Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

AN-Oh my God. I'm going to use the cannon ending? No wonder it snowed out last night! Right, so I saw these Harry/Hermione ship slogans and there was this one that got a story forming in my head. This probably won't be a very long story, I'd be surprised if its only a chapter before I just forget about it. Enjoy.

Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter

Waking Up

Chapter 1

"I'm going to miss Rose," Hugo said from the backseat. Hermione snapped to attention and looked around confused. Ron got in the drivers seat and started the car. During drive home, she looked back and forth between Ron and Hugo, thinking over the past nineteen years.

Ron and Hermione had been married for thirteen years. They had two perfect children. But she couldn't help but think over how their marriage has not been so perfect. They would still have their little rows. The last fight they had, they didn't speak to each other for a week, except if Hugo or Rose was in the room, and Ron slept in the guest room.

That night as she washed the dishes, Ron came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Are you ok? You seem a little distracted."

"I'm just thinking." Hermione answered, stepping out of his grasp. She carefully dried the knife she was holding and set it in the utensil drawer. "Thinking about us."

Ron drew an unsteady breath. "What do you mean?"

"This just isn't working anymore. We fight all the time. I'm not happy anymore." Hermione gripped the edge of the counter and looked away from Ron. Tears started streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Ron. I love you, I do. But I just can't keep this façade of a happy family up."

"Let's face it; you stopped being happy a long time ago." Ron said quietly. He wrapped his arms around her again, and she hugged him back. "I just want you to be happy."

AN-Very short, I know. Next chapter will be about Harry and Ginny. Review please.


	2. Chapter 2

AN-Right, so at first I was skeptical about this story. I still am to a point. So this chapter is about Harry and Ginny. This chapter is also short, like the last chapter.

Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter. I do however own all the books, I spent how many dollars buying them and stayed up till midnight four times to purchase the books at the release parties.

Chapter 2

Harry always loved Ginny. But he knew he didn't love her as much as a husband should. He never planned to marry her though. In fact, he probably wouldn't have asked her to marry him if one event hadn't changed their lives.

He was twenty-three and he had just finished his auror training. Ginny was twenty-two and well on her way to becoming a star Quidditch player for the Harpies. They were both in the prime of their lives, until one night and a forgotten contraception charm sent everything crashing down on them.

While Harry didn't love Ginny as much as she loved him, he did the right thing married her and had three wonderful children with her. He tried every day to make her happy, knowing she deserved someone who could devote his entire heart to her. That night, as he looked over and saw his wife sleeping peacefully next to him, Harry decided to give her the chance to find someone who could love her as much as she deserved. Tomorrow, after Lily went to school, he'd sit her down and have a long talk with Ginny.

AN-Was it confusing at all? Anything what you expected? Please review, even if its to flame me to no end. I take constructive criticism fairly well, so if you have any, let me know.


	3. Chapter 3

AN-Sorry it took so long. Thanks to all those who reviewed! Here's the new chapter.

Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter, of course. I "borrow" them from time to time and bend them to my will.

Chapter 3

Harry had a rare day off, so he volunteered to take Lily to school that morning. They lived just a fifteen minute walk from the primary school that she and the boys, as well, attended.

"I wish you could walk me to school every day," Lily said, smiling up at him. She had always been and always will be a daddy's girl.

"I wish I could to, Lils," Harry said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Why do you have to work so much?" Good question, he thought. The hours of an auror were brutal. He was at work by seven in the morning and usually didn't make it home until near eight in the evening. He wasn't the only one, Ron's hours were just as bad and Neville's were as well until he went to work at Hogwarts. But what she said next brought him out of his thoughts. "I miss spending time with you, dad."

"Tell you what. I have some vacation time saved up, so I'll request some time off and you and me can go do something fun over a weekend. How does that sound?" Lily nodded enthusiastically. They reached to school and Lily hugged Harry before dashing up the stairs into the school.

As Harry walked home, he thought about what he was going to say to Ginny. What was the best way to tell your wife you wanted a divorce. Well, there was no right way, was there? His conversation with Lily put forth something he didn't think of. The kids would be put in the middle and he did not want them to have to choose between their parents. Would they even understand? James might, but he wasn't sure about Al and Lily.

He returned home to find Ginny lounging on the sofa, reading Witch's Weekly and listening to the Wireless. After listening for moment, he heard the broadcast of the Harpies match.

"Lily get to school?" She asked without turning around. Harry nodded as he sat down next to her. "I miss playing with them."

"Couldn't you play with them again?" Harry asked.

"I have Lily to take care of." Ginny sighed.

