The (Non-Marriage) Law

Winter Holiday

Although he considered it awkward, Harry got soon accustomed to living with three women. He felt closest with Hermione, of course, and she made sure that he kept ahead of his studies, as usual. Without Ron's interference, Harry did very well. Narcissa also offered to help, but she was more attentive to the youngest member of the group – to Lil, although the girl was doing very well on her own. She still appreciated Narcissa's help.

Harry wondered if Ron would be doing any good in his studies without Hermione's help. Actually, Ron was also doing better. Lavender and Milli seemed to have a good influence on him. Being mated seemed to affect him in other ways as well, mellowing his temper and (somewhat) improving his table manners.

Millicent also seemed positively affected by her mating. She was still the largest girl in school, but she started using make-up, changed her hair-style and began paying more attention to her looks and her clothes. She didn't turn into a beauty, but everybody was surprised to see her becoming a very nice girl who could easily attract many men, although she was very content with just Ron.

Harry was so occupied with studies and shags that he wasn't even aware of the letters between Hermione and her parents, nor of the time passing. He was genuinely surprised to find they were going on vacation in less than a week.

"Where will we go?" he asked the women.

"We should go to my parents' house. They made all the preparations for a modest wedding, as we agreed. I think Lil and Narcissa should join us as well," Hermione said.

"I didn't really think of this. I thought I'll stay with Shack, or some other family member."

"And miss all the fun?" Hermione teased her.

"Well, this is a new experience for me. Besides, since last September, I feel like clinging to the family members that I still have."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I should have thought of that myself." Hermione came closer to the girl and hugged her comfortingly. "I thought you called him Kingsley, though."

"I sometimes do, but as everybody seems to call him Shack, I started using that name as well."

"Maybe you should spend a part of your vacation with him, but you should come to my wedding."

"Why bother with a wedding? You're soul bound – that's far more significant than marriage, you know."

Hermione smiled. "I'm not sure that my parents would be happy without a ceremony, and Harry wants to give me a chance to wear a wedding dress. I can't disappoint him."

As the winter vacation was starting in a few days, Harry was thinking about his voyage alternatives. He could use the Hogwarts Express, of course, the only option he had had during previous years. For Lil, this probably seemed the only alternative. Then there was apparition. He didn't dare try it during the war, for fear of being caught as unlicensed, but got his license soon after the last battle. Either he or Hermione could take Lil on side-along, if she wanted.

There was also the portkey alternative. As Lord Potter, he was legally allowed to create portkeys, and Hermione had made sure that he learned all the details as soon as he told her about it. She had even made him practice it, creating portkeys for going to the Burrow or to the Granger house. He even had some emergency portkeys to take him and Hermione to Grimmauld Place. He made a note to himself to give such to Lil and Narcissa.

He asked his mates about that. "I think we should all take the train," Hermione told him. "You and I will not have too many chances to board it again as students, although I don't know about what will happen once Lil becomes a mother. We may need to keep living at Hogwarts for her benefit until she graduates."

Lil smiled at the consideration. "I like the train. It gives me some time to relax and 'change gears,' arriving home in the proper mood for vacation."

Narcissa also had an opinion. "If we can assure ourselves a whole compartment, we may even have some additional action in there, don't you agree, my mate?"

That settled it. "Fine, we'll go by train. Will your parents wait there?" He asked Hermione.

"They will, although I've not told them yet of the additional mates. It can make things more difficult that way."

Harry found the voyage quite pleasant. He let some friends visit them shortly after boarding, but as soon as they were on their way. Hermione locked and silenced the compartment and enlarged the benches, giving them ample space to enjoy each other for most of the ride. She made sure that they had enough time to get dressed and look presentable before reaching London.

Hermione ran to her parents as soon as she passed the barrier. She hugged her mother and then let her father hug her, finishing in a group hug. "Mom, Dad, I'm so happy to see you! I have so much to tell you that I don't even know where to start!"

"Why don't you start with the introductions," her mother said, noticing Harry and his other mates waiting patiently a few paces away.

"Oh, sure! You already know Harry. He's been my best friend since first year and has now become my soul mate, the moment we kissed after he proposed. The others are Mrs. Narcissa Black and Miss Leilani Huston. They were also assigned as Harry's mates by the ministry."

"What do you mean by 'assigned as his mates'? You told us you were married to Harry, didn't you?"

Hermione looked around. They were in the middle of the very busy train station – not exactly the ideal place for such explanations. "Maybe we should wait with the explanations until we reach home?" she suggested.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I won't be joining you for a few days. My uncle is already waiting for me," Lil said. Indeed, a tall man, quite darker than her, was approaching Lil, smiling lovingly. "May I borrow your husband for a moment?"

Hermione nodded, and Lil grabbed Harry's hand and closed the distance to the man.

The Grangers couldn't hear the conversation, but it was quite clear that the man seemed just as puzzled as they were. Lil seemed to reassure him, and then kissed Harry's cheek and waved goodbye to the others, before leaving. Harry returned and grabbed Hermione's hand.

"May I come with you? I don't need to stay, if it's too much of a burden, but I think I can help you better understand the situation," Narcissa said.

