Disclaimer: JKR owns.
Lies for Love
Chapter 10: Breaking the News
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Magic was a beautiful thing. It particularly came in handy when trying to make a quick move out of two flats before anyone stopped by to see what you were doing. Harry finished the unbreakable charm on another small scattering of Hermione's possessions and levitated them into her box of things.
"Alright Hermione, I'm done in here. Is there anything else that needs to be packed?"
"You got all the dishes in the kitchen?" Hermione's voice called from her bedroom.
"Yep."
"I think that's it then, I'm just finishing up with my clothes here." Harry walked back to her bedroom and watched as she waved her wand at several pieces of clothing. They came floating out of the wardrobe and then she muttered a charm so they would fold themselves nicely and then lay on the bed.
Harry walked forward and grabbed her wand arm before she had the chance to say another thing, "Here, let me." He waved a hand at her clothes and Hermione watched in amazement as they came out of the wardrobe and folded themselves perfectly.
Harry was about to wave his hand again to get the clothes to shrink but Hermione stopped him.
"No!"
"What's wrong?"
"I don't want my clothes to be shrunk. They're never the same once you shrink them and resize them..." she said a bit sheepishly, taking a suit case from the side of the room and starting to place her folded clothes in there.
Harry scoffed teasingly, "You're such a girl."
Hermione smirked, "You must've been confused when you snuck in to see me all those nights."
Harry made a face between a grimace and a scowl, "Touché; Granger one, Potter zero."
Hermione was still smirking at him and said arrogantly, "And don't you forget it."
Harry laughed, "Oh, so now who should make room for the ego, Miss Granger?"
"Definitely not me," she said smiling.
The day had gone by peacefully so far. First thing in the morning, they were both over at Harry's packing up his, rather large, flat. Harry insisted that Hermione shouldn't have to do anything, but when she snapped at him calling him a chivalrous git, he complied to let her help pack using her wand. Now that they'd moved to Hermione's flat to pack her up, they were both getting a little nervous.
After this, it was their explanation to their friends.
And then after that, there would be no reason to come back for at least a year or so.
Hermione had already gone, yesterday, to talk to her student advisor about transferring schools. At first when she told Mrs. Patterson, she was a bit apprehensive about Hermione transferring, but when she told her that she'd be in the Boston area she grew excited.
"Ms. Granger, that's perfect," she said keenly, clicking the mouse on her computer a few times.
"It is?" Hermione asked relieved that she could still continue school in Boston.
"Ever heard of Harvard, Ms. Granger?"
Hermione felt like kicking herself, "Of course. That's one of the foremost ivy league schools in the country..."
"And it looks like they'll be adding a new intelligent woman to their class." Mrs. Patterson sent Hermione a wry smile and from that Hermione felt an immense sense of relief.
"-and then I guess we'll have to talk to Ron. I'll go first if you want..." Harry was saying. Hermione jerked herself out of her memories,
"What was that, Harry?"
"I said I'm going to write a letter of my resignation from the program to Kingsley and then go talk to Ron," he said looking at her questioningly, "Are you alright?"
Hermione nodded tersely, "You're going to resign? I thought you wanted to transfer like me?"
Harry shrugged, "I thought about that but then I just... I guess I thought it'd be more peaceful to live like muggles. I mean, you'll be going to the muggle university in town and I thought I'd get a job at some company or invest in some stocks or something."
Hermione tilted her head to the side, "Harry, I think cutting ourselves off from the magical world seems reasonable in the situation we're in, but are you sure you want to give up your training? I mean, no offence or anything, but you don't know the smallest thing about investing money."
Harry scowled playfully, "Well thank you for your continuous support."
"Just trying to keep you down to earth, I know with an ego like yours you could float away at any moment," she replied teasingly.
Harry smirked, trying not to laugh, "You're lucky you're carrying our child Granger..."
Hermione smiled genuinely, "You're right, I am lucky, we're lucky. Things could be a lot worse for us right now."
Harry nodded, "Yeah like they could've already found out and completely disassociated us from them-"
"I meant that you're here, alive and healthy, and willing to help raise our baby," Hermione spoke softly with tears welling up in her eyes. Harry smiled at her and came up to brush away a few stubborn tears that had spilt over.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Hermione nodded and they stood there for a few moments staring into each others eyes. Hermione couldn't understand him when he did things like this. It made her think things... silly and completely mundane things... but things that related to Harry actually wanting to be with her and have this child not only because he was her best friend and he felt obligated but because he actually wanted to be with her... forever... because the casual sex wasn't just casual... because he actually did want to marry her for the right kind of love...
