She was glad to see Jai take her advice and also grab a scarf.  It wouldn’t do well for him to get sick on top of everything, and she wouldn’t forgive herself if she made things worse.  She assumed his family wouldn’t be too happy either, since they didn’t have to go outside all. 

As soon as they crossed the threshold, however, it was actually a relief.  There was a bit of snow, the weather was overcast.  It was a typical winter day, for as much as they could see and appreciate.  Jordyn actually much preferred the cold to hot.  Most people would see that as a given, considering her typical demeanor toward people.  Jordyn liked to keep things toned down, quiet… Winter suited her. 

Walking a little ways down, Jordyn was surprised when she felt her hand bumped.  At first, she imagined it was just because they were walking closely… but then it happened again.  Her eyes stared straight forward when she realized what he was doing and there was that inner moment of horror and confusion before she just let it happen. 

They were both wearing gloves.  He wouldn’t feel her palms sweating.  It was nice he wanted to hold her hand… but she was also afraid he was just forcing himself to do it – like he thought she expected it or something.  She gave him a very quick side glance to catch his face.  He didn’t seem pained. 

When he spoke he was smiling.  Some of the pressure that had built up in her chest released.  Just enough that she could return the smile and not have to tug at the collar of her cloak because of the building heat.  “If I was going to ask for anything, it would be a copy of Healing Arts of Ancient Civilizations,” she informed him, having to add the explanation: “It’s one of the books required for training at St. Mungo’s – that’s what I want to do, be a healer, when I graduate in the spring.”  She hoped she would graduate anyway.  This year was proving challenging in so many ways.  “I never ask for much though.” 

She paused.  “Not that I believe in Father Christmas anymore!” horror.  Sheer horror.  Why was she so awkward? 

Holding hands made Jordyn tense -- Jai could feel the change immediately. Maybe there was more to the gloves than just warmth. He didn’t know, though, so he kept her hand in his. To him, it was comforting. Since waking up to this strange world, he struggled to feel connections to his loved ones. He knew he was supposed to, but mostly he just felt like a burden. Jordyn had only been there a few minutes, but he felt more at ease in her presence.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t incredibly nervous. He felt guilty for his memory loss; Jai couldn’t fathom how this was affecting her. That she wasn’t pulling away, frustrated with his ignorance, made things feel a little bit more normal.

”If I was going to ask for anything, it would be a copy of Healing Arts of Ancient Civilizations… It’s one of the books required for training at St. Mungo’s – that’s what I want to do, be a healer, when I graduate in the spring… I never ask for much though.” 

Jai could not do much to hide how impressed he was. So this beauty had brains. He briefly wondered whether he had anything to do with Jordyn’s career choice. Having spent a lot of time with healers recently had Jai realize how much work they did. Becoming a healer had to involve a massive amount of studying -- and based on her Christmas list, Jordyn had that ambition.

“That’s great,” Jai complimented, following the curve of the road. “Do you know which area do you want to specialize in?” His stay at the hospital had also given him the opportunity to learn about the place. Jai had been especially observant there, since his mind was a blank slate.

“Not that I believe in Father Christmas anymore!”

Resisting the urge to smile, Jai stopped in his tracks and turned to her. “You mean he’s not real?” The corner of his mouth twitched, hinting that he was teasing her. A bit of snow began to fall lightly, catching in eyelashes and hair.

If it were a normal day, a normal circumstance, Jordyn would feel bad for talking about herself so much and what she wanted out of her life.  She’d talked his ear off about it over the summer, about her internship and the things she had learned, and still had yet to master: which was everything, another reason she wanted to start studying early. 

She knew the others in her year that wanted to get into St. Mungo’s – they were good students, but there was always that bit of Jordyn that determined she was better than everyone.  Or at least could be, so why not try?  Shrugging, she got back the central point: what specialty did she want?  “I have the most interest in spell damage,” she started, “but I could also see artifacts being something I could be interested in.” 

