Harry Potter and the Adventure He Affectionately Calls Life

Hermione was rushed to the hospital and taken away from her friends immediately. The press had had a field day, not wasting the opportunity to take pictures of Harry's failure.

It couldn't have been Voldemort who did it. Harry figured that Voldemort was too much of a professional. Why would he intentionally let it be known that he had done it? But then again, Voldemort probably knew that the best way to get to Harry was to get to him through his friends.

"But why Mione?" Harry asked, leaning against a wall and struggling for air. He was dimly aware of Ron pleading with all of the medical staff for even the tiniest bit of information. Ginny and Draco were sitting on the chairs to the side, both of them silent with shock. Lana was walking around, chewing her bottom lip as she often did when she was scared or nervous.

"I'm sorry," one of the nurses was telling Ron. "But you can't go in there unless you're family."

"B-but..."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley. We'll keep you posted on her progress, but it could take a while."

Ron peered in through the glass windows at Hermione. Harry didn't have the heart to join him. He had seen Hermione just milliseconds after the fall of the chandelier. Hermione had been beautiful and radiant, and then pale and bloody. No one deserved that, least of all Hermione.

Lana came from wherever she was and sat down next to Harry. "Hey," she said quietly. "Are you okay?"

"No," Harry said. "No, I'm not. My best friend is in there, and it's my fault."

"No, Harry," Lana said compassionately, placing her hand on his cheek. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."

"That doesn't stop me from feeling horribly guilty."

A nurse came out of Hermione's room, and Ron looked at her hopefully. "She's okay," she told him. "The wound on her head looked at lot worse than it really was. We had to remove her hair, but that can be regrown with a simple spell."

"But we can go in and see her?" Ron asked anxiously.

"Well... yes. We've done all we can. She's sleeping, and we don't know when she'll wake up."

"A couple of hours," Ron asked nervously. "Right?"

"Hours... days... weeks..." The nurse shrugged helplessly. "I don't know."

"She fell into a coma?" Lana asked in disbelief. She looked to her cousin, but Ron had already taken a seat by Hermione's bedside.

"Hermione?" He took her hand and kissed it gently. "Herm, you were great today. I don't think anyone could take their eyes off of you. You were so beautiful." He choked back tears and sniffled. "Hermione? Hermione, wake up. Please wake up. Please don't leave me. If you leave me, I'll be all alone. I love you. Oh God, Hermione, I love you so much, you can't even begin to know. I love how your eyes flash when you get angry and how your roll your eyes but can't helping but grinning when the twins say something insulting. I love your big brain and your bigger heart. I love everything about Hermione." Ron finally broke down and sobbed. "Hermione... Don't leave us. Don't leave me."

Harry watched from the door. Lana, Ginny, and Draco were all quiet. "Ron," Harry said, joining him and placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Ron, I'm sorry."

Ron squeezed Hermione's hand and brushed Harry aside. "You should be," he told him. "Get out of here. You're not worthy enough of being in here."

"Ron!" Lana exclaimed from the doorway. "That's horrible!"

"Shut up, Lana," Ron snapped. "Malfoy, just leave. Potter, why don't you go join him."

Harry stared at his best friend in shock. Had he heard wrong, or was he just called "Potter"? "Ron, I feel horrible about this. You know how much Mione means to me. Our friendship, and your relationship. You know she's like a sister to me, Ron. Don't think I'm all happy about this, and believe me, I will find out who did this to her and who did this to us."

"Well, until then," Ron said bitterly. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Fine then," Harry told him. "I'll be back at Hogwarts."

"I'll come with you," Lana offered.

"Oh no you will not," Ron told his cousin. "And Ginny, you best listen, too. Don't get close with Mr. Potter because it might end up killing you. He's a backstabbing bastard with no parents, a traitor, and an insult to the Gryffindor name. Lana, Ginny, if you turn your back on me and follow him, you turn your back on all the Weasley's."

"Ron, that's not fair!" Lana protested.

"Lana," Harry interjected. "It's fine." He lowered his voice and whispered to her. "Ron's upset now. I understand that. He needs someone to blame, and because it was my club and Mione was singing for me, I get to be the scapegoat. Maybe we should just not be together for a while." Harry tried to put on a brave smile. "I'll be fine. You stay here."

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you, too, Lana," he said as he kissed her forehead quickly. "I'll see you later."

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The days seemed oddly long without having to repeatedly remind Ron and Hermione to get a room. Or maybe it was that Harry was feeling so lonely without Ron, Lana, and Ginny that it didn't matter. So Harry spent his days in the library. Sometimes Lana would manage to sneak away from Ron's watchful eye and visit him, but he usually had Draco Malfoy for company, if you could even call it that.

Some of the professors were very supportive. Professor McGonagall, usually strict and stern, seemed to be a bit lenient when Harry was unable to complete his assignments. And Professor Snape only took away half the amount of Gryffindor house points. Other Professors simply didn't care what Harry was going through, especially Professor Fiora. "One less student to worry about," she had said with a shrug as if she was talking about the weather. Professor Dumbledore had repeatedly tried to offer Harry guidance and support, but Harry preferred to be alone.

Mostly, Harry missed Ron. He could understand why Ron was so furious at him, but it didn't stop the emptiness in his heart or the slow passing of time. Ron had placed a charm on Lana's room, so she couldn't even sneak out at night to see him.

