A/N: Hi everybody! Please check out my new homepage!

Oh yeah, I also want to bring to attention the number of reviews I've been getting for each chapter, and the number of hits for each chapter.

Chapter 17: HITS: 310 REVIEWS: 10

As you can see, there is a huge difference in the page views and the reviews I've been getting! The reviews are lessening, so please, please, please, REVIEW!

100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

Draco and Hermione were now closer than ever. Everyone (including Hailey, who was normally unaware of these types of things) noticed it, but chose to not comment and talk about it.

Draco began to buy Hermione jewelry, and toys for Hailey. This raised eyebrows, but everybody thought it was a sweet development in their relationship. Everybody, excluding Ron, that is.

He was so displeased, that he actually complained to Draco and Hermione about it.

"You guys, maybe you should take a break from each other."

Hermione sighed, and Draco stood up to take a couple of threatening steps towards him.

"And why should we, Weasley?"

"Well…I don't know-"

"Ron, there is nothing wrong with us. We don't have any problems."

"Hermione, he isn't the one for you!"

Draco's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"Malfoy, tell us your plan, will you? What do you want with Hermione?"

"Ron! What are you talking about? Draco is completely honest!"

"HOW DARE YOU, WEASLEY!"

"Oh come on, Hermione! You are just so... BLIND!"

"GET OUT!"

"WHAT? I'm just trying to make you see-"

"You heard her, Weasley!"

"I'm going to expose you, one day, Malfoy!"

Ginny felt rather sorry for her brother. He couldn't just be friends with Harry's (and his) archenemy. Maybe it was too painful for him.

So, when Ginny saw her brother alone, she went over to him and attempted to talk about it.

"Hey, Ron!"

"Hey, Ginny."

"Draco and Hermione are really something, huh?"

Ron scowled. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

"I just don't!"

"Ron, you're going to have to become a bit more cordial with Draco, because he doesn't seem to be breaking up with Hermione any time soon. And I really don't think he has an evil plan in store for us."

"What's your point?" Ron asked, annoyed.

"My point is that you should get used to Draco, or you'll probably end up killing him." She said this quite casually.

"I wouldn't mind."

"Ron…"

"I'm so alone, Ginny."

Ginny stopped talking. She did not expect that.

"Oh Ron, come here." She hugged him. So that was why he hated seeing Hermione and Draco together. That was why he never mentioned she and Blaise.

He was lonely.

Ginny thought about it, and realized he was right. He didn't have a girlfriend during his Hogwarts years, and he didn't have a girlfriend now, either.

It must feel horrible to see everyone around him, all in pairs.

"Don't worry, Ron, you're not going to be alone forever."

Neither of them knew how true that statement was.

100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

Draco was window shopping with Hermione when he saw someone he wished he would never see again.

"Draco! What the hell are you doing here?" Pansy paid no attention to the lady beside him. She was mad at Hermione for dating a Pureblood. Thanks to Granger, she couldn't really have any contact with Draco. Purebloods now thought of Draco as a little bit of a traitor. No respectable Pureblood would be caught dead with him. Pansy was no exception, but she chose to bend the rules (it was more exciting that way) and talk to him, though she still limited the number of encounters. She was rather fond of the man.

"Pansy." Draco managed to mutter.

"How's Blaise?"

"Still with Ginny."

Her face fell. "Damn."

"Anyway, Hermione and I must go, have a pleasant day-"

Hermione did not like being ignored, but she still tried to be friendly, unlike Pansy. So, she stayed put even though Draco tried to drag her away.

"Parkinson! How are you?"

Pansy glared at her. "My life's shitty, thanks."

Hermione sighed. You just couldn't make friends with this woman! "Oh, I'm sure it isn't that bad!"

"It is. Goodbye."

"Wait!" Draco looked at Hermione in disbelief. What the hell was she doing?

Pansy cocked an eyebrow at her. "How would you like to join Draco, Ginny, Blaise, Ron, and me for dinner tonight?"

Draco looked at Hermione in horror. Pansy's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"Oh come on! It will be fun! The Green Serpent, 7:30!"

