5,136Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or Harry Potter or any of their characters.
Hermione arrived hurrying from work her mind still thinking of all the things she wanted to put on her to do list for the next day. "Hi Harry, Ron" she said absently kissing each of them on the cheek.
"Hey Hermione" Harry said smiling. He watched affectionately as Ron pulled her close for a more passionate kiss. "You don't kiss your boyfriend exactly the same way as you've just kissed his best mate" he said scolding playfully.
Harry laughed as Hermione blushed. "Sorry Harry" she said.
"Don't apologise to me. Best kiss I've had all week" Harry said amused.
Harry wasn't sure whether Ron's flush at this comment was caused by embarrassment or anger but whatever it was he didn't say anything.
"Oh no are you and Ginny fighting again?" Hermione asked dismayed.
"Still fighting might be a better description than again" Harry said dryly. "We don't seem to see eye to eye on anything lately."
"Is there anything I can do? I could talk to her?" Hermione suggested.
"No I don't think so. Hopefully she just needs time to think things through" Harry said sighing dejectedly. "She seems more interested in how people see her than in our anything I have to say to her."
"So even getting wounded didn't help. She didn't want to heroically nurse you back to health?" Hermione asked.
Harry burst out laughing. Please tell me you didn't arrange to have me cursed in the hope of rescuing my engagement?" Harry teased knowing without doubt that neither of his friends would have had anything to do with it.
"Of course not you prat" Hermione said slapping him lightly. "Oh! Please tell me that's not where you were injured" she begged half a second later.
"Relax Hermione it's not and you didn't harm me at all" Harry laughed.
"So what curse were you hit with? Are you fully recovered?" Hermione asked demandingly.
"Something very obscure in this country apparently, that debilitates almost immediately for three days and hurts like hell for a week but isn't actually a curse. I'm fully recovered in terms of being able to return to normal duties at work Monday but the spell did cause some irreversible changes" Harry said. "Ginny's having trouble coming to terms with the consequences of those changes."
"What are you talking about Harry?" Ron asked.
"The spell I was hit with is actually an American medical spell invented about fifty years ago that allows gay couples to have a child. I only thought it was a curse because normally the patient is given dreamless sleep before they cast it due to the pain involved" Harry began.
"So you can now get pregnant?" Hermione asked surprised. "Did the curse give you a uterus and ovaries?"
"No thank Merlin there aren't any physical changes unless I actually become pregnant and even then I think it would be temporary. I can get pregnant by magic at the unfortunate cost of being no longer able to impregnate a woman. Either I have to find a wizard to impregnate me and bear a son or hand my titles over to the next heir in line" Harry said seriously.
"HaHaHa men can't get pregnant! Great joke Harry!" Ron said laughing.
"I'm not joking Ron" Harry said annoyed that his best mate could think he could joke about something like this. Couldn't he see how he was feeling.
"Harry do you have a book or anything to tell me more about this spell?" Hermione asked.
Harry silently went to the library and collected the book. "I'll have to ask you not to take it out of the house. Besides the fact that I do not want to risk the knowledge of what's happened to me getting out, possession of this book could see you serve six months in Azkaban" he said seriously handing it to her.
Hermione nodded and eagerly opened the book "It has a table of contents" she said surprised.
"Yes, most American books do" Harry said mildly.
"Then how come I've never seen one in the wizarding world before?" Hermione asked crossly.
"Very few American books are accepted for distribution here Hermione. They're considered too full of new and subversive information like the fact gay men can have children, purebloods aren't magically stronger than muggleborns and electronics can be shielded to work in magical houses. The Americans have even invented items that are partly electronic and partly enchanted" Harry said wincing at the thought of the imminent explosion as Hermione processed this information.
Harry sat there for a second wondering which of his friend's tempers was going to erupt first.
"What do you mean blokes can have babies?" Ron yelled winning Harry's internal bet.
"There is a spell developed in America to allow gay wizards to bear their own child" Harry repeated. "Apparently before the spell was invented they'd hire a surrogate and then the other partner would magically adopt the child. But not all family inheritance laws allow for magical adoption" Harry said. "There are muggle techniques to enable conception without actual sexual intercourse that the healer I saw is qualified to use, so hopefully you or one of your brothers would agree to help me fall pregnant then Ginny and I will go on an extended holiday until the baby is born and pretend that Ginny is the baby's mother" Harry held his breath after explaining, hoping Ron wouldn't have the same reaction as his sister.
"Why on earth would you do this?" Ron asked. "There are plenty of war orphans why not just adopt?"
Harry had to admit the idea of getting pregnant and having a baby grow inside his body freaked him out more than a little too. He honestly didn't know if he could go through with it but he knew he had to try even if that meant hiring a healer to keep him dosed up on calming draughts throughout his pregnancy.
