Hermione woke up to a gloriously sunny day. She smiled quite contentedly, preferring not to have to get out of bed. It was her birthday, after all. It was also a Saturday. So she decided that she would give herself a little present by enjoying herself that day, starting with lounging in bed. Yes, Hermione, you have permission to have fun and let loose today. Happy Birthday to you! She daresay she deserved it.

Oh she remembered, taking her wand and giving it a little wave. A package she had placed down on her desk the day before flew to her. It was a present from her parents. She had decided that she would open it today, on her actual birthday.

It was wrapped in horrid-looking "Happy Birthday" wrapping paper, a card taped in front. Right. She took the card first and opened it. A demented sounding birthday song jolted her out of her hazy mood and harassed her ears. She wrinkled her nose, knowing that it was the castle's interference with electronic items that made it sound this way. Anyway, she read:

Our Dearest Hermione,

Happy Birthday from your Dad and me! I can't believe you've turned seventeen! You're growing up so fast, and we're so happy for all you've accomplished in that magic school of yours.

Now, dad had insisted on buying you the latest dental set, which had just come out this year, but I shot that down. You're a big girl now, old enough to take care of your own dental hygiene! You know how I hate those baggy, shapeless clothes you always insist on wearing on a daily basis? Well, I've decided to shop for you for instead, and got you a nice, girly outfit for your birthday.

Wear them for me.

All our love,

Mum and Dad

Hermione closed the card and that disgusting noise finally disappeared. She frowned. She would have loved to just receive the newest dental set on the market. But now it seems her present would be of the unknown variety, and she did not like that, not at all. Her mom, bless her, could be a hit or miss in the clothes shopping category. Hermione grabbed the package and tore it open.

A small blush crept to her cheeks. Her mom could be so transparent with her ulterior motives.

Oh, I have to go to prepare for the Hogsmeade weekend! She flushed again, glancing at the package. She had forgotten about the first Hogsmeade weekend that year.

No. Of course not! Not to Hogsmeade. When and where exactly she could wear the blasted garments without eliciting unwanted attention, she didn't know. Oh Botheration. Sighing, she got out of bed. She would have to shower and dress if she were to make it in time to act out her duties as Head Girl for the day. She dropped the present back on the small table by the door. No, definitely not while acting as "Head Girl" during the Hogsmeade weekend.

She had just pat dried her frizzy hair and added a bit of balm to her lips when there was a knock on her door. She had decided on her pink hoodie, Gryffindor scarf, and blue jeans.

She opened the door, only to find the one person she would rather not see on her birthday. Too bad she had to see him so often nowadays. Hermione saw that his piercing grey eyes had been looking thoughtfully at the floor before he whipped them up to her. A silvery blond lock fell across his eye. Blast him for forgoing that whole douche-y gelled back look a while back, making him look a little more…human, more vulnerable. He smirked, his side against the doorframe, arms crossed, noticing that she had thought about all this and was gaping at him for the last few seconds. Her cheeks colored. Of course he would know what she was thinking about, he knew how good-looking he was when he wasn't being an arse. Self-centered git.

"Like what you see, then, Granger?" Ah yes, there's the git she knew. Appreciation for his good looks vanished completely.

She scoffed. "Pretty far away from your half of the tower, aren't you?"

"You know I always love to see that stellar personality of yours," He said sarcastically. "But I'm here as Head Boy. I need the rundown on the Hogsmeade weekend and the rounds schedule; I won't be making it to the office beforehand"

She blinked. Of course he'd be shirking off his duties as Head Boy. Not make it to the office indeed! "They – they're in my other bag. Let me go get them, come in" She opened the door wide and let him in. For once, he obliged. She left him waiting by the door while she went to her bed, where her schoolbag had been propped up. She had wanted to get some breakfast first before coming back for the rundowns but she guess this was good too. She took the files "Yes, here they are, they are categorized by—what are you doing?"

She frowned, as the blond-haired boy picked up the present she had left on the table. The card fell open and started again with that demented sound. He wrinkled his nose and closed the card. Draco smirked and looked back at Hermione. "Why in Merlin's name are you wearing that – he gestured at her entire person – when you have this?"

