Disclaimer: Don't own HP or M&MS
Mr. & Mrs. Evans
Chapter 8: His Breakdown and Her Avoidance
[AN] In case you guys were wondering; the Order's plan was for Pinns to wind up in the bathroom so that one of the twins could stun him and then the other could get some hair for a polyjuice potion. From there one would go out as Pinns, holding a fake suitcase and accept Donavinci's offer…
Now, I've got a long chapter for you guys to make up for last week's short one- but sorry, no H/Hr interaction.
Thank you to Cosmo and Ahsun for the beta!
...
As soon as that woman turned around, Hermione knew.
It was all a lie.
Last night, everything he said about never doing that to her, was a lie.
It shocked her to know how easily Harry said it too. He had looked her straight in the eyes and told her that he would never cheat on her, that he loved her.
God, she wanted to be sick.
She wondered how long this affair had been going on, but it was evident for quite a while when that... woman... asked, "Love, who is that?" Obviously they had been seeing each other long enough to call one another by pet names.
Hermione didn't see Harry open his mouth to try and reply because before he had a chance to she had turned on her heel and had started walking as fast as she could from the restaurant, desperately trying to keep in the tears that were pooling in her eyes. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction to see her running away from him with tears streaming down her face.
Sienna gave him one last glare before deciding to go after her friend instead of pummelling Harry and his little girlfriend.
...
"Hermione," he uttered helplessly, staring after the spot where his wife had just been.
"Well, it's been lovely talking with you," Ginny said quickly to Donavinci since Harry was still staring like a lunatic after the woman who had just left.
She didn't wait for a reply from Donavinci, but instead grabbed Harry's hand and started leading him out of the restaurant.
When they were both approaching the door, it seemed as if Harry had been jolted awake and started walking faster, nearly running out of the door and quickly looking around for a glimpse of Hermione or Sienna.
"Harry, do you mind telling me who that woman was?" Ginny asked frantically as she followed Harry up the street a bit. She had never seen him behave like this before and frankly it was worrying her.
"They had to have gotten a cab," he said in defeat, again turning 360 degrees, desperate for any sign of her.
"Who Harry?" Ginny asked, grabbing his arm to make him stop.
Harry just shook his head as his eyes started shining over with tears.
Ginny huffed and started to drag him into the alley where they had apparated and disapparated them both back to Grimmauld's kitchen.
"Harry, talk to me!" she demanded, throwing him down into one of the kitchen chairs. As she finally saw up close the distraught look on his face and tears nearly spilling over she softened, "Are you crying?"
Harry just continued to shake his head, too scared of what he might sound like if he spoke.
Ginny stood there and put a supportive hand on his shoulder.
"I have to go home," he finally said, quickly standing and moving past Ginny out of the kitchen.
"I'll go with you!" Ginny offered running after him. She wanted to talk to him about that kiss and she knew too well that if she let Harry go then it might never come up again.
"No," Harry said immediately shaking his head.
Ginny sighed, "Harry wait, you can't just leave- we're supposed to wait here and see if they need extra help on the mission."
"FUCK THE MISSION!" Harry finally shouted followed by a loud crack.
...
Hermione sat down deafly in one of the comfortable chairs at the London office. Her fury was starting to set in after they left the restaurant. Before she could go charging back in there, demanding answers and hexing Harry into oblivion, Sienna grabbed her arm and side-apparated them here.
Now, she was absently sitting in the room with Sienna by her side in an eerie silence.
"Hermione," Sienna tried, but Hermione cut her off by a slight shake of her head. After fifteen years of friendship, she knew that giving Hermione her condolences wouldn't be the best idea right now.
"Fine, I know you want to be alone right now, but I'm not leaving you to tear apart the office."
"Sienna," she started, ready to tell her friend off but thought better of it by looking down to her watch, "You know we should really get back to head quarters. We need to leave for the mission in about ten minutes."
Sienna sighed, "Hermione, you can't just avoid your pr-"
"There are more important things we need to be dealing with right now," Hermione said tightly, leaving no room for argument.
Sienna rolled her eyes, "Fine. Let's go- but you're going to have to deal with this sooner or later…"
Hermione snorted moodily before standing up and apparating back to Paris.
...
"Hermione!" Harry shouted as he ran into his home.
