Chapter 2

About two and a half hours into waiting for the groom, there was a knock at the door. Hermione at glanced at the rest of the room's occupants then told the person to enter.

The door slowly opened as Michael, Chris's best man and best friend since their years at Durmstrang, walked into the room. Hermione had never like him much and had been cordial to him simply because of his relationship with her fiancé, but at that moment, she never been so glad to see anyone.

She jumped out of her chair and ran to him, holding onto her gown to keep from tripping over the train. "What's going on?"

He took a deep breath and tried to avoid looking into her eyes. He had just come back from trying to convince Chris to go through with the wedding and he knew he didn't have the energy to watch Hermione's heart to break right in front of him. He just couldn't understand why his friend had to wait till the worst possible time to decide he wasn't ready. Michael couldn't help but blame himself for his friend's change of heart. Maybe he shouldn't have gone drinking with him the previous night and teased him about losing his freedom. Maybe if he had kept his mouth shut about all the other witches Chris would never get to sleep with and how he was not longer in complete control of his life, they would've been at the reception by now. But instead, he was trying to keep himself from shaking like a leaf in a tornado so that he could articulately relay the awful news to her.

"So where is he?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Is he okay? Why haven't you been answering your phones? What's going on?" She asked, shaking him, trying to get him to speak. "Why didn't he come with you? Is he sick? What's going on?"

As she shook and badgered him, watching his eyes dart around as his lips quivered, realization finally set in. Why else would Michael look at her with embarrassed eyes as he struggled to come up with words?

"No, I'll do it," Harry said, blocking her path. "Why should you go in there and say this? How does that make sense?" He yelled. "Let me do it!"

It wasn't the time for him to be the hero once again and Hermione just wasn't having it. She pushed him away and walked through the door. It wasn't like it was any bride's dream to go in front of a church in her full regalia and tell all her friends and family, those who'd flown in from far and wide, some she never even met, that she had been jilted at the altar.

Jilted.

Jilted.

As in abandoned. Discarded. Thrown out. Ditched. Dissed. No, no just dissed but dis-missed.

In a million years she wouldn't have imagined this. Hermione Granger? The war-hero. One-third of the Golden Trio. The brightest witch of her year.

But why? What had she done? Chris had been as interested in the wedding as she was, always suggesting things, nixing ideas, making sure that everything was up to this standards, not worrying about the monetary burden because it was supposed to be their day. Their special day. The most important and happiest day of their lives. But he fucked it all up.

Ginny and Harry tried to stop her from walking into the church but she ignored her. Was she going to be less embarrassed if someone else relayed the news? Tell them that they have wasted their time getting dressed that morning? That they shouldn't have bothered RSVPing? That they shouldn't have thought about teeir gifts? Gifts. Shit. Now she had to return all their cash and gifts.

She pushed open the double doors and as she walked in, the organist started playing.

Was he retarded? She wasn't a mean or crude person but at the moment she was thinking straight. What kind of bride walked down the aisle alone and before the groom? She wanted to scream at the old man for playing that disgusting song but instead, she raised her hand and hoped he understood the message.

And luckily he did.

The bored and tired audience suddenly awoke as she walked down the aisle towards a bare altar with all the Gryffindor courage she had. It wasn't exactly a surprise to most of them. They had only remained in their seats out of courtesy. Of course the wedding wasn't on. Most had long since been hungry as they had skipped lunch in anticipation of the reception. Word had gotten around that Hermione and Chris had hired one of the wizarding world's premiere chefs and they were all hoping that he lived up to the hype. But not they would have to make do with fast food.

Hermione picked up the microphone. Yes, she could do it. She wasn't in Gryffindor for nothing. It wasn't impossible—it could be done. And had been done by other women before her. She just had to dig deep and find a little more strength. She inhaled then turned around to face the crowd. She planted a smile on her face and waved at them. "Hello everyone," she began in what she hoped was a very steady voice. "Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy lives to celebrate my wedding today. Unfortunately, the groom can't be here so the wedding is canceled. I really do apologize for the inconvenience but hey, I look great, don't you think?" She asked twirling around to showcase the gown. Her heart was beating like mad but she ignored it.

The crowd responded by clapping.

