Davaca, lol about the Matrix. I actually didn't like those last two movies...the first one's the only one I really liked.
Thanks to Creepy Susie, ChocolateFrogsForBreakfast, PrincessJane, fence4life21 (a.k.a. Paula), Harry&Hermione4ever, green_eyes, pottergranny, KypDurron, XxBandGeekxX, Sherm, spaz141, danielerin, mcgaughy1661, ridxwan, LiZz, Katakali, swimchick1614, michelle26123, hermionestar14, worSTNitMr, Larissa, HnH4EvA19, menanieblack (god I hate grammar! Hehe), slyphiad, Accio Pumpkins! (Love the username, btw!), J.C. Rose, lillbrowneyedangel, Jenna Kathleen, Parvati Patil, Harry85, harrynmione, usha88, and all you anonymous reviewers for your supporting comments!
Well, here we go. The last chapter. At first, I wrote this chapter to be, you know, where Hermione goes and tells whoever she chooses blah blah fluffiness ensues blahblah...but unfortunately for those who were looking forward to that, it didn't end up that way! I'm soo sorry...you'll see what I mean when you guys read this, lol. I know a lot of you hate Ron...but he's my favorite character. Hopefully you guys will like it without the fluffiness, lol...any flames will be appreciated-I feel bad about the lack of fluffiness!
Also, I'm aware that I jump waaay ahead with this ending...I was expecting at least three more chapters, but I surprised myself when I wrote this. Somehow, I like this ending better than what I had planned out. It just fits, somehow. I might make an epilogue...but that's in the works. For now, let's just say that this fic is completed!
Well, who cares about what I think! Get on with it! Read!!!
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My Best Friends' Wedding
Chapter Nine: My Best Friends' Wedding
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(Ron)
I can still hear her voice. In my dreams, nightmares...it haunts me wherever I go. I see her and Harry together, and it clenches my heart in the most painful way possible.
But I smile.
I can still remember that night vividly in my mind. I've recounted it in my mind so many times I've lost count...it used to be I just dwelled on it when lying in bed at night, tossing and turning. Now I think about it almost every second I'm awake.
"I'm sorry," she had whispered into my ear, her eyes pleading.
I wonder, sometimes, whether things would have been different if I had pleaded for her to take me. If I had held her close and begged her to think again, reconsider. If I had demanded Harry fight for her.
But I know what I did solidified her love for me. Not necessarily in the way I wanted...but it was enough.
That was, at least, what I convinced myself.
"Do you, Hermione Granger, take Harry Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until his last whisper of life?"
But I knew it wasn't enough. I was still desperately in love with Hermione...
"I do," she said, smiling up at Harry.
And God damnit all, how the bloody hell did I end up being the Best Man.
"And do you, Harry Potter, take Hermione Granger to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until her last whisper of life?"
I held back a laugh. Ironic, isn't it, how everything was. Harry was the one marrying Hermione, not me. I was the best man, not him. This was their wedding...not ours.
"I do."
"The rings, please,"
The rings felt heavy in my hand as I lightly weighed them. It was only momentary, me holding those promises, but yet...it felt like eternity.
Stupid, I know.
When had I become so God damn sentimental?
But as I looked at them, at their gleaming silver and gold crossings, at the words etched on the inside...I felt those tears prickling the corners of my eyes, the tight feeling in my throat as it constricted, the slight pain in my knees as I locked my legs.
I felt Harry's gaze upon me and I handed them over, smiling at him the best I could.
In all his happiness, he didn't notice my uneasiness, and instead smiled back. Gingerly taking the rings from me he and Hermione exchanged rings, beaming at each other.
How did I think I could do this. It had been a couple of months since that night, yet the pain felt fresh and tore at my heart every time I thought about it. And now, here, in this god damn place full of lace and doves and white and napkins and that fancy silverware and unnecessary music...
I wanted it all.
"I now pronounce you Husband and Wife," the preacher said, smiling at Harry and Hermione. "You may now kiss the bride."
I wanted it with Hermione.
As they leaned in to one another to finish their vows, I turned away.
I was happy for them. I really was.
They turned around and completely ignoring everything around them raced down the aisle, Hermione almost tripping on that dress and Harry grabbing her arm in the nick of time.
That's always how it was, isn't it? Hermione, tripping...Harry, grabbing her arm...
