A/N: Chapter Two is up. This is one of the most difficult chapters I had to write - EVER.

Looking forward to your feedback.

My Cheating Heart

By: tweety-src-clt9

Chapter Two: Her Cheating Heart

"You can come inside now", Hermione called to out him as she opened the door to her office. He quietly walked inside, closed the door, and took the seat across from her. He let his eyes roam around the large office and he saw certificates lining on the walls.

"What happened to Richards? Did we save him?", her question interrupted his curious observations.

"Richards is brought by your deputy to another room so he can rest properly. You saved Richards! He will be alright", he reassured her.

"That's great! I vowed to never have another person under my care die on me", she remarked. He saw her glance on a picture placed on one side of her desk. His hand went to the frame she was looking at and he turned the picture. His heart broke. It was a picture of their three-month-old baby girl in Hermione's arms. How did she take that picture?

"Give it back to me!", she extended a hand and he immediately returned the photo. Hermione hid the frame in her desk drawer and gave him a stern look.

"Hermione, I —"

"What are you doing in Switzerland? Tell me, how many people does the British Ministry of Magic needs? Furthermore, are there specific skill sets required?", she said formally as she wore her reading glasses and then she started writing in some form.

"There are fifteen victims. The healers are desperate. The parents are losing their minds. We need someone with unique skills in healing. We do not have any lead yet", he decided to just go with her flow and talk about the reason why he was sent to the ICW headquarters.

"How much time do you need?", she was writing details on a blank parchment after she completed filling up the form she gently placed on another side of the desk.

"We need someone there within forty-eight hours."

"I'm going there. I'll have Abim take the reins while I'm gone. I need him here to facilitate potions research in case we need potions as the cure. Upon my initial investigation from the reports that reached my desk, I believe potions will play a vital role in healing the victims. I'll bring two others with me. Let me just call them. Wait for a second, please", she told him and then she grabbed a mirror.

"Rosier, will you and Irie come to my office, please. We have a new case that needs our immediate attention. Yes! It's the British epidemic. Of course. I'll see you in five minutes", those were the things Harry heard as she talked to someone on a mirror. It worked like a telephone - he can hear Hermione but she is the only one who could hear the message from the other line. Exactly five minutes later, a tall blonde woman and a six-foot-tall Japanese man entered Hermione's office.

"How's our gorgeous Chief this morning?", the man flirted and Harry rolled his eyes. Hermione gave the man a stern look and the two sat across Harry.

"Everyone, meet Lord -", Hermione started the introductions but she was interrupted.

"Your ex-husband!", the Japanese man said.

"Harry Potter!", the blonde woman chorused.

"Rosier, Irie. Quiet! Lord Potter meet Evangeline Rosier and Kei Irie, they will be coming to Britain with me", Hermione formally introduced.

"Now I know why you dumped your ex-husband, chief. You're too pretty for him", Irie teased and Harry glared at the obnoxious man who gulped in fear.

"Do forgive my idiot of a partner, Lord Potter. His humor is just off ninety-nine percent of the time", Rosier nudged Irie.

"Rosier, Irie, focus. I need you to come to Britain with me. Go home and pack your things. We'll be leaving in twenty-four hours. The briefing will be explained as soon as we arrive. Rosier, I need your help with accommodations", Hermione instructed.

"We can stay at my cousin's place, chief. You know they would be happy to have us over", the blonde woman offered.

"Okay! Please settle with Astoria and Draco. Since they are both healers, we can even discuss our progress while at their home", Hermione nodded.

"What? Why are you staying with the Malfoys?", Harry demanded.

"Rosier, Irie, dismissed. Report back here in my office in twenty-four hours so we can port key to Britain", the two nodded and hurriedly left the room.

"Chief is bound to get angry at her tosser of an ex-husband, eh Vangie?", he heard Irie mutter as they closed the door.

"Why are you staying with the Malfoys?", he angrily asked.

"Draco and I went to the IMM together and we became friends there. Astoria who was still his girlfriend, studied at the IMM when I was a researcher there", she explained.

"How could you be friends with that ferret?"

"Well, that ferret never called me the scarlet woman of Britain for starters. Besides, he was the one who told me about the IMM. We may have left for Salamanca as desperate people who needed a fresh start together, but Draco proved to be a loyal and understanding friend. I am grateful for him and I love his wife Astoria even more", she said crossly.

"You could still stay with me, you know", he muttered.

"Excuse me? Stay with you? And have your new wife or girlfriend hounding on me? I think not. Besides, if you have forgotten Lord Potter, you told me years ago that I'm just an irritating nuisance in your life. Surely you wouldn't want that nuisance back?", she said sarcastically.

