Disclaimer: We all know how this goes… It all came out of Jo's brilliant mind, except the plot.
A/N: The main plot is actually based on the Mexican novel "Corazón Salvaje" (Wild Heart), written by Caridad Bravo Adams. Of course, I twisted it a bit to my liking.
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1. Friendly Letters
Harry,
How's work going? I hope you're not getting yourself into too much trouble. It was such a shame I couldn't catch up with you last week as we had planned, but I know how unexpected the life of an Auror can be.
Since I didn't see you that day, I thought I'd let you know about that important thing I wanted to talk to you in this letter. Harry, I'm madly in love… with a muggle. Yes, I know what you must be thinking, but I can't help it. I love him. The problem, the one I need your advice on, is that he doesn't know anything about my "special" qualities. I'm afraid to tell him.
Charles, which is his name by the way, comes from a very traditional, very old-fashioned family. I know you must be wondering what I'm doing with someone like him. Well, our families have known each other for years. Charles and I were childhood friends, but we had drifted apart, for reasons you're well aware of.
It wasn't until last year, at my grandparents fiftieth wedding anniversary that we saw each other again - I also was able to reunite with my favourite cousin - we used to be like sisters when we were little. There's just one problem, though (Yes, another problem). He doesn't know about my feelings. I reckon he might feel the same way. There's something about the way he's always treated me… Still I don't want to be the one to make the first move. I guess I also have some old-fashioned ideas.
Well, I must go. Please reply to me sooner than last time, two months to send a reply seems like a long time to me.
Hope to see you soon.
Missing you lots,
Hermione
"A muggle?" thought Harry after reading the long letter he had just received from his best friend. They had seen so little of each other in the last two years, but they still liked to keep contact at least through letters. Harry's job as an Auror left him little time to socialize.
"I reckon it makes sense. She grew up with muggles and has always been very close to them." A small smile appeared on the face of the handsome 26-year old man. "Besides we're in the same boat."
At that time, Harry Potter was in his bedroom. He had inherited from his godfather the old Black house, which served as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix during the Second War.
Eight years had passed since, during which Harry continued to fight against the dark forces. A year after he had defeated the Dark Lord, Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody welcomed him into the Auror's force. Harry was very pleased with his job, but there was one thing he didn't like: the little time he had to spend with his friends. Having to go on secret missions every so often, mostly out of the city or even out of the country, kept him quite busy.
This time, however, Harry decided he could spare a few minutes to write back to his best friend. Since Ron had moved to Egypt after marrying Luna more than two years ago (Ron was now working with his brother Bill for Gringgots Wizarding Bank), Harry had been left with Hermione as his closest best friend.
Harry walked towards the oak desk placed by the window to grab a piece of parchment and a quill. He moved aside the cup of tea Dobby had left for him before retrieving for the night.
A couple of days after Harry had settled in Grimmauld Place, Dobby appeared at his doorstep to offer his services. At first, Harry said no. He didn't like the idea of having a house-elf, but then two things made him change his mind. The first one was the look of disappointment in Dobby's face. The second one was realizing that he would indeed need some help to maintain such a big house.
He finally accepted Dobby' services, but not before putting down a few conditions. First, Dobby was not to call him "master" (That word reminded Harry terribly of He-Who-You-Already-Know-Who). Dobby was also to get paid for his services and he'd be getting weekends off.
At first, Dobby didn't know what to do with two whole days off. Until one day Harry suggested he could visit Winky at Hogwarts. Since then, Dobby spent all of his weekends at the castle.
After dipping his quill in the inkwell, Harry started to write his letter.
Dear Hermione,
That guy is very lucky to be loved by someone like you. I'm completely sure that he'll fall head over heals for you, if he isn't already. I think you should tell him about who you really are. If he really loves you, he shouldn't mind. It's not like you work with dark magic or anything like that!
