A/N: Hello everyone! This is an idea that had been on my head for quite a while, so now I'm trying to write it down. I apologize form now if the grammar or spelling isn't very good, but English is not my first language. I'm from Chile (in case you've never heard of it, it's a country right next to Argentina, in South America) so my real language is spanish. I'm doing my best!
Fine, this story is slightly based on the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" with Julia Roberts, but, believe me, it's definitely different. I just stole some ideas and maybe some plot line, but the characters and situations aren't the same.
Hope you like it and don't forget to review!
Chapter 1 - Surprise, surprise
"Hmmm..." was the only thing he commented, trying to hide his disgusted expression behind a smile.
"Is it good?" she asked hopefully, not noticing his strange grimace.
"…Yeah, very good," he lied. "It's very interesting how you... roasted the meat," he added, looking at the burnt piece of beef in his plate.
"Well, then eat it before it gets cold," she said, with a gentle smile.
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were eating together in her apartment, as they usually did on Wednesdays. Ever since Harry had moved to and apartment next to her, they ate together at least two days a week: on Wednesdays in Hermione's place and on Fridays in Harry's. The rule was that it had to be home-made cooking. Harry had a lot of experience while he lived with the Dursleys, so he was a great cook. Hermione, however, was trying to learn the art of food, but it wasn't as easy as learning how to brew a potion. Harry didn't have the heart to tell her that her cooking sucked, so he ate everything she prepared, without complaining.
It was curious how things had changed in eight years. Harry, a 25 year-old single guy, star seeker of the Chudley Cannons, not to mention the Boy who Save the World of Voldemort's Menace. Now he lived right next to his ever best friend, Hermione Granger, soon to be 25 years old, who had an important position in the Ministry of Magic, single as well. The third part of the Trio, Ron Weasley, was also a Quidditch player, but a year ago he had been transferred to a team in the United States. He wrote frequently, but Harry and Hermione missed him a lot anyway.
"So, how was your day?" asked Hermione, taking a sip of her coffee.
"The usual. Training, get yelled, Oliver and his complicated charts... Oh and next Monday I'll be interviewed by the Daily Prophet. Wood forced me to. He said it was for the good image of the team," Harry told her, rolling his eyes.
"You're right, the usual," commented Hermione with a smile. Harry was constantly overwhelmed by the press' attention and she knew he hated it. "Have you heard about Ron lately?"
"No. Last time he wrote was a month ago. I wonder what he's doing there..."
As on cue, a beautiful black owl entered in the living room and left a piece of parchment in Hermione's lap.
"It's from Ron!" she exclaimed, opening it quickly. Harry approached and started reading with her.
Hey Herm,
How have you been? I'm so sorry I haven't been able to write for a while, but I have been very busy... Anyway, guess what! I'm going back to England! Actually, I'm arriving this Thursday, so I want to ask you to come and have dinner with us at the Burrow. I have a surprise for you. And I need to ask you a very important question... The only clue I'll give you is that I think it's time for me to settle down.
So, see ya there, my friend! I can hardly wait!
Love,
Ron
PS: Harry, since I know you always read Herm's mail, I saved the effort to write to you.
"Well that's very thoughtful of him," said Harry, frowning.
"This is great! Ron's coming back!" squealed Hermione, excited. She read the letter again. "A very important question? Settle down? What do you think he's talking about?"
"Who knows?" said Harry, shrugging. "You know Ron, he always gives bits of information for us to misunderstand everything."
But Hermione had an idea in mind.
"You don't think that... Well, maybe..."
Harry arched his eyebrows. "You're not thinking about that promise you and him made, are you?" He stared at her. He knew that look. He knew what she was thinking even before she thought about it. "Yes, you are!!" he said, accusingly.
"Well, it's not that weird to think about it, is it? I mean we did say that if when we turned 25 we were still single, we would get married. He is 25 already and he is single. And I'll be 25 in a couple of weeks and I definitely haven't got the slightest chance to marry someone else," reasoned Hermione.
"That's because you haven't wanted to," commented Harry. Hermione never wanted to date because she `didn't have the time'.
"You're one to talk," she retorted. Although Harry had great success among witches, he had only a few dates a year and he had never found one girl that he liked ennough to go steady.
"Anyway Herm, you made that promise on our seventh year, that was almost eight years ago. And you two had just broken-up your stormy two months relationship."
"So what? It was serious promise," she said, frowning.
Harry sighed. "Herm, do you want Ron to propose?" he asked in a low voice.
"Wha-?? No!... I don't know. I mean, Ron is my friend, he has always been, though I'm not going to deny he has always wanted something more..."
"So... In the case he asks you to marry him... What are you going to say?" asked Harry in his best logical tone.
Hermione thought intensely about Harry's question... Would she say yes? Did she want to marry Ron?
"Harry, stop it! Ron is my friend, that's what he'll always be. And that's exactly what I'm going to tell him tomorrow."
Harry shook his head. She didn't sound convincing at all.
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(A/N: From this point, this fic will be written in Hermione's POV)
Ok, why was I so nervous? It was just a dinner, right? I was going to see one of my best friends for the first time in a year. And why was I so sure he would talk to me about that promise? Maybe he was going to announce that he was buying a house and wanted to ask me to decorate it. `Come on, Hermione', I snorted to myself. I tried to push out of my mind the conviction that had built up since the night before, but I couldn't. When I was ready to leave, I was sure that this dinner was to discuss the marriage subject.
I heard three knocks on the door. Harry's sign. I looked at myself one more time in the mirror. Damn, my hair was still bushy and my eyes an ordinary brown... Same ol' Hermione... but what the hell.
