Chapter Eleven:

An Unforgivable Sky

It was months into Hermione's pregnancy and she had already begun to gain weight. She spent hours in front of the mirror complaining she was fat, but Harry remained content about it all. Harry had become more and more excited at the moment. He was walking to work with a rather large grin on his face. He looked around into the morning sky of London with happiness and thinking that life wasn't so bad after all.

He took in the scent of the morning air. It was crisp and clean as he walked down a dark alley way. The phone booth came into the misty clearing and he stepped inside. The sign still remained saying it was out of order, but Harry knew it meant nothing to his "people" that use it. He stepped in with the smile still forming on his face and picked up the phone quickly. He dialed the number with a smile.

"State your reason." A charming lady said on the other end.

"Harry Potter, Auror." He said simply and the lady sounded even happier then before.

"Thank you, please take your badge." She said sweetly and he did take it. He said a thank you back and then said good bye.

He entered through the darkened passageway known as the Ministry of Magic. Harry was massaging his temples as he held a clip board at his hip. When he started rubbing his head a frown crawled onto his lips. His happiness had disappeared and all he could do was sigh and groan his life away.

He entered through the elevator, which was unusually empty, and waited patiently for his stop. He could hear shouting from the elevator and pressed his ear up to it. He suddenly snapped back up straight as he heard the ding sound. The door opened generally slow, and he stepped in. Soon a sound exploded from the Aurors office.

"CONGRADULATIONS HARRY!" A loud, booming sound escaped.

Over fifty people were packing into the small office and holding banners and flags with happy grins on their faces. Harry stood there, shocked beyond all belief, and blinked absentmindedly. He shook his head out of his daze and stared at the people with in the office with confusion.

"Umm?" He stuttered.

"Look everyone, he's speechless!" Ron joked and everyone laughed. "Harry, we threw you a party." Ron said as he set his arm across his friend's shoulders.

"I'm aware, but what for?" he asked.

"In congratulations for your upcoming child!" Ron said as if Harry was stupid.

"Oh, thank you, but I'm not in the mood to celebrate." He said groggily.

Harry pushed his way through the moaning crowd. They were very disappointed in him and surprised he was not excited. Harry was excited, but the pain in his temple was growing every second he thought about Hermione. He cradled his head in his hands after sitting at his desk, and sighed.

"What's wrong Mate?" Ron asked after sitting at his own desk.

"Nothing, pain." He said, massaging his head again.

"What happened?" Ron asked as he searched through his desk for some odd reason that Harry didn't care to ask about.

"Hermione threw a book at me." He said rubbing his head lightly.

"Why?" Ron asked and pulled out a box from his desk.

"Because I put the wrong condiment on a hamburger." He said frustratingly.

"You're in that month." Ron smiled.

Harry looked up from his hands and stared at his friend that he had never seen so happy and joyful. What was he talking about; there was nothing wrong with this month. He had been through Hermione's red month, but she never acted like this. Ron shook his head when Harry had accidentally spoken that out loud.

"No, no, no, not the red month." He said. "I'm talking about the fifth month into the pregnancy." He said with a smile.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, still confused.

"Look, trust me." He said with a smile. "I went through with this when Lavender was pregnant with Skyler." Ron said.

"Alright?" Harry really didn't care to know, he just wanted Ron to get to the point of this conversation.

"Hermione has mood swings after a couple of months. They sometimes start really early, but being witches, they're different. Hermione should have her baby in only a month or so." Ron said.

"But, nine months Ron." Harry said. "The doctor specifically said it would be for nine months." He said orderly.

"That's what I thought too. But then Lavender had Sky at six months and the doctor said it was normal for witches." He smiled.

"I see."

Harry looked at the desk top again. If what Ron said was true, then Harry would be a father in no less then one month. He wasn't sure if he should run, faint or scream. He was in the middle of a debate with himself of whether he should be excited, or be scared of the upcoming events.

"When are you," Ron started before more silence pressed on. "Going to find out the sex of the baby?" He asked.

"Today actually, I have to meet Hermione in an hour." Harry said and Ron shook his head in disbelief. "What?" Harry asked.

