Obliviate

"That can't be right!"

Going home was… weird.

And I don't mean the kind of weird that involves an odd person in bright colors singing some random song at the top of her lungs.

I mean the awkward kind of weird.

In fact most of the next few days were really awkwardly-weird.

My brother's were constantly retelling me stories of growing up with them which just confused me even more because you would think I would remember something like beating Ron over the head with a cucumber.

But I don't!

Or at least I didn't…

I kind of do now.

But maybe it's just an image I formed myself from their graphic retelling.

But anyways the house was always so quite.

Mum told me at one point it never reached a level even semi-close to quite but since all her children had left and lived by themselves now it's almost intolerably silent unless we're having a family gathering.

Right back to my brothers.

They taught me about quidditch and the fact that I could kick all their butts at it (but probably not Harry's). And they even dragged me to a game once. I remembered being so excited and we had such good seats. (Ron had said we'd got them through a friend. I later learned that Harry is pretty much the only friend Ron has.)

I was so consumed in the game and the idea of flying. I was excited when Ron's team, the Canons, won when the seeker make this really spectacular catch.

I especially remember later when my brother's dragged me back to the locker rooms and the above mentioned seeker just happened to appear and talk to us.

Turned out I'd met him before. Of course it had to be wonder-boy from the hospital.

He was just as nice, and quiet, as he was the last time I'd met him. He introduced himself just as he had done, which was pointless because of course I remembered him.

He didn't kiss me then, though.

Unfortunately. It would have made things much simpler.

But he was very nice.

Ron spent the whole time looking like a total idiot trying to give Harry suggestively pointed glances. I just pretended he was having gas problems.

It was a bit weird when I started laughing at one of his extremely odd faces.

Harry and Ron didn't look amused.

"You did really great," Charlie said grinning, "I think Mum's comparison between us is a bit far fetched."

Harry just gave a little half smile and a face that severely doubted his abilities.

"He's right you're very good. But then again what do I know," I said truthfully.

At this though Harry acted like he'd received a real complement. He smiled widely. "Thanks Gin."

I smiled. That seemed too familiar even at the time. Maybe I knew more than I thought.

"You've called me that before."

"Yeah," Ron blurted out as Harry smiled again, "It's pretty much all he's called you since you guys went out."

My eyes got wide.

I think Harry's did too but I couldn't tell because he hung his head and his fringe fell down blocking his eyes.

"M-me and…" I sputtered.

"Yes Ginny, you dated 'oh famous one' here," the one with the earring muttered trying to stop Ron from talking. "But that was ages ago."

I smiled. That explained a lot. There was no need for anything else.

Ron, though, thought there was.

"They more than dated," he added turning to the earring'd brother again.

Harry put a hand on his neck still looking at the ground, as if it covered him up, and let out an exasperated sound.

The twins took this as a time when it would be necessary to shut Ron up and found a silencing spell the perfect way of doing it.

The idea of my relationship with Harry being more than just a few innocent dates a couple years back had my head spinning.

What kind of girl had I been? Surely we'd never done more!

We hadn't. But for the longest time I thought that we had.

Turns out Ron just lets words step all over him.

Despite the confusion with my brothers I discovered a new friendship with their wives and girlfriends and Hermione. Turns out some of these new friendships were older than I'd thought; Hermione and I had shared a room for pretty much ever summer since before I'd started at Hogwarts.

I took some time at my mom's family gathering about a week after I'd come home to quiz Hermione on the real facts of my past.

"Hermione?" I had asked once we were alone.

She had smiled. There was no need for questions.

"Oh Ginny this is about Harry isn't it?"

I nodded. "I know it's a bit weird, me hardly knowing you and all but… no one else seems fit to answer."

"Ginny you and Harry were," she paused searching for the right words, "on a break I guess you could say."

I looked at her as if she was an elephant. "So we were… together?"

Her eyes widened. "Oh no not like that. Or at least I don't think so but you were… waiting (I don't think that's the word I'm looking for) for the opportune moment."

"So we never actually dated?

"Oh no. You did, but Harry had… things to do. So you took a break." She was having trouble with her words. I could tell by the look on her face that unlike with Ron this was a rare occurrence.

"But then I…"

"Yes you got… detained. But you'd been so patient waiting for him so now he had to do the same for you. You could tell there was so much on his mind but Ginny he pushed it all aside for you. He visited you all the time, at least once or twice a week, sometimes more. He did so much always helping your mum. He got a job and pulled himself together for when you would wake-up," she looked like a proud sister. "Harry may be missing a lot of things but loyalty isn't one of them. And when me and Ron told him you woke up He was so excited we couldn't bring ourselves to tell him that you… that you-"

"Didn't remember him," I finished. It all made sense.

"Yes. It would have killed him," she looked upset. "Of course him finding out was inevitable but we thought all his work should have paid off. Even if it was just for a moment."

"So when he…?"

"Yes he came over after he talked to you. He looked like a lost puppy."

She told me about his heartbreak and how he thought he should become scarce for the next few days. "For your sake," she had said. "Of course he didn't say that, though. But he unknowingly screamed heartbreak Ginny. The boy may have trouble with words and feelings but he forgets that they're written all over his face."

I remembered the hospital. I remembered the looks he gave me telling me that he had so much to say and yet I still remembered him being very quite. But I remembered something else.

I remembered catching glances and throwing smiles at him from the common room while he was looking.

I remembered asking him questions he never seemed to answer, just like the one I asked at the hospital about us, but I knew what he meant. I remembered him walking away and feeling so upset that he would rather loose me than just tell me.

"Does he ever just say what he wants?"

She shook her head. "No but sometimes you can force him to."

I looked at her doubtfully. The idea of me ever being able to force the gorgeous and shy Harry Potter to say anything was almost laughable.

In fact it was laughable.

So I laughed.

Hermione just shook her head at me as if this wasn't a rare occurrence when having a conversation with Ginny Weasley.

Which is my name in case you forgot.

"Ginny you may think it sounds silly but you… you have powers over that boy. He'd do anything to help you, even if it causes him pain," she was serious and I felt inappropriate for laughing.

"So are you trying to tell me that Harry Potter is head over heels in love with me, that we went out and that we were planning to get back together?"

"Well I don't know about the head over heels part but… yeah," she shrugged.

I sat slowly down on the sofa, in shock.

"So what should I do about it?"

She looked at me as if I was a half written paper on slugs.

I hoped that meant she was going to tell me.