**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter the amazingly talented JK Rowling does…I just enjoy playing with her characters.

Chapter 6:

Daylight streamed in through the windows with a chilly breeze, stirring Draco from his bed. Clad in the pinstripe pajama bottoms, he ambled to the window and closed it before stretching and inspecting his scars. They looked months old already, deep twisted grooves peppered is side before tapering off up his chest. The door opened and Hermione walked in as he was grimacing at his scars. "They look good" she said making him jump as her cold fingers brushed over his skin.

"Granger" he said through gritted teeth before clasping her hand in his. She looked up at him in confusion at his sudden reaction.

"What? It's not like I haven't seen them before Malfoy…"

"Not that…your hands are ridiculously cold" he wrapped his other hand around her one, attempting to warm the icy digits.

"I think that's because your core temperature has risen" she said through a snicker "and winter is coming up fast, we're going to have to buy some more firewood we're too low." After a moment or two she removed her hand from his and inspected his side again. Gooseflesh rose over his pale skin and Draco found himself biting his lip to suppress a moan as her fingers trailed his flesh. "Really Malfoy, my hands aren't that cold" she chided after he jumped back from her touching the tips of his scars. The feel of her hands unnerved him almost as much as the images of her bent over his bed as he...no he shook his head in attempt to clear his mind.

"I think it's all healed, thanks to my medi-witch" he said with a smirk. "Uh I guess that means we can go to the market today." He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke and stared at the floor. "I…uh…I guess I'll have to borrow more of Weasley's clothes" he said blushing.

"Oh yeah, here" she opened her beaded bag and summoned a pair of Ron's jeans (they were nearly the same height), a white jumper, a checkered flannel, and a maroon sweater.

"I am not wearing that" he said with a scathing tone "it even has an R on it…Granger I am not…"

"I wouldn't expect you to, I was planning on transfiguring it into a coat for you if you'd stop being such a child." He pursed his lips as he stared at the clothes. Thankfully his black boots and socks were still in the room. Rolling his eyes, he took the clothes and started dressing.

Hermione flushed and turned her back as he slipped off the pajama's, before aiming her wand at the sweater and turning it into a black knit jacket. Turning around she stifled a giggle as she stared at Draco in baggie jeans and oversized jumpers. "Don't" he warned noticing her losing battle with laughter. "Granger…it's not funny."

Laughter bubbled up as she covered her mouth. She'd never seen Draco Malfoy look so unkempt; though he was tall and muscular he wasn't nearly as broad chested as Ron. He growled at her and shook his head "Yes it's very ha ha, now could you please fix them? I refuse to be seen in public like this" he quipped. She bit her lip as she regained control and aimed her wand to adjust the clothes to conform better to his size. "Thank you" he growled before stalking over and forcing on his boots.

Hermione smiled and shook her head before heading to the door "I'm going to change, I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast." Draco nodded and waved her off as he laced up his boots. Quickly finishing he made his way downstairs for the first time since he'd arrived. Immediately he headed toward the kitchen, pleased to find it bright, airy, and inviting. He was rummaging through the fridge when she stepped into the room.

"I can make eggs and toast before we go if you like?" Hermione had snuck up behind him causing him to jump before she crossed the kitchen to pull out the skillet, butter, and eggs.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" she asked.

"Sneak up on me. I didn't even hear y…you used a silencing spell, didn't you?" he narrowed his eyes at her.

"I did" she conceded while nervously nibbling her lip. "I thought it'd help you. I understand that your hearing's sensitive and I figured it'd annoy you to listen to me traipsing around the house…the floors creak and well…I just thought it'd help" she said in a rush.

Silence greeted her as he was unsure of what to say. Knowing she had tried something to make his life easier caused his stomach to flip but it also upset him. He wouldn't tell her, but he liked knowing where she was…it soothed the wolf knowing she was close by.

Crossing his arms, he leaned back against the counter and watched her. He swallowed hard as his eyes roved her body; she was wearing a pair of tight jeans that hugged her curves, a white ribbed tank, and a light blue plaid flannel. His groin tightened and his wolf began to stir once more; shifting his weight he inquired about the plates and began to set the table.

