Author's Note: I do not own HP or any part of it nor do I get any compensation from this writing but joy.
The response for this story has been so phenomenal. Just wanted to clarify: this will not be a harem story. Nor will they magically fall in love with each other quickly. This is going to be a slow transition from friends to more. At the end of the day, this story is going to be H/HR. Also, I haven't started putting the other matches that will be happening throughout the story in yet but I have everyone paired up so be prepared to see some more of your favorite characters coming into play. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy the update.
Harry walked out of the Ministry with his mind in a whirl. He knew that he made the right decision, but when he told Kingsley he would turn down Ginny, he didn't quite think how he was going to pull it off. The letters were going to be sent out tonight in the evening post. That meant he needed to tell Ginny that he wouldn't petition for her while simultaneously not telling her why nor hurting her feelings. He wasn't even sure if that was possible but he was going to try. He knew that his former feelings for Ginny were going to interfere in his ability to pull this off but he had to move forward. Not to mention, if Hermione caught on even in the slightest, she wouldn't let him go through with it. She would appreciate the gesture but she'd never allow Harry to sacrifice the chance to be with Ginny so that she wouldn't have to leave the Magical world.
Harry knew that Hermione would leave the magical world if she felt it necessary. There was no question about that. Hermione was too proud to lower herself to being a Malfoy if is came down to it. Draco may not be completely evil like his father once was but it would never make up for his treatment of Hermione all those years. Many people would leave if they felt that there was no way for them to be happy in their matches. Yet there was a greater force at work here that would keep most people from leaving. People had fought hard to keep their world together and while giving a little more might seem excessive, people would do it. They wouldn't be happy about the law, but after sacrificing so much, leaving wasn't an option for most of them. That's why Harry was compliant and why he would do what was asked of him despite his reservations. He needed stay in the world he sacrificed and fought for even if it meant sacrificing more
He looked at his watch and realized that the letters would be sent in the next hour. He figured the best place to face this reality would be with the Weasley's. They wouldn't take it well but being together as a family would help soften the blow. Or at least, he hoped it would. He mentally prepared himself for the battle his heart was about to face and apparated to the Burrow. Upon entering the Burrow, Harry could tell he had overestimated how long it would take the ministry to send out the letters. Molly looked exasperated while Arthur sat at the kitchen table shaking his head and muttering. Charlie and Percy had both come from their respective jobs and were sitting in the arm choices in the corners discussing possible matches. George was nowhere to be found though Harry assumed he was dealing with this news by himself in his room. Ron looked up from his seat at the kitchen table to see Harry and said "Oy Harry! Have you seen this?"
Harry shook his head, trying to play it off like he had no idea what was going on. Ron walked over to him and handed him the all-too-familiar letter. Harry shook his head and sighed and said "What now?"
Before Ron could answer, they heard a pop from the yard and the door opened to reveal an extremely angry looking Hermione Granger. Her hair was a mess (even more so than usual) and her eyes were burning with rage. "What in Merlin's bloody beard did they think they would accomplish by this?" she yelled at no one in particular. She started pacing around the living room with tears threatening to flood out of her eyes. "It'll be okay Mione. I'm sure it won't be that bad" Ron told her quietly even though it was obvious he wasn't that hopeful.
Hermione looked at him like he grew a second head. "Of course it won't be bad for you! I bet you've already drafted the bloody paperwork for you engagement petition to Lavender!" She told him scathingly. Ron looked away guilty, making it obvious that that had been his plan. "The rest of us however… UGH… this is so unfair" she said, running out of steam and crumpling into a heap on the couch. Harry sat next to her and patted her on the back saying "We will figure this out Mione".
There were footsteps on the stairs and Harry turned around to find Ginny, eyes red and exhausted with her letter in her hand. "Harry, may I speak with you… outside?" Ginny asked him quietly. Harry nodded, his heart beating out of his chest. He had no idea what he was going to say to her. How he would tell her that he couldn't petition for her. His heart was aching in sadness that this choice had to be made. He loved Ginny once upon a time, maybe even loved her still, but he had made his choice. He wouldn't turn his back on Hermione.
