Broken And She Won't Know Why
Characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing but the plot of this oneshot.
Hermione looked worriedly at Harry as the guests started Apparating. He reached for her hand and squeezed it.
"Don't worry," he whispered, and kissed her gently.
"Hey, Mione, Harry."
They broke apart and greeted their friend, Fred Weasley.
"Everyone's sitting at the table, they're waiting for your announcement.
Hermione breathed deeply and walked into the dining room. All the Weasleys, and friends from Hogwarts were gathered at it, looking simple, but excited.
Hermione clasped her hands in front of her lilac dress, closed her eyes, and began.
"Harry and I…I mean, we…are going to be parents! I'm pregnant!"
Gasps and exclamations broke out across the table. Everyone began bombarding Hermione with questions. She began laughing and attempting to answer all of them. Two or three of the guests were chanting and making music and birds fly around the room, or other such ceremonial spells.
Hermione put her head on Harry's shoulder, and entwined her hand with his.
One person wasn't happy. One person felt his whole world fall apart at Hermione's announcement. One person felt wasted, dejected and broken. He quietly slipped out of the room, into the garden.
He made his way to the garden-bench, dropped his head into his hands and began crying. Fred Weasley had fallen in love with Hermione since he first saw her at Diagon Alley. It had progressed from friendship, to siblinghood, to full-blown love. What broke him wasn't the regret of not telling her sooner. It would have had no effect on "what could have been". She would have fallen in love with Harry anyway. She and Harry had a special connection, far beyond love, one that she had with nobody. Fred hadn't even tried to match up to Harry; no boy could. Harry was Hermione's soul mate, her closest and dearest friend. Fred's non-existent attempts would only have brought him heartache.
But would that have been worse than this? The longing to die, the misery and hurt breaking him to pieces, would that have happened?
He had waited for her all those years. And she had never come. Now she was going to have a child, with Harry. That set it, that finalized things. She would never love Fred.
Fred stood up and began rubbing the tears. He couldn't face going in there, and seeing the parents-to-be. He couldn't force a smile, it would be impossible. And he couldn't, no, he wouldn't let it slip and complicate Hermione's life. He loved her far too much to be selfish.
"Why, Hermione, why? I love you with all my heart and soul, but you hurt me…"
He took a walk around the gardens. Memories filled his head of the times Hermione smiled at him, laughed at or with him, praised him, even all the times she ever talked to him. They were his only solid memories; his only reason to live.
He wouldn't be so complete without Hermione…but he wouldn't be so heartbroken without her either.
Fred looked back at the house. They were having a small party, singing and dancing. Hermione was giggling and dancing with Harry.
Fred looked away; he couldn't take watching that anymore. He had waited for her all his life, now she would never love him back.
His hand reached for his jeans-pocket, and he drew out his wand.
"I love you, Hermione," he said.
There was a flash of green light, and Fred Weasley fell to the ground.