As for him being a muggle, well I've got nothing more to say about it, other than… that makes two of us. Yes, I've also been seeing a muggle woman, for the last eight months. No, I haven't told her anything either. I reckon I'm a bit afraid just like you. And I shouldn't be really. She's a very outgoing, open-minded person. I should tell her.
I know you must be wondering how I got involved with a muggle. Well, not that I'm supposed to say it, but sometimes I meet with our undercover contacts at muggle restaurants or cafés to avoid magic people. I met her at one of those places and we started seeing each other that same night. We've been together since. She doesn't know about my job of course, but I'm seriously thinking about having a talk with her. I'll let you know what happens.
Must go now, I'm heading to a special mission abroad - I'm not supposed to talk about this, you know. When I get back, I'll look you up so we can have lunch together.
Talk to you soon. I promise!
Harry
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Three months later, in mid June, Harry was back in London. He was very tired but satisfied with the outcome he and the team he led had achieved. This mission had taken longer than he had expected. Still, the mission wouldn't be completely over until the written report was sitting on Moody's desk.
That Saturday, after submitting his report Harry went to a muggle café for lunch. He enjoyed visiting places like this, not only when he was meeting one of his contacts but also when he just wanted to relax and enjoy his meal without someone asking to take pictures of him.
Even when the defeat of the Dark Lord had taken place many years ago, Harry Potter was still a celebrity in the wizarding world. And even when he had to endure it for so long, it was something that Harry would never get used to.
Harry sat down at a small table by the window. He was looking out at the people walking in the streets, but his thoughts were far away from the café, in a modern fifth-floor apartment at the other side of the city, where the love of his life lived.
Sally Mackenzie was everything Harry could ask for. She was a gorgeous blonde, with shiny hair and blue eyes. She was smart, outgoing, and a very passionate lover. Harry had spent the night at her apartment the same day they met.
The attraction had been mutual. Sally had been eyeing him and smiling at him during the half hour that he was there. It came to him as no surprise when she approached him. Since that night, Harry had spent many nights at her apartment. Harry was beginning to think about taking things to the next level.
Besides presenting his report, Harry had also asked Moody for a couple of months off. He wanted to tell Sally everything about him, his job and the wizarding world. He wanted to propose and was sure Sally would accept to marry him as soon as the arrangements could be done. That way he'd be able to spend some quality time with her and maybe even take a little trip somewhere relaxing.
Harry was only taken out of his thoughts when his lunch arrived. Then, he also noticed a muggle newspaper someone had left on the chair next to him. From time to time, Harry liked to read the muggle paper, something most magic people didn't give much regard to, in order to keep an eye out for things muggles wouldn't pay much attention to or wouldn't recognize for what they really were.
As Harry was eating his lunch, he started reading through the pages. Then a picture announcing an engagement caught his attention. Harry looked back at the picture and read the caption underneath.
"After announcing their engagement three months ago, Mr. Charles Kensington and Ms. Sally Mackenzie shall be joining their lives in holy matrimony tomorrow at the Kensington's estate."
Harry had to read the caption a few times before his mind could process it. It was her. There was no mistake. The picture of the happy couple was clear enough. It was Sally. His Sally was getting married to another guy tomorrow.
Then, Harry looked quickly at the date on the paper. It was yesterday's paper, which meant she'd be getting married on that day. To make matters worse, the paper didn't specify where exactly the wedding would be taking place.
Without finishing his lunch, Harry headed back to the Ministry. In previous occasions, he had been able to locate a person's whereabouts with less information than that. He was determined to find the place where the person he had hoped would marry him was going to marry someone else.
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Hermione looked at her image in the ladies room. She was wearing a crimson, strapless long nightdress that gently pronounced her curves. Little was left of that bushy haired, thin, girl that once cried after being called a nightmare by a certain redhead boy. She had turned into an attractive woman with shiny curly brown hair, which she had finally learned how to tame.
That day, her hair had been professionally tied in an elegant bun at the back of her head, with some loose curls framing her face, her make-up light and natural. Her appearance was perfect, but her eyes looked sad.
