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It warms my heart so much that you take the time to reflect on the story and tell me what you think. You are the best : )


"Malfoy, have you seen my nude pumps?"

Hermione was running around the flat half dressed desperately trying to assemble an outfit in time for her non-date-coffee-date with Oliver.

"Yeah, they're in my bedroom." Draco answered without looking up from the book he was reading on the sofa.

Hermione hurried past him through the living room and into his bedroom,

"What the bloody hell are my shoes doing in your bedroom?"

"I was using them to test out a new spell for blisters." He looked up from his book as Hermione walked out from his room into the living room again holding the nude pumps in her hand. She wore a white off-shoulder top and no trousers.

Draco let his gaze wonder along the curves of her body. The top ended just below her bum and the sides were cut just high enough for Draco to notice she was wearing black seamless knickers. That told him she was more focused on looking good with clothes than without tonight.

"So, where is Captain Quidditch taking you?"

"Um, I'm not really sure. But it's a Muggle place. Near Marylebone." Hermione said as she disappeared into her bedroom to find a pair of trousers.

"Oh, quite the posh place for coffee, innit?" Draco put the book away and walked after Hermione.

He stopped in the doorway into her room and leaned against the frame, watching her wiggling into a pair of dark blue jeans.

"Yeah, seems like he's willing to spend indecent amount of Galleons on other things than Quidditch." Hermione grinned as she buttoned her jeans and stepped into the nude pumps. "How do I look?"

She did a twirl for him.

"You look beautiful, as always." He stepped closer to her and brushed her hair back behind her shoulders so her neckline was fully visible. "And now you look perfect."

Hermione's cheeks flushed, barely noticeable, and she smiled at him before she turned to her full-length mirror to inspect. Draco leaned against the doorframe again, watching her twist and turn in front of the mirror to get a view of herself from all the angles.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you're nervous about tonight." he smirked.

She bit her bottom lip: "Truth be told I sort of am."

"Since when do you get nervous about going on dates?" he asked.

"Since I haven't been on one in waaaay too long." She deemed the outfit passable and stopped turning in front of the mirror.

"Are you planning on shagging him tonight?"

His blunt question took Hermione by surprise and she just stared at him for a moment. He didn't usually ask that. He hadn't in the past when she went on dates at least. So why now?

"Um… No. That wouldn't be my goal for tonight. No." she said when she finally found the words. "Why do you ask?"

"Dunno. Just curious." he shrugged.

"Right." She narrowed her eyes at him. "And now I can't help but wonder what makes you curious."

"No reason, I'm just making conversation." He ran his hand through his hair.

"No, that's not making conversation. Making conversation is talking about the weather or asking me what I think will happen if Pinocchio says 'my nose will grow now'." She stepped closer to him, just invading his personal space.

He didn't take a step back, as she expected him to. He stayed put and even though she wore her high heels he was still a good bit taller than her, which forced her to tilt her head upwards.

"Well?" she pressed on.

He leaned forwards a bit, now so close she could feel his cool breath on her face.

"I don't know what to tell you, Granger. I was curious so I asked." he said in a low voice.

And I'm curious what makes you curious, she thought but before she had time to ask again the doorbell rang and before she had time to register what had happened Draco had disappeared to answer it.

Why, all of a sudden, had Malfoy taken an interest in her sex-life? He certainly never had before. What was different about this time? Was it something about Oliver? She'd dated wizards before, so it couldn't be that. She'd certainly slept with men before, so it couldn't be that.

Realisation suddenly dawned on her.

She'd never referred to any of them as a good man before.

Was he jealous?

No, he couldn't be. Because that would mean he harboured some form of romantic feelings for her, wouldn't in? And that she knew for sure he didn't. That would make things complicated.

Awfully complicated.

She snapped back to reality when she heard Draco and Oliver talking in the hallway.

She shook her head trying to discard her somewhat disturbing thoughts and went out to greet her non-date-date.

"So, what are you having?" Oliver asked when he and Hermione were standing in line at the posh coffee shop.

"Um, I'll have the green passion tea." Hermione said twirled her hair between her fingers.

Oliver ordered tea for Hermione and coffee for himself.

