Harry and Ginny walked through the doors as if they were going to their execution. Ginny sniffled every other minute, and Harry nervously tried to keep track of what the realtor was telling them.
"Now all of these floors are hardwood, rather beautiful, and the walls... well there was some water damage, so you're in luck, you're starting fresh. Really this house is a barging for the location. The couple selling it wants it to go to another family just starting out."
"We have... Just started out." Harry turned to Ginny, then back to the realtor.
She smiled and 'awwwed' then went on to show them each room in such detail Harry thought he would know more about this house than he ever would on Hogwarts grounds. When the tour was over and the woman looked to the couple for an answer, Harry turned to Ginny to see if she liked it, but she just sniffled.
"We'll take it." Harry said, being lead by the realtor into the kitchen to sign some paper work.
* * *
"So, the floors are hardwood, the walls... they're... walls. Really, I suggest doing whatever you want with the place, it should be yours, your memories." Harry said, one hand on the banister.
The couple standing in front of him looked all around. They were holding hands and looking very much in love. She was at least six months pregnant and looked rather bright and happy.
"This place... well it's amazing." the woman said, "Do you... I don't mean to be rude, but what's the catch? Why so cheap? Murders..."
Harry laughed, but shook his head, "Nothing like that. When my wife and I bought this place it was marked down considerably as well, when we asked the realtor said it was because the couple that lived here before wanted it to go to a young couple, just starting out. I thought, why change it? Besides, I have enough money, I don't need to charge a high price."
"Your wife is alright with you selling at this price?" The woman asked.
Harry smiled, "I'd like to think so." The couple looked a bit confused so he continued, "My wife passed recently."
"I'm so sorry-" The woman started.
"Don't worry about it." Harry waived it off, "I decided after a while that... me and my daughters should move from here so we can... build a new life, with new memories. To live here and have the memory of their mother haunting them... it would feel too empty. It's time for change." Harry cleared his throat, "but this place, it's good for making memories, it's good for razing kids."
"We'll take it." The woman smiled to her husband who nodded in agreement.
* * *
Mrs. Weasley walked down the stairs of the Burrow to see Harry circling something in the newspaper, quill in one hand, glass of milk in the other.
"What are you doing up so late Harry dear?" She whispered as she took a seat at the table.
"I should ask you the same thing, I'm sorry, am I keeping you up?"
"No, of course not. Arthur's been working through the night, and I could never get rest while he was gone."
She tried to clean the spot in front of her at the kitchen table but it had already been cleaned earlier, which gave he a sour look.
"I'm just looking for houses." Harry gestured to the newspaper.
Mrs. Weasley looked heartbroken. Harry tried the quickest way to make her feel better.
"I've been meaning to ask, I know that this is sort of an imposition, but I was hoping that you and Arthur could baby-sit. When we get to the new place I'll have to go on job interviews, and then work, and doing it by myself-"
"Say no more," Mrs. Weasly tried to hide how happy she really was, "We'll find the time."
"That's great, thanks." Harry said smiling.
They were both silent for a long while, Harry reading his newspaper and Mrs. Weasley trying to not watch the clock of Weasleys on the wall.
When she couldn't take it anymore, Mrs. Weasley spoke out, "Harry... I... I never told you."
"Never told me what?"
Harry didn't know what he expected her to say, was he making marks on the floor with his shoes that just absolutely drover her bonkers? But of all things he never expected what she said next.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Harry asked genuinely perplexed.
"For taking care of my daughter. I don't think... I never had as much respect for you until I overheard that you weren't Eve's biological father. You took care of my girl when I couldn't, thank you."
Harry didn't feel like he should be thanked, he felt quite the opposite of the situation. He was the one that took her away. He should have made her confront her parents with the news; his choice cost them ten years of their daughter's life.
"Sure." was the only thing he could think of saying.
She got up, hugged him, then went back to bed.
Harry didn't know what to think of Mrs. Weasley anymore. He expected her wrath and got a hug instead. Either she was loosing her touch or he had done something right.
That next morning Harry went out looking for houses, not really sure whether he should get one in the muggle world, or the wizarding world.
