Author's Note: Two updates in one day? What? It's a relatively short chapter, so I felt I might as well give it up since it's all ready to go. Enjoy(: I might possibly update tomorrow as well... (;
The Missing Piece Chapter Four
Day: 08
Hermione walked towards the door, with three possibilities of who could be behind it: Harry, Ron, or Healer Greene. She was expecting the Healer today, and silently prayed as she opened her door that it would not be her. Not this early in the morning. She was taken aback slightly once she found Draco Malfoy there, but recovered quickly enough so that she didn't look foolish.
"Hi," She said awkwardly, not quite knowing what he wanted. She didn't move to allow him inside. Hermione noticed his demeanor was not his usual one. Malfoy usually carried himself with the most arrogant posture she had ever seen, and yet here he was, standing at her door, looking sulky and depressed. Malfoy pursed his lips together in what Hermione assumed was an awkward smile, and scratched his head.
"I came to return this to you." He replied, holding out a long yet thin box. The box looked like it was used to store expensive jewelry, most likely necklaces, and Hermione's heart sank slightly at the prospect of Malfoy giving her such things. She took it, however, giving him a reproachful look, and opened it. It was her wand. Her chest lightened considerably, and she gave Malfoy a swift appreciative look.
"Thank you." She said, nodding her head as she thanked him. She placed one hand on the door, unsure if he was going to leave or not. She wanted to close the door, because if he was in front of her any longer her mind would start thinking back to what Ginny, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George had said about their past relationship, and she did not want to think about that in his presence. Malfoy looked like he was feeling awkward and unsure of what to do, and as a result an awkward silence came over them like a blanket.
"Listen, I know this whole thing isn't easy for you, and it isn't easy for me either," Malfoy began, a sure expression over his smooth features. Hermione's stomach contracted in nervousness, not wanting to know what he was going to say next. She didn't want him to make this harder for her than it was by asking her if they could start over, or try to court her in any way. Malfoy looked down and scratched the white-blond hair on his hair for the second time. Hermione figured this was just a nervous habit of his. "But I have things that may be useful to you, so you at least have a sense of what you forgot. I-I know you won't regain your memories, but if you wanted to, I have things you may want to take a look at."
Hermione froze for the span of a few seconds. She was unsure whether she wanted to take up his offer, and relive what she had forgotten. She had wanted to just move on, and continue her life as she was, because she wasn't going to ever regain her memory of the past two years. Perhaps if she saw what she missed, she would yearn to remember and make her life a living hell. She worried her lip as she considered Malfoy's offer.
"I don't know… I was thinking of just… moving on. You know? I don't know if it's a good idea for me to know what I missed. I don't know if I want to remember." Hermione spoke carefully, avoiding Malfoy's eyes as she did so. Her eyes flashed up to his face, and she felt a stab of pity at his dejected facial expression.
"If you want to continue on with your life, I think it's best you fill yourself in on what you missed. The changes that happened in the Wizarding World as well. I'm not… I'm not trying to make you do anything. I just want to help you." Malfoy said honestly. Hermione stayed silent, deep in thought. He was right: She would need to know what happened in the last two years in order to function well in society. Perhaps he wasn't trying to mold her feelings like she had previously thought.
"Okay." She said with a sigh. She was accepting his offer more out of politeness than choice. It was odd to have Malfoy offer her help on something. She supposed she would just have to get used to his new change in personality, but this was not something she would get used to from one day to the next.
"Good. Meet me at the Manor tomorrow evening then." Malfoy replied, nodding, and glancing quickly in her direction. Hermione murmured a committal "uh-huh" before tightening her grip on the door, waiting for the opportunity to close it. Malfoy tightened his lips again in that almost-smile of his, nodding as he stepped back, signaling the end of his visit.
Hermione closed the door gratefully, and walked back to her leather sofa, throwing herself onto it and sinking into it. She let out an exasperated growl into the cushions, completely dreading tomorrow evening. She felt like someone who had just stepped into someone else's life, and had to live her life being that person forever. Hermione felt a huge sense of disconnection from herself at that moment, trying desperately to catch up and move on. But Hermione wasn't sure if she wanted to catch up the past two years. What if it was better for her to never find out? What if tomorrow's events will be a step in the wrong direction? But she had already accepted. She would go. Hermione dug her face out of the cushions, and turned her body to face the door, eyeing the hand print made by a stranger's hand on her baby blue wall. She stared at the hand print so long, Hermione did not notice when her eyes had fluttered closed, drifting peacefully into sleep.
V^V^V^V^V
Hermione's eyes fluttered open at the sound of yet another knock on her door, pulling her out of sleep. She seemed to receive visitors every day, and it was beginning to annoy her. Hermione knew Healer Greene was probably on the other side of the door, and that annoyed her even more. But she got up with an inward groan, scanned her flat to make sure it was in good condition, and plastered a forced cheerful expression on her face.
"Hello Miss Granger, if you remember I was here the other day. I've come to check on you." Healer Greene said with a kind, sympathetic expression once Hermione opened the door. Hermione faltered a bit, being taken aback by her words. If you remember I was here the other day. She was sure the Healer had probably not intended to use those words, but they came off strong given Hermione's situation.
"Yes, how could I forget?" Hermione replied, with heavy sarcasm. She reminded herself to be polite to the Healer several times before, yet Hermione always found it hard to keep her tone pleasant around the woman. Hermione stepped aside and let the woman inside her flat. Healer Greene's eyes analyzed Hermione's living quarters with a scrutinizing look, making Hermione feel slightly uncomfortable. Hermione immediately lifted her chin in a defiant position, refusing to allow that woman to make her feel uncomfortable or awkward in her own home.
