Thanks again for all the reviews! Hope you enjoy this next to last part.
"Harry! Hermione!"
The couple looked towards the door. It flew open as Ron ran inside, breathing heavily.
"Ron?"
"Did you know the wizard who married you interviewed with Witch Weekly?"
Hermione shook her head, aghast. "No, we didn't. What did it say?"
"Well, Ginny told me the gist of it. That particular wizard specializes in your type of emergency bonding. He's very good at setting time limits for, er, consummation." Ron couldn't keep the blush from his face.
Hermione raised an eyebrow and shared a glance with Harry. "And?"
"You have two and a half weeks before your marriage is void. And Harry?"
"Yes?"
"Ginny's still after you. She's positively gleeful about this. She can't wait for you to be free from 'that witch' as she calls Hermione, so she can marry you."
Harry paled and Hermione turned red. "'That witch?' Is that what she called me?"
Ron nodded. "She refuses to say your name anymore."
"What? She used to be one of my best friends!"
Ron just looked at her. "Do you blame her?"
She sighed. "I guess not. So she knows about the miscarriage and the time limits. Harry?"
He swallowed. "I, er, don't know what to say. Thanks for letting us know, Ron."
"No problem." He looked at Hermione, who was still rather angry. "I'll just be on my way. I can tell you have a lot to talk about."
*~*
Harry sat down heavily next to Hermione on the couch. "What are we going to do?" he asked, running his hands through his hair.
Hermione reached out to stop him, taking a hand and looking at the fireplace as if it held all the answers. "Well, we're still married for another two and a half weeks. We can let it run out naturally and you'll be free to marry Ginny," she said quickly. "But that leaves you where we started. You were trying to escape her when you came up with this brilliant plan that is somehow now backfiring on us," she finished sarcastically.
"You're my best friend."
She just looked at him. "I know, Harry, but that doesn't change the fact that we shouldn't have married in the first place! You're just-" she paused, and threw her hands up in the air. "You're just using me to get away from Ginny because you're too much of a coward to tell her no."
"Do you really feel like I'm using you?" he asked softly, catching her hand and squeezing it lightly.
Hermione sighed. "That's not what I meant. I haven't minded doing this. I've always helped you, I'm not going to stop now. But I don't know how else to help you now. I've done all I can and this time it just isn't enough." She sighed again, looking back to the fireplace.
"These two weeks with you have made me realize that I never really loved Ginny. I mean, I thought I did, and the thought of her helped me get through long nights away from everyone during the Hunt. But I never really was away from everyone; I had Ron and you."
"You've always had us."
"That's the thing. I've always had you. I've never had Ginny, not like I could have. Some part of me has always been set aside for you. You've been one of the two most important people in my life for so long now, Hermione, and I can't bear the thought of losing that." Harry sighed. "I know if I marry Ginny, there's a good chance I won't get to spend very much time with you without dealing with her jealousy. But if we break this off, I'll practically be forced to marry her. I can't-"
"Harry. You can tell her what you've told me, that you don't feel for her any more. You need to force her to see you, that you don't want to be with her. You can't hide behind me, not like this. I have always helped you Harry, but this is one thing I will absolutely not do for you. I will not allow you to avoid her. Ginny deserves to know, however spoilt she may be."
"But she won't listen! I've tried, you know I've tried."
"Tried?" she snorted. "I can't tell her for you."
"Hermione-"
She stood up. "I've had a long day, Harry. You need to think of how you're going to tell Ginny you don't want her at all and I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
*~*
"Ginny, I don't love you anymore. I've never loved you. You helped me be 'normal', but I don't want to be normal. You think I'm a hero, Ginny, but I'm not. I'm Harry. Just me."
He scowled at himself in the mirror. "Harry, you're mental." He took a deep breath and tried again.
"Ginny, I don't love you. We are not getting married, now or ever. The times I've spent with you have mostly been okay, but I can't see myself spending the rest of my life with you." He sighed. "Mostly okay? A bit ridiculous, but overall a little better."
He closed his eyes, took another deep breath, opened his eyes slowly and looked straight at the mirror, determined to make at least the mirror believe him. "Ginny, I've enjoyed spending time with you, and I truly do like you. But I don't love you, nor have I ever. I can't see myself spending the rest of my life with you. You don't know me like Hermione does. She sees the real me, not some hero like you want me to be. I don't love you Ginny, because I think I'm in love with her." He narrowed his eyes at his reflection. "Where did that come from?"
Scowling, he finished his morning ritual and headed to work. He owled Ginny, asking her to meet him for lunch nearby, and waited for the morning to pass.
It passed slowly, much like time always does when anticipation is overruling any other emotion. Harry watched the clock on the wall for most of the morning, ignoring his paperwork and Olivia in favour of tapping his fingers on his desk. At the earliest possible time he could, he left his office to head to where he was meeting Ginny, eager to finish the disaster he put himself into.