Harry sighed as he tossed and turned in bed. Ron had drawn the curtains around his bed so they would have to see or speak to each other. Ron was definitely asleep; Harry could tell by the familiar rhythm of his breathing. Harry couldn't take this isolation anymore. Ginny and Lana were forbidden to have contact with him. Ron wouldn't speak to him if he was offered a million galleons, and Malfoy wasn't really high on his list of friends at the moment. He quietly got up and dug through his trunk for his invisibility cloak. Then he got his broom, put on the cloak, and walked out of the room. When he reached the astronomy tower, he mounted his broom and flew towards the girls dormitory. Harry was about to knock on Lana's window when he momentarily worried about waking Hermione up. Then he remembered Hermione was still at the hospital, and knocked on the window.

Lana woke up with a start and looked at the window, frowning at not seeing anything. Harry took off the cloak, and Lana beamed. She opened the window. "Hurry," he told her. "Get on."

Lana mounted Harry's broom and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He flew them to the top of the castle. "I've missed you," he told her.

"I've missed you, too," she replied quietly, sitting down.

Harry sat next to her. "How's Ron?"

"He's okay. He doesn't say much about Hermione. He tries to keep himself occupied with work and Quidditch practice. I don't know how you two do it. Ron says that since you know what to do, he doens't need to talk to you at all. Who does the pep talks and rehearses the plays?"

"Ginny's on the team, and I'm not to talk to Ginny. Ron does everything."

"Oh." Lana looked up at the stars and stretched. "It's so beautiful."

"What else does Ron do? And how's Ginny?"

"Ginny's fine. Ron goes to see Herm everyday. He Floo's over, you know. He spends a few hours with her everyday and then comes back and does his homework and goes straight to sleep."

"And you?" he asked her, taking her hand. "How are you?"

"Miserable. Ron was talking today about me having a possible relationship with Draco."

Harry chuckled. "Ron must really hate me right now. And if he could see me with you, he'd probably put some hex on me."

"Probably," Lana agreed. She pulled Harry towards her. "I haven't seen you in so long," she said sadly.

Harry tried to pull back, knowing that Ron would be upset. "You see me everyday in class."

"That's different," Lana said, letting him go. "You know what I mean."

"I know," Harry said, moving back towards her and kissing her softly. "I know. But until Ron is ready to forgive me..." Harry sighed, not knowing what he had to do until Ron was ready to forgive him. "I want to go see Hermione," he announced. "Do you want to come?"

"Harry, how are you going to do that?"

"The same way I got you here. C'mon." They mounted his broom again and flew off, coming to a stop mid-air by Hermione's window. Harry whipped out his wand and pointed it at the lock on the window. "Alohamora", he whispered, and the window unlocked. Harry felt it ironic that he was using a spell Hermione had taught him to sneak into her room. "Hermione?" he whispered, not wanting to disturb her. Hermione's hair was starting to grow back, a chocolate covered fuzz on her head. "Hermione, I'm so sorry. I know you won't blame me. I know you'll repeatedly tell me that it's not my fault, but I won't believe it until I hear it from your own mouth. You have to be okay, Hermione. You just have to. This isn't a request or a wish upon some star. This is an order. Yes. The boy who lived is demanding that you come back to us soon. Ron misses you. Ginny and Lana miss you. I miss you. The library is so empty without you. The books are probably collecting mold as I speak. They're probably wondering 'where's that smart girl who comes to read us all the time?' Lana and Ginny are under strict orders not to talk to me. Ron said they couldn't. I miss them, but I'd rather recieve Weasley Silent Treatment than have you in this bed, all sick and unmoving. Please wake up, Hermione. We're all counting on you." Harry looked out the window, the stars were just starting to fade. "I'll come see you again," he promised her, kissing her forehead. "I love you, and I miss you."

Harry and Lana flew wordlessly back to Hogwarts. Before Lana crept into her window again, Harry grabbed her arm and flew her back to the roof. "Harry? What are we doing up here?"

"I love you, Lana," he said and kissed her fiercely. "That kiss was for the time we've missed out on." Lana smiled, and he kissed her again. "And that one was for the time we'll still miss out on."

"I love you, Harry," Lana said. "But you better take me back now."

Lana smiled at him just before going back into her room. "I'll miss you," she said, kissing his cheek.

"Watch over Ron for me."

"I will."

Harry flew back into his room and quietly put the cloak and his broom away, then crept back into bed.

"Where the hell were you?" Ron asked from his bed.

"Out. With Lana."

Ron got up and stood over Harry's bed. "I thought I told you not to go near my cousin."

"You did."

"So you think that just because you're Harry Potter, you can just not listen to other people? You think that just because of your past, it's okay to destroy people's futures?"

"No."

"No? Well, that's not what it looks like from here," Ron said.

"Ron... stop this nonsense. You know I didn't do it on purpose."

