Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry awoke bright and early the next morning, greeted by the glaring sunlight shining through his large bedroom window. Immediately a smile graced his face as he threw back the covers and practically ran into the bathroom to take a shower. He would be seeing Hermione again that day!

After showering and shaving, Harry went back into his room and put his clothes on, humming softly to himself the whole time. His thoughts were entirely consumed by the beautiful brown haired witch who had captivated him with only one meeting. He anxiously tried to flatten his unruly black hair but to no avail. Sighing impatiently, he gave up and left the small but quaint house.

Harry had fallen in love with the little cottage as soon as he had seen it. It was set on the outskirts of Hogsmeade with a few other scattered houses. The cottage was made of wood painted a light tan color with black shingles and white shutters. A beautiful porch wrapped around the entire house with flowering vines stretching up the poles. It was two stories tall with a small shed placed behind it. The yard was small but filled with an assortment of trees, shrubs, and bright flowers. It was exactly the kind of place Harry had always wanted. Peaceful and lovely.

Smiling once more, Harry practically skipped down the dirt road to the center of Hogsmeade. Realizing how foolish he would have looked though, he settled on a brisk walk and within minutes was approaching the Three Broomsticks. His grin broadened and people gaped in amazement as Harry Potter burst through the doors of the restaurant and cast his eyes toward the corner of the establishment.

Sure enough, Hermione sat in her usual place, facing the door with her head bent over her plate. She was chewing her lip in concentration and was once again playing with some waffles, sticking toothpicks in them and making a different looking house. Noticing she was once again having a problem with the door, Harry chuckled to himself and made his way over to the table.

Once he was level with her, Harry copied his movement from the day before and reached over, picking up a toothpick. Placing the toothpick through a few pieces of the waffle, the door was now secure. Hermione froze as his hand appeared over her food and watched as he drew back, smiling in amusement at her.

"I see you're still into building houses out of your food," he said lightly, taking a seat across from her. "I hope you don't mind but I saw you were having trouble with the door again."

Hermione's stunned, wide-eyed expression changed to one of confusion before her eyes narrowed, catching Harry off guard. Sitting back, she crossed her arms over her chest and studied him carefully.

"You know, I might have been planning to eat that. Do you normally walk up to complete strangers and play with their food? For that matter, do you normally sit across from complete strangers at a restaurant and act like you know them?"

Harry's jaw dropped in shock. Hermione's voice was deadly serious and she was glaring at him, waiting for a response. He continued to gap at her until she made a noise in her throat in frustration and leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table.

"Do I know you?" she questioned, her voice still holding an edge.

"Her….Hermione?" Harry choked out, finding his voice.

She gave him a surprised look. "You know my name? How?"

Harry shook his head in frustration, not understanding where the conversation was going. Was this some kind of joke? Of course he knew her name! He had just met her yesterday! Didn't she remember?

"Hermione," he began, "don't you remember? We met here for breakfast yesterday."

She laughed loudly. "No we didn't. I would have remembered that if we had. I have no idea what you're going on about but I do not know you."

"But….." Harry stopped, not knowing how to continue.

Hermione tilted her head suddenly and a slight recognition dawned on her face. "Wait a minute, I do know you. You're Harry Potter. We went to Hogwarts together. I haven't seen you in years and even then, we didn't really know each other. What are you doing here and why are you acting like we're friends?"

Harry was completely lost. He felt like he could barely breathe. What the bloody hell was going on? Standing so quickly that his knees slammed into the table, Harry stumbled away from his seat, Hermione watching him with interest.

"I…I'm sorry," Harry stuttered. "I must have been thinking of someone else when I walked in here. I remember you from Hogwarts though. I'm sorry about the mix-up. Enjoy your breakfast."

He backed away quickly as Hermione gave him a small smile. "Quite all right. I better be going anyways. It was nice seeing you again, Harry. Maybe I'll see you around some other time, I live around here."

