This story is fashioned after the movie 'Hope Floats' ... In which the main character is told that her husband is cheating on her with her 'bestfriend' on national television...She then goes back to her home town, and happens to fall in love with her childhood friend.
From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/2461/
Ron left the damn hangings open, AGAIN! Urgh, is it too much to ask for a LITTLE bit of sleep around here? He KNOWS i'm not a morning person. Ugh, I might as well get up. I have to get Diana ready for school and I have to get ready for that blasted Book Interview.
Hermione grudgingly pulled herself out of bed and into the shower. She let the cold water cascade down her tired face as she lathered up her loofa. This is gonna be a LONG day...
Once she was out of the shower, Hermione donned a bathrobe, and wrapped her hair in a towel.
'COFFEE!' She thought yearningly as she trodded down the stairs and into the kitchen.
" Hi Mummy!" Diana said cheerfully as she ate her cereal.
"Morning, luv," Hermione said absently.
"what are you doing mummy?" Diana inquired happily.
"I'm just making some coffee," Hermione responded tiredly.
"Daddy says 'Good luck on your interview'," she informed her mother.
"Oh, okay, thanks hunny," Hermione said before yawning.
She sat down next to her daughter and let her head fall onto her crossed arms until the coffee was done.
"Are you okay, mummy?" Diana asked as she caressed her mother's forearm.
"Yes, baby, Mummy is just a little tired this morning," Hermione said as she lifted her head up to give her daughter a smile.
Moments later she kissed her daughter on the forehead before she got up to pour herself a huge mug of coffee.
Hermione downed her coffee while her daughter finished off her cereal.
"Alright, you little bug, it's time to get you off to school," Hermione told her before she headed up the stairs to get dressed.
She emerged moments later from the stair case looking immaculate, as always. Her daughter grinned mischievously at her.
"What, may I ask, is so Amusing?" Hermione asked with a mischievous smile of her own.
"I think I prefer you sleepy," Diana said with a twinkle in her eye.
"Oh, hush you," Hermione said happily as she grabbed her purse from the foyer table.
"Come on Di, out to the car!" Hermione called.
"Coming mummy!" She responded as she padded rapidly to the front door.
Hermione sat in her car seat and took a few deep breaths to prepare herself for the day ahead.
Hermione had written a fiction book for magical children. The idea occurred to her when her own daughter was reluctant to read anything beneficial. She had always wanted to do something important, something worth while. Now, she had finally found her dream. The beautiful child seated next to her had inspired her to write a fiction children's novel that also gave children valuable information. Not just Moral standards or parables...She wanted to teach the children to think critically in a way that was unbeknownst to them.
Today was her first book review, and her nerves were completely out of control. Her calm, intellectual demeanor did nothing to sedate her deeply set performance anxiety.
'Alright, get a grip,' she told herself as she turned the key in the ignition.
She looked over at her daughter and smiled involuntarily. Her daughter was key to her equilibrium. No matter what, Di will love me just the same.
She dropped her daughter off at school and headed to the radio station, her stomach in fluttering in anxiety.
Hermione parked her Jag in the guest section of the WWN parking lot.
Of course, Ron had to have a Jag, what a tart.
Ron was a scout for the chudley cannons, and naturally, he had to play the part.
She Stepped gracefully out of the Jag and straigtened her skirt. She let out a breath through pursed lips and grabbed her handbag.
The cool air from the radio station blew her hair back as she entered the impressive building. She entered the lift to the seventh floor where her interview was supposed to take place. She was to be Interviewed by Rita Skeeter. Although there was a time this would have been a horror, Hermione was assured that things would turn out favorably.
Hermione encountered the first loop of her day when she was requested to sit in a small, windowless room and was laden with a blindfold.
What the hell is going on here?
............Meanwhile, in the main room................
"Goooooood morning my fellow witches and wizards! It's a beautiful day and the time is ripe for a scandalous confession today on 'The Skeeter Show', brought to you by 'The Daily Prophet'," Rita Skeeter announced to all her listeners.
"Today folks, we have Connie Abram who's here to tell her bestfriend Hermione Weasley, that she's been having an affair with her husband!" she informed her listeners.
Faintly you could hear a collective gasp ripple through the audience.
"Alright then Connie, How long have you been having an affair with Ronald Weasley?" Rita inquired.
"A little over a year now," Connie answered.
"And do you love him?" Rita asked.
"More than anything," Connie replied.
"Did you hear that folks? She's been having an affair for five years and she doesn't even LOVE him!" Rita delivered excitedly.
Connie was left with her mouth gaping while the crowd, once again, shuddered with an audible gasp.
"Wait I didn't -"
"TIME to invite Mrs. Hermione Weasley on the show!" Rita said as the door at the end of the recording room bursted open to reveal Hermione being led in, blindfolded, by some WWN security staff.
"Good morning Mrs. Weasley," Rita intoned pleasantly.
"Uh, Good morning..." Hermione replied in a bemused voice.
"Why am I blindfolded?" Hermione asked a moment later in an irritated tone.
"Well, you're not exactly here for your book review, Mrs. Weasley," Rita admitted with glee.
"Your bestfriend has something very important to tell you," Skeeter informed her.
"Harry?" Hermione said as she ripped off her blindfold to look at him.
'Ahhh! Loop #2!!!' Hermione nearly groaned as she looked at Connie apologetically.
"Alright then, Connie," Rita began gleefully, "Go ahead and tell Hermione why you put her here,"
"Hermione," Connie said before clearing her throat briefly, " Ron and I are having an affair,"
'Ugh' Hermione thought as she felt her stomach plummet, ' There goes loop #3'
"H-How long?" Hermione barely got out.
"A-" Connie began before Rita butted in.
" Five years now; and the worst part....she doesn't -even-love-him!!" Rita supplied dramatically.
Hermione sucked in a deep, audible breath of air and clutched at her chest.
The fact that Rita skeeter was most likely exaggerating completely skipped her mind. She was beyond rational thought. Her 'happy home' was forever tainted when those first words came out of Connie's sodding mouth.
Before Hermione had even the slightest chance to recuperate, Rita called Ron into the studio.
"Mr. Weasley, you may come out now!" Rita said as she held the button for the intercom.
" Er, hello?" Ron asked uncertainly as he stepped into the room, also blindfolded.
"Hello Ronald, please have a seat," Rita said in a tone that was utterly reminscent of Dolores Umbridge.
"You may remove your blindfold," she told him after he sat down.
"BLOODY HELL!" Ron screamed when he realized which two women were in the same room with him.
This was enough proof for Hermione. Silent, unadulturated tears ran down her cheeks; a testiment of the hopelessness flooding through her.
"Ronald, Connie Abram has admitted to your five-year relationship and claims to not love you. What do you say to this?" Rita asked in rapid speech.
"WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU ON LADY? TOO MANY POTIONS INGREDIENTS IN THE WRONG PLACES?!" Ron screamed angrily.
"Do-NOT-lie, Ron," Hermione said in a deadly tone.
Ron quickly disinflated as he looked at his wife. He knew it in his heart, the moment he saw her eyes, that she knew. He looked down at his shoes in shame.
"Hermione I..." He began, but quickly faltered.
"You WHAT, Ron?" Hermione replied snappishly.
"I'm sorry," He said simply.
"So it's true then," she said more as a statement to herself than anything else.
"Yeah," He began, "Only this old bag is exaggerating!!! it wasn't five years!! it was only ONE year!"
Hermione snorted then. She snorted, then began to laugh manaically. Ron sat there and looked at her as if she was high off of potion fumes.
"What the-" he began before Hermione interrupted him.
"Five years, one year, what's the difference? It's the same thing, Ron. Yet you still try to better your situation by telling me that it was 'only' one year," Hermione seethed.
The silence following her diatribe was so poigniant that it was nearly physically painful.
"Did you consummate the relationship?" she asked.
"Huh?" Ron replied.
"DID YOU HAVE SEX!?!" she screamed in response.
"Yes," he answered in a tone hardly above a whisper.
"Do you love each other?" she asked in a voice hardly above a whisper.
"Yes," They both replied as Rita spouted off with an adamant 'NO!'.
Hermione got up from her seat without another word or glance at the other three people seated before her. She dashed from the studio, slamming the door behind her as she went. As she got off the lift and headed for the front door she heard the other lift ring to announce it's arrival. As if on instinct, Hermione quickens her pace.
"Do NOT speak to me Ron," she intoned forcefully as she pushed open the door.
"Hermione please wait!" he begged after her.
"There is nothing left to say, LEAVE ME BE!" she screamed as she flung open the driver's side door to the Jag.
"Let me EXPLAIN!" he pleaded exasperatedly.
"I think I've heard enough," Hermione said as she backed up and drove away, tires screeching in the distance.
"Mummy, why are you packing my stuff?" Diana asked uncertainly.
Hermione remained silent for a while, swiftly minimizing all the things in her daughter's room and putting it into a large cardboard box.
"Because," Hermione began but her voice broke, " Because we aren't going to live with Daddy anymore."
"Why not mummy?!" Diana asked, tears threatening to spill from her beautiful brown eyes and onto her freckled cheeks.
"Because Daddy has someone new to love now, honey," Hermione explained while trying to keep her own tears in check.
"B-b-but I don't wanna leave Daddy!" Diana exclaimed as the tears started to flow down her cheeks.
The floodgates were open, no holds barred, there was nothing to stop Hermione from breaking down anymore. She dropped to her knees and wept. She lowered her head into her arms as she rocked back and forth on the carpeted floor of her daughter's room.
Diana soon too, began to wail and cry. She gripped tightly onto her mother's back as they both wept. Hermione picked up her head and buried it once more in her daughter's jacket.
"I'm so sorry, baby," Hermione kept saying through the sobs as she rocked her daughter back and forth.
"This wasn't your fault. This wasn't your daddy's fault. Things just happen sometimes. People fall out of love," Hermione explained calmly once her body stopped thrashing with sobs.
"W-will he stop loving me?" Diana asked as she turned her fearful brown eyes up to her mother.
"Never, luv. Never," Hermione told her, "You, are your daddy's world."
"If he stopped loving you, then he could stop loving me too!" Diana said worriedly.
"No, baby, your daddy loves you differently than he loved me," Hermione explained.
"Men and Women love each other differently than mummies and daddies love their children. Love for your child is sacred, that never changes," Hermione added.
"You promise?" Diana asked in a whisper.
"I promise," Hermione said as she wrapped her little girl in another hug.
"Where are we going to go?" Diana asked moments later after her mother had released her from the hug.
"Well you and I are going to take a vacation at the Leaky Cauldron until we find a place to live," Hermione answered.
Hermione spent the rest of the morning packing up her stuff and putting it in the Jag. As she was in the kitchen packing lunches for Diana and herself, she heard Ron burst in through the front door.
"HER-MI-O-NEEEEEEE!!!!" he screamed through the house.
Hermione remained silent as she packed away the sandwiches and walked to the refrigerator to get some drinks.
"HERMIONE LET ME EXPLAIN!" he screamed before walking in the kitchen.
