Lost and Found, chapter two

(Romione snog a lot, and talk about their feelings)

Ron grinned, as Hermione blushed prettily. The two of them were cuddled up together in one of the chairs in front of the fire. The Gryffindor Common Room was virtually empty around them.

The original idea had been to wait for Harry to get back from one of his lessons with Dumbledore, but Hermione had pointed out that things would be a lot cosier if they sat in the same chair. Ron had nimbly hopped into the cosiest, and patted his lap hopefully. Hermione had rolled her eyes, but her smile was full of such fondness that Ron knew she hadn't meant it.

Sure enough, the bushy-haired witch had sat down in his lap, giving him a swift kiss on the cheek before she made herself comfortable.

'I hope I never get tired of you kissing me.' Ron grinned, nuzzling into her enormous mane of hair. 'Or cuddling you, actually.'

'Oh, stop it,' Hermione said, giggling. 'Although I certainly enjoy kissing and cuddling you too.'

'Well, I am the king, after all.'

They both laughed. Some of the more friendly Slytherins had found dozens of badges in their common room, all emblazoned with the legend "Weasley is our king". Upon checking the Quidditch team roster, the Gryffindors had come to the conclusion that Ron's talents on the pitch must have been excellent before the memory wipe. Ron had to admit, he liked the idea. In the few training sessions the team had organised, he had done very well. Even though his broom wasn't very new, he felt so at-home in the air that his confidence had undergone a massive boost.

That, and the fact he was dating Hermione.

'Are you nervous about the match?' she asked.

Ron thought about it. It had been on his mind for a while, after all. The first Quidditch match since the memory wipe, and the whole school would be there.

'Little bit, yeah. But I think I'll be okay. I just hope I live up to people's expectations.'

'You will,' Hermione said, leaning against his chest. 'No matter what, I'll be proud of you.'

'Even if I lose us the match?'

Hermione turned, frowning.

'Don't you dare start thinking like that,' she chided, earnestly. 'You're an amazing keeper.'

'Thanks, 'Mione.'

He leaned forward and kissed her, causing her cheeks to glow again.

'Are you ever gonna stop blushing when I kiss you?'

The bushy-haired witch giggled.

'Well, I am still getting used to dating you. I mean, we were dating before the wipe, but still.'

'True.' Ron said. 'I kinda like it, though; it's all new for us, isn't it?'

Hermione leant back against his chest, and Ron intertwined his fingers through hers.

'Yes, I suppose it is.'

It had been about two weeks since the wipe, and the two of them had slowly been getting used to re-learning things that they had presumably known before. Which chair in the common room was the best for cuddling in, where Hermione liked being kissed on her neck, and at what height could they kiss each other without one of them stretching their neck too much.

You know, the important things.

Ron couldn't remember much about his school life before the wipe, but -from what he could gather from letters sent by his mum- he seemed to have a decent reputation. Obviously, his parents were biased, but he appreciated the thought nonetheless.

He had decent grades in most of his subjects (aside from the ones taught by… not exactly the most competent of teachers), and -while he didn't enjoy writing essays as much as Hermione did- he seemed to have a good grasp of his coursework. The two of them (plus Harry) had spent many an hour in the library, not just doing their homework, but trying to figure out a way of getting their memories back. Hermione had suggested that the wipe might have been caused by an experimental jinx gone awry, and the teachers scant discussions on the matter seemed to confirm this.

Hermione had even taken to trying out memory-related charms, to see if anything would work. Ron -ever the gentleman- had insisted that she perform the charms on him instead, just in case any of them went bad. Hermione had looked rather worried after he said this, but he interlaced their fingers and she had seemed comforted. Harry, sat on the table nearby, had rolled his eyes; the poor bloke was missing Ginny. Who, along with the other fifth years, had to take extra classes for her O. (which were surprisingly still expected to take place later that year).

'Ron?'

'Hmmm?'

Hermione turned round in his lap, looking up at him again.

