A/N: Sorry everyone, I just noticed that the chapters have become rather short and I'll do my best to make the following chapters longer. However, I know I won't be on as much, due to the fact that I'm on vacation and have the flu. Even though I'll do my best to get on every day, the story might have to be updated a bit slower than I imagined. Sorry for the inconvenience! I hope you all still keep reading.

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He was flying through the sky on Buck- er…Witherwings, and everything was so silent, and peaceful. The sky was a deep blue, the sun was shining brightly, the clouds were providing the perfect amount of shade…but then, he heard a loud piercing scream and Harry looked down to the grassy fields to see Derek punch Faith hard in the head and she fell to the ground, cold and lifeless. Anger pounded in his veins as Harry swooped down on the hippogriff and landed on Derek, bringing him to the ground. How dare he kill her! Derek was going to pay for this, and it would be the last thing he ever did. Ready to punch him in the eye, Harry raised his fist, but when he looked into Derek's eyes, he did not find soft, round pools of blue, but instead large red slits for eyes, staring at him. Shocked, Harry froze and a bony, pale hand seized his neck, choking him. He couldn't breathe, he was going to die right here trying to save Faith, just as his own mother had died to save him…with a gasp, the hand let go of Harry and he saw that the inhuman-like fingers were slowly rotting and erupting in scabs and warts. It was working! "Derek" was melting away. He, Harry, was going to live, and Voldemort was going to die, just as he should. But then the figure that was supposed to be Derek rolled Harry over, making him roll down the hill. He couldn't move! Harry was paralyzed, and he was heading straight for the water. He landed in the freezing liquid with a splash, and he closed his eyes, letting the water swallow him. Even if he rotted at the depths of the water, he knew he died to save Faith…

With a gasp, Harry woke and opened his eyes to see the fuzzy outlines of his friends. His hand fumbled around the nightstand for his glasses, and when he put them on, Harry found he was of course in the Hospital Wing. Hermione pounced on him immediately after seeing he was awake and started bawling. Faith was laughing, Ginny was smiling a relieved smile, and Ron sighed with a grin his face.

"Let him breathe, 'Mione!" Ron told her as he pulled Hermione off of Harry. Harry heard the slightest hint of jealousy in Ron's voice as he said it, but shrugged it off. Breathless, Hermione stood up straight and grinned down at him.

"How do you feel, Harry? Are you alright?" Harry's heart soared at these words, and he grinned back at her.

"Absolutely smashing!" he said, and they all laughed. "Naw, my eye feels bruised, my rib has cracked-" he gave Hermione a fake scolding look and she faked an innocent glance in response, "-and my arm feels broken." Glancing down, Harry saw his arm (the exact one that had lost its bones and been poisoned by basilisk venom) was lying at an odd angle. However, Ron had noticed the innocent flirting and pulled her away from Harry to talk. Harry just sighed and kept talking to Ginny and Faith. "What happened, exactly?" he asked them. Faith cast Ginny a nervous glance before telling Harry everything.

"And then after you punched Derek, he sort of gave you a blow in the head and…you rolled into the lake and got attacked by the giant squid." Ginny seemed to find this rather funny, as she broke out into a strong fit of contagious giggles. But then Harry noticed something about Faith. Something odd had happened to blonde, and he was just about to open his mouth to ask exactly what it was when Madam Pomfrey bustled in.

"Mr. Potter, I'm afraid you're going to have to take this potion. It allows you dreamless sleep, and when you wake up, I assure you, you will be fully healed." With that, the nurse pushed his friends out of the room after they said their last goodbyes. Harry drank the potion, and the moment the bottle touched his lips, his eyelids closed and he slept for hours to be nursed back to health.

Ron and Hermione's conversation

"What was all that about?" Ron whispered harshly.

"Ron, relax. Take a deep breath, then tell me what the hell you're going on about!" Hermione hissed. She was getting tired of these ridiculous "private" chats.

