Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a one shot from my series "Where Deathly Hallows could have turned Harmonian". I think this is one of the best I wrote in the series, so I decided to try and enter the Elder Wand competition with it. Tell me what you think of it!

Bonded For Life

In the front row, Mrs. Weasley and Madame Delacour were both sobbing quietly into scraps of lace. Trumpet-like sounds from the back of the marquee told everyone Hagrid had taken out one of his own tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs. Hermione turned and beamed at Harry; her eyes, too, were full of tears.

"…then I declare you bonded for life"

Harry was quite surprised to see Hermione turning toward him. He expected her to turn toward Ron, after all it was the redhead the one she fancied, but found out he was pleased she "chose" him instead.

He, however, was not given more time to dwell on the matter, as suddenly the marquee was changed to fit tables and a dance floor. He followed Ron and Hermione to the nearest waiter, and they grabbed Butterbeers.

"Let's go sit somewhere" Ron said.

"Oh, come on, Ron. We need to congratulate them!" Hermione protested, but the redhead wouldn't bulge.

"Well, see you in few moments then" she said, taking Harry with her. The raven haired wizard had to admit that congratulating the newlyweds was the most polite thing to do, but he was almost as eager as Ron to sit and avoid being dragged on the dance floor.

Not even Ginny would bring him there, that he swore to himself.

Soon enough they found the happy couple.

"Bill, Fleur, congratulations!" Hermione said, grinning, and hugging both of them. Harry followed suit.

"Thanks" Bill answered, pulling his wife close. "No need to explain" he added then, seeing how Hermione was ready to speak again. "Ron's appetite is something I know only too well" he joked.

Both Harry and Hermione found themselves chuckling.

As they scanned the room to see where Ron was, they noticed he had found a spot at Luna's table. The two of them walked there, Harry wondering briefly where Ginny had gone, as she was nowhere to be seen. Well, in that crowd of redheads, it wasn't easy to spot her anyhow.

Once at the table, they started chatting quietly about how the ceremony had gone, and both Luna and Hermione became teary eyed again.

"Girls" Ron whispered to Harry. "Never going to understand them"

Harry could only nod. The female universe was quite complex, and he didn't feel like he would ever get a real insight into it.

As they chatted, music started to play. It was the Weird Sisters, and the dance floor started to fill. Of course, it was the newlyweds' honour to open the dances, and so Fleur and Bill did, a lovely slow song filling the air. As they swayed on the spot, other couples joined them, and Luna too, although she was dancing alone. Not that the blonde was bothered by it, she was as serene as she could get.

But after all, really few things could upset Luna Lovegood, if anything at all.

When Ron asked Hermione to dance, Harry knew the redhead had really read and memorized that book he gifted Harry on his birthday. It was a completely non Ron Weasley thing to do. For a fleeting moment, Harry hoped Hermione would refuse, but after looking at him once, she nodded.

He was left alone at the table, with nothing else to do than look at the people dancing. He was honestly getting bored, and hoped to be able to leave soon, when Krum joined him at the table.

"You one of these Weasleys, right?" the Bulgarian addressed him.

"Yeah, a distant cousin" Harry said, to keep his cover. "I'm Barny Weasley"

Krum just nodded and gulped down some of his Butterbeer. "I wonder who's that pretty girl right there" he conversationally asked. "I guess she's one relative of yours…"

Harry turned and noticed Ginny at the buffet table. She was beautiful, he had to admit.

"Yeah, she is" he casually answered.

"Then?" Krum insisted.

"Then what?"

"Is she seeing someone or not?" the Bulgarian questioned. Harry understood his motives then, and became slight angry.

"Yes, she is. Kind of a big guy, too, so I wouldn't mess with him"

"I guess I'll have to go talk with Hermy-own-ninny then. From what I see that Potter still hasn't woken up"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, interested as Krum was talking about him.

"Well, I'm sure she has a thing for him, and from how he acts around her, he must fancy her too, but from what I can see the two of them are not together yet, or she wouldn't be dancing with that other boy. Thinking of it, I haven't seen Potter at all today" the Bulgarian mused.

"Why do you think she and Harry Potter fancy each other?" Harry asked, curious because he had never thought of Hermione that way.

"Well, you don't hold hands and hug your best friend so often, nor you talk so much about him when he's not there, if you don't fancy him. This is why I think she likes him. And the hug and hand holding part goes for him too. From what I've heard, I'm not the only one to think so. Seems like one of his past girlfriends thought this too"

Harry knew he was referring to Cho. Thinking of it, she had implied he was talking and thinking too much about Hermione. Could they be right?

"Why do you care, anyhow?" Krum asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Nothing, just curiosity" he lied. "Sorry, I've got to go now" and so he left the table.

He walked past Ginny, who smiled at him, but he was on autopilot and never noticed her.

"Harry" she whispered while he was passing near her, but he didn't stop. "Not now, Ginny" he said, and walked out of the tent.

He needed time alone to think about what Krum had said.

As he sat on the ground, he thought back to his years at Hogwarts. Adventure after adventure, peril after peril, there was just one person who always stood by him. Only one who could understand him truly, and that could shake him from his moments of self-imposed sorrow and isolation. Hermione.

Not Ron, who had deserted him in their fourth year, although just for some time, not Ginny who became a more active part of his life only in fifth year when she joined the Dumbledore's Army.