"So tea? You don't drink coffee?" Oliver arched an eyebrow at her.

"Um, no. I don't drink coffee." she confessed.

"Why would you agree to have coffee with me, then?" he asked with a smile.

Hermione sighed impatiently; "Going out for coffee is just an expression. It doesn't mean I have to drink coffee. It's like going out for a pint means you're allowed to drink wine as well."

Oliver grinned as he took their orders and together they sat down at a table; "Right. Naturally. I sort if get the feeling my question annoyed you. I'm sorry if I said something wrong."

"No, sorry. You didn't say anything wrong. It's just, I just had this exact same conversation with Malfoy the other day." Hermione said.

"Right." Oliver pressed his lips together, a sort of frown on his face. But he didn't say anything.

Hermione watched him intently, trying to figure out what was on his mind, because it was evident something were.

Moments went by without either of them speaking, they just sipped on their drinks in silence.

After about three more moments Oliver finally said;

"Right, so I have to ask. What's the deal with you and Malfoy?"

"We haven't spelt together." Hermione answered very quickly.

Too quickly.

Oliver tilted his head and smiled a little, "Thank you for clearing that out. But that wasn't what I asked."

"Right, um. Well there isn't any deal going on neither. We're just two best friends who live together."

"Yeah, so that is a deal." Oliver said.

"No, not really. Just ordinary flatmates." Hermione said as she concentrated hard on stirring the spoon in her teacup.

"So when he told you he would pick up your favourite ice-cream and the way he insisted you'd bring an umbrella because it miiiiight start to rain before we left, that was just ordinary flatmate stuff?" Oliver asked, genuinely curious.

"Yeah. He's always like that. Why? Do you think it's weird?" She looked up from the stirring.

"Yeah, a little weird. Not that by itself perhaps, but everything with you two. I watched you at that super weird setup dinner at the Manor and the two of you seem so in sync. When he moves you move, like you're mirroring each other. And sometimes it's like you don't even have to say anything, you just know what the other one is thinking. Like the looks you gave each other when Lucius brought out the rum. It was a bit uncanny to be honest." Oliver said.

"Yeah, I've heard that before." Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.

This wasn't news to her. Her special bond with Draco was something many of her dates brought up and it usually meant it was the last date they went on. What was special about this time was that it happened a lot earlier than expected.

"I get it if you can't understand-" Hermione begun, but Oliver cut her off.

"No, listen. I'm not trying to be rude or anything. I just really wanted to know what that was. Because it was just so nice to see you again. And I think I'd like to see more of you." he smiled and put his hand on hers that was sitting on top of the table.

She returned his smile, even if a little uncertain.

"And now that I know you and Malfoy are just friends, that makes it easier for me to ask you out on a second date."

Oh, so this is a date. This isn't just two old schoolmates catching up.

Hermione sighed, she should have known. Honestly, she did know. She just didn't want it to be a date. But she did want to see Oliver again. But not on a date. Dates makes things complicated.

But who says this has to turn into something, right? She can keep it light and breezy. Yeah, Hermione Granger is not anything if not light and breezy.

She smiled back at Oliver; "Yeah, I'd very much like that. But if you don't mind, I'd rather not spend this date talking about Malfoy."

"Right, yeah. Me neither. I'm just glad we cleared that out."

The rest of the date went on smoothly. Oliver managed to keep the Quidditch-talk to a minimum, which made him very charming. Instead they talked about books, theatre, hobbies and so on and when the date was over he followed her to the door and kissed her good night. On the cheek of course as Oliver was a proper gentleman.

With a little smile on her face she turned the keys in the door to her flat and stepped inside, greeting her best friend in their usual manner;

"Honey, I'm home."

But inside the first thing that met her was not Draco greeting her back, but Astoria Greengrass. A half-naked Astoria Greengrass to be precise. It looked like she'd just gotten out of the shower because her hair was dripping wet and she had a towel wrapped around her.

"Um, hi." Astoria greeted uncertain and a deep blush spread across her cheeks.

Before Hermione had time to say anything in reply Draco, also with dripping wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist, entered the now very crowded hallway from the bathroom.

"Granger you're home. How was the date?" Draco asked and gave Hermione a small smile.

