Chapter 1469 - Ch: 5-6

Chapter 5 – Summertime

Later that day, the Grangers, Harry and Hermione were heading out to a local art show when Neil received a call from the wife of a friend in Leeds. His friend had been involved in an accident and he left immediately to head north, leaving the others to attend without him. The art show was interesting and took most of the morning and early afternoon. They returned home and were relaxing when Harry decided to spring his surprise. Walking into the living room where Hermione was reading, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. She smiled and put her book down to look at him.

"Mione love, I have a surprise for you. Time to get ready because I'm taking you on a date. Already arranged everything with the Aurors."

"Ooh! Where are we going?"

"I said it was a surprise."

She made a show of mock pouting that was adorable and Harry laughed at her as he helped pull her off the couch. She kissed him thoroughly and then turned to head upstairs. Halfway up, she turned around.

"What should I wear? Formal? Casual?"

"Casual love. This is what I'm wearing."

Hermione let her eyes wander as she openly admired. Harry was wearing her favorite pair of tight black jeans and a red t-shirt that showed his lightly toned Quidditch muscles nicely. Nodding, she turned back around and continued upstairs. Harry meanwhile went to fill Jean in on the plans. She was in her small studio off the kitchen, working on a watercolor.

"Hi Jean. I told you earlier we had plans. Well, actually I had plans. It's a surprise for Hermione. We'll be leaving shortly. The Aurors will be apparating and escorting us."

"Alright Harry, be careful and have fun. Care to tell me the surprise?"

"I managed to purchase VIP tickets to see the Weird Sisters. They've booked a warehouse in downtown London. Half the block is being treated with muggle repelling charms in preparation."

"Ah, so would that explain your mysterious owl message that you wouldn't tell Hermione about when she got miffed?"

"Maybe. I swear, it's too hard to surprise her."

Jean just laughed and nodded. Harry went back to the living room to wait for Hermione. She came down a short while later and Harry goggled. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a short sleeve shirt with long flowing lace over the sleeves. Her hair was pulled back with the comb he purchased her and she had done something to tame it into ringlets. She was wearing a touch of makeup and looked gorgeous. She noticed his appreciative look and smiled as she reached the bottom of the stairs. He crossed over to her and took her in his arms.

"You look amazing love. I don't think I deserve to be seen with you."

She frowned at him and swatted his chest as he leaned in to kiss her. The kiss became more than he planned and he had to exert his willpower to pull back.

"Guess I should stop that or we'll be late."

They stepped into the garage and opened the door. It was getting dark out, but they stayed in the back where they couldn't be seen. A minute later, Frank appeared next to them. With a wink at Harry, he took them each by an arm and apparated them away. They landed neatly in the VIP apparition room of the concert location. Frank turned and looked at Harry while Hermione surveyed their surrounding and tried to assess where they were.

"Alright Harry, I'm going to mingle around and keep an eye on things. There are also Aurors outside for the overall event. Something this big in muggle London always has tight security. Send up a signal with your wand if you need me. You may not see me, but I won't be far."

"Thanks Frank for all your help."

Harry took Hermione by an arm and led her out to a bar and lounge where those with VIP tickets were waiting. The room may once have been a storage area on the back of the warehouse, but now it was draped in dark blue velvet and lit with a variety of colored lights as low music played, increasing the ambiance. The tickets had been quite expensive, but perks like this lounge and the food after made it worth it. He pulled Hermione to him and gave her a quick peck. Then he turned her to the bar, where a large picture of the Weird Sisters hung above. Her eyes got huge.

"Harry! Are we at a Weird Sisters concert?"

Harry grinned and was rewarded by an enthusiastic kiss.

"I figured since this is our first real date we should do something memorable. I should have taken you out sooner."

"You know I don't mind. We've been out before, not really a date, but I don't need anything official."

"Maybe not, but you deserve it. So, we are here for the concert. After, this lounge will be set up with a buffet for late dinner. VIPs only, which is us. I'm told the tickets were limited to 100. We should meet the band then too."

Hermione grinned and started kissing him again. Soon they devolved into a full snog that elicited a couple whistles, causing them to pull apart. They went to the bar and order a couple fancy drinks, both of which were smoking. They wandered and talked with a few people, including Hannah Abbott and her cousin Rachel. The Greengrass sisters from Slytherin were also in attendance, but they passed them with barely a nod. Then they saw Draco Malfoy and steered wide as he sneered at them from across the room. The average age in the room was around nineteen and the majority were wealthy purebloods. Hermione was a bit disconcerted, realizing she was probably the only muggleborn in the room. They were definitely mixing with the elite. Then she remembered that she and her husband were probably the richest people in the place, or at least in the top percentage. That thought helped her to settle as she clung to Harry and sipped her drink. Soon the lights flickered and changed and one wall of the blue velvet curtains separated. Several ushers stepped forward to scan wands for identification and show the VIPs to their seats. Harry was happy when they were led in the opposite direction of Malfoy. The seats he had purchased were in the first tier, suspended directly above the main floor. They were absolutely perfect, giving them an elevated view set back just enough from the stage for a bit of perspective. Their seating area was small and much less crowded than below. They sat down and finished their drinks. Almost immediately an usher arrived to see if they wanted something else. Harry handed her a good handful of galleons and ordered another round. The tip he gave the usher assured that they would be well looked after for the evening.

Twenty minutes after they were seated, the opening act came out and everyone screamed when it turned out to be the Hobgoblins. They weren't as big as the Weird Sisters, but were still a well-known band in the wizarding world. They set the mood perfectly as they wailed and rocked the stage. Harry and Hermione were on their feet, no longer using their seats and enjoying every minute. When they hit their third song and slowed it down for a ballad, Harry happily took his wife in his arms and slowly danced with her. Then the fourth and last song of the opening act picked the mood right back up. After the Hobgoblins left, the stage went black and the only lights in the audience were blue as everyone looked around, barely able to see as they waited for the Weird Sisters to arrive. After a few minutes of murmurings from the crowd, all of a sudden the lights on stage flashed on at the exact moment that the two guitars and the bagpipes started. The entire band was right at the front of the stage and immediately kicked off with one of their loudest songs as the crowd roared to life. For the next hour and twenty minutes, the Weird Sisters put on a pulse shattering, amazing show. They ended with two encores as the crowd sent sparks in the air with their wands. Harry wondered briefly about underage magic, but figured with the amount of people in the building it would probably be impossible to pin a single spell to any one person. He thought about sending up sparks as well, but then decided that it may alert Frank and desisted. When the show was finally over, the usher was back at their side and escorted them back to the lounge.

Harry separated from Hermione briefly while they both used the loo. He was at first hesitant to let her out of his sight, but he knew she was fine. Not long after the concert ended, the buffet started to be set up. Harry and Hermione each got a third drink and were feeling quite relaxed. While they waited to eat, they visited the merch table and each bought Weird Sisters t-shirts. The food was all quite excellent and they enjoyed sitting with Hannah and Rachel. Hannah was Hufflepuff and neither knew her well, but they enjoyed getting to know her better. Rachel was American and visiting from the States. Halfway through their meal, the band arrived and everyone cheered and applauded. The guys were all nice and slowly made their way around the room to talk to the different VIPs. When they reached Harry, Myron stopped and realized who Harry was. All the band immediately gathered around and Harry proudly introduced his wife. Then he made sure to also introduce Hannah and Rachel. The band then graciously pulled out their wands and signed everyone's t-shirts before moving on to the next table. After the band left, Harry went and gathered cake for himself and Hermione. They finished their drinks and dessert as the VIP crowd gradually started to disperse. Harry looked over to one side and saw Frank. A brief wave brought the Auror to their table. They said good night to the Abbott cousins and Frank took them to apparate them home. They arrived late, but Jean was still awake watching an old movie on the telly. She looked up and smiled when they came in.

"Hello you two. Looks like you had fun."

"Yes mum. Harry spoiled me. VIP tickets to the Weird Sisters! And we had a buffet after. The band even came around we got our shirts signed!"