"Harry, you just got here. You always come, stay for an hour, and then leave. Before you were here almost all day, every day." Ron said.

"That was before I was married, had pregnant wife, and still trying to keep everything the same as usual." Harry said. "Besides, I stay till at least nine every Thursday." He said.

"True, but I am just surprised you aren't fired." Ron said truthfully.

"What do you mean fired?" Harry asked awkwardly.

"Well Sarah Jinkins was fired yesterday for only staying an hour before leaving. You do this every day, and you aren't gone." Ron said, biting his lip.

"Are you saying you want me gone?" Harry asked, rather enraged.

"No, I'm saying it's always you that gets treated nice, while we are treated as inferiors!" Ron hissed unexpectedly.

"I'm-" He went to say something, but Ron stopped him.

"I know you are Head of Aurors and you are doing everything you can to keep us together but, well… you aren't showing as much loyalty as you did before." Ron said. Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Fine… you want my job?" Harry asked, snappily.

"No," Ron said quietly but another sound exploded the room.

"HEY EVERYONE!" Harry said, standing on his desk and peering over the cubicles. "RONALD WEASLEY BELIEVES THAT I DO NOT SHOW ENOUGH EFFORT TO THIS DEPARTMENT. AND HE FEELS THAT I DON'T DESERVE BEING HEAD OF THIS DEPARTMENT! NOW IF HE THINKS THIS, THEN I ANNOUNCE HIM HEAD OF AURORS… IF YOU DISAGREE, IT IS HE THAT YOU SHOULD BE MAD AT. I TRY TO SHOW AS MUCH DEDICATION AS POSSIBLE, BUT I DO HAVE A FAMILY TO SUPPORT NOW. SO THANK YOU ALL TO BLOODY HELL FOR MAKING ME INSANE!" the sound up rose and Ron began to blush. "SO HERE IS YOUR NEW LEADER, AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL." Harry said.

He hopped off the desk and walked for the door and he got a reaction he was not expecting. No one was cheering, laughing, or having a good time. Each and every person in the room was staring over their cubicles and glaring hardly at Ron with fury… this is exactly what he wanted to happen. Then Harry thought to himself 'perhaps I'm being rather selfish," he thought.

He left the room without looking back. Many people were looking to him with sympathy, but he showed no sign of vehement at all. Harry was walking fiercely down the hallway with his clipboard in hand. His knuckles were white from gasping the board too hard, but he didn't relax.

"Remus," Harry jumped as a hand lay on his shoulder and whipped him around.

"Harry, don't listen to him!" Remus said in a softened tone.

"No, if I don't deserve this placement then I give it up." Harry said stubbornly. "I'm beginning to think he's not the only one."

"He is the only one." Remus assured. "Everyone in there is yelling at him." He said rather sadly.

Harry jumped out of his spot and ran for the doors. The last time everyone yelled at him they fired the person they were yelling at. No matter how much Ron insulted him, he just couldn't let them fire his partner. Under no circumstances were they going to fire his only partner.

He entered in the large room with his head still pounding. Harry was trying to ignore it, but it seemed to be devouring his very sense of feeling. He marched himself through the Auror's office and into the Minister of Magic's grand room. He swayed himself inside to find a maddened Crouch and an annoyed Ron Weasley.

"Mr. Potter," Crouch started. "What are you doing here?" He asked, rather confused as to why Harry just barged in without reason.

"To stop this," Harry said and Ron looked amazed. "It was my fault that there was a commotion. I over reacted a little." Harry said sadly.

"Is it true that Mr. Weasley thought you didn't deserve to be Head of Aurors?" Crouch asked, with a half smile upon his face.

"Yes, but-" He was cut off when Crouch turned to Ron and began to speak over Harry.

"Mr. Weasley, you are fired." Crouch said in a displeasing tone.

"But-" Ron went to speak back but Crouch turned him away.

"You are to pack up your things tonight, and I shall not see you back here again." Crouch said harshly.

