My Best Friend and Roommate

Chapter ten is up and running folks. Let's see if anyone predicted what would happen next.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Harry Potter characters.


Chapter Ten

May 2001

The Marriage Law passed with many Muggleborns and Halfbloods finding themselves married within weeks. Several got lucky, and got married to Purebloods from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Some unfortunate ones were matched to the Purebloods from Slytherin. Harry let out a sigh when he opened the paper to see that Ginny and Neville had gotten married just in the nick of time. A letter from Neville confirmed that no Ministry letters awaited them after the honeymoon. He put the paper down, and looked out the window of his and Ron's stakeout building. They were pulling another all nighter watching out for Deatheater activity in the townhouse across from him. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and the last of the winter snow had finally melted away. Hermione was getting more hormonal as her due date came closer and closer. Some days she would be herself, but other days she would snap at him for just saying 'Good morning'.
Hermione was running late that morning as she hurried to get dresses as best as she could being eight months pregnant, and grabbed her spring coat. She slipped it on, and hurried to work, not even bothering to check the morning mail brought in by Hedwig. Harry and Ron's relief shift arrived just after 11 pm, and Harry managed to get home around 1. He locked the door after shutting it, tossed his things onto the couch, and made he way into the bedroom. Not really concerned about a shower now, he collapsed from exhaustion onto the bed, and fell asleep. Two hours later, he was woken by the ringing of the doorbell, and the knocking on the door. He groaned in anger at whoever was disturbing his peace, and trudged over to the door. He put on his glasses, and not bothering to look through the peephole, he unlocked the locks, yanked the door open and saw Pansy Parkinson standing there with a big smile on her face. Behind her were her parents he assumed. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"We're visiting our future son in law," Mr. Parkinson said.

"What?" Harry asked not believing what he heard.

"The Marriage Department matched us together to be married, Harry," Pansy said.

"There must be some mistake. I'm already married."

"Then you haven't checked your mail, Mr. Potter," Mrs. Parkinson said.

"Look, with all due respect, I just got off a sixteen hour shift, and I'm a little tired. I'm in no mood to deal with this right now," Harry said.

"A nice cup of tea always woke me up. What do say we talk about this over a cup of tea, son?" Mr. Parkinson suggested.

"How about you not call me 'son', and leave before I get angry?" Harry suggested in the same manner, and he slammed his door in the Parkinsons' faces. He locked the door up, and went over to their mailing window where Hedwig was sleeping. She woke up when Harry came over to look over the letters she brought that morning. He found two from the Ministry. One for him, and one for Hermione. "Oh, shite," he muttered. He tore his letter open, and found it was from the Marriage Department.

Dear Mr. Potter,

It has come to our attention here at the Marriage Department that you are unmarried, and will be turning 21 in two months. A Pureblood has claimed you to marry her, and you are official engaged to Pansy Parkinson. Your wedding date is scheduled to be on July 3, 2001. Congratulations.

The Marriage Department Director
Percy Weasley.

"That little son of a bitch," he muttered. Harry suddenly regained the energy he lost, and headed to the shower.

Meanwhile ...

Hermione was putting together a flower arrangement when Draco stepped into the shop. "Malfoy, you're not suppose to be here."

"Not if you are my fiancee," Draco said. Hermione scoffed. "The Marriage Department informed me of my upcoming 21st birthday, and requested that I chose a wife. They gave me a list of potential halfbloods and Mudbloods, and who's name happened to on it but yours."

"Impossible," she said, "Scrimgeour ..."

"That pathetic excuse for a minister isn't in charge of the Marriage Department," Draco said, "The Marriage Department has already written us down as engaged, and we will be getting married on the 10th next month."

"We can't get married, I'm ..."

"I don't care, Granger," Draco said, "Now, you have nothing to worry about planning. My mother will take care of all of that, and I insist that you move out of that flat you're sharing with Potter." Draco then looked at Hermione's hand where her wedding rings laid. "And please remove those ghastly rings of yours."

"You just wait, Malfoy," a voice said. Hermione looked behind her to see Neville had come out from the back. "When Harry hears that you violated ..."

"Look, Longbottom, as far as I'm concerned, by June tenth, Granger here will be my wife, and Potter will be Pansy's husband."

"What?"

"Oh, must have slipped my mind," Draco said, "Potter's been engaged to my former betrothed. I suggest you keep your distance from your ex husband, Granger. Pansy tends to get a little jealous." He walked over to the door leaving a distraught Hermione with Neville. "Oh, and I'm looking forward to our wedding night. Although Potter's already had you, it means that you'll know what to expect in bed." Draco chuckled as he walked out of the store.

"No, this can't happen," Hermione cried. She moved into Neville's arms who tried his best to console his friend.

"It'll be all right," he said, "Harry will fix this." It didn't seem to work as Hermione was hyperventilating.

"I can't marry, Malfoy. Not when I'm pregnant, (gasp) with Harry's, (gasp) son. He'll try to (gasp) raise it as his own. (gasp) I don't want ..."

"Hermione, calm down" Neville said, "This isn't healthy for the baby, you getting worked up about this." Hermione nodded, and slowed her breathing down.

"I'll try, Neville," Hermione said.

