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Things Fall Apart, But Then You Build Again	By : zeldaofarel Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 13943 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Author's Notes: I'm a tad bit late in posting this one, but I've had my head in Dragon Age II so much, plus it was a holiday here, that I almost forgot and just got the final editing done. Dragon Age II is a great fantasy game, don't listen to people who say bad things. If you are wondering about the national holiday, you can read a great Wikipedia article on it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Revolution_of_1848

Also, I would like to express my hope that the situation in Japan doesn't get too much worse and they can soon start rebuilding. Everyone who knows me is aware of my love for Japan and its people. It breaks my heart to see them in such a state.

Again, thanks for the lovely Hazel. Then let's all say thanks to my second beta as of this chapter, Icicle. Together they made this chapter better and help me in figuring out some grammar things they never taught to me at school. Though since I spoke English better at fourteen than my teacher, no wonder.

Chapter 3: Consequences of a Decision

The next day, Harry went to work with a distinct feeling of dread. By now, Ron probably knew that Harry had taken Hermione in and he was not known for dealing well. As he stepped inside the office, he scanned the area for the familiar redhead. Ron was nowhere to be seen, so with a sigh, he made his way to his own desk, edging around that of others'. He barely sat down on his chair, when he heard the voice of his boss, who demanded that he join him in his office. Harry cringed and scanned his mind for things he could have done to warrant such a treatment, but he couldn't think of anything.

He entered the office and noticed Ron sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Greer Stewart, Head of the Auror Department, was an imposing figure with his flaming red hair, light-green eyes and not to mention his build. The budget didn't allow for large desks and his was as small as any of the desks outside. Therefore, his already bulky Scottish form was made larger in contrast. He was currently looking with a frown at Ron, who was apparently trying to appear brave in spite of the stare. Harry admitted that it must have been a difficult thing to do. In his Auror days Greer had been known as a fierce interrogator. All they had to do was put him in a room with a suspect and without saying a word, he would have the guy spilling his guts out in thirty minutes. Harry quickly sat in the other chair, hoping that the stare would not be directed at him as well.

"Mr. Stewart, what is this about?" he asked, wanting to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Weasley here is requesting a new partner. He says his reason is that you're sleeping with his wife, Potter." Harry shifted in his seat at the accusation. "You know I don't tolerate any disruptions in the lives of my Aurors. I find their work suffers and that is when people get killed." At that moment he seemed to have finished glaring at Ron, so he turned instead towards Harry, who tried to not flinch. "So, I called you here to work this out."

"Sir, I can assure you that I'm not involved with Ron's wife," Harry said, trying not to sweat. He had the sudden urge to speak without pause and reveal anything the man wanted. If Greer had asked about Horcruxes, Harry would have told him everything.

"Then what is this about?" Greer's voice rang out like thunder in the Highlands.

"You see, sir, Hermione, Ron's wife, wants to divorce him. He threw her out of the house because of it and I took her in. She's my friend too and has no one, so I can't stand by and watch her struggle on her own. I want to help her."

"Help her?" Greer interrupted Harry. "Why would you do that? Potter, have you not studied Wizarding Law any more extensively than what was in your training?" he questioned the young man in front of him, who just shook his head. Greer frowned at his response. "Potter, it is the responsibility of an Auror to be fully aware of the law and its intent as well. It states that a wife wanting to divorce her husband can be made to leave his property as soon as her intent is made known towards her spouse."

"But sir," Harry tried to interrupt.

"I'm not finished, Potter. The spirit of the law is to prevent wives from leaving their husbands. They are supposed to be out on the street, Knutless and friendless. If they are left alone, they will return to their husbands faster. Of course I can't order you to revoke your invitation to Weasley's wife, since the law doesn't specifically state that you can't take her in, but I am strongly suggesting." Greer stared into those emerald-green eyes without blinking and Harry was tempted to give in; however, he couldn't do that to Hermione.

"No, sir, I will not let my friend down," he said, straightening his spine.

