AN: Hi everyone. The delay in updating this story has been long as with my other fictions and I can only apologise. I have so much going on in my life, including some not so nice things happen over the last few months. I don't believe in posting author notes in chapter segments, as it puts the fiction at the top of the new and updated page and causes people to have false hope in the story itself being updated. I have uni exams now to concentrate on so I haven't a lot of spare time at the moment. Please be assured that I will never abandon my fictions, and as annoying as it is to have to wait so long for a new chapter, I sincerely hope that you can all bare with me. Thank you to all of you who continue to read and review, you have no idea how much it means to me. If I can't update for whatever reason over a long period of time, I'll let you all know why at least by answering a few reviews.
Hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Potters World
Marital Meltdown
****
Ron had no idea what to do. It had been minutes since he'd dropped the bombshell on his wife that he'd been unfaithful and she had yet said anything to respond. The only thing he noticed was that she was looking at him in a way that she never had before, like a stranger that had just apparated into their house in the middle of the night.
"I don't know what to say," he told her weakly.
"You don't know what to say?" Luna said with a deadly tone.
"Luna, I am so sorry."
"Why?" she asked disgusted. "And don't you dare say because you didn't mean it because we both know that would be a lie!"
"Luna--"
"Was it good?" she probed in a scarily calm voice.
"What?" Ron responded in shock.
Luna folded her arms. "I asked you if it was good?"
Ron didn't answer.
Luna took a deep breath. "Ok then let me rephrase that. Was it worth it?"
"Was it worth what?" he asked shakily.
"Me," she replied feeling sick. "Oh what am I talking about of course it was! It was obviously so worth it to chuck everything you and I meant to each other away, and for what, an easy fuck?!"
"It just happened," Ron said.
"Oh Merlin, who came up with that line?" Luna scoffed. "The next thing you'll be telling me it didn't mean anything!"
"It didn't."
"You know I really wish it had!" Luna spat. "I don't really relish the task of telling Ashlee, when she gets older, that the reason her father and I aren't together anymore is because he did something that bared no meaning to him at all!"
After Luna said that, Ron's heart broke completely. The only part he heard was 'her father and I aren't together anymore'. Harry was right, he was going to lose her. All of sudden the panic that possessed him was unstoppable.
"It was a mistake!" Ron said desperately. "I made a huge mistake and I wish I could take it back but I can't! We can fix this I know we can!"
"We?!" Luna repeated in anger. "May I remind you that while you were slipping it into some other woman, I was here at home looking after our daughter whilst wondering what it was that I'd done to make you treat me like shit for the last few months! I have nothing to fix, you did this by yourself!"
"You said that whatever it was that we could get through it together," Ron said repeating her words from before.
"That was before you told me that you had done something that I didn't even think you could be capable of!" Luna shouted. "Did you even think about me and Ashlee at all?"
"I thought about you," Ron croaked.
"And it didn't stop you?" Luna asked in dismay.
"No," Ron admitted ashamed. "No, it didn't stop me."
Luna shook her head and looked at the ground. So many things were going through her head at that moment she had no idea how to process them. She only knew one thing for certain at that moment, and that was she couldn't take being in the same room as her husband any longer. Gathering all the strength she could muster at that moment, she looked back up at Ron. "You've destroyed us," she told him in a calm voice. "Now I want you to go," Luna said softly.
"Don't you think we should talk some more?"
Luna shook her head. "I can't even look at you right now without wanting to throw up. Just go."
Complying to her request was the least he could do after what he had done to her. Nodding slowly, Ron turned to leave, but not before turning to face her a final time. "I do love you." With that last statement he left.
Luna broke down into tears and went over to where Ashlee was sleeping innocently, her daughter completely unaware of her parents' misery.
****
Harry, Hermione and charlotte were sitting at the table having just finished a meal. Harry glanced at his wife and smiled, he had to admit that Hermione was becoming a better cook by the day. They were currently in the middle of dessert when he looked at his little girl.
