Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lax in Memory ❯ Forgotten ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Summary: If waking up in a hospital room wasn't scary enough, Hermione would soon find out that loosing three and a half years of her memory triumphed it.. …Or maybe the most terrifying thing was realizing what her life was now. AU-ish. EWE. Short Story.

Chapter One

There were two things Hermione realized as she slowly regained her senses. One was that her head was killing her and the other was that she could hear muffled voices around her. The first voice sounded soothing as if they were trying to reassure someone of something. When the second voice responded, they sounded irritated almost angry. After whatever was said, she heard footsteps stomping away and she figured that whomever the second voice belonged to had stormed out.

Thankful for the sudden silence, Hermione could now try and figure out just what was going on. She tried to remember what she had been doing before this. Concentrating very hard, she vaguely remembered the Final Battle. She remembered Harry winning and them celebrating. She remembered going up to Dumbledore's old office and talking. She remembered on the way down… slipping on a step… and then nothing.

Relief washed over her as she pieced together this mystery. She had obviously hit her head after falling and was now in the hospital wing. After the scenario had been pieced together, Hermione started to will her eyes to open.

Her eyes slowly fluttered apart and when her blurry vision became clear she noticed Harry sitting to the right of her. His expression was filled with anxious excitement. "Hermione? Can you hear me?" he asked as he squeezed her hand.

"Harry?" she asked and she couldn't help but notice that her voice sounded hoarse and scratchy. She briefly closed her eyes as she swallowed. Her throat felt like sandpaper. "Urgh, I feel awful."

A sympathetic smile appeared on his face. "Well, that's to be expected." he said in gentle voice. "Your ordeal left you quiet banged up. You've been out for a long while now."

It had left her banged up? She must have fallen down quiet a bit of stairs. She took this moment to get her bearings about her. Looking away from Harry, she expected to see the familiar Hogwarts' hospital wing, but to her shock the room she was currently inhabiting was no where close to the spacious infirmary. Instead she looked to be in a private room of a real hospital. St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to be exact. Had her injuries been so bad that Madam Pomfrey had had to send her to St. Mungo's?

Panic started to ebb its way into her system. How banged up had she been? Was there any lasting damage? Was she going to be okay? She was just about to ask these out loud when Ron entered through the door. "'Mione!" he exclaimed and just like that her panic vanished.

Although their new found relationship was still in the developing stages, Hermione knew that he cared for her and if he wasn't in a fluster than she knew that she was going to be all right. "Ron!" she said as best she could. What she wouldn't give for a glass of water. "I'm sorry to have worried you so much." She reached out a hand, silently asking him to take it in his. He obliged with a smile.

"Don't worry about it, 'Mione. It was an accident." he said easily as he took the seat to Hermione's left. She was now surrounded by her best friends and no matter where she was she knew everything was as it should be. And that thought would have stayed true if it weren't for what happened next. "Besides, if you're going to be apologizing to anyone, then it should probably be to your husband. He's the one who's been going barmy with worry about you."

She felt her face slacken as her brain slowed. What? She must have her heard him wrong. She was about to inquire about her hearing when Draco Malfoy strode into the room. "Hermione." he breathed with a relieved expression.

Confusion quickly took front and center in her emotions. She had no idea why Ronald thought she had a husband. She had no idea why Malfoy was in her hospital room. She had no idea why Malfoy had called her Hermione instead of Granger and she had absolutely no idea how to respond to anything that was happening. And she had thought her headache couldn't get any worse.

Malfoy made his way over to her, quickly taking up Harry's seat as he stepped back from her. "Well, I've got to go tell Ginny that you've regained consciousness. I promised I would as soon as you got up." he said as he backed up toward the door. "Don't worry, Hermione. We'll see you later when you're released." With that he nodded to the two men in the room (which slightly added to the confusion that was her mind) and left.

Hermione still couldn't come up with anything to say in her haze of bewilderment. She looked from Ron over to Malfoy and then quickly back at Ron. He grinned with a knowing look in his eyes as he pulled his hand out of her unwilling hand. "I, er, should probably get going too. Mum and everyone probably want to hear the good news."

As Ron was standing up, she felt Malfoy take hold of her other hand. She felt unadulterated fear. Why would Ron leave her alone with their enemy? Her breathing became deeper as she continued to watch Ron walk towards the door. "Wait!" she yelled with wide, panicked eyes.

Ron turned towards her, looking taken off guard, but it was Malfoy's response that pushed her over the edge. "Darling, it's alright. He can leave. You'll see him later with Potter and Ginny."

She slowly looked over at him, slightly horrified. Darling? What was that? She looked back over at Ron. Everything was a mess and she wanted order right now! "What. Is going. On!" she exclaimed lowly.

Both men furrowed their brows in confusion, which was what Hermione had been waiting for since it was an emotion that she herself was dealing with. She would also love for them to realize that were both behaving completely out of character. "What are you talking about, 'Mione?" Ron demanded, looking from Malfoy and then back to her.

Malfoy tightened his grip on her hand as he leaned closer to her. She noticed that his expression was intense, but to her utter shock it also held concern. Concern? For whom? Her? "What do you mean, Love?" he asked more gently than Ron had. "Are you confused about the accident? About the explosion?"