"Look, I was an idiot okay? I didn't think things through", he defended.

"Look, Lord Potter, I'll come to Britain, you and your auror succeeded in your mission by coming here to send a distress call to the ICW. As far as I'm concerned, that's all you have to care about!", she huffed as she started writing something in a parchment.

"Merlin! It's so irritating to hear you call me as Lord Potter!", he exclaimed.

"It's your name isn't it?", she raised an eyebrow before she resumed writing.

"Fine! Be that way! I'll see you in Britain, Lady Potter", he smirked as she sat there, slack-jawed. He left her office and decided to find his recovering comrade. I'd rather be anywhere else than to keep hearing her say Lord Potter over and over again… How do I even tell her that legally she's still Lady Potter?

"Calm down, Hermione. Focus on the mission. Focus on the lives you need to save. He's just calling you Lady Potter to annoy you. For sure that gold-digger Ginny is the new Lady Potter. Just ignore him. Eyes on what matter most", she said out loud as her ex-husband left the room.

She closed her eyes to calm herself down as her memories took her back to many years ago…

Luna Lovegood and Fleur Delacour-Weasley took each of her hands as both blondes gently led her away to the direction of the beach as she stepped out of the fireplace in Shell Cottage. Two days before, she arrived back in Britain after going to Australia to remove the obliviation spell she cast on her parents. By some sort of miracle, her parents understood her and accepted her eagerly. She wanted to bring them back to Britain with her but her parents were happy and contented in Brisbane. So, she port-keyed home to 12 Grimmauld Place where a letter from her blonde friends waited for her. Her friends requested that she meet with them immediately. Upon reading the note, she sent a Patronus message that she'll visit the very next day. Now, she finds herself being dragged to the beach but she just let them. She missed her friends after all. When they found a secluded spot, Luna conjured a blanket and Fleur cast privacy spells. They all took their place on the blanket and she saw the two blondes glancing at each other.

"Hermione, we have bad news", Luna started.

"Did something happen to Harry?", she immediately inquired with worry. Upon arriving at 12 Grimmauld Place she's never seen Harry yet.

"Well he's not sick or anything but Hermione, Harry is getting married", Luna added.

"Getting married? When?", she asked with surprise. She tried her best to not let her pain and disappointment show.

"Ginny and 'arry got engaged two days after you left. Now, 'arry is so busy building Ginny a large manor house because it's a dream of hers to live like a queen", Fleur added with her elegant French accent.

"Well, that's good, I guess. At least they will have a nice home together", she shrugged.

"'ermione, Ginny Weasley is just using 'arry for his money. She keeps asking him to buy 'er expensive things and he is so clueless and he just goes with it!", Fleur was disgusted at Ginny's behavior.

"If he's happy with her, then what do you expect? He loves her", she said.

"If she loved him back Hermione, even if she is a gold-digger, we would not mind. But, five days ago, Fleur and I noticed something odd with Ginny's behavior so we stalked her. We found out that she was dating Blaise Zabini. We heard them talking about how she'll marry Harry to get access to his money. After that, she would make it seem like Harry cheated on her, so they can get a divorce, and she can run away with his money. When that happens, she and Blaise Zabini would then live happily ever after", Luna narrated.

"Yes, 'ermione! What Luna is saying is true. Because I asked Bill and he says that the Zabini family is now broke because they had to pay a lot of money as payment for his father's crimes in the war. The Zabinis were rich but they are not Malfoy rich, and so the family is now bankrupt. We asked Neville since he was at 'ogwarts and Neville confirmed that he saw Ginny and Zabini out on dates when you were out there looking for 'orcruxes", Fleur confirmed.

"How can Ginny do that to Harry?", she yelled angrily.

"Hermione the wedding is in three months. You have to prevent that from happening! You have to save Harry from making the biggest mistake of his life", Luna begged her.

"But why me?", she asked with confusion.

"Because you love him, 'ermione!", Fleur exclaimed and Luna nodded.

"What? I do not. I'm like a sister to him!", she denied.

"Don't lie to us, Hermione. We know you're in love with him. I've known since your fourth year. The nargles tell me. And you cannot lie to Fleur about love, her veela magic can tell", Luna said dreamily.

"Alright, fine! I admit! I am in love with him. But he doesn't like me like that", she sighed.