Ron punched Harry's face then, his hand covered with blood from Harry's bloody nose. "That was for sneaking out with my cousin," he said, and punched him again, this time in the eye, shattering his glasses. "And that was for Hermione." Ron wiped his bloody hands on Harry's covers. "Good night, Potter," he said as he headed down to the common room. "Sweet dreams

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Two and a half weeks after Hermione's accident, the MediWizards had decided she could come back to Hogwarts. They hoped that being in a castle around people she loved would wake her up sooner. So Hermione was brought back to the castle and kept under the watchful eye of Madame Pomfrey, who frowned in confusion when Ron informed her that Harry was not to be allowed near her. But after nearly a month of this isolation, Harry stopped caring what Ron said. He snuck in to visit her while Ron ate dinner. He feigned sickness to get out of Quidditch practice and would go to Hermione. Sometimes Madame Pomfrey would let him in for a few minutes. He told her about how much he missed her and Ron and Lana and Ginny, about how he had never felt so alone, not even at the Dursley's. It comforted him to know that Hermione would listen, even if she wasn't aware she was doing so.

One particular night, when Harry was feeling especially stressed, he tip-toed out of bed and crept downstairs to go and talk to Hermione. "Hey, 'Mione," he said quietly, sitting down on a chair next to her bed and taking her hand and squeezing it gently. "How was your day?" He waited for her to answer, watching her chest gently move up and down as she inhaled and exhaled. "Mine was okay. I failed my Defense test. Fiora wasn't too nice about it, I might add. She went on and on about how I think I don't have to study just because I'm the boy who lived. What bullshit. I failed because I didn't have you to nag at me to study." Harry smiled weakly. "Oh! Look, I brought you something." He reached into his robes and pulled out a gift-wrapped package. "I guess I'll just open it for you, I guess," he told her, and unwrapped the bows and paper. "It's a new copy of Hogwarts, A History. The limited edition, you know. If you wait a few years, you could probably sell it for a few hundred galleons." He skimmed through the pages. "I bet you've probably memorized everything in this book. But just in case, let me refresh your memory." And so Harry put aside his problems and started to read aloud the history of this place he called home. Lost in the excitement of a book he had never bothered to pick up before, he didn't hear Ron come in and didn't notice he had forgotten his invisibility cloak.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay the hell away from here?" Ron demanded, snatching the book from his grasp and throwing it against the wall.

"Hey! That's Hermione's!"

"She already has a copy of that book, you git. Why don't you get her something different."

"It's the special edition, Ron," he explained, retrieving the book and showing it to him.

"Does it look like I care? Does it look like she can read it?"

"She will when she wakes up."

"If she wakes up," Ron said bitterly.

"When she wakes up," Harry insisted.

They fell into an awkward silence, both having so much to say to the other one, neither wanting to be the first to speak. So they glared at each other, breaking eye contact only to check on Hermione. An hour an a half later, Ron finally spoke. "You never answered my question. Why are you here?"

"Because whether you like it or not, Hermione is my friend."

"Some friend you are. You couldn't even keep her safe! You took her away from me, Harry. And now I'm alone."

"At least you have Lana and Ginny," Harry reminded him.

"At least you know what it feels like."

"Remember the Dursley's?"

"That's different."

"It's just the same."

"Either way, it doesn't excuse your being here. Just get out, Harry."

Harry looked at Hermione, then looked at Ron. He shook his head at his best friend. "Dammit, Ron," he said, grabbing Ron by the back of his shirt and hugging him. "I'm sorry," he said, breaking down and releasing a month's worth of bottled up emotions. "I'm sorry. I should have known, I should have taken precautions. I should have protected her, but I didn't."

After all the anger and bitterness Ron had shown towards him, Harry was surprised when Ron comforted him. "I miss her, Harry," he said, his voice thick.

"I miss her, too, Ron." His shoulders heaved with sobs. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, Harry," the red-head responded, and they sat side-by-side, content in each other's company, just watching Hermione.

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The twins Christmas gift to Lana had been very useful. Lana had seen Harry creep down, probably to visit Hermione, and quickly drank a can of InstaChange to change into Ginny. Then she padded after him, hiding when she saw Ron storm after Harry.

Lana counted to ten, then followed Harry and Ron. Harry was talking to Hermione. She smiled warmly at her boyfriend, even though he couldn't see her. Ron was glaring at him, and Lana momentarily wondered if Ron and not Voldemort should be Harry's greatest threat right now. Then Ron and Harry started to fight. Harry finally broke down and cried, which resulted in Ron crying, too, and Lana assumed that they had gotten over this silly fight.

After classes that night, Ginny, Lana, Ron, and Harry were all sitting in the boys dormitory. Ron and Harry were pushing their beds together.

"What are you guys doing?" Lana asked, rolling her eyes.

"Pushing our beds together," Harry told her like she had asked a silly question.

"Yeah, Lana. Seriously." Ron rolled his eyes back at her.

"Why?" "We have a month's worth of lost time to make up for."

"Yeah, but you don't have to do that while sleeping so close. It's kinda' gross, actually."

"Lana!" Ron stared at her. "This is Great Britain. It's perfectly normal, you know."

Lana rolled her eyes again. "That's why I'm proud to be an American." She shook her head at her boyfriend and cousin. "Good night, guys."

"Good night, Lannie," they chorused innocently. "We love you."

Rolling her eyes one last time, Lana left the two of them to patch things up.

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Harry woke up on Saturday morning, surprised to find Ron so close. Then he remembered their reconciliation the previous night and smiled. Harry got up and went to go see Lana.

"Hello, my darling," he said, kissing her on the forehead and joining her on the couch.

