Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: This is the sequel to "Pick of the Litter". Though it is probably not necessary that you read it first, the background is good to have, and you'll (most likely) believe the situations and characters in this fic more easily if you read Pick of the Litter first.

For those of you who read Pick of the Litter…I've been away from DMHG fanfiction for a long time, and I wanted to get back into it…And I loved these versions of the characters so much that I felt a sequel was necessary. On with the fic…

If someone had mentioned to a thirteen-year-old Hermione Granger that her best friend – besides Harry and Ron – would be Hannah Abbott by the time she was sixteen, that in her sixth year at Hogwarts she would get together with Draco Malfoy that would be made into an absolutely hilarious fanfic called 'Pick of the Litter', and that by the time she was twenty-two she would be living with Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Hannah Abbott (who were a couple as well) she probably wouldn't even had listened. Because, really, it's such a ridiculous idea to think that two Slytherins, a Hufflepuff, and a Gryffindor could ever really function as roommates.

Not that they were actually functioning.

"Malfoy," Hermione called as she entered the apartment the four shared one afternoon.

"Really, it's completely ridiculous that you don't call him Draco," Hannah said as Hermione walked into the kitchen.

"You still refer to Blaise as Zabini on occasion," Hermione retorted, setting down a large pile of books on the counter.

"On occasion," Hannah repeated pointedly.

"I agree with Hannah," Blaise said, joining the two young women and giving Hannah a quick kiss. "What does he have to do, marry you? Will you call him Draco then?"

Hermione was about to responded snappily when Draco suddenly appeared. "I'm sorry, did someone say the word 'marry'?" There was a look of pure terror in his eyes.

Hermione shook her head and sighed. "Don't worry, my commitment-phobic lover, Blaise and Hannah were just commenting – again – on the lack of a first-name basis between us."

"Oh," Draco replied, sighing in relief. "Haven't we explained to them that it's just weird?"

"You've attempted to explain it, but Hannah and I don't really understand," Blaise responded.

"Maybe that's because you're dense," Draco muttered.

"Now, now, no need to use that tone of voice with me, young man." After three years of living together, Blaise's grandmother voice had become as frequent as their discussions about first-name basis.

Hannah giggled as Hermione and Draco rolled their eyes in unison. "So, what's for dinner?"

"Just like you to always be thinking about your stomach." Blaise had reverted back to his normal voice.

"Better than to always be thinking about sex," came the quick reply.

"I don't mind him always thinking about sex," Hannah responded, and a passionate snogging session ensued between Blaise and Hannah.

Draco turned to look at Hermione. "Please tell me we're not quite that sickening?"

Hermione matched his disgusted tone. "I don't really want dinner anymore."

Later that night…

Hermione lay in bed, reading a book and waiting for Draco to be done in the bathroom.

"Why do you take so long?"

"Why aren't you used to it yet?" He responded from the other side of the door.

"It's just so…girly," Hermione replied, setting her book down and readying herself for a battle.

Draco exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, looking livid. "I am not girly."

"You so are," Blaise said, walking past their room.

"Stay out of this!" Draco yelled at his retreating form. "I just care about my appearance. I bet you'd be a lot less attracted to me if I didn't."

"So you don't think you can pull of the devilishly handsome sex god thing without all your products?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Draco faltered. "That's not fair."

"I issue a challenge…"

"No! No, no, no, no, NO!" Draco said, stomping his feet for emphasis. "Your challenges have gotten me into more trouble in the past five years to last me for the rest of my life."

"One wonders why you continue to accept them," Hermione responded wryly, as Draco calmed down substantially and joined her on the bed.

"Because I love you, of course," he said, giving her a kiss.

"I'm still issuing the challenge," Hermione said, pulling away.

"Damn it!"

"I love these challenges," Blaise chuckled to himself as Hermione filled him in the next morning at breakfast.

"Well, it shouldn't be that difficult – he just has to last two weeks without all of his products, or magic used to change his image," Hermione responded with an easy shrug, taking a sip of tea.

Hannah entered the kitchen and asked incredulously "You're making Draco go two weeks without any type of beauty enhancers?"

"Dracowould prefer that you didn't call them beauty enhancers," a very pompous-sounding and heavily-clothed Draco Malfoy said as he entered the kitchen.

"Well yes..." Blaise responded, "But handsome enhancers is just more difficult to say."

"Besides, you are a bit of a beauty queen," Hannah commented.

Draco gazed pointedly at Hermione. "You are aware you're supposed to defend my honour?"

"He's such a manly-man," Hermione remarked to Hannah, causing a fit of giggles.

Draco huffed.

"So, when does this challenge begin?" Blaise asked, grabbing a piece of toast from Hannah's plate.

"Today," Hermione replied.

"Ah, well, that explains the dark hood pretty much obscuring his face," Blaise said, shooting Draco a glance.

"I could be sun-burned!"

"You're inside!" Hannah exclaimed, grinning.

"But the sun still gets in," Draco responded dramatically.

There was a moment of silence, and then the other three burst out laughing. Draco huffed once again and left the room.

"Oh yeah," Blaise said once he'd regained his composure, "I love these challenges."

A/N: Just so you know, the entire plot of this fic will not be devoted to this challenge. There will be other characters, other sub-plots, but the main plot will be about owning a bookstore. Please leave a review.