"So what did you do at school today?" Harry asked his daughter.
"Nothing," Charlotte answered, before scooping some ice cream into her mouth.
"Really?" Harry raised his eyebrows then looked at his wife. "I don't think we should let her go back to that school darling, that's the third day in a row when she's been and done 'nothing'."
"Charlotte?" Hermione said grinning.
"Reading, spelling and painting," Charlotte said.
"Ah ha," Harry said. "Getting somewhere at last, so what did you paint?"
"A cat," Charlotte replied happily. "Daddy can we get one?"
"I thought you wanted a hamster," Hermione said before her husband could answer. She missed the look of alarm in her husband's face. Harry still hadn't told her about Charlotte's plan to name the hamster in question 'Scrotum'.
"I want a cat now," Charlotte said.
Harry looked relieved at Charlotte's statement, he was glad to see that the hamster idea was forgotten, but he refused to relax completely until his pride and joy told him her idea's for names for a cat. Before he had a chance to say he thought a cat was a good idea, Hermione spoke.
"Now's not a good time for you to have such a pet sweetheart," Hermione told her daughter gently.
"Why not?" Charlotte asked innocently.
Harry looked at his wife wondering the same thing, that was until Hermione rolled her eyes at him and used her hand to gesture a protruding belly.
"Oh," Harry caught on quickly. "Yeah, of course." Harry turned to Charlotte, who was now looking awfully forlorn. "Not right now sweetie."
Charlotte frowned and let her head fall downwards. "Ok."
Harry hated to see his daughter upset and glanced at Hermione with a sparkle in his eyes, silently asking her a question.
His wife couldn't stop herself from giggling. Harry was so incredibly weak when it came to their little girl. Charlotte still had him wrapped around her finger and she knew exactly which looks and actions to create in order to get what she wanted. It never worked on her mother of course, but her father always fell for it. Harry just wanted to make his daughter happy all the time, even if that meant spoiling her rotten. Hermione rarely agreed with such behaviour, but knowing that they would have to tell Charlotte about their plans to have another child soon at some point, she smiled and nodded at his request. "Charlotte?"
"Yes, mum?" she replied still sounding a little sad.
"Even though now isn't the right time to have a cat roaming around, how would you feel about having a little brother or sister to play with?" Hermione asked softly.
Charlotte's head shot up quickly, all thoughts of a cat forgotten. "Are you having a baby mummy?"
"It is soon to be a possibility," Hermione replied.
"Have you and daddy made it yet?" Charlotte asked excited.
Harry clapped his hands together. "Ok, this is getting uncomfortable."
"What we want to know Charlotte, is if it's something that you would be happy about?" Hermione asked, saving her husband's blushes.
"I'd really like it," Charlotte announced chirpily. "I'd be the big sister!"
"You would," Harry agreed. "But you'd still be my little girl."
"Well of course daddy," Charlotte said, getting down from her chair and climbing into her father's lap. As his daughter hugged him tightly, Harry was overcome with how lucky he felt with his life.
****
That night after Charlotte was tucked up in bed, Harry and Hermione snuggled down together with a bottle of wine in front of their cosy fire in the living room.
"I saw Luna today," Hermione said, trying to snuggle even closer to her husband. They were sitting on the sofa and it would have been extremely difficult for them to get any closer to each other than they already were.
"Oh yeah, how she doing?" Harry asked, as he stroked Hermione's hair.
"Not good," Hermione answered, remembering vividly the heartbroken look on Luna's face as she left her house that morning. "Things between her and Ron aren't getting any better."
Harry nodded in agreement, and after what Ron told him today he knew things were going to get even worse. "I saw a bit of him today."
"Did you talk to him?" Hermione asked hopefully. "Only I told Luna that you would."
"Yeah I talked to him," Harry told her.
"And?" Hermione looked him in the eye.
"And…I really think that we should let them work this out by themselves," he said weakly.
Hermione looked at him in shock. "How can you even say that? They're our friends and if we can be there for them then we should be."
