Ordinary

Ordinary: Part One of…?

It was over.

At long last, the war was over.

There had been many casualties: McGonagall, Charlie, Arthur and Percy Weasley, Neville, Kingsley, Dean, and many others.

No more friendly face of Tom the bartender, or Madam Rosmerta. No more wide-eyed gazes of Ollivander… no more anything, really.

But, despite all of the losses, Harry came out alive, along with Ron, Hermione, the rest of the Weasley clan… especially Ginny.

Ah, Ginny. Finally, he could have Ginny—Ginny, who represented sanity, normality. Now that the war was over, Harry figured he deserved a bit of normalcy in his life, did he not?

For example, a couple years ago, he dreamed of being an auror. But now, with having seen so much death, he wanted to live the life he always wanted, always deserved.

Hermione had disagreed with this.

“Are you sure, Harry?” She asked him, frowning. “I mean… there's still so much to do in the defense department. Everything needs re-building and—”

“Bloody hell, love!” Ron—her boyfriend—had exclaimed, throwing an arm around her waist. “Harry wants an ordinary life—let's let him live it, eh?”

“Yes,” Ginny said coolly, coming to take Harry's hand. “I thought you of all people would know, Hermione. I mean, I thought you understood Harry as well as anyone.”

Hermione paid almost no attention to her—well, were they friends anymore? They had nothing (except Harry) in common anymore.

“All right then,” she said, still frowning slightly. “I'll drop it.”

Harry sent a grateful glance her way and then walked off with Ginny.

Hermione sighed and smiled up at Ron, who gave her a half-hug. She and Ron had also recently gotten together. There had been so much tension between them during the way, but both refused to act on it, wanting to wait.

But like herself and Ginny, Hermione didn't have the same connection to Ron anymore. Before they would argue and bicker like there was no tomorrow—and they still did that—but the affection was different. From crush, it had somehow become platonic with some lust. That was it. Hermione wasn't sure of the difference, but she didn't like it.

Ah, well. It couldn't hurt to give it a shot though… right?

And so, the four started their new lives.

0 0 0

To everyone's shock, Hermione changed careers. Instead of doing what she originally wanted, she became an auror.

“The classes I took were the classes to become an auror anyway,” she said with a shrug of my shoulders. “So why not?”

Ron didn't like it, but let her do it. He wouldn't dare stop Hermione.

Harry felt guilty. Why was Hermione doing this? Was she doing this because he wasn't? Is that it? But… what if she got hurt, or killed? It would be all his fault.

He told her of his concerns, and she said, with a wry smile, “Harry, listen to me. You're my friend and I love you, but not everything is your fault.”

“Why are you doing this though?” He asked, exasperated.

She looked at him and said simply, “Because it's the right thing to do.”

Although he felt guiltier and ever, Harry still clung to his belief of leading a normal life.

0 0 0

It was a year later, and everything was just the way it was before. Harry and Ginny were closer than ever (and close to becoming engaged) and Ron and Hermione were the same.

Ron became increasingly upset with Hermione being an auror.

One day he vented his frustrations to Harry.

“We're going to be married some day!” He ranted. “I don't want her getting hurt or killed—especially when we have children.”

An odd thought popped into Harry's brain: Ron was being a bit presumptuous, wasn't he? Who knew if he and Hermione were ever to be married?

But he pushed it away. Of course Ron and Hermione were going to get married. Just as he and Ginny were. And together they would be One Big Happy Weasley Family.

Oh how wrong he was.

0 0 0

A/N: This is a sort-of companion to Extraordinary. You don't have to read Extraordinary to read this. Anyway, this will be a multi-chaptered fic, although it won't be any longer than five chapters, I believe. I just got done with a rather long fic, and for now I'm sticking to one-shots or short stories.

Please don't kill me for putting in so much RHr and HG: be patient. Everything will fall into place later.

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Ordinary: Part Two of…?

“We need to talk,” Ron told Hermione one night as the two had dinner over at his flat. The two weren't living together—not with his mum still alive and kicking.

“All right,” Hermione frowned and put her fork and knife down. “What about?”

“Your job,” Ron said, to which Hermione responded with a sigh.

“We've talked about this, Ron,” she said. “I'm not giving it up.”

“I'm tired, Hermione,” Ron told her. “We're going to get married and I don't want you to do that job when we have kids!”

“Excuse me?” Ron had never voiced that opinion before.