"I see everything is back in order." The Healer observed with forced kindness.
"Yes, it is." Hermione replied curtly.
"May I sit?" The Healer asked, gesturing to the couch. For a split second, Hermione contemplated saying no, and making her stand, but she bit her tongue. Hermione nodded before any more rude thoughts circled into her head. She didn't know where the strong dislike for the woman came from, but it was most certainly there. Perhaps it was her sparkling blue eyes, which teemed with overwhelming concern for her. Or her forced kind facial expressions whenever Hermione talked. Healer Greene's mannerisms and tone of voice reminded her strongly of Dolores Umbridge, a woman who Hermione had absolutely loathed during her fifth year at Hogwarts. The Healer sat down and pulled out her notepad as she did on her first visit. "All right Miss Granger, how are you feeling so far?"
"Fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. I just live my life." Hermione replied honestly. Whether she liked the woman or not did not mean the woman did not know what she was doing, or could help her in any way.
"No strange dreams, depression, random moments of confusion, or disorientation?" Healer Greene asked in a slightly surprised tone, clearly thinking Hermione was lying.
"No, I haven't experienced that. Is that abnormal?"
The Healer wore an expression containing a mixture of surprise, shock, and nervousness which struck Hermione as an odd reaction. "Usually patients with suffering your type of situation have those symptoms I just mentioned, and sometimes worse." Hermione felt a pang of anger at the healer's choice of words. She was certainly not suffering from anything.
"Is this a good thing then? That I'm not experiencing these symptoms?"
The Healer stayed silent for a long time, obviously debating Hermione's question. The Healer's light eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration, and Hermione grew steadily nervous, awaiting the answer. Finally, as Hermione was about to open her mouth, Healer Greene replied, "Well, Miss Granger, there are several types of memory modification one can undergo, all depending on the person who placed the charm. Short—"
"Short term memory loss in which the person forgets anything that happened in the span of a few minutes or days, Long term loss in which the person is wiped of all memory, and moderate loss of memory, in which the affected person loses memory of events that happened in the span of weeks to months, maybe even years. " Hermione cut in rather impatiently. She couldn't stand to be told things she already knew, especially by someone like Healer Greene. The Healer was taken aback by her interruption, but promptly recuperated, placing a pleasant look on her face while Hermione finished her sentence.
"Yes, very good. But there is another aspect to memory charms, which is—"
"The strength of the charm, yes. If the charm was weak the person will regain memory of what happened. If it was strong, the person is not likely to regain what they had forgotten, and in severe cases, the person will suffer from life long side effects of the charm." Hermione interrupted once more, reciting word for word a paragraph from Magic and Mind: A look into Memory Charms, with a feeling of superiority. She noticed the expression of the Healer had faltered, and her face now portrayed an expression of annoyance, which gave Hermione's spirits uplift.
"Yes, Miss Granger, very impressive. But the speed at which a person regains their memory in the case of a weak casting depends on how much the caster wanted the affected person to forget. Your case is quite peculiar. It falls under the 'moderate loss' category, and the charm was strong, yet you fell after impact and damaged your skull." There was silence. "This makes it impossible for you to regain your memories. If you had not fallen, perhaps you would remember two years ago right now. Patients like you often suffer from memory modification symptoms that usually last their whole life." Yet Hermione did not have those symptoms. What did that mean? Was this normal? Hermione opened her mouth to ask, but the Healer's facial expression dictated she did not know either.
"Perhaps I should go to St. Mungo's and get evaluated… maybe this is a sign, or symptom of something else—"
"Oh no, I can assure you there is no need to visit St. Mungo's, it's quite all right not to have symptoms… How are you coping so far?" Healer Greene interrupted, quite flustered. Hermione was reminded of third year, when she tried to hide her sudden disappearances and reappearances to classes from Harry and Ron. Thirteen year old Hermione would try to change the subject quickly, because she could not lie to her best friends, and Hermione had the sneaking feeling this woman was doing the same thing, adding to the list of why Hermione so strongly disliked her.
"I am doing well, but why should I not go to St. Mungo's?"
The Healer twiddled her thumbs nervously and avoided Hermione's eyes, obviously fishing for an excuse.
"Miss Granger, during my extensive study on memory modification cases, I have found that not having symptoms is not a problem at all." She replied curtly, rushing her words out faster than Hermione could catch them. "Now if that will be all from you, I am done asking questions. I will be back next week." Healer Greene said, putting on her trade mark forced smile, and rising from her seat. Hermione felt relieved that she would go, but was curious as to why she was leaving so early. The Healer usually badgered Hermione about her life until Hermione could take no more. Hermione did not complain, however, and rose up from the sofa as well.
"Thank you, Healer Greene." Hermione forced out as she shut the door behind the plump woman, seconds later. The Healer had not even said a good-bye, which struck Hermione as suspicious. She went over to her living room window, and watched the Healer leave Hermione's building, with a completely different demeanor than she had ever put on. Healer Greene usually carried herself upright, and walked with her head high and proud. But Hermione observed as Healer Greene walked across the street to the Apparition Point that the Healer walked as if she were uncomfortable in her own skin, walking awkwardly behind the building in front of Hermione's as if it was her first time wearing heels. Hermione eyed the woman until she was out of sight, fighting the urge to lock all her doors and shut her windows, and never let that woman in her flat again.
A/N: Hope you found it entertaining at the very least! Review if you'd like, I really appreciate it!
Thank you to all those who have reviewed by the way, they made my day!