September, 1998
Hermione understood when Ron told her that he would like to be close to Lavender. It was the last stay in the Burrow at the end of August. Since she heard Lavender Brown had been suffering lycanthropy after she was bitten by Greyback during the battle of Hogwarts, she might have predicted the ending of their relationship. Remembering Lavender attacked by Greyback in the midst of the battle, she shuddered.
She was also proud of her ex-boyfriend. He was so brave to choose Lavender who had fought through the war.
Though there was no jealous feeling left behind, their kiss was still fresh in her memory. And she chuckled remembering Harry's words, "Is this the moment?" *1 at that moment. From the Gryffindor Tower, she could watch the sunset begin dyeing the western sky above the great lake. Those seven years began going round in her mind like a kaleidoscope. So many adventures they had experienced together. They had sacrificed various things to survive, but they finally did it.
After she let Ron go to Lavender, she felt refreshed. She felt like she had started her new life. She was looking forward to learning something new at Hogwarts from tomorrow. After she finished N.E.W.T.s, there would be many options she could choose. She could leave to get rid of the remaining Death Eaters to Aurors and engage in her study. After entering the Ministry, she could choose whoever she liked for her future husband there. Ron and Harry left Hogwarts after they confirmed the castle was renewed. They must be excited for coming Auror training. Watching the sunset beyond the mountains of Scotland, she muttered to herself, "Good-bye, Ron. Good-bye, Harry."
December, 2000
The grey sky merged into the indigo blue of the ocean. A stag swam bravely between the big waves and tried to rescue the little girl drowning. Beaten by angry water, his will seemed to be understood by her. She reached her hand and grabbed the tip of the antler. People who had been waiting heart-pounding, made a cry of joy and one of the Aurors, the red haired man held her tight in his arms.
"Good girl. Now you are safe, Katie. Harry Potter saved you." Ron looked back to his mate.
Harry had just transformed back to a human from the stag. Wet through and through, he stood up on the edge of the cliff. Howling blizzard blew icy wind into his face. He needed to perform drying charm. His right hand fumbled his holly wand, but his fingers were numb with cold. Then next moment, people witnessed their fellow Auror gulped by a big wave that rolled back. Nobody could save him. Harry Potter was lost in front of them just after he saved the little girl. Ron was going to dive to save his best mate, but Gawain stopped him. They were forced to retreat due to raging waves and storm. Ron's desperate calling his best mate echoed eternally.
A Blizzard hit Hogsmeade and people couldn't go out of the building at the weekend. Hermione heaved a big sigh at a bar counter. She had promised Padma Patil to bring the document about a new bill which would allow house-elves to be looked after at 's. She and Padma were supposed to meet at the Three Broomsticks, but it was apparent that Padma couldn't make it to Hogsmeade from St. Mungo's due to the bad weather. Suddenly, the entrance wooden door banged open and three men stormed into the pub in a hurry with some powdery snows brought by a draft. Hermione found a familiar red head and cried,
"Ron!" And she soon recognized who was dragged in. His jet-black hair clung to temple and he didn't wear his spectacles. "Harry, why are you so wet? Oh!" As soon as she touched her best mate's body, she was stunned. His body was as cold as the ice. How could he stand in such a heavy state?
Ron spoke breathing heavily, "We'll move him to the room upstairs. Madam Rosmerta, is there a vacant room?" he glanced back to the owner of the pub.
"I'm afraid there aren't any due to this weather, but I suppose you can bring him to her room, Miss Granger?" Madam Rosmerta asked Hermione.
"Sure. Ron, lay him on the floor and stand back. I'll do the charm." She pulled out her vine wand. As soon as Ron and Justin laid feeble Harry on the floor, she cast the spelling.
They watched him hover in the air and horrified to see bleeding badly from the wound on his back. Rosmerta ran up the stairs and arrived at the room before Harry was landed on the bed. She tore up the extra bed sheet and set it on the side table. When Harry was laid on the bed, Rosemerta and Hermione began removing his clothes.
"What the hell!" Ron groaned at the ghastly big scar crossing diagonally on the back of his best mate.
Hermione's gaze followed the scar and she gasped when she noticed his old scar, a big lightning scar on the left side of his chest.
Ron mumbled to her, "The one he got before he beat You Know Who."