"If you hadn't gotten pregnant with James, would you have on the team long?" Harry questioned.

"Oh yes, if it hadn't been for James things would have been a lot different." Ginny said absently before realizing what she had just said. She gasped in horror and a hand flew to her mouth. "I didn't mean that. I love James! And Lily and Albus. I can't imagine life any different."

"Yes, you do. I can too." Harry said softly. He took her hand gently and took a deep breath. "That's why I think best if we took some time apart."

"What are you saying?" Ginny gasped, tears stinging her eyes. This was not happening.

"I'm saying that I want a divorce."

"Who is she?" Ginny said in a low voice.

"What?" His face screwed up in confusion.

"I said who is she?" Her fists clenched in her lap. "The woman you're leaving me for."

"There is not other woman! I'm doing this for you!" Harry said, trying not to shout. This was harder than he thought it would be. Ginny stared up at him with uncertainty etched on her features. "You deserve someone better. Because you're right, if James hadn't come along, and I love him to no end, things would have been a lot different."

Ginny took a deep breath as her mind put together what Harry had just said. "Did you ever love me or was it just because of your incessant need to do the right thing?"

"I did love you, but it wasn't enough." He pulled her into a gentle hug. "Find someone who loves you entirely okay?"

Harry was up in his and Ginny's room when his phone rang. He immediately knew it was as he ripped it open. "Hey, Hermione."

"Harry? Can you meet me at the Leaky Cauldron?" Hermione asked. She sounded like she had been crying. "I really need to talk to you."

"Sure. I was just about to call you to be honest." He said as he double checked his drawers. He didn't need to pack everything today, just clothes and the bare essentials. "I'll meet you there in an hour. Sound good?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then." She hung up without another word. Harry briefly wondered if she and Ron had another fight. It wouldn't have been the first time she called him to vent. Harry grabbed the picture of him and the kids that were sitting on the bedside table, shrunk his luggage, and walked downstairs.

AN-This is one of the longest chapter I've written for this story, hurray. So, I have one more chapter written that I will try to type up when I have some free time. Like I said in my author's note, I'm so busy with graduation stuff. Hopefully, I can type up chapter four by the end of this week. Please review, receive your reviews just makes my day. Oh and check out my profile for a link to my twitter, I'm going to try to use that to chart my progress with my stories.


	4. Chapter 4

AN-Found some more time to type up this chapter. Please check out my profile for my Twitter profile link. I'm using that to keep everyone updated on the status of all my stories.

Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter. Although it would be a great graduation present. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.

Chapter 4

Ginny waited for the tears but they didn't come. Her breathing coming out in ragged gasps, but she did not cry. She felt unbelievably free. It was the most amazing feeling. But the prospect was as scary as thrilling. She had to start all over again. She was still relatively young, but would any man want a woman with three children? She shook her head. She should not being thinking of dating, it should be the last thing from her mind.

Ginny stood by the door as Harry came down the stairs, trunk floating behind him. "What about the children?"

"I would like partial custody, visits every other weekend, or whenever they want to come, and be involved in decisions on their well being. Does that work for you?" Ginny nodded slowly. Harry looked around the house one last time. "I'm, uh, going to pick Lily up from school, take her out to dinner and explain this all to her. She might take it better from me. Bye, Ginny."

Ginny slumped to the floor, back leaning against the door that Harry just walked out of. He left? Why did he leave? The words repeating themselves as an image of Harry walking out replayed itself in her mind for what seemed like hours until she became completely numb, devoid to any feeling except anger, and hurt and confusion. Upset that her marriage was over, angry that Harry gave up on his family and her. And the confusion. Why? Why did he do this?

Was there another woman? All those nights he said he was working late, was he meeting someone else? Was she prettier and younger than she? No, Ginny corrected herself; Harry wasn't that type of guy. He was too noble to carry out an affair. But if he was so noble, why'd he leave?

Was it her fault? Was it all the nagging about him working so much? Or maybe it was her pressuring him to have another baby?

But maybe this was just a phase. Maybe this was a midlife crisis that he would snap out of and he'd come crawling back in a few months after getting some space.

Maybe…

Ginny shook her head, hoping to rid herself of all the doubts, the what-ifs and maybes. She should probably get off the floor, sitting there wasn't going to fix anything. Finally, Ginny picked herself up, checked her reflection in the mirror, and walked out the door, apparating to the Burrow to see her mother, hoping to make sense of it all.

* * *

Harry looked around the crowded café, spotting Hermione in a booth in the far off corner.

