A/N

3rd Price winning story in the Challenge!

Challenge: Cross-House Dating Challenge

Pairing: Hermione/Draco
Prompt: Different

Let me know, what you think.

Enjoy

There was a piece of green parchment in Hermione's bag. She didn't recall owning green parchment of all things. She slowly took it out and looked at it. It was neatly folded and her name had been written on the front. An elegant hand that looked vaguely familiar. She unfolded it and read.

Granger,

you are the best this school has to offer when it comes to girls. I only go for the best. Consider yourself my girlfriend.

D. Malfoy

She read it again. And again, just to be sure she wasn't imagining things. She shook her head, scrunched the note into a ball, dropped it back into her bag and forgot about it.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the Griffindor table in the Great Hall for breakfast. As they had come down a bit later than usual they were sitting close to the doors.

Hermione was halfway through her scrambled eggs when Harry nudged her side. As she looked up she saw Draco strutting towards her with a big smirked on his face. She frowned. He stopped right behind her, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back towards himself. She shrieked loudly. Most students were now looking in her direction wondering what the commotion was about. They all witnessed as Draco slowly bent down and kissed the Griffindor appreciatively.

After several minutes he gently pushed her back upright and whispered into her ear.

"You taste better than I ever imagined."

With a huge grin on his face he swaggered towards his own house table. Shocked silence filled the Hall for a moment before it was buzzing with the talk about what had just happened.

Harry and Ron bombarded their friend with questions she couldn't answer. Hermione was too flustered and couldn't think straight. Moments later she grabbed her bag and run from the table.

Draco sniggered as he was watching her blushing and acting confused.

Most students were out in the grounds as it was a warm spring day full of sunshine and clear sky. Hermione had avoided the Slytherin as best as she could. It being Saturday helped as she didn't have to deal with being the talk of by the entire school during classes and could just hide in the library.

She sat at the very back in her favourite chair. It was quiet. Only the rustling of the pages of the occasional student or professor could be heard, just the way she loved it.

It was early afternoon when she was so engrossed in her book that she missed the softly approaching footsteps. Grey eyes fell upon her surveying her features at leisure. Her brown hair flowed in waves around her face, her eyes moved as they followed the lines of text, ever now and then she licked over her lips with the mere tip of her tongue.

He stood half hidden behind the shelf and quietly observed. She was beautiful and didn't even realise it. Most guys in the school had been fantasising about her at one point or another. He knew and he wasn't an exception to this rule either. Though he was different, in contrast to all the others he was determined to do something about it. She was going to be his, his girlfriend.

He smiled to himself and slipped away.

"Hermione!"

Ginny was standing over her friend and looked somewhat bewildered.

"What is it , Ginny?"

"Have you slept here? In the library?"

Hermione looked around. She was still sitting in the comfy chair she remembered having sat in yesterday, reading. She nodded groggily.

"You are mad, you know that?"

The other girl stood up slowly trying to get her circulation going again. She nearly fell as her legs didn't take her weight. The Weasley girl helped her stand and then walked her friend around slowly while she was fighting the pain of the pins and needle indicating her blood was flowing properly again.

It took them nearly double the time it would have normally taken for them to reach the Great Hall. Only a few students were already up and so it was rather tranquil. When the two girls reached the Griffindor table they noticed two roses lying on the spot where Hermione normally sat. A white and a nearly black rose lay on the table. They were fastened together by a green and a red ribbon. A card with the older witch's name lay on top of the long stems.

"Who is sending you roses?" Ginny asked.

"No idea."

Hermione unfolded the card.

Granger,

the only difference between us is that I know you are mine and you still have to realise it.

D. Malfoy

She stared at the card. What was that supposed to mean?

"What does it say?"

She handed the card to Ginny, who read it.

"Has the ferret had to many owl treats? What is he on about?"

"He sent me a note the other day saying that I should consider myself his girlfriend."

"Does he now? Maybe we should remind him what it is like to be a ferret."

She grinned maliciously.

"Ginny! Just leave it. If I don't rise to his baits, he'll soon loose interest."

"You're sure? We have been talking about some interesting hexes the other day..."

Hermione glared at her.

"Fine. If you change your mind, let me know."

Sunday after lunch Hermione went for a stroll through the grounds. She enjoyed being on her own for a bit. Harry and Ron had been talking about the next Quidditch match against Ravelclaw all morning. She definitely didn't have the same passion for the sport as her friends had. She didn't like flying.

