A/N: Hey everybody! I just have to say, I love you all! Really! I'm SO glad you're enjoying the story enough to read this far! And thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it! Now, to comment on a few certain reviews!

Junsui: LOL, I loved your review! Of course it's fixable! I'm glad I was able to clear things up for you! Thanks so much for reading and for reviewing!

harrison potter: Thanks so much for your thoughts! I'm glad you're actually thinking about the characters' feelings! Thanks! And remember, in the end, its really her that needs him!

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SEE IF I CARE

Harry walked in silence, his kids following along hurriedly behind him. He had no idea how to break the news to them. Lucky for him, the two kids took care of it.

"Dad," Cecilia said softly from behind him, "we know already. Will you talk to us?"

Harry stopped and took a deep breath before turning and facing the mirror image of the woman he had just left standing speechless. He spun on his heels to look his son and daughter in the eye, and swallowed.

"You know what?" He asked in a deeper-than-usual voice.

"About that woman being Mom, and about her being Voldemort's granddaughter." Charlie said while looking at the ground.

"Do you now?" Harry had shoved his hands in his pockets and was rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet. "How do you know?"

"Fred and George never stop, you know." CeCe explained, a small smile playing on the corners of her lips. Harry laughed. He'd take care of those two later.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah," Charlie piped up. "Who was the most gorgeous woman in the world?" CeCe punched him as Harry continued walking, laughing at full volume into the night.

Hermione returned home to find Brad awake at the kitchen table, waiting for her.

"Honey, where have you been?" Brad was on his feet and her in his arms, stroking her hair. He kissed her once, and when she hesitated, he backed off.

"Honey, what happened?" he asked her gently.

She couldn't look him in the eye. Not when she had enjoyed kissing Harry so much. He had, with the power of a little kiss, stirred up emotions she had buried years ago. Harry. That was all she could think.

"Brad, can we talk? I have a lot to explain to you." she asked quietly.

"Yeah, babe, in here," and he pulled her into a sitting room right outside the kitchen.

Her throat was dry. He was still using his pet names on her. She was sure, that in ten minutes' time, he would never have the desire to use one again.

"We have to go to London." she said.

"What? Why?" Brad questioned.

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you anything?"

"No. He just said he took you and then put me back to sleep. I woke up about five minutes ago, scared to death!"

"I'm a witch. I'm originally from Britain, I'm here because there was a terrible wizard after me. I took on the identity of a recently deceased woman seven years ago, and have been living as her since then. My name's Hermione Potter, no, Granger, no, Black… ah hell, I can't decide." she explained.

Brad kicked the nearest chair. "What are you talking about?" he asked in disbelief. "A witch? What, are you going to take me to London, where you and the rest of your magic friends can chant around me while boiling my head in acid?"

"No, Brad, I have no idea why I would boil your head in acid. But I would like it if you came to London to meet my family."

"What family? You have another family? Who?"

"Well, yes, I have another family. You have to meet my godfather, a few of my very good friends. You'll also meet my former husband, and, well, Brad, you'll meet my kids."

"What kids?"

"The kids I had with Harry, my former husband."

"You had kids out there all this time, and you never told me. Oh my God."

"Will you come with me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Yes, Brad, you have a choice." Hermione said irritably.

"Fine, I'll go." Brad grumbled.

"Fine."

Hermione wondered into the kitchen at Grimmauld two hours after she had left the last time, this time with her husband in her wake. Mrs. Weasley was bustling around making breakfast for the few early risers who were sitting at the large banquet table, which included Remus Lupin, a blond man Hermione had never met, and a middle-aged, very attractive witch with violently purple hair.

"Hello, Tonks! I hear we're cousins now."

"Wotcher, Hermione! Good to see you! It's been awhile!" Tonks got up from where she had been talking, laughing, and almost flirting with Remus and hugged Hermione. "Cousins, oh I know! Remus was just telling me about last night!" She gestured back at Remus. Hermione saw their eyes meet, and a ghost of a smile appear on her dad's old friend's lips. Ha, Remus Lupin, her dad's best friend, and Nymphadora Tonks, her dad's cousin. An unlikely, but seemingly very compatible pair, even if they didn't know it yet.

"Hello, Hermione." Remus had gotten up to give her a hug as well. He looked past her to see the man accompanying her. He looked at her and asked the unspoken question on all of their minds. Is he yours?

"Everybody," Hermione called, "I'd like you all to meet my husband, Brad." Remus nodded and moved to shake Brad's hand. Brad, Hermione noticed, seemed reluctant to shake Remus's hand, a gesture Hermione didn't like.

Remus noticed, too. Considering the chances were small that Brad knew already that Remus was used to being shunned by the Wizarding world in general, Remus took Brad's display of unwillingness to mean that he didn't seem to like being here, in the company of people he thought were crazy and possibly dangerous. He shook his hand anyway as Hermione introduced everybody to her husband.

"This is Molly Weasley, who may as well have been my mother, as well as my friend Ron's. This is Tonks, my second cousin once removed, and Remus Lupin, my dad's best friend." She glanced over at the blond wizard who still sat at the table. "Um, I would introduce you, but I'm not sure who you are myself." She grinned, embarrassed.

