Hermione woke up with a start and looked around. She was in Malfoy Manor, in a spare bedroom filled with black and green furniture and wallpaper. She turned and jumped when she saw Draco standing in the door way.

He smirked, "Did I scare you?"

She rolled her eyes, "No, I just wasn't expecting you to be standing there."

He chuckled, "No I'm pretty sure I scared you." He walked in and sat at the foot of the bed, "I can change it if you want." She looked at him quizzically. "The room. If it doesn't suit you I can change it to Gryffindor colors. It's not a problem."

She smiled and shook her head, "No it's fine I like it. Reminds me that things could be much worse. Like maybe I could have been put into Slytherin and had to have put up with you even more."

Draco smiled and looked up at the ceiling, shaking his head, "You, Miss Granger, are just looking for trouble." He leaned closer forcing her to lie back, "And do you know what I do to people such as yourself that go looking for trouble?"

She smirked, "What are you going to do Draco? Talk me to death?"

He shook his head, "That's it, you're done for." He pinned her down and held her hands above her head with one hand, letting the other lift her chin to look at him, "Tell me Hermione are you by chance…ticklish?"

Her eyes widened and she struggled to get free, "Malfoy don't you dare!"

He leaned in so his face was inches from hers, "Or what?"

She racked her brain for a threat but nothing came to mind, "Or I'll…I'll…I don't know just please don't."

Draco laughed menacingly, "Why not?"

"Because…because…" She finally found a valid threat, "Because I'll leave if you do."

His breath was sweet and it blew across her face. His low chuckles making her heart flutter in a way that it dared not to even with Ron. He was wearing his usual black suit only this time he had a green tie, something that should work but does. His low voice was music to her ears, "Do you really think I would let you go?"

Her breath was coming short and her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could feel it. "Why wouldn't you?"

He was so close that his lips lightly touched hers as he spoke, "Because my dear Hermione, I am rather horrid." He pressed his lips to hers. There was a moment of hesitation before she kissed back. He released her hands, which eventually found their way around Draco's neck, and wrapped his own around her waist. Hermione ran her fingers through his platinum blonde hair. It didn't have any grease or gel in it like it used to at Hogwarts, now it was soft and simply brushed back. After a moment she realized what was going on and pulled away. Draco kissed her neck and Hermione tried to catch her breath.

"Draco…Draco stop." She pushed him away and rolled off the bed. She landed on her feet and backed into the wall. "I'm sorry Draco I just…"

He sat up and nodded, "It's alright, I'm the one who should be sorry. You don't feel that way about me." He stood and walked to the door.

Hermione grabbed his arm, "Draco wait, it's not that."

He shook his head, "It's okay Hermione. Get dressed, we leave for Diagon Alley after breakfast." With that Draco left the room. Hermione shook her head wondering what she just did.

After she was dressed she timidly walked out of her room and down the stairs. She didn't remember the exact route but eventually found herself in the kitchen. Draco was in front of the stove making scrambled eggs. Hermione took a deep breath and walked up to him, placing her hand hesitantly on his shoulder, "You cook, that's a surprise. You cook without magic, that's an even bigger surprise."

He turned to look at her and smiled, but only slightly, "I find it tastes better when it's natural."

She nodded and looked away, "Draco?" He looked back at her, "What happened this morning…I'm sorry."

He sighed and shook his head, "There's nothing for you to be sorry for. I fell too fast. I didn't think I just acted."

He tried to walk away to the cupboards only to be pulled back by Hermione. She pressed his back to the counter and held his face in her hands, "Draco Malfoy I want you to be completely honest with me, just like in the room of requirement. What do you feel for me?"

He tried to looked away, "Hermione-"

"No. I want you to tell me."

He sighed, "Hermione, being completely honest…I have loved you since that day in the room of requirement. But they are nothing if you don't feel it too, so I should forget them and have you as my friend."

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, "That is what I wanted to tell you before you left. Draco I have feelings too but I just…I'm not ready to be in another relationship yet, I still have trust issues. It's not you that was in the wrong, it was me. I misled you into thinking I was ready." Draco hugged her close and she hugged back, thankful that he understood. "Someday, very soon I'm guessing all things considered, I will be ready." Draco kissed the top of her head and pulled back to finish cooking the eggs.

They ate and cleaned up; Draco even handed over his wand to her so she could practice magic again. "When we get to Diagon Alley," he said, "The first thing we are doing is going to Ollivander's to get you a new wand." She nodded and smiled and gave him back his wand after charming the dishes to do themselves. Draco held his arm out to her, "Let's go." She took his arm, and they apparated into Diagon Alley in front of Ollivander's. Hermione grinned ear to ear and ran inside. Draco chuckled at the sight and walked in behind her to see her talking with the new owner of Ollivander's. He came up behind her and placed a hand on her hip, "A little excited are we?" Hermione just giggled in response. The owner handed Hermione a wand. She looked at it and then at Draco. She smirked and flicked her wand at him, causing his nose to grow like a branch.

She burst out laughing, "I quite like this wand." She flicked it at him once more and his nose returned to normal. Draco paid for the wand and led Hermione out.

He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "When we get home you are going to pay dearly for that."

She giggled, "Then I should make the most of this trip then." She ran off to one of the other shops and Draco chuckled quietly to himself following her at a normal pace. After a few hours Hermione had clothes and belongings and they were about to apparate home when Hermione was stopped by a scruffy meow that came from behind a shop cart, "Crookshanks?" The cat came out from behind the cart and jumped into Hermione's arms. "Oh Crookshanks I told you to go."

Draco looked at Crookshanks, "You still have that mangy cat?"

Hermione sighed, "I did but I told her to go when I was fired. She was the reason I was fired and she could provide for herself better than I could."

Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione's shoulders, "You can keep her if you want. I used to have a cat long ago I think we still have some cat food round."

Hermione looked up at him hopefully, "Really?" He nodded and she squealed with joy. Draco chuckled, something he seemed to be doing a lot today, and apparated back to Malfoy Manor.