Dramione- Back at Hogwarts (Hermione's 7th Year)

Chapter 29- A Friendly Date

They were still holding hands when they went inside the pizza parlor. They both feel comfortable holding each other's hand.

They sat on a booth across from each other and a teenage waitress came to get their orders.

"Good afternoon, what would you like for today sir and ma'am," she asked merrily, eyeing Draco.

Draco looks uncertainly at Hermione, not knowing what to order. She took the hint and answered for the both of them, "We would like a large pepperoni and cheese pizza, and two sodas, please."

"Will that be all, ma'am?" The waitress asked her.

"Yes, thanks," Hermione replied.

The waitress left to get their orders, winking at Draco before she leaves. Draco just smirked at her.

"Even muggles can't resist me," Draco told Hermione.

"Really? How thick can you get?" She teased him.

"No girl can resist me, Granger," he drawled, winking at her.

"I can," she replied, but a slight blush rises on her cheeks.

"Really now?" He asked teasingly. He stood up and went to sit beside her, making her move a bit so he won't fall on the booth's couch. He put his arm at the back of the couch and leaned closer to her. "I could always make you blush, Hermione," he whispered on her ear, sending shivers to Hermione's body and making her blush redder.

"Stop flirting with me, Draco. Friends don't flirt with each other," she whispered back, feeling dizzy at their proximity.

"Hmmm," he replied, kissing her cheek softly. "I like being friends with you. Friends may hug and kiss each other, right?" He asked teasing her again by putting his arm on her shoulders.

"Draco, please. Stop flirting with me, I have a boyfriend," she pleaded, wanting him to stop because she might lose control of herself again and start kissing him back.

"I know, and I don't really care. Break up with him so there won't be a problem," he told her, looking her straight in the eyes.

She stared back at his eyes, she saw that his usual stormy grey eyes were now warm, but was staring at her intensely. She couldn't help herself as she slowly leaned towards him as he came closer.

"Here's your order, sir and ma'am," the waitress told them, putting them on the table.

They quickly separated from each other, Draco was irritated with the waitress' timing. They almost kissed again, much to Hermione's relief. She can't continue kissing Draco if she was still dating Ron.

They ate in silence, feeling awkward by their near kiss.

Hermione was thinking if Draco really means it when he tells her to break-up with Ron so she could stop resisting him, but maybe he just wanted to flirt with her. She honestly likes the new and improved Draco, minus the flirting since she still did not know what to do about Ron.

Draco was enjoying eating his pizza with his bare hands, his parents never let him do so. He saw that Hermione was also holding her pizza, but was using a napkin on hers. She is really easy to get along with, without having Potter and Weasley at her sides, he thought.

They both enjoyed their lunch, making small talk and getting to know each other better.

Hermione found out that Draco never considered Crabbe (who died in the Room of Requirement because of his own doing) and Goyle as his friends, and that Pansy was never his girlfriend but just someone to snog (and occasionally shag- something Draco didn't want to admit to her but she insisted on knowing). But Draco considered Blaise Zabini as his best friend ever since they were toddlers. Hermione really did not know anything about Blaise, he was one of the few Slytherins who seems to be neutral about blood status.

Draco was quite surprised with Hermione's questions, especially about asking about his love life- which was never serious and just full of physical interactions with willing girls. He was quite ashamed of the fact that he did it without having any feelings for them, when Hermione pointed out to him that those girls had at least like or even love him for them to give themselves to him.

On the other hand, when he asked bluntly about her sexual relationship with the weasel, she blushed profusely, telling him that they haven't done anything more intimate than hugging and kissing. She told him that she still feels awkward kissing Ron since they have been best friends for years. And yes, she is still a virgin, and wanted it to be so until she is ready or until she gets married.

They also asked each other trivial things, like their favorites. Draco found out that they both enjoy Potions, even if Snape was unfair- added Hermione. Reading was also their similarity, but Draco never read any muggle books because it was forbidden by his father. They also both enjoy swimming, but aside from that, Hermione hates any other sport, not that she tried.

Time flew past, but they did not notice it until the waitress asked if they wanted anything else before the store closes in an hour (it was open only until nine p.m.). They have been talking all day!

"We want another large pizza and two sodas, please," Draco told the waitress.

"How about a sundae for dessert?" The waitress asked.

"Yeah, sure. Just one strawberry sundae," he replied. The waitress left to get their orders. "We could just share, I don't want you getting fat," he told Hermione, smirking.

"Why not? I'm not that figure conscious," she replied.

"Well, I like you this way. I can't carry you anymore if you get fat," he drawled.

"I can walk you know, you don't need to carry me, ever," she replied back, annoyed.

"Well, newly weds always carry their brides, right?" He asked cheekily.

Hermione just looked at him, not knowing what to say. Draco just smirked at her, then said, "Think about it, Hermione. I'll wait for you."

"Is that a joke, Malfoy?" She asked, her face flushed, her emotions in turmoil- annoyed and almost angry if he was just fooling around, glad and excited that he likes her enough to be serious about wanting her.

The waitress came back with their orders before he can reply. When the waitress left and was out of earshot, he whispered on Hermione's ear, "I am bloody serious, Hermione. I think I like you very much."

Hermione stared at him, his grey eyes was so intense she could melt in them. Then she took a deep breath, and said curtly, "Let's just eat now, the pizza will get cold." Her mind was reeling with Draco's words, she did not know what to say or feel about it.

Draco was hurt by her response, he doesn't know how she feels about him. But he was already sure of his feelings, he hasn't felt this way towards a girl before.

When Hermione saw Draco was sat stiffly beside her, not touching his food and looking far away, she scooped up some sundae then pointed the spoon to his mouth to make it up to him. She could see the hurt in his eyes. "Open your mouth," she told him.

He saw the spoon near his mouth and Hermione's smiling face. He opened his mouth to eat the sundae and smiled at her. "Thanks," he told her.

"Come on, Draco. Let's finish eating so you could go home. Narcissa might be wondering where you are," she requested.

"You could just send her a patronus to say we're okay. Could we just spend the rest of the night together?" He asked hopefully, his eyes boring into hers.

"Where do you want to go?" She asked curiously.

"Let's sleep on one of our hotel in Scotland," he said.

"I'm not really sure," she replied.

"We are friends, right? Trust me, I don't bite," he said grinning.

"Alright, I guess," she agreed.

Draco could not help but grin at her, she grinned too, noticing the genuine happiness in his eyes.