Hermione waved her shirt at her mum and Jean chuckled. It was good to see a flash of normal teenage girl in her daughter. She was flushed and quite happy. They'd obviously had a few drinks as well. Harry was grinning from ear to ear and had his hand resting on her bum. The two of them really did deserve a nice night out relaxing like a normal couple.

"Well, I'm glad you two had fun. My commercial is almost over now though, sorry."

Hermione laughed as her mum turned back to her movie. She took Harry by the hand and led him up to their bedroom. Once they were there, she began kissing him hungrily. Just as he started to fondle her, she pulled back.

"I'm going to the loo. You go ahead and get comfortable Harry."

Harry nodded and watched her bum wiggle as she stopped in the closet and went to the loo. She looked over her shoulder and winked at him and he felt himself twitch as his already tight jeans tightened more. He quickly stripped down to his trunks and found a pair of sweatpants. He laid back on the bed and waited for Hermione as he thought about how well the evening had gone. Then his thoughts were interrupted when Hermione came out of the bathroom. She was wearing nothing but lacy pink knickers and a tight white tank top. Harry's eyes devoured her as he sat up on the bed. She crossed the room and took a wand from the nightstand to cast the charms on the room. Then she crawled over on top of Harry and began to nibble his ear. Soon their tongues were entwined as his hands slid under the lace and cupped her bum. His cock hardened completely and he groaned as she ground herself down on him. Then she sat up, straddling him as she slowly removed his sweat pants. She looked at his trunks and grinned wickedly.

"Those look a bit tight love. Aren't you uncomfortable?"

"Why don't you do something to help me out then?" Harry growled.

Harry sat up suddenly and his mouth was on her as he ripped her tank top off and began to fondle her breasts. Hermione loved it when he played with her and she made up her mind completely as she pulled back, panting.

"Harry love, I want you tonight. All the way. Make love to me. Please."

Harry's eyes shot open as he suppressed a groan that started from between his legs.

"Really? You're ready?"

"Yes. You remember a week ago when we went to Diagon and I stopped at the apothecary? I picked up a six month supply of the Potion. I started it so that I would be prepared when the time was right. You've been patient with me, but I don't want to wait any longer."

Harry cupped her face and smiled at her.

"I love you so much Mione. We'll take this slow. I want this to be as special as possible."

He kissed her slowly, letting his tongue explore her as he rolled them to the side as they lay down together. He began to trace kisses all over her as a hand worked into her knickers. She began to squirm and moan and he could feel how wet she was. He was a virgin, but the guys in the dorms talked a lot and he knew that was a good sign. He slowly removed her knickers as he continued kissing her. Then she pushed him back enough so that she could finally lower his trunks and free his rock hard cock. She gripped him as he kicked the trunks off the bed and thrust himself into her hand. Then she released him and he moved over her, kissing her deep as he positioned himself, preparing to enter her. He looked at her and she nodded as he started to push in slowly. She was wonderfully tight and hot and felt exquisite. Then he saw a bit of pain cross her face and he stopped. He hated hurting her.

"It's fine love, keep going slow."

Harry continued and was mostly in her when he reached her barrier and stopped. She was biting her lip and he leaned forward to kiss her as he stopped moving and let her adjust to his girth. She gave him another nod and he decided to get it over with quick as he gave one short thrust and pushed himself the rest of the way in. Hermione yelped and her nails dug into his shoulders as a couple tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. He stopped and leaned forward to kiss the tears away. The feeling for him was magnificent and he had been afraid he would come immediately, but as he worried for her he found himself holding back. He kept kissing her and muttered endearments quietly in her ear while he waited for her to be ready to continue. A couple minutes later, she kissed him and smiled.

"Thanks love, I'm better. You can move now."

Harry began to slowly pull out a bit and then push back in. He gradually lengthened his strokes and watched her face closely. The pain was gone and soon was replaced with happiness as she began to move with him. He was close and started to think about a particularly bad potions class to hold himself back. He wanted to see her come desperately as he lengthened his strokes and adjusted himself. As he pulled slightly to the side, her eyes shot open and she yelped as she threw her head back. He seemed to have found a spot she liked and he held her leg slightly as he repeated what he had done. She thrust up to meet him as he went into her even deeper. She was panting and begged him to speed up, which he did. Then she looked right at him and the look of ecstasy on her face made him tremble. He could almost feel her climax as she suddenly came and squeezed down on his cock. That finally made him lose it as he shot off inside her and they both called out to each other. As they mutually climaxed, something familiar happened as the room filled with blue-white light and the chimes of their soul bond returned. As the chimes sounded, Harry pushed into her once again even though he thought he was done he came again as she screamed and shuddered to a second climax as well. Gradually they both settled as he softened and slid out of her, rolling to her side as they held each other tightly. As far as they were concerned, they were the only ones in the world at that moment. As Harry looked into Hermione's eyes, his own contentment magnified as hers rolled into him. She felt the same from him and thought that no one could ever truly understand what they had. A few minutes later, their bliss was interrupted when a silvery boar bounded into the room. The patronus started talking immediately.

"This is Frank. What's going on? I'm calling backup."

Harry groaned and jumped out bed, reaching for his sweatpants. He tossed Hermione a robe as he grabbed his wand and dissolved their privacy charms. He opened the bedroom door and groaned as he saw Frank and Jean both standing there.

"Hi Frank. Don't call backup. We're fine."

Hermione appeared behind Harry and Frank looked over the two teenagers. They were both looking quite rumpled. Hermione's hair was a sight.

"Alright Harry. What the bloody hell? I saw a light coming from up here when I was outside. It was so bright I thought there was an explosion, except I didn't hear anything. I came barging in, frightening Mrs. Granger who was on the way up the stairs. That's when I heard some kind of music."

Harry blushed. "Um, yeah. The lights and music is part of the soul bond magic. It's happened before."

"Well you could have bloody warned us. Should we expect this a lot?"

Hermione decided to take over, even though she was blushing more than Harry.

"I'm not sure Frank, but I don't think so. Soul bonds are unique and not understood. We hadn't anticipated that happening again. I think our bond is complete now though so I think it's done."

Frank nodded and a look of realization finally hit him. He did his best not to smile.

"Hmm, yes, I think I understand. Well, my apologies for the intrusion. I'm glad everything is alright."

"Frank? Since you didn't call backup, does this have to be part of your official duty report?"

"What? No. Since you're alright, I don't think it needs to be."

"Thanks."

Frank turned and left the couple and Jean standing in front of the door. She smirked at the two of them and yawned.

"Well, since the excitement's done, I'm going to bed. I'll let the two of you continue."

Jean went down the hall while Harry and Hermione went back to the bedroom and closed the door. They flopped on the bed and cuddled up again.

"Well that was bloody embarrassing."

Hermione giggled. "Definitely. Although the part before they showed up was quite spectacular."

Harry smiled and kissed her. They were soon wrapped around each other as they quickly forgot the interruption. After a few minutes, Hermione pulled back and smiled.

"I really wasn't expecting anything quite like that again. I guess our bond really is complete. It made it quite memorable."

"Yes. I hope it won't be hard to match the memory of that first time."

"Well, why don't we try?"

Harry grinned and leaned over her as she reached to guide him back into her. Their second time was slow and delicious as they each focused on pleasuring and loving each other. Harry marveled at the experience. This was truly making love. It was more than sex. More than a quick shag. When they both came it wasn't accompanied by lights and music, but it was just as spectacular and this time Harry was the one with tears in his eyes. They were both finally satisfied and when they finished, they fell asleep embracing.

The next morning, Hermione was the first awake and she smiled at her husband, her lover. He was completely peaceful with a small upward turn to his mouth that made her smile. His hair was a shock and it was sexy as hell. She looked down and saw that he had his usual partial morning wood. She considered waking him to take advantage of it, but she was still sore from the previous night. The pain was to be expected and it was completely worth it in the end. Harry had been an amazing and wonderfully patient lover as she knew he would be. Slowly she lifted his arm off her and rolled off the bed. She grabbed a robe and tiptoed to the loo. Checking a clock, she saw it was still early. She cast a couple cleaning charms and decided that she wanted some tea as she made her way quietly out of the room. When she reached the kitchen, she found her mother was already there. Jean looked up and smiled at her daughter.

