Disclaimer: Everything except the plot belongs to J.K. Rowling, and not to me.



The Three Broomsticks was fairly busy, as it often was when the Hogwarts students were in town, but Malfoy's reputation allowed him to get one of the tables towards the back of the room for himself and Hermione. No student dared to intrude when he glared at them. As usual, most of the chairs in the pub had been grabbed by the students and grouped around one or two tables, where large groups of friends sat chatting. Pansy Parkinson had called to Malfoy to join them, but he'd ignored her and led Hermione to this corner.

As there were no free chairs or stools by the table, she had to slide along the bench by the wall and let him in next to her when he came back with a Butterbeer each. She realised that she wouldn't have minded, if it wasn't for the stares from their fellow students.

She'd actually started to get on with Malfoy during the day. As they wandered around the town, they'd discovered that they were both intending to buy the same book, and once they had a subject in common they'd talked non-stop all afternoon.

When he drops the superior act, she thought, he's actually quite good company.

When she's not surrounded by Potter and the Weasel, he thought, she's actually quite good fun.

They both enjoyed having somebody intelligent to talk to. Harry and Ron were great friends, but Hermione often got annoyed when they didn't follow her train of thought. The current sixth-year in Slytherin had few outstanding students, and whilst Malfoy liked being the leader and having everybody admire him, it did get boring sometimes.

"It actually works better. An entire house can be heated from just one fire. You don't need magic for everything." Hermione was explaining how some Muggle invention called central heating was better than the traditional huge fireplaces and magic fires. Much as he hated to admit it about Muggle things, she seemed to have a point. Suddenly she moved her bag off the seat between them and slid closer to him.

"What are you doing?" He said quietly.

"Ron and Harry have just come in." She played with her hair so that it hid her face from the view of anyone by the door. He played along and put an arm around her.

"What do you want Ron to think?"

"Well, he bet you his girlfriend. Not just a friend, not just me, but his girlfriend."

Malfoy raised his hand and gently ran his fingers along her cheek, smirking at the thought of how Ron must be feeling, watching this.

"Now what?"

Hermione didn't want this to go any further. It was one thing to pretend that there was something going on to annoy Ron, it was quite another to actually kiss Draco Malfoy in the Three Broomsticks. Even if it was just an act.

"Let's leave."

"Good plan." He tapped her softly on the nose, for Ron's benefit, then they quickly finished their drinks, gathered their things and left the Three Broomsticks, Malfoy's arm around Hermione's waist.

Ron stared after them. Hermione hadn't even looked at him. He was expecting her to be angry with him, furiously so, but not to actually enjoy herself with Malfoy.

"What have I done?"

Harry handed him a Butterbeer.

"You've been an idiot, Ron."

"Pansy was looking at us. What am I going to tell them all? They'll be trying to tease me tonight." He was only half joking, Hermione guessed, although the thought of anybody being able to tease Malfoy and actually get a reaction was really quite amusing. They were walking out of Hogsmeade, taking the path back up to school.

"Tell her the truth."

"Which is?" Malfoy still had his arm around Hermione. She wriggled free and turned to face him.

"That you made that bet last night so you could tease Ron, and I got so angry with him for betting me that I pretended to have a good time with you to get back at him. Surely upsetting a Weasley is a good enough motive?"

"You were only pretending to have a good time?"

"Well I'm not going to admit it if I was, am I? And you? You're surely not going to tell the rest of Slytherin that you'd rather spend time with a Mudblood, are you?"

"No, I suppose not."

There was a pause, and they resumed walking.

"But did you have a good time?" He had to ask.

"I think I did, despite everything. It makes a change to talk to somebody who can keep up."

"It does. I'm looking forward to the next Hogsmeade weekend already."

"The next one?" They'd arrived back at school. "The bet was for one date, Malfoy. Ron's paid up. Everybody's even." Hermione laughed, not unpleasantly. "Thanks for my 'date', Malfoy. See you around." She blew him a kiss and darted off into the castle, astonished at her own daring.

Malfoy stood still in the entrance hall, wondering why he felt disappointed. She was a Mudblood. He didn't want to spend time with somebody like that. No, next time he went into Hogsmeade he'd be back where he belonged, undisputed leader of the sixth-year Slytherins.

Hermione collapsed on her bed, her heart racing from running up the stairs. She was relieved that was over. Now she could get back to hanging around with Harry and Ron, her friends. Ron, who'd bet her on a game of chess like an object. Harry, who'd sided with Ron this morning when it was clear that she was in the right. The boys who admired her for her brains, but couldn't hold a really in depth conversation. Unlike Malfoy. Malfoy who hated her because her parents were Muggles. Malfoy who scorned her because she was a Gryffindor. Malfoy who she'd thought for one moment had been going to kiss her.

She closed her eyes and imagined what it might be like to kiss Malfoy.