"That would mean handing the Earldom of Slytherin, and the Lordship of the House of Black not to mention the Black fortune over to Malfoy" Harry said giving the reason that would make sense to Ron. "The inheritance follows bloodlines in a way that specifically rules out blood adoptions."
"Bloody Ferret" Ron grumbled.
"Between the money and the Black votes in the Wizengamot he'd have as much influence as his father did before the war" Hermione said horrified.
"Why are you asking me for help?" Ron asked.
"If the child was yours and nobody not sworn to secrecy knows I'm pregnant then there would be no reason to question the child's parentage it would have the Potter and Weasley magical inheritance and everyone would assume I was the father and Ginny the mother" Harry explained.
"That makes a lot of sense" Hermione put in. "You should do it Ron. If we keep it between the four of us and swear the healers to secrecy, then it should work."
"Unless of course it was Malfoy who paid to have me cursed" Harry said. "If he already knows what's wrong with me then he will know that I cannot father a child."
"Would it matter? You are still a male parent" Hermione asked.
Harry sighed "Legally I have no idea. There is no mention of a situation like this in the Black inheritance book because until fairly recently it wasn't possible and the inheritance laws haven't been updated in centuries. Even the goblins weren't sure how it would affect my child inheriting the titles. The inheritance laws don't say that I can't bear my own heir instead of siring one but you can bet Malfoy would try to have that changed if he knew about it, and the goblins weren't sure whether he would succeed or not. As you can imagine they're invested in the Black fortune not being handed over to racist bigots like the Malfoys if it can be avoided."
"So what exactly freaked Ginny out?" Hermione asked. "Was it not being able to have her own baby? Because Harry you have to understand how hard that would be to know that your kids are actually your brother's children."
"No, actually I saw her face when she first realised I couldn't get her pregnant and she was pleased. She only got angry when I told her I'd have to get pregnant to hold on to my titles. I'm not sure if she was upset about make pregnancy being unnatural or the fact she'd have to spend seven or eight months with me in hiding to maintain the deception"
"We'll you know the wizarding world is about a century behind when it comes to things like this. And with all the emphasis on inheritance and bloodlines I'm not surprised it is homophobic" Hermione said.
Harry pulled a face. "It's not like I need to have sex with a bloke" he said tiredly.
"No just use some muggle technique she doesn't understand, nothing scary about that" Hermione said sarcastically.
"What's homophobic?" Ron asked crossly, he hated when Harry and Hermione had conversations he didn't understand.
"Homophobic refers to a fear or dislike of people who are gay Ron" Hermione said.
"Why would you be afraid of happy people and what's that got to do with Harry having to have a baby?" Ron asked.
"Not gay as in happy Ron, gay as in homosexual" Hermione said patiently.
"Homowhat?!" Ron said blushing violently, unable to even say the word sexual in front of his girlfriend.
Harry laughed. "I've got this one Hermione. You should go powder your nose or something for a minute so I can be blunt without him freaking out about me using such words in front of you" he suggested.
Hermione huffed but got up and excused herself.
"Ron gay or homosexual means guys who want to have sex with another man instead of a woman" Harry said bluntly.
"What!" Ron said choking on the biscuits he was eating.
"It can also refer to two girls together though there are several other words that describe that better" Harry said calmly.
"That's disgusting" Ron blurted out looking sick.
"What's disgusting Ron?" Harry asked. "It's normal for at least two percent of the muggle population. I would expect there would be quite a few gay witches and wizards. We just don't know about them because it's so frowned upon in Britain that no-one's willing to admit it."
"You're pranking me" Ron declared angrily.
"I swear I'm not Ron" Harry said seriously, suddenly very glad he'd never confided in his friends, the suspicion that he might be either gay or bisexual. "It doesn't matter anyway. All I'm going to ask you to do is jerk off into a cup and then the healer will spell it inside me or something. Nothing homosexual about it" Harry tried to reassure his friend as Hermione stuck her head in.
"Can I come back yet? Did you get it sorted?" Hermione asked sharing an eye-roll with Harry over Ron's prudish inability to speak about sex with her in the room.
"I don't think he believed me" Harry said going into the kitchen and helping himself to more tea. "He thought homosexuality too disgusting to be real."
"That could be Ginny's objections as well" Hermione suggested.
"It could but after the fuss she's made the last couple of weeks about not being able to attend parties while I was injured I'd bet that part of the problem is the idea of spending seven or eight month in total seclusion with me so nobody notices she isn't the one who's pregnant" Harry said tiredly.
"You don't have to marry Ginny" Hermione said quietly.
Harry shrugged "I know" he said despondently.
"Then if you don't mind my asking why are you still with her?" Hermione asked.
"Hey that's my sister you're talking about" Ron protested.
