Sunlight poured through the sheer curtains from a bay window to her left.
Hermione took a moment to focus on her thoughts. Everything from the past few days was still fresh and accessible. Everything from her youth was still there. It was only the past four years that seemed to still be missing.
She sat up in the bed, pushing bushels of hair from her face. The room around her was still unfamiliar but at least she remembered it from the previous night. In the morning light, she could see the little variations that made it a child's room.
The empty toy box beside the wardrobe, waiting to be filled. The small dresser with a stack of children's novels (some of her personal favorites from a muggle childhood included) sitting on top. A porcelain lamp in the shape of a unicorn waiting to light up a little girl's dreams.
Nothing sparked any sort of remembrance for her.
Sighing, she slipped out of the bed, pulled the blanket back into place, and made her way to the small bathroom.
She accio'd her toiletries from her hospital bag and began her morning.
About halfway through brushing her teeth, a loud thud startled her so badly she dropped her toothbrush into the sink. Leaving the water running, she gripped her wand and slowly made her way into the hall.
She stepped lightly over the rug, wand raised.
Someone slammed into the wall opposite of the sitting room. Before she could so much as blink, they had pushed off of it and barreled down the narrow path towards her.
She tensed. Her breath came out in quick, adrenaline filled puffs.
As they neared, she sprung, ramming into them. The person yielded quickly, taking a step back. Before they could do anything more, she shoved them against the wall, her wand to their throat.
She glared up at her would-be attacker.
Her husband's wide grey eyes stared back.
"Draco?"
"Who the bloody hell did you think it was?!" He snapped. His grey eyes moved like a rolling storm. "Where were you?"
She was caught off guard by his question. "In the bathroom, if you must know."
"I went to Agatha's room but you weren't there!"
She huffed. "I didn't realize I needed permission to use the loo."
"I thought you had woken in a panic! I thought you might have stormed off or ran away! I thought-"
She jabbed her wand further into his adam's apple.
"Listen very carefully, Malfoy," she hissed, all patience sucked out of her by his demanding tones.
"Memory or not, I do not need you to jump in to rescue me. And I can leave if and when I feel a need to, sudden impulse or not. It would do you some good to remember that."
"Don't you think I know that?! That's what bloody scared me in the first place!"
Hermione blinked at that and released him. He moved away from the wall and straightened up, not looking directly at her.
She crossed her arms and waited for him to continue, one eyebrow raised and her wand laced into her fingers, poking out at an odd angle.
He glanced over, took in the sight of her, and seemed to deflate. All his righteous anger left him in a half hearted laugh.
Then realization seemed to catch up to him. His single laugh turned into a chuckle that turned into a wave of laughter.
She stared, still quite angry with him.
"What in Devil's Snare is wrong with you?"
"We are fighting," he answered, smiling widely.
"What?"
"This is our first fight since your incident. I don't have to walk on eggshells about pissing you off because it's already happened!"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake! You are ridiculous!"
He just grinned wider.
Still fuming, Hermione turned heel and marched back to the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her for good measure. Even over the water and through the wood, she could hear his cackles.
~*~*~*~
Hermione glanced up from the photobook to find Draco at the doorway with two lemonades and an apologetic smile.
"Find anything interesting?" He asked, bringing her a glass and sitting down on the other armchair.
Hermione shook her head.
"No, nothing." She accepted the glass and set the book aside.
"I just don't understand! I see us there but no memories come with it."
She took a sip and laid back into the cushions.
"I don't know. Maybe I need something that's already familiar to me."
She glanced up and searched his face. After earlier, she was a bit hesitant to ask his opinion on her idea.
"How offended would you be if I asked Harry and Ron out to lunch? To catch up with them like old times."
Draco's smile slipped.
"I don't think that's such a good idea."
He took a sip of drink.
"Maybe we can invite Harry and Ginny to dinner? Or you and Ginny could go out together?"
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I don't need a girls' day or couple's dinner. I want to get my memories back."
She set her glass on a small table beside her chair and sat forward.
"I don't think I'm getting anywhere staying here twenty-four hours with only you. I need to see people who go further into my past. Someone who could help remember the bad with the good and hopefully help unblock this stupid spell."
Or, at least, that was her ongoing theory. She knew better than anyone the damage an Obliviate spell could cause. After reading a few texts from the healers and doing a walk through of their home library, she felt that she might be onto something.
"Just trust me on this one," Draco insisted.
Hermione huffed. She did not need his permission to have lunch with her best friends, but if this worked, she would be back in love with the git by sundown, so it would be easier with his consent. His obvious discomfort irked her.
"What are you afraid of?"
He obviously had no issue with Harry considering the familiarity of which he referred to him.
"Is it Ron? Is there some sort of issue between the two of you I should know about?"
He looked away.
A warning went off in her head.
"Draco...what aren't you telling me?"
Draco swished his glass, making the ice clink against the side. He did not meet her gaze.
"You and Weasley are no longer on speaking terms." He took a forced sip from his glass.
Hermione's brows came together.
"What? What happened?" Then she sighed. "What did he do?"
"It wasn't anything either of you did, directly."
Hermione gave a huff through her nose, clenching her jaw closed. She counted to five.
"Listen to me, please!" She began through her teeth. "I am tired of the half-truths and forgotten stories. I am tired of the emotional whirl-winds we have been dealing with since my homecoming. I will eventually remember all this. Therefore, it'll be best to go ahead and tell me before it flings back into my face later."
She gave him a pointed look.
"So, if there is something you need to tell me before I contact him, do so now."
Draco gave a heavy sigh and set his glass beside hers. He leaned forward and held her gaze, his eyes searching hers before speaking.
"The two of you had a falling out shortly after his father passed. It was right after our wedding and, I think, he blames you for it, somehow. Or, at least, blames you for his unhappiness."
Hermione felt as if a herd of centaurs had run her over. She stared at the bookshelf behind him, not seeing it in the slightest.
"Mr. Weasley is dead?" She whispered. "How?"
Draco's voice was soft and full of care. "There was an accident on the work site. As I understand it, he went to inspect a bewitched kitchen set...he did not make it to St. Mungo's in time."
A sob tore through her.
Mr. Weasley had been like an uncle to her. She could remember countless conversations they had shared on muggle devices. Just last year - no, last year to her - she watched him unwrap her Christmas present, Technology throughout the Ages: A Guide to Britain's Technological Advances Since the 1800's. He had been reading it before dinner, asking her and Harry about this and that.
Hermione curled into a ball and let the pain wash over her. It was almost like losing her parents all over again. Tears and broken breaths filled her world.
She did not push away when two gentle hands pulled her into his arms. He rocked her back and forth, letting her cry it out, and running a hand over the top of her hair. Facing the past that kept surprising her, she buried herself into his chest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am soooo sorry! The idea came to me I hate it, but it made sense. Please don't hate me! Other than that horrible bit, I hope ya'll enjoy. *Also, the thud Hermione heard while brushing was Draco dropping a breakfast platter as he entered the room and did not see her. Cliché old school, I know, but the guy has to try to whoo her, right?
Author's Note:Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series. Those rights belong to JK Rowling. I am only borrowing her beautiful creations.