With the funerals over, Daphne turned anxious to move forward with her plans. "Your birthday is at the end of July, and mine is two weeks later. According to the contract, we should marry within a month after we both reach eighteen. That doesn't leave us much time. Besides, I can't wait to be fully yours."
Despite becoming a constant guest in the Potters' bed, she still kept her knickers on, along with her virginity. She seemed anxious to rid herself of both. Harry smiled. "What's the rush?"
Daphne tried to look intimidating. Being practically naked didn't really help her. "After spending so many nights in your bed, I'm getting way too horny. I've already seen how tender you are, and how passionate. I've also seen how much Hermione enjoys it. Am I not within my rights to expect the same from my future husband?"
"You know that you can cancel the contract with no real penalty if you want to, just as I can. Don't you?"
She looked almost offended. "Why would you want to cancel it? I know I have no reason to do it. I think I'm actually falling in love with you, as weird as it may be."
Harry smiled teasingly. "I didn't say I wanted to cancel it. I only pointed at the options. I actually like it, when you take off your clothes, and waking up with the two of you in bed is quite fun."
"Mostly for you and Hermione. I'd really like to join that fun already."
"What's stopping you? You know I wouldn't object, nor would Hermione."
Daphne sighed. "I want my wedding to be magically acceptable. This can only happen if I stay a virgin until we consummate our marriage."
"What do you want me to do, then?"
Daphne sat on the bed, at his side. "I think you should first meet my parents. No need to tell them you've already seen me almost fully naked. We should then set the date, marry and then you may impregnate me."
Hermione, who was still lazing in bed after her morning lovemaking, asked, "Why hurry? Do you really want to be a mother before reaching twenty?"
Daphne sighed. "It's all in the contract, you know. Besides, what else can I do, once I'm married?"
"Well, you could study some more, become a master at some magical discipline or gain a muggle academic title. You may want to travel and see the world. Most people our age are not rushing into marriage, and certainly not into parenthood."
Hermione thought briefly and added, "We shall probably need to take the seventh year again, due to the war."
Daphne looked appalled. "I can't climb all these stairs while heavily pregnant! We must find some other way!"
Harry smiled. "There's too much we don't yet know about the future. I assume that we can delay our wedding to the last moment. You may need all the time just to make all the preparations, as I've heard some talk. We may then use some contraceptives, so that you won't get pregnant too early, thus making it much easier for you to take another year at school and still adhere to the contract."
Daphne seemed to relax a bit at his words, yet Hermione paled. "Harry, we've not used any contraceptives! I may already be pregnant! What will we do if…"
Harry knew she could easily get into panic mode and blabber for hours. He just kissed her lips, making it impossible for her to talk and tried to reassure her with a kiss and a hug. It worked. Hermione calmed down slowly, making the innocent kiss into a passionate snog, before releasing Harry.
"You like the idea?"
He smiled. "I've never planned to get married so young, but I'm quite happy with it, and having my own family is simply a dream come true. Besides, knowing you, a pregnancy would not stop you from finishing your studies. You should check it with Madam Pomfrey, though, before we leave the castle."
Hermione nodded, looking relieved.
"Where will you go now?" Daphne asked.
"We shall probably go to Grimmauld Place first, and then check what other alternatives we may have," Harry said. "Kreacher has already cleaned that house and made it habitable, at least."
"Can I join you?"
Harry looked puzzled. "I thought you were going back to your parents' home."
"I probably will, but I don't intend to stay there more than a day or two. I feel like I belong with you now. Besides, I'm not sure I can sleep alone any longer." She was clearly teasing him, but Harry thought there was more than a bit of truth there as well.
"I believe you may join us whenever you'd like. I only need to make sure you can find the place. It used to be under Fidelius charm; probably still is."
Daphne nodded, feeling much happier than before.
..
Hermione went to the infirmary before lunch, not wanting either Harry or Daphne to go with her.
Poppy welcomed her. "What can I do for you, Lady Potter?"
Hermione smiled. "You can still call me Hermione if you want. I'm still the same person." She then turned serious. "We used no contraceptives when we first consummated our marriage, almost three weeks ago, nor since. I'm not sure…"
"That's alright, dear. It's natural to forget about such things after what you've both been through. Now, has your period been regular lately?"
Hermione shrugged. "It has been anything but. Wandering about in a tent, with no proper meals and not enough sleep made my period act erratically. I'm not even sure when I had it last."
"Oh, dear," Poppy mumbled, taking her wand. "Well, let me check. If you're not pregnant, I may give you something to regulate your period again. Now, will you please lie down?"
A few minutes later, a furiously blushing Hermione rejoined Harry, who was waiting for her near the great hall. Harry knew what this meant but waited for her to say it.
"Madam Pomfrey checked me thoroughly. She removed some of my scars and found some other things to heal. She said I should eat larger meals, though, at least until our boy is born." She turned teary. "Harry, we're going to be parents!"
It sounded as if she was both glad of it and totally frightened as well. Harry hugged her comfortingly. "I'm sure you're going to be the best mother possible, and also the most beautiful." He lifted her chin, making her look at him. "I love you, Hermione. We shall go through this together, and you will also have Daphne for additional support. You can do it. We can do it."
