Harry Potter & The Heart Of Harmony

Chapter 16- Sudden Changes

There was no time for reticence at the banquet. There was no better time to break the news to everyone they cared about. Harry Potter was now officially a valiant knight, and he would take this momentous opportunity of joyous gathering and pride to announce the news that would inevitably be a shock to everyone they knew, whether it be subjectively good or bad. The future Harry and Hermione Potter-Granger knew what was right in their hearts, unyielding to anyone.
Just prior to the decadent feast that was about to be underway, three other people were Knighted; Tim Curry for services to the arts and comedy, who chuckled in a very weird way, "Gnnyahahh!! Very good, dear...", Calvin Cross for services to the crown, and Gary Oldman for services to the arts and charity. Why did that last one look so familiar?....
During this whole ordeal, The Wallflowers got a little more hard rock on their next song, a fitting cover of Seether's hit song, Tonight. The singer made his vocals a bit more grungy to the janky, upbeat guitar tune.

I'm not gonna waste this!
This opportunity's mine...
I'm sick of complaining!
About a beautiful life.

How did we get here?
Did we forget all the things inside?
And how do we stay here?
Do we embrace all the things denied?

I feel so alive tonight!!
You got me feeling subli-i-ime.
I wanna yell it from the rooftops dow-o--own!
Until it's over, and we're older.

