Potters World
Stupidest Witch of Her Age
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When Harry woke up that morning he was in a stinking mood. He'd been lying awake for over a hour going over what had happened last night. He knew she'd never admit to it if he confronted her about it, but he could have sworn he heard his wife hiss at him a few times throughout the night. He never slept well when he and Hermione went to bed angry, or rather when they went to bed and Hermione was angry with him. At one point during the night he had tried to put his arm around her only to have it rapidly thrown off. Harry understood completely her current feelings towards their friend, but was feeling slightly put out that she was also blaming him for some reason. Maybe letting Ron stay with them for the time being wasn't the best idea, but no matter what Ron had done, Harry couldn't simply turn him away. Ron was their best friend and he didn't think that putting a roof over his head was the worst thing in the world.
His train of thought was ended when he felt a slight movement beside him. For the first time in their marriage, Harry wasn't looking forward to Hermione waking up beside him. His fears were confirmed when Hermione started to stretch, then stared at him as if he was the one who had cheated.
"What are you looking at me like that for?" Harry asked offended.
"I'm waiting," she replied, not once breaking eye contact.
"What for?"
"An apology."
Harry snorted. "You expect me to apologise to you after the way you treated me last night?"
Hermione cocked her head to the side. "Thought so," she huffed, then got out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.
"And just what the fuck is that suppose to mean?!" Harry shouted from their bed, the blood inside him beginning to boil. She was being totally unreasonable. He didn't get an answer, only the sound of the bathroom door being slammed firmly shut.
"So I take it we won't be making a baby anytime soon?!" Harry shouted, hoping it would make Hermione retaliate. Whatever he was hoping for never came. He got out of bed and then stormed out of the bedroom.
****
Harry walked into the kitchen and found Ron, who looked as though he hadn't got a wink of sleep, sitting at the breakfast bar.
"Morning," Ron said nervously. "Is the erm, wife awake?"
Harry just glared at him then started making coffee.
"Harry, I really appreciate you and Hermione letting me stay here," Ron said sincerely.
"Shut up Ron," Harry said tonelessly.
Ron waited a moment before adding, "I'm guessing she didn't take it too well?"
"You could say that," Harry muttered.
"Harry, I could go somewhere else, I don't want you and Hermione falling out over me," Ron offered.
Harry's face was a picture of defiance. "You're not going anywhere. If Hermione can't handle you being here then that's her problem."
The lady in question just entered the room in a mood that was equal to her husband's, but for entirely different reasons. She stared at Ron.
"Well, well, if it isn't our very own Casanova," Hermione snickered.
"Hermione, give it a rest," Harry pleaded.
"Don't tell me what to do," Hermione told Harry flatly. "You're in enough trouble as it is!"
Ron started to feel uncomfortable as he saw his best friends squaring up to each other. "Maybe I should just go."
Hermione whirled around. "Yes, maybe you should!"
"Ron you're not going anywhere!" Harry said strongly, before turning his attention back to his wife. "This is my house! He's my friend and I want him to stay."
"Oh!" Hermione spat. "It's your house is it?!"
"It's our house," Harry replied hotly. "So stop playing smart and stop acting like a fucking spoilt brat!"
Harry had barely heard the last word of his sentence come out of his mouth when he felt Hermione slap him hard across his face. "Don't you ever speak to me like that again," she said in a deadly tone.
Whatever Harry was about to say to retaliate was cut off by a soft voice coming from the doorway. "Daddy?"
All three adults turned in the direction from where the voice had come from, and saw Charlotte standing there quietly in the doorway looking upset. It wasn't surprising. It was the first real argument she had witnessed her parents have.
When Harry struggled to answer his daughter, Hermione gathered all the strength she could muster to put a fake smile on her face. It was hard task to act happy when inside all she wanted to do was lay in to the two men in her kitchen. "What's the problem darling?"
"I'm thirsty," she answered innocently.
"I'll get you some juice and make you breakfast in a moment sweetie," Hermione told her. "Why don't you go and pick out what you want to wear today, we're going to visit aunt Luna."
Charlotte's eyes lit up at the prospect of going to visit her favourite aunt and Ashlee. She ran excitedly out of the kitchen and left the adults alone again.
Ron had stood up when he heard Hermione say that she was going to visit his wife, and dared to look at his angry friend. "Hermione…"
"No," Hermione cut him off. "It's bad for you to talk now!" Without so much as another look at her husband and friend, she began making breakfast for her daughter.
As she began pottering around the kitchen, Ron and Harry huddled together.
"Did that hurt?" Ron whispered.
Harry snorted. "I never thought she would take it literally when I told her that if I ever pissed her off all she'd need to do is slap some sense into me."
****
As soon as Charlotte had finished her breakfast, Hermione took her daughter over to Ron and Luna's house. It was to be the very first morning in her married life that she hadn't kissed Harry goodbye and told him she loved him before they started their day separately. No matter how angry she was with her husband at that moment, the thought made her feel very unsettled. What made her feel even worse was that Harry hadn't seen their usual loving gestures that had started every day of their lives together as necessary that morning either. She wasn't surprised on his part. The argument which she knew had been petty, had lead to her slapping him hard across the face, and for that she felt overwhelming guilt. But Hermione was stubborn. She was still angry at him for seemingly not being as pissed with Ron as she was over their friend's infidelity, and not caring as much about their other friend and how she felt right now.
