Hogsmeade was turning out just like Hermione had predicted it would, with everyone staring at them. Most people just watched them from a distance but a few brave souls, all of which were either Ginny or Blaise's friends, approached them and asked what was going on. To this Blaise and Ginny would simply answer that they were going out before they walked away, letting their friends react in private. Fortunately, they hadn't run into Ron and Harry yet, but Hermione knew that word would soon reach them and it wouldn't be long before Ron came looking for them.

To Hermione's surprise she was actually having a good time with the new couple. She found Blaise to be funny and smart and she got to witness first hand how sweet he was to Ginny. Overall the day was going really well, that is until they went into Tomes and Scrolls. Hermione had wandered off away from the other two and was flipping through a book when she heard a thud and Ginny's unmistakable voice, "Let go of him!"

Hermione quickly placed the book down and withdrew her wand as she ran towards a secluded corner of the store where she had last left Ginny and Blaise. When she turned the corner she froze as she took in the scene in front of her. Ron had Blaise pinned against a book case and Harry was holding a struggling Ginny back.

Ginny had been yelling at Ron but he had been ignoring her until she said, "If you hurt him Ronald I will never forgive you!"

Ron kept Blaise pinned with his wand pointed at his chest as he looked over at his sister, "Tell me it isn't true Ginny. Tell me you aren't dating this scumbag, because if you are I'm really going to lose it, I really am." Hermione could see a vain pulsating fast in Ron's neck, a sign of how mad he really was. She also noticed a trickle of blood running down Blaise's cheek, he had been knocked pretty hard on the head and Hermione could see him struggling to focus his eyes.

Ginny didn't answer but her silence was answer enough. Ron turned his attention back on Blaise with a grunt and slammed him against the book shelf again, causing a few books to fall down on the both of them. Ron didn't seem to take notice but one had hit Blaise on the head and he hissed in pain. "Stop it Ron!" Ginny pleaded with tears in her voice as she watched Blaise carefully.

Ron opened his mouth to speak but before any words came out Hermione stepped forward. "That's enough Ron, let him go. Can't you see that he's really hurt?"

All eyes were now on her and she almost took a step back at the raw fury in Ron's eyes. "You," he exclaimed before he pushed Blaise to the side. "This is your fault." He pointed a finger at her and took a step towards her.

"No Ron it's not, I've liked-" Ginny tried to protest.

"Shut up Ginny!" Ron snapped at her before turning his attention back on Hermione. "Because you've been slutting it up with that piece of shit Malfoy you've got my sister involved with this trash." He gestured towards Blaise who was leaning heavily against the wall. "Don't bring my sister down with you," he spat in disgust. "What did you do, brainwasher her?"

Hermione felt tears burning her eyes but she held them back and tried her best to steal her nerves. She glanced over at Harry, who was staying silent, but quickly looked away when she saw the nasty look he was giving her. He was clearly there to back Ron up if he needed it. "Ron, Blaise isn't a bad guy, if you would just-"

"Just what," Ron interrupted, "give him a chance?" He gave a harsh laugh and stared right into her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. What, you've been shacking up with one Slytherin now you think their all good? Next you'll be saying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is just 'misunderstood.' Well I'm sorry Granger but I won't let you corrupt my sister with your Slytherin loving bullshit." Ron turned his back on her and walked back to Ginny. He grabbed her roughly from Harry and was trying to pull her away but she was struggling hard to get to Blaise.

"Get your hands off of her," Blaise said as he took a shaky step forward.

"Or you'll what?" Ron demanded a little manically. Blaise raised his wand in reply but Harry quickly snatched it out of his hand. Ron pushed Ginny at Harry again, who took a tight hold around her, and started for Blaise with his own wand raised. Before he could utter a spell his wand flew out of his hand and he watched it as it flew into Hermione's out stretched hand. "Bitch," Ron growled as he charged after her.

Hermione's eyes widened in fear and she took two stumbling steps back when she tripped over a book display. Ron was right in front of her but before he could reach for her he went stiff as a board and fell right on top of her. Hermione was only struggling under his solid body for a few brief moments when two strong hands pulled him off of her and carelessly pushed him aside. She looked up wide eyed at her savior. Draco was towering over her and with out a word he grabbed her hands and pulled her up. He then turned his attention to Harry who had released Ginny and was drawing his wand.

"I'd stop moving if I were you," Draco's voice was low and lethal. Harry froze as he saw Draco's wand pointed straight at Ron's face. "Hermione, grab Potters wand and make sure you get Blaise's from him. Move Potter and I'll make sure your friend here will never be able to get a date again." Harry narrowed his eyes at him but stayed very still as Hermione took both wands from him. Once she had them she backed quickly away and knelt down with Ginny, who was looking at Blaise's head wound with soft hands. Draco backed out of the isle of books, keeping his wand pointed at Ron the whole time. "Now get your friend and leave before I decide not to let you." The binding spell was lifted from Ron and Harry helped him stand up. They both stared daggers at Draco as they made their way slowly past him. Draco followed them and made sure they left the store before he lowered his wand. When he turned into the isle he saw Hermione casting a healing spell on Blaise as she steadied him with a firm hand on his arm. He put his hand on Blaise's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I feel a lot better now." He gave a brief appreciative smile to Hermione before turning his attention back to Draco. "Thanks hero, you came just in time."

Draco gave a smirk and stepped away from him. "What happened?"

"Harry and my brother were hiding behind the bookshelf when they ambushed us." Ginny spoke with rising anger. "Harry grabbed me and when Blaise's attention was on us Ron used a spell to send that," she gestured to a very thick book on the floor, "at Blaise's head."

"Dirty." Draco answered. Ginny just nodded her head and started fusing over Blaise again, who smiled and murmured softly to her. Draco looked over at Hermione and then quickly marched over to her. "You're bleeding," he stated as he grabbed her left arm and turned it slightly to the right to look at the long gash running down her forearm.

