The Lord The Lady and The Land

Sorry it took so long to update

Chapter 27 May Day

Hermione only lost a week of schooling and was all caught up by Wednesday of that week.

Sirius sent Harry a series of Howlers wanting to know when the wedding was going to be held and what lists needed to be changed for another set of wedding invitations.

Hermione grew pale and ill at the mention of their wedding plans. She was not yet over the disappointment of the event that most of the London Society was still gossiping about.

There were rumors going around saying Hermione asked Geoffrey to take her away because she was getting cold feet. Another said she escaped by knocking Geoffrey unconscious or that Harry beat Geoffrey nearly to death.

Susanna smiled at Hermione in their class as she heard all the rumors flying around and sighed when none involve her. By Tuesday Susanna had dinner with Sir John. Their professional relationship had come to an end but not their friendship.

Thursday afternoon Geoffrey was at Hermione’s door wanting to know if his new suit had lint on it and what was a good place to eat for a respectable couple to be seen eating at.

Hermione laughed leaning against the door frame. “You’re clean” she said as he spun around for her outside of her apartment, “and just ask Susanna where she wants to eat.”

Geoffrey thanked her and tried to take her hand and kiss it but the barrier wouldn’t allow him to come into the apartment.

Harry came up behind Hermione the next second asking who was at the door. Harry peeked over Hermione shoulder and saw Geoffrey. Geoffrey nodded an awkwardly straightening his shoulders, standing tall.

Harry nodded and asked, “Engaged yet?”

“Working on it!” Geoffrey replied.

“Good!” Hermione said smiling at him and suppressed a laugh as Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione growing waist.

“Have a good night Lord Harry…“ he bowed “My lady!” and turned toward Susanna’s apartment.

Harry sighed and said, “I’ll sleep with one eye open.”

“Oh Harry why are you worried. He’s in love with Susanna, did you not see him looking nervous? He wants to do everything right and get a ring on her finger. She’ll be a great hostess for all his parties and dinners,” Hermione commented out loud.

“Does he have a ring already?”

“Of course,” she looked surprised at Harry, “and Susanna knows it too.”

“Why doesn’t her just ask her then?”

“A woman wants a little romance. Besides she has to be seen at all the right places first, talk to all the right people, let the gossip die down,” Hermione reminded him.

“I though she had been see by all the right people already,” Harry thought out loud.

“As a respectable mistress. She is going to have a title now. Susanna is trying to do it right for Geoffrey. Their children may feel the back lash if they don’t do it right. They’ll be called bastards and whoresons.”

“I suppose we should have done that,” Harry commented.

“We’ll be living at home not in London. I feel our village approves of our match.” Hermione leaned over to Harry and said in a whisper, “They must approve. They went along with Mad Eye’s story.”

Harry went a little pale and nodded, “Yes. We won’t need to go through hoops for our people,” looking as though he just remembered a very bad nightmare and might be a bit sick.

“Are you all right Harry?”

He looked away from her, “I feel a bit guilty… Or rather I feel guilty about not feeling guilty about killing him.”

“Don’t feel bad Harry. Draco was going to kill me,” she thought about saying ‘our son’ but stopped. It didn’t matter. No one could change anything. “Just think what we have now.” Hermione placed Harry hand on her belly and he felt the baby move.

~ ~ ~

The weeks went by as winter turned to spring. Harry stayed in the London apartment working on the improvements to the village wanting to stay close to his betrothed, while Hermione worked hard on her schoolwork.

The day before May Day they found themselves home at Harry’s Estate. Harry went out to the woods with half the men in the village to cut down the tall straight tree. Hermione’s Aunt Marie was gathering wild flower that had blossomed just in time for the celebration.

Stews, pies, cakes and other foods were being made for the big Beltane festivities.

Maggie drew Hermione a nice bath to relax her before the event. Hermione round belly protruded just under the surface of her bathwater in the large tub. Maggie scented the bath with lavender and some rose petals. Before she was even out of the tub Maggie was insisting that Hermione has some tea with biscuits and jam to keep her going through the morning.

Maggie helped her out of the bath and convinced Hermione to wear her roomy beige dress.

“Very comfortable, but not very festive,” Hermione said to herself as she looked in the mirror. Her shoes were not much better, brown and flat. Everyone will be in all sorts of colors. Perhaps if she bought herself a flower wreath and wore it in her hair or some combs with baby’s breathe she thought to herself.