"Ginny, I…" Harry began. "Wait, I need to speak first" Ginny said interrupting him. Harry nodded his head, confused at her insistence.
"Harry, I love you. I do. You were the love of my life since I was a little girl. You mean so much to me and even more to my family. In an ideal situation, this wouldn't be happening to all of us right now. This law is fucked and it just… it changes everything. In a perfect world, we would have time to decide whether or not we wanted to give this a go but we don't have that time. The past year has just been so much to deal with, between being at Hogwarts and worrying about the three of you… I just have it left in me to continue on with this. We are just such different people and I just… I just, I don't think… I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't think this is going to work. I am so sorry, really I am but that's how I feel" Ginny said with a melancholy look on her face.
Harry stood there stunned. Had Ginny just told him she wouldn't marry him? Is that what she meant by all this? His heart was breaking. He knew he couldn't marry her but he thought that she would at least have wanted to marry him.
"What, wait… what do you mean Gin?" Harry asked her, confused that perhaps he was misinterpreting what she was trying to say.
"I don't think we should put in a petition to get married. I know that you being the nice guy that you are, you would want to so that neither of us is miserable in the long them. That way neither of us got some awful match but… I think we have reached our end. We are just such different people. You… you've been through so much and I know all you've ever wanted in to settle down and get married and have children and be a family. I don't… I don't want that. I want to travel and see the world and be free. And while I know this law kind of puts a damper on that, I want to be with someone who wants to do that with me. Have a few kids and cart them around with us on the adventure if we have to. I don't think that would make you happy though. I've thought about this and I think that it's best to allow the ministry to match us instead. I may live to regret this but… something tells me that if we got married, we wouldn't actually get along very well and then, well then we would have this monumental rift in the family that I don't think either of us could bear. I think it's best for us both to take the chance that the ministry might get this right. I hope you understand." She told him. He nodded in utter shock.
"I completely agree Ginny. I think it's the best for us both. I'm glad we see eye-to-eye" he said quietly. Ginny looked at him skeptically and nodded at him. Ginny gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and walked back into the house, allowing Harry to have some time alone.
He knew he shouldn't be upset. He was about to say the same thing to her but there is a difference between being the one saying it and having it said to you. His heart was broken in the oddest way. He wasn't said that she didn't love him but rather he was sad that she didn't trust their ability to make it work if it were to happen. Ginny didn't want to marry him. If he had chosen her, she would have ended up with him and not wanted to be with him. Hermione would have ended up with Draco for nothing. That reality hurt but it reinforced his choice that much more. He knew at the very least that he would be with someone that makes him happy even if it was just in a platonic way. At least he knew that Hermione wanted what he wanted in the long run and she wouldn't be unhappy to deal with his homebody ways.
He decided that he wasn't nearly ready to go face the Weasley's so he walked towards the lake on their property. He sat down and stared at the moon and mourned the loss of something he never had. He mourned the loss of Ginny, the loss of innocence, and the loss of a future he never realized he wanted. He was hopeful for his future with Hermione but he had no idea what it was going to be like. He didn't know how he could go from being her best friend to being her husband. Ginny had been comfortable because they had ventured into that territory before however he had never been like that with Hermione. It was all so new to him and it was worrisome that he could accidently ruin the best friendship he'd ever had. He had been sitting there about an hour when all of a sudden he saw someone drop next to him. He looked to see Hermione sitting next to him, staring at the moonlight glinting on the water's surface. "Ginny told me what happened. Are you alright?" Hermione said quietly.
"I don't know why it hurts. I was going to tell her the exact same thing yet still… it hurts" Harry said shaking his head.