When she apparated into Ron and Luna's living room, Luna jumped in surprise. The blonde relaxed immediately when she saw who had come to see her, and bravely raised a smile.
"Hermione, you scared me," Luna said quietly.
"Aunt Luna!" Charlotte cried happily, and ran over to wrap her arms around her aunt's legs.
"Hi pumpkin," Luna bent down to hug the little girl. "What a nice surprise."
Hermione looked at her friend in sympathy. She could hear the pain and sadness in her friend's voice, and it didn't take a genius to notice that Luna had spent most of last night crying her heart out, if her eyes were anything to go by. "How you doing hunny?"
"Oh, I've been better," Luna admitted. "Coffee?"
"Please," Hermione replied. Charlotte let go of her aunt and went over to see Ashlee who was on the floor playing with a wizard baby gym. "We'll be in the kitchen if you need us."
Charlotte nodded at her mother and started playing with her new best friend. Hermione took another look at her daughter and followed Luna into the kitchen.
After a silent moment, Hermione spoke. "I don't know what to say."
Luna chuckled. "That's what he said."
"I really can't believe that he would do such a thing," Hermione told her honestly.
Luna took two cups out of a cabinet then stopped. "You know, I've been awake all night thinking about what it was that possessed him to do it. I've been driving myself crazy. More crazy than I am already."
"I don't think there is an answer that would make you feel any better," Hermione said, amazed that Luna was able to try and lighten the situation with a joke.
"Then I start thinking about…her…and what she looks like," Luna choked.
"I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through," Hermione said, feeling so sad for her friend. "If Harry even thought about doing such a thing, I'd have castrated him by now and shoved his balls down his throat!"
Luna managed a small laugh for the first time since she found out what her husband had been up to in Italy. "No you wouldn't," she said softly.
"Wanna bet?" Hermione challenged seriously.
Luna turned to face Hermione while the coffee began making itself. "You wouldn't because you would still love him, and because you love your daughter far too much to make her see her father in any more distress than necessary."
Hermione had to admit that maybe Luna was right, but she found it incredible how calm her friend was being. She didn't know what to expect when she arrived at their home that morning if she was honest, but Luna being able to think even a little clearly was baffling to her. "I just can't believe how calm you're being about this," Hermione said in wonder. "I mean, don't you just feel like ripping his head off the tiniest little bit?!"
Luna took both cups of coffee that were now ready, and handed one to Hermione. "I feel...hurt more than anything. Maybe anger will come later, I don't know. Though I'm sure that I can trust you to handle that side of things for me."
"There is something you should know," Hermione said nervously.
"He's staying with you," Luna smiled.
"How did you know that's what I was going to say?"
"Because you and Harry are his friends, so he's exactly where he should be," Luna replied simply. "And because I'm Loony Lov--," Luna stopped when her breath hitched in her throat. "Weasley."
Hermione regarded her friend with a sad expression. "I want you to know that it wasn't me who invited him to stay. If I had it my way he'd be out in a hotel somewhere."
"Hermione, you're one of my best friends and I'm so proud to be able to say that," Luna told her honestly. "But what's happening between me and Ron is exactly that. It's happening between me and Ron. No matter how hard it may be, you mustn't let the situation get in the way of yours and Harry's friendship with him, nor in yours and Harry's relationship for that matter."
"Might be a little bit too late for that," Hermione said with a hint of sadness.
"You're not falling out over him being in the house are you?" Luan asked, afraid she already knew the answer.
"I was just so angry for what Ron had done to you that I didn't want him in the house," Hermione tried to explain. "Harry thought I was being unreasonable and said that just because he was letting Ron stay that it didn't mean that he condoned his actions, he was just trying to be there for a friend."
"Then what happened?"
"Well I didn't believe him, so we ended up getting into this fight that just got much worse this morning when I kept on being stubborn and slapped him across the face," Hermione said putting a hand to her head.
"Hermione!" Luna exclaimed in shock, to say she was surprised at her friend admission would be an understatement. Harry and Hermione never argued, and if they did, she certainly never would have believed that Hermione would be angry enough to hit him.
"I know!" Hermione said in anguish, the implications of what she had done that morning only now just sinking in. What she done was completely out of character for her, she was treating him like he was the one who cheated. Only now was she beginning to realise just how stupid she was being for aiming her anger at Harry.
"What are you really afraid of, Hermione?" Luna asked softly.
"Sorry?" Hermione said composing herself.
"I know that what's happened between me and Ron has caused you to be angry with my idiot half," said Luna. "But this, whatever it is, that's happening between you and Harry is not purely down to Ron being in your home. It's not purely down to what he's done to me either...is it?"