"Better the devil you know" Harry muttered.
Unfortunately, Hermione heard him "Harry that's not a reason" she scolded.
"Yeah but with this curse I have to marry someone with a male family member I trust absolutely and you and Luna don't have brothers, your father's a muggle and Luna's father died in the war" Harry said.
"Can you trust Ginny that much when she's this angry with you?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"I don't need to trust her not to tell anyone. I spelled the secret. None of you can talk about it in front of someone who doesn't know"
"You managed to alter the Fidelius?" Hermione asked excitedly.
Harry smiled proudly, "Yeah, an offhand comment from Luna showed me the way. That girl's uncanny" he admitted.
"So what else have you put under the Fidelius?" Hermione asked.
"It's unfortunately limited to new secrets. If you already know something you will continue to know it even if you can't talk about it" Harry said.
"So putting your appearance or your engagement under Fidelius wouldn't work" Hermione said.
"No but putting the time and location of the wedding will unless the press already know" Harry said smiling. "Unless of course they get hold on an invitation."
-o0o-
Ginny came storming up to Harry as he arrived at the Burrow late the next afternoon. "How come I couldn't tell anyone what's going on with us?" She demanded.
Harry looked at her. "Because you promised you wouldn't" he said flatly.
"WHAT!" Ginny screeched.
Harry winced and resisted the urge to check if his ears were bleeding. "How would you know you couldn't tell anyone unless you'd tried to break your promise?" he asked.
"That's not the point! How dare you spell me to secrecy like that!?" Ginny yelled.
"You're yelling at me for not trusting you to keep a promise after telling me you tried to break it? Don't be such a hypocrite" Harry yelled back.
"Release the spell" Ginny demanded.
"No!" Harry said flatly. "I didn't spell you specifically. I spelled the secret itself because it is absolutely vital that the secret be kept. Obviously I can't trust you to keep this a secret so the spell stays."
"How can we have a marriage if I can't talk about things?" Ginny asked.
"Don't be ridiculous. The spell doesn't stop you from talking to me. And if you want advice it also won't stop you from talking to Ron or Hermione because they already know as well, as long as nobody else is able to hear you" Harry said firmly. "I'm more concerned about the fact I can't trust you to keep my secrets for even twenty-four hours without forcing you with magic."
"Then why can't I talk about it now" Ginny asked crossly.
"You can't shout about it now probably because there's someone home within hearing distance who doesn't know it. If you were speaking at a more appropriate volume for talking about something you'd promised to keep secret, you probably wouldn't have any difficulty unless someone was using an extendable ear" Harry explained.
"I've been to the bank I can magically adopt an heir for the Potter and Evander lines, and adopt Teddy Lupin for the Black line since he has Black ancestry which leaves having to bear an heir for the Peverell, Gryffindor and Slytherin lines" Harry said giving her more information. "So that means three children of my own, at least one of them a boy."
"No I absolutely refuse" Ginny declared.
"You're not even willing to talk about it?" Harry asked.
"No the whole idea is disgusting and wrong" Ginny said stubbornly.
"Very well" Harry said leaving the room. He went up to Ron's room finding him alone. "Ron can you contact Hermione, Neville and Luna for me and ask them to come here this afternoon. I need to make an official announcement.
"You're breaking your engagement?" Ron asked realising that having three non-family members present would formalise the end of the arrangement.
"Yes, Ginny refuses to let me have children" Harry said sadly.
"Harry mate I don't know any witch who will let you do that" Ron said. "Why the formal announcement?"
"I don't think Ginny or your mother is going to take this very well. If I make a formal announcement they cannot ignore it. I'll send an announcement notice to the prophet tonight as well."
"What are you going to do afterwards, you'll have every witch in the country throwing herself at you again?"
Harry shuddered at the idea. "I dunno mate" he said.
"Hermione will be here at six, I'll go floo Neville and Luna" Ron said. "You wanna hang out here or come back later?"
"Can you floo me when the others and Ginny and your parents are all here?" Harry asked.
"Sure thing mate" Ron agreed going to make the calls.
-o0o-
It was ten past six before Harry saw Ron's head in the fire. "They're all here" he said.
"Thanks Ron" Harry said before apparating to the Burrow ward line where he found Hermione waiting outside for him.
"What's going on Harry?" she asked.
"I needed three nonfamily members to witness the official end of my engagement to Ginny" Harry said.
"Oh Harry are you sure?" Hermione asked. "If you make a formal announcement like this the betrothal agreements will be very much in Ginny's favour if you want to reinstate the engagement."
"Yes Hermione I'm sure. I won't be reinstating this engagement" Harry said firmly. "She won't accept that I need heirs."
"She doesn't actually have to agree. If you fall pregnant she'd go into hiding or you can claim you've taken a second wife" Hermione said.