"Hello, Harry," she responded. "Nice to see you perky and not boring and depressed."

"Yeah, it does feel rather good."

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too." He kissed her again, then headed back upstairs to change. "Good morning, Ron," he greeted the red-head.

Ron muttered something incoherent.

"Whatever," Harry said, taking his clothes into the bathroom and coming out dressed.

"It's Saturday," Ron reminded him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go see Hermione, if that's okay."

Ron shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Actually," Harry admitted with a grin. "I've sneaked in to go see her. I've sneaked around with Lana, too."

"Bastard."

Harry laughed, slipping on his shoes and grabbing his wand.

"Hey, Potter," Draco greeted him. He frowned at Harry's cheerful smile. "Where are you off to?"

"To see Hermione," Harry told him. "Excuse me." He walked around Draco, skipping because he knew it would annoy him.

"Hey!" Draco ran after him. "You can't do that. The Weasel will have your neck for it."

"Ron doesn't mind."

"He forgave you?"

"He knew it wasn't my fault!"

"Whatever." Harry took a breath, not wanting to waste any more time. "Now if you'll kindly excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, I have someone to see."

Draco frowned at Harry's already-good day, stepping aside. "Tell the mudblood I said hello."

"I will," Harry promised. Harry stopped several times to say hello to random people in the hallway. Professor Snape seemed especially sour at his perkiness. "Hello, 'Mione," he greeted her when he finally reached her. "Even you're looking better today. It must be the sunshine." Harry looked out the window. It was raining. "Well, maybe it's just me. Ron and I are talking again. He's letting me see Lana again. He's letting me see you again. Not that even he could stop me. Voldemort couldn't stop me from coming to see you, 'Mione, which is kind of ironic because that's who supposedly did this to you in the first place." Harry sighed. "Hurry up and get better, Hermione," he told her quietly. "We're all waiting for you. And your grades will slip if you don't." Harry smiled at her, brushing her now-chin-length hair away from her face. "Your hair looks nice like that. Different, and very un-Hermione like, but nice. Personally, I like your natural hair. Long and thick and wavy."

Harry leaned back in his chair and sighed, staring out at nothing in particular. He found himself nodding off in the quiet stillness of Hermione's presence

Harry would have fallen asleep had he not heard Hermione shift in her bed. His eyes flew open at once. She was waking up!

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Hermione opened her eyes and found herself staring into a pair of green eyes. She frowned. "Where am I?"

He smiled at her. "Back at Hogwarts, 'Mione. You've been sleeping for about a month."

Her eyes darted nervously around the room. "What happened?"

"You were singing and the chandelier fell. They took you to St. Mungo's and then decided you could come back here, but you just slept and slept and slept. Ron's been worried sick about you, 'Mione. Lana and Ginny and, hell, even Malfoy. We've all be so worried."

"Ron..." she said. She looked back up at the pair of green eyes. "You called me 'Mione. It's Hermione, as in Hermione Granger. I'm Hermione Granger. Who are you?"

He looked taken aback. "Your best friend. I'm Harry, don't you remember me?"

She tried to think back, but all she could remember was Potion's recipes and some spells. "No. I... I'm sorry, I don't remember you." She frowned again. "Who are you?"

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you. You're in Modern Magical History and Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"I know."

"Of course. I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," she said, smiling knowingly. "Goodness, I can't believe I'm friends with Harry Potter!"

He smiled at her, staring at her. "I'm going to go call the others," he told her. "Just... don't move. I'll be back soon."

"Okay," she said cheerfully, reaching for her copy of Hogwarts, A History. Her ratty, torn copy of the book was gone, replaced by a special edition of the book. "Goodness! Look! The special edition!"

"I know," Harry said. "I got it for you."

"Oh," Hermione said, looking down at the cover. "What would I have done to thank you if I could remember?"

"Probably have gotten a bit weepy and then started reading it and lecturing me on how I should read it, too." He ruffled her hair, then headed out.

"Wait!"

Harry turned around immediately.

Damn, he's good! Hermione thought, pleased. "Who are the others?"

Harry sighed, coming back and sitting down on her bed. "You really don't remember?"

"I wish I could," she said, a bit frustrated. "But I can't." It was a strange feeling for her, not knowing the answer to something. She sniffled. "I don't even think I know who I am!"

"You're Hermione Granger. I call you 'Mione, but I'll stop if it makes you uncomfortable. We're best friends, and there's our other friend, Ron Weasley. You and him are-- whatever. Anyway, Ron's two older brothers, Fred and George Weasley, are pranksters. You don't approve of their antics at all. They call you Herm-erm. My girlfriend, Lana, is Ron's cousin. And Ron's younger sister, Ginny, has recently started to become a part of our group."

"Do Lana and Ginny have odd nicknames for me, too?"

"They just call you Herm."

"Does anyone call me Hermione?"

Harry grinned. "Sorry, but no."

"You mentioned someone else. Malfoy? Who's Malfoy?"

"I wish I could forget," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Draco Malfoy, a Slytherin. The rest of us are all Gryffindor's, by the way. We used to hate him, but he's kind of grown on us."

"Right. And you stopped when you were talking about Ron and I. Why?"

"I'll let Ron tell you. It's not my place."

