Disclaimer: I own only the plot, not the characters; they're J.K. Rowling's.

A/N: Hey guys, sorry if you think Draco and Blaise are OOC but I hate it when those two are mean, it makes me sad lol. So yeah, that's my reasoning! Anyways, moving on…

WARNING! This chapter contains descriptions of the dead so if it makes you uncomfortable, please skip the first bit! Also mentions of Religion. (I've only been to a Catholic Funeral)

Hate Magnified

There were easels with boards of pictures all around the room surrounded by bouquets of flowers.

'Sweetheart roses, her favourite,' Blaise thought with a sigh as he made his way over to the casket where his mother lay lifeless. The blue veins were visible through her pale skin around her lips and over her eyelids that covered her ice blue eyes. The lack of expression on her face made Blaise shudder. Though most people describe the dead as looking like they are sleeping, people usually have an expression on their face even then. She didn't now though. Her hands were clasped together over her stomach just above the half of the lid that covered her lower body. It disturbed Blaise to see her like this. Her long black hair was left down, which wasn't usual. She usually had it up in extravagant styles showing off her wealth and class. There were no marks on her cold flesh hinting what had happened to her. Though uncomfortable, Blaise kneeled in front of the casket. This was his mother after all and he needed to pay her respect. It made him feel better when Ginny, Hermione and Draco kneeled beside him though. Ginny and Hermione took each of his hands and began to pray for her. Tears formed in Blaise's eyes at the gesture, but he forced them back.

"She was living in constant fear of my dad. She doesn't have to worry anymore," he whispered so only the three people beside him could hear. Hermione put her head on his shoulder long enough to whisper, "She's still with you, just not physically. She will always love you though, just like Ginny, Draco and I always will. Even though she is gone, there will always be people around that love you." He couldn't hold back his tears after that. They streamed silently down his cheeks, only stopping when Ginny lifted her hand to wipe them off.

"Stop crying you pathetic excuse for a son. It's just a viewing, it's not like someone cursed you!" They heard someone sneer behind them. The four heads turned to see none other than Mr. Zabini. He wore a disapproving frown directed at his only son.

"Yes sir," he replied, wiping the tears and moving out of the way of his father. He waved his hand, motioning for his friends to follow. Ginny glared at the man's back as Blaise took her hand and led her across the large dark room to a red couch that was just to the right of the casket. Hermione on the other hand grabbed hold of Draco and led him to one of the stands that held the pictures. Her gaze settled on one of her brother at the age of five in his swimming trunks, standing in front of his mother at the beach. He had a red pale in one hand and a yellow shovel in the other. He was smiling bashfully at the camera with his mother kneeling behind him, her hands on his shoulders. He was occasionally pointing excitedly to his right at the sand castle his mother and him had just finished building and his mother was laughing at his proud eagerness. Hermione grinned whole heartedly.

"That's so sweet," she said, looking up at Draco, who had followed her stare to the same picture. He smiled back down at her and wrapped his arms around his waist. He then rested his chin on her right shoulder.

"Ah yes, back in the day when we were all still oblivious to the world," he said in a whistful manner. She placed her one hand on the two of his that were clasped around her waist and put the other one behind her head to run through his hair.

"Poor Blaise, he doesn't deserve this," she sighed at the picture, wishing his life hadn't changed from that moment.

"Life isn't fair 'Mione, but you can't help these things. You just have to learn to deal with things as they come up. Blaise will be alright." He tried to reassure her at the same time as himself. They continued their way around the circular room looking at all the different pictures before making their way back to Blaise and Ginny. Draco flopped down onto the couch next to Blaise, pulling Hermione down into his lap.

"I saw the sweetest picture of you when you were little Blaise," Hermione said giggling as her brother blushed slightly. Ginny's face lit up.

"Aw, you have to show me!" Ginny said, grabbing her friends arm and pulling her to her feet.

"Alright, alright! We'll be right back guys," Hermione waved to Draco and Blaise as she linked arms with Ginny and led her over to the first stand of pictures that she and Draco had stopped at.

