Anyone But Him

"You can't marry him!" he said sternly, grabbing her around the wrist as she tried to walk away from him.

"And why not?" she replied calmly, showing just a hint of anger.

"I think I'm in love with you," he declared, watching her ever so carefully. He had watched her since she started her Hogwarts, and continued when she joined his team at the Ministry of Magic.

"You think? You had better be damn certain that you love me if you think I'm leaving Ron for you."

"I'm certain. I've always been certain."

"What is wrong with you, Flint? You haven't so much as opened your mouth while I was dating Ron, and now that I'm engaged and getting married in two days you have a problem?"

"I think you have the right to know how I feel about you. So you don't go running hot-headedly into a marriage you might regret later. It is after all, in the nature of a Gryffindor to run blindly into the unexpected."

"How dare you! How dare you think I could have even remote positive feelings for you! I have every right to hate you, given the hell you and your Slytherin mates put me through," spat Hermione.

"Postpone the wedding; give me a chance to woo you," Marcus suggested.

"Are you mad?" Hermione looked at Marcus with indignation but she somehow liked the idea. She had been with Ron since they left Hogwarts and had never given any other men a try. Why shouldn't she let Marcus have a chance? The obvious answer being that he was a Slytherin and had always made it clear that he hated Muggle-borns. "What changed? You always hated Muggles and Muggle-borns."

"You walked into my office looking for a job," Marcus replied simply, a thin lipped smile that could have easily been called a smirk, on his face.

"Had I have known you were in charge, I would never have tried for a job here."

"You're an excellent worker, diligent, and always have some insight on how to make the office run smoother. The Archives of Magical Infractions hasn't been so well run, I think, in over ten years. You're a brilliant lawyer and woman."

Hermione blinked and watched Marcus closely. If he was playing a trick on her -- but would he play a trick on her when he claims to love her? She took a seat on the park bench behind her, noticing that no one was even paying attention to their rather heated argument. No one seemed to care that they were in the middle of a park while one tried to convince the other not to marry someone else.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What would her life be like if she married Ron? Harry and Ron opened up a new business selling Quidditch Supplies shortly after the war ended, and they were doing rather well for themselves. Ron moved out of the Burrow into his own flat a few blocks away from Diagon Alley. He shared the flat with Harry until Harry moved in with Pansy. Hermione was sure to have an interesting relationship with Ron that included much bickering about everything. The end of school did not mean the end of disagreements over the silliest things.

But what would life be like dating her boss? She could open a new firm, probably be pampered. Marcus had a great deal of money. Would he let her live her life the way she wanted to? Or would he try to control her like she had seen with so many others who had married?

"How do I know you won't try to hurt me? How do I know that if I left Ron, and started dating you, my life wouldn't turn out to be one where I had no free will, no say in how I want things to be?"

"I suppose you have to trust me, but if you don't give me the chance, you'll never know. You'll marry Weasley, and go about your life bickering about goodness knows what. You need some one who respects your input and ideas."

"You mean someone like you? Someone who has in all the years I've known him, treated me like trash because I am Muggle-born? Someone who overlooked me while promoting the lesser worker because he was a pureblood? Really Marcus, what makes you think I'll change my mind about Ron?"

"You want a challenge, one that Weasley doesn't give you. You've never fought harder and put more effort into your life than you do on a regular basis coming to work. You strive to prove you're better than everyone else, even though you have already proven it," Marcus replied taking a seat next to her.

Hermione thought for a while, could she really love someone who never really looked at her outside of being someone to push around while at work? Could she really cancel her wedding and date Marcus Flint?

Looking up at him, she noticed for the first time that he didn't look like the oafish teenager she had known back at Hogwarts. He's dark brown hair had been grown out a little longer, and he had fixed his teeth. He did look rather handsome sitting there beside her, dressed in a business suit and tie.

Catching herself staring, she turned a faint shade of pink and quickly turned her attention to the lake in front of them. The scene might have been romantic if they were actually a couple. It might have been different if she wasn't getting married in two days, and if the snow on the ground wasn't a sluggish grey colour instead of pristine white.

Was her life destined to always be so complicated? Couldn't she just have a normal conversation with someone that didn't revolve around unrequited love, her wedding, or her job? Did everything have to be based around those three topics?

"I have to go now," Hermione said quickly before apparating away, leaving Marcus sitting alone.

****

She sat at the round table, a cup of tea in her hand and a look of confusion on her face. She had told Ron that she wasn't moving in with him until after the wedding, and luckily she had already requested to be left alone for a few days before the big day. She really wasn't sure what to do now.

"Hermione?" she heard behind her and turned to find Pansy Parkinson standing there with her wedding dress. "Harry said you asked him to pick up the dress. I thought I'd bring it over."

