Betrayal

Even after Hermione and the baby were home, Ginny found herself helping out as much as she could, but always made sure to leave before Harry returned from work. Otherwise neither of them would ever be able to hide what they had been doing from Hermione. The latest time she had done so and prepared to Floo back to the Burrow, Hermione stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Ginny, I know you and Harry are seeing each other on the side. Don't worry, though. I expected it at some point. Just the same, I also expect you both to be discreet."

"I don't mean to encourage him to cheat on you," she returned regretfully. "But I just can't stay away from him."

"I know. I can't blame you ... but don't try to fool me anymore. I know both of you too well. I see what's in your hearts when I look into your eyes and whenever the two of you speak of each other: and even when you don't. Harry still loves you and you still love him; not even his marriage to me has changed that. I don't think anything can."

"But he married you," Ginny pointed out.

"For the sake of our child. You're the one he thinks about, dreams about, and speaks about in his sleep."

"I can imagine how that makes you feel. To have his name and his baby, yet know that someone else has his heart."

"It hurts a bit, I admit, but usually I'm too busy thinking about Ron. I'm close to Harry's heart, sure, but you're closer." Hermione gave her friend a knowing smile. "So that makes us even. Which reminds me ... I'm so sorry to hurt Ron like this. I wish I could tell him how I truly feel, but he's been avoiding me ever since the wedding and it's gotten worse since the baby's been born."

"Well, you know that Ron's not one to go after a married woman. Especially not one married to his best friend."

"But surely he knows why we did it. This is ridiculous!"

"Of course he knows, but he can't shake his lifelong training ... so I doubt he'll approach you again until and unless you and Harry split up." Ginny gave her a hopeful look, not daring to voice her unspoken wish, but Hermione knew nonetheless.

"It's possible, but just the same, don't push it. If it's meant to be, it'll happen." Ginny knew that Hermione was referring to more than just their secret wishes. If Harry chose to stay married to Hermione, again for the sake of the child, yet keep Ginny as a side dish, both she and Ron would have to accept it and his pride would keep him a respectful distance from Hermione despite his lingering feelings for her. In fact Ginny wouldn't blame him if he eventually married someone else.

Ginny also was surprised that her mother was going along with her affair with Harry. It might even be that one puppydog look from him and Molly melted just like Ginny herself did. Well, maybe not precisely like Ginny herself did, but enough so that she overlooked things she would ordinarily never overlook, such as adultery. Of course, Harry was extraordinary, so maybe that had something to do with it. At any rate, the best any of them could do was go with the flow and do their best to live with the status quo until and if circumstances changed.

* * * * *

Which they did--but not for the better. It was about a month after Hermione gave birth to Harry's son, whom they had named Solomon Harrison. Harry wasn't too fond of the boy's first name, at least at first, but relented when Hermione told him that it meant "wise" and pointed out the likelihood that the boy would end up inheriting her brains anyway. But unfortunately, he had bigger problems to worry about at the moment, other than being married to someone he only loved as a friend and loving someone he could treat only as a friend ... at least in public.

Ginny had been showing more temper than usual and looking as pale as a ghost, Molly having reported that she hadn't eaten more than absolutely necessary for several days. He recalled that Ginny had not had the chance to use any Contraceptive Charms any of the times they had shagged, even just since the baby had been born (and there had been several), so there was a distinct possibility that she was pregnant, which was just what he needed to know when trying to establish himself as an Auror after the vanquishing of Voldemort.

Harry couldn't be sure how Molly and the other Weasleys would end up treating him if it was confirmed that Ginny was pregnant with his child. For that matter, how could he be sure how Ginny herself would treat him once her pregnancy had been confirmed? The last thing she would want was to be reminded of the fact that she had given in to him, albeit against her better judgement. If he did that, she was likely to hex him--and not just the Bat-Bogey thing, either. In that event, maybe he had best learn a nonverbal Shield Charm to protect himself if she tried to blame him for it all and he found himself obliged to remind her that it had taken both of them to put her in the present situation.

