When you were cheating
Hermione apperated with her two daughters on the porch of their house in Hogsmede. Hermione was holding on to two grocery bags. The girl on her right was eight years old. Alyssa had blue eyes and long curly brown hair. Ali, who was six years old, had brown eyes and shoulder length red hair. They too were carrying bags. Hermione kicked the front door open with her foot, causing one of the bags to rip and a head of lettuce rolled on the floor.
"Where do you want this mum?" Alyssa asked.
"In the kitchen, please. Thank you girls. Ron, come down here and help us with the bags! Ron!" Hermione noticed a blinking red light which indicated that there were messages. She walked over and pressed the button.
"Hello, Hermione, it's your mother. I just heard about you and your…." Hermione skipped that one and went to the next.
"Hello…hello! Oh, well. Hermione, its Luna call me back."
"Hey love! I'm just letting you know that I decided to go into the office today, so I will be home late. Don't wait up."
"Hey Mio, its Harry! I just wanted to make sure the four of us were still on for dinner tomorrow night. Let me know."
"Dinner? Hermione heard a loud smash that came from the kitchen. GIRLS!"
A small neighborhood in London Harry and Ginny sat down eating a luscious turkey. It wasn't often they ate together. Harry was always at the ministry, and Ginny wrote for a wizard magazine. The whole house was silent except for when a fork would scrape the dish.
"How was your day?" Harry asked finally breaking the silence.
"It was very busy. Ginny told him without looking up. How about for you?"
"It was fine. Harry stabbed at his meat. Don't forget that tomorrow we're having dinner with Hermione and Ron."
"Tomorrow? I can't go Harry I have so much work to get done."
"Yeah, so do I but we haven't seen them for a couple weeks. Come on Ginny!"
"No! I'm sorry, but you can still go."
The phone in the other room rang loudly. Both wanting to have an excuse and leave, they jumped up together. Harry tried to get to it first but Ginny had shoved by him like some ferocious animal.
"Hello? Oh hi! Umm…yes I can talk just give me a second." Ginny put her hand over the phone.
"Who is that?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"No one you know! A friend from work that's all. I'm going to take this up stares." She ran childishly up the steps and seconds later Harry heard the door slam shut. Lately its felt like Ginny has been up to something, but Harry wasn't sure what. He hoped it was all in his head. Then another voice in his head said, "Aren't you up to something too?" It was true there was a secret he had neglected to tell Ginny about his job. But he didn't see how she would find out.
Just then a light tapping sound was coming from the window. Harry turned and recognized it. The owl was black with beady eyes. Harry wrenched the window open to let him fly in. He landed on the back of the kitchen chair almost glaring at Harry as if he'd rather have died than deliver the letter to his house. Harry snatched it away from the owl so fast that he almost fell off the chair. The owl bit Harry's finger before flying back out the window and into the night sky. Harry unfolded the letter wondering who it could be. But his question was answered right away. The first thing he noticed was on the bottom of the letter. It was the dark mark. He was afraid of this! It had been only a matter of time before one of the death eaters would write to him. The letter was from Lucious Malfoy telling him that there would be a meeting next week on Tuesday.
Harry heard Ginny's footsteps coming down the steps. He quickly began to shove the letter into his back pocket right when she entered the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Ginny eyed him suspiciously.
"Me? Nothing! Who was on the phone?"
"Oh, it was just a girl from work. She invited me over to her house tomorrow so we can work on our article." Ginny did not make eye contact with Harry when she was saying thins though.
"So you are really not going to come with me and see Ron and Hermione?"
"I told you! I have to much work."
"Fine!" Harry walked passed her. He headed for the front door.
"Harry, where are you going?" Ginny called after him.
"I dunno! Maybe to a friend's house." He put a lot of en-faces on the word friend. He needed some air. The house just felt like it was closing in on him. He slammed the door behind him. Ginny stood bewildered at what had just happened. It seemed all they did these days was fight; they were worse then Hermione and Ron. She shook her head and blinked vigorously a few times in order to keep the tears in. Once again it was her who had to clean up the entire kitchen. Why couldn't he understand that she had work to do and it wouldn't kill him to help out occasionally?
