No More

Disclaimer: Still don't have the rights for Harry Potter and I don't own the song No More from Into the Woods. Song lyrics are in italics.

AN: Thanks to Cindy for the challenge and Happy Birthday! Also thanks to Terri for the beta and for kicking my butt... LOL

Ron Weasley weaved his way across the packed room to where his best friend stood talking to the team coach. “Harry, mate, great game!”

Harry grinned up at his best friend. “You weren't so bad yourself, Ron. If you hadn't done such a great job blocking the goals there's no way we could have won. I can't believe the game took 6 hours! The only thing that would've made it better was if Hermione was here to celebrate with us.”

Ron laughed, “I know what you mean. But she is eight months pregnant so we do have to cut her a little slack. You know she'd be here if she could. I tell you though; I hope Luna doesn't start having those mood swings like Hermione's.”

Harry chuckled at the thought. Even though Luna Weasley was 6 months pregnant, there wasn't much that could rattle her. “Ron, why are we still here when our wives are at home?”

“Because we won the championship game and our wives told us to stay and celebrate with our teammates? I'm with you though, Harry. I say we leave soon - I've been missing both those women.”

Harry grinned again, “Hey! One of those women you're missing happens to be MY wife. You have your own, Weasley, so back off!”

“Is this a private conversation or can anyone join?”

Ron leaned over and kissed the newcomer on the cheek. “Hey, sis. How's life at the Daily Prophet treating you?”

Harry leaned over and gave her a quick hug. There was something in her look that had been really bugging him recently and he wasn't comfortable in her presence for too long.

Ginny smiled briefly at her brother before resting her eyes on Harry. “It's going well, Ron, thanks for asking.”

The small group was interrupted when Oliver Wood came over to drag Ron away to talk with a group of Keepers about strategy. “Harry, mate, I'll be back soon and we can leave.”

Ginny watched her brother depart and then slowly moved to Harry's side. “What are you leaving for Harry? The party is just getting started.” She traced a hand gently down his arm.

Harry moved away from Ginny slightly before looking her in the eyes, “I want to be home and I want to celebrate with my wife. You might remember her, Ginny, as she is supposedly one of your best friends.”

Ginny smiled at Harry seductively, “Of course, I know who she is, Harry. I know you love her, but you are a man who has needs of his own. I just want to help you with that.” With that she jumped onto Harry, forcing her lips to his and thrusting her tongue deep into his mouth. Harry was shocked and for a moment did nothing but stand there. A flash and a gasp prompted him into action. He pushed Ginny away from him and looked up. He met the shocked brown eyes that he knew so well. Before he could speak, the owner of those eyes turned and ran out of the room.

Harry turned and looked in disgust at Ginny who was lying in a heap on the floor. “Ginevra, I once considered you part of our family. You were the little sister that I never had. I can't believe that you'd do something like this, not only to me, but to Hermione! You are nothing better than a sniveling, whining, selfish brat. I don't want to see you anywhere near myself or Hermione. I can promise you, you won't like the consequences if you continue this…this crap. And if any harm comes to Hermione because of this, I swear you won't live to see the dawn.” With that, Harry turned on his heels and ran after his wife.

***********************************************************************

Harry's only thought was to get home. Where, instead of his wife, he found a note that almost tore his heart out.

Harry -

I don't even know what to say to you right now. Isn't that ironic? A first for me, right? Well, all I do know is that I can't deal with this situation and I can't deal with you. Right now, our baby has to come first. You know the doctor told me no stress, so I am getting away for a few days to calm down. I'll contact you when I feel I can discuss this.

Hermione


When Harry found that, he panicked. He called all the Weasley brothers together and told them what their sister had done. All of them immediately went to work, searching for Hermione. For hours, Harry looked - every place they had ever gone together and every place that had special meaning for them. It seemed that he was destined to fail though. With his heart heavy, Harry apparated to Ron's house where he was greeted by Luna.

She didn't say anything to the broken man in front of her, but with a gentle hand, she guided him to the dining room table and into a chair. Harry sat heavily, leaning his head down on the table, all of the stress of the past few hours overcame him and he began to cry silently.

Luna rubbed his back softly. “Harry? Would you like to talk about it?”

Harry shook his head and smiled gently at the woman before him. “Not right now, Luna. Thanks.”

No more questions,
Please.
No more tests.
Comes the day you say, "What for?"
Please- no more.

Luna settled her frame into the chair next to him. The chair squeaked a bit as she tried to get settled. No matter how much she tried not to let it bother her, it was hard to get her body into any sort of comfortable position anymore.

She took his hand and held it lightly in her own. “Harry, it feels like everyone that you love deeply leaves you, doesn't it?”

They disappoint,
They disappear,
They die but they don't...

Harry looked at her, startled by the conversation, “What?”

Luna smiled at him again. “Just when your life seems to finally come together, this comes up and it feels like you've lost everything right? Deep down, you are desperately afraid that Hermione won't understand that you were innocent in this. You're scared to death that she'll leave you and never forgive you.”

They disappoint
In turn, I fear.
Forgive, though, they won't...

