Lemonade

Vanilla

Rating: NC17
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 15/07/2006
Last Updated: 18/07/2007
Status: in_progress

It always happened the second Saturday of every month. Harry and Ginny Potter would go over to Ron and Hermione’s for lemonade and a muggle board game. It is one night out of their busy schedules to get reacquainted. It was also the night for Harry and Hermione to have a steamy affair behind their lovers backs. I know it says 'the end' but I just forgot to remove it from my story. SO THIS IS **NOT** THE END!!!!!!!!! Please review!

Chapters

1. untitled

2. Chapter Two

3. Chapter Three

1. untitled

A/N: I posted this story before but took it down because I wasn't sure if I would be able to write a sequel. But the other day I was suddenly attacked with this great idea for a sequel, so it will be coming shortly. So don't get pissy with the ending because this isn't the end. Hope you enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Lemonade

~*~*~*~*~*~

It happened the second Saturday of every month. Harry and Ginny Potter would go over to Ron and Hermione's for lemonade and a Muggle board game. It is one night out of their busy schedules to get reacquainted. Last month it was Monopoly; this month it's Pictionary. But it never really matters.

The doorbell rings, and a happy Ron heads for the door with a big smile to greet his sister and his brother-in-law. The door swings open and reveals Ginny with arms outstretched. “Care for a casserole, big brother?” she teases with a grin. She puts the casserole in Ron's hands and walks into the flat.

“Thanks, Gin!” Ron replies, giving his sister a loving kiss on the cheek. “May I take your coats?” They nod and slip the coats off their shoulders and drape them over Ron's outstretched arm. “Harry, how has work been for you?” Ron asks with a friendly smile.

Harry groans and rolls his eyes. “Work has been hectic,” Harry says. “Reports! Reports! More Reports! But that's life. I am hoping it will die down soon.”

“Oh, it will soon. I am sure of it,” Ron says. “Come in, come in. Hermione is just making lemonade in the kitchen. I will tell her you have arrived. Make yourselves at home.” Ron leads his guests out of the entrance way and into the living room where they find their seats on the comfortable sofa. Ron continues down the hall to hang the coats in the closet. “Hermione, our company is here!” he yells as he passes the kitchen door.

A few bangs and bumps escape from the kitchen just before the white door swings open, exposing Hermione in a knee-length black skirt and pink blouse. She's holding a pitcher of lemonade and a plate of her grandmother's famous oatmeal cookies, a delicacy in the Granger household. She stops in the doorway and smiles a genuine smile.

“Hello, Harry, Ginny. How are you two doing?” she asks. She steadily walks towards her guests to present them with the refreshments. Her hair is down in long brown curls, which she finally learned to control after she graduated from Hogwarts.

“We're splendid, Hermione. It's so kind of you to ask,” Ginny replies, reaching for a cookie. “You look lovely today. You didn't have a secret date that you neglected to tell my brother about, did you?” she teases with a wink.

Harry clenches his jaw.

Hermione laughs sarcastically. “No, no. I was called into the office this afternoon. We had an overflow of invoices owled in at the last minute. They needed to be signed immediately and forwarded to the Minister for approval,” Hermione replies.

“Are you enjoying The Approval of Magical Artifacts Office?” Harry asks. Hermione notices his tone is slightly hostile, and she is glad his wife doesn't seem to notice. “We miss you terribly in the Auror department.”

“I am enjoying it very much,” she says firmly, though with a smile.

They keep eye contact until Ron reenters the room with thunderous footsteps. Hermione turns to look at him and notices the white ceramic bowl in his hands. “What's that you have there, darling?” she asks.

“Oh, honey, Harry and Ginny brought us a casserole. Isn't that nice of them?” Ron says enthusiastically.

“Very nice! Thank you,” Hermione replies. She walks over to her fiancé and takes the casserole out of his hands. “I am going to put this in the kitchen. Why don't you set up the game, Ron?”

When Hermione reenters the living room, the three of them are sitting around the coffee table peering up at her and the game is ready to be played. She finds a spot between Ginny and her fiancé.

“Why don't we swap, Harry?” Ron says with a wicked grin. “It'll be a battle between us Weasley's and you and Hermione.”

“Fine,” Harry replies.

Hermione and Ginny switch places to sit next to their gaming partners.

“C'mon Gin, let's show them how Weasley's kick arse!”

Forty-five minutes into the game, Ron and Ginny are winning.

“PIG!”

Ron shakes his head.

“DOG?”

He shakes his head again.

“…HORSE?”

“Mm-mm,” she mumbles.

“BROOMSTICK!”

“Yes!” Ron cries. “Good job, Gin!”

Harry and Hermione eye each other suspiciously. They suspect cheating on their opposition's part, but they don't really seem to mind because they cheat, too.

When Ginny gulps down what is left of the lemonade, Hermione offers to make some more. She picks up the pitcher and makes her way into the kitchen.

Alone in the kitchen, Hermione sets the pitcher down and waits. She grips the wooden countertop in the middle of her cluttered kitchen where she and Ron eat their meals. She pants heavily, and her heart is racing. It always does when this is about to happen. Hermione hears the door burst open, and Harry is there pressed against her back, pushing her into the countertop. His hands roam all over her, and his lips hungrily nip at her neck. She wonders what excuse he used this time to get away from Ginny and Ron, but she doesn't ask. Her brain can hardly muster a single thought when he is touching her. She reckons the Weasley's should start suspecting something considering they disappear together for large amounts of time, but they never do. It amazes her how dimwitted the Weasley's can be.

She turns in his arms and looks up at him.

“Hello, Hermione,” Harry says huskily, grinning wickedly. His sexy voice sends a tingle shooting down her spine right to the center of her core.

“Hello, Harry,” she replies with a grin.

Harry growls and greedily claims Hermione's lips as his own. Feeling his hands groping her body, Hermione tilts her head back and moans. He chuckles satisfactorily at her reaction. His lips move down her jawline to the nape of her neck.

“Fuck, I've missed this!” he growls hungrily into her skin.

Her eyes are closed, and she is enjoying the sensations Harry is creating with his tongue along the hollow of her throat. “Oh, me, too!” she moans. “I miss this, too!”

“If you hadn't left the Aurors, I could still be fucking you on my desk every morning!” he said. “We could fuck all over those blasted reports!”

“Oh, Harry, you know I had to!” Hermione replies. Her hands are now untucking his shirt from his pants. “Being crammed in that small office with you almost drove me insane. I could never concentrate on my work knowing you were only two feet behind me! There were too many close calls. We were almost caught by Jennings — remember?”

Something snaps in Harry's brain, and he pulls away from her momentarily. Twisting around to face the door, he holds his hand out and mutters a silencing charm and seals the door. He turns back to her.

Hermione grabs his face and pulls his lips to hers. She delves her tongue into his mouth, and Harry groans. He grinds his hard cock against her sex, straining against the confinement of their clothes. Without breaking the kiss, Harry's hands slide down her the small of her back and firmly grip her arse. He squeezes tightly and forcefully lifts her off the ground and slams her bottom down on the countertop. She can feel her wetness pooling in the bottom of her knickers, all for him.

She moans against his lips.

