Prophesied

Chapter 21

Happy Disaster

The day of Hermione's wedding arrived and Draco was looking at me as though he couldn't believe I was making him go to it.

"I still don't see why I should be there, Harry," he informed me for the thousandth time. "I'm not exactly one of her friends and we haven't seen her for the past, what, two years?"

"Long enough for her to find someone she loved and get engaged," I muttered as we walked up to the small chapel.

It was a small arrangement, maybe 50 people. Much smaller than the guest list Draco had drawn up for our wedding, or rather, my abandonment of that wedding.

"Harry?" a male voice asked from behind me.

I turned around only to see Alex standing in front of me.

"Harry, listen, my best friend can't make it from the States, I need a Best Man. Will you do the honors?"

I stared in shock. "You want me to be your Best Man?"

He nodded. "Why not?" he asked. "You're Hermione's best friend, and you used to be the love of her life. Please, do this for me?"

I sighed and looked at Draco, who nodded. "Alright," I agreed. "I'll do it."

***

Jeff and I walked up to the white church, little Lamia between us. Things had not been good between us since I had said what I had, and here, now, we were about to witness Hermione marry one of my other exes. Hopefully things will be better this time around. Hopefully her relationship with Alex works out for the best.

"Lita!" someone called when we entered the building.

I turned to see Ron's sister waving me over.

I left Lamia in Jeff's care and went to see what the redhead wanted.

"Hermione needs to talk to you," she informed me.

"Aren't you her Maid of Honor?" I asked. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"That's what she needs to talk to you about," Ginny confessed. "I can't stay, in fact, I'm already running late."

"Lita!" Hermione cried when we'd reached her. "Be my Maid of Honor, please?" she begged. "Ginny's got to go, and there's no one else."

"Alright," I answered, seeing relief wash over both of their faces.

I wondered if Alex would remember me. He'd been such a ladies man that I never thought he'd settle down. Guess this just proves how much people can change.

I didn't have to wonder long. As soon as I stepped into the room in the Maid of Honor dress, I saw his eyes widen in shock. I knew that shock wasn't only due to the fact that I wasn't Ginny Weasley wearing this dress.

His mouth was hanging slightly open when I reached them.

I looked at the man next to him and saw Harry standing there, much to my surprise. I would have expected Evan Jennings. They were best friends after all.

Then again, I haven't spoken to Serena in a year. Maybe Alex and Evan aren't talking any more either.

Later, at the reception at the Three Broomsticks, I was standing near the bar drinking a butterbeer with Lami in my arms. The newly married man walked up to me.

"Lita," he said oddly. "It's been ages."

I nodded and adjusted Lamia on my hip. "Yes it has," I agreed.

"She yours?" he asked.

I nodded again. "Mine and Harry's," I informed him.

"Harry Potter?" Alex asked. Again, I nodded. "Isn't he gay?"

I chuckled. "No, he's bisexual," I informed him. "We dated in our seventh year at Hogwarts. I broke up with him, don't worry," I said at the glare he was suddenly wearing on his face. "The day after I conceived, actually," I laughed. "Draco over there," I said nodding towards the happy couple, "was standing at the top of the tallest tower at Hogwarts ready to take a dive to the ground quite a ways below. To save his life, I gave Harry back to him."

"Is he around?" Alex asked. "Is he doing his fatherly duties?"

I nodded, yet again. "He takes her every weekend, pays child support, buys her presents every holiday, and he loves her more than even he'll admit."

"Then whose ring are you wearing?"

"Do you remember Jeff Barnett?" I asked.

He looked at me confused.

"He was at Stoneridge," I said. "He was in his third year the last time you were in the Tournament. He was the one Serena was all hot and bothered over."

"Serena's crush in your third year..." he said thoughtfully. "Brown hair and eyes right?" he asked. "Tall, for his age, and..." he looked around the room. "Standing next to Harry Potter causing a scene?" he asked. I turned around and sighed heavily.

Jeff was having a heated discussion with Harry and Draco and I had the feeling it wasn't good.

"Good eye," I said distractedly.

"I'll take her, you take care of them," Alex offered.

I nodded my thanks and turned to my daughter. "Lami, will you stay with this man for a few minutes while mommy, daddy, father, and Draco go outside for a minute?" I asked.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"This is Alex," I answered. "He's mommy's friend from school."

"Okay!" she said brightly. If anyone was my friend, she trusted him or her without a second thought. I handed her over and went to them, but not before hearing Alex ask Lamia how old she was or her excited reply telling him she was three.

*****

"Outside," came a stern voice. The three of us turned to see a very short someone with a very intimidating glare. The four of us headed for the door.

"What?" Jeff demanded.

"What the fuck is going on?" Lita demanded.

"Tell your husband that he should leave people alone," Draco snapped. "Especially when he's gone 'round the bend in jealousy."

"What?" Lita asked.

"Jeff's kindly just informed us that he still believes you and Harry need to, what were the words...'fuck the shit out of each other' a few times and maybe then everything will be back to normal."

