A/N: Sorry guys, I know it's been a while since I last updated. But I had a killer AP Calculus test today so I'm so thankful that that is over with. So I will be pretty busy with all my graduation stuff for the next couple of weeks so it will probably take a while for me to update chapter 15. And yes, Anja, I will try my best to put in some Fred and George. I'm so ashamed of my self for not putting them in sooner. I love them both! K, let's read…

Hard Times

The next few days at Hogwarts were surreal. Ginny felt totally alone. She was now the only Weasley at Hogwarts, something she thought wouldn't happen for another two years. Harry and Hermione had hardly talked to anyone, let alone each other. They were like walking zombies and everyone had noticed. All the other Gryffindors were more sullen than usual but they all could at least function throughout the day. Harry and Hermione were just drifting from class to class. Hermione hadn't taken notes in three days. Something was seriously wrong. They needed a wake up call, and fast.

But the person to do the waking was very unsuspected. While eating lunch (in silence, everything was done in silence), Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were interrupted by a very recognizable voice.

"What's going on here? Why are the school's most famous witches and wizards so sad these last few days"

All three of the Gryffindors looked up so see Draco Malfoy. He was by himself, which was surprising. Ginny was up in his face faster than lightening. "Who do you think you are, thinking you are welcome to come and talk to us"

Harry and Hermione were shocked at Ginny's outburst. Not to mention her cat-like reflexes. She had gotten up from the table so mad. But Harry and Hermione weren't as surprised as Malfoy, who was startled so much that he took a few steps back, which caused him to bump into the Ravenclaw table and sit on the bench. He bumped into a girl that was eating there. She looked at him in disgust and got up and moved.

Draco looked from the Ravenclaw girl's rude expression, to Harry and Hermione's shocked expression, to Ginny's livid expression. "Do you have nothing to say for yourself Malfoy" Ginny pushed his shoulder. "Huh? Too scared to talk back now that you know the consequences! Come on, say something!"

Everyone had stopped eating and was now looking at the scene that Ginny had caused. Malfoy just sat there like a stupid fish, with his mouth opening and closing without any sound coming out.

Ginny took Malfoy's idiotic silence as another chance to rant. "You make me SICK!" She pulled Draco up by the arm and pushed him away. Draco was still shocked at what was happening that he stumbled backwards. Fortunately, for his behalf, he regained composure and didn't fall. Draco made the best that-didn't-bother-me look he could and stalked out of the Great Hall.

Ginny sat back down next to Hermione and across from Harry. She went back to eating as if nothing had happened. Hermione and Harry exchanged looks, but they went back to eating as well.

After their morning classes, Harry and Hermione were waiting for Ginny to get out of her last class under a tree by the giant lake. After ten minutes of silence Hermione spoke.

"Is it wrong to want to talk about something else?"

"Besides Ron you mean?" Harry suggested.

"Ya." Hermione said weakly. She looked down at the ground, ashamed.

"I guess that's fine. I think it would help us both if we did…ya know…talk about something…else." Harry fidgeted as he said this. He felt awful talking about Ron as a subject of conversation rather than as his best friend.

"So…" Hermione tried to start a "normal" conversation.

"Ya…" Harry supplied weakly. The two sat in silence once again until they saw Ginny exit the castle off in the distance. They couldn't miss that red hair if they tried.

"So ya, weird thing about Ginny and Neville, huh?" Hermione stated, finally breaking the silence.

"What about them?" Harry asked.

"Oh THAT'S what you weren't listening to. Ginny told me that you were ignoring her or whatever back in Hogsmeade. She was trying to tell you that Neville asked her out. She said yes."

Harry's stomach sank. "What? Why?"

"Oh, how nice of you Harry! Perhaps she said yes because she actually wants to go out with him!"

"Oh." Harry practically whispered. He looked back to where Ginny was walking towards them. She was now halfway between Harry and Ginny and the castle. Hermione looked at Harry, then at Ginny. Then at Harry looking at Ginny. Hermione smiled.

"You LIKE her!"

Harry snapped his head to look at Hermione. He snapped too quickly though and hurt his neck. He groaned "I do not!" while rubbing his neck.

"Oh, don't give me that! I can tell that you like her!" Hermione egged on.

Harry was getting nervous. He looked back at Ginny. She seemed to be coming closer so much faster. "What makes you think that?" Harry asked, avoiding Hermione's eyes.

"The way you look at her, Harry. I don't know why I haven't noticed before."

