An: In this chapter Blaise realizes something about his family that I forgot to mention in chapter seven. This chapter really is just a little bit of family back ground, and it sort of explains how Hermione deals with the back lash of what Ron did to her, and Harry and Ron begin to suspect something going on between Hermione and Draco. Also, I know the story goes that Blaise's mother was mysteriously married 7 times, but seeing as this is a fan fiction, I'm changing that! Enjoy –Mirioux
Chapter Nine: Family Affair
The first month of school went by quickly for most of the students, but to others in trudged on and on. Ron now hated Professor Grimm more than he thought it was ever possible to hate someone, oh how he loathed her very outline of a shadow, he even hated her more than he had hated Professor Snape, which he never thought could have been possible. "It's almost as if she's taken a course on how to be more sinister and cruel during class than even Snape used to be!" He yelled over lunch one day to any one and everyone that had even acted as if they were listening.
Harry just shrugged at the scene that Ron was making, "Maybe you shouldn't have gotten on her bad side mate. She doesn't seem all that bad to me,"
"Or maybe you should have left Hermione alone," Ginny hissed glaring daggers at her older brother, "did it ever occur to you that she doesn't have any feelings toward you like you want her too?"
"Well, now that you mention it no, but she never said whether she did or not…" Ron started.
"Exactly, she never said that she did, which usually means in girl language to leave the situation alone and let it die." Ginny interrupted as she took her lunch down to where Hermione had been sitting alone. "How have you been holding up?"
"I've been doing a lot better thanks to you and Draco, but that's about all that's holding me together. Harry hasn't really helped at all, hell he won't even talk to me let alone believe me." Hermione answered, fiddling with her fork.
"I'm sorry Hermione, I honestly don't know what the bloody hell has gotten into him. I think…I hope that he's just overwhelmed and quite possibly a little bit confused. But I'm most definitely sure that he will come around soon. No worries dear, everything will turn out right in the end." The bell rang and the two girls got up to walk to Hermione's potions class with Professor Slughorn. Ginny made it a habit to walk to Hermione's classes with her so that there was less of a chance of something happening to her.
Ron and Harry watched as Ginny and Hermione swiftly passed them without a hello or even a look back at them, "So how's that essay going?" Harry wondered.
"It's a bloody disaster, I only have twelve pages done, and McGonagall amended my detention sentence to last until I get the bloody thing finished, and the worst part is no Prefect duties or Quidditch until it's finished." Ron whined throwing his hands up in the air.
"Well, someone should have thought of that before they decided to try to violate their best friend…" The cold, dark, voice drawled from behind them.
"Malfoy,"
"Potter, Weasley,"
"Butt out Malfoy, it's none of your bloody business!" Harry snapped viciously.
"Potter, I was sure that you of all people would be on Granger's side, it's a shame to know that you believe the liar when even the Weaselette knows the full truth of what really happened. If you ask me, you bloody deserve detention for abandoning Granger in her most dire time of need." Draco spat as he stalked off to potions.
He took his usual seat next to his lovely angel, "What do you think is going on between those two? I've noticed Hermione hasn't quite been herself since she got stuck on that Island with Malfoy." Ron snorted staring down Hermione.
"Maybe they feel bonded since they had a near death experience, so to say, together; but that still doesn't change that it's Malfoy that is taking her side. Are you sure you didn't do anything that warranted such hostility from them? I would think that Hermione wouldn't just let Malfoy attack you, I mean it's just not like Hermione to do that." Harry said, actually taking the time to think about what Ron was saying before he spoke.
"Mr. Potter, would you like to share with the class what is more bloody important than my lesson?" Professor Slughorn pondered.
"No sire it was nothing, it won't happen again." Harry mumbled.
"What's Potter's deal anyway Hermione, why does he believe Weasel over you, you've never given him a reason not to believe you?" Draco whispered to Hermione while Professor Slughorn was busy scolding Harry.
"I just don't know anymore, I always thought the same thing too, but ever since Dumbledore's death he's been obsessed with Ron being in 'love' with me. I'm beginning to think that it's warping his mind to believe what he wants to hear." She sighed glancing in Harry's direction; she was unnerved the whole class by Harry's actions and Ron's continual glaring at her.
"Miss Granger, may I see you for a moment?" Professor Slughorn asked her as the bell rang.
Hermione and Draco looked at each other, and he nodded her on to go with a weak smile; but she knew he would be right outside the door way waiting for her, forever if need be. She slowly walked up to her teacher's desk, "yes professor," she asked; a slight quiver in her voice.
"Miss Granger, I've noticed that you haven't been doing as well as you were last year, is this course more difficult than you thought?"
"No sir, I am just having some problems concentrating on my lessons. I had an accident in the summer and you know that I haven't been myself since…"
"…I know the incident with Mr. Weasley. I'm going to speak to the Head Mistress about making a schedule change for Mr. Weasley, possibly Mr. Potter as well." Professor Slughorn assured her, "that is all Miss Granger, oh pardon me, I've forgotten my manners, Miss Grimm you may go."
Hermione left to find Draco waiting at the door and to her delightful surprise Ginny was waiting there for her as well, "hey," Ginny greeted, "what was that?"
