Prologue
Harry Potter sat at his desk in the office in one corner of the bull pen in the Auror’s office within the DMLE. He was currently Head Auror, having taken over from Robards a few years previously, and being groomed to head up the DMLE. He was sitting wading through a pile of annual appraisals of the current Auror force. They had grown the force to one hundred and fifty active members, with an additional fifty support staff in forensic magic and evidence collection. They cross trained with the Metropolitan Police in investigation and interview techniques, profiling and many other skills. Magic or mundane, criminals were still criminals.
Ron had left the Auror department before he finished training, to join George at the shop, and their business was going from strength to strength. Ron had actually married Hermione, to Harry’s surprise, and secret disappointment. He loved Hermione, and it was not a sibling love, she still made his heart beat faster with a hint of a smile.
Ginny and he had made a go of it, and Harry knew Ginny suspected she was his second choice, but he also knew she loved him deeply, and he did love her. Years ago he had realised to try to be with Hermione, with no guarantee of success, he would first have to break the hearts of Ginny, who he genuinely loved, and Ron, his best friend. He couldn’t do it. One drunken night, not long after the battle, Hermione and he had shared a stolen kiss, a what if kiss. It had been amazing, but the following days it was awkward and never mentioned. Ron had offered Hermione an engagement ring the following month and things had settled.
Harry and Ginny had married first, six months before Ron and Hermione, he had stood beside Ron, in the church in Hermione’s home town. When the Vicar had asked if anyone knew a reason that they should not be married, his eyes had met Hermione’s and an understanding had passed between them. They loved each other, but would never be together, neither could destroy their partners by leaving them.
That had been four years ago, and he was happy with Ginny, they loved each other. Ron, he felt didn’t pull his weight with Hermione, but he also recognised, that no one would ever be good enough for his girl in his eyes. They had been through too much, seen too many things, shared too many moments not to be close. For the millionth time he idly wondered what would have happened if he had nerved up and kissed her in the tent whilst they danced, where would they be now?
The alarm charm on his desk calendar reminded him, it was time to attend the briefing about tonight’s raid. He headed to the conference room where the selected task force was assembled, lounging around the table. She walked in, smartly dressed in a blouse and a pencil skirt that flattered her lovely legs, and slim figure, her smile warmed him for a moment, and then the door closed and it was all business.
Hermione Granger-Weasley was working with the Unspeakables on this high profile case. Young witches were being sacrificed in what was believed to be a power boosting ritual. A muggleborn girl had been taken that morning, and the clock was ticking. She had a twin sister, so the Unspeakables had carried out a blood ritual and scryed her location. They needed to hit the ritual just before it started in order to capture all the participants, and rescue the girl, before she was sacrificed. Hermione mentioned that she believed the girl would be unaware of anything, so her trauma would be minimal if the raid was successful.
She warned everyone present, that the bad guys would almost certainly be enhanced in many cases, and to work in pairs and tackle each one at the same time. They planned their assault, who would be in the various planned positions, covered escape routes, apparition and portkeys would be out, the floo network would be down. Harry would be on scene, he was by a wide margin the most powerful wizard in the room, his nearest equal, was a witch, and she would be coordinating the clean up.
Harry returned to his desk, he could not shake the sense of dread and foreboding that hung over his mind about this raid. He pulled some notepaper out of his desk and with a gel biro wrote a series of letters. He left them sealed with the recipients’ names on in his top drawer, if he returned tomorrow, he would burn them.
_______________________ᓚᘏᗢ
They crashed the front and rear door, one of the skylights and a wall panel simultaneously they fired stunners first, but when the targets returned fire with avada kedavras they went lethal and cut down the members of the group in short order. Harry ran to the altar, where some sort of magical build up was taking place, he used a cutting hex to free the little girl, she looked like a young Luna to Harry as he swept her off the altar and handed her to the nearest Auror. He turned back to cast a shield over the ritual stone and attempt to contain it, he could here Hermione’s voice shouting him to get clear and then the blast of magic hit him and he disintegrated in a burst of bright orange light. Hermione screamed in anguish, as her closest friend, her other love was taken away in front of her very eyes.
