ADORE YOU

Chapter 1 - The Wake Up

Ron Weasley woke up when the midday sun blared into his face, annoyingly bright and much too early for his taste. He could have slept for hours. He blinked and felt a pulsating pain in the back of his head. It felt like his head could burst open any moment.

Oh, good god, that has to be the worst hangover in my life, he thought compunctious. He couldn't remember why and when and where and how much he had drunken. That was the first indication of either a really amazing or immensely horrible night. He thought about turning around and just go back to sleep again, when his plans were crossed.

"You're awake!" The excited voice of his sister Ginny infiltrated his hammering head. Why was she in his room? His roommates wouldn't be pleased with his little sister hanging around. Maybe they were all already out? And he also wasn't pleased with her invading his privacy.

Confused Ron opened his eyes and realised that he wasn't in his dorm room in Hogwarts. White sheets, visitor chairs, beeping monitors. He was at a hospital. An intravenous infusion was hanging on his arm and a clear liquid dripped into his system. He was the only patient in the room. His sister was lounging on a line of uncomfortable looking plastic chairs and slowly she got up, stretching her muscles.

"What happened?" He asked and Ginny flashed him a relieved smile. She appeared tired and was wearing a crinkled black dress and high heels. She looked like she came from a party and had been awake the whole night. Her make-up was smeared and her eyes red from either from being awake too long or from crying. Ron wasn't sure which one it was. Sometime along this night her red hair had been tied into a bun, but now loose strands were flying around her head. It completed her overall messy look.

"You decided to use your birthday to drink yourself senseless, you prat. And when they threw us out of the pub because of you, you fell and hit your big head pretty bad on the kerbstone. But no big deal. The doctors said you probably have a minor concussion and you had to sleep away your intoxication." Ginny stood up and hugged Ron lightly.

"Well, that explains the headache," Ron croaked. Eagerly Ginny handed him a glass of water. While he took a large sip, the door opened tentatively and three young men tried to enter as quietly as possible. One had shaggy black hair and glasses and the other two were twins with bright red hair and a mischievous twinkle in their eyes. Ron grinned at the sight of his best friend and two older brothers and the three grinned right back when they saw that he was awake.

"You gave us a right fright, baby brother." Fred flopped down on the hospital bed, slinging an arm around Ron's shoulder, while George pulled a chair to his side. Both smirked but Ron could see that they were genuinely worried. Harry instead handed Ginny a bag, who seated herself again in a chair, said something about fresh clothes, and kissed her as a greeting square on the lips. Ron grinned in surprise. When did that happen? Probably sometime last night. He cursed himself for not remembering it. Harry had been pinning after Ginny for over a year and no matter how much everyone tried to reassure him that Ginny was interested, Harry had been hesitant. Well, apparently he had finally made his move last night. And Ron had erased this memory of his mind forever.

"I swear, I don't remember a thing. Not even the last few days. Everything is a bit blurry. I'm not even sure where we are right now. Must have been a hell of a party."

"Yeah, the doctor said that you could have a few problems with your memory in the next days due to the concussion. But it should get better soon." Ginny explained and Ron leaned back to watch his best friend and sister. They were totally at ease with each other. Familiar, happy and perfect together. A little sting of jealousy hit him right in the heart at that sight. Harry had managed to get his girl. And Ron was as far away from wooing Hermione as ever. Instead he had probably made an idiot out of himself yesterday night. Hermione hated it when they drank too much. Internally he cursed himself, but then he realised she wasn't there. Where was she?

Pure panic rushed through his veins. Had he made such a fool out of himself that she didn't even want to be here? Hermione Granger was his best friend since they were eleven years old and she was the most caring person in the world. She was always there when he and Harry hurt themselves. She scolded them for their idiocy, but she was always there. Even during their sixth year, when Ron had had this nasty food poisoning, she had been there. Despite the fact that they hadn't really spoken for months because of some stupid fight. Hermione should be here. Should have been waiting for him to wake up instead of Ginny. Why wasn't she?

"So, I guess we had a pretty epic night?" Ron tried to joke. "And where is Hermione? Somehow it's not the same without her calling me a stupid prat for drinking too much. I thought she would have a field day with ranting about common-sense." Ron looked first at Ginny and Harry, then at Fred and George. But there all had the same confused and worried expression.

"Hermione?" Ginny blinked puzzled. "As far as I know she's still in Paris."

"What? Since when?" Ron felt himself get angry. Why was his best friend not here, not even in the country? And why was she away in the middle of the school year?

"Does that mean she wasn't there on my birthday?" He almost yelled.

"I'll be right back." George got up from his chair and vanished out of the room. Irritated Ron watched after his brother and had the odd feeling that some detail or information was withheld from him.

"Well, yes. Hermione wasn't there." Harry answered this time but he seemed equally confused as Ginny.

"Why?" Ron demanded. Slowly he felt his temper rise and he had half a mind to just phone call his traitorous best friend. Beside him Fred began to skid nervously from the bed and instead settled on a chair beside Harry.

"Ron, why are you asking about Hermione?" His older brother asked with a worried face. This kind of expression wasn't fitting for the normally joking twin and it made Ron also nervous. His anger calmed down a bit.

"Well, she's my best friend. She should be here." Ron said and blushed at his own words. His older brothers didn't know about his feelings for Hermione. No one knew, besides Harry. But Fred, Harry and Ginny watched him now like he had grown a second head.

Fortunately, at this moment the door opened and George stepped back in with a doctor in tow.

"Hello Mr Weasley. My name is Augustus Pye and I'm your doctor. Are you aware that you are at St. Mungo's in London?" The young man stepped forward and pulled out a little flashlight to look into Ron's eyes.