Moving into Grimmauld place was out of the question, it held too many sad memories for Harry, and in some ways it would always feel like a prison.
And going to the property that was once his parents home just didn't seem right. That was Lily and Jame's dreams, their beginning, and with what happened to them there, it would seem morbid to build a house on the property where both of his parents died.
So the house he ultimately decided on had three bedrooms too many, and the entire house looked like it was a museum, but Harry knew that he could change that. It was nice, and all of the corners were round, and he knew he wouldn't have to wallpaper or paint the place, which was good.
He gave the news to the Weasleys who were more indifferent than anything else, they were just glad they would still be able to see their grandchildren.
"I'm sure it will be great. It's a muggle house you say?" Arthur asked.
Harry nodded, "You can come and look before we move in, see a real muggle house."
Arthur brightened at that, nodding and saying, "Will do. That sounds great."
"What sounds great?" Hermione said from the doorway.
She was just coming through the doors and little snowflakes were still in her hair. She at the moment only seemed interested in the post she had in her hands.
"I found a place. We'll be moving there in about a week." Harry said.
Her head finally moved up and she looked at Harry shocked.
"You're moving?"
Harry nodded and smiled. Although the situation seemed to get much more awkward with Hermione, he tried to make it as normal as possible.
"Oh." Hermione said, then turned her attention back to her letter, but she seemed to concentrate on it even harder than before.
She went up the stairs with not another word said.
The week went by quickly, until it was their last night at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley made a cake, and Lilly was overjoyed to be going to a new home. Not that she didn't like the Burrow, just that she missed having a room that was her own, and a sign on the door to prove it.
Hermione seemed less enthusiastic about the move, or rather she wasn't enthusiastic at all. She ate her piece of cake, but mostly used her fork to move it around the plate.
When the evening ended and Harry had tucked Lilly in, he volunteered to clean up and the rest of the house decided it was time for bed.
Just as Harry dried the last dish he heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and just when he was turning after putting the last dish away he found Hermione right next to him.
"Er- Hello Herm-"
Harry was cut off by Hermione's lips capturing his. He didn't allow himself to feel anything; he just tore her off of him.
"Hermione, I don't want that."
She looked utterly horrified and terrified at the same time. She walked away from him and began to pace.
"We just fail to realize, we fail to see it." she said, her voice in a frantic tone.
"See what?" Harry asked genuinely confused.
She then stopped pacing a good five feet away from him.
"The consequences of the choices we've made." she said sadly.
Harry said the first thing that came to his mind that made any sense, "You can't sum up all choices as bad, there are many good to outweigh the bad."
"But the fates don't see it that way. Maybe it's predestined."
Harry was seriously worrying about Hermione's mental health at that point. He didn't understand a thing she was trying to tell him.
"What is?" he asked trying to see if she had truly gone off the deep end.
"Our lives." she said emphatically, "That we are meant to live one life, one that is already woven out. But our choices are still our own. What if we make the wrong choice? What if we make a choice that sets us on a path where we don't belong. Not a bad choice, just the one we weren't meant for. There would have to be consequences for those actions, for going against fate. The consequences of the life we didn't live."
Harry feared where she was going with this, so he tried to bring sense to her, "Hermione you're-"
"What if I was supposed to say yes that night? What if my choice was not the one... What if we were all supposed to lead different lives and I screwed it up? "
"Hermione, I have no regrets for the life I've lived. You're decision, while hurting me severely, didn't kill me."
She then looked like she was about to cry, "Yes but I never wanted this to be my life." she said pointing to herself.
"What's so wrong with your life?"
"I'm being punished for my decision, in true Greek tragedy form.", she harshly wiped the tear that was going down her face.
"Hermione-" Harry tried to say as soothing as possible.
