"Imperio"
The word pierced the air, causing everyone around to freeze and look for the caster and, more importantly, the victim. Of course, not everyone was standing still. That would be impossible seeing as how they were in the middle of the battle of Hogwarts, but still the surrounding students stopped for maybe a second or two if they weren't otherwise preoccupied to see who had been hit.
Hermione Granger stood; with her hand clenched tightly to her want as a blank look spread across her usually knowledge filled face. Her eyes were completely vacant and even her body seemed different; more rigid than before.
Ron Weasley was close by her and responded immediately, having seen her be hit by the curse.
"Hermione?" he asked, trying to keep the panic in his voice at bay "Hermione, can you hear me?"
"Of course she can`t you idiot" a very familiar voice sneered from behind Ron "didn't this loser school teach you anything?"
"Malfoy" Ron yelled, spinning around so he could face the little blond who had taken Hermione from him momentarily, but he intended to take her back.
"Miss me?" he asked, cheekily walking towards where Hermione was still frozen in place. He stood next to her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I always did think she was a cutie" he added, looking from Hermione to Ron "you know, for a mudblood."
"Don't call her that" Ron yelled through clenched teeth.
"You`re right weasel" Malfoy said happily "she should say it." Turning towards Hermione with his wand pointed at her, he flicked it once.
"I`m a worthless mudblood" Hermione`s dazed voice said, her eyes still glazed over "I pale in comparison to the almighty purebloods. They deserve to rule me. I am not worthy of magical ability, nor is any mudblood on this earth." Malfoy laughed, obviously finding it entertaining.
"Stop it" Ron said, controlling his voice to keep it steady "stop it, right now."
"What`s wrong, does it bother you?" he asked mockingly. He turned to Hermione and gave another flick of his wand.
"I love Draco Malfoy, although he is superior to me in every way" she started again, still under the curse`s effects "I am not deserving of even his recognition."
"How does it feel?" Malfoy hissed "to have your heart walked on. I`ve felt like this the last ten years of my life! How could she love you? Why did she not see that everything I did was for her?"
"What are you going on about?" Ron yelled at a clearly deranged Malfoy.
"I`m in love with her!" he yelled "I can`t get her out if my head! But she`s just a mudblood!"
"I swear Malfoy" Ron said, balling his hands into fists "if you go any further with this I will knock you out cold!"
"Yes" he hissed again, looking slightly led crazy "but how does it feel?"
"Awful" Ron admitted "but I`m not stupid enough to think it`s real!"
"Oh yeah?" Malfoy asked "how real does this seem?" With another flick of his wand, Hermione looked slightly more like herself and less like she was under the curse. She blinked normally, breathed normally and talked normally.
"Ronald Weasley" she cried out in the way that was so familiar to Ron "I can`t stand to look at you. Get out of my sight, get out of my life."
"But Hermione" Ron started, before stopping himself and reminding himself it wasn't real.
"I never want to see you again!" she yelled, very real looking tears welling up in her eyes.
"Not real, not real" Ron repeated to himself, over and over again.
"Why did you think, that for one second I could love you?" she screamed at him, taking Malfoy`s hand "I`m in love with Draco. We`re so happy together. Why do you always keep me from my happiness?"
"Not real" he continued to chant.
"It`s real Ron" she said, so pain ridden that it almost killed Ron to hear her say. Malfoy smiled at Ron as he pulled Hermione in for a kiss. Ron lost it. He ran forward and pushed Malfoy to the ground and grabbed his wand, throwing it deep into the ongoing fights of the battle.
"You`ll pay Weasley" he yelled, getting up and running to go find his wand.
"Wha-" a very confused Hermione said, rubbing her head and blinking multiple times before spotting Ron "Ron, what happened?" she asked, looking around.
"Just a quick stunning spell" he said to her, plastering a fake smile on his face "nothing big." Hermione laughed, the smile returning to her face.
"Thanks Ron" she said, taking his hand "you`re a real friend."