Hermione wanted to ask more questions to Harry. He seemed gentle and trustworthy, considering she had only known him a few moments. A few years, Hermione, she corrected herself. A few years.

"Oh, good!" Madame Pomfrey said, coming in. "You're awake! Oh, the headmaster will be most pleased to know. And Ron as well, he's been so worried."

"So I've heard," she responded.

"Harry, won't you please go fetch the others? I'll call for the Headmaster and for Professor McGonagall."

"Sure," Harry said, leaving Hermione alone with this strange woman.

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Harry burst into the Gryffindor Common Room. "'Mione's awake!" he yelled. "She's awake!"

Ron looked up from his game of Wizard's Chess with Lana. Ginny came running from upstairs.

"Let's get Malfoy, then go back to see her," Harry suggested. "But I have to tell you something."

"What?"

"Let's wait for Malfoy. I don't want to say it twice."

Ron grumbled, but reluctantly agreed. Unfortunately, no one knew how to get into the Slytherin Common Room.

"I'm not sitting out here and waiting for Malfoy to come whenever he bloody well pleases," Ron announced.

"Well, we have to wait for him," Ginny said. "He would want to know if Hermione was okay."

"No he wouldn't," Ron argued.

"Yes he would."

"No."

"Yes."

"Shut up!" Lana yelled at them.

"What's all the commotion about?" Pansy asked, looking at them curiously. "Little Lana Weasel again? To what do I owe the honor?"

Lana rolled her eyes. "Is Draco there?"

"How many times do I have to tell you that Draco is mine?" Pansy asked, annoyed.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want him?" Lana retorted, immitating her tone.

"I'm insulted," Draco said, looking amused.

"Draky!" Lana squealed, kissing him on the cheek to piss Pansy off.

"Draky?" Draco echoed, wincing. "Lana... no. No Draky."

"Sorry, Draky," she said sweetly.

"Guys..." Harry said, trying to get their attention.

"Oh! Potter's here, too. Potter, Weasley, little Weasley, and American Weasley. It's a party!"

"Hermione woke up."

Draco put aside all jokes. "She's awake?" he asked. "That's great!"

"She doesn't remember anything. I had to explain to her who I was and who the rest of you guys are."

"Even better," Draco said, grinning sinisterly. "I could have a lot of fun with this."

"Yeah," Harry said. "And I could have a lot of fun hexing you." He turned his attention to Ron. "Ron, she doesn't know that you two are together. I figured it was probably in your place to tell her, not mine."

"She doesn't remember anything?"

"Nothing."

"Oh my God," Ron whispered, falling to the cold floor. "She doesn't know who I am."

"I'm sure she'll be okay soon," Lana said supportively. "I'm sure there's a spell or something, and if not, she'll definitely remember in time."

"Oh God," Ron repeated. "She doesn't know me." Ron took a deep breath and then stood up. "Let's go see her," he said bravely.

They headed silently back to her, Harry for some reason in the lead. "We're back," he announced.

"Hello, Harry," Professor Dumbledore greeted.

"Hi, Harry," Hermione greeted. She peered at the group. "Wow, am I popular?"

Draco laughed out loud. "Far from it, Granger. You're about as unpopular as Longbottom, and that's saying something."

"Draco!" Ginny hissed. "Shut up!"

"It will take time for her memories to come back," Madam Pomfrey explained gently. "We could use a spell, but we want to see how she progresses on her own."

Ron nodded. "And if she doesn't?"

"Then one spell will bring her back."

"How long are you going to wait?"

"It's much to soon to do it now. At least eight to ten weeks."

Ron paled visibly, but nodded again. "Okay."

"Also, I don't advise that you tell her you're encoupled. At least not right now."

Ron nodded again. "Okay."

"Cheer up, Ronald," Madam Pomfrey said, smiling supportively. "You'll be okay. You'll see."

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"Hey, Herm," Ron said, sitting on her bed and looking at her. "How are you feeling?"

"You're Ron, right?" she asked him, and he nodded in shock. "I'm okay. If okay means that you people know who I am and I don't have the slightest idea who you are, then I guess I'm okay."

Professor Dumbledore stared at her. "Miss Granger, you don't remember any of the recent events?"

"Harry told me what happened, but I don't remember it."

"Oh, Merlin." He drifted into thought. "In order to speed up the process of your mental recovery, I will lift the spell that forbids the gentlemen from the ladies rooms."

"So Potter and Weasel can use the girls bathrooms?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"No, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said with a slight smile. "It means they can enter the girls dormitories."

Draco looked surprised. "They couldn't before?"

"Gryffindor chivalry, Malfoy," Harry told him. "Not that I would expect you to know anything about it."

"Oh sod off."

"Are they always like this?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Often worse," Professor Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Why do you think my hair is so white?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I just don't know anything right now."

"I'll leave you with your friends," he said. "Feel better, Ms. Granger."

"Thank you, sir."

"Actually, why don't you go on back to the Gryffindor Common Room? Maybe the familar surroundings will help."

It seemed like a good idea, so the group of students agreed. They headed back up to the Gryffindor Common Room, Draco included. They all sat silently down on the plush couches in the common room, enjoying the warmth of the fire. "So..." Lana said conversationally.

"So..." Ginny echoed.

"Hermione, come with me," Ron told her. "There's something I want to show you."