Hermione flushed crimson "What's it to you? You're not my stylist. Besides, those are hardly appropriate for a Hogsmeade weekend and as Head Girl"

"It's good enough for all the other girls, except you" He grinned devilishly, picking up the rather lacy, black bra her mother had bought to accompany the fitted, black dress. She cringed "Come on, now. Your boyfriend might get angry that you can't even wear his little—he waved the bra around—gesture"

Hermione's face must have become a tomato at that point. She was feeling rather feverish from embarrassment. "It's from my mother, if you have to know, now put it down"

Draco grinned and let go of the bra. "Cheeky Mrs. Granger…"

"Here you go" Hermione very deliberately pushed the parchments a little too hard into Draco's hands. He had to make a step back. She swiped the present away before he could wave them in her face again "Now you can go shirk off your duties in peace"

He was considering her very thoughtfully; his eyes looking from her to her present, and then back again. "Do you want to make today's Hogsmeade weekend a little more…interesting?"

"Why would I want that?" She said, crossing her arms across her chest. Big mistake. His eyes darted down to where breasts were being smushed in between her arms, but only for a split second. She untangled her arms and made them idle by her sides instead. She wondered for a while why he would care, but completely shot that incredulous thought from her mind. He wouldn't care.

"Oh I don't know, change things up" He grinned "Unless you're chicken" There it was, the infamously easy way to make a Gryffindor agree to a dare.

"What did you have in mind?" Hermione asked back. As much as she had loved her house and what they stood for, she hated that it also meant never backing down on a dare, for fear of being called a domesticated fowl in front of an audience.

He gestured to her present. "Wear that, and if three boys give you anything from Honeydukes today, I win" She blinked, twice for good measure. Such a weird dare "If not, I lose"

She snorted "It's my birthday today, not that it's any of your business, Malfoy, but there's a high possibility some boys may give me sweets…and why Honeydukes, anyway?" she was bluffing, no boy aside from Harry has ever given her sweets for her birthday, or any other day for that matter.

He was grinning devilishly, the prat. "Boys like giving girls they like sweets," he stated matter-of-factly "flowers too, but that's not readily available in Hogsmeade" He said, resting his entire frame against an arm steadied on her desk. He looked like a bored Adonis. "Fine, if three boys give you sweets today, and does not greet you a Happy Birthday, I win"

"What's in it for me?" She asked, putting hands on her hips. The better question she should've asked was what's in it for you?

"If you win, I won't shirk Head Boy duties and do everything you ask of me for a month" He was eyeing her, daring her to say no to such a prize. She wouldn't. That would make her life so much easier.

"And if I lose?" She asked, her mind already made up to say yes.

"Kiss me" So direct, no hint of hesitation in his voice.

She raised an eyebrow "Why?"

"I have my reasons" He countered. "Why, Granger? Afraid there are three boys in the school who would actually give you sweets?"

She was actually afraid of the opposite, though that would make her win. She knew she wasn't the prettiest witch, not by a long shot. It would put a dent on her already low self-esteem considerably. Yeah, now she knew why he was doing this, because either way, she lost. "No" She said, finally.

"No?" He asked again, propping up from his lazy stance. "Why? Are you afraid of your own sexuality, or me? Either way though, you're still chicken"

"Fine, I could always just lie and eat the candy if I do get three" She said, putting up her arms in exasperation, her Gryffindor-ness getting the better of her.

"You won't lie, Granger," Draco said "You're too bloody noble for that"

"You'll still lose, you know, or haven't you seen me lately? I'm not exactly Parvati or Pansy" yes, she wasn't pretty like Parvati, or well-curved like Pansy. Oh damn him for already dampening her spirits, and she wasn't even in the dress yet.

"We'll see then, won't we?" He made to leave, clutching the parchments in his arms. "See you later, Granger" The door opened, and then closed. Just like that, he was gone from her room.

She looked back at the present from her well-meaning mom. It had now completely destroyed her perfect day. "Bollocks," she muttered, removing the items from the wrapping paper at last "Damn Malfoy, damn him to hell" She got dressed.