Explosion? Okay now nothing made sense. She ripped her hand from Malfoy's grasp and slowly sat up. She swallowed painfully again before saying, "I don't know what's going on, but I want answers." She gave them both her no-playing-around look. "I don't know why I'm in St. Mungo's. I don't know why Malfoy is in my hospital room let alone why he is calling me darling and love, and I don't know why neither of my best friends hexed said Malfoy for even entering my room to begin with."

Silence followed her rant and Ron and Malfoy looked at her as if she had grown an extra head. "Hermione," Ron started slowly as he made a cautious step in her direction. He scratched behind his neck in the way that she recognized as one of his nervous habits. "I don't…"

He trailed off and it was then that Malfoy got up and went over to the sink. He filled a glass with water and brought it over to Hermione. "Here." he said. "Now let's see if we can figure out what's going on."

Hermione took the glass and gratefully took a drink. Her mind was too busy buzzing that she didn't even bother to thank him or wonder why he'd given it to her in the first place. "Maybe I should go get the healer?" Ron suggested as he once again tried to make his way to the door.

Hermione felt the panic start to rise again, but Malfoy quickly interjected. "No, you stay here, Weasley. I'll go get the healer." he explained as he went to stand next to him. "It's obvious that she's more comfortable with you." With one more glance in Hermione's direction, he walked out the door.

His glance made her feel uneasy. For just a second she could have sworn she had seen pain in his eyes before they hardened. She had imagined it, hadn't she? She had to of because she had never known Malfoy to show pain to anyone, least of all her. The sound of Ron sighing pulled Hermione from her thoughts.

"Blimey, 'Mione, did you have to be so callous with him?" he asked as he took up the seat he had recently vacated.

Disbelief lit up her face. How dare her best friend, not to mention boyfriend, defend Malfoy against her! "How dare you!" she exclaimed with a look of disgust. "You're supposed to be my best friend! You should have been hexing him the minute he walked in! It's Malfoy! What is wrong with you?"

Ron just stared at her with his mouth wide open in stunned silence, but it took but a second for his own confused anger to kick in. "Well excuse me if I didn't want to face your wrath once I'd hexed your husband!"

It was as if all the air in the room had left as Hermione stared wide-eyed at Ron and to make matters worse the healer chose that moment to walk in. "Mrs. Malfoy, glad to see you're awake."

The room seemed to spin before everything went dark.

When she came to, three faces were hovering over her. One belonged to Ron, one belonged to the healer, and the last one belonged to Malfoy. The sight of him brought back the reason she had fainted in the first place. She gasped as she tried to scoot further up on her bed and away from him. There was no way he could be her husband.

"Mrs. Malfoy, you'll have to settle down." the healer said patiently as she placed a hand on her shoulder. Hermione shrugged it off of her.

"Stop calling me that!" she said in frustration.

"Stop calling you what, 'Mione?" Ron asked flabbergasted.

Hermione felt angry tears start to well behind her eyes. "Mrs. Malfoy! I'm not Mrs. Malfoy!" she yelled, hoping everyone would get the picture. She turned to Malfoy, who had a blank expression. "We are not married! How could we be married? We hate each other!"

"'Mione!" Ron exclaimed, clearly confused.

The healer put her hand back on Hermione's shoulder. "Let me do just a quick spell." she said as she pointed her wand at her head. She felt the familiar feel of magic scan her head (which eliminated her headache in the process) and waited for the results that would hopefully have answers. When the healer was satisfied, she stood back and cleared her throat. "It seems that Mrs-er, I mean, Hermione's hippocampus was injured in the explosion."

"What does that mean?" Ron asked, but Hermione was distinctly aware that Malfoy hadn't taken his eyes off of her.

With a sigh, the healer replied, "I have a fairly good idea of what it means, but I'd like to ask Hermione a few questions to verify." She grabbed a file and quill at the end of Hermione's bed and then said to Ron and Malfoy, "I'd like for you two to step outside. I don't want her to feel any pressure while answering."

Both hesitated before deciding that it would be in Hermione's best interest. When the door closed behind them, the healer turned to Hermione with a smile. "You don't mind if I ask you a few questions, do you Hermione?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. I'm willing to do anything that will make the confusion go away."

The healer nodded and then transfigured a vase full of flowers into a pot of ink. She dipped her quill into it and then asked, "What is your full name?"

Taking a deep breath, Hermione answered, "Hermione Jean Granger."

The healer wrote down her response before asking another question. "Where do you live?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Er, I guess no where at the moment." she responded with a furrowed brow. "I was living at my parents house before leaving with Harry and Ron to search for horcruxes, but I had to modify their memories and send them out of the country. So, I guess I'm homeless."

Like before the healer wrote down her answer and then asked another. "How old are you?"

That one was easier than the last. "Eighteen." she replied easily.

After jotting it down, the healer said, "Alright, Hermione, I have what I need to verify, but I'd like to make it exact. So, this is the last question. What's the last thing you remember?"

Hermione couldn't fathom how she could have everything she needed from those three questions, but answered anyway. She told her how she had been celebrating the Order's victory over Voldemort, how afterward she had been talking with Harry and Ron up in the old headmaster's office, and how she had slipped coming down the stairs.

The healer had been writing as Hermione told her story and when she was finished she looked up with a professional expression. She folded the flap on the file she was holding and put it aside. "After what you've told me, Hermione, it would seem as though you're suffering from anterograde amnesia."