"Why are we in London?" Ron asked irritated. His mum would be angry enough with him being at the hospital but being in London during the school year really was too much. He glared at the twins. It had been probably their idea to sneak out of the castle and celebrate in London. Their mum would be so pissed, especially since Ginny was also here.

"I take that as a no." The doctor rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed by the lack of attention from his patient.

"He's asking really weird questions." Fred interrupted.

"Yes, your twin already said so. Okay Mr Weasley, I will have to ask you a few questions." Doctor Pye frowned.

"Can you tell me the date?"

"March, the second 2014." He whispered back and somehow he had the feeling this was the false answer. But his mind was fuzzy and the right one just wasn't there. The doctor only nodded.

"Where are you going to school?"

"I'm a pupil at Hogwarts, that's a boarding school."

"Good, lastly can you tell me where you live?"

"During the school year at the Gryffindor dorm and during holidays at my parents' house in Ottery St Catchpole."

"Very well," the doctor smiled sympathetic. "Mr Weasley, it seems you have a memory loss due to the fall on your head last night. That can happen with a concussion, but it's quite... tremendous in your case. Today is indeed March the second, but the year is 2018. And from what I see here you live and study in London since summer 2014. We will have to do some tests to check for any other head traumas. You will have to stay at least till tomorrow." Pye smiled reassuringly and then turned to Ron's siblings and best friend.

"You can stay for a few more minutes but I will have to ask you not to upset him. Memory loss can be quite overwhelming and too much information won't do him good. Someone will call you when he's ready to leave the hospital." Harry and Ginny nodded silent while Fred and George stared at him with wide eyes. As soon as the doctor left the room, George exhaled loudly.

"Mum will kill us." He whimpered.

"Yeah, she will blame us for breaking her baby boy." Fred scowled.

"Well, I'm going to dress. You guys can do the talking." Ginny stood up and left for the small bathroom. Ron saw how Harry followed her with his eyes.

"So, when exactly did that happen? You and my little sister? Last thing I remember is that you were stalking her during soccer practice." Harry flushed bright red.

"A few weeks before our graduation, after the final exams. Do you remember the party after the last exam?" Ron shook his head. He didn't even remember taking his finals.

"Well, I was so happy to finally be over and done with it, that I drank a bit too much and tried to flirt with her. Made a big fool out of myself." At this the twins laughed loudly.

"Big fool-" George snickered and Fred took over.

"-nice way to describe it."

"From what we heard-

"-and we really regret not being there-"

-ickle Harry here confessed his undying love in front of the whole school."

"Almost yelled it at her."

"Then tried to kiss her and instead-"

"Puked right on her feet!" Both twins finished with a gleeful smirk.

"Yeah, thanks for the reminder." Harry glared at them. "Everyone thought it was hilarious, except for me. But the next day Ginny waited for me at the great hall before breakfast and asked me if I was serious. And since then-"

"Since then they are the most sappy and annoying fairy tale couple ever. It's nauseating how happy they are." George interrupted and rolled his eyes in pretended annoyance.

"And shagging like rabbits, nothing for innocent eyes and ears." Fred waggled his eyebrows and Harry and George started to laugh at him.

"Oi, I heard that, Fred! Are you jealous?" Ginny's amused voice called from the bathroom. Ron on the other hand felt his face heat up. Sex talk had always been uncomfortable for him, mainly because he was pretty insecure around girls, but sex talk with and about his siblings was the worst. The twins had always been confident and relaxed with these things. They had already been ladies' men in school, like Bill and even Percy had been, and it always intimated Ron. But Harry now talking and joking with them was new and kind of strange. Last thing Ron remembered Harry was as awkward with women as him. Had made a fool out of himself with Cho Chang in fifth year. Amused Fred, George and Harry eyed him.

"Mate, are you blushing?" Harry smirked and the twins almost rolled on the floor laughing.

"I forgot how easy it was to embarrass you. Haven't seen that in years." Harry watched Ron as if he wanted to memorise the exact colour of Ron's red face.

"Leave him alone, you gits. He just woke up and the doctor said we shouldn't upset him" Ginny came out of the bathroom in a pair of jeans and a purple top. Her hair was neatly combed and pulled back into a ponytail. Now Ron could easily see that she was older than in his memories. She was no longer a sixteen-year-old teenage girl but a young woman. Ron realised now how mature she appeared. She was taller and slimmer, had outgrown of her baby face.

Ron eyed Harry curious. He had also changed, taller and more muscular. More man than boy. He was wearing different glasses, stylish ones and Ron suspected that Ginny had helped with that. His hair was still shaggy, but it looked better. Or maybe it was because Harry generally looked happier.

Fred and George hadn't changed that much. They had always been confident and good looking. The last time Ron remembered seeing them was at Christmas 2013, when they had met at their parents' home. The twins didn't look that different. They were still muscular and fit, handsome and probably very popular with the ladies.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Ginny asked, ripping him out of his mind, and sat down beside Ron.

"I think sometime before my birthday. My 18th Birthday, I mean. Our last year at Hogwarts. I remember being at the lake, I think. But it's a bit blurry."

"Fuck," Fred whispered, and George and Harry nodded in agreement. Ginny tilted her head and watched Ron carefully.

"I think it's best we go home now. You should rest, Ron. We talk tomorrow." Ginny hugged him and everyone said their goodbyes. Ron was left alone in his room with more questions than answers. And it hadn't escaped him that no one told him why Hermione wasn't here at his side and hadn't been to his birthday party.

So, this is my new story.

Since it's a Muggle AU I took the liberty to change some things. Obviously there was no Voldemort or war, so I changed it that some things happen at a different time than in the books. I try to be specific and explain everything in the story. Keep that in mind.