Thanks for the reviews and comments!

I did have some negative feedback on the trope of "woman suddenly dressing up and becoming attractive" but that was less the intent I was going for (despite it somewhat being used for Hermione at Yule Ball in GoF). I would say what I'm aiming for, probably for the majority of this novel, is the idea that Hermione wanted to debunk "good girl-nerdy" stereotype and that she represents woman are multi-faceted individuals who have diverse ranges of interests and hobbies. While she's being particularly deceitful with Draco, she's otherwise been living her muggle world life as she has so far pleased—she already owned that clothes because she already has liked dressing up for her own self and pleasure.

I appreciate the comments none-the-less and will strive to give better representation.

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Tucked into a quiet trove of unique stores was a single, converted theater that played random movies during the off seasons when they did not use the theatre for their live action plays. The prices were more than fair compared to a traditional movie theater but you never knew what movie they'd be playing that night. Despite this, Hermione felt that the small theatre might be a better introduction to non-magical movies. Furthermore it was close enough to walk to her favorite Italian restaurant.

She met Draco at the same spot as their first date. She felt his eyes before meeting them; this time he was the one waiting for her. His usual dark suit contrasted against the brilliance of his skin and hair as he smirked easily at her.

"I'd think you only have one suit, but I can see there are clearly different details." She said as she flicked the lapel of his jacket. "All classic black." She commented smirking.

"It's a good color." He defended and she smiled.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked extending her hand and smiling as he took it. "I even made reservations for dinner—but that's not until later." She said cheekily. Draco's cheeks tinged pink beside her and she giggled. "Innocent blunder, I know." He cleared his throat in response.

"So where exactly are we going?" He inquired as they slowly walked away from the Magical entrance.

"We," she said with a deliberate pause, "are going to the cinema!" She said excitedly. She was unsure if he had ever heard of movies so she continued on for context. "We won't know what we will be watching, it's a smaller independent theatre but the film will be a global release film and probably the standard length of any movie—I hope so at least, I only planned for a two hour movie because right after is my favorite Italian place." She rambled before pausing. He seemed contemplative and she felt distinctly that he had no idea what she was talking about. "Are you okay with surprises?" He turned to her then, breathed deeply, and smiled softly at her.

"I think I'll be okay." He said softly and Hermione felt herself blush before turning to face the walking path.

"I found this theatre by accident, you know." She continued awkwardly. "The best things are found by accident."

"Or the worst things." He said darkly. She frowned.

"Perhaps the disparity from the best and the worst is what makes the worst so bad and the best so good." She opined.

"Yet wouldn't you have preferred to have always been happy? Instead of having had sad times to make your happier times so much better?" He asked. Hermione paused walking, surprised by his question. He stopped when he noticed and turned back to look at her.

"I can't say I know which way would be best. Perhaps I should say something along the lines as: 'sad times are good for you or how they shape your character'—but ignorance is bliss and we all yearn to be happy." She admitted. Draco chuckled softly, demeanor lightening, and tugged her gently forward to begin walking again.

"I suppose you will just have to comfort yourself in knowing that you can't be ignorant forever so the choice has already been made." He said drolly. She laughed.

"I suppose so." She mused back. She took the lead as they continued the walk to the theatre. They arrived quickly despite it being located far enough from the center of the city to be busy or crowded. She stopped before it. "This is it." She said proudly, pausing before the building to show it off with exaggerated gestures. "Ta-da!"

"How exactly did you find this place?" Draco asked as he peered up at the ancient building. The lights had begun to illuminate the street in a warm glow, different from the bright, cold lights of the better-lit streets. The theatre itself was quiet and unassuming. It had been a wallflower that caught her eye when she had felt like a wallflower herself. Like called to like and while she no longer considered herself a wallflower, the building still possessed a certain charm.

"It drew my eye." She said with fondness. She moved to the window where she noticed excitedly what was playing. "Two tickets to the Little Mermaid, please." Hermione said. Draco moved to reach for his wallet beside her. "Put that wallet away, Draco; I am paying for this movie so help me!" She menaced. Draco narrowed his eyes at her as she received the tickets from the teller.

"Only if I pay for dinner." He compromised. Hermione narrowed her eyes back but smirked.

