Hermione had been visiting Draco for three weeks now, usually for some hours. He often waited for her in front of the cliff or the tree.

They mostly just sat there in silence. Hermione had a feeling that Draco needed exactly that. She wouldn't push him to talk to her even though she really wanted to know why he looked so... whacked. She always brought chocolate, though.

On Saturday she decided to bring a book with her. When they sat in silence she would at least have something to read.

Just like everytime the Gryffindor crossed the gates Narcissa smiled at her and nodded and Hermione smiled in return. She walked towards the cliff and found the blonde standing there.

"Hello," Hermione said.

"Hello," he responded. "Oh you brought me a book? What happened to the chocolate? Did you eat all of it on the way over here?" That was when she saw him smirk for the first time. She could not help but smile.

"No it's not actually for you but you can read it. It's my favorite book. Here!" Hermione handed the book over to Draco like it was a newborn.

Just as Hermione let go of the book Draco pretend to drop it. She let out a small scream but pulled herself back together really quick.

The blonde tried to stop himself from laughing but he gave up and laughed for two minutes straight.

"It is nice that you have your fun" Hermione said with a fake sulky voice.

"Oh come on, it was quite funny," he said, still smiling. "You should have seen your face. Priceless."

"Are you feeling better than when I first visited?" she asked, now completely serious.

The blonde just nodded and looked in her brown eyes.

"Do you want to talk about something?"

"Like what? How I feel because my father is dead? Why I feel like jumping off this goddamn cliff sometimes? Why I talk to you without insulting you? What do you want to hear exactly?"

"What is your favorite color?"

"I- what?" Draco asked confused. Hermione opened her mouth to repeat the question when Draco raised his voice again. "Brown," he said quietly.

The girl nodded. "I like blue."

"Really? I thought your favorite color is red," he said slightly smiling.

"No, but I could also ask why your favorite color isn't green?" She laughed while pulling some chocolate out of her bag. "Want some?" Draco nodded and she broke a piece off the bar.

After a moment of silence Draco turned to look at her. "Granger, where do you go after you visit me?"

"I usually go home, change my clothes, and go to work," Hermione said with a shrug. "I work at St. Mungos by the way. It's quite boring but I earn good money and I can help people, and that's the only thing that matters, right?"

"You think it's boring?" Draco asked and raised his blonde eyebrows. "Hermione Granger thinks that something is boring. How's that?"

"Well, I heal people and that's really great but sometimes I feel... I don't know... not happy with it. I want to quit but I don't have enough money yet."

"What for?"

"I want to travel a lot, the muggle way maybe," Hermione said. She rolled her eyes when she saw his face. "Yes Draco, I am just a little mudblood who wants to travel like the lowest creatures on earth."

"No, that is not what I meant," Draco said quickly. "I have thought about that word a lot lately and I am sorry. I was just a jerk back in Hogwarts. I was raised like that but when my father died, his predjudices died with him. I know I can't change the past but I would like you to know that I am sorry." Draco looked at his hands.

"It's okay, I told you I don't cling to the past. I forgive you." Hermione smiled warmly at the blonde. "Would you like to do something? Like go for a walk or to a cinema?"

"Cinema? What's that?"

"Oh never mind" Hermione laughed at his confused face. "It's a large room and you can see a movie in there. A movie is a lot of pictures that are showed one after another. It's fun." When he didn't look convinced she said, "Okay, I see, a walk then?"

"Uhm sure. Through our yard or...?"

"I thought about Diagon Alley or something like that."

"No, you can do that if you want but without me," Draco snorted. "Some people out there hate me and others look at me with curiosity or even disgust. I am able to live without that."

"I understand that... What about muggle London?"

Draco started laughing. "Do you think I, Draco Malfoy, would go voluntarily into muggle London? That is terribly funny!"

"Yes." Hermione nodded and kept a straight face. She stood up and streched her arm out and waited for Draco to grab it. His smirk vanished and he took her hand. The brunette smiled, satisfied, and dropped his hand as she began to walk towards the gates.

"What are you doing? You are a witch. You can apparate out of here, you know?" Now his smirk was back in place.

Hermione blushed and took the blonde's hand again. She apparated them to her favorite muggle playground, where there was a nice green meadow with colorful flowers nearby and some swings and a seesaw.

"A playground? I thought you wanted to walk?"

Hermione shrugged and walked to the swings but stopped when she saw Draco not following her. "Oh, come on" she laughed. She took his hand and dragged him back.

"This is pathetic, Granger," Draco said when she climbed onto a swing. "How old are you? 5?" He shook his head and walked to the nearest bench.

"Oh, come on, you twat! It's fun." She laughed again and her slightly less bushy hair swung in the air.

He stared at her for a while and then chuckled. An elderly men suddenly sat down beside Draco. He looked at him and then at Hermione.

"You have a beautiful girlfriend there," he said. "If she makes you laugh when nobody else is able to, keep her. I lost my wife three years ago and I still miss her." He smiled sadly at his memory.

"She is not my girlfriend, sir."

"Tell me, does she make you happy?"

Draco looked back at Hermione, who laughed and swung higher and higher. "Yes."

The man smiled and nodded.

