To Be With You
By: SunSarah
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or the songs lyrics or the group.
To be With You
Mr. Big
Hold on little girl I'm the one who wants to be with you Build up your confidence
Show me what he's done to you
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad
When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you
So you can be on top for once
wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much
I've seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you
Most people seem to already have known before I did. I guess it just seemed natural. Nothing in my life is natural, well, the muggle term natural. You see, I was born a witch.
By the time I went to Hogwarts, I knew nothing would ever be 'natural' by any means. Before I was eleven, making things fly, and changing yourself into an animal was a fantasy, a myth. Almost like my fairy tale books my mother read to me at night, where the beautiful princess would fall in love with the dashing prince. Things don't really happen that way.
By the time I turned sixteen, while I did not understand everything I was feeling, knew that something was growing between my best friend and I. Little things that no one noticed except us, subtle touching here and there, only slight flirting, but flirting all the same. Our other friend, who by no means was blind to the subtle flirting, years later told me he knew then, how we would wind up.
My first instinct the first time he kissed me, was to fall, and fall deeply. My second, the one that, thankfully, did not come out, was to recoil, this was my best friend, and he was kissing me. I, instead, went with my first reaction, and I began to fall.
We didn't come out publicly for a while after our first kiss, but I knew he only wanted our privacy a while longer. Falling for him was something that was very easy for me. I had known him for six years, knew almost everything about him, his wishes, his fears, his thoughts, his dreams. Our coming out, was something everyone expected. Draco Malfoy even commented on how it took so long for us to be together.
Soon, people began to almost see us as one person. When only one of us would be present somewhere, they would ask where our significant other was. Almost as if, one of us would be quite fragile without the other.
We said I Love You to each other the day before we were to leave for the summer. It was such a beautiful day, the weather lovely, birds chirping, an odd silence from the Slytherins, things were perfect.
We went through the summer keeping an almost constant conversation. The poor owl finally had a break when all three of us got together at Order Headquarters. Our reunion was a colorful event, both of us hugging, and then alternating hugging our other friend.
Two years later, we were still in Love, and still the best of friends.
That changed one night while I was gone one night to an all-night research meeting at Headquarters.
When I popped into our flat, I smelled it.
Perfume. A scent I don't wear, heck, I don't even wear perfume.
There, in our bed, was another woman with him. My love, my one true love, my heart, the other half of my soul, my dream, in bed with another woman.
I threw them both out, clothes or not, and burned the bed. My life, as it seemed then, was over.
A few months later, I had not seen nor heard from him, as I had kept from replying to many owls. The whore who stole my heart away from me, I saw three weeks later. One fight later, she was in St. Mungo's, and I in the Magical Law Enforcement Agency. Needless to say who won.
When I look back, I know that I will always be without half of my heart. The worst thing of all, I realize that on my wedding day, on the day we first kissed, on the day, now three years later, is the day we broke up, and my other best friend fell in love with me.
Some people say that I played with both of their hearts. No one will truly know the intentions that we three had during our ten years together. How my last remaining friend fell for me, when he knew I had no love to give, I haven't the heart to ask. I love the man I am marrying, but not in the way he wishes for us to be.
As I walk the isle with my father on my arm, I see his smiling face, and I smile back. The next best thing to marrying your true love, is marrying your best friend. With time, I know that I will get over Harry, and I will learn to love Ron. Harry broke my heart, and Ron is mending it.
o
One year after I married Ron, we ran into Harry. It was unavoidable. We had been running for years now. Now I had someone with me, whom I knew loved me.
I raised my eyes to his, and put a hand on my very swollen stomach.
"Haven't seen you in a while. How are things going?" Ron knew I was uncomfortable, but tried to keep the conversation light.
Harry looked at my belly, "Not nearly as well a you two seem to be doing. I heard you got married."
I nodded. "Twins. They're not going anywhere near Fred and George though."
Ron smiled, "Boys. I was hoping for girls, but I'm happy that they're healthy."
"You've already gotten brooms then, huh?" Harry smiled back, almost tightly.
"No, she won't let me until they are at least five, but by then we might as well give them wands too, with her brains." I felt the heat rise to my cheeks here.
The dark haired man nodded. "Maybe sooner than that. You're both pretty powerful people."
I couldn't stand it any longer, and I knew he wouldn't tell me unless I asked.
"Why did you cheat on me? You didn't even give an explanation."
Ron looked at me questioningly, and Harry just stared blankly at a nearby wall.