It suddenly becomes too much. He wants her now! He grabs her blouse and tears it open — buttons fly everywhere — and is pleased to discover she isn't wearing a bra.

He stares down at her bare breast. Her rosy nipple is already hard and waiting for him to take it in his mouth. He grins wickedly. “Good girl,” he growls huskily, before violently grabbing her breast and shoving it into his mouth. He sucks and flicks his tongue over the aroused nipple.

Hermione throws her head back. “Yesss!” she cries.

Harry rips the material away from the other breast and moves his tongue over to the other nipple. Hermione hisses in delight.

“I love your tits!” he mumbles with her left nipple between his lips. “So perfect!”

Hermione snakes a hand down between her and Harry and begins to massage the straining buldge growing in his pants.

“Hermione!” he moans. He moves back up and begins kissing her again. She grins against his lips; she loves hearing him say her name like that. She tugs on his pants, struggling to undo the button to his jeans. When she growls in frustration, Harry helps her by unbuttoning his jeans.

She hooks her thumbs into the waistband of his jeans and slides them down his thighs, thoroughly delighted when his boxers go down with them and his cock springs free. Her tongue dances around in his mouth as her hand firmly wraps around his manhood. Hermione begins to slide her hand up and down his length. Harry gasps in arousal.

She hops down off the counter and sinks down onto her knees. Her tongue encircles the head before she takes him all into her mouth. Harry fingers entwine in her brown curls as he lets out a few low guttural moans.

He hisses sharply. “Oh, Hermione!” he moans deeply.

Her tongue slides down his shaft and encircles the tip once again. She places a hand on the back of his thigh to help her leverage. She takes him in her mouth again, her tongue swirling about; she glides her mouth up and down his length, enjoying the sounds he is making.

His eyes are closed. He rocks back forth with the movements of her mouth, and he is engulfed in pleasure. “Faster,” he groans. Harry cracks his eyes open and makes eye contact with her briefly as she thrusts his cock faster into her mouth.

“You like that?” she asks, kissing the tip.

“Oh yeah.” He rocks back and forth faster with her rhythm.

He can feel the waves of bliss building up within him. Not wanting it to end, he hastily bends down and picks Hermione up off the floor and places her on one of the stools in front of the counter. He pulls the rest of her blouse off and throws it on the floor. Hermione pulls his grey t-shirt over his head. Harry sinks down to his knees, slides his hands up her skirt to remove her knickers, and finds that they aren't there. He looks up at her confused. She grins back and displays her black knickers dangling from her fingers.

“Apparated them off,” she says, raising her eyebrows mischievously. She tosses her knickers at him, hitting him in the face. He picks them up and caresses them in his hand. “Wonderful things you learn to do as an Auror.”

“Oh, they're wet!” he says

“All because of you,” she replies.

Harry smiles and kisses her inner thigh. “You're brilliant!” he mumbles. He kisses her thigh again. He quickly pushes her skirt up around her hips. As his hands run up her thighs, his index finger lightly brushes over the lips of her sex, and her eyes go wide at the contact. His two fingers spread her open as his tongue drags across her clit.

“Harry!” she cries.

Harry loves hearing her cry his name in ecstasy. He doesn't it again, and she cries out again.

“More… Harry more! Please,” she begs.

“Oh, I'll give you more!” he grunts.

Harry spreads her lips wider with his two fingers and delves himself into her sex. His tongue flicks across her clit rapidly, making her cry out. She leans against the counter supporting her weight with her elbows. Harry's tongue circles around her clit.

“Harry!” she gasps.

She throws he head back in ecstasy. Her hips lift off the stool as Harry begins to suck on her clit. Harry grabs her hips and pulls them forcefully against his so she is pressed tightly against his whirling tongue.

“Haaarrrrrryyy!!” she shrieks. Her hand clamps down on the back of his head pushing him in. She can feel him grinning against her, enjoying her response to his tongue.

Harry pulls away and fixes three firm fingers at her entrance. When he firmly ploughs them inside her, she gasps sharply, as her back arches.

“FUCK!” she cries.

“Does that feel good?” he asks roughly. He knows she loves when he talks dirty to her.

“Yesss!”

“You like the way the fingers are fucking that wet cunt of yours?”

“Ohhhhhhhh, fuck yes!”

Harry's fingers began to pump into her, faster and faster. “You want me to fuck you?” he grunts. “You want me to fuck you hard?”

“Oh god, yes!” she cries. Her face contorts in ecstasy, making Harry harder than he already is. He loves watching what he does to her. “Hard!”

Harry plunges into her a few more times before pulling out to stand up. Hermione whimpers at the loss of his fingers inside of her. “How do you want me?” she asked.

Panting heavily, Harry stares deeply into her eyes as they intensely bore back into his. “Fuck me, Harry!” she says seductively. “I need you inside of me!”

Without hesitation, Harry seizes Hermione around the waist and slams her down on onto the counter again. He growls as he kissed her furiously, his fingers pinching her swollen nipples. Her hands clutch his face desperately as she sucks on his tongue.

Over her shoulder Harry eyes the contents on the counter, which he knows will get in the way if he plans to fuck her senseless. He pulls away from the hungered kiss and reaches around Hermione. With one swift sweep of his outstretched arm Harry throws the contents on the table, including his wife's casserole, onto the floor with a shattering force.

Hermione falls back onto the freshly cleared countertop and spreads her legs wide, giving Harry access to her womanhood. Harry stands between her parted leg, staring down at her with heated intensity. He notes her cheeks are flushed; her brown curls are in disarray. She pants heavily as she peers up at him, waiting for him to fill her. She looks beautiful.

“Harry, don't forget…”

“Don't worry,” he replies.

Harry places his palm flat against Hermione's abdomen. He mutters a few words that are almost inaudible to Hermione's ears. She feels a warm tingling sensation spread over her belly as the contraception charm works its magic on her.

He leans over her body and gives her a quick peck on the lips.

“Ready?” he asks her.

“Oh yes, Harry,” she sighs blissfully. “Just fuck me! Hard!”

He smirks as he positions himself at her entrance. He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath as he slams into her in one quick swift thrust. Hermione gasps at the sudden arrival of him inside of her. She throws her head back with a grin and groans in delight.

“Oh yes!” she musters under her breath.

Harry opens his eyes and exhales sharply though his nostrils. He enjoys the sensations of her tight, wet, hot cunt swallowing him before he continues to move. Harry grunts as he thrusts deep into her again triggering a high-pitched squeak from Hermione.

Finding his pace, Harry steadily begins to plunge into her. He loves how tight she feels around his fully hard and erect cock. This must be what heaven feels like.

“Harry, I want it hard!” Hermione cries. “Harder please!”

“You want it hard, eh?” he replies through thrusts.

“Oh yes!” she moans through the sensations.

“Alright then, brace yourself, love!” Harry tells her. He grins at her wickedly, sending excitement flowing through her veins.

“OHH!” Hermione cries out sharply.

She takes a breath; she loves how strong Harry is, especially when he uses his strength on her. Harry leans forward against the counter with his arms supporting his weight. Hermione's legs are carelessly resting against where his arms are slightly bent. This position gives him more leverage to drive into her.