She had re-tied her shoelace and was straightening up again, when she was suddenly seized by two strong hands that dragged her backwards. She felt herself sitting on a broomstick and then her feet lost contact with terra firma as the broom rose steeply in the air.

She screamed at the top of her lungs only to find two strong arms around her waist, holding her closely to the body of her abductor. The warmth of his body was soothing. His face was next to hers.

"Don't worry! You are safe with me." A familiar voice re-assured her.

"Malfoy! You maniac! What are you doing?"

"Sweeping my girlfriend of her feet." He chuckled. "I got a surprise for you."

He steered his broom over the forest and along a mountain ridge. Hermione tried to keep her eyes shut as much as possible, but as she did so she was all the more aware of him sitting behind her on the broom. His scent was clean and crisp. She felt his muscles moving as he controlled their flight effortlessly.

After what amassed to an eternity for Hermione they finally landed on a ledge high up the mountain side.

"It wasn't that bad, was it? You'll see, it was worth it."

He let go of her and dismounted. She hoped off after him. Slowly turning she took in the breathtaking scenery. She could still see the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest. Hogwarts lay far in the distance.

"Sit down."

She turned to face him. He was grinning. Not in a malicious or menacing way, no, this smile was open and invited her to join in.

There was a thick blanket spread out before her. He had also brought some cushions and a large picnic basket. He sat at one side of the blanket. She sat down opposite him.

"Hm? Not going to sit next to me?"

"Why should I?"

"You have your back to the view."

She knew, he was right. It would be ridiculous to miss the chance to marvel at this view just because he was sitting next to her. She got up again and sat down about a foot away from him. He inwardly grinned. Logic got her every time!

He started to lay out the food from the basket and while they were eating in silence she noticed him moving closer. Bit by bit, until he was sitting right next to her.

She looked at him. He just gazed back at her. He very much liked what he saw.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I wanted to be alone with you."

"Why? You hate me."

"Says who?"

"You!"

"When have I said to you I hate you?"

She thought about it. He had called her all kinds of names, really foul ones. She was wrecking her brains but she couldn't recall him actually using these words.

"Even if you haven't used the exact words, it's still true."

"How do you know? If I have never said that I hate you, where is the proof that I do?"

A long pause in which she tried to think straight. Him being so close started to have a weird effect on her. She started wondering, if his hair was soft or as brisk as it looked. What would it feel like to have those strong arms around her? She blinked.

'Hermione, pull yourself together! This is the ferret! Not some nice boy!'

"So, you don't have proof of me hating you. What about you liking me? I know, you do."

She blushed.

"I do not!"

"Any proof for that maybe?" There was a smirk in his voice, even if his face didn't show it.

She couldn't think of anything really that he would accept as proof. Until she remembered two years earlier. She grinned at him.

"I punched you."

"Yeah, you did. Broke my nose and all. Though if you didn't care about me, you wouldn't have bothered..."

There was a hefty glare sent his way. He laughed. It sounded nice.

"If a girl punches a guy, she is just to shy to tell him to his face that she likes him." He lectured.

"You are so full of yourself."

"Just being logical here. Besides, you kissed me."

She looked like a volcano ready to explode.

"When did I kiss you?" She demanded.

"Yesterday morning in the Great Hall in front of the whole school."

"That was... that doesn't count?"

"Why not?"

"I didn't have a choice."

He moved closer, his right arm propped behind her on the blanket, his body barely touching hers. His left hand lingered on chin for a moment before he cupped her face, drew her close and found her mouth with his own.

She felt like the world suddenly stopped. He was gentle and warm. How he did it she didn't recall, but she found herself lying on her back him on top of her holding her soft body against his own. She moaned into his mouth as his hand started slowly roaming her body.

He broke the kiss for a moment. His eyes were filled with something she had never seen in them before.

"See. You kissed me right now."

She smiled shyly.

"Mind, if I do it again?" she whisper.

"Not at all, Hermione."

She pulled him down and kissed him.

Monday morning and the Great Hall was filled with students trying to have breakfast, finish their forgotten homework and re-live a carefree weekend.

Hermione, Ron and Harry arrived together as usual. Though today Hermione handed her bag to Harry, skipped over to the Slytherin table and stood next to Draco. He turned and looked up at her.

"Good morning, boyfriend!"

She was heard saying before she gave Draco a kiss that let nobody in doubt that they were indeed a couple.