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Beta reader is Rebby

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The wedding dress

Something was pulling ... pulling his nose ... no ... not pulling but ... scratching it. Harry slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a very pretty ... no ... not pretty; beautiful woman looking straight at him. Hermione ... the most amazing being, the only woman for him, radiating love and much more, filling his heart and soul with a longing ... an uncontainable longing.

He moved his hand to her face and touched the silky skin ... he felt her on his fingers and saw those radiating eyes, filled with love and compassion, warmth and affection. Harry's fingers moved from her cheek down towards her neck, he felt her pulse gently moving against his fingertips. He felt her shivering and a longing look appeared in her eyes ... longing ... painful longing. His own reflected. He could feel Hermione, like her emotions were his emotions, her lust was his. He felt a kindness and love appear from his soul and overwhelm his being ... and he saw Hermione's feeling the same as well.

She kissed him, long and slow, deep and tender. A kiss, which seemed to roll through his being, cutting his soul in thousands of pieces and a feeling of his being sucked into Hermione.

It was like he was not contained within himself anymore- he touched her; not only her body, but every aspect of her soul... her being. He felt so aroused, so warm everywhere, streaming from him into her being. He saw Hermione ... he saw her body ... he saw her womb, he was swimming in her, up and down, he felt her fingers, her arms. He could feel her breasts, her neck and her face. He could see himself, laying in front of her with a loving and caring expression on his face, totally in ecstasy. He was aware of her heat coming from between her legs and underbelly. He felt the pubic hair, the vagina; he could feel like he was in her, moving up and down, very slowly and deeply. The world seemed to slow down and to halt, there was nothing except for her body, her mind and spirit and the harmony of her body. Harry felt more and more aroused and started to float, his and her beings coming together and pulsing faster and faster. The world exploded into wild lights in all colors of the spectrum, he felt himself erupting like a volcano, filling Hermione with lust, warmth and his being; everything he had and more beyond that. The tightness of interiors, being felt as he was in it, his slow motions, the warmth radiating, bringing him to new ecstasy. He drifted on waves of pleasure, going through his body and soul, breathing in her scent filling every cell in his body.

Slowly the wave became slower and they lasted also longer. His movements in Hermione became only deeper and deeper.

He stirred and suddenly opened his eyes ... and saw Hermione gazing at him intently. Both of them had not moved and were still laying on their sides; his fingers were still touching her delicate neck. He pulled back as if burned by her skin.

"What happened?" said Hermione. "Did we merge again? "

She stretched her body slowly; hiding nothing from him, who stared with wide eyes.

"I...need a cold shower. Right now."

He wanted to jump out of bed, but Hermione caught his arms.

"Harry, this was the most amazing thing I have ever felt... I'm fairly sure we came more than once..."

Her eyes wandered over his body and stopped between his legs. "Definitely you came as well. "

Harry felt himself wet at the same spot. He stammered and stood up quickly, his face reddening again. "Yeah, I definitely did ..."

He went to the bathroom for his very cold shower.

Hermione followed him very soon.

Harry was so hungry, he had only eye for his food and Hermione. Professors Dumbledore and Snape were looking to Harry with an amused expression on their faces. After a bite of toast with eggs he looked quickly to Hermione with a wild expression in his eyes, and took an extra bite followed with a look to Hermione again. He did not say a word during the breakfast. "Harry, are you ready for this big and expensive day?"

Harry did not react, and he kept blankly eating. Hermione started to laugh.

"Oh my, what did I do?"

The eyes of professor Dumbledore were twinkling again. "Harry, are you here?"

Harry looked surprised up. "Yes professor?"

"Nothing Harry, nevermind."

After he finished his third helping of eggs he seemed a little normal again. He eyed Hermione suspiciously, who was laughing happily. She looked more stunning then she had ever looked. What happened? He stared.

"Hermione, Did you use makeup or something like that this morning?"

Hermione looked questioningly to him. "No Harry, I went straight with you to breakfast, remember? "

Harry realized that indeed she had never left him.

"What happened? "

Harry had a serene expression on his face, and thought back to this morning. He started to whisper to her. "I love you so much; I feel that it explodes in my heart."