Harry stood there, shocked, and beginning to believe that this was his fault. If he hadn't said anything, then Ron would still have been his partner. He watched closely as the fuming Ron stood and pushed at his shoulder before leaving. Harry could have sworn he heard Ron say something, and if he was right he said, "Thanks a lot."

Harry was crossed between blame and truth at the moment. He stood outside St. Mungo's waiting for Hermione to meet him there. He paced back and forth and thought that this was harder then he thought. Something convinced him that making Ron unemployed would be his fault. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't.

Harry secretly didn't want to meet Hermione. She seemed very moody, bossy, and assertive lately. He stopped pacing and did something entirely insane... he lay in the middle of the sidewalk. He lay there, staring at the unforgettable sky, and thoughts ran through his head.

'What's wrong with me?' He asked himself as his eyes remained glued to the sky. 'I don't know how to handle my emotions anymore. I have a child on the way, I ruined my best friend's job, and my wife in lying in pain and I can't do anything about it. I feel so useless, and the sky is still clear as ever. It might be peaceful, joyful, and relaxing, but it will always be unforgivable.'

The sun shone down like no tomorrow, and the clouds gracefully covered it once in a great while. He sighed, a great sigh, and relaxed against the pavement. A blackened image soon came to his head, and then his life flashed before him. Voldemort was gone, and Harry's memory of the night he died would never leave his head. The flash back started.

"How do you know he's here?" Ron asked as they hid behind giant bushes and trees in silence.

"Trust me, I followed his steps." Harry assured. "He should be at the graveyard at midnight."

"But it's eleven!" Ron complained.

"So we wait." Harry said orderly.

The wind was cold and the darkened streets looked absolutely empty. The roads showed no sign of living creatures, and perhaps Harry was wrong. He followed the steps, but it is always possible he made a mistake. The night never seemed so scary, and it had never seemed so dark before. Voldemort would show.

"I think someone's coming!" Ron exclaimed in silent fear.

"Shush!" Harry hissed.

The man, whom Harry hunted for over fifteen years of his life, was standing in an open area unprotected. No deatheaters were here yet, and Harry knew he would probably summon them here. Harry took his wand and shoved it through an opening in the bushes with a silent sound.

"Crucio!" Harry whispered in an orderly hiss.

"Ahh," Voldemort was staggering slightly. "Who was that?" He asked.

Harry felt himself be scared for the first time in five years. He felt useless, and felt like he was going to die. Voldemort was scanning the area and Ron had disappeared from his post. Harry didn't know where he was, but that was the least of his problems. A sliver sword had chopped through the bushes, barely missing his skin, and there stood the man with a sharpened sneer on his face.

"Potter, I was expecting you." Voldemort said in a devilish tone. Harry stood.

"I see we have Tom. May I ask where your deatheaters are?" Harry stopped himself. "I mean your body guards." Harry said, knowing it would make him mad.

"Body guards?" He laughed. "You amuse me Harry Potter." He spoke with pure and dreadful evil.

Harry could sense the evil bubble within Voldemort's very veins, and felt fear bubble in his own. Where was Ron? He was facing this man that he couldn't beat, and Ron was off probably getting food. Typical.

"Not for you," Harry smirked. "You've had to live off another for quite sometime now, haven't you Tom?" Harry asked, knowing it was not the right thing to say to him.

"What?" Voldemort hissed.

"Parasites aren't new, and I thought you were strong." Harry laughed cold-heartedly.

"Dare you talk?" Voldemort hissed. "Come Harry, duel magicless. Fight me as a muggle, because isn't that what your wife is?" Voldemort sneered.

"What are you talking about?" Harry hissed back.

"Mudbloods don't belong in this world Harry, and yet you married one. How foolish of you, to think, that they belong in our world as equals." Voldemort said after making a tisk-tisk sound with his tongue. "You make me laugh to think that an ordinary muggle will survive here. You could use your power to high standards. Yet, you act as if this muggle is the key to your life. How is she now?" He sneered.

"My wife is none of your consent!" Harry snipped after arming himself. Not with a wand, but the Sword of Faith.

"She's pregnant isn't she?" Voldemort asked. He took his sword from the ground and armed himself too. "It would be tragic to know that he'll end up just like you... accept this time, the child will not live."

