1. First Impressions
Somehow, he had still not seen her. Even though she had already been here for FOUR minutes!
'Okay, calm down, calm down!', she told herself. Four minutes wasn't a very long time. And it wasn't as if her arrival had created a scene; it had rather been disappointingly insignificant since she wasn't familiar with most of the people present. The few people who had recognised her had been surprisingly cool about it. Just "Oh hey! It's you. Where did you come from? Well, it's nice to see you. Ok bye!"
And the place was quite packed. It had been kinda hard to constantly keep him in her sight from across the room. And it was probably why despite glancing in her direction a few times, Harry had been unable to see her. Why couldn't someone just go and tell him to turn her way for more than a couple of seconds? Admittedly, she had asked them not to. But still...
Parvati came up to her with a tired look. "How long are you just going to stand here looking at him? Go."
"What if he's mad?" Her voice came out as a squeak.
"He's not going to be mad." Hermione just responded with a roll of her eyes. "Fine! But so what if he's mad? You're not just gonna run off without meeting him, are you?"
That was a valid point. If she wasn't going to meet him, what was the point of coming here? "But still, I don't want to - I don't know."
"Fine! Do whatever you want." Parvati told her, walking away.
"Wait, wait! Where is he going?"
"What? Oh, just the bathroom, probably. Hermione, now don't just keep standing here like an idiot. It's been, like, ten minutes."
"It's been Four! But yeah, okay." She told Parvati, starting to walk towards him. She stopped a little ways away from him in a narrow corridor where he was waiting outside a door. After a few seconds, the door opened and someone came out and he went in. 'This is it. Don't freak out. It's gonna be ok. It's gonna be ok.'
"HERMIONE? Holy shit! How are you? Wow!"
"Neville!" She said in surprise as he came in for a short hug. "What happened to you? You look... Great."
"Haha... Thanks. You look pretty good yourself. Wow, it's been so long."
"Yeah! It has!"
"I didn't even know you were back. Is Ron here as well?"
"Yes. Well, not here. He's with his family. He wasn't sure how Harry would respond to seeing us. And uh," she gave a nervous chuckle, "well, neither am I, but... Bill said Fleur was here. And he said a lot of you guys were gonna be here. And then I thought... Why not?"
"Yeah? Well, it's great to have you here. How long are you here for?"
"We're not really sure. At least for a week, but after that, we'll see. Depends on a few things. Like Harry!"
"Um, so you haven't talked to him yet?" He asked cautiously, pointing towards the bathroom.
"No. It's just so crowded. I just came two minutes ago and I was looking around and I saw him going in there and... Do you think he'll be mad?" Hermione finished in a slightly desperate tone.
Neville just shook his head, giving her a nervous smile. "Sorry, I don't know. I mean - it's you. Heh, he'd probably be very happy to see you but... I really don't know, Hermione. Do you want me to talk to him first? I mean or do you want to surprise him yourself?"
"No, no, it's ok."
"Ok, I'll be right here, okay? Wait, actually, I'll go and get Fleur. She'll keep him calm, just in case."
"Okay." 'This isn't gonna be pretty.'
A few seconds later, she heard a flush and then the sound of someone washing their hands.
'Crap, crap, crap, crap...' And there he was.
Looking at her.
He smiled.
She smiled back with immeasurable relief.
He was walking towards her.
Could she dare hope? Was he gonna hug her?
"Uh, sorry, excuse me." He said when his leg lightly bumped hers as he passed by.
She turned back to see him walking away saying, "Hello people!" to a bunch of confused faces.
"Where is she?" He then asked Fleur, who had just arrived with Neville.
"Right behind you, Harry." Neville told him.
Harry turned back and for a fleeting moment, looked at her but then turned back to Neville. "What? Where - Oh, there you are." He said as a girl with short black hair came by holding a baby.
"Hey, beautiful." Harry said softly, taking the tiny thing carefully into his arms. "Hey, hey, hey... Oh you're growing up so quickly."