"Good morning. I'm surprised to see you awake this early. Harry still sleeping?"

"Yes. I managed to sneak out without waking him. Thought I'd get some tea. Maybe I'll surprise him for a change and make breakfast."

"Sounds good. Also, I wanted to apologize about last night. If I'd understood, I wouldn't have come up there. The light was quite bright."

"It's alright mum. I'm glad dad wasn't home though. Frank was bad enough. We had no idea that would happen again."

"So that's what happened when you bonded in the hospital?"

Hermione nodded as she reached for the teapot.

"Well I guess I understand why it made such a commotion. Quite remarkable. I also understand a bit more about the magic of a soul bond now. I think though that I won't mention it to your father. He already has nightmares about the two of you."

"Really mum? We're married. Married by magic, but still. As you've see it's more of a bond than a lot of people get with a quick ceremony. We waited over two weeks before we completed the bond and Harry let me make that decision."

"I understand dear, but these things are difficult for fathers. And you're still so young. Not that I'm delusional about things these days. I know a lot of girls your age sleep around. And you are married. I'm glad your consummation was so spectacular."

"Thanks mum, but I don't think I want to talk in detail about it."

"I understand. Just one more thing. I have to ask. I'm a mum. Have you and Harry discussed family? Truthfully, I'm not quite ready to be a grandmum."

"We're definitely not ready for family. We have school to finish and a dark wizard to defeat. You don't have to worry, I started the Potion earlier this week."

"Ah, okay. I know you're smart. Thanks for reassuring me."

Jean came around and hugged her daughter as the topic of conversation thankfully switched to a choice of what to make for breakfast. By the time Harry showed up a while later, breakfast was almost complete. He came into the kitchen and pulled Hermione into a hug. She turned to kiss him and he decided to not let her go until she pushed back.

"Harry! Stop distracting me. I'm going to burn the pancakes."

"Mmm. Pancakes. Alright, I guess I'll stop. For now."

Jean laughed and Harry looked over at her and blushed

"Morning Jean. Um, sorry about last night."

"No worries Harry. Hermione and I already chatted. Everything's fine."

Harry nodded and went to pour himself some tea. Soon the three of them were sitting down to the delicious breakfast and Harry praised his wife's cooking. After, he insisted on doing the cleanup. Then he and Hermione went back upstairs to shower and dress. When they reached the room, Harry offered to let her take the first shower.

"Actually, why don't we save water and shower together love?"

Harry grinned and dropped his sweatpants to the floor as Hermione chuckled. The shower actually took much longer than planned and in the end Harry doubted that any water was saved. Hermione was still too sore for anything strenuous, but they had both managed to pleasure each other orally and both had come enough that they had wash a second time. Eventually they got clean and dressed and decided to do some studying. After the events of the previous night, Hermione decided that it was time to read their book on soul bonds. With their schoolwork and other studies, she had set the book aside. It wasn't a very large book and she figured it wouldn't take it long to read through. Harry seemed to think it was a good idea, even though he didn't voice this. While she settled into the book, Harry continued one of the defense books, reading about unusual charms applications. The two felt quite content as they snuggled up and studied together. Hermione could almost feel the peaceful vibes coming from Harry. She was about a third of the way through the book when all of a sudden something she read made a few things start to click into place. Harry had set his book down and looked over at her.

"Need to tell me something love?"

Hermione looked over the top of the book and stared at him.

"Harry, why did you stop right then and ask me that?"

"Um, I don't know. I guess I thought you wanted to tell me something."

"Well I do, but how did you know right then?"

Harry shrugged.

"Well I think I have the answer. And it explains a few things. Apparently it's been noted in most soul bond cases that the soul bonded individuals are capable of feeling their partner's emotions. In a few rare cases the partners even reach the level of mind speech with each other. It's also been reported that there may be knowledge sharing among bonded individuals through their mind link."

Harry's eyes popped open.

"Well that does explain a bit. Last night when we were together, I could feel your climax almost like a wave coming at me. At first I thought it was part of mine. I mean, I'm not that experienced. Except that what I felt was different, less but still wonderful. And when we separated at the concert to go to separate loos, I was worried at first, but then I just knew you were alright."

"I've had similar feelings, especially last night. I felt the same from you. I guess our love making will be something really special if we feel our own and each other's climaxes. And when you were talking to dad the other night, I was in the kitchen but I came out because I felt you were uneasy."

"I wonder to if it's helping with our studying? Like when you helped me with the potions homework. It was almost like once you saw what I was working on, it just made more sense to me. The next day when I read the Charms chapters you had read before, they seemed familiar."

"Wow. This could really help with classes."

"So, does the book say how long the bond takes to grow completely? Does it keep growing all the time?"

"Well, it doesn't give a timeline. The maturity of the bond is unique to each couple. It does state that there seems to be a point of maximum maturity. I'll keep reading."

Harry nodded and leaned over to kiss her as they each returned to their own readings. Fifteen minutes later Hermione paused again and Harry looked up, knowingly.

"Listen to this Harry: While the initial soul bonding experience can occur from any intense physical contact, the actual consummation of the bond is most intense with intercourse and some bondings have even reported a secondary bonding experience upon initiation of sexual contact. There is evidence that this consummation will also produce a marked increase in soul bond linkage and skills, including potential mind speech and magic growth."

"Wow. Maybe we should have read that sooner and been warned about what happened last night. It kind of makes sense after what happened that our linkage will be more intense now. What does it mean by magic growth?"

"Well, it doesn't say specifically, but all wizards and witches go through periods of magic growth. Just like our physical bodies, our magic grows and matures. If you think about it, you cast the privacy spells last night and those have never been your strongest. Yet, you cast them so strong that an Auror had to send a patronus into the room because he couldn't break through them. Also, when I cast the privacy spells before we talked to my parents, I felt they were easier than before. Now that we are bonded our magical cores are linked. So I would surmise that we can draw on each other's power. Of course, that could be dangerous if we over exert."

"Hmm, I guess we need to practice carefully while we see out how this works."

Hermione nodded and continued reading the book. She didn't find anything else that they didn't already know, although there were several stories of other soul bonded couples that were quite interesting to read about. The most recent the book noted was seventy five years previous. Once she had finished, she gave the book to Harry. It had only taken Hermione a bit over an hour to read the brief volume, but Harry took much less time to skim through it since he already knew most of it. Once that was done, they continued on with defensive studies.

Harry and Hermione spent the next two weeks in much the same way, studying and working around the house. Neil had returned from Leeds and both he and Jean kept up full schedules at the practice, leaving the young couple with the house to themselves most days. They enjoyed the time alone and also made themselves useful doing small chores and projects around the house. Ron, Ginny, Neville and a couple other friends sent owl post regularly and they responded on a weekly basis. Ron and Ginny both insisted that they come to the Burrow later in the summer as planned and a date had been set with the Grangers of August 9th, giving them three weeks at the end of summer to spend at the Burrow. Hermione of course asked Ron how his homework and studies were going and Ron of course managed to not answer the question. Harry also traded a couple owls with Sirius, but he had left earlier in the summer with Remus on a trip to the continent. It was some sort of secret mission that Dumbledore set them on and he couldn't say much. Once they were gone, he had only managed to send one owl. Harry had wanted to visit with him, but he was so happy with Hermione that he didn't much mind.

Harry made a point of taking Hermione on a couple more dates, usually just in the neighborhood. They had located a couple small restaurants they both liked and would have lunch out a couple days a week, sometimes meeting the Grangers. They also went bowling once, but both decided it wasn't something they were fond of. They also enjoyed the muggle cinema. Harry had only been to two movies as a child and he felt indulgent when they once went three times in one week. He made a point to try courting Hermione, which she found endearing, although she insisted that she really didn't feel shorted by having skipped straight to being married. Back at home, she and Harry were doing well in their basic defensive studies, but had completely obliterated a few dummies and were longing for more instruction. The books were helpful, but they each felt like they wanted to learn more. When they weren't studying books, they studied each other and often made good use of the empty house during the day. The summertime wore on and they were happy, but starting to get a bit bored. Then one evening at dinner, Neil suggested a vacation.