He had every intention of acknowledging the child as his own, of course; that had never been in doubt ... but privately, so as not to embarrass Hermione. He was still debating on how to explain Ginny being pregnant and unmarried; one option was to claim that she was a surrogate mother, that she was carrying another child for him and Hermione since it had been determined she couldn't have any more without risking her life and had thus been sterilised.

Not true, of course, but better that than the truth of his adultery becoming public. Also, his willingness to acknowledge the child and support both it and Ginny was likely to be the only thing keeping the male members of Ginny's family, among others, from hexing his bits off. This problem aside, Harry knew that he wanted as many children as possible, if only to make up for his having been not only an only child but an orphan, so he couldn't allow that to happen.

He had even made Ginny promise to see a Healer and let him know the details of what she found out--and pressed his point that he would take financial responsibility from the get-go, starting from the initial diagnosis of her pregnancy. Neither could anyone be sure that Hermione didn't already know of the pregnancy, having been pregnant herself and thus able to recognise the symptoms, even if they tried to keep it from her. Neither could it improve Ginny's disposition if Harry decided to make love to his wife once the traditional six weeks without sex so Hermione could heal from her pregnancy was up.

Marrying someone to legitimise an unintentional pregnancy was one thing; intentionally resuming sexual relations after the pregnancy was over and one had recovered from it was something else again. Harry was sure that it would prove once and for all that his feelings for Hermione had changed from friendly love to romantic love ... or at least that would be her likely attitude, and he couldn't be sure that she wouldn't be expecting him to at least make the attempt or that she herself wouldn't approach him on the subject.

He had to admit Hermione was a beautiful woman and he couldn't help but be attracted to her, but romantically speaking, the first person he thought of was Ginny. Harry didn't want to insult Hermione but didn't know if he could manage to refuse her without doing just that. The situation in which Hermione had originally become pregnant had been a fluke, and if he forced himself, she would likely be smart enough to tell due to the lack of spontaneity and that would insult her just as much as it would if he refused outright to resume sexual relations with her.

It was a real dilemma--and a dilemma Harry had never dreamed would ever happen to him ... but here he was, right in the middle of it. And on top of that, he had gotten his ... well, mistress was the most accurate word ... pregnant as well. It was really too bad that he couldn't get Ron to go after 'Mione, but there were two problems with that scenario. Ron wasn't one to go after another man's wife--or more specifically, his best friend's wife ... nor would Harry ordinarily even consider encouraging another man to go after his wife. But then, Harry had never pictured himself being married to a woman he only loved as a friend, not someone he loved romantically, as had always been his intention when and if he got married.

His own "stupid nobility" had gotten him into this; after all, as had been pointed out to him time and again, he could simply have acknowledged paternity as he was doing in the present situation and support his child without having to marry the girl in question. Unfortunately the deed had already been done, so he had to think of a way to get through this with both relationships intact ... if he could. Otherwise he might have to let Hermione go and dissolve the marriage, but arrange to continue the child support and alimony for her until and if she found work and/or remarried.

One scenario would be that he would be able to marry the one he truly loved; on the other hand, if she ended up refusing him (he preferred not to think of that possibility, but it was one he had to keep in mind), he would have no choice but to give her child support and request visitation rights from both mothers of his children. There was also no guarantee he would get it, of course, even though technically he should. In the event of a worst-case scenario, and both women went to work, maybe he could offer to be a "Mr. Mom" and look after the babies while Hermione and Ginny went to their jobs ... use his inheritance to live on until the children became school-age, then he could consider going back to work. It would likely take him that long to complete the Auror training anyway.

He knew that Ginny had once mentioned wanting to become a Healer and Hermione a teacher; well, he would gladly support them in both pursuits, and knew they both would be excellent at them. He hoped for the best, naturally, but in the event of a worst-case scenario, he would have to keep that as an option. For the time being, however, all he could do was do his best by both ladies--and to do that, he would need to acknowledge paternity of both children and give both Hermione and Ginny the proper financial support.