“You heard me—whoa, but don't get me wrong! I don't mean for you to take care of them, if that's what you're upset about. I just want our children to have both parents with them, instead of their mother away on sometimes three-week missions.”

Hermione gritted her teeth. “That's not just it, Ron… since when are we getting married?”

Ron looked genuinely surprised. “What are you talking about, Hermione? We always knew we would, one day. And then Harry and Ginny would get married and we would all be…”

“All be what, Ron?” Hermioned inquired sharply. “One Big Happy Weasley Family?”

“Well,” Ron gulped nervously. “Yeah.”

Hermione sat down and put a hand on her forehead, taking a deep breath. This, more than anything else, made Ron angry.

“So what, this was just to be a fling, then?”

Hermione looked up, shocked. “A fling? Good Lord, Ron, of course not, but I'm not looking for a husband. And even if I was, I want to live before I settle down.”

“ `Live'?” Ron sputtered. “What in bloody hell does that mean?”

Hermione took a deep breath. “It means, Ron, I want to be on my own. I want to travel, I want to do things I've never done before… I want to live, Ron. I want to experience life.”

“You can do that after we get married,” Ron said, not understanding.

Hermione sighed. She put her head in her hands and the two sat there for a moment, silent. “I think… we need to break up, Ron. I'm sorry. We just… want different things.”

Ron didn't answer her for a moment.

Then, finally, with some obvious difficulty,

“Yeah, I reckon… I reckon you're right.” She looked at him and saw his eyes were red.

“Oh Ron…”

“It'll… it'll hurt but… I can't… we can't… we're too different,” he finally managed to say.

Hermione smiled, trying to lighten the mood as he had once done many times before. “And to think, you once had the emotional range of a teaspoon.”

0 0 0

“Harry?”

Her head was in the flames of his fireplace, waiting patiently.

After a few moments, he came, scuffling out of who-knows-where in muggle clothing. “Hey, Hermione,” he said with a smile. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

She half-smiled back, but he could see something was wrong. “Mind if I drop in, for just a moment?”

Harry shook his head. “No problem at all.”

She was there in a moment, standing before him.

“What's wrong?” He asked almost instantly.

She sighed, trying to summon a smile. “Ron and I… we broke up, Harry.”

Feeling an oxymoron of emotions, Harry was a little stunned; but somewhere deep down, he wasn't surprised.

“What? Why?”

“We… we want different things.” She plopped down on his couch and he took a seat beside her. “Ron wants to get married and have children and I… I want to live, Harry. I want to go places I've never been, see things I've never seen, do things I've only read and dreamt about! I want to experience life before I settle down.”

“Oh.” Harry was a bit speechless. “I'm sorry.”

Hermione sighed. “Whether Ron admits it or not, it was a long time coming. We've been disagreeing for a while now on important issues—like my job.” She laughed bitterly. “I am quitting though—Ron should be happy to hear that.”

“What?” Harry frowned. “But you… you like your job.”

Hermione smiled. “I do, but Ron and mine's argument prompted me to leave… so I'm going to go. I'm going to go have adventures again.”

“You're leaving? Where? When? Why?”

“I'm leaving tomorrow. And I'm going to—”

Harry's frown grew bigger as he interrupted her. “Hang on—I thought you wanted an ordinary life. No more adventures. That's why the auror thing surprised me. First that, now this?”

She shook her head. “I thought I could do it, Harry,” she said. “I thought that was what I wanted. I think, in reality, all I needed was a break… ordinary life bores me, Harry. Even when I was younger, I longed for adventure. Before Hogwarts, I read mainly fairy tales and fiction. Once Hogwarts came, my fairy tale came true… but still.” She sighed. “After seven years of adventure, it's a bit hard for me to stop.” She looked at him. “I always thought it would be like that for you, as well.”

“Me?” Harry laughed. “You've got to be joking!”

Hermione got on that lecture look on her face. “I'm serious, Harry,” she said sternly, upset that he was mocking her. “Although you hate it, you'll never be ordinary, Harry. Being extraordinary is a part of you. And I think… I think sooner or later, you'll tire of this life, Harry.”

“No, I won't,” he said impatiently, a bit upset she didn't understand him as well as he thought she did. Perhaps, he mused, that was Ginny's department now.

Hermione shrugged as if to say, Fine then. I'm still right, though.

Harry's anger grew at that nonchalant gesture. “I'm not going to tire of it, Hermione. So stop acting like you know me so well! You don't, okay, you never did and you never will! I'm so tired of you and your know-it-all attitude! I think… I think it's better if you do go and `experience life' for a while!”

