Together We're Harmony Chapter 9.

Notes: Chapter 3 of The Power He Knows Not is being edited because I had to brush up on canon to really bring the awfulness of Rita Skeeter to life. Brain permitting, it should be up today, or by latest, tomorrow.

Content Warnings: Kink Clubs.

“Out!” Hermione jumped at the rather uncharacteristic growl from her usually placid friend. She turned away from the mirror just in time to see Luna slam the door shut, clicking the lock in place to ensure they wouldn’t be disturbed.

“Merlin's balls. Who was that?” Ginny asked, emerging from the small bathroom attached to the vanity room with a small damp washcloth in her hand. She sat down on the ottoman next to Hermione’s and began to gently scrub her cheeks, holding her face in place with a hand on her chin.

“Harry. Said he had something important to ask Mione,” Luna replied, her voice slowly returning to its usual spacey tone. Hermione opened her mouth, but her tongue refused to cooperate. Despite her protestations that the day was not that big a deal, nerves had finally set in. Fleur had raised hell over every little thing the day before her second ceremony to deal with the stress.

Turns out my way of dealing with it is going mute.

“Well, what is it?”

“She didn’t ask,” Lavender cut in from her position on the large couch set against the wall opposite the vanity, casually flipping through a catalog for butt plugs.

“I’ve warned him half a dozen times already. It’s bad luck for the groom to see his bride on their wedding day. What if he’d caught a glimpse of Hermione? If it’s truly important, he’ll send Neville.”

“But this isn’t a wedding,” Ginny pointed out, carefully applying an even coat of foundation to Hermione’s cheeks.

“I think it is,” Lavender countered. “Sure, we’re holding it in a sex dungeon-”

“Kink club,” Hermione croaked, her voice much higher pitched than normal.

“What’s the difference?”

“A kink club can have many sex dungeons. Sex dungeons are one of several different features in a kink club,” Hermione explained, closing her eyes to let Ginny work on her lashes and mascara.

“So… semantics. Got it,” Lavender said flippantly. “Any who, we might be hosting this wedding in a kink club and sure, the Ministry won’t officially recognize this ceremony. But!” She leaned forward. “These two insane lovebirds will exchange rings and make commitments above and beyond anything married couples usually do, and that makes it a wedding for me.”

“It is a wedding,” Luna added firmly, nodding in agreement with the other blonde. She picked up the brush and the bottle of Sleekeasy, dabbing generous amounts of it on Hermione’s unruly curls. “Just because something is different doesn’t make it any less real.”

“Exactly.” Lavender returned her attention to the catalog. “Hey, Hermione?”

“Yea?” Hermione asked, stiff as a board. She was trying her best not to fidget while her friends worked to get her ready for her big day, but it was proving to be close to impossible.

“I’m trying to get Ron to work up to anal. Do you think I should get us a butt plug? I think it might help get him in the right mindset, ya know?”

Ginny spluttered and nearly stabbed Hermione in the eye with the eyeliner.

“Can we please not talk about my brother’s sex life? It’s bad enough I walked in on the two of you doing it on the couch.”

“Gotta be careful when you enter someone’s house, Gin. You never know what you’ll see.”

“It was the Burrow! I live there!”

“Relax, I was riding him. The first time he let me do that, by the way,” Lavender said, grinning at Luna and Hermione. Hermione responded with a weak smile of her own. “You couldn’t see anything.”

“Alright, that’s it. No more talk about what my brother does and does not get up to in bed,” Ginny groused, returning her attention to finishing Hermione’s make-up.

“I need the distraction Gin,” Hermione said, before puckering her lips to let Ginny apply the bright red lipstick she had chosen for the occasion.

“Why can’t we talk about your and Harry’s sex life? Or Luna’s?”

“I think we’ve established neither of us can handle details about Luna’s sex life Ginny,” Lavender said, switching to a catalog for gags.

“I like experimenting,” Luna responded with a simple shrug. She ran her fingers through Hermione’s now silky hair, gently coaxing it into the highly stylized hairdo they had decided on.

“Fair enough.”

“We can talk about my sex life,” Hermione offered, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. Anything that distracted her from her nerves was welcome.

Fuck, what if I forget my vows?! What if Harry doesn’t like them?! Can I get a do-over on my collaring?

“Mione!”

“Huh?”

“I said, are you sure about what you’ve picked for your trial?” Lavender asked, repeating her question.

“Yes,” Hermione said, tilting her head to let Ginny contour her cheekbones. She had a million and one things she wasn’t sure about, but that wasn’t one of them.

“It’s a big thing to commit to.” She could sense Ginny had doubts about the path she had picked, but the redhead was wisely keeping them to herself. Hermione was thankful for her friend’s self-control. She wouldn’t understand. Neither would Lavender, or even Neville for that matter. Luna was the only one in attendance other than Teresa and Harry who truly appreciated why she had chosen what she had picked.