Amnesia? But she hadn't forgotten anything. "What?"

"Anterograde amnesia happens when there's been a traumatic brain injury." she explained, but Hermione still didn't agree with her diagnostic. "The anterograde part means that you have partial or complete inability to recall the recent past while your long term memories remain intact."

Hermione shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense. I don't have any difficulty remembering the recent past!" she said in frustration. "I remember hitting my head on the stairs."

The healer nodded. "Yes, but that wasn't the trauma that led to this injury. Hermione, you were in an explosion yesterday. That's what caused it." she explained softly. "You are suffering from anterograde amnesia and from your answers and the memory you described I'd say you've approximately forgotten the past three and a half years."

Hermione was silent. There was a high pitched ringing in her ears. Three and a half years? That couldn't be right. Could it? There was no way she could forget that much. Tears formed in her eyes. "That can't be possible."

Hermione expected her to give her a sad smile, but instead the healer just nodded. "All right then, why don't you let me go get a copy of the Daily Prophet and send the boys back in. Maybe some evidence will help soothe your mind."

Before Hermione could protest, the healer was already halfway out the door and it wasn't even a minute before Ron and, unfortunately, Malfoy reentered the room. "'Mione, what's going on? What did the healer say?" he asked insistently.

"Weasley, back off for moment." Malfoy said in his familiar drawl. "Can't you see that she's upset."

Which was true. She was upset and confused and angry and scared. She just didn't like the fact that Malfoy could obviously tell when her best friend couldn't. Why was this happening to her? Why couldn't she remember anything if supposedly three and a half years had passed? Surely she'd get some kind of sense or recollection that she was three and half years older. Wouldn't she? The fact that she wasn't getting either of these and that the healer had insisted utterly terrified her.

It was then that the healer returned with the Daily Prophet. "Here you go, Hermione. Today's headlines and make sure you take note of the date." she advised.

With shaking hands, Hermione took hold of the paper. The front page read: Explosion at St. Mungo's. She quickly began to read the article. At 9:43 A.M. yesterday morning an explosion caught many workers and patients off guard. Down in the experimental ward researchers were working on a potion to obliterate the horrible after effects of Dragon Pox, such as the green tinge to the skin. Many patients report having felt the hospital shake when the explosion happened. Though it is uncertain how many people will be affected psychologically, what is certain is that 5 researchers were caught in the blast, one being top researcher Hermione Malfoy (formally Hermione Granger, war heroine and member of the Golden Trio).

Hermione tore her eyes away from the article, not bothering to finish since she didn't like having to read that variation of her name, and searched for the date that would be in the right-hand corner. Her eyes widened once it was in her sight. Saturday, October 12, 2001. Then it was true? All of it? She felt tears slipping down her cheeks.

"What is going on?" Ron asked anger slipping into his voice.

Hermione shoved the paper away from her, not wanting to look at it anymore. She buried her face in her hands and silently wept for the loss of time and the unfairness that was her life.

The healer took the paper off the bed and placed it on a nearby counter. "Hermione is suffering from anterograde amnesia. She must have hit her head harder than we thought in the explosion and it caused enough head trauma to effect her short-term memory. After questioning her, it's clear to me that she can't remember any of the last three and a half years."

Silence followed the healer's diagnostic, but after a moment it was Malfoy that spoke. "Is it permanent?"

This question also had Hermione looking up for an answer. Maybe if she remembered her life everything could go back to normal… or the normal that was her life now.

The healers face wasn't promising. "There's no way of knowing for sure. Her memories could come back naturally. If she's surrounded by her normal things, then something might trigger her memories." she replied.

"But there's a chance that her memories might never come back?" Malfoy asked, his voice sounded upset.

The healer didn't say anything for a moment. "…There is a chance that it's permanent." she replied and Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose. "But like I said there's no way of knowing if it is or not. My advice would be to take her home, surround her with her normal things, and have her follow her old schedule as closely as possible."

Letting out a deep breath, Malfoy inquired, "You said that something might trigger her memories. What might trigger it?"

"Unfortunately, it could be anything. A smell, a sight, a sound. Anything." the healer replied. "That's why you should keep her doing things she normally would because the trigger is more than likely going to be something that's a part of her life."

Malfoy nodded and after the healer asked Hermione if she needed anything and receiving a negative reply she excused herself from the room, which was then engulfed in a tense silence.

What was she supposed to do now? Hermione looked at both of the men in front of her. They both might as well have been strangers. They were both staring at her. Malfoy's face was blank, which was familiar to her since she remembered seeing this look of his back at school. Ron's face though showed pity and a little bit of disbelief.

Timidly Ron made his way over to her bedside. "All right, 'Mione, if you really can't remember anything, then why don't you fill us in on what you do remember. That way we can tell you all the stuff you're missing. Maybe it'll spark something."

Hermione nodded as she once again explained the last thing she remember. Throughout her story Hermione noted, gratefully, that Malfoy kept his distance and that he seemed to withdraw in on himself the more she told of her story. Ron's disbelief soon triumphed his pity. "Bloody hell." he said in awe as he ran a hand through his hair. "And that's the last thing you remember? Nothing else?"