He don't know what possessed him to say those hateful things, but the minute he did, he regretted it.

She got up mechanically, not looking at him, and was trying to hold back tears, Harry could tell.

“Hermione…” Harry started to say, his brain and his heart simultaneously constricting rather tightly with guilt and remorse.

She shook her head. “I'm… I think… good-bye,” and she apparated, filled with so much hurt and betrayal she wanted to scream.

Harry couldn't believe he had said those things. He was in so much shock that he didn't even think to go after her. All he could think was, I hurt her. Because of me, she's hurting. Hurting.

Hours later, he realized that he never found out where she was going to.

0 0 0

A/N: I'm probably going to crank this story out like crazy, reviews be damned. (Although thank you to those of you who did review).

So, Ron and Hermione broke up. One down, one to go.

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Ordinary: Part Three of…?

It was six months later, and he hadn't gotten over it. Hadn't forgiven himself for letting her go like that.

So what he did was throw himself into looking for her.

It would be no use to ask Ron. Harry doubted that the two had even spoken to each other since the break-up. The Golden Trio had finally diminished into Harry in the Middle, as always.

This troubled Ginny, greatly.

“Obviously she's trying to move on without you,” she told him. “You should do the same.”

“I have to at least apologize!” Harry would say, every time. “I was so horrible to her!”

“Maybe you were right,” Ginny said, her tone a little softer. “I mean… you two have done nothing but grown apart, gradually, since sixth year.”

“We were still close in sixth year,” Harry frowned. Really, though, they only started growing apart…

… since he started to fancy Ginny and she Ron.

Well, that was natural, wasn't it? Spending more time with their lovers than friends?

Somehow, now analyzing it, Harry didn't like what they had done. At all.

Upon that thought, Harry also realized why he was so obsessed with finding Hermione: it gave him something to do in his life… his life that he rather disliked at the moment. Don't get him wrong, his life was exactly what he had wanted…

It was quiet.

It was peaceful.

It was ordinary.

But good god, was it boring.

Harry understood grimly why he was mad at Hermione. It was for the same reason as it always had been: he was mad because he knew (subconsciously) that she was right. And he realized (as always) too late that she was right and was reduced to being (and feeling like) a jackass.

Harry sighed.

She knew him too well.

Now, how to break it to Ginny?

(We all forgot about Ginny for a moment, didn't we? I mean, really, it's not that hard seeing as she is quite forgettable. Of course, not to JKR… [ahem] sorry. Off topic. Bitterness seeping through.)

“Ginny?” Harry said one morning. “I think… I think I'm going to quit.”

“Quit scouting?” Ginny frowned. Harry was helping rebuild the wizarding world… when it came to quidditch. Many good players had been killed, and quidditch was reestablished to give others something to distract themselves from the war. Harry went around looking for quidditch players in local areas.

“Yeah,” Harry said. “I think… I'm going to pursue being an auror again.”

Ginny narrowed her eyes. “I thought you wanted an ordinary life.”

Harry sighed. “I thought I did too. But… I miss it. Helping people. I mean, Hermione did say I have a hero complex, and I think she's right…”

Ginny snickered. “It's Hermione—of course she's right.”

Harry frowned. “What's gotten into you? I'm just suggesting an idea.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Sounds like you've already went ahead and done it.”

“It was just an idea,” Harry snapped. “I want to do something productive again. Quidditch just seems so… trivial. Stupid.”

“You love quidditch!” Ginny said, disbelieving.

“I do,” Harry said, “but there are more important things.”

Ginny was disgusted. “It was all Hermione, wasn't it? She gave you another guilt trip, didn't she?”

Harry was astonished. “No. I did this all of my own accord. Hermione has nothing to do with this!” Which was a lie. At night, for example, he'd have dreams where her words would haunt him.

“Why are you doing this though?” He asked, exasperated.

She looked at him and said simply, “Because it's the right thing to do.”

It was. His duty wasn't over yet. He had defeated Voldemort and left others to pick up the pieces while he played quidditch and snogged his girlfriend. No wonder Hermione was disappointed in him.

He made up his mind. “I'm going to become an auror, though,” he told her. “I want to help again.”

Glaring, Ginny growled (huh—alliteration! Whaddya know?) “It's Hermione, damn her. Even when she's not here, she's a nuisance!”

Harry's eyes flashed dangerously. Obviously Ginny resented Hermione for many things (just how Ron resents Harry sometimes…) but really, she was going too far.

