Chapter 2
The raven haired man struggled to open his eyes. His head pounding, he squinted to try to see his surroundings. Sweat plastered his clothing to his skin. He noticed he was face down, suspended. Something was preventing him from moving his arms …hands …legs …head. His glasses were shoved roughly on his face. All he could see was what looked like a hospital bed below him by about 20cm. He attempted to look over to see who was with him. A man's tree trunk legs wearing what looked like a mint green uniform came into view. He tried with difficulty to turn his head.
"He's waking," stated green legs to someone else beyond the patient's vision.
"Where am I?" the patient asked feebly. Tears formed in his eyes. His voice gained strength until he was shouting. "Please just let me go! I don't know who you are! I didn't kill anyone. Please!"
"You aren't going anywhere until we get to the bottom of this, so just sit tight and answer our questions," the burly man answered.
The patient gave a moan of terror before resuming his screaming, "I don't know who you are! Please just let me go! Can someone help me?" Tears coursed down his cheeks.
"Is all of this necessary, Minister?" said another voice beyond the patient's sight.
"Yes, Arthur," stated the person referred to as Minister. "Until we get all of the facts and run the tests, we have to assume the boy is dangerous."
A scuffle was heard from a distance. "Get her out of here!" called Green Legs rushing from his station beside the bed.
"Harry!" cried a feminine voice. "Let me see him!"
The patient didn't know who 'Harry' was but he sensed this woman might be there to help him. "Ma'am? Please get me out of here!" he sobbed. "Help me, please. Just let me go! I'll be good, I promise! Please, just let me go!"
He heard the woman's shouts fade into the distance and realized that he was alone against these men. They weren't going to allow anyone to come to his aid. He struggled against the bindings with all of his might and to his great surprise they disappeared. He fell to the bed with a thump. Having lost his glasses in the fall, he looked around as he cowered to the corner like a frightened child.
"He's free!" shouted a blurry figure from across the room. He heard, "Stupify!" and the world faded into darkness.
"Let go of me!" shrieked Hermione as the burly Healer pushed her into an office. "Let me see him! What's wrong with him?"
"Settle down, little lady," the man said. "He'll be fine. We just need some answers…"
"He was terrified! Don't you know who he is?!!?" she retorted angrily.
"We know exactly who he is! He's the man that disappeared with You-Know-Who! Surely you can see the seriousness of this!"
"Let me speak to Arthur Weasley! He'll get Harry out of here!"
The man gave a hearty chuckle. "Who do you think brought him in?"
Hermione gasped and fled. Apparating quickly to Ron's office, she collapsed on him in tears.
"Hermione? What's wrong?" he asked gently, patting her on the back.
"It's Harry! They've found him. They've got him bound at St. Mungo's. He's terrified, Ron! We've got to help him!"
"So they got him out, did they?" Ron growled.
"What is wrong with you?" Hermione knew she hadn't gotten through to him the night before. She asked incredulously, "Honestly, Ron, you don't think, after all these years, that Harry…our Harry, is a threat? That he's dangerous?"
"Well, haven't you changed your tune…Look, I don't know what to think, Hermione. All I know is that he disappeared with Voldemort and showed up in a place for nutters. For all we know, he could be dangerous!"
"You really don't believe that! Here's what we'll do. Let me see if your mum can watch Andrew, then you and I will go and see him. After all we've been through; we at least owe him that."
"I know it's a shock seeing him so upset, but I think you had it right the first time. We should keep our distance…"
Hermione grinned at him. "Is ickle Won-Won scared?" she teased.
"It won't work, Hermione. I'm not going!"
"You are going or else you'll never forgive yourself for letting me go alone!"
"Please don't do it, Hermione…" he pleaded.
"Will you go with me?" she asked.
"Alright, I'll go!" he shouted.
A balding man with hair a mixture of red and gray approached the bed. "Harry, we need to talk to you…"
"Who are you? Why am I here? Why can't I move?" came the feeble response.
"We have you immobilized so that you cannot hurt yourself or anyone else. No one will hurt you. I just want to ask you some questions." The patient nodded. "My name is Arthur Weasley. Do you remember me?"
"No. Do I know you?" the black-haired man replied. "Do you know me?"
"You don't know?" asked the older man, "Maybe you'd better start at what you do know…"
"Why should I tell you anything?" scowled the patient.
