You Call It Love
By: pottersweetie
Author's Note: A new story. Hopefully it won't interfere with the updating of my other stories. One character is a little OC. Or a lot OC is more like it. The prologue isn't in Hermione's POV, but the rest is. Hope you like it! Enjoy, Read, Review!
Prologue
In the sparkling, dreamlike affair that was Hermione Granger- excuse me- Hermione Krum's wedding, there was only one unhappy guest. Where as everyone seemed to be having a good time dancing and enjoying the food and glasses of bubbling champagne, Harry Potter sat nursing a glass of Firewhiskey by himself.
Though everyone else was under the large white, translucent tent on the beach, Harry sat alone, in a small hidden cove of rocks, shielding him from the rest of the guests. He looked over the water, watching the sun go down. He had never been to Bulgaria before and been able to really see it, he had always been working when he came to the country. It was beautiful, especially this beach where the wedding and reception were taking place, but he hated the circumstances under which he was there.
Krum was marrying Hermione.
He had never had a problem with Viktor Krum. But for some reason the idea of them being married had not sat well with him since it had been announced.
Hell, the idea of them dating hadn't been easy to swallow.
Suddenly Hermione appeared behind the wall-like rock of one side of the alcove. She smiled at him, a vision in white. Her hair was half-up and her veil was still on, pinned to the back of her hair. And her long, strapless dress with it's enormous ball gown skirt clung to her body in all the right places, making Harry's bad mood worsen. All of that beautiful, amazing woman in front of him would belong to Viktor from now until.... Forever? Harry wanted to cry.
"Hey," she said lightly with a smile.
"Hi," Harry replied, without any emotion in his voice.
Hermione leaned against the rock only a foot or so away from Harry and she looked over the horizon.
"Wow, this is really beautiful, huh?"
"Yeah," he said stoically.
Hermione stayed quiet for a beat and then cocked her head a little, knotting her eyebrows, "Harry, is something wrong?"
He looked at her, stared at her for a good minute. He thought she was so beautiful, so perfect in every way and it hurt him that she was marrying Krum. Maybe if she was marrying a nice, respectable guy he would be okay with her getting married at all, but Krum wasn't nice or respectable. Krum was cold and awkward and there was something that wasn't right about the way he treated her.
How could I have let her get this far into this relationship? Harry asked himself. How did I let it get
this far?
He wanted to say something to Hermione, but he wasn't sure what.
When he stayed silent and just stared Hermione spoke up again, "Harry?"
He shook his head.
"Harry, if something's wrong I want to know," she insisted as Harry took a long gulp from his glass.
He wouldn't ruin her wedding, he wouldn't ruin her fairy tale, he decided as he looked at her. When she had appeared behind the rock she had been smiling and her face was glowing, now her face was creased and serious, she was frowning. Harry would crush her spirits even more if she knew what he was feeling, knew what he was longing to tell her.
Harry looked away from her and out over the water again, "You better get back to your husband," he said bitterly.
Hermione was hurt, she wanted to know why Harry was acting so odd but he wouldn't tell her, he was pushing her away. He had always pushed people away when he wanted to keep something to himself to protect those around him. But Hermione wanted him to share what was wrong, she wanted him to have fun at the reception like everyone else was. Most of all, she wanted him to be thinking about his happiness for her, not about whatever was bothering him.
"You can tell me, you know that," she said. "You don't have to protect me from anything anymore."
He looked at her, annoyed.
"Tell me," she urged, straightening herself up from where she leaned against the rocks.
He looked away again.
"Harry," she said, taking a step towards him.
He hated her saying his name, it made his heart ache and his whole body go weak. He looked at her again, staring at him with such a sad, longing in her eyes. He couldn't see her get hurt, he couldn't let this marriage get any further than the few hours it had already lasted. Harry didn't want to say anything, he didn't want to make Hermione unhappy, but he knew he had to tell her, had to save her, and he felt it bursting out of his mouth like a balloon popping, the words flowing between his lips with ease, and aggression.
"This marriage was a mistake Hermione!"
She stared at him for a second, her face turned angry and incredulous, "What?"
Harry shook his head, "Hermione, Viktor doesn't treat you right! He's too- I don't know- it's just not right."
"What are you even saying?" she yelled in return.
"I don't have a good feeling about this, you can't be married to him!"
She laughed acidly and shook her head, "It's a bit late for that Harry, don't you think?" she asked. "And you expect me to end my marriage that's only a couple of hours old because you don't have a good feeling?"
He cringed, it sounded so ridiculous when she said it like that. He felt so foolish and he just wanted to scream. He threw his empty glass against the sun where it half-sank itself and he looked up at her angrily. He was breathing out of his nose and he was tensed.
"Why do you always have to make everyone feel so stupid?!" he demanded, speaking out of anger.
Hermione felt slapped across the face, but she didn't let it show, she coldly said, "Oh, so now I make everyone feel stupid? Viktor included then?"
"Why don't you just listen to me?!"
"Why should I listen to you when you're telling me to leave my husband!"
Harry was seething, jealousy and the anger for not being understood mixed together to create a foul mood, "Oh, you just love throwing that term around don't you? Husband."
"Why shouldn't I throw it around?! I just got married- in case you haven't noticed!"
"Oh believe me, I've noticed," he said bitterly.
She shook her head, a little defeated, "What the hell is the matter with you Harry Potter?" he tried to answer but she kept talking. "Are you trying to ruin my wedding day?"
Harry felt guilty and he tried to move toward her, to reach out for her but she backed away, "I'm trying to help you Hermione."
"By telling me my hus- Viktor- isn't right for me?" she cried. Her face, which had been desperately sad, turned angry, "Leave. Now."
"What-"
She cut him off, "I don't want to see you right now, or ever- for that matter!" she shouted. "Leave!"
"Hermione, please-"
She was crying now, hot tears trailing down her face, "I said leave!"
A defeated, completely upset Harry nodded sadly and without a word, apparated away.
Hermione cried for several minutes behind the rocks. Everything had been so wonderful. The ceremony had nearly brought her to tears, the reception was elegant and festive. Everyone was so happy for her, everyone had been beaming and laughing, having a good time. She could still hear everyone celebrating- only Harry had ruined everything for her. Why would he say such a thing about Viktor- about our marriage? she asked herself. What could have gotten into him? Confusion and anger swirled in her brain. The day could have been perfect, but he had had to ruin it for her. She shook her head and resolved to stop crying. She leaned silently against the rocks, staring over the water until the tears stopped falling.
She allowed her face to dry off and her eyes to stop swelling, red and watery. A minute or so before she was going to arrive back at the tent, Viktor showed up.
"Herm-own-ninny?"
She smiled at him, "Hi."
"Vasn't Harry over here?" he asked.
She shook her head, "He left."
"Oh, did he have to go to vork?"
She nodded, "Yeah, he did."
"Come back to the party and dance vith me," he said, taking her hand.
She nodded, and did as she was told.
Author's Note: Prologue. I think you guys might be able to guess what happens, if not then you'll have
to wait for the next chapter! Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated.