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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After	By : ElizabethStump Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 90306 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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
- 70
- 71
- 72
“And They Didn't Live Happily Ever After”

Chapter Seventy
"Sarcasm and Jazz Hands"

Disclaimer: (In Chinese: Simplified – Google translation)
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所有可识别的字符属于JK罗琳和同事。无侵犯版权之意。
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Suǒyǒu kě shìbié de zìfú shǔyú JK luó lín hé tóngshì. Wú qīnfàn bǎnquán zhī yì.
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(All recognizable characters belong to JK Rowling and associates. No copyright infringement intended.)

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At the London Portkey Office was a long line of witches and wizards who had decided to make the most of the weekend and go away at the last minute. Right after work ended on Friday was the busiest time for scheduled and unscheduled Portkeys.

Harry didn't have time for this. As he scooted past others, moving ahead towards the front of the line, there were grumbles until Harry turned, apologized, and said it was emergency Auror business.

Seeing the Boy Who Lived say that it was important made people immediately stop complaining and step aside to allow him faster access towards the front.

Once at the front of the line, Harry flashed his credentials and stated his name in order to get the staff to understand he needed an emergency Portkey to Hawaii that instant, and it was certainly and absolutely for business reasons only.

He couldn't necessarily blurt out he was on the heels of two Death Eaters who had somehow escaped England.

As the wizard behind the desk began working to make an emergency Portkey, the man stopped and said, "Wait a minute..." The wizard went back to the scheduled Portkey itinerary ledger and looked at a long list of names.

"Hang on," the wizard said, "I have you registered for a Portkey this morning for nine o'clock. And it shows that you already left with your wife, Ginny, and one Hermione Weasley."

"What?" Harry said, his face going white. "Who did you say was on that list?"

"You, Ginny Potter, and Hermione Weasley. The Portkey was scheduled for nine o'clock this morning, and you left on time for the Cayman Islands. Does that matter?" the wizard asked, confused.

It suddenly struck Harry how two Death Eaters had escaped, and how Ginny could have gone with them unnoticed.

"Get me a Portkey to Hawaii. Now!" Harry barked urgently.

“Erm...” The Portkey officer hemmed and hawed, trying to explain to the famous Harry Potter that the wizard couldn't make a Portkey to someplace that didn't exist. Hawaii? No one had ever heard of it.

As Harry arrived in Honolulu, he looked around for the Portkey officer in charge.

He couldn't believe there was a single soul in the Portkey office at the Ministry of Magic back in London that not only didn't know where Hawaii was, but that it wasn't even listed in the registry of Portkey destinations. Instead, Harry had to take a Portkey to New York, and then take one from there to Hawaii.

As he approached the counter in Honolulu, Harry said, "I'm an Auror with the British Ministry of Magic. I need to speak to someone in charge."

"What's this about?" called a witch from behind a desk towards the back.

Harry explained who he was and that he was chasing two criminals who had fled from England via Portkey earlier that day.

The witch, who was head of the Portkey Office for the Honolulu Transit branch walked Harry back behind the counter. She started pulling up records, as records from the arriving destination would magically show up on the ledger at their office.

After looking for all records for the past fifteen hours, despite the fact that Harry last saw Ginny twelve hours ago, there was no sign of a Ginny Potter, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, Hermione Weasley, or Hermione Granger. Some Portkey offices didn't bother to take down names of those passing through, so their names might not have wound up on the ledger unless they were staying in Hawaii. At least, that’s what Harry thought.

Stumped, he suddenly thought of something. "There are a bunch of islands in Hawaii, right?"

"Uh, yeah. It's why they are called the Hawaiian Islands. Why?" the head Portkey officer asked, thinking that was a rather obtuse question.

"What other Portkey offices do you have here in Hawaii?"

The witch began ticking them off on her fingers. "Well, there is Maui, the Big Island, Molokai, and Kauai – all of them can let other people Portkey in. And then there is Malu Palekaiko, but nobody goes there, unless it's festival time or they have family there."

"Why?"

"Because the only other people who go there are usually seeking sanctuary."

The witch's eyes and Harry's both got wide.

"You did say they were criminals, right, sir?"

"Yes."

"Are they dangerous?"

Harry said, "I'm hoping they won't be."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus had been sleeping blissfully for the past couple hours when he was awakened by Justina’s shouting and screaming at someone.

Roused from slumber, he was about to roll over and pull a pillow over his head. He started to consider looking later in the day for new lodgings, when he distinctly heard Harry Potter's voice.

"I know she's here! I found her with a locator spell!" Potter yelled, his voice becoming louder as he passed by Severus’ door, only to to diminish in pitch and volume as he walked on.

Leaping from the bed, Severus quickly yanked his trousers on and grabbed his wand, not even bothering with his shirt or shoes. Draco and he had not gone through all that they did just to have Potter show up and ruin it all.

Just as Severus exited his room’s door, Harry burst through the door of the honeymoon suite.

Ginny screamed in fright, having just woken up to her ex-husband finding her – and holding his wand drawn and pointed at Draco.

"Get Halulu now!" Ginny shrieked at Justina.

The hotel owner Apparated away on the spot.

Severus ran down the hallway to point his wand at the Auror and growled, "Drop your wand, Potter."

Harry spun around and pointed his wand at Severus now.

"I'm not leaving here without Ginny and you two!" Harry shouted back, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Draco wouldn't get the drop on him.

Beyond Harry, Severus could see Draco jumping up out of bed and grabbing something to throw on to cover himself while fetching his wand, seeing that Severus temporarily had Potter distracted. Severus saw Ginny busy hunting for her wand, lost in the midst of a tangled pile of clothes, while clutching a bedsheet to her person for modesty with her other hand.

"It's too late, Potter. We've been granted sanctuary, and by the magic of this island, you cannot take us against our will anywhere!" Severus shouted back.

"What? Sanctuary? What does that even mean?" Harry asked, not clear on the finer points of the concept. "I'm taking you and Draco back whether you like it or not, for sure."

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Halulu had Apparated into the hallway behind Potter and disarmed him before the Auror could register the witch had even arrived.

Severus caught Potter's wand as it fell through the air.

"You must be Harry Potter, Ginny's ex," Halulu said calmly with great interest.

"Who are you?" Harry was disarmed and at the mercy of this witch who’d gotten the better of him.

"I'm the one who interviewed and processed your ex-wife's claim for sanctuary. You are not taking her anywhere," Halulu said in even measured tones.

"Really? We'll see about that," Harry said defiantly. He ran past Halulu and over at Ginny, who was still crouched near the bed, the white sheet the only thing covering her otherwise nude form.

"No, I wouldn't – "

Before Halulu could finish warning him, Harry grabbed Ginny's arm and instantly disappeared with a small pop.

"Where did he go?" asked Ginny, just as bewildered as Draco at the sight of Potter disappearing without his wand, which was still in Severus' hand.

Severus had had an inkling this might happen.

"Great," Halulu sighed with exasperation.

Just then, Justina came back, and Halulu turned to her and said, "Can you alert the town that we have a bounty hunter without his wand somewhere? Depending on his intent, he could be anywhere from stuck in a treetop to dumped three miles out to sea.”

The three sanctuary seekers looked to Halulu, who quickly recounted that anyone who tried to remove those who granted sanctuary against their will would be dealt with by the protective magic of the island. She gave them a brief rundown of what happened to one particular bounty hunter. It seems that that bit of information about this type of magical protection was not imparted to the trio during their interview process or included in their welcome brochure, but Severus was somewhat aware of this particular magic beforehand.

Halulu closed the door to let Ginny and Draco get dressed, while Severus went back to his room to put something on for the day before meeting Halulu downstairs in Justina's kitchen for some coffee.

Minutes later in the kitchen, Severus was sitting down savoring a wonderful blend called Kona coffee, making him reconsider tea as his morning beverage. As Ginny and Draco came into the kitchen to join him, Justina came back and announced they had found Harry Potter.

"Seems he got thrown back to the Portkey hut. So it looks like he wasn't going to hurt her, but it could have been worse," Justina informed them.

Halulu then recounted the tale of one such bounty hunter who had tried to take a wizard back, but was transported the first time to a precarious ledge half-way down a thousand-foot cliff above the jagged rocks just above the crashing surf. The next time the bounty hunter tried to take the same wizard back, he was magically transported into the middle of a shallow lagoon, surrounded by aggressive sharks. The third time, the bounty hunter found himself on the edge of the caldera of an active volcano, and he decided that whatever magic that protected this island was not going to let him bring that wizard back to his country for justice. That particular wizard who was being hunted and pursued was not exactly the innocent type with a clean record, but since coming to the Malu Palekaiko sanctuary, he had proven to be a model citizen.