"So is she calling you mama yet, Fleur?"
"'Arry, behind you?" She said with a nervous smile.
Suddenly, Hermione was under the gaze of seven different pairs of eyes.
"What?" He looked back at Fleur for a second and then turned back towards Hermione.
After a few seconds of staring, he quietly asked the raven haired girl, "Who is that?"
The girl shrugged, looking away from Hermione towards the rest of the group who were all looking at Harry like he had just eaten Victoire.
"Harry?" Hermione said, in a weak voice.
"Um, hello?" He said to her in a confused voice, glancing at the baby in his arms, as if looking for guidance.
"Harry, come on. Stop torturing her." Neville said to him.
"What? I'm sorry... Uh, I'm having a little trouble placing you."
"It's not funny, man." Neville spoke again.
"Yes, it's not. You guys are freaking me out." He said to all the quiet faces surrounding them. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked, coming closer to Hermione who looked like she was ready to cry.
"So you don't remember me at all, huh?" Hermione asked, doing her best to sound as strong as she could muster.
"I'm sorry, I'm trying to, but no."
"Oh, come on!" "Harry!" "What the hell?" "Who is that?"
"I'm sorry. I'm trying but I'm really having trouble remembering."
"Yes, sure you are." Hermione said in a mocking tone, wiping her tears messily and then marched straight past him. "Sorry I came here."
"Stop her, Harry." Parvati quickly said loudly.
"Hey wait!"
She turned around, the angry tears clearly visible on her face for everyone to see.
"Just... Give me a hint?" He said with a gentle smile.
"Fuck off!" Hermione spat at him and walked out.
"OK? Would someone explain to me what the hell that was?" Harry asked , turning back to the people behind him, ignoring the looks he was getting from nearly everyone present.
"Still? Oh come on, Harry." Neville said exasperatedly.
"Fleur? Help me, please."
"You shouldn't've done that, 'Arry."
"Done what?"
"I can't believe you'd treat Hermione like that." Neville asked.
"Yeah, what happened between you guys? I didn't know it was this serious." Parvati said, Hannah nodding beside her.
"Give us a minute, guys," said Fleur, taking his arm and dragging him back to a bedroom and closed the door.
"I can't believe you would do that, Harry."
Harry just rolled his eyes. "Come on, not you too!"
"Harry, I get that you're hurt but you saw her, no?"
"Well, yeah, she sure was pissed off."
"Yes, and you did that."
"But I didn't do anything."
"How would you feel if I treated you like that?"
"Why would you ever forget who I was? And if you were acting, Den my baby girl would set her mama right, wouldn't she, wouldn't she?"
"'Arry, I'm serious."
"Well, no way, Fleur. There's no way I'm ever letting you forget me."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious. You know I love you."
"No, are you still going to pretend like you don't know who that was?"
"I'm not pretending. I really don't know."
"Harry, 'Ermione!"
"I think I need some more information."
"Your best friend?"
"What? Like when I was a year old, do you mean?"
"NO! I mean your whole life! After you became... Eleven."
"Oh come on. Is this some sort of a prank?"
"NO!"
"Well... Then how could you call someone I've never even seen before my best friend? You'll hurt Victoire's feelings. Don't listen to mama. You're shtill my besht friend."
"You two, well, you three, you were famous."
"Did you read something in some newspaper? 'Cause that's guaranteed to be wrong."
"No! You, Ron and 'Ermione?"
"Now, who is Ron?"
"Something is very wrong with your memory, 'Arry. Ron Weasley."
"The one in Australia?"
"YES!"
"So the one I've never met?"
After a few seconds of intently staring into each other's eyes, he asked, "What?"
"'Arry, just stay here. I'm going to get Bill."
"Oh, come on, Fleur. It's not April. Why are you guys doing this to me?"
"'Arry, this is not a joke. I'm coming back in a minute."
