Disclaimer: JkR owns all things Harry Potter. Lucky broad :)
Author's Note:
Hey!
I know, I know. What happened to And Here Comes You? It's still a work-in-progress and I fully intend on finishing it. However, this story was actually stopping me from finishing the next chapter for my last story. It was just lodged in the back of my head and I couldn't focus. So, technically, this story is the product of a writer's block... in the form of another story. It all makes sense in my mind, don't worry. Lol. Happy reading.
Mikey
Since you are new to this lets start from the beginning. Hello. My name is Hermione Granger and I have no earthly idea what I look like right now. Really, I haven't looked in a mirror for days. It's not that I don't care about my appearance because trust me, I really do, but not now. Today I can't stand to look at myself. Actually, I haven't been able to look at myself for almost two weeks now. I can't see myself ever being happy again, and it's entirely my fault. I bet you're wondering why I feel so bad. Surely you're thinking, "Hey, Hermione. Stop being so hard on yourself. It can't be that bad." Well, you're terribly mistaken and unquestionably wrong. Please, let me provide the following reasons for why I disgust myself:
I have an insatiable book fetish. I read at least one everyday.
I enjoy going to work, even on Sundays, especially on Sundays.
The only person that will give me the time of day is orange, furry, and four-legged.
And on top of all that, I ruined the best thing that ever happened to me… All because I was in love with my best friend's fiancé.
I would hex myself into a million pieces if it would fix this mess I'm in… But it wouldn't…
Still confused? You should be… But allow me to fill you in.
I wasn't always this horrible sordid person. No, I use to be the picture of perfection. I had an unstained name and inspired sort of an admiration amongst the wizarding community. Hermione Granger, the brains of the Golden Trio, played an important part in aiding the Boy Who Lived defeat Voldemort. Things weren't perfect after the Second War ended. Everyone was still picking up the pieces and mourning their lost ones, but life got better, if not easier. My life really didn't really start going down hill until the moment I broke up with Ronald Weasley. It was not that I was so heartbroken after our falling out. We were terrible as a couple. Don't get me wrong, I loved Ron dearly and still do sincerely love him as a valued friend, but we had absolutely no business being in a romantic relationship. We never agreed on anything, he never saw anything my way, I was always wrong, he was always right, there was no compromise. There was so much yelling between the two of us my ears are still ringing. I was glad to be out of a relationship with him so it wasn't so much of our break up that sent everything to hell but because of what happened immediately after it. Not long after I ended my reputable eleven-month relationship with one of my life-long friends, I found solstice in the arms of another childhood companion of mine. He was kind, understanding and terribly attentive, allowing me to cry on his shoulder and bringing me ice cream whenever the situation called for it. That was when I fell in love with him. Unfortunately for me, he was otherwise involved with my female best friend, Ginny. Yes. I've been pining away for Harry Potter ever since.
I know I shouldn't have, it's really no surprise that I would fall for someone like him. I mean, let's look at his credentials. His face is consistently pasted all over Witch Weekly. He's great at Quidditch, he defeated the Dark Lord, he's smart, genuinely kind and on top of that he's drop dead gorgeous. I wouldn't be a witch if I wasn't head over heels for him. He's every female's fairy tale wet dream; how could I not fall for the knight in shining armor? Isn't that what every prissy princess wants, a handsome hero to sweep her off her feet and ride off into the sunset with? Why then should I be any different? Maybe the fact that I am far from a prissy princess could have something to do with it. Or perhaps the fact that the whole "falling-in-love-with-the-hero" bit is more than a little cliché and completely presumptuous of any self-respecting female could be a fair reason. But when was the heart ever known to heed any sort of common sense? Hardly ever. And yes, I know. "You fell in love with your bestfriend's man? What kind of person are you?" Yeah, I know. I'm horrible. But in my defense, I was Harry's friend first. She may have liked him since she was eleven, she didn't even know him. She was a star-crazed preteen. I know Harry better than anybody, even Ron. So yes, I feel like I more deserve Harry's love affection. I'm not perfect. I'd like to be, but I'm nowhere close.
Regardless of me and Harry being destined, Harry and Ginny are completely wrong for each other. They have absolutely nothing in common besides Quidditch and Ron. How are they ever supposed to have a decent relationship when their only common ground is based off a decidedly dangerous, barbaric sport and a hot-tempered, redheaded man? I really don't see it. I love Ginny with all my heart; she is a great person and an even better friend but I can't help that she fell in love with the man I'm destined to be with. Harry and I have been through hell and high water together and if everything we've been through isn't enough to prove our compatibility then I don't know what is. He'd see sense. They all would. And I would just watch. Waiting for Ginny to mess up, because she undoubtedly would. And I'd be there. Ready to pick up the pieces of his broken heart and make him realize that it was me all along.
Shows how much I knew.
I watched from the sidelines. Every fight, every break up, I was there. For the both of them. I would do my best to console both Harry and Ginny because they were both so important to me. Harry was the man I was in love with and Ginny was the first real female friend I ever had. It pained me to see them distraught almost as much as it pained me to see them together. So in my attempts to be a good friend I listened to both of their troubles, and even helped them get back together quite a few times, against my undying wish for them to be apart. Oh yes, twisted. I know. I allowed myself to endure this self-imposed punishment, literally for years. I was even at the Weasley Sunday dinner when Harry proposed. It goes without saying that I was upset. I was so angry I could spit.
