This is a short fic I wrote before 'Element', I used a particular story line from 'Friends', those of you who are fans will recognise it. Check out my other fic, D/H it's called 'Element'. Love ya fellow Potter fans! ::grins::
Crashed the Wedding
"Lavender"! I yelled from my bedroom, "Do you remember where Harry put Hedwig's owl food"?
"Yes"! she yelled back as I hoisted my suitcase down the stairs, "why"?
"Because" I said rather dramatically dragging the case into the living room, "I'm going to Bulgaria".
"Ron" she said sinking down onto the couch clutching her stomach, "you can't go, it'll ruin everything. You already said you weren't going to go because you wanted to stay and look after me since I'm carrying twins".
"Lavender" I said, "I feel terrible leaving you but I have to go. I love her, Lavender, I have to tell her".
"Ron you missed your chance, you could have told her so long ago" she said briskly "I'm sorry I can't let you go".
"Lavender please understand. I love her so much. If I don't tell her now, I'll never do it".
"Well it'll have to be never Ron" she said stubbornly blocking the doorway, "I'm sorry honey it's over".
I paused for a moment, contemplating her advice. But no it's not over...
"Lavender it's not over until someone says I do, and I'm going".
I kissed her cheek and she stood aside.
"Good luck" she said, "but just for the record, I had nothing to do with this".
As soon as I arrived in Bulgaria my heart started thumping more wildly in my chest. I'm here now I told myself, come on pull yourself together...
I followed the written instructions that I had received along with the invitation to the church where the wedding was going to be held, and before I knew it, I was there staring up at it's religious majesty. There were photographers and journalists milling around outside. Journalists? Oh yes Viktor Krum Internationally Famous Quidditch Player, and of course my best friend Harry Potter Seeker for the England Quidditch team. Just looking apprehensively at the church nudged my conscience for the first time. Should I do this to her? To everyone? Do I have a right to? Ignoring my doubts I walked slowly up the steps into the entrance hall and bumped straight into Harry.
"Ron"! he said enthusiastically, "you came"!
"Yeah" I said highly subdued now that I was here and there was no turning back, "I made it".
"How's Lavender"? enquired Harry as he directed me to the men's rooms to change into my tux.
"She's fine," I said shortly, all too aware of how sweaty and shaking I was suddenly becoming.
"Ron" said Harry stopping in a quiet corridor suddenly, "why did you change your mind"?
"Oh, you know" I replied quietly not meeting his eyes, "Lavender said it was ok..."
"Ron, you're not going to..." said Harry breaking off exasperatedly.
"Going to what"? I asked playing for time, as though I had no idea what he was talking about.
"Damn it Ron you know what I mean"! said Harry shaking me, "why didn't you tell her the truth when she told us"?
"Because she doesn't love me back Harry"! I yelled.
"Then what's the point in telling her now"? he yelled back.
"Because if I keep it in for one more day I'm going to burst, and if I tell her it won't matter because she doesn't love me anyway".
"Well on your head be it Ron," said Harry turning around.
"What was all that yelling"? said a soft voice behind me.
My heart leapt and my stomach dropped all at the same time as I turned round to face her.
She looked stunning.
Wearing a pure white gown embroidered with delicate flowers that showed off her lovely figure, her normally bushy hair straight down her back a long white veil blowing behind her as she ran to hug me, Hermione Granger looked as beautiful as she ever did.
"Ron"! she yelled "you made it"!
"Yeah" I replied trying to sound genuinely happy that I was there to see her wedding, "I'm here". I saw Harry over her shoulder giving me the thumbs up, shaking his head then walking off.
Her arms still around me I breathed in the elusive scent of roses on her neck and wished I could kiss it. She finally let go of me and I steeled myself...do it now...now...
"Hermione I have to tell you something" I said suddenly.
"Yes Ron"? she said smiling.
"I just wanted to say" I began.
Pause.
"Yes Ron"? she said again.
She looked so beautiful, how can I do this?
"Congratulations Hermione" I whispered kissing her cheek gently.
"Thanks Ron" she murmured.
I turned and walked, not looking back.
The guests were assembled in the church, sitting on the pews waiting for the bride to enter.
The groom's guests on the left and the bride's on the right, where I was sitting, between Harry and Padma Patil.
The best man was standing with Viktor Krum at the altar with the vicar, and I could see from here that he was eyeing Parvati Patil who was Hermione's maid of honour. Well I thought dully to myself, the best man usually does fall for the maid of honour.