The clock on the nightstand read 11.15pm and Hermione lay in bed glancing from the clock on the nightstand to the bed room door. Another minute past and Ron wasn't home yet. For the fourth time she picked up her cell phone and dialed Ron's number. He would surely answer the phone this time. It rang once, twice, three, five times and all she got was his stupid annoying voice mail. She was just about to leave a message when she heard laughter coming from downstairs. Once down the steps she saw Ron standing in the entrance way holding Ali above his head and spinning her around as fast as he could.
"Faster daddy…faster!" Ali continued to giggle uncontrollably.
"Ali Jane Weasley what on earth are you doing out of bed?" Hermione stood in her usual position, hands on her hips glaring.
Ron placed her back on her two feet stroking the top of her head. "I heard daddy come in and I wanted to say hi." She smiled her sweet innocent smile clearly inherited from her father.
"I don't care; it is way past your bedtime now get up stairs!"
"Okay. Night daddy!" She walked past her mom and up each step slowly.
"Where have you been Ron?" Hermione asked with a quick glance to make sure Ali was in her room.
"I was in the office. I left you a message on our machine so you wouldn't worry." Ron kicked his shoes off and threw his cloak on the couch.
"Oh… I got that message, but it's almost 11:30 and I just couldn't imagine what you'd be doing for that long." Hermione grabbed his cloak off the couch and hung it up.
Hermione! There is some paper work at times not to mention meetings occasionally." Ron headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He began to pull out ingredients to make a sandwich.
"You play on a quidditch team, Ron, what meetings and paper work would there be." She was leaning against the counter watching him closely. He refused to make eye contact with her.
"I still help out in the Magical Games and Sports Department; you always seem to over look that. And don't say you're JUSTon a quidditch team like that, as if it's not a real job."
"Alright I'm sorry it's just I had a really busy day and it would have been nice for you to be here and help."
"Well someone has to work in this family." Ron started to spread mustard vigorously on his sandwich.
"Why must you always bring that up? I'd love to go back to work but you wanted to have a family and one of us has to stay home with them." Ron reached around her grabbing a glass and went to sit at the table.
"Sorry Mio, it's just been a long day."
"Same here. She came over and pushed his dish away. Hermione stood behind him, her arms wrapped around his neck. Now that Ali's back in bed we could fool around a little. I could make you forget about your day." She started kissing his neck and nibbling on his ear.
"Not tonight Hermione, I'm really tired." He tried to go back eating his sandwich.
"I bet I can change your mind." She attempted to pull his chair out away from the table.
"Mio, no!" He stood up and took his dish into the living room, sat on the couch, and turned the TV on. Hermione leaned against the counter again a tear falling down her cheek.
The next day was Friday and after talking with Harry on the phone in the afternoon their dinner plans were arranged except instead of the four of them, Harry informed her it would just be the three of them. Hermione called Luna to see if she wouldn't mind baby sitting Ali and Alyssa tonight. When she got off the phone with her Alyssa was sitting in the single chair sighing.
"What is it Alyssa honey?" Hermione asked.
"Why do I need a baby sitter, I'm not a baby anymore."
"It's Luna, I thought you liked Luna?"
"I do but I want to come with you and daddy."
"Oh honey you'd be bored. We'll be spending the whole evening talking about grown up things."
"But I wanted to see Uncle Harry. I have something to give him."
"Well I'll make sure to tell him you said hello, and he'll come over some other time. Now would you like to help me with lunch?"
"Alright!" Alyssa stood up and followed her mom into the kitchen. Hermione showed her how to make meatballs. Alyssa always liked learning new things and cooking with her mom.
"Where are Ali and your father?"
"Outside giving flying lessons."
WHAT! Hermione opened the sliding door and peered out. Sure enough, there was Ron flying high in the sky with Ali just barely hanging on. Ron get down here now please!"
"In a minute Hun!" He yelled down at her.
"NOW RON!" A few seconds later Ron landed his broom and Ali tumbled off the back laughing.
"Mummy…mummy…did you see me, I was flying. I could touch the clouds."
"Yes I saw dear. Alyssa, can you take Ali and go get cleaned up for lunch?"
"Yes mum." Alyssa took Ali's hand and walked her back into the house.
"That girl is going to be a natural!" Ron smiled.
"Ron, I don't want you taking her on your broom anymore."
"What, why?" Ron whipped his brow with the bottom of his shirt.
"She is only six years old Ron, that's too young."
