Unlike a Sister (Harmione)

Chapter 10: Handfasting

Hermione turned to Harry, eyes pleading.

Harry swallowed and forced himself to look at Ron. "I fucked up. There was a situation with a computer," he said hastily, "and I probably overthought it, but I didn't want him to think I wasn't a close relation and then he wouldn't take me to the wand..."

"You could've just said you were her brother-in-law."

"Yeah, I know. I...I wasn't thinking."

"It's not Harry's fault," said Hermione. "The doctor was the only one who knew where my wand was. Harry was more focused on that than making sure his story was accurate."

"I guess," Ron said, looking disgruntled. "What're we going to do for the dinner, then? Obliviate the Muggles when they come in?"

"Why-why would we do that?" said Hermione, alarmed.

"Well, to set things straight," he said, exasperated. "We'll obliviate them so they'll know I'm your husband."

Hermione's brows drew together. "We can't obliviate three Muggles just because we messed up a dinner invitation. Not to mention the doctor has already been obliviated once. Multiple Oblivations in a short time can lead to other problems and we don't know exactly how it affects Muggles."

"What would you have us do then?" he returned. "Are you and Harry going to pretend to be married or something?"

The question seemed to stun Hermione into silence and Harry stared at her. Her response, in that moment, seemed very important to him.

Eventually, she said, "I suppose that might be our best option."

Face uncommonly warm, Harry turned to look at Ron and was shocked to find a slow grin spreading over his best friend's face.

"You know," the redhead said slowly, "that'd be hilarious, if you think you can pull it off."

"Of course we could pull it off," she mumbled. "It's one night."

"But hold on," said Ron, "if Harry's your husband, what's my excuse for being there?"

"You could be a family friend. It's a birthday dinner," Hermione reasoned, her voice returning to something like normal. "We'd presumably have other friends over as well."

"And Ginny?" said Harry, remembering with a strange twist in his stomach, that she would also be there.

"Also a family friend," Ron mused, "though obviously still my sister."

Hermione looked seriously at Harry. "Do you think Ginny will be okay with that?"

"Sure," Harry lied. "If I explain it to her, I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

"I take it all back," Ron said, disarmingly handsome when he laughed. "This'll be great. Can I have a completely different personality or something?"

"What 'completely different personality' do you want, Ronald?" said Hermione skeptically.

"I dunno. I've never thought about it before..."

Harry found himself chuckling, despite himself. Hermione sighed.

"Okay. With the four of us and the doctor's family, that's seven. With Hugo and Lily, that's nine." Hermione conjured a notepad and quill. "We'll have to brief the kids on what they can't say to the Srinivasans, of course."

"They've had dinners with Muggles at the house before," Harry said. "They should be fine."

"Great! Then it's settled," she said happily.

"Wait," Ron said. "There's going to be six wizards at this dinner and three Muggles. Are we confident we can pull this off without revealing anything?"

Hermione snorted. "Are you serious? Have you suddenly forgotten Harry and I grew up as Muggles?"