"Too bad the piranhas didn't get a taste of The Boy Who Lived," Draco muttered into his coffee.

Ginny gave him a harsh glare and gently elbowed him in the ribs. She may not have been in love with her ex-husband, but she certainly didn't wish him harm.

"We don't have those fish here. You're thinking of the Amazon," Halulu corrected Draco, then made her eyes go comically wide. "We have sharks. Hungry ones, too."

Draco gave Halulu a slightly weary look. Ginny might be having a more difficult time getting Draco to swim in the ocean now.

Seeing the look on Draco's face, Halulu and Justina burst into laughter. "I'm pulling your leg, boy. The sharks only bite the Muggles, and rarely at that."

Draco let out a small sigh of relief and, quietly, so did Severus.

As Potter walked into Justina's kitchen at the hotel, Severus was twirling Potter's wand in his left hand, while keeping his own wand in his right hand at the ready.

Severus handed Potter's wand over to Halulu to do with as she saw fit, which to his and Draco's disappointment meant handing it back to Potter.

"What just happened?" Harry asked, unsure how one second he was going to drag his wife – ex-wife – out of the bed she was lying in with Malfoy and get some clothes on her, and the next second he was standing on the sand without Apparating himself.

"Magic!" Halulu sang overly cheerfully, smiling brightly and making jazz hands.

Draco, between Halulu's sarcastic response and the dumbfounded look on Potter's face, burst out laughing and threw his whole body forward, his head down on the table as he guffawed loudly.

Severus, who also saw the completely befuddled look on Potter's face, was infected by Draco's laughter and also began to laugh. He placed one hand up to his mouth in an attempt to stay serious, but Halulu's response was too good not to enjoy and even he started laughing harder.

Draco, seeing Severus laugh, started laughing even harder, his fists pounding on the table.

Seeing the two serious wizards dissolve into laughter, and knowing Harry wasn't hurt at all – that he just had a good fright – made Ginny start to giggle, too.

"Could someone please explain how I was upstairs and then suddenly on the beach in front of the Portkey Office?" Harry asked, trying to be heard over the laughter of everyone who decided laughing at his confusion and sudden disappearance was pretty darn funny.

"This is how it is, honey. Let me explain it so you can get this into your head..." Halulu began as her own laughter died down. She gave Harry a breakdown of the magic that was now protecting Ginny and the two ex-Death Eaters from any chance of being extradited, captured, removed, or kidnapped against their will. Portkeys, Apparition, vanishing cabinets, brooms, flying carpets, even plain old Muggle boats and planes – nothing could remove Draco and Severus from Malu Palekaiko unless they left of their own free will, and that went for Ginny as well.

Harry sat down in a chair on the other side of the kitchen, unwilling to sit anywhere near Malfoy or Snape, grasping the fact that he now knew where the two escaped Death Eaters had gone, but there was nothing in this world that he or even Moody could do to bring them back.

"Can I at least have a moment to speak with my wife – ex-wife?" Potter corrected himself, looking to Halulu.

"It's up to her. She's a free witch here. But I warn you, you lay a hand on her with any intent–"

"I was just going to throw some clothes on her," Harry hotly interrupted her.

"Naw, it was more than just clothes." She waggled a chastising finger at him. "The magic would not have chucked you back to the Portkey office if preserving her modesty was your only reason for grabbing her," she pointed out, knowing the power and near-sentient quirks of this particular type of magic far better than this Potter boy.

Harry did have the intended purpose of eventually dragging Ginny back to England with him, and though he denied that was the reason for grabbing her, the magic of the sanctuary knew what Harry's heart had intended to do.

"Be glad you didn't wind up at the edge of the caldera," Halulu warned the young Auror. "The volcano has been pretty actively lately."

Ginny assured Draco that Harry couldn't take her away. Draco didn't want to leave her side, but she asked for a moment to speak privately with her ex-husband to clear up some matters.

Draco was planning on standing next to the doorway to the kitchen when Halulu pulled him aside and said, "She'll be fine. No one can take her away from you anymore."

Halulu, Draco, and Severus sat in the small lobby of the hotel waiting for Harry and Ginny to emerge.

Eventually, Ginny and Potter came out, both sporting splotchy faces, red eyes, and runny noses, and wiping away at errant tears.

