Chapter Ten

Harry woke up with yet another headache, as if his body was complaining about the fact that his intention was to do nothing about this wedding. Cho wasn't in bed next to him but there was a note on one of his pillows, letting him know that she would meet him at the reception later.

Harry lazed about as much as he could, putting off having to get ready as long as possible. At around three o'clock, he dragged himself into the shower and proceeded to get dressed. He left his bow tie and his top button undone until he arrived at the house in York. His mother met him in the foyer, greeting him quickly and then sending him to see to guests and the rest of the ushers.

In the end, Harry was literally running around like a madman, and he wasn't even the most stressed person around. The wedding planner was having panic attacks every few minutes, over the flowers and over the bridesmaids. If Harry weren't so rushed himself; he might have found it all terribly amusing. Harry vowed right there and then that, when and if he ever got married, it would be a small wedding.

Lily caught him in the foyer again, her hands immediately going up to fix his bow tie. "I need you to check on your brother," she said, not meeting his eyes. "Let him know we're almost ready to start."

Harry didn't say anything as he waited for her to finish. Then, breathing a sigh, he disappeared into the back of the house to find Bennet. There were a few people hanging about the corridors but Harry found that Bennet was alone in the small study that he occupied. Harry, wisely, had decided not to get ready with the rest of the men.

Harry knocked once before he slipped into the room, eyeing his brother in the mirror. "Lily said to tell you that it's almost time," Harry said, not wanting to meet his brother's gaze.

"How's it looking out there?" he asked, not turning to face Harry. He merely watched him through the mirror.

"The seats are almost filled up," Harry said. "I'd say you've got ten, maybe fifteen minutes before curtain call."

"And then she's mine forever," he said, his eyes never once leaving Harry's face.

Harry nodded. "Then she's yours forever," he agreed. "And this'll all be over."

Bennet finally turned around, his eyes sinister. "How does this all make you feel, Harry?"

Harry swallowed. "I don't care what you feel for me, Bennet," he said slowly. "But, I swear to all that is holy that, if you hurt her, if you spend even one day not loving her enough; I will kill you myself. And you know I can and will do it. It really wouldn't be the first time I've killed. You of all people should know the truth of that."

Bennet blinked. "I always wondered why you never told anyone the truth about that night, but then I realised that nobody would have believed you."

Harry sighed, feeling oddly relieved. "I'm really glad that you stopped the act with me. For a second there, I was actually starting to believe you'd changed."

"I have," he said, stepping towards his brother. "I'm a better man, Harry, but still a terrible brother. You would know, wouldn't you?"

"I mean it," Harry said strongly. "Hurt her and I'll make your death look like child's play."

"Because you're an Army veteran?" he laughed.

"No," he answered easily. "Because I took on Voldemort, won, and survived, and not even you know how I did that."

Bennet narrowed his eyes. "Hermione wouldn't care about any of that."

"Sure she wouldn't."

Bennet took a moment to think of his response. "I'm surprised at you, Harry," he said. "I didn't expect you to give up so easily. Aren't you even the least bit curious as to how we got to this point?"

Harry could sense a hell of a lot of gloating coming his way, and he definitely wasn't in the mood for it. "You do realise that, in a short while, the entire Wizarding World is going to know what your middle name is."

Bennet merely blinked at the sudden change in topic. It threw him for a moment, before the smirk was back. "Don't they already? I am the Boy-Who-Lived, am I not?"

Harry returned the smirk. "Isn't it odd, really, that I'm the one who ended up with James as my middle name and not you?" He turned on his heel and started towards the door, but he stopped with his hand on the doorknob. "I guess even our parents knew then that I was always destined to be the Chosen One." And then he left, forcing himself not to slam the door behind him.

Harry took a moment to gather himself before he headed further down the corridor towards the one person he couldn't bring himself to consider not seeing before the curtain rose on this wedding.

He expected to find her surrounded by her bridal party so it was strange to find her alone, and he hated to think why that was.