"You know what I'm talking about, Hermione! Don't give me that look, what was all that flirting?" Ron's ears were slowly growing red with anger, and Hermione decided it was time to cool down a bit.

"Ron, he's my friend, nothing more!. We were just kidding around!" though Hermione flushed a bit, she still went on. "I used to like him back in the first and second year…it was just puppy love. But it's over. I'm in love with you. Otherwise, why would I be with you?" These words seemed to relax Ron a bit, but then he started.

"You liked Harry in second year!"

Hermione slapped her forehead. 'Should have never told him,' she scolded herself. "Yes Ron, but like I said, it was nothing! Now, can we just go back to Harry?" Ron shrugged and was about to agree when Madam Pomfrey shooed them away from their friend. Hermione had doubted a bit of what she said to Ron, but still, Harry didn't love her, he loved Ginny. And there was no spark between Hermione and him! It would have never worked out if she had stayed loving Harry. This comforted her, and she grabbed Ron's hand and kissed him on the cheek, just to make sure the fireworks still lit. They did. "You might want to take a cold shower," she giggled, and then went up to the girls' dormitories, leaving a blushing Ron behind.

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"I just don't get it, mate. One second she seems happy with me, the next she's spitting bloody daggers in my direction!" Ron exclaimed at lunch the next day. "I didn't do anything, it's her bloody cats fault!" He and Hermione had got into a fight the previous day about Crookshanks…again. Harry shrugged and sighed.

"She's a woman. Respect her. A ball's coming up soon. Maybe you should take her, you know, to apologize." Ron seemed to find Harry's words repulsing at first, but then understanding dawned on his face.

"Yeah, and then I hex her at the ball!"

Harry put his head in his hands. "No, not exactly, mate."

"Well then, what's the point?" Ron looked confused. "I mean, then I'll get no revenge, and we'll just go on with my pride in her pocket!"

"Ron, listen. She's your girlfriend." Harry winced at these words. "You- you have to treat her with respect if you still want to be together." Ron didn't seem to notice how uncomfortable Harry was feeling, so Harry continued. "Just, take her to the ball, tell her she looks amazing, and everything will sort of - fall into place,"

"Yeah. Yeah, Harry, that's brilliant! I think, I think I'll go ask her right now!" and Ron got up to go find Hermione. After five minutes, he came back, not looking at all happy. "She-she-" Ron gulped. "Hermione said she already had a date."

Harry was shocked by these words just as much as Ron was. "Well, of course she's lying!" Harry exclaimed. "I mean…"

"Yeah, I know. Who else would take her, right!" Ron shook his head

"Um, well that's not exactly what I was going to say…"

"Oh. Well, who would honestly take her!" Ron exclaimed in fury. "Neville. Of course, Neville would take her!" But after asking Neville who he was taking, it turned out that he was taking Luna Lovegood. Ron gave up trying to figure out who Hermione's date was and dejectedly sulked away to Potions class.

Earlier That Morning…

Hermione cried softly into her flapjacks and thought about the past events. How could Ron be such a jerk! It wasn't CROOKSHANKS fault for clawing up Ron's new dress robes. Ronald left them on her bed!

"Hey, I noticed you were crying. Are you okay?" a voice behind her asked. Hermione turned around to see Derek Stevens standing there with worry clouding his delicious blue eyes. Just then, Hermione felt she could tell him anything she liked and it would be okay; he would understand. She spilled out all of her troubles, thoughts, dreams, and worries. And he listened to it all, and understood, 'Unlike Ron might do' Hermione couldn't help but tell herself. After she had spilled everything, he nodded his head.

"I looked on the notice board today, and I noticed a Hogsmeade trip was fast approaching. And I was sort of wondering if you would like to come…with me?"

This request surprised Hermione, but what escaped her lips the next second surprised her even more.

"I'd love to."

"So, I guess I'll see you on Sunday around five?" he grinned. Derek kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked away towards the Ravenclaw table. But the only thing Hermione could do the rest of the day was smile like a maniac.