"It happened so fast. One minute I was drinking a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, the next I'm at home, with some girl I don't even know. She called me two months later and told me she was pregnant. She didn't even want it. I was stupid, so stupid, to even think that it would be okay for me to go alone there and drink. I always drink too much.
A few months later I got custody of my daughter, Alexandra, and I've been just 'around' ever since."
Both Ron and I were shocked. Me most of all. Had I stayed with him, I would have had a daughter, Stepdaughter to be precise, but a daughter all the same.
"Where is she?" All I could think about was my best friend, and his daughter. Not my ex-lover, nor even about the woman that was in my bed.
Harry looked around for a bit and then smiled, "She's in the toy store. I hired Suzan Bones as her full-time nanny. I'm gone some days, but I'm home most of the time."
Ron cleared his throat, "I think I can speak for both of us, can we meet her?"
Harry looked almost happy, "Yeah." We strode, or waddled in my case, to the toy store, where a small girl, with shiny black hair was reaching for a miniature Lightening Bolt, a broom Harry promoted.
"Lexi, come over here for a second please?" Harry gently called after the small girl with her back towards them.
The little girl, after hearing her father's call, turned and wrapped herself around his leg. When she finally looked up, both Ron and I noticed her bright green eyes. Now, it seemed, would be a Potter trademark.
Noticing the girl was looking at my belly, I bent down to her. "Hullo there! I'm Hermione, one of your Father's friends." Smiling, I kept my hand on my stomach.
"What's tha for?" Lexi pointed at her stomach.
"I'm having babies. Would you like to feel them?"
The little girl nodded, her dark hair flying everywhere. She disconnected herself from Harry and pressed herself against my rounded tummy. Right at the most opportune moment, one of the twins kicked, and almost immediately the other followed.
Lexi's smile grew with every movement. "Daddy, thewe's a baby in thewe!"
Both Ron and Harry smiled broadly. "Two of them."
I smiled up at them. "Should be any day now. We haven't decided on any names, but I think after they're born Lexi could come over to see them, if she would like that."
Harry nodded. "She'd love that."
Lexi peered up at Hermione, her bright eyes glowing, and her cheeks flushed. "Daddy, Can we see them now? Why not now? Thewe is stiw time befour my nap!"
Ron bent down beside me, gently helping me back up. "The babies aren't born yet Lexi, one they're born you can."
I rubbed my back, carrying two babies around all the time, and heavily pregnant, I was still surprised I wasn't bed ridden.
I winced. My unborn sons were more restless than they had been. It was very painful, but I didn't want to upset things.
Harry cleared his throat. "I think we should go. Lexi, say good bye, and we'll see the babies soon okay?"
The little girl sniffled and nodded, taking her father's hand and jogging to keep up with his long strides.
I turned to Ron. "She's very cute. Ron, I do want you to know, that I wouldn't change what happened for the world, and I'm happy." I smiled at him, hoping that he would understand.
His blue eyes moistened. "Mione, I know that given that he hadn't cheated on you, it would be his children, not mine that you're carrying. I love you, and I know that you're happy, but I want you to know, that I would do anything to keep you happy."
I smiled, beaming at him. "I-" I felt a jabbing pain in my side, and an uncontrollable rush of water left my body.
Ron's face whitened. "Let's get out of here; you need to see a Doctor."
o
There are no words to describe what I felt when I saw my sons or the first time. Just an immense feeling of love, and an urge to cry, just seeing them.
Ron was holding them when I woke up, and for the first time, I noticed that they had the trademark Weasley hair. I smiled, and laughed silently to myself. They had a full head of hair, not unlike me when I was born.
"What do you want to name them?" Ron smiled and walked over to me, handing me each one of their small bodies.
I inspected them, two ears, one mouth, ten fingers, ten toes, perfect little babies. "Damien Adam and Isaac Jacob. Memorable names for our children."
He smiled again, "Perfect."
I felt a rush of emotion, "Ron, I-I just, after almost two years of marriage, it's taken me long enough, but Damien and Isaac have made me realize that I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you--"
Ron chuckled, "Well, there was the whole it takes two thing."
I smiled. "I didn't mean that. Before we graduated, I told myself that Harry was my one true love, but Harry could never pull me out of something like that. And you did. And I'm only recently realizing that I'd be nowhere without you. Ron, what I mean to say is, is that, I love you. Not Harry. You and our sons, and I never for one moment wish that I was with Harry, raising a daughter that isn't mine, that I wished was. But with you, I have all that, and then some. I have my best friend."
