A/N: Hey everybody, here's another one-shot. This one is more of unplanned story based off an idea that seemed like it could be more. Whatever happens happens. Story takes place 2003ish, about four years after the war. Now without further ado, on with the story!


Flashbacks


What do you do when you find out your best friend is cheating on the woman you loved but let go of for him? What do you do with this information? Oh and what about, if you're still in love with said woman you let go?

Harry sat in his office with his legs up on the desk thinking about all of this. His mind was a whirlwind. He had no idea what to do. He knew what he wanted to do, but what should he do? It could be a disaster no matter what. How do you go about that?

Harry had a few ideas but all of them seemed like a bad idea the more he thought about them.

He could tell Hermione what Ron was doing and hope she believed him. Or he could confront Ron about it. Both sounded like absolutely horrible ideas. Maybe he should make a list of his ideas and it would help organize everything.

Deciding that was what he was going to do he pulled his legs down and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. He also opened one of the drawer in his desk and pulled out a folder. Harry also turned on his laptop and went into his other files. He had pictures on his laptop as well as in the folder from the desk.

Opening the pictures on the computer and then the paper file he began to match everything up. No matter how many times he looked at it he couldn't imagine it, couldn't believe it. But you don't ask a question unless you want to know the answer. This just wasn't the answer he thought he would get.

"Hey JJ, how ya doing?" Harry and the other man gripped hands and bumped shoulders while patting the other on the back.

"Good Harry, I'm good. A little shocked you needed my help, last I checked you were a pretty good detective yourself." His friend laughed.

"Well thank you. And you're right I normally wouldn't need help for this sort of thing but I can't investigate this."

"Why? Are you too close to it?" JJ questioned.

"Well, this isn't a formal investigation, it's a private thing that I just want to get to the bottom of. Problem is I would be noticed if I try to follow this one." He explained.

"Ah I'm starting to get the picture. Alright what do you need me to do?"

"I need you to find any dirt on this guy that you can." Harry reached into his pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a picture.

JJ took it and looked it over, reading the caption on the bottom. "Ronald Weasley, so what am I looking for?"

"I need to know what he's up to. He's acting strange and distant, I wanna know why." Harry explained.

"Either you don't trust your friend very much or you just don't care about privacy." Harry met JJ's eye and JJ could see the answer. "You don't trust him."

"He's a close friend but no at this present time I don't. I have some ideas running through my head and I don't like them."

"There's more to this isn't there?" JJ deduced.

"I never would've investigated this but I had a case. It was from a husband. He wanted to see if his wife was up to something. And normally I wouldn't take that sorta case but there was just something about it. I investigated it and what are the odds. I find my friend meeting with the wife. And normally it wouldn't look too fishy but they were looking around making sure they weren't being watched. Something more is going on. And I can't find anything else out without help." Harry pulled another picture out of his pocket of the wife and handed it to JJ.

"I see, alright. I'll see what I can dig up and do some investigating and get back to you. I gotta go but I'll talk to you soon Harry." JJ folded the pictures up and put them in his pocket before turning and walking away.

That was a week and a half ago. This afternoon he found out the results of his digging.

His phone was ringing in the other room. Jogging into the office, he picked up the phone and answered once he saw who it was.

"Hey JJ, what'd ya find?" He answered.

"No how are you doing? Or how's your day? Really?" The person on the other side said sarcastically.

"JJ, your stalling. What happened?" Harry demanded.

"Well, your not gonna like it. But here it is, I'm going to send you over some pictures and documents alright?" Harry moved over to his laptop and turned it on before going to his email.

"Alright I'm in my email."

"Ok, just sent it." A few seconds after he said that there was a ding.

"So you wanna tell me what's going on?" Harry asked as he opened the email and downloaded the attachments.

"So I started tailing him two days after you reached out. You were right, they were meeting and there was certainly something more going on. And let me just give you a hint, they were not meeting as friends." Harry narrowed his eyes in response to what JJ said. What the hell did that mean?

Opening the downloaded pictures, he opened the first one. It was the woman and Ron, sitting on a bench in a park. And Ron had his arm around the back of the bench behind her. Opening the second one on top of the first, he found one of the woman kissing Ron's check. Next was one of them holding hands while walking. Then it was one of them having lunch at an outdoor café. Then one of them walking into a hotel room together holding hands and smiling. Another of the kissing under a tree in a park.

The more Harry saw the more pissed he was getting. "Harry, buddy you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here." He growled out.