Ginny sat down next to Draco, who kissed the top of her red hair and squeezed her hand, placing a protective arm about her.

"Do you really love her, Malfoy?" Potter asked.

Looking up at the wizard, who now looked more like the small boy he’d met in Madam Malkin’s shop before their first year at Hogwarts than a grown man, Draco said with great solemnity, "I would have sooner chosen to die than leave England without Ginny. I love her, and I always will."

The serious and heartfelt response of Draco's answer seemed to allow Potter to finally let go of Ginny. Of course his heart was now broken, but he was sure that Ginny was in good hands of someone who could love her unconditionally, and that she loved back with equal ferocity.

Potter turned to face Severus. Glaring at his old Potions professor, he said shortly, "A word with you, Snape."

They decided to take their conversation out into the back garden.

Amid the hedges of large, bright red hibiscus flowers and the white feathery fronds of the blooming sugar cane, Potter asked, "Why did you seduce Hermione?"

"You assume I seduced her." It was an evasive answer meant to draw Potter out into giving away what he knew, and thereby what he didn't know.

"It makes perfect sense. Many of the key ingredients in Polyjuice Potion are highly regulated. Anyone who purchases them at an apothecary has their name registered. Smuggling is impossible. What better way than to get them when they come into the United Kingdom, as Hermione has access when she tests them? And what a coincidence that shortly before you disappear, she gets a Potions apprenticeship she has always longed for, but has, until now, been unable to obtain. And Lavender's Potions master, Sebastian Delgado, leaves to go back to Spain at a time that is also very coincidental. That's a whole lot of coincidences, don't you think?" Harry asked too innocently for the topic of conversation, a hint of bitterness underlying his series of deductions.

Severus said nothing, but continued to walk alongside Potter, his hand on his wand wondering if a Memory Charm would violate the local laws of his new home.

"What did you do to get her to agree to give you the ingredients? Seduce her first or dangle the promise of an apprenticeship in front of her nose to make her cave?" Potter asked snidely.

"If you think Hermione would cast her ethics aside for an apprenticeship or because of whom she bedded, then you do not know her at all," Severus calmly parried Harry's remarks. "And to think, she considers you a friend. One who evidently doesn't know her very well if you're making such accusations."

"Do you deny she gave you the ingredients?" Harry asked, wanting to at least hear Snape confess, though there was nothing he could have done about it anyway.

Severus pondered the choice of Potter's words and considered negating the boy's assumptions, based on a syntax error.

"Hermione gave no such ingredients to me," Severus truthfully answered, in a manner of speaking.

"Did she give them to Ginny?" Harry countered.

Severus was amazed the boy had picked up on his subtle use of language.

As much as Severus tried to play it cool, he was starting to get a pit of worry building in his stomach over Hermione's safety. Would Potter lash out at him and Draco by ruining Hermione's life by exposing her help towards helping two Death Eaters escape? She was guilty, without a doubt, but would Harry obey the law blindly, having Hermione brought up on charges before the Wizengamot and ruining her chance of finishing her apprenticeship, not to mention her whole life, over a grudge and a duty to obey the law, no matter how unjust it was? Or would Potter bend the rules like he had done to suit his own needs for so many years at Hogwarts, to justify his goals?

Severus stopped walking and turned to face Potter. "Do you remember when your godfather, Sirius, was accused of betraying your parents? How he was assumed to be in league with the Dark Lord? And when you found out the truth of how he was betrayed and unjustly punished, did you and Hermione not abuse the use of a Time-Turner to help a wizard who was wanted for the murder of Pettigrew – a murder that he did not commit? Even though many others were certain of his guilt, Hermione helped you to set to right a wizard who should not have been punished for crimes he did not do."

Harry took a step back, having the memory brought up. The wound from that memory and the loss of Sirius suddenly felt raw and torn open once more.

"Hermione does not defend those unless she is certain of their innocence," Severus said firmly and with conviction. "When you go back to England, ask Moody why he would not accept Draco’s and my request to take Veritaserum to tell the truth about the death of Dumbledore and regarding the supposed crime of Draco’s and my letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts. He refused our offer to confess our innocence under Veritaserum, for he would then have no suspicions to claim as fact and use to persecute us, though Draco and I were always true to Dumbledore and the Order. Ask him that, if you are truly the brave Gryffindor that you are heralded to be. Let's see what happens when Moody is confronted with your questions."