It wasn't until they were half way through breakfast that Draco told her "You don't have to do that." She looked at him curiously so he pressed on "Silence your feet, I mean I appreciate why you did it but…well I'd rather be able to hear you. It's comforting…I can't explain it" he stared at his plate unsure of her reaction.

"Okay" she said as she continued eating. His brows furrowed as he looked up at her.

"Okay?"

"If it makes you feel better I won't silence my steps."

"Thanks. How far is the market?" he asked changing the subject.

"Not far, just a short walk like we took to Hogsmeade."

"I have some money, I could help with groceries too" he said nearly finished with his food. "Damn," he said slamming his hand on the table "I didn't think about it…this is a muggle town…ugh how could I forget..."

"Malfoy relax, there's a bank in town and a wizard there who can trade your coins out."

"I can't exactly just walk into the bank Granger" he growled. "I'm probably on the most wanted list, right beneath the golden trio."

"We'll alter your appearance and use a notice-me-not spell. You only need to exchange your money not make any withdraws. So, you can use a fake name" she shrugged as if it were so simple.

"You think it'll work? What if they recognize the scars? You do know you can't alter cursed scars."

"Of course, I know you can't" she snapped. "Yes, it'll work. I don't need to alter your scars just the rest of your appearance. Once you've traded your money we can get what you need." With that they quietly finished their meal and cleaned up.

Standing in the living room Draco waited patiently as Hermione circled him, deep in thought. After her second time around, she started muttering a few incantations. He felt his hair lengthen and curl at the base of his neck just before a thick dark brown beard grew upon his face. After a few more moments she stepped back and smiled.

"Go on, take a look. I don't think anyone's going to recognize you now" she said grinning. Draco turned to the mirror hanging over the mantel and saw she had turned his hair the same dark brown as the beard. The beard was so thick it nearly covered all of his scars; If beards weren't so itchy I'd grow one to hide them all the time he thought. She had even changed the color of his eyes…it was unnerving to see himself looking like a groundskeeper but he couldn't deny that the banker wouldn't recognize him.

They left the house and made quick work of the walk to town. Seeing the picturesque village in the daylight brought a smile to both their faces. Children played kick ball in the cobblestone streets and they watched as a few old ladies watered their fall flowers. As a whole, the village seemed completely untouched by the war.

Sitting at the intersection of the two main roads leading through the village sat the bank. It had tall windows trimmed in white with gold letters reading 'Upper Flagley Bank and Loans.'

Hermione sat on a wrought iron bench in front of the boarded-up store next door while Draco hesitantly made his way to the door. As he approached the 'Enter' door, scrolled writing appeared upon the sign reading 'Wizarding Banker Thomas Kettlehorn'. Taking a breath, he pushed the door open and walked inside. The bank was small with pale yellow walls, wood trim, and two teller windows.

Finding the office had been easy, as there were only three, the wizard behind the desk was a pudgy old man with beetle black eyes and a nasally voice. He chatted to Draco about the weather and inquired about how long he'd be in town as he traded half of his galleons for a number of funny looking papers. Draco nodded and vaguely answered the man before quickly departing and meeting back up with Granger.

Breathing in the crisp air Draco quickly rushed to Hermione waving the notes around to show his success before slipping them into his pocket. She smiled at him and after glancing around to make sure no one noticed she muttered a finite, bringing back his straight platinum blonde hair and ridding his face of the scruffy beard. "Much better" she whispered as she unconsciously reached up and cupped his scarred cheek. Draco felt heat creep up his neck as her soft hand caressed his face.

Feeling her fingers trace his scars brought him back and he gently took her hand, removing it from his face before glowering at the ground. He held her hand loosely, waiting for her to extract it and turn away.

Standing in the middle of town Hermione watched Draco's face morph from elation at her touch (though it'd been instinct and unintentional) to disgust and rejection. However, she noticed it wasn't rejection of her…but of his scars. He probably thought they made him undesirable. Or maybe he was upset she'd removed his disguise…but honestly, they didn't need it with all the muggles out and she preferred his natural look.

