Good evening my loyal and very patient readers. It's been a very long time since I have really worked on any of my stories. What can I say I have the attention span of a goldfish, or better yet dory...I will be trying to get back into this story. Years ago when I started it I promised my best friend that I would finish it for her...so I have to keep my word...thankfully it is now officially halfway done...I just have to write the other half. This chapter isn't very long but it's cute and has a very important scene in it :) so without further adieu...please enjoy chapter ten!

Back at Hogwarts.

The rest of the holidays passed very peacefully. Hermione spent most of her time in the library while Harry and Sirius were out flying together. Soon they were arriving at Kings Cross station to go back to school. They passed through the barrier one after the other and then proceeded to board the train. Not seeing any of their friends they decided to just grab a compartment together and wait, their friends would find them.

They didn't have to wait long before Ginny, Neville, Lavender, and Ron piled into the compartment. The train left and the group chatted together for a while until Draco came to the compartment door. Harry and Ron, expecting a fight, jumped up, wands drawn. Hermione immediately pushed her way through the two to stand in front of them.

"Attacking the Head Boy will cost you points Potter." Draco sneered.

"Well, luckily, he didn't attack you." Hermione said calmly. "What do you want?"

"We're requested to meet in the Head's compartment."

"Oh, alright." She turned around, kissed Harry on the lips, before exiting the compartment with Malfoy.

"I hate that that git made Head Boy." Ron said as he and Harry sat back down.

"I do too, but you two can't act like that." Ginny scowled. "Think about how it would reflect on Hermione if the Head Girl's friends get points docked for attacking the Head Boy." Ron's ears turned red while Harry just looked pissed.

"You're right." Ron mumbled before turning back to lavender. The chatter returned with the exception of Harry.

"What's wrong mate?" Neville asked when he noticed Harry still looked mad. Harry looked up at his four friends that had stopped talking to listen to him.

"I don't trust him."

"Harry…"

"No!" He said cutting Ginny off. "He's already made advances to her once, after he found out about me. I don't want him anywhere near her."

Meanwhile the Head meeting wrapped up and Hermione grabbed Draco's arm causing him to wait back after the professor left.

"Why did you tell Harry about what happened?" She asked.

"Oh keeping secrets from your little boyfriend?" He sneered.

"That's not it Malfoy!" She snapped. "He already hates you, why would you give him another reason to hate you more?" For once Draco looked a bit guilty. "We had worked this out between us, why did you have to involve him?"

"He got mad at you?" He asked. Hermione shook her head as she recalled the discussion.

"Harry what's wrong?" She asked one day as they sat in the Black family library. He had been silent for a while as he stared out the window.

"Why didn't you tell me that Malfoy tried to force you after the Yule Ball?" He asked softly. He immediately felt her tense up. "Why did you hide this from me?" Hermione turned to face her boyfriend.

"I wasn't hiding it from you. I took care of it myself, I didn't want you to worry about it."

"But…"

"Harry, it's just Malfoy and he was drunk. You don't have to worry about him. Please just let me handle him." Harry sighed and then nodded.

"Are you sure you can handle him?" Hermione just smiled.

"Harry, I'm the brightest witch of our age. I can handle him."

"No he didn't get mad at me. I just don't need him to needlessly worry over nothing."

"I'm sorry Granger." Hermione just nodded before exiting the compartment.

When she entered the compartment that her friends were in, she entered into a completely silent compartment.

"You told them?" She asked calmly looking at Harry.

"Yes."

"OK listen, I can handle Malfoy. If anything happens I can't get in trouble because it'll be self defense. If any of you mess with him, he'll give you detention and dock massive house points. So please just let me handle Malfoy." They all nodded and Hermione sat down next to her boyfriend, who immediately placed his arm around her shoulders.

The rest of the ride was peaceful and soon they were pulling into Hogsmead station.

"Hermione?" Neville timidly said as they all started grabbing their bags.

"Yes Neville?"

