This is a new story. :D Duh. It's . . . I'm not sure. Just read it. I don't know the pairing much. D: Anyway, read and review, please. I don't get much reviews.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. But if I did, Harry and Hermione would have married each other.
She's beautiful. This was the first thought that came to Harry Potter's mind whenever he thought of Hermione. And, there was no doubt to it in his mind. Wherever she was and whatever she was doing, she was beautiful. There wasn't a time in the day when Harry thought otherwise, even when she was reprimanding him for some stupid act or another. The way she scowled at him, and usually hit him with something or other whenever he gave off the impression of not listening. But, he was listening. He was just...staring at her while doing so.
Harry had first realized his fancying of her when he had entered his second year at Hogwarts. He had been sure that he must have thought of her the same way the year before, but perhaps he had been a bit distracted. When she had been petrified, one of his worst fears had come true. That had been the year he had realized the danger he was putting people through. The people close to him were more likely to be hurt.
In his third year, Harry had been sure that Hermione felt the same. They had spent all that time together during the year, especially when they had had to save Buckbeak and Sirius. The way she laughed at the dumb attempts he made to be funny. The way that her eyes lingered after he had shared a glance with her. The same went on in his fourth year. She had been worried about him, during his first task, and she had helped him before the second and third ones. Dumbledore had obviously been mistaken in putting Ron as the person Harry needed to save.
He began to realize in his fifth year, that perhaps he had been mistaken in thinking that Hermione felt the same. She couldn't possibly. It was in his fifth year that he saw how she looked at Ron. Sixth year, he lied. He had told her that he felt the same heartbreak she felt whenever he saw Ginny with Dean, but he only felt that way when she and Ron looked at eachother, or touched, or got embarassed about silly things the other was doing. He often asked himself where he had gone wrong. He had been the better friend, holding her as she cried, hugging her when she needed it, where as Ron was always fighting with her, making fun of her, and breaking her heart. How could she possibly choose him?
Briefly, he had tried to distract himself with Ginny. Perhaps, he could forget his feelings, or maybe transfer them to Ginny. But, she also strayed. Maybe it was that she noticed he wasn't completely with her when they were together. They gave up on one another the day he told her he couldn't be with her. His heart broke again as he thought of what he had made Ginny go through.
During his seventh year --although he wasn't at Hogwarts-- it had been a bit of a break when he had argued with Ron. He had even been ecstatic when Hermione chose to stay with him. He thought, as it seemed now, that he was wrong, and she did feel the same. But then, Ron came back and swept Hermione off her feet, knocking Harry to the ground. After Voldemort was dead, time seemed to pass slowly. He watched in heartbreak as Ron proposed to Hermione. She had answered with an excited yes.
Several years after Voldemort's defeat, Ginny had surprised everyone by dating Draco. No one had seen this coming, and, although he still kept sharp eyes watching, Ron knew that Draco had changed deeply. Ginny was happy at least. This which made Harry happy to see.
As he watched Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Mrs. Granger plan the wedding, Harry tore himself down, beating himself up for always playing the role of the best friend and never telling Hermione how he truly felt. Perhaps if he had, it would be their wedding they would be planning.
Time flew, and before he knew it, it was Ron and Hermione's big day. Hermione had called Harry back to her dressing area to see him before she walked down the aisle. As he entered the room, he felt tears in his eyes and a deep whole in his chest. She smiled at him as she turned around, waving slightly. He walked over to her slowly, not sure if he could trust himself to still be a good friend to her and Ron.
"How do I look?" she asked. She thought maybe she looked terrible. Maybe that was why he looked so stunned.
"You look," Breath, Potter."Beautiful. Ron's a l-lucky man." That last sentence made the tears begin to fall. Hermione smiled and hugged him.
"Oh, Harry," she whispered. She was now crying as well. If only it was him she was marrying, as she had often wished it would be when she was younger. Stop thinking things like that, she thought, You're marrying Ron. He's the one that you love now.
Pulling back, Harry tried to keep himself together. "I'm so happy for you, Hermione." Was all that came out. Which was true to a point. He knew that she needed to be happy, he just wished it would be with him.
"Thank you." Hermione choked. "I better be getting ready."
"Yeah. I better get back to Ron." Harry said. He walked backwards out the door trying to keep looking at her as long as he could.
Harry walked back into the sanctuary. Ron was chatting with the priest as he walked up. Ending their conversation, Ron turned to Harry.
"Hey, how's my Hermione looking?" he asked. His Hermione?! Harry thought.
"Isn't it bad luck for the broom to see or know how the bride looks before the wedding?" Harry asked, choking out a laugh.
"Sure, I guess." Ron chuckled.
As the music started, Harry watched as Hermione entered and walked down the aisle with her father. He could feel Ron smiling next to him, feeling like the happiest man alive, while his best man felt like taking Hermione in his arms. He wished he could shrug it all off as a bad dream. Yet, the ceremony continued, and while Harry continued his internal war, Hermione was trying her best to keep from losing it.
