"Whoa!"

Hermione never saw Ron standing outside the door, so when she nearly knocked him down…

"Sorry, Ron. I, um, I have to go. I'll see you later."

"Wait, Hermione! I need to talk to you!"

She turned abruptly and stood waiting for whatever it is he had to say. He walked up to her nervously with his hands in his pockets. He raised his head and looked her straight in the eye.

"He heard!" She started to panic.

"Look, I have to…" she sighed trying to get him to go away.

"I need to tell…" he started unaware they began at the same time.

They both stopped and looked at the other to finish. "Ladies first."

"Fine. I have to get to the library to finish an essay. Can we talk later, perhaps?"

He looked down sheepishly and nodded. She continued her brisk walk to the library. It always felt good to sulk in the library. It was quiet there. She could find solitude and peace. This wasn't one of those times.

"I'll come with you."

She halted.

"I need to tell you something important."

She sighed.

Ron looked down the hall and back at her. "Are we going to walk?"

She began her trek again.

"I, um…well, I…"

"Spit it out, Ron! For heaven's sake, I don't have all day."

"I had a dream about you."

That got her attention. She rounded on him.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not something I want to talk about in the hall. Do you mind?" Ron motioned to the library doors.

They entered the library and walked to the most secluded table they could find, which wasn't that hard since most everyone was in second class. Hermione threw her satchel onto the table and took a seat.

Ron was almost seated when she started. "You dreamt about me? Should I be worried or grossed out?"

Ron's face began to change into that shade of red he was famous for.

"Worried." He took a deep breath. "In my dream, I saw a car. I saw you inside. It was the middle of winter and there was snow all around you. In my dream, you were alone. You were cold and alone and scared. And there wasn't anything I could do to help you. I hated that feeling, Hermione." He took her hand as he continued. "I don't want to feel that I can't do anything for you. I want to be able to do anything as long as you ask. I realized that the night you and Snape wrecked. I knew he was with you, but what good was that really? I wasn't there for you, and I wanted to be. I wanted to make sure you were okay. When Harry and I heard you wrecked, it tore me up inside, Hermione. I've been such a git. I couldn't see it before. I guess I've matured." She chuckled. "Well, maybe a bit. You have to admit, I'm not as bad as I used to be."

"That's true enough."

"Hermione, I think…no…I know that I…that I…"

"Ron, come on. Just say whatever it is."

"I know that I have loved you for a while now, but I've not been man enough to tell you. And when I thought you might be really hurt, really in danger, I didn't think I would ever have the chance to tell you. So now that you're back and safe and with me, I'm telling you now. I love you, Hermione."

The hospital wing was the first thing she saw when she awoke.

"Nothing but a good conk on the head, Miss Granger. I do wonder how you didn't lose more time with it."

"More time?"

"You've been out for three days."

"Oh."

Madam Pompfrey looked her over. Hermione Granger knew that her health was important. However, everyone that knew her knew that she cared more about her studies. She had missed the deadline on her essay and two quizzes. And all she had to say was 'Oh'. Madam Pompfrey continued with a few more diagnostic spells to make sure there was no lasting damage. The light from her wand turned a vibrant shade of magenta as she waved it over the ailing girl's head.

"I believe, Miss Granger, you have a small amount of memory loss. What is the last thing you remember?"

Hermione thought long and hard, but nothing occurred to her out of the ordinary. Nothing noteworthy to mark time by; studying, sleeping, taking exams. It all seemed pretty normal. The last thing she could remember could have been three days ago or three weeks ago. There was nothing jutting out to her.

"What about the day, Miss Granger. Can you calculate the date?"

"It would be Friday? I remember going to Potions class. That's on Monday. But I could be remembering any Potions class."

Madam Pompfrey scribbled in Hermione's chart and returned her attentions to her patient.

"Was there anything notable about Potions class to discern it from any other class?"

It was all she could do to scrape her mind of anything significant but nothing. It all seemed the same. She shook her head.

"What about your personal life can you remember? Any trips? Anyone you might remember being with?"

Brief flashes of Harry, Ron, and Ginny popped up in her mind's eye, but again, it all seemed normal. It's when she looked up at the nurse that she saw him standing to the back of the room. He seemed anxious. He seemed scared. His eyes were wide with worry.

"Madam Pompfrey? Why is Professor Snape looking at me like that?"

He straightened his posture and resumed his usual resigned attitude. "Miss Granger, I was worried because it is very unlike you to miss exams. I came to the hospital wing to see if indeed Madam Pompfrey had you under her care. When I arrived, I was told of you condition. I'm concerned for you memory loss. Now you'll tell me you've forgotten everything I've taught you these past seven years."

"I think you're wrong, Professor." She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"I should hope so. I will leave you to it then, Madam Pompfrey. Make sure she takes the Restorative Draught first thing before meals. It might help her synapses." He then took his leave of the ladies and returned to his quarters.

He took off his robes and tossed them on the arm of the old leather bound chair by the fire. The brandy glass sparkled as he filled it and sat down.

"She must have forgotten the wreck. Surely, that would have stuck out in her mind," he thought as he swigged the dark amber drink. He sat for a few moments contemplating if their discussion in the classroom after class was also lost to her. He decided that it was best laid to rest. Severus got up and proceeded to bed for the night.

Meanwhile, Hermione was finishing a list of things that she could remember. Madam Pompfrey asked she do this so they could look over the items and formulate a timeline. She was to put a star by things that sparked a feeling as if something was missing or there was more. Hermione had a lot of stars on her paper when the nurse returned a couple hours later.

"It seems that you remember everything up to before Christmas. You don't have here that you visited with your parents, or the wreck you had with Professor Snape."

"Wreck with Professor Snape?"

Poppy could have smacked herself. "Never feed them their memories!" she chided herself. She sighed and looked back to Hermione.

"Yes, you were headed to your parents' house for Christmas hols. There was a wreck, but you were both uninjured. Do you remember anything about that night?"

Hermione closed her eyes. All she could see was a blue light.

"No, nothing but a blue light."

"Well, that's something. Perhaps a muggle sign. On the other hand, a light source of some kind? We'll work more on this tomorrow. Right now, you need to get some rest." She began to tuck the sheets in around Hermione's frame.

"Madam Pompfrey, where's Ron and Harry? And why hasn't Professor Dumbledore come to see me?"

Madam Pompfrey stopped in her tracks and turned slowly around. "What did you say?"

"Usually Professor Dumbledore checks on the students that get hurt. Did he come already? Did I miss him?"

The usually composed nurse dropped into the nearest seat. "Hermione, how old were you on your last birthday?"

"Fourteen."

MMUAAHH! The plot bunny took over, I swear it! I didn't even see this coming when I was writing it, I SWEAR! OMG! I mean I'm getting goosebumps! LOL! Can't wait to see what else this bunny is going to make me do… Look for more, cause I don't even know what's gonna happen!