Severus turned to walk away from Potter, but stopped and turned to fix him with a steely glare, his eyes glancing quickly at Harry's scar. "And should you cause any harm to Hermione, I might just risk coming back to England to finish what the Dark Lord did not."

He turned once more and stalked away towards the hotel leaving Potter to contemplate his words and all that it implied.

"My God, he does love her," Potter muttered to himself before he went to walk back to the Portkey office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione's Saturday was going to be very busy. She had a morning interview with Luna, where she would have to sit next to Lavender and Ron and recount something not only recent and painful, but very personal to be published for all of wizardom to see. She also had to attend the noon grand opening of The Sirens' Secrets, as the Christmas shopping season in Diagon Alley was kicking off.

After speaking with Lavender via Floo regarding Harry and his claim that he knew where Ginny, Draco and Severus had gone off to, Hermione took a vial of something that promised her a restful night's sleep in hopes that a different brand of elixir would deliver the promise of a good night's rest for once. The vial should have been more accurately labeled "Temporary Coma."

Waking, her body felt rested, but her mind still felt as if it have been stomped all over by Grawp during a temper tantrum. She then admitted to herself yet again the importance of dreaming to allow the mind to clear out the detritus that cluttered one's mind and decided that no sleeping potion, no matter who brewed it, was going to let her avoid nightmares and allow her to get a good night's sleep. She wondered if she could pick up a vial or three of Wit-Sharpening Potion at the local apothecary, since didn't have time to brew herself any in time before the interview started.

Lavender had suggested what Hermione should wear, as they would try to both dress in a way that one did not look better than the other. Her employer said it should look like Ron had not picked Lavender and ditched his wife due to looks, but because of matters of the heart. But as there was going to be a photographer, pictures spoke louder than words.

With a vial of Wit-Sharpening Potion tossed down along with a quick cup of tea and a piece of toast, Hermione Floo’ed over to Lavender's.

Upon her arrival, Wonkle greeted Hermione while Lavender was running about the solarium making sure everything was perfect. There was still a half-hour until Luna would show up.

Lavender stopped her preparations and came over. She looked Hermione up and down, checking her over, and then shook her head.

"Your clothes look perfect," Lavender began, "but may I fix up your hair and make-up?"

Hermione nodded, feeling like she was being primped like a dog for a show. She didn't even tell Lavender that she didn't even bother with makeup. All those years of working in a Potions testing lab required one's face to be in a natural state, because one's makeup might accidentally taint a testing batch.

After a few twirls and flicks, Lavender nodded with approval.

Checking in the large mirror in the grand foyer, Hermione saw that her hair was arranged in a well-controlled cascade of smooth waves while Lavender wore her hair down as well, smooth and straight, loosely curled at the bottom. Their eyes were both accented and a bit of rouge highlighted their cheek bones in a way that flattered both their faces. Hermione had to admit that perhaps she didn't look half bad with a bit of primping. At least the bags and circles under her eyes were gone after her mini-coma, but that still didn't take away the haunted look in the brunette witch's eyes.

Ron came out into the foyer, saying, "Which shirt did you want me to wear again, Lav?" He was holding a cream-colored, tailored button-down dress shirt in one hand and a pale caramel-colored one in the other.

He stopped short when he spotted Hermione.

Hermione noticed immediately that Ron was shirtless, since it was hard not to notice the rather impressive set of abs her ex-husband was sporting.

'Why didn't Ron have abs like that when we were married?' she momentarily thought to herself bitterly, now a little jealous that Lavender got an upgraded version of Ron while she’d had to deal with the one who had the meager salaries while holding down two jobs, had willingly dressed like a slob, and hadn't quite yet filled out.

Hermione couldn't kid herself. Even towards the end of her marriage when Ron did have a body like that, the sex was still mediocre and they still fought like cats and dogs, more so with the influence of those potions he was taking for gaining muscle.

"The darker one, Ron," Lavender said, then paused to watch the exchange between the exes.

Ron stood there unmoving. This was the first time they had seen each other since Bill's party and the announcement of their divorce to the Weasley family.

Finally remembering that his fiancée had replied, he said, while pointing with the shirts in his hand back towards where he’d come from, "Oh, right, well, I'll just go... and... finish getting dressed."

Hermione turned away and went to look in the mirror to make sure she didn't look like she was about to start crying.

