Remain Nameless

Chapter 29

Hermione took a deep breath and steeled herself. Despite the intensity of her feelings for Draco, they still had many long-buried issues to overcome, and this was a logical place to begin. He deserved to know why things hadn't worked with Ron. He deserved the reassurance that she wasn't going anywhere, that right here, right now, in his arms she felt more content than she had in years.

Hermione spoke until her voice went hoarse.

Harry and Ginny's wedding marked the beginning of the end.

Hermione had been a model maid of honor the entirety of the engagement, and the morning of the wedding was no different. She helped Molly get ready, made sure Ginny ate some breakfast, repaired a stray thread on the veil, tugged a squirming Victoire into her flower girl dress, ensured her own hair and makeup weren't a total disaster, poked her head into the groom's room to check he wasn't a nervous wreck (he was, but Ron handled it), refilled Arthur's whisky glass, straightened Ron's bow tie, and when she returned to the bride to find her standing nervously in front of the mirror looking radiant yet anxious, she assuaged Ginny's fears that Harry would of course melt at the sight of her coming down the aisle.

"You really think so, Hermione?" The normally boisterously confident redhead trembled as she asked the question. Oh, Ginny. Here stood the girl who could outfly all of her brothers, who charged into the Battle of Hogwarts even though she'd been underage, who helped Neville organize a revolution under the Carrows' disgusting noses. Nothing and no one scared Ginevra Weasley, except the great Harry Potter.

Hermione wanted to roll her eyes, but instead, squeezed the bride's shoulders and said she'd bet 5 Galleons that Harry would be reduced to tears.

Easiest money she'd ever made.

They were married on September 1st in the backyard of the Burrow because Harry is nothing if not sentimental. His favorite day of the year at his favorite place. When Hermione reached the end of the aisle in her lovely dusty pink gown, she almost let a few tears slip. She wanted to run into Harry's arms and burst into tears and sob over and over how he truly deserved a perfect day like today. Instead, she shot him a tremulous smile and mouthed "love you." He nodded shakily and returned the sentiment and of course cried when Ginny reached the end of the aisle. Across the way, Ron caught Hermione's eye and he playfully grimaced. Hermione hid a giggle in her bouquet.

Then the vows began and swept her joyful emotions aside to make way for something altogether strange.

Hermione watched two people she loved pledge themselves to each other for all eternity; in this life and the next and all the lives beyond. But people get married every day. They listen to the officiant and mindlessly repeat back the words, and perhaps most of them understand what they're signing up for (sickness and health, richer or poorer, blah, blah, blah, let's get to the reception) but honestly they're just traditional words to echo to give some weight to the occasion.

Not for Harry and Ginny.

Never in her life did Hermione see and hear two people pledge themselves so fervently, so earnestly to one another. She wanted to look away. It felt too intimate, too pure for all these people to witness as Harry and Ginny recited oaths to be bound to one another for life. Every syllable the couple uttered imbued with a burning love so fierce and bright that Hermione felt unworthy to stand in the presence of such honest and raw passion.

The joy that she felt for her dearest friends gave way to a stab of misery so sharp that she almost staggered. The flowers in her hand suddenly felt as if they weighed two tons. The tears streaming down her face no longer the happy variety, but of a painful, twisted grief. Pulling her eyes from the blissful couple, her gaze landed beyond Harry and on to Ron. He too no longer paid the marrying couple any mind. His mouth, usually pulled into a lopsided grin at family events, fixed in a confused frown. When his blue eyes met hers, Hermione knew in her aching heart that they had both arrived at the same devastating conclusion.