He puts all of his weight into his arms and he drives a vigorous thrust into her.

“Is that how you wanted it?” he grunts through another thrust.

This time Hermione wasn't isn't able to form words. All she can do is nod excessively and moan, “Mmm-hmm.”

Harry chuckles. He continues to pound into her, enjoying the contorted image displayed on her face out of pure pleasure. She licks her lips, moistening them with her tongue. Harry watches her firmly press her lips together, the color draining from them, and let out another high-pitched squeal. She grips his forearms tightly, urging him on.

She rolls her hips against his with every violent thrust he gives. The sound of skin smacking against skin mixed with Hermione's high-pitched shrieks and Harry's grunts fills the room.

Feeling the need for change, Harry urgently hauls Hermione off the counter and hoists her up on his hips, where her legs wrap around his waist instinctively. He stands in the middle of the kitchen; her arms are wrapped tightly around his neck. Harry's hands are on the curve of her arse pushing her down onto his cock.

Hermione begins to moan in Harry's ear. He can feel her hot breath on his neck, intensifying his sensation. He quickens the pace, and Hermione throws her head back and screams. She reaches back and rests her arms on the sink top supporting the weight of her upper body. In the process, she knocks the glass bowl of lemons off the counter and sends them crashing to the floor.

Harry loves how her miraculous tits are now on display for him in front of his face as she bounces up and down on his hard cock. Hermione catches him staring at them, and for a moment, she thinks she sees him blush. She chuckles and gives him a quick kiss, followed by a loud moan.

Sweat starts to form on Harry's brow, which begins to furrow as he concentrates on ramming into Hermione.

“I want to be on top now,” she says in a whisper.

Harry kisses her fiercely before placing her down on the floor. He jumps onto the counter top in the middle of the kitchen and lies down. Hermione crawls onto the counter and over Harry, leaving a trail of kiss up his well-toned chest. She straddles him and leans in for another kiss.

“Hermione, please I can't wait!” Harry groans.

Harry holds himself steady as Hermione slams down on him, taking him completely inside her with one roll of her hips. Harry's toes curl at the heavenly feeling that engulfs him again. He sighs, and his eyes roll back into his head as the waves of bliss roll through him with every roll of Hermione's hips. Harry's hands find their way to her hips as he helps increase her steady pace, sending her into a fit of guttural moans.

Loving to see her squirm and scream on top of him, Harry decides to do something wicked and naughty. While her eyes are fused shut, Harry sneaks his hand above his head to grab his wand, and he points it at Hermione and mutters a spell under his breath.

Hermione's eyes burst open. She stares down at Harry and sees him looking smug, with wand in hand.

“OH MY GOD!” she screams.

Her eyes are wide with thrill as she begins to move faster. “Oh, Harry what did you to me? Oh!” Another intense wave of ecstasy consumes her. “Mmm, yes. Harry, fuck me. FUCK ME HARD!”

“It's just a little charm I picked up,” he replies, gripping her hips tighter and quickening the pace.

“Yes!” she squeals. “Pinch my nipples!”

Harry reaches up and does what she asks. Hermione's head rolls from side emitting a loud squeal of delight.

“Mmm,” she purrs. “Yes!”

Harry groans. “You like that?” he asks huskily.

“God, yes,” she replies in an equally husky tone. “You make me feel so fucking good!”

She leans forward and plants a kiss on Harry's lips. Harry groans as his hands come up to cup her face, deepening the kiss. Hermione's hips continue to roll, making Harry growl.

“OH MY GOD!” Hermione screeches, sitting up again and thrusting down. “You have no idea how good this feels! OH SHIT!”

“I have a pretty good idea,” he grunts back. Harry slams his eyes shut as more intense waves of bliss rolls over him. He growls deep in his throat. “Fuck, I'm not going to last much longer, Hermione. God, you're so fucking tight. Oh god!”

“Mmm,” she purrs again. “Yes!”

“Shit!”

“So good!” Hermione mumbles, quickening her pace. “So bloody good! FUCK!”

“Yeah!”

They both breathe heavily marveling the wonderful sensations flowing through their bodies. The pleasure soaring through Hermione begins mount until it almost becomes too much. She scrunches up her face and shrieks loudly.

“Oh god,” she screams. “I'm going to come. Harry, make me come! Make me come hard!”

Harry growls and gives her a naughty smirk. “My pleasure,” he says in a low tone. He grabs her hips forcefully and thrusts her down onto his hard cock.

Hermione gasps. “YES! YES! YES!” Hermione cries.

“Fuck!”

Both of their orgasms are mounting. Harry can feel Hermione's inner walls beginning to clench around him. He knows she is close, and he wants to bring her to that extraordinary glory. He, too, is on the edge of exploding.

“Oh my god!” she whimpers.

“Hermione!”

Harry grabs her hips and pushes himself deeper into her throbbing sex. Her breathing is becoming more frantic and wild. She's almost there!

“HAARRRRRYY!” Hermione screeches, as her face contorts in a thousand different ways. She claws at his forearms as her intense orgasm washes over her. “GOD, HARRY!”

The sight of her screaming his name was enough for him. Harry wraps his arms around Hermione's middle and thrusts into her a few more times before he is hit with a miraculous wave of pleasure and spills his seed. “HERMIONE!” he groans with his eyes shut.

A few seconds later Hermione's moans cease and she rolls off of Harry to allow him to stand up. Harry pulls himself up off the counter and searches around for his jeans, which he finds underneath Hermione's torn shirt. He picks it up, repairs it with a wave of his hand, and hands it to her.

Hermione is crumpled on the countertop watching Harry dress as her chest rises and falls with each panting breath. She takes her shirt from Harry and sits up, throwing her legs over the edge of the countertop. She looks down at her shirt and fiddles with the buttons as she starts to cry.

Harry, who is standing in the middle of the kitchen, drops the shirt he just picked up and goes over to hug Hermione. She clings to him desperately. His head drops to her shoulder and he sighs. Not just any sigh, but that sigh followed by that look.

They used to be able to do this and walk away without a second thought or regret. Emotion and love weren't involved. But there were moments — relapses as Hermione called them — when Harry would look at her with this desperate longing. It never lasted along; it was just long enough to give Hermione a glimpse into Harry's soul.

They had an unspoken agreement to never talk about the situation — even when it was happening. They went around on a daily basis doing their daily best friend things and ignoring the heart-wrenching turmoil that grew between them. They got really good at pretending everything was okay. They had promised themselves it was just sex, but now it was too late.

Harry rubs her back, and she rests her head against his shoulder. Everything is so complicated, and they cannot undo the web of lies and fascia that they have built around them without their lives unraveling into unwanted pandemonium.

After a few minutes, Hermione's tears subside.

“Harry?”

“Ginny's pregnant,” Harry blurts out.

If love isn't supposed to be involved, why did her heart just break?

“She's nine weeks.”

Hermione wants to throw up, but instead she forces and big smile and gives Harry a congratulatory hug. “Congratulations! You and Ginny must be so happy!”

“Yes.” He might have said yes but his eyes told her `I wish it was you.'

