Chapter 15
It was the night before Hermione's wedding. She had spent the evening with some of her friends who made a lot of fuss. She changed into her nightgown. She wondered if anybody had ever felt so miserable before their wedding. It was something which ever person looked forward to. But she wasn't. She was marrying somebody whom she didn't love like a wife should love her husband. A few hours ago her mother had asked her if she was happy with her wedding. She had answered that she had loved anyone just once in her life. Her mother was concerned by the tone of her voice but she refused to discuss this any further. As she had expected she wasn't able to sleep. She got out of bed and stood walked to her balcony. Long time ago she had heard, there was an old superstition saying that if you see a shooting star and make a wish, it will come true. Having lost all hope she started looking for a shooting star. Maybe her luck would change. If she only had the courage to tell Seamus the truth but she couldn't bear to break his heart as she knew what it felt like.
Time passed fast. The next time she checked her watch it was four in the morning. In just a few hours time she would be in the church tying the knot. Tears rolled down her eyes as she thought about what could have been. She could only think about Harry. Though he had broken her heart she couldn't help loving him. She felt sorry that he had lost Caroline so early in his life. First his parents, then Sirius and then Caroline. Life had been like a horror story for him. She was so engrossed in her thought that she didn't hear someone apparating into her room. She heard him call her name. Just as she turned to face him a shooting star passed over the balcony. She had missed it. The visitor was Harry.
"Hi Hermione", he said.
"Harry what are you doing here? How did you get my address?" she asked.
"The address was on the wedding card and I came here to tell you something", he replied. Hermione didn't say anything. She sensed what was coming up. Though she was scared about its implications but she wanted to hear it very badly. Harry sat down close to her.
"Hermione, what I'm about to say should not affect you in any way. I'm just saying it because I feel that you should know the truth. It's just that I love you very much. I always have. I didn't realize it at Hogwarts. Since you were my best friend I took you for granted. I don't regret what happened between Caroline and me. She was a wonderful person. But I regret what didn't happen between you and me. You are about to get married today so I thought I'd better tell this to you. See you at the church. Remember that I love you and always will", he said, choking on the last words. He apparted away, before she could answer. Hermione stood their like a statue. She had wanted to hear this from Harry all her life. But it made things worse for her. She cried for the rest of the night.
Harry was sitting in the church. Diana, Robert and Hermione were also there. Seamus was already standing waiting for his fiancée to arrive. Hermione would walk down any moment. Harry had made up his mind not to cry. It was his fault that Hermione couldn't be his. He sat there quietly in the second row. Soon the hall became quiet. Harry turned back. Hermione stood wearing her wedding dress. Harry's eyes widened. It was alright to decide not to cry but seeing Hermione in her wedding dress was like the Cruciatus curse hitting him. Involuntarily tears started to fall. They wouldn't stop. Fortunately nobody's attention was towards him. So he just hid his face hoping that everything would be over soon.
However there was one pair of eyes looking only at him. It was the bride herself. She had searched him as she walked but stopped as soon as she saw him. She couldn't bear to watch him cry. She knew that she was the cause for his despair. She tried t walk forward but her legs wouldn't move. She was still looking at him. Suddenly he looked up. Their eyes met. She couldn't hold back any more. Hot tears started falling from her eyes too.
The entire church saw all this. Seamus stood where he was utterly confused. He tried to make sense of all this. He looked towards Hermione who was looking straight at Harry. Both of them were crying helplessly. Seamus again looked at Hermione. This time he saw something which made him understand everything. He thought for a couple of minutes and then walked towards Hermione. He held her hand firmly but spoke softly.
"Hermione, remember I told you my friend could make out by my eyes that I was in deeply in love. I never saw that feeling in your eyes….until today. Sadly that feeling is not for me. There is just one person you love at the moment and I have no right to stand between the two of you. Always follow your heart Hermione. I love you very much and want to see you happy. Go to Harry. He'll give you all the happiness you'll ever need", he said before kissing her softly. Hermione's tears started to fall faster. She couldn't answer back. She simply nodded her head indicating he was right. She looked towards Harry, her lips breaking into a smile. He smiled too. They both ran and jumped into each other's arms. The church applauded. Two people were the loudest. One was Seamus and the other was an ecstatic Hermione White Potter.
The wedding took place within a fortnight. It was a big party. People said that they hadn't seen two people more in love. Everybody enjoyed themselves very much. They apparated back home before long. Hermione White Potter was very excited. She had a new mother with whom she shared her name.
"Welcome home mother. I'm so glad I can call you that", she said. Hermione Granger Potter picked her up.
"Thank you my child, if it hadn't been for you, your dad and I would never met again. Now it's very late you should go to be. Come on I'll tuck you in", she said. Very soon the little girl was asleep. She had been tired after a long day.
Though she was sleeping she could hear someone speaking. Though she was sleeping she could see everything around. She could feel something but didn't know what it was. Then somebody spoke to her. She turned around to see who it was.
"Thank you Hermione. You have fulfilled my wish. Harry has got back his first love. A mother couldn't ask more from a child. I'm sure you will keep your father and your new mother very happy. I'll always be indebted to you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you…………."
THE END
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