"Hermione, Harry, your mum and I have been talking and we want to get away. We think it would be good for you as well. We talked about France, but we don't have more than a week that we can take off since John is on leave from the practice right now. So we were thinking, would the two of you like to go to the beach? Suffolk isn't far and we have a patient who has a cottage is Felixstowe. They had it rented out for the summer, but the week after next their rental cancelled so it's open. The practice has been light with everyone else on vacation, so we can clear the schedule by then."

Hermione could feel Harry's happy surprise and his approval of the plan, which she also thought sounded great.

"That sounds good dad. I think we'd like that. Is the cottage big enough for the four of us?"

"Yes, actually it's three bed, so more than enough. Shouldn't you ask Harry though?"

"Like Mione said, we're fine."

Neil gave them both a look as the young couple clasped hands. There was something going on there. Hermione saw her father's expression and decided she should explain.

"Dad, our soul bond is settling in more. As it does, we can feel each other. We actually have had a bit since the beginning, but it's more so now. I can't hear Harry's thoughts, at least not yet, but I can fell his emotions and I knew he was happy with the suggestion as well."

Harry smiled at her and leaned in to give his wife a quick kiss. Neil just shook his head while Jean grinned. With the decision made, Hermione and Jean began to excitedly talk about preparations for their departure in nine days.

The time leading up to their vacation was spent much the same as they had before. The neighborhood hosted a local carnival and both couples decided to go. Harry and Hermione rode the ferris wheel and ate cotton candy, making a complete mess with it and then insisting they clean it off of each other. They were just getting out of hand when the giggles of a couple pre-teens watching them brought them to their senses. Later in the week, they went out to Neil's favorite pub and Harry got his first darts lesson. They still studied plenty, but also found the time to just enjoy the summer together. The Aurors still kept up their guard, but had told them that the Death Eaters were being remarkably quiet. That somewhat concerned the young couple, as they wondered what preparations the Death Eaters and Voldemort were working on. Unable to do anything at the moment, they pushed the concern aside and decided to enjoy themselves. Soon it came time for their long awaited beach vacation. The night before, the house was a flurry of packing. Jean and Neil both laughed when Hermione began levitating her and Harry's things down the stairs to the waiting pile. The Grangers had become quite accustomed to magic in the five weeks that Hermione and Harry had been home. Soon, all but the last minute items were packed and loaded into the Land Rover and everyone headed off to try to sleep despite the anticipation of their upcoming holiday.

Chapter 6 – Felixstowe

The drive to the coast only took a couple hours and Harry especially enjoyed the drive, watching the countryside pass by and talking with his new family. It was a far cry from the couple road trips he had been forced on with the Dursleys. They arrived at their rented cottage and Hermione and Jean both exclaimed over it. The cottage looked like something out of a postcard, set on the edge of the village with a view of the beach from a slight elevation. The main entry was off a secondary street above the main beach side road, allowing the back yard of the house to face the water. Once they entered, they found the inside was not overly large, but was quite comfortable. The decor was an eclectic selection that appeared to have been collected piecemeal through the years, but coordinated well and had an overall nautical theme. The front door opened onto a small entry alcove on the far left side of the house. Stairs went immediately up, where the three bedrooms and two bathrooms were located. To the right of the entry, a sitting room joined onto a large kitchen with an eat in buffet. The kitchen had a back door that led to the garden. The front yard was quite small, so the back yard was a surprise when they opened the door and found a good size patio and lawn lined with a low stone wall covered in wild roses. The yard had a magnificent view of the beach and Hermione immediately settled into a patio chair and took a deep breath. Harry soaked in her feeling of contentment and smiled at her. This was going to be a good week.

After settling in to the cottage, the two couples decided to head down to Sea Road and check out the available attractions. From there they then moved to the promenade, where they enjoyed the stroll with each couple wrapped around each other. The town was a modest seaside resort and thus wasn't overly crowded. They located a small restaurant and ordered the latest catch that had come off the morning boats. Hermione thought it was the freshest fish she had ever had. The restaurant may not have looked impressive, but the food was completely worth it. After wandering around, they decided to walk back to the cottage. On the way they picked up a few groceries. The rest of the afternoon was spent sunning on the chairs in the back yard while admiring the view. As the sun set they were treated to a spectacular display. Harry was curled up in a large lounge chair with Hermione. They hadn't said much, mainly just trading small kisses. As they watched the sunset, Hermione smiled and looked at Harry.

"This is so beautiful I could almost forget everything else going on. I wish we could stay like this forever. Maybe some day we can come back here and have a wedding. Maybe in five years. Don't you think it would perfect?"

"Hmm, yes love. Although, why wait? I know you decided a wedding wasn't necessary and that we had too much else going on, but do we really? I mean, this afternoon we've laid around for hours. We don't need anything big. Owl a few friends, find someone to do the ceremony. You and your mum wanted to check the shops in town. You can find a nice dress and we'll pick up some flowers and a cake."

Hermione was silent for a few minutes as she thought about it. She nuzzled into Harry's neck and kissed his jaw.

"Do you really think we could Harry? Something simple right here?"

"Sure thing. Why don't we talk to your parents? We'll owl our friends. Sirius was supposed to be arriving back in country about now. We'll invite the Weasleys of course, maybe your dorm mates, anyone else you want. We'd need to find someone to officiate. When would you want to do this?"

"Well, we're here for seven days, maybe in three or four. At sunset like now. As for the officiant, why not Arthur?"

"Um sure, can he?"

"Yes. He certified as part of one of his jobs in the Ministry years ago. Ron said that the summer after our second year he officiated for a second cousin of his. He doesn't do it often, but I'm sure he will."

"Alright, one thing decided. See, this won't be hard. Honestly, I don't see how people can make such a fuss out of weddings. The important thing should just be getting married."

Hermione laughed and kissed him.

"You are such a guy and I love you for it. Most weddings are much more complex. If you're inviting hundreds of people and doing a meal and dancing and bridesmaids it can take a lot."

"Well, I think I'll be fine with simple. Honestly, I don't know hundreds of people that I care about enough to invite."

Hermione chuckled and slowly sat up, pulling Harry with her.

"Come love, let's talk this over with my parents."

Jean and Neil were a bit surprised, but excited at the possibility of a wedding and plans began that night. The first order of business was a guest list. Next, they made a short list of to-do items for the men and the women to be started the next day. Harry had been a bit worried that the Grangers wouldn't be happy with part of their vacation being taken over, but they quickly dissuaded him of that idea. That night they were all up late, excited and planning. Finally, shortly before midnight they all decided the day was well used and retired to their separate bedrooms.

When Harry and Hermione reached their room, he barely had a chance to step in when she was on him, yanking his shirt off. He took hold of her and kissed her deeply as she groaned and continued to try to strip him. He pulled back a bit and smiled at her.

"Wow Mione, you are so hot tonight. I didn't realize how excited you were."

"You have no idea Harry. I love you so much. I thought I'd be alright without a wedding, but now I'm so happy to be getting one. I'm want to show my appreciation."

"Well, I certainly am not arguing, but you know the only thing I need is to see you happy and looking beautiful on our wedding day."

Hermione gave him a half smile and tears started to brim in her eyes. Then she pulled his head down and began to kiss him intently as her hands went from running across his chest and worked down to his belt. Harry reached forward and unbuttoned her blouse as his erection twitched and he moaned with need for her. She pulled away for a brief moment and cast the charms on the room before tossing the wand and yanking his pants down. Harry pulled her back up and kicked his pants off as he finished removing her bra. He moved them toward the bed and laid down with her as he began to kiss her chest and moved to sucking her nipples as she whimpered and fisted her hands in his hair. As his mouth worked, his hands moved down and unbuttoned her pants. He moved back to her mouth and, as they continued kissing, she lifted her hips and he pulled the pants and her knickers off in one movement. As his tongue explored her mouth, his hand moved across her clit and began to gently probe her as she began to pant.

"Har…Harry…please…now..."

Harry smiled down on her and maneuvered himself to her entrance. He slid in slowly and groaned with her as they joined.

