A/N: I've gotten feedback that this chapter is horribly OoC. If any of you guys find Hermione OoC, that's understandable. She does something in this chapter that a lot of my friends don't think she would ever do, but I've always been under the impression that every person has a breaking point of stress. As for Draco, I have a plan in mind-he feels in debt to Hermione because of something she did for him earlier, before this story. It'll be mentioned in passing in later chapters, see if you can find it. And Ginny, she's just being a loyal friend who knows what Hermione is going through. D/G, there HAS to have been some difficulty establishing that ship previously. I guess that Draco and Ginny feel a sense of loyalty to helping out Harry and Hermione, cause they see themselves in that situation a wee bit. Maybe. Hinthint. (Hint for what? I dunno...)
You know, originally, this story was supposed to only be five chapters long...*sigh* guess that isn't happening, lol.
Sara, thanks about the comments on Ron. I agree about it, I've been posting it on fanfiction.net but it hasn't gotten nearly as much feedback as portkey.
Silverfoot, glad I was able to distort your health like that! Hehe.
Andain, during Hogwarts days Ron's always been consumed by jealousy for Harry. But after the war and all the Voldemort business, I think he's finally seen the light about Harry and his life. I really don't think this is another "Harry has something I want" deal...he truly loves her, and would do anything to make her happy. I dunno, you're probably right (the reader always is!) but I think he knows this is ultimately her decision, and nothing he can do will change it.
Ridxwan, that wasn't my intention to make Harry the villain. In a sense, everyone is the villain in the story to everyone else-I hope everyone can see that.
Thanks to harryloveshermione2003, cfluter, Creepy Susie, spaz141, Pokey, KypDurron, HnH4EvA19, **Fairy Princess**, danielerin, pottergranny, sweetkiwi456, Gemma, pottergranny, khermione85626, Katakali, Rodsqueak, readinggirl, Eliza, dizzi01, goodygirl, swimchick, Estaria, LiZz, Alphamatrix, Usha88, heather, Parvati_Patil, Harry85, Draco's Gurl, LuckyStar, star_dance_herm, faesecrets, Estaria, and J.C. Rose for all your supporting comments.
Thanks to all you anonymous reviewers as well!
Wow, the previous chapter was the chapter with the most reviews out of the entire story-maybe y'all can top it with the reviews for this chapter!
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My Best Friend's Wedding
Chapter 6: Escape
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(Harry)
The silence in the room pounded in my ears alongside my rushing heart beat. Our eyes were locked, his furious blue ones driving into my startled green ones. As he sighed and closed his eyes, sinking into his armchair, I knew that he recognized that I had realized who he was talking about.
"Look, Harry," he began, rubbing his temples. "I don't hate you, mate." I couldn't find the voice to respond. "I might hate the bloody world, but I don't hate you."
"How," I finally croaked out. "How don't you?" He snorted, a depressed laugh escaping his mouth.
"I could never hate you, Harry," Ron finally said, taking a drink of his firewhiskey. "It's not your bloody fault, anyway. Not like you asked for it." Ron then drained his glass, and that faithful silence pounded in my ears again.
What the bloody fucking thing had I done.
"I just have a question," Ron whispered, avoiding eye contact. "Did you...do anything? With her? While I was with her?" Exactly what I hadn't wanted him to ask.
"Ron, I..."
"Because I want to know," he said, louder. "I deserve to know."
"I know you do."
"Then fucking tell me." I raised my head and our eyes locked again, and I saw the dimmed fire bursting in his eyes.
"I kissed her."
"You...kissed her."
"Yeah."
"For the blood of-"
"It was an accident, okay?"
"Oh, I'm sure it was!" Ron got up then, his hand clenching around his glass so hard I was afraid it might shatter in his grasp. "You fell and her lips just happened to soften your fall!" I stayed silent. "No, you know, what, you..." Ron took a deep breath then, a shattering breath I could tell was his attempt to hold in his tears. I couldn't stand to look at Ron anymore. Not knowing I was the one who did it to him. "I'm going to bed," he whispered, nearly throwing the glass in the sink. I nodded and he turned around, swiftly marching into his room and nearly slamming the door.