"We shall see." Hermione said as she guided them towards popcorn. "Now I don't want to spoil our appetite but movie popcorn is a must!" She let him pay, fully intending to pay for dinner instead. They sat down and Draco gazed around impassively. She could still feel a twitch of hesitation beneath his façade. She glanced around the theatre, pleased with the limited attendance. She offered him popcorn and he seemed to eat it as an excuse to do something and she felt a twinge of guilt. It was seemingly unfair that he probably held so many questions—she doubted he'd ever seen a movie before—and he restrained himself from asking because of the statue of secrecy. All because he didn't know that she knew.

Her opinion changed however, when she watched Draco watch the movie. It was a joyous thing. His face had been wary at the sights and sounds but the technology had astounded him. She snuck glances at him throughout the film, giddy with his barely contained amazement. She felt less guilty about dragging him out to the movies when she could so clearly see his enjoyment; he wouldn't have dared to go to her Muggle Grams and certainly not with Hermione Granger privately.

The film ended, but Hermione lingered in her nostalgia of the film. "Did you like it?" She asked with thinly concealed excitement. Draco laughed.

"I've never seen anything like it!" Draco said in such boyish wonder, Hermione paused in awe. She smiled sincerely in response.

"I'm glad you like it; it was my favorite movie when I was younger." Hermione said as they left the building to stroll outside.

"Your favorite?" He repeated amused. She nodded.

"When I was younger, I wanted to be a mermaid." Hermione admitted.

"Reasonable dream." Draco declared with a smirk. "What stopped you?" He teased.

"I'm rather a poor swimmer." Hermione laughed. "Seemed like a requisite for being a mermaid." Draco laughed.

"I doubt mermaids look like that." Draco said with a secret knowledge. "Besides, I don't care for red heads—I prefer brunettes." He said while playfully tugging on a wisp of her short brown hair. Hermione felt herself flush and her heart beat increased speed.

"I actually really loved the movie when I was younger because I felt very much like Ariel-very out of place where ever I went." She admitted sadly. Draco peered at her with a serious expression.

"How do you feel now?" he asked. She smiled slightly.

"A fish out of water, still. But I think I'm finding my place after all." She said serenely.

"I feel a bit out of place, myself." Draco admitted softly. Hermione felt her breath catch at the admission and politely indicated for him to continue. "It's a sharp comparison to when I was younger and felt for so long that my place in life was already assured, until it went pear-shaped a few years ago." He explained.

"It must be daunting." Hermione stated breathlessly—she had never expected such a confession. Draco nodded in affirmation.

"Incredibly so."

"But I think it must be exciting and freeing." Hermione wondered aloud. Draco looked at her puzzled, as if he had never considered the idea.

"Yea." He said finally with a small smile. "I suppose it is a bit freeing." She smiled so wide her cheeks started to hurt.

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The restaurant was dim and small. It was much nicer than the pub they had gone to for their first date but not quite fancy enough to be comparable to Draco's usual dining. He glanced at Rose who seemed to be glowing with a soft happiness. The other times Draco had seen her she had been fiery; she felt inviting but just as likely to burn. The dangerous and challenging mien had shifted to something welcoming and warm. The host greeted her and she gave them her name. They were led to a private table that was partially hidden behind a wall and indoor plants. The host held out Rose's chair so Draco sat across from her, watching as she daintily placed the napkin on her lap. Draco's mother would have approved of her manners.

"What do your parents do?" Draco asked as he perused the wine list.

"Oh, they're dentists," Rose answered casually as she continued to look at the menu. Draco thought of a bushy-haired brunette from Hogwarts.

"You're the second person I know who has both parents as dentists—is it common?" Draco commented without thinking. Rose flinched at his question and looked up from the menu. She gave him a strange look and Draco wondered if he had somehow insulted her.

"Is your dentist also married to another dentist?" She finally asked and Draco looked at her blankly.

"My dentist is not." He finally answered because he did not actually have a dentist—he had magic. Rose smiled at him and the strange awkwardness passed.

"My parents met in college—they were both the same year and took all the same classes together because they both wanted to be dentists." She explained. "They were actually extremely competitive with each other. Mum says she was the top of the class and Dad was second behind her. Dad says he ultimately won because he asked her to marry him first. What about your parents?"

