A/N And a Happy New Year to everyone! As alway I own nothing associated with Harry Potter, those rights are reserved for JK Rowling and Warner Bros. Please see the Authors Note in Chapter One for information on DZ2s Forget-Me-Not Challenge!
"Wait, you're telling me you can still purr? Like, rumble like your cat, purr? Can you do it whenever you want?" Harry struggled to walk in a straight line and stare at Hermione at the same time. They were making their way back to the common room after lunch with the hope Ron had calmed down a bit when Hermione just totally blew Harry's mind.
She sighed. "I can't do it on command if that's what you mean. It's only happened once or twice when I'm completely relaxed. And it will NEVER happen around Ronald. He made too much fun of me while I had fur. You at least played along if I pretended to cough."
Harry crossed his arms in front of him and faked flinching away. "Ugh! Hairballs!"
Laughing, Hermione bumped shoulders with him. "Exactly!" She gave the Fat Lady the password and climbed through the portrait hole still giggling. A quick glance around revealed no sign of Ron but a trail of Chocolate Frog wrappers leading up the stairs to the dorms gave them a good idea of where he went.
"Do you want to start on homework now?"
Harry flopped on the floor in front of the fire while Hermione sat in front of one of the armchairs, Crookshanks on the seat with his paws draped over one of her shoulders.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind just talking some more if it's alright with you? I feel like I've spent a ton of time with Ron but not enough with you."
"Sure, but I have tried to warn you, I'm not that exciting."
"I'll be the judge of that. Let's do one muggle, one magical question. So, what's your favorite food and what's your favorite class?"
Hermione laughed."A bit eager there, Potter? Favorite food would have to be…Tikka Masala. I miss Indian take away when I'm here. My favorite class is harder to say since we just started taking electives this year. I think I would have to say Transfiguration and Arithmancy."
"What's Arithmancy?"
"It's sort of magical maths. Right now we're just being introduced to why certain numbers are considered magical and why some aren't, sort of like odd and even numbers. Then we are moving on to the higher magical numbers, think of them like prime numbers. Then we can work out formulas with those numbers. Each spell we use can be broken down into magical number sequences…"
"So once you know the sequence you know how the spell works?" Harry interrupted.
"Yes! And you can work the other way, too. Create a formula you know works and translate that into the spell you need. It's loads of work but combined with what we pick up with Ancient Runes in the third through fifth years and we can spell craft or enchant."
"Whoa. And why am I taking Divination again? I'm looking at my notes from class and I don't get it. The book looks interesting but any of the practical stuff you have to have a knack for. And I don't think I do." Harry huffed.
"Well, I wasn't with you when you talked with Ron about choosing classes. Ron took Divination because it's supposed to be an easy O. A class you really can't fail. Has he told you what happened in there? With me, I mean?"
Harry shook his head. "No. We don't talk about classes at all. Why, what happened?"
"I'm surprised Ron didn't tell you. I took Divination mainly because you asked me to. I thought, and still think the whole thing is wooley. I'm not saying there aren't real seers out there - but what Trelawney teaches is certainly not it. She told me I was hopeless and I pretty much told her she was a flake and stormed out."
Harry sat up at that. "You walked out on a teacher? You? Even the short time I've spent with you that seems out of character. Was it just the teacher that made you walk out?"
Hermione sighed. "We're supposed to be playing 20 questions, Harry, not pester Hermione."
He shrugged. "You could probably answer all the questions for me better than I could anyway. I don't remember most of it."
"Yes, and that's the point. I get to know you all over again."
"And you're changing the subject. I'll let you ask me three questions once you answer me."
Sighing as her familiar moved down to sprawl over the space between her and Harry, draping his front half over Hermione's legs and presenting his belly to Harry to rub, "Harry, I know you won't tell anyone but I can't stress how much you have to keep this a secret. I wanted to tell you earlier, before you lost your memory I mean, but I didn't get the chance…"
"I'm going to stop you right there, Hermione. I promise to keep your secret. You gave me that phial of memories - the ones of me talking to you - memories that were all mine and you swore you'd never tell and so far as I can see you haven't. I won't tell either."