Ron almost spit out his breakfast. "Hermione?" He said, looking a little flustered "you look different today" Harry had turned his gaze her way upon hearing the commotion from Ron, and his jaw gaped. The dress was a little too fitted and though it was straight-cut, showing little to no cleavage, she knew that her breasts were looking just a little too perky because of the bra. The cropped jacket that accompanied the dress was too short to hide anything behind it, and she had a pretty good idea what her butt looked like from that thong. Her mirror image had blushed. She still wore sneakers though. Heels would have been too much for a trip to Hogsmeade.

"Oh, this?" She heard herself saying "My mom's present, she requested that I wore it"

"You look nice" Harry smiled at her when Ron failed to give any more comments, instead choosing to openly gape. It seemed that he had just been reminded that she was, in fact, a girl. Well, that was a little insulting, she thought to herself. She chanced a look over to the Slytherin table, and flushed when she saw Draco grinning at her. His eyes were assessing her features from top to bottom, and it seemed he liked what he saw. He nodded slightly, giving her his approval. Hermione immediately took a seat, her back to him, and tried and failed to shield her bits from his view. She didn't want him to see her blushing.

Harry handed her a box of chocolate frogs. Her eyes widened and her head whipped back to Malfoy. He was still grinning at her. "Happy Birthday, Hermione" Harry said quietly, a bit taken aback at the wordless exchange he just saw. Hermione sighed in relief "Hermione? Did you hear me?"

She got up and gave Harry a big hug "Thanks Harry" Harry did not have to know that the chocolate was not the only thing she was thanking him for. Unbeknownst to her, Harry was blushing crimson being so close to her perky breasts, which he could feel quite closely against his thin sweater. Ron, on the other hand, was wondering whether or not it was not too late to give her a present. Boys.

Hermione was deliberately avoiding Honeydukes. She had decided to just stand around with Harry and Ron, listening to their chatter about Quidditch. Her prefects and Malfoy were around. If they needed anything, they could come to her. She had just become comfortable against the trunk of the tree she was leaning on when she saw a girl in a yellow and black scarf running towards her. The girl seemed to be a few years younger. She was breathless.

"You're the head girl, right?" She asked.

"Yes" Hermione answered "what's wrong?"

She caught her breath "Sixth-year Slytherins…picking on… my friend"

Hermione left behind Harry and Ron to their conversation and followed the girl to the front of Hogsmeade, where dumb sixth-year Slytherins had immobilized and were causing a young Hufflepuff boy to float off the ground. He was about fourteen.

"Hey!" She said, whipping out her wand and conjuring a spell to make the boy float to their side. Another wave and he was unbound and back on the ground. "Twenty points from Slytherin!"

There were three boys, Crabbe, Goyle, and the last one probably their new boss. Crabbe and Goyle had failed sixth year after Draco abandoned their services, and it looks like they had promptly found themselves a new Malfoy. If she wasn't mistaken, the third boy's name was Gabriel Cutler. Not that she really noticed, but he was nowhere as good-looking as Draco "Oh, if it isn't the school's first-ever mudblood Head Girl" He smiled. He seemed like a younger, meaner Malfoy. "The boys and I were just having a bit of fun with the little bugger, but I guess there's no reason we couldn't have a little fun with you instead". He gestured to Crabbe and Goyle, ever the cronies, and they menacingly started hulking towards her. She knew this would happen. What she couldn't decide though, was how to escape one after she had immobilized the other. Bollocks. Whatever, she could think about that later. She waved her wand at Crabbe and he fell to the ground, bats coming out of his nose. But then Goyle had caught up with her, pinning her to the ground. She shrieked.

Goyle's eyes widened just seconds before a kick made its way to his face. Muscular arms scooped her up from the ground and promptly put her behind him. Draco, of course. "An additional fifty points from Slytherin is in order, I think" Malfoy ran a hand through his hair "And detention from today until the day you pass sixth year, now go," He waved them away. When they didn't budge, he looked Cutler straight in the eye and smirked maliciously. The other boy gulped "or do you want to go another round with Head Girl?" his words came out more menacing than was probably intended "The odds are even now with two of us, don't you think?"