No answer.
"Hermione?!" he shouted again, now running up the stairs to search for her.
Again, no answer.
He ran into their bedroom with hot tears stinging his eyes. Everything seemed just the way he had left it this morning. Moving to her closet, he saw with great relief that all her clothes were still there.
"Hermione?!" he called out again, this time breezing down the stairs and into her study. Everything was still there. If one thing was for sure, Hermione definitely wouldn't leave him without first coming to get the books from her study. Hermione always needed her books…
Harry walked absently to Hermione's big comfy chair behind her desk and sat down in it. Spotting a picture of the two of them on their wedding day sitting proudly on her desk, he couldn't help it anymore. He leaned down, laying his head in his hands and let the tears finally spill over.
...
"Alright, let's recap," Hermione said as she stalked into the meeting room where four other agents were already sitting in, "What do you we know and what is our plan? Marcus?"
The agent named Marcus jerked his head to Hermione, obviously surprised to be spoken to directly, "Uh, we wait outside Donavinci's workshop until he comes to pick up the wand-detector with the buyer. From there I sneak in under an invisibility cloak and summon the device right out from under them. No attacks- we just get in and out."
Hermione nodded briskly, "Try to not bugger tonight up, got it?" she asked with raised eyebrows staring at the four agents in front of her.
They flinched at her sharp tone and nodded while Sienna tried to resist rolling her eyes again. Instead, she looked to her watch and announced, "It's time. Let's go."
Five minutes later Hermione, Sienna, and the four agents were standing disguised outside Donavinci's workshop.
As planned, one agent was stationed inside one of the abandoned cars on the street, while another two were under invisibility cloaks at the entrance to the shop. Marcus was waiting nearby, also under a cloak, waiting for Donavinci and the buyer so he could slip inside with them.
They heard two loud cracks from the alley next to the shop and watched as two dark figures walked out and approached the doors of the shop.
…
Fred was feeling extremely uncomfortable in Pinns's skin. He felt like he had no upper body strength and like he was missing a little something down stairs. 'So that's what one testicle feels like…'
"It's right this way," Donavinci said, pointing to the mouth of the alley.
Fred grunted in reply and clutched the suit case he was carrying as he took off after Donavinci. He truly had no idea what he was getting himself into tonight…
…
Marcus watched excitedly as Donavinci did a complicated set of spells that left the door opened afterwards. He followed the other man and slipped in closely behind him, not taking notice to the fox and dove who also followed him.
…
Donavinci closed the door tight after Fred came through.
"Set up the money there," he said pointing to a counter, "And I'll go get the device."
Fred again grunted in reply as he set the suitcase filled with fake money on the counter. He opened it, taking from it his wand and holding it loosely by his side.
Now all that was left was for Donavinci to come out so Fred could give him the fake money and then he'd be on his way, back to Grimmauld Place with the wand-detector.
…
The small fox trotted silently behind Donavinci and behind where Marcus should be walking. All she was there to do was make sure that Marcus did everything according to plan.
…
Marcus watched as Donavinci approached a lock box and did another complicated set of spells to unlock it. He raised his wand ready to summon it right out of the box.
…
They weren't expecting it to be in a locked box. However it did make sense for Donavinci to do that… it just made there mission a bit more complicated. The fox could tell that Marcus was getting ready to cast a summoning charm on the box.
That wasn't the wisest of decisions being that Donavinci was still right there- all eyes glued to the wand-detector.
Sighing to herself, she knew that she had to distract them both somehow.
The fox bolted forward to a supply cabinet and rammed into it, making a few boxes full of papers fall off the top.
…
Marcus was just about ready to whisper the spell when there was a loud crash and two boxes spilled to the ground close to him.
He cursed at himself, hoping to god that his cover wasn't blown. Donavinci had spun around with his wand drawn and was staring around with wild eyes. To Marcus's luck, Donavinci's eyes passed right over him.
Instead the man took a few steps to the right and started peering into the darkness of the shop.
Marcus took the opportunity, and again raised his wand in the direction of the lock box and whispered the summoning spell.
…
Donavinci could have sworn he heard a voice. He turned his wand back to the safe and summoned the wand-detector from inside, not noticing that it was already floating out. The majestic mahogany box flew straight into his hands and he was delighted to see that it was in the same condition that he had left it in.
