DISCLAIMER: HP belongs to JKR. The storyline, all new characters, new character development, new developments are my intellectual property. Glorioux
Thanks to the gentle readers who have kindly reviewed.
Warning: If Ron Weasley's bashing bothers you, skip this chapter. Minor violence inflicted upon a wizard with a big mouth.
Chapter 2 –Another broken-heart makes 4-half pieces
A Beer-Bar - Belgium, November 2004-
A tall ginger-hair man and a shorter man with messy dark hair, walked into the exclusive beer bar. They dressed similarly, dark jeans, dragon hide boots, dark jumpers and leather jackets, both were extremely handsome and reeked of money and fame.
Gaston, the barman, recognized them on the spot and was momentarily caught in hero worship; they were non-other than two thirds of the golden trio looking rather put-out. He ignored them for a minute, searching towards the darkened back of the establishment while drying glasses out the glass washer.
Gaston was a young wizard who loved the Muggle scene; his honorable ancestors had come from the islands of the rising sun. He had worked at the pub for nearly half-year, the same three days during the evenings. His workdays coincided with the days that Miss Granger, who was here in assignment, came by to have a beer, or a tea, and a light meal while she read a book, always alone.
He had a serious crush on the unattainable Mrs. Weasley; no, her name was Miss Granger, as she had corrected him the first time. He was only eighteen, and it was enough to see her at his bar. Besides, he loved to tell all his mates how beautiful she was. They were all envious of him, and asked for daily details of how she looked.
"Excuse me mate, have you seen a young woman with long curly hair—about this tall, not very pretty, ah, and she dresses rather, hmm, cheap; if you know what I mean, a slag."
Ron Weasley, had addressed Gaston, his voice was defiantly angry, and he looked down on Gaston, what an ass.
Gaston's stomach started to churn, if he was a hero, why was he using such words to refer to Miss Granger? She always looked very nice, trés chic in her modern clothes, very elegant, maybe sexy, but a slag never. For pity's sake, she never talked to anyone; let alone welcomed any approaches. He should know, he had to call security more than once.
"No Messieurs, I haven't seen anyone matching your description," answered Gaston, with the snobbiest voice he could muster.
"I have, however, seen Miss Granger, a beautiful and elegant witch," he lowered his voice to a whisper at the last word, "If that is who you wish to find."
Harry Potter let out a chuckle when he heard the retort, and even louder the moment Ron's face changed to a deep shade of red.
"Nobody is paying you to have a smart mouth; do you know who are you talking to? We are Potter and Weasley, the war, you must have heard about us. Moreover, since you know of Miss Granger you must know who we are, where is she?"
Weasley haughtily demanded coming right into Gaston's personal space, not respecting his boundaries, and obviously letting him know he was the alpha.
"Are you looking for me dear hearts?" asked the witch in question, coming straight towards them, a small glass of brew in her left hand, and her right hand deep in her pocket, probably holding her wand. Gaston had to suppress a delighted smile, but not for long, the two heroes would soon make the witch cry.
"So, when the fuck are you planning to come back home and finally end this charade?"
Ron stood in an angry stance and moved right in front of her. Gaston sensed Ron's clear intention to use his height, a good seven inches taller than her, to intimidate Miss Granger.
"And have you forgotten our vows, and how about the promises right before the battle? We have only slipped a little, but how about you: a liar, a deceiver, and a rotten shag to top it all. Had you not told us, 'I only need signatures on the papers, no divorce but only in case we cannot work things out, shall we call it 'my insurance?'" Weasley was spewing the words that came to his mouth, showing zero respect for the woman he had married.
"Those were your words, you lying cow. We trusted you and instead you lied to King, told him that we had consented, and you went away to hide in a foreign assignment." He kept getting closer to her as she stepped back, not minding his hurtful words and pressing his finger onto her shoulder.
Gaston had to restrain his emotions, he wanted to jump and pull him back, but he could be fired for such an involvement. He was clenching his hands throughout the entire speech.
"By the way, the divorce is no longer valid; effective on the first of this month, we are only separated until you fulfill the terms of the contract. Remember the: we love each other and I want to have at least one child of each. Why don't we add it to the contract?"
Potter was also pale and stood there doing nothing to stop Weasley, as Gaston would later relate.