"Hey, Miss Granger," Harry said softly, opening the door fully and entering the room - which was actually this floor's library - set aside for the women to get ready. He could see only the back of her and even that was stunning. "Where is everybody?" he asked, somewhat surprised that his voice was still working.

Hermione managed to smile at him through the mirror she was looking into, though she refused to turn around and face him. It was in such contrast to Bennet and Harry's heart almost broke at the sight.

"I just needed a few moments alone," she admitted.

"Oh," he said, nodding. "Shall I come back then?"

"No, no, please stay," she said, her voice failing momentarily in her panic. "I just, umm, well, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, and having someone familiar here is helping."

"You look beautiful, Hermione," he said, allowing himself to look at her for the first time. "Absolutely amazing, actually."

"Thank you, Harry."

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

"I'm not sure if that's what I would call it," she admitted, still not turning to look at him. She knew that, if they broke the spell of the mirror, every resolve she had would falter in an instant. Neither of them was ready for that.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"This boy I used to know," she answered easily. "The only boy I dated after you, and before I started dating Ben."

"Umm, okay..."

"His name was Chester," she continued to explain. "Chester Doolittle."

"Oh Merlin, Hermione," he said, trying and failing not to burst out laughing. "What a ridiculous name!"

"I know, I know," she said, struggling not to laugh herself. "But he was so sweet."

"That's what the girls always say," he said, chuckling. "So why exactly are you thinking about this poor, sweet old gay man then?"

"Harry," she reprimanded, even though she looked deathly amused. "And I'm thinking about him because he's the only other person that I've kissed."

"Okay...?"

"It's weird, isn't it? Thinking about this today, I get it." She shrugged. "But I can't help it. The last person I kissed was named Chester Doolittle! That kind of sticks with you, you know?"

"So what you're really trying to tell me is that the last person you want to have kissed is actually Harry James Potter?" He asked the question as a joke, but the humour was lost as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Hermione was tempted to turn around at that point, but she didn't. The moment she met his eyes directly would be the end of everything. She just had a feeling.

"There was something I wanted to tell you," he said, stepping further into the room. "Before, you know, the big show."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he assured her. "It's just, well, I just wanted to apologise, for everything. I know that I've made this really difficult for you and, for that, I have to apologise. I'm sorry I ever asked you to wait for me, and I'm sorry I asked you to marry me before we'd even started living our lives.

"I'm also sorry that I asked you not to marry him. That was unfair of me and you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve my reaction, and I'm sorry I've confused you with my presence."

Hermione just stared at him.

"I never wanted to hurt you. I know you know that, but it all ends up hurting all the same, doesn't it? The intention doesn't matter, and now we're here, Hermione; and you're about to marry my brother."

"Harry?"

"No," he said quickly; "just listen to me, okay?"

"I'm listening."

He took a deep breath. "I have never loved someone as much as I love you," he admitted, and her eyes widened at the words, particularly the tense. "I was young and I was stupid. I had something to prove, and I'm sorry you got caught up in all of it. I was a real git about it, and I'm sorry. Merlin, I am so sorry, Hermione.

"So this is my wedding gift to you, okay? I'm going to put this all behind me. You're starting a new life with Bennet and that's what's best for us right now. We're going to close this chapter, and we're both going to leave this room with clean slates, and start our fresh new lives."

She continued to stare, visibly thinking hard about something. "Thank you," she eventually said, words that meant that she agreed with him. "Just, umm..."

Harry didn't need her to finish her sentence for him to know what she wanted to say. They started to move at the same time, Harry striding forward and Hermione turning to face him.

Hermione closed her eyes, physically bracing herself for the moment his lips would cover hers. She didn't expect the gentleness of his touch, nor did she anticipate the shiver that shot straight down her spine.

Harry lost himself in the kiss for a moment; the familiarity of her threatening to overwhelm him. Before it went any further, Harry's eyes snapped open and he pulled back. He imagined that her look of panic mirrored his own, and he was made glaringly aware of the fact that he had one hand resting at her waist while the other was still caressing her cheek.

Hermione was staring at him with wide eyes, her hands clutching his lapels rather possessively.