All that was left was to collect the two million galleons from the half-wit out side and then he'd disappear for a few years… Maybe buy and island or something…
Donavinci never took notice of the small animal who was leering over the spilled documents on the floor or the invisible figure who was cursing himself rather heavily under his breath.
…
Marcus wanted to hit something. Out of all the agents this could happen to, it happened to him. On his very first mainstream mission no less!
He growled to himself one last time before following behind Donavinci as he left the back shop- trying to figure out a way he could get the box.
…
The fox continued to stare over the papers that littered the ground. This was unbelievable…
Morphing back to her human form, Hermione collected the pages on the ground and brought them closer for better inspection.
She couldn't believe her luck. Of all the papers that could have fallen out of those boxes it was these- the instructions on creating Donavinci's wand-detector.
They looked like they were once bounded together in a journal of sorts but had been ripped out just recently.
'Donavinci must have been getting ready to destroy these,' Hermione mused to herself with a small grin, 'Father's going to be really happy…'
Her head jerked up as she heard a crash from outside followed by shouts.
'Spoke too soon,' she thought grimly before stuffing the papers in to her jumper and taking out her wand.
…
Fred watched through Pinns's eyes as Donavinci came back through the back door.
"It's all here, I presume?" Donavinci asked as he approached him.
Fred nodded and then jerked his head towards the box in Donavinci's hands, "That it?"
"Yes, you may test it if you like," he replied, setting the box on the counter- his eyes never leaving the fake gold in Fred's suit case.
"No, that's quite alright," Fred replied with a smile coming forward to grab the box.
Donavinci narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him before lifting a galleon up for closer inspection.
Fred seen this and almost laughed. 'Of course the smarmy git would check if it's real. Oh well… makes it more fun for me…'
Before Donavinci could voice concerns against the authenticity of the gold Fred raised his wand and shouted a stunning spell right at the man's chest. He watched Donavinci catapult backwards.
What Fred wasn't expecting was to see him collide with an invisible something. The invisible something was also knocked to the floor with a gasp.
Fred's eyes widened as he seen a blonde head appear on the floor next to Donavinci. The man's eyes also widened when he seen Fred looking right back at him.
…
Marcus couldn't believe this. All he was going to do was try and summon the box again before the other man scooped it up while Donavinci went to inspect a case of galleons.
He was thinking of a way to get the wand-detector back but before he knew it, Donavinci was being stunned and careening back towards himself. The wind was knocked out of him as Donavinci's body hit him.
He gasped before looking up to the man again. The man was staring right back at him, making Marcus realise that the invisibility cloak was pulled off him slightly, revealing his head.
Without thinking, he made a quick move for his wand, but the other man was quicker, "STU- ah!"
…
There was a sound of flapping wings and then Fred could feel something clawing at his face. He lowered his wand, but made sure to keep his strong hold on the box in his arms.
The bird- or whatever it was- was still attacking his face, pecking and clawing, making Fred unaware of the fact that the blonde man had recovered his wand and was getting up from underneath Donavinci's body.
…
Hermione burst back into the main shop with her wand drawn and ready. She saw Marcus getting up from the ground where an unconscious Donavinci lay and beginning to point his wand at the buyer who was struggling with Sienna attacking his face in her animagus form.
She watched Marcus raise his wand and begin to say a stunning spell, "STUPE-"
"ABORT!" Hermione shouted, "Abort the mission!"
…
Marcus looked back to where his leader was standing with her wand drawn.
He was about to question her sanity when again she shouted, "Abort!"
Marcus made a noise between a growl and sigh before he grabbed up the invisibility cloak and ran for the exit.
…
Fred didn't know what to think. Here he was, thinking that Italy had just some plain crazy arse doves when he heard a feminine voice shouting out to "Abort."
'How is this possible?!' he thought wildly to himself. He felt a rustle past his shoulder and luckily the demented dove relented with its attacks and flew out the open door.
Clearing the rivers of blood away from his eyes, he was just in time to catch someone finish morphing into a small brown animal.
He aimed his wand and shot off another stunner which barely missed the animal's tail as it scurried between his legs and out of the shop.
…
Hermione wasted no time running as far away from the workshop as possible before morphing back and apparating to Paris. As soon as she was in the portal she was met with an onslaught of questions.
