Memory
It had been like this since her son had asked this girl to marry him and she'd said yes. Her daughter-in-law-to-be sat in the kitchen of The Burrow. An untouched cup of tea was in front of her. An orange tabby jumped up on the table, begging for attention, but to no avail.
"At least eat something, Hermione," Molly Weasley urged in her motherly fashion. That was her typical method of comforting her family, blood and chosen: food. Hermione made no move to do so.
History would call it the Second Wizarding War. Muggles probably wouldn't call it anything, having been unaware that anything larger was going on outside their own sphere. They'd never connected everything that had escalated in the last several years as having been anything more than random.
However, for those involved, it was like picking up after a nuclear disaster had wiped out everything. People were realizing how precious life and personal connections were now. Ron and Hermione were no different. As soon as You-Know-Who had been defeated by Harry, the trio had come back here and stayed. So many people close to them had fallen. People they'd known as teachers, daughters, sons, mentors and extended family only waved at them from pictures now.
She'd overheard their conversation after they'd come home as she'd overheard many in her house over the years. It had been the best way to keep her family in line, especially the twins. Her heart tugged a bit at that memory.
She remembered the overheard conversation now. She'd peeked in the living room, just to check on the teens. Harry had fallen asleep on the couch in Ginny's lap, emotionally exhausted. Only Ron and Hermione had been awake.
"I… I was thinking… so many people have died, and maybe, you know, we shouldn't wait and all that… Anyway, I like—love—you a lot and I know you feel the same way and-"he'd stammered.
Hermione had taken Ron's hands in hers to steady him. She saw the girl kiss her son.
"Yes, I'll marry you, you blithering idiot!" she'd said.
Molly's thought had been "Finally." Her son had come to his senses and realized what had been in front of him since the first day he'd met her.
Hermione Granger had always been as smart as a whip. Ron could be a little slow on the uptake sometimes. Hermione had always kept him on track.
This Hermione, however, was a mess. The core of her problem was the wedding. She knew the girl was not getting cold feet. If anything, the girl's feet were the firmest-planted things in the now-upside-down world. It was her heart that was broken.
The two people she wanted most at her wedding didn't even remember that she existed. Molly knew that her future daughter-in-law was now cursing her magical knowledge and skills. What good was magic when you couldn't have your own parents at your wedding? Hopefully, when Arthur came home he'd have a solution.
"Anything yet, Mum?" asked Ron, his expression worried.
"Nope," she said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Ron turned beet red.
"Mum! I'm eighteen!" he scolded.
"Sorry," said Molly. "A Mum can't kiss her boy? But give her time. We'll figure out a way to help her parents remember."
"How about St. Mungo's? Are they too full up or could they handle another case?"
"They might or might not be able to help them," Molly replied, thinking of that poor handsome Mr. Lockhart who had been a Hogwarts teacher. Memory was a tricky thing.
In the end, it had been not only her son's wand, but the teacher's spell that had been Mr. Lockhart's undoing. It was a shame that he had been such a fraud. He couldn't remember his way out of a paper bag, much less his own name now.
Arthur strode into The Burrow, and his hand on the family clock changed from "work" to "home". None of her family's hands on the clock ever changed to "mortal peril" anymore. Thank goodness.
Molly took her husband aside.
"Any luck? Did you find anything out?"
"Yes, and no, love," he said.
"What is it?"
"It's the light side of the Imperius Curse, combined with a memory charm. It's most effective with three, and it's best augmented by love," he said.
"I'll talk to Ron," Molly said.
"And I'll send Harry an owl so he can come home early from the Ministry; he'll want to help."
Molly opened the door to a disheveled Harry. He looked as though he'd received her husband's owl, and flown like the wind.
"I came as soon as I got you husband's owl," he said.
"I was afraid of that," said Molly. "Get in."
She sat Harry down. He knew better than to move while she warmed some stew over the stove. He had always been like another son to her; he had become more so since he and Ginny had become engaged. Molly had hoped for a double wedding. It would have been terribly romantic.