"Harry," she breathed, her eyes meeting his. What he saw was enough to steal his breath. She looked surprised by something, even overwhelmed, as if she was suddenly remembering something she had forgotten.

Before he could respond - though he wasn't sure what he would say - they were kissing again. He couldn't be sure who leaned in for the second time but it suddenly didn't matter. This kiss was harder, more rushed, and drew a moan from both of them. With a small sigh, Hermione's lips parted and Harry's tongue immediately slipped inside.

The kiss was hot, wet and demanding, and Harry drew her closer to him, circling his arm around her waist. He could feel her hands in his hair and all coherent thought failed him all at once. There was nothing else but this; but Hermione in his arms and her tongue tangling with his.

The heat was almost too much and Harry knew that if they didn't stop; they wouldn't be able to.

It was Hermione who gathered her wits first, and pulled away from him, absently pushing on his chest. They were both breathing hard but neither of them spoke.

"Harry," she eventually said.

He fully released her and took a large step back. "Chester Doolittle, eat your heart out," he whispered.

She swallowed. "We probably shouldn't have done that," she said.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But we did, and now you know."

"Now I know," she repeated in a whisper.

Harry risked a smile. "I should probably go," he said. "I'll see you out there, okay?"

She took a breath. "Why are you so calm about this?" she asked suddenly.

He shrugged. "I decided to turn the feelings off," he admitted. "I knew my Occlumency shields would come in handy one day."

"Harry," she said in disapproval.

"I'm kidding," he assured her, before he turned serious. "But this is what you wanted, Hermione, and I'm not going to stop it for you. If it's what you want, then do it yourself." Harry would say and do nothing more. This was it for him.

He looked at her one last time, as if he were memorising her features for all of eternity. And then he turned and left the room, determined not to look back. He headed down the corridor, not sure how to feel about this strange turn of events. He could still feel her lips on his and he was sure that he had a goofy grin on his face.

But it had nothing on the residual thumping in his chest.

On his way, he encountered Sarah, who was beaming at him as she practically skipped down the corridor.

"What's up with you?" he asked.

"What's up with you?" she countered.

"You first."

She raised an eyebrow. "My father is here," she informed him. "He's actually here, Harry. I mean, he actually came. Can you believe it?"

"Wow," he sounded, genuinely surprised. He'd forgotten about Hermione's father. "Hermione is going to be so happy," he said, starting to move past her.

Sarah grabbed hold of his arm to stop him, and she looked right into his eyes. "It's the weirdest thing, you see, because he wasn't going to come at first. But then he received a phone call from a man who claimed to care about Hermione very much. This man managed to convince him that Hermione needed him here for this momentous occasion."

He swallowed. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Thank you, Harry," she said softly, kindly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said flatly.

"Sure you don't."

Harry said nothing more as he continued past her towards the ballroom. His mother paused in her conversation with someone he didn't recognise when he arrived, and then moved towards him.

"Harry, your hair!" she exclaimed. "What happened to it?"

He couldn't exactly tell her that Hermione had just been running her fingers through it so he just watched as she tried - and failed - to flatten his mop of hair.

"How's Bennet?" she asked.

"Fine," he deadpanned.

"Is he on his way?"

"I suspect so."

"I hope you're not planning on doing anything to ruin this wedding, Harry."

His eyes narrowed. "And why would I do that?"

"Because it's obvious to just about everyone that you're still in love with her."

Harry took in a sharp breath. How could she say that so calmly? "If I were planning on doing something, surely I would have done it before now, don't you think? Why would I make a scene in front of all these people?"

"Good," she said, her tone unrecognisable.

"Can I go now? Or do have anything else for me to do and not do?"

She sighed. "Head to the front then. I'll get Ben."

Harry made his way to the front of the ballroom where Father Oliver Rose was waiting for the ceremony to begin. The Father eyed Harry apprehensively, which Harry found particularly amusing. If this man only knew what he and Hermione had been doing just minutes before.

Harry was actually tempted to ask the old man what made him think that he and Hermione would survive marriage. Despite his curiosity, he kept his mouth shut.