With a quick glance around the room to make sure Ron hadn't sneaked down, not that Ron could really sneak anywhere without someone casting a silencing charm on him but still, she leaned into Harry as she pulled something from under her jumper.
The something looked like a tiny hourglass complete with sand and surrounded by gold circles.
"This is a time turner, Harry. Professor McGonagall gave me this before the welcome feast first term so I could get to all of my classes. I'm taking all the electives; Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Muggle Studies. It was a bit worse with Divination but since dropping that I've at least gained a bit more time.It's…It's why we weren't really talking all that much before you crashed with your broom. I was too stressed trying to keep everything straight in my head. "
Harry's eyes were wide. "You're taking all of those classes? Plus the regular ones? Hermione, when do you sleep? Or even eat for that matter? Didn't I say anything to you when you were trying to take all of those last year? Did our Head of House?"
"You and Ron pretty much picked your classes together and chose Care and Divination. Professor McGonagall told me this is the first year that electives overlapped like they do and she would see about getting me some type of exception to take all of them."
Having those green eyes focused on her made Hermione feel a bit like a bug under a microscope. She couldn't be certain what Harry was thinking anymore. This Harry was more direct, more driven than before.
"Why are you taking Muggle Studies? We were raised in the Muggle world."
"I thought it would be fascinating to see how wizards approached the Muggle world."
"And?"
"And I could teach the class. It's about 100 years out of date and stuck in the Victorian Era."
"So, drop it."
"I can't." Hermione sounded scandalized.
"Why not? You did Divination."
"That was different. I'd be giving up if I dropped Muggle Studies."
"No you won't. You'll be dropping a class where you aren't learning anything useful and are doing homework you can't even use. Drop it and give yourself more time to work on the classes you actually like."
"I don't know, Harry. In my head I know you're right. But it makes me so anxious when I think about it. Like everyone will think I'm quitting because I can't handle it, especially since I keep telling everyone in the class how out of date and behind the times everything is."
Harry shook his head. "No one will think that and if they do, I'll just point out you're the smartest witch here and if they'd like to try and do better than you, I'd like to see it."
"Thank you, Harry. And I will think about it. Now, for you. I can't really ask you about classes since you don't really remember sitting in for any of them so…what's your favorite color, what do you think of magic so far and hmmm how are you feeling? And you can't say fine."
Harry laughed. "See you really do know me if you're telling me I can't just say I'm fine. I don't really have a favorite color but I do like shades of blue. I think magic is brilliant but some of what we're learning is weird. Like changing a rat into a water goblet? Really? Or a table into a pig? We can't eat the pig because it's still technically made up of wood and will change back eventually. And a charm to trim nose hair? We have clippers for that and it only takes a minute. Wizards just seem lazy."
Hermione was laughing and Harry found he liked the sound. Her face was slightly flushed and her brown eyes were bright and sparkling.
"Well, you certainly sound like your usual self, Harry. You've said similar things before. Now, how do you feel? About all of this?"
His chest heaved. "Overwhelmed, maybe? Don't get me wrong, all this is better than living with the Dursleys (Hermione and Crookshanks let out a growl at that) but I still feel like I'm being led about by the nose. When I'm watching the memories you're sharing with me, where it must be after meeting with Dumbledore after we've just done something crazy and life threatening, he's just like 'Harry, thank you for saving everyone but you have to forgive the homicidal maniac that just tried to kill you and your friends because that makes you the better person. Well, I say fuck being the better person. Hermione, you almost died last year!"
Their quiet moment was interrupted by the thundering of feet on the stairs. Crookshanks hissed and made his way under the couch, only his golden eyes reflecting in the firelight gave his position away.
"Hey, Harry!" Ron glanced at Hermione. "Hermione. So are you guys done working on potions even though we have a whole 'nother week of break left? Need a break?"
Running his hand over the back of his head, Harry gave a sheepish grin. "Actually, Ron, we got to talking and didn't even start. Want to join us?"
"Talking? What are you two talking about? Hermione doesn't know anything about anything interesting," Ron snorted, dropping gracelessly onto the couch.
"Depends on what you think is interesting, Ron," Harry bit out.