"Fine, Potter. Desk duty until further notice. Ron here will get another partner and you will be alone while you are on desk duty," he sentenced Harry.

"But sir!"

"No buts! You just confessed to not being fully aware of Wizarding Law. You will be sitting at your desk, studying it, until I deem it necessary. Now leave," Greer said and pointed to the door.

Harry got up and left with his head held high. At least if he studied some law, he would be a better help to Hermione. Of course, she was probably poring over books as well. He sat down at his desk, wondering where he was going to get the books from, when Tyto, the Weasley family owl, landed in front of him, carrying a familiar red envelope. With a sigh, he opened it as he knew there was no use trying to get out of it. Just as he did it, the voice of Molly Weasley rang out loud, deafening the whole office.

"Harry Potter! How dare you take that awful woman into your house! Under the same roof as my grandchildren! You bring shame upon us and on your own wife! That woman is trying to leave my poor Ronnikins, who has never done a wrong in his life! Who for years has only been slaving away at work to provide everything for his family! Such a foul woman deserves to be out on the streets! If you don't throw her out right this minute, you are no longer welcome in my house!" As those last words came out through the magical mouth, the Howler burned to ashes.

Harry was glad that that was over and hoped that the ringing in his ears would stop in a few hours. His colleagues around him were looking at him with narrowed eyes. They probably didn't like being subjected to his family matters. He let out an exhausted sigh and left the room, deciding to go to Flourish and Blotts to pick up a few books on Wizarding Law. He was only gone for an hour, but when he returned he found that his desk was occupied by another wizard, who was talking excitedly with Ron. Harry went to his desk and dropped the books he had bought onto it with a loud bang. He knew his face was dark, but he hadn't had the best of days and felt himself entitled to some anger.

The two men looked up at the sound and Harry recognised the man occupying his seat. He was Jimmy Peaks, who had taken over one of the Beater positions after the twins had left. Harry hadn't even known that the boy had become an Auror.

"Sorry, Jimmy, but you are sitting at my desk," he grunted out, not in the mood to be civil at all.

"Oh, Harry, actually, this is my desk now. Since I'm Ron's new partner, you need to switch places with me. My old desk is over there, in the corner." Jimmy pointed towards the desk in the darkest recess of the room. "I already moved my stuff. Here, take the box I transported them in, I don't need it anymore," he offered.

Harry huffed a little, but knew he couldn't do anything about it, so he took the box and placed inside his picture of Ginny and the kids, his clock, quills and parchments. He almost took his files as well, until he remembered that he was off all the cases.

"Wanna go interrogate Malfoy?" Harry heard Ron say as the redhead got up.

"Sure, it's going to be amusing! We can pay him back for all the shit he gave us in school," Jimmy said, joining his partner.

"Too bad we can't use hexes." They both laughed at that and headed towards the interrogation rooms.

Harry wondered why they had brought Malfoy in for interrogation. He couldn't remember the blond man being tied to any of their cases. He shrugged and made his way to the little corner desk. He noted that it was probably the oldest one in the room, covered with carvings made by obviously bored previous owners. He lit the candle on it, noting that it was a very small stub. He looked around for a bigger piece, but couldn't find one. He sighed again, wondering who he had pissed off to have such a bloody awful day, and headed to the supply closet to retrieve some more candles.

On his way there, he had to pass the interrogation rooms. Just as he was passing one of the doors, he heard some shouting in spite of the silencing charms and the door banged open just in front of him. Malfoy hurried out of the room, or rather tried to, but bumped into Potter and knocked him over.

"Watch it, Potter," he said as he looked down. "Watch your partner too. Weasley is obviously off his rocker, accusing me of making illegal potions!"

"Not my partner," Harry mumbled, as he was picking up himself off the floor.

"What was that, Potter?" Malfoy spat.

"Not my partner anymore, Malfoy."

