At Hogwarts

"Harry, I found this beside your bed this morning"

"What is it Ron?" asked Harry

Ron sighed and handed Harry the letter "I think it's from Hermione…just read it…"

"Oh okay…Is she here?"

"Errr…I don't think she'll be able to make it."

Harry stood up and yelled "What?"

"Look Harry, she said in her letter to me that I'm not supposed to give this to you 'til after the wedding…but I feel that this is something you should read before the wedding"

Harry looked bewildered and confused as he sat down, opened the letter and read silently.

Dearest Harry,

I guess I'd like to start this letter with an apology. I truly am sorry for turning down Ginny's offer of becoming her maid of honor and not being present there at the wedding. Hopefully, when you're reading this, the wedding would have already been finished. Oh, Harry…you must know how happy I am for you. Of all the people I know, you deserve the kind of happiness you'll have with Ginny. You have to understand, all I wanted was for you to be happy and I saw that every single moment you were with Ginny. Even during our search for the horcruxes, I knew that what kept you going was the thought of having a life with her and keeping those you love safe. I'm trying to explain…I'm trying to explain how I'm not present at your wedding. You see Harry, my whole world revolved around you and Ron for a very long time. I'm afraid that along the way I forgot about myself, I forgot to put myself ahead all of you. It might seem selfish and irrational to you, but I do believe that there should be moments when I should learn to care for myself. After all, who would take care of me? I only have me in this world now. Yes, I still have you and Ron, but somehow you both are lost to me now. Ron has Luna and you have Ginny. Ever since my parents died, every day I questioned my existence and my worth. I've always felt that you and Ron will always need me, and that was what kept me going. It was what made living without my parents bearable. Honestly…I feel as if this letter is going nowhere but a lot farther from the truth. As if my brain is refusing to comprehend what my heart is dictating to me. You see Harry…when Ron got together with Luna, it didn't break my heart. When he proposed to Luna, I actually felt relieved that somehow the pressure of every one wanting us to be together was lifted…That day I actually felt I could breathe. As if everyone realized I'm me, Hermione Granger. Not Ron's future wife…not his destined soul mate. It was like pieces of myself were returned to me, like I was my own person again. But then, you and Ginny decided to get married also…and all I could think of was that I needed air. I apparated back to my flat the moment Ginny said yes to your proposal. I couldn't breathe; it felt as if someone was choking me. I know I'm not explaining things very well, but that's exactly what I felt that moment. I saw all the memories I had of you flashed before me and it was so much worse than what I felt when I found out my parents were killed by death eaters. I'm horrible, aren't I? For feeling that way I mean. I should be happy for you, you deserve it. But I didn't, I actually wanted to shake you and punch you and shout and tell you exactly what I felt. It was so devastating to finally realize that the one person who defined my whole existence felt that same way, but for another girl. I love you Harry, with every fiber of my being. It's not the love at first type of love nor is the fluttering school girl infatuation that I thought it. It was self destructive of me to continue loving you, so I decided last night that maybe it is time to find myself again. Discover who I am and who I can be without you. I saw you as you read your speech during the rehearsal dinner last night and realized that no matter how I tried to make you love me the way that I love you would be fruitless. So you see Harry, I couldn't be at your wedding. I couldn't be there to hear you say the words I long to hear, to another girl…to my only other friend aside you and Ron. I feel wretched and atrocious to love you this way when I was there for every moment you and Ginny celebrated your anniversary and for being there in helping you get through all your problems. Most of all I feel this awful because the Weasleys have treated me as one of their own and yet here I am longing for you. It just feels so wrong on my part to love you obsessively…everything feels so wrong right now. I'm lost Harry….and I hope someday I'll be able to find my way back to you and Ron…to everyone. Please don't hate me Harry…Please, give me a chance to explain everything properly…When I've healed…when I've gotten over you. I know it's cowardly of me to run away, but this was my only solution. Do not worry about me, I'm perfectly safe. I've accepted a job offer from the Ministry of Magic. I can't tell you much about it, only that I'll be away for quite sometime. I honestly don't know for how long…but know that wherever I am, you and Ron will be with me. I love you Harry, no matter how wrong it is to love you… I still do and I'm afraid that I wont get over you…but I promise…I'll try my very best to relieve myself of this foolishness. Be happy, live your life the way you've always wanted to.