She had been chosen to be the maid of honor at her cousin's wedding. Hermione and her cousin had been very close during their childhood. Both their mothers were sisters. When Hermione and her cousin were kids, they had had the same connection as their mothers, but Hermione didn't feel that way anymore.
Hermione and her cousin hadn't seen each other for a long time. First, during Hermione's years at Hogwarts she hadn't been that close to her relatives. Then, her cousin moved to Italy for a few years. It wasn't until last year when the two of them had reunited at their grandparents' anniversary. Since that day, the two women continued their friendship as if no time had passed.
Hermione found in her cousin the female best friend she'd always lacked. There were things she just could not say to Harry, her other best friend. Having her cousin back in her life had been great for Hermione. She had confided in her cousin her two secrets: Hermione's magic abilities and her secret love.
Both women lived in London. Hermione had signed a contract with Flourish and Blott's to edit and write new textbooks of spells and charms. She loved her job, especially the fact that she could work from home and make her own schedule. Her cousin worked in a muggle advertising firm.
They had been seeing each other regularly during the last year. Everything had gone great until the day Hermione received some very surprising news from her cousin. She was getting married. What was surprising about it was the fact that Sally, Hermione's cousin, was getting married to none other than the man Hermione was in love with.
To Hermione, it had been a shock to learn that even when Sally knew about Hermione's feelings for Charles, she had started dating him. "You never made a move," Sally had said, but to Hermione that was not an excuse.
Sally had not been honest with Hermione. She never told Hermione anything about Charles until the day they announced their engagement; an announcement Sally purposely made at a family dinner with both their parents present. Sally knew Hermione wouldn't make a scene in front of them.
If she had the choice, Hermione wouldn't have come to the wedding. But she couldn't tell her mother or her aunt why she didn't want to attend. She had even been forced, so to speak, to be the maid of honor. Sally had asked her when both their mothers were present. Sally's mother suffered of a heart condition. The seriousness of her illness was such that she had been near death a couple of times. Sally knew how to make use of that to her benefit.
Inevitably, Hermione had no other option but to accept. So, there she was trying to hide in the bathroom. The ceremony had finished a couple of hours ago. She had hardly survived through it, but she was not willing to spend the rest of the evening looking at the happy newlyweds. Witnessing the man she loved get married to someone else had been difficult. More difficult was to hide her feelings and put on a smile.
Still, she couldn't hide in the restroom all night. Trying to stay as far away from the hall where the reception was taking place as she could, Hermione went outside to the gardens. They were in the Kensington's Family estate in north Britain. The Kensington family was very wealthy, influential and respected.
Their mansion, made out of three levels, was decorated with elegance. It almost looked like a museum, not only because the mansion itself dated from the early eighteen hundreds but also due to all the antiques and valuable paintings in the spacious rooms. There was a small guesthouse in the back garden. All of the bride and groom's closest family members were staying at the Kensington place.
The wedding reception was taking place in the first floor. The opulent hall, where all of their family members and friends, along with three hundred more guests, celebrated the happy union drinking expensive French champagne, was elegantly decorated with antique Louis XVI furniture, crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings, silk white table cloths on every table with floral arrangements that had been brought from abroad especially for the occasion. The wedding of the Kensington's heir was the social event of the year.
Hermione walked along the stone path hoping she could get away. She still had to stay there two more days. The groom's family had this tradition where the day after the wedding the family and the closest friends would have a luncheon. At that time the newlyweds would present thank you gifts to the bridesmaids, their escorts, the flower girl and the ring bearer. For that reason, the happy couple was to leave for their honeymoon two days after the wedding day.
Hermione had been walking for a while, lost in her thoughts, when she heard a very familiar popping sound coming from behind a tree. She was almost sure someone had just apparated nearby. At first she thought that couldn't be right. "Who would be apparating here?" she thought. Just then a familiar figure came into view.
"Harry! What are you doing here?"