A/N: So I've never been married before. I'm 15. Hence, I don't know how a wedding goes. I've been to them before but I don't really remember. So…correct me if I made any mistakes.
I hope you like it. First oneshot I made.
I don't own Harry Potter.
Please Review!
Rich music filled the room, humming gently in Ginny's ears. She inhaled deeply, clutching the object in her hand tightly as her palms began to swear. The doors flew open, allowing a stream of golden light through. One by one, gloriously attired women entered through the door with flowers in hand.
The music continued. Louder now than before. All heads were facing the pathway between the two sections filled with people.
And then she entered. The bride. Her white dress and pale skin glowed angelically in the natural spotlight, her long train trailing luxuriously as she glided gracefully into the room.
Ginny looked around the audience.
Then she looked at the groom. The man who stood at the altar, with his black tuxedo, his loosely combed pale hair and his stunning grey eyes. Beautiful.
Ginny felt her eyes water. She willed herself not to cry. This wasn't the time. She had to be strong.
The music abruptly stopped, signaling to all that the bride had reached the altar as well.
The room was silent—so quiet that Ginny didn't dare breath. And then suddenly, the harmonious stillness was broken. The priests voice rung loud and clear.
He began the reading.
It was too much for Ginny. She felt like she was suffocating. She felt like she was dying.
And as the priest continued his words, nobody noticed the frail silent woman slip out of the room, tears running down her face. Nobody—except the groom.
"Where are you going?" It was a solemn voice—cold and quiet. It was his practiced emotionless voice.
The girl stopped mid-step. She was halfway down the church's front steps by now. Her hand gripped the handrail for support. Surely she would collapse soon.
"This is your wedding." She stated this quietly, in her hoarse, breaking voice. She sniffled. "Why aren't you in there?"
He ignored her question. "Where are you going?"
She turned around slowly, revealing her colourless face, her lifeless eyes—tired and bloodshot—and her quivering lips. It made his heart break. Shatter into a million pieces.
Hers was already broken. She didn't think she had one anymore. She had given it to him.
"My cousin," she hiccupped in a whisper, so soft that if there was wind, the words would have been swept away along with it. "It's his birthday. I promised I'd be there."
It was a pathetic lie. Both knew it.
He closed his eyes, aware that there were hundreds behind the door awaiting his return. He felt a strong urge to cry.
"What do you want from me?" he cried desperately, taking a step towards the girl. "Please."
"You know what I want." She wanted him. She wanted him to leave the wedding, and stay with her. They had been together just the month before—happy as could be. She had believed everything was perfect. Until that night.
The night when he came home and took her hands in his. The night when he went on his knees and begged for forgiveness for what he was about to say. The night when he broke up with her and announced that he was betrothed.
She hadn't understood. She had begged him to stay with her. She had went on her knees as well, hugging him with all her might—humiliating herself to the point of no redeem.
He had merely said that it was what he was meant to do. His family expected it.
She had then asked, what about her?
Now, he was getting married to another. And she had learned—she had lost her heart when he had kept his own. He had been prepared. She had been cruelly unprepared.
She staggered back a step, distancing herself. "And I know you can't give it to me." It was her admitting defeat.
His voice filled with sorrow and regret now. "I'm sorry," he choked.
"You'll never be sorry enough." She swiftly finished her descent, turning her back on him, on his world, on his marriage.
He turned as well. Back to his world, his duty.
"This is goodbye," she said as she continued walking. "I don't think I'll ever see you again." Then she slowly limped away, her head hanging, her shoulders slumped, and tears flowing like rivers.
He nodded before pushing open the doors. He put on a fake expression—his emotionless one once again. Except inside, he only wished he could truly feel emotionless.
I, Elizabeth Furton, take you, Draco Malfoy,
To be my partner in life.
I will cherish our friendship
And love you today, tomorrow and forever.
I will trust you and honor you.
I will love you faithfully
Through the best and the worst,
Through the difficult and the easy.
What may come I will be there always.
As I have given you my hand to hold,
So I give you my life to keep.
"Ginny," sighed Harry as he forcefully grabbed her trunk from her grasp. "You can't just leave."
She pushed past him roughly and took it back. "I'm going Harry."
"Where will you go Gin?" he asked.
"I don't know yet." She pulled her heavy bag over to a nearby bench and sat down, resting her aching body. She had been prepared for objections, but her decision wouldn't change. She couldn't live here, listening to all the news about Draco's new bride.
The wedding would probably be over by now, and she was afraid that if she saw them together, she wouldn't be able to hold herself together anymore.
"What about your family?" Harry threw his hands up. "Please Ginny."
"Mom and Dad understand," she said, looking around the area for the last time. "I'm sorry I won't be able to watch Lily grow up. I'm sure you and Hermione will do a good job raising her together."
Harry sat beside her and embraced her gently, comforting her to the best of his abilities. "I'm sorry."
Ginny breathed in the familiar scent of her childhood friend and let her eyes well up once again. "Me too," she muttered, tears wetting his black sweater. "Me too."
