Hermione watched with slight resentment how Ginny was walking through the recent found Potter manor with her head held high; looking like the queen of the whole world.
She knew how much it meant for Harry to have found the house of his grandparents. One day the goblins from Gringotts showed up and talked to him.
"Mister Potter" the first goblin said and bowed deep. "We are here to inform you that you have reached the age to inherit the manor your late grandparents and your father left to you." Harrys brow furrowed. "Didn't my parents live in Godrics Hollow?"
"Of course Mister Potter but that was only their temporary home. The Potter Manor was abounded in order to give you a safe shelter."
His eyes darkened and his fist clenched. "That was a splendid idée wasn't it? They still died!" Hermione who was sitting next to him put a hand on his arm to calm him down. "Now Harry calm down. It isn't their fault now is it?"
After that the goblins took them towards the manor which was still in Godrics Hollow, just a bit out of the real town.
With amazement Hermione watched the old manor. She was envious that Ginny was the woman at Harry's side. She could never appreciate this as much as she could.
Harry looked around and found in a big hall which was filled with portraits over portraits his parents smiling and winking at him.
With tears welling up in his eyes he walked towards them, hesitating every so often. Hermione held her hand to her heart and watched with tears of her own how Harry met his parents for the first time. "Mum? Dad?" his voice cracked and both of them nodded with sad smiles.
"He looks just like you did James, but he has my eyes" Lily said proud and watched as Harry smiled a watery smile. "Yes but look hat him Lily Flower he has your charm, always crying" James said and winked at Harry who laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation.
Harry looked back at Hermione and signalled her to come closer. "I want you to be a part of this Mione" he whispered. "Through thick and thin, remember?" he asked and she smiled her bright smile and looked at him.
The two of them didn't see the meaningful glance that was exchanged between Lily and James. "So you are Harry's girlfriend?" Lily asked while James said something along the lines of "Looks like Potters don't always choose red heads."
Hermione who stood a little behind Harry smiled bitterly. "No," she said and forced a laugh. "I'm not his girlfriend; just like his father he likes redheads."
Harry smiled well naturally while whipping away his tears and swung his arm around her shoulder. "Yup she's right you know; I don't think that she was ever wrong. This is Hermione Granger, my best friend." Lily watched her with piercing green eyes and Hermione just knew that she couldn't keep her feelings for Harry a secret.
Since then Ginny and Harry had gotten engaged and were living in this beautiful house. But from Hermiones point of view Ginny doesn't respect and loves this house as much as Harry does. She feels like a queen and wants to host one ball after another. Hermione remembered lively their engagement party.
Music and laughter were filling the silent halls of the manor. Hermione watched Harry smiling and dancing with his soon to be wife, who was wearing the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was a princess cut diamond with a white gold band. For Hermione it was too flashy she would have liked a much classier ring. Her eyes swept through the mass and she saw people she didn't even know. Most of them were there because of Harry's and now Ginny's celebrity status.
Closing her eyes she smacked her head back against the pillar she was leaning on. Tears started to gather in her eyes and she told herself they were because of the pain from her head not because of her heartbreak.
Taking a deep breath she walked out of the room when the crowd started to cheer the couple on. "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss!" Aimlessly wandering around she soon found herself in the room where every Potter generation was represented. Silently as to not disturb the sleeping ones she wandered towards the one that was added at last but it was empty. Smacking herself on the forehead she smiled sadly. Of course Lily and James would be watching their son with his fiancée. There was a cough and she whirled around, searching for the person.
"You know girl, in this room you are the only one still living."
Hermione looked into the brown eyes of an elderly woman whose hair was starting to turn grey, but as she looked at her Hermione just knew that it had been a beautiful red once.
"I don't think that I'm still living. It feels like I'm dead on the inside."
Under the portrait were the names Helena Potter (1815-1910) and Jonathan James Potter (1810 – 1910) written. "Then why do you let it happen? You could change it right?"
Hermione smiled bitterly. "He's happy with her and that's all that matters."
Jonathan chuckled sadly and spoke with a deep baritone. "There is nothing wrong with taking a chance Hermione. My lovely wife would have married a Snape wouldn't it be for my courage to speak up."
"A Snape you say?" she asked interested but focused. "She is a redhead like every one else in this family. Never would he choose me. The image of the perfect couple would be lost."
She turned to leave but was stopped by the voice of Helena once more. "Look to your right dear. There you will see the first Potter couple, who had been drawn, remember that there is still sometime left."
Looking to her right she looked into the eyes of a woman who had brown unmanageable hair and brown eyes. By her side was standing the exact copy of Harry. Silencing the hope that was about to rise she just walked away. Maybe there was one time that a Potter man married someone other than a redhead but how's the Muggle saying? Ah yes… The exception proves the rule.
Two days before his wedding Harry sat in his study and was looking through some paperwork regarding his work as an Auror. Ginny went to her friend, what was her name again? Something like Shelly? Shanon? Yeah alright it was something with S. A knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts of his future family where his little children would have unmanageable hair just like him and... He shook his head. "Come in", he said and smiled at the dishevelled locks that Hermione called hair.
