Hermione was very vaguely aware of the people in the Leaky Cauldron watching; she was just happy to be kissing Malfoy. However, Malfoy caught a few awkward stares and broke away from her. He didn’t like to do it, but they were in an extremely public place.
“Y-you like me?” Hermione managed, trying to catch her breath.
Malfoy’s face showed no signs of malice or regret, only joy. It was easy to detect because of his oddly expressional eyes; It was like they were a mirror of his exact feelings. He nodded solemnly. He motioned for her to sit down, so she did, attempting to keep her composure.
“Actually, Hermione - ” he began, his voice a bit shaky and his face tinged with red.
“I think I’ve liked you before we worked on this.”
Hermione’s face was full of disbelief.
“What do you mean?” She asked suspiciously.
“Well, er – at the Yule Ball, you looked…amazing. I kept telling myself it was because you were so, well, so ugly that I couldn’t keep looking at you. But, to be honest, it’s because I noticed how beautiful you really were. I always thought you were one of the smartest witches there, and you had more personality than a q-tip, which is more than I can say for those other girls.” He scoffed as he finished, obviously referring to Pansy.
Hermione was speechless. She had no idea that he had been looking at her. She’d been too busy arguing with Ron to notice much else. A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she, in a very Slytherin manner, smirked at Draco.
“What’s that look for?” He hissed.
Hermione laughed.
“A Slytherin pureblood like yourself staring at a mudblood Gryffindor?”
“In my defense, you looked - ”
“It’s just surprising, Draco.” She smiled, resting her head on her hand.
He smiled back at her.
“What are we going to do, Hermione?” Concern was drifting into his tone.
For the second time that day, Hermione was worried. She had no earthly idea.
“If you really like me, like you say, then you’ll stay on the case like a good Slytherin, and not let this interfere, no matter how much.” She plainly stated, completely contradicting the frightened thoughts swimming in her head.
“What happens if Potter and Weasley find out?” He whispered.
Hermione scoffed.
“Those two are the LEAST of my worries, Draco.”
He smiled.
“They’re going to be mad at me for stealing you away from them.”
“I could care less what they think, Draco.” Hermione said defiantly.
“Calm down, only making predictions.” He said with an impish grin on his face.
“I can’t figure you out, Malfoy.” Hermione said seriously.
“First you run away, repulsed, after you kiss me, and now you’re admitting that you’ve had a crush on me since we were fourteen? It just doesn’t make sense.”
He drew in a deep breath.
“Hermione, I ran away because I was repulsed of MYSELF, I told you.”
“You have no reason to be repulsed by yourself.” She smiled.
Hermione got up from where she sat, and she extended her hand. Draco took it, standing as well.
“Let’s go to Diagon Alley. I don’t like this place much.” She looked around at the musky surrounding, shuddering a bit when she caught eyes with Tom.
“Couldn’t agree more.”
They went out the back of the Leaky Cauldron, each happier than they had been in weeks.
~
'
“Draco, I am warning you!” Hermione shrieked.
They were inside the apothecary, and Malfoy was holding a very questionable potion ingredient by his fingertips.
“What are you going to do about it?” He demanded in a teasing tone.
He jokingly pretended to flick it at her, earning a high-pitched scream that was loud enough
to shatter the glass of the windows.
“Granger, calm down!” he yelled, his sides hurting from laughter.
“Damn you, Draco Malfoy!” She spat.
Her eyes darted from side to side, until they locked on the desired target. She reached into a bin of worms, trying to hide her disgust as she pulled out a handful. Malfoy’s eyes grew wide, and he used his arms as a shield.
“You WOULDN’T!” He dared her.
Hermione smirked.
“Wouldn’t I?” She tantalized him with the worms, writhing in her hands.
Real fear flashed in his molten silvery eyes, and he knew Hermione wasn’t messing around.
“Hermione. Granger. If. You. Do. Not. Put. Those. Down. I. Will. Be. Forced. To. Violence.” He said through gritted teeth.
In one quick movement, Hermione had tossed the worms back into the bin, sprinted to
Mafoy, and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She giggled.
“I would’ve done it.” She whispered.
“I know.” He smiled.
“That’s why I --” She pulled a few from behind her back and sprinkled them on his head.
“ – saved a few!” She laughed and ran out of the apothecary, grinning mentally at the look on Malfoy’s face.
He shook the worms off of his head, attempting to muster a mean look on his face, but failing miserably. He chased her outside the store and caught up to her.
“You actually did it!” He accused.
She smiled deviously.
“I might’ve.”
He looked at her eyes, seeing the joy reflected into them. He leaned down, kissing her for the second time that day. She let every emotion melt out of her, feeling nothing but bliss. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Well, well. What do we have here?” Hermione looked up at the sound of a familiar voice.
Ginny Weasley stood a few feet from them, carrying a few bright shopping bags. She was smirking at them, a glint of a smile in her eyes.
