A/N: Thank you to sasukessweetheart, Boogalee99, fantasia-49 and Grovek26 for your reviews – it always makes my day to see that email in my inbox.

I wanted to say sorry for such a long delay between chapters – life has gotten incredibly hectic! If you read my most recent chapter from my other story (Public Relations), you'd know why – if not, I'll explain now!

I'm at the hospital for 35-40hrs a week every week and have 'out of hours' shifts that I have to do in addition to this. I've gotten involved in two audits with separate teams at the hospital, which both involve a ridiculous amount of data collection and number crunching. On top of that, I have my actual study to do so that I can (hopefully) pass my exams.

And the most exciting of all, I got engaged! And the wedding planning has begun – so that's a whole new level of things to do and stress!

Please bear with me and continue to read – I promise I will keep updating as often as I can manage!

Chapter XIV

Sunlight peeked through the curtains and shone onto her face, alerting Hermione to the fact that morning had come. She screwed her eyes shut, wishing for another hour's rest but knowing she had to get up for classes.

Together with Draco, she had trudged back to their quarters rather morosely, the implications of Dumbledore's words hanging heavily between them. It wasn't as though it meant they had to change anything in particular – it just wasn't that great to know that her risk of death had just doubled overnight.

She tried to turn in bed to face away from the light, only to be stopped by a warm body pressed firmly against her. Draco, she thought fondly. His arm was wrapped tightly around her stomach, as though he would lose her if he let go.

"Stop moving." He mumbled, almost incoherently. She couldn't help the smile that rose to her face – he was incredibly adorable in his half-asleep state.

"Let me turn around." She admonished lightly. He groaned, momentarily snuggling his face into the crook of her neck before loosening his grasp on her.

Hermione twisted herself in his hold, pressing a kiss to his lips before burying her face against his chest. He was revelling in her warmth against him when his thoughts were broken by her pulling away and getting out of bed.

He ignored her, pressing his face into his pillow to shade himself from the sunlight. He could hear her shuffling around the room, choosing instead to tune out the sounds.

Draco let out a girly shriek as the quilt was suddenly ripped from over his body, instinctively curling his legs into his body. "Hermione!"

He glared at the girl who was now giggling hysterically on the floor, surrounded by the sheets she had pulled off the bed. He wanted to be angry – he really did – but she looked incredibly cute where she sat on the floor, in a bit of a mess with dishevelled hair.

Oh Merlin – how did he get so lucky?

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Surprise was evident on the faces of the student body as the Head Girl and Boy entered the Great Hall together, sharing a laugh. They seemed tolerant of each other, friendly even.

Draco bid her goodbye with a smile before turning and making his way to the Slytherin table. He met the stares of his peers with his usual menacing sneer before seating himself amongst his friends and carrying on as normal.

Hermione watched after him for a moment before making her way towards where Ginny was waving emphatically at her. She seated herself across from the girl, amusedly noticing that Ron was seated a few metres further down the table.

His eyes were fixed on her, a scowl firmly painted on his face.

"Oh ignore him, Mione – he's just pissed off because I chewed him out last night and Harry backed me up." Ginny dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "Here, have some pumpkin scones – they're absolutely amazing today!"

Hermione couldn't help but smile at her candidness. She felt a hand mussing her hair before Harry sat down on the bench beside her. "Morning." He managed to mumble before shoving a piece of bacon into his mouth.

She elbowed him playfully, trying in vain to neaten her hair when a flutter of wings broke through the chatter of the room.

What seemed to be nearly the entire student body watched with interest as a bright red envelope landed in front of the youngest Weasley boy. Ginny was nearly bursting with a sadistic glee, turning her complete attention to the letter that was unfolding itself.

Ron shuffled nervously, bracing himself for the onslaught that was sure to come.

Ronald Bilius Weasley!

Imagine my horror to hear from the twins about the fiasco you caused in Hogsmeade yesterday. Imagine my greater horror when that same story was told to me by Aunt Mabel who heard it from Mrs Jennings who SAW and HEARD you making a scene!

Just you wait until you get home for the holidays! Your father and I are going to make sure that you properly make up for this nonsense! How dare you think you can tell Hermione who she can and cannot spend time with?! She is simply carrying out her duties as Head Girl and you can't control your bloody temper!

Absolutely despicable! I could just murder you! I have never been so ashamed of one of my children – not even with the complete rubbish that the twins try to pull!

Disgusting!

The last word was yelled, almost like a piercing shriek that resonated around the silent room. A moment of silence filled the room before a prattle of giggles broke out.