Always and Forever,

Hermione

Somewhere in England

"Ready to go Granger?"

"Ready when you are Malfoy"

Draco looked at Hermione worriedly and asked "Are you sure about this Hermione?"

Hermione took a deep breathe and shook her left to right "To hell with it Draco, I think it's high time I get over Harry don't you think?"

"No actually…you should have faced him instead of running away and accepting this bloody assignment"

"I didn't know you were opposed to this"

"Damn Granger, you know that the only reason I accepted this was because you said yes"

Hermione extended her hand to Draco and smiled "Thanks…Thank you for caring. But you don't have to do anything for me"

Draco took her hand and tugged her closer "I'm counting to five Granger…Its okay to change your mind…One"

Hermione smiled sadly and said "Five"

With that, Hermione Granger finally said goodbye to her home and closed her eyes, relaxing in Draco Malfoy's arms with tears streaming down and whispered softly "Goodbye Harry"

Back at Hogwarts

"I never knew…I swear to God, I never knew" Harry said while holding the letter close to his heart

"I'm sorry mate…I suspected, but whenever I tried to talk to her about it she just kept changing the subject…."

"Where could she be? Where the hell is she going?" Harry said removing his glasses and kneading the bridge of his nose.

"She didn't say anything in her letter to me…but Harry…the wedding…its about to start in 2 hours…what are we going to do?" Ron asked. "Are you still going to through with it?"

"Ron….I…I love Ginny"

"I know Harry. But I want you to be sure; I want you to have no doubts."

Harry smiled sadly as he brushed the tears away from his eyes "I have to find her Ron, I don't think I'll be able to figure things out without her"

"Harry, I don't want you to marry Ginny, when you're not sure that you're not in love with Hermione…I've always thought that a part of you will always be in love with her, just like a part of me will always be in love with her"

"You're in love with Hermione?"

"I'll always be in love with her…no matter what. But what I have with Luna, it goes beyond every emotion that I've known…its as if the word love holds too many boundaries and it isn't exactly enough to define what I have with her" Ron said looking at his wedding ring. "Is that what you feel for Ginny?"

"I don't think so Ron…"said a soft voice beside the door

"Ginny…" Harry looked at Ginny and pushing himself off the chair seated her at where he sat moments before.

"I'm sorry Harry….I knew she was in love with you but she kept pushing us together that eventually I convinced myself that we were truly in love" Ginny took a deep breathe and said "What Ron described…its something you feel for Hermione isn't it? In all honesty Harry, that isn't exactly what I feel for you"

Harry laughed and asked "Then why in Merlin's beard are we getting married?"

"Because you're a damned blind fool Harry Potter and if you have any sense you'll go ask the bloody minister of magic where exactly, Hermione is going" Luna said while wrapping her arms to her husband's.

"I guess we got carried away...with everyone telling us that we were meant to be and we felt obligated to give everyone a happy ending, especially during the times when we had to rebuild the magical community."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay Ginny?" Harry asked whilst grasping her hand.

"I'm gonna be fine Harry…Go, go find her and bring her back" Ginny said while wiping her own tears.

Harry stood and ran to the great hall. Ginny smiled and said "I hope he finds her"

Ron sat beside her and hugged her tightly "You do love the idiot don't you? I mean…you wouldn't have gone through all of this if you didn't?"

"I do…but were not in love anymore Ron…not the way he's in love with Hermione and she with him"

Ron kissed her forehead and pulled her to her feet. "Hmmm…we really have to go. Harry might have already caused a riot"

"Oh no…the guests"

"It'll be okay Gin, we have plenty of food and enough to distract them while Harry finds Hermione" Luna said patting Ginny on the back soothingly.

"I hope he gets to wherever she is…I really do hope he isnt too late"