Façades
History
~ Hermione ~
I lay in the guest bedroom at Harry and Ginny's flat silently wondering how I was ever going to make it though the night… `How had everything come crashing down so quickly? Should I have done things differently? Could I have? Would I have?'
`I mean, even though the chance that the baby was Harry's had always been high, there really had also been odds that it could belong to Ron… well, until now.' I sniffled and turned my face into my pillow. `What would I do now? Harry and I both know the baby is his, but we also both know that Ginny's baby is his too. He can't just leave a very pregnant Ginny on top of what I have already done to Ron. Oh, when had life become so bloody complicated?' I rubbed my brow and sighed. I knew when life had become complicated. The minute I had decided to further my relationship with my best mate.
I hadn't meant for it to happen, honestly. Sure I had always found Harry attractive; in fact he was my first big crush, but I had never really even considered acting on it. It was just a thought in the back of my mind. But after we got married things weren't how we thought they would be. Then one night, I had had a row with Ron and he had had one with Ginny over some small matter and we had gone out together to complain of our Weasley woes. One minute we had been feeling down in the tooth about our marriages and our futures and the next we had been shagging our brains out in a local muggle hotel. Naturally we both felt suitably guilty the next day, in fact for the next two weeks we had barely been able to look one another in the face. -But, when we did… when we did, it was the most exhilarating experience.
Every time his lush green eyes locked on me my heart sped up till it was in my throat and my breathing became restricted. Then the most intimate parts of my body would tighten in response to the memory of what we had shared that one emotional night. And I found my whole body, my whole soul wanting more… more of him, more of us.
You know one night, a while later, I confided in Harry those feelings and he had told me that he had felt the same way. He then smiled and laughed that it was the reason why he usually needed to remain seated for a while after we'd been in the room together.
I smiled to myself at the memory.
That mutual attraction was the reason that we had agreed to be together just one more time in hopes of sating our thirst for one another. However, "one more time" turned to "one more time" and that turned into "two more times", which progressed into "occasionally" which progressed to "on some weekends", which evolved to "every other weekend", which evolved to "every free moment" which made "I want you" grow into "I need you" and "I need you" bloom into "I love you".
The worse part about the whole thing is that even with everything that has happened, everything that will happen, I don't regret it. I wouldn't, I couldn't give up what I had with Harry, what I have with Harry for anything or anyone. Not even for Ron. Why does it have to be so complicated? So many lives intertwined with ours, with mine? So many friends, so much family, so many bonds to be broken, hearts to be cracked and relationships to be torn?
I love my husband, I love him dearly, but I realized long ago that I was in love with Harry. Not just with his body but with the man as a whole. No one understands me like he does, there is no one I can talk to like I can talk to him and I fancy that he feels the same way. In fact I know that he does because it has always been that way with us, we've always had a certain connection that was stronger with one another than anyone else. A connection that, over the years, had been the subject of several quarrels between Ron and I and a few between Harry and Ginny also. What was I going to do now? Without that bond, without Harry? … Would I be without him? …
I looked over when a light knock sounded at the door grudgingly pulling myself away from my silent reverie. Wiping my face clear of the tears that had escaped I sat up against the pillows. Ginny must be back.
"Come in," I called running a few fingers through my hair. My eyes widened in surprise when Harry was the one to slip into the room. "Hey, where's Ginny?" I inquired looking past the dark haired man at the door curious as to when she would enter.
I was currently residing in their guestroom because Harry had stated that he wanted me to be where he could watch over me, especially if Ron showed up. I prayed that he didn't. Even though he's gained some control over it at time, Harry did still have a bit of a temper when pushed and I didn't want him blurting out that he was the father. Things were bad enough as it was without adding that to the cauldron.
"At mum's," Harry answered entering the room fully and sitting on the side of the bed. "She just flooed just a minute ago, she's going to stay there tonight. -She says she feels too tired to apparate and mum promised to make her breakfast in the morning."
I nodded and chewed on my bottom lip "Did she tell…"
He shook his head "She says that it wasn't her place and she was too emotionally unstable to be pulled into the middle of your and Ron's ruck right now."
I exhaled and nodded "I know how she feels…"
Harry smiled and reached out a hand, cupping my cheek "It'll be alright Luv."
"How Harry? How will it be alright?" I glared "Ron knows the baby's not his and it's only a matter of time before everyone starts asking just who the baby is for. What am I supposed to say? What if the baby comes out with black hair and green eyes, then what?"
