A/N: Sorry for taking such a long time with uploading this but I've been away, so I tried to make this chapter a bit longer for your sake, hope you enjoy!

Hermione nibbled absentminded on her lower lip – a bad habit she had picked up not so long ago - and turned another side in the huge book that laid spread before her. She really did try to keep her mind focused on the task in front of her – she was trying to find some value information to one of her essays, but it seemed almost impossible. Her mind kept drifting away to dangerous areas that contained the last couple of day's events and a certain albino looking boy. It was hard to think about anything else when he always kept showing up everywhere. She had told him to stay away and never speak to her again but he didn't seem to get the hint, which angered her. Malfoy never approached her but he was always near. When she were in the library she often saw him sitting by a table not so far away deeply engrossed in some thick book – she didn't know that he enjoyed to read. But that was the thing. She got the impression that he didn't read because he liked it but because he had to.

The books he picked up didn't seem to contain any valuable information about schoolwork either. One day when he had left before her, she saw that he had forgotten to return the book he had previously read to its right spot in the bookshelf. She had decided to do it for him and bark at him later for his laziness when her curiosity got the better of her.

She had looked over her shoulder to assure herself that no one saw her and then she had tucked the book away in her bag. It didn't feel right taking the book like that but she knew that she would return it later, that made her feel a tad better. Besides, she doubted that anyone would be looking for the book anytime soon.

She hadn't gotten the chance to inspect the book yet, she had been far too catched up in schoolwork, but Hermione promised herself that she would look into it later this evening. When everyone had gone to bed would be the perfect time. Lavender and Parvati could be so noisy and Hermione still kept away from Lavender. Tried to avoid her at all costs which ended with her barely visiting the Gryffindor tower, expect when it was time to go to bed of course. Especially now when she wasn't on speaking terms with Harry. The whole argument had been pointless and childish, Hermione admitted that her temperament had gotten the better of her, but she couldn't get herself to apologize. Her stupid pride didn't let her.

So yes, she did feel quite lonely. Ginny did hang with her in the library now and then but the smell of old books and the whole be-quite-or-get-out got to her. Hermione respected that Ginny wanted to be outside the library and hang with her other friends too but it made her feel a bit abandoned, but she never voiced that.

Blaise came as a saving knight in armor. He didn't mind spending time with her in the library, sitting and discussing different types of subjects and study too. Sure, Hermione did have some problems concentrating in his presence and her gaze did get stuck on his face sometimes when she looked up at him from the top of her book but otherwise it wasn't any problems. She enjoyed his company and his deep thoughts and most of his opinions. They did have debates about certain things that they disagreed about but they were always on a friendly level.

She really did like him and she hoped that she would be brave enough to tell him sometime.

"Hermione?"

The corners of Hermione's mouth turned upwards in a huge smile. She turned around in her chair and saw Blaise standing there with his hands tucked inside the pocket of his pants.

"Blaise", she said pleasantly. "What brings you here?"

He grinned at her.

"I wanted to ask my favorite girl if she wanted to accompany me for some dinner?" Said Blaise. "I'm awfully hungry and if I've understood things right you haven't eaten anything today"

Hermione flushed when he said 'favorite girl'.

"Well y-yeah, I got too caught up in my research for this essay-", rambled Hermione.

"Too caught up to even take small break to eat?" Blaise's voice sounded stern.

"Uhm"

Blaise sighed and walked forward. He pulled out a chair and sat down beside her, facing her.

He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "You gotta eat 'Mione"

He was only trying to look out for her but it didn't stop her from feeling a bit annoyed. He reminded her of Harry and Ron and she certainly didn't need another guard dog.

"I can look out for myself, thank you very much", she snapped.

He sighed again. "I didn't mean it like that"

"How did you mean it then?"

"I was only worried for you", he said. "You're spending almost all of your free time in here, forgetting to eat and you barely speak with your friends anymore. It's like your slowly slipping away from everything and I'm just standing beside watching you sink down. As your friend, it's making me feeling worthless"

He looked at her with concern in his eyes and Hermione lowered her gaze.

"You're right, I'm sorry", she mumbled.

"Is there something bothering you?"

Hermione thought about spilling all of her problems on him. Telling him about her strange almost friendship with Malfoy. Tell Blaise how much she worried for Malfoy's health and most of all, his life.