"Since there won't be a wedding how about a celebraton of life? My life, your life, everyone's life."

The crowd cheered again. They could see she was trying to make the best of the situation and they just wanted to make her feel better. Most felt nothing but pity for her and could only imagine what the Daily Prophet would write the next day. No press was allowed into the wedding ceremony but a few witnesses said they might have seen a beetle flying around.

"Chef Lee is going to be so upset if all his food goes to waste so why don't we just go to the reception and have a big party? After spending so long planning this thing, I need you all to see my decorations and taste the raspberry cake Molly chose. Let's all head there now. The address is on your programs."

"I'm so sorry," Harry said as he hugged her. His wife did the same. They stood in front of here, alternating their weight from foot to foot, both reluctant to leave. On a different day, Hermione would have laughed at them because if they were underwater, they would have looked like synchronized swimmers.

"You guys can go. I'll be okay."

"But I don't want to leave you in this hotel room all by yourself. Why don't you just go home with us?" He begged. Hermione had apparated back to the hotel room that she was in just hours ago getting ready for the wedding.

"We already paid for the room so why should it go to waste?" Besides, she needed some peace and quiet. She'd spent the whole day being fawned over and now she just needed them to leave. She was bone tired and needed to sleep.

She gently shoved him towards the door. "You guys should go. I'm really okay so don't worry. I honestly believe it's for the best." She pause and looked at the bed. "Or do you want to help me get rid of them" She half-joked, pointing at Luna and Lavender.

The guests had been great and almost all had shown up for the reception. They ate and danced and tried their best to put their hearts and souls into the so-called celebration of life. And Hermione might have succeeded if Luna and Lavender hadn't come up to room and let out all their frustration.

The crying had been going on for over ten minutes and Hermione was sure that they have managed to give themselves a headache.

"You guys need to go. Now." She pressed.

Luna and Lavender got off the bed and hugged her, not caring that their tear stained faces were wetting her cheeks.

"What a fucking bastard!" Ginny muttered. "He better not show up or I'll kill him."

Luna disentangled herself from the hug. " As soon as I leave here, I'm going to stake his apartment. If he dares show up, he's dead!" She said with determination that no one had ever seen in Luna.

Hermione sighed. "If we weren't meant to be, isn't it better that we didn't get married? If he's not sure that he wants to marry me, then it's better this way."

"But how can he be sure? You're marvelous!" Lavender cried before letting out a fresh batch of tears.

After some more coaxing, they finally left Hermione to her solitude.

She locked the door and walked into the bathroom and washed her face. She stared at her reflection and now that she was all alone, she no longer had to pretend to be unaffected. She stared at her brown eyes. Was that really the face of a rejected woman?

She walked back into the room and jumped on the soft king size bed and turned on the television. She kept flicking through channels till she stopped on a movie. She checked the details of the movie.

Great.

Was she honestly about to watch a movie called 'Best Couple'?

Fustrated, she threw the remote control at the television, but unluckily missed it by an inch. Best couple? She and Chris were supposed to be the best couple. It had been Hermione and Chris for so five years. They had been the couple all their friends admired and envied. They were the couple everyone else aspired to be. They laughed and played together, supported each other. Loved each other. But there she was on her wedding night, wearing her wedding dress and watching a movie she didn't care for.

Why?

Had he really left her?

Without a word?

Not even a phone call?

He disappeared. Just like that. Couldn't even care less about informing her of his change of plans.

Poof!

Into thin air.

Bastard.

She picked up her pillow and threw it against the wall. But she still felt like shit. And he was still an ass. He even made her friends cry. She reached down for her shoe and threw it at the bathroom door. He embarrassed her and her friends. She grabbed the hotel brochure and threw it on the floor. She kept throwing every single thing she could get her hands on till there was nothing left. Then she stopped and the tears flowed. And flowed all night long.

AN: I hope you like it. It's still a little slow paced and no Draco yet but I promise you he will appear soon. Please read and review! Thank you for reading!

RoSaDbAdAsSgUaRdAiNa: I know its the worst thing that could ever happen to a girl!

IGOTEAMEDWARD: Chris is a wizard that works both in the muggle and wizarding world. So he know his muggle stuff.

Janey Faith Banquee: Thanks. Here's the next chapter.