It was probably a lot to take in, but he was at least familiar with the place.  “In training, you try everything though,” she added, “so, who knows?” the question hung in the air as they turned the corner. 

When Jai faced her, trying not to smile about the reality of father Christmas (unfortunately for Jai, Jordyn had learned this particular look and she could not feign ignorance).  “Same as the teeth fairies,” she mimicked an expression of true disbelief, widened her eyes and stared at him, “They’re really pests, you know, with no access to any knuts or sickles.  And they eat the teeth.”

Besides home, St. Mungo’s was really the only other place Jai knew. After waking up he had been monitored, though really he felt like there couldn’t be much else to check up on. Do you remember anything? Nope. Still feeling this identity out, trying to return to it, thanks. The staff was every bit of patient with him asking questions to become reacclimated.

“I was there,” he responded as soon as she mentioned Spell Damage, happy to know what she was talking about. He recoiled a bit when he realized that was really not worth mentioning; his stay at the hospital was nothing to brag about. A tremor ran through his arm and his hand twitched in hers.

Teeth Fairies. He really didn’t know what she was talking about, but he was relieved for the topic change. Jai bit the air as he thought about little creatures getting at his molars. He paused and stopped walking, turned to Jordyn. He looked at her rather seriously, his big brown eyes fixated on hers. He kept a straight face and said “Are you trying to trick me?” -- but couldn’t help cracking a smile at the concept she’d relayed, and at how close they were standing.

Yes, she had been spying on her older brother, but it was only in his best interest. The rest of her family had been just as curious, and their attempt to act aloof towards Jai’s healing. They all seemed rather sure that he was going to get better, but Lydie was convinced that he was going to need so much help remembering all that there was to remember! If she were the one suffering from memory loss, she’d be going out and trying to fix her brain.

She and Jai had always been different, especially when it came to their personalities, but she just couldn’t understand his reluctance to reconnect with the outside world! He’d barely left the house. Lydie had orchestrated this whole visit with Jordyn, casually reminding everyone that perhaps love would bring their beloved brother back?

Lydie felt responsible for her brother, and so she readied some tea and brought it into the other room. She’d heard the front door but was sure it had been Fae, who often liked to wander outside. But Jai’s winter things were missing and so was Jordyn’s coat. Alarmed, Lydie burst outside.

The couple hadn’t made it very far down the street and it was freezing out. Jai turned and shot her a look that she hadn’t seen since her brother was actually her brother. “Nothing!” she quickly exclaimed, in response to a question that wasn’t asked. The cold caught up to her. “Nothing, nothing. Just making sure, you know, that you uh- we live over there?” Lydie suddenly realized that Jordyn could have probably figured that out, even if Jai couldn’t, and finally someone had gotten him out of the house and into some fresh air.

“Right-” she laughed nervously, “Anyway, nothing.” She cleared her throat and tried to recreate the moment she’d interrupted. “You two, just um, as you were.” She smiled to overcompensate for how awkward she felt and laughed, backtracking towards the house. Lydie slunk back inside before they could say anything.

It was very difficult for Jordyn to maintain a lie she had no intention of keeping.  She’d kept many secrets in the past, but lying was a subtle – but distinguishable difference.  She laughed and shook her head, reaching out to grab his hand and squeeze.  “I’m so sorry,” her cheeks were red, but maybe not necessarily because of the cold. 

“It’s not really – I was just…” averting her eyes for a moment, Jordyn bit on her tongue to try and stop the ridiculous smiling.  “Kidding,” she finally finished her sentence with a nervous giggle, looking up at him.  It was so weird that he could look exactly the same – minus the longer hair and beard, but not… know anything.  It must have been weird.  She didn’t even really know how it worked, like how did he remember talking but none of the people around him?  Did he remember magic?  What was really there and what wasn’t? 

Brains were fascinating.  The impact of spells on them… Jordyn wanted to work in spell damage, that was her plan as of now, but it could be so mysterious.  If even the most trained healers couldn’t help Jai, what would they do?  Her somewhat sporadic thoughts continued to jump around before being harshly knocked out of their tracks by a squawking sound. 