Yet as I thought about it, it was always the other way around. It was Harry who was tripping. She would grab his arm, saving him from the fall...
And where was I in this metaphor?
I was that preacher. From the beginning, I always thought that I was the middle of our friendships with each other. Many would argue that it was Harry who kept us all together-who was the one who had the meaningless spats with each other? Wasn't it Harry who was the peacemaker?
But the three of us knew better. I was Harry's best mate. I was Hermione's pillar of support while she aided Harry. We both held him up in the ways only the two of us could...but we depended on each other to do that.
I didn't think anyone could understand but the three of us.
"Ron?" I looked over to see Ginny peering up at me, a small smile on her face. "Come on. You can walk me up the aisle."
"All right," I said, smiling back at my baby sister.
It was for the better, after all.
As Ginny looped her arm in mine we walked down together, smiling at all the happy faces we saw. All ideas of how this was supposed to be my wedding, how she was supposed to be my bride, washed away when I saw Harry and Hermione at the end.
I could do this for them.
I could be happy for Harry in the happiest moment of his life. Ever since that night when he woke me up to see that Mirror of Erised, I knew what he wanted most in life. A family. One of his own; the Weasleys weren't enough to sustain him. And I could be there for him as he finally got what he had wanted all his life. I would baby sit those awful tykes I knew the two of them would make, I would be "Uncle Ron."
And I could do this for Hermione.
I could do this to see her smile. To see her face like this, to see her become flustered and in bliss and happy...
I would do this for her.
~-~-~-~-~-~
"Congratulations, mate!" I said, walking into Harry's dressing room and smiling at the look on his face. "You finally did it."
"Yeah," he said, peering back into the mirror. "You think I look any different?"
"No. You were always whipped," I replied, grinning as he turned around to laugh at me.
But isn't that the truth? He had always been the one for Hermione...
"Ron," Harry said seriously, walking away from the mirror and nervously readjusting his tux. "I...um..."
I knew what was coming. He was going to say thanks, promise to me that he was going to take care of Hermione...
"I know," I said, saving him the trouble. He looked up at me, his gaze uncertain. "I'm...I'm happy for you, Harry."
Was I really?
Harry leaned in and gave me a hug. In all my manly glory I had rarely hugged a guy before...the only times I could think of giving out hugs, beside in my childhood, was when I hugged my father before he went into Battle that night before my birthday.
It only lasted a second before Harry leaped back, looking as serious as I'd ever seen him.
But the look in his eyes...
...I knew that I was doing the right thing.
Was I really happy for him?
Yes.
~-~-~-~-~-~
"Weasel."
"Ferret."
Malfoy raised one eyebrow at me, not really sneering...but really, what else can a Malfoy do?
"You know, Ron, are you going to call me 'Malfoy' too?" Ginny said, looking amused.
"Oh, Merlin, don't provoke me, Gin!" I begged, laughing.
"You know, Weasley," Malfoy said, leaning back in his chair. "I'm...sorry."
My ears must be full of wax. Really. I think I just heard the bloody ferret say "sorry."
"I'm sorry, Weasley," Malfoy repeated, taking a look at my face.
"For what," I said slowly, wondering what he and the twins had done.
"For you know," Malfoy replied, a small smirk on his face. "This whole wedding."
Ginny nervously glanced from me to Malfoy, biting her lip. I shook my head.
"So am I," I whispered, a sad smile on my face.
"You know, Virginia and I pushed Granger and Pothead together," he said, his face serious as he looked at me. "And we're not sorry for it." I raised my head. "But for all it's worth...we're sick of seeing you like this. For bloody sake, Weasley, I can't properly insult you when you look like a sodding baby. This is your bleeding best friends' wedding!" Shaking his blonde head he added, "Life isn't over, no matter how much you believe it is. Granger was Potter's girl, Weasley. You'll find your own in good time."
It should have been an insult. I should have stalked away from that table, forbid Malfoy from ever entering my family and curse him into oblivions.
But I smiled at him. For once, I knew his sodding mouth wasn't full of shit.
"Thanks, Malfoy," I said, and he looked almost surprised.
"You're welcome, Weasley."
~-~-~-~-~-~
Harry and Hermione were in the middle of the room, her squeals of happiness and his chuckles heard throughout the room as they shared their first true dance as a married couple.
