Saturday, 21st July 2018, Ipswich, Suffolk
Harry was sitting on the couch, his mind restless despite the peaceful afternoon sun streaming through the window. He didn't even have time to prepare when Ginny Weasley-Potter stepped out of the fireplace with a scowl etched on her face. Harry knew she still hated traveling by Floo network; she always said it made her feel like her bones were rattling inside her body.
He also knew why she was home two months earlier than expected.
Harry stood up quickly, forcing a bright smile onto his face. "Hey, Gin," he said, crossing the room to embrace her. He pecked her cheek, hoping to ease the tension radiating off her.
Ginny returned his hug, but it was stiff and half-hearted. She pulled away, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"You couldn't wait for me to come back before you quit your job?" she said sharply, her tone cutting through the air like a whip.
Harry sighed. There it was.
"Gin, I—"
"You just go ahead and quit your job—a job you've had for 18 years—and didn't even talk to me about it?", Her voice was rising now, each word landing like a heavy blow. "We've been married for nearly two decades, Harry. Don't you think I deserve at least the decency of being part of the conversation when you make a life-altering decision?"
"Ginny I should've —"
"No, Harry, save it, okay? I know you—the great war hero Harry Potter—have always thought of me in this sanctimonious manner as Ron's little sister. But I am also your wife, and you should treat me as your wife. Do you even care how this makes me look? People will ask why my husband—the Harry Potter—quit his job without a word to me. Do you think it's easy for me to always be the one left to explain everything? Don't you think I deserve more than a letter—more than to be blindsided like this." Her voice broke slightly, and she turned away, as if frustrated by her own emotion.
Harry didn't know what stung more—the frustration in her eyes or how true her words were. Their conversation—or rather, Ginny's monologue—continued relentlessly. He listened, trying to find a moment to interject, but her firecracker attitude, the one he had always admired in her, the one he was attracted towards, now overwhelmed him. When they were at Hogwarts, her ability to command attention, her unshakable confidence, and her fierce independence had drawn him to her. She had been a force of nature; someone he couldn't help but respect and admire. But now, as her words were directed at him, he felt the weight of them pressing down on his chest.
Harry rubbed his temples and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stay calm. He ran his fingers through his unkemt hair and tried to meet her eyes.
"Ginny," he said finally, his voice quieter but firm, "I know I should have waited for you to come back. I should've told you in person instead of letting you find out in a letter. But this decision... it wasn't easy for me. It's not just the job. It's everything, Ginny. I've been feeling like a shadow of myself—like I'm stuck in the past while the world moves on. Like I've been stuck in the same place for too long. I hardly got out. I needed to do this for myself. I don't know, but I know that staying wasn't helping. I felt like I was drowning, Gin." His voice wavered slightly, and he hated how small it sounded.
For a moment, Ginny's expression softened, but it was fleeting. She shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh.
Ginny turned away, walking to the window and looking out at the garden. Her shoulders were tense, her hands clenched at her sides. Harry stayed where he was, unsure of what to say.
The silence stretched between them, heavy and unyielding.
Sunday, 22nd July 2018, Devon
Harry and Ginny apparated outside the traditional Weasley home with a crack. It was a damp and drizzly afternoon and they were right in time for their monthly family lunch. They could already smell the feast Molly Weasley has whipped up from at least 50 m away. For the first time in a while, Harry was not looking forward to being at the Burrow. He could almost feel the tension between them and was weary about creating a scene in front of their family after the conversation they had had yesterday.
As they walked up to the Burrow, they could hear the soft laughter of their kids and he felt his worries ebb away. Entering the Burrow living room, they saw James, Albus and Lily, sitting on the sofa. Albus was reading as usual, while James and Lily were peered over a box of Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-bangs. "I hope you're not planning to set those off inside Jamie. Molly will not appreciate burning down the burrow again", said Harry with an amused smile. The three kids jumped as they spotted their parents. Harry had a huge grin on his face, while Ginny too gave them a bright smile, hiding any traces of the tense conversation they had had at home.
"Mum, Dad", they said almost in unison as they spotted Harry and Ginny. Ginny hugged them tightly.
"Mum, I thought you were not going to be back before September.", said Albus.
"I just could stay away any longer from my babies", she said. "Did you give Grandma any trouble?" she asked staring at James.
"Why are you asking me and not these two" said James indignantly, crossing his arms. "She knows who is most likely to set off dungbombs and set the house on fire." said Albus, with a smirk. James scoffed, "Shut up Al, that was just one time"
Harry raised his eyebrows. Thankfully for James, Molly entered the kitchen at that moment and screeched as she saw Harry and Ginny.
"Ginny my darling, what a great surprise." exclaimed the Weasley matriarch, with surprise seeing her daughter in the house after months as she hugged her daughter tightly. "I did not expect to see you today"
Ginny gave her mom a small smile, as Molly hugged Harry "Oh, just some unexpected news Harry decided to spring on me over the weekend, so I decided to come home early," Ginny said with a tight smile, her tone light but her eyes narrowing slightly at her husband.
Harry whispered "Don't start here."
"What news?", asked Molly.
"Oh, nothing big Molly" said Harry quickly. "Is George here?", as he sat down on the table beside Albus.
"No dear, George is very busy this weekend at the store.", sighed Molly
"Bill and Fleur should be here though. Hermione andthekidstoo."
Just as she said it, there was a small creak as the front door opened and Bill and Fleur entered the living room along with Dominique, Victoire and Louise. They greeted everyone warmly, their presence a welcome distraction from the lingering tension between Harry and Ginny.
