Chapter 1
AN: So, my latest story is basically a Harry Potter version of the movie Bridesmaids. I really hope you like it! Please read and REVIEW! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Not British or incredibly rich, so I'm definitely not J.K. Rowling meaning I don't own HP or its characters, otherwise Fred and/or George Weasley would be in my bed as we speak.
"I don't know, Mione. I just feel as though Harry's been pulling away from me lately. I mean... he called me dude after sex last week." Ginny complained at her usual table during her weekly lunch with Hermione.
"Personally, I just think you're overreacting about this. Harry has been madly in love with you since his sixth year. You guys have been together forever. Gin, there's nothing to worry about!" Hermione responded.
"I guess you're right. But that's enough of me complaining about my love life when I apparently have nothing to worry about. So... what did you do last night?" At the sight of Hermione's guilty expression she repeated curiously, "What did you do last night... Or should I ask who did you do last night?"
"I just... I hung out with Ron last night." She responded guiltily looking everywhere except Ginny.
"Seriously Mione, really? I mean I know he's my brother and I'm supposed to love him and all, but he's a complete and utter tool and you always feel like shit after you two hang out."
"Come on, Gin. We have fun." At the sight of Ginny's raised eyebrow
Hermione added, "We had some adult fun at an adult sleepover. No big deal."
"Mmmhmmm. Yeah okay. Whatever. All I'm saying is that you're twenty-two. You're young, smart, a total hottie, and in case you've forgotten you're freakin' famous for christ's sake. You're a total catch. Find someone who will actually appreciate you," the redhead replied.
"Okay, okay. It was a one time thing and we will discuss my awful and almost completely nonexistent love life another time, but don't you have a practice to get to?" Hermione asked looking at the clock hanging over the bar of the Leaky Cauldron.
"Oh yeah! You're right. Crap, Gwenog is going to kill me if I'm late for practice again! See ya, tomorrow at Sunday brunch at the borrow, 'Mione." Ginny exclaimed as she hastily pulled out a few knuts to cover her half of lunch while almost sprinting to the fireplace. After Hermione shook her head exasperatedly at Ginny's sudden and clumsy exit and paid the bill, she headed out of the pub and made her way down Diagon Alley to Flourish and Blott's where she worked as a sales associate. She thought that after the war she needed a change in pace, so she had decided to take the job. She had thought it would be an excellent opportunity to work while being surrounded by her favorite thing, books, while having time to focus on helping to rebuild the school and working part time at propelling SPEW with the possibility of moving into a management position. But after three years, she had found SPEW completely cast aside and here she was still there, with her career at a complete standstill, just like her love life and the rest of her life as well to be frank.
Seeing as it was nearing the end of the summer, Flourish and Blott's was packed and Hermione was soon approached by a young couple who looked to be approaching their sixth or seventh year at Hogwarts. They were holding hands and giving each other googly eyes, giving her a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as they came up towards her. The girl came up and said in chipper voice that almost oozed in love and only increased the nauseous feeling she was feeling, "Hiya! It's my boyfriend's seventeenth this weekend and he just loves his books. Dontcha sweetie!"
"Aww, you know I do pookie bear," At this point Hermione was practically gagging at the lovey dovey behavior between the two.
"I really want to buy him a new journal. You see my baby just loves to write and write and write away. It's one of the things I love the most about him. He's just so good with words. I just love him so much!" The girl said starry eyed whilst looking at her boyfriend.
"Oh I love you too baby," He responded and just as they seemed to be five seconds away from shagging on the display table right then and there, Hermione cut in saying, "Well I think we have the perfect thing right here for you." She pointed out a journal with a red dragon skin cover on it. "And it can be engraved if you would like."
"Most definitely. How about To: The love of my life and my forever and always, From: Yours forever, Layla? How does that sound baby?" She said looking deep into the boy's eyes.
"Perfect. Just. Like. You." He replied with a lovestruck smile on his face.
"Are you sure you want to engrave that? I mean do you honestly think that you'll be together forever. I mean I bet you two don't even know each other that well. Couples never do. I mean he might not even be asian. I mean do you really think you could spend forever with a person who you don't even know if they're actually asian?" Hermione ranted. Staring at her incredulously, the two had begun to back out of the store while saying,
"You know what we're just gonna come back later." They said while backing swiftly out of Flourish and Blott's. Of course, another sale gone. Can I do anything right?...CRAP! She thought as her boss came walking towards her, his cloak billowing behind him, reminding her of the late Professor Snape and his bat like strut.
"Miss Granger, why is it that that lovely young couple went running out of here like a troll looking in the mirror for the first time?"
"Well... They just had to run out for the moment. They said they were coming back soon." She said almost questioningly in response.
"Listen, Miss Granger, if you don't get your sales quotas up like you used to, we're going to have to let you go. You're just not matching up. I'm sorry, but get it together or we're going to have an issue." Her boss said warningly before going to help the latest customer.
...
After coming back to her apartment and realizing her insane roommates were thankfully out for whatever reason, she decided to kick back and finally catch up on her reading. However, not five minutes into her reading, Ginny's head popped into her fireplace looking flustered and teary-eyed while yelling, "Hermione, it's an emergency! You have to come over NOW!"
"Oh my merlin, Gin, what's wrong!" She yelled back, jumping up in anxiety.
"Just come over to my apartment now! Okay?" And before Hermione could respond Ginny's head had disappeared from the fireplace leaving her in a state of extreme confusion and anxiety.
As she rushed to floo over to Ginny's apartment, she looked for any signs of danger and surprisingly came up empty in her search.
"Ginny! Ginny! Where are you? What's wrong?" Hermione cried out.
"Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. Everything is wonderful." Ginny replied.
"Then why in Merlin's left buttocks did you floo call me about an emergency then! You scared the cra- Oh my gods, why is your left ring finger sparkling? Are you- did Harry?" Hermione asked as Ginny silently nodded her head.
"AAAAAAAAHHH! Congratulations! I am SO happy for you two! When? How? Oh my gods you're getting married!"
"I know right, it's insane! He pulled me aside after practice and and proposed in the middle of the quidditch pitch!" As she went on to describe the entire event, Hermione underneath the immense happiness she felt for the two of them, she couldn't help shake the feeling of panic she was facing at the thought of everyone she knew moving on in their lives.
I mean Harry and Ginny were getting married now. Ron was only interested in her for a good shag every once in awhile since their break up two years prior. Ginny, Harry, and Ron all had good careers and all Hermione had was a crappy, going nowhere job that had seemed so promising at first and two extremely odd roommates. But for now she would push that out of her mind and just be happy for Ginny like she should be as a good best friend.
As soon as Ginny had finished with her extremely descriptive depiction of the proposal Ginny said with excited eyes, "And, of course, you'll be my matron of honor right?"
"How could I refuse?" Hermione responded back with a smile and as Ginny hugged her she couldn't shake that empty and slightly jealous feeling at the pit of her stomach that just wouldn't go away.