"Um, yours seems to have been more eventful than mine." Hermione managed to get out, even though her slightly shocked state made it difficult for her to gather coherent thoughts.

"You didn't tell me you also had a date tonight." Her gaze flickered over to Astoria who was still standing, wearing the towel, between them.

"Yeah, funny how that happened. Astoria and I just ran into each other and one thing led to another." he ran his hand through his hair.

"Where did you run into each other? In our shower?" Hermione snorted.

"And the sofa." Draco said quietly before clearing his throat. "Ehrm, spur of the moment sort of thing."

"Malfoy, can I have a word with you. Alone if possible." Hermione asked nodding towards the kitchen.

"Right. Astoria, love, will you excuse me for a moment?" Draco turned to the witch who looked very uncomfortable.

Astoria, love? Really? Hermione fumed. He'd just met her and no doubt shagged her with no intention of seeing her ever again, but she was already Astoria, love? And he I am, his supposedly best friend and I'm still Granger. What the hell?

"I… um… Sorry. Um… I'll just get dressed then." Astoria said before she disappeared into Draco's bedroom.

Hermione nodded, yet again, to Draco to follow her into the kitchen.

"Malfoy, what the hell?" Hermione asked when she deemed Astoria out of earshot.

"What do you mean? Are you mad at me? Am I not allowed to have company over?" Draco wondered, an undertone of aggression to his words.

Hermione, not the least phased by his attitude, just rolled her eyes at him,

"Did you shag her?"

"What? Was I not allowed to?" he snapped.

"Answer the question, Malfoy. Did you shag her?" she snapped back.

He leered at her for a moment before he muttered; "Yes."

"Where?" she hissed.

"What do you mean where?" he countered.

"It's a simple question, you daft idiot. Where in our flat did you shag her?"

"In the shower. And on the sofa." he muttered through clenched teeth.

"Bloody hell! You can't keep doing this!" she snapped.

"Why? Am I not allowed to embrace my sexuality in my own home? Is this because you didn't get laid tonight?" He was shouting now.

His words hit her like a fist to the stomach and she had to fight holding back the tears that was burning behind her eyes, threatening to roll down her cheek.

"That's not the point. And you know it!" Hermione shouted back. "The point is you're shagging women in areas we share. If it isn't the sofa it's the fucking kitchen table. And if it isn't that it's up against a bloody wall in the living room. Do you know how much that bothers me? Why can't you do me a favour and just do it in your bed like a normal person?"

To this Draco didn't respond. Instead, he did something very un-Malfoy-like. He looked down at his feet and was quiet for a very long moment.

Hermione, not feeling patient enough to handle this undoubtedly hard and earnest moment the constructive way shouted; "What the hell is the matter with you? Why aren't you saying something?"

Draco inhaled sharply and said; "But I don't want to do it in my bed."

"Why not? That's where it's supposed to be done." Hermione snapped.

"Never mind. I don't want to talk about it." he tried to make his way past her, but she blocked his exit by stepping into the doorway.

"I don't care if you want to talk about. You're going to tell me because if you're going to shag women on the same table I eat my breakfast I deserve to know why." she hissed.

"Having sex in my bed is too private." he mumbled.

"What do you mean too bloody private? That's a bullshit excuse! Why in the world is doing it in your bed too private?" At this point she was so worked up a little spit flew from her mouth as she shouted at him.

"Because you sleep in my bed, alright?" Draco shouted back. "I don't want anyone else there. Happy?"

"Oh." her expression softened immediately.

This was not what she had expected. At all.

This was certainly the most ridiculous and bizarre argument they'd ever had. There she was, after just coming home from a date. And there he was, only wearing a bloody towel wrapped around his waist. And they were arguing over where sexual activities were allowed and all because he valued sleeping in the same bed as her more intimate than having sex with someone.

She sighed a deep and tired sigh,

"Malfoy. Our relationship is so fucked up. Isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is." he agreed. "But there you go. Now you know. If you'll excuse me I'm going to join Astoria. Not shagging her on our joint furniture."

And with that he pushed passed her and left her alone in the kitchen.


Sorry to be leaving you with this cliff-hanger. But fear not, they are best friends after all. They will work it out, don't you think?