Hermione put down her cup, shook her head in dismay and leaned against nearby wall. There was a long silence. "It's been one day. How are you even able to get out of bed after what he did to you?" Hermione asked not answering her friend's question. "You are one of the most amazing women I have ever met."
Luna looked thankful for the compliment, and thought for a moment before responding. "I have this pain in my heart. Right now, I have no idea if it will go away any time soon. But please know that all of this didn't just happen, Hermione. Ron and I haven't been happy for a while."
Hermione felt small tears begin to fill her eyes. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this."
Luna smiled bravely, placed her cup on the counter and held out her arms. "Me too."
Hermione moved from the wall and enveloped her friend in a warm hug. Hermione wasn't sure who needed it more.
After a while, Luna pulled back and looked at her friend with a serious expression. "Hermione, you know that Harry and Ron are completely different in every sense of the word...don't you?" Hermione nodded slowly, then Luna nodded along with her. "I understand Hermione, really, I do. But you need to stop being angry at Harry for something he's not even guilty of. He's never do to you what Ron did to me; he's just not built that way."
Hermione knew that Luna was right. Now, she couldn't remember a time when she had ever felt so stupid. This whole time she had fooled herself into believing that she was mad at Harry for sticking up for their friend when in truth, she was mad him for something he hadn't even done! All Hermione could think was that if something like that had happened to Ron and Luna, then there was every possibility that it could happen to her and Harry, and it had scared her to death. She was now aware of how ridiculous she had been, as well as completely irrational. It was pathetic the way she was acting. She actually questioned her own marriage when she had absolutely no reason to. Her and Harry were happier than ever, and were even trying for another baby, when she had to go and ruin it with a big drama about nothing! Luna was spot on. This was Ron and Luna's problem, not hers or Harry's. All they had to do was make sure they were there when their friends needed them the most, which was exactly what Harry was doing.
Hermione all of a sudden felt her chest aching. The way she had treated Harry the past two days was nothing short of disgraceful. Remembering the look on his face that morning after she slapped him had sent a piercing pain right through her heart. She had to see him. She hadn't told him she loved him that day and needed to put that right, along with many other things that were currently wrong between them, because of her.
"Luna--"
"Hermione," the blonde interrupted. "I think that you should go and talk to Harry, you know sort things out. You can leave Charlotte with me, that little girl cheers me up to no end when I'm blue."
Hermione was thankful her friend was making it easier for her to just leave. It was ironic really, Hermione was supposed to be making Luna feel better not the other way around. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome," Luna smiled, happy that she could help.
Hermione quickly spoke to Charlotte and explained that she needed to go sort out some adult stuff. Her daughter was only too happy to stay with her Aunt and cousin Ashlee. Hermione waved goodbye to Charlotte and Luna, before apparating to the ministry to see her husband.
****
Harry knew that if he bit down on his lip any harder he'd spill blood. He was currently sat at his desk in his office, having a staring contest with the wall opposite him. He had been in a foul mood ever since he arrived at the ministry that morning, and he wasn't doing anything to hide it either, biting everyone's head off that dare speak to him.
There was a knock at the door.
"Fuck. Off," he spat loudly.
Kingsley Shacklebolt popped his head through the door and raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
Harry turned quickly to meet his boss's amused face, and stood up. "Kingsley! I didn't know it was you."
"Clearly."
"Come in, please," Harry ushered with his hand.
Kingsley took a seat opposite his head auror. "It seems that I'm the only one left with enough bollocks to come to your office this morning, Harry."
"I'm not having the best of days," Harry said sourly.
"That's obvious to most, Harry," Kingsley tried to joke. "I know that when you're pissed off you usually ask Remus for advice, but seeing as how our dear friend and his good lady are currently away on a mission, I'd be happy to provide an ear should you require one."
"I don't know, Kingsley," Harry sighed. "It's a brain buster."
"Try me," Kingsley smirked with confidence.
"Can you explain to me how a female brain works?" Harry asked tonelessly.
The optimistic smirk fell from Kingsley's face. "Erm..."
Harry let his elbows fall to his desk with a thud, and pointed both his index fingers towards the ceiling. "But not just any female brain!" Harry stated, his voice lacing with false cheer. "No, no, no. The brain of Hermione Potter!"
The minister of magic looked to the floor and cleared his throat. "Well..."
Harry continued his rant. "The Hogwarts student formerly known as Hermione Granger, brightest witch of her age, turned Hogwarts headmistress, unbelievably illogical nagging wife!!"
Kingsley raised his eyebrows in total surprise. Only when he was sure Harry had finished his tirade did he try to speak. "Trouble at home?" he asked in an attempt at humour. Harry snorted and sunk back into his chair. "Does it have anything to do with that shiner you came in with this morning?" Kingsley asked, referring to the blemish on his face. Hermione's slap had left a rosy red mark on Harry's face and it was visible to everyone, though no one would have guessed how it happened, Kingsley now had an idea.
"I always was shit at healing charms," Harry huffed, not noticing that someone had come into his office.
"I can help with that," came a soft voice from the door.
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