zephre (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} zephre) wrote,@ 2007-11-17 01:23:00 |
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NaNo FanFic Part 16
Previous Part
Pairings this part: Ron/Hermione, Harry/Luna
Rating: PG
Notes: I couldn't write smut in the lulls at work, people, sorry.
July 2008, Red Dragonfly house, Devon
Harry had expected the wedding speech from Molly and tailored his arguments for her. He had anticipated that Fleur would have something to say, and Jenieve, and worked out the best way to placate them. He felt perfectly competent to defend the decision to Remus and Severus and even Andromeda. He had even prepared for the occasional big-brother routine Draco had been known to enact regarding Luna.
Harry had neglected to prepare for Hermione.
He honestly had not even entertained the thought that she would have him to tea only to berate him for not marrying Luna already. He thought that she of all people would understand that they were perfectly happy as things were.
"You're not thinking this through, Harry. You know I've always disapproved of all the secrecy - No," she held up a hand to stop his automatic defense, "hear me out. It was fine for that one year when your work would have been compromised by news of love affairs at home. It was understandable once you came back and were facing random attacks on the street, but it should have ended years ago. The secrets will only hurt Luna now, you've already seen that with that horrible mediwitch."
Harry sat back in his chair, frowning into his cup.
"You can't stop the press of vilifying her, or you in some cases, and I doubt it would be worth the energy to try. Counter as best you can, yes, but don't exhaust yourself trying to stop the tide." Hermione paused to stir another lump of sugar into her tea. "But you need to get married, Harry. You need the law on Luna's side."
"We don't want to be rushed into a wedding," Harry began, but Hermione shook her head.
"I don't care about your wedding, Harry. I am talking about your marriage. You need to go to the Ministry and register. What if something happened to you, Harry? Merlin forbid it ever happen, but one day one of your thugs may get off a well-aimed curse. What would Luna do if you were killed in Ireland tomorrow?"
"Luna's a survivor. She would be fine." Harry was uncomfortable even thinking such thoughts. He thought of Remus when he was in hospital, left to raise Teddy alone, and the horrible weight of grief that had been like its own wound delaying Remus's recovery. "She has our whole family to help."
Hermione's expression was sympathetic as she reached across the table to cover his hand in hers. "And we would help, Harry, but legally we have no relationship with her. Think in the short-term. You are gone, but so is your income, and your protection. She would have to give up your London flat, and forget about finding a house for a while. She might qualify for Ministry assistance as a single mother for a year or two, but there would be no survivor's benefit for her from the MLE. And if she tried to claim part of your estate for her child when it's born, she would have to join an embarrassingly long queue of fortune hunters making the same claim with false records."
Harry began to wonder just how much effort Hermione had been putting into her worrying lately. "Don't remind me. I'm still dealing with the last one that made it to court. Have you spoken to Luna already, then?"
"No, Harry," Hermione said quietly. "I love Luna, but you are my best friend. I'm discussing this with you."
"How long has this been on your mind?"
Hermione sipped her tea and didn't answer for a moment. "Honestly? Since the LeStrange trials. I couldn't stop thinking of what might have happened if you and Ron hadn't gotten lucky in Istanbul. At first I was only worried for me, then about me and Daniel, because Luna does come across as so completely together, beyond any mundane worries, doesn't she? But I know better now. And your name gives her more than just a place in the tabloids. There is real, legal, watertight protection there for her and for your child that won't come from anything else, not even a validated paternity charm."
"We have discussed moving the wedding up, but Luna never seemed concerned."
"Harry, you have spent the last six years essentially hiding her from the Wizarding public for fear of reprisals from Death Eaters, and let me remind you that there have been no real Death Eaters at large for two of those years. The pair of you have gotten so good at hiding that sometimes I wonder if you even realize how ingrained it is. One of you needs to bring this up, and I seriously doubt she will after all of these years of acquiescing to your perception of security. You are the one calling these shots, Harry, and you need to take responsibility for that."
"You make it sound like I've been keeping her in a tower." Harry took exception to the idea that Luna wouldn't stand up and shout for what she thought was right. She did a lot of it, and she had never kept her fears or hopes from him. At least he didn't think she had. He hoped she hadn't.
"You may as well have done." Hermione didn't pull punches, not ever. She softened only slightly when a noise from the crib at her feet signaled the imminent end of naptime. "I don't mean to accuse you, Harry, I'm trying to open your eyes. What was legitimate security in 2002 is now just a bad habit, and one that has done Luna injustice. Just think about it."
She lifted Daniel from the crib and moved to Harry's side of the table. "Here, take your godson. You need to get used to this." She set the drowsy toddler on Harry's lap and set out a sippy cup with a Welsh green dragon slithering around it.
Harry found the task of soothing the boy a welcome distraction from thoughts turned suddenly, and urgently, toward marriage.
