A/N: This is my first fanfic so I'm hoping it's not too horrible. Reviews will be much appreciated, I won't continue the story if there isn't any interest. And don't worry, I'll most probably make full explanations of characters in the next chapter. Chapters may also be longer in the future, this is kind of an introduction so I couldn't put too much in.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Harry Potter though I very much wish I did.
At the sound of a knock, Harry looked up from the piece of parchment on which he had been writing a note to the Minister of Magic.
"Come in," he said wearily, putting his quill down on his desk. The visitor, a brown haired woman of around twenty-five, slowly opened the door. "Hermione! This is a pleasant surprise," Harry exclaimed, getting up from behind his desk to embrace his best friend of fourteen years.
"How are you Harry?" asked Hermione, as they both sat down, Harry behind his desk and Hermione in front of it.
"I'm good. Busy dealing with dark wizards as usual. You know how it is," Harry said, smiling. Hermione looked over at him with concern. He had been working hard, she could tell. There were dark circles under Harry's eyes that seemed to have found a permanent dwelling on his face.
"Why don't you take a vacation, Harry? You look exhausted," said Hermione.
"There's just so much to do around here, Hermione. Malfoy does his share of course but it never seems to end. All the old death eaters seem determined to take Voldemort's place," Harry sighed. "But anyway you have yet to tell me, to what do you I owe this pleasure?"
At this question, Hermione looked rather sheepish. "Am I not allowed to visit my best friend just to say hi? I haven't seen you in so long and—" Hermione trailed off at the suspicious look on Harry's face. "And well uh, I just wanted to tell you that uh well, Ron proposed," she finished, blushing furiously.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"
Seemingly encouraged by Harry's composure, Hermione continued, "Yes and well, we're thinking about setting the date a month from today. We'll send you an official invitation of course but I wanted to let you know informally first because we'd love it if you could come."
Harry stiffened. "We? Are you sure about that Hermione?"
"Harry, you're our best friend. Why wouldn't we want you there? Our wedding can't happen without you. You have to be Ron's best man and—"
Harry interrupted her, "Does Ron know you're here?" He spoke quietly but the sadness in his voice was overwhelming.
"Well—yes—in a sense—Ron really wants you to be there," Hermione finished lamely.
"Oh really? And is that why he's sitting right next to you asking me to be his best man at his wedding?" asked Harry, his words deep with sarcasm.
"But Harry—"
"But what Hermione?" Harry asked, springing to his feet. "What excuse are you going to give for him this time? He hates me and that's all there is to it."
"He doesn't hate you."
"Ok then, he deeply despises me," said Harry, getting angrier by the minute.
"Ron could never hate you. You're the best friend he ever had and—"
"Well gee if this is how he treats his best friend, I'd hate to see how he treats his enemies."
"Harry, just give him a chance."
"It isn't about giving him a chance Hermione. He hates me. And there's nothing I can to change that. He blames me for everything—for something that wasn't even my fault."
"It was hard on him Harry. His heart wanted to find someone to blame and you seemed like the only option. It made sense to him at the time."
"At the time? Then explain to me why he still hates me for it."
"It affected him a lot, Harry. It still does…"
"And me? I'm just dandy without her, aren't I? Do you think I go one bloody day without thinking about her? Who the hell does he think he is, thinking that he's the only one suffering?" Harry sank down in his chair with one bitter tear rolling down his face. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Harry—"
"I'm not going to go to a wedding where the groom hates me," Harry said quietly.
"If that's the way you want it." Hermione sighed and stood up. She knew the conversation was over. She was about to open the door to leave when Harry spoke.
"And Hermione?" he said in the same quiet voice. Hermione looked over at him to acknowledge that she'd heard him. "Congratulations." She nodded and left the room.
When she walked out of the room and down the corridor, she saw Draco Malfoy about to enter his office. "Malfoy," said Hermione, acknowledging him with a nod.
"Granger—ah or shall I say Mrs. Weasley?" Malfory asked with a sneer.
Hermione narrowed her eyebrows and frowned. "We just got engaged last night. How could you possibly know about it already, Malfoy?"
"I have my ways," Malfoy said slyly.
"The only person I've told is—Harry." Hermione's frown deepened.
"Amazingly enough, they teach you quite a few skills in auror training that come in handy in unexpected areas. Several methods of eavesdropping for example," Malfoy said, smiling devilishly.
Hermione put her hands on her hips and proceeded to turn red with anger, her hair threatening to frizz into the bushy mess of days past. "How dare you eavesdrop on a private conversation between Harry and I? You are a filthy git who wouldn't know manners if they slapped you in the arse. You have no respect for anyone's privacy and—"
Malfoy interrupted her tirade by saying, "Granger, as much as I would love to hear the rest of your lecture on privacy and the various names I'm sure you must be itching to call me, I really have far better things to do." He opened the door to his office but before going in he said, "I'd watch that temper if I were you, Granger, or you might just turn into that dumpy woman Weasley likes to call mum." He paused. "On the other hand, you'll fit right in with your new family then won't you?" And with that comment, Malfoy smirked and slammed the door in Hermione's face.
Hermione was left staring at the door, breathing heavily and still beet red with anger. She took a couple of deep breaths and forced herself to calm down. She couldn't believe she'd gotten so angry. Then again Malfoy did always have the ability to set her off like that. Draco Malfoy was and always would be an infuriating git. Sighing, Hermione took one backwards glance at Harry's office door and proceeded to walk out of auror headquarters.
She walked slowly towards the lifts, not really paying attention to what she was doing. She was deep in thought. Overall, she would say her talk with Harry had gone as anticipated. She hadn't really expected Harry to agree to come to the wedding. It had been a worth a shot anyway. Initially, Hermione had thought that time would fix everything; but the rift between Harry and Ron had only gotten bigger through the years. Hermione sighed again as she passed the area in the atrium where the Fountain of Magical Brethren used to stand. She couldn't believe she'd ever thought the fight between Harry and Ron back in fourth year at Hogwarts had been bad. It paled in comparison to the way they had become now. As Hermione reached the apparition area, she desperately hoped that Harry would come to her wedding despite his problems with Ron.
In his office, Harry was slumped on the floor, sobbing. "Why did you leave me? It isn't fair!" he shouted, sending another sneakoscope crashing to the floor with his wand. "I should have been able to save you. Accio picture!" A picture frame came flying towards him and he reached out and caught it swiftly. Harry looked down at the picture, running his fingers over the surface. "You should be here with me." He thrust the frame to the floor and the glass shattered. "You should be here—to see your brother and your best friend get married!"
In the frame on the floor, a beautiful girl with red hair and brown eyes was scowling furiously at the broken glass around her.