Ron's face was a deep red as everyone's eyes fell on him. He gasped nervously before jumping from the table and racing out of the room.

"Oh Merlin, Mum's pissed!" Ginny hissed, hunching forward to whisper to Harry and Hermione.

Harry swallowed his mouthful before scoffing. "Not like he didn't deserve it – he's been a prick all night."

"What?" Hermione's interest was definitely piqued.

"He raved and ranted for a good few hours last night – Hermione's lost her mind, Hermione's making a mistake, bloody this and bloody that, how could Hermione betray me like that – I couldn't slapped him."

"What?!" Hermione repeated, her voice much more shrill this time. "Betray him? Betray him?!"

She was quickly shushed by Ginny, suddenly aware of the attention she was drawing. But in all honesty, her mind was clouded with simple anger – how could Ron be so self-centred and foolish?

"Ugh, I need to talk to him."

Hermione raced up the stairs and headed towards the Gryffindor commons, reasoning that it was the most likely place that Ron would have rushed to. She wasn't quite sure why but she felt as though she needed to sit down with him and help him thinking rationally for once. After all, that had always been her role in their friendship and there was no point in stopping now for the sole reason of him acting so childishly.

She turned left into the next corridor, lost in her thoughts as she tried to map out exactly what she would say to him.

As she rounded the last corner into the corridor leading to the common room, a hand shot out, dragging her into an empty classroom. She let out a yell of surprise before her eyes fell on the boy in front of her.

"Ron, there you are." She greeted with relief. "I was coming to find you. Why'd you dr-"

"Shut up." He snarled, jostling her further into the classroom.

"Wh-"

"I said, shut up!" His face was scrunched in anger. "How the hell could you humiliate me like that?" His voice was harsh, almost unrecognisable in his madness.

"Humiliate you?! I did nothing of the sort!" She moved her hand towards her wand, which was tucked into her robe pocket. Ron saw her movement and grabbed her arms painfully.

"Don't you ever dare." He hissed. "You know exactly what you did. I know you love me, Hermione – there's no point trying to make me jealous by whoring yourself out with Malfoy."

"What?" Hermione struggled fruitlessly against his grip, wincing as he twisted her arms behind her. "Get off me, Ron!"

"Stop denying it!" He roared, shoving her against the cold stone wall. Her head slammed into the wall behind her, sparks clouding her vision. "How could you do this to me? You made a fool of me for the whole bloody school to see."

"Ron…"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

She didn't reply, eyes searching the room for an escape. There was nothing. And there had been no one in the corridors before he grabbed her.

"You know how I feel about you." He continued. "And I know you want me, Hermione."

She barely had time to register what was happening before his lips slammed against hers, her head again colliding with the wall behind her. The sharp pain at her occiput soon ebbed into a continuous throbbing. She tried to object, her words muffled by his unforgiving ministrations.

He forced himself further against her, his mouth moving angrily. Hermione whimpered in pain as his teeth scraped against her lips, helplessly willing him off her. He continued in his onslaught unrelentingly as her lips began to bleed.

Ron had secured her wrists with one of his hands, the other callously tugging at her robes.

Oh Godric, help me!

His lips continued to muffle her protests as he ruthlessly groped at her, ripping open the front of her robes. His hand abrasively roved over her body as he began wrenching at the buttons of her shirt.

A loud crash echoed around the room as the door behind him flew open.

Thank Merlin!

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Neither Harry nor Ginny had time to stop Hermione or reply as she rushed from the table and out of the Great Hall, unaware of Draco keenly watching her. He had of course been keeping an eye on the Gryffindor table as the Howler had screeched its message to Ron and had made sure to watch as Harry had chatted to her afterwards.

He frowned at the colossal doors as they slammed shut, quickly rising from his seat. "Where are you going?"

"Left something in my room." He quickly muttered in reply to Blaise before making his way out of the Great Hall.

Draco looked in all directions, his frown deepening at the empty corridors. Where the hell had she gone? He hedged his bets on either the Gryffindor common room or their commons, pausing to decide between the two.

He made his way up the nearest set of stairs, reasoning that he could take a slight detour on the way to their shared commons and go by the Gryffindor common room. He had barely reached the top of the stairs when a wave of pain shot through him.

What the hell was that? He thought, absently rubbing at the back of his head.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, he started down the corridor trying to ignore the ache that was rising in his forearms.

A surge of despair and panic flooded him and yet he was aware that those feelings weren't his.

Hermione.

He dashed down the corridors, disregarding the ache that was pounding the back of his head, and came to an abrupt stop at the portrait that guarded the Gryffindor commons.

