A/N: Thank you to my reviewers crazychick-1027(Hermione's appearance has changed, but she- or Ron- doesn't think it makes her look better, when it actually does, hence all of the people staring at her), Goode-Lover(Yeah, I didn't think Hermione would be the type of person to be that vain)and Booknerdxx(Haha, thanks)! About Scars if you also read that, I've been a little busy this week, but I'll probably have it finished for the end of Tuesday, if not sooner Enjoy!

CHAPTER 8-

'Prefects, your job is a fairly simple one. If you see any students misbehaving, you are to take them to the nearest professor. You will also do rounds twice a week, and the rota will change every half term, so be sure to check the notice board in your common rooms. Now, if you could please hand out all of the timetables before you go to your first lesson.' We each took a stack of timetables from McGonagall and gave them out to the students, and I grabbed my bag from the bench by Harry and a piece of toast before heading up to defence against the dark arts with him and Ginny.

'Did Ron say anything to you last night, Harry?' He shook his head as we made our way up the stairs.

'He'll come around eventually.' I nodded.

'Hopefully.' The whole class filed into the classroom, as since there weren't many eighth years, what with people dying during the war, we all had lessons together instead of just with another house. Everyone sat down on the benches that had been stacked at the sides of the room. People began to stare at me, and I began to shift in my seat uncomfortably. I looked up and saw Draco and Blaise sat opposite me and my friends. Draco raised his eyebrows to me, his facial expression asking me if I was alright. I nodded.

A man walked into the classroom and introduced himself as Professor Bilson, and told us that he wanted to kick the year off with some simple duelling so we could ease ourselves back into it slowly. I partnered up with Ginny, but before we started, she commented on taking bets concerning the fates of this year's professor. I laughed loudly, all of the heads turning towards me. I looked to the floor and the class eventually returned to their task. We weren't duelling properly, but my wand was taken out of my hand by several of Ginny's expelliarmus'. After the fifth time my wand had been taken, Ginny walked over to me. 'Are you okay? You're the one usually beating everyone else.'

I told my best friend that I was fine: it wasn't like I could tell her I was currently more interested in gazing at the Slytherin sex god rather than doing well in class right now. She gave me a strange look before we carried on duelling, and I managed to block the rest of her spells successfully, still looking at Draco. Just as the lesson ended, he caught me looking at him and smiled. I smiled back and Blaise dragged him off somewhere.


After classes had ended, I went to the library, my land of silence and solitude. I opened the doors and slipped inside and began to retreat to my favourite corner when I heard voices talking behind a bookcase.

'…I still can't believe she's really a pureblood.'

'Yeah. And have you seen her hair? I mean, it's not a bird's nest anymore, but she's still as ugly as before.' A few tears escaped my eyes. 'And her name!'

'I know! Isobel Odette Zabini. She sounds like a snobby princess!' The two girls laughed and more tears streamed down my face. I drew my wand from my pocket and dashed around the corner and held it against one of the girl's necks.

'Run, and your friend won't be so lucky.' I said to the other girl. 'Why are you saying this?' The girl with the wand to her throat exchanged a look with her friend before speaking.

'It's just what we heard.'

'From?'

'Ron Weasley.'

'Thank you.' I took my wand away from her throat. '20 points from Ravenclaw.' The two girls began to protest but I just walked away, tears still falling. I blindly walked to the viaduct entrance hall which was now empty, realising it was dinner. I sat down on the stone steps and cried harder. Why on earth did Ron hate me because I had found my real family? After a few minutes, someone put their hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Luna smiling softly down at me.

'Hi, Hermione.'

'Hi, Luna. My name isn-'

'I know. But your personality hasn't changed, so I'm still going to call you Hermione.' I smiled and hugged her, more tears flowing. Why couldn't Ron just say that? 'What's happened?' I explained to her, and then she walked me to the Great Hall with her arm still around me. We entered halfway through the feast and everyone turned to see who it was when the doors opened then returned to their meal apart from Draco, Blaise, Harry and Ginny who all got up and hurried over to me.