"The mascara is run-proof," Lavender said quietly.

"Thanks; I think that will be very helpful today," Hermione noted somberly.

Before Luna showed up, Lavender had Ron and Hermione sit together and air whatever they needed to say so that it would not come out in some dam-burst of emotions during the interview.

It was mostly polite small talk. Given that Ron was not having an apoplectic fit, she could only assume that he had not yet learned of Ginny divorcing Harry and running off with Malfoy, the Death Eater and his long-time nemesis, taunter, and pain in the arse. She would leave that privilege to Harry, to whom she was feeling a little less charitable. She certainly was not going to do it now, given that Luna was due to appear any minute and then all three of them had to later show up for The Sirens' Secrets grand opening.

At nine o'clock promptly, Luna Apparated to the edge of Lavender's property, which was a modest mansion located in Kent. After knocking on the door, the Editrix-in-Chief of The Quibbler was greeted at the door by Lavender, instead of the house-elf, Wonkle, giving the impression that she was not so haughty as to not answer her own door.

As Luna and Lavender entered the solarium, Ron and Hermione were engaged in polite conversation, Hermione pouring a cup of tea for her ex-husband in the process. It was all very staged.

Luna, with her keen perception and child-like honesty, said "You don't have to pretend for me. We're old friends. The photographer won't be here for another hour."

Hermione and Ron let out a huge sigh and sat a little farther apart, but not before Hermione finished pouring Ron a cup of tea.

Now that they were all seated, Luna began by saying, "I'd like to thank all three of you with giving me your story. I know there has been a lot of gossip printed in the other papers and magazines, but I promise you that I will do my best to accurately reflect what we discuss here today."

"It is because you have shown integrity in the past when it comes to publishing the truth that we thought of you," Lavender replied, in reference to how The Quibbler had been the forum for Harry to honestly discuss the return of Voldemort when the Ministry's propaganda rag, the Daily Prophet, refused to acknowledge the truth and had painted Harry in a bad light.

"So, why don't you or Ron tell me in your own words what happened?" Luna asked, looking at Hermione.

Hermione appreciated the fact that Luna did not make any accusations in her question and left it open-ended for them to begin.

"Well, Luna, I think what anyone reading about this should know is that Ron and I had a long and solid friendship to begin with, but friendship is not quite enough when it comes to marriage, at least for us," she began.

Over the next hour, Hermione and Ron took turns discussing how they both slowly realized over the years that though they did love each other, it was not the type of love needed to sustain a marriage, especially a marriage he wasn't ready for.

After some time, they reached a point where Luna asked how Ron's romance with Lavender began.

"I saw Ron sitting alone and looking miserable one day," Lavender began. "I remembered him from school and I struck up a conversation with him. He confessed that he and Hermione had just had a big fight, and he had confided in me marriage was a lot bumpier than he’d expected, having been married for less than a year.

"After we had been talking for several hours, I felt a sort of connection with him," Lavender confessed, excluding the part about him going over to her house and sleeping with her that night.

Ron jumped in, adding, "It was a natural and easy kind of rapport we had with one another. And as much as I felt terrible about it, Lavender and I developed a deep friendship and fell in love."

Hermione could not help but think about her and Severus had started with conversation, with him listening to her own martial woes at first and offering a shoulder to cry on at the beginning of their relationship. Hermione remembered how awful she’d felt falling for Severus while married to Ron, and how she’d battled with the conflict within her.

"But even though I had fallen in love with Lavender, I felt that my first duty was to remain with Hermione," Ron finished.

"And why is that, Ron?" asked Luna for clarification.

"From what I know in the Muggle world from Hermione," Ron answered, "divorce is pretty common, but I was raised that when you marry someone, it's for life. I felt I had to take care of Hermione. And that if I were to leave her, how could she live on her meager salary at the Ministry alone? I felt it was the noble thing to do, to stick through it even though we were growing apart."

Hermione nodded, her eyes downcast.

"If you understood that marriage is for life, Ron, why did you marry Hermione in the first place if you never were deeply in love with her?" Luna queried, her insight allowing her to go to the heart of the issue quickly.

"I suppose you could say that I caved into pressure from family, friends, and society, that this was what expected of me." Ron left out the part when Molly coerced him, as it would have been too humiliating to admit to being bullied by one's mother.