He stood stock still while he watched her stand by the counter, packing a cooler.
"Hermione I - " He began before she cut him off.
"Where were you last night, Ron?" she inquired with a sharp edge in her voice.
'That shut him up quick'
"That shut you up, didn't it? What are you thinking with Ron, your Arse? Cause it sure as bloody hell isn't your brain! I was the bloody HEAD GIRL! Do you HONESTLY think I wouldn't know where you went off to yesterday? I was daft for a year, but I'm not nearly as daft as you are. There was NO way you were going to even DREAM of explaining ANYTHING to me after you spent the night at that whore's house," Hermione fumed as she walked out of the kitchen, shoving Ron aside.
"Hermione!!" Ron wailed, but was interrupted by the phone ringing.
They lived in a nice muggle town called melbourn, so they weren't able to receive owls unless it's a legitimate emergency.
Ron picked up the phone when he realized Hermione would do no such thing.
"Hello?" He said calmly into the receiver.
"RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY!!!!! IN ALL MY YEARS AS A MOTHER I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT YOU CAPABLE OF SUCH UNDERHANDED TREACHERY!!!" Ron winced as he pulled the phone away from his ear.
'I should have guessed mum would be calling sooner or later,' he thought as he held the phone an arms length away.
There was nothing he could do or say to fix anything, especially in his mother's eyes. So, Ron decided just to hold the phone away from him while his mother ranted for an interminable amount of time.
As he saw Hermione grab Diana's hand, her car keys, and her hand bag, he started to panic. He dropped the phone on the couch and sprinted for the front door.
"Please don't go! Give me a chance to explain!" Ron begged as he held onto Hermione's arm.
Hermione shrugged his arm off of her and gave him a cold look of pure FURY.
"Sweet words and excuses won't get you out of this mess, Ron. It's no use. And don't you EVER touch me again," Hermione threatened, her eyes ablaze.
She picked up Diana, slammed the door behind her, and left Ron gaping stupidly in the foyer.
"Put on your seat belt, Di," Hermione stated as she put on her own seat belt.
She pulled herself together, dried a few tears, and forced a smile on her face.
"We're gonna have fun, okay?" Hermione said with as much of a smile she could muster.
"Okay, mummy," Diana said solemnly.
Diana looked back as her mother pulled away from what was once their beautiful home.
"Don't look back, sweetheart. It's bad luck," Hermione said quietly.
The drive to the Leaky Cauldron was a silent one. Not a word was spoken and silent tears were shed sporadically by both girls throughout the journey.
The interminable silence was finally ended when they were nearing the Leaky Cauldron.
"Aunt Ginny should be there to help us unpack some stuff. Isn't that wonderful?" Hermione said as cheerfully as she could.
"Mhmm," Diana replied absently.
Diana adored Ginny Weasley, and was usually ecstatic to see her. Hermione frowned slightly and parked her car on the curb near the blackened building. A few moments later a familiar, welcome mop of red hair emerged from the building to greet them.
"Oh, there's my little bug!!!" Ginny shouted in glee as she went to hug her niece.
"Aunt Ginny!!" Diana shouted as she soared into her aunt's arms.
"You are looking more and more like your mummy every day!" Ginny exclaimed.
Diana's eyes lit up and she smiled genuinely for the first time in two days.
"Now, don't tell any of your cousins, but I knicked some chocolate from grandma Molly's stores for you! Go get it! It's on your bed. Just ask old Tom to take you there," Ginny instructed.
"YAY! Thank you!" Diana exclaimed before she shot inside.
"Yes, really, thank you," Hermione said sincerely.
"Whoa you look terrible! Have you been drinking?" Ginny asked.
"No, I have NOT been drinking!" Hermione replied.
"What, this is you stone sober?! Well, you look just awful! " she repeated.
"Well, I FEEL awful, Ginny," Hermione retorted.
"Well, you look it," she insisted once more.
"I feel it," she repeated.
"Yeah, but you sure do look it," Ginny finished for them.
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked into the dirty old pub.
A/N: Yes, this concludes our chapter. I LOVE this part of the movie. I laughed so hard I nearly wet myself. The only difference is that in the movie this little discussion is between mother and daughter.
Ginny Weasley was seated atop the bed in Hermione's room at 'The Leaky Cauldron', folding Diana's clothes. Hermione sat across from her staring blankly at the wall before her as she took a couple days worth of clothes out for herself.
"Hermione," Ginny called.
"....Hermione...," Ginny called again.
"HERMIONE!" she snapped.
"Uh, er, what?You didn't have to yell like that, Ginny," Hermione responded.
"Oh, yes I did!" Ginny replied.
"You were completely out of it," she added.
"I... I - know," Hermione offered solemnly.
"Well, go on, out with it," Ginny supplied in effort to encourage her.
"We - We were so... Happy, Gin," Hermione admitted, the tears now silently rolling down her cheeks.
"I know, luv, I know," she said as she went to go hug Hermione, "I saw how you would look at him,"
Hermione broke down just then, sobbing as she gripped Ginny's shoulders for support. She felt as if her world had ended, her life destroyed. She'd have to rebuild it, rebuild everything; and she had to start with herself.
With this thought in mind, Hermione pulled away from her sister-in-law and wiped away her tears. Ginny took Hermione's face in her hands and looked her right in the eye. She'll be damned before anyone ever avoids her attention.
"Hermione, you listen to me," Ginny said as she continued to stare at her sister-in-law," My brother....is SCUM. He hurt you, and he hurt my niece, and for that - i'll never forgive him,"
"You're speaking nonsense Ginny, He's your BROTHER. I'm just the woman that married him," Hermione said as she pulled her face away and tore her eyes to the floor.
"First of all," Ginny told her, "Keep your chin up,"
"Second of all: Family, is what you make it," she stated, "You are family, blood or not."
"Besides," she began with a mischievous smile, "Chicks before dicks,"
Hermione gasped with the crudeness of it, but couldn't help smiling at her sister.
"There you go! Who said anyone ever needed cheering charms?" she jested.
Hermione smiled once more, although this time, she tried to hide it.
"Oh, I saw that Miss Granger," Ginny teased, " You can't fool me, there's hope for you yet. Before you know it, you'll be out there giving chase to all the magical men - available or not,"
"Sometimes I think you're downright wicked," Hermione admitted with a raised brow.
Ginny simply grinned for effect.
"What was this you said about Miss Granger?" Hermione prodded afterwards.
"Well, you certainly don't plan on staying married to him, do you?" Ginny asked.
"Well....I suppose you're right," she confessed.
"Right then, a new name requires a new setting..." Ginny hinted.
"I have yet to figure that out," Hermione said mostly to herself.
"Well, I have a small house in Hogsmead...That is if you'd want to stay there. You and the little bug," Ginny offered.
"Ginny, we could never impose upon you!" Hermione exclaimed, "Besides, I doubt we'd fit,"
"Sure you would. There's nothing a few flicks of a wand can't fix," she asserted with a smile.
"I don't know...." she trailed off.
"Come on, Give it a shot, just until you get on your own two feet again," Ginny offered once more.
"Alright then, Maybe just a little while," she said in acquiescence.
Ginny smiled and went off to find Diana.
*****************************************************
"Alright, little bug, let's go to Florean Fortescue's to stuff our faces with ice cream while mummy mopes a little while," Ginny offered kindly.
" That sounds great! But, I don't know if we should leave mummy all by herself. Won't she be sad?" the little girl inquired.
"Yes, she will be sad. Sometimes people need to be sad for awhile before they can get happy again," Ginny informed.
"How long will mummy be sad for?" she asked, half fearing the answer her aunt would give her.
"I don't know, luv. Mummy just went through something awful. She needs time to heal. How much time, no one knows. It's really up to her, isn't it?" she replied.
"I guess so," Diana said sadly.
"Ah, but don't you go getting a long face! I, have a surprise for you!" Ginny said excitedly.
"Really?! What is it?!" Diana said, her mummy temporarily forgotten.
"You and your mummy are coming to live with me in Hogsmead!" her aunt told her.
Diana's face lit up as she heard the good news. She had always wanted to live in Hogsmead. 'HARRY LIVES IN HOGSMEAD!' she thought excitedly. Harry always gave the best of presents to his little God Daughter. He didn't show up very often, but she knew him alright.
She took her Aunt's hand as she led her to the brick wall that concealed 'Diagon Alley'. Diana took in all the wonderful sites as she was lead to the ice cream shop. She'd been here before a couple times. Once with her mummy, and once with grandma Weasley. The excitement she felt was palpable. Not only was she with Ginny, but she got to have icecream in DIAGON ALLEY!
The two young ladies spent the rest of the day chatting in the ice cream parlor as a certain brown eyed woman watched through the window of her room.
A/N: And there is chapter TWO! I did change it some because I have to be faithful to TWO works of art. therefore I can't make it EXACTLY like the movie, although I'd love to. I hope you like it! Being that Hermione's mother is a muggle, I can't have her go live with her mother and fall in love with Harry all at once. And for all of you waiting for Harry to show up, keep the patience up, he's coming.
I disclaim. There. Are you happy now?
"Arrrgggggh! These are the times I wish I could transfigure your brother into a pack mule!" Hermione said exasperatedly.
"I think we'd all love him much more as a pack mule. He's already an animal, let's just make him a better one," Ginny said sardonically.
Hermione did her best not to laugh. It seemed that Ron was getting a rather harsh comeuppance. To think, his own sister...
Hermione finished putting her bags into the trunk of the car, then hugged Ginny.
"Thanks so much, Gin," Hermione said gratefully.
"Please, you know I'd do anything for you and the little bug over there," Ginny said as she gestured to the child in the passenger seat.
Hermione smiled at her daughter.
"Make sure to put on your seat belt, Di," Hermione told her.
"Why do you bother with this thing? Why not just aparate or use floo powder?" Ginny asked.
"Well you see... Ron loves this car..." Hermione began with a mischievous grin.
"Ah, say no more. I understand completely," Ginny added with an evil grin.
Hermione grinned shyly; as if she were embarrassed by such underhanded behavior.
***************
A couple hours later Hermione arrived at Ginny's home.
"Hey, Diana, could you please get that box there hun?" Hermione asked.
"Sure mummy," she replied happily.
Moments later Ginny came out to assist them with their luggage. When they finally were inside and unpacked, Hermione spoke with Ginny for a while out of politeness, then went to bed.
Many weeks passed the same way. Hermione did what she had to do. She ate, she fed her daughter, took her to school, and slept....and slept some more. The days blended together into one huge monotonous mess of sleeping and waking. Mornings felt less like the start of the day and more like the end of the dark night.
On one of those mornings, Ginny popped into the magically added bedroom that Hermione now claimed as her own and started to shout cleaning spells every which way.
"Do you HAVE to do that now?" Hermione asked groggily.
"Yes, it's about time you woke your sorry arse up," Ginny said resolutely.
"Ginny, I'm tired. Please, just let me sleep," Hermione begged.