When he left, Draco closed his eyes for one moment and enjoyed the sun shining on his face. A scream suddenly cut through the summery air and his eyes snapped open. He ran towards Hermione as fast as he could.

"Granger! Gosh, what did you do?" He helped Hermione sit up and placed her ankle in his hands. "Does this hurt?" He bent her ankle and Hermione let out a whimper. "So apparently it does. We'll head back to Malfoy Manor. Put your hands around my neck."

He lifted her up and walked where they came from and apparated home.

As soon as Draco arrived home he put Hermione on the couch.

"Stay here, I'll get you something that'll make it better." With that he rushed out of the room.

At that moment Narcissa walked in the room. "Oh Hermione, what happened?" She took her hand and patted it.

"I jumped from the swing and lost my balance," Hermione said. "I fell over and my ankle was not happy about it. I'm fine, it hurts only a bit."

"Oh poor girl," Narcissa said. "I'll make you some tea."

Hermione smiled at the woman and closed her eyes. She was kind of tired; she had managed to get out of work earlier today to meet Draco. She didn't mean to but she fell asleep on Malfoy's couch. And when she slept, she slept like a rock. She had never been a light sleeper. She could probably have mended her ankle by herself but the pain and the tiredness stopped her.

When Hermione opened her eyes it was incredibly dark outside. She raised her head and saw that she was in a bed. She guessed it was Draco's.

She looked at her ankle and moved it in a circle. It didn't hurt anymore. Draco must have healed her. She was a bit dizzy as she stood up but she decided to head towards the kitchen she had visited once.

"You smile more, Draco," a female voice said.

There was just a little hm noise in return.

"You look much better than some weeks ago," the voice continued. "I like her. Hermione, I mean. She is a nice girl. She makes you happy. Don't deny it, boy, I know you" - she let out a small laugh - "Why don't you tell her that she helped you? Why don't you admit that you like her?"

"She – I – we – it's difficult."

Hermione felt wrong so she knocked on the door and opened it. She smiled shyly at Narcissa and then at Draco.

"Awake from your beauty sleep?" Draco smirked slightly.

"Yes. I have to admit that your bed is super comfortable." She streched and yawned."What time is it?"

"Oh it's nearly 10 pm, darling. You shouldn't get home on your own so late. How about you stay for tonight and tomorrow I'll make us breakfast." Narcissa smiled sweetly.

"Oh I don't want to bother anyone. It's no problem, really-"

"Don't be ridiculous, Hermione. I'll prepare the guestroom for you." With no further words Narcissa rushed out of the room.

"My mother can be really... stubborn," Draco said. "I am sorry." He smiled apologetically.

"Oh, you mean like yourself? Malfoys, I guess." Hermione laughed."It's no problem really, but can I have some parchment? I would like to owl my friends that I am fine."

Draco got her some parchment, something to write with, and his owl for her to use and left the room to give Hermione some privacy.

Guys,

I'm fine, I am staying at Malfoy Manor tonight. Don't worry about me, I just fell asleep and woke up like five minutes ago. I would like to ask you all for a favor though. Could you all come around Malfoy Manor tomorrow after breakfast? Maybe Harry and Ron could bring their Quidditch stuff along?

Thanks.

Til tomorrow,

Hermione

Hermione smiled, pleased with the letter, and attached it to the bird's leg. She felt excited for tomorrow as she watched the owl fly away.

"Hermione, darling?" Narcissa said. "Your room is ready. Come, I will show you where it is and where the bathroom is. I took an old pair of pajamas from Draco, from when he was younger. It should fit you. I placed it on your bed." She smiled and guided the tired girl to her room for the night.

The room was just beautiful. It contained a large bed with the softest sheets Hermione had ever touched. The room was a pretty shade of lilac and had dark wooden furniture. On the bed lay a pair of green pyjamas with the Slytherin emblem on it.

Typical. Hermione rolled her eyes but slipped off her clothes and put on the soft silky pajamas.

She was about to go to bed when she realized that she hadn't said goodnight to Draco.

She got up and walked to the room across the hallway. When she opened the door she saw a shirtless Draco. He was standing by his bed and turned around to look at who had come in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just wanted to say goodnight," she said nervously. "Uhh goodnight." With that she turned around and hurried back to her own room.

/

Draco smiled and got into bed.

Prudish Granger.

Draco fell asleep really fast and didn't noticed the storm that raged outside his window. The heavy lighning and thunder did not wake him up.

Draco was a light sleeper but he didn't wake up from noises like thunder. He woke up at smaller and quieter noises, like the door that just opened and closed again.

Draco heard footsteps coming closer and then he suddenly felt the warmth of a female body snuggling against him. Then she let out a small sigh and stopped rubbing her face against his chest.

"Granger? What are you doing?" Draco whispered.

"Mmh, don't like storm... tired... goodnight." Her voice was sleepy and she wasn't really awake when she said it.

Draco smiled and closed his eyes. He had almost forgotten the feeling of happiness. It was like a sudden warmth spreading throughout his entire body.

His fingers tingled as he touched Hermione's bare upper arm.

Hermione freaking Granger, of all people.

He was really glad that his ex-childhood enemy had come back into his life.