I have a friend who has one like it that shrinks. He keeps banging on and on about it." Neville grinned back.

Harry laughed. "Wanker."

Neville just looked smug.

They all opened their gifts at once, though Luna was finished first, as Neville's gift to her didn't have any paper on it. She lifted the lid from the box and pulled out a long scarf in midnight blue with eagles at the ends, perched on bronze-coloured books.

She squealed a delighted "Yee!" and hopped off the sofa to hug Neville. "Three years I've wanted one of these! Thank you so much, Nev!" She wrapped it around her neck and rubbed her face on it. "I am going to wear you everywhere." She told it.

"Glad you like it Luna" Neville grinned back. "Please don't wear it in the shower. That would be weird."

Harry and Hermione chuckled.

"You're thinking about me wearing a scarf in the shower and you think I'm weird?" Luna raised her eyebrows at him.

Even Daphne joined the laugh at Neville's blush.

"That's why I don't verbally spar with Luna anymore." Harry offered, "Don't feel bad, mate."

"This is beautiful!" Daphne half-whispered. "I'm overwhelmed by your generosity. Are you sure this is for me, you didn't get it mixed up with someone else's gift?"

Hermione looked at the gift in Daphne's lap and nodded at Harry.

"No, that's definitely yours." Harry said, "A little phoenix told us it would go nicely with your dress."

"No doubt it will. I'm stunned, thank you so much." Daphne turned pink in the cheeks as she looked gratefully to Harry and Hermione. Harry reached out and took Hermione's hand and smiled back.

"The smiles you've put on my brother's face are priceless, so think nothing of it." Harry said with a nod to Neville.

"I was unaware you're related." Daphne raised an eyebrow at Neville.

"It's honorary, not genetic." Neville said with a nod and a smile back at Harry.

"Oh." Daphne seemed like she was uncertain then, as though she were trying to work out the proper etiquette for friends who weren't family but considered each other so.

"Neville! Thank you so much!" Hermione exclaimed when she saw the title of the book he'd given her.

"You're planning a Mastery in Arithmancy as well?" Daphne asked Hermione, who nodded in return.

"Yes, we start studying for our first Masteries in September." Hermione replied absently. She was already lost in the pages.

"September?" Daphne asked as she turned slightly white.

"Because of the Tournament nonsense, we've been studying sixth and seventh year material. Well, I've been studying sixth, Hermione's finished sixth year and helping me catch up to her. We figure if things continue as they have been we should finish seventh year in June. We'll revise for O.W.L.s next year while we forge ahead into Masteries." Harry explained.

"Study group is forging ahead for the rest of us and revising for them." Neville said, chagrined. "If I'd known I was going to be friends with these two, I'd have started earlier."

"You're welcome to join the Study Group if you like." Hermione offered.

"That's... I... I think I will, actually. Thank you again." Daphne seemed to smile genuinely at that.

"Thanks Nev! We'll study that this summer. Brilliant!" Harry lofted the copy of 'Wizengamot in a nutshell' he'd just unwrapped.

"I figured you might want something to read when Hermione gets tired of you." Neville grinned.

Harry chuckled, and Hermione blushed while studiously avoiding gazes.

"That blush has a story behind it." Luna declared. "Soon as we get upstairs..." She looked pointedly at Hermione, who blushed harder and didn't look at her.

"Brilliant, I needed a new belt, thanks you two!" Neville said as he finished unwrapping his gift.

"Welcome, Nev. That one took us hours to do." Harry grinned at him.

"To do?"

"When you rotate the buckle, it changes the belt style so it'll fit with any kind of outfit. We had to practice on mine before we could add the warming runes to it safely. I liked it so much I bought myself one. Thankfully we didn't ruin it figuring out the enchantment." Harry grinned and showed Neville the belt he was wearing.

"It's several belts in one and it'll keep me warm? That's genius, thank you even more."

Luna left the sofa and threw her arms around Hermione, then turned and squeezed the hearts out of Harry too.