After a few seconds of just staring at the door, he lied down on the bed, holding Victoire in the air above his face. "Can you say Harry? Haaaarry! Harrieee? Harry, Harry! Okay, say 'Arry. 'Arry, 'Arry, Arr arr arrr auwauwau. Do you mind if I eat you? Just a li'l bit?"
"Hermione just ran upstairs crying. What did he say to her?" Bill asked as soon as Fleur arrived.
"Bill, something's wrong with him. Come on."
"Shouldn't've let her go." George said, getting up along with Bill.
"Should we bring Ron?"
"No, no, no."
"So what did he say to her?"
"Just... Come and you'll see."
"What?"
"Manamamees"
"Oh, your mum? She's coming. She's coming. What? Do you not like your Uncle Harry?"
"Oi! She loves her Unca 'Arry. She's just asking, "Ma name is?""
"Dear lord! And you wonder why I wonder why Bill and Fleur are friends with you?"
"What?" Harry replied with a chuckle.
"Those two are like, infinitely cooler than you. Infinitely."
"Nooo! You just think that because of your massive crush on Bill."
"I definitely don't -"
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
"Ok, we don't have to talk about it."
She just shook her head. Harry relented. "Ok ok fine, so do you know this Hermione girl?"
"Well... I've never met her before, but I have heard of her."
"Really? What have you heard?"
"That she and her husband were your best friends all through Hogwarts."
"Wow!"
"I remember... Once Bill said that she was one of the biggest reasons you defeated Voldemort."
"Oh come on."
"She isn't?"
"I have honestly never seen her before."
"That's… Weird."
"I know. Maybe I'm in… An alternate dimension, or something."
"Uh-huh. What else is new here?"
"Do cows have wings in this world?"
"Oh well yes, of course."
"What a weird world I've fallen into."
"You must feel right at home!"
"I did, up until a few minutes ago when I made a poor girl cry 'cause of not knowing who she was."
"She did look pretty devastated."
"Yes. Now I feel bad for her. Can you imagine? Your best friend suddenly not recognizing you."
"Hmmm..."
Bill and Fleur entered the room to find Harry and Claire sitting on the bed, quietly watching Victoire playing with Claire's fingers.
"You don't know who Ron and Hermione are?" Bill asked as soon as he walked in the door.
"Well, I knew that you guys had a brother who was married and lived in Australia. But, no, I don't really remember them."
"Harry, you better not be messing with us because this is serious."
"I'm not, seriously Bill. This is really weird for me."
"Okay..." Bill said, turning to Fleur.
"'Arry, think about your friends when you were in Hogwarts."
"Most of the people I remember are either dead or… Here today!"
"So you do remember things from Hogwarts?"
"Of course. I remember some things. But it's not like you guys could tell me every little detail of your school years. You probably only remember a few things in between as well."
"Yes, but we do remember who our best friends were."
"Maybe we weren't that close, and everyone else was just assuming things?"
"Harry, you three spent seven years glued to each other. Trust me. You were in the same house, the same year. Ron was the keeper in your quidditch team."
After a few seconds, Harry said, "Wait, the Chudley Cannons guy?"
"Yes!"
"I remember there being someone. I don't remember who it was. He sucked, didn't he?" Harry asked, making George guffaw.
"He usually did. But seriously, how the hell can you not remember Hermione?"
"Yeah," George added solemnly.
"I don't know. It's not like I'm not trying to. But this means that I was definitely obliviated... Or something. This is so weird." He finished by trying to make a weird face at Victoire who maintained her amused look. "Weeeird!" He slowly said, moving his face close to hers.
"'Arry!"
"Oh oh! She was just calling for you, you know? She was saying something like 'Manamana'."
"Yes, she does that sometimes," said Fleur, coming to sit beside him and taking her daughter from him, "but stop playing around and be serious."
"Ok... Um, is she okay? I mean, I really didn't mean to... Piss her off? Hermione? And where is she?"
"She'll be fine. She's at the Burrow."