"Hey." She said, giving him a quick hug. Harry observed her appearance as he sat down across from her. Here eyes were slightly red and small bags under them, but she had a bright smile gracing her lips. "Thanks for coming. It means a lot."

"It's not a problem, you know that. I was going to call you anyway." He admitted. A waiter came up to the table with a pot of coffee in his hand.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Just coffee, please."

"Same for me, thanks." The waiter poured their coffee and hurried off to another table. Harry sipped it and waited patiently for Hermione to begin, but she didn't. She just sat there, staring at her coffee and biting her lower lip. "What happened?"

"Ron and me." There was a crinkling sound as she fiddled with a page of the local paper that he hadn't noticed before, crumpling up the edge of it and then smoothing it out before repeating the process. This got Harry even more concerned, Hermione wasn't the type to fidget with things nervously. She cleared her throat and continued. "We, well, we're getting divorced."

Harry chocked slightly on his drink. He knew they were having problems but not bad enough to separate.

"Are you alright?" Hermione smiled and nodded.

"I didn't think I should be so happy that my marriage is over. But it's the happiest I've been in a long, long time. Since about Rose's birth." She confessed. She proceeded to tell Harry about Ron's and hers discussion the night before. Hermione shook her head dismissively. "Okay, enough of my problems. What did you want to talk about?"

"Talk about irony." He chuckled nervously. She shot him a questioning look. "Ginny and I are getting divorced too."

"What?" Hermione gasped loudly, causing several people to look oddly at them. She sighed after Harry told her what happened. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well, I figured I'd get a hotel room until I can find a flat." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"I need to find a flat to. Mum offered me to come and stay home, but I think it would be best to be away from her fretting. I would love to find one with room for Hugo and Rose." Hermione said, picking up the paper next to her and scanning the flat ads. She let out a frustrated breath. "So expensive. Barely my salary."

Harry had a brainstorm. "Why don't we just get a house together?"

"Are you insane?" she asked him, vigorously shaking her head. "Do you have any idea what people would think? They'd assume that we were having an affair or something. It's out of the question."

"Come on, Hermione, think about it. We could find a house with enough rooms for the kids to stay when they visit." Hermione shook her head again. "Will you please consider this rationally? You're not going to find a flat with enough rooms for you, Hugo and Rose for cheap."

"Fine," she sighed in defeat. She knew he was right. Hermione briefly wondered why he was even getting a flat when he still owned Grimauld Place. That's when the idea struck. "What about Grimauld Place?"

AN-Yay, another chapter. This is all I have written so far, so I probably won't be able to update till middle of June or July. Oh, by the way, I'm not at all familiar with the prices of flats in England and don't pretend to be, so let's just pretend that Hermione doesn't make enough in muggle money to get a flat, deal? Please leave a review; it'd be a great graduation present, ha-ha.


	5. important authors note

Hi everyone. I really wish this were a chapter update but sadly its not. I just thought since it's been months said I updated some of my stories that I should tell you what's been keeping my from updating.

Life has gotten busy. I've been trying to help my mom out a lot with my brother who is autistic and his health is slowly going. He has to go up to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in February and March for his heart and seizures. I've also been super busy at church.

I haven't forgotten my stories or abandoned them. I'm in the process right now of rereading and editing most of them, hoping that will help my write the next chapters. I have a couple planned stories as well and hope to be able to upload those in the coming months.

So please, bear with me until I can get some time to write. I'll take this author's note off when I update. Thanks for understanding; I hope I don't lose any readers because you guys are why I keep going.


	6. Chapter 5

AN-Hey long time, no see right? Thanks for all your patience and to all those who are still reading thank you so much!

Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 5

Together, Hermione and Harry observed Grimauld Place with solemn faces. The house had been uninhabited since their short stay during the horcrux hunt. Kretcher had been freed and the house that was normally filthy had gotten much worse.

"Well," Hermione broke the silence. She transfigured a piece of parchment from a gum wrapper in her purse and pulled out a pen. "Let's start a list of what needs to be done and supplies we'll need first."

Harry glanced over at her and nodded. Good old, reliable Hermione with her organization and list, he thought fondly. The spent the next hour going from room to room, scrutinizing every detail. They set to work, wanting to at least get two bedrooms clean enough to sleep in. It took some serious magic and a trip to the store for some sheets and pillows, but the managed to get Hermione's bedroom satisfactory by the time Harry had to leave to pick up Lily.

"I'm going to work on the bathroom, it's absolutely disgusting!" Hermione announced heading, down the hall. "See you later. Bring me some takeout or something, k?"