Hermione faced him and thought back this morning. She saw how he flew to the shower and with streams of icy cold water tried to control himself. She also remembered his expression when she joined him, pressing her body to his, her hips pressing his, suddenly the water was not cold anymore ...

"I love you too." But that was not a whisper and everyone looked at them with open mouth.

Professor Snape was sneering, a disgusting expression on his face. "And all of that during breakfast. I am happy that I have already have eaten."

Hermione and Harry stood up, both confused and embarrassed. "Sorry" Harry stammered. Professor Dumbledore stood also up and was grinning with a wide smile.

"We will see you at nine o'clock here in the great hall, I assume?"

Harry answered while pulling Hermione's arm to disappear as fast as they could.

Arriving at their dorm they collapsed laughing.

"Harry, I've never seen you like this ... I think I like it ... you are so cute like that. "

Harry was grunting and snorting and mumbled some incomprehensible words under his breath, his face became redder by the second.

"Harry, don't be ashamed, it's so sweet. I never saw anyone so much in love as you are ... as we are."

She stopped and looked amazed, surprised; her eyes became as wide as dishes.

"Do I look the same?"

Harry stopped muttering and looked at her. He smiled.

"Yes indeed, I can clearly see your love. You look so good sometimes, I swear, I could eat you."

"You think it is the curse kicking in, Harry?"

"I have the feeling that it helps, but... it comes straight from my heart."

Hermione and Harry were still looking flushed at nine o'clock in the great hall, while waiting for everyone. Soon Professors Dumbledore and Snape arrived, followed closely by Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny.

"I see that we are complete everybody! I have a port key made for this trip, so the travel will be fast enough."

"Everyone touch this shoe, so I can activate the port key." With that, they were all rushed to Diagon Ally.

Hermione and Harry entered the Gringotts' and they arranged for Hermione to have access to Harry's vault.

All the women immediately moved to a shop with white wedding dresses and disappeared. Mr. Granger looked relieved. "So, we won't be seeing them any more for a few hours. Let's have some fun."

All of them bought ice creams and sat down at one of the tables. Harry bought a large banana split with a lot of cream and two bananas, with nice lemonade and frozen French fruit. Professors Dumbledore and Snape had both the banana royal, which was bigger then the banana split Harry had, and it contained liquor. Mr. Granger was having a cherry fluff; full with red ice and a lot of cherries, and also with liquor.

"Harry, I have a question for you. What exactly did you do with the message spells you have mentioned in your workbook? "

Professor Snape sounded very friendly.

"... only if you tell me why you're being so nice to me." Was Harry's reply.

Snape squirmed. "Do I ever sound unfriendly to you?"

Harry laughed. "Well, I would say that you do not come friendly over to me or any other student over the last seven years. But maybe I was mistaken; if that is the case, pardon me."

Professor Snape snickered. "But can you answer my question?"

"Well professor ..." Harry's expression became serious.

"I have been thinking about message spells. I found out we don't have many in our repertoire. We have the Epistula amitto spell, which is limited by space and time, and that's about it. I am thinking about another spell, which will overcome limitations and give us greater flexibility. I am thinking to design one where it is possible to broadcast messages to multiple recipients. I want to design one that can send images and thoughts. And we'd do without a 25 words limitation. And of course I want to get over the limitation of distance. I am thinking about the creation of such series of spells, but I can do that only when I can find the time to develop them."

Professor Snape looked at him intently. "I'd like to help you with your designs, if you don't mind."

Harry was very surprised. "It would be an honor for me and Hermione to include you in our research."

Now Snape was surprised, and he was immediately suspicious.

"Why would it be such a privilege to work with me?"

"According to Hermione, you have a sea of knowledge and experience that nobody else has. And you're extremely professional. And when there aren't any students around you can be...dare I say it- pleasant to work with."

"And how do you know that I am friendly when no students are around me?"

"Hermione's worked with you- and we don't have any secrets, Professor."

"Oh yeah? ... what is Hermione busy with at this moment then?"

Harry looked to the sky for a moment.

"She's laughing. I feel that she is having a laugh about us."

Snape's face looked astonished. "Do you read her mind, Harry?"