'Do you think we will get our memories back soon? Because I'm really⸺'

'Sssshhhhh…' Ron soothed, cuddling her. 'We'll get them back. The teachers are sorting it out. And besides; we've got the brightest witch of her age on the case, haven't we? You'll crack it in no time.'

Hermione's cheeks glowed.

'The brightest witch of her age who can't even remember her own life.'

'And you complain about me being too harsh on myself. None of us remember much, Hermione, but we'll figure it out.'

'Thank you,' Hermione said, sounding a bit less worried. 'You're so sweet.'

Ron chuckled, pecking her on the cheek.

At the moment, Harry climbed through the portrait hole. Ron and Hermione turned as he approached them.

'Hey, mate,' Ron greeted, cheerfully. 'How'd the lesson go?'

'I dunno,' Harry shrugged, sinking into a chair. 'It would be a lot easier if my memories of the past five years were intact, though. I get a flash of something occasionally, but nothing concrete.'

'Oh, I get those all the time. Got one of Hermione slapping Malfoy the other day; I was so proud.'

Hermione giggled, and Harry rolled his eyes.

'I swear, the domestic bliss with you two is off the chart.'

'Says the person who Ginny keeps feeding off her plate.'

'Touché.'

Hermione gave a yawn, stretching her arms out.

'I think I'll turn in for the night. Goodnight to you both.'

She pecked Ron on the cheek, and retreated up her dormitory steps.

'We should probably turn in now as well,' Harry said, standing up again. 'The match is tomorrow.'

'Yeah.' Ron said, climbing wearily out of the chair. 'You nervous?'

'I guess. You?'

'Little bit.'

'You'll be fine, mate.' Harry said, patting Ron on the shoulder as they climbed their dormitory steps. 'You've been great during training.'

Ron smiled. As he changed into his maroon pyjamas (why was everything his mum made for him maroon?), he remembered Hermione's supportive face, and tried to quell the nerves already developing in his stomach. He just hoped he wouldn't let her down.

Ron gripped the handle of his broom as he kicked off from the ground. The stadium was teeming with people, and he could see the school divided into the scarlet-clad Gryffindor supports, and those wearing lime green in favour of the Slytherins. It gave him a strange mix of comfort and worry that the red supporters outnumbered the greens by about two thirds. Many of the younger Slytherins weren't even wearing their house colours; Ron wondered whether most of that house weren't as supportive of the so-called "Malfoy set" as first appearances would suggest.

As he came to a stop in front of the three hoops, Ron's eyes scanned the crowd. Within the ranks of the Gryffindor supporters, he could just make out an enormous mane of bushy hair.

Ron's heart beat nervously against his chest.

'Oh, and the Quaffle has been released… Ginny's got it; I like her, she's lovely…'

Ron tried hard not to grin. Ginny's Ravenclaw friend Luna was commentator for the match. Although many of those in the stands were now groaning as the blonde began to talk about a particularly unusual shape of cloud, Ron himself couldn't help but smile. In the few times he had met Luna since the wipe, she had come across as sweet and kindly, and her commentary was helping to loosen Ron's nerves a little.

That, and the fact he could now see Hermione grinning at him from the stands. Ron felt his ears go red.

'Slytherin now in possession of the Quaffle!'

Professor McGonagall had stopped Luna's monologue about Ginny's horoscope, having grabbed the microphone. Ron's eyes -already scouting out the pitch before him- narrowed as the green-clad Slytherin chaser zoomed up the pitch, dodging the bludgers being sent into their path. Ginny was right on their tail.

The Slytherin chaser sped to the right hoop, before feigning and throwing the Quaffle to the right. The whole stadium held its breath.

Without so much as blinking, Ron intercepted the speeding Quaffle, knocking it halfway back up the pitch and into Ginny's waiting arms.

He… he'd done it.

Ron was almost in shock as the stadium broke into cheering, the Gryffindor supporters chanting "WEASLEY IS OUR KING, HE NEVER LETS THE QUAFFLE IN…"

Ginny sent the Quaffle flying through the Slytherin hoops, and the crowd swelled. Ron saw his sister turn and give him a quick thumbs-up. He grinned back.