His ears turned pink. "You have no idea how happy you have made me. Even before the twins were born. I love you and I will always love you."
o
"Which one is the boy? Can I hold the girl? Can I? Can I?" Lexi Potter hopped up and down from her spot beside Hermione's chair. Harry frowned.
"Lexi, calm down! You can hold one of the boys if Mrs. Hermione lets you. Not before."
Lexi, looking thoroughly scolded, sat beside her father on the love seat.
Hermione smiled. "Isaac and Damien should be up from their nap pretty soon. After they wake up you can hold one of them."
She stretched her worn body over her comfy leather chair. It had been two weeks since she had been in the Hospital, and she was still terribly sore. The housework in their large house was sure to never be done soon enough for her taste.
"Ron, Hermione, you have a really nice home, and it looks exactly like something you would raise children in. Especially with your mom, Ron, running about with them." Here he winked.
Ron grinned. "She bawled when she heard the news Herms was pregnant. And a few weeks later, bawled again, when she found out it was twins. These are special to her, more so than Bill, Charlie, Fred and George's bunch, because these are the first twins. I think she pities us." He shrugged here, and got up and fetched himself, Harry, and Hermione a glass of a muggle soda.
Hermione closed her eyes. "She should be happy that it's us and not Fred or George. Heck, not even Bill or Charlie could handle twins right now. Or Ginny."
Harry perked up. "How is Ginny?"
Ron sat back down, putting a pink straw in Hemione's glass, and handed it to her. "She ran off and married some foreign guy. Mum doesn't mind as much seeing as he's loaded."
"Foreign? Loaded? Ron, she married Viktor Krum! You practically went wild talking about when their kid's Quidditch skills would be like." Hermione snorted.
His ears flushed. "Well, they will be talented. But, she's warded off kids for the time being, which has Mum barking mad."
"She's just mad Ginny's the last one left to give her any grandchildren. She'd just always figured you'd be the last. I'd say Ginny is just biding her time to spring it on her, just maybe two months away form birth. Just to make your mum crazy." she smirked.
"S'how we should of done. Had a bloody cow at the hospital." Ron frowned.
"Ronald! Language!"
"Oops, sorry dear."
"Ahem, um, I think I hear one of the babies crying?" Harry spoke up from his place.
"Ooh!" Hermione jumped up as fast as she could, and raced upstairs to their room.
Soft snoring filled the room, as Harry, Ron and a sleeping Lexi were the only ones left.
Harry glanced nervously about the room, and crept over to his daughter, stroking her chubby face.
"She's all I ever wanted, family of my own, I hate how it happened, but I'm glad for you and Hermione, and I'm not angry, after all, how could I be, with what I've done to her? You will always be my best friend, she will too, and I just want you to know that."
Ron looked down at his shoes, "Listen Harry, when I found out about that night, it took almost all of my brothers to hold be back from going out and hurting you. And I would've hurt you; Badly. But times have changed, I have children now, and things that happened in the past shall remain in the past. I choose to try and forget, but know that the moment you even think of hurting her again, there won't be anyone holding me back, and she comes before you." His threat rang in the air, chasing Harry's words out of the room.
Harry straightened, "If that's how you feel, I don't blame you. Well, I guess we should go, see you around."
He gently lifted the little girl into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. He walked quietly out of the house, locking the door on the way out.
Ron plopped down in a recliner, his large hand running through his hair. He sighed heavily, he hated doing that, but he didn't want him to assume things were automatically okay, he wanted him to know that it wasn't okay, and that he would be dead if not for five brothers. However, he told him he would try and forget, impossible as it may seem. And he would, if Hermione wanted him to.
He jumped when he felt hands on hi shoulders, and he relaxed when he realized who it was. "Gee, you're jumpy!" She kissed his cheek.
Ron looked up at her, "Do you really want to be friends with him again? I know he seems sincere, but I just can't stop thinking of that day you came to the Burrow…" He trailed off.
Hermione sat herself in his lap, "Ron, I want to let things go, I want closure, I hated him for what he did, but I have so much more that what he could have given me. If I had stayed with him, I would have been bitter, but I didn't, and you gave me a new life, new prospects. Ron, I love you, I may not have realized it until the pieces of my heart came together, but this is where I'm supposed to be. I can just feel it. And you know how I hate Divination." She smiled, "I wouldn't trade you and the boys for anyone or anything."
The edges of his mouth grew upwards, " I've always wanted to be 'Uncle Ron'."
Hermione's eyebrows rose. "You are an uncle, Dear."