"Okay," Hermione agreed, standing up and following Ron. Harry watched as Ron instinctively reached to put his arm around her waist, then recoiled. Hermione had no idea she was a girlfriend. Hermione turned around halfway up the stairs. "I'll probably go to sleep after I'm done with Ron," she announced. "Good night, Harry and Lana and Draco and Ginny."

"Good night," they all murmurmed.

The remaining four sat in awkward silence again. "Ginny, your hair looks really red by the fire," Draco said.

"Newsflash, Draco," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "It is red."

"Oh. Right."

"So," Lana said. "You guys are allowed upstairs now." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Imagine the possibilities."

Harry smiled at her. "Like what?" he asked innocently.

"I could tell you," Lana said serenely. "But I'd rather show you." She winked up at him.

"Get a room," Draco said, rolling his eyes in digust.

"Don't mind if we do, Malfoy. That's the first brilliant idea you've had in a while." He took Lana's hand and they headed upstairs. "Thanks, Lana," he said to her softly in her room. "I really needed your American resilience."

Lana smiled. "Anytime."

Harry plopped down on her bed, pleasantly surprised. "This is a lot more comfortable than our mattresses are."

"I know."

"I don't feel like being with you anymore," Harry said, shifting his position. "I think I'll just take a nap."

"Hey!" Lana lay down next to him. "You can't do that."

He kissed her softly. "Why not?"

"You just can't. Our mattresses are softer, so they're easier to sleep on. We girls need our beauty sleep, you know."

"You don't, Lana," he said, kissing her again. "You're the most beautiful girl in this school. In all of Great Britain. In all the world. Well, no, not in all the world, but you know what I mean."

Lana spanked him lightly. "How romantic," she said, grinning, and leaning in for another kiss. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you, too." He kissed her, and with the sensations of her kissing him back and the sweet scent of her hair and the feel of her being in his arms, it was only a matter of minutes before control was slipping away.

"I love you," Lana said, pulling away from him slightly, his lips following hers. "But not that much. I mean, not enough to..."

He silenced her with a quick kiss. "I know what you mean. I'm not ready for that, either. I love you, but I'm sixteen. I'm not ready for that."

"Good," Lana said simply. "Because I'm not, either."

"Good."

"Good."

Lana blushed, at a loss for words.

"Alert the Daily Prophet!" Harry exclaimed. "Lana has nothing to say!"

"Oh, shut up," Lana said, laughing.

"You shut up," he told her.

"No, you."

"You."

"You."

"You."

"Did you say you were sixteen?" Lana teased. "Or six?"

"That was harsh."

"Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all.

"I'm going to cry."

"Don't cry."

"I won't. Don't worry."

"I'm not."

Harry chuckled, kissing her again, and all thoughts of Hermione and her memory loss left his mind.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ron recieved an owl from home the next morning. Charlie had gotten engaged to a girl he had met in Romania. Her parents were leaving in a few days and wouldn't return for at least a few months. The entire group was invited to come along, but Hermione didn't feel comfortable going with people she barely knew, and Harry didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone. So that night, Harry was helping Lana pack her bags.
"I'm going to miss you," she said.

Harry laughed. "Lana, you're going to be gone for two days. You'll see me soon."

"I know, but I'll miss you."

"But you'll see me soon!"

"I know." She pouted. "Promise you won't forget me?"

Harry burst out laughing. "You're crazy, Lana Weasley," he said, taking her in his arms. "And I'm crazy about you." He kissed her. "You could be gone for two years, and I still would think about you almost everyday."

"Almost?" Lana asked, grinning.

"Yeah. Sometimes I think about Quidditch all day."

"Oh, okay."

"Where's Herm?" Lana wanted to know.

"I'm not sure," Harry said. "She said she was going somewhere. Probably the library."

"I'm worried about her. I asked her what she thought of Ron, and she said he was a nice guy. Then I asked her if she could ever see him as more than just a friend, and she wanted to know if Ron was her type." Lana bit her lower lip thoughtfully.

"Hmm... I'll talk to her this weekend while you're in Romania. I'll go find her after I see you off."

"Okay."

"Five minutes," Ron announced, knocking on the door. He sat down on Hermione's bed. "Hey! This is a lot more comfortable than our bed, Harry," he said.

"I know."

"I'll have to have a talk with the head of the House Elves about this."

"We need the nice mattresses for our beauty sleep."

Ron surveyed her. He raised his eyebrows and said, "well, it's not working, cousin dearest."

Lana threw a pillow at him. "Go to hell," she said. "As a matter of fact, maybe you should get a mattress like ours. You were so cute as a kid, Ronnie. What happened to you?"

Ron threw the pillow back at her. "Shut up," he said, laughing. He looked up at the clock. "We should probably get going. We've got to Floo back home and then I think we're taking a Portkey." He looked around. "I guess Hermione's not coming to see us off."

"Guess not," Harry said.

Ron sighed sadly. "Oh well." He shook his head and smiled a fake smile. "Let's go then."

Harry walked with Ron and Lana to the fireplace in the common room. Ginny and Draco were sitting on the couch; Draco had obviously just said something funny because Ginny was laughing loudly, tears streaming down her face. Draco looked at her with an amused smile. Ginny looked up at Harry, Ron, and Lana. She stood up. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a few days," she said to Harry and Draco.