She felt more frustrated tears gather behind her eyes. Oh how she was so tired of crying. "Yes, Ronald, that's all I remember. I wish there was more. Truly I do because you have no idea what it's like to realize that you've lost three and a half years of your life and that you can't remember a thing from it." She was taking out her frustration on him and she knew that he didn't deserve it, but she couldn't help it.

Malfoy still wore a persona of indifference and Ron looked taken aback. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. Really I didn't mean to upset you further." he apologized. "And of course you're right. I don't know what this is like for you. I can imagine that it's probably hell, but I'm trying my best here. You'll have to cut me some slack. I feel like I'm playing with a blast-ended skrewt."

Hermione knew she deserved the comment, but the fact of the matter was that it didn't help her mood any. Deciding that she needed answers more than she needed a confrontation, she let it slid this time as she let out a sigh. She just wanted answers. "Fine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." she conceded. "Could you just please tell me… everything." She mentally prepared herself for whatever was to come.

Ron didn't say anything for a moment and Hermione could tell that he didn't particularly know where to start. He looked over at Malfoy, silently asking for help. Malfoy let out a sigh as he walked over to them. "Just tell her the basics. Once she's released, we can go to Potter's and then have them help fill in everything else."

Nodding, Ron proceeded. "Right. Well, 'Mione, you're twenty-two years old now. You finished your N.E.W.T.S. during the summer after the Final Battle. You received Os in every subject, as to be expected. You then accepted a job here at St. Mungo's as a researcher. You've quickly made your way up to top researcher and now have your own projects you lead and work on."

Hermione listened quietly. She had been leaning toward looking for a job in research, but since she hadn't completed her schooling she hadn't had the faintest idea where her future would take her. Apparently it led her to exactly where she wanted to be. Career wise anyway. She looked over to Malfoy, who was studying her face as she listened. How had he come into the picture?

"Strictly sticking to the basics of your personal life," Ron continued, "you married Malfoy ten months ago after you'd dated for a year. I can't say much more seeing as it's not really information I'm entitled to on a regular basis, but I'd have to say that you two seem to go well together."

Go well together? Her with Malfoy? She almost laughed, but held it in when she saw that he was being serious.

So she had been Mrs. Hermione… Malfoy… for ten months? She had willing dated and married him? How had that happened? More importantly what had happened between her and Ron? As far as she remembered she had been dating him and if she had expected to be married to anyone it would have been to him. She wanted to ask Ron what had happened between them, but she didn't feel comfortable discussing that with Malfoy in the room.

Malfoy, somehow sensing her discomfort, chose that moment to say, "If you'll excuse me, I'll go and make sure everything's ready for her release and while I'm gone she can ask all the questions I know she's dying to ask." With that he turned and walked out the door.

Hermione hated to admit that it unnerved her how well he could read her, but she quickly dismissed the thought and turned her attention back to Ron. "First and foremost, ten months? So, we don't have… I mean, I'm not a mother, am I?" she asked with panic underlying her words. It had been a question that had been persistently popping up in her mind since she found out how long they had been married.

"No, no." Ron assured her. She felt her release a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. "No kids. Not yet at least."

At least that was one aspect that she had put to rest, but there were still so many others. "How did any of this happen, Ron? I mean, it's Malfoy for Godric's sake! I hate him. You and Harry hate him and he hates us right back." she rationalized, still confused. "What could have possibly happened in the last three and a half years that could have made me want to date let alone marry that-that egoistical, racist git?"

Ron gave her a sympathetic look. "What can I say, 'Mione? He must of changed." he answered. "If you want to know the whole story, then you're going to have to ask him. He's the only one who can answer all of your questions."

The thought of asking Malfoy about their romantic history made her stomach roll nauseously. And who was to say that what she had with Malfoy was anything close to being a romantic relationship? For all she knew, he had blackmailed her into marrying him somehow. She wouldn't put it past a Slytherin, let alone a former Death Eater.

Deciding that Ron wasn't going to clarify anything regarding her sham marriage, she moved on to another topic. "What about us? What happened to us? We were just starting out after the Final Battle. Why didn't we stay together?"

Ron didn't look comfortable with this question and Hermione momentarily regretted asking. Whatever had happened between them they had obviously declared water under the bridge. However, she still wanted to know. She had to know.

"We did try, 'Mione." he said softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "We dated for about a year. Though I wouldn't call it proper dating since we never really had much free time for one other. I had gone straight into Auror training and you were very absorbed in your N.E.W.T.S. Once the summer was over and you had gotten the job offer here, we kind of just drifted apart. I mean, sure, we stuck it out as long as we could, but eventually we just ended things mutually."

"But why didn't we try harder? We could have made it work if we had been patient for our lives to calm down and for us to get used to our jobs." Hermione asked, feeling cheated.

Ron merely shrugged. "I don't know. We were both young and our lives were taking us in two completely different directions." he answered simply. "Believe me, 'Mione, we had both wanted to end things. Neither of us did anything wrong. We were both happy with the decision."

A feeling of being cheated incased Hermione again. Her relationship with the man she loved was over and she couldn't even remember it. "Well, what if I'm no longer happy with this decision?"

"Don't talk like that!" Ron aspirated. "I know you're confused right now, but it's a not a decision we can change. For one, you're married and even though at the moment you don't think you like him, believe me, once your memories return you will."