Aunt Marie came walking in her bedroom, “Hermione are you ready?”

“Yes just wish I could wear something prettier then this,” Hermione complained rubbing her big belly.

They took a carriage to the square. The day was warm and spring was evident everywhere. Hermione saw tents, booths and tables and a small stage for performing and an auction. She felt a cold shudder go though her.

Someone put a goblet of almond milk into Hermione’s hand and clinked a toast to her health and merry day.

The whole town, which had somehow grown over night, was out and about, singing dancing and telling stories. Sweet almonds were being tossed about for health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity.

Hermione walked around. Many were so happy they nodded to her and shook her hand wishing her all merry day and happiness.

Marie came up to her taking Hermione’s chin with her finger turned her face side to side looked into her eyes and face, “You look a little tired my dear,” taking her hand walking toward a tent, “Why don’t you have some tea in the canopy. It’s quieter there and the dress makers are making such lovely gowns, perhaps they could alter one for you?”

“But Marie I didn’t bring a dress to be…” Hermione tried to say but her aunt just lead her through the slip in the tent. A girl was on a stand getting pinned and cinched by the dressmakers.

“Rest here, I have to go and talk to Sirius. That man will not stop until you too are wed properly for all of society to see. The man is going to give himself an attack.”

Hermione heard some giggling and noticed a group of young women around her age having tea and cakes. They were all in some kind of dress altering stage. One of the girls waved her over, “Come. Join us!”

Hermione moved as only a pregnant woman could, slowly.

They all stood as she came near curtsied and sat down.

One redhead girl helped Hermione to sit down. The girls started to laugh again. The redheaded girl turned and handed Hermione a cup of tea and a few small cakes, “Hello mi’lady I’m Ginny.”

“Hello I’m Hermione…. I don’t have a title yet...”

“But you’re betrothed to Lord Harry.”

“Yes but formally…” Hermione started to explain.

“I heard he’s very kind,” one young woman said.

“And handsome with those green eyes and dark hair,” another commented.

“Is he truly a gentleman?” Another girl asked with dream like expression on her face.

“Oh yes of course, very gentle and tender,” Hermione told them.

One of the dressers looked at Hermione’s dress and pulled at the corner, “Are you comfortable in this milady? T’is not a color for celebration, come let’s see if we can find something more to your liking and brighten the day ahead of ya.”

The other girls all agreed and without consulting her, gently pulled Hermione out of her chair and onto the platform. Hermione gown was unbuttoned, untied and undone in a matter of moments and an over sized dress was thrown over her head and tailored to her body in just a few of minutes.

All the while the girls asked Hermione questions and commented, “I hope you are happy to be back home. Have you missed the village?”

“Lord Harry has improved the village so much in the last few months. No one went hungry this winter.”

“You must be very proud of him and all the things he’s been doing.”

“You must be very happy betrothed to him?”

“Beautiful day isn’t it, perfect day to celebrate.”

“You and Lord Harry are very good looking. I think you will have beautiful children.”

“You are so blessed.”

The dressmakers tucked here and there. The dress was a creamy white with a soft rose breast and ribbon for sleeves that came together at the wrist. Thin ribbons of all colors tied in the back of the gown that seemed to have a train. Someone spun Hermione’s hair into soft twists and tied her hair in the back.

The teacup was replaced with a goblet of juice and herbs.

Hermione felt like a queen bee, everyone tending to her without her having to say a word. But it was all a bit much and all she wanted to do was to sit down and relax.

They got her a chair and she sat down as her shoes were slipped off her.

“Milady are your feet hurting you?”

“No not really,”

“Your ankles look a might swollen best to keep them up and I’ll rub some ointment on them.”

A woman rubbed her ankles and feet and they put what felt like a pair of soft cushiony slippers on her feet a few minutes later.

Some girls were squealing in the corner of the tent and looking out the slit. One of the girls shouted, “Alright the festival is about to began,” to the people surrounding Hermione and anyone else in earshot. It seemed suddenly everyone was rushing around, and Hermione felt dazed.

Aunt Marie came up behind her and said, “Hermione you look like you need some air.”

Marie took her niece by the arm and pushed back a flap of the canopy leading her out to the open air. Very young girls not more the six to ten years old curtseyed to Hermione and all held out a small amount of flowers. Hermione nodded and thanked the girls for the flowers gathering the blooms in her hands.

