A/N: Ginny lovers need not apply!

Chapter 2

A young woman of almost 19 furtively darted up an alley, waiting silently as three men in long, black cloaks passed her hiding place.

"She has to be around here."

"Damn Mudblood!"

"Oh give it up Dolohov, you're holding a grudge against a teenager! And MacNair … we're supposed to be quiet, not cursing loudly on the street," snarled a voice that the young woman recognized instantly.

"Let's just get out of here."

The man whose voice she had recognized glanced directly at where she was hiding and waved his arm slightly. She disappeared quickly to Grimmauld Place and hurried in.

The house was oddly quiet and dark considering its status as the Order's headquarters. Her pants echoed off the walls and she leaned against the closed door attempting to catch her breath. Gods, that was too close – we'll have to watch better next time. Once she caught her breath she snuck quietly up the stairs casting a cushioning charm on the stairs to avoid squeaks, the eerie quiet making her nervous in her own home. Walking up the hallway towards the master bedroom she heard a muted chuckle. Hairs rising at Harry's presence in their room during an afternoon, she tiptoed softly to the door and cracked it open.

Just inside on her wedding bed, was her husband and best friend in flagrante delicto. He was pumping jerkily into the woman's body, often slipping out in his exuberance, while the young, probably 4 month pregnant woman on the bed was moaning like a first rate actress. Amidst the horror of the situation the woman in the doorway was tempted to laugh at the absurdity. I mean really, if he's going to cheat, if could at least be … good! She shut the door softly, wiped her tears away and threw her shoulders back.

Hermione Potter was ready for battle. Turning back, once more collected, she slammed the door open just as the two on the bed reached completion. Leaning against the door frame she enjoyed the squeak of her ex-chum's surprise and the dawning horror on her soon to be ex's face. She walked into the room steadily and began summoning her things to her and then placing them into a conjured bottomless bag. The pair on the bead stared at her shocked.

"Herm … I thought you were out for the day …" Harry said weakly while the young redhead on the bed glared at the standing woman.

"Well Harry, I almost got attacked by Death Eaters looking for the other Horcrux so I thought I'd come home and take a nice, relaxing bath to calm my nerves and then make a nice, special dinner for my loving husband and possibly spend a meaningful night with him so close to our 1 year anniversary. But well, I guess your search for that secret hiding place was a bit more successful, wasn't it? Although judging by that waistline I would say it hasn't been a secret for a loooong time, eh? I don't recall Ginny's snatch being in the research as a possible location, but if that's your method for killing Voldemort, go for it! Truly I hope it was worth it. I hope, Harry, that you don't regret this for the rest of your life. Because you didn't only cheat on your wife, you lost your last best friend and the only person that can help you in the situation that you're in. Someday you'll realize that, I think."

"Bullshit you whore, the only reason he ever married you was to keep you from leaving for your parents. All he needed was your brains to find the Horcruxes, and after Ron fortunately died, you were both wide-open for the taking. But you stole him from me, you bitch, and nobody takes what is mine," said the fuming red-head on the bed.

The man simply looked between the two with a horrified expression.

"Tut, tut Gin, I'm not the one in bed with another woman's husband, not to mention unwed and pregnant. Granted that will make the divorce easier. And Gin: dear, sweet Gin, you think I don't realize that he took me because I was the last one left?! Hell after Ron died, we were the only ones left that could remotely understand each other. You obviously don't miss him! But you can at least give Harry something he wouldn't let me; heaven forbid the Boy-Who-Won't-Die's child is from a pureblood mother – no a blood traitor is much more the thing."

Gasping at the venom of Hermione's words, Harry stuttered, "Hermione, you know I don't believe in that blood stuff! I .."

"Spare me Harry. You didn't even want to touch me on our wedding night, and it sure as Hell wasn't because of Ron's memory."

"And who would want to touch you, you bushy-haired monstrosity? You're as frigid as an ice cube. The only reason people even talk to you is because it's easier than going to the library."

With that the red head smirked and leaned back against the headboard of the gorgeous mahogany bed that Hermione and Harry had picked out together just before their wedding. Hermione could still remember that night that everything seemed to go wrong …

Flashback – 1 week before the wedding

They had just picked out their new bed and were eating at a dishy little café off of Regent St in London, when Hermione decided to reveal her parentage.