"I know that! I meant to Harry's kids. Silly Granger." He smirked.
"Ron, you look like a red-haired Malfoy when you do that. Stop." She kissed the corner of his mouth.
o
"Harry, I want you to meet someone. You know her, but she's changed. Just think about it. You'll really like her!" Hermione pinched his cheeks. Not those cheeks! He scowled and rubbed them.
"Who is she?" Hermione's smile grew, they were currently at an Order reunion party, a black tie affair.
She grabbed him and pointed to a woman in a far corner. "Remember her? Yes, that woman with the blond hair. Really pretty."
Ron rolled his eyes. For months now, it had been his wife's hobby to try and find a mother for Lexi, and wife for Harry. Currently they were 0 and 15. Apparently Harry was a very picky man.
"Who is she?" Harry's eyes had gotten a little bigger as he looked at her. "Oh Merlin." He had evidently found out her identity.
"Luna Lovegood? Hermione are you mad? She's one person short of a quidditch team!"
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Harry James, you will ask her to dance, and you will ask her for punch or juice after, no drinking. Stop being a baby and test the waters. Try something different, you may like it." Ron covered his laugh with an abrupt cough, knowing that was her mommy voice.
Harry's face became flushed, as many sets of eyes glued to him. "Fine! This is the last one!" He grabbed his apple juice, and threw it back, as if it were a shot of fire whiskey. He had been forbidden from drinking, as were Hermione's orders.
Making his way to her, he slowly realized in all the talking, he had forgotten he couldn't dance. He ran his hand through his hair. He was almost to her.
"Harry Potter, lovely to see you again." The blond woman turned to him, smiling.
He stopped in his tracks. She was prettier than he thought. "Luna, lovely to see you too." He smiled his crooked smile. Across the room Hermione smirked.
"What have you done after Hogwarts?" He messed with his tie, nervously.
She blushed a little, "I went to University, and realized that there were no snorknacks, or whatever they were. It was enlightening. Currently I'm training to be a sort of Dragon Keeper. I won't be working with the grown dragons, I'll be keeping watch over eggs in the incubator. Making sure things go smoothly. And you? How have things gone for you?"
"I'm the spokesperson for SweepIt, Inc. They make the Cleansweep brooms, and they're coming out with new models all the time. I have a little girl, she's almost three. She's very smart, almost too smart for her own good. She can speak very well, I'm always surprised on how much she picks up." He smiled softly, thinking about the little girl at home.
"What's her name?" Luna poured a glass of punch.
"Alexia. Alexia Tate." He grinned.
Luna smiled, "Could I meet her sometime? We could all have a picnic at my house, I live by a lake and it's gorgeous."
Harry's eyes widened. "She'd love that, I would love that."
Luna smiled and grabbed a napkin, writing down her address. "Floo here tomorrow at noon, I'll have everything ready." Before leaving, she stopped for a moment, and then reached up and kissed his cheek, walking out the door.
Harry turned around and stared after her. She certainly had changed. And he liked it.
He walked over to Ron and Hermione, a grin on his face.
"Did you ask her out? Well?" Hermione grabbed him.
"She asked me out, well, me and Lexi." He looked at her. Ron shoved a cookie in his mouth, and swallowed, "Still a date. That means she likes kids. A big plus." He nodded to himself.
Harry and Hermione stared at him. "Can I not contribute?' He frowned.
"Anyway, you have to go home, relax, and get things ready. Call tomorrow, immediately after." She said, sternly.
"Ron, let's go."
"Yes, Dear."
o
"Miss Loona, can I have a sandy-witch?" Lexi sniffled. They were currently trying to find a good spot, away from the crowd that decided to gather on the pretty Saturday.
Luna smiled, "We can stop here and eat, what kind would you like?"
The little girl's green eyes rounded. "'nannas and 'nut butter."
She looked very cute today, in pick over-alls and pig-tails. Her dark hair pulled together with ribbons.
Harry sat the wicker basket down on the sand, the tiny basket was then enlarged, and he began getting the supplies out. "Pumpkin or Apple?" He held two boxes up.
Luna sat down beside Harry, and began fixing the little girl's sandwich. She looked at Harry, and then back at the toddler. It really was strange to her, she had always had a crush on him, and it just felt right to be here with them. It was almost as if they were a family. Almost, but it was just the first date, she didn't even know if he liked her yet.
"What kind do you want, Harry?" She smiled.
He tapped his finger on his chin, "Ham."
"Ham it is, then."
