Shadow - Sequel To Light

Chapter Seven: Betrayed

After my meeting with the champions was over and I released all the students to their dorms, I took the twins up to our chambers and prepared them for bed. It was already established that the first event, which Hagrid, who was taking care of the physical obstacle for while Harry and I had taken care of the rest, had taken to hiding from me, was going to be in two weeks, the day before my birthday. The first challenge would kick-off the events for the year, so I had two weeks to perfect everything. Owls were still coming in at all times of the night and people were still trying to get room assignments. Hagrid and I had had to sit down multiple times to determine if we needed to start turning people away. I tried not to worry about it too much as I put the babies to sleep but it was still there in the back of my mind.

That night, like the nights in the past week, I went to bed without my husband in bed next to me. In the middle of the night, I was tired of sleeping alone but I knew it was for a reason. I grabbed his pillow, cuddling against it and breathing in his scent. God, I didn't know it was possible to miss him this much.

The next morning, I was elated to be woken up by the tiniest kisses and Harry's soft voice. I opened my eyes to see his face and squealed happily, kissing him.

"I missed you too, love, but I've only missed sleeping in here for a few nights." He chuckled against my lips, trying to pull back but I wouldn't let him.

He sighed, lifting me up as he straightened and I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to him, pressing my face in his neck. "Are you going to shower with me as well?" He laughed softly.

I nodded against his neck and he kissed my forehead. We showered together then he held me from behind on the way to get the babies. It was Saturday so it was going to be a family day, we were taking the kids to Hagrid's cottage. We had already went through and hidden anything dangerous so we could trust the babies would be safe while they were there when he was babysitting so we didn't have to take extra precautions before heading out.

"Hello there, Hermione." Ron smiled when I met him outside, Harry had gone back to the room to grab the baby bag I had forgotten. Ron was leaning against the wall and multiple girls were around the area, staring at him.

"Alright, Ron?" I smiled, giving him a hug. He hugged me back then dropped down to see the babies. He was doing kissy faces at them when Harry made it back down. As Harry came into view, the crowd of girls seemed to multiply and even boys came since I was there. Despite the fact that Harry and I were married and I had just had children, the students still had crushes on us and were none too shy about showing it.

"Hello there, mate." Harry grinned, giving me the baby bag and dropping a kiss on my cheek. He stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and laying his chin on my shoulder. "I think it's time we get to Hagrid's before the students have a frenzy to see us. " He joked, squeezing my hips and drawing a small sigh from me. He kissed the back of my head and chuckled. Following Harry's advice, we made our way down the path to Hagrid's cottage.

"Hello, Hagrid." We smiled as soon as he opened the door. He greeted us each as we came in but we weren't the ones he wanted to see, he went straight for the babies.

"Blimey, these two get bigger and bigger every time I see 'em." He smiled as the babies pulled on his beard. I went to stop them but he just laughed and waved me off.

"So what did my bloody sister want?Heard she came down here a couple of times and was wondering." Ron asked Harry while we were sitting down. Harry's eyes widened and I turned to him in time to see him shaking his head at Ron.

"Who's sister? Your sister? What was his sister doing here, Harry? What was Ginny doing at Hogwarts?" I asked, firing questions at him. Ginny Weasley hadn't been in contact with me since she tried to kill my babies to get Harry to leave me but I guess that didn't mean she was leaving him alone.

"She just wanted to meet with me, it was no big deal." He said, kissing my forehead.

"No big deal? So you don't see it as a big deal that your ex-girlfriend was here? The same ex-girlfriend that caused me to go into a slight coma during my pregnancy? The same ex-girlfriend who attempted to kill our children in the womb? You actually have the gall to tell me it's no big deal? Are you completely off your rocker?" I raised my voice, standing and looking down at him. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "I didn't think our children's lives were 'no big deal.' When? When was she here?" I asked Harry but he didn't answer so I turned to Ron then Hagrid when Ron wouldn't answer. "Oh so everybody here suddenly went deaf! When was she hear?!" I asked louder, just in case they thought I would go there.

"She first came three nights ago, when I was heading back to our chambers. She caught me before I left and we ended up talking all night. She's been coming every night since." Harry finally answered.

"Three nights ago." I whispered to myself then chuckled with no humor. "So that's why you've been at your office late? That's why you and I haven't slept in the same bed in days? That's where you've been when I reach for you at night?" I asked in disbelief, my throat tight.

"Hermione," Harry started, getting up and reaching for me.

"Don't." I whispered, more hurt than I thought I would be. I had known one day he and she might want to talk again but I...., I guess I never fully accepted it. "You've been sneaking behind my back to see her. Even if nothing had happened, how could you not tell me? That's just as bad as lying." My voice quivered and I felt a tear slip out of my eye.

"Hermione, it's not even that serious." Harry attempted to calm me down.

"Not that serious?! You were lying to me for days and staying away from our family for her! You were secretly meeting with the woman that tried to kill our children! The woman...., the woman you were committed to for years and would probably still be committed to if she hadn't ended things. The woman that I'll always feel second best to.

"I know what I am, Harry. I am one of the greatest wizards in the world today. I'm the brightest witch of my time and I'm confident in myself. But I don't think I'll even stop feeling like I'm just the girl you made a mistake with while you were vulnerable from a break-up. The girl who was stupid enough to get herself pregnant and who you married to make things right. I don't regret sleeping with you then Harry and I don't regret Lily and James. But I will never stop feeling like, if you had a choice, you would be with Ginny.

"And you lying and sneaking behind my back...., that doesn't help me here." I sniffed, running my hand back over my hair. "I just..., I can't even look at you right now. If you want to meet with her.., fine, have your meetings. And, if one day you decide that's who you want to be with, my children and I will be fine. I'm not going to be the woman that stands between you and happiness because we were friends before this." I paused, grabbing the kids and their stuff. I glanced back on the way out of the door, "You know, I always suspected Ginny Weasley would end this marriage and I might be right." I walked out and took the children up to my old room, the one I had before Harry and I got married, moving some stuff around so they would be safe and comfortable. I called the house elves and asked them to watch the children, I had somewhere to be. This is one meeting my babies do not need to be at.