Hermione turned away not wanting him to see the tears building in her eyes at his rejection. Ron continued with his reasoning. "Secondly,… I've been dating Luna since February."

This caught Hermione's attention. She looked back over at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Luna? As in Luna Lovegood?" she asked incredulously. "I didn't even know you were interested in her."

Blush colored Ron's face. "I-it was a gradual thing." he stuttered. "I mean, before Luna I had only causally dated, but then we happened to run into each other one day in Diagon Alley and started talking. I had forgotten how quirky she is… We just sorta hit it off. I'm very happy with her."

It hurt a lot to hear Ron talk about another girl. She knew it shouldn't if she looked at it logically. It had been two and half years since she and Ron had gone their separate ways and she was 'married' to Malfoy, but to her it felt like it was literally yesterday that they had defeated Voldemort, that her and Ron were starting their new relationship. To her if felt as if his love for her hadn't even lasted a day. She sniffled slightly as she tried to put on a strong front. "I-I'm glad you're h-happy." She winced inwardly when her voice broke.

"'Mione," Ron started to console, but was cut off when Malfoy opened the door.

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes. She still couldn't believe that she married the spawn of Hades. She took this opportunity to scrutinize her so called 'husband', who was still standing in the door way. He still sported the pale skin from their Hogwarts days and he was wearing black robes just like she was accustomed to seeing him in. Her eyes traveled up to his face. His eyes were hard, but his face wasn't void of emotion like she expected. Instead his face looked troubled and agitated.

"Malfoy, is she all ready to be released?" Ron asked. Malfoy nodded curtly, not saying a word. It was obvious to Hermione that something was bothering him.

Ron gave a sigh of relief and was about to stand up when Hermione stopped him. "Wait." she said and Ron looked over at her. "I have one other question. Well, two since it's going to carry over to another concern." Was it just her imagination or did Malfoy just slightly smirk?

"What is it, 'Mione?" Ron asked just a tad bit warily.

"If three and a half years has really gone by, then what happened to my parents after the war?" she asked, slightly afraid of his answer.

Ron's face instantly relaxed. It was if he had been expecting another uncomfortable question. "Oh, well, after everything settled after Voldemort's death, you used a Portkey to Australia and righted their memories. …They weren't very happy with you about tampering with their minds, but they understood why you did it."

Hermione nodded, but something still bothered her. "But if I fixed their memories, then why aren't they here? I've been her a whole day, right? Why is it that my parents aren't hovering over me?"

"Because they still live in Australia." Ron answered with a slight frown. "When you altered their memories, they quit their jobs and sold their house. They already had a life going for them in Australia and they didn't want to uproot again, but we owled them about what happened and promised to keep them posted."

Sadness filled Hermione's chest. Had she felt this way the first time she'd found out that her parents weren't going to be living close by any more? Sure, they were a Portkey away, but still. They weren't here in the same country. She chose not to comment and simply nodded. She didn't trust her voice at the moment.

Malfoy walked over the counter and pulled out a plastic sack from a cabinet overhead. Inside where Hermione's belongs. "Here." he said as he handed them to her. "There's an extra set of clothes for you in there as well as your other accessories. I had to throw the ones you had been wearing out. …They were pretty mangled."

Hermione nodded once again before slowly getting out of her bed and making her way over to the side door that led to her private washroom. Once inside, she happened to glance at the mirror. The sight she saw had her gasping and dropping the sack to the floor. The refection in the mirror couldn't be her, but at the same time it was distinctly her. Her face was aged. Not much, but definitely noticeable to someone who hadn't seen it since she was eighteen. Out of all the things she been told nothing confirmed the pass of time more than her own reflection.

She felt tears build behind her eyes and before she could stop herself a sob escaped her lips. After that it was like a dam had broke. Loud pitiful sobs and cries were making their way out of her and she couldn't have stopped even if she had wanted to. She sank down the wall and buried her face against her knees and cried louder still.

A knock at the door interrupted her crying fest. "Hermione, are you all right in there? Do you need assistance?" Malfoy's voice asked from the other side of the door.

Hermione quickly wiped away her tears, horrified by the thought of him coming in here and seeing her in this state. "N-no." she squeaked out and winced at the sound. She cleared her throat before continuing. "I'll be out in a minute."

Rubbing her hand under her nose, she reached for the dropped sack. She opened it and took out the clothes first. She was surprised to see Muggle clothes. If she were really Mrs. Malfoy, then why was she allowed to wear Muggle clothes? Shrugging to herself she inspected them. The clothes consisted of a really faded pair of jeans, a tank top, a comfy-looking zip front sweatshirt and a pair of tennis shoes. She was grateful for the comfort and quickly shed the hospital gown.

After she was dressed, she decided to find out what else was in the sack. The first thing that caught her eye was her wand. She slowly brought it back out and was surprised and happy to find that it was not the despised Belatrix Lestrange's wand that she had used during half of the war. It was one that she'd never seen before, but she immediately thought it was beautiful. She let her fingers run the length of it and she couldn't help wondering what type of wand it was. She supposed it was just another question she would have to ask. Along with the other hundred or so.

She opened the sack again and pulled out the last item. It was a neutral colored plaid handbag with a dark brown lining. She found it lovely. She admired it for a moment before opening it. She found that she was eager to see what was inside.