"Tell Charlie I said congratulations," Harry said.

"What's the Weasley-fest for?" Draco wanted to know.

"My brother got engaged," Ron said.

"Oh. Well, that's good."

"Yeah. Thanks. And thanks, Harry, I'll tell Charlie."

"Wait!" Draco interrupted. "Who is Charlie?"

"My brother!" Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"Then who is Longbottom's toad?"

"Trevor!"

"Oh. Alright then, no need to yell." Draco shook his head. "You Weasley's better get going," he said.

Ron stepped into the fireplace and pulled out a packet of Floo powder from his pocket. He gave some to Ginny and Lana. "The Burrow!" he said loudly, disappearing into the flames.

"The Burrow!"

"The Burrow!"

"YES!" Draco said, punching the air with his fists. "A Weasley-free weekend! This calls for a celebration."

Harry rolled his eyes and headed up to his room.

"Where are you going?" Draco wanted to know. "Potter? Potter?" He shrugged. "Guess I'll just celebrate alone..."

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Harry was rudely awakened on Saturday morning by Hermione shaking him awake. "Harry! Harry! Wake up!" She was whispering, not that it mattered, anyway.

"Huh?" Harry opened his eyes and saw Hermione staring at him looking a bit worried. "Mio-- Hermione... what's wrong?"

"Where's the Slytherin room?"

Harry fumbled for his glasses and put them on. "What the hell do you need to go the the Slytherin common room for?" he asked before yawning.

"It's eight o'clock on Satuday morning," she replied, as if that explained everything.

Harry stared blankly at her.

"Well... Draco said that every Saturday morning at eight, I go down to the Slytherin common room and we have really good sex."

Harry blinked. "And you believe Malfoy?"

"Shouldn't I?"

Harry shook his head. "No." He sighed, stretching before getting out of bed. "Wait downstairs in the common room. The Gryffindor common room, that is. Wait down, I'll go for a shower and we'll talk."

"What about Draco?"

"Just ignore him."

"Oh," Hermione said. "Right then. I'll just be downstairs..."

It's eight o'clock on a Saturday morning, Harry grumbled to himself in the shower. Why am I awake? I should be sleeping. I should be dreaming of Lana or Quidditch or something. I should not be showering. I should not be awake for at least another hour and a half.

Harry got out of the shower ten minutes later and put on a pair of jeans and a Quidditch t-shirt. He dried his hair and put on some shoes, then headed out to meet Hermione outside. "Okay, Hermione," he said with a stern smile on his face. "Rule number one, no waking up Harry at ungodly hours of the morning."

"Eight isn't ungodly," Hermione protested.

"Yes it is. Rule number two, no sex with Malfoy. Ever."

"Oh. Okay." Hermione looked down, embarassed. "So Draco and I have never... um..."

"God, I hope not." Ron would be furious.

"So Draco would just have... um..."

"Nah. Even for Malfoy, that would be pretty low."

"Why do you call him Malfoy?"

Harry shrugged. "I've been doing it since we were first years. I guess the name is just tradition now. You don't see him calling me 'Harry', do you?"

"No... I guess not." Hermione's stomach grumbled just then, and the blushed. "Sorry," she said. "I'm a bit hungry."

Harry laughed. "Let's go get some breakfast." So they headed downstairs quietly. The Great Hall was practically empty. Most normal students were still asleep.

"Where does it all come from?" Hermione wondered as platters of eggs and bacon appeared in front of her. "Is it magic?"

For just a moment, Harry considered not telling her about the house elves. It would be so easy. He would never have to hear about spew again. But if it helped her memory... "The house elves cook it," he explained. "You're totally against it. You think they should paid and treated well."

"They aren't?!" Hermione asked in shock, dropping her bacon in the process.

"Er... no. That's why you started spew."

"Spew?"

"It's exactly S.P.E.W, but I forgot what it stands for. You told me a few hundred times, but I can't remember."

"Or maybe you weren't paying attention," Hermione teased.

"That, too," Harry admitted. "Oh! I do remember. Society for... erm... something... welfare? Yeah, that sounds about right."

Hermione laughed. "Somehow I doubt that," she said.

"Yeah. Me, too."

"So..." Hermione poked her scrambled eggs with her fork. "What do I usually do on a Saturday morning?"

"I thought I answered that," Draco drawled, gracefully sitting down next to her. "You're with me."

"But Harry said I wasn't!"

"Malfoy, that was pretty low, even for you."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I wasn't really going to do her, you know. Mudblood's don't interest me."

Tears came to Hermione's eyes at the sound of the "M" word.

"Dammit!" Draco exclaimed. "Granger, I'm sorry. It just comes naturally to me, you know."

"No!" Hermione exclaimed. "I don't know!"

"I know, I know! Usually I just call you that and you roll your eyes at me."

Hermione sniffled. "I let you call me that?"

"Yeah..."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure," Draco admitted. "Maybe you have a secret crush on me instead of Wea-- ouch!" Draco glared at Harry, who had just stepped on his foot to prevent the word "Weasley" from escaping his lips.

"'Mione doesn't know," Harry whispered to Draco while Hermione continued to cry a little.