"All you've done is sleep. Besides, you have to get up today...We're going to have company," Ginny hinted.
"Company? What for? Who's coming?" Hermione asked in the same groggy tone.
"You'll have to get up to know the answers to all your questions. All I will tell you is that you might want to fix yourself up. You look like pure shit, woman," she teased.
"I have no reason to NOT look like pure shit anymore... Ginny you're not setting me up with people ALREADY?!" Hermione screeched once realization hit her.
"No, NO! Where could you possibly get that idea from?" Ginny responded innocently.
"Ginny, you had better not be trying to set me up with some random sex object you just happen to be acquainted with just because you think I need 'a quick lay'," Hermione ranted.
"Good heavens woman! Get your knickers out of a bind! So my brother is a bastard, the world keeps turning! Live, live for your daughter damn it! Do you have any idea what you are doing to her?! Do you have any clue how her life is even going in this new place? You have completely uprooted her whole life and then you neglected her." Ginny exploded.
Hermione lay there, mouth agape in shock. She was paralyzed. Ginny's words rang true, so true in fact, that Hermione felt the unsurpassable surge of guilt travel through her body only to settle itself firmly in her gut.
"I haven't neglected her," Hermione said weakly.
"...You've fed her, that's about it," Ginny replied.
Hermione fisted her small hands around the sides of her pillow and hid her face in it. Ginny didn't realize the impact of her words until she saw Hermione's back shaking with the sobs she'd hoped to hide in her pillow. Ginny sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her back while she sobbed into her pillow.
The impact of her current dilemma has emotionally crippled Hermione. She did what anyone would do. Sulk. Drown in her depression. She spent her days in an old shirt of Ron's. She either slept, watched TV, or read.
"Come on now, Hermione. Crying isn't going to do you anymore good. You've let it out hun, it's time to start healing," Ginny told her as she rubbed her back some more.
"Easy for you to say," Hermione said with her voice muffled slightly.
"Don't knock it til you try it," Ginny replied.
"I suppose you're right," Hermione said as she lifted her head from the pillow
***********************************
Hermione got dressed in an old, comfortable pair of jeans and a short button-down shirt which she tied at the bottom. She started off her day by rearranging the 'order' in which she put her new room. Around mid-day she was tired and a bit hungry so she went downstairs to see what there was to eat.
"Hello there, beautiful," Harry said to her from the door.
Hermione jumped a bit in shock, then gripped the railing to the stairs in a vice grip. Once she got past her shock, she was able to take in his appearance.
He still wore glasses, although now they were oval instead of round. There was a glean of sweat on his neck and face and his shirt was half way unbuttoned. Her eyes then shot straight up to his beautiful emerald ones. His hair was a little longer than she remembered it, it got in his eyes every few seconds. She snapped out of her pensive reverie when Harry wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
"HARRY!" she screamed before hopping off the stairs and running into his arms.
He hugged her tightly, lifted her off the ground, and spun her in circles until he couldn't stand it any longer. Afterwards he pulled away from her a bit, just to look at her face.
"Here you go Harry, I'm sorry we didn't have iced tea. I hope lemonade will do nicely," Ginny said as she entered the room with two glasses of lemonade on a tray.
Harry then released Hermione so that he could get his glass off the tray. He downed half of it in one gulp and then smiled sheepishly at Hermione.
"Please excuse me, I've been working on this slave driver's porch all afternoon," He told her.
"It's quite all right, Harry. I can believe that," Hermione said with a snide look at Ginny.
Ginny stuck her tongue out at hermione once Harry's back was turned.
"Here Hermione, you can have this glass, you must be parched," Ginny said in a sickeningly sweet tone.
"Thank you," Hermione said stiffly.
"Why don't you two go take a break on the porch while I go get you the pitcher of lemonade?" Ginny suggested.
Harry shrugged and gave Hermione a 'do you want to?' look before proceeding to the front door. Hermione followed listlessly.
The pair of them walked out onto the porch and took a seat on the swing that Ginny had Harry install that day.
"Hmm, I don't recall this being here yesterday..."Hermione said with a grin as she sat down.
"That would be because I put it here today," Harry told her.
"It's beautiful," she nearly whispered.
"I made it," He replied.
She simply smiled up at him. Although he could still see a tinge of sadness in her eyes.
"I heard what happened," Harry said as he put his arm around her shoulder, "I'm so sorry Hermione,"
Silent tears rolled down Hermione's cheek. Harry tilted her chin up to him and wiped away her tears with his thumb.
"You always did say he was 'one daft git', "Harry said with what could be described as the beginnings of a smile.
Hermione blushed and tried to hide her smile. Harry tilted her head up again and smiled at her.
"You can't hide from me, Granger, I saw that smile peeking out," Harry said to her with a grand smile on his face.
"Cheater," Hermione said.
"I can't help myself, I had to see that beautiful smile again. You certainly haven't showed it much since you've gotten here," Harry complimented.
The sadness returned to her features and He couldn't help but pull her into a hug. He rocked her back and forth as she cried silent tears into his chest.
...Inside while this is going on, a redheaded witch is cackling internally with glee.
"Ah, there is hope for her yet," Ginny whispered to herself.
"Hope for what aunt Ginny?" Di said as she came up behind her aunt.
"Oh, you little bug! You startled me!" Ginny said as she put her hand to her chest in shock.
"Hope for what aunt Ginny?" Diana asked again.
"Hope that you will go upstairs and take a shower. You smell like uncle Percy," Ginny said with a wicked grin.
"Ewwwww, uncle Percy!?" Diana exclaimed in revulsion.
"Yep, uncle Percy. You better go wash those Percy germs off you quick , before you become an uptight, anal-retentive, aaashhhhould go shower. Yes, go shower," Ginny said quickly.
Diana run up the stairs screaming and rubbing at her forearms.
"God bless Fred and George!" Ginny said to herself with a bright smile.
( A/N: And that, my dear readers, is the end of chapter three. I hope you approve as to it's length and content. As for those who might be confused about the end of this chapter...Fred and George thought it would be funny to instill in their niece a disgust for her uncle Percy.... :D I hope you enjoyed!)
Hermione woke up bright and early the next morning. Seeing Harry again has inspired her to get her life back in order. She didn't feel as bad now that she knew she had someone so close to get through it with.
She would be going into town today to find a job. She straightened her hair and put half of it up in a decorative clip. She freshened up her face with some light makeup, and livened up her appearance with a new lavender dress she'd bought three weeks prior.
Due to the nature of Hermione's favorite hobby, she ventured to find a job at the publishing company they had in Hogsmead. She walked down the streets of Hogsmead towards 'Spellbound Books', saying hi to people as she went along. Hermione stopped briefly at the 'Three Broomsticks' to pick up a quick breakfast.
She planned to sell 'Spellbound' the rights to her latest children's book in exchange for a job and a good salary. She was confident that there would be no refusal in her offer, considering it was now a bestseller.
They had originally offered her a contract, but she had decided to hold off in the hopes of negotiating a better contract in the future. She made her way confidently into the office and strode up to the receptionist.
"Good morning," she began politely," I wish to speak to Luna Lovegood,"
"One minute, she's ONLY the president of the company," the woman said without looking up at Hermione.
"Yes, I'm quite aware of that," Hermione said teasingly.
The receptionist looked up to smart mouth the client who obviously thought she was entitled to quite a bit, but was stopped short when she realized who she was just about to mouth off to.
"Oh, Mrs.Weasley! I'm terribly sorry! I didn't realize it was you!" the receptionist said in hopes that Hermione would forgive her grievous error.
"That's quite alright," Hermione said with a smile," Although, I would definitely appreciate it if you referred to me as Miss Granger from now on,"
A slight blush of embarrassment crept up Hermione's cheeks. Certainly this witch would know about the infamous way in which her husband conveyed his betrayal.
"Oh, right...Right," the receptionist said with what, at the very least, looked to be sincerity.
"Uh, er, I'll let Miss Lovegood know that you're here to see her," she added, breaking the awkward silence that had ensued after her last comment.
********************************************
A handsome young man was half hid in the shadows of a building. He crept silently, unaware that someone terribly more apt than he, was diligently following his trail. His white-blonde hair shone briefly in the light of the sun that shone through the cracks in the atrophied archway.
The man on his trail followed behind on the graceful feet of a man who definitely knew what he was doing. In spite of his invisibility, he took to the shadows to ensure that he cast no shadow. He followed the young man as he made his way into a seedy store in Knockturn Alley.
Feeling that the need for invisibility was useless in such a place, he removed his cloak and donned a black trench coat and a fedora hat. He had long since removed the distinguishing feature from his face and opted for a temporary occulus spell rather than his wire-rimmed spectacles.
As he followed the young man under the archway he lifted the back of his collar, lest his unruly hair give him away. The young man entered a shop that was rather widely known for it's torture devices.
Harry had been following a lead that had been given to him by one of his many unnamed sources. The thick of the claim basically that Draco Malfoy used child labor in his manufacturing shops. More rumors came in however, that these children were motivated by sheer force and torture. Naturally, that didn't sit well with Harry Potter.
Harry pretended to look around in the store while he listened to the conversation that Malfoy and the seedy shopkeeper were now engaged in.
"Ah, yes! She's a beauty, that one. This whip is cursed to infect the wounds inflicted on the victim. It's definitely not very pleasant, no," the shopkeeper informed him.
"Perfect," Malfoy said in a voice that was barely audible.
'Got him!' Harry thought as he put down the dark artifact he was currently looking at.
When Malfoy left the shop, Harry remained, to cut off suspicion.
"Is there anything I may help you with, sir?" the shopkeeper asked in his gravelly voice.
"As a matter of fact, There is," Harry said as an angry glint twinkled in his eye.
*******************************************************
Hermione had waited for two hours now. 'Any longer and I'd have to go to London to bring my business there. I'd hate to have to commute to work, but if I had to wait any longer I'd explode!!!'
"She's ready for you," the receptionist said, cutting through her reverie.
'Finally,' she thought gratefully.
********************************************************
Harry strode quickly over to the counter and grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt.
"How long has Draco Malfoy been buying from you?" he asked with no preamble.
"I'm not at liberty to say!" the shopkeeper maintained.
Harry slammed his head into the counter.
"How about now?" Harry asked.
"I plead the fifth!"
"That's only in America, asshole!" Harry said before slamming his head into the counter again.
"Fine, fine I'll tell you!" he screamed before Harry slammed him, yet again, into the counter.
Harry looked at him expectantly.
"I can't really say when he started...." the shopkeeper said with an air of uncertainty.
Harry slammed him into the counter a bit harder now.
"Can you remember now?" Harry asked.
"Okay, it was about...TEN YEARS AGO!" the shop keeper said.
Satisfied with that answer, he went on to his next question....
*************************************************************
"Good afternoon, Luna," Hermione said stiffly.
"Good afternoon," she replied with the same stiffness.
"I assume you came to discuss your contract with 'Spellbound', no?" Luna inquired.
