A/N - right, here's the second to last chapter - a little one with a bit less angst than the last two. By this stage, the story was getting very hard to write but I was determined to finish. I hope you enjoy this and the last chapter will probably be posted in the weekend. Thank you all for sticking with me.
Chapter Five
The next morning, he woke to find Hermione wrapped up with him, slightly snoring and totally oblivious of their situation. Grinning slightly, he began to eradicate himself gently so not to wake her. When finally free, he made his way to the bathroom to freshen up before heading for the kitchen to prepare a breakfast that he was going to ensure get eaten.
He was so caught up with what he was doing, he didn't realise she was awake until she spoke from the doorway.
"Whatever you're cooking smells brilliant," she said, making him turn to her and smile.
"That's good, because you are going to eat some, if not all, of it," he told her, indicating she should sit down and be served. After he put out the array of different foods in front of her, he watched carefully as she picked and ate, satisfied that she did at least eat something close to a decent meal.
Afterwards, they tidied up and although it was done in silence and she kept her distance from him at all times, Harry could see that she was becoming herself once more.
There were a few more tears during the day as every now and then memories would hit her, but she ate a bit more at lunch and by dinner she ate nearly a full meal. That night, Harry slept in the spare room and tried to deal with his own emotions as it was the first time all day that he was on his own.
The following day went as much the same as the first but this time Rose and Hugo came home - bringing along with them Ginny, James, Albus and Lily. The Potter family stood by uncomfortably as Hermione greeted her children, ignoring the tension between Harry and Ginny though the two Potter boys felt it as they nervously glanced between their parents.
But Harry's attention moved from his wife to his friend as Hermione finally allowed herself to cry in front of Rose and Hugo. Kneeling beside her as she hugged her children, all of them now in tears, Harry put a comforting hand on her shoulder to let her know he was still there. Albus took his father's lead and did the same for Rose while Ginny, James and Lily watched on, Lily attached to Ginny's leg and hiding her tearstained face into her mother's stomach.
It was a while before the tears stopped and without even thinking, Hermione turned to Harry for a hug of comfort - which he returned easily.
"Thank you," she whispered in his ear and he smiled.
"You're welcome," he replied, looking at her blotchy, wet face and thinking, even now, she still looked so beautiful.
"Dad."
James' voice startled him slightly and in an instant Hermione was on her feet, wiping her face free of the tears and hugging her children into her.
"Thank you, Ginny, for taking care of Rosie and Hugo," she said as normally as she could, "I didn't even realise that they had been invited to stay."
"It seems our children had it all planned," Ginny replied politely but somewhat stiffly. Harry got to his feet.
"Oh," Hermione continued, glancing down at Rose, who gave a sheepish smile back, "well, it was still short notice at a horrid time for you. I do appreciate your understanding."
"Yes," Ginny came back, this time looking directly at Harry, "it seems I'm extremely understanding."
It was then that Harry noticed the bags behind his wife and the looks his two sons were passing between each other. Hermione saw the bags at the same time and with an knowing look at Harry, turned to leave, using the excuse of helping the children unpack to leave the Potter's alone to talk.
Rose insisted on them staying.
"James, Albus and I had a chat," Ginny began, still hugging Lily to her while James and Albus stood in the gap between their parents, "it seems they realised a lot more than what I've given them credit for. They explained why they felt that you should stay here alone with Hermione even though there are so many reasons why you shouldn't have."
"Ginny…"
"No, Harry, let me finish," Ginny cut in, "the boys have helped me see what I have been fighting against, ignoring even, for as long as I've known you."
"What's that?" Harry asked, his heart beating loud and fast as he guessed her answer.
"That you and Hermione have a special relationship that I can never match," she replied, "and that even if I fought for you, even if I insist you see how much I love you and how perfect we are together, it would never work. Because you have her."
"Nothing's happened…"
"I know," Ginny sighed, "I know you and her haven't slept together, or even kissed inappropriately. But you still have her, Harry, and she has you.
"I'm not going to contest the divorce, Harry. I'm not going to fight you any more. I realise now the only people that's going to hurt are myself and the kids and I'm not going to do that to our children. In a few weeks, when the pain of losing my brother lessens a bit, we'll talk and sort everything out.
"I've…I've packed some of your stuff…"
"We thought you could perhaps stay here," Rose quickly cut in, walking up to a stunned Harry and taking his hand, "in the spare room."
"Oh Rosie," Harry said, kneeling so he was at her eye level, "I'm not sure that is the best idea."
"You're more than welcome," Hermione ventured quietly and Harry looked up at her, Hugo at her side. He looked behind him at Ginny and she gave him a tiny smile.
"The consensus was that you moving in here would be the best thing," she told him as James and Albus came to stand at her side.
"Then we can come and visit when we like…" Albus added excitedly.
"Well, not whenever we like," James chided his brother, "they may be out or something. But it would make visiting easier, dad. A lot easier than if you go to some hotel or something."
Harry's eyes moved from the faces of his sons, to the solemn face of his daughter. Standing, he ran his hand gently over Rosie's head as he passed her to stand in front of Lily. The little girl let go of her mother and looked at him, her hazel eyes swimming with tears.
"You've been quiet, Lily-bean," he said gently, "what do you think about me shifting in here?"
"You will be taking care of Auntie Hermione and Rose and Hugo, I guess," she whispered.
"Yes, I would."
"But you're my daddy," she continued, her tears beginning to fall, "and if you live here and not at home, then…then you'll be more their daddy than mine!"
"Oh, sweetheart," Harry soothed, cuddling Lily in close as she hung around his neck and cried into his shoulder, "I will always be your daddy, always. Even when you're a teenager and I embarrass you in front of your friends and you wish I wasn't your dad, I will still be your daddy."
"I'd never wish you weren't my dad," she sobbed.
"And you will always be my little girl," Harry told her, "I love you so much, Lily, and whatever happens between your mum and I, that will never change."
Lily pulled back from him (and wiped her running nose on her sleeve) then turned over her shoulder and looked at her two brothers, then her mother. Harry stood as James came over and draped an arm over her shoulders and Lily focused on him.
"We'll always be a family, Lily-bean," he told her seriously, "you, me, Albus and mum and dad. But mum and dad deserve to be happy and they aren't with each other anymore."
"How do you know daddy will be happy with Auntie Hermione?" she asked.
"I don't," James smiled, "no-one does. And just because dad's staying here, doesn't mean that they'll end up together. I mean, Albie goes and stays at Sarah's place sometimes and that doesn't mean that they're gonna get married now, does it?"
"I guess not," Lily admitted, "but that's because Sarah thinks Albie loves Rosie…"
"Really?" James grinned, forgetting for a moment the original conversation.
"But…but that's mental!" Albus fumed, coming up to stand by James, "Rosie's my cousin!"
"Well, you have to admit," Rosie added, standing next to Harry, "that Sarah isn't that bright."
"Just because she isn't a walking encyclopaedia like you…"
Harry looked over the heads of the bickering children to his soon-to-be-ex-wife to find her looking back at him sadly.
I'm really sorry, Gin he mouthed at her and she nodded.
I know.
Just then he felt a tiny hand tug his, and looked down into the eyes of his daughter.
"Do you promise to always be my daddy?" she asked him, her brothers and cousins still talking adamantly around her.
"I promise with all my heart," Harry told her.
"Then I guess I can share you with Rose and Hugo for a little while."
Harry smiled and picked her up, kissing her loudly on the cheek.
"Thank you, Lily," he said as he nuzzled her, making her giggle and squirm, insisting on being put back down.
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