“I think…” Luna paused, gently tucking in a lock of her hair behind her ear, “If she wants this and is ready for it, it’s a beautiful thing.”

“I do want it. I feel like my whole life has led to it,” Hermione confirmed, watching Luna secure her hair with delicate pins. Whether she was ready for it…

That’s a different question entirely.

“What does it mean though? It sounds so ominous,” Ginny asked, pushing her stool away from Hermione to give her the space to stand.

Hermione stood, studying her figure in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. She was dressed in a thin silk shift that Harry could easily tear off if he wanted to. She had decided against lingerie. Her hands ghosted over her full breasts, dropping down to her flat stomach before moving to rest on her hips, and she struck a pose, trying to find any irregularity that would mar her perfect day. When none could be seen, she walked to the rack that held her wedding dress, waiting for Luna and Ginny to help her slip into the lacy white gown.

“It means…” Hermione exhaled as Ginny and Luna pulled the gown up her body.  “Well, you know how we’ve been experimenting with various kinks in bed?” Hermione asked, grunting at the sudden pressure around her chest when Luna zipped up the dress.

“Yep. I was… thoroughly enlightened at your bachelorette,” Ginny said, her cheeks turning pink.

“Well, after today, it won’t just be limited to bed.”

“You’ve never had sex somewhere other than your bed? You should try it, it’s a lot of fun!” Luna said, bending to help Hermione with her white lace stockings.

“Figure of speech, Luna.” Hermione chuckled, trying to bat away her tears before they fell as a sudden swell of fondness for the girl filled her heart. Only Harry had an easier time making her smile. “It means that we won’t just be kinky while we’re having sex. Our dynamic… it will be in place all day, every day.”

“No breaks?” Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow. She grabbed Hermione’s bare arm to support her when she shifted to stand on one foot to let Luna pull the other stocking up her leg.

“An hour before bed every day, and whenever one of us needs one, we ask for it.”

“Good. This article says open communication is the most important factor in a successful and healthy dynamic,” Lavender said. Hermione turned to her with a bemused smile, her dress flaring out and twirling around her as she rotated.

“What’re you reading?”

Lavender held up the copy of PlayWitch.

“Oh, okay.” Hermione turned to Luna, pulling on the white satin hand gloves she was holding for her. Luna quickly fixed her veil and attached the train to her dress, and she was ready.

“Let’s go,” Hermione whispered, her throat suddenly dry. She was sure her heart was beating loud enough that the thudding could be heard throughout the club.

“Don’t forget this!” Ginny handed her the bouquet of flowers.

“Hold on. We’re missing something,” Lavender said, pushing herself off the couch and running her hand over her body to smoothen the crinkles from her forest green dress.

“What?!” Her voice morphed into a panicked shriek and she turned to Lavender with wide, scared eyes.

No. No no no no no. How can we have fucked up before I’ve even reached the altar?

“Relax. It’s nothing serious.” Lavender threw her hands up in surrender at the look of rage on Hermione’s face. “You haven’t decided who’s going to walk you down the aisle. Give you away, so to speak.”

“Oh. No one is,” Hermione mumbled, clutching her chest. At the rate she was going, she would have a heart attack before the day was over.

“Well, yeah, unless you want Neville to pull double duty, you’re going to have to walk down the aisle alone I guess,” Lavender said, skipping over to the vanity to grab the ring box. “Can’t forget this!”

“That’s the way she wants it,” Luna murmured, giving Hermione a radiant smile. She grabbed one end of her train while Ginny grabbed the other. Luna nodded at Hermione who smiled nervously before turning. Her shaky fingers had to fiddle with the lock for a minute before she could open the door, and she took a deep breath before making her way down the silent hallway.

“Why?” Lavender whispered, running up to walk by Luna’s side. Hermione could hear their conversation but decided not to intervene. She needed to focus her entire attention on making sure she didn’t stumble. High heels were NOT her friends.

“She is giving herself to him by her own choice. No one has power over her. That’s what her walking down the aisle alone symbolizes,” Luna explained happily.

“Harry has power over her.”

“No, Lavender, Harry has control over Hermione. Control which she has allowed him to take.”

“Again, semantics.”

“No,” Hermione whispered. Her nervousness suddenly melted away, her lips curling into a happy smile. The opportunity to explain her relationship to Lavender had given her a reminder of what she could look forward to.

No matter how today goes, I know I have a happy life ahead.

“Yes, Harry is going to have the control in our relationship and dynamic. But I willingly gave him that control, and I have the power to take that consent back anytime I want to. That’s the beauty of our relationship, Lav. I may have no control, I can be lying on one of those-” she pointed to one of the spanking tables lying in the public area of the club, “bawling my eyes out, crying and whining while he paddles my poor ass, but I’ll still be the one with the power. Because he is doing what I want him to do to me, and the minute I ask him to stop, he will.”

“That’s… deep.”