"Well, yes," Hermione began, "See, I've moved into Hogsmead and I-"
"Look, personally, I can't say that we have the money to begin a new account just now," Luna cut her off.
Hermione sighed exasperatedly, and fiddled with her handbag.
"Listen, Luna...I know that in our past we didn't get along all that great. In Hogwarts I'm sure I treated you with some contempt, and I'm sure that me marrying Ronald only made it that much worse. But, I really need this job, I need to get my life back on track," Hermione pleaded.
Luna gave her an appraising look, and remained seated (in her rather large office chair) to think about the pros and cons of the situation. Finally, deciding that Hermione was too valuable a client to loose, she prepared herself to speak.
"Alright, In that case... What do you want?" she said as she opened up negotiations.
"Well...." Hermione began.
*****************************************************************
"What does he use your products for?" Harry asked.
"Personal uses," the greasy man responded.
"Errr, wrong," Harry said as he slammed the man in the face again.
The man made a motion to grab for his wand, but Harry was faster.
"You even reach for that wand and you'll be wishing I hadn't let some body parts remain attached," Harry said menacingly.
"Now," he added," What did he use them for?"
The man remained silent. Harry released his grip on the man's shirt, and gripped his hair instead.
"Come on now, this is not the time for loyalty. Scum like you? Who do you have that's worthy of loyalty? Draco Malfoy would out you at his first chance of self-preservation," Harry told him with malice.
Finding truth in Harry's words, the shopkeeper gave in.
"He runs a sweatshop... It's manned by kidnapped muggle children," the shopkeeper confessed.
"Thank you. Have a nice day!" Harry said with a cheerful smile as he used the mans shirt to wipe off his hand.
******************************************************
"Well, I want an office and a job, as well as monetary compensation for the sales of my book," Hermione said.
"What kind of job?" Luna asked.
"I wouldn't mind being an editor, or an agent. As long as you pay me well," Hermione said.
"Done," Luna said without further ado.
***************************************************************
Harry stormed out of the shop, angry yet triumphant.
Harry manipulated one of his directional spells to find his intended criminal. He slid inbetween a couple of buildings once he was back in Diagon alley, and pulled out his wand.
"Point me," He said as he laid his wand flat on his palm.
His wand finally settled on the apothecary across the street. He had all the evidence he needed, all he had left to do was to capture the culprit. He walked across he street as normally as he could, hoping he didn't gain any unnecessary attention. He slid into the crevice between the apothecary and 'Madam Malkin's'. When Malfoy walked passed a few minutes later, Harry summoned him into the crevice and proceeded to beat the crap out of him.
Caught off guard, Malfoy dropped all his things, including his wand. Harry Picked it up and leveled both wands at the blonde man. Malfoy's face was still upturned into a sneer, despite the fear that ran through his veins like liquid ice. Harry tied every inch of him with conjured ropes and Covered his wand with a potion that he had in his coat. Harry picked up Malfoy's bags and set them neatly aside him. He then set Malfoy's wand to hover in mid-air, a good four feet above his head. Harry then set a sound barrier all around Malfoy, then immediately after disllusioned him.
Harry left the dark alley and walked across the cobble-stoned street towards the owlry. He quickly took a quill and parchment out of his jacket to write to the ministry.
To whom it may concern:
Draco Malfoy has been caught and is currently between the apothecary and the robe's shop. I have left him bound, silenced, and disillusioned for your disposal. His wand is coated in bubbotubber puss, so I suggest you handle that with care. All the evidence you will require is contained in the conversation recorded on the extra sheaf of parchment that will accompany this one. It, is a full account, of my conversation with Andre Mulciber of Knockturn Alley. Further evidence will be found in the bags that are settled neatly next to the very uncomfortable Mr. Malfoy.
Harry signed the note with the scribble of a lightning bolt. He never gave his name. That was beside his purpose. The people at the ministry were far to daft to figure out who it would be, no matter how obvious the lightning bolt made it. Or at least, he believed it so.
****************************************************************
"It was a pleasure doing business with you," Hermione said as she extended her hand to Luna.
"Likewise,"Luna said before she shook Hermione's hand.
With one last smile, Hermione left the building. She walked down the streets of Hogsmead much happier than she'd been in weeks.
*******************************************
Hermione freshened up and then headed down the stairs for dinner. She was nearly done towel-drying her hair as she stepped on the bottom landing of the staircase. She was dressed causually in a pair of sweats and a camisole. She was about to speak when she turned to the dinning room, but she realized a very unruly head of inky black hair seated where she normally sat. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise and she gasped involuntarily.
Damn you, Ginny.
Harry's head turned at the sound of her Gasp and he smiled pleasantly at her.
"Why don't you sit down and have some dinner?" Ginny asked in her fake pleasantry.
"Sure, I'll just go change,"Hermione said as she turned to go up the stairs.
"You're fine, don't change on my account," Harry said with a grin.
Hermione chanced a grin back at him. She put her towel on the railing of the stairs and headed off towards the seat next to him.
"Hi pumpkin, how have you been?" Hermione said to Diana.
"Well, I've been okay," Harry said cutely.
Hermione smacked him in the arm teasingly and looked over at her daughter, who said nothing.
Hermione brightened visibly and decided to share her news with all the people who mattered to her most first.
"I got a job today!" she said excitedly.
"Oooh Really?" Ginny asked.
"Where?" Harry asked.
"Right here in hogsmead, with 'Spellbound Books'," She informed them.
Little Diana suddenly got up from the table and ran upstairs.
"What's eating her?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, she doesn't usually do things like that," Hermione admitted.
"Maybe she's scared," Ginny said absent-mindedly.
"Scared? Scared of what?" Hermione asked.
"A permanent change. Now that you've got a job, she knows she's gonna stay here and that her family life will forever stay the way it currently is," Ginny informed her.
Hermione got up and ran after her daughter.
"Sorry about this, Harry," Ginny began, "I didn't expect any of this to happen,"
"It's quite alright, I understand," Harry said with a smile.
"I think I should go, though," He said a few moments later when Hermione didn't return downstairs.
*****************************************
"Di, honey, what's wrong?" Hermione asked her crying daughter.
"We're going to stay here, aren't we?" Diana asked her mother.
"Yes, honey. This is our life now," Hermione told her.
"What about Daddy?" Diana inquired.
"Well, Daddy has a new life now, too. He has Connie now. He will always love you, but he won't always be here," Hermione informed her.
"Is Harry my new daddy then?" Diana asked.
Hermione smiled inspite of herself, "No honey, Harry is not your new daddy. What made you think that he was?"
"He just looks at you like daddy used to," Diana replied innocently.
"Ah, you've been listening to your aunt Ginny for faaar too long," Hermione said as she tucked her daughter in.
**********************************************
"In any case," Ginny continued,"We'll be at the 'Shrieking Shack' tomorrow night,"
"You're welcome to join us," she said discreetly.
"I just might do that," Harry said as he put on his hat and left their home.
Hermione came down the stairs just as Harry left.
"He just might do WHAT?" Hermione asked.
"Uh, er - He just might come to put primer on that swing he made for us," Ginny fumbled through her reply.
"Okay," Hermione said doubtingly.
She headed back to the dinning room to finish her meal.
Hermione woke that morning ready to face the day. Having a job gave her another reason to get up in the morning. She got dressed in the meticulous way she used to, she put effort into looking a little better each morning, she tried to smile a little bit wider. After she was through getting dressed she stopped by her daughter's room.
"Is that my little bug?!" Hermione said as she stuck her head in the door way to her daughter's room.
"Yep! Hi mummy!" Diana said as she scampered off to where her mother was.
"Aw, good morning luv," Hermione said as she hugged her daughter tightly.
"Do you need help with that braid?" Hermione said when she released her daughter.
"Yeah, thanks mummy," Diana said as she handed her mother a hair tie.
"Alright, turn around luv," Hermione said as she turned her daughter shoulders counter-clockwise.
"So, are you excited about school today?" Hermione asked as she put the elastic tie in.
"Yes! Today we get to go on a field trip to Hogwarts!" Diana said excitedly.
"Oh that's today!?" Hermione said in shock. She had forgotten.
"Yep!" Diana said happily.
"Well, have a fabulous time, hun," Hermione said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek.
"Mummy's gotta go to work now," she added.
"Buh bye mummy!" Diana said as she scampered downstairs to grab her lunch and sweater.
Hermione sighed, her daughter would be going to Hogwarts in a few months time. She considered for a moment, how lonely she'd be once her only solace was gone from her presence.
She shook off her depressing feelings and got ready to face the day. She picked up her handbag by the door and was about to step out when Ginny called out to her.
"Let's have lunch!!!"
"You and me? Sure, I'll be back around one!" she replied.
"No, not here! Down at the quidditch field, at noon," Ginny amended.
Hermione looked at her watch.
"Sure, I've gotta go!" She said as she rushed out of the door.
Hermione walked briskly down the streets of Hogsmead to the publishing office. She stopped by 'The three broomsticks' to say hello and pick up a mug of tea.
She was sipping her tea at the entrance to the lift that would take her to Luna's office. She looked up when the doors opened only to be shocked into immobility. The most gorgeous man she'd ever seen inhabited that elevator. She shook her head, as if to rid it of inappropriate thoughts, and stepped into the lift.
She kept her eyes mostly down, or directed at the buttons on the wall, but occasionally she'd peek at his reflection in the surface of the elevator door. On one of these occasions he caught her and stared at her for all he was worth.
Great, not only is he the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen, but he has to smell good too?
*~
He was amused at her avoidance of him. Surely she'd have recognized him by now. He thought it cute how she sought to avoid his gaze. He purposely looked right back at her.
He decided to have a little fun with this, she truly didn't recognize him! He looked at her through the reflective doors and smirked cutely at her. He was rewarded for his efforts when she blushed prettily for him.
His little game was interrupted when she tilted her head and looked at him through her eyelashes. It was his turn to have his knees turn to Jello.
*~
She looked up at him and was stricken by how familiar his face was. She smiled shyly at him and he returned it with a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks.
"I - ...I know you," She said as she grabbed his face in her hands and peered into his eyes.
He rested his hands on her waist as she looked at him. He dared not to speak, lest he ruin their game!
Suddenly she wrapped both arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.
"I caught you Harry Potter," she whispered mischievously in his ear.
"I'm surprised it took you so long," he said as the doors slid open and a very amused Luna Lovegood looked in on them.
She cleared her throat and the both of them released each other and looked properly ashamed. Despite the clearing of her throat, Luna didn't seem to be upset at all. As a matter of fact, she seemed rather amused.
"So Hermione, I see you've met my benefactor," Luna began, "Mr. Evans,"
Hermione snorted and glanced knowingly at Harry.
"Evans?!" Hermione mouthed at him as she shook her head disbelievingly.
"What was the snort for? That is, if you don't mind my asking," Luna inquired.
"Oh I've known Mr. Evans since I was a child, you see. So saying that I've 'met' him is grossly underestimating the acquaintance," Hermione knew after she said it that it came out rather snobbish, but she had to cover for Harry, who obviously had something to hide.
