Say You Love Me

{22}

The whole thing was absolutely gorgeous, and for once, Draco's exuberance had not gone too far. The white flowers were gorgeous, and the small crowd made the entire event look lavish in and of itself. Everything was white that could be, including Harry's suit. He was playing greeter to everyone with Ron at his side, and they looked like they were having a grand time. 

Draco was nowhere to be seen, meaning he was probably inside and would be the one walking down the aisle. 

Hermione would kill to see him in a dress. 

"Don't you look dashing?" She said with a little cheek to Harry, reaching for his lapel and straightening it out. It was mussed from all the hugs he'd probably been giving. 

His awkwardness was palatable, but his grin outshone it. 

"I love you, Hermione. Thank you for being here."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else on a day like this."

More grins, and Ron rolled his eyes. 

"You should have seen Draco."

"I'm still hot as horntail that you got to see him and I didn't," Harry muttered, rubbing his hands together. 

"Bugger off, mum didn't let Bill see Fleur, she certainly isn't going to let you see the ferret. And she hardly liked Fleur at the time. I haven't seen her so attached to any of the other in-laws as she is Draco."

They all shared a laugh, and Hermione went in for another hug, this time pulling them both in. 

"I love you both so much." And maybe it was the mentality that she was one day soon to become but a memory that she was able to say it, knowing one of them did not love her back the way she had wanted wasn't easy either, but it was true. 

"Us, too, Hermione."

It was a wholesome moment, and she couldn't help but jump up excitedly in the sand. 

"I'm already starving. Let's just say bollocks to the guests and get this over with then eat," Harry mentioned. 

"Relax," Hermione said with her eyes firmly trained on him. "Be excited a little bit."

"Oh, I am!"

"Well, then act like it!"

"I am!" Harry attempted to persuade her, but she believed him. She was merely attempting to quell his nerves. 

Ron waved to others who were showing up, which attracted the attention of both Harry and herself. Hermione looked over and saw the happy face of Luna on the arm of someone who could only be Rolf Scamander. 

"Ready to interrogate the bloke?" Ron mentioned, a not-so-nice tone of voice having taken over the usually amiable one.

"Oh, without a doubt," Harry said back, in defensive mode. 

Hermione chuckled at their protectiveness of Luna, but they were all adults! There was no need to be so Auror on the poor boy. Still... he needed to be vetted, and Hermione did not mind talking to Luna for bit just to sort something out. Anything to keep her busy for a few minutes. 

Therefore they all said their greetings, and Hermione conveniently snatched Luna up for a private conversation, leaving Rolf to the boys. 

"They aren't going to go too hard on him, I hope," Luna said with a grin, knowing exactly what Harry was up to. 

"Well, I reckon they won't. But you never know with them."

They giggled like school girls and continued their walk around the gorgeous venue. 

"Have you looked into who cast the spell on you, Hermione?" 

"No," she replied quickly, looking over with her most apologetic face possible. There had been so little time in preparing for the wedding and such that she just wasn't looking at it as a priority. 

"Don't you think you ought to start trying?"

"Here?" Hermione asked in horror. 

"You never know!" Luna said, looking back behind her where her date could still be seen. "Although I didn't mean that someone here might have done it."

"I doubt it, everyone here Harry either knows or Draco does..."

Hermione glanced at the guests to try and determine who might be even a plausible suspect, but the idea hurt her head and she begged Luna to let it be for now. Today was a day of happiness and joy. 

Luna sighed at the expression Hermione was obviously giving her and shook her head. 

"Fine, maybe not today, but eventually. It could be the key to your healing."

"Thank you, Luna."

They rounded back to the front together, and Hermione was hit square in the heart when she saw who had arrived. 

Severus was talking to Harry and Ron now with a witch on his arm. It was obvious she was a witch for many reasons, the foremost was that she had the same, dilapidated scars on her forearm from an extinct dark mark. The idea infuriated Hermione, but neither of the boys seemed angry about it at all. In fact, both were having a grand time, Pansy having joined her boyfriend even. That sight in and of itself wasn't helping the nausea that came over her. 

"You look sicker than I've ever seen you," Luna whispered in her ear, from the side, looping her arm into hers. 

Hermione felt sicker than she'd ever been. Seeing him like this shouldn't have that affect on her. She should want her friend to be happy with whomever it was he chose. It just so happened that he had to choose her... a previous Death Eater Hermione hadn't ever even heard of.  

"I'm perfectly fine, Luna." She was not. 

"Hermione, please try to calm down. And don't forget that you're here without him because of your own volition."

That helped her slightly. Reason was always something she could count on over the years, even when it felt like there wasn't any reason to anything. 

"Thanks, Luna."

Severus and the woman made their leave, and she went forward with Luna, going back up to the boys who they wished the best of luck. Hermione eyed the woman chatting animatedly to Severus with more malice than one would think possible. Good thing her magic was channeled through her wand and couldn't outburst anymore, or else the poor thing's head would've exploded. 

She took her seat in the first row eventually, having split off from Luna. It was where seats were reserved for the rest of Harry's party. This way, at least, she couldn't look back. Oh, for certain she was tempted. To see what his face looked like, to know if his eyes roamed over this woman the way they did her. 

Merlin, she was torturing herself for no other reason than close proximity. 

Eventually, the tiny crowd filled in full of familiar faces, and the wedding was off to a start. Hermione plastered a smile on her face, but it was a true smile and it was there for her friend. She was alive to witness this, to see him become happier than before, and well, that was enough to make her smile genuine. 

A/N

Sorry for the almost two weeks without an update! I'll get working on the next chapter and see what I can do to get that up asap.