"Aw, little potty was left by his pet weasel?" Malfoy said in a mocking tone. "What could have ever happened to break the Golden Trio apart? Or maybe you got promoted over him?"

"No. Hermione is divorcing him and I took her side. So now everyone is mad at me!" Harry shouted, his frustration finally surfacing.

"Of course they are, Potter! You surround yourself with hypocritical Light Wizards and then you're surprised when their prejudices show." Malfoy frowned and shook his head. Then he calmly walked away.

Harry scratched his head. This was the second time in twenty-four hours that he had heard the term 'Light Wizard'. Before, he had thought that it referred to wizards who only did good magic, but both Ron and Malfoy had spoken as if it was something else. He made a mental note to pick up some books on that as well on his way home. He was obviously missing something and he had learned in the past that not having enough information could cost him. He tried not to flinch at the pang he felt in his heart as he saw Sirius fall through the veil in his mind's eye.

* * *

That night he returned home with an armful of books. It was rather unusual for him and he almost fell out of the fireplace. It had been some time since he learned not to stumble at the end of a Floo journey. Hermione had volunteered to pick up the kids. She had hoped she could get a glimpse of her own in the process as Harry's two younger ones were the same age as her own.

He looked around the living-room and dropped the books on the coffee table. He gave an exhausted sigh and looked around. It seemed awfully quiet.

That was when Ginny walked down the stairs. Harry was surprised to see her as he hadn't expected her to be back for a while. She looked at her husband and her eyes narrowed.

"Harry, what were you thinking taking Hermione in?" was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

Harry groaned. After two months of not seeing each other, she finally came back and that was what she opened with.

"Not you too, Ginny. She's my friend and yours too."

"But Ron is my brother and she wants to leave my family. She belongs with us, with Ron now, you know that. "

Harry just sighed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"Ginny, Hermione is staying."

"Well, I can't let my children be in the same house as that whore. I'm taking them with me to Mother," she stated a bit too calmly and went back upstairs, probably to get the kids.

Harry thought about what to do. He didn't want the children to go, but they would be with Ginny. Since their mother had started to travel, they had seen very little of her. Perhaps, this would be a good thing. The children could be with their mother, they had been missing her anyway, and once everything blew over, they could return home. He went up to find Ginny and tell her. He discovered her in James' room, putting his things into a bottomless bag. Thankfully James wasn't around.

"Ginny, I don't like you calling Hermione a 'whore'," he began. "However, it would do the kids some good to be with you for a while. So I will let you take them until this thing between Hermione and Ron is over."

"Fine. Whatever," she said and turned back to her packing.

Harry knew she was angry with him, so he left her alone and went to talk to Hermione. She was sitting on her bed in the guest room, her eyes sad, almost crying. The dark-haired man sat down next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"What is it, Hermione?" he asked.

"Everything. I'm such an awful person!" She started to cry in earnest.

"No, Hermione."

"But ... but," she choked, holding back her tears. "I got you involved in all of this. First Ron is angry with you, now Ginny is taking away your kids. And there was that awful Howler from Mrs. Weasley. She's been my mum since I couldn't make my own remember me! How could she say those dreadful things to me?" She couldn't hold them in anymore, the tears came pouring out of her.

'It seems like she got a Howler as well.' Harry did not dare ask her what was said exactly.

He just held his friend, knowing that she had to have a good cry about it, then she would square her shoulders and be ready to fight. He knew that it would probably be easier for her to just give up and return to Ron, but she didn't even mention it. From that he knew that everything would be all right. If she was not happy with her husband, no one should force her to remain with him. She would eventually win, she always did.

End Notes: Draco appeared! Finally! I know, slow progress. Though we can't expect Harry to wake up one day and just say "oh, I'm gay", now can we?

Please review and I may break away from DAII long enough to finish the chapter in progress, or at least edit the next chapter faster. Sorry people, gotta love that game! Though at the rate I'm going, I'll probably play through it by next week.
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Things Fall Apart, But Then You Build Again