"You will not harm my child!" Harry said forcefully as he stepped forward into the empty graveyard.

Sooner then he thought he heard the cling sound of metal on metal. Swords were grazing each other in expectance to kill each other's opponents. Harry was working well as defense, but he felt his body weaken with every hit of his sword. He needed to think clearly, because the sword worked off of his own faith.

He took a deep breath and then it happened. His sword grazed the skin of his opponent and his sword bore the blood. Why wasn't he dying? Harry's sword was completely through him, but he still remained as healthy as before. This was getting weird.

"Thank you." Voldemort hissed as Harry's sword melted within his hands.

"What the hell?" Harry asked himself and his sword had soon become nothing but melted metal and trailing into Volemort's bloodthirsty body. "You devoured the sword's power." Harry said, gasping.

"Indeed," He said. "And you are left armless." He hissed.

Harry felt his life flash before him when two hands clasped his neck with force and he choked on his own air. It was getting harder and harder to breath and his vision was becoming blurry. He couldn't breathe, and he needed oxygen somehow. Harry thought he had died, but a bright green and silver light erupted from the dark.

Voldemort's hands had turned to dust as he was plunged into the forsaken trees of the Bristol forest. Harry fell to the ground. He was sucking in air like he was never going to breathe again, and he looked to the darkness as his vision became clear, and he then knew the truth. His best friend had saved his life.

Harry opened his eyes with sweat and the regretful ness surged through him like a tidal wave. He stared back into the sky with a confused look, and remembered. The smell of concrete was filling his nose quickly, but he didn't move. He didn't want to move, never again.

The voice in his head was saying to go back to work. He forgot entirely about meeting his wife at this moment, and he closed his eyes again. His own head was battling with himself, and this felt like another duel. No matter how hard he tried, this was a battle he couldn't win.

It's not your fault Ron was fired!

"Yes it is!" He shouted back. "If I hadn't made a scene then this would have never happened!" He cursed under his breath.

Ron shouldn't have said what he did.

"I know, but I am to blame, as he is!"

You're right; it's your entire fault.

"I know."

That was sarcasm. You are not to blame!

"It had to rain that day." Harry's better side said.

Blaming it on the sky now?

"It's the bloody unforgivable sky's fault!" Harry stopped at his own words.

It was rash to blame someone that wasn't even there. It was rash to blame himself about every little thing that bothered him. It was a rational vote to take Ron with him... but Ron did save him. This, though, was beyond rash. He sunk so low to blame an inanimate object. The sky.

Is that really what it was? An unforgivable sky?

Author's Notes:

So y'all, I just finished this the other night and I have to admit that I don't really like it. I hope you do though. I thank everyone for their support and I have something new to say. I am introducing my new story called When Angels Cry. It's a HHR fic, and it's a story that proves the difference between love and friendship. It is a one-shot story, and I'd appreciate anyone who has the time to read it. I love y'all and I hope you review my story!

To My Reviewers:

Marauderwormtail89 – Number one? That's funny that yours is 'idiot' when mine is completely insane. 'Sch-weet!' lol.

E.G. Potter – I did check out your story. Awsome! ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!

PrincessLuckyCML – Well Connie, I think you have officially embarrassed me, lol.

pumpkinpie4ever – I'm actually thinking about Hermione having two girls, and a boy. I really want to name one of them Airalynn, only because I absolutely LOVE the name... as you can see. COUGH penname COUGH

rockergurl13 – I respected your thought and it sounded good. So I hope you appreciate that I named Lavender and Ron's baby Skyler. I thought it fit.

infallallthingsaremadesplended – I think that is the best advice I have ever gotten from anyone. I thank you so much. You have no idea how much that review meant to me. I really can't explain it. You are absolutely true and one hundred percent accurate. Sweetened with a hint of lust, exact.

NicciBubbles – You haven't heard the last of Hermione in this pregnancy phase. –laughs evilly-

That's all for now. THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Airalynn

UPDATED: (SATURDAY) JUNE 18, 2005