"Yeah, you're right," Harry agreed. "But being there for someone and interfering are two different things."
Hermione stood up from the sofa and put her wine on a nearby table. Putting her hands on her hips, she narrowed her eyes at her now nervous husband. "What did he tell you?"
"Nothing," Harry lied. Hermione raised an eyebrow and just stared at him, not believing a word of what he just said.
"He doesn't want me to tell you," Harry gave in.
"What doesn't he want you to tell me?"
The fireplace in front of them suddenly roared putting a stop to their conversation.
The two Potters looked over to see what had interrupted them, and saw a slightly dishevelled Ron Weasley standing before them looking like a lost puppy. Harry stared at his best friend having a pretty good idea the reason for him looking so crestfallen. Hermione on the other hand was oblivious.
"Ron, are you ok?" she asked concerned. Ron didn't answer and continued to focus on Harry, something that Hermione noticed. "What's going on?" she asked looking between the two of them.
"Could I stay here for awhile?" Ron asked quietly.
Harry still didn't say anything. The lack of light being shed on just what exactly was going on was beginning to irritate Hermione. "Will someone tell me what the hell is occurring?!"
Harry finally found his voice. "Hermione, I just need to have a private chat with Ron here. I swear I'll explain everything later." Harry kissed Hermione on the side of the head and stood up.
"No," Hermione said frustrated. "Tell me now."
Harry addressed his friend. "Ron go wait in the study ok?" Ron nodded and left the room.
"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione asked worried.
"Nothing for you to worry about ok?" Harry assured his wife gently. "Later, alright?"
Hermione was still not happy but reluctantly nodded and decided to drop it. For now.
****
When they got into Harry's office Ron sat down and put his head in his hands. "She threw me out," Ron told his friend sadly.
Harry sat down opposite Ron and cocked his head to the side. "Did you really expect anything less?"
Ron shook his head then stared into a space behind Harry. "She looked at me like she'd never seen me before."
"What possessed you to do such a thing?" Harry asked him seriously. "I mean, I know things haven't been brilliant between the two of you as of late, but for you to do something like this…"
"I know," Ron muttered in anguish, he had no idea himself how he could have been so stupid.
As much as it seemed otherwise, Ron loved Luna with all his heart and knew he had broken her completely as well as their marriage. The only explanation he could offer at this time was that the one night stand was just a moment of weakness, something he knew wouldn't be accepted as an excuse. He wish he could say that he was pissed out of skull at least, but even though he had a few drinks when he met the woman he eventually went to bed with, he knew full well what he was doing. He knew what it would do to his family, but went ahead and did it anyway. He felt like the scum of the earth and there was no one else to blame for it but himself.
Harry glanced at the clock on his study wall and noticed how late it was getting. "Look, we don't have to keep talking about this anymore tonight. It's getting late and I'm sure you just want to get your nut down for a bit."
"So I can stay?" Ron asked quietly.
"You can stay," Harry sighed. "But on one condition."
"What?"
"I have to tell Hermione what's going on."
Ron's eyes widened in horror. "Harry, I don't know if I can handle--"
"She's going to have to be told at some point," Harry reasoned. "And if she doesn't get an explanation as to why you've turned up out of the blue looking like death warmed up, then I'm not going to get any sleep tonight for her excessive questioning. And I'm not prepared to go through that, not even for you."
"That seems fair," Ron said, then had an afterthought. "Can I put locking charms on the room I sleep in?"
Harry stood up. "I think that's a good idea. It will give you at least some time to escape through the window before Hermione breaks through them, which you know she's capable of."
****
Hermione watched her husband through narrowed eyes from their bed as he began to undress. Ron had gone straight to one of their guest rooms when he left the study with Harry, without saying a word to her. The whole situation was odd but she knew that whatever was going on had something to do with Ron and Luna's marriage. Harry still hadn't said anything to her since they entered their bedroom and she was becoming well and truly pissed off with his silence.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on, or I'm going to have to squeeze your testicles to get it out of you?!" she asked flatly.
