A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Nothing else to say really so onto the chapter!
DISCLAIMER: Not mine!
Chapter Fourteen: A Broken Love
Molly muttered angrily as she placed the bags of presents on the kitchen table. She walked over to the rack of cloaks and pulled her burgundy one off before pulling her apron on. The sound of the back door opening caught her attention and Molly peeked around the corner to see Fleur walking in with Rianna and Jonathon in tow.
Molly sighed and walked over to the stove and put on the kettle to boil.
"Hello Molly," greeted Fleur, "How was shopping?"
"Oh just dandy! My daughter is wonderful friends with bloody Narcissa Malfoy! They have gone shopping together!"
"Oh… I see… Jonathon, Ri-Ri. How about you both go play?"
The children nodded and wandered off to the living room. Fleur walked over to Molly and helped unpack the groceries; the bags of presents were placed over by the window at the far end of the cluttered room.
"You do not like the Malfoy family?" asked Fleur.
"Oh, Draco is okay. He is the good one. I have never seen eye to eye with his parents, neither has Arthur."
"People do change, Molly. Look at Hermione. I remember her at Hogwarts as the… bossy one who was like a textbook. Now she is a sophisticated, sexy mother."
Molly nodded, she was glad Fleur's English was better. She could remember the days when it sounded like Fleur replaced a lot of letters with the letter Z in words.
"I feel like I am loosing my daughter to her. They were so happy."
"Molly, you are Ginny's mother. Narcissa cannot replace you, she is merely a friend," said Fleur with her hands on Molly's shoulder, "Now stop this sad talk. Let us cook a wonderful meal for our husbands."
Molly smiled and her and Fleur were soon cutting away at vegetables and cooking thick pork chops.
O
"Will Daddy like that?" asked James poking the bag with the present from him and Rianna; it was a framed picture of the Quidditch team Harry captained in his sixth year.
"He will love it," grinned Ginny, "It's getting late."
"It is," murmured Narcissa, "I should get home. My husband will be wondering where I am."
"I had a great day, Narcissa."
Narcissa nodded with a smile, "So did I. I shall see you tomorrow?"
Ginny nodded, "Nine AM on the dot. Bye."
"Bye Ginny, Bye James."
"Bye nice lady," waved James before holding onto his mother's hand tightly to apperate.
Ginny opened her eyes to be in her mother's kitchen with James by her side.
"Hey Mum. Hi Fleur!" greeted Ginny, "Sorry, things took longer then expected."
Molly nodded without replying. She continued to vigorously cut away at the carrot, causing Ginny to give Fleur a confused, yet worried look.
Fleur pretended to not notice and moved over to the stove to turn over the pork chops.
"Did Rianna break something valuable?" asked Ginny looking at her mother.
"What things in this house are valuable? Perhaps you should go visit your new bestfriend for that to happen," snapped Molly, turning to place the carrots in the pot with the beans.
"This is about Narcissa isn't it?"
Molly didn't reply as he stirred the cooking food.
"Mum. We are friends. Just because you hate her doesn't mean I have too as well."
Molly spun around, "That woman took part in luring Harry to the Ministry years ago!"
"People have histories! Everyone does something that isn't good. I have, so have you! People change… you can't hate people for the wrongs they have done. Draco done horrible things to Hermione, you don't see her throwing daggers at him!"
"Draco is different."
"Draco is Narcissa's son. If you are going to be like this because I am a friend with someone you don't approve of then fine, that's your problem… I'm 24, Mum. You can't control my life anymore," Ginny picked up her bags of presents and called her children. Within a minute Ginny was gone.
O
Hermione wrapped the warm pink towel around Dakota and chased her to her bedroom, causing Dakota to giggle like crazy. Down in the kitchen Draco was cooking dinner. Hermione smiled as she caught Dakota and tickled her. This was how life should have been a long time ago… only with her married to the man she loved. But for now, this was perfect.
"What pajama's shall little Dakota wear tonight?" asked Hermione pulling open the draw with Dakota's bedclothes in them, "Cookie Monster?"
"No!"
"Hmm… flower one's?"
"No!"
"Monkey one's?"
"No!"
"Elmo one's?"
"Yes!"
Hermione pulled the outfit out, along with underwear and a singlet. She dressed Dakota and pulled on the little pink slippers with a smiling flower on them.
"All dressed… wait a minute!" called Hermione stopping Dakota from running downstairs.
"What?" grinned Dakota from the door.