Upon peering inside, she noticed that the handbag held what every typical handbag possessed. There was spare makeup containers, a small hair brush, a box of Tic Tacs, some crumpled receipts, and a wallet. It was the wallet that caught Hermione's attention. She noticed that it matched the handbag as she withdrew it.

She didn't know what she expected to find, but she opened the wallet with the same eagerness she had with the handbag. Inside she saw she had a Muggle driver's license, which surprised her. Why would she need to know how to drive a car? Though she supposed it would be a good resource to know if she had to go anywhere where she couldn't Floo, Apparate, or Portkey. She supposed that's why she had gotten it in the first place, but at the moment it was a useless piece of plastic considering she couldn't remember how to drive.

The rest of the wallet was disappointing. The credit card sleeves were empty and the long sleeve on the side only held a couple of Muggle notes. With a sigh, she slowly closed the wallet and placed it back in her handbag. She looked around the small washroom before deciding it was time to get back to reality. So after gathering up her courage and her things, she made her way out and into her room.

Ron gave her a warm smile. "'Bout time, 'Mione. We thought you were never going to come back out." he teased her lightly.

She shrugged her shoulder, not really in the mood for teasing or humor in general. "I'm sorry I took so long." she apologized. "Is everything taken care of? Am I fit to go?"

Malfoy nodded. "Yes, I've signed your release forms and now you're free to go whenever you're ready."

"And we're going to Harry's, right?" she asked, not really sure on where Harry lived, but she wanted to know as many answers as she could.

Ron took hold of her arm. "Of course we are. He's going to want to know what's going on." he explained as he led her to the door. Malfoy followed them out. "I think there's a public Floo somewhere on this floor."

"It's at the end of this hall, Weasley." Malfoy inputted lazily from behind them.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Excuse me if I didn't memorize the whole hospital, Malfoy." he retorted, but Hermione noticed that it didn't hold any of the familiar malice that it used to. It was almost as if Ron was teasing Malfoy and that was just a bizarre thought.

"I needed something to keep my mind occupied." Malfoy replied easily.

Snorting, Ron answered, "I don't see why. I mean, me and Harry didn't have to busy ourselves. We both just sat calmly and waited for her to come around, but you had to go and drive yourself mental along with the whole hospital staff."

"She's my wife!" Hermione tried to hide her wince at this reply.

"And of course you would have to go and pull that card." Ron laughed as they reached the end of the hall that looked like it was set up as a waiting room. A fireplace was to the left of them.

Once they were in front of the it, Ron offered Hermione the pot of Floo powder. "All right 'Mione, just say Potter House and you'll go right to were you need to be." he instructed.

Hermione nodded as she took a handful and then stepped inside. "Potter House." she said clearly and then was engulfed in emerald flames. She was quickly transported to another fireplace opening. The room she was now in looked like a very homey living room. There was a couch pushed up against the farthest wall with a knitted blanket resting on the backrest, a coffee table was situated in between her and the couch, to her left was a cozy looking armchair that didn't quite match the couch and underneath the coffee table was a gigantic throw rug. The scene reminded Hermione so much of the Burrow that it made her feel a tiny bit better. For now anyway.

"Harry, did I just hear someone come through the Floo?" Hermione heard Ginny ask through the archway to her right.

She soon heard footsteps approaching. "I'll go check." she hear him respond and not a second later Harry's figure stood in the archway. "Hermione? What in Merlin's name are you doing here? I knew you'd visit later, but I figured you'd go home and rest first."

Hermione gave him a slight smile, but didn't get the chance to explain since Malfoy did it for her. "It's all right, Potter, you see there's been a change in her diagnosis and we need your and Ginny's help."

Ron soon joined the party as Ginny made her way to her husband's side. "What's going on?" she asked and Hermione noticed with shock the protruding belly Ginny was sporting. "Oh, Hermione, I'm so glad to see that you're all right."

"Ginny, you're pregnant?" The question left her lips before she could stop it.

The room filled with silence for a moment. Harry and Ginny were gazing at Hermione with confusion. "Yes, but you already knew that. I mean, it would be pretty difficult to hide this." she answered as she gestured toward her stomach.

"Knew being the key word." Ron said in a hushed voice, but was quickly quieted when Malfoy elbowed him in the ribs.

"Let me explain." Malfoy said and Hermione noticed that the irritated and troubled look was back on his face. "After you left, Potter, Hermione started to panic. She had no idea what was going on and was confused as to why I was in her hospital room."

This statement only seemed to confuse Harry more. "I don't understand. What do you mean she was confused because you were there?"

"We were all confused." Malfoy inputted. "We called a healer in and she diagnosed Hermione with anterograde amnesia. So to put it briefly, Hermione can't recall any of the last three and a half years. She doesn't remember getting her job, marrying me, or the explosion."

Another bout of silence filled the room and Hermione wanted to say something, but hearing the truth again just made her want to curl up into a ball. "Hermione, you don't remember any of those things?" Harry asked in disbelief. Hermione nodded.

"The last thing she remembers is talking with us up in Dumbledores's old office after the Final Battle." Ron added this tidbit.

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes briefly before putting them back on. "This is unbelievable." he said in a defeated voice.

"Oh, Hermione, I can't even imagine what this is like for you." Ginny exclaimed as she hurried over to Hermione's side and wrapped her arms around her (or as best as she could in her pregnant state). "Come on, I had just made a pot of tea."