Harry stopped removing his shirt momentarily then chuckled at his wife's threat. "What and risk squishing my baby juice?"
Hermione didn't appreciate his reply. "Is everything a joke to you?"
"No," Harry replied sounding tired. "Of course not."
"Harry?!"
"Fine!" Harry exclaimed loudly, throwing his shirt across the room. "Ron slept with someone when he was in Italy! And now Luna has thrown him out."
Hermione froze as her mind started to process what she had just heard. "He slept with someone?!"
"Yes," Harry answered sounding calmer.
"That bastard!" Hermione screeched leaping from the bed and heading for the door.
"What do you think you're doing?" Harry said stepping in front of her.
"I'm going to kill him!" Hermione said in an obvious tone. "He's in another room so I have to also be in that room in order to kill him!"
"Will you calm down please?" Harry asked, gently grasping her shoulders.
"Calm down?!" Hermione repeated. "Why should I after what he's done?!"
"Hermione, he made a mistake ok?" Harry tried to reason with her. "And he's paying for it."
"And what about Luna and Ashlee?" Hermione asked hotly. "What are they paying for? Don't you even think about telling me that you feel sorry for him!"
"You're right," Harry said trying to calm her down. "He is one hundred percent in the wrong, but we're still his best friends."
"Why did he come here and not go to his parents?!" Hermione asked, but continued before Harry had the chance to speak. "I'll tell you why, because he hasn't got the balls to face his mother after what he's done! What the hell was he doing in Italy anyway?"
"I sent him there on an assignment," Harry replied, not understanding why it was relevant.
Hermione's eyes flashed dangerously. "How could you do that when you knew that he and Luna's marriage was in meltdown?!
"Wait a minute," Harry said, wanting to laugh at the absurdity of where this conversation was going. "Are you insinuating in some twisted way that Ron fucking someone else is my fault?!"
Hermione looked at her husband accusingly. "People must love working for you Harry, knowing that they can go to beautiful places to be unfaithful all the while getting paid for it!"
Harry started to massage his temples in order to keep calm. He understood that Hermione was seething with anger at their best friend but that was no reason to take it out on him. Maybe he should have let her go and slaughter Ron after all, but then, Ashlee did need a father.
"Hermione, it's my job," he tried to explain. "You know that I'm not aloud to let personal feelings cloud my judgement. Ron, is one of the best auror's I have and I needed him on this particular case. But if it makes you feel any better I would never have sent him if I thought that there was even the slightest chance of something like this happening. He would've done what he did no matter whereabouts in the world he was."
"I want him out of this house."
"Hermione, we can't just throw him out. He's still our best friend."
"What about Luna?" Hermione asked, wondering what the poor woman must be going through right now.
"We have to be there for both of them, and the little one."
"But letting him stay here is like we're condoning his actions!"
"Luna would have a fair idea that this would be the first place he'd come," Harry said.
Hermione simply stared at him then stomped off towards the bed. "You had better keep him out of my way, because no amount of magic will bring him back from where I will send him if he so much as looks at me!"
Harry rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling. He was glad that Hermione was allowing Ron in their home for now, but still felt unsettled at how angry she was "You're still angry with me."
Hermione said nothing as she got under the covers of their bed. Harry took off his trousers then climbed into bed beside her.
"Don't sleep too close to me!" Hermione said hotly as she pulled the covers over her.
"But I thought we were gonna…you know?" Harry gestured between the two of them.
Hermione's eyes flashed with anger. "If you think for one second that I'm going to try and conceive a child with you whilst our home is being tainted by the presence of some limp dick adulterer, then you are almost as deluded as he must have been when he decided to screw someone other than his wife!" Hermione then dramatically turned on her side away from him.
"Great, you're giving me the arse!" Harry said before angrily falling on to his back, not quite believing that Ron's infidelity was now causing problems between him and his wife.
A long cue of people wanting to crucify Ron Weasley was starting to form quite rapidly.
****