Disclaimer: Harry Potter is from the creative genius that is J.K. Rowling. I am not her. This is merely a fan fiction to tide us over until Book 6.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. ==========================================================================

Ron, Harry and Hermione were coming back from the common room on their way to the Great Hall for lunch. The stairways had changed and had taken them near the hospital wing. Now they would have to go rush down the stairs.

However, as they turned by the hospital wing they were met with a strange site. Crabbe and Goyle were helping Malfoy walk. His neck was red, but he seemed more in pain from his side. His normally white, crisp shirt was stained with crimson near his ribs.

The trio stopped in their tracks. Malfoy raised his head and looked at the three of them before he sneered.

Massaging his neck gingerly, he rasped out, "Normally Weasel I wouldn't say anything, but if you want to protect whatever virtue you sister had I'd get her away from Longbottom. He seems to have lost whatever sense he had to begin with."

Ron turned three different shades of red as he began to become furious.

The door to the hospital wing flew open as Madame Pomfrey asked, in a shocked voice what happened.

"I tripped in the hall and landed on someone's books and wand. I think it punctured my skin," Malfoy said as the door closed.

'Ron, we don't know what happened," Harry said calmly. "Malfoy could be lying. He probably is."

"No," Ron said harshly. "Neville has been acting strange. You can't deny that, and he had been looking at Ginny strangely."

"He's fancied her for ages Ron that hasn't changed," Hermione said. "He wouldn't hurt her."

Ron just grunted something. Hermione sighed and looked at Harry. He too, didn't know what to do and only shrugged. A sinking feeling hit Hermione's stomach and she wondered if she should tell them about the confidence potion.

At that moment, Ginny came rushing down the hallway her hair blocking her face. Neville raced after her apologizing profusely.

"Ginny I'm so sorry. I just lost my temper. He shouldn't have said those things," he pleaded.

Ginny went to go past the trio, when Harry grabbed her arm.

"What happened Ginny?" he asked concerned. Ginny still did not look up at him. Placing his hand under her chin, he lifted her chin up to see her face. He could see where a stream of tears had run down her cheek.

"What did you do to her!" Ron yelled hauling Neville by the collar and slamming him against the wall.

"Nothing!" he said. "Malfoy made comments about her that weren't true and I lost my temper at him."

"Stop it both of you!" yelled Ginny. "I've had enough of people trying to kill each other today because of me!"

The hall fell silent. Ron let go of Neville and they both looked at her. Ginny was fuming now.

"Ginny, I didn't mean to scare you. I just lost my temper at Malfoy," Neville pleaded apologetically. "He shouldn't have said those things about you."

"He was just trying to provoke you! You could be expelled! All Malfoy has to do is tell the truth for once!"

"Ginny, I – " he began, but was at a total lack for words.

Harry sighed. "Look, Malfoy told Madame Pomfrey that he tripped and a wand might have punctured him when he did so. I'm assuming that wand was yours Neville."

Neville nodded solemnly.

"You were protecting her virtue?" Ron asked amazed.

"He said things that made her sound . .. well loose. No one speaks that way about Ginny around me," Neville said.

"Me either," Ron said smiling.

"Both of you are barbarians. I can handle myself you know. I know it wasn't true and you know what he said wasn't true and you just let him get a rise out of you!" yelled Ginny. "You would have killed him Neville. I saw it in your eyes."

The hall once again grew silent.

"I think we all need to skip lunch and go to the common room and talk," Hermione said.

The five of them headed up to the common room. No one else was in the room. The five of them seated themselves at the table. Neville sat at the head of the table with Ginny to his right. He moved his chair so he was facing her, but she wasn't paying attention.

"What happened with Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"He said he wanted retaliation for what happened in Potions, then he said something about Ginny," Neville said quietly. "I told him to leave her out of it and he said he wouldn't."

"He told Neville to watch his back," Ginny said looking at Harry. "He said something about Neville's parents."

The trio cringed a bit, before looking back at Neville.

"Then he said something about Ginny being loose, and that slim said something about wanting her in his bed and I lost it."

"That slimy git," Ron said under his breath. Hermione was shocked that Malfoy would say something like that also.

"Then Neville tried to kill him," Ginny said softly. "He was choking him and his wand was pushed into his side."

"You did that to him?" Harry asked Neville hesitantly.

Neville nodded. "Gin you don't understand. When he said that about my parents, I thought about them and LeStrange. Then he said that about you and all I could hear was LeStrange last year at the ministry. 'Take the smallest one,' she said. 'Let him watch while we torture –'" Neville gulped trying to compose himself. "Then I remembered seeing that red light hitting your beautiful face then. I just lost it. Merlin please Ginny, I never meant to scare you. I never want to scare you ever."

"But you did Neville," she said softly before taking a firmer tone. "You shouldn't have let him get to you. I do appreciate you 'protecting my honor' I guess, but you could have killed him!"

"He deserves it!" Ron snapped.

"Ron, how about you, Harry and I go over to the couch and let Ginny and Neville talk," said Hermione sharply in a tone that let him know this was not a request.

The three went over to the couch, as Neville reached out for Ginny's hand.

"I am so sorry I scared you," he said softly. "Please, please believe me."

"I believe you Neville," she said smiling lightly. "But I'm still a little shaken and angry with you."

"Why?"

"You let him get to you and you lowered yourself to his level. You're better than that Neville. I know you are."

"You've always had faith in my Ginny," he said smiling. "Would you like to go to lunch now?"

"I'm afraid I've lost what appetite I had. I think I'll just do some of my homework. I have a lot with OWLS."

"I'll just watch you then," Neville said leaning back. "You really are beautiful you know."

"Flattery will not make me forgive you any faster Mr. Longbottom," she teased.

"Yes, Mrs. Longbottom," he said grinning.

Ginny blushed and muttered something before opening her charms book and pulling out a parchment.