Ginny ushered Hermione into the kitchen and then led her to a chair at the table. Harry had brought the kettle and cups over and then Ginny quickly poured her a glass. Hermione was surprised by just how motherly Ginny had become and she deduced it probably had to do with the fact that she was about to become a mother herself. "Now, I'm assuming you're here because you want answers? I mean, I know I would."

"Yes," Hermione answered after she took a sip of her tea. "I'm so tired of being confused and not knowing how anything happened." She took this opportunity to sneak a glance in Malfoy's direction. He was sitting at the other end of the table just watching the scene take place.

Ginny gave her a smile before looking over at Malfoy. "What would you like Harry and I to tell her, Draco?" she asked and Hermione was shocked to find out that Ginny and Malfoy were on a first name basis.

Malfoy jerked his gaze over to Ginny as if he had been deep in thought. He then shrugged and answered, "About your life. Her part in it, then answer her questions."

"All right," she said, feeling that this was the best tactic. "Let's see, well after the war Harry and I started to seriously date, but I'm sure that you saw that coming."

Hermione smiled. "Of course. We all knew that Harry would end up with you. Seeing you two married is probably the only thing that makes sense right now."

Ginny giggled in response. "From your perspective that's probably true." she replied, her eyes light with humor. "Anyway, Harry went immediately into Auror training with Ron and I took the summer N.E.W.T.S. with you. After that I got signed on with the Holyhead Harpies as chaser."

"Still wish you'd got on with the Cannons." Ron muttered to himself, but Ginny heard nonetheless.

She cast him a narrowed glare. "And what? Never hope to win a game? I'm sorry, Ron, but I actually liked being on a team that had a chance at winning the cup. The Cannons have finished at the bottom of the league for fourteen consecutive years. I wish you'd face facts and root for another more promising team."

"Hey, if you had been on their team, they would have had a fighting chance." Ron said loudly, returning his sister's glare. "And I will never give up on the Cannons. One of these years they're going to come out on top and all of you are going to rue the day you ever insulted such a magnificent team."

Ginny rolled her eyes and was about to retort, but Malfoy intervened. "Can we please get back to the problem at hand?"

A slight blushed formed on Ginny's cheeks as she smiled apologetically at Hermione. "Sorry, Hermione, but you know how my dimwit brother can rile me up." Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes playfully. "As I was saying, I had been a Harpies chaser for not quiet three years. When I found out I was pregnant, I promptly retired."

"Don't let her fool you." Harry said as he cast his wife a fond smile. "She didn't promptly anything. I had to force her to resign and if she wasn't pregnant she'd still be out on that broom of hers."

Ginny childishly stuck out her tongue at Harry. "Anyway, back to my story, I was on with the Harpies. Harry and I dated for a year and somewhere between my games and practices and his job we planned our wedding. We got married in August of 1999."

Hermione watched as Harry gently took Ginny's hand in his and gazed at her lovingly. They looked so much in love and Hermione couldn't help wondering why they had make their relationship work when Ron and her hadn't. They'd obviously had job conflicts and they still surpassed it. It made Hermione sad to think that maybe the love she had had for Ron wasn't as strong as she had thought.

Harry snapped her from her musings. "I'm still in the Auror profession." he said as he passed Ron the kettle. "I quite like it. Now that everything's calmed down and all of Voldemort's followers are put away."

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Ron exclaimed as he poured himself a cup and then put it back in the middle of the table. "It's right boring now, is what it is. All we've done for the past week and a half is paperwork."

Harry chuckled. "That's true, but it does ease the nerves of my pregnant wife and for that I'm grateful." He have Ginny's hand an affectionate squeeze.

Ron let out a loud sigh. "You see a bright side to everything."

"Weasley, do I have to throw you out of the room?" Malfoy interjected. "Because so far all you've done is distract them from helping Hermione."

Hermione wanted to do nothing but glare at the git for belittling Ron, but Harry started talking before she could make any of her thoughts into actions. "I know this is a difficult situation, Malfoy," Harry said with a quizzical expression, but his tone lacked any animosity that Hermione expected. "but he's just being Ron. You know that."

Malfoy let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just want her to remember." he said through clenched teeth.

Hermione couldn't keep the glare off her face this time. She was in the room after all and it wasn't like she was an invalid. Just because she couldn't remember some things didn't mean that he could talk like something was horribly wrong with her.

Ginny must have seen the look Hermione was sending Malfoy because she said, "Why don't we just continue with our little life story?"

Hermione turned to look at her and, even though she still felt a little angry, she agreed. "Sure. Please continue."

"After I resigned, I didn't want to sit around." Ginny started. "I hated the thought of being a housewife. So, I talked with my friend, Zamira Gulch. She writes for the Daily Prophet as an advice columnist and she mentioned that the position for Senior Quidditch Correspondent was open. I thought it would be a great opportunity to keep in contact with the Quidditch world without actually having to participate."

Hermione was surprised by this. "You write for the Daily Prophet?" she asked, astonished. "I didn't know you liked to write. Although, I assume that writing about Quidditch helps motivate you and I'm also going to assume that the Daily Prophet isn't as corrupted as I remember it."