Standing herself, Hermione dropped some change on the table and swung her purse over her shoulder, her wand sticking out of the side. Giving the dumbfounded Harry another smile, she stepped around him and exited the Three Broomsticks, the bell tinkling as the door closed.

Complete silence followed her exit and Harry sunk shakily into the closest seat, dropping his head into his hands and closing his eyes tightly. What had just happened? Hermione didn't remember him, but how? They had seen each other just a day before, what had caused the sudden change in her attitude?

Harry was still deep in thought when he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder. He jumped, knocking his glasses off in the process. Muttering to himself, he quickly retrieved them from the floor and put them back on, Madame Rosmerta coming into focus above him. Blinking rapidly at her, Harry tried to say something but soundless air escaped his lips.

Smiling sympathetically, she sat herself in the seat across from him and sighed sadly. Reaching across the table, she grabbed Harry's hand, who was still too numb to really notice. His eyes pleaded with her for answers and her heart broke to see him looking so lost and confused. Sighing again, Madame Rosmerta shifted in her seat. There was a lot of explaining to do.

"Harry, there's something you need to know before you pursue Hermione Granger any further. Let me tell you now, it'll be a lot of information but you must know. I'm sorry you had to deal with Hermione today without knowing but I had no idea you were planning on meeting her again today."

Harry managed to nod in response, still in some form of shock. Taking a deep breath, she moistened her bright red lips and began her story.

"Hermione has been living here at Hogsmeade for three years now, with her non related uncle, Severus Snape, and Neville Longbottom, her best friend. She….."

"Wait," Harry interrupted, "Snape? As in Professor Snape? How is he Hermione's uncle?"

Rosmerta sighed. "I said non related, Harry. The Professor Snape you remember from your Hogwarts years is not the same one now. He's changed ever since the Final Battle and what fell upon Hermione. He may have seemed not to really care for her or Neville much in the beginning but as the years went on, he began to get a soft spot for them, especially Hermione. He truly respected her and how she always stood up for herself. They became very close in Hermione's sixth and seventh years and after she graduated from Hogwarts. When the Final Battle took place, Hermione lost both of her parents and Severus took her in as if she was his child, even going as far as to adopt her. He took Neville in as well and they all moved here to be closer to Hogwarts."

She paused, letting Harry process the new information, and then continued. "Neville received a job at Hogwarts as the Herbology Professor and Hermione opened up a book store just down the street called Books and Cleverness. About a year and a half ago, Hermione was offered a job at Hogwarts as well, to become the Transfiguration Professor. She accepted the position while still keeping her bookstore open. Everything was perfect for them. Then, a year ago, it all fell apart."

Rosmerta looked at the floor, her eyes welling with tears at the memory. Gulping loudly, she rose her gaze back to Harry, who was waiting anxiously for her to finish the story.

"Every year, on Severus' birthday, him and Hermione go to Diagon Alley to do some shopping, it's kind of a tradition for them. They don't even have to buy anything, they just go. But when they went a year ago, something happened that changed everything. They were by Gringotts Bank when a group of Death Eaters attacked the street. Hermione and Severus fought against them along with many other people. But a stray spell hit Hermione in the temple and knocked her unconscious. Once all the Death Eaters were caught, Severus rushed her to St. Mungo's but the damage had already been done. The curse itself didn't do Hermione much harm but when she fell, she hit her head so hard on the cement that the combination of that and the spell to the temple left her with a malady that is almost irreversible in the Wizarding world."

Madame Rosmerta stopped again and stared hard into Harry's green eyes. She spoke her next words slowly to make sure he caught each one.

"Harry, Hermione has short term amnesia."

Harry froze in his spot and stared unbelievably at the older woman. "What?"

"Hermione has short term amnesia. She forgets everything that happens to her after one day. To her, today is June 18, 2002, as it is every day to her. And everyone in Hogsmeade plays along with it. We've tried to explain it to her but, because of the amnesia, she forgets it so eventually Severus gave up and said to just act as if every day is his birthday when Hermione is around. St. Mungo's has tried to come up with cures but so far nothing has worked. Hermione remembers all the people that were involved in her life before June 18, 2002 but anyone who comes in after, she has no recollection of. Which is why she remembers going to school with you but not meeting you here yesterday."