"Harry, Ginny!" Bill said, clapping his brother-in-law on the back before turning to Fleur, who smiled as she kissed Ginny on the cheek. "We weren't expecting you today, Ginny," Fleur said, her accent as thick as ever. Fleur and Bill went into the kitchen to greet Molly.
The front door creaked open again. "Well, well, looks like we are the last one to arrive," Hermione said as she entered the room, carrying a bag, followed closely by Hugo and Rose, as she gave Hugo a side-eye. "Mom it was not me, it was Rosie", said Hugo as he rushed into the living room to see his cousins. Hermione sighed as she looked around the room. Her eyes flicked between Ginny's tight smile and Harry's averted gaze. She frowned slightly, but her expression smoothed over as she greeted Ginny warmly.
"Ginny!", Hermione exclaimed, as she hugged her and Ginny returned her embrace. "You're back!"
"Yeah", said Ginny with a slight smile as they hugged. Hermione looked at Harry questioningly over Ginny's shoulder and he gave her a knowing look and mouthed "later".
As the afternoon rolled on, the clan soon settled around the table amicably as they ate Molly's amazing spread, with the kids loitering around the living roomand fell into a quiet routine as they did each time they met at the Burrow.
The drizzle had stopped, leaving the air fresh and cool. Harry leaned against the crooked wooden fence, staring out at the rolling hills beyond the Burrow. As the family sat around lawn chairs with James and Hugo got ready to set off a Bombastic Bomb near the mushroom patch.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Harry turned to see Hermione approaching, a faint smile on her face. She held two mugs of tea and offered one to him as she joined him at the fence. Their fingers brushed briefly as he took the mug,
"Thanks," he said, his voice soft. He didn't meet her eyes, instead focusing on the horizon.
"You've been quiet today," Hermione observed, her voice gentle but probing.
"Just thinking," Harry replied.
"Did you tell her about -", Hermione started
"I sent her an owl -"
"An owl, Harry you -", she interjected.
"I know, I know I should have told her in person.", his voice cold and sharp, before softening his tone "Sorry Hermione, it's just that we had this huge fight before coming here and I have been thinking about how it feels so odd to keep pretending everything is fine. But it's not just the way I told her. It's everything. It's like... we're on different wavelengths. She's hurt because I didn't tell her about my decision sooner, and I get that. But, Hermione, I'm just so tired. Tired of the job, tired of... pretending I've got everything figured out, living this pretentious happy life. Sometimes, I feel like I'm playing a role, like I'm acting" Harry admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "The happy husband, the war hero, the father who has everything under control. But it's just a mask, Hermione. And it's exhausting. I don't know what will happen if I do. I'm terrified, Hermione. Terrified of what happens if I stop pretending to be this hero, to be this 'perfect' husband, father. I'm terrified of taking off the mask. Every day it feels like I'm sinking deeper into a role that isn't me."
Hermione gave him a sympathetic look, but there was something in her expression—something pained. She didn't speak right away, instead staring into her tea as if it held answers to her own unspoken thoughts.
"What about you?" Harry asked suddenly, his voice soft but laced with concern. "You've been quieter than usual too. Have you heard from him?"
Hermione flinched slightly, then let out a small, mirthless laugh, looking across the lawn. "He's been gone for months, Harry. Quidditch matches, team practices, promotional tours... It's like he's living in a different world. And when he is home, we barely talk. Sometimes, I think he loves the Cannons more than he loves me."
Harry's hand tightened around his mug as he listened, his heart sinking at the sadness in her voice. He turned to face her fully, his green eyes searching hers.
"That's not true, Hermione. Ron loves you. He always has."
"Maybe," Hermione replied softly, her voice trembling. "But sometimes I wonder if it is enough. We're... so different, Harry. We're… we've always been different, but now those differences are becoming harder to ignore. Almost insurmountable." She peered across the garden as the Bombastic Bomb set off by James roared across the sky with red and golden flames. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to shield herself from her own emotions.
"We have been together for years and I feel he takes so many things for granted, me, the kids, everything. I'm the one holding everything together. It gets exhausting. One of the reasons I have loved him was for how different he is from me, how he loves quidditch and eats like it is his last meal, how we bring something different to the table, how he has a knack of doing things I would never do."
"But it does get very tiresome after a while. And 20 years is a very long time. I used to think we'd always find a way to make it work, that our differences would never feel like a burden. But now… sometimes I wonder if those differences are too much to overcome. I just don't know how much longer I can keep pretending that it's okay", she sighed as the small flakes of the firecracker slowly descended from the sky.
As they looked over horizon, Harry realized how similar their situations were. Harry squeezed her shoulder gently, leaning over at her. "You've always stood by me, Hermione," Harry said quietly, his voice tinged with appreciation."You've always been there for me, even when it was very easy for you to leave me and -" his voice cracked. Clearing his throat, he said,"We'll figure this out together."
She turned to face him fully, her eyes searching his, her lips parting as if to say something, but no words came. Instead, she simply offered him a small, but sincere smile—a smile that spoke of the trust and understanding between them.
Harry reached out, his fingers brushing hers before gently squeezing her hand. Their fingers intertwined, a quiet promise passing between them—a moment of silent understanding. The sun was beginning to set, casting a soft golden glow over the distant forest. And in that fleeting, peaceful silence, Harry realized just how much untold burden they had both been carrying—how much they had each been hiding inside. And yet, despite everything, they always found a way to share the weight, to help each other bear it.
A/N: Happy New Year! I hope everyone reading this has an amazing year ahead! Chapter 5 finally! Hope y'all like it, reviews would be appreciated ;) See y'all soon.