Title: A Weasley Wedding
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Rating: K
Warnings: N/A
Word Count: 848
Prompts:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Term 5, Muggle Studies : 3.1 - Write about someone marrying the widow/ex of a family member. Extra Prompt : (Word) Desire
Author's Note: Alternative ending, canonical up to the end of the war.
Summary: It's Hermione's big day and Ron can't believe it's finally happening

Ron fidgeted, scratching his neck in an attempt to distract himself. The church was hot, his dress robes were uncomfortable, and it felt like they had been waiting for hours. He could feel hundreds of eyes on him, all of his family and friends were sitting in front of him. Sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows, filling the church with colourful light. Chains of flowers were draped over every available surface and he was fairly sure the thousands of candles were a fire hazard. It all would have been so much simpler if they'd been allowed to use enchantments, but because there were so many muggles attending the ceremony they had to do everything the muggle way.

Suddenly the organ started to play and the space was filled with heavy music. The huge doors at the back of the church were thrown open and Hermione stepped into the church, her father at her side.

She was radiant. Her dress was stunning - not something that Ron would usually appreciate, but it was impossible not to. Her hair had been curled and elegantly piled on top of her head, a few stray curls falling down around her face. Her brown eyes shone with excitement and she smiled with joy.

Ron could hardly breathe as she began to walk towards him. Hermione was more beautiful than he had ever seen. Years ago he had looked past her beauty, dismissing her as nothing more than a friend. Now though he could see her for the incredible woman that she was.

Mr Granger let go of her arm and she stepped up towards the front alone. Hermione grinned, a warm beautiful smile that flooded her face.

Ron stared at her in awe. He heard George cough lightly and felt someone grab his arm. Ron looked down as his sister lead him away from the girl he loved and sat down next to him.

Someone began to speak and Ron took advantage of the distraction to remind himself where he was. Today was an amazing day, but a day that he was watching from the sidelines. He was not to marry Hermione, but to support his brother as George stood in the place that should have been Ron's.

Ron dared to glance up and caught a glimpse of the couple's adoring looks. The two of them stared at each other as if they were the only people in the whole world. He felt as though the air had been knocked out of his lungs and looked down again.

Ron couldn't quite understand the chain of events that had lead to him sitting at this wedding. Hermione had been his. They had been happy. He had loved her more than he had thought possible, but she hadn't returned those feelings. Hermione had seen their relationship as a childish thing, a time to experiment and push boundaries, but not as anything permanent. His heart had been broken when she left him, but somehow no one had realised that. Everyone assumed that he was fine with it, that he felt the same, that all he was looking for was a pretty girl to snog. No one understood that he did have the capacity for deep emotion, it had just been buried. His one desire after the war had been to live a happy life with Hermione by his side, but that desire had been shattered.

When George had brought Hermione back to the Burrow for dinner one night Ron had been devastated. The sight of her laughing and cleary in love was too much for him, but there was nothing he could do. It was the first time that he'd seen George happy since Fred had died, and there was no way that he could ruin his brother's happiness.

So for weeks he avoided family dinners, waiting for the relationship to fizzle out. How stupid he had been to ignore the signs. Ron was taken by surprise when they announced their engagement. He was even more shocked when George asked him to be the best man. He felt like an imposter at this wedding. Fred should have been George's best man, and Hermione should have been his bride.

Ginny leant over and he could feel her questioning look. For the sake of appearances Ron turned his attention back to the happy couple, just in time to hear Hermione repeating her wedding vows.

Somehow he managed to rise as they began to proceed out of the church and walked behind them on shaky legs. Out in the fresh air all he wanted was to escape, but there were thousands of photographs to be taken.

Ron had to stand next to his brother and smile for what felt like hours. He couldn't bring himself to even look at the bride.

Hermione Weasley. The name he'd dreamt of giving her. Ron felt empty. He knew that this wedding would be replayed in his head for as long as he lived; the day that his brother had married his love.