Helping Rosmerta to bandage Harry's back, Hermione asked, "What happened to him?" Looking at the other bruises, old and new, she was nearly going to cry.
"He was swept away by the big wave while rescuing a girl. We could capture the remaining Death Eaters, but they seemed to have cast an unidentified curse around the spot we fought. Nobody had the gut as Harry. He did animagi and rescued the girl, but we couldn't save him faster. I was relieved when I heard he was found at the mouth of River Shiel, and Justin and I rushed to the place. Look at him. He is shivering. Is he okay?" Ron asked worried.
Harry had been shivering. Hermione asked Rosmerta. "Can you bring extra blankets for him?" While waiting for Rosmerta, she cast warming charm. She was afraid that his temperature would go up higher. She grabbed her beaded bag and pulled out a bottle of healing potion. She gently told Harry to turn his back to her. But he didn't answer and kept shivering so Ron and Justin supported him and turned his body carefully. Making sure if the bleeding was in the middle of subsiding, she peeled the blood-stained bandage and poured the potion over the big scar and the other bruises. Rosmerta helped her to tie the bandage around Harry's back and covered him with more blankets. When Hermione touched his forehead, she went pale. She had never felt a high fever on someone's body. Urgently, Hermione asked Rosmerta. "Are there any healers among the guest?"
"He is old, but I'll fetch him from downstairs." Rosemerta was leaving the room.
"Oh, wait. I'll send my Patronus message to Madam Pomfrey at Hogwarts." Ron shouted and pulled out his wand.
After seeing a silver Jack Russell Terrier leap away, Hermione asked, "Does your sister know about this?"
"Oh, I didn't think about it at all. Right, I'll send my message to Ginny as well." He closed his eyes and chanted the incantation.
Seeing Ron's second Patronus message, she didn't feel jealous of Lavender. She reckoned he must have imagined of his girlfriend, Lavender Brown when he summoned the silver Jack Russell. Her past feeling for him had already sublimated to something. But she felt uneasy when Ginny rushed into the room. It was a kind of unusual feeling. She felt like something important was snatched away against her will. She couldn't analyse what the feeling meant exactly. Ginny knelt down by the bed and murmured,
"Harry, can you hear me? I'm here." Her fingers swept his wet fringes to one side on the forehead.
At that moment, Harry seemed to be composed, but soon he began shivering again. Then the door banged open and Madam Pomfrey stormed in. Her grey hair was in disarray after she hastened to the pub in the stormy weather. Without minding her hat and raincoat dripping wet, she set her first-aid kit on the side table and took out a glass inhaler filled with purple liquid. She took a step closer to the bed and placed it on Harry's slightly opened mouth. She said,
"Drink it."
Unknown if he remained conscious or not at that moment, he drank it and Madam Pomfrey heaved a sigh to see his shivering stop.
"He'll be alright." She pulled her wand and did a check-up over his body. After finishing her examination, she said, "Miss Granger, I'm sure you know how to treat him after this. I suppose you did a good job on his wounds," She nodded towards the bandage and smiled. "I have to be back now, a few Hufflepuffs got injured at Quidditch. I'm glad I could meet you, brave graduates, again." Putting things away, she cast her gaze at Harry and said, "All you need now is sleep well. I'm very proud of you, . You keep fighting to save the weak." And she left.
"I'm leaving. I barely managed to slip out of the camp training in Wales. Let me know if his condition takes a sudden turn for the worse." Ginny kissed him on the forehead before she stood up.
"I'll see off my sister and we'll leave, too. We need to do some papers after the incidents. We'll come back to bring him to 's when his condition gets better. Justin?" Ron urged his fellow Auror to leave.
"Harry, we'll be back tomorrow." Justin talked to him and left with Ron.
Madam Rosmerta poured tea in a cup and put it on the side table. "I'm in the kitchen. Call me anytime you need me." And she left, too.
"Thank you, Madam Rosmerta." Hermione drew a wooden chair up to her and sat. Sipping hot tea, she inhaled an aroma of bergamot and tea leaves. Without her noticing it, the snow seemed to turn to the cold rain outside. Listening to the sound of the rain against the window, she dozed off. After a while, she woke up when Madam Rosemerta urged her to go to bed. She said,
"I set up a camp bed there. I'm sorry, I don't have an extra room tonight."