Hermione looked away from his dazzling emerald orbs. 'There you go again Granger, you and that stupid mind of yours playing tricks on you. He feels nothing more than platonic love for you. And you feel NOTHING more than platonic love for HIM!'
She felt a hand on her shoulder shaking her lightly.
"Huh?"
"Hermione, are you sure you're alright? That's the second time today..."
"I'm fine, just thinking about some silly stuff," she said plainly giving him a confident nod.
Harry looked downcast, "Is it Ron?"
"What?"
"Were you thinking about Ron just now?" Harry asked again more persistently.
"No... yes, I mean- all my thoughts are kind of jumbled together right now Harry. I don't know what I'm thinking."
"Oh," he replied somewhat sadly. 'Why did things always have to revert back to Ron? It seems like he's all she can think about now days! She's pregnant with my child and her mind seems to keep drifting back to my best mate.'
'Are you jealous Potter?'
'What? Of course not-'
'Then why does it matter if she's thinking of him?'
'She's pregnant with my baby. That makes her mine!' Harry gasped at what he had heard his mind just say. Hermione and him had already had this conversation, just because she was pregnant didn't mean it had to be the end of the rest of their lives. But the thought of just the two of them for the rest of their lives... that didn't seem to sound bad at all as far as Harry was concerned.
'Ooh, jealous Potter?'
'No...'
'Why don't you sound so positive?'
'Nothing's even happened between them, I'm the only one she's ever been with. For Merlin's sake, she's having my baby!'
'You said so yourself that that didn't have to stop you from seeing other people. You even encouraged her to see Ron.'
'Shut up.'
'Face it, you love her, you're in love with Hermione Granger!'
'I...I...' Harry could feel his palms sweating as his mind clouded over with confusion, 'I don't know what love is.'
'No, not yet, but I think you're beginning to find out,' the snide voice said with a bit of a triumphant sneer. Harry's mind was reeling. Was he right, could he be in love with his best friend? Was he jealous of Ron and the relationship he wanted to have with her?
"No, of course not."
"What was that?"
"Huh?" Harry sounded dumbly, looking up to meet Hermione's confused expression.
"You said 'no of course not'."
"Oh... um, I was thinking about that letter I have to write. Kingsley probably won't be too pleased that I resigned through a letter."
"Kingsley won't be too pleased that you resigning at all. Face it Harry, you were one of the best aurors, let alone trainees, there. They'll be losing a great addition to the squad."
Harry blushed slightly, which was odd because Hermione's comments never made him blush before, "Um... thanks."
"No problem," Hermione said with a laugh.
Harry looked up into her bright chocolate eyes and watched them shine with happiness. 'And I did that... I made her eyes shine like that...'
Harry finally jerked his eyes away from hers and cleared his throat to pass over the awkward moment, "So... um, have you told your parents yet?"
Hermione's smile faltered, "No... I guess I'll do that now."
Harry gave her a reassuring smile, "Hey Hermione, everything will go fine. Just tell them that transferring to Harvard makes you really happy and they'll be happy for you."
Hermione gave him a small smile back, "I know. It's just the whole lying thing that hurts. They trust my word when I tell them that I'm moving to Boston for school, but what will they say when I come back with a baby in my arms?"
"They'll see that you can be a model student and a great mother, and they'll embrace it with open arms," Harry said softly, stepping up to wrap his arms around her tearing body.
"I hope you're right Harry... god I hope you're right."
"Everything will work out for us in the long run, 'Mione. I promise."
Hermione nodded weakly against his shoulder and then pulled away slowly. Her mind was starting to wonder and think silly things again, 'Hermione Jane Granger, he's your best friend and you're supposed to feel extremely comforted in his arms. He's supposed to make you feel like everything will always be okay and he'll always love you... BECAUSE HE'S YOUR BEST MATE!'
"So, um... I better get going. Dad will probably have a coronary when I floo into the living room," she finished with a light hearted grin.