"Harry," She cut him off, "For the longest time since you left, I didn't see it at first, but it was the reason why I could never commit, it was the reason I was never serious about any relationship. I was in love with you. And I am still. I love you just as I did then, but more if it is even possible. And it's too late. I can't be with you because I had my one chance and I screwed it up and it's gone and I can't do anything to get it back. "
"This is not a consequence," Harry said forcefully, "The life we are supposed to lead is the one we do. I was supposed to fall in love with you, I was supposed to marry Ginny and have the two best children in the world. It... Was her time to go... and this is the time we've had to move on."
"Please," Hermione said desperately, "Answer me, just this one question. When did you stop loving me?"
"About the time I got to know you again. I know I acted angry before that, but that was because I wanted to hate you, but I couldn't. And after I got to know you again I wasn't in love with that old Hermione anymore." Harry said trying to use as little emotion as possible.
Hermione looked quite hurt but managed to say, "Thank you for being so honest." She turned and moved for the stairs, but was stopped by Harry's voice.
"I started to love you at that point, the new you. And soon enough, I was in love again. Do you know how odd it is for me to hear the word love coming from my mouth so many times, when it doesn't have to do with my daughters? Hermione, sometimes we are just going through life at a different pace than we anticipated. Maybe we just need to know when to play our notes."
Hermione turned to look at him, to gauge his emotion and how she should respond, but was stopped from doing any of that by his warm lips on hers.
There was no question here, no laziness, they weren't lavishing in the love they shared. They were exploring each other's mouths with hunger and need, it all laid dormant for too long and it was coming out quickly, and without hesitation.
They had maneuvered so Hermione was up against a wall and most of their bodies were touching. Harry unceremoniously moved his hand in her shirt and when he grabbed her breast she let out a moan that made Harry's brain not function anymore.
Her skin was soft, and when he felt her nipple harden when he put his hand on it he moved grinded himself into her hip which caused another moan from her.
She moved her mouth away from his, which made him groan in frustration, but she smiled imply to him and put her hands on his shoulders, then wrapped her legs around his waist. He moaned her name and captured her lips once more, and she forced her tongue in his mouth.
She positioned herself so that between the wall and him she could grind her center into the erection that filled his pants. She swirled her hips and Harry felt as if he were about to burst.
They parted their lips and tried to tug Hermione's shirt over her head.
"Daddy?"
They both stopped and looked around.
It was Lilly's voice, but the could not see her.
They then heard soft knocking on a door then her voice again, "Daddy?"
She was knocking on his room door, up the stairs.
They detached and tried to straighten themselves up as much as possible.
Hermione was still straightening her skirt when Harry went to the staircase and said, rather softly, "I'm down here Lil,"
She came down in her rainbow coloured footy pajamas and rubbed her eyes.
"I need a glass of water." She said.
"Sure thing." Harry said smiling to his daughter.
He got her tinkerbell cup and filled it from the tap, then went over and picked her up.
"I'll take you back to bed. You need to get your sleep, we're going to be moving tomorrow. "
"Goodnight Lilly," Hermione said.
"G'night 'mione." the sleepy toddler replied.
Hermione stood there, waiting, not really knowing what to do. She thought, what would Parvati do? But decided against doing anything she would do. She thought about taking her shirt off and going back against the wall, but that wasn't the best idea. Considering if given another minute a three year old would have walked in on something really shocking. Or worse, one of the Weasleys. Getting naked and going into his bed crossed her mind, but then what if he was waiting for her in her room? What if he was naked waiting in her room? But then if she went to her room and got naked there would be the same problem of him being naked but in the other room. And naked does rather rush the act, since there is nothing to take off. Hermione thought that ripping off Harry's button down would be rather fun, with the buttons flying everywhere. But then that would ruin that shirt, and Hermione really fancied him in that shirt. But with the pace they were going at before it didn't seem logical that they would take the time out to unbutton the shirt properly. Maybe he could just take it off over his head.
As Hermione determined the shirt's fate Harry finally made his way down the stairs. She waited for something, anything.
"Hi." was the only thing she could muster saying which was odd after what they were intending on doing.
"Hermione I don't think-"
"We could go up to your room. Or my room. My room might be best..."
"Hermione, I don't know if we should."
Hermione's heart sank to her feet, "Why not?"
