Disclaimer: You know already, all HP characters don't belong to me.

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe where there's no Voldemort, Hermione is a pureblood and Harry's parents are still alive.

Author's Note: Those words in italics represent French.

Thank you all for your reviews!

Chapter 10: Breaking the News

The next day at the Potters', Harry turned one round in front of his parents and their friends, showing off his brand new uniform of Academy of Aurors. The uniform was simple, almost the same as Hogwarts's, just that Harry had a dark blue tie and the Academy badge, which featured gold stars that arranged to look like words 'A . A'

James sniffled and pretended to blow his nose into a handkerchief. "My little boy has finally grown up!" he said in a high-pitch voice.

"Quit it, James." said Sirius Black, laughing.

"Well, it's true." said James in his normal voice and he turned to Harry. "I'm proud of you, son." he said sincerely.

"Thank you." said Harry, grinning.

"You better be going, Harry. Didn't you say you want to show Hermione your new uniform?" said Remus Lupin.

Harry looked at his watch. "Oh yes. I must be going, bye!"

With that, he raced off happily out of the door.

"Be back before dinner!" called Lily.

"I will!" said Harry.

Sirius sighed as Harry closed the door. "It's good to be young."

Hermione glared at all those beautiful, elegant dresses she had on her bed and the box of jewellery at her makeup table. So her parents thought they could make it up to her by buying her loads of dresses? Well, they were wrong. Nothing could make Hermione to forgive them for deciding to marry her off to the Malfoys.

Hermione marched to the box of jewellery. She snatched a handful of it and threw them. They scattered all over the floor.

"Just like my heart." thought Hermione.

Pushing the dresses aside, Hermione lay down on her bed. She was not in the mood to see anybody.

Knock knock.

Hermione pretended that she didn't hear that.

Knock knock knock.

"What?" snapped Hermione in annoyance.

"Miss Granger, Mr Potter is here to see you." said her maid outside the room.

Hermione lifted her head slightly. Part of her wanted to see Harry badly, but another of her didn't want to. Because she knew she needed to tell Harry the bad news and she didn't want to see Harry's reaction.

"… I will go and see him. Please ask him to wait." she said finally.

"Yes Miss."

Hermione got up from her bed and changed into another dress. This was probably the last chance she was going to see her beloved Harry, and she wanted to make the best of it.

Wearing a dark blue dress, Hermione walked elegantly out to the garden and stopped at the sight of her boyfriend. Her mouth dropped open at his appearance. Harry was relaxing on a chair. He looked so… well, smart and dashing in his robes!

Harry got up from his seat. "Hi Hermione!" he said happily.

Hermione smiled at him and before she could stop herself, she rushed into his arms.

"I miss you." she whispered.

"Me too." said Harry.

Suddenly, Hermione pulled Harry closer and kissed him on the lips passionately. Harry's eyes widened in surprise, but then he accepted the kiss and they remained in an embrace for a while.

After they released each other, Harry let out a breath and laughed shortly, "Now that's a very warm welcome."

Hermione smiled at him sweetly.

Harry spun around. "Well, look at me, I'm going to attend the Academy of Aurors!"

Despite her sadness, Hermione couldn't help feeling happy for her boyfriend. "That's wonderful!"

Harry grinned. "Of course." he said, stepping forward to take Hermione's hands. "I will be studying there for like 3 years. Just wait patiently, Darling. I will marry you afterwards, I promise." he said softly.

The word 'marry' reminded Hermione about her engagement to Malfoy. Slowly, she pulled her hands away from Harry's grasp.

Harry's grin faded. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Hermione looked extremely uncomfortable. She stared down at her hands.

"W-we are getting married after my graduation from the academy, right?" asked Harry uncertainly.

Hermione was still.

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked up and Harry took a step back. She looked as if she was going to cry.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" asked Harry in alarm.

"Harry, I love you…" started Hermione.

"Well, I love you too…"

"B-but we can't get married, Harry." Hermione whispered.

It took Harry a while to get the sentence into his mind completely. "What!" he bellowed.

Harry grabbed Hermione on the shoulders. "Why?" he demanded.

"My parents…" he heard Hermione saying.

"Your parents?" he interrupted. "Didn't you say that your parents will support your decision about whoever you want to marry?"

Hermione looked up at him and shook her head weakly. Tears had already rolled down her cheeks.

"Turns out they won't." she said bitterly. "Actions speak louder than words."

Harry tried to laugh. "I-it's a joke, right? You're pulling my leg, aren't you?"

But the expression on Hermione's face told Harry that she wasn't joking.

"Who are you going to marry to?" demanded Harry.

"Malfoy."

Harry's jaws dropped. "That slimeball! How could your parents do this!"

"Malfoy's father threats to curse my parents if they don't marry me off to his family… and they give in!" she explained.

"Without a fight?" asked Harry in horror.

Hermione nodded miserably as she wiped the tears off her face.

Harry sat back on the chair. His face was emotionless, showing no sign of sadness, disappointment or despair.

"Harry…" said Hermione. "Darling, are you all right?"

Harry looked up at her slowly. "So this is it then?" he said finally. "Y-you are going to be Mrs Malfoy?"

"That's right." said a voice and the couple turned their heads.

Draco Malfoy strolled into the porch, smirking. "She's going to be my wife in two weeks' time."

Hermione stared at him as if he was a slug. "Malfoy?"

"Aw, is that the way you call your fiancé?" asked Malfoy, shaking his head as if he was hurt by Hermione's attitude.

"Who let you in?" asked Hermione.

"I'm the son-in-law of this family, I can come in whenever I feel like it." said Malfoy smugly.

"You're not the son-in-law of my family." snapped Hermione.

Malfoy shrugged. "I will be soon, but what's the difference?"

Hermione scowled.

Malfoy turned to Harry. "So Potter, I have won your girl, you can back off now."

Harry got up suddenly. "I… better go." he said quietly and left.

"Harry!" cried Hermione.

"I will remember to send you a wedding invitation!" called Malfoy and he laughed.

Hermione sat down on the place where Harry used to sit and covered her face with her hands.

Harry walked in a daze and when he came home, he found that his father's friends had left, leaving James in the Front Room, reading the Evening Prophet.

"Hey Harry." said James and looked at the clock on the wall. 5pm. "You're back early, usually you won't leave Hermione's house until we threaten to hex you."

Hermione.

The name created a dull ache in Harry's heart. A few hours ago, Harry was happy and feeling blessed to enter the academy and have Hermione as a girlfriend. And now he had lost her, to Malfoy the slimeball.

The image of himself marrying Hermione came into Harry's mind, now he knew that it would never, ever come true…

Harry felt sick that the realization that he could never marry Hermione… for some reason, Harry felt dizzy and his heartbeat increased. What was he going to do without Hermione? What's life without her?

James continued to read the paper. "Better change out of your uniform, I'm sure that you don't want dinner stains all over it." he said without looking at his son.

All he heard was a soft thud.

Silence.

Lily Potter came out of the kitchen and she screamed in terror.

James turned his head away from the paper and looked. And when he did, he threw his paper aside.

"Harry!" he yelled and rushed to his son, who was lying on the floor, unconscious.