"Oh please I was six when I was on a broom."
"It was one of those toy broomsticks, that doesn't count."
Alyssa poked her head out the back door, "mummy, the timer went off."
"Oh dear!" Hermione ran into the kitchen quickly.
"I guess this means I won!" Ron called in.
Luna arrived around six o' clock that evening. It was Ron who answered the door and let her in. They exchanged greetings and he took her cloak to hang it up.
"Thank you so much for doing this, Luna." Hermione said when realizing who was at the door.
"Oh it's no trouble, I love your girls."
"Oh that reminds me love, I can't go with you tonight."
"Ron, what do you mean you can't?"
"I just remembered I have a late practice to go to."
"And you are only telling me this now? Come on Ron, how can you be so irresponsible?"
"Well I forgot and I have to go the team needs me."
"Fine! Whatever, I can't deal with this right now, I'm late and I'm not even dressed yet." She ran upstairs to freshen up.
"You should have told her your plans." Luna said calmly.
"I don't need advice from you Luna I have to get going. By girls!" Ron called up the steps. The door shut leaving Luna standing in the living room feeling uncomfortable.
Harry was sitting on a bench outside the Italian restaurant waiting for his two friends to show. He continued to stare down at his brown dress shoes and hum a song that Hermione so often would sing back in the days.
"Harry! I'm so sorry. I'm s...Sorry." Harry stood up quickly and looked down the street in the direction of the voice. Hermione was running down the street her high heels clicking on the hard pavement as she ran. A big smile formed on Harry's face as she approached him. Her hair was extremely curly and he even noticed a little makeup on her face. It was something he never saw her wear before. But the biggest surprise was the light purple dress she wore so well on her body.
"Hermione? It's okay, you're not that late." He hugged her tightly talking in the sweat smell.
"I hope you weren't waiting too long."
"Not at all, but where is Ron?"
"Oh he decided at the last minute that he wasn't coming."
"Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine. I'm starving."
"Shall we?" Harry held out his arm to escort her inside. The waiter placed them at a small round table situated comfortably in the back. A candle lit on the table and bread waiting just for them to enjoy.
"This feels like a date." Harry admitted.
"I feel like I'm 17 years old again."
"Well, you certainly look it tonight." They smiled at each other.
"So, what's new? How is work and Ginny?" Hermione asked as she buttered a role.
"It's good." Harry mumbled as he fidgeted in his seat.
"Harry?" Hermione tried to make eye contact with him.
"I hate that you know me so well. I haven't told Ginny about being a double agent, about working with the death eaters."
"You didn't tell her yet! Harry? What's the problem?"
"I've tried but every time I'm ready to something comes up. I know she should know but I'm afraid she won't understand."
"Well you need to make her understand. If I get it I'm sure she will."
"She's not like you Hermione, she's not even like she used to be."
"What'd you mean? How was she before?"
"She used to be fun! I mean she used to always want to spend time with me and it never mattered how busy she was. We would make the time. I dunno, maybe I'm acting like a child but lately it's almost as if she cares more about that stupid magazine job more than anything else."
"Did you tell her this?"
"No because I already knew what she'd say."
"Well it sounds like you need to be open and honest with her."
"Yes well it's not as easy to talk to her as it is with you. He took her hand and squeezed it. So, tell me about you and Ron."
"There's nothing to tell." She played with her silverware as she spoke. Harry continued to watch her just waiting for her to start talking.
"We're falling apart ever so slowly."
"I'm sure it can't be that bad. Is it?"
"We haven't slept together in weeks, and to be honest I can't remember the last time we had a decent snog. It's like he suddenly finds me disgusting."
"Wow you must be feeling desperate, I mean I know how you get if you haven't been roughed up a bit." Harry smiled.
"It's not funny Harry! Our marriage means nothing to him anymore. I don't think he loves me anymore." Her eye started to water.
"Mione? Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry."
"You're right; I am feeling a little desperate." She took her napkin and dabbed at her eyes. Harry smiled even bigger this time.
"Maybe I can help with that."
"Don't be funny Harry, not now." Harry thought to himself that he was being serious, nothing funny about it.
"I was being serious love."
"What! Don't be stupid. That's a ridiculous thing to say. We're married."
"Do you remember when we went out, I mean as short of a time as it was."
