Watching Garden Gnomes

Chapter 4

The last few weeks had come and gone quickly and with little Malfoy. Malfoy was hardly seen, keeping mostly to his room. He really only left when he was hungry and extremely bored. However, he did bring a large number of books with him to peruse through which kept him in his room mostly, Hermione noted though almost every time he left he had a book in his hand, and she noticed before that he was so fond of reading.

"Should we do something about Draco?" Molly asked Arthur. "I knew he would probably keep to himself but he has barely said two words since coming here unless your count him arguing with Hermione."

"Yes, he does seem to like talking with you most," Arthur said looking at Hermione. "Quite odd, I think he likes the reactions you give him."

"I would rather he keep to himself than come down. He said more than two words when he was last at breakfast. Telling me to watch my figure, because I took too much bacon." She said while sitting in a puffy red chair, not looking up from her book obviously annoyed that Draco had picked her as the person most fun to bother, it had started to turn into a daily occurrence. She did have some fun with it though, this morning, after taunting her, she threw a piece of bacon at him, which hit him in the face, which afterward he called her a child.

Hermione lifted her eyes from her book as she felt the breeze coming through the window, she could hear Harry and Ginny hooping and hollering with Ron as they flew around on their brooms.

"It does seem odd, what do you think he does up there all day long?" Arthur paused and looked up from his newspaper. Arthur had on his curious face which was the same one he got when he would ask Hermione and Harry about muggle things.

"I read. Mostly." Draco said, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh well, any good reads?" Arthur said, unabashedly.

"Yeah, some I brought with me. Mostly about potions." Draco said and then walked into the kitchen, making it clear the conversation was over.

Hermione attempted to return to reading her book, but couldn't get through more than a sentence before her mind had gotten away from its self. 'You know at the beginning of the summer you decided to be nice to him, remember you and Ginny put in a lot of effort fixing up a room for him.' She abruptly stood up, saying the word that came to mind.

"Arthur if you still want to see a muggle movie theater why don't we make a trip of it tonight and we can all go see a movie. There is a theater a few towns over and I know a spell that can transform galleons to euros." Hermione said.

"That sounds great!" Arthur said with extreme enthusiasm. He had been asking Hermione and Harry what there were like last week.

"Great let's leave around 6, I will go invite Mal- er- Draco, Hermione walked into the kitchen after Draco.

Hermione burst through the door unsure of what she would say yet.

"Can I help you, Granger?" Draco said and took a sip of his water while leaning against the counter.

"Wellllll, uh Draco." Hermione didn't mean it but his name came out strained. "We are going to a movie tonight and we hoped you would come with us, I thought you would like it." She said unconvincingly.

"No," Draco said quickly and walked past her and out of the kitchen.

"Hey! I am trying to be nice to you!" Hermione said exiting the kitchen and following him up the stairs.

"well stop." Draco said with a cold tone.

"There will be food," Hermione said hope it might make his mood more amiable.

"Oh, well now I cant wait to go. I have always wanted to have muggle food, what do you eat slop like an animal?" Draco said with fake enthusiasm and sarcasm.

"Oh don't be so stupid you know it's all the same food," Hermione said, unamused.

"It's still a no."

"Why, it has to be better than staying in your room all day!" They had rounded the corner and we're on the second flight of stairs. Draco stopped, turning, and stared down at her.

"No, it would be worse."

"How?"

"I don't owe you an explanation, Granger." Draco was still cold and glided up the last staircase.

Hermione followed him, forming an argument in her intended to convince him.

Draco was now at his room and turned around leaning on the door frame surveying Hermione. He thought she was kinda cute when she was flustered. "The answer is still no." He said as she opened her mouth, and he went to shut his door.

Shoving her foot in the door Hermione pushed past him and it into his room. Draco was so taken aback by Hermione's forcefulness he didn't have time to hold the door shut.

He had sat down on his bed and was now leaning back on his hands. This was probably the most interesting conversation he had since he had gotten here. And by far the most civil conversation he and Hermione have ever shared.

"You don't evening know what you said no to!"

"Fine, what is a movie?" Draco said unenthusiastically. More confused about why Hermione was trying so hard to convince him to attend.

"It's like moving pictures that tell a story on a really large wall."

"Sound stupid."

"Well, it's not." Hermione crossed her arms. Obviously not moving.

"Fine...I will go... but only because you really cute when your mad and frustrated," Draco said casually, smirking at her as he leaned back on his bed.

Hermione blushed, not knowing what to say, that was literally out of nowhere. She rushed out unable to say anything else.

"We leave at 6 o'clock!" She shouted as an afterthought.