Hermione hops down from the counter and clumsily throws her blouse on and does up the three middle buttons, replaces her skirt, and turns to survey the mess they made. She forces a smile to try and push the ache in her heart away. Ginny's casserole was spilled all over the kitchen tile. Lemons had been scattered all over, most of them had ended up squashed.

“Hermione, what are we going to do?”

“About what?” she asks, searching the floor for her shoes.

Harry grabs her arm, forcing her to look him in the eye. “About this,” he tells her. She can see the frustration in his eyes. Why is he making this more difficult than it already was? “I am about to be a father; and in two weeks, you're going to be Mrs. Ronald Weasley!”

Hermione swallows hard and fights back the tears. “I think we both know what we have to do,” she tells him.

Harry's walls break down. “Hermione, I--” he begins.

Hermione turns and places a finger over his lips to silence him “Shhh,” she whispers. “It's too late now. There's nothing we can do about it now.

If they admitted it, it would make it real.

Harry grabs the hand that is now resting on his shoulder and brings it to her lips where he kisses her palm and then holds it against his cheek. He lets go and turns to quickly finish getting dressed.

“I'll clean up,” she tells him. “You can go back out to the party.”

Harry nods and gives her one final look before pushing the kitchen door open and disappearing. Her heart dies as the kitchen door closes behind him; she knows he is gone forever. She turns around and grabs the breadbox off the counter and throws it across the room, shattering it in a thousand different pieces. She screams as the tears begin to flow and collapses next to the counter.

She lies on the floor and allows herself to cry for a few minutes. Her sobs subside again, and she stands up to look at the state of the kitchen. She pulls out her wand and vanishes the mess before her. She walks over to the destroyed bread box and repairs it.

Hermione stands listening to her heart pound in her chest when she feels something hit her foot. She looks down and spots a stray lemon that has rolled across the kitchen tile. She picks it up and puts it in the empty lemon bowl that is now sitting back on the countertop. She fixes her appearance and steps into the living room to join the party.

Harry is sitting next to Ginny and whispering something in her ear. Ginny is giggling in return. Hermione ignores this and sits beside her fiancé, who leans in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Where's the lemonade?” Ron asks.

“There are no more lemons,” she says.

***

It's just after two o'clock in the morning and Hermione cannot sleep. Ron is lying beside her in a contorted position and snoring like a bear. She tries different positions to sleep, but none of them work. She can't get the thought of Harry out of her mind. Even though he and Ginny left three and half hours ago, Hermione still swears she can smell him.

The heat of the July night is almost unbearable. Hermione has already changed into her thinnest nightgown and has the blankets thrown off the bed. None of her cooling charms are strong enough for this muggy heat. She pulls herself out of bed and quietly tiptoes to the kitchen.

She flicks on the light and stands there thinking of what she wants. Then she spots a single lemon sitting in the lemon bowl Harry gave her and Ron at their engagement party. She walks over to the bowl and picks up the lemon to examine it. It's large, and it looks very juicy.

Hermione reaches behind her and pulls her best wine glass out of the cupboard and sets it down next to the lemon. She uses her wand to slice the lemon on half, squeezes the juice into the fancy wine glass, and adds sugar and water.

She picks up the glass of lemonade and quietly tiptoes out of the kitchen, past the bedroom, and out onto her 34th-story balcony overlooking the city of London. The city is blazing with electricity and life. She knows somewhere out the sea of lights and sounds Harry is there making love to his pregnant wife.

Hermione surveys the city and raises her wine glass as if to toast the city of London. “Goodbye, Harry,” she whispers under the sounds of the city. She brings the wine glass to lips and throws her head back, downing the contents of the glass.

She sighs and drops the wine glass. It shatters on the stone floor of the balcony. Hermione turns and goes back into her flat where she will spend the night next to her sleeping fiancé crying over Harry.

*********

The End

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2. Chapter Two

The lock clicks open and Harry and Ginny pour into their comfortable flat together, thankful to be home. Harry peels off his shoes and makes his way to the bedroom, to have a shower in the adjoining master bathroom. He is exhausted from the sex with Hermione and would love nothing more than to just collapse in bed, but he needs to wash off the smell of Hermione's perfume before his wife notices.

Ginny meanders into her small kitchen to make herself a cup of tea and joins Harry in the bedroom just as he is getting ready for his shower.

“Wonderful to be home,” Ginny sighs, perching herself on the edge of the bed. She places her mug on the bedside table, and falls back onto the bed. She glances up at her husband and sees him grabbing his towel. “Going to the shower?”

“Mm-hmm,” Harry replies, without even a glance.

“Oh,” Ginny sits up and grabs her mug and follows her husband into the bathroom and watches him undress as she leans against the sink. “Did you smell that horrible smell as we walked into their flat tonight? Ugh, I nearly lost my supper!”

“You mean the cookies?” Harry asks her raising one eyebrow. “I thought it smelled homey when we walked in there.”

Ginny ignores him and begins pacing around the bathroom, “Oh and those cookies, they tasted like Hippogriff dung! I pity my brother for marrying such a horrible cook.”

Harry pulls his belt out of his pants and stands up to look his wife in the eye. “Well you seemed to like those cookies, considering you ate the entire plate of them without letting anyone else have some.”

Ginny narrows her eyes and watches her husband pull off his socks. “My brother should not be marrying a woman like her. He works two jobs for that luxurious flat they live in, and she doesn't even give a damn.” She glares at him. “And as for those cookies I was just being polite, I was also doing you and Ron a favor by eating them all. They were horrible.”

“Right,” He pulls off his shirt. “Why do you have to be such a two-faced brat? You're all sweet and innocent to her face, once you're home all you do is criticize the poor girl.”

“Why do you always have to defend her?”

“Why do we always have to have this argument?” Harry asks. “We have barely been home for five minutes.”

“Because I don't like her!”

“Why not?” Harry glared. “You two used to be close back in school.”

“Well things change.”

“Clearly,” Harry retorts, sliding off his pants. “You say Draco Malfoy never influenced you when you dated him for six months in your seventh year. But clearly he has. Ever since then you have despised her. I think he gave you some of his `pure blood' bullshit. You probably have moments where you despise me because my mother was a muggle born.”

Ginny flinches.

Harry scoffs. “Sometimes I think if I didn't have all this money that you would have left me by now.”

“Harry, don't say that!” Ginny yells. “I love you!”

“Okay,” Harry says glancing at her. He slips off his boxers and walks into the shower and closes the curtain.

The hot water feels good on his back.

“I just don't like how you always have to protect her.” Ginny states a minute later.

Harry pulls back the curtain and pokes his head out. “Hermione has been my best friend for thirteen years. You may not like her but I do and always will. So when she is being bashed it's my duty as her friend to defend her.”

“But I'm your wife and the woman carrying your child!”

“Which I am grateful for, but that doesn't give you the excuse to say horrible things about Hermione. She is a perfectly nice person who would do anything for you. Stop this childish nonsense.”

“She wants you.”

“What?” Harry laughs. “That's your prenatal potions talking.”

“No, I'm serious,” Ginny says. “I can see it in her eyes. She wants to fuck you so bad it's disgusting.” She pretends to gag. “She is in love with you.” she added.

“You think?” Harry asks, really wanting to know the truth.