"You know you can come in Mione." He chuckled at her pouting and leaned on his elbows on his desk. "Don't pout Mione. You look like a puppy."
She smiled but sobered up when she looked into his green eyes. "I really need to know something Harry. And maybe you will think that I'm crazy but I really, really need to know" she stressed and played with the hem of her skirt.
"You know that I don't have any secrets so ask away. It's not that I haven't known that you have a crazy side. You remained by my side after all" he smiled and she could have sworn that it would make it harder to tell him.
Closing her eyes before looking him square in the eyes she took a deep breath. "Are you happy Harry? Truly happy? So happy that you know that you will be just as happy as now in twenty years?"
His brow furrowed before smiling. "Always one for complicated questions. But yes, I'm happy; the happiest I have ever been and I think that yes I will be just as happy as now in twenty years."
She searched his eyes and nodded. "And do you love her Harry? So much that everything is perfect? That you have butterflies and no secrets? So much that you can't live without her?"
He looked at her and really looked at her after the war. She seemed stressed and overall tiered just like she hadn't slept in weeks. "You need to sleep Hermione and to eat it is not good to stop both of it."
She looked like a rabbit caught by the big bad wolf. "Please Harry answer me. It is very important for me. If I know then I can…" she bites her lip. "Then I can move on" she mumbled. "What did you say?" he asked unsure if he heard her right. She shook her head and looked at him. "Of course I love her. She is everything I cherish. She was there for me Hermione. All this time she never stopped loving me."
She forced a happy smile and stood up. At the door she turned on last time to look at him. "Don't marry her because you feel responsible Harry. Then you would have to marry at least a dozen women."
He stared at the closed door and thought about Hermione words. Was he really marrying her because of responsibility? No he loved her, right? He shook his head and wandered of towards the portrait of his parents. Stopping in front of it he saw their surprised faces, while he was visiting them very often it was never this late.
"Dad?" he asked with a timid voice. "How did you know that mum was the woman that you want to spend the rest of your life with?" James and Lily exchanged a glance and Lily tried to walk out of the portrait thinking that it wasn't something that she should hear. "No please stay Mum" Harry pleaded and both his parents furrowed their brows.
"Harry my son" James began. "The moment I saw your mother I knew she was something special. She was just so tiny but had a temper and a brain which were quiet scary. But when we grew older I saw her morph into a beautiful woman. She was everything a man desired. Smart, beautiful and quiet passionate. But the real reason that I wanted to marry her was because I just knew that I could share everything with her; the good and the bad. It came to me while we were dating no longer than half a year I think. On the next Horsemeat trip I visited my parents and asked them for the family ring. After that I asked her and she said yes. Why are you asking?"
He fidgeted and ignored his father but storing the information about the ring for later. "Mum why did you say yes to Dad?"
"That's easy dear. He was the love of my life. When he kneeled before me looking up with his amazing eyes full of hope and fear that I might reject him I felt deep inside me that this was my destiny. I have found my soul mate. I cried and smiled and felt that I could burst with happiness. Everything was perfect even when he asked me in the prefect bathroom where he practiced his speech. Are you getting cold feet dear?"
He shook his head and stayed silent for a while thinking about everything. "Hermione was here. She asked me… She asked me if I was really happy and if I love Ginny, really love her."
His parents glanced at each other. "You know something don't you? I know that glance. You are deciding what to tell me and what not! Don't play with me! Tell me why Hermione said that she had to know these things to move on! Tell me if she is going to leave me!" he shouted and pointed an angry finger at his parents.
"She will not leave you Harry" his mother said gently. "But she will distance herself a bit from you."
"Why?" he asked and searched for a reason what he could have done wrong. "This isn't your fault Harry. We really want to tell you but we can't. It isn't our thing to discuss", said James and tried to smile.
"Rubbish!" shouted Helena and Jonathan tried to stop her. "You will let your only son marry to that that fraud just because Hermione hasn't enough courage to tell him the truth?"
Harry's neck swirled around so fast that it gave a sickening crack. "What do you know? Why does everyone know something? Why is she keeping secrets from me?" his voice started to rise. "She is my best friend! She is my confident! She is my pillar of strength! She is my everything! Why doesn't she talk to me?" he shouted and pointed an accusing finger at everyone.
"And you!" he rounded on his parents. "Why didn't you tell me that there was something like a family ring? I would have given it to Ginny instead of that flashy one!"
James stayed silent and watched his son rant on and on. "Stop it Harry!" Lily shouted. "Did you hear one word you just said?" Her son just stared angry back at her. "I demand an answer!" he seethed. "You want an answer? You damn well will get one. We didn't give you the ring because Ginny Weasley isn't the woman you should spend your life with!"
"What?" he roared but his mother shouted again at him. "Didn't you hear one word of your rant? Did you forget the reason you came here? You were scared that Hermione would leave you if you marry Ginny. You were angry 'cause she has her own secrets. Secrets she can't share with you. You are angry because for you she is everything! That is what love is about boy!"