'What's happened, Izzy?' I looked up at Draco's concerned face and cried again, the butterflies making me happier than before though. He hugged me, and I once again saw the venomous look my brother shot him as he held me. Luna explained to them and by the time she finished, they all looked ready to murder Ron. 'I'll take her to the dungeons. Come down when you've… sorted him out.' Luna skipped off to her house table whilst Blaise, Harry and Ginny walked over to the Gryffindor table to where Ron was seated. 'Come on, Izzy.' Draco steered me out of the hall with his arms still around me when the shouting started.

We entered the Slytherin common room and sat on Draco's bed like we did last night, except this time I cried non-stop. He took a tissue from his bedside table and wiped away my tears for me. 'W-why did Blaise look at you like that? When you hugged me?'

Draco sighed. 'He doesn't want any boys near you. He's only just got you back, so he wants to protect you, which I understand, but I think he keeps forgetting that you do have a mind of your own, and that you've been in a lot of danger before, so you can handle it yourself.' I nodded, understanding now. 'And he's a little worried about me being near you as I'm the Slytherin Sex God and everything.' He smirked and I hit his arm lightly. 'But I won't do anything to you, I swear. Not after what happened at the Manor.'

'I know you won't.' We sat there staring at each other for several seconds, and I briefly considered asking him to go with me to the ball, but Blaise, Ginny and Harry burst in the room. Draco stood up and I folded my arms. 'What did you say to him?'

'It was getting more on the physical side, rather than the verbal.' I raised my eyebrows at Harry. 'Well, Ginny started screaming at him. Then Blaise punched him. I punched him. Then we started to have a bit of a scrap until McGonagall and a few other professors came over to split us up. We had to explain to her why we were fighting and she gave Ron detention.' I laughed.

'She didn't give you three detention?'

'We got warnings. And she said she send a letter to mum about Ron. Howler time!' Me and Ginny high-fived and began to laugh, as well as Harry, whereas Blaise and Draco stared at us strangely, probably not remembering that event in second year.

'You should all get back to Gryffindor Tower before the rest of Slytherins come up here.' We nodded and Blaise moved to give me a hug good night, but I stopped him.

'I need a word with you first. In private. I'll see you two in the Tower later. Draco, could you go down into the common room?' He nodded and three of them left, Harry and Draco sharing a sour look.

'What is it, Isobel?'

'Draco told me about why you keep on giving him evils whenever we talk to each other. Please stop being so over-protective of me. I understand that I've been away for nearly eighteen years, but that doesn't mean you can dress me in bubble wrap. I love you, and I love mum and dad, just please, let me breathe, Blaise.' He stared at me for a while before pulling me into an incredibly tight hug.

'I just want to look after you.'

'I think you're forgetting that I've been fighting Voldemort since the age of eleven: I'll be fine.' I pulled away from him. 'Draco won't hurt me: he's not interested in me. Just because my hair is black and my skin is tanned doesn't mean he'll suddenly want to get me into bed: I'm still the same bookworm.'

He sighed. 'I know, just be careful. The only boys I'm completely comfortable around you are Potter, as he's in love with the Weaselette, and Longbottom, because he seems completely besotted with Loony-Lovegood.'

'Great. I can talk to two boys without your permission.' He raised an eyebrow at me. 'Fine. Just stop shooting evils at any boys who so much as walk past me in the corridor. And go easy on Draco: he's had a tough time.'

'And you think I don't know that?' I sighed and hugged him.

'See you in the morning, Blaise.' I began to leave the room, then turned as I remembered something. 'And by the way, I call Draco by his first name, so it's Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna.' He nodded and smiled.

'Good night, Isobel.' I left the dormitory and went down into the common room to find Draco sprawled across one of the sofas reading the Daily Prophet, the butterflies rising as I got closer to him.

'You don't need to worry about getting punched for talking to me anymore.' I told him as I walked past. He laughed.

'Thanks, Izzy. Night.'

'Good night, Draco.'