"The house is falling apart; we have to eat take-away every day. Molly is doing our laundry; we have to pay a civil servant to pay our bills and manage the vaults while we are away playing Quidditch. This is just intolerable, besides I do miss you in bed and all over the house." Potter, the coward he was, added his two sickles worth but avoided her eyes.
Both wizards had the appearance of lions ready to pounce on an injured gazelle. They had a hidden agenda, Gaston was sure of that. Subtle signs were being exchanged between the two, if only he could warn her.
"I must have missed it, did you miss me because? Aha, because you don't have a house-slave, someone to run the manor while the boys are gone to play their game? A couple house-elves would better serve the purpose."
"Love, it sounded all wrong, please forgive us, we are lonely and miss you at home and in our bed, even more with Christmas coming up. Remember last year? The big ball you put together took you over a month, and it was the most talked social event of the year. Your beauty made us the envy of every male in the room. Even Malfoy, father and son, drooled at your presence." Potter's face glowed with an intense emotion.
"The ball was great, but not as much as our private party, the all 'night-shagging' that followed. I know that nobody can give us the magic you do, the feeling of true love. I have never been unfaithful, I might have watched but nothing else. Besides my feet miss your tiny cold feet close to me in bed, and your sweet bum pressed against my, ehem."
Potter's voice was low and husky, and Gaston couldn't believe they were discussing such private matters out in public, granted the bar was still empty. Nevertheless, he was an outsider and witnessing the entire encounter. As for the, "I just watched…" What was Potter doing while he watched? Hello, didn't he enjoy the show? It had to be one of the lamest defenses he had ever heard.
He was guilty of breaking his vows as much as the ginger-hair idiot, no matter is excuses.
Potter's eyes turned all dreamy, and Weasley advanced in an attempt to get closer to Miss Granger. The little sex reference had turned-on their male mode. And just then, Potter's arm sneaked around her waist. In one jump, Weasley was in front of her, and they had made a human sandwich out of the small witch.
Gaston thought he would burst a vein at his inability to intervene.
Gaston had figured it all out; she was in a relationship with the two wizards, so all the speculation was true, it had been a three-way bonding. The press wasn't allowed at the wedding, and there had not been any following releases. However the rumor mill had always speculated. Some love match, the happiest of triads they weren't. She appeared to be miserable in between the two possessive and muscular wizards. They didn't deserve her that much was clear to him.
"What you two need is a social hostess, and someone to warm your bed while you are in town, and your groupies aren't around for party-time. And let's not forget Ginny and her friends from the Hollies. Why don't you ask them, at least it isn't happening at my home. It makes me sick to think you were shagging all those witches on my own bed, at my grandparent's old home." Gaston could see her body shivering and anger ran through him.
"Harry, Ron, let's not forget that I was working to defend the half-breed orphans in countries ravaged by the war, per your own request, as request by Francesco, the PR for your team." Her voice was bitter and flat, her shoulders slumped, the fighting witch featured in books, posters, the role model of little girls the love object of more than one wizard in her torn battle clothes, was but a defeated young woman.
Gaston could see her resistance winding down; Potter massaged her neck with one hand, her torso with the other, and kissed her neck with his eyes closed as her body fused into his. You could see the wizard loved her, but it made him mad. It wasn't jealousy what he felt but sadness; it downed on him that was their agenda, to seduce her and bring her back. Now, Weasley rubbed her forehead with his, and his lips were on hers as they faded away…
Gaston was a little sad that he hadn't been able to hear very well what went on, only bits and pieces. He wished he could understand all that was said, especially later on. There was a lot more conversation, a lot more he didn't hear.
They all left the room for a long while; and when they came back, the two wizards were smiling with a -I was shagged, type of look-, whilst Miss Granger looked upset at herself.
The two were holding her by one arm. Potter leaned on her direction, not able to keep his hands-off her, and wouldn't stop kissing her hair. He appeared to have reached a star; no doubt that he was very much in love with the witch, making the situation all together more bizarre. 'What a fool,' Gaston thought. Finally, she got away from them and came to the bar. Potter appeared forlorn when she left.
"Frozen vodka with one splash of sweet lime juice, make it a small pitcher, a double pitcher." She asked Gaston.
Gaston noticed her eyes full of tears and didn't know what to say. "I know what you are thinking and whatever it is, it is right. I am a fool for all they want is a house-sex slave." Tears escaped her eyes while she sat there for a few minutes, making Gaston disconcerted. In his job there were many lonely people who talked to him, but this was a first for Miss Granger.