"Your hair."
Dakota ran back over to Hermione and allowed her to dry and brush her hair into a plait.
"Now you can go annoy your father," smiled Hermione as Dakota ran from the room.
Hermione sighed and picked up the wet towel to hang over the door, so it dried and didn't smell wet.
O
Harry leaned back in his desk chair and rubbed his eyes, to rid them from the tiredness. He yawned and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. Silently he cursed and closed the file in front of him. All day he had searched for that darn Sharla Mink. After five unsuccessful hours he had returned to his office to try and figure out where she could have possibly gone.
But now he would be in even more trouble. It was two hours past the time he was meant to be home, meaning Ginny would be furious with him. Harry stood and pulled on his cloak and apperated home. Sure enough, when Ginny exited the kitchen, she threw Harry a dirty look. Harry sighed and pulled his cloak off as Ginny yelled for James to get into the bath. Half-heartedly Harry placed his cloak on the hook and headed to the kitchen. He seriously was in no mood to listen too Ginny rant on about his lateness and how the children were being pains in the butts or that packing needed to be done.
As Harry grabbed the Daily Prophet Ginny stormed in glaring at him.
"Do you know what time it is?" she snapped.
"An two hours later then what I am meant to be home by," replied Harry as he turned the page.
"We had a deal Harry! You broke it."
Harry looked up at Ginny and sighed, "I am trying to solve a case."
"You do that every day! James is being a terror-"
"Ginny, just shut up for once in your life!" snapped Harry standing up, "It is not my fault that James is being a terror – he is a child, all children go through those stages! Just because you are frustrated does not give you the right to come and scream your lungs off at me!"
Ginny glared at Harry with daggers in her eyes, "We have-"
"Boxes to pack, I know. I have eyes too see that."
"I cooked-"
"Dinner I know Ginny. I lost track of time. It happens," sighed Harry before he left the kitchen, with Ginny following.
"Well go eat it."
"I'm not hungry. My mind is just muddled up and in need of relaxing."
"Have fun relaxing," snapped Ginny as James ran into the lounge room.
"I went shopping with Mummy today!" cried James.
Harry smiled and nodded, "James, go get dressed."
James nodded and ran off to his room as Harry turned to Ginny, him giving the dagger glare, "Shopping? Must be stressful work to do… yet you have the right to get all moody when I want to relax after a 12 hour work day?"
Ginny ran a hand through her hair, a signal she was guilty.
"You are nothing but a hypocrite at times Ginny!" shouted Harry standing up, "Exactly like my Aunt Petunia… have you taken lessons off her or something? You are not my mother and cannot of scream at me for being late. I lost track of time, I'm sorry!"
Before Ginny could say anything Harry was gone.
O
"Mummy, dinner is ready!" yelled Dakota from the dining room as her and Draco carried out plates with food.
Hermione ran down the staircase and walked through the hall. She was about to enter the dining room when the front door bell rang, "I'll get the door!"
Hermione crossed the lounge room, dressed in old jeans and a baggy red jumper – her home clothes she wore whenever she had a shower before dinner. Hermione pulled the door open to see a frustrated Harry standing on the veranda with the cold wind billowing around him.
"Harry!" cried Hermione stepping back, "Come in. Is everything all right?"
"I wish it were," he muttered walking in, "It's Ginny."
"What about Ginny?" asked Hermione, "Do you want to talk in my office? Dakota is having a late dinner with Draco and I."
Harry nodded and walked into Hermione's office. He turned to wait for Hermione and saw she had gone to mention something to Draco. A few seconds later she came back and shut the door behind her.
"What is going on?" asked Hermione.
"She… she doesn't know how to back off, she is hypocritical… I have had enough of her complaining. She's changed Hermione. I didn't fall in love with that Ginny!"
Hermione looked at Harry stunned, "What do you mean?"
"The Ginny I go home too isn't the Ginny I love. I want to love her… I really do… but I just can't. She is always screaming at me."
"I thought you two worked it out," said Hermione.
"So did I… obviously not. We have been having issues for over a year Hermione. I'm sure Ron has mentioned them to you?"
Hermione nodded, "Is that why you became a workaholic?"
Harry nodded, " I hated… still do hate going home."
Harry leant on the wall behind him, the mask taken away to show the broken man underneath, "We were young when she fell pregnant… we didn't plan on getting married till I was the age I am now."
Hermione walked over to Harry and stood beside him, "Have you been fighting for the marriage to last?"
