A/n: Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Round 8. I had to incorporate the basilisk. Prompts used were #2 (transformation) and #15 ("The marks humans leave are too often scars." ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars).

"What the hell is that nasty thing?"

She laughed, eyeing her boyfriend. "You seriously have no idea what that is?"

"No, none. It's like a giant snake."

Smiling at her boyfriend's lack of knowledge, Hermione pointed to the title. "It's called a basilisk."

"It has a name?"

"Of course it does Draco. It's not just called 'The Giant Blasted Snake'."

"Too bad."

It was the eighth year since Voldemort defeat. A lot had changed in the past few years, including what kind of people would date each other. Hermione and Draco stood as a fine example of that.

"Potter seriously fought that thing?"

"Yes Draco, these are momentous of what Harry did over seven years to defeat Voldemort."

He looked at it critically. "They've made it into a toy."

"Well I didn't say this was a fair representation of it," she replied, waving a hand. "I mean, the blasted thing comes in pink!"

It was Draco's turn to laugh now, glancing around the crowded shop. Everywhere Harry's heroics had been turned into a money-making extravaganza, from the basilisk to stickers children could wear of his scar. It was totally sickening.

All these people want to be just like Potter. Bleh!

"Oh look, here's a Dobby!"

"Hermione, that's a book you wrote on Dobby to encourage house elves to break free from their masters. You used Dobby as inspiration."

She smirked, a gesture she had learned over the past few months of dating Draco. "And look how many have sold!"

"I'm pretty sure children buy those," he joked, placing an arm over her shoulder. "There's plenty of pictures in there… and it helps that it's a partial coloring book."

Turning her nose up, she crossed her arms. "Well it's not like the masters are going to buy those books! At least if parents and children think they are for laughs the books will go home. Then the house elves can see them, read them, and break free."

He kissed her temple, shaking his head. "You do dream big, don't you?"

"Someday they will be free you know."

He nodded, silently rolling his eyes. Hermione might believe it, but Draco had a hard time. As they left the crowded shop he picked up one of the basilisk toys.

"Seriously, a pink one?"

Nodding, he looked fondling at the toy. "But of course. It's the only thing Potter doesn't have."

"I don't think Harry appreciated your gift," Hermione said, attempting to sound stern. It was hard to do when recalling the perplexed look on her friends face when Draco handed him a pink basilisk topped with a giant bow.

"I don't think Potter knows what to do with a pink basilisk. He'll probably throw it away."

"Oh no, he'll keep it forever. Then he will always have living proof that you once gave him a present."

Draco screwed up his face, looking at the smitten expression on Hermione's face. "Maybe that was a bad idea."

She laughed, pausing outside her door. They had decided to walk the short distance from Harry's, enjoying the brisk air and full moon. "Would you like to come inside? I made some wondrous cookies that will rot your teeth."

He smirked, shaking his head. "As tempting at that is dear, I'd rather not eat something sweet. Sweets are atrocious."

"It's because you aren't sweet," she joked, wiggling her eyebrows. His own shot up, and with a giggle she threw open her door and rushed inside. He followed, barely closing the door behind them.

It took seconds for Draco to catch the brunette, lift her laughing body off the floor, and playfully throw her back into the overstuffed chair by the entranceway. He proceeded to sit gently atop her, smirking.

"I think I'm tremendously sweet."

"Do sweet boyfriends crush their girlfriends under them?"

He shrugged innocently, looking skyward. "This one does."

He remained where he was a moment longer before getting up and moving to the couch. She glared at him for a moment longer before hopping up to sit at his side.

"I could fight you, you know. It would be an epic battle you know."

"A duel? Hermione, if we got into a duel then it would never end."

She grinned. "Nope. A real fight."

He raised an eyebrow. "It would be a victorious battle for you anyway if I can't fight back."

"It could be a pillow fight." She grinned wider. "What Draco, are you afraid to have a real fight with me?"

"I find it hard to believe that you've actually ever been in a fistfight," he retorted smartly, shaking his head at his girlfriend. "You might have a mile high temper but you aren't the type to main and kill."

"Being in a fistfight as absolutely nothing to do with maiming and killing," she replied, smirking. "Besides, I did get into a fight once."

"Really?" he questioned, intrigued now. "And who was your unlucky opponent Hermione?"

She wiggled her eyebrows, placing a hand on his thigh. "Why, you were, Draco."

He frowned. "We never fought."

"Oh, contraire. You didn't fight. I remember clearly hitting you during third year and giving you a nice old shiner."

Grey eyes flashed at the memory. "Darling, that's hardly a fight. It's not as if I retaliated."

"Oh, you wouldn't have anyway. You were too busy being shamed that you were beaten by a girl."

"I was not!"

"Yes you were," Hermione laughed, throwing her head back. "Admit it! I knocked you good!"

"Hardly. I just wanted you to think you did."

"Mhmm."

He huffed, rolling his eyes. "This is just as silly as the basilisk incident."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Nothing- nothing. I must say Hermione, I've enjoyed your transformation over the past few months that we've been together. You never would've engaged in this much endless banter before."

She smiled. "Yeah, I can thank your snarky self for that. You've eternally scarred my soul with it."

"Good, you needed some snarkiness in your life. It's much more fun to talk to you like this?"

"How?" she asked innocently, moving to sit on him. "You mean, where I'm always winning the conversations?"

"You're hardly winning."

"I think I am winning," Hermione argued, twirling a piece of his silky locks. "Because you'll let me win, if I finally kiss you."

"Ah, so you're giving in."

"No, you're going to give in," she laughed. "I haven't kissed you all day and you've got to be missing it. If you give in now, just this once, maybe I'll kiss you."

"Maybe?"

"I'll kiss you," Hermione said, smiling wider.

"Well," he replied, pretending to think things over. "I suppose I could give in, just this once."

Smiling, she bent down and finally locked her lips to his after an entire day of depriving him. He looped his arms around her waist, making sure she couldn't get away. There's no way she was getting away with a chaste kiss after an entire day!

Draco could lose- just this once- for her. Especially if he got kisses for it.