"Could I have a word with you?"

"Of course Neville, you guys go ahead, we'll catch up." She said shooing the group away. "What is it Neville?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"I asked her father for her hand." He said as they walked together.

"Oh how romantic! What did he say?"

"He said yes. So now all I have to do is ask her."

"You have nothing to worry about Neville, I'm sure she'll say yes!" Together they entered one of the carriages and were taken off to the school. They caught up with their friends at the carriage drop off point and together they all walked into the castle.

Dumbledore's welcome back from winter vacation speech went the same as always, talking about how they should not slack off with finals coming up, and then the feast began.

During the feast Ginny kept looking back and forth between a very nervous looking Neville and a very bright and radiant looking Hermione. Ron and Lavender were discussing something very hush-hush and Harry was eating, just eating. Suddenly Neville stood up.

" Neville?" Ginny asked looking at her boyfriend with concern. She quickly glanced at Hermione who was just looking up at Neville with a huge smile on her face. Suddenly her eyes casted downwards. Ginny followed the older girls line of sight and saw her boyfriend kneeling on the ground next to her.

"Oh Merlin!" Lavender practically yelled causing the entire hall to pay attention to the scene that was going to develop.

"Neville?" She asked again, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ginny, these past months with you have been the most amazing months of my life. You make me so very happy, and I love you very much. When you invited me into your home I fell even more in love with you just by watching you interact with your family. While I was there I asked your father if I had permission to marry his only daughter." At this point Neville pulled out a small box from his pocket. "He said yes, so my question for you is, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" As he finished asking he slowly opened the box reveling a simple yet elegant solitaire diamond on a gold band. The entire Hall was silent as everyone, especially Neville waited with a baited breath for her answer. Ginny just sat there completely and utterly shocked.

"Ginny?" Hermione whispered. The young girl had been sitting staring at Neville for a full two minutes not saying a word. "Ginny!" She said a little louder causing the girl in question to slightly jump in her seat before turning to Hermione and then back to Neville, before slowly nodding her head. Neville's face broke out in a huge grin as he slid the ring on her finger. Lavenders squeal alerted the rest of the school as to Ginny's answer, who all started applauding. Catcalls and shouts of congratulations were heard all throughout the Hall. Ginny however was still completely silent, which was starting to worry the group.

"Ginny, are you ok?" Harry asked.

"Why?" She whispered.

"Why what Ginny?" Hermione asked. Neville who had reclaimed his seat next to Ginny was looking at her, his eyes full of worry and concern.

"Why me? Why on Merlin's green earth would you want to marry me?" She said turning to face Neville. "I'm temperamental, and whinny, and irrational at times. Why would you want to marry me?" Neville chuckled and softly shook his head.

"Did you not hear me, you crazy girl? I love you, I love everything about you Ginny." Ginny's face slowly changed from confused into a hug grin herself.

"Oh Neville!" She yelled before throwing her arms around him.

"Now that was the reaction I was originally expecting." Hermione said turning to Harry.

"Wait you knew this was going to happen?" Lavender asked.

"Yep!" She smiled. Harry just shook his head before wrapping his arm around her, pulling her close, and placing a kiss on her forehead.

After dinner they all headed back to the Gryffindor common room and sat in front of the fireplace like they always used to. Many people came up to the newly engaged couple to congratulate them. The six students chatted for a few hours before Hermione stood up.

"Alright guys, I need to get back to my dorm. Pleasant dreams!" She said nodding towards everyone, before bending down and giving Harry a kiss and walking out of the common room. She made the walk to her dorms very quick, muttered the password and slipped inside the common room.

"Well that was a nauseating sight tonight at dinner." Draco said from his desk. "Honestly I didn't know Longbottom had it in him to even ask."

"I thought it was very sweet, they both really love each other." She said in a somewhat dreamy voice. Draco just shook his head and made a face before returning his attention to the potions book in his hands. Hermione walked past the Head Boy and went to turn in for the night.