Chapter #9 –Protecting Him?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, any of the characters in the book, or anything else related to the book.

A/N: Hope you enjoy it this chapter. I enjoyed writing it, though I guess you could say it is a tad short. But still, thanks for reading. :)

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Luna found herself walking next to Ron on Diagon Ally. She had noticed that lately she could barely control herself when she was around him. She felt these tingles of happiness every time he spoke and what she assumed were butterflies in her stomach. And as they fluttered around she attempted to ignore each and every one of them, but she had failed. As they walked through the streets, stopping at stores and such, she wondered if anyone had noticed their hands clasped gently together. She hoped they had. As much as she wanted Ron to be happy, she wanted him to be happy with her. Luna had developed a sudden hatred for Hermione. She was such a fool to let such a catch wander. Someone would surely pick Ron up if she paid him no attention. And Luna found it necessary to do Hermione the little favor of keeping him company.

"So, do you wanna head back home?" Ron openly suggested, hoping she would neglect his idea like so many others usually do.

"Nope, I'm fine right here," She smiled, gave his hand a little pat and continued to walk. He followed her without a doubt in his mind. "Ron,"

"What, dear?" He asked. He was unaware of what he had called her. Though it didn't seem to faze Luna either for she continued the conversation.

"What's going on with Hermione?"

"Well, I suppose she has left me. But I'm not worrying; I know she'll come back." He answered convincingly, but it wasn't Luna he was trying to convince. He had falling swiftly out of love with Hermione lately. Her self-pity and teenage drama was awfully unattractive to him. He wanted no part in someone who was willing to play such games with people's hearts. But the only con of this potential split up with Hermione was his relationship with Jack. The poor boy would never be able to see him as a good father, not if he and Hermione were always at each other's throats around him. It would be horrible to let him grow up seeing fight after fight, most of which would concern him. But Ron could never deny that he cared for the both of them. As long as they were his wife and child they were his only responsibility.

He constantly fought with himself about whether or not his wellbeing and happiness was more of an importance than the happiness of Hermione and Jack. And as long as they were safe, wasn't he allowed to make himself somewhat happy? But he often denied his right to a joy-filled life for he concentrated on Jack's life, not his own. But right now, in these few moments that he had shared with Luna the last couple of days, he felt happier. And the less time he spent thinking about his wife and child, the more open to life he became. He couldn't help but think that maybe Hermione had the right idea.

"Ron, where do you think we should go, now?" Luna asked, turning to him with a wide grin. She took his hands in hers as she awaited his reply.

"I dunno. Maybe we should find somewhere to eat." He advised with a hint of doubt, but when her eyes faltered slightly he knew where she wanted to go. "Or we can head home,"

"Sure," She said with agreement. She was positive that Ginny and Harry wouldn't be there. Plus, she had some stuff she wanted to talk to Ron about that she didn't want strangers to hear.

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The burrow stood taller than ever, looming gently over their heads. And as Ginny glanced back and forth between the road behind them and the door Harry anxiously knocked.

"Harry!" Ginny squealed before directing her attention back to the door.

"We'll we're here, aren't we?" He shrugged and waited nervously. Moments that seemed to extend beyond years passed so quietly before the door flew open and there stood Mrs. Weasley. Her eyes opened wide, her mouth fell slightly as she beckoned for them to come in.

"Ginny," Such a short word brought tears to her eyes. After they had come into the burrow she hurried to Ginny and embraced her. "Oh, I've been waiting so long, dear, so long." Harry stood back and admired the scene. It was overflowing with happiness, he was positive Mrs. Weasley would feel no anger towards Ginny. They headed over to the kitchen when a familiar voice called out from the couch.

"Harry! Harry!" Jack came bombarding over and clung heavily to Harry's leg. Harry reached down and patted his head. The little boy scurried back to the couch and called to Harry. He reluctantly followed, but found that his seat on the couch would be more comfortable than the mother-daughter reunion in the other room. "Guess what?"

"What?" Harry replied enthusiastically.

"I drew another picture," He smiled before showing it to Harry. He looked at it carefully before returning a grin to Jack.

"So Jack, where's your Mom?" Harry asked quietly, unsure if he should care or not.

"She went to the store." Jack retorted sharply before picking up a crayon and starting a new piece of art.

