Thursday morning, Hermione woke with a start and was completely confused when she opened her eyes. It took a few moments to remember that she was in her childhood bedroom. She laid back down as she remembered why. Harry had said that Ron thought it was very kind of her to give up the flat but that was all she knew. She reached out to Healer Cruz Wednesday to discuss Ron's status after he found out about the marriage, but she refused to discuss it with her. Though, technically, she was his wife now that he was aware of the situation, she felt it was unethical to discuss Ron with her. That had been a blow for Hermione. Her initial certainty that Ron would regain his memory even if the spell couldn't be reversed was feeling more and more like the ravings of a desperate woman.

As she ate her breakfast, she tried to think of ways to get Ron to see her. She didn't want to ambush him by showing up unannounced at the Burrow or the flat. But she wasn't sure if he'd respond to a request. While taking a shower she decided to send an owl to the Burrow this morning and hopefully if he opens it around his family, they can encourage him to meet her.

It was a simple note:

Dear Ron,

I know things must be so confusing for you right now and I understand your desire to move on with your life. However, I would love the chance to meet and talk. Would you be willing to do that? Maybe Friday after work at the flat? I could be there by 6pm. Please let me know if that would work.

I hope you are well.

Love,

Hermione

She debated not signing the letter love but she just couldn't do it. She loved him, she wouldn't deny that. With nervous anticipation she sent the letter off and then flooed to the Ministry. She just hoped she got the response she wanted.

Ron was drinking tea after inhaling a classic Molly Weasley breakfast when an elegant owl started tapping on the window.

"Oh," said Molly with a smile, "that's Puck." She let the owl in.

"Whose owl is that? And what kind of name is Puck." Ron asked with a laugh.

His parents exchanged loaded glances and Molly answered, "The owl is yours and Hermione's. And he's named for a character in a Shakespeare play that you two saw in London when you were dating."

"Oh." He simply responded. Of everyone in his family, his mother had taken his decision to not run back to his wife the hardest. He overheard a conversation between his parents where his mother must have used the word adultery 10 times in the span of two minutes. She didn't approve and she didn't hide it.

"Obviously the note is for you, Ron." And she handed it to him. He opened it, read it and put it in his pocket as he got up from table."

"I'm off to St Mungo's and then work. Have a good day, Dad. You too Mum."

"Wait just a moment, Ronald Weasley," Molly bellowed, "What did that note from your wife say?"

"Molly," Arthur started, hoping avoid a row between his wife and son.

"Mum, it's not really your business."

"Not my business! I will not watch you throw away the best thing to ever happen to you, Ron! I just won't."

"Mum," his temper started to flare.

"Molly, it isn't our business what the note said." Molly glared at her husband, "And Ron, we just worry about you, ok? We know this isn't easy but I like to think your mother and I know a bit about true love and we know that's what you have with Hermione."

"Had!" Ron responded, "What I HAD with her. Everyone keeps telling me about this great love we had but has it occurred to anyone that I will likely never remember it! And putting all this pressure on, effectively two strangers is not fair. You are asking me to fall in love with a stranger instantly because it's what you know. But it's not what I know. And why do I get the feeling that this family is more worried about HER than me? What you all are expecting is unrealistic and unfair. So, I will ask, again, please back off and let me live my life. THIS life not the old one."

The Weasley's stood silent, stunned by their son's words. And a bit ashamed at some of the realizations. Were they putting Hermione's feelings before Ron's?

"Son, of course we worry about you. And we want you to be happy." Arthur said.

"If that's true, trust me to make the choices that are best for me."

And with that, Ron left for St. Mungo's.

"Have you seen Ron at all today?" Hermione asked Harry over lunch in the Ministry canteen. She hoped she sounded casual but she was pretty sure she failed.

"Yes, but not for too long. And if your next question is regarding the note you sent him this morning, no he didn't mention it. It was all work."

"Oh," she tried not to sound too defeated and then she realized, "Wait then how,"

"Molly told Ginny who owled me." Hermione smiled and nodded, that sounded exactly like the Weasley's. "What was in the note?"

"I asked if we could meet at the flat to talk after work tomorrow night."

"I thought you were going to give that a bit more time?"

"Well, I just couldn't wait." Hermione admitted. "I know maybe it was the wrong move but I just had to. Do you think he'll agree to it?"

Harry worried at how hopeful she looked and sounded. Ron had not mentioned the letter nor had he uttered her name once since Harry told him about the flat. Though he had mentioned Christine and that he was taking her to the cinema and dinner Friday night.

"I don't know, Hermione."