“It is.” Hermione nodded. All of them lapsed into silence as they walked through the deserted club. Hermione was glad that Teresa had the connections to make sure they had exclusive use of the club for the entire day and night. The owner had charged them a pretty penny, and Hermione had almost told Harry that they could find somewhere cheaper but her boyfriend had paid the amount without a second of hesitation.

Not boyfriend. Fiance. Soon-to-be husband.

Hermione Granger-Potter had a nice ring to it.

They walked through the back exit of the club and into the garden behind. High walls enclosed it on all three sides, shielding patrons who wanted to indulge in outdoor play from any potentially prying eyes. All the equipment and toys had been cleared from the garden for the day. It had instead been decorated with her favorite white carnations and silver and gold balloons. Given the limited attendance, there were no seating arrangements, and the garden was instead filled with tastefully arranged sculptures and bouquets. Hermione looked at everything with a wide smile. Luna had outdone herself.

She took a deep breath, stepping onto the red carpet that led to the altar. Teresa was standing behind a lectern adorned with spirals of red roses. The arch behind her was festooned with a variety of wildflowers and vines, giving the whole thing a very rustic appearance.

I doubt my ‘real’ wedding will have anything this beautiful.

None of the beauty could even come close to competing with the perfection of the man that was standing on the dais, waiting for her. As her eyes roved over Harry in his perfectly tailored suit, she was sure she had forgotten to breathe.

I died in Malfoy Manor and this is heaven.

Ginny chuckled behind her and poked her shoulder, causing her to begin her journey once more. She climbed onto the raised platform and turned to Harry with a timid smile. He grinned back at her, his emerald orbs sparkling playfully.

Well, it doesn’t look like he’s having second thoughts about marriage.

She knew it was completely irrational, but the fear of being dumped at the altar had been plaguing her all day.

“Are we ready?” Teresa asked as Ginny, Luna, and Lavender scrambled to take their places by her side.

“Yes,” Harry said.

Hermione nodded.

“Very well.” She cleared her throat. “Friends. Family. Esteemed Guests. We have gathered here today to join Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in a sacred bond, one that is far deeper and stronger than a simple marriage. It is a bond that I have had the personal pleasure of experiencing, and nothing gives me more joy than helping lead a willing couple down the same path. The commitments you make here today will go far beyond sticking together in sickness and health and I wish you good fortune in your endeavor. I have been told that the groom and bride have prepared their own vows, so I will keep my speech short. After all, no one likes to hear an old crone drone about her golden days,” Teresa joked.

Hermione couldn’t help herself, she giggled. Harry himself had cracked a smile, and he turned to their friend for a quick wink.

“Hermione,” Teresa prompted.

Hermione nodded and took a deep breath, knowing she had to go first. “Harry Potter. From the day I met you, I knew deep down that we were meant to be. I was already doodling ‘Hermione Potter’ on every scrap of paper I could find by the end of our first year.” She paused as everyone around them chuckled. Harry’s smile only grew wider, and it gave her the courage to continue. “I know our path together hasn’t exactly been straightforward, but I am privileged to have had the opportunity to travel it with you. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life finding out where it takes us, because I love you with every fiber of my being. You have my love, my respect, and my obedience, from this day until my last. My Harry, my husband, my daddy,” she whispered, bowing her head when she finished. She took the ring from Lavender, pushing it onto his finger without looking up.

“Hermione Jean Granger.” Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his deep voice. “I was an idiot not to have let you fix my glasses on the train the very first time we met. It made me blind as a bat. My soulmate was right next to me, and it took me six years to notice.”

Hermione giggled nervously when Neville hollered, “Better late than never, mate!”

Harry laughed. “True. The years I’ve spent together with you have been the happiest of my life. You are my sunshine, my beautiful princess. I spend every waking minute away from you dreaming of your pretty smile, counting down the minutes till I can have you in my arms again. I promise to take care of you and this precious gift you have entrusted me with from this day until my last. My Hermione. My Wife. My princess,” he whispered, gently cupping her cheeks. He took her trembling hand, slipping the simple diamond ring onto her slender finger.

“Do you, Harry Potter, take Hermione Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife and submissive?” Teresa asked. “Do you swear to love and protect, to respect and cherish her?”

“I do.”

'Do you, Hermione Granger, take Harry Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband and dominant?” Hermione nearly said ‘I do’ before remembering Teresa wasn’t finished. “Do you promise to love and obey, to respect and cherish him?”

“I do.”

“Is there anyone in attendance who objects to this marriage? Speak up, or forever hold your silence.” Hermione half expected someone to burst in and object in the half minute Teresa waited.

“Very well. By the power vested in me by… myself; I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Harry tilted her face, gently pressing his lips against hers for a deep and passionate kiss that made her see stars.

“You ready to be collared, Mrs. Potter?”

“I was born ready, Mr. Potter,” Hermione whispered against his lips, shivering in excitement.