"Oh," Luna said as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
Mr. Evans was her ONLY superior in this business. Simply because, it was his money that went into it.
"Yes, First order of business Luna," Harry began," Is to make sure that this woman is an equal partner in this business. She gets her own office, MY office. She is to have the best job available, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," Luna said respectfully, albeit coldly.
Harry then turned to address Hermione.
"You, Miss Granger, will be assigned to my office on the top floor. You will be assigned our most important prospects. You will be our chief executive agent," he told her as he fished in his coat pocket for the key to his office.
Hermione stood there with her mouth agape. There was NO way Harry owned this place, there was NO way he was doing all this for her. This was unbelievable!
She took the key he offered her in her shaking hands and walked stiffly to the lift, her eyes as wide as saucers. She was about to enter the lift when she snapped out of her reverie and walked over to where Harry was to kiss him on the cheek. He kept his back turned as she walked into the elevator and up to his office. He put his hand on the cheek she kissed and tried to contain the stupid smile that fought to adorn his face.
"With all due respect, sir," Luna began, "Why did she get the job I've wanted for TEN years?!"
"What are you trying to insinuate, Luna?" Harry said with all goofiness lost on his countenance.
"That it would be imprudent of you to give the highest paying, most important job in a company, to a woman who has never worked in this business before?" she asked bitterly.
"First of all, this is my business and I will appoint who I chose for any position I wish to fill. Secondly, she works with agents all the time, she's an author. She knows how things work. And lastly, I don't know if you're aware, but Miss Granger was at the TOP of our graduating class. I am certain she can handle this job," Harry said with a bit of malice dripping in his voice.
Now, as to the business I originally came here for....
*~*~*`*~*`*~
Just when Hermione was leaving for lunch she bumped into, you guessed it, Harry.
"Oh, hello there, Mr. Evans," she intoned jovially.
He simply smiled in return.
"What's with the pseudonym?" she asked after the walked a few moments in silence.
"It's hard enough living my life, and finding the right girl.... When my name is Harry Potter. I am independently wealthy. I invest in a myriad of small companies under a false name, and I pop in from time to time to make sure that things are running smoothly," he told her.
"Handsome, famous, AND rich? I think my heart might not be able to take such a fabulous combination," Hermione said playfully.
"I didn't think mine could either when I saw you walking into that lift," Harry said shyly.
She blushed deeply at his words and stared straight at the ground.
A few moments of silence passed in which neither of them said anything.
"Harry, what did you mean by that?" Hermione asked in a voice hardly above a whisper.
"Simply that you, are the most gorgeous woman I have ever known," He said in the same tone.
"How long Harry?" She asked.
"Since we were kids," He replied shyly.
"You were the first boy I ever kissed. I got with Ron shortly after that. He was soooo jealous of the fact that you got to kiss me during that kissing game in the common room,"
Despite the fact that she was angry, she couldn't help but smile. Harry had loved her since they were kids.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked with a more angry tone in her voice. She had loved him once. She felt for him so deeply and only quit those feelings when she felt there was no hope left for them to ever be reciprocated.
"I was scared," he told her.
"Scared of what?" she asked.
"Of what every teenage boy is scared of, 'Mione," he started, "Scared of rejection, of hurting you, of me feeling more deeply for you than you'd ever feel for me,"
"I may have talked slow, but I wasn't stupid. You are the only person I've ever loved, and coming from someone who's never loved or been loved, that could be a dangerous thing," he added.
"You shouldn't have been scared, it was just me," she said moments later.
"JUST you? You were everything to me," he said the latter part in a whisper.
"Am I still ?" she asked moments later.
It took a moment for him to recover from the shock that he had once he realized that she heard his last statement.
"Maybe...." he answered coyly.
"Have lunch with me," he asked quickly.
"What? I can't, I promised to have lunch with Ginny up by the quidditch pitch," she said absently.
"What? She - But she told me she wanted to have lunch with ME at the quidditch pitch...." he said when realization dawned on him.
"Oh, I think that Miss Weasley is trying to trick us," Harry said moments later.
"She just may be, but I do believe I have a way of having it backfire on her," Hermione shared mischievously.
"Do tell!" Harry said excitedly.
"Let's do and say we didn't," she said.
"Huh?"
"We can go have lunch at the pitch, but she'll think we've cancelled on her," she said wickedly.
"Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed.
*~*`*~*`*~*`*~*`*~*`*~*`*~*`*~*`*~*
"Hello Ginny luv," Hermione said as she hung her coat up by the door.
"Hello, wasn't I supposed to meet you at the pitch?" she asked.
"I'm sorry Gin, I have to cancel, I have a business lunch with a client today," she said as she picked up a different coat.
"Later hun!" Hermione said as she ran off out the door.
A bit later Hermione met up with Harry a couple of blocks down. They were at the post office and Harry was currently picking an owl to send to Ginny with his message.
Hey Gin,
I'm sorry, but I've got a business meeting and I can't make it to lunch. Rain check?
~Harry
Hermione giggled gleefully.
"I feel kind of guilty for doing this to Ginny," Hermione admitted a few minutes later.
"Well, she was trying to trick us into falling for each other," Harry reasoned.
"She has good intentions," Hermione said.
"I know, but still...It doesn't make it any less annoying," Harry replied.
"You're right, it drives me nuts," she admitted.
"Although, I must admit, I wouldn't have been opposed to this plan working out," Harry said as he slipped his hand into hers.
She was starting to feel uneasy. This wasn't supposed to be a date! This was just lunch with Harry, my best friend! Shit, I'm still married, I can't do this!
Despite her contradicting thoughts, she couldn't bring herself to pull her hand out of his. She couldn't bear to crush him that way.
After walking for a while they ended up near the carriages. They got in and spent the ride reminiscing about old times. When the carriage rolled to a stop, He got out first and held out a hand to help her get out.
"Why thank you, kind sir," she joked.
"Anything for a beautiful lady," he said with a smirk on his lips. He kissed her hand and then held her to him after she had gotten down.
She took in his scent. He still smelled as good as he did when they were in the elevator together. She backed away from him before she became intoxicated with him.
"Come on, off to our picnic lunch," He said as he grasped her hand firmly in his and led her hurriedly to the entrance of the castle.
"Wait here," He said as he left her in the foyer.
He rushed off to the kitchens to have Dobby set up a picnic in a basket. Dobby scrapped and bowed and adored as he usually did, and Harry thanked him kindly - as he usually did. He dropped a galleon in Dobby's hand and rushed out before the house elf could refuse his gift.
"Ready to go?" Harry asked as he held up the picnic basket.
"Yes," she said with a smile.
He grinned back at her and took her hand with the hand he hadn't had occupied with the basket.
He walked her over to the tree they used to sit under while they were in school.
"I thought we were going to the quidditch pitch?" she asked him teasingly.
"Well, I think this is just a more...quaint spot," he replied nervously.
Hermione sat down next to him and felt the nerves creep up inside her. 'I'm still married, I'm still married, I'm still married,' she chanted internally.'
They ate and talked some more about their past, both of them cleverly avoiding mention of Ron. After a period of extended silence, Hermione raised her eyes from the giant squid, to Harry's sparkling ones.
"Did you -...Were you listening when Ron dumped me on the wireless?" Hermione asked meekly.
"Yes," he said somberly.
"Which was your favorite part? When I sounded used and betrayed? Or maybe when I sounded hurt and dejected? My favorite part when I sounded pathetic and depressed," Hermione said angrily.
He put his arm around her and whispered, "I just liked the part where you appeared to be available,"
she couldn't help laughing slightly. She looked at him through the corner of her eye when she felt him getting closer to her.
He planted a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth, then moved to her cheek, he then followed the trail to her jaw, where he descended to her neck.
She felt the power of his kiss surging through every part of her body. She had an excitement coursing through her that she hadn't experienced since her wedding night. She had a raw, sexual desire for Harry and it scared her. The guilt then started to usurp her emotions and she succumbed to it.
"I can't kiss you, Harry," she whispered.
"Who said anything about kissing?" he said, and she snorted.
Hermione lifted herself from his embrace and walked over to the edge of the lake.
He followed her and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"I can't do this Harry, I'm still married," she said.
"I respect that, but may I at least hold you?" he whispered in her ear.
She answered his request by tilting her head to the side so that he could put his chin on her shoulder. He held her there for a while and they swayed together in silence until the sun started to set and the day started to blend into the night. She pulled away from him reluctantly with the excuse of having to get back before Ginny worries.
"Okay," he said as he bent down to kiss her cheek.
He held her hand in his as he walked her back to Ginny's house.
**~**~**~**~**~**~**!
Hermione opened the door to see Ginny Weasley scampering about trying to put on her earrings and high heels all at once.
"Oooh, and were are YOU going?" Hermione asked interestedly.
"You mean where are WE going?" Ginny began, "WE are going to the shrieking shack to have some fun,"
"WE? Since when did I volunteer to go?" Hermione asked indignantly.
"Since Harry said he'd be there," she replied.
"Ah, GINNY! Why'd you do that! I told you that I wasn't ready for a new relationship!" Hermione squealed.
"Don't bullshit me, Granger. I'm not stupid. I saw you two holding hands up the road. I am my mother's daughter, I see and HEAR everything," Ginny said with a devillish smirk.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Fine, I'll go, but not because Harry's gonna be there, but because I ditched you for lunch today," Hermione said knowingly.
Ginny simply grinned in return.
Hermione sighed and retreated to her room to put on her little black dress. EVERY woman had one. It was a standard. This particular black dress was a halter top with a plunging neckline, form fitting, with the hem cut at an angle to make it appear ripped. It looked solid black but it shimmered in different lightings. It defined the word audacious.
She put on some strappy high heels and applied some shimmery make up. She pulled her hair up into an elegant twist. Hermione gave herself one last glance in the mirror and then headed downstairs to meet up with Ginny.
"Oooh, Mummy, you look beautiful!" Diana said to her mother.
"Aww thank you luv. Are you ready to go to uncle Charlie's house?" Hermione said to her daughter.
"Yes!" Di said excitedly. She was going to go see her cousin Katie, so all was well in the world.
Hermione grinned and led her daughter to the fireplace.
"Off you go, little bug, " Hermione said as she gave her daughter some floo powder. She secured the backpack on her little back and reminded her daughter to pronounce well.
"Uncle Charlie's place!" she screamed after she dumped the powder in the fire.
She gave her mother one last smile before she stepped in and was transported to Charlie's house.
"Alright Ginny, the bug is gone! Where are you!?" Hermione screamed up the stairs.
"I'm coming, I'm coming! Don't get your knickers in a twist," Ginny said as she stepped down the staircase looking radiant in a stunning midnight blue dress.
"Oh well look who's looking brilliant," Hermione said to her friend.
"Back at you, luv," Ginny said with a grin.