Hermione added her own comments, saying, "It seemed that we both felt that we were expected to marry each other. But we rushed into things too quickly, too young. The war had only just ended, and perhaps in a way of trying to put the sadness and loss we felt behind us, after losing so many people close and dear to us, our getting married was somehow a way of forcing ourselves to be happy with something joyous when it would have been more prudent to wait and be sure."

Luna nodded herself, looking a bit lost in her own thoughts before she continued with the interview. "Now, Hermione, since you are more familiar with Muggle divorce, maybe you can enlighten the readers of The Quibbler as to what that involves?"

"Certainly. As many, but perhaps not all of, your readers might know, I am a Muggle-born. As such, both my parents and their families are Muggles. In the Muggle world, when two people fall in love and get married but it doesn't work out, or they marry for the wrong reasons, they can undo the legal binding of their marriage contract. There is a petition to file for divorce with the legal system. If they do not part amicably, there is a process where they go to court and it is decided who gets what, of whatever property and monies that were accrued together during their marriage," Hermione said, recalling her aunt's divorce proceedings. "For example, let’s say the wife does not hold a job and the man does. Then, during the divorce, it would be decided how much the man must pay in alimony each month to help support the wife; the support is something that ends, should the wife marry another man. Or vice versa."

"Very interesting," Luna remarked. "After this interview is published, I would like to do an article explaining more about Muggle divorce for our readers. I hope I can talk to you more about that?"

"Sure, Luna, though I recommend you talk to the Muggle marriage counselor Ron and I went to through the Muggle Alliance Network," Hermione said. "He helped us get through some rough patches, and it was through our counseling that Ron and I discovered that we never should have married in the first place. Especially after I learned about children."

"What did you not know about children, Hermione?" Luna asked, looking a bit confused.

"In a Muggle household, divorce – even with children – is a legal matter, not magical. Should a Muggle couple with children get a divorce, the children go off to live with one parent or the parents have joint custody. In the wizarding world, divorce with children means death. Being initially raised in the Muggle world, I didn't understand that, nor was I told beforehand."

"Really?" Luna said, looking almost shocked, considering her naturally calm demeanor.

"Yes," Hermione replied, trying not to let the anger and bitterness in her voice rise, or go into a tirade blaming Molly Weasley for everything. "It seems that in the rush to plan the wedding shortly after the war, it was never explained to me about the magical binding property of children where marriage was concerned. You can imagine how stunned I was to learn that, after being married for almost four years. I can only say that I'm thankful that Ron agreed with me that we should wait to have children. Had I learned the facts – about children making the marriage permanent and irreversible – after getting pregnant, it would be been an even bigger shock to me then."

This wasn't entirely truthful, as Ron did bug Hermione about having children once or twice. However, after hearing her explain the additional burden requiring time, money, and the thought of having to face nappy changes, Ron then agreed to wait, even with pressure from his mother.

Luna went on to ask about how Hermione learned about Ron and Lavender, to which Hermione and Lavender spun a believable but fabricated lie, saying that Ron broke the news about Lavender after they agreed to a divorce. Hermione didn't like having to lie, but it would be too embarrassing to have everyone know Lavender had told her about their affair in her office while discussing Hermione’s future employment. That would make Hermione look like she was giving up her husband in exchange for employment during her apprenticeship.

"And I understand you have an apprenticeship under Albert Dobmeir, Lavender's new Potions master? Did that make it awkward?" Luna asked, honestly curious as to how Hermione handled that situation, but not out of morbid curiosity.

"Yes, at first. I had already arranged to have my apprenticeship with him before Ron and I mutually agreed to a divorce, and before I discovered Ron and Lavender were in love," Hermione said, which was an almost true timeline of events, "but this apprenticeship is something I have longed for and sought for many years. So I decided to be professional about this and not let a personal matter interfere with a business relationship."

Luna then turned to Lavender, "But as Hermione's employer, as I understand this is a paid apprenticeship, does this make it difficult to you?"

"Well, Hermione came highly recommended to Albert Dobmeir, who himself is a very talented Potions master," Lavender said graciously, bending over to offer Luna more tea, which she declined. "And so far, even this early into her apprenticeship, Mr. Dobmeir has said that he is very impressed with Hermione's knowledge and skill level. It doesn't hurt that she has so much experience where Potions ingredients are concerned, considering her previous job at the Department of Standards & Regulations. She had proven herself to be an invaluable member of the company in the short time she has been here."