(Harry mused about how that last part wouldn't be for a looooong time! Now that they could have potentially infinite youth potions) After a middle-aged butler in a tuxedo had come around to pour fine wine into Harry's goblet and everyone else's, Sir Harry James Potter stood up at the table, holding Lady Hermione Granger's hand, and with his other hand signaled her to stand with him. Some people took notice, like Hermione's parents, but most were too busy indulging in lively conversation and food, such as turkey, meatloaf, corned beef and cabbage, mashed potatoes, assorted fruit, pudding, tiramisu, and more.
The food was excellent! And there were approximately 135 faces in this lavish dining hall, most of which were strange to them, regrettably.
Maybe this isn't the best time to announce this, Potter thought...
Regardless, heart pounding, he cleared his throat and clinked against his goblet with a spoon, "May I please have everyone's attention?", the reverberating high-pitched sound garnering more attention. A hush fell upon the room as the King of England stood and raised his right hand to silence everyone, which he then extended to Harry Potter, signaling him to speak.
"Thank you, your Majesty. I have an announcement to make... Um..... First of all, I'd like to thank you sincerely for such a high honor. I never imagined I'd be a knight in my time. Perhaps a wiz-- uhh... A wizened scholar, I mean to say, but uh... Haha....... Anyway, second of all, I know it may seem odd to some, or perhaps sudden even, and the rest of you don't even know me... Or my beautiful Lady Granger. But....."
The King and Queen nodded as there was a hushed silence in anticipation.
"Hermione and I are going to get married! We are betrothed!"
Rubeus Hagrid, Poppy Pomfrey, Minerva McGonagall, Rolanda Hooch, George Weasley, Neville and Luna Longbottom, both of Hermione's parents (whom she's talked to a few times about Harry very fondly), just over half of the rest of the table, including Tim Curry, Calvin Cross, Gary Oldman, and The King and Queen of England all congratulated them with enthusiastic applause, whistles, and hollers of approval.
They both blushed, said "thank you" a few times, and then sat back down. There were a few gossiping murmurs of disapproval or confusion, which seemed to dampen their spirits. Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Percy Weasley, and Filius Flitwick had all attended Ron and Hermione's wedding over a decade ago and hadn't even known (except Flitwick) that they had (somewhat recently) split up. Molly and Arthur and Ron Weasley had known this, but didn't know that Harry and Hermione were engaged! To them, it was an outrage! Bill and Fleur knew, but weren't overwhelmingly approving, especially around the others that were muttering rubbish and gossip. Harry and Hermione held hands a bit more sullen, looking down and playing with their puddings timidly.
"Is she a witch or a wench?" Seamus shamed her publicly, which was met with uproarious laughter from around ten people at the table, echoing off the colossal walls. Hermione put her face and hands on Harry in mortification and distress, tearing up.
"Potter's a prat!" Dean Thomas joined in, inspiring more tumultuous laughter at the couple's expense.
"Yeah, Potter stinks!" Percy added, scornfully.
"I give it a month's time!" Arthur hollered in derision.
There was some cruel laughter filling the air, even after The King raised his hand for silence, and hooting erupted as Hermione stood up in tears, Harry quickly getting up to join her. As they turned and stepped to leave, Ron Weasley got up to shout, "Wait!"
The room slowly grew silent again as they turned back to face more cold ridicule from Ron and the Romione army. He looked at them emphatically, a maturity that was rarely present on his face. Then he turned with the same look to address the others at the table who were making a joke of them, "Look at you all... The way you're behaving in front of royalty, even after his Highness signals for you to stop!.... Stuffing your faces and laughing at the couple that saved your skins!! --which, you wouldn't even BE here, if it weren't for their Knighting ceremony in the first place! To everyone who laughed at them... For my sake..... You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Even you, father, sorry."
Some mumbles broke out, some confused and a few saying things like, "He's right, you know." Harry and Hermione looked pleasantly confused as their former best friend glanced at them with empathetic understanding, then while turning back to continue, declared, "Yeah, I was hurt, confused, distraught at first... I even at one point wanted to kill Harry... Haha......."
More mumbles echoed around until he cleared his throat and proceeded.
"But, I learned something from them... Well, from my entire marriage, too, to be honest....... You don't go into a marriage, with anyone, just because you think they're hot... And/or they have money." Ron pointed at Cho, who scoffed in appallment as some laughter and snickers arose.
"Not even if you think they're smart and pretty... Trust me, sometimes that just isn't enough..... You've got to find someone who's like you. In the ways that count. You've got to find common ground, things in common, you've got to find that spark! That passion!.... I've found that now with Gabrielle Delacour. Thanks, Bill, if it wasn't for you, haha...."
Bill Weasley gave a thumbs up as Ron finished, "Hermione and I just aren't alike enough..... We didn't work in the long run. We're like nutty peanut butter and salami..... You know what I mean! We're just not right for each other. We were always fighting. I even was immature enough to cheat on her!! Multiple times. Like, constantly! Bit scary, really... Looking back at it... And sure, we had kids. Really, as a buffer, really... And I'm signing over me rights, so I can just start over, so if you're gonna be appalled at anyone, you should be appalled at me!"
A few gasps arose, as well as murmuring gossip. But, Ronald wanted to conclude with, "But, I've seen Harry and Hermione together. Even before they were together. They just made sense, you know! But, BOTH of them were too thick to do anything about it! Sad, innit?"
Some laughter condoned the fact.
"But, seriously, I've known them both for over 30 years... They're made for each other! Seriously. And I've seen their love grow."
*George whistled!*
"Well, I mean, I haven't seen them beneath the sheets!" Laughter erupted! "But, I know it's there! Haha... I think what I'm trying to say is....... That I'm happy for them. They were my best friends. -I still consider them friends. And I'm just glad that they could find real, honest, true love, as I have with Gabrielle. So, stop giving them a hard time. In fact, let's all raise our glasses! What'dya say!?"
"Here! Here!" Hagrid bellowed, the first to raise his goblet of fine wine, followed by everyone else, save for Harry and Hermione.
Ron toasted to his friends, "To Harry and Hermione Potter! May their lives and children be happy and full of laughter, great memories, and bright futures. In the name of love!!"
Everybody raised and clinked their glasses. "In the name of love!!" Then there was merry drinking, some applause, and Gabrielle Delacour tugged Ron down to kiss his lips, saying, "You're amazing, darling!"
He blushed and smiled, adding, "Oh! And stop by me joke shop sometime! Speaking of laughter and good times! It's in Diagon Alley, London. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!"
George was running his hand back and forth on his neck like a knife, motioning him to shut up about the wizarding world, but everyone was having too good of a time to notice Ron's faux pas. Those who knew of his shop certainly would visit him. Except maybe Harry and Hermione, who finally sat back down with glee to drink and eat. They'd write him a thank you letter, as well as an invitation to the wedding, sending Duncan to deliver wedding invitations to all of their friends, no matter how close they were, even Calvin, and Tim Curry, who was chortling his creepy laugh, "NyahaHAAAA!!!"
The rock band, The Wallflowers, near The King and Queen of England, listened to some whispers from him and then got up and went over to a nearby stage. They plugged in and concurred that it was a great idea to play the incredible classic rock song Pride (In The Name Of Love), by U2.