"It's beautiful, thank you both." She held the necklace out to Harry and swept her hair aside when he took it so he could put it on her. The tiny dragon with wings outstretched hung from its platinum chain just below her collarbones. "What's it made of?"

Hermione smiled at her. "Moonstone, of course."

"It's warm too."

"The necklaces were easy, they didn't have any prior enchantments on them." Harry said as he unwrapped his gift from her. "Aww, you saw me looking at this in Flourish and Blotts!" Harry jumped up and hugged Luna again. "Thanks, Luna. More study material!" He grinned.

"Which one is that?" Hermione asked.

"Wards for a lifetime." He replied.

"Ooo. Nice choice." She smiled at Luna. "Better read fast." She winked at Harry.

"Unless we keep this one for reading together while snuggling."

"Also a possibility." Hermione finished unwrapping Luna's gift after she finally put down the Arithmancy book. It was a framed picture of her and Harry by the lake with the sun rising between them as they looked at each other. She pursed her lips together and hugged Luna again.

"That's wonderful, Luna. Thank you so much. When was that?" She rose and placed the picture on the mantel above the fire.

"Wow you look fantastic, Hermione." Harry said as he looked at it.

"It was a couple weeks ago during training. I convinced Colin to let me borrow his camera." Luna answered with a proud smile.

"Thanks for the Honeydukes, Luna." Neville grinned at her. "That might last almost a week."

"I got more to share after morning trainings too." Luna smiled back.

"You're a chocolate fiend, Luna." Neville laughed.

"Takes one to know one, Neville." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Neville laughed. "Touche."

"Now I think we should start getting ready. Daphne and Hermione don't need any time at all to make themselves beautiful, but I do." Luna said as she stood with a glance at the grandfather clock.

"Hah!" Hermione scoffed. "Why do you think I wanted as much time as possible?" She got up and kissed Harry's head. "See you in a bit."

"Looking forward to it." He smiled at her.

Daphne rose as well and cast a trepidatious glance at Neville, who smiled serenely and nodded slightly, and just for a second wore the same commanding expression he had in Madam Puddifoot's. Daphne smiled slightly back at him, and followed Hermione and Luna up the stairs.

Harry turned to Neville when the girls had disappeared from view.

"Okay, so?" He asked expectantly.

"So?" Neville frowned as he wondered what his brother was getting at.

"You and Daphne's father. Official now?"

"Oh!" Neville grinned. "Yeah, officially courting now."

Harry punched his shoulder lightly and grinned back. "Congratulations. Dream come true?"

"More than one. Literally."

Harry laughed. "Bordering on things I don't want to know, Nev. Brilliant, glad you're happy. You look good together. I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of her then?"

"Well, Study Group definitely. She's really stuck in Slytherin though. She can't show any kind of weakness or desire to leave them or they'll turn on her and that would be ugly."

"Actually..." Harry switched seats and sat next to Neville. "I had a thought about that. She can't come and sit with us because of that, they'll think she's betraying them or whatever nonsense. The opposite isn't necessarily true though. If she takes a couple of weeks when we're back and lets her house know that she's trying to cultivate us as contacts or whatever, then we can gradually go sit with her. She'll still have to maintain her stoneface in public, but we're smart enough to make it look like she's got us eating out of the palm of her hand, sociopolitically speaking."

Neville brightened. "Yeah, that could work. It would have to be gradual, but after a while even her own House wouldn't question why we're always together. I'll talk to her about it tonight while we're dancing. Thanks for that, brother. That means a lot."

"We're family, Nev. Real family, not just Gryffindor family. I want to see you happy too."

"I appreciate that, Dunc. I'd say the same, but you're obviously giddy over Hermione already."

Harry nodded. "More and more every day."

"I'm looking forward to being that way with Daphne. We really just started though."

"Exciting though, isn't it?" Harry grinned.

"Completely." Neville agreed.

"Speaking of exciting, what do you want to do for three hours while they're doing whatever it is they're doing?"

"I haven't done any training today, you up for that?"

"Brilliant." Harry smiled.