Unlike a Sister (Harmione)

Chapter 41: The Garden

Ginny looked up when he entered, fingers hovering over her typewriter. Her desk was layered with Prophet broadsheets, player stats, and rosters. Her Holyhead Harpies jersey hung behind her, next to her medal from the 2002 English Championship and photos of their wedding and the children. She wore pajamas and her reading glasses.

"Harry?" she said, looking faintly surprised. "I thought you'd be home much later. Is everything all right with...?"

He nodded, staring at the carpet. "Yeah. It...it looks like it's going to blow over."

"Good," she said slowly, taking in the strange hunch to his shoulders. "I always knew there was something wrong with Alex. I couldn't place it, but there was something...still, never thought he'd do something like this..."

He nodded again.

A silence followed, the wind shaking the windows in their frames. Harry forced himself to lift his eyes. His heart was pounding so furiously it made his voice shake.

"Gin, I...I have tell you something."

Her face froze. "What?"

"Alex...he...I don't know exactly what it is...but he has proof of something Hermione and I did...about a year and a half ago."

"Something you and Hermione did."

"We had an affair."

Her face was a statue, beautiful and still.

"How long?"

"A little over a year. It started during the trial."

She blinked and stared down at her papers.

"And...what?" she whispered. "Alex is going to release this...proof?"

"He's given it to someone else...we don't know who...but someone who can share it after he's obliviated."

Her finger traced the edge of her typewriter.

"Does Ron know?"

"I...I think she's telling him. Whoever Alex was working with...they'll release it in three days."

The silence returned, a living, pulsing thing. Slowly, Ginny reached up and removed her glasses. She stared at nothing.

"I thought you might be in love with her," she finally whispered, "ever since that fucking trial. But I never thought you'd do anything. I thought she, at least, was too honorable for that."

Harry returned his eyes to the floor, the cold blade of guilt cutting a long line into his chest.

"So, is that it?" And she trained her hard, grey eyes on him. "You'll run off now, now that you're exposed? You're not even going to try? Try and fix things?"

And though he hated himself, he owed her the truth as cleanly and as quickly as possible, at very long last. So, he raised his eyes and let her read the decision there, the futility. She released a short, derisive breath.

"Do you even know if she'll have you?"

He said nothing.

"No, of course she will," she said bitingly. "She's probably wanted you for ages."

The silence stretched on like a barren landscape. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet, but also solid and firm.

"I want you out. I want you gone."

The carpet wavered in his eyes, but he clenched his jaw and moved towards the door. He had just touched the handle when she spoke again.

"I gave you time, you know."