He had to admit he had not always showed Hermione how much she meant to him, and was sorry for that. There were times, like in third year when she took his Firebolt to Professor McGonagall, when he was thoroughly pissed at her, and moments like in fifth year when she just wouldn't get his point, like when he insisted they go to save Sirius, and she wouldn't stop telling him it might be a trap. And she was right.

He almost lost her too, that night. He would never forget how scared he had been that she had died, hit by Dolohov's curse.

Yes, Hermione definitely held a special spot in his heart. He couldn't go on without her. But was it love? He didn't know. After all, he had never known what love was, being abused for eleven years, and then every summer.

He knew, however, that she had grown and was now a nice looking girl. Not stunningly beautiful, mind you, but hey, no one had to date models, right? And he was aware she wasn't ugly. He had even told her so, in fifth year, and she had even gotten better since that day.

Was he attracted to her? He might be, why not.

He didn't feel like he did with Cho about her, nor like he did in his sixth year for Ginny, sure. But he knew she was pretty. And she had qualities the other two lacked.

He couldn't finish his reasoning, though, because an hand on his shoulder startled him.

"Here you are" a soft voice said, and when he turned, he found himself staring into a familiar pair of brown eyes. Hermione's.

"Sorry, I just had to take some fresh air" he lied, standing up to face the object of his deep reasoning.

"Well, they brought the cake, if you want to come and have some…" she said, giving him one of her typical smiles. He felt something stir in him, but it was not his monster.

No, this was gentler, more subdued, and yet way more filling.

He grinned. "I couldn't miss that, could I?" he said, and fell into step with her. Soon enough he was seated at the table with everyone else, the music stopped for the moment to let all the guests enjoy the spectacular cake, with two moving figures of Bill and Fleur in their wedding dresses on the top.

As the waiter passed by them, Harry, Hermione, Luna and Ginny, who had joined them, all took a slice, while Ron took two. Harry grinned and shook his head at his friend, who winked back.

Hermione just glared at the redhead.

As they finished eating, music started again.

"Dear guests, this ceremony and happy day is coming to an end. This will be the last song, and then, we will all leave the newlyweds free to go and enjoy their first night as a married couple, if you catch my meaning" the voice of the leader of the Weird sisters came.

Ron groaned. "There are images that are good enough out of my head" he whined.

As the music filled the air again, Hermione turned toward Harry with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, no, you don't dare, Granger" he said, having understood what she wanted him to do.

"Come on, Harry, don't be such a baby" she insisted. "Dancing has never killed anyone"

He couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by her enthusiasm, so he got up, and followed her on the dance floor. He remembered vaguely from the Yule Ball where he should put his hands, and so he did, trying to keep a distance. She wouldn't have that though, so they were dancing quite close, swaying to the rhythm.

This one's going out to all the lover's out there
Hold each other tight and keep each other warm

Dance, your final dance
This is your final chance
To hold the one you love
You know, you've waited
Long enough

Harry felt the words of the song were strangely kind of representing his own situation. He was holding Hermione, and he knew now that while Ginny had been fun, his lifelong companion was right there, and he had never stopped looking twice at her.

So believe, that magic works
Don't be afraid of being hurt
Don't let, this magic die
The answer's there
Oh, just look in her eyes

As they kept dancing, Harry could see Hermione happy as he had never seen her before. Her cinnamon eyes sparkled and it was a sight that warmed his heart. Finally, she closed her eyes, savouring the moment, moving even closer to him. He held her there, and marvelled at how well she fit against him.

And make, your final move
Hmmm, don't be scared
She wants you to
Yeah, it's hard
You must be brave
Don't let this moment slip away

Harry knew what he wanted to do now. He wanted so much to kiss her, her lips seemed so inviting to him, her sleeked hair flowed graciously around her head with her every move, catching the light and looking like a wave of ancient gold. He was wrong when he had thought she was not beautiful as Ginny. She definitely was to him.

But as much as he wanted to do that, he was also aware that Ron fancied her, and he couldn't break his friend's heart like that.

So believe, that magic works
Don't be afraid, afraid of being hurt
No, don't let this magic die
Ohh, the answer's there
Yeah, just look in her eyes

Hermione stood on her toes, and whispered something to him. "Come with me when the song ends"

He nodded, and inhaled her scent once more. It was something like vanilla, and he found he loved it.

So dance, your final dance,
Cause this is, your final chance.

As soon as the song ended, she took his hand and dragged him outside, as quickly as she could. Once they were far enough from the crowd, hid into the woods around the Burrow, she laced her arms around his neck, and kissed him fiercely.

He kissed her back as hard, pulling her close, and sneaking his tongue into her mouth. A battle started in there, and he felt in heaven. It was completely different from kissing Ginny, he didn't know if it was better but he knew it was different, the sensations shooting through his body let him know that.

His hands roamed on her back, and that elicited a soft moan from her, which gave Harry the idea he was doing something right. Till air wasn't a problem, they kept attacking each other's mouth, then they had to part.

Both panting, they looked at each other smiling. There was no need of cheesy declarations of love, they met the other's eyes, and they knew, in one of their typical no words communications, what the other was feeling.

Harry then took her hand, leading her back toward where the guests were still dispersing. "We should go back" he said, and she nodded, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked.

And Harry had to admit Krum was right, and was glad the Bulgarian had opened his eyes.

-->