I had some more ideas for this which I think might be fun. Next chapter one of our favourite members of the Golden Trio will make an appearance.

Hope you like - love to hear what you think!

Still Rated M. Still not my characters.


Hermione was nervous. She was leaving a club, a muggle club no less, with known blood purist and former Death Eater Draco Malfoy. Thank Merlin no one from the Prophet was around to get that scoop.

For a smart witch she sure was making a questionable decision here. Then again, the Malfoy she knew years ago would not have been seen dead in a muggle venue, or speaking to her for more than five minutes without telling her she was a mudblood. Yet here they were.

Not only that but it was SHE, who had invited him home, knowing damn well he was looking at her with lustful gazes. Seriously, he could have set her on fire with the way he looked at her by the end of their conversation. He had even licked his lips like she was a particularly juicy looking steak he wanted to bite.

Oh Merlin, I'd like a bite, she thought, with a blush.

She waved to some girlfriends on the way out who gave her the thumbs up, presumably thinking she had succeeded in pulling some random handsome guy rather than her childhood bully, whose aunt had tortured her on his drawing room floor. Well, who really would come to that conclusion?

The guys she came with were all standing outside and let out a cheer when they saw her emerge in the company of the handsome blonde. "Granger's getting lucky!" one yelled playfully. She bushed furiously and turned to Malfoy, who had a stony expression on his face and was now digging his hand into the side of her hip like a vice.

Malfoy's don't like to share she thought, letting out a smirk worthy of the Slytherin Prince himself.

Her friend Jason stepped out to greet her, playfully putting his hand on his heart and giving her doe eyes. Malfoy's grip somehow tightened more. She was about ready to turn around and give him a thump. That was going to bruise.

"Hermione, my betrothed, in the arms of another – I'll never love again!" he joked.

She knew it would anger Draco but couldn't help but let out a giggle. "Whatever will our parents say?" she asked playfully.

Draco looked like he was going to explode.

He put the back of his hand on his forehead in mock dramatic fashion, "Go now my love," he finished with a smile, directed at Draco.

She laughed, gave him a deep hug and then grabbed a now catatonic Malfoy by the hand and yanked him away.

"What was that all about Granger?" he asked calmly, now back to his carefully constructed Malfoy demeanour. She rolled her eyes when he wasn't looking.

"I saw that Granger," he said.

"No you didn't," she replied.

"Okay, well I felt that," he responded.

"You can't prove anything!" she said with a playful smile. He seemed to be recovering from his strange fit of possessiveness and he returned her grin. It was strange to see Malfoy smile so warmly at her. For once, not even his grey eyes felt cold. She was acutely aware of the fact that she still held his hand but she had come this far so figured she may as well use some Gryffindor courage and see it through. Plus, it's not like he dropped his hand either, she reasoned.

They walked in somewhat uncomfortable silence for some moments before he broke it with a question.

"What was that muggle boy joking about marriage for?" he said, his tone betraying his curiosity. She toyed with the idea of tormenting him but decided to go with the truth.

"Our parents have been friends most of their lives and so we, being close in age, have been close for most of our lives. Our parents would always joke that they would arrange for us to get married… so that's what he was joking about," she explained.

"Do muggles do arranged marriages?" he asked earnestly. She was surprised to see Draco take an interest in anything muggle but, thinking this could hardly be a bad thing, decided to indulge him.

"Yes they do," she said matter-of-factly. His eyes widened a little. "Like pureblooded families?" he asked.

"Yes, much like that. It is more popular in other muggle cultures than ours but it still happens. It is mostly about money, power, culture and tradition," she explained.

"Money, power, culture and tradition… so exactly like pureblooded families then" he said incredulously. "Yes well, we did try to tell you for years that muggles were not so different from us, perhaps if you had listened more in muggle studies you would know this," she said light-heartedly, hoping he would not take it as a slight against him.

"Well at that time I had plans for my life that certainly did not involve muggles you know Granger," he said darkly. The reminder of his shady past made her shift uncomfortably. As if sensing her discomfort he stopped abruptly, gave her hand a squeeze and pulled her into him.

"You should know, I am not going to apologize to you. Malfoy's don't apologise," he said proudly. She began to pull away but he held her in place with one arm effortlessly. Bloody bastard hadn't changed at all, Malfoys don't apologize… stupid git… who does he think he is coming here... Her thoughts were interrupted when he continued on. "I do however, want to make it clear that I no longer believe in the myth that blood impacts the quality of the witch or wizard. I no longer believe that anyone should be discriminated against by virtue of their birth… I know this is an uncomfortable topic but I think between us – it had to be said," he said steadily.

"Okay Malfoy," she said coldly. He gave her a look she had never seen from him before, his eyes were pleading. "Please don't pull away from me tonight," he said. Merlin, the word please looked good on his lips.

"Malfoy, you did some despicable things – but you were a child from a fairly compromising family background at the time. I am not saying that I have forgotten these things or I don't have reservations about you, but I am willing to take you on your word that you no longer believe I am a 'filthy mudblood' or that my very existence is a disgrace to the wizarding community and the world," he flinched at her words.

He looked like he didn't know what to do. Hermione felt a little sorry for him. He probably thought she was done with him after that. He clearly did not know her very well. No way was Hermione going to let the gorgeous blonde wizard out of her clutches just yet.

"Can we go back to flirting?" she asked casually.

"God, yes Granger – thought you'd never ask," he replied.