“Yes,” Ginny replies angrily. “And I don't like it. That's the real reason why I don't like her.”

“Ginny you're just being crazy. Hermione has been in love with Ron since she was 16 years old, not me, not ever.” Harry tells her. “Stop being jealous, you've got the ring, love. Not Hermione.”

“Rings and promises don't mean anything.”

Harry ignores her.

There is a long silence until Ginny speaks.

“You're having an affair,” she says calmly.

“What?” Harry asks in shock. “No, I'm not!”

“You have fingernail scratches on your back,” she tells him. “I saw them when you were getting into the shower.”

Harry looks over his shoulder and sees them. He turns his head back into the spray of the shower and fuses his eyes shut as he exhales deeply. How could he be so stupid? How could he forget to charm those off? He knew Hermione had thing for leaving scratch marks and bite marks,

He hears Ginny stomp towards the shower and she rips the curtain back, staring at the bright red scratch marks on her husband's back that she didn't put there. “You fuck her good, don't you?” Ginny says her face swelling with rage. “You fuck her hard and make her come don't you?”

“Who?” Harry asks, spinning around.

“HERMIONE!” Ginny screeches.

“I'm not having an affair!” Harry yells back. “I'm an auror, Ginny! I had to go to Knockturn Alley today to make an arrest. And during the struggle I got scratched.” He turns off the water and reaches for his towel. “That's it, plain and simple.”

Ginny laughs mockingly. “Harry, it's amusing how dumb you think I am. I watched you dress just before we left for Ron and Hermione's and you didn't have those scratches.” She explains. “I gave you that massage tonight too, remember? Because you said you sat in your office all day, and those chairs kill your back. So you weren't out arresting bad guys in Knockturn Alley today were you?”

His breath catches in his throat. He knows she is right; he has just been caught in a lie. He says the first thing that pops into his head. “Ginny you are being completely irrational and overreacting. It's late and you're tired, it's not good for the baby if you exhaust yourself. Get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning after you've calmed down.”

“Do not dismiss me like one of your house elves at work!” Ginny says angrily through gritted teeth. “I am your wife! Now stop fucking lying to me.” Her face is red with rage. “I could smell her on you the moment the both of you came out of the kitchen!

“You're being crazy,” he says shaking his head as he wraps the towel around his waist.

“No, you're crazy for thinking you can get out of this one!” She yells back. “You've been caught, Harry. Admit it!”

Silence.

“ADMIT IT!” Ginny roars.

“FINE!” Harry surrenders. “I've fucked Hermione Granger.”

Ginny stands in front of Harry and looks him straight in the eye without a flinch. “I've known for over a year,” she says barely above a whisper.

“What? How?”

Ginny laughs again. “Not that you two were very discrete about it, sneaking off for long periods of time. Like tonight with your “I'm gunna help her with the lemonade” line. It doesn't take thirty minutes to make lemonade. And you guys even admitted to not having anymore lemons.” Ginny shrieks. “Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I wouldn't catch on? My brother may be oblivious but I'm not! I've seen the looks you two share whenever you're in the same room.” she adds. “And if you really want to know how I found out it was Jennings.”

“Bernard Jennings?” Harry asks. “The Bernard Jennings who works for me?”

Ginny nods. “He saw you two fucking on your desk one morning, and he sent me an owl.” She explains. “In my heart I knew it was true, but my mind wouldn't accept it. I needed proof. So the next morning I took your invisibility cloak and sat in front of your office and watched you two go at it like rabbits all day long.”

“The door was closed how did y--”

“I'm the little sister of the biggest jokesters in the country.,” she tells Harry. “X-ray vision gum.”

Harry closes his eyes and lets the truth consume him. He knows this is the string that will unravel his life.

“You make me sick, Potter!” She storms out of the bathroom. Harry hears her grab her coat from the bedroom closet, march out into the living room and slam the entrance door after her.

This was going to be a long night.

.:*:.:*:.:*:.:*:.:*:.

It's just past 3:00 in the morning and Harry is sprawled out on the couch wide awake. He is beginning to worry about Ginny. She had left over four hours ago, and Harry expected her back by now. His mind is racing with many things. Was Ginny hurt somewhere? Had she done something stupid? Would she go and hurt Hermione? Should he go to Hermione's?

Harry is just about to grab his coat to go out and find her when the lock clicks open and a still very enraged looking Ginny enters the flat.

“Ginny!” Harry sighs of relief. “I've been worried sick. I was just about to-”

“You're still here?” Ginny asks. “I was hoping you'd have flown your broom into the Whomping Willow by now.”

“Ginny we need to talk about this!” Harry said. “With a little honesty everything will work out.”

“You want to talk?” Ginny asks. “Fine, let's talk. How long have you been fucking her?”

“Ginny…”

“You said we should be honest, so tell me!”

“The summer I was on the hunt for the horcruxes, after I broke up with you, Hermione and I had a little fling and it progressed from there,” Harry tells her. “We cooled it off just after our wedding, but we started again.”

Ginny narrows her eyes. “Even when you got back together with me after you defeated Voldemort?”

Harry nods.

“When you asked me to marry you?”

Harry nods.

“Why?”

“I don't know.”

“Do you love her?”

“Ginny lets just--”

“FUCKING TELL ME IF YOU LOVE HER!”

Silence.

“TELL ME!”

“Yes!” Harry cries. “I love her. She is my heart and soul and my reason for living. But we ended it tonight! I told her about the baby and we broke it off because I want us to be a family and raise this child together.”

Harry hates admitting to his wife that he loves another woman more than her.

Ginny laughs wickedly. “You want honesty, Harry?” She asks. “Well here's a dose of reality for you. When we were engaged I was sleeping with Dean Thomas. And a year and half ago I was screwing Bernard Jennings behind your back but I put an end to it six months ago. I wanted us to be a real family. I hoped that if I ignored your affair with Hermione, soon enough you would break it off and we could pretend like none of this happened.” She explained.

Harry's eyes go wide and it feels like he has been hit with a sack of bricks. His emotions are jumbled and confused. He doesn't know what to do. He opens his mouth a few times but just turned around and marches into the kitchen.

A few minutes later Ginny pokes her head in the kitchen. “Doesn't feel so good does it?”

Harry turns and glares at her. “How dare you pretend to be a saint when you judge me and criticize me for having an affair with ONE woman, when you yourself have had many fuck buddies!” Harry snaps. “Stop acting so innocent because you are just as guilty as me, if not more!”

“I never claimed to be innocent,”

Harry collapses in the nearest chair and throws his head between his legs. He continuously runs his fingers through his hair and mutters to himself. A moment later he stands and turns to Ginny. “Okay…we can work this out. We'll talk through this and we'll still be a family and raise this child together.”

Ginny narrows her eyes again. “You want another dose of reality, Harry?” She asks. “Well there is no baby; I made the whole thing up so you would end things with Hermione. I'm not pregnant, I never was. I knew that was the only way to get you back.”

Harry's heart shatters and he is absorbed by pain. His eyes are fixed on her so intently he can't even blink. He's in disbelief; her horrible words can't be the truth.

“No,” He whispers. “It can't be true.”

“It is!”

