Hey all...I just wanted to say again that I am sorry that chapter 9 was ubber short. Well, this one is a bit longer than that one...but not by much. I was having a major dose of writer's block when I banged out 9 and 10. And yes I know that writer's block is no excuse for posting crummy chapters, but I'm not going to go all WGA on you and not post stuff. I know that theses ones are not up to par and for that I am truely sorry. I felt that since I stiffed you guys last time that I would post numero 10 early...sort of as a peace offering. (Please don't hurl eggs at my house) I have been trying to stay five chapters ahead before posting but I felt I owed ya. And chapter 11 might not be out for awhile...I have two huge essays and a project for my mythology class that are all due right around the same time, and to top it all off, it's midterms this week. I'll try my hardest to finish the essays so I can go back to writing for fun, but you never know when it comes to me.

Oh and for any of you who don't know, although I'm pretty sure most everyone does, WGA stands for the Writer's Guild America. Again, please don't hurl eggs at my house.

DISCLAIMER: I own none of it except a few characters and the storyline which is sort of based off of Disney Channel's Hannah Montana.

Thank you to the following artists...for without you, Hermione would have no songs and therefore would not be a very good rockstar.

Aly & Aj, Phil Collins, Everlife, Avril Lavigne, Hannah Montana, Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Pink. And possibly Paramore...I haven't decided on them yet!

Onward...

Chapter 10

By the third week of October, things had not started improving in her relationship with Malfoy. She had hoped that he would have taken a clue by now but every time they were together, it was "So Hermione…is it going to be tonight?" And her answer would always be, "Draco, do you remember us kissing in a church?" Last night had been particularly annoying. She was going to stick it out though because leaving in the middle of their date would have been rude. But when he said, "You know Hermione, this little tease act is has gotten old. I deserve it after having to put up with your friends this whole time!" she shoved herself up out of her chair and stormed out of the Great Hall away from their private dinner. She marched herself straight up to Gryffindor tower and threw herself down, face first onto one of the couches.

When her therapeutic deep breathing didn't quell her anger, Hermione pulled a pen and pad of paper off the end table and curled herself up, propping the notepad on her knees. Then she began to write…all of her annoyance towards Malfoy's persistence flowed like black water out of the end of the fountain pen.

It had taken her two hours to compose what she felt was one of her best so far. The melody was rough, angry and fast…exactly how she felt about her boyfriend at the present moment. Hermione had been so exhausted from everything that took place that night, that when she fell into bed at midnight, her lids drooped and the blissful waves of the unconscious world overtook her straight away.

The sharp buzzing of her phone on the night stand pulled her to consciousness. Just as she was about to throw it across the room, Hermione caught sight of the display and a mirthful smile graced her lips. "You know it is rude to call someone at 7:00 in the morning," she joked to the caller on the line.

"I just thought you might want to know what the fallout from the picture was. But I guess if you are too sleepy, I could hang up and let you simmer in your unknowing pot of water," Kennedy quipped right back.

"Well, is it good news or bad news?"

"It's mostly good."

With a furrowed brow of confusion, Hermione replied, "Mostly good? So there is some bad thrown in there?"

"Just a bit," Kennedy said. "Anyway, I got up on that stage and answered every question like a pro. I told everyone that there was no possible way you could walk through a brick wall. I was even able to spin it onto Lester, and he came out of the whole thing looking like a jackass who would try anything and dish out any slander just to get his name in the headlines."

"Okay, all of this sounds great, but where does it go shady?" Hermione asked sitting up and throwing the covers to the foot of her bed.

"People are more privy to your world now. Even though they don't really believe it, some doubt is in their minds. All I have to say is you need to be extra careful now, even if you are not in public eye, keep your guard up. One false move and your secret's blown."

"Well, that doesn't sound too hard, and I mean, this is going to blow over soon. The next time ---Paris Hilton gets a DUI, I'll be out of everyone's minds."

"Very true. Speaking of Paris…she wants to grab lunch with you when you come back for the weekend," Kennedy replied.

"Really," Hermione said raising her eyebrows slightly. "When did this happen?"

"I got a call from her the other day on your line…she has tickets to your show on the 4th and she wants to go to lunch before the show. She really didn't say why."

"Okay, tell her to pick a place to go and have her get back to me…or rather get back to me via you."

"Will do darling. And Hermione, just be careful for the time being. Don't screw up. That's all I'm saying."

"I hear you, and thanks for the heads up. I have to get ready for class so I will talk to you later okay?"

"I'll call you soon with your flight info for November. Talk to you then," Kennedy said before cutting the line.

Dropping her phone back onto the bed, Hermione maneuvered her way to the bathroom to get ready for breakfast. She needed to load up on carbohydrates to be primed for her exam in History of Magic.

He was simmering in rage that morning as he sat down at the breakfast table in the Great Hall. He couldn't believe that the prat was actually pulling a stunt like this one. And to be so careless as to exit an empty classroom into a non-deserted hallway looking as unkempt as he had, was just a blatant wish to be caught. There was no way the idiot would be able to deny it either once he learned that he had seen Gretchen exit the same room looking even more unkempt just thirty seconds later. His eyes flashed with malice and wishful notions of ripping certain body parts clean off flew through his mind when he saw him enter the hall for breakfast.