I smiled as Harry stumbled. The bloke just can't dance.
I glanced down at my plate, sighing deeply. It felt surreal, somehow....
...suddenly, I was reminded too painfully of that night.
"What'chu watching?" Harry asked as he entered the kitchen, his head a shriveled mess, his eyes laden with sleep.
"Dirty Dancing," I said, my mouth full of Hermione's favorite ice cream. She had left a tub in the freezer and Merlin be damned if I wasn't going to do her a favor and finish it for her. "Nothing on the Telly, and this just came up. Some muggle movie."
"Dirty Dancing?" he said, his eyes wide. "You aren't...serious."
"Yeah," I said thickly as I swallowed the chocolate chips and cookie dough. "Why?"
"Nothin'" he said, shaking his head.
I was missing something.
"No, really, what?" I asked, turning around on the couch.
"It's nothing," he said, looking up at me. "It's nothing, it's just that movie's..."
I saw him hesitating.
"It's what?"
"It's our movie," he finally said, licking his lips nervously.
I knew exactly who he meant by "our."
"Ah," I said, my throat suddenly tight. Harry and I had just patched things up, and here we were, the tension crackling in the air. It was mocking us. Grinning, I motioned to the other seat with my spoon and said, "Well c'mon, watch it then."
"Watch...what?"
"Disgrace to Hermione's name if you don't do it," I replied, giving him another grin.
Mmm. This better meant I had a sure ticket to Heaven.
Sighing, relieved it seemed like, Harry walked over from the kitchen and plopped down on the armchair.
"Thanks," he muttered. I nodded back. "Any way I could get you to share the-"
"Don't push me, Potter," I said, completely joking. "Hermione is one thing. Food is another."
"Well, I would hope I'm more important," a feminine voice said from behind us. Before I even turned my head I knew who it was.
"Hermione," Harry said, and I saw him swallow.
"Hi," she breathed, and the two of them stared at each other. Seeing the look on her face, my throat constricted and my palms were increasingly getting sweatier.
"Don't think that," I told myself. "She hasn't said anything yet. Don't assume she's chosen Harry...don't."
"Hermione," I said, getting up from the couch. Her gaze shifted and she looked at me, the pain evident in her eyes.
Damnit. Bloody Hell. Merlin, please, just...
"Welcome home," I finally said, walking over to her and giving her a hug. She held me tightly, her hands fisting in my shirt.
"I, um...I made my choice, Ron," she whispered, her gaze on me. I saw her glance at Harry and I nodded, running my hands through my hair. "Harry? Could I talk to Ron? For a minute?"
"Sure," he said, getting up. His gaze shifted from me to Hermione while he walked backwards to his room, his glasses askew. As his door closed Hermione's eyes returned to me, her hand raising to smooth out my bangs like she always did.
"I made my choice," she said, purposely ignoring my eyes. "I just..." She engulfed me in her arms again, her hands re-clutching my shirt. "I'm sorry," she whispered into my ears, her eyes pleading.
My heart broke.
I never really understood that muggle term until now...it was ripping into pieces, shattering against my chest. But how was that possible, when it was beating so fiercely?
"Ron?"
She chose Harry.
"Ron, I..."
"No," I muttered, and I could feel the tears coming. "You...you don't sorry. I mean..." I knew what I was saying didn't make any sense. "Don't be. You chose Harry, after all, and you shouldn't be...be..."
Sorry. Please, please be sorry. Tell me you changed your mind. Tell me you love me.
"I love you, Ron," Hermione whispered as she cried. "I do. Don't ever think any different...I just..."
"I don't want to hear it," I mumbled, taking in a shattering breath. "Don't tell me."
"I have to," she said, her hands coming up to cup my face. "I love you. I will never, ever regret what I had with you...I wouldn't give it up for anything. Yes, even for Harry," she added as she saw the look on my face. "But what I figured out today was that more than I wanted to continue having it with you...I wanted to share it with Harry. Please understand..."
I knew I did. I knew I could.
But she chose Harry...
"I'll try," I managed to say.
"I love you," she said again, her bottom lip trembling.
I couldn't say it back. Not now.
I caught her chin in-between my thumb and forefinger and lifted her face up to mine. Pressing gently on her lips I gave her a small peck, backing away before I did anything else I would regret.