"Love you so much Mione. So, so much."

Harry began gently stroking her as she begged him to speed up. He wanted to make love to her all night, but they were both desperate for release. He sat up a bit and took hold of her knees as he increased his pace and drove himself deeper. She began to come and yelped once before finally releasing and calling his name. Harry kept working her as he sought his own release and her head was thrown back as a series of explosive exclamations and colorful language flew out of her when she climaxed a second time. That was Harry's final undoing as he poured himself into her before collapsing on her side. They kissed briefly before succumbing to sleep for a while. A couple hours later, Harry woke when Hermione got up to visit the loo. When she came back, they kissed for a bit and then made love again. This time their hunger was lessened as they languidly made love, watching each other enjoy the pleasure and continuing their learning of each other. While their second round climax took much longer to arrive, it was even more spectacular than earlier as they mutually came together with their bond linking their emotions. Each saw lights and stars before collapsing in each other's arms, instantly unconscious.

The next morning Jean and Neil were downstairs with breakfast almost ready and still hadn't seen Harry or Hermione. Neil went upstairs and knocked, but received no response. Worried, he went back downstairs to Jean.

"I don't know dear. They aren't answering. Should we just let them sleep? Maybe I should check on them?"

"We have a lot to do today, so we can't let them sleep more. I'll go check on them."

"I can do it."

"No Neil, I think it's best I go."

"Ugh, alright, I am not even going to think about why."

Jean patted her husband's shoulder and made her way back upstairs. She knocked again and waited, but then slowly opened the door. The sight that greeted her was a bit shocking for a mother, but endearing otherwise. They were both passed out and completely tangled around each other with a sheet tangled between them. They were completely naked and smiling in their sleep. Obviously they'd had an eventful night. Jean crossed the room to wake them and couldn't help but notice Harry was semi-erect. She gasped for a minute and shook her head. That was something she didn't need to see. Her daughter was certainly lucky. Of course, so was Harry. She reached over and gently shook Hermione's shoulder. Then she shook harder and finally Hermione stirred, causing Harry to as well. It took a full two minutes for them to come around. Hermione looked up at her mother and groaned. Then Harry realized who was standing there and quickly dropped a hand to cover himself as Jean laughed.

"No worries son. It's nothing I haven't seen before. I am sorry to intrude, but neither of you woke when we knocked. It's just past nine in the morning and we have a lot to do today. I'll leave you be now, but breakfast is ready when you are."

"Thanks mum. We'll be down shortly."

Jean left and Hermione and Harry slowly extricated themselves after a brief morning kiss.

"Last night was amazing Mione. I swear we get better each time."

"I think our bond is definitely settling in. When we finished together that last time and our magic joined I think we overloaded though. I feel like I'm coming out of a coma."

"I know the feeling. I'm glad it was your mum to come get us at least. Still, embarrassing that my mother-in-law saw that."

Hermione laughed and kissed him again. They decided to take a quick mutual shower, exercising all self control to keep it just at showering. A half hour later they finally made it down to breakfast. Jean went to put the food in the microwave, but Harry stopped her and cast a warming charm instead. Neil just shook his head and took his plate. Magic was definitely useful. Once they had eaten, they went to the front yard and whistled their Auror signal. A few seconds later, Tonks came out from behind a tree.

"Wotcher Hermione! What's the plan today? This place is beautiful by the way."

Hermione quickly filled her in on their separate errands and Tonks called for backup. Ten minutes later they set off for errands around town. Hermione and Jean separated to go shopping for a dress. Neil and Harry meanwhile went and secured the rental of two long tables and enough chairs for their small group of guests. Their next stop was the wonderful restaurant they had eaten at the previous day. Hermione wanted a full dinner for everyone after the ceremony and had decided on steaks and seafood. Neil was planning on grilling the steaks, which was a specialty of his. For the seafood, they ordered several fish pies and a selection of local shellfish from the restaurant. About a block down from the restaurant, Harry noticed something a bit unusual. Between two shops was a small doorway with no sign above, but a couple runes on the door.

"Hey Neil, do you see that door over there? The blue one between the kite shop and the tour company."

"What Harry? I don't see any blue door. I see the kite shop and the tours, nothing between them."

"Hmm, that's what I thought. I need to investigate, take my arm please."

Neil did as Harry asked and they walked toward what had been a blank section of wall. Then he noticed the door Harry had mentioned appear. They stepped in and Harry smiled as Neil goggled. The shop appeared to be a wizard's general store. On one wall were jars of potion ingredients. There was also a small stack of cauldrons, a couple brooms hanging in a corner, a few shelves of books and a rack of basic robes. On the far end of the store stood a very old and charred fireplace. A witch with a mass of fluffy grey hair peered over the counter at them.

"Welcome lad! Ye bring a muggle with ye?"

"Good day madam. Yes, this is my father-in-law."

Harry carefully brushed his hair, hoping that his scar would remain hidden as he stepped closer.

"I hadn't realized there was a wizard store here in town. I saw the door and decided I'd check in. Out of curiosity, does your fireplace connect to the floo network?"

"Aye. Just say Miranda's Shoppe if you come this direction. Cost is two sickles."

"Excellent. This will be a big help. I'll have some friends coming in from out of town for a party in a couple days. I'll give them the information. How late are you open?"

"Oh, depends. I'll be around till about four. Course, I live upstairs. If your party runs late, just have your friends knock and I can come down and let them in. Wait, let me get my glasses…you're Harry Potter!"

"Um yeah. Except I'm here on vacation. I'm trying to keep quiet and relax."

"Not to worry lad! Ole Miranda won't be sayin nothin. Tis a pleasure to meet ye though. Ye just send your friends on through whenever, no charge. Not for Harry Potter."

"That's quite kind mam, but honestly I can afford it and you deserve the business. I don't know the exact number of people who'll be coming through, but here's three galleons ahead of time. If it's more, I'll come back and settle up."

"Not to worry lad, thank ye. I hope your party goes well. It has been a pleasure. Maybe once ye leave town I can tell my friends I met ye."

"Sure thing, we'll only be here through Sunday. I appreciate you keeping my secret until then."

Harry said goodbye to Miranda and led Neil out of the shop. He had remained quiet, but shook his head as they exited.

"Your world continues to surprise me Harry, but this will make arrangements easier. Also, does everyone in your world know you?"

"Not everyone in the wizarding world Neil, but probably all of wizarding Britain. Bloody annoying a lot of the time."

Neil just shook his head as they headed back to the main part of town and began to look for suitable clothes for Harry. With their in town errands finished, they returned to the cottage well before the ladies. Harry whistled and Tonks appeared. She was more than happy to help and apparated Harry to the Leaky so that he could go to the owl post in Diagon Alley. Once all the invitations were posted with the details, including the floo information, Tonks took him back to the cottage. Later in the afternoon, the ladies returned from their shopping. Hermione was thrilled that she had found the perfect dress. She refused to show Harry but confirmed it was what she had talked about the night before, a light, casual, white summer dress, suitable for the beach. They also had located a bakery and ordered a simple two tier cake. The one thing that Hermione wasn't happy about was the flowers. No florist in town carried orchids, so she had settled for a small bouquet of pastel roses that she would pick up in a couple days.

With the errands done for the day, Harry and Hermione retreated to their sunning spot in the back yard. Soon they were dozing as the salty afternoon breeze washed over them. They woke as the sun started to set and once again enjoyed the view, looking forward to their wedding in a couple days. Since they were well rested, Harry suggested they go down to the pier they had seen the day before. They notified Frank, who had taken over watch duties and he called in additional guards, one to go with him and one to stay at the cottage. Neil and Jean opted for a quiet night at the cottage, wishing them a good time. The walk from the cottage took about fifteen minutes and soon they were strolling the vendor and game stands along the pier. On one of their first stops, Harry won a stuffed purple hippopotamus for his wife and Hermione laughed, declaring it 'what she always wanted'. They took their new family member and stopped at a small seafood restaurant, where they both enjoyed hearty bowls of fish stew with thick slabs of bread on the side. The night was pleasant and warm and Harry once again found himself forgetting about all his worries. This night it was just him, his beautiful wife and a purple hippo. Oh, and a couple disguised Aurors shadowing them to ensure everything remained safe.