"My father is a businessman and my mother is a socialite." Draco responded. Rose laughed at him.

"That explains the arrogance." She accused jovially.

"I prefer the term 'confidence,'" he retorted, eyeing her with faux disdain. She laughed.

"You were so confident that you picked a wine choice for me?" She chastised as she held up her red wine. Draco shrugged.

"Is it a poor choice?" he asked. Rose narrowed her eyes at him in contemplation before sipping the wine.

"Apparently not." She conceded. "You're lucky—this time." But she was still smiling so Draco continued to smirk back. "So you don't have any siblings, do you?" She asked. Draco shook his head.

"Actually, my mother said that she wanted more but I was a difficult pregnancy—despite the help money could buy." Draco admitted. Rose nodded.

"Difficult from day one—I see. My parents wanted another child as well but they said I was so precocious that they didn't think they would have the time. Though they were rather old when they had me and I think that was the bigger factor." She added as an afterthought.

"Do you ever wish that you had sibling?" Draco asked. Rose seemed to contemplate before him.

"I did—for quite some time. Interesting enough precociousness tends to alienate people your age. I thought that if I had a sibling they would be intelligent like me and we would have each other and never be alone." She answered, resting her head on her bent hand. She peered at him. "What about you?"

"My mother doted on me heavily so I was hardly lonely." Draco explained. "I had my family's full attention and expectations." He paused. "I think having siblings would perhaps have split that attention and expectations between us—so I suppose I'm glad I didn't have any siblings." He was indeed glad he didn't have any younger siblings—he would have hated them having the same experiences that he had as a Death Eater's son.

"Well, Draco, I suppose that much like our theories on ignorance, our theoretical siblings are also irrelevant." Rose said with a self-deprecating smile.

When their food came Draco was surprised it was so good. Rose eyed him with an almost annoyingly knowing grin. "It's good—isn't it?" She accused, humored.

"It's certainly better than our first date—but I think this food would taste even better if we spent hours looking for this restaurant." He joked. The spoke easily throughout dinner and he was surprised by the flirtatious banter that seemed to flow between them. When they first met, he had had an instant attraction—a strange energy that brought his attention to her. He was glad he still felt it. Despite Rose's initial hesitation, it seemed like she enjoyed it as well.

Desert came and Draco was surprised to find a pastry in front of him. Rose had the same pastry before her and looked at it ecstatically. She beamed at him.

"Cannoli's are my favorite dessert and these are my favorite of all!" She exclaimed. She gestured for him to bite delicately into the sweet and creamy dessert as she did the same. She closed her eyes in ecstasy. Draco felt himself flush at her expression. He dimly acknowledged that the dessert was indeed delicious. Rose opened her eyes to stare at him. "Good?" She asked. Draco nodded.

"Admittedly, you seem to be enjoying it more than I am-am I doing it wrong?" He smirked. Rose blushed.

"I really like Cannoli." She defended. "My parents—the dentists—didn't allow sweets. I only ever ate them for special occasions or when I was at boarding school." She admitted. "Other pastries are a little too sweet—but cannoli are perfection." She took another bite happily and Draco heard her hum in contentment. It sounded familiar but he ignored it as he watched her savor.

"I admit that I might be envious." Draco said as he eyed her. "It seems like this cannoli is more entertaining than I could ever hope to be." She laughed and hushed him.

"Food is a memory and this was where I had my first cannoli." She elaborated. "I found this place after I watched my first movie at that very theatre." She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "Admittedly, I get a cannoli at every restaurant that has one—but this is still my favorite." She leaned back and finished the cannoli delicately. Draco ate his as well, relishing the sweet flavor. If food was a memory, he wanted to savor this memory here—Rose content before him as she licked her fingers of the remains of the cream filling. It would be a better memory than he tended to keep and a better dream if he could manage to have it instead of the usual nightmares.

Rose left for the bathroom and Draco paid the bill, tipping what he had hoped was appropriate but figured was actually not when the waiter thanked him profusely. He had thought he was getting better at the Muggle money but he had never been particularly good with any money when he never had to worry about it. She returned and glared at him flustered.

"You paid the bill?!" She exclaimed.