Even after Ron and I broke up I never missed a Weasley Sunday dinner. I tried to back out one before and Mrs. Weasley threw a fit. There were tears of disappointment and hurt, and I'm sure if I let her cry any longer her sadness would have quickly turned to rage. Then I would have found myself on the receiving end of an authentic Molly Weasley thrashing, one she reserved for her husband, her children, Harry and myself. Needless to say, I feared Mrs. Weasley far more than I had ever feared my own mother so I never even attempted to get out of one again. And not just out of fear. My favorite people in the world were there. Minus my own family, it was the Weasleys and of course, Harry. I loved spending time with them and their expanding family. Today everybody was in attendance. Bill was flying in circles around the yard with his daughter Victoire along with George and Angelina's daughter Felicia. Fleur and Angelina were talking amiably at the long picnic table where dinner had taken place. George was telling Mrs. Weasley about the newest project of the Fred Weasley Foundation, which aided families broken because of dark magic, funded by charitable organizations including Weasly Wizard Wheezes and one Harry Potter. Speaking of Harry, he and Charlie were teaching Teddy, who Mrs.Weasley spoiled like her own grandchild, to turn Uncle Ron's hair neon green to match his own. Ron and Mr. Weasley were discussing a recent Quidditch match while holding the hand of a slightly uncomfortable Lavender Brown, a first time comer to the family dinners, and then there was me. I sat on a wood bench in the garden, Percy and Penny's son on my knee. They had left an hour ago on important Ministry business, but promised to be back for dessert. I was perfectly content to sit there and watch my extended family, and let a pleasant smile play across my face. That was until Harry let off a few red sparks to get everyone's attention in the yard. My smile slowly faded. Something serious was about to happen.
There was silence as Harry motioned Ginny to him. I felt my heart drop to into a region foreign to it. Somewhere in the pit of my stomach I presume. But I was not surprised. I saw this coming from a million miles away.
"Everybody, I wanna thank the Weasley's for everything that you've done for me, I really don't know where I would be without you. And let me also say that I am so glad that you all invited me into your family." Mrs. Weasley sniffed. Ginny gave his hand a squeeze. "But nothing would make me happier if you, Ginny, would agree to be apart of my family." Ginny looked at Harry, eyes open wide while Harry bent down on one knee. "You know I'm no good with words or expressing my feelings, but I am so in love with you, Ginny Weasley. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That is if you'll have me." Harry pulled out a black velvet box from his pocket and opened it up. Mrs. Weasley nearly fainted. I nearly fainted too. The ring was immaculate, simply stunning. Everything I had ever dreamt of in a ring. But it wasn't for me. I felt my heart break in two as Harry opened his mouth again, looking very nervous, and yet very, very sexy. "So what do you say, Gin? Marry me?"
I nearly blacked out. There were gasps and held breath while Ginny's eyes filled with tears and her face turned as red as her hair. I switched Percy's drooling baby boy to my other knee. Ginny sniffed and paused for only a second before she nodded her head and let the tears fall down her face. "Yes, Harry! Of course, I'll marry you!" Harry got up off the ground and Ginny jumped into his open arms screaming over and over again that she would marry him and in the back there were whoops from the men and excited giggly screams from the women. Mrs. Weasley cried unabashedly into Mr. Weasley's chest saying she was the happiest mother in the world. Her one and only baby girl was finally getting married.
Everyone got up to congratulate them. Harry got several manly slaps on the back while Ginny received air kisses from an enthused Fleur. "Oh! Zis is so exciting, no?" There were more kisses and hugs from her sisters' in law, Lavender and Mrs. Weasley. I alone stayed back, standing up slowly while holding Percy Junior closely to my heart, trying to fill the gaping hole that was opening in my chest. Finally after they had kissed and hugged everyone, Harry and Ginny made their way over to me smiling. I let the unshed tears glide down my cheek, and put on a smile that would mask my upset for happiness.
"Can you believe it, Hermione?" she said hugging me as tightly as she could without crushing the baby. "I'm getting married!" She threw the honking rock in my face and I pretended to be ecstatic.
"I know. It's wonderful!" I lied, being careful not to let my smile falter. "I'm so happy for the two of you."
"Thanks, Hermione. There were times we almost didn't make it. But you helped us through everything," Harry said hugging me, a huge grin plastered on his face. His emerald green eyes pierced into my brown ones while his face became somber. "We have you to thank, really. We wouldn't be here without you," he leaned down a placed a soft kiss on my cheek and then whispered, "Thank you, Hermione."
I nodded staring back at him transfixed. He gave me a small smile as he pulled away and I lost it. My face crumbled as I started to sob. Which caused Ginny to say, "Oh, Hermione. I'm so happy!" and then she started to cry. Which caused Harry to pull Ginny into his arms, holding her head close to his chest, and running a soothing hand down her back. Which caused me to cry even harder. No one rushed to rub my back.
I excused myself as soon as Percy and Penny got back, handing them their baby and telling everyone that I had a very early day at work tomorrow. Promising to owl Ginny about lunch later, I quickly apparated back to my flat for a full out Hermione Pity Party, in which I, rightfully so, was the only attendant. I threw myself face down into my couch and I cried bullets. Yelled, screamed, cursed into the cushions. A grumpy Crookshanks entered the room, awoken from a nap, and pawed lightly at my head. I raised my face high enough to look at him and glared at me distastefully. I could almost hear what he was thinking. 'That's no way for my mistress to behave. Get a hold of yourself... And get me some catnip.' The look on his face shut me up long enough for me to get over myself. I wiped my face. Glaring back at him I said, "Don't judge me." He meowed in response. I looked heavenward. I, Hermione Granger, never got that upset over a man. I was better than that. I was stronger than that. Damn it, I was stronger than that. And I also, never in my life let someone else have what was justly mine. I was not about to start now. Petting Crookshanks affectionately, I got up and put on some tea, then settled down in front of my television, brooding. I'd get Harry yet, I thought as I flipped through the channels. I wouldn't let this kill me. I still had hope. I wasn't out of the game yet.
Finished? Like it? Let me know!