As they neared the end of the pier, they came up behind a young family with three small children. The oldest was a girl who appeared to be about five. As they stepped off the end of the pier, the girl tripped and was about to tumble down the ten steps to the bottom when Harry's magic flared and with a quick wave of his hand, she was caught in midair and set on a step. He quickly covered and ran his hand through his hair, trying to act nonchalant. Hermione whipped around and stared at him as he shrugged. The little girl appeared fine, although shocked. She had also lost a large balloon that she let loose during the accident. The parents were immediately at her side, checking her over and glad she was alright as they tried to console her over the loss. They turned to look at Harry and Hermione, obviously still a bit bewildered. Harry quickly decided to cover.

"Wow, that was some fancy footwork there. You have quite the little dancer. She had me scared for a minute."

"Um, yes, us as well. I don't know how Meggie caught herself" the girl's father replied as she continued to cry.

Hermione stepped forward and kneeled down in front of the little girl.

"Hi there Meggie. I saw you catch yourself. I'm glad you didn't fall, but I see you lost your balloon. I was wondering if you could do me a favor and take this hippo. I don't have room for him in my suitcase."

Meggie's eyes got big as her tears slowly stopped. She looked between both her parents and they nodded in approval. She reached forward and took the hippo as she thanked Hermione. Her father looked up and thanked them as her mother dried Meggie's tears. Harry and Hermione once again expressed that they were glad all was well, then said good night to the family. They continued on a bit further as Harry tightened his grip on Hermione.

"That was so sweet what you did for her love."

"Well, you know I love the fact you won me a prize, but I think Meggie will be able to use a purple hippo a bit more than I can."

Harry chuckled and stopped to pull her around for a long kiss, oblivious to any audience. They continued on a bit further and then stopped for ice cream cones that they took to a bench, where they sat and looked out at the water. Eventually they wandered back to the cottage and found that Neil and Jean had already gone on to bed. As they crawled into their own bed, Hermione curled herself up against Harry and sighed happily after what had been a very good day.

The next morning they were all eating breakfast when the first owl arrived in response to the invitations that Harry had sent. It was from the Burrow and included an enthusiastic acceptance from the family, as well as a happy note from Arthur saying he would love to officiate. Over the course of the morning, several more owls arrived with acceptances, including one from Sirius which thrilled Harry, although Sirius said he would be coming undercover. After the fourth owl, a knock sounded on the door. Harry went to check who it was and found Tonks waiting.

"Good morning Tonks. Something wrong?"

"Not sure Harry. Four owls in one morning though makes me wonder."

"Ah, we were going to talk to you all today after we had all the responses. We're going to have a small wedding ceremony here tomorrow at sunset in the back garden. Hermione deserves to have something official."

Tonks was about to reply when two more owls arrived. Harry checked the notes and grinned as two more friends accepted.

"So Harry, how many people should we be expecting. Anyone special?"

"So far almost everyone has replied. Right now it's the Weasleys, Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Percy, Ron and Ginny. Then Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, a couple of other family friends. All of them will probably apparate to the back garden. I found a floo spot in town for my other friends who can't apparate. So far we've got Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Lavender Brown. The only reply I haven't received is from the Patil twins, Parvati and Padma."

"Alright, not too bad. And with Dumbledore here, that will add to security. I'll send word back to the office. What time are you starting?"

"The ceremony will be at eight. So people will probably start arriving an hour before. We'll have dinner after."

Tonks nodded and pulled out a mirror that she used to communicate to someone at the office. With the details set, she left the cottage and Harry returned to breakfast. They discussed the plans for the day and decided to head down to the beach and relax. Hermione went to change into her swimsuit and Harry to his trunks. Her bikini wasn't tiny, but it allowed him to see plenty and he crossed the room to take her in his arms. They kissed for a couple minutes and then reluctantly separated. Hermione pulled on a cover up, but Harry reached for jeans and a t-shirt as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I have a couple pieces of business to attend to love. It shouldn't take long, so I'll meet you down at the beach in a while."

"Do you want me to go with you? What's up?"

"No, you head on down to the beach, I have this covered."

Hermione looked suspicious and had a feeling that he was up to something, but then he kissed her again and the rest of her questions evaporated. Harry stepped outside before the others, and Tonks came back to him. She called for Frank to go with Hermione and the Grangers and then apparated Harry back to the Leaky.

"Tonks, I really appreciate you doing all this for us. I know this isn't in your normal duties. Am I allowed to pay you something in thanks?"

"No Harry, we can't take gifts and it's not needed. Honestly, I don't mind. This is much better than half the other duties I've been called to do for the job."

Harry nodded and they made their way to Diagon Alley. Harry's first stop was at Fantastic Flora to search for orchids. When he entered the magical florist, his jaw dropped. The range of traditional and modern flora was truly fantastic. Even more fantastic were the magical enchantments added to the arrangements. He went to inquire about orchids and found they weren't normally carried, but the proprietor sent his assistant down the street while Harry waited. It turned out that Dougal's Biological Emporium had orchid plants and was willing to take flower cuttings for the modest amount that Harry needed. He then discussed enchantments and settled on something that he thought Hermione would like. He had to pay both shops and the cost came to 35 galleons, but it was worth it for Hermione. He also paid for delivery to be made via floo to Miranda's Shoppe. With the flowers decided, he next stopped at the grocery and picked up several cases of butterbeer and a half dozen bottles of elven wine. With the last arrangements for the wedding complete, Harry rejoined Tonks and they headed back to Felixstowe, stopping at the cottage and then going to the beach.

Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the day on the beach with the Grangers. Hermione managed to carefully cast sunblock charms on all of them that prevented burning, but allowed each to tan nicely. Neil and Jean were once again impressed with the usefulness of magic. Between working on their tans, Harry and Hermione played in the surf some as well and generally enjoyed the day. They returned to the cottage that night and Hermione made a short checklist for the following day.

The next day Harry and Hermione were both excited and buzzing as they made their way down to breakfast, where they found an owl waiting. The Patil twins had just arrived home from their own vacation and accepted the invitation as well, completing their guest list. After breakfast, they all decided to go to Seafront Gardens. They then had lunch and returned to the cottage to begin setting up for the evening. Neil and Harry took the Land Rover to pick up the tables and chairs from the rental company. Harry also stopped by Miranda's and found that the orchids had arrived via floo delivery. Miranda had placed them in the back and exclaimed over Harry's excellent taste in wedding flowers. Realizing he had been caught, Harry blushed as the she chuckled and assured him the secret was safe with her. With the flowers in hand, Neil and Harry headed back to the cottage. They unloaded the tables and chairs to the back yard, where they set up the chairs for the ceremony and put the tables on the patio near the grill. The process was tedious and Harry wished they could use magic, but they were in sight of a lot of muggles. Once everything was arranged, Harry gathered the flowers and made his way upstairs. Hermione was in their bedroom and he was ready to surprise her. He knocked on the door and she called him in.

"Mum is that you? Come on in."

"Actually it's me love. I have a surprise. Close your eyes."

"Really Harry? I'm so excited I don't know if I can take surprises."

"Well, I think you'll like this one."

"Alright, my eyes are closed."

Harry opened the door and stepped in to find a grinning Hermione with her eyes tightly shut. He held out the flowers and told her to open her eyes. When she did, she saw a beautiful bouquet of orchids in a range of light pinks and peach. They had been enchanted with sparkling stars that twinkled throughout the bouquet. In Harry's other hand he held two strands of woven white orchids that also sparkled. Harry was grinning as he watched her face go from shock to tears.

"Oh my Harry! Orchids."

"Of course love. They were the one thing you mentioned when we first talked about a wedding. I knew you had to have them. The white strands were something I wasn't sure of, but I got them in case you wanted to use them in your hair, but that's up to you. Do you like them?"