Sirius arrived at Harry's side before Bennet did, and Harry was surprised by the relief he felt. He did not want to have to deal with

"There's still time," Sirius whispered.

Harry glanced at him. "It's her choice," he said softly.

"So if she doesn't end up walking down that aisle, what would you say?"

"I'd probably pass out," he joked.

Sirius' reply was halted by Bennet's arrival. Harry's older brother moved to stand on his right, a smug look on his face. Harry wanted to wipe it right off, but he was determined to hold onto his anger to get through the ceremony.

"It's starting," Sirius said, as the music began to play. All attention turned to the back of the hall where the little flower girl - Hermione's cousin's daughter - entered through the large doors. She was adorable.

Next came Sarah, who was smiling secretively. Her eyes were on Harry, which made him uncomfortable. She definitely knew something he didn't, and he just knew that he wasn't going to like it.

Next was Luna, who made a point of not looking at Harry. If he wasn't standing at the front of the ballroom, he might have laughed at how ridiculous this all was.

Next, well, should have been Hermione. Only, nobody followed. The music played on and on, yet no bride emerged through those doors. Harry could feel his heart rate rising and the guests began to murmur to themselves.

When the music stopped, so did the murmuring. Eyes turned towards Bennet, but he was glaring at his brother.

"What did you do?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Harry didn't respond, nor did he even look at Bennet. This angered his brother, and he growled in response.

Before he could say anything further, an older man showed himself in the doorway. Harry assumed that it was Hermione's father, Michael Granger, who looked rather flustered by this turn of events.

"She's gone," he said simply. "She was here a second ago, but now she's just gone."

Harry looked at Sarah, who was beaming behind her bouquet of flowers. His brow furrowed at the sight. Did she know? Did she know that Hermione would take off, today of all days?

"She's gone," Michael repeated, which prompted Sarah into action. She started moving, practically racing back down the aisle towards her father. As soon as she reached him, she led him out of the ballroom and, from the distinct sound of a CRACK; Harry knew that there were no longer any Grangers in the house.

It was the Potters who were in the limelight now.

Bennet turned his entire body to face his brother, blind rage plastered across his face. "This is all your fault!" he yelled right into Harry's face.

Harry decided it was best not to respond.

"What did you say to her? What did you do? I knew it! I knew you would try to steal her back!"

Harry was sure that Bennet said a couple of other things but he was only aware of the collective gasp when Bennet drew his wand. Well, to the Muggles, it was just a stick, but it was still enough cause for alarm.

Lily reacted first as she stood up, hissing at her older son: "Bennet, put that thing away!"

Thankfully, he complied, though it didn't stop him from continuing his verbal attack on his brother. "You did this. You ruined it all, and I will never forgive you!"

Harry wasn't sure what he was seeing in Bennet's eyes, but it wasn't anything good.

"You know what," he said, shaking his head in disgust. "Dad was right about you."

Harry took the bait. "Excuse me?"

"You were always weak, misguided, and insufferable," he said, spitting in Harry's face. "You should have just stayed away. Why did you have to come back?"

"I was needed here."

"You should have just stayed away," he repeated. "You should have just stayed away. We were all happy before you came back."

"Of course you would think that this is my fault," Harry hissed. "You think that Hermione's leaving right now is my fault? Well, you're wrong. Think again, Bennet. I'm the one who's been here."

His eyes narrowed. "You did this! You took her away from me!"

Harry shook his head. "You're wrong. My entire life, you've taken from me; you've been the shadow over my life, and it's going to be that way until the day I die. But I did not take her away. Not today, Bennet. That, running out of here like this, that was all her."

"All her, huh?" he asked, his expression hardening. Harry could tell that Bennet was about to say some very ugly things to his brother, and he had decided that keeping up appearances no longer mattered. The entire ballroom suddenly didn't matter. This was between two brothers. "It's really quite sad, actually. How could you even think she would change her mind about me? It's pathetic."

Harry frowned.