"Oh, it's okay. Thank you, Madam." Hermione thanked her. When Madam Rosemerta left, she removed her outer garments and slipped into bed. Instantly she fell into a deep sleep. She was not sure how many hours passed since then. When she woke up again, the fire was crackling in the hearth and her sleepy eyes searched for her best friend's figure on the bed. Then she was completely awaken when she saw him sit up on the bed. She crawled out of the bed and slipped on her robes and came up closer to him. Harry was staring at his reflection on the window. And his green eyes there stared back at her reflection on it. He slowly glanced back to her and asked,
"Who are you? Why am I here?"
Feeling odd at his first question, Hermione answered, "Ron and Justin were with you. Don't you remember?" An anxious feeling flitted through her mind. "How do you feel now, Harry?"
"Harry, is that my name, then?" Putting his hand onto the temple, he asked. Lit up with a candle light, the bruises on his face became distinct for her to see.
Without thinking, her hand reached into them and touched them. "Injured, you were carried here, Harry. I guess you might lose some memories after high fever. In hours or so, Ron and Justin will come back to take you to 's. You'll recover soon." She waited for his reply.
He let out an unclear voice, "Are you my girlfriend?"
Astounded by his question, she couldn't answer quickly. She couldn't figure out the reason why her heart suddenly began beating faster. She finally answered, "I'm not your girlfriend. Are you joking, Harry? I'm your best friend." She looked into his eyes. His beautiful green eyes were there.
"I can't remember anything. I don't know who I am. Please let me know your name, if you don't mind, Miss." He was serious. Impatience started to surface on his words. He clenched his fist on the blanket.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Harry. Please don't be panicked. You'll be alright." The thought to call Ron raced through her mind. "Don't you remember Ron? We were all Gryffindor House students at Hogwarts."
Harry frowned at her words and said, "No, I don't know him." And he continued, "I can't see your face clearly. My vision is blurry. Is this caused by the high fever?"
"Oh, you need this." She took a pair of spectacles from the display shelf above the hearth and handed it to him. "See? Do you remember me?" She expected the situation would get better. She hoped his amnesia was fleeting and she anticipated he would remember all when his vision came back. But his next words made her disappointed.
"Tell me about our school days, then. I may remember some." Wearing his glasses, he waited her next words on the bed. And he turned his eyes away when he recognized her lingerie exposed between the lined robes.
Embarrassed with his awareness, she pulled her robes and covered her breast. He had never reacted in that way in the past, it was not the first time for him to see her lingerie. They often wore only underwear while she cast drying charm on their clothes during the Horcrux hunt camp. Thinking if it would be better to send her Patronus message to Ron, she dismissed the idea. She thought Ron needed some sleep after the incident. Determined what to do next, she sat face to face with Harry on the bed. She said, "Okay. We met at the Hogwarts Express in our first year. You and Ron hit it off well together instantly. I was cheeky, a know-it-all girl. No girls liked me at that time. Only you two were my best friends. You rescued me from a troll in the dungeon. Erm…do you know trolls?" Hermione got nervous. She wondered if she had to begin telling all magical things like she tells to the young kids. Then she got relived when he started chuckling.
"His mucus was disgusting. His broken wand stuck in the ugly nose…"
"Yes, you two were my saviors. You remember Harry!"
Harry knitted his brows and said, "I remember there were a red haired boy who had freckles and a bushy haired girl…it was you?"
Upset, she said, "Yes, I was that girl. You remember the past fragmentarily. I think you'd better sleep. I should stop talking. Healers will do better than me. Ron and Justin will come back soon. You need rest." She helped him lie down and tugged the blanket around him.
Harry said, "Thank you…Miss?" He took off the pair of glasses. "I'm sorry, I can't remember your name."
She couldn't still believe his amnesia, but his desperate tone of voice made her feel pity and she took hold of his hand. She squeezed it to encourage him. "I am Hermione Granger. You'll remember all eventually."
A/N: I've been thinking to write about Harry/Hermione ship since I read J. K. Rowling 's comments about the ship. Though I'm not sure how to develop from here, I'll be back to this story later.
*1 : HP book 7 by J. K. Rowling
To earnest Hinny shipper readers: Please be kind to me. I'm a Hinny shipper, too. :)