Next Time
Music played loudly as family and friends mingled, and gave their congratulations to the newlyweds. Firewhiskey was served in abundance, and as the time dragged on, tongues began to slip. Hermione Granger- Weasley had been married all of 87 minutes when she was pulled firmly into a familiar chest.
“Harry! Merlin, how much have you had to drink!” Hermione cried as her best friend pulled her into a clumsy embrace, obviously intending to dance.
“Dunno, lost count after 8..” Harry said, smiling brightly as he tried to sway, very poorly, back and forth to an up-tempo dance song.
“Harry- this isn’t a slow dance...” Hermione began before Harry cut her off.
“I know, but I wanted to dance with you. This is what I can do. The swaying, I mean.”
Hermione smiled up at Harry and nodded, conceding to his dancing practice. As suddenly as the strange dance had begun, Harry stopped and yanked Hermione off of the dance floor and into a secluded area of the Burrow, surrounded by trees.
“How did this happen?” Harry asked, his hands now holding her shoulders tightly as he stared into her eyes. Hermione’s heart raced as, for the first time in years, Harry really looked at her. He studied her face with such intensity, Hermione couldn’t help but blush. Before she could respond, Harry continued.
“You know I love you, right?” Harry said, his face completely serious.
“Of course, Harry. I love you too.”
Harry removed his hands from her shoulders to cover his eyes as his head shook.
“No, I mean, I am in love with you. I’m sorry, I’m pissed and a total prat, but I wanted you to know.” Harry said, not looking at Hermione. Hermione felt her heart sink into her stomach. After all this time...after all the silent questions and shameless flirting in their teens, he tells her now, after she is married?
“How dare you, Harry. I never took you as the overly dramatic type, but this is truly low. How could you never have told me?!!?!?!” Hermione said as she backed away from her best friend, her eyes searching for some sign this was some sort of joke, or nightmare, or delusion.
“Yeah, and break up the dream couples? Plus, it wouldn’t have mattered. Everything just would have been awkward.” Harry said, still not looking at Hermione.
“And now things aren’t going to be? Harry James Potter I can’t believe you! How could you do this!”
Harry sighed, and met her eyes for the first time since his confession. “It wouldn’t have made a difference, Hermione. You and Ron, me and Ginny...it’s the way things end.” Hermione closed the distance between them.
“Well, now we’ll never know.” Hermione said as she felt her eyes fill with tears and her dinner rise from her stomach.
“You never gave me the choice! I should have gotten to make that decision for myself! I deserved a choice, dammit!” Hermione yelled as she shook Harry by his shoulders. Floored and confused, Harry pulled her into a tight embrace.
“You mean you wouldn’t have hexed me?” he whispered into her hair. Hermione sighed, attempting to control herself.
“No, Harry,” Hermione replied quietly.
“Bloody fucking hell. I’m a complete git.” Harry said as his alcohol befuddled mind finally grasped the implications of what Hermione was saying. They could have had a chance- she would have liked a choice.
“Language.”
“Right.”
Hermione sighed and turned her back on her best friend.
“Now what?” She asked, shaking with emotion.
“Now nothing, it’s done. You and Ron will be great, I know it. I’m sure we’d have just gone back to being friends once it was out of our systems.”
Surprised, Hermione turned back to face Harry.
“I haven’t gotten you out of my system in the ten years we’ve been friends, Harry. I don’t think it’s possible at this point.”
Harry felt a burning sensation in the back of his eyes as he stared, finally letting his guard down after so long. He didn’t think he had ever seen her look more beautiful, even with tears streaming down her face.
“Oi! Potter! What’ve you done to my wife?”
Hermione and Harry instantly leaped even farther apart as Ron approached them.
“Bloody hell, Harry, I ought to smack you for making my new wife cry, you prat,” Ron said with a silly grin on his face. Hermione smiled and moved closer to him, wrapping her small arms around him.
“Don’t worry, dear. Harry and I were just thinking about all the people we wished could be here today,” Hermione said, her face buried in her husband’s chest.
“Right. Well, I’ll give you a minute, but hurry back up. We’re ready to cut the cake!”
Hermione laughed and squeezed Ron tightly.
“Be up in a jiff.”
Harry, shocked into silence, watched as Hermione effortlessly calmed her new husband. In the last few years Hermione’s relationship with Ron had calmed his temper and emotions considerably. Harry was genuinely happy for his friends. On most days, anyway.
“Harry, look. I don’t know what else to say…”
Harry cut her off by moving to stand directly in front of her.