The three boys hastily made their leave, but not before Draco held Draco-lite back by his shoulder "You, I want to see later. Meet me at my office after dinner" The threat was apparent in Draco's words. Cutler gulped, unable to conjure up a comeback. Draco pushed him off and looked back at Hermione. He raised an eyebrow at her, and slowly his gaze went downward till it reached the hem of her skirt, which had hitched during the tussle, showing off more leg "You alright, Granger?"

She flushed, following his gaze, and began smoothing her dress. "I guess so, thanks"

"Good" He smirked "because you sure are stupid for a smart person" Her eyes widened at the unwarranted insult, but he just shook his head. Hermione was still glaring at him when he looked past her and, finding something that apparently amused him, turned around and left. "Oh and Granger," She glared at his receding form "next time bring back-up"

She was still glaring when a small voice startled her out of her annoyance "Hi…ummm, Miss Granger" She turned around to look at the boy she had just tried to save. He had his arms raised to her with a box of treacle fudge in it. It took her a while to register that he was giving it to her "Thank you so much for saving me" Why was the kid blushing?

She took the box "Thanks, but I didn't really –

"Also, you're really pretty, thanks again!" And the boy had run off. The girl who had alerted Hermione in the first place mouthed her thanks and ran off as well. Hermione looked down at the candy.

Shoot me in the head now.

Not that Hermione would really notice, but other boys were noticing her. She had gotten a little too much attention and at least two free butter beers at the Three Broomsticks, which made Harry and Ron partly happy, since she gave the free drinks to them, and yet a little protective that their friend was being ogled at by boys. No other candy though.

They had been livid that she had gone without them, and shocked that Malfoy, of all people, came to her rescue. She told them to let it go, and brought them to the Three Broomsticks to improve their mood. Now it was improved greatly. Both boys just accepted that maybe Malfoy didn't want to be blamed for his house's awful behavior.

"Why would your mum give you this to wear?" Ron gestured to her dress, after a third butter beer was sent to their table.

She shrugged "I guess she wanted me to dress up more" she sipped on her butter beer.

"Hermione?" It was Seamus, taking a seat on their table. His cheeks blushed pink when she looked up at him "Umm…this was a dare from my friends, okay? But here" He handed her a box of pixie puffs. She immediately went on defensive. Oh Merlin, why?

All three boys on her table were looking at her so she had no choice but to accept. "Thanks Seamus" she said through gritted teeth.

He let out a sigh of relief when she accepted the puffs, relieved that she didn't reject. "Oh yeah, Ginny told me to invite you to the Gryffindor common room tonight for a little party, would you come?"

Again, all boys stared at her expectantly. Of course she would come. "Of course," She smiled "I wouldn't mind a little fun this weekend, since it's my birthday" She looked up at Seamus, willing him with her mind to say happy birthday. He didn't. He smiled, satisfied with her answer, and made to leave. Bollocks and Botheration!

Hermione scowled at the candies in her lap, and then at Seamus' receding form. Dean and Terry gave him high-fives as he sat back down on their table. She had never known he fancied her. Heck, she had never known that anyone fancied her in that school except for Ron once upon a time. She supposed she could say Malfoy now as well, but she was sure that boy had something up his sleeve. So no, she did not think that Malfoy, of all people, fancied her.

Hermione was feeling a little woozy. The party had gone well. Seamus – damn him – didn't greet her at the Three Broomsticks because they were planning a surprise birthday party for her. Though she thought that was the reason she had received pixie puffs, it didn't seem to be the case, as he had been hovering around her the whole night. No offense to Seamus, she thought, but she didn't see him that way.

She received no other candies that night, which should've dampened her spirits, but instead she was feeling victorious. What she lacked in candy she made up with lots of free butter beer earlier at the Three Broomsticks and lots of guys handing her drinks, hugs, and attention at the party. It really was nice to feel wanted. Though she had now realized that boys her age were pretty shallow. She scoffed at that fact. How a little change in her outfit could have elicited this much of a response from the other sex, she would never know.

It also didn't hurt to know that she wouldn't have to give Draco the satisfaction of a kiss from her, which still confused her, but it didn't matter now that she had won the bet. Still, she should probably say thank you. He deserved that much.

