Chapter 10

Harry closed the door, the noise immediately dissipating as he did. "It's just me." He called out.

"Ward the door and come in," Hermione's voice called out from behind the screen.

Harry took the ten seconds he needed to do as she asked, "It wasn't warded when I came in…"

"That's because my mom just left." Hermione said face peeking out from behind the screen. "And I hadn't managed to get back to the door yet."

"Yeah…" Harry stepped closer, and felt his face pull into a smile as she stepped from behind the partition, "you look absolutely beautiful, Hermione."

Hermione's doubts eased, "I still have to finish doing my hair, but…" she twirled around, her gown flowing around her, "otherwise, this is what you'll be seeing shortly."

"Ron's going to be utterly speechless." Harry sincerely stated at his dearest friend. "But," he swallowed, "I just want to make sure…because, while you are stunningly beautiful…you aren't glowing." He met her warm eyes with his own, "And you should be." He trailed his fingers across her cheeks, "It's your wedding day."

She feigned a wide smile despite the tears in her eyes, "I know."

"Are you absolutely certain you want to go through with this?" Harry asked, "It's not too late to say no."

"But it…" Hermione closed her eyes, "is, Harry." She felt his arms around her and she leaned into his embrace.

"No," Harry breathed into her unruly hair, "it isn't. I'm sure if you called off the wedding, she'd be there waiting for you with open arms."

Hermione felt the tears against the back of her eyes, "I had my opportunity, and I…" she gasped as the tears she had managed to hold at bay spilled off her lashes, "said…no."

"I know you did." Harry continued to soothingly rub her back.

"I said no…" Hermione choked as the tears continued flowing down her cheeks. "How could I have said…no…"

"Because you were scared," Harry reiterated for the thirtieth time in as many days, "and wanted to remain with Ron because you felt as though you owed it to him." Harry paused and pulled back slightly, "You know you don't owe him, right? And no matter how hard it will be for the next few weeks, even months if you cancel the wedding; it will get easier."

"I can't cancel." Hermione breathed as she tried to stop the tears, "Merlin Harry," she lifted her head upward towards the sky, "I wish I could," she half sobbed, half chuckled at the irony her life had become, "but I can't." She pulled in a labored breath as she lowered her gaze to meet his, "And you know as well as I why I can't."

Olive eyes teared up, "You can, Hermione. I promise, it'll be alright."

"Yes, it will even though I am going to marry him." Hermione said with a false sense of surety, "Because I do love him."

"I know," Harry agreed with a heavy sigh, "but you aren't in love with him."

"No," Hermione said as she wiped away the tear streaks from her cheeks, "but I'm also not in love with Minerva."

"But given just a bare minimum of time, I know as well as you that you'd be deeply in love."

"Well," Hermione cleared her throat, "as I'm not going to call off the wedding, I guess we'll never know."

Harry reached up, wiping a stray tear off moist lashes, "I'm not going to debate you, love." He sadly smiled, "It is after all," he took a deep breath to brace himself as he uttered the words, "your wedding day."

Xoxo

a/n: Happy Wedding day!