A/N: I was told via a review that Montague's name is given in the Harry Potter video game. His name is Graham Montague…it makes me feel as though I've been writing someone else for a very long time. It also makes me feel as though he can be reborn with a new story. And he would make all different choices. Graham is very different than the David I have always imagined. Also, I own nothing.
Last Minute Changes
The wedding announcement in the Daily Prophet is the first reminder he's had of Angelina Johnson in years. The pretty girl pictured next to the idiot Weasley she's been involved with since Hogwarts catches his eye. Then reality forces him to take another look, it's not the same boy.
It's his twin, George. Fred is dead, and Angelina is marrying his brother.
Graham Montague feels sick as he considers the situation again, trying to find some redeeming factor in her behavior. Six years ago she had ended her brief affair with Graham to return to Fred Weasley, her supposed one true love. Then he had gotten himself killed and Graham had lost the only girl he ever cared about for no reason.
He had let the only girl he ever cared about walk away.
It was very true he never pressed Angelina to continue their assignations. He never admitted aloud he loved her, but he didn't believe he needed to. Graham had never been involved with another girl after her and would never consider the idea of her loving someone new.
Graham was not like most of his Slytherin brethren, he was not one to ask for more than someone else was willing to give. He was, as his name suggested, softer than other Slytherins. He was a good stable man, who would do everything to protect those he considered one of his own. And now one of his own was making a terrible mistake. Instead of accepting the rock as broken and using the pieces as arrowheads, she was attempting to glue it back together.
He has a heavy feeling in his chest as he apparates to her flat, a good clean place. She's surprised he's come so quickly, but not that he has appeared after six years with no contact. Angelina knew him better than most.
"Angelina," he greets her carefully. He has to remind himself that she may be changed by the war, because everyone certainly had been.
"Montague," she returns coldly. "I'm going to marry him, regardless of what you say." She expected him to enumerate the reasons she and George were not suited to one another. She prepares herself to defend George and her action, no matter how selfish they seem.
"I can't let you make yourself so unhappy by marrying a shadow of someone you once loved," Graham said, "he's not even Fred."
"So what, Graham?" Angelina demands wildly.
"I can lose you to Fred, because you loved him…or love him, whichever. How can I lose you to someone you don't even give a damn about-"
"I care about him!" she interjects angrily. "George has been a good friend to me, he's a good man."
"No, he's a good little boy, Angelina. And he was good to you because he loved his own brother," Graham states calmly, regaining his composure. Trying to pull his cool reserve over his feelings. "You two will never be happy together, you're both missing half of yourselves."
"I suppose, you think I would be happy with you," Angelina asked fiercely, her voice was becoming more accusatory by the moment. "That nothing has changed in the past six years and we could go back to being Hogwarts students seeking a thrill? Maybe I can go back to being that Gryffindor girl you fucked when it was convenient? Because that didn't work, Graham, not then and certainly not now."
"Angelina, you know it meant more to me than that. You always knew I loved you," he quietly intoned. Graham had not ever once considered the idea that Angelina did not know his true feelings.
"How could I possibly know that?" she demanded angrily. She looked, confused, flustered, and overwhelmed. None of these things befitted a Gryffindor, and she seemed uncomfortable in her own skin.
"I respected you enough to let you walk away. I let you choose how I loved you. And you chose to have me care about you for years, never letting me have you. For years, I had to shut you out from my mind," he answered. "I don't want to do that anymore."
He took a small step, closing the space between them and then kissed her.
"Tonight," she said very quietly and shyly, "I have a feeling, I won't be shutting you out, Graham. It can be as it was once upon a time. I can have some time to consider those options."
"You mean how it was meant to be," he replied with a smile, following her to the bedroom of her small flat. "You always can change your mind. No matter what's been said."
They lay quietly in her bed afterward. She had her arm draped over him, while he curled her body against his own.
"This was unpredicted," Angelina said bluntly. She was neither looking at him or avoiding him.
"No, this was meant to show you. You still have choices," Graham whispered. "I'm still here, even if Fred's not. You don't have to marry his brother just because he's gone. I'm still here."
"I promise. I will not marry George Weasley until you've have time to convince me that my other options would suit me better," Angelina swore. She smiled her warm smile and kissed him.
She quietly ushered him out of her flat and said goodbye with another soft kiss.
That morning a tawny owl accompanied his morning paper. He opened the letter, which he could only guess was from Angelina judging by the scent of the paper.
I waited. I waited for six years. I changed my mind.
The Daily Prophet held less subtle messages. The blaring headline declaring, "George Weasley and Quidditch Star Elope," filled Graham with the dreaded realization. Angelina had married George after all that passed between them last night, in spite of all her doubts and his words.
And for the second time in his life, Graham Montague let Angelina Johnson walk out of his life and into the arms of another man.