Ridikulus

Hermione takes care of the Boggart for Mrs. Weasley, and finds herself in the worst predicament of her life.

XX

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were sitting on the floor of Grimmuald Place, currently inside Harry and Ron's bedroom. Ron and Harry were playing wizard chess, while Hermione stood to the side, sitting quietly and intent on watching their game. She had been offered a play many times, but still refused to accept the offer. She hated chess.

"Knight, D4," said Ron in a very important tone. Harry smiled, and knocked Ron's knight off the board. Ron's grin was gone.

"Damn," said Ron, disappointed. "I thought I had you there."

"Had me how?" said Harry. "By cheating your way to my king?"

"No…," said Ron, but was suddenly quiet. Hermione laughed.

"Would you stop giggling?" reproached Ron. "You wouldn't be any better."

"I know that," said Hermione. "That's why I'm laughing."

Ron scowled.

When a good half and hour had passed, a cry issued from Ron's parent's room. Hermione was startled, but seemed to be the only one, and left to go find the source.

When she opened Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door, she found a devastated Molly lying on the floor beside the dresser. Hermione, scared for Ron's mother, quickly went over to her.

"Mrs. Weasley?" she said, and Molly jumped and looked at Hermione, her eyes puffy and red. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, it's nothing dear," said Molly, wiping her eyes on her dress. "Just a silly little Boggart."

"Oh…," said Hermione, surprised. "Did you get rid of it?"

Molly avoided Hermione's eyes, and said, "No. I just shoved it back in the dresser."

Hermione laughed and told Molly to go and have some peace. She promised to take care of the Boggart herself. Once she had left, she readied her want and opened the drawer that the Boggart was in.

She gasped, and closed her eyes. It wasn't what she was expecting to see.

Ron was wrapped around a nameless girl. Or rather, she was wrapped around him. Ron was tall and muscular and very handsome, and the girl was ten times prettier than any girl she knew. Ron was whispering things in the girl's ear, just loud enough that Hermione could hear it all. Her eyes began to prickle with tears.

"R-Ridikulus!" shouted Hermione, but for all the good it did she might as well have tried Vanishing it.

"You know Hermione?" the Boggart Ron asked the nameless girl, kissing her neck. "I think she's possibly the worst person I've ever met."

Tears fell from Hermione's face. The couple kissed, and Hermione tried Ridikulus again. Nothing happened. She turned away, and just as Boggart Ron wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and kissed her deeply, Ron and Harry burst into the room, both shocked.

"Hermione?" said Ron, looking at the sodden Hermione on the ground. "What going--?"

But he stopped dead when he saw what she was crying about. He snarled at the Boggart, reaching for his wand.

"R—Ron," said Hermione, sniffling and trying to compose herself. "I can do it myself!"

He went over to her and pulled her up off the ground. Wrapping his arm around her waist and using his other hand to point his wand, he said, with more force than necessary, "Ridikulus!"

The Boggart then changed into Hermione, exactly how she was, and a faceless man who was kissing her fiercely.

Harry left the room when Ron and Hermione both began a stare-down.

XX

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