"Of course I remember." A smile formed ever so slightly on her face.
"Why didn't we get more of a chance?"
"Because, you wanted Ginny and I wanted Ron. Its how everyone wanted it to be."
"It was fun why it lasted though wasn't it?"
"It was one of the best times in my life."
The silence over took their table but each almost sensed what the other was thinking about. A happier time in their life, when they were together. It must have been planed or simply just bad timing, for laughter could be heard from a few tables over and when Hermione glanced over she noticed two people sitting dangerously close to one another. A young lady with blond hair and a reveling white dress sat with her arms wrapped around a tall fit red head man. It was her husband, the man who was supposed to be at a team meeting. If she wanted to admit it to herself, she knew for quite some time that he was cheating on her and it was only a matter of time before she found out. She knew what had to be done and as her feet remembered how to walk again they led her across the room and over to Ron.
"Hello Ronald." Her voice was calm but soft tears still managed to leak from the corners of her eyes.
"Hermione? What are you doing here?" He backed away from his date.
"I'm here with Harry, for the dinner you said you couldn't make. So how was practice…or I suppose it's still going on?" Hermione gestured to the girl.
"Perhaps I should leave. The young girl grabbed her purse and stood up. Call me Ron." She walked passed Hermione and out of sight.
"Mio, I can explain. Let's just go home and talk about this." He was on his feet now reaching a hand out to her.
"DON"T TOUCH ME!" She squealed and backed away.
"You're making a scene!" Ron hissed under his breath.
"I don't care! Let everyone know that my husband is cheating on me." Her voice was no longer calm but quite hysterical. Several heads turned in their direction.
"She's just a friend, we work together."
"I've believed those lies for too long. It's over!" She began to walk away but Ron was desperate. He grabbed her left arm pulling her back to the table.
"Let me explain!"
"I can't talk to you right now." Her voice was barely a whisper by now. She strode away as fast as her feet would let her. Not about to go back to her own table, she abandoned the restaurant completely. Harry threw down some money on the table and went after her. His mind couldn't even comprehend what had just happened.
"Oh, and this one is for Christmas Eve night when he lied and said he was going to the hospital to give Neville our gift." Hermione and Harry stood in the grass with shoes and socks off throwing rocks into the park's lake as hard as they could. An empty bottle of rum lay by their feet, most of it consumed by Hermione herself. Harry watched the fifth rock she threw fly out into the middle where an innocent duck was swimming by.
"We're running out of rocks love." Harry said soothingly.
"He's an ass."
"I know."
"The biggest jerk I've ever met!" Hermione kicked her foot through the water, stumbled and fell backward into Harry who caught her gracefully.
"Perhaps you should sit down." Harry suggested.
"The first thing I'm doing when you take me home is packing all of his things and putting them on the front porch. And I'm not even going to fold them like I normally would for him." She hiccuped.
"You're evil." Harry said sarcastically.
"There is one other thing I could toss." She pulled of her wedding band and gripped it tight.
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"It's never meant anything all this time. Let the ducks have it! She tossed it as far as she could and eventually heard a plop. That was the sound of my marriage. All these y…years, two beautiful girls…" She started to cry uncontrollably. Harry wrapped an arm around her. Harry made up his mind very fast, without putting that much thought into it, he kissed her soft lips letting her warmth soak into his skin. Three seconds went by then six, she hadn't stopped him. Instead her lips embraced what he was doing and pulled his body closer. It was just like being a teenager again when everything felt new and exciting. Nothing else seemed to matter, as far as they knew they were the only two people left on earth right now. But then Harry felt cold again, other thoughts reentered his mind and it was all due to the fact that she had finally pulled away from him.
"We can't do this Harry."
"Why not?"
"Because I just ended a relationship and you're still in one." She grabbed her shoes and started to walk.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll take myself home. I'll be fine." Before Harry could disagree, she was gone.
When Harry arrived back at his house, he felt tired, confused, and worried about Hermione. But all of those feeling faded away the second he turned the lights on. The first thing he noticed was dirty plates on the kitchen table, wine glasses on the counter and someone else's cloak and shoes. They were not his and they were certainly not Ginny's. As he climbed the stares he would pass a sock by the guest room, a black belt draped under the bathroom door, and hushed voices coming from the bedroom. Half of him had a right mind to not go the rest of the way. But just like a death eater awaiting the results of his trial, Harry had to face what was behind the door. He slowly turned the door knob and pushed it open slowly. The lights were off but the light coming through the window was enough to tell him that Ginny lay in bed with another man and if he made an accurate guess they were both naked. He willingly flipped the switch and watched both of them jump.