“You bitch.” Before he knows what he's doing he crosses the kitchen and he has his wife pinned against the wall. Tears prickle his eyes. “How the fuck could you?” He asks. “How the fuck could you do that to me? You know the only I have ever wanted was a family, the thing I have never been able to have, the one thing that has always been taken away from me!” The tears rush from his eyes as he continues to yell. “And now it's been taken away again because of you!! What were you going to tell me when I noticed you weren't gaining weight?”

Ginny lip begins to quiver. “Say I lost it.”

Harry sighs painfully. “Merlin, Ginny, you're heartless.”

Ginny begins to cry. “I'm sorr--”

Harry shakes her. “No!” he cries. “What I have with Hermione is beyond special and I love her more than I ever loved anybody, even you. When I gave her up tonight I didn't do it for you, or for Ron. I did it for that baby! Because I thought I was finally getting my dream come true, a son or daughter. I wanted my child to grow up in a normal happy family with their mum and dad. And now you tell me you have been deceiving me for weeks and that it's all been a lie! Our marriage is nothing a façade. You disgust me!” He takes in a few large painful breaths. “We are over. I want a divorce!”

Harry angrily lets go of Ginny, and she silently slides down the wall. Her anger dissipates and she is consumed with guilt and a broken heart. Harry storms out of the kitchen and out the entrance door and apparates to Ron and Hermione's flat.

.:*:.:*:.:*:.:*:.:*:.

Hermione rolls over again to look at the clock; it reads 3:46AM. It has been over an hour since she returned to bed, and she is growing frustrated that she can't fall asleep. Her eyes are red and swollen from tears and the heat is still hot and practically unbearable. Ron has now rolled over and has an arm lazily thrown over her waist.

She looks over her shoulder at her fiancée then gently removes his arm so she can slip out of bed to get a cold drink. She silently steps into the kitchen and fills up a glass with cold ice water, and savors its ice chill. After she is done she magically washes the glass and sends it back to its place in the cupboard, and turns to look at the counter top where Harry possessed her only a few hours ago.

Her is heart crumbling and she turns to quickly exit the kitchen when she hears a soft knock at the door. She glances at the clock as she wonders who that could be at this hour. She strolls out to the entrance way and pulls open the door and is taken back to see a dishelved looking Harry with tears in his eyes.

“Harry?” Hermione cries. “Oh my god what's happened?”

Harry swallows hard as he looks at the woman he loves. The tears in his eye prickle at Hermione's heart. “Ginny found out about us,” he tells her.

Hermione heart comes to a sudden stop and she is suddenly very aware of her stomach. Her eyes go wide as her hand comes to her mouth. “Oh my god, Harry!” she mutters. “What's going to happen? My wedding! Your baby!”

Harry closes his eyes and a tear falls down his cheek. He feels Hermione's graze his cheek and wipe the tear away. As she pulls her hand away Harry grabs it again and holds it to his cheek. He opens his eyes to look at her and with a strained voice he whispers, “We need to go somewhere and talk in private.”

Hermione turns and eyes the open bedroom door at the end of the hallway. Ron is asleep in there, and she and Harry can hear his loud snores. She turns back to him. “The balcony, Ron won't be able to hear us out there.”

Harry nods and follows Hermione down the carpeted hallway. As he passes the open bedroom he spots his best mate asleep on the bed. He is lying on his stomach with half the sheets kicked off. It reminds him of his day at Hogwarts. He suddenly has to look away, he is stabbed with this overwhelming amount of guilt about what he has done and what he's about to do to his best friend.

Hermione steps out onto the balcony right after Harry and slides the glass door shut so Ron won't be able to hear. She steps over to the ledge to join Harry who is gazing out over the city. Her mind and heart are racing with thousands of questions.

Before she can ask about any details Harry begins to speak. “My marriage is over,” he tells her. “I am filing for divorce in the morning.”

“Oh, Harry,” she grips his hand and she wants to comfort him, but she needs answers or she is going to explode. “What happened tonight?” she asks. “How did Ginny find out?”

“She found the scratches you left on my back.” Harry whispers. He chokes in a breath. “And she says she's known for a year.”

“How?” Hermione gasps sharply.

“Jennings.”

“Oh no,” Hermione whispers into the night air. She turns and leans her back against the balcony and covers her face with her hands. “No.”

“She saw us too,” Harry adds painfully.

“No, no, no,” Hermione continues into her palms.

“She's been having affairs too.”

“With who?” Hermione asks.

“Dean Thomas and Bernard Jennings.”

“Merlin!” she whispers.

A few quiet moments pass.

“Hermione…?”

Hermione hears Harry's voice cracks as he whispers her name into the open air. She pulls her hands away from her face, and sees he is beginning to cry.

She touches his arm. “Harry?”

He gives in to his sobs when he hears her say his name. “She lied about the baby,” he managed to say through his tears.

Hermione narrows her eyebrows as she tries to comprehend what Harry is saying. “What?”

Harry takes a deep breath. “She lied to me about the baby,” He says again. Harry takes a few breaths then continues. “Ginny was never pregnant. She made the whole thing up.” He falls to his knees and sobs again.

Hermione's eyes nearly pop out of her at what Harry is telling her. “What?” she asks. She rushes to his side and collapses next to him. “Harry?”

He nods his head. “Apparently to trick me into ending our relationship.” He says with tears.

“Oh no, Harry, oh no oh on oh no!” Hermione says. “I am so sorry.”

Hermione pulls Harry into a comforting hug, and he cries freely on her shoulder.

“The worst part is, Hermione…I fell in love with that child the moment she told me she was pregnant,” Harry whispered painfully in her ear. “I've wanted a family for so long! And it never existed. How can I feel like this for something that wasn't real? The pain in my heart is unbearable…I just…I hate her!”

She cups Harry's face and forces him to look at her. “Harry, as wrong as it is what we've done. What she has done is far worse!” She furrows her brow angrily. “I don't understand how she could do something like that you - to take away the hope for a family you have always been denied, no matter what the reasoning was behind it. It's atrocious. I could curse her to the ends of the earth for doing this to you.” She kisses his cheek and hugs him again tightly. He holds her close and cries. Her hands run through his hair, trying her best to comfort him. She hates what Ginny has done, but at the same time she fees relieved, like the locked door to there relationship had been opened again. She feels guilty for feeling this way, but she can't help it. If there was anything she could do to change this harsh reality, she would because she wants nothing more then to see Harry's dreams of a family come true! “Oh Harry, I am so sorry,” she continues. “I know how much you wanted to be a father. If there was anything I could do to change it I would. I hope you know that.”

Harry nods and gulps quietly. “You can,” he whispers.

Hermione eyes him severely. “How?” she asks in a solid tone.

He looks at her lovingly. “Come away with me,” he says. “Marry me, have my children. Be with me the way we're supposed to be.”

Hermione slaps him. “What the hell do you think you're doing by saying this?” she asks him. She stands up and angrily marches to the other end of the balcony. She turns on him heatedly. “You have a wife, and I have a fiancé. I am getting married in two weeks. We can't be together and you know it. Our lives are too entwined with other people. You knew that when this started.”

