Disclaimer: Harry Potter is mine...in my dreams only, unfortunately.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my sister user04892627, who's the best sister and supporter a girl could ever ask for. ;) Thanks for reading my stuff and supporting me all the way! <3

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Hermione's POV

I rushed out of the room, running away from Malfoy as quickly as I could.

So much for him not noticing.

Damn it!

The worst thing was, I probably couldn't even use magic to cover up without him knowing about it!

I'd felt it earlier, the surge of power when he tried to use wandless magic to unlock my drawers and open the front door. I'd just managed to re-lock a few drawers that weren't secure enough while he was distracted by his own wandless magic usage, which was probably the only reason he didn't seem to have felt my magic.

I upped the wards as well while I was at it. Now I would know if anyone approached closer than five metres from my flat, and no one, not even my closest friends, were allowed to apparate or Floo in or out without my presence.

I was fine, of course I was. I just needed some privacy from everyone and everything.

And Malfoy, like the ferret git that he was, intruded on that.

I resolved to force him out as soon as I could.

This afternoon, though...he had seemed surprisingly fragile and vulnerable.

Who knew the nasty...nastiness had anything softer under all that nastiness?

...

Whatever, he's still nasty.

I decided to stop thinking about him when it became obvious that doing so too much was starting to harm my mental facilities, especially regarding how to think of and act around a certain nasty git.

I would be more careful around him.

And he would be gone and discharged from my "custody" before he noticed a thing.

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Ginny's POV

Harry and I walked towards Hermione's flat.

As soon as we walked down the corridor towards it however, we were thrown back by an invisible barrier.

Harry groaned. "Don't tell me she upped security...again."

He held up his wand and concentrated. Nothing happened. He concentrated again. 

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to apparate, but she's set up anti-apparation wards."

I sighed. "Expecto patronum" I said, smiling a little at my horse patronus that galloped happily around me. "Tell 'Mione to let us in."

The horse neighed once and trotted through the door of Hermione's flat.

"And now, we wait."

*A while later*

Hermione materialized in front of us with a loud crack. Before I was fully aware of what was going on, a small, cold hand had wrapped itself tightly around my elbow, and I was inside Hermione's flat.

"Hermione!" I yelped. "A little warning would have been nice."

She scowled at me.

Harry blinked and shook himself out of his shocked stupor. "Hermione, you look terrible!" He blurted.

I winced and waiting for Hermione to explode.

It never happened.

"Some tact, Harry." Hermione grimaced. "But I am fine, thank you for asking. Now that you know I'm fine, you guys can leave. I need to...set up something here."

I narrowed my eyes. "Hermione...what are you hiding from us?"

"Nothing..." She stammered, blushing furiously.

"You're a terrible liar." I commented cheerfully. "Now tell us, what is it?"

"Why, Granger, it seems like you haven't told your dear friends about our...arrangements. I'm so terribly hurt." An all-too-familiar drawl that I had rather hoped I would be able to avoid forever after Hogwarts rang out arrogantly.

"Malfoy." Harry and I gritted out simultaneously.

"Jinx." I muttered.

"You're living with him now?" Harry yelled at Hermione. "You can't do that! He's...Malfoy!"

I narrowed my eyes as Hermione as well. "Yeah, Hermione, when were you planning on telling us about this, huh? Is this why you upped the wards again? So we wouldn't pop in and accidentally discover your secret living arrangements?"

Malfoy yawned. He had the bloody audacity to YAWN! "Come to bed with me when this is over, love." He winked at Hermione and sauntered casually deeper into the flat.

We all gaped at his retreating back.

Harry growled, his fists clutched tightly at his sides. "Wait until Ron knows about this."

"No, Harry. It won't matter. Ron wouldn't care. He has Lavender now." Hermione said a little bitterly.

"So that's why you're sleeping with Malfoy, eh? Because everyone else's in a relationship except you?" Harry snarled.

I gaped at him. That was harsh.

Hermione stiffened. "If it so happens that I am sleeping with him, it's really none of your business, Harry Potter. Now get out of my flat."

In half a second, we had both been apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and then Hermione had apparated away in a blur.

"Harry, you great oaf, how could you!" I screeched. "That was horrible of you to say, and you know how upset she's been lately!"

"I know, I wasn't thinking." Harry looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me, tell her!"

"She's not gonna let us in anytime soon, though."

I sighed. "You're probably right."

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Blaise's POV

I walked cheerfully out of the coffee shop I'd just had lunch in.

A woman rushed out of nowhere, head down, and bumped into me.

"Hey!" I yelped. "Watch where you're-- Lilia?" I exclaimed.

She stuffed a piece of paper into my hands and hurried off.

I peered down into it, expecting to see an invitation for a coffee, a romantic dinner for two, or even...dare I think it...a night escapade.

I grinned a little at that thought.

And then my jaw dropped.

The piece of paper was empty.

No message. No nothing. Nada.

Just a blank bit of parchment.

What was that supposed to mean?

I turned around to call her back. Maybe she had made a mistake? Gave me the wrong piece of parchment?

But she had disappeared without a trace.

The next day, I went to St. Mungos again and inquired about Healer Lilia.

The healer that came to meet me was a fat, dumpy old woman with unremarkable brown eyes and drooping, sleepy eyelids.

I quickly made an excuse about having an urgent matter at home and ran out of the hospital.

What in the name of Merlin was going on?

A/N: Tada! And the plot thickens...what do you guys think, huh? What happened to "Lilia" and who is she really?

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to vote and comment to make me a very happy writer ;) Your encouragements and criticisms make me a better writer :) <3