When they walked into the town they couldn't help noticing that some of the townsfolk nodding to them and tipping their hats to them.
A young lady came running up to them and kissed Hermione on the cheek.
"There you are, dear Hermione. Did you enjoy your walk? Oh! Who is this? Where did you pick up such fine gentlemen, Miss Granger? Your father will not be pleased if he sees you with these gentlemen."
"She suffered a fall on her walk and we happened across her. She cannot remember a thing. She barely remembers who she is."
"May I beg a name from you sir?"
"I am Mr Potter and my companion is my old friend Mr Weasley. Do you know where she lives? She may need medical assistance. We should like to accompany her as we would very much like to assist in any way we can. Unfortunately we are new to the area and have never set foot in this town before. At least, I do not think we have. My mind is very confused. What is today's date, if you please?"
"Today is the seventh of June in the year 1803. Of course I shall take you. Come with me, dear I'll see you home and then we shall see how you are. Mr Potter if you would take her other arm."
She led them up the street and then down a further country lane to a large house with some farmland surrounding it. It looked like a large farm. The front door was opened by a young maid.
"Betsy, alert Mr Granger. Miss Granger has had an accident."
"Mr Potter, what are you doing here?" an older man said from the doorway of a study.
"Sir, your daughter has fallen and I am afraid she hit her head. She requires medical assistance."
"Of course. But what are you doing here. In your last letter you said you were in town and wouldn't be returning for a few weeks. You said you would come back then because there was something you wished to discuss with me."
"I did?" Harry said looking confused.
"Yes. Clearly you don't remember. No matter. We will discuss it when you've got your memory back. Now, we must get you up to your room. She must be well rested before the ball tonight. Ah Ronald, you're here too?"
"I met her on her walk and decided to assist her home."
"I think they have all hit their heads because they do not seem to remember anything about who they are, other than their names. It's all very puzzling."
"Thank you Miss Humphries. Once they are rested I shall fill them in. Betsy, please show Miss Granger to her room and Ronald to his room and Mr Potter to the guest room."
"Can I have them sit with me for a bit, please father?"
"Of course. Betsy take them all to Hermione's chambers."
They were led through long corridors until Betsy stopped in front of a door and motioned them to go in.
Once inside they sank onto the bed giggling.
"Nice performances, boys."
"You too. I wish I knew how they know us and what is going on here."
"I think a bump on the head will suffice for out memory loss. Look around the room and see if we can find any clues as to how and why."
Harry went to the big wardrobe in a corner of the room and started looking through the dresses and drawers. Ron went through the bedside table drawers. Hermione went to the bookshelves.
"Aha! Found some diaries. In my handwriting. That's odd."
"Read them and tell us what is going on here."
"Here's something. No I'm not reading that!"
"Why?"
"It describes Harry's courtship of me, and me getting all mushy about him."
"You're right, we don't want to hear that. Anything other than that?"
"A lot about him and you're mentioned a lot in this bit Ron. We're old friends and when your parents died we took you in because we were playmates when we were little and you are my best friend. That's you covered. There's nothing about how you came though Harry. Maybe there's something in an earlier one. Let's see, ah yes! Here. You're a gentleman Harry, and you came into town about two years ago. We met at a ball and got on really well it says. That's all in this one."
"They said something about there being a ball tonight. It's late afternoon now so what are we going to do? What are we going to wear?"
"Well I have dresses here, but I don't know what you will be wearing. Let's call Betsy in again."
Hermione assumed an air of recent recovery as Betsy came back in.
"Betsy, Ronald here has forgotten the way to his room, could you please take him and Mr Potter there, please, and then come back to me. I think I will need some help choosing a dress for the ball."
"Of course Miss Hermione. Right this way, gentlemen."
When she was alone Hermione wandered around the room and ran a hand over the fine dresses in the wardrobe. Then she found a book of sketches in the back of the wardrobe. There were some head sketches of Harry and Ron and then some pictures of Ron playing on the farm.
"I remember this. I remember drawing these. I remember that moment. But how? The books I found in my house are very old, maybe they're memories!" she rushed over to her book case. "Yes! These are the books I found in the attic! These are memories. This is either a past life I was sent back to somehow to live again or, someone's trying to tell me something that I should do better, or, maybe this is all a dream, or, this is the life of one of my ancestors that has somehow become me, or, I don't know. Hermione, you will just have to think about this situation. Those diary entries were what I actually feel about Harry, minus the courtship. But my feelings for Harry were all there. Maybe someone's trying to make me realise that, make me realise that I'm in love with him. Ah Betsy! Tell me, my memory is suffering from that fall, which dress shall I wear for tonight?"
"I would suggest this blue one, Miss, it looks lovely on you and you must look your best for Mr Potter."
"Why?"
"You told me he might be about to propose to you."
"To me?"
"Yes, Miss, he's been courting you for almost a year. He's the most consistent of all your suitors."
"There are many are there?"
"Oh yes, Miss, you have scores of suitors."
"Fine, help me into the dress, please. What shall we do with this hair?"
When she came down the large staircase in the house an hour later she looked so different. Harry, Ron and her father were waiting for her. Harry and Ron's mouths dropped open and her father smiled. She was dressed in a light blue and white dress with a pearl necklace on and pearls in her hair.
"Wow!" Harry and Ron breathed together.
"Good, good. I am pleased to see that you are rested for the ball. You look very pretty, my dear." Her father said smiling warmly.
They made their way to the carriage and drove into town.
The carriage stopped outside the assembly rooms and Ron suddenly decided that he was actually a gentleman and helped Hermione out of the carriage. She shot him a look and he grinned as if to say 'Bet that surprised you.'
Hermione was asked to dance almost as soon as she got inside. This was what she was afraid of. Luckily her muscles weren't and muscle memory did the job perfectly.
Later in the evening she danced with Ron and had to save him from messing up several times. Ron was like the rest of his brothers, he had absolutely no rhythm or co ordination, added to the fact that he had two left feet.
He actually managed to twist not only his ankle but hers as well. This forced them to have to go home early.
