"So, my hand's still stuck in the bottle of mayonnaise, the cat's in the sink, the baby's crying…" Harry and Ginny laughed loudly at George's highly amusing and entertaining story.
"I had to do something, obviously-" George began.
"Er-my-nee." Someone mumbled.
"What's that, Harry?" George asked.
"I didn't say anything." Harry said.
"Er-my-nee." They heard again.
"It's coming from Ron!" Ginny exclaimed.
"What's he saying? Oh my knee?" George asked, confused.
"Er-my-nee! Hermione!" Ginny squealed. "That's so sweet!"
"Yeah, if only she cared." Harry said dismally.
The continued to stare at Ron for a few moments. Then, he surprisingly opened his eyes.
"H-Harry. G-Ginny. G-George." He said timidly. "What are you doing here?"
"Visiting you in the Hospital Wing, of course! You've been poisoned." George said casually.
"Oh, I was hoping it was a dream." Ron said softly. "What about this, was it a dream? I think I dreamed Hermione hated me because she lost her memory from a Quidditch accident. Pretty stupid, huh?"
Harry, Ginny, and George exchanged looks. "R-Ron, that actually happened." Ginny said.
"No! No no no!" He yelled hysterically. "I was hoping it was a dream! I was praying it was a dream! This can't be happening!"
"Ron, it's been happening for several months." Harry said truthfully.
"And it's not going to happen anymore." He said darkly.
"What do you mean, Ron?" Ginny asked softly.
"I'm done! I can't take it anymore! I can't stand it!" Ron screamed.
"But Ron, there's nothing we can do about her feelings towards you." George said calmly, and took a step away from him and stood closer to Ginny out of fear.
"Oh yes there is." He said sinisterly.
Hermione walked at such a fast pace that Fred had to jog to keep up with her.
"You know," Fred puffed as he caught up with her, "You look really hot when you're driven and angry."
"And you know," Hermione noted, not slowing her pace, "You're a lot less sexy when you're obnoxious."
Fred smiled at her, and she laughed. "You think I'm sexy?"
"Oh, Fred Weasley, don't act like you don't think or know you're hot! The only girl I can name in this whole school who doesn't find you attractive is your sister!"
"Too true." He laughed.
"There you go! I've proved my point!" She teased. "Now, c'mon, let's go, we're wasting time!" She said, grabbing his hand and speeding ahead.
"Slow down, you're going faster than a Firebolt!" Fred yelled happily.
"Ron, there's nothing we can do." Harry said calmly. "Just be nice to her and she'll want to be your friend. I think she's coming around, I really do."
"You don't think I've tried that!?" He roared. "I've been doing it since day one, in September! And its March now, Harry! And you've been telling for months that she's coming around, and nothings changed! She's pure evil! The old Hermione would have been crying over my sickbed, not doing whatever she's doing now! I want it over!"
"And how is that possible?" Ginny asked. George gave her a nervous glace before putting a bracing hand on her shoulder. Harry continued to stare at his angry friend.
Fred and Hermione had just about reached the Hospital Wing, when they heard Ron screaming, "I sick of it! I love her, okay, I love her! There, I said it! But you know what the problem is? She hates me! And I didn't do anything! I want it to end!"
Hermione gasped and started to run towards him, but Fred put his arm across her and gripped the wall which they were hidden behind. "No." He said confidently. "Give him a chance to say something."
"It can't end Ron, it can't!" Ginny cried. "We can't do anything about it!"
"Yes it can." Ron said darkly. "George, do you know how to do memory charms?"
"I, what? Memory charms?" George asked, caught off guard.
"Yes, memory charms!" Ron snapped.
"Well, I assume so…" George shrugged.
"I want a memory charm placed on me." Ron whispered.
"No!" Harry, Ginny, and George said in unison. Hermione and Fred exchanged glances, jaws opened.
"Yes!" Ron screamed. "I want every good memory about Hermione Granger erased from my mind! I want to hate her, or at least think nothing of her, like she does to me!"
"Ron, this is unnessicary. You've gone without Hermione for these past months; can't you go a few more? And you have a girlfriend, remember Lavender? And you still have me, and Ginny, George, Fred, and the rest of your family." Harry said bracingly.
"But that's the thing, Harry," Ron said calmly, "The truth is, I haven't learned how to go on without Hermione. I've been fooling you, everybody else, Hermione, and even myself that I don't need her that I don't care. That's not true. And Lavender, well she can do whatever she wants, I don't care, and I hate her at the moment."
Hermione had tears in her eyes. Fred's mouth was gaping open stupidly. He had never heard Ron say anything so deep, so smart. He slowly moved his protective arm from across Hermione's body to around her comfortingly.
"I. Want. A Memory Charm!" Ron yelled.
"No, I'm not doing this, Ron, its crazy! There are other options! I can even supply you with love potions for her for the rest of your life, free of charge!" George shouted.
"That's not the same!" Ron objected. "And, if you don't, do you know what I'll do? I'll put on my own memory charm, which might be pretty risky since I never learned how to do it! I might be mentally deranged for life! Or, I'll do exactly what she did! I'll put myself on a broom, and bewitch a bludger to hit me in the head, hoping all good memories of her will leave my brain!"
"Ron, that's serious! You could die! Or have problems for life!" Ginny screamed.
"Yeah, well that might happen if George doesn't proceed with putting a memory charm on me. It's the easiest way to make me happy. And it's the easiest way to keep me safe." Ron said.
"Oh my goodness." Hermione whispered.
"Don't worry, that won't happen. George will be able to convince him out of it, he always does. And he has Ginny and Harry to help him." Fred said to Hermione, shaking his head, but he didn't seem too sure of himself. He seemed to be trying reassuring himself more than Hermione.
"So what's it gonna be?" Ron said, crossing his arms. "You're making this a lot harder than it has to be, George."
"Why me?" George yelled.
"George, do you love me?" Ron said seriously.
"Why, of course I love you, Ron, you're my brother!" George laughed. "What kind of question is that?"
"If you love me, you'll want what's best for me. And what's best for me is to get rid of all happy memories of Hermione. That will make me happy, which is what's best for me." Ron told him. "And it's probably the best way, too. I'll do it, you know I will. I love Quidditch, what if it's the last time I play? And I know the incantation is obliviate, but I don't really know how to do memory charms. What if I can't remember the incantation afterward, because my brain's damaged? It could work and grant me my wish, or everything could go terribly wrong.
George sighed, and plopped into a chair, putting his face in his hands. "Conference."