She had finally reached the Heads' joint common room. Upon entering, she found Draco on one side of the large couch. She knew he would be there. He had looked back at the sound of the door opening and was now staring at her intently again. She gave him a small smile, walking to the other side of him before plopping down. She leaned her head on the head rest. Again, the boy was smirking at her.

"You're late" was all he said.

"It's the weekend" She answered, smiling lazily "I'm allowed"

"I guess you are, Granger" He was assessing her again. She was tipsy, so she didn't care. "You look drunk"

"I'm not, I just had a little more than usual to drink" She placed the candy, which had been in her hands, down on the coffee table "You lose"

He grinned at her, and in one move had all but removed the space between them "I guess I did"

Hermione felt the nape of her neck getting warmer again; she had to turn away from his gaze. Why was it so hot in there? She tried thinking of things to say to him to distract him, finally settling on "Oh, thank you, Malfoy"

He blinked "For what?"

Hermione snorted. "Are you just playing dumb or you really don't know?" He raised an eyebrow, fine, so he didn't know. "Thanks for helping me with your former cronies and that Cutler fellow" She said, remembering Draco plant his feet on Goyle's face. That should've been expulsion for Malfoy right there had he not been saving her from her recklessness. She certainly wasn't going to turn him in "Oh, what did you need Cutler for? Why'd you ask him to return to your office?"

Draco's smirk faded as he bared his teeth into a sort of snarl. Cutler must have been pissing his pants. "He won't be bothering you anymore, if that's what you're asking, but he'll live" he said darkly. Hermione put a hand on his shoulder. That calmed him down really quickly as his gaze went back to meet hers. "So does that mean you'll still kiss me then, now that you're grateful?" He asked, all traces of his menace gone. He was back to being this new, calm, extremely attractive bad boy Draco that Hermione swore she had never noticed before then.

She still shook her head though "No, a deal is a deal"

"I thought as much," He said with a little glint in his eye "Wait here" Then he had gone, making his way to his room and returning a few minutes later. He dropped the box on her lap. "For you, that makes it three"

It was a box of chocolates. Hermione's eyes widened. "Hey! That's unfair!"

She hit him on the shoulder, but the bastard just started laughing. "What? There were no rules against me being one of the boys, I did buy those chocolates for you" She hit him again.

"Bastard" She said, blushing "Why are you out to get me, Malfoy?"

He raised an eyebrow at her "What makes you say that? I gave you chocolates"

"Why though? You have never given me any thought before, now here you are, basically exchanging kisses for sweets. Why? You do still remember that I'm muggleborn, right?"

He scoffed "I realized that I didn't care about that a while back, thank you very much for noticing" He crossed his arms "I kept giving you small signs but you would never respond" He did? Hermione frowned, no, she had never noticed. He groaned in frustration at her.

"I don't remember any—

"I haven't been bothering you lately, have I? I don't actually miss any important Head Boy duties. I called you pretty, twice, but that didn't work. You just waved it away like another lie. Your self-esteem in your own beauty and sexiness is sad, you know that?"

Hermione felt defensive, imitating his stance and leaning back on the couch. She scoffed "well, the only reason guys seemed to like me today is because I'm dressed like this"

Now Draco scoffed "Oh bollocks, Granger. Those are just clothes. If Millicent Bulstrode suddenly walked into a room wearing what you were wearing, I doubt the reception would be the same. Those guys would have figured out to get their heads out of their arses soon enough. Besides, I asked you to kiss me even when you were in those – he struggled for the words "shapeless garments, right?"

"So you still want to kiss me?"

"Only if you allow it, I did win though so there's that"

She hit him again. "Cheat"

He smirked "On you? Never" And before she could get the last word out of her mouth, he had covered the distance between them, pulling her in for the kiss he definitely won fair and square.

Ok, whew. Long one-shot, right? Anyway, if you're wondering, yes this is AU. Yes, I meant to stop right where I stopped.

Though this is just a one-shot, if the reception is good, I can write more like it. I wanted the story to be vague, without any real goal. Just to reinvigorate my creative juices.

If you like it, let me know! –Asha