Harry grinned back, "Well if you kill him now that means I won't be killed when he finds out I got you pregnant."
Hermione swatted at him playfully, "Alright, well we'll meet back here?"
"Yep, and then we'll run away to Boston and have a baby!" he finished raising his hands over his head to emphasize his excitement.
Hermione smiled, "Yeah. Good luck then." She walked over to the floo and grabbed some powder from the pot.
"You too," Harry said following her over. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, or more on the corner of her mouth, "Be safe."
Hermione nodded trying to keep her mind in control, "Promise."
She shouted the address and spun out of sight, leaving Harry standing there in the empty living room of her flat with a few boxes and her suit case littered over the floor.
Harry sighed, and started towards the kitchen where the oak dining table was still left intact and in full size. With a wave of his wand, a parchment and inked quill appeared laying on the table.
"Let's see here..." he muttered to himself, thinking of what he could possibly say to justify his resignation to the man who had suspended him a few days before.
After a few minutes of staring at the paper with the quill in his hand, Harry groaned in frustration, "Why is this so bloody difficult? It's not like I care what he thinks of me at this point anyway..."
Harry started scribbling on the paper furiously. He'd decided to tell the minister that auror training wasn't the most important thing in his life right now and he'd decided to take some time off to himself to clear his head of the recent war and mourn for the deaths of his lost loved ones that the war had so viciously took from them all. He didn't feel comfortable playing the sympathy card, but he also knew people would leave him alone if that was the real reason he'd left.
He finished, tapping the letter with his wand so it folded up neatly and put itself in an envelope. He needed a way to send it and quickly figured heading down to Diagon Alley would be the quickest way. There were a couple other people he needed to talk to there as well.
---
"Mum? Dad?" Hermione called out as she righted herself from her family home's fireplace.
"Sweetheart, what a surprise!" said Richard Granger, coming forward to hug his daughter.
"Hey Daddy, how've you been?"
"Oh, I'm doing well, but you would know that if you stopped by to visit us more often!" he said with a hearty laugh, one arm still wrapped around his daughter's shoulders so he could squeeze her to him. Hermione tried to put any guilt complexes away and deal with telling her parents quickly.
"Is that my baby I hear in there?" asked Cate Granger coming in from the kitchen. "Hermione!" she immediately went to her only daughter and flung her arms around her.
Again Hermione forced herself to respond with a solid voice, "Hi mum."
"What brings you by sweetheart?"
"I um, I..." she started shakily, her eyes glued to the floor so she wouldn't have to see the proud look her parents were giving her. If only they knew... if only she had the courage to tell them the truth, then they wouldn't be looking at her like that. Some Gryffindor she was...
"I actually have some big news to share with you," she finished calmly, looking to meet their eyes.
"Well, why don't we go out onto the terrace and talk? I'll bring some lemonade!" Cate said eagerly, letting go of her daughter to run into the kitchen and grab a pitcher and some glasses.
"It's good news I hope?" Richard asked as he lead Hermione to the terrace.
Hermione bit her lip, "Well, it really depends on how you look at it."
"Well, we're all ears," Richard said with a comforting smile as he sat down across from his daughter. Cate came in soon after and set a crystal glass of lemonade in front of her and then poured some for Richard and herself.
"So, you know how I've been doing well at uni," Hermione started. She was unsure how to put it out there that she'd transferred to a school across the Atlantic Ocean without just throwing the news at them.
"Yes, I take it your grades are still top notch?" Richard ask with a slight chuckle while Cate looked at her daughter adoringly.
"Yeah, Dad, so good in fact that I was offered something..."
"And what was that?"
"They offered me a transfer to Harvard... to study abroad..." she didn't want to look up because she was sure she'd see the disappointment in their eyes.
"Hermione Jane," her father started in a low voice. Hermione finally found the strength to look up and meet his eyes, expecting him to call her out on her lie at any second. But instead a smile broke out on his face, "That's fantastic!"
"Congratulations sweetheart!" her mother gushed, moving across to hug Hermione tightly.
"That's wonderful! They couldn't have offered it to a more deserving student! And Harvard too, that'll do wonders for you, Hermione!" Richard continued in a proud voice, also getting up to hug her.
