Vows

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Chapter 8 Taking A Vow and Not the Veil

It was the motion of Harry sitting up quickly that made Hermione stir and the shouting that made her wake and sit up, watching Harry got on a pair of pants, looking at Hermione and yelling,
“Yes sir,” in a panic.

Sirius reached in from the doorway, grabbing Harry and pulling him out in into the corridor, closing the door behind him. The shouting continued and then another door opened and then slammed shut with a bang.

Hermione grabbed her slip and a robe and put them on hastily. She went across the corridor and entered the room with all the shouting.

Harry was on the bed, his face in his hands.

“Were you drunk?” Sirius demanded.

“Not the first time” Harry said shaking his head.

“Did you force her?” Sirius asked.

“No I wouldn’t ..I didn’t.” Harry said.

“Did you get HER drunk?” Sirius asked.

“Not the first time” Harry said shaking his head.

“Did you use your wand, a charm or spell on her Harry?” Sirius asked

“No Sirius I didn’t.” Harry said shaking his head.

“You were to keep her safe, you were to keep the other boys away from her. I thought it was clear, that meant you too. I was afraid something like this would happen. I could see it in your eyes… and hers.”

“Maybe I could settle this matter.” Hermione said in a soft voice trying to be brave.

“ Yes . . . please! Tell me what you were doing in Harry’s bed?” Sirius asked,

“Sharing it.” Hermione answered.

“Sharing? Alright let’s get down to it. How far has it gotten? You two are lovers.” Sirius posed.

“Yes.” Hermione answered.

“I thought you were going to be a …” Sirius was saying as Harry interrupted, “She changed her mind she doesn’t..”

“ Let the girl speak for herself.” Sirius barked.

“Yes, I change my mind, I don’t want to go.”

“Why did you change your mind?” Sirius asked.

“She’s marked. The Bishop knows she’s a witch.” Harry commented.

“Harry let her speak,” Sirius scolded him.

“So no divine power came down and released you from that obligation.” Sirius asked her

“No sir.”

“Where’s this mark?” Sirius asked.
Hermione turned and lowered her robe and slip to show him the mark on her back.

“That is the mark,” Sirius remarked.

“Well then Harry, I’m afraid to ask this but is it possible that she will be having a little Harry Jr. or Harriet within the next nine months?” Sirius asked rubbing his temple looking a little tense.

“A possibility? .. Yes.” he said looking troubled at Hermione.

Sirius walked behind Hermione and put his hands on her shoulders looked at Harry and said
“Harry what are you planning to do? Let this girl bear your child, raise it alone and have him called a bastard?”

“No Sir” Harry answered quickly.

“Then you better start thinking of just what you are going to do.” Sirius suggested.

Harry looked panicked and then a smile came across his face,
“Hermione?” Harry asked getting down on one knee,
“Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” came out of Hermione’s mouth before she even knew what to think.

Harry rose and they embraced.

Sirius slapped Harry on the back and said,
“All right. Harry you're at the helm now for an hour or so until we get to Moon’s island. Then wake me. I’m going to bed,” and pushed the two of them out of his quarters.

Harry kissed Hermione and opened his door,

“Why don’t you go back to sleep. I’ll be back down in an hour or so.. rest”
Harry smiled and shook his head, his smile growing larger,

“Because I not going to sleep when I get back down here,” and he kissed her eagerly. His eyes were bright and his cheeks and neck were flushed.

Hermione went back to sleep with the feeling that her life was going to be wonderful.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Hermione woke up later with no Harry by her side. So she got dressed and climbed the stairs to the deck.

The sunlight was very bright as she climbed the stairs to the deck she had to shield her eyes. Everything was bright and sun’s glare made it hard for Hermione keep her eyes open.

Her foot landed on the desk, her hand shadowing her eyes. Hermione heard a voice she hadn’t heard in years,
“My dear Hermione,” his voice said softly.

Hermione looked up to the sunlight and all she could see was the brightness of the sunlight and then she saw movement in it.
A face. A face with brown hair blue eyes a thin beard and moustache and a long scar across his face and his warm smile in the light.