"Hermione, what the bloody hell was that about?!" shrieked Sienna coming at her immediately.
Hermione shook her head and immediately reached for the journal pages stuffed in her jumper.
"I thought the buyer was supposed to be a squib," said Marcus flatly, clearly disappointed in himself for not completing the mission like planned.
"He was. That man wasn't the real buyer. Someone else was in on this," Hermione said as she made her way from the apparation portal and back to the meeting room.
"Who?" asked another agent curiously.
"Do I look like a bloody psychic?" Hermione asked sharply as she slammed the papers down on the desk.
"What are those?" Sienna asked, nodding towards the stack.
Hermione let out a deep breath, not realising how tired the day had made her, "These are Donavinci's documents…"
"So?"
"His documents on how to make the wand-detector," she finished with a small satisfied grin.
"Bloody hell, Hermione…" spoke Sienna in awe as the other agents looked on with wide eyes, "Are you sure?"
Hermione sent an irritated look at her, "Of course I'm sure. Take a look."
She slid the papers over to Sienna, who took them in her hands gently and began looking over them. Sure enough, the papers were full of detailed summaries and pictures on creating and assembling the charmed device that had been the focus of their mission.
"We should get this to the tech squad immediately," Sienna said as she finished reading.
Hermione nodded in agreement, "First we should get some copies made and have them presented to Father."
"So, he won't be pissed that we didn't actually retrieve the detector?" asked the agent who was staked out in the abandoned car.
Hermione shook her head. "Of course not. This is much better," she finished with a confident nod.
"Yeah, but that bloke still got away with Donavinci's copy," Marcus said solemnly.
"Let's not worry about that," Sienna said before Hermione could say anything else. "Right now let's worry about doing the paper work and presenting the mission's success to Father."
"Let me worry about that," Hermione said, gathering the papers up again. Sienna sent her a quizzical look to which Hermione shrugged, "I have to talk to him about something else anyway."
"Alright," Sienna said sceptically, still worried about how Hermione was going to deal with what they saw earlier. She knew her friend loved Evans more than she would ever let on. Her only hope was that Hermione would let her in instead of pushing her away by telling her that she was "fine".
Sienna sent another look at Hermione as she stiffly walked out of the office, heading off to talk to Father.
'Yeah right… Hermione won't be fine for a long, long time…'
…
-Back at Grimmauld Place-
"Alright, everything's gone according to plan. Fred or George should be back with it in about fifteen minutes time," Sirius said happily coming into the kitchen followed by Ron, Remus, and Draco.
"Gin, where's Harry?" Ron asked walking over to the ice box, not noticing the down cast expression on his sister's face, "We wanted to congratulate you two on that conversation. It was wicked hilarious- Sirius and I could hardly sit in our seats it was so funny."
"Weaslette, you alright?" Draco asked without his usual sneer. When he asked that, the other occupants of the room looked over to see Ginny's appearance for the first time.
Ron looked back around the kitchen, "Gin, where's Harry?" he asked again.
"Sirius, can I talk to you?" Ginny asked looking up at the older man.
Sirius nodded, "Of course."
Ginny got up and led Sirius through the kitchen door and into the sitting room, "What's the problem Ginny? Is Harry alright?"
"I don't know," she said honestly.
"Why don't you tell me what happened," Sirius said comfortingly but also with determination. He didn't like when things went wrong concerning his godson.
Ginny went through the story, informing Sirius of how she forgot to spill the drink so Harry kissed her in order to do it and then the woman and the look on Harry's face.
"And then when she was leaving he muttered something, it sounded like 'Her my knee'," Ginny finished.
Sirius sat back on the sofa and scrubbed a hand over his face, "Oh no..."
"Why does everyone besides me seem to know who this woman is?" asked Ginny in exasperation.
Sirius sighed, "Look Ginny, you didn't do anything wrong, okay?"
"I know that," Ginny defended in a huff.
"That w- Ginny look at me. What I'm about to say can not leave this room, do you understand?"
"I understand," she said quietly with a frown. What was so important about that woman?
"That woman's name is Hermione Evans."
Ginny raised her eyebrows, "Like Harry's mum?"
"Yes, but she's more like Harry's wife."
Ginny's mouth fell open, "WHAT?!"