“Stop.” He said quietly. “Hermione Granger is one of the most kindest, strongest people I know, not to mention, one of my best friends. I love you, Gin, I do, but stop talking shit about the most important person in my life.”

He hadn't intended it to come out like that. He really hadn't. It was supposed to be “one of the most important people in my life”. But when it slipped out wrong, Harry was surprised to not feel regret or embarrassment, but… well… It felt right, actually. It felt like the truth.

Ginny's eyes widened. “If that's how you feel…” she huffed. Throwing some floo powder into Harry's fireplace, she cried, “We're through!” She next shouted her destination and was gone.

After she was gone, Harry could only think, My god, what is it with me and dramatic girls?

It still hadn't processed that he and Ginny were over… but now that he thought about it, he felt nothing. Ginny was good for helping him live a normal life for a while, and he did genuinely care for her, but now that he thought about it, every time he said he loved her, his heart meant as a friend even if his words meant like a lover.

Harry wrinkled his nose. Fine time to find this out now. But there was no time for that. He still had Hermione to find and auror training to do.

Which, he could only hope, would both be accomplished quite soon.

0 0 0

A/N: Yay! HG is out the window!

I've decided that while I can stomach RHr (we all knew it was going to happen, so I braced myself beforehand), if Harry ends up with Ginny in the last book, I think I will seriously hurl.

I think I hated Ginny the moment she said to Hermione, “Don't talk about quidditch, you'll only embarrass yourself.”

What was JKR thinking, making Ginny Super!Ginny???

(Sigh) HG just disgusted me.

Okay, well, now that I'm done ranting (again), thank you to everyone who reviewed! I realllllllly appreciate it!

I believe I have one more chapter to go, but I'm not sure.

`Til then!

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Ordinary: Part Four of…?

Just as Harry was packing to leave, someone (only one of three people) apparted into his flat (bypassing his security system).

“Listen, Gin, if you want to talk about what happened, I think it's—”

He heard a sigh. “It's not Ginny, it's me.”

Harry spun around and saw Ron. He gulped nervously. “I suppose Ginny told you then?”

Ron nodded and Harry was spooked to see that he was eerily calm.

“You're not here to hex or punch me, are you?”

Ron shook his head. “Ginny told me everything. And I think… I think that it was good that you two broke up.”

Harry was shocked. “What?… Why?”

Ron put on a grim smile. “Ever since Hermione broke up with me… well, I've been growing up, I guess. And I realized that you and Ginny? You were horribly suited for each other. I mean, it's fine when you want a normal life, but I know you, Harry—you have too much of a bloody hero thing. And Gin? She's my sister, and I love her, but she wouldn't understand. I mean, she's been possessed by Voldemort but she never really… got it. Not like Hermione and me. Especially not like Hermione.” He sighed. “I should've seen it sooner…”

Harry gaped at him. “You're under the Imperious Curse, aren't you?”

Ron gave him a smirk.

“You're Malfoy, aren't you?”

Ron's grin grew. “Uh-huh. Of course I am, Scarhead.”

Harry glared. “What is your favorite flavored jam?”

Ron laughed. “Raspberry, of course.”

Harry mock-sighed in relief. Then,

“Wait… why are you really here, Ron?”

Ron grinned. “My sister's been a bit of a bitch, Harry. She apparently hates Hermione with a passion (A/N: no loss there.) And I'm rather sick of her ranting so… so I'm going to help you. I know where Hermione is.”

0 0 0

Apparently Hermione had been sending Ron letters from around the world. After a few months, the two became friends (nothing like their old friendship, but friends nonetheless).

“Right now, she's in Italy,” Ron told her. “It's one of her last stops, actually, before she settles down.”

“Settles down?” Harry frowned. “Where? With who?” For some reason he didn't like, he hated the thought of Hermione getting married.

Ron grinned knowingly. “She's not sure yet. She's thinking of becoming a foreign worker for the ministry—try and rebuild other parts of the world. You know our Hermione.”

Harry sighed. “Well… thanks Ron. For everything. I didn't… I'd never think you'd…”

Ron smiled understandingly. “It's all right… of course, there's one thing you could do for me.”

Harry grinned. “Anything.”

“Bring me back as much Italian food as you can.”

0 0 0

Notes: Okay, so it's really short. But my next chapter will be the last one. And I'm sorry if I pulled a JKR with Ron. (Definition of a “JKR”: A) Writing a well-loved character completely different than what they have been for the past five years. B) Putting Harry together with a stupidly perfect character that you would normally find in fanfiction and not the flawed yet beloved heroine of the series.) Anyway, I find it so hard to write Ron being serious. But it had to be done. So, sorry!