"I thought that was the compromise for the movie?" He said sarcastically. She flushed more and he snickered at her expression.

"You are rude!" She said decidedly. Draco outright laughed.

"I thought it was rather a polite gesture." He stated. He watched her fume, her face pinched, and mouth pursed. He laughed again and gestured for her to go before him. She narrowed her eyes and huffed at him before exiting the establishment, each step punctuated with her annoyance. He hadn't realized how hilarious she was when she was wound up; Draco yearned to repeat the performance. For now, however, he waited patiently for her to calm down and she did so fairly quickly.

"I could've paid, you know?" She said sullenly. He found her pout equally charming.

"Yes, little mermaid, but I also had no trouble paying. My parents are the businessman and socialite—remember?" He joked and she reluctantly smiled. "Besides, I distinctly remember claiming that I would pay for dinner." She huffed good naturedly.

"You win this time." She declared.

"So I'm two-for-two?" He smirked, raising his eyebrow. She tapped him lightly on his arm with her purse.

"Arrogant." She accused.

"Confident." Draco corrected. He still could see the upward tilt of her lips.

They strolled pleasantly back towards Diagon Alley, slower on their return back. He eyed Rose whose reoccurring flush belayed the crack beneath her confident façade. He felt strangely charmed by her bravado, preferring a mask like that to the cold glares of his own. Their hands touched and he could not say which one took the initiative to grasp the others. It was rather that they were apart and suddenly intertwined and Draco could feel his own flush creep up his neck. He enjoyed the easy acceptance she gave. He had enjoyed the film and he wondered if the experience was equivalent to Muggles seeing magic for the first time. He had to admit that there were some things Muggles had that he coveted—films and Rose.

A light drizzle began to fall and Rose gasped as the cold water descended.

"This would have been so much lovelier as snow." Rose commented as the rain suddenly began a deluge. Draco lamented his inability to use his wand as they hustled below a store front awning. They huddled against the wall, soaked from their short jaunt, and watched as the rain began to pour. Rose's suppressed giggle tumbled forth into laughter and Draco was captivated by her mirth. He chuckled at her amusement as she settled into a semblance of calm.

"We are not good at dates. You forget reservations, I forget umbrellas and to check weather reports." Rose laughed.

"It is good luck to have rain on a second date." Draco stated and Rose tilted her head to the left.

"Is it really?" She asked disbelieving but unsure. Draco laughed again and Rose rapped her knuckle lightly on his chest in reprimand.

"It isn't but I think if I keep saying it—it will be true." Draco determined and Rose's reprimanding scowl faded into an amused smirk.

They huddled beneath the awning as the rain poured. The roads and sidewalk were empty and the world hummed with the loud droplets hitting the pavement and buildings. The air was chill, the night was dark, but the streetlight glowed amber-yellow hues through the rising fog. It was benign in the muggle world, he determined. He looked down at Rose who shivered slightly and he reached out to take her in his arms. She welcomed his warmth with a shy smile. She turned to face him and his hands rested on the small of her back.

"Should we brave the flood for a taxi?" She asked and Draco smirked.

"Are you in a hurry?" He asked and she shook her head slightly.

"No. But aren't you?" She asked surprised. He shook his head.

"No, I seem to have an opening in my schedule right now." He said playfully. She smiled.

"Oh? An opening? What shall you be doing with your free time?" Rose questioned playfully. Draco pretended to ponder.

"Something entertaining, I think. Something fun." He looked at her expectantly and she smirked.

"I think I could use some entertainment as well." Rose announced and he was pleased when she initiated the kiss. The world melded into the softening patter of rain and he kissed Rose beyond his senses.

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The rain had ended before they separated. They were only a few blocks from the entrance to Diagon Alley where they had met. Hermione pulled from the kiss with extreme reluctance and she lingered in his arms.

"That was-," She began but faltered. He looked at her expectantly. "-entertaining." She concluded. She shivered and he tightened his grip on her. She lamented that using magic would expose her as Hermione—as someone she very much doubted Draco would kiss so soundly. The thought made her solemn and she pulled out of his arms. "Ready?" She asked extending a hand. He nodded with a half-smile and took her hand, interlocking their fingers.