"It's nothing", she finally said and gave him her best fake smile. "Just a bit stressed out about all this homework I guess"

He looked at her a bit skeptically but decided to drop the subject.

"Yeah, there's a lot going on now", he said. "Come on, let's get something to eat"

He stood up and reached her his hand. She took it and stood up. They looked in each other's eyes for a moment before Hermione broke the gaze by putting her book away in her bag. She swung it over her shoulder, walked a bit and turned to look at him.

"Are you coming or what?" She said a bit teasingly.

He snapped out of his daze and hurried over.

"Yeah, let's go"

Blaise's pow

Blaise walked in an empty corridor, occupied by his own thoughts and that made him miss the sound of steps behind him. He were on his way back to his common room from yet another study session with Hermione in the library. He had suggested that they would go outside after dinner but she had insisted to stay inside and finish her schoolwork. It wasn't possible to change her mind so he had stayed in there with her. He figured that she needed his company and he didn't mind spending time with her, more the opposite.

Even if she told him that it was nothing, he still thought that she kept something from him, something big. But he couldn't figure it out so he shrugged and decided that if it really was something she would tell him when she were ready. He just wished that she could trust him enough to chare things about herself. He didn't mean favorite color and such, he knew all those kinds of things already. No, he wanted to know things about her that not many others knew such as her fears, her thoughts and her secrets. He wanted them to be honest with each other.

He halted by one of the large windows and looked outside. It was a nice day, the sun was shining bright up there in the sky and it was almost completely free from clouds.

He let out a huge sigh, it seemed as that was something he did often these days.

Then he suddenly felt a presence beside him and when he glanced at his side he saw Malfoy standing there, looking out.

"Beautiful day, isn't it" stated Malfoy.

"Yes it is", agreed Blaise.

He thought about asking Malfoy what he was doing there but figured that he would tell him soon.

"I think that it's a shame that some people have a habit of destroying beautiful things. Ruin things that's already perfect", trailed Malfoy off.

Blaise raised one eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I think you know"

Blaise turned his head and looked at him. "No, really, I've no idea"

"You know what I'm talking about", snapped Malfoy.

"Are we going to stand here all day, fighting about if I know something or not?" Blaise let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, you know what? I don't have time for such things"

Malfoy turned his head to him and gave him a hard stare.

"Stop it Zabini, you know that it's about Granger", he spat out.

"What about, Hermione?" Blaise looked surprised.

"Don't call her that!" Malfoy sounded awfully dangerous.

"What? Her name?"

Blaise couldn't help but smirk at him. "Jealous much?"

"There's nothing to feel jealous about", snapped Malfoy and hastily added. "It's not like I want anything to do with that m-m-m-muggleborn"

Well, this was certainly interesting.

"You can't even say it anymore, can you?"

"Shut it Zabini"

Blaise wasn't sure what to think about all of this. Why was Malfoy talking about Granger, and why did he sound so defensive about her? It wasn't as if they were friends or anything? No, he would have seen it by now.

"Seriously, I've no idea why you're talking about Hermione with me. Or no wait, let me rephrase that. I've no idea why you're speaking about her at all"

"Don't you think that I've seen the two of you together in the library?"

"I don't see how that's got anything to do with you…?"

"It got everything to do with me", snapped Malfoy.

"What?"

"She's mine"

Something blistered in Malfoy's eyes, Blaise swore that he could see a tint of red but dismissed it. He had never thought that those words would never leave Malfoy's mouth. At least not if they were about Hermione of all people.

"Last time I checked, Hermione was her own person and belonged to no one", said Blaise dryly.

Malfoy got up in his face and Blaise felt like taking at least two steps back but decided against it.

"Listen once, and listen closely", said Malfoy, threatening. "If I ever see you with her again – just even once - I swear that I will hunt you down when you're alone and make you regret ever being born, do you understand?"

Blaise huffed.

"You don't own her, Draco. You got no right to decide which people she should hang out with. I'm not sure what's up with you but I know that I want you to stay away from her. The last thing she needs right now is another pigheaded jerk in her life, do you understand me? She needs me around, and as long as she wants that, I won't leave her, got it? You can threaten me as much as you want but if you ever lay a hand on me I will rat you out"

Malfoy didn't look happy at all.

"Blaise-"

"Draco, this conversation is over, now move out of my way"

It seemed as Malfoy would say something but he changed his mind, gave Blaise one long look and then set off.

Blaise watched him go with worried eyes.

