"So, tell me again why I can't go to my flat at Cheshire Court?" Ron asked his father as they prepared to leave St Mungo's.

"I'm sorry, son," Arthur said, "I know it's not convenient but the mite infestation is quite severe and will take some time to handle."

Arthur hated to lie to his son but after Hermione passed out and was set up in her own room, Healer Cruz suggested discharging Ron immediately so he wouldn't encounter his wife. It didn't occur to anyone in advance that Ron would want to go home to the flat he shared with Hermione but apparently, he really did remember everything but her. He knew Ron wouldn't accept this story for long but he couldn't ask his desperate daughter-in-law to move out of her home so this is what he and Molly decided.

"But," Arthur said, "Your room at home is all set." He had sent Molly ahead to prepare Ron's room and more importantly remove any photos of Hermione. She even had to remove her from the family clock.

"Alright," Ron said, "But Dad don't let Mum fuss too much please. You've heard the Healers, I'm fine. This fortnight off duty is rubbish too. My memory is fine. And if I have my way, I'll be back at work much sooner."

"Don't rush things, Ron."

Ron smiled at his father but Arthur knew this issue was not dead. Ron was going to push back and the next fortnight was going to be quite the challenge.

As they exited Ron's room, they saw Harry coming from the other direction.

"Did you get lost, Potter," Ron asked with a smile. Harry was slightly distracted but smiled back.

"Good to see you on your feet. Heading to the Burrow?"

"Yup, apparently mites infested my flat while I've been laid up," Harry looked confusedly at Arthur who shook his head.

"Oh yeah," Harry said, "Ginny mentioned something like that. Ok, well you get going and I'll get back to the Ministry and back to work."

"Lucky git. I wish I could go to work."

"Don't worry, nothing fun, just paperwork."

"Ron, meet me at the floo, I need to talk to Harry for a moment." Ron looked quizzically at his father but didn't argue.

Once Ron was out of ear shot, Harry asked, "Mite infestation?"

"We needed a quick excuse for why he could not go to Cheshire Court. He really does remember everything but her." Arthur said sadly. "Speaking of which, how is Hermione? I assume that's where you were coming from?"

"Yes," Harry answered, "she's stable now. Healer Tate said the shock of everything lead to a panic attack. She'll be released later this afternoon. Fleur offered to pick her up and take her home. Arthur, what did this Healer say?"

Arthur explained the fortnight arrangement and that Hermione didn't take the news well. Harry could understand her response.

"Harry, any luck on finding Dolohov?"

Harry sighed sadly, "Nothing. And it's so frustrating. I think we may have to wait for her to attack again."

"Keep us posted, Harry."

He shook his father-in-law's hand and said, "Of course."

When Hermione woke up, she didn't recognize where she was. She was about to panic when a voice said, "You're alright, Hermione. Your reaction to the news of your husband's condition was quite understandable."

Hermione saw Healer Cruz in a chair at that the foot of her bed. And everything came back to her; Ron.

"Have you ever had a panic attack like this before?"

Hermione nodded, "I was…I was tortured during the war. I experienced a few of those in the weeks following. But I met with a healer and worked on it. I haven't had one in a few years now."

"Well, I'm not surprised that you reacted that way Hermione, this is very upsetting. But it's best to stay positive."

"I'll try," Hermione answered weakly.

There was a knock at the door and Fleur popped her head in, "Hello dear," and then Fleur saw the Healer, "Oh, I'm sorry, I will come back." But Healer Cruz stood up,

"No need, I was just leaving." Fleur nodded and entered the room and the healer crossed to Hermione's side, "Remember to stay positive. And remember it's just a fortnight and then we'll reassess."

Hermione simply nodded and Fleur joined her side. "I'm here to escort you home when you are ready. How are you feeling?"

"Like the next fortnight will feel like an eternity."

"Welcome home, Ronnie," Mrs. Weasley said, as she hugged her youngest son.

"Thanks Mum but remember, I'm fine. No need to fuss." As Ron entered the kitchen, he saw a lot of food being prepped, "Mum,"

"I just invited the family over, they're anxious to see you."

"Mum," Ron whined.

"Go have a shower, people won't be here for a bit." Ron headed up the stairs and Arthur turned to his wife.

"Molly, love, do you think a full family dinner is such a good idea?"

"Of course. We need the family together and keep a sense of normalcy for him."

After so many years together, Arthur knew when he was beat, this dinner was happening no matter what.

"We'll just have to remind everyone not to mention," Molly glanced at the stairs and mouthed "Hermione."

Arthur nodded and hugged his wife, "Just a fortnight." He kissed her forehead and headed out to his shed while Molly continued the preparations.

"I don't think this dinner is a great idea," Harry told his wife as they got ready at Grimmauld Place.

But Ginny agreed with her mother, "I think it's a normal thing my mother would do. Aren't we supposed to act like nothing is wrong?"

Harry just grunted and buttoned his shirt. "Though," Ginny continued, "I feel guilty having a family gathering without Hermione. I hate having to leave her out."

"I know, me too."

Ginny applied lip gloss on her lips and headed for the door of their room.

"I'm going to stop by her place and I'll meet you at the Burrow. Fleur owled that she got her home ok but I just want to check on her."

Harry crossed to his wife and placed a loving kiss on the spot between her eyebrows that was wrinkled in worry, "You're a wonderful friend, Ginny. And Hermione will get through this." Then he kissed her on the lips, never taking for granted the feel of his wife's lips.