"I'm a father, first and foremost. And... Evie and Lilly just lost their mother. I don't know if I can ask them to accept this. And, if I did ask and for some reason it didn't work out, it would break their hearts. I have to think of them first, before I ever think of myself."
"Harry," Hermione said in a shaky voice, "I can't be their mum, I'm not Ginny and I could never compete. But I love them, I do. I love the way that Eve always wants to know the whole truth, no matter how much it may hurt, and the way that even though she doesn't want to admit it she needs her daddy and needs to be loved by him. I love that Lilly will always march to the beat of her own drum, and I want to help her to stay that way because there's a whole world out there that will want her to change one of the best things about her. I don't think I could ever be their parent, like you are, like Ginny always will be."
She paused. Harry felt as if she were just agreeing with him, that cooler heads had now prevailed.
But Hermione went on, "But I'd like to try to be some sort of parent, the best I can be. And if that means shacking up with you then so be it."
Harry smiled at her joke, and tried to speak but was cut off again by Hermione.
"I love you Harry, every part of you."
She then took his hands and led him to a chair at the kitchen table; she kneeled in front of him.
"Harry James Potter, will you marry me?"
"Say yes Daddy!" Lilly ran down the stairs and stood beside Hermione.
"What are you doing up? I've put you to bed twice tonight."
"You did it wrong the last time. And I decided I needed milk instead." she said, shoving the water in his hand.
He was about to get up but was stopped by his daughter tugging his arm down.
"You got to answer first. Tell her yes."
"Why do you want me to say yes?" He asked her.
"Cause Hermione's nice. And I like it when she's in the same house cause sometime she makes oatmeal with strawberries for breakfast. And she's really good at playin' adventure."
Harry thought about how much his daughter said, and how much he wanted to. But she didn't understand as much as she thought she did, she didn't really know what being married to someone meant. And he still had to consider Evie, and how she would feel about this.
But then he thought that maybe he was overanalyzing this entire thing. He wanted to be with Hermione, she was an amazing person, couldn't it all be that simple? Couldn't they just be together because they loved one another?
He stood up and as he did disappointment crossed over his daughter's face as well as Hermione's. But he helped Hermione up and kissed her, no fire, just simply kissed her, then put his lips close to her ear and whispered quietly, "You put her to bed and I'll put a silencing charm on Bill's old room."
When they stood apart from each other Lilly had her hand over her eyes, then peeked a look.
"Come on Lilly, I'm going to put you to bed, then you're Daddy's going to put me to bed."
* * *
Christmas came and so did Eve. She came to the new home and although she was quite uncomfortable with Hermione at first, once she realized Hermione was going to treat her as she had always she began to talk more easily with her.
Harry and Hermione opted for a justice of the peace, an office, and the Weasleys as witnesses. Hermione wasn't about to have fifty or more people staring at her, and the ceremony wasn't really what mattered. The reception was at their new house and every Weasley, and faculty member from Hogwarts was there.
Harry decided to take the job of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, that Dumbledore offered, and Hermione insisted he take. Which meant a portkey back to his home every night, and having to share a faculty room with Snape. Which Harry rather liked. He felt like Buggs Bunny to Snape's Elmer Fudd.
At the reception Professor McGonagall had to excuse herself multiple times, because, to Harry's amazement, she kept on crying because she was so happy.
Of course Harry refused to remember catching her and Dumbledore kissing in the pantry.
And the night wouldn't have been complete without a marriage proposal, from Fred of all people.
"You know Angelina and I are getting married." He said proudly.
"She said yes?" Hermione asked in amazement.
"What?"
"Have you even asked her?" Harry asked fearing the answer.
He seemed to think about it for a moment, "You make a good point... Oy! Angelina! You want to get married?"
"With who?" She yelled back across the room.
"Me!"
"Yeah, alright."
Harry turned to Hermione, "What could be more romantic?"
She shook her head, "I haven't heard of anything, especially coming from you... Ouch! You are not allowed to pinch me there in front of compa- Ouch! Ron! Help me!"
Ron's voice rang across the room, "You're the one that married it, you deal with it on your own!"