"Harry, I'm here to help you…Just start at the beginning…I'm doing the best I can to get you out of here. I need your help to do that. First off, what did they call you? At the institution, I mean."
"Trey," he responded. "They called me Trey. I was officially known as John Doe number 3. That got shortened to Trey."
"May I call you Trey, as well?" the older man asked. "Good…good, please call me Arthur."
"Alright, then…Trey, what is the first thing you remember?" Arthur asked, his quill scratching against parchment.
Trey got a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke softly. Sweat trickled down the side of his face in spite of the chill he felt. "I woke up in a hospital. I was strapped to a bed. After I was examined, a shrink came to talk to me. He said that I was found in a park, naked and unconscious. He said I wasn't alone. He said I was clutching the body of a middle aged man. He said I had been unconscious for ninety days. He explained everything to me when I woke up."
"Did you remember anything about the past at that point?" Arthur probed.
"No, I didn't know who the man was. They showed me pictures….pictures of him…me. I didn't remember any of it."
"What did the dead man look like?"
"Well, rather similar to me, I suppose. He had black hair..." Trey answered.
"Do you know anything about the scar on your forehead?"
"No, but I have a matching one on my chest…" Trey answered, pulling the neck of his gown down to reveal a very red lightning bolt-shaped scar below his neck.
Arthur smiled at him. "We'll talk more later, Trey. Let me speak to the others and see about getting you out of here…Finite."
Trey felt himself be released and sank back into the pillow. His mind racing, he fell into an exhausted, uneasy sleep.
Trey opened his eyes and found a woman looking at him. "It's you…" he mumbled to himself.
"Hello…Trey. How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Who are you?" he said groggily.
"My name is Hermione …Hermione Granger. You and I went to school together. This is a friend of yours. His name is Ron," she explained.
Trey looked over to see a red-haired man scowling at him and nodded. He felt the hatred from the man wash over him like a heat wave.
The woman spoke again. "Trey, is there anything that you can remember that could help us? We want to get you out of here and take you home. What I need you to do is answer all of their questions the best you can. Keep yourself as calm as possible, alright?"
"Hermione, don't baby him…"
"Look at him, Ron. Can't you see the fear in his eyes? Can't you see his confusion?"
The other man scoffed. "What I can see is a bloody good liar and an actor!" he snarled as he swept from the room.
"Har…Trey," Hermione said gently. "The Healers have some tests they want to run. They won't hurt you. They just want to see what you can remember. Healers are the doctors in our world. They are here to help you."
Trey nodded. He didn't understand what 'world' she referred to, but the sound of her voice was soothing to him, so he would do as she asked.
After what seemed like hours later, the woman came back. Trey was physically and mentally exhausted. He wasn't sure what those little sticks were that kept being pointed at him; he knew he didn't like it, though. It wasn't painful; in the way that static electricity isn't painful. It felt like electrical charges all over his body. He felt as if he'd never screamed so much in his life.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked tenderly.
"Tired," he croaked in a raspy voice.
"That's to be expected," she said with a light tinkling laugh.
"Where's that fellow….?"
"He'll be along in the morning," she answered. "I have good news for you. The Healers have determined that besides your memory loss, there is nothing wrong with you. You can leave here in the morning! Isn't that wonderful?" Trey nodded skeptically. "Don't worry about anything, Trey. I'll take you home with me and answer all of your questions there, alright?" Trey nodded again. "Now drink this. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep.
He drank the unknown beverage in one sip. "Thanks," he breathed as his eyes fell closed.
"Harry…Trey, please wake up." Hermione whispered in the darkness. "We have to get you out before the press finds out you are here."
Trey's head felt oddly fuzzy. He had a strange metallic taste in his mouth. Reaching for his glasses, he looked at her. Her eyes were red with fatigue and worry. He didn't know why the press would matter, but decided that since she was the nicest person to him since he'd arrived, he'd go along with what she said.
She turned toward the window as he dressed in strange clothing she'd brought him that miraculously seemed to fit perfectly. "I'm decent," he called and she spun toward him.
She smiled. "Ron got us a Ministry car. He's waiting downstairs."
Trey was apprehensive about leaving with this Ron person who spent the evening scowling and grumbling at him, calling him a liar. Yet, he decided that if 'Ron' was his ticket out of this place, he'd take it.
"Where are we going?" he asked as they descended the stairs.
"Your…my house," she corrected herself. "I'll answer all of your questions when we get there."