They walked back leisurely to the entrance of Diagon Alley. Hermione heard a soft noise that slowly increased in frequency. She eyed Draco who seemed to be humming. Her lips tugged into a smile when she recognized the song.

"Kiss the girl?" She asked disbelieving. He shrugged.

"Compelling song. For some reason it seems to be in my head." He said nonchalantly. She laughed.

"I wonder why." She asked dryly.

"Probably the crab—he was very encouraging." He stated and Hermione laughed again.

"You're secretly funny." Hermione announced. He smiled at her declaration.

"I am funny." He said proudly and she rapped him with the back of her hand.

"Arrogant." She muttered.

"Confident." He amended. Hermione couldn't fight the smile off her face as they said goodnight. This time he did not walk her back to her apartment but she was confident he could contact her again—maybe even phone her.

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Hermione had a surprising amount of energy after her date with Draco. She felt the absurd amount of pent up energy that hadn't died since she first brazenly kissed Draco. For someone who had so little time dating, he had been an excellent kisser. She sighed as she felt her face flush. Looking down at the same paragraph on sprites and brownie legislation, Hermione concluded her attempt at constructive reading was a bust. She set her book down and walked leisurely to the personal pole she had placed in the middle of her apartment. She had already changed into her comfortable clothing but she shed them now so she had minimal cover. Her hands graced the cool metal and she circled it slowly. It was convenient to have her own practice studio in her apartment. With magic it was permanently stuck in position but she could easily hide the evidence if anyone came over—which they never did.

She let go of the pole and walked towards her stereo system. It was the perfect distance away to not be affected by the magic that existed in her apartment. She turned the system on and walked back towards her dancing partner. Each step more confident than the last. Dancing empowered her in a similar way that magic had. It filtered her emotions and readied her soul.

"I'm so into you, I can barely breathe
And all I wanna do is fall in deep."

Even better—it let her expunge her extra energy. She pulled herself up, relishing the tension in her arms.

"Oh baby, look what you started
The temperature's rising in here."

Hermione wrapped her legs around the pole, flexing her abs as she released her gripped hands.

"So Baby, come light me up and baby I'll let you on it.
A little bit dangerous, but baby, that's how I want it."

She thought of Draco's expressions as he watched Rose dance and wondered what kind of conniption he'd have if he saw Hermione do the same motion. She rolled her hips and dragged her hands up her body, flipping her long curly hair as she arched.

"Got everyone watchin' us, so baby, let's keep it secret.
A little bit scandalous, but baby, don't let them see it."

Maybe Draco would be able to reconcile Hermione and Rose—he had been shocked but favorable towards Hermione at the bar. She wound herself around the bar and spun herself—wild, yet controlled.

"A little less conversation and a little more touch my body.
Cause I'm so into you, into you, into you."

Hermione finished in time with the song, breathing heavily as she realized something that now seemed exceedingly obvious; she wasn't just curious about Draco Malfoy—she was attracted to Draco Malfoy.

Hermione went over to the Weasley's for Sunday dinner in a right state. She greeted the boys fondly as they played a pre-dinner Quidditch match. She sat with Ginny and tried to find calm her frazzled nerves. She looked at Ginny seemed like she was constantly growing every time Hermione stopped by.

"I've already gone up a size." Ginny announced and Hermione blushed when she realized she had been caught staring.

"You look good!" Hermione placated. Ginny laughed.

"Lies. But that's irrelevant. What I'm more interested in is the fact that you saw Viktor this past week and you are humming the Little Mermaid's 'Kiss the Girl'" Ginny noticed. Hermione blinked at her. "Yea, I recognize the song. I've been on a Disney kick ever since Harry introduced me to movies." Ginny answered Hermione's unspoken question. Hermione blinked at her again. Ginny attempted a graceless kick at Hermione.

"Nothing happened with Viktor, Ginny!" Hermione declared, embarrassed that she hadn't even realized she was humming. "We decided that our time was over and we're just friends." Ginny seemed to pout.

"That doesn't explain the 'Kiss the Girl'" Ginny pushed. Hermione's fingers twitched anxiously as she felt herself flush. Unbidden, memories of last night's steamy kiss filtered into her mind. Ginny's keen eyes widened. "You are seeing someone!" She accused. Hermione shirked back from her pointing finger. In a deciding moment she pulled her wand and cast Muffliato.