"Alright." For a few seconds, they were all quiet in thought.
Then Harry spoke, "Oh and hello George, Bill, how's it goin'?"
"Good evening, brother." George said with a grin.
"Dad probably knows some legilimency experts. We'll ask him after work. Now, when is the last time you remembered something about - Wait, no, what am I saying?"
"Fleur, when was the last time you guys talked about Ron and Hermione?" George asked.
"Like we do any talking!" Harry answered with a dramatic shake of his head .
"Shut up, Harry." Bill told him with a chuckle.
"Non, it has been months. I usually avoid it, you know. Because you remember how he was after they left?"
"What? What was I like?"
"You were miserable. You don't even remember that?"
"When?"
"What do you remember after Hogwarts?" asked Fleur.
"Just living with Teddy, and... Then just the seeker training, I guess, what else?"
"Harry, you were really depressed after Hogwarts."
"Yeah!" Claire said as well.
"Wait, why are you saying yeah? You only came here a couple months ago, right?" Harry asked Claire, looking a bit alarmed.
"Yeah, I've just been told that you were depressed."
"Oh! Well, no... I don't remember that at all. I just remember Hogwarts being... Boring, really! And then Teddy... And then Victoire, and you guys, and then Claire... How could I be depressed?"
"Well, when Ron and Hermione got married and went to Australia, you sure you don't remember at all?"
"You were really sad, 'Arry, for a long time. I wonder what else you have forgotten, 'Arry?"
Harry just laughed and said, "How should I know?"
"Yes, but... Okay, do you remember the first time we met?"
"Uhhh... The bolognese? No, no, no, the bouillabaise, right? You asked me if I was done with the bouillabaise." Harry answered with a big smile.
"Do you remember who was sitting beside you?"
"Do YOU remember who was sitting beside you?"
"Uh... No! No, I don't remember. But I know who was sitting with you."
"Well, yeah, of course, now it has to be Ron and Hermione."
"Ok, ok, do you remember Viktor Krum?"
"Do you have to remind me?" Harry asked with an annoyed look.
"No, no, I don't mean your practice. I just mean back in your fourth year in Hogwarts?"
"Okay, yes. What about him?"
"Do you remember his date to the Yule Ball?"
"Was it Hermione?"
"Obviously," Claire answered from beside him while Fleur nodded in confirmation.
"Ok, I don't remember her at all."
"Well, Harry definitely remembered that till a few months ago." Fleur said, looking towards Bill.
"When? Exactly?"
Fleur's face screwed up in concentration. "Hmmm... You remember a few days before his training was to start, Ginny, George, you and I went to cheer him up a bit."
"Hey, I remember that!" Harry suddenly said.
"Then don't you remember? I told you you needed to move on, make new friends... And then you told me to bugger off."
"I did?"
"Don't worry, I didn't go. I knew you didn't mean it. So I hugged you." Fleur told him with a smile.
"So sweet of you."
"Then you started to cry."
"No way!" "Oh even I don't remember this," George said, sitting on the bed as well.
"It was private. I did not feel the need to tell everyone."
Bill suddenly perked up with a surprised look which slowly transformed into a smile. "I remember. You came to the Burrow, like, two days later, and you seemed happy, and George said to me that the last time we saw you was alone with Fleur, and the next time we see you, you're completely happy. I wonder what she did with him. You remember, George?"
"Yes, I do, and thanks for sharing that with us all, Bill. Now, what did you guys talk about that night?" George said, avoiding Fleur's derisive eyes.
"Well, what I remember... Is a party, not an intervention. And definitely no crying."
"Oh, you could've filled buckets."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you're not exaggerating. At all! But what did we talk about? Now I'm curious too... What in the world can make me cry?"
"'Arry, we saw The Iron Giant together. You don't 'ave to act so manly for Claire. And I can't believe you don't remember that day at all. That was the day we became such good friends, after all."
"Really? I thought that was the day we went to the new Fortescue's."