The couple exited the hospital. They met Ron looking sheepish beside a long black car. "Har…Trey…" he said. "Sorry about last night, mate. I should have believed you. It was just a shock at first, you know? I promise to try harder. Okay, mate? Good, now let's get you home."
Trey had never seen such a crazy driver and made a mental note to never ride with Ron again if he could help it. It seemed as if they were going the speed of light. Cars, bushes, even buildings seemed to jump away in fright as they sped down the motorway.
They reached a neighborhood that seemed a bit rundown. Hermione handed him a piece of paper and told him to think about what was written. Trey jumped back when a house appeared where none stood before. He was starting to believe that he was insane with all of the strange things that he'd seen since he regained consciousness.
Several people were there to greet him. Several called him 'Harry' and were quickly corrected by Hermione. He met Remus Lupin, who embraced him with tears in his eyes. An odd looking woman named Tonks shook his hand, and then, to his surprise, swatted him on the bum. Trey made a mental note to avoid her. The woman who was introduced as Ron's mum hugged him so tightly he couldn't breathe, and then walked away, mumbling about him needing to be fed. Trey looked at Ron, who rolled his eyes.
After the largest meal Trey ever remembered, not that it was a stretch, the group retired to the den to talk. Hermione spoke first. "Trey, I know you have many questions. Let me tell you what we know, then you can ask anything you'd like. I know all of this seems strange to you. Just, please hear us out…" Trey gave an uncertain nod.
"You lost your memory in a fight with an evil person, Voldemort, who was trying his damnedest to kill you and vice versa. We'll first need you to verify that this is the dead man you showed up with in that park." Harry looked at the picture of a young Tom Riddle. He felt fairly certain this was the same person as the doctors had shown him before.
Remus told Trey the story of his life, of magic and of his battles with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Trey stared stony faced as he listened and tried to understand. Finally, Remus concluded and asked if Trey had any questions. Trey thought he had about a million questions, but didn't know where to begin.
"By magic, you mean like a magician?" he queried.
"Not exactly," explained Hermione. "A magician is a non-magical person, we know as a Muggle, who does sleight of hand. We are talking about real magic. Tonks, show him."
Tonks screwed up her face and changed her facial features and her hair to look quite like Hermione. Trey gaped at her. She then hoisted Ron up by the ankle with a spell. Ron screamed, which gave Trey a laugh. "You are a wizard, Trey. You can do magic, too."
"How?" he asked.
Hermione gave him a packet which contained another wooden stick, a watch and a few other personal items. "These are your things. We got them from the Muggle hospital. This is your wand," she said pulling the stick out and handing it to him. Trey didn't understand it, but the wand in his hand felt like he'd found a long lost friend.
His stupor was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley asking, "Where's Andrew?"
"He's staying at my mum's tonight. I'll fetch him in the morning," Hermione replied. "I have a feeling this could take awhile…"
Trey looked at her. "Whose house is this?" he asked.
"It's yours, Trey," she told him.
Trey screwed up his face, "But it's so dark. I lived here and…liked it?"
Remus laughed. "Well, you never got around to doing much actual living here yet. We'll get into that whole thing in a bit.
Trey's eyes grew wide as the fire roared to life and people stepped out of it. He recognized Arthur from the hospital. He didn't recognize anyone else. When Arthur walked over and kissed his wife on the cheek, Trey was able to put together that Arthur was Ron's dad and the girl was probably Ron's sister. He appreciated the fact that finally something made sense to him. Everyone seemed so serious. He couldn't believe they would be playing a huge joke on the amnesia patient. Although what they were saying seemed so unreal.
Remus continued. "Ron and Hermione are your best friends from school. You went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Remus continued telling Harry about his years at school. Ron filled him in on the misadventures. Hermione told him about the Dursleys, where he spent his holidays. Trey listened intently. It sounded like a dark fairy tale. He found it very hard to believe that they were giving him his own life history.
Trey sat in his bed late that night thinking over all he heard. The one thing that he picked up was that without a doubt, beyond the people in this room, he was completely alone in the world. He missed Teresa, the nurse at the hospital that had befriended him. He was told that thanks to a few well placed charms, she wouldn't remember him. Shivering, not with cold, but sheer panic, he huddled under the heated blankets. He remembered the familiar feeling when he held his wand. He wished he had that feeling again. He instantly sensed the wand slide into his hand and felt the tension ease from his body.