"Things are normal," Lita insisted, not looking at me. I don't blame her.

"If things are so fucking normal, then why haven't you so much as fucking looked at me all fucking week?" Jeff yelled.

"You've been drinking," Lita said softly.

"So?" Jeff demanded.

*****

He's drinking. Merlin help me.

The last time he was like this....

"Jeff, you need to calm down," I said, suddenly fearful.

Jeff laughed.

"Got you spooked, have I?" he demanded. He raised his hand and I froze. He moved to hit me and I flinched, expecting him to make contact but he stopped his hand inches away from my face. He laughed again.

"Jeff, please," I whispered. "Please, don't do this."

Harry and Draco both looked murderous.

"You two stay out of this," I ordered.

"Why should they?" Jeff demanded. He had a malicious glint in his eyes and I was terrified. I kept remembering what happened the last time I smelled this much alcohol on his breath. I went through a fucking door.

The one and only time he hit me.

I broke up with him then.

"Jeff, please," I begged. "Let's just go home, we'll talk when you've calmed down."

"Shut up," he said coldly. "We'll talk now, if that's alright with you. Who needs to be sober when I can say what's really bothering me right here, right now, with a fucking audience to hear me?" he nearly shouted. "And have I got a story to tell!"

"Jeff, please," I begged. "Please, you're drunk, we should just go home and you can get some sleep and get sobered up and then we'll talk. You don't know what you're saying, you don't--"

He grabbed me by the shoulders and held tightly as he shook me to get me to shut up. "I told you we'd talk now."

I was scared to the point of tears. I saw both Harry and Draco reach for their wands.

"NO!" I shouted, startling both them and my husband.

"What?" Harry demanded. "Are you fucking mad?" he demanded. "Why the hell not?"

Suddenly, Jeff was on the ground.

Neither Harry nor Draco had done a thing.

Jeff scrambled back to his feet and glared behind me. I turned and saw Alex standing there, my daughter nowhere in sight, shaking his hand.

"That hurt," he muttered.

Jeff's eyes narrowed. "What the fuck?" he demanded. "What's your problem asshole?"

"You were about to hit her again," Alex answered. "I'm not about to allow that."

He went from being my boyfriend to being my protective big brother.

But how did he know?

"That's none of you fucking business," Jeff yelled. "She's my fucking wife and I'll do whatever the fuck I want with her!"

"Right," Alex agreed. "Except hit her or abuse her in any other way."

"What the fuck do you care?" Jeff demanded. "She's not your girl anymore! You have a fucking wife now!"

I saw Harry's confusion and saw that he was trying to put the pieces of this very complex jigsaw puzzle together.

[Tell him you don't love him,] my father's voice said in my ears. [Tell him you don't love him in Elvish. It will weaken the Binding.]

Weaken the Binding....

[I don't love you!] I shouted suddenly.

The three Elvish speaking men looked at me in shock.

The Jeff flinched.

[I do not love you, Jeff Barnett,] I said again. I felt the charm on my ring break and I took it off. I threw it at the ground at Jeff's feet and I walked back into the pub.

I looked around for my daughter and saw her running towards me.

"Mummy!" she said happily.

Then she noticed my emotions. "What wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, sweetie," I lied. I knew she knew that, but I couldn't tell her just yet.

"Daddy's leaving," she whispered. She ran for the door and pushed it open. I looked outside and saw Jeff walking down the street.

I ran after my daughter.

"DADDY!" she screeched.

Jeff kept walking.

Lamia kept running. "DADDY!"

I caught up with her and scooped her up in my arms. She fought me and kept screaming for Jeff to come back, but he never turned. I walked back to the Broomsticks, crying, and she kept fighting me.

"NOOO!" she screamed. "DADDY! DADDY! DADDY COME BACK!"

"Lamia, stop it!" I nearly yelled.

"LET GO!" she cried. "LET GO! DADDY!"

"Lamia, please!" I begged.

"YOU SENT DADDY AWAY!" she yelled. "LET ME GO! DADDY!"

Sobbing, I held my daughter as I dropped to my knees. Yes, I sent him away. No, he wasn't coming back.

I was alone and my daughter hated me for it.

*****

I watched, stunned, as Lita chased our daughter down the street.

I was even more shocked when Lita dropped to her knees and cried on the shoulder of our struggling daughter.

Lamia reached for Jeff even though he was already at the end of the road. She cried out to him and he never turned.

I walked up to Lita, finally coming out of my shock.

"You're staying with us," I said as I took our daughter from her.

She gasped and nodded slightly. I helped her up and she threw her arms around me, still sobbing.

Draco walked up and took Lamia so I could be a better shoulder than I was with my daughter in my arms. I wrapped my arms around the mother of my child and she cried even harder.

"Go inside," Draco said to Alex. "If I know Hermione, she's wondering where you are. Besides, that's your party in there, you don't need to be out here with all of this drama."

"Tell her to owl me, will you?" Alex asked.

"I will," Draco answered.