"No Sir, I read or feel her emotions; she is laughing at the moment and that I can feel in her. She also feels affection for persons, and reading the type of affections she has for some person, whom I assume is me ... but she includes you all as well, because I also read parental affection. So I am not exactly sure, but I suspect that I am very accurate."

"Harry, did you notice her bad moods in the morning?" Mr. Granger smiled to him.

"Mr. Granger, truly I have never experienced Hermione as having a foul mood ever!"

"I don't believe that, Harry. For seventeen years I've known her to be a horrible grouch in the morning. She's never been irritable with you?"

Snape was laughing loudly now. "Mood changes will only come later, Mr. Granger."

"Talking about moods, Mr. Potter, what exactly happened this morning?"

"What do you mean, Professor Snape?"

Snape exchanged glances with Professor Dumbledore.

"We all felt a gigantic burst of magical energy. Nobody knows where it came from, but I know you both have something to do with it."

Harry was thinking. "I think that we reached another sub-phase in the curse, Professor."

"What happened?"

Harry blushed. "I'd actually rather not talk about it, Professor."

Professor Dumbledore looked to Snape. "Was it an additional merge, Harry?"

"Yes Professor. They're much more spontaneous than they were before."

All of them went to the bookshop, which was close to the bridal shop.

Professor Dumbledore found interesting studious looking books, but Mr. Granger was really having fun. He found a book about Magical creatures in Wales and was amazed by the creatures exposed in the moving illustrations of the book. Professor Snape was looking into a newly published book about dark creatures in Egypt... and Harry was watching dreamily the bridal store.

Eventually Harry noticed a Daily Prophet with headlines about the capture of the death eaters yesterday. He bought the news paper and started to read. He was happy that his and Hermione's name were not mentioned in the articles.

He walked in the shop to look for books about curse breaking, a subject for their DA classes after Christmas. Then his eye fell on a small, ugly and old looking red book. He took the book from the shelf and opened it. It was a book about ancient curse breaking, written in old English. He put the book back to the shelf. He wandered through the shop till he came to the section of advanced spell creation. This was much more interesting. He saw a large book about spell codes with alternative ways for translating and linking them. He was turning over the pages of the book until he came to the section of examples in spell-codes. Several interesting code examples were displayed to bind a spell. He placed the book back to the shelf and continued to browse through all the book shelves. Then his attention was drawn to a large, leather bound book with golden letters, the title read "Shields and their practical use".

Now Harry was really interested. He opened the book and saw hundreds of shields from all over the world. Now, this book is much more interesting. He kept the book under his arm and continued looking. He found a book about spell research. He looked at the index and that looked good as well. The book was really thick; 2500 pages and all the text in small writing. It was a huge amount of information. He read in the index several chapters about how to research a spell, and how to modify an existing spell. There were also several chapters about the theory of spell casting.

"Hermione would love this," Harry thought. "I'll take this one as well." Harry went to the manager and paid for his books. He put a shrinking spell them and put them in his pocket.

He then wandered back to the front window of the bridal store. He felt happy, because Hermione felt happy. But there was something in the air which made him start to feel very uneasy. He was not sure what it was, but he did not like it. Harry began to inspect the people around him.

Soon Professor Dumbledore joined him. "Let's sit on the bench here; my legs aren't what they used to be."

"I feel unquiet, Professor. Like something is in the air, something is coming."

At that moment Hermione came hurrying out of the shop. "Harry, what is wrong?" She had a worried expression on her face.

"I don't know Hermione- don't worry too much, though. We'll stand guard here."

Hermione hesitated, but went back into the shop.

Several hours later the girls came out. All of them looked flushed, but excited. Hermione looked very happy and she as still laughing and watched Harry. Harry was happy, and now that it was over he felt even better.

"Harry, we need to try that other store across the alley- we didn't manage to find anything."

Harry didn't complain. He and the others just walked with the girls to the other shop. The girls disappeared and the men were forced to camp outside. There were no benches here, but opposite the shop there was a tea house. The all moved in there and ordered coffee and hot chocolate. After two hours the girls came out of the shop looking happy.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed. "She got her dress."

"Well Harry, it is not only my dress, but the dresses for the bridesmaids as well. They need to match; this isn't it for shopping you know...next month we have to choose the flowers."