She was fashionably late. He could still see the sparkle of the ring, his gaudy ring, on her left hand. It shimmered in the bright sunlight, matching the glimmers off her hair as she walked towards him. He stared at the spots, watching them move as she got closer until she was almost there. He blinked.
"Hi Ginny," he said wearily.
"Hello, lover," she said in a sultry voice.
Harry scowled. "Gin, I'm a married man."
She raised an impeccable eyebrow. "Oh?"
He scowled again. "Ginny-" The waiter interrupted, and Harry tapped his foot impatiently as Ginny ordered a soda water with lime and the house salad. He rolled his eyes.
"Ginny, we need to talk."
"Oh yes we do." She wagged a finger at him playfully. "Don't you think you can get away with this," she began, scolding him as if he had taken the last cookie. Or last soda water with lime, he snorted to himself. "I know it was just a hoax, now that she's had a 'miscarriage'."
Harry shuddered as he watched her make quote signs with her hands on the last word. "Please don't interrupt, Ginny, this is important."
She nodded, taking a bite of the salad that had just appeared.
"Ginny, I-" He sighed. "This is hard to say, but it's something I should have said a long time ago. I don't love you."
She nodded, not really paying attention, smiling at the people that could see her dining with the Harry Potter.
"I never have loved you. This, us," he waved his hand between them. "It's just not going to work out. Ever. I can't love you, not like you want to be loved. I'm not your hero, Ginny, I'm not anyone's hero. I'm just Harry."
She nodded again, taking a sip of her soda water. With lime, he could hear her say.
"We are not getting married. I'm already married. We can never happen. I can't see myself spending the rest of my life with you." He shook his head and took another breath. "Ginny, please, listen to me." His carefully prepared speech flew out the proverbial window when he looked at her.
Ginny brushed her hair off her shoulders and waved to someone across the room. "I'm listening darling."
"I don't love you because I'm in love with Hermione."
He waited. "You know, Hermione? One of your friends, my best friend? The woman I'm currently married to? I love her. I've loved her for a long time, longer than I've known you." He sighed, looking over her shoulder. "She's always been there for me, helping me, guiding me, keeping me grounded. She's never put me on a pedestal, like you always have. She knows me, unlike you."
Ginny nodded again. Harry sighed loudly, shook his head, and stood up.
"I've changed my mind. I want the ring back."
She finally looked up at him. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
"I want the ring back."
"Back?"
"Yes, Ginny. I realize now it's given you false hopes. I want the ring back. And I love Hermione."
She gasped and held her hand close to her. "But I'll need it when your marriage is over in two weeks!"
A pained expression crossed his face, and he raised his hand to rub between his eyes. "You will not need it, Ginny. We're over, and we're never getting back together. I'm married, and I. Love. Hermione."
"I don't understand."
Obviously, he sighed. "Listen closely. I do not want to marry you now or ever. I am married. I am married to Hermione. I love Hermione, not you."
Ginny started to cry. Big tears flew from her eyes, and great heaving sobs wracked her body. Harry leaned over her, pried the ring off her finger, and left, returning to work relieved.
~*~
"Hermione!"
She was in bed, reading, her light slightly dimmed as she had a headache. "I'm in here!" she called, hoping she wouldn't have to get up. She really was quite comfortable.
Harry opened the door, a smile on his face. He walked over to the bed and held out both hands, clasped in fists. "Pick one."
Hermione looked up at him, bemused. She shrugged and picked the right fist. Harry opened it to reveal the ring that had been on Ginny's finger not four hours before. Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"I think I finally got through to her today." He was still smiling.
"Oh? How'd you manage that?" Hermione put her book down and patted the spot next to her on the bed.
"Well, I told her that I couldn't picture myself with her in my old age, that kind of thing. When she didn't respond or even acknowledge that, I asked for the ring back. I had to finally take it off her finger, but she finally got the picture. I left her crying at the table."
"Oh, Harry," Hermione laughed. "I can only imagine. I'm sure she was distraught over the loss of that honking thing."
He smiled. "Yeah, I also told her that I couldn't marry her because I'm already married to you." Harry looked at her, a serious expression on her face.
Hermione inhaled sharply and looked away. "Harry," she choked out. "We won't be married much longer."
He leaned forward and touched her chin lightly. When she flinched, he sighed. He gripped her chin and pulled it to where she was looking at him again. "What if that's not good enough anymore? What if I don't want this to end?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying? Are you afraid she'll still come after you?"
"No, not anymore. Hermione, I-"
They heard the chime for the floo and turned to look at the door. Hermione sprang out of bed and went to check on it, leaving Harry frustrated in her room. He fell back, collapsing against the pillows in a gesture of extreme frustration. He had been so close.
Hermione returned with Ron in tow.
"Hey mate." Ron looked around. "Where are your things?" he asked, confused.
Hermione spoke before Harry could open his mouth. "He's already started to pack."
"Pack?" Ron asked as Harry shook his head.
"I never really moved in." He could feel Hermione shaking her head from across the room, but decided to continue. "It's something we're still discussing." He shot a glare her way.