"If you don't mind the tight fit, you can come with us," Mrs. Granger said. 'She looks like she would like nothing better than a tight fit,' she thought.

There was not much talking on the way. The evening traffic was quite heavy, and nobody wanted to distract Mr. Granger, who was driving. Narcissa was also quite excited, as this was her first ride in a muggle car. As expected, she quite enjoyed the tight fit on the back seat, being so close to Harry. Hermione, on Harry's other side, enjoyed it just as much.

They still felt some relief when they came out of the car, reaching the Granger residence. Harry and Mr. Granger took the luggage to Hermione's room and then joined the women around the kitchen table.

"I think this is the right time for a proper introduction," Hermione said. "Narcissa, these are my parents, Jean and David Granger. They are both dentists – that's the muggle term for teeth healers. Mom, Dad, this is Narcissa Black, formerly Malfoy. Despite some past incidents, I think we're becoming very good friends, although she's closer to your age than to mine. Her son is in my year."

"Glad to meet you Mrs. Black. You said you could explain this unconventional situation?"

"I'll try to, and you can call me just Cissy. I'm very excited to get to know you and to visit here. This is my first time in a non-magical house, and I hope you can show me around after the explanations."

Both Grangers smiled at her and nodded.

It took Narcissa some time to explain it all. None of the Grangers liked the new law and they certainly didn't like its implications, concerning their daughter. Once they understood the legal situation, Hermione joined the conversation.

"Like most girls, I wasn't aware of the law and I certainly didn't do anything to become pregnant within three months of its publishing. Then, we all got letters from the ministry. Everybody who wasn't pregnant and had no medical reason for it, was to be given a mate by the ministry with the explicit intention of achieving pregnancy within another three months. We were allowed to give a list of preferred mates and the Ministry was supposed to try and match us with somebody from that list, if possible. I only put one name – Harry's."

"So did I, and evidently – so did Lil," Narcissa added.

Her parents frowned, but Hermione continued. "As I'm considered a war hero, the minister decided to talk with me himself, especially as he had met me before. I explained to him that for me there was only one man, although it took me a long time to realize this. I told him that I would accept nobody else, whatever the consequences. At that time, I didn't know what Harry felt about me. I was sure, though, that even if he didn't love me the way I love him, it would still be much better than having s*x with anybody else. Harry talked with the minister later that day. He accepted the three of us, although almost every eligible female put him at the top of her list."

"Why three, though?" David asked.

"Too many young men died during the war, making the Ministry assign more than one mate to most remaining men. As all three wouldn't accept anybody else, this was the only way I could save them from punishment," Harry explained.

"What is the legal position about this mating?" Jean asked.

"My only legal obligation is to impregnate my assigned mates within three months, yet I don't think I'd like my children to grow fatherless. I intend to take a big a part in my children's life, as I'm sure my parents would have done for me if it wasn't for that betrayal that got them killed."

"Did you propose to them?" Jean asked.

"No. I only love Hermione that way. I didn't even know Lil and I had serious doubts about Cissy, considering her past. I proposed to Hermione and we kissed, when she accepted. This triggered the soul bond and we're now formally married, as the letter from the Ministry confirms."

"Why do you need a wedding, then?" David asked.

Harry smiled. "I want my wife to experience the joys of getting married, the way she had known since childhood. She deserves a wedding dress, at least. I also thought that you would like to give her away with a proper ceremony and with all your family and friends present."

"I really appreciate this, but I'm still puzzled. According to what you've just said, you intend to keep the other mates in your life as well. Wouldn't that harm Hermione? Can you even afford to keep three women and their children?"

"Mr. Granger..." Nracissa started, only to be stopped.

"Dave, if you please, or David, if you like it more formal."

She smiled. "Dave, I'm not sure if either Harry or his wife know, but Harry is one of the richest wizards in Britain. My birth family was very well off, as was my ex-husband's family. None of them came even close to what the Potter family owns. Without knowing the details, I'm quite sure that his monthly income far surpasses your annual income. He may keep as big a family as he likes without working a single day in his life."

This brought a moment of silence, as everybody tried to understand the implications.

"Did you know that, darling?" Hermione finally asked Harry.

"The goblins gave me some papers with a lot of numbers, but didn't explain much. I hoped you would be able to help me, but we were too busy with other stuff and had no time for that," he said apologetically.

"You may need Cissy's help as well," Hermione commented.

"Well, you're both here. We may try to understand it tomorrow morning."

Narcissa shook her head. "I think you'd better concentrate on the upcoming wedding. This can wait a few more days. We may need another visit at Gringotts to find some additional details, but that is not urgent either."

The conversation now turned to the upcoming wedding. The Granger parents had already sent invitations to all those they wanted to (or felt obliged to) invite, yet they didn't know whom to invite from the magical world. This task was the first for Hermione and Harry to tackle, after a good night's sleep.

Narcissa accepted the invitation to stay in the guest room. Conveniently, it had a common wall with Hermione's bedroom, that soon sported a connecting door, thanks to some charms placed carefully by Hermione, who also enlarged her single bed to be wide enough for two (or for three). Harry was sure it would turn into a very pleasant night.