There was a loud ruckus where it seemed all the men had gathered. There was laughing and pushing in the crowd. Suddenly Hermione was in the middle of a crowd of girls and women. Many of them threw flower petal over her head. Susanna was suddenly behind her laughing and putting a flowered wreath with tiny ribbons cascading off of it, on her head.

One of the women behind Hermione shouted, “Here is the May Queen.”

Hermione blushed as she realized she was the queen of the festival.

The crowd of females gently led her toward the center of the square toward the platform.

Hermione looked to see Harry being roughly hoisted up onto the platform. He looked none too happy at Sirius who was standing in front of him. Sirius had a wand pointed at Harry. He looked very upset, as he had been for weeks, wanting them to set a date for the wedding.

The crowd parted so Hermione had a path to get to the platform. Harry looked at her confused and then looked shocked and angry at someone just behind Hermione.

Hermione turned and saw Geoffrey behind Susanna and looked back at Harry who was now looking at her.

Hermione stepped up to the platform and looked at Harry.

“What’s going on Harry?” Hermione asked him.

“If he interferes with this again, I’ll kill him,” Harry hissed under his breath.

The Master of Ceremony stepped up and put his hands on Harry and Hermione shoulders. “Friends we are gathered here on this special day to bring these two people together.”

Hermione looked back to Harry and then Master of Ceremony and back to Harry her mouth open in shock. Harry, turning a little pale and then red, looked at Geoffrey.

Hermione mind was railing and she looked at Harry. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just put it all together a minute ago. It’s Sirius’s…”

“Lord Harry take Hermione’s hands in yours and repeat after me. I take you, Hermione, to be my bride and wife. I swear to care for you all the days of our lives.”

Taking her hand and looking at her he said, “I take you, Hermione, to be my bride and wife. I swear to care for you all the days of our lives,” smiling at her.

“Hermione take Lord Harry’s hands in yours and repeat after me. I take you, Lord Harry, to my groom and husband. I swear to care for you all the days of our lives.”

Hermione cupped her hands under his and repeated, “I take you, Lord Harry, to be my bridegroom and husband. I swear to care for you all the days of our lives.”

The Master Of Ceremony nodded and Sirius tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a ring. “With this ring I thee wed.”

Harry slid the ring on her finger saying, “With this ring I thee wed.”

Harry went to kiss his new bride when a cough from the Master Of Ceremony interrupted him.

The Master of Ceremony pulled out a thin rope and laced it around their hands, “Now with this cord I bind these two together.”

He gave Harry a goblet, and as he put it to his lips the man said, “As you share this goblet so you will share your life together.”

Harry gave the goblet to Hermione and she drank from it and then handed it back.

The Master of Ceremony raised a cup and shouted, “To Lord and Lady Potter!”

The crowd cheered and goblets were raised and toasted and clinked in the crowd.

Harry pulled Hermione to him and kissed her passionately.

Harry and Hermione were given one goblet to drink from as it was good luck to drink for one cup until the drink was gone. Then they would be given their own cups to drink from for the rest of the celebration.

Sirius congratulated Harry with a hug. Marie cried she was so happy. Susanna gave Hermione a tight embrace.

Harry looked at Geoffrey and said, “She mine forever now,” in satisfied tone.

“You best treat her right. They’ll be many men lingering in the wings waiting for you to make the wrong move and they can claim her. But I won’t be one of them.”

Geoffrey took Susanna’s hand in his and pulled her towards the Master of Ceremony’s, “Should be make it official?”

“Now!” Susanna asked.

“It wouldn’t be too scandalous,” Geoffrey told her. “We could have a huge wedding in a few months and I’ll let you do all the planning, down to the last detail.”

“Well? Why rush?” Susanna asked.

“I want to start a family with you. I want you to be with child within the year. My people have been aching for me to marry and have an heir and a spare.” Then he whispered, “I just want to fill you, make you mine.”

There was a glow in Susanna’s eyes that surprised Hermione. Susanna appeared to be happy about having a child. A few minutes later Susanna and Geoffrey were married, with less of an audience then Lord Harry and Lady Hermione sneaking away into a tent to say their vows to each other.

The cord held the newlyweds together most of the day until Hermione had to sit and rest and she told Harry to join in the Quidditch game so Harry untied it.

Hermione cheered for her Lord’s team as they went on until the sun went down, Harry’s team barely winning. He had a hard time concentrating knowing after the game he and his bride would go back to his estate and celebrate their marriage.


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