The mood in the Bull pen was sombre, the little girl was revived at home in her mother’s arms, and had no idea she had even been anywhere, the task force took solace from the success in saving an innocent.
Harry’s deputy found the letters, he handed the one with her name on it to Hermione, the other two were addressed one to his wife and another to his best friend and her husband, Ronald. Hermione took the one with Ron’s name on it, “I’ll pass this one on,” she paused and took the one for Ginny. Her eyes were dry, and her heart numb. She would cry later, in private, probably with Ginny.”
Hermione arrived at home to a dark house, she dropped the note to Ron on the kitchen table and called Ginny on the floo. She stepped through a moment later. Ginny took one look at Hermione’s face and broke down in tears. Hermione’s resolve collapsed and the pair grabbed each other for support. They cried in each other’s arms for an eternity, eventually Ginny spoke, her voice hoarse. “He loved you. He admitted to me he loved you as much as he loved me. He knew he couldn’t have both of us, he couldn’t hurt Ron or me and ask you to leave. He used to get so annoyed about how Ron took you for granted. I know we both loved him. I don’t know what I am going to do now he has gone.” She sobbed.
“I am so sorry Ginny, he saved a little girl, she was only eight, she looks just like a little Luna, and he always protected her, I don’t think he stopped to consider himself. I should be so mad at him, charging in without thinking one last time.” She wiped her face, “I did love him. I always have. I couldn’t have hurt you either. We made our choice years ago, before the engagements, we never did anything behind anyone’s backs.”
Hermione pulled Ginny’s letter out of her bag and passed it over. “He must have suspected, he wrote letters, and he wrote them today.” She sniffed a little. Ginny looked at the envelope, almost putting it down and then opened it and read the contents.
Dear Ginny.
I love you, I have loved you for years, and I hope that this letter goes in the fire tomorrow morning, but I have a bad feeling about this raid. Look after yourself, and move on when you are ready. The money side of everything is sorted, you will have no worries.
I have to confess, as much as I love you, I love Hermione also. Hermione and I could not be together, and I never regretted the choice we made that brought us together. I ask you to look out for Hermione. I think she will be hit as hard as you are, and Ron will not be sympathetic, he will probably get angry and jealous and shoot his mouth off accusing her, us of things. There was never anything to be jealous of, Hermione and I knew what our choices meant and what we meant to each other.
If you can offer her a refuge, she might need it.
I love you. I am sorry, I did not want to leave, if you are reading this it went pear shaped and I am no longer here. I will see you on the other side.
All my love
Harry.
“Are you OK?” Hermione asked.
Ginny nodded, “Did he leave you a note?” Hermione nodded and pulled it out of the bag, “Read it, then read this one. You can stay here as long as you need.” Hermione gave Ginny a puzzled look and opened her envelope.
Dear Hermione
If you are reading this it went wrong. Do not blame yourself, I am sure it was worth it. I don’t fear death, I know what awaits me, and it is not suffering. Please don’t grieve me too hard. If you aren’t already there, please go see Ginny for me, she will need a supportive shoulder. Her mother will be too much, and Ron will be an arse.
I loved you both. I made a life with Ginny, and I have no regrets, but I loved you Hermione. I always did, from that day on the train. I didn’t know what it was until many years later. I loved two ladies, and I hope you both have happy lives. Ron will not make you happy. I could never say this when I was here, you would have doubted my motives, but he is not good enough, you deserve better. Divorce the lazy feckless wart and find someone worthy.
I asked Ginny to offer you refuge, she knows how we felt about each other, and she knows we never betrayed her.
Until we meet again
Love
Harry.