The interview seemed to be wrapping up, and Luna gave each of them a chance to have something to say in closing. Lavender espoused how she regretted hurting Hermione, and hoped that one day that they could become friends once again. Ron gave a cautionary warning about people not succumbing to pressure from anyone into something so important and life-long as marriage.

"And you," Luna said, turning to Hermione. "What would you like to say that you haven't had the chance to address?"

Hermione paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "If it was me who had fallen in love with someone else during our marriage instead of Ron, someone with whom I felt a deep and visceral connection, who seemed to understand me and listened to me, who was the first person I thought about when I woke up and the last person when I went to sleep at night," Hermione said, her eyes far away, recollecting her own feelings and how she fell in love with Severus, "someone I was drawn to mentally, spiritually and physically, whom I could talk to for hours, be lost in their arms, making me experience the heady and delirious sensation of falling deeply in love..." Hermione suddenly stopped when she realized she was confessing her own situation. She amended it hastily with, "...as I'm sure Ron and Lavender fell for each other, then I hope Ron would understand that I never meant to hurt him. Just as I understand he never meant to hurt me, but could not help whom he fell in love with along the way."

With her little speech, recounting her own experience of falling for Severus inadvertently, she better understood and comprehended how Ron and Lavender fell for one another. It was not something done out of spite, but two souls who just happened to come across each other at the wrong time, just like her and Severus.

"Ron's heart was never mine to begin with, no matter how much we tried to convince ourselves otherwise," Hermione continued. "This is why I hope Ron and Lavender have a long and happy life together."

Ron placed his hand atop Hermione's, which was resting on the couch next to him, and asked, "Really, 'Mione? You want us to be happy?"

Hermione felt herself get a little misty-eyed as she looked at Ron and Lavender sitting next to each other, comfortable and supportive in each other's presence, and recalled how she felt the same way with Severus. She would want Ron to wish her happiness too if the roles were presently reversed.

"Yes," she nodded, her smile a little bittersweet.

Just then the camera flash popped and captured the moment that would be featured at the top of Luna's exclusive, showing reconciliation, forgiveness, and understanding amid divorce and an unintended affair.

The photographer left promptly once the interview was over. Lavender was about to rise to show Luna to the door when the blond editrix suddenly confessed, "I can certainly understand about how people should not rush into marriage. It was because I still had trouble dealing with my father's death towards the end of the war that Neville and I called off our engagement. As you said, this is something life-long, especially once you have children. And Neville understood. It was better to wait while I sorted through some things, and we both eventually agreed that we were too young to marry. I think what you have to say is important for others to hear, especially if it might steer people from jumping into marriage recklessly or without giving it enough thought. Thank you; this was most illuminating and should definitely make people think."

Once Luna was gone, Ron looked at his ex-wife and asked, "You really, really meant that you want Lav and me to be happy? That wasn't just for the interview, was it?"

"Yes, Ron," she assured him. "I do want you and Lavender to be happy. You fell in love with her. And perhaps if we hadn’t rushed into marriage, you would have married her instead of me and we both would have been happier these past four years."

Lavender showed Hermione to the dining room where a light lunch was served up. All three of them ate together, the air having been cleared a little, before they headed off to the grand opening.

As Hermione ate, she realized that some of the bitterness she held towards Ron had dissipated. Of course she hadn't completely forgiven Ron, but putting herself in Ron's place – had she fallen for Severus years ago instead of months ago and felt an obligation to stick with Ron for monetary obligations and familiar pressure – she could see herself carrying on an affair with Severus for years, wanting to leave Ron but unable.

It made her heart a little lighter, but her heart was still heavy with her guilt regarding Harry and her grief for missing Severus.

More than anything, she wished she could look forward to heading off to Severus' flat, sipping a nice cup of tea and sharing her day with him before dining on something wonderful he whipped up for her. Then there would be snuggling in his arms on the settee afterwards, reading together in companionable silence or making love. As it was, she was already experiencing the mental and emotional equivalent of withdrawal from the man who had quickly become her best friend and lover, who knew her better than anyone, even Ginny, Harry, or Ron.

Swallowing a mouthful of salad, Hermione wondered what Severus was up to at that very moment and what it was like where he was.

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A/N: A huge round of thanks to my betas, JuneW and Cytherea. Give my betas some well deserved love.
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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After