A/N: Hey everybody. Sorry for the delay in updating. I've just re-started school for my senior year! (go C/O 2005!!) Not only has my whole sleeping schedule been thrown out of whack, I've got a shit load to do, and I've been sick. So I'd like to apologize to you all. I never post Author's notes, so I'd like to take the time to say how much I appreciate your reviews. I was the type of person who would always say that I wouldn't care about how many reviews I got, that I would simply write for me...As much as I'd like that to be true, Reviews do inspire me to write more sooner. I'm not trying to con you guys into giving reviews, just letting you know that the more you review the more I'll be inclined to update sooner - it's a great motivator. Anyhow, this is beyond the length I anticipated, so I'm going to shut up and post now...
In the many years since Hermione's graduation from Hogwarts, someone had decided to buy the old haunted house known as the shrieking shack and completely renovate it into a wizarding dance club; the only one in existence. It was established by none other than muggle-born Lavender Brown.
The whole of the town was seated in the small round tables set up about the dance floor of this Impressive establishment. A few of the younger people were dancing to the musical stylings of some random muggle-born group that Lavender took upon herself to manage.
Hermione sat there in her little black dress, nursing her drink faithfully. Ginny sat across from her at the small table speaking the non-sense that people speak to fill up awkward silences.
"Hermione, are you listening to me?" Ginny asked exasperatedly.
"Uh, oh, yes!! Yes, I'm listening," Hermione said as her head snapped back towards her red-headed friend.
"Right, I'm so sure," Ginny said sardonically as she stirred the contents of her glass.
"Oh, Adonis!" Ginny said as she waved to one of the teenage boys that lived in the town.
"Well, hello there Miss Weasley. Did you want to dance with me?" He asked with a coy smile.
"Me, no son! You must've been imagining things, you should dance with someone your own age!" Ginny said with a wave of her hand.
"Oh, alright then," He said as he started to turn away.
"Well, if you insist..."Ginny said as she smiled evilly at Hermione.
Hermione snickered at her friend for her audacious pass at a much younger man. She sat there for a while when all of the sudden she saw Lavender Brown coming towards her.
"Well, well, Hermione! Look at you! You just look fabulous, I bet you this is how you're going to get old Weasley back, eh?" Lavender insisted.
"Um, no not really... I'm just out with Ginny," Hermione explained.
"Goodness have you seen Hannah Abbott? She gained like 50 lbs since I saw her last - nasty really. Oh would you look at that? Harry's coming over here. I heard that he went to auror training and completed it but wasn't accepted as a ministry employee! So now he does handy work. What a shame - the boy who lived!!" Lavender said up until the moment that Harry was within ear shot.
Hermione couldn't help but smile as she saw him coming for her. He smiled back at her, that wicked, shy smile that made her knees weak with anticipation.
"May I have this dance?" He whispered breathily into her ear.
"I don't know Harry, I haven't danced in years. Not since my wedding reception," she admitted.
"Oh come on now, dancing is just a conversation between two people. Talk to me," He said as he held his hand out to her.
She took his hand with a slight blush to her cheeks. Harry whirled her out to the dance floor and stopped right in the middle of it.
"Alright now, you ready?" He whispered in her ear.
She nodded shyly at him as she bit her bottom lip. Harry gave her a confident smile and off they went.
Harry held her close more often than not, despite the quick pace of the music. They twisted, gyrated, and glided all around the dance floor. Harry spun her into him one last time before the song ended. He held her tightly to him when the next song started.
Hermione made to leave the comfort of his embrace, but he stopped her with a slight tug at her arm. He wrapped her up in his arms again and leaned his head towards her shoulder.
"Stay," was all he said, and that she did.
Harry held her as close as he could, and she him. They hugged each other as tightly as they could and swayed to the music, never once letting go or separating. She rested her head on his chest as he planted small kisses in her hair.
For once, everything went away. All the sorrow, all the loneliness, all the depression. All she knew in that moment was him and what she was feeling. Nothing in her entire existence matched this moment. The birth of her daughter was by far the most important, but this was by far the most romantic thing she'd ever experienced. Ron had never held her like this, never in such an innocent embrace. She felt more loved at this moment than in her ten years of marriage.
At that moment she looked up into Harry's eyes, and they communicated without speaking.
"I want to show you something," he told her when the song finished.
******************************************************************************************** * * * * * * *
"Your house is beautiful Harry," Hermione said as she sat down on the porch swing that Harry had yet to hang.
"Thank you," He replied.
"Who designed it?" She asked with interest. Maybe this architect could build her a house too.
"You're looking at him," Harry said with a shy smile.
"No way, you? This is so beautiful, Harry!" Hermione said happily.
"Yes way, I designed it, and I'm building it," he replied.
"Why do you go around fixing people's porches when you can build houses?" she asked in mild curiosity.
"Because, I love this too much. I don't want to ruin my hobby by making it a profession, not when I have other ways of making money," He said mischievously at her.
"Alright then, one more question," she said with a mysterious smile at him, "Why such a large house?"
"I figured you would have guessed the answer to such a question on your own," he said with a flushed tinge to his cheeks.
"I plan on having a family someday," he said as he sat down on the bench next to her, "Someday soon,"
He looked at her meaningfully. She looked back at him and shifted uncomfortably. He leaned into her and kissed her cheek, then made his way to the corner of her mouth. Hermione shifted quickly away from him, and he grabbed her arm.
"Hermione, please --" he said in a strangled tone.
He fought to keep his composure and he leaned his forehead against hers.
"Stay," he said, a hint of pleading in his voice.
She looked into his sad green eyes and let him kiss her. He started off gentle, spreading kisses all over her face and neck. She reciprocated, reluctantly, at first. When she couldn't resist any longer, the guilt and fear in her stomach gave way to longing. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him for all she was worth.
The tables turned and Hermione became the aggressive one. She slipped his crisp white button down shirt off his shoulders, her finger nails gently scraping his skin on the way. He trembled in her grasp and moved his lips to her neck where he felt her pulse pounding rapidly beneath his lips. She sighed as he kissed his way down her neck. Hermione loved the way his bare torso looked in the moonlight, all guilt and insecurity presently gone from her mind. She reached for the belt of his pants but he stilled her with his right hand. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles reverently. He gave her a look that pleaded her to trust him. She gave him a slight nod of assurance and he ran his hands up her arms to where her shoulders met her neck. He fumbled with the button holding up the halter top to her dress for a moment before successfully pulling it away from her neck.
Before going any further, he ran his hands up to her face and cupped it. He looked her straight in the eyes and took a deep breath as if to fortify himself for what he was going to say next.
"I love you," he admitted, his resolve crumbling.
Too afraid to answer, she looked at him for a moment, her eyes unsure, before she kissed him fiercely, her tongue lightly pushing it's way passed his lips.
She couldn't handle this extreme flow of emotion just now, she couldn't take his admission of love. Her emotions, her fear of men, her guilt at not having her divorce finalized weren't enough to keep her from him. Her mind was so overloaded with emotion that she just couldn't battle it right now. She took all her anxiety, depression, fear, insecurity, and guilt and just poured it all into him. She went at Harry with more fervor than she had ever had with Ron.
********************************************************************************
Hermione woke up the next day in confusion. She groaned and stretched and cuddled up to a warmth she felt to her right. She dragged her left hand up over what she thought was a pillow, but was soon not-so-pleasantly reminded of what the bare chest of a man felt like. Her eyes opened in shock, and she woke up to find that she was on a completely naked Harry and was wearing his white button-down shirt.
She freaked out and faced the emotions that she so adamantly blocked last night. She gingerly removed her limbs from Harry's and slipped back into her dress. She put the shirt over his manhood to protect his dignity should anyone decide to pass by ( though highly unlikely as Harry was building his house in a secluded area).
She slowly slipped away from him, and once out of hearing distance, ran as if her life depended on it. She reached Ginny's house and slipped into the back door as quietly as possible. She snuck into the upstairs bathroom to clean herself up. She put her long, wild, brown hair into a knot so that she could wash last night's make up off her face. She soaked a cloth with hot water and sighed into it as she rested her face in her hands. She trembled and sat on the toilet lid when the dull ache between her legs was too much for her to bear. Flashes of what went on last night went through her mind and she shook, from pleasure and from resentment.
Hermione had to face it now, she was scared to death. Last night was the most memorable, but the scariest night of her life. All these feelings were creating havoc inside of her and she was drowning in a sea of uncertainty and self doubt.
All she knew was this: May Ginny never find out about this.
Not just an author’s note!!
Hey everybody! Ash here. Sorry! So, so sorry for not updating in forever. I would completely understand if you hated me for life and beyond. I know that excuses are like assholes… But if it helps any, I’ve had severe health problems…. Among them : Kidney stones, migraines, allergic rhinitis, and I’ve recently acquired tachycardia .
Good news is this - I have a cookie on chapter seven…which I plan to make extremely long because it’s been so long. It’s unedited, so please retract the claws ladies and gents. But there you have it. I Plan to try to complete it today!
The chapter seven cookie is available on my yahoo site, the link should be in my author bio…but to make it easier for you guys….here it is.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Theshrieking_shack/
Hey Everybody…
I want you all to know that I greatly appreciate the reviews I’ve gotten so far about my well-being. Thank you so much for your compassion, although I still feel like a shit for making you wait so long.
I would really appreciate it If everyone who read the cookie on the Yahoo site to give me feed back…See it’s a cookie because I’m uncertain as to how much I like what I’ve got so far…I think that if you guys make some suggestions, I can make it much better than It currently is.
Thanks again for everything, you guys.
-Ash
Ginny made breakfast, as she did any other day. She would let the deception go on, what good would it do to prod something that's already been so profoundly touched? What good would it do to give her thought provoking banter and deep conversation when something has so obviously already affected the inner depths of her heart? Something had happened to Hermione that night that they went to the Shrieking Shack, and Ginny had one firm guess as to what it was.
"Good morning luv," Ginny said as she flipped a pancake.
"Hello, Gin," Hermione said sleepily.
"Where's the bug?" Ginny prompted.
"She's off getting ready for school," Hermione replied.
"Okay, go tell her that I'm making her pancakes, will you?" she asked as she plated some pancakes for her niece.
"I'm sure she smells them from where she is," Hermione said groggily.
"Mmm, pancakes!" Diana said excitedly from the stairs.
"Told you," Hermione said smugly.
"Oh hush, you! Go back to acting as if you're exhausted," Ginny snapped back with a teasing grin.
"I'll have you know that it is not an act! I am exhausted!" Hermione said indignantly.
"Then Harry must be better than is anticipated..." Ginny whispered as she set the plate in front of her friend.
Oh shit, how did she find out?!
"Ginny, please. You have no clue what you're talking about," Hermione asserted stubbornly.
"The hell I don't," Ginny whispered under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Eat your pancakes...before they get cold," Ginny covered.
Hermione ate her pancakes in silence while her daughter chatted happily about the goings on in the local school at hogsmead.
With one last questioning glare at Ginny, Hermione got up from the breakfast table and headed off to work at the publishing house.
As soon as Hermione stepped out of the cottage that she shared with Ginny and Diana, thoughts flooded her mind; thoughts of a man with green eyes and ...she blushingly admitted, incredible stamina.
