Title: Second Best
Disclaimer: Own nothing, claim nothing
Feedback: Highly appreciated, good or bad.
Pairing(s): Harry Potter/Ginerva Weasley, Draco Malfoy/Ronald Weasley , Hermione Granger/Cho Chang ; Unrequited love: Hermione Granger/Ginny Weasley , Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Summary: Unrequited love – Hermione and Draco watch as Ginny and Harry fall in love and later on get married. Slightly AU because its in Hermione's 7th year but no danger of Voldemort or anything like that.
Spoilers: I don't think there are any…except everything is inaccurate
Author's Notes: That is femslash with some slash…please don't leave a flame just because of that.
Hermione Granger. 17 years of age. Braniac, bookworm, and closeted lesbian. Yes, you heard correctly, a closeted lesbian who is desperately in love with her best friend…female friend. Hermione was still the smart genius but she had blossomed through the years. Her hair wasn't as bushy but now fell down in waves. She had a gorgeous body, not the best in the school, but a fairly beautiful body. Top of all her classes and was finally able to learn how to fly and taught by her three friends: Harry, Ron, and Ginny.
Harry, the one known as the-boy-who-lived, every girl's prince in their fantasies and dreams. He was a courageous and curious boy; usually dragging Hermione along with him and Ron. Their adventures actually let Hermione to come out of her shell; she became less level-headed, less strict, and bolder. However, Hermione was in the shadows of this prince and often looked over.
Ron, first friend of Harry, another one who was looked over and lived in the shadows of Harry; he was interested in his only female best friend who was still in the closet. Jealousy and pride often overcame the heart of the Ron but he meant well. He was a fine young man who slowly became the handsome best friend of the legendary Harry Potter. Hermione liked him of course, like she did Harry, brotherly and sisterly love; she could never love him that way.
Ginny was Hermione's best friend's, little sister. She had a crush on Harry for a long time. She was courageous as well and lived as the only female sibling in the Weasley family. Good advantage for that was her mother never allowed any of her brothers to pass hand me downs to her and actually got better clothes than Ron. Even Draco Malfoy, Head Boy this year, managed to trip over himself in her presence. Shy Ginny became voluptuous, sexy, sixth year student on Gryffindor and the object of Hermione's affections.
The three were slowly getting frustrated with Hermione, especially Ron. Rumors were going around that Draco and she were supposedly seeing each other behind everyone. Pansy Parkinson was furious when she heard of this rumor. Only Draco and Hermione knew of the real truth, what the Head Boy and Head Girl did when they were alone, they griped about their love life.
Ronald Weasley obsessed with Hermione; Pansy Parkinson obsessed with Draco. The two shared more in common than anyone knew, yet why weren't they together then? Because Draco Malfoy had a dark secret, he was in the closet as well…closeted bi-sexual.
The next day, Harry had pulled Hermione to the side to ask about her and Malfoy, she denied everything that the rumors said and was about to go back inside when she was pulled back again. He was wringing his hands and actually seemed nervous. Harry Potter needed help to get to Ginny…to get her to fall in love with him. Agonizingly, Hermione gave him advice to just tell her how he felt; she already loved him as it was.
That marked the time when Draco and Hermione would feel sick to the bone. The heated glances, stolen kisses, and pure love were being passed back and forth between Harry and Ginny. Watching day after day the growing love the two shared and not taking the brave step to interfere and stand up for their feelings.
Draco and Hermione would talk for long nights how he would love to kill that Weasley so that he could have the one he loved, the one he craved for, the one he's taunted the first time he saw him. Hermione would painfully smile and respond that he'd be killing the one she loved. Draco apologized and the two finally went back to their dorms to get some rest.
The two made a truce, one that stated if the Harry Potter or Ginny Weasley were to separate, that they would do in all their power to get with the one they loved. Both knew it was futile…especially Hermione. It was all her fault the two got together; her chance with Ginny had come and gone. Even if it was just to tell her of her feelings, it disappeared, vanished into thin air. Nothing could be or would be done.
Draco and Hermione suffered behind the scenes. Draco sneering at the sickeningly sweet couple with Crabbe and Goyle and threw insult after insult just to get the attention of his loved one. Draco slowly became a friend of Harry as he profusely apologized after giving a rather nasty comment about Ginny. Hermione was patting the two on the back and congratulating them for finally getting together. Of course, she was being the ever supportive best friend.
Now, ten years later, the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter was today. Draco and Hermione finally out of the closet watched tearfully as the two finally were married. Draco was in a nice suit, standing alongside Ronald Weasley who was now his lover.
Hermione stood off to the side in a suit as well because of a bet she lost with Draco and was with her lover as well: Cho Chang. "Do you, Ginerva Weasley, take Harry Potter as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold…" the words of the priest slowly faded away and only the resounding, "I do" was heard.
Supportive friends stayed until the end of the whole ceremony; and the two walked off with their respective partners. The two had so much in common, unrequited love, cowardice to say anything…and even managed to get the same thing after all of this. What was that they got? They got second best.
Ending Author's Note: Haha, my first unrequited story and I don't think it's that excellent. Fairly good but not excellent, in all honesty, this one of my better stories and this is my second one-shot… I might actually write a fic going more into detail of this. One where you'll actually see dialogue. :D