Several minutes and napkins later, Lexi was playing with a small crab at the edge of the beach, with Harry's watchful eye on her.
Luna put a hand above her brow to watch her, " She's beautiful. You've really done a good job."
His cheeks flushed, "Really? It was so hard without her mother. There were some days that I wasn't sure if I could do it. Susan was a big help, I hired her when she started walking."
She turned to him, "What happened? I assume something went wrong. Especially since you got divorced to Hermione."
He looked at her, "I made a big mistake, and it hurt Hermione, badly. I had gone out drinking with an acquaintance, and of course there would be a pretty waitress there, flirting with me as I got drunk," He sighed, "She knew who I was, everyone knew who I was, and she took advantage of that, not that I blame her. It was my fault to go there, or drink at all. Eventually, I brought her to my house, and well, Hermione came home. Two months later I was divorced and she comes and tells me she's pregnant. I fought her for custody, I knew the baby would be exploited. The only thing she wanted out of the whole thing was a chunk out of my bank account."
Luna looked down at her hands, and she grabbed Harry's hand, "Harry, I'm proud of you to fight for Lexi, and I'm not going to tell you it was okay, it wasn't, but you should be able to do something about that woman. It was like she preyed on you. She knew you'd be drunk. But I don't think you'll find anything to get her for."
Harry watched Lexi dig for shells, she already had a collection beside her. "I don't think of it that way. She gave me something no one else could give, and in a way, it made Hermione happier because of it."
He sighed, stretching, "Lexi! Come on! We need to go!"
Luna got up, "Thanks for coming over. I had a good time. We should do it again, maybe. Just the two of us?" She smiled.
He blushed, "Sure, anytime." Lexi ran to him with her hand full of colorful shells.
"Daddy! Lookie here!" She smiled.
He crouched down, "Those are very pretty, almost as pretty as someone I know." He tapped her nose.
"Miss Loona, or me Daddy?" She put them in his hands, wiping her chubby ones on her clothes.
His eyes widened, "Why both of you sweetheart, Come on now, let's help Miss Luna with the basket."
Luna blushed as she put things up.
o
Many dates later, we gathered once again for the wedding of all weddings. Harry James Potter was getting married, again. Hermione sat down carefully, she was in a dress that was too small for her, to be honest. And the color didn't compliment anything on anyone. She smiled a little, Luna wouldn't ever really change.
Luna Potter was dancing her first dance with her husband. She looked beautiful in a simple gown with colored accents. Harry looked handsome in his tuxedo, dressed mostly in black. Lexi was flowergirl, and dressed similar to Luna.
Hermione stared at them, she had been in Luna's place a few years earlier, but she was happy where she was.
Even dressed in a lime green bride's maid dress. She looked across the room, there was a small room with glass windows full of little children and adults. Her sons were playing in the nursery with their cousins and friends. She got up, which was not an easy task, and walked over to the room.
Ron was in there playing with the now 18 month old twins, dressed in little suits. Her husband had lost his blazer and his shirt unbuttoned. She knocked on the door, and Bill's oldest, Rose, who was six, opened the door.
"Thanks, Rosie." She smiled. Ron looked up to see her coming.
"Isaac and Damien wouldn't let me go. Honestly! Go on, tell your mum." His ears turned red.
Hermione tousled the little boys' hair, making them giggle. "You don't need to make them lie, Ron. I would stay too." She winked at him.
"Lime is a good color on you."
"Now you need to lie. It makes me look fat."
Ron slouched against the wall, "It's to be expected. You'll wind up looking like Mum." He looked off.
She smacked his arm, "I will not! And don't you say anything like that again!"
He grinned, "After the baby is born you can go on and look just like you did before Isaac and Damien."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You told me I looked that way right after they were born."
His eyes widened. "And I meant it! Herms, I'm playing with you, smile? You're bound to get the girl you want this time."
She sighed, and leaned against him, "I want a girl, but I don't want to have to have seven kids to have her. Three or four is enough for me."
Ron swallowed, "Four? I thought three."
She entwined their fingers together, 'However many we wind up with is enough for me. It sounds contradictory, but someone is going to have to get 'fixed' if it gets to five. No more. And it's not going to be me."
Ron paled. "Oh Merlin."
"Joking! I love you Ron, and I'll always love you, just the way that you are."
He smiled and kissed her, "I love you too, all the puzzle pieces and stretch marks, and even the lime dress."
"Ron…"
End
Thanks for Reading!! If there are any mistakes, tell me and I'll fix them! This is a one-shot.