"For two years… now we have Rianna… we thought having her would make everything better. I guess that is what we hoped number three would do… fix things. But it won't. I want to fight Hermione... but I am tired of fighting! She doesn't help matters. I want to be happy! I haven't been happy for so long."
Hermione nodded. She knew in this case she couldn't help. This was Harry's personal battle to fight. All she could do was be supportive.
"Do you want to stay here tonight? Have a break from it all?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah. I need to speak to Draco and you about that issue from earlier today anyway," nodded Harry, "Thanks Herms."
"You're my bestfriend. I am always here for you," smiled Hermione.
Harry smiled and him and Hermione shared a friendly hug before walking out of the office to join Dakota and Draco.
When they entered the dining room they saw that Dakota had already started eating and Draco was bringing out an extra plate for Harry.
"I figured you would be staying for dinner," said Draco handing Harry the plate of food.
Hermione gave Draco a smile and took her seat beside him, whilst Harry sat beside Dakota. Everyone ate in silence, feeling no need for any conversation. Every now and then Dakota would look around at everyone and smile at whoever looked at her.
When dinner finished Draco took Dakota up to bed while Hermione and Harry cleaned the dishes and kitchen with a few spells. Hermione put on a pot of fresh coffee, while Harry went to sit in the lounge room with Draco.
O
Ginny sat alone in the lounge room looking around at the messy room with half packed boxes, toys scattered on the floor, Harry's shoes piled up by the front door with James', Rianna's and hers. Ginny sighed and leant back against the lounge and closed her eyes. What was she to do? Hers and Harry's marriage was falling apart, it had been for well over a year and nothing they did could repair it, not even having Rianna or another child.
Tears spilled down Ginny's cheeks, followed by sobs. She leant forward and cried into her hands, feeling lost and confused with everything going on.
"Ginny?"
Ginny looked up to see Fred walking over to her looking concerned. He took the seat beside her and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry on his shoulder.
"What is the matter?" asked Fred as she cried.
"Everything that should be perfect," replied Ginny pulling away and wiping her eyes, "Mum is angry because I am friends with someone she doesn't like… and Harry… Fred… my marriage has fallen apart. It has been falling apart since James was born."
Fred nodded, "Have you tried fixing it?"
"Have we tried? ALL THE TIME! We thought Rianna might fix everything… but she didn't… and number three has just added more stress. I can't fight anymore."
"What are you going to do? Just give up?"
Ginny shrugged, "I can't force something to work that just doesn't want to work."
"But the children…"
"I know Fred. Why do you think this marriage has been continuing? I know this will affect them… but don't Harry and I deserve to be happy? Even if it is with someone else?"
Fred nodded in agreement then sighed, "Everyone thought you and Harry were the perfect match."
"So did I… but I know when all the problems started."
"When?"
"When I fell pregnant with James. We were too young, Fred. None of us had really experienced life outside Hogwarts or without the threat of war."
"But Hermione fell preg-"
"This isn't about Hermione! Not everything is about the other woman!"
"What do you mean other woman, Ginny?"
"Hermione… Harry always runs to her with every issue. She is always there, you know?"
"They are bestfriends. Both are only children and see each other as brother and sister Ginny… nothing else. Hermione loves Draco. You can't go blaming all this on Hermione."
Ginny sighed, "It's over Fred… I know it."
O
Hermione handed Harry his coffee and Draco his. She sat down beside the man she loved and summoned hers from the kitchen.
"Marriage problems?" asked Draco before sipping his drink.
"Big ones," replied Harry, "But I would rather tell you what I know about your parents missing money. Someone is indeed taking it from the account. Your parents should be rolling in cash… not starting to struggle to find it."
"Is it Sharla?" asked Hermione.
"I think she is part of the plan, but I don't know for sure. I need to find her to find out."
Draco and Hermione nodded in silence sipping their drinks.
Finally Harry sighed, "I can't keep living a lie. I know staying together would be the best things for the children… but Ginny and I both deserve to be happy… and living in a bad relationship isn't being happy is it?"
"Harry," said Hermione sitting up straighter, "I'm not the best expert on relationships. But when I was with Ron four years back I did learn that being in a relationship for other reasons that didn't make you happy wasn't right. Everyone deserves to be happy. You can't try to make yourself happy when you know you aren't no matter what… does that make sense?"
Harry nodded, "I guess I have to make a decision… don't I?"
