Chapter 3
Once more that day, Hermione stood outside of Draco's flat, prepared to knock. Three times she attempted to knock before telling herself she was being ridiculous. The fourth time, he opened the door before she could work up the nerve. "Hey," he greeted her with a friendly smile.

"Hi," she returned nervously. "I, um, I picked up a video while I was out this afternoon. Any interest in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?"

"Well, as a blond gentleman who likes myself very much, I'd have to say yes," he replied. "Just give me a couple of minutes to change. I'll come over to your flat."

She assessed him then - dark jeans, blue button down shirt, and just enough hair gel to make his hair look effortlessly messy. "Did you...do you already have plans?" she asked, feeling guilty that she had assumed he was just as alone as she was.

Draco shook his head reassuringly. "I can't watch a movie in these pants," he explained. "I prefer something with an elastic waistline. Especially if you watch movies the way I watch movies."

He sent her back to her flat to set up the entertainment while he changed and made a quick phone call. Hermione had left her door open for him, an unspoken invitation to enter when he was ready. The movie was set up and Hermione was puttering around the kitchen gathering snacks. "Make yourself comfortable," she said, her head in the refrigerator.

"Can I help with anything?" he inquired, joining her in the small kitchen.

Hermione stood, leaning against the open door. "Sure, you can decide if you want water, soda, or pumpkin juice," she replied. "And then you can sit down because tonight you're the guest."

Accepting a soda, he made his way to the living room and sat down to wait for her. Bowls of candy, chips and dips, and a variety of remote controls lined the coffee table. "It would seem that you do watch movies the same way I do," he remarked, grabbing a handful of jelly beans.

"But I have rules," she replied, joining him on the sofa. "Rule one - only I control the remote. Rule two - no talking during the movie. Rule three - use the loo now because I refuse to pause."

"Am I allowed to mock any character I don't like?" he inquired.

She side-eyed him and smirked. "Only if it's a character I don't like either," she replied, picking up the remote.

He stayed her hand. "Wait, I have a rule too," he said, a teasing air in his words. "Don't go falling in love with me, Granger."

"I wouldn't hold your breath on that, Malfoy," she retorted, shaking his hand off so she could hit play.

She awoke just as the movie finished and the television screen turned blue. A soft blanket covered her, but it was her pillow that was most surprising. Sitting up, she realized Draco had fallen asleep beside her, leaning on the arm of the sofa. And her head had rested on his shoulder. A quick glance at the clock told her it was just past midnight.

"Go back to sleep, Hermione," Draco murmured, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Glancing at him, sure her movements had awoken him, she was surprised to find Draco was still asleep. She rose as gently as she could and draped the blanket over him. "I will," she promised, intending to go to her room.

His eyes opened just long enough to stretch out on the couch before he closed them again. "No, stay with me," he mumbled.

His words confused her. Why was he asking her to stay? Was he even aware of the question he asked? Softly, she whispered his name, but all she got in response was a soft snore. Backing away quietly, she watched him several times as she made her way to her bedroom. With the door closed and locked, she slipped into bed, but sleep refused to come.

She tossed and turned for most of the night, unable to get comfortable and unable to fall asleep. It should have bothered her that Draco slept in the other room. After all, he was a former Death Eater. He was dangerous. But he had been kind to her, had held her close when they'd fallen asleep watching the second movie she'd rented. Hadn't commented on the mess she made when her foot knocked over the chip bowl. He merely bent down and cleaned it up.

Staring out her bedroom window, she realized the sun was beginning to rise. She groaned and pushed back the blankets. Still dressed from the night before, her feet weren't cold when they touched the hardwood floor and padded to the door. The click of the lock meant that she was one step closer to leaving the quiet sanctity of her room and returning to her childhood enemy who slept on the other side. Each step was hesitant and delicate, and she rounded the sofa to find him still stretched out. Taking a deep breath, she laid down beside him, careful not to fall or disturb him. Then she closed her eyes.

At some point as she slept, Draco had woken up long enough to share his blanket and wrap his arm around her. The clock above the television proclaimed that it was noon when she finally opened her eyes. Turning her head, she looked up at Draco as he watched her, and a warm blush flushed through her body.

"You stayed," he murmured, awed by that fact.

The color in her cheeks deepened. "Yeah, um, I was afraid you might get cold," she replied.

Draco nodded and loosened his grip on her. "I wasn't sure if I had actually said it out loud or if I had dreamt it," he told her, allowing her to pull away and rise to her feet.

"Do you regularly have to beg the girls in your dreams to sleep with you?" she quipped, feeling a slight return to their normal banter.

Sitting up, Draco shook his head. "I wasn't actually dreaming about you," he told her, frowning as he thought of a way to explain himself better. Hermione sat down on the coffee table and laid her hand on his arm. His left arm. The one that still bore the scars of the Dark Mark. Either she didn't realize it was that arm or it didn't bother her. Draco hoped it was the latter. "I was home. Um, well, back at the Manor. My mother was there, singing some lullaby I haven't heard since I was little. She looked so beautiful and happy, I just wanted her to stay with me. I kept asking her over and over again to stay, to not leave me, but she did."

"Draco, what happened to her?" she asked, taking his hand in hers.

He looked up at her briefly, sadness watering his eyes. "She died."