"Harry!"
"Ginny."
She knew there was nothing she could say to him, no lie to cover up. He was looking right at them.
"I guess this is the man you talk on the phone with every night."
"Harry, I am so sorry."
"Yeah me too." He walked out feeling his pulse rushing. The tears hadn't started yet but he knew it was only a matter of time and he didn't want to be in this house when they did.
The next couple days past by ever so slowly. Harry barely could remember anything he did or where he went. He vaguely remembered getting most of his things from his house but nothing more than that. Ron spent the weekend packing up what Hermione hadn't thrown out on the porch. It was extremely difficult for him to walk in and out of that house. He watched as all three of his girls watched from the kitchen and cried softly. He knew Hermione would get the kids and the house, and that's how it should be. It was the very next weekend and Luna offered to take both girls off Hermione's hands so she could have the time to herself. It seemed like a better idea than it was. Alone meant thinking about Ron and what was going to happen now. But she busied herself with packing old photographs away and crying every time Ron appeared in one of them. A knock on the door made her jump out of her skin. She stood fixing her untidy hair and opened it. Harry stood looking almost as depressed as she did.
"What are you doing here?"
"I miss you."
"Go away!" She tried closing the door on him but he pushed his way through.
"I've called and owled. You didn't respond, I was getting worried."
"This isn't a good time Harry." Hermione picked up the picture books off the floor and placed them on the coffee table.
"Did you hear about Ginny and me?"
"Yes, Luna told me a couple days ago."
"It seems we both have something in common."
"Let's not talk about it."
"You know, yesterday I went back down to the park and added my ring in as well. Childish, I know but I thought of you and it seemed like a good idea. It can be where all the failed marriages go." Harry chuckled more to himself but also trying to get a response out of her.
"Yes, well, I was really drunk that night."
"I know you were. I've been drunk every night since it happened to me." Harry laughed a little.
"You're drunk right now?" She asked staring at him.
"I'm almost completely over her now." He sputtered.
"I don't want you here like this!"
"Why, you'd rather me act like you sitting at home looking at old photos and crying my eyes out. Thanks, but I'll pass."
"How dare you!"
"He left love…he's gone and right now as we speak he's probably in a spare room with another girl and having the time of his life."
"Get out!"
"At least you get the house. You want to know what I get…what Harry gets, nothing. As usual!" Harry was stumbling around while he talked.
"Harry leave!" He walked closer to her but she reacted immediately. She threw one of the glass picture frames right at his head. It was an accident; she never meant to hit him so hard. He fell backwards on the floor and didn't move. Passed out half from being so drunk and the other half because of getting the wind knocked out of him by a simple picture frame. When he opened his eyes he was laying on the couch next to Hermione who had an ice pack on his head.
"What happened?" He attempted to sit up.
"I hit you."
"Oh, well, that would explain the pain on my head."
"I'm so sorry Harry, I didn't mean to."
"So tell me, how big of a jerk did I act towards you before this happened?"
"You were border line of being an ass."
"I apologize."
"You are forgiven."
"I think we're going to get through this."
"How do you know that?"
"Listen! We started off together, right?"
"Yes."
"But then decided it probably wouldn't work out and went with the people everyone thought we should be with."
"Yes."
"But they didn't work out, and now here we are sitting both wondering what we did wrong."
"I don't really think it was our fault."
"Me neither."
"So what do we do?"
"What we should have done to begin with." Harry pulled her close and began kissing her as fast as his lips would allow. Once a half hour went by they stopped and stared at each other.
"We can't just get back into a relationship after just getting out of one."
"Who says? Where do the rules state that?"
"How do I know you won't leave me?"
"Have I ever left you before? I've always been right here."
"This is insane!"
"I know!" They continued to kiss and eventually ended up on the living room floor, their clothes scattered and Harry only just realizing the source of his side hurting was due to another picture frame he was laying on. It was a picture taken way back when the two of them first started dating. Harry stared at it, smiled, and turned back to look at Hermione.