A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who read the first chapter and wrote me such lovely reviews. I thank you for giving my story a chance. Hopefully this next chapter doesn't disappoint. I may change the end but, but I'll see how people feel about it first ;) Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe as I am not JKR.
Chapter 2 - What is This Feeling?
Hermione felt an uncomfortable heat rise into her face. She was certain that she was bright red at the moment. Harry loved her? Where in Merlin's name had that come from? Honestly!
She'd come to visit her best friend, expecting him to see her as only stranger, just as he had Ginny and Ron, but instead he'd recognized her and told her that he loved her. Her mind was still reeling.
Harry's words hung uncomfortably in the silent room. No one seemed sure of what to say. Ron was cursing quietly to himself, but not saying anything of consequence. Nervously Hermione glanced over at Ginny who was paused in the doorway of the room. The younger woman's face was very pale making it appear as though her freckles had multiplied as they stood out so sharply in contrast to her skin. Her ear, however, had turned red, very much like her brother's did when he was upset.
Harry was staring at the three them like they were slightly off their rocker.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked finally, looking confused and slightly hurt. He fixed his gaze on Hermione.
"No, no Harry! Of course you didn't!" Hermione said quickly feeling guilty for think only of her own feelings at the moment. Poor Harry had enough to deal with having lost his memory, the last thing he needed was to deal with the drama his surprising memory was bound to cause.
She tentatively sat beside him on the bed being careful not to look over at Ginny. "You said nothing wrong, but I do think you may still be a little confused just yet though," she told him.
"Hermione, we're best friends aren't we? I really don't know much at the moment, but I am certain what I said wasn't crazy," Harry insisted, sitting up in bed. He looked very much like the Harry she'd known since they were 11, the Harry who stubbornly clung to ideas if he thought they were right. She sadly smiled as it struck her how different he looked. Though Voldemort had been gone several years she could still she the sadness of Harry's past in his eyes. Now, however, he didn't know for the moment that he was the famous Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, and he seemed years younger.
"Oh, Harry. Yes, of course we're best friends. We have been for a long time, and we've been through a lot together, but we are only friends."
She nervously wrung her hands together watching his expression carefully. Something about what she had told him was suddenly feeling a bit like a lie and it bothered her. There was an uncomfortable ache in her chest.
She heard a loud sigh of annoyance from behind her and was certain it was Ginny. Harry blinked at her sorrowfully.
"No, Hermione. I think you're wrong," he said, lying back down on the bed. Hermione sighed, this was draining her emotionally. She gave Ron a pleading look. He seemed to get her silent message.
"Harry, we are just going to step out into the hall for a moment," he announced in edgy voice. He made his way out of the room, brushing past Ginny who was still frozen in the doorway.
"What the bloody hell just went on in there?!?" Ron exclaimed so loudly that he drew cold stares from several of the people passing through the hallway at that moment.
"Well, it seems that Harry remembers me," Hermione said dully, the words sounding incredibly foolish the moment they left her mouth. She shifted her gaze to the floor and pretended to be suddenly very fascinated in her shoes.
"No, really, tell us something we don't know," snapped Ginny, her arms folded across her chest. She flipped her flowing red hair over her shoulder, away from her face.
"Ginny, please don't interrupt!" Ron chided her, wishing that for once his sister would learn when to keep her mouth closed.
"Hermione, I need to know. Is there something going on between you and Harry? How is that he remembers you but not me, the woman he supposedly is in love with? I know you guys are very close, but this really is unbelievable. If Harry was cheating on me, you need to tell me," Ginny demanded, her eyes flashing, completely ignoring her brother's request. Ron frowned at his sister, his expression darkening.
"Ginny, you know how long Hermione and I have been together. She is in love with me, not Harry. How could even say something like that to her. I know Harry took us all by surprise and that you have a right to be hurt and upset, but don't take this out on Hermione."
He wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders. She smiled at him weakly, thankful for his support. She met Ginny's eyes with an icy glance.
"Ron, how can you lie to yourself like that?" she demanded incredulously.
"You told me yourself that you often suspect Harry and Hermione of being together, and Harry told me about some of you're the things the locket made you see. Isn't it possible that there's really been something there," she argued, refusing to let go of the topic. Ron shifted uncomfortably, the muscles in his jaw twitching.
"Ginny, for Merlin's sake, I thought we were friends! I thought you knew me well enough to know that I don't take other girls' boyfriends. Though it now seems that you don't know me at all. I love your brother and your accusations are hurting us both. We came here to help you through this, and your hurtful accusations aren't making this easier for us or you for that matter," Hermione said hotly. She could feel her temples throbbing and a headache coming on.
Ginny looked away from Hermione, staring blankly down the hallway.
"You know what, I think we should really get the Healer to come back and look at him. I know that the fact that he remembered Hermione is painful to you Ginny, but he's not doing this on purpose. Who knows what awful spell that Death Eater hit him with?"