"Oh? What was that? Your first date?" Bill chimed in.
"Third one, actually!" Harry replied with a smirk.
Fleur did a facepalm but fortunately for Harry, Bill just laughed.
"Anyway, I think that's the last time we ever talked about those two. You asked me not - No, no, no, wait... When you met Claire, oh no, that was with you?" She finished by asking Bill who nodded.
"About what?" Claire asked.
"Well, you're a bit like 'Ermione, I was afraid you'd remind him of her."
"Really?"
"Yes, but he loved you, so I never brought it up..."
"In a friendly way." "You said that?" Harry and Claire quickly said, turning to each other.
"Thank god," Claire said and turned towards the others.
"Hey no what? Don't just resolve things that quickly, give us some ammunition to tease you," said George.
"Alright, I can help with that. Bill, did you know how much dear Claire here has been crushing on you lately?"
"Guys, don't listen -" Claire started to explain.
"We know, we know," Bill told her.
"You know that she's been crushing on -" Harry was cut off by Fleur's hand.
"Now, shhh, or I would give you to 'Ermione to do whatever she wants. And I don't want you to die, so please stay quiet." She let him go after a few seconds when she felt his smile shortening.
Harry slightly shifted and lay down sideways so that he could lay his head down on Fleur's thigh. This was a new thing with him. A recent discovery in the scientific world had revealed that running your hands through Harry's hair made him putty in your hands. Fleur, the proud discoverer of this handy little trick, had hence consolidated her position at the top of Harry's who-do-you-love-the-most list.
Claire had been introduced to Harry for the first time about two months ago by Bill, whom she occasionally worked with, at his house as his honorary brother, and his wife's best friend. At first, she was slightly confused and disturbed by Harry's closeness with Fleur, not only a married woman, but also a Veela. But then she'd heard everyone's stories of Harry.
Apparently half of the Weasley family was alive only because of Harry, and that was without counting Voldemort. Also, he had been the secret primary investor for George's shop. And Bill had even been introduced to Fleur for the first time as Harry's almost brother. And Fleur's sister was also once saved from a frozen lake by him (though Harry denied this one). Also, Harry was actually a rare kind of person, who didn't really care if a girl was a Veela. In fact, the allure was kind of a no-no for him. He treated it as a weaker version of the imperius, which he had been trained by a death eater to be able to repel.
And to top it all off, Harry had had a horrible childhood. And Fleur was really the only person in the world whom he opened up to. So, no one minded the fact that Harry and Fleur were so close. Although Bill's mom really wanted Harry to find a good girlfriend, once she had given up on making him fall for her own daughter, that is.
"Should we get Dad now?" George asked.
"No, no, he said he was gonna be pretty busy today. We can wait."
"So what do we tell Ron and Hermione?"
"Why not the truth? I mean, they might even have a clue about what happened." Bill answered George.
"What do you think, 'Arry?"
"I don't know," Harry said calmly, relaxing under Fleur's hands.
"I don't think they'll ever believe us."
"Not our problem! 'Arry has to deal with it."
Harry opened his eyes briefly to glare at Fleur before closing them and gaining his smile.
"I think we should go back. Mum's probably having a hard time with Hermione."
"Do I have to?" Harry asked from his comfortable spot.
"Uhhh... Not really, but it might be a good idea. Hermione, she's probably got the most chance of figuring out what's going on."
"But doesn't she hate me right now?"
"Her way of saying goodbye to Harry was fuck off," Fleur explained.
"That's…"
"Surprising!" George finished for his brother.
"Look," Bill said after a few seconds, "You don't have to come with us. But it might be better if you do. She'll understand once we explain it to her. And we should because she's crazy smart."
"Like super crazy smart!" said George.
"Really?" Harry asked Fleur who nodded.
"Alright," said Harry, getting up and picking up Victoire. "You coming?" He asked Claire who had remained on the bed.
"Uhhh, I don't really know these people."
