Chapter two

Over the next few years Mrs. Weasley and a few others tried to get Harry and Ginny to have another child. They didn't, saying they wanted to spend more time with James before having more. Hermione and Ron had finally decided to have a family, Hermione gave birth to a daughter they called Rose, who looked like her mother but had her father's ginger hair, much to the delight of Mrs. Weasley. Then they had a son Hugo, again with ginger hair. Even though she loved all her grandchildren, sometimes she acted a little different with James Potter because he didn't resemble a Weasley at all, he was Potter all over. The only one of the Weasley's grandchildren not to have some Weasley red hair trait. Bill and Fleur's children had started off with blond hair, but before they turned a year old, their hair had turned ginger.

Harry had finished his assignment that had caused him to be away from home for three days and nights, so he hurried home to see his son. The moment he stepped into his house, his six year old son James saw him and launched himself into Harry's arms who spun him around until they were both dizzy and laughing loudly. Ginny watched her husband and son with a smile on her face.

'Hi Gin, how's he been,' Harry said giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

'Missing you, asking all the time when you would be home, but apart from that, he's an angel,' Ginny smiled at her son who was clinging to Harry. 'Harry, after he's in bed, can we talk, there's something I need to say?'

'Sure, the moment this little quidditch star is snoring, we'll talk,' Harry never took his eyes off James. Ginny noticed it was the only time Harry's eyes lit up with real happiness and that was always the same. Harry never seemed truly happy unless he was with James, if she was honest with herself, she seemed to be the same.

So after Harry had given his son a bath, got him into his pyjamas, then bed, he read his son three stories. He would have kept going but he finally told James it was time to sleep and would see him in the morning. Still James wanted his father to stay, but after making Harry promise he wasn't going anywhere, he finally closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Harry poured himself a drink, drank that one before getting a second, then sat down opposite his wife and could tell she wasn't happy.

'Is it because I was away again Ginny?'

'No, well part of it Harry,' Ginny sighed, 'I think we should be honest with each other. Neither of us has really been happy, not for a few years.'

Harry sighed but nodded, 'No we haven't, when I was away, I did a lot of thinking about that and finally worked something out.'

'That we never truly loved each other in the way we should have?'

'We really shouldn't have let your mother talk us into marriage, because if we did have that extra time, I think we both would have realised, we just weren't meant to be Gin. I know you love me and I love you, but we're not really in love with each other and never were. Those times were the worst, a war, not the best time to really work out how we feel. Then we were all so tired from being tense for so long, always wondering what was going on. Seeing your mum after Fred, all I wanted to do was make her happy. She'd basically raised me and become my mother from the age of twelve. All of us just wanted to start normal lives and I believe we did fool ourselves into thinking we were in love when we weren't.'

'I agree Harry and with me, I think I was more obsessed with you than in love with you. I'm sure you remember the first time you came to the Burrow, how I kept spluttering, or knocking things over. You were the boy who lived, and you were in my family's home. So I really think I fooled myself into believing I was in love with you.'

Harry sighed again, 'Yeah, we fooled ourselves and everyone else. I wanted to be part of your family, so I fooled myself into thinking I was in love with you to stay part of the family,' Harry took a drink, 'It will be hard on James.'

'Yes, it will, but you can see him any time you want and take him when you're not working. You know that I wouldn't take your son away from you. I just want you to be happy and for me to be happy.'

'I know you wouldn't take James Ginny. So do you want me to leave tonight, because I promised James I'd be here in the morning?'

'Tomorrow's fine, but where will you go?'

'Well, you know I had my parent's house fixed, even if I never wanted to live there. I just wanted to get to know my parents through their belongings so I might stay there until I get another place. But when are we going to tell the family?'

'I'll tell them straight away just in case James lets it slip you don't live here anymore. I'll try my best to explain that it was a mutual decision because we both realised we weren't happy. You know we'll both get asked right?'

'Whether we've been cheating on each other, or probably me more than you, I know. But we both know the truth, we've only ever had sex with each other and even then, not as much as Ron and Hermione, he tells me all the time.'

'That's another things, both of us always said sex, not making love. Even though we both love James and wouldn't change having him, but this marriage never should have happened.'

'No, it shouldn't. Anyway, I'll go pack my stuff and stay in the spare room tonight. But I know one thing, none of your family will be happy.'

'No, I'm expecting an ear bashing from mum, we'll be the first to ever divorce. Not one Weasley had ever been divorced before.'

'Yeah, I've heard you mum say that quite a lot, she seemed very proud of that. I used to wonder about my parents, whether they would have stayed together after the first war. Sirius did say that had a few big fights because dad just couldn't seem to get serious so mum always started on him, she was a red head, they have tempers,' Harry gave Ginny a smile.

'Yeah, we do and I know I yelled at you a lot Harry, but I realised it was because I was confused. But since James came along, it's given me a lot of time to think about us. I know we're doing the right thing and I'm not going to let them try and talk us around, it would make it worse if we kept going.'

'It would, but after, I'm expecting a howler from your mum, and probably Ron. I'll see you in the morning Ginny when we explain to James. As long as he knows I'll see him all the time, let's hope he sees I still love him and this has nothing to do with him.'

'Well explain Harry, good night,' Ginny gave her husband a smile and watched as he walked up the stairs. But she sighed in relief and felt like a great weight had been lifted and knew Harry felt the same. It was the right thing to do, you can't stay with something when you didn't love them. She was pleased it went so well, for James' sake, this way they could stay friends so James never has to see his parents upset or fight, they just wouldn't be living together anymore.

The following morning Harry had James dressed and had him eating his breakfast when Ginny stepped into the kitchen.

'Mummy slept in,' James giggled.

'No, I've been awake for a while James,' Ginny gave Harry a look and he understood, she had been giving Harry and James time alone before they got to their explanation. So Ginny grabbed a cup of coffee, poured one for Harry then she sat down kissing James on the head. The moment James had finished eating, Harry and Ginny slowly and gently explained that even though they liked each other, they didn't want to live together anymore, but would always be there for him. James of course cried and clung to Harry which made the auror tear up as he held his son. But they kept telling James that Harry would see him all the time, after work, on weekends and some weekends he could stay with his daddy. Finally Harry had to force James' arms free and hand him to his mother because he didn't want to cry in front of his son. Harry quickly kissed his head, grabbed his bags and left his home to begin a life as a single man that would only see his son at certain times.