"...may they speak now or forever hold their peace." Harry snapped out of his trance. It took all of his strength to keep himself from shouting out at Ron and the rest of the crowd.
They both said, 'I do,' and the service ended. Harry watched in desperation as Ron carried Hermione out of the chapel. Everyone else filed out, all of them heading for the reception. Harry was the last one out. He drove his car in silence, dreading the moment when he would enter the reception. He didn't know how much longer of this he could take. But you have to. They're your friends. What kind of friend would you be to Ron and Hermione by ruining their special day? Try as he might, Harry wasn't sure if he much agreed with this thought.
After the toasts and everyone pigging out on the dinner, Ron and Hermione had shared their first dance as husband and wife. Harry had begun to cry, and had had to leave. It was raining outside when he came through the door. The porch was already slippery with water, as where the steps. Stepping into the rain, Harry sat down on the steps, holding the flower he had planned to give to Hermione during the toasts.
"I thought for a while about what to say at this part," Harry had said during his own toast to happy couple. "And, Hermione, I have some advice for you. Make sure you buy enough groceries." Everyone laughed at this. Ron even laughed, nodding to Hermione and everyone else. "And Ron, treat her like a queen."
He felt someone sit down beside him. Turning, he saw Ginny staring at him, tears obviously staining her face. "Harry, I'm so sorry," she said. "I know you've loved her for a while." Harry broke down and felt Ginny snake an arm around him. They sat like that for a while, the two of them crying together.
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Ron leaned down, smiling, and picked up his daughter for the first time. Hermione gleemed as she watched her small, perfect family.
"Hey there, Rose. I'm your daddy." he said, smiling down at her as she gripped his finger.
Ginny grabbed Harry's hand, which he gripped tightly, closing his eyes to fight back the tears. He had pictured once how Hermione would smile at him that way when they had their first child, but now that was her and Ron's moment. He had been named godfather which he had no choice but to accept. He wasn't sure if he would be able to handle it well, but how could someone decline such an offer as that.
"I'm going to go for a walk." Harry said, letting go of Ginny's hand to walk out of the door in a daze. He only made it to the opposing wall. Leaning against it, he covered his face with his hands and wept quietly, silently praying no one walked out to see where he had gone off to.
Hearing the door open, he wiped his eyes hurriedly only to look up and see Draco standing before him, his hands in his pockets. Draco stared at him knowingly while Harry held back the remainder of his tears.
"What's the matter, Potter?" Friends as they were, both of them continued to call eachother by their original nicknames.
"It's nothing, Malfoy." Harry said, standing up and beginning to walk away. Draco caught up with him quickly.
"What I just saw was not nothing. Now what is the matter with you?" Harry sighed and told him as quickly as he could. "So, why did you do it?" Draco asked when Harry had finished.
"Why did I do what exactly?" Harry asked.
"Why did you let Weasley marry Hermione? You could have just told her." Draco explained.
"You don't understand. She's happy with Ron. Who am I to destroy that? After all we've been through, they deserve eachother." he told him.
"After all you've been through, which I reckon was a lot worse, your the one that deserves her."
"I can't do that to Ron. He's liked her since our second year."
"According to your story, you've liked her a lot longer." Draco said.
"I guess, but he had the guts to tell her how he felt. Which is why they're the ones that are starting a family now."
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The Malfoys sat in the Weasley's living room, all of their children's children sitting around the Christmas tree. Harry sat in the back with Ginny, they were speaking silently.
"It's too late now, Ginny." Harry whispered.
"Harry, it's never too late." Ginny answered.
"How would you know. You married the love of your life." he argued.
"I know, but, some things, I just know." She smiled at this.
"I could never tell her now. Look at what they've made together. I'm not sure I could ruin that for them."
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Harry closed his eyes as he sat in a hospital bed in St. Mungo's. He had been in the Daily Prophet this morning, he was sure of that. Perhaps they had come up with a witty slogan like. "Harry Potter: His Last Days." or "The Boy Who Live: The Man Who Died." Hermione was there. Ron was asleep somewhere. Harry couldn't remember where. Having just passed his 93rd birthday, Harry knew it was time to go.
"Hermione?" It was now or never.
"Yes, Harry?" she asked, shocked that he was speaking.
"I have to tell you something." he said quietly.
"What is it?" Hermione gripped his hand.
"I love you. I've loved you for so long. Since I was 11 years old. I could never tell you, for fear that you would push me away because of what you shared with Ron." he said.
"Oh, Harry," Hermione said. He could tell she was crying now. He was too. "I've loved you since I first saw you on the Hogwart's Express. I wish you would have told me. I wish I had told you." She stood, resting herself on his bed. Leaning over, she kissed him lightly, afraid that perhaps Ron would awake. She could tell he was dying. Harry smiled, then closed his eyes.
"I love you, Hermione." Were his last words.
"I love you too, Harry." Hermione clung to his body as his heart slowly stopped.
Oh my gosh. I'm crying. That was the saddest story I've ever written. I hope you enjoy it though. R & R.