Harry woke up with a start. Hermione was wrapped around him but that wasn't what woke him up. He was used to sometimes being the little spoon when Hermione stayed over. Not that she was staying over, they had been married for months now and even before that she lived with him. No, what woke him up was Dobby.
His crazy Elf was singing a way too joyful version of 'jingle bells' in his high and squeakie voice for this early in the morning. Hermione groaned and asked softly, "Is that Dobby?"
Harry hummed in agreement. This was their first Christmas as a married couple and Harry, and the Elves too, were looking forward to it. He never really had Christmas as a child but now, since he had Hermione in his life, Christmas had become an important holiday. She normally took him with her to her parents for a brunch on Christmas day and Harry didn't expect anything different today.
Dobby, Effy and Winky had been decorating the Manor all night and it showed. Apparently one of them had come in somewhere in the night to hang a sprig of mistletoe above their bed. Harry kissed his sleepy wife and Hermione grinned at her husband with an excited spark in her eyes.
"Our first Christmas together as Potters. Are you ready?"
Harry nodded, "Of course, love. Brunch at your parents place as usual and for tonight I've prepared a nice dinner for the both of us."
Hermione kissed his cheek and replied, "Looking forward to it. Shall we do the presents tonight too?"
Harry agreed and pulled his wife closer. He loved mornings like this, where he didn't have to go to work and he could just cuddle with his warm and sleepy wife in their bed. His work as a teacher at Hogwarts was great but this was just the best. They almost fell back asleep when the singing started up again.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!~" Dobby sang cheerfully and loudly as he made some interesting noises in the hallway outside their bedroom door. Deciding that sleep wasn't going to happen anymore, Harry and Hermione went to get ready for the day.
Greeting Dobby as they passed him, they were glad to see him so happy. The poor Elf hadn't been sure what he was allowed to do in their home after his years as a Malfoy Elf. Luckily, that had been easily fixed and now he knew he could do what he wanted. Dobby truly fit in their little family even if he woke them up with his singing. The crazy Elf was happy with them and his mate and daughter. Effy and Libby were great.
Libby was almost ten years old by now and still a very young Elf, though independent in a way human babies and children just weren't. She was bonded to them, to House Potter, but she wasn't allowed to work for them just yet. If Harry and Hermione had their way then she never would have to work at all but he knew House-Elves just didn't work that way. They needed the work to release their magic, otherwise they would get sick and even die.
It sucked. These Elves were his friends and yet they needed the bond, needed the work to stay healthy. It felt like he was using them but they didn't see it that way at all which was weird. The only thing Harry could do was listen to them and respect their wishes. So they reached a compromise. Libby should only work when she was ready and never more than she needed for her magic to be healthy. Same for Dobby, Effy, Winky and Kreacher. It was important to Harry, and Hermione too of course, that Libby got a childhood and the others a nice and healthy life.
Though Kreacher seriously disliked it and Winky could still pout about being made to take a free day, they were happier and healthy. They noticed too that their magic was strong and healthy even if they didn't work themselves to the bone. Harry and Hermione hoped that all Elves would get the chance to realise this.
They went to brunch with Hermione's parents which was lovely. It was a tradition of theirs to get all dressed up and eat together on the first Christmas day. His mother-in-law had cooked and father-in-law helped where he was allowed. Jean and Wendell were brilliant and Harry was so glad that he had a good relationship with his parents-in-law.
He heard some horror stories from his friends so he knew it could be very different.
It had been difficult for Hermione when they were in Italy for their Masters but Wendell and Jean had been so proud of the both of them. Italy had been awesome. The culture, the food, Harry had a great time learning some new recipes. School had been great too. It made such a difference to Harry when he got to choose what he wanted to learn. Hermione of course had been in her element. He often had to drag her out of the library there or just give up and sit next to her just to spent some time together. Luckily, grown as a person as she was, she noticed and adjusted her study time. She had learned her lesson back in their third year of Hogwarts.
College had been brilliant and they had been sad to leave. Though it had been great to move back into Potter Manor together and finally get married. Still, it was one of Harry proudest moments when he stood on the stage to accept his Masters scroll from one of the Professors. Hermione's parents had been there too to see them get their scrolls.
When they got on the stage to get their diploma's, it was them who cheered the loudest. Though Gran and Amelia tried their very best, they cheered the most for Neville and Susan.
Coming back home later that afternoon Harry went straight to the kitchen. He had asked his Elves to let him do the cooking tonight, so the kitchen was empty for all but Crookshanks. The grumpy cat was laying in front of the fire spinning loudly as he enjoyed the warmth of the flames on his fur.
