A/N: This chapter features another song! Read and find out!
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Chapter 13 - My Best Friend's Wedding
Elizabeth didn't need to ask if something was wrong. Just by looking at me, she knew exactly what had happened. That didn't stop me from telling her every detail about my conversation with Harry. When I finished, I was a mess: my eyes were red, my hair frizzier than ever and the make-up I had put so much effort to apply on my face (so that it would cover my previous crying session) was ruined. Even a blind man would notice I had been crying if he was standing 20 feet away.
"Oh honey," Elizabeth muttered sadly, stroking my hair. She had her wedding dress on already and I was wearing my maid of honor one. We were in a little room in the church, where she was getting ready. The rest of the bride maids looked at us suspiciously.
"It's Ok, I deserve this," I said, blowing my nose. "Geez, I can't go out like this," I said, looking at myself in the mirror.
Elizabeth smiled and cast a spell on me. In a second, my make-up was corrected, my hair in the right place and my eyes didn't reveal I had been crying.
"Wow, I didn't know that spell!" I said. That wasn't a surprise, though, because I wasn't fond of beauty stuff.
"Listen Hermi," said my new friend, "I'm sure everything will work out, just look at me and Ron!" she laughed happily.
I smiled at her. A few days ago I hated her with all my soul, and now I couldn't help but loving her.
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My walk towards the altar was like a torture to me. The other bride maids were already in their place. Suddenly the church seemed too crowded and everyone's eyes were fixed on me while I walked. Why did they have to make this corridor so long? Finally, I reached the altar and my eyes met Ron's. He grinned and winked at me. Beside him, was Harry, but he was looking at the floor as if I had never entered in the room.
Elizabeth looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress. She and Ron were genuinely happy and, while the ceremony lasted, I forgot about my own problems and felt really happy for them. I actually cried a little.
And then, the reception. It was being held, once again, in the manor. I wasn't in the mood for parties, but I had to go, because I was the maid of honor and I had to do my speech.
Right, the speech... What was I going to say? With all that had happened, I had totally forgotten to prepare it.
"Herm," Ron muttered. Mr and Mrs. Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Greene, Harry and I were sitting in the main table, with the bride and groom. "Could you please at least try to pretend you're having a good time?"
I realized I had a deep frown and my eyes had been fixed on Harry the whole time. I smiled at Ron sheepishly. "I'm sorry." I really didn't want to ruin Ron's wedding with my problems, so I faked a grin and started talking with Mr. Weasley. Harry didn't even look at me once, as if I was invisible. If he wanted to hurt me, he was doing a damn well job.
Half an hour later, Harry stood up and cleared his throat. The room fell silent. His speech was very good. Heartfelt, funny, precise, emotive, full of hilarious anecdotes of Ron. He complimented Elizabeth and wished them happiness. I specially recall when he said: "Your love has proven to be strong, and no one will be able to break you apart, no matter what resource they use," That was obviously directed to me. Touché.
I knew that everyone at the wedding were gossiping about Harry and me. They knew that we had had a fight. It was pretty obvious, because Harry was avoiding me and he didn't care to dissimulate it. Since they thought we were a couple, they whispered things about "lovers stuff".
A gentle kick in my shin made me came back to reality. Ron was giving me a significant look. Harry was already back in his seat and he was staring at his plate. I stood up slowly and faced the crowd.
"I have to make a confession," I started "I didn't prepare a speech." I saw a lot of smiles in the table where my former Gryffindor classmates were sitting. "Yeah, I know it must be quite a shock that Hermione Granger, the bookworm who always had her homework done before the teachers even asked for it, didn't write an academic maid of honor's speech. So, I guess it'll have to come out straight from the heart." I turned my gaze to the happy couple. "There he is, one of my best friends in the world, marrying the woman of his dreams," Elizabeth smiled. "I have to be honest. I have to admit I wasn't thrilled with the idea of Ron getting married." Harry made a face and Ron laughed softly. "But I've gotten to know Liz quite well..." I realized it was the first time I'd called her Liz. "...and she's a great person. I'm sure you will make Ron the happiest man on Earth." the Weasley twins started cheering and most of the crowd did it as well. "Just remember..." I said when they shut up, but this time I wasn't looking at Ron or Liz. My eyes were fixed on Harry, and this time he wasn't looking away "It takes one moment to fall in love with someone and one moment to let that love go. Don't let that happen to you."