Ginny stared at him impassively. Ron grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to focus on him. "Ginny, I know you're upset but don't be a selfish brat. Do you realize you could have lost him? If you really love him you'll be happy that he's beginning to remember anything or anyone at all. It's a positive sign."
Ginny rolled her eyes at him and set off to go find the Healer who had been attending to Harry. Hermione let out a sigh of relief as soon as the foul tempered girl was out of sight. Tiredly she leaned against Ron.
"You couldn't make repeat this day again if you gave me five libraries of my very own," she whispered.
Ron patted her comfortingly.
"I'm really sorry. I had no idea visiting Harry would cause such problems. You know Ginny she gets mad and says things that she doesn't mean," Ron said consolingly.
"Oh, I don't really care. She can say all the garbage she wants because I know it's not true," he said kindly.
Hermione smiled weakly and leaned wearily against him. After several minutes Ginny reappeared with the Healer that had treated Harry earlier, a gray-haired man with little round glasses and kind eyes.
"Thanks for coming so quickly," Ron said. The older man smiled.
"It's no problem. Mr. Potter is lucky to have friends watching over him so carefully," the Healer replied. He looked down at the chart he was carrying. "We, I was quite excited to hear that Mr. Potter has remembered someone."
Hermione stepped forward. "Yes, he remembered me, sir." The man looked up at her and smiled.
"Are you his girlfriend then? Many time patients remember the person they love the most, no matter what the spell happens to be that is playing havoc with their mind."
Hermione's white cheeks stained pink.
"No, I'm his girlfriend, actually," Ginny said crossly her expression stony.
"Oh, dear, well I can see why Mr. Weasley looks so worn out. I'm sure Mr. Potter's memory was slightly hurtful. But it not right to be angry with the patient, it may even be part of the memory charm used on him that his memories return in such a seemingly strange fashion." He paused a moment and met Ginny's eyes.
"Please don't worry young lady. He doesn't love you any less I'm sure, and it will be useless to be angry with him. You should be quite pleased that he is remembering anything so soon. It is a very good sign in my opinion. I am going to go in and look at him again. You may all go see him again after that if you wish."
The Healer strolled into Harry's room, closing the door behind him.
"Ron, I want to go home," Ginny announced.
"But Ginny. You heard what the doctor just said. You never know, Harry might remember you next!" Ron exclaimed, surprised at his sister's behavior.
Hermione frowned but said nothing. She's had enough arguing for the day.
"Ron, I'm exhausted, and I doubt he'll remember me today anyway. It's too painful to see him like this," Ginny said pleadingly, grabbing her purse off the seat next to her."
"Please Floo home with me."
Ron sighed in defeat. He always felt like he was no match for his sister when she was emotional like this.
"Fine, Gin. But I think you're making the wrong decision. I hate leaving Hermione here along," Ron said, looking over at his girlfriend.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Take care of Ginny. She's had a long day," Hermione said quickly.
Ginny glared at the bushy haired witch for a moment, but then her expression softened slightly.
"Thanks, Hermione," she said softly. Ron smiled and took his sisters arm walking down with her to the lobby.
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief to have Ginny gone and slumped down in the nearest chair. Her mind was still racing from all that had happened. Despite how surprising Harry's words had been, she couldn't help but be happy that he had remembered her. As the Healer had said it was certainly a good sign.
Closing her eyes, she began to doze for a moment when the door to Harry's room swung open again. She jumped slightly. The Healer smiled at her kindly.
"He seems fine miss. Go in a see him if you like. Maybe he'll remember some more with you around," he winked and took off down the hall.
Hermione got up and resolutely walked back into Harry's room before she lost her nerve. If Ginny wasn't going to be here for him she would. Harry sat up and grinned brightly when he saw her in the doorway.
"Hermione! You're still here. I heard a lot of shouting in the hallway. I was worried something was wrong," he said quickly.
She shook her head. "Don't worry about it Harry. Everything's fine. We all just want you to heal and to get your memory back." She pulled the chair from the corner up to the side of his bed.
"I have no memory of what happened today, but it sure wore me out," Harry told her, stretching out languidly with a yawn.
"Well, I know, and you went through a lot, so go ahead and try to get some rest if you want. I'll stay right here," she told him softly. He glanced at her and the expression in his emerald eyes made her happy, yet uncomfortable because she was sure she saw love in them.
He closed his eyes and after a few moments she could knew his slowed breathing to be that of someone that was sound asleep. He looked so young when sleeping. She had never realized how long and dark his eyelashes were, she thought as she watched them fluttering against his cheeks as he slept. After a few more minutes, she decided to get up and let him sleep in peace. She stood up. Slowly she leaned over and brushed some strands of dark hair away from his face. She felt strangely drawn to him at the moment. As if in a dream she leaned over and softly kissed his mouth. Pulling away, telling herself it was nothing more than a chaste little peck on the lips, she hurried from the room to wait outside for Ron and go home herself.
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