Dinner was postponed. They all took their places in the sitting room. Harry sat on the sofa between his two wives. The Grangers sat on the love-seat facing the sofa, while Alain sat on the armchair, looking at the others with an amused glance.
"Can anybody explain to us, poor non-magical folks, what has just happened?" Dave requested.
"All I know is that somehow, Hermione and I have just got married, the same way it happened with Fleur, but I'm not sure why or how," Harry said. He hugged both girls, adding, "I'm very happy with the results, though."
Hermione snuggled at his side, glaring defiantly at her parents. Fleur snuggled to Harry, not as tight as Hermione, looking content. Alain looked at the youngsters, and sighed dramatically. "And I have to do all the hard work for you, don't I?"
He turned to the Grangers. "Well, I thought we had some time before becoming family, but, as Harry has already told me, everything happening around him seems to be quite far from normal."
Both Grangers frowned, but said nothing. Alain continued. "I've not been present at any of these events, but the way I understand it is that once both parties agree to the marriage, anything interpretable as a wedding vow, if said with enough conviction, can make them magically married. In Fleur's case, as her life debt made her Harry's, his decision was enough. I don't know the details in your case, but I think it's safe to assume that they both wanted to get married despite your stance on the subject. Am I right?"
Both Grangers nodded. Fleur started a rapid conversation in French, bringing Alain up to speed. He smiled.
"I believe it's time for congratulation. Young Lord Potter is sure to make both your daughter and mine happy wives. I believe you should accept the inevitable and rejoice with your daughter. I'll try and help you to better understand after they go to celebrate their nuptials."
Dave cringed at the last sentence, but said nothing. Jean stood up and walked towards her daughter. "Hermione, you know I love you and all I care is for you to be happy. I've been afraid that your decision to marry would jeopardize your chances for happiness, especially if you need to share with another. I can now see it was futile. I'll stand by you and help you any way I can to assure your happiness." She opened her arms, inviting Hermione to step into a hug. Hermione left her position on Harry's side and stood up. She let her mother hug her for a moment, before returning the hug. Dave joined it a moment later, murmuring, "My little girl," over and over again.
When the three-way hug ended, Jean turned to Harry. "Please understand that we're not against you. We know how good a friend you've always been for Hermione and how much she loves you. We only thought this situation was not good for her. Now, that it's out of our hands, I hope you can understand and forgive us. We only want the best for our daughter."
"And I promise to do whatever I can to give her the best. I love her and care for her more than for anybody in the whole world." He was so serious that it was almost funny, knowing how young he was.
"More than you care for your other wife?" Jean raised a brow.
"Yes. I've only seen Fleur when she arrived for the tournament and I've only got to know her for a few days, while Hermione has been my best friend since first year. I may come to care for Fleur just as much, as we become closer." Nobody could fault Harry's logic or sincerity.
Jean hugged him tightly, reminding him of Hermione's hugs, and then Dave shook his hand solemnly, both saying, "Welcome, son," bringing some tears to his eyes.
Hermione cuddled back to him as soon as her parents finished their welcome. They also turned to Fleur, looking a bit confused. "I don't really know how to treat you. Being Harry's wife, I guess you are also family now. It will take some time to get comfortable with the idea, though."
"Just think of me as a very close friend of Hermione, at least for now. We are becoming good friends, you know," Fleur replied.
"I really hope so. Welcome to the family," Jean said, hugging Fleur a bit reluctantly. Dave only kissed her hand somewhat awkwardly, making Fleur giggle.
"Let me prepare dinner now, or you'll be too hungry by the time it's ready," Jean said, walking towards the kitchen.
"I'll help you," Fleur volunteered, rushing after her.
Dave looked at Harry. The boy looked much younger than Hermione. "How old are you, Harry?"
"I'll be fifteen in a month, sir."
Dave smiled. "You can call me Dave or Dad, if you want, but don't 'sir' me, please."
Harry smiled, feeling a bit teary as well. "Fine, Dad."
"Harry, are you sure you can support two wives and the children they will give you?" Dave asked.
Harry wasn't too sure how to answer. The visit at Gringotts was kind of a blur to him and he wasn't sure if he really remembered or it was mostly a dream.
Hermione replied instead. "Dad, Harry owns a Mediterranean resort which is open ten months each year, housing more than a hundred families throughout the year and having a staff of almost a hundred people. Additional help is hired during high season, and that's the least profitable asset he owns."
"We own," Harry corrected her, not even thinking.
"How do you know?" Dave asked.
"That day I called to let you know I'm bringing friends for the summer, we've been at Gringotts most of the afternoon. Harry was gone for a long time, checking his vaults, so Fleur and I could scan some of the more interesting documents he left us with. There's also a vineyard, I don't recall the exact place, and he has inherited a few houses, some in London, some elsewhere, most of which are closer to palaces than normal houses."
Dave looked overwhelmed.
"Harry didn't know it, but he is one of the richest in Magical Britain, probably one of the top 100 in mundane Britain as well," Alain added. "I've known his father as a child. My parents used to take me to Potter Manor and his parents used to visit us during the summer. We've never been close friends, though, as James was much younger than me. I only know that the Potter were richer than my family, although they never showed it."
Dave sighed. "Well, at least that is no problem. You still look so young, I can't think of you as a married man, and married to two, at that."
Harry smiled reluctantly. "I can't think of myself as a married man either. I know I'm still too young for that, yet here I am." He put forward his hand, displaying the two wedding bands.
"Do you regret it?" Alain asked.
"No! I could never have taken Fleur as a slave and I really want to be with Hermione," Harry said heatedly.
"Do you love Hermione?" Dave asked pointedly.