"We'll figure it out," he insisted.
I scoffed "Yeah right, we'll figure it out…" I shook my head and fought tears once more. "Maybe I should just disappear."
"What?"
I sniffled and gave a determined nod "That's it. I'll leave -disappear. I'll pack my bags and move to Ireland, or The States or something that way when the baby's born then no one will be around."
Harry grabbed my wrists and my gaze shot to him "You're not leaving with our child Hermione."
"Why not!" I yelled ripping my hands away and pushing at his chest. "You really think I want my baby growing up with his or her dad pretending to be their uncle? Or with everyone shunning them because their mum is a whore?!"
"Don't you dare," Harry hissed in a deadly quiet tone, my eyes widened at the fierce expression on his face. "Don't you ever in your life refer to yourself by that name, do you hear me? You are not a whore Hermione. You're a wonderful woman, a great activist and you'll be an incredible mother."
I gave a mocking laugh "Yeah I'm just a crappy wife and friend right?"
"No! Stop it."
"Why? After what I did to Ron you can't call me a good wife and after what I did to Ginny there's no way I'd qualify as a good friend."
He shook his head and exhaled, "Fine, then we deserve one another. I did the same thing to Ginny that you did to Ron and the same thing to Ron that you did to Ginny so… I guess we're perfect."
I smirked "Good, then go floo your wife and tell her that."
"Hermione…"
"I know Harry, `It's not that simple'. Tell me if you don't want me to leave what do you want me to do?" I rose both brows in question. "Let's say by some miracle our child comes out looking like me and not you, then what? You want me to bring her or him to the birthday parties you and your wife throw for your legitimate child? What are you, going to play the role of cool "Uncle Harry" who acts kind of like a father to the poor kid because their tramp of a mother won't tell who the real father is."
Harry glared at me silently seething "Stop it Hermione."
"Stop what? Telling the truth? Stop showing you your options? Stop being realistic with myself?" I scoffed "You're never going to leave Ginny for me. I'm pregnant just like she is-"
"Hermione she's a victim in this whole thing-"
"And I'm the offender. Is that it? I'm not innocent, not anymore?! I'm also not stupid anymore," I laughed mockingly though tears streamed down my face. "I can't believe that I ever thought that you loved me."
"That's not fair!"
"No Harry, this isn't fair! But I suppose it's no more than I deserve," I laughed again and sniffled at the same time. Throwing back the covers I slipped out of the bed.
"Where are you going?" he demanded.
"Home." I stated grabbing my dress off of the floor.
"What? Why?"
"Because I'd rather deal with Ron if you want to know the truth. At least I know he hates me, I know how he feels as opposed to you," I glared.
"That's not fucking fair Hermione! If Ron wouldn't have found out that he couldn't have kids you wouldn't be demanding that I chuck Ginny aside for you!"
"I'm not demanding it Harry, I just want to know where I stand. I really don't think that it's too much to ask!"
"You know where you stand, I love you!"
"But not enough right?! Not enough to lose what you have with Ginny?"
"Bloody fucking hell! What do you want me to do, huh?! Apparate over to the Burrow and wake op the whole sodding house and demand to see Ginny rousing her from her sleep just to tell her that I've been shagging you? One of her best mates and her brother's wife and that I'm the father of your baby too." He scoffed "Then I can happily let her know that now that it's come down to it and we know for sure that your baby's mine I want a divorce so that I can be with you and our child instead of being with her and our child!"
"Yes! Yes that's exactly what I want!" I yelled back my chest rising and falling heavily.
Harry stared at me in shock for a moment before snapping his eyes closed. "Fine."
When he turned to head towards the door I rushed the rest of the way around the bed and grabbed his arm "Where are you going?"
He frowned at me "To end my marriage, like you want."
"I…" I looked around the room. "Now?"
"Why wait Hermione?" his brows drew together. "I'm going to the Burrow now to tell Ginny that it's over."
"No!" I cried when he pulled from my grasp and opened the door.
"What?" he rounded on me with a glare "I thought that was what you wanted. What you demanded for me to prove how much I love you."
"I… I…" I shook my head and buried my fingers in my hair. "Not like this… I… I'm sorry. I guess I was feeling a bit emotional," I replied as tears began to stream down my face once more. "Of course I wouldn't want you to do that to Ginny, that's just horrible." I shook my head and frowned at him "I can't believe you were going to do it."
"You told me to."
"For God sakes Harry she's almost six months pregnant, you can't just burst in on her and tell her that you're dumping her. How unfeeling are you?"