Hermione sighed and grabbed his hand and said "Because knowing you won't work out hurts a lot more than just thinking it. Being told it's over hurts much more than assuming it. Having it taken from you sometimes makes you want things you never realized you could want. It'll be okay though, I promise. Whomever they match you with, you'll learn to love. They won't give you some shit match. You are the savior of the magical world and all" she said breaking into a chuckle.
Harry looked at Hermione and nodded with a small grin. He saw the sadness in her eyes, all the tears left unshed. He knew her heart was breaking too but for an entirely different reason. Not for him, but for Ron. Ron: the boy who never would choose her, the boy who it could never work with even without the law. He knew that Hermione and Ron had not planned to get together after that ill-conceived kiss they shared, but to have him choosing Lavender only a few weeks later, Harry knew Hermione must be hurting. Harry held her hand tighter. Hermione stared at the water and began to cry.
"I always thought I'd get to make this decision for myself. I always thought I'd get to decide who I loved for the rest of my life. Not that anyone has ever loved me that way but still… I wanted to choose. I wanted to know what it was like to fall for someone and never want to be without them. And now… I'm going to get stuck with someone who barely knows me. Who probably couldn't care less. No one will ever love me or want me. I'll never be anyone's choice just their default" Hermione said desperately.
Harry reached over and brought Hermione into a close embrace, hearing her sob into his chest. Harry could see his best friend breaking under the pressure of this process. He could see how scared she was of being placed with someone who could never love her. He knew in that moment that he made the best decision of his life in that office. Sure, he wasn't in love with her. But sitting here, with his arms wrapped around her, he knew that there was no one he could love as much as he loved her. Maybe it wasn't 'in love' but it was love and that was more than enough.
"Hermione, can I ask you something?' Harry said to her softly. Hermione lifted her head and nodded, sniffling quietly.
"Of course, you can always ask me anything" Hermione said with a soft laugh, still trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"If you had to spend every day of your life with another person, who would it be?" Harry asked her seriously. Hermione thought for a moment and broke into a grin. "You. Always you. At least when you're around, we always have a good time. And I can always talk to you, unlike most people who just tune out every time I speak" she said, poking him in the ribs playfully.
"Me too. You're the only person I could tolerate every day for the rest of… well forever" Harry said nodding. He knew that their matches would end up together. He knew there was no need to ask her to marry him. But hearing that she felt that no one would ever choose her made him so terribly sad for her. If he was going to be married to Hermione, he wanted her to feel chosen by him. Because at the end of the day, he had chosen her, she just didn't know that.
Harry got up from his seat by the lake and grabbed Hermione's hands pulling her up as well. Hermione looked at him confused. "What is it Harry?" she asked him worried.
"Hermione, you are my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone I've ever known. You have stood by me when the consequences could have been dire. You have dragged me out of the depths of depression even when I wanted to stop moving forward with my life. You always the light that brought me back to reality whenever the fog descended upon my life. You have always been there for me through everything and I want to be there for you through everything too. If I had to choose between you and anyone else, the answer would always be you. I love you so much. Maybe we aren't in love, but I have to believe that the love we do have means so much more than infatuation ever could. I don't exactly have a ring yet but… I'm going to do this anyway" Harry said as he knelt on one knee. "Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?" Harry asked her, grabbing her hand.
Hermione looked at him shocked and broke into a soft smile. "You don't have to do this" she said to him sweetly "It's not your duty". He nodded, looking into her eyes. 'But I want to' he said to her with a serious look in his eye.
"Then yes. Yes, I'll marry you Harry" Hermione told him with the most grateful and relieved look on her face. Harry stood up and wrapped her in a huge hug. Hermione kissed him on the cheek and smiled.
"Thank you" she told him with tears in her eyes. He smiled and grabbed her hand gently. "We better get inside and fill out an engagement petition, hmm?" Harry asked her seriously. Hermione nodded with sad smile on her face and they walked towards the Burrow. While they were both sad at the circumstances of their engagement, they knew they could take on the world together and for now, that was enough.