Harry looked back at Ginny. Damn, that girl was walking too fast. He didn't want Ginny to overhear what they were talking about.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," Hermione shook her head. "You are sixteen, but you still have so much to learn." And with that, Hermione got up and walked towards Ginny. Harry wasn't quite sure what Hermione was doing. He stood up to start following her but saw that she had reached Ginny. Harry stayed put and watched as they talked.

Then Harry saw Ginny look at him as if Hermione was talking about him. Harry was caught off guard so he sat down quickly and looked away. He then realized how stupid he just acted and froze, not knowing what to do next.

Before Harry knew it, Ginny was sitting down next to him. "Hey, Hermione said she forgot something in Flitwick's classroom. She said she'd meet up with us later."

"Is that what you guys were just talking about?" Harry asked, hoping the answer was yes.

"Well, mostly. She also said you had to ask me a question…" Ginny provided, waiting for Harry's question.

"I wasn't going to ask you a question. Why would Hermione say that?"

"She said it was about Neville…" Ginny prompted.

Harry's throat tightened. For some reason, when Ginny said Neville's name, Harry wanted to scream. "Oh him" he responded matter-of-factly.

"What did you want to ask?" Ginny pressed. She fell back onto her elbows to get more comfortable. Harry tried his hardest not to notice that her belly button was now showing from under her un-tucked shirt.

"Um, I just wanted to let you know that I…I'm…that I'm sorry that I wasn't paying attention to you that day in Hogsmeade. Hermione told me that you are going out with Neville and I am happy for you. Really, I am." Harry spat out haphazardly.

"Oh." Ginny sounded disappointed. "So there wasn't an actually QUESTION you had?"

Harry had hundreds of questions. Why are you with Neville? What do you see in him? What does he have that I don't? Wait, was Harry really thinking all this?

"No, no questions." Harry stated, looking away from Ginny. He turned to see that Cho had just walked up to them.

"Hey Harry, can I talk to you for a second?" Cho asked sheepishly.

"Um," Harry looked back at Ginny. She had a look that Harry couldn't decipher. He couldn't tell if she was upset or just curios. Maybe both? "Um, ya, sure. I'll catch up with you later, Ginny."

Cho held out her hand to help Harry up. He took it. Once he was standing, he was going to let go, but Cho held on. They walked away hand in hand.

"Great, I'll just sit here all by myself." Ginny muttered to herself and let her elbows drop so she could lie down. She hit her on the ground harder than she had expected. "Ow." She muttered and just closed her eyes.

Back in the Castle

Hermione had not really left anything in Flitwick's classroom. She just wanted Harry and Ginny to have some time alone. She could tell that Harry liked Ginny and she knew that Ginny had liked Harry since forever. So why was Ginny going out with Neville? The two girls had never talked about Neville liking her before. They always steered clear from that topic.

Once Hermione was half way up the staircase to the third floor she ran into the one person she would have been fine with never seeing again. Malfoy. They both froze in mid step. Draco was the first to move. He took the two steps he had left very slowly until he met Hermione on the landing in the middle of the staircase. Then he spoke. "What? Cat got your tongue?"

"I have nothing to say to you. I thought you couldn't get any worse than a bully, but it turns out that you are just a cowardly snitch!" Hermione went to stalk past him and when she brushed him, Draco grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall. He pointed his finger so hard at her that it hit her sternum.

"You have NO right to speak to me like that. You have NO idea how I live my life, and you have NO idea what you are talking about!" Draco yelled through clenched teeth then threw her arm down to her side. Hermione rubbed her arm and opened her mouth to speak back. But Draco wasn't finished.

"No, you don't get to talk! You're little red headed friend made a fool out of me and none of you even know the truth!"

"What are you talking about! You told someone what Ron did and now he is gone!" Hermione fought back tears. There was no way that she was going to cry in front of Malfoy.

"Once again you amaze me, Granger. You think you could get SOMETHING right. But you are completely wrong with all of this. If you think I ratted out your precious boyfriend, then you've got something coming! I didn't say shit!" And with one last finger point, Draco took off down the stairs, no doubt towards the dungeons.

Hermione just stood there aghast. If Draco didn't get Ron suspended, who did?

A/N: So I'm warning you all now that it is going to be a long wait for the next chapter to get up. When I first started posting this story, I had already written 12 chapters. So in 5 weeks, I really only wrote 2 chapters. And I have finals next week, then I'm graduating, and all the parties…I'm just letting you all know now that it will probably take a lot longer to get the next chapter up. Sorry!

Zinis- I'm sorry that I made you cry so much…

Tequila- I'm so ashamed that you didn't notice that I got my braces off! Hmpf! Just kidding, it's all good. Next time you see me, tell me to smile!