Suddenly a burst of Hermione's favourite music resounded in the church, and the entire congregation rose to see the door open and Hermione walk down the aisle accompanied by her father, behind a flower girl. I sank down lower in my seat feeling my face burning with a mixture of emotion. Harry nudged me and smiled reassuringly. "You'll be fine Ron", he said.
"I didn't tell her," I whispered back.
"Well done Ron" whispered back Harry smiling at various guests at the same time, "I knew you had sense".
I didn't reply.
"If the congregation could be seated, then I shall begin the service" came the vicar's voice.
There was silence as the vicar turned to Viktor.
"Repeat after me please" he said.
"I Viktor Krum".
"I Viktor Krum".
"Take thee Hermione Granger".
"Take thee Hermione Granger".
"To be my lawful wedded wife".
"To be my lawful wedded wife".
"For richer for poorer and in sickness and in health".
"For richer for poorer and in sickness and in health".
"Until death do us part".
"Until death do us part".
"Now Miss Hermione Granger, repeat after me please.
"I Hermione Granger".
"I Hermione Granger".
"Take thee Viktor Krum".
"Take thee Ron".
There was a collective gasp around the enormous hall. Relatives, friends, journalists and photographers alike held their breath.
There followed the longest, loudest silence I had ever heard.
It was punctuated by the vicar's distant voice a few seconds later to Viktor and Hermione, "shall I continue"?
I sunk down so far in my pew that the only people who could see me were Padma and Harry. They both stared incredulously at me as I felt the colour of my face match that of my hair.
What? How? Why? Why? Why?
These questions tumbled from my mind but not my mouth as Harry and Padma continued to stare at me.
I chanced a look at Viktor and Hermione. Neither had looked away from each other's eyes, and I could see from where I was hiding that Viktor's eyes blazed with anger but also a sense of fulfilled expectancy.
Hermione broke away from his gaze and ran down the aisle again followed by Harry and myself trying to shield myself as much as possible. As we closed the doors behind us I could hear an eruption of speech break out in the hall.
I looked anywhere except at Hermione's face, and heard Harry say "Follow me".
We followed him silently to a small room upstairs. "Here" he said, "I know you guys are my best friends and everything, but this is something you two are going to have to sort out".
He left us there, each of us staring determinedly at the opposite wall.
"Ron"? said Hermione tentatively.
"Yes Hermione"? I said looking into her eyes for the first time.
"Do you want to know why I said what I did"?
"Please, Hermione" I replied with a touch of sarcasm.
She looked up, hurt.
Why did I always turn so obnoxious when I talked to her?
"Ron there's no need to be like that".
Suddenly everything I had been feeling for the last 10 years erupted. Never before had I displayed such a show of emotion as I was doing now.
"Hermione do you have any idea how I've felt about you the last 10 years? No you don't do you? You didn't pick up any of the hints that I was jealous of you and Viktor. No don't look at me like that, what was I supposed to do? Just come out with it? I love you Hermione, I have done for ten years, and I wasn't going to tell you, ever. How could I? You were engaged, then you were getting married. It was all too fast Hermione, I couldn't cope. I came here to tell you, but I couldn't do it, I found that your happiness was more important than my feelings. Then you go and mix up my name with Viktor's just 'cause you're stressed out. Why play with my emotions Hermione? Why couldn't you have just said the right name to stop getting my hopes up?"
I stormed past Hermione, ready to wrench the door open when she laid a hand on my arm.
I froze, trembling at her touch.
"Ron" she said again, "please listen to me".
I turned and faced her, eyes still blazing, ears red as my hair.
"Ron I didn't mix up the names because I was stressed out", she whispered.
I refused to believe it.
"Then why did you"? I snapped.
"I mixed them up because you came and mixed everything up", she said staring defiantly at me.
"How could I mix stuff up"? I said, not so cruelly this time.
"Ron please" said Hermione with a shadow of a smile, "figure it out".
"Hermione, don't joke with me" I said.
"I'm not Ron. Do you want me to have an emotional outburst now"?
"Fine".
"Ron I was confused, because ages ago when Viktor asked me to the Yule Ball I was actually hoping to go with you. But then he asked me and everything changed. I liked him more and more and eventually I fell in love with him. You became my best friend again but nothing more, because I tried to push you out of my mind. I started having doubts as soon as you arrived here, and when I mixed up the names it was my subconscious telling me to do the right thing. I love you Ron, and only you".
I was silent. Holding my breath I realised it was true...she wasn't joking.
She moved towards me, bringing her face close to mine and kissed my lips gently.
I felt passion surge through me, and putting my hands on her face, I kissed her with all the love I had felt for her from the years gone by.