"You look great," Harry complimented when I opened the door. He always does.
"Thanks, you too." He did. He was just dressed in casual clothes, but his green eyes were shiny and his black hair as messy as ever. He was a handsome wizard, no wonder why every single witch in London would give her right arm to be with him.
"Shall we go?" he suggested. We had decided we would apparate, neither of us was too fond of Floo Powder.
"Welcome dears!!" said Mrs. Weasley giving us a hug the very minute we entered in the house. Every single Weasley was at the Burrow. Bill, Charlie and Percy with their families, the twins with their girlfriends and Ginny with her fling of the month. Mr. Weasley was busy with his younger grandson - who was two months old - explaining the functioning of a muggle stereo. Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes.
"Arthur, Harry and Hermione are here," she announced.
We were greeted by all the Weasleys. I scanned the room, looking for Ron.
"Ron hasn't arrived yet," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Yes I have, Mom," said a voice from behind.
Ron had just came in, still wearing a traveling cloak and with a big suitcase in his hand. He was just as I remembered. Tall, red haired, handsome. He had a tan now, but that was natural, considering he lived in California for a year. He hugged everyone. Then he turned to Harry and me. He looked incredibly happy.
Well, I'm not going to bore you with the conversation we had during dinner. Ron told us about North America, his travels, etc. Harry and him began to talk about Quidditch (what a surprise!) until Mrs. Weasley interrupted their bla bla.
"Ron, dear, you said you had something important to tell us," she said, expectantly.
Ron looked at me immediately and I started to feel nervous. Was he going to propose in front of his whole family?
"Yes... Well you know I've come back to stay..." he started. Harry was helping Mrs. Weasley to serve coffee. "And during this past year I thought a lot about my life... And decided that I want to settle down, to form a family..."
Harry handed me a cup of coffee and stood by my side.
"Ron, you're babblingn" Fred interrupted, with a smirk. "Spit it out!"
"Fine. I'm getting married."
I could heard everybody's gasp. Ron was looking directly at me. `I'm getting married?' How could he be so sure I would say yes?
"With who?" asked Mr. Weasley after a long pause.
Ron smiled. His eyes were fixed on mine.
"Her name is Elizabeth Greene, and she's American."
I felt the cup of coffee slipping through my fingers and crashing in the floor. I was so shocked that I only realized it had fallen when Harry cast a spell to clean the rug. Ron didn't seem to notice my reaction, because he was trying to answer all the questions that his family started to shoot.
"When did you meet her?"
"Is she a witch?"
"Is she pretty?"
"When are you getting married?"
"When will we meet her?"
I felt Harry's gaze on me. He was obviously studying my reaction. I tried to smile, tried to look happy, but I knew I couldn't fool Harry Potter. The man knew me more than I knew myself. But he didn't ask any questions. Bless him.
"OK, if you all shut up, I'll be able to tell you everything," said Ron, laughing. "I met Elizabeth a month ago..."
A month??? He met her a *month* ago? How can you want to marry someone you have just met?
"I know it seems a little rushe,." he explained, as if he had heard my thoughts, "But we're madly in love and perfectly sure of what we're doing. His father is the owner of my Quidditch team, that's how I met her. And the wedding is going to be here, next weekend."
"Next weekend!? But Ron, that's too soon!"
"I know Mum, but don't worry about it, we'll have everything ready on time."
"But we haven't even met that girl!"
"You'll meet her tomorrow. She's arriving in the morning."
I didn't hear the rest of the conversation. I couldn't believed Ron was doing that to me. How could he fall in love with another girl? For eight years he had been on my tail. I never wanted anything with him. We tried once and it was a mess. But now I was seeing everything in a different light. He was mine and now some unknown girl was stealing him away.
"So Herm, won't you say anything?"
I jumped when he spoke to me. Damn, what was I supposed to say?
"Congratulations Ron, I'm so happy for you!" I babbled. Very convincing, Hermione. But Ron believed my false words, because he grinned. I could felt Harry's disbelief when he looked at me. "Umm... In your letter you said you wanted to ask me something," I added.
"Oh yes! Lizzie and I talked, and she'd like you to be her Maid of Honor," Ron said, with shiny eyes.
`What??' Screamed my head. I couldn't believe this was happening to me.
"I'd love to," I said, smiling warmly.
"And of course, Harry, I want you to be my best man."
"It would be an honor," I heard Harry's reply. I think he even hugged him, but I'm not quite sure. I couldn't think or see straight for that matter.
"Do you want to go home?" whispered Harry in my ear a few minutes later. I nodded, thankful. He apologized with the Weasleys, saying I had a headache and we apparated back home. My flat, to be exactly.
I took off my cloak. Harry stared at me from the living room.
"OK, talk to me," he said.
That was all I needed.
"I can't believe this!" I started, knowing that I wouldn't stop until I had gotten out of my heart all that I felt right then. "I mean, can you please explain to me how someone with a brain can marry a girl when he doesn't even know her? For all we know, she could be a Death Eater, or a mad woman, or..." I kept babbling until my mouth went dry.
"I though you didn't want him to propose to you," Harry said when I stopped talking.
"I didn't! But now it's different."
"You're mad because Ron has moved on. He got over you, and now that you've lost him, you want him back."
Deep down in my heart, I knew he was right. But it hurt when he said it out loud.
"You're wrong," I said, shaking my head.
"So, you're in love with him. Is that it?"
"Harry, I really need to think right now," I said, annoyed. "Alone."
He looked at me for quite a long time.. For a second, I thought he was angry, but he approached to me and hugged me. He kissed me in the forehead and left without further comments.
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