Hermione simply nodded and watched Pansy hand the dress up on the back of the kitchen door before taking a seat at the table. As much as she didn't want company, Pansy wasn't leaving any time soon. And if anyone was to know what to do about the Marcus situation, it was Pansy.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Pansy questioned.

"I'm fine. Just a bit confused."

"That happens before you get married."

"You don't understand Pansy. Flint told me he loved me today, asked me not to marry Ron," she looked up from her tea to Pansy, who seemed just as shocked at the news. "So I really don't know what to do about the situation."

"I've always known Marcus had a thing for you, I just never expected him to actually tell you. And two days before your wedding. More to the point, what's there to think about, you love Ron don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then what are you worried about?"

"What if I'm not meant to be with Ron? How am I supposed to know, I've only ever been with Ron. I could be making a mistake."

"Only you can make that decision, Hermione. But you have only two more days to choose between them. And after I saw the huff Ronald had in trying to keep Marcus away from the wedding, I don't think he'll be pleased if you broke off your wedding to be with Flint."

"Pansy, I thought you were going to help me."

"I'd say that the fact you're even having doubts right now might mean something."

"Did you have doubts when you and Harry moved in together?"

"No."

"Then maybe I already know the right course of action." Hermione said, more to herself than anyone else.

"We still have the party to attend to tonight. Hurry and get dressed so we can arrive late together. I'm sure Ronald and Harry are wondering where we are."

Hermione went into her room and quickly dressed in a simply baby blue dress with a winter shawl on top. She emerged from her room dressed and ready to go.

The two girls apparated to The Leaky Cauldron, where almost everyone from the wedding was waiting. Ron had reserved the tavern for the night and no other patron without an invitation could attend. Hermione saw Marcus sitting at a table with Terence and Draco; while Ron and Harry were with the rest of the Weasleys..

Pansy dragged Hermione over to the Weasley table, and kissed Harry.

Hermione felt rather strange standing there watching people interacting, all of them happy for her and Ron. She wasn't happy. She wasn't sure what she was going to do. And somehow, standing in the tavern wasn't helping her choose.

She felt Ron's fingers curl around hers, leading her away from the crowd. He wanted to be with her, and it took all her will-power to act like nothing was bothering her. They stood in a corner off from the rest of the party. She could take the time to tell him then, but it would ruin the party.

Sighing, she looked at Ron and simply said, "I can't marry you, Ron."

She watched shock wash over his face, quickly followed by horror and pain. She hated seeing the look in his eyes; she hated knowing she was the one that caused him that pain. Taking a step back, Hermione noted the anger and knew there was another fight brewing.

"You what?" Ron seethed.

"I'm sorry, but I can't marry you." she repeated, tears welling in her eyes.

"Why the hell not?"

"I have to make sure this is the right choice for me. I have to know you're the one I'm supposed to be with. And right now, I'm not so sure about that," she whispered, looking down at the floor.

"This is because of him, isn't it!" Ron half shouted.

Hermione followed Ron's outstretched arm, and looked at Marcus; who like everyone else in the room was watching the squabbling couple. Her breath caught in her chest as she looked back at Ron; she couldn't deny it, Marcus was the reason she was breaking off the wedding.

"Ron, there's no need to shout."

"No need, Hermione you're leaving me for him! I see how he looks at you. You argued until you were blue in the face to have him invited to the wedding and this party! I have every reason to shout!"

"I...I'm sorry!" she cried and ran out of the Leaky Cauldron into Muggle London. She couldn't bear facing her friends and family after Ron had made a spectacle of her breaking up with him.

Her shoulders were hunched and shaking with each sob. She had known Ron would react like that, she had known there was going to be a fight. Even though she was upset, she felt somehow relieved. Relieved that she no longer had to worry about who she talked to, or how late she stayed at work. She no longer had to come up with an explanation for everything she did.

She felt a robe wrap around her shoulders, and looked up to find Marcus standing in the street in just a tee-shirt. Sniffling, she turned away from him and continued to cry.

"This is all your fault!" she exclaimed.

"I suppose it is," he replied and moved in front of her, lifting her chin to look her in the eyes.

Wiping away her tears, he pulled her into a hug. Just held her let her cry and yell into his chest. He led her away from the party, to the Muggle underground. Though he had only been told once where she lived, Marcus wanted to make sure she was at home, tucked safely in bed where he could watch over her.

Hermione pulled out her keys and handed them to Marcus when they arrived at her flat. He led her inside, sat her on the couch and wandered off to make some tea. When he returned, he found her curled up with a plaid blanket wrapped around her, staring into the fire. He had never meant to cause her such pain.

Offering her the tea, he took a seat next to her. She curled up next to him, her tea forgotten, and drifted off to sleep. He felt reassured that he had done the right thing, that in the end, he would get the girl, and she would fall in love with him so they could live happily ever after. Leaning his head against hers, he closed his eyes and relished the fact they were together.