Madame Rosmerta gave him a misty smile. "I'm so very sorry, Harry. I can tell that you like Hermione but I'm afraid nothing would ever work between you, she would forget your relationship before it even started."

Harry was stunned. He couldn't believe it. Hermione had short term amnesia? Hermione, one of the brightest witches to ever graduate from Hogwarts, was stuck in a past because of some attack from Death Eaters who shouldn't have even been still roaming free. Harry ground his teeth angrily, realizing he should have stopped the stray supporters of Voldemort much sooner. Hermione would be healthy and his meeting with her yesterday would have been the start of something great. But that could not be now.

"I should have stopped all the Death Eaters sooner," Harry said with guilt laced in his voice.

"Oh, now don't go blaming yourself, Harry. It happened and that's that. We all wish it had never happened to such a sweet and bright girl like Hermione but it did. We all love her though and our job is to keep her safe now and make sure not to traumatize her mind too much. Which is why we've stopped her visits to St. Mungo's to look into a Pensieve and see if she remembers. All it did was cause her pain for a day and then she went to sleep and forgot everything again."

"There must be something we can do though!" Harry blurted out, frustrated.

Rosmerta sighed. "No, Harry, there is really nothing to do. And it hurts me to say this to you but my advice is that you stay away from Hermione Granger from now on. It will do you no good to see her and just have to reintroduce yourself every day. Distance yourself from her and make it easier on both of you."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "How can you say that? Is everyone that meets her just supposed to avoid her?"

"It doesn't hurt or bother her!" she yelled, exasperated. "She doesn't remember, Harry. And you don't need to wait around for someone who will never be able to really know you. Just stay away from her, Harry. I love that girl and even though seeing her like this makes me sad, it is for the best. You can live here and come to the Three Broomsticks but don't approach her. That is my advice. Of course, I can't force you but if you want to stay on Severus' and Neville's good sides, you won't become involved in Hermione's life."

The tone of her voice was final so Harry said nothing as Rosmerta stood up and pushed her chair in. She stared down at his bent head and shook her head with pity. Touching his shoulder lightly, she spoke in a quieter voice to him.

"I am sorry, Harry, please believe that."

She then walked away, leaving the young wizard to his thoughts. Still trying to let all of the information sink into his head, Harry rose from the table as well and left the Three Broomsticks, Madame Rosmerta's eyes following him out.

Once outside, Harry began to slowly walk back to his house, hands shoved in his pockets and a look of determination falling across his features. Yes, he had been told to stay away from Hermione and he knew it would be hard to get near her but he wasn't going to give up so easily. He liked Hermione and he was going to prove it whether anyone liked it or not.

Harry Potter had his mind set on somehow being with Hermione Granger.

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Disclaimer: The characters and setting are JKR's and the general plot is taken from the movie "50 First Dates." The exact story line will not be followed though so please remember that! :)

Author's Note: Yikes! Sorry about taking forever with updating my stories lately but I'm finishing up college now and my finals are upon me. I don't have many though so I'm going to really try and update now. I am so very sorry about the delay with all of my stories, I can't really help it! Please bear with me and I promise to get updates going faster this summer.
Now, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter, I made a mistake in the first chapter when I writing about Harry's age. He's twenty-three in my story but I made a mistake when I said he defeated Voldemort when he was nineteen and that was only two years before. He was actually supposed to be twenty-one so I'm sorry about the mix-up! Also, I have no idea when Snape's birthday is so I made this up. If anyone does know it, please tell me! I hope none of you minded of how I made him an unrelated uncle to Hermione. I didn't want to add a new character and I wanted it to be someone random that Harry is not as close to and will cause him to have a harder time getting to Hermione.
I really hope you liked it and please review! I appreciate all feedback!!
Much Love,
PhoenixFirebolt