Harry knew that Hermione was planning a surprise of her own though he had no idea what. He only knew she had been knitting a lot lately so maybe he was getting a nice scarf or something. Perhaps a Potter jumper of their own. He himself had gone for a trip through the family vaults to look for a present for his wife as his grandfather had told him he should.
He still couldn't believe he was an actual Lord now. Thrice over! It was so weird yet he kinda loved it. He got no money troubles, he inherited multiple houses and he got to help change the Wizarding World.
Don't misunderstand him, it was nerve-wrecking to sit on the Wizengamot as young as he was, but also absolutly brilliant.
Just last month they finally managed to make a law to make sure House-Elves are treated well. Strangely enough, it had been Draco Malfoy who had been a big help with that bill. The bully of his Hogwarts years had come a long way it seemed. The spoiled boy had cleaned up his act and was becoming someone Harry could perhaps one day call his friend. Maybe.
There had already been a few arrests made, Harry was proud to note. People that got caught hurting their Elf. Mostly purebloods who thought it was normal to abuse a living creature under their care so didn't think to hide thier disgusting behavior .
A pair of arms surrounded him as Hermione put her chin on his shoulders and she asked, "How's it going? It smells delicious."
"Almost done. I thought it might be nice to eat dinner in the living room by the fireplace instead in the dining room?"
He felt her smile and nod against his neck.
"Sounds lovely. Do you want to come with me and lay in front of the fireplace there, Crookshanks?" Their grumpy cat meowed back and stood up like he was eighty instead of a magical cat barely twenty years old. Harry caught Hermione rolling her eyes at the dramatic cat and he snickered. There was a reason he regularly called Crookshanks 'old man'.
Recovering he told her, "I will join you in a minute. Just need to take care of this last thing and then we can eat."
She smiled back at him over her shoulder and called back a teasing, "Can't wait."
Harry still didn't know why she agreed to marry him but he thanked his lucky stars she did. His wife was awesome. Then dinner was ready and Effy agreed to take it to the living room for him where she had prepared a small table by the fire for the two of them.
Effy'd then be going to her own little house on Potter grounds where Dobby and their daughter Libby were waiting for their own Christmas dinner. Not that Elves really celebrated Christmas but Harry and Hermione gave them today off either way.
Dinner went awesome and Hermione loved the food he had prepared for them. It was really nice to do this with her but Harry had the feeling something was bothering her. Harry knew her, she had been his best friend for most of his life and now his wife. Hermione would tell him when she was ready.
Probably with spreadsheets, charts and lists if he knew her at all.
So Harry cleared the table from all the dishes and banished the transfigured furniture. He took her hand in his and together they went to the Christmas tree where the presents lay. He was a bit nervous for the present he had for her.
Hermione wasn't a woman who wanted the girly things most females liked. She had simple tastes and didn't like it very much when he gave her stuff that cost a lot. Which made her perfect for him because he didn't like to get expensive gifts either.
But today, for their first Christmas as Lord and Lady Potter, he'd wanted to do something special. His grandfather had done the same thing for his wife and so had his father for his mother. It was a Potter tradition to pick something out of the family vaults for this moment.
He gave her the beautifully wrapped present and held his breath.
"Oh Harry, this looks wonderful," Then came the raised eyebrow he had been expecting since handing her the gift, "Who helped you wrap the present?"
Rubbing the back of his neck he said sheepishly, "Bloodaxe told me it looked atrocious so he re-wrapped it for me."
A bright laugh burst out of her.
"You got your account manager to wrap your wife's Christmas present?" Her eyes were twinkeling with humour so Harry didn't think she minded to much.
"Bloodaxe and I are close, Mione. He even came to our wedding!" It came out a bit more defensive than he meant to but it was true. He was still in regular contact with Bloodaxe, his daugther Diamondaxe and Bob. He owned them his life after all. It was just a bit embarrassing that he, an adult and a Wizard, couldn't wrap gifts for the life of him.
She laughed again. Hermione too was good friends with them. She and Diamondaxe were regular penpals and the female goblin was a good source for Hermione when she needed some extra information to help her defend one of her creature clients.
Hermione carefully unwrapped it and tossed the golden ribbon towards Crookshanks so he could play with it. She opened the box and gasped, "Harry!"