"I'm faxing you some documents as well." JJ replied.

"Alright." Harry stood when he heard his fax start printing and went over to it. He waited for all the papers to finish printing which ended up being four of them. Taking them back to his desk he sat back down and spread them out reading them.

"You can match them up with pictures, both have dates. From what I can tell this isn't either of their first times. They've done it at least once before. Thou I was able to find something else on your friend." JJ went on.

"What is it?" Harry demanded. What could possibly be worse than this, he thought.

"I just faxed it over." He paused obviously waiting for Harry to retrieve it. He began after a second "So apparently Ronald Weasley has been arrested before. Nearly three months ago, for public intoxication. I'd imagine this may have been when the problems started because according to the report Mister Weasley told the police that he was at a bar the night prior and wound up with at a hotel room with a woman. Next morning he was just trying to get back home. He was put in the drunk tank for a few hours before he was bailed out. He-." JJ continued only to be interrupted.

"Wait, who bailed him out?" Harry cut in.

"Woman by the name of Samantha Blake. Apparently she vouched for his story and attempted to post bail but it turned out she didn't have to. After she vouched for him, he was let off with a warning. It went on his record but no fine or jail time." JJ explained.

"Samantha Blake was the name of the wife I was investigating and from the pictures it looks like her. So I would guess Ron was why she was acting distant and Samantha was the reason he was." He sighed.

"That would be a safe assumption. Sorry buddy."

"It's fine, at least I know now. Thank you JJ. I appreciate it."

"No problem, that's what friends are for. Hope everything works out in the end. Talk to you soon."

"Thanks. Talk to you soon." Harry wished him goodbye and ended the call.

He returned his attention to the photos and the documents. Now what?

For the past five hours Harry's been going over every angle, trying to find some way to deal with this.

"I need to take a break. This isn't doing me any good." He mumbled. Getting up he left everything on his desk and left made his way to his office fireplace. Where he floo'd to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch.

Barely five minutes later the floo activated again. The green fire lit and someone stepped out.

"Harry? You here? Harry?" Hermione called before looking around the office.

"Well maybe he has a meeting or something listed on his desk." She walked over to the desk and on to the other side of it sifting through the papers. While shuffling the papers she knocked the touch pad on the laptop, causing the screen to light up. Surprised by the light from the screen she looked at the screen.

There were a several photos open on the screen several photos overlaping another.

"What the hell?" Hermione mumbled. Taking a closer look at the photos she couldn't believe her eyes. Tearing her eyes away from the screen, she looked down at the papers in her hand, skimming them for an explanation. She only managed to find more questions and almost no answers. One of the papers caught attention even more than the rest. It was a police report. Why did Harry have a police report? Hermione thought. Reading the report she was confronted with more questions. What was going on here?

"What was Harry doing here?" She whispered.

She shifted her gaze back to the laptop screen, sifting through the photos.

"No. No that's not possible. He wouldn't do that. This is a mistake." She focused on the photos and decided it would be best to just wait here until Harry got back. Though she wasn't exactly happy about it.

It was about thirty minutes later that the floo lit again. Harry stepped out and turned to his desk to return to what he was doing before he left but was stopped in his tracks when he spotted someone sitting in his desk chair.

Standing the person glared at him and spoke. "You want to explain this Harry?" She gestured to the laptop and the documents on the desk.

"Not particularly." He was not looked forward to this conversation.

"Well I'm not giving you a choice! I want to know what the hell is going on?!"

"How much did you see?" He asked in return.

"The pictures, the police report, the other papers. Tell me Harry, what are you doing?" She exclaimed.

"I was just investigating a theory. Okay?" He sighed.

"Why did you have a theory that Ron was cheating to begin with?! Don't you trust him?" She asked incredulously.

"He was acting strange and distant, and I hated thinking that of him but look, I was right. And as for trusting him, of course I do it's just I didn't want to take the chance." Harry explained.

"So you tailed him and investigated him? That's you solution? Why not just ask him?" She was pissed.

"Well technically 'I' didn't tail him. And I didn't ask him because you don't ask someone that type of question. You not going to get an honest answer."

"What do you mean you didn't tail him?! Who did?! As for not getting an honest answer, why not give him the benefit of the doubt? He's your friend your supposed to trust him!" She was close to yelling now.

"I had a friend do it okay? Either way It doesn't matter. And benefit of the doubt?! It was a theory and I ran with it okay and I'm glad I did or nobody might ever know!"