"She's mine", kept ringing in his ears.

Draco's pow

What had he done?

He couldn't believe his own ears when he said those words. That Granger of all people were 'his', he hadn't even thought about the consequences of saying that. He just let it leave his mouth as if it was nothing.

He cursed himself for talking before thinking and also because he let his temper get the better of him, his father had taught him better than that. How important it was for a Malfoy to keep his face at all costs and never show what he really felt. Well, Draco had failed that by crying in front of Granger. Malfoy's may never show emotions but crying was the worst of it all. That just didn't happen.

"Bloody hell", he cursed once again under his breath.

He wasn't sure what Blaise would do with the newfound information but he figured that it couldn't be any good.

Draco was a dead man if that came out.

He couldn't help but let the thought 'Maybe it's for the best' cross his mind but dismissed it. Draco may be many things but he wasn't suicidal. He knew that much.

Hermione's pow

Hermione sat on her bed with the curtains tightly shut around her as if telling the others not to bother her. She was alone, which felt nice for once. The last thing she needed right now was the chattering voice of Lavender. That girl could talk like no one else.

It was strange how Lavender could be so shallow when she was so school smart. Hermione knew that Lavender indeed got good grades, barely without studying anything. In fact, Lavender wasn't very far behind Hermione in grades.

"Weird", mumbled Hermione but decided to let the subject drop and instead focus on the task ahead.

It was time to inspect the book Malfoy had been reading inside the library.

She pulled out the book from her book-bag and read the title.

'The great art of vanishing' written by Aldarbet Murray.

Suddenly it hit Hermione that the title somewhat felt familiar. Hadn't she heard something about vanishing before? She dismissed it and opened the first page.

She had to turn a few pages before she came over something that caught her interest.

'Vanishing cabinets

Vanishing Cabinets were made year 1980, it's even possible that they were made even earlier than that. Their function is to act like a passage between two places therefore; you need a pair for it to work. An object that's placed in on cabinet with sooner appear in the other. The vanishing cabinets were highly popular during the first wizarding war. When there was Death eaters nearby people would go into the cabinets and appear in the other far away, then hide away until the danger had passed '

Hermione didn't have to read more, her eyes widened and she sat there in shock for a few seconds. She suddenly remembered that this wasn't the first time she had caught him looking through books about vanishing, last time it had happened had been that time in the library when she had rushed into him which had caused the two of them to drop their books.

She cursed herself for being so tactless. Why hadn't she thought about this earlier? Of course Malfoy wouldn't had wanted to read those books just for fun, she doubted that he ever read books for his own enjoyment.

"Shit"

She shut the book and hide it under her pillow, just in case. She doubted that anyone would go through her stuff but she didn't like the thought of it lying around like that openly. Lavender and Parvati could sometimes be far too curious for their own good.

Hermione moved the curtains to the side and rushed out of the girls-dormitories.

She was one her way to the boy's when the door opened and she came face to face with Harry.

"Hermione", he sounded surprised. "Why are you going up here for"

"Uhm", Hermione had never been a good liar but she still tried to think something up, and fast. "I've been looking for you!"

"For me?"

"Yeah you", said Hermione a bit more convincing this time. "I've wanted to apologize for yelling at you like that"

Harry's gaze softened. "It's alright, I wanted to apologize to. You're right, I shouldn't behave like that. You're a big girl and you can make your own decisions"

Hermione smiled at him. "Thanks"

"Friends?"

"Of course"

They hugged for a few seconds before Hermione broke it up.

"Right, Ginny told me that she was looking for you"

"Where was she?"

"Uhm, I think she was heading outside"

"I will go looking for her then, thanks Hermione"

"No problem"

Harry left and Hermione breathed out. It didn't feel right lying to Harry like that but Hermione had to hurry. She rushed into the boy's dormitories and over to the bed she knew belonged to Harry. She opened the top drawer and took out the map she knew lay there.

She tucked inside the back-pocket of her jeans, and left.

When she were a good distance away from the common room she took out the map and tapped her wand against it.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust when she realized that Lavender and Ron were inside a broom-closet, with their dots practically on top of each other.

"How disturbing", she muttered.

It wasn't easy finding Malfoy's spot but when she did and saw where he was heading for her mouth dropped.

'Of course, why didn't I think of it earlier?'

Hermione tapped the map with her wand again and mumbled. "Mischief managed." Before she took off after Malfoy.