"Does he have a date with her?" She knew it was possible but she just kept hoping this Muggle woman would fade away. And she could see Harry was uncomfortable which pretty much confirmed it. "I see."

"Hermione, just give him a little more time. I know you've been sitting with this for nearly 2 weeks but it's still only been 2 days since Ron found out about you."

Hermione knew he was right but it still stung and with every day that passed she felt like she was losing him more.

"Ok," she agreed reluctantly.

"I'm sorry to do this but I have a meeting." He pecked her in the cheek, "It'll get better."

She nodded and smiled but he saw right through it and his heart broke for her, again.

When Hermione returned to her office her assistant greeted her and then immediately apologized for the unscheduled visitor waiting in her office.

"She said it was urgent that she talk to you and that you were classmates at Hogwarts."

"And what is her name?" Hermione asked.

"Lavender Brown."

"Ok. That's fine Felicia." Hermione wondered what her old dorm mate wanted. Though she wouldn't say she and Lavender were friends they had certainly grown closer after the war. Hermione had visited her while she recovered from her attack by Greyback. And Lavender had created a successful magical make - up business; her biggest seller was a cream that specialized in covering scars.

Hermione walked into her office and Lavender jumped up from the chair she'd been waiting in.

"Hello Hermione, I'm sorry for just showing up but I felt it was too important."

"Of course, it's nice to see you."

"You too."

There was an awkward silence but Lavender didn't allow it to linger for long, "So, I'm here to warn you. I have it on good authority from my friends at the Prophet that the front page of tomorrow's paper will be a story about Ron being injured on a mission, hit by a curse that made him loss all memory of you."

Hermione felt like she'd been suckered punched.

"Is it true?"

Hermione only nodded and tears started to form in her eyes. "Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry! I really hoped it was just a silly rumor."

"I wish," Hermione chocked out.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Hermione smiled weakly, "I think you're doing it right now. Giving me this heads up is incredibly kind."

Lavender just nodded but still looked nervous.

"Is there something else, Lavender?"

The blonde woman would not look Hermione in the eye but spoke anyway. "There is an additional Ministry witness that said Ron was looking into a Magical divorce." If the previous piece of news felt like a sucker punch, this felt like a slap across the face.

"What?"

"I bet it's just vicious gossip. You know how the Ministry can be with rumors, worse than Hogwarts. Ron adores you,"

"Ron doesn't know me. He knows you better than he knows me!" Her composure was coming apart.

Lavender took Hermione's hands, "Don't believe any of that nonsense. And I know if there is a way to get his memory back, Hermione Granger is going to be the one to find it! You helped Harry bring down Voldemort, for Merlin's sake, you can do this too. Just don't let this other stuff get in the way. And I will keep you as informed as I can."

Hermione, with tears in her eyes, looked at Lavender, a girl she once despised with nothing but gratitude. "Thank you, Lavender, truly."

"What are old dorm mates for!" She said with a wink. "I better go. Keep your head up."

"Thanks again." When Lavender left, Hermione slumped in her chair. The story about his memory loss was annoying but not unexpected, she knew it would leak eventually. But divorce? That was hard to hear. She just hoped Lavender was right and it was just a rumor made up by a ministry gossip hound. But a terrible feeling in her stomach said otherwise.

When Ron arrived at Grimmauld Place, Kreacher informed him that Harry was picking up the Italian take away for this evening's dinner and Ginny was in the shower after another grueling training session. So, he grabbed a butter bear from the kitchen and walked back to the lounge. Just before he turned the corner, he heard the floo which seemed odd since Harry wouldn't be using the floo to pick up food from a Muggle restaurant.

"Harry?" A voice called, "Ginny? Are you guys here? I really need to tell you something." The voice sounded vaguely familiar but Ron could not place it. When he turned the corner he stopped abruptly and she audibly gasped.

"Ron," she said, barely louder than a whisper.

"Hi," he responded awkwardly, he knew she was his wife but she was still a stranger to him. "Harry is picking up take away and Gin is in the shower. I'm just here for dinner tonight."

"Oh," she said, not able to take her eyes away from his. Though the look she was used to seeing in those blue orbs was still missing and it was like a knife to the heart.

"Well, I didn't mean to interrupt your evening," she continued.

"No," he said, trying to be polite.

"I actually came over to tell them something but it was something for you so I guess I can just tell you." She knew she was rambling but she couldn't help herself.

"Ok," he said, "Why don't we sit. Do you want anything to drink?" The awkward, politeness was crushing her. Even though she craved to be with Ron, now she wanted to run. This was not her Ron and it hurt.

"No, I'm fine." A lie.

