Written for Round 2 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition.
Prompts: Dialogue: " But would you have it any other way?", Dialogue: " I can honestly say that I do not care.", Freedom
Song: "And so it must be For so it was written, On the doorway to paradise, that those who falter and those who fall must pay the price!" -Stars, Les Mis
Word Count: 2,154
Title: The Price of Love
It had been nearly two and a half years since the war had ended, and things appeared to be going better than ever between Hermione and Ron. Ron recalled how Hermione had been to every family dinner since that time, and that she frequently found herself seated near Ron. He couldn't have misread the signals – Ron deemed himself an excellent judge of when women fancied him. The hugs, the light pecks on the cheek – no, Ron was absolutely certain that Hermione was in love with him.
The rain began to drizzle lightly as he approached Hermione's flat. It was curiously close to Diagon Alley – which further added to his theory that Hermione simply wanted to be as close to the wizarding world, or him rather, as possible.
The rain picked up, and Ron had to put the ring he was holding in his pocket. Hermione would be so surprised. He had just passed the vacant alley next to Hermione's apartment when he realized out of the corner of his eye that it was not so vacant at all. He backed out of sight, just able to make out the figures of the couple snogging heatedly.
No. It couldn't be. Ron backed away in horror, only to bump into...
"Angelina?" Ron shook his head, completely baffled. "Oi, what are you doing here?"
He couldn't tell if she ready to kill someone or if she was just shaking from the rain. "I'm making sure I get my happy ending. If you want your happy ending then I suggest you come with me," Then she took off quickly down the road toward her flat. Ron's heart took courage. She had a plan, he thought as he followed closely behind her.
A few months later Hermione was sitting in her flat reading a book on a particularly cold winter morning when she heard a soft tapping at her window and looked up to see a light brown owl with a letter addressed to her. She got up from her warm seat to pad over to the window. When she opened it she was met with a gust of cold wind and a wet owl flying into her flat and landing on a dining room chair.
Hermione took the letter and gave the owl a treat before it took off through her still open window. After shutting out the cold winter air the young witch returned to her sofa and opened her letter only to be met with news that caused her insides to turn cold. Grabbing her coat, she apparated at once to George Weasley's flat.
George Weasley sat wistfully in the kitchen, sipping his tea when a loud banging interrupted his thoughts.
"Who is it?" he called warily from his seat.
"George Weasley, its me. Now, let me in! It's urgent."
George knew that voice better than anyone, and he especially knew with that tone that she meant business. Gauging his options, he decided that making her wait would only add to her fire. He yanked the door open, trying to look penitent as she hurried inside.
"Oi! What's this?" George asked after a damp piece of paper was shoved into his chest.
"I received that letter this morning – oh just read the stupid paper," a flustered Hermione said.
George read over the wet scrap of parchment carefully, his heart sinking with each word.
"She swore she'd never turn me in," he breathed incredulously. "Hermione, love, you remember what I told you about the months following Fred's death."
"Of course I do. You tracked the Death Eater who was responsible for the explosion that killed Fred."
"And you remember where I found him?"
He watched miserably as Hermione betrayed a flicker of disappointment. "By the Archimedes statue of Merlin."
"Hermione, if the Ministry finds out I'm the one who destroyed it – in pursuit of a Death Eater I was supposed to bring in alive, no less – I wouldn't be surprised if I got at least five years in Azkaban - possibly more."
"But Angelina promised she'd keep your secret. Why is she doing this to us now?" asked Hermione. She looked at George with watery eyes as he enveloped her in a hug.
"That was before she found out I fancied you. She must've seen us together and put two and two together..."
Hermione blanched. "And with Ron so pompously declaring to the press that he wanted to marry me she's finally found her piece of leverage – oh, George, this is terrible." She buried her face in his shoulder, and he clutched her tightly. "I never ever said yes, George. People just assumed we'd be together, and now this whole affair is being thrown together around me without any say in the matter." Tears brimmed around her eyes. "What are we going to do, George?"
"I don't know, darling, I just don't know. Keep preparing for the wedding, and I will try and figure a way out of this. You only have two months left, just hold on," he whispered into her ear and planted a sweet kiss on the top of her head.
"What if I don't want to? What if I just refuse to do anything else for the wedding?" she asked while pulling away slightly to look her secret boyfriend in the eyes.
"You know you have to in order to avoid suspicion."
"Why do we still need to avoid suspicion? We have been dating for nearly two years."
"You know why. If I'm convicted then it'll ruin my family." George groaned with annoyance, reading the letter over again. "Now I couldn't bear to see something bad happen to anyone because of us, so we have to keep this quiet until the wedding, and you'll have to act like there is nothing going on between us in public."
George continued to embrace Hermione firmly. He was determined to discover a way to keep their relationship from being destroyed by some jealous bird. Suddenly he had an idea. Sure it was risky; sure it might completely backfire, but if there was a possibility that he and Hermione could stay together he was going to take it.
"Don't you worry, Hermione. I've got a plan, I promise you that it will be me you marry at the altar and not Ron. I love you," he whispered the last part in her ear. Hermione nodded her head.
"I love you too. I just hope whatever you are planning works out."
"Hermione," George gasped in mocking shock, "I am the best prankster that ever lived. Of course my plan will work."
