Harry Potter Fate

Fate is a beautiful, beautiful monster. It's the kind of monster that tempts you with shiny things and pretty words right before it bites you. It's the handsome prince in the movie that ends up being the bad guy in the end. And right now? It's the cruel beast that stole my girl from me.

My life had taken a turn the second I met her. Granted, maybe not as majorly as meeting my other best friend, but that's beside the point. She played a major role in how my life had played out and sometimes I forget to thank her for that.

"I'm Hermione Granger." I didn't know it at the time, but that bushy haired, bucktoothed, annoying girl would one day become the love of my life. I eventually came around to that idea though. I only wish she had too. Except, to some degree, she had. At one point, she had believed that I was the one for her. But I had been too stupid to realize what a great thing I had.

"This has got to stop." I keep my eyes trained on my third (fifth? tenth?) firewhiskey and clench my fists in anger. I hear the bar stool next me scrape against the floor as George settles into it. He sighs deeply and I can feel his eyes on me but I refuse to acknowledge him.

"Ron, she broke up with you months ago. You need to move on." I hear the implied '_like she has_' at the end of his sentence. I take a large gulp of my fire whiskey and slam it down onto the table. How many firewhiskeys does it take to forget that your soul mate is with your brother? Clearly not enough.

Even though I can't see her from the angle I'm sitting in, I am aware of her on the other side of the room talking to Ginny. Always being aware of her is both a gift and a curse that I can attribute to years of knowing her. And years of loving her.

"Look you're my brother and I love you but this isn't healthy. You're scaring her with your stalking and-"

In a matter of seconds, my wand is jammed against his chest. "Love me? Love _me_? If you really loved me you would've backed _me _up, not him!"

George leans away from my wand and fixes me with a nervous look. "He's my brother too-"

"I don't care!" I'm shouting at this point but the clamor of the bar around us hides the fact from everyone else. "He stole her from me and you're protecting him even though he was in the wrong!"

George gives me a sympathetic look and speaks softly, "Mate, I know you're hurt about what happened but-"

"She left me for him!"

He flinches at that. "I know. But she wasn't stolen from you. She was going to leave you whether he was involved or not. You neglected her and you just weren't right for each other."

"Oh and _he _is?"

"He makes her happy. I've never seen her so happy before."

And strangely enough, these are the words that calm me down. Because as angry as I am at her, and as furious as I am with that bastard, I really do just want her to be happy. I just seriously wish it were me she could be happy with. Thinking back to our relationship after the war, I can see where George is coming from. We fought more than ever and there were days where I preferred sleeping in my office at the Auror department to going home to her. There were good days, but they were outnumbered by the bad. It had been one of those nights where I came back home from a late night of binge drinking after one of our major fights that I had found her with him. I really should have seen it coming. They'd become quite close after the war and I knew even then that it was him that she'd go to for comfort after our fights.

I feel the sadness weighing me down and I suddenly feel haggard and tired. "I just always thought it was going to be me and her."

He pats me on the back. "We all did. But sometimes better things fall in place. It'll be your turn at some point."

I finally look over at her on the other side of the room. She's in the middle of laughing at something he's said and even from where I'm standing I can see the glimmer of happiness and love glinting in her eyes. I recognize it, as I should, considering it's the same look she used to give me. She's completely at ease, unaware of my staring. He, on the other hand, holds her against him as she laughs; he holds her in a protective stance and even though he's smiling at her, I can sense the anger brimming just under the surface.

Despite the situation, I smirk. "He doesn't like me being here, does he."

The corner of George's lips turn up in a half smile. "Not at all. He's pretty protective of her."

My smirk slides off my face. "Because he loves her." I can't fault him for falling for her; you'd be a fool not to fall for a girl like her. She's a one in a million.

George glances at them. "Well that and because you're her crazy ex who's been following her around."

I jerk at his nonchalant tone and he shrugs off my glare. "Just stating that facts."

I stand up from my chair and avoid looking at him. "I'm going to head out. Tell Hermione that I'm sorry."

His face softens once more and I'm struck at how kind George actually can be. Maybe one day I'll be close with him again, but I can't see that happening anytime soon.

"I will, Ron."

He turns to walk back towards Hermione and the others when I stop him.

"Oh, and George?" My words stumble a bit as he turns towards me in a way that hides the fact that one of his ears is missing.

"Tell Fred to take care of her for me."


End file.

Harry Potter, Hurt-Comfort, Romance