Written for lezonne's Duct Tape Competition: White - write about fanon

To Love Another Person

You liked the way she spoke your name. It was with that soft, gentle accent that set your heart on fire just thinking about it. Her petite figure fitted inside your big, strong arms like it was a perfect match. She was polite, kind and very, very beautiful. You were big, rough, and could lift twice your weight.

Yet, she had chosen that scarred Weasley over you, and now you were attending their wedding.

Only for her, you told yourself. It's all for her.

You saw Hermione there, too. You'd liked her once, but then you'd realised your mistake. She was only with you because she couldn't have the one she actually wanted. And she still wanted him if the way she was looking at him was anything to go by. He, as usual, was completely oblivious.

No, your attention had been diverted. Your heart beat for another now, and just like Hermione, her eyes only saw one – and that was not you.

But it didn't stop you from wishing, from hoping, from wondering if maybe, just maybe one day, it might work out. It didn't matter that she was there in a white wedding gown, it didn't matter that she spoke true of her heart to Weasley. No, every little moment you hoped that something might change.

You always hoped.

They kissed, and you just felt your heart slowly tearing to shreds. Every second their lips lingered, every second it grew more painful. You couldn't control how you felt (if you could, you wouldn't be feeling thats way) but your heart just ached for her. You wanted it to be you she was kissing like that. You wanted her to whisper the vows so tenderly to you that you had to control yourself before you could kiss her. You just wanted it to be you – all you.

There was a moment – late into the evening – when you finally caught her alone. She was smiling as her little sister parted with a younger boy to dance. As she spun, she almost ran into you and you couldn't help but reach out to catch her. It was a perfect fit. The two of you were destined.

"Oh, Viktor! I am so sorry!" she exclaimed, sounding genuinely sorry to have run into you. "I was not watching where I was goeeng."

You could only watch her – watch that beauty that wasn't even yours. She blushed, as if she knew, then smiled at the ring on her finger. "Eet eez beautiful, eez eet not?" she asked.

"Very," you told her, though you were not sure if you were talking about it or her. Most likely you were talking about both.

She smiled again, admiring her ring, and you grimaced at the thought of it being on her finger. Of him being the one to put it there.

"Do you really love him?" The question had escaped you before you even knew what you were saying. You wished it hadn't slipped out, but nothing could be done now. You had said it, and she was now studying you curiously.

"Of course," she told you, as if it was the most obvious answer. "Of course I do."

You pictured his scarred face, his red hair, and the horrible, horrible ponytail that he always tied it up in. Then you pictured yourself – professional Quidditch player, world's fastest Seeker, well built – and you couldn't even get the girl you wanted. That beautiful, elegant, part-Veela, girl.

After she told you so cleanly of her feelings, all you could do was nod your head, embarrassed.

She rested a hand on your shoulder, and looked you square in the eye. "I know how you feel," she said. "I'm sorry."

You tried to shrug it off with a smile and a congratulations, but she saw straight through it. With a look of sympathy – because you refused to believe it was pity – she stood on her toes to reach you, soft, sweet lips against your cheek. "Thank you for coming," she said, and with that, she danced off, back to her husband, back to her new family.

You watched her, you waited until she was out of sight, and then you left. You never bothered to find out if she even realised. You never spoke to any of them again.

Second person can be so complicated, yet so much fun. This was actually quite a fun pairing to write (even unrequited). Thank you to Amber for betaing :)