The two ladies swapped letters and read the notes back and forth. “He is right.” Ginny said, “He is my brother but you deserve better. He takes you for granted. Stay here, even if it’s just for a few days, maybe my dickhead brother will wake up and see what a jewel he has, if you aren’t around for a little while.”
Hermione nodded. “Harry left a note for Ron, I left it on the table for him. I wonder what it says?”
“Probably a page long arse kicking about being useless and you deserving better. Harry used to rant about how he took you for granted every time we saw you. I knew why, but I also agreed with him, and I knew he was mine. I knew neither of you would ever cheat.” They hugged it out.
Ron arrived home in the small hours, slightly drunk, and the worse for wear. The house was empty and unlit, he was annoyed. He wanted Hermione to make him a snack, maybe get a little action. She wasn’t here. He looked around, probably moping over Potter at their place. He saw the envelope and assuming it was from Hermione opened it, expecting to be told how to fix his own meal.
Ron.
If you are reading this, I was killed in the raid, Ginny is now a widow, and Hermione will be hurting. As this is a death bed confession, understand this. Nothing ever happened between Hermione and I, not in the tent, not after, not before you got together, and not after. We have never ever betrayed our vows.
Can you look in the mirror and say the same? If Hermione doesn’t divorce you, end it with Fay, your side piece. I know all the details, I even have a file, and my lawyers have it with instructions to hand it to Hermione if required. Do the right thing for once you lazy pathetic arse.
In life I couldn’t say these things or you would accuse us of an affair and damage Hermione’s career. She is not the cheater, is she? Hermione deserves so much more than you can manage, at least try to be worthy of her, she chose you over me, and you are still jealous after all these years. Grow up Ronald. You are married to one of the two women I have loved for most of my life, and you don’t deserve her love in return. Either earn it or let her go.
Time to man up.
H.
Ron’s face curled into an ugly sneer and he threw the note in the fire. He called Ginny on the floo, it was closed. He walked outside and apparated to her house. Barging straight in he found his wife and sister sat in each other’s arms crying. “Time to come home Herms. It’s just me now.” He looked at her with a hard stare. Hermione returned his gaze.
“Did Fay throw you out early then, do you think I didn’t know. Go back home Ronald. We are done. My lawyers will be in touch.”
“You can’t divorce me. Magical marriages are for life.”
“Good job we had a muggle church wedding then. Muggle divorce will cost you half of everything you own.” She stared at her soon to be ex-husband. He stepped forward making to grab her and Ginny’s wand was in his face.
“Leave my house Ronald. Do not return unless invited.” Ron knew better than to push Ginny, and backed out of the house and apparated back to his house. When he entered, he failed to notice that Winky had already moved Hermione, and taken anything of value. Possession was nine tenths of the law.
The following morning a tired and drawn looking Hermione Granger-Weasley stood with Ginny Potter and made a series of statements to the press. Her closing remarks caused a few surprised reactions.
“Harry Potter, was the husband of my best girl friend, and also my very best friend in the world. I think it is only fair to admit after he has passed, how much I loved Harry Potter. What do you do when the love of your life is in love with your best friend? I could only watch, and be happy for them both. I love them both. I married the other member of our one time group, a mistake on my part. I am filing for divorce on the grounds of his adultery. For the record, we married in a muggle ceremony. I am not magically bound to Ronald Weasley, and he is going to learn just how expensive a divorce is in the real world. This will not bring Harry back to us, but we know for certain he is watching over us, and he will be happier if we make better lives for ourselves at some point down the road.” She picked up her glass and sipped at the water. “I shall stand for election as Minister for Magic in the upcoming election. Harry Potter stood for fair play and equality, I shall campaign on his behalf until my dying day. Thank you.” Ginny took her arm and together they made their way from the lecturn, amid a blaze of camera flashes.
Hermione dropped Ron’s name and took Harry’s after the divorce which came through in no time, Hermione Potter, campaigned with Ginny at her side and was elected on a bandwagon of reform. Neither lady remarried.