Hermione closed her eyes as both her parents embraced her. She hadn't known what to expect when she flooed in, but this was definitely not it and it only made it ten times worse to deal with. She wished they wouldn't salivate over her like this, like she was their pride and joy. Honestly, she would rather have her mother and father giving her disappointing glares to keep from feeling any more guilty then she already had from lying to everyone. A part of her wanted to scream out that she was truly a no good liar, a coward, a fool for thinking that she could runaway and then come back with an infant child. Her infant child, hers and Harry's. The thought of what was growing inside her made her calm down a bit.
Cate continued to nod at what Richard was saying, "It'll be a great experience for her, she'll learn loads of stuff!"
"Well she can learn, as long as she stays in touch and comes back to see us every now and then," Richard said cheekily, squeezing her shoulder.
"Oh dear, we should celebrate! I'll go get some champagne!" Cate said exuberantly, jumping up from the patio couch and starting off into the house.
"Actually mum," Hermione said quickly, knowing her parents would find it suspicious if she didn't drink with them, "I have to get going. I have to finish up the paperwork for the transfer and then get home to pack."
"You're leaving so soon?" asked Cate dejectedly.
Hermione nodded, again averting her eyes, "Yep, I want to make it for classes on Monday."
"But where will you be staying?" Richard asked this time.
"I already got a flat in Boston. It's really beautiful, looks out over the Boston Public Gardens and the campus isn't too far away."
"Oh? So you've known about this for a while then?"
Hermione bit her lip to keep from telling the truth, "I, um, I've heard they were going to give the transfer to the top grade accumulation and I did the math and it was me. So I started looking, figuring it was only a matter of time before they offered it to me. And when they did I made the offer on the flat and got it so..."
Her parents were quiet for a moment as they stood there observing their fidgeting daughter.
Richard finally cleared his throat, "I'm sorry Hermione. We really are excited for you- it's just you doing this all by yourself so quickly... it makes us realise how old you're getting. You're not our little baby anymore."
Hermione wanted to punch herself. Here her parents were, tearing up as they thought about all her accomplishments when in fact she was leaving a huge chunk of the truth a secret.
"I imagine you'll be using magic to pack?" Richard asked, wiping at his eyes. Hermione nodded as Cate let out a sob.
"And you'll promise to ring us as soon as you get in to your new flat?"
"Yes, I promise. Don't worry about me though... I'll be okay," she said, thinking back to the raven haired boy who was probably telling their best mate he was leaving right about now. She sighed thinking about their best mate.
Ron...
That was another thing she'd have to worry about today. How would it look if she goes in to tell him she's transferring schools an hour after Harry said he was transferring ministries? Now, Ron may not be the brightest of the bunch, but he's certainly not daft...
"-and even if you decide to come home, we promise we'll let you stay here as long as you want until you can get back on your feet," her mother was saying emotionally. Hermione looked up into her father's eyes, which were so much like her own, and watched him smile at her.
"We love you, Hermione Jane, always remember that."
"I will Daddy. I love you too," her parents came forward and they shared a family hug, the last one that would be shared for a while.
---
Harry let out a long breath that he hadn't known he was holding as he stared at the door of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. He had rehearsed what he would tell Ron over and over in his head. All he had to do was pull Ron aside and say he was being transferred and no one would know any wiser.
As he was about to take a step to open the door, two boys too young to be in Hogwarts ran forward and yanked it open. They continued to giggle madly as they started running through the shop, looking at all the magnificent marvels the Fred and George were able to come up with.
"Oi! No running!" shouted a voice from behind the front counter.
Harry smirked as he watched the boys immediately slow down to a quick paced walk and heard Ron mutter the word 'midgets' under his breath.
"We can't all be giants like you, Ron," Harry said grinning at him.
Ron looked up from the magazine he was flipping through and gave Harry an appalled look, "Giant? You callin' me fat?"
"No, not at all. All that food you send to your stomach on a minute basis only adds to your length."
Ron shrugged, "I'm a growing boy."
Harry laughed at him, "Yeah, I've heard that before."
"So what're you doing here, Harry, did they let you off training early?" he asked curiously, not knowing that in fact Harry had been suspended a few days before.
Harry fidgeted, "Um, something like that. I actually wanted to tell you something about training."
"Are you finally quitting?" Ron asked with a smirk.