Hermione nodded and reached to take the flowers. She carefully looked them over and then turned to gently set them on the dresser. Then she turned back to Harry and attacked him as she tried to kiss every inch of his face and neck. She was wearing a simple cover up over her underclothes and yanked it off as she frantically began to pull Harry's shirt off. His pants were next as he got rid of Hermione's bra. As his trunks fell to the floor, he yanked her knickers off as they kept snogging. Unable to wait any longer, he lifted her and moved her to the wall as he pressed her up against it and drove himself into her. He set a quick pace with her encouragement and soon they both came powerfully as their mutual orgasm rolled between them and they slid down the wall to the floor. Their kisses continued slow and wonderful for a few more minutes as Harry pulled back and smiled at his soul mate.

"Wow love. I think I need to buy you flowers more often."

Hermione giggled and stood up, pulling Harry with her. They made their way to the bathroom where they showered and cleaned up. They still had a couple hours to the ceremony and headed downstairs to check on what else needed to be done. Jane was straightening up the living room and smiled at them as they came down the stairs.

"Hello you two. Neil went out to pick up the seafood and cake. Which is probably good since you forgot to silence yourselves."

Jean smirked at them and Harry groaned.

"Sorry Jean, we got a bit caught up in the moment."

"Yes, sorry mum. You should see the flowers Harry got me. He found my orchids!"

"I see. Well that certainly does call for a proper thank you."

Hermione and Jean both laughed while Harry turned crimson. They finished the few chores around the cottage quickly thanks to magic and then Hermione and her mum went upstairs to get her ready. Harry's clothes had been placed in the spare bedroom and he took only a few minutes to get ready. He was back downstairs when Neil arrived with the seafood and cake. The rest of the meal was already prepared, with a large selection of cut fruit and two kinds of potato salad to accompany the steak and seafood.

At a quarter to seven, Harry walked down to Miranda's Shoppe to greet his friends who were due to floo in. Lavender came first and was a bubbly as ever. Harry didn't know her well, but she was a dorm mate of Hermione's. Soon the rest of their friends started pouring out of the fireplace and crowding the small shop. Miranda was excited to have so many young people in the place and Harry thanked her once again as he led his group of friends out and made the ten minute walk back to the cottage. When they arrived, the Weasleys were there and Molly quickly engulfed him in a hug. Arthur then took him aside and talked to him a bit about the basic ceremony that he would be conducting. Harry and Hermione had decided to forgo an exchanging of rings, but just stick with the vows. Once he talked to Arthur, George grabbed Harry for a moment and produced a camera to document the event. Neil had a muggle camera, but Harry was grateful for George's thought to bring a wizard camera as well.

Everyone was in the back garden when Sirius and Remus both arrived at almost the same time. Harry stifled a laugh when he realized the strange man with Remus was his godfather. He was wearing a wild wig of greying red hair with a matching goatee and had apparently opted for muggle makeup and disguise over a glamour. Still, it was quite good, as he could pass for a member of the extensive Weasley clan. Harry caught himself as he shook his hand and was thrilled to see that he was looking well, having put on weight and tanned. Harry was curious about where he had been for the summer, but before he could ask, Dumbledore and McGongall arrived. Harry greeted each of them and then introduced Neil to everyone. Next, he whistled for the Aurors. Tonks and Frank popped in and Harry informed them that everyone who was expected had arrived. Tonks looked over, pondered Sirius, stared a bit and then moved on. Later, once Frank was on the other side of the yard, she returned.

"Cousin Sirius, is that you?"

"Always the sharp eyed one Tonks."

"Well, it comes with my abilities. I'm used to looking at features. You did well though, Frank didn't tumble at all."

Harry was suddenly concerned that Sirius' cover had been blown. Seeing his worry, Tonks' put a hand on his arm.

"Not to worry Harry, my cousin and I are both part of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization that Dumbledore founded during the first war against Voldemort. He supplied a memory that proved Sirius is innocent. Unfortunately, we can't get it submitted legally right now. Still, it allows those of us who are Aurors to look the other way and work with him in the meantime."

Harry bristled at that, thinking that Dumbledore could do more if he wanted, but this was not the time or place to allow himself to get upset.

"I see, thanks Tonks. Anyway, I'll be working on getting Sirius free as soon as I take my position as a lord shortly. For now, at least his disguise is good."

"Yes, cousin, I'm glad you could make it for Harry."

"Of course. I've already missed out on too many of my godfatherly duties."

"Cousin?" Harry asked.

Tonks chuckled.

"Yes Harry. Of course, most purebloods are cousins to the Blacks to some degree, but Sirius and I are seconds, which is fairly close. Of course, that means you're family to me as well. So no more of that nonsense about feeling bad when I help out. Now, Frank and I are here on duty so we're going to take our positions. There are two more Aurors out front as well given the number of people here."

"Harry, it's almost time." Neil warned.

With a nod, Harry went to the front at the end of the simple aisle that had been formed in the garden. Arthur was already in place, wearing his official robes. Everyone else quickly found seats as soft music poured out from the house, where Jean had turned on the soft Celtic music that Hermione had chosen for the ceremony. She then made her way to the front to sit as she smiled at Harry. A minute later, Hermione appeared and Harry took a moment to catch his breath. Her dress was a simple cotton summer dress with a lace detail across the bodice, which dipped and showed just a bit of cleavage. She wore simple white sandals and clutched the bouquet that Harry had gotten her. Her hair had been calmed into loose curls and pulled halfway back with the strands of the small, white orchids woven into it. As the setting sun illuminated the sky, the yellow-orange light made her glow. Neil led his daughter down the aisle, grinning at Harry. Hermione also had eyes only for him. He was dressed in pale khaki pants with a simple white silk shirt with mother of pearl buttons. The look was simple, but the look in his eyes was special as he radiated his love for her and his emotions flowed into her. When Neil and Hermione reached the end of the aisle, he kissed Hermione's cheek and placed her hands in Harry's before turning to sit next to Jean as Harry and Hermione turned to face Arthur. Arthur drew his wand and incanted the spell of magical matrimony as he began the ceremony.

"Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today so that we might share in the bond between Harry and Hermione. The spell I weave here is less than that which their souls have already woven, but it is their intent to bind themselves herein as well. If there is anyone here who is unhappy with this union, I ask now that you dismiss yourselves from our company."

Arthur waited a brief couple seconds and then continued.

"Now, Harry James Potter, do you wish to further consecrate Hermione Jean Potter as your soul bonded wife? Do you agree to love and cherish her, nurturing your souls together for the rest of eternity?"

"I most definitely do."

"And, Hermione Jean Potter, do you wish to further consecrate Harry James Potter as your soul bonded husband? Do you agree to love and cherish him, nurturing your souls together for the rest of eternity?"

"YES!"

"Harry, I believe you have some words for Hermione?"

"Indeed. Hermione, you have been my best friend for four years now. We were young when we met and, as our friendship grew, I came to finally know what love is. I grew up without love and my heart was unsure for a while, but through your kindness and faithfulness you have shown me a love that I never imagined. When we bonded that love grew to a level where I no longer know if there is an imagination that can dream of it. You are my heartbeat, my soulmate and my most treasured beloved. I hope for many years on this earth, as well as an eternity beyond to show you everything you mean to me."

A few sniffles could be heard in the audience as boxes of tissue were passed. Arthur took a moment to clear his throat before he continued.

"Hermione, I believe you also have some words for Harry?"

"Yes. Harry, you and I met when we were both first being introduced to the world of magic, to our world. We have faced great struggles and trials, and you have always persevered, while remaining a true and honest friend. When others have pushed me away and put me down, you have always been there to lift me up. As we matured, I realized my feelings for you had deepened. I was never a girl to believe in fairy tales, but when our souls bonded, I was made a believer. Each day I learn new levels of our bond and love, and I vow to work fervently to show you my love for all the years I am given on this earth and for all the time my soul exists once I leave this earth. You are my heart, my breath and my most cherished."

"With these vows and testaments, Harry and Hermione have declared their bond. I do hereby unite them in the additional vows of magical matrimony. May they indeed be granted many years and an eternity together."

Arthur finished the incantation that he had started the ceremony with. When it completed, a ring of golden light enveloped them and then a flash of blue light that made everyone cover their eyes flared for a few seconds as a loud chiming was heard. Arthur looked startled and then smiled as the light and chimes ended.

