A/N: Welcome back yet again to the soap-opera-ey tale of 'Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Oven"! You know the disclaimer drill, so I'm not gonna say anything more. Enjoy!
A Promise Broken
Ron and Hermione celebrated the rest of the night with Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, and of course Mr. and Mrs. Weasely. Thought Hermione was disappointed that her parents couldn't come, she knew they'd be here for the rehearsal dinner.
Mrs. Weasley was overjoyed. "Oh now you can officially call me 'mum'!" she gushed, giving her a circulation-cutting hug. Fred and George slapped Ron's back. "Knew you had it in you, old boy! But you know, we've been meaning to ask you...If you proposed to Harry, why'd you ask Hermione too? Can't have one of both world's you know." Fred said, lowering his voice.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Harry was practicing with me, you stupid git."
George nodded knowingly. "Ah. I see." Then shot a disbelieving look at Fred, who returned it. Ron sighed and went over to Harry, who was positively beaming.
The Weasley's had pretty much adopted him (maybe not officially) and so now it was like Hermione was even more like family. Harry had hugged her and congradulated the two, but now he clinked a spoon against his tall glass of champanege.
"Hello! Best friend trying to make a toast here!" He yelled over the din. Everyone quieted down.
"Well, I'd just like to say, that these two are the most unlikely couple I've ever met." Ron's eyes widened in horror. Great start, Harry! He thought disapprovingly. "I remember the first time they met, they bickered worse than me and my cousin!" A few chuckles filled the air. "But we all knew what that meant. No one argues that much unless you're truly in love, and that's what these two are. Truly in love. Congradulations you two." He said, raising his glass in a salute and taking a sip.
"Here, here!" people murmured. Ron held Hermione close to his side.
The party raged late into the night, ending when Fred and George let off a couple of old time Filibuster Fireworks, despite the warnings of their father, who ended up agreeing.
After everyone had left, Harry stayed behind to help clean up. After he insisted and cleaning a few glasses, he led Ron and Hermione out onto the deck and washed dishes at the small kitchenette.
The fiancee's stood side by side on the balcony, looking out over the city of London. Big Ben chimed midnight, and the city was still alight with city lights and the headlights of cars. Hermione sighed contentedly, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I hope this is what it's like to be married, and not those dreadful stores everyone is always telling." she said.
"Yeah, me too." he said, putting his arm around her shoulders.
Harry watched from the kitchen, his eyes narrowing. You could have had her, Harry, he thought bitterly to himself. The brains, the body, everything. But you wasted it on your best friend. And now your every chance is ruined.
Sure he'd always been a loner, but that didn't mean he didn't love. The thing with Cho didn't last long, she was too, hmm. Harry didn't know how to explain it, but what he thought was right ever since the fourth year had turned out to be wrong. He had tried with Lavender Brown, but she was to uppity. Then Paravati, until he'd dated just about every girl in his year in Gryffindor and in Hufflepuff. Except Hermione. The one he really wanted. And now his chances were none, kaput, shattered.
Being a hero had always helped. He'd never intentionally used it to get girls until around the seventh year. And boy had it worked. But of course, they just wanted him because he was Harry Potter, not because they really liked him or knew him, like Hermione did.
The sliding door opened and Harry turned around, still scrubbing one of the cups with a sponge. Hermione frowned.
"Why aren't you using magic, Harry? You would have been done a long time ago." she said.
Oh duh! He thought to himself. "I like the muggle way better. I guess I think it just gets things cleaner." He said with a smile.
Hermione smiled and frowned at the same time. "Ok then. Well, I'll be getting changed." She gave Ron a quick kiss and then headed into the bedroom.
Ron shuddered. "I can't believe you use the muggle way even after seven years of magic school. I would never survive."
Harry laughed out loud. "It's not that bad, trust me. I had to do it my entire life when I was living with the Dursely's."
Ron nodded, understanding. He went over and looked in the refrigerator. Entirely cleaned out. He shut the door.
"Tell Hermione I ran to the store to get some food. We'll be starving in the morning. I'll be right back."
"Yeah ok." Harry said, putting away the glasses.
Ron walked out and shut the door. Now's your chance! Harry thought immediately.
Harry wiped his hands on a towel and walked into the bedroom where Hermione was changing into her night clothes. So far only the bottoms were on, and she was just putting on her shirt. Harry watched with rapt attention for a second then cleared his throat and said, "Oh sorry! I thought you'd be in the bathroom." and promptly turned away.
Hermione yanked the shirt down all the way. "Harry! Oh, I thought you'd gone home!" She walked up to the door and peeked out. "Where did Ron go?"
"Oh he went to the store to get some food. You guys got cleaned out tonight from the party I guess."
"Hm." she said, pulling her bushy brown hair into a messy ponytail. She sat down on the bed and picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet from that morning. Harry leaned on the doorframe, then casually sidled in.
"You looked beautiful tonight." he said smoothly.
Hermione's eyes looked up from the paper. "Thank you." she said in a slightly confused tone.
Harry came in even further. "Ron's very lucky, to have gotten you and all."
"Once again, thank you."
He sat on the bed next to her and searched her face. "You really have the most beautiful eyes."
Hermione scootched a bit further away from him. "Thank you."
Harry just moved closer to you. "I don't think I ever told you that I loved you."
Hermione cast a nervous glance at him. "Nope, don't think you said that. That's something that sticks out in one's mind."
Harry pushed his face into hers and pressed his lips against hers. Hermione's eyes got wide and tried to pull away, but Harry had his hand on the side of her face, holding her there. She tried to reach up and slap him, but he held her hands down with his free hand.
"What in blood hell is going on here?!" a voice yelled from the doorway.
Harry let go of her face and pulled away. "Uh oh." and then looked over at Hermione. "I told you not tonight!" He exclaimed at her.
Her face took on a look of bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"
Harry sighed, stood up, and walked over to Ron. "I'm sorry, man. She forced me into it. I told her not tonight but-"
Ron's fist flew and caught Harry in the side of his head. Ron's face flushed and his ears seemed to catch on fire with the shade of red they were turning. "Get out of my house!" he yelled.
"I think you broke my nose!" Harry yelled, putting his hand to his nose and pulling back blood onto his fingers.
"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Ron screamed, pointing to the door.
With a sullen look at Ron, then a wink at Hermione, he walked out into the living room, then out the door.
Hermione got up and ran to Ron and threw her arms around his neck. "I don't know what that was all about, but I-" Ron had thrown her off.
"Ron, you don't believe that bastard do you?" she asked, disbelief rising in her voice.
"I don't know what was going on here, but I know that something was wrong, and it had something to do with you."
"Ron, he kissed me! He grabbed my face and held me there! I tried to stop him, but he had my hands pinned and-"
Ron turned his back on her. "I'll sleep on the couch tonight, thank you very much." and went and did just that, except they didn't have a couch yet, so really he just stretched out on a space of floor where a couch should be.
Hermione gaped after him, her heart depleated, then her blood boiled with anger. She slammed the door shut and ran onto the bed and cried into her pillow.
A/N: Dun dun dun!!! Harry's not so heroic in this story, now is he? Sorry to those of you who are totally obsessed and think Harry is a saint and all. I decided to take a different outlook on things. Please don't flame, just give constructive criticism!!! Once again, the standard disclaimer!