Her knees weakened as she whispered his name,
“Remus?”

His smile grew wider.

Hermione slowly fell down to the floor blessing herself whispering,
“Holy Mary of God. Father forgive me for all my sins.”

The figure knelt down in front of her,
“Hermione? This is a time to celebrate,” and she felt his hand on her arms pulling her up.

Her hands found his arms, touching them feeling them all the way up to his shoulder to his face and whispering in shock,
“Your alive? Your alive.”

He embraced her tightly,
“I’m sorry I wasn’t sure if they told you that I had drowned or what. But yes I am live and have been looking for you on the ships. Unfortunately, there were a lot of nuns making their way to the Abbey. I thought by now you would have gone by the name Jane, you never did like it,” he commented.

But Hermione was still in shock, and tears came to her tears,
“ I thought you died. I thought you died because of me.”

“Why on earth would you think that?”

“You were the dearest person to me. I loved you more than God. And I thought he was punishing me.”

Remus’s hands held her face and kissed her forehead,
“ When I saw the look on the bishop’s face. When he saw you, I knew I had to get you out of there. I asked if I could take you with me to the church and they said no. They feared I might steal you away. So I had to leave that afternoon.”

“How did you know I was going to be on a ship? I thought I had a vision.?
You told me to go to the Abbey and take my vows” and she smile,
“ I was going to be safe when I was on the ship.”

Remus smiled,
“ Yes I did.”

“But how?”

“ Think Hermione. You’re a witch.”

“You knew I was a witch? You have magic powers too?”

“Another reason to get you away from Snape. He’d blackmail you, the bastard. He’s a wizard too.”

“He changed my plans, he ordered me to go to his church.” Hermione said.

“Hermione? You’re not going to be a nun, your going to be a wife I hear.”
Remus announced.

Hermione was pulled back away from Remus’ arms,
“Yes! MY wife.” Harry’s angry voice came from behind her as his arm went around her waist.

“Congratulations my boy,” Remus said stretching out his hand to shake it.

“Thank you,” Harry said a little friendlier.

“You better take very good care of her,” Remus said.

“He will Moony. He’s thinking of leaving us. Getting a house and may have started a family already.” Sirius announced.

Hermione blushed feeling very embarrassed.

Remus laughed and said,
“The Virgin Mary was also with child when she married.”

“But if I am with child this was not Immaculate Conception.”

“I’ll say. The room looks like a storm hit it,” Sirius teased.

“So when shall we have the wedding?” Remus asked.

Hermione looked at Harry.

“We I think they should get married right away and then she can go to the Abbey show them she’s unharmed and tell them she’s married and give back the ransom.” Sirius suggested.

“Harry you will escort her to the Abbey and give back the money. I don’t trust the bishop, he may try to say the marriage isn’t valid and keep you there by threat or with magic.” Remus suggested’

“When will we be married and where?” Harry asked.

“Here on the sea. I’m the captain of his ship I can perform the ceremony,” Sirius informed them.

“Or I can being a man of the cloth.” Remus added.

“I have an idea you Sirius perform the ceremony and Moony can bless it.” Harry said quickly.

“Very good, now you two get washed up, get your best clothes on and come back on deck.” Sirius said.

Remus looked at Sirius and said we should get dressed too.

Suddenly the whole crew was washing, getting ready for the wedding.

Hermione was going to her quarters Harry following behind her,
“Hermione what are you going to wear? Did you pack any of the dresses I got for you?”

“I have my wedding dress remember, I was going to be God’s bride.” Hermione said.

Harry stood there smiling and he leaned down to kiss her,
“Yeah, I remember,” kissing her again as she opened her door.

Harry started to follow her in but Remus grabbed him by the back of his shirt and said out loud,
“ Honeymoon is after the wedding, you’ve started early enough already.”

Hermione washed up and put on her wedding dress. It was white and very plain with long sleeves and a high necked collar. She looked in the mirror and saw how matronly the dress looked on her.

She was trying to fix her veil when there was a knock on the door.
Remus popped his head in and asked if she was ready.
“Almost.”
He entered and asked,
“Anything I can help you with?”