The dark haired man groaned before turning and beating his head against the wall.
"Harry! What in Merlin's beard are you doing?!" I exclaimed, rushing forward and placing my hand between his head and the wall.
"I don't even know anymore," he sighed.
Giggling lightly I rubbed his shoulders, before getting on my toes and kissing his neck.
"Did you say that Ginny was out for the night?"
He slanted me a sideways look "Yes."
I batted my lashes and took a step back "Well then that means we're alone right? For the whole night…"
Harry sighed and turned so that he was leaning against the wall "Hermione I don't know… I'm not really in the mood it's been a pretty long night."
I blinked and nodded "Oh… o-okay Harry."
I gave him a strained smile and took a few steps back suddenly ashamed of myself. How could I be so stupid? I had just argued with him for like twenty minutes, on top of that I looked like a bloody beached whale. I wasn't even a full four months yet and was almost Ginny's size. Why would he want anything to do with me?
Laughing lightly so that I wouldn't sob I turned and made my way back to the bed.
"Whatever you're thinking you're wrong," Harry whispered coming up and hugging me lightly from behind.
I shook my head "I'm not thinking anything."
"Bollocks Hermione, you're always thinking," he retorted kissing my neck.
As his hands went from my stomach to my breasts I pushed at them "Harry you don't have to…"
"And you think I'd only want to if I had to?" he quizzed, when I remained quiet he turned me around and lifted my face towards him. "I love you Hermione, I want you. I always want you."
"A minute ago you said-"
"I know but honestly I just didn't want to pressure you, I mean, no offense Luv but your hormones have had your moods all over the place. I didn't want to risk getting all wound up and then having you start crying on me again."
I chuckled lightly "Yeah… sorry about that. I just… I don't know, this bloody kid is driving me mental Harry." I frowned "Things that use to make me happy make me sad. Things that use to make me sad make me angry, things that use to make me angry make my happy and things that use to make me cry make me laugh. Which, by the by," I gave him a disgruntled look. "Was a bloody damn nuisance when I was in the market buying baby clothes and a little girl fell out of her stroller. Everyone else was exclaiming in dismay about the health of the poor tot but for the life of me I could not stop laughing!"
He chuckled quietly and I slapped his arm.
"Harry, it's not funny."
"Sound's funny," he shrugged with a grin.
Then before I could reply he dipped his head and kissed me deeply. I sighed against his mouth and lifted my hands burying my fingers in his rich dark hair. His lips left my own and fluttered lightly over my face, grazing my nose, eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks and forehead. After a few seconds he pulled back and looked down at me.
"I love you Hermione," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion and his steady gaze holding my own.
"I love you too Harry," I breathed back.
"We will figure this out Luv," he lightly kissed my right cheek. "Somehow," he kissed my left cheek "Someway," he kissed my forehead again. "We will figure this out," when I nodded he captured my lips once more.
This time when my fingers went to his hair his hands went to my bum and easier than I would have thought was possible he lifted me up against him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he took the few steps forward that brought us to the large fluffy bed. As Harry laid me down and began to kiss my neck I allowed my fingers to roam the base of his neck and his upper back and my eyes to close. I relaxed under his masterful touch as his fingers slipped into the thin silk barrier of my panties and stroked me. My hands traveled to the base of his gray t-shirt and I slipped them under the light garment, running my fingers lithely over his sculptured abs and purring appreciatively as the flexed under my touch.
Harry pulled back from me slightly and my curious gaze locked on his heated one, a small smile touched his lips and he reached out and lightly ran his index finger along mine.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered softly.
I attempted to blink back my tears but one escaped anyway, however instead of stopping like I was worried he would, Harry just leaned forward and lightly kissed my lips. My hands came up to his shoulders and I slowly massaged them, however my gentle movements turned rougher when his lips moved back to my neck. A soft moan escaped me as his warm mouth traveled to my chest and evolved into a series of loud gasps as his heated mouth touched my flushed skin. My fingers tangled in his hair as he lapped and licked my sensitive breasts, and my hips lifted automatically when his fingers curled around the band of my knickers.
Reaching down I cupped him greedily though his cotton sleep pants, squeezing and kneading the hard length in my palm. Harry let loose a ragged moan when I began to jerkily pump him before he quickly grabbed my wrist, moving my hands to a location above my head.
"None of that Luv," he murmured when I pouted insolently at him. "I need you way too much for you to keep that up," he finished kissing the corner of my mouth.