Jordyn suddenly became aware that she was still holding Jai’s hand – and for some reason, it spooked her out of it, both of her hands flying up with fingers splayed.  It was one of those universal signs of innocence, or being caught.  Lydie had followed them and Jordyn felt suddenly very ashamed and embarrassed.  “Was I not supposed…” she looked from the younger girl to Jai, “I mean, I thought – since Jai suggested it.  I’m so sorry,” her eyes darted between them. 

Lydie seemed to be equally, if not as embarrassed.  But, her departure didn’t stop Jordyn from reevaluating and taking a step back.  Her footing was immediately disrupted and there was that feeling where your whole body goes like a statue before gravity takes hold.  Jordyn’s foot caught an unremoved scrap of ice… ow!     

Standing face-to-face with his girlfriend as it began to snow felt like a Moment. Even brain-damaged he could tell that it was an opportunity for a kiss, or some other form of intimacy. Jai took just a second too long to deliberate, wondering if maybe it was ‘too soon,’ even though he was really the one who needed to get used to this again. In that instant of hesitation, his younger sister popped up, killing all of the romance in one fail swoop.

Jai was speechless, but recognized the feeling of wanting to commit a siblingcide. There hadn’t been a time yet when Jai had gotten this way with Lydie, but the reaction was natural and actually, a bit of a comfort. Slightly wanting to murder your family was a sign of closeness, right?

His eyes bored through his sister, who spastically tried covering her intrusion and all but ice-skated her way back to their house. Well, that had been an entirely different kind of Moment. Jai’s focus recentered on Jordyn, just in time to watch her warily pull away from him. Jai had no time to react to this before Jord slipped -- instead he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling.

“Are you okay?!” he exclaimed. Jai kept his hands on Jordyn’s waist, just to keep her steady and to ensure her safety. Not because he had been admiring that particular curve, of course not.

Jordyn practically squawked when she felt herself ready to go down.  She’d mistepped and now she was on her way to ultimate humiliation and wet, uncomfortable butt syndrome.  Sure, it could be fixed with a quick wave of her wand – but she’d need to do it when they got back and she was sure she would get bruises.  All of these thoughts raced around her head in the split seconds before she closed her eyes and anticipated the cold, hard, thud on the ground.

But that moment didn’t come.  Instead of the smack of her slightly cushioned back end on the ice and cement, she felt a strong tug around her waist.  Her eyes shot open and instead of being on the ground, Jai was holding onto her, keeping her up. 

His fingers were pressed into her sides and Jordyn felt a flush rise to her cheeks.  That was embarrassing.  It was just… like all these emotions were swimming around and she had missed him so much and worried… and he couldn’t even remember her.  “Yea,” she breathed, the panic finally subsiding (at least over the potential fall) and Jordyn did the next sensible thing: she started to laugh. 

“I thought I was going to be back flat on the pavement,” she explained through strings of nervous giggles, “Thank you.” 

“I thought I was going to be back flat on the pavement,” she explained through strings of nervous giggles, “Thank you.”

When she started laughing Jai couldn’t stop himself from smiling too. The rush of the last couple of minutes -- these weren’t feelings he’d had prior to today. For the first time he wasn’t trying to remember new information or recall things he knew he wouldn’t remember. Bits and pieces were coming back, as bits and pieces of the burns slowly healed. He felt always warm and he didn’t know if that was a new thing or if that’s how he normally was, but Jordyn was cool. He rubbed his thumbs on her hipbone.

“You’re the first person who doesn’t feel like a stranger,” he confessed shyly. His head was hanging low so he could say it quietly and close to her. He looked around at the snow, with a familiar nervousness. His lips twitched to the side. Was it weird? They hadn’t said very much but right away Jai felt more like himself, whoever that was, in her company. It was almost like he was remembering.