"Let me in!"

The Fat Lady stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "You don't belong to this House."

"I said let me in!" He gasped. "I'm the Head Boy!"

He could have sworn the damned woman scoffed at him. "Well then, you should have the password."

Draco growled impatiently, trying to remember what Dumbledore had told him. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember. "Just let me in! Something's wrong with Hermione!"

She had the decency to look surprised. "Hermione Granger?"

"For Merlin's sake, yes! LET ME IN! I need to help her!"

"Firstly, I'm not letting you in without a password." He raised his fist to slam into the portrait. "And secondly, she's not here. I saw her come down the corridor and then she disappeared."

What?

He didn't bother with a reply, bolting back up the corridor as he pushed through the increasing ache that was flooding his body. Where on earth had she gone? He had almost turned a corner when a sliver of light peeking from underneath a classroom door caught his eye.

He threw the door open, his vision immediately blurring with rage at the sight in front of him; his Hermione hopelessly struggling against that bloody Weasel.

He surged forward, wrenching Ron away from Hermione by the back of his robes.

"Stupefy! Incarcerous!"

Draco waited for a moment, making sure that his spells had taken effect, before turning to his wife. She had crumpled to the floor, tears now coursing down her cheeks. He knelt beside her, wordlessly checking her for any significant wounds.

"Hermione…" He whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. She latched onto his robes as her body shook with each sob.

He wasn't sure how long he held her like this before he heard footsteps resounding through the corridors. The portraits had alerted the Headmaster to the ruckus he had caused.

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Madame Pomfrey had fussed over Hermione in the Headmaster's office for a good ten minutes before she was certain that there were no grave injuries. "Thank you, Poppy." Dumbledore said wearily before dismissing her.

She sent one last glare at Ron before leaving the room. Ron was now conscious, seated at one corner of the large desk. He was flanked by McGonagall and Snape who were angrily watching him. Hermione had seated herself at the opposite end of the desk to Ron, Draco in the seat beside her.

Dumbledore eyed the room's occupants before letting out a long sigh. "Mr. Weasley, I hope you understand the gravity of your actions." Ron nodded mutely. "And I hope you understand how lucky you are that Mr Malfoy intervened when he did – if things had gone further than it did, the consequences for you would have been unimaginable."

"Though some in this room are adamant for a more serious punishment, you are incredibly lucky that Miss Granger has somehow managed to find an inkling of compassion for you in her heart. Whilst you were incapacitated, she requested that you not be expelled but rather suspended."

Hermione could see Draco's body tense beside her, his hands almost trembling with anger. He had been maddened by her leniency, placated only by her pleading with him. She had been surprised by McGonagall's disapproval of her decision.

"Do you have anything to say? And if you do, remember to be careful of what you say." Ron just shook his head, refusing to look up from his hands that were clasped in his lap. "Very well then. Mr Weasley, you are suspended for four weeks."

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Present Day

Ron winced as they were pulled out of the Pensieve, Ginny and Harry turning to him with horror written on their faces.

"Ronald Weasley, I could bloody kill you!"

As much as he would never admit it, the expression on his sister's face was enough to terrify him. She was enraged, a deep red settling over her delicate features. They had, of course, known about his suspension and the reason behind it but had never really understood just how horrendous his actions had been.

"Ginny-" He started.

"Don't you dare Ginny me! How could you?!" She slammed her hands on the table in front of her, rising from her seat to stand over him. "I'm surprised she ever spoke to you again!"

And with that she stormed out of the room. Ron watched after her helplessly, turning to face Harry who put his hands up in front of him as if to surrender. "Don't look to me for help, Ron. I agree with her."

"I know – I do too! I never realised just how bad it was…until now. I guess I tried pretending it didn't happen." He admitted, slumping into the couch miserably. "What the hell do I do?"

Harry sighed wearily, firmly closing the Pensieve – they had most definitely seen enough for today. "I dunno, mate. Tell me you at least apologised to her after you got back." Silence followed his question. He looked up at Ron, scowling at the sorrowful expression on his face. "Ron…"

"No! I didn't! Sweet Godric – how the hell did she look at me after that?!"

"For Merlin's sake, Ron!" Harry stood up, exasperation written all over his face. "What on earth is wrong with you?"

He disappeared from the room in his wife's footsteps, frustrated by his best friend's idiocy.

Ron slumped even further into the lounge, running a hand over his face. He had some serious apologising to do.

A/N: I'm not super happy with the ending but hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! Please please review!