"Hermione, why did we hire that wedding planner? I dislike Mr. Goodhart, he's so irritating. He also looks like he died a hundred years ago."

Snape squinted, but said nothing. "Potter, you are whining already? You're not even married yet!"

Professor Dumbledore was laughing. "What kind of wedding will it be?"

"Hermione wants to have a classical Scottish wedding with everything.That means that we all need to go to fetch kilts."

"Ah! That means that Hermione follow the 'walk with the sun' tradition. She needs to walk from east to west on the south side of the church and then circle the church three times the same way for luck."

Snape was now grinning.

Dumbledore continued; "You also need to have a flower girl. A flower girl leads the way, sprinkling petals of orange blossoms along the road. This signifies a happy route through life for Hermione and you."

Mr. Granger agreed with professor Dumbledore. "We throw small cakes and pile them in the center of the table, and then challenge you both to kiss over them."

Professor Dumbledore looked at Hermione. "Did you choose all your bridesmaids already, Hermione?"

"I was starting to choose them, Professor, but the attack on Hogwarts messed things up. So it'll have to wait."

"And Harry, did you choose your best man already?"

"My best man is professor Lupin"

"Did you choose the ushers as well?"

"What are ushers?"

"Formal church weddings require a minimum of three ushers. They hand out service sheets to guests on arrival and show them to their seats. The bride's family is on the left-hand side of the altar, the bridegroom's on the right. The ushers are chosen by the groom and his best man and are usually brothers, close relatives or friends.Have you bought your rings yet?"

"Not yet. We need to do it soon, though."

"Did you know that according the tradition, the groom will buy the bridesmaids an item of jewelry, such as a cross and chain or bracelet. In many cases this is all what he needs to buy as wedding gifts. But when you have better taste, this will only be a part of it.

And when you want to go traditional, you need to have an evening reception. For that Hermione needs to have another dress ... that means that Hermione is not ready yet. And don't forget the additional dresses for the bridesmaids!"

Hermione looked at Professor Snape.

"Oh Professor, you're right ... girls, let's go back, we need to shop more." With a wide smile they went back to the shop.

Everyone was looking frowning at Snape

"I hope that you are happy now, Professor Snape. It means another three hours waiting."

Snape was laughing out loud now. "Harry, your wedding is something you will never forget. Why do you think they say that? Because the champagne is so nice, or the bride looks beautiful or the wedding service is amazing? No of course not. It is because the groom is suffering."

"Professor Lupin needs to organize a stag party for the night before your wedding, too."

Mr. Granger's eyes were lighting up. "And after that, you won't be able to see Hermione until you're wed."

"Yeah", Harry said. "I know all those customs. Hermione needs to drink mead for one month, and then we have the love spoons, cake must be broken over our heads, oldest inhabitants of the neighborhood suppose to be standing on the threshold of our new home, and I can continue like this for ages."

"Harry, when Hermione finds out about your stag-night, then she will insist on a bachelorette party, too"

Mr. Granger shifted. "We do have a stag-night, don't we?"

"I think that you need to ask Professor Lupin, Mr. Granger. I definitely go with the rest, and I agree. Knowing Hermione, she will have her hen-night."

"According the wedding consultant, we will be married at noon; afterward there's a seated luncheon. In the evening we have the evening reception and the dancing."

"We also need banns of marriage announcing our proposed wedding and is read aloud in the church three Sundays before the wedding."

"Have you already chosen your groomsmen, Harry?"

"Not yet. It is because Hermione is not sure how many bridesmaids she wants. There's a traditional maximum of ten bridesmaids, and it is very possible that she will go for that. In that case I need to have ten groomsmen to match."

"When Hermione has her bridesmaids, they'll be paired up with whomever you've chosen. They'll help organize. Your mother in law is in charge of many issues that have to do with the wedding etiquette, and probably make decisions that you don't like... we can continue like this for many hours ... are you still sure you want a formal wedding Harry?"

At that moment all the girls left the shop, happily chatting with each other.

That evening, Harry and Hermione were sitting in front of the fireplace, because it was chillier then normal for the time of the year.