"Oh," Hermione said a little surprised. "I didn't even notice. It's nothing, only a scratch." She tried to pull her arm away but Draco gripped it tighter and pointed his wand at the wound and healed it before letting her go. "Thanks," she mumbled as she rubbed the spot where the cut had been.

Draco looked her in the eyes, "He was going to hurt you."

"No, he wouldn't-"

"Yes, Hermione, he would." He took a step forward and put his hand against her cheek and looked into her eyes with a fierce intensity. "You can't trust them anymore. You need to remember that incase this ever happens again."

Hermione didn't say anything, just looked up into his storm grey eyes and leaned her head slightly into his touch. His eyes slowly softened and he moved his thumb gently across her jaw line. "Draco-" Hermione started softly but was interrupted by an exasperated voice.

"There you are!"

Draco quickly moved away from Hermione and cleared his throat. "Yeah, Melody, sorry, I didn't mean to ditch you so suddenly."

"That's alright." She smiled brightly up at him as she grabbed his arm and pulled on it. "Should we go finish what we started?" She asked seductively.

Draco glanced quickly over to Hermione, who now had her back turned to him, before turning his attention back to Melody. "Sure. Are you positive you're ok now Blaise?"

"Yeah mate, go and have fun." Blaise smiled as he put his arm around Ginny's shoulders. "Oh, and thanks again." Draco just nodded his head and headed out of the store with Melody on his arm. Blaise turned his attention to Ginny who was touching his head again. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, "I'm fine really, you don't need to worry anymore."

"I'm so sorry Blaise, my brother-"

"You don't apologize for him." Blaise said seriously as he looked into her eyes. "That was all him and Potter."

Ginny's eyes filled with tears and she looked down. "I know but I should have stopped it, I'm a witch for God's sake. I just can't believe he would take it so far."

Blaise smiled gently down at her and wiped his thumb across her cheek, brushing away a tear. "They played dirty, attacking us when our backs were turned. There was nothing either of us could have done." He lifted her face so she would meet his eyes, "Alright?" Ginny nodded and Blaise gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Ginny smiled at him then looked over at Hermione and lost her smile. Ginny pulled her eyes off of her and looked back up at Blaise, "Hey can you give me a minute with Hermione, girl talk you know."

"Of course, I'll wait for you outside." He gave her another quick kiss before he walked away.

Ginny watched him leave before she turned towards Hermione, who still had her back turned. She put a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Hermione-"

"I'm alright, Ginny." She said in a thick voice. She quickly wiped at her face before she turned to face her friend. "It's just hard," she took in a shuttering breath, "it's so much harder than I thought it would be. I want to forget about him but it still hurts," she gestured weakly to the empty space that Draco and Melody had occupied.

Ginny pulled Hermione into a hug, "It will get easier, I promise. You just need more time."

Hermione just nodded her head against Ginny's shoulder. She knew Ginny was right, she just didn't know if she could wait that long.

The days that followed were uneventful ones. Ginny and Blaise's relationship was generally accepted with out too much fuss. Even though Blaise was a Slytherin he was generally liked by all. The only mark against him, in the eyes of the Gryffindors especially, was that he was best friends with Malfoy, but most were willing to over look that since he mostly kept to himself. The Slytherins were willing to accept their relationship with minimal disgust because they all knew how hard it was to find a pure blood that wasn't related to them in one way or another and they were willing to assume that that was why Blaise chose her. Hermione was even being treated a little nicer. People still avoided her but the bullying had let up, though not completely, but some people were willing to feel sorry for her for being ditched so coldly by Malfoy.

One night while Hermione was heading out of the common room she was stopped by Zack. "Hey," he smiled at her, "I was just looking for you. Where are you headed?"

She returned his smile and answered, "I was just about to go to the library for a bit."

"Oh, I just came from there." He watched her carefully as he spoke up again. "I saw Malfoy and that Ravenclaw girl of his. They were having a little fun in a dark corner." Pain flashed across Hermione's face and Zack let out a sigh. "Come over here for a second," he grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty class room. Once he shut the door he turned abruptly to face Hermione. "You need to forget about him Hermione. He's no good for you."

"What?" Hermione smiled nervously. "I don't-"

"He'll never care about you like that Hermione!" He cut her off sharply. "I bet it's a struggle for him to even be friends with you. " Hermione bit her lip but didn't respond. "You need to let him go."

Hermione turned her back to him and looked out the window. "I don't know what you're talking about Zack. Draco and I…he's just my friend." She finished weakly.

"You can't fool me Hermione. I notice everything about you. I see how painful it is for you every time you see him and Melody together." In a quieter voice he said, "I see how you look at him." Hermione stayed silent but he could see her shoulders tense and watched as she brushed at her cheeks. He took a few long strides over to her and wrapped his arms above her chest and pulled her against him. She stayed very still and kept her eyes locked out of the window. He brought his head down to her ear. "I hate seeing you cry over him. I'm the one you should be with. I could make you happier than he ever could and I could love you greater." He pulled her a little tighter against him. "It would take a little time, but I could make you forget all about him." He kissed the nape of her neck and whispered, "Be mine Hermione." He then stepped away from her. "Haven't I stood by you no matter what?" She nodded her head slowly. "Then will you at least think about it, really think about it? About all that I could give you, about how much fun we have together?"

"Yes," she said softly, "I'll think about it."

"Good," he hesitated for a moment then walked back over to her and kissed the top of her head before he turned around and left the room.

A/N- Sorry for the long wait on the update. I hope you guys liked this chapter. If you see any mistakes, spelling or grammar, please let me know. Review and let me know what you think so far. Thanks for reading!