"Smart girl you've got there, Potter." Malfoy leaned casually against a bookshelf.

"I agree," Harry stood up protectively in front of Ginny.

"Alright boys, this has been fun but Harry," she said pointedly. "You've got things to do. I've got things to do. So we'll meet up later and do...stuff."

Malfoy struggled to repress a laugh.

"Just out of curiosity what exactly is Ginny helping you with?" Harry asked ignoring both of them.

"As a matter of fact, she's helping me with Her—"

"HERKEYS!" Ginny called out, elbowing Malfoy in the ribs.

"Herkeys?" Harry asked.

"Hickeys!" Ginny clarified before turning bright red.

"Hickeys," Harry repeated dumbfounded.

"Forget it. I'm helping Malfoy, and that's what it is. Accept it." Ginny looked deeply at Harry before kissing him. Harry returned her gaze then narrowed his eyes at Malfoy.

"If you hurt Ginny, I'll kill you."

"If I hurt her, I'll let you," Malfoy said.

Both Malfoy and Ginny knew which her they were talking about.

"So, Hermione," said Ron sitting down at the library table. "What's been happening lately?"

"I think Lavendar would have told you all about it." Hermione shifted through her notes, carefully hiding the page marked Formus Reflectus.

"Okay, I deserve that. But listen, I like her a lot. True, at the beginning it was to annoy you, but I do care about her. I wish you'd find someone who made you that happy, Hermione."

She looked over her shoulder at Ginny and Draco whispering carefully.

"I will, Ron, someday I will."

"So, what's the master plan? How can I get her?" Malfoy asked leaning towards Ginny.

"Uh, good question…" Ginny trailed off thinking hard of Hermione's schedule versus her own. "The lake. I'll meet you at the lake tomorrow at two. It's a Hogsmeade weekend so everyone will be out."

"Who's Hermione going to Hogsmeade with?" Draco asked, afraid of the answer.

"I don't think she is, which'll work out nicely. We'll meet then you can find her afterwards."

"Ginny, she won't even talk to me."

"What did you expect, showing up with Parkinson drooling all over you? Did you expect her to throw herself at you in front of Crabbe and Goyle or what?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, no. I forgot about them!" Malfoy gave Ginny a quick peck on the cheek for her patience then hauled off towards the dungeons.

Hermione looked up from her book as Ginny returned.

"Tomorrow, two. Me, library. You, tree."

"This spell had better work." Hermione replied before gathering up her things. "Ginny, I'm scared."

"What? After all this? You can't be scared!" Ginny yelled out, earning a glance from Madam Pince as they departed.

"I'm scared because, well…you know when you want something really bad and then you get it, and it turns out it isn't that great." Hermione looked down ashamed. "What if that happens?"

The girls entered the common room.

"Hermione, what if this turns out to be something magnificent. Draco Malfoy has made serious changes to get your attention. Isn't that worth the risk? The child of Death Eaters, turned good? What if Draco Malfoy is the One? Isn't he worth the risk?"

"You certainly are wise beyond your years, Ginny."

"Sometimes," Ginny said, staring lovingly at Harry. "It's worth the wait, and the risk."