"It was just a second date." Hermione admitted quietly. Ginny squealed and Hermione winced, her nerves still hyper-strung with her last night revelation.

"Tell me all about it!" She demanded and Hermione acquiesced—with a modified story.

"So your old Muggle bully asked you out but doesn't recognize you and you used a different name so he'd continue to not recognize you because you were curious what he would be like now that you were older and different but you still think that he wouldn't have gone out on a date with you had he known your true identity." Ginny summed. Hermione nodded pathetically. "Let me guess: instead of being curious now you are genuinely attracted but you don't know how to break it to him." Hermione nodded again as Ginny assessed her sternly. "For the brightest witch of you age, you sure can be a dumbass."

"Ginny!" Hermione shouted, "Language!" Ginny waved away her scolding. "Honestly, where did you learn that phrase?" Hermione asked.

"Ron told me about his date with Lavender and she called someone a dumbass and Ron thought it was the most precious thing ever." Ginny pretended to gag. "In any case, you can't scold me! I'm scolding you! What would you think would happen?" Ginny asked. Hermione shrugged dejectedly.

"It's not like I necessarily think anything would happen…I didn't even think he'd like the first date and ask for a second! I thought I'd chat with him, think he was still a bully and leave! I wasn't exactly acting on a five-year plan!" Hermione gestured wildly, blowing her wild hair out of her face.

"Well dump him and get over it or tell him the truth and get over it. You can't exactly keep this from him forever—especially if he's muggle. If you get serious and tell him you're a witch that will be two huge things you've kept from him." Ginny took a sip of water through her straw. "I guess it depends on how much you actually like him." Hermione kicked the ground with her shoe.

"I think I like him quite a bit—but I don't know if he would like me if he realized who I really was." Hermione admitted.

"So you've said." Ginny acknowledged. "But I don't understand why you feel that way. Are you that different from muggle primary?" Hermione winced.

"It's not that I'm different from when he knew me, but I've been showing him a very different side of my personality…I don't think he'd ever believe that I could be so different." Hermione concluded. Ginny gazed at her suspiciously.

"Hermione Granger. What have you been up to?" Ginny asked with dangerous clarity. Hermione winced again.

"Kissing…" Hermione admitted. Ginny's jaw dropped.

"On a second date?" Ginny asked and Hermione scowled in annoyance.

"Honestly, Ginny, I don't know why that part is so surprising." Hermione grumbled. Ginny shook her head.

"That's not what I meant, you brat. I mean that you kissed him on a second date which means you definitely are attracted to him. I assume that you've been enjoying his personality in addition to the kissing." Hermione nodded and Ginny leaned in towards her to the point that the pregnant woman perched precariously over the edge of her seat. "How was the kiss? Was it your first?"

"It may have been my second kiss with him…"Hermione admitted. Ginny squealed again.

"How were they?!" Ginny questioned excitedly. Hermione thought back to the smell of cool rain, the warm puffs of air on her face, and the soft yellow glow of the city around them. She sighed.

"Pretty magical." Hermione concluded and Ginny frowned at her instead of squealing.

"Well, shite. You definitely have a problem, now." Ginny identified as Hermione hung her head.

"Tell me about it." She sighed. Ginny patted her arm sympathetically. Hermione glanced up at her. "Language, Ginny." She reprimanded and Ginny scowled as she swatted her shoulder petulantly. Hermione laughed feeling a bit better now that she had someone else aware of her plight—well, mostly aware. She thought of Draco's soft looks and of his arrogant smirks. She should tell him—she knew. Maybe she would just establish the other side of her personality a little longer before she ripped off the Band-Aid to reveal herself. As long as her spell was working, she'd be fine. Probably.

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Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming! It's taking some time but Draco and Hermione (as Hermione) will be working towards their own relationship together soon.

Songs:

"I'm So Into You" Ariana Grande

Songs I was listening to:
"Starboy" The Weeknd
"Issues" Julia Michaels

I work better listening to music that is themed for what I'm writing. Haha.

+One of these lines was specifically taken from another fan creation. Points to whoever recognizes it.