I had to talk to Hermione.
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(Draco)
"What's this?" I said, rubbing my hair with a towel as I exited the steamy bathroom. Hermione stared at me, her red eyes widening as she realized that I was shirtless.
"Draco!" Ginny said, a grin creeping on her face. "Put a bloody shirt on!"
"I do believe I look much more ravishing this way," I replied, smirking. "Right, Granger?"
"No," she said quickly, her chin rising in the air defiantly. Typical.
Rolling my eyes I walked my way into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and grabbing a carton of milk. Opening it I chugged it down; after a few seconds I wiped my mouth with my towel, returning the milk carton into its rightful place.
"You know, that's utterly disgusting," Granger muttered, rolling her eyes at me.
"Oh please. Don't be so condescending, you can't even stand a male specimen shirtless. Turning you on too much, Granger?"
"Draco!" Ginny finally yelled, laughing.
"Ron and Harry both beat you in that department, Malfoy," Granger finally retaliated. I snorted.
"I'm sure you'd know," I muttered, walking back to the bathroom to retrieve a shirt.
"Excuse me?"
"They don't count as men anyway," I said breezily, avoiding the question. I caught Ginny's eyes and grinned. She looked torn; loving the humor, hating the tension. Such fickle Weasleys.
"You're not fit to spit on their shoes, Malfoy, you-"
"Oh, I am so torn!" I said, clutching at my heart in fake distress. "I'm lower than Pothead and Weasel!"
"Of course you are," Granger reciprocated. I just smirked.
"Ginny...why don't you whip down to the corner market and get me some chocolate milk," I said to her, grabbing a banana and peeling it open.
"Why?" she replied, still engrossed in her magazine.
"We're out," I said simply, taking a bite out of the fruit in my hand.
"You're problem."
"Ginny."
"Malfoy."
"Weasley."
"Draco."
"Virginia...you owe me." Ginny raised her head at me then, one eyebrow cocked.
"Whatever for?"
"You look dead sexy when you do that."
"Everything I do is sexy, Draco." She sighed, grabbing her wand and glaring at me. "You owe me."
"My greatest fantasy." Ginny grinned and apparated out of the apartment, the pop ringing in my ears as the silence followed. Granger looked absolutely lost without Ginny's presence, suddenly becoming nervous and fiddling with the edge of her shirt.
"I guess I better go, then," she whispered, but as she raised her hand to apparate I cast some wandless magic and her wand disappeared out of her hand. She stared at me as I grinned, her wand now wiggling in my hand.
"Now, Granger, before you leave, I do need to speak to you," I said, pocketing her wand and walking towards her. "About some very important matters."
"Oh really? Well I don't have the time, Malfoy, if you'd just-"
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Ginny."
"Resorting to eaves dropping, are we?"
"Make that choice, Granger."
"I think we've already gone through this, Malfoy."
"Well obviously it isn't getting through your deranged, thick head!"
"Who the bloody hell are you to insult-"
"You're just going to hurt the Weasel more if you hold it out." Granger stared at me then, her brown eyes wide and slightly fearful.
"What makes you think I would choose Harry," she whispered timidly, her voice breaking.
"Just because the two of you are bloody blind about your feelings doesn't mean the rest of the world is."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Open your eyes, Granger!" Bloody Merlin did this woman need help. "You love him! He loves you! Just admit it!"
"I can't," she said quietly, her eyes staring into mine as she began to tremble helplessly. "I love Ron..."
"No, you don't," I said just as quietly. "You just think you do."
"How would you know," she said, raising her voice. "You don't know me, Malfoy." I shrugged.
"I know love when I see it."
"Love differs from person to person. You can't just...just think you know everything about it because you-"
"Take a vacation." I snapped my fingers and a portkey and ticket evaporated into my hand.
"Take a...what?"
"You need to get away from all this and just...breathe." She snorted, her eyes disbelieving.
"Malfoy, you-"
"Just...take it. Take the bloody vacation, Granger. You owe it to yourself to take a few days to seriously think about it without any outside pressure."