* * *

"Hi, daddy." Lily exclaimed smiling though confused that her father was picking her up.

"Hey, kiddo. Let's go out to supper."

"Can we go to McDonalds please?" Lily pleaded. He and Ginny had tried to keep their kids from fast food places, but he agreed and apparated them to the restaurant. Lily ate her kids meal and chattered on and on about what happened at school, like Bobby Miller pulling on Gabby Stevens braids and the teacher accidently saying the "F-word"

"So what did you do today dad?" She asked when she finally finished. They arrived at their, no not his anymore, Ginny's house.

"Well, I-"Harry paused. How was he supposed to explain this? "I started cleaning out Grimauld Place today; it was my godfather's old house."

"Why are you doing that? Are you going to sell it?" Lily asked curiously.

"Err…no. I'm going to be staying there." He said carefully, running a hand through his hair as he sat down on the bench below the window.

"Staying there." She repeated. Harry could see the wheels turning in the child's mind, biting her lip in a very Hermionish way. "Why? What's wrong with staying here? Are mum and I coming with?"

"No, honey. It's just me."

"You're leaving us?" Lily said, tears starting to cloud her eyes. She reached up under her glasses to whip them away.

"Lily-flower. I still love you and your brothers. Nothing will ever change that." Harry said gently, reaching out to draw her into his arms but she jerked away.

"No! Everything's going to change! And can't say that! You're giving up on all of us!" She yelled. Inside, Ginny must have heard the yelling because she opened the front door and looked at them in concern. Lily turn to run into the house, but not before making Harry feel like a knife was shoved through his heart. "I hate you!"

With that, Lily pushed past her mother and ran inside. From within they could hear her bedroom door slam. Ginny didn't say a word to Harry, instead shooting Harry a disappointed look before closing the door on him.

Ginny hesitantly knocked on her daughter's door." She received a muffled reply of "Go away!" but she opened the door anyway. Lily sat on the window seat, looking out of the front walk, holding her stuffed beat tightly to her chest.

"It's not fair, mum." Lily said angrily. Ginny crossed the room and sat down next to Lily.

"I know it's not fair, sweetheart." Ginny said, stroking Lily's hair. "He still loves you."

"No he doesn't. If he did, he wouldn't have left." Lily threw the bear at her bed. "Mum, just go away, I want to be alone."

AN-Bit longer than my other chapters. Review?


	7. Chapter 6

AN-Have I really not updated this story since February? It's been almost a year. I could have sworn it hasn't been that long. I'm so sorry, combination of writers block and I just finished my very first semester of college, so I was busy with school. I have not abandoned any of my stories, I'm going to try to update as much as I can over winter break. For those of you who are still with me, thanks for sticking it out. For those who are reading this for the first time, welcome.

I must warn you this chapter is going to be fairly boring. Not a lot happens in it and it's a lot of talking but I felt I needed to write it to move the story forward and set it up for the next chapter, which I have somewhat of an idea what's going to happen in it. Please bear with me while I get back into the swing of writing.

Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter, but I've been a good girl this year so maybe Santa will give it to me.

Chapter 6

November faded into December and soon Christmas holidays had arrived. Both Hermione and Harry's divorces were filed at the beginning of December. The two had put a lot of effort into decorating Grimauld Place for Chirstmas, for it provided them a welcome distraction from their divorces and they wanted it to look perfect for when their children arrived on Boxing Day. Albus and James had taken the news of their parents' separation better than Lily had, much to Harry's relief. Lily, on the other hand, had not spoken to him since the day he left and refused to visit him on weekends.

"Anyone here?" Harry heard someone call from the entry way. 'Must be Ron,' Harry thought. He set down his paper and rose from his armchair.

"Hey, mate." Ron said as he helped Rose out of her coat. Harry reached out to take their coats and hung them up. "Did you two forget anything?"

"No, Dad," Hugo huffed.

"You can always send it if they did." Hermione said from the kitchen doorway.

"Mum!" Rose squealed, running into her mother's awaiting arms. "I missed you! Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Rosie." Hermione gathered Hugo into her arms next, squeezing him tightly. "You can't go back to school; I've missed you too much."

"Mum," Hugo rolled his eyes, but returned the hug.

"Come on, Hugo; let's put our stuff in our rooms." Rose said, pulling on her brother's hand. "Bye, daddy."

"Hey there, Hermione."

"Ron."

Harry could feel the awkwardness rolling off his best friends. The two had barley spoken in the past month, aside from the curt greetings when Ron dropped Rose off and during their divorce hearing. Eager to ease the tension, Harry broke the uncomfortable silence. "Ron, are you doing anything tomorrow night? I was thinking the three of us could go out for drinks. You know, for old time's sake."