When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed of a woman, the woman he now knew as Hermione. He'd dreamed of her before not knowing who she was. In the dream she was leading him through a dense forest. A sense of fear and doom filled him. He awoke in a cold sweat as they reached the clearing. The vision faded away quickly.
At breakfast, Mrs. Weasley seemed to know what he liked without him saying so. Remus had said he would work with Trey on his magical abilities. Trey reminded himself that magic was normal to these people and tried to school his face to give him a calm exterior. Hermione winked at him letting him know he wasn't as successful as he'd hoped. Trey asked more questions, but soon realized that the answers were confusing him as much or more than before he'd asked.
After he'd eaten, Ron took him to play Wizard's Chess. Trey assumed he'd played before, since he'd caught on so easily. Ron's sister Ginny seemed very nervous around him. He tried to figure that out however, he gave it up as a bad job. There was so much that he didn't know.
Hermione left and returned with Andrew, who turned out to be a young toddler who looked just like his mother. Hermione took the baby into the bedroom to change him. Trey asked where the boy's father was and was greeted with open stares. Trey cursed himself under his breath. Obviously, since they had just come through a war, the boy's father must be dead. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have asked." He ducked his head in shame.
"It's alright, dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "You didn't know. Hermione has refused to say who Andrew's father is, so we can't answer that question."
Trey mulled over that thought. He couldn't remember Hermione, except for in his dreams. He seemed to trust her and if this was a window to his past, he trusted her now. He rose to find her.
Locating her quickly, he said, "He's a beautiful boy. You must be proud of him."
Hermione smiled at her son warmly as he babbled away. She responded, "Yes, I am. I almost feel sorry for him, though. He had to get my bushy hair, the poor thing. If I don't keep it cut short, it's horrible. Isn't it, Tiger?" She blew on his tummy as the boy giggled. "Want to hold him?"
Trey nodded and picked him up quickly, zooming him through the air like an airplane. Andrew laughed and chortled. The three went back downstairs, where Ron again seemed to be glowering at Trey with the boy in his arms. "Here let me take him," said Ron with a distinctly false cheerfulness. Trey gave up the boy with confusion and put it down to something else he'd need to figure out.
Hermione took Trey aside into a deserted room. "How are you settling in?" she asked. "I know this is difficult for you, Trey. Is there anything I can help explain?"
Trey didn't know how to answer her. There were loads of things he'd like an explanation on and didn't know where to begin. "Ron," he said at last. "He seems to be put out with me occasionally. What have I done?"
Hermione sighed. "You always did ask hard questions, Harry. Sorry, I mean, Trey…"
"It's okay, apparently, my name is Harry, so I'd best be getting used to it…" he said with a smirk. "It may just take a bit before I answer. I'm used to Trey."
"About Ron," she said carefully choosing her words, "things are a bit complicated with him. He's very protective of me, like you were. While you were gone, he wanted to protect me well enough for both of you."
"He's in love with you…" Harry replied. "Is that right?"
"Well, yes and no," she responded. "He and I were together for a short time, while the three of us worked for the Order. We decided that we don't work as a couple, to which you were greatly relieved." She gave a brief chuckle. "It's not that you were against us by any means. It's just that, well, you may have noticed that Ron and I don't exactly see eye to eye on a great many things. We bicker constantly anyway and it was worse when we were together. We embarrassed you profoundly as our arguments got more personal."
Harry understood what she was saying. He'd witnessed the squabbling since he'd arrived. It comforted him to know that something that made him uneasy now was something that had always made him uneasy. It felt like a connection to a past he couldn't remember. "What about the girl, Ginny, is it? What's her story? She seems to regard me with contempt."
Hermione let out a deep breath. "The truth is that you and Ginny had kind of a thing back in sixth year at school. You broke up with her before we left on our mission. I don't know if you or she thought at the time that the break up was permanent, but she brought a date to her brother Bill's wedding, and things were kind of strained between you after that. She doesn't know what to say to you now. It's all very complicated and confusing, even to those of us who can remember it."
Harry smiled. "I'm glad I'm not the only one confused, then. Who else have I wronged and need to be wary of?"
"Well…I'm not really sure. I mean anyone can have someone angry at them for one reason or another. You've certainly made enough enemies on the Dark side, but the Death Eaters are all in prison. After you killed Voldemort, they gave themselves up in droves. There's one thing we haven't talked about with you yet. Harry, you are famous in our world. You've defeated the most evil wizard in history. When word spreads that you are alive, your life will be unrecognizable."