But along with the hatred he felt, he felt a pang of grief when his eyes landed on his best friend sitting not two seats away…completely unaware of how upset she would soon become. He was positive that he wasn't the only one who knew about it either. When Hermione had entered the hall ten minutes ago, he was sure he heard the whispers increase. He had to tell her before she found out from someone else…or worse found out for herself first hand. But how to tell her so she would believe him? That was the question of the hour.

He couldn't go to Harry about this; he would just fly off the handle and murder the filthy sod. Then dear Harry would go to prison and nobody would want that. The only person he could talk to was the one person he wished he didn't have to inform…for the repercussions would be far worse then if he told his other option.

Now was the time to get it over with. They both had a free hour that morning, so it would be the perfect time to devise a plan for informing Hermione. He turned to his right and spoke up. Drawing a deep breath of strength he posed in whispered tones so as not to be overheard, "Luna, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Your tone is spooky…am I going to like this Ronald?" She replied raising an eyebrow.

"No, you're not going like this one bit. Let's go to the common room, we need to talk privately," Ron said giving Luna's sweater sleeve a soft tug.

She dropped her fork immediately and followed him out into the hall. She watched his feet shuffle down the cold marble floor. Their journey was made in silence and the entire way up to the tower, horrible scenarios were running rampant through her mind. "Luna I want to break up with you." "Luna, your father has been in an accident." "You have cancer Luna." "Luna, the random stuff you talk about is so annoying, I want to rip my arm off just so I have something to throw at you!" As they continued down the hall, Luna felt her eyes start to brim with tears at the prospect of being told that the love of her life was so overwhelmingly annoyed with her that dismemberment was his only solution.

As the portrait hole closed with a clink behind her, the expectation became too much to bear. "Ronald, what is gong on? You're starting to scare me," she said sitting down next to him on the couch. "Did I do something to piss you off?"

His eyes widened when he saw the look in his love's eyes. "God Luna, no nothing like that. This has nothing to do with you and me."

"Good," she replied sinking back into the plush couch. She punched him then exclaiming, "Ass!"

"What was that for woman?" Ron recoiled rubbing his shoulder where she had made contact.

"For making me think that you wanted to rip your arm off just to have something to throw at me!"

"No its nothing like that…wait…WHAT?!" He asked with a befuddled expression.

"Nothing," she replied brushing it off. "What's going on?" And so Ron launched into the tale of how he first witnessed the love affair that is Malfoy and Gretchen Prescott when they ambled into an empty classroom together, both with seedy looks in their eyes. Then he regaled her of how he spied Malfoy leaving a classroom last night (the same night as his date with Hermione) looking rather disheveled…followed closely by Gretchen looking rather worse then her male counterpart.

When he finished his tirade all Luna could do was fume. The scowl she wore was enough to make Ron scoot farther away from her on the couch. But her words were more frightening then her glower. Ron cringed when she let out, in a deadly calm, two words he had never known her to say. "Fucking bastard."

Shaking her head slowly Luna regained her composure, "You can't tell her."

"What?! Luna she has the right to know."

"I know that Ronald," she replied flatly. "But you can't tell her."

"Why, I'm her best friend!"

Looking into his eyes she stated resolutely, "Because she won't believe you." Luna cut him off as he was about to argue. "You were never supportive of her choice in dating him Ronald…"

"Damn straight!" He cut in.

Motioning for him to shut it Luna continued, "With the way you have acted the entire time, she is just going to think this is some clever ruse to make her dump him. It's not just you, Harry can't tell her either." Just then her eyes grew twice their normal size…a feat their own right. "Harry doesn't know does he?"

"Harry is too wrapped up in Kendra to notice a dinosaur put on a top hat and dance the Quick Step in the middle of the Great Hall," Ron replied flippantly.

"Good, don't tell him. He'll just fly off it and do something that he'll regret…like murder him…which is less then what I can say about what I'd like to do to the fucking sod."

"Luna, your language amazes me," he said through an incredulous gaze.

"Well, I'm livid Ronald."

They sat together in a tense silence for a few beats thinking over what had just transpired. Never did he imagine someone could do such a thing to his best friend. She was the warmest person he had ever known. Anyone that would deliberately hurt her was an idiot…plane and simple. After a few more beats of silence Ron asked, "So what are we going to do?"

"I have to tell her…I'm the only one she'll believe and even then I don't think she will."

"This is just going to rip her apart isn't it?"

Thinking back on all that Hermione had gone through, Luna didn't know if she could handle one more blow. "She's been through worse but…God, I'm going to have to buy her something very pretty before I tell her," Luna finished lightening the dark room they found themselves in.

AN:

---Paris...I love you! Once again, please don't egg my house.

Mondo props go out to Aly & Aj in this chapter. Thanks again girls. Yall can check out the lyrics to "Hermione's" song at AZLyrics .com. (Neglect the space between the "s" and .com). I tried countless times to get the link to show up but Fanfiction .net has thwarted me again. Curses! Click on the letter A at the top of the screen then click on Aly & Aj and then click on the song Like It Or Leave It.

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