Written for .Destiny's 'Can You Write A Dramione?' Challenge.
Well, I'm still relatively new to this pairing. I've been on for nearly three years, and I've written a total of only ONE Dramione fic. SO, please, bear with me. :)
My prompt was 'One loves other, but isn't loved back and he/she has to watch their love we w/ someone else.'
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all.
He watches them out of the Library window. He spends so much time there nowadays, he's sure Madam Pince is starting to get suspicious of him.
They're talking and laughing, and basically being all couple-like. But he doesn't pay any attention to the boy. He's looking at the girl – the girl, who even bundled up in scarves and jumpers, manages to look beautiful anyway, the red flush in her cheeks making her look even prettier. The girl, who he's supposed to hate, with the cascading curls the colour of dark chocolate and the eyes that are so mesmerizing it's physically straining to not look into them.
The girl, who, he's been taught his entire life, is Mudblood filth. Beneath pure-bloods like him. The girl who has looked at him with nothing more than loathing and disgust.
The girl who's oblivious to his feelings for her, and who's kissing that blood traitor Ron Weasley right now, even as the fiery leaves fall past them onto the ground. A leaf gets stuck in her hair, and he breaks the kiss for a second to take it out. They laugh, and they continue with the snogging session.
But it's not the kiss that breaks him. It's the look in her eyes when she looks at the other boy, it's the knowledge that she will never, ever, look at him the same way, that shatters his heart into a million pieces that only she can put back together, but never will.
And if that wasn't enough, he think bitterly, he's too much of a coward to confess. She's too in love with Ron Weasley to spare him a second glance. And he knows that she'll never love him the way she does her, and that breaks his heart all over again.
He draws the curtain and closes his eyes. His dreams are his escape. It's the only place where she'll ever look at him that way, the only place where he doesn't have to pretend that he doesn't love her, and lie that he thinks she's Mudblood filth. Because in his dreams, there isn't the possibility of imperfection. The sun will always rise every morning, no matter what will happen. He can love Hermione Granger and she'll love him back.
Because, as the Muggle saying goes, some things are only possible in your dreams.
_._
It's been five years. You can't believe you're here, a blemish in all the perfection and silken tablecloths and sprigs of flowers. People are whispering, you realise vaguely. Astoria grips your hand tightly. It's obvious that she's as unnerved as you are. But you don't pay any attention to her, or the gossipers. Your eyes are fixed on her. The bride of the wedding that is not yours - the girl you loved, no, love.
Her face is no longer as youthful, you notice, and her eyes are no longer innocent and unknowing as they were before the Battle of Hogwarts. They're stronger now, harder, and yet as mesmerizing, as lovely as they were when she was nothing more than a good student, a girl with parents and best friends who loved her as she was.
She's laughing, her arm hooked with Ron's, and talking with Harry and Ginny. Ginny has a ring on her finger that Hermione has just noticed, and she shrieks happily. Ginny seems much more giggly than she usually does, and Harry looks just...uncomfortable. But happy, like the rest of the group.
The usher directs Astoria and you to your seat. The first part of the wedding is a blur of happiness and laughing that you don't belong to...and then she's walking down the aisle with her Muggle father, looking flushed and delighted and more beautiful than ever in her white dress.
When her and Ron have finished saying their vows, you feel an urge to stand up and shout, "I OBJECT!" at the top of your voice. But you force down that feeling, and smile shakily when Astoria looks at you inquiringly.
"...or forever hold your peace," you hear vaguely, and you have to physically restrain yourself to remain seated. There's not a sound to be heard. "And I now declare you husband and wife."
Mrs. Weasley and Ginny seem to be holding back tears, and Bill and Charlie walk up to congratulate them. Everyone around you is smiling – everyone except you.
And that's when you decide that the Cruciatus Curse isn't the most painful thing you've ever experienced. Watching the girl you love being married to the boy you hatehatehate with all your heart is – and yet not being able to do a thing except pretend your heart isn't breaking for the first time in five years, just as it did when you were a boy of sixteen.
That was tough to write. Seriously. I really, really hope it was okay, because I think it's kind of suckish. Ah, well.
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