"Oh, Dear! This is Ginny's husband, Michael." Molly explained.

"Corner?"

"No, Banks. They've been married for…"

How long Ginny and Michael had been married, Hermione didn't know, for just as Molly was about to say, the door to the kitchen burst open and two tornadoes came spinning into the room. The tops of them were brilliantly orange.

The whirlwinds came and ran into Michael's arms, where he calmed the storm. A little girl, hardly more than six, was squirming away from her father's kisses, while her three-year-old brother was laughing along with them.

"Hermione," Ginny said from behind, "these are my two monsters and my husband." She walked over to where her family sat and picked up the little girl, who was now enjoying watching her brother get covered in their dad's affection. "These two buttheads are formally known as Amelia and Brian, but can also be called Goober and Gommer." She smiled at her kids, then at Hermione, and back at her husband with fondness, "This is Michael, as you now."

"Brad." Hermione pointed. She also noticed how Brad couldn't take his eyes off of her long-time friend. She was not impressed.

Ginny, thankfully, didn't seem to realize that her friend's husband was staring at her. She walked over to her mother and asked where her brothers were.

"Oh, Fred and George are still asleep, and will be for a while judging by how much fire whiskey they had last night. Honestly, I don't know why they never married. Bill left earlier for work, Fleur's up with their kids, and Ron is, well, I don't know where Ron is, to be truthful." Mrs. Weasley said without looking up at her daughter.

"He'll be around here soon enough. And his kids are still in bed, I take it?"

"I'd suppose, I better go wake them soon."

"Ron's got three boys." Ginny said to Hermione

"And good for him, too! He is, at least, now getting a taste of the hell he and his brothers put me through!" Mrs. Weasley said, trying to sound upset, but not convincing anyone.

Hermione smiled. "Where's Harry?" She tried to ask casually.

They heard a harsh rap on the door.

"That'd be him." Molly hustled out of the kitchen to greet him.

Molly returned with Harry, Charlie, and Cecilia behind her moments later.

Harry took one look at Brad and decided he didn't deserve Hermione. Brad didn't justify having Hermione be his wife. He shouldn't be able to touch her, to be with her. He could never love her the way Harry did. He wasn't supporting her now, when Harry knew she would have liked to have somebody next to her. He was just standing back, looking exasperated. Harry realized that Hermione wanted her husband at her side socializing with everybody. Brad was letting her down, something, that if Harry had the power, would never happen, if she was his wife.

Hermione turned around to see him and the kids. She walked to Brad's side, and looked Harry dead in the eye as she said, "Brad, I'd like you to meet my former husband, Harry, and my son and daughter, Charlie and Cecilia. Harry, I'd like you to meet my husband, Brad."

Harry and Hermione's eyes were still locked as Harry reached to shake Brad's hand. He observed that the feeling he got from Brad was distance. What are you doing here? You don't want to be with her, so leave, and I can have her back. Prick. Harry thought with indignation.

Michael, who had noticed Brad's eyes on his wife, sauntered over to engage him in conversation to distract his eyes. Hermione's kids were bumming scraps from the breakfast Molly was making, and Ginny and her kids were rolling on the floor. That left Harry and Hermione standing next to each other awkwardly. Harry turned and eyed Hermione. He shifted closer to her and began to whisper in her ear, to talk to her as well as to be able to breathe her feminine scent for a precious time.

"So, you're happy with him?" He questioned sarcastically.

"Yes. I am happier with him than I have been with anybody. Ever." She looked Harry in the eye as she said it. It was a mistake on her part. Even after so many years apart, Harry could still read her like the books she so often shoved her face into. She wasn't kidding anybody. She was furious at the way her eyes showed her true emotions, betraying her words.

"You do realize that he has quite an imagination, and at the moment, Ginny is in the middle of his fantasies." Harry told her.

"Shut up, Harry. You're just jealous." Hermione snapped. He smiled. Nope, she hadn't changed a bit.

"I'm jealous? What do I have to be jealous of? If you like him, well, let's just say, I can't measure up. I have no room to compete." He tried his best to appear hurt, but his eyes were lit with fire. It was his turn for his eyes to tell the truth.

Hermione could not face him. She knew he was right, but he was mocking her! He had no right to mock her. This was her marriage, and none of his business.

"Hermione," she felt his breathe on the base of her neck. She turned as their lips brushed. "Do you really want him?"

"Yes." she replied firmly. "Yes, Harry, I want him." This time her eyes registered with her words.

"You know, Hermione, I promised you I would love you forever. My offer still stands. Anytime you're ready, Babe. I'll be here, waiting ever so patiently for you. I will have you back, eventually."

"Oh, you'll have me back, will you? Well. Let me tell you something, Buster," She placed her hands on his firm chest and pushed until his body was pinned between hers and the wall. "I don't want you back. I promised to love Brad." Both of them knew what she had just said was all a lie.

"The problem with that is, you promised me, too. You've proved it yourself. Promises can be broken." He took her hands off his chest, pulled her a little closer, and stared at her bewildered expression as he kissed each of her fingertips, and then her cheek. "I missed you." he whispered as he walked away to join Molly at the stove.