Hermione smiled as Harry wiped her tears with his thumb. "I love you too, you know." She then looked around. "Where's Daphne?"
"She went to say goodbye to the teachers. Let's have lunch now."
Very few were still staying at Hogwarts, and most of the tables were removed, leaving only a handful of smaller tables, where meals were still served. Harry led Hermione to one and filled her plate before doing the same for his. Daphne joined them a few minutes later. She only glanced at Hermione shortly and then smiled. "I think congratulations are in order."
Hermione glared at her and then smiled reluctantly. "I didn't expect…"
"Yet both of you seem content about this. It may make my decision easier, now that you're expecting."
They didn't talk during lunch, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Once finished, Daphne stood up. "I'm going to my parents' home, although by now, I feel more at home in the apartment we've shared than I've ever felt in my parents' manor. Send me an owl when you settle somewhere, will you?"
Hermione smiled. "We will."
Daphne bent and kissed Harry's lips shortly. She then turned to Hermione and kissed her cheek before moving swiftly out.
Harry wasn't sure how to reach Grimmauld Place. He wasn't sure the Floo was still connected, and he disliked apparition even more now that Hermione was expecting. "There's a train from Hogsmeade to the nearest Muggle town," Professor McGonagall informed him when he asked. "It runs three times a day, and you can take the muggle train to London from there. I assume you have some muggle money with you."
It was a good idea. Kreacher took care of their luggage, allowing them to travel light – with only Hermione's handbag. She still managed to cram several maternity books in it, bought in Hogsmeade just before boarding the train. That evening, way after dinner time, they arrived in a taxi from the train station to 12 Grimmauld Place.
An owl was already waiting for them.
My parents are anxious to meet both of you. Can you come tomorrow evening? The Floo address is 'Greengrass Manor', or I can send you a portkey if you want. You should dress formally.
Please come! I already miss you.
Daphne.
Harry looked at his wife. "She acted quickly," he noted.
She shrugged. "It was expected. She'd marry you on a moment's notice if you agree. I think she's quite in love with you already. We should accept her invitation."
"I'd rather check the Floo connection first. I don't like portkeys any more than apparition, especially with you expecting."
"Hey, I'm not ill! Then, it will take another month or two, at least, until it even shows."
He smiled. "I know, dear, but I'd rather not take any avoidable risk."
She turned serious. "I still hope to be able to find my parents and bring them back before I become too heavy."
"Well, it would be easier to plan after we meet the Greengrass."
..
They arrived by Floo the next evening. Harry was wearing the robes with all his house crests while Hermione's displayed only the Potter crest. Daphne, who stood a step behind her parents, smiled approvingly when she noticed that. She still adhered to strict protocol, not uttering a word until it was her turn.
"Lord Potter, Lady Potter – it's a pleasure to finally meet you after hearing so much about you. I'm Cygnus Greengrass, and these are my wife, Rosalind, and my eldest daughter, Daphne. I also have another daughter who's currently visiting some friends." Both women courtesied.
"As you already know, I'm Harry Potter, and this lovely lady is my wife, Hermione. If I'm not mistaken, you were close to my parents."
"Indeed we were. Let's move to a more appropriate room for our discussion."
Although Harry felt somewhat apprehensive when he arrived, by the end of their visit, he felt like he found some new relatives. Once the formalities were put aside, the Greengrass parents proved to be warm and caring people. They first made sure that Harry understood the contract and fully agreed to go on with it. "If you have any doubt about marrying Daphne and producing an heir with her within a year, then you should cancel the contract. I'm sure you can handle the ten galleons fine that the cancellation will cost, and I don't want my daughter to marry someone who doesn't really want to. I've already interrogated her to make sure she wanted this just the same. Marriage is probably the largest obligation one can take, second only to having children. One shouldn't go into it if one has any doubts."
Harry smiled reassuringly at him. "When I first heard about this contract, I was quite appalled by the mere idea of it, yet Daphne proved helpful from the first moment she came to us. Since then, she has become a very close friend and much more. I'm not sure I could stay sane after all the funerals hadn't she helped Hermione take me out of depression. I may not yet love her as deeply as I love Hermione, but I'm feeling my love for her is getting stronger with each passing day."
Cygnus smiled. "I can now see what Daphne found in you. Charming like his father and good-hearted like his mother. Who could stand that combination?"
Harry felt himself blushing, yet he also felt proud to represent the best traits of his parents. He really hoped they would have been proud to see him.
Soon enough, they had dinner, which was just delicious, and then the women started the wedding planning, leaving him with Cygnus again.
"Care to tell me a bit about your adventure at Gringotts," Cygnus asked.
Harry cringed internally, yet he found no plausible reason to not tell it. "During our time of wandering, we found out that the Dark Lord used some tainted magical items to keep himself from dying. We found most of them and destroyed them, but one was held in the Lestrange vault in Gringotts. As we could certainly not get permission to search there, we had to find another way. We managed to go into Gringotts in disguise, but once we got that item, we needed to get out, preferably without fighting the goblins. One of the guard dragons proved useful for that, as we all climbed on its back, and it flew us to Scotland, where we finally destroyed that item as well."
Cygnus remained silent for quite a while after that.