"We have a solid plan, 'ermione! We will make 'arry Potter yours", Fleur winked and Luna smiled. That was where it all began…

Hermione opened her eyes as she recalled her discussion with Luna and Fleur by the beach of Shell Cottage. A week after that, they set their trap in place. Luna was tasked to talk to Harry that Hermione had some left-over curse on her body that can only be cured if she lost her virginity to another virgin. Fleur knew that Harry was a virgin because her Veela magic can smell it. The beautiful half-Veela even had this theory that Ginny was using the no-sex-before-marriage clause to secure Harry's hand in marriage. According to Fleur, Ginny is not a virgin and is using her seduction techniques on an innocent and gullible bloke. To their surprise, when Luna told Harry their made-up lie, Harry agreed to help Hermione out of her 'dark curse'. So, they all agreed when they will perform the love ritual that will cure Hermione. Harry told them that they can do it at Grimmauld place. On the night they were scheduled to make love, Fleur focused her Veela magic on Hermione so that she will end up pregnant with Harry's baby. Luna then added that since Harry is set to be Lord Potter, Harry will be compelled to marry her since they are both virgins while doing the ritual. Furthermore, pureblood tradition will never allow and abandon the first-born heir of an Ancient and Noble House. Everything went according to plan and one month later, Hermione was pregnant with Harry's baby.

As expected, Ginny Weasley along with the rest of the ginger-haired family was livid when they learned about her pregnancy. The wedding was immediately canceled and Hermione married Harry in a very simple ceremony with no witnesses. Only the officiant, the Minister of Magic was there at their wedding. When the news broke out, Hermione was dubbed as the "Scarlet Woman of Britain".

Ginny Weasley was relentless in her pursuit to discredit Hermione's name. She absorbed the sympathy of the rest of the Wizarding World. Harry treated her civilly; he wasn't mad at her because he believed that they were both at fault. One week after their wedding, Harry arrived late at night and he was very drunk. Apparently, he was still seeing Ginny and she compelled him to ask her the truth about how she ended up marrying Harry Potter instead…

"Harry! You're drunk", she immediately went to help steady him since his stance was wobbly but he pulled away from her.

"Mione, tell me, why the fuck did we end up married", Harry asked in a cold voice as he approached her.

"I'm in love with you Harry. So, I decided to do whatever it takes to steal you away from Ginny", she admitted with tears in her eyes. She refused to tell Harry about Luna and Fleur's involvement in all of this. It was enough for her to be the only one to suffer from the public's harsh comments. There is no need for her friends to suffer the same treatment and all the scandal she is facing.

"I hate you, Hermione! You disgust me", Harry's emerald green eyes stared at her with so much hatred as he walked away from her. She spent the rest of the night crying on the floor.

Since that confrontation, Harry changed. He would keep on bringing random women and shag them while she cried herself to sleep. He would not talk to her and would only scream at her if he wanted something. Two months after their wedding, the manor house that Harry made for Ginny was ready. Things only got worse when they moved into the large new manor.

"Welcome to your new prison, Lady Potter!", Harry said sarcastically as they entered the beautiful manor. She meekly followed him and waited for what he was about to say next.

"Since you wanted to be in my Ginny's place so much, now you have to maintain the palace I built for her, with your bare hands. Expelliarmus!", her wand flew into Harry's hand which he immediately caught.

"Start cleaning now. I have a date tonight!", he said coldly as he left her in the middle of the main hall.

That was her miserable life since then. She cleaned and maintained the large house without magic while Harry got drunk and shagged different women in the master bedroom. She was not allowed to sleep beside him or in the lady's chambers since it was supposed to be Ginny's. She was ordered to sleep in the guest room nearest to the master chamber so that she can hear the moans and grunts when he brought his dates to his manor to spend the night. She endured all his insults, the cleaning, and him treating her like dirt as he shagged other women. She loved him so much that she was willing to endure everything. After all, he may not love her but at least she had his baby - a child that she will nurture and raise. Also, despite all the ways he made her life miserable, she was still happy that she saved him from a terrible fate with Ginny. She was okay with all of that until Harry let her know how much he hated her baby as well…

She was tired of cleaning. At eight months pregnant, she was alone in this large house as she cared for herself and endured the emotional torture from her husband. She was mopping the main hall one afternoon when Harry entered the hall with a scantily clad woman in his arms. Since it was nearly an everyday occurrence, she didn't mind. She averted her eyes away from the amorous pair and resumed cleaning. Her tears were falling silently down her face.

"Isn't that your wife?", the woman asked.

"Yes! That's my wife. I hate her so much", his voice was nonchalant but she could hear the venom in his voice.

"She's so huge now", the woman giggled.

"Yes! My beloved wife is so big due to that blasted baby she's carrying! I hate that child! That child ruined my life", she heard Harry tell his lover. She looked at Harry who was already groping his lover's backside as they climbed up the grand staircase. She could not believe that he said he hated their child.

"It's alright baby. Mummy loves you", she whispered to her baby as she lovingly rubbed her stomach. That was the day she started to fall out of love for Harry.