"Well, to put it simply, I'm falling behind," Hermione explained softly.
"Maybe you should talk to someone Hermione, Professor Grimm seems to understand you pretty well, why not her?"
"Yeah, Lylan's always been a good listener, or so that's what Blaise has told me." Draco agreed cheerfully.
"Why on earth would Blaise Zabini talk to Lylan?" Hermione asked finding it rather unusual.
"Oh, I forgot I never told you, Blaise and Lylan are cousins as well, Blaise's mother Aurora, is Lylan's aunt." Draco explained to Hermione as they walked to the history of magic.
"Then that would make her my Aunt as well. I knew I had an aunt, I just never knew who it was, and now I understand why," Hermione sighed, "I think I will talk to Lylan, and maybe Blaise too, since he is my cousin as well…can I trust him Draco?"
"Blaise know that you are his cousin. But there are a couple things you should know first, Voldemort killed Aurora because he felt she was too powerful, that's why most of your family fled from England. You can trust Blaise because he's family, but also because he won't ever let his family be broken apart anymore than it already is." Draco told her as they took their seats together, Draco waved Blaise over to sit with him and Hermione.
"Hermione, how are you?" Blaise questioned nervously.
"Good Blaise, how have you been?" She greeted with the first big smile she'd had in a month.
"I'm better now that I have a chance to bring part of my family back." He smiled at both of them. "And Hermione, I wanted to apologize to you for being such an ass hole. I didn't know that you were Brian's daughter until Lylan told me, but I hope that you can find a way to forgive me?"
"You're family, or course I forgive you, I may look like my father, but I hardly hold a grudge against a family member like he does." She commented.
"It's really hard for me to hold myself back from the Weasel, knowing what he tried to do to you, my flesh and blood, my family." Blaise looked away from Hermione, trying to hide his anger and the tears beginning to well up in his eyes, but he couldn't hid them from Draco.
Professor Bins began class soon after that, and the trio was forced to end the conversation for the time being. Hermione did actually feel better after speaking with Blaise about their connection by blood.
Draco felt himself begin to be able to relax when he realized that the tension that had been bottled up in Hermione, and was slowly eating away at her, seemed to slowly disappear. He knew that Blaise was incredibly enraged over not being able to protect his cousin, but at the same time Draco knew that he was much happier now that he had a chance to rebuild his family ties with his cousins.
For the rest of the week Hermione, Blaise, Lylan, and Draco would meet after dinner until it was time for Ron's detention. They spent their time remembering the way things used to be, and Hermione got the chance to learn what her Aunt Aurora was like and how close her father, her aunt, and her uncle had been before her aunt's marriage into the Zabini clan. "Hermione, do you know why your father left the wizarding world for Muggles, and even went as far as to change his name?" Lylan asked hoping to better explain what had happened to the family.
"All I know is that he and Papu had some sort of argument," Hermione commented.
"Aurora married into the Zabini clan, and Bryan felt that she had betrayed the family by joining such a dark family. He tired to convince Papu and my father to side with him and banish her from the family, but Papu and Jack aren't the type to abandon their family." Lylan paused momentarily and sighed, "Bryan was hurt that Papu didn't take him seriously and refused to disown her or write her out of his will, so Bryan decided that he would not subject his wife-to-be to a dangerous life running from the dark lord."
"But he didn't have to run; in fact he didn't have anything to worry about because Voldemort knew that having one Grimm family member as one of his followers could change the war. He knew he had the most powerful witch in the Grimm clan married to one of his most loyal servants; it seems that things changed though when you were born." Blaise remarked, "That's the secret family rumor anyway."
"Alright you three, you better head out before detention with Mr. Weasley begins," Lylan told her cousins and their friend as she glance at the giant grandfather clock that was behind her desk.
"She's right, it is getting pretty late, let's go back to the common room and make milkshakes! See you later Lylan, hope you session with Weasley goes well." Draco called as they walked out of the class room; he turned to wave to her and when he turned back toward the door he ran right into Ron and Harry.
"Hermione, what in the name of Merlin are you doing down here with them?" Harry demanded.
"Well, while you were too busy believing everything that Ronald told you; I was taking the time to get to know my family, Blaise and Professor Grimm are my cousins, and at least these two know where their loyalties lie when it comes to the truth." Hermione spat at them as she walked by. "What are you doing down here with Ron?"
"I just was walking him down here…"Harry started
"Hermione, what are you talking about, you're not a pureblood, and you're Muggle born…"Ron interrupted Harry
"No Weasley, she's not! She's a Grimm, just like Professor Grimm, and just like my mother was. She's pure blood mate, and she's from one of the greatest pureblood wizarding families of all time." Blaise snarled pointing his finger at Ron, "and if you ever touch her again, you will have more than just me to deal with. No one takes advantage of my family, not even Voldemort!" Blaise warned Ron.
"Why are you here Malfoy?" Harry insisted, thinking the three of them together was rather odd.
"Some one had to believe Grimm, and since I was there and you weren't, I took it upon myself to be her protector. I can't have Weasley, or anyone else for that matter degrading the Head Girl." Malfoy sneered and guided Hermione away with Blaise following behind closely.