As one hand held my hands above my head his other went between out bodies. A moment later I felt him hot and hard pressing into the center of me. My back arched off of the mattress and I let out a breathy moan that mingled with his earthy one. The moment we were connected I felt whole once more. Like I had finally come home. Once he was inside of me Harry released my hands, moving his own down to hold my hips instead. Biting my lips I gripped his shoulder and slowly rocked in time with his movements. Our bodies met again and again in the most intimate of places, as his mouth and hands played me to completion like the most addicting Quidditch match. As I tightened around him, my mind careening towards unparalleled bliss I bit my lip and fought valiantly to maintain eye contact. His eyes showed both lust and love as he looked down at me, his face reflecting the need that I know was mirrored in my own.
"I… love you," I moaned a moment before I happily threw rational thought by the wayside and slipped into pleasure-filled delirium.
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My eyes fluttered open a while later and my fingers lightly caressed the warm firm chest located just under my left cheek.
"Welcome back," Harry murmured in a rich thick tone.
I found myself so blissfully lethargic that all I could manage was an eloquent "Mmm," before my eyes closed once again.
As sleep beckoned me once more my body relaxed, but before I gave into the sirens call Harry's deep voice floated to my ears.
"We'll be a family Hermione. I don't know how we're going to work this out, but we will work it out -even if I lose everyone else." His lips lightly grazed the top of my head. "All that matters is you."
I smiled softly to myself and silently wished that his words were truly his and not what I perceived them to be… just another part of a heartbreaking dream.
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~ Ron ~
I stared at the light blue ceiling, my mind working so fast and going in so many directions that it was hard pressed to even keep up with itself. As the ceiling fan turned lazily above me I ran a hand over my face in attempted to clear the muddle that was my thought process. I had never known a night as long as this one, which is saying a lot. Especially after the many nights we spent searching for the Horcruxes in freezing weather with little food. Just me, Harry and…
I sighed and shifted in the bed turning on my side, my eyes lifted only to come in contact with themselves. I stared blankly at my reflection silently wondering how my life had unraveled so quickly. One minute every thing had been perfect, I had the perfect job, the perfect wife, a perfect baby on the way, the perfect mistress… My image smirked and shook his head. That was just it, wasn't it? If my life was perfect, if my wife was perfect, I wouldn't need a mistress. I sighed.
My relationship with Luna was quirky and wholly unexpected. It was the oddest thing, and it happened so quickly I'm not even sure when it occurred. All I know is one day her large perceptive eyes freaked me out and her incessant nattering about fictional creatures annoyed me to no end. Then the next day her large luminous eyes made my heart stop and my body harden and her whimsical voice going on about new magical beings was cute and endearing.
Next thing I knew things changed. Though the big change didn't happen until a couple of months after Hermione and I were married. I was annoyed with her constant nagging and complaining about the mistakes I was making and we had a large row. I stormed out of the flat and headed over to find Harry, to see if he wanted to knock back a few pints and let off some steam. However when I arrived to my mates flat he and Ginny were both gone, I found out later from my sister that they had had a ruck of their own that night and both left in a right state. Either way he wasn't there so I had ambled over to a nearby muggle pub to knock back a few without being recognized like I would be at a wizarding one. When I was on my third pint Luna tapped me on my shoulder and asked if she could join me. Well the more we talked, the more she laughed and the more she laughed the more her skin flushed, and the more her skin flushed the more I found her attractive and the more I found her attractive the more I wondered how those bright eyes and flushed skin would look nude and arching under me. And… the more I thought about that particular thing, the more I drunk and well, vicious cycle that.
Next thing I knew we were at a local muggle hotel shagging like sixth years in a broom closet. In fact though my recollection is a bit hazy I'm pretty sure that we never even made it to the bed and I had the rug burn to back up that theory.
My marriage with Hermione was still new at the time and I was convinced that what had happened with the blond beauty was just the effects of the alcohol. I was sure that I could and would make my marriage work. Besides, Luna was just as foxed as I was and even though I considered coming clean to my wife well… Hey I may be a rather large Quidditch player, but I had no interest in meeting the business end of Hermione's wand. Anyway, Neville and Luna were just starting out and I didn't want to wreck what they had with one another over, what I thought at the time, was a drunken mistake.
`Boy I have never been so wrong.' I sighed and ran a hand though my hair, as I did my wedding ring winked at me from my reflection due to a small play of the moon light. `Okay so maybe I have,' I thought ruefully.