"I don't even know anymore. I can only say I love one of them, and I probably will for the rest of my entire life. As for the other, he has ruined everything. Moreover, he was my mistake from day one. You cannot expect anything from those who have nothing to give." All Gaston could do was to listen.
Before she knew, they were back and approached her, both trying to physically take a hold of her.
"Let's go love, we will get your things and go home. We can continue playing in our own room." Wesley was loud and cocky.
She pushed the two wizards from coming closer, "Get your grubby hands away from me. I haven't forgotten, and I won't try for more babies." She stood up and stepped backwards.
"You," she pointed at Weasley, "tried to void my potion and my spell. And you, Harry, you looked the other way, even if with disgust and didn't do anything about it. You two are despicable rats, who came here to take me back by force and to get me pregnant. Using my body against me knowing my feelings, this was the last time."
Gaston deduced that they had shagged during the last couple hours they had been gone, and the wizards had tampered her contraceptive protection. He thought she was glorious in her anger, and was glad there were no other customers to see her hair crackling with magic.
Miss Granger had continued, "I lost my two babies from the stress of what I saw; hell, I can still see it in front of my eyes. And alsofrom Ron pushing me so hard against the rail of the terrace, right after I found you shagging those groupies in my room, on my bed," and she stopped as if she was remembering something, her voice was breaking.
"I guess, looking back, Harry was truly watching which is also disgusting. Ron, I should foremost remember that you are here, because, you fear Harry's desertion if I'm not back. And Harry, for your information had you come alone, I would had gone back but only to you. However, because you insist in protecting the ginger-bottom-dweller, the offer is no longer available; and never as long as you protect and back that scum."
Harry was clearly ashamed, "Mimi, please lower your voice, we are in a public place, and please forgive me, I know I have done wrong." And against her wishes took a hold of her hand, held it against his lips, and dried her runaway tears while she talked, with great tenderness. It was easy to see that she wanted to be with him.
Gaston could also see that Mr. Potter really loved the witch. And he wondered how he could be so blind? To prefer Mr. Weasley instead of the beautiful and nice Miss Granger.
"Yes, Ron, I am talking to you, not once have you asked for forgiveness, for your part on the babies' deaths. And you Harry, have you lost all your good qualities? What happened to friends for life before lovers?" She straightened her body showing defiance, and making Gaston glad.
"Please go, the two of you; yes Harry, you, because you will be and are a coward and still back him up. Leave, you have done enough damage, you have said and done enough for one day. Consider the nap, or whatever it was back at my room a good-bye gesture."
She pulled her hand away and stepped back one more step.
"And, yes, you are right; we are in a public establishment. We are, however, the only ones besides the bartender but the crowd will soon be coming. Thus, it might be best if you'll go now."
She drank a long sip of her vodka. "And as for these rings, trust me when I say, I will find a way to get them off. You should know that I'm not yours to tag like a cow." She pointed at two rather beautiful rings, one hugging each ring finger.
Harry seemed sad when he held Weasley by the arm, "Come on Ron we will try later but she is right. We did many things wrong; let her get better, and then we can come back. It is too soon; and, just try to imagine what would happen if Molly was to find out about the babies. Let's go and maybe, maybe something good might come out of today."
Potter seemed crushed and not all-together well. At this, Gaston felt a teensy bit sorry for him but not much. Potter should punch Weasley, fall on his knees in front of Miss Granger, beg for forgiveness, kiss the ground where she walked, and grovel for maybe a year.
"Are you dumb Harry, she is just a slag. She is here to find Muggle shags. We wizards are nothing to her. After we asked her to be with us, such an unattractive Mudblood, and she doesn't even know how to shag. I was a lad and blind." He was once again flushed, with darker splotches of red all over, and he was on a nasty roll.
"Humph, then she wonders why we need some on the side. She is a great solicitor, a powerful witch, a good cook, and a graceful social hostess, but cannot even keep babies in her. Face it, shaging her today was slightly better than using my hand." Weasley's mean and crude remarks, made Harry appear absolutely sad and miserable.
Potter stood in front of the taller wizard and held him by the arm, with a firm grip.