"A theory? A theory that ruined my relationship! You ruined it!"

"I didn't ruin it, he did! I care more about you then about your relationship! If there was even the possibility of you getting hurt I wanted to stop it! I saved you from getting your heartbroken!"

"WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH ANYWAY HUH?!" She screamed at him.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" He shouted right back. His eyes widened and he covered his mouth when he realized what he said. Her face went slack and her jaw dropped. Figuring he might as well continue he finished. "And I care about you, I-I didn't want to see you get your heart broken because trust me, I know what it's like. You don't deserve that." He finished his declaration quietly though they both heard it as if it was shouted.

She nodded but it seemed like a more reflexive response than anything else. She wouldn't met his eyes and she walked towards the fireplace and activated the floo.

"Hermione?" He tried, but she totally ignored him and disappeared into the green fire.

Harry looked away from the fireplace and made his way to his desk before dropping into his chair, frustrated.

"WHY?!" He shouted to the empty room.


It's been about a week since Harry had spoken to Hermione though not for a lack of trying. He tried every way he could think of to contact her but she never replied or answered. He even went by her place a couple times only to turn up empty.

The morning of the seventh day, the floo activated. Harry looked on hopeful that it would be Hermione, but it was Ron that stepped out of the green fire.

"Harry, you need to get to St. Mungos now!" Ron claimed frantically.

"Why?" Harry was cautious as he had every reason to be.

"It's Hermione!" That got Harry moving. Rom was already turning and was back through the floo barely a second before Harry.

Arriving at St. Mungos Harry ran over to reception and asked for the room with Hermione in it.

"I need the room with Hermione Granger in it." He said urgently.

"I'm sorry sir but I can't release that information." She droned not even looking up.

Slamming his hand down on the counter he caused her to jump and look at him. Eyes flashing he power he seethed. "I'm Harry bloody Potter, I'm on her emergency contact list and I want to know where my best friend is! Now!"

Crap, thought the receptionist. Going through the files she found the one on Miss Granger. "Fourth floor the Spell Damage Ward, room 79."

"Thanks." Harry replied quickly before practically sprinting towards the inter hospital floo. Where he ran straight into it and called out his destination not even stopping before running down the hall looking at each door number. Once he reached the correct room, Ron was trying to catch up but failing miserably.

Harry slowed to a stop and opened the door slowly before stepping in. Taking in the room, he saw a healer was talking with Hermione and explaining everything. Hermione herself was sitting in the bed, listening. Once the healer heard the door open, he stopped talking and turned to the door.

"Ah Lord Potter, glad you could make it." The healer greeted.

"Why wasn't I informed as soon as she arrived?" That was the question weighing on Harry's mind. He was on her emergency contact list.

"We were going to but Mister Weasley said the you were busy and didn't want to be disturbed and that he would inform you. Which I can see that he has." The healer looked a bit a taken back by the question.

"I was not busy, and even if I was I don't care, you contact ME! I am on that list for a reason. I don't care if I'm meeting with the bloody Queen, I want to know! Nobody has a right to tell you not to contact me except her. Understood?" He glared at the healer. The healer looked like he pissed his pants but he frantically nodded.

"Understood. So I'm Healer Stevens and I was just talking to Miss Granger about what happened." Healer Stevens explained.

"Mind telling me? Because I would like to know too."

"Oh no no no, I do not want some stranger to know what happened. Why was he even allowed in here?" Hermione cut in causing both Harry and Healer Stevens to face her. At her words, they both paled before whipping to look at each other.

"Um, Stevens?"

"Yeah?"

"What the hell is going on?" Harry asked in the calmest voice he could muster. At that moment, Ron burst in.

"Oh Ron please get this strange man out of here!" Hermione exclaimed once she saw Ron.

"What the hell?" Ron repeated while moving over to stand by Hermione's bed.

"Harry?" Ron inquired

"Doc?" Harry asked.

"Um, well she seemed fine. Although I'm seriously questioning that now. Hm. Miss Granger, do you recognize the people in this room?"

"I know Ron and you but I've never met the other man before." She supplied, looking at between the three men.

"Okay definitely not fine." Harry directed at the healer.

"What's going on?!" Hermione exclaimed looking at between Ron and the healer for an answer.

"It seems your suffering from memory loss Miss Granger. I think it would be best if I got a healer experienced in this field over here. I'll be right back." Healer Stevens excused himself and left the room.

