Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived

Chapter Five - Wedding Bell Bliss (TBWL)

Chapter Five: Wedding Bell Bliss

Harry spent the rest of his stay at Privet Drive with his family. “Never thought I’d be able to say that,” he thought as he watched Ginny lose another game of War to Ron. It was a Muggle card game that Hermione had taught them to pass the time, when they weren’t helping Aunt Petunia. Ron didn’t understand why they couldn’t play Exploding Snap but it was obvious to the other three that Harry’s Aunt would go crazy with all the noise Exploding Snap produced.

He and Ron had offered to help with the garden work while the ladies helped with the household chores. Ron was sure that they had the better end of the deal. “Who wants to wash a million dishes,” he thought, “working in the garden will be so much easier.” Then he learned that they couldn’t use magic. Harry mowed the lawn and pruned the bushes while Ron weeded the flowerbeds and covered them with manure.

The ladies remained in the house with Petunia. Hermione watched the vacuum cleaner in the living room after bewitching several rags to dust throughout the house. Ginny had set the oven to auto-clean and set a mop to cleaning the floor before she tackled the dishes. She was watching the dishes wash and rinse themselves before they stacked themselves neatly back in the cupboards.

A short while later the house was sparkling clean and the ladies were resting comfortably on the sofa. Petunia had made lemonade and biscuits earlier and they sat chatting easily. Ginny and Hermione had been nervous at first. They hadn’t been sure how Petunia would react to who they were and what they were capable of. They were genuinely impressed when Petunia took the initiative to start the conversation.

“Thank you,” Petunia uttered cautiously. “I really appreciate your help. I never thought that cleaning the house could be so easy.”

“You are welcome,” Hermione responded graciously.

“I can’t imagine how Harry could have survived without magic, living in this awful house,” Ginny snapped angrily. “I have never been one to play the diplomat and I’m not going to start now,” she thought.

“I don’t know how he survived here either, with the way that we treated him. The way that I treated him,” Petunia responded passionately. “He is an amazingly resilient person. And, from what I hear, an incredibly powerful wizard. I am proud to know him. I am proud to be able to call him family. I am grateful beyond words that I have been given another chance to show him that I care about him. I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know him better. I want to get to know all of you better.”

Hermione and Ginny exchanged a long glance after Petunia ended her impassioned plea. It was Ginny who chose to break the silence.

“Petunia,” Ginny said, “Harry and I are a couple. I don’t know if you knew that.” She glanced at Hermione for support before continuing. “My brother and Hermione are together as well. Harry and I, along with Ron and Hermione, are now family. I would be honored to include you in my family.”

Hermione nodded vigorously at Ginny’s last statement and hastened to add her own thoughts. “Would you consider being our Aunt as well?” she asked. “Ron and I haven’t told anyone of our relationship. He has such a large family to tell. It would be nice to talk to someone about it before I face the Weasleys.”

Hermione and Ginny spent the better part of an hour sharing their lives with Petunia. A clock chiming in the background awoke Hermione to the time. She jumped up from the couch. “The guys are still out there, working hard,” she said laughing, “and here we are gossiping away.”

“Maybe we should take them some lemonade to cool them down,” Ginny suggested.

“They look like they could use some cooling off,” Petunia added, giggling.