A light click pulled my attention to the door and I quickly turned, smiling to myself when Luna slipped in through a small opening. "Hello Beauty," I said softly. She colored slightly as she always did when I called her by that nickname.
"Hullo Plumperdink," she returned in her usual tinkling tone.
My gaze flicked to the closed door "Is he asleep?"
She nodded lightly before climbing under the covers and curling up next to me.
"Are you sure he won't come looking for you?" I frowned.
She giggled, "Oh Ronald, don't tell me a big strong Quidditch player like yourself is afraid of a botanist."
I scoffed "Not bloody likely. I just don't fancy being in the middle of what I really want to do to you right now and having your angry husband bust in and point his wand at me while mine is… otherwise occupied," I finished with a suggestive look.
She blushed prettily "He's out. The Sandman always sprinkles Neville generously. I think because he spends the day working with plants and dirt he feels that they are quite kin to one another. Kindred spirits perhaps," she frowned tilting her head with an adorably pensive expression.
I chuckled "Perhaps," I conceded before reaching for my wand to do a locking charm. As I lifted it towards the door, her hand came up to mine and lowered it once more. "What?"
"Don't."
My brows furrowed "It's just to be sure he doesn't walk in."
She blinked owlishly for a moment before a look of awareness entered her eyes that made my breath hitch "What's the fun in that," she whispered in a tone much more throaty than her normal one.
"Beauty-" I cut off with a strangled groan as her soft cool fingers griped my hard warm body. My eyes drifted shut of their own accord and I slipped languidly onto my back as she continued to please me with firm skilled hands. When cool air touched my flushed skin my eyes snapped open only to shut again upon instantly encountering the picture that her angelic face made with the tip of my hardness flush with her full lips. I grunted and lifted slightly off the bed when her warm breath tickled my tip and when her tongue swirled over me I damn near came undone like a ruddy second year just hitting puberty.
Mercifully Luna allowed me several moments to catch my breath before her warm, wet mouth wrapped around me. My hands went to the top of her head and she slid up and down my length her mouth driving me to distraction and her tongue melting me to putty. I tried to bend my legs so that I could shift my hips however they felt like they had been hit by a jelly jinks. Leaning forward I grabbed her shoulders in an attempt to pull her up so that we could make love properly and she could receive pleasure also. However my good intentions went out the window with one long, hard suck. Dropping unceremoniously back onto the fluffy pillows I bit my lips to keep from crying out as her mouth worked me like a five scooped cone from Florean Fortescue's. My fingers clawed at the pale sheets and my jaw clenched with the effort not to lift my hips and drive into her mouth like I so desperately wanted to.
Taking sever deep breaths I attempted to concentrate on Quidditch statistics in an effort to prolong my exquisite torture, however all was for naught when my head turned and I caught sight of us in the mirror. The image of her head twisting and turning along the length of my hardness will forever be at the forefront into my mind, however it wasn't that that sent me over the edge. No the mirror reflected something that will forever be burned into my retinas, a single pale hand, slipped between long milky thighs. She squeezed me roughly as her bright eyes closed and a warm panting breath tickled me as the movement of her wrist speed up. As she cried out having driven herself to her own release with deft fingers her tongue flicked out and swept over me and before I realized it I exploded. My eyes snapped shut as my body trembled in the most decedent seizure known to man as conscious thought became but a memory…
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Giving a light sigh I ran a hand though my hair and watched as the woman I loved slid out of my bed to return to her husbands. Frowning I looked away as she slipped back on her girly cotton panties, instead choosing to watch her reflection. Once she was presentable Luna climbed onto the bed and lightly kissed my bare neck and shoulder.
"Goodnight Plumperdink, I'll see you at breakfast, yeah?"
I nodded in response, catching hold of her hand as it rested on my shoulder. Maintaining my grip on her fingers I pulled it forward and kissed the top before lightly twirling her wedding ring with my thumb.
"When are you going to leave your husband and run away with me?" I quizzed with a small smile at her reflection.
Mirror Luna smiled back "When you tell your wife the whole truth about us."
When my brows rose in surprise her normally sweet face slipped into a bitter expression so brief I was left wondering if I had even really seen it.
"Goodnight Plumperdink," she whispered.
"Goodnight Beauty," I replied giving her hand one last squeeze before it was lightly pulled from my grasp.
I silently watched her reflection as she slipped soundlessly out of the room once more. My gaze fixed on the door long after her departure as my brain worked over her response to my question and the best time to follow through on it.
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