"I love you," Ginny said.

"I love you, too. And give her a hug for me."

Moments later, Ginny arrived in her brother and sister-in-law's lounge. She called for Hermione but got no response. Ginny, trying to keep her worries in check, started going through the flat. Lounge and kitchen were empty; Hermione's office was empty and when she approached the bedroom it appeared empty until she saw a sliver of light from under the en suite bathroom door.

Ginny approached the door and heard the tell-tale signs of crying. She gently knocked.

"Hermione, it's me, Ginny. Can I come in?"

When no answer came, Ginny pushed the door open to find her strong and confident sister-in-law and friend crouched on the floor of the tub, knees bent into her chest, sobbing. Ginny quickly turned off the water which had grown cold and grabbed a fluffy towel to wrap Hermione in. She didn't say anything as she did it and Hermione didn't resist. Silently, Ginny led her from the bathroom to the bedroom and sat her on the bed while she gathered pajamas for Hermione to dress in.

"Why don't you get dressed, I'll make some tea and we can have a chat? Ok?" Hermione's red and swollen eyes made contact with Ginny's for the first time but she didn't speak, she just nodded.

Ten minutes later, the girls sat silently at the kitchen table with steaming tea in front of the them. When Hermione finally spoke, "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"Please, don't apologize. It's been an upsetting few days."

"When Fleur left, she mentioned dinner at the Burrow and it hit me."

"What hit you?"

"If he never remembers me, I'll loss my family. Sure, I'll have mom and dad but they're in Australia. You're all my family and if I lose him, I lose all of you."

"Hermione,"

"I know you're going to say that it won't happen. Everyone will still be there for me but in reality, as time passes, I'll loss you all. That's the thought that sent me down the spiral you found me in. I'll be alone."

Ginny took Hermione's hands in hers. "Listen, I won't lie to you and say everything is going to be alright. I don't know if Harry will catch that Dolohov woman, I don't know if Bill and the curse breakers will find another way. But what I do know is that you and Ron have a love that beats the odds. Your love is deeper and stronger than anything and I believe that if you have to, you'll fall in love again. And as for the family, you'll never loss us. You'll never loss Harry and I. Ever."

Ginny hugged Hermione.

"Do you really think he could fall in love with me again?" Hermione asked through fresh tears.

"Without a doubt." Ginny said confidently.

Hermione nodded and smiled a small smile, the best she could muster. "You should go," she said to Ginny, "I know Molly likes dinner to start at 6pm sharp."

Ginny gave a small laugh, "You're right about that." The girls walked to the floo, "By the way, my parents told Ron the flat was being fumigated for mites and that's why he couldn't come home,"

"He remembers the flat?" Hermione asked, a bit shocked.

Ginny nodded, "So maybe put some extra wards up so he can't apparate in here."

"Ok." She hugged Ginny as she grabbed floo powder from the mantle, "He really remembers everything but me? Even this flat?"

"And he'll remember you, soon enough." Hermione said goodbye to Ginny and watched the green flames dissipate.

Hermione was adding new enchantments to the flat to prevent Ron from entering and trying to keep more tears at bay when a thought occurred to her. She'd read stories of people with memory loss who find comfort in familiar places. If nothing happens after a fortnight, she should bring Ron to the flat and see if it sparks any memories. Maybe the next morning she's go to the Muggle library and get some books. Research, non magical research, might do her well. Anything is better than crying all the time.

When Ginny arrived in the lounge Harry was waiting anxiously for her. "We were getting worried and Ron was getting irritated. I said you had a late team meeting." Ginny kissed Harry as a thank you. "Was she ok?"

"No. I found her sobbing in the shower. She's afraid of not only losing Ron but losing the entire family."

"That's crazy! We'd never leave her."

"I know but can't you see how she'd feel that way? We're already having a typical family dinner without her."

Harry didn't say anything just nodded in agreement. "I've got to find Alexis Dolohov."

As the family was tucking into the pudding, Ron turned to Harry and asked, "Any luck finding Alexis Dolohov? I know she goes deep underground after each of her attacks."

"Not yet but we'll find her Ron. We'll get her to do the counter curse."

"I'm not worried about that, I'm fine," everyone at the table did their best to hide their reaction to that falsehood and luckily Ron was focused on Harry. "I just want to stop her once and for all. Her little reign of terror needs to stop."

"Agreed," Harry said, "But to be safe, we need her to lift the curse, in case of anything lying dormant, like the healers said, right?"

"I suppose but honestly, I'm fine, I feel totally normal. Anyway, knowing her level of mental she probably has a fail safe set up." Ron said this very nonchalantly but Fleur was over hearing the conversation had to ask.

"What do you mean, fail safe?" And now the entire table was listening carefully. While Henry's face started to drain of color as he just remembered this detail.

"These nutters, like Alexis, put a plan in place in case they're caught either by Aurors or their perceived enemies; they say a silent incantation and die on the spot. So even if we do track her down, it's likely she'll use her fail safe. But I suppose even if she does, they we can still capture her team and put this to rest."

Everyone at the table looked either shocked or sick; no doubt thinking of Hermione. But Ron thought they were all over exaggerating a bit.

"Look, everyone, I'm fine. What matters is that Alexis and her group of arseholes are stopped."

The group was still quite but Harry chimed in, "We'll find them and stop them."

"Right," said Ron. "Now who is up for a shot of Firewhiskey before the night is through?"

Almost everyone partook, for their own reasons.