"Oh," Harry added before getting off the couch. He retired to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were in deep conversation. Once again he couldn't help but feel misplaced. He hesitantly sat down at the kitchen table as Mrs. Weasley started to prepare a meal. She whistled as she rummaged around the kitchen. Her even flow of whistling had almost dampened out the noises coming from the other room. Harry heard the door open in the other room, footsteps and a quiet "Hello Jack". He stood up abruptly and headed into the other room; he wasn't surprised to see Hermione. She stood next to Jack admiring how he colored, her hand resting comfortably on his shoulder. Harry was unsure as to whether she noticed had noticed him yet so he kept silent. Hermione lifted her head, a small smile painted on her lips, but when her eyes fell on Harry her grin faltered and she hurried into the kitchen.

"Hi Ginny," Hermione blurted out quite suddenly before glancing over to Harry and smiling. "I didn't know you guys were coming over." She added quietly, knowing that if she could have predicted their appearance she would have left with Jack and headed somewhere else.

"Oh, it was spontaneous," Harry retorted, his voice much like the weather outside: cold and solemn. He glanced back to Hermione. "I think we should talk in the other room," He suggested before heading back into the living-room. Hermione hesitantly followed, glancing back at Ginny before she exited.

Harry sat down next to Jack and gestured for Hermione to do the same, but she stayed standing. He thought it rude of her to neglect his offer so he stood up, taller than ever. "I want to talk to you about," He glanced down, realizing that Jack was right there, "Jack."

"Well, maybe upstairs is a better setting for this." She advised before walking up the steps, bearing a right. When they were concealed in a room and the door was shut Harry started again.

"You left Ron?" His voice was insensitive and critical.

"Obviously." She replied without looking him in the eyes. He could tell she was upset as she fiddled with an elastic band she had picked up from the table beside her.

"Are you going back to him?" Harry assumed she would feel comfortable answering all these questions, after all of this he thought it was his right to know. "I," She shook her head before lifting it up to meet eyes with Harry, "Why is this any of your business?"

"Because," He was about to say that he was Jack's father, but his memory reminded him of the paternity test and he shut his mouth.

"Because?" The tone of her voice questioned his heart.

"I guess it isn't" He murmured. "I came back here and you were hurt, in the hospital. I felt devastated, I felt horrible, seeing you like that. When you woke up you were so happy to see me. What happened?"

"Harry! Are you mental? Too many things happened." She yelled.

He countered her yell with a shout, "Sometimes I think I am mental. I was positive Jack was mine, MINE!" Though greedy and thoughtless his words seemed they were what he believed true.

"Harry, lower your voice," She added, calmly.

"No," He shouted again, waiting for her to counter his words.

"Harry, I don't want him to hear."

"Why? What's the difference? He won't understand it anyway!" He yelled, before throwing his hands up in the air, signaling his feelings of aggravation, "How can you be such a horrible mother?" He knew it was wrong to say, but he had blurted it out. And after it escaped his mouth he felt it necessary to continue, "You picked him up and took him away from his home and brought him here! How is that something good to do to a two year old?" He finished with a scream, a bold attempt to question her parenthood.

"It's not, but I had no choice," She retorted calmly. She didn't want to yell anymore, it made the words even more painful than they were already.

"You always have a choice!" He belted, his voice hit her heart hard, she felt such pain and remorse.

"Not right now, I don't." She was straining to stay composed, struggling to keep her voice to a minimum.

"Why don't you have a choice, Hermione, why?" His voice was growing in volume, each word piercing her thoughts.

"Because Harry," She screamed, she could care less about her composure at this point, "Ron isn't Jack's father!"

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Ron and Luna arrived in their living-room, where Luna proceeded to sit down on the couch and turn on the muggle device Hermione had suggested Ron buy. The television seemed uninteresting today, though Luna always found muggle things exciting. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else, somewhere where the fascination of a television couldn't faze her. Ron reluctantly sat down next to her. He acknowledged the silence in his head, but did nothing to prevent it. There was a slight awkwardness that still presented itself when they were alone together. But that was something else he tried to ignore.

Luna's grasped his hand again and with a slight grin turned to him. "So Ron, I hate to say it, but you're boring."

The comment took him by surprise, "Oh, I'm boring. Is that what you think?"

"Yep" She replied, he could hear the flirtation in her voice.

"I guess I should disprove your theory," He suggested before leaning in and kissing her. She broke it off almost too suddenly.

"I thought you couldn't."

"Well, that was before, this is now," He smiled and leaned in to kiss her again. He thought it might be going too fast but he stood up and led her by the arms back upstairs. And just as he closed his bedroom door he heard a faint knock coming from downstairs, someone was at the door. "I'll be right back," He whispered to Luna and ran down the stairs. Boldly, he opened the door, finding none other than Mr. Jack Granger: his father-in-law.

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A/N: So…what do you think?