"So? It's not like you know anybody else here at the party."
"True, but -"
"How the hell can you not remember Ron and Hermione?" Neville demanded of him a few seconds after Bill had walked out.
"I don't know, Nev. Or maybe I don't remember."
"What?"
"Maybe I don't remember why I can't remember... Nothing, nothing! It's just... I don't really know what's going on. Simply can't recall them."
"Fuck, man! Listen, I really want to come with you guys, but I can't leave Hannah here alone, alright? You won't be busy tomorrow, will you?"
"Probably not."
"Okay, I'll see you then then. And bring those two, alright? If you can."
"Sure thing, man! Where's Hannah?"
"Uh, HANNAH! Oi DEAN," he shouted after walking out the door and then waved at him to send her over.
"Good night, beautiful." Harry said, giving the pregnant Hannah a hug when she reached them. "Congratulations again."
"Thank you so much. You going to see Hermione now?"
"Yeah, I'll see how it goes. I don't really know what's going on, but we'll see. You guys take care."
"Okay, for now, just tell them that you're not mad at them, ok? You wouldn't be lying, but then we can ease 'em into it. They're probably in Ginny's room. Come on." Bill said as they entered the empty living room.
"I really don't think this is a good idea. I mean, alone? And what the hell do I say?"
George just started laughing, "Whatever you do, leave the door a little open. I really wanna see this."
"Shut up, George. 'Arry, We'll be right outside. If we come in with you, they'll think something is up."
"Well, something is up. Don't put so much pressure on me. You saw what I already did to that girl. Now you're asking me to lie to them."
"You're not lying. Just tell them that you're not mad at them. We'll be in as soon as they start asking any questions."
"Okay... Well, here you go." Bill said, opening the door as soon as he reached it. "Hey mum!"
"Oh hullo dear! Harry! Oh how lovely to see you!" Molly said, coming and giving him one of her hugs in the crowded staircase.
"It's great to see you too, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh and Claire dear, you're here too."
"Yes, hi, Mrs. Weasley."
"Go on, 'Arry." Fleur whispered to him, seeing the looks Ron and Hermione were giving them all through the open doorway.
"Right," Harry said as he handed Victoire to her father, walked inside and, after giving George a brief glare, closed the door, completely. He turned around and saw the slightly terrified looks the tall redhead (obviously) and the girl from before were giving him, "Um, hey guys, Ron... Hermione... First of all, I'm really sorry about before. I really didn't mean to make you cry. And I wanted to make sure that you guys knew that I'm not mad at you guys, like seriously, at all." He had just finished when suddenly the girl practically launched like a rocket from the bed and was tightly wrapped around him.
"Woah!" "Oh, Harry!"
Harry regained his bearings after a few seconds and brought his arms around her as well when she somehow tightened her grip on him even more. Oh god! What did this girl eat?
By the time she let him go, the redhead was right there. "How are ya, mate?" He asked and came in for a hug as well, thankfully a very short and non-damaging one.
"I'm so so sorry, Harry! You must've been thinking how unlike me that was when I told you to... You know -"
"Uh, -"
"It's just that I was so scared and I had been preparing myself for you shouting at me in anger or something, but then the way you acted like you didn't want absolutely anything to do with me, I just couldn't stand it, and I'm so sorry, Harry, for everything."
"No, no, -"
"And you were completely right. Back then, Harry! We've been such enormous idiots. You were right about everything, Harry. I, we missed you so much -"
"Ok!"
"And you were so right, Harry. We had such a horrible time there. There was no way we could have made it out there just with just each other. We should've seen it before, like you did, and we left on such bad terms. I could barely live with myself remembering how we'd said our goodbyes and we sent you a few letters but you never replied, and I thought you didn't want anything to do with me anymore and I missed you so much and Molly said you weren't seeing anybody but there I saw you with that girl and I couldn't believe what I was saying to you and -"
"FLEUR!" He interrupted her rather rudely and hurriedly opened the door.