Both Ginny and Harry had said no, stating that they didn't want to spoil Ron and Hermione's big day. Harry had also said it would be awkward being both groom and best man all in one go. Molly thought they just wanted a day for themselves, and perhaps that was true as well.
She set the stew in front of him.
"Thanks," he said before tucking in.
Soon, Ginny sat down in front of Harry. Molly left them alone. There would be time later for her husband to brief Harry.
Ron had been excited that there was a solution to his bride-to-be's problem. He'd been eager to tell Hermione, but agreed that telling her right now was not a good idea. She was too emotionally fragile. It would be best to wait a few days, then tell her when she was calmer. Magic performed when distraught was as bad as letting your anger get the better of you. Hermione would understand the logic.
Hermione had thrown herself into wedding preparations, and Molly had let her. The more distracted Hermione was, the less she would think about her dilemma. It would give everyone time to plan for every contingency so that the intricate combination of spells had no chance of going awry.
"The best way," said Arthur. "Is to cast it in layers. It's not the Imperius curse; the first layer of the enchantment is more of a catalyst. It lays the groundwork for the memory spell."
"I wish it were permanent," said Ron.
Harry placed his hand on Ron's shoulder. "It's better than nothing, mate. If all goes right, it should at least last until a day after they get home."
"I don't like that we have to kidnap them," said Molly.
"I don't think it counts if they don't remember it later, Molly," said Arthur.
"Thanks for helping out," Ron said to Harry.
"Consider it a wedding present," he replied. They hugged each other, then backed away awkwardly. Molly grinned. Her son's ears were as red as his hair.
Hermione wouldn't stop crying. Molly was ironing the girl's wedding dress magically, her wand moving midair, the dress swishing back and forth. It didn't need it. It had taken everything not to tell her about the spells.
It had seemed cruel not to tell the girl that her parents would be at her wedding in their full faculties, at least temporarily. However, it was feared that worry would overtake love if she knew too soon.
"Where did the boys go for the stag party?" asked Hermione.
"They didn't tell me," said Molly, making the wand stop, floating a hanger over to the dress, and floating the dress on the hanger into the closet. She put the matching shoes under the bed. She knew full well where they boys had gone instead of having a bachelor party.
The plan was that Arthur, Harry, and Ron would go to the Granger's house, magically sedate them, and then Apparate back to The Burrow. Molly heard them come home. Hermione was running down the stairs before she could be stopped.
"MERLIN'S BEARD, RONALD WEASLEY! WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE?!" Molly heard the girl shout.
Molly got to the bottom of the stairs and put her hands on Hermione's shoulders. Ginny had been awakened by the noise and was blearily rubbed her eyes, which got big and wide when she saw Hermione's unconscious parents on the living room floor.
Harry saved the day by putting his hand on Hermione's arm, saying, "You said you needed something old for your wedding, so we got it for you. Ta-da!"
Hermione started giggling. Molly wasn't sure if it was because of the situation or what Harry had said. Soon, everyone was laughing with her.
After everyone stopped, Harry and Arthur explained what needed done to make the combination of spells successful.
"I think we have plenty of love to make it happen," said Hermione, tears of joy in her eyes.
Molly took her husband's hand and sat at the edge of the living room. Ginny sat with them. They watched together as Harry, Ron, and Hermione layered the spells together.
Hermione hadn't wasted any time with her parents. She'd let Molly and her mother fuss over her the next morning without complaint. Soon, Ginny, and Luna, her bridesmaids, had joined in.
Soon, it was almost time for the wedding. Molly and Mrs. Granger took their seats with the rest of the guests outside. She sat next to Arthur. He took her hand in his and squeezed it affectionately. Molly clutched her handkerchief in her other hand.
Harry and Ron were at the front, and she was just close enough to hear their conversation.
"You nervous, mate?" asked Harry.
"More like terrified," her son replied.
"Don't be," Harry said. "It can only get better."
Just then, the wedding march began and all eyes were on the bride as she walked down the aisle on her father's arm.