"I'll get Harry for you," I said in a hollow voice.
I knew she had more to say, but in all honesty...I don't think I could have taken it.
"Harry," I muttered, opening the door. Harry tumbled out, his ear having been pressed against the door.
"Yeah?" he said, getting up quickly. He glanced at Hermione before looking back at me, swallowing again.
"You're up, mate," I said, trying to smile at him.
His green gaze caught my expression and he quickly frowned, swallowing again before saying, "Ron, I-"
"Don't leave her waiting," I interrupted, stepping into his room and closing the door.
I leaned against the back, forcing myself to breath.
She had chosen Harry.
Everything we had...it all amounted to nothing.
That ring on her finger? Nothing.
The promises we made...
...nothing.
My head lightly banged against the wood as I closed my eyes, willing the tears to remain on bay. I would not cry. I wouldn't...
Opening my eyes, I wondered what Hermione was saying to Harry. Glancing around the room I noticed Harry's wand sitting on the bedside table, calling to me.
What can I say. Can't deny a wand what it wants.
Casting the eavesdropper's favorite hex I furled it towards the door. Suddenly I could hear Hermione and Harry's voices as if they were standing right next to me.
"You've...chosen?"
"Yes."
Bracing myself I clenched Harry's wand tightly in my fist, my knuckles turning white.
I wonder how he would kill me if I broke his wand...
"So...you..."
"I love Ron, you know..."
"I...yeah, of course..."
"But..."
"Yeah?"
"But I told him that, well...that you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."
"Why'd you tell him that?" I could feel Hermione smiling.
"Harry, I-"
"No, I need to tell you something." I heard Harry take a step closer to Hermione. "I love you...but Ron's like my brother. I can't...do this to him...you have to understand..."
What the bloody fuck?
"...I've thought about this for a long time...and our friendship, the three of us? It's what I hold as the most important...I lost sight of that. But now..."
"Don't give me that shit," Hermione quietly demanded. "Our friendship's important to me, too. But Harry...you cannot tell me that you don't want to spend the rest of your life with me."
I heard him swallow.
"I know it hurts Ron...it hurts me, too, knowing that I'm doing this to him. But I..."
My legs gave out. I slid to the floor, my back still against the door. 'But I' what, Hermione?
"I love you..."
She said that with a tenderness I had never heard in her voice before.
"I l-love you too."
"Then marry me."
"You...what?"
"Marry me, Harry. Stay with me forever..."
No...
"I don't know, Hermione..."
"Don't think that this was a sudden decision," Hermione whispered. "I think that ever since I saw you battle that Troll in the loo...I've always loved you..."
I choked on a sob. My eyes clenched shut as I gripped that wand even tighter. Her voice echoed in my mind, and that was all I could concentrate on.
"I've always loved you...ever since I saw you battle that Troll in the loo...loved you..."
"I..." There was a two minute breach in the conversation. Tears were streaming down my face by now. I took another shattering breath in, trying to gain control of my body. "Of course, Hermione. I love you...I'll marry you."
I let go of Harry's wand, watching it as it fell to the carpeted floor.
"Speech! Speech!" everyone was yelling, and I was broken out of my memory as I glanced around. Harry and Hermione were sitting at the top table, holding hands and smiling at each other.
Taking in a deep breath I stood up, clinking my spoon against the glass.
"I'd like to give a toast to the wonderful Mr. and Mrs..."
Ginny looked up at me, a worried expression her face.
"Potter," I finished, smiling at everyone. "It takes a little getting used to. Although, it almost seems as if the two of them were always Mr. and Mrs. Potter since we were eleven years old." I heard almost everyone around me chuckle. The others...well, they exchanged worried glances. "This is a real special day. The day that my best mate married his..." I looked at her then, that smile playing with her lips, those eyes that told me she loved me like she would no other. "...our Hermione."
I took a good look at Harry then. He didn't even notice my gaze. He was staring at Hermione, a look on his face I hadn't seen since Sirius died. It seems that burden had finally lifted.
"I've watched these two mature and grow over the years. Sure, we had our spats and arguments...and our validated peace makers...but ultimately, I wouldn't have it any other way." I smiled at the two of them. "I love them both very deeply...Harry's just another Weasley to me. And Hermione..." I trailed off, swallowing.
