Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter or anything from the magical world. However, I own the plot of this story!

Chapter Fifteen

Harry stopped outside a classroom door as he heard voices and held out his arm to stop Hermione too.

"I don't know," a voice said from inside.

"Well, whatever happens I'll help you," another voice replied. Harry thought he recognised not one, but both voices, but he wasn't sure. Hermione went to say something but Harry put a finger to his lips and leaned closer to the door.

"There's got to be a better way than that though," the female voice said.

"We'll think about it," the guy replied. Suddenly the door was yanked open and Harry pulled back quickly. The two people in the doorway stopped.

"Well, well, well," Draco sneered, taking his arm from around the girl in the doorway. "Look who it is. Like father like son, don't they say?"

"I recon so. You and your father are both cockroaches," Harry shot back. Malfoy narrowed his eyes.

"What's the matter, Malfoy? Run out of smart remarks?" Harry jeered. "Or do you agree with me?"

"Don't you insult my father, Potter. He's-"

"A Death Eater? A worthless pile of scum? Take your pick." Malfoy opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, quickly.

"Looks like you made the right decision for once in your life," Harry added, before looking at the cloaked figure in the doorway.

"And I'd thought you'd sunk as low as you can get," Harry said, pulling the hood off the girl. Hermione drew in a deep breath.

"Malfoy? You really hate us all that much, Gin?"

"You back off," Malfoy warned, stepping in front of her. "You have no right to speak to her like that. You and your filthy Mudblood girlfriend should know how to respect your superiors."

"You're no more superior than a rock, Malfoy and at the minute, neither is she," he snapped, nodding his head in Ginny's direction.

"You jealous of me, Potter?"

"Jealous? Of you and her? You must be joking."

"No, I'm being quite serious, actually."

"You've got your head screwed on the wrong way."

"It must be you with your head screwed on the wrong way. Going out with her." Hermione glared at him and he smiled.

"Mind you…" Draco mused, stepping forward. Harry stepping in front of Hermione.

"Don't even go there," he warned, pulling out his wand.

"Touchy, touchy, Potter. I was only admiring-"

"Why don't you go and admire a wild pig. Much more your type."

"You want to watch your mouth."

"Why? I'm only speaking the truth. Can't blame me for that." Draco scowled at him and looked down at his wand.

"You going to use that, Potty?"

"You want me to?" Malfoy smiled and grabbed Ginny's hand. Harry's eyes flicked down to look.

"And you said you weren't jealous," Draco whispered. Harry looked back up at him.

"I'm not, I just feel sorry for Ron. Imagine how he'll react to the news that his sister is dating a Slytherin. I don't think he'll be too pleased, do you?"

"That's not my main concern at the moment, and don't you worry your silly little head about me. I'll be ready for whatever that little Weasel throws at me." Without another word, Draco walked off, followed by Ginny.

"I do not believe it," Harry said, leaning back against the wall.

"Malfoy and…and…Ginny! How could Ginny go out with Malfoy?" Harry asked, incredulously.

"Harry, just calm down. I don't think it's really any of our business. Anyway, we don't even know that they're going out with each other."

"What else would they be doing alone in a classroom?" Harry asked, sceptically. Hermione eyed him suspiciously and then snorted, shaking her head.

"You are jealous," she said, then turned to walk away. Harry grabbed her arm and pushed her back into the wall.

"I am not jealous," he insisted before kissing her.

"I believe you," she whispered, resting her forehead against his with her eyes still closed. "You're not jealous. I know you're not." Harry kissed her forehead.

"Good. I'm glad you trust me."

"Always and forever, Harry."

"Hey guys." Harry jumped and looked up to find Ron, Dean and Seamus looking at them.

"Err…hi," Harry replied, stepping away from Hermione. She smiled and looked down at the floor.

"No need to ask what you two were up to," Ron joked.

"Ron…Ron we need to talk to you about something," Harry said, looking directly at his best friend. Ron looked from one to the other.

"What? What's happened?" he asked.

"It's…it's about Ginny-"

"What happened, is she ok?"

"She's fine…there…there's nothing wrong with her, so to speak…"

"Harry, come out with it," Ron ordered.

"Ron, Ginny is dating Malfoy." Silence filled the corridor.

"Ginny…and…Malfoy?" Ron asked, uncertainly. Harry nodded. "You're lying."

"Ron, why would we lie to you about something like that?" Hermione said.

"I…" Ron trailed off then turned and walked down the corridor. Realising he was probably going to do something he'd regret, Harry rushed after him. Hermione, Dean and Seamus followed.

"Ron, wait, just think about this for a second," Harry called. Ron ignored him, walking into the Entrance Hall. Malfoy stood with a bunch of Slytherin's, laughing. Ron grabbed him by the back of his shirt, spun him round and punched him square in the face. Harry, Dean, Hermione and Seamus stopped.

"You're off your rocker, Weasley!" Draco shouted, cupping his bleed nose.

"Off my rocker? How would you react if your worst enemy had been shagging your sister?" Ron hissed. Malfoy pointed at Ron with his free hand.

"Now you see here, it ain't you choice to make-"

"She's my sister!" Ron shouted.