"Oh, didn't you think that she would tell me? Made her promise not to mention it, didn't you?" He smiled a truly sickly smile. "Didn't think she would, now did you? Begging like the dog that you are. We even laughed about it."

Harry swallowed. He tried to convince himself that everything that was being said was done so with the aim to hurt him. It didn't necessarily mean that it wasn't true though.

"But who is Hermione to you anyway, right? It's one thing my taking Hermione from you now, but she isn't even the first girl of yours I've had."

Harry tried desperately not to rise to the bait, but he couldn't help it. "What are you talking about?" He had his fists clenched and his knuckles were starting to turn white from the force.

Bennet glared at Harry. "Cho didn't tell you, did she?"

It was Luna who spoke up, confusing Harry that bit more. "Bennet, no," she said, shaking her head. "Don't."

"Tell me what?" Harry prompted, looking from Bennet to Luna and then back to Bennet. "What?"

"You've just ruined my relationship," Bennet said, stepping forward and towering over his brother from the higher step. "I think I'd like to ruin yours."

Harry merely frowned again - had he even stopped? What was going on here?

"Didn't you ever think about why Cho ever started dating you? Or why she even broke up with you?" He didn't allow Harry to respond. "You're not the only one who can make bets, Harry."

"And you think that's going to ruin our relationship?" Harry asked, trying to stay calm.

Bennet just grinned. "I almost wish she were here, so she could tell you herself."

"Bennet, please don't." It was Luna again. She stepped closer to the two brothers, looking rather pale. What did she know? Better yet, what didn't she want Harry to know?

"Tell him then!" Bennet yelled.

"Cho has to tell him," Luna said.

"Tell him!"

Harry was still trying to wrap his head around what Bennet and Luna were trying to convey to him. His mind wouldn't allow him to come to terms with the fact that Cho was somehow involved in whatever they were debating about telling him. Because, he quickly realised, deep down, he already knew.

"Tell him!" Bennet yelled, making people flinch.

Luna turned her attention to Harry. "Listen, Harry, you have to know that Cho never actually wanted to hurt you."

"What are you talking about? Why do you even know about any of this?"

"We were both in Ravenclaw," she explained. "In the beginning, Cho used to talk about it all the time. All the girls knew."

"Knew what?"

Luna glanced at Bennet, who was still raging. "There was this bet. It was stupid, and Cho lost, so your brother made her ask you out. She was just supposed to date you for a little while and then humiliate you with the break-up. But then, I suppose, she started to really like you, and she just couldn't do it."

Harry just listened to what she was saying, ignoring all the eyes on them. Slowly, his hatred for his brother was growing, and his feelings for both Hermione and Cho were getting jumbled up in his mind.

Luna continued after a significant nudge from Bennet. "At the end of her last year, there was this party, and she ended up drinking a little too much."

Bennet picked up the thread, enjoying it a little too much. "Cho and I slept together!" he exclaimed, and the gasp from the guests was barely registered by either brother.

Harry's breathing halted, his mind reeling. Wait, what?

"From what I understand, Bennet wanted to tell you and hurt you in the worst way possible," Luna continued. "Cho offered to break up with you as they had originally agreed instead, so she did. I know for a fact that she felt terrible."

Harry turned to look at Bennet, finding his voice after a significant amount of time. "You're a sick bastard, did you know that?"

He smiled that sick smile that made Harry's blood boil. "The worst part, really, Harry, is that neither Hermione or Cho is as good in bed as they look."

That was the moment that Harry lunged. He led with his fist, which caught Bennet off guard. They both landed significant blows in their little brawl until Sirius and Neville were able to pull them apart.

"I'll kill you," Bennet spat out, pointing at Harry. "I swear I'll kill you!"

Harry fought to release himself from Neville's hold. He felt for his lip, which he now knew was bleeding. There was also a strange pain in his stomach, as if all his internal organs had been jarred by the impact of Bennet's fists.

Harry didn't say a word more as he made his way out of the ballroom. Once he was out of sight, he Apparated back to his apartment, intent on never ever emerging. He immediately locked his floor, allowing nobody access to the penthouse.