"Well, Quidditch, obviously. The Chuddley Cannons are the best team by far like I've been telling you, Harry but Herms here wouldn't know about that." Ron pulled out a crumpled box from his robes and started tossing the contents into his mouth.
"Okay, Ronald, let's talk about Quidditch. Harry started out on the House team first year after finding out he was a natural talent at flying rather than crashing spectacularly to the ground when Malfoy dropped Neville's Remembrall. Professor McGonagall gifted him with a Nimbus 2000 racing broom, dangerous for a neophyte flyer but taking the chance he would follow in the footsteps of his father, she took the risk. Who told him that James Potter played Quidditch when he was in school, Ron?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Now, Hermione, I didn't know -"
"Right. You didn't know James Potter was on the Gryffindor House team and neither did I. But I started going through old yearbooks and trophies as soon as I learned that Harry knew nothing about his family. I gathered up everything I could to show Harry. Next, I do go to all the Gryffindor practices and matches and contrary to what everyone thinks, I'm not just reading, I do watch, though it's mostly Harry I'm watching. Not having seen a professional Quidditich match, I can't tell you how a seeker normally plays -"
"So, you admit you don't know anything -"
"I'm not finished, Ronald. I don't know how a seeker normally plays, but Harry is fast enough that he can be used in plays to disrupt the other team's chaser lines while still keeping him on top of the snitch. Part of that is simply how good Harry is on a broom and part of that is how well the Gryffindor team plays together. As for flying, do you even know how a broom stays in the air? The runework and charms involved?"
The redhead snorted. "No, why would I? As long as it works, right Harry?"
The raven haired boy held up both hands. "Don't lump me in with you! I'm just finding out there are classes I could have taken that would help me write my own spells!"
"Why the hell would you want to do that!?"
"I don't know, Ron, I'm thirteen! I hardly know anything about anything! Why would I want to limit myself right now? I have a maniac trying to kill me, I've lost my memory, I've had a pretty shit life up until now and you're telling me I should just coast through everything I can and worry later," Harry exclaimed.
"You don't have to worry about anything, though, Harry, you're the boy-who-lived. You can do anything you want! All you have to do is ask!" Ron retorted.
"Ask who, Ron? My aunt and uncle? They'd rather lock me up and throw away the key. Better yet, never see me again at all. My mum and dad? Oh, wait, they're dead. And you know how they died? I didn't. Not until I got here. I thought they died drunk in a car accident. Then Hermione tells me I have a godfather but said godfather apparently went to prison for setting my parents up to die. So tell me, Ron, just who am I supposed to ask about my future?!" Harry was panting by the end of his tirade, while Ron was staring back at him like he was seeing the teen for the first time.
"You're completely missing the point, mate. People will do anything for you. Yeah, things suck -"
"THINGS SUCK?!?" THEY SUCK?!? MY PARENTS ARE DEAD YOU FUCKING ARSE!"
Hermione immediately stepped in front of Harry and gathered him into her arms. Ron had been pushed backwards several steps by the sheer force of magic pouring off of Harry in his distress and she didn't want him to do something in his hurt and anger to the boy he called his first friend.
"Ronald, I think you should leave."
"But I didn't do anything."
"Mr Weasley, I suggest you heed Miss Granger's advice and see if you can find something else to occupy your time. Unless you would like to spend the afternoon with Mr Filch?' Professor McGonagall drawled from the portrait hole. All three teens had been so intent on their conversation none had heard her enter the common room.
"Ugh, fine. But I want it to known that I wasn't doing nothing."
"Of course, Mr Weasley," McGonagall said as she watched the boy stomp down the hall. When she turned to the other occupants in the room, she let out a deep sigh. Albus had sent her to bring Mr Potter to him in an effort to discover if any of his memories were returning. For once, it seemed his timing was impeccable.
"Mr Potter, the Headmaster wishes to see you in his office. I'm here to escort you."
Nodding, Harry gave a small smile to Hermione to show he was alright to leave her and with one last squeeze turned and faced his head of house.
"That's fine, Professor. Lead the way." He couldn't help as 'We're off to see the wizard' played through his mind.