Harry almost ran away when Ginny answered the door to the Burrow. It confirmed the fact that he would have to face her. By the end of the night, she would hate him. The other Weasleys could maybe forgive him but he knew Ginny would be his biggest critic. Although Ginny and Ron had had their share of fights as teenagers, they had always been close. After Hermione had left, Ginny acted like a mother hen to Ron. She had brought him food to make sure he didn't forget to eat; she kept him company when he was practically catatonic, and she was ultimately the one to convince him he'd be much happier if he were working. Ginny had been there for Ron in his darkest of hours and she would not easily forget.
Ginny hugged him tightly as though she hadn't seen him just this morning. Over her shoulder Harry could see the rest of the Weasleys, excluding Charlie, who was still working diligently with the dragons in Romania. Mr. Weasley was leaning against the kitchen doorframe, Fleur and Bill were sitting side by side on the love seat, Percy, George, and he assumed Ginny took the couch, and Mrs. Weasley sat in a plush chair, knitting. They had all looked up when he entered. He gulped back the bile that was collecting in his throat. Harry felt like throwing up, although there wouldn't be much in his stomach. He had been unable to eat anything since meeting with Mr. Weasley this morning.
"Harry what's going on?" Ginny whisper brought him back to her, tightly wrapped in his arms. "Dad came in and he said that you had something to tell us tonight. He muttered something about Ron and Hermione. Is everything okay?" Ginny pulled back from the hug and looked at him. Worry was etched in every line of her face and her eyes grew wide when Harry flashed her a guilty look and didn't respond. He placed his hands on her shoulder and stepped back from her and looked down at the floor avoiding eye contact.
"Don't hate me, Gin. Okay?" Not waiting for her to reply and not looking at her shocked face he faced Arthur.
"So exactly how did you want me to go about this?" Harry looked at Arthur who was still standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
"I wouldn't suggest showing them a tape from what I saw earlier but then again I doubt that gets recorded. Why don't you just tell them how this all got started." Arthur was being uncharacteristically cold, Harry noted.
"Like when? Two years ago? Or recently when they were sent to the safe house?" Harry replied a bit snippily. Did Arthur have no sympathy at all? Did he realize what keeping this secret had meant for Harry? Did he realize that he hated lying to them for so long?
"Who?" Ginny shrieked. "Stop talking in code! Who's in the safe house? Where is Ron?" Arthur ignored her and continued.
"How about you start by explaining to them why I saw Ron and Hermione fornicating on television this afternoon." Arthur stared at Harry who closed his eyes at Arthur's choice of words. As soon as the words were spoken, Molly opened her mouth in horror as did Percy. Bill looked as though he was going to choke and Fleur's face flushed. George managed a smirk but still looked confused. Ginny on the other hand, looked enraged.
"You mean they were-" Molly swallowed, "having relations?"
"On camera?" George looked impressed.
"Aren't you people at all concerned with the fact that he was having sex with Hermione?" Ginny yelled. "Hermione. You know, the woman who ripped out Ron's heart when she disappeared, TWO YEARS AGO!"
"Yes, Harry. About that, when did Hermione come back and does anyone know why she left? I feel some ministry protocol must have been violated with her disappearance. She didn't even give her two weeks notice, you know." Percy interjected as though he were personally offended by her work ethics.
"I think the story might run a bit deeper than Hermione's work responsibilities, Perce." George stated.
"Still, I thought she had more courtesy than that." Percy lifted his chin in indignation.
"Enough." Arthur stated firmly. "Harry apparently has all the answers, direct them at him." The room burst into a loud cacophony.
"Why is Hermione back?" Molly asked.
"Where was Hermione?" Ginny shot back.
"Why were they having sex in public?" George queried.
"Why didn't she give her two weeks notice?" Percy wondered.
"They are in a safe house?" Bill inquired.
"Does zis mean zat zey are back togezer?" Fleur questioned.
"She got-She was-They didn't-Is that-Yes they-I'm not sure if-" Harry stuttered and stammered out partial answers. "Wait!" Harry yelled. "Let me explain one at a time, please. First off, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione came back because her cover was blown. She was on a special assignment that I am not allowed to talk about. They were not having sex in public, George; they were in their house, yes a safe house, Bill. Also I assume that if they are being intimate they are back together." Harry pursed his lips, his eyes thoughtful. "Although there have been some moments when I can't really tell what is going on between them. For awhile they fought a lot but were still snogging. So I don't really know."
"What about her two weeks notice?" Percy pursed his lips.
"Sorry, Percy. She never quit, she was on assignment. Therefore, she wasn't required to put her two weeks notice in." Harry let the words rush out of him in a great swoosh.
"But how do you know all of this?" Ginny asked angrily. Ginny had hit on it: The Big Issue. Harry swallowed before answering slowly.
"I, er, I'm one of three people who knew Hermione's whereabouts for the last two years. Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hermione Granger, and myself, were the only ones who know the details of her disappearance, well I guess now Ron." Harry was trying to maintain a businesslike attitude to keep his sanity. Matters like this were ten times easier if he acted disconnected. Not to mention, Harry wasn't sure he could talk casually about his mistake.