Ginny gave a small laugh. "Well, there are still some reporters that write biased articles. Like Rita Skeeter for example." she said and her smile grew when she saw Hermione roll her eyes. "She may not be as bad as she used to be, but she still likes to spin the truth. Oh, which reminds me that she wrote a particularly juicy article on you and Draco when you first started dating."

"Really, now? I'd thought she'd have learned her lesson." Hermione said as she gripped her tea cup harder than necessary. "How bad was it and how did I react the first time."

"Well, in truth, the article wasn't that bad." Harry stated. "Now, was there some exaggeration? Yes. This is Rita Skeeter we're talking about, but the main point was true."

This didn't answer either of Hermione's concerns and she was just about to voice this when Malfoy spoke. "The woman wrote that she had seen us having dinner at Calisto," he started and Hermione recognized the name as one of Diagon Alley's many cafés and an expensive one at that. "and that an eyewitness reported having seen us with each other at that year's Ministry Christmas Ball. With these facts she confirmed that we were an official couple. She also went on to say that there was a rumor that you were expecting my child and that that was the reason we had went public."

"But I wasn't pregnant!" Hermione exclaimed, but it suddenly hit her that she didn't know that for certain. She could have been pregnant and had miscarried. How was she to know? She couldn't remember any of this. "…Was I?" All four of them shook their heads. "Then please tell me that I made her retract it."

Harry was hesitant to answer. "Not really. I mean, granted what she said wasn't true, she did say that it was a rumor and let's face it Skeeter loves gossip."

"And really, she didn't say any of the things that anyone one would of thought." Ron added. "She didn't say anything bad about you or Malfoy and she didn't even comment on either of your dating histories like she normally would have. I believe she's down right frightened of you, Hermione."

"Basically, you were upset that she had fuelled the gossip, but couldn't do anything about it." Ginny summarized. "Now, when you two got engaged, you personally gave her an exclusive interview on the condition that you got to read and approve the finished copy before she published it."

Hermione tried to imagine sitting with Rita Skeeter and discussing her engagement to Draco Malfoy. The thought would have made laugh three and half years ago, that's for certain, but now this was her reality. She had actually done it.

She shook her head slightly, deciding that she wanted a change in topic. "So, Ginny, how far are you along in your pregnancy?"

Evidently this was the right topic to change to because as soon as Hermione mentioned pregnancy Ginny's eyes lit up. "I'm five months." she said proudly as she looked down at her stomach and caressed it lovingly. Harry reached over with his free hand and put on top of hers. After a moment, Ginny looked back over to Hermione. "It's a boy. We'll be naming him James Potter II."

"His middle name will be in Sirius's memory." Harry added with a sad smile.

Hermione smiled as well. "So, James Sirius Potter." Both Harry and Ginny nodded. She felt her dormant maternal feelings rise at the thought of a baby. She was older than she thought now and her friends were already having kids, so it wouldn't be obscene for her to be thinking of having children. Plus there was the fact that she was married…

It was that train of thought that revealed the obvious to her. Malfoy was her husband, so any child she would have would be his as well (assuming that she was faithful). This logic put a damper on the thought of being a mother and really the rest of the evening.

Hermione continued to listen to Ginny and Harry talk about their excitement about their son and how they had converted one of the rooms upstairs into a nursery. She commented every now and then, but she couldn't shake off the disappointment she felt about her realization.

Before she knew it the sun was beginning to set. "I suppose that's enough information from these guys for today." Malfoy comment. He looked over to Hermione and she suddenly understood that she would be going to her current home with her husband… alone. She didn't know if she was ready for that yet.

It was getting really unnerving how well Malfoy could read her because he was once again putting her immediate fears to rest. Turning his attention to Harry and Ginny, "Do you two mind if she stays the night here? I have a feeling she's not quite ready to come home."

"But the healer said the best way for her to get her memories back would be for her to be in familiar surroundings." Ron protested.

Malfoy nodded. "Yes, but I'm not going to force her to do something she doesn't want to. I don't want her straining her comfort zone." he replied. "She can visit our home tomorrow and when she's ready she can live there again."

Hermione couldn't help but feel grateful for his gesture. "We have no problem with her staying here a few nights." Ginny answered his previous question. Malfoy nodded in reply.

A silence fell upon them and Hermione, after drinking three cups of tea, had to use the washroom. "Umm, you don't mind if I use your loo, do you?" she asked Ginny. She gave her an 'of course not' look and then told her how to get to it.

After finishing her business, Hermione was just about to turn the corner to rejoin her friends when she heard their discussion change topic. With her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to listen.

"So, Malfoy, I've known you long enough to know when something's on your mind." Harry inquired.

Malfoy grunted before he replied. "Well, Potter, my wife has lost her memories and now hates me again. What do you think is on my mind?"

Ron laughed before Harry countered. "No, it's something else. I've learned to trust my instincts and they're telling me it's something more than just Hermione's predicament. So, tell us."

Malfoy let out a sigh and Hermione pictured him pinching the bridge of his nose again. "I found something out when I was signing Hermione's release forms." he replied softly. The room was silent, waiting for him to continue. "The healer overseeing Hermione's case approached me and told me something. She didn't know if she wanted to tell Hermione in her current state and would leave it up to me."

"What is it, Draco?" Ginny asked seriously and Hermione was starting to feel panic build up inside her. What hadn't he or the healer told her?

"…She's pregnant." he said in a whisper.