"Shh!" Sirius said, clapping a hand to her mouth.
"'Arryasahwimfe?" Ginny asked through Sirius's hand.
"Yes, they've been married for about six years," Sirius said quietly, taking his hand away.
"Six years?" she whispered loudly.
"Yes, to make a long story short- he met her when he was on a mission as Harry Evans, they married under the pretences that he was a muggle named Harry Evans, meaning he had no glasses or scar."
Ginny was quiet, looking disbelievingly at Sirius, "How come he kept her a secret from all of us?"
"For safety reasons. She wasn't a secret from all of us- Ron, Remus and me went to the wedding. I walked her down the isle myself," Sirius finished on a proud note.
Ginny paled. That kiss earlier had made her have some feelings spring back up for Harry that she hadn't felt in a long time. She hadn't had the chance to really discover what they meant yet- but knowing that things with Jason and her were over and that supposedly Harry wasn't seeing anyone, she had thought that they might still have a bit of a chance.
Whenever she imagined herself settling down and having a family she always pictured that Harry was the man she'd do it with, but never in her wildest dreams would she have thought that Harry had already taken that step.
Harry was considered one of her greatest friends, and she didn't want him to suffer, but obviously by the look on his face, that's what he must be feeling right now.
"I feel terrible," she muttered, leaning back into the sofa. "Can you imagine what Harry's going through right now?"
Sirius patted her knee, "I'm going to go check up on him. You should wait here for your brothers to get back."
Ginny nodded weakly as they both raised from the couch and walked over to the kitchen door. When Ginny tried to swing it open, it hit something solid, "What the?"
She again tried to push through the door again and found Malfoy rubbing his head on the other side.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"The opposite side of a door is a great place to stand," Ginny scoffed moodily, taking a seat at the table.
Remus looked up to give a questioning look to Sirius.
"I'm going to go check on Harry," Sirius told him.
"Is he alright?" Ron asked with a chicken wing sticking out of his mouth.
"Yeah, he just wasn't feeling well so he went home for some potions."
With that, Sirius left the kitchen and apparated to the back of Harry's shed, wondering what he was about to walk in on.
Knowing his daughter in law, it was either one of two things:
A. Harry was dead, or B. Harry was severely injured and would continue to be tortured until death.
When he walked up the steps of the back porch he noticed that there wasn't a sound coming from the house. He pried the back door open, "Hello? Anyone home? It's your favourite godfather!"
With no answer, Sirius walked deeper into the house. He was about to walk up the stairs when he heard noises from Hermione's study.
…
George had just gotten back from setting up Pinns's body. Everything had gone to plan and he was counting on walking back up the steps to Grimmauld Place and waiting for his brother to get back.
When he entered the kitchen, he was met with a tense atmosphere. Ginny and Malfoy were glaring at each other, Ron was eating some chicken wings (big surprise), and Remus was sitting in the corner reading the prophet.
"Where's Sirius and Harry?"
"Oh no, don't mention Potter's name!" Draco started sarcastically, "It'll send your sister off into another mood swing."
"Go fuck yourself, Malfoy," Ginny growled at him.
Draco smirked, "Or if you wanted to-"
Ginny scoffed, "You're such a pig!"
"Better a pig then a love sick puppy," he shot back referring to the sullen mood she was in ever since Sirius had left after Harry. Ron, George, and Remus watched on as Ginny and Draco threw back insults.
"You don't know what you're talking about!"
"Really? So you're not in a love sick mood over Potter?"
"I am NOT love sick!"
"Oh yeah? Could have fooled me."
Ginny pushed her seat back and stood up, "Fuck you, Malfoy," she said before stalking out of the kitchen. Her heavy steps could be heard going up the long flight of stairs followed by a slammed door a few moments later.
George and Ron looked back to Draco, "You're either really brave or really stupid…"
Draco snorted and rolled his eyes before also getting up and heading towards the stairs.
"Malfoy, I wouldn't do that if I were you," George warned him as he got closer to the stairs.
"Yeah mate, Ginny has her wand on her and probably wouldn't hesitate to give you a right nasty hex if you went up there alone."
Draco didn't answer but only continued his way up the stairs.