"Yes she does, the betrothal contract the Weasleys wrote limits me to one wife and she has the right to refuse to accept illegitimate children" Harry said holding it up. "I thought of that. Besides I'm not sure I could stand being married to such a harpie as she's been lately. I don't like constantly arguing with her. I want a peaceful life."
"Which you aren't going to get married to Ginny. Let's go in and get this over with then" Hermione agreed giving him a quick hug.
Harry hugged her back. "Thanks for your support. I hope it doesn't cause too many problems with Ron and his family."
Harry walked into the kitchen followed by Hermione, Ron came in the other door with Neville and Luna. The Weasleys were just sitting down to dinner. "Harry, Hermione have you eaten?" Molly said cheerfully getting up to get more plates. "Hello Luna dear, hello Neville."
"No Mrs Weasley I'm not here for dinner, please sit down. I have an announcement to make. Ginevra Molly Weasley in front of these witnesses, Neville of the House of Longbottom, Luna of the House of Lovegood and Hermione Granger, I am calling off our engagement and declaring null and void the betrothal contract brokered between the House of Weasley and the House of Potter, the House of Black, the House of Evander, the Houser of Peverell, The House of Gryffindor and the House of Slytherin. He held up the contract and then handed it to Arthur Weasley.
Arthur opened the contract and saw that the end clauses had been signed by Harry. He sighed looking at the young man standing in front of him and with heavy heart stood. "I Arthur Head of the House of Weasley accept the honourable withdrawal of the betrothal and the voiding of the contract between Ginevra of the house of Weasley and Harry Head of the Houses of Potter, Black, Evander, Peverell, Gryffindor and Slytherin."
Harry bowed his head. "Thank you sir" he said quietly. "I'll make the public announcement." He handed over a copy of the press release he'd prepared and Arthur read it over quickly and nodded. Harry turned and said goodbye to everyone and walked back to the apparition point and apparated home.
He closed the wards to prevent all entry until he could adjust them to remove access to Ginny and Molly, picked up the public announcements he'd prepared and sent them to the Quibbler, The Prophet and Witch Weekly.
"Winky can you make sure that anything that belongs to Ginny Weasley and Molly Weasley is put on the table here so I can send it on to them" Harry said.
"Yes Master Harry" Winky said. Items began appearing on the table and Harry conjured a box to pack them in. Some were innocently left cardigans and kitchen utensils left over from the days Molly had run the kitchen here for the order of the phoenix. But buried among the harmless objects were vials of potions he did not recognise.
"Winky where were these potions found?" Harry asked.
"They was in the kitchen in the hidey cupboard next to the stove" Winky said.
Harry frowned in confusion and walked ever to the stove "Where? He asked.
"Here Master Harry" Winky said opening a small cupboard ideally placed to keep herbs and spices used in cooking but suspiciously hidden by strong wards.
"Who was keyed to these wards?" Harry asked. "And do you recognise any of these potions?"
"I'se not know" Winky said nervously.
"Don't worry Winky, you're not in trouble for not knowing. Can you ask Hermione to come? Tell her I've got the wards shut down so she'll have to knock" Harry said giving her another job to do to settle her down.
"Yes Master Harry" Winky said popping away.
Harry then cast identifying spells at the ward and began dismantling it.
Harry. Are you here? What's wrong?" Hermione called through the front door.
"I'm fine Hermione" Harry answered opening the door.
"I was wondering if you could identify these potions?" he asked as he led her into the kitchen.
"What?" Hermione asked confused.
"I asked Winky to collect all of Ginny and Molly's stuff from the house. She got these potions from the little cupboard next to the stove"
"I never knew there was a cupboard there" Hermione said. She picked up the potion vials and sniffed cautiously before casting the identifier spell. She wrote down the ingredients. "I'll need to do some research and get back to you Harry."
"Thanks Hermione. The cupboard was warded by Molly. I never knew it was there either."
A/N: Thank you to Ashley (Guest), Lizzie Snape-Malfoy, charm13insomnia, Rori Potter, DS2010, Locket1, Manuella black, XxRahzelxX, Crazyforeverything, HPFAN88, darkmousey-15, Yazumin, hadrianlopez1, Entrusting, PrincessAngleBabyX3, Ambeth, AvidWolf14, RiverWinchester, Buggy98, hadrianlopez1, Catus, Crawcolady, shflister, Artemis Teilor, HP Girl 28, Nataly S. Potter, Someone who knows nothing, elvenmagick, Meredyth Pendragon, xDarklightx, Kuraihikaru, Sue92, Lunezx, melarem, FrozenDream, bluediamonds1986, angelgirl1410916, lean238, emerald-flame-66, calindsay, Rain Kitsune, and angelpet3450 for your support.