Harry looked at Hermione, who was still cuddling into his side, looking eager to hear his answer. "I wouldn't have known a few days ago. She was my best friend. More than my best friend, really, but I couldn't put a name to what I felt. Now, with Fleur's help, I finally know." He turned his eyes to Hermione, although he continued speaking to Dave. "Hermione is the love of my life, the one that knows me better than I know myself, the one I want to spend my life with, the one I want to always make happy. I'm not sure this is enough, but this is all I have."
Hermione grabbed his head and kissed him deeply. Alain looked amused again, while Dave wasn't sure if he should be glad or angry.
They were interrupted by two owls landing on the table.
"This is from the Ministry," Hermione noted, taking the letter from one owl.
"And this is from Gringotts. Read yours first."
"Dear Lord and Lady Potter,
We're glad to be the first to congratulate you for your marriage bond, recorded today at 1935 GMT.
This bond also makes Lady Potter legally adult, with all the rights and obligations of adult witches.
The registrar of marriages and bonds."
"It means I can legally do magic here!" Hermione told her father. She turned to Harry. "What's in the other letter?"
"They just ask us to come to the bank to give you your Lady Potter ring. I'll probably have to take the Lord's ring too."
"Can you explain the Lord thing to me?" Dave asked.
It was Alain who answered. "Magical Britain, unlike France, has a different set of nobility than the muggles. There are several Noble and Ancient houses, the Potter among them. Then there are Noble houses and there are Ancient houses which aren't called Noble, yet all these are considered nobility, The Head of each House is called the Lord of that house. Harry, being the only survivor of his house, is by default the Lord as well."
Dave nodded understandingly, making Alain continue. "Now, Harry seems to have inherited several titles, giving him several Lordships. Hermione is now Lady Potter, his main wife. He can wed some more, giving them the Peverell, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor titles."
"Aren't the last two the names of some Hogwarts houses?"
"Indeed they are. Harry seems to have inherited half of Hogwarts, maybe even more if my sources are correct."
This made Dave think for a while, contemplating all that he had just learned about the unassuming boy. That boy was now hugging his daughter tightly, speaking softly in her ear and making her look at him with love and admiration. These two clearly belonged with each other.
Dinner would have been silent, if it wasn't for Alain inviting the Grangers to spend their vacation with his family and telling them about the estate he owned and the beach house he was planning to take them to. Harry was sitting between the girls, feeling happy and not trying to think at all.
They were already finishing dinner when Jean asked, "What will be the sleeping arrangement while you're here?"
"I'm not staying here. I'll go home as soon as I give you all the explanations," Alain said.
She smiled at him. "I know, although it now seems like we do have a room for you, if you change your mind about it."
Harry didn't even know what to say. He wanted to be with Hermione most of all, but he didn't want Fleur to feel neglected and he certainly didn't want to say or do anything that might offend the Grangers.
"I think Harry should be with Hermione tonight," Fleur said, not looking happy. "We can later set a schedule or a different arrangement, but tonight she deserves to celebrate their marriage."
Dave cringed at the thought.
"Dad, I'm almost sixteen, you know. Most of the girls my age have already slept with a boy, both in the magical and in the mundane societies, many have even started two years younger. This would have happened with me sooner or later. Be glad that it's now and is fully honorable," Hermione told him.
"I know, darling. It's just... You're my little girl. I find it difficult to see you as the magnificent woman you have become. Don't be angry with me for that, please."
Hermione calmed down and smiled at him. "You'll always be my Daddy, even when I'll have grandchildren."
"But don't hurry there, please. I don't want to lose my little girl too soon."
Her smile widened. "You won't lose me, but you've now gained a son and another daughter."
"Let me bring Fleur's stuff from the car," Alain said.
As soon as he returned, the youngsters said, "Goodnight," and went upstairs.
Hermione stopped at the door of her room and looked pensive. "I think we can enlarge my bed to fit us all," she said, thinking loudly. "Not for tonight, though. We may also open a connecting door in the wall between the rooms. We only need to move that bookcase there and..." She moved to the door of the guest room. "...move the dresser here. We'll do it tomorrow morning."
She turned to Fleur. "Can you help me with the contraceptive charm?" Her face reddened, but her voice was steady.
"Sure! Let's go to the bathroom and I'll show you. We may also change there, while Harry changes in here. Won't you, Lord Potter?"
Harry nodded, his face reddening as well. His experience with Fleur was still fresh in his mind. He knew that Hermione would be different but he was expecting to put to use all that Fleur had taught him three nights earlier, making Hermione enjoy her first time even more than Fleur had.
The girls returned from the bathroom, each wearing only a flimsy nightgown, hiding very little, making Harry wonder why it was suddenly so hot. Fleur kissed him thoroughly first, making his body react very nicely, before she went to the guest room and closed the door.
Hermione was not as bold or as confident. She wondered if she could elicit the same physical reaction from Harry as Fleur had just done. Harry knew her issues with her looks. Despite him telling her repeatedly that she was the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts, she had always considered herself less pretty than most other girls. He just stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
This wasn't like the friendly hugs they had used to share since first year. It was a sensual hug in which Harry tried to show her how desirable he found her and how much he wanted to unite with her. Hermione reacted well. They were soon snogging and groping each other. Their clothes fell to the floor as if by themselves as they proceeded to bed. Hermione could feel his desire reach new heights, just like her own. When they finally became one, nothing could have marred their joy, not even the sharp pain of breaking her hymen, which she just dismissed, focusing on the joy of being together and loving each other in any way they could.
All the while, the Grangers were getting some explanations from Alain, along with some background information about the Potter ancestry and Harry's special position in the magical society. Before leaving, he also went upstairs and silenced Hermione's door, smiling tenderly at the noises before casting the spell. When the Gragers came up, they could hear nothing out of order, thankfully.