Next Part
Previous Part
Pairings this part: Ron/Hermione, Harry/Luna
Rating: PG
Notes: I couldn't write smut in the lulls at work, people, sorry.
July 2008, Red Dragonfly house, Devon
Harry had expected the wedding speech from Molly and tailored his arguments for her. He had anticipated that Fleur would have something to say, and Jenieve, and worked out the best way to placate them. He felt perfectly competent to defend the decision to Remus and Severus and even Andromeda. He had even prepared for the occasional big-brother routine Draco had been known to enact regarding Luna.
Harry had neglected to prepare for Hermione.
He honestly had not even entertained the thought that she would have him to tea only to berate him for not marrying Luna already. He thought that she of all people would understand that they were perfectly happy as things were.
"You're not thinking this through, Harry. You know I've always disapproved of all the secrecy - No," she held up a hand to stop his automatic defense, "hear me out. It was fine for that one year when your work would have been compromised by news of love affairs at home. It was understandable once you came back and were facing random attacks on the street, but it should have ended years ago. The secrets will only hurt Luna now, you've already seen that with that horrible mediwitch."
Harry sat back in his chair, frowning into his cup.
"You can't stop the press of vilifying her, or you in some cases, and I doubt it would be worth the energy to try. Counter as best you can, yes, but don't exhaust yourself trying to stop the tide." Hermione paused to stir another lump of sugar into her tea. "But you need to get married, Harry. You need the law on Luna's side."
"We don't want to be rushed into a wedding," Harry began, but Hermione shook her head.
"I don't care about your wedding, Harry. I am talking about your marriage. You need to go to the Ministry and register. What if something happened to you, Harry? Merlin forbid it ever happen, but one day one of your thugs may get off a well-aimed curse. What would Luna do if you were killed in Ireland tomorrow?"
"Luna's a survivor. She would be fine." Harry was uncomfortable even thinking such thoughts. He thought of Remus when he was in hospital, left to raise Teddy alone, and the horrible weight of grief that had been like its own wound delaying Remus's recovery. "She has our whole family to help."
Hermione's expression was sympathetic as she reached across the table to cover his hand in hers. "And we would help, Harry, but legally we have no relationship with her. Think in the short-term. You are gone, but so is your income, and your protection. She would have to give up your London flat, and forget about finding a house for a while. She might qualify for Ministry assistance as a single mother for a year or two, but there would be no survivor's benefit for her from the MLE. And if she tried to claim part of your estate for her child when it's born, she would have to join an embarrassingly long queue of fortune hunters making the same claim with false records."
Harry began to wonder just how much effort Hermione had been putting into her worrying lately. "Don't remind me. I'm still dealing with the last one that made it to court. Have you spoken to Luna already, then?"
"No, Harry," Hermione said quietly. "I love Luna, but you are my best friend. I'm discussing this with you."
"How long has this been on your mind?"
Hermione sipped her tea and didn't answer for a moment. "Honestly? Since the LeStrange trials. I couldn't stop thinking of what might have happened if you and Ron hadn't gotten lucky in Istanbul. At first I was only worried for me, then about me and Daniel, because Luna does come across as so completely together, beyond any mundane worries, doesn't she? But I know better now. And your name gives her more than just a place in the tabloids. There is real, legal, watertight protection there for her and for your child that won't come from anything else, not even a validated paternity charm."
"We have discussed moving the wedding up, but Luna never seemed concerned."
"Harry, you have spent the last six years essentially hiding her from the Wizarding public for fear of reprisals from Death Eaters, and let me remind you that there have been no real Death Eaters at large for two of those years. The pair of you have gotten so good at hiding that sometimes I wonder if you even realize how ingrained it is. One of you needs to bring this up, and I seriously doubt she will after all of these years of acquiescing to your perception of security. You are the one calling these shots, Harry, and you need to take responsibility for that."
"You make it sound like I've been keeping her in a tower." Harry took exception to the idea that Luna wouldn't stand up and shout for what she thought was right. She did a lot of it, and she had never kept her fears or hopes from him. At least he didn't think she had. He hoped she hadn't.
"You may as well have done." Hermione didn't pull punches, not ever. She softened only slightly when a noise from the crib at her feet signaled the imminent end of naptime. "I don't mean to accuse you, Harry, I'm trying to open your eyes. What was legitimate security in 2002 is now just a bad habit, and one that has done Luna injustice. Just think about it."
She lifted Daniel from the crib and moved to Harry's side of the table. "Here, take your godson. You need to get used to this." She set the drowsy toddler on Harry's lap and set out a sippy cup with a Welsh green dragon slithering around it.
Harry found the task of soothing the boy a welcome distraction from thoughts turned suddenly, and urgently, toward marriage.
Next Part