Harry took a deep breath and released it on a sigh. “Luna, I'm tired. All my life I was looking for something and I found it in Hermione. I thought she trusted me and had faith in me. She trusted me to protect her from Voldemort, why is she running away now? Doesn't she know that I would never do anything like this to her? I love her so much - I don't know where she could ever get the idea that I would hurt and betray her like this. I lost my parents over something I couldn't control. I lost my childhood to people and circumstances I had no power over. I lost my innocence due to the prophecy and the war. I just can't take losing Hermione. No more.”

No more riddles.
No more jests.
No more curses you can't undo,
Left by fathers you never knew.
No more quests.

No more feelings.
Time to shut the door.
Just- no more.

Luna pulled Harry to her and gently hugged him. He turned his head into her shoulder and sobbed softly. Luna stroked his hair as she continued, “Harry. I know it seems like everything is going against you in your life. Just when you get the taste of something good, something bad takes it away. Do you think running would help? Do you really think that you can hide from life? Can you really leave Hermione and your baby behind? Could you? Without a fight? That's not the Harry I know. You can never outrun your problems; you can only face them and the future that is still ahead of you.”

Running away- let's do it,
Free from the ties that bind.
No more despair
Or burdens to bear
Out there in the yonder.

Running away- go to it.
Where did you have in mind?
Have to take care:
Unless there's a "where,"
You'll only be wandering blind.
Just more questions.
Different kind.

Where are we to go?
Where are we ever to go?

Running away- we'll do it.
Why sit around, resigned?
Trouble is, son,
The farther you run,
The more you feel undefined
For what you've left undone
And, nor, what you've left behind.

We disappoint,
We leave a mess,
We die but we don't...


Harry pulled back enough that Luna could see his tear stained face. The sight almost broke her heart. “I know I can't run, Luna. I don't want to run away from her. I'm just so tired. I want to live my life in peace, with Hermione and our baby beside me. When I look into the future, that's all I see. How am I supposed to deal with things like this? Especially from someone who I considered to be a part of my family. What was Ginny thinking? How could she hurt Hermione that way? I just want my family - nothing more.”


We disappoint
In turn, I guess.
Forget, though, we won't...

No more giants
Waging war.
Can't we just pursue out lives
With our children and our wives?
'Till that happy day arrives,
How do you ignore
All the witches,
All the curses,
All the wolves, all the lies,
The false hopes, the goodbyes,
The reverses,
All the wondering what even worse is
Still in store?

All the children...
All the giants...

No more.

“Harry?”

Harry turned to the familiar voice he had been longing to hear all night. “Hermione?”

Harry caught the bushy haired bundle that seemed to fly towards him. When he had her held tightly in his arms he noticed she was crying. “Hermione? Baby? Don't cry. Shhhhhh… Shhhhhhh… its okay. I promise. I would never leave you. I love you so much. You're my world, you and our baby. Please, please, please, don't leave me alone.”

Hermione sniffled against his shoulder and kissed him passionately. Pulling back, she smiled at him. “Harry. I'm sorry. I should never have run away like that. I know you don't love Ginny, I know that she's the one whose been hung up on you. I'm sorry I doubted you - it's just I was in shock. I saw her kiss you and I felt like I had failed you as a wife. She's so skinny and pretty, and here I am, a fat cow that can't even make it to the championship game.”

“Hermione Jane Granger-Potter, I don't ever want to hear you say anything like that again! You are the most beautiful person in the world to me. Where you see fat, I see a miracle. I see a gift so precious to me that words can't even begin to describe what I feel.” Pushing her into a sitting position in the chair, Harry kneeled before her. Like a whisper of butterfly wings, he rained gentle kisses across her belly before wrapping his arms around the bump and laying his head down. After a moment he looked up into her eyes.

“I worship the ground you walk on. You are the reason I get up in the morning and the reason I come home each night. I thank every star up in the sky and every power on this earth that you came into my life. I'm so glad you came back.”

Hermione looked down at him a little sheepishly. “Um, Harry. I didn't come back, I was already here. Luna sat me down and talked to me; she calmed me down and reminded me of the fact that I have you totally wrapped around my little finger and that you would never think of straying from your leash. Then she made me lay down and take a nap.”

Harry's eyes twinkled as he looked up at her, “Are you calling me a dog?”

Hermione laughed, “Well, if the collar fits….”

Harry stood and turned to grab Luna into a hug. He squeezed her gently and planted a kiss on her forehead. He then leaned down and placed a big smacking kiss on the bump of her belly. “Hey in there, you need to listen to Uncle Harry. No matter what anyone says, you have the very bestest mommy in the world, next to Aunt Hermione, of course. We love her very much and we know you will too, okay?”

Luna smiled as a tear escaped to run down her cheek. She felt two arms twine around her and gently rub the bulge of her belly. Her husband whispered his love for her into her ear before kicking the man on the floor in front of him.

“Hey, Potter. It's my turn to tell you - back off! This one is mine and you have one of your own to worry about.”

Harry laughed as he let the playful kick carry him backwards. He got up and hugged Hermione close to him. “Yep, I do have my own and I am not letting go of her - no more.”

The End

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