Till There Was You

Chapter 16: Hate To Say I Told You So

Disclaimer: Nope nope nope nope nope.

A/N: Well like I said, it took two weeks, but here's chapter 16. Hopefully future chapters will be out faster. We only have two or three more left!!!

"You can't do this?" They spoke in unison again. Then all of a sudden the tension seemed to break and Ron and Hermione smiled and let out small breaths of relief.

            "We should talk," the spoke in accord one last time.

            Ginny took charge quickly and sent everyone ahead to the Leaky Cauldron, which they had rented out for the wedding reception. People filed out of the church more than a little confused by what had just happened.

            Ron and Hermione sat down in the first row of pews and turned to each other. Hermione opened her mouth to begin but Ron cut her off.

            "No Mione let me go first and get all of this out. I know you must be confused right now, so I'll just lay everything out."

            Hermione frowned a little. She was confused? Should she be the one giving this speech?

            "The reason Harry objected is because of what I told him yesterday."

            "But," Hermione tried to interrupt.

            "Just let me finish Mione. Please?"

            Hermione bit her lip and nodded, reluctantly letting him continue.

            "He must have told everyone else, but the thing is Mione. Jeeze I don't know how to say this. Hermione, I met someone in France."

            Hermione saw Ron's face turn to panic as her jaw dropped in shock.

            "Mione please," Ron began pleading. "I know you must hate me, but please try not to. Just because…this doesn't mean I don't love you. You're my best friend. Mione I don't know what I'd do if we weren't friends anymore.  And you know I would never try and hurt you…it's just with Lana…it's…. it's…."

            "Indescribable?" Hermione offered.

            Ron face filled with guilt but turned to surprise as Hermione squeezed his hand and smiled soothingly.

            "Ron…" she said. "I sort of…found someone else too," she confessed.

            It was Ron's jaw's turn to drop. Hermione wasn't sure how he was going to react but was relieved when he let out a laugh. Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and laughed too.

            "Wow…" she thought aloud. "I can't believe we just almost married each other when we're in love with other people."

            ""It wouldn't have been so bad," Ron said.

            "No it wouldn't have. But it wouldn't have been…"

            "Indescribable?" he offered grinning.

            Hermione smiled, surprised at how calm she was. Her fiancée had just told her that he'd been having a secret affair in a foreign country, yet for the first time in six months everything seemed okay.

            "Mum's going to have a heart attack when we tell her," Ron mused.

            " I think she already had one."

            "So I guess this is it?"

            "It? Ronald Weasley, I believe we have a room full of people at the Leaky Cauldron waiting for us to start the party. Things are just getting started!"

            "You still think we should have the Wedding Reception?"

            "Let's call it a party for two best friends deciding that 'best friends' is precisely what they are."

            Hermione could tell Ron was both surprised and happy at how relaxed she was.    

            "Why aren't I marrying you again?" he teased as they began to get up.

            Before they stood all the way up Hermione sat them back down as a though struck her.

            "Wait! The woman in the back of the church…was that?"

            Ron blushed and a sheepish smile that he tried to hide crept onto his face. "Yeah…that was Lana."

            "I'd like to meet her," Hermione said honestly.

            "Speaking of Lana… you never mentioned the name of your mystery man."

            Hermione felt the color drain from her face and the queasiness she had felt earlier returned.

            "It's not important," she said.

            "Aw Mione just tell me. What do I know him?"

            "Well yeah but…"

            "Really? Well?" Hermione grew warmer and warmer as Ron continued questioning her.

            "Yeah…"

            Ron's eyes widened. "It's not Harry is it?"

            "No!" Hermione shot down the suggestion immediately.

            "Good," Ron said so firmly that Hermione grew even more nervous about telling him the man was Fred.

            "Well who is it then?"

            "Ron, I can't tell you. Not yet anyway," she prayed that he'd stop. She should have known better than to bother.

            "Mione, you're going to tell me. I'm not letting you off that easy."

            "Please Ron…"

            "I won't get angry at you. I swear."

            'It's not me I'm worried about,' she wanted to say.

            "Ron can we talk about it later. I think…"

            Suddenly there was a pop and Sarah appeared in the church a few pews behind them.

            "Sorry," she smile innocently. "Forgot my purse."

            Before she left Sarah raised her eyebrow and shrugged giving Ron an unsympathetic, somewhat amused, "I told you so," look. Then she apparated out.

            Hermione watched as Ron's face darkened and a flash of anger shown in his eyes.

            "He's fucking dead," he said and with that there was another small pop as he disapparated.

A/n: Well it took slightly over two weeks, but I tried…. I really did!! I've started the next chapter. It's the hardest chapter to write to date, but hopefully I'll get through it. I hope you liked this chapter. Sorry it's a little rushed, but I got kind of frustrated with it. Well keep up the great response; it's what keeps me going. Next update? Hopefully this coming weekend.

Love,

Bella