"Fine," Ron muttered, "I'm not going to hate saying 'I told you so' when you come back spitting bat bogeys out of your mouth…"
Draco was on the second flight of stairs when he pulled out his wand and said a 'point me' spell. His wand swivelled to the corridor in front of him and spun directly to the door on the right.
He took a deep breath as he stood outside the door, bracing himself for what he was about to do. He'd been chasing Ginny Weasley around for too long and it was high time he did something about his feelings for the youngest Weasley.
Oh, if only his father could see him now…
…
Harry was trying desperately to control his breathing and calm himself down when he heard Sirius call out from inside the house. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. Besides, the only person he really wanted to see right now was Hermione.
There was a soft knock from the study wall and he looked up to see Sirius standing there.
"Hiya mate," he said gently.
Harry looked back down, "I've really fucked up good, haven't I?"
"I wouldn't go that far, Harry-"
"No, I have. Last night, one of the other women going after the vault came up and kissed me and when I came home Hermione noticed lip gloss on my face," he choked out, running a hand through his hair before continuing. "She looked so heart broken, but I told her that I would never do that to her-"
"And you wouldn't, Harry. She has to believe you."
Harry let out a bitter laugh, "Does she? I told her that and not even twenty-four hours later she found me kissing Ginny. What do you think that looks like to her?"
"Maybe if you just explain things-"
"Explain what? That I was on a mission for the agency I work for? That I'm not really a contractor, but a wizard, a famous one none the less, and that my real last name is Harry Potter? How the hell am I supposed to explain that?" Harry asked in frustration, getting louder with each question.
Sirius was quiet before speaking carefully, "Is she worth fighting for?"
Harry looked up at him, "Yes."
"Than you'll find a way to make amends. You'll find a way to prove to her that you do love her and that she's the only woman you want to be with."
Harry nodded, hoping that it would be that easy with Hermione.
...
"Alohomora," Draco muttered, watching as the door to the room Ginny was hiding in clicked open. He held his wand loosely by his side so it didn't seem threatening. Pushing the door open fully, he stepped in side and closed it behind him.
Ginny was sitting on the edge of an old bed when he entered.
She sighed impatiently, "What the hell do you want? Haven't you tormented me enough today?"
Draco shook his head, "No."
"Then what?" she asked standing up and getting closer to him making a streak of heat flash through his groin, "What more could you possibly want with me?"
"To put you in your place," he said daringly, watching as the angry glint in her eyes turned to one of fury.
"Excuse me?"
Draco smirked, "You heard me."
Ginny's face reddened in anger and she reached for her wand, "You slimy bastard-"
"Expelliarmus," Draco said, flicking his wand at Ginny and watching her wand scatter to the opposite side of the room.
"How dare you!" she shouted, glaring daggers at him.
Draco shrugged and threw his wand to the opposite side of the room as well.
Ginny scoffed, "What are you playing at?"
Draco again shrugged and moved closer, "Quite honestly, I'd much rather be playing with you."
Ginny scowled before raising her hand to strike Draco, but he caught it centimetres away from his face. She struggled to pull her hand free from Draco's grip, but he didn't let go.
"Let me go," Ginny growled, tugging again at her arm.
"No," he told her quietly.
Ginny tried to slap him with her free hand, but again Draco caught it and pulled her closer.
Ginny sighed impatiently, "What do you want?"
Draco didn't even try to hide the lustful look on his face, wanting her to know how seductive he thought their current situation was, "You."
The red head frowned, "What?"
Was she hearing him right? Did he just say he wanted her? Ginny's mind was a jumble of thoughts, but she couldn't pretend she didn't know what the shiver going up her spine and heat pooling in her stomach meant.
She felt herself being pulled towards his enticing grey eyes and before she knew it, his lips were on hers.
…
Ohohoho… do you guys still hate Ginny?
You know, I wasn't even thinking about putting them together in this fic. It was all thanks to a reviewer who asked, "Why doesn't Ginny just go shag Draco already," and I thought, "Hey, that's not a bad idea!"
Anyway, I hope the small action did it's justice. Trust me, soon enough there will be lots of big BOOMS, you can count on that.
Thank YOU! For all the reviews- you guys continue to amaze me!
So give me some more feed back for this chapter!
Is Ginny bearable now that she knows Draco has a 'thing' for her?
Did you like Hermione and Sienna being animagi's?
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