Why had he ever been worried? Being a keeper just came naturally to him. Although -he had to admit- the knowledge that Hermione knew he could do it had been a massive confidence boost.

The rest of the match passed in a blur. Ron seemed to spend half the match knocking the Quaffle out of the way of the hoops, and it did give him satisfaction to see Malfoy grinding his teeth together as Gryffindor extended their lead.

With one final kick, Ron sent the Quaffle soaring straight across the pitch, and into the middle hoop of the Slytherin goal. The crowd bellowed its applause, and -at the same moment- Harry rose into the air triumphantly, his hand clasped around the elusive golden snitch.

'I think Gryffindor might have just won,' Luna chattered, absentmindedly. 'Oh, Harry caught it; he's a sweet boy. Ginny says he's very lovely.'

Ron chuckled, expecting to soar down to the ground and find Hermione, but -a second later- the Gryffindor team enclosed it, echoing the crowds cries of "WEASLEY IS OUR KING!". Harry threw his arm proudly around Ron's shoulder, and Ginny thrust Ron's hand into the air, as the team lowered to the ground. The pitch was overrun with people, and –through the tangle of limbs and disorientating cheers- Ron could see Hermione running towards them.

The bushy-haired witch threw her arms around Ron's neck, and kissed him full on the mouth. Ron could hear Ginny groaning in the background, but he found it difficult to be embarrassed. He had just helped win a Quidditch match, and he was now kissing his wonderful girlfriend. Life could be a lot worse.

The school was dark and quiet. The celebrations in the Gryffindor Common Room had finally winded down. Almost the entire student body was now in bed. Well, except from Ron and Hermione, who were kissing and cuddling in front of the fire.

Unbeknownst to them, however, the teachers were assembled in Dumbledore's office. The surface of every table was covered with books, including several that Hermione had discovered in long-forgotten sections of the school library. McGonagall had noticed Ron and Hermione working hard in the library on the subject, and had been most impressed. Even more so when Hermione then handed the books over to her, suggesting that the teachers might be able to find something that herself and Ron couldn't.

'Filius, I think we might have just solved it.'

Dumbledore's blue eyes shone, as the spellbook lay before them. Professor Flitwick nodded, his wispy beard reflecting the candlelight.

'Indeed, Albus.'

The two wizards stood up from the table and -joined by McGonagall, Sprout and Snape- took out their wands, standing in a circle. The teachers each pointed their wands forwards, so that all cardinal directions were included.

'May this finally restore the students' memories,' Dumbledore remarked. 'All together now… one… two… three!'

There was a blinding flash of light.

On the other side of the castle, Ron and Hermione were still cuddled closely in the Gryffindor Common Room. They were ,at that particular moment, kissing, but both of them became aware of the bright light now emanating through the castle.

Ron pulled back from Hermione, as his brain reeled with images. The feeling of jealousy and confusion whilst dressed in horrible frilly robes, his stomach flipping over every time he saw her, and… staring out of the corner of his eye at his best friend who seemed not to realise just how much he liked her…

Ron felt his stomach turn to lead, the reality of their situation crashing down on him. They hadn't been a couple before the wipe. They had misunderstood. He had simply been crushing on her, and she… what did she see him as?

'Oh.'

Hermione reeled back, her own eyes wide.

'Ron… I… we're…'

'I… Hermione… I…'

The bushy-haired witch stared at him, and –to his horror- her eyes filled with tears.

'I-I'm so sorry…' she wept, hurriedly climbing out of his lap. 'I s-shouldn't have… we're just… and n-now… I-I'm sorry…'

Before Ron could say anything, Hermione stumbled away, hurrying across the common room before disappearing up the girls' dormitory stairs.

Ron was left sat at the chair they had been cuddling in, his lips still tingling with the feel of her chapstick, and his heart now full of an aching sense of loss.