"Harry … I need to tell you something. You need to know before we get married."

"What is it love?"

"Well, just listen and don't interrupt, please?!"

"Of course."

"Ok, well on my 17th birthday my parents took me out to dinner with some old friends of theirs, remember?" With his nod she continued, "Well, it turns out that they were my birth parents, and that the Grangers, or really the people I'd lived with, were my grandparents; because well, theLestrangesaremybirthparentsandwereinAzkabanwhenIwasgrowingup." She finished with a pant.

Harry spit out his wine on the tablecloth and stared at her in shock.

"You're whose daughter?!"

"Harry, shhhh, we can't let other people know! Not even Voldemort knows I'm alive."

"But you can't be a pureblood. You're you! Wait you met them?! And you didn't kill them?! She killed Sirius, Hermione! How can you do this to me? You've betrayed us all. You probably killed Ron too."

Hermione's hair was practically bristling with magic.

"Don't you dare Harry Potter. I loved Ron and no one could ever make me hurt him like that. And they were my parents! Your parents killed too and you would take any chance you could to see them again. I never betrayed anyone. I ran away, as you well know, with you and Ron 2 weeks after I found out! And then Ron was killed for that one Horcrux and now here we are a year later and I've had no contact with them since. They weren't even going to tell me until I was 18 because they were scared I would run away, but since they're out of Azkaban and the war is escalating so quickly, they thought I should know."

She sat there looking at her hands, holding her tears back. He glared at her for a few minutes and then shoved his chair back,

"I'm going to need a few days Hermione. Just leave me alone."

"Fine. Ok. Whatever you need."

And with that he stormed out of the café.

Two days later he came back to her, took her hand and told her it would be alright. She didn't miss the harsh glint in his eye as he bent to kiss her, or on their marriage night how he cringed when she walked into the bedchamber, or months later when he began to hit her and take his anger out on her. She understood it all.

So she never told him how she knew what places to avoid and when or where she went during the day. She never let on that her parents sent her small notes warning their darling child or that she went to get to know them better every other day for tea and coffee after she was married.

End Flashback

…

Hermione shook her head to clear it of useless memories and swept out the door, closing it behind her. She sunk to the floor and began sobbing for her lost dreams, innocence and for some reason Ron. Harry was the last link to their old friend and he had simply thrown it away. Harry sat inside the room, keeping Ginny at bay and staring at the door in shock. He heard her walk down the hallway and down the steps and rushed after her in a sheet. He froze on the landing, listening to her greet newcomers,

"Oh hi Remus, Bill, Charlie, and twins! I was just talking to your sister up in my room! She's got big news for you," said Hermione in a quavering sing-song voice.

Harry's heart cracked at the only outward sign of her hurt. He hadn't meant to hurt her – but she was the daughter of Bellatrix and Rodolphus for Merlin's sake, and also what Ginny had said was true, 'Moine could just be so cold sometimes, and at least Ginny liked sex.

Hermione turned around sharply and looked at the landing.

"You never were good at Occlumency dear husband. But it is hard to enjoy when you can't even get it into the hole." She winked at him through the hurt in her eyes, while comprehension dawned on the others. "By the way, Gred and Forge, I'll be coming by your place later."

The two nodded at her and smirked, while the older Weasley's winked at her, making Harry's blood boil. So I cheated on her, big deal! I'm the bloody savior of the Wizarding world! Don't I deserve to get everything I want for once?! She has no right to leave! She is mine, she'll learn. He growled at Remus' sad eyes and marched back to his room. Remus shook his head and walked off to tell McGonagall the latest development; the four Weasley's grinned and headed up the stairs, knowing their sister had no idea what happened when their favorite witch was crossed …

Hermione glanced back at Grimmauld place once more and felt a sort of foreboding that she might never see it again, sighing she took out her wand and disapparated with a quick pop.

A/N: Sooo Ginny is a bitch and Hermione has secrets! Goody!!! I love my muse. Leave a review and tell me what you think!