Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Okay, so I got a really good idea from one of my reviewers, Katsie101, and I wanted to thank you again. I don't know if I'm going to use the specific idea in this chapter, because I have to deal with the whole fight thing, but it was definitely show up soon. Alright, on to the next chapter!

Chapter Twenty-One

Hermione hurried down to the infirmary, trying not to trip. She wasn't used to wearing boots with five inch heels, and, plus, they were a size too big. Hermione loved Ginny to deal, but their sizes were just slightly off, and this was probably the last time she would borrow anything from her.

Hermione skidded to a stop in front of the infirmary, and attempted to compose herself. She didn't want Madame Pomfrey, the nurse, to think that she ran all the way down here (even if she did). She walked calmly over to the attractive, plump nurse, who was tending to some fifth year.

"Excuse me," Hermione said, dripping charm. "Has Headmaster Dumbledore brought in Harry Potter and Blaise Zabini?"

Pomfrey looked over at Hermione, and rolled her eyes. "What is this school coming to?" she asked, rubbing her hands clean on the towel that was flung over her shoulder. "Boys getting it fights daily! Over nothing!" Hermione flinched at this. She figured no one really knew that Harry and Blaise were fighting about her, but it hurt to hear Pomfrey say that Hermione was nothing, even if she didn't know the fight was about her.

"So, are they here yet?"

Pomfrey nodded. "Just got here." She motioned to a corner of the room that Hermione hadn't noticed before. Probably because it was shielded with a curtain that was the same color as all the walls in the infirmary. "I had to put them in that section, because I don't want a bunch of students bugging them. Of course, I then had to separate them, because I didn't want them arguing. Blaise is on the right, Harry on the left."

"Are they...awake?"

Pomfrey smiled. "It does sound like they're sleeping, doesn't it? No, they just haven't said a word since the Headmaster brought them in. I guess it's okay if you go over to them, but if anymore students come in here--"

"Thanks!" Hermione said, hurrying over to their corner. She went to the right first, since Blaise would probably be upset if she didn't see him, and things were still uncomfortable with Harry.

"Hey, cutie," she said, smiling, entering his little room. Blaise was sitting up on the cot, his hair mussed, his right eye darkening, and a strip of gauze on his arm. He smiled when he saw Hermione, then winced from the pain that was brought from his eye. Hermione smiled compassionately.

She walked over to him, and sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb him. She held his hand in hers, stroking it. "So, um, do you want to tell me what happened?"

Blaise sighed, shutting his eyes momentarily. "I dunno, seriously. I mean, I went over to Potter, to talk about you, and just to try to make a peace offering, and, I dunno, he just, ah, pissed me off. I have no idea what made me so mad at him, I really don't. I don't even know who threw the first punch."

Hermione reached up and smoothed his hair out of his face, her face scrunched up in concern. "I wonder what made you guys act like that. If I go talk to Harry, he'll tell me the same thing, right?"

Blaise lifted up one side of his mouth. "I think so. At least, I hope so."

Hermione leaned in, and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "I'm gonna go talk to him, if that's okay."

"Sure, go ahead." Hermione smiled and stood, and quietly went into Harry's side. His eyes were closed, but Hermione could tell that he wasn't sleeping. His breathing was irregular, and she could see one of his hands moving. His eye was dark like Blaise's, and Hermione had never seen his hair look any messier than now. She cleared her throat, and Harry opened his eyes.

"Hey," she said, smiling. "How are you feeling?"

Harry breathed in deeply. "I've been better. Do you hate me?"

Hermione sat next to Harry, on the edge of his cot. She took his hand, but held it in more of a friend way. "Of course I don't hate you," she said, smiling. "Just, tell me what happened."

"I have no idea," he said, shrugging. "Zabini and I started talking, and I just got so mad at him, all of a sudden. I don't even know who threw the first punch."

"That's funny, that's the exact thing that Blaise said. I wonder what happened. I mean, you guys couldn't have just gotten mad, at the exact same time, right?"

"I have no idea," Harry said. He cracked a smile. "I haven't really been thinking clearly lately. In general."

Hermione smiled, and looked down. "I probably should let you get some rest." She leaned in and gave him a hug, careful not to hurt him, then stood. "I'll see you later, okay? And try not to get into anymore fights."

Hermione left the two, and walked down the corridor to the Great Hall alone. It was empty, and Hermione knew that breakfast wasn't over for another ten minutes. Suddenly, she changed her course. She headed towards the nearest exit. It was relatively nice outside, and she wasn't in the mood to answer anyone's questions about Harry and Blaise. She pushed open the large mahogany doors, and shut them behind her firmly.

She breathed in deeply, taking in the fresh, fall air. Hogwarts' grounds really were beautiful, at any time in the year. During autumn, the grass was lush green, covered in orange, yellow, and red leaves from the many trees. The lake was on the opposite side of the school from Hermione, but she could hear the giant squid splashing around.

She had taken her shoulder bag with her, and stored it behind a tree, so she wouldn't be forced to carry it around with her outside. She grabbed a scarf with Gryffindor's colors, and placed it over her shoulders. Hermione begins walking away from the school, admiring everything around her.

She finally found a tree, about two hundred feet away from the large building. She sat at the base of it, her legs crossed, and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

She started to think about Blaise. She thought she might possibly love him, but wasn't sure if they were meant to be together. They were having a lot of problems, and, even though relationships were hard, she thought maybe they were having these issues because they shouldn't be dating. Hermione found it hard to think about not dating Blaise. She would miss spending time with him, talking with him, cuddling with him, kissing him. He made her feel protected, safe, and like she was the only girl in the world.

Harry was also an issue. Hermione wasn't sure what could be done about him. She was pretty positive that she didn't like him anymore, but didn't know if they were going to be comfortable with each other again. She really liked being his friend, considered him one of her closest friends, and didn't want that to stop, just because they had dated and broken up. She wasn't sure how she could make him stop liking her, but she needed to find a way, and fast. Maybe she could hook him up with someone else.

Draco was problem the biggest problem in her life, and the person that had caused her the most stress. She liked being his friend, too, and knew that he had strong feelings for her. She thought that she might have feelings for him, and probably did. She just wasn't sure how they would work out. She had hated him for so long, and she was afraid that that might come up again, somehow.

The sound of footsteps approaching shook Hermione out of her thoughts. She opened her eyes to see Ron sitting down in front of her. He folded his legs, and placed his hands in his lap.

"Sooooo," he said, rocking back and forth, a nervous habit he had had for as long as Hermione had known him. "What, ah, is up?"

Hermione smiled. Ron always knew how to make her feel better. "Oh, this and that. Have you, um, gone to see Harry?"

"For a few minutes. He seems a lot better, and he hopes you're not upset. He just can't figure out why he got so mad at Zabini."

"I can't figure it out," Hermione said. "Blaise said the same thing. Maybe, I don't know, it was a spell gone wrong?"

"Might be," Ron said. "It sort of makes sense. In a weird way."

Hermione nodded. "So, how has your year been going? I've been so caught up in my own issues, I haven't even thought about your last year here. Having fun?"

Ron smiled. "It's been pretty good. I'm doing pretty well in my classes, and I haven't wanted to kill Snape in the past week. I'd say that's progress."

They chatted for almost an hour, the longest they had been together in a really long time. Finally, they walked back up to Hogwarts. Hermione grabbed her bag, and they walked to the only safe place they could think of: the library.

They found a table near the back, and began to work on homework. Hermione was surprised. She was amazed how much Ron had changed. Normally, he would do anything to avoid doing his homework. It seemed like she had been drifting from him this past year. She was glad that they were able to spend the day together.