"What...why...where?"
"My private summer beach home on an unchartable island near Greece. You can take a day and visit there, Ginny's told me you love Greece."
"I-"
"Don't worry, the closets and everything are supplied for whoever stays there. You don't have to bring anything except this ticket and your wand. And you won't be all alone, it's about a quarter mile away from wizarding civilization. Small little village, huge tourist area, but still enough privacy to enjoy. Breathtakingly beautiful. Trust me, Granger, I bought it after all; I have good taste."
She stared at the portkey in my hand, nibbling her lip. Stepping towards her, I handed her wand back to her and she held it limply in her hand, frowning slightly.
"Just take it. You come back when you feel ready."
"It feels like running away," she muttered.
"It's not. Because you're coming back, with your decision." She looked up at me, smiling slightly.
"How do you know so much about all this." It was more of a statement than a question really, and I couldn't help but smile back.
"A Malfoy always knows what he's talking about."
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(Harry)
I apparated to her flat, but no one answered my frantic knocking. I apparated to the library and the bookstore and her favorite café and finally as my last resort I apparated to Ginny and Malfoy's home.
"Ginny! Where...Malfoy?"
"Granger'll be back in a few days," he said breezily, reading a book while laying on the sofa delicately.
"She'll be...what?"
"She'll be back in a few days," he reiterated slowly, as if talking to a toddler.
"Where is she? I need to talk to her, Malfoy, you don't understand, I-"
"She's on vacation, sorting out her feelings." Glancing at me above his book he added, "And she doesn't need the likes of you upsetting her peace."
"Where the bloody hell is she!"
"Like I said, Pothead, she-"
"Tell me where the bloody hell she is! What did you do to her! Hermione isn't one to run away, she just...she wouldn't! What did you do to her!"
"Nothing." Malfoy, that bloody piss-ant, just smirked at me from over his bloody book.
I could feel my blood boil...
"Harry," Ginny said, stepping into the room. She threw a glare at Draco, who only smirked even more. Annoying bloody bastard. "She's near Greece, she'll be back in a few days. Just give her the space she needs right now, she-"
"I have to talk to her! We have to talk to her! We have to sort this out together, we-"
"No, no you don't!" Ginny stomped up to me then, her brown eyes furiously brimming with light. "'We' don't have to! You know you love her! Ron knows he loves her! She has no, fucking, idea, what the bloody hell she feels! Harry Potter, if you go talk to her now I swear you will never be able to bear children!"
I gulped. No way Ginny would ever do that, I had to talk to Hermione, I needed to-
"She'll do it too," Draco drawled. "And she'll leave no evidence behind."
I sighed, not believing what I was hearing.
"So you're telling me to not chase after her. To not admit my feelings, to not tell her that I love her."
"Yes."
"That I can't even tell her no matter what her decision, she'll still be the love of my life and I couldn't possibly love anyone else the way I love her?"
"Yes."
"That Ron deserves her as much as I do, and-"
"Just fucking go home, Potter, we don't need to hear this mush. You aren't going to see Granger until she's ready, so just deal with that idea. Too much to process, Potter?"
"Malfoy, you shut the bloody hell up."
"Stop being so fucking selfish, Potter!"
"Oh, that's rich, coming from you!"
"Harry! Draco! For Merlin's sake, you pieces of children ass!" Ginny glared at her fiancé, and I saw him flinch involuntarily. Ginny has that affect on people, when she wants. Then she redirected her glare at me and I felt myself cringe unconsciously. Damn.
"Go home, Harry," she said quietly. Her eyes pleaded with her, begging for me to understand. "Please."
"I can't do that, Gin," I said just as quietly. Malfoy sighed, getting up and walking towards me.
"She loves you, Potter, there's no doubt about that." Looking at me in the eye he muttered, "but let her find that out on her own."
"Malfoy, how can you be so bloody sure." That prick just grinned, really grinned at me.
"Comes from experience, Potter." My eyes widened as he smirked, glancing at Ginny who smiled back. "I had to find out for myself, too."
So what was I supposed to do, but wait it out.