Other parts of him seemed nostalgic for her too, which is why he was able to somehow maneuver things so he wasn’t so tall, move a hand from her hip to her face and lock eyes. Since he looked at her it meant she looked at him, so before he could become painfully aware of the burns on his face and his (possibly new?) beard, Jai closed his eyes and went for it.

It was a good kiss, and in the snow which was romantic if he was into that kind of thing, which in this Moment he really was. Kissing was nice, and he really didn’t think about anything else, and felt (almost totally) there.

When he joined her in laughing, Jordyn could have almost forgotten he didn’t really know her.  His grip didn’t loosen, even though Jordyn was able to get her footing back and standing straight up, she realized how close he was.  She braced herself against his arms and suddenly her stomach was fluttering a little bit more.  She looked up at him again and smiled nervously before quickly looking away. 

Just like the Jai she knew, he figured out something to say that put her at ease and Jordyn wasn’t sure if it was just a chill  or not, but even her knees shivered.  She didn’t know what to say, that seemed like a big deal, but she didn’t want to make it about her because it wasn’t about her.  So, she just blushed.  “Oh,” her eyes darted downward and then back up again. 

He was bent down near her.  Jordyn could see lines in his skin, discolored.  Some were pronounced, others less so – some were hidden under the hair she’d never seen on his face before.  There were some patches, she knew that wouldn’t grow – basic wound things… but it was nice.  She would have commented further but he came in closer and in a single swoop he kissed her. 

Jordyn’s fingers tightened on his arms and even if cognitively she thought maybe she shouldn’t… Jordyn fell into it.  It was like back before she left for school, when they said goodbye at the train station.  Jordyn reached up with one of her hands and grabbed the hair on the back of his head.  When they pulled apart, Jordyn smiled in a dreamy sort of way, “Was that okay?” she asked, sucking her bottom lip in a little. "I mean, you wanted to, right?" She'd feel terrible if he didn't or if he wasn't comfortable because he wasn't like.. totally there. 

Kissing felt like electric shocks through his chest, a mushy gushy moment of pure pleasure. It was a long kiss, and a very memorable one at that. He didn’t actually want it to end and for a while it didn’t, as their hands moved around each other’s faces and shapes. This was definitely something he really liked doing, that much had permeated his memory.

There came a moment, where they both had to breathe. Their breaths crossed in the air, and for a second they didn’t do anything, the world was still. No thoughts about amnesia or brain damage or hospitals, they were just two people who had just snogged the air out of each other.

“Was that okay? … I mean, you wanted to, right?”

“Yes,” he said right away, then felt bashful. He answered quickly, maybe too fast, but Jordyn seemed to enjoy the kiss too. Jai didn’t know why he was feeling shy all of a sudden. He felt her hair and kissed the top of her head, “Did you?” It was pretty evident that she had wanted to. He smiled a little, then looked off and took a hand to feel his beardy face. “Maybe I should have shaved?” He looked back, embarrassed.

“No!” Jordyn immediately reacted, reaching up to touch his stubbly cheek, “I mean – don’t get rid of it,” she hastily corrected herself.  She didn’t want Jai to think that she didn’t want to kiss him.  She probably wanted it more than he did.  Jordyn loved him and she could forget for a few minutes when they were kissing that he didn’t know who she was.  Because when he was kissing her it felt like he did. 

It was so comfortable, so familiar that she just… wanted it to keep going.  She wanted that closeness.  After a full semester away (sure they’d met in Hogseade, but it was hardly the same), it was nice to just have some time… 

Brushing the tips of her fingers against the coarse hair on his cheek, Jordyn looked up at his face with a slight blush.  “I like it,” she said shyly, “it’s different – you’ve never had it before,” she supplied.  “Don’t get rid of it…” her voice trailed off and Jordyn searched his face before leaning up to kiss him again. 

It wouldn’t hurt, after all.  He wanted to and it was just… what she needed. In the flurries of snow that drifted downward, it just felt right.  And she wouldn’t have to bring him back for a little while longer… so maybe they could just stay on this street corner and just… enjoy.