Shadow - Sequel To Light

Chapter Eight: The Ginny Problem

I walked slowly up to the Burrow after using apparition to get myself there. I didn't know what I was about to do but I knew I had at least one question that needed to be answered. I knocked on the door, waiting for somebody to let me in. I would usually walk right in because it was like home for me but, right in that moment, it wasn't home..., it was the place that could be harboring the woman my husband was sneaking behind my back with.

"Oh, hello, dear. Why are you knocking? You know that you can always just walk right in just like all the other kids." Mum opened the door with a smile. "Where are my grandchildren and Harry?" She inquired, gesturing for me to come in.

"The babies are with the house elves and, frankly, I don't know nor do I care where Harry is right now." I stated, standing by the door instead of moving deeper into the house. "Where is she?" I asked, my voice so cold it could cause an ice age.

"She's upstairs." Mum answered, already knowing who I was talking about.

"How long? How long has she been here and how long have you known she was meeting with Harry behind my back?"

"She's been here for a fortnight. I knew nothing about her meeting with Harry. She comes and goes a lot without us knowing where she's going. She said she was back for the events this year at Hogwarts." Mum said with wide eyes, sitting on the chair closest to her.

"She was never to step foot in Hogwarts again. Not after the stunt she pulled while I was in the hospital wing before the babies were born. She tried to poison me and make me lose the babies. She attempted to kill my babies." I said, my voice hard and cold.

"Hermione, you know I'm so sorry she did that."

"Yeah, well, apparently neither her or Harry are. They've been meeting behind my back for days and he's been leaving me alone in bed under the pretense of working late to spend time with her. Excuse me." I muttered, moving to the stairs.

"Hermione, please don't do whatever you're going to do. I love you both so much and, as horrible as what she's been doing has been, I don't want to see either of you hurt." She said softly, a tear falling from her eyes.

"Mum, please don't cry." I said, moving to her side and hugging her. It wasn't her I was mad at and I wouldn't let her suffer. "I'll leave her alone..., for now. You let her know that no matter what happens, she will never touch my children. I will never allow her in the same room as my children and, if she is, I will not hesitate to kill her. My children are absolutely off limits no matter what Harry is doing." I said, standing. "I'll see you and the family at the first event. Love you, mum." I headed for the door then glanced back, "Make sure you keep her away from me because I'm already on edge. Tell her..., tell her to watch her back." I warned, yanking the door open and walking out.

I made it back to Hogwarts before supper and made my way up to my chambers where I had left the twins. Inside my chambers the babies were laying awake, cooing when I came in. I dismissed the house elves and put them in their pram, I needed to go to supper and my office. They watched the paintings as we passed them, making our way through the corridors. Students watched us, waving at the babies and they stared up at them.

"I'm sorry I mucked stuff up this morning." I heard Ron's voice come from behind me.

"You didn't mess up anything, you just asked a question. You and Hagrid should have let me know what was going on though." I murmured as we passed more students.

"I know but, to be fair, I thought you knew." Ron sighed, holding his hands up in surrender. We made our way into the Great Hall and I sat in my seat, preparing to start my announcements. I figured Harry wasn't showing up so I didn't bother waiting. I was in the middle of my announcements when Harry came in, making his way to his seat. I finished my announcements and commenced dinner, moving back over to the babies.

"Good evening, Herm-own-ninny." Krum smiled as I took my seat.

"Hello, Viktor. How are you today?" I smiled, taking James out the pram because he was fussy.

"I'm, how you say, fin." He attempted and I giggled.

"You mean, 'fine'?" I asked with a smile and he chuckled nodding. "That's good. I'm fine as well." I said before he could ask me.

"Hermione, we need to talk." Harry said from the chair on my other side. I bounced James, ignoring him. "Hermione, it's not what you think it was." He attempted.

"Harry, we are at supper right now and everybody is watching us to see what's going on. Now is not the time for this argument and I'm not sure if I even want to have it."

"Eventually we have to talk about the Ginny problem." He whispered back to me.

"Oh, so now she's a problem after you spent three nights with her? Interesting." I snapped in a whisper, trying to keep people out of our relationship. He started to say something else but I stopped him. "Harry, I suggest you drop this for now before I lose the tiny bit of control I have. I'm struggling to even be near you right now, I don't even want to see you. Please just leave it." I harshly whispered to him, trying to eat while I bounced James and kept an eye on Lily. Luckily he stopped for the remainder of supper. The Ginny problem, I scoffed to myself. It wasn't a problem until he got caught.