She felt his tentative hold on her hand and instead of pulling away she laced her fingers through his, drawing a shocked look from him. Giving him a wry smile, she turned and pulled him down the street. "We've lots to do and the shops are only open for so long" she said in a rush, hoping to bring about a happier mood.

Within a few strides Draco's long legs were able to help him catch up with Hermione, personally, he didn't care to be dragged through town like a petulant child. They talked about which shops they should visit first and agreed that finding new clothes would take the longest. Keeping her hand in his they made their way to one of the few men's stores in town. There he found and purchased a variety of outfits, most of which were jeans (the shop didn't carry business clothes), khakis, tees, several knit jumpers, and a black winter pea coat. Hermione couldn't complain about his choice of colors as each of the greens, silvers, blacks, and blues looked amazing on him. He avoided bright colors and with his complexion she couldn't blame him.

After making his purchases they stopped by the pharmacy to gather a few toiletries before heading to the market. They'd spoken throughout the trip and she found he rather hated shopping. He explained that his mother would constantly drag him on various trips each summer where he would have to try on hundreds of clothes and not only listen to her advice but give his own when it was her turn.

She giggled, imagining him in a posh shop with his mother trying on various garments while asking Draco which color looked better the olive or the forest green. He rolled his eyes at her laughter before taking her hand once again and making their way to the farmer's market.

Hermione smiled to herself as he slipped his hand in hers. She refused to say anything because she was pretty certain he wasn't aware of what he was doing. Throughout the day he had stayed close by her side, unless he was trying on clothes. She wasn't perturbed by his hovering proximity but judging by his actions it was sub-conscious. Testing her theory, she had waited until he was comparing shirts before she would move to another rack. He closed the distance within seconds, she did this five more times, each time he would put back whatever he was looking at and move next to her.

Rounding one last corner they approached the farmer's market in the center of town. Booths lined the square with various red, blue, and green canvas covers protecting the varieties of fruits, vegetables, sweets, jams, breads, and other various goods. Hermione offered to split up to gather food quickly but Draco wouldn't hear of it. He grudgingly released her hand when she sauntered over to the nearest fruit vendor knowing she'd need both of her extremities free to gather supplies, but continued to follow her closely as she perused each stand.

As they moved from booth to booth, he found several people taking a second look at him or staring for a few seconds longer than normal before turning away. Whenever he caught them, he would clench his jaw and divert his gaze to Hermione or the product at the stand. He was simply grateful no one said anything.

Before long, he found himself laden with bags (which was surprising as he already held eight from their earlier shopping), he wished, not for the first time, that he had his wand to shrink them or at least make them feather light. He frowned as she approached yet another booth "Granger I don't think I'll be able to carry much more, are we finished yet?" he grumbled.

"Don't worry I've got these. We've only one last booth and the butcher's before we head back." He nodded in agreement even though he was irritated. They'd been outside too long and there were too many people. His wolf refused to let her out of arms reach and he found himself scowling at the men who flirted with her.

Approaching the final booth, he noted the man standing behind it eyeing Hermione with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. He was tall, dark haired, and had one of the smiles that Draco used to use on ladies before bringing them home. The wolf began to growl inside him at the man's obvious intent; attempting to tamp down the rage he felt he stepped directly behind Hermione "Are you just about done love?" he asked while leaning in to her. She blinked rapidly, flushing as she stammered.

"Y-yes, I just was trying to decide between blackberry and black raspberry jam" she was flustered and clearly confused by his actions.

"Buy both, we'll use them" he said while staring into her wide brown eyes. Both he and the wolf were pleased she wasn't questioning him. Childish or not he was making it clear she was off limits to the eager salesman. She nodded and flushed as she picked up the jars to purchase them.

The merchant glared at Draco momentarily before informing them of the price as he bagged the jars. Before holding out their change and the bag the man asked "What happened to you buddy" with a clipped tone causing Draco and Hermione to stiffen. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him clearly irate at his crass question.