As soon as that thought entered her head, the guilt poured in. She was still, technically, married to Ron Weasley. Even though he was a cheating bastard, he was still her husband.
"Insufferable moron," Hermione muttered angrily.
After the months and months spent wallowing in her misery, Hermione finally let her anger shine through. Of course anger was her initial reaction, but that was just her defense mechanism. Never let anyone see that they can hurt you, especially when - when they rip your heart out.
It was a very complicated mixture of emotions. Because she loved him so deeply, she could hate him as deeply. After all, the line between love and hate is rather thin indeed. Then again, because she loved him so deeply, she could never truly hate him. What a tangled web we weave.
Hermione sighed as she picked up her pace. She decided it was time to stop looking at her feet as she walked. She deemed it the right time to keep her chin up, look at the world in the face, and then tell it to sod off. Hermione Granger, the one the world knew before her marriage, the Hermione Granger who could incinerate you with a look, was back. Or at least, she intended to be. Only time will tell.
Her hair blew past her face as she walked into the air conditioned building of 'Spellbound books' publishing house. She reached the elevator and decided to make a pit stop on Luna’s floor.
"Good morning, Luna, " Hermione said as she entered Luna's office.
Luna looked up at her with contempt.
"Good morning," she replied stiffly.
"Look Luna," Hermione said seating herself in the chair across from her associate, " I never meant to replace you here. That wasn't my goal. I just wanted a job. So Ha- um, er, Mr. Evans knew me back when we were kids and decided that he had too much work to handle this business personally. I won't fool myself as to believe that your dislike for me began there. So I married Ron, I wasted two years dating him back at school....But you know what, Luna? I got hurt. In the end, I got mine. My life was turned upside down, my family torn apart. I had nothing left but my daughter. Try to understand that life kicked me in the ass and I have to pick myself up. If you wish it to be so, then I will search for a new job, or ask Ha- him for a job at a lower rank in a smaller office. Let's just end this enmity between us, okay?"
Luna looked contrite for a moment. She lifted her chin slowly from where it rested on her chest.
"That won't be necessary Hermione," Luna said quietly.
Hermione perked up at this.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so callous towards you - Well, I did, but now I resent that choice," Luna said sincerely.
"That's quite alright," Hermione reassured with a smile, "I'm glad things are Okay between us,"
Luna smiled weakly back.
"See you around?" Hermione asked as she lifted herself up from where she sat.
Luna gave a slight nod and a smile. Hermione nodded back and headed to the elevator.
"Tell Harry I said Hi, won't you?" Luna called when Hermione was about to close the elevator doors.
Hermione's jaw dropped as the elevator doors closed before her.
Luna smirked wickedly.
***************************************
"Lav, keep a low profile. Don't be so conspicuous. Some sunglasses, a bit of suntan lotion. We can't afford for him to notice us before we want him to," Harry pleaded.
"Oh don't worry Harry dear. We're supposed to be tourists, right? Look around, honey, how many inconspicuous women do you see?" Lavender said casually.
Harry looked properly abashed.
"Alright, alright, you win," Harry said irritatedly.
"Yay. I like winning," Lavender said monotonously as she closed the compact mirror she was using to touch up her nose.
"Like it or not, Harry-poo...I am an auror, and I do know what I'm doing," Lavender informed him.
"If you ever want to come on one of my expeditions again, never call me ' Harry-poo'," Harry threatened.
"Hey, you're the one who asked me for this favor," she reminded him.
"You're the one who was always asking to be asked," Harry shot back.
Lavender's eyes narrowed at him.
"Alright, fine. Harry-poo," Lavender said with a coquettish smirk, "Okay, okay! Last time, I swear..."
Harry set his lips into a tight line and narrowed his eyes at her.
"Fine, lets go," He said as he took her hand and pulled her towards the hut that housed the bar.
"Alright, you go over there and talk to Mulciber while I go play in the sand," Harry said as he let go of her hand.
"Oh I see how it is, I do all the working and you do all the playing?" Lavender said in mock irritation.
"Don't complain. I'm sure if you lean forward far enough, you can get a free drink out of this," Harry said with a smirk...that was quickly removed from the smack that followed.
"Ow, must you hit me every time I tease you? You bring it on yourself, you know," Harry said seriously.
"Shut up, you. Just because I don't have brown hair, long legs, and a book, it doesn't make me any less respectable," she said as she adjusted her shades so she could look at him eye to eye.
Harry blushed deeply, mouth agape.
She knew!
Lavender leaned in then until she could whisper something to him.
"Aww, you know how much I love it when you blush prettily for me," she teased before she ran off.
"Brat," Harry pouted as he folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at his companion.
***
Lavender slid her way onto the barstool and made herself comfortable. She then fanned open the Hawaiian shirt she had stolen from Harry to wear over her Bikini.'
'It is bloody hot on this damned island,' she muttered internally.
'Now, now -Time to find the crusty dark wizard I have to seduce into confession this time,' Lavender muttered bitterly.
***
While Lavender was stuck at the bar presenting her - assets- Harry was laying out on some random spot in the sand to act as any vacationing young man would.
Naturally, as soon as his eyes closed, Harry's mind was clouded with only one thing - Hermione. He didn't want to think on what had happened the other night, as such thoughts would lead to a terribly embarrassing situation that, considering the circumstances, would be only that much worse. Yet it was all he could think about. That night made his heart race, but tore his soul apart all at once. He fell asleep with the warmth of her body cuddled against him, only to wake up with nothing but the cold air to caress him.
'What has happened to her? She used to be so...so bold - so irrevocably unique,' Harry's eyes narrowed despite himself. 'It must have been Ron. He must have broken her. Maybe it wasn't just their break up and his treachery. Maybe made a mold for her to fill all along, only to find she wasn't made in order to be molded by someone else. Maybe she's depressed because she simply can't fill that role - she was born to make her own. Maybe I'm wasting too much time thinking about this,' Harry debated miserably with himself.
Harry realized that this was the road to disappointment and depression, so he established his thoughts on something safer - the mission at hand.
Harry smiled then.
'All I have to do is find your daddy, Ferret. All I have to do is find him and his little ass monkey - Mulciber, then I can set myself up for a nice, early retirement,' he thought with a grin.
*****
Hermione walked to her office only to find a tall, dark, and handsome foreign man outside her door.
"Why hello, Oliver," Hermione said with a smirk as he turned around to meet her.
She'd known him long enough to recognize him with his back turned.
Oliver smiled handsomely for her.
"Hello Hermione," He greeted kindly.
Hermione quirked one of her eyebrows up at him as she unlocked her office door.
"Please come in," she invited as she walked over to her desk and started riffling through paperwork.
"Why, thank you, " he replied as he held the door open for her.
*****
Harry grinned as he placed his head back on the warm towel he had laid down. The jewel in his ear was transmitting the conversation that lavender was now having with Malfoy's ass monkey.
"Well, where can I meet you?" he heard her say coyly.
"Mmm," Mulciber grunted, "Anywhere you want, baby,"
"Anywhere...???" she said as she slid her finger down his chest.
"Can I hold you to that?" She whispered.
"You can hold me to anything you want to," he moaned in her ear.
"Alright then, how can I contact you?" she whispered as her lips grazed his ear.
"Here's my portkey, It will take you to where I am at exactly 7:00 P.M.," he said as he slipped the portkey into the back of her bathing suit.
"Later handsome," she said as she pulled away.
Mulciber grabbed her before she could escape, planting a firm kiss on her and sliding his tongue in her mouth. Lavender did her best not to gag. He bit her lip before releasing her and she got away as soon as her covert assignment would allow.
Lavender quickly made her way over to where Harry was lying in the sand.
"I hate you," she said as she sat down next to him.
"What's new?" he said casually, "Good job, by the way,"
"Why do I always have to do the disgusting jobs?" she asked him irritatedly.
"Because, I, do not have breasts," He said as he rolled over to lay on his stomach.
Lavender grunted and laid out herself.
"Great big prat," she mumbled.
"I'm seriously considering getting that tattooed to my ass," Harry murmured with his eyes closed.
"It would smudge before the ink was dry. What, with all the people kissing it..." she teased.
Then with the deftness of a cat, Harry grabbed her arm, turned her over, and straddled her stomach.
"What was that you said, Brown?" Harry asked with a mock glare.
"You heard me," She replied.
Without further ado, Harry poured as much sand as he could down her bathing suit - then ran off as fast as he could towards the shore. Lavender briefly removed the majority of the sand from her top, then took off running.
****
"So... How may I help you? Don't get me wrong, I love being in your company, hell looking at you is reward enough, but I'm assuming you're here for more than just gracing me with your presence," Hermione teased.
Oliver Wood had become a fellow writer after his Quidditch career ended with a tragic accident that left him unable to play. They had been friends for a couple of years now, and teased each other frequently.
"Oh how you flatter me," Oliver said with a coy grin, "Alright, stop teasing me and get this book deal started,"
Hermione chuckled.
"A ha! It seems I've caught you again! Oh, how you toy with me," Hermione joked.
"What's the new venture this time, Wood?" Hermione asked a little more seriously.
"Well, this is more of a text instead of a biography. I was thinking Maybe a Quidditch strategy and technique guide...or something along those lines," He articulated.
"Hmm, personally based?" she asked.
"Mostly, yes," Oliver replied.
"Well, I think it's a great Idea, Oliver," she said with a smile.
"Although, you might want to interview some coaches and players. Maybe you can dedicate a couple chapters to outside sources," she rambled.
"Actually, I was considering something like that. I think it's a splendid idea," He admitted after a moment.
"Well, in that case - I'll run your proposition by Luna and If you get me a manuscript soon, I'll take a look and then send it to editing, before sending it out," she informed him.
"Oh, thank you. I love this no - hassle deal you've got yourself here. How'd you manage something so nice? You're not sleeping with the boss, are you?" he asked teasingly - or at least he meant to.
Hermione stiffened immediately before she smiled and chuckled for show.
"Oh how I've missed you, Ollie. Has some incredibly other-worldly woman scooped you up yet?" Hermione asked.
"Sadly, no. I've been too busy, traveling too much, to find someone to fall in love with. I've had a couple flings though," he admitted.
"What about you? I see you're off the marriage hook and beautiful as ever. Have you got some 'incredibly other-worldly' bloke in your bed back at home?" He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"Actually, the only male living with me is a senile cat I've had since I was a girl," she said with a smirk.
"Oh, you're living alone then?" he inquired.
"No, actually..." she began when something dawned on her, "I'm actually living in Ginny Weasley's cottage here in Hogsmead for the time being,"
"Would you like to drop by sometime?" she asked.
"Sure, when do you want me to stop by?"
"How about Sunday, for tea?" she supplied, " ten o' clock sound okay?"
"Perfect," he said with a smile, "I'll be there,"
****
"Alright, remember the plan?" Harry asked again.
"Yes, It's only been told to me several times in the last ten minutes. I send word by mobile as to where I am," she answered irritatedly.