She sat in the couch while he took a chair on the other side of the coffee table. She took a deep breath and shared her news.

"Well, I found out from a friend today with contacts at the Prophet; actually, you know her too, Lavender Brown."

"Of course, my Hogwarts girlfriend. She was lovely but clingy! But she's made quite a success for herself. How do you know her?"

Of course, he didn't realize, "Well, we were the same year at Hogwarts, same house and even same dorm."

Ron looked taken aback and then embarrassed, of course he should have known that! "Yes, I should have assumed."

This was so much harder than she ever imagined. She naively assumed he'd remember her once he spent a moment with her. Like a cheesy Muggle romance novel.

"Anyway, she told me that tomorrow's front page will be about you being cursed and forgetting, well having me erased from your memory."

He noticed how she choked up at the last sentence. He knew it must be hard for her but seeing her in person made it all the more real. It's like he could see her heart breaking and since she's a stranger to him he felt like he was intruding.

He let out a sigh, "I should have known if you speak something out loud at the Ministry it will find its way to the Prophet." He was annoyed with this news, hoping it didn't come from an Auror he trusted.

"It was bound to leak, eventually," she said.

"Well," he continued awkwardly, "I'm sorry if this inconveniences you." So polite, so awkward, so not her Ron.

"Thanks, I'll be ok. I'm sure I could ask the Minister for permission to use a private floo until it dies down."

Ron was about to ask how she knows Kingsley but then remembered that she did everything he did school through the war so she would know him.

"That's a good idea," he said instead, "And what do you do at the Ministry?"

Another punch to her gut. She would always remember how proud he was of her when she landed the job she wanted in the Department of Magical Creatures. She could feel tears coming but dug her finger nails into her palms trying to stop the tears from falling.

"I work in the Department of Magical creatures, the legal division. Trying to change laws and improve the existence of all magical creatures."

"Wow, that's, um, that's interesting."

She laughed, "No it's not. Well, not to you anyway." He looked a bit offended but also worried that he offended her. "Don't worry, Ron. I know it's not exciting to you. But…you were always proud and supportive of me."

He smiled but then the room was plunged into an uncomfortable silence.

"Um, well, if that's all," Ron started.

"Actually, there is one more thing," Hermione said, "The article, well it has some unnamed Ministry source that says you are, um, well, they say you are looking into a magical divorce."

If this room was awkward before it just became unbearable.

"Bloody hell," he muttered.

"You know how the ministry gossip hounds are, Ron."

"I can't believe someone over heard that," Ron said almost to himself. But Hermione heard it and the tears she has been fighting before returned.

"You," she started, "You want a divorce?" He felt awful, she was crying and he never handled a crying girl well.

"No," he started, "I don't know, I just asked Percy some questions and someone in his office must have said something."

With tears rolling down her cheeks, "Please," she tried but she found it hard to get words out. "I know, this must be difficult, but please don't." But she can't finish her sentence the tears are overwhelming her and she needed to leave.

"Hermione," Ron tried.

"I need to go," she said and got up to head to the floo.

"Hermione," he tried again, "I swear, I'm not trying to hurt you. You seem…really great." She looked at him and though his eyes were kind they still didn't sparkle the way she wanted.

"If you don't want to hurt me, please don't make any decisions yet." She knew she sounded like she was begging but she couldn't help it.

He was uncomfortable but felt a pain in his heart seeing her so distraught.

"I wasn't planning on doing anything yet. And I'm sorry about the bloody Prophet."

She nodded but didn't say anything else. She looked into his eyes again and smiled. "Thanks" and she flooed away.

Moments later, Ron heard the front door slam shut.

"Oi, someone help me with the take away bags." Harry called. Ron went and grabbed some of the bags. As they started to unpack the food, Harry noticed how quiet Ron was.

"What's up, mate?"

"Hermione just left." That made Harry stop what he was doing and look up at Ron in shock.

"Did you guys talk?"

"A bit," Ron answered and he explained about the Prophet.

Harry groaned, "I suppose it's not that shocking though."

Ron nodded, dreading explaining the other part, knowing Harry and his family will flip.

"There is one other thing. When I went to speak to Percy, I asked him a specific question. Clearly someone in his office heard and blabbed it."

"What specific question?" Harry asked, not sure he actually wanted the answer.

Not able to look his best friend in the eye, he explained, "I asked him about magical divorce. And that's going to be in the Prophet article too."

Harry was shocked and pissed and was about to express that when his wife beat him to it.

"Magical divorce?!" She shrieked from the kitchen doorway. "What the bloody fuck are you talking about?!"