"So Blaise, when did you find out?" His father had made his way back over to him. Blaise noticed that he didn't even bother to stop at the casket except to reprimand him.

"This week," Blaise said bluntly. "When did you find out?" he asked his father as innocently as possible. His father glared at him.

"I knew before it happened," he said with a sneer. Blaise looked at him shocked.

"What do you mean?" His father looked as if he was deciding whether to answer this or not.

"I couldn't have her trying to claim custody of you and messing up the Dark Lord's plans now could I? You know very well that people don't last long when they try to get in my way." He stuck his long nose up at his son with a superior look.

"You, you killed her?" His blue eyes were ablaze. He had never been so angry with his father in all his life and he had been the cause of all of his near death experiences. His fists were balled. His mind was to preoccupied to notice the pain caused by his nails in the sensitive flesh of his palms.

"Of course not you stupid boy, why would I do that when someone less important could do it for me?" He turned with a swish of his long black cloak and ran straight into Hermione and Ginny. "Watch it!" he said raising his hand to strike his step-daughter. He didn't get that far though. He fell backwards after a loud "Stupefy!" could be heard from not only Blaise, but Draco too. Hermione stood shocked, not being able to register the thoughts to move. Within moments Draco had rushed to her, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"Are you alright?" he asked, not even bothering to notice the men coming towards them.

"What is going on here?" Their heads whipped around to see three men from the ministry inspecting Mr. Zabini.

"He tried to hurt my sister sir," was Blaise's simple answer. One of the men lifted his brow to Blaise. The man was tall. He had short dark hair and dark eyes that were slightly tilted upwards. He looked mysterious and intimidating in his long dark cloak.

"Why would he try to do that?" he asked, not really believing him. Blaise looked back at him confidently.

"He was angry with me sir, because I was mad that he ordered the death of my mother," he nodded at the casket before continuing. "When he turned to leave he ran into my sister and just lost it, and tried to hit her," he finished without faltering. The man looked taken aback.

"Ordered her death you say? Why would he do that?"

"She wanted custody of me, and that interfered with his plans. He never was a man of patience." Blaise spat out his last sentence scornfully. He hoped his father was arrested. It would make his and Hermione's life so much easier.

"What were these plans?" Mr. Zabini had started to wake up but the other two men kept hold of his arms. Cursing could be heard from him but everyone just ignored it for the moment. Besides, he was still slightly in a daze from the spell.

"He was in league with Voldemort," he explained nonchalantly. Gasps could be heard from various people at the mention of his name.

"I see, well you four had better get out of here, we'll be taking him in for further questioning," the man nodded his head towards Blaise's father

"LIES, ALL OF IT!" Mr. Zabini called out as he was hauled out the doors. The third ministry official ushered them out of the door afterwards. Blaise had Ginny's hand tightly grasped in his own, while Draco still had his arms around Hermione. They were led through the corridor to the parking lot.

"Where are you four staying?" the man asked them.

"The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, until the day after tomorrow, and then we will return to Hogwarts," Blaise answered for all of them. The man nodded in comprehension.

"We'll contact you at one of those two places soon then. Take care of yourselves." He waved them off before apparating off to the ministry after his co-workers. Blaise gave a defeated sigh, resting his chin on Ginny's head.

"Come on guys; let's go back, we'll be back tomorrow anyway for the funeral. He took Ginny's hand and began walking through the parking lot followed closely by Hermione and Draco.

"We didn't even get to hear the Eulogy and the Priest! Father Vince is really compassionate," Hermione whined to no one in particular.

"He's going to be speaking at the Church tomorrow, oh yeah, we've been invited to bring up the gifts, will you guys?" Blaise asked as an after thought.

"Of course," Ginny told him excitedly. Her family didn't usually go to Church and she didn't really remember what it was like. She was kind of excited.

"Thanks guys, I appreciate it," he smiled at them.

"No problem," Hermione said, returning the smile. She hadn't been to Church since she moved in with the Zabini's and she missed it.