"Ron I feel fine. I don't have any trouble remembering anything why would I have memory loss? That's ridiculous!" She questioned Ron. This whole thing was hurting Harry more than ever. To think that she didn't remember him and may never.

A few minutes later a different healer entered before closing the door. She went over to stand by the counter and did a quick look of the file before turning to them.

"Hello Lord Potter, Mister Weasley, Miss Granger, I am Healer Carter and I specialize in memory problems. So what seems to be the problem?" She directed the last sentence at Hermione.

"Well for one, I don't want a stranger listening in on this conversation and personally I don't think there is a problem." Hermione explained.

"Um who is the stranger your referring to Miss Granger?" Healer Carter questioned.

"That man." Hermione answered while pointing a finger in Harry's direction.

"Hm I'm beginning to see the problem. Miss Granger do you think I can run a quick diagnostic spell on you?"

"I'm fine but if you must." Hermione agreed. The healer toke out her wand and moved over it over Hermione mumbling something.

Once she finished she spoke. "Yes, its as I feared. Someone cast a memory charm on her, well at least attempted to. That doesn't seem to have been done correctly, obviously it targeted Lord Potter but I don't think it was meant to completely erase him from her memories, which is what it did." She explained. And Harry could've swore he saw a flash of guilt cross Ron's face but decided to let it slide, for now.

"Wait are you telling me, I'm supposed to know someone that I don't? Who?" Hermione looked floored.

"Me." Harry supplied looking at her. He looked her in the eye but there was no recognition in her eyes.

"Yes it is indeed Lord Potter, or as you knew him Harry." The healer confirmed.

"How do we fix it?" Ron cut in.

"Well to be honest, it may never be fixed. Botched memory charms are hard to come back from especially in this proportion. But there is a possibility. I would suggest getting to know each other again, maybe share some memories of Lord Potter and your time together. Things like that. As I said it may never come back but I would say give it a try but still make the attempt to make new memories." She paused before turning to direct Hermione.

"I can see that you are skeptical and aren't really considering actually trying to make the effort. But Miss Granger I advise you to do so. From what I know of the bond between you two, it was strong, you were close. I wouldn't give that up so easily. But that is my opinion, in the end it's you choice and you have to live with the consequences, just remember even if you don't remember him it doesn't mean he doesn't matter to you. Good day everyone. Remember what I said." The healer finished and left the room closing the door behind her. Ron didn't particularly like what the healer had implied.

"So… now what?" Harry questioned looking between the other two in the room.

"Well, Lord Potter is it?" Hermione started and continued once he nodded. "Now you go back to your everyday life and we go back to ours. No offense to you but I don't think I could've forgotten someone as important as the doctor said you apparently were. So, I would prefer if we just went our separate ways." Hermione finished, her words leaving Harry shocked to the bone not believing what she was suggesting.

"Um th-that's wha-what you want?" Harry stumbled over his words.

Glancing at Ron she replied. "Yes."

"Okay, well um I know since you don't remember you don't owe me anything but I just- I need you to promise me something."

Shifting, she nodded unsure. Giving Harry the ability to finish. "I need you to promise me that no matter what you'll be happy and that you won't regret anything."

Still unsure, she replied. "Already done."

Nodding, Harry glanced at Ron before lowering his eyes and turning and leaving the room.


A Year Later

Once Hermione told him to go back to his everyday life, he made sure that was exactly what he didn't do. Instead, Harry Potter appointed a proxy for the Potter and Black seats and left Britain. He picked up his life and went to visit his friend JJ in Canada. It was meant to be a little vacation except when a vacation is over you leave. Harry never left, he officially moved to Canada and worked with his friend JJ.

The only people from Britain that Harry kept in contact with was Andromeda Tonks, the grandmother of his godson and his proxy and another close friend.

That is until he received a letter one day out of the blue.

I broke my promise. I regret telling you to leave.

That was all it said, no name but then again Harry didn't need one. He knew who it was from. Maybe there was luck for him yet.

"What do you do when you leave someone you love and have the chance to make things right?"

"You don't hesitant."


A/N: Well this one-shot has come to an end. I don't really know what I think of it. No planning went into this and it may not be the best there is but I enjoyed writing it. Hope you enjoy reading it. Support is always appreciated Happy Reading!

Update A/N: Looking back, I realized I left quite a bit open ended. So I'm thinking about changing this from a one-short to a short story. I'm leaning towards changing it, if you want to weigh in on this, drop a review and let me know what you think. -DS.