To all of those who reviewed: you guys are great! Thank you!

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Ordinary: Part Five of… Five

Arriving at his hotel in Naples, Italy, Harry checked in, put his things down, and promptly left the hotel again in search of his female friend.

People recognized him, and he asked the witches and wizards who spoke English if they had seen Hermione Granger, who was well known as well for her work in the war.

“She is by the water,” someone pointed. “At the beach.”

Flying low across the coastline, Harry spotted her, sitting on a large, flat rock, looking out in to the water.

He came up from behind her and quietly sat down.

She turned to face him. “I was wondering when you'd be here,” she said.

Harry gaped. “Did Ron tell you?” He sputtered.

“No.” She said simply.

“Then what?” Harry persisted.

She smiled a small smile. “I've been waiting for you to find me.”

0 0 0

They sat in silence for a few moments when Harry cleared his throat. “I… I wanted to apologize for the way I acted,” he said finally. “I said cruel things that were…”

She cut him off. “Worthy of Ron?”

Harry blinked. “What's Ron been saying?”

Hermione shook her head, remembering. “No, not now. I was just remembering our sixth year.”

“Ah yes… what a year, eh?” Nodded Harry

Hermione chuckled humorlessly. “Yes, what a year… the year of our demise.”

Harry frowned. “Our demise? What…?”

“The year we grew apart.” Hermione clarified.

The year he gravitated towards Ginny and the year Hermione pined for Ron. Hmmm. “It was a gradual demise, wasn't it?”

Hermione sighed. “So gradual I didn't even notice until around the time I broke up with Ron.”

Then, she did something that surprised him. “Harry, why did you come here?”

He blinked. “To… to apologize.” That was the main thought in his mind: he had to set things right with Hermione. He had to set things right with Hermione.

“That's it?” Hermione asked gently.

While he was about to reply it was, Harry stopped himself. He had traveled across thousands of miles to find her to… to apologize? No, that wasn't it. There was something more.

“I just… I couldn't… live without you,” Harry almost cringed at the cheesiness, but it was true. Life without Hermione Granger was not only incredibly dull, but lackluster… and… and just colorless.

Hermione looked at him, a little disbelieving, but amused more than anything. “Really?”

“Really,” Harry began, and then remembered something he said to Ginny. “Hermione… you're the most important person in my life.”

She grinned. “Well,” she whispered, standing up with a completely un-Hermione look on her face, “it's about time.”

“What?” Harry said in shocked voice, looking up at her.

Hermione sighed, putting her hands on her hips and rolling her eyes. “Harry, let's look at the facts, shall we? You traveled thousands of miles to find me. You can't live without me. I'm the most important person in your life. What does that mean, Harry?”

He was a bit jumbled for a moment, but then he whispered the words, in astonishment and certainty, “It means… it means I love you, Hermione. I really do.”

He stood up slowly then, never taking his eyes off her. She came closer, and put her arms around his neck and he her waist.

Right before she kissed him, she said, “And I really do too.”

So much for ordinary.

0 0 0

Somewhere, up in heaven, four figures stood looking down at the two.

“Now that's definitely not just hormones,” Sirius said smugly.

No, Sirius, it wasn't.

0 0 0

Notes: And it's done! After reading JKR's mugglenet interview, I felt like someone had sucker punched me in the stomach. My hero seemed to be mocking and laughing at me and what I believed with those goons. I wanted to scream, to cry, to yell.

I debated leaving portkey and all HP fanfiction. I refuse to support someone and their work who mocks me and my ideals. But then I saw other people who were discouraged, but not defeated and while I won't be writing as much (I do have a couple one-shots I need to get out of the way, though), I will not leave portkey.

The sad thing out of this is this: while I still admire JKR as a writer, as a person I have no respect for her anymore.

(Not unless she gives an honest-to-god, heartfelt apology, not that shit Emerson gave us, by giving us a “sorry” and the proceeding to justify himself on his calling us “delusional”. What a piece of shit… and if you're confused to whether I'm talking about Emerson or his apology… well… that's interpretive.. .just like I thought the book was. Well, clearly I was wrong, just like the other “small percentage of fans”. Bastard.)

Ahem. Well, despite that, HHr no matter what!

And to everyone who reviewed: you guys are great. You really cheer up my day.

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