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A/N: Well, it's been a long wait for this chapter, hasn't it? I'm really, really, really, sorry! In my defense, it was only two weeks! Yes, I know that you're accustomed to weekly chapters, but… Well, if you re-read *Prophecy*, I'm sure you'll see why this fic was… er… temporarily pushed to the back burner… Oh, by the way, check out my webpage and sign my guestbook if you get a chance! Well, here it is… The *first* wedding of the story! Now, excuse me while I run away so that you guys don't attack me for that last comment… Wonder whose wedding the other one will be… Hm… I have no freaking clue… Howabout you guys? Maybe Harry and Liz or was it Harry and Hedwig? I can never remember… Oh, by the way, I actually went to a wedding today… Anyone else see the irony? No? Oh well, here it is, the much awaited twelfth chapter!
Harry woke up the day of Hermione's wedding two hours later than he had planned with a huge headache. Apparently, after spending the early part of the night arguing with Fred and George, he had decided to take his mind off by having some good 'ole firewhiskey. Hermione could NOT find out. She would kill him.
Rolling over and looking at the clock, Harry discovered that he only had two hours until the three o'clock wedding. Well, actually, he only had half an hour until he had to be there.
"How in hell did I manage to sleep until one?" Harry muttered to himself as he threw the covers off of him and ran to take a shower. There was no time for breakfast this morning and he would have to change into his tuxedo when he got there.
Since Hermione's entire family was composed of muggles, the wedding was muggle-style. No itchy dress robes. Harry had thanked Hermione for this countless times.
After almost falling asleep standing in the shower, he ran into his bedroom and attempted to find something to wear that almost matched. Only twelve minutes to go.
Within two minutes, Harry had changed into a pair of jeans, a red polo shirt, and socks that were not quite matching, and trainers. Ten minutes to go.
Head pounding, he decided it would be a good idea to make coffee seeing as how he had only gotten a few hours of sleep the previous night and may or may not have been hung over. So, he ran around the kitchen trying to find coffee beans and a clean mug. Seven and a half minutes to go.
At four minutes left, the coffee pot overflowed causing Harry to burn his hand while attempting to remove the pot from the machine. Not a very good idea. Especially not when your hand slips because the pot is wet with coffee and brushes up against the hot plate. Stupid muggle electronics. Of all mornings to overflow! Thirty-three seconds to go.
Exactly a second before Harry had to be there, he was standing in the middle of his kitchen, cabinets covered in coffee that had seemed to spread the more he had tried to make it vanish and cursing his burnt hand and headache. With a pop, he was gone, leaving the mess behind.
"Hermione, you look beautiful," Harry said when he saw her. They were alone in the bride's dressing room. She really did look radiant in her flowing white dress. It was strapless. There were flowers beaded onto it. Not only did she look radiant, she seemed very happy.
"Thank you!" Hermione said cheerfully as she gave him a hug. "Why do you smell like coffee?"
"Never mind that," Harry said dismissively. "You feeling better?"
"Yeah, that's right, sorry about last night. I was kind of freaked out," Hermione apologized.
"Kind of freaked out? You actually suggested that WE get married," Harry said with a laugh.
"Yeah, well, I was desperate. I thought I would end up old and gray with just Crookshanks to keep me company," Hermione said with a shrug.
"Oh, so I'm just your backup?" Harry asked in a mock hurt tone.
"Yeah, pretty much. Well, actually, you're my back up for my back up," Hermione said teasingly.
"Excuse me while I go cry," Harry said with fake sadness. "If you don't mind me asking, who was your first backup?"
"Well, Fred and/or George were my original backups, but they do actually seem to be able to carry on decent relationships that aren't with each other, so I'm back with you," Hermione said, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm behind Fred and/or George?" Harry asked with a gasp.
"I used to find them silly, but everyone needs a bit of humor sometimes," Hermione said simply.
"I can be funny," Harry argued.
"Of course you can," Hermione said passively.
"I can!" Harry argued.
"Of course you can," Hermione said patiently.
"I can!" Harry argued for the third time.
"Sounds a bit like you're trying to convince yourself instead of me," Hermione said with raised eyebrows.
"Hey!" Harry said, just realizing what Hermione had said. "Were you implying that I can't carry on a decent relationship with anyone?"
"Well," Hermione began.
"Well what?" Harry asked defensively.
"It is hard to find someone as screwed up as—er—would understand you," Hermione said sweetly.
"I'll have you know that I have a perfectly normal relationship going with a perfectly normal girl right now," Harry said cockily.
"Yeah, you really sound like you love her," Hermione said as she rolled her eyes.
Harry glared at her.
"So, you aren't at all nervous anymore?" Harry asked after a few moments of glaring at her.
"Yes, I am, but I think it's just normal nerves," Hermione said half-heartedly.
"Hermione, what are you not telling me?" Harry asked after trying to read her expression for a few moments.
"Nothing, nothing at all. Everything is perfect," Hermione said dismissively. "My, look at the time, it's almost three."
"Wait just a moment," Harry said as he grabbed her arm.
"For what?" Hermione asked weakly.
"If your having any doubts, maybe you shouldn't go through with it," Harry spat out. He drew in a breath, waiting for her to blow up at him.
"What would make you think I'm having doubts?" Hermione asked in a confused voice that Harry saw right through.