"I understand that she's not actually talking to you," Malfoy said, smirking. Ron didn't say anything. Malfoy leaned forward.

"She's a bloody good kisser though." Malfoy landed on his back, smiling as Ron pulled out his wand. Harry considered stopping him, but decided that Malfoy deserved anything that Ron sent his way. Unfortunately, someone else thought differently.

"Ginny, get out of the way, now," Ron ordered. His sister crossed her arms and glared at him, defiantly.

"I don't have to follow your orders any more, Ronald," Ginny replied.

"How could you…you…go out with this bastard?" Ron hissed. Ginny slapped him and the sound echoed around the hall. For the second time that year, Ron had gathered an audience. For a moment everyone was too stunned to speak, but Harry stepped forward and put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Maybe we should just go," Harry said, pulling him away. Just as he turned to face Harry, he spun round and pushed past Ginny, jumping on top of Draco. Harry didn't have time to react and turned just in time to see Malfoy's head snap back.

"You bastard!" Ron shouted. Malfoy grabbed his shoulder and flipped him over, head-butting him. Ron groaned and then punched Draco in the jaw. The two of them flipped over again so Ron was on top and he got in a few more punches before he felt himself being lifted off.

"Let me go!" Ron shouted, struggling out of Harry, Dean and Seamus' grip. "Get off me!"

"Ron, stop it! Just calm down!" Hermione soothed, running to help. The four of them managed to get him onto his feet and he shrugged them off, still glaring daggers at Malfoy.

"I'm fine," he mumbled. "Let's go." He walked off and the others followed him. Harry looked back briefly to see Ginny and a few Slytherin's helping Malfoy off the floor.

----

Harry was on his way down to the library to see Hermione. Ron had finally calmed down and was sitting in the boys dormitory. Seamus and Dean had stayed with him to make sure he didn't go off and do something stupid. Just outside the library doors, someone called Harry's name. He spun round and was instantly slammed against the wall. He didn't have time to register what was going on before someone was kissing him. He pushed them away.

"Ginny, get off, what are you-" she cut him off by kissing him again. The library doors opened and Harry heard something fall to the floor.

"Harry?" a voice asked. He pulled away and looked round.

"Hermione!" he looked down at Ginny and held his hands up. "I-I didn't-" Hermione bit her tongue and shook her head, before running off down the corridor.

"Hermione!" Harry called after her. Ginny pushed him back against the wall again.

"Don't worry about her," she whispered in his ear. "You have me."

"In case you hadn't noticed," Harry said, pushing her away. "I don't want you. Hermione!" Harry grabbed the book that she had dropped and sprinted off down the corridor after her. The first place he looked was in the Head's Dorm. She wasn't there. The second place was in Gryffindor Common Room. Ron was sitting on the sofa with Neville. They looked up as Harry entered.

"Has Hermione come through here?" he asked.

"I haven't seen her mate, sorry," Ron replied. "Why?"

"Ginny…she…she kissed me and Hermione saw. I need to talk to her-"

"Ginny came onto you?" Ron asked, his eyes widening.

"Yes. I-if you see Hermione then…come…come look for me, ok?" Harry pleaded, running up to the boys dorm. The Marauders Map was very helpful and he stuffed it in his pocket and ran off to find Hermione.

----

"You dropped this," Harry said, sitting on the grass beside his girlfriend. Hermione didn't look at him, or the book.

"I didn't kiss her, I swear. I tried to get her off-"

"Yeah, you seemed to be putting up a real fight," Hermione replied, sarcastically.

"I-I…" Harry tried. He licked his lips and turned to face her. "I…I don't know. I didn't…I."

"Oh just stop it, Harry!" Hermione shouted, making him jump. She stood up and began walking to the castle. Harry grabbed the book and ran after her.

"Hermione, just wait a second. Let's talk about this." She spun round to face him.

"What do you want me to say? Do you want me forget it and forgive you, Harry, is that it?"

"Look, I know-"

"You don't know anything!" Hermione shouted. "All you care about is…is yourself and like any other boy all you want is a girl draping off your arm to impress your stupid mates and you can't be bothered with commitment. Well forget it because I'm not going to be that girl, Harry!"

"Hermione, don't do this to me!"

"Do what? What do you think you've done to me?"

"I didn't kiss her! I don't even like her. I love you! Does that not mean anything?" Hermione shook her head and turned to walk back to the castle. Harry jumped in front of her.

"You cannot leave me now, Hermione Granger. I stood by you all the time. I always have and I always will. I would risk my life for you and risk the whole of the wizarding world for you, that may sound selfish, but it is how much I care for you. If I thought it would make you happy I'd go and kill myself now, but I know it won't." Harry brushed a stray strand of hair from Hermione's face. "I love you, Hermione. I love you more than life itself and I'd walk to the ends of the Earth if you asked me to." Hermione looked into his eyes.

"You promise you didn't kiss her?"

"I swear on my life." Hermione rested her head on his chest and he hugged her, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you," Hermione whispered.

"I know."

"And I believe you."

"Good," Harry replied. "Do you want your book back now?" Hermione smiled.