Disclaimer: I do not own HP or associated.

A/N: as I said in my other story I did not forget! I was in California and this one hadn't been edited so I had to wait for my beta to read it before I could post it. And yes I am setting this up for a sequel story...I think...I hope. Hermione2be

Chapter 8: Family History

Over the next week Harry noticed the awkwardness between Ginny, Ron, and Hemione. Ginny always looked ready to crack and seemed less than friendly towards Hermione. Ron kept giving Harry and Ginny funny looks that were a mix of anger, sadness, and loss. Hermione seemed bored with everything, even books. It was driving Harry about as mad as it was Ginny. One could only guess who would crack first.

They all sat doing their homework in the Common Room. It was the Friday before a Hogsmeade trip (Saturday) and Halloween (Sunday). It was late, almost midnight, and the Gryffindor Common Room was empty except for the Harry and his friends. The fire and the scratching of quills was all that filled the silence of the room.

"Okay," Harry said throwing down his quill in frustration, "What is going on with all of you?" Ron opened his mouth but Harry cut him off, "And don't you dare lie to me!" Ron closed his mouth with a snap. Nobody made any noise, "Well?" Harry asked looking at each in turn.

"Hermione knows something," Ginny said, her voice was laced with irritation, "about why I'm sharing your memories."

"And I was told by Dumbledore not to tell," Hermione said looking at Ron for help.

"It's not a logical explanation," Ron said quietly, "It's a magical one. And it's more a problem than a solution."

"You told Ron? But you won't tell us?" Ginny said angrily.

"Well if the Headmaster said," Harry started slowly, "Then it's probably for the best that we don't know."

"Like hell!" Ginny yelled furiously standing up and closing her eyes. Ginny picked through the file of the Headmaster and sent it to Harry. ::The Prophecy; every end of the year meeting; explanations; fifth years Ministry incident; Harry throwing things::

"Harry! Ginny!" Hermione shouted as Ginny and Harry simultaneously collapsed. Ron jumped as they landed on top of one another.

"Their still breathing," Ron said, "but what happened?"

"I don't know..." Hermione whispered.

Harry woke up to the sound of voices too distorted to understand. He slowly started to move grabbing for his glasses they were on the bedside table. Harry put them on only to find he wasn't where he wanted to be, he was once again in the Hospital Wing.

"But what happened to them Albus?" a voice pleaded.

'That's McGonagall,' Harry thought hazily.

"Alas, Minerva we have the last two mysterious magics at work on Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley," an elderly voice said whimsically.

'Dumbledore,' Harry thought, an odd feeling rising in his chest.

"What is that Headmaster?" Madam Pomfrey asked quietly.

"The magic of memories," Dumbledore said, "and the magic of love."

'What are they talking about?' Harry thought his mind not processing everything.

"You can't be serious Albus," McGonagall's voice cracked slightly, "they are so young."

"Love has no time set," Dumbledore said amusement in his voice, "I believe that an eleven year old James Potter knew that he loved young Lily Evans from the moment they met. We don't know how long it may take but by no means is love set by a clock."

"How many times have you seen a Potter boy come through here?" Madam Pomfrey asked the elderly man.

"Many times Poppy," Dumbledore sighing at the memory, "black messy hair, glasses. The only thing that changed every time was the eye color. And of course how long it took them to find that certain red head. I've been here so long that I saw the last set of Potter twins. Marie and Joseph, they were three years ahead of me. Joseph went on to marry Anna Bones they had the next Potter, Gene. And Marie went on to marry a muggle, they never had a child."

"I've been here for years and I think I've seen more Weasleys than any other one family," McGonagall said letting a small laugh escape, "But Ms. Weasley is the only girl Weasley I've ever meet."

"There was one six years before you started school and another in my year," Dumbledore said as the girls all took a small intake of breath, "Yes I am quite old and I've seen them all."

Harry's mind was still trying to remember it all, "I must be dreaming," Harry whispered, lightly get out of the hospital bed. He didn't land as quietly as he had hoped.

"Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey was looking at Harry disapprovingly, "you should not be out of bed."

"I'm fine Madam Promfrey," he replied irritably.

"Fine my foot Mr. Potter. When two students collapse for no reason they are not f..."

"Two? Who else collapsed?"

"Ms. Weasley did," McGonagall answered.

"Harry what do you remember?" Dumbledore asked.

"About what?"

"Everything," Dumbledore said, "about your life and the last weeks?"

Harry looked strangely at the Professor then his eyes went wide, "I...I remember everything. How..."

"I don't know," Dumbledore answered the unasked question, "what happened before you passed out?"

"Me, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were arguing about you Professor," Harry said slowly, "I really ticked Ginny off when I said that if you didn't want us to know then it was probably for the better. She yelled then closed her eyes and forced all the memories involving you into my head. Then I woke up here." Dumbledore was quiet.

"Mr. Potter get back in bed," Madam Pomfrey ordered.

"Let him go Poppy," Dumbledore said as the nurse looked scandalized, "there is nothing you can do for him or Ms. Weasley."

"At least she is still sleeping." Madam Pomfrey said like it made things better.

"Actually," said Harry, "she woke when I landed less than gracefully on my feet." Dumbledore sent him a questioning look, "she was trying to remember why she was in here and thought that I might have know. So she went through my memories just to remember that she forced me to remember too much and we both passed out." Harry looked across the Hospital Wing, "am I right?"

"No," Ginny said defiantly.
As Harry and Ginny walked back to the Common Room it was about three in the morning. In seven hours students would wake to go to Hogsmeade. Madam Pomfrey said that three hours was not a proper stay after fainting, but Dumbledore told her she could not hold them. So she took twenty minutes of their time to give each a once over. Then they were sent away to go straight to the Gryffindor Tower to sleep.

They walked in silence until they reached the fifth floor when Harry said, "Thanks."

"For what?" Ginny asked surprised.

"For making me remember," Harry said.

"I was going to say sorry for getting so angry," Ginny said.

"How much did you hear of the conversation that the teachers were having?" Harry asked.

"When McGonagall asked Dumbledore what was wrong with us," Ginny answered.

"So you hear all of it?" Ginny nodded, "I wonder what it all meant..."

"Hermione and my brother know."

"Don't blame them for this."

"I don't, I blame magic..." Ginny faltered thinking about what Dumbledore had said.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked scaring both of them out of thought.

"Mackled Malaclaw," Harry answered. The portrait swung opened and Harry and Ginny got into the Common Room only to be stopped in their tracks by the scene. There on the couch was Ron and Hermione. Ron sat against the armrest his arms around Hermione. Hermione leaned into him, her head on his chest and her hands on his arms. A content smile on each of their faces.

Harry and Ginny gave each other quizzical looks and smiled. They whispered goodnight to each other and headed for their respective dorms. Ginny and Harry went to bed each thinking about Hermione and Ron and what Dumbledore has said.