"Not that it's any of your business" she said in a scathing tone before Draco could respond "but it's an injury from war. I'm certain your parents raised you with better manners than that, but as they don't seem to be around let me remind you. It's rude to ask questions like that, especially to a customer. Next time I'd advise you to bite your tongue" she snapped before taking her change and the bag he held in his hands. Turning she linked her arm through Draco's and proceeded to drag him away.

Draco's eyes were downcast as he let her steer him through the town. He remained silent, listening to Hermione seethe and grumble about bad manners and disrespect. "Granger" he said in a low voice, stopping her before she ran into a few people in her anger.

"What?" she asked glancing up at him.

"Can you slow down and stop dragging me…I'm alright I won't go and attack the man" he stated as calmly as he could.

We should his wolf groused.

Draco could admit that he wasn't happy with the way in which the man had openly flirted with his woman...No, not his. She wasn't his he reminded himself.

She could be the wolf argued.

"I didn't think you would. Though now that I think about it, I should have considered it" she exhaled and shook her head in irritation. "He shouldn't have asked you such an offensive question. I don't know what he was thinking. It was incredib..."

"He wanted you," he growled out "he was pointing out my flaws to make himself seem more appealing." His voice was tight as he spoke realizing it was something he'd done several times in the past. Merlin, it seemed karma had come back and was biting him in the arse now.

"He did not want me Malfoy, he was just curiou..." he laughed at her naivety.

"Granger, he was making passes at you from the moment you walked up. Hell, half the merchants you spoke with were eyeing you today. Most of them didn't say much because they thought you were with me…he was just trying to get rid of me" he added irritably as she looked appalled.

"Malfoy, I think you must have hit your head harder than I thought…they were not eyeing me. There's…I'm…they just weren't" she huffed.

Draco eyed her as she bit her lip and stared at the ground. He set the bags down before grasping her chin and tilting her head back. "Do you really think because it took your idiotic friends' years to realize you're a beautiful female that the rest of the male population hasn't? Every one of those guys today saw that. The last one was a prat and thought he'd try his luck. Don't argue" he said as she opened her mouth to retort. "He thought pointing out my scars would make you see how much better looking he is and that you'd give it a go with him…I'm sorry if I overstepped by calling you love. I just didn't like the guy…" he trailed off afraid of overstepping and trying like hell not to stare at her slightly parted mouth.

"Malfoy, I didn't think of him that way…and honestly, trying to get my attention by insulting the man I am with is no way to garner my affections…and you didn't over step. I can take care of myself but it's sweet of you to do so" his cheeks tinted a slight pink before he dropped his hand and stepped back to gather the bags.

"I expected it, the staring and the questions. Surprised it took so long honestly" he muttered.

"Malfoy" she touched his shoulder effectively stopping him "it'll just take time. I know you don't like them…but they honestly aren't that bad" she said earnestly as he scoffed.

"Don't okay, just…" he took a deep breath. "Karma's come back for me with a vengeance...deforming my body so I can feel the ridicule I've dealt. So just don't." His mouth set into a grim line, pulling on the jagged scars as he glared at the pavement. Hermione reached up to cup his cheek and he grabbed her wrist pulling it back slightly. Pursing her lips, she stepped forward, causing him to look at her with a questioning stare. Leaning forward she whispered in his ear, sending shudders down his spine.

"I'll tell you a secret Malfoy, brains mean more than looks…but just so you know I think the scars look good on you" she turned her head and placed a gentle kiss on his damaged cheek before turning around and heading into the butcher's shop.

Draco stood rooted to the spot as a blush creeped up his neck. The tips of his fingers traced the heated spot where her lips had touched before he shook his head and bent to gather the rest of the bags. She's just being nice, that's how Granger is...nice. She's not interested, why would she be after everything I've done?

Fool was all his wolf grumbled.