“I told you, I'm leaving Ginny. I made that decision before I came here tonight,” He says roughly. “And personally I don't care about other people, Hermione. Damn it, I love you and want to be with you!”

Tears threaten her eyes, she has been wanting to hear him say those words for so long. She wants nothing more then to sink in his arms and say them back, but she can't. She made a promise to Ron. She needs to stay strong.

She swallows her tears and her heart. “Well you should care.”

“Why?”

“Because we cannot be!”

Harry marches up to Hermione until he is only inches from her face and pulls her against him. They can both feel the intensity and passion between them. “I know you love me, Hermione. I can feel it.” He kisses her passionately.

Hermione pulls away. “Harry, I said no.”

Harry gives up. “Fine, Hermione, have it you're way.” Harry says almost hurt and angrily. “You go ahead and marry Ron, and I will stay with Ginny and try and patched up my delusion of a marriage. And we'll just live the rest of our lives in torture and try to ignore that fire of deep desire with in us and pretend to forget everything between us. Is that what you want?”

She can't hide her tears of pain anymore, and she forces herself to nod.

Harry sighs painfully. “Okay…” he says sadly. He begins to walk towards the door then looks back at Hermione. “I just want you to know one thing, it was you I was thinking off when I sent my love to Voldemort to finish him off, not Ginny. You. It has always been you.”

“Harry, why did you marry her?” Hermione asks.

“Why did you accept Ron's proposal?” Harry asks her before answering her question.

They both sigh and look at the ground. “Because it was expected of me, “They both say in unison.

There eyes meet. Hermione can't resist anymore, she crosses the distance between them and leaps into his arms. Harry smiles and kisses her. “I love you, Harry. I've been in love with you for so long, but I've tried to hard to suppress it, and I couldn't.”

Harry cups her face, “I love you too.”

There is a loud bang followed the shatter of the glass. Before Harry realizes what is happening, he feels Hermione being tossed the ground and painful blow to his head.

Hermione shakes her head and suddenly sees Ron from out of nowhere punch Harry in the head. She can see a piece of Ginny's stationary crumpled angrily in Ron's fist. She glances over at the sliding glass door and sees Ron and violently thrown the door open and broken it. She knows Ginny has owled Ron, and now he knows everything.

-->

3. Chapter Three

“Ron!” Hermione screams from the ground. But he chooses to ignore her and immediately grabs Harry and begins hitting him anyway he can.

“Ron stop!” she screams again. But again her cries go unnoticed. Hermione scrambles to her feet and rubs the gravel off her palms and knees. She noticed her left knee is dribbling blood. “Ron!” Shiny drops of blood are splattered all over the ground around where Harry and Ron are fighting. Hermione doesn't know who it's from.

Ron grabs Harry by the arms and throws him down onto the ground hard, and lets out a faint yelp. Hermione catches Harry's eye briefly before Ron's fist collides with it again. She can see he has a split lip and his chin is covered with blood. She winces in pain for him. He growls as Ron hits him again.

Harry manages to get to his feet after the second blow to his face and punches Ron in the stomach. Ron grunts but the hit doesn't seem to have any affect on him. Usually Harry and Ron were equal in strength but tonight he is driven by pure fury. Harry punches back again and this time draws blood from Ron's nose.

Ron wipes the blood from his nose and looks up to glare at Harry. He uses his fury and strength to push Harry against the balcony railing and hits him again.

Hermione fears he will push Harry over the edge. She runs in the direction of the battling, trying to stand in the middle of the commotion trying to end it. Everything happens so quickly Ron and Harry don't see her and continue to fight. A fist comes from somewhere and collides with Hermione's nose. She cries out and snaps her eyes shut. She staggers back from the blow and for a moment feels as if she is going to fall, but a firm hand grabs her arms and pulls her back. When she opens her eyes she sees Ron is only a few inches from her face.

It takes her a second to realize it but her nose is broken and blood is cascading down her face, and her hands come up to cover to nose and mouth.

“Hermione are you okay?” Harry asks.

Hermione stares at Ron and Harry who are looking her with their faces full of concern and love. She knows both men love her unconditionally and would go to the ends of the earth for her. She suddenly feels very hurt and confused and begins to cry.

Without saying a word Ron picks up Hermione and carry's her back in then house.

Harry follows without speaking either.

Ron enters the kitchen and sets Hermione down on the counter where Harry had possessed her a few hours earlier. He goes over to the sink and wets a towel.

Harry rubs the small of her back. “You okay?” he asks.

Hermione shakes her head through her tears.

Ron returns with the warm damp towel and gently cleans the blood off Hermione's face.

“Angu,” she mumbles taking the towel from him and wiping the rest of the blood away.

Harry steps forward and pulls his wand out of his pocket and makes a move to fix Hermione's broken nose, but Ron grunts and shoves him out of the way and fixes her broken nose himself. He doesn't want Harry touching his girl.

“Better?” Ron asks her?

She nods but silent tears are still streaming down her face.

Ron's soft caring face fades when he sees Hermione is alright. He glares hatefully from his fiancé to his former best friend. He never thought it possible to hate Harry as much as he did now. He walks over to the fridge and pulls out a can of beer and rips the top open with his fingers and takes a large sip. He walks back over to where Hermione is perched on the counter and slams the can down making Hermione jump.

He pulls the crumpled letter out of his pocket and throws it in Hermione's face. “What the fuck is this?” he asks her.

Hermione scrambles to grab the letter that had fallen onto her lap and quickly unfolds it and reads its contents quickly. Ginny has divulged everything about them from when there relationship started during the Horcrux days up until the steamy sex they had that night. Hermione notes that Ginny so conveniently left out the fact she had been cheating on Harry and that there really was no baby.

But still Hermione feels herself filling with guilt. She hates that she has done this to a man who has showed her nothing but unconditional love. She looks up to meet his eyes and can see his and burning angrily into her.

“Ron,” she says meekly. There is no point in denying the crime and making everything worse. “I'm sorry!”

Ron's eyes grow wide. “So this is actually true?” He glances back between the two of them.

Harry nods shamefully. And Hermione utters a small, “yes.”

“Bloody hell!” Ron cries.

His heart shatters. He had been hoping it was all a lie. But it was true, and now he felt like he wanted to die. He paces around the kitchen unsure of what to do with himself.

Hermione jumps down from the counter and takes a few steps after him, “Ron,” she says in a solemn voice.

Ron turns on her and backs her into a corner. His eyes are blazing furiously into hers. “Why Hermione?” he growls. “Tell me why!”

Hermione feels tiny and helpless. “I-I don't know,” she says honestly. “Harry and I have this…”

Ron cuts her off in mid sentence and turns angrily on Harry, who is standing silently next to the counter. “You fucking bastard!” he rounds on Harry and is very tempted to pull out his wand and `Crucio' him. He wants Harry to feel the pain he's feeling. “We've been best mates for thirteen fucking years and after all we've been through you have to fucking betray me like this!” He takes a breath. “You're my brother-in-law.”

He whips his head around to Hermione again. “Neither of you had the fucking decency to tell me!!” He wails painfully. “I had to find out from my sister through a letter!”

Harry doesn't know what to say. He feels absolutely horrible, but he loves Hermione enough to put Ron through this. “I'm sorry, mate!” he says.