“I’m trying to cover my hair I cut it off a few days ago and now I’m sorry I did.”

Hermione heard Remus sigh and he took off her veil and ran his fingers in her hair, pulling it, murmuring something, making it grow long just past her shoulders.

“Better?” he asked turning her to the mirror.

Hermione was speechless, so she just hugged him.
“That’s my girl,” Remus said as he hugged her.

“I’m sorry to say but there aren’t any flowers on board,” Remus told her.

“I was going to hold my bible anyway,” Hermione said as she held it up.

Hermione pulled back some hair from the front and let it drape over her ears like curtains.

Then she put on her veil allowing some of it to fall in front of her face and the rest went down her back, nearly to the floor.

“I’m ready,” she said to Remus.

He opened the door and nodded to someone at the stairs.

Remus reached out his hand to Hermione and she took it.

“You’re the only family I have Remus,” Hermione admitted.

He patted her hand and said,
“Our family is about to get a lot bigger.”

They walked up the stairs on to the deck to the front of the ship.

Harry and Sirius were standing there, both dressed in dark robes.

Remus walked Hermione to Harry and lifted the veil and gave her a kiss on each cheek and then lowered it.

Sirius started to speak, but all Hermione could hear was her heart beating.

Harry took her hand and said,
“I will,” and kissed her hand because he didn’t have a ring to give her.

Sirius told Hermione to hold Harry’s hand and asked if she would love and cherish him all the days of their lives, and she answered,
“ I will.”

The next moment Harry was lifting the veil over her head and she saw her husband clearly now and they kissed for a long wonderful moment.

Sirius stepped back and Remus came in front of them, they knelt down as he blessed them with happy, healthy and fruitful marriage.

Everyone clapped and cheered. Sirius hugged Harry and Hermione as Remus did.

Sirius sent owls to the Weasley’s announcing that Harry and Hermione married and that a party was going to be thrown in their honor.


Sirius turned to Harry and said,
“We will be docking at Bealeton to get supplies before going to the Abbey I think you should get shaved and a new robe now that you are married. Hermione should go with you and get new dresses not the used ones she was wearing before. She should get one modest new dress to wear to the Abbey. The others however can be as you and she see fit,” he said teasingly with a wink.

Harry and Hermione barely had time to give each other a kiss before they got to the port.

Harry walked Hermione to the witch’s seamstress before going to the barber and tailor.

Hermione got a soft pale beige gown with small white collar and cuffs tailored to her bodice and gathered at the waist.

The other dresses she got were a dark blue, soft pale pink and a pretty purple, all had scooped necks and had detachable sleeves at the shoulder so she could wear them in the spring and summer.

Hermione had her hair trimmed so it was even and a bit more stylish. She got small cap with a beautiful veil that seemed to flow like a cloud around her head, to wear at the Abbey. It seemed to change color as she moved.

Harry met her outside the seamstress’ shop where he placed a gold band on her finger and they walked arm in arm back to the ship.

Hermione went down to her cabin to rest. Harry stayed on deck for a while, but Remus asked him to check on his wife.

The ransom was in a small treasure box ready to be handed back.

Harry knocked on the door of Hermione’s cabin and entered.

She was lying down resting, she sat up when Harry come in.

He sat down next to her and asked,
“ Are you worried or nervous about going to the Abbey?”

“Not going there, I think the bishop will be there and … he frightens me. He has a lot of power. He could,
I fear, have me seized.”

“For what?”

“Being a witch?”

“ I will be there. I won’t let him touch you. We’re going there to show them you are well and then give them back the payment and then leave.” Harry assured her.

The ship sailed up to the town where the Abbey was. Hermione walked off the ship first followed by Harry carrying the payment. They got in to the waiting carriage and proceed to the other side of the village.

Harry put the box on the floor and took Hermione’s hands and said,
“ I didn’t get to say this before. I will try to be the best husband and father I can to you and our children,” and he kissed her sweetly on the lips.

His words comforted her and his kiss aroused her,
“I will try to be the best wife and mother…” Hermione said as Harry kissed her again.

“ I know you will,” Harry said.

The carriage stopped and they got out.