Before the Night is Gone

Tears glisten in the corner of my eyes, and I quickly wipe them away- who wants their mascara running at a wedding (I could fix it with a spell, but there are some Muggles here- Hermione's old friends)? "And God Bless you both." I finish in a hurry, raising my wine glass before sitting back down, tears starting to run unashamedly down my face.

God, Hermione looks so beautiful tonight. Her wedding dress is perfect- pearly white, with elegant folds in the skirt and nothing overly-decorated. How very typical of Hermione. Her hair's all straight, and would up in a bun, except for a few strands that she curled and let down to hang around her face. She's crying.

Harry's so handsome. I can't believe that I ever let him get away, never really told him how I felt. But he staring at Hermione with his emerald eyes brimming up full of love- the way that he never looked at me.

And I'm here, sitting at their wedding, wearing a silvery-gray dress (only Hermione would change the color scheme just so that her red-haired maid of honor didn't look ridiculous in the pink that she'd originally planned, and I thank her for it) while Hermione wears the white. How I wish that it was the other way around.

But they look so happy together.

I don't think that I would ever wish them apart. They just look like they could melt in each other's arms. Ron's standing up, making his speech now, saying something about how he wished he'd gone first, because he looked like an idiot, all crying over his little sister's speech. Some people laugh, trying to wipe away their tears at the same time.

Ron finishes quickly- I think that he cut his speech short at the last minute. He grins at me, then at Fleur, who is fingering her engagement ring. Has it only been two days since Ron proposed? Well, at least he finally got around to it. And she said yes.

All of my fingers are bare- no rings to speak of. Hermione's... Well, I don't even want to look, but I do. Graced with a violet-blue lazurite stone, it sits on her finger like it was meant to be there. Hermione can't stop looking at it.

Ron's speech was the last, and the next thing that I know, Hermione and Harry are dancing. They look so beautiful together, and he's staring down into her eyes- and she up into his. If it was anyone but me, I'm glad that it was Hermione.

The next thing that I know, Ron and Fleur are on the dance floor beside them- isn't it supposed to be the bride and groom's dance? Fred and George join in with their dates- this is probably the first time that I've ever seen them serious at a formal occasion.

I decline an invitation to dance from Seamus, turning my eyes back to the dance floor- but the song has ended and Hermione and Harry have disappeared from sight.

Someone taps my shoulder- I turn around.

It's Harry.

"Hey, Ginny, you look nice," he offers, sitting down next to me. Hermione is dancing with her dad.

I shrug. "Not as good as Hermione." That crazy smile that he used to have only for Cho lights up his face. He looks so happy, so in love. And I know that it's going to last forever.

He doesn't say that I look just as good, which is fine. Hermione really does look better, even though you can tell that she's been crying. Harry glances over at me, sees me looking at him with tears in his eyes. He smiles, not like he does whenever he sees Hermione, but in a gentle and understanding way.

"You want to dance?"

The words are so unexpected that all that I can do is gape at Harry, and he repeats himself. "Ginny, do you want to dance?"

I nod, slowly getting to my feet, and let Harry take my hand, leading me out to the dance floor. He flashes a quick grin at Hermione, who gives him one in return, and a knowing nod in my direction. They know. They both know, even better than I do.

One of Harry's hands slips around my waist, and mine goes on his shoulder. "So, you haven't told me what you thought of the wedding," he says to me, grinning impishly. "Could you tell that I was crying?"

"Not too bad," I reassure him quickly, grinning back. I know that he only thinks of me as a friend, but I still can't help but to get lost in those eyes. Without thinking, I stand on my tiptoes, and let my lips brush his.

He looks at me, startled, and smiles softly, taking his hand from my waist. He kisses my cheek softly, then draws away. My fingers go to my cheek, and I know I look like an idiot, standing in the middle of the dance floor without anything to do.

"Hey, Ginny..." The voice is uncertain, unsure. Seamus is standing in front of me again, grinning nervously. I hold out my hand, and he takes it. We start to dance.

Every once in a while, I get a glimpse of Harry and Hermione twirling across the floor, Harry grinning at her like crazy. Seamus isn't that bad of a dancer.

So I'll go on dancing with him, knowing in my heart that it's not what I want, but doing it anyways. And maybe, maybe if I'm lucky then I'll get just once more smile from Harry, before the night is gone.