Hermione now had tears in her eyes as she remembered the day she gave birth to her beautiful Viola Lily Potter. She took the picture from her desk drawer and traced the delicate face of her baby who would've turned ten years old in two months. If only she didn't die…

She was all alone in the manor since Harry was probably out there shagging some bimbo or getting drunk. She groaned in pain as she felt her water broke. It was a good thing that she was just dusting the furniture in the main hall so she was very near the fireplace. Walking slowly, she grabbed a handful of floo powder and brought herself to St. Mungo's.

She was immediately attended to by the healers there. When they asked where her famous husband was, she only replied that he was not coming for her. Some of the healers looked at her with sympathy. Others tried to hide their chuckles at the sad fate of the "Scarlet Woman of Britain".

After five hours of gruesome labor, Hermione was teary-eyed as she held Viola Lily Potter for the very first time. Her beautiful baby had curly raven hair and Harry's almond-shaped eyes which were still blue but she knew it will turn emerald green as she gets older. The baby looked like a female version of Harry except for the nose and the lips which Viola inherited from her. It was the happiest day of her life.

"Mrs. Potter?", the healer called to her.

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you that there is something wrong with your child. Her heart and lungs are very weak. We have to regularly treat her with potions and she should always be closely monitored", the healer calmly explained.

"What? Why? There must be a mistake!", she said hysterically.

"Mrs. Potter you have to keep calm! I need you to understand some important things on how to care for your beautiful daughter here", the healer said gently.

"Okay", she sniffed.

"Mrs. Potter you have to keep feeding her organ strengthening potions every day for one month. Two drops of potion every eight hours. Also, should anything go wrong, bring her here immediately", the healer ordered and she nodded.

"Ma'am? Why is my baby sick?", she inquired.

"Babies with underdeveloped hearts are usually because the mummies were sad or stressed during the pregnancy", the healer explained with a sad look on her face. Hermione nodded and cradled her baby close to her chest as she silently cried.

"I love you, Viola Lily! Mummy is so sorry that she was not able to save you", she whispered as she caressed her child's picture. She then remembered the last time she saw Harry; on the same day she gave him the divorce papers.

It's been a week since her little angel, Viola Lily died in her arms. Despite everything she did to help keep her child healthy, she failed. And now, she had in her hand the means to bring her life back in order. She can no longer stay in this prison when she can only remember all the suffering and her child dying in her arms. She knocked on Harry's bedroom. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the worst sight - him shagging another woman.

"Come in", she heard his deep baritone voice call out. She turned the knob and entered. To her surprise, he was lying flat on his back and all alone in the large bed. How ironic that I get to enter the master chamber on my last day here, she thought.

"I am leaving you, Lord Potter. You can now go back to the real mistress of this manor for whom you built", she said in a dead tone as she placed the divorce papers she already signed on his bed. She took off her wedding ring and the Lady Potter ring and placed it on top of the thick pile of papers.

"You're leaving me as well?", she was surprised when he sat on the mattress.

"You belong to your precious Ginny, Lord Potter", she said coldly as she turned away.

"It's my fault that our daughter died, right, Hermione?", he said sadly.

"You're wrong Lord Potter. It's your fault MY DAUGHTER died! She was mine and mine alone!", she said angrily.

"I was her father and you know that", he insisted.

"You hated her. I know you did. You can hate me all you want and I can take it. But I can't accept why you would hated MY DAUGHTER! She was innocent!", she yelled at him.

"Please don't leave me", he whispered.

"I hate you, Lord Potter! You destroyed all the beauty that's left in my world", she said with venom.

"Please, Hermione", he begged. She could see the tears falling down his face.

"Go back to your precious Ginny Weasley! You two have a blessed perfect life because you deserve each other. The divorce papers are ready. Just sign it and have it notarized. Do not worry about alimony, I can take care of myself", her hand was at the doorknob. She was about to open it when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

"Don't leave me, Hermione. I can't forgive myself if you leave me too", he tightened his hold on her. She forcibly removed his arms and faced him.

"I may have cheated you into marrying me, Harry, and I may have deserved all the hate from you. But MY DAUGHTER did not deserve your scorn! I give up! I could never love the man who contributed to my baby's death", she had angry tears in her eyes.

"I'm begging you, Hermione, please stay. I need you to heal me and to help me take the emptiness away", he knelt down in front of her.

"I gave you everything, Harry. But you threw it all away", she left him kneeling on the floor as she left his bedroom.

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she strengthened her resolve. In a few hours, I will be back in Britain again. Back to all the intrigue, the pain, and sad memories. But at least I can visit my Viola's grave again…