"I will believe it when I see it," Hermione said jokingly.
"Hermione, you look absolutely divine in your dress," Molly said as she helped her with her hair.
Hermione was in Ginny's room getting dressed for the wedding and praying that whatever George had been planning would pull through. The wedding had been bumped up about two weeks since all the planning and preparing had been completed ahead of schedule.
"I don't feel beautiful, and I'm not even sure I want to marry Ron anymore." This was the first time Hermione had spoken her true feelings about the wedding to anyone but George. She had tried, but no one had listened.
"Oh, sweetie, that's just the pre-wedding jitters speaking. I had the same feelings right before I married Arthur. They'll go away as soon as you see Ron at the end of the isle."
"It's time; the music has started," Ginny said through the open door.
Molly ushered Hermione into her place behind the flower girl and bridesmaids. The door was open and she saw a group of men at the end of the isle. They were Ron, Percy, Charlie, Bill, and —Wait, where was George? Hermione began to panic, and then she saw Angelina sitting in the third row of seats, grinning smugly to herself.
"This is it. I'm about to give the rest of my life away to someone I don't even love," she thought. She thought this all the way up the aisle and throughout the ceremony – only doing what she was told robotically, not allowing herself to feel anything but the numb sensation in her chest.
.Ron was ecstatic. He never would have dreamed that Angelina's plan would have worked, but here he was, standing a foot away from the most famous witch in all of Britain who was about to become his bride, and George was nowhere in sight.
"Before I pronounce these two husband and wife, does anyone have any reason why they should not be married? If so speak now or forever hold your peace," the minister stated. He looked around for a second and continued, "Okay then do you-"
"I do. I have a reason why they shouldn't be married!"
No. Ron swore internally. George burst through the doors, causing everyone in the room to gasp and begin whispering to one another.
"George! Sit down," Molly shouted at her son.
"No. I love Hermione Granger and want to spend the rest of my life with her. We have been secretly dating for two years and would have made it public if it weren't for Angelina finding out about it and blackmailing Hermione into marrying Ron."
More gasped issued loudly from the congregation.
"Is this true, Angelina?" Ginny, being the first to recover from the shock of the news asked.
Angelina stumbled over her words, but as she caught Hermione's look of joy she became emboldened. "It is. George killed Thorfin Rowle outside the Wizarding Museum of Scotland. And he was the one who destroyed the great relic of Merlin!"
Ron's brain seemed to stop for a moment. That was the leverage Angelina had? He never would have agreed to the plan if he'd known it would mean imprisoning his brother.
"The Ministry of Magic is aware of the accusations against George Weasley." Kingsley Shacklebolt rose, looking grave. "He was acquitted of the charges against Thorfin Rowle but has agreed to community service to repay his debt to the Wizarding Museum of Scotland – which, if I understand correctly is the reason you were late to the ceremony, Mister Weasley."
"Just in time, actually." George held Hermione in his arms, never looking away.
Ron turned in disbelief, and he could see Angelina panicking.
"Miss Johnson, I regret to inform you that you are under arrest for conspiracy and blackmail against Hermione Granger and George Weasley."
Auror's sprang to her side when Angelina shouted suddenly. "Ron was in on it too! It's the reason he announced the wedding to The Daily Prophet without a proposal!"
Everyone's eyes were now on Ron.
"Ronald, is this true?" His mother gazed into his eyes with horror and disbelief.
Ron immediately stared at the floor. "Well, you know, I didn't know about George. I just thought that..." he faltered, unable to come up with a logical explanation.
Kingsley spoke again. "Ronald Weasley, you are under arrest for aiding and abetting Angelina Johnson with conspiracy and blackmail. You will remain in custody until it is decided how you will be sentenced."
"Angelina," he screamed as they were dragged from the assembly. "You swore this wouldn't happen!"
Angelina glared at him coldly. "I lost, Ronald. And I can honestly say that I don't care about dragging you down with me."
Ron watched with dismay as his happy ending was wrenched from his grasp. He saw Hermione turn to George with a sparkle in her eyes, and suddenly it was George reciting vows, promising to love and cherish Hermione until death do they part.
"Are you quite sure it's all right?" Hermione gazed at Mrs. Weasley hesitantly and hopefully. "I swear I'll do everything I can to keep Ron from going to Azkaban. He may be an idiot, but he's still my friend."
"Go on, dear," Mrs. Weasley nodded uncertainly. "I can't see how this wedding could possibly get any worse."
George chuckled. "Right you are, Mum."
"Does anyone have any reason why these two should not be married?"
Everyone looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when no one spoke.
"Then you, George Weasley, may kiss the bride."
"Finally!" George shouted and proceeded to envelope his bride in a hug .
Before he could kiss her, Hermione whispered in his ear, "I believe you."
George smiled at her in a way that said I told you so and pulled her into a warm and passionate kiss.
Hermione was the first to break away and whispered into his ear.
"Well that was an odd wedding."
"Would you have it any other way?" George retorted.
"Perhaps Ron might've come up with a better alibi – poor Ronald." Then gazing at her new husband she couldn't help but beam. "But being with you – is perfect. I'm so glad to finally be free. Would you have it any other way?" Hermione countered.
"Absolutely not," he plainly stated, smiling at his new bride.