"You mean like it is now?" he said with a smirk.
"Well, yes, I mean for example, next month there is a magical holiday. It's Harry Potter Day. There are feasts, parades and parties in your honor. How do you think you'll handle that?"
"I'll ignore it, I suppose. I can hide out here, can't I? Remus said this place was Unplottable."
"That's true, but the Ministry will want to award and honor you. They don't take 'No' for an answer."
"They'll have to, Hermione. I'm not going to strut around and receive praise for something I don't even remember doing…absolutely not. I may have been in a mental institution for the last…however long I was there, but I'm not a nutter!" Harry exclaimed, his voice rising.
"We'll think of something. Don't worry. Listen, I've got your old school trunk at Mum's, want me to bring it to you? It might help to look over some of your own things…"
"Yeah, okay. That sounds like something productive."
Lunch was a boisterous affair. Harry met Fred and George. He felt comfortable with them almost immediately. Mrs. Weasley kept giving them an evil stare, as if she expected them to do something horrible at any time. Ron called him over and explained about the joke shop and the tricks of the twins.
"I'll keep my guard up, then," Harry said.
"So, Trey…" said George.
"You can still call me Harry," Harry replied with a grin. "I need to get used to it again, so just prod me if I don't respond." He looked over and saw tears in Mrs. Weasley's eyes.
"Alright, then," replied Fred. "Did you meet any interesting Muggles in that hospital you were in?"
"Besides the man that thought he was a chicken?" laughed Harry. "Not really. There was this one nurse who was very nice, but I really wasn't allowed to talk to anyone else."
"Was that the one that you went to the restaurant with?" asked Hermione with a fake casual voice.
"Yes, that was Teresa. How did you know I went on a day pass?" he asked in return.
"That's the day that Ron saw you. That's how the Ministry knew you were alive," replied Mrs. Weasley.
Hermione excused herself, saying she had to get Andrew home and into bed. After giving Harry yet another scowl, Ron went with her.
"Did I say something wrong?" Harry inquired in amazement.
"No, dear," replied Mrs. Weasley. "I think those two are just having a bit of trouble adjusting to the fact that one member of the trio had an adventure that they weren't a part of. You three were so very close in school. Just give them some time. They'll come around."
Hermione stepped through the fireplace at her house. Her Mum came hurrying toward her. "Is everything alright, Darling?" her mother asked, seeing Hermione's eyes red-rimmed and puffy. Ron followed. Seeing Hermione, he took her in his arms. She broke down on his shoulder.
Mrs. Granger stroked her hair as Ron held her. "Being silly…" Hermione croaked through her tears. "Feeling sorry for myself, when he doesn't remember anything, much less us…."
"Plus," added Ron, "it may not mean anything. I saw them talking and laughing in a restaurant. It's not as if they were snogging or anything….Let me take Andrew up. You stay and talk to your mum." Ron carried the boy up the stairs to get him ready for bed. Hermione smiled at him in thanks.
"He misses her," Hermione stated sadly. "I can tell…"
"Well, of course he misses her," concluded Mrs. Granger. "After your dad died, that was the loneliest feeling in the world, and I had you to keep me company. Imagine how he must have felt. He was injured, couldn't remember who he was or anything about himself. I don't find it at all surprising that he was friendly with and misses a nurse who talked to him and took care of him. She was all he had in the world."
Hermione straightened her face into a look of determination. "You should have seen him, Mum. When I first saw him at St. Mungo's, he sounded so very frightened. They had him all tied up like a criminal. He was crying and begging to be freed. I swore to him in my heart that I'd do anything he needs me to do, whatever it takes for him to be happy…'
"Well, keep in mind the consequences of 'doing whatever he needs'," her mother cautioned. "You need to think about what you need, as well." Hermione rolled her eyes at her mother and retreated upstairs to oversee her son's bedtime routine.
Ron was still waiting when she came back down. "Want to talk about it?" he asked.
"There's really nothing to talk about. He sees us both as his friends from school. I have to keep that in mind. He doesn't know about the rest and we can't tell him. We have to keep it a secret until he's ready."
"You don't think he and that nurse…" Ron added quietly.
"I don't know," she replied. "It's something we have to think about. If they did have a relationship, then we need the Ministry to step in. Imagine if she is pregnant and can't remember how…"
"I could talk to him, you know, man to man…" suggested Ron.
