It's December so...
Disclaimer: don't own HP
Hermione was sitting by a willow tree near the lake. She was cold and wished she was wearing a warm coat instead of idiotic dress robes. She'd been having an amazing time right up until that ridiculous fight with Ron! After that she'd made her excuses to Viktor, saying she was going to get some fresh air. He'd insisted on accompanying her until Karkaroff had appeared, obviously demanding to speak to him. Hermione had just told him it was fine and that she'd see him later, leaving quickly through the doors. She'd gone for a walk and somehow ended up by the lake.
She sighed, wrapping her arms even tighter around herself. Why was Ronald such an arse sometimes?
"Granger?" she heard a voice question from behind her, slightly to her right. She turned her head and saw Malfoy standing there.
"Malfoy." she replied curtly, facing back towards the lake.
"What are you doing out here? It's freezing."
"I could ask you the same thing, Malfoy."
"I asked first."
Why was he walking closer, not leaving? He'd made it clear many times that he thought she was scum. He sat down beside her and her head spun to look at him.
"What are you doing?"
"I believe it's called making conversation, Granger. Although with those apes you consider your best friends I'm sure you're not used to intelligent conversations. And that quidditch player you showed up with tonight, does he even speak English?"
Hermione huffed and tried to stop her teeth from chattering "Look, if all you're going to do is insult my friends, you can leave, Malfoy."
He just frowned at her, noting what she was wearing. "Merlin, Granger. You're freezing!"
He started to take off his outer robe and her eyebrows pulled together.
"What are you doing?" she repeated, confused.
"Just put on the damn robe, Granger!" he snapped, handing it to her.
She looked at him in suspicion for a moment before giving in and putting it on as a particularly cold gust of wind made her feel chilled to the bone.
"Thanks, Malfoy."
"You're welcome."
Malfoy was now resolutely not looking at her but he still voiced a question: "So why are you out here?"
Hermione chewed her lip for a moment before answering. He'd given her his robe, she should at least tell him why she was outside in the bitter cold.
"I had a fight with Ron."
"Well whatever it was about, you're probably right." was the immediate reply.
The witch felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "Not always but I'm definitely right about this one."
They sat in silence for about a minute before she voiced a question of her own: "What about you?"
"What?"
"Why are you out here?"
Malfoy smiled grimly. "I'm hiding from my date."
Hermioned snorted. "Well you are here with Parkinson."
His smile seemed more genuine then. "Yes, that was a mistake."
They sat in companionable silence then for a while, watching the lake and listening to the wind. Who would have thought she'd be sitting companionably with Draco Malfoy?
Malfoy stood up. "I should probably head back inside, face Pansy."
"Good luck." she smiled at him. She was surprised when he smiled back.
"Thank you."
"Wait, your robe." she remembered suddenly, starting to pull it off.
"Keep it." he said quickly. "Try not to die of frostbite."
She smiled at him again. "Goodnight, Draco."
He looked at her with an unreadable expression. He started to walk away and her smile fell. Oh well.
"Goodnight, Hermione." she heard him mutter and her lips turned upwards once more.
"Whose robes are those?" Ginny asked after Neville had wished them both goodnight and climbed the stairs to his dormitory. "They're the wrong colour to be Krum's."
Hermione glanced down at the green outer-robes she was still wearing.
"Nobody's." she said with a smile.