"We bought such a nice wedding dress, Harry. It is so cute. I can not tell you more about it, but it is really nice. And my reception dress is really pretty too, it's in a more appropriate color. I don't want to ruin the wedding dress, because I want to give it to our daughter."

"I thought we were only going to have boys."

"No Harry, one daughter I want to have at least, the rest can be boys. "

"Daughters would make my life hell.. I will shoot every boy or man who comes near her. And what happens when she looks like her mother? She'd be a heartbreaker. I'd end up feeling sorry for boys her age."

"Harry, I want to discuss some points for the marriage with you. How many bridesmaids can I have?"

"The max is ten, according to tradition."

"Then I get 10 bridesmaids. Why do you ask?"

"Because when you want 10 bridesmaids, then I need 10 groomsmen, and they need to fit with each other as well."

"But why do you need 10 bridesmaids, Hermione? Do you even know who they're going to be?"

"I'll set up a list of candidates."

"When you are finished with choosing your bridesmaids, I need that list to choose the groomsmen."

"Now we need to have three people as ushers. They will do their work only in the church."

"Why do we need three ushers, when they only have tasks for in the church?"

"Tradition! It's the minimum."

"We haven't even chosen a church yet!"

Harry looked anxious.

"I know which one I want. Duddingston Kirk. It lies on the south-east slopes of Arthur's Seat, a long extinct volcano near the centre of Edinburgh. It is the parish church, within the Church of Scotland. The Kirk is one of the oldest churches still in use in Scotland, because it was founded in the 12th century by a Dodin, who was a Norman knight. The land was given to him by King David I of Scotland. The church is so beautiful, you'll love it."

Hermione looked at Harry with a surprised expression on her face. "How do you know the Duddingston Kirk?"

"I was baptized over there, Hermione."

"We need to have a photographer too. How about Colin?"

"No because Colin is one of my candidates for a groomsman. I think that we need to hire a professional photographer, don't you think?"

"Also Hermione, the evening reception will be in the Potter's castle. And live music, too; I want to have a lot of tangos, foxtrot and waltzes. What do you think?"

"I love it. What do you think about the flowers? "

"We'll leave that to the Goodharts to decide on them, don't you think?"

"No Harry, I want to choose them. They can indeed arrange the flowers to be delivered and implemented. We need also a lot of personnel for serving and preparing, and that is also something for Mr. and Mrs. Goodhart."

"No Hermione, that is for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to arrange. When they want, they can use Mr. and Mrs. Goodhart."

"You must not forget the rings. I know I'm not allowed to see them..but Harry.."

"Hermione, if you want to have the traditional Scottish marriage, then you need to accept the Scottish marriage rings as well. The marriage rings are not rings, but bands with relief, diamonds or other stones in them."

"I trust on your taste. By the way, Harry. I have still the rings from your inheritance. What should I do with them?"

"Hermione my love, all of the jewelry will be yours anyhway, and when I am going to buy the rings, I will also take care for the proper engagement rings. And according the tradition, I need to buy all bridesmaids an item of jewelry. What should we do about invitations?"

"We need to send them at least six weeks before the wedding. We also need to place announcements in the newspapers of our engagement and marriage. "

"Harry, there are also a lot of small and fun things to do with the marriage. You know the old custom for what I will wear- something old, something new,something borrowed and something blue."

"I've never heard of that. What does it mean?"

Something old stands for a link with the past make sure those friends will be faithful, and can cover a myriad of things from jewelry to a veil. Something new looks to the future, success in a new life; and must be either something newly made or never worn before. Something borrowed is where the family can contribute and refers to a link with the present, indicating that I take with me the love of my family. The idea is to borrow something small and perhaps precious - a prayer book, a veil, a piece of jewelry, a hair decoration - but it should be returned after the wedding. And something blue? Blue is the color of fidelity and can be worn to be seen, as in a blue trim, sash or flower in the bride's bouquet, or hidden from view, a sexy garter for instance."

"I don't mind that sexy garter thing, Hermione. Now we come to the other interesting side of the marriage. And that is the stag night. Can I have one?"

"Yes Harry, that is also the way of the tradition, isn't it?"

"But Hermione, don't you want to have a hen-night?"

"Absolutely. Enough talking, let's go to bed."

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Beta reader is Rebby