"Harry and Hermione, I know this is a bit after the fact, but you may now kiss each other."

Hermione giggled at Arthur as Harry reached to take her gently to him. The kiss started soft, but then deepened as they were suddenly alone in their own world. Their magic flowed out and mixed as a wave of energy poured off of them. They kissed until they felt the need to breathe and finally pulled back, grinning. Their stunned guests took a moment and then a loud applause began. They turned and looked at their small group of family and friends. Hermione squeezed Harry's hand as he spoke to everyone.

"Thank you all for joining us for this occasion on such short notice. We are happy to have been able to share our bond with all of you. Now, let's party!"

A cheer went up as everyone stood and came forward to embrace the soulmates. Neil and Jean were at the front of the group and, once they had both hugged them, Neil declared it was time to fire up the grill and handed his camera off to Jean. Once Harry and Hermione had been hugged and congratulated by everyone, Jean and George took them off to the side for pictures. Then Neil was pulled away from his grill so that the Grangers could have pictures with them. Next, George levitated both cameras so that the entire group could arrange themselves and have pictures taken together. Molly started casting chilling charms on the butterbeer and wine as the spirits began to flow. Hermione set the stereo to play in the background and soon everyone began dancing while they waited for the steaks. When the soulmates had danced a couple times, Harry found himself on the side near Arthur and thanked him once again.

"Arthur, I can't thank you enough. It meant a lot to have you be the officiant for us. We didn't want just someone we didn't know."

"I'm the one who is honored Harry. This was a most unique and special ceremony. That ending was something I hadn't anticipated."

"Really, what normally happens at a magical wedding?"

"Ah, yes, I forget. You've never been to a magical wedding. Well, the golden ring is the normal effect that seals a magical wedding. The additional blue light and chimes were something I've never seen or heard of before. And when you kissed, the magic that came off the two of you was quite spectacular. I wonder, do you have any idea how long that kiss lasted?"

"Um, no. I can say the blue light and chimes are part of the soul bond. We've had them twice before."

"Harry, you and Hermione were kissing for about four minutes. I checked my watch after about the first minute. Normally I might have hinted that it was time to stop, but there was no way I could with the magic pouring out of the two of you. It's interesting that you've had the light and chimes before. There is so little we know about soul bonds. I suppose that happened when you first bonded? When was the other time?"

"Four minutes? Wow. Well, it was an amazing kiss. And yes, the light and chimes happened first in the hospital wing when we bonded. The second time, um, well that was a couple weeks later when we um, consummated our bond."

Arthur chuckled and looked at the blushing young man.

"Well, I would guess that makes sense. Quite extraordinary."

Harry nodded as Dumbledore came over to join the conversation. The old wizard was looking contemplative and seemed less enthusiastic than most of their other guests.

"Hello headmaster. Everything alright?"

"Yes Harry. A lovely ceremony by the way. How are you and Hermione coping with situation?"

"Coping? I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. She's helping me try to forget the Dursleys. And Neil and Jean have been great. They were shocked at first, but they've come to an understanding."

"Hmm yes, about your aunt and uncle. I sent them a note explaining your absence. I do wish you would have reconsidered. We could have forced them to take in Hermione as well. Just for a couple weeks. The Death Eaters have been quiet, but we have information that they are organizing for something big."

Harry couldn't believe Dumbledore was suggesting that he and Hermione go to the Dursleys. He had always looked up to the old man, but now, as Dumbledore seemed to be distracted and didn't quite focus on him, Harry wondered what he was thinking. His magic began to flare as he replied.

"Headmaster, I cannot believe you would make such a suggestion! I will never allow Hermione near those people. I really have to wonder about your priorities!"

Harry's anger summoned Hermione to his side. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him briefly before turning to the headmaster.

"Headmaster, I must insist that you stop upsetting my husband! This is our wedding, a time for celebration."

Hermione's magic joined with Harry's as a palpable wave hit the headmaster and he stumbled briefly. That was shocking. He had heard of soul bonded individuals having strong magic connections, but had never witnessed such. He shook his head.

"My apologies to both of you. I am just a worried, old man. I will be glad when you return to the safety of Hogwarts."

Harry nodded and pulled Hermione away from Dumbledore. There was a lot more the old man wasn't saying, but now was not the time. They turned and went to talk to Hagrid, who was having a lively conversation with an amused looking Jean Granger. They moved around, talking to friends for a bit longer when Neil announced the steaks were ready. The rest of the food was brought out to the two long tables as everyone settled in to enjoy the spectacular meal. Harry called Tonks and Frank over to join them and Tonks finally agreed, if they ate in shifts with the other remaining on guard. After the meal, Jean brought out the cake and Harry and Hermione went to the end of the table where they performed the ceremonial cutting and began to hand feed each other pieces. As Harry gave Hermione a piece, she took hold of his finger and delicately sucked all the frosting off of it. She winked mischievously at Harry as she did so and he felt a slight tightening in his pants. The seductive move brought a couple cheers from Seamus and Dean as several of the ladies laughed. Once the cutting was done, Jean moved to help pass cake around the table. Everyone talked for a bit longer and then Dumbledore and McGonagall announced that they needed to leave. The Weasleys followed not long after, followed by Hagrid. Finally, a bit after eleven, all of their friends made their departure as they headed back to Miranda's Shoppe and the floo. Harry offered to go with them, but Dean pushed him back, insisting he 'go enjoy his wedding night'.

With all the guests gone, Hermione and Harry thanked her parents and said goodnight as they made their way upstairs. Once they were in their room, Hermione pulled Harry toward her and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you for today my love. I had thought I would be fine without a wedding, but now I know better. This wasn't what I dreamed as a little girl. It was so much better."

A few tears began to roll down her face and Harry wiped them away gently as he began to plant small kisses all over her face. Their hands began to roam and slowly they started to toss clothing aside. Harry took a second to cast the charms on the room as he led Hermione to the bed. He laid her down gently and then placed himself over her as he began to trace kisses down her body. Hermione pulled him back up and kissed him deeply as her emotions poured into him and he knew her need. He continued kissing her slowly as he pushed into her. He pulled back just slightly as he began to lengthen his strokes, pushing back into her. He focused on her face and watching her pleasure as they made love. She gripped his bum and moaned in a way that made his cock twitch. She began to roll her hips in sequence with his movements as they both poured their emotions into each other. Time stood still as each found themselves in their own universe with nothing to do for eternity but love one another. Many long minutes later, each began to feel the familiar tightening as they began to come. When they climaxed together, they whispered each other's name as Harry pulled Hermione to him and held her tightly, letting the waves of pleasure envelop them both. Once they were done, they sunk back onto the bed. Harry never moved from his position over her, even though he softened and slipped out after a few minutes. They lay whispering to each other and lightly kissing for a while longer. Harry's arousal came back and they joined once again before finally sleeping. A couple hours later they woke and made love again. Then, as the sun glanced through the curtains in the early morning, they found themselves joining twice more. Both lost track of how many times they made love. Eventually hunger roused them from their bed and they went downstairs to find lunch. Neil and Jean left a note that they would be out for a couple hours, leaving the young lovers to collect their food and return to their bedroom. After feeding each other in bed, they made love once again and then decided to shower together. When they finally dressed and made their way back downstairs, Neil and Jean were just arriving home.

The rest of the day was spent at the cottage, reading and relaxing in the sun. Hermione's parents had taken care of returning the rented tables and chairs, and cleaning up from the party the night before. Hermione and Harry both thanked them for all they had done, while both parents assured them that they were happy to do so. They had missed the first soul bond, but both were thrilled to have been given a chance to give their daughter a wedding. Dinner was a simple meal outside at the grill before everyone retreated back to their rooms.

The final two days in Felixstowe were spent relaxing at the beach and touring around the small town a bit more. The simple vacation had turned into much more, but both couples were content and happy when they finally returned back home. Harry and Hermione had one more week to spend with Grangers before they made their way to the Burrow for the last couple weeks of summer. They settled back in and decided to enjoy the time with Neil and Jean as a family. After an initial rough introduction, they had welcomed Harry completely and he finally felt like he had a family.