Both Hermione and Draco nodded. Harry stood up and walked over to the blazing fireplace and stared into it. After a few seconds he turned around with a small smile on his face.
"I wonder what Sirius would tell me?" he said softly.
"Probably to follow what your heart says," replied Hermione.
"Ron would stay right out of this. But in a way I know he'd side with Ginny."
"He's her brother."
Harry nodded, "Do you have any new movies?"
Hermione stood up and walked over to her DVD rack, "I have Dukes of Hazzard, the Perfect Man, Herbie Fully Loaded… and Ice Princess."
"Dukes of Hazzard… because it isn't a Chick Flick," laughed Harry seeming back to his old self.
Hermione just smiled, knowing Harry was acting cheerful to hide the torment inside of him. Tomorrow she would try and find a time to speak to Harry alone, hopefully he would open up to her more.
O
Hermione nodded as Luna went over her day's schedule. At the rate things were going she wouldn't be home till 7pm. She needed to send Draco a letter asking him to pick up Dakota from Molly's.
"So Lavender will be here at 2pm to do an interview with you and Ginny about the magazine. Then after that you have a ten-minute lunch break before a meeting with new clients. After that the Minister's daughter wants to meet with you about doing a ceremony for her and her husband to redo their vows. And then we have the staff meeting… and that's all I think," read Luna.
"That's all for now," sighed Hermione as they walked into her office, "All this from just a few days off?"
Luna nodded, "Ginny wouldn't hold the interview without you."
Hermione nodded as she quickly wrote a letter to Draco explaining her busy day and apologizing for not being able to get home earlier.
"Can you get this sent to Draco and send in my first client if they are here? Maybe I can get through the day a lot quicker if I start early," said Hermione as she looked around for the clients file, only to have Luna hand it too her.
"They are here," smiled Luna before she walked out.
O
Ginny signed the final words "Until next time… Ginny Weasley" down the bottom of her first editors letter for the magazine and smiled at it. Perfect. She placed the letter to the side and scanned through that day's list of things that needed to be done. Working kept her mind off everything else in her life, such as her marriage and mother issues. The people employed were already working, writing articles and designing pages for publishing next week. Thankfully though the person Ginny wanted to hire for the catering section came through and would arrive from America tomorrow.
"Ginny… can I speak too you?"
Ginny looked up to see her reception section writer standing in the doorway. The man had short light brown hair that was spiked a little and was of average build with shining hazel eyes.
"Sure Greg," smiled Ginny as he walked in and sat down across from her, "What's up?"
"Well I know I have a restriction of 3 pages… but this months article is spreading to 4. Could you go over it and see what should be cut?"
"Sure."
Greg handed her the article and left the office smiling at Ginny. Ginny smiled back and turned to the article. She began crossing a few things out, writing pointers along the side of the page. The article kept her mind busy for two hours straight. She found it was really detailed, which was great but in some parts a bit too much for her liking. She finally finished it and left the office to find Greg. As she walked past Narcissa's office, Ginny saw Harry in there with Lucius. The conversation looked serious, causing Ginny to stop walking and stand starring as she watched Harry explain something.
"Ginny! Have you read it?"
Ginny jumped, looking startled as Greg ran over to her with a big smile on his face. Ginny smiled back and handed him the article. She glanced over at Narcissa's office to see Harry leaving with Lucius. He gave her a nod and kept on walking, listening to Lucius talk to him.
"Ginny?"
"Oh, sorry Greg," smiled Ginny turning back to him, "It's really detailed. That is great but, in some parts it is a bit too much. So I have scribbled out some things and given you pointers."
Greg nodded, "Thanks."
Ginny smiled and walked over to Narcissa's office. She knocked on the door to see Narcissa sitting at her desk going over some articles.
"Hello Ginny," smiled Narcissa, "Your husband was here telling Lucius and I some interesting news."
"So I saw," replied Ginny, "How is everything going?"
"Coming along smoothly. It turns out money was being stolen from mine and Lucius' accounts."
"Really?"
Narcissa nodded, "Harry has been working on it ever since my Granddaughter mentioned something about it."
Ginny nodded, then blurted out, "I'm ending things with Harry."
A/N: What a way to end the chapter huh? Just like that.. how can someone so evil do that… oh wait I just did. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed the chapter… took me days to write it because I am having TERRIBLE writers block. Ideas are welcome!
Bye for now!
Love yas!
Love Coz!