"Know or knew?" Ginny asked through clenched teeth.
"What?" Harry asked confused.
"You know the information now? Or you knew this all along?"
"Oh. Now I understand your question." Harry replied avoiding answering the question. This was obvious to every one in the room. Harry couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the fact that Ginny and he were about to have their first real fight and it would be in from of a very judgmental audience. Harry felt panicky. Why would he agree to this slaughter? I'm an idiot. Harry thought to himself. I totally screwed myself over on this one.
"Oh, Harry. No!" It wasn't Ginny's voice that he heard though, it was Molly's. Harry bit his lip and nodded.
"That's not cool, mate" George sighed. "You let your best friend suffer when you could've stopped it?" Hearing these words leave George's mouth made Harry feel like he was being stabbed in the heart. Harry was sure that George was thinking about Fred and how he would have done anything in his power to save him from unnecessary harm and it made Harry feel ten times worse for it.
"I did expect better, Harry." Bill said disappointed. Harry felt weighed down with shame. Why weren't they yelling? He could deal with yelling. Disappointment and cool reserve were not what he was used to.
"Wait!" Ginny spat. "You watched Ron as he fell apart. You watched him go from drinking himself to sleep and searching her in a frenzy to not being able to muster up enough strength to eat? And you said NOTHING! You knew everything and you said nothing? I understand that maybe we couldn't know. I get that, it would have been nice, but I get that. What I don't get is the fact that you knew enough to tell Ron so that he could make it through the day, maybe worrying, but not in so much pain, and you didn't tell him a thing. Harry he was a damn good friend to you when you needed him and you pull this shit on him? How could you Harry? How-could-you?" Ginny looked distraught and to the point of tears by the end of her rant. She looked at Harry as though he were disgusting. Harry sighed heavily and shut his eyes for a moment trying to think of the right response.
"I couldn't. It was my-" Ginny stopped him there, stood up and walked over to him.
"What? Your job? Since when do you listen to the rules? You've been breaking them since you were eleven! Tell the truth!" She hit him in the chest forcefully, tears starting to roll silently down her face. "Tell the truth! What held you back?" Once again, Ginny had taken the conversation to a place Harry had no desire to travel. All of the Weasleys were staring back at the two of them. Harry was standing in front of her, as she hit him frustrated and he took it. He didn't care anymore. He deserved it. He deserved their disappointment and anger. All of it. He grabbed her shoulders to stop her so he could explain. She wrenched out of his grasp stepping back a few feet and looking repulsed that he touched her.
"I-I promised Hermione, I wouldn't." Ginny opened her mouth to speak. "Wait. Please, let me finish." Harry didn't want to blame this on Hermione. He had made a choice too and he didn't want them to think ill of Hermione. He knew her intentions had been to protect Ron and he couldn't let them believe otherwise. "Hermione wanted to protect him. If he had known where she had been he would have tracked her down or at the very least reassigned her and refused to let her go. You know it's true." He added when Ginny looked doubtful. "Besides she didn't want anyone to find him and use him or torture him just to find her. She was protecting him."
"Fine! I understand her motives although I think she went about it in a terrible way but you?"
"I told you I promised her! She's my best friend too! And it was against the law for me to talk about her and her assignment. I could have lost my job and I don't just have myself to look after now! I have to think about you too!" Harry wasn't yelling because he was angry, he was yelling because he was desperate. Desperate for them to understand what keeping this secret had cost him. He wanted them to know the price he had paid. Ron barely spoke to him when he visited, his wife was furious with him, and the only family he had ever known was disappointed in him. How had he gone so wrong? How had he gotten himself in this much trouble? How could they possibly forgive him for all his mistakes?
"Just go, Harry." Ginny looked away and turned her back to him.
"Wh-What?" Harry stammered disoriented. He felt he hadn't done an adequate job of explaining everything.
"Maybe it would be best if you left now Harry. We can finish this another time. Let us have some time to process this information." Bill replied calmly and turned to everyone for an agreement. They all nodded concurring with Bill's request. Harry felt his heart drop.
"What information? I've barely told you anything!" Harry looked around at all of them. They were staring back, not saying a word and Harry knew what that meant. It was time for him to leave.Harry turned swiftly on his heel and apparated outside the gates.
Harry was inside his house within sixty seconds of leaving the Weasleys. He stood in the foyer staring at his empty house and looked toward the picture of him and Ginny from their wedding. They looked so happy then and now they weren't and it was all his fault. He pushed his back to the door and sunk to the ground. He gathered his knees to his chest and pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes. He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to show this weakness, not even to himself. After the war was over, he promised himself that he would never do this again. He was supposed to be happy now. But he wasn't. He had effectively driven away all the people who had loved him. Except one. Hermione. He didn't have anyone else to talk to and he needed to see her. He had kept her secret and now it was her turn to help him.