"You want to know what I really think?" Harry asked. "I think that you don't really want to marry Victor and that he's just going to end up hurting you. I think he doesn't really love you anymore and that you don't love him anymore either—if you ever did," Harry spat out.
"Who told you that you could interfere in my love life?" Hermione asked as she glared at him. She looked as though she had just been slapped.
"You interfere with mine, I interfere with yours," Harry said spitefully.
Hermione glared at him for a moment before speaking.
"Looks like you don't know everything," Hermione said bitterly.
"Ms. Granger, it's time to begin the ceremony," The musician said, sticking her head in the door.
"Come on," Hermione said, grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him into the hall.
Standing in front of them were Lexi and a groomsman and Ginny and the best man. Lexi and her escort walked. Slowly. Hermione glared straight ahead. Harry silently cursed himself for being an idiot. Ginny and the best man walked down the isle. Before Harry knew it, it was time for him to walk Hermione down the isle. She had not looked at him once. Harry gulped and took her arm and they walked down the isle. He hated it. Every fiber of his being was telling him that Hermione should not be doing this, but what was he to do when she wouldn't listen to him?
Harry was vaguely aware of handing her off to Victor and then taking his seat in the first pew. He was also vaguely aware of Hermione and Victor exchanging vows. He later assumed that he had gone through the right motions and eaten cake and toasted the 'happy' couple. He didn't really remember any of it. It was as though he were a robot.
All he knew was that Hermione made a point not to speak to him once that evening. He and she danced just like the bride was supposed to dance with the person who gave her away. She didn't say one word to him. As a matter of fact, she seemed as though she could not wait to get the dance over with.
"Hey Harry," Lexi said as she sat down beside him at the table.
Harry looked up at her. She was all dolled up with her hair pulled elegantly back and curled and her makeup—usually dark—made her look wide eyed and energetic. Her dress—just like Ginny's—went straight down and brushed the tops of her ankles. It was a bit of a shiny navy blue with spaghetti strapped sleeves. She was wearing high heels that matched the dress.
"Hi," Harry grunted. It's not that he was trying to be mean, he just didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment.
"You seem to be pretty sad considering it's the best day of your best friend's life," Lexi inquired.
"Little bit," Harry agreed.
"Why so glum?" Lexi asked patiently.
"If I told you, she'd just be more pissed off at me," Harry said sadly.
"She doesn't have to know you told me," Lexi helped.
Harry looked up at her. She really did look like she wanted to know what was bothering him.
"It's just… I don't think Victor's… good enough for her," Harry said, trying to find the right words. "I think he'll hurt her and I've tried to tell her, but she doesn't want to hear it."
"I see. Maybe you're just being paranoid," Lexi suggested.
"I hope I am," Harry said with his head in his hands.
"If you're right, then you just have to be there for her when she realizes it, you know?" Lexi asked.
"I don't want her to get hurt," Harry said helplessly.
"I know, no one wants to see someone they love in pain, but she just has to find out about Victor on her own."
~~I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to update! I feel so guilty. I hope this chapter was good enough to wait for! Is it good? I'm not even sure! I know that I don't say too much about the wedding, but I figured Harry's feelings about it were more important… Oh, well, I hope you liked it! I'm hoping for… Oh, let's say… 88 reviews? That sounds good! Well, if you liked it, go review!~~
PotterChick1~ Of course Harry's going crazy! I sure as heck would! I hope you slept well… Two weeks ago… Lol!
Faith456~ Yeah, Adam Sandler is me fav! His movies are too funny! I dunno what my fav one is… Hmm… It's b/w "Billy Madison" and "Waterboy"… Hmm… Oh well… Yeah, I never liked Victor… I dunno… He's just a bit—er—shady! Yeah, that's the word! Shady!
Chiquita-3~ Yeah, writing H/Hr interactions are fun! No, I'm sorry, Hermione and Victor… Ugh! I can't say! Dude, I think I missed that episode of "Friends"!! I thought I had seen them all! Talk to ya later! Please, feel free to explain which episode it is so that I don't go insane!
Muse of the Stars~ You're impatient, aren't you? Don't worry, I am too! Things have to be wrong BEFORE they can be right… Lol!
Dracosprincipessa~ That's an interesting name… Lol! I don't know if anyone has ever read my story who's fav character was Draco… Hmm… Aww! I feel so loved! This is one of your favorites? That's SO nice! I feel so happy!
Queen of Zan~ No!! No mustard! Nope! I hate the stuff! Lol! Yeah, I know the whole 'to' and 'too' thing… Damn typo!! I'm an English freak too… Funny, people used to tease me for using correct English, but who's making an 'A' in the class now? *Evil laugh* Sorry, got carried away there… Dude, I came SO close to having cheesecake today… Close, but no—er---cheesecake!
Lannei~ I hope I didn't seem mean when I wrote about your review on *Prophecy*. I wasn't trying to be and if I was, I'm really sorry! I'm glad you like this story too and there's really nothing up with Ginny… She just wanted to make a cameo! Yeah, that's it, Ginny was feeling neglected and wanted to make a cameo!
HitManHand~ Cool! My first male reviewer! I think… Hmm… Confusion, yeah yeah, confusion (Sang to the tune of that *Daria* song… What was it? The one Trent sang on the movie…) Anywho, I'm glad you like it!
Sunlight704~ I'm so sorry! I usually update every Saturday night/Sunday afternoon, but I was busy re-writing my other fic! I hope this chapter was worth waiting for though! Sorry if it's not!