Hermione sighed heavily. "Just don't push him. You know how he gets if he thinks he's being interrogated."
"I was thinking earlier," Ron stated. "Maybe it's crazy, but what if you were right…he simply doesn't want to remember. We both know he didn't have such a great childhood. His school years weren't the best, either, with You-know-who after him…"
"It's like you told me. He'd remember us, Ron. He wouldn't give up, not the Harry we know."
Hermione returned late that evening with Harry's school trunk. The house was deserted, except for Harry sitting and staring into the fire. "Hey," she called softly as she entered the den. "Where is everyone?"
Harry shrugged. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went home, as did everyone else. It's just me here."
"I'm sorry, Harry. If I had known you'd be alone, I'd have come sooner," Hermione offered.
Harry looked at her with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You didn't have to come back. I'll be fine. Besides, you have a son that needs you."
"You need me, too," she explained. "Andrew is sleeping, so Mum can handle him. I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. We've been friends for a long time, and while I know that you can't remember that, I was thinking that maybe you still needed a friend."
Harry smiled at her genuinely. "Thanks, Hermione. I was feeling a bit down. I appreciate your coming back."
Hermione was shocked at his words, but kept her face passive. The fire roared to life as Ron stepped through it. "…Didn't feel much like apparating," he said as he entered. "Ready to wade through your old school trunk?"
Harry grinned and nodded. Ron went over to the bar and poured them each a large drink. "This might take the edge off a bit, mate," he said handing the glass to Harry.
"I'm really not supposed to drink with the medications I'm on, the chemist told me," Harry replied. Ron winked at him. "Well, I suppose a bit wouldn't hurt."
A few hours and many mugs later, the two men were giggling over the contents of Harry's trunk. Hermione finished her one cocktail, and then abstained. She found herself reminded of the few times in the past when Harry was truly carefree. She started thinking about what he might have been like if he hadn't had to face the hardships and burdens he'd endured. She caught Ron's eye, he nodded to her. She made her goodbyes and left via the floo.
"So, tell me about this nurse…" laughed Ron, who wasn't as inebriated as he let on. "She certainly was pretty, what I saw of her."
"She is," agreed Harry, who gave up his position in the floor and moved clumsily to the couch. "I'm finding it difficult knowing I'll never talk to her again."
"You two were very close, were you?" probed Ron.
"Yeah. She was like the only one who would talk to me. I mean really talk. The other nurses, I think, were a bit frightened, what with all the "appearing out of thin air, clutching a dead body" stuff. Teresa got me that day pass, you know. I don't think I'd have been allowed to leave without her help."
"So, that day…the two of you had a regular date, then?" Ron asked.
"No, it wasn't like that. I mean, in the sense of having lunch and going to the cinema, you could call it a date, but she was my friend."
"Do you love her?"
Harry breathed heavily. "I'm not sure where this conversation is going and I'm not sure I'm at all comfortable discussing Teresa with you, Ron. No offense, but if we used to talk this way in the past, then I'm sorry, but it's like I only met you a few days ago. Hermione told me I dated your sister for a time, but I really don't feel comfortable talking about this. I'm sorry." Harry rose and made for the stairs.
Ron apparated to Hermione's, where she was waiting up for him. "How did it go?" she asked before he was barely in the door.
"We still don't know anything," replied Ron. He related the conversation to Hermione. "I need to talk to my dad. I'm sure there're Ministry guidelines for this sort of thing."
Hermione nodded. "I just need to get my mind around the fact that I've lost him and that we're only friends."
"Just tell him that Andrew is his, Hermione. He'll do the right thing."
"No, I won't trap him. He doesn't remember me and he doesn't remember us. It would be unfair to all of us, especially Andrew, if Harry came to us out of guilt. I won't do that to my son!"
"Why all the secrecy? You think no one has asked if I know who the father is?" Ron asked.
"Ron, we've discussed this. Can you imagine what Andrew's life would be like if it were known that he is Harry's son? Especially now!"
"I still say you should have married me. Everyone thinks him or me is his father anyway. I'd be a good father to him…" Ron said softly.
Hermione's eyes filled with tears she refused to let fall. "I know you would, Ron. I love you, truly I do, but I'm still not in love with you any more than you are in love with me. I want it all. That may be selfish, but anything else would be shortchanging all of us. Please keep my secret…please?" Ron nodded his consent, before leaving her with one last hug.