Author's Note: hey there everyone. I hope you'll like this one. I really don't like long author's note before the story so I'll let you go on with the story now but please read the author's note in the end. Thanks. Enjoy!
The Most Bitter Truth
3 years and 1 month after the successful battle of Hogwarts.
A week before the anticipated double marriage of Harry Potter to Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger to Ron Weasley, the four of them decided to have a party in the flat of the Golden Trio. Invited, of course, where former members of Dumbledore's Army and their other friends.
The receiving area of their flat was charmed to be large enough to accommodate all of the guests. By night time, the room was full and pretty noisy. Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Ron Weasley and most of the guys were having fun with the karaoke that Hermione bought some time ago for occasions like this. After the out of tune and dreadful singing of one of them and getting a high score, one would try to get a higher score with just as horrible singing.
In the small bar of the room, some of the girls were having time catching up. Talking about boys, love, career, and whatever. Lavander Brown and Parvati Patil leading the group.
In the middle of the room, a dance floor was enchanted where in a person inside it would not hear any other music and singing aside the one playing for the dance. Though normal conversations can still be heard and be overheard. Dancing sweetly were two pairs. Harry and Ginny and Neville and Luna, who became very close friends after the war.
Harry saw Hermione leaving the group of the giggling girls and walking out to their pretty large balcony. At the same time, the girls decided to tease him and Ginny.
"Really, Ginny. You and Harry are to be married next week and you still spend most of your time with him in this party." Lavander said pouting at Ginny.
"Why don't you come and join our little talk instead." Parvati said.
The other girls including Katie, Alicia, and other Gryffindor members nodded their heads and pursued Ginny to join them.
Ginny looked at Harry and he smiled. It acted as a go signal because Ginny went to the girls after that while Harry went out to the balcony. Neville and Luna decided to stop dancing and went to their own groups.
"Hermione?" Harry said as he moved the curtain of the door leading to the balcony aside.
He saw her in the right corner of the balcony. She was looking up in the sky. He fixed the curtain and slowly walked towards her. Looking at her face, he still can't believe how beautiful she has become. She was always beautiful but she became more beautiful each day. Her long brown hair, though still bushy can now be tamed. She got curves at the right places. Her chocolate brown eyes have a kind of shine that mesmerize anyone who would look at them. She's perfect if you'd ask him.
"Hermione," he said as soon as he was standing beside her. " What are you doing here?"
She didn't look at him but answered all the same.
"Nothing. I just miss standing and feeling the cold breeze of air in the night and looking at the stars. Just like this." was her quiet reply.
"I see." He looked up in the sky as well as silence engulfed them.
After a few minutes he decided to break the silence.
"Do you think we made the right decision?" he asked looking at her intensely.
Hermione closed her eyes.
"We already talked about this, Harry" her voice reprimanding.
"I know" he sighed "I just wanted to know."
She opened her eyes and met his.
"Probably, Harry." She said. "We probably made the right decision."
"We could not do this if we want to, you know."
"I know." His hope was raised when he heard this.
"But why do we have to do this, then?" he decided to face her completely and forced her to face him as well.
"Because Harry, it's for 'the greater good'." Her sadness was evident in her tone and eyes as she said this.
He walked a little way to back and lean on the wall. He looked up in the sky and stared at the stars again. Hermione kept her eyes on him. Her heart is breaking as she see the sadness and pain he's feeling.
"Dumbledore." He said quietly. "He's dead and yet we still comply with this 'greater good' antics of his. I wonder why." his eyes were locked in the stars as if he'd find the answers in them.
"Maybe because…" she purposely trailed off so that he would look at her. He did and he raised his brows at her.
"Maybe because YOU are Harry Potter and I AM Hermione Granger." She said with a slight humor in her voice trying to lighten the tension in the air.
He gave a hearty laugh at that but not loud enough to gain attention from the people inside. She was right, she always is. He is Harry Potter and she is Hermione Granger. The most bitter truth and the greatest factor why they have to do this.
She laughed with him just as loud. It took them a few minutes to compose themselves again.
He looked at her again. She looked back. What they feel showing in their eyes.
"I don't love Ginny." he exclaimed.
"Harry!" she said looking alarmed. She looked at the doorway to see if anyone heard them. Luckily, everyone was too busy having fun to notice their presence missing.
She walked near him so that they were a few inches apart and hissed, "Don't say something like that, Harry."
"But it's true." he said defensively. "I don't love her and I think that she deserves someone better than me."
"What are you talking about, Harry?" she asked in wonderment. "She's so lucky already to have you as a husband."
"Tell me then, Hermione." he lifted himself from his leaning position and inclined his head to the side. "What made you say that?"
"Why, Harry. You're the most caring, tender and loving person I've ever met. You're every woman's dream." She said in a matter-of-fact tone, never breaking eye contact.
He took a slight move forward that there was very little space between them. He held her right hand with his left and cupped her face with his right.
"But Hermione, I can never give her my heart. She deserves someone who will love her the way she does him. Someone who will give his heart to her and her alone. Someone who would give her his everything. I'm not that someone, Hermione. Don't you feel the same way about Ron?"
She can feel tears beginning to form in her eyes. She put her free hand over his hand that was cupping her face. She can't tear her eyes away from his. She always loved those emerald eyes of his. It's so beautiful and one of a kind. Before, she could see happiness, hope, courage and a lot more positive things in his eyes. Now, she could only see sadness, pain, and even though the sadness and pain were more prominent, she could still see the love he has for her.
