Betrayal

While this little interlude was going on, Hermione was explaining the situation to Molly with Ron standing by, listening, still scarcely able to believe it was really happening and unable to speak when his mother looked at him for further explanation. "If Harry's going to marry you, why is he so intent on going after Ginny? After all, he gave me a note to that effect."

"Maybe he's doing all he can to make sure she understands just why he's doing it," was all Hermione could say. Probably the most inane thing she'd ever said, but it was all she could think of.

"Are you going to allow him to cheat on you? That's not what marriage is all about. Husbands and wives are supposed to devote themselves to each other, not have outside lovers."

"You know that Harry generally does what he wants to do, regardless of what anyone else thinks, just like his father did. I have no doubt he'll take good care of me, be loving and attentive and all that, but at the same time--"

Molly held up a hand. "If he still has romantic feelings for Ginny, the two of you shouldn't get married. Not until those are resolved, anyway."

"Oh, I doubt those will ever be resolved. Besides, I think he wants to have something to fall back on in case the marriage falls through. He's mainly doing this to give the child legitimacy and a name. Technically he doesn't need to do it, but you know his insufferable nobility. I'm carrying his child, so he feels a moral obligation to 'make an honest woman' of me. Whatever happens, I feel sure that Harry will be discreet, so I'm not too worried about that."

"But you're pregnant. How is all this going to look to your child once they're old enough?"

"We've already agreed to concern ourselves with that when the time comes ... and that time isn't now. What we need to do now is start making plans for the wedding. Here's what I think we should do ..."

* * * * *

And so it happened--and Ginny found herself wrapped up in the plans for the wedding against her will. Hermione wouldn't have anyone else as her Maid of Honour and they even chose the kind of dress each would wear, the kind which would accommodate the bride-to-be's growing pregnancy (by the time of the wedding, Hermione was just beginning to show). They chose pale blue, lacy, Empire-waisted, scoop-necked and sleeveless dresses, their bouquets with white roses which Hermione had charmed to look blue. She and Ginny would carry them both in their bouquets, along with white lilies. They would also each wear a circlet of the same flowers around their heads, Hermione in lieu of a veil. If it had been her, Ginny would have wanted both a circlet of flowers and a veil, but what she would have done was immaterial. This was Hermione's wedding, not hers ... and at this rate, it would never be hers.

Harry had naturally chosen Ron as his best man, despite the fact that it was likely to hurt him because he still loved Hermione, even though he understood, at least intellectually, why Harry was doing this. Just the same, Ginny knew her brother had to be hurting just as much as she was--and for the same reasons: the ones they loved were marrying each other, not them. Molly still believed it was wrong for them to do it when they still had strong feelings for other people, but she knew how strong-willed each of the young people concerned were and they wouldn't have it any other way. They were doing this for their coming child. Not that Harry didn't have great affection for Hermione; it just wasn't the kind of affection one should feel for one's intended wife.

And technically it had been wrong for him to go after Ginny on the eve of his wedding, but he had felt too strongly to resist her ... and what's more, she had been unable to resist him either. She could only hope that she herself wouldn't become pregnant because of that night because she had not expected to shag him and had therefore not had the opportunity to cast one of the popular Contraceptive Charms. So far she felt all right, the fluttering in her stomach no more than the usual jitters--but just when she thought she might eventually learn to endure, that was when her eyes would meet Harry's and they would be filled with equal parts apology, regret, and great longing.

He had done his best not to do it where Hermione could see him, but she was smart enough to know what both her friend and intended husband had to be feeling for each other, despite his plans to marry her for the sake of giving their child legitimacy and a name, both of them fully prepared to sacrifice their happiness in favour of the baby. Harry would look after her, protect her and the child, provide for them as best he could ... but at the same time, Hermione knew where his heart truly lay.

She would especially know after he had made love to her; she might be the one in his arms, in his bed, but Ginny was the one in his mind and heart. Harry had gone through all the motions of being an attentive fiancé, at least publicly, but now, as he heard the wedding music begin, had to get through the public façade of a wedding. This hadn't been the kind of wedding he had envisioned, and certainly not the bride he had envisioned, but he had a moral obligation to take responsibility for her care and the care of the coming child.

He would do everything he could to make her as happy as possible, but being a bad liar, how long he could keep up the pretense was a matter for debate. Unfortunately they both had to make the best of it and do all they could to stick it out until after the child was born and Hermione recovered from her pregnancy. Of course it was possible that his feelings (and hers) could change, that they could actually fall in love with each other, but even as they stood before the Head of the Wizengamot with the authority to perform Wizarding marriages, both of the couple knew that that was extremely unlikely. However, stranger things had happened, so they couldn't rule it out.

Ginny did her best to wish them both happiness even as tears filled her eyes at their farewell just before going off on the honeymoon. This was another time when her and Harry's eyes met with a mixture of apology, regret and great longing. And as they embraced, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Gin. I'll always love you ... but 'Mione is my wife now and I must devote myself to her and my child."

She felt too much to reply; she just held him tightly and he held her, their eyes meeting one last time before Hermione called him to join her for the honeymoon trip, their gazes telling each other everything they dared not say, especially now, knowing that this was likely to be one of the last times they would hold each other, one of the last times that either would feel the other's warmth and closeness. "Every happiness to you, Harry. As I said before, you deserve it. But you'd better go now. Hermione's waiting for you."

She forced herself to release him after touching his cheek for a moment; he closed his eyes in a mixture of pain and pleasure at her touch, then tore himself away and went to join his wife, who had been released a short time before from the embrace of the Best Man. The next thing she knew, the engine of Harry's new Muggle automobile started up. That was when everyone called out best wishes and threw rice as had happened at weddings, both Muggle and Wizarding, for time immemorial, both upon leaving the place of marriage and when leaving for the honeymoon. There was even a sign saying "Just Married" on the back of the car placed there with a Sticking Charm. Their bags had even been packed before the wedding and placed in the boot of the car.

Her and Harry's eyes met one last time as she blew him a kiss of farewell, then turned and fled, mercifully missing the look of pain he gave after her, watching her as long as he dared before he had to leave. Molly's eyes took in the whole thing, seeing the heartbreak in her baby girl's eyes even as she wished her friend and Harry happiness, then turned and went back into the house. Ginny's eyes met those of her mother for a moment and she smiled bravely as she said, "I want to be alone for a while, Mum. Please see that I'm not disturbed."

"Of course, darling," Molly returned, smiling as reassuringly as she could, her heart aching for both her youngest child and the nobility of the one she loved, nobility which had made him break both their hearts yet again in order to fulfill his duty to the mother of his child. She understood why he had done it but that didn't make it any easier for her to see it going on or endure the suffering both were going through because of it. But it was what Harry had chosen to do and his decision had to be accepted as the right one, however much they might disagree with it.

Neither did it help matters that Ginny and Harry weren't the only ones suffering. Molly had seen the same pain in her youngest son's eyes as he had stood by helplessly while Harry had kissed the girl he, Ron, loved, the kiss which had made them husband and wife. And sure enough, shortly after Ginny had gone inside the house, Ron followed suit, meeting his mother's eyes but saying nothing even though she knew he wanted the same thing--to be left alone to figure out what he was going to do next. What could they expect their lives to be like after this? That was a question with no answer ... not for any of them. All she could do was simply wait it out and see what turned up, just like everyone else.