It took him quite some time to settle down enough to get himself a drink. He figured that today's events warranted a stiff drink. He needed something to take his mind off of the shitstorm that was now his life. What had just happened?

What was going to happen at work on Monday?

Harry spent the rest of the weekend locked away from the world, nursing his broken heart and tending to his wounds. The strange ache in his abdomen didn't seem to be letting up but he figured that he deserved to feel more pain, after everything that had happened.

If people were trying to get in contact with him, he wouldn't know. He wasn't bothered to hear what anyone had to say to him. Least of all Cho. Or Hermione.

Merlin, did Hermione know? Did she know just what she left behind when she decided to make her escape?

Harry wasn't sure if he was allowed to feel happy that she wasn't married to his brother. He was mad at her. How could she have just left? Without a word? Without saying anything.

Harry wondered if it was the kiss they'd shared, but he wasn't naive enough to think that that could have swayed her. And it would have been incredibly egocentric for him to think that she did any of it for him. Everything that she did these days, he quickly realised, was for her and her alone.

By Monday morning, Harry wasn't feeling any better, both physically and emotionally. But he knew he couldn't miss work. That would only make it worse, and he was going to have to face the day eventually. He just hoped that Hermione wouldn't be around. That, he definitely wouldn't know how to handle.

It amazed Harry, really, how normal the office could be. He felt the eyes on him as soon as he arrived but he paid no attention to any of them. Unfortunately, he was used to being stared at. He decided to give them all a few days' grace before he said something.

The lack-of-wedding was the talk of the Wizarding World. How could he deny them the chance to indulge?

Harry moved straight towards his office, passing by Mia and offering her a tight smile.

"What? No coffee?" she asked, smiling as she glanced down at his empty hands.

Harry sighed. "I'm so sorry," he said softly. "I completely forgot. I'll make it up to you somehow, I promise."

"Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you," she said, and Harry had to hand it to her for taking the opportunity. She definitely should have been in Slytherin. "It's actually a favour, and you know I wouldn't ever really ask you for anything, but it's kind of important."

"What is it?"

"I made an appointment for you at St Mungo's, just for a check-up," she explained. "And you have to be there at three o'clock tomorrow."

Harry wanted to protest but he had a feeling his words would fall on deaf ears. And, if he were being truthful, he did feel rather under the weather. "Okay."

If she was surprised by the ease in which he gave in, Mia said nothing. "I'm not accepting any visitors, nor am I scheduling any meetings today," she informed him. "Today is a strict closed-door day."

Harry managed a small smile. "Thank you, Lady Mia," he said sincerely. "Don't know what I would do without you." It was the truth and they both knew it.

Once Harry was in his office, he felt calmer. This place was familiar but it didn't do much to ease the uneasiness he felt. Well, it was more dizziness, if it were properly defined.

Harry settled into his seat and tried to calm himself. The dull ache in his abdomen wasn't receding. Well, it was getting progressively worse and he didn't like it.

He was just about to call for Mia when she came tumbling in, looking panicked.

"Harry," she said, sounding a bit breathless.

"What?"

"There's a call coming in from St Mungo's," she said. "About Teddy."

Harry rushed to stand up. Too fast. He had to place a steadying hand on his desktop. "What about Teddy?"

"It's his grandmother."

"What are they saying?"

"They need you to go down there," she said, her eyes betraying her obvious worry. "Something has happened."

"What?"

"I don't know. Just get down there, Harry. Now."

Harry couldn't quite gather his thoughts as he attempted to take a step. He felt sluggish, beyond tired.

"Mia," he mumbled, his eyes losing focus. He didn't think that she heard him because she didn't respond. Harry wasn't even sure that he heard himself. He tried for another step towards her but the world started to spin. "They'll have to come here," he said, immediately knowing what was about to happen. "I'm afraid I won't be able to go there."

There was this lovely moment of clarity just before Harry passed out where everything and everyone in his life seemed utterly insignificant, and it was everything he ever wanted.

Finally, an escape from it all.