"You won't say goodbye then?" Harry had been the only one there when she had all but shrank her room and put it in her trunk. He was the only one available to take her to the airport—even if Ginny had to threaten her way here. She was glad, in a way, that her whole family wasn't here to witness her cowardly action of fleeing the country. If they were present, she wasn't sure if she could bear to go through with her plan.
"I have to get out of here Harry. Please understand." She hastily wiped her cheeks. "It's the only way."
She stared at Harry, waiting for his warm emerald coloured eyes to finish calculating. Finally, he relented and pulled her tighter into his arms.
"Malfoy's a fool."
Ginny couldn't bring herself to respond, choosing to accept the hug silently instead. What could she say? She loved him. She hated him. When it came to Draco Malfoy, it was turmoil of emotions inside of her.
They stayed in that position for a long time. Ginny closed her eyes and inhaled, treasuring the peaceful moment. This used to be her home. This place—England. Now, it was her enemy.
It held her demons. It held the memories that haunted her. Everywhere she had gone over the past month had reminded her in some way of a happy moment with the man she loved. It hurt.
After nearly an hour, Ginny began to pull away.
"How about one last lunch?" suggested Harry. Without waiting for an answer, he lifted her trunk and began walking to a nearby café in the airport.
They had a small meal, and Ginny took the time to recount the times in Hogwarts—choosing to leave out how she had came to become closer to Draco during that time. Ginny and Harry shared forced, reserved laughs. It was a bittersweet goodbye lunch.
"Let's have coffee in London. One last time," Harry said as they walked out of the restaurant. Ginny nodded and they apparrated alongside each other.
As they emptied their third cups respectively, Ginny sighed.
"He's not going to come you know." She looked outside, taking in the scene of the busy London streets. This was truly the end.
Harry shook his head. His friend would come. Over the years, Harry and Draco had become good friends, although Harry wasn't sure who his friend had become recently.
"He won't Harry. You're stalling, waiting for someone that won't ever come."
"He will Ginny. He loves you."
She laughed bitterly. She smiled sadly. "If he loved me, he wouldn't be married to somebody else now." Ginny placed her hand on his arm and the other around her trunk. Harry felt the familiar lurching in his stomach before he saw himself in the airport once again. "If he loved me."
"Draco will come," Harry said firmly, looking at the entrance as he prayed for a miracle.
"I don't blame you Harry. At the beginning, I thought he might show up too. But then realization hit me like a ton of bricks. He's married now. He doesn't care about me. He won't come."
Harry watched as Ginny fought her inner battle to keep her façade going.
"If.." he began slowly. Ginny waited. "Would.."
"Do you regret it?" he asked finally. "Do you regret being with him? Loving him?"
Ginny looked heavenwards, her battle walls crumbling as she did. The gates once again flooded. "I—I…I should shouldn't I?" she wailed quietly. "But I don't," she answered truthfully. "It was the best year of my entire life Harry. I thi-" she choked out a sob, "I think I would go through all this again, even if I had known beforehand."
She looked at her smiling friend. "I'm a fool aren't I?"
Harry shook his head, still with the sad smile on his face. "I'll say goodbye to everyone for you. Keep in touch Gin."
She hugged him one last time. "I will Harry. Maybe one day I'll be strong enough to come back. Maybe one day."
And then she turned, picked up her bag and walked away. Away from her past. Away from her pain. Searching for respite—escape—salvation.
Harry watched his friend's disappearing figure. He watched as she was engulfed by the crowd, swallowed whole in the mass of people. He heard a loud pop behind him.
"You're too late Draco."
The striking man walked up, and stood alongside his dark haired friend. He ran a hand through his hair, and loosened a button on his dress shirt. His tuxedo jacket had long been removed.
"She doesn't regret it."
Draco gulped. "How do you suppose I tell her I'm not married?"
Harry shrugged and nudged his friend forward with a smile. Then, he watched his other friend's disappearing figure, engulfed by the crowd, swallowed whole in the same mass of people.
"Ginny!" called Draco, pushing aside the people in his way. He looked to his left. "Ginny!" He slowed his pace and called again. "Ginny!"
A caught a flash of flaming red hair, and sprinted forward, not caring as a crowd began to form. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Ginny," he gasped, "I'm sorry."
The person turned around. "Sorry boy."
Draco felt a drip of salty water against his thin lips. Malfoy's aren't supposed to cry, he thought, but Ginny, I'll cry for you.
He let go of the woman and nodded his apology.
He truly was too late.
"Ginny," he whispered into the air. "Please come back to me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Draco?"
He got down on one knee.
"You can't do this to me Draco," she cried. "I can't—what if you—"
He opened the box.
"I can't let my heart break again. Not like last time."
"You can have mine. Ginerva A—"
"But—" She covered her mouth. "Yes."
I, Draco Malfoy, take you, Ginerva Anne Weasley,
To be my partner in life,
Because I love you.
And I, Ginerva Anne Weasley, love you too, Draco Malfoy.
You may now kiss the bride.