Chapter 3.
Draco awoke the next morning and for a slight second forgot where he was. The events of the night before were running through his head again until he came to the moment where he lay his head down on Hermione's soft pillow and fell asleep. He sat up on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. 'My god I need a shower.' He thought. So stood and walked out into the hallway in search of the bathroom. Just as he was about to turn the handle Hermione walked out in only her towel.
"Oh!" She said shocked and pulled her towel in closer.
"I didn't know you were awake yet." She said blushing.
Draco grinned. "Well I was still half asleep as I walked down here. But I am most certainly awake now." He said slyly. They both stood there for a second, Hermione in only her towel and Draco in only his boxer shorts before she pushed past him and quickly headed to her bedroom.
"Malfoy I'm getting changed so don't enter!" She yelled over her shoulder.
"Don't worry I'm having a shower." He said as he chuckled and entered the bathroom.
As he left the bathroom feeling refreshed, he headed back down the hallway with his towel wrapped around his waist. Hermione was no longer in the bedroom but a fresh set of clothes had been laid out for Draco. Obviously her father's clothes, he thought, as he picked them up and inspected what were most definitely not her clothes. A navy blue oxford shirt with light blue pinstripes and a pair of grey dress slacks with a belt. Good thing about the belt as the pants looked a mighty bit too big and Draco did not have his wand to resize them.
He dressed and headed downstairs to the kitchen where he could here laughter. A fabulous smell of hotcakes wafted towards him as he came closer and discovered Hermione sitting with her parents around the kitchen table.
Hermione's mother looked up at him as he entered and leapt from her chair.
"Oh you must be Draco!" She said and embraced him tightly. Draco was stunned. Hermione stifled a laugh and stood up to help her father who was flipping hotcakes in a pan.
"Oh it's so good to have you and Hermione here! I'm just so happy she's no longer trekking around dangerously in the country side." She gushed as she led him to the table.
"So were you with them on their questy thing Draco? I've never heard Hermione talk about you before." She said as she handed Draco a large glass of orange juice.
"No actually I only ran into him yesterday." Hermione said joining them at the table.
Draco chose now to finally speak up.
"She didn't just run into me Mrs Granger. She saved my life." Draco exclaimed.
Mrs Granger looked over at her daughter shocked.
"You didn't tell me that!"
"She didn't? What did you tell your parents Granger?" Draco said smirking at Hermione.
Mr Granger came and joined them at the table with a plate piled with hotcakes and blueberries.
"She said she simply decided to come for a visit and bring a friend along." Mr Granger said as he piled hotcakes in front of Draco.
Hermione blushed and looked down at her plate.
"Well then I guess she wasn't entirely lying." Draco smirked as he drizzled blueberry sauce on his hotcakes. "Mr Granger these look delicious." He added.
"Why thankyou boy." Mr Granger said proudly.
"How come you've never told me about him before? And he's so handsome." Mrs Granger said in hushed tones to her daughter.
"I just haven't alright?" Hermione said looking extremely embarrassed.
Mrs Granger giggled.
"Alright no need to get your knickers in a twist." She said and winked at Draco who almost choked on his blue berry hotcakes.
"So you're going back to school now you two?" Mr Granger asked
Hermione looked up at Draco who simply shrugged.
"I'm not quite sure yet Dad." Hermione replied.
"Well you either go back to school or stay here because I refuse to let you rejoin that Questy thing for the horcry whatever's." He said in a gruff stern voice.
"Don't worry Mr Granger she'll go back. I'll keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't get into any trouble for you as well." Hermione glared at him.
'He'll keep me out of trouble? Most of the time he's the cause of my trouble.' Hermione thought.
"Thankyou boy." Mr Granger said and gave Draco a hard slap on the back. Draco was not expecting it and he was jolted forward and nearly flung across the table. Hermione snorted but Draco simply grinned at her slyly.
"No problem Mr Granger. It would be my pleasure."
That night Draco and Hermione sat in the living room watching television. Draco was fascinated.
"So… no house elves?" He asked without taking his eyes off the screen.
"Of course not." She snapped. "Muggles do it all themselves. No house elves."
"Incredible." He said.
"It's not that incredible, there are wizards without house elves as well you know."
"Yes but they have magical powers to do things. Muggles simply do it all by hand!" He said getting up and touching the T.V screen.
Hermione sighed and simply lay down on the couch watching Draco who was looking around the television in awe.
"What magic is this?" He asked as he looked at all the cords plugged into the T.V.
"It's not magic Draco it's science. Electricity, light, energy. Simple science."
"Well it is fantastic" He scoffed.
Hermione giggled.
"Malfoy why did you tell my parent's you'd keep an eye on me at school?"
Hermione asked after a while. Draco turned around and sat down in front of her feet on the lounge.
"Because I will." He said simply.
"But why!? You don't even like me!"
"Who says I don't!?" He said slightly annoyed.
"Won't you be worried about keeping up appearances in front of the Slytherin's? I doubt you would want them to know we're friends now."
Draco sat silent staring at Hermione.
"We are friends aren't we Malfoy?" Hermione asked
Draco sighed. "Yes we're friends. Now can we stop talking about this?"
"Fine." Hermione spat and she turned over to face the back of the couch.
"Granger I'm sorry. I can't make any promises that's all. Do you understand?"
Hermione didn't reply.
Draco leaned over and touched her shoulder. "Hermione?" He said quietly.
"Yes Draco I understand." Hermione said softly as she rolled back over to face him.
Hermione decided to change the subject.
"I'll see you in the morning then. We'll be apparating to Hogsmeade and heading up to see Professor McGonagall straight away. She's expecting us."
Draco stared into Hermione's large hazel eyes which showed her obvious hurt. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'm sorry Hermione. But I promise you, we are friends." He said softly before getting up and heading upstairs.
Hermione didn't move but lay motionless on the couch. 'Did he really just kiss me on the cheek?' She thought and reached up to where his soft lips had landed and smiled.
'Did I really just kiss her on the cheek?' Draco thought and pressed his hand to his lips where he touched her soft feathery skin…and smiled
A/N: Review?? I think so...
