Shadow - Sequel To Light

Chapter Sixteen: Gone

The night before our anniversary, Harry and I, along with the rest of our family, headed to the Burrow. For hours, everybody flurries around, ensuring the safety of the grounds while I watched over the babies and began to cook dinner. When all was done, we sat at the table and ate together as a family, as we usually didn't get much time to do so during the school days. We usually made time on weekends and events but the busier the schedule got, the less we got to have family dinners.

"I love it here." I smiled up at Harry after dinner as we walked in the frigid winter wonderland outside of the Burrow. He kissed my temple and pulled me close, splaying his hand over my covered, rapidly growing baby bump. Since I had cooked, everybody else was pitching in to clean and Harry decided to whisk me outside to be alone. The babies, having had a long day, were tucked in tight so we could be alone.

"I do too, love. It's home." He replied softly.

"Harry, you know I love you, right?" I began, deciding he was in such a good mood I might get better results.

"Of course I do, sweetheart. And you know I love you with everything that's in me."

"I know." I paused, drawing in a slow breath. "Harry, I can't keep getting kept out of the loop. I know things are happening and new information is coming in on our newest evil but you aren't allowing me to know about it." He opened his mouth to speak but I held up a hand to silence him. "Baby, I know you want to protect me and the babies but, in doing so, you're forgetting who I am.

"I'm Hermione. I'm the same women who helped you get to the Sorcerer's Stone our first year, the same women that helped you from the Chamber of Secrets to hunting for Horcruxes. Just because I wear your ring and I'm the mother of your children doesn't change who I am. And being me means that I need to know what's going on and I need to help.

"Being forced out of something so important is killing me and I'm stressing out much more because I'm fearing the unknown. If I just knew what was going on, I would feel a lot better but you keeping things from me is driving me crazy." I paused, taking his face into my hands and looking up at him. "Hun, I understand keeping me safe but don't suffocate me to do it." His eyes widened at my words but I could understanding in his gaze.

He had forgotten for a moment, in his haste to protect, that I wasn't capable of leaving things alone. He had forgotten that I needed to be involved, no matter the problem. He was so busy thinking of me as the wife he needed to protect, he forgot to think of me as his companion. He forgot to think of me as a comrade in battle..., he forgot to think of me as Hermione.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a second then looking up at me from under his lashes. "I'm sorry, love. I guess..., I guess I just wanted to protect you so much that I didn't think about how it made you feel. I won't make that mistake again. You're my wife, you're my partner, you are my lover and my friend and I'm sorry."

I leaned my forehead against his, sighing. "I love that you want to protect me and I love you for everything that you are. Just let me breathe a little and I'll be happy." I smiled, pressing my lips to his.

"That I can do." He chuckled softly when we pulled apart. "Let's get you inside." I grinned up at him and we walked back to the house hand-in-hand.

"Do you realize that last year, this time, we were separated so you didn't see me before the wedding?" I smiled as we entered the Burrow and moved to sit by the fire.

"We ought to separate you bloody lovebirds again just for hell of it." Charlie joked, flopping down into a chair close by. The rest of the family gravitated to the fireplace where we had settled as the boys began they're bickering.