Draco entered the shop and froze; raw meat was everywhere and heaven help him it smelled delicious. While salivating he sauntered up behind Hermione and asked to buy a little of everything in the shop. She giggled when his stomach growled before finishing her order…completely ignoring his request for double the amount of pork chops.

After paying the butcher Hermione had to practically drag Draco from the shop, gold had flickered into his eyes and she worried he'd lose control. "Ma…" she paused not wanting the butcher to hear his name "Mason let's go! I'll cook up some pork chops for supper." Draco looked at her incredulously before following her out.

"Mason?" he questioned after the door closed behind them.

"It's the first name I could think of! I didn't want to say Malfoy in front of the man…just in case" she rolled her eyes and walked around to the ally. Looking around to make sure they were alone she started shrinking nearly all of her bags and putting them in two before turning and gesturing for him to put his down so she could continue. Handling the charmed bags was much easier and didn't strain his arms like before.

The walk back to the cottage was relatively shorter than he expected. Without the anxiety of being discovered or worrying over the questions he would receive, he seemed to be walking at a brisker pace…that or he simply was hungry and eagerly wanted to get home for dinner. Since his attack he found himself hungrier than usual which, as he'd read in the books Hermione'd left on his nightstand, was a common side effect that went hand in hand with his increased metabolism. They walked over fallen leaves and spoke about the shops and town before Draco opened the gate for her.

Inside the house Hermione returned the bags to normal size and began putting the groceries away before she shooed Draco from the kitchen to have him put his own purchases away. Humming she turned back to the fridge and rearranged the shelves once more before pulling out the pans, spices, pork chops, and potatoes to begin supper.

Upstairs Draco took his time removing the tags from his new clothes before putting them away in the closet and chest of drawers. After nearly an hour everything was cleaned and put away, he'd even taken the time to change into his own jeans and a light grey jumper. Heading back down the stairs he entered the kitchen as Hermione was peeling potatoes.

"Need any help?" he asked as she looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"You know how to cook?"

"No, but it can't be that hard" he said before holding up Ron's clothing. "I didn't know where to put the dirty clothes."

"Just set them by the door. I'll take care of them. I have laundry of my own to do too" he nodded and followed suit. "You can peel the potatoes and I'll get started on the pork chops and salad" she said gesturing to the counter that held two bowls, one filled with unpeeled potatoes and the other peeled. She handed him a metal tool and explained how to do it.

Fifteen minutes in and Draco regretted offering to help with the bloody meal. He'd nicked his fingers a few times, not hard enough to draw blood but it still stung, and his wrists were hurting from the repetitive motion. The only thing that kept him from throwing the damn peeler was how close he was to her. The scent of lavender, vanilla, and dinner enveloped him as they stood a half foot apart. Every now and then she would brush up against him, accidentally he was sure because she was concentrating on cooking and moving around the small kitchen gathering various items here and there.

He found it amusing that she didn't use magic to help her,figuring it was either because doing it the slow way helped pass the time or because she simply enjoyed doing things the hard way. He wasn't sure. But he definitely enjoyed watching her in the tight jeans from the corner of his eye.

After the last potato was peeled Hermione praised him for his work and proceeded to talk him through how to cook them down into mashed potatoes with rosemary, garlic, and butter. Soon supper was ready and they ate while talking amicably about food. Well, Hermione talked and Draco listened, asking questions here and there as he absorbed about half of what she prattled on about. He enjoyed listening to her and the mundane conversation seemed to keep the dangers of war and their fears at bay.

After dinner they both cleaned up and Draco went outside for more firewood. By the time he came back inside, she was snuggled into the corner of one sofa under a blanket, her nose in an ancient looking tome. He shook his head upon seeing her, Some things never change he thought as he added the logs to the fire. Though there was another couch and two chairs in the room Draco sat on the other end of hers. She lifted her legs to give him space to sit and automatically placed her feet onto his lap.

Draco was surprised by her boldness but pleased she was so relaxed around him. The corners of his mouth upturned before he looked up from her feet. It was then he noticed she was holding out the book he'd been reading the night before. Reaching out he took the book and sunk back into the couch to read in companionable silence.