“Maybe in another life. I won’t mess it up again,” Harry said as he took Hermione’s face in his large hands. Her breath hitched as he lowered his face to hers and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
“Yeah. Next time.”
“Harry! Merlin, how much have you had to drink!” Hermione cried as her best friend pulled her into a clumsy embrace, obviously intending to dance.
“Dunno, lost count after 8..” Harry said, smiling brightly as he tried to sway, very poorly, back and forth to an up-tempo dance song.
“Harry- this isn’t a slow dance...” Hermione began before Harry cut her off.
“I know, but I wanted to dance with you. This is what I can do. The swaying, I mean.”
Hermione smiled up at Harry and nodded, conceding to his dancing practice. As suddenly as the strange dance had begun, Harry stopped and yanked Hermione off of the dance floor and into a secluded area of the Burrow, surrounded by trees.
“How did this happen?” Harry asked, his hands now holding her shoulders tightly as he stared into her eyes. Hermione’s heart raced as, for the first time in years, Harry really looked at her. He studied her face with such intensity, Hermione couldn’t help but blush. Before she could respond, Harry continued.
“You know I love you, right?” Harry said, his face completely serious.
“Of course, Harry. I love you too.”
Harry removed his hands from her shoulders to cover his eyes as his head shook.
“No, I mean, I am in love with you. I’m sorry, I’m pissed and a total prat, but I wanted you to know.” Harry said, not looking at Hermione. Hermione felt her heart sink into her stomach. After all this time...after all the silent questions and shameless flirting in their teens, he tells her now, after she is married?
“How dare you, Harry. I never took you as the overly dramatic type, but this is truly low. How could you never have told me?!!?!?!” Hermione said as she backed away from her best friend, her eyes searching for some sign this was some sort of joke, or nightmare, or delusion.
“Yeah, and break up the dream couples? Plus, it wouldn’t have mattered. Everything just would have been awkward.” Harry said, still not looking at Hermione.
“And now things aren’t going to be? Harry James Potter I can’t believe you! How could you do this!”
Harry sighed, and met her eyes for the first time since his confession. “It wouldn’t have made a difference, Hermione. You and Ron, me and Ginny...it’s the way things end.” Hermione closed the distance between them.
“Well, now we’ll never know.” Hermione said as she felt her eyes fill with tears and her dinner rise from her stomach.
“You never gave me the choice! I should have gotten to make that decision for myself! I deserved a choice, dammit!” Hermione yelled as she shook Harry by his shoulders. Floored and confused, Harry pulled her into a tight embrace.
“You mean you wouldn’t have hexed me?” he whispered into her hair. Hermione sighed, attempting to control herself.
“No, Harry,” Hermione replied quietly.
“Bloody fucking hell. I’m a complete git.” Harry said as his alcohol befuddled mind finally grasped the implications of what Hermione was saying. They could have had a chance- she would have liked a choice.
“Language.”
“Right.”
Hermione sighed and turned her back on her best friend.
“Now what?” She asked, shaking with emotion.
“Now nothing, it’s done. You and Ron will be great, I know it. I’m sure we’d have just gone back to being friends once it was out of our systems.”
Surprised, Hermione turned back to face Harry.
“I haven’t gotten you out of my system in the ten years we’ve been friends, Harry. I don’t think it’s possible at this point.”
Harry felt a burning sensation in the back of his eyes as he stared, finally letting his guard down after so long. He didn’t think he had ever seen her look more beautiful, even with tears streaming down her face.
“Oi! Potter! What’ve you done to my wife?”
Hermione and Harry instantly leaped even farther apart as Ron approached them.
“Bloody hell, Harry, I ought to smack you for making my new wife cry, you prat,” Ron said with a silly grin on his face. Hermione smiled and moved closer to him, wrapping her small arms around him.
“Don’t worry, dear. Harry and I were just thinking about all the people we wished could be here today,” Hermione said, her face buried in her husband’s chest.
“Right. Well, I’ll give you a minute, but hurry back up. We’re ready to cut the cake!”
Hermione laughed and squeezed Ron tightly.
“Be up in a jiff.”
Harry, shocked into silence, watched as Hermione effortlessly calmed her new husband. In the last few years Hermione’s relationship with Ron had calmed his temper and emotions considerably. Harry was genuinely happy for his friends. On most days, anyway.
“Harry, look. I don’t know what else to say…”
Harry cut her off by moving to stand directly in front of her.
“Maybe in another life. I won’t mess it up again,” Harry said as he took Hermione’s face in his large hands. Her breath hitched as he lowered his face to hers and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
“Yeah. Next time.”