Hermione Granger stared up the aisle at Ginny Weasley, her closest female friend, dressed in pristine white and looking more beautiful than ever, walking slowly down the aisle. Then her gaze fell on the groom, her best friend, Harry. Harry had never looked more handsome, in his tux and his face was glowing as he watched his girlfriend of four years as she took the walk up the aisle to be his wife. The look of adoration on his face sliced through her like a knife. She couldn't count how many times she'd wished he would look at her like that. But he never would. "The Boy Who Lived" would never see plain Hermione Granger as more than his best friend. Hermione's eyes slid over to Harry's best man. Ron. Her fiance.
Don't get her wrong. She loved Ron. But it was Harry who held her soul in his hands. They'd been through so much together, it was inevitable that she would fall for him. He was the bravest, strongest man she'd ever met. And for a while, she thought maybe she'd had a chance with him, after Ron had gotten together with Lavender. But then Harry had woken up and realized that Ginny was beautiful, intelligent, and interesting. And it had been too late. Ginny and Harry were meant to be. Just like Ron and Hermione were meant to be. But as usual, Hermione had done things a little different. She'd fallen in love with the wrong best friend.
When Ron had proposed to her, she'd been happy enough to say yes. But then Harry had proposed to Ginny during their engagement party. It felt like her heart had been stomped on. But she'd smiled and congratulated them like everyone else. Just like she was smiling now, as Ginny handed her the flowers she'd been carrying. And then, just a few minutes later, it was all over. Harry was a married man, and it was too late.
Later that night, Hermione slipped away, down a path behind the Burrow, into the woods, until she reached the bench near the pond. She sat down and stared over the water. A star glowed brightly in it's surface, and she looked up into the sky and wished that it was her instead of Ginny.
The crunch of a branch behind her made her turn, and she saw Harry making his way towards her in the near dark.
"Well, if it isn't the married man himself," Hermione said, using nearly all her willpower to make her voice light and teasing. Harry grinned at her, then sat down next to her. He shook his head slowly.
"I still can't believe that I'm married to Ginny," he said softly. "I always thought..." he trailed off. Hermione glanced over at him.
"What?" she asked. Harry shook his head.
"It's not worth mentioning," he mumbled.
"Harry," Hermione said. "It's me. You can tell me anything." Harry took a deep breath and looked into her eyes.
"I always thought it would be you," he murmered. Hermione literally felt her heart stop.
"I know you love Ron," he rushed on. "And I realized a while ago that there was no chance you felt the same..." he trailed off when he realized that Hermione was crying. "What is it? God, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, Harry..." Hermione sobbed. "You should have! Years ago! I love you so much Harry... I did anything, went anywhere with you. And all that time, you didn't see." Harry touched her cheek gently, then his lips were on hers. The passion crackling between them was searing, and spread all throughout her body like wildfire. Then her brain took over and she pulled away from him.
"No, Harry," she said. "We can't." Harry stood up and faced her.
"Hermione, we can figure this out," he said, his voice strong and sure. Hermione wavered for a moment, then shook her head.
"It's too late," she said, her voice equally as strong. "There's too much at stake now. I know you love Ginny, and I love Ron too."
"But Hermione, we're meant to be together. We're soulmates," Harry insisted.
"Be that as it may, the fact remains: I won't hurt Ron and Ginny," Hermione said. "I'm going back to my fiance. You should go back to your wife." She turned and left him alone. Harry stared after her, then sank down onto the bench, and covered his face with his hands. Then The Boy Who Lived, the man who defeated Voldemort, sobbed dryly into his hands, in a fury at himself for waiting until it was too late. He collected himself after a few minutes, then went back to his friends and family, smiling and pretending- the way he would for the rest of his life.