"Okay," Harry said as he fidgeted nervously with his cellular phone.
"Five... four...three....two...." Harry counted, and then she was gone.
****
Lavender stumbled a moment before she firmly planted her feet into a soft rug, decoratively placed in a rather elaborately decorated hotel room.
"Where the bloody hell am I?" she muttered to herself, unaware that behind her, on the bed, Mulciber waited expectantly.
"That's irrelevant," Mulciber growled from behind her, "All that matters, is that I'm here,"
"Oohh, there you are - tiger" Lavender replied uncomfortably.
Lavender smiled awkwardly while Mulciber grunted some more.
"Come here pet," He said as he reached his hand out to her.
Mulciber was clad in nothing but the comforter that laid across his lap. Again, Lavender fought the urge to heave.
"Sure love, just let me get into something - a little more comfortable," Lavender said with a weak smile.
Mulciber nodded hungrily.
Lavender snuck quietly over to the bathroom.
As soon as the lock was in place she put a silencing charm on the room and pulled out her mobile.
"Harry, you better get your ass over here," she said quietly into the mouth piece of the phone.
"Where are you?" he asked without preamble.
Lavender leaned over to look at the embroidery on a towel near by.
"Embassy suites. Just track me damn it, I don't have time for this!" she said before flipping the phone closed.
"Men," she muttered as she shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Moments later Lavender heard a pop outside her door.
*************************************************************
Harry arrived in the middle of a hotel room...only to hear...
"What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Oh well don't you look pretty?" Harry said in mock cockquettish attitude.
"I'm only going to ask one more time. What -" Mulciber tried before Lavender came out of the bathroom wearing exactly what she had shown up in.
"What's going on here?" he asked, apprehensive now.
"Well," Harry said as he twirled his wand between his fingers. "I think it's time you had an emotional catharsis. Wouldn't you say so Lav?"
"I'd say that's a good idea," Lavender agreed with a smirk.
"What if I don't feel much like talking right now?" Mulciber asked with disdain.
"Well, that's tough....Mostly because - I-don't-care," Harry replied calmly.
"Now, you're going to tell me what Malfoy's got planned, so that I can be on my merry way," he continued.
*******************************
"Hey you, how was work?" Ginny asked as she flipped a page in the book she was reading.
"Oh, it was actually a rather pleasant day. Oliver Wood came to pay me a visit. I invited him to tea on Sunday, I hope you don't mind," Hermione said innocently, hoping that she would mind.
"Hmm, Is he still every bit as yummy as he ever was?" Ginny asked, knowing it would put her off.
"Actually, yes," Hermione answered excitedly.
"Then it's perfectly alright with me. He can come over whenever he wants to," she replied, her head leaving her book to shoot a devilish look at her brown haired friend.
Hermione was a bit put off that if this match did occur, she'd have nothing to do with it, but she supposed she should just take it for what it's worth.
"Oh, Hermione," Ginny asked as Hermione started to climb up the stairs.
"Yes," Hermione asked tentatively. She'd heard that voice before, she knew that Ginny had plotted something insidious and she was about to find out what.
"I hope you don't mind," Ginny said using the tone Hermione sported earlier, "I invited Harry over for tea on Sunday, too,"
"I don't mind," She said, her voice two octaves higher than it should be.
She left, lest her anger betray her. Despite her efforts to hide her feelings, she stomped up the stairs, oblivious of the show she was putting on for her friend.
Ginny held the book up a little higher and smirked evilly.
'Oh, how I love my work,' she thought to herself.
*******************************************************************************************
"Alright, Mulciber, one-last-chance. What is your Boss doing back in England?" Harry asked after he had grabbed Mulciber by the hair and slammed his head against the headboard.
Mulciber took a swipe at Harry, landing a punch to his ribs. Harry keened over and backed away from Mulciber. Once he saw that Harry was still reeling from the blow, he rushed over to the nightstand where his wand lay. Before he was able to reach it, a sickening crack resounded around the vast room, and Mulciber howled in pain. Harry lunged forward and took hold of the arm he just broke.
"Okay, you want to play rough? I can do that," He intoned, "You can tell me what Malfoy is up to, or I can see how flexible broken arms can be. What do you say? It's your call,"
"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you!!!" Mulciber squealed.
**
Moments later, Harry rushed out of the hotel room, fuming.
"Harry, calm down ! You can't find Malfoy in this state! He'll snap you in HALF! Control your bloody emotions, man!" Lavender said desperately.
Harry stopped dead in his tracks, slowly turning to look at his temporary partner.
"He's - gone-too-far," he told her with deadly calm.
**FLASHBACK**
"Alright, let go of my arm first!" Mulciber screamed.
"No. How about you tell me what Malfoy is up to first?" Harry said casually.
"Okay, fine!!" he said pleadingly, "He meant to send you on a wild goose chase before you could figure out -"
"Figure-out-what!?!" Harry screamed at him as he bent the broken arm back a little further.
Mulciber howled in pain, and Harry released his grip a little.
"What didn't he want me to figure out?" Harry asked him.
"That he -" Mulciber gulped,” That he's after your mudblood,"
Harry bent the arm all the way back with another sickening crack and thundered out of the room in a rage.
**End Flashback**
"You can't save Hermione in this state, Harry!" Lavender pleaded.
"I've got to go, Lavender. Thank you for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated," He said in a monotone just before he disapparated with a resounding crack.
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Harry apparated to Hermione's house in a panic. He hadn't thought to silence his apparation before leaving the island hotel.
'Damn it,' he thought as he noted that now his presence would be known to whoever Malfoy sent to attack Hermione.
Harry quickly silenced his own footsteps so that they wouldn't give him away too. Glancing quickly around the dark cottage he decides to run up the stairs. He runs into Hermione's room, hoping to find her sleeping peacefully in her bed, only to find it empty. Deciding he should check the entire house before he got too relieved, he made his way over to Ginny's room. He slowly opened up her door, to find that, it too, was empty. Harry was starting to panic at the emptiness of the house. With a little prayer on his lips, he silenced the door to Diana's room and slowly tried to pry it open. The door was locked, which nearly sent him into a panic. Harry quickly unlocked the door with a wave of his hand and opened it as soon as the lock was disengaged. He cast his eyes about the room, and found the daughter of the woman he loves, and his best friend, on the floor writhing with silent screams. Harry Lunged at Malfoy, grabbed his arm at the wrist and broke it cleanly over his knee - all in one swift movement. Harry, in a rage all too consuming, slammed the back of his fist into Malfoy's nose, then grabbed his pony tail and slammed his now bloody nose into the knee that broke his arm.
While Harry was venting his frustrations on Malfoy, Ginny creeped across the room as fast as she could, considering she was bound. Once she reached them she extended her feet and kicked Malfoy's wand as far as she could.
Harry kept a firm grasp of Malfoy's hair as he kicked the back of his knee, sending him careening towards the floor. Harry used his free hand to retrieve his wand so that he could fully incapacitate the bastard. He stunned him into unconsciousness and then conjured ropes to entrap him until he could be dealt with.
"Finite Incantatem!!" Harry said in a rage, to disarm the silencing spell Malfoy had put up in Diana's room.
He rushed to where Diana was, and collapsed onto his knees. He picked up the unconscious little girl and held her to his chest as he sobbed with reckless abandon.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, " He repeated over and over as he rocked back and forth with little Diana in his arms.
Hermione, who was bound over in the opposite corner, cried. She cried in relief, in pain, and in guilt.
Harry eventually stopped crying, and wiped his nose and face with the back of his sleeve. He put a muscle relaxant spell on Diana and carried her over to her bed. He then untied Ginny and Hermione and they held each other until they could all stop crying.
**********************************
"Come on now," Ginny said quietly as they sat in the semi-darkness, " We're English. A spot of tea is supposed to heal all wounds,"
Harry just looked at her, guilt radiating off his person in waves, tangible to even the most imperceptive of human beings.
"I'm - so sorry," Harry said in a near whisper.
"It -It wasn't your fault, Harry," Ginny assured him.
"Yes, It was," Harry said before clearing his throat, "He came here because of me - because I put his kid in Azkaban. He came to take what I hold most dear,"
Hermione's head snapped up at this.
"Harry," she whispered as she grabbed his hand, "It wasn't your fault. He was deranged long before you got to his son,"
"He came for you," he whispered back at her, "He knows that if he takes you, I'd die inside,"
"Harry-" Hermione broke off as she released his hand.
The muscles in Harry's jaw and neck tightened and pulsed as he looked away from her.
"Spare me," He said before she could say anything.
"I can't take you telling me why I can't love you, " He whispered brokenly, "Not now. Not so soon after - "
Harry cut himself off, as he stood from his chair and made his way over to the door.
He left, closing the door softly behind him.
***********
As soon as Hermione heard the door latch behind Harry, she dropped her head to the table and cried. She cried like she hadn't cried for Ron, she cried so much she felt like she was broken inside. Ginny made her way over to her friend to comfort her. As soon as the comforting hug of her friend engulfed her, she cried all the more. She cried because she hurt him, she cried because, in doing so, she hurt herself.
"You've got to stop doing this to him - and to yourself," Ginny added as an afterthought.
"I don't deserve him, Ginny. I'm no different than your stupid brother. I - I...I slept with Harry, even though I'm still married to Ron. I know you must think me to be a horrible, corrupt, useless human being. I'm so sorry, Ginny," Hermione pleaded through her tears.
"Hermione, be it legal, or no...Your marriage to my brother was broken when he betrayed the love you shared. Marriage is about trust and commitment - without that it's meaningless. What you have with Ron, isn't a marriage, it's nothing but a legal contract. As a matter of fact..." Ginny mused.
Her eyes lit up and she raised Hermione's chin with her finger.
"Hermione!!! You wouldn't happen to have your marriage certificate with you, would you?" Ginny asked excitedly.
"Yes, but what does - " Hermione said before she had a sudden epiphany. She bolted up from the seat she was in and ran up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her.
She came back moments later, clutching a roll of aged parchment in her left hand -face beaming.
"Ginevra Weasley, you're a genius!!!!" Hermione squealed.
"Yes, good, good. Never call me by my given name again," Ginny said with false irritation.
Hermione just smirked at her.
Hermione unfurled the parchment and scanned it over quickly. When she was through, she whooped with joy and tossed the parchment at her redheaded roommate.
"A ha! Just as I suspected a-"
"Annulled!!!"
A/N: Alright, alright....I know you wanna kill me cause I left it there. Also that you wanna kill me some more because there was an extremely large gap between updates. Before anyone decides to bitch me out about the wait...I'll tell you why. My grandfather died and I wasn't up to writing fanfiction, that and I've been sick as a dog. You don't have to type up your condolences, I didn't tell you for that. Just please try not to be too harsh in your criticisms. I made this chapter longer than most chapters to make up for it. I hope you all like it.
Oh yeah, I disclaim - none of these characters are mine and MOST of the plot goes to the credit of whoever wrote 'Hope Floats'.