Harry grew silent and took shuddering breaths this wasn't what he was expecting. "Harry" his mother said once more gently. "During the war, who was by your side?"
"Hermione" he said without thinking.
"Who was the one that offered you comfort after your nightmares?"
"Hermione."
"Where did you go when you have problems to find a solution?"
"To Hermione."
"And who is the person you share your every thought with?"
"Hermione" he whispered while his eyes were down cast. "Look around you son "said his father. "Every Potter men had a woman by his side with flaming red hair. But you know what? The first Potter man that had his portrait drawn didn't marry a woman with red hair. Look at your ancestors Harry."
Harry looked around and found the picture Hermione saw at his engagement party. To him it looked perfect. That woman looked just like his Hermione. "I don't understand" murmured Harry. Now it was Jonathan who spoke. "There is a legend concerning this family. If the one child looking like the old will find the woman with the lion mane once again all evil will vanish. Because the love they share is bigger than anyone can imagine and will last longer than the longest eternity. Do you understand it boy?"
Harry cast one last look at his parents and fled from the room. This was too much. He loved Ginny right? Of course he loves her! He was marrying her for God's sake!
Hermione smiled at Ginny. Of course she would smile she was the maid of honour after all! Even if this wasn't the wedding she had dreamt of because the woman at Harry's side wasn't her but if he was happy…
"HERMIONE!" screeched Ginny and Hermione looked at her with wide eyes. "I'm sorry what do you want?" The redhead was near hysterics that's why her voice was higher than normal. "It's supposed to be my perfect day and you space out on me! Am I boring?" she cried and stormed out of her room leaving Hermione standing shell shocked in the middle of it.
A knock on the door startled her and she whirled around to see Harry standing in the door way. She looked at him with big eyes. "Hey Mione" he smiled his crocked smile where dimples would form on his cheeks. She loved that smile more than anything.
"Hey" she whispered back. He closed the door and locked it with a click. She took a deep breath and a step back. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be getting ready?" she asked and searched for a way to escape because he was walking steadily towards her. Her back connected with the wall and she was trapped between his arms which were firmly placed beside her head.
"Do you know what you did to me?" he whispered. She shook her head and looked like a scared kitten. "You made me rethink my decision and I never do that. And because of that I need to know" he murmured and closed the distance between them. "Just like you did." With that he kissed her softly on the lips and it tasted like heaven.
Hermione closed her eyes and put her hands on his chest. They stayed like that while they moved gently together but they needed to breath and broke apart. "Harry" she whispered breathless. "Don't" he said hoarsely, kissed her one last time and left her standing there with swollen lips and red cheeks. Her hands wandered to her mouth before they covered her whole face and sobs wracked her body. How could he do that to her? Now she had tasted him and could never move on.
Harry stood on the other side of the door and eavesdropped on her. Her sob turned his insides upside down. Never had he heard her cry like that. Never was he the one to make her cry. Ron came down the stairs and saw him standing there. "Eh no peeking allow mate! Come on its time" he said and led Harry towards the back of the Burrow where hundred of people were waiting for him.
When the music started Hermione was the first to walk down the aisle. Her eyes were swollen and red and suddenly he felt guilty. This wasn't right. He couldn't do this but he had to right?
"Don't marry her because you feel responsible Harry" Hermione's voice filtered through his head and Jonathan's came back to him too "Because the love they share is bigger than anyone can imagine."
Hermione watched Harry staring at Ginny and smiled despite herself because he was happy and that was all that mattered. The ministry official who was to wed them started his speech but it bounced of her. She saw him smiling never noticing that he was looking straight at her. While the speech was drowning on and on the tears started to fall. This was it. This was the end. Her heart shattered and wouldn't be mending if this was going to continue.
"Stop" she whispered but nobody heard her.
"Stop" she said again this time louder and the official looked at her but seeing that nobody had heard her he talked further.
"Stop" she said and everybody looked at her. They looked at her and she smiled while the tears flowed down. "I'm sorry" she said while looking deep inside Ginny's eyes. Next she looked into Harry's eyes. "I love you and I will leave right now if that is what you want."
Ginny rounded on her "Yes go! Harry please tell her to go!" she pleaded.
But Harry just stared at Hermione, walked around Ginny and touched Hermione's cheek with his hand. "Lets go" he said entwined their fingers and disappeared with her.
They appeared inside his manor and he swept her into his arms and kissed her. "I'm so sorry Mione. I love you, always have always will. I promise not to leave you again" he whispered and kissed her again.
"I love you too" she answered and cried harder and at his worried glance she laughed. "Don't worry I'm just happy to hold you in my arms."
~The Ende~
I really hope you liked it, the song I heard while writing was the one below:
.com/watch?v=UWX_d8ga6Ew&feature=related
At first I really wanted to write a long story, but somwehere along the way I was to lazy to really make a long story, so yeah, this is it.
Hit the button you know which one ;)