Set Adrift on Memory Bliss

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the song. Everyone belongs to JKR. And Set Adrift on Memory Bliss belongs to Bülent Aris. This particular version is sung by the Backstreet Boys (please don't flame me for my appalling taste in music from the ages of 12-15). I pretty much like any version of this song and this rendition just seemed to fit. (I took out the hook, though.)

A/N: I decided to make this a four-part piece. Part 2 is George thinking about his break up with Alicia.

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~The candle plays the hourglass
The days go and all I do is
Think of you and wonder where you are at night~

While Fred was falling asleep, his brother George was just waking up from a dream of his own. But whereas Fred was grateful that his was only a nightmare, George woke up begging for his illusion to be real. But it's not, he thought, shaking his head sadly.

His dream had been, as always, about Alicia Spinnet. His ex-girlfriend, the love of his life. They had broken up when he told her that he was leaving Hogwarts (and her). He hadn't wanted to split up, but she had. So he resigned himself to thinking about her every day. Wondering what she was doing, who she was seeing…

~Oh I remember everything
Every smile, and even all
The reasons why you say
I pushed you out of my life~

He remembered the day they broke up like it was yesterday.

~Flashback~

George heard the stairs leading to his dormitory creaking. Probably Fred coming back from his date with Angelina in Hogsmeade. They made it a point to sneak out every couple of days, since neither of them cared for Umbridge and her ridiculous rules and regulations.

But it wasn't Fred. Instead, he heard a familiar feminine voice whisper "Alohomora" to the locked door. In stepped Alicia, worry and concern reflected in her eyes. "We need to talk," she said, the very epitome of seriousness.

His reaction had been immediate. He quickly crossed the room to her and held her. "What about? What's wrong?"

"What you and Fred were talking about in the common room earlier. Leaving. Were you just venting about Umbridge or were you serious?" George stood there silently. "Were you serious?" she repeated. When he still didn't respond, she became angry. "Dammit, George! Answer me!"

George took a deep breath. He knew he was about to his love something that she did not want to hear. "Serious," he replied, voice barely above a whisper.

At his response, Alicia roughly pushed him away. "Why?" she challenged him.

"Why not, Leesh? I don't have Quidditch because Umbridge is an evil bitch. I know I'm not going to do well on my NEWTs and I couldn't care less about school anyway. What is there worth staying for, huh? What?"

Alicia's eyes filled with tears. "Quidditch isn't everything, you know. And what makes you think you wouldn't do well on your NEWTs, eh? Sure you only got three OWLs, but they were all 'O's. And they were in the three hardest subjects: Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Me, you idiot! Or I so I thought! Obviously, I was wrong."

"Alicia…" he started, but she continued like she didn't even hear him.

"You say you love me, but you don't think I'm worth staying here for. Then I must not be worth staying in a relationship with, either."

George felt his heart break and drop into his shoes. "Alicia… what are you saying?"

"We're breaking up. If you don't think I'm more important than your joke shop, then I think I don't want to be with you." And with that she turned on her heel and stalked out the door of his dormitory.

~End Flashback~

Destiny is everything
Reality's replaced you with
The biggest empty void I've ever had in life (ever had in life) oh
Bet you say that I don't care
I bet you say that I don't even think of you
But God knows how wrong you are

She wouldn't even speak to him after that. Angelina had offered to talk to her for him and he had been grateful for that. But all Angelina got for her trouble was a book thrown at her and a nasty lump on her head.

Her words echoed in his ears. If you don't think I'm more important than your joke shop, then I think I don't want to be with you. She didn't think he cared about her. If she only knew how much he thought about her, then there would've been no way that she could doubt his love for her.


Baby will you be there when the morning comes?
(Baby will you be there?)
Just give me time (just give me time)
To fix my life (to fix my life, baby)
Baby will you be there when I open my eyes?
After all the time I've spent, wishing you

He laughed, remembering his dream. He had to clear his head after he woke up. He'd forgotten where he was, forgotten that he had left Hogwarts and Alicia far behind. He had even started to look for her next to him in bed before he realised that she wouldn't be there, that it had only been a dream.

He wondered how on earth Fred had managed to stay with Angelina; her temper was notoriously short. He wished Fred had told him; maybe he could've used that approach on Alicia. He knew he didn't belong at school anymore; he wished that she had understood that. The joke shop was in order now and it was bringing in a lot of money. He and his brother were becoming a success now and he had planned on being there to meet her at Platform 9 ¾ to show her how much she meant to him. That wasn't going to happen now.


~Sadness that overwhelmed me~

He'd never felt this much pain and sorrow in his life.

~My mind flies and carelessly
Imagines that you're happy with your life right now oh

I guess that's just the was it goes
Forever's gone so now I must
Place you with all the things that I can never have~

Again, he wondered what she was doing. How ridiculous was that question? It was two in the morning; she was asleep. If he were still at school, she'd be sneaking to the kitchens with him. Or enjoying an impromptu Quidditch match against Fred and Angelina. He missed her so much, but she had made her choice that night. He just hoped that she was happy now.