"If you call her names just once more consider our friendship over, forever. You don't ever again call her the M word, not in front of me or behind my back. And you never, ever, question her morals. You have no room to say anything." Potter was nose to nose with Weasley.
"Furthermore, don't challenge me here. Lastly, not once, as you well know it, I have sought any on the side; furthermore, the witches you bring to the hotels are for your use. Most of the time I am somewhere else, and I am tired of making excuses for you. You have cost me the witch I love."
He had to stop, to calm himself. His voice coming in angry gasps.
"I wish you would tell her what I have told you time after time; I don't agree with your comportment and never have. You were the brother I never had. I have more than enough with the ones I chose to be with, and I neither wish nor want anyone else. And as long as I have hope, I will never look for anyone else. Let's go and keep your mouth shut, or, I will make it happen, understood?"
Gaston saw the savior of the Wizarding world for the first time, he looked scary and powerful. Amazing, his hair also crackled with magic.
The fool didn't understand, "She is a slag, and I will say it again, a worthless witch, a whore, and her blood is unclean."
Ron looked at her, his eyes narrowed with hatred, and Harry backed up and pulled his wand, but then thought better and stood frozen. His hands fisted, his body shook, his face paled, and then as in slow motion his hand made a very tight fist and hooked him right on the jaw, which made the taller wizard loose his step. Ron never saw that coming.
Weasley's last words had been way too much for Gaston, who jumped over the bar. He cleared the counter with no effort; it was as if he had flown over the tall counter, coming from a long line of magic ninjas it wasn't a feat.
He landed on Weasley's side at the same instance that he was recoiling from Potter's hard punch, and connected with Weasley via a flying kick on the side of the head, not too hard, but strategically centered to hit a specific spot.
It was magically calculated to precision, and the kick alone was guaranteed to put him out for several hours. Additionally, Ron Weasley would be impotent for at least two hundred and thirty two days, a little extra-treat caused by pressing the marked-point during the kick.
"If you do it again, right on his bollocks, you have one thousand galleons." Harry told him, his face hard, lacking all traces of his former joviality.
"My pleasure," he just pressed with his foot on an area outside of the thigh, and Ron twitched in pain, even when out.
"Merry Christmas Mr. Potter, that was better than a kick. He will be both impotent and his bollocks will hurt whenever he thinks of sex, at least for the next two hundred and thirty two days. Now, please clear this rubbish away before I call the security guards. I wish you well. And if I may be so bold, I cannot understand how you choose this sorry wizard over the lovely Miss Granger; I thought you had more sense than that."
Of course he knew that Miss Granger wouldn't entertain any notions of reconciliation with Mr. Potter, not right now.
"Sorry Hermione, please forgive me. I love you very much, and I hope one day you will take me back, I will keep trying; I never said or thought the things that came out Ron's big mouth. Please Mimi, forgive him for your peace of mind, not for him. He doesn't think about the things he says. Please forgive me and think of another chance. I will wait, and I will ask you again." Potter's eyes were teary, and Gaston could sense his anguish.
Miss Granger didn't look at Potter, who performed some kind of wandless magic, and took Weasley without a hitch into the room with the floo; Gaston accompanied him, and made sure they were gone. Potter gave him a purse which contained 1,500 galleons, as he found out later.
"If he comes back looking for her, call this number, and don't let him get to her. I don't trust him. I left you something extra for your troubles and any calls." He sounded concerned.
It took him but a couple of minutes and upon his return, Gaston helped her sit down. He went behind the bar and poured her an Armagnac, "Drink it, Miss Granger. It is on the house. Mr. Potter loves you, and he is obviously conflicted; you should wait before you make a final decision; I think you have known him all your life. Love like that never dies. "
Since that day, Miss Granger wasn't the same. So much for famous war heroes, Gaston thought, and wished he was a little older to offer something to the beautiful witch. How could she believe the lies of one nasty wizard? He might be famous and rich, but Ronald Weasley was one sorry fool, and if he had the chance, he would like to beat him up within an inch of his life.
Mr. Potter would call him occasionally, at least once a week to inquire upon her, and to make sure Ron wasn't harassing her. Gaston would always say the same, "You should call her yourself, as my honorable grandfather often advises, "Never leave pretty hen alone, too many randy roosters in pen."
Xox
A/N. Ah, Harry always following the wrong advice, alas. I think she needs a knight in seeker armor.