"Oh. Well, I thought I'd come over because Ginny's upset, more so than Mum was."
Harry and Hermione flinched.
"Ron, you are such a coward."
"She's been crying and wailing the past few hours. She came home, slammed the door shut to her room and she's been locked in there all afternoon, making all sorts of noise. I had to get out of there."
"I took the ring back. It was the only way I could get her to understand that I'm not ever planning to get back together with her."
Ron nodded. "Mind if I stay the night? This storm isn't likely to blow over any time soon."
Harry shrugged. "I don't mind."
Hermione knew she couldn't protest, not now. After all, she had two bedrooms. And she and Harry were supposed to be married. What was one night, alone, with Ron down the hall going to do?
*~*
"Good night, Ron."
Harry shut the door behind him as he entered the room he was now sharing with Hermione. She was hovering near the bed, dressed in an old t-shirt of his that came to her knees. He smiled, as she looked unbelievably cute.
"Good night, Harry," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Good night, Mrs. Potter." He chuckled as he saw her scowl before she jumped into the bed. He brushed his teeth quickly, stripped down to his boxers, and crept across the dark room to his side of the bed.
Hermione was facing the wall, the blankets tucked under her arm and chin. She was as close to the edge as possible, leaving a wide gulf between them.
"Hermione?"
She didn't move, just squeaked, "Yes?"
"We slept closer than this on the Hunt. Why don't you just relax?"
She sighed softly, and turned on her back. Harry smiled at her, before rolling on his side facing her.
~*~
She woke up to the sound of someone breathing in her ear. Somehow during the night, Harry had rolled into her and enveloped her in his arms. She was on her side, holding his arm to her stomach. She could feel his hair tickling her neck, and the raspy hairs on his legs prickled hers. Not to mention a certain other body part was making itself known on her backside.
She blushed, and extricated herself from Harry, practically running to the bathroom. She showered quickly and made her way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her boys.
Harry came down next, still in his boxers. Hermione couldn't help but look down, but all evidence was gone. She blushed again when Harry caught her gaze. He sat across from her.
"Ron's already gone."
She looked up abruptly. "Already?" Her voice was unusually high-pitched, but Harry didn't seem to notice.
"Yeah, I saw him in the hallway. He wanted to check to see if Molly was still alive."
Hermione smiled and cleared her throat.. "Ginny knows how to throw a tantrum, but I'm sure Molly's okay."
They ate breakfast in silence, Hermione reading the Daily Prophet while Harry just watched her.
She started to get up from the table, but Harry stopped her with a hand on her arm. "We need to finish the conversation we started last night."
"I, I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered.
Harry took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. "I didn't tell you everything I told Ginny. I didn't realize it until yesterday morning when I was practicing what I was going to say. I was just going along with everything that popped into my head and out blurted this. I told Ginny that I couldn't marry her because I was married to you. That I can't and won't love her because I love you."
Hermione was silent. She looked down at the table, at his hands, and then at her own. They were shaking. "Harry, I don't know what to say."
"I understand that it's sudden, and not practical, and that you probably don't feel the same way. But I meant what I said when I proposed to you and gave you my mother's ring: You're the only person I'd like to have that ring. And you're the only person I can see myself spending the rest of my life with. Hermione, I do love you, and I have for a long time, I just never thought about it, or realized it."
"Oh," was all she could say. She looked at him, could see the sincerity writ in his eyes, could look back at all the things he'd said, the way he looked at her, touched her innocently, and it all made sense.
And yet, it still came as such a shock, to hear those words actually spoken to her. She could feel Harry watching her think, and knew he would wait until she spoke again to try to convince her. She allowed herself some time, some space to think and realize how she felt, how she would always feel.
She had felt used during their fake marriage, but now, to know the truth, it was breathtaking. Harry loved her. And part of her realized she had always loved him, that the words she convinced Ron with were actually true. It always would be one of them, between Ron and Harry. It always would be Harry.
"What does this mean?"
Harry jumped at her voice. He didn't have to ask what she meant. "We can start over, let this run its course and start over with a proper engagement, a proper relationship. I love you, and I'm prepared to wait for you forever."
"Oh," again. She smiled slowly, gladly. Harry was so good, so right.
"What if I don't want to wait?" she asked shyly.
Harry's jaw dropped. "What?" he squeaked.
Hermione giggled. "Oh, Harry, I've felt more for you than I ever thought I should since fourth year. I set it aside more than once to be your friend, and Ron's. I never allowed myself to think of you as more. This marriage, our marriage didn't mean anything to begin with, but I felt something the moment we kissed. It was like everything I had ever done up to that point lead me to your side." She blushed. "Does that make sense?"
He nodded. "It felt right. That one kiss that sealed our marriage was more important to me than any I shared with Ginny."
Hermione put her hand over Harry's and squeezed lightly. "I love you, Harry. And I want it to be official. I don't want to wait and start over; it won't be the same. Even if our wedding wasn't the wedding of my dreams, my husband still is."