"No!" 'Yes! To be with the girl you fancy!' "I, um... a position opened up for training with another ministry and they're transferring me," he finished quickly, wanting to be out of there as soon as possible.
"What, seriously?" Ron asked, throwing the magazine aside. Harry nodded tersely. "Why?"
"I don't know they didn't really give me a reason, McKlien just pulled me aside and said to go to the Head Auror's office because he had news for me and when I got there Travers said that he was transferring me to a different ministry."
Ron looked suspicious, "That sounds weird. They didn't give you a choice or tell you where you're going?"
"Nope, I'm just supposed to pack up my flat so they can relocate me close to the new ministry."
"Wait, you have to move?!" Ron exclaimed loudly, jumping up from his stool.
"Well... yeah."
"That's bullshit Harry!"
"I know it is, but I haven't really got much of a choice. If I say no I'm booted out of training." Harry was finding that telling Ron this story was harder than he thought. He never wanted to lie or intentionally hurt his best mate of seven years but he seemed to be doing just that.
"That's unbelievable!" Ron shouted again disdainfully.
'No it's no, it's believable!' Harry thought as he nodded, "It is."
"Merlin, Mum's going to go crazy... not to mention Ginny."
"About that," Harry started nervously, "Um, I don't really have time to say goodbye to any of them. My flat's already packed up and I'm supposed to be getting back to headquarters soon for my portkey and debriefing. So... I was kind of hoping that you could tell them?" he finished shyly, looking at Ron pleadingly. He had no desire to tell Ginny or Mrs. Weasley that he would be leaving for a while, even if it was on the foundation of a lie.
Ron looked back at him quizzically for a second, "Yeah... I mean I think Ginny would prefer to hear it from you, but I guess this is the only way. You know she'll be wanting you to write her," Ron finished giving him a stern look telling Harry that he was going into 'protective-brother' mode.
Harry nodded but let Ron continue, "But yeah, I guess I could break it to Hermione and then me and her could tell my family this Sunday at lunch or something."
Harry had to bite down on his tongue hard to keep from commenting about Hermione.
"I'd really appreciate that Ron," Harry said sincerely, coming behind the counter to shake Ron's hand for the final time before he would be made a father.
Ron grabbed his hand but pulled him into a hug. Harry patted him on the back as they separated; he genuinely was going to miss him.
"Write as soon as you're able to, eh?"
"Definitely," he said, starting to make his way out of the shop.
"Well I guess its goodbye for now?" Ron asked a bit hesitantly. Harry could tell he was having a tough time with his best mate practically walking out of his life and so was Harry.
"For now," Harry sent him one last lingering crooked grin before turning and walking out of the shop.
---
Hermione was standing at the entrance of Diagon Alley, looking in at all its beauty and livelihood since the war had ended. On one side of the street was Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and on the other the Owl Post Office. Harry had to have already talked to Ron since it had been about an hour and a half since they had left her flat and all he had to do was right a letter and send it.
She took a few hesitant steps, travelling deeper into Diagon Alley. She could think of thousands of reasons why she should just send Ron a letter explaining her leave and only a few of why she should talk to him in person.
'You're a coward if you send him a letter.'
'I'm a coward either way. I'm running from my home to protect a secret that's doomed to come out in a few months anyway...'
'So you're saying you don't want to leave with Harry?'
'No, I do! It's the only way for us to be accepted... Leaving is the only way for us to be a family, and I won't deny Harry that.'
'Because you love him and you want him to love you too...'
'Shut it! I love him because he's my best friend, that's it.'
'You're taking the easy road out...'
'Only because I need to. I can't hurt Ron like that, and seeing the look in his eyes would kill me. I can't do that to him...'
'Fine, COWARD!'
"SHUT UP!" Hermione yelled. A few witches and wizards turned to look at the young witch, recognition starting to dawn in their faces at who Hermione was. Hermione looked sheepish, and then let out a frustrated groan and marched straight into the post office.
---
Next chapter on Lies for Love:
"Harry, do you think we're making the wrong decision?" she asked calmly, but Harry could tell all the lies she had told today were eating away at her heart.
Harry went to her and hugged her to him tightly, "Honestly? I don't know. But we'll figure that out together, won't we?"
Hermione sniffed and buried her head deeper into his chest, "We'll be okay, right?"
Harry smiled, "Definitely. Me, you, and baby."
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