She's the love of my life.
"She's everything I hope to see in myself before my dying day. Let's give a toast...to Hermione and Harry on their wedding day." Taking a sip, I smiled at her. "Let's wish them everything they already have. Love and happiness."
"To Harry and Hermione," everyone said.
Sitting back down I gently placed my champagne glass back on the table.
"Ron?" Ginny asked, her fingers tugging on my sleeve.
"Yeah?"
"I love you," she said, smiling at me. "I've never been prouder of you."
"Thanks, Gin." The look on her eyes was one I hadn't seen for a long time. The most recent I could remember was when she had dragged me off the battle field, praying to Merlin that I was alive.
I sneaked a glance at the top table. Harry and Hermione were feeding each other, giggling as bits of cake stuck to skin here and there.
Hermione, feeling my glance, looked over at me. For a moment our eyes locked...
...she didn't have to say it. In that moment, nobody had to say it. I finally knew...it had taken months and my best friends' wedding, but I knew.
I would be okay.
~-~-~-~-~-~
"Hermione?" I said, grabbing her arm gently in my hand as she left the hall.
"Ron!" she exclaimed, her face flushed. "I was so scared I wouldn't get to talk to you before we left!"
"I wouldn't have let that happen," I said, smiling at her.
She looked beautiful.
"I just wanted to say that I love you." At her worried glance, I hurried on. "That night...you told me you loved me, and I never said it back. I just...I just wanted to say it to your face, even though I'm sure you already know. You know, that I love you." Smiling sadly, I whispered, "Like you love me."
"Oh, Ron..."
"And I know I'll be okay," I hurried on. "No one will ever replace you, but...but I'll be okay. You and Harry make one bloody brilliant couple." She smiled at me, those brown eyes of her twinkling.
I couldn't help but think that Hermione had never loved me more.
"Ron?" Harry asked, walking towards us. "Nice speech, mate. I...I really appreciated it."
"All of it was bloody true." I began to back away as the photographer came.
"Shall I take a picture?" the photographer said, waving his camera at us.
"Yes," she said, smiling at me before taking my hand in hers. "Don't be silly, Ron." Turning back to the photographer, she added, "A girl and her two best mates."
Hermione stood in the middle, looking glorious, smiling right at the camera. Harry stood to her left, their fingers entwined as he looked down at her.
Me?
I stood to her right, raising her hand to my lips as I kissed her knuckles. The photographer took the shot then, smiling from behind his camera.
That picture was our favorite from the wedding.
It rests on a wall in Harry and Hermione's home, framed and set in the middle of the living room, her favorite room. She loves to stare at the picture, smiling at the way her two best mates are looking at her while she smiles at the camera.
I often look at it too, when I visit. It never ceases to make me smile.
And the picture underneath it? It's in a smaller frame, the photo black and white. It's the way Hermione preferred it, and I decided to keep it that way.
A picture at my own wedding.
I'm standing in the middle, smiling. I never thought I could find love after Hermione...
...and of course, as usual, I was wrong.
I'm standing in the middle, smiling at the camera. My left arm's around Harry, who is grinning at me and messing my hair with his right hand, laughing heartily.
Hermione's to my right, grinning cheekily at me as she fixes my bow tie. Every now and then she reaches up to cup my cheek, smiling.
You can see my wife in the background, shaking her head and smiling at the three of us.
Nothing ever felt this right in the world.
The three of us, together.
The four of us.
The end.
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reviewing's good for the soul...
Aah the end! I know that almost everyone reading this will be very, very disappointed at the lack of H/Hr fluffiness. I'm sorry! I tried writing it that way, I really did!...sorry, sorry sorry! I don't think there'll be an epilogue, I'm thinking about it (be happy, my little sister is bugging me about an epilogue and it's because of her I'm even considering it!) but if there's enough pleading I might consider it more, hehe. Thanks for reading!!
Also, as I'm sure questions will arise about who Ron's wife is...I don't really find that really important to the plot, so I didn't add it in. She's only in like two sentences anyway, lol. But in the case of an epilogue...I guess we'll have to figure out who it is, right? Hehe. So in your review, if you want an epilogue, please do tell me who you think Ron would've married. And do me a favor and don't say Luna...because it won't happen, sorry! It's the only pairing I'm against on this site!