Draco's eyes widened in shock. "Damn. This just gets more and more twisted." He stood up and wiped some imaginary dust off of his robes. "Well, Potter and Gra-- Hermione... I'll see you around. Oh, wait. Potter, I need to tell you something."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "I'll be right back," he told Hermione, ruffling her hair. She sniffled an okay.

"I had good intentions, you know," Draco said.

"Oh yeah? Nail Ginny and Mione, then just wait for Lana?"

"Oh sod off, Potter. If I even touched her, Granger, I mean, maybe she would recognize how unfamiliar I am and remember everything else."

Harry narrowed his eyes at the Slytherin. In all fairness, it was a good plan. Maybe it would work in the opposite way. If Ron touched her, maybe she would remember. "Malfoy, you're a genius."

"I know," Draco said modestly.

"We'll take your plan and let Ron be with her. When she realizes how familiar he is, she'll have to remember!"

"Why does Weasley get all the action?" Draco whined.

Harry glared at him. "Just leave," he said, a small smile on his face.

"Fine," Draco said sourly. "But not because you told me to. Because I'm meeting Crabbe and Goyle for breakfast."

"Whatever," Harry said, sitting back down with Hermione as Draco left to eat with his fellow Slytherins.

"What was that all about?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Nothing," Harry said, taking a sip of his drink. "Nothing at all."

Hermione watched Harry finish his breakfast twirling a lock of hair around her finger thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry wanted to know.

"You're friends with Ron, right?"

"Best friends. You, too."

"Why didn't you go with him to Charlie's engagement?"

"Because you didn't go." Harry smiled at her. "You weren't comfortable, which is understandable. And I didn't feel comfortable leaving you here alone."

"Oh." Hermione was silent for a minute. "Hey, Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Who's Charlie?"

Harry sighed. "Ron's older brother. One of them, anyway. There's Bill, Charlie, Percy, George and Fred, Ron, and then Ginny."

"Oh. Are you close to them?"

"Not as close to all of them as to Ron. George and Fred, Ron, and Ginny and I were all here at the same time for a few years, so we all got to be quite close. They're like family to me. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, too."

"I can't believe you stayed behind just for me."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Harry looked at Hermione's empty plate. "Are you done yet?"

Hermione pushed her plate away. "Yeah. Done."

"Should we go?"

"Sure." She waited for him to stand up and they walked towards the Gryffindor Common Room together. "Hey, Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"What do I usually do on a Saturday?"

"Bother Ron and myself. Nag us to start our homework or lecture us for sleeping in."

Hermione grinned. "I didn't lecture you today."

"No, you woke me up instead. That's ten times worse," he grumbled. "Oh, Harry!" a familiar voice called.

Harry turned around. Mr. Crivellare was beckoning to him. "Hello, Mr. Crivellare," he said politely.

"Hello, Harry. And Miss Granger, you're back. When did this happen?"

"About a week ago," Harry answered for her.

"Joyful. I was beginning to miss the arguements on how many times Harry had battled Voldemort."

Hermione frowned. "Who?"

"Who?" he echoed in surprise. "Good heavens, child. Voldemort. The dark lord. He-who-must-not-be-named."

"Do I know you, sir?" she asked

. "She's lost her memory," Harry explained.

Mr. Crivellare said nothing, but smiled a rather creepy smile just then. "How tragic," he said coldly, reminding Harry of Lucius Malfoy. "Well, I'll let you two be off. Good day, Mr. Potter. Miss Granger."
"I don't like him," Hermione said.

"Join the club," Harry replied. "Quidditch," he said to the portrait of the fat lady, and the portal swung open.
Hermione plopped down on a couch in front of the fireplace and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, sitting next to her.

"I wish I could remember," Hermione said, staring into the fire.

"I wish you could, too. But your memories will come back. You'll see."

"I want them back. I hate not knowing."

"I know, Hermione. I know."

"Everyone else looks at me weird. Even Ron and Lana and Ginny, and aren't they my friends?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. We all are. We all love you so much, and we're all hoping you get your memories back really fast. But no matter how long it takes, we'll all be here for you, Hermione. You don't have to worry about anything."

"Then why do they look at me like I'm a freak."

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "Maybe it's because it's freaky how you've forgotten everything. How we met. How Ron and I saved your life. Quidditch practice. Hagrid. Malfoy being an asshole. Diagon Alley. Professor Lockhart. Polyjuice Potions. Nights spent in the library. Death Eaters. You slapping Malfoy across the face. Sirius. The Triwizard Tournament. Viktor Krum. The golden egg. Wizards chess. The Department of Mysteries. So many things, so many memories."

Hermione leaned back so her head was resting on Harry's shoulder. "None of those things sound familiar," she said softly. "I try to remember, really I do. But it's just like I'm trying and trying and the world is watching and expecting me succeed but they know I'm going to fail."

"Hermione, you won't fail. You may not succeed as soon as you'd like, but you won't fail."

Hermione sniffled. "Sometimes it's just like the world is screaming, 'fail, Herm, fail'. It's like there's no one on my side." Hermione sat up and shifted so she could look at Harry. "Is there anyone on my side, Harry?"

"Of course," he said, shocked that she would even ask. They were all on her side. Nothing could change that.

"Are you on my side?"

"That's an incredibly stupid question to ask, 'Mione," he said to her. "I'm on your side."

Hermione looked at him. "Thanks," she said, then closed her eyes and kissed him.