Chapter 8

After Hermione left, Ron was in a terrible mood; he knew that he had screwed up but it was Hermione's fault that he had cheated, if she had just thought about his needs then there would have been no need of cheating. He had it very clear in his head that he was not wrong; every male had needs and so what if he had purely physical relationships with other women, it was just sex; it wasn't like he was having an emotional relationship behind her back.

And what did she mean by," we are over; I never want to see you again. I hate you."? He knew that she loved him, she wouldn't be able to stay without him for long; she would come running back. She may be strong, but she was not strong enough to leave him.

Ron kept up with his mental musing for hours, waiting for Hermione to return home. He kept thinking,' why did I have to get caught; everything had been running smoothly, now everything is ruined'. He had no idea where she was but he would wait till her anger subsided and then he would convince her.

He was a little concerned about harry and Ginny's reaction if they got to know about his unfaithfulness. Ginny, being short tempered like him, would yell at him but harry might listen to him and understand, after all he was a man himself.

Ron moved around the house for some time then decided to go to bed and deal with all this in the morning. The next morning Ron woke up late, he went to take a shower then got dressed for the day. He heard some noises from Hermione's room and figured that she had returned. He smirked as he had known that she wouldn't be able to stay away from him. As he got closer to her room he heard a male voice, now he was confused. He opened her door and seeing the occupants he shouted," why the hell are you here?"

Luna had apparated Blaise directly inside Hermione's bedroom, Hermione had adjusted the wards so that all her friends could pop in whenever they wanted. It had been very convenient as both of them didn't want to deal with Ron Weasley right now. Luna just waved her wand around, packing Hermione's belongings while Blaise kept staring at her helplessly.

Finally Blaise couldn't bear the silent treatment and said," I am sorry babe, please talk to me."

Luna turned towards Blaise and replied," you can't just treat me like a child Blaise. I am a grown up witch who can take care of herself. I can't let you handle all my problems and you need to accept that."

Blaise looked ashamed and said," I was just concerned but I promise to try and reign in the protectiveness. It's a part of me but I promise I will never behave like that again."

Luna walked over to him and hugged him and said," I want to leave as soon as possible so let's get this done quickly."

With that the both started packing Hermione's things; they had almost finished when suddenly the door burst open and in came a confused angry red head.

Ron's confusion subsided when he saw all of Hermione's belongings packed away. He looked directly at Luna and asked," what are you doing here and why have you packed Hermione's things; where is she?"

Luna didn't want to answer but to avoid any unwanted trouble she replied in a sharp tone that she reserved for people she disliked," we are here to move Hermione's things and you have no right to ask where she is."

Ron gave a snort and then said in a mocking voice," I don't have any right to know where MY GIRLFRIEND is; Luna I think you have gone loony. You can't just barge in my house and take my girlfriend's belongings; stop this nonsense and tell Hermione to come back."

Blaise wanted to beat the shit out of the red head for insulting Luna but he had just promised her that he would let her handle her problems, so he kept glaring at Ron hoping to set him on fire.

Luna was glad that Blaise had kept his promise, they didn't need more problems right now. She turned to Ron and said," well Ronald, Hermione is your EX- girlfriend and she is never coming back to you and because it was Hermione's house as well, so I have full right to come here and move her things. I don't owe you any explanation. Now get lost."

She turned to Blaise and said," Blaise please pack everything on the walls except Hermione's photographs with Ronald. She doesn't need a reminder of this fool."

Ron lost control and shouted," why the fuck do you interfere in other's business; this is between me and Hermione. And you are the fool here; you are a fool to believe that this slytherin snake loves you; you are a traitor to befriend our enemy. He is staying with you to improve his status in the society; he is using you and you are foolish enough to think that he loves you."

Blaise couldn't control the anger that surged in him on listening to Weasley talking nonsense about his and Luna's relation; he pounced over the red head to hit him when Luna stopped him by coming in between, she kept one hand on Blaise's arm and said," don't forget your promise."

Luna then turned to Ron and said in a chilling voice," Ronald Weasley, you shouldn't talk about love, you wouldn't know how to love if it bit you in your face. What Blaise and I share, you can never understand, and I don't deem you worthy enough to explain it to you. You dare to call me a traitor after what you did to Hermione; you are truly shameless."

She waved her wand to gather all the packing and turned to Blaise who was merely maintaining control and said," let's go."

But before they apparated she got a wicked thought and one last time turned to Ron and said with a smirk," let me answer your question; Hermione has moved in with Draco Malfoy."

With that they apparated away, leaving a bewildered Ronald Weasley.

/slash scene/

After Blaise had shouted his declaration to kill someone, every one stood in silence. In his fury, Blaise hadn't realized that Hermione was awake and was now staring at him looking for some answers. But he had been so angry that he hadn't been able to defend himself and Luna when the Weasley sprouted nonsense about them.

Draco looked at Hermione as realization hit her, she looked at Luna who looked upset and then at Blaise who now looked guilty.

Draco broke the silence by saying," Luna please take Hermione to her room and I need to talk to Blaise.

He knew that even though Hermione broke down in front of him, she needed a friend; he was giving her and Luna some alone time to sort out her feelings. Luna understood his implication and led Hermione to her room and locked the room.

Draco then turned to Blaise who was still looking pissed. Before he could say anything Blaise sighed and said," I am sorry Draco, I shouldn't have exploded in front of Granger but that Weasley…." He stopped before he started shouting again.

