A Merry Christmas to all readers! Unless you're reading this several months from now...
CHAPTER THREE: Honeymoon Interrupted
The cottage was about two miles from Hogsmeade and served as one of the most exclusive wizarding honeymoon destinations in the country. Only one couple could stay there at a time and the landlady was famous for being both accomodating and discreet. Harry and Hermione had travelled to the village via the floo network, since there was no connection with the actual cottage. They could have apparated the rest of the way but, since their luggage had been sent on ahead of them, they'd chosen to walk.
Hermione felt her heart skipping a beat as they saw it nestled amid the countryside. When it was just her and Harry alone together, there were times when she almost forgot the years of marriage and children that had happened since they first met. Instead she felt like a teenager in the first flush of romance.
"You like?"Harry asked.
Hermione looked at the countryside around them. "It's beautiful."
"So are you,"Harry answered.
Hermione blushed. "Thank you, Harry. You look very nice yourself."
The landlady, Mrs. Lyons, a kindly-looking middle-aged witch, came out to greet them. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter?"
Somehow, the casual way she said it made it seem all the special. "That's right,"Harry confirmed.
"I don't think we've had celebrities of your stature here before. Your bags have been put in the guest bedroom. My own quarters are at the opposite end. All services are available on request, silencing charms can be turned on and off as you wish." She gave them a welcoming smile. "Enjoy your stay."
Harry and Hermione linked hands and headed into the bedroom. Their things had been laid out and the antique bed looked emaculate. Hermione sighed. "It's just like I always imagined it. Thank you, Harry. The day has been perfect."
"Well, I think you had a hand in that as well."
"What did I do?"
"Well, for a start, you turned up."
Hermione blushed slightly. "You say the sweetest things." She went to the window and looked out. "It's funny, isn't it? We went to school not far from here yet I've never seen this countryside before."
"So, do you want to go for a walk before dinner?"Harry asked.
Hermione put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I don't think I'll want to go anywhere for quite a while."
Harry surrendered to the kiss and lowered her onto the bed.
Ron tried not to be bitter, for the children's sake if nothing else. The noble thing to do would be to be happy for Harry and Hermione. It wasn't like he'd been left with nothing. He had his job at the Ministry. He had two children who he saw just as much as Hermione did, since they divided school holidays between their two parents. He even had Parvati, his girlfriend. Their relationship was based more on the fact they enjoyed each other's company than anything deeper but it made them both happy. But what Harry and Hermione had together he lacked and probably always would.
Rose and Hugo had been quiet when they picked them up. It had been Parvati who'd realised that they didn't want Ron to know they'd enjoyed the wedding. So together they'd coaxed the pair into talking about it, more for their own sake than anyone else's.
Hugo had already retired to bed but Rose was still talking about the day. "Let you now be bonded for life,"she recalled. "I don't get that. Because it isn't always for life, is it? Does the spell not work sometimes?"
It was a subject a bit too close to home for Ron to be discussing with his daughter. Parvati came to his rescue. "Only the Elders really understand it. That's why they're the only ones that can make and break marriage bonds. They can tell if a bond can be broken or if the couple are still bonded."
Rose nodded thoughtfully. "I'll see if there's any books on it when I get back to Hogwarts." She gave a sudden yawn. "And I think that means I should go to bed." She kissed Ron on the cheek. "Night, Dad."
"Night, Rose."
Parvati waited until Rose had gone upstairs before looking at Ron. "Ron…do you mind if I ask what happened when you and Hermione had your marriage bond broken? It's just it's something the Department of Mysteries have been trying to understand."
"They said that Hermione was in love with someone else,"Ron answered. Parvati had the good courtesy to look embarrassed. Ron sighed. "Apparently it's really easy to break the bond when that happens."
Harry woke up alone. It was still dark outside which made his new wife's absence from their bed even more surprising. In the year and a half since they'd got together, he'd become used to sharing a bed with Hermione. Waking up alone was an unusual enough sensation that he got out of bed to look for her.
He headed through into the small living room of the cottage and saw Hermione sitting in an armchair with her back to him. He walked up behind her and kissed her on the top of the head. "I wondered where you…"
She sprang up out of the chair, whirling round to face him, backing up against the opposite wall as though she wanted to get as far away from him as possible. As though she was afraid of him. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
Harry was bewildered by her response. "Hermione, it's me."
"Why are you calling me that? It's not my name."
Harry was even more confused but he could feel a mounting worry. "What is it then?"
"It's…" Hermione stopped, her eyes widening in fear and panic. "I don't know. I can't remember what my name is. I can't remember anything about myself!"