"I feel the same way, Harry. But what can we do?" she hugged him and lay her head on his shoulder. Tears silently streaming on her beautiful face. "They're our only friends, your only family. We'll lose them if we decide to turn away now."
Again, she was right. If they try to turn back now, they would lose the only friends they have, the only family he has. But looking at her and feeling and loving her presence in his arms, right now, he doesn't really care. He knows he'll feel bad about hurting them and his conscience would always bug him if they run off now but he still wants to give up everything just to be with Hermione.
"Hermione, I love---"Hermione cut him off.
"Harry, please don't. It's already hard as it is but if you say it, I don't know if I would be able to continue with the marriage." Her voice was pleading as she said it.
"Hermione, look at me." This time he was the one pleading. And she did.
"I love you, Hermione. That's the truth. You're the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, not Ginny. You're the woman I want to be the mother of my children. The one I wake up with every morning. The one I go home to everyday. The one I'd love 'til my last breath. I love you so much, Hermione." He poured out everything he's feeling for her through his words and through his eyes. Letting her know what his words can't show through it.
She heard it. She saw it. She felt it. Everything he said, she knew it's true. And she let more tears flow down her eyes as the intensity of what he confessed sink in.
She encircled her arms into his neck and kissed him passionately. Letting him know that she feels the same way too. Putting everything she has, every love, into that kiss. He kissed back just as passionately. They kissed for a few minutes and remained holding each other when they were done.
"I love you, too, Harry. So much. I can't tell you how much because no words can describe it. But know, Harry, that I do love you more than you know." she said whole-heartedly.
"Then let's run off." he exclaimed."Let's cancel the wedding, go somewhere far and get married. A small wedding with your family and those who would still be our friends even after we cancel the wedding with Ron and Ginny."
He wasn't joking. In his eyes there was hope. And it hurts her to know that she's gonna crush that hope. They can't go back now because they would hurt a lot of people. People who are dear to them.
"Harry," she said putting some distance between them. "we can't. You know we can't."
"But—" he tried to pull her back into his arms but a voice behind the curtain interrupted them.
"Hermione? Harry?" Ron's voice was heard just behind the curtains. Hermione put more distant between them while Harry though wanting to feel her in his arms again backed away and leaned on the wall again.
Ron's head appeared first and look around the balcony to look for his best mates. He saw the in the right corner of the balcony. Hermione now with his back on harry and holding on to the ledge of the balcony while Harry still leaning on the wall.
"There you are. What are you two doing here? They're looking for you already." He continued to walk towards Hermione. When he was near the two of them, he saw the traces of tears that Hermione hastily wiped off. He touched her shoulder and turned her to him. Hermione decided to look at his shirt instead.
"Have you been crying? What's wrong sweetheart? What happened?" he lifted her chin so that she would looked at him but she closed her eyes instead. "Harry, what happened?" he asked Harry instead when Hermione refused to look at him and answer.
Afraid that Harry would tell Ron the real reason. She met Ron's eyes and spoke up.
"Nothing, Ron. We were just reminiscing the past and it kinda made me cry a little." she offered him a smile and Ron eyed her for a minute. Deciding that she was probably telling the truth, he smiled at her.
"You scared me there. Thought something bad happened." He encircled his arms in her waist and turn to Harry. "So what did you talk about, mate?"
Harry hating the fact that he was holding her in front of him just shrugged and muttered "Hogwarts days."
"Ah. Guess that could really make you cry." He said to Hermione. "Well, the group's looking for the two of you. Said you've been gone for a while. Ginny said he saw Harry went in here and she would have gone to get you if only Lavander and Parvati would let her go." he told harry but didn't wait for his reply.
"Come on, let's go inside, you're missing out on all the fun." he looked at Harry then at Hermione.
Hermione nodded her head and set off for the door together with Ron. From the corner of her eyes, Hermione saw Harry made no movement so she stopped and turned around. Ron confused did the same.
"Harry?" he looked up and saw Hermione and Ron looking at him, waiting for him.
He smiled. It was a forced smile.
"You two go on first. I'm staying here for a little while longer." he saw them about to protest but he cut them off. "I'm coming in a bit. Don't worry." And he waved them off in a teasing manner.
"Harry." Hermione called him. He raised his brows to hide the pain, sadness, disappointment and anger he felt. But Hermione saw through it, she always did.
"I'm sorry." her eyes showed that she was just as hurt as he is. He smiled and told her it's alright and to go inside.
With one last look, Hermione turned around and walk towards the room, arm in arm with Ron.
He heard Ron asked her what that sorry for but she waved him off, telling him it was nothing.
He sat down in the floor. One knee bended while the other one was lying straight in the floor. He covered his eyes with one hand as few tears started to slip down his handsome face. He was thinking, wishing.
"I wish I'm not Harry Potter and she's not Hermione Granger. Maybe then we could be selfish for once and be what we want, where we want, be with whom we want. Maybe then we wouldn't have to think for 'the greater good' but just for ourselves. To do things for our happiness not for others. If only we're not Harry Potter and Hermione Granger but then again, that is the most bitter truth." He sighed and let the tears dry up.
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Alive and successful. Famous and rich. But not free to be with who they want to be with.
Author's Note: Did you like it? Please review. I accept flames. I know it should be bitterest but most bitter sounds better.
This is supposed to be a one-shot but I want to ask for your opinion if I should make this multichaps. Your opinion and some ideas would also be highly appreciated. I'm also thinking of getting a beta or do you think its fine as it is. I'm not really sure with my grammars.
Thanks for reading this and depending on the reviews I get, I don't know if I'd write something else. Thanks again!
~Zçhynård~