"I-"

"I won't take no for an answer! Well, goodbye!" She Apparated with a pop, and a very dismayed Draco followed suit soon after.

10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

"I cannot believe you did that!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Pansy isn't that evil-"

"Yes she is! You've invited the devil to dinner! Pansy Parkinson is the bitchiest of the bitchy, the-"

"Shut up, Draco. It'll all turn out fine."

100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

Unfortunately, the rest of the adults reacted the same way Draco did.

Ginny was especially upset. "That bitch tried sabotage my relationship with Blaise! Why the bleeding hell would you invite her to dinner!"

Blaise was also a little pissed off. "She is really low, a creature that deserves no respect-"

Ron was furious. "Parkinson? That no good Slytherin-"

"FOR GOD'S SAKE ALL I DID WAS INVITE HER TO DAMNED DINNER!"

Hermione screamed in frustration and left the room with Hailey.

Draco sighed. "You were a little too harsh on Hermione, guys. For her sake, let's just try to get along with Pansy, just for one night, okay? I know she can be a real pain in the ass, but let's give a little effort. Besides, she might not even come! She didn't look too keen about it, anyway! But, if the wench does come, let's be friendly for Hermione's sake."

The rest of them groaned.

100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

At 7:30, they all Apparated to The Green Serpent, and were disappointed to see Pansy standing outside. Hermione sighed at the look on their faces…

…until her eyes landed on Ron. He looked amazed as he checked out Pansy Parkinson, the girl he hated. Or previously hated. Hermione chucked before greeting Pansy.

"Parkinson! I'm glad you chose to come!"

"I was bored." Hermione's fake smile faltered.

"Okay then…you know Draco, Blaise, Ginny, and of course, Ron."

Pansy sneered. "Of course I do, what are you, daft?" Hermione glared at her. She was making an effort, and Parkinson was just making her look stupid! Fine. If she wanted to feel uncomfortable to the extreme without someone to talk to, that was her decision.

"Whatever, Parkinson. Let's just haul our asses in there, and get this thing over with."

"Fine with me."

The pack of adults trooped into restaurant, regretting what they had gotten themselves into.

Everyone except Ron of course.

100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

The dinner…was nothing short of agonizingly awkward. No one was talking, Draco and Ron were glaring at each other, (due to the conversation they had had earlier with Hermione), and Pansy was making no attempt to get along with the others.

Hermione wished Hailey was with her to occupy everybody. Oh well. She couldn't just Apparate and get her from Mrs. Bradburry!

Or could she?

She was about to excuse herself when she looked at the faces of Ginny, Blaise, Ron, Draco…and most of all, Pansy. They all looked mortified. She inwardly sighed. They needed her! She couldn't just….leave them here!

It was up to her to break the ice.

"So…Parkinson? What's your profession?"

"I work for the Ministry." She said in a bored voice.

"Really? How fascinating!"

"Not really."

"Parkinson, are you going to stop being such an ass anytime soon?"

"I don't think so."

Hermione turned to the other scowling (and a particular one gaping) men and woman at the table. "Well, can you guys try to make an effort? Here I am, attempting to at least start up a conversation and here you are just glaring at Parkinson! What are you, children!"

Draco groaned. "You know what, Hermione's right."

Pansy smirked at all of them. "Yes, I believe she is."

"Oh, shut up, Parkinson!" They rest said simultaneously.

"Fine."

Ron bit his lip before talking to Pansy. "So. Parkinson. Are you in a relationship?"

Pansy turned her attention to him for the first time the whole night. "No." Ron smiled inwardly before continuing.

"Why not?"

She looked irritably at him. "Weasley, my love life is none of your business."

"Do you even have one?" Asked Blaise.

"No."

"Do you want one?" Asked Ron. Hermione felt like laughing out loud.

Pansy scowled, and did not answer.

Ron guessed what the answer was.

Maybe he wasn't destined to be lonely after all.

100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

A/N: So now, this story is Draco Hermione, Blaise Ginny, and a little bit of Ron Pansy! Anyway, please REVIEW! (read the a/n before the chapter started, if you haven't), and visit my homepage, where I post teasers and crap like that!