I don't know why I said that. It just came out of my mouth. Some people exchanged confused looks. Ron and Liz understood, and they nodded. Harry frowned and didn't say anything.
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It was a tradition that the newlyweds had to open the dance with a waltz. That meant that the best man had to start dancing with the maid of honor. I was nervous about it... What if Harry refused to dance with me? But he was a gentleman after all, and he followed the tradition. We started moving with Strauss' classic waltz. He was avoiding my eyes and was concentrated on the dance. It was like dancing with a robot.
"Ron has improved his dancing skills, indeed," I said, trying to make some conversation. It felt so weird to be like that with him, my best friend, the one I could talk to about anything and just receiving a hard stare.
Harry just nodded.
"By the way, your speech was great," I said, smiling.
"Thank you," was his dry reply.
I sighed "Harry, we can't go on like this."
"Like what?" he snapped.
"You know what I'm talking about. You can't stay mad at me forever."
"I'm not mad at you."
"Yes you are. You don't talk to me, you don't even look at me," I said and then he looked at me straight in the eyes. His green eyes where somehow darker that I've ever seen them.
"The only reason I'm even accepting to be in the same place with you now is because it's Ron's wedding. I told you I didn't want to see you anymore," he said with flat voice.
Tears were threatening to came out of my eyes "Harry, please..."
"Get over it Hermione," he cut me off and let my hand go.
It was time for switching partners and I had to dance with Ron. Harry was dancing with Elizabeth.
"Hello there," he said, smiling at me.
"Hi," I said, and my voice sounded like a whisper.
"I assume you haven't been able to work things out with him," he said, pointing at Harry.
I shook my head. "He didn't believe me when I told him I loved him. He doesn't want to see me anymore... Oh Ron, what am I going to do?"
He stroked my hair slowly. "Listen to me, Hermione Granger. I've known you for 14 years and I know you don't give up easily. You can't let Harry go. You have to make him believe you."
"But how?" I asked
"I have an idea," Ron said, suddenly grinning.
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I must say, I didn't like Ron's idea at all.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," George and Fred were standing on the stage where the orchestra hired for the reception was. "We already had the chance to see our charming best man singing for you... And now it's the maid of honor's turn!!" They started screaming and cheering and I felt my cheeks burning.
Everyone knew how much I feared to sing in front of people. I could do it in the shower, but if I knew anyone was listening, no way. It was some sort of trauma. Harry and Ron had tried to convince me among the years to join them on their "Ridgebacks" nights, but I always refused to.
And now I was standing on a stage.
Ron had said I had to made a big sacrifice to prove Harry that I wasn't playing with him. And since he almost declared his love for me with a song, it was fair that I did the same.
Everyone was staring at me, waiting. Ron and Liz were in the front line, grinning excitedly. I spotted Harry among the crowd. He was looking curiously at me, as if it was some sort of joke.
"I want to dedicate this song to Ron and Liz," I said, trying to keep my voice and hands steady "but mostly to you, Harry."
A couple of "ooooows" from the Weasleys, Dean and Seamus were heard. Harry's face was expressionless.
The orchestra gave me the sign, and I started to sing and old muggle song that I knew Harry liked.
"Only you
Can make all this world seem right
Only you
Can make the darkness bright
Only you and you alone
Can thrill me like you do
And fill my heart with love
For only you
Only you
Can make this change in me
For it's true
You are my destiny
When you hold my hand I understand
The magic that you do
You're my dream come true
My one and only you"
When I finished singing, I felt my cheeks burning. Ron and Liz clapped and cheered, along with most of the guests at the reception.
Most of them, except one.
Harry looked furious and with one look at me he stormed out of the room.
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A/N: Sorry for the long update! I've been really busy with University. My teachers seem to think I have nothing better to do than read millions and millions of books about politics!
Anyway, I received excellent comments about the last chapter. I'm glad that you liked it. I hope you'll find this one good too.
I wasn't sure about to put Hermione singing a song. But then again, this IS a romantic comedy, and this kinda of things always happen in them. I picked "Only You" for two reasons: first, it's a classic from the Platters (and this fic only includes classic songs ;) ) and the lyrics fit. I didn't want to put something like "please forgive me, I'm so sorry about what happened" kind-of-song, because, after all, she's in a wedding and she can't be whipping her love problems when she should be celebrating her friend's eternal love. Does this make sense?