Draco looked at his frustrated friend and asked," what happened?"

Blaise replied in a barely controlled voice," That bastard said that Luna was foolish to think that I love her. He insinuated that I was using Luna for her status as a war hero to improve my reputation in society. He insulted Luna and because of Luna I couldn't even defend her."

Draco understood his frustration so he said," Blaise you need to calm down, Luna knows that you love her and you know that she loves you; there is nothing that Weasley can say to change that."

Blaise nodded then suddenly chuckled," you need to convince Hermione to stay here; you should have seen the look on that weasel's face when Luna told him that, I quote" Hermione has moved in with Draco Malfoy". I thought he would faint."

They both laughed at the mental image of the weasel fainting from shock.

Draco then said," well I already convinced her."

Blaise chuckled," oh crap, I missed the show."

Draco snorted and said," well as expected, she went on and on about how she could take care of herself and we were not friends. She said that she didn't hate me but she couldn't just move in with me. Then I convinced her that I was just looking for a roommate and even she needed a place to live, so it was the perfect solution."

Blaise stared at her with a calculating look and asked," you lied to her just to convince her to live with you. Draco we both know that we could have come up with a living arrangement if you hadn't been adamant about her living here. What is the real reason that you want her here?"

Draco looked in Blaise's eyes for some time and saw real concern so he answered," I just want to help her Blaise, really I just wish to see her like the way she used to be; happy, stubborn and spirited."

Blaise asked," so you have no romantic intentions towards Granger? You are not attracted to her or anything."

Draco didn't want to lie to Blaise but he didn't know his intentions himself; he really did wish to see her like she was before but he also found her attractive. He decided to tell the truth," I won't deny that I am attracted to her but my real intentions are to just help her."

Blaise nodded and said," for now, keep the attraction aside; I don't think she can handle it."

/slash scene/

As soon as Luna and Hermione entered her room, Hermione hugged her friend fiercely and sobbed," I am so sorry for doing that to you. I wasn't in my right mind; I was so drunk and hurt that I didn't think…."

Both the friends stayed in each other's arms and cried their heart out. When they had no tears to shed they both sat on the bed and started discussing the past day.

Luna said," tell me everything; get everything out so it doesn't hurt anymore. How did you find out?"

Hermione narrated the whole story and then cried for half an hour, in Luna's arms. If felt so good to share her pain with her friend, who could understand how she felt.

"Tell me what happened after I apparated from your club", Hermione asked.

Luna replied," I was terrified of what you would do, so I apparated to the club where Blaise was meeting Draco and told them what had happened. Draco told us to look for you in places that were important to you; I went to your parents graves, Blaise looked for you in your parent's old house and Draco said that he knew a place where you might be. He found you there and brought you here."

Hermione asked," but how did he know where I was; nobody knows about that place."

Luna said," that you'll have to ask Draco; he said he had seen you there once. He has changed so much that I can't believe he was such a prat as a child."

Hermione kept wondering how Draco knew that place and said," yes he has changed a lot; even during the war he had changed a lot but these 3 years have been good to him. When I first woke up and saw him half naked I…"

Luna interrupted her with a glint in her eye," you saw him naked?"

Hermione blushed and said," not naked, half naked; he had a towel around his waist."

Luna laughed," a towel around the waist is as good as being naked. What did you do then?"

Hermione chuckled at remembering her embarrassing display in front of Draco and said," well I kind of cried my heart out in his naked arms."

Luna smiled," romantic".

Hermione sighed," there is nothing romantic left in my life. I'll have to deal with a broken heart all my life; I don't think I'll ever be able to trust anyone after what my best friend did to me."

Luna held Hermione's face in both hands and looked in her eyes and said," you'll forget that bastard and move on. Promise me you'll at least try. Someday a man will love you the way you deserve to be loved and will make you fall in love again. Give yourself another chance, someday you'll realize it was worth it."

Hermione just nodded and thought to herself,' I will make sure that I forget Ron; the pain he has caused me can never be forgiven. Someday I'll find happiness again, though that day is far away.'

Luna looked at the time and said," well the boys must be waiting and I need to talk to Blaise; he was very upset."

They both walked back in the living room to find the boys sitting on the couch. The boys noticed that both the girls had red eyes but were smiling and seemed relaxed, so it must have gone well.

Luna said," Blaise would you join me in the guest room for a minute."

Blaise stood from the couch and they both went to the guestroom to talk. Hermione replaced Blaise on the couch and said," so we are going to live together now; people are going to think we both lost our minds."

Draco smiled and said," people are going to think a lot worse, but I think it's going to be funny."

Hermione chuckled," only you can think that it's funny; my friends are going to get mad. No offense but they won't be able to digest a changed Draco Malfoy."

They both looked at each other and laughed. Then Hermione said," well if we are going to live together, we need to start calling each other by our first names. Ok Draco."

Draco was a little dazed by the sudden change in their familiarity but replied," ok Hermione."

Just then the guest room door opened and out came a disheveled looking Luna and Blaise; Luna's shirt was buttoned wrongly, her hair was messy and lips swollen; all in all she looked thoroughly snogged. Blaise was pulling at her hand while Luna tried to pat her hair, they came to a stop in front of the couch and Blaise said," we have some urgent work to finish; we'll spend the night at our flat. Take care both of you, bye."

With that they apparated away, leaving a laughing Draco and hermione.

A/n: thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. R/R

LUV…

Ash