"I don't think-"Ron started to say but Hermione cut him off.

"That's a great idea, Harry. We haven't gone out in ages. I'll go fire call Teddy and see if he'll sit with the kids."

"Yeah, great idea, mate. Brilliant." Ron grumbled sarcastically, adjusting his robes.

"What? Are you saying that we can't all still be friends like we were in school after all this?"

"No, I'm just saying it's going to be way too awkward. Me and 'Mione have barely spoken to each other in months, unless we were fighting about some ridiculous thing or another. How are we supposed to get through a night together?"

"Trust me, Ron; this will do some good for all of us." Harry assured him.

* * *

Later that night, Harry carried a sleeping Lily upstairs, who fell asleep watching the telly, with Albus trailing sleepily behind him. He told Albus he'd be in to tuck him in a moment and quietly opened the door to Lily and Rose's room. A soft glow emanated from the lamp on Roses' bedside table. Rose looked up from her book as Harry carefully placed the sleeping girl in her bed.

"How come she's not speaking to you?" Rose asked.

"She's a little displeased with me." Harry explained, though displeased was putting it mildly. He bent down to pick up some toys that were scattered on the floor. "What are you still doing up. Your mother sent you to bed ages ago."

"I just wanted to finish my book."

'Just like her mother,' Harry thought in amusement. "Your book will be there in the morning. You should get some sleep."

"Okay," Rose relented, reaching over and switching off the lamp. "Good night, Uncle Harry."

Harry quickly tucked Albus in and headed to James room. He found his son bent over his desk, pouring over a book and a piece of parchment. "What are you working on?"

"Potions essay." James said, frowning at the book.

"Never did like that class. I was horrible at it." Harry commented. His mind flashed back to the dungeons at Hogwarts, hunched over a potion that wasn't brewed correctly as Snape sneered over his shoulder. He shook his head to clear the memory from his head. "So how's school?"

"Fine."

"That's good." An uncomfortable silence fell over the two.

"Is there something you needed, Dad?" James looked over his shoulder at his father.

"Not really. I just wanted to see how you were doing. I wanted to make sure your okay with everything that's happened."

"I guess. I mean, I understand you had your reasons. But you and mom were so still happy, we all were happy." James grew silent for a moment and fiddled with the feather on his quill. "Mum's been seeing this guy. He stays over sometimes, but he leaves before everyone wakes up. Mum doesn't know that I know about it though."

'Well, that sure didn't take long,' Harry thought dryly. "What's he like."

"Oh, you know. Tall, dark and handsome, that's how Mum describes him. He's younger too. Pretends to be interested in what's going on in our lives, even came to one our Quidditch matches with Mum. Course, I haven't been around him much, but Lily absolutely can't stand him."

Harry tried to picture the guy, who wasn't the type of guy Ginny usually went for, and an odd feeling struck him. It felt weird to imagine a stranger sleeping in his old house, in his bed even, and weaseling his way into his children's lives. This had nothing to do with being with his ex-wife, but Harry was concerned for his children living with a man he had never met.

James started to turn back to his essay but hesitated and cleared his throat, breaking Harry out of his thoughts. "Dad is there anything going on between you and Aunt Hermione?"

"What?" Harry sputtered. "Where on earth would you get an idea like that?"

"Come on, Dad. I'm fifteen, I'm not stupid. You two are living together. And Mum said that when you guys were in school, it always seemed like you two fancied each other."

"There is nothing going on between your aunt and me." Harry assured his son. This was not a subject he wanted to discuss with his son, or even want to think about himself. "What your mother said, it's true that people thought we were dating in school but we were not. We might have fancied each other at a point in time but we both agreed it would complicate our friendship and hurt your Uncle Ron."

This seemed to satisfy James, for he turned back to his essay without another word. Harry said his goodnights and left. That night, Harry lay in bed unable to sleep as his mind went over that day by the lake back in sixth year. It was several years ago, but he could remember as if it had happened yesterday.

AN-And I'm going to leave it at that. At some point I'm going to write about the conversation Harry and Hermione had in sixth year, maybe in the next few chapters. I have no idea when I'll have another chance to update, my first semester of college was hectic and next semester I'm taking four more credits than I did last semester and I will be working twice as much for work study. One of my New Year's resolutions is to try and write more. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. Tell me some of your resolutions in a review as well as some things I can work on. Thanks for reading and happy New Years!


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Harry Potter, Romance