“I'm not your fucking mate anymore!” Ron shouts. “I just want to grab my wand and Avada Kedavra you into the next world.”

Hermione takes a huge breath and puts a hand on Ron's arm. She is surprised to find herself hurt when he flinches and pulls away from her. He has never done that before, he's always been a person who would give her unconditional love when she needed it.

“Harry, can you please go outside,” Hermione says without looking at him. “I will come find you when I'm ready.”

Harry nods and slowly backs out of the room. “I'm sorry Ron, I really am,“ he says as he exits.

Ron and Hermione stand still and silent, not looking at each other. They here Harry exit the flat, and still they stand in silence. After what feels like hours, Ron goes over to the counter and falls into a chair. Hermione watches him looking around helplessly, then allowing his head to fall into his hands and begin to sob.

Hermione's face crumples; she hates what she is putting Ron through. She goes over to him and places and hand his shoulder and bend over to look him in the face.

“What did I do wrong, Hermione?” he asks pathetically.

She pulls the chair out and sits down next to him and looks him in the eye. “Oh, Ron,” she says. “You've done absolutely nothing wrong. You've been so great to me!”

“Then why did you this to me?” he asks. “

“Ron, Harry and I didn't do this to you,” she explains. “It just sort of happened and we couldn't stop it. I'm sorry,”

“What about Ginny?” he asks her. “The baby?”

Hermione frowns. “There really is no baby. Ginny made the pregnancy up to try and get Harry back,” she says. “And she succeeded because Harry and I agreed to end things tonight.”

Ron looks surprised and for a moment she thinks she pities Harry for what his sister did to him. But the look fades quickly when he remembers what Harry has done to him. “Do you love him, Hermione?” he asks her.

Hermione swallows hard and nods. Ron may be her world, but Harry Potter is her entire universe.

“Do you love him more then me?” he prods further.

Hermione closes her eyes and a few painful tears cascade down her cheeks. She nods shamefully, “Yes,” she whispers.

A few minutes later she opens her eyes and looks over at Ron and can see the broken man she remembers from the war. He didn't become a man again until they had started dating. It's almost too painful for Hermione to see.

She breaks out into a sob again and drops her head on Ron's shoulder. “I'm sorry, Ronald. You have no idea how much this killing me inside.”

Ron is silent for a moment then turns his head and kisses her on the forehead. She looks up at him painfully and can see his eyes are brimming with tears again. “I know your going to leave me tonight,” he says bluntly. “It's okay.”

Hermione stares at him with astonishment; she realizes he is putting her first and is setting her free so she can be with Harry. She smiles weakly.

“I fucking hate this Hermione, I love you more then you know,” he looks her seriously in the eye. “But I don't want you to be stuck in a marriage with me being miserable and pining for Harry. I want you to be happy.”

Hermione sobs again. “Thank you, Ron.”

Hermione gets up to leave the kitchen so she can go change out of her night gown. As she walks down the hall she finds herself crying. She had never felt this before, so happy, yet so heart broken. Her and Ron had happily shared this flat together for two years, and leaving all of that behind would be difficult even if she was moving on to a much happier place.

She entered her bedroom and pulled out a pair of denim shorts and a red t-shirt and quickly changed. She thought about gathering up her stuff, but decided that it would be too traumatic for Ron to have her and all of her belongs gone in one night. She would return in a few weeks for her clothes and her books.

When she enters the living room she find Ron sitting on the couch looking up at her. He gets to his feet as she approaches him.

“I guess this goodbye, then?” he asks painfully.

Hermione frowned. “Not forever, just for a little while,” she tells him.

Ron hesitates for a moment then wraps his arms around her tightly and hugs her. “I will miss you,” he says. “And I want you to know I love you!”

Hermione hears his chest hitch and knows he is crying again. His tears bring on her tears. She looks up at him and cups face in her hands and kisses him one final time. When she pulls away from his lips, she looks into his eyes. “A part of me will always love you,” she whispers.

Ron looks at her and she can't take anymore. She pulls away and rushes to the door and down the hallway to the lift that will take her down to the love of her life. Going down in the lift felt like hours. It finally stopped and let her out on the main floor.

Hermione rushed out the front door and down the grand stone steps. Harry was sitting on a bench across the street sitting under a fluorescent street light, looking like the angel he was. Rushed to him where he greeted her with a warm smile and open arms.

“How was it?” Harry asked.

“Difficult,” she said sadly.

“I understand,” he said lovingly wrapping his arms around her and starting to walk down the busy city street.

**********

Just as the sun was beginning to rise, Harry, and Hermione went into a seedy looking muggle restaurant from some breakfast. Harry had ordered the French toast and Hermione ordered scrambled eggs with bacon.

Harry is pouring over the Daily Prophet for available flats, as they were both now technically homeless. Hermione is staring off into the distance feeling very tired and emotionally drained. Neither of them had known such a horrible night since the night Voldemort had been defeated.

“Are you having second thoughts, love?” Harry asks kindly, taking her hand.

Hermione is pulled from her thoughts and sees Harry's warm loving smile and she fills with happiness at knowing she is going to wake up to that face for the rest of her life. She grips his hand tightly. “Merlin, no!” she says. “…Just doing some thinking.”

“About?” he asks.

Her face contorts. “Harry, I want you to know I love you and am so happy now that we can be together,” she says, “But I want to be up front and tell you that a part of me will always love Ron.” She looks at Harry. “Is that wrong?”

“No,” Harry says. “If you didn't have lingering feelings for Ron, I would think you were mad. You shared a part of your lives together and I understand there was love there. I don't expect that to go away over night, and even then part of that will never go away. The same for Ginny and I. We were together and at one point I loved her. I love you know so much, but a small part of those feelings I had for Ginny with always be there. So don't worry its okay. I understand.”

She smiles at him. “You're amazing!”

Harry pays for there meal and the two of them step out into the early hot sunshine and start heading off in the direction of Diagon Alley. They're both going to have to get a room at The Leaky Cauldron for a few days until arrangements could be made for a place for them to live.

Harry takes her hand and they walk hand in hand, enjoying each others company. By now a lot of the muggle shops were beginning to open. It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and it was theirs to share together.

They were now walking along the Thames River, and with the morning sun sparkling, it appeared to have a thousand diamonds floating on it.

Harry stopped and looked straight into the water. “Hermione?” he asks nervously.

“Yes?” she replies

Harry drops down onto one knee in front of her, and Hermione gasps happily. He looks up at her and smiles. “I'm sorry I don't have a ring, but would you do me the honors of making my dreams come true and be my wife?” he asks.

Happy tears prickled Hermione's eyes. “Yes!” she cries. Harry stands up and Hermione practically leaps into his arms planting a passionate kiss on his lips.

“I love you, Hermione,” he says.

“I love you too!”

In one night they had lost so much but had gained something new and better. Hermione smiled happily to herself, she was helping Harry's dreams come true of having a family, soon they would be married and hopefully one day in the not to distant future, she would be able to give him the son or daughter he always wanted.

This would always be one of the happiest days of their lives.

*****

A/N: Please Review!

I also will most likely write up an epilogue. I hope you enjoyed it.

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