"Okay, give me a holler if you need me," he said. Hermione nodded as he headed back into the storage room. Although she managed to get her breathing calmed down, she was still stressed and a little worried. A half hour went by before she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

"Ow, James Edward Potter, what are you ..?" She winced again feeling the same pain. "Oh, no .." she said before she doubled over in pain. "No, not now, Neville!!"


Harry was in Scrimgeour's office showing the minister the letters when the Malfoys and Parkinsons walked in. Harry sat behind Scrimgeour as he began to explain the situation. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Parkinson."

"This better not take long, Minister," Narcissa said, "I have wedding plans to see to."

"As do I," Mrs. Parkinson said.

"You may want to hold off on those plans, ladies," Rufus said, "I called you here to talk about the mix up that the MArriage Department made."

"What mix up?" Mr. Parkinson asked.

"It seems that Mr. Weasley never got my message about the current Mr. and Mrs. Potter being excluded from the law."

"What?" Draco shouted.

"Draco, not in front of the minister," Lucius scolded.

"Although Harry and Hermione are not married magically, they have plans to do so in July," Scrimgeour said, "Therefor, I excused them from the law. Apparently my message wasn't relayed to Mr. Weasley."

"This is insane," Mr. Parkinson said, "My daughter is under the impression that she is to be married to Mr. Potter next year."

"And I to Granger," Draco said.

"Over my dead body!" Harry shouted causing the room to shake, along with the occupants.

"Harry, sit down before you lose your temper."

"I already lost it," Harry said.

"Well, please refrain from making something sharp fly across the room." Harry took his spot next to the minister as Parkinson continued to rant.

"You cannot let this boy have his way every time something goes wrong in his life, minister," he said, "I want him to marry my daughter."

"No!" Harry snapped. Scrimgeour noticed his quill moving on his desk, and put a hand on top of it.

"The law clearly states that you must marry a Pureblood, magically, by your twenty first birthday, or you will go to Azkaban."

"Are you threatening me, Parkinson?"

"I am, and you better get used to calling me 'dad'," the older wizard said. He regretted it seeing a hint of anger in Harry's eyes.

"I wouldn't call you 'dad' for all the galleons in the Gringotts!" Harry shouted, "The only person I can call 'dad' is dead, thanks to your now dead master! I don't even call my father in law 'dad'!"

"Minister, I strongly suggest you do something," Narcissa said.

"There's nothing I can do, Harry," Scrimgeour said.

"No, minster," Harry said, "You gave me your word." Parkinson was smirking at this.

"The Marriage Department doesn't have you as a couple," Scrimgeour said, "Now, unless by some miracle that you and your wife are expecting ..."

"What?" Harry asked. He couldn't believe his luck.

"If Hermione is pregnant with your child .."

"But she is," Harry said.

"That's a lie!" Draco shouted, "I was just there, and she didn't look pregnant." Scrimgeour ignored the younger Malfoy.

"There's a section of the Marriage Law that if a witch is pregnant, she must marry the baby's father," Scrimgeour said noticing the hint of glee in Harry's eyes.

"She's eight months pregnant, sir, with a boy."

"Congratulations, Harry. Why announcing now?"

"Well, we wanted to keep it secret so she wouldn't be badgered by the press, sir."

"I understand," Scrimgeour said.

Meanwhile, back at Neville's shop ...

Neville had come rushing out of the storage room to find Hermione on the floor, clutching her belly. "Hermione, are you ..?"

"I don't understand, Neville. This shouldn't be happening yet."

"It's all right," he said, trying to get her to stand up. "It's probably false labor."

"It doesn't feel like false labor," Hermione cried, "Get my cell phone." Neville searched her purse, and found it, although he didn't know what to do with it. "Give it to me." He handed it to her, and she dialed Harry's cell number. She just hoped he had his turned on. "Put this end to your ear, and talk into this end." Neville nodded as he put the phone to his ear, waiting for Harry to pick up on his end.

Harry jerked feeling his phone vibrate on his belt. Scrimgeour noticed ot as did the others in the room. "Harry?"

"It's just my charmed cell phone, sir," Harry said taking it off his belt.

"Cell phone?" Draco asked.

"It's a Muggle thing, Malfoy. You wouldn't understand," Harry said flipping it open. "Hermione? Neville? What are you doing with Hermione's phone? Is she all right?" Harry listened to Neville on the other line, and grew pale.

"Harry?" Scrimgeour asked. Harry turned around to get more privacy.

"Are you sure? She's not due for another month."

"She says it feels real enough," Neville said on the other line.

"All right, take it east. Get her to St. Mungo's and Fleur, fast. I'm on my way." Harry hung up the phone, and turned back around to his audience.

"Is everything all right, Harry?" Rufus asked.

"Uh, Hermione's gone into labor early," Harry said grabbing his robe. "It's almost a month early, and I can't think of what caused her to go into labor," he said looking at Draco.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Neville told me you were at the store, badgering Hermione," Harry said, "You stressed her out, and stress induces labor. I swear, Malfoy, if there is anything wrong with my son, you'll be hearing from me." Harry pulled on his robe, and walked to the door.

"Good luck, Harry," Scrimgeour said.

"Thank you, Minister," Harry said on his way out of the room.