It was a necklace laying in the velvet box made of gold with a not very small but still tasteful ruby heart hanging on it. The ruby was surrounded with a delicate line gold with diamonds on it. Crimson and gold for his fierce lioness of a wife.
"It's a Potter tradition for the first Christmas together, my grandpa told me. This was the necklace my father gave my mother for their first Christmas together and I couldn't have found something that fit you better. You are everything to me, Hermione. I couldn't be happier being your husband."
"It's beautiful." She carefully put the box with the necklace down next to her and hugged him.
"It's charmed to never break, and it can't get dirty or be stolen. If you lose it it will just be returned to the vault. I've also spelled it so it can contain some of your magic, in case of emergencies."
"Thank you, love. It's truly beautiful. Would you help me put it on?"
"It would be my pleasure, my Lady," He grapped the box and she pulled her hair away from her neck so he could place the necklace around her neck. Hermione turned around and Harry just breathed, "Beautiful."
She blushed slightly and kissed him. They kissed for a while before she pulled back and got three presents from under the tree.
"Three? Should I have gotten you some more presents?"
She snorted, "I would have cursed you silly if you had gotten me more than this. I don't need anything more, Harry. But I hope you like what I'm giving you."
"Of course I will. How could I not when you're the one giving them?"
She rolled her eyes at that but Harry could see she was pleased. Harry knew he was a bit mushy when it involved her but that too was apparently a Potter trait. Potter men got completely ridiculous when they fell in love, according to his grandmother.
Luckily, the people Potter men fell in love with didn't mind a bit of mush in their life.
He unwrapped the first present and quickly saw it was something made of fabric. Had she been knitting his Christmas present? Holding it up so he could see what it was, he saw it was a big Christmas stocking with his name on it.
Hermione smiled a bit and explained, "We didn't have stockings to hang on the fireplace of our own yet."
He kissed her cheek in thanks and unwrapped the second one which was the same but with Hermione's name. He liked it. Harry never had a Christmas stocking of his own before. But what was in the third one? It looked a lot different then the other two presents. This one was clearly a box of some kind.
He took the third one when she handed it to him but noticed she looked kinda tense. Pausing to look at her for a moment, he waited until she looked back at him. She was nervous about this one, Harry could see it.
Nodding encouraging at him she said softly, "Go on, it's nothing bad."
"Are you sure? You're acting a bit strange, Mione."
She rolled her eyes at him and ordered, "Yes. I'm sure! Go on and open it." Ah there was the wife he knew and loved.
Unwrapping it he was a bit confused to just see a cardboard box after the paper was removed. To lazy to get up to get scissors he used his wand to get rid of the tape.
Finally opening the box he was relieved to not see another box inside. No, instead there was a tiny little onesie, some woollen booties and a little version of the stockings she had given him earlier. His hands stilled and he held his breath.
Was, did that mean?
"Hermione?" He croaked.
He looked up and finally saw what he had missed. She was glowing. Harry had known she was a bit off in the last few weeks but pregnant? He'd just thought she was going through a weak version of the usual winter flu.
She nodded and told him softly, "I'm pregnant, Harry."
"You're pregnant?" Honestly, normally he wasn't this stupid but this was a bit of a shock okay? They hadn't really been trying yet though they also hadn't been not trying if that made sense.
She was looking at him fondly and came closer. Hermione took his hand and put it on her stomach. Harry immediately felt the difference. Her stomach was feeling harder then normal and he even felt a slight bump.
"I'm not really showing yet but I wasn't feeling well lately so I went to Andromeda for a check-up. I'm eight weeks pregnant."
"We're having a baby?" Harry felt a grin forming on his face and he couldn't stop it for the life of him. Hermione was grinning back at him just as hard.
"Yes, Harry. In about seven months, you're gonna be a dad and I'm going to be a mum."
He stood up, swooped her up and twirled her around. Hermione laughed and held on as he said excitingly, "We're gonna be parents!"
Smiling gently at his excitment she just replied with a soft, "Yes, yes we are."
A little later they'd put the three stockings on the fireplace. Laying on the couch in front of the fire Harry was laying there with his hand on Hermione's stomach. He couldn't believe it, he was going to be a dad!
Hermione was going to have so much fun telling people of his reaction to the news. At least he had done better than Ron, his old friend fainted when Lavender, his then girlfriend now wife, told him she was pregnant.
"At least you did better than Ron."
Harry snorted, "I was just thinking the same thing."
Getting more serious he looked at her, "Thank you, Hermione. This was the best present ever."
"Yeah?"
Kissing her fiercely he just said, "Yeah."